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Moot Point Magazine is led with the intent to make writing accessible to as wide an audience as possible. And we are especially interested in publishing those from nontraditional writing backgrounds. Too much of the writing industry demands wealth, unpaid labor, and ass kissing. Between the four founding editors, we have 0 MFA’s (though our poetry editor is currently a candidate at Columbia University’s MFA program.) This is a resource for those who are at an earlier stage in their writing career, or are just beginning to submit to literary magazines. We want to create the resources that would’ve been invaluable to us, that we don’t think are worth debt. How do I find more lit mags? There are literary magazines everywhere. From the giant names to friend-run passion projects. While there are no all-encompassing databases, a great place to start is chill subs. Chill subs is a database designed to be easy-to-navigate. You can browse for lit mags using filters like genres they accept, their “vibe,” if they are open for submissions, if they offer paid acceptances, and more. We all use it and think it’s a great place to start learning about more lit mags. Submittable is another great place to discover open submission calls from literary magazines. This is a staple if you are serious about submitting your work. Twitter is a great place to keep up with lit mags and journals. There is a large community under #writingcommunity, or you could follow us @mootpointmag and discover mags that we follow or interact with. Also in bios, it’s not uncommon for writers to list their places pieces. Why submit my work, why not wait for it to be published as a book? You do not have to submit your work! Though we believe literary magazines are a vital part of the writing community. As a writer, publishing in a literary journal connects you to a community of like-writers—your peers! It is a great way to meet up-and-coming writers and read pieces from your favs between books. Also, if your goal is to be published in a collection, typically some of the stories are previously published. Publishing in lit mags is also how you are nominated for prizes, and how you can catch the eyes of agents or potential mentors. We also want to state that volunteering at a literary magazine can be invaluable. On the other side of a mag, you see all of the submissions that can come in. You spend time reading and honing your editorial skills. I have never been published. What’s a cover letter? A cover letter is how you introduce your piece to the editors. An example: Dear Leia Bradley, I am submitting my 2 poems entitled “Duck’s” and “Row,” at 450 and 300 words respectively. This is a simultaneous submission and I will withdraw my work if accepted elsewhere. Best, AJ AJ is a writer from Atlanta. Her work has been published in Examples Magazine. A cover letter should be addressed to the editor, you can check this on the mag’s website This is also a great way to check out the mag and see if your piece is a good fit It’s a good idea to give the word count of the pieces you are submitting. You can also give any backstory to the pieces that you think is relevant A simultaneous submission is a piece that you are submitting to multiple literary magazines at once. This is standard in the literary world, but if your piece is accepted, please withdraw it from other magazines. It’s viewed as a common courtesy, because once a piece is offered acceptances, it’s expected to be placed there. Often a cover letter ends in a short, third-person biography. If you have literary publications, degrees, or other experience, this is the place to put it. However, if you are brand new, it’s totally alright to give a short statement! There is no wrong way to write your bio. If I am rejected from a magazine, should I submit again? Yes! For our venue and many lit mags, rejections are not a bad thing. Unfortunately, there are only so many pieces that can be published at each magazine. A rejection does not mean you should give up. Keep submitting, keep reading the magazine, and who knows what can happen one day! What if I write sci-fi/horror/romance? You still have a place in the lit mag community! There are many magazines that are specific to a certain genre (genre meaning anything that isn’t “literary fiction”). Of course, genre and literary fiction overlap in a lot of ways. The best way to know is to check what the editors enjoy and by reading what the magazine has previously published. If a magazine has never published any sci-fi pieces, and everything is hyper-realist and literary, it might be best to redirect your attention to other spaces.

