submissions are now closed.
Amber is looking for writing, art and photography. Pieces in other languages are welcomed as long as they are accompanied by an English translation (but a few untranslated words or phrases are okay and encouraged!)
Submitters must be of Southeast Asian descent, and be between the ages of 13 to 19. However, we’re open to non-fiction essays, reviews, and guest posts from Southeast Asians of any age, focusing on topics looking at the teen creative space and Southeast Asian teenage experiences, including diaspora experiences, YA fiction, being a (ex) teen creative, and broader discussion on creating for/by youths. If you would be interested in collaborating on this, please send us an email at amberchapbook[at]gmail[dot]com!
submission guidelines
For all submissions, please include your name and the title of the piece with the file (either in the document or in the file name). Additionally, while we seek a diversity of voices and expression, we are not interested in anything overly explicit, and, obviously, very much not interested in anything racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise slated against marginalised communities.
We do not accept fanfiction or writing that has been previously published anywhere else (previously published art/photography is okay!)
fiction
Submit 1 story of up to 4000 words, or up to 4 pieces of flash (<1000), as a as a .doc/.docx file.
If you’re unsure, see standard manuscript format, although we won’t hold formatting against you.
poetry
Submit up to 3 poems, preferably of no more than 40 lines, as a .doc/.docx file, or a pdf for special formatting.
non-fiction
Submit 1 essay of up to 4000 words as a as a .doc/.docx file.
We’re looking primarily for personal essays, but we would be open to thoughtful writing on any topic from a teen perspective.
photography & art
Submit up to 5 high quality image files. These can form a set, but should be able to stand alone.
submissions faq
Multiple & simultaneous submissions
We do not accept multiple submissions for prose. You may submit multiple poems (up to 3) and multiple photographs. You may also send both a photography/art submission and a poetry/prose submission. You may not send both poetry and prose.
Simultaneous submissions to other publications are okay, as long as you let us know if the piece has been accepted elsewhere, and indicate in your email that it is a simultaneous submission.
Publication rights
By submitting your work, you affirm that you are the sole author and owner of the work, and authorise us to publish your work.
You retain all copyright to your work. However, we ask that you acknowledge Amber: The Teenage Chapbook if republishing.
Definition of “unpublished”
The piece must not have been published anywhere else, or be publicly available anywhere else on the internet at the time of submission. Internal publications, like school competitions and magazines, do not count. If the piece has been published on a blog or social media, please remove it from public view before submitting.
Payment
Unfortunately, we are unable to pay contributors at this time, but we will show all our love and support to every piece we publish. If you’d like to help us fulfil our dream of paying contributors, consider donating to us here!
Response time
We aim to respond to all submissions within 3 weeks after the submission window closes. Do follow up with us if you haven’t heard back by then.
Photos: Wen-yi Lee, Kimberley Chia
Amber: The Teenage Chapbook 