Submitting to literary magazines can be a rewarding but time-consuming process. For poets and writers looking to stay motivated, build publishing momentum, or simply avoid long waits, fast-response, no-fee journals offer a practical and energizing path.

This curated list includes over 100 literary magazines and journals that meet these criteria. Many have been featured on my website. Be sure to check each publication’s guidelines before submitting, as policies may change or submission windows may close temporarily.

Whether you’re just starting out or refining your submission strategy, these journals offer a low-barrier, high-reward way to share your work with the literary world.

Why Fast Responses Matter

• Creative momentum — Quick replies help writers stay engaged with their work and submission goals. A response within weeks (or even days) can inspire the next round of submissions or revisions.
• Timely themes — If your work responds to current events or seasonal topics, fast turnaround times increase the chance of publication while the subject is still relevant. See my list 11 lit mags/journals for current event poems.
• Less emotional fatigue — Long waits can be discouraging. Fast responses reduce the emotional toll and uncertainty of the submission process.
• More feedback cycles — Faster rejections or acceptances allow writers to submit to more places over time, increasing chances of publication and growth.

Bonus: Some Pay!

While most fast-response, no-fee journals do not offer payment, a growing number do. This list highlights those that compensate contributors, whether with honorariums, contributor copies, or prize opportunities. Look for notes like “Payment: Yes” or “Contributor copies provided” in the listings.

Additional Bonus List via Chill Subs!

This list from Chill Subs automatically updates!

Literary Magazines with the Fastest Response Times – “Impatient? These mags have the fastest response times, so you won’t be left hanging for months. You’ll get a quick “yes” or “no,” and let’s be real, that’s a win in itself. No more endless waiting—you know—regular waiting. We kept it to mags with 50+ tracked submissions to be safe.”

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

Lucky Jefferson

Lunch Ticket

• DEADLINE: Rolling
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 2-3 months
• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Submittable
• FORMS:  Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Flash Prose, Poetry, Translation, Visual Art, Young Adult (13+)
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/magazine/lunch-ticket-7376 (includes interview with the editors).

Micromance Magazine

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open Year Round
  • Scheduling is 4 to 5 months out, so if you have any seasonal pieces keep that in mind – for instance, now is the time to send in a Fourth of July piece…Come July/August, the call will come out for holiday pieces… but if you don’t mind when your story or poem publishes, send them on in.
• THEME(S): Romance, Love Stories
• FORMAT: Online with some print anthologies
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: No Payment at this time
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: We publish a story or poem 6 days a week
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: I strive for 30 days or sooner, but at most 45 days
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: NO
• FORMS: Flash Fiction, Drabble, Poetry
• LISTINGS: Chill Subs, Duotrope, CLMP
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter)

New Verse News

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Always Open
• THEME(S): Current events
• FORMAT: Blogspot and Substack
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Very fast, within a week
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: No
• REPRINTS: No.
• FORMS: Poetry

NonBinary Review

The Penn Review

Radar Poetry

Sonic Boom

• READING PERIODS:
  • January 1 – January 15: Issue will be published by the end of January
  • March 1 – March 15: Issue will be published by the end of March 
  • April 15 – April 30: Submission window for World Collage Day. Curated collages will be published on May 11
  • ?May 1 – June 30: Our imprint Yavanika Press will remain open for e-chapbook submissions.
  • June 1 – June 15: Submission window for our Annual Visual Poetry Contest. Vispo Gallery will be published by the first week of July 
  • July 1 – July 15: Issue will be published by the end of July 
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 3 weeks or sooner
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: No
• FORMS: Poems under 10 lines, Visual poems
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/17197 with editor interview

Thimble

• NEXT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 31. 2025
• READING PERIODS: Every month except January, April, July, and October.
• FORMAT: Online and print
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: None
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: Quarterly
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: about a month or two
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Email
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Poetry, prose, artwork, hybrid
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/25345/thimble-literary-magazine
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

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

Wailing & Gnashing

West Branch

• DEADLINE: Aug 1 – April 1
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: Payment is awarded for accepted works in the amount of $100 per submission of poetry, and $.10/word for prose with a maximum payment of $200. Additionally, we provide each contributor with two copies of the issue in which his/her work appears and a one-year subscription to West Branch.
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: 6 weeks
• FORMS: poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation

Wildness

More Fast-Response Journals — Including Paying Markets

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