The Louisville Review publishes two issues each year.
The general submission window for our forthcoming issue, The Louisville Review, Number 97, is now open for short fiction through June 9, 2025. Submissions for Fiction and Poetry are each capped at 200. We have reached our cap for Poetry, and general Poetry submissions for TLR 97 are now closed.
The submission window for Cornerstone, our section for young writers in grades K-12, will be open June 1 - 26, 2025.
Please Note: We enthusiastically welcome submissions from previous TLR contributors! However, if you have had work accepted in the general call for either Poetry or Fiction in the last two years (TLR 93 -TLR 96) please wait 4 issues (from publication) before submitting again in that genre.
The Louisville Review accepts unsolicited submissions of fiction and poetry. We accept only unpublished work. Reply time is 6-8 weeks. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however any work accepted elsewhere must be withdrawn immediately. All submissions are considered based on quality of writing above all else.
If your work is chosen for publication, we provide one complimentary print copy of The Louisville Review to our U.S. based contributors with a discount on additional copies sent to the contributor's address. International contributors will receive an electronic copy of the issue.
Fiction
Prose submissions should be double-spaced and page numbered. While we do not have a set word limit, please know that our editors are less likely to choose longer pieces simply because it leaves less room in the journal for other work.
Poetry
Submit up to five poems. Please be sure all poems are in a single document before uploading. Each page should include complete contact information for the author. Translations are welcome if permission has been granted by the original author.
Cornerstone
The Louisville Review accepts submissions of previously unpublished poetry from students in grades K-12. We seek writing that embodies fresh ways to recreate scenes and feelings. *Cornerstone submissions must be accompanied by parental permission to publish if accepted.*
Please Note: We enthusiastically welcome submissions from previous TLR Cornerstone contributors! However, if you have had work accepted in Cornerstone in the last year (TLR 95 - 96) please wait 2 issues before submitting again.
Have any questions you’d like to ask before submitting? Send us an email at associateeditor@louisvillereview.org.
The general submission window for Short Fiction for our upcoming issue, The Louisville Review Number 97, is now open from June 1 - 9, 2025. Submissions for Fiction and Poetry are each capped at 200.
Please Note: We enthusiastically welcome submissions from previous TLR contributors! However, if you have had work accepted in the general call for either Poetry or Fiction in the last two years (TLR 93 -TLR 96) please wait 4 issues (from publication) before submitting again in that genre.
Short Fiction: Please submit one piece of short fiction. Prose submissions should be double-spaced and page numbered. While we do not have a set word limit, please know that our editors are less likely to choose longer pieces simply because it leaves less room in the journal for other work.
Please include a short bio in the same document as your short fiction submission: A short, third person bio (3-6 sentences, not to exceed approximately 100 words).
Please upload .doc or .docx files only.
Please note: The Louisville Review routinely publishes the work of both highly published and emerging writers, and the bio has no bearing on the selection of the work. Bios are requested for the Contributor's Notes, should your work be selected for publication, and all submissions are considered based on the quality of the writing. Bios will be edited for length and house style, and all contributors will have the opportunity to review the bio before publication.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however any work accepted elsewhere must be withdrawn immediately.
If your work is selected for publication, we provide one complimentary print copy of The Louisville Review to our U.S. based contributors, with a discount on additional copies sent to the contributor's address. International contributors will receive an electronic copy of the issue.
We accept only unpublished work. Response time for this issue is 6-8 weeks.
There is currently no fee for submissions to our Fiction, Poetry, and Cornerstone sections.
The general submission window for Cornerstone for our upcoming issue, The Louisville Review Number 97, is open from June 1 - 26, 2025.
Please Note: We enthusiastically welcome submissions from previous TLR Cornerstone contributors! However, if you have had work accepted in Cornerstone in the last year (TLR 95 - 96) please wait 2 issues before submitting again.
Cornerstone: The Louisville Review accepts submissions of previously unpublished poetry from students in grades K-12. We seek writing that embodies fresh ways to recreate scenes and feelings.
Please upload your submission as of up to five poems with title(s) in one document that includes a short third person bio (3-6 sentences). Please submit only .doc or .docx files.
IMPORTANT: Your bio must include your current grade (K-12). The Louisville Review's Cornerstone section is EXCLUSIVELY for young writers in grades K-12, and poems submitted without a bio that verifies that the submitter meets this qualification will not be considered.
Please note: The Louisville Review routinely publishes the work of both highly published and emerging writers, and the bio has no bearing on the selection of the work. Bios are requested for the Contributor's Notes, should your work be selected for publication, and all submissions are considered based on the quality of the writing. Bios will be edited for length and house style, and all contributors will have the opportunity to review the bio before publication.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however any work accepted elsewhere must be withdrawn immediately.
If your work is selected for publication, we provide one complimentary print copy of The Louisville Review to our U.S. based contributors, with a discount on additional copies sent to the contributor's address. International contributors will receive an electronic copy of the issue.
We accept only unpublished work. Response time for this issue is 6-8 weeks.
Cornerstone submissions must be accompanied by parental permission to publish if accepted.
There is currently no fee for submissions to our Fiction, Poetry, and Cornerstone sections.