literary magazines submissions

Jump to navigation Skip to content

Search form

• P&W on Facebook
• P&W on Twitter
• P&W on Instagram

Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff. In the Literary Magazines database you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, contact information—everything you need to know before submitting your work to the publications that share your vision for your work.

Whether you’re pursuing the publication of your first book or your fifth, use the Small Presses database to research potential publishers, including submission guidelines, tips from the editors, contact information, and more.

Research more than one hundred agents who represent poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers, plus details about the kinds of books they’re interested in representing, their clients, and the best way to contact them.

Trying to get your work published can feel like wandering in a maze. If you are running into one dead end after another, not sure which way to turn, Poets & Writers can demystify the process and help you reach your destination—publication.

Every week a new publishing professional shares advice, anecdotes, insights, and new ways of thinking about writing and the business of books.

Stay informed with reports from the world of writing contests, including news of extended deadlines, recent winners of notable awards, new contest announcements, interviews with winners, and more.

Since our founding in 1970, Poets & Writers has served as an information clearinghouse of all matters related to writing. While the range of inquiries has been broad, common themes have emerged over time. Our Top Topics for Writers addresses the most popular and pressing issues, including literary agents, copyright, MFA programs, and self-publishing.

Our series of subject-based handbooks (PDF format; $4.99 each) provide information and advice from authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers. Now available: The Poets & Writers Guide to Publicity and Promotion, The Poets & Writers Guide to the Book Deal, The Poets & Writers Guide to Literary Agents, The Poets & Writers Guide to MFA Programs, and The Poets & Writers Guide to Writing Contests.

Find a home for your work by consulting our searchable databases of writing contests, literary magazines, small presses, literary agents, and more.

Poets & Writers lists readings, workshops, and other literary events held in cities across the country. Whether you are an author on book tour or the curator of a reading series, the Literary Events Calendar can help you find your audience.

Get the Word Out is a new publicity incubator for debut fiction writers and poets.

Research newspapers, magazines, websites, and other publications that consistently publish book reviews using the Review Outlets database, which includes information about publishing schedules, submission guidelines, fees, and more.

Well over ten thousand poets and writers maintain listings in this essential resource for writers interested in connecting with their peers, as well as editors, agents, and reading series coordinators looking for authors. Apply today to join the growing community of writers who stay in touch and informed using the Poets & Writers Directory.

Download our free app to find readings and author events near you; explore indie bookstores, libraries, and other places of interest to writers; and connect with the literary community in your city or town.

Let the world know about your work by posting your events on our literary events calendar, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Find a writers group to join or create your own with Poets & Writers Groups. Everything you need to connect, communicate, and collaborate with other poets and writers—all in one place.

Find information about more than two hundred full- and low-residency programs in creative writing in our MFA Programs database, which includes details about deadlines, funding, class size, core faculty, and more. Also included is information about more than fifty MA and PhD programs.

Whether you are looking to meet up with fellow writers, agents, and editors, or trying to find the perfect environment to fuel your writing practice, the Conferences & Residencies is the essential resource for information about well over three hundred writing conferences, writers residencies, and literary festivals around the world.

Find information about venues that host readings and author events, including bookstores, bars, cafes, libraries, literary arts centers, and more. The Reading Venues database includes details about how to schedule your own reading, admission fees, audience size, parking and transit information, and more.

Discover historical sites, independent bookstores, literary archives, writing centers, and writers spaces in cities across the country using the Literary Places database—the best starting point for any literary journey, whether it’s for research or inspiration.

Search for jobs in education, publishing, the arts, and more within our free, frequently updated job listings for writers and poets.

Poets & Writers Live is an initiative developed in response to interviews and discussions with writers from all over the country. When we asked what Poets & Writers could do to support their writing practice, time and again writers expressed a desire for a more tangible connection to other writers. So, we came up with a living, breathing version of what Poets & Writers already offers: Poets & Writers Live.

Establish new connections and enjoy the company of your peers using our searchable databases of MFA programs and writers retreats, apply to be included in our directory of writers, and more.

Bring the literary world to your door—at half the newsstand price. Available in print and digital editions, Poets & Writers Magazine is a must-have for writers who are serious about their craft.

View the contents and read select essays, articles, interviews, and profiles from the current issue of the award-winning Poets & Writers Magazine .

Read three decades of essays, articles, interviews, profiles, and other select content from Poets & Writers Magazine .

View the covers and contents of every issue of Poets & Writers Magazine , from the current edition all the way back to the first black-and-white issue in 1987.

In our weekly series of craft essays, some of the best and brightest minds in contemporary literature explore their craft in compact form, articulating their thoughts about creative obsessions and curiosities in a working notebook of lessons about the art of writing.

The Time Is Now offers weekly writing prompts in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to help you stay committed to your writing practice throughout the year. Sign up to get The Time Is Now, as well as a weekly book recommendation for guidance and inspiration, delivered to your inbox.

Every week a new author shares books, art, music, writing prompts, films—anything and everything—that has inspired and shaped the creative process.

Watch videos, listen to audio clips, and view slideshows related to articles and features published in Poets & Writers Magazine .

Ads in Poets & Writers Magazine and on pw.org are the best ways to reach a readership of serious poets and literary prose writers. Our audience trusts our editorial content and looks to it, and to relevant advertising, for information and guidance.

