Submissions
Barstow & Grand eagerly welcomes submissions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and hybrid text genres from writers with some connection–any connection–to the Upper Midwest, USA.
The submission window for issue #8 will be open from March 1st to April 30th, 2024.
The link to our submission manager can be found at the bottom of this page.
If you are unfamiliar with submitting to literary journals, or would like to familiarize yourself with our practices and philosophies, please visit our Tips for Submitting to Literary Journals.
Author Guidelines
Barstow & Grand was created to support the writers of the Chippewa Valley, and as part of that mission, we welcome submissions from writers with some connection (any connection, really) to the Upper Midwest. We intentionally decline to define either “connection” or “Upper Midwest,” instead relying on our authors to make their own distinctions. As a hometown journal, we will always remain committed to the authors of western Wisconsin, but we look forward to expanding our literary community.
Publishing Guidelines
All accepted work will appear in the print version of the journal Barstow & Grand. Authors will receive a complimentary copy of the printed journal, vigorous promotion through the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, and, when possible, inclusion in our various events around the Chippewa Valley.
Barstow & Grand requests First North American Serial rights, electronic and print, for all accepted work. Upon publication, all rights revert to the author. We also request that any future printings of the work recognize Barstow & Grand as the original publisher.
Writing Guidelines
Barstow & Grand strives to meet many goals, including supporting emerging writers and building the arts community in our region and beyond. But quality will remain the sole factor that decides what appears in the journal. Barstow & Grand seeks work that demonstrates skill in construction and the ability to engage readers, regardless of genre or type. In order to maintain our focus on writing quality, all submissions will initially be read blind.
Prose
Barstow & Grand will consider prose pieces, including fiction, nonfiction, and everything in between, of up to 4000 words. All genres are welcome and will receive full consideration. For prose submissions, please adhere to the following guidelines.
Use standard margins and a standard font.
Double-space your work.
As submissions will be read blind, please remove your name and other identifying information from the document.
Barstow & Grand will consider up to TWO pieces from each author per submission period. Each piece must be submitted separately.
Poetry
Barstow & Grand invites poetry submissions of 3-5 poems in one document. For poetry submissions, please adhere to the following guidelines.
Use standard margins and font.
As submissions will be read blind, please remove your name and other identifying information from the document.
Authors wishing to submit both poetry and prose may do so. Each submission must be made separately.
Technical Requirements
Barstow & Grand accepts simultaneous submissions, but PLEASE withdraw your piece in Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere. Only submit original work that has not previously been published in any print or electronic form, including personal websites and blogs. We are able to accommodate .DOC, .DOCX, .RTF, and .PDF file formats.
We request that authors provide a traditional, 3rd person author bio. This will also accompany work selected for publication.
The selection team will wait until submissions close before making their final decisions. Submitters can expect to hear back sometime in July or August following the submission period.
Submission Fees
The survival of our organization requires us to charge a small submission fee. This money funds our website, the use of Submittable, printing and mailing costs, and other fees associated with publishing the journal. Any money raised beyond our operating costs will be used in conjunction with the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild to benefit local writers in various ways, including craft talks, readings, and other high-impact educational opportunities, which are usually free and open to the public.
The submission fee is waived for those submitters who purchase an issue at the time of submission (select issue add-on in Submittable).
Each issue, we are able to offer a limited number of free submissions, which we are happy to share with any author who would be prevented from submitting because of this fee, including both financial and philosophical reasons. Please email barstowandgrand@gmail.com if you are interested in this option.
Inclusivity Statement
Barstow & Grand strives to be a community publication, and as such, hopes to represent the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all our community’s writers. Barstow & Grand welcomes and encourages submissions from all writers, regardless of age, race, religion, nationality, gender (identity and/or expression), sexual orientation, education, or any other attribute or category.
If you have questions related to these submission guidelines, please don't hesitate to contact us at barstowandgrand@gmail.com.