Issue xx is available at all Johnson County Library locations!

elementia is a literary arts magazine published to represent and uplift young adults. We accept original poetry, fiction, nonfiction, graphic stories, photography and illustrations.

Now accepting submissions for issue xxi on the theme of The Unspoken through January 1.

*Please note: Our submission deadline for issue xxi has moved up to January 1, 2024. 

We live in a world fueled by communication and collaboration, yet there are so many thoughts we never share, conversations we struggle to start and ideas that are suppressed.

What are the words you leave unspoken? Is it always truly by choice? Are there barriers that lead to us staying silent? Historically, what has kept people mute? Discover the obstacles in your life that have led you to keep certain things behind sealed lips. Do culture and childhood contribute to taboos? How do the people who surround us mold us into believing we should leave certain things unsaid? Explore how your upbringing has influenced your opinions and how you navigate communication.

What are the random thoughts that inspire you, make you laugh, cry or even cringe? The passing thoughts that spill on to shower walls, down bus aisles or even on the underside of classroom desks. The ideas you can’t clearly get out on paper, and are stuck in your head — growing like wildflowers. What are the song lyrics in your brain you haven’t quite found the rhythms for, or the beats that don’t have words to go with them?

Take a moment to reflect on the unspoken statements and ideas in your life and their effect on yourself and others. Explore the power of the invisible constructs that impact us all. Bring the stories you’ve kept secret to life, unleash your creativity across any medium and speak what you’ve left unspoken.

Submit your original poetry, short stories, essays, comics, or artwork.