Gutter accepts submissions of fiction, poetry and essays twice a year, in Spring and Autumn. We commission reviews for our website and print magazine on a rolling basis.

Submissions

Submissions are currently closed for fiction, poetry and essays, and will open again in Autumn 2024.

If you’re interested in writing reviews for our website, or critical essays for our print magazine, please get in touch. These are paid opportunities, and we will ask for examples of previous work before commissioning reviews.

SUBMITTING TO GUTTER

Gutter is a magazine of new Scottish and international writing. During our two annual submission windows, we accept poetry, fiction and essays from writers in Scotland and beyond.

We look for work that challenges, re-imagines or undermines the status quo, work that pushes at the boundaries of form and function, work that is striking and beautiful. We believe that great writing transcends boundaries, and we reject any distinction between literary and genre, high art and popular culture.

Successful contributors will be paid a flat fee of £30 for work published in the magazine, regardless of length or style. Published authors will also receive a complimentary copy of the issue.

Gutter is operated by a small team and we receive a high volume of submissions. While we aim to respond to all submissions, this is not always possible. If you have not received a response to your submission within four months, please feel free to submit elsewhere.  

GUIDELINES

  • Poetry submissions can consist of up to five poems, totalling no more than 120 lines. Please send all poems within a single text document.

  • Fiction and essay submissions can run to a maximum 3000 words. Please only send us one prose submission per issue.

  • Work should be submitted as .docx or .rtf files. Include your name in the header of each page of your word document.

  • Submit your work using the file name format of: ‘firstname_surname_prose’ or ‘firstname_surname_poetry’. This lets us direct your work to the editors best suited to consider it. Files that are misnamed won’t meet the automatic criteria for submission and may be missed.

  • All work must be previously unpublished both in print and online.

  • We do not accept simultaneous submissions.

  • All submissions should be sent via our online portal.