Appealing Online Journals

Following is the list of online journals that I've assembled from my recent search. I was already familiar with a number of these, but I also posted a query at Facebook and received some suggestions for journals I was not familiar with. I checked out each suggestion but did not include all of them. I excluded online versions of print journals, those with unattractive aesthetics, those that require a download, those that appear as pdf's, those that do not notify of rejection. I included a number that violated one or two of the items on my list of What I Look for in an Online Journal because they were strong in other areas. There are a few here that desperately need navigation buttons, Share Buttons, and breathing space between poems and sidebar information or contents. Two have cumbersome guidelines which I hope they'll trim down.

I also kept in mind that I'm imposing my own criteria. This list should not be construed as a Best Of list. It's not; nor do I have the credentials to create such a list. But I present these as the journals which I now find appealing and which others might want to consider. I should also mention that I have not included a number of fine but more innovative kinds of journals.


The Collagist—monthly
Each issue contains short fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews, and one or more excerpts from novels.

Connotation Press—monthly
Lots of good material in this journal. Most of the poems are preceded by an interview with the poet. Lots of reviews.

Devil's Lake Review—2x
Limited number of poets, some reviews and interviews.

diode—3x
Plain and simple. Gets the job done and nicely.

Goblin Fruit—4x—pays
Poetry only, "poetry of the fantastical," includes audio.

Innisfree Poetry Journal—2x
Includes reviews and a Closer Look feature in each issue.

Ithaca Lit—4x
New one, includes lovely art work in header on each and every page.
A featured poet with interview and poems, featured artist, 12 poets, non-fiction craft essay.

Mezzo Cammin—2x
Formal poetry by women. Also features one visual artist.

Memorious—2x
Beautiful cover art, poetry, prose, and art song collaborations.

Pebble Lake Review—2x
Poetry with audio, fiction, non-fiction, reviews.

Pirene's Fountain—2x
Lots of poetry, several features, reviews and interviews.

Plume—monthly
12 poems / 12 poets per issue.

Poemeleon—2x
Poems, essays and reviews.
Themed issues.

Redheaded Stepchild—2x
Exclusively poetry. Poems must first have been rejected elsewhere.

Shenandoah—2x
Still requiring snail mail subs but planning to soon switch to online subs.

Superstition Review—2x
Poetry, fiction, interviews, nonfiction, and art.
Art slides are a wonderful feature of this journal.

TriQuarterly—2x
Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, short drama, and hybrid work.
Video essays are a unique feature.

Umbrella—2x
Poetry and prose (variety of different kinds of criticism), book reviews.
No simultaneous submissions.

Valparaiso Poetry Review—2x
Poetry and reviews. Featured poet in each issue.

Verse Wisconsin—1x
Poetry, verse drama, lots of reviews, essays.
Some themed issues.
No simultaneous submissions.

Waccamaw Journal—2x
Fiction, non-fiction, poetry.

Wicked Alice—2x
Women-centered but publishes work by men.
Poetry, reviews, and criticism (current issue has only poetry).

What I Look for in an Online Journal

I'm sure you've noticed, as I have, the demise of a number of print journals or their transition to an online format. At the same time, I've also noticed the proliferation of online journals. There are several factors contributing to this proliferation—money, ease of building and maintaining, the ability to reach a wider audience, ability to respond in a timelier manner, and so on. But because anybody can create an online journal—even for free—not all of these journals are of equal quality. Because I believe that it's a good idea for a poet to have both a print and an online presence, I've been gathering a list of online journals I like.

But first I want to share with you the criteria I used in assembling my list:

1. No blogs masquerading as websites. The blog format doesn't have the feel of commitment and permanence that a real website has.

2. Absolutely no scrolling down in order to find the next poet and his / her poems. Each poet must have his / her own page. Scrolling is one problem frequently found in the blog masquerading as a journal.

3. Looks matter. Must have aesthetic appeal. Good design.

4. No black background. This is horrible. Initially, it makes a strong impact, but turns out to be really annoying to read.

5. No image behind poems. Completely distracting. Why would any editor do this? And yet some do.

6. Easy to read. No fancy font stuff going on. No weird stuff with colored fonts. Nothing that jumps up and down such as a typewriter with moving keys.

7. Don't want a bunch of messages on the front page. Don't make me jump through hoops to get to the poems.

8. Don't want a lot of busy stuff in sidebars, stuff that distracts my attention from the poems.

9. Appreciate the Contents on each page but not smashed up next to the poems. Very distracting. The poem feels squashed.

10. Ease of navigation—return link to home page, previous, next. Don't make me use my Back Button. Don't make me have to return to the Contents page to get to the next poem / poet. It's annoying to have to keep starting over.

