What kind of submissions does Ebony Tomatoes Collective look for?
All of our work is personal and candid in some way: think of a blazing op-ed on the politics of your home country, a series of semi-nude self-portraits, a personal essay on your transition, a critique of the latest Twitter discourse, your coming-of-age queer story, heartbreak prose that reflects on desirability politics, or a poem about your grandmother’s kitchen. We seek work that dares to be vulnerable, says something new, and challenges the status quo.
We don’t prefer work that focuses on narratives that have already been extensively explored in mainstream media or are so vague that it is inaccessible to the everyday reader/viewer. We absolutely don’t accept work that perpetuates stereotypes or hatred. In other words, we don’t like reading what is safe, or what has been said many times before, or what perpetuates oppression in any way.
How can I submit to Ebony Tomatoes?
Please send your submission to [email protected] with a brief (1-3 sentences) artist’s bio and the title of your submission in the subject line. Google Doc/Word files are strongly preferred.
Please note that we accept submissions from those who identify as Black writers and artists with intersectional identities. We do not accept applicants who are under 16.
I submitted something to Ebony Tomatoes. What’s next?
If your submission is accepted, please give us some time to get back to you—we receive a lot of submissions and we are a small, humble team. We respond to every applicant, so if you haven’t heard back from us, you haven’t been rejected—we just haven’t gotten to your piece yet.
Edits will be made in the form of suggestions and comments sent via email. Editors will be assigned to your submission based on the individual editors’ specialties. However, multiple editors will ultimately review each submission before publication.
We send out emails to writers after edits are suggested. Longer pieces may take longer and we will communicate if we need additional time. Edits can be discussed or questioned, but please be respectful and open to our suggestions—we want to make your submission the best it can be! We want everything to be clear for artists, so please reach out to us for clarification if necessary.
If you do not respond to our editors’ emails within 3 to 4 days of receiving edits, we will follow up with you via email. If one week passes without any response or request for more time to return edits, we will automatically reject your submission. We take the relationship between our artists and editors seriously, so please respect the time and effort we put into reviewing your submission. Thank you!
Are you accepting submissions?
Our online magazine is always accepting submissions through our submission email.
When we are seeking submissions for our printed issues (typically every few months), we will announce it on our website and social media.
Printed issues submissions are currently closed, but do check back for updates!
Does Ebony Tomatoes Collective have a theme?
Yes and no. Our online magazine rarely has a specific theme; however, our printed issues usually do. The theme of our printed issues will be announced on our website and social media when submissions open.
Submissions for our printed issues are currently closed, but do check back for updates!
What type of media can I submit to Ebony Tomatoes?
We accept all types of submissions for both our online and printed magazines, including but not limited to essays, poetry, articles, photography, visual art, and short films.
How can I be a part of Ebony Tomatoes Collective?
We are always looking for volunteer staff writers, editors, and social media team members. If you’d like to be a part of our team, send a short blurb about yourself, a resume, and 1-2 work samples to [email protected].
Unfortunately, we do not yet have the resources to offer ongoing paid positions (but we’re working on it and do offer stipends when funds are available). Please do not apply unless you would like to volunteer for us.
Most of our volunteer work is remote and asynchronous (we don’t like unnecessary meetings). You will also have first dibs to any exclusive events, join a Black and predominantly queer, non-binary team, and have an opportunity to work in every stage of publishing that interests you. As a volunteer, we don’t enforce minimum hours and everything you contribute is appreciated. All of our ideas are discussed and considered equally.
Who can read Ebony Tomatoes?
Anyone and everyone!
How can I support Ebony Tomatoes Collective?
As an independent and grassroots magazine, 100% of our earnings come from community donations and magazine sales. All of our profits go towards printing, shipping, website maintenance, event costs, mutual aid, and supporting our team of writers and editors when we have funds to spare.
If you would like to support Ebony Tomatoes, consider purchasing a copy of one of our printed issues or sending us a gift via our Venmo @ebonytomatoescollective. If you don’t have funds to spare, reading, sharing, and boosting our work is the biggest way to support our work. Your support quite literally keeps us going, so thank you!
I have another question. Where can I ask?
Email us at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @ebonytomatoescollective.