The Mechanics’ Institute Review Issue 16 – Call For Submissions
The Mechanics’ Institute Review, Birkbeck’s annual literary anthology, is now inviting submissions for Issue 16 from writers across the UK.
This year The Mechanics’ Institute Review is asking for your responses to the word climate. Are we living in a climate of fear? Is the climate changing? What does it mean to have a climate? We want you to take the temperature and send us your stories, non-fiction and poetry.
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED – We look forward to reading your work!
If you have any queries, please email mir.birkbeck@gmail.com.
Submission Guidelines
What:
– Short-form fiction (including flash fiction), non-fiction (creative non-fiction, essays) and poetry. A submission is defined as:
A short story of up to 5,000 words, or
Up to three flash-fiction pieces, to a combined total of 2,250 words, or
A non-fiction piece (creative non-fiction, essays) of up to 5,000 words, or
Up to 6 poems, maximum 6 pages in total.
One submission per person per issue.
All submissions should be a response to the word climate.
The work must be previously unpublished. If you are submitting it elsewhere at the same time as to The Mechanics’ and it is accepted by a publication with an issue date earlier than ours (26 September 2019), please let us know immediately by email to mir.birkbeck@gmail.com and we will withdraw it from consideration.
Who: Any UK resident is eligible to submit.
How: Using the submissions form on this page (see below).
Document format: Word .doc or .docx file; double line spacing for prose (poetry can be single spacing); at least 10-point font size; title and word count on first page (for flash fiction and poetry, use the title of the first piece); title and page number in header or footer on every subsequent page. For poetry, please start each poem on a new page. Submissions are read anonymously, so please do not include your name or any other identifying details anywhere in the file. No PDFs or Apple Works, etc. please.
Deadline: The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Friday 15 February 2019.
Additional details:
The editors’ decision is final. We will aim to contact everyone by Friday 17 May 2019. We regret that no formal feedback can be given if your submission is not selected. However, some of the shortlisted pieces not selected for The Mechanics’ Issue 16 may be considered for publication on our website, MIROnline.
Our limited budget means we are not in a position to pay contributors a fee. However, their work will be professionally copy-edited, they will receive a complimentary copy of the book and will be invited to attend events including the launch, readings and a workshop on reading their work aloud.
Copyright remains with the author.
If you have any queries, please email mir.birkbeck@gmail.com.
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED – We look forward to reading your work!