Blank Canvas Post

What Women Calculate in a Taxi

Charlotte — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:01:23 GMT

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Congratulations to for having their following essay chosen for publication on . The essay that follows is a truly wonderful and intricate exploration of the experience of International Women’s Day as a Mexican women living in Europe. Please read the following conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant essay.

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Marianna

Originally from Mexico City, started their writing practice from a young age, having experienced the liberation of journaling and pouring feelings onto a blank page. “I haven’t stopped since”, says .

What was it that made you start writing?

There wasn’t one specific event. I simply started with a diary, documenting my day-to-day life, and there I found a space where I could finally name the things I was feeling.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

When I was 22, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, which led me to connect even more deeply with writing. Although I had people supporting me through that process, I didn’t want to feel judged for my thoughts or emotions; in writing, I found (and still find) a true space of freedom. Additionally, I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Creative Writing at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, which has been a magical and transformative experience.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

I love writing fiction, literary criticism, and personal essays.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

I’m inspired by many different things—it could be something I read, something I’m feeling, or a small detail I observe in my everyday life.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting etc)?

To start, I need to feel a “thumping” or a physical pull toward a specific topic. I might think about it for days before actually sitting down to write, but when I finally do, it’s because the feeling is right at the surface. I write when I’m alone or when I can lock myself in a room. I use my computer, usually in the morning when I feel most productive, after exercising, having breakfast, and drinking coffee.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

I think I’ve always written for myself first. Deciding whether to post a piece on my Substack or WordPress comes later, once I feel the text is ready. However, I would love to dedicate myself professionally to writing, so I understand that I need to start writing with more intention to publish and get my work out there.

Why do you think community is important for writers / creative people?

Something I’ve learned in my Master’s program is that writing happens in community. You write because something inspires you, and in turn, what you write might inspire someone else. It’s beautiful when someone feels connected to or identified with your work; the same happens when you read someone else’s words and they resonate so deeply that you feel they were written just for you.

Where do you currently share your work?

Substack, WordPress, and occasionally on my book review Instagram: @mar.readsbooks_

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I was drawn to The Black Canvas Post because of its commitment to storytelling that is both raw and socially conscious. I admire how the publication provides a space for voices that challenge established narratives and explore the complexities of identity and justice. I felt my perspective as a Mexican woman living abroad would find a meaningful home in a community that values intersectional experiences and bold, honest creative work.

About the Essay: What Women Calculate in a Taxi

Regarding What Women Calculate in a Taxi, what in particular inspired you to write this piece?

The inspiration came from the “culture shock” of experiencing March 8th (International Women’s Day) in Spain, compared to what it means to live through that day in Mexico.

What is the context for the piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

The goal is for people—especially women—who are privileged enough to live in countries where Women’s Day is a celebration to see the reality of living in a country plagued by femicide. I want to spark curiosity and motivate them to investigate, stay informed, and share the realities of women in Latin America.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

It was hard. As a Latin American woman, I always feel a void on March 8th. My social media feeds fill up with heartbreaking stories and testimonies. Taking all that raw emotion and shaping it into a literary form so that others can feel even a fraction of what we feel on this day was a significant challenge.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I chose this piece for The Black Canvas Post because I knew the publication wouldn’t shy away from the discomfort of the topic. This piece isn’t just a personal reflection; it’s a call for global empathy and justice. I felt your platform was the right place to bridge the gap between different geographic realities and to foster a dialogue about the systemic violence that women face in Latin America, framed within a community that values art as a tool for social awareness.

So, without further ado, here is What Women Calculate in a Taxi by Marianna

What Women Calculate in a Taxi

I’m Mexican, and March 8 has always felt bittersweet. It always does, but this year it felt even more so. Experiencing 8M in another country felt like stepping into an alternate reality. The march in Spain is not like the one in Mexico, or in much of Latin America.

The difference is impossible to ignore: In Europe, women march. In Latin America, women shout, women cry. It is a cry born out of grief, impunity, and the certainty that violence against women is not an exception, but a daily threat. In Mexico, the context is different. To put it in perspective: in 2024 alone, at least 797 femicides were officially recorded in the country. And those are only the deaths authorities manage to classify as femicide. If you count all women who were killed, the number is far higher, more than 6,800 women were murdered that same year. When you grow up with those numbers in the background, March 8 is not experienced only as a political demonstration. It is also a public mourning.

Being a woman means carrying things in your bag to defend yourself: a pen, an umbrella, your keys, even the bag itself. And I find it deeply sad that the first thing I think about when I get into a taxi is what I could use to defend myself. Even when I’m in a city that is supposed to be safe. That absence of peace is a reminder of everything we still don’t have. Aggressors are always distant silhouettes… never our friend, our neighbour, or our coworker.

There is a pact of silence in many male circles that makes them doubly responsible, first for the act itself, and then for the impunity granted by an environment that prefers not to be uncomfortable.

Every March 8, I ask for the same thing, that this passive complicity be broken, and that one day I might be able to look out the window of a taxi without searching for an escape route. As long as silence keeps protecting the “good guys,” we will keep clutching our keys in our fists and looking over our shoulders every few minutes to make sure no one is following us. This day is about naming the absence of peace. Fear (even preventive fear) is a form of captivity.

I want to end by recommending a few books that have been a kind of map for me in recent years. They are written by Latin American women whose work confronts violence, memory, and the silences that surround them.

I also want to share them because I believe these voices deserve far more visibility outside our region.

I hope that, if you pick up one of these books, it gives you the same clarity (or strength) it has given me.

The Invincible Summer of Liliana by Cristina Rivera Garza

This is the definitive book for what we’ve been talking about. Rivera Garza reconstructs the femicide of her sister Liliana in the 1990s, breaking both familial and social silence. It is a masterpiece about how language can restore dignity to a victim.

Why Did You Come Back Every Summer by Belén López Peiró

The author reconstructs the abuse she suffered at the hands of an uncle (a member of a security force) and dissects how the entire family and social structure worked to protect the abuser while questioning her. It is a precise portrait of collective complicity.

Paradais by Fernanda Melchor

Set in a luxury residential complex in Mexico (a place that is supposedly safe) the novel explores obsession and violence between two teenagers. Melchor shows how misogyny and the desire for possession know no social class, and how violence is always lurking beneath the surface.

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Support the writing community, help it to grow and become a positive space for all the writer’s sharing their wonderful work. Let this writer know your thoughts.

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In case you missed it…

Here you can find three recent submissions from three wonderful writers. We loved reading each of these pieces, and think you will too! You don’t want to miss them.

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

We also share regular updates on other literary bodies, publications, small presses, and writing contests that are open for submissions of any genre. Check out this recent post for submission calls that are open all year round, as well as opportunities open in the upcoming months!

☆★☆★☆

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Writing Contests Open for Submissions in September and October 2026!

Charlotte — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:04:35 GMT

Blank Canvas Post is all about creating community and fostering the talent of writers of every discipline and genre across the world. In addition to sharing your submissions to us on our Substack, we aim to share more opportunities outside of ourselves (this Substack).

With our monthly series on literary magazines and small presses open for submissions each month, we also share monthly posts on writing contests open in the upcoming month - with their deadlines falling within said month. So, in this post you can find a number of writing contests that are closing in the following months, September and October 2026, to give you more of a heads up on the deadlines and a familiarity of what each contest is looking for. Each named contest has its website link attached, as well as the prize money up for grabs.

Happy writing!

To help our finder, Charlotte (who currently runs two Substack’s on her own), feel as though all of this compiling is not for nothing, please consider subscribing and pledging your support, or even leave a comment below on which publications you have submitted your writing to. Each little bit of engagement, truly means the most!

Subscribe now

Writing Contests ↓

*Please note all cash prize amounts listed below are in US dollars.

Contests are also listed in order of closing date, meaning the first few listed per month are likely to close their submissions earlier in the month than those at the end of the list.

Closing in September

☆★☆★☆

Academy of American Poets: First Book Award, $5,000

American Literary Awards: Literary Awards, $1,000

Naugatuck River Review: Narrative Poetry Contest, $1,000

Literary Arts: Oregon Book Awards, $1,000

Dogwood: Literary Awards, $1,000

Academy for Teachers: “Stories Out of School” Flash Fiction Contest, $1,000

Harvard University: Radcliffe Institute Fellowships, $78,000

American-Scandinavian Foundation: Translation Awards, $5,000

Academy of American Poets: Ambroggio Prize, $1,000

Ex Ophidia Press: Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Contest, $2,000

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation: Writing Fellowships, $65,000

University of Wisconsin Press: Brittingham and Felix Pollak Prizes, $1,500

Travelers’ Tales: Solas Awards, $1,000

Lightscatter Press: Poetry Prize, $1,000

New York Public Library: Cullman Center Fellowships, $90,000

Creative Writing Ink: Short Story Competition, $1,335

Dzanc Books: Prize for Fiction, $5,000

University of Massachusetts Press: Junpier Prizes, $1,000

Fresno State: Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, $2,000

Hive Poetry Collective: Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Prize, $1,000

Hackney Literary Awards: Novel Contest, $5,000

Boulevard: Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers, $1,000

PEN/Faulkner Foundation: Award for Fiction, $15,000

Moment Magazine: Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest, $1,000

University of Mississippi: Willie Morris Award for Southern Nonfiction, $12,000

University of Mississippi: Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, $12,000

Dzanc Books: Short Story Collection Prize, $5,000

University of Mississippi: Willie Morris Award for Southern Poetry, $3,000

One Page: Poetry Contest, $2,000

Connecticut Poetry Society: Vivian Shipley Poetry Award, $1,000

Ghost Story: Supernatural Fiction Award, $1,500

Texas Review Press: X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize, $10,000

The Moth: Nature Writing Prize, $1,142

Closing in October

☆★☆★☆

Georgia Writers: John Lewis Writing Grants, $500

University of Louisville: Calvino Prize for Short Fiction, $2,000

Reed Magazine: Edwin Markham Prize for Poetry, $1,000

Reed Magazine: John Steinbeck Award for Fiction, $1,000

Winning Writers: Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest, $3,500

American Poetry Review: Honickman First Book Prize, $3,000

Reed Magazine: Gabriele Rico Challenge for Creative Nonfiction, $1,333

One Story: Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship, $2,000

National Federation of State Poetry Societies: Barbara Stevens Poetry Book Manuscript Competition, $1,000

Pulitzer Prizes: Prizes in Books, $15,000

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival: Fiction Contest, $1,500

San Diego Entertainment & Arts Guild: Steve Kowit Poetry Prize, $1,000

Finishing Line Press: New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition, $1,500

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival: Poetry Contest, $1,000

Silverfish Review Press: Gerald Cable Book Award, $1,000

Alice James Books: Alice James Award, $2,000

Cleveland Foundation: Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, $30,000

Tuliptree Publishing: Humor Story Contest, $1,000

University of Wisconsin Press: Wisconsin Prize for Poetry in Translation, $1,500

Northwestern University Press: Drinking Gourd Chapbook Prize, $500

Bedford Competition: International Short Story and Poetry Awards, $2,670

Tucson Festival of Books: Literary Awards, $1,000

Cloudbank Books: Vern Rutsala Book Prize, $1,000

River Teeth: Book Prize, $1,000

Dzanc Books: Poetry Prize, $1,500

Tupelo Press: Helena Whitehill Book Award, $1,000

Persea Books: Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize, $1,000

Comstock Review: Chapbook Contest, $1,000

Check this out!

Here you can find Small Presses and Literary Bodies still open for submissions during the month of September.

These style of posts go out a month in advance, just in case the deadline happens to be the 1st of the month - e.g., September openings are posted on August 1st, so you have time go get a submission in if a deadline happens to be September 1st.

You can also find more writing opportunities, from literary bodies to small presses here! Take a look!

Literary Bodies

Small Presses

Writing Contests

In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions by three wonderful writers that have recently been shared to Blank Canvas Post. We loved reading them, and we think you will too. Check them out.

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for Submissions

Blank Canvas Post is an online journal for writers of any discipline, who are OPEN for submissions. Find all the information on how to complete your submission in the posts highlighted below. We can’t wait to read your work!

Literary Bodies OPEN For Submissions: September 2026

Charlotte — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:03:56 GMT

A monthly series of publications currently open for submissions of all kinds of writing disciplines and genres. From poetry and fiction, to essays and translations, you can find it all here.

Here, you can find a list of literary magazines, writing contests, and small presses that are open for submissions this month. From here on out, we will be posting one of these type of posts each month, on the 1st of each month, so you have more time for writing and submitting at your fingertips.

To help our founder, Charlotte (who currently runs two Substack’s on her own), feel as though all of this compiling is not for nothing, please consider subscribing and pledging your support, and even leave a comment below on which publications you have submitted your writing to. Each little bit of engagement, truly means the most!

Subscribe now

Literary Magazines

! - Exclamation Mark Lit

2River View

3Elements Literary Review

32 Poems

34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE

100 Word Story

#Ranger Magazine

#TWP Quarterly Lit Zine

AC|DC - A Journal for the Bent

addanomadd

Adroit Journal

After Brunch Journal

After Dinner Conversation: Philosophy | Ethics Short Story Magazine

After the Art

AGNI

Alchemy - A Journal of Translation

American Poetry Review

American Short Fiction

Anacapa Review

Anemone Magazine

Another Chicago Magazine

As Surely As the Sun Literary

Atlantic Northeast

Aura Literary Arts Review

Austur

Autumn Sky Poetry Daily

Azure: A Journal of Literary Thought

Bellevue Literary Review

Bellingham Review

Beloit Fiction Journal

Berkeley Fiction Review

Black Fox Literary Magazine

Blue Crystal Literary Magazine

boats against the current

BoomerLitMag

Booth

Boston Review

Braided Way: Faces & Voices of Spiritual Practice

Bright Flash Literary Review

Brilliant Flash Fiction

Calendula Review: A Journal of Narrative Medicine

Calliope

Catamaran Literary Reader

Catholic Poetry Room

Chainmail Poetry

Chestnut Review

Chicago Quarterly Review

Chicago Review of Books

Cholla Needles

Christian Science Monitor

Cimarron Review

Cincinnati Review

Citron Review

Clackamas Literary Review

Claudine: A Literary Magazine

Cleaver Magazine

Clockwise Cat

Clover + Bee Magazine

Club Plum Literary Journal

Cola Literary Review

Collateral

Collision Literary Magazine

Dark Matter: Women Witnessing

DarkWinter Literary Magazine

Decolonial Passage Literary Magazine

Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose

Dolomite Review

Doubly Mad: A Journal of Arts and Ideas

Drift & Dribble Miscellany

Driftwood Press

Dunes Review

Eastern Structures

EastWest Literary Forum

Ecotone: Reimagining Place

Elan

Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading

Eleventh Hour Literary

Elysium Review

Embark: A Literary Journal for Novelists

Emerald City Ghosts

Equatorial Literary Magazine

Eratio Poetry Journal

Fiction Desk Anthology Series

Fiction Week Literary Review

Floating Acorn Review

Florida Review

Floriography

Flyway Journal of Writing & Environment

Fourteen Hills: The SFSU Review

Fourth Genre: Explorations in Nonfiction

Fresh Words: An International Literary Magazine

From Whispers to Roars

Frontier Poetry

Garfield Lake Review

Garlic Press

GAS: Poetry, Art, and Music

Ginosko Literary Journal

Glassworks Magazine

Gone Lawn

The Gotham Guillotine

Grand Little Things

Grande Dame Literary & Art Journal

Green Blotter

Grey Sparrow Journal

Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts

Guernica Magazine

Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts

Heart of Flesh Literary Journal

IHRAM Literary Magazine

Ilanot Review

Image

Impossible Task

In Short: A Journal of Creative Nonfiction

Indefinite Space

Indiana Review

Infrarrealista Review

Ink & Ember

Inlandia: A Literary Journey

Inquisitive Easter: New School Food

Inscape Journal

Interim

InterrobangLit

Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine

Invisible City

Iowa Review

Jabberwock Review

January House Literary Journal

Kennings Artistic and Literary Journal

Kestrel

Killer Nashville Magazine

Kweli Journal

La Piccioletta Barca

La Raiz Magazine

Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet

Literary Fantasy Magazine

Literary Heist

Literary Mama

Literary Times

Literary Veganism: An Online Journal

Litro USA

Little Journal of Northeast India

Little Patuxent Review

Men Matters Online Journal

Menagerie Magazine

Meow Meow Pow Pow Lit

Meraki Review

Meridian

Metaphrastics

Michigan Quarterly Review

Micromance Magazine

Midcult*

midnight & indigo

Midnight Mind Magazine

Midsummer Dream House

Mobius: The Journal of Social Change

Mr. Beller’s Neighbourhood

Mudlark: An Electronic Journal of Poetry and Poetics

MUSE Literary Journal

Narrative

Narrative Northeast

Neologism Poetry Journal

New Square Literary Magazine

New Verse News

New Writing Scotland

Night Picnic

Ninth Heaven Literary Journal

Ninth Letter

North American Review

North Carolina Literary Review

Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora

October Hill Magazine

Orchards Poetry Journal

Orion: Nature and Culture

Pacifica Literary Review

pacificREVIEW: A West Coast Arts Review Annual

The Pasticheur: Literature, Art, & Ideas

Paterson Literary Review

Pennsylvania Literary Journal

Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality & the Arts

perhaps

Permafrost

Philly Poetry Chapbook Review

Pineberry Literary Journal

Plant-Human Quarterly

Poetries in English Magazine

Poetry

Poetry International

Poetry Pacific

Poetry Project Newsletter

Poetry South

Poetry Super Highway

Poets and Dreamers: Culture, Art, and Conversation + Poets and Dreamers International Literary Journal

Points in Case

Ponder Review

Poor Yorick: A Journal of Rediscovered Objects

Porchlight: A Journal of Southern Literature

Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry

Press Pause

Prime Number Magazine

Recenter Press Poetry

redrosethorns journal

Reed Magazine

Relief: A Journal of Art & Faith

River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative

Rockford Review

RockPaperPoem

Room Magazine

ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action

Rough Cut Press

Route 7 Review

The Rumpus

Rundelania: the digital literary journal

Rust & Moth

Sabr Tooth Tiger Magazine

Same Faces Collective

samfiftyfour

Santa Fe Literary Review (SFLR)

Santa Monica Review

Saw Palm: Florida Literature and Art

Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine

So to Speak

SoFloPoJo - South Florida Poetry Journal

Sojourners

Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices

Southern Humanities Review

Southern Poetry Review

Still Point Arts Quarterly

The Sun: fear not fellow Brits, this is not THAT horrible tabloid newspaper.

