Written by February 13th, 2014

Caketrain: Accepting Submissions

Update: In the Summer of 2015 Caketrain went on an Indefinite Hiatus. 

Caketrain is a primarily print journal based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2003 and their goal has stayed the same: To publish the best contemporary works of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. They have become a respected modern journal and are known for publishing trendy but thoughtful literary work.

Caketrain has a 50 page online preview this issue, so it is very easy to get a feel for what sort of work they are looking for. Caketrain has a very low acceptance rate, they publish under 1% of the work they receive in all genres. This is partially because they get a lot of submissions and partially because they publish a lot of already established authors like Matt Bell, Sean Thomas Dougherty, and Denise Duhamel.  They only release one issue a year with pieces from about 50 different writers.

You can submit up to seven poems at a time, or one work of fiction or creative non-fiction (no book reviews), works of visual art, or any combination of the three. They do not accept postal submissions. Submissions should include a cover letter with titles of pieces as well as a brief biographical statement (no longer then a hundred words). They do not accept work that has been previously published elsewhere.

Caketrain also publishes a number of books, including novellas and story collections, although the books tend to be published via a contest with an entry fee.

If you are interested in learning more or submitting please visit their website at http://www.caketrain.org/submissions/.

 

We Send You Publishers Seeking Submissions.

Sign up for our free e-magazine and we will send you reviews of publishers seeking short stories, poetry, essays, and books.

Subscribe now and we'll send you a free copy of our book Submit, Publish, Repeat

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in July 2025

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in July 2025

Magazines paying for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

The Marrow: Now Seeking Submissions

The Marrow: Now Seeking Submissions

An online journal that pays for all kinds of poetry.

The Art of Rewriting: Where Good Writing Goes to Die (and Get Resurrected)

The Art of Rewriting: Where Good Writing Goes to Die (and Get Resurrected)

5 tips for a stronger second draft.

39 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for July 2025

39 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for July 2025

These are calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the call themes are: games; phantom worlds; work; solarpunk; soilpunk; food (and fairy tales); of love & dragons; ghost stories; personal histories; regret; and obsession. THEMED CALLS Graywolf Press: Graywolf Lab – Games“Graywolf Lab is an online platform for interdisciplinary conversations and new…