## Background The Kenyon Review was founded in 1939 at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, by the poet and critic John Crowe Ransom, and it quickly became one of the most influential American literary magazines of the mid-20th century, closely associated with the New Criticism movement in literary study. It has published early or significant work by writers such as Robert Lowell, Flannery O'Connor, Dylan Thomas, and Robert Penn Warren over its history. The magazine folded briefly in the 1970s before being revived in 1979, and it has since grown from a quarterly literary journal into a broader arts organization, running writers' workshops, youth writing programs, and a companion online publication, KROnline. It continues to publish fiction, poetry, essays, and translations, and pays contributors for accepted work. ## Submissions - Submitted only through Submittable, during an open reading period that begins in the fall. - Accepts: short fiction and essays (up to 7,500 words); flash fiction/essays (up to 3 pieces, 1,000 words each); poetry (up to 6 poems); plays (up to 30 pages); excerpts from longer works (up to 30 pages); translations of poetry and short prose. - Writers may submit to more than one genre, but only one submission per genre. - Response time: aim for within six months. - Pay rates: roughly $0.08/word for prose, $0.16/word for poetry, flat $50 for KROnline book reviews. - Separate annual poetry and fiction contests are run with their own guidelines and fees. Full guidelines: [kenyonreview.org/submit](https://kenyonreview.org/submit/) Submission manager: [thekenyonreview.submittable.com/submit](https://thekenyonreview.submittable.com/submit)