What kind of writing is River Styx looking for?

The short answer is “good writing.” The long answer is writing with strong character and clear intentionality that takes risks. We generally do not publish genre fiction. However, we have dabbled in the dark arts.

Do you offer a subscription?

Currently we do not offer a subscription. There are several reasons for this. First, subscriptions are time-consuming to manage on the back end. Between individual and institutional subscribers signing up, renewing, and changing mailing addresses, managing a subscriber list can become unwieldy. Second, it’s costly. Subscription packages typically do not account for shipping charges, which fall to the magazine. Shipping has become very expensive, even for Ground rate. In order to make a profit on a subscription, and not lose that profit to shipping costs, we would need to charge such a high price for the subscription that it ends up being prohibitive to the consumer. Third, we offer promotions and discounts regularly throughout the calendar year. These offers allow you to affordably purchase issues of the magazine, and for us to affordably provide them to you.

How do I order back issues of the magazine?

You may order recent back issues of the magazine in our Shop. However, if you’re looking for issues published prior to 2024, you’re out of luck. Those issues are sold out. We recommend searching book resale markets for copies of older issues. You can still read selected works from our archives by purchasing a copy of River Styx: 50 Years of Poetry & Prose.

Do you submit contributors' work for literary awards?

We do! Each year, we submit the maximum allowed stories, poems, and essays to The Pushcart Prizes, The Best American Short Stories, Best Microfiction, and Best of the Net.

Do you accept donations?

Yes, we accept in-kind, tax-deductible donations through our Donate page. River Styx Magazine (Big River Association) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and has been since its founding in 1975. Although we receive grant funding from various organizations, the survival of River Styx depends on the support of our readers. That’s why donations are so important. If you would like to see your funds spent on a specific project, please reach out to our editors through the Contact page to let us know.

Get your questions answered

The following FAQ is by no means comprehensive. If you have a burning question, reach out to us through our Contact page. We typically respond within 24 hours.

River Styx Magazine is a literary and visual arts magazine founded in 1975 in St. Louis, Missouri. Want to know more? Read our Mission.
River Styx publishes a print edition biannually and online year-round. Our biannual print editions usually follow a theme, so it’s best to read the calls for submissions before submitting. You can read more on our Submit page.
The short answer is “good writing.” The long answer is writing with strong character and clear intentionality that takes risks. We generally do not publish genre fiction. However, we have dabbled in the dark arts.
Currently we do not offer a subscription. There are several reasons for this.
First, subscriptions are time-consuming to manage on the back end. Between individual and institutional subscribers signing up, renewing, and changing mailing addresses, managing a subscriber list can become unwieldy.
Second, it’s costly. Subscription packages typically do not account for shipping charges, which fall to the magazine. Shipping has become very expensive, even for Ground rate. In order to make a profit on a subscription, and not lose that profit to shipping costs, we would need to charge such a high price for the subscription that it ends up being prohibitive to the consumer.
Third, we offer promotions and discounts regularly throughout the calendar year. These offers allow you to affordably purchase issues of the magazine, and for us to affordably provide them to you.
You may order recent back issues of the magazine in our Shop. However, if you’re looking for issues published prior to 2024, you’re out of luck. Those issues are sold out. We recommend searching book resale markets for copies of older issues.
You can still read selected works from our archives by purchasing a copy of River Styx: 50 Years of Poetry & Prose.
We do! Each year, we submit the maximum allowed stories, poems, and essays to The Pushcart Prizes, The Best American Short Stories, Best Microfiction, and Best of the Net.
Yes, we accept in-kind, tax-deductible donations through our Donate page. River Styx Magazine (Big River Association) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and has been since its founding in 1975. Although we receive grant funding from various organizations, the survival of River Styx depends on the support of our readers. That’s why donations are so important.
If you would like to see your funds spent on a specific project, please reach out to our editors through the Contact page to let us know.