nycBigCityLit™.com
the rivers of it,
abridged
Submissions Email: editors@nycBigCityLit.com
(paste only except when attachment is expressly requested)
Postal address: Editors,
Big City Lit™, Box 1141, Cathedral
Consult the Statement
of Editorial Policy (Masthead) before
Submissions Categories:
Big City, Little
Poetry
Compilations
Individual Works
The Bridge City Lit editions (Paris, etc.) also accept unsolicited submissions
of individual poems and short prose, especially work in the respective corresponding language (French, Dutch, Spanish, etc.)
Manuscript Formatting
Hypertext Literature
Fiction
Essays, Articles,
etc.
Artwork and Photographs Current
Call for Submissions
Themes:
Consult Home Page for most current listing. The theme focus applies primarily to the Poetry Feature collection, though a particular focus sometimes dominates the issue, including its prose elements (e.g., Vietnam (Jun'01), Cuba (Aug'02)). Fine submissions independent of theme are sought and read year-round. Suggested length parameters:
Transmittal:
Rev. 7/2003.
See Home Page for most up-to-date details on current calls and contests.
Sta. NY 10025 USA
submitting work
or queries. Please also note any current call for
submissions.
(Specify category in the subject
line of submission or query, e.g. "Re: Submission,
Twelve"; "Re: Query, Article".)
Bridge City Lit
Twelve
Poetry
Fiction/Short Prose
Longer Draughts
Essays
Articles
Reviews
Interviews
Series on Series
Series Reviews
Free Expression
Legal Forum
Bookshelf
The New York edition of the magazine typically solicits coherent, multi-contributor compilations of 20-24 poems with accompanying introduction
for a specific, single-issue feature. Proposals for poetry feature compilations
should contain at least the following elements: name, contact info, and bio
of guest editor(s), title, brief description of theme or other unifying concept,
contributor names/works (to extent known), suggested recording venue, and advertisers.
The New York edition accepts unsolicited submissions of individual
poems for upcoming themes listed below and on the Home Page, whereby suggested themes are not intended to be restrictive or preclusive of other individual submissions,
and for the Big City, Little (details appear on that page) and Twelve features
on an ongoing basis. The key for Twelve is risk; it is of equal interest to us whether the gambit succeeds or fails well. There is no specific length limitation for that section, nor are contributions limited to a single piece. We encourage multi-part poem cycles, for instance.
While field poetry may work well on the printed page, idiosyncratic
formatting can be tricky to reproduce on-line, often unsuccessful, and therefore
your patience is solicited. A similar appeal applies to gaps and indentations. We are disinclined toward ampersands and toward what we term the all-purpose hyphen "hiccup." Punctuation which deviates from standard usage is acceptable, provided it is deliberate, skillful, and enhances the poem. Tabs to effect centering or other print presentation are unnecessary and will be removed. Slashes to indicate breaks in electronically transmitted work are useful. Poems appear on the magazine in Palatino, 14 pt. for text, 16 pt. for title and author (italicized) name.
We are currently not equipped to publish significant amounts of hypertext literature, but welcome submissions of and queries about such works.
The most readily accommodable length is 1800 to 2500
words, but we are receptive to others as well. (See below.) We favor skill in execution, artistic and otherwise. Since use of language
includes a mastery of punctuation, we reserve discretion to reproduce only such
authorial deviations from standard practice which work to demonstrate that facility. Space only once after periods. We generally prefer to print dialogue in double quotation marks, interior monologue in italics.
Query first for pieces over 750
words. Shorter works may be sent in theirentirety, one at a time, by email
paste.Space only once after periods.
Artwork submissions may be sent electronically by jpg or gif (72 dpi only, to minimize file size) or by mail, in any medium appropriate tothe piece, e.g. slides, color photocopies,
laser prints, indicating the dimensionsand media used. Include SASE postage
prepaid for return.
Dramatic Monologue (poetry: e.g. "My Last Dutchess"); Epigrams; Moving/Motion; Dust; Corridors; Insects; Cemeteries; Smoking; Infanticide; Music; Japan; Montreal/Quebec (surtout francophone); Surrealism; Timepieces; Kites; Suicide; 'Lovesick'; Intermediating Surfaces: the Sk(in) Between; Hands and Gloves; How the Other Half: Rich vs. Poor; Wells; Degree 365: Year Two of 9/11; Small Town Wherewithal.
4 to 60 lines (poetry, except for Twelve)
350 to 1200 words (short prose)
1000 to 3000 words (fiction) (two installments possible, thus, 6000)
3000 words (verse plays)
500 to 4000 words (non-fiction)
500 (capsule book and event reviews)
750 (Series on Series)
1250 to 1800 (articles, essays [but query], in-depth reviews)
2500 (interviews)
3500 (Longer Draughts)
Please query first regarding reviews, essays, and articles with up to 750-word writing sample.
By paste initially and by attachment if requested to: editors@nycBigCityLit.com
By hardcopy and disk to: Box 1141 Cathedral Sta NY 10025.
By brief courteous address to the appropriate editor, including name, address, phone, and email. Short bio is optional, but appreciated on initial submission. Unidentified attachments will be deleted unread, as will submissions introduced with "hey-yo-I-just-wrote-this-your-gonna-love-it" or "My work has been published in over 700 online magazines" puffery. We replied courteously to, but did not read the work accompanying this note: "Hey, I'm 14 from South Carolina. My name is H* B*. I hope you like my stuff."