Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 10

11 (Warm) Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 2024

Key West: Picryl We all dream of sunshine during the cold, dark days of winter. Fortunately for writers, there are eleven delightful conferences this January held in places we would rather be. 

If you miss your ideal conference this year, don't worry. Many of these are annual events, and quite a few offer scholarships. (Apply early!) 
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For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)

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Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 4 - 14, 2024: Seaside, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing. Application deadline: November 21, 2023.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 11–14, 2024: Key West, Florida. Each year, the Key West Literary Seminar explores a particular literary theme. In January 2024, we’ll turn our attention to this weird, wild, always-going-underwater bellwether of a state that (for better and for worse) we call home — FLORIDA.

Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. January 12 - 15, 2024, Atlantic City, New Jersey. A participant-focused writers’ conference. Advance your craft and energize your writing at the 30th annual Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. Enjoy challenging and supportive workshops, insightful feedback and an encouraging community. Choose from workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, songwriting, playwriting and more.

Colrain Classic. January 12 - 15, 2024: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.

TMW January Jumpstart. January 13 - 14, 2024: Oak Ridge, TN. “We will have a “Meet and Greet” session Friday from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern. On Saturday there will be concurrent Poetry and Fiction morning sessions from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern, and afternoon sessions from 1:30 – 4:30 Eastern." Registration $150. Application deadline December 29.

Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Conference. January 13 -20, 2024, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. Emmy-award winning journalist and NYT best-selling author of the memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, Suleika Jaouad, will kick off the week as our Keynote Speaker.Luis Alberto Urrea, Pulitzer-prize finalist and “literary badass” (NPR), joins the Workshop Faculty at Writers in Paradise for the first time.Newly minted St. Petersburg Poet Laureate and winner of the Poetry Gold Medal Florida Book Awards, Gloria Muñoz, returns to Eckerd College as this year’s Emerging Artist in Poetry. NYT Editor’s Choice and “Best Books to Read in 2023” by Today, author of the short story collection, When Trying to Return Home, Jennifer Maritza McCauley, will read and lecture at Writers in Paradise as this year’s Emerging Artist in Fiction.Writers in Paradise welcomes back Poet, Collaborator, Professor and National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist (Blowout), Denise Duhamel, as Faculty to lead the Poetry Workshop.Mitchell Kaplan, Founder and Owner of Books & Books, co-founder of the Miami Book Fair, Podcast host of The Literary Life with Mitchell Kaplan, and Producer (The Mazur Kaplan Company), joins the publishing panel at Writers in Paradise.International best-selling debut sensation whose short story collection, If I Survive You, who has garnered countless accolades including the PEN/Faulkner Award and National Book Award short lists, Jonathan Escoffery, will close the 2024 conference.
Digital Book World Conference. January 15 - 17, 2024: NYC. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models. 

Writing By Writers GET THE LEAD OUT! January 19 - 21, 2024: Online. This workshop brings all levels of writers together for a weekend of inspiration, craft and the generation of new work. Faculty: Pam Houston, Keenan Norris and Lidia Yuknavitch. Tuition: $750 includes one three-day workshop, admittance to all craft talks and readings.

St. George Island Writers’ Retreat for Women. Jan 21 - 28, 2024: St. George, FL. Program Focus: Autobiography/Memoir, Fiction. Contact Perky Granger at PersisGranger@aol.com for further information and/or to have a registration form emailed to you.

Sunshine State Book Festival. January 26 - 27, 2024: Gainesville, Florida. "Authors from around Florida and the nation will gather at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center on January 27th, from 10 am to 5 pm to sell books and talk about their work. Festivities include guest speakers, giveaways, storytelling, and more." Admission is free.

Northeast Texas Writers Organization. January 27, 2024: Mt Pleasant, TX. Children's Book Writing Workshop, 

5 New Agents and a New Agency Seeking Literary and Commercial Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories, Nonfiction, Memoirs and more

Pieter Swinkels Here are five new literary agents and a new agency actively seeking clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients. 
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Mr. Pieter Swinkels of Transatlantic Literary Agency

Pieter Swinkels worked as Chief Content Officer at Rakuten Kobo for the past twelve years, leading Kobo’s global publisher relations, the self-publishing platform Kobo Writing Life, the Kobo Originals publishing program, and the launch of Audiobooks and Kobo Plus subscriptions. Before that, Pieter was Publisher at the premiere Dutch publishing houses De Bezige Bij and Meulenhoff Publishers in Amsterdam, where he published bestselling and critically-acclaimed authors such as Elizabeth Gilbert, Ann Patchett, Aravind Adiga, Damon Galgut, Sebastian Barry, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mohsin Hamid, Rachel Cusk, Paolo Giordano, Robert Harris and Karin Slaughter.

Pieter holds a Cum Laude MA degree in English Language & Literature from the University of Amsterdam, and a MPhil in Irish Literature from Trinity College Dublin. He lives and works in Toronto.

What he is seeking: He represents literary fiction and nonfiction authors, as well as corporate publishing clients from around the world.

How to submit: Submit queries to querypieter@transatlanticagency.com
Authors are encouraged to email a cover letter with a sample/excerpt of the book in question. Please submit a maximum of 20 pages. Embed the sample/excerpt into the body of the email after the cover letter. Submit an author bio/publishing history and a synopsis. Please note if other agents are also considering the project and do not submit to Pieter if you have already submitted to another Transatlantic Agent.
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Mark Tavani of David Black Literary Agency

Mark Tavani has a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He circumnavigated the globe as a student on Semester at Sea and later worked as a forestry aid in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. He is an adjunct professor with NYU's School of Professional Studies and lives with his wife, his daughters, and a headstrong dog in Rutherford, New Jersey. 

Mark started his publishing career in 2000 with Ballantine Books and spent over 23 years with Penguin Random House, Bantam, Del Rey, and G.P. Putnam's Sons. He edited bestsellers and award-winners across numerous categories of fiction and nonfiction, including books by Jim Abbott, Steve Berry, C.J. Box, Robert Crais, Justin Cronin, Clive and Dirk Cussler, Jeffery Deaver, George Dohrmann, Lisa Gardner, Jack McCallum, Lisa Scottoline, Bill Simmons, and R.L. Stine. He is now thrilled to have joined the David Black Literary Agency, where he represents both fiction and nonfiction. 

What he is seeking: Mark is interested in a wide range of literary and commercial fiction, including book club novels, thrillers, mysteries, speculative fiction, and historical fiction. He is looking for fiction that entertains and enriches the lives of readers. 

He is keen to discover nonfiction that illuminates or inspires. He looks forward to working with experts, journalists, and memoirists, especially those in the spaces of sports, history, wellness, narrative nonfiction, and big ideas. Mark also represents collaborative writers who partner with authors in such spaces. 

