PRISM international

Deadline: April 30, 2025

$500 Grand Prize, $150 Runner-Up, $50 Second Runner-Up

Judged by the PRISM Editorial Board.

Maximum word count: 300 words (including title). Please submit only one piece per submission. You may submit additional stories using the Additional Entry option for $5. 

Note: once an entry is received, no revisions will be allowed. Entry fees are non-refundable. Please ensure your entry meets the following guidelines before submitting.

PRISM international offers free entries for self-identifying Indigenous and Black writers for all our contests. Indigenous and Black writers are invited to submit using the appropriate fee options from the dropdown list in the form.

 We also have a number of free entries to offer to low-income writers, and we encourage writers for whom the contest entry fee is prohibitive to contact us at prism.promos@ubc.ca to arrange contest entry. We do not require any information or reasoning regarding eligibility.

As always, we encourage submissions from writers of colour, writers with disabilities, LGBTQQIA writers, and writers from other intersectional and marginalized groups.

Rules & Regulations (please read carefully) 

• The author’s name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript, the title or in the title that the file is saved under.
• Entries must be original, previously unpublished in print or online. PRISM will purchase First North American Serial Rights for all work accepted for publication.
• Entries should be formatted with size 12pt serif font (Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia) and regular margins. Prose must be double spaced.
• Not open to students or faculty of the University of British Columbia’s creative writing program (this includes the UBC optional residency MFA program). This also includes incoming students that have accepted a place in UBC’s creative writing program. In order to enter, UBC alumni cannot have taken a UBC creative writing program course during the previous two years.
• Winners of last year’s contest (grand prize, first runner-up, and second runner-up) must wait a year before entering the contest in the category for which they won, but are welcome to enter either of our other categories. Other writers who made the longlist and/or the shortlist are still eligible to enter any category.
• Entrants must submit their entry under their real name, although they may publish under a pseudonym if they wish. Contestants who do not submit under their real name may be subject to disqualification.
• No images or photos should be included.
• Only use the “Additional Entry” category if you have already entered the contest in question and wish to enter again.
• No refunds will be made if an entry has been submitted to the incorrect category. Once an entry is received, no revisions will be allowed, and entry fees become non-refundable.
• PRISM international may contact you in future to inform you of future writing contests. We do not share information with any third parties. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• The grand prize entry will be published on PRISM's website.

Mailing entries: PRISM will not be reading mailed submissions for contests until further notice.

“Beauty is desired in order that it may be befouled; not for its own sake, but for the joy brought by the certainty of profaning it.”

― Georges Bataille, Erotism: Death and Sensuality

PRISM International invites submissions for its upcoming FILTH issue 64.1, edited by Ayda Niknami and Zahra Mayeesha.

A Latin aphorism, popularized by Carl Jung, states In sterquiliniis invenitur (“in filth it shall be found”). One way of interpreting this is that what we desire most is often found in the places we most fear to look. Filth is natural, primal, embodied—yet we treat it with stigma, fear, or disgust. We avoid filth and are simultaneously attracted to it. What are you afraid to find in your own filth? What do you find, despite your expectations, when you transgress into filth—acceptance and transformation, or self-loathing and degradation? 

We are looking for submissions that confront and live in the discomfort of filth—whether that lies in waste, eroticism, depravity, dirt, or something else entirely. What does the germ of filth give birth to, spread to? What does it inspire in you—vulnerability, liberation, or ostracism? What happens to filth if you resist the moralization of it? We dare you to befoul the beautiful, and to make beauty out of the profane. Send us prose, poetry, or hybrid pieces that explore the terrors and joys of desire, in all its baseness.

Check out the guidelines and submit here: 

https://prisminternational.submittable.com/submit 

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PRISM international publishes exciting, original material from established and emerging writers in Canada and around the world. We accept submissions year-round. Due to the high volume of submissions we receive each month, reply times range between 2 to 6 months, depending on the time of year. Please note: PRISM does not accept submissions from current and incoming students and faculty of the University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing Program (this includes the UBC Optional-Residency MFA Program). Work submitted by incoming students prior to their acceptance to the UBC Creative Writing Program, if still under consideration, must be withdrawn. In order to submit, UBC alumni cannot have taken a UBC Creative Writing Program course during the previous two years. PRISM does not publish the same writer twice in a publication year.      

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:   

• For contest entries, please refer to our contest page.
• Your document MUST be labelled with your first and last name. Example: FirstNameLastName.doc.
• Submit up to four poems, maximum of six pages. 
• We welcome cross-genre, hybrid, and interdisciplinary poetry and poetics.
• In your cover letter, please specify the number of poems you are submitting and list the titles of the poems.
• Poetry submissions should be typed and single-spaced. If you would like to submit poems with alternate spacing, please mention it in your cover letter and submit a PDF instead of a Word document.
• Include in your cover letter your full contact information (including email address) and a short bio.
• All submissions should be set in Times New Roman, 12-point font.
• We only accept online submissions via Submittable unless you are an incarcerated writer. We do not accept email submissions. We charge a $3.00 reading fee per submission. We have an Inclusive Access option under the 'Submission Fee' category for those unable to pay the regular $3.00 fee. 
• Submissions must be previously unpublished, in print and online.
• We accept simultaneous submissions. If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please let us know immediately.
• We purchase first North American serial rights, and pay $40/printed page for prose and $45/printed page for poetry. Contributors will receive two copies of the issue in which their work appears.
• The editorial board awards one $500 prize to an outstanding poetry contributor each year.
• We encourage submissions from Black and Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ writers, and writers from other intersectional and marginalized groups, including low-income earners. If you identify as one or more of the above and would like to let us know, please mention it in your cover letter.

