A Chill Subs publication helping writers make sense of the writing world.

Write or Die helps writers navigate the writing world with clear, trustworthy guidance from people who know it from the inside. Every week, respected writers, educators and publishing professionals share what they’ve learned about what every writer struggles to figure out: how to keep getting better, what’s actually happening in publishing, and how to build a career that lasts.

Write or Die is a Chill Subs publication.



We're not in it for the money, but it certainly helps. These fiction magazines pay at least $200 per acceptance.

Fiction Lit Mags That Pay $200+

Navel-gazing highly encouraged. These mags are actively seeking personal essays & narrative nonfiction.

Lit Mags That Love Personal Essays

Curated by community member Caitlin Behrens and endorsed by Chill Subs. These mags actively seek stories of female rage and power.

Lit Mags That Publish Female Rage

These magazines have a strong social presence and promote contributors. Here, your work will be amplified with high engagement rates, beautiful presentation, and growing follower counts.

Lit Mags for Social Media Exposure

The top nonfiction lit mags in our database, ranked by how many users have bookmarked them.

The Ultimate List of Places to Submit Your Nonfiction

Community poll results. In an internet drowning in AI and advertising, your real recommendations are everything.

Where The Cool Kids Are Submitting Their Writing: Part 1

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

Specialized publications that recognize exceptional brief fiction through Pushcart nominations.

Digital publications advancing very short fiction for Best of the Net consideration.

Flash Fiction Magazines That Nominate for Best of the Net

Looking for balance between prestige and accessibility? These magazines are competitive but attainable for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writers.

Literary Magazines in the Sweet Spot

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

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 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

Explore the all-time most popular nonfiction literary magazines. These outlets have been influential for writers of essays, memoirs, and nonfiction.

Most Popular Nonfiction-Only Literary Magazines of All Time

Find out the all-time most submitted-to nonfiction literary magazines. These publications are the go-to for writers of creative nonfiction.

Most Submitted-To Nonfiction-Only Literary Mags of All Time

Digital publications nominating outstanding essays and creative nonfiction for Best of the Net.

Nonfiction Magazines That Nominate for Best of the Net

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

Nonfiction Magazines That Nominate for the Pushcart Prize

Write or Die

We want personal essays about the writing life: the rejections and the near-misses, the day jobs and the late nights, the workshop or class or program or random walk that changed everything oorrr the one that nearly made you quit. If it’s true and it’s about writing, and only YOU (NOT an AI-bot) could have written it, we want to read it.

Personal Essays on the Writing Life

<b>(Fee-free call periods will open up regularly &amp; will be announced separately)</b> <i>**If you are a paying subscriber to Write or Die, or a Chill Subs Bundle subscriber, this is open to you.**</i> <div><br></div><div>We want personal essays about any part of the writing life, between 750 and 3,000 words (though 1,500 is the sweet spot). We prefer unpublished work, which pays $100, but we’ll also take reprints from your own Substack, blog, website or another publication if you hold full rights, and pay $50 for those. Simultaneous submissions are welcome; just email us if your piece gets accepted elsewhere. You’ll hear back within 1–3 months. Accepted work reachs 70,000 readers plus 160K+ more across the Chill Subs network. | <b>DO NOT SEND US AI-ASSISTED/GENERATED WRITING!</b></div><div><br></div>

Write or Die

Highlights

About

Featured Call

Personal Essays on the Writing Life

Appears in collections