May 18, 2026

28 Journals with Fast Response Times

It is good to start out by submitting your work to literary journals that have fast response times. It is rewarding to hear back from journals within a month, rather than a year later, when you have forgotten all about them. Submitting to journals with fast response times helps keep you motivated. All of these…

May 14, 2026

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in May 2026

These magazines pay for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They’re open now, or will soon open for submissions. The Stinging FlyThis Ireland-based journal is open for submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry for their Winter 2026-27 issue. They also accept translations. They also have a submission FAQ page.Deadline: 20 May 2026 (5 pm Irish time)Length:…

Public School Poetry: Now Seeking Submissions

Public School Poetry is online journal of poetry and craft essays, in which each contributor writes an essay about another contributor’s poems. Despite their name, they are not specifically seeking poems about school, and they are not specifically seeking poems written by students. You can read the journal online to get a sense of what…

Why I’m No Longer Chasing 100 Rejections Every Year

Back when I first decided to actively start sending my work out into the world—instead of making 2 submissions per year—Kim Liao’s viral article, “Why You Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year” came to me at just the right time. Although I’d not been as much of a perfectionist back then, my goals were…

May 11, 2026

27 Approachable Literary Journals

Some journals accept a lot more submissions than others. Acceptance rates change all the time, so realize that over time these journals may become harder to get into. These are not the only publishers that are easy to get into, but they are a good place to start if your sole goal is to get…

May 7, 2026

Nine Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in May 2026

This list focuses on nine publishers that we are excited about that are open to submissions this month. Some are only open for a short period of time, others will be open the whole month and beyond. At least four of these are presses we have not covered previously. Please note that if a publisher…

New Nottingham Journal: Now Seeking Submissions

New Nottingham Journal is a print publication of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and slow journalism, published in Nottingham. They just launched last year, in 2025, and their first issue, which features 44 contributors from around the world, sold out. They showcase established authors alongside new voices. The first issue of New Nottingham Journal was sold…

How to Ace the Rejection Game

By Mandira Pattnaik It is not advisable for the well-published authors to view the plight of newbie, emerging writers as they grapple with the onslaught ravaged upon them by editors and publishers who view them less as blood-and-bone humans and more as names and email addresses. Neither is it advisable for those said nameless and…

May 4, 2026

42 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for May 2026

▾ Filter listings Fiction Poetry Contest Essay ✕ Showing all These are themed calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the call themes are: light the beacons; sinister soiree (celebration horror); beyond the red line; if you say so; out of office; breaking the mold; witches & warlocks; reborn; were (creatures); gold;…