Written Tales
Short Stories. Big Voices.
A member-funded literary publication sharing flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and short stories under 2,000 words.
📚 Fresh Reads from the Community
Taking on Little John, or the Watercourse
Robin Hood’s newest band hasn’t stolen a thing when a booming voice at a narrow stream demands a contest only…
This Evening, Full of Love
An island promised as humanity’s salvation is kept at arm’s length by the government. When one traveler returns, an old…
My Mistress’ Eyes
Can love survive when all you see in her eyes is sorrow? Read Michael T. Smith’s haunting sonnet and decide…
Marriage: A Memory Relived
Some marriages grow richer with every passing year. Carlisle’s poem gets at what that actually looks like — the vows,…
📚 Poems
Frightened Rabbits
Allegory, Absurdity, and the Things We Vigorously Deny
The Quiet Anatomy
Salt rests on the tongue. A ribcage stirs. Bones begin to arrange themselves in the shape of breath.
Love Song: A Poem of Friendship and Summer’s Gifts
A simple tomato carries the warmth of friendship and the season’s joy.
📚 Stories
Two Eggs
A Diner, a Wrong Order, and Everything Left Unsaid
Another Morning
Where coffee is sacred and patience is optional.
Dandelions
A yellow field fades to white as gravel scrapes beneath sandals near the place where promises were broken.
What is Written Tales?
Written Tales is more than a community of writers—it’s a creative playground for flash fiction, poetry, and short-form storytelling. Since 2017, we’ve published 500+ authors from around the world. Now fully digital and member-supported, we offer writing challenges, publication opportunities, and a platform to be heard.
Learn MoreGet Published
We publish short fiction, poetry, and challenge pieces from both members and non-members. Members submit for free. Non-members can submit with a small contribution of $3 or more—you choose the amount. Digital chapbooks, monthly challenges, and new publication opportunities await.
Submit Your WorkExplore Our Chapbooks
Browse our seasonal chapbooks featuring standout short fiction and poetry from the Written Tales community. Currently digital-only. Print editions return if demand grows.
Browse ChapbooksJoin the Written Tales Community
Support an independent literary magazine celebrating short fiction, poetry, and emerging voices. Members receive full archive access, free submissions, seasonal challenges, and more.
Become a Member