For writers seeking not only publication but payment for their work, January 2026 offers several solid opportunities across poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid forms. Below is a curated list of paying literary magazines and journals that are typically open or active around January and are worth watching closely as submission windows open.
Note: Submission windows are based on publicly available patterns and may shift. Always confirm directly on each journal’s website before submitting.
1) Arts Lounge Literary Magazine
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, essays, reviews, interviews
Pay: Yes
Submission window: year round
Arts Lounge publishes socially engaged, globally minded writing with strong representation of African and diasporic voices.
2) Poetry Magazine
Genres: Poetry
Pay: Yes
Submission window: January–June
One of the most prestigious poetry journals globally, Poetry Magazine pays contributors and accepts submissions during its annual open window.
3) Ploughshares
Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Pay: Yes
Submission window: Winter reading period (often January)
Ploughshares operates on seasonal reading periods, making January a strategic time to submit across genres.
4) The Sun Magazine
Genres: Essays, fiction, poetry
Pay: Yes
Submission window: Year-round
Known for strong pay rates and narrative depth, The Sun accepts submissions throughout the year.
5) AGNI
Genres: Poetry, fiction, essays
Pay: Yes
Submission window: September–May
AGNI’s academic-year reading cycle makes January an excellent submission month.
6) The Threepenny Review
Genres: Poetry, essays
Pay: Yes
Submission window: January–April
This highly selective journal pays contributors and opens submissions for a short early-year window.
7) Kenyon Review
Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Pay: Yes
Submission window: Varies by genre; winter openings common
Writers should monitor January announcements closely.
8) Transition Magazine
Genres: Essays, fiction, cultural criticism
Pay: Yes
Submission window: Rolling
Transition centers Africa and the African diaspora and reviews submissions on an ongoing basis.
9) Zyzzyva
Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction
Pay: Yes
Submission window: Year-round
Zyzzyva pays contributors and remains open throughout the year.
10) Guernica
Genres: Essays, fiction, poetry
Pay: Yes
Submission window: Rolling (temporary closures may apply)
Guernica publishes socially engaged work and pays contributors.
