This free submission window runs from 1 July to 31 August
Feature editor: Katherine Parsons Audio editor: Howard Timms
Click here if you’re ready to enter
In this free submission window, we look for writing on your own choice of theme that grabs our attention, pulls our heart strings, leaves us open-mouthed or holding our breath, makes us think, make us laugh or cry, and/or is strikingly original. In short, poems or flash-fiction that excite us enough to share them with wildfire words readers.
During this submission window, each writer may make one submission as a single file containing a maximum of 3 items — poems and/or prose. Each item can be in any form, but no longer than 50 lines or 300 words, including title, stanza breaks, dedication or footnotes. For all submissions to Wildfire Words, we choose only content that follows our inclusivity policy of respect for all writers, regardless of their background, beliefs, ethnicity, identity.
We encourage you to make an audio recording of each item on your phone or computer and submit it with your text or on its own without your text. Publishing audio is our speciality, because it amplifies the strength and meaning of your writing. If you prefer to join one of our online recording sessions to submit, click on this link.
You are also invited to supply a biography of yourself in no more than 80 words, If any of your work is published, your writing “bio” will be, too.
Submitted writing must be your own original work, in English, and unpublished in print or online, including your own website. Where an original writer teams up with a translator into English, we will consider publishing the work, provided biographies of both writer and translator are provided.
If your work is published in wildfire words, it will be on a non-exclusive basis for at least one year. The copyright remains yours for all poems, flash, bios, and audio recordings you submit for publication.
How we decide which poems to publish
We’ll evaluate your jewel, whether it’s a cut and polished dazzler or a natural stone with an attractive, interesting lustre.
Our decisions on whether to publish an item for this submission window are not anonymous. We see the writer’s bio with the text. Published authors have generally set a quality benchmark which we can use to gauge their new work. The work of writers with little or no published work is assessed on quality and potential. In such cases, we may contact the writer to suggest some tweaks that would make us keen to share the work on Wildfire Words.
We do not charge for submissions — or for feedback, if we choose to offer it. Our publishing service is non-profit, created with a love of sharing creative writing — and the social and personal growth it produces. Donations to support Wildfire Words’ sustainability are welcome, but voluntary. A donation does not affect whether we publish a submission.
We aim to include writers worldwide. We respect all people and their well-being, beliefs, individuality, and free speech, and expect the same from writers. We’ll publish any work that adds fresh creative spice to this feature.
Audio can be submitted with your text using this submission form. If you have a problem submitting audio, please email it to info@wildfire-words.com.