Lit Mags Accepting Submissions in January 2026

Your latest guide to paying markets, submission dates, and publishing opportunities.

The new year brings fresh opportunities for writers looking to share their work with the world. January 2026 is packed with literary magazines opening their submission windows, offering diverse platforms for fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and more.

Whether you’re a seasoned author or just starting your publication journey, this month presents numerous chances to find the perfect home for your writing.

This roundup highlights literary magazines actively seeking submissions throughout January, with details on genres accepted, submission guidelines, and deadlines.

Remember to carefully review each magazine’s submission guidelines before sending your work. Take time to read recent issues to ensure your writing aligns with their aesthetic and mission. With thoughtful submissions and a bit of persistence, January could be the month your work finds its literary home!

The full collection with links, deadlines, and submission details is available below for paid subscribers.

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Lit Mags Accepting Submissions in January 2026

Hayden’s Ferry Review (Extended Deadline)
Based at Arizona State University, Hayden’s Ferry Review extended its submission deadline to December 31, 2025, for print Issue 78 and the Spring 2026 web folio themed “aftercare.” The magazine accepts fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translations. Previous contributors must wait 2 years before resubmitting, and ASU affiliates must wait 3 years after their affiliation ends.
Deadline: December 31st, 2025.

Chestnut Review
A highly professional literary magazine with rapid 30-day response times. Chestnut Review accepts flash prose (up to 1,000 words), poetry, short fiction (1,000-5,000 words), and visual art/photography. Reading period runs January 1-March 31 for the Summer issue (releasing July 15th). Payment is $120 per piece regardless of genre, paid upon publication. Black and Indigenous authors can submit longer prose fee-free. If submissions take longer than 30 days, the submission fee is refunded. The magazine seeks work with literary ambition and emotional resonance.
Opens for submissions: January 1st, 2026.​

Radar Poetry
An electronic journal publishing poetry and artwork, Radar Poetry features pairings of poetry and visual media in three issues per year: Winter, Summer, and the Coniston Prize Issue. The magazine accepts 3 unpublished poems in a single document, welcoming work from established and emerging writers internationally. They aim to respond within 60 days.
Deadline: January 1st, 2026.​

table//FEAST Literary Magazine: The Blossom Contest
A fee-free contest exclusively for BIPOC writers. Submit up to 5 poems or one piece of fiction or creative nonfiction up to 3,000 words for a chance to win $250 and publication.
Deadline: January 1st, 2026.​

Hawaii Pacific Review
Hawaii Pacific University’s award-winning online literary magazine features poetry and prose by authors from Hawaii, the mainland, and around the world. While the magazine often publishes work about Hawaii and the Pacific, it accepts great work from all regions on all subjects. HPR publishes on a rolling basis rather than in issues, posting poems, stories, and essays one piece at a time several times per month. Work has appeared in the Best of the Net Anthology and Pushcart Prize Anthology.
Deadline: January 2nd, 2026.​