BGD is no longer accepting submissions.
BGD is a website for video, comics and writing by BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE ALSO QUEER AND/OR TRANS. It’s a place where you can take up space and raise your voice! BGD has millions of readers all over the globe. The world’s listening. What do you want to say? Submit writing, comics or video to BGD by following the guidelines below.
PLEASE READ ALL GUIDELINES BEFORE SUBMITTING!
What You Need To Know Before Submitting to BGD
Don’t submit your work to us unless you’re comfortable working with editors. We’re committed to publishing the best work possible and that often requires edits. If you’re not open to constructive criticism—provided with love, respect, and kindness—BGD isn’t the site for your work.
Terms of Submission
By submitting text, images, and personal information for possible inclusion on this site, you are agreeing to the following Terms of Submission:
BGD reserves the right to publish your text, videos, artwork and photos at our own discretion. When you email us a submission, you are granting BGD first publication rights, exclusive rights to the work for one year, and the right to keep the work published on our site forever. If you would like to publish the work elsewhere after one year*, the work must provide visible credit to BGD. You represent and warrant that you have all of these rights to grant to us and that no other rights from any third party will be necessary.
(*Pieces published by BGD cannot be posted elsewhere for one year after the original publication date, except with BGD’s permission.)
Jump to: PITCH A BOOK REVIEW OR MUSIC FEATURE TO BGD
Jump to: PITCH A COMIC SERIES TO BGD
Submit Writing or Video to the BGD Website
What you should know:
1. BGD only publishes work by people of color who are also queer and/or transgender. We do not publish “allies” or responses to previously-published pieces.
2. We’re looking for original, never-before-published articles and essays (no poetry, please) that are personal, political and intersectional. Please read the work on our site before submitting. Send us only your BEST, most polished work.
3. We have different needs at different times and not all submissions made to BGD will be accepted. If we don’t accept your piece, feel free to submit new work in the future. Unfortunately, we do not have capacity to comment on rejected submissions.
4. WORD LIMIT: all writing submitted should be between 850 and 1,100 words. Pieces over 1,100 words will not be read. Do not send us a piece that is over the word limit and ask us to help you trim it down.
5. Please submit only one piece at a time to
Writing submissions: please include the topic of your piece in the subject line and send a single-spaced Word document in the following format:
Title of piece
Name of author
Word count
(Body of article)
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE ONLY CONSIDERING TIMELY PIECES THAT REFLECT ON CURRENT NEWS STORIES, INCLUDING SOCIAL JUSTICE, POLITICS, AND POP CULTURE.
Video submissions: We’re looking to feature original videos, from funny YouTube-type stuff to short films. Upload your complete video (no trailers) to Vimeo and send us the link. (If we accept your video, we’ll ask you for a complete transcript —we only publish videos with accompanying transcripts!)
Comics submissions: We’re looking for funny, interesting, informative comics that tackle the important issues of our time, including race, gender, sexuality, social justice, politics and pop culture. We’re open to B&W or color comics.
6. Please include with your submission a short bio (no more than 50 words), your phone number (in case you need to be reached for last-minute edits), and your mailing address for payment. (Writers outside of the U.S. must have PayPal to receive payment. U.S. writers are paid by check only.)
7. Along with your submission, attach a jpeg author photo (head and shoulders shot is best).
8. BGD understands that sometimes, when writing about sensitive subject matter, safety is a concern. If you can’t have your name published or don’t feel comfortable having your photograph featured on the site, please don’t let it deter you from submitting. These issues can be worked around and we’re invested in making you feel as safe as possible. However, we do expect anyone who doesn’t have a safety issue to use the name they use in real life.
9. BGD is a feminist forum. Anything submitted that violates feminist ideals will be rejected.
10. BGD pays $125 to $175 for timely pieces and comics, and $150 to $250 for video (for submissions accepted after June 5, 2017).
Pitch a Music Feature or Book Review to BGD
BGD is looking for book reviews and music features! Send pitches to All pitches should include what you want to review, info on your writing experience and a short bio.
Pitch a Comic Series to BGD
BGD is looking for smart, funny comic series by QTPoC! Send pitches to sll pitches should include who you are, what your comic is about, and links to your previous work.
Happy submitting!!
