The Rapids Review Literary and Arts Magazine
Our active Creative Writing Club publishes an annual literary magazine The Rapids Review, and all students are invited to submit original works of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, drama, and visual art for publication. All students from the Cambridge and Coon Rapids campuses can submit creative work for publication consideration. The Rapids Review is an inclusive magazine that celebrates differences, variety, and diversity. Submissions of fiction, poetry, stage writing, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, photography, and visual art are accepted. Creative writing students gain editorial experience while working on the literary magazine, and students celebrate the literary magazine’s publication with a public spring reading each year.
Submission Guidelines
Writers and artists may submit a total of five works/pieces, including artwork.
Submission Guidelines for Written Works
- All written work must be double-spaced in Arial 12-point font.
- All written work must be sent as an attached Microsoft Word document.
- Fiction and creative nonfiction submissions should not exceed 2,500 words.
- We do not accept news articles.
- Poetry submissions should not exceed 75 lines. Poems should be single-spaced and left aligned (no centered poems). Exceptions will be made if there is an artistic reason for the poem’s formatting.
- Stage writing and screenwriting submissions should not exceed 10 double-spaced pages of script.
- If sources are used, they must be properly cited.
Submission Guidelines for Visual Works
- Visual artwork must be submitted as attached JPEG files.
- If you prefer another file type, you may email Melody.Heide@anokaramsey.edu to inquire about it.
- We don’t currently have a file size limit, but we may ask for smaller-sized files if needed.
- We welcome a variety of submissions (drawings, photos, paintings, etc.).
- Artists can also submit photos of three-dimensional work they created, such as sculptures or glass items.
- We seek eye-catching work, especially for our cover.
How to Submit Work:
Email submissions to ar.creativewriting.club@gmail.com and include:
- "RR Submission" as the subject line
- The name of the writer/artist
- Title of each work/piece (Each work/piece should be a separate attached file.)
- Category of each work/piece (short story, play, painting, sculpture, etc.)
Writer or artist names as document headings (no page numbers required)
Deadline
We accept submissions from current Anoka-Ramsey Community College students beginning on the first day of the fall semester each academic year and ending in early to mid-March.
Important Notes
- As a literary magazine, we favor literary and artistic work.
- We tend not to prefer overly political pieces.
- We lean toward pieces that move rather than shock.
- We do not prefer blood, gore, needless violence, etc.
- We tend to look for pieces that have something important to say or show about life.
- We do not accept anonymous or “pen name” submissions.
- All works/pieces submitted must be the work/piece of, and under the sole ownership of, the person or persons submitting such work/piece.
- AI-generated art and writing is NOT permitted and will not be published in The Rapids Review. If your content is suspected to have used AI-generation of ANY KIND, it will not be accepted for publication.
- The Editorial Board reserves the right to make final selection decisions. The Editorial Board also reserves the right to make formatting changes, such as line spacing and font, to create a cohesive magazine (if necessary).
- This year’s magazine will not have a pre-determined theme. If a theme arises naturally from the accepted works, we may decide to add one.
- By submitting your work, you give The Rapids Review permission to publish it in our
magazine online and/or in a small print run (if applicable).
Read The Rapids Review Archive
The Rapids Review is published by the Coon Rapids Creative Writing Club.
View the 2025 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2024 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2023 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2022 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2021 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2020 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2019 The Rapids Review (PDF)
View the 2018 The Rapids Review (PDF)
Read the Spirit River Review Archive
The Spirit River Review is currently on hiatus. The Spirit River Review published submissions of original works of visual art, poetry, fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction from Cambridge campus students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
View the 2021 Spirit River Review (PDF)
View the 2020 Spirit River Review (PDF)