11. All of one poet's poems together or at least with a forward button.

12. No pdf format. Some editors think this is a cool format as it sort of mimics a book, but it's more annoying than cool.

13. Bio note with poems. Prefer not to have to go somewhere else to find that information.

14. Must notify of either acceptance or rejection. Big fat zero to those editors who don't notify for rejections. Insufferably rude.

15. No complicated, idiosyncratic guidelines—I always read and heed but don't want to spend huge amounts of time figuring them out.

16. Share Buttons for each poet's page. This is a great way to expand the journal's / poet's / poem's reach. It is really foolish not to include these. Really.


In a few days check back here for the list of online journals I like. In the meantime, you might want to check out The Benefits of Publishing Online.

Invitation to a Poetry Festival

Full Information and Directions

Schedule of Readings (times are approximate)

1:20-1:30—Welcome

1:30-1:40—Lips: Linda Cronin, Jim Gwyn

1:40-1:50—Tiferet: Mark Hillringhouse, Linda Radice

1:50-2:00—US 1 Worksheets: John McDermott, Sharon Olson

(20 minute break)

2:20-2:30—Raintown Review: David M. Katz, Rick Mullin

2:30-2:40—Schuylkill Valley Review: Grant Clauser, Sean Webb

2:40-2:50—Journal of NJ Poets: Tina Kelley, Charlotte Mandel

(20 minute break)

3:10-3:20—Edison Literary Review: Deborah LaVeglia, David Vincenti

3:20-3:30—Paterson Literary Review: Susan Balik, Francesca Maxime

3:30-3:40—Painted Bride Quarterly: Miriam Haier, Susanna Rich

(20 minute break)

4:00-4:10—Adanna: David Crews, Lynee McEniry

4:10-4:20—Exit 13: Jessica deKoninck, Adele Kenny

4:20-4:30—The Stillwater Review: Robert Carnevale, Madeline Tiger

Creating Luck

As you know I recently debuted my first e-chapbook, Twelve for the Record. Somewhere along the way I mentioned here that I'd had some help from others who had already done this. Without those people, I'm not sure I could have figured out the challenges of the correct formatting. At the very least, it would have taken me more time. I'm very glad that I did take on this challenge as a number of nice things have come about as a consequence.

One of the people who helped me was Joanne Merriam who runs Upper Rubber Boot Books, a press that does e-books only. She also has a blog at the website called Couplets where this past Poetry Month she ran a huge blogathon. She invited poets who would be posting interviews with other poets or related pieces to send her their links which she then compiled into single list. Joanne also did some interviews herself. As a result of our new connection, she invited me to be interviewed. Check out this 4-question interview HERE.

Joanne also asked if I'd be willing to be interviewed by another blogger-poet, Wendy Brown-Baez. I was indeed. So that resulted in a second interview on a wide range of topics, such as how I warm up to write, the use of humor, the making of a trailer, and the future of poetry. Check it out at Wendy's Muse.

Joanne's entire list of 133 links is available HERE.

Then Jama Rattigan, who purchased the chapbook, did the lovely feature at Alphabet Soup that I blogged about recently. And that led to several of her readers purchasing the chapbook.

I've also received several nice emails from people who either purchased the chapbook ($3) or took advantage of Amazon's free download promo. A few people have also thanked me for helping them figure out how to download the free e-reader.

All good things and proving once again how important it is to take advantage of opportunities. You never know where they'll lead you or who you'll meet along the way. 

Feasting on Good Fortune

At her blog, Jama's Alphabet Soup, Jama Rattigan—fantastic author of children's books, foodie, and poetry lover—has posted a lovely feature in her weekly "Friday Feast." Entitled Talk Almost Dirty to Me, Diane Lockward, the piece is a write-up of my new e-chapbook, Twelve for the Record, of which she says, "You just never know when you’ll get a sudden craving for an exquisitely crafted poem that gleams and glistens; it’s nice having a few choice nuggets in your back pocket."

The feature also includes "The Best Words," a poem from the chapbook. As she always does, Jama has beautified the feature with some wonderful pictures. Check out the picture of Humpty Dumpty's very original fan note!

In addition to her generous and enthusiastic discussion of the chapbook and my other books, Jama has created a very useful resource for anyone interested in checking out some of my other poems. She includes links to six other poems that were previously featured at Alphabet Soup. She also includes a link to a recent interview at Wendy's Muse and a link to last April's podcast at Dave Bonta's Via Negativa.

Thank you, Jama Rattigan!

Print Journals That Accept Online Submissions

Time to once again update the list of print journals that accept online submissions. The list has grown by another dozen journals. I am happy to save paper, envelopes, and stamps—and even happier about conserving gas. Thank you, Journals!

