Lucky Jefferson is the literary journal that talks back—generating constructive and interactive conversations around poetry, art, and publishing; redefining publication page by page. We live for poets/writers who have never been published, especially those who sought to pursue poetry and writing later in life. We represent the people and firmly believe that marginalized voices deserve a better platform.
Submission Guidelines:
Lucky Jefferson accepts submissions of unpublished poetry and flash fiction on subjects relating to the current theme or collection.
When submitting:
- Send three poems per submission. Poems should be separated by titles or page breaks.
- Flash fiction should not exceed any more than 1000 words (Microfiction is what's up).
- Include a cover page highlighting your name, email address, mailing address, and bio (third-person, 50 words max). Get creative, don't bore us with the same bio you share with everyone else.
- No submissions via e-mail (unless you're a student—all students submit for free).
- We do not accept translations or work that has been previously published in print or online.
We will not tolerate any work that promotes harmful stereotypes and perspectives including: racism, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, xenophobia, antisemitism, ableism.
*Please visit https://luckyjefferson.com/submit for important info should your work be accepted*
Poetry & Prose Summer Contest
Lucky Jefferson is excited to announce its second Poetry and Prose Summer contest!
Why are we doing this? We believe writers deserve opportunities like this (and so much more) and one core part of our mission includes being the difference. Many contests charge fees to enter or make writers and artists jump through hoops with no real return. We want to change that.
- For starters, it's free to enter or submit.
- You'll have 2 months to submit any original and unpublished poetry and prose you want.
- 20 finalists will receive publication in Lucky Jefferson's digital 365 Collection.
- Two finalists from that group (one poetry and one prose) will each receive $100, publication, and a swag box.
Ahmad Almallah is the judge for this contest. Learn more about him and our contest here.
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When submitting:
- Send no more than 5 poems or prose pieces in a submission.
- Keep it short and sweet. Share your name, email address, mailing address, and bio (third-person, 50 words max).
- No work that has been previously published in print or online. Please no ai-generated work.
*We will not tolerate any work that promotes harmful stereotypes and perspectives including: racism, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, xenophobia, antisemitism, ableism.
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*Please visit https://luckyjefferson.com/poetry-prose-contest/ for important info should your work be accepted*
Upcoming Digital Issue, Estallido
You know what’s happening. You know about the injustices in the world, the abuse of power, and the suffering it causes. But you also know about the people resisting—those putting themselves on the line to confront the problem. You know those who gather, fight, and push for a better life.
Estallido is about social outbreaks: what leads to them, the people in the front and the back of them, those who can only join in spirit, the fighting spirit that sustains them, and most importantly, the change they can bring.
We want to see pieces that show your fighting spirit—moments when that spirit faltered but rose again, your support for others fighting the fight, and your voice in these times of outbreaks.
We have never been quiet, but together, we can be louder.
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Sabes muy bien lo que está pasando. Sabes sobre las injusticias ocurriendo en el mundo. Sabes sobre personas abusando de su poder y sabes sobre las personas que sufren. Sin embargo, también debes saber sobre la gente que resiste, la gente que se pone en primera línea y se enfrenta al problema. Sabes sobre esas personas juntándose y luchando juntas por una mejor vida. Esto es un Estallido
Esta edición es sobre estallidos sociales: como empezaron, la gente al frente y atrás de ellos, la gente que solo puede participar en espíritu, el espíritu de lucha en ellos, y lo más importante, el cambio que pueden traer. Quiero ver piezas que muestren tu espíritu de lucha, momentos donde tu espíritu de lucha disminuyó pero se levantó, tu apoyo a otras personas luchando y tu voz en estos tiempos de estallidos.
Nunca hemos estado callados, pero podemos ser más ruidosos juntos.
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Examples of what we're looking for: COMING SOON
**Submissions that are not in English should include a translated version of the work.**
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PAYMENT (UPON ACCEPTANCE):
$15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
$20 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction, Hybrid/Experimental (under 1000 words)
SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD
$25 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media. Accepted authors will receive a payout of $15, $20, or $25, for each accepted submission.
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We encourage you to donate with your submission. Your contribution fuels the publication of Lucky Jefferson as we are a growing independent publication with an all-volunteer staff.
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*Please visit https://luckyjefferson.com/submit for important info should your work be accepted*
Upcoming Print Issue, Fissure
How do we navigate a world that feels like it's falling further apart with each passing moment? As an artist or writer, how do you find meaning in these fractures? Fissure dives into the cracks and instability both around us and within ourselves. What does the collapse of systems—both personal and societal—look like?
Themes your work may explore:
- The Decay of Systems: Interpret the breakdown of societal, political, or environmental systems. What happens when the structures we rely on begin to unravel and collapse? How do we survive the crumbling of our foundations?
- The Unraveling of People: Examine the unraveling of identity, the erosion of self, and the emotional and psychological collapse that accompanies a breakdown in our personal or collective sense of purpose.
- The Questioning of Reality and Place: Explore the destabilization of our perceptions of reality. How do we reconcile when what we thought was true begins to fracture? How do we navigate a world that no longer feels grounded?
- Fractures in Home and Belonging: Reflect on the disintegration of place, home, and community. How do individuals and communities respond when their sense of belonging begins to shift, break, or disappear?
- Resilience: Despite the unraveling, there is always the growth potential. How do we resist, rebuild, or find meaning in the destruction? What remains when everything around us is falling apart?
Examples of what we're looking for: COMING SOON
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PAYMENT (UPON ACCEPTANCE):
$15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
$20 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction, Hybrid/Experimental (under 1000 words)
SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD
$25 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)
SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media. Accepted authors will receive a payout of $15, $20, or $25, for each accepted submission.
________
We encourage you to donate with your submission. Your contribution fuels the publication of Lucky Jefferson as we are a growing independent publication with an all-volunteer staff.
________
*Please visit https://luckyjefferson.com/submit for important info should your work be accepted*
Little Jefferson
Calling all kiddos and teens aspiring to become writers or pursue the arts when they grow up!
Little Jefferson is Lucky Jefferson's way of creating spaces and opportunities for youth ages 9-13 to explore and deepen their joy of writing and grow as young artists.
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website.
When submitting:
• Send no more than three poems or one story in a submission. Use titles or page breaks to separate poems.
• Include a short cover page highlighting the young poet’s name, email address (if applicable), bio, and mailing address. Biographical statements should be 2-3 sentences or 50-75 words—have fun with this and tell us something we'd never know!
Parents/Guardians/Teachers/Youth Organizations are allowed to submit on their child's behalf.
**We do not accept translations or work that has been previously published in print or online.**
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We encourage you to donate with your submission to help us keep this ship sailing. Your contribution fuels the publication of Lucky Jefferson as we are a budding independent journal with an all-volunteer staff.
To keep things fair, previously accepted poets may only submit once each calendar year.