Sunspot Literary Journal

Superlative - The Literary Journal

swamp pink

Sweet Tree Review

swifts & slows: a quarterly of crisscrossings

SWWIM Every Day

Table For Deuce: The Seat

Tadpole Press Literary Magazine

Thimble Literary Magazine

Thin Air Magazine

Thin Skin

Think: A Journal of Poetry, Fiction, and Essays

Thirteen Bridges Review

Tipton Poetry Journal

Triggerfish Critical Review

TYPO: The International Journal of Prototypes

Unbroken

Under the Gum Tree

Valiant Scribe Literary Journal

Valley Voices: A Literary Review

Verse-Virtual

Verses From The Underground

Vestal Review

VIA: Voices in Italian Americana

Voicemail Poems

Wallstrait

Waxing & Waning: A Literary Journal

Waxwing

Wayfarer Magazine

Waymark Literary Magazine

Wayne Literary Review

Weber - The Contemporary West

Wilderness House Literary Review

Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature

WordSwell Journal

Workers Write!

World’s Best Magazine

Writers’ Block Journal

Writing Disorder

WWPH Writes

Yalobusha Review

Young Writers Journal

Your Impossible Voice

Zhagaram Literary Magazine

Zodiac Review

Zone 3

antiphony: a journal & press

Writing Contests

Academy of American Poets: First Book Award, $5,000

American Literary Awards: Literary Awards, $1,000

Naugatuck River Review: Narrative Poetry Contest, $1,000

Literary Arts: Oregon Book Awards, $1,000

Dogwood: Literary Awards, $1,000

Academy for Teachers: “Stories Out of School” Flash Fiction Contest, $1,000

Harvard University: Radcliffe Institute Fellowships, $78,000

American-Scandinavian Foundation: Translation Awards, $5,000

Academy of American Poets: Ambroggio Prize, $1,000

Ex Ophidia Press: Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Contest, $2,000

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation: Writing Fellowships, $65,000

University of Wisconsin Press: Brittingham and Felix Pollak Prizes, $1,500

Travelers’ Tales: Solas Awards, $1,000

Lightscatter Press: Poetry Prize, $1,000

New York Public Library: Cullman Center Fellowships, $90,000

Creative Writing Ink: Short Story Competition, $1,335

Dzanc Books: Prize for Fiction, $5,000

University of Massachusetts Press: Junpier Prizes, $1,000

Fresno State: Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, $2,000

Hive Poetry Collective: Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Prize, $1,000

Hackney Literary Awards: Novel Contest, $5,000

Boulevard: Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers, $1,000

PEN/Faulkner Foundation: Award for Fiction, $15,000

Moment Magazine: Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest, $1,000

University of Mississippi: Willie Morris Award for Southern Nonfiction, $12,000

University of Mississippi: Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, $12,000

Dzanc Books: Short Story Collection Prize, $5,000

University of Mississippi: Willie Morris Award for Southern Poetry, $3,000

One Page: Poetry Contest, $2,000

Connecticut Poetry Society: Vivian Shipley Poetry Award, $1,000

Ghost Story: Supernatural Fiction Award, $1,500

Texas Review Press: X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize, $10,000

The Moth: Nature Writing Prize, $1,142

!! For submissions to SMALL PRESSES open this month, please see here.

In case you missed it…

Here you can find three recent submissions from three wonderful writers. We loved reading each of these pieces, and think you will too! You don’t want to miss them.

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

☆★☆★☆

Subscribe now

Mukadzi Azvisununguka: A Woman Who Has Set Herself Free

Charlotte — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 04:22:42 GMT

Caroline Chagnon on Pinterest

Congratulations to for having their following poem chosen for publication on . The poem that follows is a truly wonderful and intricate exploration of womanhood. Please read the following conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant poem.

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

Subscribe now

Writer Spotlight: Wadzanai

Originally from London, UK, has been practicing their writing craft for the past twenty years.

What was it that made you start writing?

English writing classes, it was the one class I enjoyed the most. I was a quiet child, writing gave me a voice, allowed for me to express without having to move my lips.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

Experiencing loss, using writing as a tool to grieve. I used expressive writing to process pain, this forced me to become honest and raw with my writing. Grief is not neat, it challenged me to stop striving for perfection when it comes to writing.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

Poetry and essays. Poetry is my favourite by far! Being able to say things indirectly and hold contradictions without explanations allows for exploration of our complexities as humans. I just love it! Less judgement too in poetry!

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

Almost anything that will not leave me alone! It varies depending on the the season, it can be anything: my personal journey with life, identity , race, religion , Romance . I’m also inspired by culture, art pieces and most recently my daughter , who changed the way view the world.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting etc)?

It always starts with a spark/ thought and I just simply draft , getting the thoughts out of my head. I travel with my notepad so this can be at home or on my commute to work. At times, I will embark on a treat, quieten down from busy home life so I can just focus on writing or finishing the drafts.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

When it comes to poetry I just write , when I shared my first collection it was for family and friends. I am writing a second edition, and the intention is to share because I know how much I needed those words at the moment of writing, so I share trusting that if I enjoyed/ needed them someone out there may also benefit.

Why do you think community is important for writers / creative people?

This is what I have learnt from having a substack , writing is extremely unique, a lot of us, writers spend our time isolated writing. It’s important to have community for encouragement , empowerment and friendships. From having this community I have learnt more about opportunities available for writers, which I wouldn’t have if I had remained isolated.

Where do you currently share your work?

Substack, and LinkedIn (I write for business proposals for a living, I share insight on what this entails and how it differs from creative writing).

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I wanted to be bold and challenge myself on visibility.

About the Poem: Mukadzi Azvisununguka - A Woman Who Has Set Herself Free

Regarding Mukadzi Azvisununguka: A Woman Who Has Set Herself Free, what in particular inspired you to write this piece?

This piece was simply about owning my identity as a woman , especially as a Black Zimbabwean woman. I was taking pride in all of me and celebrating Black Womanhood whilst challenging stereotypes.

What is the context for the piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

Celebrating your power!

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

This was written from a conversation I was having with a friend , well a rant. I had to cut the phone call and starting taking notes, once I started I let it all out before editing in 10 minutes. I was in a challenging period where I had been bullied at work for being a Black woman. And in the frustration I was able to say I am A Zimbabwean woman, celebrated and speak life into myself.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I wanted to share this with a wider audience.

So, without further ado, here is Mukadzi Azvisununguka: A Woman Who Has Set Herself Free by Wadzanai

Mukadzi Azvisununguka: A Woman Who Has Set Herself Free

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

I Am, 
An astonishing woman, 
A Free woman.
 
In a world, 
That has been built intentionally to kill the woman, 
And distort the value of a woman, 
Who is created in the image of God. 
I Am, 
An astonishing Zimbabwean woman, 
A Free woman. 

Yet many wonder why, 
I have the audacity to use my voice 
Protected by my big bodacious juicy lips, 
To curve my mouth, 
Intently building life whilst tearing down lies. 

I Am and astonishing woman. 
A free woman. 
My thighs are the smoke which thunders (Mosi-oa-Tunya). 
These thighs are not just for supporting my life bearing hips! 
These thighs, my thighs are one of many reasons, 
As to why you remain captivated. 
Let me not forget my stretchmarks, 
A reminder of truly how far this exceptional woman can go.

I am an astonishing woman, 
With a profound heart. 
In which those that have surrounded me have had the pleasure 
Of experiencing my deep feelings, circulating consistently 
Like the Zambezi river. 
Nurturing is my gift to you. 

I am an astonishing woman. 
That is who I am, 
From the depth of my soul. 
Yet this bothers you, for reason unknown to me, because  
I cannot afford the time of the day to care. 
I am proud! 
Just like an aggressive lioness, 
My breasts supply all the necessary nutrients. 

I am an astonishing woman. 
Indeed, I am astonished. 
Warm like the winter sunset and sunrise, 
On a lofty perch at Great Zimbabwe Ruins. 
A woman, 
Bright as the gaze in my dark big brown eyes. 
Caring, just like the feet that marched for freedom, 
on behalf of future generations. 
Enriching, just like the farmers, whose heart is in the soil. 
Planting the seed that yield fruits in time for a great harvest.

I am an astonishing woman. 
Indeed, I am she. 
Whether or not you see it, 
I simply know it and of course it is true. 
The colour of my skin,  
Brown, 
The humility of yielding to my creator, 
Who sculptured me from the earth’s soil. 
The coils on my head are wisdom, 
With a shimmering glow. 
That is why I hold my head high. 

A woman, 
A Zimbabwean woman, 
A Black woman. 
An astonishing woman. 
A woman that has set herself free. 
That is me.

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On Writing, Or Not

Charlotte — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 04:01:51 GMT

Congratulations to mildly chaotic swadz - - for having their following essay chosen for publication on . The essay that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of the complexities of letting go and a lack of time. Please read the follow conversation between us at and mildly chaotic swadz - - to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant essay.

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Mildly Chaotic Swadz

From Washington DC, USA, mildly chaotic swadz - - has been writing for their whole life, having started practicing it formally and joining Substack recently.

What was it that made you start writing?

Finding a college essay I wrote at 17 on an old MacBook. She said she wanted to write every day. It felt like time to finally listen.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

Learning english through novels. Being told at thirteen that reading was a waste of time. Years of prioritising the measurable over the meaningful. and eventually, the quiet realisation that I’d been writing all along--just never for anyone, including myself.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

Personal essays right now. The kind that start with something specific and end up somewhere unexpected.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

The gap between what I think I know about myself and what I actually do. Dissonance, mostly. I tend to write when something feels unresolved, when I can’t stop turning a thought over. The essay usually figures out what I was actually trying to say somewhere in the middle of writing it.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

I don't have a dedicated writing space or a set routine yet. Usually late at night, laptop open, somewhere quiet. I write out half sentences, things I don't want to forget before they dissolve. Then I sit with it. I examine those thoughts in different ways over and over until something clicks, until I find the angle that feels true rather than just accurate.
From there it becomes about finding the figurative language, building the imagery, trying to close the gap between what I mean and what the words are actually doing. And then I do a final pass as an editor, reading my work like it isn't mine, and making sure the heart of what i'm trying to say shines through.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

Honestly, both, and the tension between them is something I'm still figuring out. For a long time I wrote purely privately, with no intention of sharing. Journaling was safe precisely because no one was watching. The moment an audience enters, something shifts, and I start managing perception instead of just writing.
This essay was the first thing I've written with a "maybe" of sharing, and I caught myself doing it in real time, softening things, underselling, hedging. The whole piece is about performativity and there I was, performing in the margins of my own draft.
What I'm trying to move toward is writing that starts private, starts honest, and then gets shared without losing that. Writing to figure something out first, and then trusting that the figuring out is worth sharing. I'm not fully there yet. But that's the intention.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

I think there are a lot of people with something real to say who never say it, because nothing around them makes it feel worth saying. Community changes that. It's the difference between writing into a void and writing toward people who might actually need to hear it.
And tbh, in this day and age, I want to be able to hear myself think. The internet is loud and most of it is optimised within an inch of its life. Community, for me, is finding the quieter corners where people are writing because they have something to say, not because they have a strategy. That's worth protecting.

Where do you currently share your work?

Substack.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I found blank canvas post early in my Substack journey, when I was still figuring out what kind of community I was looking for. It stood out from the optimisation content filling my feed. It felt like a place where the writing was the point, and the writers had something to say. Submitting felt like a natural next step, and really, the most on-theme thing I could do with an essay about never sharing your work.

About the Essay: On Writing, Or Not

Regarding On Writing, Or Not, what inspired you to write this piece?

The essay came from trying to understand why I’d left so many hobbies behind. Why the question ‘what do you like to do’ filled me with dread. Why I’d convinced myself that not doing things was somehow more authentic than doing them. Writing it was how I figured out what I actually thought.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

This is my first shared piece, and the context is that it almost wasn't. I've been writing privately for years without sharing any of it, which is exactly what the essay is about.
The main message, if i had to distill it, is that the not-doing is never as neutral as it feels. We tell ourselves we're protecting things by not pursuing them, keeping them perfect in their unrealised state. But that protection is its own kind of performance. The essay is about catching yourself in that, and what it takes to start anyway.
The feeling underneath it is something closer to relief than resolution. Not a tidy epiphany, just the quiet realisation that a place to start is enough.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

Fittingly, this essay was written in the same journaling doc I describe finding in the piece itself. So in a way, it became part of the artefact it was writing about.
The process was long and nonlinear. It started as a brain dump, trying to untangle something I'd been circling for a while without knowing what it was. The structure came later, once I figured out what I was actually trying to say. A lot of the best lines arrived sideways, in the middle of rewriting something else entirely. I drafted and redrafted, reworked the figurative language, cut what wasn't earning its place. It went through more versions than I can count.
The hardest part was the ending. Not because I didn't know how it resolved, but because I kept trying to say it too directly. Eventually I realised the resolution wasn't something to announce. It was already there in the fact that the essay existed at all.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I wanted this piece to be read by other writers specifically. It felt less like a piece for a general audience and more like a conversation I wanted to have with people who are also figuring out what it means to share work honestly. Blank canvas post felt like the right room for that.

So, without further ado, here is On Writing, Or Not, an essay written by mildly chaotic swadz - .

On Writing, Or Not, by mildly chaotic swadz.

on writing, or not: the hobbies i left behind, and the lives we protect by never living them

aka, the performance of not trying

Tell us about a small goal you hope to achieve, whether in the next 10 days, 10 months, or 10 years. (200-250 words).

A bibliophile at heart: the seven-year-old cozying up in her chilly apartment corner, sampling Silverstein’s black-and-white type pancakes, sweet and piping hot; the seventeen-year-old basking on the porch, drinking in words from a page like cold lemonade on a warm summer day.

For me, the novelty of reading has never worn off. Each paperback offers escape in times of unrest—in it I seek solace and adventure, both difficult to come across in the real world. Friends say I’m living vicariously; however, I’d hardly want to experience the dreadful thrill of murder anywhere other than Christie’s mysterious And Then There Were None.

Rifling through crisp paper pages, I’m a traveler of sorts, engaging in the tragic story of redemption in Hosseini’s The Kite Runner or reevaluating the impact of small actions in Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. I journey through texts, collecting insightful quotes and pocketing valuable life lessons along the way.

Watching slam poetry one evening, I came upon a sudden realisation: I want to write, and write well. I want to express myself, to encapsulate others with a flow of language stemming from my fingertips. Yet often, I find myself staring at a blank page, pencil in hand, or at the daunting white of my laptop screen.

As Clare says, “Life is a book, and there are a thousand pages I haven’t read.” My goal is to write every day, because likewise, there are a thousand pages I haven’t yet written, waiting to form my own inspirational ink-and-paper story.

- young swadz, 17, procrastinating on common app supplemental #2 and using big words. 10.15.2016.

“Fantastic personal statement—and a strong writer with a clear voice generally. I see ADMIT.”

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had the strongest sense of self. I still do.

But as I’ve grown older, I’ve harboured this deepening sense of panic whenever I’m actually asked who I am.

What do you like to do?

I dread those words, physically feel my defenses rising immediately. Perplexing.

Sometimes I joke about the time I got wrongfully banned from the library, after my 87 on a Romeo and Juliet test.

2nd highest in the class! Also known as, a B. Snatching my library card away, my mom sniped, I’d waste my life away with my nose in a book and my mind in another world entirely.

This isn’t unique. eventually, every wide-eyed student is lectured: sharpen up! Quantify everything!! Grades!!! We learn to polish what’s within reach before ever pausing to consider there may be more. Maybe it was just me, conflating the precision of an instruction with the illusion of its completeness. After all, I’ve always been too good at evaluating the world in 0s and 1s, and time as scarce. I reallocated.

Reading. Jewellery-making. Flute. Drawing. Mixed-media art. One by one, all hastily treasured away. Time-capsuled.

I’ll come back for you, I once thought, reshelving instead with private tutor. Peer editor. NHS member. Chasing all the measurable pieces on paper: good majors, great jobs, grad school. Friends and traveling and dating filling every precious remaining minute. Dismissing the idea of time-expensive pastimes of expression by telling myself, regardless of what I do, or don’t do, I still am.

What do you like to do?

In this never-ending race to make the most of my twenties, surely, hobbying for social validation, for the sake of answering icebreakers, must be performative. Shouldn’t my internal world be enough?

I didn’t see the point of slowing down for quiet hours spent just on me. Coffee hangs, trips, midterms—those demanded attention, demanded proof, demanded me to keep moving. One investment would’ve been mine alone; the rest belonged, in some sense, to everyone else, or at least to the version of myself I thought (think?) I should show the world.

I’m realising my binary, zero-sum defaults have, in their own ironic way, steered me to reject the wrong things. Maybe, in passive resistance to my own performativity, I’ve shielded my most treasured hobbies from measurement by not doing them at all. They sit, time-suspended, wrapped in a strange form of care, untouched by the world’s demands.

