Breaking into the world of literature is difficult! We cannot all be Margaret Atwoods and Neil Gaimans right off the bat, but it is seemingly impossible to get in anywhere when you’re a young writer with no MFA or publications to your name. To help lessen what can seem like a flood of rejection emails, here’s a list of journals that are not explicitly looking for professionals in the field of writing:
Violet Margin
Any UIS student considering submitting their work for
publication should always check UIS’s very own Violet Margin first. Violet
Margin is dedicated to publishing work from undergraduate students all over
the country but primarily considers UIS students first. Violet Margin (previously
Alchemist Review) is available on the website, and the back catalog is
also available for checkout in Brookens Library. The literary journal prefers
to highlight underrepresented voices and usually opens for submissions in the
fall, closing early in the spring to prepare for publication.
30 N
https://30northblog.wordpress.com/submissions/
Housed at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, 30 N Literary Journal is happy to produce the works of undergraduate students via their online collection. They offer print- but it is only for enrolled students at the college.
Jet Fuel Review
https://www.jetfuelreview.com/our-story.html
Jet Fuel Review is an entirely online, award-winning literary journal housed at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. They publish work from undergraduates all over the country.
Aura Review
https://www.uab.edu/studentmedia/aura
The Student Media Division puts together this award-winning magazine at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. They offer online and print versions of the journal, and contributors will automatically get a physical copy. Their issues are often themed, so writers looking to be considered should follow the prompt fairly closely.
Agon Magazine
https://www.agonjournal.net/store
This is a new journal dedicated to exposing the contest or struggle between art and artist. In addition to accepting fiction, poetry, art, and creative non-fiction, this journal also will accept dream accounts. Not a story based on a dream or any other derivative work- they want straightforward documented images and sensations encountered in the dream. This journal offers both print and online versions of its collection.
Sink Hollow
https://www.sinkhollow.org/about
Sink Hollow is housed at Utah State University; they are interested in work only from undergraduate students and accept work nationally and internationally. This is an entirely online journal.
The Kudzu Review
The Kudzu Review hails from Florida State University and is dedicated to publishing work primarily from undergraduate students. They offer print and online versions of their collection.
Euphemism
https://english.illinoisstate.edu/euphemism/about-us/
Euphemism is an entirely online literary journal run by Illinois State University. They publish biannually and accept submissions internationally as well as locally. Euphemism follows a blind review process, so be sure to take out any identifiable information before submitting it to be considered. In addition to accepting the standard work for a literary journal, Euphemism also welcomes audio clips of spoken word, original music, and video submissions as well.
Seaglass Literary
Seaglass Literary Magazine is “dedicated to giving young writers and artists a platform to publish their most creative, fantastical, and unique ideas.” This platform is run by young writers for young emerging and unpublished writers. They offer both print and online versions of the journal.
The Augment Review
https://theaugmentreview.weebly.com/about.html
The Augment Review is a newer online journal that seeks works from writers specifically between the ages of 13-25. They offer what they call a “critique corner” where writers and artists are paired together to read and critique each other’s work. The Augment Review hopes to “shed light on prevalent issues affecting today’s youth and encourage compassion and understanding” with each issue.
Kindergarten Magazine
https://kindergartenmag.com/about/
Founded by two kindergarten friends in 2020, Kindergarten Magazine is a new online zine for emerging writers. They recognize that writers come from different backgrounds, yet they offer this magazine as a place to unite and share original creative work. They are currently accepting work for their upcoming issue, “Lunchbox,” and they accept any essays, fiction, poetry, book/movie reviews, artwork, photography, etc., that fit under the current theme.
