We accept a wide range of works created by currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, visual art, and more. Below are some‬ general‬‭ guidelines for submission lengths, however works outside this range will still be considered: 

• Prose: Up to 3000 words.

• Poetry‬‭: Up to 3 pages.

• Visual Art‬‭: Up to 3 pages. Please also provide an artist's statement (up to 250 words).

To be considered for the Spring 2026 issue, please submit by November 1st, 2025. Any submissions received after this date will be considered for the following issue. We will read and respond to all Spring 2026 submissions by November 23rd, 2025. However, if you are currently incarcerated or are expecting communication via physical mail, please allow for delays. 

Please include the following information with your submission: 

• Full name. Please specify if you would like to be published anonymously or under a pseudonym.  

• Physical Address. 

• Email Address, if applicable. 

• A 50-100-word author bio. 

• DOC ID Number and Facility, if currently incarcerated. 

Please send all digital submissions to missouriprisonstories@gmail.com or physical submissions to:

Missouri Prison Stories

Stix International House, 

6470 Forsyth Blvd, 

Clayton, MO 63105

Please note that by submitting, you give Missouri Prison Stories permission to publish your work in print or online. You retain all other rights to your work.‬ If we are unable to reach you, your work may be edited by our team.  If your submission has been published‬ elsewhere, please note this in your submission so copyright concerns can be‬ adequately considered. We may not be able to return the original copies of your work, so please do not send us your only copy! 

Please feel free to contact us via mail or email (missouriprisonstories@gmail.com) with any questions you may have. We’re here to help.