Call For Submissions
Left Eye On Books publishes book reviews and book news. We appreciate engaging storytelling and solidly written stories and reviews. We are looking for writing that is intellectual, earnest and light-hearted. The type of news style that will catch our attention will be engaging and driven by strong narrative. We hope to publish a variety of voices, including writers and academics, as well as people working in social change organizations. We offer not just an online magazine, but also a network of writers and readers with common progressive goals. We encourage submissions to engage a broad progressive audience. For the same reason, we encourage contributors to be concise and free of heavy jargon.
DEPARTMENTS
NEWS
Book News: We are interested in how changes in the publishing industry and the internet are reshaping progressives’ ability to circulate and propagate their ideas. What are the implications of new devices (such as electronic readers), new web resources (such as online libraries) and developments in industry and government (for example, mergers and consolidations, and changes in copyright laws) for progressive causes?
We also appreciate accounts of efforts to stimulate interest in left literature, such as the challenges in maintaining independent presses, websites, bookstores, infoshops, and progressive book clubs. We are particularly interested in efforts that breach some of the familiar walls that keep our society segregated by race and class.
Author News: Left Eye On Books cares about news concerning authors. We publish news about significant events in authors’ lives and work as well as fleshed out versions of debates between authors.
REVIEWS
We welcome reviews of books published by the major presses and those published by small or independent presses. Preference will be given to forthcoming books and books published in the last 18 months, but we will accept reviews of older books. We welcome reviews of both non-fiction and fictional works. Writers can choose their own books to review, and the editors will have a list of suggested review books on request. Reviews should be roughly 700-2000 words in length. They should clearly indicate the content of the book in question, and the reviewer’s critical assessment of the material. In assessing a book, focus on the question–does this text aid in producing social change, by enhancing our understanding of the world, or clarifying the options ahead of us, or inspiring us?
THE BOOK ESSAY
Unlike reviews, review essays deal with multiple texts. Themes might include multiple texts by one author, texts on different topics unified by a perspective, or multiple texts on one topic. A review essay should not be a series of reviews strung together, but should instead pull out themes from the multiple books discussed. How the ideas of the essays give insight into contemporary hierarchies, social change and activism is of particular importance to us. They can be up to 4,500 words, but we will also consider a multiple article series for longer discussions.
CLASSIC DISCUSSIONS
Left Eye on Books publishes discussions of classics that illuminate how they might be useful to stimulate social change today. Writers may be asked to include discussion questions.
INTERVIEWS
We publish interviews with contemporary authors on the left.
WHAT WE ARE READING
Left Eye on Books features interviews about what prominent left leaders, intellectuals and writers are reading. Interviews can cover books that influenced the interviewees’ lives and work, or what they are reading now. Interviews can be in question and answer form.
AUTHORS ON THE AIR
This multimedia feature will showcase sympathetic authors appearing on shows like Charlie Rose and Colbert Report, as well as highlighting who is on progressive shows like Against the Grain and Behind the News. We welcome suggestions from readers about who Left Eye On Books should feature. Please send video clips to editors@lefteyeonbooks.com
NEWS AND REVIEWS OF FILM ADAPTATIONS
Left Eye On Books welcome reviews of film adaptations of books. We also want to hear about news of upcoming film adaptations. We will give preference to films in the theater or available on DVD.
We are interested in essays looking at geopolitics, economy, hierarchies in novels and film.
SUBMISSIONS
Please include a short introductory email with all submissions. Please include a query letter with all submissions and let us know if your article, or parts of your article, has appeared in another publication, blog, or website.
Queries: Queries should be approximately 250 words briefly summarizing the issue, your conclusions, your expertise on the matter, how your article fits into Left Eye on Book‘s mission, and which department you want your contribution considered. We recommend you send two or three of your most relevant clips. If the clips are online, please provide the complete URLs. Instead of sending the query as an attachment, please put it into the body of the email.
Full Articles: Should be sent in the body of the email, Rich Text Format (RFT) or Word file.
Where to Send Submissions
natalie@conducivemag.com
Free Review Copies
Our Conducive Media writers have had good luck in receiving free copies of recently published books by contacting publishers directly. From time to time Left Eye On Books will have copies of books that publishers send directly to us.
BOOK CLUB LEADERS
We are also looking for book club leaders to manage online discussions of classic books.
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