F(r)iction
Website
From the Editor
F(r)iction is a triannual publication that boasts work from both industry legends and emerging writers. We accept short fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, comics, and poetry submissions all year round, and also host contests featuring guest judges and cash prizes twice a year (each spring and fall). Most importantly, here’s what makes F(r)iction different:
Reinvigorating the Reading Experience: We’ve all heard the stats, that readerships are dying, that publishing is on the run. Everyone’s cutting costs, moving online. But we’re doing the opposite. In order to get new and old generations alike EXCITED about reading, we work to create a literary collection as beautiful and inviting as the stories within. Each issue focuses on:
– Championing works that push boundaries!: From traditional to the wildest genre tales, we never publish the
same old same old!
– Full, Custom Artwork: Adding another level of engagement, our full editorial artwork literally brings every
story and poem to life!
– Debuting New Talent: From our work in underserved communities to our free editing program, 30% of our
content ALWAYS comes from emerging authors
Unique Curation: Each issue of F(r)iction is carefully curated to help us evaluate an important cultural topic. Whether it’s Identity, Memory, Monsters, or Obsession, we seek a wide variety of perspectives—both in terms of the diversity of our authors and the genres through which they write—to help us think critically.
Social Equality through Education: By contributing to this journal, you’re doing more than just supporting great literature and art—you’re helping to bring life-changing stories to those who need them most. Our parent nonprofit, Brink Literacy Project, runs innovative education programs in underserved communities, using F(r)iction as a teaching tool to empower people to turn the page toward a better future.
Small Nonprofit, Big Reach: Although we’re just a small team of mostly volunteer editors, publishers, educators, and directors, we have never stopped fighting to use storytelling to change the world. All the proceeds from this little book go to support creatives, educators, and students from underserved communities.
Submissions
For our print magazine, we accept short fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry—regardless of genre, style, or origin. Experimental, nontraditional, and boundary-pushing literature is strongly encouraged. Show us your wildest and weirdest! To get an idea of the kind of work we look for, our editors have put together these helpful tips.
An extra insider tip for you all: We strongly encourage you to check out the examples linked below. Better yet, pick up a past issue of F(r)iction, available in our shop (https://frictionlit.org/shop/).
SHORT FICTION
F(r)iction celebrates and welcomes all forms of short fiction:
– flash
– short stories
– experimental forms (we’ve published fiction in the form of a calendar before and a story told from the
perspective of a road… if that helps.)
We are particularly drawn to works with:
– strong character arcs in which the narrator is deeply changed by their experiences
– strong character voice and/or perspective
– structure that informs and contributes to understanding content
– language that surprises (who doesn’t like pretty sentences?)
– strange situations, characters, occurrences, you name it—if it’s weird, we want to see it
We are not looking for:
– novellas, novels, anything over 7,500 words is a tough sell
– unfinished, unpolished work
– quiet, desperate stories where nothing happens (if you think, “Wow, I could see this published in The New
Yorker,” you should probably send it there instead)
POETRY
We are particularly drawn to poetry that capitalizes on three main elements:
– narrative trajectory
– central imagery
– strong content-to-structure relationship (If you pop words randomly all over the page, we should be able to
suss out why based on the words themselves.)
We are not looking for:
– pieces that are inaccessible (we want to be challenged to dig deeper, but not so much that we have no
idea what you’re saying)
CREATIVE NONFICTION
F(r)iction celebrates and welcomes all forms of creative nonfiction:
– flash
– hybrid
– memoir excerpts
– personal essays
– braided narratives
We are particularly drawn to works with:
– interesting structures that help to propel the narrative forward—we aren’t looking for pieces that are just
weird for weirdness’ sake, they need to be weird for a reason
– strong character arcs in which the narrator is deeply changed by their experiences
– strong character voice and/or perspective
– a cinematic feel, typically due to the use of fiction craft techniques to recount the unfolding of events
We are not looking for:
– autobiography excerpts
– research articles
– pieces that are journalistic in nature
– things that aren’t true (for things that are made up, see: Short Fiction)
Upcoming
F(R)ICTION WRITING CONTESTS
In our writing contests, we seek writing that reflects a similar mission to our journal, F(r)iction: work that actively pushes the boundaries of traditional publishing, that has complex characters and a strong narrative arc, and makes us feel something as we read it. We want stories we haven’t seen before, whether it twists or plays with genre, setting, language, voice, you name it. Our contests also feature a panel of three guest judges to help us decide the winners for each category. For our Fall 2020 Contests, we have Lev Grossman judging Short Stories, Benjamin Woodard judging Flash Fiction, and Rachel Mennies judging Poetry. Winners in each category will receive a cash prize, as well as work with one of our Senior Editors to see their work published either online or in our print journal!
CONTEST DETAILS:
Contest Genre: Short Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry (please note, in the Spring contest cycle each year, we also accept creative nonfiction)
Entry Fee: $10 – 15
Cash Prize: $300 – 1,000
Additional Prizes (e.g. publication in magazine): Professional edits with a member of our senior editorial team and publication either online or in print.
Contest URL: https://frictionlit.org/contests/
Information
Editors Name Dani Hedlund & Helen Maimaris
Print publication? Yes
Circulation 3,000 per issue
Do you take online submissions? Yes
Submission Guidelines URL https://frictionlit.org/about/submit/
Approx. Response Time? For general submissions: 2 months. For contest submissions: 4.5 months
How often do you publish? Three issues per year
Year Founded? 2015
Do you pay? Yes, $10/page plus 2 contributor copies
Contact
Twitter @FrictionSeries
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 460506, Denver, CO 80246
Email submit@brinklit.org
Facebook @FrictionSeries