Submission Guidelines
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Frequently asked Questions
Who can submit?
We are seeking submissions from veterans and active duty servicemembers of the United States military, including the Coast Guard. We will also call for and feature articles/submissions from Gold Star families. As we grow, we may be able to include submissions from our NATO allies. Stay tuned for updates.
What we publish:
Creative Nonfiction & Memoir: Essays up to 4,000 words that explore personal narratives of your life and experiences in the military.
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Cover Art, Article Art, and Photography: We are currently seeking submissions for cover art of our inaugural edition, titled "Some Other Everest", as well as military-themed artwork produced by servicemembers (especially if produced during a combat tour), and military photography.
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​The Guidon: Are you a history buff? Have you spent time researching information about your military unit, and you'd like to share it with the world? Send it in, and we may feature it in our Unit History section. Articles can be up to 1,500 words, and must include both in-text citations and a corresponding reference list.
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The Chow Line: Every edition will feature recipes and accompanying stories from servicemembers. Whether you were a general's aide who can make a killer prime rib, or a grunt who knows exactly how to dress up a Pork Rib MRE, we want the details. The Chow Line does not have a word count limit, but please include the following: your most memorable story of cooking and eating this meal, as well as the recipe (ingredients, cook times, and anything someone might need for their kit if they want to make it themselves.)​
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The Five Corners: Here at American Elm Magazine, we understand that no servicemember is an island. Every Gold Star family has a unique story to tell, and we'd like to hear it. Please limit submissions to 4,000 words.
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Submissions we will also consider, on a case-by-case basis:
Poetry: Up to 5 poems per submission, any style or form.
Fiction: Short stories up to 4,000 words. Must be military-themed, and draw upon real-life experiences.
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What we do not publish:
Political rants: this is a non-partisan space. Servicemembers come from all walks of life, and this publication will serve as a rallying point for people who have a story to tell. Politics have been carving up our country into unrecognizable chunks for a while now, and we'll have none of that nonsense here.
Religious rants: see above. This is also a non-denominational space. If your story features religion or politics, it won't be automatically declined - but know that there is a clear line we won't cross for either subject.
Doxing: enough said.
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A Note: combat is a tough time. The military is a highly disciplined and also highly chaotic place to live and work.
To put it bluntly - sometimes shit happens. And sometimes that shit is part of your story.
While we value truth and authenticity, we encourage authors to consider the privacy of individuals who may be portrayed in their work. If a piece includes real people in a negative light, we may request the use of pseudonyms or altered identifying details prior to publication, with a note stating that changes have been made to protect privacy.
The Details:
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Original Work Only: We do not accept previously published work, including work posted on personal blogs or social media. Submissions generated by AI (and yes, we can tell) are not allowed.
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File Format: Submit text as a single .DOCX or PDF file. Include your name, email, and word count on the first page.
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Cover Letter: A brief note introducing yourself, your branch of service, rank, the years you served, a brief bio, and the title of your work.
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Simultaneous Submissions: Allowed, but notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
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Response Time: We will attempt to respond within 4-6 weeks, depending on the volume of submissions received.
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Publication Rights: We ask for first digital and print publication rights, after which rights revert back to the author. We also ask to archive accepted work on our website.
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How to Submit: Submissions are accepted through american.elm.mag@gmail.com.
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Cost: We do not charge fees for submission. At this time, we can offer $10 per accepted work, as well as a free year of subscription to the magazine and 1 free print copy of the edition where we will feature your work.
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What should I write?
Tell us your story. Give us the 5 W's - who you were with, what you were doing, where you were, when it happened, and why it's important to you. There's no need for flowery language and deep prose (though you're welcome to submit that, if that's what you write). Use simple words and short sentences. Keep us in the moment. Mind your grammar and punctuation, but know that we can help you edit your story if it's something we'd like to publish. We don't reject stories for spelling errors or misplaced commas. We'll get you right. Good luck!