104 Recently Opened Submission Calls, Upcoming Deadlines, Contests, Theme Calls & More
Extra large Where to Submit This Week (12.16.24)
So long 2024! Damn, what an awful year. But, you know, I feel like we say that every year. So maybe that's just what time is now. Chunks of awful.
But hey, we've got some chunks of not-awful for you right here (nailed it). We're taking a little break next week so we've double-stuffed today's list with two weeks worth of openings, closings, contests, theme calls, and an extra helping of always open mags. Yes, I'm hungry.
And there's more! This week we'll be announcing our Best Lit Mags of 2024 on Instagram and on Chill Subs' lists portal. Even better, today we released our first category.
Community Favorites Best Nonfiction Lit Mags of 2024
We'll be releasing them every day, so if you've got Instagram and want to follow along, here is where we're at.
There will be more but we'll let those be surprises. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy today's buffet—er, selection of opportunities.
This week, we’ve got:
8 Recently Opened Submission Calls
32 Last Chance to Submit
12 Theme Calls To Inspire You!
25 Lit mags that are always open for submissions
29 Vetted writing contest closing end of year
Thank you all for your support this year! This project is wholly human made. We have no advertisements or paid promotions so the only funding we get is from you. Every subscription is an investment in us and yourself so we'll do our best to keep providing all the details you need to eat butt in 2025. That’s the saying, right?
If you have the means, you can join our paid subscribers here for loads more content and fun features.
And! What did we publish last week? Well, here it you go:
Submissions Help Line
Q: Hi! I’m a fan, and really grateful for the work you do. I have a question about a lit mag which accepted a short story of mine back in July ( The Banshee, edited by Sophie Duncan and Jay Gilbert). Upon acceptance, they also mentioned some line edits. Never heard of them again. I have sent two probing polite emails. No answer. It’s December 9th and I don’t know what to do. What’s your advice?
A: Aw, this is tough cause I like their vibe but it looks as though they might be defunct? They haven’t posted on instagram since July and their twitter link leads to a google search. I found their twitter though and they posted in October and, well, this is a big red flag for me. The editor just reposted a load of tweets about their personal work. This is something I have noticed is a huge indicator that a magazine flops. When the editors use it as a vehicle to promote their own stuff, I’ve found maybe 6/10 the magazine never goes anywhere because, like, that’s not what people are here for. Just my opinion though, they could be out sick or had an emergency. But the combo of a lack of communication, abandoned socials, and self-promotional stuff….not looking good. If I were you I’d give it till the new year then send an email withdrawing. Because, even if they are busy and will get around to it, they’re clearly not heavily promoting their writers in a way I like to see.
Q: Do you have any advice for someone who keeps getting rejected by literary press and magazines etc.? The work is some that when I did my BA in Creative Writing got great responses from peers and tutors, and my dissertation got a first so I'm just confused, I guess. Especially when the presses don't give any feedback
A: I feel you, rejection sucks but more so when there’s no rhyme or reason to it, especially if you feel that you’ve got a track record of, you know, being good! I do think that the disconnect between academic success and on-the-ground publishing experience so to speak can be vast sometimese. One thing you could consider doing is joining a writing group or finding beta readers outside academia for fresh perspectives. Also perhaps tailor your submissions more to the specific magazines, or, more importantly I’d day, really try and find mags that match your style/aesthetic. In terms of presses, as with mags, they get way more submissions than they know what to do with, so a lot of the times it can just be a game of chance (which isn’t comforting to hear I know…but also, hopefully it helps knowing it’s not necessarily that you’re the one doing something wrong!).
Have a question about submitting? Ask us, and we’ll answer it in next week’s Where To Submit This Week. Visit our submission helpline. And if you are a paid subscriber you’re welcome to our chat here on Sub Club where you can ask questions and chat with us and others about submitting.
Literary Magazines & Journals
Recently Opened Calls
storySouth | Deadline: Jan 15
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2001 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry.
storySouth’s most important mission is to showcase the best fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry that writers from the new south have to offer. Special emphasis is given to finding and promoting the works of promising new writers.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 6.38% based on 67 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #clmp member #extremely competitive #20+ years old
Muzzle Magazine | Deadline: Jan 15
Literary magazine that publishes Poetry.
