Submit

For clarity throughout our guidelines, your name, bio, author image, accompanying photograph(s), and/or written piece(s) will be hereafter known as the “Submission.”

Our publication focuses on thinkpieces, essays, and interviews; we do not publish works of fiction (i.e., invented characters, plots, or narratives), poetry, or works in translation. If your Submission is an interview, the interviewer and the interviewee must be distinct individuals. Satirical essays are acceptable, provided they are clearly labeled as such in the Submission. (Satirical essays will be published with a visible “Satire” designation as well.) We ask that you familiarize yourself with the work we publish before submitting. Lastly, we typically take around a month to review each Submission. Once reviewed, we will either accept your Submission, reject your Submission, or offer a conditional acceptance (i.e., revise and resubmit). We cannot provide feedback for rejected Submissions at this time. Regardless of acceptance, we reserve the right to store your Submission purely for archival purposes.

In order to be considered for publication, Submissions must be complete (i.e., no pitches) and previously unpublished, including self-publication on personal websites, blogs, social media, or any other public-facing platform.

You must submit under your own legal name. We do not accept anonymous Submissions, pen names, or false attribution from the submitting author. (Note: interviewees within an interview Submission may use alternative attribution as set forth in the Legal section below.)

We do not accept resubmissions of rejected Submissions. Authors must wait at least 90 days following rejection before submitting again. You may submit as many pieces as you wish in each Submission. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, and we accept simultaneous Submissions. However, it is your responsibility to promptly inform us if a piece is accepted elsewhere.

We pay $100 USD for each accepted Submission. Payment is due within thirty (30) days of the later of (a) the date of publication, or (b) the date on which the author provides The Long Knuckle with complete and accurate payment information. Payment will be made via Zelle. (Note: Zelle currently requires recipients to have a U.S. bank account.) Specific details will be discussed once a Submission is accepted. If the author fails to provide complete payment information within ninety (90) days following publication, or if the author is unable to receive payment via the aforementioned method, the author agrees to forfeit said payment. Any fees associated with Zelle are the sole responsibility of the payee.

We ask that Submissions be shared as Word documents in order to preserve rich text formatting. If this is problematic, please let us know and we will try to find a workaround.

Please ensure that each piece is clearly titled. Submissions must include a bio. If your Submission is accepted, you will have the opportunity to edit your bio, include social links, and share your author picture.

For most pieces, we will include a cutoff (the "Public Preview") that allows any readers with access to the website to view a portion of the Submission before the cutoff. After the Public Preview, the reader must have an account to view the remaining content. The Long Knuckle reserves the sole discretion to determine whether to include a Public Preview in any given Submission and, if so, where to place it.

If you wish to share a photograph as a featured photograph to accompany your piece, please share it in your Submission. (In our experience, landscape-oriented photographs work best.) We request that all featured photographs have been captured on an analog camera. If able, please include the camera model and film used to produce the photograph. If your photograph was not captured on an analog camera, you must inform us so that we can transfer the photograph onto analog film prior to featuring it with your piece. By submitting a digitally-captured photograph, you consent to its transfer to analog film and acknowledge that this process may alter its character and quality; the resulting transferred photograph will be used at The Long Knuckle's discretion without further review or approval by the author. All submitted photographs that are featured will be credited to you. We reserve the right to pair any accepted Submission with a photograph of our choosing if none accompanied the initial Submission. You are welcome to include a caption with your photograph. If a photograph is not provided, we reserve the right to provide one.

Use of Artificial Intelligence. We do not accept Submissions created (whether by ideation or in writing) using artificial intelligence (AI). By submitting, you represent that AI did not generate the Submission, in whole or in part. We reserve the right to rescind acceptance, withhold payment, and/or remove published Submissions for breach of this warranty. Otherwise, you are welcome to use AI to conduct minor, proof-type editing (i.e., grammar, capitalization, and punctuation). 

Rights Grant. Should your Submission be accepted, you will be granting The Long Knuckle First Worldwide Serial and Electronic Rights—the exclusive right of first publication and distribution of the Submission worldwide in serial form and in all electronic and digital formats (including websites, newsletters, mobile applications, and email distribution)—for a period of ninety (90) days following the date of first publication (the "Exclusivity Period"). During the Exclusivity Period, you agree not to publish, republish, or authorize the publication of the Submission, in whole or in substantial part, in any other venue or format, whether print, digital, or otherwise. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this paragraph prevents you from sharing, linking to, quoting from, or promoting the published Submission via your own social media, newsletter, or personal channels, provided that any such sharing directs audiences to the version published on The Long Knuckle. Upon expiration of the Exclusivity Period, all rights in the Submission revert to you on a non-exclusive basis, subject to the perpetual, non-exclusive license retained by The Long Knuckle as set forth below. If the Submission is subsequently published elsewhere following the Exclusivity Period, we request that you credit The Long Knuckle for the initial publication.

