Lit Mags!!

Last week I discussed the top competitions for submitting short stories, which tend to have very specific windows for submission and can be extremely difficult to gain any recognition from. This week, as I just recently finished shopping around some of my latest creative pieces, I want to continue in the same vein as last week and talk about another great option for getting some recognition for great work, and in this case even get a good chance of getting published, by submitting work to literary magazines. Unlike competitions, there are countless literary magazines of great repute across the country that will accept work year-round, and I find doing so typically to be an even better option than just focusing on competitions because this way simply allows for a lot more flexibility. Also, having a chance at getting a piece published in a physical magazine is pretty thrilling. I also tend to prefer this route as it involves supporting/being judged by typically small, independent magazines run by a select group of passionate individuals, rather than a massive organization like YoungArts or Scholastic. Ironically, the first magazine I was lucky enough to get a poem of mine published in happened to be a pretty huge youth arts organization, so turns out this can really be the case either way. Still, many top magazines are actually quite small-scale and a whole different ballgame than submitting to a huge competition. Below are a list of some of my favorites: Ember: https://emberjournal.org/submission-guidelines/ This is a small but fiercely selective literary journal publishing both prose and poetry. It also only publishes work from writers no older than 18, so it is perfect for young writers like me who do not want to have to compete against college students. That is the case with most of the magazines on this list, with one very notable exception. Polyphony Lit: https://www.polyphonylit.org/copy-of-submit This is a much larger literary magazine than Ember, and has the unique feature of being student-judged. Because of this, it is also possible to gain a student editor position, though I have investigated it and the positions mostly seem to just be granted with no meaningful application or degree of selectivity (thus it is probably not worth your time to apply). However, the magazine itself is very well-known and I would still recommend it for submission at any time. Milking Cat: https://www.themilkingcat.com/contact This is a very cool, very young humor-only lit mag founded just a few years ago by a couple high schoolers, and continues to be judged by high school kids. In this case, the application to become a judge/editor is actually significant and quite selective, so I would recommend giving it a shot. You can also apply for a "staff writer" position and write regularly for their website. Would definitely be worth checking out getting a position with this magazine, as it has been recognized by the New York Times and, with its own very distinct identity, is a pretty exciting newcomer to the literary scene. Teen Ink: https://www.teenink.com/ My favorite! Well, I'm biased, this just happens to be the site where I have received the most recognition. This magazine functions very differently than all the others on this list. This is more an organization than a group of editors, and features about as many categories for submission as Scholastic. Just about anyone can get a piece on their website, but only a select few can get a special "Editor's Choice" badge upon submission, and even fewer can get published in their bi-monthly magazine. They also have a youth advisory board with looking into. Adroit Journal: https://theadroitjournal.org/about/submissions/ The big kahuna of the list, this is easily the most prestigious journal on this list and probably the most prestigious literary journal that regularly accepts high school work anywhere. They host a competition you may remember from last week's post, and also accept submissions to their magazine, though not always year round. Tragically, they also take submissions from college students, making life a lot harder for us high schoolers. However, I would just take it as an even greater challenge and potential for glory! Best of luck to anybody trying to submit to literary magazines out there. It can be a tough experience typically filled with rejection (these are some very selective publications), but do keep in mind that the real purpose of writing is not milking it for awards but genuinely enjoying the experience. It can be easy to get caught up in the competitive aspects of it, as can often be the case in life, but my advice is just to view this as a side thing and really devote your efforts to just doing great work and enjoying your art.