Have a question about submitting to Heart of Flesh? Take a look below… we may have already answered it.
Still have questions? Contact us HERE or e-mail us at heartoffleshlit@gmail.com.
How do I submit to Heart of Flesh?
Check out this page for submission information. After reading the guidelines, e-mail your submission to heartoffleshlit@gmail.com.
Do I have to be a Christian to submit?
No. But your work really should have a Christian theme. If it doesn’t, there’s a good chance it will be rejected.
Is this a Catholic literary journal?
The short answer is no. Our editor is a Protestant who grew up in the Catholic Church (you can read our editor’s testimony HERE), so while we appreciate certain things about Catholicism and will certainly publish work by Catholics—including stories about priests and poems about transubstantiation—we typically don’t promote Catholic doctrine.
Do you accept simultaneous submissions?
Yes. But please let us know right away if your work gets accepted elsewhere.
Can I send multiple submissions at the same time (ex: a poem and a short story)?
Yes. You can submit for multiple categories at the same time. We only ask that, if possible, to please include all submissions in one e-mail to prevent confusion. We also ask that if your submissions are rejected that you wait until the next reading period to submit again.
Do you accept translations of another author’s work?
No.
What if I write a poem in another language, and then I translate it into English? Will you consider it?
Yes. If you are the author of the poem or story, then we will consider it.
Can I submit an image-text hybrid (ex: a poem printed onto a photo)?
No. We generally don’t publish text on top of paintings, drawings, or photos. If you submit artwork that has words on it, we may publish it as long as the words are not the dominant feature.
How do I submit my Christian testimony?
You can find that information HERE.
How do I submit a book review?
You can find that information HERE.
What is Pure in Heart Stories?
Pure in Heart is our sister-site that publishes writing and art geared towards kids, teens, and families. If you submit to Heart of Flesh, there is a chance you may be selected to be published by Pure in Heart instead if we find that your submission is family-friendly. You can find more information about Pure in Heart HERE.
How long can I expect to wait after submitting before I hear from you?
Typically between 2 weeks to 2 months. After submitting you should receive a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours (if you don’t, please ask us if we received your submission), and then it should take about 2 to 8 weeks for us to reach a decision. If it’s been longer than 8 weeks, feel free to ask for an update.
Do you offer feedback on submissions that get rejected?
I’m sorry, but no. We would love to give feedback to everyone who submits, but it’s not possible with the number of submissions we receive. We are a very small team (2 people) working under a tight deadline, but every submission gets read and reviewed at least twice. This is a very subjective process—If you get rejected, please submit again in the future!
Can I publish under a pen name?
Yes, if you would like to. We ask that you sign our contract with your real name, but you may publish under any name you wish.
If my work is accepted, do I retain the rights?
Yes. You keep the copyright to your work and are free to republish it AFTER we publish it. We ask for the right to be the first to publish your work online and in print (in North America), along with the right to archive your work— learn more about the rights we ask for in the “Terms” section of our submission page.
Do you pay?
No. Sorry, but we don’t have the funds! We are a volunteer-run, not-for-profit journal. Everything online is free, we don’t charge any fees, and we make about $1 for every print issue sold—which goes directly towards our hosting costs. We will, however, promote your work on our social media outlets.
You rejected my work. It doesn’t seem to fit with any literary magazine. Now what do I do?
Don’t give up! There are hundreds of literary journals and magazines. Keep submitting. Here’s a list of Christian-themed magazines to help you. Also, keep writing and continue to hone your craft.
How can I support you?
Pray for us! We would love your prayers. You can also support us by spreading the word about our journal through blogs and social media (our editor also does interviews). If you would like to support us financially, you can donate HERE or purchase one of our issues.
Heart of Flesh Literary Journal 