"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."
—Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven"

Based in Central Texas, The Raven Review is a digital literary magazine dedicated to publishing poetry and short fiction that explores the human experience through dark, atmospheric writing.

​Since January 2020, the magazine has been publishing both seasoned and newbie writers with the explicit goal of helping them gain exposure. The Raven Review publishes a new issue every quarter.

In case you were wondering, the main inspiration for our name came from the gothic poem “The Raven,” written by Edgar Allan Poe. We feel that this poem embodies the same deep, dark elements that we are going for with our publication. You can read the full poem here.

​Keep up with important information and updates about the magazine by following us on social media. Or, if you have a question, comment, or concern, please don't hesitate to send us an email—we'd love to hear from you!

Rachel Strickland
Founding Editor, Poetry Reader

Rachel founded The Raven Review in 2020, and she makes ​the poetry selections for each issue. She has an MA in English and works as a freelance writer and college professor. She enjoys reading, crocheting, and cuddling with her cat, Lilith. Find her online at rachelastrickland.com.

Seth Allen
Fiction Reader

Seth is the fiction reader at The Raven Review. He has a BA in philosophy and works as an IT professional. He is an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy, and he loves Brandon Sanderson. When he’s not reading, he enjoys watching YouTube and playing video games with his friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit multiple pieces at once?
We ask that writers only submit one poem and/or one fiction piece in their submission document. Please note that submissions that contain more than one will be rejected. If you'd like to submit multiple poems or short stories, please submit them separately.

Can I submit something that has been published elsewhere?
In order to give our writers as much exposure as possible, we ask that you not submit anything that has been previously published, either online or in print. However, simultaneous submissions are allowed; we just ask that you withdraw your piece via Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere.

When will I hear back from you about my submission status?
We try to get our responses out via Submittable approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the issue's publication date (late January, April, July, or October), but we are only a two-person team, so our response times are sometimes delayed. Be sure to check our publication and submission timeframe here to see which issue your work is being considered for based on when you submitted. 
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Do you accept artwork or photography?
We have accepted these media in the past, but we no longer accept any sort of visual art. For now, we only publish poetry and short fiction.

Do you print copies of your issues?
Not at this time, but we hope to someday! However, we do offer PDF versions of each issue, which you can download for free.

Do you pay your contributors?
We are unable to compensate our writers at this time, but we hope to do so in the future!

Do you offer paid/unpaid internships?
While we'd love to offer internships, we do not do so at this time.