Memoir Magazine’s goal is to cultivate our collective and individual capacity to recognize truth, while creating greater diversity and empathy, by flooding the world with stories that need to be told.
We welcome submissions from all writers and artists, whether you’re emerging or established. So even if you don’t yet have a publishing track-record we’re eager to hear from you.
We love truth and therefore we are open to a variety of forms of nonfiction—including memoir, travel writing, and the personal essay, as well as (stand-alone) novel excerpts and flash nonfiction and any kind of unconventional expression of your truth.
*Memoir Magazine is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and disability.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Memoir Magazine accepts online submissions for publication consideration year-round.
We Accept Unsolicited Submissions of:
- Memoir, Personal Essay, Creative Nonfiction and Excerpts: up to 3,000 words on any subject or theme.
- Visual Art: fine art, illustrations, comics, photography, graphic storytelling and visual narratives.
* You may submit as often as you like.
Upload your work using the appropriate Submittable submission form at the bottom of the page.
*Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Just let us know right away if your work is accepted elsewhere.
*International submissions are welcome.
*We accept work that has been previously published elsewhere
(including self-published works), as long as you specify that this is a reprint in your cover letter. Simply state where the work was published so that we may provide credit to the previous place of publication. Yay for us!
*Format your document.
Use double-spaced, 12-point serif font, such as Times New Roman. Don't forget to add page numbers to your work!
*Name your document.
Use a combination of the title and your name. For example, "Solito by Javier Zamora" or " "Zamora, Solito." * Do not name your document "Memoir Magazine" or "Memoir".
*A 50-100 word Bio or Artist Statement is encouraged.
And may be provided along with (or in lieu of) a cover letter. If applicable, list any previous publications and/or links to personal blogs, websites, and social media profiles showing more of your work. You may also wish to upload a representative photograph for your contributor profile.
* By submitting, you acknowledge that you are the creator and owner of the work. Rights revert back to writers and artists 3 months after publication. While there is no monetary payment, your work will be promoted on social media and displayed on the website in perpetuity. The magazine is always available online for free.
*By submitting, you also agree to have your email automatically added to our email list.
VISUAL ART
* Memoir Magazine is always looking for innovative, original illustrations and photography, especially works that represent the mysteries of human transformation or interaction with their environment or emotional landscape. In fact, we will be happy to consider submissions of art in any medium, including graphic storytelling and visual narratives.
Other Stuff
Memoir accepts only online submissions.
We generally respond to all submissions within eight to twelve weeks (you may contact us if you haven't heard from us in four months).
Partial withdrawals: If you must withdraw one piece in a group, please send an email stating which works are still available.
Open Editing: If you feel you must revise your piece due to an error, please request that your submission be "Open for Editing." You may then upload a new file to replace the old one.
Now accepting nominations for the 2025 Memoir Prize for Books!
Deadline: Extended to April 30, 2025!
Now in its 5th year, the Annual Memoir Prize awards Memoir and Creative Nonfiction book-length works of exceptional merit in the categories of traditional, self-published, and previously unpublished prose.
General Guidelines:
Submit a book-length work on any theme.
Traditionally Published, Small, Academic, and Independent presses, Self-published, and Unpublished Manuscripts are all accepted for Grand Prize consideration. There are no restrictions on the type of press, subject matter, length, nationality of origin, or the year of publication.
Entries will be evaluated on content, writing quality, and overall quality of production and appearance.
All entries must be in English.
Memoir Magazine will award $5,000 in cash prizes for books of memoir in any style, sub-genre, or state of publication to a Grand Prize winner and 3 Finalists.*
Winning entrants will receive a brief commentary from one of the judges, one year of free Book Promotion by Memoir Magazine, and a digital award seal for use in promoting your win, and (excerpts) will be considered for publication in Memoir Magazine. In addition, 10 Category selections will be chosen as Memoir Magazine Recommended Reads, to be featured on the winning announcement page, website, and social media outlets. You may submit published or unpublished work as a manuscript, a full-length book of memoir or creative nonfiction, a collection of essays, or a graphic narrative as a single entry.
