SICK is looking for writers

Our issue 4 submission window will be open from March 1-26th, 2022. SICK only accepts work from those who consider themselves chronically ill/disabled. Please read all guidelines and frequently asked questions below before submitting!

Deadline: 26 March 2022

ABOUT THE COMPANY

SICK is an independent, thoughtful magazine by chronically ill & disabled people, founded & edited by Olivia Spring and designed by Kaiya Waerea. Founded in Norwich, UK in 2019, we are currently based out of Maine, USA and Lindon, UK.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Personal essays and narrative nonfiction (850 to 3,000 words)
Reported features (1,500 – 2,000 words)
Op-eds offering a unique perspective (850 to 1,500 words)
Interviews with writers, musicians, artists, activists, entrepreneurs
Flash fiction, creative and experimental nonfiction (600 to 3,000 words)
Poetry (submit a minimum of two and a maximum of four poems)
Visual art of any medium (submit a minimum of three and a maximum of eight image)

Full draft submissions are preferred, but pitches from writers who have relevant examples of their work are equally considered. While contributions are only accepted from chronically ill and disabled people, your work does not have to explicitly be about illness or disability, but informed by it in some way.

If possible, please read a copy of SICK before submitting to familiarise yourself with the kind of work we publish. Some things we’re not interested in include cartoons, personal or nature photography, rhyming poems, horror stories, fantasy, YA fiction, ‘letters to self’, screenplays, and academic writing. SICK does not publish work that includes medical advice, reviews of treatments or diets, ‘wellness’ tips, or stories of ‘overcoming’ disability.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Email your pitch or submission to hello@sickmagazine.co.uk with the word ‘pitch’ or ‘submission’ in the subject line
For written submissions (excluding poetry), include a brief summary of your work, a word count, and a short bio with your submission attached as either a Word doc, Google doc, or PDF.
For poetry submissions, include a short bio alongside your submission attached as either a Word doc, Google doc, or PDF. Please submit a minimum of two and a maximum of four poems.
For pitches, include 1-3 paragraphs stating what the piece will be about, why it’s important, a suggested headline, and 2-3 relevant examples of recent work alongside a short bio. If you do not have any recent relevant work, please submit a full or partial draft instead.
For visual art, include a short bio, a brief statement about the work (if relevant), and send work as attachments and NOT in the body of the email or as zip files. Please submit a minimum of three and a maximum of eight images.
In addition to emailing your pitch/submission, please also fill out our equal opportunities form: https://forms.gle/4qtx8fakHF9jzRSq6

COMPENSATION