Literary Journal

Azure: A Journal of Literary Thought

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About the magazine

Azure: A Journal of Literary Thought is a publication of Lazuli Literary Group, founded to provide a contemplative space for literature that engages with philosophical, spiritual, and aesthetic questions. The journal positions itself at the intersection of creative writing and critical thought, seeking work that is as intellectually rigorous as it is artistically crafted. Its ethos is rooted in the belief that literature can be a vehicle for deep reflection, and it favors writing that resists easy categorization or polemic. Since its inception, Azure has maintained a commitment to publishing emerging and established voices side by side, fostering a community of readers and writers who value nuance over novelty.

Editorial focus

AZURE publishes work that is linguistically, intellectually, and emotionally demanding of its reader. It seeks pieces that increase in complexity upon each visitation and exhibit a density worthy of scholarly or artistic study. AZURE ’s aesthetic tends towards ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous prose/poetry executed with thematic intent. Experimental, craft-driven works and pieces written in distinctly Victorian/Modernist styles can be found within these pages.

PoetryFictionCreative Nonfiction

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentContributor copies only

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, familiarize yourself with several issues of Azure to understand its aesthetic and intellectual range. The journal seeks work that demonstrates both literary merit and a depth of thought—pieces that invite rereading and reflection. Avoid sending work that is overtly didactic or that relies on shock value; instead, aim for subtlety, complexity, and emotional resonance. Simultaneous submissions are typically accepted, but notify the editors promptly if your work is placed elsewhere. Include a brief cover letter that contextualizes your submission within the journal's mission, and adhere strictly to the stated word limits and formatting guidelines. Response times can be lengthy, so patience is advised.

We accept literary fiction, novel excerpts, creative nonfiction, screenplays, stageplays, fragments, meanderings, philosophy and poetry (but no AI-generated work!). We are not concerned with genre distinctions; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. All writers tend to develop a scrap heap of brilliant writing—sharp dialogue that has been cut in service of a plot, a philosophical tirade that can’t quite be couched in a narrative, a stunning imagistic landscape of linguistic pyrotechnics that deserves an audience, literary beauty that cannot necessarily be expressed in more than bursts and fragments.

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