Welcome!
Vol 2 Submission Window Open! Closes Nov 15th, 2025
We are an annual, creative nonfiction anthology publishing personal stories, essay, memoirs, and now poetry(!) from Rio Grande Valley natives.Volume 2 submission window opens August 15, 2025, and closes November 15th, 2025.Submit your final draft to [email protected]We look forward to reading your work!
Voices of THe Rgv
Submission Guidelines
Voices of the Rio Grande Valley – Volume 2We are so excited to now be accepting submissions of creative nonfiction (prose) AND poetry for our second volume. Our goal is to amplify real stories from the RGV -stories rooted in culture, family, struggle, humor, memory, identity, and place.We welcome a broad range of voices - first-time writers, seasoned storytellers, and everyone in between.⸻General Guidelines
• You must be from the Rio Grande Valley. You don’t have to live there currently, but it must be your hometown or cultural home.
• All work must be true. For nonfiction, this means real-life stories. For poetry, this means work rooted in your own lived experience.
• All submissions must be unpublished. This includes personal blogs, websites, and social media.
• Multiple submissions are allowed, but we prefer quality over quantity.
• Tex-Mex/code-switching is encouraged. Spanish is welcome, as long as the piece is written primarily in English.
• Include your name (as you’d like it printed) and your hometown at the top of your submission.
• Send your final drafts to [email protected].⸻Creative Nonfiction (Prose)
• Maximum word count: 4,000 words
• You may submit more than one story, but we recommend sending only your best.
• Use standard formatting (12 pt font, double spaced, .doc/.docx or PDF).⸻Poetry
• You may submit 1 to 3 poems.
• Each poem must be no longer than 2 pages.
• Any style, form, or rhythm is welcome—just keep it real.
• All poems must be previously unpublished.
• Keep formatting simple (avoid elaborate typography or layout needs).⸻Important Dates
• Submission window: August 15 – November 15, 2025
• Responses sent by: End of November 2025
(If there are any delays, we will notify all submitters.)
• Contributors accepted for publication will receive a free copy of the book.
voices of the rgv
About Us
The Rio Grande Valley of south Texas is a most remarkable and unique place, and we want to share true stories of life in the RGV from the people that know it personally.This bordertown region of the world, our homeland, is filled with rich culture, incredible food, striking landscapes, and vibrant, hardworking people creating their own lives in endless ways.Voices of the RGV is here to showcase stories that really portray the dynamicness of the spirit of RGV natives. We want stories of family, friends, and yourselves. Stories of achievement, celebration, loss, and grief. Share with us the good times, or the hard times. We will take it all, but it must have the essence of the emotional range and capacity of the people specific to our beloved deep south Texas.
Our Team
Paul Henning
Founder & Editor---Mission, Texas
Franco Alaniz
PR & Marketing---Mission, texas
Sara Silva
Contributing Editor---Mission, texas
Frequently Asked Questions
voices of the rgv
What is Creative Nonfiction?
Great question. Creative Nonfiction is a genre of literature where true stories can be told with the style and flair of our favorite fiction narratives.It is a place where our personal memories, essays, and histories can flower and expand into whatever expression necessary to appropriately describe and captivate the emotions, scenes, and impacts of the experiences.In short, it means we can catch a vibe and flow with our writing.The following resources provide a bit more information on this.
What Is Creative Nonfiction?
Voices of the Rgv
How Do I Write a Short Story?
There are as many ways to write a short story as there are subjects to write about.That being said, we can set ourselves up for success by understanding some common and popular techniques that can support us in being able to articulate a narrative in a way that is compelling, coherent, and in an authentic voice.NOTE! The following tips are not a requirement for submissions! They are just suggestions.In general, many captivating stories will answer a dramatic or philosophical question throughout 3 parts: The Set Up, The Confrontation, and The Resolution. This is commonly known as the three act structure, and there is countless insight available for free online about it if you want to learn more.Some thematic questions that the story addresses might be, Does justice prevail? Is there such a thing as true love? Was the journey worth the struggle in the end? Is there hope for our main character?Overall, if the story has conflict, resolution, appropriate pacing, and isn’t written above the ability of the writer, it has a good chance at making an impact.Remember! Practicing is very important and cannot be understated. We suggest writing some short stories for practice to get the feel for your own unique voice, strengths, and places for improvement.The following resources offer some more insight to support your writing.
Three Act Structure - WikipediaHow To Write a Short Story10 Tips for Writing Short StoriesHow to Write Three Act Structure
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