The Review of Contemporary Diary: First Issue Free

- Submissions should be excerpts from a diary or relate to the concept of diary-keeping in some way. Edited or re-worked diary writing is acceptable. Photographed submissions or submissions containing images are acceptable, but a typed copy of a handwritten text will in most cases be preferreed, for readability’s sake. Critical or creative/critical writing related to journal writing will be considered, but it should communicate its ideas in a way that can benefit a non-scholarly audience.

- Submissions must be your original work or work for which you control the rights.

-Although the name of the journal refers to ‘contemporary’ diary, we define this broadly. If something was written within your lifetime, it should be acceptable.

- We recommend submissions of fewer than 3,000 words. There’s no minimum word count. We won’t refuse your piece without consideration if it’s longer than that, but please show that you’ve given thought to what you’re sending and why it deserves to be shared in its entirety.

- Authors will receive acknowledgement. Please mention if you would like to use a pseudonym.

- Names of people mentioned in an original diary must be anonymised. Our interest is the form of diary and its possibilities—we are not a suitable place for gossip, nor for journalism. Authors will be asked to confirm that individuals mentioned in a text are not identifiable. We may also suggest other modifications (e.g. altering place names) where appropriate.

- In general, we are looking for writing in English. We can be flexible on this if a piece of writing combines English with another language or languages, or if it can be expected to have interest to a significant portion of an Anglophone audience. Authors may reside anywhere in the world.

- The authors of accepted writings grant first electronic publication rights.

-The journal will be published electronically twice per year (March and September). Additional material may be accepted to be shared through the web site and on social media between issues; in this case, authors will be contacted to confirm their interest. The tentative submissions deadline for the first (Mar 2027) issue is Oct 27, 2026. Any deadline changes will be posted at diary.ink.

- We charge nothing and make no money on this.