Art & creative community0 open opportunities listedNew York, United States
About the organization
Up the Staircase is an independent literary quarterly founded in 2010 by poet and editor M.P. Armstrong. From its inception, the journal has sought to carve out a space for poetry that is at once formally alert and emotionally unguarded—work that trusts the lyric impulse without sacrificing intellectual rigor. The name itself signals the journal's ethos: a deliberate, step-by-step ascent toward meaning, favoring accumulation and nuance over epiphany or shock. While its primary focus is poetry, Up the Staircase also publishes short fiction, essays on craft, and interviews with writers whose practices embody a similar patience and precision. The journal operates without institutional affiliation, relying on a small editorial team and a community of readers who value writing that rewards re-reading.
Programs & opportunities
6 listed
Taking part
Up the Staircase accepts regular submissions of poetry year-round, with occasional themed calls announced on its website and social media. Submit 3–5 poems in a single .docx or .pdf file, along with a brief cover letter that includes your name, contact information, and a short bio. The editors appreciate poems that demonstrate a clear attention to line, image, and emotional register; they are less interested in work that relies on irony or conceptual gimmickry. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please notify the journal immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Response times typically range from one to three months. While the journal does not charge submission fees, it also cannot offer payment at this time; contributors receive two copies of the issue in which their work appears. Before submitting, read at least one recent issue to understand the aesthetic range the journal cultivates—work that is generous, precise, and unafraid of feeling.
Organization media
1 images
01Representative overview image of Up the Staircase