Open Call

In connection with the Editorial Fellowship program at A Public Space, we are pleased to announce an open call for a special portfolio in the magazine to be edited by Ruby Wang.

Call for Submissions

I am interested in the unspeakable, and how writers translate those experiences into language. What forms do writers find or create to make the unspeakable knowable? What kinds of narratives emerge from such impossibility?

Between July 5 and July 31, I am looking for creative nonfiction submissions that contend with the unspeakable by doing something new. I hope to read pieces that highlight personal relationships with the unspeakable—purposely forgotten memories, unknown histories, language barriers—and that experiment with language, form, genre. I am particularly interested in work that explores the unspeakable in the context of translation, or translated works.

Best,

Ruby Wang

Editorial Fellow

Submission Requirements: Only previously unpublished creative nonfiction pieces are eligible. International and multilingual submissions are welcome, provided that English is the primary language used. Only one submission per person is allowed. Writers whose work is published in the magazine will receive an honorarium.

Timeline: Submittable will be open for submissions from July 5 – July 31 only. Submissions close at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on July 31, 2022. Submitters will be informed no later than August 16, 2022.

Procedure: Only electronic submissions will be considered. Work must be submitted through the Special Call category in Submittable. There is no submission fee. Please submit the following:

— A cover letter, including a one-paragraph biographical statement, and a paragraph describing a work of art (book, film, etc.) that you think grapples with the unspeakable—what is revealed and how is it rendered?

— One previously unpublished creative nonfiction piece up to 7,000 words, double spaced.

— Only writers who have not yet published a book or been contracted to write a book-length work in English are eligible.

— Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please note that if your piece is accepted elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw your entire application; replacement pieces will not be accepted once the deadline has passed.

Note that we only accept PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx). The cover letter and manuscript should be submitted as separate files. Incomplete submissions or submissions that do not address this call will not be considered and will be returned unread.

**General submissions will open on September 15.**

Questions? Write Editorial Fellow Ruby Wang at ruby@apublicspace.org