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Points in Case (PIC)

About

Points in Case is one of the web’s longest-running independent literary humor publications, and a community hub for writers, performers, and readers. We publish enlightening and irreverent humor and offer professional comedy writing resources, opportunities, and features.

Founded in 1999 as a humor newsletter sent from an Emory University dorm room, PIC moved online in 2000 and has since reached more than 50 million readers with satire, stories, essays, lists, jokes, and other funny writing across a wide range of styles and formats.

Voluntary Fees: This project accepts voluntary fees for feedback and expedited decisions.
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 1999

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Published 365 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

Statistics Synopsis

Faster
Points in Case's overall average response time is faster than most magazines.
More Challenging
Points in Case's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines.
More Responsive
Points in Case's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Collapse section Fiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Genres:

General Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.

Styles:

Absurdist, Experimental, Humorous, Satirical.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $10-$35.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Lengths:

Article: 600 - 1,000 words.
Essay: Up to 1,000 words.

Styles:

Experimental, Humorous, Satirical.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $10-$35.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
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.

Points in Case 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 44 reports from 34 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
1 min | 9.1 mean avg | 10.0 median | 18 max days (11.0 std dev)
Responses
100.00 %
Acceptances:
2.27 % of submissions accepted (5.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 2.94 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections:
97.73 % (9.1 avg. days per rejection) | 32.6 % personal, 48.8 % form, 18.6 % unspecified
Non-Responses
0.00 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
-
Withdrawals
-
Pending
2 responses are pending (9 min | 20.0 mean avg | 20.0 median | 31 max days waiting | 1,082.1 std dev) from 2 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 10 Sep 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 03 Sep 2026.
Date compiled: 13 Sep 2026 00:56 UTC (6 hours, 48 minutes ago).
View report of recent responses from this project

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Your Submissions

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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: 31 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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