These magazines accept translations of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and plays; most of them also accept original submissions of these genres in English. They are a mix of literary and genre magazines. Some of them pay. Many, but not all, of them are open for submissions now. They’re listed in no particular order.
Exchanges
Exchanges is a journal of literary translation published biannually. It is affiliated with the University of Iowa; you can read more about their history here. They accept translations of poetry, short or excerpted fiction, plays, and literary nonfiction into English. They also accept art, to be considered as companion pieces to accepted translations. They’re reading on the Spirit theme till 4 October 2024. Details here.
Mid-American Review
This magazine publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, translations, and book reviews. For translations, “All submissions must include the original as well as the translated work. Chapbooks (approximately 10-15 poems) are designed to provide readers with an introduction to a single contemporary poet or a group of poets. An introductory essay of 300-500 words outlining the historical context of the poetry is encouraged. Translations of contemporary fiction and poetry are also welcome and should follow the guidelines listed under Fiction and Poetry. (see guidelines)” Mid-American Review is affiliated with Bowling Green State University. They read submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here and here.
Denver Quarterly
Denver Quarterly is affiliated with the University of Denver. Apart from work in various creative genres, they also accept translations. “Denver Quarterly seeks to showcase exceptional work that has been translated into English. We look for translated work that complements the journal’s aesthetic and is in sync with our experimental legacy. For example, in poetry and prose we look for experiments, derivations, plunges, incisions, compressions, investigations, dilations, and texts true and false, found, and invented. We look for writing that pushes on our expectations of narrative and fulfills its own ambitious charge.” Some genres have specific reading periods, and others are open on an ongoing basis, with a monthly cap. Details here.
Mudroom
Mudroom publishes essays, essays in translation, fiction, and poetry. They pay $15, and are scheduled to reopen for submissions in the Fall. Details here.
Amsterdam Review
The magazine accepts poetry and poetry translations, flash fiction, essays, reviews, and art. Details here.
Prismatica Magazine
This is an LGBTQ fantasy and science fiction magazine that publishes short stories, poetry as well as translated poetry, reviews, interviews, and articles. “All submissions must be from self-identified LGBTQ+ members. If your story does not feature characters that identify somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, your story likely isn’t for us.” They publish quarterly. Details here.
The Apple Valley Review
This literary magazine is published in the spring and fall. They accept short stories, flash fiction, personal essays/creative nonfiction, poetry, and prose poetry. And, “Translations of contemporary poetry and prose are welcome if permission has been granted. The work you are sending may have been published in its original language, but your translation into English must be previously unpublished.”Details here.
Blue Unicorn
This is a poetry magazine. Their website says, “Blue Unicorn looks for poems that you couldn’t possibly confuse with prose. That distinctiveness may come from form–we welcomed rhyme and meter when these tools were all but banished elsewhere. But the kick can come just as well (or also) from original imagery, gleaming sensory description, or the imaginative handling of idea.” And, “We value translations, especially from poets not named Rilke.” The magazine has been publishing since 1977. They pay. Details here.
Words Without Borders
Their website says, “Words Without Borders publishes original translations into English of contemporary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and interviews, and related multimedia. We also publish critical essays, book reviews, and interviews written in English. We generally do not publish fiction, poetry, or drama written in English, and we do not consider work that has already been published in English translation. We welcome submissions in three categories: individual translations; proposals for themed features; pitches for book reviews, interviews, and essays.” Authors and translators are paid equal amounts for translated writing. They pay $50-300. Details here.
Acumen
They publish poetry and poetry translations, as well as articles, debate, comment and reviews of recent poetry publications. Details here.
Bushfire
This journal is affiliated with the University of Nevada. They accept poetry, prose, fiction, screenplays, creative nonfiction and other nonfiction pieces, art, and photography. “There is no guideline to what your literature should look like—we consider experimental, traditional, Shakespearean, etc.” And, “Brushfire accepts and encourages non-English submissions. We do require a translation of the work to accompany the original piece. If the written work is ultimately accepted for publication, we will publish the original work in its original language alongside the translation.” They accept work year-round, with cut-off dates for Fall (14 October) and Spring (14 March) editions. Details here.
The Mantlepiece
This is an Iceland-based journal. They publish fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; “Translations are welcome and should be accompanied by a copy of the original.” They pay. Details here.
Ballast
This is a poetry journal. They “love poetry’s excesses” – “long poems; concrete & verbivocovisual poems; poetry in translation; book reviews & critical essays; lyricism & rejections of the lyric; more & more & more &” They accept submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here.
The Mercurian
Their tagline is, ‘A Theatrical Translation Review’ – they publish translations of plays and performance pieces from any language into English. They also accept “theoretical pieces about theatrical translation, rants, manifestos, and position papers pertaining to translation for the theatre, as well as production histories of theatrical translations.” Details here.
Eye to the Telescope
This is the journal of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association. They have themed issues; their next poetry theme is ‘Binaries’; see other upcoming themes here. They pay $0.04/word up to $25. Details here.
