You have the chance to be a part of something awesome. We are releasing the first volume of a new literary magazine, called The Abalone, this spring and we want to feature YOUR work in it. Submissions are officially open!

The Abalone will be a print edition in The Pearl’s universe. We need your best short stories to make this magazine amazing.

This magazine will be a thing of beauty, and not just in appearance. The stories featured in The Abalone will highlight beauty in all forms, whether mundane or extraordinary. The Abalone will speak the truth of the gospel, highlight our favorite nooks of pop culture, and show the beauty of creation. 

Volume 1 is inspired by Philippians 4:8, and will be split into eight sections. Each section will highlight one of the virtues Paul cites in this verse: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

We want you to submit works of creative nonfiction that highlights one of these themes: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, OR worthy of praise.

(There’s more information on “What is creative non-fiction” below.) Your submission doesn’t need to be about one of these ideas, just inspired by it. If your submission touches on more than one, submit it. If it’s selected, we’ll use it where it fits best!

Submissions should be 1,000-5,000 words, and must be submitted by December 17, 2025.

The icing on the cake? This is going to be the first edition of The Abalone. The very first! You have a chance to be among the first authors to contribute to this serial project. An abalone alum, per se. That could be you!

As an inaugural member of the magazine, you’ve got some cool stuff coming:

What do I get if I’m published? 

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. 

• First off, it’s totally free to submit your work, so why not send something in? It’s free!
• Further, the authors of the selected stories will receive a $35 author fee.
• As one of the first-ever abalone alum, you’ll also receive a limited edition enamel pin. Those pins will be exclusive to authors published in The Abalone. Join the club!
• Finally, you’ll also get a discount when you buy copies of the magazine.

Submitting does NOT obligate you to publish. You retain all rights to your work. If we’re interested in publishing your piece, we’ll send you a publishing agreement which you can negotiate and ask questions about at that time.

So really…what is there to lose? Answer: nothing. And you have everything to gain.

Then how do you get your awesome story into our hands?

How do I submit?

Submitting is simple. Email your submission as a PDF attachment to abalone@writers.company.

In the body of the email, tell us which virtue inspired your submission and why it would be a great fit for The Abalone. Also include your contact information, including your full name, address, and phone number in the email.

Please ensure these statements are all true before sending us your submission:

• This story I’m submitting is entirely my own, or I have permission from all contributors.
• This story is between 1,000 and 5,000 words in length.
• This story is a PDF, formatted with a normal font in a typical font size (i.e. Times New Roman 12 pt, or similar).
• This story does NOT include any images.
• This is not a proofreading test, but I’ve done my best to correct careless errors and make this submission the best that it can be.
• I am a Christian and this story is appropriate for the audience of The Pearl, to the best of my understanding.

You’ve got that covered, so what is “creative nonfiction” and what exactly are we looking for?

What submissions are we looking for?

We are swinging the doors wide on submissions! We’re looking for any creative nonfiction (CNF) that fits into at least one of those Philippians 4:8 categories! Here they are in a row: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellence, worthy of praise.

When in doubt, submit.

Not sure it’s what we want: submit.

Nervous that we might think you’re a total fool when we see what you sent: submit it anyway.

Every story will undergo a professional editing process. Nothing will be printed as-is. If you submit, you might be closer than you think. But if you don’t submit, you can never be included, never grow, never learn.

What is creative nonfiction? 

Creative nonfiction is the truth (nonfiction) told with the sensibilities of fiction storytelling. It can be a short story, interview, essay, movie review–whatever you want! Just make sure it’s the truth, told with fiction sensibilities. It should be engaging–almost conversational!

Creative non-fiction often emphasizes the “creative” part. It tends to be a little bit artsy and usually reads like literary fiction. If what you’ve written is basically true, and more or less a story, then you’re probably in the right ball park. Even though it’s true and can still be imaginative, or even outlandish.

For a more detailed explanation of Creative Nonfiction, check out Brad Pauquette’s recent article “What is Creative Nonfiction?” (click here).

When in doubt, submit. Our editorial team can see what you’ve got, and if it’s a good fit, help you take it the rest of the way.

Who’s in charge of this?

Lucy Grecu, the managing editor of The Pearl, is in charge of this project. She’s also a second-year writing apprentice at The Company.

Each year, each of The Company’s second-year apprentices must complete a “master project.” This master project must put the skills they’ve learned on display and must advance the Kingdom of God. Past master projects have included Lawless, Fantastical Summer, and A Curiously Good Podcast.

Lucy will be managing this project, including hiring professional designers and publishing professionals as needed. She’ll be directly supervised by Brad Pauquette, the director of The Company, and a publishing professional with more than 15 years of experience.

Learn more about Lucy Grecu and follow her writing at LucyGrecu.com. (Interested in becoming a writing apprentice at The Company? Learn more here.)

Nothing to lose!

You have a chance to be a part of something wonderful. In this time of darkness, the world’s beauty needs to be highlighted more than ever. You can help shed light on the good things. You have an opportunity to speak truth and wrap it in beauty.

You have the chance to be a part of something new–the first edition of a kingdom-honoring print magazine. Our submission doors are wide open (free of charge) and we’d love to see what creative nonfiction you have. There’s nothing to lose!

Details roundup

Once more, with feeling!

Project name: The Abalone (Volume 1)

Project details: Physical literary magazine focusing on hope, beauty, and light. 

Price to submit: Free!

Compensation for chosen stories: $35 and a limited edition pin.

How to submit: Email a PDF to abalone@writers.company

If you have questions, email us at abalone@writers.company. Lucy will be standing by, ready to help.