Round Table Literary Journal
The Round Table Literary Journal is Accepting Submissions December 1, 2023- January
31, 2024.
The Round Table Literary Journal publishes literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art once a year. The selected work will be honored and awards will be given during an annual reading ceremony in the spring term. Learn more about our guidelines below.
For additional information or questions, please contact Caitlin Chester (270) 707-3965 or Elizabeth Burton (270) 707-3887
The Round Table Literary Journal History
The Round Table Literary Journal is the historic print literary journal of Hopkinsville Community College. Established by former HCC English professor, Frances Thomas, the journal has been published annually since 1967, showcasing the best literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and high-contrast artwork from the local area and beyond.
Mission of the Round Table Literary Journal
The Round Table Literary Journal, named after Hopkinsville Community College’s Round Table Literary Park, is founded upon the idea that all voices deserve representation. We publish fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and artwork that respect language and craft. We also strive to develop a sense of community and kinship between our local area and the world at large.
We believe that good writing and well-rendered art has the power to change the world. Regardless of the medium, we want pieces that take us somewhere emotionally, pieces we can’t stop thinking about. We are particularly interested in work from underrepresented voices.
Note: we do have a Children’s Corner, so we are a family-friendly publication. That means we are not the market for overt sexuality, gratuitous violence, heavy use of profanity, or nudity in artwork.
About the Round Table Literary Journal Editors
Caitlin Chester teaches English and literature at Hopkinsville Community College. She is primarily a nonfiction writer who is embarking on a journey towards fiction. She holds an MFA from Murray State University. She is a past contributor to Paducah Life Magazine, Christian Woman, and Archive of Our Own. Connect with her on Twitter @CaitlinChester4.
Elizabeth Burton teaches English and literature at Hopkinsville Community College. She is primarily a fiction writer who dabbles in creative nonfiction and poetry. She holds an MFA from Spalding University. Her recent work has appeared in Roanoke Review, Chautauqua, The Louisville Review, Valparaiso Fiction Review, The MacGuffin, Ellipsis Zine’s Three, and elsewhere. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and for Best of the Net. Find her on Twitter @eburton_writes.
Submission Guidelines
The Round Table Literary Journal publishes literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art once a year. At present, we only accept prose submissions under 2500 words, although we will give preference to work under 1000 words. All submissions that follow our guidelines below will be considered for an upcoming issue.
Simultaneous Submissions: We do accept simultaneous submissions; however, please let us know immediately if your work has been accepted elsewhere.
Rights: If your work is accepted by the Round Table Literary Journal, you’re granting us First Serial Rights to showcase your work in our publication. At the time of publication, all rights revert back to the author. If you republish the work elsewhere, all we ask is that you please credit us as the first publisher.
Editing: The Round Table Literary Journal reserves the right to edit manuscripts for grammar or clarity issues without notification if necessary. If a manuscript requires a substantial amount of editing, we will notify the author of such changes for review before publication.
Response Time: We’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible about your submission. If you haven’t heard from us in three months then query us; otherwise, please be patient. We are doing our best and giving each submission the attention it deserves.
Previously Published Work: The Round Table Literary Journal doesn’t consider previously published work (this includes journals, blogs, etc.).
Multiple Submissions: Please submit only one submission at a time and wait for a response before sending us another.
Payment: Contributors are paid in one copy of the journal in which her or his work appears. To purchase additional copies, please contact the Editors at elizabeth.burton@kctcs.edu or cchester0007@kctcs.edu.
Please adhere to these formatting guidelines when submitting work to the Round Table Literary Journal:
--Name, email address, and phone number appears on the first page of the prose or poem
--Prose is double spaced and is in a 12-point font (preferably Times New Roman)
--Prose has page numbers (this doesn't apply to poetry submissions)
--Artwork is submitted in a high-quality jpeg or png file
