Poetry, Fiction, Essays
Cholla Needles
Cholla Needles pays two copies of the printed magazine to US authors. Poets send six to twelve original poems by email, in the body or as an attachment. Stories and essays run to approximately 3,000 words, and copyright returns to the original author upon publication.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-09
The docket
The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 288-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- Two copies of the printed magazine, to US authors
- Length
- Stories and essays approx 3,000 words; 6–12 poems; online essays any length
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo stated country restriction on the guidelines page.
- Reading period
- Not yet assessedBRYME has not recorded a reading period for this market from its guideline page. That is our gap rather than the publication's silence: it does not mean the window is open, and it does not mean there is none. Read the guideline linked on this page before you send.
- Response time
- Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
- Simultaneous submissions
- Not accepted — send to one place at a timeWe answer quickly, and do not appreciate or accept simultaneous submissions. — https://www.chollaneedles.com/p/submissions.html (read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 127 of the 288 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- StatedCopyright returns to the original author upon publication.
- Experience
- Not yet assessedBRYME has read this publication's guideline but has not yet put the experience question to it, so this row is untouched rather than unanswered — it is our gap, not theirs. Treat it exactly as you would an unstated policy.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 5 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Experience — BRYME has not assessed this one yet, so do not read the blank as either a welcome or a bar. Look at who the publication normally publishes before you pitch.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-30. Sources listed at the foot of this page. This record holds no figure BRYME could compare, so no ranking appears above it. Where a rate is quoted per word, it is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- Two copies of the printed magazine, to US authors
- Word count
- Stories and essays approx 3,000 words; 6–12 poems; online essays any length
- Submission
- Email — poems in the body or attached
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Poetry, Fiction, Essays. Official guideline: Cholla Needles guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Six to twelve original poems.
- Stories and essays of approximately 3,000 words.
- Online essays, which can be any length.
Subjects they avoid
- Fewer than six or more than twelve poems.
- Previously published work presented as original.
Key requirements
- Email editor@chollaneedles.com with six to twelve original poems.
- Poems may go in the body of the email or be attached.
- Keep stories and essays to roughly 3,000 words.
Who can submit
No stated country restriction on the guidelines page.
Rights
Copyright returns to the original author upon publication.
AI policy
Not stated in the guideline
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.
How to submit
Email — poems in the body or attached
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Email — poems in the body or attached
- Submission email: editor@chollaneedles.com
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read https://www.chollaneedles.com/p/submissions.html before sending.
- The six-to-twelve poem range is a requirement, not a suggestion.
- Payment is in copies and is specified for US authors.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Not stated
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.