Guidelines

  NEWN has two different ways you can submit your work - during our regular (non-contest) submission period and during our contests. See below for details and rules about both.  

 

Regular (Non-Contest) Submissions

NEWN accepts submissions in all categories ONLY between January 1 through March 31 each year. Any submissions postmarked outside of these dates will be returned unread. Below are specific details for both. There is NO FEE for our regular submission period.

See RULES for specific formatting and mailing instructions. Contact us if you have any questions.

Fiction: We are open to all genres and types of previously unpublished fiction up to 3,000 words. Please be sure that your word count is accurate. Please, no pornography or excessive violence. By excessive violence we mean detailed, graphic depictions of any violent subject (which add nothing to the story) and scenes or entire stories intended only for shock value. We understand that murder and suspense stories deal with violent subjects. We just don't need to see it all in gory detail.

NEWN encourages submissions of novel excerpts. We will, of course, note that the excerpt is out of context and requires a little more understanding from the reader. Pick no more than 3,000 words of your novel that can semi-stand alone and show off your novel. We pay $10 and one copy for short stories or novel excerpts.

Personal Essays: We publish personal essays up to 1,000 words on any subject. We are looking for previously unpublished nonfiction pieces usually written in the first person in which a dramatized personal story is used to illustrate a point, belief, or moment of new awareness. No anecdotes, personal experience articles, opinion pieces, memoirs, journal entries, or op/ed pieces.

We pay $5.00 plus one copy for personal essays.

Poetry: We are looking for previously unpublished poems that will inspire our readers, poems with vivid images, and those with one strong metaphor developed throughout the poem. We also like clever rhymes and creative plays on words. If you're poetry is vague, obtuse, or cathartic, we're not your market. Poems do not have to be about writing. Poems can be up to 32 lines. Please send no more than three poems at a time.

We pay $5.00 plus one copy for poetry.

Top


  • RULES:
    •
  • No electronic submissions. All entries must be previously unpublished.
  • All entries must be typed, double-spaced on paper, and include word count.
  • Include name, address, phone number, title and word/line count in the upper left-hand corner of first page.
  • Your name, title, and page number should appear on one line at top right of each subsequent page.
  • Make sure story/essay/poem title appears on every page.
  • NEWN assumes one-time North American Serial Rights at the time of acceptance which revert to the author upon publication.
  • Only one poem per page with all contact information with each poem.
  • You MUST include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) for our response.
  • NEWN editors briefly critique all submissions (non-contest)-- often making suggestions directly on your manuscript. We recommend that you send a SASE with adequate postage for return of entire manuscript.
  • Response time is 4-6 weeks after the end of our submission period.
  • Please send fiction, essays, and poetry SEPARATELY. Send only one story, two essays, or three poems per envelope.
  • We will return manuscripts in all categories that have been previously published, that are longer than our length guidelines, hand-written, badly printed, in any way unreadable, or that do not follow standard submission formats.
  • Mail to: NEWN
    P.O. Box 483
    Hudson, MA 01749-0483

 

Top