Fast Response & No Fee Lit Mags/Journals

Below is a list of over 100 no fee, literary magazines/journals that have a fast turnaround time (most average a month or less). I’ve also researched and added some others to the list, based on suggestions from experienced writers. The list is long, so I wasn’t able to provide additional details or links for all of them. Those that I’ve featured on my blog previously are detailed below, followed by a list of paying, fast-response literary magazines and journals.

Read the guidelines carefully. Some may have changed whether or not they charge submission fees since I compiled the list. Some may be temporarily closed to submissions.

 

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Arteidolia / swifts & slows

• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT:  None
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Arteidolia: ongoing, swifts & slows: quarterly
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Within 2 weeks
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: For Arteidolia: essays, reviews, interviews. For swifts & slows: poetic collaborations in all forms
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/33590/arteidolia and https://duotrope.com/listing/33584/swifts-slows-quarterly-crisscrossings
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Instagram

de Curated

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Always Open
• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Within five days
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Online Application Form
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Poems, sonnets, narrative, odes and short fictions, preferably in a humorous tone.
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram

Into the Void

• DEADLINE: Reading periods vary, check site for details
• FORMAT: Digitally and print issues available
• SUBMISSION FEE: None, until monthly free allotment is reached
  • Until we reach our Submittable-allotted monthly free submissions limit, there is no fee to submit but free submissions fill up extremely quickly. Thereafter you may submit via the Tip Jar but free submissions will resume on March 1st. Tip Jar submissions are a vital source of the income that allows us to run day-to-day, and are hugely appreciated.
• PAYMENT: $5/page via PayPal only
• FORMS: fiction, poetry, nonfiction, visual art

Glass Poets Resist

Gyroscope Review

Honey Literary

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Two reading periods per year, check site for dates
• FORMAT: online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: 2x a year
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: within one month
• SUBMISSION METHOD: email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Poetry, Sex/Kink/Erotic, Hybrid, Essays, Comics, Reviews, Valentines, Animals, Interviews, and Artwork
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Ilanot Review

• LOCATION: Israel
• READING PERIOD: Rolling deadlines
• SUBMISSION FEE: The first 500 submissions are free. (Specific submission caps may vary across categories.)
• NOTES: You can read more about them on The Review Review‘s site, including Josh Medsker‘s five star review of their Winter 2013 issue, as well as an interview with editor Janice Weizman by Stanley Trice.
• FORMS: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Graphic Art
• PAYMENT: None
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/5835

Lucky Jefferson

Lunch Ticket

• DEADLINE: Rolling
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Submittable
• FORMS:  Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Flash Prose, Poetry, Translation, Visual Art, Young Adult (13+)
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/13810 (includes interview with the editors).

The Museum of Americana

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Check site for reading periods
• THEME(S): My Americana
• FORMAT: online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: No payment.
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: the museum of americana will appear three times a year, in the winter, summer, and fall.  We accept submissions in April, August, and December.
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 30 days
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, humor, music, and art
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/8159/museum-americana

Neon Door

• SUBMISSION DEADLINES: Check site for reading periods
• THEME(S): Emotional Nudity
• FORMAT: online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: Starting with $25 for an image, $50 for a poem, and $75 for prose
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Yearly Exhibit, on-going Column section
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Six weeks
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Submittable
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Visual Arts, Audio, Music, Video, Column
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/32901/neon-door

NonBinary Review

The Penn Review

• DEADLINE: Reading periods vary, check site for details
• FORMAT: Submissions should be sent in using our online general submissions form, which can be found on our website.
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: While we do not offer payment to our contributors, we occasionally host Poetry & Prose Prizes that offer $1000 awards to two winners.
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: We publish biannually. We release an online issue in both the fall and spring, as well as a print issue in the spring with our top picks from the year.
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Our average response time is two to seven days. Submissions that are accepted can take longer to process.
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Our submission method is entirely through Submittable, which anyone can access on our website.
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes, we happily accept simultaneous submissions. However, we do ask for all submitters to notify us if their submission has been accepted elsewhere.
• FORMS: We accept Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, and Art submissions.
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Instagram
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/22551/the-penn-review

POETiCA REViEW

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open year-round
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• FORMS: Poetry
• FORMAT: Online
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Quarterly
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 1 week – 1 month
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Submittable
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/27009/poetica-review
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook

Radar Poetry

Sonic Boom

• READING PERIODS:
  • February 1 – February 21
  • October 1 – October 21
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• NOTES: Prefers no simultaneous submissions, but responds within three weeks
• FORMS: experimental poetry (25 lines or less); Japanese short-forms; prose (less than 500 words): flash fiction pieces, creative non-fiction, vignettes, short scenes, hybrid forms, haibun, and tanka prose; visual art
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/17197 with editor interview

