We are closed for Solum Journal submissions and open for book proposals. Please submit through our Submittable page here. Submissions to Solum Journal will reopen in September 2024.

OUR VISION & what we’re looking for

We’re looking for honest work with literary merit: elevated work which acknowledges present realities. We encourage work that isn’t sanitized or buttoned-up. Scripture is brutal and real. Ezekiel was called to bake his bread by fire fueled by human excrement (Ezek. 4:12), the psalmist called for the death of his enemies’ children (Ps. 137:9), and Christ’s own death was horribly violent and described in graphic detail (Mt. 27:26-31, 32-56). Life is not tame and neither is Christianity. So if your work contains dark, explicit, or graphic material, we welcome it so long as it’s done in service of the work, not in a voyeuristic spirit. Further, we believe God’s truth can be found in all forms of art and literature, just as He’s found in all creation (Psalm 19). So long as a piece doesn’t denigrate the Christian worldview—e.g., espouse worldviews like nihilism or conflicting religious traditions—, then we welcome it. Your work doesn’t need to directly pertain to Christian theology or contain Christian themes.

Solum journal submissions

We welcome unsolicited submissions. We accept both previously unpublished material and reprints. Simultaneous submissions are welcome so long as we are notified in the event your submission is published elsewhere. Upon publication, you grant us First North American Serial Rights or Second Serial Rights for print publication, and/or First Electronic Rights or Second Electronic Rights for digital publication, depending on the medium. We purchase nonexclusive print and electronic rights, so you are free to publish your work elsewhere after we do. However, if we are the first to publish your piece, we ask that you credit us as the original publisher of the work in any reprints or subsequent publications of the work. Please specify whether your work is previously unpublished or a reprint and include the bibliographic information so we can credit the original publisher. If we accept your work for Solum Journal, please refrain from submitting again for a full year, upon which we will consider your work again.

We’re unable to provide complimentary physical copies at this time. However, we offer free digital copies and sell contributor copies at cost instead of retail prices.

POETRY

Poems of any length and style are accepted. Limit seven poems per submission. Please do not include images with the poems.

To get an idea of what we’re looking for in poetry submissions, listen to Matthew J. Andrews’ interview on Solum Podcast.

SHORT STORIES

Short story submissions must not exceed thirty pages. Please limit one story per submission. We’re generally open to all genres, though we prefer the stylistic conventions of literary fiction, Southern Gothic, and experimental. Some example authors include Cormac McCarthy, Flannery O’ Connor, William Faulkner, Harper Lee, James Joyce, and Harry Crews.

To get an idea of what our editors are looking for in short story submissions, listen to Ryan Rickrode’s interview on Solum Podcast.

homilies

We prefer homilies that examine a Scriptural passage or theological topic. We’re open to experimentation with the form but only insofar as it serves the form and the exposition. Homilies should not exceed 2,000 words. Please limit one homily per submission.

book proposals

We welcome both solicited and unsolicited book proposals for poetry chapbooks and collections, novellas, novels, and short story collections. Please submit through our Submittable page here. See the guidelines below.

Note that we require purchasing one of our physical titles for manuscript consideration. This helps us maintain the press and promote our contributors’ work. Please attach the receipt for your physical copy or an image/screenshot of the receipt with your manuscript material upon submission. Feel free to block out any personal/financial information on the receipt.

You’ll be asked to provide a cover letter describing your work and how it fits our vision (outlined above). For poetry chapbooks, poetry collections, and short story collections, please describe the unifying theme of the book and how it relates to what we’re trying to publish. For novels and novellas, please provide a synopsis. Further instructions are in the individual submission portals.

Poetry Chapbooks

• Ideally, poetry chapbooks should center on a unified theme (e.g., trauma to healing, nascent faith to spiritual maturation, etc.). This isn’t strictly necessary, but it works in the poet’s favor.

• Chapbooks should be between 35–60 pages.

• All poetry styles are welcome.

• Chapbooks can contain previously unpublished poems. However, we expect that at least half of the manuscript’s content has been previously published.

Poetry Collections

• Criteria for publishing poetry collections are more stringent than poetry chapbooks. Poets submitting collections should have an established repertoire of previously published material.

• We expect at least 65% of the manuscript to have been previously published.

• Poetry collections shouldn’t exceed 200 pages.

• All poetry styles are welcome.

Novellas

• Novellas should range between 10,000–40,000 words.

• We’re generally open to all genres, though we do favor the stylistic conventions of literary fiction, Southern Gothic, and experimental.

Novels

• Novels should range between 45,000–100,000 words.

• We bias the same genres outlined above for novellas, but again, we’re open to considering all genres.

Short Story Collections

• Short story collections have more flexibility in terms of length and content than novellas and novels. Collections should range from 40,000–100,000 words. Collections should contain between 4–10 stories.

• We expect at least half of the stories to be previously published.

• We favor the same genres as those outlined above for short story collections, but again, we remain open to all genres.

Contact us with any further questions at info@solumpress.com.