The Peel Literature & Arts Review is Appalachian State University's student-run literary arts publication. The Peel works to cultivate creative expression in Appalachian's student body by providing an outlet for students to express themselves. The Peel is published online at the end of each semester and in print at the end of each school year. The highest scoring pieces from the two online editions are published in the print issue. To view previously published work, visit thepeelreview.com.


Submissions for the Spring 2024 semester are now open at this time! Our initial deadline is February 3rd and our final deadline is February 18th. If you submit by the initial deadline you will receive both a critique from the editors and an accept/decline notification. However, if you submit by the final deadline you will only receive an accept/decline notification. All critiques and accept/decline notifications go out at the end of March. If you have any questions email us at thepeelreview@gmail.com


Submission Guidelines:

  • Only CURRENTLY ENROLLED APPALACHIAN STATE STUDENTS are eligible to submit work to The Peel. You must submit using your @appstate.edu email.
  • Please, do not submit any work that has your full name displayed on your piece. You will receive an email telling you to resubmit, due to our blind and anonymous judging policies. 
  • BELOW, please choose the appropriate category for the work you submit. Submissions are limited to 5 works per section per semester. Our 4 sections are Poetry, Prose, Visual and Sound. (Special Note: the categories Photography, Mixed Media, Illustration/Drawing etc.; all fall under 'Visual' section)


Visual submissions: should be 240 DPI or higher. JPG/JPEG and PNG files are accepted. Please send a condensed version of your file if it's larger than 5 mb. Also, please remove all watermarks.


Written submissions: should be saved as Doc or DocX files. Submissions should be 5,000 words maximum, but submissions may be edited for length for publication in the printed journal. Do not list your name on the submitted document/piece, as submissions are reviewed anonymously.


Audio/Video submissions: MP3 and WAV files are accepted, and there is no time limit. For video and animation submissions, MOV, MP4 and AVI files are accepted, and there is no time limit.


The responding student (“The Student”) who has submitted music, video, multimedia, poetry, prose, or visual artwork (“The Work”) to The Peel Literature and Arts Review (“The Peel”) agrees to the following terms and conditions:Term I: Plagiarism: The Student verifies that The Work is The Student’s own original creation, and has not been copied, plagiarized, co-opted, or appropriated from the work of any other person.
    a. Submitted visual artwork must not be a tracing, a copy, or any such appropriation of another person’s artwork.
    b. Submitted literature must not be plagiarized, in whole or in part, from any other person’s work of poetry or prose.
    c. Submitted musical works may not be imitations, copies, or “covers” of another artist’s lyrics or melodies.
    d. The Student may not include copyrighted material from other sources in The Work. For example, submitted videos may not use copyrighted music.
    e. Students are allowed to submit works jointly as long as all creators of The Work are Appalachian State University students and agree to this form with their electronic signature.
    f. The Student may not have sold The Work to anyone else prior to submitting the work for review and possible publication.
    g. The Student is fully responsible for any legal action that may occur as a result of a violation of Term 1 (Plagiarism).
    h. The Peel is in no way liable for any legal action if The Student violates Term 1.
    i. The Student has obtained any model or property releases or permissions for The Work and will, upon request, furnish those written releases to The Peel.

Term II: Publication Rights: The student gives full permission to the Peel Literature and Arts Review to publish The Work.
    a. If The Work is accepted, The Peel may publish The Work in any medium, including print and online publications.
    b. The Peel may use The Work in promotional materials, including social media, for The Peel, and nothing but The Peel.                                    c. If The Work is an audio or video recording, The Student is fully responsible for having obtained release or permission from the individual or organization who recorded The Work to submit and publish The Work, and will, upon request, furnish those written releases to The Peel.
d. The Peel has permission to change the font, font size, margin and line spacing of The Work to meet graphic design needs and style of the publication. 

Term III: Student’s Rights: The Student will retain full financial and creative privileges in regards to The Work, outside the scope of The Work’s publication in The Peel.
    a. If The Work is accepted, the student retains the right to publish The Work in any other publication.
    b. The Student may not seek payment from The Peel if The Peel makes creative or promotional use of The Work.                                              c. The individual or organization who recorded The Work may not seek payment from The Peel. 
     d. The Student retains the right to profit from The Work, as long as the student does not attempt to profit from The Work’s publication in The Peel Literature and Arts Review, or any use of The Work by The Peel.
We want your Sound submissions!

Accepting all Music and Sound submissions, MP3 files preferred! Keep in mind that The Peel cannot publish copyrighted material unless you have obtained specific permission from that artist. If you have included copyrighted music but have proof of permission, please email us at thepeel.asu@gmail.com

Consider recording quality in your submissions

LIMITED TO 5 SUBMISSIONS PER SEMESTER.
We want your Spoken Word!

Accepting all Spoken Word style poetry, MP3 files preferred! Keep in mind that The Peel cannot publish copyrighted material unless you have obtained specific permission from that artist. If you have included copyrighted music but have proof of permission, please email us at thepeel.asu@gmail.com

Consider recording quality in your submissions

LIMITED TO 5 SUBMISSIONS PER SEMESTER.
Accepting limericks, free form, rhyming and more. Written submissions should be saved as Doc or DocX files. There is no word limit on submissions, but submissions may be edited for length for publication in the printed journal. Please submit pieces separately unless you wish to submit an cohesive collection for consideration.

Cover letters will not be considered.

LIMITED TO 5 SUBMISSIONS PER SEMESTER.


Accepting nonfiction, fiction, flash fiction and more. Written submissions should be saved as Doc or DocX files. Limit prose submissions to 5,000 words per piece. Submissions may be edited for length for publication in the printed journal. 


Cover letters will not be considered.


LIMITED TO 5 SUBMISSIONS PER SEMESTER.

Give us your pixels, your Polaroids or your silver gelatin in the form of portraits, fashion, documentary, landscapes, still-life, photojournalism. Regardless of format, if it's a still image shot with a camera, this is the category for you.

Artist statements will not be considered.

Photography is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.
Whether you illustrate and draw by hand, by computer, Etch-A-Sketch, Wacom or some combination, submit your work.

Artist statements will not be considered.

Illustration & Drawing is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.




Artist statements will not be considered.

Mixed Media is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.
We want your short films, brief documentaries, trippy animated videos!

Please include all contributors in the video credits.
The Peel cannot published copyrighted music or material unless specific artist permission is given. If you have included copyrighted music but have proof of permission, please email us at thepeel.asu@gmail.com

Video & Motion Media is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.


If you move to move others, snap a video and submit it here.

Dance submissions may include copyrighted material, such as music, as the movement and choreography itself is the work of art being considered. 

While videography is not considered the work being submitted, clear documentation, as with any art, is important to fully experience the dance, so try to avoid shaky, low resolution recordings. 

Dance is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.


Artist statements will not be considered.

Industrial & Interior Design is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.

Artist statements will not be considered.

Graphic Design, Package Design, Typography & Advertising is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.

Jewelry, creative clothing, textiles. If you are submitting multiple angles of one piece, please combine the images for a single submission.

Artist statements will not be considered.

Fashion, Fibers & Jewelry Design is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.
Artist statements will not be considered.

Paintings, Printmaking & Etchings is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.
If you are submitting multiple angles of one piece, please combine the images for a single submission.

Artist statements will not be considered.

Sculpture & Ceramics is part of the larger category of VISUAL submissions. Limit of 5 visual submissions per semester.
The Peel Literature & Arts Review Submission Form