If literary publications are concerned about their future, they might do well to assess what they are doing to fuel the creative interests of the next generation, as evidenced by Apotheca Journal, a monthly online publication showcasing poetry, short stories, novel excerpts, creative non-fiction, photography, artwork, and more by contributors aged 14-22.
Founder and Editor Ann Sproul explains how one experience encouraged her to launch a literary magazine, “When I was in seventh grade, I received my first writing award: publication and a $1,000 scholarship from Bluefire Journal. The whole experience really raised my confidence not only as a writer but as a person. Ever since then, I have wanted to edit for a magazine. The world needs young writers and artists who realize that their voice is valuable. Those are the people who are going to grow up and be unapologetic for what they have to say. It can be difficult for young writers and artists since the majority of magazines are for adults. Through Apotheca, I am hoping to afford other young writers and artists the same confidence I felt when I was first published.”
Despite what can feel like global doom and gloom on the daily, the literary world still finds much to inspire its community to create, share, and engage. While seemingly small, KUDU: A Journal Of South African Writing is a free, professionally designed online publication of poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, and visual art by both new and well-known names with a growing reputation. Twice a year, readers can enjoy reading online or downloading a printable PDF.
While the name may seem unique to those of us on this continent, KUDU is a Khoikhoi term chosen to honor the Khoisan peoples, the first indigenous peoples of South Africa. “It goes back to thousands of years ago,” Founder and Editor Claudio Perinot explains, “to the first recorded inhabitants of South Africa, the Khoisans.”
In a world that can feel overrun with digital content, print still holds its own and can, in fact, provide some much-needed relief from tech fatigue. This can be especially important for young people, which is where Tween Magazine shines like a beacon in the night. “As parents learn the negative effects of social media and devices, they are returning to more traditional media,” says Founding Editor and Creative Director Mary Flenner. “Tween Magazine offers girls a screen-free chance to engage, learn life skills, build confidence, and find inspiration.”
Tween girls are those in that “in between” stage of life, the preteen years where they are leaving childhood and entering adolescence. “We aim to fill the content void for young girls 8 to 12 who have outgrown children’s magazines but aren’t ready for the mature content in teen magazines,” explains Flenner.
A name like Silly Goose Press can’t help but attract such comments as “Have you seen that egg?!” or “What a honking good time they are to be around!” which the editors would take as high praise, along with recognition for knowing how to use an Oxford comma. Puns (mostly) aside, Silly Goose Press is a new, online magazine publishing poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, art, and photography roughly every four months. Readers can enjoy accessing each piece individually online or via PDF which can be downloaded – all for free.
Silly Goose Press was inspired when the editors attended their first AWP conference. “We are best friends who love flocking together,” says Editor-in-Chief Rhiannon Fisher, “just a group of silly geese and always have been. The publication name is an inside joke amongst writing friends that has evolved into something magical.” After the conference, Fisher says, “We challenged ourselves to expand our knowledge of and place in the literary world. We wanted to be a part of something bigger than our individual literary careers, make friends, and build community. Also, now we are legally bound to maintain a friendship.”
We all grapple for moments of respite in our current world, whether a road trip to a warm place to escape the cold, or just a quiet moment with a warm cuppa or a secret bowl of midnight ice cream. While MoonLit Getaway might sound like a metaphysical location — a realm of refuge, apart from the worries of everyday life, an imaginary vacation place for the world-weary — it is actually just a click away. Sharing new artwork, fiction, and poetry every two weeks open access online, with a print anthology released every September (aptly named Harvest Moon), Moonlit Getaway has created a haven for both creators and consumers of what’s new in literary arts and more.
While its name exudes a playfully inviting quality, Fruitslice: A Queer Quarterly has established a solid foundation upon which to build “a living archive of contemporary Queer life,” the editors assert. “Fruitslice documents the stories, voices, and experiences that mainstream spaces often overlook. We believe in dismantling colonialist, capitalist, and exclusionary frameworks that have historically dominated the publishing world. Through each issue, we amplify Queer creativity with a focus on uplifting marginalized voices, especially those of BIPOC, disabled, and Trans creators. Our work is as much about preserving our present as it is about imagining and building liberatory futures.”
This inclusion extends to the publication’s encouraging submissions from all genres, with particular interest in prose, essays, and creative nonfiction, as well as printable mediums including visual and arts formats (no audio/video at this time). Issues are timed to release quarterly with each solstice and are always free and open-access online through ISSUU, with no paywall. Fruitslice is also available in collectible print issues for individual purchase.
Collective Credentials
While Fruitslice maintains a full staff of editors, their process is “deeply collaborative, rooted in techniques that prioritize community-driven creativity over rigid structures. Rather than adhering to a singular editing style,” the editors explain, “we focus on what resonates with and reflects the voices of our contributors and readers. We believe that storytelling and literature are tools to foster connection, understanding, and bring Queer people together in meaningful ways.
“Our editorial team brings a diverse range of expertise and creative backgrounds to Fruitslice. Together, we hold degrees in fields such as literature, creative writing, film production, screenwriting, performance, and visual arts, with academic affiliations including Columbia University, Portland State University, Cornish College of the Arts, and Drew University. Our editors have worked across various disciplines, from leading roles in literary journals, like The Portland Review, to contributions in magazines, such as Art Chowder and Eleven PDX.
“Our editors are writers, artists, and community builders who share a commitment to amplifying Queer voices. This ethos drives every issue we publish, a collective effort to document and celebrate Queer creativity while fostering meaningful connections through art.”
Editorial Process: Consistency and Care
For writers and artists contributing works, the editors approach every submission with this same philosophy of care and collaboration. “Our editorial process is designed to be both rigorous and personal,” the editors detail, “ensuring that every piece receives thoughtful attention while honoring the unique voice of each contributor.”
Submissions are received through Submittable and are first reviewed by a team of designated readers. “While many readers also take on additional roles, such as reviewers, editors, or proofreaders, their primary responsibility during this stage is to conduct the initial review of each piece. Each piece is evaluated based on an internal rubric, and team members submit detailed review forms to guide discussions. Pieces that move forward are then evaluated by our leadership team for a second review. Any final decisions on uncertain pieces are made by the Editor-in-Chief, ensuring every submission is handled with consistency and care.”
