The Experiment Will Not Be Bound: An Experimental Anthology A project of Unbound Edition Press (see other related projects). Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions (March 2021). We provide the following information as an archive. About The whole of American literature might be seen as one extended experiment in finding a form for voices trying both to capture and pierce the nation’s cacophonous history and democracy. From Whitman’s constant revisions of Leaves of Grass to Stein’s authorial meditations in The Making of Americans, from Toni Morrisson’s interlaced points of view in The Bluest Eye to William Gass’s metafictional deep dig into the disappointed heart of America in The Tunnel, the great American experiment often has found its best reflection in the efforts of our most daring writers. New forms for our collective howl are yet to unfold. The infinite gesture toward accurately representing ourselves continues.With the very idea of America changing – personally, culturally, generationally, globally – experimental American writing seems especially relevant. How do we see ourselves now? What new or revised forms can contain our emerging or fading notions of self, identity, community and country? We feel sure bold writers must be asking questions like these. In bringing this project to life, we have our own set of questions to grapple with: What does the form of the anthology itself mean now? What qualifies as genuinely new, experimental and worthy of anthologizing, and by what standards? Does editorial ordering and reading arc matter when all information is digitally disaggregated? Might there be countless combinations of works changing across time? This experimental anthology poses these and other questions, including how the reader becomes an active participant in the evolving experiment. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2020 Publication Media & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationOne-time publicationPrint Publication Print PublicationOne-time publication Collapse section Fiction Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Open to all/most Genres, including: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words. Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Literature/Books: Writing, See guidelines. Other: See guidelines.Payment:Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).Note: We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.Submissions:Method: Electronic submissions. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Unknown.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Essay: Up to 5,000 words. Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Literature/Books: Writing, See guidelines. Other: See guidelines.Payment:Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).Note: We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.Submissions:Method: Electronic submissions. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Unknown.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Open to all/most Genres, including: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Unknown number of pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms, including: Experimental poetry.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Literature/Books: Writing, See guidelines. Other: See guidelines.Payment:Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem).Note: We list broad pay categories rather than payment specifics. Check with the publisher for details.Submissions:Method: Electronic submissions. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Unknown.Media: Text. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to project webpage Report: Correction/Update Support this Publisher: Buy Book(s) The Experiment Will Not Be Bound: An Experimental Anthology Submission Statistics The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months. Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Related ProjectsRevelUnbound Edition Press Charges fees for all submissions Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 22 May 2026 Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only