OJAL Art Incorporated's OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L)

O:JA&L's Dally Post Press will consider single-author chapbook collections of 20 (minimum) to 44 (maximum) pages of COWBOY POETRY. Submitters should include an acknowledgments page if any individual works have been previously published. The acknowledgments page, the dedication page, and the table of contents are not to be included as part of the page count.

Submit the manuscript as a single document. Begin each individual poem on a new page within the document. .docx files are preferred. Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply.

Use a cover letter that contains all contact information and includes a professional biography in third person of up to 100 words. To ensure processing by the correct editors, the subject line or cover letter should include the words “Call for Submissions: DALLY POST CHAPBOOK.”

Simultaneous submissions are accepted with the understanding that notice to O:JA&L will be prompt if a MS is accepted elsewhere. 

No reading fees apply. “Expedited” consideration is not available. 

Conditions: 

1. Chapbooks accepted for publication will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. 

2. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. 

3. Copyright for the PDF versions of these chapbooks will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s Dally Post Press and with the writer. 

4. Rights for printed versions of the PDF will be reserved on behalf of each author. 

5. OJAL Art Incorporated, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L), and DALLY POST PRESS will provide to each writer of a published PDF chapbook a free license to produce a printed version to bring to market for the writer’s own purposes.

Submissions open July 1. Submissions close December 1.

Buttonhook Press, an imprint of OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L). Open call for submissions for current PDF Broadside Series: O:JA&L's Buttonhook Press will consider poems (including prose poems) and flash narratives of up to 30 lines for its Broadside Series. 

O:JA&L encourages writer/artist collaborations for this series.

Use a cover letter that contains all contact information and includes a professional biography in third person of up to 100 words for the writer and 100 words for any artist collaborator. Include a link to the proposed art of the collaborator in the cover letter.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted with the understanding that notice to O:JA&L will be prompt if a MS is accepted elsewhere. 

To ensure processing by the correct editors, the subject line or cover letter should include the words “Call for Submissions: buttonhook broadside series.”

No reading fees apply. 

“Expedited” consideration is not available in thgis category.  

Conditions: Submissions accepted for publication in the PDF Broadside Series will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. Copyright for the PDF versions of these broadsides will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press and with the writer.  Rights for printed versions of the PDF will be reserved on behalf of each author and artist and/or pair of collaborating creators. OJAL Art Incorporated, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L), and Buttonhook Press will provide to each writer and artist and/or pair of collaborating creators a free license and appropriate electronic files to produce a printed version of the broadside to bring to market for their own purposes.

OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) will consider articles/editorials/position papers/creative works concerning contemporary or emerging controversies of importance to artists and writers for possible publication in the journal and/or for inclusion as broadsides or pamphlets for release via O:JA&L’s imprint HOT BUTTON PRESS: Contemporary Controversies. 

The Basics

Topics: You must write from an attitude of conviction. If you aren't familiar with the HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Controversies areas of primary interest, consider the following list of appropriate topics:

1. Activism/agitprop in art and contemporary literature 
2. Issues of contemporary Americana (art, literature, music)
3. Emerging world art, music, and literary schools/movements
4. Creative processes and AI/acts of AI originality (esp. creative use of MidJourney AI)
5. Other/emerging issues.

Expertise: This might sound obvious, but you must be knowledgeable about these issues. We are an arts publication and our readers are experts in our field. No empty posturing.

Length: Articles should be between 750 and 1,500 words.

Tone: Articles may be conversational or academic in tone.

The Process

Submit the full text of your article via our submission manager.

Our response times will vary from two hours to twelve weeks or more.

Accepted editorials/articles may be published in one or both of two formats.

1. Accepted articles may be released to the general readership via the OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) website. The writer will be credited as “Guest Editor” on the website.
2. Selected articles may be released to subscribers and Patreon supporters as free PDF pamphlets.

Preferred Formats

When planning to write an article for us, please consider one of these formats:

When planning to write an article for us, please consider one of these formats:

Position Paper
This type of article presents an arguable position on an important issue. Use the standard format for this type of article including 1) ntroduction and thesis, 2) strong arguments and evidence in support of thesis, 3) opposing and qualifying ideas, and 4) a compelling conclusion.

Problem-solution-benefit
This type of article presents a problem, explains the steps that could be taken to achieve a workable solution, and discusses the benefits of that solution.

Case Study
A case study presents a narrative of a particular set of circumstances, i.e. a story about how the conditions described constitute a problematic issue within the context of contemporary fine arts, how the issue might be effectively mitigated, and an explanation of the benefits of the proposed resolution

Creative Work
Creative work may take any form.

Supporting Elements for Your Editorial/Article

When submitting an article for consideration, please include the following supporting information:

Images (optional)
Supporting photos, charts, graphs, or artwork to support your article and enhance the reader’s experience will be requested upon acceptance if this supporting material is available.

