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Where to Publish Flash Nonfiction & Micro-Essays

by Erika Dreifus on
58

LATEST LIST UPDATE: JULY 2023

As promised, I’ve compiled what I am calling here a guide to journals and magazines that publish flash nonfiction/micro-essays.

Before I present the list, I need to issue a few clarifications and caveats.

First, this list by no means includes *every* journal or magazine that might publish your piece of flash nonfiction. For the most part, I’ve omitted publications that specify only that submitted essays should run “no longer than” or “up to” 5,000 or 8,000 words. It’s entirely possible that the editors of these publications will welcome something more along the lines of 500 or 800 words. But unless I’ve discerned a *specific* editorial interest in shorter-form nonfiction–whether through my own research into guidelines and past issues or through sources listed at the end of the post–I haven’t included them here.

I’ve also had to break my usual blog-and-newsletter-rule about limiting listings to paying journals only (and only publications that don’t require reading fees). But I’ve done my best to signal to you which journals state outright on their sites that they’ll pay for your work–look for the $–and which ones are equally upfront about charging fees. As of 2022, I’ve removed listings for journals that appear to charge fees but don’t pay contributors.

Important note: Not every publication is open to submissions year-round, but I’m not tracking that information here.

Worth a mention: Just because a journal is listed here doesn’t mean that it’s an ideal home for your work. Check out these tried-and-true tips for deciding whether you wish to send your work to any particular venue.

Finally: If you know of a journal or magazine that’s specifically interested in flash nonfiction and micro-essays that should be added to the list, please share your knowledge (bonus points for links, too) in comments. Thank you!

Without further ado…

(more…)

The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled
  • As a short story writer who really has to stumble on some magical inspiration to begin (let alone finish) a novel, I am fascinated by Sarah Salway’s post, “How Do You Start a Novel?”, which features a range of voices.
  • Beth Kissileff provides sound “Writing Advice About Writing Advice.”
  • I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Anne Trubek’s New York Times Book Review essay on “Why Authors Tweet” mentioned on Twitter. But in case you’ve missed it, here’s the link.
  • In her usual generous and practical manner, Kelly James-Enger reveals her 2011 freelance earnings. (If you’re a full-time freelancer, you can pay it forward by completing the survey linked within the post.)
  • Love Diane Lockward’s look back on her poetry-filled year (not to mention the hat tip to Lisa Romeo). (My thanks to Diane for including me in some of her outward-focused poetry activities.)
  • Huge thanks to David Abrams for hosting me over on his amazing blog, The Quivering Pen, where I’ve just contributde a fresh take to the “My First Time” series by confessing what it’s like to receive the first punch-in-the-gut review of one’s book. (By the way, David is looking for other guest-bloggers for that column: “The Quivering Pen blog is looking for published authors to guest blog for the weekly feature ‘My First Time.‘ Have an interesting story to tell about your first experience(s) in writing and/or publishing? Drop me a line at david dot abrams at gmail dot com. I’ll be glad to send more guidelines. Please feel free to re-share, Tweet or email to all your writer friends, too.”)

    • Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • I’ve mentioned this no-fee contest in a previous issue of The Practicing Writer, but since the deadline is approaching, it’s probably worth mentioning again: “This year sampad is delighted to be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore with Inspired by Tagore an international writing competition. Tagore was a hugely influential South Asian poet and many sampad projects have celebrated his legacy or been sparked by a line of his poetry….There are 2 categories: one for writers aged between 8 and 15, one for writers aged 16 and over. Entries can be poetry, short stories or reportage, and writers can submit up to 6 pieces of work, maximum length 400 words, using Tagore’s poetry and writing as a starting point.” Cash prizes and publication. Open to writers around the world. Deadline: January 31, 2012.
  • From WritersWeekly.com: “We’re Out Of Features! QUERY US! WritersWeekly pays $60 on acceptance for features averaging around 600 words. See our guidelines HERE.”
  • “The American South is a haunted place — full of ghost stories, native legends, persistent devils & angels, souls sold at the crossroads, and moon-eyed maidens living in the Okefenokee. The South’s best writers — Faulkner, O’Connor, McCullers — all keep this sense of the otherworldly in their fiction. In this spirit, Q & W Publishers is looking for submissions for an anthology of short fiction and non-fiction that explores the fantastic, eerie, and bizarre side of the American South.” Pays: $50/accepted piece, plus one copy of the anthology.”
  • From the Kentucky Arts Council: “BOOKSTORE SEEKING LOCAL AUTHOR BOOKS FOR SALE Bakery Blessings & Bookstore @ the Bar in Lexington is accepting local, Kentucky author books for sale on consignment. More info: Jan(at)aprilword(dot)com.”
  • Something for my fellow New Yorkers: Free writing workshops around Manhattan on January 10 and 11. Check them out and pre-register.
  • From Colby College (Maine): “Position in Fiction Writing starting September 2012 to teach 1-3 sections of Introduction to Fiction (English 278). Applicants must have a MFA or equivalent, publication, and evidence of teaching effectiveness at the college level.”
  • The Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University (Mass.) seeks a Staff Writer, Melville House Publishing (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is looking for a Publicist, and Carleton College (Minn.) seeks applications for a Publications Writer/Editor.