What do you like to do?

Everything is comparable in this day and age. “Enough” feels unattainable. And somewhere along the way, this notion that doing means more than just being has crept into all that I do, in bad ways, in good ways.

And so, every so often, I consider peeking back.

What do I like to do?

I’m left with the guilt and un-fulfillment of not having kept up, and the pressure of knowing others have. I wonder if I’ll find my time capsule cracked, spilling away, remaining hobbies brittle from time. I worry the rustiness will bring more disappointment than joy. And somewhere in that fear, I notice I’m still performing for an audience that does not exist.

As it turns out, time capsules have their own timeline.

Last week, in an effort to clear off my absolute dinosaur of a macbook, I stumbled upon my old journaling doc. I relived it all: carolina covid chronicles and study abroad sagas, sophomore situationship stories and freshman firsts. High school bucket lists. College essays.

One entire identity, reduced to three prompts and a word count. Three essays, and this stubbornness, even then, to prove that my essence mattered, not experience, not extracurriculars. It’s wild to know how much of my present life rests on what I typed at seventeen.

Truthfully, I forgot that goal to write. I’ve only ever written academically. When you’ve honed your fluency in english through novels, the ability to write comes preinstalled. Combine that with an unceasing internal monologue, and it’s natural; fun, even. gen-ed essays were a joy—rare outlets in my world of algorithms and probability. And they asked nothing of me beyond the page, so neither did I.

Forgetting doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it’s philosophy readings, bookmarked for class discussion, left half-read. A TA note, scrawled in the margins of a sociology reflection: see me! have you ever submitted to a lit mag? taken as a compliment, left at that. This is where forgetting lives. Not in absence of memory, but in decisions so swift and soundless, you don’t even feel yourself making them. How are you supposed to remember something that isn’t allowed to cross your mind?

Maybe it doesn’t matter that I forgot, because words have had a way of finding me. I look back at my angsty teen journaling. Those scattered rants are immensely entertaining, and dramatic, but they were also cathartic, for whenever silence felt too loud.

Silence feels louder now. Lately, my dissonance lingers.

So I kept reading. And then, just for fun, I started writing. A few scattered thoughts at first, and then sentences; they started taking shape, into this. The doing, I’m learning, isn’t so bad. So maybe, not everything you neglect actually leaves.

Writing feels different from the other hobbies, closer to readiness. Never locked away, just under-tapped, unnoticed, waiting. Nothing daunting to restore. The others still carry this imposed weight, but something’s been lifting recently.

I feel so fragmented sometimes. But seventeen-year-old me said it first: writing could be my way back into the life she was drafting, into unearthing the pieces I tucked away. A place to start.

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Subscribe now

Check our recent posts to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

Don’t forget to check out our recent posts on calls for submissions from other literary bodies, writing contests, and small presses (that are open for the month!):

We Are Open for Submissions!

Charlotte — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:58:33 GMT

About Blank Canvas Post…

is a community focused project, centred around sharing the written work of people from all over the world. Since we first opened our books in March 2026, we have received thousands of submissions from writers of all ages, genres, ethnicities, backgrounds, and location.

To have built such community in such a short period of time has been fantastic, and we feel every grateful for it and for you. As part of giving back to such a wonderful writing community, we share additional insight on our Substack, by way of exhibiting additional writing opportunities available for many a written genre, such as calls for submissions from literary bodies, small presses, and writing contests globally, sharing these by monthly openings and genre.

our founder, Charlotte

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We are OPEN for submissions !!!

From poetry, to short stories, essays, and fiction, we are accumulating a talent pool of writer’s who want their work to be shared by us on our Substack and to become a part of a colourful, compassionate, and supportive community of creative people.

*Please note that this post is frequently updated with accurate timeframes (e.g., when you can expect to hear back from us about your submission), and on up to date submission guidelines. We are focused on remaining open for submissions on a continual basis, prioritising the acceptance of unsolicited and simultaneous submissions.

★☆★☆★

What are we looking for?

We are on the look out for writers of any discipline to submit writing to the post, for their writing to be showcased on this platform of ever growing subscribers, right here on Substack. The aim? Building community, fostering creativity, sharing light and compassion.

Currently, we are looking to publish writing that falls under the following disciplines:

Poetry; fiction; songs / lyrics; essays; social commentaries; and short stories.

We are interested in writing that effectively discusses and conveys the any number of the following themes and messages:

Political discussions; freedom; fear; grief & loss; compassion; discovery; independence; sexuality; feminism; minority power, status, and elevation; exposure to the cracks in society.

Take each and any of these themes and messages, and write something that resonates with you and your story. Give us: heart-breaking, gut-wrenching, intellectual, well-researched, whimsical, simplicity.

Successful writers will have their accepted piece shared / posted directly on to our Substack, to an audience of 2,000+ subscribers.

Please read and consider the submission guidelines below before submitting your writing to us via the Google Form (found at the end of this post).

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How often do Blank Canvas Post share submissions?

We share a new piece of work from your submissions twice weekly to free subscribers (every Wednesday and Saturday, at 2pm Melbourne, Australia time), with additional occasional posts on ‘how-to’ topics related to the world of writing and submissions (not just to Blank Canvas Post) to paid subscribers.

Currently, we do not accept paid subscriptions as we are working towards building a regular scheduling for all of our desired content and output - so enjoy the would-be ‘additional’ / ‘paid’ content before it is no longer free!

(This is also your sign to make sure you are subscribed to so you never miss a writing opportunity ever!) ↓

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The intake of submissions we receive, will ultimately influence how often we are able to share your work - so we may end up altering the regular posting schedule (of two submission published per week) depending on the stream of submissions we receive month-to-month. (This is your sign to submit some of your recent work to us, wink wink).

*Make sure to keep an eye out for any updated submission related posts for any changes in posting schedules or submission guidelines - yet we do aim to update outstanding posts relating to submissions as we go, so all posts remain as up to date as possible.

Submission Guidelines !

Please read all of the following guidelines before submitting your writing to us. Any submissions to that do not meet all of the requirements below will not be considered for publication on our Substack.

We are currently accepting written work that falls under any of the following genres: poetry, essays, short stories, songs/lyrics, fiction.

We aim to showcase more genres of writing as well as other creative disciplines in the future, so still submit these to us should you wish to!

Please submit only one piece of writing per submission.

Multiple and unsolicited submissions are allowed.

Please upload your writing as one of the following file types: pdf, or doc.

We do not require payment for submissions.

We do not reward successful submissions with payment.

Successful submissions and writers have their accepted piece shared on our Substack.

There is currently no deadline on submissions. For updates on submissions and reading periods if response to submission periods change, keep an eye on the ‘submissions’ section of our site.

We only accept previously un-published work.

★☆★☆★

When should I expect to hear back about whether my submission is successful?

We aim to get back to all submissions with an outcome within two months of you submitting your writing to us.

If submission numbers dramatically change, then this response time may also change, but we will keep you updated of any shift of timeframe regardless. Keep an eye on the ‘Submissions’ section of our site to check for updates if it isn’t obvious from our regular posting.

Ready to submit your writing to Blank Canvas Post?

Considering the submission guidelines above, here is where you can submit your writing to Blank Canvas Post.

Please ensure that you have considered the guidelines carefully and are certain that your writing meets the submission requirements.

Submissions to Blank Canvas Post only count via completion of the Google Form - comments on this or any other submission related post, or posts shared in the subscriber chat, do not count as submissions, and will therefore not be read and/or considered for publication on our Substack.

Happy submitting! We can’t wait to read your writing.

Submit your writing HERE

(if the link above does not work, try clicking here)

A Bench Between Childhood and Time

Charlotte — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 04:00:53 GMT

Congratulations to for having their following essay chosen for publication on . The essay that follows is a truly wonderful philosophical reflection on time, memory, and the contrast between childhood and adulthood. Please read the follow conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant essay!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Victoria

Originally from Tbilisi, Georgia, has been writing for the last two years.

What was it that made you start writing?

My beloved person.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

My writing has been shaped by both my academic background in English literature and my personal experiences.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

At the moment, I primarily write academic articles, philosophical essays, and creative prose. I especially enjoy working across genres, as it allows me to combine analytical thinking with creative expression. Among these, I find philosophical and reflective writing particularly engaging, as it gives me the freedom to explore complex ideas in depth.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

I am primarily inspired by a person who is very important to me. Beyond that, I draw inspiration from literature and everyday reflections, but it is this personal connection that gives my work its deepest meaning.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

My writing process is usually quiet and reflective. I prefer a calm environment, often with a cup of coffee, where I can fully concentrate. I begin by noting down key ideas and structuring my thoughts before developing them into a coherent text. I work with digital tools for drafting and editing, but much of the process is internal—thinking, refining, and revisiting ideas until they achieve clarity and depth. Writing for me is both a disciplined and intuitive practice.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

When I start writing, I usually have both an idea and a feeling I want to express. I often imagine how a reader might connect with the text, both intellectually and emotionally. I do write with the intention of sharing my work, especially in academic and reflective contexts, but some pieces begin as personal thoughts. For me, writing is a balance between private reflection and communication with others.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Community is important for writers and creative people because it provides support, feedback, and a sense of belonging. Writing can often be a solitary process, but engaging with others helps refine ideas and offers new perspectives. It also creates opportunities for dialogue and inspiration, allowing creative individuals to grow, stay motivated, and feel connected to a wider intellectual and artistic world.

Where do you currently share your work?

academia.edu; hcommons.org; zenodo; asjp.cerist.dz; infiniteconversations.com; etc..

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I was drawn to Blank Canvas Post because of its openness to diverse voices and ideas. The publication creates a space where both intellectual depth and creative expression are equally valued, which strongly resonates with my own approach to writing. I appreciate its focus on thoughtful, reflective work, and I felt that my writing would align naturally with its vision and audience.

About the Essay: A Bench Between Childhood and Time

Regarding A Bench Between Childhood and Time, what inspired you to write this piece?

The piece was inspired by a combination of personal reflection and intellectual curiosity.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

Personal reflection.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

I was sitting on a bench near a house, waiting for my friend to finish her lesson—she works as a private tutor. Listening to music, I smoked a cigarette and gazed into the distance, lost in thought. Suddenly, two small children ran past me, and in that moment, a wave of nostalgia swept over me: how I wished I could return to childhood. It was from this feeling that the idea for my piece was born.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I chose to submit this piece to Blank Canvas Post because of its commitment to thoughtful and reflective writing. The publication values both creativity and depth, which aligns perfectly with the personal and introspective nature of my work. I felt that my piece would resonate with its audience and contribute meaningfully to the conversation the journal fosters.

So, without further ado, here is A Bench Between Childhood and Time, an essay, written by .

A Bench Between Childhood and Time, by Victoria

Evening. March has not yet decided to become spring. The air is cold, the wind is sharp, and the frost seems to remind everyone that winter does not surrender without a fight. I sit on a bench waiting for a friend. Time moves slowly, and in this pause between “now” and “soon,” two children run past me — about six years old, no more. They laugh as they run, not noticing the cold, the wind, or the world around them. Their world is movement. Their philosophy is laughter. And in that moment a thought appears: once, I was like them. Small. Light. Running. Living without the weight of reflection. Back then, life did not demand analysis, decisions, or responsibility. Life simply existed — like a clear sky, like warm asphalt in summer, like the voice of a mother calling from the window. Childhood does not ask questions about meaning. It is meaning. And now I am forty. Life is no longer a run but a journey. No longer a game but a series of choices. Thoughts have become constant companions. They do not allow us to run; they do not allow us to remain completely carefree. We know too much now: about time, about loss, about disappointment, about fear. Knowledge makes us deeper — but also heavier.

Sometimes we wish we could turn time back. Return to that state where the day is measured not by worries but by sunsets; where the only problem is that your mother calls you home too early. We want to run again without thinking about anything. But is it possible? Or is it only the illusion of an adult who has grown tired?

The philosophy of age is that childhood cannot be returned — but it can be remembered. And not only remembered, but preserved within us. Perhaps the meaning of growing up is not to lose lightness forever, but to learn how to consciously return to it from time to time. Not by escaping thoughts, but by letting them go for a moment.

Those children who just ran past me do not know that in thirty years they too will sit on a bench and watch other children running. This is the circle of time. This is the movement of life. But perhaps true adulthood is the ability not only to feel sadness about the past when we watch them, but also to smile at the present.

The wind is still cold. March is still harsh. But inside it becomes a little warmer. Because childhood is not only a period of life. It is a state of the soul that we can allow ourselves to return to — if only for a moment. Simply sitting on a bench. Simply observing. Simply allowing ourselves to be.

Share your thoughts…

Support the writing community, help it to grow and become a positive space for all the writer’s sharing their wonderful work. Let this writer know your thoughts.

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Subscribe now

Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

Don’t forget to check out our recent posts on calls for submissions from other literary bodies, writing contests, and small presses (that are open for the month!):

How to Self Publish a Bestseller in 2026!

Charlotte — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 23:57:38 GMT

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Welcome back to !

Today’s post is an extra special piece, an additional post on top of our regular scheduling of subscriber submissions and occasional writing opportunity posts.

This post is a special, one off opportunity to gain more insight into the world of publishing, specifically self-publishing, with the help of industry experts and exposure to tips and tricks that are tried and tested to build your expertise and understanding.

Want to get your new manuscript published? Unsure on how self-publishing works? Or simply like what you’re reading so far?

Then this post is for you.

(Noting here that there is a treat at the end of this post, so be sure you don’t miss any of the details along the way).

After having self-published my own poetry collection back in April 2025 - the first time I had ever self-published anything - I had to learn a lot of things as I went along. I was unsure on where to seek advice or help on the processes so did a lot of my own research and investigating, which ultimately became very time consuming, and sometimes unenjoyable.

Overall, I would say that the experience of self-publishing was an enjoyable one, yet looking back now, I would certainly do a few things differently, if I were to self-publish a new collection today.

Substack has been a great community to be a part of when it comes to learning about the platform, how to adapt your writing style and content for an audience, and on what topics do well for your tailored interests and niche.

Since starting - a Substack intended to bring writers together, to provide writers of all genres with opportunities for publication, and to offer advice on different aspects of the world of writing - I have found a lot of joy and purpose in reading subscriber submissions, curating ‘calls for submission’ posts for literary bodies, writing contests, and small presses, and recommending books to read or tips to follow to further your writing ambitions.

All of this leads me to the purpose of today’s post: an opportunity to learn how self-publishing your writing works.

The catch? I’m () not the one who will be teaching you all you need to know.

How to Self-Publish a Bestseller in 2026

A two-day virtual conference, hosted by Reedsy Learning

Self-publishing has never been more viable — or more competitive. The authors breaking through in 2026 aren’t just writing great books, they’re making smart decisions about design and marketing from the start.

And luckily for you, Reedsy is all over that.

On September 5th-6th, Reedsy is bringing together the leading voices in the indie publishing world for How to Self-Publish a Bestseller in 2026, a two-day online conference that will take you through everything you need to know about self publishing and promoting your books.

★ Learn how to market your book with Amy Jackson — marketing manager at Random House, responsible for the success of authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Andy Weir, and Jodi Picoult.

★ See what readers are really buying as Alex Newton, founder of K-Lytics, unpacks data from millions of books to show you what top-selling authors are doing well.

★ Break down your distribution options with Draft2Digital and IngramSpark, and learn how to choose which distribution platform is best for you.

★ Hear how successful independent authors navigated the self publishing journey, assembled their dream team, and launched their own bestsellers.

Plus, attend sessions on understanding self-publishing, leveraging social media, creating winning Amazon ads, and avoiding burnout. See the full lineup here.

Whether you’re working on your first book or looking to give your catalogue a shot in the arm, you’ll leave with a clear strategy for getting your book into readers’ hands.

Grab your ticket here, and use the code BLANKCANVASBESTSELLER to get $20 (USD) off. Can’t make it on the day? Replays are available for up to 28 days when you grab your ticket in advance.

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& don’t forget to use code BLANKCANVASBESTSELLER to get $20 (USD) off of Reesdy’s How to Self Publish a Bestseller in 2026 conference.

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In case you missed it…

Here you can find three recently published pieces to Blank Canvas Post from three wonderful writers. We thought they were great, and think you might just think so too. Check them out here.

Submit your writing to BLANK CANVAS POST!

is an online journal for writers of any discipline, who are OPEN for submissions. Find all the information on how to complete your submission in the posts highlighted above. We can’t wait to read your work!

Submission Guidelines

Submit to Blank Canvas Post here

Dancing with Ghosts

Charlotte — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 04:01:02 GMT

Congratulations to Alessia for having their following fiction piece chosen for publication on . The fiction piece that follows is a truly wonderful opening inside a troubled mind, chased by grief and the sense of helplessness. Please read the follow conversation between us at and Alessia to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant fiction piece!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Alessia

From a small city near the sea on the east coast of Italy, and having moved three years ago to a university city to attend their law studies, Alessia has been writing since the age of six, claiming one they learnt how to write, they never stopped.

What made you start writing?

