Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bartleby?
Bartleby is the creative arts journal of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. It is entirely student-produced, and all works in Bartleby are by UMBC students.
I know that. But what is Bartleby???
Oooh! The name Bartleby. Well, that's simple. Bartleby is the main character of the Herman Melville short story Bartleby The Scrivener. Long story short, Bartleby is a copyist who, when asked to do anything other than copying, simply says, "I would prefer not to." He gives no reason, and his boss is so fascinated that he doesn't fire Bartleby. Why name the journal after him? No, it's not that we're lazy people who don't want to do anything. Like Melville's Bartleby, the students whose work appears in the journal refuse to conform and do not fear rejection of others.
I'm a UMBC student. How do I get stuff put in Bartleby?
By checking out the Submissions Guidelines.
I'm NOT a UMBC student. How do I get stuff put in Bartleby?
Well, for starters, become a student at UMBC. Sorry, but Bartleby is for UMBC student works only.
What kinds of works do you accept?
Bartleby works are divided into four categories. There's poetry--y'know, like Robert Frost and T.S. Eliot. Then there's fiction, like the made-up short stories you might read in an English class. There's also creative non-fiction, which includes essays and short stories based on fact. Finally, there's art, which you should remember from the elementary school class of the same name.
When does the next issue come out? Where can I pick up a copy?
Bartleby comes out every Spring, usually in May. You can pick up a copy in the English Department, which is on the 4th floor of the Fine Arts Center.
When can I submit?
Keep an eye out for the Bartleby submission deadlines each fall semester. Typically, the date is December 1, but this is subject to change. For early submissions (after the spring edition is published), e-mail bartleby@umbc.edu using the subject line, "Early Submission" to be sure your work is received for the following semester deadline.
I submitted something and I haven't heard anything back. Did you forget about me? :(
Don't fret! If we received your work, then it's in a nice, safe place. You'll hear from us around March.
What sort of rights do I retain to my work?
All of them. For more details, read the Copyright page.
If you accept my work, are you going to change anything before putting it in Bartleby?
Possibly, but not without your permission. If we accept your work and we want to edit it in any way whatsoever, we'll ask you if it's okay first. But if you say it's not okay, then we reserve the right to reject your work.
Wow. This all sounds like fun! Can I work for Bartleby?
Hard-working UMBC undergraduates of all majors are welcome to join the Bartleby staff. For more information, read the Join Staff page.
I love Bartleby so much. Can I give you money?
Aww, you're so sweet. Anyway, Bartleby is a non-profit organization, so donations are welcome. Production costs rise every year, so we need all the financial help we can get. Here's how to support Bartleby.