Chestnut Review See other projects related to this listing. About Why Chestnut Review? We’re not necessarily chained to metaphor, but this seems to us a good one. The chestnut blight that wiped out 4 billion (billion!) trees in North America in the early years of the last century doesn’t kill the stumps. So when those trees were cut down, in many places the stumps still send up young shoots over and over, and when they get old enough, the blight hits them and they die. And yet it sends up another. And another. A better metaphor for stubbornness we haven’t seen. Starting a literary magazine is never a wise idea, really. But we’re a little bit stubborn. A little bit picky in what we want. And if we don’t see it, then we want to create it (another great American value!) To extend the metaphor a little further, let’s fold you in. Artists who persist despite rejection, the intrusions of real life, the bills that must be paid, the jobs that must be done before any art can be created. That’s the best kind of stubbornness. A stubborn belief in your own worth, in the art of your hands, eyes, and mind. We seek storytellers—not just for fiction, but in all the genres we publish. We love clarity in art, but that doesn’t necessarily mean simplicity. Tell us a story. It could be a story in a poem, an essay, an image, but it is still a story. You tell it because it needs to be told. If you can make us feel the same way, we’ll work together to bring that story to the world. Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for some submissions. They charge fees for some categories, "tip jar" submissions, and feedback, except for Black and Indigenous authors. The fee range is USD $5 to $99 (above average for magazines that charge). Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s). Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2019 Publication Media & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 4 x per yearPrint Publication Print PublicationPublished 1 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis FasterChestnut Review's overall average response time is faster than most magazines. More ChallengingChestnut Review's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines. More ResponsiveChestnut Review's overall rate of non-response is lower than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open Fee-based Rolling Submissions:Next cutoff date is 30 September 2026* (approx. 28 days from now).4Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words. Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Seasons/Holidays: Seasons. Other: May vary.Payment:Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $120 per piece.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Fee-based Rolling Submissions:Next cutoff date is 30 September 2026* (approx. 28 days from now).3Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Essay: Up to 5,000 words. Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 5,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Literature/Books. Seasons/Holidays: Seasons. Society/Culture. Visual Arts. Other: May vary.Payment:Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: USD $120 per piece.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Rolling Submissions:Next cutoff date is 30 September 2026* (approx. 28 days from now).14Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 6 pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Seasons/Holidays: Seasons. Other: May vary.Payment:Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment. Details: USD $120 per piece.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Visual Art Open Rolling Submissions:Next cutoff date is 30 September 2026* (approx. 28 days from now).Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Artwork: Up to 20 pieces. Graphic Narrative: No page limits known.Art Media: Open to all/most Art Media, including... Cartoon/Comic strip.Art Styles:Open to all/most Art Styles.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Literature/Books. Seasons/Holidays: Seasons. Society/Culture. Visual Arts. Other: May vary.Payment:Professional payment (US$50 or more per piece) Professional payment. Details: USD $120 per piece.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. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Bluesky @chestnutreview.bsky.socialFacebook FacebookInstagram @chestnutreview Support this Publisher: Donate on PayPal Support on Patreon For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Chestnut 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. This project ranks among the 25 Most Challenging Fiction Publishers in our database. This project ranks among the 25 Most Challenging Nonfiction Publishers in our database. This project ranks among the 25 Most Challenging Poetry Publishers in our database. Filter: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Visual Art Group by submission Include outliers Include related projects Accuracy We have received 668 reports from 462 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 0 min | 18.8 mean avg | 19.0 median | 111 max days (45.2 std dev) Responses 96.56 % Acceptances: 0.75 % of submissions accepted (49.4 avg. days per acceptance) | 1.08 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here. Rejections: 95.81 % (18.8 avg. days per rejection) | 8.4 % personal, 71.9 % form, 19.7 % unspecified | 0.3 % rewrite requests | 0.9 % shortlisted Non-Responses 0.30 % Lost/Returned: 0.15 % (10.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as lost or returned) Never Responded: 0.15 % (111.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded) Withdrawals 3.14 % (8.9 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 57 responses are pending (1 min | 30.7 mean avg | 17.0 median | 199 max days waiting | 527.2 std dev) from 53 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The editors will try to make a decision within 30 days. (4.3 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 30 days.) The most common submission fee paid: USD $5.00. (46.4 % of reports specified whether they paid a fee; of those, 78.5 % paid fees.) Most submissions are acknowledged within one day. Most recent response reported was received on 01 Sep 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 19 Aug 2026. Date compiled: 03 Sep 2026 02:25 UTC (2 hours, 59 minutes ago). View report of recent responses from this project Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Related ProjectsChestnut Review Chapbooks Charges fees for all submissionsChestnut Review Poetry Chapbook Contest CLOSED Charges fees for all submissionsChestnut Review Prose Chapbook Contest CLOSED Charges fees for all submissionsChestnut Review Stubborn Writers Contest CLOSED Charges fees for all submissions Before SubmittingWe 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. DatesLast Updated: 20 Jul 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. 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