We are an art & lit website that explores wide-ranging creative expressions.

The Closed Eye Open ia an art and literature website that has started as an exploration of the many forms of self-expression. 

Our main goal is to feature work from a wide range of people that may not necessarily connect with other publications. 

short fiction, flash fiction

creative non-fiction, essay

other hybrid forms

Magazines seeking experimental, hybrid, offbeat, dissonant, and unconventional work that doesn't conform to traditional techniques, structures, or conventions. Editor picks from Wild Roof Journal.

Where to Publish Experimental Pieces

These magazines have the fastest response times, so you won't be left hanging for months. No more endless waiting. Just, you know, regular waiting.

Literary Magazines with the Fastest Response Times

The Closed Eye Open

We are currently considering artwork for the cover of our upcoming Issue XV (Spring 2026).
The selected winner of the contest will have the cover image for the issue, which is a digital PDF release. In addition, the selected artist will have a gallery feature in the issue (5-8 works), as well as a written commentary on the pieces that appear in the issue.
*If not selected as the cover art, your pieces will still be considered for publication in the issue.*
Here are the cover art submission guidelines:

  Up to 15 visual art pieces; .jpeg file type preferred. 
  Please send high-resolution images as much as possible, as we may need to crop to meet the needs of our cover. (If you submit lower-resolution files as samples, please have high-res copies available.)
  Our PDF format is vertical 5.5" x 8.5" dimensions; however the submitted pieces do not need to be in that exact ratio.
  Visual art may include painting, drawing, photography & print-making, digital art, and hybrid forms.
  We generally view each piece individually, so feel free to submit pieces that vary in style or subject matter. If you prefer to have your submission viewed as a collection, please note that in the cover letter.

Include your artist statement/cover letter, a short 3rd person bio, as well as any relevant links to your website/social media. For art submissions, you may also add a list of titles as you would like them to appear.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw pieces from consideration if they are accepted elsewhere. If your work is accepted, you agree to give The Closed Eye Open online publishing and archival rights; following publication, all rights revert back to the author/artist. We ask that you credit The Closed Eye Open if the work is published elsewhere in the future.

Cover Art Contest (Issue XV - Spring 2026)

We are currently open for submissions to be considered for upcoming issues of The Closed Eye Open.
Here are the visual art submission guidelines:

  Up to 6 visual art pieces; .jpeg file type preferred. Send file sizes that are convenient for you and we will ask for higher resolution images if needed for publication.
  Visual art may include painting, drawing, photography & print-making, digital art, and hybrid forms.
  We generally view each piece individually, so feel free to submit pieces that vary in style or subject matter. If you prefer to have your submission viewed as a collection, please note that in the cover letter.


Include your artist statement/cover letter, a short 3rd person bio, as well as any relevant links to your website/social media. For art submissions, you may also add a list of titles as you would like them to appear.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw pieces from consideration if they are accepted elsewhere. If your work is accepted, you agree to give The Closed Eye Open online publishing and archival rights; following publication, all rights revert back to the author/artist. We ask that you credit The Closed Eye Open if the work is published elsewhere in the future.

Visual Art

We are currently open for submissions to be considered for upcoming issues of The Closed Eye Open. Submissions will be considered for upcoming issues as well as our ongoing Maya's Micros feature.

Here are the poetry submission guidelines:

   1-6 poems (send in a single file, .doc/.docx preferred). 
  We'll use the category of "poetry" to include prose poems, micros, experimental writing, and other hybrid forms.
  We generally view each piece individually, so feel free to submit pieces that vary in style or subject matter. If you prefer to have your submission viewed as a collection, please note that in the cover letter.


Include your artist statement/cover letter, a short 3rd person bio, as well as any relevant links to your website/social media. 
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw pieces from consideration if they are accepted elsewhere. If your work is accepted, you agree to give The Closed Eye Open online publishing and archival rights; following publication, all rights revert back to the author/artist. We ask that you credit The Closed Eye Open if the work is published elsewhere in the future.

