Split Lip Magazine has long positioned itself at the intersection of literary craft and contemporary vernacular, favoring prose that moves with the cadence of lived experience rather than the stiffness of workshop convention. This reading period is dedicated solely to Black writers, a deliberate curatorial narrowing that acknowledges both the historical exclusion of Black voices from mainstream literary gatekeeping and the particular vitality they bring to the short form. The magazine's stated aesthetic—'interesting, literary narratives with a modern, pop culture appeal'—signals an openness to work that is formally ambitious yet unpretentious, where the sentence is tuned as carefully as the story it carries. For the writer, the terms are straightforward and unusually generous: no submission fee, simultaneous submissions permitted, and a clear word ceiling that rewards compression. Flash fiction and micro fiction are not lesser forms here; they are the main event. The editors ask for doubled line spacing and a serif font, a small but telling insistence on readability that respects the reader's attention. Accepted work enters a magazine with a established archive, and the requirement to read at least one piece from that archive before submitting is not a formality—it is an invitation to understand the register the magazine cultivates. The disclosure requirement regarding AI use is notable for its candor. Rather than prohibiting the technology outright, Split Lip asks writers to explain how and why it was used, placing the emphasis on intentionality and transparency. This reflects a broader editorial stance: the magazine is interested in the human decision-making behind a piece, not in policing tools. For Black writers navigating a literary landscape that often demands both excellence and explanation, this call offers a rare combination of rigor and respect.