An Invitation to Critics, Scholars, and Readers
Ploughshares is looking for critical essays about great, underappreciated writers. We are hoping for a piece of writing that takes stock of an accomplished body of work and brings a neglected author back into the spotlight.
Examples of such appreciations include Stewart O’Nan’s piece on Richard Yates, Joan Acocella on Sybille Bedford, Gore Vidal on Dawn Powell, and Ploughshares’ DeWitt Henry on Brian Moore.
If there is an occasion for the writing – such as a recent biography, a re-issue of old work, or a new book – so much the better. The writer can be living or dead, going back as far as the late 19th century, and from anywhere in the world (it would help, though, if there are good English translations available). The important thing is to give readers a sense of this writer’s special contribution, the arc of his or her career, and biographical details when they seem relevant.
To Submit
Please send us a 1-2 page query with some details about the writer, how you plan to explore the work, and why you are particularly suited to write the piece. We look forward to hearing from you!
Work should be submitted via the submission manager, in the "Critical Essay Query" category. Please attach the query as a document, rather than posting it in the Comments field. (Unlike online submissions of poetry or prose, you will not be charged the service fee for the query submission.)
We will only accept queries sent though the submission manager. Do not e-mail or mail us your queries.
Your query will be reviewed in a timely manner. Please wait to receive a response before attempting to submit another query. Please note: the submission manager will only allow you to have 1 active submission at any time, and this includes submissions of poetry, fiction, or non-fiction. At this time, there is no specific submission period, and we reserve the right to close submissions without notice. We will post the current status here:
Submissions are OPEN
Payment: Payment will be at our standard rate for published work: $25/page, minimum $50, maximum $250.