Start, renew, or give a subscription to Poets & Writers Magazine ; change your address; check your account; pay your bill; report a missed issue; contact us.

Peruse paid listings of writing contests, conferences, workshops, editing services, calls for submissions, and more.

Poets & Writers is pleased to provide free subscriptions to Poets & Writers Magazine to award-winning young writers and to high school creative writing teachers for use in their classrooms.

Read select articles from the award-winning magazine and consult the most comprehensive listing of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prizewinners available in print.

Each year the Readings & Workshops program provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops. Learn more about this program, our special events, projects, and supporters, and how to contact us.

Find information about how Poets & Writers provides support to hundreds of writers participating in literary readings and conducting writing workshops.

• Subscribe Now

Literary Journals & Magazines

• Printable Version
• Log in to Send
• Log in to Save

• Introduction
• The World of Literary Journals and Magazines—Determining Which Are Right for Your Work
• Submission Guidelines
• Simultaneous Submissions
• Cover Letters
• Other Resources

Most writers get the attention of editors, agents, and other writers by first publishing their writing in literary magazines or literary journals. (Many literary magazines and journals will offer you a modest payment for the writing they accept, sometimes by giving you a free copy, or contributor’s copy, of the issue in which your work appears.) Before beginning the submission process, it is essential to research the market to determine which publications are the best venues for your writing. Your publishing success rests on one axiom: Know your market.

The best place to start is our comprehensive and carefully vetted database of nearly one thousand literary magazine and journals , where you can find details about the specific kind of writing each magazine publishes and in which formats, as well as editorial policies, submission guidelines, and contact information.

After you’ve narrowed down a list of magazines and journals that publish the kind of writing you write, carefully take note of the submission guidelines for each, and be sure to follow those guidelines carefully. Submissions to literary magazines do not require an agent.

There are thousands of literary journals and magazines that publish creative writing, but each has a unique editorial voice, tone, viewpoint, and mission. It’s important to read the literary magazines in which you’d like to publish before you submit your work, so that you can determine whether they are a good match for you.

Some literary magazines are online only, while others publish both online and print. Often print journals have websites where you can read current or archived content and get a general feel for the publication. Bookstores often have periodicals sections that include literary journals and magazines you can browse through. Your local library may also carry a variety of literary journals and magazines, and used bookstores sometimes sell past issues. Be sure to peruse online archives, and consider purchasing recent issues of several publications to see where work similar to yours is being published. (Even if you don’t end up publishing your work in all of those journals, you’re helping to support the publishing community as a good literary citizen.) Read contributors’ notes and bios to compare your own background and interests to those of the writers whose work is included in those particular magazines.

Back to Top

When you submit your work, always be certain to follow the guidelines of each publication. Some magazines specify genres or themes in which they are or are not interested. Some accept submissions only during certain months. Some set word limits. Some set page limits or limits on the number of poems per submission. Most do not consider previously published work. Some specify whether you should include a cover letter. Most accept submissions through their website, via e-mail, or through online submission platforms like Submittable, but in some cases a mailed submission may require including a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).

Some magazines charge a reading fee (typically a couple dollars) for the opportunity to have your work read by the editors. All writers must determine for themselves whether they are comfortable with such a fee. Many other journals charge nothing for submissions.

Many literary publications refuse to read work that is not submitted in accordance with their guidelines, so it is crucial to know what the rules are and to stick to them. You can usually find them on the publication’s website, or somewhere in the pages of the print magazine.

The literary world is divided in its opinion about simultaneous submissions—that is, submitting the same poem, short story, or creative nonfiction piece to multiple publications at once. Some literary magazines and literary journals discourage the practice, as it can complicate things for them: If you withdraw a submission from one publication because another has accepted the same work, the one from which you’re withdrawing might already have invested time, money, and staff resources in reviewing the work and might have been interested in publishing it as well. Some publications explicitly forbid simultaneous submissions.

However, because many publications have a long review period—it can take months, and in some cases a year or more, for a literary magazine to accept or reject a piece you’ve submitted—many writers want to submit the same piece to more than one publication at a time. The best practice is to follow individual publications’ guidelines. Most publications that accept online submissions allow for simultaneous submissions, however if they don’t specify their stance, you could indicate in your cover letter that you’re submitting the same piece to other magazines at the same time.

If you do send your submission simultaneously to more than one publication, and one of them accepts it, immediately contact the other publications to let them know that you’re withdrawing your submission.

A handy tool that can help with your submissions is the Poets & Writers Submission Tracker . You can easily keep track of how many times you’ve submitted a poem, story, or essay; the amount of money you’ve spent on fees; the status of your submissions; and how much time has passed since you submitted your work all in one place online.

It is customary—and sometimes required—to include a short cover letter with each submission you make. Avoid using the letter as a platform to discuss the merits or themes of the work you are submitting or to summarize your writing as a whole. Instead, keep it simple and straightforward, including a brief bio that lists places you’ve published in the past, if applicable. You may also consider mentioning any work previously published by the magazine that you admire to show that you are familiar with their work, and address the specific editor to whom you are submitting your writing, when possible.

Along with our aforementioned Literary Magazines database , we recommend perusing our Open Reading Periods page, which includes journals and presses ready to read your work now. Other online resources include Community of Literary Magazines & Presses’  online Directory of independent literary publishers, Heavy Feather Review ’s Where to Submit page , Duotrope , and NewPages .

