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Written by Meg Nielsen and Samantha Szumloz Introduction to Literary Magazines Literary magazines are small publications that feature new and emerging writers, publishing poetry, prose, and art from various genres. They give writers the chance to express their writing styles, connect with other artists, and work with editors in collaborative atmospheres. They additionally boost the prestige and credibility of rising writers, making them known in the literary community. Getting published is an important step in an aspiring author’s career because it draws readers to their work. If writers choose to keep their art to themselves, they have no eyes. We would also have less writing to fuel our inspiration to write ourselves. So submitting our work to literary magazines is a small step to getting our foot in the publishing door. Literary magazines have existed since the 1600s for the purpose of spreading the work of authors who may not have been recognized otherwise. In the modern day, there are thousands of literary magazines actively publishing work around the world. Many have gained prestige over the years, and may only accept work from authors who are equally as well-known. However, some magazines are willing to take work from writers who have never published before. We’ve compiled a list of magazines that are willing to give less experienced writers a chance.  #1: Moria Moria is an online national publication located at Woodbury University, north of Downtown Los Angeles. It is edited and managed by Woodbury undergraduate students. The editorial staff accepts unpublished poetry {a total of five poems or less}, fiction {one piece of fiction of 1,500 words or less}, and creative-nonfiction {one piece of creative-nonfiction of 1,500 words or less} from young and advanced writers. There is no reading fee. Every submitter is asked to provide a cover letter and a third-person bio along with their submission. Moria welcomes all styles of writing, including experiential, hybrid, and conventional forms. However, its staff is not interested in light verse, genre fiction, and any submission that exudes violence or discriminates against minorities. The publication does not pay its writers, but it does nominate them for awards such as Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize. Moria releases two issues each year, one in late spring and one in late fall. Its fifteenth issue is currently accepting submissions via Submittable until March 1st, 2025. For more information on how to submit to Moria, go to its “Submissions Guidelines” page: https://www.moriaonline.com/submissions.  #2: Blue Marble Review Blue Marble Review is a global online literary magazine that publishes young writers ages 13-22. It is run by Molly Hill, a Minneapolis based writer and editor. There is no reading fee when submitting to Blue Marble Review. The publication releases four issues per year, accepting unpublished poetry {three poems per submission}, fiction {maximum of three pieces per submission, 1,500 words or less}, nonfiction {memoirs, personal essays, travel adventures, etc., two pieces per submission, 1,500 word limit}, photography {four pieces}, and art {four pieces scanned and in jpeg format}. Writers published on the site receive $30 per piece. The selected cover art submitter receives $75 for their contribution. Writers, artists, and photographers may submit to Blue Marble Review through its submission form: https://bluemarblereview.com/submit/.  #3: Drexel Paper Dragon Drexel Paper Dragon is an online literary journal belonging to Drexel University’s MFA in Creative Writing program. Students within the program edit and manage the publication. They do not require a reading fee. Some of its issues are themed. For instance, this past fall, its issue was horror-themed. Some, however, are not themed. Its up-and-coming issue {now open for submissions until April 30th} is unthemed. So be mindful about what the editorial staff is looking for while submitting to them. Drexel Paper Dragon welcomes unpublished fiction {4,000 words maximum and only one piece per submission period}, nonfiction {4,000 words maximum}, poetry {250 words/50 lines maximum and only one poem per submission period}, and art pieces {see the requirements for art pieces on the publication’s “Submit” page: https://drexelpaperdragon.com/submit/}. Also be sure to include a third-person bio and check out the publication’s additional requirements, as individuals who do not fulfill the additional requirements will not be considered for publication. No exceptions.  #4: 3Elements Review 3Elements Review is an online publication that publishes digitally once every quarter of the year. The publication was founded by Mikaela Shea, a published writer residing in Iowa, and is run by numerous accomplished editors from various academic backgrounds. There is no reading fee when submitting to 3Elements Review. All of its issues have a theme or list of “elements”/words that submitters must use in their pieces to be considered for publication. The editorial staff only accepts unpublished pieces that do not discriminate or emanate violence. Nonetheless, they accept all genres. There is no minimum word count for written submissions, however, they do ask for fiction and nonfiction submissions to be kept under 3,500 words. Poetry must also be under two pages. 3 Elements Review is currently open for submissions until February 28, 2025. The elements are “prophecy,” “attic,” and “isolation.”  #5: The Baltimore Review As its name would suggest, The Baltimore Review is an online magazine based in Baltimore that aims to publish diverse work from both new and emerging writers. It was founded in 1996, and although the magazine exists mainly online, issues can be purchased in print on Amazon. They accept poetry (up to three poems), fiction (under 5,000 words, but they recommend shorter), and creative nonfiction (under 5,000 words). There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. The vibe of the work accepted by The Baltimore Review varies, and the submission guidelines recommend reading previous issues. They also pay writers $50 for accepted submissions, which isn’t too common for less prestigious publications. To submit, go to: https://baltimorereview.submittable.com/submit.  #6: The New Delta Review New Delta Review is run by students of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Louisiana State University. It was founded in 1984, and has been online since 2012. On top of publishing literary magazine issues, they also publish poetry chapbooks. In their lit mag issues, they accept fiction (under 3,000 words), poetry (up to five poems), creative nonfiction (under 3,000 words), book reviews & interviews (under 3,000 words), and artwork. There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. According to their submission guidelines, they gravitate towards “weirder” work. Work may be submitted at https://newdeltareview.submittable.com/submit.  7: Lily Poetry Review The Lily Poetry Review publishes two issues a year, one in the winter and one in the summer. They publish poetry (up to five poems), art (up to three pieces), and book reviews (between 1,000-1,250 words). They also take chapbook manuscripts, and have a $50 poetry feedback service. They prefer contemporary work, and submissions open at the beginning of every month, closing when 400 submissions are received. There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. To submit or take part in their other services, visit https://lilypoetryreview.submittable.com/submit.  #8: All Existing Literary Magazine
All Existing Literary Magazine is an online publication that focuses around “all things strange and beautiful”. They publish fiction (under 3,000 words), creative nonfiction (under 3,000 words), flash fiction (under 1,000 words), poetry (up to three poems), and art (up to two pieces). There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. They also accept submissions that have been previously published elsewhere. All submissions can be sent to [email protected] Final Message We’d like to end by reminding our readers that rejected submissions don’t mean that your writing isn’t good. Your submission may not have fit in with the theme of the current issue, or maybe they just already had enough work in that genre. Many literary magazines have acceptance rates that can be as low as one percent. Don’t let rejection discourage you from writing and continuing to put your work out into the world. No matter what you write, there will always be at least one literary magazine that your work will fit perfectly into, it’s just a matter of finding it.
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