92 Lit Mags To Make Agents Notice You
Literary magazines that agents love to read (we asked & researched & asked again)
Okay, I’m gonna give it to you straight — this was a tough list to compile. First off, there’s no real database out there that records the reading habits of agents, no log, no reference points, not much in way of social media sleuthing can be done also because when agents are reading (and yes, we all know agents are pretty much Reading GODS because, like, they read a beautiful shit ton!) it’s likely manuscripts or, you know, actual published books. So, even if they’re picking up a lit mag, that’s not really announced…anywhere.
The way to do this, then, would be to ask. Ask a lot. Research some. Ask again. Go down old-school internet forums. Be annoying but try not to be while doing a gentle-follow up and — you guessed it — asking yet again, hey dear agent that I know because of xyz/friend-of-a-friend/agent-of-a-friend-of-a-friend, like, can you tell me what lit mags you reads.
Turns out though, even the asking wasn’t that easy. A few replies came back with a deadpan (that I’m still grateful for), “um…lit mags?”. Ouch. But, I like probing and digging. So…I did that. And a couple of these “um-lit-mags”-types said that while they don’t actively thumb through lit mags (one reason being that apparently they are no longer as easy to buy, because before you could pick up copies at bookstore easily but now that’s always possible unless you want the New Yorker, sigh), there are still mags that’ll create a lil twinkle in their agent-y eyes when they see ‘em sparkling up a bio.
And then, the nicer agents (don’t worry, the um-lit-mags ones probably aren’t reading this list anyway so I feel like I can get away with that), just gave me (or Ben or Kailey) a (short) list.
Alright, so, what have I learned from my strange months-long quest to try and get this so-called mega-list done?
Well, one is that plain and simple, what matters to agents most is the writer’s actual writing that is being submitted to them at the time.
But also, two, some credentials and honors and publications are shinier than others, even if just to widen that space created by your initial toe in the door.
And three, I’m nosy and now want to ask every agent ever what they read in terms of lit mags, indie presses, and the likes. So like…maybe I should do that. What do you think?
Okay, an addendum: Nonfiction is most read by agents in mags, then Fiction, and least of all poetry, though certain awards and fellowships are an exception here but then again big mag award winners across all genres are considered more than just general published. Anthologies like Best American series, O. Henry, and to a degree Pushcart are also read.
Oh and PS: We have a handy-dandy spreadsheet (with all the details you’ll need) for download after the list as well!
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