Journals & literary magazines1 open opportunity listed
About the magazine
Founded in 1975 as a journal of cultural and political criticism, Boston Review has long served as a forum for rigorous, accessible essays that bridge literature, philosophy, and public life. Its mission is to foster democratic debate through thoughtful, non-dogmatic writing, with a particular emphasis on poetry, fiction, and criticism that challenges conventional wisdom. Over the decades, it has maintained a distinct identity as a publication where intellectual seriousness meets stylistic clarity, avoiding both academic jargon and journalistic simplification.
Editorial focus
Boston Review is a web and print magazine of ideas, politics, and culture—independent and nonprofit, committed to the power of collective reasoning and imagination to create a more just world.
PoetryFictionCreative NonfictionTranslation
Submitting your work
Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31
Reading feeNo
PaymentCash
Simultaneous submissionsYes
Unsolicited submissionsYes
Writers should familiarize themselves with the journal's recent issues to understand its range and tone. Poetry submissions are typically read year-round, while fiction and nonfiction have specific reading periods; check the website for current guidelines. Work that combines intellectual rigor with emotional resonance and avoids polemic or cliché is most likely to resonate. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify promptly if accepted elsewhere. Expect a response time of several months due to high volume.