Dear Pigeon Review, We Love you.
Don't make it weird.
Before we get into this, please note that we have no affiliation with Pigeon Review. Hell, we didn't even tell them we were writing this. I'm not even looking at the masthead to see who runs it on the off-chance I read their bio and think, "Ugh."
OK, we love pigeons. But that has nothing to do with why we love Pigeon Review.
We have reviewed over 3000 submission guidelines for literary magazines and time-and-time again, we find ourself on guideline pages thinking, "Damn, I wish these were more like Pigeon Review."
Why?
It’s like when a dentist checks the teeth of a regular flosser, an otolaryngologist peeks into a well-cleaned ear, or a proctologist peers up…
You get it. (Yeah, I looked up otolaryngologist for that joke. So what?)
The submissions process is dumb and needlessly complicated. Everyone knows this. The tech sucks, there are many industry-specific terms, and loads of relic policies that have hella ‘back-in-my-day’ vibes.
Some relish in it, others consider it ‘quality control’ but those like Pigeon Review take painstaking steps to help making the process clear & accessible.
They are absolutely not the only magazine out there doing these things. They are just so damn stylish about it!
So let's start from the top.
THEY ARE CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS!
I mean...look at that!
BIG BOLD COLORS! AHHH! We're legit giddy over this. Can't stress it enough. You deserve a medal.
Just to give examples of what we’ve seen in the past -
small ‘open/closed for submissions’ hyperlinked text in a block paragraph.
‘follow us on socials to learn if we’re open or not’
‘open for submissions’ buried at the bottom of a guidelines page
says open but closed on submittable & vice-versa
straight up nothing. No mention. Guess, basically.
I am sure the are very good reasons for all of these. I’m equally sure that few of those reasons have much to do with helping provide clear instructions for writers.
OMG, they bolded important information
Stop it. You fucking gems.
Oh and even better:
Highlighted!
Get out of here.
You.
Alright, just a brief intermission here to say that we look at thousands of submission guidelines a month. So if you're sitting their thinking, "Woof, is he serious?"
YES I'M SERIOUS.
...
Moving on.
They....they put 'closed' a second time in their guidelines.
And they're going to simplify it even more!
Don’t tease me.
No...way...I feel like I don't even need to explain why this is wonderful. But if you need a refresher, here are the guidelines for The New Yorker
Yeah, that's it. They’ll also spit in your eye, but you have to ask for it.
Okay, back to our pigeon friends.
Wait...wait...a third time?!
With an easy and clear Donate button? OK. I'm pressing it.
And in the end they even have a nitty-gritty section of dos and don'ts. WOW.
If you are new to submitting or running a literary magazine, here is why we love these guidelines.
They are simple without leaving anything out.
Important information is highlighted in several ways.
They make their open/close status extremely apparent (at the top!).
They provide clear directions for every step of the process.
Everything is well designed and easily readable.
And I've gone and looked at the masthead now. They seem like lovely people. I only hate them a little bit for stealing the name 'Pigeon Review.'
This all might seem over the top (and it is) but here is one thing we can tell you for sure.
Guidelines matter.
Magazines we see who have clear, thought-out guidelines presented well are also the ones we find who open on the days they say they’ll open and close when they say they’ll close. They are much less likely to go on hiatus, get abandoned, or end up defunct in a year or two.
It is a friendly welcome to new writers and a way of telling experienced ones, “Here, we care. Here, your time and work will be respected.”
I hate reading though a long page of guidelines only to find the words 'Currently Closed to Submissions) at the BOTTOM of the page. Be like the Pigeon Review :)
After seeing a glowing review for a helpful and friendly magazine I am far more likely to submit to them. This is how good magazines move up the ranks. Thank you for these reviews. I find them very useful.