SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

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Breaking News: 
The submission window for Issue 11 is now closed.
Watch for a great issue 11 to be published online on May 1, 2021.
​(Editorial Board - Vistas & Byways - 3-1-21)

* * Call for Submissions * *
Submissions for Vistas & Byways - Issue 11 - Spring 2021
will be accepted in February 2021.

Literary Submissions

We welcome submissions in all genres (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, book reviews, etc.) on all topics and themes. We also have a separate section devoted to pieces on our special literary theme. We encourage you to submit material (up to five pieces) in any genre to either the special literary theme section (Strange Times) and/or to other sections in the magazine (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Inside OLLI, Bay Area Stew).

Strange Times: (Special Literary Theme)
These are strange times indeed. Here are a few reminders of what the last year has been like:

1. Wildfires precipitated by climate change—when early morning became red-night.
2. The pandemic where everything was boarded up, closed, open, partially open, closed again. . .
3. Ongoing demonstrations for racial equality.
4. The election, an insurrection and 2 impeachment trials.
5. And, after unprecedented speed in development and long delay in distribution, the vaccine.

But what to make of it all? Is the world as we know it ending? Or could the shuffling-up of our way of life and indeed reality itself (or so it sometimes seems) be a way of fostering long-needed change?
Or you may want to write your own story, nonfiction piece or memoir about strange times having nothing to do with what’s going on in our world right now.
You can write in: fiction, poetry, personal essay, science fiction, fantasy, drama, memoir, epic poetry or whatever form is to your liking.
(See below for complete Submission Guidelines.)

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Photographic Submissions

Unlike the literary submissions, Photo-essays as well as Banner and Accent photos MUST be on the special photographic theme. 

Bay Area Landmarks—with a Twist: (Special Photographic Theme)
“Landmarks” by our definition include not only traditional landmarks such as the Bay Bridge or Transamerica Pyramid Building, but anything unique to our area, such as picturesque streets, cable cars. architecture, foliage or other distinctive features. Create a photo-essay (up to five photographs) with a brief explanation or narrative thread.
Examples:
Golden Gate Bridge from different angles, at night, in fog, in rain;
Strange and/or exotic plants in the San Francisco Botanical Gardens;
(See below for complete Submission Guidelines.)
 
Banner and Accent Photos: These standalone photographs (no number limit) do NOT go through the Editorial Board or Visual Arts review process and do NOT appear in the Bay Area Byways Section, but may be used by the Webmaster to serve as background displays for literary works, with credit given. They should also be on the photographic theme of Bay Area Landmarks—with a Twist.
(See below for complete Submission Guidelines.)
 
Cover Contest: A photograph selected from the Special Photographic Theme Section or Banner and Accent submissions will be chosen for display on the cover page of Vistas & Byways, with credit given.
 
Submissions for Vistas & Byways Issue 11, Spring 2021 will be accepted in February 2021.

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Submission Guidelines - page 1

General Guidelines
 
Vistas & Byways invites members of the OLLI at SF State community to submit original written work and photography for publication. All works (with the exception of Banner and Accent photos: see explanation below) received within a submission period will be reviewed by our Editorial Board or Visual Arts Editor and considered for publication in the next issue of the magazine. Editorial decisions are final.
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In order to submit to Vistas & Byways, you must be a current OLLI at SF State member.
After we receive your submission (s), if your membership needs to be renewed, you will be contacted by an OLLI at SF State staff member.
 
Prose and Poetry:
NOTE: You can submit up to five pieces (in any genre or combination of genres).
Literary Word Limits:

• Fiction: 10,000
• Nonfiction (memoirs, essays and other works of nonfiction): 10,000
• Poetry: No limit
• Drama: 10,000
• Excerpts from longer works of fiction or nonfiction: 10,000
• Accompanying Illustrations: One photograph, piece of artwork or other illustration may be submitted along with each literary submission to illustrate a written work. This illustration MUST be an original work by the author OR a specified relative or friend.

