- Submissions -
The SDL Review, a paying lit journal/anthology hybrid publishing profound works of poetry, prose, visual art, articles, reviews, and indie news. Available in print and eBook editions.
The SDL Review is founded on the profound belief that poets and writers have the power to transcend boundaries, foster empathy, enhance understanding, and catalyze social change. We believe literature should reflect the complexity of life and we aim to offer a broader, more accurate view of the human condition.
We are drawn to evocative, raw, poignant, and powerful pieces of substance and style.
Pluck at our heartstrings, speak to our souls, send shivers down our spines, shine a light on our darkness, and uncover our unspoken truths.
February • May • August • November
and an Annual Anthology
ALL POETRY AND PROSE SUBMISSIONS FOR THE SDL REVIEW MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH DUOTROPE.
NO EMAIL SUBMISSIONS WILL BE READ.
Poetry & Prose Submissions (Under 500 Words)
Eligible Work:
Poetry: Submit up to 5 pages of previously unpublished poetry.
Prose: Submit up to 500 words of previously unpublished prose. Multiple pieces totaling 500 words are acceptable, provided each piece is over 100 words.
Longer Prose up to 1500 words
Eligible work: previously unpublished fiction, CNF, personal essays, prose poetry, hybrid or experimental works between 500 and 1500 words.
What does “unpublished” mean?
For our purposes, “unpublished” means your piece has not previously appeared in any publication, online or in print. Work you’ve shared on personal blogs and on social media is okay, but we ask that you take it down if it is accepted for publication in The SDL Review.
Rights:
First serial print, digital, and audio/video publication rights until publication, after which rights revert to the author. We also retain non-exclusive rights to reprint and/or archive the work indefinitely. Authors agree not to self-publish, authorize, or otherwise permit the publication of the work, in whole or in part, in any publication or on any platform, including personal blogs and on social media, from acceptance through its appearance in The SDL Review. For reprints, we ask for acknowledgment of first publication.
Simultaneous Submissions:
We welcome and encourage simultaneous submissions. Please notify us immediately if your work is placed elsewhere. (Congratulations!)
Multiple Submissions:
You may submit multiple packets, provided each is submitted separately.
Payment:
A cash contributor honorarium (currently $25) for the issue in which your work appears (paid one week after publication) and two print copies. All contributors also get one free full-page, full-color book or project launch announcement per year for the next 5 years.
The SDL Review nominates for all major prizes and supports contributors long after publication.
Reading fee: $5
Submission Guidelines:
When building your submission, please adhere to the following guidelines. We do not accept AI-generated work and require a statement certifying that generative AI was not used during your creation process. We will auto-decline submissions that do not include such a statement or that disregard the following guidelines. See our AI policy for more info.
We require you to submit the following separate documents.
Document #1- Your Work
—Saved as a .doc, .docx, or PDF file
—Start each piece on a new page.
—Number your pages.
—Use a 12pt font
—Prose should be double-spaced.
—Poetry may be spaced as needed.
Document #2- Your Cover Letter
Your cover letter should introduce you and the work itself. Include the titles of each piece and any trigger warnings or background info you feel are appropriate. Beneath that information, please provide a 3rd-person bio. Tell us about yourself! When in doubt, include it. Next, list your website and any social media handles you have. After that, include a short statement certifying that generative AI was not used during your creation process.
Finally, include your contact information as follows:
—Pen Name under which you wish to publish, if applicable
—Pronouns
—Legal Name (for internal uses such as accounting and contracts)
—Email address
We do not want:
-work depicting rape or sexual assault, hate speech of any kind, violence toward women and children, any work that is primarily fueled by gratuitous violence and gore, work that so much as hints at the mistreatment of animals, or work in which being offensive is the primary purpose. Sending such work could result in being banned from submitting again, depending on the severity of the offense.
-We publish works that touch on erotic themes, but we do not publish pornography.
– Due to our subject matter, SDL Review only publishes work from creators ages 18 and over.
Other Things to Know Before Submitting:
In furtherance of our mission statement and our quest to platform rising underrepresented, disadvantaged, and otherwise disenfranchised writers, poets, and artists from beyond the academic realm, we do not separate the creator from the creation by blind reading The SDL Review submissions. The SDL Review is a safe place for you and for all writers, poets, and artists, no matter who you love, how much money you have in your pocket, the color of your skin, your educational background, or what you have going on in your pants. The SDL Review does not solicit work and only publishes work received through the submission system. All fees and proceeds collected go to paying and elevating writers, as well as transaction, platform, and administration fees associated with doing so. The SDL Review is a publication presented by Shadow Dog Press, an indie publishing house started with seed money scraped together by working-class writers. We’re run by volunteers and have no large sponsors at this time, but we hope to lower or eliminate submission fees as we grow and our funding increases.
As of April 2025, the standard submission response time can be 6 months or longer.
Thank you for trusting The SDL Review with your work.
NOTICE: We reserve the right to change dates, submission methods, our honorarium, and to close submission windows as needed without notice. Abuse, threats, harassment, and mistreatment directed toward any member of our staff or our contributors on or off our platforms will result in being permanently banned by Shadow Dog, all its holdings, and partner programs, including but not limited to its current and future holdings, publications, platforms, events, social media pages, outreach and support programs, grants, scholarships, contracts, prizes, awards, etc. and reported to the authorities as necessary.
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