Right to Publish Editor's Notes, Remove, or Unpublish. The Long Knuckle reserves the right, in its sole discretion and at any time, to (i) publish an editor's note, correction, clarification, or other contextual annotation alongside any published Submission; (ii) temporarily remove any published Submission from public view; or (iii) permanently unpublish any accepted or published Submission, in whole or in part. The Exclusivity Period defined in the Rights Grant section shall remain in effect for its full ninety (90) day duration regardless of any editor's note, temporary removal, or permanent unpublication under this section, and shall not be paused, tolled, shortened, or otherwise modified as a result of any such action. This right may be exercised for any reason The Long Knuckle deems appropriate, including but not limited to: (a) actual, threatened, or reasonably anticipated legal claims involving the Submission, including claims of defamation, infringement of intellectual property rights, invasion of privacy, or violation of any applicable law; (b) discovery of any breach of the author's representations, warranties, or obligations under these Terms, including but not limited to breach of the AI-use provision, warranties of originality, or warranties regarding photographs or third-party rights; (c) discovery of material factual inaccuracies in the Submission; (d) receipt of a valid takedown request, court order, or legal process; or (e) any other reason The Long Knuckle determines, in its editorial or business judgment, warrants annotation, removal, or unpublication. Where practicable, The Long Knuckle will endeavor to notify the author of any editor's note, removal, or unpublication, but no prior notice is required.

If an editor's note is published, or a Submission is removed or unpublished, as a result of the author's breach of these Terms, The Long Knuckle reserves the right to withhold any portion of the agreed payment that has not yet been paid to the author as of the date the breach is discovered. Any payment already made to the author as of that date will not be subject to recoupment.

Removal or unpublication of a Submission does not terminate the perpetual, non-exclusive license granted to The Long Knuckle under these Terms, and The Long Knuckle may retain archival copies of any removed or unpublished Submission for legal, evidentiary, and record-keeping purposes.

The Long Knuckle may, in its sole discretion and by written notice to the author, waive or release its exclusivity rights with respect to any particular Submission, in whole or in part, without affecting any other rights or obligations under these Terms.

Perpetual Non-Exclusive License. Should your Submission be accepted, you grant us a perpetual, non-exclusive license to excerpt, quote, and/or feature your Submission in part or in whole for promotional purposes on all The Long Knuckle’s channels, including social media. Should we desire to include a previously published Submission in subsequent publications (like a print anthology), we will query you to seek permission.

Author Representations and Warranties. By submitting to The Long Knuckle, you represent, warrant, and agree that:

(a) Age. You are at least eighteen (18) years of age as of the date of submission.

(b) U.S. Residency. You are a resident of the United States.

(c) Authority. You have full legal capacity and authority to enter into these Terms, to make the representations and warranties set forth herein, and to grant the rights and licenses granted under these Terms. Where any third-party consent, approval, or authorization is required in connection with your submission or the rights granted, you have obtained it in writing prior to submission.

(d) Sole Authorship and Originality. You are the sole author and creator of the written work included in the Submission. The written work is original to you and has not been copied, in whole or in part, from any other source. No person other than you has contributed authorship, ideas, structure, or substantive content to the written work in a manner that would give rise to any claim of joint authorship or co-ownership.

(e) Ownership of Rights. You are the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Submission, including without limitation all copyright and other intellectual property rights, and you have the full right to grant the rights and licenses granted under these Terms. The Submission is not subject to any encumbrance, lien, claim, license, assignment, or other obligation that would conflict with or limit the rights granted under these Terms.

(f) Previously Unpublished. The Submission has not previously been published, distributed, or made publicly available in any form or medium, including without limitation print publication, digital publication, personal websites, blogs, newsletters, social media, podcasts, or any other public-facing platform.

(g) Non-Infringement of Intellectual Property. The Submission does not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any copyright, trademark, trade secret, patent, moral right, or other intellectual property right of any third party. Any quotations, references, excerpts, or other uses of third-party material within the Submission are either (i) properly licensed, (ii) used with permission, or (iii) qualify as fair use or another applicable exception under law, and are appropriately attributed.

(h) No Defamation. The Submission does not contain any statement that is defamatory, libelous, or slanderous of any identifiable person or entity. To the extent the Submission makes factual claims about identifiable persons or entities, such claims are true and accurate to the best of your knowledge, or are clearly identifiable as opinion, satire, or hyperbole.

