The Mackinaw is a journal of prose poetry.
We are closed for prose poetry submissions until December 2025, as we are booked solid until next year.
We will open for the month of December for prose poetry submissions.
You can submit craft articles, interviews, and reviews anytime. We welcome more of these!
Our first year ( 2024) we had bimonthly issues. In January 2025, our format changed to feature multiple prose poems by a single poet, weekly, posting Mondays.
Craft articles, book reviews, and author interviews will be scheduled intermittently.
Send submissions to [email protected].
We ask for a $5 CAD (approximately $3.65 USD) unless you are not able. Your support of the journal, the editor, and the administrative and technology expenses is greatly appreciated.
Prose Poetry
Prose poems of any length. We do not consider any other forms of poetry!
We prefer 5 to 10 prose poems at a time. We publish a selection from each writer we showcase. Give us a selection to choose from.
We enjoy the lively discussions about what prose poetry is and what it isn't. We are amused by the discussions over whether prose poetry exists or not. Our one non-negotiable in our definition of the prose poem is that it does not use line breaks. Paragraph, stanza, or section breaks are fine of course. (Haibun contain haiku but they are prose poems and we consider them!)
If a poem is unusually long, use your judgement. You can query about it if you aren't sure.
Interviews
Query if you would like to interview a writer or publisher on the subject of prose poetry.
Reviews
We consider book reviews of prose poetry. We don't care for critical or academic style reviews, but prefer writing that engages personally, candidly, and honestly with the material.
Craft Essays
We eagerly consider craft essays on prose poetry, or other essays on the subject of writing prose poetry or reading prose poetry. We want personal, philosophical, literary, and creative essays rather than academic ones.
Translations
We eagerly consider translations of prose poetry and will publish them in English and their original language. Please include permission from the original poet or let us know if the work is in the public domain.
The Nitty Gritty
-Submission fees are $5 CAD, around $3.75 USD. Please use the button below to pay before sending your submission. (Scroll down.) The submission fee is for your whole submission, not per poem!
-The submission fees help us manage the journal time and fees and the volume of submissions. Thank you. If you are in hardship and cannot pay, submit anyways and let us know.
-Tell us what you are sending in the subject line of your email (translation, prose poetry, craft essay etc.)
-Send us 5 to 10 poems or one review, essay, or interview query at a time.
-Send all of your poems together in one email. You can paste them in the body of the email or attach one Word document. Please do not send a PDF. The exception is if you are sending a PDF in addition to pasting the poems in the body of the email, for reference.
-Simultaneous submissions are expected and encouraged. Please withdraw as soon as possible if work is accepted elsewhere.
-We hope to respond within three months.
-Previously published work is accepted. Please let us know the publisher's name so we can credit appropriately.
-Include a brief bio up to 100 words.
-Do not send revisions to your work or your bio after submitting. Don't submit until you are ready and your work is finished. Use an evergreen bio that highlights a bit about your writing and something interesting about you.
-We will edit glaring typos: mistakes happen, and "autocorrect" happens. We seldom make substantial changes, preferring to maintain the voice and intention of the author at all times. In the rare event that we do want to make major changes, we will first ask you and work with you.
-We cannot pay you. Sorry.
-Use this email: [email protected]
Rights
We do not own your work!. You are free to use your own work for any purposes you wish before, during, and after we publish it. We want to share and showcase your work, not hold it hostage. If we decide to publish your work and you agree to it, you are giving us permission to show your work on our site for as long as we exist.
If your work is published elsewhere in the future, we would very much appreciate a nod, along the lines of, "This first appeared in The Mackinaw: a journal of prose poetry."
