Penned in Rage Literary Journal
Mission Statement
Penned in Rage Journal amplifies voices from marginalized and underrepresented communities.
The Journal is part of the Ella's Poems Project, launched in January 2022. This project uses creative writing activities to achieve these objectives:
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The main focus of this project is to promote a love for reading in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Ella’s Poems targets young people in the African continent, between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five - who are active online - in a bid to create a writers' hub on Facebook. Many creatives have found this sort of networking has not only helped them improve their writing skills but more importantly they'd been able to discover local writing opportunities.
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Ella’s Poem’s Project also celebrates the work of African creatives, such as their art, poems, stories and novels, irrespective of one’s social status.
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Many of the creatives who have benefited from this initiative have never written a poem or story in English before. So, our free writing competitions and published books, positively impact their lives.
SUBMIT a 40-line Poem, or a 1000-word Flash Fiction or Essay - Only One Submission Allowed Per Person Each Quarter, Thank You.
We Do Not Pay for Submissions.This is a small, self-funded project.
Submit Free of Charge: Underrepresented writers from anywhere may submit a poem or flash fiction for consideration. You may submit a 40-line poem in your African language (plus its translation) or a 40-line poem in English for consideration. Styles accepted: traditional poems, free verse, haiku, Fibonacci, prose et cetera preferred over meters. Maximum lines 40. Flash Story - maximum 1000 words; Fiction, Nonfiction and Non-academic essays accepted.
Response Time - Up to 6 Weeks
Editorial Feedback on Poems (To receive feedback on your submission or any other poem/s): £2.00
Please Address Your Submission to Dr Jive Lubbungu, Editor-in-Chief, Penned in Rage Journal.
About Penned in Rage Journal
Penned in Rage magazine is focused on publishing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, flash fiction, experimental prose and hybrid works, written by underrepresented writers particularly creatives from the LGBTQ+ community in sub-Saharan Africa.
Each quarter a submission is chosen as the featured piece. The journal aims to create a community of subscribed readers who enjoy contemporary creative writing styles.
Submissions
Open in January, May (for the poetry competition; submissions from the slush pile will be considered for their suitability for the journal too) and October each year.
The 'unthemed' submission window will reopen 01 August 2026 for the sixth online edition of Penned in Rage Literary Journal.
CLOSES 15 September, 2026 September, 2026.
What We Don't Publish
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We DO NOT publish works of any type featuring sexual activity involving characters below the age of consent in the UK (16) across all four nations.
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We do not publish metered poetry of any shape or form.
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We won't not accept any material which offends other social groups.
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We do not publish writing done solely for the purpose of depicting gratuitous violence.
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When sending us work for consideration, please bear in mind that most of our readers live in sub-Saharan African countries, where strict laws about public decency are in place. Thank you.
AI-Generated Content Policy Clause Regarding Creative Content Generation
You may wish to read why this clause was introduced: https://www.ellaspoems.com/editorial/can-a-large-language-model-write-an-original-poem
Our literary outlet does not accept nor publishes any work that is wholly, substantially generated or edited by LLMs/Large Language Models. All submissions must be the original work of the author and reflect human authorship. We reserve the right to decline any submission we reasonably believe has been created, co-written, or materially altered by AI tools, at any point, even after a piece has been published.
Social Media & Authors Websites
From July 1, 2026, Penned in Rage Journal will no longer accept submissions from writers hiding their real identity, due to the difficulty of marketing their work through social media adverts run by B. James. We won't accept photographs that are pixilated, altered or doctored to conceal the writer’s face. This means you cannot send us photographs in which you have used props like sunglasses and hats to disguise your features.
Further, we ask that you please include your social media profiles and/or author websites in your bio.
With the proliferation of AI-generated content in the creative space, being discoverable and traceable helps your credibility. We aren't saying it prevents the use of artificial intelligence to write poetry, stories, essays or create art, we're saying trusted voices are less likely to risk reputational damage by sending outlets AI-content. A creative who is well known may have hundreds of followers that can identify what that creative’s authentic voice sounds like.
