Dare. Risk. Dream. Share. Ruminate.

How do we understand our place in the world, our responsibility to it, and our responsibility to each other?

​CLOCKHOUSE is an eclectic conversation about the work-in-progress of life — a soul arousal, a testing ground, a new community, a call for change. Join in.

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Welcome writers! Thank you for your interest in CLOCKHOUSE. We’re looking for work that beckons us to listen, share, and engage.

The submission period for the Summer 2027 Volume 14 issue will begin on September 1, 2026, and remain open through 11:59 PM on November 15, 2026. Please note that for specific genres, the journal may stop accepting submissions when we have the work we need.

Volume 14 will be published in summer 2027.

We accept works of poetry, fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and drama for stage and screen. 

Submissions from both established and emerging writers are encouraged. All submissions must be original, unpublished work or, if you are submitting artwork for cover consideration, original artwork created by the artist. We do not accept work generated in whole or in part by AI. 

To see samples of work we have published, see our website at https://www.clockhouse.net/.

Translations into English are accepted as long as the translator has the written permission and right to publish the original author’s work. 

If your work has been published in CLOCKHOUSE, please skip one issue before submitting again.

Follow industry-standard formatting guidelines (Word Docs preferred) appropriate for the genre as well as the following:

Fiction

• Flash Fiction, up to 3 pieces, up to 750 words each, each submitted separately
• Short stories and self-contained novel excerpts, one piece, 751 - 3,500 words
• Double-spaced, note word count on first page
• Genre fiction will be considered only if it sustains literary merit

Poetry

• All poetry in traditional and experimental styles including prose poetry
• Up to three poems of any length, each submitted separately
• You may submit more than three poems only if they form a thematic unit (submit as one)

Memoir/Creative Nonfiction

• All memoir/creative nonfiction in traditional and experimental styles
• No academic or scientific essays
• Submit one piece, up to 5,000 words
• Double-spaced, and note the word count on the first page

Dramatic Work for Stage or Screen

• Short plays and screenplays in traditional and experimental styles
• Standalone work only (not part of a longer work); no monologues
• Submitted work should be written with the audience in mind
• Must include a cover page with title and character breakdown
• Submit up to 10 pages of script (not including cover page)
• Follow the industry-standard formatting guidelines appropriate for the plays/screenplays, including pagination

Cover Artwork

We're looking for colorful and accessible artwork that will captivate our readers and complement the diverse literary content within. Specifically, your submission should be:

• Colorful: we are seeking vibrant, dynamic artwork that uses a rich palette
• Accessible: the artwork should be engaging and approachable to a broad audience; we prefer representational styles but will consider abstract and surreal styles as well
• Artwork must be in portrait orientation with a size of at least 8 x 12 inches (20.32 cm x 30.48 cm) 
• A resolution of at least 300 DPI in either jpg or jpeg file format

Response Time

Expect to wait up to four months after the close of our submissions period for a reply. After that time, you can check on the status of your submission by e-mailing ClockhouseEditorialDirector@gmail.com. Include the title of your piece, the genre, and the original date of submission. 

Upon Acceptance

By accepting an offer of publication by CLOCKHOUSE, the author will grant the magazine first serial rights. Upon publication, rights revert back to the author, who retains all other rights to the work. Any subsequent publication will note that the work was first published in CLOCKHOUSE. 

Payment & Publicity

Payment for publication in CLOCKHOUSE is one contributor's copy in which the work appears and a discount on purchases of that volume. 

We may nominate published works for awards or other recognition, such as the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. The author may also choose to give CLOCKHOUSE permission to post their work on clockhouse.net and/or promote their name and work on social media.