Literary Journal

Bracken

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About the magazine

Bracken is an independent literary and arts magazine founded in 2018 by a collective of writers and artists seeking a platform for work that resists easy categorization. From its inception, the magazine has prioritized writing and visual art that engages with the complexities of contemporary experience, often favoring the lyrical, the fragmentary, and the formally adventurous over the conventional. Its mission is to foster a community of readers and contributors who value ambiguity, intellectual rigor, and emotional precision, publishing two print issues and a rotating online supplement each year.

Editorial focus

Bracken is an online journal inspired by the wood and its shadows. We publish poetry and art that will root, tender and tough, in us, drawing us deeper into our shared human experience. Bracken is green and lush, coarse and delicate, drinks from the earth, and spreads underground, more root than frond.

PoetryTranslation

Submitting your work

Reading periodMar 1 to Apr 30

Reading feeYes

PaymentCash

Response time3 to 6 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Bracken accepts submissions of poetry, short fiction, essays, and visual art during biannual reading periods, typically announced on its website and social media. Writers should submit up to five poems or one prose piece under 5,000 words; artists may send up to ten images. The editors appreciate work that demonstrates a strong sense of voice and a willingness to take risks, but they are equally attentive to craft and coherence. Simultaneous submissions are permitted with immediate notification of acceptance elsewhere. Response times average three to six months, and the magazine encourages contributors to familiarize themselves with past issues to understand its aesthetic. Payment is modest but competitive for a small press, and all contributors receive copies.

While we seek poetry that reflects elements of nature, we are also looking to deepen our understanding of human nature through what we publish. Please read previous issues before you submit to get a feel for the kind of work that appeals to us.

Read official guidelines