“Beauty is desired in order that it may be befouled; not for its own sake, but for the joy brought by the certainty of profaning it.”

― Georges Bataille, Erotism: Death and Sensuality

PRISM International invites submissions for its upcoming FILTH issue 64.1, edited by Ayda Niknami and Zahra Mayeesha.

A Latin aphorism, popularized by Carl Jung, states In sterquiliniis invenitur (“in filth it shall be found”). One way of interpreting this is that what we desire most is often found in the places we most fear to look. Filth is natural, primal, embodied—yet we treat it with stigma, fear, or disgust. We avoid filth and are simultaneously attracted to it. What are you afraid to find in your own filth? What do you find, despite your expectations, when you transgress into filth—acceptance and transformation, or self-loathing and degradation? 

We are looking for submissions that confront and live in the discomfort of filth—whether that lies in waste, eroticism, depravity, dirt, or something else entirely. What does the germ of filth give birth to, spread to? What does it inspire in you—vulnerability, liberation, or ostracism? What happens to filth if you resist the moralization of it? We dare you to befoul the beautiful, and to make beauty out of the profane. Send us prose, poetry, or hybrid pieces that explore the terrors and joys of desire, in all its baseness.

Check out the guidelines and submit here: 

https://prisminternational.submittable.com/submit

____

We are accepting prose (approximately 4,000 words or less), and poetry (up to four poems, to a maximum of six pages). Please submit via Submittable. We pay $40 per printed page of prose and $45 per printed page of poetry. 

PRISM international publishes exciting, original material from established and emerging writers in Canada and around the world. Due to the high volume of submissions we receive each month, reply times range between 2 to 6 months, depending on the time of year. Please note: PRISM does not accept submissions from current and incoming students and faculty of the University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing Program (this includes the UBC Optional-Residency MFA Program). Work submitted by incoming students prior to their acceptance to the UBC Creative Writing Program, if still under consideration, must be withdrawn. In order to submit, UBC alumni cannot have taken a UBC Creative Writing Program course during the previous two years. PRISM does not publish the same writer twice in a publication year. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• For contest entries, please refer to our contest page.
• Submit only one piece at a time, unless you are submitting flash fiction or non-fiction (under 1,000 words), in which case you may submit up to three pieces in a single document.
• Our recommended length for submissions is approximately 4,000 words or less. We have a limited page count per issue and aim to offer a platform for as many talented writers as possible. While we accept prose submissions of up to 25 pages (6,250 words), we must emphasize that it is only exceptional pieces of this length that will receive publication.
• For non-fiction, send original, unpublished literary essays, personal essays, hybrid-genre works, and literary journalism. Please note that we do not publish rhetorical, academic, or strictly journalistic non-fiction.
• Submissions should be typed, double-spaced, and paginated. Please specify the genre of your submission in your cover letter.
• In your cover letter, please include your full contact information (including email address) and a short bio (approximately 50 words).
• All submissions should be set in Times New Roman, 12-point font.
• Submissions must be previously unpublished, in print and online.
• We accept simultaneous submissions. If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please let us know immediately.
• We purchase first North American serial rights, and pay $40/printed page for prose and $45/printed page for poetry. Contributors will receive two copies of the issue in which their work appears.
• We strongly encourage submissions from Black and Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ writers, and writers from other intersectional and marginalized groups, including low-income earners. If you identify as one or more of the above and would like to let us know, please mention it in your cover letter.
   

PRISM international Magazine Artwork Submission Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in submitting your artwork to PRISM Magazine! We welcome submissions from artists of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Please carefully review the guidelines below before submitting:

1. Eligibility

• Submissions are open to artists worldwide.
• All submitted artwork must be original and created by the artist.

2. Submission Guidelines

• Format: Please submit high-resolution files in one of the following formats: JPEG, PNG, or PDF.
• Resolution: Minimum resolution of 300 DPI to ensure print quality.
• File Size: Maximum file size per upload is 10 MB.
• Number of Submissions: You may submit up to 10 pieces of artwork for consideration. Each piece must be uploaded as a separate file.
• File Naming: Name your files as follows: [YourName]_[TitleOfArtwork]. Example: JaneDoe_SunsetReflections.png.

3. Theme or Style (Optional)

• While we encourage all forms of creative expression, we are particularly interested in artwork that aligns with PRISM Magazine's values of showcasing diversity, storytelling, and bold, thought-provoking visuals.

4. Artist Information

• Please include the following in your submission form:          
  • Name: Your full name (or preferred artist name for publication).
  • Email Address: For communication purposes.
  • Artist Bio: A brief bio highlighting your background and artistic journey.
  • Artwork Description (Optional): A short description of each piece, including its title, medium, and any relevant details.

5. Permissions

• By submitting your artwork, you confirm that:          
  • You own the rights to the submitted work.
  • You grant PRISM Magazine permission to publish your artwork in both print and digital formats, if selected.

6. Review Process

• Our editorial team will review all submissions on a rolling basis. Selected artists will be notified via email.
• Due to the high volume of submissions, we regret that we may not be able to provide individual feedback on your submission.

7. Agreement

• By submitting your artwork, you confirm that you have read and agreed to the guidelines above, including permissions and submission requirements.