Lake Effect An International Literary Journal About Lake Effect is a publication of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. Country of Publication United States Publication Medium & Frequency Print Publication Print PublicationPublished 1 x per year AI Policy Unknown AI policy Statistics Synopsis FasterLake Effect's overall average response time is faster than most magazines. More ChallengingLake Effect's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines. ResponsiveLake Effect's overall rate of non-response is within a normal range for magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open Lake Effect is looking for stories that emerge from character and language as much as from plot. Lake Effect does not, in general, publish genre fiction, but literary fiction.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Short Story: 1,000 - 3,750 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment Provides free copy/copies No monetary payment. Provides free copy/copies.Submissions:Methods: Submittable submission manager. Postal. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Lake Effect is looking for well-crafted and lively literary or personal essays. We are not looking for literary criticism, but essays that engage literature in the context of a lived life are certainly welcome.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Essay: Up to 3,750 words. Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 3,750 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Personal. Excluding: Critical.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Literature/Books: General, excluding Theory/Analysis/Criticism. Memoir.Payment:No monetary payment Provides free copy/copies No monetary payment. Provides free copy/copies.Submissions:Methods: Submittable submission manager. Postal. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Lake Effect is looking for poems that demonstrate an original voice and that use multi-layered, evocative images presented in a language shaped by an awareness of how words sound and mean. Each line should help to carry the poem.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 4 pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment Provides free copy/copies No monetary payment. Provides free copy/copies.Submissions:Methods: Submittable submission manager. Postal. 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. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial Platforms:None known Support this Publisher: Subscribe For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Lake Effect Submission Statistics 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. This project ranks among the 25 Most Challenging Poetry Publishers in our database. Filter: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Group by submission Include outliers Accuracy We have received 249 reports from 183 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 0 min | 23.8 mean avg | 7.0 median | 269 max days (68.9 std dev) Responses 89.96 % Acceptances: 0.40 % of submissions accepted (17.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 0.55 % 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. Rejections: 89.56 % (16.7 avg. days per rejection) | 33.6 % personal, 46.2 % form, 20.2 % unspecified | 0.4 % shortlisted Non-Responses 1.20 % Lost/Returned: - Never Responded: 1.20 % (225.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded) Withdrawals 8.84 % (66.7 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 31 responses are pending (5 min | 108.3 mean avg | 79.0 median | 259 max days waiting | 558.6 std dev) from 30 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The editors will try to make a decision within 120 days. (11.2 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 120 days.) Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day. Most recent response reported was received on 01 Sep 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 24 Aug 2026. Date compiled: 05 Sep 2026 08:43 UTC (3 hours, 17 minutes ago). View report of recent responses from this project Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.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. DatesLast Updated: 17 Aug 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only