Barren Magazine is a literary publication that features fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and photography for hard truths, long stares, and gritty lenses. We revel in the shadow-spaces that make up the human condition, and aim to find antitheses to that which defines us: light in darkness; beauty in ugliness; peace in disarray. We invite you to explore it with us.
FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it's your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.
ProWritingAid
We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives. Visit their website and try ProWritingAid for free.
Salamander is a literary organization that publishes a biannual magazine of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and works in translation. It was founded in 1992 and aims to publish work by writers deserving of a wider audience at any stage in their careers as well as to focus intentionally on inclusivity and… Find out more
Kweli’s mission is to nurture emerging writers of color and create opportunities for their voices to be recognized and valued. By creating a community of Black, Indigenous and POC artists and programming based on artistic excellence and rigor, Kweli empowers writers to share stories that engage and impact our communities.… Find out more
The purpose of The First Line is to jump start the imagination--to help writers break through the block that is the blank page. Each issue contains short stories that stem from a common first line; it also provides a forum for discussing favorite first lines in literature. The First Line is an exercise in… Find out more
