latenight
breakfast
breakfast
latenight breakfast is liminal, contradictory, and scrumptious.
an act of defiance that happens in the wee hours of the night; that evokes resistance and indulgence which resonates with every heart.
an independent literary space based in india, latenight breakfast wants to encourage writers who have always wanted to write and publish their works of resistance. we invite works that have no home. writing that's too sharp for comfort but too warm to ignore.
as a team we are committed to creating a space that sits at odds with the dominant practices, to build alternatives that should've been the norm — writing sessions, editing support, feedback, and compensation. each issue will center what we are witnessing in the world, the collective needs we feel drawn to, and acts of resistances we are engaging in.
Our first issue centers around queer and trans voices in this particular moment — May 2026, after the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act passed over protest, over walkout, over the resignations of people appointed to protect what it claimed to protect. The state decided identity must pass through medical boards and magistrate approval. That some of us don't get to say who we are.
We're writing anyway.Who is trans? Before you jump to an answer, you might want to ask: what is trans? And let us not define that with reference to cis — a word that trans preceded by a decade, and trans lives have preceded by millions. So what is trans? Is it not — "not trans"? An orientation or a condition? Do you need biology to define it or are emotions enough? One could ask if emotions themselves are biology. That debate is never-ending. There are books, theory, and careers built on this.
But you know what — it is much easier to find out who is trans, elusively simple — you ask people and let them tell you. That's it.
We want alternate stories that thicken the plot — writing that doesn't care about moving the needle but is relentless in prosecuting the dogma.
Writing transgressions as a practice to center the voices of those experiencing the turmoil of this moment most intimately — voices that are refusing to resolve the tension between the trauma and joy. Write transgressions, translations, transitions and everything that is trans.
For this issue we will be prioritising queer and trans writers/artists. Which means, we will read and shortlist trans and queer submissions first. If space remains, we will read submissions from writers who did not indicate a queer or trans identity in the submission form.
What we're looking for
Submission guidelines
Rights: By submitting to us, if accepted, you grant us first electronic rights and non-exclusive archival rights. All submissions remain the intellectual property of the artist. Rights revert to the author upon publication.
Timeline
Literary magazines often charge a submission fee and quite often do not compensate authors. We want to change that. Our core team has already created a seed fund to ensure everyone we publish, we compensate. And we need your support to do it better.
All of the funds raised will go towards compensating authors, hosting the online magazine, designing, printing and shipping of stickers, postcards, and magazine. Any leftover funds will be used for building the next issues, and we are planning to pay parts of the funds forward to community organisation and collectives. The digital magazine will remain free to access, forever.
And we're putting together some things we think you'll love.
Your contribution makes it possible for us to compensate authors better. No amount is too small — every contribution is a validation that we are doing something that is necessary. Thank you ♥
A set of stickers designed by some of our coolest friends — small things to put on laptops, notebooks, doors. A way to carry the magazine into the world before the issue is even out.
Postcards and stickers. The postcards are ours to write to you — a thank you, a few lines, something to keep. Send one back if you want; we read everything that arrives.
Postcards, stickers, and a print copy of the issue — or, if you'd rather, your copy goes to a library, queer collective, or community space that wants one. Either way, it travels.
Can't donate right now?
You can support us in other ways as well. Share the call. Submit your work. Tell someone whose writing belongs here. Offer to host a print copy in a space you have access to.
Some questions you might have
Most literary magazines in India don't pay for work. We find that unsettling. Writing is labor, and labor has value — even if the existing ecosystem has convinced people otherwise. Our seed fund makes sure that everyone we publish gets something. Your support helps us make that something actually meaningful.
We'll send your copy to a library, queer collective, community centre, or bookstore for free. We're building a list of spaces in India that want copies. If you run a space that should be on that list, or a place you want to send your copy please reach out.
We are planning to ship out all the rewards and print copies within 2–3 weeks after the digital issue is published on 20 June.
Once selections are final and we know what the total amount raised looks like. That'll be before we publish — so writers know what they're getting before the issue goes out into the world. With the seed fund we are looking at ~500 INR per published work.
For anything that doesn't fit the form — questions about the submission process, hosting a print copy, getting involved, or just wanting to reach a human — write to us.
hello@latenightbreakfastmag.comWe will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Submissions go through the Google Form only — we won't be able to read emailed manuscripts.