# Ploughshares — Journal Open Reading Period, deadline Nov 15, 2026

> Ploughshares lists “Journal Open Reading Period” for fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction. The deadline is November 15, 2026.

Canonical: https://www.usemissa.com/opportunities/submission-guidelines-opp_5c09e39d-e1ca-40ec-8036-f09cb0c870ee
Last updated: 2026-10-25

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Organizer | Ploughshares |
| Type | Magazine submissions |
| Deadline | Deadline Nov 15, 2026 |
| Fee | Fee $3.75 |
| Open to | Open reading period June 1 to November 15 at 5:00pm ET; writers may submit once per open reading period |
| Where | global |
| Prize or pay | Contributor honorarium upon publication: $45 per printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author; two contributor copies; discounted additional copies; one-year print + digital subscription |

Official guidelines: [Ploughshares](https://pshares.org/submit/journal/)

## About this call

Ploughshares, a literary magazine with a broad curatorial remit, has opened a reading period across five categories: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, translation, and longform. The call is global in scope, and the publication's guidelines indicate a commitment to serious literary work across genres, with a dedicated Fall Longform issue that accommodates extended word and page limits. The organization is not named in the materials provided beyond the Ploughshares title, so the editorial frame here rests on the submission terms themselves rather than on a stated mission statement. The terms of publication are stated plainly. Contributors receive an honorarium of $45 per printed page, with a minimum of $90 per title and a maximum of $450 per author. Each published contributor receives two copies of the issue, a discounted rate on additional copies, and a one-year print and digital subscription. The submission fee is $3.75 USD, and the call is listed as paid. Submissions are accepted as a single manuscript file in Word.docx or PDF, accompanied by a cover letter that includes an email address, a content warning where applicable, and notice of any forthcoming book with an expected publication date. Translations require documentation of translation permission. The curatorial vision, as far as the provided materials reveal it, is one of breadth and ambition: a venue that treats the sustained, the formally adventurous, and the cross-linguistic as equally central to its identity. Writers working at scale, or whose projects demand more room than a standard literary magazine allows, will find the longform category the most distinctive offer of this call.

## Eligibility

- Previously published work is not considered
- Past contributors must wait one year after most recent publication in Ploughshares before submitting again; past Longform contributors may not be published again in a future Longform issue
- Work by individuals currently affiliated with Ploughshares or Emerson College (volunteer reader, intern, student, staff, faculty) is not considered; Emerson MFA graduates must wait two years after graduation
- Manuscripts using generative AI tools are not accepted; writers must affirm human authorship (accessibility uses such as dictation and built-in spell/grammar check are acceptable)
- Fall Longform issue prose up to 15,000 words, single contained piece
- General open reading prose up to 6,500 words
- General open reading poetry 3-5 pages, each poem starting on a new page
- Fall Longform poetry 6-10 pages; single long poem or cohesive sequence
- Translators must have written permission from original writer and/or estate and share it upon acceptance

## What to send

- **Manuscript file as Word .docx or PDF (one manuscript file only)**: Required
- **Cover letter (including content warning if applicable, and email address; note if part of forthcoming book with expected publication date)**: Required
- **Genre selection from drop-down menu**: Required
- **Typed, double-spaced pages (single-spacing welcome for poetry); numbered pages with author name and email at top**: Required
- **Translation permission documentation (for translations)**: Required

Check the organizer's own page before you apply. It has the final say on dates, fees and rules.

## Related

- [Ploughshares](https://www.usemissa.com/journal/ploughshares)
- [All open calls](https://www.usemissa.com/opportunities)