Open Letters
Printed and distributed at Harvard GSD






We are accepting submissions on a rolling basis.

Please send a draft of your letter in an email to openlettersonline@gmail.com and include the full name and, if applicable, title or degree program and year (i.e. Jane Doe, MLA I '21) of each contributing author unless you wish to remain anonymous.


Submission guidelines:

Text must be approximately 750 words in length. However, drafts at any stage or length may be submitted for initial review.

Images can be digital or hand-drawn but must in every case be reproducible in black and white. Credits should be included if applicable. Please contact us for access to the letterhead template if you would like to draw on it directly or suggest a layout for your letter.

We reserve the right to edit all submissions for style, content and length. Making a submission does not in any way guarantee its publication, which is at the discretion of the editors.


FAQs:

What kinds of submissions do you accept?
Any submission that takes the form of a letter (as opposed to an essay, manifesto, or other) and relates in some way to a design topic will be considered. The subject matter and format of past letters ranges widely. Your letter does not have to be fully written or published to submit.

Can multiple authors write a single letter?
Yes.

Can I publish a letter anonymously?
Yes.

Will you edit my text?
Yes. Most letters develop substantially from first to final draft and we make every effort to make the editing process a highly collaborative one. That being said, we reserve final editorial authority to ensure consistent standards and accessibility for our readers.

Can I reserve a publication date?
Yes, but only if we have received and approved of a draft submission at least two weeks prior to the anticipated publication date.

Can I hand-write my letter?
Yes. Though we suggest first submitting a digital draft (since it may go through a number of editing rounds) and noting in your submission any such desires so that we may provide sufficient time for you to write the final draft by hand.

Will you consider previously published work?
No.

What is the format of Open Letters?
Open Letters are printed on double-sided tabloid-size (11”x17”) newsprint and distributed with folded dimensions of approximately 8.5” by 3 3/4” (fitting in an A10 envelope).One side consists of text, the other a graphic cover which includes the Open Letters logotype.








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