The Parallel

About

The Parallel is an independent journal of literary journalism and social commentary. We exist to document the world not necessarily as it is, but as it reveals itself through the lens of narrative invention. We combine the rigor of traditional reportage with the freedom of satire to examine the absurdities of the modern condition.
Our publication operates on a simple premise: fiction is a tool for truth. Through our Dispatches and Stories, we construct allegorical frameworks to discuss political and social dynamics that are otherwise difficult to confront. In our Reviews and Appearances sections, we turn a critical eye toward the material culture and artistic output of our time.
We are not interested in the breaking news cycle. We are interested in the underlying currents of civilization—the rituals, the anxieties, and the quiet catastrophes that define us. The Parallel is a slow-media experiment for the reader who demands clarity over noise, and perspective over speed.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 2025

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Unknown publication frequency
Print Publication Print Publication: Published 2 x per year

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

7 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Faster: The Parallel's overall average response time is faster than most magazines.

Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Open to all/most Genres, including:
General

Lengths:

Short Story: 1,200 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Society/Culture: General, Social issues.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Review: 1,000 - 5,000 words.
Essay: 1,000 - 5,000 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: 500 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Critical, Humorous, Literary, Personal, Satirical.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Film/Television: Theory/Analysis/Criticism.
Literature/Books: Theory/Analysis/Criticism.
Performing Arts: Theory/Analysis/Criticism.
Society/Culture: General, Social issues, See guidelines.
Sociology: See guidelines.
Visual Arts: Theory/Analysis/Criticism.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Unknown.
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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Bluesky @readparallel.com
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Link to Duotrope

The Parallel 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

Include outliers

Accuracy

We have received 6 reports from 6 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Days Reported

0 min | 20.3 mean avg | 11.0 median | 87 max days (31.0 std dev)

Pending

3 responses are pending (21 min | 84.0 mean avg | 78.0 median | 153 max days waiting | 66.2 std dev) from 3 different members

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 30 days. (16.7 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 30 days.)
Most recent response reported was received on 08 Jan 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 29 Dec 2025.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 10:07 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Before Submitting

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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: 02 Jun 2026

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