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Submissions Guidelines

Submissions to Common House are OPEN until March 31 @ 11:59PM. 

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Common House accepts rolling submissions for its Fall and Winter issues:

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FALL SUBMISSIONS PERIOD: August 24 to November 30

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WINTER SUBMISSIONS PERIOD: December 1 to March 31

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SUMMER PERIOD (Spotlight and Contest): [subscribe to our mailing list for updates]

 

Please ensure you review our submission guidelines before submitting.

NOTE: We have updated our submissions guidelines! We have implemented a cap of one publication per year for our Fall/Winter issues. For example, those published in Fall 2024 will not be considered until Fall 2025; those published Winter 2025, not until Winter 2026. 

1. Who can submit

  • We accept work from anyone, anywhere in the world.​

  • NEW: However, please note that we will not accept submissions for our Fall or Winter issues from those who have been published that same year in a previous Common House Fall/Winter issue. For example, those published in Fall 2024 will not be considered until Fall 2025; those published in Winter 2025, not until Winter 2026. Summer Spotlight and contests will remain open to anyone. 

Statement about diversity in our publication: 

Common House is committed to representing a wide range of voices that reflects the diversity of human experience and artistic expression. While our publication process begins anonymously, we recognize the existence of systemic and institutional barriers that actively restrict underrepresented artists. Therefore, at the highest stage of our vetting process, we do take personal bios into account. We strive to compile issues that remain inclusive and we hold ourselves responsible for showcasing varied perspectives representative of the vibrancy of our world.

 

We particularly welcome submissions from marginalized and underrepresented artists, including Black artists, Indigenous artists, artists who are people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ artists, artists with disabilities, as well as artists who are unpublished and/or emerging. If you are comfortable identifying yourself as one or more of the above, please indicate so on the submissions form or in your personal bio. 

2. What to submit

  • Please submit:

    • 1 work of prose up to 3000 words or 2–3 flash pieces up to 1000 words each

    • OR up to 5 poems

    • OR up to 5 works of art or photographs

    • OR audio and video submissions of up to 3 minutes

  • We are interested in original, previously unpublished pieces. Published pieces include those posted on personal blogs or social media. If visual art pieces have appeared publicly in galleries or personal portfolios, please indicate so in the submissions form. 

  • We will consider excerpts from longer work, but we are unlikely to accept an excerpt that doesn’t work well on its own.

  • We accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify us by email (commonhousemag@gmail.com) if your work has been accepted elsewhere.

  • We recommend scrolling through a few of our previously published issues before submitting to know whether your piece is a good fit for us. 

Statement about the use of AI: 

We at Common House celebrate the originality of human thought and creativity. We support authors, poets, and works that make readers feel connected to a broader humanity. The use of AI betrays these values and contributes to dangerous developments against ingenuity, critical thought, and the natural world. We prohibit submissions that have been written with the use of AI tools, and have updated our contractual materials to reflect this policy.

3. How to submit

  • We accept electronic submissions only. During submission periods, please submit your work using the Google Form found at the bottom of this page. We will not accept work submitted directly through email.

  • Please submit your piece(s) as a:

    • Word document (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf) for written work

    • PNG file for art and photography

    • MP3 file for audio

    • MP4 file for video

  • Name your document LastName_Title, and include all pieces of the same genre in a single document. Please refrain from including additional identifying information such as first name or bio in the document.

  • Our preferred format is 1.5 spaced, 12-pt font Times New Roman.

  • If your work does not fit into one of our five main genres—poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, or multimedia work—simply choose the genre you feel fits best.

4. After submitting

  • Our response time is 1–4 months. Feel free to inquire by email about the status of your submission after 4 months have passed.

  • Unfortunately, we are currently unable to pay contributors. Common House is an entirely volunteer-run operation; as we continue to grow, we hope to be able to compensate contributors in the future.

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