Submissions Guidelines

The Third Wheel is open for submissions from December 1 through February 1.

Issue 1, themed The Exophonic Translator, is planned for March/April.

We accept translations of:

• poetry: up to 3 poems at a time, no more than 10 pages

• prose: 1 piece at a time, up to 5000 words. This section includes short stories, excerpts from novels, short screenplays, etc.

• flash fiction: up to 3 pieces at a time, no more than 3000 words in total

• creative non-fiction: up to 2 pieces at a time, no more than 5000 words in total

We also accept:

• art: up to 6 pieces at a time (black and white or color, high resolution)

All submissions have to be accompanied by short bios (author's and translator's where applicable), and a brief cover letter.

Before submitting make sure you have secured the publishing rights from the author.

Also in line with our mission of shedding light on the translation process, we are looking forward to receiving (in English) your:

• lengthy translator’s notes

• annotated drafts

• first and last drafts of a translation (with a commentary)

• essays on translation

• manifestos

• translation diaries

or whatever form of observations and reflections on the art and craft of literary translation you want to share.

Send everything in a single .doc or .docx file (12 pt font, 1.5 line spacing) to submit@thethirdwheel.org. The file name should consist of the author's name, followed by the translator's name and the genre, for example: author_translator_poetry.

We prefer previously unpublished works. Depending on the circumstances, however, we may consider reprints.

Simultaneous translations are welcome, as long as you notify us when a work gets accepted elsewhere.

Due to ethical considerations, The Third Wheel will not consider AI-generated pieces.

Currently, The Third Wheel is not a paying publication. Still, we believe creative work is work and that literary translators deserve more than recognition. That’s why we’re actively seeking funding opportunities to ensure we can offer payment to all our contributors in the future.