The Southern Review

A project of Louisiana State University Press

About

The Southern Review is one of the nation’s premier literary journals. Hailed by Time as "superior to any other journal in the English language," we have made literary history since our founding in 1935. The Southern Review strives to discover and promote a diverse array of engaging, relevant, and challenging literature—including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translation from literary luminaries as well as the best established and emerging writers. The journal also features a broad range of visual artists from across the South and around the globe.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions. (Note: About 8% of magazines always charge fees.)
The fee is USD $3 (average for magazines that charge).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 1935

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: Published 4 x per year

AI Policy

AI use may be permitted in some circumstances (see their site for details)

1,916 members set this magazine as a Favorite.

Statistics Synopsis

Slower: The Southern Review's overall average response time is slower than most magazines.
More Challenging: The Southern Review's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines.
Responsive: The Southern Review's overall rate of non-response is within a normal range for magazines.

Learn more about our statistics

Collapse section Fiction Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 01 January 2027* (approx. 119 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Short Story: 1,000 - 7,500 words.
Novelette: 7,500 - 10,000 words.
Novel Excerpt: Up to 10,000 words.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Provides free copy/copies Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Provides free copy/copies. Details: USD $75 for first printed page, with $25 for each subsequent page, up to a max. of $300.

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Nonfiction Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 01 January 2027* (approx. 119 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 10,000 words.

Styles:

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

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Submissions:

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

Collapse section Poetry Open Fee-based

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 01 January 2027* (approx. 119 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: Experimental, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Provides free copy/copies Professional payment. Provides free copy/copies. Details: USD $75 for first printed page, with $25 for each subsequent page, up to a max. of $300.

Submissions:

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

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 The Southern Review

Go to publication's website

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
X (Twitter) @southern_review
Facebook Facebook

Support this Publisher:
Buy Book(s)
Make a Donation
Shop their Store

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

The Southern 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 Slowest Nonfiction Publishers in our database.

Filter:

Group by submission

Include outliers

Accuracy

We have received 305 reports from 277 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 | 175.0 mean avg | 193.0 median | 519 max days (151.3 std dev)

Responses

83.28 %

Acceptances:

2.30 % of submissions accepted (147.4 avg. days per acceptance) | 2.53 % of submitters accepted

Rejections:

80.98 % (182.4 avg. days per rejection) | 20.2 % personal, 57.9 % form, 21.9 % unspecified

Non-Responses

2.30 %

Lost/Returned:

0.66 % (266.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as lost or returned)

Never Responded:

1.64 % (329.3 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded)

Withdrawals

14.43 % (108.3 avg. days per withdrawal)

Pending

131 responses are pending (0 min | 130.1 mean avg | 3.0 median | 367 max days waiting | 364.6 std dev) from 129 different members

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 180 days. (51.2 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 180 days.)
The most common submission fee paid: USD $3.00.
Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day.
Most recent response reported was received on 03 Sep 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 04 May 2026.
Date compiled: 04 Sep 2026 19:27 UTC (1 hour, 22 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!

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.