Submissions

Guidelines for Print, Web, Letters-to-the-Editor, and Poetry Submissions to First Things

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

First Things is happy to accept unsolicited manuscripts. Writers should familiarize themselves with the magazine before sending their submission, and include with it a short biography. The word limits (which should be adhered to strictly) are:

Opinions: 1,000 to 2,000 words
Feature Articles: 2,500 to 4,000 words
Web exclusives: 800 to 1,000 words

Manuscripts should be sent in Microsoft Word.

We do not accept simultaneous submissions or previously published material—including material published online.

Manuscripts should be submitted to ft@firstthings.com.

The editors will generally decide on your submission within four to six weeks. We strive to respond to all submissions, but if you haven’t heard back from us in four weeks, it is safe to assume we won’t be able to accept your contribution.

Queries are also welcome. The query should include a description of how the argument will be made and links to and/or files of already published articles if available.

We do not accept simultaneous submissions of manuscripts. An honorarium is paid upon publication.

GUIDELINES FOR LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR SUBMISSIONS

Letters to the editor appear two issues after the issue in which the article being responded to appears. This requires a very tight deadline, with letters due in the first week of the month of the issue. (Letters responding to articles in the January issue, for example, must be received in early January.) The deadline varies slightly from issue to issue, but readers will be safe using the first Monday of the month as the deadline.

Only letters in response to print articles will be published.

Letters under four hundred words are preferred and they may be edited for length and clarity. Please send them to ft@firstthings.com.

GUIDELINES FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS

Poetry submissions should be addressed to our poetry editor, Micah Mattix, and emailed to ft@firstthings.com, with the phrase “Poetry Submission” in the subject line. We accept simultaneous submissions on the condition that poets withdraw poems that have been accepted elsewhere. Poets should wait three months between submissions and send no more than six poems. If we are interested in publishing your work, you will hear from us within six weeks. Due to the volume of submissions, we can only reply to those whose work has been accepted. An honorarium is paid upon publication.