About the author (required)
Provide a professional biography of up to 75 words in third person that includes quality-related qualifications and experience, as well as hyperlinks to professional or commercial websites.

NOTE: For preferred format/content of professional biographical statements, visit the O:JA&L link at: https://ojalart.com/contributing-editor-hermione-laakeeditors-advicehow-to-prepare-a-professionalbiographical-statement/ . 

Sources Cited (optional/dependent upon nature of the submission)
Include quotes in your article whenever practical, with permission or appropriate citation. When quoting individuals, first obtain their informed consent, and include their title upon first reference. For academic references, consult the MLA stylesheet. Permissions are the liability/responsibility of the submitters. Failure to appropriately cite sources can be viewed as plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a concern for all publishers. Dictionary.com defines plagiarism as “the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work, as by not crediting the author.” 

Be careful.

O:JAL's imprints Buttonhook Press & HOT BUTTON PRESS

Open call for long prose submissions suitable for SERIAL PUBLICATION:

O:JA&L’s imprints Buttonhook Press and HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues will consider long prose manuscripts of more than 30,000 words, fiction or nonfiction, organized for serial publication. 

Submit the manuscript as a single document divided logically into sections of 10,000 to 12,000 words, more or less. Begin each section on a new page within the document and number the sections sequentially. .docx files are preferred. 

Submitters should include an acknowledgments page if any part of the work has been previously published. 

Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title of the work, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L and its imprints Buttonhook Press and HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues claims first international rights, first rights in the Anglosphere, and the right to archive in perpetuity all published versions of the accepted manuscript on its website.

Expedited consideration is not available in this category.

Conditions:

O:JA&L editors will determine which O:JA&L imprint will release the title.

Manuscripts accepted for publication will be released to readers serially as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution via Patreon as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. Copyright for the PDF versions of these serialized publications and for the related proprietary files of both Buttonhook Press and/or HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s imprints Buttonhook Press, HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues and with the writer. OJAL Art Incorporated, as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and BHP/HBP, will provide to each writer of a published PDF manuscript a .docx file of that title suitable for use by most full service commercial printing houses and a free license to produce and distribute a printed version of the writer's published PDF work.

Limits:

Long prose submitters may submit once during a calendar year.

Buttonhook Press, an imprint of OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L).

Open call for pamphlet submissions:

Poetry/Prose poetry/Flash fiction & nonfiction, including memoir

O:JA&L's Buttonhook Press will consider pamphlet collections of 8 (minimum) to 16 (maximum) pages of poetry, prose poetry, or flash discourse, fiction or nonfiction, including memoir. Submitters should include an acknowledgments page if any individual works have been previously published. The acknowledgments page is not to be included as part of the page count.

Submit the manuscript as a single document. Begin each individual title on a new page. .docx files are preferred. Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply.

Use a cover letter that contains all contact information, that identifies a category for the submission (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, etc) and that includes a professional biography in third person of up to 100 words. 

If your work is submitted as "Featured Seasonal Content," begin your cover letter with the words FEATURED SEASONAL CONTENT and identify the specific season. 

Simultaneous submissions are accepted with the understanding that notice to O:JA&L will be prompt if a MS is accepted elsewhere. To ensure processing by the correct editors, the subject line or cover letter should include the words “Annual Call for Submissions: buttonhook pamphlet.”

No reading fees apply. “Expedited” consideration is available for a fee. 

Conditions:

Pamphlets accepted for publication will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. Copyright for the PDF versions of these chapbooks will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press and with the writer.  Rights for printed versions of the PDF will be reserved on behalf of each author. OJAL Art Incorporated, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L), and Buttonhook Press will provide to each writer of a published PDF pamphlet a free license and appropriate electronic files to produce a printed version to bring to market.

Buttonhook Press, an imprint of OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L).

Open call for chapbook submissions: Poetry

O:JA&L's Buttonhook Press will consider chapbook collections of 20 (minimum) to 44 (maximum) pages of poetry, including prose poetry. Submitters should include an acknowledgments page if any individual works have been previously published. The acknowledgments page, the dedication page, and the table of contents are not to be included as part of the page count.

Submit the manuscript as a single document. Begin each individual title on a new page. .docx files are preferred. Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply.

Use a cover letter that contains all contact information and includes a professional biography in third person of up to 100 words. To ensure processing by the correct editors, the subject line or cover letter should include the words “Annual Call for Submissions: buttonhook chapbook.”

Simultaneous submissions are accepted with the understanding that notice to O:JA&L will be prompt if a MS is accepted elsewhere. 

No reading fees apply. “Expedited” consideration is available for a fee.

