Submissions
First Things is happy to accept unsolicited manuscripts. Writers should familiarize themselves with the magazine before sending their submission, and include with it a cover letter giving their thesis, an explanation of why it's an important thesis to argue in this magazine, reference to any similar articles the magazine has published recently, and a short biography. The word limits (which should be adhered to strictly) are:
Opinions: 1,000 to 2,000 words
Feature Articles: 2,500 to 4,000 words
Book Reviews: 1,250 to 1,500 words
Manuscripts should be sent in Microsoft Word.
Please do not include footnotes or endnotes, as they will not be published, either in the magazine or online. We do not accept simultaneous submissions or previously published material-including material published online.
Manuscripts should be submitted to ft@firstthings.com.
The editors will generally decide on your submission within four to six weeks. If you do not receive a decision within four weeks, please send a follow-up query.
Queries are also welcome. The query should include the elements of the cover letter described above as well as a description of how the argument will be made and links to and/or files of already published articles if available.
Guidelines for Letters-to-the-Editor Submissions
Letters to the editor appear two issues after the issue in which the article being responded to appears. This requires a very tight deadline, with letters due in the first week of the month of the issue. (Letters responding to articles in the January issue, for example, must be received in early January.) The deadline varies slightly from issue to issue, but readers will be safe using the first Monday of the month as the deadline.
Letters under four hundred words are preferred and they may be edited for length and clarity. Please send them to ft@firstthings.com.
We do not accept poetry via email. Please mail printed submissions to:
Paul Lake
Poetry Editor
First Things
35 E. 21st St.
6th floor
New York, NY 10010
We do not accept simultaneous submissions of manuscripts or poetry. An honorarium is paid upon publication.