 
Photography:
NOTE: It’s important to note that there are TWO types of photographic submissions, both types on the special photographic theme of Bay Area Landmarks—with a Twist but reviewed and displayed differently:

1. Bay Area Landmarks—with a Twist Photo-Essays: up to five photographs reviewed by the Visual Arts Editor and, if accepted, displayed in the Bay Area Byways Section of the magazine. These photographs will also be considered for the cover.
2. Banner and Accent Photos: any number of photographs NOT subjected to our Editorial Board or Visual Arts review process but which may be selected by our Webmaster to provide background for literary works and may appear anywhere in the magazine, with credit given. These photographs will also be considered for the cover.

 
Cover Photo Contest:
The V&B staff will select the cover photo from photographs submitted to the Bay Area Byways Section or to Banner and Accent Photos.

​Inside OLLI:
In this section, we welcome anything related to OLLI at SF State. This includes, but is not limited to, interviews with instructors or staff; reviews of published books by members; descriptions/reviews of events, creative projects or programs members are involved in.

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Submission Guidelines - page 2

Policy
 
Copyright Protection:
The contents of Vistas & Byways will NOT be submitted for copyright protection to the U.S. Copyright Office. Contributors who wish to secure copyright protection for their work (s) are responsible for filing for such copyright before submitting their work (s). Neither the Editorial Board nor Vistas & Byways assume any responsibility for loss or damages to individual authors for copyright infringement of literary or photographic work displayed in the magazine.
 
Editorial Note:
Vistas & Byways is staffed solely by volunteers who are members of the OLLI at SF State program. Since staff members are also participants in writing classes at OLLI at SF State, some of their own works may be included in Vistas & Byways.
 
Submission Procedure
 
Submissions for the Spring 2021 issue of Vistas & Byways will be accepted February 1 through 28, 2021.
 
NO submissions received after the February 28, 2021 deadline will be considered for publication.
 
NO edits or changes, excepting errors on our part, will be allowed after a contributor has signed the Certification Statement.
 
Literary Submissions:

• Literary submissions should be single-spaced with paragraphs flush left and a single empty line between each paragraph (no indents on first line of paragraph).
• Literary submissions must be emailed as MS Word or rtf attachments (no other formats accepted).
• If you are submitting more than one piece, attach each one to the email SEPARATELY, not all in one file.
• Accompanying illustrations (one per piece allowed): Do NOT embed illustrations in the text. Attach each illustration to the email SEPARATELY in jpg or png format. List any captions you want included—captions are not required. Note: Illustrations will be evaluated separately from literary pieces and may not be accepted, even if the literary piece is.
• Indicate whether you wish your piece (s) to be submitted to our special literary theme section for this issue, Strange Times (see description above).

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Submission Guidelines - page 3

Photographic Submissions (To Be Displayed in the Bay Area Byways Section):

• Original photographs must be submitted in jpg or png format.
• Photographs must be on the special Photographic Theme, Bay Area Landmarks—with a Twist.
• A caption of a few words is required for each photograph.
• A brief overall explanation or narrative thread is required for each photo-essay (no more than five photographs per photo-essay).

 
Banner and Accent Photos (To Be Displayed as Background Photos Anywhere in the Magazine):

• Original standalone photographs must be submitted in jpg or png format.
• Photographs must be on the special Photographic Theme, Bay Area Landmarks—with a Twist.
• A caption of a few words IS required for each standalone photograph.
• These standalone photographs should NOT include an overall explanation or narrative thread.

 
If you are a first-time contributor, please include all of the following information:

• Name and pen name, if different
• Email address
• Phone number
• Short bio (120-word maximum)
• Recent photograph of yourself (jpg or png)
• The literary genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama) of all literary submissions and the medium (photography, acrylic, watercolor, charcoal) of all accompanying illustration submissions.

 
​If you are a repeat contributor, the bio, picture and contact information on file will be used unless you specify that you want to update them. ​
 
Where to Submit:
Submissions and all other information should be emailed to:
edboardvbreview@gmail.com
 
NOTE: Vistas & Byways accepts simultaneous submissions and previously published works as long as you inform us.
 
If your piece or pieces are accepted, you will be informed by email. In that acceptance email, there will be a link to the following certification statement:
 
“I certify that this is an original piece of literary work or photography created by me. I grant the Editorial Board of Vistas & Byways permission to publish my work and agree that I will receive no payment. A modest amount of editing of the work by a member of the Editorial Board is acceptable. I understand that my work will be published in the upcoming issue.”
 
Questions: email to edboardvbreview@gmail.com or use our online contact form.

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