SUBMISSIONS ARE
OPEN


F O R  ​I S S U E  0 5:
FRAGMENTS OF A 
PAINTED CULT
S C U L P T U R E  G A R D E N  /  C L A S S I C A L  S T A T U A R Y

For this theme, we challenge submitters to explore and respond
not only to artworks themselves, but the very concept
of "classical" statuary.

Who decides what is considered classical?
Who/what is excluded from this scope?
What are the implications of such exclusion?
What are the dangers of clinging to iconography 
​that reifies harmful traditions?
Etc. 

​
​SUBMISSION PERIODS
S P R I N G (THEMED) ~ DEC 1 - JAN 31
​F A L L (UNTHEMED) ~ JUN 1 - JUL 31

​

content
​guidelines
  • Bleating Thing is a magazine of poetry, essays, flash fiction, printable hybrid work, and visual art. 
  • While we prefer essays to memoir/CNF, we recognize that these lines often blur. If you feel your piece has a strong perspective or theme that emerges in a dialectic way, you may submit in the essay category with the understanding that we will consider it as such.
  • Please read our "About" page and at least one issue of the magazine prior to submitting work.
  • We favor the visceral marginalia. While we understand this may (perhaps, even frequently) include the grotesque, we do not publish gratuitous depictions of sexual assault, violence, or self-harm.
  • We do not tolerate bigotry of any kind.
  • We do not accept previously published material, unless the previous publication is out of print and no digital archive exists. (We do not consider work on personal social media accounts to be previously published.)
  • We do not accept partially or wholly AI-generated content of any kind.

submission
​guidelines
  • You may submit one packet per genre category during any given submission period.
  • Please do not include any identifying information in the submission document.
  • Submissions will be accepted from midnight the morning of opening day and until midnight in the evening of the closing day of each submission period. Anything sent outside of those dates will be ignored. 
  • Submissions by form are preferred for organizational purposes, but you may also email [email protected]. If emailing, please include the genre(s) of your submission in the subject line of the email.
  • Simultaneous submissions are accepted! Please just indicate when submitting which piece(s) is/are simultaneous submissions and notify us ASAP if you've been accepted elsewhere (so we can cheer you on).
  • Author/Artist bios will be requested upon acceptance. 
  • We nominate for the Monarch Queer Literary Awards, which require submitter consent. If you are eligible & would like to be considered for award nomination, kindly mark the according box on your submission form.
  • While some responses may come sooner, all decisions will be sent about 2 months after the end of each submission period (beginning of April in the spring, beginning of October in the fall).

upon
publication
  • By publishing with us, you consent to have your work reproduced digitally (including for use in promotional graphics) & in print. For visual artists, this may include having your image manipulated and/or color treated for promotional materials only.
  • Once the issue is live, all rights to published work(s) revert to you, the author. All we ask is that you acknowledge us as the original publishers of your work. 
  • Each contributor will receive a .PDF of the issue.
  • In the interest of accessibility, print issues are sold at cost of production. This does mean that at this time, we are unable to provide contributor prints.
  • If accepted, we ask that you wait one year from the postdate of your accepted submission before submitting again (for example, if you submit in the winter for publication in the spring and are accepted, we ask that you wait until winter the following year). 
  • Our issues are formatted in A5 (5.83 x 8.27 inches).

poetry
  • ​Send up to 3 poems in a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file using THE FORM (CLICK HERE).
  • Please do not include any personal identifying information (name, email, phone number, etc.) in the submission document.

flash
​fiction
  • Send 1 piece of up to 1500 words​ in a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file using THE FORM (CLICK HERE).
  • Please do not include any personal identifying information (name, email, phone number, etc.) in the submission document.

essays
  • Send 1 piece of ​​up to 1500 words in a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file using THE FORM (CLICK HERE).
  • Please do not include any personal identifying information (name, email, phone number, etc.) in the submission document.

hybrid
  • Send up to 3 pieces blending multiple forms (e.g., visual poetry, collage poetry, collage essay, essay with poems in the footnotes, poem with an essay in the footnotes, etc.) in a .doc, .docx, .pdf, or .JPEG file using THE FORM (CLICK HERE).

artwork

  • Send up to 5 pieces of ANY visual artform that can be reproduced in print (photography, illustration, sketch, digital manipulation, collage, etc.) using THE FORM (CLICK HERE).
  • .pdf or .JPEG format
  • All files will be converted to CMYK at least 300 dpi
  • To be considered for a full-page, images must be at least 2550 x 3300 px 

we love you. we're ravenous.