Personal Essay Submissions

Off Assignment is a literary magazine with a penchant for journeys and a fascination with strangers. We're looking for writers who travel, poets who wander, essayists with a sense of place, reporters with swollen notebooks, and gourmands with street cart taste. We’re not here to guide vacations. We don’t cover spas or centennials. We want the writer on the page—sweating, tripping, and telling a tale. We accept simultaneous submissions, as long as you immediately notify us that your piece has been accepted elsewhere. We are interested only in original essays; your work must not have been published elsewhere prior to submitting.

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES:
Letter to a Stranger

Who haunts you?
We all harbor thoughts about the strangers at the edges of our lives. Write a letter to an unshakeable stranger you’ve met along the way, whether travelling across the world, the country, or down the street.

A great “Letter to a Stranger” has some magic to it, and often speaks to more than just what it's directly about. It's never colonialist or judgemental. It is a highly personal narrative that stirs up universal themes.