The Best Lit Mags to Submit to This Week and Why
Handpicked favorites for everybody! Plus, a free-for-all spreadsheet of 98 recently opened submission calls and upcoming deadlines | Where to Submit This Week (9.24.25)
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Welcome to Where to Submit, friends.
I’ve got some changes to walk you through today! Perhaps you noticed, but we were dealing with an avalanche in this column … a good avalanche in the shape of several hundreds of sub calls every week (give or take a few) … but an avalanche nonetheless. And, uh, maybe it was a bit much?
We’ve been mulling over how to make all of this more digestible because we care about your GI-tract time and energy. Or, what little might be left of the time and energy you have for actually submitting your work.
So, from now on, everyone—paid and free subscribers—will have access to the full spreadsheet of opportunities, whether there are 50 or 500 (okay, there will never be 500, but you get what I mean). You can go through and filter them as you like, and you’ll still have Chill Subs’ browse to get the specifics, if you like it swanky. But here, in our WTS column every Wednesday, I’m going to give you handpicked favorites: also for everyone, also for free. The handpicked favorites will come with brief editor’s notes that offer further insight into the particular opportunity, magazine as a whole, or both.
Now, a note on … well … the notes and the picks: The mags I choose obviously won’t all look the same. So while many will be fee-free and paying opps (because those mags tend to be doing a lot right), I’ll also sometimes include places that charge fees if they bring something else substantial to the table—say prestige, reach, or a track record that makes them worth the cost (and where they aren’t otherwise weird or icky). Similarly, I might also have some mags that don’t pay. Even though all places can’t afford to pay their writers, they might offer other things that are just as if not more valuable for budding or established writers: history, longevity, editorial vision, visibility, momentum, etc.
Below are my 13 favorite submission opportunities this week. If you only have an hour or so to submit, these are the ones you can feel good about sending your work to first. And then below that, you can access the full spreadsheet with all 98 of this week’s submission calls.
ICYMI: In the last week, we’ve published 11 Book Prizes That Actually Launch Careers; 113 Writing Jobs, Internships, Lit Mag Opps, Fellowships, Pitch Calls, and More; 7 Agents Looking for Writers 40+; and 15 Prestigious MFA Lit Mags Every Writer Should Know.
Where to Submit will always be free. But paid subscriptions are what keep Sub Club alive—supporting the time, energy, and endless spreadsheet-wrangling it takes to make this column happen every week. If you’ve got the means to do so, you can upgrade here.
DISCLAIMER: We take great pains to ensure our data is accurate. However, depending on when you see this, some mags might have closed—especially if they have submission caps!
1. Ouch! Collective → Deadline: Sep 28 | Fee: No | Pay: $20 flat | Open for Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia, Poetry | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ☑︎ Some Reprints | R: 90 days | A: 34.33% | 1.5K+ followers | United States | 2022 — “Ouch! Collective is a community of queer and nonbinary creatives holding space to resist hierarchy in the art community and uplift traditionally erased voices.”
Our one cent: Ouch! Collective feels like the kind of space where queerness, experimentation, and community-building are inseparable. Its aesthetic leans toward the strange and uncanny—work that isn’t afraid of surrealism, dream-logic, or glitter. I love that Ouch! makes space for hybrid and multimedia right alongside poems and prose, and that its ethos (“resisting hierarchy, uplifting erased voices”) is more than just a catchy something: the magazine’s staff operates without an editor-in-chief, decisions are made collectively, and the same volunteers who read your work also build the magazine and run its projects.
2. Story Unlikely → Deadline: Sep 29 | Fee: No | Pay: $0.08/word | Open for Nonfiction, Fiction | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ☑︎ Some Reprints | R: 90 days | A: 1.35% | Under 100 followers | United States | 2020 — “Submission period runs from Feb 2nd through Sep 29th No restrictions on genre (seeking all types of stories; fiction and creative nonfiction) 3,500k word limit (12,500k for Members) 8 cents a word, reprints are 2 cents a word All stories featured are professionally illustrated No submission fee”
Our one cent: Story Unlikely leans into the fun and chaos of being a paying indie mag that doesn’t take itself too seriously—think spoof videos with Brett Favre alongside stories that actually pay $.08/word (with an illustration included). The mag is irreverent, sometimes messy, but refreshingly transparent, with no fees, reasonable response times, and a willingness to publish across genres without the usual gatekeeping. Long story short, Story Unlikely offers a rare mix of humor and earnestness with real compensation for writers.
3. SmokeLong Quarterly → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: Some | Pay: $100-$200/piece | Open for Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 21 days | A: <1% | 30K+ followers | United States | 2003 — “We are dedicated to bringing the best flash narratives to the web quarterly, whether written by widely published authors or those new to the craft. We pay $100 or $150 with audio.”
