Submission Call: Previously Published Work
From February 16, 2018-March 23, 2018, we’re accepting submissions of work that has already been published. We’ve done this for the past two years. The goal is to give new life to work that has only been published in print OR at an online publication where the story is no longer available. The submission guidelines are the same as they are for our regular issues, but we’ll answer some FAQS that are specific to our reprint call below.
Does it cost money to submit? No, reprint submissions are free.
Is any previously published story eligible? No. As stated above, any story not currently available online is eligible. If your story has only ever appeared in print or if it was published online but is no longer available in a publication’s archives for one reason or another, it is eligible. If it’s currently elsewhere on the web for public viewing, that’s something we won’t consider. We’d like to give the opportunity to work that currently can’t be read online, so that we can (re)introduce it to a readership that can’t see it otherwise.
My story was technically published in print, but you can read it online through the Google preview of the original publication’s print issue. Is this OK? We want to offer online readers something they can’t find elsewhere online, so unfortunately, this would not meet the qualifications.
The journal that originally published my story is now defunct, but they still have my work available through an online archive. Can I still send? Please do not send us this story.
My story was published online, but it’s behind a paywall. Can I send it? We can understand why you’d be uncertain in this situation, but right now, the answer is no. Our goal is to prioritize work with no online availability.
When will you publish 2018 reprints? In 2016 and 2017, we published 1-2 reprints a week throughout the month of March. We’re opening to submissions later this year, however, due to a high volume of contest subs, so expect to see the 2018 reprints online a few weeks later than in the past as well.
Can I submit more than once? As is the case with our regular reading period, you may submit multiple (2-3) pieces only if they are flash (for us, 1,000 words). If your story is longer than 1,000 words, please submit one. Should you happen to hear back before the end of the reading period, you may then submit again. We cannot guarantee a fast response, however, as response time depends largely on the volume of submissions.
Psychopomp Magazine has published my work before. Can I still send something for the reprint issue? Sure. We neither prioritize nor penalize submissions from previous contributors. All are welcome to submit.
I have something that’s published in an online journal which has announced it will fold in the coming months. Is this OK to send? While we’re sorry to hear this, we do prefer if you wait until your story is unavailable online.
My story is above your 5,000-word limit. Can I send? We reserve the right to stop reading past our word limit. A couple hundred words over is generally OK. Once you are closer to 6,000 than 5,000, we recommend sending elsewhere.
Will you pay? No. At this time, we do not offer payment for work that has already been published. We only pay for work which debuts in Psychopomp.
Where do I direct questions not answered here? Please e-mail us at psychopompmag@gmail.com with “Digital Reprint Inquiry” in the subject line.
Send via Submittable.