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okaydonkeymag.com
Okay Donkey Magazine
@okaydonkeymag.com
5.5K followers 1.1K following 440 posts
A literary magazine for the odd, the off-kilter, and the just plain weird. Contains flash fiction and poetry, which may or may not contain animals. Est. May 2018.

Mag: okaydonkeymag.com
Newsletter: okaydonkeymag.beehiiv.com
Discord: discord.gg/H59VjYGfas
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The holidays are upon us, and we continue to be enraptured by gratitude for this weird and wonderful life. Here at OKD, we're especially grateful for our many staff readers who enable us to treat every submitted piece with care. Learn more about our readers at okaydonkeymag.com/masthead/.
A letter partway out a red envelope reads "Thank you OKD Staff Readers," stamped with the donkey. There are leaves with red berries hanging from the top left corner over the letter.
December 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM
okaydonkeymag.com
We are proud to be lucky number 7 in the Bold and Weird category of Chill Subs Best Lit Mags of 2025! The donkey is always happy to receive compliments (but only when we pass on the message to him, since he really can't read, despite his protests). Check out all the winners here: buff.ly/Xw4HXk6
December 22, 2025 at 10:32 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Presenting OKD’s Best Microfiction nominees! Read the nominated pieces in the thread below.
December 18, 2025 at 12:48 AM
okaydonkeymag.com
Congratulations to OKD’s 2026 Best Small Fictions nominees! Read the nominated pieces in the thread below.
December 16, 2025 at 10:18 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Meet OKD’s Pushcart Prize nominees! Read the nominated pieces in the thread below.
December 15, 2025 at 10:55 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Have you ever wondered how...
• a literary magazine is run?
• decisions are made on submissions?
• to improve your chances of getting published by an established literary magazine?

Ask our editors (almost) anything by 11/30: forms.gle/NiBR9KQG2PHZ...

Answers coming in our January newsletter! 🫏
A graphic with a duotone, blurred pink/blue laptop in the background. Text reads, We're the Okay Donkey editors, ask us anything. Asterisk at the end of "ask me anything" points to, about OKD, by November 30. There are photos of the three editors, Carolene Kurien, Heidi Marjamäki, and Steve Chang.
November 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Okay Donkey is looking for a Social Media Associate focused on graphic design! This role pays a small honorarium (read: "independent lit mag"-sized). Apply with our super short form by Friday, November 14 for first consideration.

More details: forms.gle/E9MCaKzEAE1x...
Graphic with the Okay Donkey mascot donkey mocked up in a blank Instagram post. Text reads, Join the Okay Donkey team! Social Media Associate, apply by November 14.
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Our Best of the Net picks are in! 💻

Congratulations to Julia Rose Greider, Nicola Koh, @casswhit.bsky.social, Gabe Montesanti, @karanchambers.bsky.social, @poetalukah.bsky.social, @danijanae.bsky.social, and Shagufta Mulla.

Read the nominated works: okaydonkeymag.com/nominations-...
Graphic that looks like a web browser and a clicking mouse with the Okay Donkey mascot shown in the corner. Text reads, Best of the Net 2026 nominees: stories. A Reading List for the End of the World by Julia Rose Greider. I’ve Been Getting Letters from Santa for Twenty Years and All I’ve Learned Is He’s an Asshole by Nicola Koh. Graphic that looks like a web browser and a clicking mouse with the Okay Donkey mascot shown in the corner. Text reads, Best of the Net 2026 nominees: poetry. Leaving the Wedding in a Fever by Cassandra Whitaker. The Signs by Gabe Montesanti. I have an existential crisis on realizing my reading list is finite by Karan Chambers. FLORIDA by ALUKAH. Bright Invitations by Dani Janae. When I Was a Bearskin Rug by Shagufta Mulla.
September 18, 2025 at 3:29 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Congratulations to past OKD contributor @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social on the release of her new poetry chapbook "Without Woman or Body"! www.finishinglinepress.com/product/with...
Book cover of Without Woman or Body by Allison Field Bell, with a photo of a person from the neck down wearing a tank top, almost lying down, leaning against a wall, their arm supporting them from the floor
June 21, 2025 at 6:44 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Presenting OKD's Best New Poets nominees! Read the nominated pieces in the thread below.
An old typewriter with a page inside that says, Best New Poets Nominees 2025. Okay Donkey Magazine. The nominees, on the right, read, this because dog is god spelled backwards, by Erinola E. Daranijo, and Magazine City, by Katherine Schmidt.
April 23, 2025 at 3:51 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
A few OKD alums have books out this month! 😍

• @allisonfieldbell.bsky.social's "Edge of the Sea": www.cutbankonline.org/2025-chapbooks

• @kimmagowan.bsky.social and Michelle Ross's "Don’t Take This the Wrong Way": eastoverpress.com/book/dont-ta...
Book cover of Edge of the Sea, essays, by Allison Field Bell. There is a black-and-white photo of a person walking away from the camera toward a beach. Book cover of Don't Take This the Wrong Way, Kim Magowan & Michelle Ross. The title is written in Scrabble-like letters.
March 12, 2025 at 7:57 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
A map of the Gulf of Mexico, but instead of Gulf of Mexico it says Gulf of using an em dash at all costs — down with periods and commas
February 20, 2025 at 5:46 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Our titular donkey may not be able to read, but he can appreciate a pet pic thread! Let's see 'em!

