FAQ

What do you consider a “memoir” to be for the purposes of your journal?
For our journal, a memoir is a first-person, autobiographical narrative of a personal experience or experiences.

How many pieces of work may I submit?
We accept one entry per author per submission period. This entry can consist of:

• ONE prose or graphic memoir

• OR a maximum of five poems

• OR five narrative photographs

I write poetry and prose. May I send one submission in each genre?
No, unfortunately. However, we encourage you to submit your work to the journal more than once, as long as the submissions occur during different submission periods.

What format do you prefer for submissions?
We prefer Microsoft Word (.doc files). If you use a different word processing program, please save your file as an .rtf or .txt document before you send it. 

May I submit to you via email?
We only accept submissions via our online Submission Manager and via snail mail. No emailed submissions are accepted.

How long will I have to wait until I hear from you about my submission?
We will contact you within twenty weeks of the close of the submission period. 

Why must I leave my name off my document?
We engage in “blind reading,” the process by which an author’s name and publishing history are not attached to the work. This provides a level playing field to all submitters.

May I mention my name inside the body of my submission?
Yes, your name may be mentioned inside the body of your piece. What we do not allow is name and/or contact information to be included on any page outside of the body of the piece.

If I leave my name off my document, how do I know you won’t mix up my submission with someone else’s?
We use an online Submission Manager. It never misplaces anything.

Do I have to include a cover letter?
If you are submitting via snail mail, please include a cover letter that at least includes your name, address, phone and email. If you are submitting online, a cover letter is not necessary, but if you would like to include one, please paste your letter into the “Comments” section of our online Submission Manager.

How can I be sure you received my snail mail submission?
You will receive an email confirming we’ve received your submission. If you do not include your email address with your submission, you must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard. We’ll put that in the mail when we receive your submission to confirm receipt.

Why is the word “withdraw” next to my submission? I never withdrew it and don’t want to withdraw it.
The “withdraw” link is there in case you do wish to withdraw your submission, and does not mean your submission has been withdrawn. As long as your submission is listed as “received” in the Status column, your submission is still under consideration. 

My Submission Manager password isn’t working. How can I fix this?
If your password isn’t working, click the need help? link underneath the email and password fields in the upper left of the Submission Manager. Underneath the What if I forget my password? portion of the screen that appears after you click need help?, type your email address into the email field and click “send.” A new password will be immediately emailed to you. The password must be exactly six characters in length to work.

How will I be informed of your decision about my submission?
We will email you within twenty weeks of the close of the submission period. If you did not give us an email address, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission so that we can reply to you via snail mail.

Do you work with volunteer readers?
Yes, we do. We’re always looking for more qualified people to help us read and critique the diverse and interesting memoirs we receive. Our readers critique submissions from home using our online Submission Manager. If you’re interested in becoming a reader, contact sschafer [at] memoirjournal [dot] com.

How do I enter your contests?
All work submitted will automatically be entered in the contest. If you don’t want your work to be eligible for the contest, please let us know in your cover letter.

How much does it cost to enter my submission?
There is no charge to enter our contests. Zip. Nada. FREE.
 
If you publish my submission, does that mean I can’t publish it later in the full-length book I’m writing?
You should consult your publisher about that. However, we will not retain the rights to your work (we purchase one-time rights only), and all rights revert to you six months after the issue is published.

How frequently do you publish?
Twice a year. 

I don’t see the information I need here.
We are happy to answer your questions. Email us at submissions (at) memoirjournal (dot) com or call us at 510-594-1059.