Thank you for your interest in contributing to The Milk House.
The Milk House seeks to help writers find new audiences, as well as serve as a place where readers can come to find high-quality writing. The project has grown quickly since it has gone live and has been featured in several major publications. Many writers have found the site useful to promote their work and raise awareness of any books they may have completed.
To provide you with information efficiently and anticipate some of your inquiries, here are the answers to several frequently asked questions.
What type of material should I submit?
The Milk House publishes creative work: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, music, drama and photography. The word count is open, and at the discretion of the author.
Because we are not yet in a position to pay writers (only promote their work) and our principal interest is publishing strong writing, it is acceptable to submit a piece that has already been published. Simply let us know if the submission has already appeared somewhere else.
Does the submitted work have to be rural-themed?
The Milk House has carved out its place by serving those connected to rural communities. However, we understand that such readers generally don’t want to read about rural subjects exclusively, as, like everyone, they have many facets to their individual experience. Instead, it is more important to both them and us that the writing makes one think, introduces one to new ideas, and forces one to feel human. We search out work that engages rural subjects, but we don’t limit ourselves to it.
Where should I submit my piece for consideration?
Please use our submission manager to submit your work. Currently there are no specific reading periods, except for the Best in Rural Writing Contest.
What Awards does The Milk House enter work in?
In order to help our contributors gain exposure and showcase the writing we publish, The Milk House submits fiction, nonfiction and poetry to relevant awarding bodies. Every year an independent panel chooses original pieces that first appeared on The Milk House to send to the following awards:
- The Pushcart Prize
- The Best of the Net
- Best Small Fictions
- Writing.ie Short Story Contest
If I have any other questions?
Please email Ryan at RyanDennis@themilkhouse.org.