How to submit: For fiction, he asks for the first 50 pages of a manuscript pasted into the body of an email; for nonfiction, he asks for a pitch by way of email. He cannot respond to every submission he receives, but will respond to any that he is interested in. Send material to: mtavani@dblackagency.com
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Ms. Angelique Tran Van Sang of Felicity Bryan Literary Agency (UK)

I joined Felicity Bryan Associates as an agent after seven years as an editor at Bloomsbury, where I worked with authors such as Reni Eddo-Lodge and Kamila Shamsie, and published Jenny Zhang, Olivia Sudjic and Saba Sams amongst others.

What she is seeking: At FBA I am building a list of writers of fiction, non-fiction and select poetry, with a particular openness to authors who can work across these forms. As a former editor, I enjoy working with writers to develop their work at both structure and line level for submission to publishers.

In fiction I am looking for novels, short story collections and novellas that strike the heart and intellect in equal measure, that feature protagonists on the margins, and the full and complex lives of those not often represented in literature. I’m drawn to fresh and unexpected subversions of known narratives, the subtleties of class conflict, and writing that challenges, whether in form or content. Examples of novels I’ve admired recently: Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton and Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis.

In non-fiction, I’m interested in oral and narrative histories, explorations of contemporary political and philosophical issues, gripping investigative journalism, as well as literary and cultural criticism and biography. Works I’ve admired recently range from The Right to Sex by Amia Srinivasan and The Years by Annie Ernaux, to Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe and the work of Janet Malcolm and Helen Garner.

How to submit: Follow submission guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Donya Dickerson of Aevitas Creative Management

Donya Dickerson has edited multiple award-winning and bestselling titles, including New York Times bestselling author Joseph Michelli; The Wall Street Journal bestseller Work Better Together by Jen Fisher and Anh Phillips; and The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller Arrive & Thrive by Susan Brady, Janet Foutty, and Lynn Perry Wooten.

Before joining Aevitas, Donya was the Associate Publisher for the Business Trade list at McGraw Hill, where she acquired books by CEOs, highly respected thought leaders, and top industry experts, and built multiple partnerships with global training companies. She’s worked with Crucial Learning, Keller Williams, Deloitte, Zenger Folkman, and other renowned organizations. Prior to McGraw Hill, Donya acquired books for Writer’s Digest on the craft of writing and the business of publishing. She has a BA in English and Philosophy from William Jewell College and a Master’s in Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Fiction Writing from the University of Cincinnati.

What she is seeking: Donya focuses primarily on nonfiction in the categories of business, personal development, self-help, pop culture, science, technology, history, and parenting.  She is looking for breakthrough thinking, experts with a fresh voice, and new approaches to solving the problems people face daily. She is especially drawn to books that help others be their best self and succeed in both their professional and personal lives. 

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Mr. Eloy Bleifuss Prados of Janklow & Nesbit Associates

After studying journalism, Eloy’s first job in publishing was at Simon & Schuster editorial. He switched to the agency side when he joined Janklow & Nesbit Associates in 2019. In addition to working alongside Kirby Kim and Paul Lucas, Eloy is cultivating a growing list of fiction and nonfiction clients.

What he is seeking: Eloy is drawn to genre-blurring fiction and writers with a clear point-of-view. He’s looking for atmospheric horror, thrillers set in an under-explored time or setting, and character-driven speculative fiction. When it comes to nonfiction, he enjoys reading a broad sweep of categories from science writing and forgotten histories to pop culture and relatable self-help. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction, he is a fan of writing that is dark, strange, funny, and queer.

How to submit: Follow submission guidelines HERE.
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In addition to the above agents, here is a new Canadian literary agency.

The Ballpoint Agency is a new, artist-centred literary agency with many enthusiasms, but mostly books. They currently serve a small roster of writers with focused attention, creativity and care.  The three founders have 75 years of professional experience between them: 

Dave Bidini has spent 25 years writing books, earning valuable insight into the industry from an artist’s perspective. 

Warren Sheffer has 20 years as a lawyer, representing authors and performers and specializing in intellectual property law. 

Janet Morassutti has 30 years of publishing industry experience, most recently as a founder and  managing editor of a non-profit newspaper.
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Read submission guidelines HERE.

96 Calls for Submissions in December 2023 - No submission fees

Pickpik This December there are eight dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.I post upcoming calls for submissions shortly before the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.
Happy submitting!

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Eternal Haunted Summer. Genre: Poetry, short fiction. Theme: Horror. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Submit early in month to avoid submission fee.

Death in the Mouth Anthology. Restrictions: Authors who identify as BIPOC or, outside of US-American context, anyone who is from a marginalized ethnicity (eg. Roma, Sámi, Nenets would also fall under this umbrella etc)”. Genre: Horror short fiction and art. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Red Cape Publishing: A - Z of Horror: W is for Witchcraft. Genre: Horror on theme. Payment: £10. Deadline: Opens December 1, 2023. Open until full.

Big Wing. Genre: Poetry, prose, spoken word, and visual art works. Theme: Nature. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2023. See themes.

december magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (essays, memoirs, biography, literary journalism, social or cultural commentary or analysis) and visual art that can be reproduced in our print format. Payment: $10.00 per page with a minimum of $40.00 and a maximum of $200.00. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Charges for online submission. No charge via snail mail.

Assault Team Anthology. Genre: Military Science Fiction. Payment: "a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors." Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Cincinnati Review. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Deadline: Opens on December 1, closes when cap is reached.

Northern Lights Anthology. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Horror and horror-adjacent dark weird fiction, ideally set in Canada and incorporating a motif of night / nighttime/ dusk/ darkness. Stories should be between 500 and 5,000 words. Payment: 10 cents CAD/word. Deadline: December 1, 2023. 

What If...Walls Could Talk. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Air/Light. Genre: New and innovative works of literary arts across all mediums and genres including cross genre work. Length: Up to 4,000 words for prose, and up to 10 pages for poetry. Payment: Poetry: $50; Responses and department pieces: $100; Fiction and essays/nonfiction: $200; Visual art, music, and multimedia: $200. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: December 2, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Invisible City. Genre: Nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 5, 2023.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: December 5, 2023.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: "We're looking for dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words." Payment: $25. Deadline: December 7, 2023. Open to submissions the first week of every month.

A Coup of Owls. Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Genre: Fiction, all genres. Payment: £5 - 15. Deadline: December 7, 2023. Closes when they reach their cap.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: December 9, 2023. See themes.

Northern Gravy. Restrictions: Northern Gravy welcomes submissions from UK & Ireland writers of any background, including first-time writers. Genre: Fiction, Poetry and Kid Lit (writing for Middle Grade and Young Adult audiences) Payment: £100 per contributor. Deadline: December 10, 2023.

