Literary Journal

The Gotham Guillotine

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About the magazine

The Gotham Guillotine is an independent literary and arts organization founded in New York City in the early 2010s. Emerging from a collective of writers and artists dissatisfied with the polite conventions of mainstream publishing, it takes its name from a commitment to radical editorial incision—cutting away sentimentality and received wisdom to expose the sharp edges of contemporary experience. The Guillotine operates as both a print journal and an online platform, curating work that is formally adventurous, politically engaged, and unafraid of discomfort. Its mission is to provide a space where risk is rewarded and where the prevailing pieties of the literary world are held up to scrutiny.

Editorial focus

The Gotham Guillotine is New York’s sharpest socialist literary magazine. Its editorial board is committed to publishing the socialist creatives of our time and to telling the literary boregeoizzzie to kick rocks.

PoetryFictionCreative NonfictionTranslation

Submitting your work

Reading periodJul 16 to Sep 16

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read at least two full issues to understand the Guillotine's editorial sensibility—work that is sharp, unsentimental, and formally deliberate. They favor writing that takes risks and avoids cliché; sentimental or overly polished pieces are unlikely to find a home. Submissions should be sent through their website during announced reading periods, which are irregular and often brief. Include a brief cover letter that speaks to the work itself, not your credentials. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify them immediately if your work is placed elsewhere. Response times vary, so patience is advised.

Make sure your work is socialistic, okay?

Read official guidelines