Cider Press Review has been removed as it has become an online journal. 
Greatcoat and roger have been removed as they've gone out of business. 
Tygerburning has been removed as I cannot find its website and assume that it's gone out of business.

Journals new to the list (not necessarily new journals) are indicated with a double asterisk.

The number of issues per year appears after the journal's name.

The reading period for each journal appears at the end of each entry.

Unless noted otherwise, the journal accepts simultaneous submissions.

As always, please let me know if you find any errors here. And good luck.

Adanna: a journal about women, for women—1x

Jan 31 - April 30

Agni—2x

Sept 1 - May 31

The American Poetry Journal—1x

February 1 - May 31

Barn Owl Review—1x

June 1 - November 1

Bat City Review—1x

June 1 - November 15

Bateau—2x

all year

Bellevue Literary Review—2x

all year

Bellingham Review—1x

Sept 15-Dec 15

Beloit Poetry Journal—4x

all year

no sim

Black Warrior Review—2x

all year

Boston Review—6x

Sept 15 - May 15

Boulevard—3x

November 1-April 30 

**Breakwater Review—2x
November 15 for the January issue;
April 15 for the June issue

Caesura—2x

August 5 - Oct. 5

Caketrain—1x

all year

**Carbon Copy Magazine—2x
May 1st through September 1st, November 1st through March

**The Cincinnati Review—2x
Sept 1 - May 31

Columbia—2x

September 1 - May 1

**The Common—2x
February 15 and extends through May 1

Copper Nickel—2x

August 15-October 15 

January 31-March 31

**Crab Creek Review—2x
 Sept 15 - March 31

Crazyhorse—2x

all year

Cream City Review—2x

August 1 to 1 November

December 1 to April 1

CutBank—1-2x

October 1 thru February 15

Edison Literary Review—1x 

all year

FIELD—2x

all year

no sim

Fifth Wednesday—2x

no Jan, Feb, June, or July

The Florida Review—2x ($3 fee)

August thru May 

**Fourteen Hills—2x
September 1 to January 1
March 1 to July 1
 

Gargoyle—1x

most recent reading period was June 1, 2011-August 1, 2011

Grist—1x

August 15 - April 15

Harpur Palate—2x

deadlines: Winter issue: November 15

Summer issue: April 15

Harvard Review—2x

Sept 1 - May 31

Hawk and Handsaw—2x

Aug 1 - Oct 1

Hayden's Ferry—2x

All year

pays

The Hollins Critic—5x

Sept 1 - Dec. 15

Hunger Mountain—1x

all year

**The Idaho Review—1x
Sept. 1 to April 15
 

Iron Horse Literary Review—6x

rolling for 3-4 weeks at a time

check website for dates

Jubilat—2x

September 1 - May 1

Kenyon Review—4x

September 15 - January 15

no sim

**Knockout Literary Magazine—1x
check website for submission dates
 

The Literary Review—4x

All year 

**Little Patuxent Review—2x
check website for submission periods
 

The Los Angeles Review—1x

Submit to Poetry Editor: lareview.poetry@gmail.com

Sept 1 - Dec 1

Lumina—1x

August 1 - Nov 15

The MacGuffin—3x

all year

The Massachusetts Review—4x

October 1 - April 30

Measure—2x

no sim

all year

The Mom Egg—1x

July 15 - Sept. 30

Meridian—2x ($2 fee)

all year

Mid-American Review—2x

all year

The Minnesota Review—2x

August 1–November 1 and January 1–April 1

The Missouri Review–4x

all year

Naugatuck River Review—2x

for the Summer issue January 1 through March 1

for the Winter issue July 1 through September 1 (contest only)

New England Review—4x

no sim

Sept 1-May 31

New Madrid—2x

August 15 - November 1

New Ohio Review—2x

Sept-May (summer okay for subscribers)

New Orleans Review—2x

Aug 15 - May 1

New South—2x

all year

The New Yorker

weekly magazine

all year

Ninth Letter—2x

September 1 - April 30

Parthenon West Review—1x

Jan 1- May 1 (but on hiatus for 2012)