Collaboration continues through the editing phase as accepted pieces are assigned to a designated editor, who works closely with the contributor through multiple rounds of feedback, as needed. “This personalized process focuses on collaboration rather than prescriptive editing,” the editors assure, “allowing the author’s voice and vision to remain central to the work. At Fruitslice, we provide feedback as suggestions rather than mandates, aligning with our philosophy of amplifying rather than altering the contributor’s voice.”
The response time for this kind of thoughtful attention to submissions is 45-60 days.
Queer Language & Norm Challenging
Fruitslice offers contributors a working style guide that “outlines principles and practices that Queer language and challenge traditional norms. It serves as a tool for guidance, not restriction,” the editors assure, “and is available to the public on our website for anyone interested in exploring our approach. We encourage contributors to engage with the guide to align their work with our mission, but adherence is never a requirement for publication. Requiring strict adherence would contradict the guide’s purpose as a living document as a tool to resist the rigid systems that often silence marginalized voices. Our priority is honoring the authenticity of each piece while fostering a sense of connection and resonance within the larger community.”
Consuming Fruitslice
For readers, Fruitslice is equal parts a literary magazine and a lifestyle magazine. “We have short fiction and poetry, but we also have thoughtful essays on pop culture, technology, politics, and Queer culture. Each issue of Fruitslice features work from around 60 Queer artists, with the majority of our content curated from open call submissions. However, we’re not a traditional literary magazine. We also include staff-written pieces, which allow us to balance genres, explore diverse topics, and fully develop the story we aim to tell with each selected theme. This hybrid model ties the issue together, ensuring cohesion and depth. Staff-written pieces, decided through an internal pitch process, often include artist features, interviews, and other content that’s harder to source through open call submissions.”
Recent contributors include Ais Russel, Anya Jiménez, Amritha York, Ann McCann, Cam Reid, Em Buth, Hamish Bell, Jill Young, Kayla Thompson, Kelsey Smoot, Kenna DeValor, Lorinda Boyer, Meg Streich, Nyanjah Charles, Nico Wilkinson, René Zadoorian, Roman Campbell, Rhyker Dye, Starly Lou Riggs, and Taylor Michael Simmons.
Existing Boldy
With any new venture, there is always a learning curve. Fruitslice editors reflect on their fresh experience as newbies with the insight of an ancient. “The greatest lesson we’ve learned in starting this publication is the power of embracing imperfection. Waiting for the ‘perfect moment’ or feeling ‘perfectly qualified’ can be a form of self-sabotage, particularly for those who have been socialized to constantly question our place at the table.
“The studies showing that cis straight white men routinely pursue opportunities they’re only partially qualified for, benefiting from what we’ve come to see as a ‘productive delusion,’ an unshakeable confidence born of never having their presence questioned. We all deserve access to that kind of audacious belief in ourselves. We deserve to take up space, to make mistakes publicly, to learn as we go, and to value our unique perspectives even when — especially when — they challenge the mainstream.
“Like identity, creative work isn’t about achieving a fixed, perfect state, it’s about existing boldly in spaces of transition and transformation. Every cycle, we move forward with the publication before we feel ‘ready.’ We’ve learned that the most meaningful work often happens in these uncomfortable spaces where we dare to create despite our doubts. There will never be a perfect moment, and this publication will never be perfect, and that’s precisely what makes it vital, authentic, and true.”
“Queering” the Indie Publication Scene
Fruitslice holds an important place in our collective culture, not just for today, but also establishing a foothold for the future. “To ‘Queer’ something means to reimagine it beyond traditional systems,” the editors explain. “At Fruitslice, we’re doing more than just publishing Queer voices, we’re fundamentally rethinking how a publication can operate. Here’s how:
“First, we’re challenging what ‘professional’ publishing looks like. Our editorial process celebrates imperfection and values authentic expression over rigid grammar rules. We don’t just accept submissions, we build relationships with our contributors, working collaboratively to help their vision shine through while respecting their unique voice and style.
“Second, we’re reimagining growth. While other publications may chase rapid expansion and profit, we prioritize sustainable, community-centered development. This means sometimes moving slower to ensure no one burns out, valuing collective care over productivity, and making sure our growth serves our community rather than the other way around.
“Third, we’re Queering what leadership looks like. Our organizational structure embraces multiple ways of contributing and leading. We recognize that the best ideas often come from questioning traditional hierarchies and empowering everyone to shape our direction, regardless of their role or experience level.”
This matters, the editors impress, because “traditional publishing often excludes marginalized voices not just through who they publish, but through their entire approach to what makes writing ‘good’ or ‘professional.’ By Queering these systems, we’re creating space for voices, stories, and ways of working that have been historically silenced or deemed ‘unprofessional.’ We’re proving that a publication can be both high-quality and radically inclusive, both structured and fluid, both ambitious and sustainable.
“This isn’t just about making space within existing systems, it’s about building something new together, something that celebrates the messy, beautiful reality of Queer creativity in all its forms.”
Many would agree it’s an act of utter folly to start up a traditional print literary journal in this day and age, let alone a ‘high end, coffee table’ production, so the name, Folly Journal, certainly seems apt for this print-only literary publication featuring cultural commentary, creative writing, essays, poetry, and “carefully curated scandal.” Trying, as Founder and Editor in Chief Emily Makere Broadmore says, to be “lightish, ornamental, and intriguing. Each issue documents our cultural moment in all its messy, magnificent glory in an inviting and accessible magazine format.”
Published annually with a November release, the publication is generous at around one-hundred pages, “but it feels like something you can dip in and out of and take away on holiday to enjoy flicking through on the beach,” Broadmore assures. Currently available in print only, Folly Journal is stocked in selected independent bookstores, luxury hotels, and cultural institutions. It is also available for purchase online by single issue or subscription.