Conditions:
Chapbooks accepted for publication will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. Copyright for the PDF versions of these chapbooks will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press and with the writer.  Rights for printed versions of the PDF will be reserved on behalf of each author. OJAL Art Incorporated, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L), and Buttonhook Press will provide to each writer of a published PDF chapbook a free license to produce a printed version to bring to market.

Submissions open January 1.  Submissions close December 1.

Buttonhook Press, An imprint of OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters.

Open call for chapbook submissions: Flash fiction or flash nonfiction

O:JA&L will consider chapbook collections of 20 (minimum) to 44 (maximum) pages of flash discourse, fiction or nonfiction, with no single work longer than 1000 words. Submitters should include an acknowledgments page if any individual works have been previously published. A table of contents and an acknowledgments page are not included as part of the page count.

Submit the manuscript as a single document. Begin each individual title on a new page within the document. .docx files are preferred. Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title of the work, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L and its imprint Buttonhook Press claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive in perpetuity the accepted chapbook on its website.

Expedited consideration is not available in this category.
 

Conditions:
Chapbooks accepted for publication will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution via Patreon as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. Copyright for the PDF versions of these chapbooks and for Buttonhook Press's related proprietary files will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press and with the writer. OJAL Art Incorporated, as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and Buttonhook Press, will provide to each writer of a published PDF chapbook a file of that chapbook suitable for use by most full service commercial printing houses and a free license to produce and distribute a printed version of the writer's published PDF chapbook.

Buttonhook Press
An imprint of OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters

Open call for chapbook submissions:
Mixed Forms as Haibun or Tanka Prose

O:JA&L will consider chapbook collections of 20 (minimum) to 44 (maximum) pages of mixed-form writing as haibun or tanka prose. Submitters should include an acknowledgments page if any individual works have been previously published. A table of contents and an acknowledgments page are not included as part of the page count.

Submit the manuscript as a single document. Begin each individual title on a new page within the document. .docx files are preferred. Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title of the work, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L and its imprint Buttonhook Press claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive in perpetuity the accepted chapbook on its website.
 

Conditions:
Chapbooks accepted for publication will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution via Patreon as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBNs will be associated with these titles. Copyright for the PDF versions of these chapbooks and for Buttonhook Press's related proprietary files will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L, and O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press and with the writer. OJAL Art Incorporated, as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and Buttonhook Press, will provide to each writer of a published PDF chapbook a file of that chapbook suitable for use by most full service commercial printing houses and a free license to produce and distribute a printed version of the writer's published PDF chapbook.

Buttonhook Press, an imprint of OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L). 

Annual call for chapbooks of Experimental Discourse

O:JA&L uses the following definition of Experimental Discourse:

Experimental discourse is discourse that refuses to stay within the boundaries laid out either by traditional realistic literary fiction and nonfiction or by the standard genres of thriller, mystery, sci-fi, romance and so forth. Experimental discourse as understood by the O:JA&L editorial team is non-escapist literature in that it does not seek to seduce its readers into a dreamy forgetfulness or into a vicarious participation in the presented narrative. It is discourse, instead, that often unsettles, that makes one feel uncomfortable or liberated, because it breaks rules and invents new ones. Ideologically, it undermines the common conceptual categories by which we understand and navigate the world; it rejects the normal rhetoric of how we describe things.

For further clarification visit the link: https://ojalart.com/editors-advicea-guide-for-submittersexperimental-discourse-xp-definitions/

O:JA&L's Buttonhook Press will consider chapbook collections of 20 (minimum) to 44 (maximum) pages of Experimental Discourse with no individual title in the submission to exceed 2100 words. 

Submitters should include a table of contents and if any individual works have been previously published, an acknowledgments page. The acknowledgments page, the table of contents, and any dedication page should not be included as part of the page count.  

Submit the manuscript as a single document. Begin each individual title on a new page within the document. .docx files are preferred. Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.   

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title of the work and its category (fiction or nonfiction), and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.  O:JA&L and its imprint Buttonhook Press claims first international rights, first North American rights, first Australian rights, and the right to archive in perpetuity the accepted chapbook on its website.  

“Expedited” consideration is not available in this category.             

Conditions:  Chapbooks accepted for publication will be released to readers as free PDFs through the O:JA&L website and will enjoy limited distribution to O:JA&L Patreon supporters and as O:JA&L subscriber premiums. No ISBN is associated with this title. Copyright for the PDF versions of these chapbooks will reside permanently with OJAL Art Incorporated, OPEN: Journal of arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press and all other rights will be reserved on behalf of each author.     Submitters will be issued a free production license from Buttonhook Press. No ISBN will be associated with the license under this arrangement. In fulfillment of the request, OJAL Art Incorporated, O:JA&L/BHP, the copyright holder for the PDF versions, will provide proprietary files of the book useful to most commercial houses for producing a print version. By providing the file and license, published submitters are thereupon authorized/licensed to print, release, and sell or otherwise distribute print copies of O:JA&L’s licensed version for their own purposes.      The licensing document and provision of the file constitutes a release from O:JA&L to produce the file as a printed book with the only condition being that no changes are to be made to the PDF’s original contents or original format as prepared by O:JA&L without the publisher’s expressed written permission. Some of these permissions will be provided via the licensing document.

