Granta Literary Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions for 2016 and 2017

Granta calls itself the magazine for new writing but that simple description doesn’t do it justice. One of the best Christmas presents I’ve ever had was a subscription so I can tell you with confidence that it deserves its reputation as one of the most prestigious literary magazines in the English language. Publication within its covers can launch careers, so the big news is that its doors are once more open  to unsolicited submissions.

They only publish original material so don’t send anything that has already appeared on the web or in print. While there is no set maximum  or minimum length, most submissions are between 3,000-6,000 words. You can only submit one complete story or essay, or up to three poems at a time.

Here’s the submission timetable.

Poetry                  3 October – 3 November 2016

Fiction                 16 January – 16 February 2017

Non-fiction         24 April – 24 May 2017

Alongside the print edition, Granta also publishes stories, poems, essays, interviews, and animations online. There’s more information on Granta’s submission page. All submissions will be considered for both the print and online editions (unless you say otherwise).

I suppose I don’t really need to add that selection is extremely competitive. The magazine is only published four times a year and each issue has a theme (such as Work, Sex, Chicago etc etc). As far as I can see the themes aren’t published in advance – though please correct me if I am wrong – and the best way of increasing your chances is to read Granta as much as you can. Get a feeling for the kind of writing and the kind of subject that appeals to Granta readers. The first step is to visit the Granta website.

Good luck!