Think of them as the literary equivalent of beer-of-the-month clubs. For less than the price of a hardback book, you can send an entire year’s worth of brand-new literature straight to a friend or loved one’s mailbox. And you’ll be supporting organizations that, in turn, support emerging and established writers alike.
But which magazine to pick? It’s hard to go wrong with lit mags, but here are some of our favorites (click on any title to learn more):
- Old stalwarts like Ploughshares, The Paris Review, and Glimmer Train offer a buffet of treats to the omnivorous reader.
- Got a friend with quirky tastes? How about AGNI, PANK, or Hobart, all of which pride themselves on pushing the boundaries of fiction?
- For the reader-on-the-go, One Story offers a single short story in each issue—perfect for tucking into a purse or briefcase.
- For your trendsetting friend, journals like Slice and BOMB champion up-and-coming new talent.
- For the attentionally challenged, perhaps a flash-fiction journal like NanoFiction would hit the spot.
- Or think locally: see if the university or college nearest your reader-friend has a journal. Connecting readers to the local writing scene—now there’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Check back every day in December for another bookish gift idea from FWR!
