From the Editor

Twenty years ago, a staff of volunteers began a magazine that insisted, against all literary odds, that the stories of mothers mattered. Now, narratives about motherhood are having a moment, in no small part because we have stubbornly inhabited the spaces of literature.

I always imagine that summer will be a creative and productive season, during which I’ll write much more than I usually do. I work fewer hours, travel more, spend more…

No matter whether your children are in the other room, or miles away from you, I hope you can find a quiet place to sit down and immerse yourself in the words and musings of your fellow mothers.

We’re all here because of the mamas who originally got the gumption to create this journal and those who have kept it moving—online, free, and still powered by multifaceted mamas and mama supporters.

It’s liberating to know you can begin any time you decide. Permission isn’t needed. We hope that you give yourself permission to pause and read the latest issue from Literary Mama.

Once upon a time, before there were any novels, or any awards, or any reviews, there was, for me, Literary Mama. I’d had a baby the same year I started…

It is hard to believe Literary Mama has been publishing writing about motherhood for twenty years. We have been fortunate to continue to thrive thanks to two decades worth of women dedicating their time in the midst of having babies, raising children, establishing careers, and maintaining or ending marriages. 110 women, to be exact.

This year for Giving Tuesday, we are asking for your help in supporting our anthology project. Whether you’re new to Literary Mama, or have been a longtime reader, we hope that you find value and enjoyment in the journal and will find more to appreciate in our forthcoming anthology.

Mornings are dark and the heat is on. Here we are, zipping up our little ones in bulky parkas before school, shivering as we watch the too-cool older ones eschew…

There are no easy answers for how to navigate the societal impositions of time, but I often wonder how these frameworks affect my connections with my child.

I hope that these struggles, predominantly human, though also maternal, will widen readers’ horizons—especially the horizon of empathy, which can never be too broad.