4 Ways a Writer Avoids Writing and the Benefits

1. Make yourself something to eat. Not a sandwich or platter of assorted chips, nuts and various sweets hiding in the pantry, but an honest to goodness meal—a crockpot meal, some Procrastination Stew. Head to the grocery store, peruse the… Continue Reading

Writer’s Guide to Self-Care

For the last few months, I have been dealing with depression. It feels like someone is randomly shooting arrows at me. I dodge as many of them as I can, but some have lodged themselves in my flesh. It hurts… Continue Reading

5 Things to Consider Before You Hit Submit: Thinking about your literary magazine submission from the perspective of a slush pile reader

If you are actively refining your work for submission into the literary world, praying each time you log-in to Submittable that this will be the time, then think about these things from the perspective of a lit mag submission reader… Continue Reading

Best American Essays of 2015: In Defense of Cheryl Strayed’s Essay, “My Uniform”

I sometimes get sucked into reading Amazon reviews. For many products, they are helpful and warranted (see: Haribo Sugar-Free Gummy Bear 5LB Bag), but I usually stay away from any type of book review on Amazon because they can be… Continue Reading

Blue Mesa Review to Begin Paying Contributors

To continue Blue Mesa Review’s commitment to supporting the literary community, the magazine will start paying contributors beginning with the Spring 2017 issue. Previously, the magazine’s contributor payments were limited to the annual summer contest winners. Regular contributors should expect… Continue Reading

NATIONAL HUMANITIES AWARD RECIPIENT RUDOLFO ANAYA, AND THE ANAYA LECTURE SERIES

Founder of Blue Mesa Review, Rudolfo Anaya, is among a select few who will receive a 2015 National Humanities Medal tomorrow, awarded by none other than President Obama. The BMR staff congratulates Rudolfo on this well-deserved acknowledgment of his hard… Continue Reading

Hard Poems for Hard Times

In the last few weeks my emotions have been all over the place. At first I was sad. This story is not a new story. They have been killing us without consequence for hundreds of years. Then I began looking… Continue Reading

2016 Summer Contest Judges!

We are excited to announce the 2016 Blue Mesa Review Summer Contest judges! Send us your best work in Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction. Our Poetry judge is Ocean Vuong! Vuong is the author of Night Sky with Exit Wounds (Copper… Continue Reading