Poetry, Essays, Creative nonfiction
Orion Magazine
Orion pays $200 for poems accepted into its Spring 2027 Memory and Place issue, with the call open 10–15 September 2026 or until 800 submissions arrive. It also opens twice a year for digital nonfiction pitches, and refuses AI-assisted work outright.
🔴 Currently closed 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 304-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- $200 per poemOf the other 51 records based in the United States that state a flat-fee figure, 35 state less, 13 state more, 3 state exactly this.
- Length
- Poems max 2 pages · digital pieces unlikely over 2,000 words
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo nationality restriction stated on the guidelines page.
- Reading period
- Re-checked on the official Submission Guidelines page 16 September 2026all windows are closed. The 10-15 September poetry call hit its 800-submission cap within hours of opening (the page carries an official closed notice). The fall digital open-pitch window (opens 1 September, runs two weeks) has also ended; the next digital window opens 1 February 2027. Print themes for 2027 are unannounced - the page hints at raptors and endings. Orion cannot consider anything outside an open window; poetry, fiction, book reviews and AI-assisted work are never read.
- Response time
- Within three months; poetry responses by early 2027
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeWe accept simultaneous pitch submissions. — https://orionmagazine.org/submission-guidelines/ (Wayback snapshot 2026-06-10; read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 162 of the 304 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 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.
- 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 2026-09-16. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records based in the United States quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- $200 per poem
- Word count
- Poems max 2 pages · digital pieces unlikely over 2,000 words
- Submission
- Submittable during an open call
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🔴 Currently closed
- 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, Essays, Creative nonfiction. Official guideline: Orion Magazine guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- One poem per poet for the Spring 2027 Memory and Place issue, no longer than two single-spaced pages, guest-edited by Pádraig Ó Tuama with poetry editor Roger Reeves.
- Digital nonfiction pitches of up to 400 words — short essays, food pieces, enumerations, conversations, graphic stories and art portfolios.
- Full drafts for short digital pieces under 1,000 words, where a pitch is harder than just reading it.
- Work that expands or challenges an understanding of nature, culture and place.
Subjects they avoid
- AI-assisted work of any kind. Orion states this three separate times on the page, for print, digital and poetry alike.
- Straight exposés of environmental catastrophe, or conceptual work stretched to fit a nature theme.
- Submissions outside an open window — they state they have no capacity to consider them.
- Fiction, book reviews, op-eds or press releases.
Key requirements
- Submittable
- Open window only
- One poem, max 2 pages
- No AI-assisted work
Who can submit
No nationality restriction stated on the guidelines page.
Rights
Not stated on the guidelines page.
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 during an open call
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 an open call
- Submission email: dearorion@orionmagazine.org
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read https://orionmagazine.org/submission-guidelines/ and recent issues.
- For the poetry call, submit one poem between 10 and 15 September 2026 — it closes at 800 submissions.
- For digital nonfiction, watch the 1 September and 1 February two-week windows.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Within three months; poetry responses by early 2027
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.