Submissions

Tir is currently accepting submissions via Duosoma only. Submissions sent to us via email will be ignored and deleted unread. If you are a disabled author unable to use our submission platform, email us at submissions@tirmag.org for an accessible alternative.

You are required to read all submission guidelines in full prior to submitting to Tir.

We are looking for: 

  • Contemporary literary fiction of all genres;

  • Stories that speak to the human condition;

  • Unique perspectives -- people from underrepresented or underprivileged backgrounds are encouraged to submit;

  • Stories with qualities that make them uniquely good for audio.

  • OPTIONAL: Though not exclusively, we are especially interested stories that speak to or about online culture.

We are not looking for:

  • Essays, creative nonfiction, or poetry;

  • Previously published work, including self-published work;

  • Genre fiction (our definition is intentionally vague, if you feel your piece has literary merit and speaks to the human condition, please submit);

  • Fiction with atypical formatting (more details in the submission guidelines);

  • Non-English pieces (translations are allowed, more details in the submission guidelines);

  • Erotica, graphic violence, or hate speech (sexual themes and violence are allowed within reason for artistic purposes, please use discretion).

We compensate authors 25 USD per piece.

Submitting to Tir is free and will remain free for the foreseeable future. We do this so authors of any economic background may submit their work. Submissions will receive responses in 60 days or less. However, our submission platform does charge us for use, so we offer a 3 USD expedited option for a response within seven days.

Submission Guidelines

By submitting to Tir, you:

  • Own the full copyright to your story;

  • Maintain that your piece was written entirely by you (we do not accept ghostwritten, AI-generated, or otherwise plagiarized work);

  • Are not restricted by prior contracts or agreements to provide us with both the audio and written non-exclusive publishing rights to your work;

  • Are at least 18 years of age at the time of submission, or are 16+ can provide signed permission from a legal guardian to submit to Tir (you must provide this at the time of submission to be considered);

  • Maintain responsibility for any inaccuracies or falsehoods provided to Tir during and after the submission process.

We only accept short fiction (between 1,500 and 7,500 words) and novelettes (7,500 words to 20,000 words). Titles are not considered part of word count. Please include your word count with your submission, either in your cover letter or in the header of your piece.

Cover letters are not required but highly encouraged. We read every single one. 

A brief author bio, written in traditional third-person style, is required. This may be as detailed or vague as you like, however, please do not provide any sensitive information. Author bios do not contribute to word count. 

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, we just ask that you inform us in the submission form. If your work is selected for publication elsewhere, please withdraw your submission.

Submissions may be written in any dialect of English (i.e. American English, British English, Nigerian English, etc.)

We welcome submissions of original fiction pieces translated into English. So long as the work has never been released in English, it is considered unpublished. (By submitting a translation to Tir, you maintain that you have permission to publish both the original work and its translation, as well as to provide us the non-exclusive written and audio publishing rights.)

Please submit works in a .doc, .docx, or .pdf format. Submissions not in the above format will not be considered.

We do not accept submissions with atypical formatting. We define “atypical formatting” as any work that requires specific page formatting to work effectively. (Linked is an example.) As a general rule of thumb, if the piece cannot easily be read aloud or viewed on multiple devices, it is “atypical.” If you are unsure if your piece qualifies as atypical, feel free to reach out to us at submissions@tirmag.org with formatting examples. Please note that we do not take submissions via email and any email submissions will be deleted unread.

We do not accept pieces created wholly or partially with generative AI models. Use of spelling and grammar checking software is acceptable. If you are unsure if your AI use conflicts with our policy, email us at submissions@tirmag.org. (Please note that we do not take submissions via email and any email submissions will be deleted unread.)

What We Get
(And What We Don’t)

Upon accepting a piece, Tir reserves the right of first publication. In other words, your piece cannot be published elsewhere, both fully or partially, prior to it releasing on Tir’s platforms.

Upon publication, Tir will receive a six-month exclusivity window for your written piece. After this, we will maintain an indefinite non-exclusive right to publish your work on all of our platforms, including our website, archive, podcast, and current and future social platforms. This continues should Tir change ownership or otherwise rebrand.

You maintain the copyright to your written piece. While we maintain non-exclusive publishing rights, you own your work. 

After publication, all reprints of your story must credit Tir Literary Magazine as the original publisher. For example: “Sample Story” first published in Tir Literary Magazine, August 2025. This includes personal websites, social media posts, physical releases, or any reprints made by other magazines. Linking back to our original release is not required but highly encouraged. Any future audio releases of your work must contain a verbal credit.

We maintain the copyright to our audio recording of your story. This means we may use this recording, in part and in full, for any reason, without your consent. This also means that you may not repost or sell this recording without our express, written permission. This applies to Tir’s recording of your work only; you may choose to rerecord your work in adherence to our reprint policy if you’d like. (We are broadly open to authors reposting our recordings in non-commercial settings like personal websites and social channels. Please just ask us first!) 

Tir Literary Magazine promises to act in good faith. We are an artist-forward magazine founded by authors and a love for fiction. We aim to portray your work accurately and will work directly with authors to ensure they are happy with our publishing approach.

Revisions and Copyediting Policy

We reserve the right to copyedit a piece, or polish it without making meaningful changes, without notifying the author. Examples of copyediting include fixing minor spelling and grammar issues or adding content warnings. We copyedit works in the same lect of English as the submitted piece.

We do not make content edits to pieces. We may, however, accept pieces on a conditional basis and request revisions in conversation with the author. All editorial notes are made in good faith, are designed to improve the piece (we’ve conditionally accepted a piece for a reason, after all!), and open to discussion.