THIS ISSUE’S THEME IS:

KILL THE
PART THAT
CRINGES

There’s something tender about watching someone care too much, try too hard, or feel too deeply in public. We have been trained to recoil from unguarded enthusiasm and protect ourselves from secondhand embarrassment by maintaining distance from anything genuine without the protective layer of irony.

Cringe is almost always the collision between authentic human emotion and our collective agreement to pretend we don’t have feelings. It’s sincerity without armor. “That’s so cringe” has become our cultural shorthand for dismissing anything that dares to take itself seriously, honestly, emotionally, or without shame.

The fear of looking foolish silences us through preemptive shame. The cringe-opticon is always watching! Every genuine emotion is subject to screenshots and viral mockery. We’re trapped in a hall of mirrors where every genuine impulse reflects back as embarrassment. In this “vulnerability economy,” where openness itself can be a kind of performance, how do we tell the difference between authenticity and its simulation?

This is our collective fear of being fully human in front of others and the result is a flattening of human expression into whatever narrow band won’t get you ratio’d on Twitter. AI is becoming the ultimate “cringe-crutch,” promising to save us from the beautiful humiliation of being human and getting it wrong.

It takes real bravery to love something unironically, to care without constantly reassuring everyone that you’re not that invested, actually.

The spaces we’ve been taught to find embarrassing are often where real community happens. Chosen family forms around shared willingness to be uncool together. Connection requires risk and change is built on failure. The regime profits from our inaction and apathy. Sincerity disrupts power structures built on cynicism and revolution runs on vulnerability. The most radical act might be caring publicly, obviously, without apology.

Cringe culture and its reactionary ideologies have long normalized the humiliation of marginalized communities by downplaying the ritual harassment and abuse of Black and Brown, Trans*, Queer, Disabled, and Fat people. Who gets to be “cringe,” and who gets to be “authentic,” has never been evenly distributed. Reclaiming vulnerability is also reclaiming power.

For this issue, we’re looking for stories that reclaim vulnerability as strength, embrace embarrassment, abandon assimilation, and examine the root of your cringing. Show us what it means to love something unironically and to risk sincerity in a world that rewards cynicism. Send us your earnest manifestos and overwrought love letters, your genuine enthusiasm, your unabashed obsessions, and your unironic joys. Share the feelings you thought were too earnest.

How do we “kill the part that cringes” so the part that loves can finally breathe?

Fruitslice Submission Guidelines

About Us

Fruitslice exclusively showcases work created by members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This commitment to providing a dedicated space where Queer voices are centered is fundamental to our mission. While we maintain this policy, we respect that identity is personal and nuanced; we trust contributors to determine whether they align with our community focus.

What We’re Looking For

• Theme: All work must engage with our current theme. Themes change for each issue and are open to interpretation. Please double-check our current theme before submitting.
• Editorial Focus: We welcome a wide range of creative work. For detailed information about the types of content we’re most excited to receive, please visit our FAQ section. We especially encourage submissions beyond poetry.
• Word Limit: We ask that submitters keep written pieces under 1500 words.
  • New this cycle: For fiction submissions only, we will now accept pieces up to 2250 words. (Please note: This is the only exception to our standard word limit.)
• Mediums: We accept all printable mediums. If you’re unsure whether your piece fits, feel free to submit.
• No AI Submissions: We do not accept any AI-generated or AI-assisted work. For more information about this policy, please visit our FAQ section.

Submission Rules

• Multiple Submissions:
  • Authors may submit up to three pieces per genre, but each piece must be submitted separately.
    • For example: If you’re submitting three standalone poems (not part of a series), you should fill out three individual submission forms—one for each poem.
  • Multiple pieces in one form will be considered as a series.
• Cover Letters are encouraged but not necessary. We appreciate hearing how your work connects to our theme.
• Proofreading: Please thoroughly proofread your work. Submissions with numerous errors risk rejection as we have limited editing resources.

Format Requirements

For All Submissions

• File Naming: LastNameFirstName_PieceTitle

Written Work

• Format: .doc or .docx only (NO PDFs)
  • If you are submitting poetry or other written work in which the exact form or shape of the words is integral to the piece, and you’re worried that a .doc or .docx file will ruin the formatting, you are welcome to include a PDF as a visual reference. However, you must still submit a .doc or .docx file alongside it.
• 12pt font, double-spaced for prose
• Include a note about how your piece relates to the theme in the Submission Form or in a cover letter

Editorial Process

• Notification: We confirm receipt immediately.
• Review Process: Our team reviews submissions on a rolling basis.
• Response Timeline: First round of responses are typically sent within two days of the submission deadline.
• Final Decisions: Communicated no later than six weeks before publication.
• Total Timeline: From submission deadline to publication takes about three months.

Additional Information

• Compliance: Submissions that disregard these guidelines may be automatically rejected.
• Questions? Please check our FAQ section first. If you need more help, email us at submissions@thefruitslice.com.

Thank you for considering Fruitslice as a platform for your work!