Guidelines For Writers

Obsidian: Literature in the African Diaspora, a non-profit organization hosted by North Carolina State University, is a semi-annual journal. We publish contemporary poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction prose from within, about, and contextualizing the African Diaspora.

General Guidelines

• All manuscripts that are submitted via mail must contain a self-addressed stamped envelope
• Electronic submissions can be made here. The submission should be in Microsoft Word (.doc) or RTF format.
• Writers should include cover sheets bearing the author’s name, contact information, and the contents of the submission. All decisions of the editorial staff are final.
• We do not accept simultaneous submissions or previously published works. Copyright reverts to authors upon publication.
• Poets and fiction writers should allow three months for a response.
•  Each contributor will receive two complimentary copies of the journal. We deeply appreciate writers who subscribe to the journal as well as submit their work for publication.

Poetry:  Poetry should be single-spaced. Poetry submissions should contain no more than 5 poems and not exceed 8 pages in the length.

Fiction: Submissions should be double-spaced and no longer than 20 pages in length.

Non-Fiction: Submissions should be not longer than 20 pages in length and double-spaced. Citations and work cited should follow MLA style (for additional information consult, http://www.mla.org).

Drama: Submissions should be double-spaced and no longer than 20 pages in length.

Reviews: Submissions should focus on books related to Africa and African Diaspora and should not exceed 1500 words.

Art: Submissions should be submitted in .jpg with a hard copy. Both color and black & white submissions are welcome. Art published with in the journal will only appear in black and white; however, cover art may appear in color.

For hardcopy submission please send your work to the following address:

Obsidian: Literature in the African Diaspora
North Carolina State University
Department of English, Box 8105
Raleigh, NC 27695-8105

or by e-mail: obsidian@gw.ncsu.edu

Neither the editors nor the staff assumes responsibility for loss or damage of submissions.