    • The Wednesday Web Browser for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2
  • Faye Rapoport DesPres recently published such a good post on rejection on her blog that she inspired me to go back and dig up a short essay of mine on the same subject.
  • On the Fiction Writers Review blog, Celeste Ng reflects on naming practices in fiction–and provides some links to online name generators you may want to try.
  • I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I have sometimes managed to turns peeves and annoyances into fee-garnering writing (for one example, see this essay). So naturally, Midge Raymond’s latest writing prompt caught my eye.
  • Kelly James-Enger suggests “5 Things for Freelancers to Do Before Year’s End.”
  • Feeling a bit crunched? Worried that you aren’t writing during this holiday season? Lori Ann Bloomfield shares tips for making sure you don’t neglect your writing practice.
  • If you haven’t heard about the latest Facebook changes, Robert Lee Brewer will help you get oriented.
  • It has been quite a long time since I’ve shared a New York Times “After Deadline” post (on grammar, usage, and style). Here’s an example of what you’ve been missing.
  • From David Abrams: A gorgeous look at the year in book covers.

    • Please tune in tomorrow, when I’ll share the story behind my first commissioned short story, “Fidelis,” which is currently airing on NPR.

    Monday Markets/Jobs/Opportunities for Writers

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled
  • Call for submissions on “Southern Sin”: “Creative Nonfiction and the Oxford Creative Nonfiction Writers Conference & Workshop are looking for essays that capture the South in all its steamy sinfulness–whether you’re skipping church to watch football, coveting your neighbor’s Real Housewife of Atlanta, or just drinking an unholy amount of sweet tea. Confess your own wrongdoings, gossip about your neighbor’s depravity, or tell us about your personal connection to a famous Southerner headed down the broad road to Hell. Whether the sin you discuss is deadly or just something that would make your mama blush we want to hear about it in an essay that is at least partially narrative–employing scenes, descriptions, etc. Your essay can channel William Faulkner or Flannery O’Connor, Alice Walker or Rick Bragg; it can be serious, humorous, or somewhere in between, but all essays must tell true stories, and must incorporate both sin and the South in some way. Usually the wages of sin is death, but this time we’re making an exception. The best essays will be published in Creative Nonfiction #47, and CNF and Oxford will be awarding multiple cash prizes (amount TBA).” Deadline: May 28, 2012.
  • From The First Line: “We are looking to fill some slots for our Favorite First Line section for 2012. Between now and the end of January, send us a 500-800 word critical essay about your favorite first line from a literary work. Payment is $20 for an accepted essay.”
  • Attention, DC-area writers! Leslie Pietrzyk has kindly posted the following: “The Jenny McKean Moore Free Community Workshop is one of the best deals in the DC writing world. Each year, a writer comes to DC to be in residence at George Washington University, and part of their obligation includes teaching a FREE, semester-long writing class. Yes, FREE. All you have to do is follow the application directions and keep your fingers crossed that your manuscript will be accepted. That’s right, even the application process is FREE! (Thank you, Jenny McKean Moore.)” You’ll find all of the details and application instructions here.
  • Interesting WritersWeekly.com article on “lucrative niches in children’s writing.”
  • “New to the 2012 Muse and the Marketplace conference, Grub Street is soliciting “Hour of Power” suggestions from presenters all over the country. We are looking for authors, editors, agents, publicists or literary industry professionals with a compelling topic they’d like to share with a group of up to 50 aspiring and emerging fiction and non-fiction writers. You can lead a lecture with Q&A, a discussion class, a panel, a series of writing exercises, or a combination of the above. Accepted presenters receive free tuition to the conference on the day of their presentation, breakfast and lunch, invitations to a private Kick-Off party. If you have books, we will sell those at the event. Travel and accommodations are not included. To apply: first, read some samples of previous Muse sessions here: http://www.grubstreet.org/index.php?id=687. Then, fill out our online submission form: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HOP2012 by January 16th, 2012. Winners will be notified by January 23rd. This year’s conference will be held May 5-6, 2012 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.”
  • From Emerson College (Boston): “The Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing seeks a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of Magazine Writing and Publishing to teach a range of magazine publishing courses. The initial appointment is for the 2012-13 academic year beginning September 1, 2012.”
  • Simmons College (Boston) seeks a Writer/Editor, Tulsa World (Okla.) is looking for a Feature Writer, and the Center for Fiction (New York) invites applications for a Webmaster position.