elementia is a teen literary zine published to represent and uplift young adults (up to age 19). Submissions must be original work. We welcome simultaneous submissions (things that you're sending elsewhere for consideration) and pieces that have been previously published (as long as you hold the publication rights). 

Issue XXI Theme: The Unspoken

We live in a world fueled by communication and collaboration, yet there are so many thoughts we never share, conversations we struggle to start and ideas that are suppressed.

What are the words you leave unspoken? Is it always truly by choice? Are there barriers that lead to us staying silent? Historically, what has kept people mute? Discover the obstacles in your life that have led you to keep certain things behind sealed lips. Do culture and childhood contribute to taboos? How do the people who surround us mold us into believing we should leave certain things unsaid? Explore how your upbringing has influenced your opinions and how you navigate communication.

What are the random thoughts that inspire you, make you laugh, cry or even cringe? The passing thoughts that spill on to shower walls, down bus aisles or even on the underside of classroom desks. The ideas you can’t clearly get out on paper, and are stuck in your head — growing like wildflowers. What are the song lyrics in your brain you haven’t quite found the rhythms for, or the beats that don’t have words to go with them?

Take a moment to reflect on the unspoken statements and ideas in your life and their effect on yourself and others. Explore the power of the invisible constructs that impact us all. Bring the stories you’ve kept secret to life, unleash your creativity across any medium and speak what you’ve left unspoken.

Submit your art, writing and poetry to elementia through January 1, 2024. 

Poetry, Short Story and Essay Submission Guidelines

There aren't any word count limitations, but we encourage submitters to pick their best excerpts from pieces that are too long for publication in a magazine. Each piece of writing or art should be submitted as an individual entry, but there is no limit to the number of pieces you can submit. Please send us your most final draft, as our editing stage only allows for minimal adjustments.

Looking for feedback on your writing?  Use your Johnson County Library card to access the Writing Lab from Brainfuse HelpNow!

 elementia is a teen literary zine published to represent and uplift young adults (up to age 19). Submissions must be original work. We welcome simultaneous submissions (things that you're sending elsewhere for consideration) and pieces that have been previously published (as long as you hold the publication rights). 

Issue XXI Theme: The Unspoken

We live in a world fueled by communication and collaboration, yet there are so many thoughts we never share, conversations we struggle to start and ideas that are suppressed.

What are the words you leave unspoken? Is it always truly by choice? Are there barriers that lead to us staying silent? Historically, what has kept people mute? Discover the obstacles in your life that have led you to keep certain things behind sealed lips. Do culture and childhood contribute to taboos? How do the people who surround us mold us into believing we should leave certain things unsaid? Explore how your upbringing has influenced your opinions and how you navigate communication.

What are the random thoughts that inspire you, make you laugh, cry or even cringe? The passing thoughts that spill on to shower walls, down bus aisles or even on the underside of classroom desks. The ideas you can’t clearly get out on paper, and are stuck in your head — growing like wildflowers. What are the song lyrics in your brain you haven’t quite found the rhythms for, or the beats that don’t have words to go with them?

Take a moment to reflect on the unspoken statements and ideas in your life and their effect on yourself and others. Explore the power of the invisible constructs that impact us all. Bring the stories you’ve kept secret to life, unleash your creativity across any medium and speak what you’ve left unspoken.

Submit your art, writing and poetry to elementia through February 1, 2024.

Poetry, Short Story and Essay Submission Guidelines

There aren't any word count limitations, but we encourage submitters to pick their best excerpts from pieces that are too long for publication in a magazine. Each piece of writing or art should be submitted as an individual entry, but there is no limit to the number of pieces you can submit. Please send us your most final draft, as our editing stage only allows for minimal adjustments.

Looking for feedback on your writing?  Use your Johnson County Library card to access the Writing Lab from Brainfuse HelpNow!

elementia is a teen literary zine published to represent and uplift young adults (up to age 19). Submissions must be original work. We welcome simultaneous submissions (things that you're sending elsewhere for consideration) and pieces that have been previously published (as long as you hold the publication rights). 

Issue XXI Theme: The Unspoken

We live in a world fueled by communication and collaboration, yet there are so many thoughts we never share, conversations we struggle to start and ideas that are suppressed.

What are the words you leave unspoken? Is it always truly by choice? Are there barriers that lead to us staying silent? Historically, what has kept people mute? Discover the obstacles in your life that have led you to keep certain things behind sealed lips. Do culture and childhood contribute to taboos? How do the people who surround us mold us into believing we should leave certain things unsaid? Explore how your upbringing has influenced your opinions and how you navigate communication.

What are the random thoughts that inspire you, make you laugh, cry or even cringe? The passing thoughts that spill on to shower walls, down bus aisles or even on the underside of classroom desks. The ideas you can’t clearly get out on paper, and are stuck in your head — growing like wildflowers. What are the song lyrics in your brain you haven’t quite found the rhythms for, or the beats that don’t have words to go with them?

Take a moment to reflect on the unspoken statements and ideas in your life and their effect on yourself and others. Explore the power of the invisible constructs that impact us all. Bring the stories you’ve kept secret to life, unleash your creativity across any medium and speak what you’ve left unspoken.

Submit your art, writing and poetry to elementia through February 1, 2024.

Art Guidelines

Please submit the highest resolution image you can, if we accept your piece for publication we will need a 300dpi image for printing purposes. If you don't have the ability to submit a high resolution image, submit what you have and if accepted for publication, we may reach out to you and help scan a higher resolution version. Visual art submissions will be treated as graphics may be subject to alteration (including, but not limited to: cropping, flipping, and other changes).