August 6, 2021

When I was but a wee writer still in college, I began researching literary magazines. I was starting to move toward publishing my work, and I wanted to see what was out there in the market for fiction writers. I soon found myself immersed in a beautiful world of amazing stories and writers. But one of the first magazines to catch my eye was F(r)iction.

F(r)iction is an imprint of the nonprofit Brink Literacy Project and publishes, in their own words, “the new, the weird, and the unconventional” in a gorgeously illustrated magazine that comes out three times a year. Within the magazine is a plethora of stories and essays and reviews and contests, both in print and online, by famous authors and by brand new ones. It is a veritable treasure trove of literary experiences, especially for those interested in speculative fiction. Back in college, I didn’t know there were literary magazines for speculative fiction, but at F(r)iction such stories are embraced wholeheartedly. F(r)iction is not afraid to push boundaries, explore new ideas, or give voice to those previously unheard, and they do so with the greatest of dedication and love for their community.

I like to think of F(r)iction as the full package. If you go to their website, you will find the magazine itself, resources for writers, contests, stories, poems, essays, interviews, comics, reviews, partners in the literary community, art, merch, educational resources—they have everything! The dedication to the celebration and elevation of stories and artists is present in every single thing F(r)iction does. Even if we just take the magazine itself, one single issue, this dedication is easily seen. Every story, every poem, every interview, reads and is presented like it is the feature of the magazine. The stories are extremely well written, speaking to both intellect and imagination and making the magazine very accessible to a wide range of readership. It does not shy away from its own skill and authority in the literary field, but it invites readers closer, encourages them to explore and learn and have fun while they do.

Additionally—and I cannot stress this enough—F(r)iction is really cool! They say they publish the weird, and they do. The words on the pages bleed ingenuity and innovation, pressing up against the wildest wonders of the human mind and poking them until they spill their secrets. Every piece is paired with a color palette and illustration created by world-class artists. It is all in full-color, full-page, completely tailored to each individual piece. They have also started using holographic foil in their cover designs, and, to my fellow 90s friends, it is like holding an entire deck of holographic Pokémon cards in your hands. Absolutely gorgeous and worth collecting them all.

The magazine, the website, the cornucopia of all that is F(r)iction and Brink Literacy Project—all of it is made possible because of the wonderful people behind the work and the community they have created and fostered through the years. I have had the privilege of interacting with some of those people, and they have never failed to be kind, considerate, encouraging, and helpful. This kindness spills over and has birthed a literary community from F(r)iction that is expanding every year. Brink Literacy Project is partnered with numerous other companies, nonprofits, programs, and spaces that serve the literary community—particularly marginalized and under-served communities—to provide resources and education for the elevation of storytelling for everyone. F(r)iction itself offers internships to help those aspiring to work in the literary industry to learn about it and forge skills and connections. Many of F(r)iction’s resources are made freely available in multiple formats to ensure that as many people as possible can have access to them. The lengths F(r)iction and Brink Literacy Project have gone to give to those around them shows me how much value they place on the community of storytellers and how much they want to see that community grow. I don’t think you can ask for a better mission than that from a literary magazine.

In the years since I first found F(r)iction, I have had the privilege of watching them grow and change and see their impact in my own life. My very first fiction publication was in F(r)iction’s Dually Noted contests. Those same contests taught me to write flash fiction, a format I now love to work in. I was introduced to fantastic artists through F(r)iction and have had the pleasure of working with them myself. Many of the stories and essays and interviews have inspired my own work, and I consider being published in the magazine a foundational career goal which has pushed me to grow as a writer. I sincerely love this magazine. Wherever it goes from here, it has made a lasting impact on my life, and I am very glad to have found it. Check out their website, buy the magazine, read their stories—get F(r)iction in your life. You won’t regret it.

Learn more about F(r)iction HERE and Brink Literacy Project HERE

Shop F(r)iction HERE