Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Poetry
Kweli Journal
Kweli Journal states that payment for published work is made after publication, but does not publish an amount. It reads fiction, nonfiction and poetry from 1 September to 30 May each year, asking for one prose piece of up to 6,000 words or up to three poems totalling six pages, previously unpublished, and refuses work that endorses discrimination or features gratuitous violence or sexual content. Simultaneous submissions are accepted when indicated, all published work is archived online, and submissions go through Submittable.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-10
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 300-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- Not statedPayment stated, amount not published. The publication publishes no figure BRYME could record. That is not the same as unpaid — but you cannot price the work from this page. After publication.
- Length
- One short story, self-contained novel excerpt or creative nonfiction piece of up to 6,000 words; up to three poems totalling no more than six pages.
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo country restriction is stated; the journal is named for "truth" in Swahili and describes itself as truth from the diaspora's boldest voices.
- Reading period
- Reading period 1 September to 30 May; work received outside it is not read
- 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
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeSimultaneous submissions are acceptable as long as they are indicated as such. Authors must immediately notify the editors if said work has been selected for publication in another periodical, either in print or online. — https://www.kwelijournal.org/submit (read 2026-10-02)
- AI policy
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 134 of the 300 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 159 of the 300 publications on this desk state their terms. This one does not. Ask what rights you are assigning, for how long and for what territory, before you sign anything.
- Experience
- Not statedThe guideline sets no experience requirement. BRYME records that as silence, not as a welcome — a first-time writer is not excluded, but nor are they invited.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 6 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Payment — pitch only if you are comfortable negotiating the fee itself, or ask before you write.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Rights — you may be asked to assign more than you expect. Get the terms in writing.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-10-02. 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
- Payment stated, amount not published
- Word count
- One short story, self-contained novel excerpt or creative nonfiction piece of up to 6,000 words; up to three poems totalling no more than six pages.
- Submission
- Submittable during the reading period; send prose in one file and up to three poems in one file, in doc, rtf or pdf.
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-10
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Poetry. Official guideline: Kweli Journal guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Fiction, nonfiction and poetry from the African diaspora and beyond, in the journal's words truth from the boldest voices.
- One prose piece up to 6,000 words, or up to three poems totalling six pages.
- Reading a few issues of the journal first, which the guidelines strongly encourage.
Subjects they avoid
- Previously published work.
- Work that endorses discrimination including racism, homophobia, sexism and xenophobia.
- Work featuring gratuitous violence or sexual content.
- Submissions sent outside the 1 September to 30 May reading period, which remain unread.
Key requirements
- Read the guidelines at https://www.kwelijournal.org/submit before sending.
- Submit through Submittable between 1 September and 30 May.
- Send prose in one file up to 6,000 words, or up to three poems in one file, in doc, rtf or pdf.
- Work must be previously unpublished, and simultaneous submissions should be indicated.
- Know that the page states payment is made after publication but does not publish an amount.
Who can submit
No country restriction is stated; the journal is named for "truth" in Swahili and describes itself as truth from the diaspora's boldest voices.
Rights
Not stated beyond archiving: "All published work will be archived online."
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
Submittable during the reading period; send prose in one file and up to three poems in one file, in doc, rtf or pdf.
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Submittable during the reading period; send prose in one file and up to three poems in one file, in doc, rtf or pdf.
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read the guidelines page before sending.
- Submit via Submittable during the 1 September to 30 May reading period.
- Send one prose piece up to 6,000 words, or up to three poems of six pages in total.
- Indicate simultaneous submissions and notify the editors immediately on acceptance elsewhere.
- Note that the journal states payment after publication but publishes no amount.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Not publicly 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: 2026-10.