Literary Journal

ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action

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About the magazine

ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action is an annual publication and platform that emerged from the need to document and disseminate the intellectual and creative work of psychoanalysts beyond the consulting room. Founded in the mid-2010s by a collective of analysts and artists, it was conceived as a space where clinical insight meets cultural critique, and where the boundaries between analytic practice and artistic expression are productively blurred. The publication takes the form of a sketchbook—a deliberately informal, provisional container—inviting contributions that are exploratory, process-oriented, and unafraid of incompleteness. Its core mission is to foster a community of thinkers who use psychoanalytic ideas to engage with pressing social, political, and aesthetic questions, while maintaining a commitment to the rigor and ethical attentiveness that define analytic work.

Editorial focus

ROOM: A Sketchbook for Analytic Action embodies a psychoanalytic understanding of how change happens and has become a powerful tool for personal, cultural, and political discourse. ROOM ’s submission process parallels the process of free association in psychoanalysis. The editors are particularly interested in submissions that negotiate the tension between the political and the personal self. They invite psychoanalysts and therapists as well as writers and poets outside of psychoanalysis to submit.

PoetryFictionCreative NonfictionTranslation

Submitting your work

Reading periodFeb 7 to May 5

Reading feeNo

PaymentContributor copies only

Response time3 to 6 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

ROOM welcomes submissions from psychoanalysts, artists, writers, and scholars whose work engages with analytic themes. They seek pieces that are exploratory, personal, and intellectually rigorous, whether in written, visual, or hybrid form. Before submitting, familiarize yourself with past issues to understand the tone and scope. Proposals should be concise and clearly articulate how the work fits the sketchbook ethos. There are no strict length limits, but brevity and focus are appreciated. Include a brief bio and note any relevant affiliations. Submissions are typically reviewed by an editorial collective; response times may vary. Simultaneous submissions are discouraged. For specific calls, check the website for current themes and deadlines.

We welcome: Essays in any language: up to 1,500 words Creative Writing and Memoir written in English: up to 2,000 words Poetry: written, audio, video, and/or mixed media Community projects Books for potential review

Read official guidelines