Author Guidelines
**We are currently CLOSED for prose submissions but remain open for poetry. Please check back for a reopening announcement.**
We welcome submissions of short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry from new as well as established writers. While we read poetry submissions year-round, we may occasionally close prose submissions if we receive a large number. We usually respond to submissions in 3-5 months. We ask that you do not query the status of your submission until 6 months have passed. Only submit to one genre at a time, and please wait to submit again until after we have responded to any pending submission.
All submissions will be assessed by a team of readers and an editor to determine whether they meet the aims and scope of this journal before determining whether they will be accepted or rejected. No AI-generated work is permitted. Simultaneous submissions are fine as long as you notify us right away if your work has been accepted elsewhere. We acquire one-time rights for the print and digital versions of Cottonwood.
Copy your cover letter, including a short bio and approximate word count, into the "comments for the editor" box. Please only submit your work in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
We prefer submissions be made through our online portal (see below). Email submissions are no longer accepted.
If you choose to mail submissions to our physical address, be sure to use correct postage and include an SASE. Mailed submissions without an SASE will not be considered. Please address your envelope to the relevant editor and use the address below:
Cottonwood Magazine and Press
Dept. of English
1445 Jayhawk Boulevard, Room 3001
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
Submission Preparation Checklist
**We are currently CLOSED for prose submissions but remain open for poetry. Please check back for a reopening announcement.**
All submissions must meet the following requirements.
- This submission meets the requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
- This submission has not been previously published, nor already accepted for publication by another journal.
- This submission has not been produced in any part by generative AI.
- Simultaneous submissions are permitted but please notify us at once if work is accepted by another journal.
Poetry
We welcome submissions of poetry from new as well as established writers. We read submissions year-round, and usually report in 3-5 months. Please wait to submit again until after we have responded to any pending submission. We acquire one-time print and digital rights.
Poetry length: 10-80 lines
Reporting time: 3-5 months
Payment: 1 hard copy for U.S. residents / 1 digital copy for international residents
Copyright Notice
Cottonwood claims one-time world print and digital rights.
Privacy Statement
The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.
