Hellbender Magazine

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About

Formerly known as Cheat River Review, Hellbender Magazine is a literary journal run by a hardworking team of volunteer graduate students in the MFA, MA, and MA-PWE programs in the English Department at West Virginia University.
We publish digital issues featuring works of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual art. We especially encourage submissions from folks who are not afraid to share their unique perspectives and stories of resilience with the world.

Important Notice: On our latest check, they were not open to submissions, although their website states they should be.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 2013

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Published 2 x per year

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

117 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Collapse section Fiction Open

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 11 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words; Up to 3 pieces.
Short Story: 1,000 - 1,500 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 11 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 1,500 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 1,500 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Poetry Open

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 11 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 5 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Visual Art Open

Dates:

Open to visual art submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 11 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork: Up to 3 pieces.

Art Media:

Digital art.
Drawing.
Photography.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

Recent cover image or website screenshot for Hellbender Magazine

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Social:
Bluesky @hellbendermag.bsky.social
Instagram @hellbendermag
X (Twitter) @hellbendermag

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

Hellbender Magazine 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.

Filter:

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Accuracy

We have received 1 report within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Pending

9 responses are pending (24 min | 40.6 mean avg | 43.0 median | 51 max days waiting | 986.6 std dev) from 9 different members

Other Information

Date compiled: 04 Sep 2026 11:45 UTC (4 hours, 14 minutes ago).

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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.