As a magazine that cares about all facets of Asian American life, we welcome both fun and serious writing. As long as it's well written and solidly reported, we're very open. Bonus points if the story takes place in the South or Midwest. Asian America doesn't exist only on the coasts, you know.
We are interested in issues that affect Asian Americans, but, please, no Asian American Studies 101. We are also interested in tangentially Asian American stories, in quirky stories, and in stories about emerging artists rather than established ones.
We're looking for writers who can depart from the predictable daily-news structure and tell a story well, with keen observations and strict accuracy. We welcome investigative reporting as well as literary journalism, thoughtful pieces as well as tongue-in-cheek ones. Craft proposals for articles that would interest our readers, provoke dialogue and enrich our readers' learning experiences. Articles must be jargon-free and attributable to unassailable sources. We frown upon clichés and embrace original thinking. We prefer articles rich in color and driven by narrative scenes.
Keep in mind that Hyphen readers range in age from early 20s to mid-30s, but they share an intellectual curiosity that was fused and fueled by their experiences as Asian Americans. This restless curiosity fundamentally shapes our consideration of articles for Hyphen.
Hyphen is an all volunteer run organization and we have very limited funds to pay contributors. However, we recognize that your contribution is invaluable to the community. To that end, starting November 2018, we will be paying writers $25 per piece upon publication unless otherwise noted.
We don't have many rules, but here are a few. Ignore them, and your submission will be rejected:
- Do not send ideas about people and events in Asia unless they convey something about the Asian diaspora that resonates with the Asian American experience.
- Absolutely no reprints, though substantially revised or expanded stories will be considered. This means don't send us something that has already been published elsewhere.
- Do not pitch us a story about a conference. There is nothing more boring than a story about a conference.
- Don't send us anything that uses the phrase "East meets West." Just don't.
For all submissions, please provide a brief biography including previous writing-related experiences and relevant publications.
For pitches, please provide a two-page proposal that includes the following:
- An overview of the central message of the article you propose. Preferably three or four paragraphs — preferably anecdotal — that introduce us to your point of view.
- Declare what is new, innovative, useful, counterintuitive, or controversial about the topic.
- What are the implications both in the near and long term for Asian Americans and others?
- Why are you proposing the article? How did you happen upon the topic?
- How did you go about researching the topic? What further research must you do? Describe your sources or other connections.
- How long do you propose the article will be?
- What makes you uniquely qualified to write this article?
Hyphen is devoted to providing a venue for emerging and established creative writers who dare to defy and reinvent traditional genres and subject matter. We're seeking fresh voices and courageous perspectives for our creative nonfiction section, with a focus on personal essays and works of memoir about the Asian American experience. We are open to experimental essays and artistic interpretations of the memoir form.
- Our Submittable is for original work only. Please send only your best, previously unpublished work on any theme.
- If you would like Hyphen to consider publishing an excerpt from a forthcoming or existing work of nonfiction, please have your publicist send an email to cnf@hyphenmagazine.com.
- Please be sure to use 1" margins, a clear 12-point font, double-space, and include the word count at the top of the first page.
- We are especially seeking essays in the 1,000-2,000 word range, although we are open to essays between 500-4,000 words. Send completed essays, not pitches.
- Simultaneous submissions (when you send the same submission to us and other publications) are acceptable, but we ask that you indicate it in your cover letter and notify us immediately if your piece is accepted elsewhere.
- Please submit only one work at a time in a given category, and wait to hear back before sending new work. You may submit work to more than one genre at a time—be sure to pitch each piece via the appropriate Submittable category.
Please note:
- Submissions are considered on a rolling basis.
- If your piece is accepted, scheduling will depend on our publication calendar; literary nonfiction is currently published once per month at hyphenmagazine.com.
- Response time is generally within two to three months. If you have not heard back after three months, feel free to contact us.
- Hyphen is an entirely volunteer-run nonprofit org with part-time, volunteer editors. We are able to pay writers $25 per piece upon publication.
Please send your culture related pitches or completed pieces here. We are looking for everything from interviews with artists to reviews on books and films to coverage on emerging cultural trends. Please note, these should be journalistic articles, not personal essays.
For personal essays, please submit to the creative non-fiction department.
For all submissions, please provide a brief biography including previous writing-related experiences and relevant publications. Please also note which department your pitch falls under.
For pitches, please provide a two-page proposal that includes the following:
- An overview of the central message of the article you propose. Preferably three or four paragraphs — preferably anecdotal — that introduce us to your point of view.
- Declare what is new, innovative, useful, counterintuitive, or controversial about the topic.
- What are the implications both in the near and long term for Asian Americans and others?
- Why are you proposing the article? How did you happen upon the topic?
- How did you go about researching the topic? What further research must you do? Describe your sources or other connections.
- How long do you propose the article will be?
- What makes you uniquely qualified to write this article?
If you are submitting a pitch, you must also include three clips of previous work.
Please note this is NOT the place to submit original artwork or works of literature. This is for pitches to cover these categories ONLY.
Please apply to each genre separately (ie: do not send a piece of fiction and several poems in the same submission).
