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So to Speak Journal

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About

It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men.

So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.

Our mission is to provide a digital and print platform to amplify the voices of BIPOC, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, nonbinary people, women, neurodivergent people, people of all different religions or none, migrants, refugees & immigrants (regardless of citizenship), and incarcerated writers.

So to Speak was founded as a feminist journal in 1993 by an editorial collective of MFA candidates at George Mason University. As our journal has evolved over the years, so has our outlook on feminism.

We believe in an intersectional feminist outlook that includes, advocates for, and amplifies the perspectives & experiences of marginalized individuals.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions, except for submissions from Black or Indigenous writers. (Note: About 8% of magazines always charge fees.)
The fee is USD $4 (average for magazines that charge).
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 1993

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Published 1 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication
Published 1 x per year

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

Statistics Synopsis

Faster
So to Speak Journal's overall average response time is faster than most magazines.
More Challenging
So to Speak Journal's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines.
More Responsive
So to Speak Journal's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All genders, Females, Nonbinary people, Transgender people.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words; Up to 3 pieces.
Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $100 per contributor.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All genders, Females, Nonbinary people, Transgender people.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 5,000 words; Unknown number of pieces.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 5,000 words; Unknown number of pieces.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $100 per contributor.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All genders, Females, Nonbinary people, Transgender people.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 5 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $100 per contributor.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Visual Art Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: All ethnic groups/populations, All genders, Females, Nonbinary people, Transgender people.

Lengths:

Artwork:

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Digital art.
Drawing.
Painting.
Photography.
Sculpture.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (US$10-49 per piece) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per piece) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $100 per contributor.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
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.

So to Speak 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 14 reports from 14 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
4 min | 40.5 mean avg | 39.0 median | 68 max days (15.5 std dev)
Responses
92.86 %
Acceptances:
0.00 % No publication has a 0% acceptance rate. This data is based on submission reports sent to Duotrope, and we have not received reports of any acceptances yet.
Rejections:
92.86 % (41.9 avg. days per rejection) | 0.0 % personal, 61.5 % form, 38.5 % unspecified
Non-Responses
0.00 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
-
Withdrawals
7.14 % (4.0 avg. days per withdrawal)

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 120 days.
The most common submission fee paid: USD $4.00.
Most recent response reported was received on 23 May 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 19 Apr 2026.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 02:50 UTC (6 hours, 56 minutes ago).

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Your Submissions

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So to Speak Art Contest DNQ  Charges fees for some submissions
So to Speak Blog
So to Speak Fiction Contest DNQ  Charges fees for some submissions
So to Speak Nonfiction Contest DNQ  Charges fees for some submissions
So to Speak Poetry Contest CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions

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: 26 May 2026

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

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