Press 53: Flash Nonfiction

Overview
Prime Number Magazine, an online publication of Press 53, is a longstanding venue for concise literary work. For Issue 293, the magazine seeks flash nonfiction essays, a form that demands precision and emotional resonance within a constrained space. The category is overseen by Shuly Xóchitl Cawood, whose own work in flash essays and poetry informs her editorial sensibility. Her stated preferences—for micro essays that 'pack a good punch,' for pieces that center on relationships, and for writing that transcends anecdote—signal a curatorial vision rooted in depth and authenticity rather than mere brevity. The submission period runs from May 1 to June 30, 2025, or until 79 submissions are received, whichever comes first. There is no fee to submit. While no monetary prize is offered, publication in Prime Number Magazine provides a platform for writers to place work before a readership attuned to the flash form. The magazine's association with Press 53, a respected independent publisher, lends further context to the opportunity. Cawood's note emphasizes that while she does not fact-check, she expects nonfiction to be truthful; fiction submissions are explicitly discouraged. She seeks essays that go beyond anecdote, suggesting a preference for narratives that illuminate larger truths through specific, well-crafted moments. The linked examples from Brevity—'Swerve' and 'Snowbound'—offer models of the kind of work she admires: tightly woven, resonant, and structurally deliberate.