Hi everyone, how are you? It’s March already! We’ve clocked two months of 2026, and where are we? Let’s take heart that there are writers (and we aren’t one of them!) who pay utility bills with spider drawings –yes this happened– and fun fact: February 23 was David Thorne’s birthday, and we are not the writer who discovered her own pirated books being sold! So, let’s dive right into March’s newsletter.
WHAT MADE NEWS?
Longlist for the 2026 International Booker Prize was announced on February 24. Judges spent eight months reading and deliberating on 128 books, and selected the longlist of 13. The announcement states: The books feature memorable characters, including a queer Argentinian conquistador, a morally compromised German film director, a ‘sworn virgin’ who renounces womanhood, a child-star-turned-thief, a Japanese novelist with a ‘monstrous appetite’, an idiosyncratic Italian aristocrat and a Danish noblewoman accused of sorcery. They transport readers from a brutal prison colony in a remote corner of Brazil to an Albanian village ruled by ancient laws, from an asylum for traumatised soldiers in Belgium to an abundant garden on the outskirts of Tehran.
AWP 2026 is underway in Baltimore, March 4 to 7. The enthusiasm picked up late, but it’s definitely going to be big. I looked up and there’ll be some awesome panel discussions. Some of my publications and presses will have presence, and that thrills me!
In social media round-up, author Ryan Rae Harbuck wrote on X: “Writing is hard because we are supposed to follow our hearts AND the punctuation rules.”, which resonated with many. I agree. On the other hand, we had heaps of discussion around unprofessional behavior on part of both writers and editors in lit community. However, the current hot topic was decidedly something different. No shock here that there were multiple rounds of “To do AI” versus “Not To Do AI” across social media all February. It seems writing community was practically split down the middle. See this and this. Whether or not to read “for pleasure” also attracted a lot of opinions. See this. And check out the comments section. Also this. You may also be interested in my recent column for trampset: Literary Sacrilege: The Advice Against Reading.
Meanwhile, Australian Literary journal Meanjin is set to open again. I had reported on its closing after 85 years in Edition-05 of this newsletter.
Around books and publishing, in February, Scottish historian and celebrated author William Dalrymple called an article published in The Guardian “irritating and ignorant”. This article actually sparked widespread debate around the utility of lit fests, book sales and support for local authors.
Staying on book shops and sales, the closure of Waterstones Oxford also ignited sharp reactions, although many pointed out that it had only moved to a different location nearby.
notes beyond writing
Publishing is, undoubtedly, a difficult path as my current Netflix watch suggests. I’m at episode 11 of Romance Is A Bonus Book (2019)–a heartwarming story of a genius writer and his childhood friend who is a recently-divorced, former award-winning copywriter. The romance brewing between them is only a side story, while centerstage are the bookish references relating to the characters’ life experiences and the deep-dive into how a publishing house works.
writing news
I did not write much in February. How about you?
I was super busy working with two separate group of editors readying two short stories for publication. I can’t fully describe how grateful I am for these sessions that teach me a lot, especially how to see things with the reader in mind.
Last month, I had the incredible honor of being judged the Runner-up in University of Utah Quarterly West Annual Prose Contest.
I also published a writer-life essay with Fiction Attic Press and two micro creative nonfiction pieces in OxMag.
open & submission windows
Bennington Review‘s reading period is open through March 15th.
Profiles Journal’s submission window for Issue 5 is open until March 15th too. Pays.
Barrelhouse is open for their Online Issue: The Aftermath (till March 16 or when they hit submission cap, whichever comes first). Pays.
The Adroit Journal is open for submissions. Pays.
For many more, visit this page.
reading recommendations
In honor of International Women’s Day, I recommend Stories By Women, For Women, Of Women: 8 Stories to Read on March 8, which you’ll find here on March 8. In this post, I’m celebrating Women’s Day through Fiction and Nonfiction published in 2025/2026 in international magazines.
As you dive into the captivating world crafted by women writers, you won’t want to miss a craft essay that uncovers the invaluable lessons emerging writers can glean from. I had the pleasure of publishing “Beginner’s Guide to Five Flash Fiction Writers and Their Unique Styles” not too long ago in JMWW.
pro tip
Finally, this month’s pro tip. If you can spare a couple of hours each week, and love reading, do consider volunteering for a literary magazine of your choice. JMWW, a long running publication, welcomed Laura Besley and Kelly Pedro as Associate Flash Fiction Editors in February. Magazines often post these openings on their social media. Reading for publications really helped me, particularly in the initial stages of my writing career, as to how the reader or editor views my work and where I get it wrong as a writer.
Thanks for reading! Please do share your writing achievements with me so we can all cheer you on. Finally, if you’re able, please support my work through PayPal.
This blog is a monthly newsletter published on the first week that is truly a newsletter–updates from the literary world, open windows, a few personal updates, some tips, opinions and conversations, and a round-up of recent work I truly recommend. If you enjoyed this, please share with your friends. Consider subscribing, commenting and/or liking this post. Thanks!
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