About the Journal
phoebe prides itself on supporting up-and-coming writers, whose style, form, voice, and subject matter demonstrate a vigorous appeal to the senses, intellect, and emotions of our readers. We choose our writers because we believe their work succeeds at its goals, regardless of whether those goals are to uphold or challenge literary tradition.
We insist on openness, which means we welcome both experimental and conventional prose and poetry, and we insist on being entertained, which means the work must capture and hold our attention, whether it be the potent language of a poem or the narrative mechanics of a short story. Above all, we seek to publish quality writing. Please review our website, especially our latest issue, for an idea of the caliber of writing we publish.
We produce a print issue in fall/winter and an online issue in spring/summer. We’re generally open for submissions from late summer to early fall for the print issue and from mid-winter to early spring for the online issue. The online issue is comprised of the winners (and possibly several honorable mentions) of our annual contests in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
phoebe: publishing original work since 1971.
If you have any other questions, please send us an email at phoebeliterature@gmail.com.
phoebe is published by George Mason University’s Office of Student Media, which is dedicated to providing hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for students who aspire to a career in media production or journalism. If you would like to donate to the Mason Student Media Fund, click here to give now.
Masthead
Editor-in-Chief – Sophia Ross
Managing Editor – Taylor Schaefer
Poetry Editor – Susan Muth
Assistant Poetry Editor – Tori Reynolds
Fiction Editor – K. R. Mullins
Assistant Fiction Editor – Connor Harding
Nonfiction Editor – Ashlen Renner
Assistant Nonfiction Editor – Faith Palermo
Website Editor – Elena Macdonald
Social Media Editor – Nicholas Ritter
Layout and Design Editor – Bri Chapman
Incarcerated Writers Project Editor – Chelsea Lebron
Readers
Angelina Morin, Arpita Roy, Austin LaVigne,
Bareerah Ghani, Bodie Fox, Bri Chapman, Camille Rimbawa,
Elizabeth Terrell, Elena Macdonald, Grace Wood,
Ivan Antonio Moore, Jacob Sharp, Jaime Goh,
Chris McGlone, Jessika Bouvier, Joseph Giglio,
Katherine Harnisch, Katey Funderburgh, Madeline Merritt,
Mark Perkins, Maya Gudapati, Rachel Allison,
Radhika Wheelock, Rob Bianco, Sarah Jordan, Scott Hovdey, Shabnam Bozzelli, Sophia Ross, Taylor Franson Thiel,
Taylor Schaefer, Thomas Mckenzie
From the Editors
Poetry
As poets, we love to see poems that are aware of themselves in relation to the world around them. Specifically, we like to read poems with an awareness of self and place, and how language, image, and form amplify both. We love poems that make smart use of lines. Send us poems that you are proud to have written, send us poems that tell a narrative, send us poems that leave the reader stunned. We look forward to reading your submissions.
-Susan Muth and Tori Reynolds, Poetry Editor and Assistant Editor
Fiction
The phoebe fiction team is looking for short stories, flash fiction, and micro fiction that pack an emotional or intellectual punch and deliver an honest, affecting, and human reading experience. We find that fiction is at its best when it takes risks and pursues authenticity over convention. Send us your work with soul and urgency— the drafts that push narrative form and tell uniquely powerful stories! Pieces published in phoebe often work briskly, but longer works of exceptional quality can also find a home here. We look forward to reading your work!
-K. R. Mullins and Connor Harding, Fiction Editor and Assistant Editor
Nonfiction
The phoebe nonfiction team is looking for personal, lyric, and journalistic essays (and everything in between!) that embrace complexity and explore unique topics, ideas, and connections. We are excited by nonfiction that reveals larger truths about the self and the world through unique lenses, representing diverse identities and voices with intellectual and emotional honesty. We also appreciate essays engaging with research and history. Teach us something new! Submitted work should be stand-alone. On our pages, we aim for a mixture of brevity and breadth from both emerging and experienced writers. We approach all essays with care and respect, and we especially welcome essays with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or trans perspectives. 🙂
– Ashlen Renner and Faith Palermo, Nonfiction Editor and Assistant Editor