Summertime Publishing Opportunities

Most literary journals take a break in the summertime, which means that in August the submission opportunities are few and far between. But if you have written a poem or flash or short story that’s too hot to keep in your file any longer, never fear! We’ve found half a dozen journals that are accepting work in August and beyond.

All accept fiction and poetry. Some are looking for creative nonfiction as well. Unless we’ve noted otherwise in the description, the publisher does not charge a submission fee and welcomes simultaneous submissions.

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. If you find something has changed, we appreciate it if you let us know in the comments. For more great places to submit as well as our best tips on getting published, check out our other lists and resources.

The Avalon Literary Review is a US based quarterly that publishes in print and online. They welcome both published and unpublished writers of poetry, short fiction, and personal essays. One of their past contributors is teacher Jennifer Gryzenhout! The Avalon Literary Review likes flash, which they define as up to 500 words. Short stories and essays are welcome up to 2500 words. “Submissions which explore both the sweet and bitter of life, with a touch of humor, are a good fit for our Review.”

On the other side of the pond, in the United Kingdom, Lucent Dreaming Magazine is looking for a wide range of fiction and poetry, including literary, science fiction, and fantasy. Lucent Dreaming Magazine seeks “beautiful, strange and surreal short stories, poetry and artwork from contributors worldwide.” Flash, between 400 and 1000 words, is welcome as are short stories up to 3,999 words. An extra plus point: Lucent Dreaming Magazine pays!

New Reader Magazine is a quarterly online journal of the arts, literature, and culture with a deliberate international focus. They have offices in New York, London, Cebu (The Philippines) and Hong Kong. Their purpose is “to publish fearless literary works, groundbreaking visual art and conspicuous identities.” NRM wants fiction (minimum 500 words), poetry, memoir, lyric essay, and more. They pay, too.

For another literary journal with an international bent, try Parentheses Journal. Their operating principle is “the quintessence of art for art’s sake.” This Canadian journal publishes twice a year (April and October) online and in print. They are open for fiction (up to 2,000 words) and poetry. Parentheses Journal passionately promotes its contributors, including by nominating work for the major awards. Note: this submission window closes on 10 September 2022.

Wrongdoing Magazine is another Canadian literary journal. This one, however, has a taste for “the dark, the sacrilegious, and all of that good stuff that opens mouths and wounds.” Wrongdoing accepts fiction, poetry and narrative nonfiction for their second annual THORNS issue but only until the end of August! Unusually, this journal allows submissions in two categories at once so if you’ve got a poem AND a short story ready to go, you can submit both.

Closing out this August list of publishing opportunities is US-based literary journal Shirley Magazine. This online journal publishes in April, August, and December though they read year-round. Shirley Magazine wants “the eerie, the weird, the beautiful.” They want stories that transcend genre boundaries.