You might also be interested in registering for our Mapping the Maze online workshop designed for poets and writers of literary prose who are ready to make a concrete plan to get their work published.

40+ literary magazines that pay writers & charge no submission fee

I started compiling a list of literary magazines that pay writers and have no submission fee simply because I’m broke. I’m a college student, and while a $3 fee per submission doesn’t seem like a lot— it adds up. 

The submission process is a game. I’ll submit one story to multiple magazines and expect multiple rejections in return. Everything about the submission process takes time: writing the piece, editing, submitting, organizing submissions, and more.

I love writing, but it is a time commitment. Having lists of journals that fit certain criteria helps to streamline the process.

Many literary magazines that don’t offer payment are still amazing journals with phenomenal people behind them. However, it feels good to be rewarded for your writing. I wish you all the best of luck with the submission process.

Baltimore Review  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 5000 words) and poetry.  Pays: $40/piece  baltimorereview.org

Banshee: A Literary Journal  Publishes stories, essays, flash fiction, and poetry.  Pays: Yes  bansheelit.com

Bennington Review  Publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, hybrid, translations, and reviews.  Pays: $100/prose that is six pages or under, $200/prose that is over six pages, $20/poem  benningtonreview.org

Blue Marble Review  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (under 1500 words) and poetry by writers between the ages of 13 – 22.  Pays: $30/piece  bluemarblereview.com

Blue Route, The  Publishes fiction and poetry by undergraduate students only.  Pays: $25  widenerblueroute.org

Book XI  Publishes any creative work that is philosophically informed. Pays: $200/piece $50/poetry  bookxi.org

Do You Write Flash Fiction?

Be sure to check out our article on the top 31 places to get paid for publishing flash fiction .

Canthius Publishes feminist prose (max 3000 words) and poetry  Pays: $50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more. canthius.com  

Cincinnati Review, The Publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid, and micro (max 500 words). Pays: $25/per a page of fiction, $30/per a page of poetry in the print journal cincinnatireview.com  

City. River. Tree.  Publishes any genre with a word limit of 100 – 500. Pays: $0.02/word ($2 min, $10 max) cityrivertree.com

CRAFT   Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 6000 words), flash (max 1000 words), and micro-fiction has a focus on writings that deal with craft.  Pays: $200/fiction and nonfiction $100/flash  craftliterary.com

Corvid Queen  Publishes fiction (max 5000 words), nonfiction, and poetry that deal with feminist folktales and myths.  Pays: $5  corvidqueen.com

down river road  Publishes fiction and nonfiction between 2000 – 5000, flash fiction 500 – 1500, poetry, reviews, and interviews.  Pays: $30/piece  downriverroad.org

Extra Teeth  Publishes fiction and nonfiction between 800 – 4000 words. Pays: £100/piece extrateeth.co.uk

Fiction Desk, The  Publishes fiction between 1000 – 10000 words. Pays: £25 per thousand words  thefictiondesk.com

fractured literary  Publishes flash and micro fiction.  Pays: $50/micro and $75/flash  fracturedlit.com

Funicular Magazine Publishes fiction, poetry, and flash (max 1000 words) Pays: $10/per a page for fiction (up to a maximum of $100) $25/flash and poetry.  funicularmagazine.com

Grain   Publishes fiction/nonfiction (max 3500 words), poetry, comics, and plays. Pays: $50/per a page with a max payment of $250  grainmagazine.ca

Isele Magazine  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 8000 words) and reviews.  Pays: Yes  iselemagazine.com

Lor Journal  Publishes fiction, poetry, essay, and reviews. Short content and prioritizes emerging and marginalized writers.  Pays: $50/piece  lorjournal.wordpress.com

Lumin   Publishes anti-colonial experimental prose and poetry.   Pays: Yes lumin-press.com

Malahat Review, The  Publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and translations.  Pays: CAD $70/page malahatreview.ca  

Matter Press: Journal of Compressed Creative Arts  Publishes all forms compressed writing (flash, micro prose poetry). Pays: $50/piece  matterpress.com/journal    

Middle House Review Publishes fiction (max 7000 words), flash (max 2000 words), poetry.  Pays: $25/piece  middlehousereview.com

Minola Review  Publishes prose, poetry, reviews, and creative nonfiction from nonbinary and those who identify and women writers. Pays: $175/prose and $25/poem  minolareview.com  

Mud Season Review  Publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry  Pays: $50/piece  mudseasonreview.com

Looking for more opportunities to publish your work?

Valley of Writers has a whole section with opportunities for publishing your poetry, flash fiction, short stories , etc.

It also includes awards listings and competitions.

