At Mukoli, peacebuilding is central to our exploration of the relationship that humans share with other humans; with social, political, and cultural structures; as well as with nature and the environment. We believe that wherever there is a conflict, or a rupture in these relationships, the arts in their multitude of forms – visual, written, spoken, etc. – have the power to heal.
We offer a platform for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and multimedia art creations that engage with our vision. We are especially keen to publish marginalized, conflict-affected artists and writers. We aim to amplify multiple perspectives and aesthetics from globally diverse writing and artistic traditions.
Read on to explore the genres we accept and to familiarize yourself with our Editorial Policy and Submission Guidelines.
Editorial Policy
- We do not charge a submission fee.
- We consider original, previously unpublished work only.
- Simultaneous submissions are okay, but you must let us know as soon as your work is accepted elsewhere.
- We welcome submissions from writers and artists worldwide, age 18+.
- Please submit to only one category/genre during a reading cycle. We will decline multiple submissions.
- If you have previously published with Mukoli, wait a year before resubmitting.
- If your current submission is not a good fit, you may send us other work in a subsequent reading cycle. We will not read the same submission twice, nor accept unsolicited rewrites.
- Any AI generated/assisted content must be acknowledged and declared as such.
- We aim to revert with a publication decision in three months.
- Submitters from outside the United States of America must have a valid bank account that can accept international wire transfers. This is a Kennesaw State University payment requirement. Published contributors will have to complete all documentation required by the university for payment and tax purposes.
- We pay $75 for each accepted contribution. This means that we pay $75 for your submission as a whole, and not for each of the individual pieces within the submission.
- Upon publication, we acquire First World Serial Rights and First World Electronic Rights. Following publication, all rights revert to the writer/artist; we only ask that you credit our magazine as the place your work first appeared in.
- We accept submissions only through our Submissions Manager. Contact us through the website if a disability or impairment prevents you from using the manager and you need our assistance in the submission process.
Guidelines
Poetry
- Submit no less than 3 and no more than 5 poems in a single document.
- No length limit, but we will probably not publish a novel in verse.
- We reserve the right to publish one or all of your poems in the single submission document.
- If you submit several poems in two or more separate documents, we will not read any of your poems as they will be considered multiple submissions.
- You may withdraw part of your submission if any of your poems is accepted elsewhere.
- Send .doc and .docx files only. We do not accept .pdf files.
- Please bear in mind that because we are a digital platform, not all of your poems may render exactly as they appear in your submission file.
Fiction
- Send us your short fiction, including flash.
- Submit up to 3 pieces of fiction under a total of 10,000 words in one document.
- Each document will be read as one submission.
- We reserve the right to publish one or all of your stories in the single submission document.
- If you submit two or more stories in two or more separate documents, we will not read any of your stories as they will be considered multiple submissions.
- You may withdraw part of your submission if any of your stories is accepted elsewhere.
- Only .doc and .docx files are accepted. We do not accept .pdf files.
Non-fiction
- Send us up to 5000 words of your creative non-fiction.
- Only one essay at a time.
- Submit .doc and .docx files only. We do not accept .pdf files.
Art & New Media
We are interested in artwork that transgresses across genres, pushes conceptual boundaries, and uses different mediums (textual and/or non-textual) to highlight a relevant issue or tell an engaging story. If you have ideas for submission beyond the ones listed below, write to us at editorial@mukoli.net.
- We accept independently produced short films, video essays, and cinepoetry that have a run time of 10 mins or less. Submit .avi, mp4, and .mov files.
- We also welcome illustrations, photographs, paintings, drawings, and other non-textual creations. Send us a single file of no more than 10 individual artworks that are tied together by a story or a narrative arc. Only .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files are accepted.
- Each file will be counted as a single submission and we reserve the right to publish one or all of your artwork in a single submission document.
- If you submit 2-10 artworks in two or more separate documents, we will consider that as multiple submissions.
- You may withdraw part of your submission if any of your artwork is accepted elsewhere.
- Submit your comics and graphic narratives (fiction and non-fiction) of up to 10 pages in a single .jpeg, .jpg, or .png file. We prefer 850-900px wide landscapes.
- Finally, we want your sound poetry and spoken word poetry. We also invite you to take our readers on an exploration of traditional oral storytelling art forms from across the globe, or tell them your own. Send us your .mp3, .wav, or .mp4 audio recordings with not more than 10 minutes of content.