The editors welcome submissions of scholarly studies of literature in all languages--as well as related arts and cultural artifacts--from 1900 to present. Please see our Read for FREE page to access works we have published, to get a sense of what we are seeking.
Papers should
- be written in English and include translations of non-English languages quoted
- be submitted in Word or RTF format
- conform to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 8th edition (Some sample bibliography formatting and guidance is in our blog post "Works Cited in MLA 8th Edition.")
- include a 100–150 word abstract
- include 3–5 keywords for indexing (and search engine optimization)
- be under 9,000 words for the entire submission package, including notes and works cited. (Be sure to check the box "include text boxes, footnotes, and endnotes" when using the word count function in Microsoft Word).
- be prepared as anonymous manuscripts (no author identification in the manuscript; references to your published works should be made in the third person or redacted); please include identifying information in your email "cover letter."
JML does NOT consider
- hard-copy submissions
- manuscripts that are under review elsewhere
- pieces that have been previously published (including translations)
- pieces written in languages other than English
- pieces on literary works outside our historic scope (1900-present)
- pieces with no connection to literary works 1900-present
- linguistics or social science studies of modern literature
- extremely brief one-note essays under 4,500 words
- pieces created using generative AI, which is a violation of the COPE standards requiring originality. Authors who use generative AI without disclosure and/or citation will be considered in violation of academic integrity and will be reported to their institutions.
JML’s book reviews are by assignment only. Interested writers should contact the editorial office with a query letter stating their areas of expertise, and include a writing sample (inline or as a Word or RTF attachment).
Deadlines and timing
Aside from occasional Calls for Papers, we do not have strict submission deadlines, but instead have a rolling acceptances policy, considering works year-round and building themed issues from our pool of acceptances.
We make every effort to respond to each submission in a timely fashion, and respond in two to three and a half months on average. The lag from acceptance to publication is typically 12-24 months.
Fees
JML does not directly charge any fees. The only financial responsibility of authors is for licensing or permissions fees charged by a rights-holder to use copyrighted material in their essays, if applicable (for example, illustrations, or quoted material exceeding the 400 word fair use limit).
All submissions, inquiries, and editorial correspondence should be addressed to jml.editorial@gmail.com.
All submissions, inquiries, and editorial correspondence should be addressed to jml.editorial@gmail.com.