Tint Journal

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Check site for open calls, Conversation section always open
• THEME(S): Focus on ESL writers
• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: bi-annual literary issues
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 20 days after the end of the call
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: short stories, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, flash nonfiction, poetry, and artwork
• SOCIAL MEDIA:  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/29723/tint-journal

Tipping the Scales

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Check site for reading periods
• FORMAT: Print, ebooks, PDF
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• FORMS: poetry, prose, and artwork
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Quarterly
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Green Submissions (submission manager)
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 3-4 weeks
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter, Instagram

Topical Poetry

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Always open
• THEME(S): Poems based on current events from the previous two weeks
• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None at the moment
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Bi-weekly on every other Sunday
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Up to 72 hours
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Online submission manager
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Poetry (optional artwork can be submitted along with the poetry)
• SOCIAL MEDIA:  Facebook, Instagram
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/32198/topical-poetry

West Branch

• DEADLINE: Reading periods vary, check site for details
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100
• FORMS: poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation

Wildness

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Paying Fast Response List!

The Threepenny Review	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Poetry Online Charges fees for some submissions	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Scifaikuest [Hiraeth Books]	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
trampset	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts [Matter Press]	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Third Wednesday	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Print Publication
Eternal Haunted Summer	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
34 Orchard Literary Journal	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Songs of Eretz Poetry Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Star*Line [Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association]	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Not One of Us	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Hexagon Speculative Fiction Magazine	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Cutleaf [EastOver Press]	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
The West Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Alien Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Typehouse Literary Magazine  Charges fees for some submissions	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Dreams & Nightmares	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Uncanny Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Audio Publication Electronic Publication
NewMyths.com	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
The Dread Machine [The Dread Machine Press]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Apparition Literary Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Third Estate Art Quaranzine [Third Estate Art]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Reservoir Road Literary Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Augur Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Eye to the Telescope [Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association]	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Shenandoah	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Brink Literary Journal	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Into The Void  Charges fees for some submissions	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Savant-Garde: Canadian Literary Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Breath & Shadow	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Kaleidotrope	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
The LaHave Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Wizards in Space Literary Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Superfroot Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Sparked Literary Magazine Charges fees for some submissions	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication
The Jarnal [Mason Jar Press]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Audio Publication Electronic Publication Print Publication
Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Chestnut Review Charges fees for some submissions	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Wrongdoing Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Yellow Arrow Journal [Yellow Arrow Publishing]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
NonBinary Review [Zoetic Press]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Evergreen Review Charges fees for some submissions	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Strange Horizons	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Audio Publication Electronic Publication
Mermaids Monthly	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
The Suburban Review	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Words & Sports [Hobart]	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Funicular Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Claw & Blossom  Charges fees for some submissions	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Last Girls Club
Nightmare Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Abandon Journal	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Bracken	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Middle House Review  Charges fees for some submissions	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Serotonin	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Subterranean Blue Poetry	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Split Lip Magazine  Charges fees for some submissions	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
The Deadlands	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
The Sun Magazine	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Frontier Poetry	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Westerly Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Otoroshi Journal	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication
The Walled City Journal	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Peach Velvet Mag	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
The Future Fire	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Silver Blade Magazine [Silver Pen Writers]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
West Branch	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Utopia Science Fiction Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Palette Poetry	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Neon: A Literary Magazine	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to ?Unknown payment	Electronic Publication Print Publication
MudRoom	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Aniko Magazine [Aniko Press]	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Gordon Square Review [Literary Cleveland]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Minola Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Shooter Literary Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Poetry Wales	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Print Publication
Variant Literature Journal  Charges fees for some submissions	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Epoch Literary Journal [Epoch Press]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Fourteen Poems: queer poetry anthology	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Canthius	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Storm Cellar Charges fees for some submissions	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Space and Time Magazine	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
580 Split	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Cordite Poetry Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Mud Season Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
The Ethicist	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Harbor Review [Small Harbor Publishing]  Charges fees for some submissions	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Liquid Imagination Ezine [Silver Pen Writers]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Fairy Tale Review	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Print Publication
Prospectus: A Literary Offering	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Foglifter Journal	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Fat Coyote Literary Arts	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) to Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
The Commuter [Electric Literature]	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Air/Light Magazine	Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem)	Electronic Publication
Sanitarium Magazine [Sanitarium Publishing]	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
All Guts No Glory	Token payment (under US$5 per poem) to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
Daikaijuzine	Token payment (under US$5 per poem)	Electronic Publication
Moonflake Press	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Print Publication
Crow Toes Quarterly	Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem)	Electronic Publication Print Publication
The Rialto

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