Submissions

How to Submit

The best way to know if your work is a good fit for Kismet is to be familiar with Kismet. We’re not prescriptive about things like length and form—we publish style-forward writing with an interest in mystical, spiritual, and religious elements, broadly interpreted. To find out more about our approach, please read “Spirits of the Times,” an introductory note from Kismet 001.

That said, here are some specifics:

• We publish essays, fiction and poetry.
• From 2026, Kismet will publish 3 annual print editions.
• We accept submissions on a rolling basis.
• Please send one prose piece at a time.
• We publish poetry folios, not individual poems—please submit a selection of up to 5 poems, in one document.
• We prefer essays that expand beyond the personal, that persist beyond the news cycle—i.e. stretch beyond reported pieces.
• We love work in translation; please ensure you are in touch with the rights holder.
• All contributors are paid for their work.
• Submissions (in a Word doc) should be sent to info@kismet-mag.com

We’re a very small team. We’ll endeavor to read and respond to all submissions within each issue cycle. But if you don’t hear from us, please forgive us—even if the gods don’t—and consider it a respectful pass.

Pitching Book Reviews

Beginning in October, Kismet Magazine will publish one book review online per week.

We review the kind of books that fit with the magazine’s ethos, as described above: style-forward writing with an interest in mystical, spiritual, and religious elements, broadly interpreted.

We are currently accepting pitches for books forthcoming from December 2025 onward. All reviewers are paid $250 per review. And reviews should be between 1500-2000 words in length.

Guidelines for Reviewers:

• Books must be forthcoming (not already published).
• A lead time of at least 2-3 months is preferred.
• Please briefly outline the relevance of the proposed title to the Kismet readership.
• Please include a brief contributor bio and links to up to 3 relevant bylines.
• We ask that reviewers do not pitch the work of friends, family, or close acquaintances.

Guidelines for publicists:

• Please consider if the title you are pitching is a fit for Kismet before sending promotional materials.

Pitches should be sent to info@kismet-mag.com