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.
Submitters located in the U.S. may use the form below. If you’re an international submitter, please contact us at tightwires@hibatahir.com.
Submission Dates: Friday, August 7 through Sunday, November 1
Reading Fee: The reading fee for each submission is $4 payable through Venmo at this link. Proof of payment (screenshot of receipt) must be included in each submission.
Post a photo of yourself with Issue 1 and tag us (@tightwirespodcast) for a free 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Submission Guidelines: We are specifically looking for unpublished work that is inspired by a Tightwires prompt or interview with a featured guest.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 episode 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 $4 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 $4 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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Thank you for your submission!
Thank you for your interest in submitting to The Tightwires Anthology!
FAQ
“How will the submission funds be used?“
Funds received from the reading fee will be primarily used toward the cost of printing and distributing the anthology, including purchasing booths at future events. 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 compensation will I receive if my work is accepted?”
All accepted contributors will receive a contributor copy free of charge.
“What should I do if I want to withdraw my submission? Will my reading fee be refunded?“
If you would like to withdraw your submission, please email: tightwires@hibatahir.com with your request. Unfortunately, all readings 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 I know if my work has been accepted ?”
We plan to contact submitters at the beginning of December via email. 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 in February 2027.
“Who’s reading my work?”
Founder/Executive Editor: Hiba Tahir
Operations Manager/Managing Editor: Kate Davis