OROBORO is an online literary journal, published bi-annually by Death Rattle, aimed at publishing and promoting poets, authors, and artists. We publish new work from both established and emerging writers. Before you submit, we encourage you to take a look at previous issues to get a feel for what we are looking for. We look forward to reading your submission!
Submissions for Vol. 8 of OROBORO are currently CLOSED for Poetry, Fiction & Comics.
Find submission requirements here or scroll below.
Oroboro Submission Requirements:
Poetry:
5-6 poems and / or 10 pages. We look at excerpts from long poems, too.
Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf.
Fiction:
1000 word limit. We look at excerpts from longer work, too.
Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf.
5(ish) page submission limit. Again, we prefer more than one page of comics / multiple pieces
submitted so we are more able to get a feel for your style and intention. If you don’t have more than one piece,
giving us context for your comic submission and your work (and include links to other work if you can)
in your cover letter would be greatly appreciated in reviewing your submission.
Submissions should include work in one image file, .jpeg, or pdf.
300 dpi minimum. No larger than 8.5 x 11 in: (there’s some artistic wiggle room with this one.)
For all Submissions:
All submissions must include a cover letter. A cover letter includes a short biography about yourself and your work.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed and encouraged, just let us know if a portion or the whole of the submission
is accepted elsewhere via a submittable note or email.Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf.
We accept submissions from all ages and from anywhere in the world
Past submitters to previous issues of Oroboro are totally welcome to submit, though we prioritize new artists.
Please do not send us previously published work.
Only one submission per open reading period.
All rights revert to the authors upon publication, though we ask you cite OROBORO when published elsewhere or in anthology.
If you are unable to submit your work online or experience any difficulties with our submittable, please let us know at deathrattlewriter@gmail.com
Penrose Poetry Prize: an award for outstanding poetry by LGBTQIA+ writers.
We hope to do our part in championing new, emerging, and established LGBTQIA+ voices by awarding $200, $100, and $50 cash awards to one grand prize winner and two runners up, with works to be published in a special Penrose volume of Oroboro, and a special note on the first place work selected from our guest judge.
Grand Prize winner will receive the $200 prize, a written review from guest judge + publishing
Two selected finalists will relieve $100 and $50 prizes + publishing
Short list, long list, and honorable mentions from contest will be announced at publication.
The intention of the Oroboro: Penrose Poetry Prize is to uphold and celebrate LGBTQIA+ voices in the poetry community; those who do not identify as LGBTQIA+ will have the opportunity to submit to other writing contests hosted by Oroboro in the future. Past submitters and/or folks published in previous issues of Oroboro are totally welcome to submit! Info on how to submit below.
Read 2020 Penrose Poetry Collection here.
Read 2021 Penrose Poetry Collection here.
Read 2022 Penrose Poetry Collection here.
Penrose Poetry Prize 2023 Submission Requirements:
1-3 poems maximum per entry
We accept submissions from all ages and from anywhere in the world.
All submissions must include a cover letter including how you fit the contest requirements. A cover letter includes why you are submitting to the Oroboro Penrose Poetry Prize and a short biography about yourself and/or your work.
Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf.
Please do not send us previously published work.
We also recommend that this *not* be a simultaneous submission as pieces that might be published elsewhere during the submission and jurying period cannot be considered for the prize as we would not want to publish a piece that will have thusly been previously published before the award is given.
Only one submission per open reading period. All rights revert to the authors upon publication, though we ask you cite OROBORO Penrose Poetry Prize when published elsewhere or in anthology.
If you are unable to submit your work online or experience any difficulties with our submittable, please let us know at deathrattlewriter@gmail.com
Meet Penrose 2023 Guest Judge:
Lip Manegio is a writer and dyke from New England. His poetry has appeared in Glass: A Journal of Poetry, Puerto del Sol, Muzzle Magazine, Tin House, and been nominated for the Pushcart and Best of the Net prizes. He also works as a designer & printmaker, serves as editor in chief at Ginger Bug Press, & is the author of We’ve All Seen Helena (Game Over Books, 2019). Find him at lipmanegio.com.
Our editing services are currently open!
Send us work here for that extra personal feedback to really polish your poem packet before sending it out into
the submission world.
We are un-paid editors reading hundreds of submissions monthly for our regular published issues of OROBORO.
Charging $ here helps to offset that time, labor and expertise when reading general submissions.
