Variant Literature
LightNews LightNews
banner
variantlit.bsky.social
Variant Literature
@variantlit.bsky.social
980 followers 320 following 110 posts
Variant Literature is a small press and magazine.

http://variantlit.com/

Submissions open now!
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Variant Literature
pahoehoe.bsky.social
Update: launch will be February 24. Given the troubled relationships within the stories, a little distance from Valentine’s Day’s oxytocin-fed blush might be a good thing. #CornerstonePress
November 22, 2025 at 5:10 PM
variantlit.bsky.social
We’re in our final stretch for Winter 2026 submissions and would love to read your work. Submissions close December 4th. We are accepting poetry, flash prose, and fiction.
Variant Lit: 12 more days to submit poetry or prose. Variantlit.com/submit
November 22, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
newohioreview.bsky.social
Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction contest submissions are now open at newohioreview.org This contest is judged by Ohio University grads who once called Ellis Hall their home!
November 18, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
toddedillard.bsky.social
I have a new poem in @havehashad.com that answers the burning question of "what is the opposite of an 'eating poems' poem"

"it's all coming up now,
milkweed and mango..."

www.havehashad.com/hadposts/hei...
Heimlich After I Eat Poetry Too Quickly Again by Todd Dillard
It's all coming up now, milkweed and mango, grandmothers in kitchens with their stoic spoons, crows barking in alder trees, enough dead deer to overflow football stadiums, sad f...
www.havehashad.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
stephieosaurus.bsky.social
Thank you @variantlit.bsky.social ! I am so honored to be on this list 💞
variantlit.bsky.social Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 8d
We’re thrilled to announce our Pushcart Prize nominations for 2026:

“On Craft” by Erica Dawson

“Clutch” by Stephanie Frazee

“Holes” by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy

“Cooking Lesson” by Shira Haus

“Five O’Clock Shadow in Philly” by Allen Means

“The Opposite of Dusk” by Ron Riekki
Variant Literature Pushcart Prize nominations for 2026: “On Craft” by Erica Dawson “Clutch” by Stephanie Frazee “Holes” by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy “Cooking Lesson” by Shira Haus “Five O’Clock Shadow in Philly” by Allen Means “The Opposite of Dusk” by Ron Riekki
November 18, 2025 at 11:52 AM
variantlit.bsky.social
We’re thrilled to announce our Pushcart Prize nominations for 2026:

“On Craft” by Erica Dawson

“Clutch” by Stephanie Frazee

“Holes” by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy

“Cooking Lesson” by Shira Haus

“Five O’Clock Shadow in Philly” by Allen Means

“The Opposite of Dusk” by Ron Riekki
Variant Literature Pushcart Prize nominations for 2026: “On Craft” by Erica Dawson “Clutch” by Stephanie Frazee “Holes” by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy “Cooking Lesson” by Shira Haus “Five O’Clock Shadow in Philly” by Allen Means “The Opposite of Dusk” by Ron Riekki
November 17, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
chillsubs.bsky.social
It’s back 😏

Nominate Your Favorite Lit Mags of 2025 through this form ⬇️

www.chillsubs.com/best-lit-mag...

Let’s love on some editors, folks. They freakin’ deserve it!
Writers! Who are the best litmags of 2025? CHILL SUBS®
November 17, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
pamschmid.bsky.social
This story by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy is a gorgeously crafted gut punch. ✨️
variantlit.bsky.social Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · Jun 14
"The ad for the job caught my eye in the Sunday paper, wedged between a posting for a home health aide and one for a house cleaner. Wanted: Tooth Fairy."

Read this surprising story from our Summer issue! 🦷 by
Nicole Desjardins Gowdy

variantlit.com/holes/
Holes
Visit the post for more.
variantlit.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
kmcrane.bsky.social
Open until December 4th!
November 16, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
toddedillard.bsky.social
my second poem in the latest issue of @lamplitmag.bsky.social!!!
Love Poem with Overwrought Similes Because That's As Close As I Can Get To Explaining It Right Now OK Lately every day I feel like I am peeling oranges while crying, like my fingers are cold-curled from missing the bus and walking home 3 miles on a day it wasn't supposed to snowand I just wanted something quick to eat while I thawed, but now it's like I'm 16 again and the orange is made of bra claspsbut also it's like I'm Heraclitus off his depression meds,like I'm certain the river can't be crossed twice because I'm going to drown. But then you hear the ice cream truck jangling like a train carrying only xylophones as cargo, and we sprint outside and wave down the truck like it's a ship and we've been wrecked on an island of Wednesdays for 14 years. We order the biggest ice creams on the menu, and our faces break into smiles like a child's laughter cartwheeling across a funeral home. We walk back holding vanilla cones aloft like a torches, we walk home like Friday lovers running into each other again at church, elbows nosing elbows like dolphins in love, the wind kiting a strand of your hair into my beard like when you are on top and your hair gets caught in my beard.
November 16, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
splitlipthemag.bsky.social
Need a review on ACCOMPLISHMENT SUNDAY? Contributor @toddedillard.bsky.social published a review of Luisa Muradyan's new poetry book, "I Make Jokes When I'm Devastated", for Zona Motel. Catch it here: buff.ly/Kg827s9
November 16, 2025 at 6:05 PM
variantlit.bsky.social
variantlit.com/submit/
Variant Lit open for submissions. Submit your poetry, flash, or fiction to Variant by December 4.
November 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
graywolfpress.bsky.social
We're thrilled to announce the Pegasus Poetry Book Prize, recognizing a US poet aged 40 or older for their first or second poetry collection. In addition to publication by Graywolf, the awardee will receive $10,000 from the Poetry Foundation.

