"All the world is full of inscape and chance left free to act falls into an order as well as purpose."

- Gerard Manley Hopkins


PCC Inscape Magazine celebrates the creative writing and scholarship of PCC students, faculty, staff, alumni and also celebrates the work of writers beyond our community.

The journal began publication in 1943 as Pipes of Pan and later renamed itself INSCAPE MAGAZINE and is associated with PCC's ENG 7: Inscape Magazine Production course. Students read and edit submissions and compose interviews and blog pieces for the magazine and its website, www.pccinscape.com. Students gain real-world literary production and editing skills. 

Thanks to a grant from the Student Services Initiative at PCC, we publish at least one print journal per year and funding pending, additional specialty print projects. We are in process of raising $5000 in a growth fund to establish PCC Inscape funding as internal and institutionalized. Our magazine has printed the work of Octavia Butler and other well-known alumni. To support our funding, please donate and designate your donation for Creative Writing here 

General Guidelines

****PLEASE NOTE: In order to submit to us, you must create a free Submittable account. You can create one using your Facebook/Google account logins, or create one using your email. If you're unable, please query about your piece at pccinscape@gmail.com

Submissions are accepted during academic semesters. Please note that our active reading cycles correspond to the academic calendar at Pasadena City College and your submission may be held over to the next semester's staff. Submissions made during the summer or winter intersessions (June through August and late December through January, respectively) may not be reviewed until the beginning of a new academic term. We are grateful for your patience. All work is considered for both print and online publication.

If at any point you must withdraw your work, please do so on Submittable. Simultaneous submissions are ok, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Please allow us up to 4 months to review your work if you've submitted it during the current academic calendar.

Please note that student work may be edited for grammatical concerns. We may query for deeper editing so please monitor your email for submittable communications from us.

For questions about active submissions, please communicate with us through Submittable or contact pccinscape@gmail.com

The Handley Award

Current PCC students are eligible for the Handley Award, a creative writing scholarship that recognizes excellence in creative writing. There is no application for this award; to be considered, you must be a current PCC student. You should indicate this status in your cover letter. Recipients are notified of their award each Spring.

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Submit to PCC STUDENTS: AWP 2025 Intro Journals Prize Submission Portal

The 2025 AWP Intro Journals Prize is a national competition for the best creative writing submitted by AWP member colleges.

Award

The PCC faculty judges will select 1 story, 1 non fiction piece, and 3 poems to submit to the national AWP Competition. WInners of the national competition will receive: publication in a participating journal, a $100 honorarium, and promotional opportunities via AWP’s website and social media platforms.

PCC representatives will receive a certificate and recognition in an upcoming Inscape Magazine issue.  

GUIDELINES: 

YOU MAY SUBMIT IN ONLY 1 GENRE. - Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Non-Fiction.

  • Your submission must be previously unpublished. (Your submission may not be published in any print or online venue, including personal blogs, websites, or social media). 
  • We will select 1 fiction, 1 non-fiction, and 3 poems by the same or individual writers.
  • No submission may exceed 5,000 words. Fiction and Non Fiction must be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Ariel font. 
  • Please include a cover sheet with your full name, PCC Email, Phone Number, Mailing address, and the titles and word count of your submission. 
  • Students may submit 1 short story up to 5000 words, 1 creative non fiction piece up to 5000 words, or 1 or more poems (up to 5 poems, no more than 10 pages of poetry submission. Poetry may be single spaced.)
  • Everything should be submitted in a single file .doc or .docx 


Poetry Submissions
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Submit to Poetry Submissions

Welcome to the submission portal for poetry.
Please review the following guidelines:

  • No more than a maximum of 5 poems or 10 pages of poetry. Query CreativeWriting@pasadena.edu for longer poems. Include "Inscape Query" in the subject header. 
  • Submit each poem as an individual file clearly labeled with your last name, email, phone,  and the title of the poem. Please "Save As" your file with PoemTitleYourName.docx 
  • Please include a short (200 words or less) bio written in third person and the titles of each piece submitted for potential publication. Ex: Suzy Student is a 1st year English major at PCC and plans to transfer to . . .
  • Use spacing and formats appropriate for your poems -- submit them in the style in which you would like them to appear in print, should they be published. Please be conscious of your grammatical choices, line breaks and spacing. If your poem has unique spacing or page fragmentation, please include narrative directions. (Example: Line 1 at right margin, Lines 2-4 begin 2 tabs from margin, line 5-7 is left justified). 


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Submit to Fiction Submissions

Welcome to the submission portal for fiction.
We are currently accepting short stories and flash-fiction. Please review the following guidelines:

  • No more than 1 short story up to 10 typed, double-spaced pages or up to 3 flash non fiction pieces 750 words or less as individual files (doc or docx please).
  • Submit each piece as an individual file clearly labeled with your last name and the title of the respective piece. (Doc or Docx please)
  • Your cover letter should indicate your affiliation with PCC and should include the following: a short (200 words or less) bio written in third person, the titles of each piece submitted for potential publication. (Example: Suzy Student is a first year at PCC majoring in English. They plan on transferring to a UC soon.) Etc.
  • Please double space your manuscript(s) and include page numbers.
  • If you are a PCC student and are submitting work you completed for a class, please remove all course-specific information (such as an MLA style heading) before you submit your work.


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Submit to Creative Non Fiction & Critical Essays

Welcome to the submission portal for creative non-fiction and Critical Essays.
We are currently accepting literary non-fiction pieces (up to 15 pages (double spaced) or 3 Flash/short pieces 750 words or less) as well as academic literary criticism (up to 10 pages typed, doublespaced in MLA format) for potential publication. Please review the following guidelines:

  • No more than 10-15  typed, double spaced pages or up to 3 flash non fiction pieces. (or critical essay)
  • Submit each piece as an individual file clearly labeled with your last name and the title of the respective piece.
  • Please prepare a short, formal cover letter to accompany your submission. Your cover letter should indicate your affiliation with PCC and should include the following: a short (200 words or less) bio written in third person, the titles of each piece submitted for potential publication, and your current mailing address. Current PCC students should also include an anticipated graduation or transfer date to be considered for the Handley Award.
  • Please double space your manuscript(s) and include page numbers. 
  • Please REMOVE all "course information"


PCC Inscape Magazine