14 New Literary Magazines Accepting Submissions (2025 Guide)

14 New Literary Magazines Accepting Submissions (2025 Guide)

While heavyweights like Ploughshares and Paris Review keep their slush piles towering, 2025 is ushering in a new wave of literary magazines worth watching. For writers seeking a home for their work, these emerging venues offer more than just better odds of acceptance – they’re building vibrant communities around fresh voices and bold ideas.

I spent January interviewing editors of magazines launching this year, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Each has a distinct vision for what literary publishing can be, moving beyond the standard “submit and wait six months” model that’s frustrated writers for decades.

The New Guard: Why These Magazines Matter

Most established literary journals are drowning in submissions – we’re talking 1,000+ monthly for top-tier publications. New magazines typically receive 50-100 submissions per month in their first year, giving your work a fighting chance at actually being read. But submission odds aren’t the whole story.

These emerging literary magazines are reimagining the submission experience. Many editors I spoke with are committed to faster response times (think weeks, not months), personalized feedback, and building real relationships with contributors. Several are offering competitive pay rates despite being new, ranging from $25-100 for poetry and $50-200 for prose.

“We remember what it’s like staring at Submittable’s void,” says Marcus Reeves, editor of Genrepunk Magazine. “Our average response time is 18 days, and every writer gets at least a paragraph of feedback, regardless of acceptance.”

Digital-First, Community-Focused

While print carries prestige, these new literary magazines are leveraging digital platforms in smart ways. Your published work gets promoted across their social channels, featured in newsletters, and often presented in innovative multimedia formats. Several magazines are experimenting with author interviews, readings, and companion pieces that expand the conversation around published work.

The most exciting shift? Genre boundaries are blurring. These new venues actively seek hybrid forms, multimedia collaborations, and experimental work that traditional magazines often reject. If you’ve written something that defies easy categorization, these magazines want to see it.

What sets many of these 2025 launches apart is their focus on building literary communities. Beyond publishing, they’re creating spaces for writers to connect through virtual workshops, craft discussions, and mentorship programs. Some are partnering with independent bookstores for launch events and readings.

Sure, being published in a new magazine means taking a chance. But it also means joining a community from the ground up, working with editors who are actively shaping the future of literary publishing. Every established magazine started somewhere – why not be part of something new?

Let’s dive into the magazines themselves. I’ve organized them by primary genre focus, though most welcome work across categories…

1. The Garlic Press – A literary magazine focused on fresh, experimental voices in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. It seeks bold and unconventional storytelling that challenges literary norms. The magazine embraces both emerging and established writers, offering a platform for innovative and thought-provoking work.
2. Genrepunk Magazine – A publication celebrating genre fiction with a punk edge, featuring sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and more. Genrepunk thrives on rebellious storytelling that blends speculative fiction with countercultural themes. It is a home for authors who push the boundaries of traditional genre writing with fresh, subversive narratives.
3. THE EYRE – A literary journal showcasing bold and evocative poetry, prose, and art from emerging writers. It aims to amplify voices that challenge societal conventions and offer unique perspectives. The magazine places a strong emphasis on lyrical storytelling and artistic experimentation.
4. MEMEZINE – A unique lit mag exploring the intersection of internet culture and literary expression. It blends contemporary digital humor with literary depth, giving voice to modern absurdities and online aesthetics. The magazine embraces hybrid forms of storytelling, from experimental poetry to multimedia-driven fiction.
5. Epater.org – A space for avant-garde and subversive literature pushing the boundaries of form and content. Inspired by the French concept of “épater le bourgeois” (to shock the bourgeoisie), the magazine thrives on disruption and provocation. It welcomes experimental poetry, fiction, and essays that challenge readers’ perceptions of art and society.
6. Feign – A literary magazine dedicated to surreal and speculative fiction with poetic and philosophical undertones. It curates stories that blur the line between reality and imagination, delving into dreamlike narratives and abstract themes. The magazine values innovative prose that evokes wonder, introspection, and deep emotional resonance.
7. The Madrid Review – An international journal featuring contemporary literature and thought-provoking essays. Rooted in a global perspective, it publishes voices from diverse backgrounds, embracing cross-cultural storytelling. The Madrid Review is dedicated to literary works that explore identity, history, and the human experience.
8. Aureation Zine – A platform for rich, lyrical prose and poetry with an emphasis on beautiful language. The magazine seeks writing that dazzles with imagery, rhythm, and emotional depth. Aureation Zine is ideal for writers who embrace the musicality of words and craft intricate, layered pieces.
9. Bardics Anonymous – A literary magazine fostering community-driven storytelling and poetic expression. It embraces the oral tradition of bardic poetry and narrative, valuing stories that feel timeless and universal. The magazine encourages writers to experiment with voice, perspective, and nontraditional storytelling techniques.
10. Gradaran Literary Magazine – A publication highlighting diverse voices in literature and creative arts. It aims to uplift underrepresented perspectives and shed light on cultural narratives often overlooked in mainstream publishing. Gradaran seeks writing that is both intimate and socially relevant, bridging personal experience with broader social themes.
11. Lost Cause Magazine – A home for stories and poetry that challenge norms and embrace outsider perspectives. It gives a platform to writers who explore themes of rebellion, alienation, and personal transformation. The magazine thrives on raw, honest storytelling that captures life’s struggles and triumphs.
12. Frozen Sea – A literary journal dedicated to introspective, melancholic, and deeply personal works. It seeks poetry and prose that navigate themes of isolation, longing, and emotional depth. Frozen Sea is a space for meditative and contemplative writing that lingers in the mind long after reading.
13. Does It Have Pockets – A fun and quirky lit mag that blends humor with heartfelt storytelling. It celebrates offbeat narratives, absurdist fiction, and lighthearted poetry that still carry emotional weight. The magazine is perfect for writers who enjoy balancing wit with sincerity in their storytelling.
14. MEARI – A contemporary literary magazine elevating underrepresented voices in global storytelling. It focuses on fresh perspectives, especially from marginalized communities, and highlights work that challenges literary conventions. MEARI is committed to publishing compelling narratives that reflect the complexities of modern identity and culture.

