The Fairfield Review
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How do I submit my writings to The Fairfield Review?
Please read the article Guidelines for Submitting Your Writing, which may also be found in the table of contents for the current issue on our web site. Any related documents referenced in the article may also be found on the TFR web site. In addition, you can get a flavor of the types of work we are publishing by browsing through our archive of recent issues and Reader's Choice pages. Also try our site search button for particular topics or themes. If you would like us to email any articles to you, please send us an email reply.
2) In what format should I submit my writing?
We prefer receiving submissions by email. It is also easier for us to review your work if it is sent in the body of the email, rather than as an attachment. If your submission contains special formatting that you do not want lost on the Internet, you may also attach a word-processing file. Submissions sent as email attachments may be in any PC-based word-processing format. Our preference is Microsoft Word.
3) What on-line writing workshops do you offer?
We do not currently have these available at TFR. However, we recommend contacting your local YMCA for Writers Voice workshops. See the YMCA of the USA web page for details on this program. Also check with your local bookstore for similar events. Most major bookstores hold "open mike" poetry nights, during which additional programs are often cited.
4) What upcoming literary events do you track?
We try to keep current with readings and workshops in western Connecticut. Recently, we merged our events calendar with the CT Poet On-line Calendar. At this time, the calendar is for Connecticut area events only. It is updated weekly. You will also find the link to the events calendar from our home page.
5) What awards programs do you offer?
Readers' Choice Awards are based on the number of readers each piece attracts. The tallies are updated quarterly. You will find the link to the Readers' Choice page from our home page.
Editor's Choice Awards are made for each issue, starting with the Winter 2003 edition. We select the best of the stories, poems or essays for a special citation
as work we feel best represents the quality of writing we seek to publish. The Editor's Choice Award will be noted in the Table of Contents as well as within the introduction to each issue.  2/17/03
6) What writing contests do you sponsor?
Literary contests are also planned for future editions of The Fairfield Review.
7) What does The Fairfield Review offer for student writers?
Part of our mission is to provide a publishing venue for new authors and student writers. We actively solicit fiction and poetry from student authors of all ages. We are proud to have published a number of young writers who we have heard at open poetry readings throughout Fairfield County and from those who have contacted us via the Internet.
8) How will my writing be protected from theft on the Internet?
While outright theft is not preventable in any publication medium, we strive to protect the intellectual and creative property of our authors four ways. First, we include The Fairfield Review Inc. copyright on each page of each piece. Second, we recommend the author's personal copyright be added. (An author's work is best protected by their own copyright.) Next, we send each author an email letter verifying their publication in The Fairfield Review. Finally, in the case of infringement on The Fairfield Review copyrights that is brought to our attention, we will pursue whatever legal methods are at our reasonable disposal to prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law. In addition, our web site is regularly indexed by web sites, such as www.plagiarism.org, which provide a service to universities and others checking for plagiarism.  8/30/03
9) Do you retain ownership and the copyright of my work?
Ownership remains with the author before, during and after publication. We copyright all work for each edition and recommend individual copyrights. In addition, we reserve the right to continue to make available all work in our archive sections and in our periodic "Best of The Fairfield Review" print publications.  8/30/02
10) Do you accept simultaneous submissions?  10/29/00
We no longer accept simultaneous submissions. We realize that this form of submission is preferred by most writers. We tried it for a year. However, our experience was that we received more low-quality mass-submissions. In addition, we were frustrated by pieces we liked and wanted to publish only to find that they were withdrawn by authors who already received acceptance notices elsewhere.
11) I submitted my writing to the magazine, but none was accepted for publication. Why?
We carefully read and review each piece of writing that is submitted. We tend to look for particular qualities, such as those outlined in our article "Writing Qualities to Keep in Mind." from the spring 1997 issue. To make it into our publication, our editorial review board must agree that the piece meets two or more of the "Four C's". We do make exceptions, especially for promising work from students and new authors. And we always encourage authors to keep at it, and work hard to improve their work. If a writer requests it, we will provide specific feedback on where improvements could be made. Otherwise we limit our replies to "yea or nay."
12) I recently submitted my writing to the magazine, but I have not heard a reply. Why?
We currently publish our journal semi-annually. We try to read pieces as they are submitted, however, most of our review work happens after submission deadlines (currently at the end of September and March). While rejection notices are usually sent within three weeks of reading, acceptance notices may only occur near the end of our review cycle.  12/31/04
Please note that our submission notices for confirmation of receipt, acceptance and rejection of work, are handled exclusively through electronic mail via the Internet. If you would like timely notices about your submissions, please provide us your email address.
13) When should I complete the Writer's Background and Release form?
The Writer's Background and Release form can be completed when you submit your work, but does not need to be completed until after we notify you of our decision. Once your submission is accepted for publication, we prefer that you complete the on-line form, which may be found on our Editors and Authors page.
14) What fees do you pay for poetry and short stories?
The Fairfield Review is a nonprofit, volunteer organization. As such, we do not charge subscriptions to our readers; so the magazine is free to any who access us on the Internet. Because we have no sources of income, beyond donations, we do not pay fees for work that we publish.
15) Do you review books and anthologies?
We rarely review books. We will only consider doing so for work written by authors who have previously published work in The Fairfield Review. We do not have the time read other work. Publishers and marketers would be better served sending their work elsewhere.  4/7/06
Also see the excellent FAQ page on the Poets.org web page. |
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