Ancient Paths Issue 16
Submission Guidelines

Ancient Paths Literary Magazine Submission Address:

Skylar Hamilton Burris, Editor
P.O. Box 7505
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
SSBurris@cox.net  (no attachments)

Publication & Submission Calendar:

March 1, 2009: Query period opens for Issue 16.
June 1, 2010:  Query period closes for Issue 16.
August 31, 2010: Two featured poets and two featured writers will be chosen by this date.
January 2011: Issue 16 will be published and available for purchase.

Changes:

Issue 16 will feature the work of two select poets (15-30 poems each) and two select writers (5,000-10,000 words each). Therefore, I am no longer accepting submissions of complete manuscripts. Instead, query with samples. Read on for details.

Theme:   

All works should have either Christian themes or universal religious themes (i.e. religious themes common to most religions and consistent with Christianity).  The religious element can, but need not be, explicit. Works should not be overly didactic.

Art:

Submit black and white art work or photography as a .jpg or .gif attachment to an e-mail.  Include your name and address in the message area.  

Poetry:  

Send a cover letter and your three best poems only.

Poems should have a minimum of 8 lines. No maximum.

Make sure you have 15-30 completed poems available for submission upon request. In your cover letter, note how many poems you have available and if they have a uniting factor.

Include previous publication details in your query letter. In order for your poems to be considered for inclusion, no more than five may have been previously published, and none may have appeared in a previous issue of Ancient Paths. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable.

I have no prejudice against traditional, rhymed verse, but it must be well written.  I prefer that free verse employ standard punctuation and capitalization.  I look for many things -- profound insights, resonant sound, and striking imagery.  I will avoid poetry that is entirely image driven and poetry that communicates a moral message without beauty or poetic skill.    Ideally, poetry should be accessible at the surface level and then contain other levels of more subtle meaning.

Prose:

Query with the first five double-spaced pages of your best short story.

Short stories must be at least 1,000 but not more than 10,000 words.

If querying, make sure you have 5,000-10,000 words available for submission upon request. In your query letter, note how many stories you have for submission, their total word count, and whether or not the stories are connected thematically (or otherwise) to one another.

I consider fictional short stories, stand-alone novel excerpts, and creative non-fiction. No devotions, testimonies, reviews, essays, or articles. I tend to favor literary fiction, but genre fiction (historical, mystery, science fiction, etc.) may be selected if it is particularly good. I rarely publish allegories, parables, fables, or retellings of Bible stories.  

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable.

Previously published works may possibly be considered, depending on when/where they were published. Include previous publication details in your query letter.

Payment:

The two featured poets and the two featured writers will be each be paid a flat fee of $50. Published artists will be paid $10 per work. All contributors will receive one free copy of the publication.  

Rights Purchased:

The following rights will be purchased by the published poets and authors--

Nonexclusive print rights (i.e. I can print your work in Issue 16 for as long as the issue remains in print, but you are free to sell the work elsewhere).

Nonexclusive electronic excerpt rights (i.e. I can post a "teaser" portion of your work, such as a poem or a few pages of a story, online on the Ancient Paths website)

Submission Details:

Include your name, address, and e-mail (if any) on your query letter. If submitting via mail, enclose an SASE for reply only. Your query will be recycled. If submitting via e-mail, send query and sample poetry/prose in a single e-mail. Paste text directly in the e-mail. No attachments please. If submitting via e-mail, use the subject heading "Ancient Paths Query." If you do not, your message may be lost in the spam filter.

Advice:

Before submitting your work for publication to any magazine, you may want to read "The Top Ten Pet Peeves of Literary Magazine Editors."

Follow Changes:

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