How to Submit Your Writing on TPL: The Complete Guide

Writing is lonely until someone reads it. On The Poetic Land, getting your words in front of readers is free, and you do not need an account to begin. This guide walks you through every way to send us your writing: each form, each rule and each step, with screenshots from the live site, so nothing about the process is a surprise.

We wrote it from the forms and rules as they stand today (November 2026). If a competition or call changes its rules, the page of that competition is always the final word.

In this guide:

• The basics that apply to every form
• Step 1: Find the Submit page
• Step 2: Accounts, logging in and the Verified Writer blue tick
• Every case, one by one: poem, short story, research article or essay, Heartlines, 18+ writing, the Peace After Pain anthology, competitions and book review requests
• What happens after you submit, and how to edit or remove your work
• What we cannot accept
• Getting noticed: Spotlight of the Week and TPL Feed
• FAQ and a quick checklist

The basics that apply to every form

• It is free. Publishing on TPL costs nothing. The only thing we ever charge for is the entry fee of some competitions, and that fee is shown on the competition’s own page before you pay.
• Your own words. Everything you send must be your own original writing. Work written by AI tools is not accepted, and copied work is plagiarism.
• Age. To submit work you should be 18 or older, or have the permission of a parent or guardian. The 18+ library is strictly for adults.
• Text only. Poems and all other writing are accepted as text only: type or paste your writing straight into the form. Images and video files are not accepted as writing. (Photos, covers and, for Verified Writer applications, a PDF or Word sample are the only files the forms ask for.)
• Real details. Your name, email and photo should be real and your own. Fake names, borrowed photos and false details are not allowed.
• Every submission is read by our editors before anything is published. Sending a piece does not guarantee that it will be published.

Which languages can I use? Each form lists the languages it accepts:

• Poems: English, Bengali, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese
• Short stories: English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese
• Research articles and essays: English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Urdu, Arabic
• Heartlines: Assamese, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, English
• Peace After Pain anthology: English only
• International Poetry Competition 2026: English only
• 18+ writings: English (the language list on the form also shows Bengali)
• Book review requests: English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Urdu, Arabic or Other

Choose the language your piece is written in in the Content language box, so it lands on the right shelf of the site. Titles and writing go in that language; the theme words (see below) are always in English.

Step 1: Find the Submit page

All the main forms live in one place, the Publish with TPL page. You can reach it three ways:

• from the menu: Writings → Submit Writings;
• from the Submit Your Writing button on the home page;
• directly at thepoeticland.com/tpl-submission-forms.

Below the introduction you will see one card for each kind of submission. Pick the card that matches what you want to send:

• Ongoing Anthology (Enter Anthology): our current thematic book, Peace After Pain.
• Current Competition (Compete Now): the competition that is open right now.
• Poem Submission (Submit Poem) and Story Writing (Submit Story): the core forms.
• Research & Essays (Submit Article): essays, opinion pieces, literary analysis and research articles.
• Get Your Book Reviewed (Get Reviewed): for authors who want a review from our desk.
• 18+ Writings (Enter the Red Room): mature poetry and stories for adult readers.

Step 2: Accounts, logging in and the blue tick

You do not need an account to submit. Every form on the Submit page works for guests: fill it in and send it. An account only makes things easier. There are three ways to be on TPL:

• Guest. Read, like and comment, and send work through the forms. To comment, type your name and your comment at the end of a post.
• Reader with Google. On the Login page, readers sign in with Google in one tap, with no password to remember. You get your own reader profile and photo, can like and comment, and stay signed in on your phone.
• Verified Writer. Writers who are approved by our team get a writer account with their own TPL writer ID and a blue tick next to their name on their published works and comments. They sign in with their Author ID or email and password, and their submission forms are filled in for them (see the Verified Writer case below).

Logging in as a Verified Writer

• Open Login (top right of the menu) and use the Writer Login box.
• Enter your Author ID or email and your password. The ID works as TPL-1234, tpl1234 or just 1234, and capital letters do not matter. The password is case-sensitive.
• Forgot it? Tap Forgot password?, enter your writer ID or email, and we email you a link to set a new one. If it does not arrive in a few minutes, check your spam folder.

