Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, Other
Mulberry Literary
Mulberry Literary pays a flat $25 USD for each piece accepted, through PayPal, and sends contributors the issue their work appears in. The journal is closed between cycles: its annual windows run 1-14 July, free, and 15-31 July as pay-what-you-can. It takes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, screenplays, film, ballet and art, refuses AI-generated or AI-assisted work and previously published work, accepts simultaneous submissions with prompt notice, and answers within about three months.
🔴 Currently closed 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
- Flat $25 USD for each piece acceptedOf the other 71 records quoting in USD on this desk that state a figure, 26 state less, 29 state more, 16 state exactly this. On publication.
- Length
- Word counts are not stated on the guidelines page; genre guidelines sit inside each submission form.
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo country restriction is stated; the journal particularly encourages work from LGBTQIA+, women, international and BIPOC writers and artists.
- 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
- Up to three months
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeSimultaneous submissions will be considered, but please inform us immediately if your piece has been accepted elsewhere. — https://mulberryliterary.com/submit (read 2026-10-02)
- AI policy
- AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
- Rights
- StatedMulberry Literary receives first North American serial publication rights (FNASR); after publication in print and online, contributors may republish their piece elsewhere so long as they state Mulberry Literary as its first appearance.
- 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 3 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.
- 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. Figures are compared only against other records quoting in USD on this desk quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- Flat $25 USD for each piece accepted
- Word count
- Word counts are not stated on the guidelines page; genre guidelines sit inside each submission form.
- Submission
- Submittable forms only, one category per cycle; email submissions are no longer read.
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🔴 Currently closed
- 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, Drama, Other. Official guideline: Mulberry Literary guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Best work in any theme or genre, including experimental and genre work.
- Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, screenplays, film, ballet and art.
- Work from LGBTQIA+, women, international and BIPOC writers and artists, whom the journal particularly encourages.
Subjects they avoid
- AI-generated, AI-prompted or AI-assisted work.
- Previously published material, including work posted to public social media, Substack or other blog platforms.
- Manuscripts, novels or chapbooks, or submissions to more than one category in a single cycle.
- Copyright-infringing material, including fanart and fanfiction.
Key requirements
- Read the guidelines at https://mulberryliterary.com/submit before the next window; submissions are closed at present and reopen next year.
- Choose one category per cycle; more than one category in a cycle is automatically rejected.
- Note the two July windows: 1-14 July is free, 15-31 July asks for a pay-what-you-can donation.
- Simultaneous submissions are considered, but tell the editors immediately if a piece is accepted elsewhere.
- Expect a response within up to three months, and do not send a new entry within the same period after a decision.
Who can submit
No country restriction is stated; the journal particularly encourages work from LGBTQIA+, women, international and BIPOC writers and artists.
Rights
Mulberry Literary receives first North American serial publication rights (FNASR); after publication in print and online, contributors may republish their piece elsewhere so long as they state Mulberry Literary as its first appearance.
AI policy
Prohibited
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.
Not accepting submissions at the last check.
How to submit
Submittable forms only, one category per cycle; email submissions are no longer read.
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Submittable forms only, one category per cycle; email submissions are no longer read.
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read the submission guidelines before the next window opens.
- Pick one category per cycle and submit through the Submittable form.
- Simultaneous submissions are fine; notify the editors on acceptance elsewhere.
- Expect up to three months for a decision.
- Watch for the July windows: free 1-14 July, pay-what-you-can 15-31 July.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Up to three months
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.