Call For Submissions
Ninth Letter is published semi-annually in print at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. We are interested in prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work. There is no theme for general print submissions.
We do not accept previously published work, including self-published work on websites, blogs, etc. Simultaneous submissions are welcome! Please send a message withdrawing your poem(s) or flash piece(s) immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. Please only send only one submission per genre at a time.
We accept electronic submissions via Submittable. We do not accept submissions by email attachment. Email submissions will not be read.
To see what we publish, you can purchase our current issue or a subscription via Submittable or through our website. All issues (including back issues) can be purchased here.
General Print Submission Guidelines
Genre Guidelines:
For poetry, please submit up to 8 pages. Each new poem should begin on a new page.
For fiction and creative nonfiction, submit one story or essay up to 8,000 words at a time. For flash, you may submit up to 3 pieces with a total word count totaling no more than 4,000 words.
If you classify your work as “hybrid,” please submit to the genre category you feel your submission most closely applies. You are welcome to leave a note in the cover letter field with any details you think our reading team would find helpful. We will make sure your submission gets to the right team and receives the attention and consideration it deserves.
Submission Fee: We charge a $3 reading fee. Fees are waived from December 1-31 or until we hit our cap per genre.
Fee Waivers: A limited number of fee waivers are available for writers for whom the submission fee would present undue financial hardship. Please send a short email to [email protected] to request a fee waiver. No proof of income or other sensitive information is required.
Publication Terms & Payment: Ninth Letter pays $25 per poem and $100 for prose upon publication and two complimentary copies of the issue in which the work appears. Contributors also receive an exclusive subscription discount offer at the time of acceptance. Ninth Letter acquires First North American Serial Rights (FNASR). We ask that you acknowledge Ninth Letter upon reprint of your work.
Response Time: We strive to respond to your submission within six months. Please wait until that time has elapsed before querying about the status of your submission.
Submission Period
September 1, 2025 - February 28, 2026
Submissions Guidelines URL
Contact Name
Liz Harms
Contact Title
Editor
Contact Email Address
Contact Website
Poetry Fiction Nonfiction Print & Online Magazine
