An International Journal of Absurd & Existential Drama
We are now accepting submissions for our September 2026 Issue.
Email: ufjournal@aol.com
About the Journal
Umbrellas for Fish is an international literary journal devoted exclusively to absurd and existential drama. We publish work that wrestles with the irrational, the unexplainable, and the darkly comic—plays, monologues, and dramatic scenes that invite audiences to sit with uncertainty rather than resolve it neatly.
We believe theatre is a space where logic can be bent, time can fold back on itself, and a fish might, against all reason, carry an umbrella. We welcome voices from around the world and across all career stages, from debut playwrights to established dramatists.
What We’re Looking For
We seek dramatic work that is bold, strange, and alive—pieces that take risks with form, voice, and theatrical logic.
We are particularly interested in work featuring:
• Absurdity, existential tension, or cosmic indifference
• Innovative dramatic structures and theatrical experimentation
• Strong, stageable writing and memorable dialogue
• Meaningful ambiguity rather than simple confusion
• Themes exploring meaning, identity, freedom, mortality, and the human condition
We are not seeking conventional realism without a twist, shock value without purpose, or work that resolves its contradictions too neatly.
Accepted Categories
• Absurd Plays
• Existential Drama
• One-Act Plays (up to 10 pages)
• Flash Drama (up to 2 pages)
• Monologues (up to 2 pages)
Submission Guidelines
• Submit manuscripts in DOC or DOCX format only
• Use a readable 12-point font
• Number all pages
• Include a title page with the title and author’s name
• Include a third-person author bio (50–100 words) at the end of the manuscript
• Scripts should follow standard dramatic formatting
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us if accepted elsewhere
How to Submit
- Prepare your manuscript according to the guidelines above.
- Include a 50–100 word third-person bio.
- In the body of your email, include:
- Your name
- Title of the work
- Genre category
- A brief 1–3 sentence description of the piece
- Attach your manuscript as a DOC or DOCX file.
- Name your file: TITLE_LASTNAME.docx
- Send your submission to ufjournal@aol.com
Subject Line Format:
SUBMISSION — [Title] — [Genre]
Key Dates
Submissions Open: Now Open
Submission Deadline: August 25, 2026
Response Time: 4–6 Weeks
Umbrellas for Fish is a non-paying market. As an independent journal operating without grants, institutional funding, or regular donations, we are currently unable to offer royalties, honoraria, or other forms of monetary compensation to contributors.
Authors whose work is selected for publication will receive publication credit and worldwide exposure through the journal.
Editorial Vision
Umbrellas for Fish takes its name from the absurdist spirit that animates the work we publish: the belief that theatre can illuminate issue. the mysteries of existence through contradiction, imagination, humor, and uncertainty.
We welcome playwrights from all countries, backgrounds, and career stages and are especially interested in amplifying voices that have been underrepresented in the dramatic canon.
We look forward to reading your work.
Deadline: 25 August 2026
Source: direct contact