Submission Trends and Tips

Some recent submission trends to avoid if you’d like your submission to stand out from the crowd

Our top 3 tips for impressing lit mags by following through on withdrawals, email correspondence, and submission guidelines.

How can you make your poetry book manuscript stand out in the crowd?

In order to gather a wider range of perspectives on this question, I reached out to some Cincinnati Review contributors about when it’s time to gather your work and hit “submit.”

Strong dialogue forwards plot, it demonstrates the nature of relationships, and it also (paradoxically) highlights what characters can’t or won’t say to one another.

You can find online resources on formatting your submission, what to write in a cover letter, and tips on submission strategies, but not as much on how to create a user-friendly submission spreadsheet. Read more for tips and perspectives from CR staff and former contributors!

Setting isn’t just a stage upon which our characters walk; it is part of the bones of the story itself.

The beauty of first-person narration lies in its complexity.

Whether you’re new to submitting to literary journals or you’re a seasoned submitter, it’s always nice to have a refresher on how to professionalize your submission.

What makes a great short poem, and why are they so challenging?