But there are major literary fellowships and residencies that welcome international writers and some will cover everything from accommodation and meals to international travel and living expenses.

So this one’s just for that. Ten fellowships and residencies that are either open worldwide regardless of nationality, or specifically built for writers living outside the U.S. For each one: who it’s for, when it typically opens, your real odds, what the funding actually covers, and how realistic they are for different stages of a writing career.

So are you ready to dive in?

★ Hawthornden Castle Fellowship

LOCATION: Lasswade, Scotland

WHO IT’S FOR: Writers of any nationality, any genre fiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, translation.

FUNDING: Fully covered private study bedroom, all meals, and use of the library and grounds. Each participating writer will be offered a stipend of $1,000 (if they are traveling from Europe) or $2,500 (if they are traveling from elsewhere in the world) to help defray the costs that attending the residency may entail.

★ Prague UNESCO City of Literature Residency

LOCATION: Prague, Czech Republic

WHO ITS FOR: Writers and literary translators of any nationality with at least one published literary book (or equivalent). Self-published work doesn’t count.

FUNDING: The accommodation and travel expenses are covered by Prague City of Literature; the residents will also receive a scholarship of CZK 15,000 (approx. €600 per month).

★ Bogliasco Fellowship

LOCATION: Genoa, Italy

WHO IT’S FOR: Writers and artists of all ages and nationalities working on a defined project.

FUNDING: A private room, dedicated workspace, and full board on the Ligurian coast, for the month.

Inside, you’ll find roles across publishing, editorial, academia, literary agencies, and writing-focused organizations, with salaries reaching $200,000+ for select senior positions.

This edition includes opportunities such as:

★ Editorial & Publishing Positions

★ Literary Agency Roles

★ Teaching & Academic Appointments

As always, this isn’t simply a collection of job listings. Each opportunity has been selected because it offers meaningful career value, whether you’re looking to break into publishing, transition into editorial work, build an academic career, or take the next step within the literary industry.

Our goal isn’t to overwhelm you with hundreds of vacancies. It’s to help you focus on the opportunities that are genuinely worth your timebefore the deadlines pass and the application windows close.

If you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to turn your writing skills into a long-term career, this might be the list that changes your next chapter.

Let’s dive in.

★ Gallery Books

Position: Editorial Assistant

Job Status: Full Time

Location: NYC, USA

Salary: $50,000

Perfect for individuals who have interest in pop culture.

★ Hachette UK

Position: Publishing Executive

Job Status: Full Time, Hybrid

Location: London, UK

Salary: £28,250–£32,000, dependent on experience

Perfect for individuals who are enthusiastic and wide-ranging reader of commercial fiction.

From opportunities designed specifically for emerging writers to internationally recognised prizes that have launched award-winning careers, these calls offer more than publication they provide editorial support, industry recognition, prize money, and the chance to place your work in the hands of influential publishers.

As always, we’ve reviewed each opportunity so you can quickly determine whether it’s the right fit for your manuscript. Happy submitting and don’t wait too long, as several deadlines are approaching fast.

★ Nine Syllables Press Chapbook Contest

Fee: $10

Genre: Poetry

Prize: $500 and author copies.

Deadline: Aug 31, 2026

Length: 20-40 pages.

★ Tupelo Press Summer Open Reading Period

Fee: $ 30

Genre: Poetry

Prize: Publication + $1,000 + national distribution, + promotion + a book launch

Deadline: 31 August 2026

Length: Book-length poetry collections: 48–90 pages; Chapbook: 28–47 pages

★ Tiny Chapbook Competition

Fee: $20

Genre: Poetry

Prize: Publication of the chapbook.

Deadline: September 01, 2026

Length: 8-16 pages

Quick, news: we’re open for submissions right now, in two separate categories. Not a themed issue, not a special call, just an open door, with two different sets of requirements depending on where the piece is headed.

Here’s the breakdown.

★ Essays & Articles — for the website

For this section we welcome writing that is analytical, opinionated, and critically engaged. Our focus is on literature and culture through the lens of criticism, theory, and reflection.

• Length: 800–1,500 words

• Deadline: August 15, 2026

• Runs on: The Literary Times website

• Format: Google Doc or .docx, standard manuscript format, with a short bio (2–3 sentences) attached

This one has a real deadline. After August 15, it’s not being considered for this window, though we do read on a rolling basis for the next one.

★ Commentary — for social

Shorter and more immediate. A take on literary news, submission culture, a magazine or contest worth flagging, or an opinion on something happening in publishing or writing right now. Written to be read in one scroll, not studied.

• Length: 300-800 words

• Deadline: None. Rolling. Send it whenever you’ve got something worth saying.

• Runs on: Instagram and our other social platforms, credited to you

• Format: Plain text is fine — no need to format for print

Got something worth sharing? Submit now by clicking on the link given below! We read everything that comes in. And submissions are completely free!

SUBMIT HERE!

Stay Literary!

Exposure. Portfolio building. Great opportunity for emerging voices.

As if your rent were also emerging. As if your craft were a hobby you happened to be talented at. This is not that list.

What follows are calls that understand what a sentence costs. The time. The research. The revision at 2:00 AM when the deadline has already passed but the piece is not quite there yet.

These are the rooms where your name on the byline is not a favor — it is the point. The budgets are real. The editors are serious. And the work? The work is yours for the taking.

This weeks roundup brings together 20+ literary calls and contests with deadlines closing before the month ends, including opportunities offering prizes of up to $3,000 across poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and more.

As always, we’ve done the filtering for you so you can spend less time searching and more time submitting. Inside, you’ll find:

★ Prestigious competitions respected by publishers, editors, and literary organizations

★ Opportunities that also reward finalists and shortlisted writers

★ Competitions across fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and other genres

★ Editorial notes on what they want and why you need to submit!

★ Fee free submission opportunities that actually pays their writers

Let’s dive in before these deadlines are gone!

★ Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Prize

What they want: Up to three original, unpublished poems in a single manuscript.

Pay: $1,000 (1st), $500 (2nd), $250 (3rd); top five published in the magazine, plus a letterpress broadside for the winner

Deadline: July 31, 2026

Length: Each poem must fit on one page

Entry fee: $15 per manuscript (covers all three poems)

Website: redwheelbarrow.submittable.com

Why submit:Judged by poet Lee Herrick, and the letterpress broadside is a distinctive physical prize you won’t find elsewhere.

★ Apex Magazine — Speculative Fiction & Nonfiction

What they want: Dark science fiction and fantasy. They also accept nonfiction pitches.

Pay: $0.08/word for fiction (e.g., $80 for 1,000 words, up to $720 for 9,000 words); $100 for nonfiction

Deadline: July 31, 2026

Length: Up to 9,000 words for fiction

Website: https://apex-magazine.com/

Why submit: Apex is a SFWA-qualifying professional market with a large readership in the speculative fiction community.

★ Flash Fiction Online — Themed Call: ‘Aftermath’

What they want: Flash fiction exploring what comes after the moment of rupture, in any genre (literary, speculative, or otherwise).

Pay: $100 per accepted story

Deadline: Opens August 1, 2026

Length: Up to 1,000 words

Website: https://flashfictiononline.com/

Why submit: A long-running professional flash fiction magazine with a broad readership and SFWA-qualifying status.

Check 22 more Lit Mag calls and Contests paying up to $3000, before its too late!

CHECK FULL LIST HERE!

You finish a piece. You’re proud of it. You open ten tabs of literary magazines and start submitting.

You pick the ones with the biggest names. The ones your favorite writers got published in. The ones that sound impressive in a bio.

Three months later, the rejections come back. You submit again. Same names, same magazines, same silence.

Here’s the mistake nobody tells you about: you’re choosing where to submit based on prestige instead of fit. And prestige-chasing is quietly costing you more acceptances than your writing ever has.

