Fresh-Cut Lit & More

Philadelphia's International Literary Magazine

Since 2013

Issue 52 is here!

Read from our Winter 2025-2026 collection of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, flash, and visual narrative.

Issue 52

ENROLL IN A CLASS

Cleaver offers craft-based generative classes and workshops for all genres and levels of experience. We also offer business-of-writing classes to help you facilitate your writing career.

Classes
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SUPPORTING EMERGING ARTISTS

Cleaver is proud to present emerging writers alongside established authors.

Emerging Artists

2024 Emerging Artist Contest Winners

Grand Prize Winner

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

Browse our Fiction
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025

READ FROM OUR ARCHIVE

Cleaver is celebrating 11 years of quarterly publishing. Flip through our library.  

All Issues

EXCHANGE WRITING TIPS

Includes tips on writing, revision, craft, and the writing life from staff, contributors, and readers.

Writing Tips

Browse our Creative Nonfiction
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025

EXPLORE OUR REVIEWS

Cleaver reviewers present the most exciting literary work from around the globe.

Book Reviews
ANIMAL STORIES by Kate Zambreno, reviewed by Anthony Brown
GENDERTRASH FROM HELL edited by Mirha-Soleil Ross, reviewed by Willow Campbell
THE CONFINES by Anu Kandikuppa, reviewed by Emily Webber
PATCHWORK: A SEWIST’S DIARY by Maddie Ballard, reviewed by Ellen Prentiss Campbell
HEART LAMP by Banu Mushtaq, reviewed by Mehruba Chowdhury
SACRED AND PERISHABLE by Carissa Natalia Baconguis, reviewed by Adam Michael Finney
ARCHIPELAGO by Natalie Bakopoulos reviewed by Ellen Prentiss Campbell
FRIGHTEN THE HORSES by Oliver Radclyffe reviewed by Beth Johnston
WHAT WE TRIED TO BURY GROWS HERE by Julian Zabalbeascoa reviewed by Collin Kim
NO NAMES by Greg Hewett reviewed by Madeline Mundkowsky

Browse our Flash
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025

EXPLORE OUR INTERVIEWS

Browse excerpts from Cleaver’s latest interviews of authors and translators.

Author Interviews
A CONVERSATION WITH WARREN R. BASLA, Author of The Blade of Milan, by Julian Shendelman
INTERVIEW WITH LEONARD GONTAREK, AUTHOR OF AIN’T NO ANGEL GONNA GREET ME, by Autumn Konopka
INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE DUBOIS, AUTHOR OF UNPARALYZED by Autumn Konopka
AN INTERVIEW WITH LINDA NORTON, AUTHOR OF CLOUD OF WITNESSES, by Amy Beth Sisson
A CONVERSATION WITH JOCELYN JANE COX, AUTHOR OF MOTION DAZZLE by Abby Alten Schwartz
AN INTERVIEW WITH CORA LEWIS, AUTHOR OF INFORMATION AGE, by Jamie Li
A CONVERSATION WITH GREGORY DJANIKIAN AUTHOR OF NOSTALGIA FOR THE FUTURE
A CONVERSATION WITH KARLA CORDERO AND REBE HUNTMAN, AUTHOR OF MY MOTHER IN HAVANA : A MEMOIR OF MAGIC & MIRACLE
A CONVERSATION WITH CURTIS SMITH, AUTHOR OF DEAF HEAVEN AND JEN MICHALSKI
TIM WEED, AUTHOR OF THE AFTERLIFE PROJECT, interviewed by Andrea Caswell

Browse our Poetry
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025
December 28, 2025

SEE OUR CRAFT ESSAYS

Cleaver publishes craft essays on writerly topics. Contact the editors to propose one.

Craft Essays
NO “I” IN CNF ? A Less Reflective Approach to Creative Nonfiction, a Craft Essay by Emma Rowan
ALL THE THINGS: WRITING CATALOG POEMS, a Poetry Craft Essay by Erin Murphy
HOW TO WRITE A LOVE POEM, a Poetry Craft Essay by Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo
Writing to the End: Artistic Choices in Apocalyptic Times, a Poetry Craft Essay by Heidi Seaborn
Other Wisdoms: The Divinatory Potential of Poetry, A Poetry Craft Essay by Michele Battiste
The Present Tense: Conversing with Characters, Then and Now, by Elaine Neil Orr
Poetry and the Kink: The Inherent Queerness of the Poetic Line, by Matthew W. Baker
So You Think You Know Your Characters? Think Again, by Gerry Wilson
In Praise of the Memoir of the Mundane, by Tom McAllister
There’s No Cheating in Poetry, by Elizabeth Galoozis

PHILADELPHIA PROUD

Cleaver Magazine showcases local literary work by many Philadelphia-based writers and artists.

Philadelphia Writers & Artists

A LITTLE ABOUT US

Cleaver is an independent online quarterly magazine, free to all. 

About Us

Browse our Visual Narratives

INTRODUCING: STORY SEEK

Part immersive theater, video game, and poetry slam, Story Seek pays homage to Philadelphia.

Story Seek

Browse our Art

LOOK INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Are you a literary tastemaker?
Cleaver offers volunteer opportunities for reviewers, editors, and interns.

Opportunities

SUBMIT YOUR WORK

Submit to Cleaver’s quarterly literary magazine. We read submissions on a rolling basis through our submittable portal. 

Submissions

Join our other 6,410 subscribers!

Use this form to receive a free subscription to our quarterly literary magazine. You'll also receive occasional newsletters with tips on writing and publishing and info about our seasonal writing workshops.