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The Journal a literary magazine

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About

The award-winning literary journal of The Ohio State University, The Journal contributes significantly toward the literary landscape of Ohio and the nation. The Journal seeks to identify and encourage emerging writers while also attracting the work of established writers to create a diverse and compelling magazine. The Journal has recently had poems reproduced in the Best American Poetry and Pushcart Prize anthologies.

The Journal, originally titled The Ohio Journal, was founded in 1973 by William Allen of the English Department at The Ohio State University, and has been published continuously ever since. David Citino served as Editor from 1985 to 1990 and was a contributing editor until his death in 2005. Michelle Herman and Kathy Fagan became Fiction Editor and Poetry Editor, respectively, in 1990 and currently serve as Advisory Editors. The graduate staff has maintained The Journal’s commitment to publishing the best work by new and emerging writers around Ohio and the nation, including writing not easily classified by genre, excerpts from novels, longer stories, and other daring or wholly original pieces.

Over the course of its forty-year history, The Journal has published prominent writers such as Carl Phillips, Mary Jo Bang, John D’Agata, Denise Duhamel, Michael Martone, Terrance Hayes, Lia Purpura, Ander Monson, Brenda Hillman, D.A. Powell, Linda Bierds, Donald Ray Pollack, Maggie Smith, and Jericho Brown. The Journal is published four times annually: one print issue and three online issues.

Submission Caps: They may close to submissions early if they reach their quota.
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 1973

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Published 2 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication
Published 2 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed
1,292 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Slower
The Journal's overall average response time is slower than most magazines.
More Challenging
The Journal's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines.
Responsive
The Journal's overall rate of non-response is within a normal range for magazines.
Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 3 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words; Up to 3 pieces.
Short Story: 1,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette: 7,500 - 8,000 words.
Novel Excerpt: Up to 8,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 3 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Interview: 1,500 - 3,000 words.
Review: Up to 1,200 words.
Essay: Up to 6,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary, Personal.

Topics:

Literature/Books: Theory/Analysis/Criticism.
Politics/Political Science.
Society/Culture.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Open

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 3 days from now).

12

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Open

Dates:

Open to visual art submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 3 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork: 6 - 10 pieces.
Photo Essay: No image limits known.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Photography.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for The Journal

Go to publication's website

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Instagram @osuthejournal
X (Twitter) @osuthejournal

Support this Publisher:
Subscribe

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

The Journal Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 193 reports from 162 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
2 min | 169.5 mean avg | 150.0 median | 528 max days (299.9 std dev)
Responses
87.57 %
Acceptances:
3.11 % of submissions accepted (227.5 avg. days per acceptance) | 3.70 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections:
84.46 % (168.7 avg. days per rejection) | 13.5 % personal, 69.9 % form, 16.6 % unspecified
Non-Responses
2.07 %
Lost/Returned:
-
Never Responded:
2.07 % (401.5 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)
Withdrawals
10.36 % (83.5 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending
117 responses are pending (4 min | 44.8 mean avg | 43.0 median | 516 max days waiting | 525.9 std dev) from 116 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 240 days. (34.2 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 240 days.)
Most submissions are acknowledged within one day.
Most recent response reported was received on 08 Sep 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 15 Jul 2026.
Date compiled: 12 Sep 2026 21:28 UTC (2 hours, 6 minutes ago).
View report of recent responses from this project

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Your Submissions

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The Journal Contests DNQ  Charges fees for all submissions
The Journal Non/Fiction Collection Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
The Journal/Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize  Charges fees for all submissions

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 10 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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