Hippocampus Magazine. Genre: Memoir Excerpts, Personal Essays, and Flash Nonfiction. Payment: $40. Deadline: Fee free from December 1 - December 14, 2023.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Cat Stories. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for first-person true stories and poems up to 1200 words that highlight the unique personalities that dogs have. Celebrate your dog, or a dog you know, with a wonderful story about what he or she does. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both." Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dog Stories. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for first-person true stories and poems up to 1200 words that highlight the unique personalities that cats have. Celebrate your cat, or a cat you know, with a wonderful story about what he or she does. Stories can be serious or humorous, or both." Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry. Payment: $0.04/word, up to $25. Deadline: December 15, 2023. See theme.

On Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $100CAD. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Propagule. Genre: Short stories that are intrepid with regard to experimentation and oddity; the strange, the surreal, the atypical, the unexpected. Payment: Up to $20. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Copper Nickel. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and translation folios. Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription. Deadline: December 15, 2023. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Baffling Magazine. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Lost Boys Press: Romantasy. Genre: Romance set in a fantasy world. Word count should be between 60,000 and 120,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Brazenhead Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2023. Note: Closes when cap is reached.

Eavesdrop Magazine. Restrictions: Canadian writers (anyone living in Canada for work, school, asylum, etc, as well as artists living on traditional, unceded territories, is welcome to submit). Genre: Fiction, poetry, comics, plays, CNF, art. Payment: $30 per poem, $70 per short fiction, CNF piece, and short play, $70 per visual art piece, $30 per comic. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Midstory Magazine. Genre: Personal essays about love, loss, and friendship at midlife. We are looking for a strong, clear writing voice and raw, honest storytelling, in keeping with our mission to elevate the voices of midlife women. Preferred word count: 750-2000 words. Payment: $50 for accepted essays. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, "and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way.” Payment: $50. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Archive of the Odd. Genre: Speculative fiction, horror preferred. “Archive of the Odd is a zine of uncanny occurrences, told in even stranger ways.” They’d like a variety of time periods. Stories can be in any format, except traditional prose. Some of the suggested formats are: academic papers; technical writing; medication warning sheets; sales papers; newspaper articles; recipes; knitting/crochet/weaving/what-have-you guides; care guides (plant, animal, rock garden, etc); or any other unusual format. Submissions do not have to be entirely in text. Payment: $15-25 for fiction of 500-5,000+ words. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Samjoko Magazine. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, play, screenplay. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 15, 2023. See themes. Queries only.

Eastover Press: Rural Writers of Color. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers who live in or hail from rural or semi-rural locales in the U.S. and whose short stories feature characters living or working in rural or semi-rural spaces. Genre: Short stories. Payment: $100-$300. Deadline: December 15, 2023. Previously published stories in 2021 and 2022 only.

Rebel Satori Press. Genre: Full-length LGBTQ+ speculative fiction, Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Borne in the Blood. Genre: "WolfSinger Publications is seeking stories about things that are carried in the blood. Be it magic, disease or something else – it must be Borne in the Blood. We will be donating proceeds from Borne in the Blood to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. All genres will be considered with the exception of erotica." Length:1000-7000 words. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Yule: a collection of Yule Time Tales. Genre: "We are looking for submissions of Pagan Yule stories, not Christmas stories. All genres are welcome, as long as it is Yule and Solstice centered. The winter solstice is the longest night of the year, but the light will return by degrees after that December night. We want stories about what happens in those dark and still winter months. Stories of transformation and growth. Stories of the winter witch, cold forests, elves and magical places. Old ghost stories.” Word count 2,500 to 8,000. Payment: $10. Deadline: December 16, 2023.

The Offing. Genre: Creative nonfiction (usually personal essay) that centers one’s personal experience against the backdrop of art, literature, and culture.. Length: 7,500 words max. Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 16, 2023.

Humour Me. Genre: Humor. "We want your festive stories for our Christmas special, fiction and non fiction! Min 1k words, Max 3k. These can be any sub-genre. Western Santa Claus? Zombie reindeer? Go for it as long as they have a humour/satirical element! We will also accept cartoons/comic strips as long as they meet the Christmas/humour theme." Payment: £25 (GBP) - £40 (GBP). Deadline: December 16, 2023.

I Want That Twink OBLITERATED! Anthology. Genre: Classic pulp adventures centering non-traditionally masculine queer heroes and villains. "We’re taking the classic tropes of pulp science-fiction, fantasy, and horror, recast through a radical queer lens." Payment: $0.08 /word. Deadline: December 17, 2023. 

Island. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Fiction Nonfiction. Payment: 40 cents per word, with a minimum of $700 and a maximum of $1500. Poetry for print - $175 per poem. Island Online - $450 for short-form fiction and nonfiction. Deadline: December 17, 2023. 

Fanatical. Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: December 17, 2023. 

Funemployment Quarterly. Genre: Science-fiction/fantasy. See theme. Payment: $20 CAD. Deadline: December 18, 2023.  

Folk Horror Anthology. Genre: Folk Horror and Weird Fiction. Payment: £100. Deadline: December 20, 2023.  

The Ex-Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, reviews, hybrid work. Payment: $150 -$200. Deadline: December 25, 2023.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box. Genre: Poetry. Payment $30 CAD. Deadline: December 25, 2023. This is a monthly call.

Nightmare Diaries. Genre: Dark fiction short stories, fairy tales, flash fiction, and novellas of 500-10,000 words. Payment: $0.10 per word. Deadline: December 27, 2023. 

Extrasensory Overload: an anthology of speculative excess. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. "We are seeking submissions that actively engage readers with multi-sensory (more than one sense), supra (beyond the five senses), super or extra sensory experience (including paranormal, ESP, etc.) as part of speculative fiction and poetry." Payment: $5 per poem and $10 for each short story. Deadline: December 29, 2023. 

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: December 29, 2023.

JackLeg Press. Genre: Poetry and short story collections. They also consider select literary novels and creative nonfiction. JackLeg only publishes U.S.-based writers. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 30, 2023.

Workers Write! Tales from the Cubicle. Genre: Fiction and poetry that contain stories and poems from the office worker's point of view. "we're especially interested to see how the home office has taken on a new meaning because of Covid and what it's been like for those of us who have returned to the annoying commutes and communal bathrooms." Payment: $5 - $50. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: December 31, 2023. This is a monthly call. See themes.