FOR FICTION:
We publish literary fiction of all forms, including stories that blur "genre" lines (literary sci-fi, noir fiction with a strong voice, for example). We generally do not accept novel excerpts unless they stand alone. Asian American themes are not essential though certainly welcome; strong writing and unique voice are considered first and foremost.
- Send only your best, previously unpublished work. Asian American themes are not essential. We are much more interested in work that incorporates identity than in work that is about identity.
- Please use 1" margins, 12-pt Times New Roman font.
- Short stories should be no longer than 5,000 words. A series of short shorts (flash fiction) totaling no more than 5,000 words will also be considered (though not all stories may be taken).
- Simultaneous submissions (when you send the same submission to us and other publications) are okay as long as you let us know and notify us immediately when a piece has been accepted elsewhere.
- Multiple submissions are not okay (when you send more than one submission to us in the same genre). If you send more than one story, only the first story will be considered; the others will not be read. Please wait to hear back before submitting again.
- Submitting to more than one genre at a time is okay (but please send them separately).
Please note:
- Fiction features alternate between original short stories and novel excerpts. Those looking to have their forthcoming novels excerpted should have their publicist contact the Fiction Editor.
- Submissions are considered on a rolling basis, and is dependent upon space availability.
- Reading period can be up to six months. If you have not heard back after six months, feel free to contact the editor.
- We are able to pay writers $25 per piece upon publication.
FOR POETRY:
Narrative, experimental, lyrical or prose poetry, free verse, eastern or western poetic forms, or works meant as spoken word are all welcome as poetry. We tend to prefer poems that take risks and/or surprise us, but due consideration will be given to all submissions. We expect to see a poet’s best demonstrations of craft, and poems need not be about Asian American themes.
- Send only your best, previously unpublished work. Asian American themes are not essential. We are much more interested in work that incorporates identity than in work that is about identity.
- Send 5-6 poems per submission in a single document.
- Simultaneous submissions (when you send the same submission to us and other publications) are okay as long as you let us know and notify us immediately when a piece has been accepted elsewhere.
- Multiple submissions are not okay (when you send more than one submission to us in the same genre). If you send more than six poems, only the six poems will be considered; the others will not be read. Please wait to hear back before submitting again.
- Submitting to more than one genre at a time is okay (but please send them separately to the appropriate email addresses).
Please note:
- Poetry features are published monthly. 1-3 poems by a single poet will be published each month, though exceptions are possible.
- Submissions are considered on a rolling basis, and is dependent upon space availability.
- Reading period can be up to six months. If you have not heard back after six months, feel free to contact the editor.
- We are able to pay writers $25 per piece upon publication.
For pitches and articles relating to food and agriculture. Please note, these should primarily be journalistic articles, not personal essays. For personal essays, please submit to the creative non-fiction department.
For all submissions, please provide a brief biography including previous writing-related experiences and relevant publications.
For pitches, please provide a two-page proposal that includes the following:
- An overview of the central message of the article you propose. Preferably three or four paragraphs — preferably anecdotal — that introduce us to your point of view.
- Declare what is new, innovative, useful, counterintuitive, or controversial about the topic.
- What are the implications both in the near and long term for Asian Americans and others?
- Why are you proposing the article? How did you happen upon the topic?
- How did you go about researching the topic? What further research must you do? Describe your sources or other connections.
- How long do you propose the article will be?
- What makes you uniquely qualified to write this article?
For all health-related pitches and articles. Please note, these should be journalistic articles, not personal essays. For personal essays, please submit to the creative non-fiction department.
For all submissions, please provide a brief biography including previous writing-related experiences and relevant publications.
For pitches, please provide a one- to two-page proposal that includes the following:
- An overview of the central message of the article you propose. Preferably
three or four paragraphs — preferably anecdotal — that introduce us to
your point of view. - Declare what is new, innovative, useful, counterintuitive, or controversial about the topic.
- What are the implications both in the near and long term for Asian Americans and others?
- Why are you proposing the article? How did you happen upon the topic?
- How did you go about researching the topic? What further research must you do? Describe your sources or other connections.
- How long do you propose the article will be?
- What makes you uniquely qualified to write this article?
Response time is 6-8 weeks. If you have not heard back after 8 weeks, feel free to contact us. Payment varies per piece.
We are looking for timely pitches and full articles around current events, political news, as well as both short-term and long-lead social justice concerns. Please note, these should be journalistic and editorial articles, not personal essays. For personal essays, please submit to the creative non-fiction department.
For all submissions, please provide a brief biography including previous writing-related experiences and relevant publications.
For pitches, please provide a two-page proposal that includes the following:
- An overview of the central message of the article you propose. Preferably three or four paragraphs — preferably anecdotal — that introduce us to your point of view.
- Declare what is new, innovative, useful, counterintuitive, or controversial about the topic.
- What are the implications both in the near and long term for Asian Americans and others?
- Why are you proposing the article? How did you happen upon the topic?
- How did you go about researching the topic? What further research must you do? Describe your sources or other connections.
- How long do you propose the article will be?
- What makes you uniquely qualified to write this article?
If you are submitting a pitch, you must also include three clips of previous work.