Mumber Mag Publishes fiction, flash, poetry, nonfiction  Pays: $50/piece, $25/poem and flash  mumbermag.me

Neon Magazine  Publishes prose and poetry that is dark, speculative, and surreal. Pays: 2p per word/fiction, 20p per line/poetry  neonmagazine.co.uk

New Yorker, The  Publishes fiction, poems, and translations  Pays: Yes  newyorker.com

One Story Publishes fiction between 3,000 – 8,000 words and translations.  Pays: $500 one-story.com

Pandemic Publications  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 3000 words), poetry.  Pays: $120/fiction and nonfiction $50/poem  pandemicpublications.com

Paranoid Tree Press  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 400 words) and poetry.  Pays: $50/piece  paranoidtree.com  

Raconteur Magazine  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 2000 words) and poetry (max 500 words).  Pays: $10/fiction and nonfiction $5/poetry  raconteurmag.com

Room Magazine  Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 3500 words) and poetry all by marginalized genders. Pays: Between CAD $50 – $200  roommagazine.com

SmokeLong Quarterly Publishes flash narratives, nonfiction, hybrid, fiction (max 1000 words). Pays: $100/story  smokelong.com

Sonder Magazine  Publishes fiction and nonfiction between 1000 – 2500 words and flash (max 700 words) Pays: €300/piece sonderlit.com

Sunlight Press, The  Publishes personal essays, fiction, poetry, reviews.  Pays: $40/essays, $40/fiction, $30/first poem accepted ($10 for additional poems) thesunlightpress.com  

Threepenny Review, The Publishes poems, stories, critical articles, and memoire. Pays: $400/story and $200/poem threepennyreview.com

Trampset   Publishes fiction and nonfiction (max 3000 words), poems, and translations  Pays: $25/piece trampset.org

Vast Chasm Magazine   Publishes fiction, nonfiction (max 5000 words), poetry, hybrid, genreless writing  Pays: $50/piece vastliterarypress.org

Velvet Giant, A   Publishes genreless writing Pays: $20 per an author  avelvetgiant.com

VIDA Review, The  Publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, reviews, and interviews by marginalized groups  Pays: $40/piece  vidaweb.org

West Review, The  Publishes poetry and will very rarely publish prose  Pays: $10 westreview.org

Author: Livvy Krakower

Livvy Krakower (she/her) is currently an undergraduate student at UMass Amherst. She has previously been published in Wrongdoing Magazine, Roadrunner Review, Writers Resist, and more. She has pieces forthcoming in Duck Duck Mongoose Magazine and The Washington Square Review. You can find more of Livvy’s writing on Instagram @littlepenguinswrite.

This may also be useful:

Thank you for this!

Valley of Writers - Where New Writers Begin 193 High St, Holyoke, MA 01040 The Valley of Writers participates in affiliate programs. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases when we refer some products or services. This does not increase the cost you, but makes it possible for us to earn a little sumpin' sumpin'. Read our full Affiliate Disclosure Copyright © Valley of Writers | 2020 - 2023 Terms | Privacy Proudly managed by Artist Dynamix & hosted by Siteground

🎉 Our next novel writing master class starts in – ! Claim your spot →

Best Literary Magazines of 2023

Curated with love by reedsy, search for literary magazines.

Getting your work published in a literary magazine can help you reach new audiences and launch your writing career.

Filter through 100+ magazines by format (print or online), traffic, and category. We’ll be updating the list throughout the year, so be sure to bookmark this page!

Online submissions?

We found 134 magazines that match your search 🔦

Print magazine for Short Fiction ,

PROMPTED is a celebration of the power of inspiration, and the places our imagination can take us with the slightest nudge. Each story is inspired by a one-sentence prompt, and written in a single week.

🌍 Territory:  Worldwide 💰 Submission fee:  $5 Frequency:  4 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Invisible City

Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Non-Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction ,

Invisible City is an online publication of the MFA in Writing Program at the University of San Francisco that publishes in the fall and spring. We seek work that encourages us to see the world from new perspectives and different angles, ones that we may not have previously considered or imagined.

🌍 Territory:  United States 💰 Submission fee:  $0 Frequency:  2 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

State of Matter

Online magazine for Fiction , Poetry ,

State of Matter is on a quest to define what Speculative Fiction means from a South Asian perspective. We publish fiction and poetry from international authors, with a keen eye for South Asian writing.

🌍 Territory:  India 💰 Submission fee:  $0 Frequency:  4 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Illuminations of the Fantastic

Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Non-Fiction , Poetry ,

Illuminations of the Fantastic is a monthly online magazine that encompasses works of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Adventure, Mystery, Poetry, History, Travelogue, Essay, and Review.

🌍 Territory:  Worldwide 💰 Submission fee:  $0 Frequency:  7 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Outlander Magazine

Outlander is a digital zine and online platform that celebrates the awkward, the eccentric, and the weirdly beautiful. While its website is always open for submission, it also releases four themed issues throughout the year. Outlander is additionally home to THE LAB, an interview platform that amplifies the voices of upcoming creators.

🌍 Territory:  United States 💰 Submission fee:  $0 Frequency:  4 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Pigeon Review

Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Short Fiction ,

A new literary and art magazine dedicated to showcasing emerging artists and writers.

🌍 Territory:  United States 💰 Submission fee:  $0 Frequency:  12 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Ginosko Literary Journal

Online magazine for Fiction , Non-Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction ,

Ginosko: A Greek word meaning the recognition of truth from experience.

Curlew Quarterly

Print & Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Non-Fiction , Poetry , Scripts , Short Fiction ,

Curlew Quarterly, New York’s literary and photo journal, publishes poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction, which includes nearly all forms of reporting and journalism. Launched in August of 2017, our printed journal and online Daily celebrate the lives, homes, and work of poets, writers, and distinct professionals living in New York, NY.

