Submission Guidelines
- Submissions should be 1,250 words maximum.
- We only accept submissions from active subscribers (it's free to subscribe).
- Submission calls alternate between originals and reprints.
- Thanks to our supporting subscribers, upon publication we pay a $100 for original essays and $25 for reprints.
- We never charge reading fees.
- We're only interested in reading human work. No AI.
CURRENT CALL: Previous Published Flash Essays
We are able to consider 150 submissions total. This call will close when this threshold is reached or on 07/13/26, whichever comes first.
Questions? You can email us at staff@short-reads.org.
Recent calls
NEW FLASH ESSAYS
Date closed: April 30, 2026
Expected response time: Summer 2026
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED FLASH ESSAYS
Date closed: February 23, 2026
Expected response time: Late Spring 2026
