guidelines

Submission guidelines and information

The Barcelona Review accepts submissions year-round for previously unpublished short fiction and creative non-fiction. We do not accept poetry submissions. If you have any further questions after reading the following, please let us know.

What we’re looking for:

TBR is open to all genres and to a variety of styles and techniques. We’re after original, potent and powerful writing with a contemporary feel that is literarily sound; writing marked by a strong sense of imaginative distinction. (We do not publish tales, fables or re-worked fairy tales; nor are we after vignettes.)  We typically favor gritty realism over fantasy, magic realism or slipstream, but we’re open to everything and have published work in those genres so don’t hold back.

A familiarity with some of the review's fiction (see TBR archives) should provide a good indication of the type of literature we are looking for. We expect writers to have read a minimum of 2-3 stories before submitting work (see TBR Archives).  Novel extracts will not be considered unless they are entirely self-contained pieces.

All submissions are read by the editor or a staff reader. Reply time takes twelve weeks. If you haven’t heard from us by then, send us an email.

Short Fiction:

• Word length: 5,500 words max.
• Only previously unpublished work (print or online) accepted for reading.
• Submit one story at a time for consideration to the editor. Do not send a second piece until you have received a response to the first.
• Simultaneous submissions are fine but please let us know immediately if accepted elsewhere.

Creative Non-fiction:

Creative non-fiction (e.g., personal essays, memoir, think-pieces) that fits with the review is welcome. Literary criticism and academic pieces are not what we're after. Word length: under 3,000 words has the best chance, but we’ll consider up to 5,000 words. Submit following the ‘short fiction’ criteria above.

Submit by e-mail:

• Send Word document as an attached file.
• New Times Roman; 12-point font. Single space, preferably.
• Include your name and contact information on the first page.
• A brief cover letter with a bio is welcome.

Please write "Submission" in the Subject Box and your name - or the name the story will be published under. For example: "Submission / Jane Doe." Do not put the title in the subject box as a word may unwittingly be a keyword that triggers the spam filter to automatically discard the file.

To submit by post:

 Hard copies are accepted but cannot be returned (see address below). For those living outside Spain, include an international stamp coupon with a self-addressed envelope or an e-mail address to which we can respond. Double space ms.

Please Note: We cannot offer money to contributors, but in lieu of pay work is showcased along with two or more known authors in a high quality literary review with an international readership. Author retains all rights although for the Internet only we ask for exclusive rights for the time period agreed upon.

Send submissions and queries to:

Jill Adams

email: tbr_submission@yahoo.com

post:
C/ Correu Vell 12 - 2°
08002 Barcelona,
Spain