Submissions are open, but what should I submit to The Oxford Review ?
Open to Queries
The Oxford Review Literary Journal
How do I win The Oxford Review Prize in Literature?
Clever: A rarely uttered British term which can infer mental dexterity, a skilful adept mind or a sharp witty person. This can include someone with a rapier wit, a clever quip or even a circle of dilettanti with a propensity and desire to pursue esoteric knowledge.
That is right. We do not mean dilettanti in the pejorative way. We mean it in the Oxford way…the Inkling way. The way in which one might summon the philologists or those influenced by medieval history, mythology, folklore, archaeology, poetry and high historic fantasy. Writing in the lyrical way. The way in which Tolkien—in letters to his fiancé—confessed his desire to emulate Morris by writing with “chunks of poetry.”[1]
The way in which those beloved dilettantes of the 18th Century drove interest to the Middle Ages Studies by collecting antiquarian medieval artifacts which they discussed at parties.[2] The way in which they opened doors to uncharted studies, published esoteric texts through the Camden Society and encouraged the improvement of methodology.
What We Really Want:
Whether you are submitting nonfiction, fiction, commentary, satire, poetry, a literary leaning scientific paper or even a spirited but well-argued letter to the Editor, The Oxford Review will have a keen eye for anything in the vein of clever.
We welcome a sharp wit or mercurial tongue, provided it delivers a cogent argument. Also, please avoid ad hominem attacks, and remember that introducing logical fallacies is like throwing hotdogs at a charging lion. Please refrain.
Now, go out there and give them a proper drubbing. Get busy changing the world by leading revolutions like Hemingway, writing a soliloquy like Shakespeare, beautiful diatribes like Voltaire, a rapier criticism like Updike or conceptualizing binary learning like Edward Thorndike. Now that would garner some respect.
Of course, having stirred the blood properly, we shall await your submission with bated breath.
[1] “With chunks of poetry in between”: The Lord of the Rings and Saga Poetics