Muzzle Magazine has published writing of revolution and revelation, and in 2020, on the precipice of a new decade, we will continue seeking submissions that move us not just in feeling, but also in intention.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 1.21% based on 196 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #extremely competitive #poetry prize winner #extra popular
100-Foot Crow | Deadline: Jan 15
Literary magazine founded in 2024 that publishes Fiction.
We’re the magazine for busy people who want to be wowed by great science fiction & fantasy stories—in exactly 100 words.
Fee: No | Pay: Per word: $0.08
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 3% (reported by editors).
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Same Faces Collective | Deadline: Feb 1
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2019 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Multimedia, Fiction.
Interdisciplinary literary magazine for experimental forms, challenging literary fiction, and marginalized voices.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 40% (reported by editors).
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards
Ponder Review | Deadline: Mar 15
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2016 that publishes Hybrid, Poetry, Multimedia, Fiction, Nonfiction.
We're published by the low-res MFA in Creative Writing at Mississippi U. for Women and include fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, drama, art, and new media.
Fee: $2 | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 9% (reported by editors).
You can find them on Instagram where they have 600+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #university affiliated #brecht top 1000 #very competitive
Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine | Deadline: Mar 15
United States-based Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
an online magazine dedicated to riding that ever-changing edge of new and original fiction and art and sound and everything into tomorrow, to being a conduit for the voices that speak along that edge, to helping in some way those voices to move the world forward
Fee: No | Pay: Per piece: $10
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 10.40% based on 251 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #somewhat competitive #engaged editors
1922 Review | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2024 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
1922 Review is the new online journal published by Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Enjoy exclusive online content, including web issues, interviews, book reviews, movie reviews, local events, and the best content from ourVoicesarchive.
Fee: $3 | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Metachrosis Literary | Deadline: Mar 3
Ireland-based Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Multimedia.
an interdisciplinary magazine, celebrating the exploration of the arts, sciences, and humanities. We love the experimental, avant-garde, and political.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on X where they have 1K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free
7th-Circle Pyrite | Open for submissions (Fiction)
United States-based Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Multimedia.
a celebration of all that transcends the physical or mundane
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 31.5% based on 104 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #popular
Last Chance to Submit
Southern Indiana Review | Deadline: Dec 18
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1994 that publishes Multimedia, Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction.
Southern Indiana Review presents a cross-section of emerging and established artists and writers whose work is both regional and national in scope and degree of recognition. SIR is published in October and May by the University of Southern Indiana.
Fee: $1.75 | Pay: Flat rate: $250
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have 1K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #has print issues #university affiliated #fiction prize winner #krouse top 500 #20+ years old #nonfiction prize winner #poetry prize winner
RipRap Journal | Deadline: Dec 18
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1951 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
a literary journal designed and produced annually by students in the Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing program at California State University Long Beach
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have ~100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #university affiliated #50+ years old
Vellichor Literary Magazine | Deadline: Dec 20
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2024 that publishes Hybrid.
empowering, amplifying, and celebrating young voices. no word limit. no age limit. anything goes!
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Infrarrealista Review | Deadline: Dec 24
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2019 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
A Texas-based literary journal + press
Fee: No | Pay: Yes
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have ~100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Raleigh Review | Deadline: Dec 25
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2010 that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction.
A nonprofit magazine of poetry, short fiction, and art, offering accessible works of experience that are emotionally and intellectually complex.
Fee: $3 | Pay: Flat rate: $15
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 1% (reported by editors).
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #nonprofit #brecht top 1000 #clmp member #extremely competitive #10+ years old #poetry prize winner
The Broken Spine | Deadline: Dec 31
United Kingdom-based Literary magazine founded in 2019 that publishes Fiction, Poetry.
A poetry and arts collective proudly published on the coastal edge of North-West England.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Do not accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on X where they have 5K+ followers.
Chapter House | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
Promoting the ideals and vision of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Low Residency MFA Creative Writing Program.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Do not accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have 600+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free
ANTAE | Deadline: Dec 31
Malta-based Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry.
An internationally refereed creative writing journal. Our editorial team is open to publishing all kinds of work written in English, from poetry to prose fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, experimental writing, review articles and more.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Do not accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free
CALYX Journal | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1976 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
CALYX exists to nurture women’s creativity by publishing fine literature and art by women.
Fee: $5 | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nonprofit #somewhat competitive #30+ years old
Hominum Journal | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Hybrid.
A creative arts journal that de/reconstructs the somatic and explores the anatomy of narrative.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 4% (reported by editors).