Below is a growing list of writing workshops & residencies. It can be difficult to keep track of them all, so want to provide a one-stop-shop. This list is not complete, nor in any particular order. ● Millay Colony for the Arts - A pretty well known residency, named after Edna St. Vincent Millay, offering two-week and month-long residencies to six or seven artists throughout the year. Location: Hudson Valley, NY Application fee: $45 Submission period: rolling ● Norton Island Residency - ten day residency off the coast of Maine in an isolated, rustic setting every summer. If you’re a wilderness person, this one’s for you! Keep in mind: there is no connection to the internet. But you can see the stars so clearly at night! And it’s quiet + peaceful! Location: Norton Island, ME Application fee: $45 Submission period: November 15 - March 31 ● Kerouac Project - This one’s probably my favorite, and not just because I’m from Florida! Stay in Jack Kerouac’s quaint Orlando home (didn’t know Kerouac used to live in Orlando? Me neither!) for a month with a $1,000 food stipend. They like when the author chosen does a cute little reading at the end of their stay! V fun, maybe you’ll write the next On the Road while you’re there (or something better!) Location: Orlando, FL Application fee: $35 Submission period: January 1 - mid-march Dates: -Fall 2022: September 1 – November 20 -Winter 2022: December 1 – February 17 -Spring 2023: March 1 – May 21 -Summer 2023 June 1 – August 20 ● New Orleans Writers’ Residency - Technically not a residency anymore, but repurposed low-cost, short-term housing for writers in need. Application fee: none Cost: $300 per month Submission period: rolling ● Tin House - If you aren’t already familiar with Tin House, it’s one of the most established workshops—every Summer at Reed College in Oregon, writers are invited to stay in the dorms for a week, where they host readings, workshops, and other events around campus. Established authors teach each workshop in either short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or novel. There is also a digital Winter Workshop, and a brand new Autumn Workshop! Location: Portland, OR Application fee: $25 Submission period: Summer - January 9-29 2023 ● Porches Writing Retreat - Relax on the James River in Virginia for ten days courtesy of the The Nancy Zafris Short Story fellowship. All you need is a good short story, a 300-500 word personal statement, and a resume/cover letter to submit! Location: Norwood, Virginia Application fee: $10 Submission period: ends February 15 ● Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Residency - Residences vary from one to six weeks, where you can either marvel at the Blue Ridge Mountains or cottages in France! This is a multidisciplinary residency—so you’ll get to interact with different artists, composers, and other writers! Location: Amherst, VA or Auvillar, France Application fee: $30 Submission period: ends January 15, 2023 ● The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship - Are you obsessed with libraries and Paris? This one’s for you! Applicants should be working on a creative project that contributes to cross-cultural discourse. Includes a $5,000 stipend for a month-long stay. Fellows are expected to: “-Be present in the American Library a minimum of three half-days a week. -Present an hour-long evening program at the Library. -Participate in a Library reception. -Meet with staff informally to explore a topic of mutual interest. -Extend the Library’s reach by participating in events arranged by the Library with other organizations in Paris. -Provide the Library and the funding foundation with a written report of the Fellowship experience. -Appropriately acknowledge the Library and the Visiting Fellowship in publications and print media related to the Fellowship project. -Participate in the Library’s social media communication, fundraising campaigns, and other public events.” Location: Paris, France Application fee: 30 Euros Submission Period: January 30 - April 1 2023 ● The Bard Fiction Prize - A prestigious residency awarded to an American emerging writer 39 years old or younger. Along with a $30,000 cash prize, the winner will be the writer-in-residence at Bard College for one semester. They must give at least one public lecture and meet informally with students. Location: Annandale-on-Hudson, NY Application fee: unknown Submission period: ends June 1st, 2023 ● Hambidge Creative Residency Program - Another multidisciplinary residency, here you’ll meet with 8-10 other creatives in beautiful Georgia nature to share meals and stories together—but also have plenty of time to work alone. Stays are between two to eight weeks. Be aware: no internet or cell phone service. (but wifi is available in the communal space!) Location: Rabun Gap, GA Application fee: $30 Submission period: Summer - Dec 1 - January 15 Fall - March 1 - April 15 Spring - August 1 - September 15 FAQ What is a workshop? A writing workshop is a program where writers can meet to "workshop" or "generate" fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc. Typically, you will apply to specific teachers (a great motivator to apply is to study with your favorite writers!) and you will be assigned a cohort. Workshops are a wonderful way to meet your contemporaries, spend typically a 3-7 days with your work, and hang out in a new space! What is a residency? Residencies are longer programs that are less "workshop" based. Typically you apply while working on a longer project and you are given time and space to focus on writing. Residencies can be anywhere from a couple of week to a couple of months, and can be anywhere in the world! What is right for me? Only you can answer that! If you are working on short stories, newer to writing, never attended a BFA or MFA program, a workshop can be a great space. If you are a little further in your career, seriously working on a book-length project, and want to spend a few weeks in the middle of nowhere, check out some residencies.

While searching for images for Moot Point, we've found a plethora of incredible images that we think would be great prompts. We will be sharing a new image each week and challenge you to write something (any genre, under 1000 words) inspired by said image. You can submit those to our Submittable (open at all times for this section), and we will publish one (or a handful) of pieces about each illustration. You can find our prompts on our social media feeds, or below!