COMICS will be considered by Editorial Fellow Robert James Russell starting September 1, 2025. Robert says:

"I’m looking for work that leans into nonfiction and memoir—fragments of memory, moments reimagined, messy truths on the page. Show me life as it is, or as it feels. Bring me the joyful, the painful, the complicated, the contradictory. Comics are such a remarkable medium: words and images colliding, amplifying, contradicting, and opening new ways of seeing. I want to be surprised by how you use that space. Black and white? Color? Minimalist? Maximalist? Something I can’t quite name yet? All welcome. I'm drawn to work that challenges form, thinks big, and lingers in the mind. So, send me comics that risk something—comics that move, unsettle, delight, or reshape how we think about what the form can do."

Submissions should be submitted as PDFs. We will only consider one submission per author at a time (no multiple submissions in different genres, please), and will delete multiple submissions without reading them. Please decide what you’d like us to read most, submit that, and wait for a response before submitting additional work. Submitted work should be previously unpublished in English. Work simultaneously submitted elsewhere will be considered, but we ask that you withdraw the work immediately if it is accepted (and congratulations, by the way). 

THE SHENANDOAH FELLOWSHIP FOR EMERGING EDITORS will be open on will be open on October 1, 2025 for applications from fellows in all genres (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, comics).  We will consider and accepts fellows on a rolling basis.

About the Fellowship

In order for substantive change to happen in the predominantly homogeneous publishing industry, innovation must happen at all levels, from the big five book corporations in New York City to literary magazines like Shenandoah. We recognize that if we want writers from diverse backgrounds, varied perspectives, and underrepresented groups to feel at home in Shenandoah, and for the literature we publish to be full of varied and passionate perspectives that enliven, empower, and engage all of us, we need to have representation at our core.

Through this editorial fellowship, we’re committed to expanding the roster of people we work with and to discovering new voices to amplify and empower. Selected fellows will receive a $1000 honorarium and will curate a selection of published work in a specific genre, working with the Shenandoah staff to guide the work to publication. This opportunity will give fellows the chance to learn about all aspects of a small literary publisher and create connections with peers and potential future employers in the industry and in academia.

Requirements and Eligibility
We welcome writers and editors of all experience levels. No previous editorial experience is necessary, but we are looking for applicants who are passionate and informed about the literary community. We are committed to the development of an inclusive environment and strive to advance diverse perspectives and approaches.

We welcome applications from all writers, including underrepresented minority candidates and members of other communities that are traditionally underrepresented in academia and publishing. Washington and Lee University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other protected class status under the law in its educational programs and activities, admissions, and with regard to employment.

The Application
Please upload a single document that responds to these three prompts separately:

1. In 500 words or fewer, describe why this fellowship would be valuable to you, addressing what you think is the role and value of a literary magazine in the publishing ecosystem.
 2. In 500 words or fewer, tell us about a favorite piece of writing you recently read in a literary magazine in your desired genre. Describe how you found it, who wrote it, its aesthetic attributes, and what you loved about it.
 3. In 500 words or fewer, describe the unique perspective or experience you would bring to Shenandoah. Make sure to include your writing and editing experience and the genre you would be most excited to work in (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics).