Poetry, Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Essay
Chestnut Review
Chestnut Review accepts poetry, flash and short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays and visual media, paying $120 for accepted pieces.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-09
The docket
The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 304-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- $120Of the other 51 records based in the United States that state a flat-fee figure, 31 state less, 20 state more.
- Length
- Varies
- Who can submit
- Open worldwideThe guideline states the call is worldwide. Diaspora writers are explicitly welcome.
- Reading period
- Not yet assessedBRYME has not recorded a reading period for this market from its guideline page. That is our gap rather than the publication's silence: it does not mean the window is open, and it does not mean there is none. Read the guideline linked on this page before you send.
- Response time
- About 30 days
- Simultaneous submissions
- Not statedThe guideline does not address simultaneous submissions. BRYME records that as silence rather than assuming a yes: if you are sending the same piece to several publications, say so in your cover letter and withdraw it everywhere the moment it is taken.
- AI policy
- AI-generated work is not acceptedThe guideline rules out AI-generated writing.
- Rights
- StatedUnpublished work only; contributors receive the annual anthology copy.
- Experience
- Not statedThe guideline sets no experience requirement. BRYME records that as silence, not as a welcome — a first-time writer is not excluded, but nor are they invited.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 3 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Simultaneous submissions — the guideline leaves this open, so declare it in your cover letter rather than assuming.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-21. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records based in the United States quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- $120
- Word count
- Varies
- Submission
- Submittable
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Poetry, Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Essay. Official guideline: Chestnut Review guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Poetry (up to six poems; three for the free tier), flash fiction and creative nonfiction under 1,000 words, prose 1,000-5,000 words, visual art and photography
- Work showing persistence and creative tenacity - 'for stubborn artists'
- Primarily English work, including work engaging with other languages and cultures
Subjects they avoid
- Previously published work (online or print)
- AI-generated content
- Translations
- Excerpts of longer works (prose)
Key requirements
- $120 per accepted piece, every writer and artist paid
- Flash submissions free; minimal fees for longer prose categories; optional paid staff-reader feedback
- Simultaneous submissions considered
- Contributors receive a copy of the annual print anthology; quarterly online, annually in print
Who can submit
Worldwide — no stated geographic restriction.
Rights
Unpublished work only; contributors receive the annual anthology copy.
AI policy
No / restricted (reported)
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.
How to submit
Submittable
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Submittable
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Submit via the Submittable page for your genre (see chestnutreview.com/submissions)
- Poems single-spaced, each starting on a new page; one flash piece at a time
What happens after submission
Expected response: About 30 days
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.