PFN – Open Call to Cosmic Daffodil Journal. The Theme: The Body Archive

We carry what’s been carved into us—scars, secrets, the strange souvenirs of survival. For our upcoming issue, we want stories, poems, and hybrids that unearth the horror of embodiment. Think haunted anatomy, sentient scars, inherited monstrosity. Is your skin a map or a mask? Show us where it hurts, and how it changes you.

Important Guidelines

• Microsoft Word Documents are no longer supported. Please use Google Doc links or PDFs.
• Please keep in mind word counts: 300-600 words for flash-fiction and non-fiction, 1000 words for short-story submissions.
• Submissions that do not follow the theme (listed above) will get an automatic rejection.
• Submission Withdrawals: Please do not send these to the CDJ email; it might get missed. Do so via Duosuma instead.
• Check out our FAQ page if you have a question; it might be listed there. If not, do email us and we will do our best to assist you.

poetry

Poetry in any form or style. Your poetry submission may contain up to three to five (3-5) poems, may be submitted as one file, run fewer than 10 pages in length, and must be unpublished. Please start each poem on a new page on your document. Title your poems OR specify ‘Untitled’ at the top of the document. Simultaneous submissions are welcomed so long as you withdraw them when accepted elsewhere.

Flash Fiction

Flash fiction (a.k.a. microfiction, short-short story, sudden fiction, etc.) submissions should aim for a word count of 300-600 words or less per piece. You may submit up to two (2) pieces per issue, may be submitted as one file, should run fewer than 5 pages in length, and must be unpublished. Add page numbers to your document. Simultaneous submissions are welcomed so long as you withdraw them when accepted elsewhere.

flash Non-fiction

Flash nonfiction submissions should aim for a word count of 300-600 words or less per piece. You may submit up to two (2) pieces per issue, may be submitted as one file, should run fewer than 5 pages in length, and must be unpublished. Add page numbers to your document. Simultaneous submissions are welcomed so long as you withdraw them when accepted elsewhere.

Short story

The submission should aim for a word count of 1000 words or less. You may submit up to one (1) piece per issue, may be submitted as one file, should run fewer than 5 pages in length (double-spaced), and must be unpublished. Add page numbers to your document. Simultaneous submissions are welcome so long as you withdraw them when accepted elsewhere.

General guidelines

Cosmic Daffodil Journal currently focuses on submissions that follow a theme titled THE BODY ARCHIVE. Submissions that do not follow the theme will NOT be considered.

Please submit your written content as a PDF (preferred) or a Microsoft Word attachment (.doc or .docx). 12-point Times New Roman is preferred. If submitting several pieces (e.g. poems), include them all in one document.

Cover Letter Guidelines

• Include a cover letter with the following information:

  • Name (as you would like printed)

  • Email address

  • Third-person bio (50 words max) (anything longer will be cut off)

  • Author website and any social media links – optional

Please send all submissions through our Duosuma page. Title submissions with the chosen category followed by your name (I.E., FICTION – ROWAN SERVAZIO).

We do not accept any work that condones racist, misogynistic, or anti-LGBTQIA+ narratives.

We do not accept any work that is A.I. generated; any submission that is found to be created from A.I. will be immediately rejected and the submitter will be banned from submitting to Cosmic Daffodil Journal for the foreseeable future.

Authors and artists can submit once per submission period. If interested in submitting again, please wait until the next submission period opens.

If you need to withdraw a submission, please do so from Duosuma. We no longer accept email withdrawals, effective June 30th 2025.