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Unless a literary magazine/journal is looking for work from a certain age range (ex. the teen experience, 20 to 30-year-olds), I rarely see age restrictions under submission guidelines. If unspecified, is it safe to assume that most literary magazines/journals publish will work submitted by minors? I understand that competition is steeper for young writers, but I am asking this question from a legal/technical standpoint as opposed to a competitive one. Additionally, if unstated, do literary magazines generally accept international submissions, or are submissions often limited to their regional area (ex. only residents of the United States)? As a novice writer, any information on this would be extremely appreciated!

Kaitlin
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  • Welcome to Writing.SE! We have quite a few questions about publishing at a young age - see this one and its many, many duplicates. – F1Krazy Aug 24 '20 at 17:05
  • When you write your bio, you can include "studying creative writing at X High School" or whatever is appropriate. Check into any colleges in your area to see if they have a literary magazine. Feel free to expand your "region". Chris has a good point about payment, but most literary magazines, especially small ones, don't pay. Good luck! – Terri Simon Sep 17 '20 at 19:49

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Neither age nor geographic origin are typical considerations when submitting work. Unless you specify them when querying or submitting, they won't even know (unless your email address and/or postal return address give it away), and you usually wouldn't specify unless it makes a difference to your writing, or supports your qualifications to write a specific piece.

When it comes to getting paid, however, it's a different story. I'm no lawyer, but I believe a parent would have to sign the contracts for a minor. And getting paid internationally is always difficult.

It's worth noting that the competition for inclusion in well-known literary magazines is incredibly fierce (even for adult writing professionals in the same corner of the world!). You might have better luck starting out by publishing in a local magazine, and/or one aimed at youth, and then building your way up to larger, more international publications. Better a successful publication in a small local magazine than any number of rejections from Granta.

Chris Sunami
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    Thank you for your answer! My age and geographic location were actually details I'd planned to put in my cover letter since Submittable asks for a 'short bio', but are these details I shouldn't include since they do not support my qualifications? I appreciate your tips, too! Unfortunately, I live in a pretty small peninsula where literary magazines and competitions are next to none. I have been trying to find some magazines aimed at youth, but those are often restricted to geographic origins. Still searching though! – Kaitlin Aug 25 '20 at 09:01