General Guidelines
Each month, we accept 100 submissions, after which point we close the submissions until the following month.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted for publication elsewhere. We only accept unpublished work. We welcome submissions in multiple genres by the same author, but please complete a separate submission for each genre. Please only submit once per genre per issue (for example, you can send one fiction submission and one poetry submission to an issue, but don't send two fiction submissions or two poetry submissions for the same issue).
The Scriblerus seeks writing and art that explore the human experience with honesty and authenticity. Spirituality permeates our experiences and is therefore an inherent element in our art. We look for unique work that will connect on a personal level, provoke reflection about our own lives, and linger in the viewer’s mind after reaching the end. Your work need not have tidy Sunday School answers or easy resolutions to be published; struggles, complexity, and ambiguity are part of the human experience, too.
Please send original, previously unpublished work. We accept simultaneous submissions, but ask that you notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. The Scriblerus desires to provide authentic art and writing while maintaining Christian values. Any artist or writer might need to portray a variety of beliefs and worldviews to accurately represent the diversity of our world. The Scriblerus draws the line at work that doesn’t show clear respect for the basic tenets of the Christian faith. The topic of sexuality is not off-limits, but we don’t publish graphic sexual content or work that condones sexual activity outside marriage. Swearing should be artistically essential, if used.
The Scriblerus is a publication of Greenville University in Greenville, Illinois.
Short Fiction: Short stories of up to 1500 words should be submitted in 12 point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced and sequentially numbered pages. 1 short story per person. No longer than 1500 words.
Non-Fiction: We accept essays of up to 1500 words in 12 point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced sequentially numbered pages. 1 essay per person. No longer than 1500 words.
Poetry/Song Lyrics: You may submit up to three poems or written song lyrics all in the same document. We suggest you submit a selection of poems that represents your full range as a writer. Please format line breaks and titles as you wish them to appear in the publication, and follow the formatting guidelines for fiction and nonfiction works, above. 3 poems or songs per person; submit all in one file.
Recorded Music: You can submit up to three songs written and performed by the person who is submitting the work. You should record the songs and upload the files to your submission. 3 songs per person.
Spoken Word Poetry: You can submit up to three spoken word poems. Please record your poems with good audio and visual quality (video is optional) and attach the files to your submission. The recording should be five minutes or less in length. Only three Spoken Word Poems per person.
Visual Art: We accept photography; images of traditional artwork such as painting and sculpture; and digital media/mixed media work. Send up to five pieces for consideration. Files must be .jpg or .tiff and they can’t exceed 5MB in size.
Cartoons/Graphic Stories: Cartoons may be submitted as stand-alone panels, or in comic strip format. Submit up to five cartoons at a time. If non-humorous graphic stories are more your thing, send a story of up to 8 pages in a single file. Files must be .jpg or .tiff files and they can’t exceed 5 MB in size. Up to 5 graphic stories/cartoons, with a maximum of 8 pages for the whole submission, per person.
Short Film/Music Video: A short film with high visual, technical, and audio quality that is ten minutes or shorter. Attach video file to your submission. One submission per person.