After Brunch Journal

Submit Work

Send us your most experimental, haunting work by following these guidelines:

  • Multiple pieces are welcomed! Please submit each piece as a new submission form. 
  • We respond quickly, typically within one to two weeks
  • We value strong grammar; please ensure your submission is free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors (unless done on purpose—we love work that breaks the norms of language to create something unforgettable!)
  • Written works must be sent in a doc, docx, or pdf form. No screenshots or images.
  • If you get accepted, please wait at least a month before submitting again
  • Our word count is: Up to 1000 words for flash, 2000 for short story & essay, and up to 1000 for poetry.
  • As of 2/5/2026, we do not accept poetry/prose about being a poet

WHAT WE ACCEPT:

  • Prose (short stories, flash fiction, etc)
  • Poetry
  • Essay
  • Visual art (watercolor, oil, acrylic/sketches)
  • After brunch journal does not allow any works by AI in any way shape or form
  • As of 8/4/2026, we do not accept reprints
A thick, open journal with rough-edged cream pages lies on a dark walnut desk, its handwritten lines dissolving into tiny ink drawings of moons, strange plants, and impossible staircases that become more detailed toward the page edges. Around the journal, scattered fountain pens, a single black candle burned low, and a glass of water with condensation suggest a long night of writing. Soft, cool window light from the left mingles with the faint amber glow of the candle, creating deep, thoughtful shadows. Photographic realism, shot at eye level with a shallow depth of field so the center of the page is in razor-sharp focus while the rest of the desk recedes into a velvety blur, evoking a sophisticated, speculative, and slightly haunting atmosphere.

Use this form to ask any questions about submissions

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Thank you for your response. ✨

THE COFFEE TRADER A novel by David Liss on a table with beans.

Submission Guidelines & Themes

Send us your strangest poems, fictions, essays, and hybrid forms. Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us if accepted elsewhere. We request first serial rights.

After Brunch Journal is volunteer-based, so unfortunately we are not able to offer payment to our contributors at this time; however, we do our best to promote all writers, and you will always have bragging rights.

  • No lyrical poetry
  • Accepted contributors retain full ownership of their work. By submitting to After Brunch Journal, you grant us the right to publish, distribute, and display your work in our digital publication, social media, and print publications.
  • Age, background, experience, or location are not restrictions for submission.
  • For us to tag you on Instagram, please follow @afterbrunchjournal (optional)
  • We publish on a rolling basis.
  • If we don’t reply in three weeks, feel free to query
  • All work must be original
  • If you are accepted, please wait a month before submitting the selected piece elsewhere
  • we no longer nominate