Naugatuck River Review is a print journal of narrative poetry. They are looking for poems that tell a story: “They can be stories of a moment or an experience, and can be personal, fictional or historical.” The editors like poetry in the tradition of poets like Patricia Smith, Philip Levine, and Alicia Ostriker.
Naugatuck River Review has been published twice a year in print since 2009. Selections from the journal are available online for free. It’s a good idea to read these selections before submitting to get a sense of what they like.
Right now Naugatuck River Review is open to submissions through March 1 for publication in their summer/fall 2024 edition. Poets may submit up to three narrative poems.
Naugatuck River Review prefers narratives that are condensed, and they only accept poems that are 50 lines or fewer.
Naugatuck River Review also holds a contest for narrative poetry each year. Submissions for the contest run from July 1 through September 1 annually. There is no fee for submitting to the journal, but there is a $20 fee for submitting to the contest.
Naugatuck River Review accepts submissions online using Submittable, not via email or by post. They accept simultaneous submissions but ask that authors withdraw writing published elsewhere. They do not accept previously published work.
Naugatuck River Review only accepts submissions that follow the guidelines they’ve posted online. Please read these guidelines in full before submitting.
If you would like to learn more or submit to Naugatuck River Review, please visit their website here.
Bio: Ella Peary is the pen name for an author, editor, creative writing mentor, and submission consultant. Over the past five years, she’s written hundreds of articles for Authors Publish, and she’s also served as a copywriter and copy editor for a wide range of organizations and individuals. She is the author of The Quick Start Guide to Flash Fiction. She occasionally teaches a course on flash fiction. You can contact her at ellapeary@gmail.com.
