Fiction, Poetry, Essays, Translation
The Bombay Literary Magazine
The Bombay Literary Magazine pays ₹10,000 (about $104) per published contribution - doubled from the ₹5,000 the desk previously recorded - and takes fiction, poetry, essays and translated fiction worldwide. Fiction and poetry are currently capped and closed; essays, translated fiction and graphic fiction are open. No AI-generated work.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-09
The docket
The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 304-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- ₹10,000 (about $104)BRYME records no other record based in the United States that states a flat-fee figure to compare this against. After publication; contingent on a feasible transfer route.
- Length
- 2,000-5,000 words; or five poems
- Who can submit
- Open internationallyThe guideline states no geographic restriction. Diaspora writers are explicitly welcome.
- Reading period
- Not yet assessedBRYME has not recorded a reading period for this market from its guideline page. That is our gap rather than the publication's silence: it does not mean the window is open, and it does not mean there is none. Read the guideline linked on this page before you send.
- Response time
- Within six weeks (their figure)
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timesimultaneous submissions are okay). — https://bombaylitmag.com/submit/ (read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
- Rights
- StatedMinimum rights needed to publish: exclusive for one year, non-exclusive thereafter. The magazine asks you to tell it if a further opportunity comes up inside that year, and says it will try to cooperate.
- Experience
- Not statedThe guideline sets no experience requirement. BRYME records that as silence, not as a welcome — a first-time writer is not excluded, but nor are they invited.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 2 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-30. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records based in the United States quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- ₹10,000 (about $104)
- Word count
- 2,000-5,000 words; or five poems
- Submission
- Online submission
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Fiction, Poetry, Essays, Translation. Official guideline: The Bombay Literary Magazine guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Fiction, poetry, translation and graphic fiction
- Global and distinctive voices
Subjects they avoid
- AI-generated work, and translations of your own work.
- Translated poetry, which they no longer accept at all.
- Criticism and visual narratives, which are invite-only rather than open.
- Submissions outside the window, or a second submission while one is under consideration.
Key requirements
- Fiction, poetry, translation or graphic fiction
Who can submit
Open worldwide - the page states no nationality restriction, and English-language translations from other languages are welcome. India-based, publishing three times a year.
Rights
Minimum rights needed to publish: exclusive for one year, non-exclusive thereafter. The magazine asks you to tell it if a further opportunity comes up inside that year, and says it will try to cooperate.
AI policy
Prohibited
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.
How to submit
Online submission
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Online submission
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Check which categories are open first: the magazine closes each one when it reaches a cap of 400 submissions.
- Submit through the form on the page. Email submissions are not considered.
- Fiction and essays run 2,000-5,000 words; poetry is five poems in one document.
- Simultaneous submissions are allowed - tell them if the work is accepted elsewhere.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Within six weeks (their figure)
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.