The Penn Review was founded in 1951, making it the oldest continuously published literary magazine at the University of Pennsylvania. It was very exciting to have my poem “Preparation” previously featured at The Penn Review also included in their 50th issue! They are known for their fast response time, and got back to me on my original submission within two days. They are listed as one of the fastest poetry markets on Duotrope. If you’re a regular submitter, it’s always nice to get a response back so quickly, even if it is a rejection. For more information, see my interview with Editor in Chief James Chang and a link to submission guidelines below.

HOPKINSON: Tell me a little bit about The Penn Review. 

CHANG: Founded in 1951, The Penn Review is the oldest continuously published and premier literary magazine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Devoted to the literary and visual arts, we publish original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual artwork, and feature a blend of emerging and established voices in our biannual online publication and annual print publication.  In our seven-decade history, we’ve published works by William Carlos Williams, Allen Ginsberg,  E. E. Cummings, and Jennifer Egan, among others.

HOPKINSON: Who are the people who submit to The Penn Review? 

CHANG: There are no barriers to entry. We have published work from talented high schoolers, college students, casual writers, award-winning authors, and more. 

HOPKINSON: What type of work are you looking for? 

CHANG: We’re looking for work that is true to itself. It doesn’t matter what the work is about. It doesn’t matter what the reader’s emotional response is. What matters is by the time we’ve finished a piece, we want to feel something authentic. Send us the bizarre, the beautiful, the humorous, the understated, the raw, the paradoxical, the new. 

HOPKINSON: What advice would you give to writers and artists interested in submitting to The Penn Review? 

CHANG: I would recommend that they read the magazines. Often, we see work that is skillful and compelling, but it just doesn’t fit with the content we publish. The best way to see if your work is right for us is to read the pieces we’ve chosen to publish. These pieces can be found online on our website. 

HOPKINSON: What most turns the editors off to a submission? 

CHANG: Vagueness. When we see characters that are only half-formed or poems that are lost in their own verbiage, we are unlikely to accept a writer’s work. Also, we tend to be discouraged by pieces that clearly ignore our submission guidelines or are riddled with typos. 

HOPKINSON: What is your favorite part of being on staff with The Penn Review?

CHANG: Without a doubt, the people. Our editorial board and staff are a thriving literary community who choose to spend their time on a common passion. During editorial meetings, we can spend hours dissecting and discussing a small handful of submissions. The Penn Review has many moving parts as a professional literary magazine. It would be impossible to produce our final issues without the dedication of our many staff members. 

HOPKINSON: Where can we send submissions? 

CHANG: You can send submissions to us via our Submittable, which can be found on our website. 

HOPKINSON: If someone has a question, how can they contact you? 

CHANG: The best way to reach us is by email at pennreview@gmail.com. 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: November 18, 2021

FORMAT: Submissions should be sent in using our online general submissions form, which can be found on our website. 

SUBMISSION FEE: None

PAYMENT: While we do not offer payment to our contributors, we occasionally host Poetry & Prose Prizes that offer $1000 awards to two winners. 

ISSUE FREQUENCY: We publish biannually. We release an online issue in both the fall and spring, as well as a print issue in the spring with our top picks from the year. 

AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Our average response time is two to seven days. Submissions that are accepted can take longer to process. 

SUBMISSION METHOD: Our submission method is entirely through Submittable, which anyone can access on our website. 

SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes, we happily accept simultaneous submissions. However, we do ask for all submitters to notify us if their submission has been accepted elsewhere. 

FORMS: We accept Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, and Art submissions. 

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Instagram

DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/22551/the-penn-review

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