an award-winning online arts and culture magazine. It features fiction, poetry, art, hybrid works, reviews, essays, interviews, a podcast, and more

Big Other is an award-winning online arts and culture magazine, established in 2009, that showcases a diverse array of literary and artistic works. The magazine features fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art, reviews, essays, interviews, and a podcast, emphasizing experimental and innovative art forms. It has published works by notable authors, including Pulitzer Prize winners Rae Armantrout and Forrest Gander, National Book Award winners Daniel Borzutzky and Arthur Sze, Grand Master of Science Fiction and Fantasy Samuel R. Delany, and American Book Award winner Edwin Torres. (bigother.com) Big Other is edited and managed by John Madera, who is also the founder of the magazine. (bigother.com) The magazine is committed to publishing diverse voices, including works by women, people of color, and individuals from underrepresented groups in the literary community. (bigother.com) It accepts submissions in various genres, such as poetry, fiction, nonfiction, lyric essay, art, video, short drama, and hybrid work, from both established and emerging writers and artists. (bigother.com) Big Other is based in Brooklyn, New York, and has been a significant platform for innovative literature and art since its inception. (pw.org)

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Publications with verse selected for America's foremost poetry anthology. These journals consistently publish poetry representing the most significant contemporary verse across styles and approaches.

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Publications with ultra-short stories under 400 words selected for this anthology series. The definitive collection for the microfiction form.

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Publications with narratives under 1,000 words selected for this anthology series. These journals consistently identify short-short fiction, exemplifying the artistry possible in compact narratives.

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Journals that forward outstanding nonfiction to this respected anthology series founded in 1986. These publications identify exceptional essays that might reach the broader readership BAE provides.

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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.

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

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Big Other

Fiction

Poetry

Nonfiction

Up to 10 images, 6,000 words, or five minutes of audio or video.

Hybrid

Book Excerpts

Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction up to 6,000 words.

Translation

We are excited to announce the deadline and guidelines for the 2026 Big Other Book Awards! This marks the eighth annual presentation of the awards, which recognize excellence in literature and to promote and support the work of innovative writers and adventurous presses.
The winners will be announced at the 2026 Big Other Book Awards Ceremony, which will be aired virtually in 2027.
Here are the submission guidelines:
1. Books must be published between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026. E-books, audiobooks, and reissued editions will not be considered.
2. We will select one winner in each of the following categories:
Fiction
Nonfiction
Poetry
Translation
3. Books can be submitted by publishers and authors, although we reserve the right to honor any eligible book. Chapbooks are eligible in every category. There’s no limit to the number of titles a publisher or author may enter.
4. Two finished copies of each submitted entry should be mailed here:
John Madera | 49 Monroe Avenue | Ground floor | Staten Island, NY 10301
Galleys will not be considered.
5. The fee is $40 for each entry. Be sure to upload a cover letter with a press release.
6. Publishers are urged to send their submissions as soon as possible. Packages must be postmarked by January 31, 2027.
7. Finalists will be announced in the spring of 2027. Winners will be announced at the 2026 Big Other Book Awards ceremony in the summer of 2027.
On June 14, 2026, we announced the winners of the 2025 Big Other Book Awards. Click on the link to view the ceremony, where awards for lifetime achievement and outstanding service to the literary community were also presented.

Big Other

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The BIG OTHER Book Awards - Fiction

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