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What is Your NICU? Anthology

A project of Demeter Press (see other related projects).

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions (December 2025). We provide the following information as an archive.

About

The Oxford Reference A Dictionary of Nursing defines the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as follows: “a unit providing intensive care for preterm, very low-birth-weight, and seriously ill babies”. What this definition does not take into account, however, is that the NICU is so much more than that. It is a place not only for the preterm or ill infant, but for the baby’s family who must also inhabit this space for however long the baby needs specialized medical care.

The NICU and NICU birth experience is not generally discussed, rather it is a subject often silenced, censored, not granted visibility. It is the horror story that no one wants to read or think about. And yet, the reality is that one in ten children spend some time in the NICU, according to the World Health Organization. Considering the NICU beyond its medical definition as concept, place, and or/state of being, this collection, edited by NICU mothers, will center mother’s voices. This call invites female-identifying, mother-identifying artists to share work that responds to the question: What is your NICU?

Encouraging a broad range of submissions centered on the/a NICU experience, this collection seeks academic and personal narratives, poems, fiction, hybrid texts, visual art, epistles, Q & A, interviews, and other forms that redefine, reenvision, and expand the general and often glorifying understanding of the NICU.

Country of Publication

Canada

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication
One-time publication

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

Collapse section Fiction Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Children/Family: Parenting/Child care, See guidelines.
Health/Medicine: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 5,000 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream, Personal.

Topics:

Children/Family: Parenting/Child care, See guidelines.
Health/Medicine: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Unknown number of pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Children/Family: Parenting/Child care, See guidelines.
Health/Medicine: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Lengths:

Artwork: Unknown number of pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Photography.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Children/Family: Parenting/Child care, See guidelines.
Health/Medicine: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

No recent cover image available for What is Your NICU? Anthology

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What is Your NICU? 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.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 1 report within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Other Information

Most recent response reported was received on 09 Feb 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 26 Nov 2025.
Date compiled: 08 Oct 2026 01:33 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Before Submitting

We 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.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

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