Understory A project of Loblolly Press (see other related projects). About We’re launching Understory as an annual anthology for writers, artists, and creators from across the American South.Understory is open to writers and artists from the American South — writers who were born in or spent a significant part of their life in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, or Tennessee.We’re particularly interested in publishing writers from marginalized communities, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; LGBTQ+ writers; disabled writers; and writers from rural or low-income backgrounds. Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions, except for cases of financial need, and they do not offer monetary payment for accepted submissions. (Note: About 10% of anthologies always charge fees.) The fee is USD $3 (below average for anthologies that charge). Limited Demographic: Submissions are restricted to people who were born in or spent a significant part of their lives in the American South. Country of Publication United States Publication Media & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 1 x per yearPrint Publication Print PublicationPublished 1 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis FasterUnderstory's overall average response time is faster than most anthologies. More ChallengingUnderstory's overall acceptance rate is lower than most anthologies. More ResponsiveUnderstory's overall rate of non-response is lower than most anthologies. Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region, Blacks/People with African origins, Indigenous Peoples, All genders, All sexual identities, Bisexuals, Lesbians/Gays, People living with mental health conditions, People with disabilities.Genres: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words; Up to 3 pieces. Short Story: 1,000 - 4,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Place/Regions: Specific region. Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race, Social issues, See guidelines. Other: May vary, See guidelines.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Multiple entries are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region, Blacks/People with African origins, Indigenous Peoples, All genders, All sexual identities, Bisexuals, Lesbians/Gays, People living with mental health conditions, People with disabilities.Lengths: Essay: Up to 4,000 words. Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 4,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Place/Regions: Specific region. Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race, Social issues, See guidelines. Other: May vary, See guidelines.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Multiple entries are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region, Blacks/People with African origins, Indigenous Peoples, All genders, All sexual identities, Bisexuals, Lesbians/Gays, People living with mental health conditions, People with disabilities.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 4 pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Place/Regions: Specific region. Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race, Social issues, See guidelines. Other: May vary, See guidelines.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Multiple entries are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Visual Art Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Americans, People in a specific region, Blacks/People with African origins, Indigenous Peoples, All genders, All sexual identities, Bisexuals, Lesbians/Gays, People living with mental health conditions, People with disabilities.Lengths: Artwork: Up to 8 pieces.Art Media: Open to all/most Art Media, including... Drawing. Painting. Photography.Art Styles:Open to all/most Art Styles.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Place/Regions: Specific region. Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race, Social issues, See guidelines. Other: See guidelines.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Multiple entries: Multiple entries are NOT allowed.Media: Image. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to project webpage Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookInstagram @loblolly_press Support this Publisher: Buy Book(s) For the Editor(s): Link to Duotrope Understory 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. Filter: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Visual Art Group by submission Include related projects Accuracy We have received 113 reports from 111 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 4 min | 23.0 mean avg | 22.0 median | 68 max days (15.3 std dev) Responses 98.23 % Acceptances: 8.85 % of submissions accepted (20.9 avg. days per acceptance) | 9.01 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here. Rejections: 89.38 % (23.4 avg. days per rejection) | 2.0 % personal, 98.0 % form, 0.0 % unspecified Non-Responses 0.00 % Lost/Returned: - Never Responded: - Withdrawals 1.77 % (11.5 avg. days per withdrawal) Other Information The most common submission fee paid: USD $3.00. Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day. Most recent response reported was received on 10 Aug 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 02 Aug 2026. Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 02:50 UTC (6 hours, 54 minutes ago). Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Related ProjectsHand to Mouth Anthology CLOSED Charges fees for all submissionsLoblolly 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: 10 Aug 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. 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