Introducing the Broad Ripple Review

We are pleased to introduce Broad Ripple Review, an online literary magazine dedicated to publishing fiction and nonfiction that is formally polished, emotionally resonant, and narratively compelling. Whether you are here as a writer, a reader, or both, we welcome your interest in helping us shape a new space for literary work that endures.

Broad Ripple Review exists to champion stories and essays that linger beyond the page. We are drawn to work that takes language seriously, that balances voice with control, and that reveals its emotional or philosophical depth without sacrificing structure or movement.

We publish fiction and nonfiction that is grounded, purposeful, and stylistically refined. We are not interested in trends or gimmicks. We are interested in resonance. Our aesthetic lives in the overlap between narrative momentum and interiority, between clarity and complexity. We believe in the quiet power of precise language and the lasting impact of stories that risk something true.

Our editorial sensibility aligns with journals such as Kenyon Review, AGNI, A Public Space, and the peripheries of Ploughshares (X) and Booth (voice forward). We admire the fiction of writers such as Lauren Groff, Carmen Maria Machado, Brandon Taylor, Kaveh Akbar, Alexander Chee, Mona Awad, and Amy Hempel, among others. The work we publish should demonstrate that same commitment to voice, insight, and control.

We accept:

• Fiction, including flash, that is literary in focus and driven by emotional and narrative force

• Creative nonfiction, provided it is carefully crafted and thematically layered

Word count guidelines:

• No minimum, but please keep submissions under 4,000 words.

We recognize the value of all forms of writing, including genre fiction. However, Broad Ripple Review is not the right home for science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, or mystery, unless those elements are firmly in the background and the work is otherwise grounded in literary intent. We also pass on work that relies on familiar formats such as lists, mock quizzes, or epistolary conceits without offering something distinctly original or earned.

We are currently open for submissions for our Fall 2025 inaugural issue. All submissions are free. There is a tip jar option, as well as an optional paid category if you would like detailed editorial feedback. We strongly believe that submissions should always be free for writers, but we also want to work toward a model in which our writers can be paid.

All submissions received by July 31, 2025, will be considered for our launch contest.

• One prize of $200 will be awarded for fiction

• One prize of $200 will be awarded for nonfiction

Again, there is no fee to submit and no separate fee for the contest. All pieces submitted during this period will be automatically eligible. We encourage simultaneous submissions but ask to be notified immediately if work is accepted elsewhere.

We use Duosuma to manage submissions. For Duotrope users: we are listed there, and it is helpful for our visibility when writers log their submissions and responses. We appreciate your support in helping others discover the journal.

Due to volume, we cannot offer feedback on every submission, but we do send personalized notes when a piece comes close. We do offer an optional paid category for editorial feedback. All submissions are read with care and seriousness.

We are also welcoming volunteer readers to assist with evaluating submissions. If you have a strong literary sensibility and a serious interest in editorial work, we invite you to reach out.

To apply, please email broadripplereview@gmail.com with a short introduction, a list of a few favorite literary journals or authors, and a summary of any relevant experience.

We are building Broad Ripple Review with high standards and a long view. Our hope is to curate work that matters—writing that feels alive in its language, urgent in its perspective, and lasting in its effect.

Thank you for being here. We look forward to reading your work.

The Editors

Broad Ripple Review

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