Finishing Line Press is accepting submissions for our online journal THE PADDOCK REVIEW.  

At this time we are upgrading our website.  We are still accepting submissions but we will not be publishing anything new for a bit.

Please submit 1 - 3 quality poems.
OR
1 essay
OR
1 short story
OR
1 book review. Book reviews should be for poetry book, or other literary works.



Previously published poems are okay--please let us know where so we can give first credit to the publisher.  If your poems are from your book (any publisher), please let us know and we will give a shout out for that too.  





Simultaneous submissions are okay.





Please include a short bio with your submission.  









Visit us at https://paddockreview.com/.

THE PADDOCK REVIEW — Poetry

Finishing Line Press is an award-winning small press publisher based in Georgetown, Kentucky, USA.

Finishing Line Press is a traditional independent small press publisher that was founded in 1998. It is based in Georgetown, Kentucky, USA. 

Originally started by CJ Morrison, the press is known for publishing poetry chapbooks and is especially recognized for launching new talent in the literary world. 

The press has expanded its focus from primarily publishing women’s voices to including all marginalized voices, promoting diversity in authors.

 Finishing Line Press publishes over 100 chapbooks annually and also releases one full-length collection each year. It is a woman-owned and minority-owned press and a proud member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses

Finishing Line Press

THE PADDOCK REVIEW — Nonfiction

THE PADDOCK REVIEW — Fiction

A Contest for Translation Studies Students

 Who can enter?

   The contest is open to all students in translation studies programs.

 What can they submit? 

   An entry is a prose piece of up to 1,000 words or up to three poems. Each piece must be accompanied by a professional cover letter. That letter must include the name of a sponsoring faculty member from the translation studies program.

 Is there an entry fee? 

   Yes. A student must pay $10 for each entry (prose piece or up to three poems).

 How do I enter? 

   Create your Submittable account and then complete the submission form below.

 What is the submissions period? 

   The window opens September 30, 2026, and closes January 10, 2027.

 Who will judge the entries? 

   The editors of World Literature Today magazine.

 Will the winners receive cash awards? 

   One student translator will win a $200 award for best prose translation; one student translator will win a $200 award for best poetry translation. 

 Will any submissions be published? 

   The two winning submissions will be published online in the summer of 2027.

 When will World Literature Today announce the winners? 

   May 2027

   Contest winners will be required to complete and submit appropriate taxpayer information, such as a W-9 or W8-ben for international payees.

World Literature Today Translation Prize - Nonfiction

One of the world’s longest-published literary magazines.
Your passport to great reading.

World Literature Today is the University of Oklahoma's award-winning magazine of international literature and culture, founded in 1927. 

The editors welcome submissions on contemporary literary and cultural topics addressing any geographic region or language area, as long as your work is not simultaneously under consideration by another publication.

 By “contemporary,” we mean that our main focus is on the 21st-century scene. The bulk of our coverage consists of essays, book reviews, fiction, poetry, and interviews.

