Shenandoah Magazine Is Accepting Submissions/ How To Submit (Pay: $80 – $400)

Shenandoah Magazine is a literary magazine dedicated to showcasing diverse voices and perspectives across various genres.

They aim to showcase a wide variety of voices and perspectives in terms of gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, nationality, regionality, sexuality, and educational background (MFAs are not necessary here).

They love publishing new writers; publishing history is not a prerequisite either. Checking out their current issue is another great way to get a sense of the kind of work they like. This guide outlines submission guidelines, what the editors seek, eligibility criteria, author rights, deadlines, payment details, and more.

Submission Guidelines For Shenandoah Magazine

• Shenandoah accepts up to 800 submissions per month. Their submission manager accepts only 800 submissions per month as that is all they can reasonably handle.
• Simultaneous submissions are accepted but must be withdrawn immediately if accepted elsewhere.
• Submitted work should be previously unpublished in English.
• They don’t want multiple submissions in different genres.
• They also don’t want assumptions about white characters as literature’s default.
• Click here to submit.

What They Want

Short Stories and Creative Nonfiction

• Length of short stories should be under 8,000 words.
• Emphasis on: Imagination, surprise, diversity, experimentation, and distinctive voice.
• Flash Fiction under 1,000 words are accepted, up to three pieces per submission (all in one document).

Novel Excerpts

• Length: Under 8,000 words.
• Preference for excerpts providing insight into the overall scope of the book.

Poetry

• Up to five poems, not exceeding ten pages total.
• Emphasis on: Power, surprise, intelligence, craftiness, and risk-taking.

Comics

• Accepts black and white or color comics as PDFs.
• Editor prefers unconventional and diverse comic narratives.
• COMICS submissions are open and will remain open indefinitely.

Eligibility Criteria

• Writers and editors of all experience levels are welcome.
• No previous editorial experience necessary.
• Inclusive environment promoting diverse perspectives and approaches.
• There is no entry fee.

Author Rights

They buy first North American Serial Rights, and rights to the work revert to the author after publication. As a courtesy, they ask writers to note Shenandoah as the first place of publication when the work is anthologized, reprinted, or otherwise made public through another format.

Payment

They pay their contributors at the rate of $100 per poem, $80 per 1000 words of prose up to $400, and $40 per page of comics up to $400.

Queries regarding submission status can be directed to shenandoah@wlu.edu after six months.