Submitting to Chicago Review
The editors welcome submissions of unpublished poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. We strongly recommend that authors familiarize themselves with recent issues of Chicago Review before submitting. Submissions that demonstrate familiarity with the journal tend to receive more attention than those that appear to be part of a carpet-bombing campaign.
Online submissions may be made via our submissions manager. Click here to redirect to our Submittable page.
Guidelines for Submission
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable so long as this is indicated in your cover letter.
Due to the increasing volume of unsolicited submissions, the average response time is three to four months. Please know that the process of reading and responding to all the submissions can be long. We are committed to getting back to you, but we ask for your patience, and that you please do not contact us regarding the status of submissions.
If you need to withdraw a submission, or a partial submission, the best way to do so is through Submittable. To withdraw partial submissions, please add a note to your file indicating which piece is being withdrawn.
Contributors receive three copies of the issue in which their work appears, plus a one-year subscription.
Please e-mail the editors with any questions.
Poetry
While there are no strict length requirements, the poetry editors prefer to read at least three pages of work. Please include a cover letter.
Our open submissions period for poetry will close on June 15, 2019 and reopen on September 15, 2019.
Fiction
We will consider one short story of up to 5000 words, or up to five short-shorts submitted in one file.
We will consider work in any literary style, but are typically less interested in traditional narrative approaches.
International submissions and work in translation are particularly encouraged. Translators should secure permission to translate before submitting.
We are happy to consider simultaneous submissions.
Our open submissions period for fiction will close on June 15, 2019 and reopen on September 15, 2019.
Nonfiction
Chicago Review publishes a variety of genres of nonfiction, both online and in print. We publish reviews of varying lengths: from notes (500–1000 words) to regular book reviews (1200–1800 words) to review essays (2000–5000 words). We publish a wide range of critical essays, but we do not typically consider memoir nonfiction. We are seeking contributors of nonfiction for our website in the following categories: Reviews, Commentary, and Chicago. Reviewers should consult our website and back issues of Chicago Review for examples. A comprehensive list of books for review is here.
Online submissions may be made via our submissions manager. Click here to redirect to our Submittable page.