General information for open submissions
How often do you publish?
We publish three issues a year online.
When are you open for submissions?
We are open for submissions a few times year, in tandem with the issues forthcoming. The details of all current calls are listed on the Current Calls page. Calls close when we feel we have enough submissions. We announce the submissions opening in advance on social media.
Do you accept submissions via post?
No, we only accept submissions through email.
How much of what you publish comes from open submissions?
Our masthead and submissions by invitation account for one quarter of the work we publish, and the remainder comes from open submissions.
After I submit my work, how long will it be before I hear from you?
Due to the thousands of submissions we receive, we respond to all submissions within 3-5 months. We regret that we cannot offer editorial comments on works which are rejected. if you send a query to one of the sections that accepts such, those section editors respond within one month.
I want to change the work I sent you. Can I do this?
We do not accept revisions.
Do you accept simultaneous submissions?
Yes, we accept simultaneous submissions.
I have not heard back from you, and my work has been accepted somewhere else. How do I notify you?
Contact the section editor you submitted to originally.
How many pieces can I submit or query?
The large number of submissions that Panorama processes each call, and our goal of publishing as many writers as possible, allows us to accept only one submission or query per issue. If your submission or query is declined for an issue, and the submission call is still open, you can submit another work or query again to that issue. For example, right now we have three issue calls open, It’s possible you could have a work published in each one, following our guidelines. But you can only submit or query one at a time per issue. You can submit and query multiple issues at the same time.
Can I submit more than one work at a time?
You can only submit ONE work to each issue. For example, one poem or essay. We now limit submissions to one per issue. For each issue, you can submit ONE work — if you submit more than one, all will be declined. We wish to publish a wide variety of writers, and hope you understand it’s not about the quality of your work, but that we wish for diversity. The exception to this rule are translations.
Whether your work is accepted or rejected, you must wait until the next submission call to submit again. You cannot resubmit work which has been rejected.
How many poems can I submit at one time?
One poem counts as one work.
I’m a writer and a photographer. Can I submit written work and sets of images?
No, we do not take photos paired with essays. We take literary work sans images, except for maps, and maps only for psychogeography and cartography sections, on approval.
For photo essays [photo heavy works], it is slightly different: we only publish photo essays with short text to illuminate the images. Currently this collection is highly curated for the online editions, and not open to the public.
What are the requirements for photography submissions?
See Current Calls page.
Payment and rights
Do you pay for contributions?
For our online editions, we regret we do not pay for works at this time, although someday we would like to.
Do I receive a copy if my submission is accepted?
Panorama‘s publications are available for free online, so you can access and share them whenever you like.
What rights do you require?
For online works, world rights in English only, online only, all rights return to the creator at the point of publication. We do not accept previously published work.
Literary submissions
What kinds of work do you accept via open submissions?
We accept literary travel works: nonfiction short stories and essays, travel fiction, travel flash, pyschogeography, cartography, experimental prose, and travel poetry. We also accept original translations of works not previously published in English. We rarely accept previously published work, but for some calls and some sections, we do. Our issues are each different, and each call is also different. Our current needs are listed on our Current Calls page.
What kinds of work do you not accept via open submissions?
We do not accept work which doesn’t follow our submission guidelines. We do not accept work which is more about opinion and telling the reader what to think, rather than showing the reader an experience through fine experiential prose.
We do not accept reportage or commercial travel writing. We do not accept works which promote the author, their books, or their professional expertise as an instructor. We do not accept work with exoticism, and choose pieces which we feel are mindful of the Panorama mission.
Outside of poetry, which has a lower word limit, we do not accept works under 800 words nor over 8,000 words. The average piece we publish is between 1500 and 6000 words. Your work is most likely to be chosen if it fits into that range,
For poetry, we limit poems to two pages, except for the print editions. For print poetry limits, we accept two to five pages per poem.
Common questions
I am an unpublished writer who would like to be published by Panorama. What would you advise?
We encourage you to submit your best work. Panorama champions emerging writers, as well as those who do not have access to traditional publishing opportunities. When submitting your work, include a cover letter briefly introducing yourself and any background relevant to your submission. We do not require our authors to have a history of prior publications. For more on cover letters, see our Submissions page.
I am a well published writer who would like to be published by Panorama. What would you advise?
Just as above, we encourage you to submit your best work. While Panorama emphasises publishing writers from around the world, with varying degrees of success, we base our decisions for publication on the quality, tone, and voice of the work itself. We care less about your awards, accolades, or accomplishments than the work you offer us.
I have an idea and would like to query your Editorial Team. How can I do this?
We have not accepted queries until now. We accept queries [pitches] only for a few sections, and not year-around. Please read the pieces already published in the section you are interested in, and contact the editor.
How can I be appraised of your forthcoming calls and themes?
Submission calls are listed on the Current calls page of this website. We also post calls on Facebook and Twitter.
I would like to become part of the Masthead. How can I apply? Does the Masthead get published by Panorama?
Visit the current Positions Open page: we announce them as needed, and close the calls as they are filled. Application instructions are on the page. Yes, the Masthead does get published by Panorama regularly.