Subnivean’s editorial mission is to curate and produce bone-deep, high-caliber literary art that speaks urgently to an evermore-connected international audience.
We publish three to four issues per year: Fall, Winter, Spring, and sometimes Summer.
OPENING DECEMBER 1: Subnivean New Writers Award, a special opportunity for Central New York high school students. Young writers, prepare your submissions and get ready to show up and show out!
Subnivean is always grateful for the opportunity to read your work.
We are a small undergraduate staff, so it can take 2-4 months* for us to read carefully through every submission. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, provided that you notify us if another publication beats us to accepting your skilled work.
Please submit an unpublished story or standalone excerpt of 6,000 words or less, in a single document. We do consider English translations, so long as the work has not been published in English before. Due to potential conflicts of interest, Subnivean does not accept general submissions from current SUNY Oswego students.
Subnivean reserves first North American publishing rights; upon publication, rights revert immediately to the author. Due to the impact of COVID-19-related budget cuts upon the SUNY system and our department, we are unable to pay contributors—but we hope you'll still send your work our way now, though we pay only in undying affection and by shouting our contributors' good names from the mountaintops.
We look forward to reading your fiction.
*2025-26 NOTE: Response times may be extended this year. Subnivean is only able to work together for 15 weeks during this academic year. Our heroic new Editor-in-Chief, Albert Abonado, will lead our staff for just one semester, with our longtime editor away on sabbatical throughout AY 2025-26. In short, our workflow will be intense and face major interruptions.
Our staff prioritizes thoroughness and fairness over speed. We work to give every submission a thoughtful read—and hope you'll bear with us as we consider each and every one of the hundreds of submissions before us.
Reading every word with care takes time. We're aware that many outstanding submissions may find other fabulous first homes before we have a chance to offer ours. But rest assured that, as fellow writers, we will give each submitter's manuscript close attention—and if your work is scooped up before we have the opportunity to consider it, we will be cheering you on from the sidelines!
With respect,
Subnivean
Subnivean is always grateful for the opportunity to read your work.
We are a small undergraduate staff, so it can take 2-4 months* for us to read carefully through every submission. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, provided that you notify us if another publication beats us to accepting your skilled work.
Please submit up to six original, unpublished poems, in a single document. We do consider English translations, so long as the work has not been published in English before.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome, provided that you notify us if another publication beats us to accepting your skilled work.
Subnivean reserves first North American publishing rights; upon publication, rights revert immediately to the author. Due to the impact of COVID-19-related budget cuts upon the SUNY system and our department, we are unable to pay contributors—but we hope you'll still send your work our way now, though we pay only in undying affection and by shouting our contributors' good names from the mountaintops.
Due to potential conflicts of interest, Subnivean does not accept general submissions from current SUNY Oswego students.
We look forward to reading your poems.
*2025-26 NOTE: Response times may be extended this year. Subnivean is only able to work together for 15 weeks during this academic year. Our heroic new Editor-in-Chief, Albert Abonado, will lead our staff for just one semester, with our longtime editor away on sabbatical throughout AY 2025-26. In short, our workflow will be intense and face major interruptions.
Our staff prioritizes thoroughness and fairness over speed. We work to give every submission a thoughtful read—and hope you'll bear with us as we consider each and every one of the hundreds of submissions before us.
Reading every word with care takes time. We're aware that many outstanding submissions may find other fabulous first homes before we have a chance to offer ours. But rest assured that, as fellow writers, we will give each submitter's manuscript close attention—and if your work is scooped up before we have the opportunity to consider it, we will be cheering you on from the sidelines!
With respect,
Subnivean