BiblioBuffet is looking for passionate readers who are also excellent writers. You do not need to have clips (though we like those), but proper English skills are a given. The ability to meet deadlines is crucial, as is integrity and openness. Most importantly, can you give us writing worth reading? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

We pay $10 per piece (regardless of length). This is small, but it is the beginning of what we hope will be a worthwhile financial return to our contributors for their work. Though we cannot say when increases will occur or by how much, we are committed to better-than-fair remuneration. New content is posted each Sunday night. Payment for contributions posted in one month is made by check on the first business day of the next month, though international contributors may make special arrangements.

We publish the following types of work as long as they relate in some way to reading, books or related subjects (censorship, literacy, book festivals, publishing trends, interesting independent bookstores, bookselling, etc.):

• Book reviews
• Personal essays
• Editorials
• Commentary
• Humor
• Interviews
• Profiles of people, places or things literary
• Excerpts from upcoming, recently published or re-issued books with a bookish theme
• Short stories
• Poetry

Note that we do not use pieces on or about writing. Contributions should run between 500 and 4,000 words, though we can be flexible on the upper range.

Regular contributors: We welcome book reviewers (both generalists and specialists) as well as columnists who enjoy wandering wherever their pen may take them. Book professionals such as librarians, booksellers editors and publishers are also welcome to share their worlds with our readers. All regular contributors must be able to write on a weekly or a bi-weekly basis.

With only rare exceptions, we require that applicants interested in becoming regular columnists go through a trial period by submitting pieces for our guest page, BibliOpinions. We pay for all work that we publish, but this process allows both parties to determine if the fit is a good one.

Occasional or one-time contributors: We will consider individual submissions of any type (as noted above) excepting only book reviews; those are assigned to regular contributors. Please send the complete piece rather than a query. We respond within five business days.

Guidelines: All contributors are given great latitude in their choices of books to review, authors/writers to interview or essay subject matter. However, we do not review books that contain or profile writers who use the following in their writing:

• Profanity for profanity’s sake
• Violence against or experiments using animals—not at all
• Unnecessary or explicit violence against women, men or children
• Glorification of hunting, killing, rape, war; abuse of people or animals
• Hatred based on gender, sexual orientation, age, race, religion or other arbitrary factors

This does not mean that writers and books need ignore the darker side of life. Genuine, thoughtful exploration of life is always good whether in fiction or non-fiction, but we do not promote its glorification.

We only review books we believe are worthy of readers’ attention and time. Honesty and integrity are essential components of our reviews, and no payments or other gratuities are solicited or accepted. Note that we do not review self- or vanity-published books, nor do we interview or profile authors of these books.

Rights: We ask for exclusive, one-time electronic rights for the length of time the column is current (one or two weeks). We then reserve the right to maintain non-exclusive electronic rights for our archives for an indefinite time. We accept reprint as well as first rights.

Contacting BiblioBuffet: If you are applying to become a regular contributor please note this in your initial contact. Though we do require a trial period (see above), you should specify your interests and experience, if any. If you are interested in reviewing books in a particular genre, state why you are the best person to do that. Include the following in your initial query:

• A title (or two) for the proposed column
• A short description of the proposed column
• Six specific ideas for future columns
• Two clips (not necessarily on books or reading) if you have them; if not, include two sample publishable columns.

If you are submitting a single piece, please send it along with a short bio of yourself. All submissions should be pasted into the body of the e-mail submissions email form and directed to Nicki Leone, Managing Editor. We normally respond within five business days. Since e-mail occasionally goes astray, you are encouraged to contact us if you have not heard back within eight days. 

Lauren Roberts
Editor-in-Chief

Nicki Leone
Managing Editor