16 Literary Journals Accepting Reprints

Give your pre-loved poems and stories new life and a broader audience

If you’re a creative writer with a solid collection of poems and fiction on Medium, do you wonder if you could be doing something else with them? The good news is you can. Previously published pieces— or reprints (as they’re often called) — are accepted by some literary journals in the traditional publishing world.

You can polish off your strongest “pre-loved” poems, flash fiction, short stories and other creative writing, and give them another chance to shine, reaching new readers and expanding your audience.

Getting work published in literary journals has numerous advantages for your journey as a writer. And whether the journal is a paying market or not, they help build vital publication credits for your author biography.

As discussed in this article, submitting reprints is a great strategy to test your work in the traditional literary landscape if you’ve not been published in literary journals before. Sending work to journals that accept reprints also easily boosts your submission targets if you’ve set yourself a monthly or yearly goal (like me).

As I received many responses on a previous article from writers keen to give it a go, (or return to the “submitting game”), I’ve gathered together 16 more journals accepting reprints — to make your submitting project a bit easier!

The Low-Down on Submitting to Literary Journals

Starting in May, I’ll be posting a curated list of submission calls around 7–8th of each month.

I’ll also publish a post sharing submission tips and strategies mid-month. Some posts will discuss aspects of the submitting game, such as crafting professional author bios, what to put in a covering letter (and what not to), the secret subtext of form rejections, and dealing creatively with rejection.

Many writers who perhaps started out blogging or posting their stories in “instant publishing” environments like Medium can feel daunted by the idea of submitting to literary journals. I’m here to tell you it’s not impossible to make the transition — if you’re persistent and working to become a better writer.

I started submitting in January 2023 after a 4-year break, and I already have six acceptances — including four reprints from poems or stories published on Medium.

The lovely Kelly Eden | Essayist | Writing Coach of Inspired Writer has kindly agreed to house the post series here, so stay tuned, or feel free to subscribe to my stories so you don’t miss any.

Ready, Steady, Submit!

Ok, Submitters — is your Submittable account ready to go? It’s free and takes 5 minutes.

For the link to Submittable, more contextual information about reprints, rights and journals, plus my first collection of submission tips and calls, please go here.

I’ve curated this list of reprint submission calls especially for writers wanting to submit Medium stories. They’re divided into paying and non-paying markets. Non-paying markets often have higher acceptance rates, so consider submitting to a few, particularly if you’re just getting started.

STT stands for submission turnaround time, which I’ve included if known. Additionally, all of these are:

• NOT US-centric: Submissions accepted from writers all over the world
• Fee-free for submissions

An asterisk * indicates journals I’ve submitted to, so I may include “insider” knowledge — on response times, for example.

Non-Paying Markets

1. Craft DEADLINE: Various ABOUT: Established in 2017, CRAFT “explores the art of prose, celebrating both emerging and established writers”. FORMS / GENRES: For Reprints they’ll only accept Fiction /CNF SUBMIT: Generally a paying market, but non-paying market for reprints. Submit via Submittable. Website submission info here.
2. Empty House Press DEADLINE: April 30th / Next Reading Period July 1st — Oct 31 ABOUT: They’re seeking work addressing the way narrative & presence adhere to place and the way they vanish. They encourage broad interpretations on the idea or image of an empty house, including writing about home, landscape, place, memory, and the atmosphere of previously inhabited spaces. FORMS / GENRES: poetry, prose poems, flash fiction /nonfiction, hybrid work & photography SUBMIT: Via website
3. Jersey Devil Press DEADLINE: None ABOUT: New Jersey based. Note you’ll need to delete / unlist your Medium story if accepted. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction / Flash /Poetry (formal, free verse, prose poetry) SUBMIT: One story up to 4,199 words or up to 100 lines of poetry
4. Free Verse Revolution DEADLINE: Currently closed for submissions. Should be opening soon. ABOUT: A classy themed quarterly issue, released in PDF format, plus an annual “best of” print anthology. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry, prose, artwork & CNF. They like myth & fairy tale-inspired work. Feminist-friendly. SUBMIT: 2 prose pieces, up to 4 poems. Detailed guidelines here
5. Glint DEADLINE: April 30 ABOUT: A journal heralding diverse voices, they celebrate innovation in style & are interested in work that straddles boundaries. For reprints, they want work with “low circulation”. TIP: Cite the views /reads / include stat screenshot in the cover letter, unlist the work while under consideration & offer to remove the piece from Medium if accepted. FORMS / GENRES: poetry, short fiction, hybrid work, CNF, book reviews. See website for details. SUBMIT: Via email — see submission guidelines
6. Lotus-Eater DEADLINE: Open year-round for submissions. ABOUT: This arty journal based in Rome describes their aesthetic as dark and eclectic. The editors crave “originality & experimentation”. Send them your wilderbeasts. Reprints considered as long as they’re at least 3 years old. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry/ Prose/ Reviews SUBMIT: Via email. See website for details. STT: 3 months
7. The Lake DEADLINE: None ABOUT: This UK mag publishes all forms of poetry by new and established poets FORMS / GENRES: Poetry SUBMIT: Up to 5 poems via email
8. The Other Stories DEADLINE: Not currently open. Keep an eye on their website. ABOUT: A podcast dedicated to emerging & struggling writers. Authors read their story, followed by an interview. The podcast is fully produced with originally scored music. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction up to 4K. SUBMIT: Via Submittable

