Swarm is an online journal that publishes only four pieces each issue. They publish two short stories and two poems. Their website is beautiful and clutter free. With so few other options to distract them, readers gravitate towards the work.
Each work is published along with a thorough bio and a picture of the author. But one of the best features of Swarm is that they have editors notes listed below the biography of the author. In this section the editors make it clear what they like about the piece and why they chose it.
As a writer you often do not know why an editor has chosen your work. Often when your work is accepted the editor says nothing about your piece, beyond the fact that they liked it. Sometimes they do not even include that fact. However when your work is accepted by Swarm you get public acknowledgment of why the editor liked the piece.
This is also tremendously helpful as a writer. It makes it the editorial process more obvious. If you read the work, and then read what the editor said about the piece, you are one step closer to understanding what they are looking for.
Swarm accepts around 5% of the work submitted to them. They tend to respond within two months.
Before you submit to Swarm you really should read some of the work and the editors feedback. When you submit, include a cover letter and brief biography with your submission. You should only submit once per reading period. This reading period is over on October 31st.
You can access Submittable, their submissions manager on their website, and it is easy to use. They only consider short stories under 4,000 words. They consider up to three poems at a time.
In conclusion Swarm is a great journal to submit to. They are aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, and their editors give great personalized feedback. It your work is selected it will be given the attention it deserves. You can visit their website here: http://swarmlit.com/
