Short Nonfiction, Literature, & Genre Fiction
For the Rev (or exposure or whatever)
Independent, Progressive & Academic
Rationale of this list’s organization and definition of terms
Let’s say you’re a politically-radical writer and you’re looking to get published. Sure, we’re an archive. You could, theoretically, submit your stuff here. But we’re not the only game in town, and honestly it’s pretty likely we’re not whom you’d like to submit your work to. We’re awesome, don’t get me wrong, but we aren’t going to be paying out anything in the way of royalties, and there’s really only a limited chunk of stuff we’re interested in. But we want you to get published! We want more radical writers writing more radical stuff! So, to that end, we’ve compiled this running list of writing markets appropriate for radical authors.
Anyhow, with minimal further ado, here’s the list.
Last updated 15 May 2025
Most markets are only open for submissions from time to time, so please check before submitting. This information is composed of our best guesses with what information we had available. Accuracy not guaranteed.
Orion (literature, nonfiction. pay rates are not disclosed.)
Tor.com (speculative fiction at pro rates, nonfiction at various rates)
Yes! Magazine (nonfiction. website writing is unpaid, magazine rates are apparently wildly variable.)
The Baffler (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)
Flapperhouse (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)
The Future Fire (speculative fiction)
Mask (nonfiction, narrative nonfiction)
McSweeney’s (fiction and nonfiction. Web content is unpaid. Magazine content is paid, rates are not disclosed.)
Middle Planet (Speculative fiction focused, comics and nonfiction accepted too.)
The Believer (optimistic nonfiction, reviews, and poetry. might pay, I don’t know.)
The Berkeley Journal of Sociology (nonfiction)
Black Seed (green anarchist, primarily nonfiction)
CounterPunch Online (blog articles)
Dissent (nonfiction. apparently pays sometimes but not usually?)
Earth First! Journal (articles, fiction, poetry)
Fairytale Review (fiction, nonfiction, drama, poetry)
Fifth Estate (anarchist, primarily nonfiction)
Jacobin (essays)
N+1 (fiction and nonfiction)
Truthout (nonfiction)
Verso — Leading publisher of radical left theory, politics, and critique.
AK Press — Largest anarchist publisher; focuses on anti-capitalist, anarchist, and social justice texts.
PM Press — Radical publisher of political theory, culture, history, and fiction with an anti-authoritarian bent.
Freedom Press — Longstanding anarchist press and bookstore; publishes classic and contemporary anarchist literature.
Dog Section Press — Anarchist publisher of accessible books, zines, and journals on politics and resistance.
Lumpen Publishing — Radical publisher exploring class, social theory, and working-class narratives.
Active Distribution — DIY anarchist publisher and distro with zines and books on activism, resistance, and theory.
Autonomedia — Publishes radical theory and cultural critique with an anti-capitalist lens.
See Sharp Press — Anarchist-leaning nonfiction, plus some science fiction and countercultural texts.
Left Bank Books — Radical bookstore and occasional publisher of anti-authoritarian work.
Minor Compositions — A project of Autonomedia publishing militant research, politics, and art.
OOA! — Anti-disciplinary press focusing on liberation, play, and collective experimentation.
Detritus Books — Small press focused on outsider literature, subversion, and resistance.
Contagion Press — Queer, esoteric, and anarchist texts exploring mysticism, magic, and revolt.
Feral House — Publishes fringe and controversial subjects; politically uneven but includes radical and subcultural nonfiction.
Rookery Press — Radical small press dedicated to collective publishing and decolonial politics.
Pluto Press – Independent publisher of radical left nonfiction, critical theory, and international politics.
Haymarket Books – Socialist press publishing progressive and revolutionary voices across movements.
Common Notions – Radical publisher of critical theory, insurgent history, and collective struggle.
Repeater Books – Leftist press focused on culture, critique, and experimental political nonfiction.
Spectre Books – Marxist publishing initiative offering revolutionary theory and analysis.
Radical Books Collective – Not a traditional press; curates radical publishing and supports authors via events and discussions.
Soft Skull Press — Independent literary press known for edgy nonfiction, memoir, and countercultural writing.
