Submission call: previously published work

Throughout February, we’re accepting submissions of work that has already been published. We’ve done this for the past few 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 freely 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 free 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.

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? No, this story would not meet the qualifications for our reprint issue.

My story was published online, but it’s behind a paywall. Can I send it? Yes, this is okay with us. Just make sure that you have retained the right to republish it.

When will you publish 2021 reprints? We aim to publish our reprint issue during spring.

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 “2021 Reprint Inquiry” in the subject line.