SmokeLong publishes flash narratives–fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid–up to 1000 words. We do not consider poetry.
Include the word count and a print-ready, third-person bio with your cover letter. We prefer a simple cover letter.
Please remove all identifying information from your story’s document. Guest Editors and staff Submissions Editors read blind and have no access to bios. Also note that submissions editors have no access to Submittable messages. If you need to make changes to your submission, please withdraw and resubmit your work.
Please send ONE previously unpublished piece at a time and wait until you hear our decision before sending another.
Please allow us up to two weeks to inform you if we have accepted your work for publication. You will usually hear from us sooner.
Simultaneous submissions are considered. Please inform us immediately if your work has been accepted somewhere else for publication.
Beginning in January 2023 we pay $100/story, upon publication in the quarterly issue. Payment will be issued via PayPal or Zelle, and the writer may be responsible for any associated fees if applicable.
About the Journal
SmokeLong Quarterly was established in 2003 by Dave Clapper. Past editors-in-chief have been Randall Brown and Tara Laskowski. The current editor-in-chief and publisher is Christopher Allen. All other editors are associate, freelance editors or volunteers. Our senior editors–and many of our submissions editors–offer editing services privately. We encourage you to seek them out.
We are dedicated to bringing the best flash narratives to the web quarterly, whether written by widely published authors or those new to the craft.