Boredom. Simple as that. It was , and probably still is, a way to explore the inner workings of my mind and to make any reality I imagine come to life. I started writing about dreams like words where dragons existed and I was the invincible sidekick of a virtuous hero. In simpler terms it was a way to defy the limits of my boring reality at the time.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

Mmmm, everything I have been through has left me with a scar that bleeds all the time I pick up my phone to write. There isn’t a specific answer, to put it on a philosophical plate, life shaped the way I write.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

I enjoy personal essays, short stories. Stream of consciousness is the genre I enjoy the most. Letting my thoughts flow in the page, without knowing where they will land is so interesting and reading the final product often leaves me surprised.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

The ordinary man. The woman waiting in line at the bank. My classmate dealing with chronic depression. The old man walking with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. When I see this thing I let my brain wonder who they really are, what is their story. Everyone has a story worth being immortalised on paper. That is my job.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

I’m a very chaotic girl. And lazy to make matters worse. I don’t have a setting . I write when I have an inch to do it. It almost irritating. I can’t ignore it , so I write wherever I am, usually I have my phone at hand and in my notes I write down draft that I will polish as soon as I get to a place where I can sit down and organise my thoughts into a coherent text. It’s a very impulsive process, almost never planned.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing something new, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

I write for my self first, a potential public always comes secondary. I see the scene that I’m writing I can almost smell it. Is very sensorial. The story forms in my mind and my brain’s job is to translate the lights, colors and music into text. Also sometimes I feel like the mind rushes and I can’t catch up so I lose the scene. It’s confusing I know, but it’s the best way I can describe it. I’m not very good at expressing my feelings because I grew up in a family where you could not express what you were really feeling. So if you were angry or upset you could not show it, as the time passed I lost the ability of knowing what I truly feel, or how I truly feel about something. I’ve gotten so good at lying to myself that writing has become the tool I use to enlighten my inner word to myself. That is why I say I always write firstly for myself.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Humans yearn to be understood. We struggle to find those similar to us. This goes for every part of our life. Class, gender or race. If we don’t find a way to satisfy this need , and consequently our sense of belonging, we suffer. Same goes for artists. The art will dry up even die, if is not shared within those who can understand it. Same fate has the artist ( writers are artists) if is not exposed to those who are moved by the same creative urges.

Where do you currently share your work?

This is my first time sharing my work publicly.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I was scrolling through Substack when I saw a post a call for writers to submit their works. I didn’t look up the page and I just impulsively decided to share my work with you. I thought that nobody would really read it, or even like it to give it a chance after all I’m not a writer. After submitting , days later I looked up some works you published and I liked the selection.

About the Piece: Dancing with Ghosts

Regarding Dancing with Ghost, what inspired you to write this piece?

I had recently came out from a rabbit hole regarding New Orleans. This city had always fascinated me , just recently the boyfriend of my dear friend committed suicide. And I thought about death, regret and second choices All this had to be set in this city that just felt ancestral.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

The main message that I wanted to convey was that until you are dead there is always a way, choice or solution. There is always hope we just never forget to keep looking for it.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

I had jazz blasting through my headphones, the borrowed computer of my roommate I closed my eyes to allow the music to take me to New Orleans. I didn’t stop to look at the page until the last period, somehow I always feel when the story ends. And then I saw the page, back on my uncomfortable chair inside the small kitchen of my house.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

Is one of the few I translated in English (I only write in Italian). Despite the apparent theme of death, escape and failure there is in this piece a deep sense of hope, the same I had when I wrote it last spring. The same I felt the day I submitted it.

So, without further ado, here is Dancing with Ghosts, a fiction piece, written by Alessia.

Dancing with Ghosts, by Alessia

And I found myself in the streets of New Orleans.

I was wearing a long kimono that covered my whole body and brushed the ground, making me stumble every once in a while because it got caught on the tips of my stiletto heels. My black blouse allowed the warm breeze of the early summer days to get through my body. So there I was, standing at the funeral procession of Jimmy, which like a river poured through the narrow street of the city, as the sun went down.

As I looked around I realised that Jimmy was a friend to many, always there if you needed help parking, or a shoulder to cry on when life got too tough.

He was an active member of a society that repudiated him, the way it does with everything it deems useless and unnecessary.

During the ceremony in the small church we were coming out of, the pastor preached about the value of life, drug addiction, suicide and the wasted potential that some fail to live up to during their lifetime.

Between the various testimonies of Jimmy’s character, I couldn’t stop thinking that is not God who decides who lives or who dies, it’s actually the community.

I couldn’t save him, even if you could ask me how do you to save who doesn’t want to be saved. But even when I gave up, my friend Lexi, poor fool, never gave up.

She kept a thread of hope in her heart, until his last breath, that he would get better, and find the strength to fight his addiction, for his life.

But he couldn’t or maybe he didn’t want to.

The secret few understood was that he never started the marathon toward salvation, he never left the starting line.

If we think about it , Mary wasn’t able to stop the destiny of Jesus. How could Lexi save someone like Jimmy, simply destined for something beyond this life and its mortal limits? My late friend was a poet, a visionary. A nonconformist free spirit who enjoyed the juice of life during the day and plunged sharp needles into his veins at night to make sure the idyll never ended.

That man never belonged to this world, and he got rid of it in the only way he could. In grand style.

Inside the church, with Lexi’s tear-streaked face pressed into the hollow of my collarbone, I thought of all the people I’ve lost : my aunt, Max and Chiara.

Perhaps they were in the same place Jimmy was now.

And I thought of myself .

I no longer believed I deserved a happily ever after, but this was certainly mine and i had to do the most with this opportunity.

The sound of a band resuscitated me from my thoughts. We were still down the streets, when the band poured into the crowd with drums, saxophones and trombones. The music started timidly but gradually gained courage, as people began to dance. As we moved through the streets , passerby joined us. Some carried tambourines, others began singing, while some held photos of Jimmy.

I think half of the people there didn’t even know my friend, yet a sense of brotherhood emerged that he would have loved. Stalls on the streets offered drinks, food and free ice cream to children.

Jimmy’s funeral was only the second I’ve ever attended in my life. The first had been Max’s.

His ceremony had been silent, full of whispers as if the slightest noise could have woken the dead. Heads bowed, tears held back. The composure and coldness exuded the very aura of death as something to fear and respect. I could still remember the odor of the flowers ,the chrysanthemums ,and the incense. The stench of death lingered on me for weeks. I could still hear the soft prayers murmured under the breaths of men constricted in ties and suits, and women wrapped in blazers and tight skirts. That funeral had united the people only for the time of the service, tying destinies together, only to separate them again until the next death. In New Orleans, I celebrated life.

Death was a guest that swayed with us through the narrow streets to hymns sung to hope, rebirth and reunion. Jimmy used to say that if Death grins at you , you smile back and take her hand, because we are not to fear her. She’s our most loyal friend.

So that evening, I danced with Death.

Lexi began actually, following a group of guys beside the band. Their steps were precise and intricate, as if they had memorised a routine beforehand . Just a few seconds later, everyone around me was either shouting ,grooving or singing. They were loud because they wanted to gain the attention of the eternal reaper; they weren’t scared of her and whenever she wanted she could come and take them .

They were ready.

“Judith, dance with us!”, my friend shouted as she moved to the rhythm.

With a faint smile, I shook my head, trying to free myself from her grip as she was trying to drag me with her deeper inside the crowd.

“Lex, I don’t know what to do …. I can’t dance like you”. I implored her to let me go.

“It doesn’t matter , we all know how to dance”, she said, stopping in the middle of the crowd. People moved around us as if there were an invisible bubble between us and the rest of the world.

“Look around ,Judith… black people, Mexicans, white people, Asians”, she said, taking my hands.

Then, with her free hand, she pointed at the multitude of faces, each one different from the other, each belonging to lives profoundly unlike one another, yet whose destinies crossed casually, because they actively choose to pause their life and dance together.

“You’re a member of the human race. It’s instinct, part of our very same essence. Do it for yourself, surrender to your demons for once”.

She smiled, her eyes shining with determination.

“Lose control”.

And I did.

I removed my heels and pressed my bare feet on the burning asphalt. The last shred of my identity was discarded in a bin nearby the side of the road. Laughing, Lexi pulled me toward the music, and we took place right behind the band as we began to dance.

I allowed the rhythm to guide me, first the right foot then the left, small jumps one after another. The symphony violently forced its way into my body, merging with my DNA, becoming part of who I was.

I was music, and as such, I danced.

With my feet consumed against the asphalt, with my arms in the sky, my sweaty body swaying back and forth to the sound of the trumpets.

Someone grabbed my hands and danced with me.

I was in a trance. I saw nothing.

I could only hear the gloomy moans of the saxophones with their dark notes, the clarinets rising above them like a nightingales and the powerful burst of the trumpets. The pounding of the drums merged with the beating of my heart until they became one.

After everything I’ve been through, I no longer fear Death. I earned a second chance through lies and deceit, and now I own her a debt. Because no one can deceive fate , not even me, and when the day comes for her to collect, I’ll be there waiting.

My place in hell is probably already marked , but I will go there on my own terms. I won’t need her to escort me; I will open the gates of Hades myself and take my seat, head held high, in peace.

I know people that are waiting for me there. I won’t be alone.

That night, I danced with my aunt, Jimmy, Max and all those who I had lost. With my vision blurred by tears, I asked for forgiveness not from God, but from the stars. For all those I couldn’t save, for my soul, my life.

For those who had sinned, for those who had been saved.

For my old life.

I danced and prayed beneath the stars of that warm summer night, for something inside me was burning and consuming, just like the stars above.

Under those trembling lights beating against the firmament, for an instant, I felt part of something endlessly greater.

Even though I did not deserve it, the stars gave me the certainty that everything would be all right.

I smiled.

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Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

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Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

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Don’t forget to check out our recent posts on calls for submissions from other literary bodies, writing contests, and small presses (that are open for the month!):

Why Are We All Overthinking Romance?

Charlotte — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 04:01:07 GMT

Congratulations to for having their following essay chosen for publication on . The essay that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of overthinking romance. Please read the follow conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant essay!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Madison Dalzell

Originally from Canada, has been writing for the past ten years.

What was it that made you start writing?

A man I respect immensely.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

My writing has been shaped by a constant negotiation between observation and intensity —being deeply perceptive while existing in environments that didn’t always feel aligned. I learned early how to read people, energy, and subtext, and writing became a way to process what wasn’t being said out loud.
I’ve also spent a lot of time in solitude, which sharpened my inner voice and forced me to confront my own patterns, desires, and contradictions. That tension — between external chaos and internal clarity — drives my work. I don’t write to document life as it appears; I write to decode it.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

Right now, I’m primarily writing personal essays that sit at the intersection of philosophy, identity, and cultural analysis. My work often blends narrative with theory — moving between lived experience and broader frameworks around power, attachment, and perception. I’m drawn to genres that allow for that hybridity: essay, memoir, and conceptual writing. I’m less interested in rigid categories and more interested in writing that feels like a lens —something that reframes how people see themselves and the world.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

I’m inspired by the gap between how things appear and what’s actually happening underneath. Human behaviour, relationships, and unspoken dynamics are a constant source of material. A lot of my inspiration comes from everyday moments — conversations, patterns I notice, emotional shifts — but filtered through a more analytical lens. I’m also influenced by philosophy, psychology, and fashion/visual culture, particularly the idea of identity as something constructed and performed. Ultimately, I write to make sense of complexity — and to articulate things people feel but don’t always have language for.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

My writing process is less about discipline in a traditional sense and more about creating the right conditions for clarity. I tend to write in quiet, controlled environments — usually early in the morning with coffee — where I can think without interruption. I start by collecting fragments: phrases, observations, or tensions I can’t quite resolve. I don’t force structure immediately; I let ideas sit until they begin to organise themselves. From there, I write quickly and intuitively, and then refine heavily — editing for precision, tone, and rhythm. I primarily write digitally, but the process itself feels more like sculpting than drafting. I’m less interested in getting words down and more interested in getting them exactly right.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

When I begin writing something new, I’m usually trying to articulate a pattern or insight that feels just out of reach — something I understand intuitively but haven’t fully named yet. I do write with the intention of sharing, but not in a performative way. It’s more about refinement: I assume that if something is clear enough, precise enough, it will resonate. So the act of writing becomes a process of distillation — removing what’s unnecessary until only the core idea remains. At the same time, writing is also how I think. Many pieces start without an audience in mind, and only later reveal themselves as something worth sharing. That duality — private clarity, public expression — is central to my process.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Writing is often solitary, but interpretation is not. Community creates a space where ideas can be reflected, challenged, and expanded.
For me, it’s less about validation and more about calibration. Being in proximity to other thoughtful people — especially those who see things differently — sharpens your perspective and prevents your work from becoming insular.
At the same time, community reminds you that writing exists in relation to others. Even the most personal work is part of a broader conversation, and engaging with that conversation is what gives it depth and relevance.

Where do you currently share your work?

I primarily share my work online, particularly through Substack, where I publish essays that explore identity, perception, and relational dynamics.
I also integrate elements of my writing into visual and social platforms, using shorter-form content to test ideas, tone, and resonance in real time. That interplay between long-form writing and more immediate, public-facing expression is an important part of how I develop and refine my work.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I was drawn to BLANK CANVAS POST because it feels like a space that prioritises clarity of voice over conformity. There’s an openness to perspective and a willingness to hold complexity that I value in both writing and reading.
It didn’t feel overly curated in a restrictive way — it felt intentional. That balance made it a natural place to submit work that sits between personal narrative and broader reflection.

About the Essay: Why Are We All Overthinking Romance?

Regarding Why Are We All Overthinking Romance?, what inspired you to write this piece?

This piece came from trying to articulate a pattern I kept noticing but couldn’t immediately explain — something subtle in behaviour and perception that felt significant but under examined. It started as a question more than a statement. Writing it was a way of working through that question, following it until it revealed a clearer structure and meaning.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

The context is rooted in observation — both personal and external—but the piece itself moves beyond a single moment or experience. It’s more about identifying a pattern that exists across different situations. The central feeling is tension: between what is seen and what is understood, between surface-level interactions and deeper dynamics. If there’s a message, it’s about paying closer attention to what isn’t immediately obvious — and trusting that instinct.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

The process was iterative. It began with fragmented thoughts — notes, lines, and ideas that didn’t fully connect — and gradually became more structured over time. I didn’t approach it linearly. I would write, step away, return with a clearer perspective, and refine. A lot of the process involved stripping things back — removing what felt excessive until the core idea was more precise. It wasn’t about producing something quickly; it was about arriving at something that felt accurate.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I chose BLANK CANVAS POST specifically because the publication feels open to work that doesn’t sit neatly within one category. This piece operates between personal reflection and broader analysis, and I wanted it to exist in a space that allows for that kind of fluidity. It felt like the right environment for a piece that is more concerned with observation and interpretation than resolution.

So, without further ado, here is Why Are We All Overthinking Romance?, an essay written by .

Why Are We All Overthinking Romance? by Madison Dalzell

Modern dating discourse sounds less like poetry and more like a compliance manual written by someone who has never been kissed properly. Do not text first. Do not care more. Do not reveal too much. Do not say “I love you” too early. Do not be too available. Do not be too distant. Somewhere along the way, romance became a risk-mitigation strategy. We do not date; we hedge.

Every feeling now requires a forecast. Every confession requires an audit. Every gesture must be evaluated for leverage exposure. The language of love increasingly resembles portfolio management, which is unfortunate, because no one has ever moaned during a performance review.

What unsettles me is not caution. Caution is intelligent.

Relax. It’s not a merger.

What unsettles me is how aggressively we pathologise sincerity. When a woman says “I love you” first, the atmosphere shifts from warmth to diagnosis: Is she anxiously attached? Did she have absent parents? Is she seeking validation? Is she securing commitment prematurely?

When did emotional initiative become evidence of instability? Perhaps it is the opposite. When someone speaks clearly, without tremor or strategic delay, what you are witnessing is not desperation but regulation. There is nothing chaotic about calm desire; chaos begins when we cannot handle it.

If a man declares affection early, he is decisive, romantic, brave. If a woman does the same, she is supposedly reenacting childhood trauma. I am not arguing. I am observing. The asymmetry would be amusing if it were not so revealing.

We claim to want emotionally available partners. We circulate charts on secure attachment and speak fluently about vulnerability. Yet when affection is expressed calmly and without hysteria, we flinch. Why does clarity feel threatening? Why does directness feel like surrender?

The contradiction is elegant. We want depth, but reward ambiguity. We want intimacy, but glorify detachment. We want connection, but treat caring as a tactical error. Mystery has been confused with withholding, though they are not the same; mystery contains presence, while withholding is fear dressed as strategy.

Romance used to be reckless. Then it became idealistic. Now it is optimised. We assess tone, response time, emotional investment, and who yields first. We track relational momentum like analysts watching futures, and then wonder why everything feels tense.

Of course it feels tense. Everyone is negotiating while pretending to be relaxed. Real intimacy, however, is slower, less cinematic, more deliberate, and far more stable. That makes it less algorithmic and perhaps less entertaining, but undeniably more sustainable.

When texting, confessing, and timing are treated as high-risk manoeuvres, physical intimacy begins to resemble diplomatic negotiation rather than attraction. We operate at DEFCON levels over ordinary human interaction, as though territory were being invaded when someone simply feels something. No empire is collapsing. Someone just likes someone.

Much of modern romantic anxiety is intellectualisation masquerading as sophistication. We overthink not because we are brilliant, but because we are afraid — afraid of being misread, of caring more, of losing control, of appearing naive. Frameworks protect us from exposure, but exposure is not synonymous with powerlessness.

Calm exposure can be sovereign. To articulate love without trembling, desire without collapsing, or significance without apology is not desperation; it is composure with heat. The people who appear most “high value” are often simply the most emotionally armoured, while the person who can speak plainly without posturing quietly shifts the room.

Composure removes the game, and without the game one must respond honestly. The true rebellion in modern dating may not be detachment but steadiness — not chaos or oversharing, but calm, direct, unembarrassed affection. Romance becomes more compelling when it stops pretending to be a negotiation. Yet this would require something unfashionable: relaxation. And in a culture that equates tension with value, that may be the most radical move available.

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Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

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Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

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Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

See more literary bodies, small presses, and writing contests that are currently open for submissions below:

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Small Presses OPEN for Submissions: August 2026!

