Frequently Asked
Questions
Who can submit?
Rainy Day accepts submissions of previously unpublished fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and short plays from current undergraduate students in the United States. We publish biannually, once in the fall and once in the spring.
How many pieces can I send in?
We accept up to three pieces per author. We do not have formal limits as to the length of pieces submitted, but contributors are encouraged to remember that particularly long works are accommodated only as far as available space in the magazine allows.
What is your acceptance rate?
Our acceptance rate for the Spring 20213 issue was approximately 11.6%. However, we do not mandate a certain acceptance rate, and we will accept any and all pieces that we feel would contribute positively to the magazine. On average, the length of the magazine from semester to semester is between 30 and 40 pages.
How do I join the editorial staff?
Any and all Cornell undergraduate students are welcome to join Rainy Day! All you have to do is attend and participate in the weekly meetings, which are currently held on Tuesdays from 5-6 PM in Goldwin Smith Hall 181. To be added to our email listserv, reach out to us at rainydaycornell@gmail.com.
Where should I send my submissions?
Please direct all submissions to rainydaycornell@gmail.com as .doc or .docx files. When possible, please use university email addresses to send submissions. See our Submission Guidelines for more details.
How does the review process work?
Rainy Day holds weekly interactive meetings for staff members to discuss the submissions and cast their votes on whether they feel the pieces would be a good fit for the magazine. Submissions are reviewed anonymously and on the basis of content/writing quality alone. At the end of the semester, the highest-rated pieces are revisited to determine the content of the final manuscript.
When can I expect to receive a decision?
Authors are informed of their acceptance decisions at the end of the semester (December/May). The magazines are printed during the semester listed on the issue.
Can I receive a copy of the magazine once it's published?
Yes! Accepted authors may have up to five copies of the magazine shipped to a domestic (US) address, free of charge. Due to shipping costs, we are unable to accommodate requests to ship to international addresses at this time.