This year’s theme, “Virtual / Reality”, calls into question the relationship between the physical and the virtual world. Humanity has journeyed from existing solely in reality, to existing between the ephemeral realms of technology and nature, the borders of which are becoming increasingly blurred. We ask: where do you draw the line between what is Virtual and what is Real?
How do you experience reality? Reality describes what we experience as our day-to-day lives, the relationships we cultivate and sustain, the work we do and the passions we foster. But reality is also constructed; a unique and subjective experience that differs from mind to mind. Perhaps the self exists in two different, separate planes: the physical world and the imagined world. As authors, illustrators, and creative types of all natures, we traverse between these worlds daily. The moon you hold in your imagination is a separate entity from the one that is before you, in this, the “real” world.
From the gritty and dystopian to the lightly surrealist, we seek works that address both the physical and the imagined world. The limit lies in the imagination of the creator, and nearly anything goes. George Orwell describes reality as “exist[ing] in the human mind, and nowhere else.” Where does reality exist for you? When does the real become the virtual, the virtual become realized? We encourage authors to experiment with mediums, point of view, plot structure, and so on, in order to present evocative works that ruminate on what Virtual and/or Reality means to you.
Submission Guidelines
Only currently enrolled undergraduate students of Minnesota’s institutions of higher education are eligible to submit. (You do not need to be a UMN student to submit to this magazine).
Edited, designed, and produced by students enrolled in a two-semester course offered by the English Department, The Tower is an annual journal that publishes the best in art, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by undergraduates in the state of Minnesota.
Please enter a short cover letter addressed to the editors as well as a short bio for yourself written in third person, suitable for publication, should your work be accepted. List your year, major(s), university/college/institute, and anything else you would like us to know. For visual artwork, please specify the medium, dimensions, and year of completion. Include your contact information: email address, phone number, and a current street mailing address.
Submissions are read during the fall semester; the issue is published during the spring semester in print and online, and is distributed free on the Twin Cities Campus of the University of Minnesota.
Our deadline for accepting submissions is January 2nd, 2025
Acquisition Standards
1. We look for works from Minnesota undergraduate students (may be attending any university in Minnesota) that are original, authentic, and emotionally resonant.
2. We encourage submissions from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists to give voice to the many perspectives and communities that call Minnesota home.
3. We accept simultaneous submissions on the condition that if a piece is accepted elsewhere, the artist communicates such with the editors and withdraws the piece from consideration.
4. We do not publish work that is hateful towards any marginalized community or could be construed as hateful.
5. We do not publish work that is distasteful.
6. We do not publish work that is overly confessional or exists to elicit shock value.
7. The Tower reserves the right to rescind planned publication at any time according to the guidelines outlined above.
NOTE: This edition of The Tower seeks to demonstrate the value of human creativity. As such, submissions that employ generative AI in any capacity will not be considered.
Only currently enrolled undergraduate students of Minnesota’s institutions of higher education are eligible to submit.
Edited, designed, and produced by students enrolled in a two-semester course offered by the English Department, The Tower is an annual journal that publishes the best in art, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by undergraduates in the state of Minnesota.
Please enter a cover letter addressed to the editors and include a short bio for yourself written in third person, suitable for publication, should your work be accepted. List your year, major, university/college/institute, and anything else you would like us to know. Include your contact information: email address, phone number, and a current street mailing address.
- Submit your work as a Word .doc or .docx attachment. Name the file with the title of the essay. Please do not submit pieces that have been previously published. This includes but is not limited to social media and personal websites. If you are submitting multiple essays, submit each separately. Please submit no more than four essays per reading period. Please limit your submission to no more than six pages, double-spaced, per piece, due to our limited publication space.
Submissions are read during the fall semester; the issue is published during the spring semester in print and online, and is distributed free on the Twin Cities Campus of the University of Minnesota.
Our deadline is January 2nd, 2025
Acquisition Standards
1. We look for work from Minnesota Undergraduate students (can be studying at any university in Minnesota) that is original, authentic, and emotionally resonant.
2. We encourage submissions from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists to give voice to the many perspectives and communities that call Minnesota home.
3. We accept simultaneous submissions on the condition that if a piece is accepted elsewhere, the artist communicates such with the editors and withdraws the piece from consideration.
4. We do not publish work that is hateful towards any marginalized community or could be construed as hateful.
5. We do not publish work that has been previously published elsewhere.
6. We do not publish work that is distasteful.
7. The Tower reserves the right to rescind planned publication at any time according to the guidelines outlined above.
Only currently enrolled undergraduate students of Minnesota’s institutions of higher education are eligible to submit.
Edited, designed, and produced by students enrolled in a two-semester course offered by the English Department, The Tower is an annual journal that publishes the best in art, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by undergraduates in the state of Minnesota.
Please enter a short cover letter addressed to the editors, and include a short bio for yourself written in third person, suitable for publication, should your work be accepted. List your year, major, university/college, and anything else you would like us to know. Include your contact information: email address, phone number, and a current street mailing address.
- Submit your work as a Word .doc or .docx attachment. Name the file with the title of the poem.
- If you are submitting multiple poems, submit each separately. Please submit no more than seven poems per reading period.