You can find them on X where they have 3K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #30-day response time #nominates for industry awards #brecht top 1000 #highly competitive
North Dakota Quarterly | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1910 that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Hybrid.
One of the famous “little magazines” that have been the traditional seed beds of talented writers and contributed so much to the nation’s cultural and artistic life.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Do not accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 21.70% based on 43 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #100+ years old #nonfiction prize winner
Counterflow Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31
Canada-based Literary magazine founded in 2021 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
Showcasing work by emerging, early career, and established writers, poets, and visual artists from across all of Vancouver Island and the surrounding Salish Sea Basin.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Audience Askew Literary Journal | Deadline: Dec 31
Literary magazine founded in 2022 that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
At Audience Askew, we like the strange, quirky, and unique—aiming to find thought-provoking stories, engaging poetry, and distinctive artwork that doesn’t quite fit in anywhere else. We welcome new and established authors, poets, and artists worldwide who want to showcase their talents to an audienc
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #has print issues
ARTWIFE | Deadline: Dec 31
Literary magazine founded in 2022 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia.
ARTWIFE exists to serve as an oasis of beauty, art, and human expression.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free
The Fool's World Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2019 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
Where the globe is our home, and the experience is our own! Tarot Card Zero, aka The Fool, is a positive one who seeks new challenges and adventures.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Do not accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #has print issues
Girls Right the World | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2017 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Multimedia.
A literary journal inviting young, female-identified writers and artists, ages 14–21. We believe girls’ voices transform the world for the better.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Stone of Madness Press | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Hybrid, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry.
Stone of Madness Press is a physical [online] and conceptual space for queer, trans, and neurodiverse writers. This project is born of the belief that you belong here, too.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 21.08% based on 58 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #30-day response time #nominates for industry awards #brecht top 1000 # consistent quality #good vibes #extra popular
Sugared Water | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine that publishes Multimedia, Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction.
If we could candy words, we’d eat them to bellyaches every afternoon. We carry journals and collect chapbooks like Smaug ripping through a gold-sequin disco.
Fee: $3 | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #has print issues
Bodega: Your literary corner store | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2012 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry.
Your literary corner store. A monthly magazine accepting fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 21.05% based on 87 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #extremely competitive #10+ years old #extra popular
Tabula Rasa Review | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2021 that publishes Nonfiction, Hybrid, Fiction, Poetry.
an independent literary journal
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 3% (reported by editors).
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #independent # consistent quality #very competitive #engaged editors
Tampa Review | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1964 that publishes Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction.
Tampa Review is the faculty-edited literary journal of The University of Tampa. We publish two print issues a year and also publish complementary work online throughout the year at TampaReview.org.
Fee: $2 | Pay: Per page: $10
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 6.47% based on 33 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #university affiliated #50+ years old
Oakwood Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1975 that publishes Multimedia, Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction.
Oakwood is the literary and arts annual of South Dakota State University, publishing the work of writers and artists of the Northern Great Plains region since 1975.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #university affiliated #30+ years old
The Cincinnati Review | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2003 that publishes Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Hybrid.
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.
Fee: No | Pay: Per page: $30
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 2.38% based on 330 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #university affiliated #clmp member #extremely competitive #20+ years old #mega super popular. woah.
Five Points | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1996 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry.
Published bi-annually by the Georgia State University Department of English, each issue features art, poetry, fiction, flash, and essays by the most compelling artists and writers working today.
Fee: $3 | Pay: Per piece: $25
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 0.49% based on 257 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #university affiliated #fiction prize winner #krouse top 500 #20+ years old #nonfiction prize winner #poetry prize winner
Postbox Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31
United Kingdom-based Literary magazine founded in 2019 that publishes Fiction.
Postbox Magazine is a biannual collection of new short stories. It is published by Postbox Press, the literary fiction imprint of Red Squirrel Press.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #has print issues
The Raven's Muse Literary Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2023 that publishes Multimedia, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry.
A literary and art magazine dedicated to helping artists get their work into the world.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 25% (reported by editors).
You can find them on X where they have ~100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free
MockingHeart Review | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2015 that publishes Multimedia, Poetry.
MockingHeart Review publishes high-quality poetry and artwork.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free
River Styx Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1975 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry.
River Styx cultivates contemporary literary arts in St. Louis and beyond through its magazine and community programs. Since 1975.
Fee: $3 | Pay: Per word: $0.05
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 1% (reported by editors).
