Syncopation Literary Journal

About

“Syncopation” refers to an accented beat that occurs when the listener least expects it. Syncopation adds rhythmic interest to a piece of music. Syncopation Literary Journal seeks unique stories that pique a reader’s interest from the opening line.
Syncopation Literary Journal is a free online open-access literary journal for musicians, and for writers inspired by music. Syncopation Literary Journal aims to present readers with poetry, short stories, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction penned by musicians who dabble in all forms of creative writing. The Journal also welcomes such works from writers inspired by music.
Short literary pieces are akin to songs–they can be relished multiple times, and stay with an audience long after the first encounter.
Syncopation Journal welcomes writing from new and emerging, as well as established, musicians and writers.

Important: Some submission periods may be restricted to specific demographics; as always, check their current guidelines before submitting.

Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication

Canada

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Unknown publication frequency

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

33 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Faster: Syncopation Literary Journal's overall average response time is faster than most magazines.
More Approachable: Syncopation Literary Journal's overall acceptance rate is higher than most magazines.
More Responsive: Syncopation Literary Journal's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 01 November 2026* (approx. 47 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: No specific word count limits known (our definition: up to 1000 words).
Short Story: No specific word count limits known (our definition: 1000 to 7500 words).

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Music: See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Theme:

Women in Music (01 Nov 2026*)

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 01 November 2026* (approx. 47 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: No specific word count limits known.
Narrative Nonfiction: No specific word count limits known.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Music: See guidelines.

Theme:

Women in Music (01 Nov 2026*)

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Poetry Open

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 01 November 2026* (approx. 47 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General
Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres
Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres

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.

Topics:

Music: See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Theme:

Women in Music (01 Nov 2026*)

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

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.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for Syncopation Literary Journal

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Social:
Instagram @syncopationlit
X (Twitter) @SyncopationLIT

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

Syncopation 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:

Group by submission

Accuracy

We have received 25 reports from 25 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Days Reported

3 min | 19.5 mean avg | 19.0 median | 48 max days (12.8 std dev)

Responses

100.00 %

Acceptances:

12.00 % of submissions accepted (9.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 12.00 % of submitters accepted

Rejections:

88.00 % (21.3 avg. days per rejection) | 40.9 % personal, 45.5 % form, 13.6 % unspecified

Non-Responses

0.00 %

Lost/Returned:

Never Responded:

Withdrawals

Pending

2 responses are pending (2 min | 5.0 mean avg | 5.0 median | 8 max days waiting | 4.2 std dev) from 2 different members

Other Information

Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 08 Sep 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 03 Sep 2026.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 02:50 UTC (6 hours, 55 minutes ago).
View report of recent responses from this project

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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: 07 Sep 2026

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