Spank the Carp publishes unique, thought-provoking fiction and poetry that isn’t obscure or pretentious. Its goal is to invite readers to wade into the stream, not make them afraid of water for fear it’s too cold. They look for tight, pithy flash fiction and short stories of any genre, including sci-fi and humor, except fantasy and erotica. They also look for poetry that takes chances, including concrete or “shape” poetry. Creative nonfiction is also accepted.