Charlotte — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 04:01:13 GMT

A monthly series of publications currently open for submissions of all kinds of writing disciplines and genres. From poetry and fiction, to essays and translations, you can find it all here.

Here, you can find a list of small presses that are open for submissions this month. From here on out, we will be posting one of these type of posts each month, on the 1st of each month, so you have more time for writing and submitting at your fingertips.

To help our founder, (who currently runs two Substack’s on her own), feel as though all of this compiling is not for nothing, please consider subscribing and pledging your support, and even leave a comment below on which publications you have submitted your writing to. Each little bit of engagement, truly means the most!

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Here you can find a key to help you decipher the closing dates of the following small presses:
* - open for submissions all year round
# - opened this month for submissions
! - still open for submissions for a while
+ - closing this month for submissions

Small Presses

2River *

3 Mile Harbor Press *

3: A Taos Press *

7.13 Books *

96th of October Editions *

Agate Publishing *

Alabaster Leaves Publishing *

Alice James Books !

Another New Calligraphy *

Apollo Publishers *

April Gloaming Publishing *

Bainbridge Island Press *

Between the Lines Publishing *

betweenthehighway *

Black Glove Press *

Black Mountain Press *

Black Scat Books *

Black Sun Lit *

Blair / Carolina Wren Press #

BlazeVOX *

Bottom Dog Press / Bird Dog Publishing *

Bright Hill Press +

Broken Tribe Press *

Cholla Needles Arts & Literary Library *

Complicit Press *

Cooper Dillon Books *

Divertir Publishing *

Dynamo Verlag *

Dzanc Books !

Factory Hollow Press *

Fat Dog Books *

Fayetteville Mafia Press *

FC2 #

Fernwood Press *

Finishing Line Press *

Grand River Poetry Press *

Green Linden Press #

Gunpowder Press *

Half Mystic Press *

Harvard Square Editions *

Heyday *

High Frequency Press *

Kelsey Street Press !

L+S Press !

Latah Books *

Launch Point Press *

Legacy Book Press, LLC *

Liquid Light Press *

Literary Wanderlust !

Loblolly Press +

Lost Horse Press #

LSU New Orleans Press *

MadHat Press *

Main Street Rag Publishing Company *

Manic D Press *

El Martillo Press *

Miami University Press +

Milkweed Editions !

Modern Barbarian Press *

New Door Books *

North Dakota State University Press #

Old Scratch Press *

Omnidawn Publishing *

Open Letter Books *

Origami Poems Project *

Outpost19 *

Paekakariki Press, Ltd. *

Poetose *

Poets and Dreamers International Press *

Poets Wear Prada *

Poet’s Press *

Quill & Crow Publishing House !

Raven Chronicles Press !

Read Furiously *

Red Hen Press *

Red Light Lit Press *

Red Rook Press !

Regal House Publishing *

Riot of Roses Publishing House *

River Paw Press *

Roadside Press # / +

Ruadan Books # / +

Running Wild, LLC *

Sabre Lake Publishing *

Sea Crow Press *

Serving House Books *

Shanti Arts Publishing *

Silent Clamor Press *

Silver Bow Publishing *

Slipstream Press *

Solum Literary Press *

South Broadway Press !

Spaceboy Books *

Splice !

Split/Lip Press +

Sterncastle Publishing *

Stillhouse Press #

Stillwater Story House *

Sundress Publications +

TCK Publishing *

Terrapin Books # / +

Thirty West Publishing *

University of Iowa Press *

University of Tampa Press *

University of Utah Press *

University of Wisconsin Press *

Unleash #

Unsolicited Press *

Venetian Spider Press *

Wake Forest University Press *

Wayfarer Books *

Wet Cement Press *

Whiskey Tit *

White Stag Publishing !

Want more opportunities like these?

Keep up to date with writing opportunities open throughout the year. We share calls for submissions from literary bodies, writing contests, and small presses for all written genres all year round. Check more opportunities out below:

Literary Bodies

Writing Contests

Small Presses

In case you missed it…

Here you can find three recently published pieces to Blank Canvas Post from three wonderful writers. We thought they were great, and think you might just think so too. Check them out here.

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Blank Canvas Post is an online journal for writers of any discipline, who are OPEN for submissions. Find all the information on how to complete your submission in the posts highlighted above. We can’t wait to read your work!

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Ghost Romanticism

Charlotte — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 04:00:50 GMT

Congratulations to for having their following poem chosen for publication on . The poem that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of how the love is real enough to wound yet invisible through reassurances, something that leaves quite an... impression far longer than it should. Please read the follow conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant poem!

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Writer Spotlight: Tini

From Malaysia, has been writing since their teenage years. “I faltered for a while due to unwanted gazes and words by loved ones”, says , “but now that I have a space I can call my own, I relentlessly published articles in both Substack and my Notes app”.

What was it that made you start writing?

I was a lonely child albeit having many siblings, and I guess my love for reading heightened my passion for writing.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

Experience with time, for me. Everything is just either abrupt or never ending, and it shape me who I am today. It still does.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

Life, in general. Choices, Illness. What would you call that genre, though?

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

Love. Acceptance. Passion.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

I write in one-sitting most of the time. And I like it flowy, as if you’re reading someone’s thoughts. For tools it could be a recorder, a laptop, a book and pen (the classic). Setting? Alone, wrapped in thoughts with nowhere to go.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

To exhale, I would say. It’s not something that’s fixed. Sometimes I could be watching a video and a writing is born.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Call me a fool, but community rely so much on information, in which most medium used for that are books that are written. So, writing is important. It’s one of the ways for us to pass on knowledge too.

Where do you currently share your work?

My Notes app and Substack. Oh, and my recorder too.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I would like to try publishing my work for once. Never did it before.

About the poem: Ghost Romanticism

Regarding Ghost Romanticism, what inspired you to write this piece?

And almost but requited love.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

In realising how much restraint one can put because they decided to stay longer than they should.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

I play with a lot of words. Making sure everything rhymes, but still making sense. And it have the essence of sadness and acceptance. It’s like a slow realisation.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

It shows my state of mind during that time. But then again, if I submit my piece to Blank Canvas Post for the first time, I’d still choose this one.

So, without further ado, here is Ghost Romanticism, a poem, written by .

Ghost Romanticism, by Tini

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Tasted like static on my tongue 
Felt it move like heaven 
You pulled my heartstrings and strummed 
Now I only hear silence 

I drank you twice, both times, all bitter 
Knees bruised, I fell, you know, still unsure 

Remnants of the love I gave dented and sore like apples falling 
Sticker on my throat for the way heart chose to never realising 
Baby, gave out all the space and time and care like trims and laces 

Ache, I pray 
Release is the only way 

Once owned the room just to ruin 
Just a spark, with a match, all in flames 
Like a nerve under my skin 
Unrevealed, heightened senses, you to blame 

Eyes black, you flashed, then ash, scattered 
A false benign, your face, your manners 

Remnants of the love you gave clung, curled and smelled like smoke and regret
Sticker on your throat as your way to keep your fabrication intact 
Baby, gave all in for the buts and strains and hopes like knives and daggers 

Ache, it stays 
Release might be on the way

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Subscribe now

Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

Literary Bodies Open for Submissions

Small Presses Open for Submissions

Writing Contests Open for Submissions

The Youngest Daughter

Charlotte — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:00:54 GMT

Congratulations to for having their following short story chosen for publication on . The short story that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of coming of age, identity, and loneliness. Please read the follow conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant short story!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Korie Cedre

Raised in California, currently based in Washington State, USA, has been writing since they were an elementary student, reading the infamous Warrior Cats. “However, I have been pursuing writing seriously for about six years now”, says . “I graduated with a BA in English Creative Writing in 2020, and recently my MA in Professional and Creative Writing. Although I academically pursued writing, I have only just begun truly chasing the writing dream and submitting to journals and literary reviews, and even more recently, posting on Substack!”.

What was it that made you start writing?

Dare I say One Direction fan fiction. I have always loved reading and the idea of writing something that makes people giggle, gasp, or even shed a tear. Once I started writing, I realised that it was much more than typing out a story. It was a release, a powerful tool, and could be life changing. There is so much that goes into writing than we even realise, such as rhetoric, the impact of literary devices, hours of research, trial and error, and more. Although the cheesy fanfics are what inspired me to start writing, the writing process is why I continue to do it. There is no greater feeling than seeing growth in my writing, and how vastly different my first drafts are to their final product.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

There are two that come to mind. One is from when I would write short stories about my friend’s original character and hearing the absolute joy in her voice. She would comment how amazing it was to see her character come to life, and I could not agree more. I love complex characters and the layers to unpeel that attaches us to them. Another experience is when I had my first big writing workshop on my short story in college. Everyone had read my story, then we sat in a circle and everyone discussed as I listened. Receiving not only feedback, but comments about what made my writing strong stirred something inside and I would hang on to every word. I carry each piece of feedback with me into m next written piece, which I think reflects in the writer I am today.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

I have a passion for coming-of-age themes, and dragons. I am currently working on my first long-fiction project about a young male that sets off to defeat the dragon threatening his kingdom. Although it is a fantasy setting, it will address serious topics that no one teaches you how to handle, including grieving loved ones and your childhood, being unsure of who you are, and making the right decisions. I enjoy writing young adult fiction, with a splash of poetry and short story.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

Inspiration is everywhere. If there is a complex character with layers of lore, I am all over it and want to know every detail to help me write more in-depth characters. If there’s something I am struggling to understand, it also inspires me to write in attempt to make sense of it. I play video games, I read, I greet strangers on the street, and I make sure to always be kind. These little acts keep me inspired.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

That is a great question, and is always changing. Currently, I write when the idea is here, beginning with bullet points. I then start with an outline, from beginning to end. This helps me approach the story I want to write without becoming overwhelmed. My tools are not fancy, primarily being Google Docs or Word, but I always keep a tab open for WordHippo. If I ever get stuck, I will step away to go on a walk, or you might catch me talking to myself. I highly recommend the “rubber ducky” method where you get an inanimate object and pretend it is listening to your lecture or you are trying to explain something to it. This helps a lot with sorting out the writing process. Lastly, I take care of myself. Sleep when you need it, eat whole foods, dance to your favorite album, then come back to your writing desk when you are ready.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

I write to write, and to bring the characters I create and love to life. I also write to understand things that might be troubling me. There is comfort in writing about what I do not completely understand just yet, but knowing I have the ability to research and learn about it.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Community is significant for writers, especially since it can be such an isolating activity. The topics we choose to write about can also be intense or complicated, and having a community to lean on when you need it is everything. I have a group of friends that are also creative individuals. We host “creative nights” where we share what we are currently working on, where we are stuck, what we want to talk through and work out, and to overall just share ideas. I always leave these sessions feeling so inspired and motivated to write, especially since this community has given my writing purpose. It encourages me knowing there are others that believe in my writing ability too, and want to support the writing process.

Where do you currently share your work?

I am currently posting on Substack, but you can find my other published works on my website kcedre16.wixsite.com/my-site-2. My recent poem publication “A Robot’s Anxiety” can be found in MSU Roadrunner Review, Issue 8.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I submitted to Blank Canvas Post as I found it as a great opportunity to continue trying to get my work out there. Blank Canvas Post seemed like a warm and welcoming platform to all writers of any skill level, and I wanted to be a part of this value. A massive thank you to Blank Canvas Post for accepting my submission!

About the Short Story: The Youngest Daughter

Regarding The Youngest Daughter, what inspired you to write this piece?

This was the first short story I wrote during my graduate program. I had applied to this program on a whim, and was caught in a spiral of how I got there and wanted to reflect on who I was.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

“The Youngest Daughter” is a coming-of-age short story that follows a young girl through her childhood as she experiences the loneliness of being the youngest child, all while trying to discover what it truly means to “be yourself.”

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

I was able to workshop this piece through my graduate program, dedicating a few hours a day to this piece. I had a great community of other writers also starting the program who provided feedback and support. If I was ever unsure, I would look at my childhood photos or call my family to chat, not about the writing, but just about us.

Why did you choose this piece specifically to ?

I decided to submit this piece as I had it lingering in my documents for a while, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to share it just yet, but I knew I was proud of it. I found Blank Canvas Post to be warm and welcoming to all writers, so I wanted to take my chance and submit.

So, without further ado, here is The Youngest Daughter, a short story, written by .

The Youngest Daughter, by Korie Cedre

At seven, I am seated at a round dinner table. There’s a thin veil of smoke hanging over, carrying the smell of cooked food from the stove. It blurs the faces around me, but I can tell from the laughter that I am surrounded by my family. My sister, Lorena, is removing the husk from a tamale and puts it onto our brother’s plate as she talks about her enlistment. Mom and Dad are sitting next to each other, sharing a cup of coffee as they listen intently. It is an early Christmas morning, California’s sun peeking through the blinds just enough for me to catch a glimpse of their smiles.

I try to pay attention, but I am too young to understand anything, so I drift into the background instead. The smoke’s warmth coats me like a blanket.

At eight years old I am crouching at the top of the staircase, watching my sister lug a camouflage duffle bag down the steps. I raise my hand to wave at her one last time, but she doesn’t see it from where she hugs my mom goodbye at the front door. The same hand drops and touches the spot on my forehead she kissed just a few minutes ago as if in an attempt to preserve it, but I already feel it fading away like an old photo. The fog grows denser as my mom closes the door behind them. She wipes a few tears from her eyes, and we both stare at the door for a while.

The year I turn eleven is the same year I start middle school. There’s a buzz in the air from students jogging to meet with their friends, catching each other up about their summer activities. I recognise a few faces from elementary school as they group up with each other, but nobody is looking my way.

My brother bumps into me as he swings his backpack over his shoulder. I go to push him back but am distracted by a man in a yellow vest yelling at my mom to leave so the next car can pull in. Mom blows us a kiss, reminding Alex about band practice after school before driving off.

“Mom told me to show you around,” Alex starts, “but how about I don’t do that. I’ll be in the band room if you need me.” He sends a text on his phone before sliding it shut and tucking it into his front pocket.

“That’s fine, I guess. See you later,” I mumble. Alex ruffles my hair then leaves.

As soon as I can no longer see him, unfamiliarity swarms over me and a mist rolls in. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans as I look up at my new school. Queasiness rises from my stomach and into my throat; the taste of Lucky Charms lingering on my tongue.

In class, I find my name on a desk towards the back of the classroom. It’s not long until a girl finds her’s next to mine, offering me a closed-mouth smile as she sits. Stretching my neck, I read the tag on her desk, Megan.

“God, it is so hot outside.” Megan pulls her hair back with her hands.

“Yeah. I wish it would rain again,” I say. No matter my age, I love the sound of rain and watching the raindrops race on the car window.

“I know, right?” Megan grins, letting her hair fall around her shoulders before leaning into my space. “The rain makes my hair frizzy though and I hate that. The summer is better anyways,” Megan continues.

I catch the shift in her tone, a sudden change that I don’t know what to say next. My mind yells to think of something, but I can only nod.

Silence hangs in the air as her eyes scan my face. After observation, Megan just sighs and slumps into her chair. Her eyes flicker around the room to look at anything else but me. I can feel the space between us widens into a canyon. My feet are at the edge and awkwardness is behind my back, waiting impatiently to push me off as it whispers, “What would Megan want to hear?”

“I know, right? The rain sucks.” I force a smile.

They say kids are the most precious thing to exist. At fourteen I am having trouble believing this as I watch my younger cousin backwash menudo into her water cup. Lorena and all our tías and tíos are visiting for my mom’s birthday. It is my first time seeing Lorena since she left for the military, and I cannot even recall the last time I saw most of my extended family.

“Wow! Last time I saw you, you were just a baby.”

I’m pulled from my thoughts by laughter erupting from the dinner table where everyone sat. My tía shouts her story over the Spanish music blasting from the speaker, my dad is handing out beers, and my brother and sister are there too, chuckling as they listen. Wanting to be a part of whatever seems entertaining, I get up and join my mom at the table.

“You want seconds, mija?” Mom asks, squeezing lime into her bowl. She glances back to see my empty one on the plastic toy table I was sitting at.

“No, I’m full.” I look around at the disfigured faces in the haze. “What was so funny?”

“Just some adult business.” She quickly sucks the lime juice from her thumb. “If you’re bored, go show your cousins your room.”

I am sitting on my bed as the party dies downstairs, scrolling through my phone for an ounce of amusement. My younger cousins have fallen asleep in the living room, and my parents still won’t allow me to join in adult conversations, so I resign myself to where I am most familiar.

There’s a knock on the door and Lorena follows right after with a cupcake in hand.

“How has school been?” She looks at the posters on the walls.

“It’s been good,” I mumble with a mouth full of frosting.

“That’s good.”

“How has work been?”

“A lot of work, but it’s good.” Lorena picks up an old photo frame that has the word “sisters” in sparkling purple letters across the top, but there’s no photo inside.

“That’s good,” I repeat.

Lorena asks a few more questions about things she has already heard from the parents, and I ask her a few about things I don’t know much about. She had left the door open, fog rolling along the floor and filling the space in my room, becoming denser with each question. Her face little by little becomes foggy, but I am not desperate enough to try to clear it. It feels like I am trying to make conversation with a stranger at a grocery store. It’s a tiresome cycle I repeated several times throughout the night already.

As Lorena leaves the room, I can’t help the guilty feeling that ties me to my room for the rest of her stay. I make occasional appearances for meals, only to have the same conversation no matter who I speak with in my family.

Discomfort is suffocating. Begging to breathe, I seek any means to keep the conversation going, or closer to the end. So, I put into use what I know from the conversations I can have. A series of mimicking phrases, questions, hand gestures, in hopes they find comfort in the familiar.

