Literary Journal
Halfway Down the Stairs
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About the magazine
Halfway Down the Stairs is an online literary and arts journal that has been publishing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual art since its founding in the mid-2000s. Taking its name from the A. A. Milne poem, the journal embraces the liminal and the contemplative, offering a space for work that lingers in thresholds—between memory and imagination, the personal and the universal. Its core mission is to showcase writing and art that is emotionally resonant, formally attentive, and unafraid of quiet complexity, without aligning itself with any single school or trend.
Submitting your work
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Before submitting, read several past issues to understand the journal's aesthetic, which favors accessible yet layered work. For themed calls like 'Resilience,' interpret the theme broadly but ground it in specific, vivid detail rather than abstract statement. Simultaneous submissions are generally accepted, but notify promptly if your work is placed elsewhere. Expect response times of several weeks to a few months; a brief, polite query after three months is appropriate. Visual artists should submit high-resolution images with a clear artist statement that connects to the journal's contemplative spirit.
Submission calls
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