By submitting work to this magazine, contributors acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to the following submission guidelines, publication terms, and contributor policies. Submission constitutes an agreement to comply with all requirements outlined below.

Last Updated 08.05.2026

Previously Unpublished Work

By submitting work to the magazine, contributors confirm that their submission has not been previously published in any form, including but not limited to:

• print magazines or journals;

• online literary magazines or publications;

• commercial publications;

• anthologies;

• personal websites;

• blogs or newsletters;

• portfolios;

• social media platforms;

• publicly accessible digital archives.

Works that have previously appeared in any public format must be fully disclosed at the time of submission. The magazine reserves the right to determine whether previously distributed work is eligible for consideration.

Upon acceptance and publication by the magazine, contributors agree not to repost, redistribute, or make the complete work publicly available online without prior acknowledgment of the magazine’s first publication. This includes personal websites, blogs, portfolios, newsletters, social media accounts, and other public-facing platforms.

Contributors retain ownership and copyright of their work; however, any future republication, reproduction, or online posting of work first published by this magazine must clearly acknowledge the magazine as the original publisher.

Simultaneous Submissions

Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Contributors may submit work that is under consideration by other publications, provided this is clearly disclosed in the cover letter or submission materials at the time of submission. If a submitted work is accepted for publication elsewhere during our review or editorial process, the contributor must immediately notify the magazine and formally withdraw the affected work from consideration. Contributors may not submit work that is contractually committed, exclusively licensed, or otherwise unavailable for publication consideration. Failure to disclose simultaneous submissions or promptly withdraw accepted work may result in withdrawal of consideration and may affect eligibility for future submissions.

Multiple Submissions

Multiple submissions are permitted within a single submission period.

Contributors may submit:

• up to five poems;

• one long-form fiction manuscript;

• photography portfolios containing no more than ten images;

• graphic narrative submissions not exceeding fifteen pages.

Whenever possible, contributors should group works of the same category into a single submission.

Rights & Publication Terms

By submitting work, contributors affirm and warrant that they are the sole creator and rights holder of the submitted material, or that they possess all necessary permissions, licenses, and legal authority required to submit and authorize publication.

Contributors retain full copyright ownership of their work.

Upon acceptance for publication, contributors grant the magazine First Serial Rights and a non-exclusive, worldwide license to publish, reproduce, distribute, archive, display, and promote the accepted work in connection with the magazine and its related activities, including but not limited to:

• print editions;

• digital editions;

• official website archives;

• online publication records;

• social media promotion;

• marketing and publicity materials;

• readings, exhibitions, showcases, and events connected to the magazine;

• future anthology or retrospective materials directly related to the magazine.

All publication rights revert to the contributor following first publication. However, the magazine retains the perpetual non-exclusive right to archive and display published work as part of its official records, website archives, and publication history. Any subsequent republication, reproduction, reposting, or public distribution of work first published by the magazine must include clear acknowledgment of original publication by the magazine.

Sharing & Public Availability of Published Work

Because the magazine is a print-focused publication supported by the purchase of individual issues, contributors agree not to publish or distribute the complete version of their accepted work online after acceptance or publication.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• personal websites;

• blogs;

• online portfolios;

• newsletters;

• social media platforms;

• public file-sharing platforms;

• other publicly accessible websites.

Contributors are welcome to share excerpts, promotional images, links to the magazine, or announcements of publication. However, making the complete work freely available online may negatively impact magazine sales and the ability of the publication to continue producing future issues. The magazine does not claim ownership of contributor work. This policy exists to protect the first publication value of the issue and ensure that readers continue to support the publication by purchasing the magazine.

Why We Ask Contributors Not to Repost Full Work

Far Afield exists to provide a platform for creative voices in our community and to create a lasting, collectible publication that brings together the work of writers, artists, photographers, and other contributors. As a not-for-profit publication, we rely on the support of readers who purchase the magazine to help fund the costs of printing, production, distribution, and future issues. Contributors generously share their work with us, and we want to be clear that Far Afield does not claim ownership of contributor work or profit from the creative work submitted to the magazine. Contributors retain full copyright and ownership of their creations.

However, the continued existence of the magazine depends on the ability to sell copies of each issue. The value of a print publication comes from the unique experience of discovering and engaging with the collection of work assembled within its pages. When complete pieces are freely available online, including on personal websites, portfolios, blogs, or social media platforms, it can significantly reduce the incentive for readers to purchase the issue and support the publication.

