In an age of recycled information, here are some frequently asked questions. If you have more time to read, please check out the about page.

FAQ

Are you publishing work about James Franco?

No.

Are you making fun of James Franco?

No.

Is this an earnest project?

Yes.

Why are you using his name?

We’re interested in how doors swing open for the name James Franco, and how it would change literature if the door could open just as widely for writers who are typically under- or misrepresented (queer, people of color, working class, disabled, chronically ill), in addition to any emerging writer who feels empowered and excited by the opportunity to be read well and carefully.

What makes the James Franco Review different from other journals?

• There are no intermediary readers.
• The editors change every two months.
• All work is chosen purely based on the editors’ tastes.
• Submissions are read blindly—as if the writer were James Franco, as if they were already worthy of an editor’s attention.

So wait, are writers published anonymously?

No no no no no! They are published as themselves. It’s only in the submission process that they are James Franco.

Should I submit my snarky essay that is really about my jealousy of James Franco?

No.

Are you mad at James Franco?

No, but we are dissatisfied with the publishing industry’s approach to new voices in literature and the limited variety of poetic styles and narratives that we have been taught to desire.

What do you hope?

To publish really exciting work, to empower writers and delight readers. And on a larger scale: to incite us all to desire more of literature, editors, and literary venues.

Can I be an editor?

We’ve been finding that people who have been reaching out to be editors are actually people who we would really like to be sending work to the journal. For now we are going to encourage all who are interested in being an editor to start out by submitting to the magazine. If you still want to reach out about this please feel free to do so via the contact form.