OPEN Call for Submissions: Experimental Discourse as XP fiction to 2000 words

OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) will consider submissions of Experimental Discourse as fiction of 2000 words minimum, 2100 words maximum, not including title, by-line, and any epigraph.

Submit work that is experimental in nature. O:JA&L uses the following definition of Experimental Discourse:

Experimental discourse is discourse that refuses to stay within the boundaries laid out either by traditional realistic literary fiction and nonfiction or by the standard genres of thriller, mystery, sci-fi, romance and so forth. Experimental discourse as understood by the O:JA&L editorial team is non-escapist literature in that it does not seek to seduce its readers into a dreamy forgetfulness or into a vicarious participation in the presented narrative. It is discourse, instead, that often unsettles, that makes one feel uncomfortable or liberated, because it breaks rules and invents new ones. Ideologically, it undermines the common conceptual categories by which we understand and navigate the world; it rejects the normal rhetoric of how we describe things.

For more complete clarification visit the link: https://ojalart.com/editors-advicea-guide-for-submittersexperimental-discourse-xp-definitions/

A submission may contain ONLY ONE title. A submission may contain no less than 2000 and no more than 2100 words, not counting its title, byline and any epigraph. Submissions must be in one of the following file formats: .doc or .docx. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere. Follow other general guidelines that may apply.

Previously published works are not accepted.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future experimental collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of submissions is not available in this category.

OPEN Call for Submissions: Experimental Discourse as XP NONFICTION to 2000 words

OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) will consider submissions of Experimental Discourse as nonfiction of 2000 words minimum, 2100 words maximum, not including title, by-line, and any epigraph.

Submit work that is experimental in nature. O:JA&L uses the following definition of Experimental Discourse:

Experimental discourse is discourse that refuses to stay within the boundaries laid out either by traditional realistic literary fiction and nonfiction or by the standard genres of thriller, mystery, sci-fi, romance and so forth. Experimental discourse as understood by the O:JA&L editorial team is non-escapist literature in that it does not seek to seduce its readers into a dreamy forgetfulness or into a vicarious participation in the presented narrative. It is discourse, instead, that often unsettles, that makes one feel uncomfortable or liberated, because it breaks rules and invents new ones. Ideologically, it undermines the common conceptual categories by which we understand and navigate the world; it rejects the normal rhetoric of how we describe things.

For more complete clarification visit the link: https://ojalart.com/editors-advicea-guide-for-submittersexperimental-discourse-xp-definitions/

A submission may contain ONLY ONE title. A submission may contain no less than 2000 and no more than 2100 words, not counting its title, byline and any epigraph. Submissions should be in the preferred file format of .docx. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere. Follow other general guidelines that may apply.

Previously published works are not accepted.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future experimental collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of submissions is not available in this category.

Call for Submissions:

ALL MILITARY Flash Memoir, CNF, or Vignette

Up to 1000 words

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L), will consider submissions of memoir, vignette, and creative nonfiction based on first-hand military experience (in any MOS) including combat deployments. 

Submissions are open to both active-duty and retired military personnel from any internationally recognized regular military armed force. Submissions should be in English. Submissions may contain up to three pieces, no single piece to contain more than 1,000 words, not counting title, byline and any epigraph. Each title should begin a new page. All titles in a submission should be contained in a single file. Submissions in this category must be in the .docx file format. 

Follow other general guidelines that may apply. When possible, each piece should state as a subtitle the time, date, and location of the described situation.

A cover letter should include a brief professional biography in third person of up to 100 words. These should include military branch, MOS, unit, rank, and dates of service.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for a fee. (Payment of the "expedited evaluation" fee encourages a 72-hour "yes-or-no" response from screening readers.)

Submissions open January 6. Submissions close April 6.

Flash Discourse: Open call for submissions as FLASH FICTION/SHORT-SHORT STORY

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of flash fiction and short-short fiction to 1000 words.

Flash submissions may contain up to three titles. Each title may contain no more than 1,000 words, not counting its title, byline, and any epigraph. Include all titles in one document file. Start each title on a new page within the document. Submissions must be in one of the following file formats: .doc or .docx. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

Previously published works are not accepted.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title/s of the work/s, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

“Expedited” consideration is available for a fee.

