Yellow Arrow Journal (XI/02) VIGIL Submissions are Now Open!
Yellow Arrow Publishing is excited to announce that submissions for our next issue of Yellow Arrow Journal, Vol. XI, No. 2 (fall 2026) are open from August 1 to 31 on those moments in life, in the creative process or otherwise, when you let go of the outcome. The issue will be guest edited by Gwen Van Velsor and Annie Marhefka, and in their introductory blog, both Gwen and Annie explore the idea of letting go at pivotal moments of their lives.
Gwen states that “along the way [in my life], I had learned to allow the arrows to be my guide by letting go and trusting (with varying degrees of success) that more arrows would appear.” Annie further adds, “Letting go of the control I used to have has felt like both a recklessness and an indulgence. It is a way of giving in to the universe, of throwing your hands up luxuriously and just trusting that you will somehow land where you’re supposed to.” The second issue of volume XI will reflect on this idea through the issue’s theme VIGIL (noun)
: the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary
: an event or a period of time when a person or group stays in a place and quietly waits, prays, etc., especially at night
: a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions
Here are some guiding questions about the topic and theme:
In what ways have you embraced uncertainty in life or in your writing process?
What emotions are stirred up when you contemplate releasing control?
Envision a process of letting go of a person, a process, or a thing—what visual images come to mind?
Yellow Arrow Journal is looking for creative nonfiction, poetry, and cover art submissions by creatives who identify as women, on the theme of VIGIL. Submissions can be in any language as long as an English translation accompanies it. For more information regarding journal submission guidelines, please visit yellowarrowpublishing.com/submissions. Please read our guidelines carefully before submitting. To learn more about our editorial views and how important your voice is in your story, read about the journal. This issue will be released in November 2026.
The journal is just one of many ways Yellow Arrow Publishing supports and inspires women-identifying creatives through publication and access to the literary arts. Since its founding in 2016, Yellow Arrow has worked tirelessly to make an impact on the local and global community by advocating for writers who identify as women. Yellow Arrow proudly represents the voices of women from around the globe. Creating diversity in the literary world and providing a safe space is deeply important. Every writer has a story to tell and every story is worth telling.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we LUMINATE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.