submissions

sneaker wave magazine is accepting submissions! Our new submissions window is open from July 15, 2025 (at midnight Eastern Standard Time) through August 31, 2025.

We only publish nonfiction. No fiction or poetry, please. All submissions must be under 4,000 words and over 2,000 words. Standard formatting is expected: standard twelve-point font, double spacing, and page numbers, please.

Stories must be original, previously unpublished work. We acquire first serial rights in English and non-exclusive anthology rights. All submissions must come through Submittable. Simultaneous submissions are welcome! Please let us know if your submission has been accepted elsewhere.

Please note that we have an extensive editorial process. Accepted pieces will undergo multiple rounds of editing with multiple editors in order to present your piece in the best possible light.

We offer three different types of submissions. Only general submissions will be considered for publication at sneaker wave magazine. Our regular fee for submissions with no feedback is $5.

These fees go toward paying our writers and staff. Should your piece be accepted, the magazine will pay you a small honorarium ($20) the week after publication. We recognize this is just a token and not the true value of your work, and we hope to pay more in the future.

Our editors offer line-level essay feedback year round, with that same goal in mind: we want you and your work to shine. And we can make this happen for you. If you would like a full essay markup with margin notes by one of our masthead editors, select the “individual developmental edit” option ($150). If you would like a full essay markup with margin notes by three of our masthead editors, select “collective developmental edit” ($250).

We look forward to reading your true story. Thank you for considering sneaker wave magazine as a home for your writing!

The Editors