Flash Discourse: Open call for submissions as FLASH NONFICTION as PERSONAL ESSAY, MEMOIR, VIGNETTE

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of flash nonfiction as flash essay, memoir, vignette.
Flash submissions may contain up to three titles. Each title may contain no more than 1,000 words, not counting its title, byline, and any epigraph. Include all titles in one document file. Start each title on a new page within the document. Submissions must be in one of the following file formats: .doc or .docx. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

Previously published works are not accepted.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title/s of the work/s, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

“Expedited” consideration is available for a fee.

O:JA&L will consider submissions of haibun and tanka prose.

Submit up to 5 separate titles in one document file. Each title may contain no more than 1,000 words, not counting its title, byline, and any epigraph. Include all titles in one document file. Start each title on a new page within the document. Submissions must be in one of the following file formats: .doc or .docx. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

Previously published works are not accepted.

Works of 36 lines or less are eligible for the Buttonhook Press 2024 PDF Broadside Series. If you want your work to be considered for the series, nominate your qualifying titles in your cover letter.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title/s of the work/s, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

“Expedited” consideration is available for a fee.

To make this content eligible for an O:JA&L YouTube event, mark the Affirmative Permission/Release box on the submission form.

Call for Submissions: Mixed Forms
SEQUENTIAL ART STORIES/Graphic Narratives, Manga/Manhua/Manhwa, Bandas Desenhadas/Fumetti
O:JA&L will consider submissions of mixed-form narratives as SEQUENTIAL ART STORIES/Graphic Narratives, Manga/Manhua/Manhwa, Bandas Desenhadas/Fumetti up to25 pages maximum for each individual work.
Submit a single work of up to 25 pages as a PDF document file. Include a link to a publishable .jpeg color panel containing the title.

Follow other general O:JA&L guidelines that may apply.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

Previously published works are not accepted.

A cover letter should include the writer's/artist's contact information and the writer's/artist's professional biography/ies of up to 100 words in third person.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

“Expedited” consideration is available for a fee.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of poetry in all forms, styles, and genres.

Submit up to 5 separate titles in one document file. Each title may contain no more than 100 lines. Include all titles in one document file. Start each title on a new page within the document. Submissions must be in one of the following file formats: .doc or .docx. Simultaneous submissions are accepted in this category with the understanding that O:JA&L will be notified promptly if a piece under consideration here is accepted elsewhere.

Previously published works are not accepted.

A cover letter should include the writer's contact information, the title/s of the work/s, and the writer's professional biography of up to 100 words in third person.

Poems of 36 lines or less are eligible for the Buttonhook Press 2024 PDF Broadside Series. If you want your work to be considered for the series, nominate your qualifying works in your cover letter.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website and to consider them for inclusion in future collections and anthologies to be compiled and published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

“Expedited” consideration is available for a fee.

Works of less than 500 words accepted and published in this category are eligible for production as an O:JA&L YouTube/Rumble event. To make this content available for an O:JA&L YouTube event, mark the Affirmative Permission/Release box on the submission form.

Spoken-word performers and slam poets are encouraged to submit audio or video files. Such submissions must be in mp3 or MP4 file formats. Submissions accepted in this category are assumed to be available for production as an O:JA&L YouTube/Rumble event. To make this content eligible for O:JA&L's YouTube channel, mark the Affirmative Permission/Release box on the submission form. These videos will be linked to your content on the journal page. Accepted submitters in this mode should provide a text version of the performance pieces for simultaneous release on the O:JA&L website.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available (see fee option below). Payment of this fee encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.

Submission Guidelines — Short Fiction

OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters

Eligibility and Length OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters considers submissions of original short fiction up to 10,000 words. Each submission must contain one title only and may not exceed 10,000 words, excluding the title, byline, and any epigraph.

File Format Submissions must be uploaded as a .doc or .docx file.

Publication Status Previously published works are not accepted.

Simultaneous Submissions Simultaneous submissions are permitted. If a work submitted to OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters is accepted elsewhere, the author must notify the journal promptly.

Cover Letter Requirements A cover letter must include:

• The author’s contact information
• The title of the submitted work
• A professional biography of no      more than 100 words, written in the third person

Rights Upon acceptance, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters acquires first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the work on its website. All other rights revert to the author upon publication. If the work is later reprinted elsewhere, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters masks to be credited as the first publisher.

Additional Notes Expedited consideration is not available for this category.

Submission Guidelines — Essay, Article, Creative Nonfiction (CNF), and Memoir

OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters

Eligibility and Length OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters considers submissions of original essays, articles, creative nonfiction (CNF), and memoir up to 10,000 words. Each submission must contain one title only and may not exceed 10,000 words, excluding the title, byline, and any epigraph.

File Format Submissions must be uploaded as a .doc or .docx file.

Publication Status Previously published works are not accepted.

Simultaneous Submissions Simultaneous submissions are permitted. If a work submitted to OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters is accepted elsewhere, the author must notify the journal promptly.

