Call For Pitches: Tender Tongues, a special issue of the Full Stop Quarterly, guest-edited by Natália Affonso
What is the power of multilingualism?
How can critics, artists, and writers push back against imperialist/colonial hierarchies (of tongues)?
How can the language that emerges out of queerness/cuierness/sexual dissidence inform our reading of art/literature/culture?
What have the languages we’ve learned and the books from diverse geographies we’ve read/translated taught us?
In my special issue of the Full Stop Quarterly, “Tender Tongues,” I am interested in these crossroads, with a focus on people from the so-called Global South, many of whom are im/migrants, to explore how the intersection of language, queerness, and shifting dynamics of racialization and belonging can help generate language to define oneself and to approach literary and arts criticism without centering Global North, white, male, cis-hetero standpoints.
I would like us to work from a very broad concept of languages: literature, music, visual art, embodied language, language acquisition, and learning/shaping/creating language(s) to speak and write about oneself, about minoritized and mis/underrepresented communities, and about literary and artistic works.
What We Are Looking For and Rates:
Essays should be between 1,500 and 4,500 words and should explore multiple works, especially of literature, to advance a thesis: $150.
Book reviews should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Especially interested in translations, preferably published by small and independent presses in the last year or forthcoming: $60.
Interviews and intellectual exchanges that dialogue with the issue: $40.
Visual art: $150.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, or translations of those. All submissions should be previously unpublished.
How to submit:
Send an email to [email protected] and include the following:
For written submissions:
- Subject line: PITCH – Your Name – Type of Contribution – Topic
- Example: PITCH – Maria Silva – Book Review – The Singularity by Balsam Karam translated by Saskia Vogel
- Pitch: 150 words describing what you intend to do. How is it connected to the call? What is the thesis your essay wishes to advance? By analyzing which works? What is the angle of your review? What is the interview/exchange about? Do you have confirmation from the interviewee that they are available?
- Examples of previous work, published or unpublished, that is similar to the kind of contribution you would like to offer; and/or an introductory paragraph followed by an outline of what you intend to write (no more than 500 words).
- Your current bio (no more than 150 words).
For visual art:
- Subject line: VISUAL ART – Your Name
- Link to a portfolio, social media, or five pieces.
- 200-word (max.) explanation of why you think your work fits the call.
- Your current bio (no more than 150 words).
Deadline: March 13, 2024, 11:59 PM PT.
If you have any questions, contact Natália at [email protected].
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