2025 Totem Submissions
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About
Totem is the student-run arts and literature magazine of Gannon University, released every Spring. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Gannon are encouraged to submit work for consideration to be included in the journal.
We accept art, fiction, creative nonfiction (memoir, personal essay, literary journalism, etc), and poetry. There is no restriction in terms of genre or style. Any excerpt of longer pieces should be able to stand alone without the context of the rest of the work.
Art submissions are limited to two submissions per submitter and will be considered for the Cover Art Contest.
The winning piece of the Cover Art Contest will be published as the cover of the 2025 issue of Totem and the artist will be awarded $100.
Deadline for Art and the Cover Art Contest: October 31st
Deadline for Poetry and Prose: November 15th
Judging Process
Entries are judged by a panel of staff members and university faculty. Judging will be concealed, meaning staffers and judges will not know the identity of the submitter until after the selection process is completed.
All art submitted will be printed and displayed on advising day for Gannon faculty, staff, and students to judge a winner.
Formatting Guidelines
Art should be submitted whatever type of file will preserve formatting (though a PDF is preferred). Alternatively, you may drop off art submissions with Dr. Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal in Palumbo 3239 or Sabine Preuss-Miller in Palumbo 3015.
Poems should be submitted in a single document typed, either single- or double-spaced. Please do not send more than six pages of poetry in a single submission. Please submit as a word doc or PDF, but consider that a PDF will preserve any special formatting. Do not include your name or any identifying information on the manuscript itself.
Prose (Fiction and Creative Nonfiction) should be double-spaced and include page numbers. Fiction is limited to 5000 words and Creative Nonfiction is limited to 4000 words. Submit the manuscript as a PDF or Word Doc, but consider that a PDF will preserve any special formatting needed. Do not include your name or any identifying information on the manuscript itself.
For more information, contact Dr. Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal or Sophia Messenger at TOTEM@gannon.edu or visit gannon.edu/totem.