Pro AI? Anti AI? Undecided? No matter where you are on the AI fence, re•mediate is making its own contribution to the conversation, publishing creative writing, criticism, and interviews, as well as a limited amount of visual/interactive work, all of which centers on what is traditionally called human-computer collaboration.
“At re•mediate,” explains Founding Editor P.D. Edgar, “we call it computer-assisted creative writing, which is to acknowledge, in broad strokes, that the practice of being a writer is computer-mediated at many more stages than the compositional. In Issue•1, we published a poem that was human-written but addressed, using three different fonts, how writers are expected to maintain an online audience or presence as a part of their brand and the frustration with that expectation. On the other hand, we also seriously consider work that’s made with AI or written computationally, such as with functional code that prints text. We’re not the first to do this (Taper), and luckily, we’re in a little cohort of fresh new literary magazines who are interested in serious experiments with AI (Ensemble Park, AI Literary Review).”
Flash Phantoms is a new online monthly dedicated to publishing the best horror stories of 1000 words or less as well as micro fiction horror of 100 words. They also offer readers a Story of the Month that includes an interview with the writer whose work is selected for this feature.
“Starting a lit mag has always been a goal of mine,” says Editor-in-Chief Laura Shell. “Granted, I didn’t think I’d do this so soon in life, but one day in November, I just decided to go for it.”
Shell is herself a lover of all things horror, who, if she could listen to only one song for the rest of her life, would choose “The Mob Rules” by Black Sabbath. As far as her more literary credentials, Shell has published in numerous magazines and just celebrated the release of her first anthology of horror/paranormal stories, The Canine Collection: Horror Stories Spotlighting Man’s Best Friend, which draws upon her experience as a veterinary assistant.
Joining her at the helm is Assistant Editor Pam Mets, who combines her English degree with her love of all things horror, and Lead Reader Terry Strait, whose horror sensibilities guide the final selections and who advises, “If I can’t picture what you’re selling in my mind, then submit something else.”
For writers, Flash Phantoms accepts submissions through Submittable. “I read them first,” Shell explains, “and decide if a story is worthy enough to be sent to Pam and Terry. If Pam and Terry like the story as well, then I will notify the author that their story will be published. This process usually takes up to two weeks. We do not provide feedback, but I’m considering offering that service for a fee, perhaps later on in the year.”
The resulting selections are then published in an open-access online format, and each story is accompanied by related artwork or photography. Some inaugural contributors include Deborah Sale-Butler, Leah Scott-Kirby, Devin James Leonard, Laura Cody, Daniel Kipps, Kris Green, Rebecca Klassen, Benjamin Sperduto, Lori Green, Kim Moes, Dale L. Sproule, Max Tackett, Chris Scott, David Turnbull, and Hidayat Adams.
Looking forward, Shell hopes to add writer services and create a means to pay writers. For now, the publication hopes to entice more readers who might offer their highest praise: “That Flash Phantoms site is f**king kick ass.”
Hey, readers and writers! There’s this incredibly beautifully crafted magazine online with a most seditious editor-in-chief. They’re pirates, on a mission to make teenage voices heard and counted. They sculpt, shape, and help these voices find themselves through writing. It’s a place where ideas run wild, get a bit messy, and then come out as the most brilliant, unapologetic version of themselves. Are you game? Then check out Meraki Review!
According to Founder and Editor-in-Chief Meheru Alaspure, “This magazine is for the dreamers, the tortured souls who understand that writing is both a violent act that sears the skin and a sacred one that inscribes meaning upon it. Writing is rhapsody, adrenaline, and joy—the tide that rushes against the shores of pain and begins the healing.”
Publishing every four months, Meraki Review features poetry, fiction prose, creative non-fiction, memoirs, prose-poetry hybrids, and artwork online by both teens and adults for an international teenage readership.
Alaspure wants Meraki Review to be “a community where teenagers feel safe to express themselves freely, support one another, and inspire each other to improve. Together, we will form a global platform that shines a spotlight on hidden voices and their galvanizing stories. The word Meraki means to do something you love and are passionate about. That pretty much sums up the ethos of our magazine!”
The editors of Midwest Weird hope their audience will be drawn by a certain level of morbid curiosity that will make them say, “Oooh, that show is so weird…and I can’t stop listening!”
A new audio literary magazine, Midwest Weird publishes fiction and nonfiction in podcast form with new episodes released every other week during their season, and transcripts posted on their website.
“Writing is important because of the voices represented through its art,” says DisLit Youth Literary Magazine Founder and Editor-in-Chief Miley Weiner. “Writing is a way that people, for centuries, have been able to communicate with one another and express themselves. Even in times long ago when people were separated from their loved ones, writing brought them closer together again. Writing can act as a bridge in people’s lives in whatever form that may be, and because of that, the power of words cannot be denied.”
Providing a new open access online platform to share that power, DisLit is a magazine with a mission to empower youth with disabilities or mental/physical illness. “We believe that teens with these conditions should not be stigmatized,” Weiner asserts. “We have created our magazine to be a safe space for them to express themselves through their writing.”
DisLit currently accepts all genres of writing with new content published daily with plans to accept art/visual submissions soon.
If you’re looking for writing that’s playful and unconventional (maybe even a little mysterious), truly new works that stay with you long after you’ve read the final line, and a publication that makes you excited for each next issue, then click on over to Jelly Squid. Publishing three online issues per year, Jelly Squid Magazine accepts all types of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and artwork, as well as all hybrid forms in between. “We really like to see – and would like to see more of – work that’s unique and experimental,” says Editor Mo Buckley Brown.
Even the name is reflective of this mission. “‘Jelly’ and ‘squid’ are both words that aren’t terribly uncommon,” Brown says, “but they have unique sounds individually, and together, they form a playful combination that felt a little unconventional. We thought this name captured our hopes for what the magazine would be – playful and unconventional, and maybe even a little mysterious.”
Pictura Journal is a new online journal publishing poetry, prose, and visual artwork three times a year (April, August, December), with the editors favoring “concrete images and work grounded in a strong sense of place.” The journal’s name itself, says Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief Alicia Wright, comes from this same desire for story.