How to become a Verified Writer

Writer accounts are created by The Poetic Land team after your application is approved. This route is for writers who want to write on TPL regularly. If you just want to share one poem or write now and then, use the regular form instead. To apply, open Apply to become a Verified Writer on the Login page, or go to thepoeticland.com/author-registraion.

1. Before you apply, open each link and tick the box: follow The Poetic Land on Instagram, join the TPL WhatsApp channel, and post a review on the TPL homepage (plus the name or email you used for the review, so we can find it). Following on Facebook is optional.
2. About you: full legal name, occupation, email, phone or WhatsApp, city and state, country, Instagram username, a clear photo of you, and where you heard about us.
3. Your writing: the languages and genres you write in, then either tick that you have already published at least 5 writings on TPL, or upload one PDF or Word file (up to 20 MB) with at least 5 of your poems or stories.
4. Why should we accept you? A few lines about you and your goal as a writer.
5. Tap Submit application. We review every application. If you are approved, your Writer ID arrives by email.

Once you are verified, a blue tick ✔ appears next to your name on your published works and comments. Our Terms explain that the badge means TPL approved your application and linked your account to your published works. Your name and photo can only be changed through a change request that our team reviews, which protects writers from impersonation.

Every case, one by one

Fields marked with a star (*) are required. The forms also include a hidden “leave this empty” box that exists only to catch spam bots: ignore it.

1. Submitting a poem

Open Submit Poem on the Submit page, or go to thepoeticland.com/poem-submission-form.

• Original legal name*, Gender* (Male, Female, Non-Binary or Prefer not to say), Profile photo* (an original photo of you), Write briefly about you* (your short bio), Country, state / province*, Email address*, WhatsApp number (optional) and Instagram ID*.
• Content language*: English, Bengali, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu or Assamese.
• Poem title*: every poem needs a title.
• Poem theme*: comma-separated, 1 to 3 English words each, for example Love, Loss, Hope. They become your poem’s tags on the website, so they help readers find it.
• Your poem*: type or paste it into the box. The poem form does not state a length limit.
• Where did you hear about us?*, then press Transmit work.

What the guidelines on the page ask of you: text only, every submission is manually verified by our team before it goes on our networks, deep, dark and philosophical themes are welcome, no explicit, obscene or profane content, images and video files are not accepted, and by submitting you transfer all rights in your work to TPL.

2. Submitting a short story

Open Submit Story, or go to thepoeticland.com/short-story-submission-form.

• Length: between 500 and 3,000 words.
• Languages: English, Hindi, Bengali and Assamese.
• Originality: 100% original only. No copied, stolen or heavily paraphrased content, and we run strict plagiarism checks.
• Content: clean, meaningful literature. Deep, dark and philosophical themes are welcome; explicit, obscene or profane material is not.
• Fields: the same personal details as the poem form (name, gender, photo, country, about you, email, WhatsApp optional, Instagram), then Content language, Story title, Story theme (1 to 3 English words each, comma-separated, they become your story’s tags) and Your story.
• Two boxes to tick: that this is your 100% original work, not copied, stolen or AI-generated, and that you transfer all rights in it to The Poetic Land (TPL).

3. Submitting a research article, essay or literary analysis

Open Submit Article, or go to thepoeticland.com/research-essay-submission-form.

• What we accept: research articles, essays and opinion pieces, and literary analysis or criticism, on literature, language, history, culture, society and the arts.
• Length: essays from about 800 words; research articles up to about 6,000 words (longer pieces may be split).
• Abstract: a short summary of 50 to 250 words, plus 3 to 6 keywords.
• Citations: credit every source. Any consistent style (APA, MLA or Chicago) is fine.
• Languages: English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Urdu and Arabic.
• Extra fields on this form: TPL writer ID (only if you are a Verified Writer), institution or affiliation (optional), Submission type* (Research Article, Essay / Opinion, Literary Analysis / Criticism or Other literary work), Subject / field*, Approximate word count*, Your full text*, References (optional) and Published before?* (No, it is unpublished; Yes, on my blog or social media; or Yes, in a journal, magazine or book).