World Literature Today

World Literature Today Translation Prize - Fiction

World Literature Today Translation Prize

Now open for entries in both categories
The Judge’s Prize – poems of 11 to 50 lines
The Editors’ Prize – poems of up to 10 lines
Deadline 31 January 2027 11:59 pm GMT
This year the Judge’s Prize for poems of 11 to 50 lines will be judged by Fiona Benson, winner of the 2026 Laurel  Prize for her most recent collection Midden Witch. Fiona lives in Devon with her husband and their two daughters. Midden Witch was preceded by the collections Bright Travellers (Seamus Heaney Prize for first collection, Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize), Vertigo & Ghost (Roehampton Poetry Prize and the Forward Prize for Best Collection), and Ephemeron (all collections with Jonathan Cape). She is currently working with Ukrainian poets and poetry and has recently contributed as editor and poetry translator to Artur Dron's We Were Here and Yaryna Chornohuz's Dasein (both with Jantar Press); she is currently working on Fedir Rudyi's debut collection The Position with co-translator Victor Shepelev. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
The Editors’ Prize is judged by a panel of Magma Editors and is for poems of up to 10 lines. The prize money for both competitions is the same, so double your chances and try your luck at both.
First prize for the Judge’s and Editors’ Prize is £1000, second prize £500 and third prize £250.
The three prize-winning poems from each category will be published in Magma Issue 98 in Summer 2027 and there will also be five special mentions for each of the Judge’s Prize and Editors’ Prize categories.  All winning and commended poems will be published online on the Magma website. Winning and commended poets will be invited to read their poems at a Magma Competition event in Spring 2027.
Last years' winners were published in Magma 95 Architecture Issue which is now sold out, although all winning and commended poems were also published in a free-to-download PDF which is available here.
All entries are judged anonymously so the submitted documents must not contain any names or identifying marks.
The entry fees are £8 for the first poem, £6 for the second and each subsequent poem. Magma magazine subscribers benefit from reduced fees: £4 for the first poem, £3 for the second and each subsequent poem.
You can subscribe to Magma Poetry from £22.00 here.
HOW TO ENTER VIA SUBMITTABLE
You may enter as many poems as you like in each category (The Judge’s Prize for poems of 11 to 50 lines, or The Editors’ Prize for poems of up to 10 lines), but you must submit to each category in separate documents. NB Only written poetry counts as lines. Spaces between lines or stanzas, poem titles, epigraphs or dedications do not count as lines.
Please upload the poems in one document for each category. Please name the documents Judge’s Prize or Editors’ Prize as applicable and submit all of the poems for that category in the relevant document.
NB DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME OR ANY IDENTIFYING MARKS on the submitted documents.
Pay for all entries by picking the appropriate payment amount for total poems submitted. Subscriber and non-subscriber entries will be cross-referenced against our subscriber list and incorrectly paid entries may be disqualified. You can subscribe to Magma from £22.00 here but you must do this before you enter.
The entry fees are £8 for the first poem, £6 for the second and each subsequent poem. Magma magazine subscribers benefit from reduced fees: £4 for the first poem, £3 for the second and each subsequent poem.
The competition closes at 11:59 pm GMT on 31 January 2027.
GENERAL
No alterations can be made after receipt, nor fees refunded.
All poems must not have been previously published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, broadcast, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time.
The Judge’s and Editors’ decisions are final and no correspondence can be entered into. No entrant may win more than one prize in each section.
Should the named judge be unable to proceed, we aim to substitute an alternative judge of equivalent standing as a poet.
Prizewinners will be notified individually in April 2027. The results will also be published on the Magma Poetry website after the prize-giving event.
Copyright of each entry remains with the author, but Magma Poetry has the right to first publication of the winning poems in print and/or online within six months of the competition deadline.
Entry implies acceptance of all the rules. Failure to comply with the rules will result in disqualification.

Magma Poetry Competition

Magma is unique in that each issue has a different theme and different editors. The editorship circulates among the group that runs the magazine, with frequent guest editors.

Magma Poetry is a London-based poetry magazine founded in 1994 by Helen Nicholson and Laurie Smith. It is renowned for its unique editorial approach, featuring a different editor for each issue, which brings a fresh perspective and diversity to its content. This rotating editorship allows for a wide range of voices and styles, fostering inclusivity and innovation in contemporary poetry. 

Each issue of Magma is centered around a specific theme, aiming to engage with the world through the best in contemporary poetry. 

The magazine showcases a blend of established poets and emerging voices, presenting work that values experimentation, ambition, and craft. In addition to poetry, Magma includes reviews of current publications and thought-provoking prose, offering a comprehensive exploration of the poetic landscape. 

Magma Poetry continues to be a vital platform for contemporary poetry, fostering a dynamic and inclusive literary community through its diverse editorial approach and commitment to high-quality, thought-provoking content.

