Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Translation
West Branch
West Branch pays $100 per poetry submission and $0.10/word for prose up to a maximum of $200, plus two contributor copies and a one-year subscription. Reads unsolicited manuscripts Aug 1-Apr 1.
🟢 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
- $100/poetry, $0.10/word up to $200 (prose)The highest figure of the 6 records based in the United States that state a per-word rate. On acceptance.
- Length
- up to 6 poems or 30 pages of prose
- Who can submit
- Open internationallyThe guideline states no geographic restriction. 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
- Query after four months
- 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
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 138 of the 304 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- StatedFirst North American serial rights, plus two contributor copies and a one-year subscription.
- 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 4 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.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-05. 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
- $100/poetry, $0.10/word up to $200 (prose)
- Word count
- up to 6 poems or 30 pages of prose
- Submission
- Online submission manager
- 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, Nonfiction, Translation. Official guideline: West Branch guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and translation of original, unpublished work.
- Up to six poems or thirty pages of a single prose piece.
- Short-form fiction may be submitted as up to three pieces, so long as total pages stay under fifteen.
Subjects they avoid
- No more than two submissions per contributor in a given reading period - extras are rejected.
- Print only original, unpublished work.
Key requirements
- Paginated file with author name on each page
- Prose double-spaced with word count
- Up to 6 poems or 30 pages prose
- No more than two submissions per reading period
Who can submit
Open to submissions from any location; first North American serial rights purchased.
Rights
First North American serial rights, plus two contributor copies and a one-year subscription.
AI policy
Not stated in the guideline
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
Online submission manager
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Online submission manager
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Submit via the West Branch online submission manager (Bucknell). File must be paginated with the name on each page; prose double-spaced with a word count.
- Wait four months before querying for a response.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Query after four months
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.