Cover Letter Requirements A cover letter must include:

• The author’s contact information
• The title of the submitted work
• The submission category (Essay,      Article, Creative Nonfiction (CNF), or Memoir)
• A professional biography of no      more than 100 words, written in the third person

Rights Upon acceptance, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters acquires first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the work on its website and consider it for inclusion in future collections or anthologies published by the O:JA&L imprint BUTTONHOOK PRESS.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. If the work is later reprinted elsewhere, OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters must be credited as the first publisher.

Additional Notes Expedited consideration is not available for these categories.

STUDIO ARTS: Digital Art. Open Call for Featured Artist in the O:JA&L HIGH BUTTON PRESS Artist Portfolio Series

Featured Artist: Portfolio

OJAL Art Incorporated, publishing since 2017 as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and its imprints Buttonhook Press, HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues, and HIGH BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Art, serves writers and artists worldwide.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of digital art under the following additional guidelines:

Submitted images should be previously unpublished and not available to an image search on the internet.

Submitted images may be executed in any artistic tradition and may be the product of any digital image-making process or technique.

Artists should include a single representative image file with the submission and a link to a portfolio/gallery containing at least 6 additional images. All images must be available to O:JA&L as image files that can be reproduced at 1,650 pixels wide. O:JA&L art editors will assume that images provided through the provided link meet guidelines and that permission is granted to O:JA&L by the submitter to select and publish any or all images from the linked portfolio/gallery.

Submitters must specify title, series (if any), completion date and technical information for each image. Links to professional and commercial sites where this art is available for purchase are encouraged.

In order to qualify for inclusion and promotion in the Featured Artists Portfolio Series, submitters must include, as part of the submission, a cover letter containing the following information:

1) a professional biographical statement in third person. This biography should contain at least 100 words (minimum) up to 250 words (maximum) and should include educational and training background, past exhibitions, and notable awards.

2) a statement of artistic philosophy, a summary of artistic practice (preferred subjects, treatments, and techniques), and other pertinent information (at least 250 words & not to exceed 500 words)

3) a catalog of scheduled exhibitions, with contact information, for the current exhibition year

This information will be subject to editing for form and correctness by O:JA&L staff editors.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website. In order to maximize exposure and promotion of our contributing artists, submitters acknowledge and affirm their consent by submitting, that individual images published as part of the O:JA&L Artist Portfolios Series may be selected for further promotion (always with appropriate artist credit and links) and released in the Journal separately as focusing art for featured poetry and prose texts and/or released through the O:JA&L imprint Buttonhook Press as cover art for broadsides, pamphlets, chapbooks, and/or KDP titles.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for an optional fee. Payment of this fee supports O:JA&L writers and artists and encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.

STUDIO ARTS: Fine Art Photography. Open call for submissions as Featured Artist  in the O:JA&L HIGH BUTTON PRESS Artist Portfolio Series 

Featured Artist: Portfolio Series

OJAL Art Incorporated, publishing since 2017 as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and its imprints Buttonhook Press, HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues, and HIGH BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Art, serves writers and artists worldwide.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of fine art photography under the following additional guidelines:

Submitted images should be previously unpublished and not available to an image search on the internet.

Submitted images may be traditionally representational or experimental and may be the product of any creative process or technique.

Artists should include a single representative .jpg/.jpeg image file with the submission and a link to a portfolio/gallery containing at least 6 additional .jpg/.jpeg images. All images must be available to O:JA&L as .jpg/.jpeg image files that can be reproduced at 1,650 pixels wide. O:JA&L art editors will assume that images provided through the link meet guidelines and that permission is granted to O:JA&L by the submitter to select and publish any or all images from the linked portfolio/gallery.

Submitters must specify title, series (if any), completion date and other pertinent information for each image. Appropriate technical information is also appreciated. Links to professional and commercial sites where this art is available for purchase are encouraged.

In order to qualify for inclusion and promotion in the Featured Artists Portfolio Series, submitters must include as part of the submission, a cover letter containing the following information:

1) a professional biographical statement in third person. This biography should contain at least 100 words (minimum) up to 250 words (maximum) and should include educational and training background, past exhibitions, and notable awards.

2) A statement of artistic philosophy, a summary of artistic practice (preferred subjects, treatments, and techniques) and other pertinent information (not to exceed 500 words)

3) A catalog of scheduled exhibitions, with contact information, for the current exhibition year

This information will be subject to editing for form and correctness by O:JA&L staff editors.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website. In order to maximize exposure and promotion of our contributing artists, submitters acknowledge and affirm their consent by submitting, that individual images published as part of the O:JA&L Artist Portfolios Series may be selected for further promotion (always with appropriate artist credit and links) and released in the Journal separately as focusing art for featured poetry and prose texts and/or released through the O:JA&L imprint Buttonhook Press as cover art for broadsides, pamphlets, chapbooks, and/or KDP titles.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for an optional fee. Payment of this fee supports O:JA&L writers and artists and encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.

