Baltimore Gothic: Baltimore Gothic Online Submissions Gold Star Program Gold Star Free Tip Jar Option

What we want:

We want stories that probe the psyche of fanatical preachers, hypocritical congregations, and lost souls grappling with guilt, divine judgment, or supernatural retribution. We want tales of fire-and-brimstone sermons masking dark secrets, backwoods revivals spiraling into chaos, and individuals wrestling with personal demons in the shadow of a judgmental deity. This issue should capture the eerie beauty of a South torn between divine grace and its own heart.

What we want:

• Southern Gothic
• Dark themes
• Portraits of madness
• Portrayals of irrational, abnormal or horrific thoughts or desires
• Grotesque characters
• Dark Humor

What we do not want:

• Mythology
• Fantasy
• Slasher
• Monster Fiction
• Science Fiction

Baltimore Gothic is changing our submission structure:

Starting in June 2026, we will be accepting one fiction piece and one poem per month for online only publication. These submissions are free and will stay open year round.

Fiction — 1500 to 5000 words.

Please submit between 1 and 3 works of fiction. We do not accept flash at this time.

All online submissions are free, but you will not be published in the print edition. Please submit in the Print edition if you would also like to be considered there. Tip jar submissions will be prioritized and provided more detailed feedback.

We are looking for portraits of the human condition. We want fiction that says something. While we are looking for gothic fiction, we are not looking for genre fiction.

A few great examples: "Good Men are Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor and "James Reading Goes to Sea" by Zora Neale Hurston.

Poetry — up to 5 poems

For poetry, we will accept up to 5 poem submissions.

All online submissions are free, but you will not be published in the print edition. Please submit in the Print edition if you would also like to be considered there. Tip jar submissions will be prioritized and provided more detailed feedback.

Poetry must be between 1-2 pages. Ballads or other long forms of poetry that are under 4 pages are also accepted, however only one will be selected for each issue.

It must contain one or more of the following elements: urban decay or human decay, psychological suspense, supernatural, natural or rural elements, Southern culture, or other cultural elements. Some examples include: Edgar Allen Poe, Minnie Hunt, and William Faulkner.

Haikus and experimental form poetry are not accepted at this time.

Nonfiction — 1500 to 5000 words

Please submit between 1 and 3 works of nonfiction. We do not accept experimental forms of nonfiction or flash at this time.

All online submissions are free, but you will not be published in the print edition. Please submit in the Print edition if you would also like to be considered there. Tip jar submissions will be prioritized and provided more detailed feedback.

Nonfiction must be in the memoir style/format. Nonfiction must contain Gothic or suspenseful elements. Only two Non-fiction pieces will be accepted at this time.

How often do we publish:

Baltimore Gothic will publish one of each of the three categories on a monthly basis, so long as we get enough submissions and the submission is up to our standards.

Author Payment:

There is no author payment for online publication.