Paying Markets

1. Frontier Poetry* DEADLINE: “New Voices” subs are always open, always free ABOUT: A respected journal featuring stunning, innovative poetry, chapbook contests & awards. Read for inspiration. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry in all forms, including prose poetry SUBMIT: Check what they consider reprints in the FAQ’s. I’d say if you self-publish to your newsfeed or personal publication, it fits their definition. Submission guidelines here. PAYMENT: between 50 & 150 per poem (USD). STT: 8–12 weeks
2. House of Zulu DEADLINE: Extended until April 30. Current themed call: “Artificial Intelligence” ABOUT: Canadian-based speculative fiction journal. “We want character-driven short stories and poetry that reimagine the world and our place in it.” They publish BIPOC, LGBTQ2S authors, radical authors, authors who experiment. Themes they’re thrilled by: artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, new systems, resistance, activism, queer perspectives, feminist perspectives, nature. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry / Fiction (up to 5K words) Reprints must “not be currently available for free online”. That’s a grey area for Medium, but I’d advise to offer to delete your work from Medium if accepted. SUBMIT: Guidelines here. Submit via Moksha (another Submission portal — joins you up automatically as you submit. Easy-peasy) PAYMENT: $25CND for poems / $50–75CND per short story STT: 8 weeks
3. Lascaux Review* DEADLINE: None ABOUT: “Writing of literary quality venerates the language and speaks to the human condition. We make no effort to define these terms — we know it when we see it.” No annotated poetry or sculptural / shape poems. FORMS / GENRES: Poetry, Flash fic, Short fiction, CNF. SUBMIT: Up to 5 poems / fiction via Submittable . See guidelines. STT: They state one month, but generally respond within 3 weeks.
4. Penumbric DEADLINE: For Poetry & Fiction Subs- June 15-Sept 15, 2023 ABOUT: They seek work exploring the “place between light and dark, work exhibiting the strange, the bizarre. FORMS / GENRES: Broadly speculative Poetry, Fiction, Artwork SUBMIT: Via email. See guidelines for specifics PAYMENT: 10USD per piece. (Read the fine print)
5. Radon Journal DEADLINE: Open for submissions year round. ABOUT: Radon welcomes short story & poetry containing elements of anarchism, transhumanism, dystopia, or science fiction. They consider reprints as long as all rights are with the author. FORMS / GENRES: Short Fiction / Flash Fic / Poetry / Artwork SUBMIT: Up to 5 poems, 1 x Prose up to 3K words via Submittable PAYMENT: For reprints .5c / word for fiction, $5 poems (Double for original work) STT: 2 -4 weeks
6. Showcase* DEADLINE: May 13th. Monthly rolling deadline. ABOUT: Hosted on Substack, Showcase is a monthly journal with an interesting premise: Object & Idea. A poem and prose piece are selected for each monthly issue (Object). Each published piece is accompanied by a short critical process essay & an author interview (Idea). The concept makes great in-depth reading (I’ve subscribed). FORMS / GENRES: Flash prose (fiction / nonfiction) / poetry SUBMIT: Via Submittable PAYMENT: $50 per piece
7. The Sun Magazine* DEADLINE: I believe they’re open year-round for submissions. The Submittable portal will always specify. ABOUT: Well-established, over 60K print subscribers. They describe their ethos as “socially conscious and radically intimate” and are interested in marginalized voices. Recently they started charging a $2.50 online submission fee. Postal submissions are still free. FORMS / GENRES: Short stories, poetry, personal essays SUBMIT: Via Submittable. Submit up to 5 poems in a single manuscript. See guidelines. PAYMENT: High. $200+ per poem, short story or essay. STT: 1–6 months
8. Zooscape DEADLINE: Open December 15th (Bookmark for later!) ABOUT: An e-zine for “fantastic furry fiction”, Zooscape publishes stories featuring anthropomorphic animal figures. They state reprints “should not be readily available elsewhere online”, so only send what you’re prepared to remove from Medium. FORMS / GENRES: Fiction up to 10K words. SUBMIT: Via email. See website for details. PAYMENT: $20 for reprints. More for originals.

More journals accepting reprints are listed here and here.

I wish you the best of luck, & please comment with any questions. I’d LOVE to hear if you get an acceptance. Subscribe to my stories for bi-monthly articles with tips, strategies & curated submission calls.

Melissa Coffey is an Australian poet, writer and editor. Her fiction and poetry are published in various anthologies (The Mammoth Book series, Stringybark Stories) and literary journals (The Ekphrastic Review, Last Girls Club, The Aurora Journal, Writing in a Woman’s Voice, Not Very Quiet). She is currently compiling several chapbooks. Her work is often tinged with darkness.

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