STUDIO ARTS: Mixed Media.

Open Call for Featured Artist in the O:JA&L HIGH BUTTON PRESS Artist Portfolio Series

Featured Artist: Portfolio

OJAL Art Incorporated, publishing since 2017 as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and its imprints Buttonhook Press and HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues and HIGH BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Art, serves writers and artists worldwide.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of mixed media art under the following additional guidelines:

Submitted images should be previously unpublished and not available to an image search on the internet.

Submitted images may be executed in any artistic tradition and may be the product of any mixed media construct- or image-making process or technique.

Artists should include a single representative image file with the submission and a link to a portfolio/gallery containing at least 6 additional images. All images must be available to O:JA&L as image files that can be reproduced at 1,650 pixels wide. O:JA&L art editors will assume that images provided through the provided link meet guidelines and that permission is granted to O:JA&L by the submitter to select and publish any or all images from the linked portfolio/gallery.

Submitters must specify title, series (if any), all media incorporated into the construct/image, completion date and any other relevant information for each image. Links to professional and commercial sites where this art is available for purchase are encouraged.

In order to qualify for inclusion and promotion in the Featured Artists Portfolio Series, submitters must include, as part of the submission, a cover letter containing the following information:

1) a professional biographical statement in third person. This biography should contain at least 100 words (minimum) up to 250 words (maximum) and should include educational and training background, past exhibitions, and notable awards.

2) a statement of artistic philosophy, a summary of artistic practice (preferred subjects, treatments, and techniques), and other pertinent information (not to exceed 500 words)

3) a catalog of scheduled exhibitions, with contact information, for the current exhibition year

This information will be subject to editing for form and correctness by O:JA&L staff editors.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website. In order to maximize exposure and promotion of our contributing artists, submitters acknowledge (and affirm their consent by submitting) that individual images published as part of the O:JA&L Artist Portfolios Series may be selected for further promotion (always with appropriate artist credit and links) and released in the Journal separately as focusing art for featured poetry and prose texts and/or released through the O:JA&L imprint Buttonhook Press as cover art for broadsides, pamphlets, chapbooks, and/or KDP titles.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for an optional fee. Payment of this fee supports O:JA&L writers and artists and encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.

STUDIO ARTS: Painting & Drawing. Open call for submissions as Featured Artist in the O:JA&L HIGH BUTTON PRESS Portfolio Series

Featured Artist: Portfolio

OJAL Art Incorporated, publishing since 2017 as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and its imprints Buttonhook Press, HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues, and HIGH BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Art, serves writers and artists worldwide.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of painting and drawing in appropriate media under the following additional guidelines:

Submitted images should be previously unpublished and not available to an image search on the internet.

Submitted images may be executed in any artistic tradition in any medium and may be the product of any physical painting or drawing process or technique. Digital art should NOT be submitted in this category. Submissions of digital art will be considered in a separate category.

Artists should include a single representative .jpg/.jpeg image file with the submission and a link to a portfolio/gallery containing at least 6 additional .jpg/.jpeg images. All images must be available to O:JA&L as .jpg/.jpeg image files that can be reproduced at 1,650 pixels wide. O:JA&L art editors will assume that images provided through the provided link meet guidelines and that permission is granted to O:JA&L by the submitter to select among and publish any or all images from the linked portfolio/gallery.

Submitters must specify title, series (if any), completion date and other pertinent information for each image. Links to professional and commercial sites where this art is available for purchase are encouraged.

In order to qualify for inclusion and promotion in the Featured Artists Portfolio Series, submitters must include as part of the submission, a cover letter containing the following information:

1) a professional biographical statement in third person. This biography should contain at least 100 words (minimum) up to 250 words (maximum) and should include educational and training background, past exhibitions, and notable awards.

2) a statement of artistic philosophy, a summary of artistic practice (preferred subjects, treatments, and techniques) and other pertinent information (not to exceed 500 words)

3) a catalog of scheduled exhibitions, with contact information, for the current exhibition year

This information will be subject to editing for form and correctness by O:JA&L staff editors.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website. In order to maximize exposure and promotion of our contributing artists, submitters acknowledge and affirm their consent by submitting, that individual images published as part of the O:JA&L Artist Portfolios Series may be selected for further promotion (always with appropriate artist credit and links) and released in the Journal separately as focusing art for featured poetry and prose texts and/or released through the O:JA&L imprint Buttonhook Press as cover art for broadsides, pamphlets, chapbooks, and/or KDP titles.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for an optional fee. Payment of this fee supports O:JA&L writers and artists and encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.

STUDIO ARTS: Printmaking/Lithography.

