Persimmon Tree’s mission is to bring the creativity and talent of women over sixty to a wide audience of readers of all ages.
We are looking for work that reveals rich experience and a variety of perspectives. Each issue of the magazine will include several fiction and nonfiction pieces, poetry by one or more poets, and the work of one visual artist. The magazine is published quarterly, in association with Mills College.
Fiction and Nonfiction: We welcome previously unpublished fiction and nonfiction pieces under 3,500 words, written by women over sixty. Submissions may be sent to us any time during the year. Several readers will review your submission, and we will respond to you within four months. Multiple submissions are accepted.
Please send submissions as an attachment to us at: Submissions@persimmontree.org. Include in your email a brief biographical statement (less than 50 words.) The attached document must be saved in MS Word or a compatible program. We will respond to you online.
Submissions should be double-spaced, with 12 point type and numbered pages. At the top of the first page please enter author’s name, address, telephone, and email address.
Poetry: Persimmon Tree ordinarily does not accept submissions of poetry. However, two times a year we hold contests and publish the winning poems submitted from poets who live in a specific geographical region. Here is the schedule:
Spring 2011— EAST COAST STATES (ME, VT, NH, CT, MA, RI, NY, NJ, DE, MD, DC, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL). Submissions accepted Oct. 15-Dec. 15, 2010.
Fall 2011— WESTERN STATES (WA, OR, CA, AK, HI, NV, ID, AZ, UT, MT, WY, CO, NM). Submissions accepted April 15-June 15, 2011.
Spring 2012 issue—CENTRAL STATES (TX, OK, KS, NE, SD, ND, MN, IA, MO, AR, LA, MS, AL, TN, KY, IN, MI, WI, IL, OH, WV, PA). Submissions accepted Oct. 15-Dec. 15, 2011.
Call for Poetry Submissions: Spring 2011 Issue
We are seeking previously unpublished poems from women over sixty who currently live in an East Coast state (ME, VT, NH, CT, MA, RI, NY, NJ, DE, MD, DC, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL). Submissions accepted Oct. 15-Dec. 15, 2010. The winning poems will be published in the Spring 2011 issue, appearing online March 15, 2011.
We’re pleased to announce that Hannah Stein will be the guest poetry editor for this issue. She will select the poems for publication from the entries she receives.
The email address and guidelines for this poetry section are different from the magazine’s general address and guidelines. Poetry manuscripts must use the following guidelines to be considered:
— Your poem(s) for this contest must include one of the following lines. These lines are from Elizabeth Bishop’s poetry, found in Elizabeth Bishop: The Complete Poems, 1927-1979.
"pure enough to drink"
"on the wrong balcony"
"all that vulgar beauty"
"your immodest demands"
"a meager diet of horizon"
"a quick age or so"
"Dreams were the worst"
"almost impossible to lift"
— Your poem(s) must be previously unpublished. They should be emailed between Oct. 15 - Dec. 15, 2010, to our guest editor, Hannah Stein, at persimmontree.poetry@yahoo.com. Poems that arrive earlier or later at this address will not be read. Poems sent directly toPersimmon Tree will not be forwarded.
— Include 1-3 poems in a single WORD attachment. No poem may be longer than a page; use 12 point type.
— In the subject line of the email message, type POETRY FOR PT. In the body of the message, include your name, email address, phone number, and postal mailing address. Also include the titles of the poems that you have included in the attachment.
— If you send a submission that fails to follow the above guidelines, it will be automatically deleted. You will not be notified.
More information here.
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