River and South Review seeks to be a home for work that evokes a visceral reaction, encourages continued conversation, captures the adventures of life, and spurs our readers to go find their own adventures to write about.
As writers, we want writing that makes us wish we had written it. We want writing that makes us think and wonder; laugh and cry; sigh and scream; nod our heads yes and no. We want work that stays with us long after we’ve left the page. And, of course, we want all of this in well-crafted pieces that demonstrate skill with form and language.
The editorial staff of River & South values inclusivity and diversity. To that end, we especially welcome the opportunity to read and consider work by under-represented and marginalized voices including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and South Asian writers, members of the LBGTQA+ community, writers with disabilities, and older adults.
River & South Review publishes twice each year – a Summer issue in June and a Winter issue in January.
Submissions are open February 15 through March 15 for summer issues. Submissions are open August 30 through September 30 for winter issues.
For those who have previously submitted, please wait one entire submission period before presenting additional creative work.
River & South Review only publishes previously unpublished work. We consider content appearing in print and online journals, anthologies, books, and personal blogs as published.
Currently, we do not publish AI-generated work. Please do not submit poems, essays, or short stories you've created using AI.
We do not publish work by anyone with an affiliation to Wilkes University, the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, or the writing workshops that Wilkes University offers.
- Fiction – submit original, previously unpublished stories up to 2,500 words as a .doc, .docx, or pdf file and title each as follows: YourLastname_Title.
- Nonfiction – submit original, previously unpublished stories up to 2,500 words as a .doc, .docx or pdf file and title each as follows: YourLastname_Title.
- Poetry – submit up to three (3) original, previously unpublished poems in one document (.doc, .docx, or pdf) and title as follows: YourLastname_NumberofPoems.
- Stage and Screen Scripts – submit one (1) original, previously unpublished script up to 12 pages in a .doc, .docx, or pdf file and title as follows: YourLastname_Title. Script submissions may be one acts, or a complete scene from a longer work. Send us your dialogue-driven works whose characters will make us wish they were real people we could meet in person. Formatting for stage scripts: Center and capitalize all titles. Place your name underneath the title. Left justify character names and descriptions. Dialogue is also justified left with the character’s name, followed by a colon and then the dialogue. If there is a stage direction it should come after the colon and be enclosed in parentheses and italicized. Dialogue then follows in normal type. Please do not send plays in Standard American Format.Formatting for screen scripts: Please download as a pdf from Final Draft and submit the pdf. For publication purposes and to keep our production team happy, we publish stage scripts using print formatting and screen scripts as a pdf. Scripts that do not adhere to our formatting requirements will not be read or considered for publication.
New for Fall 2026 Open Submission PeriodWe’re now accepting reviews of poetry collections, but not traditional ones. One of our long-time poetry editors, H.T. Reynolds, has conjured a creative structure for the reviews we are seeking. He will also serve as our first Reviews Editor for Fall 2026.
Here’s what he has to say about the format: We aren’t interested in reductive critiques with stars or thumbs. In fact, critique might not be the best term to use—nor is review. What we’re looking for is something closer to celebration. We want books that set your soul ablaze, that rattled your jaw until you had to share the magic of the words on the page and how they made you feel.
Here’s your chance.
We want a 100-to-500-word reflection on how this poetry book impacted you, how it changed you—as poetry should. We want to know the merging, the dance, the fusion of consciousness that occurred while you read the book.
Then, as a tribute to this incredible poet, submit a cento consisting of exactly seven lines from the book. Your objective is to capture the soul of the collection—the ghost that possessed you while you read.
To keep the use limited, properly attributed, and grounded in literary response, please follow these rules:
· You may not take more than one line from the same poem
· Each line must remain intact as it appears in the collection.
· A line is a line. Do not combine enjambed lines into a single line.
· You must include the page number where each line appears in parentheses at the end of the line.
Example:
line one (12) line two (6) line three (24) line four (2) line five (17) line six (21) line seven (31)
Submit one (1) original, previously unpublished review following the above guidelines in one document (.doc, .docx, or pdf) and title as follows: YourLastname_Titleofreview.
We only accept submissions via Submittable. Do not email your submissions.
If we reach our capacity, we will close submissions. So, during our open submission periods, submit early!
You may send one submission per genre per reading period. Be sure to submit to the correct genre.
Once you submit in any genre, you may not re-submit a revised version during the same submission period.
We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if a piece you submitted is accepted elsewhere.
We are unable to offer payment to contributors at this time.
