MAR does accept and read submissions year round; all genres are accepting submissions. We accept fiction, poetry, translations, and nonfiction (including personal essays, essays on writing, and short reviews)—There is NO reading fee for a regular submission, but our contests do require an entry fee. Contributing authors will receive two complimentary copies of MAR as payment. We encourage simultaneous submissions, but request immediate notification if the work is accepted elsewhere. We seek to acquire First North American Serial Rights; all rights revert to the author upon publication. MAR does not consider work which has previously appeared elsewhere in print or online, for regular consideration or for its contests. To submit via our submission manager, please click here.
Fiction Editor: Dan Marcantuono
Mid-American Review considers work that is character and/or language-oriented without sacrificing narrative. We are open to submissions from new and established authors, both traditional and experimental work, including short-shorts, but discourage genre fiction. Please send only one story per submission, or up to 5 shorts. MAR considers pieces up to 6,000 words in length; authors wishing to submit longer manuscripts or novel excerpts should query first with SASE. Humor is a plus, but basically, we are looking to read a story we haven’t read before, or a familiar story presented in an original way.
Poetry Editor: Abigail Cloud
Poems should emanate from textured, evocative images, use language with an awareness of how words sound and mean, and have a definite sense of voice. Each line should help carry the poem, and an individual vision must be evident. We encourage new as well as established writers. There is no length limit on individual poems, but please send no more than six poems.
Nonfiction Editor: Karen Craigo
Intensive examination and getting below the surface of the subject is of primary consideration in MAR‘s essays. Essays need to be more than anecdotes or stories and for this reason, we rarely publish strict memoir because the narrative rarely goes beyond the author’s own experience to engage the larger world. We also look for a command of language. We do not, traditionally, publish scholarly essays, but personal examinations of scholarly and critical topics are welcome. MAR considers pieces up to 6,000 words.
Reviews Editor: Joseph Elia
We also seek book reviews of ~400 words, following the MLA style sheet, of works of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction published within six months of our publication dates (April & November). Please query (click on editor’s name above) before sending a book review, to ensure we find it promptly in our system.
Translation Editor: George Looney
All submissions must include the original as well as the translated work. Chapbooks (approximately 10-15 poems) are designed to provide readers with an introduction to a single contemporary poet or a group of poets. An introductory essay of 300-500 words outlining the historical context of the poetry is encouraged. Translations of contemporary fiction and poetry are also welcome and should follow the guidelines listed under Fiction and Poetry. All rights to translate should be acquired before submitting, and translators should be prepared to provide proof of these rights.
