Ploughshares
Website: https://pshares.org/
Submission Guidelines: https://pshares.org/submit/
Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Longform Fiction, Longform Nonfiction, Longform Poetry
Publication Frequency: Four issues per year
Reading Period: June 1 through November 15
Founded: 1971
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
About Ploughshares
Ploughshares is a nationally recognized literary journal publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and longer literary works. Founded in 1971, the magazine has been associated with Emerson College in Boston since 1989. Over its long history, Ploughshares has published both major literary figures and emerging writers, making it an important market for writers seeking publication in an established literary journal.
The journal publishes four issues each year and uses an unusual editorial model. Some issues are produced by the magazine’s regular editorial staff, while others are shaped by invited guest editors. This approach has allowed different literary perspectives, styles, and voices to appear throughout the magazine’s history.
Ploughshares considers unsolicited work from both established and emerging writers during its annual open reading period. Writers interested in submitting should carefully check the magazine’s current guidelines before sending work because Ploughshares has separate length requirements for regular and longform submissions.
Submission Guidelines
The regular reading period runs from June 1 through November 15. Writers may submit fiction, nonfiction, poetry, longform fiction, longform nonfiction, and longform poetry.
Regular fiction and nonfiction submissions may be up to 6,500 words. Poetry submissions should contain 3–5 pages.
Writers with longer manuscripts may submit work for consideration in the journal’s longform category. Longform fiction and nonfiction may be up to 15,000 words, while longform poetry submissions should contain 6–10 pages.
Ploughshares limits writers to one submission during each regular reading period, so writers should choose the work they send carefully.
Manuscripts are read anonymously. Writers should remove identifying information from the manuscript before uploading their work and provide the requested information separately through the submission system.
Ploughshares also sponsors an annual Emerging Writers’ Contest, generally held from February 1 through March 31. The competition is intended for writers who have not published or self-published a book in the contest genres. Contest rules, prizes, judges, and eligibility requirements can change from year to year, so writers interested in the competition should consult the current contest page.
What Ploughshares Publishes
Ploughshares publishes contemporary literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Its four annual issues include a combination of staff-edited and guest-edited editions, with one issue devoted to longform poetry and prose.
Because Ploughshares receives a large volume of submissions, writers should read recent issues and review the current guidelines before submitting. The journal publishes accomplished writers alongside newer voices, making it a competitive but worthwhile literary market for writers whose work fits the publication.
Last Updated: October 2026
