Fifth Wednesday, a new journal with its first issues hot off the presses (are things printed on “presses” these days?), is looking for submissions, reports Guest Poetry Editor Anna Leahy. She was kind enough to give an insider’s view of the editorial process, noting that because the deadline for the upcoming issue is January 15, 2008, NOW is a good time to submit, “when readers aren’t as swamped as in January.” She also mentioned that the Managing Editor reports that creative nonfiction and black and white photography submissions are running a little low. So…can you alleviate that situation?
Here’s some additional information from the journal’s mission statement on the web site:
“We are dedicated to encouraging good writing and good reading. We seek to bring together readers and the best poets and storytellers we can find, both established writers and fresh new voices. We are committed to quality writing, which is entertaining, intellectually stimulating, and emotionally meaningful for the reader. In short, we seek to publish work that we enjoy and can enthusiastically recommend to our readers.
"We welcome prose and poetry in any style—traditional, realistic, modern, and experimental—you name it, as long as it meets our standards for high quality in content and form. We intend to offer a broad range of poems and stories with appeal for a wide range of quality readers. If you think we might like your work, but are in doubt, submit it and find out.”
And, from the submission guidelines:
“All submissions to Fifth Wednesday Journal must be original, unpublished work in English. By submitting your work to FWJ, you indicate your consent for us to publish your work in our print journal. For publication FWJ acquires first North American serial rights. After publication, all rights revert to the author.
“We offer two copies of the issue in which your work appears and all the exposure we can generate for you. We welcome simultaneous submissions with the understanding that you will inform us if your work is accepted elsewhere.
“Each fiction work accepted for publication will be eligible for an annual Editor's Fiction Prize of $35. Each poem accepted will be eligible for an annual Editor's Poetry Prize of $35. Each photograph accepted for publication will be eligible for an annual Editor's Photography Prize of $35.
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically using the form on the web site or as a CD sent by surface mail to Fifth Wednesday Journal, P. O. Box 4033, Lisle, IL 60532-9033.”
There are additional requirements for each category, so please check the web site for details.