Call for Submissions: Generation X Poetry Anthology, OCTOBER
📣 Call for original poetry submissions from Gen X writers. The anthology will be publicized to 60,000+ followers and/or subscribers across various social networks. Reach and open rates may vary.
Ode to Generation X
Perhaps the great error is believing we’re alone, That the others have come and gone — a momentary blip — When all along, space might be choc-full of traffic, Bursting at the seams with energy we neither feel Nor see… ”From My God, It's Full of Stars, Tracy K. Smith (b. 1972), U.S. Poet Laureate, 2017-2019
In 2009, I discovered a poem on gotpoetry.com titled Rant From A Generation X Survivor, by JPerry. I published a short post about it with an excerpt:
"Ode to my generation, we Generation X, while we look for more, finding our path in ourselves as opposed to the world, giving ourselves the moment -- looking for God in those 2 a.m. cigarettes, as we look to the stars in the sky on all those many nights."
When I went back a few years later to find the poem, it was gone. I've been looking for that poem for at least 10 years, along with its survivor. This poem, along with a few others I've come across over the years, are the primary inspiration behind the Generation X Poetry Anthology, October.
Overview
Original, unpublished poetry submissions are invited for a digital Generation X Poetry Anthology titled October. High quality is defined as work that is heartfelt, honest, and resonant. Poems should convey emotional truth and engage with the experience of Generation X. Academic conventions and formal structures are welcome but not required.
The anthology will be published as a zine on The Jennifer Chronicles (see a sample of the GenXine here) and publicized to nearly 60,000 followers and/or subscribers across my various social networks. Reach and open rates can vary. Some poems may be shared as individuals posts following publication of the anthology, always with credit and your preferred backlink and bio.
While a few related projects exist, such as In Our Own Words (ed. Marlow Peerse Weaver, 1999), there remains plenty of space for a fresh collection that speaks to our generation today.
Contributors will receive $5 per accepted poem, provided the work has not previously appeared online. If you’d like to be part of this project, please review the guidelines below and submit your work to jennifer [at] jenx67 [dot] com. Clearly, this payment won’t fix our dismal Social Security outlook, but it will buy you half a cup of Starbucks or three full cups at 7-Eleven.
Theme: October
This anthology invites writers, poets and ordinary Gen Xers alike to explore the life and legacy of Generation X through one or more of the following as well as through the lens of October.
Nostalgia + Memory
Aging + Mortality
Faith + Doubt
Identity + Invisibility:
Everyday Life
Submission Guidelines
Eligibility: Authors must be born 1961–1981, or others writing directly about Gen X experiences.
Identification: Verification of real identity is required through an authentic social footprint, even when a pen name is used or anonymity is maintained.
Payment: $5 per accepted, unpublished poem (not previously published online). Payable by Venmo or Amazon Gift Card Only.
Format: Up to 3 original poems (max 1 page each). Any form welcome.
Language: English.
Include:
Name or Pen Name
Email Address
Short Biography for publication (50 words is ideal)
Up to Three Profile Links. Contributors may provide up to three social media links. Only one of these may be a commercial or monetized profile (e.g., Amazon author page, Etsy shop, Substack, YouTube channel). The remaining links should be personal or community-oriented accounts.
Preferred Payment Method (Amazon Gift Card or Venmo)
Venmo Handle and mobile number for verification if that is your preferred payment method.
Optional: You may send a photo of yourself or something related to your poem but publication of the photo as a companion to your piece is not guaranteed.
Important Dates
Submissions Open: August 29, 2025
Deadline: September 21, 2025
Notifications: October 1, 2025
Publication: Before October 20, 2025
How to Submit
Submit as a PDF via email to jennifer[at] jenx67 [dot] com.
Rights
Contributors retain copyright and performance rights.
While I fully intend to publish October: A Generation X Poetry Anthology, I reserve the right to delay, adjust, or withdraw the project if there is insufficient interest or too few submissions to produce a meaningful collection. All writers will be notified in that case.
Thank you! We look forward to receiving your submission.