Eight magazines and literary journals that favour older writers

Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine

Smoky Blue publishes poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Since its inception, Smoky Blue has encouraged submissions from seniors, but will accept submissions from people of any age, and while they’re based in North Carolina, they accept submissions from everywhere.

Their “main criteria is that the work be good: it should engage the reader/viewer. Art should not merely strike a familiar chord; it should enrich our experience. It must (in the words of Ezra Pound) ‘make it new.’”

Poetry: Accepts a maximum of four poems per issue.

Prose: Accepts a maximum of one fiction and one nonfiction work per issue. Any length up to 5,000 words.

Opens for submissions August 1 – December 1 for the spring/summer issue and February 1 – June 15 for the fall/winter issue.

Full submission guidelines here.

 

Zoomer Magazine

This lifestyle magazine targets Canadians aged 45-plus. Its mandate is to celebrate a positive vision of aging.

They invite writers/artists to submit pitches. They read all submissions but will only contact you if they’re interested in publishing your material.

Email submissions to Peter Muggeridge: p.muggeridge@zoomermag.com

 

Passager Journal

This journal was founded in 1990 to focus on publishing writing by authors who are 50 and older. Since 2005 they’ve also published books (although for book queries, you must be a U.S. citizen and they’re they are only interested in working with authors who were previously published in the journal or poets over 70 who enter their contest).

Passager Journal charges a fee to submit to electronically, but postal submissions are free. They are currently open to submissions of poetry, memoir and short fiction. Up to 5 poems, 40-line maximum or up to 4,000 words of prose.

Deadline: Submissions for their winter issue are open until September 15, 2025. Full guidelines here.

 

Persimmon Tree

Persimmon looks to bring the creativity and talent of women over sixty to a wide audience of readers of all ages. They are looking for work that reveals rich experience and a variety of perspectives. Each issue of the magazine includes several fiction and nonfiction pieces, poetry by one or more poets, and the work of one or more visual artists. The magazine is published quarterly.

For their Fall 2025 issue, Persimmon is looking for “short takes” – prose pieces 250–500 words, either fiction or nonfiction or poetry on the theme of “Putting it all away.” This might refer to cleaning out a closet or junk room or cleaning out our lives. They’re especially interested in hearing about your experiences, but you can include your thoughts, dreams, ideas and opinions. Humor and irony are always appreciated!

Submissions open only between August 11 to August 15.

The Winter issue will be on “Friendship and other gifts” Submissions will open November 17 to November 21.

See their full submission guidelines here.

 

Crone Magazine

This twice-yearly print journal publishes first person pieces 500–5,000 words, plus feature stories and interviews. All submissions should focus on themes and issues of concern to women of crone age (i.e., past child-bearing years) and/ or issues of concern for those who appreciate the archetype of the Crone. Crone has a number of different departments you can submit to.

See full submission guidelines here.

 

Instant Noodles

This online literary journal is put out by Current Words Publishing – a self-publishing company, so perhaps expect invitations to talk about self-publishing if you submit to them.  Instant Noodles publishes very short prose and poetry and focuses on publishing writers over the age of 40.

“Gravy” is their 2025 winter holiday theme. They want your best holiday gravy fails, mishaps, ridiculous gravy encounters (any December holiday, from Hannukah, to Solstice, to NYE, etc.) or your best funny work about gravy in general. The point of the end-of-year issue is always to be light-hearted to downright silly.

Deadline: Submissions close November 2, 2025 and the issue publishes DECEMBER 1, 2025. Full submission guidelines here.

 

Quartet Journal

 This is a classy literary journal that publishes poetry by women over the age of 50.

Full submission guidelines here.

 

Quick Brown Fox 

I welcome your short stories, poems, and essays about reading, writing, favourite books, and libraries. Read a few pieces on the blog to get a taste of what other writers have done. See here and scroll down.

Quick Brown Fox also welcomes book reviews and reviews of any kind and of anything, anywhere or anybody. If you want to review your favourite coffee shops or libraries, babysitters or lovers (no real names please), go for it. See examples of book reviews here {and scroll down).

Submit to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Include a short bio at the end of your piece and attach a photo of yourself. Thanks! ~Brian

See information about all our upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.