We are a UK-based literary journal that publishes online and in print. We publish quality, innovative work by emerging short story writers and poets, in order to promote new authors and the art of the short story and poetry to readers worldwide.

Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby. 

We are a UK-based literary journal that publishes online and in print. We publish quality, innovative work by emerging short story writers and poets, in order to promote new, developing authors and the art of the short story and poetry to readers worldwide. We are delighted with every piece we publish, but our main aim is to nurture emerging talent and newly-established writers, to help them find a foothold in the literary world.

We take great pride in literary loyalty: we endeavour to give our authors the best possible experience, promote them as widely and fully as we are able, and offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost. Our online journal is available to read for free.

Superlative runs themed and unthemed open submissions. There is no set theme for monthly feature competitions. We accept work of any genre, voice, and style from writers worldwide.

Superlative is open for submissions:

- Open journal submissions.
- Monthly feature competitions.
- Quarterly mico-fiction competitions.
- Annual competitions.
​

What We Do:

- Pay writers for every publication.
- Champion literary loyalty.
- Publish online every month.
- Publish in print every year.
- Run social media promotions.
- Host free online interviews.
- Run launch events.
- Provide author of the month opportunities.
- Post out free copies of the journal.
- Offer bigger and bigger prize funds.
- Nominate contributors for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc.

- Provide specific, individual feedback from our editors, for every single entry, at no extra cost.

We do all of this to help support emerging writers, and think it is more than worth the submission fees.

They told us personally or put it in their guidelines. These magazines actively want to be the first to publish you.

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Superlative - The Literary Journal

Upon acceptance, Superlative will publish the contributor's short story/poem in our international online journal, share bio and social media handles, and pay a £100 contributor prize. We also nominate contributors for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc) and continue to promote contributors after publication. The open journal is published monthly. Our online journal is available to read for free. We offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost.<div><br></div><div><b>Submitted work should be:</b></div><div><ul><li>One short story/one poem of any genre or theme.</li><li>Up to 5,000 words (for short story submissions).</li><li>Previously unpublished.</li><li>Your own - not written by any kind of AI software.</li></ul></div><div><br></div><div><b>Additional information:</b></div><div><ul><li>Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.</li><li>We respond to every submission and, for open journal submissions, aim to do so within 1-3 months.</li><li>We encourage transgressive and experimental work.</li><li>We accept extracts from longer pieces of work, provided they still meet the submission criteria and stand as a comprehensible piece of writing in their own right.</li><li>The editors' decision is final.</li><li>Submission fees are purposefully nominal, and only cover the journal's running costs and competition prize money. We offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost.</li><li>If you are unsuccessful, please do not be deterred from submitting new work in future! We receive a lot of submissions, and standards are always very high. Please persevere! There is no embargo period during which you cannot resubmit work, following both successful and unsuccessful submissions.</li></ul></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby.</div><div>We publish short stories and poetry.</div><div><br></div><div>Superlative accepts open submissions, and runs monthly feature competitions and annual competitions.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Superlative's annual competition schedule is:</b></div><div>Earlybird Submissions: 01 Sep - 31 Dec</div><div>Submissions: 01 January - 31 August</div><div>Judging: September</div><div>Longlist: October</div><div>Shortlist: November</div><div>Winners &amp; Launch: December</div><div><br></div><div>The theme for Superlative's 2027 annual writing competition is HORIZONS.</div>

Submit a poem to the 2027 annual journal competition (1st prize £500)

Submit a short story to the 2027 annual journal competition (1st prize £500)

Upon acceptance, Superlative will publish the winner's poem as our featured poem for February, share bio and social media handles, and pay a £100 winner prize. We also nominate winners for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc) and continue to promote winners after publication. <div><br></div><div><b>Submitted work should be:&nbsp;</b>
<ul><li>Poetry of any genre or theme.</li><li>Previously unpublished.</li><li>Your own - not written by any kind of AI software.</li><li>Edited and formatted correctly in standard British English.

