Issues

Ten Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in September 2026

This list focuses on ten publishers 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 doesn’t have a specific submission…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety Two Special Feature

Gastropoda: Now Seeking Submissions

Gastropoda is an online magazine of poetry, prose poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. They aim to publish uplifting writing that, “slows you down and spins you around, helps you see the beauty and wonder in all of life’s twists and turns.” You can read the magazine online to get a sense of what they publish. Launched…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety Two Literary Journals

The Problem With Clever Sentences

Writers love clever sentences because clever sentences clap immediately. That’s the danger. You write one shiny little line and suddenly your brain behaves like a Labrador retrieving tennis balls. Again. Again. Throw another metaphor into the yard. Make it wink. Make it acrobatic. Somebody compare heartbreak to expired yogurt in a motel fridge. Fantastic. Pulitzer…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety Two Special Feature

Tapping Local Markets with Regional Fiction

By Emily Cline I recently attended a book talk by a local author whose hometown-inspired novels made me wonder: what is it about regional fiction that attracts such a loyal and enthusiastic readership? Literary regionalism has been popular since at least the nineteenth century, and the appeal of “local color” has since exploded in contemporary…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety Two Special Feature

Ley Lines Literary Review: Now Seeking Submissions

Ley Lines is an online journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Named after the theory that suggests there are lines of energy connecting within the earth, Ley Lines aims to publish writing that connects “lit & life:” “we see literature as integrally connected to the broad conversations that characterize our contemporary lives.” They’re looking…
Creative Non Fiction Fiction Issue Six Hundred Ninety One Literary Journals Poetry

Notes from the Editor’s Desk: August 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: The Conroy Center Writer’s Residency  is open for applications till…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety One

15 Magazines And Anthologies Publishing Romance Fiction

These magazines and anthology publishers accept romance fiction. Most also accept other fiction genres, and some accept blended genres like romantasy, paranormal romance, or historical romance. Some of the calls are themed. They vary widely in tone and style; when possible, please read their stories to see if yours is a good fit. Some of…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety One

The Benefits of Surveying Before Publication

By Rajvi Mittal Books are unusual products. And even if the monetary cost isn’t large, the reader is paying big time in trust and time commitment. When you think about it this way, it is easy to understand why readers would want some signal that the investment will be worthwhile. A survey is one of…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety One Special Feature Uncategorized

Indigo: Now Seeking Submissions

Indigo is a new online journal of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and “other text-focused experiences”. Although they accept all types of writing, they especially love experimental, cross-genre, hybrid and “medium-bending” work. They aim to showcase writing that lives in liminal spaces: “Show us the jagged pink edge of twilight just before moon rise, when the sky…
Creative Non Fiction Electronic Fiction Hybrid Issue Six Hundred Ninety Literary Journals Poetry

76 Publishing Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers (August 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….
Issue Six Hundred Ninety

Don’t Just Write! Why Writers Should Have a Hobby (Other Than Writing)

Most of us start writing because it’s something we love to do. With practice and patience, what starts out as a hobby turns into a passion and then into a career, part-time or otherwise. And while that comes with its own rewards, there are also downsides to having our hobby become our work. The answer…
Issue Six Hundred Ninety Special Feature

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in August 2026

These magazines pay for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They’re a mix of literary and genre magazines.  Haven SpeculativeThey publish speculative fiction and poetry. They also publish climate crisis focused Dry and Wet issues each year; scroll down on the guidelines page for details. “We like stories that are subtle in their telling and stick with…
Issue Six Hundred Eighty Nine Uncategorized

Wild Willow Magazine: Now Seeking Submissions

Wild Willow Magazine is an online publication of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, “where word takes roots”. You can read the journal online to get a sense of what they publish. Formerly The Minison Project, Wild Willow was launched in 2025. Since then they’ve published six issues with themes such as “Mums”, “Wintergreen”, and “Pomegranate”….
Creative Non Fiction Electronic Fiction Issue Six Hundred Eighty Nine Literary Journals Poetry

Writing Characters Who Are Bad at Explaining Themselves

Some characters speak like they’re trying to carry soup across an icy parking lot. Careful. Sloshing. Half the meaning ends up on the ground anyway. Those are usually the characters I trust. Fiction has this weird historical addiction to emotional fluency. People in novels somehow produce perfectly shaped confessions while under immense psychological stress. Their…
Issue Six Hundred Eighty Nine

Should Writers Write to Make a Difference?

Can writing change the world? I don’t have a definite answer to that. But I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been changed by other people’s writing and who’s also dreamed of writing something that would change someone else—if not writing something that would change the world (or at least, a significant part…
Issue Six Hundred Eighty Nine Special Feature

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