Strange Pilgrims

Strange Pilgrims

Introducing Strange Pilgrims Club
You're invited! | Free, online, close readings & literary conversations with friends
 • Strange Pilgrims and Shannan Mann
Etymology of a Bear by Matty Layne Glasgow
"Where there’s a little flesh and some mystery, there’s a narrative waiting to write itself out of hibernation." | Essay # 4
 • Strange Pilgrims and Shannan Mann
Kingmaker by brandon brown
"The radio man wonders whatever happened to the sun." | Flash Fiction #4
 • Strange Pilgrims, Karan Kapoor, and brandon brown
Announcing Free Writing Challenge: Micro of the Month
Send us your fiction or nonfiction up to 300 words only!
 • Strange Pilgrims, Shannan Mann, and Karan Kapoor
The Gentleman by Angie Ellis
What an upside-down world... | Short Story #3
 • Strange Pilgrims and Karan Kapoor
Strange Pilgrims
STRANGE PILGRIMS is an independent, ad-free & reader-supported literary publication. Join our community (because we're weird, but in the fun way).
Newsletters
Logo for Short Stories
Short Stories
Real, surreal & brutally beautiful stories between 1001-5000 words
Logo for Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction
Real, surreal & brutally beautiful stories under 1000 words
Logo for Essays
Essays
Real, surreal & brutally beautiful essays between 1001-5000 words
Logo for Flash CNF
Flash CNF
Real, surreal & brutally beautiful creative nonfiction under 1000 words
Logo for Reviews & Critique
Reviews & Critique
On anything & everything, under 1500 words
Logo for Editorials
Editorials
Writing, submitting & publishing lessons & resources + editorial insights, media recommendations & lots more!

Read the magazine!

View all
How to Carry by Jill Kolongowski
My body still thinks I’m pregnant. Am I still pregnant? | Flash CNF #2
 • Strange Pilgrims, Shannan Mann, and Jill Kolongowski
A Brief History of Werewolves by Gwen C. Katz
The idea of the werewolf as an evil monster wouldn’t emerge until the early modern era. | Essay #3
 • Strange Pilgrims and Shannan Mann
Send us your stories & essays! (Portal closes in ~24 hours)
"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it." | Open Submission Call #2
 • Strange Pilgrims, Shannan Mann, and Karan Kapoor
For My Sister, Who Put an End to My Existential Crisis by Aimee Wai
"All around me were rows of cherry trees, and I ate myself sick beneath them." | Flash Fiction #3
 • Strange Pilgrims, Karan Kapoor, and Aimee Wai
Recommendations
ONLY POEMS DAILY
ONLY POEMS DAILY
ONLY POEMS DAILY
Beautiful Losers
Beautiful Losers
Shannan Mann
Bob Hicok: Poetry
Bob Hicok: Poetry
Karan Kapoor
The latest from
Shannan Mann
Introducing Strange Pilgrims Club
User's avatar
Karan Kapoor
Kingmaker by brandon brown
User's avatar

Subscribe

Real, surreal, & brutally beautiful writing ✦ Free submissions ✦ Pays $50-$200 ✦ Independent, ad-free, & reader-supported
AboutArchiveRecommendationsSitemap
Strange Pilgrims
© 2026 ONLY INK, Inc. · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture