Literary Journal

Heart of Flesh Literary Journal

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About the magazine

Heart of Flesh Literary Journal is an independent online publication founded in 2018 with the conviction that literature should be visceral, incarnational, and unafraid of the messy realities of embodiment. The journal emerged from a small collective of writers and editors who felt that much contemporary literary publishing had grown too cerebral, too polished, and too detached from the raw stuff of lived experience. Its mission is to curate work that pulses with physicality—poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction that engage the body, desire, grief, and resilience without flinching. While not affiliated with any religious institution, the journal's title signals a respect for the sacred within the material, welcoming voices that explore spirituality, doubt, and the holy ordinary. Each quarterly issue is thoughtfully designed and freely available online, with a print anthology released annually.

Editorial focus

Heart of Flesh is a semiannual literary journal that seeks quality writing and art with Christian themes.

PoetryFictionCreative Nonfiction

Submitting your work

Reading periodFeb 1 to Mar 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read at least one full issue to understand the journal's aesthetic and emotional register. They favor work that is concrete, sensory, and willing to risk awkwardness in service of honesty. Avoid abstractions, ironic distance, and overly neat resolutions. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify immediately if accepted elsewhere. They welcome both new and established voices, and response times are typically 4–6 weeks. Include a brief cover letter that speaks to your connection to the journal's ethos, but keep it concise. No fee for general submissions; a small honorarium is offered for accepted pieces.

We prefer literary work, but we accept all genres of poetry, flash fiction, short stories, nonfiction, and visual art and photography from both Christians and non-Christians as long as it includes a Christian theme. We are not a typical “Christian fiction” journal. We believe God’s truth as written in the Bible can be found in both the secular and the non-secular, in nearly every work of literature and every part of the human condition. We like hopeful. We also like bleak. We like desperation and grit. But only if there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We want to see that golden pinprick of light guiding us out of the darkness.

Read official guidelines

Submission calls

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OpenDeadline · 2027-02-01