Sky Island Journal

Online magazine for Non-Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction , Translations ,

Sky Island Journal is an independent, international, free-access literary journal. We publish accomplished, well-established authors—side by side—with fresh, emerging voices. Our mission is to provide our over 100,000 readers in 145 countries with a powerful, focused, advertising-free literary experience that transports them: one that challenges them intellectually and moves them emotionally.

🌍 Territory:  United States 💰 Submission fee:  $5 Frequency:  4 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

The Raven Review

Online magazine for Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction ,

Based in Central Texas, The Raven Review is a literary magazine that publishes poetry and short fiction that explores the human experience through dark, atmospheric writing. Since 2019, the magazine has been publishing both seasoned and newbie writers with the explicit goal of helping them gain exposure.

Indie Bites

Print & Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction ,

Indie Bites is a quarterly indie fantasy anthology, created to promote the work of indie authors. It features short fantasy fiction (prose and poetry) from self-published, hybrid and unpublished authors, together with interviews and reviews of indie books from book bloggers.

🌍 Territory:  United Kingdom 💰 Submission fee:  $0 Frequency:  4 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Flora Fiction Literary Magazine

Flora Fiction is a collective of creative muses and inspiration. From original writing to reviews in music and entertainment, there’s always something to be discovered.

🌍 Territory:  United States Frequency:  4 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Adelaide Literary Magazine

Print & Online magazine for Art , Non-Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction ,

Founded by Stevan V. Nikolic and Adelaide Franco Nikolic in 2015, the magazine’s aim is to publish quality poetry, fiction, nonfiction, artwork, and photography, as well as interviews, articles, and book reviews, written in English and Portuguese.

Print & Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Non-Fiction , Poetry , Short Fiction ,

F(r)iction is a triannual publication that boasts work from both industry legends and emerging writers. Each issue is carefully curated to evaluate an important cultural topic from vastly different perspectives. We accept short fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, comics, and poetry submissions all year round, and also host contests featuring guest judges and cash prizes twice a year (each spring and fall). Every piece published in F(r)iction is also accompanied by custom artwork, making our journal a visual odyssey from cover to cover!

🌍 Territory:  United States 💰 Submission fee:  $3 Frequency:  3 times a year Online submissions: Yes Submission guidelines

Online magazine for Art , Fiction , Non-Fiction , Poetry , Scripts , Short Fiction ,

Shorts is a free online magazine launched in February 2020 with the aim of bringing together writers and creative artists from all over the world. Shorts particularly encourages submissions from marginalised communities, and from new and emerging writers. Shorts was established in a time of growing isolationism on the part of the UK and the US, and aims to combat this by uniting global creatives and nurturing unheard voices. It is an LGBTQ+ friendly platform with a liberal outlook.

Run a literary magazine? Submit it to our directory!

The halls of literary success are paved with authors who got their start appearing in literary magazines — such as Zora Neale Hurston, Truman Capote, William Faulkner, Edith Wharton, Ursula Le Guin, J.D. Salinger, George Saunders, Alice Munro, Flannery O’Connor, and many more. 

For centuries, literary magazines have highlighted works that would otherwise struggle to reach readers. Poetry, short stories, essays are all forms of writing that own very tiny shares in the publishing landscape — except in the world of literary magazines, where they reign supreme.

If you’re an aspiring author, submitting to literary magazines is a great way to get your foot into the door of the publishing industry, as it allows you to build up your credentials and reach readers. That being said, having your work appear in a literary magazine isn’t as easy as hitting “submit.” While they can act as a stepping stone for writers who wish to go on to have a career in publishing, you shouldn’t view literary magazines as simply a means to an end — if only because doing so will very likely reduce your chances of ever actually being featured in one of them.

And on that note, let’s get started with our first tip for getting your work featured in some of the best literary magazines out there.

Tips for submitting to literary magazines 

Ensure you’re submitting to the right places.

When you think of literary magazines, your mind might automatically go to The New Yorker . Or it might go to independent webzines that specialize in very niche genres. Maybe you think of university-funded quarterlies like The New England Review . All this is to say that the range of lit mags out there is broad and the kinds of things they publish also ranges — from short lit fic to flash space operas, and everything in between. 

So before you decide to submit your short stories or poetry to a magazine, make sure you do your due diligence and research what kinds of things they publish, and where your work is really a match.

Don’t submit to tons of publications all at one

“Cast a wide net” shouldn’t be your mantra when it comes to submitting to lit mags. As mentioned, all magazines have their own styles. So spending your time ensuring your submissions are targeted at the right places is much more valuable than sending your writing to as many different publications as possible. Editors can usually scout fairly quickly the pieces that have been submitted en masse, without any regard for their specific publication.

Instead, make a list of the magazines you want to submit to and group them into tiers. Tier One can be your top five magazines, Tier Two your next five favorite, and so on. This is not only a good way to make sure you’re giving each submission care and attention, it’s also a good way to make sure you don’t get the same piece of writing accepted by two different magazines, forcing you to pull your submission from one of them.

When it comes to making your list, don’t only consider what magazines have prestige, huge audiences, or hefty cash payouts. The best magazines to submit to are the ones that you actually enjoy reading. Because chances are those are the magazines that are going to be most interested in the kind of things you’re writing.

