(Applause is currently closed to submissions. Please look out for Issue 34 coming soon.) 

Applause is an annual, full-online journal with a strong web platform allowing us to offer an immersive reading experience as we showcase in each issue the writing that moves us most during our reading period from undergraduate writers across the country and world. We acquire First North American Serial Rights. Work selected for publication will receive both publication and national exposure through our social media support systems. Our response time is approximately one to four months.

Each annual issue is a (loosely) themed issue. Our current call for submissions is as follows:

For issue 34, we are eager to explore the rich tapestry of the human experience through the following thematic elements:

1. Sensory Reverie: Dive into the sensory realm as we seek submissions that evoke the essence of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. We encourage you to paint vivid scenes, compose mellifluous verses, or craft prose that awakens the senses of our readers.

2. Rhythms of Resistance: In a world filled with challenges and adversities, we are interested in narratives of strength, perseverance, and activism. Share stories of personal resilience, accounts of overcoming obstacles, or reflections on the power of advocacy and social change. Illuminate the indomitable human spirit through your words and art.

3. Place Personified: Places have stories to tell. We invite you to submit pieces where the setting is not merely a backdrop but a living, breathing character in itself. Whether it's a bustling cityscape, a cozy hometown, or an uncharted wilderness, let the setting come alive and influence your work in profound ways.

We are accepting submissions now until March 15th, 2024, but the earlier the better for submissions.

Genre Specific Guidelines

Poetry

Submit up to five poems for consideration.

All forms will be considered for publication.

Put the title(s) of the works submitted in the "Title Your Submission Box," separated by commas.

If submitting multiple poems in one submission, include them all in a single PDF file with the poems separated by title. Do not put multiple poems on one page or begin a poem on the page another poem ends.

Fiction

Submit up to one piece for consideration.

We accept works up to 5,000 words.

Put the title of the works submitted in the "Title Your Submission Box."

Submit your story as a single PDF file.

Creative Nonfiction

Submit no more than one creative nonfiction piece for consideration.

We accept creative nonfiction up to 5,000 words.

Put the title of the works submitted in the "Title Your Submission Box."

Submit your story as a single PDF file.

Art & Photography

Submit up to five pieces for consideration.

Please upload files in .pdf format.

Files must be uploaded in 300 dpi for print reproduction.

Put the title(s) of the works submitted in the "Title Your Submission Box." If submitting multiple pieces in one submission, include them all in a single PDF file with the pieces separated by title.