As with the story form, you tick two boxes at the end: that the work is your 100% original work (not copied, plagiarised or AI-generated, with every source cited), and that you transfer all rights in it to TPL.

4. Writing a Heartline

Heartlines are short writings of 2 to 4 lines, straight from the heart, in Assamese, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi or English. Go to Write a Heartline. No account is needed, and our editors read every Heartline before it goes live.

• About you: original legal name*, an optional Name on the card (leave it empty to use your name), email*, optional WhatsApp, gender*, country and state or province*, optional Instagram ID and an optional short bio.
• Language*: অসমীয়া, বাংলা, اردو, हिन्दी or English.
• Your lines: two lines are required, the third and fourth are optional, and each line can be up to 90 characters (a counter under each line shows how many you have used).
• Tags (optional, up to 3): love, longing, hope, life, pain, nature, homeland, faith, friendship, joy, rain or mother.
• Card style: Black, Yellow, Gamosa red or White. A live preview on the page shows exactly how your card will look, and how it will look when people share it.
• Two boxes to tick: the lines are your own original writing (not copied, not AI-made), and The Poetic Land may publish and share them with your name and may contact you about this Heartline. Then press Send for review.

5. Submitting 18+ writing

The 18+ library is for adult readers and adult writing: Horror, Politics, Personal Trauma, Sensual & Intimate. Open Enter the Red Room on the Submit page, or go to thepoeticland.com/18-content-form. The page first asks you to confirm that you are over 18. This is asked once per visit; choose Enter the Library only if you are 18 or older and legally permitted to read such writing, otherwise choose Leave.

The rules of the reading room, as printed on the form:

• Any name will do. A pen name, a single initial, or no real name at all.
• Your email stays with us. We only use it to tell you when your writing is shelved. It is never published.
• Your own words. Original work only.
• Adults only. You are 18 or older, and every character in your writing is an adult.
• The library’s right. By submitting, you transfer the full rights in your writing to The Poetic Land (TPL), which may edit and publish it across its platform.

The library card (the form) asks for:

• Author name* and Email*.
• Content type*: 18+ Poem or 18+ Story.
• 18+ sub-type*: Horror, Politics, Trauma and Deep Personal Stories, Sensual Poetry, Dark Romance, Erotic Fiction or Audio Erotica. Choose the shelf your writing belongs to; it will be published there.
• Your name on the site*: Show my name (readers see your name or pen name) or Hide my name (readers see only a blurred card, and only the TPL team knows it is you).
• Content language*, Content title* and Your writing*.

The cover image is required for 18+ writing. It is the picture readers see on your writing’s card in the library and when the link is shared on WhatsApp, Facebook or X. The form asks for:

• a landscape (wide) picture, about 1200 × 630 px, in JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB;
• your own picture, or one you have the rights to use, that matches the mood of your writing;
• no nudity or explicit sexual content, no gore, no real people, politicians, party symbols or flags, no minors, and no text-heavy images or watermarks.
• TPL may replace an image that does not suit these rules.

Finally, tick the two boxes (the content is created by you and TPL may edit and publish it across its platform; you confirm you are 18+ and all characters in your work are adults), then press Submit to the library.

6. The Peace After Pain anthology

Peace After Pain is our global anthology on healing, resilience, hope and growth after difficult times. The 100 best submissions will be featured in the book. The call is for poems only, sent as text. Submissions are open until February 2027. Press Enter Anthology on the Submit page, or go to thepoeticland.com/anthology-submission-form.

• Theme: the transition from darkness to light.
• Length: maximum 40 lines or 350 words.
• Language: English (British or American standard).
• Originality: 100% original, unpublished work. No AI generation.
• Standards: clean, meaningful literature. Explicit or profane submissions will not be reviewed.
• Information: your name, address and photo must be uploaded in original form. Any fake information is strictly prohibited.
• Fields: full legal name*, Pen name (optional), gender*, profile photo or document*, email*, country*, author bio (max 50 words)*, title of the poem*, the poem*, two confirmation boxes (your 100% original, not AI-generated work, and that you transfer all rights in the poem to TPL) and where you heard about us*.

Good to know: the anthology page also has an optional pre-booking form for readers who want to reserve a copy. It is separate from submitting your writing, and no payment is taken on that form.

