LitReactor is Shutting Down

A titan has fallen. The news was released this morning that as of December 31, 2023, LitReactor will be shut down. After several attempts to keep the ship floating, the team has made the painfully difficult decision to close its digital doors. While they aren’t saying it’s forever, managing editor Joshua Chaplinsky has said that for the foreseeable future, the outlet will be no more.

For over two decades, LitReactor has been part of the literary community and has stood, in my opinion, for all things rad. Where so many outlets prioritize literary works, LitReactor was a hub for genre and pop culture. But even more importantly, it helped to launch and nurture countless careers. The LitReactor booth was the first one I visited during my first AWP Conference—this was when it was hosted in Washington, DC. The team asked me questions about what I liked about LitReactor and what I liked to write. They were welcoming and exuded cool. So it became even cooler when LitReactor became my first publishing credit as well as the first outlet to pay me for my writing. For this, they will forever be part of my lore.

To Josh and the team, thank you for all the work you’ve put in, the risks you’ve taken, and the platform you’ve given to writers like myself.