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Lucky Jefferson accepts submissions of unpublished poetry and flash fiction on subjects relating to the current theme or collection.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*
PLEASE REVIEW IN FULL BEFORE SUBMITTING
Lucky Jefferson's digital zine Awake seeks to amplify the experiences and perspectives of Black writers in American society.
The fourth issue of Awake is titled Odyssey:
Despite being the first Black captain of your crew, you’ve been overlooked for promotions your entire career in the Space Force. One day, you finally receive your chance at your own expedition to the Outer Ring. After launch, your ship experiences technical difficulties and you find yourself plummeting four thousand kilometers off course.
After awakening, you realize it’s been a few days since you lost connection with Mission Control. You stumble through iridescent foliage to discover a bustling city ahead of your own time. You are soon discovered and greeted by the inhabitants of this world—inhabitants that reflect your culture.
Now you have two options: figure out a way to return home or explore this planet and begin a new life. What are you going to do?
Poems, essays, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and art should illustrate your decision.
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website and publicized on social media.
Accepted authors will receive $15 for each accepted work.
*Writers looking to be published in upcoming print issues should plan to submit their work to the appropriate form during open calls.*
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When submitting:
- Send no more than three poems in a submission. Separate poems by titles or page breaks.
- Essays should be no more than 1500 words.
- Flash Fiction should be no more than 1000 words.
- Send no more than three pieces of art. Artwork that offers social commentary on the lack of diversity in Science Fiction is highly preferred (We love comics and collage pieces!).
- In the cover letter box include: your name, email address, current address, and bio (third-person, 50 words max).
We do not accept translations or work that has been previously published in print or online.
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**We encourage you to make a donation with your submission. Your contribution fuels the publication of Lucky Jefferson as we are a budding independent journal with an all-volunteer staff.
**Previously accepted poets/writers should wait 2 quarters, or two issues, from the time of acceptance, before submitting new work to any open call.**
The 365 Collection
Lucky Jefferson happily accepts unsolicited submissions of poetry year-round into its 365 Collection, a 100% digital collection of poetry and other literature. Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website and social media account(s).
Writers looking to be published in upcoming print issues should plan to submit their work to the appropriate form during open calls—Next upcoming print issue: Cookout.
When submitting:
- Send no more than three poems in a 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). Keep it brief, but get creative; don't bore us with the same bio you share with everyone else.
- Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please let us know if we can't publish something okay? Cause we catch feelings fast.
- We do not accept translations or work that has been previously published in print or online. Black, Indigenous, and people of color identifying writers are encouraged to submit as we continue to prioritize these communities in our ongoing work.
- Please absolutely no sexually explicit poems or works highlighting extreme violence, racism, antisemitism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, insta poems or love poems. We're hopeless romantics, but we're not interested in printing romance unless it's a unique perspective.
We encourage you to make a donation 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.
Poets accepted into the 365 Collection will receive a spot on our website and social media love. Previously accepted poets/writers should wait 2 quarters, from the time of acceptance, before submitting new work to any open call.
Lucky Jefferson intends to expand its print and digital collections, (365 Collection, Awake) by featuring Guest Editors eager to generate visibility for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Arab and other Middle Eastern American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander voices and increased accessibility to traditionally underrepresented literature.
You should come prepared to wield your editorial skills and creativity to attract new and emerging voices. The sky is truly the limit as you will serve up unique themes consistent with social justice issues or something more fun like a call for recipes that inspire identity.
Applicants should be BIPOC-identifying authors excited about poetry, especially new contemporary works, and our mission to reinvigorate publishing. You do not have to have an extensive publication history!
How You'll Get Down (10 hours per month)
- Review submissions and provide supportive feedback in Submittable
- Lend your copy editing and proofreading skills to prepare accepted works for publication (roughly 8-10 authors per digital issue or 20-25 authors for print)
- Submit design or creative requests for issues to ensure all artwork is supplied on time for issues
- Champion our authors through editor social media interviews
- *If applying for a Translation Editor role, you could expect to support the same tasks above in addition to translating accepted works.
Where You Should Shine:
- Flawless editing skills and creative vision
- You work well alone and with a team and should be eager to hit the ground running for your issue
- Calling all perfectionists (kidding)! But attention to detail is a must. Mistakes happen, but you should be keen on minimizing them or avoiding them altogether
- Your passion for social justice advocacy and creating equal opportunities should be clear. We don't empower, we help folks realize the power they already have
- Must be committed to highlighting new voices in poetry, flash fiction, etc. This includes underrepresented and misrepresented groups (Black voices, LGBTQIA voices, Disabled voices, etc.)
How Long We'll Need Your Help
1-2 months (depends on the volume of submissions per issue and subsequent promotion). And of course, if you love the gig, you're more than welcome to stay aboard longer.
If This Is Your DREAM
Complete this application to guest edit an upcoming issue. Interviews rolling.
Scratching Your Head?
Send all questions to editorial@luckyjefferson.com.
We're Not Rolling In Dough Yet!
This is a volunteer position.
*and yes, this role is REMOTE*