Submissions : Mslexia, a magazine for women's writing and women who write.

There are over 20 ways of submitting to Mslexia

Appearing in Mslexia is one of the best ways to get onto the publishing ladder. It’s a notch on your writer’s CV, something to mention in grant applications, and a way to be seen by agents and editors on the lookout for new talent.

'If someone submits a poetry manuscript to me with Mslexia in the acknowledgements I always sit up and take notice' Neil Astley, Bloodaxe Books

There are over 20 ways to submit, from a four-line poem to a 3,000-word lead article, from a 300-word flash story to a 40-line poem – so there’s bound to be something to suit your kind of writing. Including big-name commissions and as-yet-undiscovered newcomers, we publish over 60 women in every issue.

We’ve done our best to describe what we’re looking for, but nothing beats seeing actual examples in print. So consider buying a sample copy of the magazine before you submit. Every reader of Mslexia is a potential contributor – and vice versa.

'My story in Mslexia was the launch pad that got me my agent' Susan Davis

Current closing dates

Deadline for submission slots for Issue 112: 5 October 2026

Explore

Fiction

There are currently seven ways to submit fiction to Mslexia, from a 100-word flash in response to a visual prompt, to 2,200-word broadcast-length short story on our latest theme.

Poetry

There are currently five ways to submit poetry to Mslexia, including our topical themed ‘Poet Laureate’ slot and our ‘Poems for the Planet’ series curated by Climate Writer Linda France.

Nonfiction

There are currently eight ways to submit your life writing to Mslexia, including how you’re writing despite a personal challenge, what you’re blogging about, and Mslexia Moths anecdotes for performance.

Pitch Mslexia

Mslexia welcomes article and interview proposals at any time and we normally commission magazine articles in December, March, June and September.

What Happened Next?

For many of our writers, being published in Mslexia or longlisted in one of our competitions, turned out to be the next step on a journey with a happy ending.

Submissions Policy

Mslexia is staffed mainly by writers and we treat your work with the same respect we would wish for our own writing. Submissions are assessed by authors, agents and tutors at the top of their professions.

Every year Mslexia helps Arvon reach an engaged, diverse and vibrant community of writers. It is without a doubt a core part of our advertising campaign.

Arvon Foundation

We have been advertising in Mslexia since 2014 and the service we receive is second-to-none. We have been able to introduce our postgraduate courses, short courses and annual writing competition to a highly targeted market and have benefitted hugely from the results.

Manchester Metropolitan University

Advertising with Mslexia is a rare delight. Easy, flexible – can I say “forgiving”? – and, with exactly the right audience for us, effective, too.

Faber Academy

A huge basket full of ‘thank you’s for all the Mslexia Max events − the best thing that ever happened to me as a writer. Not only did my novel pitch profit a lot from the thoughtful feedback you gave me during the ‘pitch surgeries,’ but one of the Max events changed my writers’ life.

Sophie van Llewyn, author of Bottled Goods

Mslexia was a tangible support to me in the anguished years of writing my first novel and continues to be a source of bristling writerly energy.

Diana Evans

The sort of friend you never outgrow - a source of tips, tricks and deeper inspiration.

Hilary Mantel

The place for poets to see and be seen.

Carol Ann Duffy

I remember when I was writing my first novel - what a lifeline Mslexia was.

Naomi Alderman

There is no other writing magazine on the market that comes anywhere close to the quality of Mslexia. I began my subscription when I was a new writer; I'm a professional now and the magazine continues to cater for my needs as much as ever - as my writing buddy, mentor and literary news feed.

Zosia Wand

Inspired, inspiring, invaluable.

Sarah Waters