12 Literary Journals for, by or about Women

Since it appears that most of my readership is female, I compiled the following list of 12 literary journals and magazines that feature work primarily for, by or about women. I had only heard of half of these before doing a bit of online research, so if you know of others please add them to the comments. 

Room Magazine: Canada's oldest literary journal by and about women, Room is a space where women can speak, connect, and showcase their creativity. Each quarter we publish original, thought-provoking works that reflect women's strength, sensuality, vulnerability, and wit.

PMS poemmemoirstory  is a 140-page, perfect-bound, all-women’s literary journal published annually by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.


damselfly press seeks to promote exceptional writing by women. We welcome work from female writers of all experiences. We accept fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. We are interested in work that is honest and explores human nature. We think there is truth even in fiction.

Caylx: a journal of art and literature by women
A forum for women’s creative work—including work by women of color, lesbian and queer women, young women, old women—CALYX Journal breaks new ground. Each issue is packed with new poetry, short stories, full-color artwork, photography, essays, and reviews.

Adana: a journal for women, about women
While this journal is dedicated to women, it is not exclusive, and it welcomes our counterparts and their thoughts about women today. Submissions to Adanna must reflect women’s issues or topics, celebrate womanhood, and shout out in passion.  Adanna is a perfect bound print book publication.

Persimmon Tree: an online magazine of the arts by women over sixty
Persimmon Tree's mission is to bring the creativity and talent of women over sixty to a wide audience of readers of all ages. We are looking for work that reveals rich experience and a variety of perspectives. Each issue of the magazine will include several fiction and nonfiction pieces, poetry by one or more poets, and the work of one visual artist. The magazine is published quarterly, in association with Mills College.


WomenArts Quarterly Journal provides readers with contemporary examples of the work of women creators, and therefore, seeks submissions by women only. We do not wish to publish work that exclusively addresses the experience or concept of womanhood. Furthermore, it is not necessary for the subject matter of work submitted to pertain to womanhood at all.

Literary Mama, an online literary magazine, features writing by mother writers about the complexities and many faces of motherhood. We publish book reviews, columns, creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and profiles of mother writers. Literary Mama features mama-centric writing with fresh voices, superior craft, and vivid imagery.

Bone Bouquet is a biannual online journal seeking to publish the best new writing by female poets, from artists both established and emerging. Bone Bouquet will appear in January and July, online only in 2010 and in print in 2011. We aim to highlight the important work of female poets, who are often underrepresented in the writing community and popular media. Rather than personal politics, our criteria are excellence and vibrance. Rather than segregating the poetry of ‘women’s issues’ from ‘regular’ creative work, our goal is to provide an additional arena in which female poets can make their work more visible to readers, building their reputations as artists.

LILITH Magazine — Independent, Jewish & Frankly Feminist
LILITH magazine charts Jewish women’s lives with exuberance, rigor, affection, subversion and style. The magazine features award-winning investigative reports, new rituals and celebrations, first-person accounts both contemporary and historical, entertainment reviews, fiction and poetry, art and photography.

Bitch magazine
We're looking for anything that can be described as "feminist response to pop culture." Our definition of pop culture is broad, encompassing cultural attitudes and myths, phenomena of the popular imagination, and social trends as well as movies, TV, magazines, books, advertising, and the like. Interviews with feminist culture-makers are welcome, as are book, film, and music reviews and nuanced analyses of particularly horrifying and/or inspiring examples of pop culture. Nonfiction essays only. We do not publish fiction or poetry.

So To Speak: A Feminist Journal of Language and Art
So to Speak, founded in 1993 by an editorial collective of women MFA candidates at George Mason University, has served as a space for feminist writing and art for nearly twenty years. So to Speak: a feminist journal of language and art publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art that lives up to a high standard of language, form, and meaning. We look for work that addresses issues of significance to women’s lives and movements for women’s equality and are especially interested in pieces that explore issues of race, class, and sexuality in relation to gender.