Duke University Press — Academic publisher of cultural theory, left political thought, and interdisciplinary work.
Sunstone Press — Southwestern US publisher that accepts nonfiction, including memoir, metaphysical, and regional subjects.
OR Books — Progressive publisher focusing on timely nonfiction and activist handbooks.
Diversion Books — Commercial publisher open to accessible nonfiction, history, and biography.
Farcountry Press — Publishes regional nonfiction, history, and biography; printed Unabomber: The Secret Life.
Rowman & Littlefield — Academic and professional publisher of nonfiction in humanities, social sciences, and psychology.
W. W. Norton & Company Ltd. — Independent press publishing literary and academic nonfiction; known for psychology, history, and true crime.
Delphinium Books — Publishes narrative nonfiction and novels with literary and psychological depth.
Simon & Schuster — Major publisher accepting agented submissions of high-profile nonfiction.
The New Press – Nonprofit publisher focused on social justice, education, and progressive politics.
Seven Stories Press – Independent press known for publishing dissident voices, radical memoirs, and political nonfiction.
City Lights Publishers – Legendary independent press publishing countercultural, progressive, and radical nonfiction.
Catapult – Literary publisher open to experimental and culturally rich nonfiction.
Graywolf Press – Publishes innovative and literary nonfiction, including memoir and critical essays.
The Brooklyn Rail Press – Offshoot of The Brooklyn Rail, focused on arts, theory, and radical politics.
When you submit your work to a publisher, it goes into their “slush pile.” Finding publishable materials in a slush pile is like finding edible food in the compost–there’s an awful lot of rot in there. If you want your work to be seriously considered (and ideally, accepted), there are a few simple rules:
actually read their submission guidelines, and follow them to the letter
have a decent idea of what the publisher does and doesn’t publish
make sure your writing is grammatically sound
bonus points: if you don’t know the specific gender preference of the person(s) reading your submission, don’t open your cover letter with “dear sirs”
Literature in the context of this list is fiction set in the “real world” that isn’t a mystery or romance or horror story or whatever. Literature is separated out from “genre fiction” primarily by the publishing industry. Literature markets tend to not pay, or to pay less, and many charge authors a “reading fee” in order to submit. This is exploitative, from the genre fiction writer’s point of view. Literature markets tend not to disclose their pay rates (keeping workers from knowing what one another are paid is part of how exploitative labor practices are perpetuated). Ironically, literature markets tend to take themselves more seriously.
Nonfiction: All the markets included here are looking for regular nonfiction, including essays, theory, history, et cetera. Some might be open to “narrative nonfiction” which is, roughly, literature-but-true.
Pro-Rate Markets pay six cents a word or more. These are not necessarily “anarchist” or explicitly radical markets, but they are markets that are known to be friendly to radical work.
Semi-Pro and Token markets are ones that pay you more than nothing (contributors copies and exposure both count as “nothing,” by the way). Our bar for radicalness for these markets is slightly higher than it is for pro-rate markets, but not a ton higher.
For the Rev (or exposure or whatever) markets are ones that don’t pay you in more than ephemera like “pride in having been published” and “exposure” and “your words influencing our culture” and “contributors copies.” Corresponding to this lack of remuneration, the “how radical are you” bar for inclusion in our list is higher. But considering that our readers are likely of various political persuasions within radical left-and-post-left politics, we aim to include a diverse range of radical markets. Find the one that you tend to agree with the content of. Also we sometimes include random other markets we think are cool that are open to radical writers but aren’t explicitly radical.
A note on getting paid for writing: in radical circles, we tend not to pay or get paid for things. But in the world of writing, things look a little different. We live in a capitalist society. If the press doesn’t specifically share your values (and aren’t paying themselves with your work!) then they should probably pay you.
Book Publishers: For book-length work, we’re just including radical presses. If you want to publish with one of the big book publishers, go for it! Many of them (at least genre fiction publishers) are plenty open to radical ideas.
Radical: Our idea of “radical” for this list is very heavily weighted towards anarchism, but tends to include non-denominational intersectional/anti-oppression politics as well, as it is our experience that those people are quite receptive to publishing anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist works.