Submit to The American Poetry Journal

Our Next micro e-chapbook Open reading period is From March 1-31, 2026,

for a July 2026 Online Publication.

APJ's micro e-chapbook open reading period will seek manuscripts of 10 poems (not including front and back matter), if submitting poetry only, or 15 pages (not including front and back matter), if submitting hybrid work. Hybrid work may include poetry, art (including full-color images), and audio, which may include mp3's of poems and/or music/sound as a link. Please make sure the poetry, art, and/or music/sound are original. The audio may be of each poem in a separate file or original music that accompanies the collection. Please don't include any work obtained from the public domain.

Individual work from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines and/or journals, online or in print, but not books or chapbooks. The collection as a whole must be unpublished.

Simultaneous submissions are permitted. Please let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. We do not accept translations, but we’d love to see collaborations. You may submit more than one manuscript during the open reading period. All entries will be read by APJ staff. Manuscripts that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be read, and APJ will not refund your submission fee. Please email apjpoetry2@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Submit no matter your race, color, religion, national origin/citizenship status, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Please no inappropriate or offensive work, and no generative AI. APJ understands that work using Natural Language Processing tools (like predictive or corrective AI found in Google Docs, MicroSoft Word, Grammarly etc.) to check for spelling/grammar is fine. However, we ask that all submissions do not use generative AI tools (like ChatGPT, Bard, GrammerlyGo or the likes) to draft or compose/create any pieces submitted to APJ.

All submissions should be through Duosuma; please click on the Duosuma button when ready to submit. You do not need to subscribe to Duotrope to submit, but you do need to sign up for a Duotrope account. It's free to sign up. Please include a 50-word third-person bio with a short cover note. Poetry manuscripts should be submitted in a single .doc, .docx, or PDF file—please do not submit using OneDrive or Google Docs. Hybrid work should be submitted as a full-manuscript pdf, including images. If your manuscript is chosen, you'll be asked to send us high res .jpeg (.jpg) or .png files. If your manuscript includes the reading of poems or other sounds or music, send the manuscript as stated above, and all audio submit through the Google Drive submission feature in Duosuma. Unfortunately, we are not open to email or post submissions for our micro e-chapbook series.

We aim to reply within 2 months of receipt. Please query us if it’s been longer than 2 months.

As the creator of the work, you retain copyright upon publication, you agree to grant APJ first serial/electronic rights as well as electronic archival rights. You also agree that if the work is published subsequently (online or in print), APJ will be credited.

The submission fee is $4 to cover submission management and poet staff stipends. This fee will also pay $75 to the selected poet/collaborators (if more than one, to be split equally). The submission cap will be 150 submissions. Provided we have sufficient response, and depending on the quality of work submitted, we will select at least one manuscript for the series through this submission window, which may be extended if needed.

Our Submission Period For Consideration In Our October 2026

Online Issue Will Open From June 1-30, 2026.

Thank you for reading these guidelines carefully before submitting.

Beginning with our April 2026 issue, poets and artists will each get paid a $20 honorarium for publication.

American Poetry Journal (APJ) considers submissions of poetry and art in most styles, forms, or genres from all contributors globally. Submit no matter your race, color, religion, national origin/citizenship status, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

Please no inappropriate or offensive work, and no generative AI. APJ understands that work using Natural Language Processing tools (like predictive or corrective AI found in Google Docs, MicroSoft Word, Grammarly etc.) to check for spelling/grammar is fine. However, we ask that all submissions do not use generative AI tools (like ChatGPT, Bard, GrammerlyGo or the likes) to draft or compose/create any pieces submitted to APJ.

Poetry

For poetry, please send no more than 3 previously unpublished poems in one file, no more than 8 pages in total. Very important: You must only submit one file with your three poems in it. If you try to submit more than one file, you will lose two of them. If this happens, we will only be able to consider what is in your first file and cannot upload another file(s) or refund your submission fee. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please mention it in your email. Also, should your work be accepted elsewhere, please withdraw it from your Duosuma submission. We do not consider translations at this time. If you've been published in APJ before, please wait a year from acceptance before submitting again.

Cover Art

Submit up to 5 previously unpublished pieces, high res .jpeg (,jpg) or .png, both black/white & color considered.

All submissions should be through Duosuma; please click on a Duosuma button when ready to submit. You do not need to subscribe to Duotrope to submit, but you do need to sign up for a Duotrope account. It's free to sign up. Please include a 50-word third-person bio with a short cover note. Poetry should be submitted in a single .doc, .docx, or PDF file—please do not submit using OneDrive or Google Docs. Art should be attached in high res .jpeg (.jpg) or .png files. Unfortunately, we are not open to email or post submissions at this time; and we have a cap of 300 submissions, depending on submission response.

We aim to reply within 1-2 months of receipt. Please query us if it’s been longer than 2 months.

There will be a $2 fee with APJ submissions for issue reading periods to help pay 2026 contributors and poet staff. Thank you in advance!

We nominate for Pushcart and Best of the Net Prizes and promote each issue after publication.