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MIC CHECK: Submission Guidelines

  • Writer: Studded Magazine
    Studded Magazine
  • Dec 3, 2025
  • 2 min read

We love spotlighting the voices, stories, and creativity within our community. Mic Check is your space to share your art, words, and perspective with the Studded Magazine audience.

Before you submit, please review the guidelines below to ensure your work is a great fit for publication.


What We Accept

We welcome submissions from emerging and independent creators across mediums:


Written Pieces

  • Personal essays

  • Opinion pieces

  • Interviews (with permission)

  • Concert or album reflections

  • Culture pieces (fashion, identity, community, scene-specific commentary)


    Visual Art

  • Photography (concert, portrait, editorial, documentary-style)

  • Graphic design

  • Collage or mixed media

  • Illustrations

  • Poster-style art

  • Music-Adjacent Creative Work

  • Short poems or prose inspired by music

  • Zine-style spreads

  • Fan art (must be original — no traced or AI-generated content


Format Requirements

Written Submissions

  • Length: 500–1,200 words

  • Submit as: Google Doc link or Word document

  • Include:

    • Title

    • Your preferred name + one sentence bio

    • Any socials or portfolio links (optional)

  • Tone: Thoughtful, expressive, narrative-driven, and original to you.


Visual Submissions

  • File types: JPEG, PNG, or PDF

  • Resolution: Minimum 2,000px on longest side (for web-quality display)

  • If submitting a series, include 3–10 images max.

  • Include a short caption or artist statement (50–150 words).


What We Don’t Accept

  • AI-generated writing or art

  • Hate speech, harassment, discriminatory content

  • Explicit content without artistic purpose or context

  • Uncredited work or plagiarized material

  • Work that you do not fully own rights to


How to Submit

Before submitting, make sure you have:

  • Your completed piece (Google Drive link or file upload)

  • A 2–3 sentence bio

  • Your social media handles

  • A small description of your submission (50–150 words)

  • Any supporting media (photos, graphics, clips)

File Guidelines

  • Writing: .docx, .pdf, or Google Doc

  • Images: .jpg or .png (hi-res preferred)

  • Visual art: .jpg, .png, or .pdf

What Happens Next?

  • You’ll receive an automatic confirmation once your submission is received.

  • Our team reviews submissions on a rolling basis.

  • If your piece is selected, we’ll email you with editing notes, a publish date, and next steps.

  • We aim to respond within 2–4 weeks, but response times may vary.

Submission Expectations

  • Studded Magazine retains the right to edit submissions for clarity, grammar, and length.

  • Not all submissions will be published, but we encourage you to keep creating and trying again.

  • If selected, we’ll contact you within 2–4 weeks.

  • By submitting, you confirm the work is your own and that you grant Studded Magazine the non-exclusive right to publish it on our website/socials.


Tips for a Strong Mic Check Submission

  • Speak from a personal, intimate perspective — that’s what resonates.

  • Focus on a specific moment, theme, or emotion rather than trying to cover everything.

  • For essays: show your voice. Avoid academic or overly formal writing.

  • For art: choose pieces with mood, color, and a story behind them.

  • For commentary: avoid generalizations; make it specific, textured, and grounded.


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