The mistake, named plainly

Writers treat submissions like a leaderboard. Get into the “best” magazine. Then the next one up. Then the one after that.

But a magazine’s prestige tells you almost nothing about whether your piece belongs there. It tells you about their name recognition, not their taste. And taste is the only thing that actually decides whether an editor says yes.

Submitting for prestige means you’re optimizing for how the acceptance will look, not for whether the piece will land. That’s backwards. It’s the literary equivalent of applying to a job because of the company logo instead of asking whether you’d be good at the job.

Why this mistake is so easy to make

It’s not laziness. It’s structure.

★ Prestige is easy to measure. Fit is not. A magazine’s ranking or Twitter following is visible in seconds. Whether your voice matches their aesthetic takes actual reading.

★ Everyone talks about where they got published, not why it fit. You see the acceptance, not the research behind it. So the visible strategy looks like “aim high,” when the real strategy was “aim right.”

★ Rejection feels random, so writers stop looking for patterns. After enough rejections, submitting starts to feel like a lottery. Once it feels random, picking based on name recognition feels just as reasonable as anything else. It isn’t.

★ Submission fees and limited windows create urgency. When a fee is attached or a reading period is closing, writers submit fast to whoever’s open, not to whoever’s right.

None of this is a character flaw. It’s what happens when a slow, careful decision gets treated like a checklist.

What “fit” actually looks like

Fit isn’t a vibe. It’s checkable, and it’s checkable before you spend a submission fee.

★ Read three recent pieces, not the About page. A magazine’s mission statement says what they want to believe about themselves. Their last three published pieces say what they actually accept. Notice length, tone, and structure, not just topic. A magazine that only publishes tight, plain-spoken 800-word essays is not the right home for your sprawling 4,000-word lyric piece, even if the subject matter overlaps.

★ Check who they cite as influences or comparisons. Many magazines describe themselves in relation to other publications or writers. If your work doesn’t sit anywhere near that reference point, that’s information.

★ Look at the masthead. Editors bring their own taste. A magazine that changed editors last year may not be publishing the same kind of work it was known for two years ago.

Fit-checking takes twenty minutes. Prestige-chasing takes zero minutes and costs you months.

4 things to do instead of chasing the biggest name

1. Build a tiered list based on fit, not fame. Sort potential markets into three groups: strong fit, possible fit, reach. Submit across all three, but let fit — not prestige — decide the order you try them in. A perfect-fit smaller magazine will often say yes faster than a prestigious mismatch will say no.

2. Read an issue before you submit, not just the guidelines. Guidelines tell you the rules. An actual issue tells you the taste. If you can’t get past a paywall, read whatever’s free — an interview with the editor, a sample piece, their social posts about what they loved reading that month.

3. Track your rejections for patterns, not just totals. A form rejection means little. A personalized note, even a short one, is data. If two different magazines mention your ending feels rushed, that’s not bad luck — that’s a pattern worth revising for, regardless of where you submit next.

4. Let the piece choose the market, not the other way around. Before you open a submission tracker, ask what this specific piece needs: a magazine that likes structural risk, or one that likes clarity above all else? One that publishes long or short? Quiet or loud? Let the piece’s own qualities narrow the list before prestige ever enters the conversation.

The close

Chasing prestige feels like ambition. Most of the time, it’s just impatience wearing ambition’s clothes.

The writers who build real publication records aren’t the ones aiming for the biggest name every time. They’re the ones who learned to read a magazine the way an editor reads a submission — closely, and for fit, not flash.

Before your next submission, don’t ask “is this a good magazine?” Ask “does this magazine actually want what I wrote?”

That question alone will save you more rejections than any revision ever will.

We are very grateful that The Literary Times has grown a lot this year, with more of you reading, more of you sharing the lists, and more of you telling other writers to come find us. None of that was guaranteed, and none of it went unnoticed.

So as a thank-you, for a limited time:

Why this actually matters right now

Because with Lit Subs you’ll

• Never miss an opportunity; Weekly, curated publishing calls, funding opportunities, and career openings, the ones that close quietly while you're not looking.

• A real editorial shortlist; Hand-picked magazines and contests sorted by genre, pay, and fee status, updated on a schedule, not a whim.

• A resource library that doesn't go stale; Templates, guides, and reference material built for writers actually trying to get paid not generic advice recycled from ten other newsletters.

• Career-building support; The tools and context to treat your writing like the career you're trying to build, not just a hobby you submit to on weekends.

• A community that's actually doing the work; You're joining writers who are submitting, applying, and getting funded, not just bookmarking things for later.

So what are you waiting for?

We built this platform because we were tired of the two bad options every writer knows too well: pay to submit and hope, or dig through a hundred open tabs trying to find the opportunities that are actually worth your time. Lit Subs is the third option.

Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for building Lit Subs by The Literary Times with us. We don't take it lightly.

Until then,

Stay Literary!

*P.S. If you're already a member, forward this to a writer friend who isn't. This one's on us, not them.

The good news? There are journals out there actively looking for writers like you, with submission windows open this month, and editors who read with excitement instead of a red pen.

Below are 12 approachable, fee-free journals with acceptance rates that won’t make you weep— with real publication schedules and a genuine appetite for new voices.

★ Forge Literary Magazine

Founded: 2019

Payment: $100 per piece

Publishes: Fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, micro fiction Share Your Work with: forgelitmag.com

Why it’s good:

❖ Known for exceptionally fast editorial turnaround — publishes one story every week, chosen by a democratic writers’ forum.

❖ Frequently publishes emerging writers alongside established names, which strengthens portfolio credibility.

❖ Their flash fiction section is especially respected in indie lit circles.

❖ Zero submission fee and rolling submissions make it accessible year-round.

❖ Free submissions open on the 1st of each month (200 free subs per month quota).

★ The Brussels Review

Founded: 2024

Payment: Varies by piece

Publishes: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, reviews, art & photography Share Your Work with: thebrusselsreview.com

Why it’s good:

❖ Based in Belgium with an international editorial eye — great for writers with global or cross-cultural themes.

❖ Open submissions (small fee for some calls, but many are free) and they close early when quotas fill.

❖ Strong design sensibility and polished online presentation.

❖ Particularly committed to promoting non-native English writers and translations.

★ CommuterLit

Founded: 2010

Payment: No monetary payment

Publishes: Novel excerpts, short stories, poetry

Why it’s good:

❖ Literally built for busy people reading on phones — if your piece has punchy pacing and a strong hook, this is your market.

❖ ~48% acceptance rate for a legitimate, well-designed journal.

❖ Publishes work formatted for commute-length reading sessions (20–30 minutes).

❖ Strong platform for writers who understand narrative momentum.

❖ Posts a new story every weekday.

★ 50-Word Stories

Founded: 2009

Payment: One “Story of the Month” wins CAD $50

Publishes: Flash fiction — exactly 50 words

Why it’s good:

❖ Constraints breed creativity — a published piece here is a powerful clip for your bio.

❖ Monthly submission window (1st–15th of every month) means regular opportunities.

❖ Their ultra-short format is widely shared on social media, giving your work unexpected reach.

❖ One of the best low-risk, high-reward submissions for building publication credits.

❖ Accepts reprints and simultaneous submissions.

★ Academy of the Heart and Mind

Founded: 2020

Payment: Contributor copies / exposure

Publishes: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, art

Why it’s good:

❖ Their entire mission is to help new writers get published — if you’re early in your career, this is a soft landing.

❖ ~77% acceptance rate (based on tracker stats) for a journal with genuine editorial standards.

❖ Year-round submissions with no fee — no waiting for a narrow window.

❖ Known for warm, encouraging editorial feedback even on rejections.

❖ Accepts simultaneous submissions and previously published work.

