A Call for Submissions to the Madison Journal of Literary Criticism for the Spring 2026 Autonomy Edition
Theme:
The theme of our Spring 2026 issue is Autonomy. Self-determination is a right inherent to all—it is the ability to have control over our minds and bodies, to choose the direction of our lives, and to be free from oppression. It is a recognizably powerful mechanism that is increasingly threatened by our society’s institutions.
As an abolitionist organization, we are dedicated to elevating stories, accounts, and reactions to the landscape of reduced freedom, sovereignty, and autonomy we are surviving today.
In this issue, the MJLC aims to honor lost autonomy while continuing to celebrate the methods used to radically reclaim it. We all deserve the freedom to make our own choices, have our voices heard, and live authentically without fear. Exercise your autonomy by sharing with us your grief, anger, and, most importantly, your hope.
Submission categories:
We welcome submissions that mix mediums and hope to display work that inspires us, not work that conforms to specific constraints. Please submit your work to the category you feel is most suitable.
Please keep all identifying or contact information off the submission document itself, as our submission process is blind.
Writing:
Poetry: free verse, rhyming, etc. (up to 3 works)
Fiction: flash fiction, fictionalized accounts, short stories, etc. (15 pages maximum)
Nonfiction: creative nonfiction, journalism, interviews, personal essays, reviews, list-iscles, etc. (10 pages maximum)
Academic: class papers, reports, traditional literary criticism, analytical essays, rhetorical arguments, etc. (15 pages maximum)*
Written works should be font size 12, Times New Roman, and double-spaced
(Exempting poetry or other stylistic choices.)
Art:
Photography, paintings, drawings, media/digital art, etc. (up to 3 works)
Art submissions should be at least 300 PPI. We accept any dimensions
*We accept any of the major citation styles: APA, Chicago, MLA.
Submit here!
To learn more about the MJLC and our submission process, please visit our website.