Editorial Role Descriptions

The Mailer Review operates under a clear editorial structure designed to ensure scholarly rigor, transparency, and editorial accountability.

Editor

The Editor is responsible for the overall intellectual, editorial, and strategic direction of The Mailer Review. This role includes final authority over all editorial decisions, including the selection, acceptance, and organization of scholarly articles, book reviews, creative works, and special sections. The Editor oversees the peer-review process, establishes editorial policy, coordinates the work of the editorial staff, and ensures that each issue reflects the journal’s scholarly standards and mission.

In addition to content oversight, the Editor is responsible for long-term planning, issue development, and stewardship of the journal’s digital infrastructure, including its implementation in Open Journal Systems (OJS) and its relationship to affiliated projects such as Project Mailer. The Editor serves as the journal’s primary representative to the Norman Mailer Society and to the broader scholarly community.

Associate Editor

The Associate Editor assists the Editor in the overall intellectual and editorial direction of The Mailer Review. Working closely with the Editor, the Associate Editor manages the review and development of scholarly submissions, coordinates peer review, and shepherds accepted essays through revision and production. The Associate Editor may also advise on editorial policy, issue planning, and special sections, and serves as a senior editorial presence within the journal’s workflow. This role functions as a principal editorial position and provides continuity in leadership and institutional knowledge.

Book Review Editor

The Book Review Editor oversees all aspects of the journal’s book review and review essay program. Responsibilities include identifying significant new publications in Norman Mailer studies and related fields, soliciting reviewers, assigning book reviews and review essays, and guiding submissions through editorial review and revision. The Book Review Editor ensures that reviews meet the journal’s scholarly standards while remaining accessible and timely, contributing to the journal’s ongoing engagement with contemporary criticism and scholarship.

Creative Works Editor

The Creative Works Editor curates and manages submissions of creative content, including fiction, poetry, and other imaginative works relevant to the journal’s scope and mission. This editor evaluates submissions for artistic merit and thematic relevance, works with authors on revision when appropriate, and oversees the movement of accepted creative works through copyediting and production. The Creative Works Editor helps maintain a clear distinction between scholarly criticism and creative expression while ensuring that creative contributions complement the journal’s intellectual character.

Bibliographer

The Bibliographer is responsible for the compilation, maintenance, and editorial oversight of The Mailer Review’s bibliographic resources. This includes the annual bibliographic essay published in the journal as well as the ongoing “living bibliography” maintained on Project Mailer. The Bibliographer tracks new scholarship, reviews, archival discoveries, and media related to Norman Mailer, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and comprehensive coverage. This role supports the journal’s broader commitment to open, collaborative, and evolving scholarship.

Editorial Assistant (Graduate)

The Editorial Assistant supports the technical, archival, and production operations of The Mailer Review, with a primary focus on issue assembly, metadata accuracy, galley management, and long-term digital access within Open Journal Systems (OJS). Working under the direct supervision of the Editor, the Editorial Assistant creates and verifies issue records, uploads and manages PDF and HTML galleys, enters and checks article metadata, and performs quality-control checks related to issue structure, identifiers, and file integrity. This role does not involve editorial judgment, peer review, or decision-making authority; all such responsibilities remain with the Editor. The position provides hands-on experience with scholarly journal infrastructure, digital archiving practices, and metadata standards in humanities publishing.