3 Answers2026-07-24 10:33:21
They've got it all laid out on their site, but the main thing is they only accept submissions through their online manager, Submittable. No email, no paper manuscripts mailed to the office. You'll need to create an account there. The reading periods aren't year-round either; poetry, fiction, and nonfiction have specific windows they announce, so you have to watch for those. I missed the last fiction window by a week and had to wait months for the next one. It's a bit of a patience game.
They're clear about wanting previously unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are okay, which is a relief, but you have to withdraw your piece immediately if it gets accepted elsewhere. The formatting is pretty standard: double-spaced, readable font. No crazy experimental formatting in the document itself, I'd guess. The response time can be long, like six months or more sometimes. I submitted a short piece last fall and just heard back a 'no' this spring. It's not a market for quick turnarounds, that's for sure.
Still, getting something in 'The Paris Review' feels like a real milestone, even just trying. The bar is astronomically high, but you can't win if you don't play, right? I just keep my expectations realistic and my submission tracker updated.
3 Answers2026-07-24 23:48:30
Submitting to The Paris Review feels like trying to get a nod from a very discerning, slightly mysterious bookish relative. I've never had luck, but a friend who placed a piece there years ago gave me the only advice that ever felt concrete: read the magazine cover to cover for at least six months prior. Not just skimming, but really absorbing the rhythm and the kind of emotional space their fiction occupies. It's less about fitting a theme and more about aligning with a specific literary sensibility—the sentences in 'The Paris Review' often have a particular weight and texture.
Beyond that, your cover letter should be utterly minimal. They already don't pay much attention to it, so a long, gushing bio about your MFA or your dreams just adds noise. Name, title, word count, a single-line publication credit if it's truly notable, and that's it. The work has to stand completely alone. And for god's sake, follow their submission guidelines to the letter, even if they seem fussy. Using the wrong font or file format is an easy, avoidable reason for a quick pass.
I think the biggest mistake is sending something because it's 'good enough' or technically proficient. They're looking for a voice they haven't heard before, even if it's quiet. So workshop it until it's undeniable, then wait another month, revise it again, and only then hit send. The slush pile is Everest-sized; you need every atom of that piece to feel essential.
3 Answers2026-07-24 07:42:22
Looked this up recently because a friend was wondering. From their guidelines, it's primarily literary fiction and poetry. They also take essays, but it's a very specific kind of essay—usually more narrative or idea-driven, not academic. I don't think they do genre fiction like sci-fi or romance at all, which can be a bummer, but it's their lane. They've published some incredible interviews over the years too, but those are commissioned, not submitted.
What's tricky is the 'literary' label. It doesn't just mean 'well-written'; it often points to a certain style or preoccupation with language and character interiority over plot mechanics. If your story feels like it belongs more in 'The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction', it probably won't fit there, no matter how good it is. Their bar is astronomically high, but the exposure is unmatched if you get in.
4 Answers2026-07-20 15:40:24
What about contests? Many literary magazine contests have long submission windows, like 3-4 months, and often include a subscription and consideration for the non-contest issue. It's a way to support the magazine and get your work read, even if you don't win. Just watch out for high entry fees with vague promises.
4 Answers2026-07-19 11:08:58
Lol, all this deep literary analysis and I'm just over here picturing Jerry Cruncher's muddy boots slogging through both cities. Dude saw the 'worst of times' up close in both places, from digging up graves in London to probably seeing some wild stuff in Paris. Sometimes the lowest-level guy in the story has the most grounded view of the setting. He's not philosophizing; he's just trying to get by. That's a 'best/worst' take too, I guess.