Features for "Fear"

The theme for the Sping 2024 issue of Oregon Humanities magazine is “Fear.” What are you afraid of? Who or what might be afraid of you? And what is fear, anyway?

For this issue, we’re looking for features about fears both rational and irrational. What should more people be afraid of? What are things we used to fear, or not fear, that we now do, or do not? What things do people commonly fear that we should not?

Tell us about thrills and chills. What are the physical and emotional components of fear? When is fear useful, desirable, or even pleasurable? What are the borders of fear? Where does it shift into disgust, or excitement, or hatred?

We’re interested in the full spectrum of fear: heebie-jeebies, apprehension, worry, anxiety, paranoia, panic, and terror. We hope to explore the spooky and silly (clowns, black cats, toilet snakes) alongside the deadly serious (racism, xenophobia, climate chaos, dementia, death).

We welcome all forms of nonfiction writing, including essays, journalism, and excerpts from forthcoming or recently published books. Successful submissions will reflect our vision of an Oregon that invites diverse perspectives, invites challenging questions, and strives for just communities. We encourage submissions from writers of all levels of experience.

We encourage stories created with or by communities—classrooms, neighborhoods, congregations, or any other group with shared interests and experiences. Some examples follow:

“In These Uncertain Times,” a photo essay drawn from submissions by people across Oregon
“One-Person Protest,” a class project by our Humanity in Perspective Class
A collection of memories of the pandemic from students in Warrenton, Oregon
“Our Story on Our Territory,” a story of the Chinook People’s reclaiming of land
“What They Carried,” stories of refugees told through objects
“Stake Your Place,” a profile of a Portland neighborhood
“Long Live the Kings,” a story about drag king culture in Portland and Seattle

Please send drafts of personal essays, which should push beyond simple narrative and consider larger thematic questions. If you’re pitching a journalistic or researched piece, please send a proposal, links to your clips, if any, and tell us why you’re the person to write this story. Features generally range between 1,500 and 4,000 words. All contributors are paid between $750 and $1,500, depending on the length and complexity of the piece. Currently the magazine is distributed free to 14,000 readers. Work from Oregon Humanities has been reprinted in textbooks, the Pushcart Prize anthology, Utne Reader, High Country News, and Best American Essays, and featured on public radio programs Think Out Loud, State of Wonder, and This American Life.

If you are interested in contributing to this issue, please read past issues and the guidelines for writers. Please note that we only accept work by writers who reside in Oregon, though no proof of residence is required. Then, submit one proposal or one draft by December 17 to editors@oregonhumanities.org.

Upcoming Themes

Summer 2024: Public (August 2024, submissions due April 2023)
Winter 2025: Currents (December 2024, submissions due August 2023)