River & South Review requests First North American Serial Rights and the right to archive our contributors’ work. All other rights revert back to the author upon publication. Please acknowledge River & South Review as the journal of first publication when placing your work elsewhere.
We aren’t interested in reductive critiques with stars or thumbs. In fact, critique might
not be the best term to use—nor is review. What we’re looking for is something closer to
celebration. We want books that set your soul ablaze, that rattled your jaw until you had
to share the magic of the words on the page and how they made you feel.
Here’s your chance.
We want a 100-to-500-word reflection on how this poetry book impacted you, how it
changed you—as poetry should. We want to know the merging, the dance, the fusion of
consciousness that occurred while you read the book.
Then, as a tribute to this incredible poet, submit a cento consisting of exactly seven
lines from the book. Your objective is to capture the soul of the collection—the ghost
that possessed you while you read.
To keep the use limited, properly attributed, and grounded in literary response, please
follow these rules:
· You may not take more than one line from the same poem
· Each line must remain intact as it appears in the collection.
· A line is a line. Do not combine enjambed lines into a single line.
· You must include the page number where each line appears in
parentheses at the end of the line.
Example:
line one (12)
line two (6)
line three (24)
line four (2)
line five (17)
line six (21)
line seven (31)
River and South Review seeks to be a home for work that evokes a visceral reaction, encourages continued conversation, captures the adventures of life, and spurs our readers to go find their own adventures to write about.
As writers, we want writing that makes us wish we had written it. We want writing that makes us think and wonder; laugh and cry; sigh and scream; nod our heads yes and no. We want work that stays with us long after we’ve left the page. And, of course, we want all of this in well-crafted pieces that demonstrate skill with form and language.
River & South Review publishes twice each year – a Summer issue in June and a Winter issue in January.
Submissions are open February 15 through March 15 for summer issues. Submissions are open August 30 through September 30 for winter issues.
For those who have previously submitted, please wait one entire submission period before presenting additional creative work.
River & South Review only publishes previously unpublished work. We consider content appearing in print and online journals, anthologies, books, and personal blogs as published.
We do not publish work by anyone with an affiliation to Wilkes University, the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, or the writing workshops that Wilkes University offers.
Currently, we do not publish AI-generated work. Please do not submit poems, essays, or short stories you’ve created using AI.
- Stage and Screen Scripts – submit one (1) original, previously unpublished script up to 12 pages in a .doc, .docx, or pdf file and title as follows: YourLastname_Title.
- Script submissions may be one acts, or a complete scene from a longer work. Send us your dialogue-driven works whose characters will make us wish they were real people we could meet in person.
Formatting for stage and screen scripts
- Center and capitalize all titles. Place your name underneath the title.
- Left justify character names and descriptions.
- Dialogue is also justified left with the character’s name, followed by a colon and then the dialogue. If there is a stage direction it should come after the colon and be enclosed in parentheses and italicized. Dialogue then follows in normal type.
- Please do not send plays in Standard American Format or screenplays in Final Draft format. For publication purposes and to keep our production team happy, we publish scripts using print formatting. Scripts that do not adhere to our formatting requirements will not be read or considered for publication.
We only accept submissions via Submittable. Do not email your submissions.
If we reach our capacity, we will close submissions. So, during our open submission periods, submit early!
Once you submit, you may not re-submit a revised version during the same submission period.
You may send one submission per genre per reading period. Be sure to submit to the correct genre.
We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if a piece you submitted is accepted elsewhere.
We are unable to offer payment to contributors at this time.
River & South Review requests First North American Serial Rights and the right to archive our contributors’ work. All other rights revert back to the author upon publication. Please acknowledge River & South Review as the journal of first publication when placing your work elsewhere.
River and South Review seeks to be a home for work that evokes a visceral reaction, encourages continued conversation, captures the adventures of life, and spurs our readers to go find their own adventures to write about.
As writers, we want writing that makes us wish we had written it. We want writing that makes us think and wonder; laugh and cry; sigh and scream; nod our heads yes and no. We want work that stays with us long after we’ve left the page. And, of course, we want all of this in well-crafted pieces that demonstrate skill with form and language.
River & South Review publishes twice each year – a Summer issue in June and a Winter issue in January.
Submissions are open February 15 through March 15 for summer issues. Submissions are open August 30 through September 30 for winter issues.
For those who have previously submitted, please wait one entire submission period before presenting additional creative work.
River & South Review only publishes previously unpublished work. We consider content appearing in print and online journals, anthologies, books, and personal blogs as published.
