Root Quarterly (RQ) MATURE CONTENT

About

RQ is a print-only, subscription-based journal rooted in Philadelphia, but celebrating content from Pennsylvania and beyond. While we intend to celebrate our artists, writers, social entrepreneurs, and neighborhoods, we’ll also be looking at critical analyses of larger ideas, and criticism and appreciation of nationally relevant cultural touchstones. We’ll also reprint articles and essays from other publications that we think deserve a larger audience. Expect profiles, recommendations, fiction, poetry, essays, and analysis. Expect art. Expect to hold something in your hand that you might want to curl up with on a Sunday afternoon that may by turns delight, challenge, and inspire you.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: Published 4 x per year

AI Policy

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13 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Collapse section Fiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: People in a specific region.

Genres:

General
Erotica Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: 500 - 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 2,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary, Mainstream.

Topics:

Place/Regions: Specific region.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Unknown payment to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Unknown payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $50-$150 honorarium.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: People in a specific region.

Lengths:

Article: No specific word count limits known.
Essay: No specific word count limits known.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Place/Regions: Specific region.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Unknown payment to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Unknown payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $50-$150 honorarium.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: People in a specific region.

Lengths:

Artwork: 3 - 5 pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Photography.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Place/Regions: Specific region.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (US$10-49 per piece) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per piece) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $50-$150 honorarium.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Image.

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

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Root Quarterly 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.

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Accuracy

We have received 1 report within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Pending

2 responses are pending (184 min | 214.0 mean avg | 214.0 median | 244 max days waiting | 42.4 std dev) from 2 different members

Other Information

Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 09:45 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Dates

Last Updated: 18 Jun 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.