We're working a bit more slowly than usual. To those of you with outstanding submissions, we appreciate your patience!
The Schooner’s intention is to publish the best and most interesting writing available, both from beginning and established writers. We publish short stories, poems, imaginative essays of general interest, and reviews of current books of poetry and fiction. Scholarly articles requiring footnote references should be submitted to journals of literary scholarship. We particularly welcome work by writers of color and writers who come from disenfranchised or previously disenfranchised backgrounds.
We do not prefer to read simultaneous submissions, except in the case of contest submissions, and submissions must be received between September 1 and May 1. We do not consider work that has been previously published anywhere, including online publications. We read as quickly as we can, but please allow 4 -5 months for a reply. (We know, we're a little behind, and we appreciate your patience!)
In principle, the Schooner has no objections to the use of pseudonyms, but we require disclosure of their use to the editor before publication.
We encourage you to read the Schooner before you submit. Sample copies are available below for just $9.00. There's never a fee to submit to our general reading period, and we're grateful for the support we receive through donations and orders.
Looking for the Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize contest? For the sake of confidentiality, it's totally separate from normal submissions. Open annually from January 15 to March 15, for collections of short fiction and poetry, the fee to submit is $25, and the prize is $3,000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press. Read more: https://prairieschoonerbookprizeseries.submittable.com/submit
New subscriptions begin with the Spring 2025 issue, coming this fall.
Now in our 98th year of continuous publication, the Schooner seeks to publish the most interesting work in contemporary poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and reviews.
A one-year subscription includes 4 issues of the journal. Select a two- or three-year subscription for an even better rate!
Volume 98, Issue 2, Summer 2024
Featuring selections from the Digital Schooner Global Fusion Series, this issue features work by writers from Australia, Botswana, Macedonia/The Balkans, India, Singapore, Việt Nam, Uganda, and Palestine.
Guest editors: David Prater, Tjawangwa Dema, Nikola Madžirov, Sudeep Sen, Alvin Pang, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva, and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha
Contributors: Tom Clark, Brendan Ryan, Margaret Owen Ruckert, Jennifer Compton, Ivy Alvarez, Liam Ferney, M. F. McAuliffe, Benito Di Fonzo, Esther Johnson, Geoff Page, Mandisa Mabuthoe, Drea Chuma, Legodile Seganabeng, Valerie Brown, Katerina Iliopoulou, Zvonko Karanović, Arian Leka, Gökçenur Ç., Luljeta Lleshanaku, Titos Patrikios, Pavle Goranović, Marjo Pogačar, Mile Stojić, Ana Ristović, Ervina Halili, Damir Šodan, Savita Singh, Nabina Das, Himali Singh Soin, Bina Sarkar Ellias, Uddipana Goswami, Sukrita Paul Kumar, Anu Majumdar, Shikha Malaviya, Sharanya Manivannan, Deepti Naval, Sumana Roy, Rati Saxena, Elangovan, Heng Siok Tian, Judith Huang, Madeleine Lee, Ng Yi-Sheng, Jollin Tan, Toh Hsien Min, Jerrold Yam, Cyril Wong, Yeow Kai Chai, Thúy Đinh, Bùi Hoàng Tám, Hà Văn Tỉnh, Hồ Đăng Thanh Ngọc, Hoàng Anh Tuấn, Lê Vĩnh Tài, Lữ Thị Mai, Nguyễn Đức Mậu, Nguyễn Hữu Hà, Nguyễn Hữu Hồng Minh, Nguyễn Quang Hưng, Nguyễn Thánh Ngã, Nguyệt Phạm, Thạch Quỳ, Trần Quang Quý, Võ Quê, Lillian Akampurira Aujo, Mildred Kiconco Barya, Flavia Kabuye, Aganza Kisaka, Derek Lubangakene, Nick Makoha, Solomon Manzi, Rashida Namulondo, Rehema Nanfuka, Pamela Orogot, Susanna Piwang, Iga Zinunula, leena aboutaleb, George Abraham, Ahmad Almallah, Zeina Azzam, Olivia Elias, Summer Farah, Fady Joudah, Emily Khilfeh, A.D. Lauren- Abunassar, Sara Abou Rashed, Deema K. Shehabi, Priscilla Wathington, and Issam Zineh
Now in our 95th year of continuous publication, Prairie Schooner seeks to publish the best in contemporary poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and reviews.
We've got years of great issues full of excellent writing, and buying a sample copy is a great way to grab a taste of what we're all about.
If you're looking to buy a specific back issue, please indicate which one you want in the form. Otherwise, we'll just pick out one of our favorite recent issues and send it your way.
Our readers' loyal support and enthusiasm for what we do is why we're able to keep producing one of the oldest literary magazines in the country.
Consider making a donation to support our ongoing mission to bring great work from around the world out into the world.