Open Call for Featured Artist in the O:JA&L HIGH BUTTON PRESS Artist Portfolio Series

Featured Artist: Portfolio

OJAL Art Incorporated, publishing since 2017 as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and its imprints Buttonhook Press, HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues, and HIGH BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Art, serves writers and artists worldwide.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of printmaking and lithography under the following additional guidelines:

Submitted images should be previously unpublished and not available to an image search on the internet.

Submitted images may be executed in any artistic tradition and may be the product of any printmaking process or technique (woodcut, linocut, lithography, engraving, intaglio etc.).

Artists should include a single representative image file with the submission and a link to a portfolio/gallery containing at least 6 additional images. All images must be available to O:JA&L as image files that can be reproduced at 1,650 pixels wide. O:JA&L art editors will assume that images provided through the provided link meet guidelines and that permission is granted to O:JA&L by the submitter to select and publish any or all images from the linked portfolio/gallery.

Submitters must specify title, series (if any), image-making method, size, completion date and any other relevant information for each image. Links to professional and commercial sites where this art is available for purchase are encouraged.

In order to qualify for inclusion and promotion in the Featured Artists Portfolio Series, submitters must include, as part of the submission, a cover letter containing the following information:

1) a professional biographical statement in third person. This biography should contain at least 100 words (minimum) up to 250 words (maximum) and should include educational and training background, important past exhibitions, and notable awards.

2) a statement of artistic philosophy and a summary of artistic practice (preferred subjects, treatments, and techniques), and other pertinent information (not to exceed 500 words)

3) a catalog of scheduled exhibitions, with contact information, for the current exhibition year

This information will be subject to editing for form and correctness by O:JA&L staff editors.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website. In order to maximize exposure and promotion of our contributing artists, submitters acknowledge (and affirm their consent by submitting) that individual images published as part of the O:JA&L Artist Portfolios Series may be selected for further promotion (always with appropriate artist credit and links) and released in the Journal separately as focusing art for featured poetry and prose texts and/or released through the O:JA&L imprint Buttonhook Press as cover art for broadsides, pamphlets, chapbooks, and/or KDP titles.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for an optional fee. Payment of this fee supports O:JA&L writers and artists and encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.

STUDIO ARTS: Sculpture and Installation.

Open Call for Featured Artist in the O:JA&L HIGH BUTTON PRESS Artist Portfolio Series

Featured Artist: Portfolio

OJAL Art Incorporated, publishing since 2017 as OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters (O:JA&L) and its imprints Buttonhook Press, HOT BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Issues, and HIGH BUTTON PRESS Contemporary Art, serves writers and artists worldwide.

Open: Journal of Arts & Letters will consider submissions of sculpture and installation under the following additional guidelines:

Submitted images should be previously unpublished and not available to an image search on the internet.

Submitted images may be of three-dimensional works and installations in any artistic tradition. No more than two of the seven (7) submitted views/images may be of any single work.

Artists should include a single representative image file with the submission and a link to a portfolio/gallery containing at least 6 additional images. All images must be available to O:JA&L as image files that can be reproduced at 1,650 pixels wide. O:JA&L art editors will assume that images provided through the provided link meet guidelines and that permission is granted to O:JA&L by the submitter to select and publish any or all images from the linked portfolio/gallery.

Submitters must specify title, series (if any), medium, size, completion date and any other relevant information for each work. Links to professional and commercial sites where this art is available for purchase are encouraged.

In order to qualify for inclusion and promotion in the Featured Artists Portfolio Series, submitters must include, as part of the submission, a cover letter containing the following information:

1) a professional biographical statement in third person. This biography should contain at least 100 words (minimum) up to 250 words (maximum) and should include educational and training background, important past exhibitions, and notable awards.

2) a statement of artistic philosophy and a summary of artistic practice (preferred subjects, treatments, and techniques), and other pertinent information (not to exceed 500 words)

3) a catalog of scheduled exhibitions, with contact information, for the current exhibition year

This information will be subject to editing for form and correctness by O:JA&L staff editors.

O:JA&L claims first international rights, first North American rights, and the right to archive the accepted works on its website. In order to maximize exposure and promotion of our contributing artists, submitters acknowledge (and affirm their consent by submitting) that individual images published as part of the O:JA&L Artist Portfolios Series may be selected for further promotion (always with appropriate artist credit and links) and released in the Journal separately as focusing art for featured poetry and prose texts and/or released through the O:JA&L imprint Buttonhook Press as cover art for broadsides, pamphlets, chapbooks, and/or KDP titles.

All other rights revert to the author upon publication. OPEN: Journal of Arts & Letters asks to be identified as first publisher if published works are reprinted elsewhere.

Expedited evaluation of your submission is available for an optional fee. Payment of this fee supports O:JA&L writers and artists and encourages a 72-hour response by the O:JA&L editors.