7. Competitions

Every competition has its own page with the theme, fee, dates, prizes and rules, and the entry form appears on that page when the competition opens. Open Competitions → Active & Upcoming in the menu to see what is on.

As of today the page lists the Peace After Pain open call (deadline February 2027) and two upcoming poetry competitions:

• International Poetry Competition 2026, theme The Light We Carry. Opens 28 November 2026 (the form is released that day), last date 20 December 2026, results on 25 December 2026. English only, one new, original, unpublished poem of up to 40 lines with a title. Entry fee ₹99 (India) or US$5 (outside India) per poem, paid online on the same form. Each poet may send up to 2 poems, each with its own form and fee.
• অসমীয়া কবিতা প্ৰতিযোগিতা ২০২৭ (Assamese Poetry Competition 2027), theme Beside the Meji Fire. Opens 26 December 2026, last date 8 January 2027, results on Magh Bihu, 15 January 2027. ₹49 per poem, India only.

Before you pay, read the rules section of the competition page. For the International Poetry Competition, for example:

• Poems must be your own, unpublished everywhere (including blogs and social media), on the theme, and in English.
• No AI-written, rewritten, edited or translated poems, no copying, no translations, and no name, phone number or address inside the poem.
• An entry cannot be edited or replaced after it is submitted, so proofread first. Poems are judged without the poet’s name.
• You get a confirmation email with your entry ID. The entry fee is not refundable once paid, except if you are charged twice, money is debited but the payment fails, or TPL cancels the competition (refund within 5 to 7 working days).
• Prizes: ₹3,000, ₹2,000 and ₹1,000 with certificates, and an e-certificate for every participant whose entry meets the rules.

8. Asking us to review your book

Have you published a book? Press Get Reviewed on the Submit page, or go to thepoeticland.com/request-book-review. The review service is free for now.

• What we review: published poetry collections, short-story collections, novels and non-fiction.
• What to send: the book’s details and a short synopsis. A PDF of the book, its cover, or a link to buy or preview it helps our reviewers a lot.
• Honest reviews: our reviews are independent, so a request does not guarantee a positive review.
• Fields: your full name*, TPL writer ID (if you are verified), email*, country*, book title*, author(s)*, type* (poetry collection, short stories, novel, non-fiction, other), language*, publisher*, year of publication*, ISBN (optional), a short synopsis of 50 to 300 words*, a link to buy or preview, an optional upload (PDF, DOC or the cover) and a consent box*.

9. Submitting as a Verified Writer (the short form)

Once you are logged in as a Verified Writer, the submission forms become short forms. A card at the top reads Submitting as your name ✔ your writer ID, and your name, email, contact details, bio and photo come from your TPL account, so you only add what is new: the language, title, theme and the writing itself. The long guidelines stay one tap away behind a Guidelines button.

To change profile details, tap Edit profile in that card. Name and photo can only be changed through a change request that our team reviews.

After you submit

• Our editors read it. Every submission is checked by a person on our team before anything is published.
• The wait. We usually reply within 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how many entries we receive.
• Emails. Emails about your submission come from submission@thepoeticland.com. Check your spam or promotions folder too. For competitions you also get a confirmation email with your entry ID.
• Small editorial touches. Before publishing we may make small changes for formatting, spelling, layout, title styling and category, and add a featured image, illustration or tags (an image we create may be made with digital or AI tools). We will not change the meaning of your work without asking you.
• No promises. Sending a work does not guarantee that it will be published, featured or selected. For competitions, the decision of the judges is final.

Where do I find it afterwards? Once a piece is published you will find it in the section of the site for its language and kind (Poems, Stories, Heartlines, Research Articles & Essays). If you are a Verified Writer, open My Account: the My Writings tab lists everything of yours that is published on TPL, with a Pin to profile option, and a Your submissions list underneath shows what you have sent through the forms. Notifications tells you when readers like or comment on your work.