You can find them on X where they have 6K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards
The Forest | Deadline: Dec 31
Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction.
We are interested in stories told through the lens of genre (horror, fantasy, and science fiction) because genre is a performance in and of itself.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free
Quinobequin Review | Deadline: Dec 31
Literary magazine that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Multimedia.
Stories from Greater Boston. Come home to your city your neighborhood your people your parks your gardens your food your history your memories your traditions your home your place.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues
Theme Calls To Inspire You!
inScribe: Journal of Creative Writing | Deadline: Dec 17 | Theme: SCIENCE
Australia-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction.
inScribe is a bi-annual print journal and perennial website that aims to share and inspire meaningful encounters with the world through the diverse art of creative writing.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #somewhat competitive
Honey Literary | Deadline: Dec 17 | Theme: Food and Beverage
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Multimedia.
A BIPOC-focused literary journal / 501(c)(3) literary arts organization built by women of color. In our founding year of 2020, we denounce the overwhelming homogeneity of the literary landscape as well as Eurocentric traditions of writing
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 7.32% based on 51 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #brecht top 1000 #somewhat accessible #engaged editors #extra popular
Youth Reverie Magazine | Deadline: Dec 20 | Theme: close knit
India-based Literary magazine founded in 2024 that publishes Hybrid.
A commonplace for midnight musings, class boredom, unspoken confessions, photos, art and your wildest dreams.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 30% (reported by editors).
Noteworthy: #30-day response time
The Agora Magazine | Deadline: Dec 30 | Theme: ISSUE 01 - Equilibrium
Literary magazine that publishes Hybrid.
The Agora Magazine brings together finance, business, economics, and literature, sparking fresh perspectives and meaningful conversations. Submit your work or explore stories that inspire, inform, and ignite curiosity.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 10% (reported by editors).
Noteworthy: #read for free #one week response time
the engine(idling | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: Trashy Daydreams
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2023 that publishes Poetry, Multimedia.
the engine(idling is a literary journal seeking poetry and art submissions from the restless.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 21.68% based on 42 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have 1K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #30-day response time #nominates for industry awards #extremely competitive
Humana Obscura | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: Blue
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Fiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
An independent nature-focused literary magazine.
Fee: $10 | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 9.26% based on 62 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have 3K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #independent
Gully Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: none
Literary magazine that publishes Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction, Multimedia.
Gully publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction and art from around the world. We're based in NYC, Berlin and Singapore.
Fee: No | Pay: Flat rate: $15
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #has print issues
Anodyne Magazine | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: FLINTA* health
Germany-based Literary magazine founded in 2023 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
An arts and lit magazine highlighting the intersectional health experiences of the global FLINTA* community.
Fee: No | Pay: Yes
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #engaged editors
SARKA | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: SARKA journal
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2022 that publishes Fiction, Hybrid, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
SARKA is a journal and publisher focused on works of the flesh.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 10% (reported by editors).
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #very competitive
Fast Flesh Literary Journal | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: Female
Literary magazine that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Hybrid, Poetry, Multimedia.
We’re looking for wild, deep, rich, bold, lush, and other 4-letter words.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Do not accept simultaneous submissions.
Spectrum Literary Journal | Deadline: Dec 31 | Theme: the artistry in embracing failure
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1957 that publishes Hybrid, Poetry, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Fiction.
Spectrum Literary Journal is seeking poetry, prose, visual art, and hybrid literary forms! For volume 68, we will be navigating the artistry in embracing failure.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 21.43% based on 20 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #university affiliated #clmp member #very competitive #50+ years old
Notch | Deadline: Jan 6 | Theme: GRAVITY
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2024 that publishes Hybrid, Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia.
A literary and arts magazine founded with the goal of de-siloing the creative arts.
Fee: No | Pay: $20 - $200
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #has print issues #nominates for industry awards
Always Open!
ONLY POEMS | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2023 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry.
Fall in love with poetry. Send us your weird, wild & wonderful poems & book reviews. As Leonard Cohen said, “Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash."
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 1% (reported by editors).
You can find them on Instagram where they have 28K+ followers.
Fee: No | $10 Fast Response | Pay: $55
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #extremely competitive #engaged editors
Enchanted Living | Open for submissions | Theme: Winter Witch
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2005 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia, Fiction.