★ Down in the Dirt

Founded: 1993

Payment: Contributor copies

Publishes: Fiction, poetry, essays, art

Why it’s good:

❖ One of the highest acceptance rates you’ll find for a legitimate journal — around 80%.

❖ Great for building confidence and publication credits without sacrificing editorial integrity.

❖ Zero submission fee and open year-round.

❖ Long-running track record of publishing raw, unpolished voices alongside refined work.

❖ Accepts simultaneous and previously published submissions.

❖ Work is published online for free, with optional print copies available for purchase.

★ Dark Horses

Founded: 2017

Payment: Contributor copies

Publishes: “Weird fiction” only

Why it’s good:

❖ If your work is strange, speculative, or uncanny, most literary journals will side-eye you. Dark Horses only want weird stuff.

❖ Over 50% acceptance rate for boundary-pushing, genre-bending work.

❖ Strong reputation in speculative and experimental lit circles.

❖ A rare home for fiction that doesn’t fit the traditional literary magazine mold.

❖ International literary magazine committed to British, Irish, and American poetry.

★ Nixies Mate Review

Founded: 2016

Payment: No monetary payment (provides free print copies to US residents)

Publishes: Short fiction, micro fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Why it’s good:

❖ Strong platform for flash and micro forms — if you write tight, send here.

❖ Around 50% acceptance rate with genuine editorial vision.

❖ Reopened submissions recently with no submission fee.

❖ Known for polished design and a commitment to both emerging and mid-career writers.

❖ Reads submissions blind — removes identifying info for fair evaluation.

❖ Publishes quarterly with a “small-batch artisanal” approach.

★ Bewildering Stories

Founded: 2002

Payment: Exposure

Publishes: Experimental and speculative writing

Why it’s good:

❖ Canadian-based e-zine with a long history of publishing boundary-pushing work.

❖ Around 50% acceptance rate for sci-fi, fantasy, and literary hybrids.

❖ One of the most established journals on this list — a publication here carries real weight.

❖ Open to experimental forms that mainstream journals reject outright.

❖ Long-running publication with consistent editorial standards.

★ LitBop

Founded: 2018

Payment: Free PDF of the issue

Publishes: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction

Why it’s good:

❖ Around 70% acceptance rate — one of the most welcoming journals for new writers.

❖ Every contributor gets a free PDF of the issue they appear in — great for sharing with your network.

❖ Zero submission fee and a genuine enthusiasm for discovering new voices.

❖ Strong social media presence that promotes contributors actively.

★ Children, Churches and Daddies

Founded: 1993

Payment: Exposure

Publishes: Poetry, prose, art

Why it’s good:

❖ Quirky, irreverent, and genuinely welcoming of unconventional voices.

❖ Around 70% acceptance rate — if your work doesn’t fit the MFA workshop mold, try here.

❖ Their tagline says it all: “The UN-religious, NON-family oriented literary and art magazine.”

❖ Long-running, consistent publication schedule with no submission fee.

❖ Accepts simultaneous and previously published submissions.

❖ Published under the Scars Publications umbrella alongside Down in the Dirt.

★ Chestnut Review (Bonus: Prestige Pick)

Founded: 2019

Payment: $120 per piece

Publishes: Poetry, flash fiction, creative nonfiction

Why it’s good:

❖ Known for exceptionally strong editorial standards despite being young.

❖ Frequently publishes award-winning poets and emerging writers together, which strengthens portfolio credibility.

❖ Their flash fiction section is especially respected in indie lit circles.

❖ Higher payment than most on this list — $120 per piece.

❖ Beautiful design and polished production values.

★ 128 LIT (Bonus: Prestige Pick)

Founded: 2022

Payment: $100

Publishes: Fiction, poetry, essays, memoirs, art

Why it’s good:

❖ Won the Firecracker Award for Best Debut Magazine and CLMP’s Best Debut/Magazine Award — immediate prestige.

❖ Known for very polished design and production values.

❖ Publishes fiction, poetry, essays, memoirs, and art — wide scope for multi-genre writers.

❖ A newer journal still building its roster — good time to get in early.

❖ Strong editorial vision and commitment to diverse voices.

A Few Honest Notes

❖ “Acceptance rate” isn’t destiny. A 70% rate doesn’t mean your unproofed draft gets in. It means the editors are actively looking for work to publish, not reasons to reject.

❖ Read the guidelines. Every single one of these journals has specific formatting, genre, or thematic preferences. Respect them.

❖ Start small, aim up. A clip from Down in the Dirt or Forge becomes a line in your bio that makes the next submission stronger.

What to Do This Week

A. Pick 3 journals from this list that match work you already have.

B. Read one recent issue of each to confirm fit.

C. Submit to one by Sunday.

D. Repeat next week.

Disclaimer: Submission windows, fees, and payment details change frequently. Always verify current guidelines on each journal’s website before submitting. Some journals listed may have temporary closures or quota-based submission windows.

Found this useful? Forward it to a writer friend who’s been “meaning to submit” since January

Stay Literary!

The number on your profile was never the point

You refresh the follower count.

It says the same thing it said an hour ago. You post anyway. You wait anyway. You check again.

Somewhere along the way, writers started measuring their careers with a metric built for influencers, not storytellers. A number that goes up when a stranger taps a button and goes down when they get bored. A number that says nothing about whether anyone actually read your last piece, felt something, or came back for the next one.

You do not need 10,000 followers to build a meaningful writing career. You need readers who trust your work and return for more.

That’s the whole guide. Here’s how to actually do it.

Why follower counts are a weak goal

Followers are a vanity metric wearing a productivity costume. Here’s what they don’t tell you:

• They don’t measure attention. Someone can follow you and never open another one of your pieces again.

• They don’t measure trust. A follow costs nothing. A person choosing to read your next essay costs their time.

• They don’t compound. A follower count resets its value every day. A reader relationship gets stronger every time you show up.

• They reward the algorithm, not the writer. Chase followers and you start writing for the feed. Chase readers and you start writing for the room.

Writers who build on followers are building on rented land. The platform can change its rules tomorrow. The readers who trust you will follow you anywhere.

What community actually looks like in practice

Community isn’t a Discord server or a big number. It’s smaller and quieter than that.

It looks like:

• A reader who replies to your newsletter instead of just opening it.

• Someone who shares your piece with one friend, not their whole feed.

• A comment section where people talk to each other, not just at you.

• Readers who remember your last essay when they show up for this one.

• People who miss you when you go quiet.

None of this shows up on a dashboard. All of it is what keeps a writing career alive past the first burst of attention.

4 moves that build readers instead of followers

1. Write like you’re talking to one person, not a crowd.

Vague writing performs for an audience. Specific writing connects with a person. Picture one real reader when you draft. Your tone gets warmer, your point gets sharper, and the people who feel spoken to will stay.

2. Reply before you post again.

Every comment, every email reply, every DM is a reader telling you they showed up. Answer them. Not with a canned “thanks so much!” — with an actual sentence that shows you read what they said. This is the single fastest way to turn a reader into a regular.

3. Give your readers a reason to come back, not just a reason to click.

A strong headline earns one visit. A consistent voice, a recurring format, or an ongoing thread earns a habit. Ask yourself: if someone read this piece, would they know to expect another one, and why they’d want it?

4. Go smaller before you go louder.

Ten readers who forward your work to a friend will grow your community faster than ten thousand who scroll past it. Before you chase reach, ask whether the people you already have are actually engaged. Fix that first.

5. Show your work, not just your wins.

Readers don’t bond with a highlight reel. They bond with a process. Talk about the draft that didn’t work, the idea you’re still chewing on, the thing you’re figuring out in public. That’s what makes someone feel like they’re inside something, not just watching it from outside.

The close

Nobody builds a following by accident, but nobody builds a community by accident either. It happens one reply, one honest sentence, one reader who felt like you were writing directly to them.

Stop counting who’s watching. Start noticing who’s staying.

