Ponder Review

About

PONDER REVIEW is a student-run publication of the MFA program at Mississippi University for Women, staffed by graduate students. PR publishes fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short plays, new media, and visual art. MISSION: We seek stories that challenge, stories that shift our view, ignite our imaginations, spark conversations, and linger with us long after our eyes leave the page. We invite you to explore, expound, and inspire through one act plays, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and new media.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions, and they do not offer monetary payment for accepted submissions. (Note: About 8% of magazines always charge fees.)
The fee is USD $2 (below average for magazines that charge).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 2016

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Published 2 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication: Published 2 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

65 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Slower: Ponder Review's overall average response time is slower than most magazines.
More Approachable: Ponder Review's overall acceptance rate is higher than most magazines.
More Responsive: Ponder Review's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines.

Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 6 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 750 words; Up to 3 pieces.
Short Story: 1,500 - 3,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

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: Audio. Text. Video.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 6 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: 1,500 - 3,000 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: 1,500 - 3,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

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: Audio. Text. Video.

Collapse section Poetry Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 6 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:

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: Audio. Text. Video.

Collapse section Visual Art Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to visual art submissions through 15 September 2026* (approx. 6 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork: Up to 5 pieces.
Graphic Narrative: Up to 8 pages.
Photo Essay: Up to 5 photos.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media, including...
Cartoon/Comic strip.
Mixed media.
Collage.
Painting.
Photography.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

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 Ponder Review

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Purchase Issue(s)

For the Editor(s):
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Ponder Review 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:

Group by submission

Include outliers

Accuracy

We have received 45 reports from 37 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Days Reported

20 min | 112.0 mean avg | 112.0 median | 223 max days (129.6 std dev)

Responses

84.44 %

Acceptances:

11.11 % of submissions accepted (65.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 13.51 % of submitters accepted

Rejections:

73.33 % (125.9 avg. days per rejection) | 21.2 % personal, 42.4 % form, 36.4 % unspecified

Non-Responses

0.00 %

Lost/Returned:

Never Responded:

Withdrawals

15.56 % (79.4 avg. days per withdrawal)

Pending

13 responses are pending (0 min | 78.0 mean avg | 81.0 median | 181 max days waiting | 208.6 std dev) from 13 different members

Other Information

The most common submission fee paid: USD $2.00.
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 13 May 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 14 Mar 2026.
Date compiled: 09 Sep 2026 12:06 UTC (50 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: 13 Aug 2026

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