WEST TRADE REVIEW
GENERAL SUBMISSIONS:
Are you a writer or artist that wants to be published and recognized? West Trade Review wants to hear from you! We are looking for original and unpublished works of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry by both new and established writers/artists. We also accept novel excerpt submissions.
A writer bio is required with each submission.
Please submit your work to the appropriate genre folder and follow all established guidelines found on our website:
https://www.westtradereview.com/submissionguidelines20.html
We look forward to reviewing your work.
Our reading period for general submissions is April 1 through August 1 & August 15 through December 15. Some genres, however, could close early if submission caps are reached prior to the end of a reading period.
Submit only once per reading period.
We offer free submissions during the first week of each month (April to December); otherwise, there is a $3 general submission fee.
You may also choose to receive a quick decision about your work for $10, and may also receive a quick decision about your work along with personalized feedback from the editors for $25. The response time for both fee related options is approximately 2 weeks.
Our contest period (fiction and poetry) is January 15th-March 15th.
Trill: Poems That Resonate (Weekly Poetry Publication):
"Poetry is above all a concentration of the power of language, which is the power of our ultimate relationship to everything in the universe." -Adrienne Rich
"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." - Carl Sandburg
We are looking for poems that uniquely explore each month's theme and perform Olympic feats with language that leave a reader in wonder while still referring back to the basic things that make us human. We want powerful imagery and enjoy the juxtaposition of images in interesting and unexpected ways, like Sandburg's hyacinths and biscuits.
We want poems that make the reader think and feel, work that humbles us with its joy, humor, embarrassment, anger, hope, grief, or all of the above, and gravitate toward writing that has something important to teach us--something that readers really need to know, but might not have understood this was a need until the last word of the work.
One poem will be selected each week for publication on our website. See the guidelines below.
Upcoming Themes:
August 2025: Bravery
September 2025: Impermanence
October 2025: Space/Place
November 2025: Community
December 2025: Letting Go
January 2026: Sound
February 2026: Obsession
March 2026: Movement
April 2026: Blossoming
Guidelines:
- Work submitted to this project is only considered for online publication.
- Only previously unpublished work will be considered.
- Submit up to 3 poems as one submission in a single Microsoft Word file. List the title of each poem as the title of your Submittable upload).
-Include a clear title for each poem.
-Please single space all poems.
-Include a cover letter and a short 3rd person biography of no more than 150 words. In your cover letter, briefly explain how you think your poems resonate with the current theme.
-Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please let us know immediately if the work is published elsewhere.
-Writers may not submit to the Trill project more than once in a three-month period.
Subscribe to our Newsletter and Stay Connected to Our Literary Community
Our monthly newsletter highlights some of our recent fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction and also includes book reviews of upcoming and recently released titles. If you're looking for something new to read, you won't want to miss these carefully curated titles and recommendations. You'll also have access to interviews with exciting emerging writers. Don't miss these important conversations and all our best contemporary fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
Sign up for our newsletter now at the link below to learn about West Trade Review events, readings, and contests before anyone else.
https://mailchi.mp/99ebb2b99e87/west-trade-review-newsletter
Thank you for your sponsorship, your friendship, and your invaluable commitment to literature.
Please take a moment to follow us on social media:
You'll also find us on Bluesky and Threads.
Questions? Contact us at westtradereview@gmail.com
Special Promo: Be one of the first 25 writers to submit before 8/10, and we'll respond to your submission within 2 weeks.
We are looking for nonfiction essays that explore creative life expansively conceived (broader than only literary).
We are seeking personal essays exploring creative practice, reading practice, engagement with literature, support for the literary or creative life, hopes/desires/goals for the arts and creative life, experiences with authors or creative figures, arts community involvement, etc.
We hope these essays will inspire new writing, challenge conventional ideas of creative practices, and deepen our artistic community through the written word.
Manuscripts are read year-round.
NOTE: Submissions which do not meet the following guidelines will not be considered:
- All submissions must be previously unpublished and are limited to one entry per submission period.
- Submissions should be between approximately 1200 and 1500 words.
- Work must be submitted as a Microsoft Word file and include a clear title of the work
- Submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter and a third-person biography of no more than 150 words. Work submitted without a biography will not be considered.
- In your cover letter, please mention your social media handles (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). If you have a website dedicated to your writing, please include the link in your cover letter as well.
Submissions are open year round. Submit no more than once per 6-month period.
While we offer free submissions the first week of each month (April to December), general submissions are typically $3 (to cover administrative costs).
You may also choose to receive a quick decision about your work for $10. The response time for both expedited response is approximately 2 weeks.
Please take a moment to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.
You'll also find us on Threads and Bluesky.
Special Promo: Be one of the first 25 writers to submit before 8/10, and we'll respond to your submission within 2 weeks.
"Poetry is above all a concentration of the power of language, which is the power of our ultimate relationship to everything in the universe." -Adrienne Rich
"Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." - Carl Sandburg
We are looking for poems that uniquely explore each month's theme and perform Olympic feats with language that leave a reader in wonder while still referring back to the basic things that make us human. We want powerful imagery and enjoy the juxtaposition of images in interesting and unexpected ways, like Sandburg's hyacinths and biscuits.
We want poems that make the reader think and feel, work that humbles us with its joy, humor, embarrassment, anger, hope, grief, or all of the above, and gravitate toward writing that has something important to teach us--something that readers really need to know, but might not have understood this was a need until the last word of the work.
One poem will be selected each week for publication on our website. See the guidelines below.
Upcoming Themes:
September 2025: Impermanence
October 2025: Space/Place
November 2025: Community
December 2025: Letting Go
January 2026: Sound
February 2026: Obsession
March 2026: Movement
April 2026: Blossoming
Guidelines:
- Work submitted to this project is only considered for online publication.
- Only previously unpublished work will be considered.
- Submit up to 3 poems as one submission in a single Microsoft Word file. List the title of each poem as the title of your Submittable upload).
-Include a clear title for each poem.
-Please single space all poems.
-Include a cover letter and a short 3rd person biography of no more than 150 words. In your cover letter, briefly explain how you think your poems resonate with the current theme.
-Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please let us know immediately if the work is published elsewhere.
-Writers may not submit more than once in a three-month period.
Submissions that do no meet guidelines or eligibility requirements will not be considered.
While we offer free submissions the first week of each month (April to December), general submissions are typically $3 (to cover administrative costs).
You may also choose to receive a quick decision about your work for $10, and may also receive a quick decision about your work along with personalized feedback from the editors for $25 (1.5-2 pages). The response time for both expedited and personalized options is approximately 2 weeks.
Please take a moment to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.
You'll also find us on Threads and Bluesky.