brandon brown’s flash “Faultline” contains a ball in the dirt, smoke in the lungs, two people in the backseat of a car, an opening. Here they share just one thing about the piece.

We are so grateful to have received so much gorgeous work this year that made this such a difficult decision. Here they are, our fabulous nominees for the 2025 Pushcart Prize!

Our November 2024 edition of Now Playing features movies that inspire fear, laughter, and thought from our contributors!

Kayla Lightner’s story “If You’re Feeling Froggy” brings us along on a road trip that is bursting with tension, with images of small towns and pepper fields, with the narrator’s full bladder. Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

Here at SLM, we hope that this list of some of the beautiful and important work from our team and contributors in recent months can help us connect to our community and move forward.

It’s time to celebrate tiny work with a big impact! We are so thrilled to announce our nominees for the 2025 Best Microfiction.

Leah Korican’s essay “Nancy” reveals a moment of shared intimacies, a shift, a rift. Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

Séamus Isaac Fey’s poem “Tove's Cento: Youth” muses on the intensity of emotion, the distance between a parent and a child, desire for an undefined future. Here they share just one thing about the piece.

Our October 2024 edition of Now Playing features a video game world to dive into, a tabletop game to share with friends, a portrayal of women’s relationships, and a song to cry along to, all from our contributors!

Award nominations season is upon us once again. As always, it was difficult to choose—but we’re pleased to finally announce our nominees for Best of the Net 2025!

Max Pasakorn’s poem “Ghazal for My Gay Ass” bursts forth with playfulness, longing, and hope to be and to have a certain sort of boy.Here they share just one thing about the piece.

Kasey Butcher Santana’s essay “Contraband Marginalia” opens the doors for us into the joys and challenges of working in a jail library. Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

Caitie Karasik’s story “Rob Bumble” contains a fabulous first date, roly-poly bugs, a favorite onion, and some deep longing .Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

Mojtaba Taghvaei (aka “Moshtaba”)’s art “Twins” provides a vibrant exploration of closeness and wakefulness. Here he shares just one thing about the piece:

Pegah Ouji’s flash “In the Name of Those Optimist Iranian Fools” leaves the moon behind for love of a twin sister and Iran. Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

Our September 2024 edition of Now Playing features killer stories, dark ballet, strange bookstore finds, and music full of queer joy and messages of social change, all from our contributors!

Jeremy T. Wilson’s story “Happy Hibernation!” throws us into an unpredictable journey where desires take strange shapes and squirrels come along for the ride. Here he shares just one thing about the piece.

This collection of recent SLM FAM news and publications is perfect to explore during a drowsy summer afternoon.

Madeline von Foerster’s art “Frog Cabinet” is a powerful portrayal of nature’s fragile beauty. Here she shares just one thing about the piece..

Vanessa Hua’s flash “Forecast” shows us how destruction of one kind leads to another, a cascade of disappearing. Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

On our staff Slack, we discussed the meaning of stakes in poetry. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!

nat raum’s poem “a photo bro asked me a patronizing question in 2016 & I am still thinking about it” demands honesty, holds everything up to the light. Here they share just one thing about the piece.

Our June 2024 edition of Now Playing features books for lovers of nature, spine-tingling screams, and songs that grab you by the heart, all from our contributors!

Jeff Wood’s memoir “What Time Is It?” is a powerful exploration of the mind and memory and the pain of their unraveling. Here he shares just one thing about the piece.

This May was an abundant month for the SLM Fam; let the dazzling work of our staff and contributors brighten your day.

Arah Ko’s poem “Sorry I Didn’t Call You Back” pulls us into a compelling catalogue that both gives and resists answers. Here she shares just one thing about the piece.

We’re over the moon to share that Moisés R. Delgado’s story "The Moon Is a White Corn Tortilla, the Night a Sizzling Comal, and the Stars Are Parmesan Cheese Because God Loves Quesadillas with His Nightly Cafecito" has been selected for Best Small Fictions 2024!