We publish work by Lesbians. We are particularly interested in work that reflects the diversity of our experiences: as Lesbians of color, ethnic Lesbians, Jewish, Arab, old, young, working class, poverty class, disabled, and fat Lesbians. We welcome experimental work. We will not print anything that is oppressive or demeaning to Lesbians or women, or that perpetuates stereotypes. We keep an open and critical dialogue on all the issues that affect our lives, joy, and survival.
Sinister Wisdom acquires first North American serial rights for all work that we publish. By acquiring first North American serial rights, authors guarantee that publication in Sinister Wisdom will be the first publication in North America. That is, the work has not appeared previously in another journal, in a book, online, or in other forms of publication. In rare instances, Sinister Wisdom will reprint work that has been previously published. Authors should discuss with the editor and publisher PRIOR to submission.
In exchange for first serial rights, Sinister Wisdom gives authors a copy of the issue in which their work is published and a year subscription to Sinister Wisdom.
Many questions about rights are answered here: https://www.pw.org/content/copyright
Upon publication, all rights revert to the author.
Sinister Wisdom Statement on AI Use
All works (written and visual) submitted to Sinister Wisdom must be created entirely by humans. Sinister Wisdom does not publish work that uses artificial intelligence (AI) in its generation. Sinister Wisdom expects that submitters to the journal have not used AI for researching, writing, creating, and / or editing.
For the purposes of this statement, AI tools include all generative AI models, including ones integrated into editing and writing software (for example Microsoft Word’s Copilot, Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill, etc.). Sinister Wisdom will not consider for publication work created using these tools and strongly discourages the use of spell checking and grammar improvement tools such as Grammarly or Quillbot for submitted work.
Sinister Wisdom recognizes that many writing software programs, notably MS Word and Google Docs, utilize generative AI for spell check and grammar improvement. As these features become more ubiquitous, it is harder to avoid them entirely. Sinister Wisdom values human created literature and art; human generated work is wanted for the journal. Sinister Wisdom strongly encourages creative people to not use AI tools.
If an artist or writer has a creative practice that critically engages AI tools and they want to submit material from that practice, the use of any AI tools during any phase of creating the piece must be fully disclosed in detail in the cover letter for further review by the Sinister Wisdom team. (Statement drafted by Sinister Wisdom intern Thy Vu.)
Special Issue: Sinister Wisdom's On Our Backs Issue
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
From 1984 to 2006, lesbians and gender expansive readers across the US had access to a community-produced erotica magazine that was unlike anything ever produced before: On Our Backs. The magazine's name is a satirical play on the title of the radical feminist magazine Off Our Backs, which began publishing in 1970 and was was seen by many, particularly during the so-called "sex wars" that began in the 1970s and continued into the 1990s, as being prudish and anti-pornography. On Our Backs was stridently sex-positive and sought to demonstrate and explore how lesbian and dyke sexuality shows up, in words and images.
What has not been known for many years is that an issue completed in 1995 was never published. Not until 2025 did anyone know a rough xerox of that issue was hanging out in the home of former editor, Bayla Travis, waiting for...well what? In fact, even Bayla didn't know she had the only remaining evidence of this sexy dyke treasure trove. Bayla held onto that issue hoping that someday it would find a way to be seen, to be held in hands, to be enjoyed as it was intended, as a gift to the community. Inspired by recent interest in the 90s history of lesbian art and culture. Bayla reached out to Sinister Wisdom to see if they were interested in publishing this "lost issue" and allowing this moment in dyke history to be an opportunity to call in the expression of dyke sexuality both historical and contemporary, especially from communities that were not centered in On Our Backs back in the day.
We are a multi-racial, multi-generational group gathering to inspire and uplift our community's expression of desire, to continue to claim our freedom to define ourselves outside of the limits of current culture, to expand beyond our wildest imagination of ways to connect to each other with our bodies, minds, and spirits.
This special issue of Sinister Wisdom will reprint the never-before-published 1995 issue of On Our Backs and a companion issue comprised of contemporary reflections.
Some of the questions on our minds as we put together this issue are:
- How has/did On Our Backs impact your understanding of your sexuality and its relationship to desire and your expression of desire?
- How does the legacy of On Our Backs live in the current moment?
- What does lesbian sexuality look, feel, smell, sound like?
- How do gender / ability / race / age / size / class / geography impact expressions of lesbian sexuality?
Maybe you have other questions sparked by On Our Backs or your own ideas and experiences of lesbian sexuality. Don't limit your submissions to the questions above. As long as you're jumping off from some aspect of the magazine or lesbian sexuality, we're curious to hear from you. The medium you choose to reflect on these questions is open: we’re accepting essays, poetry, artwork, audio stories, photos, and experimental work.
We are seeking submissions in the following formats:
- Completed works: Generally speaking, submissions should not exceed a word count of 2,400 or 4 pages of images/poetry.
- Pitches: Short descriptions of work yet to be created.
- Reflections: Shorter 1-2 paragraph texts or single images reflecting on how On Our Backs impacted, comforted, titillated, or otherwise inspired you. The intention for these shorter pieces is for them to be included in a digital exhibit or archive that will be accessible online (i.e. separate from the print issue itself).
We are interested particularly in work that reflects the diversity of lesbian and dyke experience and culture. We are seeking contributions from dykes and lesbians of many races, ethnicities, classes, nations, ages, faiths, abilities, sexualities, and genders. We celebrate each lesbian and dyke's contribution to our full diversity and reject any attempt to exclude a self-declared lesbian or dyke.
DEADLINE: Nov. 15, 2026
Since 2012, Sinister Wisdom has published a Sapphic Classics Series. You can see our Sapphic Classics here: https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/SapphicClassics
Sinister Wisdom welcomes book proposals and complete manuscripts for full-length book projects. Sinister Wisdom is looking for full-length book projects for both future Sapphic Classics (reprints of lesbian and feminist books) and contemporary books of interest to lesbian and queer women. Sinister Wisdom is especially interested in projects that draw from archival materials like Sister Love and Acts of Resistance.
Please note:
- Book proposals should include substantive information about the marketing and promotional efforts that the author or editor plans to undertake to support the book.
- Authors or editors must provide a thoughtful paragraph about why the proposed book fits within the publishing programs of Sinister Wisdom and how the book is of interest to contemporary lesbians and queer women as well as how it builds on the cultural traditions of lesbian and lesbian-feminist writing.
- Please include a realistic timeline for delivering the full manuscript and recognize that the time from the date of delivery of the full manuscript until the final publication date is usually at least two years.
- Books published by Sinister Wisdom are distributed through IPG and reach a broad trade audience.
- Book publishing is a slow art form. It will take us at least 6 months to respond to your submission.
Thank you for considering Sinister Wisdom for your book project!
Sinister Wisdom uses three pieces of full-color visual art each year for the cover of the journal. We invite visual artists to submit .jpg or .tif files of their work for consideration through Submittable.
In addition, Sinister Wisdom selects 12-14 works of full-color visual art for our annual calendar. Submit .jpg or .tif files here as well for consideration.
If your work is selected, you will have to provide us high-quality .tiff files to print the cover.
We print black and white images in the pages of the journal and invite artists to submit black and white images as .jpg or .gif files for consideration. Again, if work is selected, you will have to provide us with high-quality.tiff files to print inside the pages of the journal.
Lesbian Writing (General):
Material may be in any style or form, or combination of forms.
Maximum: five poems, two short stories or essays, OR one longer piece of up to 5,000 words.
Please proofread your work carefully; do not send us changes after the deadline.
Please send a short contributor biography between 25 and 125 words with your submission.
Unsolicited Book Reviews for the Wild Shrew Literary Review should be emailed to sinisterwisdom@gmail.com.
Sinister Wisdom acquires first North American serial rights for all work that we publish. By acquiring first North American serial rights, authors guarantee that publication in Sinister Wisdom will be the first publication in North America. That is, the work has not appeared previously in another journal, in a book, online, or in other forms of publication. In rare instances, Sinister Wisdom will reprint work that has been previously published. Authors should discuss with the editor and publisher PRIOR to submission.
Many questions about rights are answered here: https://www.pw.org/content/copyright
Upon publication, all rights revert to the author.