Literary Journal

Under the Gum Tree

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About the magazine

Under the Gum Tree is a quarterly literary magazine founded in 2011 by Janna Marlies Maron, dedicated to publishing creative nonfiction and visual art. The magazine's name evokes the Australian Aboriginal concept of "dadirri"—a deep, reflective listening—and its pages reflect that ethos, prioritizing work that is vulnerable, honest, and deeply considered. Since its inception, it has provided a platform for personal essays, memoir excerpts, and photographic essays that explore the human experience with candor and craft. The magazine is based in Sacramento, California, and has maintained a consistent quarterly publication schedule, building a reputation for nurturing emerging and established voices alike.

Editorial focus

Under the Gum Tree is a reader supported, quarterly literary arts magazine, publishing creative nonfiction and visual art. The editors believe in the power of sharing a story without shame. Too much of the human experience gets hidden behind constructed facades based on what we perceive the world expects from us. Stop hiding. Live a story. Tell it without shame. And by without shame, they mean mean that the authors and contributors featured in our pages own their story, even the ugly parts, and share it with pure, unadulterated, raw, candid vulnerability.

Creative Nonfiction

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeYes

PaymentContributor copies only

Response time3 to 6 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Writers should submit previously unpublished creative nonfiction (personal essays, memoir, or literary journalism) and visual art. The magazine values work that is reflective, emotionally resonant, and carefully crafted. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify immediately if accepted elsewhere. Reading periods vary; check the website for current calls. Include a brief cover letter and a third-person bio. There are no strict word limits, but most published pieces range from 1,500 to 5,000 words. Visual art submissions should be high-resolution and thematically cohesive. Response times can be several months, so patience is advised. The editors appreciate submissions that align with the magazine's contemplative and humanistic spirit.

We publish stories that remind us of our shared humanity. Your story is personal and true. The way you put words together, the language you choose, and the layers of meaning you have built create an experience for the reader. You are the narrator of this story (though it needn’t be first person), and the reader knows how you have been affected, how this has become a part of you, without your explicit explanation.

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Submission calls

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