The North Carolina Literary Review (NCLR), produced at East Carolina University, publishes interviews and literary criticism about North Carolina writers and high-quality poetry, fiction, drama, and creative nonfiction by North Carolina writers or set in North Carolina. Our definition of a North Carolina writer is anyone who currently lives in North Carolina, has lived in North Carolina, or uses North Carolina as subject matter.
A cross between a scholarly journal and a literary magazine, NCLR has won numerous awards and citations, including six from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals: the Best New Journal award in 1994, the Best Journal Design award in 1999 and 2010, the Parnassus Award for Significant Editorial Achievement in 2007, the Phoenix Award for Significant Editorial Achievement in 2014, and Best Public Intellectual Special Issue in 2023.

Latest News
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Flagship Issue #34 for NCLR
Our 34th issue celebrates our award winners, artists, and our feature.
Current Call for Submissions
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2026 Feature: Saluting Military Writing
Submit via NCLR Submittable.
Upcoming Events
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CK12 & NCLR Partner to Teach NC Lit
NCLR will facilitate a workshop on Teaching NC Lit for CK12!
From the Archives
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In memoriam: Miriam Herin
Friday from the Archives: “Lucky” the 2018 Doris Betts Fiction Prize story by Miriam Herin with art by Lien Truong in NCLR Online 2019
Book Reviews
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McGaha reviews Smith
Saturday Review: “A Stunning and Haunting Survival Story” a review by Jennifer McGaha in NCLR Online Spring 2025 of Stephanie Clare Smith’s Everywhere the Undrowned: A Memoir of Survival and imagination (2024)
Editors’ Blog
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Their Own Voice, Their Own Words
2026 Guest Feature Editor Anna Froula shares more about why we’re featuring writing by and about NC veterans.
North Carolina Literary Review
East Carolina University
Mailstop 555 English | Greenville, NC 27858-4353
NCLRstaff@ecu.edu | 252-328-1537
