Issue Archives
November/December 2023
For the past 20 years, staff members have treated writers with kindness and respect, regardless of where they were on their writing journey. At Literary Mama, we love all mama writers and want them to shine. And shine they do.
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September/October 2023
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.
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July/August 2023
Literary Mama offers an encouraging reminder that our identities—as parents, as writers, as readers, as local or global contributors of whatever sort—aren’t predicated on incessant activity, or a checklist of accomplishments, or a certain definition of worthiness. Whatever this season is like for you, we hope you’ll find something heartening here to see you through to the next.
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May/June 2023
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. It is always such a joy to review each issue before we publish, and marvel at how Literary Mama editors across time zones select and polish such beautiful work.
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March/April 2023
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.
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January/February 2023
We are told to sync our lives with a calendar, only beginning at the start of the year, month, or a particular week. But, instead, why not allow ourselves to start when we feel the most ready? It’s liberating to know we can begin any time we decide. Permission isn’t needed. We hope that you give yourself space to pause and read the latest issue from Literary Mama and it pushes you to pen your novel, essay, or short story at the start of January—or even in February.
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November/December 2022
Practicing gratitude forces us to examine life through an altered lens, not unlike the fresh perspective that young children bring to our lives, unjaded as they are to the world around them. Stories in this issue of Literary Mama explore the many facets of gratitude: appreciation, awe, acceptance, and more.
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September/October 2022
Reframing our perceptions of the time we have to read, write, and think—to value the incredible and varied insights of mothers—is so worth it. We’re grateful and honored that you’re here to dip into this September/October collection of mama writing.
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July/August 2022
Although motherhood can restrict our view of the world, especially in the early years, it also expands our perspective and teaches us to look more deeply inward and more carefully outward—and to do more with what we see. That’s both empowering and humbling, and the work in our latest issue highlights that complex contradiction.
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May/June 2022
The essays, stories, and poems in this month’s issue, as well as the authors and books featured in profiles and reviews, demonstrate how all-consuming motherhood is and delve into those emotional extremes: the fierce love, the exhaustion, the tenderness, the boredom. It’s important to tell these stories that encompass the full range of the motherhood experience, to tell our truths as women and mothers. To let the world know our voices won’t be silenced.
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March/April 2022
At Literary Mama, we have always prided ourselves on working with writers to dig up their jewels. Editors look for a rough diamond and when they find it, they spend time sanding, smoothing, and polishing so that it becomes nothing less than the reflection of the brightest star. Look back through our nearly 20 years of pages, and you’ll find many, many gorgeous, glittering gems.
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