A quarterly journal, online and in print, which publishes an eclectic selection of creative writing, including poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Submissions are open year round.

First, our goal is to publish as broad a range of interesting voices as we can find. Some of our readers and contributors love particular modes of poetic expression best, or even exclusively; but many of them enjoy the opportunity of exposure to a wide range of approaches and styles.  Thus our aim is to be eclectic: to satisfy the tastes of a diverse readership with the best sampling on offer of assorted genres.  Assessing written material is necessarily subjective, so prospective contributors are advised to browse our over 30 issues online and decide for themselves if BTS is the right kind of showcase for them.
 
Second, we are, and will remain, committed to never charging reading or submission fees. I personally have always felt it was adding insult to injury to be asked to pay for the privilege of being read only to wait an eternity to receive a rejection.

Third, since our print editions duplicate our online editions, we only accept as many submissions as our print edition — with its more or less fixed number of pages — can hold.  As a result, many submissions must be declined due to space limitations, including submissions we might like to publish.

Fourth, we remain an unfunded group of dedicated volunteers. Our only income is from a few faithful readers who donate and from print sales. After print sales began, we established Features, paying an honorarium to every writer we featured, and we are now up to seven Features per issue. If our sales and donations increase, our intent is to pay more contributors. They are the ones who create our content.

Better Than Starbucks

Highlights

About