Ploughshares—3x

June 1 - Jan. 15

Poetry—11x

year round

no sim

Poetry Northwest—2x

September 15 - April 15

Post Road Magazine—2x

check website for submission dates

Potomac Review—2x

Sept 1-May 1

**Prairie Schooner—4x
Sept 1 - May 1
no sim

Puerto del Sol—2x

September 15 - March 31

The Raintown Review—2x

all year

considers previously published

The Raleigh Review—1x

All year

Rattle—2x

year round

Redactions—1x

year round

Redivider—2x

all year

Red Rock Review—2x

No June, July, August, or December

no sim

Rhino—1x

April 1 - Oct 1

Rosebud—3x

All year

Sakura Review—2x

year round

Salt Hill—2x

August 1 - April 1

San Pedro River Review—2x

Jan 1 - Feb 1 / July 1-Aug 1

Slice Magazine—2x

Feb. 1 - April 1

Smartish Pace—2x

All year

Sonora Review—2x

All year

The Southeast Review—2x

All year

Southwest Review—4x

No June, July, August

$2 fee

Sou’wester—2x

August 15 - May 15

Spinning Jenny—1x

Sept 15 - May 15

No Sim

The Stillwater Review—1x

deadline Nov. 15
poetrycenter@sussex.edu

Sugar House Review—2x

All year

Tampa Review—2x

Sept 1 - Dec. 31

no sim

Tar River Poetry—2x

via email

Sept 15 - Nov. 1

no sim

Third Coast Review—2x

Sept 15 - April 30

Tiferet—1x

Sept 1 - December

Tinhouse Magazine—2x

September 1 - May 31

Upstreet—1x

Sept 1 - March 1

Versal—1x

Sept 15 - Jan 15

Verse Wisconsin—4x

All year

Washington Square Review—2x

August 1 - Oct 15

Dec 15 – Feb 1

Weave Magazine—2x

April 15 - July 31

West Branch—2x

Aug 15 - April 15

Willow Springs—2x

all year

Women Arts Quarterly Journal—4x

all year

**Yalobusha Review—1x   check website for submission dates   

April Is the Guiltiest Month

Oh boy, it's that time of year again. April. The month when we're all supposed to be cranking out a poem a day. But here I am, workless, poemless, idealess. I'm not even going to pretend that I've tried to get into this poem-a-day thing. I haven't. At least not this year. I did try a few years ago—and failed. I tried harder the next year—and failed better.

Frankly, I've accepted that this just isn't the way I write. No can do. I love William Stafford, but a poem every single day—and before he even got out of bed? That just makes me feel inadequate. So I've thrown in the towel and admitted that my process isn't that process. I can go days at a time—hey! weeks at a time—without writing a poem. But then things begin to happen, stuff comes out of my head, and lands on paper. Poems get revised and finished. Not prolific but that's how I do it. One of the most important developments in my growth as a poet has been coming to an understanding of my own process. (I'm getting sick of the word "process" but can't come up with a better one right now, so it will have to do.)

Still, even armed with this self-knowledge, I see all these other poets around me posting poems and progress reports on their blogs, on their Facebook timelines, and in the various online groups that have sprung up like daffodils. So I can't help feeling a bit like a slug.

What a relief, then, to come across others like me. Donna Vorreyer, for example, freely admits that while she will pay attention to poetry each day, she's not going to insist on a poem a day. She says, "I will count revision work as a day’s work on a poem. I will count preparing a submission as a day’s work. I will count reading a significant amount of a poetry book as a day’s work. I will count attending and / or giving a poetry reading as a day’s work. And, of course, drafting a poem will absolutely count." Great. I'm off the hook. I just wish she didn't sound quite so productive in subsequent blog posts.

Then there's Martha Silano who says, "I have not been writing a poem a day this month, but every day this month I have either started a new poem, worked on editing my manuscript, worked on an essay about Adrienne Rich, or conducted research for as-yet unwritten poems. Yesterday I began this poem below in my car on the way to chaperoning a field trip with my son's class at Tiger Mountain." 

So there's one more poet who is counting poetry-related activities as having met the April goal. Good. I just wish she hadn't mentioned a new manuscript (she's just had a book published) or posted that draft. I wonder if she wrote it while she was driving?

I guess there's no escaping a bit of guilt. But I'm also going to focus on other aspects of poetry. Last Thursday I went to a reading. I was one of only 9 people in the audience. I felt especially bad for the poet who'd driven in from NYC. Where was everyone else? I wonder if they were home writing poems?

Then I'm giving a reading in two weeks. The very next night I'll be taking a friend to a contest reading where she will read her first place poem. I get points for that, don't I?

I've also just finished and submitted a proposal for a poetry presentation for a 2013 festival.

Last week I submitted some poems to a new anthology. One poem accepted. Yay!

And like Donna and Martha, I have revisions underway. Yesterday morning I went through all my yellow legal pads and marked the pieces that seemed like they might have some potential. I bought new legal pads. New pens. It's only mid-April. I may yet get a new poem or two written. To tell the truth, I'd be delighted with one or two.

Maybe I'm not so bad after all.