Bonus: Who let the Stories Out — Who Let The Stories Out? is an Australian literary magazine that celebrates traditional narrative storytelling, welcoming writers who dare to break conventional writing “rules.” Founded by Doug Jacquier from South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, the magazine seeks plot-driven stories in the tradition of Hemingway and Munro, while avoiding genres like science fiction and works heavy with stereotypes.

Where Do We Go From Here? Making the Most of New Literary Magazines in 2025

After diving deep into these new magazines, one thing is clear: 2025’s fresh crop of literary journals isn’t just padding for your submission spreadsheet. These are serious ventures run by editors who’ve been in the trenches – they know what works and what doesn’t in literary publishing.

A word of practical advice: while these new magazines are hungry for submissions, they’re not desperate. Take time to read their mission statements (and sample issues, where available). The Garlic Press might love your experimental flash fiction, but that same piece could be completely wrong for The Madrid Review’s more traditional aesthetic. Being selective about where you submit saves everyone time and increases your chances of acceptance.

What’s particularly refreshing about these 2025 launches is their transparency. Most list response times prominently on their websites, and several use submission management systems that let you track your work’s progress. Gone are the days of submissions vanishing into year-long black holes.

Pro tip: Many of these magazines are building their social media presence from scratch. Following them now means you’ll catch calls for themed issues, submission fee waivers, and other opportunities before they’re widely announced. Plus, you’ll get a better sense of what they’re actually publishing.

For newer writers, these emerging journals offer a sweet spot – they’re competitive enough to be meaningful credits, but not so established that acceptance rates hover in the 0.1% range. For published authors, they’re a chance to experiment with forms or genres that your usual markets might not welcome.

The Time to Act is Now (But Do It Right)

Start by making a focused list of which magazines align with your work. Read their guidelines carefully – nothing says “amateur hour” like sending poetry to a fiction-only journal. Then, polish your submissions until they shine. These may be new magazines, but they’re serious about quality.

Remember: publication credits in 2025’s new literary magazines could look quite impressive in a few years if these journals take off. Think about who ran the first pieces by now-famous authors in magazines that became prestigious. Every literary journal starts somewhere.

What’s your next move? Pick three magazines from this list that really speak to you. Follow them on social media. Read their guidelines twice. Then send them your best work – not your oldest piece that’s been rejected everywhere else, but the story or poem you’re genuinely excited about right now.

The literary landscape keeps evolving. These new magazines are part of that evolution. They’re creating spaces for voices and styles that might not fit traditional molds. If that sounds like you, what are you waiting for?

If you are a magazine editor, and you want to be added to one of our lists, leave us a comment, and remember to submit your literary magazine to our listings.