Islandia. Restrictions: Preference is given to residents of Florida & the Caribbean but Islandia considers written work and visual art with strong ties to the region. Genre: Poetry, art, and prose. Payment: Pay for poetry and visual art begins at $50 and for prose submissions $100 - $150. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Meadowlark Reader. Genre: Personal essays, interviews, journalistic pieces. “True stories about Kansas written by Kansans." Payment: $10 plus one contributor copy. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

In the Eyes of the Hungry. Genre: Short horror stories, 2500 to 6000 words, in the style of Steinbeck. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Zombies Need Brains: Three Anthologies. Genre: Speculative fiction. See themes. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Food Blog Horror Anthology: Necroyummycon. Genre: Horror stories in the form of food blogs, including recipes. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Interstellar Flight Press. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.
Spooky. Genre: Horror. "Cozy horror. Fun horror. Classy horror. Dare we say, wholesome horror?" Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Thinking Ink Press: The Neurodiversiverse Anthology. Genre: Speculative short stories, flash fiction, poetry, and art exploring encounters between neurodivergent people and neurodivergent aliens. They are looking for:⁠ Short stories up to 6k words⁠, Flash fiction up to 1k words⁠, Poetry up to 100 lines⁠, Black-and-white line art illustrations. Payment: $100 per short story, $50 for flash fiction, $50 for poems, and $50-100 for illustrations. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Black Beacon Book of Pirate Tales. Genre: Fiction on theme: Pirate tales. Payment: 20€ for original stories and 5€ for reprints regardless of length, plus one print copy. Preferred word count between 5,000 and 10,000 words. Deadline: December 31, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Poems, nonfiction, and short fiction. Payment: $25 for poetry, $100 for prose. Deadline: December 31, 2023. Fee-free until they hit 300 submissions, so submit early in the month.

The Map of Lost Places Anthology. Genre: Stories about places where weird things happen. "Places that have strange histories, their own traditions and customs, their own dangers. These can be based off real folk tales or old wives tales - think the Mothman in Point Pleasant, WV - or ones that you come up with all on your own. But your story should tell of someone going to one of these places - either intentionally or they just stumble across it - and what happens when they encounter the frightening/strange thing that is in or occurs in that location." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Margins. Genre: Poetry by emerging and established Asian American and diasporic poets. Payment: $50 – $90 for a single poem. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Rattus Futura. Genre: Short stories, poetry, art about the future which feature rodents. Payment: $10 per accepted poem, 1c/word ($5 minimum.) for accepted fiction ($15 per page for graphic narrative fiction), $20 per accepted piece of non-narrative internal visual art, Half of above for reprints, $100 (negotiable) for the cover illustration. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Allegory. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Payment: $15. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Dracula Beyond Stoker. Genre: Fiction based on Stoker’s characters. See theme. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Jay Henge: Sunshine Superhighway. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Solarpunk, cyberpunk, other planets, alternate worlds that might be nearly lost through our own hubris; futuristic fantasy and speculative-fiction stories of all kinds that are hopeful and leave us with the idea that despite the doom and gloom in the universe, things can possibly work out if we strive to make life better, even if in a small way." Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Air and Nothingness Press: We Are All Thieves of Somebody's Future. Genre: We are seeking stories for an anthology to be titled We Are All Thieves of Somebody's Future which will collect stories with the theme: Resource Scarcity - using up the last of a critical resource and dealing with the aftermath. While stories could be dystopic (ex. the last tree), authors could also explore hopepunk (losing a resource leads to something unforeseen and positive), solarpunk (a pollution laden resource leads to a better solution), fantasy (the last dragon). We are open to all genres. All stories are requested to be between 1000 and 3000 words in length. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Freeze Frame Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "Any genre, no content restrictions. We want your science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, drama, literary works, satire, bizarre fiction, or anything else you can come up with or mix together. The more original, the better. The weirder, the better.” Payment: $10. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Dancing Star Press. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2023. Genre: Queer Speculative Fiction. Submissions are open for all speculative work published in 2023 under 17,500 words that deals either implicitly or explicitly with queerness. Editors and authors may submit. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Deadline: December 31, 2023. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Eerie River. Genre: Horror inspired by Tarot: 1500 - 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD. Deadline: December 31, 2023. 

Dragon Soul Press: Across Time. Genre: "All time travel romance stories. Happily Ever After not required. All genres accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: Fallen. Genre: "All stories involving angels who have fallen from grace. Examples include it being a misunderstanding or they are purposely wreaking havoc. The darker, the better. All genres accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Way of Worlds Genre: Speculative fiction. "We want aliens, solar systems, spaceships, alternate universes, and to go somewhere beyond imagination. We are looking for polished manuscripts of about 3,500 - 12,000 words." Payment: 3 cents per word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Grendel Press: Uncanny & Unearthly Tales (Vol 2) – The Midnight Labyrinth. Genre: “Each story should feature a tale delivered from a character who stepped through a door and found themselves someplace unexpected. On their journey, they will notice a book called Midnight Labyrinth. No requirement to read or interact with it; it just needs to appear. Genre-bending is welcome! Sci-fi, steampunk, horror, fantasy, etc. … This anthology is an exploration of PLACE and FANTASY, so the MC in the story needs to actually find themselves in a new world/city/place that they’ve either never been before or haven’t been for a long time.” Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Best American. Genre: Published short stories, essays, food writing, mystery and suspense, nature writing, science fiction and fantasy. Payment: ? Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Nine Pens. Restrictions: Open to poets in UK and Ireland. Genre: Poetry pamphlets. See theme, Payment: Royalties? Deadline: December 31, 2023. 

Channel. Genre: Fiction, art, creative non-fiction, and poetry that engages with the natural world, and have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self. Payment: €40/poem, and €50/page of prose up to €150. Deadline:  December 31, 2023. 

Book XI. Genre: Personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. Payment: $200 for prose; $50 for poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2023. Closes after 200 submissions.


AND A FEW MORE...

Three Ravens Press. Genre: Cryptid horror. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Wild Umbrella. Genre: Short stories, essays, and poems. Payment: €10 per poem and €25 per fiction story or non-fiction essay. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Book Worms. Genre: Dark fiction, essays, poetry. Theme is My Bloody Valentine: dark love stories, Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, bitter romance, a lover’s revenge, tragic love, etc. Dark humor is okay, but it should fit the themes of horror and romance. Specifically looking for original poetry (any length). Payment: $0.08/word for prose. $25 – $50 per poem. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Cardinal Rule Press Genre: Children’s picture books that empower children through meaningful stories for readers, age 4-11. They also publish non-fiction books for parents (word count up to 70k). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2024.

The Body’s Experience of Religion. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Totally Entwined: Oh, Baby!. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Surprise Babies. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Here There Be Dragons. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. "Dragons are icons of fantasy and legends about them abound. Found in novels, poetry, and art, they stir the imagination as helpers, heroes, villains, and symbols of love, fear, and wealth. We are looking for renderings of dragons in writing and art that capture the essence of these fascinating creatures." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2024. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

57 Writing Contests in December 2023 - No entry fees

Pickpik This December there are more than four dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $40,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

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Otherwise Award. Genre: Work that is changing the way we think about gender through speculative narrative. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2023. (Deadline unclear)

Scriptlab. Genre: TV script or short screenplay. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: December 1, 2023.


The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

The Watchword Prize. Genre: Poetry on theme: Surveillance. Prize: $2000. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2023. 

The Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award. Genre: All works of fiction with significant Jewish thematic content written in English–novels, short story and flash fiction collections–by a single author published and available for purchase in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the award. Jewish thematic content means an extended grappling with Jewish themes throughout the book, including Judaism, Jewish history and culture, Jewish identity, etc. Prize: The award will include a $1,000 cash prize as well as support to attend the AJL conference to receive the award. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Tony Quagliano Poetry Fund, International Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to poets who have a published body of work over a period of years. Poems must be in English. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2023. (Biennial award) 

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Love Letters to London Writing Competition. Genre: Poetry and "open." The theme this year is Love Letters to London of the Future. What does your London of the future look like – what are your passions, hopes Prize: £150 - £500. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Open to all ages. Some reprints accepted.

Watchword Prize. Genre: Poetry. Theme: Surveillance ("any aspect of the phenomenon of watching and being watched, in both the intimate and public spheres of our lives"). Prize: $2,000 prize, online publication, and a public reading. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication and enormous prestige. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations).  Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

RSL Christopher Bland Prize. Restrictions: Writers must be a citizen of, or resident in, the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Books must have been published for the first time in the UK or RoI within the 2023 calendar year. Books must be entered by trade publishers or agents based in the UK or RoI; each publisher, imprint of a publisher, or agent may enter two books only. Genre: Debut novel or non-fiction book first published by a writer aged 50 or over. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: December 1, 2023. 

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 3, 2023. Opens December 1.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000.  Deadline: December 6, 2023. (For books published between October 4, 2023 and December 5, 2023)

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award: $25,000. Deadline: December 7, 2023.

Prism: Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,500 grand prize, $600 runner-up, $400 2nd runner-up. Deadline: December 7, 2023. No entry fee for BIPOC and low income writers.

Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 December 2023 and 31 March 2024. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: December 8, 2023.

Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2023. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $500 - $2000. Deadline: December 10, 2023.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships are awarded in fifteen different disciplines over a three-year period. Prize: $8,000 cash awards are made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: December 13, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: December 14, 2023. See themes.

Subnivean New Writers Award: CNY High School Writing Scholarship Competition. Restrictions: Open to high-school-aged writers in Oswego County, Onondaga County, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Cayuga County and Cortland County. Genre: Short stories and poetry. Prize: $100 bookstore gift certificate, $1,000 scholarship to attend SUNY Oswego as a creative writing or English major. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

The Arts South Australia Wakefield Press Unpublished Manuscript Award. Restrictions: The competition is open to South Australian writers. Genre: Book-length manuscripts of non-fiction, fiction and poetry. Prize: $10,000 and publication by Wakefield Press. Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create literary, media, visual, and performing works of art. Prize: 25 BRIO grants of $3,000 each are awarded to Bronx artists. BRIO award winners complete a one-time public service activity. Deadline: December 18, 2023.

The Helen Anne Bell Poetry Bequest Award. Restrictions: Open to Australian women. Genre: Collection of poems by an Australian woman poet. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: December 18, 2023. Biennial award.

Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 20, 2023.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre: Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize: First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline: December 29, 2023. 

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2023. No self-published books.  Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2023.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

PEN Prison Writing Contest. Restrictions: Anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison is eligible to enter. Genres: Poetry, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction. Prize: $25 - $250. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is held four times a year. Restrictions: The Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment of at least six cents per word, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits. Genre: Short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. Prizes: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Restrictions: Emerging African American writers. Genres: Short story collection or novel published in the current year. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Fiction. Short story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition. Genre: Essay  on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100).  Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The AIIRA Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to all high school students. Genre: This season, we're asking you to think about a career you'd like to have in the future. How will AI affect your role in that job within the next decade? How will AI benefit your career, and what responsibilities will become redundant due to AI? You can submit an essay exploring this topic and write a fictional scene depicting how your intended career may look ten years from now. Prize: First Place: $500 USD; Second Place: $400 USD; Third Place: $250 USD. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Iridescence Award. Restrictions: Open to literary or visual artists of the Black, Indigenous, or People of Color Community. Genre: Fantasy, folk mythology, science fiction, and the paranormal. Short fiction, poetry. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Griffin Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. To be eligible for the prize, a book of poetry must be a published first-edition collection (i.e. not previously published in any country), written in English, or translated into English, by a poet/translator from any part of the world, including Canada. Entries must come from publishers only. Inquiries about entries must also come from publishers only. Prize: The winner will receive C$130,000 and the other shortlisted poets will each receive C$10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2023 for books published between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.

The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: December 31, 2023. Read more about the award HERE.

The Caribbean Writer Prizes. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2023. See theme. Prize: $300 - $600. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 and publication in Meridians Journal: feminism, race, transnationalism. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Hooks Institute National Book Award. Genre: Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Dolors Alberola Poetry Prize. Genre: Full-Length poetry collection. Prize: Winner receives translation to another European language; publication of the collection (bilingual edition); 50 copies; and royalties. Finalists receive publication of the collection (Spanish edition), 10 copies of the book, and royalties on Publisher’s edition and subsidiary rights. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Tartts Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans. Genre: Short story collection. Prize: Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 60 copies of the book. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of Instability. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of "Alien Fetishes." A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15. Prize: $5. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2023.

Lex:lead Essay Competition. Restrictions: Candidates must show citizenship in an eligible country and be enrolled in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country at the time of the award. Genre: Essay: How effective have laws protecting the rights of children been to reduce poverty and support economic development?  How could they be improved? Prize: $500 scholarship. Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Must have registered by October 31, 2023)

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: December 31, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

4 Distinctive Writing Conferences and Workshops in December 2023

Granite Dells, Arizona: Carol M. Highsmith’s America, Library of Congress collection. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel Because of the holidays, writing conferences are sparse in December. That doesn't mean there are none worth attending.
​
For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)
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The Fall 2023 Online Writing Workshop of Chicago. December 8 - 9, 2023. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the Online Fall “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." 

Larksong's 4th Annual Speedwriting & Reading Party. Saturday, December 9, 2023: Online. Workshop Leaders: Zedeka Poindexter, Steve Edwards, Tommy Dean, Kelly Madigan. Readers: Cliff Taylor, Mary Pipher, JV Brummels, Monica Joy, LeeAnn Roripaugh. "The format is simple. We alternate five-minute readings with 15-minute mini writing workshops that start with a craft talk and end with a writing prompt. Five readings, four workshops, so you’ll not only leave the event inspired but you’ll have some new writing too! After the presentations there’s time for a Q&A with writers and other participants." Free.

A(n) (Un)holy Alliance: Braiding the Sacred and the Profane. December 13, 2023, 6:00-7:30PM EST. "The word profane refers to the secular world, the parts of a life that are not directly related to spiritual or religious practice. However you may define the spiritual in your own life, what might happen in our writing if we blend the sacred and the profane to make a liminal world where these two things coexist?" Free.

The Mesa Book Festival. December 16, 2023: Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.

7 New Agents Actively Seeking Horror, Thrillers, Westerns, Military, Speculative Fiction, Nonfiction, Kidlit and more

Nour Sallam Here are seven new literary agents actively seeking clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients. 

