Discourse

A Literary Journal

Who We Are

Want to get published? Want a great story to read? Look no further. Discourse is a journal with the mission of finding the meaning. We know that all art is created with the intention of making sense of this world, and Discourse is a space to celebrate exactly that. We want to see the weird, scary, beautiful, thought-provoking answers to life’s questions through your creations.

Currently we are looking for short stories, poetry, and essays. Every month a new collection will be featured based on a given theme. There will be no fee to submit or view any pieces. We know that putting your work out into the wild is a scary process, but we thank everyone brave enough to do it.

Monthly Writing Competitions

Current Issue: Spring

Accepting Submissions: March 1 - March 31, 2024

Publication Date: April 30th, 2024

The weather is warming up, new life is coming, and the world feels like it is waking up for something great. The season of Spring holds so much promise for the future and so much release of the past. It gets us excited. It shows us how beautiful life can be.

This month I want to know about the moments in your life that wake you up. What gets you excited and ready to head out the door in the morning? Maybe it’s upcoming vacations, maybe it’s upcoming children, maybe it’s barbequing outside. There are millions of things to give us those feelings. Let me know your best short stories, poems, and essays on what Spring truly means.

See the “Featured” pages to read these stories.

June’s Issue: Weird

Accepting Submissions: April 1st - April 30th, 2024

Publication Date: May 30th, 2024

What better way to understand life than by breaking in conventions. To be weird is to be something other in a world of the same. It’s a testament to what is important to you and what is worth saying, “screw it,” to. At the end of the day the best artists and authors are all a little weird and that’s why we love them.

This month, I want us to embrace the weird side of ourselves. I want stories and poems about all things different, bizarre, and surreal. I want pieces that make readers both scratch their heads and also maybe not feel like they’re alone.

See below for submission guidelines.

Submission Guidelines

At Discourse, we appreciate any and all interest in writing. If you wish to have a piece published, please follow the below guidelines.

  • Submissions should be emailed to DiscourseLiteraryJournal@gmail.com.

  • Short stories and essays should be less than 3,000 words.

  • Poems should be less than 50 lines.

  • Subject matter can be fiction or nonfiction, and it should relate to the given monthly prompt. The meaning of the prompt is largely open to the author’s interpretation.

  • The Discourse review staff will have the final say on if something is appropriate to be published.

  • All submissions should be sent with your name, email address, and a brief (less than 100 words) bio about yourself.

  • In the subject line for the submission please indicate the month you are submitting your piece for.

  • All submissions should be your own original work and not previously published.

  • Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, although please inform us if your piece is accepted elsewhere.

  • All submissions should be in either .DOC format.