Submissions - Polish Gothic

We welcome submissions from students, faculty, alumni, and the wider literary community—especially those drawn to the gothic in its many forms.

Since we are interested in literary resonance, we are also open to work that challenges genre boundaries or speaks from unexpected places.

While we retain editorial discretion to prioritize student voices, we warmly welcome select external contributors, including alumni and invited writers.

Polish Gothic is accepting submissions of fiction (short and short-short stories) and non-fiction (personal essays), essays, and reviews 3 times a year – for the Fall, Winter, and Spring issues.

Submissions of art and photography are open year round.

Prose submissions for Flash Fiction are between 450 and 580 words; for Fiction, 1800 words is the starting point; Personal Essays begin at 600 words. For all submissions 6000 words is the limit.

For all review types (book, film, movie series, visual and performance art, as well as internet culture) a pitch of 150 words is preferable. We welcome marginalized subjects and unique perspectives.

Please read what we have already published before submitting.

Standard formatting, Times New Roman 12 p. font preferred.

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Polish Gothic – Issue 2: Fantastic Animals

Homey pets, endangered species, vengeful spirits, totem animals, magical creatures (unicorns, werewolves), hybrids, monsters, and unprotected animals in times of war.

We invite you to explore the uncanny presence of animals in literature and culture. Approaches may include:

A personal story

A tale told from an animal’s point of view

Narratives of separation, love, vengeance, attachment, or fate

Encounters with something mystical

We welcome short and long stories, essays, and reviews. A gothic angle is encouraged.

Animals in literature are masters of communication. They possess minds of their own, uncanny powers of observation, and the ability to reflect human experience from a perspective beyond our own.

For inspiration:

Felix Salten, Bambi (1923)

E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web (1952)

Patricia Highsmith, The Animal-Lover’s Book of Beastly Murder (1975)

Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Craig (2003)

The Nightmares of Nature (Netflix, 2025)

Conjure your inner animal. Learn its habits. Allow the wisdom of other species to speak through you. Or remain with a human point of view and tell us about the encounter.

Deadline: February 1st
Submit to: editor.polishgothic@ug.edu.pl (Word attachment preferred)
More info: polishgothic.ug.edu.pl

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send more than one text? Yes.
Do I retain the full ownership of my work Yes, the rights stay with the writer.
Am I allowed to add illustrations to my text and if so, how? Yes, it’s always great to feature original artwork!
Is the bio I’m supposed to attached to the work be more about it or the author (me)? About you.
Is the bio supposed to be a separate word document? No longer than 3 sentences at the bottom of the file.
Will the bio be included in the magazine? Yes.
If I send more than one text I assume they’re supposed to be in separate files? Yes.
How should the file be named? Include the writer’s last name and the title of the piece for convenience.
Is the magazine completely digital or will it have printed copies? Digital.

Our open call for the 2025 Student Editorial Board has just closed; if you are a University of Gdańsk student and are interested in joining our Editorial Team for the Fall of 2026, please contact us at editor.polishgothic@ug.edu.pl.

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The November 1st, 2025 deadline has already passed, and the Loyalty issue is now published.