Ready to submit work to literary magazines, but feeling overwhelmed? Though the journals below are well-respected, many of them contributing to prize anthologies such as Pushcart and Best American, many are also open to new writers. Brief descriptions of each literary magazine are provided here; click through for more information.
American Short Fiction
Courtesy of American Short Fiction.
A quarterly, American Short Fiction strives to discover and publish new stories in which transformations of language, narrative, and character occur swiftly, deftly, and unexpectedly. They are drawn to evocative language, unique subject matter, and an overall sense of immediacy.
Artful Dodge
© Artful Dodge
Since the first 1979 issue, printed on a Xerox machine, Artful Dodge has published acclaimed writers such as W. S. Burroughs, John Kinsella, Lynne Sharon Schwartz, and Ronald Wallace. Learn about how to add your name to their list of authors.
The Bear Deluxe Magazine
© The Bear Deluxe Magazine
The Bear Deluxe Magazine is an environmental arts magazine published in Portland, Oregon, since 1993. Though they do look for place-based fiction, they're not seeking stories with overtly environmental themes. "Stories that find cultural connections beyond purely a sense of place, or take radical new approaches, catch our attention," says Editor-in-Chief Tom Webb.
Fence
If responses to your work tend to include, "I don't get it," or "What does it mean?" there's a chance it belongs in Fence. Begun in the late 90s by graduates of the University of Iowa's MFA program, Fence created a place for the writers who took up where the language poets left off.Glimmer Train
Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda B. Swanson-Davies started Glimmer Train with the simple goal of publishing the kind of fiction they like to read -- and with a healthy circulation of 16,000, their tastes are clearly shared by many.The Journal
The Journal, published twice yearly by the Ohio State University, publishes exciting, challenging writing, without giving the impression that writers are the core audience. If you care about both language and a well-crafted plot, consider The Journal.Manoa
Image courtesy of Frank Stewart
Launched in 1989 by University of Hawai'i professor Frank Stewart, Mānoa strives to bring the literature of Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas to English-speaking readers. The quality of the writing and the design, combined with the fact that it is truly international, set Mānoa apart from other American journals.
