Vita Poetica Journal is an online quarterly publication of creative work explored through a spiritual lens. This may be engaging directly with religious faith or a broader inquiry into meaning and the human experience. We appreciate a sensibility that is open and thoughtful rather than didactic. We seek diversity in experiences, backgrounds, and spiritual perspectives, as well as in genres and art disciplines. We also welcome cross-genre, cross-discipline, or multimedia experimentation. Those interested in submitting are encouraged to read previous issues to gain a sense of the kind of work we're looking for.
GENERAL SUBMISSIONS
This year, we are transitioning to publishing one annual print issue in the fall, while our other three quarterly issues will continue online. Your submission will be considered for both online and print publication, and placement and timing are at the editors' discretion.
Submissions to poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction are currently closed and will reopen Nov. 1.
Other sections remain open:
For reviews, please see full guidelines and suggested review titles on our website here. Reach out to our Reviews Editor Brandon James O'Neil at james@vitapoetica.org.
For interviews, please send queries to our Interviews Editor Christopher Honey at christopher@vitapoetica.org. Include a brief bio and 1-2 writing samples.
For contemplative practices, please see full guidelines on our website here and send queries and submissions to our Contemplative Practices Editor Deb Baker at deb@vitapoetica.org.
For all other genres (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual arts, and multimedia), please see specific guidelines below (when the submissions window is open) and use the appropriate Submittable form to submit.
For all genres and sections:
We do not accept previously published work, including web-published or self-published material. Simultaneous submissions are welcome provided you notify us immediately if the work is placed elsewhere.
We ask for first-time rights of publication and request acknowledgment as the first place of publication. All rights revert to the author/artist after publication.
Please allow up to 3 months while we review your submission. We publish on a quarterly cycle, and it can sometimes take a bit longer if the submission arrived in between issues.
We regret that we’re unable to offer payment for publication at this time. Vita Poetica is a nonprofit organization and relies on a small team of volunteers who read every submission carefully. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for sharing your work with us.
Vita Poetica Journal is an online quarterly publication of creative work explored through a spiritual lens. This may be engaging directly with religious faith or a broader inquiry into meaning and the human experience. We appreciate a sensibility that is open and thoughtful rather than didactic. We seek diversity in experiences, backgrounds, and spiritual perspectives, as well as in genres and art disciplines. We also welcome cross-genre, cross-discipline, or multimedia experimentation. Those interested in submitting are encouraged to read previous issues to gain a sense of the kind of work we're looking for.
We welcome visual art, including but not limited to painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, textile, and sculpture. Previously published pieces (in a magazine/journal, print or online) are not eligible. The work should engage, whether directly or indirectly, with our publication's focus on art and spirituality. We ask that artists be familiar with our publication and the art we've featured in past issues before submitting.
Submit up to 5 pieces as a zip file or private link(s). Lower-resolution images may be submitted first, with high-resolution files (300dpi) required upon acceptance. Please include an artist statement of at least 1 paragraph or up to 250 words addressing your work as a whole and the submitted pieces in particular. Submissions without an artist statement will not be considered.
As a digital publication, we are open to exploring new ways to create and share, as well as new ways to publish and help creative people reach as wide an audience as possible. We welcome submissions of multimedia art, short film or performance, audio, and other hybrid or experimental forms suitable for web publishing and within the duration of 15 minutes in length. The work should engage, whether directly or indirectly, the theme of art and faith. Submitters are strongly encouraged to look at past issues to gain a sense of the kind of work we publish. Work may be submitted as a file (compressed if needed) or via private link.