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
-
Ehle and Kenan Prizes Winners in NCLR 2025
This year’s Ehle Prize goes to Katherine Henninger and the Kenan Prize belongs to Anna Creadick.
Current Call for Submissions
-
2026: Saluting Veterans’ Writing
This special feature section of NCLR seeks to bridge the gap between military personnel and civilians by celebrating veteran writers and their impacts on literary and cultural studies.
Upcoming Events
-
CK12 & NCLR Partner to Teach NC Lit
NCLR will facilitate a workshop on Teaching NC Lit for CK12!
From the Archives
-
Geography at Core of Understanding
Friday from the Archives: “Knowing Your Place: Tony Earley’s Human Geography” by Jimmy Dean Smith in NCLR 2020
Book Reviews
-
Thomas reviews Crenshaw
Saturday Review: “Fear and Hope in the 1980s” a review by Elaine Thomas in NCLR Online Spring 2025 of Paul Crenshaw’s memoir Melt With Me (2023)
Editors’ Blog
-
Reading NC Fiction Old and New
Fiction Editor Rebecca Bernard talks NC fiction, past, present, and future.
North Carolina Literary Review
East Carolina University
Mailstop 555 English | Greenville, NC 27858-4353
NCLRstaff@ecu.edu | 252-328-1537
