Literary Journal

Calendula Review: A Journal of Narrative Medicine

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About the magazine

Calendula Review: A Journal of Narrative Medicine is a literary journal dedicated to the intersection of healthcare, illness, and the human condition. Founded on the belief that storytelling is essential to healing, the journal publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art that explore experiences of caregiving, patienthood, and medical practice. Its ethos is rooted in narrative medicine's core principle: that close reading and reflective writing can deepen empathy and improve clinical care. By providing a platform for voices often marginalized in medical discourse—patients, families, and frontline workers—Calendula Review fosters a community where vulnerability and clinical rigor coexist.

Editorial focus

The Calendula Review is a creative journal of Narrative Medicine (NM). NM is an area of practice that supports an interdisciplinary approach to patient care. Narrative medicine emphasizes understanding patients’ and caregivers’ personal narratives to enhance empathy, communication, and healing using the three movements of NM: Attention, Representation, and Affiliation (Charon). The editors appreciate the voices of practitioners, patients, caregivers, and anyone affected by, or involved with, illness or medicine in all its myriad forms.

PoetryFictionCreative Nonfiction

Submitting your work

Reading periodFeb 15 to Mar 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read several past issues to understand the journal's tone: it favors clear, unadorned language and avoids sentimentality or clinical jargon. Work should illuminate a specific moment of care, illness, or healing with honesty and restraint. Simultaneous submissions are typically accepted, but notify promptly if your work is placed elsewhere. Include a brief cover letter that contextualizes your relationship to narrative medicine—whether as a patient, clinician, or caregiver. Avoid overly academic or abstract pieces; the editors seek embodied, particular stories.

Check for open submission timeframes on our website. They may shift a little from year to year.

Read official guidelines

Submission calls

1 listed

OpenDeadline · 2027-02-15