“I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of ‘image as narrative,’ and I wanted a name that made the same statement. I couldn’t tell you the first time I read the Latin phrase ut pictura poesis (and it would take some work for me to recall any more of the specifics of Ars Poetica), but when I was formulating the idea for the journal, ‘as is poetry, so is painting’ pointed directly at what I was aiming for. So: Pictura. I want to publish work that values the concrete image as a storytelling device, and artwork that fits well alongside it.”
In the symbolic language of flowers, the zinnia represents friendship, remembrance, and lasting affection, which is what inspired the name of a new online annual, The Zinnia Anthology. Here, readers can find short stories, poems, memoirs, and art focusing on human connections and relationships with each other outside of the romantic lens. “Specifically,” the editors note, “friendships and familial relationships that we often take for granted or easily overlook.” Indeed, the first issue, themed “Platonic Relationships” sets the tone of bringing marginalized issues to light and offers inspiration for readers to see their platonic relationships in a different light.
Bear Paw Arts Journal is a new open access online journal of flash fiction, micro memoir, poetry, and featured artists publishing one issue each year in the fall. “It’s free to submit, free to read. This is a labor of love, and we’re proud of that,” say the editors.
Bear Paw Arts Journal takes its name from the Bears Paw Mountains in north central Montana. The editors explain, “The range is known locally as ‘The Bear Paws.’ These mountains were originally named by the native Cree and Blackfeet people as ‘The Mountains of the Bear.’ Bear Paw Arts Journal seeks to publish works that, like the Bears Paw Mountains, surprise and delight with each new turn.”
Whenever I hear someone kvetch, “Just how many literary magazines does the world really need?” a publication like LIBRE comes along to respond that there is room for this much-needed resource for the literary community.
LIBRE is a new online journal of prose, poetry, and art with three main goals: to uplift the marginalized voices of the mentally ill and those whose lives are affected by mental health; to celebrate the excruciatingly nuanced boundaries and expressionistic approaches that magical realist literature and artwork bring to our otherwise mundane realities; and to explore the oftentimes overlooked intersection that quietly, but stubbornly blooms between fabulist and health-oriented writing.
Most of us are likely at an age when we can recall how quickly carefree younger days seem to have slipped through our fingers as we entered irrevocably into adulthood. Fortunately, for today’s youth, there is Fleeting Daze Magazine, a youth-run literary online quarterly publishing all forms of literary arts and writing from contributors ages 13-24. New issues are available every 2-3 months in open access online forms.
Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Caroline Zhang explains the intentionality behind the name: “When creating the name, we wanted our magazine to highlight the coming-of-age process and the works we published to be unique to a new generation of creators and thinkers. We recognized that as a youth-run magazine, our knowledge and understanding growing up today was an advantage and a perspective that often is not found elsewhere in today’s media. ‘Fleeting Daze’ had a double meaning – first, symbolizing the glowing haze/dreamlike nature of childhood, having fun, believing in the possibilities of the world. On the other hand, ‘Fleeting Daze’ can also be read as ‘Fleeting Days,’ symbolizing how the best moments of our youthful childhoods can go by in the blink of an eye, and how every second must be grasped onto and enjoyed for as long as possible.”
In word association, if I say “bus,” I’m sure “Greyhound” would be among the top responses, and it would be spot-on for introducing this new, history-oriented journal of text and audiovisual poetry and prose. Publishing biannually online with a regularly updated “Featured” column, The Greyhound Journal was originally created to open more spaces for literary dialogue revolving around history and to increase the accessibility of history through narrative. “Our founding mission,” the editors assert, “is to promote the exploration of history through creative work and literature.”
When Phoenix, Arizona Poet Laureate Rosemarie Dombrowski was asked by the Office of Veteran and Military Academic Engagement (OVMAE) at Arizona State University to produce a military-themed issue of another literary journal that she was running, she was ready for a new challenge. “I asked if I could create a new journal instead,” Dombrowski explains, “one that exclusively featured the stories of veterans – either written by veterans or their family members.”
This formed into the annual publication of ISSUED: stories of service which features poetry, flash prose (under 1500 words), and profiles (interviews), both online and in print.
“I’m also the granddaughter, daughter, and half-sister of veterans,” Dombrowski shares, “and I’ve had close relationships with several veterans over the course of my life, but I’ve never inquired about their service or done much research on it, so this felt like a project that would encourage other family members to reflect, research, and resurrect that familial history.
“We also know that veterans are oftentimes medically and socially marginalized (and historically and culturally conditioned to not speak about their service-related trauma), so I wanted to make a creative, encouraging, inclusive platform for them.”
Likening creative expression to a common artist’s tool, Spray Paint Magazine was launched with the mission to give artists a voice through publishing prose, poetry, scripts, and visual art pieces in two to three issues a year. Currently, back issues can be read online for free with future issues available for digital download.
Managing Editor Angel-Clare Linton says she started Spray Paint Magazine while pursuing an undergraduate degree in creative writing. “While I was studying,” she explains, “I started working on my school’s magazine as a poetry editor, which was my first experience behind the scenes in the literary world. It was then I realized how much I enjoyed working on a literary magazine and that I wanted to work for my own publishing company. I have always wanted to be a full-time writer, so it wasn’t far-fetched that I wanted my own publishing company and literary magazine. That said, while I was starting my spring semester, I launched Spray Paint Magazine.”
If you thought you weren’t interested in horror, it’s time you read Bloodletter. Founded by filmmaker and writer Ariel McCleese, the mission of Bloodletter is “to reimagine the horror genre in feminist terms.” McCleese explains, “The delineation ‘feminist horror’ invites themes which marginalized groups are often compelled (or demanded) to repress—including rage, violence, psychological fear, and generational trauma. Our publication empowers women, trans, and non-binary writers to reframe their own historical victimization through the singular power of language and redefine the horror genre collectively.”
Even the name offers readers a new view of the genre, as McCleese shares, “I was trying to find a word that connected horror and literature. I wanted the name to be evocative, to stir something in people. When I finally came to Bloodletter, it felt like the perfect meeting point of the horrific and the literary. I also loved the connection to the history of bloodletting, the idea of bleeding to let go of something. It feels connected to writing and artmaking; these forms of expression allow us to release and transform horror into healing.”