A quarterly print magazine that celebrates all things enchanted—from a scattering of mushrooms in an ancient forest to a sweet, scented gown made only of roses.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues
Skipjack Review | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2022 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction.
A journal of arts, environment, and spiritual currents.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards
86 Logic | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Multimedia, Poetry, Nonfiction, Hybrid, Fiction.
A quarterly magazine representing artists with roots in the hospitality industry. We are a team of veteran bartenders, servers, and hosts who love discovering how art and hospitality intersect.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 11% (reported by editors).
You can find them on Instagram where they have 2K+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #clmp member #very competitive
Still Point Arts Quarterly | Open for submissions | Theme: Coffee, Tea, Cocoa
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2011 that publishes Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Multimedia.
A truly beautiful and engaging art and literary journal. Produced four times a year, each issue focuses on a theme and features historical and contemporary art, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints.
You can find them on Instagram where they have 300+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues
SCAB Magazine | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2017 that publishes Poetry, Multimedia, Hybrid, Nonfiction, Fiction.
A magazine for queer and transgressive creatures
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #30-day response time
Filter Coffee Zine | Open for submissions
Literary magazine founded in 2022 that publishes Poetry, Hybrid, Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia.
a home for your unspoken words, unheard thoughts and untamed dreams
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 50.00% based on 22 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #one week response time #popular
Sixth Finch | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2008 that publishes Poetry, Multimedia.
We are committed to bringing the best in contemporary art and poetry to our readers at no cost.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 1.19% based on 326 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #extremely competitive #consistent quality #poetry prize winner #extra popular
The Acentos Review | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2008 that publishes Hybrid, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
The Acentos Review publishes writing, art, music and multigenre work by emerging and established Latin@s in Eng., Span., Port., and indigenous languages.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 57.14% based on 22 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #10+ years old
Willow Springs | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1977 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry.
Willow Springs publishes work by unknown and up and coming writers, and by U.S. Poet Laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners, engaging our readers in an ongoing discussion of art, ideas, and the human experience.
Fee: $3 | Pay: Per piece: $40
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #university affiliated #fiction prize winner #krouse top 500 #30+ years old #nonfiction prize winner #poetry top prize winner #super extra popular
Paranoid Tree Press | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry.
Our mission is to build a sustainable micro press that pays contributors. Each month, we publish a one-page, custom-illustrated zine containing a single micro story.
Fee: No | Pay: Flat rate: $50
Accept simultaneous submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues
Corporeal | Open for submissions
Literary magazine founded in 2021 that publishes Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction.
Corporeal aims to gather experiences of embodiment from all walks of life.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 82.35% based on 46 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #popular
Flash Frontier: An Adventure in Short Fiction | Open for submissions
New Zealand-based Literary magazine founded in 2012 that publishes Multimedia, Fiction.
New Zealand's flash fiction and competition site. Building a community of writers from all over Aotearoa.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #somewhat accessible #10+ years old
Rejection Letters | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
We like the absurd, the heartbreaking, the hysterical. We like rejection letters, fiction, poetry, CNF, hybrid, whatever.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 2.43% based on 120 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #brecht top 1000 # good vibes #somewhat competitive #engaged editors #super extra popular
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2004 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction, Multimedia.
Barrelhouse bridges the gap between serious art and pop culture. It's an annual print journal featuring fiction, poetry, interviews, and essays. Barrelhouse Books publishes 2 books (1 poetry, 1 NF) per year.
Fee: No | Pay: Flat rate: $50
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 1% (reported by editors).
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #nominates for industry awards #extremely competitive #fiction prize winner #krouse top 500 #nonfiction prize winner #mega super popular. woah.
Puerto del Sol | Open for submissions | Theme: freak
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 1964 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
For over half a century, Puerto del Sol has been dedicated to provide a forum for inventive and fresh prose, poetry, reviews, criticism, and artwork. We pride ourselves in not following a standardized aesthetic—instead, we seek work that presents authenticity, sincerity, and respect.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 5.49% based on 165 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #brecht top 1000 #extremely competitive #fiction prize winner #krouse top 500 #50+ years old #extra popular
PULP | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2024 that publishes Hybrid, Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction, Multimedia.
Pulp wants low brow work that would be abundant in sleazy stores with black out curtains and garbage cans.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints.
You can find them on X where they have 200+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #30-day response time #nominates for industry awards
The Twin Bill | Open for submissions | Theme: Baseball
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Multimedia, Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction.
