Get Involved with Red River Review

We’re seeking two volunteer editorial readers to support Red River Review’s submission review process. We are looking for thoughtful, discerning readers with an interest in contemporary poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, hybrid work, and visual or digital art. This role is best suited for writers, editors, educators, graduate students, librarians, artists, and serious readers who care deeply about literary quality, originality, voice, and craft. Volunteer editorial readers help us give careful attention to the work submitted to Red River Review while supporting the continued growth and sustainability of the journal.

About the Role

Volunteer editorial readers review assigned submissions and provide brief notes or recommendations to the Editor-in-Chief. Readers may be assigned work in one or more genre areas, depending on experience, interest, and submission volume. Final editorial decisions remain with the Editor-in-Chief and editorial leadership. This is not a line-editing role, and readers are not expected to provide detailed feedback to submitters. Instead, readers help identify work that demonstrates strong craft, originality, literary purpose, and alignment with Red River Review’s editorial vision.

Is This a Paid Role?

This is currently an unpaid volunteer role. Red River Review is actively working toward greater organizational sustainability, including future nonprofit development and expanded support for the people who help make the journal possible. At this time, however, we are not able to offer stipends or paid compensation for volunteer readers. Because this role is unpaid, we keep the workload intentionally modest and respectful of each reader’s time.

What Readers Do

Volunteer editorial readers may be asked to:

• Read assigned submissions in their preferred genre area
• Offer brief editorial notes or recommendations
• Help identify work with strong craft, voice, originality, and literary purpose
• Consider whether submissions are a strong fit for Red River Review
• Maintain confidentiality throughout the review process
• Disclose any conflicts of interest

Readers are asked to approach submitted work with seriousness, care, and respect for the writer’s voice and intentions.

Time Commitment

The expected commitment is approximately 2–4 hours per month, depending on submission volume and reader availability. Readers may be asked to review approximately 5–10 submissions per month. We are beginning with a small reading cohort and will adjust workload carefully as the journal grows. Initial reader appointments will begin with a short trial term of approximately three months. Readers who are a strong fit may be invited to continue for future reading periods.

Who We’re Looking For

Strong volunteer readers do not need extensive editorial experience, but they should be attentive, reliable, and able to articulate what makes a piece of writing or artwork compelling. Ideal readers will have:

• A serious interest in contemporary literature and literary publishing
• Familiarity with literary journals, small presses, creative writing communities, or arts communities
• Strong reading judgment in at least one genre or discipline
• Respect for a range of styles, voices, identities, and aesthetic approaches
• An ability to offer concise, thoughtful editorial observations
• Reliability, confidentiality, and care in handling submitted work

We especially welcome readers who understand that literary quality can take many forms, including traditional, experimental, hybrid, regional, interdisciplinary, and formally innovative work.

What Readers Receive

While this is an unpaid volunteer role, Red River Review aims to make the experience meaningful, collegial, and professionally useful.

Volunteer editorial readers who complete a successful reading term may receive:

• Masthead recognition
• Editorial experience with a long-standing literary journal
• A letter of recommendation or professional reference, when appropriate
• Opportunities to participate in creative arts programming, including craft conversations, workshops, and classes
• Opportunities to participate in editorial conversations about craft, genre, submissions, and journal direction
• A deeper connection to the literary community surrounding Red River Review

Our goal is to create a reader experience rooted in literary seriousness, mutual respect, and shared investment in independent publishing.

Ethics, Confidentiality, and Conflicts of Interest

All submissions must be treated as confidential. Readers may not share, quote, circulate, copy, or discuss submitted work outside the editorial process. Readers must also disclose any conflict of interest, including submissions from friends, students, colleagues, family members, clients, or writers with whom they have a close personal or professional relationship. Readers should not evaluate work by anyone whose submission they cannot assess fairly and independently.

Current Reading Areas

We are currently seeking readers in the following areas:

• Poetry
• Short fiction
• Creative nonfiction
• Hybrid work
• Visual and digital art

Applicants may indicate one primary genre area or more than one area of interest.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete the volunteer reader interest form. Applicants will be asked to share:

• Name and contact information
• Preferred reading area
• Brief literary, editorial, artistic, or educational background
• A few writers, journals, presses, or artists they admire
• Why they are interested in reading for Red River Review
• Any relevant editorial, teaching, publishing, workshop, or critique experience
• Confirmation that they understand this is an unpaid volunteer role
• Confirmation that they agree to maintain confidentiality around submitted work

Selected applicants may be contacted for a brief follow-up conversation before being invited to join the reading cohort.

Assisting with submission intake, tracking, organization, and contributor communication.

Supporting newsletters, website updates, social media, issue announcements, contributor features, and public-facing journal communication.