Pick one reader who commented on your last piece and reply to them today. That’s the whole strategy, and it’s the only one that scales.

Part of that work is this: surfacing the opportunities worth your attention before they close, and being honest about which ones are actually winnable.

This is not an open marketplace. Anyone can find a list of submission calls. What we’re offering is the filter — deadlines verified today, payment confirmed, reach picks labeled as reach picks, so you’re not wasting a submission on a market that closed in June or a magazine that hasn’t bought from its slush pile in a decade.

We are building this for writers who aren’t just creating. You’re positioning. There’s a difference, and it shows in where you send your work.

Eight markets. All open right now. Here’s where to send the piece that’s been sitting in a folder called “FINAL”

★ The Paris Review — Poetry

Opens: July 1, 2026, until they reach capacity

Payment: Not publicly disclosed, but they pay

Publishes: Poetry, up to six poems per submission

Submit: https://theparisreview.submittable.com/submit

Why it’s good:

• One of the most recognized names in literary publishing, full stop.

• The prose window just closed June 30 — poetry is your entry point this month.

• Response times run long (up to six months), so send it and get back to work.

  ---

★ The New Yorker — Fiction & Poetry

Open: Year-round, unsolicited

Payment: Competitive, undisclosed exact rate

Publishes: Fiction (submit as PDF to fiction@newyorker.com), poetry via Submittable

Submit: Fiction — email fiction@newyorker.com

Poetry — https://newyorker.submittable.com/submit

Why it’s good (and the honest catch):

• Technically always open to unagented writers.

• The catch: most fiction acceptances trace back to agents, not the slush pile. Treat this as a reach submission, not a strategy.

• Still worth one shot a year if you have a story you believe in.

  ---

★ A Public Space — Open Call

Deadline: July 13, 2026, 11:59pm ET

Payment: Not publicly disclosed, no submission fee

Publishes: One previously unpublished piece — fiction or nonfiction up to 6,000 words, or up to five poems

Submit: https://apublicspace.org/about/submit

Why it’s good:

• Independent, nonprofit, and known for backing work that takes real risks.

• Only one submission per person allowed — makes you choose your strongest piece instead of spraying and praying.

• Replies to everyone by the end of August, which is faster than most markets this size.

★ Flash Fiction Online — “Aftermath” themed call

Open: July 1–31, 2026 (closes early if they hit their monthly cap)

Payment: $100 per accepted story

Publishes: Flash fiction, 500–1,000 words, any genre

Why it’s good:

• Long-running, professional-rate flash market — a rare combination.

• Themed call gives you a clear target: stories about what comes after rupture.

• They cap submissions fast, so don’t sit on this one.

★ Split Rock Review

Open: Rolling reading period, open now

Payment: Free submission tier (100 free slots per period), plus paid expedited options

Publishes: Poetry, short fiction (under 2,000 words), creative nonfiction, comics, hybrids, visual art

Submit: https://www.splitrockreview.org/submit

Why it’s good:

• Focused on place, environment, and the human relationship to the natural world.

• Genuinely welcomes hybrid and cross-genre work most journals reject on sight.

• The free tier means no barrier to entry if you’re submitting on a budget.

★ Blink-Ink — “Home” themed call

Deadline: July 15, 2026

Payment: No fee to submit, fast response

Publishes: Micro fiction, approximately 50 words, sent in the body of an email

Submit: https://blink-ink.org/submissions/

Why it’s good:

• If you’ve never tried extreme flash, this is the lowest-stakes way to start.

• Fifty words forces precision — a genuinely useful craft exercise even if it doesn’t place.

• Fast, no-fee, no-nonsense submission process.

★ Barrelhouse — Nonfiction

Open: Currently open for nonfiction (fiction and poetry have already hit their cap)

Payment: $50 per contributor, plus two print copies for print issues

Publishes: Creative nonfiction with a pop-culture hook and a sense of humor

Submit: https://barrelhouse.submittable.com/submit

Why it’s good:

• Indie darling known for voice-driven, funny, weird, hard-to-categorize work.

• The non-fiction category specifically wants your idiosyncratic relationship to a piece of pop culture — not a review, a personal essay.

• One of the few markets that’s explicit about paying and explicit about refusing to charge submission fees.

★ SmokeLong Quarterly

Open: Now, through August 15, 2026 (small fee applies; free windows open quarterly)

Payment: $100–$150 per accepted piece

Publishes: Flash fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid narratives up to 1,000 words

Submit: https://smokelong.submittable.com/submit

Why it’s good:

• Reads around 12,000 submissions a year and still responds fast — often within days.

• Editors read anonymously, so the work has to carry itself.

• A real name in flash fiction with a real pay rate to match.

Not all of them will say yes — that’s not how this works, and anyone telling you otherwise is selling something. But a folder full of unsent work has a 0% acceptance rate every single time.

The Literary Times exists as more than a magazine — it’s a growing ecosystem for people deeply invested in writing, ideas, and the evolving landscape of literary culture online. We’ll keep tracking the opportunities, the fine print that determines your work.

Go submit something today. Reply and tell us where you sent it — we read every one, and we’re paying attention to who’s positioning themselves and who’s just posting about it.

Stay Literary!

Submissions for Issue 08: Half-Being are now officially open.

We chose this theme because some states of existence resist completion. The selves we abandon. The lives we almost lived. The memories that return altered. The versions of us suspended between becoming and disappearing.

Half-Being invites work that dwells in uncertainty, fragmentation, transition, and contradiction. We are interested in liminal spaces, unfinished identities, divided loyalties, fractured realities, and all the strange territories that exist between presence and absence.

As always, we are looking for work that is daring, emotionally intelligent, and impossible to forget. We value originality over convention, depth over decoration, and writing that lingers long after the final line.

Whether you are submitting poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, or experimental work, we encourage you to approach the theme in your own way. Surprise us.

SUBMIT HERE

We are also officially open for cover art submissions for Issue 08. If you are a visual artist, illustrator, photographer, or creator working in any medium, we invite you to respond to the theme through your art. The selected work will appear as the cover of the issue, while shortlisted cover art submissions will be published inside the magazine with full credit to their creators.

SUBMIT YOUR COVER ART HERE!

Submissions are now being accepted and will remain open until the announced deadline, 30th June, 2026!

We look forward to reading and seeing the worlds you bring with you.

Until then, stay literary!

Long time no see. We have a news for you (its upto you to guess if its bad or not). We are revamping this space. AGAIN! But this time, we came up with some better ideas and planssss.

What existed before felt scattered, a bit too overwhelming and obviously unfocused. Something felt missing, our signature literary style or our chaotic posts? Guess we’ll never know. So we’ve decided to divide The Literary Times Substack into three distinct sections, each with a clear function, each with a reason to exist.

I. The Magazine Updates
This is where the chaos of The Literary Times will live. Updates, announcements, quiet spoilers, everything circling our upcoming issues, editorial direction, and the work we are shaping behind the scenes.

II. Where to Submit?
Many of you asked for this, consistently, insistently. A space that filters out the noise, and something that is not hidden behind some paywall. So here it is: a weekly, carefully curated list of submission opportunities for writers. Free, accessible, and worth your time.

III. Submission Strategy
Writing is not enough. Knowing where and how to place that writing is a different craft altogether. This section will hold weekly guides, strategies, and practical insights, designed to help you navigate publishing with clarity instead of guesswork.

No paywalls. No locked doors. Access remains open.

Alongside this, we are quietly expanding.

The Literary Times is now looking for volunteers:

• Submission Reader (Essay Section)

• Newsletter Writers

If you’ve been observing from a distance, this is your moment to step closer and join us. Full details are available on our Instagram. Check full details below:

check here

Now its completely upto you, wanna join our literary movement and get the perks while being a major part of our literary world?

Subscribe now

Too competitive. Too complicated. Too late.

