A while back, I wrote about some of my favorite journals here. Since then I have discovered other interesting journals, that I must contribute to the list. This list like the other is in no particular order
I tend to gravitate towards journals with good work, good art, and a clear layout. In fact some journals that I really admire for their content, I do not include in this list, simply because they are hard to read, because they have too many works of varying degrees of quality, or because everything is smashed together and hard to navigate. A good journal is not just about the content, but about the presentation.
Also, I must declare that I have been published in some of these journals, rejected by others, and never applied to some of them, at all.
I generally favor new journals that I think are doing a particularly good job.
The first time I read the Missouri Review, I was not particularly impressed because I just read the poems. I did not and do not, particularly like the poems in the Missouri Review. They are not terrible, I just don’t have the same taste as the editors. In the next edition there was an interview with Jo Anne Beard (a non fiction/fiction writer) I adore, and whose work I teach. I read and loved it, and found myself enjoying the fiction and non fiction included in the issue at well. It was intriguing and unusual. It is an excellent journal, in every genre, except (in my opinion) poetry.
I am a sucker for literary journals with beautiful websites and The Labletter has a beautiful website. The print journal is even more aesthetically pleasing. It has full color photo’s and paintings by very talented visual artists. It is presented in a large and clear format. The writing contained is interesting and compelling stuff that contains plenty of substance.
The Liner is a small transatlantic journal. The journal is beautifully bound and stylistically pleasing. The poems and stories are very engaging. The art work wonderful. Instead of authors bios they have a questionnaire in the back.
An excellent magazine, with compelling and concrete poems, thoughtfully presented and put together. Reading the Stone Highway Review is like reading a truly excellent anthology, except you can read it for free, online and if you want to keep in your living room, you can always order up a print copy. Mary Stone Dockery, one of the editors, is an excellent reviewer. I am not just saying that because of the kind words she wrote about my chapbook. Every review I’ve read by her has tempted me into buying a journal, or chapbook, that turns out to be just as she promised it would be.
A lot of journals have a very vague mission statement, sometimes the word avant garde is mentioned, often the words taste or traditional. Nothing particularly helpful. Lowestoft, knows what they want, possibly humorous travel related writing. They also know what to do with it, the online journal has a wonderful 50’s/60’s tongue in cheek tone.
The Conium Review is a terrific journal, with excellent poems, that have a lot of substance, and really handle language in a neat and unique way. The editors have done a really good job and seem to spend a lot of time thinking about ways to integrate poems into readers lives. Even though this is a print publication they have a great series of podcasts that are good to listen to, particularly if your interested in submitting to the journal.
Reprint Poetry is a great online journal of previously published poems. The work here is thoughtful, clear, and generally amusing. They also take suggestions, of work by others, that they should reprint.