www.poetryfoundation.org/awards/poetr...
November 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
thedodgemag.bsky.social
Heads up...Our poetry and fiction teams will no longer be accepting submissions after November 20th. Want to submit a piece? The link to submit is in our bio (and submissions are free)!
November 12, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
duotrope.com
Today's listing of the day is: Variant Literature Journal #WritingCommunity
Listing of the Day
Today's listing of the day is: Variant Literature Journal #WritingCommunity
duotrope.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
megjnic.bsky.social
@variantlit.bsky.social is still open for submissions! Please send us your short stories, poems, and flash prose by Dec 4th!
November 15, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
suzyeynon.bsky.social
New short story in the Fall issue of The Account! "There Has Been an Emergency"

theaccountmagazine.com/article/eyno...
There Has Been an Emergency | The Account: A Journal of Poetry, Prose, and Thought
theaccountmagazine.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
toddedillard.bsky.social
I have two new poems in this! Check it out!!!
lamplitmag.bsky.social Lamp Lit @lamplitmag.bsky.social · 12d
🛋️ Lamp Lit 1.2 Fall 2025 is Live at LampLit.net! 🛋️

Thank you to Lamp Lit 1.2 Contributors: ⬇️

#poetry #shortstories #art #essay #litmags #lamplitmag
November 13, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
oliverbrooks.bsky.social
Honored to have my poem nominated! ☺️
variantlit.bsky.social Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 14d
Very excited to announce our nominations for the Monarch Queer Literary Awards!
Variant Lit Monarch Queer Literary Awards 2026 nominees: Parker Logan, Oliver Brooks, Michael Agunbiade, Hongwei Bao, Shauna Friesen, Isaiah Gardner, Kit Evans
November 13, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
queercomrades.bsky.social
It’s my great honour to have my short story ‘Zizzi’ nominated for Monarch Queer Literary Awards. Thank @valeriefrankel.bsky.social for the support!
variantlit.bsky.social Variant Literature @variantlit.bsky.social · 14d
Very excited to announce our nominations for the Monarch Queer Literary Awards!
Variant Lit Monarch Queer Literary Awards 2026 nominees: Parker Logan, Oliver Brooks, Michael Agunbiade, Hongwei Bao, Shauna Friesen, Isaiah Gardner, Kit Evans
November 12, 2025 at 1:43 AM
variantlit.bsky.social
Very excited to announce our nominations for the Monarch Queer Literary Awards!
Variant Lit Monarch Queer Literary Awards 2026 nominees: Parker Logan, Oliver Brooks, Michael Agunbiade, Hongwei Bao, Shauna Friesen, Isaiah Gardner, Kit Evans
November 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
swwim.bsky.social
Join us Thursday, November 13 at 7pm (EST) for a reading and conversation with Taylor Byas and Rosa Sophia Godshall at The Betsy Hotel’s B Bar. This event will be live-streamed from The Betsy on SWWIM’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

XO
SWWIM Team

@taylorbyas.bsky.social

#SWWIMEveryDay
Flyer saying SWWIM "A Poetry Reading & Conversation" with images of two women, Taylor Byas and Rosa Sophia Godshall, November 13 / 7:00 PM / The B Bar / Livestream on IG/FB / The Betsy Southbeach
November 6, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
variantlit.bsky.social
variantlit.com/submit/
Photo of Japanese maple tree with orange leaves in fall against blue sky. Text: Variant Lit open all November for poetry and prose. Free subs. We pay $10.
November 2, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
davidjbauman.bsky.social
I’ve been sharing this and images from the Bearded Bards page on Instagram and Facebook, so please feel free to share about Saturday’s reading as well as the one in December wherever you find poetry lovers. It’s a zoom reading, so it’s not limited to here :-)
November 6, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Variant Literature
davidjbauman.bsky.social
For a sample of the sort of thing you might hear Saturday, here is a poem by @toddedillard.bsky.social from his chapbook *Ragnarock at the Father-Daughter Dance*
How to Live Depravity begins with thinking of love as a radical act. I quit loving with difficulty. I love easy now. Two parakeets on my shoulders. They'll fly away if I move. So I move. I love flight. I love cages left wide open. I am not a window. I could be a window. Open me, you'll find a dense wood, children wandering inside it. Not lost children. They know the way. They live the way horses run. If they each had a bird in hand they would open their hands.
November 7, 2025 at 5:21 PM