By choosing not to share the complete version of published work online, contributors help protect the first publication of their work while directly supporting a community-focused project dedicated to celebrating and preserving local creative expression.

We deeply appreciate our contributors’ partnership in helping Far Afield continue to exist and provide a meaningful home for creative work.

Previously Published Work & Originality

The magazine does not accept fanfiction or unauthorized derivative works based on existing copyrighted properties, characters, settings, or franchises. All submitted work must be substantially original and independently created by the contributor. Contributors must disclose any prior publication history associated with submitted work at the time of submission. By submitting work, contributors represent and warrant that:

• the submitted work is original and created by the contributor;

• the contributor possesses the legal authority to submit and publish the work;

• the work does not knowingly infringe upon copyrights, trademarks, privacy rights, publicity rights, or intellectual property rights of any third party;

• the work does not contain unlawful, defamatory, plagiarized, fraudulent, or intentionally harmful material;

• all factual claims presented as nonfiction are truthful to the best of the contributor’s knowledge;

• any required permissions, releases, citations, or licenses have been secured prior to submission.

For translated works, contributors must provide proof of authorization from the original author, publisher, or rights holder where applicable. Contributors assume full responsibility for the content of submitted work and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the magazine, its editors, staff, affiliates, and publishing partners against claims arising from breach of these warranties.

Generative AI Policy

We do not accept or publish work generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. All submitted stories, poems, essays, and artwork must be original and created solely by human hands and minds. We permit standard basic tools like spellcheck and grammar checkers. If we discover a submission uses generative AI, we will reject it immediately and ban the submitter from future publications.

Formatting Requirements

Written works should be submitted as text files in one of the following formats:

• .docx;

• .pdf;

• .pages.

Written submissions should use clear, legible fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial.

Formatting requirements:

• Longer works, including essays, prose, and fiction, should be double-spaced.

• Poetry and other short works may be single-spaced.

• Each poem should begin on a separate page when submitting multiple poems.

• All written works must include a clear title at the top of the page.

Submissions will be reformatted by the magazine during the design process. Contributors should submit clean, readable files with minimal formatting. Works combining writing with artwork or photography are permitted and encouraged.

For visual media, the magazine is produced at Letter size, 8.5”x11” per individual page, with 11”x17” spreads. Visual works, including photography, artwork, and graphic narratives, should be submitted as high-resolution image files in one of the following formats:

• .jpg;

• .png;

• .tiff;

• .pdf.

Reading & Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed and selected after the close of each submission deadline. The review and selection process may take up to one week following the deadline. The magazine will confirm receipt of submissions; however, acceptance or rejection notifications will not be issued until after the submission period has closed. If the submission deadline has not yet passed, contributors should not expect a final decision regarding their work. If a contributor has not received a response after the submission deadline has passed, they may contact the editorial team for an update. Submission does not guarantee publication. The magazine retains sole editorial discretion regarding selection, placement, editing, scheduling, and presentation of accepted work.

Editorial Discretion

The magazine reserves the right to make minor editorial edits for grammar, formatting, spelling, punctuation, clarity, and house style. Significant editorial changes will not be made without contributor consultation whenever reasonably possible. The magazine reserves the right to reject, remove, or retract work at its discretion in cases involving plagiarism, copyright disputes, ethical concerns, factual misrepresentation, violations of these submission terms, or failure to meet publication standards. Contributors may not withdraw accepted work once it has entered the editorial, design, or production process except under extraordinary circumstances and with prior written consent from the editorial team.

Publication Format

The magazine operates as a curated anthology-style publication featuring literary writing, photography, and visual artwork. Accepted work may appear in:

• print editions;

• digital editions;

• official website archives;

• promotional materials associated with the publication;

• exhibitions, readings, or showcases connected to the magazine.

Publication format, layout, sequencing, and presentation remain at the discretion of the editorial and design teams.

Contributor Agreement

Submission to the magazine constitutes full acceptance of these submission guidelines, contributor warranties, editorial policies, and publication terms. By submitting work, contributors acknowledge that they:

• have read and understood these terms;

• agree to comply with all submission requirements;

• understand that they retain copyright ownership of their work;

• grant the magazine First Serial Rights and agreed publication permissions upon acceptance;

• agree not to publicly distribute the complete published work online in a manner that undermines the publication;

• accept the editorial and publication policies outlined herein;

• understand that violations of these terms may result in withdrawal of acceptance, removal from publication consideration, or restriction from future submissions.