As we get closer to the end of Disability History Month, we hope that these weeks have helped you reflect on your perspectives on disability.
You may have even encountered the topic in class or one of your readings. And, if you have gone the extra mile and produced any work on the topic (essay, autofiction, short stories and all kinds of creative work), did you know that you can get it published?
You most certainly can! It might feel daunting at first to expose your writing to a wider readership, but if you think you have completed a good piece of work, why not at least try?
As a King’s College London student, you already have an incredible network of opportunities: there is no harm in attempting to expand it! Your hard work has led you to become a student here, and we believe you can enhance your academic profile even more by getting your ideas out there.
So, if you want to share your experience and thoughts on disability, we offer you a list of magazines, journals and other collectives currently open for submission!
1. Wordgathering (ALL GENRES)
If your work spans from non-fiction to photography (and everything in between), then Wordgathering could be the right channel for you.
This is a biannual journal collecting artistic works around disability, in the hopes of widening access to disability literature and arts for larger audiences, as well as creating a space for writers to express their ideas.
The journal reviews entries twice a year, so you have ample time to prepare or tweak your entry. On their website, you’ll find a comprehensive submission guidelines page, which will assist you in all details concerning your work.
The journal mainly accepts poetry, but also ‘short essays and short works of creative nonfiction (CNF), flash memoir, fiction, excerpts, and drama, as well as art, photography, comics, short videos, music, and suggested books for potential review.’ If you think you fit into any of those categories, try it out!
2. Disability & Society (ACADEMIC)
If you have ever written an academic essay, you have most likely tried to get access to some kind of publication on Taylor & Francis. It’s a household name amongst publishers, and a leader in the dissemination of original, high-quality knowledge.
On its website, you’ll find the Disability & Society journal, which is committed to enhancing the field of disability studies. It’s an interdisciplinary, international publication that embraces the values of inclusion, critique, and emphasis on the everyday lives of disabled people.
This publication requires a certain academic rigour, but this should not discourage you from submitting a piece of work! We would suggest choosing either a piece of coursework that received a high grade, or an edited version of your dissertation.
3. Breath & Shadow (ALL GENRES)
Taking us overseas, Breath & Shadows is a literary journal based in Maine, USA, but it publishes work from all over the world. Its previous editions have included fictional and non-fictional entries from disabled authors, focussing on the rawness of authentic, lived experiences.
This journal exclusively accepts submissions from disabled authors, and you can find their definition of disability on their website. Your entry does not have to be about disability if it falls into the category of ‘poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama’.
Instead, if your submission is classified as nonfiction/academic, it should touch upon the topic of disability. Interestingly, this journal also offers compensation for your work!
Publishing can sometimes seem like an impossible goal, especially for a student. But we want you to know that there are many possibilities out there to have your voice heard now! If you know any other journals looking for submissions, make sure to give it a try and let your friends know.