Submission Guidelines
What We Publish
The Writer’s Circle, a program of NISA/Northern Initiative for Social Action, publishes quality, insightful writing. Based on our mandate we accept writing from consumer/survivors of mental illness who have experiences to share and voices to be heard. Consumer/survivors are defined as anyone who has experienced mental illness or has had personal mental health concerns. Submissions are reviewed for publication in Open Minds Quarterly, our international print and digital magazine.
What we are looking for
We are seeking submissions that are insightful, intelligent and creative, because we know that’s what mental health consumers are. Our mission is to eliminate stigma by showcasing the work of mental health consumers. Your writing needn’t cover mental health issues if you are submitting poetry or fiction; however, first-person accounts, essays, reviews and open letters should relate to your experience with mental illness.
Friends & family welcome
We welcome submissions from friends and family members of mental health consumers, but these submissions should be related to your experience with mental health issues as the family member or friend.
Types of Submissions We Seek
First-Person Accounts: True stories about living with, surviving, or overcoming a mental illness. 1,000-3,000 words. Published in Open Minds’ Face to Face section. Send 1 story per submission.
Essays: New perspectives on living with mental illness. 1,000-3,000 words. Published in Open Minds’ Perspectives section. Send 1 per submission.
Poetry & Short Fiction: Literary explorations of life. Short stories: 1,000-3,000 words. Both published in Open Minds’ Emanations section. Send up to 4 poems and 1 short story per submission.
Book & Movie Reviews: Reviews of books and movies, from the perspective of a mental health consumer/survivor. 350-750 words. Books & movies should be widely available. Published in Open Minds Quarterly. Send up to 2 reviews per submission.
Open Letters: Letters to someone, about an issue that you desperately feel you need to address and relating to mental illness. Should be relatable to the general public. 550 words. Published in the Open Letters section of Open Minds Quarterly. Send up to 2 open letters per submission. For an example of an open letter, read Hannah Baggot’s letter published in our summer 2014 issue here.
Your first time writing? That’s great!
We want to encourage the development of writers. First-time writers are welcome to submit their work for review. Please carefully review these submission guidelines first, and do call us if you have questions. Please note that due to the volume of submissions, we are unable to offer individualized editorial feedback. If you require assistance, we recommend local writing guilds or online writing support groups. For your first submission of poetry, send no more than 3 pieces of writing; once it has been reviewed, you will have a better idea of what we are looking for and you can submit more at that time.
Considerations
While opinions and self-expression are greatly encouraged (after all, the point of Open Minds Quarterly is to hear the voice of the consumer), your submission should be in relatively good taste. Any names you use in true stories and poems should be changed or initialled to ensure privacy of others written about in the content of submissions. Please indicate on your submission that you have indeed changed the names. If you desire anonymity or wish to use a pen name, please note it on your submission as well as in your cover letter.
Review Process
Once you submit your work and your submission is verified as complete, it will be forwarded to the appropriate Section Editor for initial review. The editors will review your submission, then make a recommendation to the Editor, who will also review it and contact you to let you know whether we can use your piece. Our Section Editors are volunteers, and the number of submissions is great, so please be patient with us — we want to make sure everyone gets a fair review. To assist us, please be sure to send us the final version of your piece; if you send us more than one version, it will take us much longer to review your work. The typical review takes up to 20 weeks. The editor’s decision is final.
Publication
If your submission is chosen for publication, it will appear in Open Minds Quarterly. Publication will take place within a year or two. You will retain your copyright. We cannot yet offer payment for published writing. Authors receive complimentary contributors’ copies of Open Minds Quarterly containing their published work, with many thanks.
Are you ready? • Once you’ve reviewed the submission guidelines, feel free to contact Dinah Laprairie, Editor/Publisher, with any questions. You can reach her at [email protected] or (705) 222-6472, ext. 303.
What to Send
1. Cover Letter: Your letter should list the names of your submissions. If you submit via email, make sure you write “Submission” in the subject line. If this is your first submission, we require a cover letter briefly stating your status as a consumer/survivor, or your status as a family member of a consumer/survivor. Our publication space is limited — we want to ensure the voice of those affected by mental illness is heard.
2. Contact Information: Your contact name, complete mailing address, phone number and email address for correspondence purposes.
3. Your Submission: A typed, double-spaced copy of your work, pages numbered, and with margins of at least 1-inch around. Please do not send originals. Ensure your name is on each piece you submit. See the guidelines above for suggested number of submissions.
All submissions are subject to editorial correction.
Open Minds Quarterly strongly recommends electronic submissions.
Hard copy submissions only will be considered under exceptional circumstances.
E-mail your submission to: [email protected]