As we get closer and closer to the new year (and, indeed, the new decade) we start to think of new beginnings, new goals, and, for us at The Cincinnati Review, new nominations! We’ve spent the last few weeks rereading issues 15.2, 16.1, and 16.2, as well as this year’s miCRo series. We must admit: It’s hard to narrow it down—we chose to publish each of the pieces in the magazine and online series for a particular reason—but after much discussion, we’ve selected these pieces as our nominations for the 2021 Pushcart Anthology and for Best Microfiction 2020.


For the Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses:

  • Julianna Baggott, “Cubby Safe” (fiction, online special feature)
  • Sarah Blackman, “The Key to the Fields” (fiction, Issue 15.2)
  • Dorothy Chan, “So Chinese Girl” (poetry, Issue 15.2)
  • Maggie Millner, “Cherry Valley” (poetry, Issue 16.1)
  • Ira Sukrungruang, “Duluth” (literary nonfiction, Issue 16.2)
  • Josephine Yu, “Wreckage” (poetry, Issue 16.1)


For the Best Microfiction (all from our miCRo series):

Congratulations and good luck to all!