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the engine(idling

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About

the engine(idling is an online literary journal seeking poetry and visual art submissions from the crafty / the restless / the difficult personalities of this world.

We want to highlight voices that are rich with expression / language that is playful and impactful / and imagery that is evocative and unexpected.

Each themed issue is unique with its own quirks and style. We publish in PDF format. All of our issues are free to read, download, and share.

The name the engine(idling comes from a scatter-brained run-on love poem that the editor wrote in Intro to Poetry class 20 years ago. This poem was finally published in the editor’s micro-chap from Maverick Duck Press after a long and steady stream of rejections.

Submission Caps: They may close to submissions early if they reach their quota.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2023

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Unknown publication frequency
Print Publication Print Publication
Unknown publication frequency

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

Statistics Synopsis

Faster
the engine(idling's overall average response time is faster than most magazines.
More Approachable
the engine(idling's overall acceptance rate is higher than most magazines.
More Responsive
the engine(idling's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 4 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed in some circumstances; check their site for details.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork: Up to 4 pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Illustration.
Collage.
Photography.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed in some circumstances; check their site for details.
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.

the engine(idling 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 22 reports from 20 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 | 8.4 mean avg | 7.5 median | 20 max days (5.0 std dev)
Responses
100.00 %
Acceptances:
27.27 % of submissions accepted (11.5 avg. days per acceptance) | 30.00 % 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:
72.73 % (7.6 avg. days per rejection) | 25.0 % personal, 56.3 % form, 18.8 % unspecified
Non-Responses
0.00 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
-
Withdrawals
-
Pending
2 responses are pending (22 min | 28.5 mean avg | 28.5 median | 35 max days waiting | 9.2 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

The editors will try to make a decision within 30 days.
Do not query on the status of your submission before 30 days have passed.
Most recent response reported was received on 07 Sep 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 31 Aug 2026.
Date compiled: 16 Sep 2026 16:51 UTC (4 hours, 35 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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