Newly launched biannual online Magazine1 operates out of Bookstore1 in Sarasota, Florida (hence the name) and publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, visual art, and hybrid works. “We’re really open to anything if you have something you don’t think fits nicely into the above categories,” says Editor-in-Chief Ben Kerns. Connections are what matter to Kerns, who hopes readers of Magazine1 are able to connect with something they didn’t think they’d connect with at first glance. “I hope that when we feature stranger pieces or pieces that make the reader reach a little further, that someone out there who encounters them for the first time can find their world widened a little bit by them.”
Twice a year online, Lodestar Lit publishes anything literary in style, including short stories, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and one-act plays available as a downloadable PDF. Their mission is nothing less than grand transformations – both in literature and within the individual creators, both present and into the future.
The editors explain, “The initial inspiration for our magazine’s name came from Carl Sagan’s 1980 documentary, Cosmos, in which he says that we are all ‘starstuff,’ or, in other words, stardust. Based on ideas of cosmology, we are living, breathing stardust endowed with consciousness, and we create reasons to live through art, science, philosophy, etc. Thus, we transcend ourselves through art like how a mathematician discovers a formula and transcends themself in their discovery. As authors, our writing is a guiding star – a lodestar – that leads us to new ways of living and being.”
Shadowplay is the name of the new annual publication of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry edited by students in the MFA in Creative Writing program at the University of Arkansas – Monticello. “Gripped by the idea of shadows and their dependence on light,” says Editor-in-Chief Christian Chase Garner, “we wanted to create a magazine that would highlight the intersection of these two and the liminal spaces often found there. Shadowplay is also a kinetic act; there is always movement. The word ‘play’ also reflects the brighter side of the dichotomy.”
Garner says Shadowplay was initiated to fill a literary gap. “Our university has not had a singular, long-standing literary magazine over the years, so we wanted to create one that was high-aiming and that carried weight in the writing world. We wanted a magazine that would be a home for diverse voices anywhere on their writing journey, one that would help bring clarity to the light and dark of the human condition.”
Who doesn’t love getting a postcard in the mail? Especially one with contemporary art and poetry and no pithy guilt about not being somewhere else. Postcard is the brainchild of Editor-in-Chief and Designer David Wojciechowski who was initially interested in making broadsides but fell in love with the smaller, more economical postcard.
“I thought it was a funky idea for a literary magazine to be printed in that form,” Wojciechowski says. “Then I began thinking about the postcards, the poems, being sent through the mail. I loved the idea of people sending a poem to a friend—not just a link to a poem, but a physical object they can tape over their desk or wherever they need it. I also have this image in my head of a mail carrier stopping to read a poem; that image kind of motivated me to keep going with the idea.”
ONLY POEMS. You might think that says it all, but the name is only the beginning of this new online startup that curates a Poet of the Week every Sunday as well as a Poem of the Month for Substack.
ONLY POEMS was founded by Shannan Mann and Karan Kapoor as a way to honor the literary community they are both an integral part of – “the true fire of which,” Mann states, “is stoked by lit mags. Both Karan and I are writers who submit a lot. We wanted to give back in some way, to create a unique platform for poetry, which is an ecosystem we are most familiar with.”
The unique platform of ONLY POEMS includes a Poet of the Week series which shines the spotlight on a poet’s oeuvre of work (“or a small beautiful sample of it”) by publishing 3-10 poems by the same poet. “ONLY POEMS also features a detailed interview with the poet,” Mann explains, “which includes conversations around their work, the poetry world at large, and anything else a life of letters might conjure for them.
Philly Poetry Chapbook Review is a new venture focusing on – you guessed it – reviews of poetry chapbooks – but also quite a bit more. Readers of the site can expect to find short book reviews, long-form single-book reviews, long-form multi-book essays, craft essays on poetry and chapbooks, interview-driven author features, and weekly updates of poetry books.
Publishing six online issues each year, Editor Aiden Hunt prefers to “keep the publication lively and flexible,” so new content is released on a weekly, rolling schedule.
Where The Meadows Reside greets us this new year with its open-access, online seasonal quarterly publication of poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, hybrid, artwork, and audio. Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief Meadow Sherif is a literary artist whose name you might think was the inspiration for the publication, but its inception is much more than that.
“I’ve always been intrigued by the liminality of the world,” Sherif says, “particularly in Augé’s non-places, though even beyond when I could ever put a name to it. Where The Meadows Reside is endlessness, an inevitability. I find the relationship between humanity and endlessness very enduring.
“We are constantly in our own fields — filled with moments like wildflowers, meadows. Though it seems as though there is a conflict between our external fields — our world in revolution around work, survival. So, in a world that revolves around endlessness and necessity, it seems as though what remains of the world – land – suddenly, endlessness with purpose.
“Literary and artistic contributions to the journal are the beauty crafted in a hateful and violent world,” is how Founder and Editor in Chief Keiraj M. Gillis describes 7th-Circle Pyrite, an online bi-monthly of spirituality/religion, occult, horror, gothic, paranormal, mythology/folklore, and fantasy in all genres of writing and artwork. “My goal in starting the journal was – and always will be – to provide safety for writers and artists,” Gillis says, and “to be a refuge from the prevailing values in the literary world that have the potential to dismantle creatives’ confidence.”
A published author in gothic and spiritual poetry as well as a teacher, trainer, and IT grad, Gillis explains, “The themes supported by 7th-Circle Pyrite are very close to me. I have explored horror in its many forms as both a reader and writer, and have consistently been a student of religion, with involvement in everything from Christianity to Satanism. I’m an astrologer as well, and very much enjoy connecting with those who aren’t afraid to acknowledge that there may be ‘worlds beyond’ what we see.”
