“I write only because
There is a voice within me
That will not be still”
Sylvia Plath
Our Submissions Inclusivity
We aim to be inclusive of writers worldwide.
We respect all other people and their well-being, beliefs, individuality, and free speech, and expect the same from all writers who submit.
We publish any writing that adds fresh creative spice to Wildfire Words.
We’ll evaluate your poetic jewel, whether it’s a cut and polished dazzler or a rough stone with some interesting lustre.
And we’d love to hear your gem, too, if you choose to send a recording.
So please don’t hesitate to submit.
Marilyn & Howard Timms.
Wildfire Words offers regular opportunities for creative writers world wide to submit writing and audio for publication in Wildfire Words. Since 1st January 2022, we have featured regular free-to-enter submissions windows. For each you can submit 1, 2, or 3 poems or short fiction to be considered for publication.
We accept submissions as text and/or as audio recordings of the author reading their work.
Submissions can be made via themed or open submission windows, and as competition entries. All submissions are direct to Wildfire Words via a form that ensures confidentiality of work and personal details to be secure until work is published. We do not store any work not accepted for publication, or any personal details except names and email addresses in our mailing list.
We treat all submissions fairly and equally and respect all writers and their free speech, cultural and ethnic background, physical appearance, abilities. We expect the same from all who submit. Submissions will be rejected if they do not follow our policy of Submissions Inclusivity.
We do not accept any submission that reaches us without our own submission or entry form, unless we have given explicit permission beforehand.
Competition opportunities in Wildfire Words offer cash prizes for the best entries, or publication of a book. All competitions have an entry fee, which funds prizes and sustains our voluntary publishing community. Forthcoming competitions are summarised on the Home Page.
If you have some publishing-ready poems or flash fiction on any topic, please consider one of our free-to-enter Open Submissions windows, which are announced on the Home Page.
If you want to submit or create work on a specific topic or prompt, please consider our free-to-enter submission windows with a theme. Current and recent ones are displayed on the Home Page. .
We’re looking for submissions that grab our attention, pull our heart strings, leave us open-mouthed or holding our breath, make us think, make us laugh or cry, and/or are strikingly original. In short, writing that excites us enough to share it with Wildfire Words readers.
All Submission Windows are free to enter. For any theme or submission window, each writer can make one submission as a single file containing 1, 2, or 3 items as text and/or audio of the author reading the item. Poems can be in any form, but generally no longer than 40 lines including stanza breaks. Flash writers should submit stories of no more than 300 words unless otherwise specified.
Do, please, supply a mini-biog of 60 words max, written in the third person, to be published with your writing.
Wildfire Words specializes in publishing audio recordings of poems or stories alongside all published writing. So please supply an audio for each submission.
If we publish your writing, we will also publish your biog and audio. If you didn’t submit an audio made at home, you are welcome to join one of the regular recording sessions for Wildfire Words published poets. Details are at Recording your Words.
Acknowledgement of your submission is emailed within minutes of you uploading it. We aim to choose and publish successful submissions within 4 weeks of receipt, so please check back with the relevant Wildfire Words page after submitting. All poets we publish are searchable from any page of the web site.
For each submission window, we normally email all poets who entered with details of who is published in that feature within a week of the submission window closing.
Submitted poems must be totally your own original work, in English, and unpublished in print or online, including your own website. 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 fiction, bios, and audio recordings you submit for publication.