&nbsp;
<b>&nbsp;Additional information:</b></li><li>Winning pieces may be included in Superlative's annual journal publication, alongside annual competition winners, and winners may be invited to Superlative's December launch event and given the opportunity to read their work.</li><li>Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.</li><li>We respond to every submission and, for quarterly competition submissions, you will hear from us within 2 weeks of the closing deadline.</li><li>We encourage transgressive and experimental work.</li><li>We accept extracts from longer pieces of work, provided they still meet the submission criteria and stand as a comprehensible piece of writing in their own right.</li><li>The editors' decision is final.  However, we offer feedback wherever possible, and always upon request, at no extra cost.</li><li>Submission fees are purposefully nominal, and only cover the journal's running costs and competition prize money.</li><li>If you are unsuccessful, please do not be deterred from submitting new work in future! We receive a lot of submissions, and standards are always very high. Please persevere!</li></ul><div><br></div><div>Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby.</div><div>We publish short stories and poetry.</div><div><br></div><div>Superlative accepts open submissions, and runs monthly feature competitions and annual competitions.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Superlative's annual competition schedule is:</b></div><div>Earlybird Submissions: 01 September - 31 December</div><div>Submissions Accepted: 01 January - 31 August</div><div>Judging: September</div><div>Longlist Contacted &amp; Announced: October</div><div>Shortlist Contacted &amp; Announced: November</div><div>Winners Contacted &amp; Announced: December</div><div><br></div><div>The theme for Superlative's 2027 annual writing competition is HORIZONS.</div></div>

Submit a poem to the monthly feature competition (£100 prize)

Upon acceptance, Superlative will publish the winner's poem as our featured poem for February, share bio and social media handles, and pay a £100 winner prize. We also nominate winners for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc) and continue to promote winners after publication. <div><br></div><div><b>Submitted work should be: </b></div><div><ul><li>Poetry of any genre or theme.</li><li>Previously unpublished.</li><li>Your own - not written by any kind of AI software.</li><li>Edited and formatted correctly in standard British English.</li></ul></div><div><br></div><div> </div><div><b> Additional information:</b></div><div><ul><li>Winning pieces may be included in Superlative's annual journal publication, alongside annual competition winners, and winners may be invited to Superlative's December launch event and given the opportunity to read their work.</li><li>Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.</li><li>We respond to every submission and, for quarterly competition submissions, you will hear from us within 2 weeks of the closing deadline.</li><li>We encourage transgressive and experimental work.</li><li>We accept extracts from longer pieces of work, provided they still meet the submission criteria and stand as a comprehensible piece of writing in their own right.</li><li>The editors' decision is final.  However, we offer feedback wherever possible, and always upon request, at no extra cost.</li><li>Submission fees are purposefully nominal, and only cover the journal's running costs and competition prize money.</li><li>If you are unsuccessful, please do not be deterred from submitting new work in future! We receive a lot of submissions, and standards are always very high. Please persevere!</li></ul></div><div><br></div><div>Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby.</div><div>We publish short stories and poetry.</div><div><br></div><div>Superlative accepts open submissions, and runs monthly feature competitions and annual competitions.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Superlative's annual competition schedule is:</b></div><div>Earlybird Submissions: 01 September - 31 December</div><div>Submissions Accepted: 01 January - 31 August</div><div>Judging: September</div><div>Longlist Contacted &amp; Announced: October</div><div>Shortlist Contacted &amp; Announced: November</div><div>Winners Contacted &amp; Announced: December</div><div><br></div><div>The theme for Superlative's 2027 annual writing competition is HORIZONS.</div>

Submit a short story to the monthly feature competition (£100 prize)

Upon acceptance, Superlative will publish one winning piece of micro-fiction as that quarter's feature winner, share bio and social media handles, and pay a £150 winner prize. We also nominate winners for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc) and continue to promote winners after publication. <div><br></div><div><b>Submitted work should be:</b>
<ul><li>One mini saga or piece of flash fiction of any genre or theme.</li><li>Exactly 50 words, including the title (for mini saga submissions).</li><li>51-500 words (for flash fiction submissions).</li><li>Previously unpublished.</li><li>Your own - not written by any kind of AI software.
</li></ul><br></div><div><b>Additional information:</b>
<ul><li>Winning pieces may be included in Superlative's annual journal publication, alongside annual competition winners, and winners may be invited to Superlative's December launch event and given the opportunity to read their work.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.</li><li>We respond to every submission and, for quarterly competition submissions, you will hear from us within 2 weeks of the closing deadline.</li><li>We encourage transgressive and experimental work.
We accept extracts from longer pieces of work, provided they still meet the submission criteria and stand as a comprehensible piece of writing in their own right.</li><li>The editors' decision is final. &nbsp;However, we offer feedback wherever possible, and always upon request, at no extra cost.</li><li>Submission fees are purposefully nominal, and only cover the journal's running costs and competition prize money.</li><li>If you are unsuccessful, please do not be deterred from submitting new work in future! We receive a lot of submissions, and standards are always very high. Please persevere!</li></ul></div><div></div><div>
Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby.
We publish short stories and poetry.</div><div>
Superlative accepts open submissions, and runs monthly feature competitions and annual competitions.</div><div>
<b>Superlative's annual competition schedule is:</b></div><div>Earlybird Submissions: 01 September - 31 December</div><div>Submissions Accepted: 01 January - 31 August</div><div>Judging: September</div><div>Longlist Contacted &amp; Announced: October</div><div>Shortlist Contacted &amp; Announced: November</div><div>Winners Contacted &amp; Announced: December</div><div>
The theme for Superlative's 2027 annual writing competition is HORIZONS.</div>

