The Thing Itself

"Transforming our work and challenging hegemonic, institutional belief systems take a significant mental, physical, and emotional toll on those who find the courage to challenge traditions and to do things differently. What can sustain the soul that embraces a different truth?" - Laura I. Rendon

The Thing Itself, Our Lady of the Lake University's literary journal, opens its call for submissions on the theme of "Transformation." Please consider this theme through the lens of social justice. We are looking for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual work.

• Language
• Environment
• Pandemia
• Immigration
• Refugees
• Alternative realities
• Education
• Civil Rights
• Inequality in Gender and Sexuality
• Health care
• Overpopulation

Guidelines:

Format the document as: Genre_LastName_FirstName, and include a 50-75 word artist bio in 3rd person.

Fiction

Editors seek fiction pieces to not exceed 2500 words. Micro fiction and experimental writing are encouraged as long as some aspect of social justice is present.

Poetry

Please send up to 3 pages of poetry per author using a Times New Roman 12 point font, and 1 poem per page in English, Spanish, Spanglish, or all.

Nonfiction

Editors seek nonfiction pieces to not exceed 2500 words. Nonfiction can include personal narratives, lyric essays, and flash nonfiction. 

Visual Art

Editors seek all stripes of visual artists (that includes you, cartoonists, graphic novelists, visual poets and photographers) to submit visual art. Please send 300 dpi / hi-def photos.

We accept national and international submissions.