Keep your cover letter short and to-the-point

Editors are not won over by cover letters. If you’ve written a great story and have publishing credentials to boot, sure, your cover letter might help win them over. But if your submission isn’t strong, your cover letter is going to mean nil. So let your cover letter mention the important bits, make sure it provides any specific information that’s requested in the submission guidelines, and let your entry do the heavy lifting. 

Typically, a cover letter will mention a couple of the previous places you’ve been published as well as any other relevant experience you might have. You can also add a personal touch by mentioning a previous story or issue you particularly enjoyed.

What your letter shouldn’t mention is every place you’ve been published (up to 5 will suffice). It shouldn’t summarize your entry, your life story, or your “writing journey,” and any previous experience you mention should be related in some way to writing, publishing, or your entry.

Thoroughly edit your story — and follow submission guidelines!

An editor is probably not going to banish an otherwise very strong entry to the slush pile because of a misplaced typo. That being said, they have lots of reading to do, and while most editors won’t consciously read an entry looking for reasons not to like it, at the end of the day they can only accept so many pieces. So if you make their jobs easier by giving them a reason to pass on your piece, they’re going to take it. If it’s not adequately proofread, there’s only so long someone can continue reading even the strongest writing before the spelling errors convince them to stop.

Another quick way to convince an editor to pass on your entry is to not follow the submission guidelines. If the guidelines ask you to include specific information or to format your story in a certain way, follow those instructions to a tee. If the guide doesn’t tell you how to format your story, go classic: Arial or Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced. To ensure your submissions look professional, you can always copy and paste them into our free formatting tool, the Reedsy Book Editor !

Editors do want to like your submission

The publishing world is competitive, so it’s natural for authors to stress about all the little details of submitting to a literary magazine — whether to add page numbers to their document, who to address in their cover letter, whether they’ll stand a chance as a brand new author, etc. And while we did just mention that editors generally won’t put up a fight if you give them a reason to pass on your entry, they also won’t toss aside a submission they love just because the full package isn’t 100% perfect.

Remember, editors are looking for quality art they feel is going to resonate with their readers. If you can provide them with that, they’re going to be on your side.

Don’t just do it for the money or prestige

If you’re submitting to lit mags with the hopes of raking in the cash, you are more than likely going to be disappointed. Sure, there are some big-time magazines out there that offer larger paycheques to their writers and widespread readership, but many of them don’t accept unsolicited submissions — or come with extremely steep competition.

Most literary magazines are run on very tiny budgets that can’t afford to pay the writers they feature. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t submit to them. The exposure and credibility an emerging writer can gain from having their work featured across a number of smaller, indie publications are still very valuable and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Have fun — and be proud of what you publish!

Yes, having your work appear in literary magazines can help build up your publishing resume. But if you’re not writing and publishing work you feel really proud of, what’s the point? Readers don’t need more stories that make it into magazines because they follow the right trends or say the right things, we want literature that the author clearly loved writing. 

So, as we mentioned earlier, don’t just submit a piece because you think it’s going to get you somewhere. Submit something because you think it’s strong, unique, and worthwhile. Write and submit work you can proudly stand by! 

Find the perfect editor for your next book

Over 1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Find the perfect editor for your book.

Learn more about Reedsy

Become a novelist in three months

Transform your idea into a novel with 90+ video lessons.

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

LIT is a literary magazine published by The New School Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program . Since its inaugural issue in 1999, LIT promotes innovative writing and art in digital publishing.

We accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid, and art submissions. 

LIT is currently closed for literature submissions. Check back for our next reading period in September.  

Our portal for art submissions is always open.

We accept jpeg images of painting, illustration, photography, collage, multimedia, and experimental work.

Submit your work with a cover letter that details the following:  

• Website (or online portfolio)  
• Contact Email
• A short bio (150-200 words)
• Social Media handles
• A minimum of 1 and maximum of 6 images of your work. Include title of each piece (if any) and medium. 

• Writing Competitions
• Journals and Literary Magazines Accepting Submissions
• Dystopian Short Story Example
• Privacy Statement
• Cookie Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Writing Journals and Magazines Accepting Submissions

A curated list of creative writing publications and online platforms open for submissions..

Welcome to our list of creative writing journals and literary magazines currently accepting submissions. Clicking on an item will take you to page with a detailed description, additional information about the publication, and a direct link to the publisher’s page.

Our aim is to make this the best list available on this topic, so we are constantly working to develop it and keep it as up-to-date as possible. If you’d like to add a publication or suggest an edit, please let us know. We are constantly working on developing new functionalities and features to make this page better, so please do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to share any ideas or requests.

If you’d like to add your publication to our list, please send us a request using our online form .’