Magma Poetry

We're looking for some fiction or cnf about shit jobs for our next print issue.
Anywhere from micros up to 4K. No fucking AI.
We'll consider reprints, but would rather look at your new stuff.
Generally we prefer grittier blue-collar types of stuff, but more satirical stuff about mind-numbing office jobs is cool, too. And of course, like weirdo jobs too. As long as it's a shit weirdo job like a fluffer or the person who has to clean up after the fluffer.
As always, there has to be some element of masculinity we're exploring, but that doesn't mean it has to be a male protagonist or anything and the masculinity stuff doesn't have to be in your face--no thesis statements or morals to the story please.
And as always, we're looking for stuff with goodass sentences and some "horns" to it. A beating heart but not sentimental. Deadpan, wry, dark humor--not ha-ha in-your-face look at how funny I am humor, especially nothing without anything underneath it.
And anyway, just read our shit--or at least look at the pull quotes we put on social media and on the main page to get a sense of what we like.
We're talking Bud Smith, Frank Reardon, Larry Brown, William Gay, Dorothy Allison, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Meagan Lucas, for starters.
DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2027
TENTATIVE PUBLICATION DATE: MARCH 17, 2027

BULL PRINT ISSUE SHIT JOBS - Nonfiction

Fiction and Nonfiction dedicated to rewriting modern masculinity (looking for all sorts of perspectives--not just cis-hetero-white male)

BULL lit mag, established in 2009 by Jarrett Haley, is a literary magazine dedicated to exploring the evolution of modern masculinity through diverse voices often overlooked in mainstream discourse. The publication has transitioned from early hand-stapled copies to a fully illustrated print format and an active online presence. BULL aims to provide a platform for individuals to share their stories, regardless of identity or background, fostering a space where readers can find resonance and understanding. The magazine typically releases one print issue annually and maintains a daily publishing schedule on its website. The editorial team is led by The Drevlow, who serves as the Senior Senior Editor of Editing All Stuff & Things. (mrbullbull.com)

BULL lit mag

BULL PRINT ISSUE SHIT JOBS - Fiction

We are interested in traditional and non-traditional reviews of new collections of Poetry published within the past year. Reviews must be 500+ words. Please note we are not currently able to be a paying market. All accepted reviews will be worked over once with an editor, and publicized widely on the Bear Review website and social media. We look forward to reading your words!

Book Reviews

An online poetry journal. We publish outstanding work from established and emerging writers. We read submissions all year.

Bear Review is an independent online literary journal dedicated to publishing poetry, micro-prose (under 500 words), and visual art. 

Established in 2014 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, the journal aims to provide a platform for diverse voices and innovative works. 

It publishes two issues annually, one in the spring and another in the fall, featuring a wide array of contemporary styles and themes. 

The journal is committed to maintaining a free and accessible platform for readers and writers alike. It operates as a volunteer-run, non-profit organization, relying on submissions and donations to cover operational costs

Bear Review

GSR is seeking cover art for Issue 18!
Submit up to three high quality jpg images of work that has been previously created. Editors attempt to match the tone and content of the publications with the cover art, and we are interested in exploratory, contemporary, perhaps abstract, but always thought-provoking work. Please visit our Past Issues for previous artists and their work.
The selected artist will receive a $50 honorarium, and their bio will be featured online alongside their work. GSR will also promote the artist.
Please note: We are not looking to commission work.
The deadline to submit is October 31. Issue 18 will go live November 15.

Featured Cover Art

Gordon Square Review is published online biannually to showcase emerging writers nationwide and internationally, award editing mentorships, and provide a venue to spotlight Northeast Ohio writers.

Gordon Square Review is published by Literary Cleveland, a nonprofit organization working to nurture a vibrant literary arts community in Northeast Ohio. 

Literary Cleveland was founded in the Gordon Square Arts District, which serves as the cultural heart of Cleveland’s Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. 

Gordon Square Review embraces its namesake’s ideals surrounding creativity, artistic exploration, and the value of supporting and celebrating emerging talent.

