Most literary magazines have specific submission windows throughout the year. Missing these windows means waiting months for the next opportunity. This calendar maps 101 paying literary magazines with their 2026 submission periods, helping you plan strategic submissions that maximize acceptance odds and minimize wasted effort.
Why Does Submission Timing Matter for Poetry?
Literary magazines operate on limited budgets and staff. Opening submissions year-round would overwhelm editors. Reading periods allow them to manage volume while giving each submission proper attention. Submitting outside these windows results in automatic rejection without reading.
Strategic timing also affects your odds. Submitting early in reading period means your work reaches fresh editors. Submitting late means competing against accumulated submissions. According to Poets & Writers data, early submissions have marginally higher acceptance rates.
Planning submissions yearly prevents last-minute scrambling and ensures your best work reaches appropriate markets at optimal times. Treat poetry submission like professional activity requiring organization and strategy.
How Should You Use This Submission Calendar?
Mark your calendar with submission windows for 15 to 20 target magazines. Prepare submissions in advance so you can submit immediately when windows open. Having poems ready prevents missing opportunities because you needed more time to polish.
Batch similar submissions together. If three magazines open January 1, prepare one master submission with variants for each magazine's specific requirements. This efficiency allows you to target more markets without overwhelming yourself.
Track submissions meticulously using spreadsheet or Submittable dashboard. Record where you sent what poems, submission dates, and response deadlines. Organization prevents accidentally submitting same poem to same magazine twice or forgetting where work is under consideration.
What Are the Key Submission Windows Throughout 2026?
January 1 to February 28 (Winter Window): Many journals open after holiday closures. Tin House, Ploughshares, and The Paris Review typically accept winter submissions. This period offers numerous opportunities but high competition from poets making New Year resolution submissions.
March 1 to May 31 (Spring Window): Peak submission season. Nearly every magazine opens at some point during spring. AGNI, The Kenyon Review, and The Southern Review accept spring submissions. Plan for this busy period by preparing work in advance.
June 1 to August 31 (Summer Window): Lighter submission period as many journals close or switch to special issues. Good time to target niche journals or themed calls. Use quieter period to write new work rather than constantly submitting.
September 1 to November 30 (Fall Window): Second major submission season. Journals reopen after summer. The Missouri Review, Prairie Schooner, and New England Review accept fall submissions. Competition remains high but slightly less than spring.
December (Holiday Closures): Most journals close for holidays. Use this month to organize your work, research new markets, and prepare for January openings. Make submission plans for upcoming year.
What Top-Tier Journals Should You Target?
These prestigious journals pay professional rates and provide significant career credibility. Acceptance rates are 1 to 3 percent. Submit your absolute best work.
The Paris Review: Open September to May. Pays $300 per poem. One of most prestigious American literary magazines. Favors contemporary free verse with strong images and distinctive voice.
Poetry Magazine: Open year-round. Pays $10 per line. The oldest poetry magazine in America. Publishes wide range of styles and established plus emerging poets.
The New Yorker: Open year-round. Payment varies by arrangement. Extremely competitive. Favors accessible contemporary poetry with wit and observation. Often publishes well-known poets but accepts unknowns occasionally.
Ploughshares: Open twice yearly, check website for dates. Pays $25 per printed page. Guest-edited issues create varying aesthetics. Research current guest editor's taste before submitting.
Tin House: Open September to March. Pays $50 per poem. Known for innovative contemporary writing. Seeks poems that surprise and challenge readers.
What Mid-Tier Journals Offer Good Opportunities?
These journals maintain high standards while having slightly better acceptance rates (3 to 7 percent). Excellent places to build publication credits.
The Missouri Review: Open October to April. Pays $50 per poem. Strong reputation, particularly for narrative poetry and accessible lyric. Annual contests offer additional opportunities.
The Southern Review: Open September to June. Pays $50 per poem. Based at Louisiana State University. Values craft, precision, and Southern literary tradition without requiring Southern subjects.
Prairie Schooner: Open year-round. Pays $35 per poem. University of Nebraska journal with national reach. Publishes diverse voices and styles. Responsive to emerging writers.
The Threepenny Review: Open year-round. Pays $400 per poem. Quarterly journal favoring shorter lyric poems with intellectual depth. Higher pay rate makes competition fierce.
AGNI: Open September to May. Pays $20 per printed page. Boston University journal with international reputation. Seeks formally accomplished poetry with emotional resonance.
What Emerging Journals Provide Strong Platforms?
Newer journals often have higher acceptance rates (8 to 15 percent) while building reputations. Publishing here establishes you as current with literary scene.
