Submitting to journals with a quick response time is one of the best ways to stay motivated, not in terms of writing, but in terms of submitting. After all, if you submit to a journal and don’t hear anything (for up to a year) it is hard to feel motivated about submitting elsewhere.
Yet journals with quick turn around times regularly accept and publish work before other journals even respond with an acceptance or rejection.
Here is a convenient list of 15 journals that almost always respond to work within a month. Not all are currently open to submissions, but most are. The list is in no particular order.
1. The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts
They are a non-profit publisher of compressed creative arts, such as micro fiction, flash fiction, prose poetry, compressed poetry & visual arts, and whatever other forms compression might take. They respond within a week and they pay 50 dollars per accepted piece. Learn more here: http://matterpress.com/journal/
2. Thrush
Thrush is a highly respected poetry journal that responds to most submissions within four days. You can learn more by visiting their website here: http://www.thrushpoetryjournal.com/
3. The Airgonaut
A journal of surrealist, absurdist, and fabulist flash fiction that responds within a week. Learn more here: https://theairgonautblog.wordpress.com/
4. After the Pause
An online journal of poetry and flash fiction that regularly publishes excellent work. They respond within a week. Learn more here: https://afterthepause.com/
5. Typehouse Literary Magazine
This Portland based print and online literary journal publishes fiction and poetry. They respond within a week. Learn more here: http://typehousemagazine.com/
6. The Threepenny Review
The Threepenny Review is a highly revered and paying market that responds within a week – what more can you ask for? They publish poems, short fiction, and non-fiction. Learn more here: http://www.threepennyreview.com/
7. Radar Poetry
A wonderful electronic poetry journal that responds within two weeks to submissions. Learn more here: http://www.radarpoetry.com/
8. Bop Dead City
This publisher of short fiction, poetry, and flash fiction responds to most submissions within a week. Learn more here: https://bopdeadcity.com/
9. Turtle Island Quarterly
Turtle Island Quarterly is an electronic journal interested in publishing non-fiction and poetry about the natural world. They respond to submissions within a month. Learn more here: http://fourdirectionpoetry.wix.com/turtleisland
10. The Dark Magazine
The Dark Magazine publishes only dark science fiction, fantasy, or horror short stories. They try to respond to submissions within two days. To learn more visit their website here: thedarkmagazine.com
11. Alfie Dog
Alfie Dog is a British literary journal that responds to submissions of prose and poetry within a week. Learn more here: http://alfiedog.com/
12. Softblow
This online poetry journal responds to most submissions in less than three days. Learn more here: http://www.softblow.org/
13. Hermeneutic Chaos Journal
The editor Shinjini Bhattacharjee writes some of the nicest rejection letters possible, they are a wonderful journal that publishes fiction and poetry, and they respond to most submissions within three days. You can learn more here: http://www.hermeneuticchaosjournal.com/
14. Metaphorosis
This literary journal publishes science fiction and fantasy short stories and responds to most submissions within a week. They also pay. Learn more here: http://magazine.metaphorosis.com/
15. Eunoia Review
This online literary journal publishes a wide range of writing including essays, fiction, poetry, and novelettes. They respond within a week. They accept about 1/4th of the work submitted to them. Learn more here: https://eunoiareview.wordpress.com/