Gordon Square Review

Fall 2026 Digital Chapbook Contest
From October 8th to December 1st, we will be accepting chapbook collections of 15-20 pages (not including front or back matter) in all genres. Two winners will be selected by the BWR editors, and each winner will be awarded a $500 prize along with publication of their chapbook on the BWR website. Along with the two winners, two submissions will be specially noted as honorable mentions.
Essays, stories, poems, and any other form of hybrid writing that takes risks and experiments with form & content are welcome. BWR is named after the Black Warrior River, a name honoring Chief Tuskaloosa, a paramount chief of the Mississippi nations. Like the river, our journal is constantly changing & deeply resilient. We are the longest-running journal helmed by graduate students in the United States, running continuously since 1974. While we’re based in Alabama and pride ourselves on featuring local writers and artists alongside Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners, we have serious international reach and are often considered on the forefront of experimental, fabulist, and all-around “weird” literature and a home for marginalized voices. We believe in pushing boundaries, fostering innovation, and amplifying voices often unheard in traditional literary spaces.
Our Submission Guidelines
Upload your submission as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf.
In your submission, please include a title page, table of contents, and page numbers. While individual pieces in the manuscript may be published elsewhere, the manuscript must be unpublished as a whole. Submissions must include an acknowledgements page for any previously published work, if applicable. These pages do not count towards the 15-20 page limit for submissions.
Authors have the option to include cover art in their submissions, though this does not guarantee any submitted art will be used; otherwise, BWR will provide cover art for the winning chapbooks.
Winners and honorable mentions will be informed in early 2027, and we will announce the winners & honorable mentions publicly in February 2027. We accept, and encourage, simultaneous submissions and only ask that you withdraw your piece(s) upon acceptance elsewhere.
Individual pieces from chapbook submissions may be considered for BWR publication as general submissions for issue 54.1—at editor discretion—provided they are not published elsewhere.
No AI Submissions
We currently do not accept work from artificial intelligence (“AI”) generators or similar. By submitting your entry here, you are attesting that your work was not created, in whole or in part, with an AI generator or similar.

Digital Chapbook Contest - Poetry

Established in 1974 by graduate students in the MFA in Creative Writing, Black Warrior Review is named for the river that borders the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. BWR publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, and art twice a year, + an annual online issue.

Established in 1974 by graduate students in the MFA Program in Creative Writing, Black Warrior Review is named for the river that borders the campus of The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. 

The city, the river, and the magazine all derive their names from the 16th-century Indigenous leader Tuskaloosa (also spelled “Tushkalusa”), whose name comes from two words of Creek or Choctaw origin—tasca, meaning “warriors,” and lusa, meaning “black.” In 1540, Tuskaloosa battled the Spanish colonizer Hernando de Soto at Mabila, a fortified settlement perhaps in the vicinity of present-day Selma. 

Tuskaloosa was likely among the thousands who perished in the resistance effort, which is thought to have stopped the advance of de Soto’s campaign.

Black Warrior Review

Digital Chapbook Contest - Nonfiction

Digital Chapbook Contest - Fiction

October is here. Time for our favorite submissions call!
2020 is the year Zombies became boring. In the wake of COVID-19, we no longer wonder what would happen during an undead apocalypse. We can now envision legions of Americans lining up to be eaten while crying "Fake news" at the site of their own entrails. And that's far more horrifying.
The old horror tropes provide fun escapism every Halloween, but not here. This Halloween poems need more real, infectious bite.
The rise of fascism in our country and the rest of the world is being realized.
And they're not done yet.
What are we looking for? In two words: Real horror.
There have been many pandemic and Trump related works published here and elsewhere under the banner of hope. From October 27 to October 31, we want work that focuses on the constant horror in American and global life. We want work that names the atrocities and brings them into light. We're not ruling out satire or horror, and maybe the monster dies at the end, but we want to see your own radical takes.
Read our standard Submissions page for general rules. Submit any poetry, prose or visual art in the "Horrorthon 2026" section of our Submittable page. You have until the end of October 25. Good luck!          Please include a 2-4 sentence bio so we can ensure the quickest turnaround time.

