Rebecca Parades takes us back to the east coast in this month’s Litmag Roadmap—we’re headed to Maryland! Let’s dive into the great literary journals that call the Free State home.
Our next stop takes us to Maryland, the birthplace of our national anthem and home to a thriving literary scene (after all, Baltimore’s nickname is “The City That Reads”). Also known as the “Free State,” Maryland’s literary magazines range from internationally regarded titles to regional publications that celebrate the people of Southern Maryland. Let’s take a look.
Baltimore Review
The Baltimore Review was founded in 1996 as a literary journal publishing short stories and poems, with a mission to showcase the best writing from the Baltimore area and beyond. The journal grew to become a nationally distributed journal and nonprofit organization in 2004. The Baltimore Review publishes online four times per year, and work accepted for online publication is also collected for an annual print issue.
Connections
Connections Magazine features poetry, fiction, artwork, and photography from residents of Southern Maryland. The magazine is published by the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) and releases a print and online edition twice annually. Students, faculty, and staff at CSM can submit, as well as members of the broader Southern Maryland community.
Delmarva Review
Delmarva’s unique name comes from the journal’s home on the Delmarva Peninsula, which is derived from the three states that share it: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Since 2008, the Delmarva Review has published new poetry, fiction, nonfiction, book reviews, and artwork from writers around the globe. The journal does not charge submission fees, and it publishes one online edition and one print edition annually.
Grub Street
Grub Street is the arts and literary magazine of Towson University. Published annually, Grub Street features poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and art. The student-run magazine is nationally recognized and received a Gold Crown Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association in 2021.
Hopkins Review
A publication of Johns Hopkins University, The Hopkins Review was launched in 1943 and relaunched in 2007. The journal’s mission is to “publish today’s vital voices and visions in literature, culture, criticism, public-facing scholarship, and the arts.” Notable contributors have included Erica Dawson, Terrance Hayes, Claire Vaye Watkins, and others.
Little Patuxent Review
Established in 2006, Little Patuxent Review (LPR) publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and artwork. The journal specifically publishes US-based contributors. LPR’s mission is to promote the tradition of literary and visual arts; in addition to a biannual print journal, LPR publishes weekly website content, hosts special events, and partners with local and national literary organizations.
The Loch Raven Review
This Maryland-based literary journal’s mission is to showcase the poetry, fiction, nonfiction, essays, and translation of both emerging and established writers. Loch Raven is published twice a year online, as well as one annual print edition. Fiction and creative nonfiction submissions will open in November.
Passager Journal
Passager’s mission is to publish the work of writers over the age of 50. Established in 1990, the journal publishes two print editions annually. Passager accepts fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and also functions as an independent literary press for longer works.
Maryland Literary Review
Maryland Literary Review was founded in 2018 by Maryland native Nathan Leslie, who functions as the journal’s publisher and editor. MLR publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction online twice per year. Notably, there are no fees to submit, and submissions are open throughout the year. However, the journal does not allow simultaneous submissions.
Welter
Founded in 1965 by students and faculty at the University of Baltimore, Welter publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art from writers and artists around the globe. The journal publishes a print journal every spring and an online collection every fall.
by Rebecca Parades