Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Reviews
The London Magazine
The London Magazine, the UK's oldest literary magazine, pays a fee for everything it publishes in print but cannot currently pay for pieces published on the website. It takes poetry up to 40 lines, fiction to 4,000 words and non-fiction of 800–2,000 words.
🟢 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
- Not statedPays for print — rate not stated. The publication publishes no figure BRYME could record. That is not the same as unpaid — but you cannot price the work from this page.
- Length
- Poetry to 40 lines; fiction to 4,000 words; non-fiction 800–2,000 words
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo nationality restriction stated. They are interested in writing with a London focus but not exclusively, since London is a world city with international concerns.
- 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
- Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeSimultaneous submissions are accepted, but we ask that you notify us if your submission is accepted elsewhere. — https://thelondonmagazine.org/submission-guidelines/ (read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 138 of the 304 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- StatedPublication includes the print issue, the eBook (Kindle) edition, The London Magazine App and thelondonmagazine.org.
- 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 6 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Payment — pitch only if you are comfortable negotiating the fee itself, or ask before you write.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-06. Sources listed at the foot of this page. This record holds no figure BRYME could compare, so no ranking appears above it. Where a rate is quoted per word, it is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- Pays for print — rate not stated
- Word count
- Poetry to 40 lines; fiction to 4,000 words; non-fiction 800–2,000 words
- Submission
- Submittable portal, email to the portal, or post
- 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: Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Reviews. Official guideline: The London Magazine guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Poetry with a commitment to the ultra specificities of language and a refined sense of simile and metaphor — tight, exact structure, no longer than 40 lines, maximum six poems.
- Short fiction addressing mature and sophisticated themes with elegance of style, up to 4,000 words.
- Non-fiction — reviews, essays, memoir and features that are erudite, lucid and incisive, 800–2,000 words.
Subjects they avoid
- Abstraction — "the enemy of good poetry". Long, loose poems.
- Science fiction, fantasy or erotica — not normally published.
- Work published anywhere before, including a website, blog or online forum, broadcast, or placed in any competition.
Key requirements
- Submittable portal
- £3.50 fee outside the free monthly quota
- Genre-specific word limits
- Previously unpublished
Who can submit
No nationality restriction stated. They are interested in writing with a London focus but not exclusively, since London is a world city with international concerns.
Rights
Publication includes the print issue, the eBook (Kindle) edition, The London Magazine App and thelondonmagazine.org.
AI policy
Not stated in the guideline
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
Submittable portal, email to the portal, or post
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Submittable portal, email to the portal, or post
- Submission email: submissions@thelondonmagazine.org
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read https://thelondonmagazine.org/submission-guidelines/.
- Submit near the start of the month, before the free quota is used, to avoid the £3.50 fee.
- Use the Submittable portal, or email the genre-specific portal address with your work attached.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Not stated; the portal is intended to be faster than the old email system
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.