Vellichor Literary is an independently run, San Francisco-based multimedia magazine for brewing creatives. A caffeinated collective and cavity in the contemporary consciousness, Vellichor provides a space for raw, indie, and DIY expression.

Submit to the sixth issue of Vellichor Literary. Please thoroughly read the guidelines below prior to submitting. Submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines will be automatically rejected.

Theme: Kaimana - Hawaiian for the power of the sea.

Deadline: August 9, 2025.

GUIDELINES:

• Works submitted must not exceed 5 pages. There is no required font size or word count, however, the page limit is strict.
• Written works must be in a legible serif (e.g., Times New Roman, EB Garamond) or sans-serif (e.g., Arial) font, in size 11 or 12.
• Written works must be sent in either doc, docx, or pdf form. If you send writing as a screenshot or image, your submission will be immediately rejected. We love Notes app poetry, but please do not send us a screenshot directly from your phone!
• Visual artworks must be sent in jpg or png form.
• You may not submit multiple works on the same document. You are permitted to submit as many pieces as desired, but you must fill out the submission form a new time for each piece.
• All submissions must be on theme. The theme for Issue 06 is kaimana, a Hawaiian word meaning "the power of the sea". Themes are up to interpretation, and can be taken literally or metaphorically.
• The use of generative AI (including, but not limited to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Deepseek) is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification. Similarly, plagiarism is absolutely forbidden.
• Submissions that promote, glorify, or romanticize hate speech are strictly prohibited. As a BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent-owned magazine, we are committed to keeping Vellichor a safe space for all.
• We are not a book publisher. While we wish we could publish your novel, we are but a magazine. Alas. Please refrain from sending us your 300-page manuscripts.
• Audiovisual submissions are not permitted for Issue 06. Unfortunately, that means no film or music submissions. You can submit short films to our short film contest, Espresso Shots, here.

FAQ:

• As an independent, underfunded, and grassroots publication, we do not have the means to pay our contributors. Vellichor Literary is managed by an entirely volunteer-based team that runs on coffee, community, and passion. 100% of donations to Vellichor go right back into funding the magazine, keeping our mission of accessible publication alive, and financing future endeavors such as physical magazine copies.
• Both acceptance and rejection emails will be sent for Issue 06, and you can expect a decision in your inbox within 2 weeks of the deadline (August 9, 2025). Please be sure to double-check the email you provide on this submission form, as typos can yield the absence of a decision email. Also, please ensure that your email has storage, as we cannot send mail to full inboxes.
• Issue 06 is projected to release any time between late August to early September, and an exact release date will be posted on our Instagram closer to that time.
• You may submit works in languages apart from English, however, we ask that you provide an English translation alongside your piece so our editors may understand it. We realize that English translations can take away some of the original meaning, magic, and flow, so you will not be judged on your translation abilities—just do your best!
• Creators of all ages, backgrounds, experience levels, locations, and identities are invited to submit! There are no eligibility requirements to get published in Vellichor, and we do not discriminate by race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ability, age, socioeconomic status, or nationality. Everyone is welcome here.
• Simultaneous submissions and previously published works are allowed! However, if your piece has been published elsewhere, you must disclose so on the submission form so we can attribute proper credits to the first place of publication.
• Accepted contributors retain full ownership of their work. By submitting to Vellichor Literary, you grant us the right to publish, distribute, and display the work in our publication in digital and print (coming soon) formats, as well as promotional materials on social media. However, ownership of the copyright to your work does not transfer to us. Should you wish to publish your work elsewhere upon publication in Vellichor Literary, we kindly ask that you credit us as the first place of publication when appropriate.

WHAT CAN I SUBMIT?:

• Poetry
• Prose (short stories, flash fiction, etc.)
• Scripts
• Screenplays
• Creative nonfiction (essays, articles, autobiographical or biographical works)
• Photography (digital or analog)
• Visual art (traditional or digital, of any medium)
• Vignettes
• Letters
• Multimedia hybrids
• Comics/sequential illustration
• Just about anything else, so long as you adhere to the guidelines!

Thank you for submitting to Vellichor! We cannot wait to review your beautiful work <3