What We Publish
Written Work
- Poetry — شعر (any form, any length, classical or contemporary)
- Fiction/Nonfiction & Short Stories — داستان کوتاه٬ رمان (up to 5,000 words)
- Essays — مقاله (personal, cultural, analytical, up to 4,000 words)
- Opinion & Commentary — نظر (culture, society, politics, identity, up to 2,000 words)
- Memoir — خاطرات (personal narrative, up to 4,000 words)
Visual Work
- Art & Illustration — هنر و تصویرسازی (digital or traditional, up to 5 images)
- Photography — عکاسی (documentary, portrait, street, nature, up to 5 images)
Languages We Publish In
- English
- Dari / Farsi — دری / فارسی
- Both languages in the same piece are welcome
Before You Submit — Please Read
Originality: We only accept original work that belongs entirely to you. Work submitted to Silk Road Archive must not be simultaneously submitted to another publication. If your work has been previously published elsewhere, please let us know — we consider previously published work on a case-by-case basis.
Permission: By submitting your work, you grant Silk Road Archive permission to publish and promote it on our platform and associated social media channels.
Authenticity: We value honest, authentic creative expression. We do not publish work that is entirely AI-generated. Work that uses AI as a supporting tool while the creative vision, voice, and direction remain entirely yours may be considered — please disclose this in your submission.
Language and Quality: We publish work in English and Persian. Silk Road Archive is committed to maintaining a high editorial standard — we look for pieces that are polished, purposeful, and ready for publication.
We expect all submitted work to be thoroughly proofread and carefully revised before sending. Please do not submit first drafts. Your submission should represent your best work and reflect the voice and quality you want associated with your name.
In exceptional cases, where a piece shows strong creative merit but requires refinement, our editorial team may reach out to request specific revisions before making a final decision. This is not a guarantee — it is an exception reserved for work that demonstrates genuine potential.
What to Include in Your Email
Subject line format: Submission — [Category] — [Title of Work]
In the body of your email, please include:
1. Your Full Name
2. Publishing Preference Tell us whether you would like to publish under your real name or anonymously.
3. Your Location Country only — this helps us understand where our community is writing from.
4. A Short Bio A brief introduction about yourself — who you are, where you are from, what you write or create. Maximum 150 words. This will appear on your published piece.
5. Your Work
- For written submissions: please attach your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx)
- For art and photography: attach your images as high-resolution JPG or PNG files. Maximum 5 images per submission. Maximum file size 10MB per image.
6. Title Every submission must have a title.
7. Short Caption or Artist Statement (for art and photography) A brief description of your work — what it is, what inspired it, what you want viewers to understand, etc. In English or Dari/Farsi.
How to Submit
Send an email to the address below and include everything listed in our submission requirements.
submissions@silkroadarchive.com
After You Submit
What happens next: Once we receive your submission, you will hear from us within two weeks. If your work is accepted, we will confirm the publication details and notify you when it goes live. If it is not accepted, we will let you know — a rejection does not reflect the value of your work, and you are always welcome to submit again.
Thank you for trusting Silk Road Archive with your work. Every submission we receive is a reminder of why this platform exists — to give the creative voices of our region the home they deserve. We wish you the very best and look forward to reading and experiencing your work.
The Silk Road Archive Editorial Team
