Exposition Review is an independent, multi-genre literary journal that publishes narratives by new, emerging, and established writers in the genres of fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, scripts for stage & screen, experimental narratives, visual art, film, and comics (see guidelines below).

Wondering what to submit to us? We like to be surprised; we like writing that is razor-sharp, immediately transporting us with a strong voice and sense of place. We like work that’s thoughtful and cathartic, work that embraces conflict and isn’t afraid to take risks. We love pieces that blur the boundaries of genre. To get a better idea of what we look for in submissions, please read our previous issues. You can also follow the Expo blog to get news about latest submission and contest openings.

ANNUAL ISSUE SUBMISSIONS:

Every issue has a theme from which writers and artists can draw inspiration. We encourage those who submit to think outside the box; we look for stories that fit the theme yet make us think about it in different ways; we want work that satisfies and challenges traditional forms of storytelling.

The theme for our tenth annual issue is "PARA/SOCIAL."

Read more about how to submit below!

PARA/SOCIAL: 

Issue XI begins with an infinite tension.

Para – altered, beside, beyond, against.
Social – the networks of intimacy, recognition, and belonging we carry with us.

Joined together, these words suggest closeness without reciprocity; connection without contact. We hear it most often in the context of celebrity, cashiers, counselors, and colleagues – unreturned attachments we form out of unmet needs.

But what if PARA/SOCIAL is more than a warning label?  What if PARA/SOCIAL signals possibility?

To write into PARA/SOCIAL is to explore:

• The tenderness of feeling known by someone who does not know you.
• The estrangement of being “with” people while remaining apart.
• The creative sparks that fly in parallel play — lives brushing close, never fully merging.
• The edges where community becomes illusion, and illusion shapes community.

For this issue we invite work that traces the edges of intimacy and illusion. We seek longing projected across distance, the distortions of connection, and the gifts of being alongside – with or without perception and recognition.

This theme is not a verdict, but an invitation: to consider how we live beside each other, how we build connections through shadow, screen, and story, and how we might reimagine the boundaries of the social altogether.

Let PARA/SOCIAL pull you, softly or wrenchingly, in opposite directions. Let the word unravel and remake itself through your work.

Submissions for Vol. XI will be open September 15–December 31.

All work is read and given fair consideration by our editorial staff. Guidelines for individual genres are as follows:

• Fiction. Short stories and stand-alone novel excerpts up to 5,000 words.
• Flash Fiction. Up to three pieces of flash or microfiction. Each piece should be no more than 1,000 words; there is no minimum word count. The shorter, the better!
• Nonfiction. Memoir, personal essays, and creative nonfiction up to 5,000 words.
• Poetry. Up to three poems of any form and in traditional or experimental styles. Translations are accepted as well.
• Stage & Screen. One-act plays, scenes, or short film and screenplay excerpts up to 15 pages. Please format according to the standard unpublished playwriting or screenwriting format.
• Experimental Narratives. We love narratives in all forms. Whether it’s digital poetics, a video, or a genre-bending transmedia piece, if it tells a good story, creates compelling characters, and/or tickles our literary senses, we want it. Consider the limits of other categories and our online platform for length guidelines.
• Visual Art. Up to five pieces of art and/or photography per submission. If submitting more than one piece of art, please compile into one file (PDF or otherwise). Please include a brief artist’s statement or statement about the work (1–3 paragraphs), and include appropriate credit lines for all pieces (Artist Name, Title of Work, Year. Medium, Dimensions.)
• Comics. Comics should be self-contained, up to three pages per piece, with no more than three pieces per submission.
• Film. Short films in live-action narrative, documentary, or animation up to 15 minutes in length. Please include a brief summary and credits list in the cover letter of your submission.

Author receives $50.00 USD for accepted work.  All submissions received by October 31 will receive guaranteed feedback from editors.

FLASH 405 WRITING CONTESTS:

Our Flash 405 competitions accept short from work in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and stage & screen. Contests are judged by members of Expo's editorial team as well as guest judges. Each contest has a theme and winners are awarded cash prizes and online publication. For more information visit the Flash 405 page on our website.