Publishing twice a year as a free downloadable PDF, Zhagaram Literary Magazine was founded to create a literary magazine of Indian origin that publishes international work. “In Tamizh, one of the oldest languages,” Editor Suchita Senthil Kumar explains of the publication’s name, “Zhagaram is a word that refers to a sound. The zh sound is pronounced as ɻ and is a reflex approximant (not the zz sound although it is written that way. The ɻ is a sound resembling an L and R sound together). Zhagaram is the word that refers to this zh sound.
“We aim at publishing work that explores the human condition through the lens of culture, heritage, and language,” Kumar says. “Thus, Zhagaram aims to be a creative space accessible to writers of marginalized communities, giving them an international platform to express their voices. At the same time, we are also open to submissions from international writers, which makes a magazine displaying a vast tapestry of cultures in our diverse publication.”
Nothing invites company more than a gently swaying porch swing on a beautiful day, which makes SWING an aptly named biannual print publication of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and comics, welcoming readers and writers alike. Also aptly named, shares Editor Leigh Anne Couch, as SWING is published by “an incredible literary nonprofit in Nashville called The Porch. Not only do we share a budget and staff, but a spirit of openness and curiosity. The word swing points, prismatically, toward objects and actions and relationships, toward music and influence and ambivalence. It won’t be pinned down, and yet it’s securely attached to The Porch.”
For readers and writers, this connection bodes well in our tumultuous times of publication defunding and rocky start-ups, to which Couch is no newcomer. Formerly at Duke University Press, the Greensboro Review, and the Sewanee Review, she is now a freelance editor, who edits the poetry series Sewanee Poetry at LSU, and has published several poetry collections of her own. “SWING grew out of the ethos of The Porch,” Couch says, “and the longing of its editor to experience the thrill of treasure hunting and mysterious resonances again after a five-year break from working in literary magazines. Its ethos is about connection: the unintended and therefore mysterious dialogue between the poems, stories, and essays within.”
If you’re the kind of reader who enjoys snuggling up with fantastical stories, Wyngraf is just the ticket! Wanting something “warm and welcoming and a little fantastical,” the editors took the name from wyngrāf, the Anglo-Saxon word meaning “wondrous grove.” True to its name, Wyngraf: A Magazine of Cozy Fantasy provides “a growing genre that focuses on community, personal relationships, and worlds that readers can get lost in.” Publishing twice per year with special editions, Wyngraf is available via paid digital download in wide distribution (Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Smashwords, etc.), and in print on Amazon.
128 LIT is a new publication offering open access to literature, art, audio, and video content posted online on a rolling basis as well as offering readers an annual print and digital download issue. Started by New York-based writer Andrew Felsher and Yehui Zhao, a multi-media artist, 128 LIT’s origin is numerical and “is intended to be liberated from the confines of language. When we decided to launch an international literature and art magazine,” Felsher says, “we were mindful of the history, memory, and violence embedded in language(s) and all that comes with the burden of language and the way art and narratives locate and shape us.”
The Dawn Review online journal is precisely the kind of effort we need right now. “We are called The Dawn Review because we are committed to renewal, in every sense of the word,” says Founding Editor Ziyi Yan (闫梓祎). All literary writing is accepted: poetry, prose, hybrid forms, etc. Visual art and pieces that combine art with writing are also welcome, and the editors post interviews, articles, and book reviews on their blog, in addition to the publication’s three issues per year.
“Through our issues,” Yan explains, “we champion forward-looking pieces that fight against the restraints of language and form. Our issues are not separated by genre, and our editors read with an eye for inventiveness rather than conformity. We are also committed to renewal in our editorial process – in order to uplift developing voices, we read blindly and provide feedback on all submissions.”
Shō Poetry Journal is a new print publication released twice a year, and while it can’t be said it has a happy origin story, Editor Johnny Cordova has turned adversity into a beautifully crafted opportunity for both readers and writers. “Shō is a project that I abandoned in 2003 shortly after the second issue was published. I was going through a divorce, moved from Arizona to California, and wanted a clean break from everything.” Both Cordova and Editor Dominique Ahkong had moved from Southeast Asia to Arizona and started sending their own poetry to journals. “We were struck by how many journals had moved online. We saw a need in the market for a high-quality independent print journal that publishes a wide range of voices, accepts simultaneous submissions, has a reasonable response time, and that feels good in the hands.” And thus, Shō was created.
Immigration Diaries is a new online journal of short stories, personal essays, poetry, and visual art founded by Yawen Yuan. Yuan lived in Shanghai until she was nine years old when she then moved to New York City. She recounts that for many years after immigrating to the United States, she felt lost and alone in her experiences. Yuan says that after listening to authors like Min Jin Lee, who immigrated from Korea at a young age, both felt more comfortable in their own experiences. Yuan would like to help others the way listening to Lee helped her by creating a place to share immigration stories and experiences.
Martial arts fans who are writers, or vice versa, Clinch: A Martial Arts Literary Magazine is a new open-access online biannual of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual arts. Editor-in-Chief Grant Young says Clinch was started because of “a gap in the market.” He explains, “There are some great literary magazines out there that focus on sports, but none that focus solely on martial arts. Since I’m a huge martial arts fan and a writer myself, I sought to close that gap. In other words, I wanted to bridge the gap between the martial arts and writing communities; both of which I keep close to heart.”
Seeing double can be a good thing, as Twin Bird Review can attest. This new open-access online biannual publishes poetry, creative nonfiction, art, comics, and graphic narratives. The name comes from legend, says Editor Amanda K Horn. “Sailors used to get a tattoo of a swallow after the first 5,000 nautical miles traveled, and then another after 10,000 – barn swallows to represent birds’ ability to travel very far abroad and yet still return home. These ‘twin birds’ can also be seen in the human imagination, through which we’re able to explore this world and others, ourselves, the past and the future, all without leaving home.”
An homage to Allen Ginsberg, The Howl is a new online venue for young creators (grades 9-12), fittingly borrowing for their tagline as well, “the best minds of your generation.” As the editors explain, “Much as Ginsberg’s poem details the complex lives of others, we amplify the content that whirls out of the unique storms that young people brave.” An open-access online journal for readers of all ages, The Howl publishes on a rolling basis and accepts poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, scripts, photography, traditional and digital art, music, videos, journalism/op-eds, and other genres ‘best minds’ want to explore.
