Birdcoat Quarterly

Submitting your work

Before submitting, read at least one full issue to internalize the journal's preference for precision over premise. Birdcoat Quarterly favors work that begins in motion and ends without over-explanation; if a piece relies on a final twist or a moral, it is likely not a fit. Flash fiction submissions should generally stay under 1,000 words, though the editors are open to shorter, more fragmentary forms. Prose poetry and hybrid texts are welcome, but avoid genre fiction, explicit erotica, and work that uses experimental typography as a substitute for line-level care. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify the journal immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. Expect response times of several weeks to a few months; do not query before that window has passed. Include a brief, factual cover letter—publication credits are less important than a clear sense of why this piece belongs in Birdcoat. The journal does not charge submission fees for general reading periods, though occasional contests may have a fee; check the website for current guidelines, as reading periods are intermittent and announced with little fanfare.