We have NEW submission forms for sending in your work. While we still recommend that you read the guidelines below, these forms will also provide the guidelines for your chosen submission type in a clear, step-by-step manner.
Creative Nonfiction Submission Form
Because these forms are brand new, we will continue to accept submissions at tahomaw@uw.edu as we have in the past. However, please consider the forms above as an easier alternative.
TAHOMA WEST accepts creative submissions of prose, poetry, and visual art from members of the UW Tacoma community. Students, staff, faculty, and alumni may submit as many creative works as they like.
The deadline for Volume 29 is 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 30, 2025.
We will not accept material that is racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, or ableist, or material that uses gratuitous sex and violence for shock value. These subjects can be present in a work if discussed tastefully and with respect for others, but never for the purpose of marginalizing a group of people. If you have questions about this policy and how it might affect your submission, please reach out to our editor-in-chief or staff program adviser.
We follow a blind submission process, meaning section editors review submissions without knowing who submitted them. The Editor-in-Chief keeps track of the authorship of pieces, but does not reveal that information until all contributions have been selected on the strength of their content alone. You can help us by making sure your name is not included on the manuscript of your story, poem or work of visual art.
Please take your time and follow the guidelines below when submitting. We try to be flexible where we can, but failure to follow the submission guidelines may result in the rejection of your submission.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Submissions should be sent via the forms listed above, or by email to tahomaw@uw.edu. We will discontinue email submissions after this year. For email submissions, please follow the guidelines below:
- SUBJECT LINE: Follow the format "SUBMISSION: [your genre]." If you are submitting a poem, the subject line will be "SUBMISSION: Poetry." If you're submitting several types of work, use "SUBMISSION: Multiple pieces." If you are unsure of your genre (such as if you're submitting a comic, or a work of fiction told in poetry), choose which you believe to be most appropriate, and we can later reach out for clarification.
- BODY: In the body of the email, include your...
- Preferred name
- Degree program or staff/faculty position (If you are an alumnus, use your personal email and mention your former degree program)
- Your UW email address (if you submitted with a non-UW email)
- The title of each submission
- A short biography (50-100 words)
- ATTACHMENT: Submit your creative work as an attachment. Use the file type specified for each category of submission, listed below this section.
*We do not accept physical submissions, by mail or otherwise, unless arrangements have been made with the TAHOMA WEST staff in advance.
Fiction & Creative Non-Fiction
- Each submission may be up to 4,000 words. There is no minimum word count.
- Accepted file types: .doc or .docx
- Times New Roman (12pt), double-spaced, with page numbers.
- If you have multiple short stories or essays, please submit them as separate attachments.
Poetry
- We welcome poetry in all forms. However, technical limitations can prevent certain poems from appearing in Tahoma West.
- If your poem has long individual lines of text: Be aware the line widths of the book will be narrower than what can be achieved in a Microsoft Word or Google Docs document. The exact limit varies depending on the combination of letters/symbols, but the estimated "safe zone" is 60 characters. If your poem features a particularly long line of text, please let us know if you are OK with it wrapping to a second line.
- If your poem has variable text justifications: In most cases we are able to reproduce a poem's unique formatting in the book, with some editing. However, in online formats, we can only publish left-justified text, unless we use a workaround such as publishing a JPG of the poem instead of searchable text. If you have a poem where one line is left-justified, one is right-justified, one is centered, etc, be aware your poem will not be able to appear that way online. If you have a poem like this that is accepted into the journal, please let us know if you wish to exclude your poem from online publication, if you are OK publishing an image of the poem, etc.
- Accepted file types: .doc or .docx
- Times New Roman (12pt), single-spacing OK.
- Multiple poems may be sent in a single attachment. Separate each poem by a page break and include the individual titles above their text.
Visual Art and Comics
Publication of visual art is dependent upon having a quality color or black and white reproduction of your work. If you are submitting a comic, this includes the readability of your word/thought bubbles; make sure your comic text can be read if your page is shrunk down to approximately 5" x 7.5".
- Accepted file types: .jpg .tif .pdf .psd .raw
- Preferred file type: .jpg
- File resolution should be at least 1,800 pixels on the shortest side.
- 300 dpi pixel density preferred.
- Include the title of the piece(s) in the body of your email. If untitled, write “Untitled."
- Include a brief description of your piece in the body of your email. You can write anything you think is relevant, but if you're stuck, try using the following formula: "This is a photo of ________. It was taken/inspired by ______________. I particularly like this picture because ________________."
IMPORTANT NOTES
- TAHOMA WEST retains the copyright to accepted submissions until they appear in print, at which point rights revert back to the author. Our hold time is short — about two months until we hold our book release party — and after it's over, the author is free to submit or self-publish their work elsewhere.
- Our preference is for previously unpublished work. If your work will appear in another publication prior to the release of Tahoma West, please notify us immediately and we'll consider the circumstances.
If you have any questions about submission guidelines and the process to do so, feel free to email us at tahomaw@uw.edu or visit us during our office hours.