But that’s not entirely true.

Right now, 5 high-value writing scholarships, some paying up to $20,000, are still open. Not for long. And not many people are paying attention.

check them now!

Which is exactly why this matters.

These are not generic, overcrowded funding pools. These are targeted opportunities for writers, the kind that support your craft, your education, and your long-term career.

And yet, they quietly close while most writers are still “thinking about applying.”

Here’s what you’re missing out on:
– Funding for MFA programs, residencies, and independent writing projects
– Scholarships that prioritize voice, originality, and depth (not just credentials)
– Opportunities open to international applicants (yes—even if you’re outside the US/UK)
– Deadlines that are days or weeks away

We’ve compiled a carefully filtered list of 5 scholarships that:
• Offer serious financial support (up to $20,000)
• Are currently open—but closing soon
• Are actually worth your time (no fluff, no low-impact awards)

check full list now!

Inside, you’ll get:
– Full eligibility breakdowns
– Direct application links
– Deadline alerts
– Strategic notes on what each scholarship is really looking for

Because applying blindly is a waste of your work.

If you’re serious about writing not just as a passion, but as something you want to build, fund, and sustain this is the kind of access you need.

Deadlines are closer than you think. And opportunities like this don’t wait for hesitation.

see full list here!

Stay Literary!

Right now, 8+ zero-fee literary contests are in their final submission window, offering prizes of up to $11,000 but most writers will miss them. Not because they aren’t good enough, but because they never even see the opportunities in time.

This is where you don’t make that mistake.

check them now!

We’ve curated a tight, high-value list of contests that:
– Require no submission fee
– Offer serious payouts (not token amounts)
– Are still open—but closing soon
– Accept a range of genres (poetry, fiction, essays, hybrid work)

These aren’t the overhyped, low-return competitions floating around everywhere. These are strategic submissions the kind that can actually shift your writing career, build your portfolio, and put money in your pocket.

check here!

But here’s the thing:
We don’t publish our best lists publicly.

Because serious writers don’t need noise they need access.

Inside, you’ll find:
• 8+ carefully selected contests (with deadlines approaching fast)
• Prize breakdowns and eligibility details
• Direct submission links
• Notes on what each contest actually favors (so you don’t waste submissions)

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start submitting your work seriously—this is it.

Unlock the full list here;

access here!

Don’t sit on this. Deadlines don’t extend for hesitation.

What makes newer indie magazines particularly exciting is their openness to experimentation. Many of them are built by writers and editors who are deeply invested in fresh voices, unconventional forms, and emotionally daring work. Because they are still growing, they often feel less rigid than legacy journals more willing to take risks, more eager to champion writers who haven’t yet found a home in traditional literary circles.

For writers trying to build a strong portfolio, these magazines can be invaluable. Publishing in newer journals not only places your work in vibrant, forward-thinking communities, but it also allows you to grow alongside publications that are actively shaping the next generation of literary culture.

In this list, we have gathered 10 newer indie literary magazines that are worth submitting to, publications that stand out for their editorial vision, aesthetic sensibility, and commitment to publishing work that feels urgent, original, and alive.

★ Chestnut Review

Founded: 2019

Payment: $120 per piece

Publishes: Poetry, flash fiction, creative nonfiction

Why it’s good:

• Known for exceptionally strong editorial standards despite being young.

• Frequently publishes award-winning poets and emerging writers together, which strengthens portfolio credibility.

• Their flash fiction section is especially respected in indie lit circles.

★ 128 LIT

Founded: 2022

Payment: $100

Publishes: Fiction, poetry, essays, memoirs, art

Why it’s good:

• Won the Firecracker Award for Best Debut Magazine, which immediately gave it prestige. 128 LIT also won CLMP’s Best Debut/Magazine Award for their inaugural print issue.

• Known for very polished design and editorial curation.

• Editors are selective, so an acceptance looks strong on a CV.

CHECK FULL LIST HERE!

We’ve rounded up 8+ paying literary submission calls that are closing very soon, offering you a chance to get your work published and earn $100–$400 per piece. From short stories to poetry and essays, these opportunities could be your next big break.

check here!

Here’s why you don’t want to miss out:

• Paying Opportunities: Every submission offers real compensation, not just exposure.

• Deadlines Approaching: Most close within the next week, so act fast.

• Curated Picks: We’ve hand-selected only the best calls, saving you hours of research.

Ready to submit? Click below to access all 8+ calls with editorial notes, direct links, and deadlines.

Access Submission Calls Now

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, these calls could be the perfect platform to get your work noticed, paid, and celebrated. Don’t let deadlines pass you by!

P.S. Our curated submission lists are sent weekly, so subscribing ensures you never miss high-paying opportunities again.

subscribe now!

Stay Literary!

Some of the most respected and recognizable names in the literary world are currently hiring, from major publishing houses to iconic journals and cultural organizations. Some of these roles are paying up to $100,000 annually. These aren’t just jobs; they’re opportunities to step inside the industry that discovers writers, edits manuscripts, curates voices, and defines literary culture.

Real jobs. Real salaries. Real influence.

check here now!

But here’s the quiet truth:
Most writers find out about these roles too late, or worse, they apply without understanding how to position themselves strategically.

We’ve identified opportunities that:

• Are currently open and actively reviewing applications
• Pay competitively (with some reaching six figures)
• Strengthen your literary credibility instantly
• Can pivot your career from “freelancer” to institutional insider

And yes, several deadlines are closing very soon.

We don’t just post links.
We study the institution.
We analyze what they value.
We understand the profile they’re looking for.

Inside this list, we share:

— Carefully curated hiring alerts from respected literary institutions
— Deadlines you won’t see circulating widely
— Strategic positioning notes
— Opportunities reserved for those who take their literary careers seriously

check full list now!

If you want to stop chasing scattered gigs and start building long-term literary capital, this is your move.

Stay literay,
The Literary Times.

And if you are not listening carefully, you miss it.

Right now, 10+ major fellowships and residencies for writers, some paying up to $80,000, are approaching their deadlines. These aren’t vague “opportunities.” These are serious programs backed by respected institutions, foundations, and cultural organizations that invest directly in writers, giving you time, space, funding, and recognition to focus entirely on your work. These programs aren’t easily available in any listing so held your seats tightly cause we coming for you.

check full list here!

Inside this list, you’ll find:

• Fully funded residencies with housing and stipends

• Prestigious fellowships offering substantial financial awards

• Programs open to fiction writers, poets, nonfiction authors, playwrights, and interdisciplinary creatives

• Opportunities for emerging as well as established writers

Each listing includes clear details on eligibility, funding structure, deadlines, and what kind of work or profile the program tends to support so you’re not applying blindly.

Funding like this can mean:

• Months (or a year) dedicated solely to writing

• Freedom from financial pressure

• Major credibility on your CV

• Access to influential literary networks

But here’s the truth: By the time most writers hear about these opportunities, the deadlines are already gone.

That’s exactly why our members never miss them.

If you’re serious about funding your writing instead of just “submitting and hoping,” come step inside. The deadlines are closing. The opportunities are real. And the writers who move early are the ones who win.

check paying opportunities now!

Stay literary,
The Literary Times

As the seasons shift, so do the conversations we’re curating for you, sharper essays, revolutionary poetry, and the kind of work that lingers long after the page is closed. This month, we’re especially proud of Issue 07 “Obsession”, a collection that dives deep into the feeling of obsession in all its beautiful and brutal forms. If you haven’t explored it yet, consider this your sign.

check ISSUE 07 here

And don’t forget to spend some time with our Special Edition, a carefully crafted volume that holds some of our most daring and visually striking pieces to date, the WORKS of our CONCRETE POETRY CONETEST WINNERS.

check out SPECIAL EDITION here

As always, thank you for reading, supporting, and believing in literature that unsettles and endures. BUT now is the time to get started with this month’s newsletter which got some really amazing stuff for our dearest readers. Our newsletter filled with some gossip, career tips, writing opportunities (and more!) is now here:

Hot takes nobody asked for

by Ela Jade Ünal

It’s not that hard, and it’s not that deep (it can’t be)

I’m one of those people who endlessly talk themselves out of a project because they get overwhelmed by its scope. I think a lot of us are. An occupational hazard of being a writer is tripping over the pile of half-written stories and half-fleshed-out characters we keep, smelling them rotting away under the fridge.