Editing, correcting or removing your work

• Before you press send: proofread. The submission forms have no edit button, and a competition entry cannot be edited or replaced after it is submitted.
• Found a mistake after sending? Write to us at contact@thepoeticland.com or support@thepoeticland.com with the title of your piece.
• Verified Writers: in My Account → My Writings, every published writing has Request edit and Request deletion buttons, and My Requests lets you send any request or message to the team. Our team reviews each request.
• Everyone else: to have a published work taken down, write to contact@thepoeticland.com or support@thepoeticland.com with the link, and we will remove it from the website within a reasonable time. Copies already printed in an anthology, or already shared on social media, may not be fully withdrawn.

Rights in your work

By submitting, you transfer all rights in your work to The Poetic Land (TPL). This applies to every writer and every kind of submission, including the 18+ library, competitions and the anthology. TPL may publish and share your work, always with credit to you, on our website, in TPL anthologies and publications, and on our social media. The full wording is in our Terms & Conditions.

What we cannot accept

TPL welcomes honest, bold and difficult writing, but these things will not be accepted:

• writing that is not your own: copied or plagiarised work, or work generated by AI tools;
• writing sent as images or video: all writing is accepted as text only;
• anything illegal, or that promotes violence, terrorism, self-harm or crime;
• writing that attacks or harasses people because of their religion, caste, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, disability or similar;
• explicit sexual content outside the 18+ section, and obscene or profane writing in the regular sections;
• anything that sexualises minors. This is never allowed anywhere on TPL, including the 18+ section;
• writing that defames, threatens or bullies a real person, or shares someone’s private information without consent;
• work that breaks someone’s copyright or other rights, spam, advertising, scams or misleading links;
• false names, borrowed photos or any other fake information, or pretending to be another person or TPL;
• in the 18+ section: writing involving anyone who is not an adult, or real, identifiable people without their consent;
• forms with missing details, the wrong language for that form, or a piece outside the stated length.

Getting noticed: Spotlight of the Week and TPL Feed

Two places on TPL put writing in front of more readers.

• Spotlight of the Week is picked every Monday from what readers liked most in the past week. It shows a Writer of the Week with a featured work, and the Poem, Story and Article of the Week.
• TPL Feed is our own literary social space. Every poem, story, article and Heartline published on The Poetic Land arrives there as a card, newest on top. Readers can like and comment from the feed, follow writers, save pieces for later and share a favourite line as a quote card.

What helps your writing get found:

• Fill the form fully and honestly: a clear photo, a short real bio and the right language.
• Choose good theme words. They become tags, which is how readers who love Rain or Homeland find your poem.
• Polish it. Proofread, give it a title that fits, and keep to the length of the form.
• Become a Verified Writer if you plan to write regularly: your works are linked to your own profile with the blue tick.
• Share your published link with friends and readers who truly enjoy your work. Genuine likes count towards Spotlight; artificially inflating likes is against our Terms.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an account to submit?
No. Every form on the Submit page works for guests. A Verified Writer account makes the forms shorter and puts the blue tick on your work.

Is it really free?
Yes. Publishing on TPL is free. Only some competitions charge an entry fee, shown on the competition page before you pay.

How long until I hear back?
We usually reply within 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how many entries we receive. Check your spam folder for emails from submission@thepoeticland.com.

Can I send something I already posted on my blog or social media?
For our main journals and anthologies we prefer unpublished work. If a piece only appeared on your own blog or social media you may still submit it; just let us know. Competitions and the Peace After Pain anthology want unpublished work.

Can I use AI to write or polish my piece?
No. Everything you send must be your own original writing. AI-written work is not accepted, and the competition rules disqualify AI-written or AI-edited poems.

Who owns my work after it is published?
By submitting, you transfer all rights in your work to The Poetic Land (TPL). TPL publishes and shares it with credit to you.

Can I use a pen name?
The Heartlines form lets you set a different name on the card, the anthology form has a pen-name field, and in the 18+ library any name will do, or you can hide your name completely. The other forms ask for your original legal name.

How do I remove my work?
Verified Writers can use Request deletion in My Account. Everyone else can write to contact@thepoeticland.com or support@thepoeticland.com with the link.

Need help?

Write to us at contact@thepoeticland.com or support@thepoeticland.com, or visit the Contact Us page. The FAQs page answers the most common questions. We are happy to help with submissions, competitions and anything else about The Poetic Land.

Your voice has a home here. We cannot wait to read it.

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