A quarterly online literary baseball publication founded in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. We celebrate the rich history of the game while also recognizing its vibrant present through essays, fiction, poetry, interviews, and visual art.
Fee: No | Pay: Yes
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 10% (reported by editors).
You can find them on X where they have 400+ followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #clmp member
Philadelphia Stories | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2004 that publishes Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
Co-founders Carla Spataro and Christine Weiser began Philadelphia Stories to build a Philadelphia-based community of writers, artists, and readers through the free magazine and affordable educational programs and events.
Fee: No | Pay: Per piece: $25
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 6.19% based on 30 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #clmp member #extremely competitive #10+ years old
Sepia Journal | Open for submissions
United Kingdom-based Literary magazine founded in 2020 that publishes Multimedia, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry.
An independent nonprofit literary and arts journal. We see art as a vehicle for interrogation, introspection, and experimentation. In addition to the journal, we host Staccato, a gallery of film and music.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 16.67% based on 24 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #independent #somewhat competitive #popular
trampset | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2017 that publishes Nonfiction, Poetry, Fiction.
A literary journal, trampset publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry on a rolling basis. We welcome diverse voices, including writers working outside academia.
Fee: No | Pay: Per piece: $25
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 2.20% based on 653 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #brecht top 1000 #clmp member # consistent quality #highly competitive #engaged editors #chill subs community favorite #super extra popular
The Rappahannock Review | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2013 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
A literary journal that has been edited and published by students in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Mary Washington since 2013.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 7.14% based on 50 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #university affiliated
Utopia Science Fiction Magazine | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2019 that publishes Multimedia, Poetry, Nonfiction, Fiction.
A paying literary magazine of optimistic SF that’s proud to provide feedback on all submissions!
Fee: No | Pay: Per piece: $35
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 12.50% based on 23 tracked submissions.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #somewhat competitive #popular
Pithead Chapel | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2012 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Poetry.
We’re looking for engaging art, fiction, nonfiction, and prose poetry. Most of all, we want your work to make us feel something. We want to reach the last word and immediately crave more. We want your work to leave a brilliant bruise.
Fee: No | Pay: No
Accept simultaneous submissions. Acceptance rate of 3.77% based on 395 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #nominates for industry awards #independent # consistent quality #engaged editors #super extra popular
The Bitchin’ Kitsch | Open for submissions
United States-based Literary magazine founded in 2010 that publishes Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia.
A quarterly art and lit, online and printed magazine prioritizing traditionally marginalized creators, but open to all
Fee: No | Pay: Yes
Accept simultaneous submissions and some reprints. Acceptance rate of 38.02% based on 136 tracked submissions.
You can find them on Instagram where they have Under 100 followers.
Noteworthy: #read for free #has print issues #two week response time # good vibes #engaged editors #super extra popular
Contests Closing This Week!
Columbia Journal Winter Print Contest (Fiction, Art, Poetry, Translation, Nonfiction) | Deadline: Dec 18
The first-place winners of the Winter Contest will be published in print in Columbia Journal Issue 63 in Spring 2025 and will receive a $500 cash prize. At least two additional finalists will be selected and announced for each genre; each will win $100 in cash.
We will consider works of up to 7,000 words in length of original, previously unpublished non/fiction.
We will consider works in translation of up to 5,000 words in length.
We will consider up to four pages of original, previously unpublished art.
We will consider works of up to one page in length of original, previously unpublished poetry.
Fee: $15 | Pay: $500 | Judge: Editors
Narratively Memoir Prize | Deadline: Dec 19
Ready-to-publish pieces only — no pitches accepted
Word count: 2,000 to 7,000
Nonfiction, written in the first person and in English (translations permitted)
Original and previously unpublished as a written work
Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but must notify Narratively if entry is accepted elsewhere.
Multiple submissions from a single author are permitted, but each must be submitted and paid for individually.
Adaptations from other media (podcasts, scripts, etc.) are permitted with disclosure.
Any citations should be in endnote form and listed at the end of the Submission.
Please remove your name and contact information from your Submission.
Narratively prefers common fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial, at 10-12-point size, double spaced, for ease of reading. Please do not include images or graphics.
Fee: $20 | Pay: $3000 | Judge: Editors
Center for Book Arts: Poetry Chapbook Contest | Deadline: Dec 19
Please submit a collection or sequence of original poems or a single long poem that does not exceed 450 lines or 21 pages. The author’s name should not appear anywhere in the manuscript or anywhere in the file as all submissions are kept anonymous to the panel of judges. Manuscripts should be typed, with pages numbered and formatted with easy-to-read font.