We collect our stories like sick little tokens — little reminders of what could have been. Those stories are eternally more compelling “ones that got away” than any ex or high school crush. I like to revisit my shrine of unfinished stories to pay my respects once in a while. They smile back at me, weakly, through crooked teeth and hopeful eyes, begging me for attention.

Luckily for us, unlike most other piles of (half) forgotten things, this shrine of shame that fills us with a touch of dread and guilt every time we cast our glances at it, is actually constructive in its cumulation. The story pile grows and mutates into some new ecosystem of characters and plot points with every discarded project.

Fermentation - “my favorite biological process”

Every time you add an idea to the pile, they meld together in the background. Marinate or fester, depending on how you want to look at it. They might even turn into something cool if you let them.

Most of the ideas that come to you can be made into a coherent story, even if they look like they have nothing to do with each other. You, the author, are the red thread. The stories you want to tell are a result of your interests and your lived experiences. Your familiarity with the subject matter does not cheapen your craft. They say “write what you know” for a reason.

The idea of biting into the project — which one, that’s another battle entirely — and choking on what reveals itself as more than you can chew is the deterrent that we must all face and get past.

All of that said, here’s my hot take: it’s not that hard, and it’s not that deep. At least not the first draft. It can’t be. Because if it is so painstakingly difficult, that horrendously complex, it’s not going to get done. Allow yourself the pleasure of writing, allow yourself to follow what feels easy. The tortured writer stereotype doesn’t have to be in the room with us all the time. Let her take the night off.

Go scorched earth, go fast and dirty. Chase the dopamine. When you’re stuck, make yourself write badly, just make yourself write. A couple of years ago, I was working on a particularly scary project with a particularly loud deadline attached to it. I got stuck, lost in the trenches with my deadline looming. A friend told me to just write and to make it bad intentionally. My inner perfectionist screeched at the thought of it, but the approach got me where I needed to go.

So, make it messy, make it imperfect, but make it. And make it fun, otherwise what’s the point?

Lit gossip (yes real gossip)

by Maria Chołdzyńska

Like many young Polish people, I have a one-sidedly antagonistic relationship with the Age of Romanticism. As a proponent of the New York School over John Keats, it is no surprise that all the flowery laments of the Romantics manage to do for me is get on my nerves. Maybe it is simply the issue of having been first acquainted with them around the tender age of fifteen: the heart of everything seeming like an attack on me, specifically. Or maybe it is the oeuvre of Adam Mickiewicz, whose “Pan Tadeusz” is required reading in most if not all Polish high schools, and whose status as Poland’s greatest poet still mystifies me. It cannot be said that the title is technically undeserved — Mickiewicz was supremely skilled, but of Poland’s “Three Bards,” I much prefer Juliusz Słowacki, eleven years Mickiewicz’s junior and a fellow émigré to Paris. It amuses me to no end to say that the literary duel was already alight at the time: not really between their readers, but between the poets themselves. Słowacki, a great admirer of Mickiewicz, nevertheless dared to criticize him, calling his style at times convoluted and unclear; Mickiewicz, of course, gave back in kind, summing Słowacki’s work up as pretty but soulless. It all culminated on Christmas Eve 1840, when both men were invited to a glamorous dinner celebrating at once Christmas and Mickiewicz’s birthday as well as his recent lecture at the Collège de France. After midnight, all the guests sat down at the table and an old friend of Mickiewicz gave a lengthy rhymed toast. No sooner had Mickiewicz thanked him than Słowacki stood up to deliver a speech of his own. Once again, he both complimented and affronted the guest of honor. When he was done, a third monologue followed — this time by Mickiewicz himself. He retaliated, allegedly speaking so beautifully that at the end of his oration, everyone was in tears… including Słowacki. He and Mickiewicz fell into each other’s arms and thus ended their animosity.

The whole affair was no doubt helped along by its copious amounts of wine.

Submissions/volunteer opportunities

by Olivia Caldwell

This week, our writing opportunities focus on novel competitions with incredible prizes and independent magazine submissions. Remember to ensure that your writing aligns with these opportunities and double-check submission guidelines to give yourself the best possible chance at getting your work out there!

Novel Competitions:

★ The Libraro Prize 2026

(8^th January 2026 – 16^th February 2026)

Early entries are open now for the Libraro Prize, an incredible opportunity for international unagented writers aged 18+ to win a £50,000 publishing package. This FREE prize is open to writers of both YA and Adults genres. Writers must submit the first 10,000 words of their manuscript and a full first draft, along with a cover letter and 500-word blurb. This competition is unique because it is judged mainly by readers, who will be invited to read and engage with submissions. Therefore, you can also sign up to be a reader of the prize, and there are two prizes word £10,000 each for readers who have shown excellent engagement with submissions. Find out more on the Libraro website. This is a prize that any aspiring novelist won’t want to miss!

★ The Bath Novel Award 2026

(1^st December 2025 – 31^st May 2026)

The Bath Novel Award 2026 offers a £5000 first prize and is open to unagented international writers of every age, nationality, gender, and residency. Manuscripts can be any YA or adult genre, and if you have more than one project you’re working on, you can submit multiple novels at once. Initially, writers will be required to submit the first 5,000 words of their novel, along with a one-word synopsis. Longlisted entrants will be contacted late spring and asked to submit their full manuscripts. Amanda Harris, at Maven Literary Management, will be judging the competition, and the overall winner will be announced in September 2026. Novel prizes like this are the perfect way to get your manuscript out of the dreaded slush pile and into the hands of agents. There is a £33 fee per novel, however there are sponsored entries available for low-income writers.

Magazine Opportunities:

★ Exist Otherwise

(16^th January 2026 – 28^th February 2026)

This independent magazine publishes any genre or style of writing, such as personal essays, poetry, prose, creative non-fiction, scripts, that discuss themes of identity, trauma, dreams, and what it means to be an individual navigating the strange world we live in. The theme of the upcoming issue is ‘I no longer exist? Perfect, now nothing can come between us!’ If you wish to submit writings under 500 words, then feel free to send over three per issue. If your work is 500-1000 words, then please only submit one piece. While Exist Otherwise are open to almost every type of writing, please note that they do not accept anything in the horror genre. While this isn’t a paid opportunity, it is a wonderful chance to be published at an independent online magazine with a unique vision.

★ Litro Magazine

Deadline – 15^th February

Litro is a magazine that supports both emerging and established writers, and publishes across Europe, the UK and the United States. Each issue explores a different theme, so for the spring publication, ensure that you submit work that fits with their ‘Future Archives’ theme. Consider stories that discuss identities, technology and memories. Fiction, flash fiction and creative non-fiction word must be up to 3000 words, with only one submission per issue. Please also include a short author bio. This magazine aims to publish a range of diverse voices and encourages ‘bold storytelling’ and ‘the unexpected.’ This is an exciting opportunity to be published in a print magazine the distributes internationally.

Monthly tip/prompt for writers

by Zabrina Barbian

This month in this section we got amazing and serious tips for writers, read below:

Schedule time to write

Writing daily is a writer’s most important task. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to have some substance, some meaning for you. Whether I’m working on a piece or journaling, I find that getting some writing done every day works the creative and analytical parts of my brain. It was a habit I had to get into, starting with disciplining myself to sit and get something on the page for about half an hour. Sometimes the writing flowed, and other times it was a lot of staring at the page, willing myself to come up with something. But, just like any skill, it gets easier. Find a time that works in your schedule and dedicate it to sitting down with a journal (preferably), your laptop, or even your phone, and just write.

