TOP 1000 LITERARY MAGAZINES

The database includes more than 1000 literary magazines publishing fiction and/or creative non-fiction. Magazines publishing genre fiction and those with geographical restrictions tend not to be included..

 

Along with the rankings, the full database also information on: cost of submission, pay, word limits, reading times, location of journal. 

​

​

 

If you have comments, suggestions, questions, please send them to: brecht_dp@protonmail.com

 

Putting this together was a lot of work. If you can, please consider supporting this project by buying me a coffee!

​

​

 

Ranking methodology

 

The ranking is based primarily on prizes/anthologies. For journals that do not figure in any of these anthologies, the number of Twitter followers is used for lack of a better metric. It's important to note that not all aspects of journal quality can be measured and that this is just one ranking amongst many.  In the end, this is just additional information, a tool, that can use when deciding where to submit. The ranking is also very US-centered, so journals from other countries are at a disadvantage. 

​

Components and weights:

• Best American Short Stories 2014-2023: 4 points for every featured story, 1 point for every notable story (weight = 100%)

• Pushcart 2014-2023: 4 points for every fiction winner, 1 point for every fiction special mention (weight = 100%)

• Henry Prize for Short Fiction 2014-2023: 1 point for every featured story (weight = 100%)

• PEN DAU Short Story Prize 2017-2023: 1 point for every featured story (weight = 100%)

• Best of Net 2014-2023: 2 points for every winning story, 1 point for every finalist (weight = 100%)

• Wigleaf Top 50 2014-2023: 1 point for every featured story; (weight = 25%)

• Best Small Fictions 2019-2023: 4 points for every spotlighted story, 1 point for every story in full selection (weight = 12.5%)

• Best Microfiction 2019-2023: 1 point for each story featured (weight = 12.5%)

• Twitter followers: follower count on 12 November 2023 normalised to 1 (where 1 = top magazine) (weight 100%)

 

This version: 12 February 2024

​

Copyright © 2024 Brecht De Poortere

All rights reserved. Any unauthorised copying will constitute an infringement of copyright. Permission granted to reproduce for personal and educational use only. Commercial copying is prohibited. May be used free of charge. Selling without prior written consent prohibited. Obtain permission before redistributing. In all cases this notice must remain intact.