Root Smoke

At Root Smoke, we seek work that lives at the intersection of the grounded and the fleeting—pieces rooted in what nourishes, yet willing to drift into what lingers. We welcome writing that reflects, unsettles, illuminates, deepens, or surprises; work that pays attention to the quiet moments as much as the seismic ones.

We are drawn to:

• language with intention and texture
• emotional resonance without sentimentality
• clarity balanced with mystery
• pieces that leave an echo after the reading ends

Send us work that feels wild, honest, embodied, and alive.

View our Submission Guidelines

Root Smoke exists to cultivate a shared literary space that bridges worlds often kept separate. We seek to highlight both emerging and established voices, welcoming work that moves beyond traditional literary binaries and embraces the full spectrum of genre, form, and artistic expression.

Rooted in the small press tradition and open to experimentation, Root Smoke brings together genre writers, literary writers, visual artists and more within a single threaded and intentional community. We believe meaningful work refuses easy categorization.

Our mission is to curate a space that feels alive, embodied, honest, and resonant. We value language with texture. By offering a space where diverse voices can be held, seen & shared without hesitancy, we aim to foster connection, reflection, and creative exchange.