**The JLJ will no longer accept simultaneous submissions.
All submissions should be e-mailed to [email protected]
Click here for general Document Requirements. Click here for Genre Specific Guidelines.
1. Who can submit?
From the amateur to the professional, all authors are welcome to submit.
2. Do I need to be Jewish to submit?
No.
3. What type of submissions are accepted?
In recognition of variation in self-expression, there are no rules in terms of form or function, except that the piece fits into the genres of fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, or comics.
All submissions must be Jewish in nature. Although the concept of “Jewish” is a broad and vague one. Leaving this concept/term undefined will allow for the largest breadth of material to qualify for publication. However, final say of what falls under the category of “Jewish” will remain under the purview of the editorial staff.
We welcome previously published material; you must submit the name of the publication in which the piece was published and the date it appeared (of course you still need to own the copyright and be able to resubmit the work).
4. When are submissions allowed?
Submissions will be accepted from the 15th of the month two months prior to publication until the 14th of the month prior to publication (e.g. submissions for January 1st should be submitted between November 15th and December 14th).
5. How do I submit?
Please submit your work through an e-mail sent to [email protected] with the author’s name and genre of submission in the subject line.
6. What should the submission document include?
The document’s first page or header must include the name and contact information for the author. If you would like to submit a mini bio and/or a list of previously published work, put this information on a separate page at the end of the document (no more than 5 sentences please).
7. When can I expect to hear back from the editors?
We will try to get back to you as soon as possible, but an exact amount of time cannot be specified.
8. If my piece is accepted, when will my work be published?
Publication will occur on the 1st of every month.
9. Can I submit in more than one genre at a time?
No. Please submit one (1) story in Fiction OR Creative Non-Fiction OR up to 5 poems per reading period.
Also, please do not submit a second time before we respond to the first submission, as the second submission will be disregarded. We will do our best to ensure a speedy response.
Additionally, if you are published by the JLJ, please don’t submit a new piece for at least 3 months after your publication date.
10. Can I submit to the JLJ and another journal at the same time?
We appreciate that there are a lot of venues for publication and that you want your piece to have the best chance of getting published. However, a one month turnaround seems short enough to wait through. Please do no submit the same piece to us and other journals concurrently.
11. If I am published, who holds the copyright to my piece?
All pieces remain property of the writer. We only ask that you do not reprint the piece for at least one (1) year post publication date. If at a later point the piece is republished in another venue, it must be stipulated that Jewish Literary Journal was the original publisher (or secondary publisher, as the case may be).
12. Speaking of Reprints – what if this piece has been published before?
We appreciate you wanting to have your work seen by as many people as possible and we will reprint something superb! That being said, if your piece has been published elsewhere within the last year (1 year), we will not consider republishing it.
13. Is there a “reading fee?” Is there compensation if my piece is published?
The JLJ charges no fees for submissions and offers no compensation for pieces that are published in the journal.
*All pieces submitted are subject to editing by the staff and published as deemed appropriate upon submission.
*All pieces submitted are in consideration for “Exegesis” (the JLJ’s podcast) and “Insights w/Aaron Berkowitz” (a feature of Patreon support) upon submission.
Document requirements:
All submissions should be in English (this means no translations either).
All documents should be submitted in .doc/.docx or .rtf form. All comics (pictures) should be submitted .pdf, .jpg, or .png form.
Genre Specific Guidelines
Poetry:
Up to 5 poems.
Each poem should be no more than 200 lines.
If submitting multiple poems, submit only 1 (one) document containing all the poems.
Each poem submitted should appear at the top of a new page.
Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction:
5,000 word limit.
The story must be a stand-alone piece (understood on its own without any additional context).
Comics:
Submissions may vary in size; from as small as one-panel comics, to strips, or full-length stories, the maximum length is 5 pages.
Art + Photography:
For Art and Photography guideline, please click here
*Upon submission to the Jewish Literary Journal all material becomes subject to publication with changes at the Editors discretion.
*upon submission, you consent to having your email used in promotional mailings