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Brain, Child

This project is believed to be defunct. (May 2020)

About

Here at Brain, Child we strive to bring the voices of women of different backgrounds and circumstances together on the page, on our website and in our online community. Through essays, fiction and feature stories our writers provide their unique perspectives on being mothers and women while addressing readers as thinking individuals, not just medicine-dispensing, food-fixing, boo-boo-kissing mommies. We aim to be down-to-earth, literary, commonsensical, funny, poignant, honest, respectful, irreverent, relevant and intelligent. We don’t have any particular agenda, except to support thought and debate on topics of interest to mothers. Brain, Child treats motherhood as a subject worthy of literature. And in the best tradition of literature, it celebrates the diversity of mothers and their styles. Brain, Child cuts past a lot of the bull to get to the voices that are truest — not experts, but women who are or have been there. Though Brain, Child carries the subtitle “The Magazine for Thinking Mothers,” it could just as easily be “Motherhood The Way It Really Is.” Our writers bring a down-to-earth perspective to traditional and not-so-traditional parenting subjects. And they’re willing to address the big questions — our evolving identities as mothers, for instance, or what we’re teaching the next generation. Each issue of Brain, Child is packed with personal essays, in-depth features, a debate, a parody, fiction, and words from you: our community, our readers.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2000

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Unknown publication frequency
Print Publication Print Publication
Unknown publication frequency

Nonfiction Believed Defunct

These are the signature pieces of the magazine, the heart and soul of our endeavor. We’re looking for essays that share certain qualities–specificity and insight primary among them. These pieces should employ illustrative anecdotes, vivid scenes, a personal voice, and a down-to-earth tone. We will avoid essays that fall back on big concept words–”magic,” “joy,” “wonder”–to get across the transformative nature of motherhood. Poignancy is fine; sentimentality isn’t. Humor is a plus. Important points to remember: We aren’t looking for how-to articles or essays that focus more on the child than on the parent.

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Females, Specific group.

Lengths:

Essay: 1,500 - 3,500 words.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Children/Family: General, Parenting/Child care.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Unknown payment Unknown payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
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.

Brain, Child 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

The editors will try to make a decision within 60 days.
Do not query on the status of your submission before 60 days have passed.
Date compiled: 22 Oct 2026 16:36 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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