SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Our reading period opens September 15, 2011 and closes April 30, 2012.

Please note: Third Coast only accepts submissions via our Online Submission Manager. A link to this submission manager follows the guidelines.

**All paper submissions will be returned unread, and submissions sent via e-mail attachment will be deleted.**

Third Coast publishes poetry, fiction (including traditional and experimental fiction, shorts, and novel excerpts, but not genre fiction), creative nonfiction (including reportage, essay, and memoir), drama (including both performed and unperformed pieces) and translations. We encourage new as well as established writers. Payment is two contributor's copies and a one-year subscription. All rights revert to the author upon publication.

We recommend you look at a recent issue before submitting. You may order single issues (the current issue is $9; a back issue is $6) by sending a check made out to Third Coast, English Department, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008. Write "Sample Current Issue" or "Sample Back Issue" on the envelope. We have also posted a few selections from our current and back issues on our website.

Once you’ve submitted, please wait until you have heard back from us before submitting another manuscript. We do accept simultaneous submissions but ask that you withdraw the submission by way of our online submission system if your piece is accepted elsewhere.

Submission Guidelines:

•All submissions should be sent via the Online Submission Manager. Any attachments sent to our e-mail address will be deleted, and any submissions sent via regular mail will not be read. The link to the Online Submission Manager is below.

•For all submissions, we accept simultaneous submissions, but not multiple submissions. Please submit no more than one manuscript at a time. Also, we do not accept previously published works.

• Fiction: Submit manuscripts of up to 7,500 words (or up to 25 pages); authors wishing to submit longer manuscripts should query the editors at editors@thirdcoastmagazine.com. As for short shorts, we accept up to five at a time (please submit short shorts in ONE word document). NOTE: Under the current Fiction Editors, the average length for accepted publications is 12-18 pages. Fiction submissions should be typed, double-spaced, openly margined, and printed clearly. The author's name, address, email address, and phone number should be included on the first page. Each subsequent page should have a page number and the author's name or title of the piece.

• Nonfiction: Submit manuscripts of up to 6,000 words. The current Nonfiction Editor encourages the submission of  lyric essays, braided essays, and short essays in the range of 700-2,000 words. Nonfiction submissions should be typed, double-spaced, openly margined, and printed clearly. The author's name, address, email address, and phone number should be included on the first page. Each subsequent page should have a page number and the author's name or title of the piece.

• Poetry: Poetry should be typed and single-spaced, with the author's name and contact info on the first page. Stanza breaks should be double-spaced. Please send no more than five poems at a time (with a maximum of fifteen pages total per submission). Save all poems in one document before submitting.

• Drama: Please submit one-act plays of no more than 20 pages. Third Coast strongly encourages the submission of 10-minute plays that have had readings or productions, but have not received publication. Please submit in standard play format.

• For Book Reviews: If you are interested in writing book reviews for Third Coast, please submit a writing sample via the online submission system. Choose "Book Review" under genre.

To submit your work, visit:

http://www.thirdcoastmagazine.com/submissions.

Submissions are typically accepted or declined within four months. However, due to the number of submissions received, response times may be longer. Please do not inquire about the status of your submission until five (5) months have passed. Write "Submission Inquiry-Fiction," "Submission Inquiry-Poetry," "Submission Inquiry-Creative Nonfiction," or "Submission Inquiry-Drama" in the Subject line of your e-mail and send to:

editors@thirdcoastmagazine.com

We thank you for your interest in Third Coast and look forward to reading your work.