Turnpike Magazine

Turnpike is a literary and art magazine that focuses on positive themes and under-represented voices. Our mission is to provide positive content, to create a space for all voices, and to hopefully brighten a few days. Find out more

Tiny Seed Literary Journal

Tiny Seed is an online journal for readers and writers of nature-inspired writing. Tiny Seed is an online nature-focused literary journal publishing short fiction, poetry, art, and photography by emerging writers & artists. Find out more

McSweeney’s

McSweeney’s is a nonprofit publishing company based in San Francisco. As well as operating a daily humor website, we also publish Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Illustoria Magazine, and an ever-growing selection of books under various imprints. You can buy all of these things from our online store. You can support… Find out more

Yellow Arrow Publishing

Yellow Arrow Publishing supports and inspires writers identifying as women through publication and access to the literary arts. This project is based in Baltimore with a focus on literary events and publishing local writers. Find out more

ZYZZYVA was founded in 1985 in San Francisco with the goal of publishing a superb literary journal shining a spotlight on West Coast poets, writers, and artists from a wide range of backgrounds, many of whom were otherwise overlooked by established publications, and providing them with a much needed platform. Find out more

Timeworn is a biannual literary journal based in Buffalo, NY, focused on historical fiction with a splash of the speculative. We want to highlight unrepresented corners of history—to find obscure writers working on the fringes of this genre and present their stories in a beautiful hand-bound issue and ebook. Find out more

STORGY Magazine

STORGY was founded in 2013 by Tomek Dzido and Anthony Self as a means by which to explore the short story form and engage with readers and artists alike. An online literary short story magazine consisting of a core group of dedicated writers, STORGY aims to inspire artistic collaboration and… Find out more

The Atlantic

Since 1857, The Atlantic has been challenging assumptions and pursuing truth. As we reflect on our past and look toward the future — in a world where ideologically narrow or simple answers are less adequate, and can even be more destructive, than ever — we decided to put to words… Find out more

Narrative is dedicated to advancing literature in the digital age by supporting the finest writing talent and encouraging reading across generations, in schools, and around the globe. Our digital library of new literature by celebrated authors and by the best new and emerging writers is available for free. Find out more

The Temz Review

​The /tƐmz/ Review is a literary journal based in London, Ontario that publishes fiction, poetry, and reviews. We publish 4 issues per year (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter), and we focus on publishing work from a diverse range of emerging and established voices. Our goal is to reflect a wide… Find out more

F(r)iction is a triannual publication that boasts work from both industry legends and emerging writers. Each issue is carefully curated to evaluate an important cultural topic from vastly different perspectives. We accept short fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, comics, and poetry submissions all year round, and also host contests featuring… Find out more

The Vitni Review

Our intention is to publish writing that pushes against convention, which challenges, subverts, or skillfully manipulates tradition, and which serves to advance the understanding of human culture and experience via interesting metaphors, exciting diction, and engaging content. Good writing has always done this, but we believe this is true now… Find out more

Black Warrior Review

BWR publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, and art twice a year. Contributors include Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winners alongside emerging writers. Work appearing in BWR has been reprinted in the Pushcart Prize series, Best American Short Stories, Best American Poetry, PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize, New Stories… Find out more

American Short Fiction

Issued triannually, American Short Fiction publishes work by emerging and established voices: stories that dive into the wreck, that stretch the reader between recognition and surprise, that conjure a particular world with delicate expertise—stories that take a different way home. Find out more

MOSS is a literary journal of writing from the Pacific Northwest. Published annually, Moss is dedicated to exploring the intersection of place and creative expression, while exposing the region’s outstanding writers to a broad audience of readers, critics, and publishers. Since its debut issue in the summer of 2014, Moss… Find out more

Zoetrope: All-Story

Founded by Francis Ford Coppola in 1997, Zoetrope: All-Story is a quarterly print magazine of short fiction, one-act plays, and essays on film. Among the most celebrated literary periodicals in the world, it has won every major story award, including four National Magazine Awards for Fiction, along with a number… Find out more

Black Fox Literary Magazine

Black Fox Literary Magazine was founded by Racquel Henry, Pamela Harris, and Marquita Hockaday. The three writers met during an MFA program at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. Here at Black Fox, we publish both established and new writers. We welcome all fiction, but we especially like fiction… Find out more

Milk Candy Review

Milk Candy Review is a journal of flash fiction that publishes one story a week on Thursdays. We will also offer two-question interviews from participating writers the Monday after their story is published! Find out more

The Antioch Review

The Antioch Review, a small independent literary magazine founded in 1941 in a small town in the cornfields of Ohio, is one of the oldest, continuously publishing literary magazines in America. Publishing essays, fiction, and poetry from promising and prominent authors, the Antioch Review has an international readership and reputation… Find out more

American Literary Review

Since 1990, the American Literary Review has been published through the Department of English at the University of North Texas. From the journal’s inception, we have made a point of publishing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by writers at all stages of their careers. Find out more

Tint Journal

Tint Journal is the first online literary journal with an explicit focus on writers who produce creative texts in English as their second or non-native language. Find out more

Thimble Literary Magazine

At Thimble Literary Magazine, we believe armor can be found in the oddest of places: whether that’s facing a hard truth head-on or reframing it so you can better understand it. We believe the stories we tell ourselves to be the most powerful protection for our edges. Find out more

The Blake-Jones Review

The Blake-Jones Review has already experienced its first move in its young life. It has been transplanted from Toronto to London, Ontario. In due course, it will eventually move to Nova Scotia, Canada at which time there will most likely be a total revamping including rebranding and potential name change.… Find out more

The Banyan Review

The Banyan Review is an online, international journal promoting poetry, art, and the natural world. We publish four issues annually, and our “intervals” section features poets, artists, thinkers, and essayist between published issues. A print anthology of selected work is published every other year. Find out more

