We are the University of Central Florida’s undergraduate literary magazine, running since 1989. From our inception, our hope has been to lift up UCF’s many burgeoning creatives through the celebration of diverse and innovative writing.
The Cypress Dome is open to all UCF students, both undergraduate and graduate, enrolled full- or part-time, during any semester of the 2024-2025 academic year.
We take creative work of any kind—send us your break-up poems, mind-bending fiction, childhood tales, or even the screenplay you never thought would see the light of day. We're excited to read everything you send our way!
Open Submission
The Cypress Dome accepts submissions from November 15th through December 31st.
Early Bird Pre-Submission Feedback
We’re happy to offer brief personalized feedback to the first 20 writers who submit to us between the dates of October 18th and October 30th.
This pre-submission period does not count toward a submission for The Cypress Dome’s next issue. If you would like your piece to be considered for publication, you will need to re-submit your work during the Open Submission period.
Submission Format
Remove your name from all submitted work including headers and footers.
Include page numbers on all multi-page work.
For all text-based work, submit a DOC or DOCX file. You may submit a PDF file only to retain non-standard formatting, if applicable; for editorial purposes, a DOC or DOCX file must accompany the PDF.
Cover Letter
Any work submitted without a cover letter will not be considered for the next issue of The Cypress Dome. Please copy and paste your cover letter into the box on the Submission page.
Include all of the following:
- your first and last name
- your address
- your phone number
- your UCF email address
- academic status (graduate or undergraduate)
- the title(s) of your submission(s)
- submission category
- content warnings (death, sexual trauma, violence, graphic description, etc.)
- number of words/lines per submission (if written)
- medium of the work (if visual art)
Multiple Submissions
We accept up to two submissions per person.
If you are making multiple submissions to the same genre, please upload all files to the same submission form.
If you submit multiple pieces across different genres, please upload the submission forms separately according to each piece's genre. Please specify that you are submitting to different genres on your cover letter. The same cover letter should be submitted with each piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still submit a piece even if I know someone on the staff?
- Yes. We request that you remove your name from all submitted work to keep the scoring process fair and unbiased; our editors do not receive the names of the authors who have submitted, only their pieces. That being said, if an editor recognizes your piece, they will sit out of the scoring process.
How do I know my work was received?
- When your submission is received, Submittable will send you a confirmation email. Please check your spam filters and the email you used to sign in to Submittable. If you do not receive an email, please email cdome@ucf.edu to make sure your submission was received (especially if you are submitting near the end of the Open Submission period).
Can I contact any of The Cypress Dome’s editors during the Open Submission period?
- If you have any questions, please contact us at cdome@ucf.edu. We cannot discuss any of your pieces during the submission process, nor can we accept any cash, food, or other gifts—your submissions are the only form of bribe we need.
How does the scoring process work?
- All work will be reviewed by the editors, evaluated according to artistic merit, and then accepted or denied.
If I am accepted, when will I be notified?
- Final decisions on all submitted work will be made in the Spring when all submissions have been reviewed. Responses are typically sent by the beginning of April.
If I am accepted, are there any awards and/or ceremonies I can look forward to?
- Awards are given for the strongest submissions in each category. The Cypress Dome editors will select the winning entries. A celebratory reading will be held upon the release of the magazine in late April 2025.
Our fiction team is eager to read pieces that push past the general narratives. We are seeking pieces that spark originality and are refreshing in their style and storytelling. We accept short stories up to 6,000 words.
All submissions must be double-spaced and in 12 pt. Times New Roman.
Thank you, and good luck.
Our nonfiction team is excited to read work that leaves a lasting impact on the reader, and there's nothing we're more excited about than a piece with a strong authorial voice. We accept up to 6,000 words of writing including, but not limited to, memoirs, personal essays, literary journalism, lyric essays, visual essays, and hybrid or experimental works.
All submissions must be double-spaced and in 12 pt. Times New Roman.
Thank you, and good luck.
Our poetry team hopes to publish work that is emotive and vulnerable.
We accept a maximum of 3 poems submitted together in a single document, with each poem clearly separated.
If you are making 2 poetry submissions for this submission period, include all titles and manuscripts (up to 3 per submission) in a single Submittable form. They will be counted and treated as 2 separate submissions.
Thank you, and good luck.
Our team is eager for flash fiction and nonfiction that enthralls us with every line.
Maximum of 750 words, maximum of 3 pieces, fiction or nonfiction. Please specify the genre of the piece in your cover letter.
Thank you, and good luck.
Maximum of 5 pieces of artwork, including but not limited to: drawings, paintings, photography, digital art, and sculptures. Please specify the genre of the piece in your cover letter.
If you are making 2 visual art submissions for this submission period, include all titles and files (up to 5 per submission) in a single Submittable form. They will be counted and treated as 2 separate submissions.
All photographs of your work should be at 300 dpi or higher. JPG is the preferred file format.
Thank you, and good luck.
Maximum of 4 pages, black and white, fiction or nonfiction. Please specify the genre of the piece in your cover letter.
If you are making 2 graphic narrative submissions for this submission period, include both titles and manuscripts in a single Submittable form. They will be counted and treated as separate submissions.
JPG is the preferred visual file format. If your work is more text-based, DOC or DOCX are the preferred file formats. If you need to submit a PDF to retain non-standard formatting, please also submit a DOC file for editorial use.
Thank you, and good luck.
Maximum of 12 pages, single act only, adheres to all standard script formatting practices.
If you are making 2 script submissions for this submission period, include both titles and manuscripts in a single Submittable form. They will be counted and treated as separate submissions.
Please submit a DOC or DOCX file. If you need to submit a PDF to retain non-standard formatting, please also submit a DOC or DOCX file for editorial use.
Thank you, and good luck.