Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. Work must be previously unpublished. Contributors will receive two copies of the issue in which they are published, an opportunity to purchase additional copies at half-price, and a one-year subscription. We do not offer any monetary remuneration for publication. 

Note: Current NYU students and recent (within last 3 years) graduates are not eligible to submit to Washington Square

$15.00

The Spring 2026 New Voices Award will be open to fiction submissions. The NYU MFA faculty judge will be Katie Kitamura. The winner will receive $1,500 and publication in the journal (in print and online). For more information, go to our website here.


 

No contact or identifying information may appear anywhere on the submission. 

Submissions should not exceed 5,000 words and should be one story only.

 

Eligibility

This contest is for emerging writers. You are NOT eligible if you:

  • Have published a book or have a book forthcoming before March 1, 2026. (Not included: chapbooks with a print run of less than 300.)
  • Are affiliated with NYU as a student or faculty member or could be affiliated with NYU in the coming year.
  • Are a graduate of the NYU MFA program or recent (within the last five years) NYU MFA affiliate.
  • Are a previous winner or finalist


Fees & Fee Waivers

The submission fee includes a three-issue subscription to Washington Square Review. 

We would like to extend fee waivers to writers who are Black, Indigenous, of Palestinian descent, other writers of color, and those for whom the fee presents a financial hardship. Please email us at wsr@nyu.edu for a waiver.

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Creative nonfiction submissions should not exceed 5,000 words. One piece per submission, and only one submission per author, per submission period. 

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We publish poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction in translation. Please submit both the original and the translation whenever possible. Translators are expected to have identified the original copyright holder and obtained confirmation that the translation rights are available before submitting, and, if accepted, are responsible for securing those rights.
Poetry submissions should not exceed five poems and prose submissions should not exceed 5,000 words.

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Poetry submissions should not exceed five poems.

Washington Square Review