Multiple contest entries and multiple category entries are allowed. You may submit more than one book by filling out a new submission form and paying the fee for each entry.
Deadline: April 30, 2025!
Entry fee: US$100 per book
Submissions: Please, specify the category, along with the theme, and subject matter of your memoir. Next, add your brief bio. Finally, UPLOAD or mail us your entry. Your entry may be a PDF, epub, MOBI, Audiobook, or printed book format, or send us a link or code to download or access your Kindle or Audiobook as a gift.
If you prefer to mail a print version of your book: (optional):***
1. please specify that you will be mailing your book by checking the appropriate box in the initial Submittable form.
2. After completing the Submittable entry registration and payment, print your receipt and ship one copy of your book to:
Memoir Magazine
Att: The Memoir Prize
3600 North Duke Street, STE 1
Durham, North Carolina 27704
* You may also upload a digital copy of your book using the form.
** We strongly suggest you request tracking at the time of shipping. We are unable to confirm individual receipt of entries.
***All print books must be delivered within 10 days (after) of the final contest deadline.
The MEMOIR MAG team truly loves discovering and promoting a variety of new books and authors throughout the year, and your entry fee supports all the good work we do at our literary magazine. This Contest allows us to offer free creative nonfiction content for the public and guarantees authors' work will always be discovered by new readers and students who rely on our archive of first person narratives.
We can’t wait to read your story. Best of luck!
Get detailed feedback suggestions and/or in-depth comments (250 words or more) from one of Memoir Magazine's main editors within seven days. Find out what can make your work stand out and become stronger.
IN ONE FILE: Submit up to 3 stories or 3000 words of prose to be considered for future issues of the magazine.
Submissions are not guaranteed publication, but are welcome to be resubmitted in the regular categories following revision.
RECENT CLIENT TESTIMONIES:
"Thank you for your wonderful weigh-in on my piece. You won’t believe how thrilled I am to finally get some guidance on it! I’ve shopped it around for a couple of years now and have gotten a lot of, “It’s great, but not for us.” Your comments opened my eyes about it and I’m going to use your suggestions to overhaul it and re-submit. And your instinct was correct. It was a longer piece that I cut down." —HP
"Wow is all I have at the moment. I read your email about five minutes after its arrival but had to gather my thoughts before responding. Two of these pieces have gone through so many iterations (including possible incineration) that I think I submitted them in a brain fog. I concur with your comments and would like a chance to tidy up a couple of other things before sending them back your way.
Thanks again for all of your amazing feedback; I'm still reeling from it." —S.
"Thank you so much for your feedback; I have taken the introduction, made suggested revisions, and resubmitted the piece on (e.t.) as a stand alone essay. I am so thankful for your suggestions and time." —S.B.
"Thank you, MM. I appreciate your feedback (VERY helpful) and will integrate your suggestions into my re-write.
I absolutely will resubmit the piece, with your blessing. I feel like your journal would be a great fit for the piece.
Thanks again! " — S.P.
All true (and creatively true) stories are welcome regardless of the
subject matter, educational level, achievement, race or sexual orientation
of the author. In fact, marginalized voices are encouraged to submit.
We want real stories. We want to feel something and we want to share
that feeling with the world. Send us your blood, your sweat, your
laughter, and your tears.
* Memoir Magazine is always looking for innovative, original illustrations and photography, especially works that represent the mysteries of human transformation or interaction with their environment or emotional landscape. In fact, we will be happy to consider submissions of art in any medium, including graphic storytelling and visual narratives.
*All images must be at least 300 dpi and include the artist's name in the title.
*Upload all pieces at one time (max 10 files), not as individual submissions.
*In your cover letter please include a bio or link to your personal website/online portfolio if you have one.
*For all other work, or works that are too large for upload in the online submissions manager, please query the Editor at memoirtherapy@gmail.com.