Halloween Horrorthon

We are not your typical literary magazine. And if you found us, there is nothing typical about you either.

Started out as a street zine over 20 years ago. In 2010, I brought oddball magazine online. In 2012, I teamed up with Boston poet Chad Parenteau and he became my Associate Editor. 

Since then, we have been one of the most active online lit magazines in the poetry scene.
We have grown a diverse, killer community of poets, artists, and some of the best contributors I could ever ask for. We are an eclectic bunch. 

We have weekly poetry, art, comic strips, book reviews, music reviews, and an open place for originality. We provide a canvas. Our community paints it.

Oddball Magazine

We are looking for comic strips and animation for our site, here is your chance to make us laugh, make us cry, and make us think, comic strips and animation, and of course stand-up comedy. We are all adults here so as long as you aren't stripping as part of your show, make us laugh. All work must be original work, and will not be considered, (no Simpson's episodes, or Bernie Mack clips, as much as we love both, we know Life is Hell when we see it, unless your name is Matt Groening, don't submit it.) We'll see you in the funny pages.
Please see our general guidelines below.
We publish human interest stories, relevant pieces, or work that pertains to mental health and art in any way.
All submitted pieces must include a brief biography. Don’t worry about sending us all the places you’ve ever been published; we’re more interested in you than your resume!
We do not accept simultaneous submissions. We want exclusive work from you!
Including a photo of yourself (the author) is not required, but it’s great for us to have one on hand if we choose to publish your piece.
We do not accept content that is explicitly pornographic in nature. Please note that we do not consider nudity or generally sexual content to be pornographic!

Comics Spotlight

Because we publish fast, we also accept work on current events from the political to the eulogy to the holiday themed work.  Please note the topic of your submission in your application.
Please see our general guidelines below.
We publish human interest stories, relevant pieces, or work that pertains to mental health and art in any way.
We prefer written stories in a range of 500-750 max word count
All submitted pieces must include a brief biography. Don’t worry about sending us all the places you’ve ever been published; we’re more interested in you than your resume!
We do not accept simultaneous submissions. We want exclusive work from you!
Including a photo of yourself (the author) is not required, but it’s great for us to have one on hand if we choose to publish your piece.
We do not accept content that is explicitly pornographic in nature. Please note that we do not consider nudity or generally sexual content to be pornographic!

Current Events

Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of publishing ideas and voices often excluded from mainstream media and publishing outlets – but it would not exist without its subscribers. Moreover, Overland subscribers can enter our competitions at a special subscriber rate. First, visit the Overland shop, and then head here to enter the prize.
About the prize
Established in 2007 and supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets seeks outstanding poetry by writers who have published no more than one collection of poems under their own name. It remains one of the richest prizes for emerging poets, and is open to poets from Australia and New Zealand.  The major prize is $6000, with a second prize of $2000 and a third prize of $1000. All three winners will be published in Overland.
Entries close midnight 4th December 2026.  Please read the entry guidelines below before submitting.
Guidelines
The award is open to poets who have had no more than one solo collection of their work commercially published: that is, by a publishing house with commercial distribution.
The prize is open to Australian and New Zealand writers only.
Poems must be unpublished (including online) and not under consideration by other publishers, including Overland.
Poems that have won or are under consideration in other competitions are not eligible.
The winning poems will be published in Overland.
All submitted poems may also be considered for publication in Overland.
Entries must be submitted electronically via the Overland Submittable system.
The name of the poet must not appear on the manuscript (including the header or footer) since all poems will be considered anonymously.
Poems must be no more than 80 lines.
Multiple entries are permitted, though a separate fee applies to each poem.
Please ensure you are satisfied with your poem before submitting. Poems that are withdrawn and subsequently resubmitted will incur a second fee.
The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
Overland staff and board members, and their families, are prohibited from entering. All previous, current and ongoing contributors are eligible to enter.
Winners will be announced in March 2027.

