Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Voices Every Day

At The Broken Spine, we believe that LGBTQIA+ individuals should be celebrated and uplifted not just during Pride Month, but every day of the year. This belief is deeply personal to me as the parent of two pansexual children. Our commitment to inclusivity and diversity is at the core of our mission, and it permeates everything we do.

Over the past five years, we have proudly published numerous LGBTQIA+ poets, and our editorial staff includes members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We stand as proud allies, dedicated to creating a platform where diverse voices can be heard and celebrated.

Introducing out.skirts: An All LGBTQIA+ Issue

In line with our commitment to authenticity and representation, we are thrilled to announce our upcoming project, out.skirts. This will be our first all LGBTQIA+ issue, and to ensure it is handled with the utmost respect and authenticity, I have decided to step back and hand the reins over to Perry Gasteiger and Romina Ramos. Both Perry and Romina bring a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for LGBTQIA+ issues, ensuring that out.skirts will truly reflect the voices and experiences of the community.

We acknowledge that while we have always strived to support and uplift LGBTQIA+ voices, our actions must continually reflect our words. This project is a significant step in demonstrating our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and diversity. Additionally, we are proud to commit 20% of profits from out.skirts to The Proud Trust, a charity handpicked by Romina and Perry, which supports LGBTQIA+ youth.

Upcoming Events and Submissions

Although out.skirts will not open for submissions until the autumn, we are excited to kick off our themed, monthly Open Mic nights this month. The first event, #PrideAndProtest, will take place on June 29th, with David Hanlon, one half of our Online Poetry Editors, as the featured poet. You can order tickets here.

out.skirts: Submission Guidelines – Octber 2024

We invite poets and writers to review our established house preferences and guidelines, ensuring submissions align with our values and editorial aims.

Established House Preferences and Guidelines

1. Poetry Style: We prefer free verse or narrative poetry. Blank verse is also acceptable. Page set-up A5, Times New Roman 10 point font, single spaced.
2. Rhyme Schemes: Avoid contrived rhyme and forced rhyme schemes.
3. Tone and Content: We seek work with edge and attitude that is skillfully cultivated. Avoid overly melancholic or self-pitying themes.
4. Inclusivity: Submissions must align with our inclusivity statement. Non-compliant work will be rejected.
5. Language and Form: We value intelligent and creative use of language, white space, and the page. Experimental forms are welcome if they add value to the work. We do not publish center-justified poems.
6. Submission Fee: A nominal fee of £3 is requested but not mandatory, payable via Ko-fi.com to cover design costs.
7. Visual Artwork: We do not accept visual artwork.
8. Simultaneous Submissions: Preferably no simultaneous submissions.
9. Submission Limit: Submit up to three poems per submission.
10. Flash Fiction: We generally prefer poetry, but specific projects may consider flash fiction submissions.

out.skirts Specific Guidelines

1. Target Audience: Open to queer-identifying poets and writers.
2. Editorial Aims: Our goal is to educate the public by amplifying marginalized voices and highlighting key community issues.
3. Themes: We seek stories of hope, community, and resilience against oppressive systems.
4. Poetry Style: We prefer brevity in poetry, ideally not exceeding one page per poem.
5. Submission Limit: Submit up to three poems or one piece of flash fiction per submission. Writers must choose either poetry or flash fiction; submissions for both will not be considered.
6. Flash Fiction: Flash fiction submissions are welcome, capped at 500 words.
7. Charity Donation: 20% of sales will be donated to The Proud Trust, supporting LGBTQIA+ youth.
8. Global Submissions: Open to submissions from poets and writers worldwide.
9. Reading Period: Submissions will be read throughout October, with responses sent before Christmas.
10. Publication Date: The publication of out.skirts is scheduled for June 2025.

We are incredibly excited about this project and look forward to receiving powerful, authentic works that celebrate and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community. Together, we can continue to build a diverse and inclusive literary world.

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to The Broken Spine. Let’s continue to celebrate love, diversity, and the power of the written word.