CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Pitch Your Story for Brown Girl Magazine’s First-Ever Print Anthology

We’re offering an exclusive opportunity for writers to share their original stories in the first-ever Brown Girl Magazine print anthology. Please read through our submission guidelines below to enter.

About the Anthology

We’re looking to do more of what we do best here at Brown Girl – create everlasting representation of South Asian narratives while supporting women’s empowerment through a multimedia approach.

In light of this mission, we want to hear about the unique experiences you possess from growing up South Asian in the diaspora. For example, what’s it like growing up in the southern part of the United States during Donald Trump’s presidency? How has the post-9/11 world impacted you? How has the idea of honor, culture, and tradition juxtaposed with your American, Canadian or U.K. identities affected you?

We want to explore the true grit of life as South Asians in the diaspora, with all of its up and downs, triumphs and humor.

Here is a list of subjects and perspectives we are hoping to read about:

• South Asian perspective of those living outside of the subcontinent
• Indo-Caribbean stories and experiences
• Bollywood  
• Family matters including but not limited to bi-racial, divorce, adoption, surrogacy
• Biracial perspectives
• Living in the post-9/11 world
• Disabilities
• Religion
• LGBTQ+
• Colorism
• Racism
• Marriage/divorce
• Grief
• Women’s fertility, abortions, periods, menstrual equity
• Parenthood
• Politics
• Sexual harassment and assault, #MeToo, #TimesUp
• Careers
• Immigration

Keep in mind, your submission must fit into one of the following three sub-themes we’ve identified for our anthology:

Tales of Colonized Hearts

Includes stories about parental relationships, journeys of immigration, racism, colorism, and all things tied to the motherland and its effects on our hyphenated identities.

Struggle to Self Love

Includes stories about your journeys to loving and accepting yourselves as you are, and being comfortable and confident in your own skin.

Politicizing Brown Bodies

Includes stories about political, societal issues, and pressures that South Asians in the diaspora face.

Please note we are not looking for essays. Do not wrap your most impactful life moments into the boring format of an introduction, three paragraphs and a neatly wrapped conclusion — instead, startle us with the facts of your life.

This should be a STORY, first and foremost, that includes sensory imagery, developed characters (if any), detailed settings and dialogue. Do not make the mistake of burying the real story in the middle of your work; pick one significant moment and expand on it to explore the larger theme. Through your words, the reader should feel like they are there with you and exploring your world through your senses.

Here’s an example of a story that has these elements and is being included in the anthology. Read this essay published in Vogue by Bengali-American author Reema Zaman for another example of what we’re looking for. Most of all, have fun with this project and be true to your voice and story. We look forward to reading it.

Pitch Submission Guidelines

All submissions must be nonfiction. We are not accepting fictional stories or poems at this time.

All participants are limited to one submission. You must have a pitch approved before submitting a full piece. Please use this Google form to submit your pitch. Pitches are due by Thursday, April 4.

We will respond to all submitted pitches one week after the due date.

If your pitch is selected, you must submit your full piece by Wednesday, May 15 according to these guidelines:

Story length: 2,000 words max (Note: If you feel your piece needs more space, up to 3,000 words will be approved if you can make a good case for it. Please discuss this with us first.)

Formatting: Arial, 12pt font, double spaced

Citations: If you include information (lyrics, quotes, historical details) that is not your own, please cite your sources according to MLA guidelines. They should be full citations that can be added to a bibliography if necessary.

Must Include in Header:

• Contact Information  — full name and email address
• Title — We will not accept pieces that have no title.
• Theme & Section — The theme should be one to two words max and located on a separate line that is clearly marked THEME. For example: If your piece is about your parents, the theme is then parents. Underneath, please also indicate which one of the three sections your piece is best suited for: Tales of Colonized Hearts, Struggle to Self Love, or Politicizing Brown Bodies.

For questions, please reach out to Gabrielle Deonath through email at gabrielle.deonath@0mq.349.myftpupload.com.