Bicoastal Review Nonfiction Writing Contest

A project of Bicoastal Review (see other related projects).

About

Submit nonfiction – critical, creative, experimental, or cross-genre – that fits our journal (we often favor writing about literature, art, culture, politics, ecology, love, the body, feminism, and/or queer identity). We welcome braided essays, reviews, art writing, cultural critique, lyric essays, and more. We are NOT looking for short stories, overly academic writing, rants, comedy, purely family-oriented memoirs, anything using AI, or anything too self-absorbed.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions.
The fee is USD $3 (below average for contests).

Want more insight into the affiliated editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s) of Bicoastal Review.

Country of Publication

United States

Publication Media & Contest Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Awarded 1 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication: Awarded 1 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

3 members set this contest as a Favorite.

Nonfiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 3,000 words.
Essay: 1,000 - 3,000 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: 1,000 - 3,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Literature/Books.
Nature/Environment: Environmental issues.
Performing Arts.
Politics/Political Science.
Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues, See guidelines.
Society/Culture: Social issues.
Visual Arts.

Winner's Prize:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $250 winning prize.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for Bicoastal Review

Go to contest webpage

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Bluesky @bicoastalreview.bsky.social
Instagram @bicoastalreview

Support this Publisher:
Support on Ko-fi

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

Bicoastal Review Nonfiction Writing Contest Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

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Accuracy:

We have not received any complete reports within the past 12 months.

Pending

1 response is pending (177 days waiting).

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 31 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.