We are reading!
We are open to submissions through October 15. We are reading poetry, flash, fiction, and creative nonfiction. See details below.
(Also, there's a new issue up on our website. Check it out, too.)
We pay $55 for poetry, $55 for flash, and $0.05/word for prose over 1100 words. See below for details.
To get a sense of what we are looking for, you can read any and all issues on our website. Or listen to contributors reading their work on our Soundcloud channel. We started publishing exclusively online in 2024, without a paywall. Print copies of back issues are available for sale on our website. .
Here are our guidelines:
One submission per writer per reading period.
Payment: $55 for flash prose, $55 for poetry; $0.05/word for longer prose and poems. For us flash is up to 1100 words, longer prose is 1,101 to 6,000 words. We pay on publication.
Complimentary Submissions: We offer free submissions to authors and poets from historically marginalized groups. There's a limited number of these submissions available each reading period so plan to submit early. If the category does not appear below, we have reached our cap.
Submission fees: Standard submission fees for poetry and flash prose are $4; for longer prose the fee is $5.
A Transparency Index for each issue shows how submission fees help us pay our contributors and support team.
Submission expectations: Our standard response time is up to twelve weeks from submission. Previous contributors to Tahoma Literary Review should wait one full reading period before submitting again.
- Word or PDF files only. If we accept a file in PDF, we will need a Word (or compatible) version.
- Prose submissions should be in standard manuscript format (Double-spaced, Times New Roman font, 12-point type, one-inch margins, author name and contact information on the first page).
- Poetry submissions may include up to six poems in one manuscript.
- Submit via Submittable. If this presents an accessibility issue, please contact the editors for alternatives.
- We do not accept previously published material. This includes publication in any public venue, including print, web, and personal blogs.
- We are not currently reading plays, screenplays, translations, reviews, works that include images, novel excerpts, or children’s/young adult literature.
Expedited Response: For an extra $3, we will respond within two weeks of submission (our standard response is twelve weeks). Expedited submissions do not guarantee acceptance.
Critiques and Feedback: Feedback, i.e., a concise paragraph-or two response to your submission, is available for nonfiction submissions. See the Nonfiction submission category for information.
Separately, our critique service provides longer, detailed comments on your work. An experienced reader from our staff will read your work in depth and comment on it. See the submission category for critiques for pricing. Critiques are available year-round.
Rights: We ask for first North American serial rights and will post accepted work online as part of a complete issue. We intend to leave accepted works online indefinitely; otherwise all rights revert to the author upon publication.
Please do not resubmit revised work unless we have requested it specifically.
Simultaneous submissions Please inform us if a work is accepted elsewhere. You can use Submittable’s Withdraw feature to withdraw a submission fully. For flash prose or poetry use Submittable's Message feature to withdraw one of the selections and leave any others for our consideration.
What we’re looking for in Fiction
- We like stories that offer imaginative premises, unusual or marginalized characters, and high stakes.
- Show us characters driven by lifetimes of experience and complex motivations.
- Experimental writing is also welcome.
- We are not reading children’s or YA literature.
- Word limit for fiction is 1,101 to 6,000 words.
For a full critique of your story, see our Critique category.
What we're looking for in Nonfiction
- Be brave. Send us the stuff you never thought would get published anywhere. Send us the thing you have to take a deep breath over before submitting or running by your critique group.
- We are always interested in hearing different viewpoints from different sectors of society, and work in different forms, too: we'll read lyrical essays; experimental essays; and narrative nonfiction.
- Be professional. Polish your work; make sure it’s clean. Your word limit is 6,000 words. (It’s okay to swear in your work, though. That’s not the kind of “clean” we mean.) We won’t accept anything remotely misogynistic or bigoted.
- Be concise. Ranting, raving, or emotive logorrhea are never good ways to get important ideas across, so leave those on the cutting-room floor. We believe in brevity, so if you have flash nonfiction, we are happy to read that, too.
- We're not looking for: Book reviews, academic work, cultural criticism, or writing about writing.
Select the "Feedback" option for specific commentary from an editor. For an in-depth reading and analysis of your piece, consider our Critique service.
- Tahoma Literary Review welcomes poetry submissions from diverse perspectives, particularly those underrepresented in the literary world. We adhere to no particular aesthetic; simply send your best work.
- Alongside free verse, works that are formal, prose, or long form poems are also welcome.
- Send up to 6 poems per submission, in one file; no more than one poem longer than 7 pages. If a poem is ten pages or longer, please submit as a single poem.
In flash, we are looking for pieces that combine the lyricism of poetry with the impact of short prose to surprise, challenge, and move the reader.
You may submit 1 or 2 pieces of flash prose in one file, with a total word limit of 1,100.
Please submit prose poems as Poetry.
For an in-depth reading and written analysis of your flash piece, consider our Critique category.
The Full Critique, but without submitting
Sign up for a full critique of your work from a qualified reader. We vet our readers carefully, and have chosen those who are gifted at and enthusiastic about the critique process.
With a full critique you will receive an editorial letter that details your story or essay's strengths and potential next steps. This category is for a detailed analysis of your work. If you would like to submit your work for publication, please use the Fiction or Flash categories above.
If your story is:
- 1-1,499 words (i.e., flash fiction), the price for a full critique is $50
- 1,500 to 4,999 words, the price for a full critique is $60.
- 5,000 to 6,000 words, the price for a full critique is $72.
- 6,000+ words: We can consider longer pieces depending on workload. Please contact us for specific pricing and authorization before selecting.
Response time will be between four and eight weeks, depending on workload.
Here’s what submitters who chose the full critique had to say:
- “Your comments inspired me to roll my sleeves back up and get to work. I didn’t realize this until now, but on some level I’ve been worrying about the very thing you pointed out.”
- “Thank you for this incredibly helpful review of my work. You have helped me see how to pare down the content and pursue the central theme.”
- “Thank you so much for your comprehensive and thoughtful critique of my story. You've given me much to think about. I appreciate your directness and candor and am eager to take on the challenges you've laid out.”
To receive a full critique, please select the appropriate category from the dropdown menu.