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Rumple_deWriter
Over 90 days ago
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Howdy to all seeking to obtain and/or share inspirations or just get on the warmer, drier half of the outside / inside reality.

Larry, a multitude of thanks for getting things stirring. If Victor is with you, please give his ears a good scratch for me. Roland, as always it's a goodness to have you among us. And any appearance by Laura ranks as a major goodness

And speaking of goodness, Sarah's cookies are calling me and I'm bound to obey. Along with a mug of Larry's coffee, it makes for a breakfast of, well, of sorts. ;)

Later, Inspirators. .
Literary Journals Seeking Submissions

These 28 magazines publish literary fiction, or stories with a literary slant, and many publish stories in other genres, as well. Several of them pay writers. A few of the calls are themed. They are now open for submissions, and are listed in no particular order.

X X X

Taken from the free online newsletter of Authors Publish magazine. The links usually don’t work so Google the site title for submission info..

X X X


Flash Fiction Online
They publish stories across many genres, including literary and speculative. They want stories of 500-1,000 words. Stories should have “crisp prose, well-developed characters, compelling plots, and satisfying resolutions. We want stories that engage our minds and emotions.” Pay is $0.8/word. Beginning January 2021, they are open from 1st to 21st of every month. Details here.
Cimarron Review
This literary quarterly is one of the oldest in the US, and publishes work by authors in all stages of their careers, including award-winning ones. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. Their website says, “Our editors seek the bold and the ruminative, the sensitive and the shocking, but above all they seek imagination and truth-telling, the finest stories, poems, and essays from working writers across the country and around the world.” For fiction, they say, “We are interested in any strong writing of a literary variety, but are especially partial to fiction in the modern realist tradition”. They have no set page lengths for any genre, but seldom publish short-shorts or pieces longer than 25 pages. They read submissions year-round. Details here.
Fecund
They are looking for fiction (up to 10,000 words), essays, criticism, screenplay excerpts, fashion writing, poetry, visual art, video, fashion photography, and photo essays. Their guidelines say, “Although we don’t conform to one aesthetic, we tend to respond to work that challenges traditional forms or embraces liminality.” Pay is $50. Details here.
Sundog Lit
They publish fiction (up to 3,000 words), nonfiction, and poetry. They are “committed to publishing pieces that engage with tension, introspection, empathy, considered positionality, thoughtful form play, emotional courage, and musicality.” Their guidelines say, “We want writing that attempts to salvage something pure from the collision of warmth and cold, that says what it can about the world it finds itself in. We seek a diversity of voices speaking from visceral, lived experience.” Pay is $25. They accept 300 fee-free submissions per reading period, after which submissions are charged. The current reading period is until 1 May 2021. Details here.
Midnight & Indigo
This is a new literary magazine and they publish stories by Black women writers. They have three open calls currently – for general fiction, Black speculative fiction, and essays. For general fiction, their guidelines say, “We are looking for previously unpublished, CHARACTER-DRIVEN fictional short stories written by Black women writers. All genres are welcome. Subject matter and plots can run the gamut, but we want emotion, grit, soul, and writing that forges an immediate connection with the reader.” Stories have to be a minimum of 1,500 words. Pay is $50-125 (see guidelines). The deadline for fiction and essays is 2 May 2021. Reviews are accepted year-round. Details here.
Aquila
This is a UK-based children’s magazine. They publish stories and features for children aged 8-13 years, with the majority being in the 9-12-year range. They want stories of 1,000-1,300 words per double-spread stories, or 1,050-1,200 words per instalment for two-instalment stories. The content is designed to appeal to bright children who are confident and independent readers. The work should have not been published before in Great Britain. Pay is £105 per short story, or per instalment for a two-part story. Details here (download Author’s Guidelines).
The Broken City: Beach Party Tonight
This magazine publishes poetry, fiction, essays, comics, illustrations, photography, and music/book reviews. They are reading for the Summer 2021 theme, ‘Beach Party Tonight’. Their guidelines say, “Let’s look on the bright side: a semi-normal summer may be possible; what’s happening on the beach? Ship us your tales of surf and sun.” The deadline is 31 May 2021. Details here.
Reflex Press
They publish one piece of flash fiction on their website every week; send fiction of up to 1,000 words. Submissions received in March will be read in April, and four pieces selected by their flash fiction editor will be selected for publication in May. Send no more than one story per month. Pay is £10 . Details here and here.
Scare Street: Night Terrors
They want short horror stories with a focus on ghosts, the supernatural, paranormal, monsters, and dark tales for their Night Terrors anthology. They want work that is dark and literary. Send stories of 3,000-7,000 words. Pay is “$10 per 1,000 words” ($0.01/word). The deadline is 2 April 2021. Details here.
The Barcelona Review
This is an international literary magazine based in Barcelona, Spain. They publish contemporary fiction (up to 4,500 words), articles, and essays. Their guidelines say, “TBR is open to all genres and to a variety of styles and techniques. We’re after original, potent and powerful writing with a contemporary feel that is literarily sound; writing marked by a strong sense of imaginative distinction. (We do not publish tales, fables or re-worked fairy tales; nor are we after vignettes.)” Details here.

