Magma is an established and respected online and print journal, publishing poetry from emerging authors alongside established voices. They’ve showcased work by Seamus Heaney, Alice Oswald, Mark Doty, and Gillian Clarke, among other well-known poets.
Every issue of Magma is curated by a different group of editors. They have a rotating editorial staff, and they also frequently feature guest editors. Right now, they’re seeking submissions for an issue edited by Ilya Kaminsky, Isabelle Baafi, and Lisa Kelly.
Every issue of Magma is also themed. Recent themes have included “Anthropocene,” “Avatars,” and “Dwelling.” Right now, they’re seeking submissions for their next issue, themed “Solitude.” You can read more about the theme here: https://magmapoetry.submittable.com/submit.
Rotating editors, as well as gathering poems around a central theme, allows Magma to spotlight a wide variety of writing. You can read past issues online get a sense of the broad range of their aesthetic. Magma has published 82 issues so far.
Magma publishes three editions a year, in the spring, summer, and winter, and they hold a separate submissions period for each issue. Right now, they’re open to submissions through November 30. Poets may submit up to four poems on the theme of Solitude.
Magma accepts submissions online via Submittable, and UK poets may submit by post. They don’t accept submissions via email. They accept simultaneous submissions but ask that authors withdraw work published elsewhere. They don’t accept previously published work.
Magma only accepts submissions that adhere to the guidelines they’ve posted online. Please read these guidelines in full before submitting.
If you’d like to learn more or submit to Magma, please visit their website at https://magmapoetry.com/contributions/.
