Submission Guidelines

Each issue of Larina’s Lit Lounge has a writing prompt. All submissions should address the writing prompt in some way, though the connection may be slight.

Who Can Submit

Anyone, but the submission must match a writing prompt in Larina’s Lit Lounge.

Simultaneous Submissions

Yes, but please let me know if your piece is accepted elsewhere.

Multiple Submissions

You may submit one prose piece and one poem per prompt.

Length

Fiction and creative nonfiction word limit is 1000 words, though pieces in the 500-word range have the best chance for publication. Poems can be up to 100 lines, though shorter poems tend to have a better chance.

Reprints

That wouldn’t be written to the prompt, now would it? No reprints.

Rights Purchased

I purchase First Electronic Rights and the piece will remain on Substack for as long as Substack and my account exist.

Payment

I pay $20 via Paypal or Venmo to you or your favorite nondiscriminatory charity.

Turnaround Time

Right now I’m really fast—within 24 hours usually. If the number of submissions increases, expect my turnaround time to slow down as well.

Formatting

Please submit to larinamichelle@gmail.com by pasting the work into the body of the email. Subject line should be SUBMISSION - Issue __ Prompt.

Attachments will be deleted unread.

What Not to Send

Tough sells include:

• Gore for the sake of gore

• Shock value pieces

• Highly experimental pieces

• Pieces with unusual formatting requirements

• Unoriginal tropes and themes

Hard no’s include:

• Discrimination against any group of people

• Child abuse in fiction or graphic child abuse of any kind

• Sexual assault in fiction or graphic sexual assault of any kind

• Animal cruelty in fiction or graphic animal cruelty of any kind

Note: I lean left on the political spectrum. I’m open to center-right themes and ideas if they are written well and non-discriminatory. I will not respond to far right or hateful submissions.