Submission Guidelines
Submissions are currently OPEN for Issue 1 until January 31, 2025, set to be released in March 2025!
Cereal City Review is dedicated to publishing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry that embody a strong sense of place. We are open to most genres, with the exception of horror and erotica. We seek work where the place is integral to the narrative, allowing it to shape the writing in meaningful ways.
What We Accept
Fiction and creative nonfiction: Submit up to 2 stories, each no longer than 3,000 words.
Poetry: Submit up to 5 poems, all in one document with each poem starting on a new page. Submissions should not exceed 10 pages.
Additional Notes
Previously published work: We're okay with it as long as you have the rights, but please confirm that you maintain the rights and indicate where the piece originally appeared.
Submission format: All submissions should be in a readable font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12 pt), with double-spacing for prose and single-spacing for poetry. Include your name and contact information on the first page of your submission.
Cover letter: Please include a brief cover letter with your submission. Introduce yourself and provide a short bio, along with any relevant publication credits, personal websites, social media handles, etc.
AI: No AI-produced work.
Rights
By submitting to Cereal City Review, you agree to grant us the following rights:
First North American Serial Rights (FNASR): This gives us the right to publish your work for the first time in North America. Once your work is published, all rights revert to you. If the work is republished elsewhere, we kindly ask for acknowledgment as the first publisher.
Archival Rights: We request the non-exclusive right to archive your work on our website indefinitely. This allows readers continued access to your work after the initial publication.
Anthology/Print Rights: We also request the non-exclusive right to include your work in any future Cereal City Review anthologies or collections, whether digital or print. Should we choose to include your work, we will notify you in advance.
If you are submitting previously published work, please provide details about where it was first published, as we will be seeking reprint rights in this case.
We encourage simultaneous submissions, but we kindly request notification if your work is accepted elsewhere.
How to Submit
Email submissions: Send your work as an attachment (Word is preferable) to cerealcityreviewlit@gmail.com. The subject line should read: "Submission - Your Genre - Your Name".
Response time: We aim to respond to submissions within one month. If you haven’t heard from us by then, feel free to follow up.
Final Thoughts
We look forward to reading your work and exploring the unique places you bring to life through your writing.