Literary Journal

The Molotov Cocktail

Closes in 14 days

Journals & literary magazines1 open opportunity listed

About the magazine

The Molotov Cocktail is an online literary journal founded in 2010 with a mission to publish incendiary flash fiction and poetry that pushes against the boundaries of conventional literary taste. Its annual themed contests, such as the long-running Flash Monster series, invite writers to explore speculative, dark, and weird territories within extreme brevity. The journal has cultivated a reputation for work that is visceral, imaginative, and unafraid of the grotesque or the strange, while maintaining a sharp editorial eye for craft and narrative impact.

Submitting your work

Reading periodCloses in 14 days

Writers should approach The Molotov Cocktail with work that is concise, daring, and thematically aligned with the current contest or reading period. For Flash Monster, submissions must adhere strictly to the word limit and theme, and should lean into the monstrous, the surreal, or the unsettling. Editors value originality and a strong voice over adherence to literary trends. Read past winners to gauge tone, and avoid overly safe or sentimental narratives. Simultaneous submissions are typically accepted, but withdraw promptly if placed elsewhere.

Submission calls

1 listed

OpenDeadline · 2026-10-19