Applications Open
August 18-31, 2025
Blood Tree Literature is seeking applicants for our volunteer editorial team!
Please read all the following information carefully before applying via the Google Form below.
Open Roles
Features Editor
Our designated Features Editor is instrumental in fostering community and honoring our contributors. Key responsibilities will include conducting artist and author interviews, coordinating book reviews, and working closely with our Editor-in-Chief on issue preparation.
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Conduct the Featured Artist interviews:
1x per issue (2x per year)
Plan and coordinate artist solicitations with our Editor-in-Chief.
Communicate with and coordinate art assets with the Featured Artist and our Editor-in-Chief.
Research the Featured Artist prior to interviewing.
Interview the Featured Artist via email (other options include via phone call, video call, or in-person if applicable, but these are not required nor expected).
Conduct interviews for our Author Interviews special feature:
0-1x per issue (1-2x per year)
Solicit contributing authors for interviews and/or accept interview requests from our authors, with priority given to authors with upcoming book releases and events, authors with very recent book releases, and hybrid writers.
Research the author prior to interviewing.
Interview the author via email (other options include via phone call, video call, or in-person if applicable, but these are not required nor expected).
Communicate with and coordinate any assets with the interviewee and our Editor-in-Chief.
Coordinate reviews of contributor books for our Book Reviews special feature:
1x per issue (2x per year)
Reading and responding to book review submissions on Submittable, soliciting reviewers as needed, coordinating ARC requests as needed with our Editor-in-Chief, and connecting with relevant publishers, authors, and publicists.
Must be comfortable with coordinating and connecting contacts and assets with the aforementioned relevant parties as well as our Editor-in-Chief.
Manage timelines and deadlines with our Editor-in-Chief.
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This role is focused on relationship-building and heavily reliant on communication. Punctual and professional communication skills are required, as are amiable social skills.
Creative Nonfiction Editor
Our Creative Nonfiction Editor is part of our team of genre editors responsible for reading and responding to submissions of creative nonfiction writing. If you are well-versed in both creative nonfiction and fiction genres, this role could be combined into a single Prose Editor.
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Read creative nonfiction submissions in Submittable.
Send submission acceptances and rejections in Submittable.
Mark “maybe” submissions in Submittable for review by our Prose Reader, who will add their vote for either Acceptance or Rejection.
Should a submission be a “Yes With Edits” case, work the author to revise the piece for publication readiness.
Manage timelines and files in Google Workspace with our Editor-in-Chief.
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Editors must be comfortable with giving respectful and constructive literary critique. Punctual, amiable, and professional communication skills are required.
Experience with Submittable, Google Workspace, Zoom, and other online tools are preferred but not required. We will train on these as needed, or discuss alternate arrangements if these are not accessible tools for you. Reliable internet connection/access and email communications are required.
Fiction Editor
Our Fiction Editor is part of our team of genre editors responsible for reading and responding to submissions of short and flash fiction writing. If you are well-versed in both creative nonfiction and fiction genres, this role could be combined into a single Prose Editor.
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Read fiction submissions in Submittable.
Send submission acceptances and rejections in Submittable.
Mark “maybe” submissions in Submittable for review by our Prose Reader, who will add their vote for either Acceptance or Rejection.
Should a submission be a “Yes With Edits” case, work the author to revise the piece for publication readiness.
Manage timelines and files in Google Workspace with our Editor-in-Chief.
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Editors must be comfortable with giving respectful and constructive literary critique. Punctual, amiable, and professional communication skills are required.
Experience with Submittable, Google Workspace, Zoom, and other online tools are preferred but not required. We will train on these as needed, or discuss alternate arrangements if these are not accessible tools for you. Reliable internet connection/access and email communications are required.
Poetry Reader
Our Poetry Reader is part of team of genre editors responsible for reading and providing internal input on submissions of poetry and poetic hybrid writing. Readers work closely with our Editor-in-Chief on final submission decisions.
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Read and vote on poetry submissions in Submittable.
Provide internal input in Submittable on the elements and impressions of a submission that impact your vote.
Send rejections in Submittable on submissions that violate our guidelines.
Help manage timelines and files with our Editor-in-Chief.
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Readers must be comfortable with providing light literary and/or aesthetic opinions on submissions that impact their vote for acceptance or rejection. Punctual communication skills are required.
Experience with Submittable, Google Workspace, Zoom, and other online tools are preferred but not required. We will train on these as needed, or discuss alternate arrangements if these are not accessible tools for you. Reliable internet connection/access and email communications are required.
General Info
BTL publishes two issues annually in summer and winter, including an annual contest in which we match the prize awards in a donation to a relevant charitable organization. All team members can expect to spend up to 2 hours per week for the 2.5 months leading to an issue pub day, which includes reading and responding to submissions in Submittable as well as coordinating with contributors and preparing files for the issue's front & backends using Google Workspace. All work and communications are online-only, so a reliable internet connection/access is required.
All positions are on a labor-of-love basis (unpaid, no academic credit or certified volunteer hours) at this time. While we hope to grow into a paying staff structure in the next few years, we are currently unable to compensate monetarily nor with industry perks. What we can offer is a supportive space to gain experience proudly curating resonant literature and joyfully engaging in the arts community, plus a vouch of recommendation toward future opportunities elsewhere in the creative and professional worlds.
Blood Tree Lit is a pro-choice, trans-inclusive, anti-racist, anti-generative AI publication. Our highest values are compassion, diversity, equity, transparency, and community. Our mission is to celebrate thoughtful literary art that takes risks, and honor our contributors as best we can in a sometimes messy industry and digital landscape. If these qualities align with your own goals and values, we look forward to considering your application! Please note that we especially encourage applications from cross-genre/medium creatives and editors of underrepresented communities, as well as emerging professionals. We also welcome ideas and insights for improvement from new team members on how BTL can further put our ideals into actions.
Please familiarize yourself with our style, taste, and ethos depicted in past issues and our platform before applying.
Editorial applications must be submitted before September 1st. All applications will be responded to via email by September 5th. If you haven't heard back by September 6th, please reach out so we can check that we received your application. Interviews with potential candidates will be conducted starting mid-September over Zoom with our Editor-in-Chief Kylie Yockey, with selected editors beginning work at BTL for Issue 16 mid-October.
If you have any questions about this team call or problems with our application form, please email us at bloodtreelit@yahoo.com.
