"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 Fall 2024 PCCInscape Print Issue Submissions Portal

Welcome to the Submissions Portal for PCC Student and Community member submission of Poetry, Fiction, Creative/Literary Non-Fiction and Art&Photography for the Fall 2024 Print Edition of PCCInscape Magazine. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS MAY 12th, 2024

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES PER GENRE:

Please note that your submissions may be lightly edited for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, but we are very careful to honor the intentions of your piece and will query you through submittable with questions, so be sure to check your submittable/email regularly for possible messages. 

Please follow the guidelines prescribed below. Your submission will NOT be assigned or considered if you do not follow the guidelines below. Thank you. 

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 

  • 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, instructor name, course name etc.) before you submit your work.
  • Be sure to use "Save As" feature in your word program to follow the file-naming guidelines explained below.

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GUIDELINE FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS

  • Maximum submissions: 1-5 poems total (no more than 10 pages of poetry).
  • Submit Each separate poem as a separate .doc, .docx file (no PDFs please unless there is special spacing on your piece) with your name ON THE DOCUMENT. 
  • Please use "SAVE AS" for your files to include your name and FALL 2024 Poetry Submission" for example: JaneDoeFall2024PoemSubmission1.docx 
  • HOW TO "Save as" A FILE WITH A UNIQUE FILE NAME: https://youtu.be/RpnBw_rhMgk?si=2rJIJycVCmK8qU9A 
  • INCLUDE: A brief cover letter with your Full Name, Mailing Address, phone number, email, and the TITLES of the PIECES that you are submitting.
  • INCLUDE: A short 100-200 word bio written in the third person. To see bio samples, visit pccinscape.com and look at archive issues. Example: Jane Doe is a PCC Student majoring in Biology. Doe hopes to transfer to UCLA in Fall 2026.
  • Use spacing and formats appropriate for your poems -- submit them in the style you would like them to appear in print, should they be published. 
  • Please REMOVE all "course information"

GUIDELINE FOR SHORT FICTION SUBMISSIONS

We are currently accepting short stories and flash-fiction. Please review the following guidelines:

  • Maximum Submissions: 1 short story up to 10 typed, double-spaced pages OR up to 3 flash non-fiction pieces (750 words or less.)
  • Submit Each separate short story or flash fiction piece as a separate .doc, .docx file (no PDFs please unless there is special spacing on your piece) with your name ON THE DOCUMENT and your story double spaced with page numbers.
  • Please use "SAVE AS" for your files to include your name and FALL 2024 fiction Submission" for example: JaneDoeFall2024PoemSubmission1.docx 
  • HOW TO "Save As" A FILE WITH A UNIQUE FILE NAME: https://youtu.be/RpnBw_rhMgk?si=2rJIJycVCmK8qU9A 
  • INCLUDE: A brief cover letter with your Full Name, Mailing Address, phone number, email, and the TITLES of the PIECES that you are submitting.
  • Please REMOVE all "course information"


GUIDELINE FOR CREATIVE/LITERARY NON FICTION AND PERSONAL ESSAYS

We are currently accepting creative/literary non-fiction pieces (up to 10 pages or 3 Flash/short pieces 750 words or less) 

  • Maximum Submission: No more than 1 essay of 10 or less typed, double-spaced pages OR up to 3 flash nonfiction pieces (750 words or less).
  • Submit Each separate short story or flash fiction piece as a separate .doc, .docx file (no PDFs please unless there is special spacing on your piece) with your name ON THE DOCUMENT and your story double spaced with page numbers.
  • Please use "SAVE AS" for your files to include your name and FALL 2024 non fiction Submission" for example: JaneDoeFall2024PoemSubmission1.docx  
  • HOW TO "Save As" A FILE WITH A UNIQUE FILE NAME: https://youtu.be/RpnBw_rhMgk?si=2rJIJycVCmK8qU9A 
  • INCLUDE: A brief cover letter with your Full Name, Mailing Address, phone number, email, and the TITLES of the PIECES that you are submitting.· Please double-space your manuscript(s) and include page numbers. 
  • · Please REMOVE all "course information"


GUIDELINES FOR LITERARY/CULTURAL CRITICISM

  • Maximum Submission: No more than 1 essay of 10-15 or less typed, double-spaced pages 
  • Submit your essay as a  .doc, .docx file (no PDFs please unless there is special spacing on your piece) with your name ON THE DOCUMENT and your piece double spaced with page numbers.
  • Please use "SAVE AS" for your files to include your name and FALL 2024 criticism Submission" for example: JaneDoeFall2024CriticismSubmission1.docx  
  • HOW TO "Save As" A FILE WITH A UNIQUE FILE NAME: https://youtu.be/RpnBw_rhMgk?si=2rJIJycVCmK8qU9A 
  • INCLUDE: A brief cover letter with your Full Name, Mailing Address, phone number, email, and the TITLE of the PIECES that you are submitting.· Please double-space your manuscript(s) and include page numbers. 
  • Please include a WORK CITED PAGE for any research material quoted, paraphrased or summarized in your paper and be sure you either footnote in-text citations or use MLA or APA format for your in-text citations.
  • · Please REMOVE all "course information"


GUIDELINES FOR VISUAL ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY
 We are currently accepting photography, illustration, and other artwork for potential publication in our Spring 2024 print issue of Inscape. Please know that including art and photography, and especially color art and color photography or photographs of other artwork (such as sculpture, pottery, paintings, graphics etc.) is dependent each semester on our magazine budget.

  • We accept a variety of artwork for potential publication, including comics and visual narratives as well as traditional art and photography. Please use this portal to submit comics and visual narratives, as opposed to Creative Non-Fiction or Fiction, to ensure the appropriate editorial team reviews your piece(s). 
  • Please limit yourself to no more than 5 submissions. If you have a longer series etc. you may provide us with a link to a portfolio or google folder that contains ONLY YOUR 5 SUBMISSIONS. 
  • Submit each piece as an individual file and clearly labeled with your last name and the title of the respective piece. jpg or png 
  • Please prepare a short, formal cover letter to accompany your submission that also lists the title and a brief description of each piece and its file name. Your cover letter should indicate your affiliation with PCC and should include the following: a short (100-200 words or less) bio written in the third person, your current mailing address, email, and phone number. Current PCC students should also include an anticipated graduation or transfer date.
  • Please submit your work as high-resolution JPGs or PNGs.
  • If you are a PCC student and are submitting work you completed for a class, please remove all course-specific information before you submit your work.
  • You may also QUERY us at pccinscape@gmail.com with any art or photography submissions you're considering. (Do not send files to the gmail - simply send a letter describing your work and querying). 
  • We may also consider your artwork for our website pccinscape.com
PCC Inscape Magazine