Mission statement
Our journal is dedicated to the innumerable, enigmatic rivers twisting throughout the Midwest. Ours is a resilient land often overlooked despite being glittered with hidden gems, haunted pasts, emerald landscapes, and warm, glowing hearths that burn with tradition inside our homes.
The Midwest is a trove of inspiration from home-cooked meals and prolonged goodbyes to snowed-in weeks on end and road trips through the north woods.
We showcase cutting edge fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and alternative genres by both emerging and established writers/artists who embrace the Midwest within their motif or hail from it in some way, seeking to illuminate those fellow souls who have endured many a harsh winter and learned to cherish the sun for the short time it shines upon these great Midwestern states.
Think of what makes you a Midwesterner or what embodies a Midwest creation and we will celebrate it. Creativity ripples its way through us all, Twisted River is dedicated to the flow.
How to submit
Email the following:
- 3 to 5 poems -or-
- one fiction short story -or-
- one nonfiction piece -or-
- one alternative genre piece
in a single document attachment to twistedrivereditors@gmail.com
Authors/artists should limit submissions to 3-5 poems, one fiction story, one nonfiction essay, or one alternative genre piece. Please make only one submission in a single category per reading period.
There are no submission fees.
Poetry details: Please include all poems in one document. All poetry forms are accepted and encouraged.
Fiction details: Maximum word length for fiction/nonfiction submissions is 8,000 words. Please do not submit chapters of a longer piece. Fiction includes both literary fiction and genre work.
Nonfiction is not limited to creative nonfiction, but also includes nature/travel writing, food writing, and . Maximum word length is 8,000 words. Please do not submit chapters of a longer piece.
Alternative genres include (but are not limited to) graphic stories, found poetry, electronic literature, cross-genre work, experimental forms, mixed media, artwork. If the editors feel as though an alternative piece may belong in another category, they will reach out to discuss – don’t stress out too much, it will all get sorted.
Response time is approximately 4-8 months. Please do not inquire about status unless 8 months have elapsed.
Use .doc or .docx format (include jpeg’s of artwork within the .doc or .docx)
Use the subject line: “Last Name_First Name Twisted River (type of) submission” (Example: Jones_Devon Twisted River Poetry Submission)
Include a short cover letter and third-person bio in the body of the email.
Do not include AI generated work, in part or in full.
Only submit once per reading period.
Do not send revisions to submissions. Minor grammatical errors will not impact consideration.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Please inform us if submitted work is accepted elsewhere. We do not consider submissions of previously published work in any form (including prior internet publication). Upon acceptance, you must withdraw your work from other consideration.
Any submissions that do not follow these guidelines will be discarded.
Rights
Twisted River Review acquires only first serial publication rights of accepted work. Copyright is asserted on behalf of the author, and all reprint rights revert to the author upon publication.
Publishing with Twisted River Review
Twisted River Review is interested in all types of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and alternative genre pieces by writers/artists either from the Midwest or who are creating work that depicts the Midwest in some way. Twisted River Review does not discriminate based on race, gender, or any views on life whether alternative or traditional. High quality creativity is the only criterion used in choosing works to publish in Twisted River Review.
We are proud members of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses. Publication in Twisted River Review includes consideration for nomination to various literary prizes. There is no compensation for published work.