Folly wins The Lit Mag Incubator Project
Meet the Winners of The Lit Mag Incubator Project
5 winners, 10 finalists, and a special project.
Benjamin Davis·September 12, 2025 for Chill Subs
We had 128 magazines apply to our incubator program (wow!). For those who missed it, we're giving 5 magazines $1000 each, a CLMP membership, and access to our team and network of advisors who've been experimenting with sustainable lit mag models for decades.
And yeah, since we absolutely couldn't resist, we've also selected 10 finalists and 1 special project (more on that in a second). We didn't just look for "the best" magazines. We focused on finding balance in our selection. Supporting the types of visions we genuinely want to see more of in the industry. Magazines willing to try something new, serve underrepresented communities, or prove that ethical publishing can actually work.
Narrowing it down from 128 was brutal. Like, genuinely painful. So many amazing magazines applied that we're already plotting how to fund more next year. If we can scrape together the money, we're absolutely selecting 10 winners in 2026. OK, maybe 20. We have a problem.
But this year? Five magazines rose above the rest. Not because they're perfect or super-established or have all the answers. But because they convinced us they could actually pull off sustainable publishing within a year while still paying their writers and staff.
Thank you to everyone who applied, our advising editors, and CLMP for making this possible! And, obv, our members. We've tried to put your subscription dollars to good use. Here we go (in no particular order):
Folly (Wellington, New Zealand)
Who they are: New Zealand's fastest-selling literary journal that refuses to follow anyone's rules. They've sold out every print run and throw legendary parties in actual haunted buildings (not kidding).
What they publish: Work that makes respected editors do legitimate spit-takes. Think Victorian gossip rag crossed with literary prestige—stuff that's both intellectually rigorous and genuinely fun.
“Folly is a literary journal that publishes entertaining and provocative social commentary, stories and poetry - while accidentally winning international awards, throwing wild parties and pissing off local literary gatekeepers. They're curating the kind of cultural product that keeps the literary scene alive. Through the Incubator, they'll be launching a membership subscription through PressPatron to support long term viability - creating a community for people who love art, raves and champagne in equal measure. Some members will care deeply about literature. Others just want access to the parties. Either way, membership keeps Folly alive as the place where art and irreverence become a cultural moment.”
NWF Journal (Minna, Nigeria)
Who they are: The heartbeat of Northern Nigeria's literary scene with an editorial team all under 30. They're not just running a magazine. They're building an entire ecosystem through the Northern Writers Forum with workshops, conferences, and mentorship programs.
What they publish: Multilingual publication amplifying voices from Northern oral traditions to contemporary urban narratives. They're foregrounding indigenous voices from this vibrant region that rarely get the spotlight.
“At NWF Journal, this grant will seed our sustainability plan by supporting our shift toward diversified revenue streams. We’ll channel funds into expanding subscription models, targeted institutional partnerships, and building capacity for digital distribution. This approach will help us create reliable financial pathways to consistently compensate our writers and editors, while strengthening our long-term independence.”
(Right now, they have an open call for their inaugural Ladi Kwali Poetry Prize. This prize honors the legacy of Ladi Kwali (1925–1984), the pioneering Nigerian potter, and celebrates contemporary African poetry. More can be found here.)
Dreamworldgirl Zine (Boston/Los Angeles)
Who they are: A bi-coastal operation celebrating physical media while building a tight-knit global community. They're all about creating safe, whimsical spaces for everyday creatives.
What they publish: Each themed issue explores different nuances of girlhood, amplifying women, nonbinary, and queer voices on a global scale. Magic meets everyday experience.
“Dreamworldgirl Zine believes in the magic of physical media and aims to bring back tangible nostalgia with our own print issues. Every single edition focuses on a nuance within girlhood, and this grant will help fund our fourth issue in a big way. Not only will it cover the base print production costs, but this $1,000 will allow us to increase contributor and staff payments, have bigger and better photoshoots, and throw the best launch party yet!”
(Right now, they are collaborating on an international youth writing contest with Diversify Your Narrative and IgniteHER that ends on September 30th! Further details can be found here.)
