Literary Journal
Vestal Review
Open nowAbout the magazine
Editorial focus
Vestal Review is the longest-running flash fiction magazine on the planet, published continuously since March 2000. It’s an online magazine coming out twice a year, and it’s eclectic, so a lot of different approaches work, provided they don’t pass the limit of 500 words. VR tends more toward narrative than some other magazines, but it’s also quite taken by arresting sentences, exciting setups, and characters worth watching.
Submitting your work
Vestal Review accepts submissions of flash fiction up to 500 words. They welcome stories in any genre, but prioritize work that demonstrates mastery of the short form—where every word carries weight. Submit via their website during reading periods; simultaneous submissions are allowed, but notify them immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Expect a response time of several weeks to a few months. Carefully proofread your work, as technical precision is highly valued.
First and foremost, we like to hear a distinctive voice; second, saying something we haven’t heard before. Third, we’d like the story to move along and not be some static set of observations or a prose poem. What we see too much of: tired or inexact language, well-worn or contrived plots, and nonexistent endings.
Read official guidelinesSubmission calls
2 listedPast issues
6 itemsExplore the publication through its past issues and volumes.
Past Issue
Past Issue
Past Issue
Past Issue
Past Issue
Past Issue