Submission Periods- Publication Dates
- We will be accepting General Submissions and Artwork from January 15- March 15 or until we meet our cap.
- Our Contests in Fiction and Non-Fiction will be open from March 1- April 1.
- We will be accepting General Submissions and Artwork from August 15- October 15 or until we meet our cap.
- Our Poetry Contest will be open from October 1- November 1.
Seasonal Publication Dates:
- Spring/Summer Issue will publish in Late May
- Fall/Winter Issue will publish late December/Early January
General Submission Information
OUR AESTHETIC: Harpur Palate has no restrictions on subject matter or form. Quite simply, send us your highest quality short stories, flash fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. In order to get an idea of what we are looking for, we encourage potential submitters to peruse our online issues or view our online archive, hosted by the Online Repository at Binghamton (ORB).
HOW TO SUBMIT: We accept online submissions through Submittable. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere. We cannot accept submissions from current Binghamton University students, faculty, staff, or recent alumni.
READING PERIOD: The reading period for general submissions will be open until the cap of 200 submissions is met, and may be extended at our Genre Editors Discretion.
CREATIVE NONFICTION: Creative nonfiction submissions should be no longer than 5,500 words. Flash essays cannot exceed 1,000 words each. Please send no more than one CNF submission per reading period, either as a single essay or up to three flash essays. We prefer narrative nonfiction from diverse voices, and welcome hybrid and experimental forms. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately should your work be accepted elsewhere.
FICTION: Fiction submissions should be no longer than 4,500 words. Flash stories cannot exceed 1,000 words each. Please send no more than one fiction submission per reading period. We can accept up to three flash pieces per submission. We prefer scene-driven stories that are strange, off-kilter, and sometimes ruthless. Simultaneous submissions are accepted as long as you notify us immediately should your piece be accepted elsewhere.
Aesthetic statement from Fiction Co-Editors Jesse Gilleland and Sam Corradetti: “We are interested in both traditional literary fiction that excels in form and experimental fiction that pushes boundaries. We love pieces that play with style and structure in daring ways. We appreciate stories grounded in realism as well as speculative pieces that depart from our expected reality. Above all, we look for strong writing that captivates us from start to finish. We value inclusivity and publish work informed by a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.”
POETRY: We accept submissions of 1-3 poems per reading period–no more than 5 pages total. Please send no more than one poetry submission per reading period. We prefer poems with a strong lyric voice and sense of urgency. Simultaneous submissions are accepted as long as you withdraw your piece immediately should it be accepted elsewhere
VISUAL ART: All material must be original to the submitter. We will not consider art generated using AI technology. All submissions will be kept on file for future consideration. It is the responsibility of the artist to withdraw the submission if it is no longer available.
- our last 3 covers have adhered to an aspect ratio of 0.69:1, and images will be made to fit that aspect ratio for consistency across our platforms
- we can only accept high quality images (minimum 72 dpi for web publication)
- the cover art we choose will only be altered to fit our cover’s aspect ratio, as well as adding Harpur Palate and the issue number.O
Contests in Poetry, Fiction &
Creative Nonfiction
CONTEST FEES: $19 per entry
AWARD: $500 and publication in Harpur Palate.
2025 CONTEST SUBMISSIONS PERIODS:
– March 1- April 1 for Fiction and CNF
– October 1- November 1 for Poetry
General Manuscript Guidelines: Include name, address, phone number, email, & piece title(s) in the provided cover letter space in the online form (separate from your submitted file). Remove all identifying information from the rest of the manuscript. Please be advised that we do not accept submissions from anyone affiliated with Binghamton University, past or present. Simultaneous submissions are accepted so long as you withdraw your piece upon acceptance elsewhere.
CONTEST DETAILS:
JOHN GARDNER MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR FICTION
John Gardner—prose writer and teacher—was a great friend and mentor to students in the Creative Writing program at Binghamton University. In honor of his dedication to the development of writers, Harpur Palate is pleased to award the annual John Gardner Memorial Prize for Fiction in his name.
Guidelines: Short story submissions should be previously unpublished and shorter than 4,500 words. You may enter as many stories as you wish. The entry fee is $19 per story.
HARPUR PALATE AWARD FOR CREATIVE NONFICTION
We are pleased to award the Harpur Palate Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Developed by former Editor-in-Chief Marissa Schwalm, the prize is awarded annually.
Guidelines: Creative non-fiction submissions should be previously unpublished, original work shorter than 5,000 words. You may enter as many essays as you wish (one per contest entry fee).
MILTON KESSLER MEMORIAL PRIZE IN POETRY
Milton Kessler—poet and teacher—was a great friend and mentor to students in the Creative Writing program at Binghamton University. In honor of his dedication to the development of writers, Harpur Palate is pleased to award the annual Milton Kessler Poetry Prize in his name.
Guidelines: Poems in any style, form, or genre are welcome, provided they are no more than five pages long and previously unpublished. You may submit as many times as you wish, but no more than five poems per entry fee.
