Type Of Organization
Magazine
Mission Statement / Editorial Focus
Mission: Since its founding in 1956 at The University of Tulsa, Nimrod International Journal's mission has been the discovery, development, and promotion of new writing, in addition to the publication of established voices. Nimrod welcomes submissions of poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. We publish two issues annually. Our spring issue is thematic, with the theme announced the preceding fall, and contains the winners of The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers. The fall issue features the winners and finalists of our annual Literary Awards. In most cases, both issues also contain work accepted as general submissions throughout the year.
On a national and international scale, Nimrod helps new writers find their audiences through publication in our semiannual journal. We offer new and promising work that may be unfamiliar to readers, such as writing from countries not well represented in the American mainstream, writing in translation, and writing from people of under-represented ages, races, and sexual identities.
On a local scale, we sponsor writing workshops, readings, and classes to help illuminate the writing craft and to allow readers direct contact with writers both well-known and newly-discovered.
On a personal scale, we continue our longstanding dedication to a full review of every submission to Nimrod by at least two readers from our Editorial Board. We also remain committed to responding personally to the hundreds of submissions we receive, often offering direct editorial feedback geared to helping writers expand their craft.
Nimrod supports and defends the literary tradition of small magazines, spotlighting lesser-known poets and writers and providing foundations for their literary careers. We promote a living literature, believing that it is possible to search for, recognize, and reward contemporary writing of imagination, substance, and skill.
Social Media Platforms Used
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Is Your Group Affiliated With A University, Portal Or Other Agency?
yes
If Yes, Please Name
The University of Tulsa
Primary Editor/Contact Person
Eilis O'Neal
Contact Title
Editor-in-Chief
Publishes
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, translation
Representative Authors
Azma Aslam Khan, Sarah Curry, Hedy Habra
Submissions Policy
Submissions: General and thematic submissions: Writers may submit submissions of up to 7 pages of poetry or 7,500 words of prose by mail at no cost; work in these categories may also be submitted online with a $3 fee. General submissions are accepted from January 1st to November 30th each year; thematic submissions acceptance periods vary. Prize submissions: Submissions for the Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers are accepted from May 1st to July 15th each year. Submissions for the Nimrod Literary Awards are accepted from January 1st to April 1st of each year. We take First North American Rights to all work published in Nimrod, and we pay $10 per page up to a maximum of $200.
Accepts Unsolicited Submissions
Yes
Submission Guidelines URL
Simultaneous Submissions Accepted
yes
Reading Period
From 1 / 1 - 11 / 30
Reporting Time
1 - 5 months
Author Payments
cash, copies
Contests
The Nimrod Literary Awards and the Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers. See web site for contest guidelines.
Number Of Paid Staff
3
Number Of Unpaid Staff
38
Year Founded
1956
Average Print Run
2,000
Total Circulation
2,000
Paid Subscriptions
2,000
Individual
$18.5 / Ins
Insitution
$32.00
Single Copy Price
$11
Number Of Issues Per Year
1
Back Issues Available
yes
Unsolicited Manuscripts Accepted
yes
If Yes, What Percent Of All Unsolicited MSS Are Published
5
Format
perfect
Dimensions
6 - 9
Average Number Of Pages
200
Publish Print Anthology?
yes
Name
Eilis O'Neal
Title
Editor-in-Chief
How Did You Arrive At Your Current Position?
I was a work-study with Nimrod for 4 years during college. When I graduated I stayed on, first in a part-time position, before becoming Managing Editor, and then Editor-in-Chief when Francine Ringold, Nimrod's Editor of more than 40 years, retired.
What Is The Staff Structure At Your Magazine/press?
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the final publishing decisions. We also have a Managing Editor, Associate Editor, Editorial Assistants, and an editorial board that read manuscripts, helps us decide themes, etc.
Do You Have Any Cover Letter Advice?
We prefer a brief, straightforward cover letter. Tell us who you are, what you're sending, and give a brief bio (about 60 words is great). Then let your work speak for itself.
How Are Submissions Processed In Your Magazine/press?
All submissions are given two initial reads by members of our editorial board. Submissions with two high scores or split scores are passed on to a third reader or a staff member, and submissions with two low scores are passed on at this time.
What Do You Look For In A Submission?
We look for work that is both original and universal, work that contains something we haven't seen before but also taps into the aspects of human life and experience that we all share.
What Advice Do You Have For First-time Submitters?
Read the magazine! It's what everyone says, but it really is the best advice we can give. Reading the magazine helps you get an idea of what we like, and helps you decide whether or not it will be worth your time to send to us.
Magazine
