📜 Fiction Submission Guidelines

We welcome original horror fiction that disturbs, unsettles, or crawls beneath the skin. From gothic to psychological, supernatural to body horror, we’re interested in stories that haunt readers long after the final line.

What We're Looking For:

• Genre: Horror in all its forms. Dark fantasy or speculative elements are welcome as long as the piece leans heavily into horror themes or atmosphere.

• Word Count: 500 to 4,000 words. (Longer submissions may be considered, but acceptance is less likely.)

• Original Work Only: No previously published stories, including on personal blogs or social media.

• Simultaneous Submissions: Allowed, but please notify us immediately if your piece is accepted elsewhere.

• Multiple Submissions: Please send only one fiction piece at a time. You may submit again once you’ve received a response.

Formatting Guidelines:

• Submit your story as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• Use standard manuscript format: 12 pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch margins.

• Include your name, email address, and word count at the top of the document.

• Title your file in the format: LastName_Title.

Response Time:

We aim to respond within 4–6 weeks, though response times may vary depending on volume. Please be patient—this is currently a one-person operation run with love (and a touch of madness).

Payment:

At this time, The Final Girl Review is a labor of love and cannot offer payment. We hope to compensate contributors in the future as the magazine grows.

Rights:

We request first electronic publishing rights and non-exclusive archival rights. All rights revert back to the author upon publication.

To Submit:
Send your story as an attachment to thefinalgirlreview@gmail.com with the subject line: Fiction Submission – [Your Story Title].

Got a tale that keeps you up at night? Send it our way—we promise to read it with the lights off.

🕯 Poetry Submission Guidelines

We’re looking for poetry that howls, haunts, or decays beautifully on the page. The Final Girl Review seeks original horror poems that explore fear, grief, transformation, obsession, and the unknown—whether it’s whispered in gothic stanzas or screamed in free verse.

What We're Looking For:

• Genre: Horror poetry in all forms and styles. Gothic, surreal, psychological, visceral, or speculative—we welcome it all, as long as it chills, unsettles, or leaves a mark.

• Length: Up to 3 poems per submission, no more than 100 lines per poem.

• Original Work Only: No previously published work (including self-published or on social media).

• Simultaneous Submissions: Allowed, but please let us know if any poems are accepted elsewhere.

• Multiple Submissions: Please wait until you receive a response before sending more work.

Formatting Guidelines:

• Submit all poems in a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• Include each poem on a new page, with titles clearly marked.

• Use a legible font (12 pt, Times New Roman or similar). Experimental formatting is welcome but should be intentional and readable.

• Include your name, email address, and a short bio (optional) at the top of the document or in the body of your email.

• Title your file: LastName_PoetrySubmission.

Response Time:

We aim to respond within 4–6 weeks, but response times may vary. Please be kind—it’s just one of us running this haunted house of verse.

Payment:

At this time, we cannot offer payment. We hope to offer honorariums in the future as The Final Girl Review grows.

Rights:

We ask for first electronic rights and non-exclusive archival rights. Rights revert to the poet upon publication. If your work is later reprinted, we appreciate credit as first publisher.

To Submit:
Email your submission to thefinalgirlreview@gmail.com with the subject line: Poetry Submission – [Your Name].

Your nightmares deserve rhythm. Your monsters deserve a voice. Let them rise.

🩸 Art Submission Guidelines

Where fear finds form and ink bleeds into shadow.

The FInal Girl Review seeks visual artwork that captures the strange, the haunted, and the beautifully grotesque. We’re looking for static visual art—whether hand-drawn, painted, photographed, or digitally crafted—that evokes the spirit of horror in all its terrifying, tender, or twisted forms.

What We Accept:

• Visual Art Only: Illustration, digital painting, photography, collage, mixed media.

• Theme: Horror in all its variations—gothic, surreal, psychological, folkloric, supernatural, abstract, or visceral.

Submission Details:

• File Types: JPEG, PNG, or PDF only.

• Resolution: 300 dpi preferred for print-quality display.

• File Size: Maximum 10MB per image.

• Number of Pieces: Submit up to 5 pieces per submission.

• File Naming: Please name your files clearly using the format: LastName_TitleOfWork.

Include With Your Submission:

• A brief artist’s statement or description of your work (optional).

• A short bio (50–100 words).

• Your full name (or preferred credit name) and any website or social media links you’d like included if published.

Response Time:

We aim to respond within 4–6 weeks, though we appreciate your patience—The Final Girl Review is a one-person operation, run between dusk and deadline.

Payment:

At this time, we are unable to offer payment. We do, however, aim to give your work the eerie spotlight it deserves, and we hope to offer compensation in future issues as the magazine grows.

Rights:

We request first electronic publication rights and non-exclusive archival rights. All rights revert back to the artist after publication. If your piece is re-published elsewhere, we’d appreciate a credit to The Final Girl Review as the first home.

To Submit:
Email your artwork to thefinalgirlreview@gmail.com with the subject line:
Art Submission – [Your Name]

Let your shadows speak—we’re listening. 🖤

🧠 Creative Nonfiction, Reviews & Essays Submission Guidelines

For the thinkers, the analysts, and the haunted memoirists.

At The Final Girl Review, we believe horror doesn't just live in fiction—it lingers in memory, in cultural critique, and in the stories we tell ourselves about the world. We welcome original nonfiction that explores horror from the inside out, whether through personal experience, critical analysis, or reviews of the terrifying texts that shaped you.

We’re Seeking Submissions In:

• Creative Nonfiction: True stories with a dark slant. Memoir, reflection, or essay-style narratives that explore fear, trauma, the uncanny, or personal brushes with the unsettling.

• Reviews: Thoughtful, engaging reviews of horror books, films, or media—new releases or cult classics.

• Academic or Critical Essays: Analytical pieces on horror literature, film, theory, or history. We welcome a variety of critical approaches—from gothic studies and folklore to feminist horror and media critique.

Word Count:

• Creative Nonfiction: 1,000–3,500 words

• Reviews: 800–1,500 words

• Academic Essays: 1,500–4,000 words

Submission Guidelines:

• Submit your work as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• Use a clear, readable font (12 pt, Times New Roman or similar), double-spaced.

• Include a title and word count at the top of the document.

• If submitting an academic essay, please cite sources in MLA or Chicago style.

• Title your file: LastName_Title_SubmissionType (e.g., Graves_GhostsAndGender_Essay).

Include With Your Submission:

• A short bio (50–100 words)

• Optional: links to your website or social media, if you’d like to be credited

Response Time:

Expect a response within 4–6 weeks. We appreciate your patience— The Final Girl Review is currently run by a single (mortal) editor.

Payment:

At this time, we are unable to offer monetary compensation. Selected pieces will be published in our digital issue and/or on the website with full author credit.

Rights:

We request first electronic publishing rights and non-exclusive archival rights. All rights revert to the author after publication.

To Submit:
Send your piece to thefinalgirlreview@gmail.com with the subject line:
Nonfiction Submission – [Title], Review Submission – [Title], or Essay Submission – [Title]