Witness

"Witness blends the features of a literary and an issue-oriented magazine to highlight the role of the modern writer as witness to his or her times. Launched in Detroit in 1987, the magazine is best known for showcasing work that defines its historical moment; special issues have focused on political oppression, religion, the natural world, crime, aging, civil rights, love, ethnic America, and exile. The issues “New Nature Writing,” “The Sixties,” “Sports in America,” and “The Best of Witness, 1987 – 2004” eventually appeared as university press anthologies.

In 2007, Witness moved to Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The magazine now publishes one special print issue and two general online issues each year and increasingly seeks out work that contextualizes the American experience by highlighting issues of global concern."

Prose rejections

Standard

2023, 2015

Dear —:

Thank you for allowing us to carefully consider “—.” Unfortunately, we have to pass at this time. We wish you the best in placing this piece elsewhere.

Sincerely,

The Editors Witness Magazine http://witness.blackmountaininstitute.org

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider "Other than us." We have read the work closely and regret that it does not meet our needs. We are grateful that you thought of us and hope you are successful in placing your manuscript elsewhere.

Sincerely,

The editors

Higher Tier

Dear Author:

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider "Story Title." Our readers admired many elements of the work, but we've decided that the manuscript isn't right for us. We wish you success in placing it elsewhere.

Sincerely, The editors

2012

Dear —,

Thank you for sending us "—." We enjoyed this manuscript, but we didn't feel it was a good fit for Witness.

We hope that you will continue to send us your work.

Sincerely, The editors

2016

Dear –:

Thank you for your patience as we gave “–” careful consideration. We enjoyed this submission, but unfortunately it wasn't right for us at this time.

We do hope you will continue to send us your work.

Sincerely, The Editors

2019

Dear --:

Thank you for allowing us to read “-” and for your patience as we considered it. While we have to pass on this particular submission, we were very impressed by your work and hope you take this note as particular encouragement to send us more in the future.

Thank you also for your patience while we considered this piece. I do want to share with you that this story was positively received by several of our editors and upvoted by them, making it to the very final round of selection for this issue. One of my absolutely most astute editors really championed this piece very strongly -- but unfortunately in the end, we received over 500 short story submissions and can print only about 8, so we have to make some heartbreaking decisions about what we have space for. I do hope you'll submit another story when we reopen for submissions for the print issue in August.

Sincerely, Wendy Wimmer Fiction Editor

Poetry rejections

Standard

Thank you for allowing us to read [poem titles]. Unfortunately, we have to pass at this time. We wish you the best in placing these poems elsewhere.

Higher Tier

Text of Higher Tier Rejection