Issue 5: “Why our humanity matters”
Call for contributors
Deadline: 9am Irish Standard Time, 15th July 2026
Theme and prompts for Issue Five
This year’s theme, “Why our humanity matters,” seems like a timely place to start the conversation about the importance of stories in a time when human creativity is under threat. The visible presence of AI in society continues to influence and shape the way stories are imagined and produced. Now more than ever, we need human creativity; we need stories that capture the essence of what it means to be human. We invite contributors to engage with and contemplate this theme from a national and international lens. Below, we offer prompts and themes to inspire your writing and creative process. Should you use these prompts, reflect on how they relate to the theme of home and state in your submission, which prompt you are responding to.
The ethics of storytelling
In a world becoming more openly inhuman, and anti-human empathy, can we preserve our humanity?
Write about a moment when imperfection, vulnerability, emotion, or memory reminded you of your humanity. What is it about the unfinished brushstroke, the trembling voice, the awkward silence, or the handmade object that moves us more deeply than something perfectly produced?
Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. Consider how this MLK quote is still relevant in today's climate of generative AI.
Ideas of slow living, meditation, being in the present, happiness and the simple life.
AI policy
At Unapologetic magazine, we champion original voices from new and emerging writers. We have always wanted to create a safe space where writers and visual artists can engage with the given prompt and the magazine's theme as a whole. To this end, we want to ensure that any future or recurring contributors understand that we have a zero-tolerance policy on the use of AI to create any submission. We want to hear your voice, because it matters.
Submission Requirements
Important notes:
The work must be original and cannot have been previously published. This rule includes personal blogs.
Please submit your work via our Google Form for Issue 5.
We ask that you comply with these requirements as much as possible. If a requirement is an obstacle for you, please reach out to us via email: narrativeschanging@gmail.com.
This magazine is peer-reviewed. It goes through two blind processes, please comply with the reviewers remarks as much as possible.
The Unapologetic team is working hard to secure funding to pay you for your work. As soon as we secure funding, you will be paid for your work.
General requirements:
All written pieces must be submitted in .pdf format.
Use the following file name convention: YourName_Category. For example, JaneDoe_Poetry
Maximum of 1 long-form written submission or 2 poems per person.
All written pieces are to be in Calibri font size 12.
Visual artists may submit up to 3 pieces.
To submit to the magazine please fill in this.
Review process
Submissions will be peer-reviewed by academics, activists, and artists. There will be one (1) round of revisions for works on the cusp of being accepted to the magazine.
We ask that you respect and comply with the reviewers recommendations. If you feel any recommendations were unfair, reach out to us. We will happily discuss the remarks with you. If you miss the deadline to apply your recommendations you will not be published in the issue.
If your contribution is selected, you will be asked whether you are interested in participating in workshops, exhibitions, or other working opportunities.
Category specific guidelines:
All written submissions need to be in .pdf and visual art need to be .jpeg or .png.
Poetry
Please format poetry how you imagine it printed. We ask that you refer to previous issues to see which way we publish poetry pieces.
No more than 2 pages for double column poems and 3 pages for single column poems.
Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Academic Essays
Maximum length is 2000 words.
1.5 or 2 spacing.
Academic pieces should use the recognised referencing format Modern Language Association (MLA). Please see OWL Purdue for referencing guidelines: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
Academic Essays may seek an increased word count - email narrativeschanging@gmail.com to discuss prior to writing.
Visual Art, Music, Photographs
Image files may be submitted via email in .pdf or .png format (depending on file size).
Up to 200 words detailing the inspiration for the piece and the artist’s vision/process for creating the piece and how it relates to this issue’s theme in a .pdf.
Audio, Other Electronic Media
10 minutes Maximum.
.mp4 format Only.
An introductory text to accompany electronic media to give the audience a better understanding of the work and its significance to the selected theme.
Contributors’ Rights
After publication, Unapologetic retains nonexclusive rights for the continued use of your work in electronic form. You may republish work published in the journal as long as you credit Unapologetic with the original publication.
The magazine is not limited to the prompts. If you are inspired to respond to this call and have any other ideas that you feel are relevant to the magazine, please email us at narrativeschanging@gmail.com and we would be happy to discuss possible ideas or answer any questions about submission formats and the submission process.
