NINTH LETTER PRINT EDITION SUBMISSIONS
Ninth Letter is currently open for submissions to our print edition until Feb 28, 2024! Ninth Letter is published semi-annually in print at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. We are interested in prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work. To make life easier for everyone, including yourself, please adhere to the following guidelines when submitting your work.
We do not accept previously published work, including self-published work on websites, blogs, etc. Simultaneous submissions are okay as long as they are identified as such in a cover letter. Please send a message withdrawing your poem(s) immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. Please only send only one submission per genre at a time. We ask that previous contributors wait three years from your publication date before submitting again.
We accept electronic submissions via Submittable. We do not accept submissions by email attachment--email submissions will not be read.
Please note our fee schedule as follows:
August, September, and October: $3.00 per submission
December: no submission fee required (300 submission cap per genre)
January and February: $3.00 per submission
GENERAL PRINT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
For poetry, please submit 3-5 poems (max. 8 pages) at a time.
For fiction and creative nonfiction, submit one story or essay up to 8,000 words at a time. For flash, you may submit up to 3 pieces with a total word count totaling no more than 4,000 words.
USPS SUBMISSIONS
Ninth Letter also accepts mailed submission at no charge. USPS submissions should be addressed to the appropriate editor.
Fiction Editor, Poetry Editor, or Nonfiction Editor
Ninth Letter
University of Illinois Department of English
608 South Wright St.
Urbana, IL 61801
Please include your name and contact information on the first page of your manuscript; cover letters are optional. All mailed submissions must include an SASE for reply; we recommend a stamped business-sized envelope. If you wish to have your manuscript returned, you must include adequate postage and a properly sized envelope, and indicate such in your cover letter. We will recycle all unreturned manuscripts.
You should hear from us regarding your submission within 16 weeks; if you haven't heard from us in that time you are welcome to query about the status of your manuscript at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We can only review two submissions per author per reading period; if you have submitted twice before the end of the reading period, please do not submit again unless solicited to do so by an editor.
