Submission Guidelines

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Submission Guidelines *

Punctuated Equilibrium is interested in your most polished work that engages with the natural environment.  

We only accept original and unpublished work. We accept submissions for our rolling submissions and features call via email (punkeekmag@gmail.com). Please make sure... 

  • You email your submission to punkeekmag@gmail.com 

  • In the subject line of the email, you put [Genre/Category – First and Last Name] 

    • If you’re submitting a fiction feature, your subject line should look like this: Fiction – Jane Doe 

    • If you’re submitting a nonfiction feature, your subject line should look like this: Nonfiction – John Appleseed 

    • If you’re submitting a poetry feature, your subject line should look like this: Poetry – Jane Doe 

    • If you’re submitting a hybrid feature, your subject line should look like this: Hybrid – Jane Doe

    • If you’re submitting a microburst, your subject line should look like this: Microburst – John Appleseed 

    • If you’re submitting to the heat index, your subject line should look like this: Heat Index – Jane Doe 

  • In the body of the email, you include the title of your piece(s), word count (prose), a brief bio (100 words max), and any other info you’d like to share 

  • You attach your work as a PDF (poetry) or Word (prose) document 

  • You use a typeface like Arial or Times New Roman that is easy to read 

  • There is no identifying information within the document  

We accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if it is a simultaneous submission in the body of your email. We also ask that you let us know as soon as possible if your work is accepted elsewhere. Email us on the same email chain you used to submit your work to let us know. 

Any other questions, please send us an email with “question” in the subject line.

Microbursts Submission Call 

Think of a Microburst as a snapshot: sudden and fleeting. Microbursts convey emotion in a short period; a micro-flash that captures a moment of attention in under 250 words. These are our tiniest forms, inspired by a striking instant in the environment. If it feels like you have to write it suddenly, before the moment slips away, it belongs here. 

This is a section that requests both a photo and a writing excerpt. The photo should capture the mood and/or moment of inspiration that the writing is about. 

We welcome:

  • Up to 250 words of prose, nonfiction or fiction, paired with a photo 

  • Up to 12 lines of poetry paired with a photo 

Microbursts are on a rolling submission, so we will get back to you as soon as possible about your submission. 

Heat Index Submission Call 

Let’s be real: life is a little (a lot) insane lately. We are writers who believe that writing can, and at times should, be political and responsive to the current moment. Heat Index is our always-open submission call for your creative writing on what is happening right now. We are interested in work that responds to current events, to new research, to discoveries, with the angle of how these developments affect our relationship with the natural world. We take an expansive view of this impact, understanding that no one thing exists in isolation and knowing that seeking out the connections is essential.  

We are looking for work that may not be perfect, but is bold and impactful. In your submission, please send us: 

  • Up to 3000 words 

  • Links to relevant data/news articles/etc. that you utilized  

  • A brief bio 

Features Submission Call 

Once a month Punk Eek goes deep—like really deep. Our features rotate in genre between poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, offering an in-depth look into the world of our author with an interview that expands on their work. In these features, we are looking for work that explores various interpretations and intersections taking place within nature. The personal, the political, the otherworldly.  

*Note: While our main categories are poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, we would love to see your hybrid work as well! See our submission guidelines for more details on how to indicate a hybrid genre when sending in your work.  

Poetry 

  • Send us your most beautiful and devastating poetry—your contradictions, your meditations, your musings. Send us your truth. 

  • Please submit 5-10 original poems, all in one document. There is no page limit. Ensure that each poem begins on a new page.  

 

Fiction 

  • Please submit one short story of up to 5,000 words or up to three flash pieces of no more than 1,000 words each.

 

Creative Nonfiction 

  • Send us your personal essays that capture the magical moment where the personal reaches beyond the self and touches on something greater. 

  • Please submit one essay of up to 5,000 words or up to three flash pieces of no more than 1,000 words each.