The American Literary Review welcomes submissions of previously unpublished poems, short stories, and creative non-fiction. We also accept submissions for cover art. Please include an SASE and cover letter with your submission. Also include enough postage to return your work. Please mark envelopes and cover letters Fiction, Poetry, or Nonfiction. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable if noted in your cover letter. For any questions not covered in this section, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions page.

FOR MORE, VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PAGE.

Our reading period extends from October 1 to May 1. Unsolicited manuscripts received outside this reading period will be returned unread.
Currently, we do not accept submissions via email.

Submissions should be directed to the appropriate editor (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, or Art) at:

American Literary Review
P.O. Box 311307
University of North Texas Denton, TX 76203-1307

Fiction Guidelines

Submit only one story at a time. American Literary Review seeks distinctive, character-driven stories. Please mark envelopes and cover letters Fiction.

We have no set maximum for length, but stories under 8,000 words have the best chance of publication. We generally avoid novel excerpts unless they can stand alone as stories.

Short fiction submitted for publication in the American Literary Review must:

• be typewritten
• be double-spaced
• have the author's name, address, and phone number on the first page

 
Poetry Guidelines

Submit no more than five poems at a time. Poetry selections are made by a widely-read group with eclectic tastes who look for the best poems, regardless of form or subject matter. Please mark envelopes and cover letters Poetry.

Poetry submitted for publication in the American Literary Review must:

• be typewritten
• be accompanied by a cover letter with the author's name, address, phone number, and poem titles

Nonfiction Guidelines

Submit only one work at a time. We welcome submissions in personal essay, memoir, literary journalism, and experimental nonfiction. We prefer submissions shorter than 6,500 words.

Nonfiction submitted for publication in the American Literary Review must:

• be typewritten
• be double-spaced
• have the author's name, address, and phone number on the first page

Art Guidelines

You may submit digital art, photography, paintings, drawings, mixed media, etc.

Artwork submitted for publication must:

• on a CD in .jpeg format
• include the artist's contact information (name, e-mail, mailing address, and phone number), along with the title or titles of the piece or pieces, and a brief bio in an .rtf or Microsoft word file.
• include a SASE for response, along with an appropriate mailer with correct postage if you would like to have the CD returned..

We will keep your art on file for 1 year.

We encourage writers and artists to examine our journal. The American Literary Review publishes semi-annually. If you would like to subscribe to our journal, subscription rates run $14 for a 1 year subscription, $26 for a 2 year subscription, and $38 for a 3 year subscription. You may also obtain a sample copy of the American Literary Review for $7 plus $1 per issue for shipping and handling in the United States and Canada ($2 for postage elsewhere).