The prize is open only to poets from Australia and New Zealand. Poets must have published no more than one solo commercially published collection. Poems must be unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere. Overland staff, board members, and their families are prohibited from entering.

Judith Wright Poetry Prize

Australia’s only radical literary magazine

Overland – Australia’s only radical literary magazine – has been showcasing brilliant and progressive fiction, poetry, nonfiction and art since 1954. The magazine has published some of Australia’s most iconic writers, and continues to give space to underrepresented voices and brand-new literary talent every single day.

Overland

This submission pool is for nonfiction submissions only.
We're looking for essays that tickle the heart and mind, whether structurally innovative or composed with a formal vigor. While we do not have a strict word count limit, though we rarely publish pieces of over 5,000 words.
We do not accept work produced, edited, or iterated by generative AI.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please withdraw your work immediately—directly through Submittable—if it is accepted by another publication. Please do not email us with your withdrawals.

Creative Nonfiction

An annual literary magazine produced at the University of Virginia in conjunction with the university’s MFA in Creative Writing Program, whose students serve as the magazine’s editors.

Meridian is an annual literary magazine produced at the University of Virginia in conjunction with the university’s MFA in Creative Writing Program, whose students serve as the magazine’s editors. (meridian.submittable.com) Founded in 1998, Meridian has featured the works of numerous Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award winners, and established writers, including Charles Wright, Rita Dove, Yusef Komunyakaa, Seamus Heaney, Ann Beattie, George Garrett, Heather McHugh, Richard Bausch, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Cathy Song, and Eric Pankey. (meridian.submittable.com) As a magazine edited by early-career writers, Meridian values showcasing emerging talent, often publishing a new author’s first story or poem. (meridian.submittable.com) Meridian's poetry and prose have appeared in Best American Poetry, Best American Short Stories, Best American Essays, the Pushcart Prize anthology, and New Stories from the South. The magazine also features regular author interviews, book reviews, photography, and artwork. The current print run is about 300 issues, with occasional add-on runs using print-on-demand. (meridian.submittable.com) The magazine's current staff includes Garrett Kim as Editor-in-Chief, Holly Zhou as Poetry Editor, Danny Eisenberg as Fiction Editor, Tanner Hansen as Nonfiction Editor, and Jeb Livingood as Faculty Advisor. (readmeridian.org)

Meridian

Submission to Cordite 123: CONDITIONS, with poetry guest-edited by Autumn Royal and Alice Bellette, will close at 11.59pm Melbourne time on 13 December 2026.
Cordite celebrates 30 years of publishing. Please consider making a donation.
Please do NOT print your name or contact details on your submission document, including in the file name.
Cordite only accepts unpublished work.
Simultaneous submissions? Sure. Just inform us or withdraw if the work is accepted elsewhere.
Please send a maximum of three (3) poems in your submission. Submit only one time. 2nd and 3rd submissions, even if 1 poem apiece, will be rejected.
Please send all of your works in one (1) document. For electronic poetry, submit a document with instructions on how and where to access the submission. Large sound and video files can be shared via Drive or similar open means. Submit a document with those URLs.
We do not consider poems that were made, either in part or in full, using generative AI.
Submissions will only be accepted via this online submissions form.
Authors whose poems are accepted for the issue will be included on our mail list (which can be opted out of).
As a government-funded non-profit charity, we can only pay Australian citizens and permanent residents for poems published.
Once published, a poem will not be removed or unpublished with the exception of plagiarism accusation or where an author feels unsafe. Outside of exceptional circumstances, retracting a published work will incur a fee.

CONDITIONS

an Australian and international journal of poetry, criticism and research

Cordite Publishing Inc. is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission ABN 60639190286, and is listed on the Australian Registry of Cultural Organisations. Its publications are the quarterly Cordite Poetry Review – an Australian and international journal of poetry, criticism and research – and series of print books. Where applicable, critical writing and reviews are developed to adhere to our Guide for Indigenous Editing and Writing.