One Story
They publish one literary fiction story per issue, which can be of any style and on any subject. Their guidelines say, “We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone.” Regarding reprints, if a story has been published in print (not online) outside of North America, it will be considered. They also accept translations. Send stories of 3,000-8,000 words. They pay $500 cash, and 25 contributor copies. The deadline is 31 May 2021. Details here.
Azure
They accept literary fiction, creative nonfiction, excerpts, screenplays, stageplays, fragments, meanderings, philosophy, and poetry. They like work that is “linguistically, intellectually, and emotionally demanding of the reader. We want literary fiction that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous prose executed with thematic intent. … We are not concerned with genre distinctions … we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful.” Every piece published in the magazine appears alongside a customized black & white sketch. Submissions should be up to 50 pages. They can also publish novel-length work or feature-length screenplays in instalments (see guidelines). Details here.
Jaded Ibis Press: Scarlet
This is a bimonthly blog “dedicated to publishing the work of artists whose pieces give voice to the complexities of our multiple identities. In keeping with JIP’s mission to uplift marginalized voices, Scarlet aims to showcase bold and unique framings of the view from the margins, giving strong preference to writing that questions norms and provokes discourse. We are looking for work that redraws lines and reclaims spaces.” They publish fiction, nonfiction, and poetry of up to 1,500 words. Pay is $80. Details here.
Serotonin
They publish short fiction (up to 500 words) and poetry on “mental illness, neurodivergence, and suicide prevention. We only want to read original work from the author’s perspective.” Pay is $5. Details here.
West Branch
This respected literary magazine publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and translations. Send up to 30 pages of prose. Pay is $0.05/word for prose up to $100. The deadline is 1 April 2021. Details here.
Crashiest
This international literary journal only publishes work by high school students (grades 9 through 12). They publish stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, and art in any medium. They accept submissions year-round. Details here.
(Another magazine that only publishes work by high school students is Blue Morpho Review; they are open now for submissions.)
Air/Light
They want new and innovative works of literary arts across all mediums and genres. They publish fiction (up to 4,000 words), nonfiction (including collaborative essays – see guidelines), poetry, cross-genre work, visual art, music, digital, multimedia, and interactive art. While Air/Light is based in Los Angeles and approaches the literary arts from a Southern California perspective, they want to read and publish work by everyone from everywhere. Details here.
Alluvian: Masked – A Time of Lies
This journal publishes work around “the climate crisis and to social justice issues related to the increasing environmental contamination and ecosystem degradation.” They accept fiction (350-1,000 words), nonfiction, poetry, micro video, and art (including cartoons) related to these concerns. They are reading work for Summer 2021 issue, themed ‘Masked – A Time of Lies’. “We are looking for thoughtful, creative environmental works of revelation, deception, and conviction.” The deadline is 1 April 2021. Details here (call on Twitter, with deadline), here (journal’s ‘About’ page – see top of page for theme), and here (Submittable).
Capsule Stories: Second Isolation Edition
This is a print literary magazine. They are reading fiction (up to 3,000 words), nonfiction, and poetry on the theme, ‘Second Isolation Edition’. This edition “will capture our stories and feelings during the yearlong coronavirus pandemic and the isolating social measures that come with it. We recognize that in uncertain times, writers often turn to the written word to work through their feelings, to document all the changes in their lives, to be angry with the world, to heal.” They have “a penchant for pretty words, an affinity to the melancholy, and an undeniably time-ful aura”. The deadline is 1 May 2021. Blog submissions are open year round – they currently want submissions on your reading life. Details here.
Southword Literary Journal
This is a print literary journal published in spring and autumn by the Muster Literature Centre. They have published the likes of Helen Ivory, Haruki Murakami, Tess Gallagher, and Colm Toibín. They are accepting fiction currently; send stories of up to 5,000 words. The deadline is 31 March 2021. Pay is €250 per short story. Details here and here.
What the Writers Wrote Podcast
This podcast features stories in all genres by up-and-coming writers. Their tagline is “Imaginative stories of everyday life”. They cover all genres and topics. They have new episodes every Monday. Details here.
Foglifter
This is a journal for LGBTQ+ contributors. They want fiction (up to 7,500 words), creative nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid works. They are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. Pay is $25. The deadline is 1 May 2021. They are always open for cover art. Details here.
Gordon Square Review
They publish fiction (up to 5,000 words), nonfiction, hybrid prose work, and poetry. Payment for prose is $25. The deadline is 1 April 2021. Details here.
The Queen’s Quarterly
This journal is based in Ontario, Canada. They publish fiction (up to 3,000 words), articles, essays, reviews, and poetry. They want submissions “on any topic that presents a novel perspective and point of departure for thinking about our contemporary world. Whether fiction or non-fiction, a premium will be placed on singularity of voice, accessibility of ideas and relevance to issues of common concern.” They pay. Details here.
Griffith Review: Hey, Utopia!
This is a premier Australian literary magazine. They publish fiction, nonfiction, visual essays, reportage, and poetry. They’re reading on the ‘Hey, Utopia!’ theme. Their guidelines say, “This edition of Griffith Review visits utopias old and new, near and far, to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of imagining a better future. From Plato’s Republic to JG Ballard’s High Rise, from the Indus Valley Civilisation that thrived in the Bronze Age to the failed countercultural dream of Drop City in the 1960s, utopian thinking has long influenced how we see the world. Where will it take us next? And do we even want to go there?
What do our visions of utopia look like today? How can we disentangle the practical realities from the pipe dreams? What are the dangers of utopianism? How do questions of sustainability, gender equity and economic justice shape our visions of an ideal society, a new politics? Can imagination save us in the end?”
Fees are negotiated, except for contributors employed by universities, who are paid a flat fee. The deadline is 25 March 2021. Details here (writers’ guidelines) and here (Submittable with theme details).
Writer Shed Press: Second Thoughts
They publish fiction (up to 2,000 words), creative nonfiction, personal essays, and poetry that is directly or loosely linked to the theme of ‘Second Thoughts’. The deadline is 15 July 2021. They pay $20 (they can only pay through the Venmo app). Details here.
Psychopomp Magazine: Published work for reprinting
They want only stories that have been published before, or reprint fiction submissions, for a special issue. Any story not currently available for free online is eligible (see guidelines). Stories have to be up to 5,000 words. They are reading submissions for this through March 2021. Details here.
AGNI
This respected literary journal accepts fiction, poetry, nonfiction, translations, and essays. All work will be considered for print and online publishing. Pay is $10/page for prose, up to $150. The deadline is 31 May 2021.
Just for the record, I do not, I say again, NOT, appreciate it when the Ides of March (the 15th), the day brutus and da boys cut Big Julie Caesar down to size and left him dead to the world in a pool of his own blood,falls on a Moanday Mourning. (trying to diagram that sentence is not recommended) ;)

But having overcome my chronologically based revulsion, Inspirators will notice the coffee pot and tea kettle have been attended to and are now ready to be of service.

Me, I'm gonna grab a handful of Sarah's cookies, fill my mug with coffee and retire to a comfy chair near the heater.

Later, Inspirators.
Morning to all confused daylight savings timers. You'd think I'd enjoy these time changes if only because Arizona does not observed daylight savings since the prevailing opinion is that the last thing needed around here is more daylight. While that is, imo, a goodness, the downside is the Pacific Coast time zoners have done gone and sprung forward. Bottom line is we're on the same time as California and three hours behind east coast time. (sigh)

Here's hoping the rest of y'all enjoy all that extra sunshine.

Jeff, what's the 'sick call' like today in your place?

Coffee's cooking and the tea kettle is, what else, kettling. Sarah's baseball themed sugar cookies sound perfect for serious coffee dunkin'. Think I'll grab a few, then fill my mug with the good stuff and go sit in a comfy chair near the heater.

Later, Inspirators.
How y'all are? Best I can tell, this month, Friday the 13th has come on a Saturday which I'm told is worrisome. In the words of the psalmist, 'Be humble, don't stumble'.

Coffee pot has been rinsed out, filled with the proscribed amount of ground coffee and water, and then put to work. The tea kettle has also been cleansed and filled with water that's guaranteed to be wet.

Once the coffee pot has finished its chore, I'll grab me a mug full, then snag a generous sampling of Sarah's cookies go sit outside to await the dawning of a new day out here in the desert.

Later, Inspirators.
Glad tidings of TGIF echo across the desert and into the hallowed halls of Inspirations.

Since Larry cleaned the coffee pot yesterday, it's probably okay to just rinse out the grounds and hope for the best, probably. With that Herculian task completed, some off-brand coffee Mendalla left under the counter has been used along with water from the municipal water system in, Dry Prong, La. which is the same source to tea kettle water. Enjoy.

Ms Elizabeth, would that I had the sort of 'pull' needed to get something like a national day of remembrance for our country's Covid victums.cranking. There once might have been a longshot chance , but that was yesterday and as the psalmist noted, "Yesterday's gone."

Bless be Sarah's for the cookies. Sunrise is supposed to be showing up in about thirty minutes. Good excuse as any to take coffee and cookies outside to make sure all goes well.

Later, Inspirators.
Hump Day 'How do you do's?' are hereby extended to all who enter this scene of old world culture and charm.

The coffee pot has been rinsed out, then filled with ground coffee that someone left under the bar in a bio-hazard disposal package. (Ain't those jokers soooo not funny?) Water of indefinite origin was used in both the coffee pot and tea kettle. Don't forget that Sarah's cookies will help take the bad taste out of your mouth in the unlikely event that proves necessary.
With
one filled to the brim coffee mug in one hand and a big bunch of Sarah's cookies in the other, I'll now transport my carcass outside.

Later, Inspirators. ;)
A big 'How-de-doo' to all of you, he says sorta rhythmically.

