The Good Life Review

What The Good Life Review does

The Good Life Review (TGLR) is a 501c3 nonprofit independent literary journal headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, co-founded in 2020 by Shyla Shehan, Ed Vogel, and a cohort of University of Nebraska-Omaha MFA graduates. The journal publishes four seasonal issues per year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn) featuring poetry, short fiction (up to 5,000 words), flash fiction (400-1,000 words), creative nonfiction, micro pieces, and original artwork/photography. TGLR maintains a large volunteer editorial masthead of 50+ named editors across genre-specific roles, and notably prohibits AI-generated content. Core products and programs include the quarterly Seasonal Issues, the annual HoneyBee Poetry Prize ($500 winner prize plus publication, $1,000 combined payout), Micro Monday weekly features, Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and ongoing prize nominations for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, and PEN/DAU Short Story Prize.

The journal monetizes through three primary streams: (1) submission fees via the Submittable platform ($4 short prose, $2.50 flash/micro, $18 Honeybee Prize), (2) tax-deductible donations as a 501c3, and (3) print-on-demand hardcopy sales via Ingram Spark and Amazon (Issue #22 Winter 2026 priced at $25.99 and $30 respectively). Contributors are paid $60 per piece in seasonal issues and $25 for Micro Monday and cover art. The customer base consists entirely of individual writers, poets, and artists — 100% of published work is unsolicited — supplemented by a broader reader community accessing content free via the website. Distribution channels include a digital archive at thegoodlifereview.com, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn), a Substack newsletter, and CLMP-affiliated literary ecosystem partnerships.

Strategically, TGLR is anchored in the Nebraska/Heartland literary community through formal ties to the UNO MFA program, Nebraska Writers Collective, Nebraska Poetry Society, Larksong Writers Place, Humanities Nebraska, and Omaha Public Library, while remaining open to global contributors. Recognition includes the FISH List Top 100, ChilSubs listing, CLMP membership, and 501c3 status. The journal is recognized for its commitment to diverse and emerging voices, including fee waivers for BIPOC writers during designated periods and explicit support for translations and experimental/hybrid work.

Name

The Good Life Review

Legal name

The Good Life Review

Website

https://thegoodlifereview.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Good Life Review is a 501c3 nonprofit literary journal in Omaha, Nebraska that publishes quarterly online issues of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and artwork, plus an annual HoneyBee Poetry Prize. It serves aspiring and established writers with paid contributor opportunities, fee-based submissions via Submittable, and prize nominations for top literary awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Journal / Poetry Magazine

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)

Keywords

• Literary journal publishing
• Poetry magazine
• Creative nonfiction publication
• Fiction literary review
• Annual poetry prize

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Submission fees: Charges fees for manuscript submissions: $4 for short prose submissions, $2.50 for flash and micro prose submissions, $18 for Honeybee Poetry Prize entries. Fee revenue supports contributor payments.
2. Donations and fundraising: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, TGLR accepts tax-deductible donations from supporters. Donations page is available on their website.
3. Publication payments to writers: Pays $60 per piece for writing published in seasonal issues, $25 for Micro Monday features and cover art. Combined with submission fees, this creates a reciprocal market model where writers pay to submit and receive payment upon publication.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Good Life Review is a 501c3 nonprofit online literary journal that publishes quarterly seasonal issues featuring poetry, short fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and original artwork from diverse writers and artists. The journal operates an annual Honeybee Poetry Prize contest ($500 winner prize plus publication), runs a Micro Monday weekly feature, manages submissions through the Submittable platform with tiered fees, and makes select issues available as print-on-demand hardcopy editions through Ingram Spark and Amazon.

Product overview

The Good Life Review is a quarterly online literary journal operating as a 501C3 nonprofit that publishes poetry, short fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and original artwork across four seasonal issues per year. The publication portfolio consists of: Seasonal Issues (core product featuring poetry, fiction, CNF, and artwork published quarterly); the annual HoneyBee Poetry Prize (competition with $1,000 combined payout); Micro Monday (weekly brief creative work feature segment); Prize Nominations (service nominating published work for Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, Best Microfictions, and PEN/DAU Short Story Prize); Book Reviews; and Author Interviews. Submissions are managed via Submittable with seasonal reading windows, and selected issues are available as print-on-demand hardcopies via Ingram Spark and Amazon. TGLR explicitly prohibits AI-generated content and publishes only human-created work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HoneyBee Poetry Prize: Annual poetry prize competition with combined payout of $1000, winner receives $500 plus publication and a jar of honey from a Midwest apiary

