Literary Journal

Lit Shark Magazine

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About the magazine

Lit Shark Magazine is an independent literary publication founded in 2020 by a collective of writers and editors seeking to bridge the gap between emerging and established voices. From its inception, the magazine has prioritized work that balances craft with accessibility, favoring poems, stories, and essays that surprise through precise language and emotional honesty rather than trend-driven aesthetics. Its core mission is to foster a community of readers and writers who value literature as a living, evolving conversation—one that welcomes experimentation without sacrificing clarity.

Editorial focus

Lit Shark Magazine is a welcoming and inclusive space to poets, fiction writers, memoirists, essayists, readers, and shark fans alike. Lit Shark serves to entertain and educate its community about creative writing, marine life, conservation, and sustainability, and to destigmatize the public image of sharks and other similarly misunderstood animals.

PoetryFictionCreative NonfictionTranslation

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read at least two recent issues to understand the magazine's tonal range—it favors work that is vivid, grounded, and free of academic jargon. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify promptly if your work is placed elsewhere. Include a brief, third-person bio and a cover letter that speaks to your specific interest in Lit Shark rather than a generic list of publications. Response times vary, but queries after three months are welcome.

Lit Shark has four issues per year, three of which have specific themes. Writers are encouraged to submit marine life-specific work for the Shark Week issue, pieces centered around being villainized, stigmatized, misunderstood, and othered to the Shark Dog issue, and spooky works for the Spooky (TEETH) Edition , but general submissions may still be considered. Submissions to Lit Shark Magazine are always free. Simultaneous submissions are welcome and encouraged. Finally, every submission is read and responded to personally; no form acceptances or rejections!

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Submission calls

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