Want to publish your own oceanic works? We don't yet answer calls on the Shellphone but we do answer mail promptly! Mail us at divein@shellphone.org
Interested in partnering with Shellphone? Hit us up at partner@shellphone.org, we're happy to collaborate!

You've made it this far — thank you for being in the water with us.
Before submitting, please read our post policy and requirements below.

Shellphone Post Policy

Shellphone is dedicated to art and media that explores, touches, or connects to the ocean -- metaphorically or literally. We welcome diverse forms of expression, but your post must align with Shellphone’s mission, which you can read about at Shellphone | About Us.

General Guidelines:

  • Ocean connection required: all submissions must relate to the ocean in some way -- through metaphor, theme, personal experience, or direct engagement.
  • Originality matters: submissions must be original and previously unpublished (except for verified news and research).
  • No Plagiarism. No exceptions.
  • Images: must be your own or credited to the original. Copyrighted images are not acceptable.
  • Respectful Language: please avoid profanity, slurs, and insults. Contextual censoring may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • Quotations: all quotes must be properly credited.
  • Review Timeline: our team reviews each submission individually. Please allow a week for review, notification, and publishing.
  • Multiple Submissions: you’re welcome to submit multiple works, but please send them one at a time using the form below.
  • Creative Freedom: there’s no single label for what your work should be as long as it belong to one of our wave categories.

    • General Post Requirements:

    All submissions must include every component below:
  • Title
  • Banner/main image with alt text (a one-sentence description for accessibility)
  • Main content: at least 20 lines (format it freely (verse, bold, italics, special characters...))
  • Two-sentence summary of your piece for the cover
  • Author name (pen names are welcome)
  • Posts that do not meet these requirements may not be published.
    • If you need an exception or assistance, reach out to us. Find our information at Shellphone | Contact Us.

    Specific Post Guidelines

  • Photography, art, and visual media
      • → Must include at least 20 lines of text to accompany the visuals like other posts require.
  • Poetry and prose
      • → Must be accompanied by a paratext or brief note from the author to contextualize it.
  • News
      • → Must be verified at least 2 credible sources or firsthand witnesses.
      → Please include the sources as links (visible to the editorial team only).
  • Research
      • → Must cite at least 2 credible, peer-reviewed academic sources. If own research, show the methodology and respect to the scientific method.
  • Essays
      • → Must be original works that are previously unpublished.

    Thank you for your interest in publishing with Shellphone!
    We operate with the philosophy that maybe Sisyphus stopped to smell the flowers. It is our duty to create moments in time for people to look around, breathe, and take the beauty of the world in.

    First Name *


    Last Name *

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    Select Wave (Media) Type *

    Subject Line *

    Your text *