Larry, one advantage of a later than usual coffee brew-up is having a fresher than usual pot full available at coffee break time. Mercy buckets. ;)

Now I'm not superstitious, he says knocking on his wooden head, but best I recall this covid mess got cranking last year around March 15th, the 'Ides of March', the traditional date when big Julie Caesar got terminated with extreme prejudice by Brutus and the boys. So I was thinking, in a manner of speaking, that date would be the perfect choice for a national day to remember and reflect on the hundreds of thousands Americans cut down by that plague. Just a thought.

Sarah's left a generous supply of fresh from the oven cookies along with doughnuts and muffins from an anonymous source. Seems only polite that I try a sampling of them all to go with my better-late-than-never coffee. Think I'll stay on a stool here at the counter in case there's an emergency call for seconds and or a quick refill.

Later, Inspirators.
Welcome to another Moanday Mourning here in 'Spacer land. Word has it this will go on for the rest of the day. Of course if you're in Aussie land, it's already Tuesday.

The coffee pot is back in business along with the tea kettle. The rest is up to y'all. An accompanying helping of Sarah's cookies is highly recommended.

Supposed to get up into the mid-80's today out here in the desert. Think I'll take my goodies outside and wait for the tumbleweeds to (what else?) to come tumbling bye.

Later Inspirators. :glasses8
How y'all are? All this talk about adding an expresso machine to the joint's inventory has got me to wondering how this crew of imaginative writer-types imagine as the Inspiration coffee making device.

Larry mentions a percolator. me, for no particular reason I've always envisioned a single-pot commercial style coffee maker. But with the possible exception of a jar of instant coffee, I'm content.

Roland, enjoy the family noise and confusion. My mother had a chronological moment similar to yours in 1976 when she realized that, at the age of 50, she'd been around for 25% of the USA's existence. It's one of those time-scale reminders of just how young this country and all of the western hemisphere, for that matter, really is.

Coffee is ready for consumption and the tea kettle is ready to be of service. Gonna grab me a mug full of java,and fill my other hand with some of Sarah's cookies and then do what comes naturally.

Later, Inspirators.
This is an unofficial, unauthorized, and no doubt unwanted proclamation that: TGIF!

Past time to get the coffee pot working and the tea kettle to steaming. Temps still in the 40'sf so I'll grab me a handful of Sarah's cookies, fill my mug with prime coffee and go grab a comfy chair and wait for things to warm up.

Later, Inspirators
Morning, fellow Inspirationists traveling down the great info highway. Got to agree with our Inspirator-in-Chief that online conferences etc. are, at best, a drag and have only one redeeming feature, that being the chair you occupy is probably a lot more comfortable than the plastic torture devices one must usually endure at in-person conferences.

Time to get the coffee pot in gear and the tea kettle to doing its thing. After that, a mug full of the good stuff and a handful of Sarah's cookies will accompany me to a comfy chair at the corner table.

Later Inspirators.
Happy Hump Day to my fellow Inspirations java-heads. Larry, multiple thanks for today's setup. Ms Elizabeth, your report on the bridges and river conditions around your place was fascinating. And speaking of fascinating, Sarah and her cookies easily fit into that category. ;)

One bit of good news from the sports page: LSU is working with the state's governor, and the fire marshal on a plan to expand seating in outdoor spring sports events to 50% of stadium capacity. While I don't know for sure, ya gotta figure that other pro and college teams are working on similar plans. The crossing of fingers is approved.

It's 79f out here in the desert. Think I'll grab a mug full of coffee and a handful of cookies, then go sit outside for a while.

Later, Inspirators.
Roland, your boundless optimism does you credit, he says, trying not to snigger and/or snicker. ;)

Yep, the Cactus League is now underway here in the old Valley of the Sun with 15 MLB teams involved with their spring training. And this year, a few fans even get to sit in the stands to watch the games. smile

Just posted a new list of no fee contests and calls for subs over on that forum. Check it out if you feel so inclined.

After all that labor, coffee and a few choice cookies will help me avoid a late afternoon slump. Think I'll make like and old dog and sit out in the sun with my goodies.

Later, Inspirators.
There are 20 themed calls for submissions for the 16 markets listed here, of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the themes are: neighbours, chilling crime, lost at sea, omens, magic gone awry, tough times, angels, beyond the stars, distanced, and escape. None of these charge a submission fee, or they have some fee-free submission option, and all pay writers. There are also some themed contest calls at the end of this list – none charge an entry fee, and all of them have cash prizes.

* Copied from the free online newsletter of Authors Published magazine (highly recommended) Being a copy, the links won't work. Just google the publisher's name and you should be good to go.

X X X


THEMED SUBMISSION CALLS

SubTerrain Magazine: Neighbours
This Canadian magazine welcomes fiction, nonfiction, commentary and poetry from all writers. They open for the ‘Neighbours’ themed issue in March. Their guidelines say, “This issue will explore the world of “neighbours.” Whether we love them or hate them, we all have them. There’s the “Good Neighbour” policy and the unwritten but often spoken of “Bad Neighbour” policy. We welcome essays, fiction, opinion pieces, and poetry that reflects upon this unique designation”. There is no fee for mailed submissions, electronic submissions are $3.00. At the time of writing, the deadline was unspecified.
Opens submissions on: 1 March 2021
Length: Up to 3,000 words for fiction, 4,000 words for other prose
Pay: CAD0.10/word for prose, up to CAD500; CAD50 per poem
Details here.

DreamForge Anvil: Positive SF/F Stories
They publish science fiction and fantasy stories. Their guidelines say, “Positive stories demonstrating the triumph of the human spirit and the power of hope and humane values in overcoming the most daunting challenges.
We are interested in all SF and Fantasy genres, but horror is unlikely to find a home here.”
Deadline: 13 March 2021
Length: 4,500 words
Pay: $0.04-0.06/word, $25-100 for micro stories and poetry
Details here.

Flame Tree Publishing: Chilling Crime Anthology
They want stories of crime for this anthology. Their guidelines say, “We’ve looked at cosy crime and detective thrillers, now it’s time to turn to the darker side: the cold cases, the grim murders, the desperate villains, and the race against time to solve the crime. We’re seeking up to 20 new stories to join our powerful collection of Chilling Crime Short Stories, new and classic tales reaching back into ancient, medieval, Elizabethan and Victorian fiction.” They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 14 March 2021
Length: 2,000-4,000 words most likely to succeed; will also read slightly outside this range
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.

The Periodical, Forlorn: Lost at Sea
This magazine publishes fiction “that’s dark, creepy, weird and just a little off-kilter. We’re open to genre fiction, particularly anything related to horror, science-fiction, speculative fiction or weird fiction.” Their guidelines also say, “For this issue, we want tales of maritime disaster. Of shipwrecks and oil spills. Of bones left to decompose on the ocean floor. Of those left behind on land, never to know what’s become of their loved ones. Of lighthouse keepers forced to stand by and witness tragedy unfold.
Elements of the supernatural are welcome, as are stories that utilize elements of horror and science-fiction.”
Deadline: 15 March 2021
Length: Up to 6,000 words
Pay: $15
Details here.

Devil’s Rock Publishing: The Omens Call – A Horror Anthology
This is a horror fiction anthology “exploring the prophetic nature of omens. Bad omens, nightmarish superstitions, ghastly premonitions, we want stories that speak the language that we cannot understand. We’re after atmospheric, moody, grim, dark tales of wonder, woe, death, and the inexplainable.”
Deadline: 28 March 2021
Length: 2,000-7,500 words
Pay: $20-30
Details here.

Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing: Misspelled – Magic Gone Awry
They are looking for short fiction for this anthology, exploring the theme of magic and the mishaps that could happen with its use. The story must center “around an exploration epic in scale.
You must include some sort of adventure, whether real or virtual, that concludes by the end of the story to meet the theme requirements. You cannot write in anyone else’s world”, according to their guidelines.
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Length: Up to 7,000 words
Pay: $50
Details here.

Jolly Horror Press: Fornever After
They want elements of tragic romantic love and horror for this anthology. If you can manage humor too, even better, but that is not necessary.
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Length: 2,000-6,000 words
Pay: Half a cent per word
Details here.

Escape Artists: Escape Pod – Black Future Month
This magazine publishes science fiction stories. For Black Future Month submissions, they are only accepting work from authors of the African diaspora and the African continent. They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 31 March for Black Future Month; resumes reading general submissions from 1 April, until 31 May 2021.
Length: 1,500-5,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
(Escape Artists’ fantasy podcast/magazine, PodCastle, is also open for general submissions in March, according to their schedule, and pay is $0.08/word. And submissions for their young adult podcast/magazine, Cast of Wonders, will tentatively open for submissions in April for Banned Books Week, according to their schedule.)

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Four themes
They accept true inspirational stories and poetry on set themes. See the end of the section on this publisher for links to theme details, guidelines, and submission portal. Apart from cash, they give 10 contributor copies as payment.
— Tough Times: Their guidelines say, “We are looking for stories about how you have been affected and how you and your loved ones are handling the changes in your life. We’re looking for the ups and downs, so share the tough times but also the silver linings, the unexpected blessings, and resilience and gratitude that you have discovered in yourself and the people close to you.
We’re also looking for stories about tough times unrelated to the pandemic. Are you going through other challenges that have nothing to do with the pandemic, such as health crises, loss of loved ones, personal challenges, family issues, job loss and economic upheaval”. The deadline is 31 March 2021.
— Angels: Their guidelines say, “True personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. … Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? Were you the only person who saw your angel? How did your angel protect or guide you?” The deadline is 31 March 2021 for this theme.

— Counting Your Blessings: Their guidelines say, “Please share your stories about handling challenges in your life, finding the silver linings, and counting your blessings, whether the challenges you are facing are COVID-19 related or other kinds. … Attitude adjustments, finding contentment and gratitude, a new way of handling your daily life, and other great ideas to inspire readers to find their own paths to happiness and to remember to count their blessings every day”. The deadline is 30 April 2021 for this theme.

— Humorous Stories: This is scheduled for publication in 2022, and the call is due to the success of their earlier volume of humorous stories. Their guidelines say, “Share your funny stories about something that happened to you in your life – in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Did you mean for it to be funny? Did the other person mean to make you laugh? Did a situation just get out of control? Did a misunderstanding turn into a comedy of errors?” For this volume, they also say, “Please submit your story using your real name; we will let you use a pen name if necessary to protect the innocent (or guilty!).” The deadline is 30 August 2021 for this theme.
Deadlines: 31 March for Tough Times and Angels; 30 April for Counting Your Blessings; 30 August 2021 for Humorous Stories
Length: Up to 1,200 words
Pay: $200
Details here (theme details – scroll down), here (guidelines), and here (submission portal).

From the Farther Trees: Two themes
They have three publications, each focused on a different aspect of SF/Fantasy. Two of their current calls are themed. They are also reading general fantasy fiction and poetry submissions for one of their publications.

— Queer Blades – A Queer Sword and Sorcery Romance Anthology: This is a twice-yearly print and ebook publication open to all LGBTQIA+ stories set in adventure fantasy worlds, particularly stories of queer romance. They are reading for their first anthology. Their guidelines say, “Adventure fantasy settings range a spectrum of secondary worlds—not just sword and sorcery, but also heroic fantasy, epic fantasy, historical fantasy, wuxia, “Old Mars” and “Old Venus” settings, fantasy westerns, portal fantasy, and Fae realms of all descriptions. If it’s a setting in which you might readily play a D&D campaign, it will fit right in. … Our preference is for pre-gunpowder, magic-heavy worlds, but run wild with your imagination”. Translations and reprints are welcome.
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Length: 2,000-25,000 words
Pay: $10
Details here.

— The Mesozic Reader – Deep Time: This is a twice-yearly magazine of Deep Time fiction and poetry, and they’re reading for their first issue. Their guidelines say, “Deep Time encompasses all the strange and remote passages of Earth’s geological past, from the fires of Earth’s formation to the very brink of the Anthropocene. We feature only tales of prehistory and its denizens, whether we see humans traveling to the past, ancient creatures brought to the present, or strange futures that mingle the two.” Fiction and poetry in any genre is welcome, so long as dinosaurs or other prehistoric creatures are a central element. They also accept reprints.
Deadline: 30 April 2021
Length: 1,000-15,000 words
Pay: $10
Details here.

Constelación Magazine: Beyond the Stars
This is a bilingual speculative fiction magazine. In mid-March, they will open a short submission window for speculative fiction stories on the theme, ‘Beyond the Stars’. Authors are free to interpret the themes creatively, and they encourage writers to twist and bend the themes, as long as they fit into any of the speculative fiction genres. Submissions can be in English or Spanish, and they also ask for translation rights. They also commission artwork.
Reading period: 15 March 2021 to 1 April 2021
Length: Up to 6,400 words
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction
Details here.

Tales From The Magician’s Skull: Sword-and-sorcery, etc.
Tales From The Magician’s Skull is a sword-and-sorcery magazine from Goodman Publications, and their goal is to publish twice-yearly. From their ‘What we love’ section: “Sword-and-sorcery, heroic fiction, sword-and-soul, swashbucklers, and the like. Tales of adventure shot through with elements of horror and magic. Give us interesting people doing interesting things for interesting reasons in fascinating places.” See guidelines for further details on story preferences and tropes to avoid. Stories have to be PG-13. They have limited tolerance for flash fiction.
Deadline: 1 April 2021
Length: Up to 10,000 words
Pay: $0.04/word
Details here.


Ninth Letter: Distanced
This literary magazine is open for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for its online edition. They want work on the theme of Distanced. Their guidelines say, “What forces push us apart? What choices made, or not, put distance between us and our loved ones and places? Send us your distanced pandemic stories, poetry and essays, but also those pieces that deal with other separations. We want the topical as well as the unexpected, and distances both great and small: the strained conversations of both mask wearers and exes; families seen weekly on video calls and long-lost relations; digital art gallery tours and moon rovers; dogs on leads and dogs in head cones. What keeps things distanced, no matter the distance?” Apart from cash payment, they also offer a two-year subscription to the magazine.
Deadline: 5 April 2021
Length: Up to 3,500 words, 3 poems
Pay: $75 for prose, $25 per poem for online edition
Details here.

Shooter Literary Magazine: Escape
They are looking for work on the ‘Escape’ theme. Their guidelines say, “We’re looking for stories, essays, memoir and poetry to do with any kind of escape: evading capture, pursuing something better, avoiding peril, taking off on adventure. After a period of isolation for many around the world, we want to be transported to exotic locales and away from the everyday. Whether it’s breaking out of prison, fleeing a bad relationship, or leaving Earth altogether – get us out! Imaginative sci-fi or fantasy are welcome, but please ensure writing adheres to a high literary standard.”
Deadline: 25 April 2021
Length: Up to three poems, prose of 2,000-6,000 words
Pay: £25 per prose piece, £5 per poem
Details here.
(Moonflake Press is also looking for work on a similar theme – Escapism – and has a later deadline, of 1 September 2021.)

