Submissions
Submission Guidelines
The Talon showcases literary and visual art from Northeastern State University. Submissions are open to current undergraduate and graduate students (including international students) from all NSU campuses, as well as concurrent students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
Submitting Work:
Please use the link at the bottom of this page for all writing and art submissions.
Alumni or others without an NSU email address can submit their work to thetalon@nsuok.edu. Any writing questions can be sent to thetalon@nsuok.edu and any art questions to talonart@nsuok.edu. Please include the type of submissions in the subject line of the email (Ex: “Fiction
and Poetry Submissions”). Please submit only previously unpublished work.
- All text documents should be submitted as a Word (.doc, .docx) file.
- Each piece should be submitted as a separate file.
- Please include a content warning if you feel your work necessitates it.
- All pieces must include a title and a 50-word bio in 3rd person. You might tell us what you study (or studied), where you're from, what you read or write, the names of your pets, etc. Include social media info if you'd like to promote anything!
Works submitted that don't follow the guidelines will not be considered. Staff may contact submitters to clarify aspects of their work or suggest revisions. The Talon believes that creativity is a wonderfully human pursuit. Any work suspected of being generated by AI is grounds for immediate rejection.
The Talon seeks to include writers whose voices have been historically underrepresented, including LGBTQ+ writers, female writers, writers of color, and disabled writers among others.
We happily accept works in other languages, provided a translation is included.
You can submit to as many genres--fiction, poetry, non-fiction, non-traditional, and visual art--as you like. However, you're only allowed to submit once per genre.
Fiction:
We accept either one story of up to 3,500 words or up to 3 pieces of flash fiction
(up to 1000 words each). We accept work in any genre.
Non-Fiction:
We accept non-fiction—creative non-fiction such as personal or travel narratives or
critical work. We accept either one work of up to 3,500 words or up to 3 pieces of
flash non-fiction (up to 1000 words each).
Poetry:
We accept up to 3 poems per submission with a combined word count no higher than 3000
words. We welcome all forms.
Visual Art:
Art can be grayscale or full color. Up to 3 pieces total can be submitted. All images
should be submitted in PDF format. Please submit images in CMYK with 300 PPI/DPI and
include title, year, name, and medium.
Non-Traditional Forms:
We are open to and try to accommodate non-traditional forms including graphic storytelling,
mixed genre work, or experimental work. Visual art submission guidelines apply to
graphic work.
Though writers and artists for general submissions (aka, not high schoolers) don’t need to follow the theme, we welcome work that does speak to it. See the issue theme for high schoolers below.
Submissions are open!
Northeastern Oklahoma High School Special Theme: DREAMS
We want the high school students of Northeastern Oklahoma to take the concept of ‘dreams’ and run with it. Interpret it loosely or strictly. You might see dreams as...
- shifted realities, where things are strange, surreal or illogical.
- wishes, where you dreams represent what you hope to achieve.
- rabbit holes, where you pursue a path with no end in sight.
- illusions, where your hope is misplaced or false.
- possibilties, where you take part in pure acts of imagination.
Submissions are open!