Mslexia Magazine

Welcome to Mslexia, the only magazine where every reader is a potential contributor too. Almost every part of the magazine is open to submission by any woman writer – and we publish over 70 different names in every issue. So you might find your work appearing alongside work by leading authors such as Marian Keyes, Karen McCarthy Woolf, Monique Roffey and Daisy Johnson – to name just a few. 

But Mslexia is not just a magazine. We’re also proud creators of the Indie Press Guide, a unique directory of over 600 independent book publishers and literary magazines, now in its Third Edition. And a growing portfolio of Mslexia Minis writing guides, including the best-selling Poetic Forms and A Novel in Nine Steps. 

Then there are our annual competitions, which have taken the careers of many women writers to the next level. And our online Salon, where members can attend writing surgeries and Q&As led by experts at the top of their profession. Not to mention our wider events programme, including the now-legendary Mslexicon women’s writing weekend and the online bunfight that is our annual Agent Extravaganza.  

Fierce is the word that comes to mind when trying to sum up the contents of Issue 94. ‘Fierce’ in a good way: a feisty feminist sort of fierce; the fierceness of a lioness hunting or protecting her cubs. Manda Scott is fierce in her clarion call for writers to create positive attainable visions of the future, to help bring about lasting social change. Maggie Gee is fierce in her plea for more depictions of passion in old age. And Anna Ellory set about creating a fierce and kindly imaginary mentor to keep her writing on track. Then there’s the fierceness of the imagination, of kicking against expectations, which is what Anna Jones advocates when we’re writing for children. 

We're currently accepting submissions for Issue 96. Send us poetry for our regular slots - Poet Laureate, Eyeverse, and our subscriber-only slot Poems for the Planet. We're also looking for fiction submissions for our Bedtime story slot and Flashes; as well as nonfiction submissions - World's Wife, #amwriting and our new submission slot Timepiece. Submit before 10 October for inclusion in Issue 96. 

Our 2022 competitions are open! Cressida Cowell, Imogen Russell Williams and Chloe Seagar will be juding this year's Children's and YA Novel Competition; with our Short Story competition being judged by award-winning writer Diana Evans; and Audrey Niven, award-winning short fiction author, will be selecting the best Flash Fiction. Head to our Competitions page for details on how to submit, and check out our previous winners here. Closing date for fiction categories: 19 September. 

Open 24/7, this is where you can subscribe to the magazine, join our online Salon, or nab a single copy of the mag to check out how our 17 submission categories look on the page – to make sure you’re aiming in the right direction! Here is also where you can pick up a copy of our unique Indie Press Guide and top off your order with a £3 copy of one of our Mslexia Minis writing guides. You can buy from our Shop at any time, day or night, but if you want to discuss a purchase with a real-life (and really nice) human person, please call 0191 204 8860 during our office hours, which are 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. You can also email a query to postbag@mslexia.co.uk anytime.