Timeless Tales Magazine: Tales of the Arabian Nights
The tagline for this magazine is ‘Breathing new life into classic fairy tales & myths’. They want poetry and fiction submissions – of retelling of tales of the Arabian Nights. They’ll also accept original stories/poems featuring the creatures of Arabian/Islamic folklore, Djinn/jinn, Ifrits/efreets, the type of ghoul found in Arabic folklore, or another creature the editor is not familiar with (please send an explanation in your cover letter). Also see the special notes on the guidelines page, for the things the editor does/does not want. While they don’t want work intended for children, stories should be PG-13.

Deadline: 30 April 2021
Length: Up to 2,000 words for fiction, up to 1,500 preferred; up to 1,500 words total for poetry/series of poems
Pay: $30
Details here.

The First Line
They want stories that begin with a pre-set first line; they are open to all genres. They also sometimes publish poetry, and these too have to begin with the first lines provided. For nonfiction, they want critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work. For Summer, the first line is: “Lena was raised on violin lessons and minimal parental supervision.”
Deadline: 1 May 2021
Length: 300-5,000 words for fiction; 500-800 words for non-fiction
Pay: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for non-fiction, $5-10 for poetry
Details here (first lines) and here (guidelines).

THEMED CONTESTS

On the Premises: Repairs
This is a fiction contest and the theme is ‘Repairs’. Their guidelines say, “For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which one or more characters try to repair something. The “something” can be tangible (e.g., a smartphone, a bad haircut, a broken leg) or intangible (e.g., a relationship). The judges don’t care whether the characters succeed in their repair efforts, so long as they try.” They do not want children’s fiction, exploitative sex, over-the-top grossout horror, or stories that are obvious parodies of existing fictional worlds/characters created by other authors.
Value: $250, $200, $150, $75
Deadline: 5 March 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.

Coastal Shelf: Two contests
They are open for two contests with cash prizes, and writers are allowed one fee-free submission for each (see guidelines).
— The FuPo Poetry Contest is for “funny and poignant” poems under 60 lines.
— The Ceiling 200 Contest is for very short fiction or prose poetry under 200 words long.
Value: $250, $100, and $50 for each contest
Deadline: 5 March 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.

John Carter Brown Library Fellowship
This fellowship at Providence and Chestertown supports work by academics, independent scholars and writers working on significant projects relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Candidates with a US history topic are strongly encouraged to concentrate on the period prior to 1801. The fellowship is also open to filmmakers, novelists, creative and performing artists, and others working on projects that draw on this period of history. Candidates are encouraged to consult the John Carter Brown Library’s collections online prior to submitting an application.
Value: $5,000/month (total $20,000), housing and university privileges
Deadline: 15 March 2021
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.

America Media: Two contests
They have two contests open currently, one for unpublished poetry, and another for published fiction and drama. They are also open for general submissions.
— The Foley Poetry Contest: They want an unpublished poem of 45 lines or fewer.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Open for: Unspecified
Details here (America Media’s Submittable) and here (poetry contest).
— The George W. Hunt, S.J., Prize for Excellence in Journalism, Arts & Letters: For this cycle it is for published (not self-published) works of fiction of up to 10,000 words – including from published collections – and published/produced drama. Writers of novels, novellas, short stories, flash fiction, plays and screenplays whose work engages with one or more of the following broad topical areas are welcome to apply: religion (which includes spirituality and ultimate questions of human existence), the arts, politics, economics, sports and/or public affairs on the national or international level. Short stories and flash fiction pieces that are as yet uncollected in book form must appear in a major journal and/or magazine, in digital or in hard copy.
Value: $20,000
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Open for: Unspecified
Details here (America Media’s Submittable) and here (published fiction and drama).

The Restless Book Prize for New Immigrant Writing
This is a prize for a debut literary work by a first-generation immigrant. The prize alternates between fiction and non-fiction. For this cycle, they are reading non-fiction manuscripts. Non-fiction submissions can take the form of a memoir, a collection of essays, or a book-length work of narrative non-fiction. The submission should address some combination of identity, the meeting of cultures and communities, immigration and migration, and today’s globalized society. Non-fiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript, or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal that includes a synopsis and an annotated table of contents. All submissions must be in English (translations welcome). Candidates must not have previously published a book of non-fiction in English. Apart from the cash prize, the winner also gets publication.
Value: $10,000
Deadline: 31 March 2021
Open for: First-generation residents of their country
Details here.

Alpine Fellowship Prizes: Untamed – On Wildness and Civilization
Apart from themed Writing and Theatre prizes detailed below, the Alpine Fellowship also has a Visual Arts Prize, and an Academic Writing Prize.
— Writing Prize: This international prize is awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of ‘Untamed: On Wildness and Civilization’ (up to 2,500 words of prose, poetry, and non-academic essays), which is the theme of the 2021 Alpine Fellowship Annual Symposium. The winner and two runners-up are invited to attend the Fjällnäs (Sweden) symposium. The award will be presented by poet John Burnside, who is also the head judge.
Value: £10,000, £3,000, £2,000
Deadline: 1 April 2021
Open for: All writers
Details here.

— Theatre Prize: This prize is awarded for the best play on the theme of ‘Untamed: On Wildness and Civilization’ aimed at encouraging theatre writers at the start of their careers to explore and challenge philosophical ideas using the dramatic form. Apart from the cash prize, the winner also gets a rehearsed reading at the Fellowship’s annual Symposium to which they will be invited to attend. Runners up will be invited to attend the Fjällnäs symposium to exhibit their work. To apply, applicants must send: 1) A treatment of your idea in response to the theme; up to 500 words; 2) A sample of previous work of at least 10 pages; and 3) A 3-4 sample pages of your proposed script or a 1-2 detailed page synopsis of your story. The final piece must be 45 minutes in length and require no more than 4 actors.
Value: £3,000
Deadline: 1 April 2021
Open for: All playwrights
Details here.


Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
This prize is for humor poetry. Submit a poem of up to 250 lines.
Value: $1,000 and a subscription to Duotrope; second prize of $500; 10 prizes of $100 each
Deadline: 1 April 2021
Open for: All poets
How you all are? The sun is still trying to show up out here in the 'Valley of the Sun'. Cactus League spring baseball is underway so maybe things will keep on keeping on for the time being.

Coffee's on and the tea kettle is ready to be of service.

Later, Inspirators.
So how you all are? Me, I've been better but managed to get over that, sorta. ;)

A big, happy, over-the-top TGIF type morning greeting to all hard working Spacers and something like a slight nod to the rest of us.

Coffee's cooking and the tea kettle is hot to trot. Used water from the rain barrel out back. Probably be okay, I guess.

A blessing on Sarah for the cookies which I'm taking a gentlemanly helping. Along with a mug full of coffee, I'm heading for a comfy chair by the corner table where I'll deposit myself and sait for the weekend.

Later, Inspirators.
Happy TGIF eve to all Spacers. Not unlike a persistent case of athlete's foot, I'm back, this time from my brief fainting spell after reading Ms Elizabeth's comments about unworthy lil' ol' moi, he says, radiating insincerity. ;)

The coffee pot is perking along after getting a rinse and rubdown followed by some breakfast blend coffee and, along with the tea kettle, the same pristine water found in most high-tone establishments

That much honest work having taken the starch out of me, I'll now fill my mug with hot coffee, grab a handful of Sarah's cookies and make my way to the corner table where I can collapse into a comfy chair and try to recover.

