Old Scratch Press is an independent publisher and literary organization rooted in the small-press tradition of handcrafted, editorially rigorous work. Founded with an ethos that favors the strange, the marginal, and the formally restless, the press operates as both a curatorial project and a community hub. Its catalog tends toward hybrid texts, chapbooks, and limited-edition print objects that resist easy genre classification, reflecting a commitment to writing that is aesthetically daring rather than market-tested. The press's name—a colloquialism for the devil—signals a taste for the wry, the heretical, and the ungovernable in contemporary letters.
Publishing focus
Old Scratch Press, founded by Current Words Publishing in 2023, fosters opportunities for full-length poetry and short-form work. Operated entirely by volunteers and funded by Current Words, the press charges nothing for publication. Decisions are made by collective members. Writers can submit year-round to Instant Noodles Lit Mag , with annual openings for new collective members.
PoetryFictionCreative NonfictionTranslationChapbookNovellaShort Story CollectionsEssay CollectionsNovelMemoirPoetry Collections
Selected authors Ellis Elliott, Anthony Doyle, Gabby Gilliam, Virginia Watts, Morgan Golladay, Nadja Maril, Robert Fleming, R. David Fulcher
Calls & opportunities
3 listed
Manuscript submissions
Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31
Reading feeNo
Response time3 to 6 months
Simultaneous submissionsYes
Unsolicited submissionsYes
Before submitting, read at least two recent titles from the catalog to gauge the press's editorial temperament—it favors work that is formally inventive, tonally offbeat, or otherwise ill-suited to mainstream outlets. Follow the specific submission windows and genre guidelines posted on the website; unsolicited full manuscripts are rarely considered outside open calls. Include a brief, non-boilerplate cover letter that situates your work within or against the press's existing list. Patience is advised: response times can be long, and the press prioritizes craft over speed.
We are interested in writers who have read about us, read some of our publication (including the online literary magazine Instant Noodles Lit Mag ), and are willing to lend a hand to their fellow authors.