Tightwires is dedicated to featuring writers from diverse backgrounds and communities to share their experiences navigating life & art outside institutional confines.
The mission of The Tightwires Anthology is to present writing that pushes boundaries and makes us rethink what is considered literary.
We welcome both academic and non-academic voices, especially those from marginalized backgrounds.
For now, we can only accept submissions from submitters in the U.S., but we hope to change this in the future.
Submission Dates: Friday, August 22 through Friday, October 24 Sunday, November 9
Judges: Hannah Whitten (Fiction), Hanif Abdurraqib (Poetry)
Prizes: The first prize in each genre will be awarded $500 and publication in the anthology. Two finalists in fiction and multiple poetry submissions will also be selected for publication in the anthology.
Entry Fee: The entry fee for each submission is $15 payable through Venmo at this link. Proof of payment (screenshot of receipt) must be included in each submission.
Submission Guidelines: We are specifically looking for unpublished work that is inspired by a Tightwires prompt or interview with a featured guest. This inspiration can be in the form of a direct response to a prompt or a more open-ended response to an issue/conversation with one of our guests which made you think more deeply about a topic addressed. We are not prescriptive, and we welcome work that offers different interpretations and makes us see an interview or a prompt in a new way.
Find all interviews here.
Find many of our guests’ prompts on past Instagram posts here.
Genre-Specific Guidelines:
Poetry Guidelines:
- Each submission packet can include up to five poems
- All submissions should be inspired by and/or respond to a Tightwires prompt/interview
- Packets must be submitted in a .doc or .pdf format
- Previously published work will not be considered
- Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere.
- Please include a screenshot of your $15 payment through Venmo. Submissions not including this will not be considered.
Fiction Guidelines:
- Each submission can include up to 25 pages in fiction (novel excerpts are not accepted)
- All submissions should be inspired by and/or respond to a Tightwires prompt/interview
- Packets must be submitted in a .doc or .pdf format
- Previously published work will not be considered
- Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere
- Please include a screenshot of your $15 payment through Venmo. Submissions not including this will not be considered.
If your submission is accepted, Tightwires acquires first serial rights of your work and we do ask that you recognize Tightwires should your work be reprinted.
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SUBMISSIONS CLOSE
Thank you for your interest in submitting to The Tightwires Anthology!
Submissions are now closed for our inaugural issue.
Follow @tightwirespodcast or bookmark this page to learn about future submission opportunities.
FAQ
“How will the submission funds earned from the contest be used?“
Funds received from the entry fees will be primarily used toward the cost of printing and distributing the anthology, including purchasing a booth for the 2026 AWP Conference, a $500 payment for each judge, and the prize money awarded to the first prize winner in each genre. Any additional earnings will be used to further grow and develop Tightwires, including, but not limited to, equipment costs, creation of future anthology editions, and staffing needs.
“What should I do if I want to withdraw my submission? Will my entry fee be refunded?“
If you would like to withdraw your submission, please email: tightwires@hibatahir.com with your request. Unfortunately, all entry fees are final and cannot be refunded.
“Can I send my submission by postal mail?“
At this time, we cannot accept entries through the postal mail.
“Who should I contact if I need accommodations or have trouble accessing the online submission form?”
First, try a different browser. If it still doesn’t work, please email: tightwires@hibatahir.com and we will do our best to accommodate your request and/or needs.
“How and when will the winners be contacted?”
We plan to contact the winners by the end of November via email. The writers of submissions that are not accepted will be contacted shortly after. If you have not heard back by the end of December, please let us know and we can check on the status of your submission.
“When will the anthology be published?“
We hope to launch the anthology at the 2026 AWP conference in Baltimore. Find us at the AWP bookfair!
“Who’s reading my work?”
Founder/Executive Editor: Hiba Tahir
Operations Manager/Managing Editor: Kate Davis
Poetry Editor: Joaquin Gavilano
Fiction Editor: Colleen Noland
Hiba Tahir 