Kathmandu Tribune is a literary and cultural journal rooted in the Nepali and South Asian diaspora. We publish essays, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews, and interviews—in English, Nepali, and French—that take culture seriously and refuse easy answers. Our mandate is to publish the hidden voices: writers working at the intersection of belonging, language, displacement, and imagination.
We are selective. We read slowly. We respond to every submission.
What We’re Looking For
We are drawn to work that carries a sense of necessity—writing that could not have been written by anyone else, in any other way. We are especially interested in:
- Essays and criticism that move between the personal and the political, the local and the global
- Poetry that trusts image and sound over statement
- Fiction and nonfiction that illuminates South Asian, Nepali, or diaspora experience without reducing it
- Reviews that offer genuine critical engagement, not summary
- Interviews that reach past the promotional
We are not the right home for work that is primarily inspirational, thinly reported, or written without a distinct voice.
Categories & Word Counts
| Category | Length |
|---|---|
| Essays & Commentary | 800–2,500 words |
| Fiction & Nonfiction | up to 5,000 words |
| Reviews | 500–1,500 words |
| Poetry | up to 3 pages (max 5 poems) |
| Interviews | by proposal |
Guidelines
- Previously unpublished work only. We do not consider work published elsewhere, including on personal blogs or social media.
- Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
- Format: Word document (.doc/.docx). Poetry should preserve line breaks.
- Languages: English and Nepali preferred. French accepted; please include a short English and Nepali summary.
- Bio: 2–3 sentences, written in third person.
- Use of AI-generated content: We do not accept work generated by or substantially produced with AI writing tools. Writers may use AI for light editing assistance (grammar, translation support), but the creative work—the thinking, the voice, the structure—must be the author’s own. We ask that any AI assistance be disclosed in your cover email. Undisclosed AI use is grounds for immediate rejection and removal from consideration.
How to Submit
Email ktmtribune@gmail.com with the subject line: [Submission] – Your Name – Title
Attach your manuscript. Include your bio and any relevant context in the body of the email.
We respond within 4–6 weeks. We do not offer line edits on declined work.
Compensation
Kathmandu Tribune is a volunteer-run independent journal. We currently offer publication credit and a contributor copy of the issue. We hope to pay contributors as the journal grows.
Rights
We acquire first publication rights. Copyright remains with the author. Work may not be republished elsewhere before our publication date; after publication, authors are free to reprint with a credit line.
Submissions are reviewed by the editorial team. We are committed to reading with care and to representing the full range of voices our mandate demands.
