NOTE: We have reached Submittable's limit for free submissions this month. Our next submission window will be open in September; we advise submitting early in the month.
We publish literary writing of the highest quality. We look for poetry and short fiction that startles and entertains us. Reviews, essays, memoir pieces and features should be erudite, lucid and incisive. We are obviously interested in writing that has a London focus, but not exclusively so, since London is a world city with international concerns.
Please refer to The London Magazine before you submit work, so that you can see the type of material we publish.
Submissions will not be read if they stray over the word limits, or if they are not presented according to our submission guidelines.
All submissions sent to The London Magazine must never have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed (as in 2nd, 3rd, runner up etc) in any competition.
Due to the volume of submissions, it may take some time before you receive a response. We do read and reply to every submission. Please allow up to 12 weeks.
We will be open for free submissions during the following periods:
1 – 30 September
1 – 30 November
1 – 31 January
1 – 31 March
1 – 31 May
1 – 31 July
We charge a fee of £3.50 for submissions outside of those windows but if there are any issues, please contact us at info@thelondonmagazine.org. During periods in which our prizes are live, we will be closed for any other submissions in that genre.
Poetry should display a commitment to the ultra specificities of language, and show a refined sense of simile and metaphor. The structure should be tight and exact. Poems should be no longer than 40 lines and no more than 6 poems should be submitted at once.
N.B. If Submitting multiple poems, these should be collated into one document. Multiple document submissions will not be read.
Non-fiction pieces should be between 800 and 2,000 words. Single inverted commas should be used for all quotes/speech. Titles of works including books, plays, film and paintings should be in italics.
Since 1732, The London Magazine has published short stories by some of the most well-respected literary figures, from Jean Rhys and Raymond Carver to Virginia Woolf and V. S. Pritchett. Our annual Short Story Prize seeks out new voices to join this literary history.
Established to encourage emerging literary talent, the award provides an opportunity for publication and recognition, rewarding precision, control and revelation. The London Magazine Short Story Prize 2025 is taking submissions for previously unpublished short stories that do not exceed the maximum of 4,000 words, from writers across the world.
We are delighted to announce that the stories will be judged by: Gurnaik Johal, Ben Pester and Erika Price.
All winning stories will appear in future issues of The London Magazine. Winners will also receive cash prizes (see below), and will be celebrated as part of prize-giving ceremony at the end of the year.
Information:
Entry fee: £12 per story
Subsequent entries: £6 per story
Student/Low Income Entry: £6 per story
(Must be submitted with a valid university email address)
Membership Entry: One free entry (subsequent entries £6)
Note: There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit, but please only submit one story per entry. Entries with multiple stories will not be considered or notified. It is advised that you read the competition rules before submitting.
Opening date: 21st July 2025
Closing date: 29th September 2025
First Prize: £750 (plus free Membership?)
Second Prize: £450
Third Prize: £300
We are interested in a wide variety of topics and many different styles of writing. However, we do find that those who are familiar with what we publish stand a far better chance of having their submissions accepted, so we also recommend getting your hands on a copy of our print journal which can be purchased here from our shop, or subscribing to the magazine here.
If you have any questions, please contact Zadie at info@thelondonmagazine.org