I am fifteen. My parents ask for Alex and me to come down to the dinner table. They tell us that they are separating. It’s an early summer’s day but the clouds outside are sitting low enough that coldness trails into the house. It whispers promises of protection into my ear if I drift off into my thoughts. My mind gives into the temptations of their whispers, seeking warmth in my imagination that I miss the rest of my family’s conversation.

My friends and I are sixteen, discussing our most recent rendezvous with our crushes. When it’s my turn, I make up a story about an imaginary boy from another school. I tuck my hair behind my ear like they do, I turn my head away to hide a smile, and I make sure to throw in a few phrases that are currently in rotation in the friend group.

After school, I recreate these gestures in the bathroom to understand what they see. The steam from the running shower fogs the mirror until I can no longer see myself and instead shows the faces of my friends as I practice.

At seventeen I am saying goodbye to Alex as he leaves for college. The one face I have always seen so clearly, and I’m sure he can see me too. There’s a weight in my chest as I think about how we will no longer have video game afternoons. It is a quiet morning with no one to argue with about who makes breakfast. I make a bowl of cereal and sit alone at the dining table meant to seat five.

Fog knocks at the front door but welcomes itself in, dressed in its finest attire and sits at the empty chairs. I wonder who I am when there is no one there to reflect.

I am eighteen years old, waving to my parents from the window of my college dorm as they drive away. Turning to face my new room, I frown at the lack of colour. My side of the dorm has no decorations, just plaid sheets on the bed, a book-bag on the desk, and a mirror in the corner.

Covering the carpeted floor, is the dark fog swirling throughout the room. I begged the fog earlier to leave with my parents, but it said it needed to see just one more thing. It climbs my legs, ensuring me it just wants to keep me safe; a safety net in case I ever need to step away from everything happening around me.

Our conversation is interrupted by a turning doorknob. A girl around my age enters the dorm, wearing a hoodie despite the blazing sun outside. She is carrying a large box which she almost drops upon seeing me, a gasp escaping her lips as she safely catches it.

“Sorry,” I speak up. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” My hand finds its way to the back of my earring and twists it, seeking comfort in this action.

“No, I’m sorry if I scared you.” She laughs sheepishly, her eyes taking a few seconds to roam over me. She places the box onto her empty desk and opens it. She pulls out an opened package of sheets, plaid grey just like mine.

“Oh, we’re matching,” I attempt to speak up, a slight tremble in my voice. I continue twisting my jewellry.

“We are. Guess the website knows how to pair roommates after all.” She chuckles, referring to the site that made us answer questions about our preferences before the big move-in-day. A few weeks after taking it, the website emailed us the name of who our roommate would be based on who matched similarly. I recall opening the email and seeing the name Janell listed.

After taking the rest of her items out, Janell hops on to the bare mattress to face me. She observes me for a few seconds before her hand also travels to the back of her earring. Our eyes meet, deafening silence as we’re unsure of what to say next.

The tension is uncomfortable, but in a different way than I am used to as it doesn’t have the same tight feeling around my throat. I see Janell roll her lips as she tries not to laugh without breaking eye contact, and I do the same. The tension lessens as we both cannot win the fight and burst into laughter. The sound is warm and the fog thins around my feet.

We introduce ourselves and start to talk about the other items we brought and what the next day will bring. As she shares with me details about her career goals, I happen to glance in the mirror and notice I am, for the first time, seeing myself through someone else.

Share your thoughts…

Support the writing community, help it to grow and become a positive space for all the writer’s sharing their wonderful work. Let this writer know your thoughts.

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

Subscribe now

Small Presses Open for Poetry Submissions!

Charlotte — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 23:11:19 GMT

Justine Buhl on Pinterest

This special post is one for the poets.

In addition to our regular monthly editions of sharing upcoming writing opportunities in literary bodies, small presses, and writing contests, we have decided to accumulate genre-specific posts, to make sifting through each body that little bit easier.

This post is for the poets. Here you can find an abundance of small presses that are open now, all year round, or soon for submissions of poetry. There are so many great small presses listed below that we have categorised into ‘Open Now’, ‘Open All Year Round’, and ‘Open Soon’ to make your viewing experience a little easier (hopefully).

Each small press’ website is linked by its name in alphabetical order for each category of ‘open’ status, with deadlines and opening periods mentioned where necessary.

Be sure to read each publications submission guidelines before submitting, as guidelines may differ slightly between different publishing bodies.

More specific posts to come for the poetry genre, as well as many other literary genres, so keep your eyes peeled.

Happy submitting!

Subscribe now

Small Presses

OPEN NOW ↓

Alice James Books: Deadline October 13th.

Blair / Carolina Wren Press: Deadline October 15th.

Bright Hill Press: Deadline August 31st.

Galileo Press: Deadline September 1st.

Gold Line Press: Deadline September 30th.

Green Linden Press: Deadline November 30th.

Howling Bird Press: Deadline August 31st.

Ink & Ribbon Press: Deadline September 14th.

Kelsey Street Press: Deadline December 26th.

L + S Press: Deadline December 1st.

Loblolly Press: Deadline September 1st.

Lost Horse Press: Deadline May 15th.

Milkweed Editions: Deadline October 15th.

North Dakota State University Press: Deadline May 31st.

Perugia Press: Deadline November 15th.

Red Rook Press: Deadline September 15th.

Roadside Press: Deadline August 31st.

South Broadway Press: Deadline September 14th.

Sundress Publications: Deadline August 31st.

Terrapin Books: Deadline August 31st.

Unleash: Deadline December 1st.

White Stag Publishing: Deadline October 1st.

OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND ↓

2River View

3 Mile Harbor Press

3: A Taos Press

96th of October Editions

Alabaster Leaves Publishing

Another New Calligraphy

April Gloaming Publishing

Bainbridge Island Press

Bottom Dog Press / Bird Dog Publishing

Grand River Poetry Press

Legacy Books Press, LLC

Liquid Light Press

Lost Telegram Press

MadHat Press

Main Street Rag Publishing Company

Manic D Press

El Martillo Press

Modern Barbarian Press

Old Scratch Press

Omnidawn Publishing

Origami Poems Project

Poets and Dreamers International Press

Regal House Publishing

Riot of Roses Publishing House

River Paw Press

Running Wild, LLC

Sabre Lake Publishing

Sea Crow Press

Seven House Books

Shanti Arts Publishing

Silver Bow Publishing

Slipstream Press

Solum Literary Press

Spaceboy Books

Sterncastle Publishing

Thirty West Publishing House

TSEHAI Publishers

Tupelo Press

Twelve House Books

University of Iowa Press

University of New Orleans Press

University of Tampa Press

University of Utah Press

University of Wisconsin Press

Unsolicited Press

Venetian Spider Press

Wake Forest University Press

OPEN SOON ↓

42 Mile Press: Open February 1st to June 15th.

128 LIT: Open October 1st to January 31st.

Airlie Press: Open July 1st to July 31st.

Aquarius Press: Open September 1st to December 15th; and April 1st to July 31st.

Ashland Poetry Press: Open September 1st to November 1st; and January 1st to May 1st.

Autumn House Press: Open January 1st to February 28th; and March 1st to April 30th; and May 1st to June 30th.

Bauhan Publishing: Open January 1st to June 30th.

Bitter Oleander Press: Open October 1st to March 31st.

Black Lawrence Press: Open November 1st to November 30th; and June 1st to June 30th.

Blair / Carolina Wren Press: Open November 15th to January 15th; and April 15th to June 15th.

Blue Light Press: Open September 1st to February 1st; and February 1st to June 30th.

Boa Editions, Ltd: Open April 1st to May 31st.

Bright Hill Press: Open January 1st to February 28th.

Bull City Press: Open March 15th to April 15th; and May 15th to June 15th.

Button Poetry: Open November 15th to December 31st; and April 15th to June 1st.

Central Avenue Publishing: Open January 1st to March 30th.

Charlotte Lit Press: Open April 1st to April 30th.

Choeofpleirn Press: Open September 1st to December 31st; and January 1st to April 30th.

Clare Songbirds Publishing House: Open January 15th to February 28th; and June 1st to July 31st.

Corpus Callosum Press: Open October 5th to January 5th; and March 15th to May 15th.

Eggtooth Editions: Open September 15th to December 15th.

Etchings Press: Open October 1st to January 26th.

Fallen Tree Press: Open January 15th to January 31st.

Four Way Books: Open November 1st to November 30th; and January 1st to March 31st; and June 1st to June 30th.

Game Over Books: Open May 1st to May 31st.

Gen Society: Open December 21st to January 4th.

Gnashing Teeth Publishing: Open September 1st to December 31st.

Green Linden Press: Open December 1st to March 21st.

Green Writers Press: Open April 1st to June 1st.

Headmistress Press: Open October 1st to October 31st.

Host Publications: Open March 2nd to June 2nd.

In Case of Emergency Press: Open October 1st to October 31st.

Ink & Ribbon Press: Open December 15th to February 14th.

Jaded Ibis Press: Open February 1st to March 31st.

June Road Press: Open December 1st to February 1st.

Loblolly Press: Open October 14th to December 17th.

Meadowlark Press: Open February 1st to March 1st.

Milk & Cake Press: Open February 1st to March 31st.

Milkweed Editions: Open December 1st to February 28th.

New Delta Review: Open October 7th to December 1st; and February 1st to March 15th.

Nightboat Books: Open September 1st to November 15th; and May 15th to July 9th.

Noemi Press: Open September 1st to September 30th; and January 1st to May 1st.

Open Ends Press: Open September 25th to December 1st.

Orison Books: Open October 1st to October 31st.

Ornithopter Press: Open September 22nd to November 12th.

Pink Trees Press: Open February 23rd to May 3rd.

Poetry Book Chapbook Prize: Open February 1st to March 15th.

Red Rook Press: Open January 15th to April 15th.

Restless Books: Open January 1st to May 31st.

Rinky Dink Press: Open June 1st to July 31st.

River River Books: Open May 1st to May 31st.

Sarabande Books: Open October 1st to October 31st; and January 1st to February 15th; and July 1st to July 31st.

Saturnalia Books: Open February 15th to April 1st.

Seneca Review Books: Open June 1st to August 1st.

Seven Kitchens Press: Open October 1st to October 31st; and November 1st to November 30th; and January 1st to January 31st; and February 1st to March 1st; and April 1st to April 30th; and June 1st to June 30th.

Sheila-Na-Gig Editions: Open July 1st to July 31st.

Sixteen Rivers Press: Open November 1st to February 1st.

Slapering Hol Press (SHP): Open March 1st to June 15th.

Stillhouse Press: Open November 1st to February 1st.

Sundress Publications: Open December 1st to February 28th; and March 1st to May 31st.

Terrapin Books: Open January 24th to February 28th.

Trio House Press: Open June 1st to June 30th.

Two Sylvias Press: Open September 1st to December 31st; and February 1st to May 31st.

Unleash: Open January 1st to July 31st.

Vallum: Contemporary Poetry: Open January 1st to April 30th.

Veliz Books: Open March 5th to May 5th.

Vine Leaves Press: Open December 1st to January 31st.

Vulgar Marsala Press: Open October 1st to November 30th.

Washington Writers’ Publishing House: Open April 1st to June 30th.

Wayne State University Press: Open April 1st to June 1st.

Waywiser Books: Open September 1st to December 1st.

Wesleyan University Press: Open February 1st to February 28th.

What Books Press: Open January 1st to April 30th.

White Stag Publishing: Open October 1st to February 1st.

Wick Poetry Center: Open February 1st to May 1st.

Word Works: Open January 15th to March 15th; and March 15th to May 15th; and May 1st to June 1st; and June 1st to July 15th.

Wordrunner eChapbooks: Open September 1st to September 30th; and January 1st to February 28th; and June 15th to July 15th.

Write Bloody Publishing: Open April 1st to April 30th.

Yellow Arrow Publishing: Open June 1st to June 30th.

YesYes Books: Open January 1st to July 31st.

Want more of where that came from?

Check out our other posts on literary bodies, small presses, and writing contests. We share posts each month on writing opportunities for the upcoming month: a never ending supply of submission options for all genres of writing!

Literary Bodies

Writing Contests

Small Presses

In case you missed it…

Here you can find three recently published pieces to from three wonderful writers. We thought they were great, and think you might just think so too. Check them out here.

Under the Floorboards of my Skin

Charlotte — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 04:01:01 GMT

Congratulations to Sophia - - for having their following poem chosen for publication on . The poem that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of shame, secrets, and fear. Please read the follow conversation between us at and Sophia - - to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant poem!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Sophia

Originally from Michigan, USA, Sophia - - has been writing since the age of nine, starting with fan fiction pieces, transforming over time into the writing of poetry and personal essays.

What was it that made you start writing?

Honestly it was the creativity and a way to outlet my creative side and to get things off my chest.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

My life honestly got me into writing. My mother always made sure that I was reading classical books as a kid, and tasked me with book reports on them. So I really got inspired to start writing more. I began writing and even submitted my writing to a group called 4H and won a ribbon, it motivated me to keep writing and try out new things

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

I enjoy writing poetry a lot, and personal essays about my life, and I also enjoy think pieces to. I am also writing in philosophy as well. I really enjoy those, I also am into writing books and wrote horror books in the past.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

That’s a tricky question, a lot does. I write about my personal life to make others feel less alone. I write poetry to get out my feelings and to do commentary about the world currently. I take a lot of inspiration from Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Edgar Allen poe, and some other writers.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

Its honestly me in my bed and my laptop. I never really enjoyed writing things on paper with pen.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

In regards to my things about philosophy, I use my head and what I think about. Im writing to share my thoughts, and to get my writing out there. When it comes to writing about personal experiences, I take a lot of time to write things properly and to get things off my chest, also I want others to feel less alone as well.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Community is important because not only does it make people feel less alone, it helps with criticism, letting out your creative juices.

Where do you currently share you work?

I share my work on Substack and my friends. I want to get into the internet revival and currently are trying to make my own blog.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I’m really trying to get out there. My therapist recommended me to start getting myself out there more and to be less afraid when it comes to sharing my writing.

About the Poem: Under the Floorboards of my Skin

Regarding Under the Floorboards of my Skin, what inspired you to write this piece?

My private life. I really have issues in bottling things up and having a problem with keeping secrets and not letting myself express who I truly am.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

The main feeling is shame. Its feeling the secrets boil up in my chest, like the floorboards under my skin. I actually took inspiration from one of Edgar Allen Poe’s stories.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

It was really me sitting in bed writing on my laptop. I was thinking about the weight in my chest about how I feel very shameful of myself and tend to keep secrets.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I feel like its some of my best work.

So, without further ado, here is Under the Floorboards of my Skin, a poem written by Sophia - .

Under the Floorboards of my Skin, by Sophia

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Secrets in my chest,
So I keep,
Dare I not speak,
I wear them as a crest,
Some are bleak,
Under the floorboards they creak,
I lie them to rest,
Under the floorboards is where they sleep,

I dare not tell a soul,
For they spread like wildfire,
Burning down trees and cities,
For that is not my goal,
Burn like a liar,
My secrets are my pretties,

Under my ribcage,
Hidden parts of me no one sees,
They grow old with age,
I will keep them hidden if it please,

Under the floorboards of my skin,
Where my secrets sleep,
I lie them to rest,
So they will not peep.

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

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Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

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Auspicious Moons

Charlotte — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 04:01:34 GMT

Congratulations to for having their following short story chosen for publication on . The short story that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of destiny, faith, and carving a path into the unknown. Please read the follow conversation between us at and to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant short story!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Layla Dawson

Originally from the USA, has been writing for forever.

What was it that made you start writing?

I started at too young an age to remember.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

My relationships, failed and successful, I think are really what have shaped me the most. Familial, platonic, romantic. They drive & inspire my best work.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

For the public: sci-fi, fantasy, and now nonfiction on Substack. Privately I also write some poetry.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

Questions and problems I want to solve within my own life as well as stories from others. I’m a huge film nerd & I also studied dance so my sources tend to be fairly eclectic.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

I like to just let my imagination flow when I feel inspired. So much of my process is in my head.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

I write for myself, but inevitably I always find the itch to share my work. I have a pretty healthy ego when it comes to my writing, so I’m always excited by the fantasy that other people will read my work and feel whatever message I’m trying to convey. Recently I’ve wanted to put a little bit of brightness out into the world. I believe that feeling good is incredible medicine and often underrated.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Community is incredibly important to feel seen and learn how to communicate what you want to communicate. My confidence has been built from years of mentorships and interacting with other creatives. That, and I’m constantly inspired by my peers to think differently about the world.

Where do you currently share you work?

My fiction is split up on a couple platforms (testing the waters on each to see what feels best): Royal Road & Fictra. Currently my Substack is dedicated to nonfiction essays but I’m toying with the idea of posting some fiction there as well.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I was drawn to Blank Canvas Post primarily because it’s a newer/smaller publication which made it less intimidating to submit. I also liked the themes requested for submission & the communal aspect.

About the Short Story: Auspicious Moons

Regarding Auspicious Moons, what inspired you to write this piece?

It was part of a much larger sci-fi space opera I had envisioned at one point but never quite got around to completing.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

I wrote it at a time when I felt a lot of external pressure shaping my actions and personal pursuits. I wanted to explore that experience of navigating the expectations of others while carving your own path. A lot of times it’s not as simple as defying expectations. There can be a lot of nuance to the outcome.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

Initially it was kind of like a fever dream writing Auspicious Moons. It was intended as an epilogue for a book I never wrote. I wrote it all in one sitting a couple years ago and only recently went back to edit it. I thought it was perfect when I first wrote it and I am just as satisfied now that I’ve reworked it.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

The call for submissions seemed in line thematically with my story and it just felt like a natural fit.

So, without further ado, here is Auspicious Moons, a short story written by .

