Hey, ever wonder what happens to your submission once we get it? Or why you can't just email it to us? Or what cover letters are for? Well, we've collected our thoughts on these and other journal-related topics. You can check them out here. And, if you have a minute, why not head over to our blog, or check out selections from the new issue?

Submission Guidelines

Reading Period: August 1 - March 31


Sycamore Review is looking for quality, original poetry, fiction, non-fiction and art. The most successful work is exciting, new, fresh, creative, carefully-wrought. We accept unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry, personal essays and art. Please query for other non-fiction, including book reviews, brief critical essays, etc. as well as all art. We are interested in expanding our non-fiction content. At this time we are not able to accept outside interviews, previously published works (except for translations) or genre pieces (conventional science fiction, romance, horror, etc.).

We do accept simultaneous submissions, but request prompt notification if the work is accepted elsewhere. Please note simultaneous submissions in your cover letter. All manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. At this time SR cannot accept submissions by email: please do not request an exception.

Poetry manuscripts should be typed single-spaced, one poem to a page. Please send no more than 4-5 poems in one envelope. Wait until you have received a response to submit again.

Prose should be typed double-spaced, with numbered pages and the author's name and title of the work easily visible on each page. Please send only one story or essay at a time.

Non-Fiction: Sycamore Review does not publish scholarly articles or journalistic pieces. I would classify most of our publications as literary memoir or personal essay. What do I look for in Non-Fiction submissions? Mostly what I expect to see in good fiction: originality, brevity, significance, strong dialogue, and vivid detail. The biggest problem I find with submissions is that they focus on a tired topic (a grandparent’s illness, for example) and don’t bring anything new or compelling to it. Often, I receive twenty-five page pieces that should be ten or fifteen pages. There is no maximum page count for Non-Fiction, but remember that the longer the piece is, the more compelling each page must be. I’ve read hundreds of memoirs that while beautifully written, are boring and in need of compression. [Jess Mehr, Non-Fiction editor]

Art: If you are interested in submitting art for either our print issue or online art gallery, please send a query email describing your work (Is it black and white? Photos of installations?) and introducing yourself to mokasi(@)purdue.edu. Do NOT send unsolicited images attached to emails. Your email will be deleted without being opened (we fear viruses). To submit work, please send via snail-mail as slides or CD-ROM (no prints!) or note in your emailed query a web address where your work can be viewed. For web pages, please indicate which pieces you would like considered. We are interested in serious, original work.

We read manuscripts from August 1 - March 31. Manuscripts sent at other times will be returned unread.

Purdue University acquires first-time North American rights to work published in Sycamore Review. After publication, all rights revert to the author. Sycamore Review does not publish creative work by any student currently attending Purdue University. Former students should wait one calendar year before submitting.

Sycamore Review pays two contributor's copies for printed work. Unfortunately, we are unable to pay money at this time.

Please mail manuscripts to the appropriate editor (Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction) at:

Sycamore Review
Purdue University
Department of English
500 Oval Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907