New Letters reads submissions all year long. We only accept work submitted through Submittable, our online submission manager. There is a small fee for submissions, though fees are waived for current subscribers. You may subscribe to the magazine here.
To enter one of New Letters annual contest, click the appropriate link below:
The New Letters Literary Awards (Deadline: May 19, 2025)
The $1,000 New Letters Editor’s Choice Award (Deadline: Nov. 13, 2024)
New Letters is primarily—but not exclusively—interested in reviewing excellent books (even movies and visual art) otherwise not receiving much attention in the national media. We also like books that have something important to say about culture, politics, aesthetics, or any kind of art; that includes scholarly, critical, or biographical books that could find a non-specialized readership.
New Letters publishes photographs, drawings, paintings and even, at times, photographs of three-dimensional work. Although placement in the magazine sometimes creates a resonance with a particular piece of writing, we generally do not use art to illustrate the writing. Art in New Letters is there for its own sake.
We have two principal standards for selecting art: Is it fresh, interesting, high-quality work; will it effectively reproduce on the pages of this magazine?
Please note these criteria and suggestions:
We buy first North-American serial rights. All rights revert to the author upon publication. New Letters is among a group of literary magazines that actually pay writers & artists, albeit modestly. Payment to contributors also includes two copies of the issue and 50 percent discounts for additional copies and subscriptions.
New Letters, 5101 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110
Copyright New Letters 2023,
University of Missouri-Kansas City