Q: You forgot to capitalize the f!
A: The f in figments is always lowercase! It’s a long story.
Q: What does figments consider speculative fiction?
A: Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, magical realism, folktales, dystopian fiction, myths — anything that’s a little out of this world! We aren’t interested in trying to draw strict boundaries around what is and isn’t speculative. If you are deciding whether your piece would be a good fit for our magazine, check out some of our past issues to get a feel for what kinds of speculative fiction we publish! A good rule of thumb is that if your piece is incompatible with a realistic reading (i.e. cannot be read as taking place in our world), it’s definitely speculative.
Q: Who can come to figments events? Who can submit to figments?
A: Anyone (Princeton residents, faculty, graduate students, people who just like speculative fiction) can come to figments events! We like to hold watch parties, trivia nights, writing workshops, and launch parties throughout the year, and figure the more the merrier. Any Princeton University affiliate (including graduate students, faculty, and alumni) can submit their work to figments. In order to be a member of the figments Board, you must be a Princeton University undergraduate.
Q: How can I get involved with figments as a club?
A: We host events, including writing and editing workshops, throughout the semester, so keep an eye out for information on your residential college listserv! In addition, when submissions are open, you can sign up to help edit for the upcoming issue. Editing is a fairly light time commitment and a great way to be involved with the magazine. Click here to join the editing team for our fall 2026 issue (more details in the form). If you have any questions, please reach out to the editor-in-chief at ob9873@princeton.edu.
Q: Can I submit work to both figments and another literary magazine?
A: Yes, you can simultaneously submit previously unpublished work to both figments and another literary magazine (if the other magazine allows this as well). However, if your piece is accepted into another magazine before figments, it is your responsibility to notify figments and withdraw your submission from consideration. Likewise, if your piece is accepted into figments, we expect you to notify the other literary magazine of its acceptance. Remember that all work accepted to figments must be speculative in nature, so please consider whether your piece would also be a good fit for our magazine in particular before submitting it.