P.S. This is a great opportunity to practice writing alt text if you're less familiar. Here's a how-to guide that includes an animal example: www.rnib.org.uk/campaign-wit...
A Siamese cat lying on a couch. He is looking away from the camera, wearing a white collar attached to a red and black striped necktie.
January 25, 2025 at 10:24 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Hey, past OKD contributors! Do you have a book coming out? Win an award? Working on a cool project? Do you just want to brag about something? Let us help!

Share your news in our contact form and we'll give you a shoutout on socials and in our newsletter: okaydonkeymag.com/about
Graphic showing the book covers of Best Small Fictions 2024, These Worn Bodies, Sad Grownups, Ruined a Little When We Are Born, and The Art of Washing What You Can't Touch.
January 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
One last thing before OKD rings in the new year! We're excited to share our top 5 most-read pieces, for each genre, that we published in 2024...
Graphic that says Okay Donkey Most Viewed of 2024, on a purple background with an aurora illustration and fireworks
December 31, 2024 at 8:54 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
With the new year approaching, we'd like to take a quick moment to share Okay Donkey's vision — that is, what we'd like to see in submissions and the general vibe we hope the mag reflects.

Our About page has all this plus some lists of writers we like: okaydonkeymag.com/about/
A graphic that says, Okay Donkey, what to know before you submit. Okay Donkey is a literary magazine that likes to read the odd, the off-kilter, and the just plain weird. We like work that’s funny, that’s sad, and that’s both funny and sad at the same time. We especially enjoy the experimental, the surreal, the magical realist, and the genre-bending. Okaydonkeymag.com/submit.
December 23, 2024 at 6:19 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
🔖 The rumors (that we started) are true: We're looking for Poetry Readers to join our team!

As an OKD Poetry Reader, you'll read and vote "yes," "no," or "maybe" on 10 poetry submissions every two weeks.

• Check out what we publish: okaydonkeymag.com/poetry/
• Apply here: forms.gle/wHuhQ1oCxShe...
A graphic that reads, Want to join the OKD team? Call for poetry readers! There is art of megaphones, sparkles, and the Okay Donkey donkey surrounding the text. At the bottom it says, No donkeys were harmed during the creation of this announcement, okaydonkeymag.com.
December 20, 2024 at 4:22 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Gina Thayer (@ginathayer.bsky.social), Fiction Reader, is a speculative fiction writer and horror fan living in Minneapolis. When asked to share something they've read lately, they said they can't get over "Mouth: Stories" by Puloma Ghosh.
Gina Thayer, a white person with short light brown hair wearing a yellow-brown sweater.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Jeanette Smith, Fiction Reader, is a copyeditor, self-editing instructor, and content/fiction writer based in Fort Worth, Texas. When she's not at her desk, you can find her mermaiding, crafting, or trying to make her cats Instagram famous.
Jeanette Smith, a white person with long brown hair wearing a dark dress, sits on a red armchair as book pages fall artistically around her.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
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Paul Ruta (@paulruta.bsky.social), Fiction Reader, says you should visit your local library & also says: "Old Canadian ad guy living in London by way of Toronto, Singapore and Hong Kong. One wife, 3 kids, 9 guitars. Grilled cheese. Vinyl. Beekeeping. WWII documentaries, where the Nazis always lose."
Paul Ruta, a older white person with thinning hair wearing dark colors against a white backdrop.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Jessica Nirvana Ram (@jessnirvanapoet.bsky.social), Poetry Reader, is an Indo-Guyanese poet and essayist. Her debut collection of poetry, "Earthly Gods," is out now with Variant Literature: variantlit.com/product/eart...
Jessica Nirvana Ram, a person with long, dark hair and dark brown skin wearing an orange outfit with blue and pink painted flowers on it.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Jingyu Li (Poetry Reader) has two friendly kittens and a metaphysical dog named Doug. Her favorite food is hotpot. In 2025, they will be continuing their MFA and walking their kittens in their new stroller.
An Asian person smiles in front of a wide expanse of farmland, with two cows in the background.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Jessica Heron, Poetry Reader, is a pizza bagel poet and applied linguist from NYC living at the Jersey Shore. She puts the BABE in DISABLED and keeps two beds in her one-bedroom apartment in defiance of all the rules.
Jessica Heron, a white person with long dark hair wearing dark colors, takes a mirror selfie sitting on a bed.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
Eleanor Ball (@eleanorball.bsky.social), Fiction Reader, is studying library & information science at the University of Iowa, where she works at the law library. In her free time, she writes flash and poetry about queerness, the body, Catholicism, and family heritage.
Eleanor Ball, a white person with long brown hair and black glasses wearing red.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM
okaydonkeymag.com
OKD Staff Spotlight, Day 4:

Meet our readers! Seven of them were generous enough to share a little more about themselves…
A graphic that says, Meet OKD's Staff Readers, at the top. On a pink background with binder paper lines are seven photos with names and titles underneath: Eleanor Ball, Paul Ruta, Jeanette Smith, and Gina Thayer are fiction readers. Jessica Heron, Jingyu Li, and Jessica Nirvana Ram are poetry readers. Fiction readers are outlined in blue, while poetry readers are outlined in green.
December 18, 2024 at 4:07 PM