Interzone
Interzone is a Europe-based magazine that accepts fantastika of up to 17,500 words. “Translations are accepted, even if the story has been published previously in a language other than English – please include the name of the translator.” They pay EUR1.5¢ per word. Details here.
One Story
They publish literary fiction, including translations, of 3,000-8,000 words. They pay $500 and 25 contributor copies. They will open for submissions in the Fall. Details here and here.
(One Story will open soon for the One Teen Story Contest, which also accepts translations; and they are currently open for the 2025 Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship, deadline 9 October 2024.)
Escape Artists Magazines
Three of their audio magazines say in their guidelines that they accept translated works – EscapePod for science fiction; PodCastle for fantasy; Cast of Wonders for young adult speculative fiction. They pay $0.08/word for original works, and the author and translator will be asked how they’d prefer to split payment for the story.
Mayday
Mayday is a journal of literature, art, and commentary. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cultural commentary, and translations; some sections have a submission fee attached, but translations are fee-free. About translations they say, “We are looking for pieces that deserve a broader audience, that excite and inspire, that honor cultural heritage and move in the liminal space between borders sketched on maps with shaky hands; pieces that encourage a reader to question and engage with the world around them. Poetry and prose from any language translated to English will be considered. Please include a brief translator’s note if you would like to provide context, artist bio, or other information important to the submitted piece.” They pay $10-20 for most submissions, and $50 for Mayday: Black submissions. The deadline for submitting translations is 30 November 2024. Details here.
West Branch
West Branch is affiliated with Bucknell University. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translations. Send up to 30 pages of prose, or up to 6 poems. Pay is $100 for poetry and $0.10/word for prose, up to $200. The deadline is 1 April 2025. Details here.
Night Picnic
They publish fiction (including novellas and flash), plays, fairytales for adults, poetry, interviews, essays (including popular science essays), letters to the editors, and artwork. “We prefer, but not exclusively, fantasies with multidimensional metaphysical meanings. Our slogan: “Find Truth in Fiction!” We encourage authors to submit all that is strange, dark, jubilant, complex, confusing, scary, mystical, and multidimensional.” They also accept translations. Details here and here.
Lunch Ticket
Lunch Ticket is affiliated with Antioch University Los Angeles. They publish creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, writing for young people, translations, and visual art. All submissions to the translation category will be considered for the Gabo Prize for Translation & Multilingual Texts, and all works submitted for creative nonfiction will be considered for the Diana Woods Memorial Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Details here and here.
Bennington Review
They publish creative non-fiction of up to 30 pages, fiction, poetry, film writing, cross-genre work, and translations. They are affiliated with Bennington College. All work will be considered for the print journal; some work will additionally feature on the website. “We aim to stake out a distinctive space for innovative, intelligent, and moving fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, film writing, and cross-genre work. In the spirit of poet Dean Young’s dictum that poets should be “making birds, not birdcages,” we are particularly taken with writing that is simultaneously graceful and reckless.” Pay is $120 for prose of six typeset pages and under, $250 for prose of over six typeset pages, and $25 per poem. They will reopen for submissions in the Fall of 2024. Details here and here.
Salamander Magazine
Salamander, affiliated with Suffolk University, publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and translations. The literary magazine “aims to publish work by writers deserving of a wider audience at any stage in their careers as well as to focus intentionally on inclusivity and outreach to marginalized writers”; see their About Us page. They pay. They will reopen for submissions on 1st October 2024, see the announcement on their online submission manager here; guidelines here.
Samovar
This is the sibling magazine of Strange Horizons, and they publish speculative works in translation. Samovar accepts original translated stories (up to 5,000 words), as well as reprints; they also accept poetry translations, interviews, and reviews. Pay is $0.08/word up to 3,750 words each, to the author and translator, for original translated fiction; $100 each for reprint translated fiction; and $40 each for poetry (see guidelines). Details here and here.
ergot.
They want innovative and experimental work in horror. They accept fiction and hybrid work up to 10,000 words (including excerpts and work in translation) “that push out the boundary of what literary horror is and what it might become.” They pay $25. Details here.
Tiny Molecules
They accept flash fiction (including translations) and nonfiction. Details here.
Mysterion
They want science fiction, fantasy and horror stories (up to 9,000 words) that engage meaningfully with Christian themes, characters or cosmology. The stories need not teach a moral, or be close to an approved theological position, or be pro-Christian. They are especially interested in stories that show Christians from cultures beyond those of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. They also accept translations and reprints. They have two annual reading periods for fiction, January and July. Art is accepted through the year. They pay $0.08/word for stories up to 9,000 words. Details here and here.
World Literature Today
This is the University of Oklahoma’s magazine of international literature and culture. “The editors welcome submissions on contemporary literary and cultural topics addressing any geographic region or language area, as long as your work is not simultaneously under consideration by another publication. By “contemporary,” we mean that our main focus is on the 21st-century scene. The bulk of our coverage consists of essays, book reviews, fiction, poetry, and interviews.” They accept poetry, essay, CNF, and interview submissions for the magazine during June and December via Submittable; they do not accept unsolicited fiction submissions. And, “In terms of creative writing, we especially value translations from other languages but will equally consider work written originally in English.” Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
