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Present Tense Lit Mag

A project of Dahlia Books (see other related projects).

This project is on indefinite hiatus. Check their site to find out whether this is a submission and/or publication hiatus. (February 2025)

About

Present Tense is a literary magazine of new writing. We publish poetry, flash fiction, short stories, and creative non-fiction with a strong sense of place.

In our fractured times, we want to create a meaningful space for dialogue, to find common ground, to listen and unearth, and to join the dots between writing, reading, and dreaming.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions. (Note: About 8% of magazines always charge fees.)
The fee is GBP £3 (average for magazines that charge).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United Kingdom
Established in 2021

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication
Published biennially (every other year)

Collapse section Fiction On Hiatus

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 3,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Place/Regions: See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: GBP £0.05/word.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction On Hiatus

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 3,000 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 3,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Place/Regions: See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: GBP £0.05/word.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry On Hiatus

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: Up to 40 lines.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Place/Regions: See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) Semi-pro payment. Details: GBP £25.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Present Tense Lit Mag Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

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Dahlia Books
Leicester Writes Short Story Prize CLOSED  Charges fees for all submissions

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

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