Later, Inspirators. .
Hi ya, Jeff. Good coffee, Larry. Now that all the excitement of getting my second covid vaccine shot, life has settled back down into the normal uproar interspersed with occasional outbreaks of tumult and shouting.

That's okay by me. With Larry's coffee, Sarah's cookies and Jeff's wit and wisdom life is good in Inspirations. ;)

Supposed to nudge 80f this afternoon. Think I'll take my coffee and cookies outside and wait for the hot time.

Later, Inspirators.
Morning has broken out here in the desert and folks from a slew of news outlets and government agencies are yelling about who the heck is gonna fix it. (sigh)

The coffee pot has been de-crudedd, then rinsed out and filled with whatever coffee Mandella left under the counter then it and the tea kettle were filled with water from the garden hose someone dragged in but didn't drag out. Enjoy.

Sarah having stopped by yesterday and checked on the cookie supply, there should be a plentitude of them available for customers to enjoy.

Now with one hand full of cookies and the other holding a mug full of scalding hot coffee, I'll stumble my way over the the corner table and plop down in the comfy chair nearest the heater, and after treating the second degree burns on the hand that held my now slightly less full mug of the previously mentioned scalding hot coffee, I'll chew on a few restorative cookies and carefully sip the now somewhat less hot coffee.

Later, Inspirators.
Sorry about that headline tease, but the truth is over on the Contests and Calls for Submissions forum inquiring SS writers will find a long list of sites looking for short prose and poems.

With the popularity of Micro and Flash fiction, it might be worth taking a minute to check out the list. Good luck.

Did someone mention 'fresh cookies'? Sounds like a winner to me. Between Larry's coffee and Sarah's cookies, no Spacers can go wrong.

Verbal and other masters of micro and flash fiction might want to check out the new list in the Contests and Submissions forum of places looking for short poems and prose.

As for me, the only thing short in my immediate future is the short work I'm gonna make of these cookies.

Later, Inspirators.
34 Journals Publishing Very Short Prose & Poetry


“For Sale: Baby Shoes, never worn.” This is one of the most widely known microfiction pieces, often attributed to Ernest Hemingway, though that attribution is tenuous. William Carlos Williams’ poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” would be an example of one of the best known very short poems clocking in at a debatable 17 words. And while these masterpieces are quite settled in the zeitgeist, minimalist writing in general doesn’t have an easy time finding a place amongst more expansive and fleshed out works that inhabit most literary magazines. Sure you’ll find one or two short prose poems or maybe some linked haiku in your average journal, but a six word story or five-lined poem won’t as often be found just anywhere.

Following are a number of journals that are either dedicated to minimalist works, or who dedicate a fair amount of the space in their journal to the pursuit of the iceberg, the gem—writing that is small in word count but large in impact.

Air/Light, Not exclusively minimalistic, Air/Light has featured numerous short poems in their limited history, especially their first issue. A Los Angeles-based journal that “approaches the literary arts from a Southern California perspective” and is looking for “new and innovative works of literary arts across all mediums and genres.” They read all year.

Blue River Review, An eclectic electronic journal from Creighton University. They certainly don’t only publish short work but their prose tops out at 2000 words maximum, and they frequently publish poems that are shorter than ten lines. They read all year.

Bluepepper, Bluepepper publishes a couple pieces a week at their online blog-style magazine. Not exclusively for short work, their prose limit is 1500 words and they frequently feature poetry that is under ten lines.

Brazenhead Review, Featuring a unique design, Brazenhead Review is an online journal of new writing that emphasizes that seeks “open dialogues on a myriad of topics” and “especially those texts that are uncategorizable, boundary-breaking, and multiplicitous.” They read all year.

Dead Fern Press, Dead Fern Press is a relatively new online journal, they publish a wide variety of work with their prose limited to 3000 words and under, and their newest issue features a number of very short poems and a 400 word story. They read most of the year, closing for April, August and December.

elsewhere, A self-styled ‘journal of prose poetry’, elsewhere is looking for short prose pieces that “that cross, blur, and/or mutilate genre”. Published roughly biannually in both print and online versions, and while their limit is 1000 words, in the newest issue six of the nine pieces were under 300 words. They read all year. (no submission guidelines page, clicking submit takes you to their Submittable page)

Eunoia Review, Eunoia Review publishes new writing every day from one or sometimes two writers at their blog-style magazine. Eclectic, they publish very short and very long work (15,000 word maximum for prose). They DO NOT read simultaneous submissions. They read all year.

Hoot, A ‘postcard review of {mini} poetry’, they publish poems under 10 lines and prose under 150 words monthly, one piece in print and 1-4 online. They read on a rolling basis.

Impossible Task, The online journal of short works from Chicago press Another New Calligraphy, they want “connected in its exploration of conflict, a term open to interpretation though ever present in these increasingly challenging times.” They read all year.

Lucky Jefferson, They say Lucky Jefferson “isn’t your typical literary journal—we generate constructive and interactive conversations around poetry, art, and publishing and redefine the way journals are produced and shared with readers and writers.” They frequently publish very short poetry and in their prose guidelines say “Microfiction is what’s up”. They read for issue deadlines, the current deadline for no-fee ‘early bird’ submissions is February 28, 2021.

Microfiction Monday, Publishing only stories under 100 words on the first Monday of every month, Microfiction Monday believes in the possibilities of tiny texts saying “If done right, microfiction can pack a big punch in a small space, allowing the busy reader the ability to absorb a fantastic story in under a minute.” They read submissions all year.

Minnow Literary Magazine, Publishing minnow-sized works, Minnow Literary Magazine is looking for micro-poetry (under 150 words), flash fiction (under 500 words) and personal essays (under 1500 words). They read for issue deadlines, the current deadline being April 16, 2021.

Monkeybicycle While the journal reads stories up to 2000 words for their website, they also have a ‘One-sentence stories’ category where they publish, well, stories that are only one sentence. They read all year. (clicking submit takes you to their Submittable page)

Nailpolish Stories, A ‘Tiny and Colorful Literary Journal’, publishing only stories that are exactly 25 words, Nailpolish Stories expects “emotional impact, wants to be knocked off kilter momentarily by your work, and to enjoy the language along the way.”

Nanoism, A weekly publishing journal of ‘twitter-length fiction’ which is under 140 characters including spaces, with no titles. They encourage short, funky bios, and they read submissions all year.

One Sentence Poems, They discourage semicolons but want your one- sentence poems to have at least one line break and be a grammatically correct sentence—but just one! They read all year.

Press Pause Press, Published online in issues, and averse to social media, Press Pause Press publishes all types of writing, but their newest issue features many short poems and flash/micro fiction pieces. They read all year.

Red Eft Review, This is a blog-style (individual pieces published as opposed to issues) an online publication dedicated to accessible poetry. They DO NOT read simultaneous submissions but they do read all year.

Shot Glass Journal, In the Muse Pie Press family, Shot Glass Journal is an online journal that publishes issues of poetry under 16 lines. They read all year.

Spartan, An online quarterly journal of minimalist prose, Spartan is closed one month every quarter and while their word limit is 1500, much of what they publish is far lower.

Star 82 Review, While Star 82 Review allows pieces up to 750 words for fiction, the average word count of fiction in their newest issue was 227, and that’s with a 600+ word piece throwing the curve. They publish poems as well in their ‘hidden gems’ section. They read all year.