The Adroit Journal: Open year-round. Token payment plus wide readership. Online journal with significant social media presence. Favors innovative contemporary poetry from emerging writers.
Rattle: Open year-round. Pays $100 per poem. Los Angeles-based journal with populist mission. Values accessibility without sacrificing craft. Annual contests.
Crazyhorse: Open September to May. Pays with contributor copies. College of Charleston journal. Known for taking risks on experimental work and unknown writers.
Copper Nickel: Open August to April. Pays $40 per poem. University of Colorado Denver journal. Publishes translation alongside original work. International perspective.
The Massachusetts Review: Open October to June. Pays $50 per poem. UMass Amherst journal with social justice focus. Seeks poems engaging with contemporary issues through craft.
What Online Journals Offer Fast Publication?
Digital-first journals often publish within weeks of acceptance rather than 6 to 18 months for print journals. Good for building momentum and online presence.
Diode Poetry Journal: Open year-round. No payment but strong reputation. Publishes monthly online. Quick turnaround from acceptance to publication.
Waxwing: Open September to May. Pays with contributor copies. Online journal published three times yearly. Beautiful design and wide social media reach.
The Offing: Open year-round. No payment but good exposure. Los Angeles Review of Books digital offshoot. Focuses on emerging writers and diverse voices.
DIAGRAM: Open year-round. Pays with contributor copies. Hybrid text-and-image journal. Favors innovative, experimental, and visual poetry.
- Verse Daily: Features one poem daily from print and online sources
- Poetry Daily: Similar model, excellent exposure if your published poem gets selected
- Web Del Sol: Directory linking to numerous online literary magazines
- Literary Hub: Aggregates and promotes poetry from various sources
- American Academy of Poets: Resources and links to paying markets
How Should You Track Submissions and Responses?
Create spreadsheet with these columns: magazine name, submission date, poems submitted, response deadline, actual response date, outcome, notes. Update immediately after each submission and response.
Set calendar reminders for follow-up dates. If magazine lists three-month response time, set reminder for four months. Query politely if no response by then. Some journals forget submissions or experience technical glitches.
Track acceptance patterns. Notice which magazines respond positively to your work. Submit to those journals regularly. They clearly appreciate your style. Build relationships with editors who champion your writing.
Record rejection types. Personal rejections suggest you are close. Encouraging rejections that invite resubmission mean editors see potential. Standard form rejections mean keep trying elsewhere. Different feedback informs different strategies.
What Contests Should You Enter in 2026?
Many journals run annual contests with entry fees but significant prizes and guaranteed publication. Factor 10 to 20 contest entries into your yearly budget and strategy.
The Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize: No fee. $25,000 prize. Submit through Poetry Foundation. For poets who have published but not yet received major recognition. Deadline typically April.
The Yale Series of Younger Poets: Entry fee. First book publication. Most prestigious first-book prize in American poetry. Deadline typically November.
National Poetry Series: Entry fee. Five winners annually receive publication and $10,000. Deadline typically February. Excellent odds compared to many contests.
Discovery/Boston Review Poetry Contest: No fee. $1,000 prize plus publication. For unpublished poets. Strong stepping stone to career. Deadline typically November.
Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry: Entry fee. $2,000 prize plus publication in Nimrod International Journal. Deadline typically April.
How Can You Optimize Your Submission Strategy?
Submit simultaneously to multiple journals unless guidelines prohibit it. Most journals accept simultaneous submissions. Promptly withdraw accepted poems from other magazines. Simultaneous submission dramatically increases acceptance odds.
Tier your submissions. Send each poem to dream journal first. If rejected, send to solid mid-tier journal. If rejected again, send to emerging journal. This strategy maximizes prestige while ensuring eventual publication.
Keep excellent poems in circulation constantly. When a poem gets rejected, immediately send it elsewhere. Poems sitting on your computer help no one. Circulation creates opportunities.
Use tools like River's writing assistants to polish every submission before sending. Typos and awkward phrasing guarantee rejection. Professional presentation signals serious writer.
What Should You Do Between Submissions?
Write new poems constantly. Your best work is usually your most recent. Keep developing craft and voice. Publication follows quality consistently over time.
Read journals you target. Subscriptions demonstrate support and help you understand each magazine's aesthetic. Editors notice writers who engage with their journal beyond submitting.
Attend readings and conferences when possible. Literary community connections lead to opportunities. Many editors remember meeting writers before reading their submissions. Networking matters in poetry publishing.
Building poetry publication career requires patience, organization, and persistent high-quality submission. Use this calendar to plan strategically, submit professionally, and maximize your odds of publication in 2026 and beyond.