Notch Magazine (New York/Paris)
Who they are: Less than a year old and already making waves on two continents. They've hosted workshops, parties, and performances in New York, Paris, and San Francisco (busy much?).
What they publish: They're de-siloing creative arts—nail art next to 18th century philosophy, scientific essays alongside video art. Honoring otherness through strange and beautiful combinations that challenge genre boundaries.
“In the nine months since launching, Notch Magazine has printed two issues and and hosted workshops, parties, and performances in New York, Paris, and San Francisco. These events bring our mission to life--interweaving a variety of artistic genres while building creative community. We will use Chill Subs's generous support to expand our in-person footprint.”
Next call for submissions: December 2025
Space and Time (Brazil/US)
Who they are: Founded in 1966 (not a typo), they've been a cornerstone of speculative literature for almost six decades, always reinventing themselves rather than folding (really, read their history, it’s awesome). Now operating across borders between Brazil and the US accepting works in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian..
What they publish: Science fiction, fantasy, and horror where established voices share pages with bold new talent. They've been predicting the future since before it was cool.
“This grant relieves the immediate stress of funding our next issue, helping us transition from survival to sustainability. Instead of treading water, we can begin building a bigger, better boat to preserve our history while we create our future. Our vision is to transform Space & Time into a creative vehicle that supports our editors and contributors while reaching across borders to connect and build cultural bridges through intentional Making. With the support of Chill Subs and the Incubator Project, I know this will be a year of significant growth for Space & Time.”
Finalists
Paratextos (Mexico) - Filling the Hispanic literature void with strict curation, gorgeous design, and year-round open submissions in Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese. They're one of the few truly multilingual literary spaces serving the Hispanic literary community with high-level visual design standards.
Gather (Canada) - Started as writers passing poems around a table like bread. Now it's a magazine, podcast, and living archive of writers cheering each other on. Their organic growth from a weekly writers' table to a multimedia platform shows community-first sustainability (no artificial growth here).
OTHERSIDE (USA) - The only lit mag exclusively for speculative fiction and poetry by 2SLGBTQIA+ authors. One of the most diverse editorial teams in the field. They've carved out the only dedicated space for queer speculative lit, creating a niche that basically sustains itself through community need.
OyeDrum (USA) - Intersectional feminist collective celebrating intergenerational, international women's voices through art, music, literature, and innovative events at NYC's Dada Cafe. Their in-person event model at Dada Cafe creates multiple revenue streams while building real-world community connections.
Ubwali Literary Magazine (USA/Zambia) - The world's only magazine dedicated solely to Zambian writing and art. They're challenging those monolithic views of African literature with stories passed down through generations. Zero competition in their space (literally the only one) means they're essential infrastructure for Zambian literary culture.
Pafuera (Puerto Rico) - Caribbean feminist zine merging political erotica (yep), creative writing rituals, and radical workshops in Spanish, Spanglish, and English. Punk aesthetic meets digital era. Their workshop model combined with provocative content creates a sustainable ecosystem of radical education and publishing.
Silly Goose Press (USA) - Empowering writers to get silly with "craft-forward whimsy." They send personalized submission responses and hand out friendship bracelets at AWP (genuinely adorable). Their personal touch approach builds fierce loyalty. People literally wear their brand.
Zine Machine (USA) - Both an online lit mag AND a literal vending machine. They celebrate zine culture through quarterly pop-ups at indie bookstores across the region. The vending machine isn't just a gimmick — it's a revenue model that brings literature to unexpected spaces.
Chabutra (India) - Telling untold stories from India's villages and towns in visually engaging formats. Making civil society and complex social issues actually digestible. They're bridging the rural-urban divide in Indian literature with visual storytelling that reaches beyond traditional literary audiences.
Stanchion (USA) - Sustainable quarterly print magazine with global distribution. Never charges submission fees, always pays contributors, maintains ethical publishing practices (the holy trinity). Run by basically one person who's proven you can maintain ethical standards and still achieve global distribution. Living proof it's possible.