Current Submissions are Closed.
Submissions for issue two reopen Jan 1st 2027 at 12am EST
Glass Knuckles Press: Call for Submissions

At Glass Knuckles Press, we curate poetry, essays, short fiction, and visual art that explores the resilient spirit of the underdog—those who have been weathered, bruised, or temporarily defeated by life. We seek raw, gritty, and provocative work that resonates with emotional truth.

We publish biannual themed issues as multimedia chapbooks. Our editorial team prioritizes perspective-driven pieces, character-centric plots, and literary fiction.
What We Do Not Publish

We do not publish work that glorifies violence, promotes hate speech, is infantilizing, or falls under fan fiction or erotica. While we appreciate narratives with adult themes, those themes must remain integral to the development of the work.
Review Process

We operate a blind review process to ensure impartiality regardless of an author’s professional history or background. Multiple entries are permitted; however, each must be submitted separately. We take pride in championing both emerging and established voices.
General Submissions — Always Free

General submissions of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art are always free at Glass Knuckles Press. No submission fee is required.

General submissions are considered for publication in Glass Knuckles Press but are not considered for the Underdog Prize.

Please email your general submission and cover letter to editor.glassknuckles@gmail.com and follow all applicable submission and formatting guidelines below.
Underdog Prize — Guidelines & Fees

The contest entry fee for all categories (Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Cover Art) is $5.

A $10 expedited response option is available for writers who would like a response within 1–3 weeks.
Submission Guidelines

Written submissions must be formatted in 12-point Times New Roman with 1-inch margins.

Files for written submissions must be submitted in .doc or .docx format.

Original cover art should be 1600 × 2560 pixels or larger, in portrait orientation, with 300 PPI preferred. Any style is welcome.

As we cannot provide editing services post-acceptance, please ensure your manuscript is thoroughly proofread and publication-ready.

To preserve the integrity of our blind review process, submission files must not contain your full name or contact information.

Submission file names must be formatted as follows: Genre / Title(s) / Standard or Expedited.

For contest entries, please attach your order confirmation information and a cover letter to your submission. Your cover letter must contain your name and email address for follow-up contact.

For free general submissions, please include a cover letter containing your name and email address. No order confirmation is required.
Inclusivity & Accessibility

Glass Knuckles Press is committed to inclusivity. We strongly encourage submissions from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creators, individuals with disabilities, and incarcerated writers.

Incarcerated individuals may contact us via email to request a physical mailing address or a fee waiver if costs present a barrier to entry.
Publication Rights

Glass Knuckles Press retains First Serial Rights to accepted work, along with the right to reprint the work in future Glass Knuckles Press anthologies. Sixty days after initial publication, all other publication rights return to the author, who is then free to submit, reprint, self-publish, or include the work in other magazines, collections, chapbooks, or publications. Any subsequent publication of the work must include appropriate acknowledgment of its first publication in Glass Knuckles Press.