If you’re not sure when to schedule your daily writing, try first thing in the morning. You don’t even need to get out of bed. When I was in undergrad, I took a class with Robert Olen Butler, and one piece of advice he felt strongly about was writing when you first wake up. It’s the best time to write, he believed, because you’re still not fully conscious. You enter a dream-space where you’re writing from your unconscious, and language flows from you more freely. I tried this back when I took his class, and in my experience, I was less concerned about the quality in the moment, and just let the writing happen. If you’re still curious about Butler’s “dream-space” concept, his craft book From Where You Dream goes more in-depth about it and also has some other writing advice.

Ignore the Flies

Okay, so you scheduled writing time. Great. But say you finally go to do it. Your journal is open, pen in hand, and you start writing, but crap. You forgot to put the laundry in. Or you need to see if you got an email back from your professor. Or maybe you remembered that you have leftovers in the fridge that you’ve been dying to eat. So you go to put the laundry in, you reply to your professor, you heat up your leftovers, and next thing you know, your scheduled writing time is over, and your next commitment is coming up.

All these distractions are flies, at least, that’s what Bonnie Friedman equates them to in her book, Writing Past Dark. These distractions are really reflections of our inner insecurities. We want to control what’s around us because we fear writing and the expectations we’ve set for ourselves. But here’s the thing, writing is about letting go. We need to fall with it or else we continue to get caught up with all the “flies” that are taking space on the inside and outside.

There are always going to be little things you need to do. Just not when you should be writing.

Create your ambiance

Ask yourself, what helps you while you’re writing? Now, this might take a while to answer, but when you find the things that help you get into the zone, it makes all the difference. Maybe it’s having a candle lit beside you to add a cozy feel. Maybe it’s drinking a hot cup of tea. Whatever these things are, they help pull you into the right headspace.

Sometimes, you might need to curate different environments for different writing goals. When I want to write fantasy, I might put on Game of Thrones as a background show to inspire me and make me feel some of that broody energy. If I’m journaling, I like to put some lofi or some R&B on and sip on some tea. The goal is to let myself feel comfortable enough to let go and fall into what I’m writing. Make note of the things that inspire you and relax you. What helps your brain click into the flow state? Create an ambience that lets you make the most of your writing time.

Prompts!

For prose:

Mary has been having dreams, vivid dreams of a repressed childhood memory. She tries to explain it to her brother, Peter, but he’s being oddly dismissive about it.

For poetry:

Write about the cold.

End Notes

We are really happy with the response we got last month and thought why not bring more literary talk towards you. Now, have your moment to think and zone out, our end notes is a safe space left open on purpose. Where you can reflect what’s currently being said and talked about. Let your mind rest, and let your soul speak for itself.

Until next month.
Stay literary.

So this month our newsletter has bring forth some really amazing stuff for our dearest readers. Our newsletter is now filled with some gossip, career tips, writing opportunities and more! What follows isn’t an announcement, update or a manifesto. It’s simply a record of what’s circulating, what’s being avoided, and what’s still trying to speak despite that. So lets get ahead!

Hot takes nobody asked for

by Maria Chołdzyńska

Not entirely of my own volition, I have recently found myself reading Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. Published in 1953, the novel constitutes the first time the world has been introduced to infamous superspy, gambler, and womanizer James Bond. I have to admit that I have been a fan of 007 since my early years: I remember sitting down with my parents and watching a Bond movie every weekend, until we ran out of material and had to repeat our favorites, when I was a child of around ten years old. Did the campy 1970s violence alter my personhood? Not really, but that is not my point here, anyway. The matter I do want to raise is just how outrageously, well, male Fleming’s book is. I am by no means reactionarily attached to the notion of gender roles, but in reading his simplistically straightforward prose, I am all but slapped across the face by cigar-smoking, whisky-sipping vintage machismo. The cherry on top of the no-nonsense cake can only be explicit misogyny, as dry in its expression as the rest of the novel. To quote Bond’s ruminations directly: “Women were for recreation. On a job, they got in the way and fogged things up with sex and hurt feelings and all the emotional baggage they carried around. One had to look out for them and take care of them.” How charming. This attitude should, perhaps, not surprise me at all, considering the source material; I nevertheless manage to be blown away by the matter-of-fact brazenness of the sentiment. I can only imagine the gems I will encounter as I read on, carrying my emotional baggage along with me.

Lit gossip (yes real gossip)

by Olivia Caldwell

Truman Capote once said that ‘all literature is gossip.’ Well, from toxic masculinity discourse over the Booker Prize winner to certain fanfictions of a certain world-renown book series, December 2025 was filled to the brim with both.

Taylor Swift’s new documentary, The Eras Tour: The Final Show, has been dropping weekly episodes throughout December, and swifties are going insane over it. One author has reaped the benefits of swiftiemania this month. Liz Moore, whose novel The God of The Woods was released in July 2024, has received her own sprinkle of Eras tour magic after Taylor Swift fans identified her audiobook from a few crackly lines through Taylor’s dressing room speaker during episode one of the documentary. Yes, the book had already been a success, selling 1.5 million copies, but nothing compares to Taylor-Swift-fan-level-sales. Apparently, Moore woke up with a ‘surge of sales across all platforms’, posting on her Instagram thanking swifties for their ‘sharp eyes and ears and love of reading. As for The God of the Woods’ future, the novel is set to be adapted for Netflix. Over the years, Taylor has proved that she is a fan of all-things-literary. Hopefully, she will do the good deed of teaching Travis Kelce how to read.

Now, for the nitty gritty. Literary drama found buried in the depths of booktwitter and booktok. Readers are questioning booktoker Jack Edwards’ collaboration with Kindle, after he posted a sponsored TikTok advertising the Kindle as the perfect Christmas gift. There are mixed opinions on this one: Amazon is a corporation owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos who has been criticized in the past for his effects on the environment, workers’ labour, and his questionable personal life over the last few years (among other criticisms). Then, there are some that applaud Kindle and Kindle Unlimited for its accessible platform for indie authors. Either way, Jack Edwards and his Amazon collaboration has been fuelling discourse online, with both sides incredibly passionate about their opinions. In the past, Edwards has been outspoken against Amazon, mocking Goodreads for being bought out by the company, and encouraging his followers to shop indie instead (another point made by commenters on Edwards’ Kindle advertisement, who claim that Amazon is detrimental to independent book shops and small presses), so his choice to enthusiastically advertise the Kindle is questionable. I can imagine the paycheck offered for this video was hefty enough to endure the hundreds of comments screaming HYPOCRITE on his TikTok page.

The jury’s out on Kindle and its impact on literature now, all other reasons to boycott Jeff Bezos aside. Without Kindle Unlimited, Andy Weir’s The Martian wouldn’t be as huge as it was. The novel was first published for free on Weir’s blog, then self-published on Kindle Unlimited, which led to his eventual deal with Penguin Random House. Freida McFadden released her first book on Kindle Unlimited in 2013, which led to the explosive success of The Housemaid, later published traditionally with Bookouture and adapted into a film with an all-star cast. Oh, and what would we do without Fifty Shades of Grey?

To add to this ever-snowballing controversy, in December 2025, Kindle introduced the Ask This Book and Recap Series features. Fuelled by – you guessed it – A.I. Hated by creatives everywhere, A.I is doing damage to our planet in too many ways to list. Not to mention, these features take away a reader’s need to think, as they practically explain entire books. Yay for lazy college students, I guess. If these feature sticks around, say goodbye to the reading comprehension of generations to come. This one is less of a two-sided argument, and more of a readers-against-Amazon situation, with social media users encouraged to send complaints via their Kindle Unlimited app to protest the use of AI. Maybe they’ll listen.

