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Santa Barbara Literary Journal

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About

The Santa Barbara Literary Journal, a small press established in 2018, hosts an eclectic mix of short and flash fiction, poetry, interviews, and art.

Beautifully written narratives by imaginative storytellers and visionary poets fill the pages. Tales that push boundaries and reveal our potential and our fears. Stories and poems that keep us wondering long after reading.

Established authors and emerging voices from Santa Barbara and beyond have contributed adventures of wrestlers and renegades, dramas of captains and criminals, and fantasies of vixens and vampires.

A mix of genres from literary to phantasmic, magical realism and sci-fi to crime, mystery and suspense fill our pages. Within each narrative, imagery, plot and most of all, the structure where something happens and people transform, tempt readers to turn the page and discover new possibilities in themselves, others, and the world around us.

Poems of love and loss, of the beauty and cruelty of nature, of what it is to be human by expanding our awareness and understanding.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions, and they do not offer monetary payment for accepted submissions. (Note: About 8% of magazines always charge fees.)
The fee is USD $2 (below average for magazines that charge).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2018

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication
Published 2 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

Statistics Synopsis

Slower
Santa Barbara Literary Journal's overall average response time is slower than most magazines.

Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed

Dates:

Will be open to submissions from 01 October 2026* (approx. 24 days from now) through 31 October 2026.

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Retrofuturism

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Other: May vary.

Theme:

Halcyon (31 Oct 2026*)

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Expand section Nonfiction Closed

Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed

Dates:

Will be open to submissions from 01 November 2026* (approx. 55 days from now) through 30 November 2026.

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Retrofuturism

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Other: May vary.

Theme:

Halcyon (30 Nov 2026*)

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork: Up to 3 pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

Santa Barbara Literary 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:
Accuracy
We have received 5 reports from 5 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
58 min | 128.2 mean avg | 149.0 median | 192 max days (59.9 std dev)

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 42 days. (100.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 42 days.)
The most common submission fee paid: USD $2.00.
Submissions are acknowledged within 19 days on average.
Most recent response reported was received on 06 Jun 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 02 Apr 2026.
Date compiled: 07 Sep 2026 00:05 UTC (4 hours, 30 minutes 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: 19 Aug 2026

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

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