Anansesem publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry and art by aspiring and established writers and illustrators, and children (ages 8 to 16.) If you are 16 years old or younger and would like to submit work, check out our Submission Guidelines for Kids.
We give priority to submissions by persons living in or originally from the Caribbean region, but we also welcome work from around the world- Africa, India, China, Canada, the United States, Latin America, the UK etc.
Please read the following guidelines carefully before submitting material. We are much more likely to consider submissions that adhere to our Submission Guidelines. There is no reading fee. Please see our FAQs page for payment and publication rights.
Deadline for the May 2012 issue: April 25th, 2012.
We read submissions all year round!
What We're Looking For
Stuff that amuses, inspires and delights. Richness of detail, authentic handling of dialogues and relationships and sensitive treatment of issues. Age-appropriate writing that authentically reflects the values and attitudes of Caribbean people. Writing that considers Caribbean children (and their parents and teachers) as the primary audience, yet is accessible to "cultural outsiders." Caribbean children's literature that builds upon the past while speaking to the present and the future, that critiques and informs, and that avoids stereotypical presentations. Send us some stories about real-life Caribbean children living in actual social and historical circumstances. Words and plots that evoke childhood in the Caribbean.
Illustrations that daringly interpret the Caribbean children's illustration aesthetic, showing awareness of traditional Caribbean artistic expressions, but also innovative integration of styles of children's illustration drawn from other cultures. Ultimately, we are looking for pictures and narratives that Caribbean children will love and see themselves in!
General Guidelines
1. All submissions must include the name of the person submitting the work, the title(s) of the work, and a short bio (no more than 200 words.) In the bio, please list previous publications if any. In children's bios, please indicate the child's age. If applicable, please include information about the author's/artist's connection to the Caribbean.
2. Submissions are by email only. Different types of work are sent to different email addresses so make sure you get it right! See below.
3. Simultaneous submissions are okay. Please let the Anansesem editor you sent your work to know immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
4. Multiple submissions are welcome.
5. Previously published poems and artwork may be considered, provided you let us know where and when they were published. Previously published prose (fiction and non-fiction) will not be considered.
6. Please do not re-submit previous material unless expressly asked to do so by the Managing Editor.
7. Any work received after the closing date for a particular issue will be considered for the next issue.
8. You can expect a response from us by the publication date. Please do not contact us regarding the status of your work; we will contact you.
9. Do not send us links to your website. We'll leave it to you to find and email us your best work.
10. Spelling and Translation Policy: Both American and British spelling are fine. Caribbean Creoles are fine provided that they are accompanied by translations. We currently only accept English language submissions.
Category Guidelines
Poetry (For kids by adults)
• What should I send?
Send 3-6 original poems to anansesempoetry[at]gmail[dot]com. No attachments please. Poems should be of a reasonable length for children to read; no long, epic poems please.
• Are attachments okay?
Yes, attachments are okay, but you can also paste the poems and your bio into the body of your email. If however, your poem requires special formatting, you must send it an attachment.
Fiction (For kids by adults)
• What should I send?
Send a maximum of 2 pieces, each 2,000 words long or less anansesemfiction[at]gmail[dot]com. We will accept .doc., .wps, or .txt attachments.
• What counts as fiction?
By 'fiction' we mean anything within the realm of imaginative prose including flash fiction, short stories (2,000 words or less,) and collaborative fiction as long as all the authors are listed. Excerpts or chapters from unpublished books are fine as long as they can stand alone and still make sense.
• What genres are okay?
We will accept children's fiction in the genres of realistic fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, super hero fiction, mystery, humor, and traditional (traditional = original work that fits the folk tale, fairy tale, or myth/legend sub-genres.) The only genres we will not accept are religious fiction, fan fiction and certain types of horror fiction.
Nonfiction (For adults by adults)
• What should I send?
Send no more than 2 non-fiction pieces, each 1,500 words long or less to anansesemnonfiction[at]gmail[dot]com.
• What counts as nonfiction?
We will consider narrative/creative non-fiction (i.e. personal or reflective essays, literary journalism, and memoir or autobiographical pieces) and expository non-fiction (i.e. scholarly/research/analytical essays
• Do you publish book reviews?
Yes, however, we do not review books ourselves. You can send us unpublished reviews of books published with the past three years. All reviews must have been written by a third party not affi
• What nonfiction topics are acceptable?
Non-fiction pieces must bear some clear relation to Caribbean children's literature or Caribbean children's literacy experiences. We want to publish upbeat pieces that focus on Caribbean children's positive reading, writing and speaking experiences, but will consider any well-written piece evoking or exploring the experience of the Caribbean child or childhood in the Caribbean.
• What academic styles do you accept for essays?
Essays should be double-spaced throughout, preferably in Times New Roman font. Citations using American Psychological Association (APA,) Chicago Manual of Style (CMS,) and Modern Language Association (MLA) styles are all acceptable, but not necessary.
Artwork (Children's illustration by adults)
• What should I send?
Send no more than five images (artwork, cartoons, graphics etc.) to anansesemart[at]gmail[dot]com in JPEG. TIFF. or GIF. file format. Final, approved artwork should be of professional quality, at least 300 dpi. Please do not send us photos that you have taken of your artwork where a background is visible. All artwork sent must be scans or clear photos of the artwork alone with no background objects, people or scenery visible. See previously accepted artwork in our ezine to see what we mean.
• Does my artwork have to have a title?
Yes. Please specify the title of each piece of art that you send. If the illustrations belong to a set, please give the set a name. After we have considered all submitted artwork, a single piece of artwork will be chosen to appear on the front cover of the upcoming issue. All submissions of art by adults are eligible for this distinction.
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