Submission Guidelines
As a review-style journal of literature and the critical humanities, the minnesota review features critical commentary aimed at scholars of literature and culture, alongside contemporary poetry and short fiction. We welcome inquiries at [email protected].
To Submit Critical Writing
On the critical side, we specialize in interviews, articles, and review essays that contextualize, historicize, and assess the intellectual, institutional, and political issues of concern to the critical humanities. We encourage e-mail inquiries prior to submission. Send critical writing as an e-mail attachment (in Word or PDF) to [email protected].
General guidelines for critical writing. Critical articles should target general academic readers and conform to standards of scholarly writing in fields such as literary criticism, cultural studies, and the critical social sciences. Discussions of larger trends and theoretical frameworks are preferable to specialized microanalyses. Contributions may take various forms, including critical commentary that asks readers to revaluate a person, movement, or text or that challenges received opinion; review essays that cover multiple works (not limited to books) or that situate one work in a broader context; or interviews with key scholars or figures in the field. Potential contributors are invited to consult previous issues to get a sense of the kind of criticism we publish.
Special focus topics. Many issues include a special focus section on a topic of interest to critically minded humanities scholars. Send inquiries to [email protected]. Detailed calls for papers are available on request.
To Submit Creative Writing
Creative writing should be submitted using our online submission system. Upon your first visit, you will be asked to register and create a profile. You will then be able to upload your work (as Word or PDF files). If you have problems uploading or registering, e-mail us at [email protected]. We do not accept paper submissions unless there are unusual circumstances. Please e-mail us at [email protected] or write us at the following address to request an exemption from the online submission requirement:
Janell Watson, Editor
minnesota review
Virginia Tech
331 Major Williams Hall (0192)
Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
General guidelines for creative writers. We publish all types of poetry and short fiction (up to 4,000 words). Creative nonfiction (up to 10,000 words) is accepted for select issues. We consider only unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately if a piece is accepted elsewhere. Multiple poems should be grouped into one Word or PDF file. Responses will be provided via e-mail. Payment will be in the form of two free copies of the issue in which your work appears, which we will send to you upon publication. Please wait at least three months after your last submission to submit again. If a work is still under review, you may withdraw it and submit new work, up to the limits already mentioned.
Our literary editors work during academic semesters and have established the following dates during which they will be reading:
Poetry: August 15–October 15 and January 15–March 15
Short fiction: August 15–October 15 and January 15–March 15
