The Meadow operates a reading period for fiction that runs from August 15 to a nominal January 15 close, though the editors reserve the right to close early once a certain volume of submissions is received. This is a no-fee call, and the journal asks that writers submit early in the window rather than wait until the stated deadline. The constraint is practical rather than aesthetic: the editors are managing volume, and the early-close provision is a signal that timeliness is part of the submission's reception. The journal's stated requirements are precise. Fiction must not exceed 5,000 words. Every submission must carry contact information—name, address, telephone, and email—and a biography of fewer than 50 words. Previously published work is not accepted. Simultaneous submissions are considered, but the editors expect immediate notification if the work is accepted elsewhere. Writers may submit only one piece per reading period unless invited to do otherwise. The journal also states plainly that it does not wish to consider anything written or aided by artificial intelligence. What the journal offers is a reading, not a prize, a residency, or a fee. There is no entry charge and no stated award. The curatorial posture is that of a general-interest literary journal with a defined reading period and an explicit set of house rules. For the writer, the relevant facts are the word limit, the documentation requirements, the prohibition on prior publication and AI assistance, and the early-close mechanism. The rest is the work itself.