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Jawbone Journal Issue 3

Submission Guidelines

Open to Worldwide Submissions

from 1st April until Midnight on Sunday, 3rd of May, 2026.
Submissions are Free to Subscribers...
A single £3 (GBP) reading/submission fee to NON-Subscribers.

Click for Non-Subscriber Submission Fee

To find out what our editors like we can send you Issue 1 and Issue 2 for £12, post free UK.
If you buy a 2026 subscription you qualify for free submissions to Issue 3 and 4.
Click the link below for Subscription Options.

Subscription Choices

Issue 3's Theme "Winging it..."

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; Ravens as Portents; Birds as Metaphors for Human-kind; or Just Making it Up as You go along…

In this imaginal aviary every wingbeat is a question, every plume a promise. Let the wind lift you into the unknown. Hear the soft rustle of a secret love whispered between passengers on a plane. Consider an angel with broken wings, or a demon finding redemption in the the joy of flight, soaring on thermals over the pits of hell. Or the beauty in the gentle arc of a swan’s neck. Let a chorus of birds become the language of a community. Take flight. Let the words that flow be as free, as restless, as unforgettable as the birds that might inspire you.

Take a look at these poems, see how they might inspire you:
The Second Coming - William Butler Yates (Wikipedia - opens in a new tab)

The Windhover - Gerard Manley Hopkins (Wikipedia - opens in a new tab)

"Hope" is the thing with feathers - Emily Dickinson (Wikipedia - opens in a new tab)

  • Share your words with us in any form: poetry, prose, flash fiction, or short story. Surprise us, we like a twist.

  • Submissions for issue 3 are free to subscribers and are eligible for selection for the third printed issue of The Jawbone Journal.

  • Want to be challenged? Extend your craft? Each issue of The Jawbone Journal has a section called 'Write on Form' that is devoted to a particular poetry form. In issue three the theme is still "Winging it..." and this issue the poetry form is the Sonnet (Wikipedia - Opens in new tab).

General Guidelines...

  • The Jawbone Journal is an A5 - 64 Page, Perfect Bound print publication limited to a maximum print run of 500 copies, colour cover, monochrome interior.

  • We ask that you do not submit simultaneously... We will always try to respond quickly to submissions, if you haven’t heard from us your work is still being considered.

  • We will respond to all submissions within 1 month from closing date of submissions.

  • Depending on the quantity and quality of submissions we reserve the right to close submissions until the next edition. This will be announced on the website.

  • All copyright remains with the author.

  • On being published: In the event of subsequent publication elsewhere please mention Jawbone Journal as 'first published by' for your work.

  • If your work is accepted and scheduled, there can be no editing requests for that work, unless we spot a typo. In that event we will contact you with any editing issues.

  • The Jawbone Journal is entirely funded by subscriptions. There is currently NO payment or subscriber's copy for accepted work. We will promote the work of contributors on our social media channels.

  • Submissions outside the submission window will be automatically rejected. Anything offensive will, of course, also be rejected.

  • We are a female centric organisation and subscribe to all the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion. We will never accept abuse of our staff or volunteers in any form.

  • Whilst an editor may feel moved to comment or respond to a particular piece, that is a personal choice, we do not generally give feedback and the editor's decision is final.

ShareShareShare

Send your submissions in a single attached document...

  • We accept Pages, Word, RTF, or PDF

  • Your pieces should all be in a single document

  • The attachment file should be named 'SurnameForename-poetry' or 'SurnameForename-flash'

  • The first page should include your name, mail address, email, phone number and titles of your submissions. Also a 50 word bio in the third person.

  • Each poem or story should be on a separate page with a page break between pieces.

  • Font should be 10pt Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman.

  • Single spacing between lines. 

  • Blank lines between stanzas.

  • The Jawbone Journal is A5 size so long line lengths and titles will not fit. We will use line breaks and indents on long lines.

  • Original work only, No Translations

  • AI poetry is not accepted in any form.

  • Email subject line should say
    "Submission - Journal Issue Three"

  • Email to: jawbonejournal@gmail.com

  • NON-Subscribers can pay the £3 reading fee here. In your submission, quote your email order number from Wessex Media... ie: Order #234

Subscribe to the Jawbone Journal

5 Subscription Levels Available

Starting With Basic

See all about subscriptions here

Issue Three Open to Worldwide Submissions

from 1st April until Midnight on Sunday, 3rd of May, 2026.

£3 Submission/Reading Fee for NON-Subscribers.
Submission is Free for Journal Subscribers

Poetry - 1 to 4 pieces

Maximum total line count of 80 lines - including titles and stanza breaks.

A single Long Form Poem up to the maximum line count accepted - Make it good!

Flash Fiction

1 to 3 pieces - Total Word Count across all pieces not to exceed 600 words.

Flash (upto 400 words), Micro Flash (less than 100 words).

Short Fiction

Maximum 600 words

- Space limitations make this our ceiling currently.

Bio-Prose

Maximum 600 words

True life prose - this could be biographical, or a tale of a lived experience.

Short Factual

Maximum 600 words

This can be a review, reportage, documentary, observational or satirical. Make it personal and heartfelt, a high bar was set in Issue one and two.

THE JOURNAL TEAM

Jawbone Journal Editors and Avid Readers

Peter Roe

Producer &
Co Editor

Izzy Robertson

Producer &
Co Editor

Caroline Burrows

Support Angel &
'On-Form' Copy Editor

Megan Simson

Juggling Heaps
of Stuff

In the last quarter of 2025 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.

We're excited to bring you our online workshops with the same warmth and personal touch you'd experience in person. Here's what you can expect when you join us:

  • Learn directly from our friendly team of creative professionals who can't wait to share their area of interest and passion for the craft of writing poetry and short fiction with you.

  • Engage in a variety a writing and creative exercises that will motivate and inspire you, whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned writer

  • Choose from multiple time slots that work with your schedule, no matter where you call home

  • Receive caring, individualised support that adapts to your unique needs and learning style.

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….

Join our Online Workshop Waiting List

Let's get in touch

The Jawbone Collective CIC

1 Manor Farm Court

Walditch, Bridport

Dorset UK

DT6 4LQ

thejawbonecollective@gmail.com

+44 7876596184

We would love to hear from you!

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The Jawbone Collective CIC 2025 All rights reserved.