About

The Broken Spine Journal is more than a literary journal—it’s a voice for the unheard.

Founded by writer and advocate Scott Jordan Frink, the journal was born from lived experience, not from institutions. We publish raw, unfiltered work from those who have been through it, not just those who have studied it. Whether you’ve survived addiction, poverty, incarceration, illness, or simply felt invisible in a world that praises polish over pain—we want your voice.

We don’t seek perfection. We seek truth.

We believe that lived experience is expertise. That your story matters, whether or not you have a degree, a following, or a platform. Our contributors range from first-time writers to seasoned survivors, united by a single thread: they’ve lived what they write.

We aim to uplift voices across all walks of life—especially those the literary world often overlooks. If your words carry the weight of real struggle, this is your space.

This is where raw voices are heard.
This is The Broken Spine Journal.

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A Note from the Founder

I didn’t create this journal to compete with the literary world—I created it because I never felt like I belonged in it.

Too many times, I saw stories that mattered get passed over for ones that looked cleaner on paper. I saw people with something real to say silenced by submission fees, formatting rules, or gatekeepers who didn’t understand their voice.

This journal exists for the ones who’ve had to fight to be heard. For the ones whose stories were too raw, too loud, too painful, too true for traditional spaces.

I know what it means to carry pain that doesn’t fit a form.
I’ve lived it—and I’ve read it in others.

If that’s you, welcome home.

— Scott Jordan Frink, Founder and Editor
The Broken Spine Journal

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Where We’re Going

The Broken Spine Journal started as one voice speaking up—but I hope it becomes a chorus.

This is just the beginning. I want to grow this into more than a journal:

– A platform for unheard voices to not only be seen, but valued.

– A nonprofit that uplifts communities often shut out of the literary world.

– A place that eventually provides compensation to contributors, because your voice has worth.

– A space that runs contests for communities who don’t often get asked to share their truth, and gives back through opportunity, visibility, and support.

I want to distribute print editions to shelters and sober homes, build workshops, and help more people turn pain into art.

If you’re reading this, and you’ve ever felt silenced, underestimated, or unseen—I want you here.

Let’s build something that wasn’t meant to exist, but had to.

Link to:

• Submissions page — “If this resonates with you, [submit your work].”
• Voices page — “We publish work like this [right here].”