Roanoke Review accepts poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, flash, photographic essay, graphic narrative, and visual poetry.
We love both traditional and experimental work. If you’re interested in getting a better sense of what we’re looking for, feel free to browse both our current issue and our archives. Everything is open access, so you’re welcome to explore.
We look forward to reading your work!
The nitty gritty:
- We accept submissions from September 1 through December 1. Issues are published monthly throughout the year.
- We are limited in the number of submissions we can take each month. Therefore we ask that you only submit once and only in one category per calendar year. (Contest submissions count differently against our cap, however, so it is fine to submit both to one of our regular categories and to a contest.)
- We accept fiction and non-fiction submissions up to 5,000 words and flash fiction up to 1000 words. There is no line limit on poetry, but please send us five or fewer poems.
- If we reach our submission limit, submissions will reopen on the first day of the next month.
- Please do not submit more than once in the same category in a single year.
- Roanoke Review values diverse voices and perspectives. We encourage writers of all backgrounds to submit work, including those who are historically underrepresented in literary circles.
- For all submissions, include your contact information in the uploaded document.
- Simultaneous submissions are encouraged, but please withdraw your piece if it is accepted elsewhere.
- We do not accept previously published material.
- We do not accept email or mail submissions.
- There are no charges or reading fees.
- We are not able to offer payment to authors, but we frequently nominate work for national awards.
- We reserve the right to pull work from the journal at any point and for any reason.
- We ask for first serial rights and indefinite electronic archival rights. All rights revert to the author upon publication.
- If you are interested in having a new book of poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction reviewed, please send a copy through the mail to Reviews, Roanoke Review, Miller Hall, Roanoke College, Salem VA 24153 or send a PDF to review@roanoke.edu.
- Correspondence following acceptance will be done via email (review@roanoke.edu). We do not always see Submittable notes, so please use our email for questions or to follow up.
Roanoke Review is part of the creative writing community at Roanoke College in Virginia.
NOTE: If you come to this page during our reading period and submissions are closed, that means we have hit our monthly cap. Please check back with us on the first of the following month.
Please submit only one story (up to 5000 words) during our reading period. Do not submit work previously published elsewhere. Word docs are preferred. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw work when appropriate to do so.
Works may be up to 5,000 words in length and may cover any topic. Please submit only one creative non-fiction piece during our reading period. Do not submit work previously published elsewhere. Word docs are preferred. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw work when appropriate to do so.
Send up to 3 pieces of flash fiction (fewer than 1000 words) in a single document. Word docs are preferable. Simultaneous submissions are encouraged. Please send a message via Submittable (not email) if you need to withdraw one or more of the pieces without withdrawing the entire submission.
Send up to 3 pieces of flash nonfiction (fewer than 1000 words) in a single document. Word docs are preferred. Simultaneous submissions are encouraged. Please send a message via Submittable (not email) if you need to withdraw one or more of the pieces without withdrawing the entire submission.
You may send up to five poems per submission. Please submit only once during our reading period. We generally select poems below 100 lines in length. Do not submit work previously published elsewhere. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw work when appropriate to do so. Please send a message via Submittable (not email) if you need to withdraw one or more of the pieces without withdrawing the entire submission.
Submit up to 3 separate jpgs or up to 5 pieces in a single pdf. Do not submit previously published work. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw work if it is accepted elsewhere. Please send a message via Submittable (not email) if you need to withdraw one or more of the pieces without withdrawing the entire submission.
Visual poetry is not the same as visual art. We do not feature artwork in this category that has no relation to language. Please do not submit works that do not have text.
When possible, please submit work in a single pdf. Do not submit previously published work. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please withdraw work if it is accepted elsewhere. Please send a message via Submittable (not email) if you need to withdraw one or more of the pieces without withdrawing the entire submission.
If appropriate, please indicate in your cover letter if you are submitting fiction or non-fiction.