Five Points: Fiction
Overview
Five Points, a literary magazine with a distinguished history of publishing both emerging and established voices, opens its fiction reading period for work slated to appear in Volume 26, Number 2 and subsequent issues. The journal seeks previously unpublished short stories that demonstrate formal control, emotional precision, and a seriousness of purpose. Translations are also considered under this call, though the guidelines specify that each submission must contain only one story and that novel excerpts are not eligible unless specifically solicited. The submission requirements are exacting: manuscripts must be double-spaced, typed on one side of the page, and carry the author's name on every page. A cover letter is required, and simultaneous submissions are permitted. The reading period allows only one submission per writer, a constraint that places a premium on selecting your strongest, most fully realized work. Electronic submissions are the sole channel for this genre. With a reading fee of $5.00, Five Points positions itself as a venue where editorial attention is matched by professional standards. The magazine's curatorial vision favors fiction that rewards close reading—narratives that are structurally deliberate, linguistically alert, and resistant to easy resolution. This is not a call for trend-driven or genre-bound work, but for stories that bear the mark of a singular sensibility.