We do not publish work by anyone with an affiliation to Wilkes University, the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, or the writing workshops that Wilkes University offers.
Currently, we do not publish AI-generated work. Please do not submit poems, essays, or short stories you’ve created using AI.
- Poetry submit up to three (3) original, previously unpublished poems in one document (.doc, .docx, or pdf) and title as follows: YourLastname_NumberofPoems.
We only accept submissions via Submittable. Do not email your submissions.
If we reach our capacity, we will close submissions. So, during our open submission periods, submit early!
You may send one submission per genre per reading period. Be sure to submit to the correct genre.
Once you submit, you may not re-submit a revised version during the same submission period.
We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if a piece you submitted is accepted elsewhere.
We are unable to offer payment to contributors at this time.
River & South Review requests First North American Serial Rights and the right to archive our contributors’ work. All other rights revert back to the author upon publication. Please acknowledge River & South Review as the journal of first publication when placing your work elsewhere.
River and South Review seeks to be a home for work that evokes a visceral reaction, encourages continued conversation, captures the adventures of life, and spurs our readers to go find their own adventures to write about.
As writers, we want writing that makes us wish we had written it. We want writing that makes us think and wonder; laugh and cry; sigh and scream; nod our heads yes and no. We want work that stays with us long after we’ve left the page. And, of course, we want all of this in well-crafted pieces that demonstrate skill with form and language.
River & South Review publishes twice each year – a Summer issue in June and a Winter issue in January.
Submissions are open February 15 through March 15 for summer issues. Submissions are open August 30 through September 30 for winter issues.
For those who have previously submitted, please wait one entire submission period before presenting additional creative work.
River & South Review only publishes previously unpublished work. We consider content appearing in print and online journals, anthologies, books, and personal blogs as published.
We do not publish work by anyone with an affiliation to Wilkes University, the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, or the writing workshops that Wilkes University offers.
Currently, we do not publish AI-generated work. Please do not submit poems, essays, or short stories you’ve created using AI.
- Nonfiction - submit (one) 1 original, previously unpublished stories up to 2,500 words as a .doc, .docx or pdf file and title each as follows: YourLastname_Title.
We only accept submissions via Submittable. Do not email your submissions.
If we reach our capacity, we will close submissions. So, during our open submission periods, submit early!
You may send one submission per genre per reading period. Be sure to submit to the correct genre.
Once you submit, you may not re-submit a revised version during the same submission period.
We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if a piece you submitted is accepted elsewhere.
We are unable to offer payment to contributors at this time.
River & South Review requests First North American Serial Rights and the right to archive our contributors’ work. All other rights revert back to the author upon publication. Please acknowledge River & South Review as the journal of first publication when placing your work elsewhere.
River and South Review seeks to be a home for work that evokes a visceral reaction, encourages continued conversation, captures the adventures of life, and spurs our readers to go find their own adventures to write about.
As writers, we want writing that makes us wish we had written it. We want writing that makes us think and wonder; laugh and cry; sigh and scream; nod our heads yes and no. We want work that stays with us long after we’ve left the page. And, of course, we want all of this in well-crafted pieces that demonstrate skill with form and language.
River & South Review publishes twice each year – a Summer issue in June and a Winter issue in January.
Submissions are open February 15 through March 15 for summer issues. Submissions are open August 30 through September 30 for winter issues.
For those who have previously submitted, please wait one entire submission period before presenting additional creative work.
River & South Review only publishes previously unpublished work. We consider content appearing in print and online journals, anthologies, books, and personal blogs as published.
We do not publish work by anyone with an affiliation to Wilkes University, the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, or the writing workshops that Wilkes University offers.
Currently, we do not publish AI-generated work. Please do not submit poems, essays, or short stories you’ve created using AI.
- Fiction - submit (one) 1 original, previously unpublished stories up to 2,500 words in a .doc, .docx, or pdf file and title each as follows: YourLastname_Title.
We only accept submissions via Submittable. Do not email your submissions.
If we reach our capacity, we will close submissions. So, during our open submission periods, submit early.
Once you submit, you may not re-submit a revised version during the same submission period.
You may send one submission per genre per reading period. Be sure to submit to the correct genre.
We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please notify us immediately if a piece you submitted is accepted elsewhere.
We are unable to offer payment to contributors at this time.
River & South Review requests First North American Serial Rights and the right to archive our contributors’ work. All other rights revert back to the author upon publication. Please acknowledge River & South Review as the journal of first publication when placing your work elsewhere.