BRUISER is an independent online literary magazine with a distinctly anti-establishment ethos, publishing poetry, fiction, essays, criticism, film writing, visual art, photography, and columns with no genre restrictions and no rules. Operating as a webzine with an accompanying print zine series, BRUISER is rooted in the Baltimore arts underground and embraces a DIY sensibility — its editorial philosophy is summed up by maxims like “genre is meaningless” and “all good art is degenerate.” The publication covers not just literature but film, music, and culture more broadly, with regular column features including event dispatches and arts criticism that reflect its deep ties to independent creative communities.

BRUISER welcomes submissions in all mediums at any time, with no word limit for prose (though pieces under 3,000 words tend to be favoured), and encourages writers to submit as often as they like. Only previously unpublished work is accepted, though pieces posted to personal sites or social media are considered fine. Simultaneous submissions are allowed with prompt notification if accepted elsewhere. There are no rejection emails — if a piece hasn’t been posted within a month, writers can consider it a pass. Interviews, essays, reviews, and critical work are pitched via email. The magazine also produces a print zine series with its own separate submission guidelines.