“A compass rose,” explains Kelly Easton, founding Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the online quarterly Compass Rose Literary Journal, “is the visual representation of the cardinal directions on a map, nautical chart, or compass. CRLJ was founded in late 2022 as a home for all voices that seek direction. As our mission intersects the literary, the philosophical, and the spiritual, the compass rose speaks to our shared journeys as fellow searchers. Our tagline is ‘bushwhacking through art’; we are unafraid of tackling the wild, the unknown, the messy, the difficult, to find our way. We are particularly welcoming to traditionally underrepresented voices, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and the neurodivergent, along with survivors of addiction.”
The Palisades Review was named in tribute to Founder and Editor-in-Chief Mea Cohen’s hometown, Palisades, New York. “Given that so much of what I have personally written takes place in this town, and that the magazine is all about featuring the personal experience, I felt the name was fitting!”
The Palisades Review offers a new short-form nonfiction quarterly that favors “compressed stories that reverberate and deepen our collective sense of self, stories that are charged within by the extraordinary capacity of language to create community from individuals.”
“Viewless Wings” is from the poem “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats: “Away! away! for I will fly to thee, // Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, // But on the viewless wings of Poesy” – and thus the inspiration for a unique platform that provides emerging poets the opportunity to publish their works online as well as have them included on the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast.
Publishing in an open online and podcast format ten times per year, with interviews with poets published weekly-ish, Viewless Wings “was founded to celebrate the art of poetry through interviews with prestigious poets, opportunities for emerging poets to have their voices heard on submitted poetry episodes, and articles on the craft of poetry and publishing.”
Promoting poetry and poetics is first nature for Morehead, who is also Poet Laureate of Dublin, California, and author of canvas: poems; portraits of red and gray: memoir poems; and The Plague Doctor. Morehead is also the primary reader for Viewless Wings with volunteer readers enlisted as needed. “The contributions from followers of Viewless Wings and interviews with prestigious poets has been inspiring. I personally learn more about the art of poetry from each interview and submitted poem and am fulfilled by providing a platform for poets’ voices to be heard.”
“It’s rewarding hearing poetry read by the poet,” Morehead says, and visitors to Viewless Wings can likewise share in this experience. “Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast listeners (and readers of the accompanying articles on the website) can expect to be inspired and educated about the craft of poetry. We welcome diverse voices and love providing a platform for poets.” The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast has included interviews with Safia Elhillo, Olivia Gatwood, A.E. Stallings, Dana Gioia, Yanyi, and many more, in addition to poems submitted (and read by) emerging poets.
Morehead advises, “For those considering starting a literary magazine or podcast, focus on publishing quality content and be patient. It takes time to build an audience.” And for contributors, while they can expect that Morehead will read their work, due to the number of submissions received, personalized feedback is not possible; turnaround time is 1-3 months.
Viewless Wings has a future already in the works with plans to expand into more livestream events as part of the Viewless Wings Live series, and participate in community events, having successfully attended the Bay Area Book Festival for the first time in 2023.
Theodore Enslin’s book-length poem Ranger is the inspiration behind #Ranger, an online quarterly of text, audio/visual, and video founded by David A. Bishop whose goal with this new venture is to provide a home for works that may not fit in elsewhere. “I felt there was a real need for experimental poetry and art,” he explains. “I mean, REAL experimentation. Everyone seems to play it safe nowadays, and that’s pretty boring, in my opinion. How will art evolve if we don’t experiment?”
Bishop’s background (or lack thereof), he says, is helpful for this ability to allow for more variations, “I don’t have an MFA, so there’s no dogma to follow.” But this doesn’t me he lacks experience for this start-up. “I’m mostly an editor,” he says, “but I also dabble in poetry (both visual and textual) on occasion. I’ve been published in Word/For Word, Otoliths, and other magazines. Under the pseudonym Drew B. David, I edited the now-defunct Angry Old Man Magazine.”
“I love publishing work that no one else will handle,” Bishop shares. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction to see it out there, however small my audience may be, and it’s small, I won’t lie. The challenge, of course, is finding the time to put out a good product. That’s always been the challenge. But someone has to do it. There aren’t many people out there who are willing to push the envelope. We live in a very, very conformist, commercial culture in America – at least, where art is concerned. Money dictates everything, and that’s sad. Art is for the ages! Art is for life!”
For writers looking to push that envelope with Bishop, submissions are open with no fees for “Stuff you think no one else will publish,” the submission page encourages. “So-called ‘market forces’ do not matter here.” #Ranger is currently a one-person endeavor, “I read everything that comes in, so expect response time to be 1-2 months. I wish it were shorter,” adds Bishop, “but I have a full-time job, which also means I can seldom give feedback.”
For readers, Bishop says to expect to be surprised by the content. “It certainly isn’t vanilla, so, be prepared for a wild ride. Art should be controversial if it’s good art.”
Contributors to the first issue include Luc Fierens, Daniele Virgilio, Daniel Y. Harris, Mark Young, Howie Good, Tommy Gunn, PokaPoka!, Anthony Janas, Irene Koronas, Sheila Murphy, Joshua Martin, Alexander Limarev, Richard Baldasty, Nico Vassilakis, Daniel de Culla, Robert Jacka, The Page Collective, Cecelia Chapman and Jeff Crouch, Gerard Sarnat, Grant Guy, Jim Leftwich, Harrison Fisher, Robert Beveridge, Paul Smith, Jason Ryberg, Erkin Gören, Bill Wolak, John Bennett, Michael Prihoda, Colin James, Texas Fontanella, Noisebuam, Casey Synesael, Doren Robbins, Nathan Anderson, Dale Jensen, Daniel F. Bradley, John Grey, Dan Sicoli, Les Bernstein, Gerry Fabian, Sanjeev Sethi, Shannon King, Michael Basinski, and Joel Chace,
Looking ahead, Bishop says, “I am trying to lure musicians into the fold. Experimental music, yes! I want #Ranger to explore all different art forms. It’s not just a lit/poetry mag. It’s a place where artists with a capital A are welcome.” He adds, “Make your work as weird and eccentric as possible. Don’t worry about the corporate gatekeepers harshing on your mellow. This project is definitely anti-commercial.”