Submit a mini saga/piece of flash fiction to the quarterly micro-fiction competition (£150 prize)

Upon acceptance, Superlative will publish the contributor's short story/poem in our international online journal, share bio and social media handles, and pay a £100 contributor prize. We also nominate contributors for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc) and continue to promote contributors after publication. The open journal is published monthly. Our online journal is available to read for free. We offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost.<div>
<b>Submitted work should be:</b>
<ul><li>One short story/one poem of any genre or theme.</li><li>Up to 5,000 words (for short story submissions).</li><li>Previously unpublished.</li><li>Your own - not written by any kind of AI software.</li></ul></div><div>
<b>Additional information:</b>
<ul><li>Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.</li><li>We respond to every submission and, for open journal submissions, aim to do so within 1-3 months.</li><li>We encourage transgressive and experimental work.</li><li>We accept extracts from longer pieces of work, provided they still meet the submission criteria and stand as a comprehensible piece of writing in their own right.</li><li>The editors' decision is final.</li><li>Submission fees are purposefully nominal, and only cover the journal's running costs and competition prize money. We offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost.</li><li>If you are unsuccessful, please do not be deterred from submitting new work in future! We receive a lot of submissions, and standards are always very high. Please persevere! There is no embargo period during which you cannot resubmit work, following both successful and unsuccessful submissions.
</li></ul><br></div><div>
Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby.
We publish short stories and poetry.
</div><div><br></div><div>Superlative accepts open submissions, and runs monthly feature competitions and annual competitions.</div><div>
Superlative's annual competition schedule is:
Earlybird Submissions: 01 Sep - 31 Dec
Submissions: 01 January - 31 August
Judging: September
Longlist: October
Shortlist: November
Winners &amp; Launch: December
The theme for Superlative's 2027 annual writing competition is HORIZONS.</div>

Submit a short story/poem to the open journal (£100 prize)

Upon acceptance, Superlative will publish the contributor's personal essay/piece of creative non-fiction in our international online journal, share bio and social media handles, and pay a £100 contributor prize. We also nominate contributors for major prizes (Pen America, Pushcart, Best of the Net, etc) and continue to promote contributors after publication. The open journal is published monthly. Our online journal is available to read for free. We offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost.<div><br></div><div><b>Submitted work should be:</b></div><div><ul><li>One personal essay/piece of creative non-fiction of any genre or theme.</li><li>Up to 5,000 words.</li><li>Previously unpublished.</li><li>Your own - not written by any kind of AI software.</li></ul></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div><b> Additional information:</b></div><div><ul><li>Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.</li><li>We respond to every submission and, for open journal submissions, aim to do so within 1-3 months.</li><li>We encourage transgressive and experimental work.</li><li>We accept extracts from longer pieces of work, provided they still meet the submission criteria and stand as a comprehensible piece of writing in their own right.</li><li>The editors' decision is final. </li><li>Submission fees are purposefully nominal, and only cover the journal's running costs and competition prize money. We offer specific, individual feedback from our editors at no extra cost.</li><li>If you are unsuccessful, please do not be deterred from submitting new work in future! We receive a lot of submissions, and standards are always very high. Please persevere! There is no embargo period during which you cannot resubmit work, following both successful and unsuccessful submissions.</li></ul></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>Superlative, The Literary Journal, is edited by Ross Turner, Gemma Mainwaring, Daniel Chesmore, Holly Joyce and Varvara Lois, illustrated by Orlaith Stratford, and marketed by Hannah Darby.</div><div>We publish short stories and poetry.</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>Superlative accepts open submissions, and runs monthly feature competitions and annual competitions.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Superlative's annual competition schedule is:</b></div><div>Earlybird Submissions: 01 Sep - 31 Dec</div><div>Submissions: 01 January - 31 August </div><div>Judging: September</div><div>Longlist: October</div><div>Shortlist: November</div><div>Winners &amp; Launch: December</div><div> </div><div>The theme for Superlative's 2027 annual writing competition is HORIZONS.</div>

Superlative - The Literary Journal

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Submit a poem to the 2027 annual journal competition (1st prize £500)

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