Red Lightbulbs

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions. We provide the following information as an archive.

About

Red Lightbulbs was inspired by the words of a young man with autism. He lived in one of the group homes I used to work for. Every morning, he would bend down to inspect my hair, and every morning he came to the same conclusion. "You smell like red lightbulbs," he told me. "Is that good or bad?" I asked. "It isn't good or bad," he said. "It's like red lightbulbs." Red Lightbulbs is an irregularly published collection of online ephemera open to fiction, poetry, video, sound, and many forms of hybrid art. We are interested in pieces that evoke, but don't explain, reveal, but don't represent. We seek pieces that embody an experience through flickers, fragments, and failed recollections. Basically, just don't bore us. Don't be boring. Don't treat the reader/listener/viewer like a moron. We are interested. Really. Trust us.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Media & Frequency

Audio Publication Audio Publication: Unknown publication frequency
Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Unknown publication frequency

Collapse section Fiction Closed

Audience:

Unknown

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Bizarro, Cross-Genre, Slipstream
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Slipstream, Weird/New Weird
Horror Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Bizarro, Cross-Genre, Slipstream, Weird/New Weird

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 3,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Absurdist, Dark, Experimental, Literary, Pulp, Surrealist.

Topics:

None found.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Closed

Audience:

Unknown

Genres:

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms, including: Experimental poetry, Hybrid form, Prose poetry, Short poetry, Visual poetry.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Absurdist, Dark, Experimental, Literary, Pulp, Surrealist.

Topics:

None found.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary 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.

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Red Lightbulbs 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.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

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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