Mithila Review is the leading journal of international science fiction and fantasy. Since its inaugural issue for March 2016, Mithila Review has published excellent fiction, poetry, non-fiction or interviews from several award-winning and emerging authors. They are currently open for submissions of Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry for their upcoming “special global Hopepunk issue of science fiction (and fantasy) devoted to positive and powerful character-driven stories that imagine an open and inclusive tech-empowered democratic future for all people, species and countries on Earth.”  For more information see my interview with founding editor and publisher Salik Shah and a link to submission guidelines below.

HOPKINSON: Tell me a little bit about Mithila. 

SHAH: Mithila Review is the leading journal of international science fiction and fantasy. Since its inaugural issue for March 2016, Mithila Review has published excellent fiction, poetry, non-fiction or interviews from several award-winning and emerging authors, including Ian McDonald, Kij Johnson, Lavie Tidhar, Ken Liu, Glen Hirshberg, Theodora Goss, Aliette de Bodard, Alyssa Wong, Isabel Yap, John Chu, Priya Sharma, Usman T Malik, JY Yang, Vajra Chandrasekera, Anil Menon, Dilman Dila, Ng Yi-Sheng, Dean Francis Alfar, Indrapramit Das, Isha Karki, among others.

HOPKINSON: How/why was Mithila originally started? 

SHAH: Mithila Review grew out of our innermost fears, needs and concerns. We wanted to counter the growing climate of hate and injustice that surround us, and we knew we couldn’t do it alone, from an invisible, electrified patch of our planet. From the beginning, it was self-evident that we couldn’t hope to win against our enemy—the ideology of segregation and hate—without recognizing, addressing, or overcoming the many differences within and outside SF communities.

We chose to stubbornly believe that Mithila, as a referent, could speak to the times when we have felt that we don’t quite belong; when we liberated our anger and pain in ways that have fed the creative river within us. It’s been deeply gratifying to see that we were not wrong in our belief. Flash-forward six years, Mithila Review is a beautiful example of what we can accomplish together; it’s the result of a global mindset and collective effort. With contributors from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, Mithila Review has evolved into a global platform for a spectacular gamut of humanity—not a single language, gender or race, its singular tribes or colorful nationalities. 

— See https://locusmag.com/2017/04/salik-shah-guest-post-unmaking-the-post-truth-world-with-global-sf/ 

HOPKINSON: Who is your target reader audience? 

SHAH: Everyone who loves to escape to new and strange worlds   

HOPKINSON: What type of work are you looking for? 

SHAH: Positive, powerful and entertaining stories that can win hearts and shape minds  

HOPKINSON: What do you wish you’d see submitted, but rarely comes in? 

SHAH: Stories from writers in Africa 

HOPKINSON: What are some of your favorite lit mags/journals?

SHAH: There are so many: Clarkesworld, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Asimov’s Science Fiction, F&SF, among others.   

HOPKINSON: What is your favorite part of being on staff with the Mithila?

SHAH: The opportunity to read and publish the best of international science fiction and fantasy from around the world

HOPKINSON: Where can we send submissions? 

SHAH: You can find the guidelines here: https://mithilareview.com/submission-guidelines/  

HOPKINSON: If someone has a question, how can they contact you? 

SHAH: editor@mithilareview.com 

Click here to read submission guidelines.

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 20, 2022
• FORMAT: Online, Epub (& Print – planned)
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: $10 per poem/author for regular issues; for the special Hopepunk issue: USD $0.08 cents for the first 5000 words
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Quarterly/Bi-annual
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 2-4 Weeks
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Google Forms
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

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