The Normal School See other projects related to this listing. About The Normal School is an online journal featuring creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, author interviews, and multimedia texts. The bi-annual print magazine finished in spring 2019, ending its 11-year run.We are nestled happily into California State University, Fresno like a comfy spore in a benign and mighty lung. We dig quirky, boundary-challenging, energetic prose and poetry with innovations in content, form, and focus, which isn’t actually as high-falutin’ as it sounds. We’re just sort of the lit mag equivalent of the kid who always has bottle caps, cat’s eye marbles, dead animal skulls, little blue men and other treasures in their pockets. Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for some submissions. They charge fees for submissions of written work, except for specific demographics during some submission periods. The fee is USD $2 (below average for magazines that charge). Important: Demographic restrictions vary; check current calls for details before submitting. Country of Publication United States Publication Media & Frequency Audio Publication Audio PublicationUnknown publication frequencyElectronic Publication Electronic PublicationUnknown publication frequencyVideo Publication Video PublicationUnknown publication frequency AI Policy Unknown AI policy Statistics Synopsis Slower The Normal School's overall average response time is slower than most magazines. More ChallengingThe Normal School's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines. More ResponsiveThe Normal School's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open Fee-based Dates:Open to fee-based fiction submissions through 01 November 2026* (approx. 26 days from now).Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words. Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Humorous, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Other: May vary.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Audio. Text. Video. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Fee-based Dates:Open to fee-based nonfiction submissions through 01 November 2026* (approx. 26 days from now).Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Essay: Up to 5,000 words. Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Critical, Experimental, Humorous, Literary, Personal.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Memoir. Other: May vary.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Audio. Text. Video. Collapse section Poetry Open Fee-based Dates:Open to fee-based poetry submissions through 01 November 2026* (approx. 26 days from now).1Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 5 pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Humorous, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Other: May vary.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Audio. Text. Video. Collapse section Visual Art Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Graphic Narrative: No page limits known. Photo Essay: No image limits known.Art Media: Cartoon/Comic strip. Photography.Art Styles:Open to all/most Art Styles, including: Narrative.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Other: May vary.Payment:No monetary payment No monetary payment.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Image. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Instagram @thenormalschoolX (Twitter) @thenormalschool For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope The Normal School 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. Filter: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Visual Art Group by submission Include outliers Include related projects Accuracy We have received 78 reports from 69 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 10 min | 110.8 mean avg | 115.0 median | 335 max days (95.9 std dev) Responses 79.48 % Acceptances: 2.56 % of submissions accepted (149.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 2.90 % 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: 76.92 % (123.9 avg. days per rejection) | 11.7 % personal, 66.7 % form, 21.7 % unspecified Non-Responses 0.00 % Lost/Returned: - Never Responded: - Withdrawals 20.51 % (59.4 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 18 responses are pending (0 min | 128.8 mean avg | 174.0 median | 341 max days waiting | 721.6 std dev) from 18 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The most common submission fee paid: USD $2.00. (60.0 % of reports specified whether they paid a fee; of those, 87.9 % paid fees.) Submissions are acknowledged within 2 days on average. Most recent response reported was received on 05 Oct 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 11 Mar 2026. Date compiled: 06 Oct 2026 14:10 UTC (7 hours, 33 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! Related ProjectsThe Normal Prize DNQ Charges fees for all submissions 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: 01 Oct 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