Submission Philosophy

Since 2010, aaduna has continued to challenge online paradigms associated with publishing works by emerging writers and artists especially regarding people of color. From a multicultural viewpoint, aaduna comprehends the fact that while cultures and ethnicities tend to exist separate from each other, such a development is a contrived political, social, and economic construct. Therefore, aaduna seeks to erase such artificial distinctions. This journal welcomes submissions from emerging writers and visual artists whose work goes beyond expectations normally driven by ability, social, gender, race, ethnicity, or any other cultural characteristics.

aaduna also welcomes work from established writers and artists who are looking to expand their arenas of influence and readership or want to become more engaged  in a diverse, multicultural  creative community.  While aaduna is primarily interested in providing a viable publishing platform for people of color, the world is huge, and there is a widening audience for other artists whose creativity and themes reflects voices that are divergent; voices that are powerful, and voices committed to change.  aaduna remains committed to welcoming such voices.

The aaduna editorial policy is committed to presenting work in the manner and style that reflects how the creative person behind the work wants to see that work presented to the public, realizing that the most effective judge of any work’s quality and import ultimately rests within the marketplace. It is within this reality that aaduna will be a conduit for providing the public with works that are stimulating, enjoyable, insightful, open for vigorous discussion, and in some measure, a catalyst to embolden the intellect, imagination, and human spirit. aaduna believes that its editors and submitters create better work when there is an open dialogue not masked in editors being anonymous. Whenever possible, submitters will know and be able to communicate with those folks who are editing their work when such work is at that particular stage.

aaduna does not provide publishing honorarium nor charges any fee for reading and review of submitter’s work(s.) aaduna will work with each published artist to build an appropriate platform that may lead to a wide variety of marketplace opportunities including locale specific in-person readings.

Aaduna si dofa rey. (The world is huge). 

The Process (aaduna only accepts unpublished work)

 Step 1.

All literary work must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document (either .doc or .docx is acceptable) Times New Roman font, 12 font size without any embedded characteristics (name, contact data, e-mail address, date, page numbers etc.) special formatting or headers, footers, page or section Word Art or any other specialized formatting. WE DO NOT ACCEPT PDF files. 

While aaduna highly and strongly recommends mailing a copy of the submission in addition to the e-mail submission, mailing is no longer required.

Submit one copy of your titled, 1.15 spaced short story, essay, or self-contained novel excerpt. Please print the work on one side of the page. You may send no more than two pieces of prose. 

You may submit up to three – five poems at a time. Please set your poem as it should appear in print.  Three poems will count as the equivalent of one prose submission. aaduna will no longer consider or review a single poem for a publication decision.  We want to see a body of work. 

Visual artists should forward work that is self-contained and projects a thematic story (at least 12-18 images.) Work must be submitted electronically in jpeg format with high resolution.  Videographers must submit their work electronically in MP4 format.  Visual artists are limited to one submission/issue {though we have presented an appropriate follow-up exhibition by the same artist in the next or subsequent issue depending on thematic intentions and overall length of work.} 

With all submissions, you must enclose your full name, contact information (current mailing address, contact telephone number(s,) and e-mail address, a brief cover letter and author’s bio for us to consider your submission. Failure to follow these steps will deny us the opportunity to review your submission without notification or reminder to any submitter. So…effective immediately aaduna will no longer review any submitted work that does not provide the necessary “must” information. 

Publication reviewers/editors do not have access to any submitter’s background info prior to a publication decision.  At aaduna, we evaluate the vitality and poignancy of the work and not the submitter’s persona or that person’s background no matter how compelling.  Editors receive the submitter’s name and work only. 

If you elect to mail a copy of your submissions (highly recommended; despite its protocol flaws, USPS continues to be a reliable deliverer of posted  mail,) send to:

aaduna, Inc.

144 Genesee Street Suite 102-259

Auburn, New York 13021

Attention: Submissions 

Make sure you e-mail ALL of the information that you included in your postal mailing to submissionsmanager@aaduna.org.  See next step.  

Step 2.

E-mail the same information that you snail mailed to submissionsmanager@aaduna.org.  Follow the same protocols regarding what and how to submit. 

To be purposefully repetitive:

aaduna is no longer in the position to consider submissions where the above requirements are not followed.  Work submitted in an unacceptable manner will not be reviewed. aaduna will not accept work embedded in an e-mail. Send work as an appropriate Word.doc. attachment.  Please inform us if your work is a simultaneous submission.  (Submitters will not be treated differently because of this action.  aaduna is sensitive to the dynamics and realities of submitters trying to find a home for their work.) Submitters are expected to advise aaduna as soon as possible when their simultaneous submission is accepted for publication by another entity. 

Once published (and when given an appropriate time period to rectify factual errors or documented omissions for any issue,) aaduna will no longer remove, alter, or re-imagine work or the name of the author at the request of the submitter regardless of reason. (In extremely rare cases, if aaduna elects to waive this regulation, a fee will be imposed for such an action and occurrence shall be at aaduna’s available timetable.)     

Submission Deadlines are as follows:

November 16th for the winter/spring anniversary issue

March 14th for the summer issue.

August 15th for the fall/winter issue. 

aaduna reserves the right to amend issue publication dates due to unforeseen circumstances and will notify submitters of its publication decisions on a rolling basis. Submitters may contact aaduna via submissionsmanager@aaduna.org