The Letter Review is an internationally celebrated literary journal committed to the power of literature and the magic of new writing. Each year we award over $20,000 USD in unrestricted cash prizes to writers and artists: Our prize is one of the highest paying literary prizes in the world maintained by a literary journal. We pay contributors professional rates (typically $333 USD), and publish around 60 new works per year drawn predominantly from unsolicited submissions, which are read and judged blindly to ensure fairness. With more than 600,000 annual site views, we aim to connect readers with the best new writing, foster a supportive creative community, and provide resources through interviews, helpful information, & contests. We nominate our writers for opportunities such as The Pushcart Prize, the Best of the Net, and the PEN America Awards. We remain permanently open to submissions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and unpublished books. Every writer who submits is informed of their result via Submittable & email. All past contest winners, and community comments are available on our site. As proud members of The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, we adhere to the CLMP contest code of ethics, welcome submissions from writers worldwide, and remain dedicated to paying professional rates. The Letter Review donates to Freedom House, the oldest American organization devoted to defending democracy, and encourages our community to join us in supporting democracy globally.
I just wanted to thank the Letter Review Prize for short listing my unpublished book Unimaginable Hardship. The recognition contributed to having my chapbook Hidden, A sequence of poems addressing the war in Ukraine, recently published by Bottlecap Press. Thank you!
J. A. (John) deSouza (Shortlist of The Letter Review Prize for Books)
Letter Review emerges as a hallowed space where words bleed, mend, and soar. Within its pages, we find not just tales, but the delicate pulse of memories, interwoven with the age-old craft of storytelling and vulnerability. To have my voice cradled in such a sacred place is a serenade to the moonlit hours where prose meets poetry. A profound honor. The Letter Review stands as a monument of writing wisdom and talent. Being part of this mosaic of narrative and verse is a true honor.
Frederick Joseph: two-time New York Times bestselling author, activist, philanthropist, and poet (First Place in Letter Review Prize for Poetry)
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