Submissions
A byline that actually means something.
We’re a new kind of platform for readers and writers, and we’re looking for fresh voices with an actual point of view, not another hot take recycled from the same five accounts everyone already follows.
We want to hear from people who aren’t terminally online. We want writers who spend real time in their local scene, who know the artists actually making things in their city, and who have something to say because they’re out living it, not just watching it happen online.
Everything below happens at hotliterati.com/write. If your question isn’t answered here, the full FAQ is at hotliterati.com/faq, or email hello@hotliterati.com.
Join Hot Literati, write for the blog
Pitch one of the columns and get a real editor’s eyes on your work. Publishing under the Hot Literati byline comes with membership. Every member also gets a World to publish to instantly; more on that below.
Members · editorial review
The blog
Pitch one of the columns. A real editor reads every submission before anything publishes under the Hot Literati name. This is the one with a bar to clear, and a real audience already reading.
Founding membership, $12.99/month. The first 1,000 members keep that price.
Join Hot LiteratiMembers · no review
Your World
Publish writing, art, or audio straight to your own page any time. No review. Share it, or sell it. A lighter-weight option if you’d rather test the waters first.
Add to your World →See it in action
A few recently published pieces: real member pitches and HQ profiles, already live on the blog.
Life
Late to the Dance Floor
Dating apps vs. meeting IRL, argued by a member, not staff.
By Chris Jesu Lee →
Events
Getting Into the Toni Morrison Mindset at Grand Cru Chicago
A real Chicago outing, written up the way we want every Events pitch to read.
By Janet →
Art & Culture
Who is Kim Kalesti
A profile on a New York-based singer, songwriter, and painter.
By Hot Literati →
Art & Culture
Kitty Lever
A member-written artist profile: the kind of piece a pitch can become.
By Marissa Vivian →
The blog columns
Every pitch goes into one of these. Pick the one your piece actually fits. An editor reads it either way.
Hotter Literati
Becoming hotter, smarter, more confident.
Literature
Books and writing. A book, an author, a reading.
Art & Culture
Art, music, film and television. Make the case for what matters.
City
Local places and the walk between them.
Life
Dating, beauty, food, what you wear, how you live.
Events
What is worth showing up for. Name the place, the date, the room.
Introduce Yourself
Who you are, what you love, why you are here.
How submitting actually works
Five steps, start to finish.
- 1
Sign in or create a free account
A Hot Literati account is free. You need one to write, whether or not you ever submit to the blog.
- 2
Join Hot Literati
Submitting to any column comes with membership. Founding membership is $12.99/month.
- 3
Go to Write and pick a column
hotliterati.com/write lists them all. Pick the one your piece fits.
- 4
Draft it
Plain text is fine. The editorial team formats it before publishing. A cover image is optional. Drafts autosave, so you can leave and come back.
- 5
Submit, then wait for a real read
An editor reads every submission and responds either way: published under your byline, or sent back with notes and a chance to revise. Status and any editor notes show up right on your Write page.
Questions writers actually ask
Do I have to be a member to submit?
Yes. Submitting to the blog is part of joining Hot Literati. Members can also publish writing, art, or audio to their own World immediately, with no editorial review. Anyone can read the blog for free.
What's the difference between my World and the blog?
Your World is yours. Anything you publish there goes live immediately, with no review, and you can price it whenever you want. The blog is Hot Literati's own editorial publication: a small number of columns, an editor reading every pitch, and a real bar for what gets published under the Hot Literati name.
How long should a submission be?
There's no strict word count. Write it the length it needs to be to say the real thing. Most accepted pieces land somewhere between a long text to a friend and a short essay. If it feels padded to hit a number, it's too long.
What happens after I submit?
The editorial team reads every piece and gets back to you either way. An accepted piece gets formatted and published under your byline. If it's not quite there yet, you'll get editor notes and a chance to revise and resubmit. A submission that needs work is not a rejection.
Can I submit plain text, or does it need to be formatted?
Plain text is fine. Write your full draft in the submission form and the editorial team formats it for publishing. A cover image is optional: add one if you have the right photo, skip it if you don't.
Can I pitch more than one column, or submit more than once?
Yes. Each column is its own pitch, and there's no cap on how many pieces you submit over time. Drafts and past submissions, including any editor notes, are saved on your Write page so you can pick a thread back up.
What if my piece doesn't fit any of the columns?
Pick whichever one is closest. Editors read every pitch on its own merits, not just against the column label. If it genuinely doesn’t fit anywhere yet, publish it to your own World instead, no review required.
Is there another way to write for Hot Literati?
Yes. Publish to your own World any time, no review required — essays, notes, poems, whatever you are making. Members who organize events in their city also write about those nights for the blog, which goes through the same pitch process as everything else.
Ready to write for us?
Join Hot Literati for $12.99/month and start pitching the blog today.