Great Editor(s) - Best Lit Mags of 2025

Best Fiction Lit Mags of 2024

25 Best Lit Mags of 2023 - Chill Subs Community Favorites

An award-winning independent nonprofit that promotes philosophical and ethical discourse by publishing short story fiction.

After Dinner Conversation is an award-winning independent nonprofit publisher. We believe in fostering meaningful discussions among friends, family, and students to enhance humanity through truth-seeking, reflection, and respectful debate. To achieve this, we publish philosophical and ethical short story fiction accompanied by discussion questions.

Our monthly magazine is distributed through our website, as well as Bookshop.org, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Libby, and local bookstores.  We reprint short stories from our magazine to our 150,000+ Substack subscribers and through relationships with Philosophy Now and Film London.

We are supported, in part, through a grant by the Arizona Commission on the Arts and a member of CLMP.

Kolby Granville, Editor/Founder

Community Favorites: Our 2024 Best Lit Mag Awards winners for fiction, selected entirely by community vote. Over 500 magazines nominated with thousands of votes cast.

Out of 7,067 votes, these lit mags came out on top in 2025 as having the best lit mags editors around.

Not about prizes or prestige. Solely based on the writing community's nominations.

A targeted resource for short story placements with potential for Pushcart recognition.

Fiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

The ultimate ranking of the world's liveliest indie literary magazines, curated by author and editor Charlie Fish. These are the passion projects; the kaleidoscopic cutting edge.

FISH List of Lively Indie Literary Magazines 2025

FISH List of Lively Indie Literary Magazines 2026

Publications that nominate work for this respected anthology series founded in 2015 by Tara Masih to celebrate fiction under 1,000 words.

Literary Magazines That Nominate for Best Small Fictions

Essential publications that nominate short fiction for the O'Henry Prize anthology, one of America's most venerable literary awards. Established in 1919.

Literary Magazines That Nominate for the O'Henry Prize

A comprehensive guide to journals that regularly nominate work for the Pushcart Prize.

Literary Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

These magazines have the fastest response times, so you won't be left hanging for months. No more endless waiting. Just, you know, regular waiting.

Literary Magazines with the Fastest Response Times

BASS represents the most mainstream recognition for short fiction in America. These journals serve as the initial screening layer for potential inclusion in this widely-read collection.

Literary Mags That Nominate for Best American Short Stories

Explore the all-time most competitive fiction literary magazines. These magazines are revered in the fiction world for their editorial rigor.

Most Competitive Fiction-Only Literary Magazines of All Time

Explore the most competitive fiction literary magazines this year. These magazines are revered in the fiction world for their editorial rigor.

Most Competitive Fiction-Only Literary Magazines This Year

All-time most competitive literary magazines. Getting published in these is a significant achievement for any writer.

Most Competitive Literary Magazines of All Time

Explore the all-time most competitive speculative fiction literary magazines. These magazines are revered in the fiction world for their editorial rigor.

Most Competitive Speculative Fiction Magazines of All Time

Explore the most competitive speculative fiction literary magazines this year. These magazines are revered in the fiction world for their editorial rigor.

Most Competitive Speculative Fiction Magazines This Year

Check out the all-time most popular fiction literary magazines. These publications have a long-standing reputation for quality fiction.

Most Popular Fiction-Only Literary Magazines of All Time

Explore the most popular literary magazines of all time. These long-established publications are a staple in the literary world for writers of all genres.

Most Popular Literary Magazines of All Time

Check out the all-time most popular speculative fiction literary magazines. These publications have a long-standing reputation for quality speculative fiction.

Most Popular Speculative Fiction Magazines of All Time

Explore the all-time most submitted-to fiction literary magazines. These outlets are the top destination for fiction writers worldwide.

Most Submitted-To Fiction-Only Literary Magazines of All Time

Explore the most submitted-to fiction literary magazines this year. These outlets are the top destination for fiction writers worldwide.

Most Submitted-To Fiction-Only Literary Magazines This Year

After Dinner Conversation

We don't care what the genre is, so long as their is a idea ripe for discussion.  Fiction, non-fiction, horror, children, whatever.  Anything but poetry and pure academic papers.  Your best bet is to watch this video.   https://www.afterdinnerconversation.com/submissionsvideo

General call

<b>After Dinner Conversation</b> is always open for submissions.  That means we get a lot of submissions! We also only publish from public submissions, no solicited submissions.

Long story short, this means we receive about 200-250 submissions every month and we need volunteer submission readers to help us find the best of the best to publish.<div><br></div><div>Our focus is short story literary fiction with a focus on ethical and philosophical questions.  Here is a video where we explain to authors what we are looking for.  https://youtu.be/f02mUCJua1w</div><div><br></div><div><b>So, what do you get by being a submission reader?</b></div><div><ol><li>Something fancy to put on your resume.</li><li>A very willing letter of recommendation writer on your behalf to say how super-awesome you are.</li><li>You'll become a better writer. Trust us, reading 20 submissions is the BEST way to improve your own writing.</li><li>You might find the next great piece we publish.</li><li>"Skip the Line" submissions of your own pieces to the magazine (within reason).  Basically, you submit your piece directly to our editor.  Your piece won't get special treatment, but it will get to the final decision-maker and skip the reading process all together.</li><li>Access to apply for higher positions in the organization.  We only promote from the submission reader group. We never hire from the general public.</li></ol><div><br></div></div><div><b>What don't you get by being a submission reader?</b></div><div><ol><li>Pay.</li><li>Free puppies.</li><li>Publication in the magazine that isn't good enough to otherwise be selected.</li></ol></div>

After Dinner Conversation

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