(i) No Invasion of Privacy or Right of Publicity. The Submission does not disclose any private facts about any identifiable person that a reasonable person would find offensive, does not place any identifiable person in a false light, and does not use the name, likeness, voice, image, or persona of any identifiable person in a manner that would violate that person's right of privacy or right of publicity under any applicable law.

(j) Consents Obtained. Where the Submission discusses, quotes, depicts, or otherwise references any identifiable living person in a manner that would require consent under any applicable law, you have obtained all necessary consents and releases from such persons.

(k) No Confidentiality Breach. The Submission does not disclose any information that you are obligated to keep confidential under any nondisclosure agreement, employment agreement, professional obligation, court order, or other legal or contractual duty, and publication of the Submission will not cause you to breach any such obligation.

(l) Compliance with Law. The Submission does not violate any applicable law, regulation, or court order, and its publication will not cause The Long Knuckle to violate any applicable law, regulation, or court order.

(m) Accuracy of Factual Claims. All statements in the Submission presented as fact are true and accurate to the best of your knowledge, based on reasonable inquiry.

(n) Photograph and Image Warranties. With respect to any photograph, image, or other visual material accompanying the Submission (each, an “Accompanying Image”): (i) you are the sole creator of the Accompanying Image, or you have obtained all necessary rights and permissions from the creator to submit, publish, license, and (where applicable) modify the Accompanying Image under these Terms; (ii) you have obtained all necessary releases from any identifiable persons depicted in the Accompanying Image; (iii) the Accompanying Image does not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any copyright, trademark, right of privacy, right of publicity, or other right of any third party; (iv) any factual representations you make about the Accompanying Image (including as to camera model, film type, or method of capture) are true and accurate; and (v) the Accompanying Image does not depict any subject matter, location, artwork, or other content that would require additional third-party permission you have not obtained.

(o) No Artificial Intelligence. The Submission complies in all respects with the representations and warranties set forth in the Use of Artificial Intelligence section of these Terms, which are incorporated herein by reference.

(p) Interviews. If the Submission is an interview, the interviewer and interviewee are distinct individuals. The interviewer must submit under their own legal name and is the "author of record" for purposes of these Terms, including all representations, warranties, and indemnification obligations. The interviewee may remain anonymous or be identified by an alias, pen name, or pseudonym, provided that any such alternative attribution is clearly disclosed in the introduction of the interview. The interviewer is responsible for obtaining all necessary consents and releases from the interviewee, including consent to publication of the interview's content, any identifying or quasi-identifying details, and any accompanying materials. All representations and warranties in this section extend to and encompass all statements, content, and materials provided by the interviewee.

You acknowledge that The Long Knuckle is relying on these representations and warranties in accepting, reviewing, publishing, and paying for the Submission. The representations and warranties set forth in this section are made as of the date of submission and shall be deemed remade as of the date of publication. Each representation and warranty shall survive the termination or expiration of these Terms, the removal or unpublication of the Submission, and the reversion of any rights.

Indemnification. The author agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Long Knuckle, its editors, contributors, agents, affiliates, and successors (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, proceedings, losses, damages, liabilities, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation costs) arising out of or related to: (a) any breach or alleged breach of the representations, warranties, or obligations made by the author under these Terms, including but not limited to the representations and warranties regarding originality, ownership of rights, non-infringement, use of artificial intelligence, and photograph and image rights; (b) any claim that the Submission, or any portion thereof, infringes, misappropriates, or violates the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or other rights of any third party; (c) any claim that the Submission is defamatory, libelous, or otherwise unlawful; (d) any actual or alleged violation of applicable law in connection with the Submission or its creation; and (e) any breach by the author of any other provision of these Terms.

The Long Knuckle shall have the right, but not the obligation, to control the defense of any claim subject to indemnification under this section, using counsel of its choosing, with the author bearing the reasonable costs of such defense. Alternatively, The Long Knuckle may, in its sole discretion, permit the author to control the defense of any such claim, in which case (i) the author shall use counsel reasonably acceptable to The Long Knuckle, (ii) The Long Knuckle shall have the right to participate in the defense at its own expense with counsel of its choosing, and (iii) the author shall not settle any such claim in a manner that admits liability on the part of any Indemnified Party or imposes any obligation on any Indemnified Party without The Long Knuckle's prior written consent.

The Long Knuckle will provide the author with prompt written notice of any claim for which indemnification is sought; provided, however, that any failure or delay in providing such notice shall not relieve the author of its indemnification obligations except to the extent the author is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay. The author agrees to cooperate reasonably with any defense of an indemnified claim, including by providing information, documents, and testimony as reasonably requested.

The indemnification obligations set forth in this section shall survive the termination or expiration of these Terms, the withdrawal or removal of any Submission, and the reversion of any rights to the author, and shall continue in full force and effect with respect to any claim arising from acts, omissions, or Submissions occurring during the term of these Terms.