Fee: $30 | Pay: $1000 | Judge: Editors
Free Flash Fiction Competition | Deadline: Dec 23
Submit a flash fiction piece of between 100 and 300 words, on any theme
Fee: $3.95 | Pay: £150 | Judge: Editors
Anthology Travel Writing Competition | Deadline: Dec 30
Open to both new and established writers, articles submitted must not exceed 1,000 words. Writers can submit as many entries as they wish. Each submission will require a separate entry form and is subject to a separate entry fee.
Fee: €15 | Pay: €500 | Judge: Editors
The Plenitudes Prizes in Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, & Flash | Deadline: Dec 31
Non/fiction works of 1,000 - 5,000 words, double-spaced, 12 pt. font
Up to 3 poems per submission, and no more than 10 pages combined, in ONE document.
A work of flash fiction or flash nonfiction of up to 1,000 words, double-spaced, 12 pt. font
Fee: $20 | Pay: $1500 | Judge: Melody Nixon, Dana Isokawa, Annell Lopez, Celine Aenlle-Rocha
Geri Digiorno Prize | Deadline: Dec 31
The contents of each submission can be either:
2 poems and a work of visual art (Possible Cover Inclusion) created by one person.
2 poems and a work of flash nonfiction (1000 word max on the flash nonfiction) created by one person.
1 poem and 1 work of visual art and 1 work of flash nonfiction created by one person.
Newly created collages must be transformative from the parts incorporated within the new work.
Ideally, visual collages should be created solely by the artist submitting the work.
Fee: $7 | Pay: $300 | Judge: Dorianne Laux & Joseph Millar
Kim Bridgford Memorial Sonnet Contest | Deadline: Dec 31
Sonnets must be previously unpublished.
You may submit in both categories — up to eight single sonnets AND three sonnet crowns.
Fee: $12 | Pay: $500 | Judge: Austin Allen
New Indigenous Poetry Prize | Deadline: Dec 31
Submit 3-5 poems not to exceed 5 pages total.
Fee: Free | Pay: $250 | Judge: m.s. RedCherries
Anthony Veasna So Scholars in Fiction | Deadline: Dec 31
Submissions may include up to three stories (max of 9,000 words total).
As mentioned above, all emerging writers who have not published full-length collections are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status).
Fee: $15 | Pay: $200 | Judge: Editors
Gregory Djanikian Scholar in Poetry | Deadline: Dec 31
Submissions may include up to six poems (max of ten single-spaced pages).
As mentioned above, all emerging writers who have not published full-length collections are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status).
Fee: $15 | Pay: $200 | Judge: Editors
Jesmyn Ward Fiction Prize | Deadline: Dec 31
Please submit one unpublished short story of 1,500-7,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please withdraw your submission as soon as it is accepted elsewhere.
Fee: $25 | Pay: $2000 | Judge: Editors
Laurence Goldstein Poetry Prize | Deadline: Dec 31
Please submit up to five previously unpublished poems with a total page count of no more than 10 pages.
Fee: $25 | Pay: $2000 | Judge: Editors
Midway Journal Action/Words Poetry Contest | Deadline: Dec 31
Action/Words Poetry Contest seeks submissions that call for, enact, or reflect upon connections between poetry and praxis. Each fall, the Midway team will select a verb to serve as the “action word” and theme for that year’s contest. This year, we have selected the verb “to split.” We welcome writers to submit poems that respond directly or indirectly to the various meanings of this term.
Fee: $10 | Pay: $300 | Judge: Editors
Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge | Deadline: Dec 31
There's a long tradition of poetry responding to art (and vice versa), and we thought it would be fun to post these challenges. Every month we will post an image on our Ekphrastic Challenge page. Poets will then have one month to write a poem in response to that specific image.
