a digital landscape for dreamy, distorted literature by emerging and exciting new voices

shoegaze literary is a capsule project that publishes poetry and fiction. 
the magazine borrows its name and aesthetics from the eponymous musical genre where artists often perform looking down at their effect pedals.
we aim to support and uplift emerging writers through our digital venue by curating a third space for dreamy, distorted alternate realities. 
synthesizing…… 
slowed down

Every year, we try to highlight some up-and-coming lit mags that were founded in the past year. The lit mag world is ever-changing, and the scene is always shifting to include more and more amazing, diverse publications. For 2025, these are the 20 new magazines (not that it was easy to decide!) we think everyone should keep an eye on.

20 Lit Mags Founded in 2025 That We Think Will Be the Next Big Thing

We asked, you guys answered. This time we switched it up a little bit, so we're bringing you the community's top picks for the strange, bold, and experimental.

Want to check out our previous crowdsourced themed lists? We've un-paywalled them for you guys, so get them before they're gone.
Part 1: https://www.chillsubs.com/lists/cool_kids_3
Part 2: https://www.chillsubs.com/lists/Cool_kids_2
Part 3: https://www.chillsubs.com/lists/cool_kids_pt3
Part 4: https://www.chillsubs.com/lists/cool_kids_4

Where Our Favorite Weirdos Are Sending Their Writing

Online publications putting forward exceptional short stories for Best of the Net.

Fiction Magazines That Nominate for Best of the Net

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

Fiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Identifies publications that put forward outstanding online work for this respected digital anthology established in 2006.

Literary Magazines That Nominate for Best of the Net

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

Online journals that specifically champion poetry for Best of the Net consideration.

Poetry Magazines That Nominate for Best of the Net

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

Poetry Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

shoegaze literary

shoegaze literary is back for our third themed issue, “press your luck.” our editors invite you to submit poetry and fiction that embrace low to high risk play.  

we’re looking for stories set physically, spiritually, or emotionally in casinos, fairgrounds, horse races, cockfights, sports betting, church bingo, community raffles, and pachinko parlors, or involving scratch cards, lottery stubs, barcade claw games, ski ball, slot machines, pinball, and all other games of chance.

we want to feel desperate, tense, and spent, but also euphoric, and most of all – lucky.  

issue three: press your luck!

shoegaze literary is back for our next themed issue, “reality bites back”. our editors invite you to submit poetry and fiction that embrace the beautiful indignities of being watched.<div><br></div><div>we’re looking for work set where producers have their cameras: confessionals, reunion couches, hot tubs, elimination ceremonies, rented mansions, tropical villas, restaurant back rooms, makeover chairs, soundstages, kitchens under pressure, and houses where no one is allowed to know what time it is. we’re hungry for immunity, roses, secret alliances, public votes, private betrayals, blurred faces, black boxes, bombshells, hot mics, villain edits, producer interference, dramatic exits, and the desperate belief that you are here for the right reasons.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>we want the manufactured and the sincere, the humiliating and the glamorous, the moment someone forgets the cameras are there and the moment they remember. we want to be overexposed, underslept, badly behaved, and impossible to edit around. most of all, we want to be watched.</div><div><br></div><div>to spark or guide your work we invite you to enter our digital plaza:</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>a playlist </div><div><br></div><div>a color palette  </div><div><br></div><div>and the collage featured above.</div><div><br></div><div>shoegaze literary is open to a broad interpretation of its theme. if you are here to win, we want you. </div><div><br></div><div>for more information on our submission guidelines click here. submissions will close on october 15th.</div><div><br></div><div>please note we are no longer accepting email submissions. you can find our submission form here.</div>

shoegaze literary

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