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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MANUSCRIPT READING FEES
Q: WHY DO WE CHARGE A MANUSCRIPT READING FEE?
A: Although WordWrights has one of the largest circulations of any literary magazine in the USA, we are definitely a "small press", operating with an all-volunteer part-time editorial staff. The reading fee covers only a portion of the costs of receiving, reading, and responding to manuscript submissions. Our expenses have ALWAYS exceeded our income. In addition, WordWrights is one of the very few literary magazines that pays in cash for published manuscripts. We have advertised this fact in magazines such as Poets & Writers, American Poetry Review, Poetry Flash, Writer’s Journal, and elsewhere, including the Internet.
• Because of our cash payment policy, we believe that without a reading fee, we would receive literally thousands of manuscripts every month, far more than our volunteer staff could ever hope to read (not to mention publish). We use the reading fee to limit this potential flood tide of manuscripts to a manageable level. We also believe the reading fee has resulted in a higher quality of submitted manuscripts; a writer must have more than a postage stamp's worth of confidence in his or her material to submit to WordWrights. However, if the day ever comes when WordWrights shows enough profit to hire a full-time staff, we'll be able to eliminate the reading fee.
• Although most literary magazines don't charge reading fees, they are basically of three types: (1) small press publications that receive a very small number of manuscripts annually, or (2) magazines funded by universities or other non-profit granting organizations, or (3) financially successful commercial publishers (only rarely are these publishers of poetry or "literary" works). WordWrights doesn't fit into any of these three categories.
• The WordWrights manuscript reading fee is controversial to many people, and with good reason. There are more than a few so-called literary magazines and book publishers who are in business solely to collect fees from writers. Many literary "contests" are essentially frauds, designed primarily to collect "entry fees" from hopeful writers. Some of the larger scam operations will publish anything anyone sends them, as long as they include the required fee, or agree to purchase an expensive volume that includes the author's work. We urge writers to be cautious of any publisher who requires payment to read or publish a writer's work. For a very thorough description of these deceptive publishing practices, go to the Writer's Center's ANTI-SCAM KIT.
• WordWrights magazine will read and respond to all manuscripts submitted according to our guidelines. We do NOT guarantee publication. We DO guarantee we will give serious consideration to every manuscript received.
Q: WHY ARE SUBSCRIBERS EXEMPT FROM THE FEE?
A: Because they have already paid a subscription fee higher than the manuscript reading fee, and because we want to encourage new subscribers, not penalize them with a reading fee in addition to their subscription fee.
OTHER MANUSCRIPT QUESTIONS
Q: WHEN WILL I RECEIVE A REPLY TO MY MANUSCRIPT?
A: We try to reply within three months, but this is not always possible. You should allow at least four or five months before sending a letter of inquiry about the status of your manuscript.
Q: CAN I SUBMIT MY MANUSCRIPT ELSEWHERE?
A: Publication of your manuscript elsewhere does not disqualify it for publication in WordWrights. You should check with your other publisher(s) about their policies on simultaneous submissions. WordWrights allows simultaneous submissions, even simultaneous publication, but not all literary magazines and journals share this policy.
Q: WHY DOES IT TAKE THREE TO FIVE MONTHS TO REPLY?
A: The publisher and editors of WordWrights all work full-time jobs (40 hours or more per week) and therefore are able to work on WordWrights in their spare time only. Everyone who works on WordWrights does so on a volunteer basis, with no pay. The only people at WordWrights who get paid are the authors of manuscripts accepted and published in the magazine.
Q: WILL I RECEIVE EDITORIAL COMMENTS ON MY MANUSCRIPT?
A: Usually not. We use a form letter when returning unaccepted manuscripts. There are a few broad categories on the form letter that an editor may check off to indicate, in general terms, that editor’s evaluation of the returned manuscript. Since we charge a reading fee, we feel obligated to give some indication of how close (or how far away) a manuscript came to publication. Manuscripts judged "Excellent" will be published in the earliest available issue. Manuscripts deemed "Very Good" will be returned with a fee-waiver for the author's next submission.
THE ARGONNE HOTEL PRESS
The Argonne Hotel Press was established in 1993, with the publication of two chapbooks of mine: CRAZY SHOTGUN GUY and CONCRETE SUN. When I began publishing WordWrights magazine in 1995, I expanded the chapbook series with more of my own chapbooks, and with books by other poets who had been published in WordWrights. Chapbooks are available from various online booksellers, bookstores around the USA, and direct from the Argonne Hotel Press, P.O. Box 21069, Washington, DC 20009-9997. Here’s the current list of available chapbooks.
WORDWRIGHTS MAGAZINE
WordWrights is a nationally distributed magazine of poetry and prose, available at hundreds of independent bookstores nationwide, and at most major bookchains. Each issue is 8.5 X 11" and 64 pages. Newsstand price is $5.95 US, $8.95 Canada. Samples of recent issues are available on request from The Argonne Hotel Press, P.O. Box 21069, Washington, DC 20009-9997. Retailers can order copies direct from Argonne Hotel Press at 202-328-9769, or from our main distributor, IPD, at 1-800-999-1170. For the latest WordWrights Writer's Guidelines, click here. For a list of stores that sell WordWrights, click here.
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