Non-fiction submissions are closed indefinitely.
khōréō is a quarterly publication of stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. We’re especially interested in writing and art that explores the impact of human or cultural migration, whether voluntary or forced. Examples include themes of immigration, diaspora, and anti-colonialism, as well as more metaphorical interpretations of the term. Most importantly, we’re a new magazine and we’re still finding our identity: therefore, please don’t self-reject because you’re not sure if your work is a good fit. We won’t know until we see it, so please give us a chance to look!
khōréō is dedicated to diversity and amplifying the voices of immigrant and diaspora authors and artists. We welcome, but do not require, a brief description of the author’s/artist’s identity in their cover letter.
We invite you to submit if you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, transnational/transracial adoptees, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work.
When reading submissions, we take in good faith that you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora as described above. If you still aren’t sure if you should submit, please email contact@khoreomag.com.
We kindly request individuals who do not identify as such to support the magazine by reading our stories, subscribing, and helping spread the word instead.
What we want
khōréō invites nonfiction submissions from writers on all aspects of speculative fiction, storytelling, writing, and/or reading. In particular, we are looking for essays that intersect with personal experiences of migration or the diaspora and speculative fiction. At a high level, these can include:
- Explorations of sub-genres of speculative fiction that address some aspect of migration
- Personal reflections on writing speculative fiction and identity
- Opinion pieces on recent developments in speculative fiction
- Reviews/book round-ups through a personal/memoir lens (note: we prefer reviews that focus on positive aspects of books; that is, “who this is for” rather than “who this isn’t for”)
Essays will ideally be between 1,000-3,000 words. These pieces may be original or reprinted and should offer insights based on the author’s own experience.
khōréō’s nonfiction will add a fresh and strong voice to each issue that will be distinctive and in sync with our fiction.
We are looking for essays that connect our readers to writers who can speak about the complex relationship that they have with belonging and homeland, and who have experienced migration and displacement. We seek to be both wide ranging and accessible. The nonfiction that we publish will ideally make readers challenge assumptions, consider the possibilities of social change and what the future might look like, and reflect on their own experiences. We also want to explore alternatives to traditional Western narratives. Importantly, while we welcome authors to go into as much explanation as they desire, we do not expect them to cater their writing to a non-immigrant/diaspora, Western, white, and otherwise typically ‘centered’ gaze.
Themed Issues (July submission period)
The last issue of khōréō each year is themed. This year, our theme is music/song!
We are looking for writing that describes and discusses food beyond just being fuel for our bodies. We want non-fiction writing that recognizes that food is the essential and unifying feature of all cultures. Food expresses the history and geography that shapes nations. It also layers our lives and shapes our memories of childhood and our origins as people. We are therefore looking for non fiction that understands the fundamental universality of food while also appreciating the unique cultures that food can reflect, and how food can feature in speculative fiction.
What we don't want
We are not looking for personal/family histories that do not intersect at all with storytelling in any form. For example, an essay solely about one’s ancestors fleeing a war-ravaged country isn’t a great fit for us, but an essay that considers that same subject and how it influenced the author’s writing of speculative fiction, or their reading of a speculative fiction book, would be well received.
What we offer
We pay $100 $200 for original essays and $40 for essay reprints.