Submission Guidelines

Submission Guidelines

Contemporary Verse 2 only accepts two submissions per submitter per year.

Contemporary Verse 2 only accepts one submission per submitter at a time.

Any submissions that do not follow correct guidelines or do not include full contact information will not be considered for publication and will not receive a reply. Please read the submission guidelines before sending us your work. Submit your work using the link below.

Submission Fees

CV2 offers free submissions to all Canadians and Canadians residents submitting to our general submissions and themed issues. This includes anyone who is:

• a Canadian citizen living in Canada
• a Canadian citizen living abroad
• a current resident of Canada (this can include asylum-seekers, students, and foreign workers)
• a current permanent resident of Canada living either in Canada or abroad

Starting Sept 1, 2023, CV2 now charges a $3.00 (CAD) reading fee to international submitters submitting to our general submissions (we do not charge a reading fee to international submitters submitting to our themed issues). This submission fee will help enable us to pay all of our readers, a practice we feel strongly about, and will also help us to keep our not-for-profit organization running. We reserve a number of fee waivers for international submitters during each reading period; if the submission fee is prohibitive to you, you can email us at editor@contemporaryverse2.ca to request a fee waiver.

Editorial Aim and Policy

Contemporary Verse 2 is a quarterly literary journal that publishes poetry and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews. It is our policy to publish new writing by both emerging and established poets. The writing we encourage reflects a diversity representing a range of social and cultural experience along with literary excellence.

Suitability for Publication

CV2 purchases first North American serial print rights and limited, non-exclusive digital rights only. Authors retain full copyright for works published in CV2.

We suggest that writers research literary journals carefully before submitting their work to determine that the journal’s aesthetics match that of their writing. Because of the number of submissions we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback to everyone who requests it. If you are a new writer, we recommend seeking consultation from an experienced writer. For manuscript consultation services and programs, contact your local or provincial writing organization for assistance.

A sample of CV2 content is published on our website. In addition, back issues of CV2 are available for $5 (+$2 shipping) in our store. Or, check the list of where to buy CV2.

French Language Submissions

CV2 welcomes poetry submissions in French, as well as translation projects, including both French to English and English to French.

Works in Translation

CV2 accepts translations of works in any language.

In your submission, please include permissions and bio from the original artist, and a citation of the original source of the work.

ex – “Title of Poem.” Title of Collection. Publisher, Year of Publication.

Length of Submissions

• Poetry submissions: no more than 5 poems, to a maximum of 6 pages
• Interviews: no more than 6-8 pages in length, double-spaced.
• Articles: no more than 3-4 pages, double-spaced.
• Essays: no more than 2-4 pages, double-spaced.
• Reviews should be 600-1000 words, double-spaced. (Between ½ and 2 pages long.)

Note: For submissions of critical writing, including articles, essays, interviews, and reviews, please include a word count in your cover letter. Authors of critical writing should be prepared for editorial suggestions regarding length, tone, and format.

Submission Requirements

Please upload your submission as a single attachment of a Microsoft Word, TXT or RTF (rich text format) document.

Each submission should include:

• A short cover letter with your name, the titles of the poems/writing you have enclosed, and a sense of your publication experience, if any. Please include a word count for essays, interviews or reviews.
• Your name at the top of every page of your submission.
• A short (maximum 70 words) biographical statement for editorial purposes, written in the third person. Please use the form of your name that you would like to see in print.
• Please let us know if your submission is simultaneous, and notify us immediately by emailing submissions@contemporaryverse2.ca if it is accepted elsewhere. We must be notified via email, and not via Submittable’s notes feature.

Review Time

Due to the large number of submissions we receive, our review time is between 2 to 7 months. We ask that you please be patient with our editorial process, which is designed to ensure that all submissions are considered with the same care. Please do not inquire as to the status of your submission before 7 months have passed since you submitted.

Because of publication deadlines, our questions concerning editing often require a quick turnaround, meaning publication of your work could be jeopardized or delayed if you do not provide accurate contact information.

Reading Period

CV2 has two reading periods for general submissions, running from September 1 to November 30, and February 1 to May 31.  CV2 does not accept general submissions from December 1 to January 31, and June 1 to August 31.

This reading period does not apply to contests or special issues.

Payment

Writers whose work is selected for print publication receive 2 complimentary copies of the issue in which their work appears. This is in addition to payment.

• Poetry: $35 per poem
• Interviews: $75-$150, depending upon length
• Articles: $75-$150, depending upon length
• Essays: $75-$150, depending upon length
• Reviews: $65-$100, depending upon length
• Web-only content, including interviews, essays, and reviews: $65-$150, depending upon length

Suggested Edits

Occasionally, our poetry editors will suggest edits to pieces they would like to accept, if they feel that edits might strengthen the work submitted. Our editors appreciate that the editing process can be an intimate and vulnerable one, and will always present edits as suggestions, though acceptance of the work in question may be dependent on the submitter’s approval of the suggested edits. We now ask that all submitters indicate in their cover letters whether or not they are comfortable receiving suggested edits to their work.

Note for International Writers

Unsolicited overseas contributors (from outside of Canada and the USA) whose fee is $40.00 or less (one poem or review) will receive only their two contributor copies as payment. We are no longer able to offer a fee to these writers because the cost of postage to mail two copies of the journal is higher than the amount that the contributor would receive in payment for a single poem or review. There can also be difficulties in the exchange of smaller amounts of Canadian Funds abroad. The only exceptions to this new policy are Canadians living abroad who give a Canadian address for mailings. These contributors will be compensated according to guidelines for regular Canadian contributors, receiving payment and two contributor copies.

Upcoming Themed Issues

Submissions for Versus Narrative: The Addiction Issue are now open.

Find updates on upcoming themed issues here.

Newsletter

Did you know that CV2 has a newsletter? Just indicate that you’d like to receive it in your cover letter, and we’ll start sending information about submission calls, contests, and more straight to your inbox.

Note that CV2 has two reading periods for general submissions, running from September 1 to November 30, and February 1 to May 31.  CV2 does not accept general submissions from December 1 to January 31, and June 1 to August 31.

This reading period does not apply to contests or special issues.