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Ms. Nour Sallam of P.S. Literary Agency

Nour Sallam is an associate agent at PSLA representing adult fiction and non-fiction. She first joined the PSLA team as an intern in 2022 before becoming a literary assistant. Nour has previously worked in editing, podcasting, communications, and journalism. She got her start at the University of British Columbia where she studied English Literature and Political Science. She then completed her publishing certificate at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

What she is seeking: Nour is acquiring both fiction and non-fiction for adults. As an Arab woman and an immigrant, she particularly loves books of any genre that feature BIPOC characters, complex and nuanced histories, power dynamics, or social and political issues.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.
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Mr. Jake Lovell of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

Jake joined SDLA in 2023. He earned his MA in Literature and Writing Studies from CSU San Marcos in 2021. He is also a veteran, having joined the Army in 2008. During his time he was promoted to Sergeant and served on two deployments overseas. Born and raised in Southern California, Jake proudly comes from a mixed cultural background and is second generation Chicano on his mother’s side.

What he is seeking: He is actively looking for adult fiction and non-fiction. He is interested in upmarket fiction, with an emphasis on: Gothic, horror, thrillers, westerns, military, and speculative fiction (supernatural, paranormal, UFOs, etc…; think Jordan Peele or 10 Cloverfield Lane). When it comes to fiction, he loves dark stories that cause readers to question turning off the lights before bed. Dark stories permeate through all cultures, backgrounds, and histories, and he wants to hear them. His tastes lean more in the vein of The Hunger by Alma Katsu, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, and works by Paul Tremblay, Mona Awad, and Colson Whitehead. In general, he’s especially drawn to character driven stories written in distinct and diverse voices.

On the non-fiction front, Jake is looking for captivating stories and perspectives that stay with readers and keep them coming back. He is especially interested in working with historians, up-and-coming scholars looking to transition to trade readership, journalists, doctors, veterans, and people with unique takes on important issues. Think: Freakonomics, Outliers, A Molecule Away From Madness, Columbine, American Sniper, Empire’s Workshop, and The Fact of a Body.

How to submit: Use his querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Paula Weiman of ASH Literary (UK)

Paula (they/them) joined the ASH Literary team in 2023 as an Agent after a career in literary scouting and educational publishing. Based in New York and with a background in foreign rights, they bring an international approach to selling their clients’ work. Their goal is to help as many children as possible to see their experiences represented on the page for the first time.

What they are seeking: Children's and YA literature.

How to submit: Send your query to submissions@ashliterary.com

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Mr. Noah Grey Rosenzweig of Triangle House

Noah Grey Rosenzweig grew up in New Jersey before moving to D.C. in 2017 and graduating from Georgetown University. He was previously a literary assistant at Ross Yoon Agency, and just completed the editorial fellowship with Grove Atlantic and Roxane Gay Books. 

What he is seeking: Noah is interested in representing both fiction and non-fiction. He is a reader of all fiction but has a particular love for literary, climate, and speculative fiction, as well as the occasional YA novel. He has an eye out for stories that hold up a mirror to our culture in new ways, and he's especially interested in queer and trans coming-of-age fiction.

They are also looking for narrative non-fiction that chronicles recent history, cultural trends, technology, and social rules that explain why and how we live in our current world. Above all, Noah is looking for work that is subversive — in prose, style, or subject. 

How to submit: Use his querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Erica McGrath of Writers House

Before joining Writers House, I studied Visual Arts and English at SUNY New Paltz and interned at not-for-profit art organizations like The Center for Photography at Woodstock and Musee Magazine. Now, combining my literary and artistic passions with my business sensibilities, I’m dying to read your work! As a Cancer sun, Virgo rising, and the eldest daughter of four siblings, I come well equipped as an intuitive, organized, and dedicated advocate. I am a passionate collaborator eager to support authors on this emotional journey to create lasting and inspiring projects.

What she is seeking: I’m looking to work with authors and illustrators across all age ranges, in genres ranging from picture books to middle grade and YA, to adult literary fiction and nonfiction.

How to submit: Please email your submission to emcgrath@writershouse.com. The email subject line should contain “query”, and please include a query letter, synopsis, and approximately 10-15 sample pages of your work (or sample artwork/manuscript for picture book and graphic novel submissions.)
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Mr. John Blase of The Bindery

John Blase spent over a decade as an editor and ghostwriter in traditional publishing working with such names as Eugene Peterson, Ann Voskamp, and Brian Zahnd. During that time, he penned two books with his name on the spine—one of them a self-published poetry endeavor titled The Jubilee. At the end of the day, he tries to live by writer George Saunders’ advice: “Stop trying to teach the world something and instead refuse to be boring.”

What he is seeking; John’s long been a culture junkie hooked on everything from the drama of “Hill Street Blues” (which dates him) to the wonder of Game of Thrones to the thoughts of Ta-Nehisi Coates to the poetry of Taylor Swift. And he still mourns the loss of Anthony Bourdain. While loving all genres of literature, he admits a weakness for fiction, short stories, and memoir. A good story, well-told, he simply finds hard to resist.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Jenny Simpson of Paper Literary (UK)

Jenny began her publishing career at ICM Partners in New York in the subsidiary rights department. She was promoted to agent in 2021, handling all domestic subsidiary rights on behalf of the department, with a focus on audiobook and first serial rights. She has negotiated and sold rights at significant six-figure levels on behalf of prize-winning and bestselling authors and journalists. During her time at ICM (now CAA), Jenny worked across the Publishing and Podcasting departments, servicing clients in their ventures into the original audio and podcast marketplaces. 

What she is seeking: I am on the hunt for commercial fiction and select nonfiction titles on health and wellness-related topics. I always lean towards stories about domestic family dramas, adult and female friendships, and contemporary romances with a modern edge. I am constantly thinking about the various paths life can take you, so any story that incorporates a time loop (think OONA OUT OR ORDER by Margarita Monitmore), spans one’s lifetime on a specific anniversary or season (ONE DAY by David Nicholls) or has that Sliding Doors-esque quality (THE VERSIONS OF US by Laura Barnett).

I now reside in Belgium with my husband and dog, a Corgi named Olive! If you have a story that elaborates on the expat experience, particularly its impact on family life, marriages and friendships, please send my way! Similarly, I will always pick up a book set in a boarding school to take me back to my teenage self, a la Curtis Sittenfeld’s PREP and FOSTER DADE EXPLORES THE COSMOS by Nash Jenkins.

My nonfiction taste leans towards topics on self-improvement and self-discovery. I love approachable books with digestible scientific research that help improve everyday life for all. In other words, I always want to learn, but never want to feel too intimidated by the material. In a similar vein, I enjoy reading first-hand accounts from individuals navigating wellness obstacles on a path towards self-improvement, for example GROUP by Christie Tate.
​
How to submit: Read submission requirements HERE. 

75 Calls for Submissions in November 2023 - Paying markets

Bill Dickinson: Flickr This November there are more than six dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.I post upcoming calls for submissions shortly before the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.
Happy submitting!
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The First Line. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: November 1, 2023.


