The MacGuffin is a triannually-published, print lit mag based out of Schoolcraft College. Here are our general submission guidelines. You can find genre specific guidelines in each form.

  • We do not accept work that has been previously published in print or online.
  • Do not send revisions unless our editors have requested them. If there's a mistake with your submission, please send us a message or email macguffin@schoolcraft.edu instead of withdrawing.
  • Authors who include material under copyright in their work are responsible for receiving permission to use that copyrighted material before the magazine goes to print.
  • Do not send work that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI).
  • We accept simultaneous submissions if informed. We expect prompt notification if the work is accepted elsewhere. Manuscripts may be withdrawn until we send an acceptance notification to you.
  • All withdrawals must come through Submittable, not email.
  • We do not consider translations.
  • All files must be sent as a .docx. We will not make any edits to your submission without informing you first. Authors whose work is accepted will receive galley proofs before publication. Published authors will receive two contributor copies to be mailed to an address of their choice.
  • Please use Times New Roman 12 pt. For work that requires very specific spacing/formatting, use Palatino or Book Antiqua.
  • No cover letters are required. The information you include in the Submittable form will suffice.
  • The MacGuffin is published by Schoolcraft College. Upon publication, all publishing rights revert back to the author. Contributors receive two copies.
Submit to Poetry Submissions


  • Do not send revisions unless our editors have requested them.
  • We will consider up to five poems at a time.
  • All poems must be submitted in one file with each poem beginning on a new page.
  • Please contact us through Submittable if you wish to WITHDRAW an individual poem from your submission. 
  • Poems up to 200 lines will be considered.


Submit to Fiction Submissions

 

  • Do not send revisions unless our editors have requested them.
  • We will consider no more than one piece of fiction at a time. You're free to also send one creative nonfiction piece, but it needs to be sent through the Nonfiction Form on our Submittable page.
  • Submissions must be double-spaced with 1” margins all around.
  • The maximum word count is 5000 words.

 

Submit to Nonfiction Submissions

  • Do not send revisions unless our editors have requested them.
  • We will consider no more than one piece of creative nonfiction at a time. You may also submit one piece of fiction, but it needs to be sent through our Fiction Form on our Submittable page.
  • Submissions must be double-spaced with 1” margins all around.
  • The maximum word count is 5000 words.

Submit to Artwork Submissions

· All artwork must be at least 2700p in height and 1800p in width, and submitted as a .png, .tiff, or .jpg.

· Artists may send up to 10 works per submission. Please wait to hear back from us before sending more work.

The MacGuffin