General Submission Guidelines
What We Want
We are looking for fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. We also welcome interviews, book reviews, and other literary adjacent projects. Of particular interest are digital art, hybrid, and cross-genre works that straddle the lines of classification.
Submission Specifics
Categories
Poetry: a minimum of 3 poems and a maximum of 5 poems. Note: we rarely publish poems that run over 3 typed pages.
Creative Nonfiction: up to 5K words.
Fiction: up to 5K words. We welcome flash fiction up to 1,000 words. You may send 5 flash pieces (up to 5K words) in a single document.
Artwork: 6 -10 images sized 1080x1080 pixels submitted as a jpeg.
Please limit submissions to two categories until we’ve replied.
Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please let us know in your cover letter. We appreciate timely notification if a piece under consideration has been accepted elsewhere.
Formatting
We prefer standard formatting and Times New Roman 12 pt font. We will do our best to retain poetry formatting within the limits of our online platform.
We will be glad to look at previously published work (reprints) as long as:
You have the rights;
It has been at least 24 months since published online or three months if published in a small print-only run, and;
You provide the prior publication credit at submission.
If published by DIHP, please wait six months before submitting again.
Submissions Fee
We charge a $3.00 submission fee.
These funds are used for artist payments and administrative costs (Submittable, website, etc.). We hold fee-free periods for the last two weeks of each February and August, to ensure cost is not a barrier for any writer.
Pitches are free. For periodic features or one-off interviews, reviews, etc., use the Pitch Pockets category. Please include an explanation of your idea, audience, intended frequency, and a writing sample.
Artwork submissions are free. Please use the Pitch Pockets submission category.
Rights
All rights remain with the author before, during, and after publication. We request non-exclusive permission to feature your work on our site, our social media channels, archives, and special projects (anthologies, collections, etc).
Payment
If published, we pay $10 per issue (including artwork). We understand this is nowhere near what writers/artists deserve, and we will raise rates as soon as we are able.
DIHP may provide content warnings when publishing pieces that touch on the following subject matter:
Sexual assault
Abuse/child abuse
Child loss
Abortion
Self harm/suicide
Excessive Violence
Eating disorders/body dysphoria
Looking for more specifics? Read Duotrope’s interview with our editor-in-chief.
Submit here: https://doesithavepockets.submittable.com/submit