The Stirling Review is a new online quarterly of poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, opinion pieces, artwork, and photography. It was founded by a group of participants from the 2022 Sewanee Young Writers’ Workshop at the University of the South who started hanging out together, sharing their writing at a local breakfast hub called Stirling’s Coffee House. They enjoyed their time together so much, they “wanted to create a space like Stirling’s, where young writers and artists could exchange their ideas, and thus this magazine along with its name was born.”
The Stirling Review showcases creative work from writers aged 14-22. The editors’ mission is “to spread creativity that we believe shines effortlessly, and writing in which marginalized groups, or just everyday people, can find some sort of solace.” Together, the editorial team says, “we believe in the unique power of young writers to speak words that spark change and to craft pieces that shine like stars. We aim to amplify their light.”
The editorial team is solidly built with writers and artists whose experience and publication credits have both breadth and depth. Currently on staff are Michael Liu and Tane Kim – Co-founders; Ellie Tiwari, Adelia Crawford, Hayden Oh, Max Boyang, Ethan Park, Evy Muller, Mia Grace Davis, Haley Timmermann, and Holland Tait. “Every issue is a collective effort of our editorial team and the creative young minds across the world that make such wonderful writing possible.”
For writers seeking a home for their work, the editors say, “Our preferences are shorter pieces with resonating language” that highlight the publication’s mission. Once contributions have been received, “all the editors read a set of pieces and rank them on a rubric similar to Scholastic Art and Writing Awards’ rubric. Every piece is ranked on a scale of 1-10 on skill, theme, and originality and moves on to our second round of submissions if they average a number greater than or equal to 7 (our co-founders also read every piece in round 1 to make sure rankings are consistent). After round 2, our entire team votes on every piece to decide if we publish it or not.”
For readers stopping by The Stirling Review, the editors say, “expect to find the poetry, prose, and art written by young people with powerful voices.” Contributors to the first issue include Sam Luo, Blanka Pillár, Naomi Ling, Amber Zou, Willow Kang, Margaret Donovan, Winston Verdult, Michelle Zhou, and Luke Tan.
The editors also offer some insight on starting a new publication: “Some challenges have been working around each member’s schedule because we are all busy high schoolers, but positives include being able to read amazing work from young writers like us. Seeing our first issue completed was definitely a huge accomplishment every member of our team feels incredibly proud of.”
For those considering starting a publication, the editors encourage, “Just do it. Just start it. Even if you don’t know the exact specifics of what you are going to do or how it is going to get done, take that first step and figure things out along the way. That way, you don’t put it off forever.”
Moving forward, The Stirling Review hopes to host contests (“with sweet rewards”) later this year as well as publish an anthology by year’s end. Writers and readers alike are encouraged to visit The Stirling Review and see for themselves what this great new addition has to offer!
New to the scene, RockPaperPoem publishes three times a year online (April, August, December) in an open-access format. The editors seek “today’s finest poetry from established, emerging, and new poets residing anywhere in the world.” Their mission is to include a diversity of voices while highlighting work “that expands the boundaries of contemporary poetry, without sacrificing accessibility for experimentation.”
Hot Pot Magazine is a new open-access online monthly lit mag of prose, poetry, and visual art as well as experimental work like comics, audio spoken word, or music files. Founder and Editor-in-Chief Emily Pedroza says she started Hot Pot Magazine because “I just wanted to create a hub for literature and art that makes people feel less alone. To amplify the stories and voices that lie within literature and art.”
Hailing from the UK, say hello to Ergi Press! Publishing zines and anthologies twice a year, they promote themselves as “a down-to-earth DIY press publishing art, poetry and prose from LGBTQIA+ creators from all over.” With a rolling submissions window, reading periods and publications go with the flow, and deadline details for each issue are communicated via their website and social media outlets. Once ready to share, Ergi Press publications are available in both digital and print formats, with zines accessible via BigCartel and anthologies via Amazon.
Editor Imogen says, “Our love for different genres knows no bounds. We accept unpublished work from LGBTQ+ identifying creators on any theme, subject, or topic – this means innovative contributions from poetry to prose and everything in between. Art, photography, and visual poetry, we do it all!”
Copihue Poetry is a new, open-access online journal of poetry and poetry in translation published twice each year in the winter and summer. “One of our main goals,” Poetry and Translation Editor David M. Brunson says, “is to be accessible to poets and translators at all stages of their careers. In our first issue, we published some very established names alongside those who had their first publication in our pages.”
This is in keeping with the publication’s mission statement, “We seek to publish exciting new work that moves beyond the imaginary borders of language, state, and culture. As a multilingual journal, we present poetry written in English, poetry written in Spanish, and poetry translated into English alongside the original language. It is our goal to highlight a mixture of poets and translators, both emerging and established. We are especially interested in writers who have been underrecognized or previously unrecognized in English translation, as well as writers of identities historically marginalized by the literary world.”
“While the poetry we publish doesn’t have to be explicitly international in its focus,” Brunson says, “we are interested in work that examines place, language, and culture, especially work that exists in between structures both real and imaginary.”
The Thalweg. The name comes from the geological term for “the deepest part of a canyon, the primary navigable channel of a waterway, a boundary between two formations where the current is the strongest.” The editors of this annual publication of prose, short essays, poetry, stories, and visual art felt that this term “was a beautiful metaphor for the work we hope to publish, hoping that The Thalweg can be a space to share strange and beautiful things, as a way of contemplating our normative ideas of nature.”
The Thalweg’s masthead speaks to experiences in both literature and nature. Founding Editor and Communications Director Seneca Kristjonsdottir works as a guide on the Salmon and Snake rivers in Idaho and in Arizona’s Grand Canyon. She has lived in a variety of landscapes including Colorado, Idaho, and California, and studied ecology and bee husbandry at Goddard College.
