SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

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The Submissions Window forVistas & Byways - Issue 10 - Fall 2020 is Closed!
See the text below for the criteria for that Issue.
Submissions for Issue 11 - Spring 2021 will be accepted during 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 the special literary theme section (Pandemic) and/or to other sections in the magazine (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Inside OLLI, Bay Area Stew).

Pandemic: (Special Literary Theme)
Everyone has been touched by the Covid-19 pandemic. Over these last months, we lived under fear of contagion, were forced to ostracize ourselves from those we love and everybody else, and staying at home sometimes felt like being under ‘house arrest.’ Resulting job and income loss added to the apprehension and despair. Protests and demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd increased the feeling that there have been, not one, but a number of overlapping pandemics. We ask you to write about this in any way that moves you, and we welcome material in all genres. (See below for complete Submission Guidelines.)

Photographic Submissions: Unlike with literary submissions, photo-essays as well as banner and accent photos MUST be on the special photographic theme, Bay Area Neighborhoods.

Bay Area Neighborhoods: (Special Photographic Theme)
In this issue, our special theme for our Bay Area Byways Section will be Bay Area Neighborhoods. We’ve been sheltered or ‘stuck’ in our own neighborhoods for some time. So, look around, see what’s there and create a photo-essay (up to ten photographs) with a brief explanation or narrative thread. Given these unusual times, you might snap boarded-up buildings or unusual places in semi-deserted parks. But the focus is on YOUR neighborhood, so it’s up to you. (See below for complete Submission Guidelines.)  

Banner and Accent Photos: These standalone photographs (no number limit) do NOT go through the Editorial Board 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 Neighborhoods. (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 Fall 2020 will be accepted in August 2020.​

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Submission Guidelines-updated 6-15-20

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General Guidelines

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Vistas & Byways invites members of the OLLI at SF State community to submit original written work for publication. All work received within a submission period will be reviewed by our Editorial Board and considered for publication in the next issue of the magazine. Decisions of the Board 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.

 
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 Neighborhoods but reviewed and displayed differently:

1. Bay Area Neighborhoods Photo-Essays: up to ten photographs reviewed by the Editorial Board 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 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 works not only by but about OLLI at SF State members or instructors, including OLLI classes, book reviews, interviews and profiles of creative projects or programs.

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 are responsible for filing for such copyright before submitting their work. Neither the Editorial Board nor Vistas & Byways assume any responsibility for loss or damages to individual authors for copyright infringement of literary or artistic 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.​

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Submission Procedure

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Submissions for the Spring 2021 issue of Vistas & Byways will be accepted February 1 through February 28, 2021.

Submissions received after the deadline will NOT be considered for publication.

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 will be accepted).
• If you are submitting more than one piece, attach each one to the email SEPARATELY.
• Attach accompanying illustrations (one per submission allowed) in jpg or png format; do NOT embed them in the text. Inform us of any captions. 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 theme section for this issue, Pandemic (see description above). 

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 Neighborhoods.
• 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 ten 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 Neighborhoods.
• 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 (e.g., short story, poetry, memoir, essay, book review) of all literary submissions and the medium (e.g., 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 edboardvbreview@gmail.com or use our online contact form.

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