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Recommended Reading 162

A project of Electric Literature (see other related projects).

About

GREAT AUTHORS INSPIRE US. But what about the stories that inspire them? Recommended Reading, a magazine by Electric Literature, publishes one story a week, each chosen by today’s best authors or editors. Recommended Reading is released on a four week curation cycle: beginning with a story chosen by Electric Literature, followed by an excerpt from an indie press, then an author recommendation, and finally a selection from a magazine’s archive. Each issue includes an editor’s note written by that week’s partner, introducing you to the work and their mission. In this age of distraction, we’re uncovering writing that’s worth slowing down and spending some time with. And in doing so, we’re giving great writers, literary magazines, and independent presses the recognition (and readership) they deserve.

Submission Caps: They may close to submissions early if they reach their quota. Check before submitting.
Want more insight into the affiliated editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s) of Electric Literature.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 52 x per year.

Fiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:
General General
Lengths:
Short Story Short Story2,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette Novelette7,500 - 10,000 words.
Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Humorous, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics, including: Other (May vary).

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than prize specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.


Nonfiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:
Essay Essay1,500 - 5,000 words.
Styles:

Personal.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics, including: Film/Television, Literature/Books, Performing Arts, Society/Culture, Visual Arts, Other (May vary).

Payment:

Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Pay ranges from Token payment (under 1 US cent per word) to Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word).
Note: We list broad pay categories rather than prize specifics. Check with the publisher for details.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.


Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recommended Reading Submission Statistics — Free Preview!

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.
AccuracyWe have received 113 reports from 99 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported4 min | 84.7 mean avg | 84.0 median | 320 max days (40.5 std dev)
Responses91.15 %
Acceptances0.88 % of submissions accepted (87.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 1.01 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections90.27 % (83.8 avg. days per rejection) | 31.4 % personal, 50.0 % form, 18.6 % unspecified | 1.8 % rewrite requests
Non-Responses8.84 %
Lost/Returned-
Never Responded0.88 % (320.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)
Withdrawals7.96 % (68.7 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending52 responses are pending (3 min | 51.0 mean avg | 47.0 median | 267 max days waiting | 33.8 std dev) from 52 different members This only includes pending reports from users who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 240 days. (1.8 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 240 days.)
Submissions are acknowledged within 2 days on average.
Most recent response reported was received on 03 May 2024.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 07 Feb 2024.

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Dates

Last Updated: 02 May 2024
Last Audited: 29 Dec 2023. (We audit each active listing twice a year. Learn more at link.)
Date Added: 27 Jul 2012

Before Submitting

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  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.