Editors' Note
We are looking for a diverse array of writers, and stories that convey the nuances of the human experience. We accept all styles, voices, content, language, or form.
This year, our editors are coming to the table with a wide variety of tastes and preferences, hoping to read and publish work from the most absurd to the most grounded, highly metaphorical to extremely analogue. Happy writing!
Submission Guidelines
- All submissions may be up to 5000 words in 12 pt. font in a single PDF file.
- Please do not include any identifying details (e.g.: name) in the submission file.
- All work must be previously unpublished.
- We accept simultaneous submissions. Please let us know if your submission has been accepted elsewhere by adding a message and withdrawing on Submittable.
Additional Information
- LUMINA will not accept any pieces written by, with assistance from, or in collaboration with Generative AI.
- LUMINA does not mandate content warnings, but welcomes them from those who believe their work may warrant them.
Our editors are looking for a wide variety of styles and themes:
- Indigo is looking for stories that risk something, emotionally, stylistically, or morally. She loves fiction that feels slightly unrestrained: characters who don't behave and voices that unsettle or amuse in equal measure. A few of her favorite writers include Ottessa Moshfegh, Melissa Broder, and Sylvia Plath.
- Lily is looking for stories that are lush, immersive, introspective, and character-focused. She loves work that explores both the mundane and the existential and resolutely confronts the disturbing. A few of her favorite authors are Donna Tartt, Simone de Beauvoir, Mona Awad, and Emma Cline.
- Noah is seeking stories that subvert the truth and unsettle what we take for granted. Whether through the satirical, speculative, or surreal, he hopes you will ask many questions, and just as often withhold the answers. Some of his favorite authors include Kurt Vonnegut, Jennifer Egan, Don DeLillo, and Octavia Butler.
We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.
Submissions for Lumina Volume 23 will be open starting October 15, 2026 12p.m. EST until December 1, 2026 11:59 p.m. EST OR until submission caps are met. Established in 2001, Lumina is a multi-genre literary journal and visual art publication, run by Sarah Lawrence College's MFA in Writing graduate students.