SUBMISSIONS
APROSEXIA LIT is an online poetry journal dedicated to writing of arresting creativity by the neurodiverse, in addition to those who experience cognitive, emotional, and dissociative challenges when interfacing with the wider world. The overarching goal is to impress a readership with first-rate work (no matter how eccentric); this means the quality of the work submitted needs to be impressive as well. We want to showcase your best.
APROSEXIA is inherently biased. A number publications invite marginalized voices to be "front-of-the-line" when submitting work. As APROSEXIA's mission is to publish marginalized voices exclusively—and keeping in mind that non-visible disabilities cross intersectional boundaries—we ask that those who wish to submit respect that mission.
We hope to devote a future issue to the work of individuals who are affected by mental health and non-visible disability, in a broader sense. It's no secret that chronic lack of resources and support; ongoing gate-keeping and outright denial of access to care; as well as barriers of discrimination all stand in the way of finding professional help. These facts affect more than any one person who is forced to deal with their reality. I feel it's important to recognize that those who can, and do, step-in to fill difficult roles—out of love, compassion, or because they are asked—also experience life on the margins—and that is a thankless place to be. APROSEXIA is not here to leave this fact unacknowledged.
APROSEXIA LIT publishes poetry & poetry adjacent work, biannually in the spring and fall. Response time varies, but all decisions are finalized shortly after the deadline for submissions.
Submissions are currently closed, but will re-open late May, 2025. Any work received outside of open reading periods won't be read.
CONTENT
Send your strange and wonderful, offbeat and disturbing [within reason—APROSEXIA LIT isn’t about horror or the experience of abuse for the sake of it]; your dream logic; the stuff you write, and love, but no one seems to get; the inexplicable difficulties you experience in a difficult world; your awkward misinterpretations of neurotypical expectations. Most especially, you are invited to share your joy—even if it is bittersweet—and wherever and however you happen to find it. The latter is overlooked so frequently, and poorly acknowledged in the representation of our community. Whether manic, abstract, or mundane—this isn't the place you need to mask what makes your work strange; unusual; wonderful.
My hope is that APROSEXIA LIT represents a chance for you to send work out into the world that comes from an origin of neurodivergent and invisibly challenged perspective, but isn't required to address the trauma of mental health or disability explicitly—although, if it does, APROSEXIA is a place where it may find a home, as well. If you would like to send something in to be considered, please do.
It should go without saying, but any work that advocates or glorifies hurt or harm will be obliterated from the APROSEXIA inbox.
INSTRUCTIONS
Send 2–5 pages of poetry [broadly defined—but for now the journal can only accommodate text]. No more than five pages, please. A new poem should begin a new page. Formatting that is unusually demanding will be a hard sell, as the capacity of the journal to reproduce it within accessible standards is currently limited.
Include the name you would your work published under, if it is selected for the issue; your preferred pronouns; and a short bio [50–150 words]—which can be in any style you wish. A cover letter isn't necessary—though knowing a little bit about who’s submitting to APROSEXIA is welcome
As mentioned above, APROSEXIA LIT is here to elevate the voices and work of a specific, and marginalized, community. There's no good way police this mission in practice, but the honor system can get tricky to navigate. As APROSEXIA is looking for submissions that exist outside the box—or, beside the box; possibly breaks the box; maybe ignores, thumbs its nose, or even eats the box in a gulp—if you're able to include a few words in your email [think a couple of sentences] share a time where you found neurotypical behavior mystifying, frustrating, hilarious, absurd, bewildering [you get the idea] and why. This request is an attempt to find a way that will let people to self-identify, genuinely, without being invasive or intrusive.
✬ Previously unpublished work only please. Simultaneous submissions are encouraged—but, be courteous and withdraw any piece if it finds a home elsewhere.
✬ We are not a paying market, but are eager to see that change in the near future.
✬ One submission per open call. If your work isn't selected for the upcoming issue, you're welcome to submit again during the next submission window. Submissions that fall outside these guidelines will net be considered.
✬ “SUBMISSION” should appear somewhere in your email's subject line. Attach your work in a single .pdf, .doc, .docx, .rtf file.
✬ Please send your work to: submissions@aprosexia.org
✬ APROSEXIA asks for first serial rights, and acknowledgement in any future publication. All rights return to the author immediately upon publication. Copyright always remains with the author.
✬ APROSEXIA LIT is closed for submissions. Expect the dates of future open calls to be announced here soon.
DISCLAIMER
APROSEXIA LIT operates under the assumption that people who do and say hateful things should find their produce has rapidly decomposed in the fridge overnight; any milk products purchased at market gone sour on the way home; only single socks of a pair ever return to them from the dryer; and anything that they've ever truly wanted from life remain forever out of reach. If you're someone who feels compelled to spew intolerance and malice at other human beings—especially if that's reflected in your writing—go away. We hope you're about to be chased off a cliff, in melodramatically hostile rain—down to the rocks of a raging and polluted sea—by angry villagers wielding sharp and fiery objects.