The Literary Nest will turn 6 in 2021. In the past six years, we have published some great poetry and also fiction. Except for a handful of initial pieces, every poem and story published here came from unsolicited submissions. I am so grateful for the poets, writers, and a few visual artists who trusted us with their precious words and images. To keep up with the changing needs of the submitters and our scarce staff, I propose a new journal model.

Beginning in January, the journal will provide almost instant gratification to the poets. The outline of how it will work follows.

1. The submissions will be open all through the year.
2. If a poem is accepted, we will post it online immediately.
3. If your poem doesn’t appear online within a month, please consider it as rejected.
4. We will not send out formal acceptance or rejection.
5. At the end of the quarter, the journal will announce the publication of the quarterly issue.
6. We may hold occasional contests, and each contest will have separate guidelines posted if and when we hold a contest.

The primary motivation behind this policy is that I don’t particularly appreciate sending rejection letters. It is excruciating for me to write one. As a poet, I am also on the receiving end of such letters, and no matter how polite of encouraging it is or how valid the reasoning behind it, it is still a rejection, and there is no way to sugarcoat it.

This new model will be good for the readers as there will be ongoing fresh content and suitable for the poets as they will get a quick turnaround for their submissions.

Feel free to send your feedback either in the email or in the comments below.

Stay tuned for the regular winter issue coming out on December 30th.