The Offing. Genre: Fiction. Length: 7,500 words max. Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Lost Boys Press: Insurgent. Genre: Speculative fiction. The setting must be a secondary world. The story must revolve around rebellion, insurgency, revolution, or resistance to established power in some form or another. Word count should be between 2,000 and 9,000 words. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. See theme. Payment: $25 per poem, $75 per story or essay. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry. See theme. Payment: AUD150-275 for prose; AUD125-275 for poetry; comics and art AUD100-300. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Lammergeier. Genre: Poetry, fiction and nonfiction. "Have a piece you think doesn't quite fit into the previous three categories (or is a combination of said genres)? Feel free to send it in as hybrid. Submit either one piece of up to 5,000 words or less or up to three flash pieces of 1,000 words or less or equivalent audio/visual material. (Hybrids will be considered with nonfiction submissions for featured writer submissions until further notice)." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Forge Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, micro-fiction. Length: Under 3,000 words preferred. Payment: $75. Deadline: They open to fee-free submissions on the first of each month and close when they reach their quota.

Iron Horse. Genre: "Send us your poems, stories, and essays that center around unlawful acts: misdemeanors to felonies, war crimes to white collar crimes, perpetrators in the home or at work.  We'll be especially happy to receive mss about breaking laws that shouldn't be laws in the first place." Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Note: Open one day only for free submissions.

Kelp Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Oceanic themes. Payment: $35. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Iowa Review. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum). Deadline: November 1, 2023. No fee for snail mail submissions. $4 fee for online submissions.

Adroit Journal. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Note: Open to high school students and up.

Cutleaf. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction prose, poetry. Payment: $100 to $400 for published nonfiction prose; $50 to $200 for published poetry; $100 to $400 for published fiction. Deadline: Opens November 1, 2023. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Thema: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle. Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Olit. Restrictions: Strong preference for Orlando based writers/submissions about Orlando and surrounding areas. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Artwork, Photography. "Send us all kinds of stuff. We love the artfully weird." Payment: $10. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of  queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Blue Route. Restrictions: Only the work of current undergraduate writers will be considered. Genres: Fiction, or creative nonfiction totaling no more than 3000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Heathens and Heroes. Genre: Sword and Sorcery / Heroic Fantasy. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: November 2, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

GreenPrints. Genre: Personal essays about gardening. “Calling all experienced gardening writers—we seek gardening stories that are true and personal, expressive and thoughtful, and humorous and witty. We focus on the human, not the how-to, side of gardening, so your story should be entertaining, moving, unexpected, touching, and funny—a heartfelt story you would tell a friend or family member.” Payment: $100. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

Planet Scumm. Genre: Hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, speculative fiction, weird fiction, slipstream. Payment: $30. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Hexagon. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories, flash fiction, poetry, graphic stories, and visual art, in English or French. Payment: 0.01$ CAD/ word for all short stories up to 10,000 words, and $100 CAD/page for comics. Deadline: November 7, 2023.

Book XI. Genre: Personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. Payment: $200 for prose; $50 for poetry. Deadline: November 11, 2023. Closes after 200 submissions.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: November 11, 2023. See themes.

Empyreal Tree Magazine. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Payment $25. Deadline: November 12, 2023. See themes.

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical flash fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: November 12, 2023. 

Ornithopter Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 12, 2023. 

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review. Genre: Poetry and art. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art. Deadline: November 15, 2023. See themes.

swim meet lit mag. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (think memoir and personal essay), visual art and photography. "Send us hybrids, work that pushes the boundaries of creativity, that you’d be proud to see published!" Payment: $30 AUD per poem and visual art piece, $50 AUD for prose and cover art. Only pays Australian writers. Deadline: November 15, 2023. See themes.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 15, 2023. Some reprints accepted.


Rattle: Young Poets Anthology. Restrictions: Open to poets age 15 or younger when the poem was written, and 18 or younger when submitted. Genre: Poetry. Payment:  Contributors receive ten complimentary copies of the anthology as payment. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Severn River. Genre: Full-length Crime Fiction, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Military Thriller, Historical Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Thriller, Science Fiction, Dystopian and Young Adult works in any of their accepted genres. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 15, 2023. 

Two For the Show. Restrictions: Open to writers in the US. Genre: Short fiction. See theme. Payment: 1.5 cents/word. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

The Lorelei Signal. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, and poetry with strong female characters. Payment: $15 for short stories, $5 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces, $5 for reprints. Deadline: November 15, 2023. Accepts reprints.

ellipsis… literature & art. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. Payment: $3 per page for prose. $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 16, 2023. (Only pays American writers.)
Flora  & Fungi. Genre: Horror. Length 4000 words, max. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 18, 2023.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Funny Stories. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for stories about something that happened to you in your life - in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud." Payment: $200. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Farmer-ish: Winter Solstice 2023 Special Online Issue: Farmer-ish Kids. Genre: Creative and engaging content on farming, homesteading, raising animals, cooking, making, and raising a family. We want creative nonfiction, personal essays, memoir, how-to pieces, informational and instructional essays, poetry, and more. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Stanchion. Genre: Writing (prose, poetry, etc) & visual art. Payment: $15. Deadline: November 20, 2023. Writing and art posted on social media and personal blogs are considered.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk microfiction. Length: 250 words max. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 21, 2023.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: November 21, 2023. Opens November 1.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €30 per magazine page; Poetry: €50 per poem; Featured Poet: €250. Deadline: November 28, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: Digital Love. Genre: "All romance stories evolved from the internet, social media, dating apps, etc. Happily Ever After not required. All genres accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Space is the Place. Genre: Young adult (YA) science fiction. Stories should take place OFF Earth. Other planets, starships, space stations, the moon, all ok. Word count is between 6,000 and 10,000 words. Payment: 1/2 cent per word to a max of $50 paid via PayPal. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2023. This is a monthly call. See themes.

Nine Pens. Restrictions: Open to poets in UK and Ireland. Genre: Poetry pamphlets. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Hudson Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews; criticism of literature, art, theatre, dance, film, and music; and articles on contemporary cultural developments. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 30th, 2023. (Fiction only)

The Sprawl Mag. Genre: Speculative poetry, short fiction, and visual art. "Whether it is utopic, dystopic, magical, or sci-fi, we look forward to seeing your work." Payment: $20 CAD. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Lamar University Literary Press. Genre: Literary fiction—novels and short story collections, poetry. "While our focus is upon original literary work, we will consider books on or about the following if written to our standards: graphic art, biography, regional interest for East Texas." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Mirror World. Genre: Full-length speculative fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Detectives, Sleuths, and Nosy Neighbors Anthology. Genre: Murder mysteries, detectives noir, cozy, and humorous. Payment: Royalties (some) Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Native American Heritage Month, no-fee submissions are open for all Native/Indigenous/First Nations creators, not limited to those from the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Worcester Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 30, 2023. (No submission fee for BIPOC writers)

Variant Lit. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: November 30, 2023.
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Otoroshi Journal. Genre: Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Flash Point Science Fiction. Genre: Speculative fiction stories from 100 to 1,000 words in length. "Send us your science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and everything in between, so long as it’s short." Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.08/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: November 30, 2023. 

