Submission Rules and Expectations

Nonhuman Notions is currently open for submissions

What do we accept?

Nonhuman Notions accepts visual art, poetry, and essays documenting, describing, and encapsulating what it means to be and live as nonhuman or AHPI. We strive to support and share alterhuman surverys, zines, community events, and other news. The newsletter currently consists of three sections: art, writing, and the community howl.

What are the requirements?

Each sections has their own specific requirements, which you should read before submitting, but there are a few things that we look for throughout the art and writing categories. Requirements for the Community Howl are different, be sure to read those those carefully if you plan to submit to it!

• Relevance to alter and/or nonhumanity: Submissions must activly contribute to a conversation surrounding living with an AHPI identity. This newsletter is focused on and will prioritize nonhumans, however any alterhuman identity is welcome. For example, a drawing of your 'type, while fun, may not portray the lived experience of being that 'type. Is your work about species dysphoria or does it depeict the struggles of living in a human society? Or is it more positive, expressing joy and euphoria? It does not need to have a deep meaning, but there should be some substance.
  
  Be aware of work depecting copyrighted material. Fictionfolk are welcome in the newsletter, but submissions should avoid being centric to its source. Because this newsletter is not monitized, you are free to mention sources and character names.


• Clear quality and effort: Any and all skill levels are welcome in Nonhuman Notions, we will not reject beginner artists or writers or judge on ability. What will be judged, however, is effort and intention. Because this depends heavily on the skill level of each individual, there is no strict formula or check lists to follow. As a general rule, however, the works submitted should be something you are proud of and something you feel reflects your abilities at the time of creation. It need not be perfect, just not lazy or rushed.


• A means to contact you: While anonymous submissions or submissions under a pen name or pseudoname are welcome, an email is required. This will not be shared in the newsletter. We will use this to update you on if your work was accepted, rejected, or if we want you to make a few edits.


• Any and all content warnings must be listed: Not every submission will need a content warning, but many may. For the sake of both the editors and the readers, we ask you list these in the space provided. These will likely be included in the newsletter.


• Because Nonhuman Notions is community run and completely free, submitted works are allowed to have been previously published. Furthermore, we do not hold any restrictions on future publication of an accepted or submitted work. Please communicate with any future editors about details considering previous publications.

Art Submissions

Both digital and traditional pieces are welcome, as well as folios (zines made froma single page of paper).

• Image files must be PNGs.
• Images of tradional work must be clear and free of shadows and glare.
• All images files must be as high quality as possible to assure they can be manipulates and resized to fit into the newsletter.
• Gore is allowed, but there should not be an excess of blood, vicera, or organs. Depections of organs in a non-violent fashion are welcome.
• Pornographic, sexual, or suggestive material is not permitted.
• Uncovered chests are not considered inherently sexual.
• Depections of genitals, regardless of artistic intent, are not allowed.
• Folios or zines must submit both a PNG and a PDF. Alternativly, a link to a website or platform where the PDF may be accessed is welcomed.
• Alternative text is required. Nonhuman Notions strives to be as accessible as possible. If you are unsure how to write alt text, here are some resources: Harvard University's Digital Accessibility Guidelines, American Foundation for the Blind's guide on writing alt text, and a blog post on alt text and art from a low vision individual.

Writing Submissions

We accept poetry and essays. At the moment, nonfiction prose is not accepted.

• All submissions must be sent as a word document. Pages documents will not open on my computer, I use windows, I will not be able to open them. Google docs can export a page as word doc. Please. I'm on my knees. Send a document I can open and copy and paste without formatting issues. Thank you.
• Essays must be between 500 and 3,000 words.
• Poems must not be over 50 lines.
• Topics may not be sexual or suggestive in nature. Discussion of sexual trauma is allowed, however there should be no details of the event given.
• Violent topics should not be overly gorey. Graphic imagry must serve a purpose.
• Take care to use proper grammar and capitalization. Any unique formatting or stylistic choice must serve a clear purpose and elevate the work.

Community Howl

The Community Howl is a column for advertisments, surveys, submission calls, community events, and other news.

• Commision openings
• Crowdfunding or donation requests
• Call outs