Fault Zone: Shake, Rattle and Roll

We invite you to dig deep and explore the forces that shake us awake, rattle our nerves, and roll into our consciousness. Consider the cracks in foundations, families, and identities.   

Your work might depict a sudden upheaval in your personal or professional life, a rapid shift in focus, or untimely aftershocks that threaten further instability.

We encourage you to weave your interpretation of the theme throughout your work or expand on an aspect of it.

Whether you write fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry (structured or unstructured), we’re looking for pieces that delight, inspire, and move us.

Submitting works rooted in California, especially our own northern segment of the state, is encouraged, but it’s not a requirement.

No entry fee to submit to Fault Zone.

Entries are limited to registered members of the San Francisco Peninsula branch of the California Writers Club. Those who are not members are enthusiastically encouraged to join—the club offers workshops, networking, and invaluable opportunities to grow as a writer. 

Current members are encouraged to renew for the 2026-27 year before submitting, and are reminded that they must retain membership through 2026-27.

Each member may submit up to four entries in total, and these may be a mix of poetry and prose. No more than two pieces by a particular member may appear in a given edition of Fault Zone. If you submitted a piece to a prior Fault Zone and it wasn’t selected, set that one aside. Send us something new!

Submission Period: July 1, 2026 – October 31, 2026

Publication Date: December 1, 2027

Multiple entries: Submit each piece separately, with the strictly-limited exception of the special case for haiku: a set of three related haiku may be submitted as one entry.

Do not combine multiple entries into a single submission. If you do so, we will consider only the first item in the file.

Simultaneous submissions: Do not submit elsewhere while we are evaluating your work for Fault Zone. If you decide to send it elsewhere, kindly withdraw your submission. Thanks for understanding!

Download and read the complete submission guidelines.