Tiny Molecules, An online quarterly of flash prose, their word limit is 1000, but many of the pieces they publish are under 300 words. They say “We love flash, we love experimental, we love saying something big in a small space” and read on a rolling basis.

Trouvaille Review, Publishing individual poems frequently in the blog-style journal, Trouvaille Review frequently features poems under ten lines. They also almost always respond in under 24 hours and read all year.

Unbroken, A quarterly online journal of prose poetry and poetic prose (“the block, the paragraph, the unlineated prose”), they aren’t looking for ‘ordinary’, indicating “We want dark and disquieting, we want fanciful and funny, we want surreal and surprising.” They read for six weeks and then take a six-week break, with their current deadline being March 20, 2021.

Versification, A journal of punk microworks, Versification publishes poetry under 5 lines and fiction under 100 words. They aren’t looking for pretty flowers, “we want the grit under your nails. We want to hear about your struggles, your dark, your haunting, or your disturbed.”

Visitant, A blog-style online literary journal with “the goal of nurturing experimental writing and art”, Visitant has a maximum word count of 1500 words but they do publish a fair share of very short work as well. They read submissions all year.

Currently Closed

Alba, A semi-annual journal dedicated to poetry (mostly) under 12 lines mostly free verse, but also forms like cinquain, tanka, haiku and others. They only read submissions during June or December.

Frost Meadow Review, This print journal out of the upper north east region publishes all sorts of writing, but that includes a good amount of short poetry. Their preferred themes include “natural world relationships, New England living, small farms, coastal communities, ecology and hope through darkness”. They read just in January.

Journal of Compressed Creative Arts, Publishing “micro fiction, flash fiction, prose poetry, compressed poetry & visual arts, and whatever other forms compression might take.” Their reading periods are 3/15-6/15 and 9/15-12/15.

Molecule, Their word limit including title is 50 words. Molecule is an online journal publishing poetry, prose, plays, interviews, reviews, and visual art of tiny things twice annually. They read submissions from December 1st through January 15th.

The Gravity of the Thing (Six words), They publish short stories up to 3000 words, flash and poetry up to 500 words, but they also have a “Six Word Story” category that minimalists will definitely be excited about. They read on a rolling basis, next opening on March 1, 2021.

50 Word Stories, Publishing one 50-word story every day and then featuring one of those stories as a ‘Story of the month’, 50 Word Stories is for exactly what it says—no more and no less. 51 words, thou shalt not write, and 52 is right out. They read from the first through the fifteen of every month.

Sonic Boom, Publishing three times a year as digital issues, Sonic Boom is looking for “Japanese short-forms of poetry, avant-garde, conceptual, and postmodern works of culture and art.” Their next reading period will be in October, limiting general poetry submissions to under 25 lines and prose under 500 words.

Bonus plug

Coastal Shelf, While the journal itself isn’t dedicated to very short works, their Ceiling 200 Contest is for prose pieces under 200 words which has no fee for the first piece entered and a $250 first prize. Deadline is March 5, 2021.

x x x

Copied from the free online newsletter of Authors Publish magazine which is free and highly recommended.

Sorry, but the links will not work. Goggle on any site(s) that interest you to find their submissions guidelines.

34 Journals Publishing Very Short Prose & Poetry


“For Sale: Baby Shoes, never worn.” This is one of the most widely known microfiction pieces, often attributed to Ernest Hemingway, though that attribution is tenuous. William Carlos Williams’ poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” would be an example of one of the best known very short poems clocking in at a debatable 17 words. And while these masterpieces are quite settled in the zeitgeist, minimalist writing in general doesn’t have an easy time finding a place amongst more expansive and fleshed out works that inhabit most literary magazines. Sure you’ll find one or two short prose poems or maybe some linked haiku in your average journal, but a six word story or five-lined poem won’t as often be found just anywhere.

Following are a number of journals that are either dedicated to minimalist works, or who dedicate a fair amount of the space in their journal to the pursuit of the iceberg, the gem—writing that is small in word count but large in impact.

Air/Light, Not exclusively minimalistic, Air/Light has featured numerous short poems in their limited history, especially their first issue. A Los Angeles-based journal that “approaches the literary arts from a Southern California perspective” and is looking for “new and innovative works of literary arts across all mediums and genres.” They read all year.

Blue River Review, An eclectic electronic journal from Creighton University. They certainly don’t only publish short work but their prose tops out at 2000 words maximum, and they frequently publish poems that are shorter than ten lines. They read all year.

Bluepepper, Bluepepper publishes a couple pieces a week at their online blog-style magazine. Not exclusively for short work, their prose limit is 1500 words and they frequently feature poetry that is under ten lines.

Brazenhead Review, Featuring a unique design, Brazenhead Review is an online journal of new writing that emphasizes that seeks “open dialogues on a myriad of topics” and “especially those texts that are uncategorizable, boundary-breaking, and multiplicitous.” They read all year.

Dead Fern Press, Dead Fern Press is a relatively new online journal, they publish a wide variety of work with their prose limited to 3000 words and under, and their newest issue features a number of very short poems and a 400 word story. They read most of the year, closing for April, August and December.

elsewhere, A self-styled ‘journal of prose poetry’, elsewhere is looking for short prose pieces that “that cross, blur, and/or mutilate genre”. Published roughly biannually in both print and online versions, and while their limit is 1000 words, in the newest issue six of the nine pieces were under 300 words. They read all year. (no submission guidelines page, clicking submit takes you to their Submittable page)

Eunoia Review, Eunoia Review publishes new writing every day from one or sometimes two writers at their blog-style magazine. Eclectic, they publish very short and very long work (15,000 word maximum for prose). They DO NOT read simultaneous submissions. They read all year.

Hoot, A ‘postcard review of {mini} poetry’, they publish poems under 10 lines and prose under 150 words monthly, one piece in print and 1-4 online. They read on a rolling basis.

Impossible Task, The online journal of short works from Chicago press Another New Calligraphy, they want “connected in its exploration of conflict, a term open to interpretation though ever present in these increasingly challenging times.” They read all year.

Lucky Jefferson, They say Lucky Jefferson “isn’t your typical literary journal—we generate constructive and interactive conversations around poetry, art, and publishing and redefine the way journals are produced and shared with readers and writers.” They frequently publish very short poetry and in their prose guidelines say “Microfiction is what’s up”. They read for issue deadlines, the current deadline for no-fee ‘early bird’ submissions is February 28, 2021.

Microfiction Monday, Publishing only stories under 100 words on the first Monday of every month, Microfiction Monday believes in the possibilities of tiny texts saying “If done right, microfiction can pack a big punch in a small space, allowing the busy reader the ability to absorb a fantastic story in under a minute.” They read submissions all year.

Minnow Literary Magazine, Publishing minnow-sized works, Minnow Literary Magazine is looking for micro-poetry (under 150 words), flash fiction (under 500 words) and personal essays (under 1500 words). They read for issue deadlines, the current deadline being April 16, 2021.

Monkeybicycle While the journal reads stories up to 2000 words for their website, they also have a ‘One-sentence stories’ category where they publish, well, stories that are only one sentence. They read all year. (clicking submit takes you to their Submittable page)

Nailpolish Stories, A ‘Tiny and Colorful Literary Journal’, publishing only stories that are exactly 25 words, Nailpolish Stories expects “emotional impact, wants to be knocked off kilter momentarily by your work, and to enjoy the language along the way.”

