The Pinch was founded in 1980 by William Page and has always been dedicated to producing high art on every page. We have a strong passion for finding and publishing great work of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and visual art.

The Pinch was originally called the Memphis State Review. In it’s first few years the journal published such well-known writers as Robert Bly, Phillip Levine, Mary Oliver, Robert Penn Warren and Margaret Atwood.

In 1988 Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program was formed and the name of the journal changed to River City. Page handed his editor in chief position to Sharon Bryan.  Under Bryan’s leadership River City published notable issues such as “Where We Stand: Women Poets on Literary Tradition” which was later published as a book by W. W. Norton & Contemporary Culture.

From 1998 to 2001 editor in chief, Thomas Russell, returned River City to its focus on creative and literary work. Russell produced many issues that went under themes such as “The Other (Inside Us)” and “Luck.” Russell also published a special issue for the 20^th Anniversary of The River City Writers Series featuring the works of famous authors such as Donald Justice, Marvin Bell, Adrienne Rich, Lucille Clifton, Mary Gaitskill, John Updike, and Margaret Skinner, as well as the photography of William Eggleston. In 2002, Mary Leader became editor in chief and moved the journal away from themes to an emphasis on poetry.

Kristen Iversen , the current editor in chief, started in 2005. Under her leadership, the journal has transition to its current name The Pinch and has incorporated more creative nonfiction in addition to fiction and poetry. In recent years, our contributers have included Linda Gregerson, Bobbie Ann Mason, Lee Gutkind, Scott Russell Sanders, George Singleton, Lee Sharkey, Ron Rash, Bob Cowser, Jr., Steven Church, Robert Root, Dinty W. Moore, Floyd Skloot and many others.

The Pinch is printed on a higher-quality heavier paper and filled with glossy pages. Most recently, The Pinch logo and cover have been redesigned by Gary Golightly, the Graphic Design Program Coordinator at the University of Memphis Art Department. Golightly has won awards for these beautiful covers.

We continue this tradition of high-quality art in several forms. The Pinch is an example of the hard work and dedication of a group of people who are passionate about literature and the arts.