We made it to 2026, and we did it with fire in our words and an eye on the headlines. When Glossy Planet launched late last year, I was deeply curious to see how people would react to a lit mag that responds to the present—and, wow, y’all showed up.
The winners from our first challenge, Monsters We Made, showcased the realities of toxic masculinity in the digital age, the damaging effects of desensitization to violence, and the insidiousness of people in power. The winners from our November challenge, A House Divided, will be published next week, and I’m excited to give you a sneak preview of what these incredible pieces cover:
The fracturing of family histories
The slow realities of erasure
And what happens when we turn the other cheek.
These pieces represent Glossy Planet’s mission: to write in response to the world, not hide from it. It’s an absolute honor to give writers a space to create this type of work. I’ve read in cover letters that our challenges have helped writers break out of a creative slump, and I’ve been told that writing groups are using our challenge copy as writing prompts—all of which makes me feel like we’re doing something right here. Even if you don’t submit your work to us, the very act of creating is worth celebrating, particularly in a time when it would feel so easy to not write and to let the world consume us.
I’m so excited to see what 2026 brings. Our first challenge of the year will launch on January 1 (you can add it to your calendar here), and without giving too much away, it’ll be a direct response to what you hear at the start of a new year. For this challenge, and all the others we release this year, I hope you’ll lean into the deepest part of your writing self and unleash it on the page.
This isn’t the time to shy away from your truth or obscure what you really want to say with your words—this is the time to let things loose. We will give you a place that will catch those words and read them with care.
Let’s be loud this year. Happy writing.