Author Withdrawal. The author's ability to withdraw the Submission from consideration or publication is governed by the following:

(a) Pre-Acceptance. At any time prior to The Long Knuckle's acceptance of the Submission (including during the review period and, if applicable, during any revise-and-resubmit process), the author may withdraw the Submission from consideration by providing written notice to The Long Knuckle. Upon receipt of such notice, The Long Knuckle will cease review and consideration of the Submission, and no further obligations shall arise between the parties with respect to the withdrawn Submission.

(b) Post-Acceptance, Pre-Publication. Following The Long Knuckle's acceptance of the Submission and prior to publication, the author shall have no unilateral right to withdraw the Submission. The author's cooperation with the publication process (including responding to editorial correspondence, providing accompanying materials, and reviewing edits) is a material obligation under these Terms. The Long Knuckle retains its rights and remedies for breach of this obligation, including but not limited to the right to proceed with publication using the materials in its possession, to withhold or forfeit payment as provided under these Terms, and to seek indemnification for any resulting costs.

(c) Post-Publication. During the Exclusivity Period, the author shall have no right to require the removal, unpublication, or withdrawal of the Submission from The Long Knuckle's website or any other channel on which it has been published. Following expiration of the Exclusivity Period, the author may submit a written removal request to The Long Knuckle, which The Long Knuckle shall consider in its sole discretion. Nothing in this section limits The Long Knuckle's independent right to remove or unpublish a Submission at its own discretion pursuant to the Right to Publish Editor's Notes, Remove, or Unpublish section of these Terms.

(d) Form of Notice. Any withdrawal notice or removal request under this section must be submitted in writing to The Long Knuckle at the email address designated for editorial correspondence and shall be effective upon receipt.

(e) Safety and Serious Harm Exception. Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c) above, if the author demonstrates to The Long Knuckle's reasonable satisfaction that publication or continued publication of the Submission poses a credible risk of serious harm to the author or a member of the author's immediate family, The Long Knuckle will consider a withdrawal or removal request in good faith and may, in its sole discretion, permit withdrawal or effect removal. For purposes of this subsection, "serious harm" means (i) a credible risk to physical safety, including without limitation credible threats of violence, active stalking, or targeted harassment; (ii) a credible risk of significant reputational or professional harm, including without limitation risk to the author's employment, professional licensure, or ability to secure future employment; or (iii) a credible risk of significant psychological or emotional harm to the author, including risk of severe distress arising from changed personal circumstances such as bereavement, medical diagnosis, or acute personal crisis. The determination of whether a credible risk of serious harm exists is at The Long Knuckle's sole discretion.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction. These Terms, and any claim, dispute, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Submission, or the relationship between the author and The Long Knuckle (whether sounding in contract, tort, statute, or otherwise), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles that would result in the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction.

Any action, suit, or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Submission, or the relationship between the author and The Long Knuckle shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and each party hereby (i) irrevocably submits to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of any such action, suit, or proceeding; (ii) waives any objection to the laying of venue in such courts, including any objection based on forum non conveniens or lack of personal jurisdiction; and (iii) agrees that service of process may be made in any manner permitted by applicable law or by the rules of such courts.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS, THE SUBMISSION, OR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND THE LONG KNUCKLE.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held by a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void, or unenforceable, in whole or in part, for any reason, that provision shall be modified and reformed to the minimum extent necessary to render it valid, legal, and enforceable while preserving, to the greatest extent possible, the original intent of the parties. If such modification is not possible, the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be severed from these Terms, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision in any jurisdiction shall not affect the validity or enforceability of that provision in any other jurisdiction, nor the validity or enforceability of any other provision of these Terms. The parties acknowledge and agree that they would have entered into these Terms notwithstanding the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision that may be severed or modified pursuant to this section.

Entire Agreement. These Terms constitute the entire and exclusive agreement between the author and The Long Knuckle with respect to the submission process, review, acceptance, publication, and licensing of the Submission, and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications, discussions, negotiations, representations, understandings, or agreements, whether written or oral, between the parties relating to the same subject matter. No statement, representation, promise, or communication made outside of these Terms—including but not limited to statements made in email correspondence, social media, editorial guidelines published elsewhere, marketing materials, or informal discussions—shall modify, supplement, or vary these Terms, nor create any additional obligation on the part of The Long Knuckle. No amendment or modification of these Terms shall be effective unless made in writing and signed or otherwise expressly agreed to by both parties, provided that The Long Knuckle reserves the right to update these Terms prospectively for future Submissions by publishing revised Terms on its website; such updates shall not apply retroactively to Submissions already accepted under prior Terms.