An independent quarterly journal of short fiction, poetry and articles on writing. 

Penstricken is an online literary journal dedicated to publishing quality short fiction and poetry. Our mission is to provide a platform for new authors to showcase their work, though we welcome submissions from writers of all experience levels.

We love stories that draw us into the beating heart of a character and allow us to experience life through their eyes. We also love elegant wordcraft and rich sensory language that doesn’t compromise on clarity.

If you’re an aspiring author, a literary enthusiast, or just someone who enjoys a good story, we invite you to submit your work and help us build a vibrant collection of diverse voices and compelling narratives.

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

Fiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Specialized publications that recognize exceptional brief fiction through Pushcart nominations.

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

Literary Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

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

Highlights publications that regularly put forward essays, memoirs, and other creative nonfiction for Pushcart consideration.

Nonfiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Focuses specifically on poetry journals with established histories of Pushcart nominations.

Poetry Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Penstricken

Journeys is the theme and title of our next issue. As always, we’re on the look-out for creative interpretations of that theme, so let your imagination run wild with poems inspired by journeys and travel, both literal and metaphorical. 

You will need to give your submission a title but please avoid naming your submission ‘Journeys’, as this will be the title of the whole issue.

It is free to submit your work for consideration, however you can also request an expedited response with a detailed critique of your work in exchange for a donation of £2 or more. 

- Up to 4 poems per submission. Max 40 lines per poem.
- Single-spaced, one poem per page.
- Poems can be on any subject and in any form, though we tend to appreciate poetry with accessible language and a clear story.
- Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information anywhere in the file you upload, including the filename.<div><br></div><div>This is for our WINTER 2026 issue (due for release Dec). We will make our final selections after submissions close.</div>

Poetry

We are looking for articles that offer clear writing tips or publishing advice in a conversational tone. Personal essays about your own writerly experiences are welcome too, provided they include some practical insights or advice about creative writing. 

- 1,000-2,000 words.
- Double-spaced, 12-point Georgia font.
- Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information anywhere in the file you upload, including the filename.<div><br></div><div>This is for our WINTER 2026 issue (due for release Dec). We will make our final selections after submissions close.</div>

Non-Fiction About Writing

The Penstricken 1,000-Word Story competition is your chance to win our biggest ever prize of £100 + your story published in our Winter 2026 issue, <i>Journeys</i>, along with an author interview. There is a strict submission cap of 100 entries, meaning this competition will close when we receive our 100th entry OR when we reach the deadline of 30th August – whatever happens first.

The Penstricken 1,000 Word Story Prize

Journeys is the theme and title of our next issue. As always, we’re on the look-out for creative interpretations of that theme, so let your imagination run wild with short stories inspired by journeys and travel, both literal and metaphorical.

You will need to give your submission a title but please avoid naming your submission ‘Journeys’, as this will be the title of the whole issue.

It is free to submit your work for consideration, however you can also request an expedited response with a detailed critique of your work in exchange for a donation of £2 or more. 

- Max. 5,000 words. No strict lower limit although anything less than 1,000 is unlikely to be accepted.
- Submissions should be double-spaced, 12-point Georgia font. Be sure to include a word count.
- Most genres of fiction are acceptable, provided its not too graphic.
- Please do not include your name or any other identifiable information anywhere in the file you upload, including the filename.<div><br></div><div>This is for our WINTER 2026 issue (due for release Dec). We will make our final selections after submissions close.</div>

Penstricken

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