Our one cent: SmokeLong Quarterly has been the gold standard for flash since 2003. It publishes year-round, pays fairly, and has an editorial process that guarantees at least two careful reads. SLQ’s focus is on flash that lingers—stories you can finish in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette but that stay with you much longer. Beyond publishing, its staff has built a whole ecosystem: workshops, mentorships, and contests, plus a commitment to supporting other literary organizations. And over the years, SLQ has published thousands of flash pieces, earned Pushcart and Best Small Fictions recognition, run multiple transparent annual contests, and grown into one of the most cited and respected venues for flash worldwide.
4. Black Warrior Review → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: $5 | Pay: $50-$250/piece | Open for Nonfiction, Multimedia, Fiction, Poetry | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 180 days | A: 1% | 30K+ followers | United States | 1974 — “Established in 1974 by graduate students in the MFA in Creative Writing, Black Warrior Review is named for the river that borders the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. BWR publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, and art twice a year, + an annual online issue.”
Our one cent: Black Warrior Review has been around since 1974, and it’s one of the longest-running and most respected student-edited journals in the U.S. What sets BWR apart is its commitment to the margins: Its staff seeks out work that’s “weird, challenging, unconventional, and genre-nonconforming,” and they actually mean it. Every year, the masthead turns over with graduate students from the University of Alabama’s MFA program, keeping the editorial vision constantly refreshed. Add to that a track record of publishing both emerging writers and giants like Joy Williams, Yusef Komunyakaa, Anne Carson, and Kaveh Akbar, and you get a magazine that’s as forward-looking as it is canon-defining.
5. Aurealis → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: No | Pay: AU$0-AU$60/piece | Open for Multimedia, Fiction, Nonfiction | ✖️ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 120 days | A: 10.89% | 3K+ followers | Australia | 1990 — “Australia’s longest running science fiction and fantasy magazine.”
Our one cent: Aurealis has been shaping speculative fiction in Australia since the early ’90s, when the scene was tiny and underfunded. It has grown into a powerhouse since. What I love about Aurealis is how it balances being fiercely local (lifting up Australian SF/F voices) while still welcoming global submissions, so the work always feels plugged into an international conversation. Its monthly issues are a reliable mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that isn’t afraid of the bold or the strange. Add in the Aurealis Awards—which Aurealis founded and still runs—and you get a magazine that is actively building the ecosystem for speculative writers.
6. The London Magazine → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: No | Pay: No | Open for Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 56 days | A: 2.51% | 20K+ followers | United Kingdom | 1954 — “England’s oldest literary periodical, with a history stretching back to 1732. Today the Magazine’s essence remains unchanged: it is a home for the best writing and an indispensable feature on the British literary landscape.”
Our one cent: The London Magazine has been around since 1732, which basically makes it the dinosaur of British lit mags (or um, of all lit mags) in the best way. Everyone from John Keats to Sylvia Plath to Joan Didion to Angela Carter (and so many more!!!) has appeared in its pages, and that legacy still matters: publishing here puts you in the company of giants. These days, the folks behind TLM are after essays, fiction, and poetry that feel both rigorous and alive—work that can hold its own next to criticism, politics, and culture. A couple of things to note: they pay for print, but not for online pieces. They charge a small fee in some months but also have fee-free months, which they explicitly state. Furthermore, the editorial process is intimate and old-school, meaning they’ll work with you to get a piece right.
7. Doek! Literary Magazine → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: No | Pay: No | Open for Nonfiction, Multimedia, Fiction, Poetry | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | 3K+ followers | Namibia | 2019 — “A literary magazine from Namibia publishing fiction + nonfiction + poetry + visual art from Namibia + Africa + and the African diaspora.”
Our one cent: Doek! is Namibia’s first and only lit mag, which already makes it feel extra cool and important. Since 2019, its staff has been pulling off something wild: building a home for Namibian writing while linking up with writers in the African diaspora. Publishing here means joining a project that’s young, ambitious, and already reshaping the map of African literature. I also really love the clean visual appeal of the website.
8. Presence Haiku Journal → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: No | Pay: No | Open for Nonfiction, Poetry | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 27 days | A: 4.00% | Under 100 followers | United Kingdom | 1996 — “Britain’s leading independent haiku journal”
Our one cent: Presence has been publishing haiku, tanka, haibun, and essays on the form since the freakin’ ‘90s, and it’s a print journal with an international reach. I love how seriously the magazine takes these tiny but mighty forms. Also, from this year onwards, Presence is moving under the wing of the Edinburgh Haiku Circle, which feels fitting … This is a publication that has always been about community as much as craft. If you want to place work in a venue that has real longevity (nearly 30 years now!) and genuine authority in English-language haiku, submit here.
9. Silly Goose Press → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: No | Pay: No | Open for Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 45 days | A: 22% | 900+ followers | United States | 2024 — “HONK! Silly Goose Press is a very flocking serious literary magazine obsessed with craft-forward whimsy. HONK!”