Fee: FREE | Pay: $100 | Judge: Editors
Hollis Summers Poetry Prize 2025 | Deadline: Dec 31
Manuscripts of 60 to 95 pages should be set on standard sized paper. Name, address, and phone number should appear on the title page. If acknowledgments are included, they should appear on a separate page. Individual collections must be the work of a single author. Translations are not accepted. Manuscripts should be submitted in final form; revisions or emendations to acknowledgments will not be considered during the contest. Multiple submissions to other publishers are acceptable provided we are informed if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
Fee: $30 | Pay: $1000 | Judge: Natalie Shapero
Lascaux Prize in Fiction & Poetry | Deadline: Dec 31
Length should not exceed 10,000 word
Poets may enter more than once, and as many as five poems may be submitted per entry (all pasted into one document). There are no length restriction,
Fee: $15 | Pay: $100 | Judge: Editors
The Kenyon Review Poetry & Nonfiction Contest | Deadline: Dec 31
Please submit 3-5 poems, no longer than ten pages. Nonfiction: Submissions must be no more than 3,000 words in length.
Please do not simultaneously submit your contest entry to another magazine or contest.
Winners will be announced in the late spring. You will receive an email notifying you of any decisions regarding your work.
Fee: $24 | Pay: $100 | Judge: Diane Seuss, Lucy Ives
The Slice Poetry Chapbook Contest | Deadline: Dec 31
Poetry chapbook submissions should be up to 35 pages of poems, in a 12-point font. Please submit your work as a .pdf, .doc, or .docx file.
Fee: $20 | Pay: $500 | Judge: Editors
Porter House Review Editor’s Prize in Nonfiction, Fiction, & Poetry | Deadline: Dec 31
Limit your submissions to 6,000 words or less
Our journal seeks nonfiction that involves discovery for the reader and the writer, work that creates a dynamic of mutual construction through literary dialogue. Personal essays, creative nonfiction flash, memoir, and literary reportage are all welcome.
Our review seeks to publish fiction that is emotionally affecting, haunting, bizarre, and in firm control of the machinations of storytelling (e.g. character, scene, plot, and momentum). We welcome both traditional short stories, flash fiction, and other hybrid forms.
Submit a maximum of 5 poems or less (per reading fee; more poems may be sent with a different submission).
We seek poetic works that capture experience by reinvigorating the language of the everyday, or surprising readers with novel, rarefied text. We are particularly interested in poetry that champions inventive forms and content.
Fee: $10 | Pay: $750 | Judge: Maurice Chammah, Rebecca Makkai,
John Ridland Poetry Prize | Deadline: Dec 31
The second annual John Ridland Poetry Prize will be awarded for an unpublished book-length manuscript of 48-100 pages. This prize is open to poets 55 years and older.
Fee: $20 | Pay: $500 | Judge: Editors
The Kevin McIlvoy Book Prize | Deadline: Dec 31
Send unpublished books of prose—novels, memoirs, narrative nonfiction, essay and story collections, and hybrid works.
Fee: $30 | Pay: $2500 | Judge: James Tate Hill, Yang Huang, and Olga Zilberbourg
World’s Best Short Story Contest | Deadline: Jan 1
Please send up to three short-short stories per submission. Each short-short should be no more than 500 words. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.
Fee: $16 | Pay: $750 | Judge: Venita Blackburn
Gearhart Poetry Contest | Deadline: Jan 1
Please send up to three poems, no more than 10 pages total. Include no more than one poem per page. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.
Fee: $16 | Pay: $750 | Judge: Karyna McGlynn
Ned Stuckey-French Nonfiction Contest | Deadline: Jan 1
We seek submissions in this vein: nonfiction that prods and pressures expectations; that speaks to the personal against the powerful; and that prioritizes soul, heart, and service. Please send essays up to 10 pages. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.
Fee: $16 | Pay: $750 | Judge: Shze-Hui Tjoa
Mississippi Review Prize in Fiction, Poetry & Nonfiction | Deadline: Jan 1
Fiction and nonfiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems totaling ten pages or less. Please attach as one document. There is no limit on the number of entries you may submit.
Fee: $16 | Pay: $1000 | Judge: Editors
Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction | Deadline: Jan 1
25 page maximum for short stories.
Fee: $10 | Pay: $1000 | Judge: Editors
Phyllis-Smart Young Prize in Poetry | Deadline: Jan 1
Submissions should be double-spaced, with standard 1" margins and should not exceed 15 pages. Poems should also be previously unpublished. Only one submission is allowed per person per contest.
Fee: $10 | Pay: $1000 | Judge: Editors
Gemini Poetry Open | Deadline: Jan 2
Send upto 3 poems
Previously published on personal blogs okay
Fee: $10 | Pay: $1000 | Judge: Editors
Below, we have a downloadable spreadsheet for this week’s opportunities for paid subscribers.