If you are just starting to submit your work to literary journals, or perhaps you just want to avoid rejection, this list is for you. All of the literary journals in this list accept between 20 and 50% of what is submitted to them, and a few have a higher acceptance rate. So the odds of your work being accepted just went up. These are not the most prestigious journals; publication in them, in all likelihood, will not change your writing life in any way, but they are not a bad place to start if you are new to submitting your writing. Make sure to read the guidelines before submitting to know if your work fits. Just because they are approachable, doesn’t mean that they will accept angry poetry when they only publish nature poetry! Not all literary journals in this list are currently open to submissions, but most are. It is also important to note that this information is subject to change. Sometimes a journal that was once easy to get into no longer is, so if you are seeing this list long after it was published, please keep that in mind. The list is in no particular order. All of the information used to ascertain if the market is approachable or not was found through research done at the websites Duotrope and The (Submission) Grinder. 50-Word Stories As their name suggests, they publish only 50-word stories. They read submissions every month between the 1st and the 15th. They publish around 50% of what is submitted to them. Short Beasts a newer flash fiction magazine that accepts a little over half of what is submitted to them. Children, Churches and Daddies They bill themselves as “The UN-religious, NON-family oriented literary and art magazine”. They publish poetry, prose, and art work online. Academy of the Heart and Mind Their mission is to help emerging writers. They accept over 60% of what is submitted. They publish poetry, art, prose, and creative nonfiction online. Writing in a Woman’s Voice An online poetry journal that publishes over 50% of what is submitted to them. They do not respond if they are not interested. Down in the Dirt Down in the Dirt publishes fiction and poetry. They have an acceptance rate of 60%. CafeLit A UK-based fiction journal that publishes almost 80% of what is submitted. Drunk Monkey A journal that publishes work about literature and film, and accepts about 40% of what is submitted. There is up to a year wait for fiction or poetry to be published if it accepted, so please keep that in mind. The Cabinet of Heed This online literary journal has an over 70% acceptance rate, and publishes fiction, poetry, and visual art. They no longer send out rejections, so please keep that in mind when submitting. Last Leaves Magazine A journal that publishes poetry and art. The Poet They accept over 80% of what is submitted to them. Grand Little Things A journal of mostly formal poetry. They accept over 50% of what they receive. Autumn Sky Poetry Daily This journal has a very different approach. You are to submit one poem only, and if it is accepted you will know because it will be published online within seven says of submitting it. If it does not appear, it was not chosen. Rat’s Ass Review As the editor of this journal states, “Rat’s Ass Review is an online poetry journal whose editorial fancies are no more arbitrary than any other; they are simply more overtly so. I publish what I like”. The Daily Drunk They publish humor, film, and all pop culture-related submissions of previously unpublished fiction, nonfiction, poetry, lists, reviews, quizzes, and comics. At the time of this update they are not open to submissions. The New Verse News A journal that publishes politically progressive poetry on current events and topical issues on a daily basis. Their acceptance rate is around 40% The Last Girls Club They only accept submissions from writers 18+. They publish nonfiction, poetry and fiction. They have rotating submission windows and often have themed calls. They largely publish horror from a feminist perspective and are a paying market. Please follow their guidelines carefully before submitting. Flash Fiction Magazine An online magazine focused on publishing flash. They pay authors if their work is chosen for the annual anthology. Creepy Podcast A paying market that publishes horror in an audio format. They accept about 30% of what they receive. 101 Words They publish flash fiction stories that are exactly 101 words in length. They publish about 40% of what they receive.

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Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2021 Guide to Manuscript Publishers.