Our one cent: Tempted to say Silly Goose Press made the list because of their name and call it a day here because, come on! Alright, alright, but here’s more: SGP is delightfully unserious. Dubbing its whole vibe “craft-forward whimsy” tells me the staff here is after work that finds magic in the mundane, humor in the haunted, and tenderness in the strange. Founded by a group of friends who met in undergrad, the magazine has built itself around love, friendship, and the kind of community that cheers loudly for its contributors. I especially admire how specific their tastes are: wacky stories that make you re-evaluate your life, sapphic poetry with glitter-pen energy, art that feels pastel and fairytale. They want work that sparkles with personality, myth, and heart. Publishing here means joining a flock that takes silliness seriously and joyfully. Also, HONK!
10. Eurydice Lit → Deadline: Sep 30 | Fee: No | Pay: $5/piece | Open for Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, Multimedia | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ☑︎ Some Reprints | R: 35 days | A: 12% | 800+ followers | United States | 2024 — “A paying journal of literary arts for young and new artists.”
Our one cent: Eurydice Lit wears its mythic name well, drawing on Eurydice, muse and song-giver, to champion youth’s voices worldwide. Its mission is refreshingly direct: elevate writers ages 11–24, pay them (even if it’s modest for now, I’m loving the confidence and care!), and give them editorial and publishing experience along the way. What stands out is the combination of ambition and accessibility—Eurydice Lit doesn’t just feature work from the U.S., pulling in young voices from India, Singapore, Ukraine, Norway, and beyond. The result feels like a chorus: poets and storytellers reflecting on troubled pasts, resilience, and hope with an intensity only youth can bring. If you want to place work in a space that is equal parts training ground and launchpad, Eurydice is one to watch.
11. 32 Poems → Deadline: Oct 1 | Fee: $3 | Pay: $25/piece | Open for Poetry | ✖️ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 90 days | A: <1% | 10K+ followers | United States | 2002 — “Poetry for the ear, the eye, and the ego.”
Our one cent: 32 Poems is a dream mag for many of us, and I’ve been trying to think more deeply on the why of it all. On the surface, it’s pretty standard, charging a standard fee, with pay that isn’t outrageous either way. But that’s about where “standard” ends. 32 Poems has been running since 2002 with a simple premise: strip the issue down to just 32 poems and let each one matter. That small USP (unique selling point, la di da, move on) has set it apart—the poetry is easy to read and thus, collectively, so is the issue. There’s something about the specificity of the number (and lines) that makes the work in this mag feel much more hand-picked and memorable. I like that 32 Poems has also widened its orbit over the years, adding prose features, classroom programs, and showing up at AWP off-sites with the same mix of seriousness and freshness. Submitting here means trusting that less is more, and that one good page can carry you a long way. That acceptance rate, though … Oh, well. The heart wants what it wants.
12. The Normal School → Deadline: Oct 1 | Fee: $2 | Pay: No | Open for Multimedia, Nonfiction, Fiction | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 190 days | A: 5.53% | 10K+ followers | United States — “An online journal featuring nonfiction, fiction, poetry, criticism, journalism, author interviews, and multi-media texts. The bi-annual print magazine finished in spring 2019, ending its 11-year run.”
Our one cent: Born out of Fresno State, The Normal School’s got that West Coast scrappiness and grad student fire, but also a track record of publishing work that makes the so-called “normal” look absurd. Its About page literally compares the magazine to a kid with bottle caps and dead animal skulls in their pocket, which is maybe the clearest mission statement I’ve ever seen. The vibe is experimental yet not alienating in any way: TNS is into strange, boundary-busting nonfiction, fiction that stretches beyond convention, and poetry that can be weird, hybrid, multilingual, deadpan, or deadly … You get the point. If a piece doesn’t quite fit anywhere else, this might be its home, especially since TNS’s acceptance rate sits in the sweet spot, between 3%–8%! I also can’t not mention their shark with a pencil mascot (trust them, they’re normal)!
13. Nashville Review → Deadline: Oct 1 | Fee: No | Pay: $100/piece | Open for Fiction, Nonfiction, Multimedia | ☑︎ Sim Subs | ✖️ Reprints | R: 150 days | A: <1% | 6K+ followers | United States | 2010 — “Nashville Review seeks to publish the best work we can get our hands on, period.”
Our one cent: Nashville Review is one of those MFA-run journals that could’ve leaned institutional. Instead, its editors have made something that feels alive, contradictory, and a little unruly in the best way. Edited out of Vanderbilt University, Nashville Review carries both the polish of a grad program and the fluidity of an indie lit mag. I admire its theme calls as well, which feel authentic and academic at the same time (while also not coming across as boring!). For example, its current call, Kink & Culture, asks for work that sits at the intersection of pleasure, politics, ritual, and resistance. And its comics and art sections open the door to forms other “serious” lit mags often sideline.
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West Coast scrappiness ? Love it.
Thank you for not paywalling this. There’s something sick about paywalling access to a list of paywalled publications that may not even publish your work for no pay.