Midsummer Dream House

Midsummer Dream House is open to submissions for editorial feedback. Editorial feedback is given to help develop or improve the piece submitted. You can expect to receive feedback regarding aspects such as:

• Form
• Structure
• Development
• Theme
• Pacing
• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Any other aspect of the writing

You may submit: poetry, creative nonfiction, memoir, nonfiction, and fiction. Please see the categories and guidelines below:

POETRY

• Submit 1-3 poems.
• Each poem must be under 3 pages in length.

FLASH PIECE(S)

• Submit 1-2 pieces.
• Each piece must be between 100-1,000 words. 

SHORT WORKS 

• Submit 1 piece between 1,000-3,000 words.

LONGER WORKS

• Submit 1 piece between 3,000-6,000 words.

LONG WORKS

• Submit 1 piece between 6,000-10,000 words.

The amount of feedback and editing you will receive will vary. You may receive between a short paragraph to a full page of editorial critique. 

Editorial Feedback is given by Emma Grey Rose (Editor-in-Chief).

Response time: 1-6 months.

Submissions for online publication to our newsletter are open. 

We accept simultaneous submissions. Please withdraw your submission immediately if it accepted elsewhere. We accept previously published material for online publication. If you are submitting previously published work, please note where it was first published. We do not accept work that has been generated or created by Artificial Intelligence. You must be 18 years of age or over to submit.

POETRY: 1-3 poems.

FICTION: 1 fictional story between 1,000-10,000 words.

FLASH FICTION: 1-2 works of flash fiction. Each work of flash fiction can be up to 1,000 words long.

CREATIVE NONFICTION AND MEMOIRS: 1 work of creative nonfiction or 1 memoir up to 10,000 words.

PLAYS OR SCRIPTS: 1 play or script up to 10 pages long.

RIGHTS: Midsummer Dream House acquires electronic rights and retains online archival rights upon acceptance. We do not offer payment for accepted pieces at this time.

RESPONSE TIME: 1-18 months.

We are currently open to submissions for our 2025 Fiction Contest.

Deadline: December 31, 2025.

First place prize:

• $100. Publication online in the Midsummer Dream House Newsletter. 

Nominee(s):

•  $50. Publication online in the Midsummer Dream House Newsletter.
• We nominate between 1-3 Nominees.

Non-Contest Winners:

• All entries will be considered for online publication in the Midsummer Dream House Newsletter. 

Guidelines:

• Submit 1 work of fiction between 100-10,000 words as a doc. or doc.x file.
• You must be 18 years of age or over to submit.
• We do not accept work that has been generated by or created in any way with the use of Artificial Intelligence. 

Judges:

• Emma Grey Rose (Editor-in-Chief)
• George du Bois (Editor)
• Melinda Snyder (Editor)
• Jeff Edwards (Editor)

How the entries will be judged: We are looking for compelling and engaging stories that intentionally use writing techniques and skill to craft and carry the story from start to finish.

Prizes: 

• Winner and nominees will be notified by June 1, 2026.
• Payment for prizes will be sent by July 1, 2026.
• Payment is sent via PayPal. Please ensure that you have an active and functioning PayPal account prior to submitting.

Simultaneous Submissions:

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted. If you are submitting simultaneously, please withdraw your submission if accepted elsewhere.
  

Reprints:

• If you are submitting previously published work, please note this in your submission and include where it was first published. Work that has been posted only to your social media account(s), personal website(s) or blog(s) is not considered previously published.

Rights:

• Midsummer Dream House acquires electronic rights and retains online archival rights. At this time, we do not offer payment for pieces selected for publication that are non-contest winners.

Response Time: All submissions will be responded to by June 1, 2026.

We are currently open to submissions for our 2025 Poetry Contest.

Deadline: December 31, 2025.

First place prize:

• $100. Publication online in the Midsummer Dream House Newsletter.

Nominee(s):

• $50. Publication online in the Midsummer Dream House Newsletter.
• We nominate between 1-3 Nominees.

Non-Contest Winners:

• All entries will be considered for online publication in the Midsummer Dream House Newsletter.

Guidelines:

• Submit 1-3 poems. 
• You must be 18 years of age or over to submit.
• We do not accept work that has been generated by or created in any way with the use of Artificial Intelligence. 

Judges:

• Emma Grey Rose (Editor-in-Chief)
• George du Bois (Editor)
• Melinda Snyder (Editor)
• Jeff Edwards (Editor)

Entries will be judged on:

• Imagery
• Use of Language
• Concept
• Form and Structure

Poems may take on any form or structure including free verse.

Prizes:

• Winner and nominees will be notified by June 1, 2026. 
• Payment for prizes will be sent by July 1, 2026.
• Payment is sent via PayPal. Please ensure that you have an active and functioning PayPal account prior to submitting.

Simultaneous Submissions:

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted. If you are submitting simultaneously, please withdraw your submission if accepted elsewhere.

Reprints:

• If you are submitting previously published work, please note this in your submission and include where it was first published. Work that has been posted only to your social media account(s), personal website(s) or blog(s) is not considered previously published.

Rights:

• Midsummer Dream House acquires electronic rights and retains online archival rights. At this time, we do not offer payment for pieces selected for publication that are non-contest winners.

Response Time:

•  All submissions will be responded to by June 1, 2026.