As we collectively undergo a remarkable transition to a new reality, there is every reason to expect a wild blossoming of creativity. We believe that in uncertain times, writers, artists, and makers of all kinds will turn to their craft to process and chronicle their experiences. 

There will be so much good writing, art, photography coming from this time. Not to say good as in "oh! Look at all these silver linings!" When we say good we mean real, raw, honest, powerful creative works that provide deep catharsis, that connect us, that speak truth to power. And that testify to the power within us. We make art from the trash-heaps in our lives. It's messy and real. The truth is multifaceted, and so is great writing.  

Please use this form to submit your writing; there is a separate form for art and photography. Your submission must have been written during the time of the pandemic, but does not need to explicitly address the pandemic; it is understood as the larger context around all of the submissions. We welcome simultaneous submissions as long as you immediately notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere. No previously published work. 

We are especially interested in poetry and creative non-fiction for this anthology, but will consider short fiction (no more than 3000 words). We are looking for writing with strong, developed craft and your unique perspective. All work must be written in English; we also welcome translations into English when accompanied by the original work and the original author's permission to use, as long as the original and/or translation is informed by the authors' experience of the pandemic. 

Self-identifying womxn, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2+, differently-abled, neuro-diverse, and members of other historically marginalized groups are especially encouraged to send their work. We love you. We see you. Please let us help add your voice to the historical record of these times.

If you are able to contribute $5 or more to help with publishing costs, it will be a huge help. We fully recognize that many of us are facing tremendous financial uncertainties. All work will be considered equally regardless of payment. If you are able to contribute something, it will support those who can't, and support the creation of an epically badass anthology. Each selected contributor will receive a complimentary copy of the anthology. If we raise enough funds, we will provide more copies per contributor. 

We do not know when this call for submissions will end, because we don't know when the pandemic will end. We will share updates on our blog whenever possible. Exceptional works may also be selected for publication in Terra Preta Review ahead of publication in the anthology. We'll be in touch.

The specs: Times New Roman; 12 point font; up to six pages of poetry submitted in a single document, with each new poem starting on its own page; nonfiction and fiction up to 3000 words, with pages numbered and word count listed at the start of the first page. We accept .doc, .docx, and PDF formats. Please title your submission GENRE_Last Name, for example, POETRY_Garcia or CNF_Gay. 

No need for a cover sheet in your submission; your cover letter on Submittable will suffice. In your cover letter, tell us something about yourself; we're not really interested in your publication history. We want to know something about who you are. In 75 words or less. 

If you have a question that hasn't been answered here, you can reach us at terrapretareview@gmail.com. 

Thank you for sharing your work with us. We're honored to spend time with your writing.