Literature Matters Hub – Submission Guidelines

The RSL Literature Matters Hub aims to be an ever-growing, wide-ranging, useful, enjoyable and fascinating resource for anyone interested in why, how, when, where and to whom literature matters.

Submissions are welcome from all.  The Hub already includes a wide range of contributors from students to RSL Fellows and other distinguished writers. We hope they will be soon be joined by academics, researchers, commentators, editors, writers in any form and at any stage of their careers, and, above all, readers from all walks of life. If you love literature, we would love to hear what difference literature has made to you, or what difference you believe it makes in the world.

Submissions may be in any form – audio, video or writing. Audio or video should be in an accessible digital format. Written work may include fiction or non-fiction, prose, poetry, play- or film-scripts, graphic fiction, comment pieces, memoirs, essays or stories.   We are unlikely to accept feature-length films or book-length written submissions: short story or essay length will be more usual.

Material may have been previously published; in all cases, copyright will remain with the author. No fees will be paid (unless the RSL actively commissions a piece of work).

Submissions will be judged on the following criteria:

• literary quality;
• relevance to the theme of literature matters – i.e. exploring the value or relevance of literature to people’s lives or to the world;
• fit with the other material on the Hub.

We realise that the term “literature” involves a judgement of artistic quality or value that is highly debatable, and we welcome that debate. We are unlikely to accept material that is about general reading, writing or literacy.

The RSL’s Literary Advisor Maggie Fergusson is editor of the Hub and will decide which pieces are published, in consultation with RSL colleagues.

We will respond to every submission within 6 weeks, usually sooner.

The decision will be final; there will be no further correspondence with contributors. We regret that, as a small charity with limited means, we are not able to offer feedback on submissions.

Submissions, along with a brief biography from the contributor, should be sent to Chris Mill, Communications Manager [email protected]