A list of 18 literary magazines from around the world that accept international submissions.
Argentina
Digital publication The Buenos Aires Review publishes work by emerging and established writers from the Americas in both Spanish and English. All prose submissions – fiction and non-fiction – must be under 5000 words and poets are asked to send 3 to 6 poems at a time (up to 2000 words). The Buenos Aires Review also publishes cultural criticism and interviews.
Papua New Guinea
Stella describes itself as a thinking woman’s magazine from Papua New Guinea for the Pacific. The magazine covers fashion, health, travel, arts and lifestyle topics. Stella welcomes submissions of articles and creative-journalism from emerging and established writers from across the Pacific region.
Canada
The Malahat Review invites writers at all stages of their careers to submit their work. The magazine publishes poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction by writers from Canada and abroad as well as reviews of Canadian books. The Malahat Review runs four literary contests per year.
South Africa
Published four times a year, New Contrast is South Africa’s oldest literary journal. It accepts submissions of fiction up to 6000 words and poetry up to 75 lines. The journal welcomes writers from around the world, though preference is given to pieces which have some bearing on issues, events or reactions relevant to South African and in some case African contexts.
Spain
Founded in early 1997, The Barcelona Review publishes in three languages — English, Spanish and Catalan — with occasional translations from one language to another. The Barcelona Review is currently accepting submissions for previously unpublished short fiction, articles and essays.
China
CHA: An Asian Literary Journal is the first Hong Kong-based online literary quarterly journal dedicated to publishing poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction, drama, and reviews written in English. It has a strong focus on Asian-themed creative work or work done by Asian writers and artists. It also publishes emerging writers from around the world.
Singapore
Lontar is a quarterly literary journal speculative fiction published and distributed by Math Paper Press in Singapore. The editors of Lontar are looking for quality literary writing with elements of the fantastic, which is in some way connected with the cultures, traditions, mythologies, folk religions, and/or daily life in Southeast Asia. While they encourage southeast Asian writers to submit their work, submissions from writers outside the region are also welcomed.
New Zealand
First published 25 years ago, Takahē literary magazine is based in Christchurch. Takahē publishes fiction, poetry, non-fiction and interviews and accepts submissions year round. The magazine has also run three writing competitions; its poetry competition is run every year and its short story and cultural studies competitions are run every other year.
Nigeria
Saraba is a quarterly literary magazine that aims to publish the finest emerging writers. Saraba publishes fiction, poetry and non-fiction and has also published poetry collections in chapbook forms.
Thailand
Eastlit is a journal and network of supporting sites focused on creative writing, literature and art from or connected to East and South East Asia. It is a monthly publication and will soon be publishing its 21st issue. It also has a sister journal, Southlit which is focused on South Asia and has just launched its first issue.
Australia
Meanjin was founded in 1940 in Brisbane by Clem Christesen. Currently based in Melbourne, Meanjin is committed to publishing the best new writing from Australia and the world. The journal is currently accepting prose and poetry submissions.
The Netherlands
Versal is an English-language literary and arts journal based in Amsterdam. It was founded in 2002 by American poet Megan M. Garr. The journal is currently under redevelopment and is not reading new submissions at this time. Follow Versal on Twitter for updates.
St Vincent and the Grenadines
ARC Magazine is a non-profit biannual Caribbean art and culture magazine dedicated to highlighting the importance of visual culture in the region and diaspora. Submissions are open for artists who are from the Caribbean region – continental included – and its diaspora. Scholars and academics working with regional and pertinent topics are also considered.
Pakistan
Desi Writers Lounge – an online workshop for writers of South Asian origin and writing on South Asia – publishes a bi-annual literary magazine, Papercuts. Every issue of Papercuts has a theme. There are no strict word limits but it is recommended that essays not exceed 1500 words and stories not exceed 3000 to 3500 words.
Japan
Poetry Kanto is an English and Japanese bilingual poetry journal founded and originally edited by award-winning translator William I. Elliott and internationally acclaimed poet Shuntarō Tanikawa. It accepts submissions of up to five poems at a time. Submissions are read between December and June only.
Botswana
Based in Gaborone, The Kalahari Review is ‘is an African-eccentric magazine interested in material exploring Africa and Africans in unique and avant-garde ways.’ This online magazine has no word count restrictions and submissions are welcomed throughout the year.
Ireland
The Moth is a quarterly arts and literature magazine featuring poetry, short fiction and art by established and up-and-coming writers and artists from Ireland and abroad. Each issue also features interviews with the likes of Paul Muldoon, Belinda McKeon, Kevin Barry, Donal Ryan and DBC Pierre. The Moth appears in March, June, September and December.
United States of America
Founded in 2003, Words without Borders publishes original translations into English of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, and interviews. Each month it publish 8 – 12 new works by international writers. It has published works by Nobel Prize laureates J.M.G. Le Clézio and Herta Müller and noted writers Mahmoud Darwish, Etgar Keret, Per Petterson, Fadhil Al-Azzawi, W.G. Sebald, and Can Xue, as well as many new and rising international writers.
For more publication opportunities see our most recent Opportunities for Writers post and follow Aerogramme Writers’ Studio on Facebook and Twitter.
Title image by Horia Varlan via Creative Commons