The Top 30 Places to Publish Flash Fiction — 2023 List

Without fanfare, here’s the 2023 list of the best literary journals to submit flash fiction (stories under 1000 words), as determined by international creative writing awards.

One point is awarded for every winning story from a journal honored by Best Small Fictions, Best Microfiction, the O Henry Prize, Best American Short Stories (BASS), and the Pushcart Prize (as determined by Clifford Garstang’s list here). Starting this year, Wigleaf Top 50 receive half a point and longlist mentions get a bump of .1. Points for winning stories from 2021-2024 are included equally in the count, since journals build reputations over time. (This means a journal could have swept the awards in 2023, but rank lower if they weren’t around in prior years — just in case you see any majors “missing.”)

To check out last year’s list of winningest flash fiction publishers, go here. 2021’s list is here. And for an inside look at how literary journals select which stories to submit to award competitions, read this interview with Flash Frog’s editor. (Flash Frog, btw, ranked #27, down from #18 last year.)

2023 2022 2021 Literary Journal
Rank Rank Rank

1    1     14  The New Yorker
2    4     1   Wigleaf
3    3     N/A Ploughshares
4    6     3   Okay Donkey
5    9     5   Flash Frontier
6    8     5   Fractured Lit
7    8…