Southern Summer Submission Opportunities
10 open submission calls from journals and mags in the South (July–September)
Below is a thoughtfully curated roundup of ten Southern journals currently open for poetry and fiction—some university-affiliated, others independent—all deeply rooted in the literary soil of the South. We’ve included a mix of fee-free and fee-based venues, with special attention to those creating intentional space for BIPOC and queer writers.
This is exactly the kind of round-up we share regularly with our paid Substack community—part resource, part inspiration. If this supports your writing, please consider a paid subscription to Loblolly Press.
1. Deep South Magazine
Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Submission period: May 8–June 18, 2025
A vibrant online journal showcasing Southern voices and culture (deepsouthmag.com).
2. storySouth
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
Submission period: June 15–July 15, 2025 (also Dec 15–Jan 15)
Quarterly online journal (storysouth.com).
3. Susurrus: A Literary Arts Magazine of the American South
Genres: Poetry, fiction, flash, nonfiction, photography
Submission period: Summer 2025—approximately June 1–July 15
Centers underrepresented voices—BIPOC and queer—in Southern work (susurrusthemagazine.com).
4. Southern Poetry Review
Genres: Poetry only
Submission model: Rolling year-round; responses within ~3 months
Semiannual print journal (southernpoetryreview.org).
5. The Southern Review
Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Submission model: Year-round (next window Sept 1, 2025); $3 submission fee
Prestigious print journal with high editorial standards (thesouthernreview.org).
6. Southern Humanities Review (Auburn University)
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction
Submission periods: Fall (Aug 1–Oct 15), Spring (Jan 15–Mar 14); nonfiction always open; $3 fee, free for underrepresented writers
Quarterly print journal with paid honorarium and award opportunities (southernhumanitiesreview.com).
7. The Laurel Review
Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction (including flash)
Submission model: Year-round; $2 submission fee; Print journal open to both emerging and established voices (laurelreview.org)
8. Black Warrior Review (University of Alabama)
Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, art
Submission model: Biannual print; annual online issue
Graduate-student–edited, nationally recognized, Pushcart and Best American features (bwr.ua.edu)
9. Poetry South (Mississippi University for Women)
Genres: Poetry only
Submission period: Year-round, annual deadline July 15, 2025
No submission fee; accepts 1–4 unpublished poems with simultaneous submissions allowed; response time ~3–6 months (muw.edu/poetrysouth)
10. Delta Poetry Review
Genres: Poetry
Submission model: 3 times a year
The oldest literary journal at an HBCU, rooted in Black Southern literary culture (deltapoetryreview.com).
📌 Submission Notes
Always read each publication’s guidelines carefully: check word counts, simultaneous submission policies, formatting, and fees.
Deadlines range from July to September, with rolling options so pay close attention to deadlines.
We hope this roundup gives you a nudge—to send something out, to explore a new journal, or maybe just to feel a little less alone in the process. These magazines are part of the same ecosystem we’re trying to nourish at Loblolly: rooted in place, open to complexity, and hungry for voices that don’t always fit the mold.
If this was useful, we’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you’re submitting, or share a publication you love that we might have missed—we’re always listening, always learning.
And if you want more roundups like this, early access to Loblolly projects, and a 10% discount on all Loblolly Press books and merch, consider becoming a paid subscriber. We’re building something slow and intentional here. We’d love to have you in it.