Issues

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…

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…

After Brunch Journal: Now Seeking Submissions

After Brunch Journal is a new publication of poetry, short stories, flash fiction, and essays, as well as hybrid and experimental forms. They are especially interested in speculative writing and writing that carries a sense of the uncanny. They want pieces that “blur genre, bend time, and haunt the reader.” You can get a sense…

15 Literary Magazines Publishing Memoir

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 LiteraryThey accept…

The Three Lies We Tell Ourselves About Time

By Lorraine Horsley When I was kid, I wrote for the joy of it. I got A grades in English. My stories were often read out in class. I was good at writing. My report cards said so. I’d write stories for fun in my spare time. And I always found the time. Fast forward…

Notes from the Editor’s Desk: April 2026

This monthly column is published on the fourth Thursday of every month, and is a space to share information that doesn’t fit anywhere else in our publication. This includes a wide range of opportunities for writers, news and information, and subscribers’ recent success stories. Opportunities: ELA Literary Magazine is looking for work on the theme,…

Micromance Magazine: Now Seeking Submissions

Micromance Magazine is a Substack based publication focused on publishing “flash” Romance. Which is to say that they publish only stories firmly rooted in the Romance genre that are of varying lengths, but all under 1,200 words. They also publish Romance poetry. If you do not write Romance this is not the right literary journal…

Talk to Someone: How the Best Writing Is Born

By Itto and Mekiya Outini Despite the enduring popularity of the lone genius archetype, there’s no sound reason that writing should have to be a solitary vocation. Many artforms hinge on collaboration—music, theater, and dance come to mind—and while it’s true that a book can be written by one person alone, that doesn’t mean it…

The Metaworker: Now Seeking Submissions

The Metaworker is an online journal of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and writing that doesn’t fit within genre categories. They aim to be open-minded, and they love the unexpected: “we want you to surprise us, show us something we haven’t seen before. Send us your quirky, unconventional work”. You can read the journal online to get…

90 Publishing Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers (April 2026)

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities….

How I Published in 50 Litmags in Less Than a Year: A Strategy That Works

By Itto Outini How would you feel if someone were to send you a gift that doesn’t work for you at all: a piece of clothing that doesn’t fit, for instance, or a cookbook containing only meals that violate your dietary restrictions, or a piece of memorabilia that’s wildly out of step with your home…

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