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Article Submission Guidelines
The Humanist is a quarterly publication of ideas and action focusing on the philosophy of humanism—a naturalistic and progressive outlook informed by science, inspired by art, and motivated by compassion. Copies are also widely available in public libraries and on select newsstands.
We accept unsolicited, simultaneous submissions as well as queries. Recent, previously published material will be considered if it appeared in a non-competing, low-circulation periodical or a purely local publication. Excerpts from forthcoming or just-released books will also be considered.
The kind of pitches we like to receive:
- Pieces that explore specialized topics (from politics to pop culture) relevant to humanism (take a look at what we’ve published recently to see what we’re looking for!)
- Columns recounting life experiences or “deconversion” stories
- Editorials
- Book and film reviews
In addition to our regular staple of nonfiction prose, we consider humor, poetry, short fiction (1,500 words or less), and cartoons. Illustrators and photographers should submit samples of their work. Photos and artwork intended to accompany a manuscript may be submitted in high-resolution electronic form with photo permission information.
All submissions should include a brief two- or three-sentence biographical statement about the author. Email pitches and submissions to editor@thehumanist.org.
When submitting material to the Humanist, please be aware of the following facts:
- The editors receive a significant volume of submissions.
- Some submissions may need to be circulated for peer review before a decision on publication can be made.
- Due to the volume of mail received, the editors regretfully cannot offer individual critique or explanations as to the grounds for a given rejection.
- The Humanist has a limited budget for compensating authors. We tend to reserve paid compensation for a small number of highly curated, developed features, pieces that typically involve significant original reporting or analysis.
Material submitted to the Humanist will first be considered for publication at www.thehumanist.com, which houses the online version of the magazine, and also features original material. A select number of pieces will then be featured in the physical distribution of the Humanist.
The Humanist is indexed in the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature and other leading indexing and abstracting resources. Authors and other contributors give implicit permission for such publication when they submit materials. Because of this wider publication, our articles are frequently discovered by book and magazine editors who contact us for author and reprint information. This provides a good reason for authors, artists, and photographers to consider publishing in the Humanist and to keep us up-to-date with your contact information.
We look forward to hearing from you!