we are open for submissions!

by The Editors

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Everyone!

We are thrilled to announce that as of right now, January 1, 2026, at the stroke of midnight Central Standard Time, sneaker wave magazine is open for submissions!

In certain ways, we are hesitant to say what sorts of pieces best line up with the editorial goals of our magazine—because the range of voices to which we are drawn is nearly limitless—but the truth is, we are looking for true stories driven by narrative. We’re not looking for essays that focus on commentary or on making sense but instead for stories where something happens—doesn’t have to be a big thing that happens, of course, but it needs to be an event or series of events that resonate in the telling of them. Early on in sneaker wave’s history, our occasionally cranky Editor in Chief, Mike Magnuson, said, “If your story is about walking in the woods and thinking about stuff, that’s not a sneaker wave story. But if your story is about walking in the woods and getting attacked by a bear, well, that right there is a sneaker wave story.” Mike is prone to overcooking his illustrations, as you can see, and for the record, we have not published any bear-attack stories (yet). Seriously, what we’re looking for are stories that take readers inside a specific human experience and allow readers to live through that experience the way the writer has. We want our readers to experience real life on the page.

This being said, our editorial team consists of four people with widely disparate reading tastes and life backgrounds, and we think it might be beneficial to let you know what sort of submissions pique our interest. Now, the only way we will accept a story for publication is if the vote is unanimous, which means there is considerable negotiation involved in the acceptance process, but the following might give you a sense of our mindsets before the process begins.

Mike Magnuson, Editor in Chief, is looking for humor with a heart, for stories of outdoor adventures and sports, for stories exploring faith, and for stories about places we call home. Mag also appreciates the high style when he can get it.

McKenzie Watson-Fore, Executive Editor, would love to read stories that are funny, strange, whimsical, and unusual. She loves awkward, self-deprecating protagonists. She loves beautiful sentences and robust, larger-than-life characters. She is always eager to read stories that have to do with faith, community, and belonging.

Angela Wang, Managing Editor, is drawn towards rich, immersive stories that explore coming-of-age, friendship, faith, and family. She especially loves funny stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end, and she appreciates narrators and protagonists who express a unique sense of humor and whimsy.

Julie Levine, Editor at Large, likes stories about spirituality in all forms, and stories about loss and love and finding the unexpected in the messiness of life. She also likes stories that surprise her, and endings that are soft and quiet yet resonate with readers in deep and meaningful ways.

We also don’t expect perfection in a submission. Once we have accepted a story, we will work with our writers to present their stories in the best possible light.

Once again, we wish you all the best for this new year. Let’s continue to thrive together.

The Editors