Wisconsin People & Ideas is published quarterly (January, April, July, October) for an intelligent, general audience. The magazine features thoughtful stories about the people and culture of Wisconsin, informative articles about homegrown innovation, and original poetry, fiction, and artwork by Wisconsin writers and artists.
We publish articles and essays in all areas of the sciences, arts, and literature, and we only consider work with an explicit connection to Wisconsin. As an independent, nonprofit magazine dedicated to cultivating civility and open discussion, we do not consider polemics, partisan writings, or opinion pieces. All articles are fact-checked.
- Happenings: (250 words) Very short articles that shine light on museum/gallery openings, awards for high-achieving Wisconsinites, and other “Happenings” across the state.
- Wisconsin Table: (1200-2000 words) Essays that examine Wisconsin culture through the lens of a regionally produced food or beverage or culinary personality.
- Essay: (2500-4000 words) Full-length articles exploring a facet of contemporary life in Wisconsin or that examines historical elements by connecting them to present day.
- Discovery (1200-3000 words) Essays that examine a technological or scientific discovery with wide-reaching implications for state and world.
- Profile: (1200-3000 words) Features on emerging/established figures in the state in sciences, arts, and/or letters, such as the Wisconsin Poet Laureate, award-winning researchers, etc.
- Book Reviews: (500 words) Brief reviews of book by Wisconsin authors that include a bit of author biography as well as a summary (including a quote or two) and assessment of the title in question.
- Photo Essay: 10-20 images. Brief (400-500 word) introduction to series of photos that tell a story or offer insight into a particular aspect of Wisconsin culture.
Please note: We do not accept unsolicited fiction and poetry submissions. If you have short fiction or poetry to submit, we encourage you to enter our annual contests. All fiction and poetry published in the magazine comes from our annual contests or is solicited by the editor.
Payment varies. Contributors receive between two and ten complimentary copies of the issue in which their work appears.
Submissions
Email manuscripts as attached RTF or Microsoft Word documents.
Include name, mailing address, and phone number in the email.
Format manuscripts according to these guidelines:
- Times New Roman
- 12 point
- double-spaced
- 1-inch margins
- numbered pages
- one space after periods
- spell out numbers 1-9
- oxford comma
- no footnotes (include any citations in the text)
- If material is quoted from an advance review copy of a book, please note this on the works cited page.
- If possible, include all referenced material, e.g. digital images, transcripts, URLs of material quoted from the Internet, etc.
- Do not embed photographs or other images in the manuscript; send image files separately, with captions and credits in a separate document.
- We rely on contributors to help provide images to accompany their article. If permission to reproduce illustrations is required, notify us as soon as possible.
Please allow six to eight weeks for review of your submission.
Direct submissions, queries, and all other materials to:
Editor
Wisconsin People & Ideas
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters
1922 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53726
Phone: 608.733.6633
E-mail: contact@wisconsinacademy.org