Auspicious Moons, by Layla Dawson

I was told that I was born to be courageous, under the alignment of auspicious moons. I trusted that they knew what that meant, even if I didn’t. I was told that courage meant that you kept going no matter what. And so I kept going no matter what. Plus, I was auspicious, although auspicious was about as clear to me as courage was, like fish hidden in the murky depths of a pond.

The first time I climbed to the outlook I thought maybe that was auspicious. The climb was steep and I lost my footing several times in the dense grasses, grabbing hold of rough barked trees to keep myself upright, my hands scraping and needles poking at my face. The strange orange building that met me was made of angular blocks, streaked with rusty red and burnt to brown at the base.

Nobody told me to go there. Nobody ever told me to go anywhere. I was told to find my own path and that the gods would guide me.

I could never decide whether my favourite god was Materna or Protea. Protea seemed the obvious choice - she watched over travellers. But there was something about Materna’s kind face that drew me in. Materna’s hands, one made of bones and one of starlight, were always open and welcoming, inviting an embrace. I imagined that hugging Materna would be like hugging someone with a firm pillow in between us; her round pregnant belly would be a place to rest my head as she held me in bone and starlight.

Nobody had told me to go to the outlook. It was the gleaming obelisk that had drawn my attention. And nobody had told me not to go. When I got to the rocky field at the top of the hill, I was so tired I wanted to lie down, but my curiosity pushed me forward. The obelisk sat at a tilt, propped up by lichen covered rocks, taller than the orange building behind it. From a distance it had looked slender, but up close it was wider than I had expected - wide enough that 20 adults could hold hands around the outside. Three huge metallic barrels were attached at the base and a fourth similar barrel was attached halfway up. I thought maybe it was a statue, though I wasn’t sure what of. Smaller, worn down statues of the gods were spread throughout the field around it, marking this spot as a place of forgotten importance. I recognised the forms of Protea, a couple of Axeus, and one that had toppled over that I thought might be Materna because of the animal skull that was tied to her head. I wove through the god statues wondering who had put them there. I hadn’t heard anyone talk about this place before, even though it had been easy for me to find.

I found a door to the rusty, soot streaked, maybe not so orange building. It was off its hinges and sideways, blocking the doorway, stuck firmly in place. I was small enough that I could squeeze past it into the musty hallway beyond. The darkness was inconsistent here, broken walls and dirty shattered windows allowing sunlight to stream through, but in a dim sort of way.

Turning on my flashlight, I saw footprints indented into a layer of dry crust that coated the ground, a crust that crumbled dustily at my own footfall. I followed the footprints halfway up a wide staircase before I came to a missing step. I eyed the gap nervously, unsure if I could make the leap. But I had been taught that courage meant that you kept going no matter what. So I jumped. And I missed.

Fear coated me like oil as my body fell through the air for what felt like an eternity. I tensed and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the force of the concrete punching into my body. It was my first taste of death, a concept not fully formed in my young mind before then.

I stopped falling, but there was no pain, no breaking of my body. As I opened my eyes, I knew then what it was to be auspicious. The gods had seen me and had decided that was not my fate to fall. I stood on the staircase, both feet grounded securely on the other side of leap, not a single bruise on my body. The missing step was behind me, and looked now to be a trivial distance to cross. I wasn’t sure why I had been so scared in the first place. I took a deep breath, pulling at my shirt collar so that my neck could fully open and allow sweet air and sugars to course into my veins.

The footprints led me to a box, reflective like the metallic statue outside. It had a simple latch that lifted smoothly when I pulled, the lid as light as a leaf. Inside were books and a portable computer that flickered for a second before refusing to turn on. I knew I wouldn’t be able to take it all, so I picked the book with a photograph of the night sky on the cover. There were bold yellow letters on the front, but I couldn’t read them yet. This book was the first treasure that I took, the rest to be brought home later, one by one.

When I sought advice on the book, I was met with confusion. I was asked if I had stolen it and there was doubt when I spoke about the building on the hill. I told them I could show them the place but they said no, it was not for them to make new paths. Eventually it was concluded that there was no reason that I couldn’t be courageous and auspicious and scientific. I would be taught science and would continue to learn the stories of the gods.

My favourite stories of the gods were ones where Protea would become the thing that someone wanted most. I loved that Protea could be anything: a child, an elder, a bird, a fish, a stream, a flower, fully and truly anything. If I could become anything I would have changed into someone else. The child I was told I could never be. Or maybe I would turn into an elder and declare that we could eat sweet jam every day and not just on Worship Days. Or I would turn into a fish and follow the river all the way to the ocean where I would find the other fish and we could just swim around and wouldn’t have to do stupid human things like be courageous.

In Protea’s stories she was always leading people into dangerous situations. Sometimes the person would realise in time that Protea wasn’t really what they wanted, or they knew it was Protea and trusted the god to guide them. Sometimes Protea would leave the person stranded and Materna would come to them. Like the sailor when Protea turned into a song a lured him to the middle of a storm. Axeus was angry that day and the water threw the sailor’s boat back and forth without mercy. But Materna stepped in and created a bubble of stardust around the boat and tied a string to it to lead the sailor home.

It took me years to unravel the mysteries of the gleaming statue on the hill and to really understand the contents of the matching box. I came to learn that it wasn’t a statue at all, but a spaceship waiting for a new captain. The books I had found told me about the stars and about gravity. The computer, once charged, gave me logs and charts and coordinates. There were pictures of sickly pale people that looked not quite human, no healthy green glow to their skin. And there was a notebook full of spindly handwriting that told the story of an explorer from many years ago who had stayed here on Earth, leaving behind a family in the stars.

Then came the day when I had learned everything that I could. I felt Protea calling to me, pushing my feet forward one step further than I had ever dared to take alone. I did not want to go. I wanted to stay and eat sweets on Worship Days, listen to stories of the gods and set out through the tall grasses to explore. But I was born to be courageous under the alignment of auspicious moons. There was no option to turn back.

The spaceship greeted me with the strong reflection of sunlight from a cloudless blue sky; Axeus had blessed me with good weather. I circled to the door that had once seemed so hidden from me and entered the code that allowed me inside. I climbed up to the living pod and secured myself in the pilot’s chair. I pulled at my collar to breath better and then let my first set of eyelids slide into place. It wasn’t necessary, but it made me feel better as I pressed the button that would wake the machine. I checked my notes, but there wasn’t a place on the dashboard to put in coordinates like there should have been. Only the word “Launch” was illuminated before me, waiting for a decision. Courage meant that you kept going no matter what.

When I pressed the launch button, a great groaning started from within, ancient machinery stretching to relearn its origins. Then a quiet ticking noise as the lights before me flickered, any remnants of my confidence flickering too. The engines turned on with a coughing start, rattling the entire compartment before building to a steady shaking. I knew this was coming, had memorised the sequence of events that would propel me upward, but I had never thought about what it would feel like, or what it would sound like. The noise was louder than anything I had ever heard, and even though I clamped my hands over my ears, there was no blocking a rumble this loud.

As the spaceship fought gravity to lift itself, a slick, oily panic built in my chest. My body was tossed back and forth, barely held in place by the safety straps as I curled into the tightest ball I could manage. There were no rough barked trees to hold on to here. Nothing to do but pray to Protea that I might be guided quickly to my destination, wherever that was.

There was a shift in the air, a rolling heat, and I thought I might pass out, but something was holding me in in my body. I had no water for tears so instead I screamed out for it to stop, or maybe for death to take me, I’m not sure the difference. And then it did. It stopped.

The launch had felt both like a lifetime and no time at all and now the sudden silence hurt my ears as much as the deafening rumble of the engines had. I was weightless here in space and it felt… peaceful.

A great calm settled over me despite the gravely thirst that was tearing at my throat. There would be time for water later. The living pod had detached from the engines and settled into a gentle spin. I unhooked myself from the safety straps and pushed off the wall to look out the small window at the other side. Space looked so endless here, a million pinpricks of light visible that I had never seen while I was on the ground.

A worry tugged at my heart: In an ocean so big, would Materna be able to find me? Had Protea led me astray? I pushed the thought from my head. Of course Materna would find me. Here I was in my ship in the sky. I had done my part. I had been courageous and auspicious and even scientific. All that was left was to wait for the welcoming hands of bone and starlight.

Share your thoughts…

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

Subscribe now

Writing Contest Opportunities in August and September 2026!

Charlotte — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:50:12 GMT

With our monthly series on literary magazines and small presses open for submissions each month, we also share monthly posts on writing contests open in the upcoming month - with their deadlines falling within said month. So, in this post you can find a number of writing contests that are closing in the following months, August and September 2026, to give you more of a heads up on the deadlines and a familiarity of what each contest is looking for. Each named contest has its website link attached, as well as the prize money up for grabs.

Happy writing!

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Writing Contests ↓

*Please note all cash prize amounts listed below are in US dollars.

Closing in August

Prairie Schooner: Summer Creative Nonfiction Contest, $1,000

Granum Foundation: Granum Foundation Prize, $5,000

Black Warrior Review: Writing Contest, $1,000

Delaware Division of the Arts: Individual Artist Fellowships, $8,000

Literary Arts: Oregon Literary Fellowships, $4,000

Gival Press: Short Story Award, $1,000

TulipTree Publishing: Stories That Need to Be Told Contest, $1,000

Futurepoem: Other Futures Award, $1,000

Grayson Books: Poetry Contest, $1,000

Omnidawn Publishing: Poetry Open Book Contest, $3,000

Masters Review: Summer Short Story Award for New Writers, $3,000

Oxford Poetry: Oxford Poetry Prize, $2,702

Munster Literature Centre: Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition, $1,175

University of Iowa Press: Short Fiction Awards, $0

Talking Gourds: Cantor Prize, $1,000

Talking Gourds: Fischer Prize, $1,000

Aesthetica: Creative Writing Award, $3,383

Gemini Magazine: Flash Fiction Contest, $1,000

Dynamo Verlag: Book Contest, $1,000

Closing in September

Academy of American Poets: First Book Award, $5,000

American Literary Awards: Literary Awards, $1,000

Naugatuck River Review: Narrative Poetry Contest, $1,000

Literary Arts: Oregon Book Awards, $1,000

Dogwood: Literary Awards, $1,000

Academy for Teachers: “Stories Out of School” Flash Fiction Contest, $1,000

Harvard University: Radcliffe Institute Fellowships, $78,000

American-Scandinavian Foundation: Translation Awards, $5,000

Academy of American Poets: Ambroggio Prize, $1,000

Ex Ophidia Press: Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Contest, $2,000

Check this out!

Here you can find Writing Contests and Literary Bodies still open for submissions during the month of August.

These style of posts go out a month in advance, just in case the deadline happens to be the 1st of the month - e.g., August openings are posted on July 1st, so you have time go get a submission in if a deadline happens to be August 1st.

You can also find more writing opportunities, from literary bodies to small presses here! Take a look!

Literary Bodies

Writing Contests

Literary Bodies OPEN For Submissions: August 2026!

Charlotte — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:49:46 GMT

A monthly series of publications currently open for submissions of all kinds of writing disciplines and genres. From poetry and fiction, to essays and translations, you can find it all here.

Subscribe now

Literary Magazines

! - Exclamation Mark Lit

2River View

3Elements Literary Review

32 Poems

34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE

100 Word Story

#Ranger Magazine

#TWP Quarterly Lit Zine

Acorn: a Journal of Contemporary Haiku

Action, Spectacle

AC|DC - A Journal for the Bent

After Brunch Journal

After Dinner Conversation: Philosophy | Ethics Short Story Magazine

After Happy Hour.

After the Art

Alchemy - A Journal of Translation

American Poetry Review

Anacapa Review

Anemone Magazine

Another Chicago Magazine.

As Surely As the Sun Literary

Aura Literary Arts Review

Austur

Autumn Sky Poetry Daily

Azure: A Journal of Literary Thought

Beloit Fiction Journal

Berkeley Fiction Review

Black Fox Literary Magazine

Blue Crystal Literary Magazine

boats against the current

BoomerLitMag

Boston Review

Braided Way: Faces & Voices of Spiritual Practice

Bright Flash Literary Review

Brilliant Flash Fiction

Calendula Review: A Journal of Narrative Medicine

Calliope

Canary

Carolina Muse Literary & Arts Magazine

Catamaran Literary Reader

Catholic Poetry Room

Chainmail Poetry

Chestnut Review

Chicago Quarterly Review

Chicago Review of Books

Cholla Needles

Christian Science Monitor

Cimarron Review

Citron Review

Clackamas Literary Review

Claudine: A Literary Magazine

Cleaver Magazine

Clockwise Cat

Clover + Bee Magazine

Club Plum Literary Journal

Collateral

Collision Literary Magazine

Dark Matter: Women Witnessing

Decolonial Passage Literary Magazine

Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose

Dolomite Review

Drift & Dribble Miscellany

Driftwood Press

Eastern Structures

EastWest Literary Forum

Ecotone: Reimagining Place

Ekphrastic Review

Eleventh Hour Literary

Elysium Review

Embark: A Literary Journal for Novelists

Emerald City Ghosts

Encyclopedia Prismastica

Equatorial Literary Magazine

Eratio Poetry Journal

Fiction Desk Anthology Series

Fiction Week Literary Review

Fourteen Hills: The SFSU Review

Fresh Words: An International Literary Magazine

From Whispers to Roars

Frontier Poetry

Garlic Press

GAS: Poetry, Art, and Music

Ginosko Literary Journal

Gone Lawn

The Gotham Guillotine

Grand Little Things

Grande Dame Literary & Art Journal

Green Blotter

Grey Sparrow Journal

Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts

Heart of Flesh Literary Journal

Ignatian Literary Magazine

IHRAM Literary Magazine

Infrarrealista Review

Ink & Ember

Inquisitive Easter: New School Food

Inscape Journal

Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine

Iowa Review

Jabberwock Review

January House Literary Journal

Kennings Artistic and Literary Journal

Kestrel

Killer Nashville Magazine

KUDU

La Piccioletta Barca

La Raiz Magazine

Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet

Lake Effect

Lascaux Review

Lavender Review

Let Me Tell You A Story

Literary Fantasy Magazine

Literary Heist

Literary Mama

Literary Times

Literary Veganism: An Online Journal

Litro USA

Little Journal of Northeast India

Men Matters Online Journal

Michigan Quarterly Review

Micromance Magazine

Midcult*

midnight & indigo

Midnight Mind Magazine

Midsummer Dream House

Mobius: The Journal of Social Change

Mr. Beller’s Neighbourhood

Mudlark: An Electronic Journal of Poetry and Poetics

Narrative

Narrative Northeast

Naugatuck River Review

Neologism Poetry Journal

New Square Literary Magazine

New Verse News

New Writing Scotland

Night Picnic

Ninth Heaven Literary Journal

No, Dear

NonBinary Review

North American Review

Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora

October Hill Magazine

Pacifica Literary Review

pacificREVIEW: A West Coast Arts Review Annual

The Pasticheur: Literature, Art, & Ideas

Paterson Literary Review

Pennsylvania Literary Journal

Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality & the Arts

perhaps

Permafrost

Philly Poetry Chapbook Review

phoebe

PhysiOdyssey

Pinch Journal

Pineberry Literary Journal

Plant-Human Quarterly

Poetries in English Magazine

Poetry International

Poetry Pacific.

Poetry Project Newsletter.

Poetry South.

Poetry Super Highway.

Poets and Dreamers: Culture, Art, and Conversation + Poets and Dreamers International Literary Journal.

Points in Case

Ponder Review

Porchlight: A Journal of Southern Literature

Porter House Review

Potomac Review

Prairie Margins

Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry

Press Pause

PRISM International

Prism Review

Pure in Heart Stories

redrosethorns journal

ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action

Rough Cut Press

The Rumpus

Rundelania: the digital literary journal

Sabr Tooth Tiger Magazine

Salt Hill

Same Faces Collective

samfiftyfour

Santa Fe Literary Review (SFLR)

Santa Monica Review

Saw Palm: Florida Literature and Art

Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine

SoFloPoJo - South Florida Poetry Journal

Sojourners

Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices

SORTES

Southeast Review

Southern Humanities Review

Southern Poetry Review

Still Point Arts Quarterly

The Sun: fear not fellow Brits, this is not THAT horrible tabloid newspaper.

Sunspot Literary Journal

Superlative - The Literary Journal

Superpresent

Sweet Tree Review

swifts & slows: a quarterly of crisscrossings

SWWIM Every Day

Table For Deuce: The Seat

Tabula Rasa Review

Tadpole Press Literary Magazine

Taj Mahal Review

Teach. Write.: A Literary Journal for Writing Teachers

THEMA

Thieving Magpie

Thimble Literary Magazine

Tipton Poetry Journal

Triggerfish Critical Review

TYPO: The International Journal of Prototypes

Unbroken

Under the Gum Tree

Valiant Scribe Literary Journal

Verse-Virtual

Verses From The Underground

Vestal Review

VIA: Voices in Italian Americana

Voicemail Poems

Waxing & Waning: A Literary Journal

Waxwing

Wayfarer Magazine

Waymark Literary Magazine

Wayne Literary Review

WayWords

Weber - The Contemporary West

Wilderness House Literary Review

World’s Best Magazine

Woven Tale Press

Wrath-Bearing Tree

Write Bridge

Writers’ Block Journal

Young Writers Journal

Your Impossible Voice

Zhagaram Literary Magazine

Zodiac Review

Zone 3

antiphony: a journal & press

Writing Contests

*Please note all cash prize amounts listed below are in US dollars.

