Who we are
Since 1990, the Sierra Nevada Review has been publishing daring new poetry, short fiction, literary nonfiction, and visual art from the shores of Lake Tahoe.
As of September 2022, we are a digital publication. We share two new issues each year: one on March 1 (Spring) and another on September 1 (Fall). Response time may vary between a few days and several months.
- General Submissions for Fall Issue: March 1 – May 1
- General Submissions for Spring Issue: October 1 – December 1
We may occasionally open submissions for special features. For updates on opportunities outside of the general reading periods, follow us @sierranevadareview or send us an email.
What we like
We publish writing that leans toward the unconventional, surprising, and risky. We appreciate experiments in form and content, and prefer works whose meanings deepen on repeated readings. We don't usually accept genre fiction unless it's got something special.
General submission guidelines
- Poetry: Please upload no more than five poems or five pages of poetry, whichever comes first.
- Fiction & Nonfiction: Fiction, YA fiction, and literary nonfiction should not exceed 4,000 words. We welcome flash fiction and nonfiction submissions. You may submit more than one flash piece, as long as your total word count does not exceed 4,000 words.
- Visual art: You may upload up to 5 images for cover art consideration. If you submit cover art, you may not submit in a written genre.
- Please send only one submission per reading period, in one genre only. Submitting more than once will automatically disqualify all submissions.
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere! If you only wish to withdraw part of a submit, please leave us a note on Submittable. We do not consider previously published material.
- The only way to submit is via Submittable. We don't accept email submissions.
- If your submission does not meet the above criteria, we will not read your work.
- If you have previously contributed to the Sierra Nevada Review, please wait one reading period to submit again.
Feel free to email us with any questions! We can't wait to see what you've created.
Writers retain all rights.
YA Fiction guidelines
Original YA literature <4,000 words. We require that you use a 12pt serif font such as Times New Roman.
We welcome flash pieces. You may submit more than one flash piece as long as your total word count does not exceed 4,000 words.
Remember:
- Please send only one submission per reading period, in one genre only. Submitting more than once will automatically disqualify all submissions.
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere! If you only wish to withdraw part of a submission, please leave us a note on Submittable. We do not consider previously published material.
- Please do not include a bio, cover letter, or any identifying information in your submission. We will ask for a bio if we accept your work for this issue.
- Students enrolled in the low-res MFA-CW program at UNR-LT cannot submit.
- We do not accept translations of unoriginal work.
- The only way to submit is via Submittable. We don't accept email submissions.
- If your submission does not meet the above criteria, we will not read your work.
Poetry guidelines
Please upload no more than five poems or five pages of poetry, whichever comes first. We require that you use a 12pt serif font such as Times New Roman.
Remember:
- Please send only one submission per reading period, in one genre only. Submitting more than once will automatically disqualify all submissions.
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere! If you only wish to withdraw part of a submission, please leave us a note on Submittable. We do not consider previously published material.
- Please do not include a bio, cover letter, or any identifying information in your submission. We will ask for a bio if we accept your work for this issue.
- Students enrolled in any low-residency program at UNR-LT cannot submit.
- We do not accept translations of unoriginal work.
- The only way to submit is via Submittable. We don't accept email submissions.
- If your submission does not meet the above criteria, we will not read your work.
Featured art guidelines
We're looking for a visual artist to feature alongside written work in our Spring 2025 issue, coming March 1, 2025. You may upload up to 5 original images for consideration.
Remember:
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere! If you only wish to withdraw part of a submission, please leave us a note on Submittable. We do not consider previously published material.
- Please do not include a bio, cover letter, or any identifying information in your submission. We will ask for a bio if we accept your work for this issue.
- Students enrolled in any low-residency program at UNR-LT cannot submit.
- The only way to submit is via Submittable. We don't accept email submissions.
- If your submission does not meet the above criteria, we will not view your work.
Nonfiction guidelines
Original creative literary nonfiction <4,000 words. We require that you use a 12pt serif font such as Times New Roman.
We welcome flash CNF, and you may submit more than one flash piece, as long as your total word count does not exceed 4,000 words.
Remember:
- Please send only one submission per reading period, in one genre only. Submitting more than once will automatically disqualify all submissions.
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere! If you only wish to withdraw part of a submission, please leave us a note on Submittable. We do not consider previously published material.
- Please do not include a bio, cover letter, or any identifying information in your submission. We will ask for a bio if we accept your work for this issue.
- Students enrolled in any low-residency program at UNR-LT cannot submit.
- We do not accept translations of unoriginal work.
- The only way to submit is via Submittable. We don't accept email submissions.
- If your submission does not meet the above criteria, we will not read your work.
Fiction guidelines
Original fiction <4,000 words. We require that you use a 12pt serif font such as Times New Roman.
We welcome flash fiction, and you may submit more than one flash piece, as long as your total word count does not exceed 4,000 words.
Remember:
- Please send only one submission per reading period, in one genre only. Submitting more than once will automatically disqualify all submissions.
- We gladly accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere! If you only wish to withdraw part of a submission, please leave us a note on Submittable. We do not consider previously published material.
- Please do not include a bio, cover letter, or any identifying information in your submission. We will ask for a bio if we accept your work for this issue.
- Students enrolled in any low-residency program at UNR-LT cannot submit.
- We do not accept translations of unoriginal work.
- The only way to submit is via Submittable. We don't accept email submissions.
- If your submission does not meet the above criteria, we will not read your work.