The Coachella Review is the literary arts journal of the University of California Riverside–Palm Desert Graduate Center and the MFA program in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts. 

We accept original work that is vibrant, thoughtful, and precise. Whether your work is innovative or traditional, we strive to celebrate writing that holds readers in awe. 

We publish two issues a year, in June and December, and curate an eclectic blog. We welcome submissions during our open call periods for the issue. Our response time is generally one to three months; simultaneous submissions are welcome.

SPECIAL THEMED ISSUE

Our Summer 2025 issue carries a theme that is meaningful for our editorial staff. We are looking for pieces that incite GOOD TROUBLE, the kind necessary in our turbulent times. We want to read works that challenge systems of power, uplift unheard or misunderstood voices, and show empathy for all those working to change the future.

As champions of the written word, we are looking for pieces that advocate for change. Bring us your GOOD TROUBLE!

GUIDELINES

For editorial purposes, we prefer work submitted as Word documents and do not accept PDF files. Scripts may be sent as Final Draft documents. 

Please do not include any photography, illustrations, or other attachments that will not be included in the final published work. If your work does include such additions, you must provide copyright information and permissions in your cover letter.

In addition to your submission, please include the following information in your cover letter: the title of your entry, its genre and word count, and your email address (we will use it if we don't hear from you through Submittable).

Multiple submissions for the same genre in the same reading period are not accepted, but simultaneous submissions to other journals are accepted. If you would like to submit to multiple genres (e.g. a piece of fiction and three poems), please contact us directly to alert us of such a submission. We will only publish one submission per author per issue.

We do not accept work currently published on the internet, including on social media and in podcasts.