A Common Well Journal About A Common Well Journal publishes bi-annual volumes of fiction and poetry. We aim to foreground a pluralist approach to style, theme, and content, ambitioning to cement a dedication to the fullness of language as the medium and message of literary work.We believe language has the power to both set the world in order and to create it anew, that from the word the mind comes to be, that the old verities can be forever subsumed in new forms, and that the new paths can be laid level with ancient tools.Language is the soil of Eden.Language is the last remaining commons.Language is infinite, form is eternal.We are always looking for work that takes seriously the fact of its being an artifact and object—a thing brought into being. In the one realm of reality there are many worlds, many emanations of the same shared matter—different jugs drawing from the same well—, as such, an author’s work should fundamentally reflect the uniqueness of their language for expression… Truth and Beauty are many-sided things…There is genius in every scrawling hand, so the Editors of A Common Well Journal commit to responding personally to each and every submission received. Fostering the craft of submitters with considered encouragement, criticisms, and whatever insights we may be able to offer is key to our editorial approach. The goal here is to cultivate a corresponsive relationship with all those pursuing their individual brilliance in good faith. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2023 Publication Medium & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 2 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis Slower A Common Well Journal's overall average response time is slower than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open Jubilant expressions of formal and linguistic play. Stories rendered out of life. Stories brought into life. Fugue and juxtaposition. Neologism as literary discipline. The sentence as basic unit of meaning. Fiction that seeks to make something of itself, rather than say something to us. No confusion between ‘I’ and the eye. The mind as landscape, time as matter, change as constant. Textured language. Style over everything. Inscrutability encouraged. We are more interested in findings than experiments. Ambition toward apotheosis.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words. Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words. Novel Excerpt: Up to 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Online form. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Experiments in the essay form. NO PERSONAL ESSAY… NO MEMOIR…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 (Excluding: Memoir).Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Online form. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Work that stands on the outskirts, that produces original and strange effects, that loves the tradition, that is restless against the tradition, modernist and premodern, avant-garde and ancient. Above all, we look for the sense of deep, profound, impenetrable mystery that poetry can achieve when it is truly new and truly old.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 5 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.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Online form. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial Platforms:None known For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope A Common Well Journal 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 Group by submission Include outliers Accuracy We have received 3 reports from 3 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 2 min | 184.0 mean avg | 53.0 median | 497 max days (238.0 std dev) Pending 4 responses are pending (14 min | 90.3 mean avg | 84.5 median | 178 max days waiting | 392.9 std dev) from 4 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information Most recent response reported was received on 03 Mar 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 09 Jan 2026. Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 09:46 UTC (less than a minute 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! 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 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. 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