More UK Literary Magazines #1

Here is a first selection of poetry magazines accepting submissions in the UK.

Generally submissions are by snail mail. Many magazines will respond by email. And all recommend you buy a copy of their magazine first, not only to get a feel for the type of poem they prefer, but also to support the poetry magazine industry.

Acumen Poetry publishes poetry. They chose about 50 from a submission of 3,000 or so. They look for poems which "says something which is not trivial, not obvious, doesn't use outworn images or diction, and which works at many levels simultaneously." Snail mail only.

Agenda Poetry is a long established poetry magazine. They look for "Poems that are deeply felt and well-crafted." Send up to 6 poems. Snail mail only.

What kind of work the Editor looks for:

Poems that are deeply felt and well-crafted

What kind of work the Editor would like to see less of:

Oversentimental, cliché-ridden poetry; poetry with dumdidum rhymes that boss the poet into using particular words just for the sake of the pat rhymes; poetry that is badly crafted and too prosaic, and poetry that does not come from the heart.

Ambit is looking for poetry and short stories that provoke. Snail Mail only. 3-4 months for a response.

HERE ARE A FEW CLASSIC POEMS THAT DON’T GET ACCEPTED
Parochial, I’ve-got-no-money ‘bed-sitter’ poems; self-consciously poetic this-is-a-poem poems; poems by people who really want to be Keats or Wordsworth; poems about what it is to write a poem, or worse, what it is NOT to be able to write one; that-man-or-woman-done-me-over poems; sweeping generalization poems - life, death and why we are here, what’s- it-all-about? poems; the use of clichés like ‘sweeping generalizations’… oh and avoid 'shards', 'abysses' and 'iridescence'.

(Makes me want to write a poem using shards, abyss and iridesence!)

Poems submitted to Anon are reviewed anonymously. Response time is up to three months. Submit up to 3 poems. Snailmail only.

90% of submissions are free verse, so we would like to see more formal verse submissions, and more submissions of the interesting stuff that lies in-between free verse and formal verse. But since all types of poetry can be the vehicle for good work and poor work, perhaps it would be more fruitful to think about content. We would like to see more poems with original content, and more poems that treat classic subject matter innovatively. We are interested in finding poems that have reasons to exist: substantial content, explored in memorable language that is handled with skill and originality, structured in poems that have a beginning, a middle and an end. A twist somewhere along the way wouldn't go amiss.

Brittle Star accept poetry and short stories up to 1,200 words. Response within 6 weeks of submissino deadline. Prefer submissions by post.

Cadenza looks for short stories via their competition only and Poetry submissions in April/May and October/November. They look for "crackling, vibrant work and who aren't afraid to take risks. Inventive use of language is important, as are original, arresting characters." Email submissions.

Chapman has a focus on Scotland. They accept short stories and poetry. Send between 4 and 10 poems. Fiction any length. Pay around £8 per page. Snail mail only.

The New Welsh Review focuses on writing in Wales (funnily enough.) They pay for short stories and poems. Response within 3 months. Snail Mail only.

The New Writer Magazine accepts short stories from prize winners and subscribers only and poetry that "provide a good use of language, offering challenging imagery." Snail Mail only.

Scribble publishes short stories no more than 3,000 words. Fee for non-subscribers. Snail Mail only.

Stand Magazine is a long established literary magazine accepting poetry and short stories. Pays on publication. Snail Mail only.