FAQ

FAQ

If you have a question not answered here, feel free to reach out to us at opallitmag at gmail dot com. For submissions, please only submit via the Submissions page.

My piece is 3,001 words. I know it’s technically over the word limit, but can I still submit it?
Nope. Our word limit is firm.

I’ve never been published. Does that hurt my chances of being accepted?
Not at all. In fact, if this is your first publication, tell us in your bio! If we like your work, we’d love to be the first place you get published. It’s a huge honor.

What qualifies as “substantial revision”?
If you changed the plotline of your story, restructured the flow of your essay, or reordered the stanzas of your poem, you did substantial revision. If you corrected grammar, spelling, and changed a few words, you didn’t do substantial revision.

Do you pay your contributors?
While we believe all writers should be paid for their work, unfortunately our budget doesn’t allow us to monetarily support our contributors at this time…but you still get bragging rights!

Can I revise my work after submitting it?
No. Our reviewing process takes time, so once a piece is submitted, it can’t be revised (unless revision is requested by one of our editors). Polish your work to a shine, then send it into the void and hope for the best.

What counts as “previously published”?
If a piece has appeared on a social media account, blog, or any publication either online or elsewhere, it counts as previously published. We understand this is annoying, but everyone plays by the same rules.

If my work is rejected, should I send an angry email?
Please don’t. Resist the urge.

Can I submit fanfiction?
No. For a lit mag, that’s illegal…but if you want to publish fanfiction, Wattpad and Ao3 are perpetually foaming at the mouth.