Carte Blanche

Full details

At carte blanche we believe there is more than one way to tell a story. Our mandate is to provide a venue for narrative of all forms from fiction and nonfiction, to poetry and photo essays.
carte blanche is published three times a year: in the winter, spring/summer, and fall.

How to submit

We are currently open for comics, photography, poetry, and translation submissions. We accept original, previously unpublished submissions through our online submission form ONLY. If you have problems using our submission form, please send us an email.

Deadlines

Submissions for Issue 39 – Spring/Summer 2020 are open from 18 May to 1 July 2020. Get ready to send us your Poetry, Translations, Photography, and Comics.
Simultaneous submissions: We accept simultaneous submissions. Please indicate in your cover letter if you are sending your piece elsewhere and withdraw your submission via Submittable if it is accepted somewhere else.
Unpublished submissions: We do not accept submissions that have been previously published, including on personal websites and social media.
Rights: We ask for first world serial rights and the right to archive your work on the website. Copyright reverts to the author upon publication. In the case of translated pieces, you must already have received permissions from the original publisher to translate the piece prior to submitting your translation to us.
Payment: carte blanche pays a modest honorarium per submission. We hope to increase the amount in the future.

Theme

Our theme for Issue 39 is Anxiety.
Prior to COVID-19, worldwide climate anxiety was already on the rise, as well as anxiety relating to politics, mental health, poverty; this list could go on and on. With this new global pandemic affecting our daily lives, we are now living in a period of even greater anxiety than before. As artists in this precarious time, how does the concept of “anxiety” affect and resonate with you?

What to send

Comics
Size limit: 20 pages
We’re looking for comics that have a story to tell, that explore the boundaries of narrative within the comics form. We’re open to all styles, subjects, shapes, and sizes, but keep in mind that your comic will be displayed on the web using our image gallery. See our previously published comics to get an idea of how the gallery looks.
Please submit your files at web resolution (72dpi) with an artist’s biography of 75 words or less, and any relevant links. All files should be named with their proper titles as you would like them to be displayed on the site. Note: If your piece is selected, you may be asked to submit print-ready files for a print-on-demand copy of your issue.
Photography
Tell a story in 12 photos or fewer. Together, your photos should create a narrative – whether abstract or concrete – and have something to say.
Send a Word or PDF doc with your work pasted in it and include a statement, captions, and any other relevant text. If your work is selected for publication, we will contact you for a high-res version of the photo essay. Final submissions must be in JPG or PNG format.
Poetry
From odes and haikus to free verse and sonnets, we welcome poems in any form.
Limit: 3 poems per person per submission round.
Translations
We accept English translations of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction written originally in French. If possible, please include the original work on which the translation is based. If we like your piece and choose to publish it, you will be required to provide proof of permission from the copyright holder of the original work to translate and publish the translation. Obtaining permission can take time, so please do so before you submit!