Merion West About Merion West was founded in 2016 to bring a new and independent voice to the media landscape, which its founders believed had become too polarizing, sensationalist, and lacking in depth. Merion West is nonpartisan and publishes critical commentary, reflective essays, and in-depth interviews from across the political spectrum and from around the globe. It focuses on highlighting timeless topics, as well as issues affecting the daily lives of many people that are underreported.In addition to its current events section, Merion West has an arts section, with a focus on poetry. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2016 Publication Medium & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationUnknown publication frequency AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis FasterMerion West's overall average response time is faster than most magazines. Normal AcceptanceMerion West's overall acceptance rate is within a normal range for magazines. More ResponsiveMerion West's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open Merion West craves fiction with design, dialogue, tone, character, and setting that surprise our readers and us. The Merion West team wants to feel words float off the page as we read.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words. Short Story: 1,000 - 7,500 words. Novelette: 7,500 - 10,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Essay: 1,200 - 1,500 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Politics/Political Science: General, See guidelines. Society/Culture: Current events, See guidelines.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Whether the verse is formal, experimental, or “free verse,” we appreciate poetry that adeptly uses a poetic line and stanza and explores the tension that exists between the sentence and the line. A poem is an artifact—a made thing—wrought from words and separate from everyday speech. Colloquial speech, of course, appears in many great poems, but somehow it is exalted into something memorable to human sensibilities. It is wholly possible to make a cliché fresh—just not easy by any measure.At Merion West, we believe that form precedes content. Merion West welcomes a vast range of themes.We have a keen appreciation for skill with prosody—i.e., the music of a poem—whether that music is sweet or hard and clashing. The use of consonance, assonance, alliteration, enjambment, and a feel for the drama of the sentence broken by the line is encouraged. We believe that poetry is written first with the ear, second with the eye.We enjoy a balance of imagery versus rhetoric, with pride of place going to sharp, memorable images. When a poem is discursive, one hopes the discourse is subtle. Even outrage may be sung—thus, opera.Poems ideally are serious but not self-serious. As such, we invite wit and satire.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms, including: Experimental poetry, Formal verse.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Duosuma 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. Go to publication's website Submit through Duosuma Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookLinkedIn LinkedInX (Twitter) @merionwest Support this Publisher: Subscribe For the Editor(s): Request Interview Link to Duotrope Merion West 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 Most Personable Fiction Publishers in our database. This project ranks among the Most Personable Nonfiction Publishers in our database. This project ranks among the Most Personable Poetry Publishers in our database. Filter: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Group by submission Accuracy We have received 342 reports from 264 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 | 37.8 mean avg | 29.0 median | 203 max days (37.6 std dev) Responses 94.73 % Acceptances: 9.06 % of submissions accepted (35.8 avg. days per acceptance) | 11.74 % 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: 85.67 % (38.2 avg. days per rejection) | 99.3 % personal, 0.3 % form, 0.3 % unspecified Non-Responses 0.29 % Lost/Returned: - Never Responded: 0.29 % (185.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded) Withdrawals 4.97 % (29.8 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 45 responses are pending (1 min | 50.8 mean avg | 43.0 median | 317 max days waiting | 61.8 std dev) from 45 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day. Most recent response reported was received on 07 Sep 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 07 Sep 2026. Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 09:30 UTC (15 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: 26 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