Submission guidelines

The Interlochen Review is now open for submissions.

The Interlochen Review is an online literary journal produced by the creative writing students of Interlochen Arts Academy. We’re thrilled to invite talented high school writers, singer-songwriters and artists (grades 9-12 or high school postgraduate year) from around the world to submit their work. We look forward to receiving a diverse range of voices and welcome work that exhibits passion, skill, and an innovative approach to craft.

For this year’s issue, the submission deadline for creative writing and singer-songwriter submissions will be Sunday, February 18, 2024. The visual arts and hybrid genres submission deadline will be Thursday, April 18, 2024. Submissions can be uploaded using Submittable. Please follow the submission guidelines below.


writing & songs

You may submit up to 6 pieces total. Please submit each piece individually. We accept work in the following categories:

Fiction - Word count for each story must be below 5,000 words. Flash fiction is welcome. Each story must be submitted and uploaded individually as a .docx.


Poetry - Long form poems and prose poetry are welcome. Each poem must be submitted and uploaded individually as a .docx.


Nonfiction - Word count for each essay must be below 5,000 words. Lyric essays and flash essays are welcome. Each essay must be submitted and uploaded individually as a .docx.


Hybrid Genres- We welcome work that subverts genre distinctions or does not fit in any of our other categories. These may include film essay/poem, photo essay, new media writing, performance documentation, mixed-media experiments, or any other hybrid work. Each hybrid genre piece must be submitted and uploaded individually as a .docx, .PDF, .mp3, .mp4, .mov, or .jpeg.


Songs - Singer-songwriters are invited to submit original songs, submitted in either audio (.mp3) or video (.mp4 or .mov) format. These submissions will be published along with their lyrics.


Scripts/Screenplays -  Scripts should be below 40 pages in standard manuscript format. Screenplays should be below 40 pages in standard screenplay format. Screenplays should be submitted as a .PDF. Scripts should be submitted as a .docx. Please upload each script or screenplay individually.


Visual Arts

Individual Visual Arts submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Students are limited to 10 visual arts submissions total.

  • Submissions must be 300 dpi and no greater than 8" x 10".

  • Each submissions must be uploaded separately in .jpeg, .tif, .PDF, .mp4 or .mov file formats.

  • Please list the medium(s) use to create each piece.

  • Any medium is accepted; 2D or 3D photographed. Art films or video documentation welcome.

  • Black and white or full color welcome.

  • If you are interested in submitting a visual arts portfolio instead of individual pieces, please see the submission guidelines for portfolios below.

  • Pieces submitted in portfolios may also be submitted individually.

Visual Arts Portfolios must adhere to the following submission guidelines:

  • Students wishing to submit a portfolio of up to 20 pieces of artwork that are connected aesthetically and/or thematically should submit these using the Visual Arts Portfolio category.

  • Students are limited to submitting one Visual Arts Portfolio.

  • All pieces in the portfolio should be uploaded as one submission.

  • Submissions in portfolios must be 300 dpi and no greater than 8" x 10".

  • Submissions in portfolios can be uploaded in .jpeg, .tif, .PDF, .mp4 or .mov file formats.

  • Please include the title of each piece and the medium(s) used to create it in the file name. For example, "Overflow (oil on wood).jpeg"

  • Any medium is accepted; 2D or 3D photographed. Art films or video documentation welcome.

  • Black and white or full color welcome.

  • All portfolios must be accompanied by an artistic statement explaining how the portfolio is connected aesthetically and/or thematically and describing what themes or artistic processes the artist is exploring in this collection.


All submissions must be accompanied by a brief author or artist bio. Please do not include your name anywhere on the submission except for in the bio statement.

We accept work recognized by Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and YoungArts. We do not accept previously published work from other journals, online or in print, with the exception of work that has appeared previously in the Red Wheelbarrow. We accept simultaneous submissions but request that you notify us immediately if your work has been accepted by another journal. Please e-mail us at interlochenreview@interlochen.org with any questions.