Journal, Anthologies & Competitions

Submission Windows

During 2025 we ran more than a dozen workshops in West Dorset for Other Voices… The Marginalised, The Unseen, The Over-Looked, The Disabled, Mislabelled, Neurodiverse, LGBQTIA+, Migrants, Refugees and Women. This volume of 96 pages will celebrate voices from South-West Marginalised Communities as well as work from allies in the wider literary community.

Prose, Poetry and Short Stories. Your written work may be supported by artwork and photographic images.

We are looking for work that explores otherness with honesty, depth, and imagination - whether that means celebrating identity, addressing barriers, or reclaiming narratives that have been misunderstood. Your piece may draw on your journey, your community, and the relationships that helped you navigate challenge and change. We encourage submissions that reflect resilience, respect, and the connections that make belonging possible—along with the hope and transformation that follow when you’re finally seen.

Alongside stories from South-West marginalised communities, we also welcome submissions from allies who want to contribute with care and respect. If you’re writing from personal experience, or learning to witness more truthfully, we invite you to bring empathy, thoughtful clarity, and a deep regard for what your words may hold. Help widen the circle with work that offers new understanding, honors lived realities, and reinforces cultural connection, mutual support, and shared hope.

Send your submissions to thejawbonecollective@gmail.com
Subject Line: OmniVerse Submission

Enquires contact us

The Theme for this issue is: ‘Winging It...’

Angels or Demons; Birds of a Feather; Whispered Murmurations; Feathered Engines; Dreams of Flying; Birds on the Wing; A single White Feather; Cupid; Hearts Fluttering; Love on a Commercial Flight; or Just Making it Up as You go along…

Write on Form: The Sonnet

Some amazing poets have written sonnets on the theme of wings... Your form can be Shakespearean, Pertrachean, Spenserian, Miltonic, Terza Rima, a Caudate, a Curtal, a Dialogue or Modern Sonnet. How you interpret the theme is up to you. Our reference and yours for all of these forms can be referenced through Wikipedia. Play, enjoy!

The Theme for this issue is: ‘In This Moment...’

Being present; Bearing Witness; What are you Feeling?,Where were you then; What are you striving toward? The Present as a Doorway; Or just that single perfect moment of stillness…

Write on Form: The Villanelle

Arguably one of the best and most famous examples of The Villanelle is "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas... Your interpretation of the theme is up to you. Our references for this theme can be referenced through Wikipedia. Create, experiment, have fun!

THE JOURNAL TEAM

Jawbone Journal Editors and Avid Readers

Coming Soon Online Writing Workshops with The Jawbone Collective

In the last quarter of 2026 we're rolling out
online workshops from our Creative Members

We are excited to announce the launch of our online workshop series, making our creative development opportunities more accessible than ever.

This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to nurturing diverse voices and building a vibrant, inclusive literary community across the Wessex Region, as well as the United Kingdom and beyond….