Virginia Quarterly Review (VQR) About Founded in 1925 at the University of Virginia, the Virginia Quarterly Review has spent nearly a century at the forefront of the American intellectual scene—first as one of the most esteemed literary journals in the country, and more recently as one of the boldest literary magazines in publishing. Fueled by editorial curiosity, and striving for deep engagement with topics both timely and timeless, VQR has become an indispensable home for thought-provoking literature, poetry, journalism, photography, and graphic arts from every section of the US and abroad.Each issue has contained work both moving and memorable; each has sought to provide the best that contemporary literature can offer. VQR’s distinguished history has included Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Conrad Aiken, Isabel Allende, Margaret Atwood, Ann Beattie, John Berryman, Julian Bond, Robert Olen Butler, Michael Chabon, Victoria Chang, Billy Collins, Lydia Davis, James Dickey, E. L. Doctorow, Mark Doty, Rita Dove, Deborah Eisenberg, T. S. Eliot, William Faulkner, Robert Frost, Gabriel García Márquez, Nadine Gordimer, Marilyn Hacker, Aldous Huxley, Mitchell Jackson, Leslie Jamison, Randall Jarrell, Josephine W. Johnson, Ward Just, Barbara Kingsolver, Galway Kinnell, Cormac McCarthy, Margaret Mead, Marianne Moore, Toni Morrison, Alice Munro, Pablo Neruda, Joyce Carol Oates, Mary Oliver, Carl Phillips, Katherine Anne Porter, Annie Proulx, Adrienne Rich, Diego Rivera, Eleanor Roosevelt, Salman Rushdie, Bertrand Russell, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jeff Sharlet, Charles Simic, Art Spiegelman, Arthur Sze, Henry Taylor, Peter Taylor, Natasha Trethewey, Binyavanga Wainaina, Margaret Walker, Chris Ware, Robert Penn Warren, Eudora Welty, C. Vann Woodward, Charles Wright, Franz Wright, Kevin Young, and many more.It is a magazine distinguished not only by the caliber of the best veteran practitioners, but by the role it has played in launching the careers of many writers and artists of note. VQR hews to one simple standard in its selection of contributors: excellence. 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). Submission Caps: They may close to submissions early if they reach their quota. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 1925 Publication Media & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationUnknown publication frequencyPrint Publication Print PublicationPublished 4 x per year AI Policy Unknown AI policy Statistics Synopsis Slower Virginia Quarterly Review's overall average response time is slower than most magazines. More ChallengingVirginia Quarterly Review's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines. Less ResponsiveVirginia Quarterly Review's overall rate of non-response is higher than most magazines. Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Open to all/most Genres, including: GeneralLengths: Short Story: 2,500 - 7,500 words. Novelette: 7,500 - 8,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: 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) Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Details: They generally pay USD $1,000 and above.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed We publish essays, memoir, and other types of literary journalism, as well as investigative reporting.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Article: 3,000 - 7,000 words. Essay: 3,000 - 7,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Critical, Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... History. Literature/Books: Theory/Analysis/Criticism. Music: Theory/Analysis/Criticism. Performing Arts: Theory/Analysis/Criticism. Politics/Political Science. Society/Culture. Travel. Visual Arts: Theory/Analysis/Criticism.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: They generally pay USD $1,000 and above.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Open to all/most Genres, including: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Unknown number of pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment. Details: USD $200 per poem with a $1,000 maximum.Submissions:Method: Submittable 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. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Bluesky @vqr.bsky.socialFacebook FacebookInstagram @vqreview Support this Publisher: Make a Donation Shop their Store For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Virginia Quarterly 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: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Group by submission Include outliers Accuracy We have received 47 reports from 45 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 37 min | 184.3 mean avg | 145.5 median | 428 max days (490.2 std dev) Responses 53.19 % Acceptances: 2.13 % of submissions accepted (116.0 avg. days per acceptance) | 2.22 % 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: 51.06 % (121.4 avg. days per rejection) | 0.0 % personal, 87.5 % form, 12.5 % unspecified Non-Responses 10.64 % Lost/Returned: - Never Responded: 10.64 % (384.5 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded) Withdrawals 36.17 % (219.3 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 50 responses are pending (397 min | 407.5 mean avg | 408.0 median | 410 max days waiting | 869.0 std dev) from 50 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 180 days. (31.9 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 180 days.) The editors request that you don't query on the status of your submission. Submissions are acknowledged within 4 days on average. Most recent response reported was received on 17 Jan 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 20 Aug 2025. Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 07:28 UTC (2 hours, 18 minutes ago). 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 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: 10 Sep 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. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only