Prairie Schooner: Summer Creative Nonfiction Contest, $1,000

Granum Foundation: Granum Foundation Prize, $5,000

Black Warrior Review: Writing Contest, $1,000

Delaware Division of the Arts: Individual Artist Fellowships, $8,000

Literary Arts: Oregon Literary Fellowships, $4,000

Gival Press: Short Story Award, $1,000

TulipTree Publishing: Stories That Need to Be Told Contest, $1,000

Futurepoem: Other Futures Award, $1,000

Grayson Books: Poetry Contest, $1,000

Omnidawn Publishing: Poetry Open Book Contest, $3,000

Masters Review: Summer Short Story Award for New Writers, $3,000

Oxford Poetry: Oxford Poetry Prize, $2,702

Munster Literature Centre: Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition, $1,175

University of Iowa Press: Short Fiction Awards, $0

Talking Gourds: Cantor Prize, $1,000

Talking Gourds: Fischer Prize, $1,000

Aesthetica: Creative Writing Award, $3,383

Gemini Magazine: Flash Fiction Contest, $1,000

Dynamo Verlag: Book Contest, $1,000

!! For submissions to SMALL PRESSES open this month, please see here.

Check this out!

Here you can find even more opportunities, such as Writing Contests and Literary Bodies, open for submissions during the month of August.

These style of posts go out at the start of each month, to allow writers to sift through which publications are the best for them, and to still have time to submit their writing.

Submit your writing to BLANK CANVAS POST!

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Tenderness

Charlotte — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:54 GMT

Congratulations to Priyanka / for having their following poem chosen for publication on . The poem that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of what it actually means to be tender beyond the soft and gentle connotations we usually assign to it. Please read the follow conversation between us at and Priyanka / to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant poem!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

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Writer Spotlight: Amaraa Ambrose

From Kolkata, India, Priyanka / has been writing since childhood, and started sharing their writing on Substack in September 2025. “I’ve always written something or other growing up”, says . “Earlier, I was too shy and reluctant to share with others, but as I grew older, the necessity to be insecure faded away”.

What was it that made you start writing?

My own company and imagination. Writing was one way I could express anything I wanted and keep it to myself and share what needed to be shared. It was my best friend and still is.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

A lot of grief, and my determination to overcome my circumstances. Only to realise that a lot of love exists in my heart, and that needed to be expressed too. My loneliness in a city where I have never felt the slightest sense of belonging. The media I consume. The films, stories, and songs that have stayed with me.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

I currently write reflective essays that sit at the intersection of culture, psychology, esoterism etc. Much of my work explores themes of love, desire, loneliness, longing and healing. Alongside essays, I also write poetry and song lyrics. Often reflective and emotionally driven. Lately I’ve also been experimenting with psychological horror as a form of storytelling, though that is still an emerging direction in my writings.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

A lot of my inspiration comes from observation. Whether it be emotional states, relationships, and the quiet psychological undercurrents of everyday life. I’m also deeply influenced by the media I consume: films, literature, music, and visual art that linger in the mind long after experiencing them. I also draw inspiration from the vivid and vague dreams and nightmares that I have. My work with tarot and astrology also shapes the way I think about people and their inner worlds. Both practices encourage reflection, symbolism, and pattern recognition, which naturally finds its way into the themes and imagery in my writing.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

Honestly? I just open my notes app on my phone and type away. I could be anywhere and it could be any time. Sometimes it’s 3am and I should be asleep but I the words come to me I have to reach for something and type or write it down. Otherwise I’ll miss it. So there’s no process really. Unless I’m doing a tarot reading session for a client or my tarot page, then I will channel messages from the cards.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

To me writing is second nature. It's the same response as breathing. I'll share what I feel should be shared, and I firmly believe it'll find the people who really need to read it. Everything I've ever written has a reader or a listener. Even if, at times, it's me.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Writing is often a solitary process, but I believe a community makes the experience richer. Being in conversation with other writers and creative people allows ideas to evolve, perspectives to expand, and work to reach audiences it might not have reached otherwise. A creative community also reminds writers that they are not creating in isolation. There is a shared curiosity, a shared questioning of the world and a willingness to engage with each other’s work. That exchange can be incredibly encouraging and intellectually stimulating.

Where do you currently share your work?

Substack.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

I was drawn to Blank Canvas Post largely through intuition. Sometimes certain creative spaces simply feel aligned with the kind of work you’re doing, and that was my immediate response when I came across the publication.

About the Poem: Tenderness

Regarding Tenderness, what inspired you to write this piece?

This poem was written quite impulsively. I found myself reflecting on the tenderness and warmth I still feel for someone, and realising that it isn’t entirely gentle. There is a bite to it. Certain wounds remain tender long after time has passed, and they leave their marks. Even though time has changed how I see the person involved, there are moments when I’m not sure forgiveness has fully arrived. The poem grew from that realisation that tenderness isn’t always softness, but something shaped by memory, vulnerability, and the places where something once hurt.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

The piece reflects on tenderness in a way that moves beyond the usual idea of softness. It explores how tenderness can exist in wounds, memory, and emotional vulnerability. The main feeling behind it is that certain experiences and relationships leave marks, and those marks can remain tender long after time has passed.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

The poem came through quite spontaneously. I usually write what first arrives instinctively, and then return to the piece to edit and refine it. In this case the process involved writing through a difficult emotional moment and then shaping those initial thoughts into clearer images and lines.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

I felt the reflective nature of this piece aligned well with the kind of writing Blank Canvas Post shares. It seemed like a space that values personal, exploratory work, so it felt like a natural place to submit it.

So, without further ado, here is Tenderness, a poem written by Priyanka / .

Tenderness, by Priyanka / Amaraa Ambrose

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

I repeat this question
endlessly,
Until the meaning wears away.
worn thin like a thread
in decade-old fabric.
When a prayer is spoken too often,
does it still remain holy,
or does it turn into habit?
What makes something tender?
An overripe fruit,
skin giving way at the slightest pressure.
A bruise—
when it blooms into colour,
or antiseptic on a wound.
The chewing on the inside of your mouth,
an absentminded violence,
a pain too familiar,
thus ignored.
Eyes after crying too long,
seeing everything through salt water,
as if the world insists
on blurring itself
as you drown.
A chewed nail.
A hairline fracture.
Compassion.
Trust.
tenderness
is not softness at all.

Share your thoughts…

Support the writing community, help it to grow and become a positive space for all the writer’s sharing their wonderful work. Let this writer know your thoughts.

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In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

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A Thousand Beautiful Inconveniences

Charlotte — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 04:01:34 GMT

Congratulations to Maeve - - for having their following essay chosen for publication on . The essay that follows is a truly wonderful exploration of sacrifice, community, and compassion. Please read the follow conversation between us at and Maeve - - to understand more about the writer and the context for this brilliant essay!

To read the work of other brilliant writers of every discipline, and to join our community of creativity, empathy, and togetherness, please consider subscribing and pledging your support to .

Subscribe now

Writer Spotlight: Maeve Relihan

From Walsall in the West Midlands of England, Maeve - - has been writing a mixture of fiction, poetry, and personal essays sporadically ever since their teen years, getting involved in student journalism while studying an undergraduate degree. “I would say that I’ve been taking my writing more seriously for the past 18 months”, says Maeve - .

What was it that made you start writing?

This is a very cliche answer but I have honestly always had the urge to write. Whether it was writing stories at school, stories at home, or just in a diary, for as long as I’ve been an avid reader (which probably began when I was about seven or eight), I’ve been trying to write my own stuff, too.

What experiences have you had that have shaped the writer you are today?

Another cliche answer unfortunately, but I had quite a difficult childhood, and I have always found writing incredibly therapeutic, and even healing. It is an excellent processing tool. Something else that has shaped me is allowing my work to be read in creative writing workshops at university. The guidance of good professors and my peers helped me get over the fear of my work being read and gave me the confidence I needed to start sharing things online. Hearing other people’s honest, fair opinions on your work is invaluable! All the same, it taught me to trust my instincts - sometimes people will criticise a piece or a choice that you believe in, and you should absolutely maintain that faith in yourself. No one knows your work better than you do.

What genres are you writing at the moment? What genres do you enjoy writing?

I am currently sharing personal essays and memoir-style writing on Substack. Privately, I also work on literary fiction, which I hope to share in the future.

What inspires you to write? Where do you take your inspiration from?

I gather inspiration very organically - I don’t really have a lot of control over what I write about. If you look at my blog, you’ll see that this inspiration can be as small as a seconds-long interaction with my Dad in the car, or as lengthy and complex as a ten-day trip to New Orleans.

What does your writing process look like (e.g., environment, tools, setting)?

I keep a notebook and pen on me as much as possible to jot down raw inspiration in real time. Failing that, I make a note of words/phrases/images on my phone as they come to mind in the moment. In terms of the actual writing, I get the most out of typing on a laptop, as I think very quickly and wouldn’t be able to keep up with my stream of consciousness by hand. After that, I’m a very harsh editor of my own work - I don’t like to publish anything, really, until I feel that every word and punctuation mark is in the right place (to me, at least). My personal goal is to post on Substack once a month, which is a limit I have to impose upon myself, or I could probably edit my own work into oblivion.

What do you envisage when you are writing something new? Are you writing with the intention of sharing your work, or are you simply writing to write, for example?

I started my blog, ‘Self-Indulgence’, without any intention, really, of people reading it. It’s a very personal project and I’m committed to posting once a month, even though no one really sees it (at the moment!). Being a writer has always come hand in hand with a sense of imposter syndrome for me (i.e. not being a real one), so having a physical bank of evidence of my work for the last year or so has been really helpful.

Why do you think community is important for writers and creative people?

Creating art is an intensely vulnerable experience. For me, even if I’m not writing about myself, I can’t help but feel that everything I write reveals a little something of who I am. Letting people read that, then, can feel mortifying. It gets easier the more you do it (and in some ways, ‘Self-Indulgence’ began as a kind of radical exposure therapy to get over my fear of people reading my work), but it’s still not always pleasant. Having other creatives around you who understand that feeling is irreplaceable.

Where do you currently share your work?

Just Substack! Self-Indulgence Blog by Maeve Relihan, where you can subscribe for free.

Why did you submit your work to ? What drew you to our publication?

My work is very personal, but I would love (especially now that I’ve been publishing on the blog for a while) for it to reach people that it speaks to. The Blank Canvas call for submissions came up on my Substack feed and it seemed like a great opportunity to increase my outreach, whilst also getting to read the work of other small creators who deserve an audience!

About the Essay: A Thousand Beautiful Inconveniences

Regarding A Thousand Beautiful Inconveniences, what inspired you to write this piece?

My friends, and the lengths we go to for each other.

What is the context for this piece? What is the main feeling or message behind it?

This piece was written during a Summer when I was travelling a lot to see my friends and celebrate things with them. It was, honestly, tiring (and often stressful) travelling so much, but completely worth it. It’s a reflection on friendship, community, and effort.

What was the process of writing this piece like for you? What did this process look like?

The process of writing this piece was the same as any other, honestly. I had the viral tweet that it discusses jotted down in my notebook for a long time before I actually knew how I would use it. When my brother made a comment to me in the car (I seem to find a lot of inspiration during journeys, which is apparent on the blog - at least three pieces are born out of driving) about why I would make such a long trip for a friend, everything came together, and the piece took on a life of it’s own. Inspiration like that reiterates, to me, the importance of writing everything down. You never know when a word or image or conversation will become useful to you.

Why did you choose to submit this piece specifically to ?

Blank Canvas Post places a huge emphasis on the importance of community. It felt like the stars had aligned, then, when I saw the call for submissions, and already had this one in my back catalogue. The whole point of this piece is to celebrate community, and understand that it is not given, but earned. In the context of Blank Canvas, I urge everyone to not just post their own work, but interact with everybody else’s. You never know what amazing authors/poets you might come across!

So, without further ado, here is A Thousand Beautiful Inconveniences, an essay written by Maeve - .

A Thousand Beautiful Inconveniences, by Maeve Relihan.

During long summers off from university - when my life became confusingly split between two different cities and two different groups of people - I found myself executing a round-trip via coach or train at least once a week, often twice. I was always headed somewhere to see someone, and then back to base again, returning to my hometown for a hospitality job that was ill-paying, but enjoyable enough and close to my family. It seemed that I didn’t quite know where I lived anymore. It had become unclear whether home was still Birmingham, with relatives, and old friends, and memories on every street corner. Or was it London, now, and all the people and promise that came with it? In denial, perhaps, and unable to fully let go or embrace either of these options, my trips to see friends often lasted for less than twenty-four hours. They were motivated by a range of occasions, from birthday dinners, to graduations. Sometimes I travelled for nothing more than a well-needed catch-up over copious amounts of supermarket wine, which always tasted better after the first glass. It became a kind of routine: rushing from work to New Street station, making it to my student flat in the capital (sweaty and slightly dishevelled) with thirty minutes, tops, to get ready for the night ahead. Then, of course, getting very little sleep and rushing home (a little worse for wear) to my shift the next day. No easy feat, but not something, either, that I was willing to sacrifice to the grave of inconvenience.

On one particular weekend I found myself, unusually, bound for Newport, South Wales. I was making the two-hour trip to spend all of twenty there, as were the rest of my university friendship group, attending a party for our friend’s birthday in her hometown. I thought nothing of this, but when my brother asked how long I would be in Wales for, my response of “one night” earned me a “you’re crazy” back. It occurred to me that perhaps not everyone was ready and willing to go to such lengths, trading a treacherous, hungover journey on a cramped and entirely un-air conditioned National Express coach, for just one night of celebration. I couldn’t understand what he meant. Why wouldn’t I go? It was her birthday. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, nor for the shift that I had been scheduled to work on the same night. A quick Whatsapp message feigning a migraine had ensured my attendance.

My brother’s reaction brought to mind a viral tweet by Divya Venn, published on X, claiming that ‘being annoyed is the price you pay for community. It means having guests when you’d rather be alone. It means letting someone live with you even when they get on your nerves. It means showing up for events you’d rather not go to. It means turning the other cheek’. Mita Mallick’s response, published in TIME, validly suggested that we shouldn’t be quick to label acts like cooking for sick friends as annoyances - though perhaps mundane, these moments are, indeed, the ‘foundations of our connection to each other’. She also stressed how, though we must sometimes act selflessly for our community, it’s crucial to balance this with a commitment to ourselves and our boundaries, and I am certainly inclined to agree.

I take Venn’s annoyance, then, and raise her inconvenience, instead, as the cost of community. Mallick’s defence of boundaries is essential, and I urge Venn, actually, to be slightly more selfish - I, for one, could not sacrifice my peace at home to willingly living with someone who truly, viscerally irritated me. Not all housemates are built equal, and resentment is the mother of all evils. Simple inconvenience, though, is essential in the pursuit of meaningful connection, and I reject its embodiment of a negative definition in this context.

In such an individualistic culture as ours, which increasingly prioritises efficiency, speed, and progress, inconvenience is radical. Doing the things you don’t necessarily have to do but certainly can, for nothing but the pleasure of yourself and others, is a small act of rebellion against our modern condition. The slow acts, the ones that fail to put productivity first - they are deeply and increasingly important. Meeting a friend for a coffee (and a chat that lasts long after the cup is empty) on a Saturday morning when you could catch up on laundry or emails instead. Showing up for someone’s late-night, mediocre art show after a long and challenging hospitality shift, even though your feet hurt, you smell slightly like cooking oil, and you don’t really get art anyway. Calling in sick to spend one night in Newport, South Wales, at a house party that gets shut down for fighting, then attend a club that has all the small-town charm of bumping into your high-school bully whilst eight double-vodkas deep, in the same Wetherspoons that you’ve been going to since you were underage.

I look at the community I have built around me, and I see a thousand beautiful inconveniences. When my sister gave birth to her second child, and I spent four hours, the day before her C-section, cooking and labelling meals that she could air-fry straight from the freezer. Neither mother nor father had to slave over a hot stove in the midst of the newborn haze, and that was the greatest gift I could have given to them. When it came time for my younger brothers to find their first jobs, and I took it into my own hands to make them both a good CV. I was borderline elated when they came home from their interviews successful, as if I had been offered the position myself. Every time I make a coffee, no matter how great the rush, there is the extra time taken to make my Dad a tea. Carefully using a spoon to wring the tea bag out against the side of his cup, adding only a little milk, knowing he likes it strong. There is love, really, in all of this. In my flatmates adorning our shitty student homes with banners and balloons for every birthday I have spent with them. In my friends ensuring there is a pint glass full of water next to my bed if ever I take it too far and pass out drunk, blissfully unaware of the headache that is to cut aggressively through my temples the following morning. In my sister’s boyfriend quietly nipping to the corner shop to get me a bar of Cadbury’s chocolate, as I solemnly sat in their living room, pouring my heart out three days post break-up. Love, love, love, everywhere. All the time.

It is more human, I would argue, to see inconvenience not as something negative, but as an act of love, of service and selflessness. It is a practice (conscious or otherwise) that will give you light, as well as those on the receiving end. To come away from these inconveniences feeling buoyant, and to buoyantly receive them in return. To inconvenience oneself for those around you with a kind of radical joy, and wholeness, and, crucially, without expectation: this, of all things, is my manifesto.

The cost of community is inconvenience. I have paid it over and over again. I look at the love I have in return and I urge all others, desperately, to pay the same price.

Share your thoughts…

Support the writing community, help it to grow and become a positive space for all the writer’s sharing their wonderful work. Let this writer know your thoughts.

Leave a comment

In case you missed it…

Here are three recent submissions shared to Blank Canvas Post, written by three brilliant writers. We loved reading them, and know you will too. Check them out!

Want to have your writing published?

Blank Canvas Post are OPEN for submissions. Submit your latest writing, of any discipline, to us here, by completing a Google Form.

Check our recent posts to review our submission guidelines and to see other literary bodies who are also currently open for submissions.

Subscribe now