Lit Mag Grab Bag

A quick behind-the-scenes: sometimes, I stroll down the rows of publishers like I’m at the cereal aisle at the supermarket and simply drop the presses that catch my eye into my cart.

This is one of those lists. Classic, weird, dark; whatever type of fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry you write, your writing will likely find a fit somewhere on this month’s eclectic publisher roundup.

Note: We are a creative writing school and compile these lists for the benefit of our students. We’re happy to answer questions about our courses but please don’t send us your publishing queries or submissions :). Instead, click on the green links to go to the publication’s website and look for their submissions page. For more great places to submit as well as our best tips on getting published, check out our other lists and resources.

Okay Donkey is a lit mag that likes “the odd, the off-kilter, and the just plain weird” (allegedly, the donkey really likes surrealist fiction). They want previously unpublished flash fiction (up to 1,200 words) and poetry (one poem per submission), and aim to respond to submissions within 3–4 months. They’re open to submissions throughout the year excluding December and January.

Fragmented Voices is a fledgling online lit mag that calls itself an “international indie press, connecting voices across borders.” They open to submissions twice per year: from 1 September–15 December and from 1 February–15 May, and are looking for poetry (up to 4 poems per submissions, 40 lines each), short stories and essays (up to 3,000 words), and translations (either your own or with permission from the author). Response time varies, but they try to respond within a month.

Thimble is a poetry-first journal, but they also publish flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and nonfiction essays (mostly about literature and art, up to 3,000 words) alongside their poetry (up to 4 poems per submission). They’re open to submissions until 31 March and usually respond within one month.

Neuro Logical wants your stories that didn’t quite fit for a themed submission–things that deserve love but haven’t found a home yet. They’re open to flash fiction (less than 1,000 words), short fiction (up to 4,000 words) and poetry (no more than 4 poems per submission) submissions year-round and publish a special poetry issue one or two times per year. They usually respond within two months.

The Quiet Ones is a queer-centered horror and dystopian fiction magazine that aims to “amplify queer and female voices through both the new authors we seek and the narratives that claw their way onto our pages.” They publish three times per year and are currently reading for their April issue: “The Cosmic and The Void.” Deadline: 8 March 2023. Submit your quiet horror flash fiction and narrative poetry (up to 1,200 words) or short stories (up to 3,000 words). Payment for accepted work is $25, and the editors will respond within a few weeks.

And a bonus call: The Hopper, which we’ve featured in our environmental writing list, is seeking stories from BIPOC writers for their upcoming summer issue! Submissions are open until 31 March 2023, and the editors aim to respond within a month.

Author: Beka Bevans