Submissions are read during the fall semester; the issue is published during the spring semester in print and online, and is distributed free on the Twin Cities Campus of the University of Minnesota.
Our deadline is January 2nd, 2025.
Acquisition Standards
1. We look for work from Minnesota Undergraduate students (can be from any university in Minnesota) that is original, authentic, and emotionally resonant.
2. We encourage submissions from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists to give voice to the many perspectives and communities that call Minnesota home.
3. We accept simultaneous submissions on the condition that if a piece is accepted elsewhere, the artist communicates such with the editors and withdraws the piece from consideration.
4. We do not publish work that is hateful towards any marginalized community, or could be construed as hateful.
5. We do not publish work that has been previously published elsewhere.
6. We do not publish work that is distasteful.
7. The Tower reserves the right to rescind planned publication at any time according to the guidelines outlined above.
Only currently enrolled undergraduate students of Minnesota’s institutions of higher education are eligible to submit.
Edited, designed, and produced by students enrolled in a two-semester course offered by the English Department, The Tower is an annual journal that publishes the best in art, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by undergraduates in the state of Minnesota.
Please enter a short cover letter addressed to the editors, and include a short bio for yourself written in third person, suitable for publication, should your work be accepted. List your year, major, university/college/institute, and anything else you would like us to know. Include your contact information: email address, phone number, and a current street mailing address.
Submissions are read during the fall semester; the issue is published during the spring semester in print and online, and is distributed free on the Twin Cities Campus of the University of Minnesota.
Our deadline is January 2nd, 2025.
Fiction Guidelines
- Short stories and Flash fiction can be submitted
- Please no novel/ manuscript excerpts. We are not currently seeking writing that will be published elsewhere in the future.
- Submit a piece that's 3,000 words max
- Submit the piece in 12-point font, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins
- You can submit multiple pieces of fiction
- Please ensure that the story adheres to the chosen 'theme/ vision statement' on our website
Acquisition Standards
1. We look for work from Minnesota undergraduate students (can be from any university in Minnesota) that is original, authentic, and emotionally resonant.
2. We encourage submissions from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists to give voice to the many perspectives and communities that call Minnesota home.
3. We accept simultaneous submissions on the condition that if a piece is accepted elsewhere, the artist communicates such with the editors and withdraws the piece from consideration.
4. We do not publish work that is hateful towards any marginalized community or could be construed as hateful.
5. We do not publish work that has been previously published elsewhere.
6. We do not publish work that is distasteful.
7. The Tower reserves the right to rescind planned publication at any time according to the guidelines outlined above.
Only currently enrolled undergraduate students of Minnesota’s institutions of higher education are eligible to submit.
Edited, designed, and produced by students enrolled in a two-semester course offered by the English Department, The Tower is an annual journal that publishes the best in art, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction by undergraduates in the state of Minnesota.
Please enter:
- A short Cover letter addressed to the editors. Include a short bio for yourself written in third person, suitable for publication, should your work be accepted. List your year, major, university/college/institute, and anything else you would like us to know. For visual artwork, please specify the medium, dimensions, and year of completion. Include your contact information: email address, phone number, and a current street mailing address.
- An Artist Statement
- Give brief list including: Medium and Materials
The instructions:
- Submit your photography, paintings, drawings, comics, etc. as high-resolution, print-quality images (see “what we want” for specifications).
- Name the file with the title of the piece. Do not include your name in the file title.
- Include your name, contact information, the title and medium of the work submitted, and a brief bio in the designated space for a bio/cover letter (as mentioned above).
What we want:
- High-resolution, print-quality images: 300 dpi, in JPG or TIF file format. Size to fit roughly a 7” x 11" page size. Use RGB color profile.
- If you are submitting multiple pieces, please submit them separately (no more than 10 submissions are accepted per reading period).
- A short preface explaining the medium used and what the work is about—especially if the theme or intention of it isn’t clear.
- Photography, paintings, traditional and digital drawings, comics, etc. (see below for what this does not include)
- Images/ Artwork that adhere to the chosen theme/ vision statement as displayed on our website.
We do not accept:
- Fan art such as portraits of famous people (musicians, celebrities, etc.); photographs of concerts or performances; imitations of posters, logos, brands, etc.
- Social-media-inspired art and writing such as portraits with Instagram filters, meme imitations, tributes to YouTubers, etc.
- More than 10 pieces per reading period.
- Already published visual artwork. This includes but is not limited to social media, personal websites, and sites like Redbubble.
Submissions are read during the fall semester; the issue is published during the spring semester in print and online, and is distributed free on the Twin Cities Campus of the University of Minnesota.
Our deadline is January 2nd, 2025
Acquisition Standards
1. We look for work from Minnesota Undergraduate students (can be from any university in Minnesota) that is original, authentic, and emotionally resonant.
2. We encourage submissions from LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists to give voice to the many perspectives and communities that call Minnesota home.
3. We accept simultaneous submissions on the condition that if a piece is accepted elsewhere, the artist communicates such with the editors and withdraws the piece from consideration.
4. We do not publish work that is hateful towards any marginalized community or could be construed as hateful.
5. We do not publish work that has been previously published elsewhere.
6. We do not publish work that is distasteful.
7. The Tower reserves the right to rescind planned publication at any time according to the guidelines outlined above.