Products and services

• Seasonal Issues (Quarterly Literary Journal)

Quantifiable outcome

• 1200+ poems received for annual Honeybee Poetry Prize
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNO Writer's WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFall and spring reading series with local, national, and international writers including Ross Gay, Ilya Kaminsky, Charles Bukowski, and John Cheever. The Good Life Review was co-founded by graduates of the UNO MFA program, maintaining ongoing ties to the university's literary community.
• Nebraska Writers CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NWC cultivates an inclusive environment where stories have value and voices are amplified. They support writers of all backgrounds and offer programming across the state. TGLR features work from NWC programs including the Kate Sommer Memorial Poetry Prize winner.
• Nebraska Poetry SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiverse group dedicated to the art of poetry, hosting virtual events for beginners and professionals with opportunities to explore, learn, and gain feedback on writing.
• Larksong Writers PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiterary organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities, events, and community-building activities for writers of all skill levels.
• The Naturalist SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaches people to become better naturalists, nature writers, feral poets, wild philosophers, ecological activists, and enlightened planters through consilience of ecology and creativity.
• Omaha Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVariety of programming options, virtual and in-person. Weekly and monthly writing workshop opportunities and quarterly readings.
• Nebraska Writers GuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromotes fellowship among Nebraska writers with publishing, networking, and conference opportunities.
• Humanities NebraskaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps Nebraskans explore what connects us and makes us human through dozens of programs offering educational opportunities, events, and workshops.
• Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional organization for independent literary publishers. CLMP membership provides distribution, credibility, and networking within the literary magazine ecosystem.
• Marya HornbacherminorOthersAward-winning journalist, essayist, novelist, poet, and New York Times bestselling author serving as judge for the 2026 Honeybee Poetry Prize.
• HoneyBee Prize Judges and Guest EditorsminorOthersRotating panel of notable literary figures including Marya Hornbacher, Bianca Swift, Julia Kolchinsky, Brenna Womer, Kristine Langley Mahler, Michael Czyzniejewski, Tom Paine, Matt Mason, Juliana Lamy, Teri Youmans, Roxane Gay, Rodrigo Toscano, Hugh Reilly, Kwame Dawes, Charlene A. Donaghy, Mary Kuryla, Jessica Hendry Nelson, Douglas Manuel, Marco Wilkinson, Kate Gale, and Michael Oatman who serve as judges and guest editors for annual contests.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ploughshares: Emerson College-affiliated quarterly literary journal publishing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Comparable in quarterly cadence, multi-genre scope, and contributor-pay model, though with greater institutional backing and national brand recognition.
• Electric Literature: Digital literary nonprofit publishing fiction, essays, and recommended reading. Comparable as a nonprofit, digital-first literary publication that pays contributors and runs a discovery/submission platform.
• AGNI: Boston University literary journal publishing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Comparable in multi-genre literary publishing with a paying contributor model and reputation for prize nominations.

Direct peers

• Prairie Schooner: Long-established quarterly literary journal published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Directly comparable as a Nebraska-based literary magazine publishing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction from a Midwest perspective.
• The Pinch: Independent literary journal affiliated with the University of Memphis publishing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, with annual contests. Comparable in paying-market model, seasonal issues, and nomination pipeline to major prizes.
• Mid-American Review: Literary journal published by Bowling Green State University featuring poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Comparable as a Midwestern-affiliated literary magazine with annual contests and prize nominations.
• Cutbank: University of Montana MFA-run literary journal publishing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Comparable as a contributor-paying, MFA-affiliated literary journal with annual contests and genre-specialized editorial teams.
• The Offing: Independent online literary magazine publishing emerging and diverse voices across poetry, fiction, CNF, and experimental work. Comparable in digital-first, 100% unsolicited submission model and commitment to underrepresented writers.
• Guernica Magazine: Award-winning online magazine of art and politics publishing fiction, poetry, CNF, and reportage. Comparable as a digital literary magazine focused on socially engaged work with a paying contributor model.
• Waxwing Literary Magazine: Independent triannual literary magazine publishing poetry, fiction, translation, and CNF with a focus on international voices. Comparable in digital publishing, paying contributors, and translation/experimental work acceptance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/goodlifelitmag
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheGoodLifeReview
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-good-life-review
• Instagraminstagram.com/goodlifelitmag/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Good Life Review