Online & Email Submissions
We only consider submissions sent through our online submission portal https://www.ellaspoems.com/#subscribe-to-penned-in-rage-journal or by email. Please provide a brief 30-word third-person bio to accompany your submission. Only one poem not exceeding 40 lines and/or one story of not above 500 words will be considered.
Simultaneous Submissions & Withdrawals
We accept simultaneous submissions, but we must be immediately notified if a piece is accepted elsewhere. If you wish to withdraw your submission, please email me directly at pennedinrage@outlook.com with the title/s of the work(s) you are withdrawing.
Previously Published Work
We will not publish pieces which have appeared elsewhere, including social media sites.
Publishing Rights
We ask for first time worldwide rights for accepted pieces. Following publication, all rights revert back to the author.
How is the journal published?
Triannual Online Publication - Downloadable PDF: January 31st, June 30th, October 31st
About the Editor-in-Chief of Penned in Rage
Incoming Editor-in-Chief: Dr Jive Lubbungu. We are proud to introduce our new Editor-in-Chief. He holds a PhD Lit., MA Lit., MBA -Project Management, Cert. Monitoring & Evaluation, Cert. Project Consultancy, Cert. Climate Change AI, Cert, Development Economics. He's a lecturer, author, and researcher. He's also an Assistant Dean at the Postgraduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Kwame Nkrumah University, Kabwe, Zambia.
About the Lead Editor of Penned in Rage
Pushcart Prize and Best-of-the-Net nominee: Onyishi Chukwuebuka (he/him) is a Publicity Secretary for Muse no. 51, and a graduate of the University of Nigeria. He is the winner of the 2025 Coalition of African Literature in partnership with the University of Leicester’s Avoidable Deaths Network and the SEVHAGE Literary and Development Initiative, a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize nominee, runner-up for the 2025 Bridgette James Poetry Prize, a shortlist for the inaugural BCD-Utulu Prize, Reader at Chestnut Review, and longlisted for the Paradise Gate House. His work has appeared in Eye to the Telescope: (non)binaries, Harrow House, Northern Writers Forum, Heathentide Orphans: Zoetic Press, African Studies Review, Pill Bottle Press, The Port Harcourt Literary Review, Wherein The World, African Studies Review, The Biochar, Strange Quark Press, Kathai Literary, The Nine Muses Review, Ojuju Magazine, Poets in Nigeria Initiative, EveryBody Magazine, University of Bournemouth Journal, African Migration Report, The Muse Journal, Hidden Peek Press, and elsewhere. He tweets @Bukaty33612. Read more about him here: https://ellaspoems.com/general-9#editorial-chukwuebuka-onyishi.
At Penned in Rage Journal, our esteemed editorial staff keep the online publication active. They will review your submissions, reject pieces, edit and proofread accepted work prior to the journal going live. Editors may suggest topics and themes to cover or interview creatives for publications. Our Editors are avid readers who stay up to date with current trends in the literary world. They ensure Penned in Rage serves its targeted literary audience. Editors reserve the right to decline a piece they suspect to be AI-generated.
Contributor Payment Notice
I value and appreciate every creative voice that contributes to my publications. At present, I am unable to offer financial compensation for submissions. All contributions are on a voluntary basis - except where work was solicited for $10 USD - and I aim to provide a platform for your work to reach a wider audience.
About the Poetry Editor of Penned in Rage
I’m pleased to announce that the winner of the 2026 poetry competition Janine Milne A Literature and Creative Writing graduate from University of South Africa/UNISA, has joined the editorial board. Janine Milne's poetry has appeared in Sol Plaatje European Poetry Award anthologies and Stanzas. She won the 2026 Bridgette James Poetry Competition as well as the 2017 MacGregor Poetry Prize. She has published short fiction in Short Sharp Stories, Bloody Parchment, and Lemonwood Quarterly.
