These literary magazines / websites accept submissions of short memoir. They also accept other forms of creative nonfiction, and many also accept other genres, like fiction and poetry. A few of them pay. Most, but not all, are open for submissions now. Also see this list of magazines publishing creative nonfiction.
Temporal Lobe Literary
They accept nonfiction and poetry; do not send fiction. “Your work must be nonfiction or creative nonfiction prose, including but not limited to: memoir, familiar essay, interview, biography, and autobiography. However, we do not accept academic research.” They accept prose of up to 15 pages, and accept submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here.
The Lascaux Review
“The Lascaux Review publishes accessible fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction of literary quality. … Writing of literary quality venerates the language and speaks to the human condition.” And, “Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, or discovered. Creative nonfiction should be written in a nonacademic style.” They also accept fiction and poetry. Submissions are open year-round. Details here. (They’re also open for a flash fiction prize, for which there’s a submission fee.)
Salt Bloom
This is a new print journal and they are reading submissions for their inaugural issue. The magazine is affiliated with Fairfield University. They want prose of up to 3,500 words, which “includes flash, hybrid works, micro fiction and memoir, short plays, and play excerpts”, as well as poetry. The deadline is 31 May 2026. Details here.
The Audacity
This is a newsletter by Roxanne Gay. They want essays and memoir by emerging writers – those with fewer than three article/essay/short story publications and no published books or book contracts). Do not send fiction or poetry. They pay $1,500 for essays of 1,500-3,000 words. Details here – see the relevant category.
(Submissions are also open for Aorta – they accept nonfiction, including personal essays/memoir, by writers ages 13-25 only, as well as fiction, poetry, other genres, art, and photography; details here.)
In Short
This is a journal of short-shorts (up to 100 words), micro (up to 400 words), flash (up to 1,000 words) nonfiction. “We love memoir, hermit crabs, lyric essays, experimental pieces, straightforward narratives, and everything in between. If it’s short and beautiful and true, we want it.” Do not send fiction or poetry. Their next submission period is 15th September to 15th November 2026, or until filled. Submission is via a form. Details here and here.
Mindfork
“We have a focus on uplifting voices that are queer, neurodivergent and/or female.” They want essays on life, work, and travel, as well as fiction and poetry. As with all magazines, please read the work they publish to see if yours is a good fit. They pay $5-15. Submission is via a form. Details here.
The London Magazine
They prefer pitches for nonfiction but also accept “full, finished essays if you have them. When submitting these, please include a brief description of the piece. We accept a broad range of essays, from lyric, memoir and personal to reportage, criticism and features, but please do not submit academic essays or reviews. We have no set word length, but we tend to publish pieces under 4,000 words.” They also accept submissions of fiction and poetry. They accept a limited number of fee-free submissions during alternate months, including May; the fee-free submission periods are listed on their website. Details here and here.
The Sun: Readers Write
They invite readers to share their personal writing on monthly prompts, and they invite submissions from around the world. They have two prompts listed with upcoming deadlines:
— Too Much: “Are you a frequent sufferer of hangovers or stomachaches after overindulging? Do you overextend yourself in relationships or at work? Have you ever been told your personality is just too much? Maybe your house is stuffed with vintage typewriters you can’t stop collecting or piles of toys your in-laws give to your kids. Or maybe you couldn’t afford the typewriters, or a house, because they cost too much. We live in a society where many things can feel excessive—consumer culture, technology, the barrage of opinions and information—but one thing we can’t get enough of is your Readers Write submissions. Please send us your true stories by May 1.”
— Returning: “It’s not always easy to go back to something—or someone—you’ve left. At the same time, it’s not always hard, either. Have you come back to a place you never thought you’d see again? Sheepishly taken a gift you received to the customer service desk? Remarried a spouse you already divorced? Send us your true story on “Returning” by June 1, and we’ll get back to you.”
“We do not have a set word limit for Readers Write submissions. Most pieces that we publish come to us at around 300 to 1,000 words.” There is no fee for online submissions for Readers Write, and payment is a year’s subscription to The Sun. They pay for writing in other genres; there is a fee for online submissions, and no fee for postal submissions for those genres. Details here.
Outlook Springs
“We love creative nonfiction in all its forms and variations. Send us your memoirs. Send us your Montaigne-esque ramblings. Send us your travel narratives, your lyrical essays, your personal essays, and everything in between. If it’s real, if it’s interesting, if it’s well-written and gives us a new and exciting way to see the world (or – even better—inside your head), then we’ll publish it. While we gravitate toward traditional narratives, that’s only because the vast majority of submissions follow those conventions. If your writing is non-linear, experimental, or so far out there that you don’t even know what is it, send it in; we’re always looking for work that is pushing the boundaries of form and genre. If you’re funny, even better. Funny is not the end-all and be-all of what we publish, but it doesn’t hurt.” Send works up to 10,000 words. They also accept fiction and poetry. They pay $10-25. The deadline is 15th May 2026 for Issue 10; “When we are open for submissions, if we hit our Submittable limit, submissions will close until the first of the next month.” Details here.
SugarSugarSalt Magazine
They only accept reprint nonfiction only; you can read about them here. They want “Memoir, lyric essays, pop culture pieces, long & flash form personal essays that were previously published in literary, cultural, and lifestyle magazines and journals. Pieces from personal websites, blogs, and newsletters aren’t eligible. We’re not interested in critical, political, technical, or academic writing. Previously published work only.” Submissions open during the first seven days of each month. Details here.
Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature – Belonging
They want submissions on the Belonging theme. There are several sections open for nonfiction submissions, including travel memoir, decolonizing travel, general and speculative nonfiction, new nature writing, travel flash, and work for Eaten (blending gastronomy with travel) and Streetview (“views from your own street, your neighbourhood, your town, village—anywhere that is familiar to you”). They have detailed guidelines, please read them carefully. They also accept fiction, poetry, and art. The deadline is 14th June 2026 for the Belonging-themed issue, to be published in July. Please note, “We require a cover letter for all submissions, with certain information provided [introduction, background, publication history, social handles].” Details here and here.
Modern Love
Modern Love is a nonfiction column by The New York Times. “We seek true stories on finding love, losing love and trying to keep love alive. We welcome essays that explore subjects such as adoption, polyamory, technology, race and friendship — anything that could reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma you have faced. It is helpful, but not essential, for the situation to reflect what is happening in the world now.” Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Modern Love has two submission periods; March through June, and September through December. Writers are paid. Details here.
TOLKA Journal
“We publish all forms of non-fiction: personal essay, memoir, reportage, travel writing, auto-fiction, and the writing that falls in between. Our guideline word count for work is 1,000–3,000 words.” They publish work by Irish and international writers, and pay €500. They plan to reopen submissions in May. Details here.
Common Ground Review
“Creative Non-Fiction submissions should be no more than 12 pages, double-spaced.
While we are equally intrigued by memoir, travel writing, literary journalism, and lyrical essays, we are, above all, looking for well organized, thoughtful and imaginative discussions.” They also accept fiction and poetry. The deadline is 1 May 2026. Details here (scroll down) and here.
Bright Flash Literary Review
“Flash, short fiction, creative non-fiction, and compelling memoir will be considered. No poetry. Please submit only one piece at a time. Maximum of 1500 words for all categories.” Details here and here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