Nanoism, A weekly publishing journal of ‘twitter-length fiction’ which is under 140 characters including spaces, with no titles. They encourage short, funky bios, and they read submissions all year.

One Sentence Poems, They discourage semicolons but want your one- sentence poems to have at least one line break and be a grammatically correct sentence—but just one! They read all year.

Press Pause Press, Published online in issues, and averse to social media, Press Pause Press publishes all types of writing, but their newest issue features many short poems and flash/micro fiction pieces. They read all year.

Red Eft Review, This is a blog-style (individual pieces published as opposed to issues) an online publication dedicated to accessible poetry. They DO NOT read simultaneous submissions but they do read all year.

Shot Glass Journal, In the Muse Pie Press family, Shot Glass Journal is an online journal that publishes issues of poetry under 16 lines. They read all year.

Spartan, An online quarterly journal of minimalist prose, Spartan is closed one month every quarter and while their word limit is 1500, much of what they publish is far lower.

Star 82 Review, While Star 82 Review allows pieces up to 750 words for fiction, the average word count of fiction in their newest issue was 227, and that’s with a 600+ word piece throwing the curve. They publish poems as well in their ‘hidden gems’ section. They read all year.

Tiny Molecules, An online quarterly of flash prose, their word limit is 1000, but many of the pieces they publish are under 300 words. They say “We love flash, we love experimental, we love saying something big in a small space” and read on a rolling basis.

Trouvaille Review, Publishing individual poems frequently in the blog-style journal, Trouvaille Review frequently features poems under ten lines. They also almost always respond in under 24 hours and read all year.

Unbroken, A quarterly online journal of prose poetry and poetic prose (“the block, the paragraph, the unlineated prose”), they aren’t looking for ‘ordinary’, indicating “We want dark and disquieting, we want fanciful and funny, we want surreal and surprising.” They read for six weeks and then take a six-week break, with their current deadline being March 20, 2021.

Versification, A journal of punk microworks, Versification publishes poetry under 5 lines and fiction under 100 words. They aren’t looking for pretty flowers, “we want the grit under your nails. We want to hear about your struggles, your dark, your haunting, or your disturbed.”

Visitant, A blog-style online literary journal with “the goal of nurturing experimental writing and art”, Visitant has a maximum word count of 1500 words but they do publish a fair share of very short work as well. They read submissions all year.

Currently Closed

Alba, A semi-annual journal dedicated to poetry (mostly) under 12 lines mostly free verse, but also forms like cinquain, tanka, haiku and others. They only read submissions during June or December.

Frost Meadow Review, This print journal out of the upper north east region publishes all sorts of writing, but that includes a good amount of short poetry. Their preferred themes include “natural world relationships, New England living, small farms, coastal communities, ecology and hope through darkness”. They read just in January.

Journal of Compressed Creative Arts, Publishing “micro fiction, flash fiction, prose poetry, compressed poetry & visual arts, and whatever other forms compression might take.” Their reading periods are 3/15-6/15 and 9/15-12/15.

Molecule, Their word limit including title is 50 words. Molecule is an online journal publishing poetry, prose, plays, interviews, reviews, and visual art of tiny things twice annually. They read submissions from December 1st through January 15th.

The Gravity of the Thing (Six words), They publish short stories up to 3000 words, flash and poetry up to 500 words, but they also have a “Six Word Story” category that minimalists will definitely be excited about. They read on a rolling basis, next opening on March 1, 2021.

50 Word Stories, Publishing one 50-word story every day and then featuring one of those stories as a ‘Story of the month’, 50 Word Stories is for exactly what it says—no more and no less. 51 words, thou shalt not write, and 52 is right out. They read from the first through the fifteen of every month.

Sonic Boom, Publishing three times a year as digital issues, Sonic Boom is looking for “Japanese short-forms of poetry, avant-garde, conceptual, and postmodern works of culture and art.” Their next reading period will be in October, limiting general poetry submissions to under 25 lines and prose under 500 words.

Bonus plug

Coastal Shelf, While the journal itself isn’t dedicated to very short works, their Ceiling 200 Contest is for prose pieces under 200 words which has no fee for the first piece entered and a $250 first prize. Deadline is March 5, 2021.

x x x

Copied from the free online newsletter of Authors Publish magazine which is free and highly recommended.

Sorry, but the links will not work. Goggle on any site(s) that interest you to find their submissions guidelines.

Well, here we are, Spacers, deep inside the hallowed halls of Inspirations, an oasis of semi-sanity in a crazy world.

As a special Sunday treat, the coffee pot has been rinsed out, then filled with medium roast 'breakfast blend' coffee. Water for bothe the pot and the kettle was obtained from a passing Ozarka delivery truck. Enjoy.

The supply of Sarah's cookies is ample for today's needs, we can only hope.

Y'all stay warm and safe. Me, I'm gonna grab some of Sarah's cookies, fill my mug with coffee and go flop down on a comfy chair near the heater to read about my LSU Tigers beating the Air Force Academy Falcons, 6-1 on the first day of the college baseball season.

Later, Inspirators.
Mid-day greetings to we brave few, Spacers, taking up space here today.

Xander, when it comes to women, with dang few exceptions, they have most of us guys whipped like the proverbial rented mule. So accept your fate and sweat it not. ;)

If any baseball junky drops in, y'all let 'em know that the college baseball season is getting started today, though it will b fitfully for now.

Thanks for the coffee, Larry and to Sarah for the cookies.

Supposed to hit 75f out here in the desert. Think I'll take my goodies out to the patio.

Later, Inspirators.
Morning, Larry. Seems there's a slew of Inspirators who are conserving energy today by staying huddled and/or cuddled up in their warm beds. Come to think of it, that sounds like a winner. Uh, would you let me borrow Victor to give it a try? ;)

But seriously, Survivor is at the very least, 100% correct about Verbals RR rated story. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

Later, Inspirators.
What's up? Lots to celebrate on this Hump Day. For our baseball fanatics, today is the date for MLB pitchers and catchers to report for spring training. Many claim that's a much better sign that spring will arrive eventually than any groundhog foolishness.

Coffee's cooking and the tea kettle is kettling. Sarah's cookies are to die-t for.

Stay warm, Inspirators.
What's happening, Spacers? In the words of the psalmist, 'Baby, it's cold outside' at least for most folks this side of the equator.

Today bodes well (btw, just what exactly is one of dem 'bodes'?) to be a day best spent inside, preferably cuddling in bed with your honey.

The tea kettle is kettling to beat the band and the coffee pot has been rinsed and filled with snow melt and strong New Orleans style coffee in honor of this being the day before Mardi Gras day. There's a big King Cake waiting for someone to cut off a chunk and maybe find the little bittly plastic baby doll hidden inside. With my mug full of fresh hot coffee and my off-hand full of 'King Cake' I'll journey over to the corner table and find a comfy seat near the heater.

Later, Inspirators.
Good morning, Spacers. Coffee's cooking and the tea kettle is ready for business. Combine all that with some of Sarah's cookies and you have a breakfast of champions.

Sorry I am to come before y'all confessing to yet another fall from grace on my part. The story I was gonna post here on the fabled 'Sacre Bleu' site has, sad to say, already been posted, and by me. (sob/blush)

For proof, here's a link to the original, one and only: Last of th Southern Romantics.
https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/romance-/last-of-the-southern-romantics.aspx

It's not a bad story, imo, although it collected only six votes and a handful of views.

Anyway bellyachin' and alibiing aside, it's back to the fickle keyboard of life. (sigh)

Y'all keep on keeping on.

Later, Inspirators.