You can make real money selling your writing to literary art magazines, whether it be diary entries, short stories, research papers, poems, biographies, personal essays, or other forms of creative writing.
I think, deep down, I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I remember being young and writing my first short story. I remember writing extensive entries in my diary, keeping journal entries, and locking away even more short stories. Before I realized it was something I wanted to pursue or the significance of this outlet, I was writing to express my feelings and process my thoughts.
After editing for a literary and art magazine, my eyes were opened to just how many publishing opportunities there are for aspiring writers and authors. If you’ve ever wanted to publish your short stories or poetry, here is a comprehensive list of magazines that will buy your work.
- The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts
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The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts aims to give voices to amateur artists through compressed literature and art. The non-profit publisher accepts submissions of micro-fiction, flash fiction, prose, poetry, visual arts, and other forms of compression.
Deadline: Dec. 15.
Writer Commission: $50.
- StoryQuarterly
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StoryQuarterly is the literary magazine at the Rutgers-Camden Department of English. The publication, which originally started as an independent quarterly in 1975, accepts forms of nonfiction and fiction and has been publishing individual and unique stories for over 30 years. Acclaimed writers who have published in StoryQuarterly include Margaret Atwood, Bryan Washington, Lydia Davis, and more.
Deadline: Dec. 1.
Writer Commission: $25 per piece.
- Tales to Terrify
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Tales to Terrify is a weekly horror-orientated podcast. They accept submissions of fiction and flash fiction and present them in audiobook style. The volunteer-run program has been transforming the stories of emerging and established writers since 2012.
Deadline: Rolling submissions.
Writer Commission: Dependent on submission.
- Tamarind: Literary Magazine
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Tamarind is a semi-annual, non-profit literary magazine that is published in both print and digital downloads. The magazine accepts creative non-fiction, flash fiction, and fiction relating to science and the interaction with the field with society.
Deadline: Rolling submissions.
Writer Commission: Dependent on submission.
- Salamander
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Salamander has been publishing bi-annual magazines since 1992. They aim to share the voices of writers in all stages of their careers, accepting genres of fiction, flash fiction, non-fiction, flash creative non-fiction, and poetry.
Work from this magazine is often reprinted and anthologized in The Best American Short Stories, The O. Henry Prize Stories, The Best American Mystery and Suspense, The Best American Poetry, The Pushcart Prize Anthology, New Stories from the Midwest, The Best Small Fictions, and elsewhere, according to its website.
Deadline: April 1.
Writer Commission: Dependent on submission.
- Uncharted Magazine
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Uncharted values original stories, primarily in the horror, mystery, thriller, and science fiction genres. Through its magazine issues, it uplifts up-and-coming authors. Uncharted accepts novel excerpts through its annual fiction contest.
Deadline: Dec. 15.
Writer Commission: $1,000 (selects three winners).
- Thread literary and art magazine
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Thread Magazine’s micro-fiction style is unique in that it accepts submissions over Instagram Threads. Its goal is to illuminate the human experience, through pieces of microfiction, poetry, and mini-essay.
Deadline: Rolling submissions.
Writer Commission: $20.
Literary magazines are everywhere and are a modern, unique way to share the work of aspiring and professional writers all over the world. They serve the role of sharing the human experience through artistic aspects and artifacts. Anyone can be a published author, and one who gets compensated for their art, if they have a passion for writing and the courage to put their work out there.