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Literary Journal

Bristlecone

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About the magazine

Bristlecone is a literary magazine rooted in the high desert and mountain West, taking its name from the ancient, resilient pine that thrives in harsh, isolated conditions. Founded in 2015 by a small collective of writers and artists, the magazine began as a print journal and has since evolved into a biannual publication with a digital presence. Its core mission is to publish work that engages with landscape, memory, and the quiet violences of contemporary life, favoring precision over spectacle and emotional depth over trend. The journal has maintained a deliberate pace, releasing two carefully curated issues per year, each featuring poetry, short fiction, and essays alongside visual art that shares its spare, attentive sensibility.

Editorial focus

Bristlecone welcomes poems by poets living in and/or writing about the Mountain West region. The editors are especially eager to read poems that reflect the region’s various cultures and landscapes, although they have no restrictions in mind regarding subject matter. Their main concerns are with the quality of the work and the cultivation of a regional community of poets and poetry lovers.

Poetry

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31
Reading feeNo
PaymentNo payment
Response timeLess than 3 months
Simultaneous submissionsYes
Unsolicited submissionsYes

Bristlecone accepts submissions during two reading windows each year, typically in early spring and late summer; check the website for exact dates. They welcome poetry (up to 5 poems), short fiction (under 4,000 words), and essays (under 5,000 words). Simultaneous submissions are permitted with immediate notification of acceptance elsewhere. The editors appreciate work that demonstrates a strong sense of place, precise language, and emotional restraint. Avoid overly experimental formatting unless it serves the content. Response times average 4–6 months; please query only after that period. Payment is in contributor copies and a modest honorarium. Familiarize yourself with at least one recent issue before submitting.

The editors are eager to read poems that reflect the Mountain West region’s various cultures and landscapes, including indigenous perspectives, although we have no restrictions in mind regarding subject matter. Contributors do not have to live in the region, but they must show a genuine feeling for and understanding of the Mountain West. Our main concerns are with the quality of the work and the cultivation of a regional community of poets and poetry.

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Submission calls

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Bristlecone — Submissions

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