To end on a lighter note, throughout 2025, we have seen a welcome rise in the Literary Scene. While some claim that thanks to a dramatic cut in book sales and budgets, publishers can no longer fund suave book launch parties, others are willing to embrace our own post-Covid, post-internet interpretation of raging literary scenes of the past.

In London, the Soho Reading Series has attracted hundreds of literary fans to events ranging from book launches to poetry readings to parties. Attendees can be seen in three-piece suits and velvet dresses and cowboy hats, drinking red wine and listening to exciting new writers. In New York, book launches, panels and book clubs have brought readers together. Substack has become the new It-Platform. It’s now chic to scour through a variety of writing forms, spanning from newsletters to tips from world-famous authors. Here, there is also the opportunity for community, through comments and restacking and the chance to read from the perspectives of writers from different walks of life.

No, it’s not Paris in the 1920s or New York in the 1960s. We have yet to see a modern-day Patti Smith or an F. Scott Fitzgerald or a Joan Didion. While there is an apparent lack of creative hedonism, maybe 2026 will be the year of all things literary and extravagant.

Submissions/volunteer opportunities

by Zabrina Barbian

Oh, wow, it’s 2026 already? Well, doesn’t time fly by?

If you’re reading this, then you probably added to your 2026 New Year’s resolution list to finally get published or to be published by a specific literary magazine. What’s wonderful about entering a new year is that there’s no shortage of places you can submit to. Literary magazines all over are hungry for fresh pieces that are sweeping in with the fresh winter winds.

But, while you’re riding that high of new things and starting to check off some of those literary New Years goals, you want to make sure that you’re submitting to the right places. Here, we have just a handful of magazines that are accepting new pieces in the month of January.

For you poetry writers, we have:

★ Gather

The Gather Lit Mag publishes “bold and gutsy” poems by writers worldwide on their substack. What’s neat about Gather is that they include interviews with the poet when they publish the poems and sometimes invite them on their Podcast, Gather Poets. They do have a five dollar submission fee if you aren’t a member, but they also pay poets $35 CAD when they publish. Gather is a great spot for emerging writers who want to get their name out there.

Open for submissions: Always Open

★ Passages North

Passages North is a magazine by Michigan State University that publishes one issue annually since 1979. They love to uplift BIPOC, disabled, Queer, and economically marginalized writers and make an effort to publish writers from every demographic. Passages North magazine was voted into the top five magazines for the “I Just Love Them” category of the 2025 Annual Best Lit Mag Awards created by the beloved Instagram account chillsubs_official.

Open for submissions: September 1, 2025 - April 15, 2026 (shorts, poetry, non fiction/hybrid); January 1, 2026 - February 15, 2026 (fiction)

For those of you who write short stories and prose, we have:

★ Little Fruits Magazine

Emerging writers are encouraged to look for Little Fruits Magazine. They are a little literary mag that accepts flash fiction, short fiction and short non fiction. They have a beautiful, well-curated page and post all of their stories in what they call “the orchard.” What better place to plant your seeds as a writer? They’re a peach.

Open for submissions: January 15, 2026 - January 31, 2026

★ Page Turner Magazine

Published at Emerson, Page Turner Magazine pushes for genre forward fiction, which is great for anyone who’s been working in the realms of science fiction, mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, and/or romance. This magazine is open for undergraduate and graduate students from any school.

Open for submissions: November 3, 2025 - January 31, 2026

Here are two contests open until the end of January:

★ Midsummer Dream House

This publishing house is open for fiction and poetry submissions. The only guidelines for the contests are that submitters must be over the age of 18, cannot use Artificial Intelligence, and meet the length requirements of 100-10,000 words for fiction and 1-3 poems for poetry. This gives you as the writer creative freedom, submit what feels right.

Open for submissions: Until January 31, 2026

★ Dreamers Writing Contest: Stories of Migration, Sense of Place and Home

Write about migration, write about place, write about home. Dreamers Magazine is accepting stories, poems, essays, or comics that invoke heartfelt thoughts and emotions about place and migration. The winner of this contest receives $250 along with their piece being published. There is a $20 entrance fee for this contest, and it comes with a one year electronic subscription to the magazine.

Open for submissions: Until January 31, 2026

As always, remember to read the full submissions guidelines before you submit your work to make sure you qualify. Literary magazines usually have expectations for things like font and spacing, so you just need to edit your document a bit before sending it off. Most, if not all, of these will not accept work that has been done with or assisted with Artificial Intelligence. Submit your own work, not a computer’s or something else’s work. Publishers want to hear from you, your experiences, your words, your art.

Another thing to note is arguably the most important thing to hear as you are submitting this year. Don’t feel discouraged if you get rejected! Rejection is redirection and with the plethora of literary magazines at your fingertips, there is one that will be happy to take your work. So, send your work to the magazines that make sense for you and if it doesn’t work out, send it somewhere else. After all, it’s only January.

Monthly tip/prompt for writers

by Ela Jade Ünal (@elajadeunal)

★ Succumbing to the Itch

Writing is the great abyss. It’s the grueling practice of having a vision filled with uncertainties and unknowns, and having to trust your own taste, skills, and pathways to navigate them. The love/hate relationship between the author and the empty page is the direct result of the promise of endless possibility; it’s a slab of clay, and we are meant to sculpt it. With a shrug, we surrender to the fact that writing is in our marrow; a necessity and not a choice. So we do our best to decipher a way to scratch that itch whilst ideally maintaining some semblance of sanity.

★ Ones and Zeros

When I get lost in the pages and I can no longer see the forest for the trees, I like to think of my writing simply as output in reaction to input. Sometimes the only way to surmount the famously arduous birthing process of writing is by making it as clinical as possible. Ones and zeros. I perceive the world, I run it through my software, then I relay the information I’ve gathered – as I see it and find it interesting – to paper. This principle of simplification allows me to perceive clearly what is presented to me (often by myself) with opacity. I find it to be a necessary distance to position myself in, so that I can put pen to paper and take my projects word by word. A simple starting point to the day-to-day practice of writing helps me gather my bearings and familiarise myself with the terrain of a new project. I find that the more grounded I am in a mental homebase that feels easy to navigate, the more I can go out and explore the abstract and experimental routes without losing the trail.

★ Read Like a Chef

Another way I find this approach useful is when I am reading. Francis Bacon said that “some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested”. As writers, we read in all three settings. The “ones and zeros” approach, I find, makes it easier to maintain an overview when cursorily tasting a book, –gathering a feel for what works and what falls flat– whilst the pieces we chew and digest benefit us greatly when we stop to ask it questions along the way. What purpose did this paragraph serve? How did it change the stakes for the protagonist? Why do I think the author chose that turn of phase? What are some alternative ways of saying that? How would I have said it?...

Reading is the hunting and gathering of writing. It’s the fuel with which we operate the machinery of a piece. As often-iterated as this advice is, one cannot write without reading. Whilst inspiration can be found anywhere; on the streets, in your home, in your past; reading is how we put our finger on the pulse of what’s been done, what we want, and what is possible. As a writer, to read is to study. It’s field research. To read with intention is to pinpoint what you are moved by and to provide yourself with a precedent from which to emulate your own words.

Read the way a decorated chef tastes food; critically, with refined appreciation, and as a source of information and inspiration. Everybody eats, few eat with the perceptiveness of a chef. Anybody can read, few can recognise the handiwork that goes into building a sentence, a plot, a character.

End Notes

This isn’t some roundup or a conclusion. It’s a space left open on purpose. What’s included here reflects what’s currently rewarded, tolerated, or quietly avoided in literary spaces. The rest tends to speak for itself.

Until next month.
Stay unreadable.