When digging into Milwaukee’s creative writing community, one prestigious publication standards out as iconic to the city’s literary culture. Though Milwaukee is home of many wonderful zines, open mic venues, and grassroots writer’s groups, the Cream City Review remains the city’s foremost, nationally recognized creative writing endeavor.
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The publication has a long history of publishing quality creative writing, dating back to its inception in 1975. Past contributors include Ted Kooser, Diane Glancy, Maxine Chernoff, Amy Clampitt, and Audre Lorde. While the writers featured in the review’s pages come from various regions, the staff is located locally at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
The Cream City Review maintains high editorial standards, making for a paradoxical conundrum for Milwaukee’s creative writers. While the high standards give Milwaukee residents an esteemed publication the whole city can be proud of, these standards also limit the publication accessibility for localized poets and writers. The Cream City Review’s threshold for publication is such that writers without much formal training are unlikely to make the final cut.
Of course one can always hope and try, vying against a bevy of other highly-skilled writers for a spot in the pages of the Cream City Review. However, it’s advisable that you not rely solely on this venue for your publication ambitions. According to Duotrope’s Digest, the Cream City Review only accepts about 4% of submissions for publication. Conversely, acceptance ratios are traditionally much higher for smaller circulation, less widely known literary magazines.
When submitting creative writing, it’s good to send backup material to obscure zines along with Milwaukee’s more grandiose publications. A niche market with easier accessibility will not make you a creative writing superstar, but it will get your foot in the door and a publication credit under your belt.
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