submissions
submissions to underscore_magazine are currently CLOSED.
we expect to reopen in march 2024 for our third issue.
what we’re looking for
works related to the concept of the city, whatever that means to you. we're looking for your stories about city life, your odes to your favorite subway lines, your portraits of a skyscraper on fire. we're also looking for works set in cities, real or fictional, that engage with the general concept of city life and all it entails.
we embrace any and all genres, and works that span multiple genres. if you're not sure what to call your city story, we want to read it.
genre-specific guidelines
fiction
we’re looking for real stories set in fictional cities and fictional stories set in real cities. if you feel the city informs your work of fiction, we'd like to read it. when in doubt, submit!
send up to 5000 words of fiction in a (relatively) error-free PDF file. font & format are up to you.
if you’re into reading what we’ve already published, here’s a fiction piece from issue 1 that we love: The Devil I Know
nonfiction
we’re looking for stories of your lived experience in cities. tell us about your visits, about your homes, about your experiences. when in doubt, submit!
send up to 5000 words of nonfiction in a (relatively) error-free PDF file. font & format are up to you.
if you’re into reading what we’ve already published, here’s a nonfiction piece from issue 1 that we love: The Red Line
poetry
we’re looking for poetry that speaks to city life, and we leave the interpretation of that up to you. speculative poetry and prose poetry is always welcome. when in doubt, submit!
send up to 3 poems, with page breaks in between poems, in a (relatively) error-free PDF file. font & format are up to you.
if you’re into reading what we’ve already published, here’s a poem from issue 1 that we love: blr ihy ily
sim subs & prev pubs
we welcome simultaneous submissions. however, please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere. we'll congratulate you!
we do not accept previously published work. by previously published work, we mean published by other mags, presses, etc. work you've put on your blog or social media is totally fine. (for work that's appeared in a now-defunct magazine, contact us and we'll figure it out!)