The First Line
Not currently open for submissions.
Last updatedThe First Line is a literary journal where all submissions must begin with a specific first line provided for each issue, accepting fiction, poetry, and nonfiction essays.
Response time info: four to five weeks after the issue's deadline
Read the full guidelines at thefirstline.com↗Submission calls
fiction
All stories must begin with the issue's first line (cannot be altered); open to all genres; guideline length is 300 to 5,000 words (not a hard rule); four-part stories using all seasonal lines may be submitted together before the February 1 deadline.
nonfiction
500-800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work.
poetry
Poems must begin with the issue's first line (cannot be altered); no restrictions on form or line count; poetry is rarely accepted.