1. The submission forum is free. No strings. No ads.

    Sign up to access the submission forum. The content within the submission forum is not visible to unregistered members or to search engines, nor will the submissions there typically be considered published unless they are selected to appear on the site's front page.

    When signing up, use your real name or an established pseudonym. Accounts of those who do not follow this rule will be deleted. Registration is free, and there is never a fee to submit your work or use the site, which is operated solely for the enjoyment and promotion of the arts by writers, artists, musicians, photographers, and other creatives. We look forward to seeing you.

New Member Guide

Quick answers to the questions new Open Arts Forum members ask most often, plus direct links to the things you are likely to need next.

Submitting work

Do you accept simultaneous submissions?

Yes. Simultaneous submissions are fine. If a work is accepted elsewhere before Open Arts Forum publishes it, please update the thread or let an editor know so we do not publish work that is no longer available.

Do you accept previously published work?

Yes, provided you have the right or authorization to republish it. Tell us where the work originally appeared and document that you have permission or retained the necessary rights to allow Open Arts Forum to republish it.

How many poems or other works may I submit?

For poetry, one per day. Unless a particular submission forum says otherwise, post each poem or work in its own thread and follow any limit stated in that forum's description or current submission notice.

Do I need to open a separate thread for each poem or work?

Usually, yes. One work per thread keeps discussion, editorial consideration, and any later publication decision attached to the correct piece. If a specific forum gives different instructions, follow those instructions.

Can I upload a Word file instead of pasting the text?

For text submissions, paste the work directly into the thread editor so editors and members can read it without downloading a file. A Word document should not replace the text of the submission. Attachments can still make sense when the creative form itself requires a file, such as certain visual, audio, or other media.

Where do I submit my work?

Use the Submit Work quick link on this page, or simply start from Forum Home and choose the appropriate submission forum. If you specifically want detailed critique rather than ordinary editorial consideration and reader response, use the workshop or critique area designated for that purpose.

Publication & privacy

Is work posted in the forum public?

No. Submission threads on the forum are visible only to registered members, are not public to ordinary web visitors, and are not indexed as public pages by search engines. Posting work in the members-only forum is not the same as publishing it publicly.

Does posting a poem or other work in the forum count as previous publication?

No. A members-only forum post does not count as public publication on Open Arts Forum. The work becomes publicly published by Open Arts Forum only if an editor selects it and it is published on the public front page.

If my forum post might later be selected, should I treat it as already published?

No. The possibility that editors may later select a work does not change the status of the private forum post. Until the work is actually published on the public Open Arts Forum site, the forum copy remains a private member submission rather than a public publication.

What happens when a work is selected for the front page?

It is published publicly on Open Arts Forum and can be read without signing in. At that point it is a public publication. Newer work will eventually move it lower in the front-page stream, but the published work remains available on the site rather than disappearing when it leaves the top of the page.

Does Open Arts Forum publish issues, or is everything just a scrolling front page?

Open Arts Forum publishes work continuously on the front page rather than holding every accepted piece for a single discrete issue. OAF can also collect work into quarterly editions. Those collections are an additional way of presenting published work; they are not what makes a private forum submission public.

Will my forum submission show up in Google or other search engines?

The members-only submission forums are not intended to be public or search-indexed. A work selected for the front page is different: the public version is meant to be readable, shareable, and discoverable on the open web.

Community & feedback

Is the Poetry Forum mainly a critique workshop?

Not necessarily. Open Arts Forum has a specific workshop or critique area for writers who want that kind of focused feedback. The regular submission forums are also places where editors and other members can read the work, respond to it, and weigh in while it is under consideration.

Why does OAF use a forum for submissions instead of a private submission form?

A forum lets your work be seen by more people than a closed submission inbox. Multiple editors can encounter it, members can respond, and you have a better chance of actually hearing from readers. That community exposure is part of the OAF model and can give a work more opportunities to be noticed for front-page publication.

Who decides what appears on the front page?

Editors make the front-page publication decisions, but members who have previously appeared on the front page can recommend works for front page consideration. Discussion and reader response in the forum can be part of the conversation around a work, but posting a work does not guarantee that it will be selected for public publication.

Do I have to ask for critique when I submit?

No. Ordinary submission and workshop critique are not the same thing. Use the dedicated workshop or critique area when you want focused revision feedback; otherwise, submit to the appropriate creative forum for editorial consideration and normal member response.

Your author profile & account

How do I add or change my author image?

Open the Author Profile page from the quick links below. It gives you a friendly place to manage your author image and the information associated with your work. If that profile tool is unavailable, OAF falls back to XenForo's standard account controls.

Where do I add or change my bio?

Open the Author Profile page from the quick links below. You can update the bio and publishing information associated with your work there. If that profile tool is unavailable, OAF falls back to XenForo's standard account controls.

How do alerts and email notifications work?

Forum alerts and email notifications are related but separate. Watching content can generate on-site alerts, while email delivery depends on your account and watch preferences. Use your alert and preference settings if you want to change how often the forum contacts you.

Common actions

These shortcuts save a few steps. You can also do all of this from Forum Home.

Submit Work Choose the appropriate submission forum and start a new submission. Author Image Add or change the image associated with your author profile. Bio & Profile Update your bio, publishing name, and author information. Forum Home Browse the creative forums, workshops, discussions, and member activity. Alerts & Preferences Choose how the forum alerts you about replies, mentions, and watched content.

Not sure where to go? Start at Forum Home. Submission forums, workshops, discussions, profile tools, and the rest of OAF remain accessible through the normal forum navigation.

One distinction worth remembering

In the member forum

Your submission is visible to registered members rather than the general public. It is not public OAF publication.

On the OAF front page

If an editor selects the work and it is published on the public site, it becomes public OAF publication.