WAYWORDS TRIBUTES

This quarterly literary journal welcomes work from writers around the world in all stages of their writing career. Each issue includes a separate space for writers to share tributes in creative nonfiction.

If you have a tribute essay, open letter, or other CNF piece, send it in! Let us help you honor that subject.

Please try to refrain from sending us abuse and suicide topics.

Recovery pieces are welcome!

WayWords Masthead:

Réven Widener, Seth Cupery, Sofie Leggett, & Cassell Presnell

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Since 2020

OPEN CALL through Nov 20, 2025

Tributes are separate from the theme; they can be for, to, or about anything you want. We've published odes, open letters, personal essays, recipe stories and other creative nonfiction styles in this section since WayWords opened in 2020.

Submissions

Submissions must be in English and include the required Title Information (below).

Limits:

up to 5,000 words of creative nonfiction

Formatting:

Keep formatting professional, please: readable font, empty lines for scene breaks, empty margins, etc. You can find recommended settings on the Submissions page.

Title Information

Please add the following to the top left of your document body (not in the header margin):

Name or Pseudonym, email

Piece Title

WayWords TRIBUTE

Word or Line Count

If your submission was previously published, please credit your publisher below your word/line count.

Accepted file types: .doc, .docx, .odt

Submissions accepted via email (submissions [at] writersworkout.net) OR Dropbox OR Duosuma.

Live, unlocked Google Docs or Microsoft Word links are accepted via email.

We must be able to download your file. We will not request access and we are not responsible for locked docs.

Please be sure your Title Information includes the word "Tribute" on the third line.

If using Duosuma, please use the special TRIBUTE call.

Dropbox

Duosuma

The Writer's Workout will not review fanfiction, religious, political, erotic, or AI-generated/assisted/copied content.

Rights

The Writer's Workout requests one-time, non-exclusive serial rights with worldwide distribution. We will not retain rights to republish your work in an additional collection.

We accept simultaneous submissions, previously published works, and you retain the right to submit your work elsewhere after we publish it.

AI Statement

Works published by The Writer's Workout are for entertainment purposes. These publications should not be used in whole or part for content mills, reproduced without written approval, or for training Artificial Intelligence. Humans work very hard to produce the creative works featured in our publications; they deserve our respect.

If you need to withdraw, please let us know.

This literary journal is published in digital and print. Contributors receive a digital contributor copy. The Writer's Workout is a registered nonprofit organization run by volunteers.

Issue Info

Check the status of recent, current, and upcoming issues.

Issue 18: Kids Write!

Released!

This issue is available in digital and print. See below for links.

Issue 19: Mountain

OPEN CALL

April 1 - May 20

Issue 20: Messy

coming soon

July 1 - August 20

Issue 21: Wonder

coming soon

October 1 - November 20

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Pick up past issues of WayWords on Amazon.

Recently published:

Issue 18: Kids Write!

This special issue features the collected works of Emily Brown, Prachika Dhaubhadel, Hailey Gibson, Rachel Kofoed, Marguerite Krenkel, Guinevere Libertucci, Claudia Miner, Annabelle Nelson, Emilia Penagos, Cooper Polakoff, and B.C. Reynolds

Stats and Info:

Published 380+ pieces & counting!

On average, WayWords publishes 43% of submissions received. This journal rarely solicits specific authors for work; everything we publish comes from open calls. We accept unagented submissions.

Submission to WayWords will always be free. WayWords is published in digital and print; contributors receive a digital contributor copy. Learn how to claim your authorship on Amazon here.

Check our FAQ for more information.

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