Hajar Press is an independent political publishing house run by and for people of colour.

Hajar publishes books by writers of colour with original and transformative ways of seeing, imagining and remaking the world.

We don’t believe in an either/or distinction between beautiful and revolutionary. Why not both?

Our publications aim to challenge, connect and inspire readers to see and think differently.

Call for Submissions: The Hajar Book of Waves

We’re seeking submissions from writers of colour of short pieces of writing for The Hajar Book of Waves, the second volume in our elements anthology series.

This Water-themed book will explore the waves that carry, connect, renew and shape us: the ebb and flow of history in a non-linear continuum, a call-and-response between the past and the future; the gushing surges of empathy and feeling that move and enliven us; the fluid psycho-spiritual processes that help us adapt and change; the cycles of action and reflection that keep our organising alive; the mass movement of people in protest and migration; and the irrepressible force of the cosmos guiding the earthly tide. We’re interested in writing that engages with waves as both material and metaphor—flowing and flooding, soothing and overwhelming, refreshing and eroding; the rhythms and repetitions of perpetual back-and-forth motion; the power of water refusing to stagnate.

We’re now open for submissions of short stories, poetry, essays and everything in between showing radical imagination, creative experimentation and sharp political engagement with the world around us.

Submission Details:

• Open to people of colour.

• Submissions can be fiction, poetry, essays or other forms of textual work; we are not accepting illustrated submissions.

• Maximum length per piece: 6,000 words.

• Up to 3 pieces per person; 3 poems count as 3 pieces, regardless of length.

• Deadline: 6 March 2026, 11.59 PM (GMT).

• Pieces accepted for publication will be paid a fee of £50 for poems and £150 for prose.

• Entry is free!

To submit your work, please email editorial [at] hajarpress [dot] com with the subject line ‘Book of Waves Submission: [Your Name]’ and attach each piece as a Word document (not a Google Doc or OneDrive link). If the layout of a piece is significant, you may submit a PDF in addition to the Word doc.