Sonora Review

Sonora Review is among the oldest student-run literary journals in the country, and has been devoted since its founding in 1980 to offering a venue for exciting new and emerging authors, as well as prominent southwestern writers and artists. Find out more

Atticus Review

Atticus Review is a daily online journal that publishes fiction, poems, and creative nonfiction, as well as graphic art, mixed media, music essays, and, on occasion, blog posts, interviews, and non-traditional book reviews. We have been publishing great work since 2011 and have had over 1200 contributors. Find out more

AGNI is a literary magazine housed at Boston University and known “among readers around the world,” as the writers group PEN put it, “for publishing important new writers early in their careers, many of them translated into English for the first time.” Find out more

Kissing Dynamite Poetry

Twelve poems each month— Kissing Dynamite curates compact issues that honor the thematic threads presented by contributing poets. Our goal is to present multiple facets of a theme/topic/issue to break the narrative of "the single story." Find out more

Boulevard was founded in 1984 in New York City and incorporated in 1985 as a nonprofit by writer Richard Burgin. Its first issue, published January 2, 1986, featured fiction by Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, poetry by Kenneth Koch, and interviews with renowned composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich and… Find out more

The Alaska Quarterly Review

Alaska Quarterly Review is a literary journal devoted to contemporary literary art, publishing fiction, short plays, poetry, photo essays, and literary non-fiction in traditional and experimental styles. It is published by the University of Alaska Anchorage in partnership with the Center for the Narrative and Lyric Arts. The editors encourage… Find out more

Black Heart Magazine

Black Heart Magazine is an independent online literary magazine, transmitting tenacious text around the world at the speed of wifi. Since 2004, our site has been combating clichés and skipping straight to supercharged stories with a simple catchphrase: we heart art. Find out more

Lightspeed Magazine

Lightspeed is a digital science fiction and fantasy magazine. In its pages, you will find science fiction: from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF—and fantasy: from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales. Find out more

The Carolina Quarterly

The Carolina Quarterly publishes a variety of poetry, fiction, essays, reviews, and artwork twice a year and is distributed to readers locally and to individual subscribers, public and university libraries, and bookstores in the United States and worldwide. Back issues are sold throughout the year. Free online access to the… Find out more

Little Stone Journal

We're a newborn litmag focusing on poetry, essays and book reviews. We accept submissions from everyone and aim to showcase the best words from new and established writers. We'd love to grow into print. Brave and curious words are necessary. We don't think there should be any rules on what… Find out more

La Piccioletta Barca

La Piccioletta Barca was first conceived of in 2018, when our aspiring sailors realised that there was no boat to take them the lands they wished to visit. Unwilling to give in, they began to construct their piccioletta barca (or ‘little boat’), at which point the crew grew rapidly (taking… Find out more

The Sun is an independent, ad-free magazine that for more than forty years has used words and photographs to evoke the splendor and heartache of being human. Each monthly issue celebrates life, but not in a way that ignores its complexity. The personal essays, short stories, interviews, poetry, and photographs… Find out more

Barren Magazine

Barren Magazine is a literary publication that features fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and photography for hard truths, long stares, and gritty lenses. We revel in the shadow-spaces that make up the human condition, and aim to find antitheses to that which defines us: light in darkness; beauty in ugliness; peace… Find out more

Raconteur Literary Magazine

Raconteur is a literary magazine publishing engaging, interesting, eclectic and witty writing and artwork by international writers and artists, online and in print, 3 times per year. Find out more

The Chicago Quarterly Review

Since 1946, Chicago Review has published a range of contemporary poetry, fiction, and criticism. Each year typically includes two single issues and a double issue with a special feature section. Find out more

Witness seeks original fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and photography that is innovative in its approach, broad-ranging in its concerns, and unapologetic in its perspective. The magazine blends the features of a literary and an issue-oriented magazine to highlight the role of the modern writer as witness to their times. Find out more

Uncanny Magazine

Uncanny Magazine is an online Science Fiction and Fantasy magazine featuring passionate SF/F fiction and poetry, gorgeous prose, provocative nonfiction, and a deep investment in the diverse SF/F culture. Each issue contains intricate, experimental stories and poems with verve and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs, from writers… Find out more

The Cincinnati Review

Since its inception in 2003, The Cincinnati Review has published many promising new and emerging writers as well as Pulitzer Prize winners and Guggenheim and MacArthur fellows. Poetry and prose from our pages have been selected to appear in the annual anthologies Best American Poetry, Best American Essays, New Stories… Find out more

Taco Bell Quarterly

Taco Bell Quarterly is a literary magazine for the Taco Bell arts and letters. We’re a reaction against everything. The gatekeepers. The taste-makers. The hipsters. Health food. Artists Who Wear Cute Scarves. Wendy’s. We think great writing can be about Taco Bell. We think trash can be beautiful. Find out more

Beneath Ceaseless Skies

Beneath Ceaseless Skies is a non-profit, SFWA-qualifying pro-rate online magazine dedicated to publishing literary adventure fantasy: fantasy set in secondary-world or historical paranormal settings, written with a literary focus on the characters. Find out more

We need your help

Developing, improving and maintaining our resources takes a lot of time, and donations are a big part of what allows us to keep our calendar as up-to-date as possible. If you’d like to help, please support us with a donation of any amount. It really does make all the difference!

Donate to help maintain our calendar