Poetry

We are currently open for submissions to be considered for upcoming issues of The Closed Eye Open. Submissions will be considered for Issue XIV (Fall/Winter 2025).

 Here are the fiction submission guidelines:

   1-3 pieces of short fiction, flash fiction, or creative non-fiction (10 page/3,000 word maximum as a total length of submission) 
  We generally view each piece individually, so feel free to submit pieces that vary in style or subject matter. If you prefer to have your submission viewed as a collection, please note that in the cover letter.
  Send a single file, .doc/.docx preferred. 

 
  Include your artist statement/cover letter, a short 3rd person bio, as well as any relevant links to your website/social media. 
  Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw pieces from consideration if they are accepted elsewhere. If your work is accepted, you agree to give The Closed Eye Open online publishing and archival rights; following publication, all rights revert back to the author/artist. We ask that you credit The Closed Eye Open if the work is published elsewhere in the future.

Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Creative Non-fiction

We are currently open for submissions to be considered for upcoming special issue of The Closed Eye Open. This digital edition is themed as FLUX & REDUX, and it will feature both work that responds to the theme of FLUX as well as REPRINT pieces that have been previously published (and have rights remaining with the creator). This issue will be part of our ongoing "Ripples on the Pond" series. Publication planned for Summer 2026.
For our purposes, reprint pieces:

  Have appeared in a print publication and have rights remaining with the creator after first publication.
  Have been published in an edition that is now out of print or defunct.
  Have been published in an online format, but with limited reach / availability and have rights remaining with the creator after first publication.
  Have been published in a chapbook or full length collection by the creator and rights remain with the creator.
  IMPORTANT: Please clearly indicate any previous publication info within the cover letter section of the submission form. This info includes NAME OF PUBLICATION, ISSUE NUMBER/DATE, and WEB ADDRESS (if applicable).
 

Here are the submission guidelines:

   Poetry: Up to 6 poems (send in a single file, .doc/.docx preferred). 
  We'll use the category of "poetry" to include prose poems, micros, experimental writing, and other hybrid forms.
  Prose: Up to 3 pieces of short fiction, flash fiction, or creative non-fiction (10 page/3,000 word maximum as a total length of submission) 
  We generally view each piece individually, so feel free to submit pieces that vary in style or subject matter. If you prefer to have your submission viewed as a collection, please note that in the cover letter.
  Art: Up to 6 pieces; .jpeg file type preferred. Send file sizes that are convenient for you and we will ask for higher resolution images if needed for publication.
  Visual art may include painting, drawing, photography & print-making, digital art, and hybrid forms.


 Include a short 3rd person bio in your cover letter, as well as any relevant links to your website/social media. 
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please send us a message if they are accepted elsewhere. Since this submission is open for reprints, you may still be eligible for publication. If your work is accepted, you agree to give The Closed Eye Open online publishing and archival rights; following publication, all rights revert back to the author/artist. We ask that you credit The Closed Eye Open if the work is published elsewhere in the future.

Reprints Welcome (Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art) - FLUX & REDUX

In between main issues of The Closed Eye Open, we have an ongoing supplemental feature on our website. This little “extra” is called Maya's Micros and exclusively features the littlest form of creative writing—micros. Whether you consider them micro-poems, micro-fictions, or minis they are welcome here… as long as each individual piece is 108 or fewer. (Why 108, you may ask? Have fun speculating:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/108_(number).)

 Here are the submission guidelines:
Up to 6 pieces (send in a single file, .doc/.docx). You may send both poetry & fiction in the same submission.
Each individual piece must be 108 words or fewer (not counting title).
We generally view each piece individually, so feel free to submit pieces that vary in style or subject matter. If you prefer to have your submission viewed as a collection, please note that in the cover letter.
Include your cover letter/submission info, a short 3rd person bio, as well as any relevant links to your website/social media. 

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw pieces from consideration if they are accepted elsewhere. If your work is accepted, you agree to give The Closed Eye Open online publishing and archival rights; following publication, all rights revert back to the author/artist. We ask that you credit The Closed Eye Open if the work is published elsewhere in the future.

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