Question 1

So, I've read the Submission Guidelines...Can you tell me more about what exactly you're looking for?"

Accepted Answer

Here are some extra things you should know about how and why we select the pieces we select:

1. Our Editors select the pieces we publish and our Editors change over time.  However, we always try to keep an objective consistency in what we look for and we do not want our personal tastes to affect the pieces we choose.

2.  The reason we ask you to leave personal information off of your attached submissions is so we can have a blind selection process. Although our editors are your peers, we don't publish pieces just because we know the person!

3. Because we want to be surprised, we cannot say exactly what we're hoping to see. Challenge us!

4. However...sometimes pieces just don't fit and just because we don't select a piece for publication does not mean that it is not a good piece!

Question 2

How many pieces should I submit?

Accepted Answer

You can submit as many pieces as you would like in as many different categories as you want. However, please separate your submissions by e-mail (i.e. Prose in an e-mail marked "Prose" and Art in an e-mail marked "Art") and specify that you are submitting in multiple categories so that our Editors are all on the same page. ( Our Prose Editor does not usually check the Art submissions, for example).
 
A bit of helpful advice: 
It is usually a good idea to send multiple submissions in a single category to give us a better idea of your style. Sometimes we can be blown away by an especially stellar single submission, but we're usually impressed either by versatility in a range of pieces or by consistency in craft. 
 
Conversely, you probably don't want to overwhelm the Editors. (And please don't send us your entire novel manuscript and say "pick a chapter" or every photo you've ever taken). The trick is finding a balance: a nice, solid submission that gives us an idea of you as an artist and gives us material to play with!

Question 3

So, what is this about a "suggested word limit" of 1250 words for prose submissions?"

Accepted Answer

We have a budget that dictates how many pages we are able to publish, and because prose takes up a good amount of space, we like to suggest a word limit. However, this is a suggestion. We are always open to reading (and considering) longer pieces, but the absolute limit is around 3,000 words. 
 
You should also know that Prose can be pretty competitive and we tend to publish less Prose than Art or Poetry. Therefore, it is usually a good idea to stick close to our suggested limit if it is possible.  However, in the end, we select Prose based on an overall word limit which gives our Editor (and you) room to work with. For example, we can publish longer pieces if we have shorter pieces as well.
 
Finally, we prefer not to publish excerpts or abridged versions (and we can usually tell when a piece is a part of something bigger--or should be a part of something bigger). However, we will publish novel chapters or excerpts if they really do work as stand-alone pieces.

Question 4

How many pieces do you usually select for publication?

Accepted Answer

You can check out 2020's Anthology to see how many pieces we've published in the past (and our numbers are likely to change over time).  However, we usually publish around 15 to 18 poems, 6 or 7 pieces of prose, and anywhere from 20 to 30 pieces of artwork every year.

Question 5

What are the Editor Choice Awards?

Accepted Answer

Each Editor gives an award each year for the piece that he or she liked the best. Award winners are recognized in the magazine, at the Release Party, on our social media pages, and on our website.
​
Winners receive a certificate, bragging rights, and a great line on their resume/ CV!

Question 6

I want to be on your staff! What are you looking for in applicants?

Accepted Answer

We have six positions on our staff. The Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Editor positions are reserved for members who have served on our staff and know how our publication process works. The Graphic Designer position requires specific knowledge of various aspects of layout and design, so we prefer to hire an upperclassman (junior or senior) from the Design department or someone who has proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. 
 
As for our other Editors... Because they are in charge of selecting the pieces that we publish, we need our Editors to be students who can objectively and critically assess the submissions we receive, and part of our interview process usually requires applicants to discuss some "sample submissions." The Editor positions are not specifically reserved for Art or English majors, but we would prefer that the applicants have taken classes in these areas and/or have extensive experience in the creative arts. 
 
However, apply as early as you'd like!  Sometimes we are absolutely blown away by our freshman applicants.  Or, if you would like to get more experience before applying for a staff position, we also have Volunteer positions available. Our Volunteer positions are unpaid positions that are designed to get interested students involved with our publication, to show them how our process works, and to allow them to be in close contact with our Editors.

FAQ

So, I've read the Submission Guidelines...Can you tell me more about what exactly you're looking for?"

How many pieces should I submit?

So, what is this about a "suggested word limit" of 1250 words for prose submissions?"

How many pieces do you usually select for publication?

What are the Editor Choice Awards?

I want to be on your staff! What are you looking for in applicants?

© 2020 Winthrop University Anthology | Rock Hill, SC