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Secrets of Lunch. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Queries only.

Black Fox Literary Magazine. Genre: Blog posts, fiction, poetry, CNF, and art. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Poetry Ireland Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €50 for poetry, €100 for articles. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Abyss and Apex. Genre: Speculative poetry. No horror. Payment: $5.50 per poem. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Poet Lore. Genre: Poetry translations. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Combined Work from underprivileged individuals. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Chapbooks: Prose, poetry or hybrid. Payment: $120 plus royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Broken Sleep Books. (UK) Genre: Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages). Payment: Royalties. Deadline:  November 30, 2023.

parABnormal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. "For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores." Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Red Cape Publishing: A - Z of Horror: V is for Voodoo. Genre: Horror on theme. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Or until full.

Tales of the Gothic. Restrictions: Submissions are open to residents of the British Isles only, or those overseas who can demonstrate a strong link to the British Isles. Genre: British Gothic stories. Length: Between 4000 and 8000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Fiddlehead. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 - $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. See theme. Payment: $30. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Opens November 15. Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.

DECEMBER

Eternal Haunted Summer. Genre: Poetry, short fiction. Theme: Horror. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Big Wing. Genre: Poetry, prose, spoken word, and visual art works. Theme: Nature. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2023. See themes.

december magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (essays, memoirs, biography, literary journalism, social or cultural commentary or analysis) and visual art that can be reproduced in our print format. Payment: $10.00 per page with a minimum of $40.00 and a maximum of $200.00. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Charges for online submission. No charge via snail mail.

Assault Team Anthology. Genre: Military Science Fiction. Payment: "a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors." Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Cincinnati Review. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Deadline: Opens on December 1, closes when cap is reached.

Northern Lights Anthology. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Horror and horror-adjacent dark weird fiction, ideally set in Canada and incorporating a motif of night / nighttime/ dusk/ darkness. Stories should be between 500 and 5,000 words. Payment: 10 cents CAD/word. Deadline: December 1, 2023. 

What If...Walls Could Talk. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Air/Light. Genre: New and innovative works of literary arts across all mediums and genres including cross genre work. Length: Up to 4,000 words for prose, and up to 10 pages for poetry. Payment: Poetry: $50; Responses and department pieces: $100; Fiction and essays/nonfiction: $200; Visual art, music, and multimedia: $200. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

47 Writing Contests in November 2023 - No entry fees

Wikimedia This November there are nearly four dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $50,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

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Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: The Prize is open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. It is for ten poems exactly in order to encourage serious poets. These poems may, however, have already been published. Only poets who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published are eligible. Poets who have self-published poetry books or had chapbooks and pamphlets published are allowed to submit for this prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1500. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Quarterly West.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Closes when cap is reached.

ILA Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction English-language books for children in grades pre-K to 12 and published for the first time during the year preceding the deadline year. Must be the author's first or second book. Prize: $800. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: Writers must not have published a book, short story, or dramatic work in the mystery field, either in print, electronic, or audio form. Genre: Mystery stories of the Agatha Christie type—i.e., “traditional mysteries.” These works usually feature no excessive gore, gratuitous violence, or explicit sex. Prize: Each grant may be used to offset registration, travel, or other expenses related to attendance at a writers' conference or workshop within a year of the date of the award. In the case of nonfiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses. Each grant currently includes a $1,500 award plus a comprehensive registration for the following year's convention and two nights' lodging at the convention hotel, but does not include travel to the convention or meals. Deadline: November 1, 2023. 

The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: PEN America will only accept submissions from editors of eligible publications. Authors may not submit their own short story for this award. Genre: First published short story. Prize: $2000 and publication in The PEN America Best Debut Short Stories. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Leaders Igniting Generational Healing And Transformation(Light) Prizes. Genre: Poetry, art, letters, and stories that can be used to reimagine, transform, and process one’s experience with cancer. Prize:  1st: $500, 2nd: $375, 3rd: $125 will be given to the top three contestants of each category. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Gotham Book Prize. Genre: Book. "The Gotham Book Prize is awarded once a year to the best book (works of fiction and nonfiction are eligible) published that calendar year that either is about New York City or takes place in New York City." Prize: $50,000. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the British Commonwealth. Genre: Unpublished short fiction (2,000-5,000 words) in English. Short stories translated into English from other languages are also eligible. Prize: Regional winners receive £2,500 (US$3,835) and the overall winner will receive £5,000 (US$7,670). Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Bennington Young Writers Awards. Restrictions: Open to students in the 9th-12th grades. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500; third-place winners receive $250. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Changes Book Prize. Genre: First or second collection of poems. Prize: $10,000 and publication, Deadline: November 1, 2023.

TCU Texas Book Award. Genre: Book of fiction, nonfiction, art or photography about Texas, published in the past three years. Prize: $5000. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Dylan Thomas Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be aged 39 or under. Eligible books must have been commercially published for the first time in the English language between January 1 and December 31 of the year in which the deadline falls. Genre: Published books of poetry, fiction (novel, novella, or short story collection), radio scripts, or screenplays. Prize: 30,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds for shortlisted authors. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

On The Premises Mini-Contest. "For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long in which a ringing bell is an important story element." Prize: First place pays $35, second pays $25, and third pays $15, all in US dollars. Honorable mentions get published, but make no money. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

The Bird in Your Hands Prize: a Contest that Centers and Celebrates BIPOC Voices. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction in any form under 500 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 5, 2023. 

Stephen Fraser Encouragement Fund. “The Impact and Legacy Fund of SCBWI is thrilled to announce the establishment of a brand new grant program, the Stephen Fraser Encouragement Fund. Genre: Children's book. Prize: A $2,000 grant will be awarded to three children’s book authors, artists or translators who have traditionally published at least one book. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

The Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World. Genre: Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2023, is eligible. If both an author and illustrator are listed on the book cover, the prize will be split between them. Prize: $2500 plus $1000 to purchase copies of the winning book for distribution to schools and libraries. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. "On each competition weekend, we’ll reveal a set of story prompts and you’ll have 55 hours to submit your best story of 500-words (or fewer)." Prize: $500 AUD. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Weird Christmas Flash Contest. Genre: Weird flash fiction. 350 words max. Prize: $50 first prize, $25 second prize. Deadline: November 6, 2023.

Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black poets. Genre: Chapbook-length poetry manuscript. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: November 6, 2023.

Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize is sponsored by the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival. Genre: Non-fiction essay between 4 to 10 pages, set in Brooklyn about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. (Up to 2500 words). Prize: $500. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Perugia Press Prize. Restrictions: Poets must be women with more than one previously published full-length book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Book publication and $1,000. Deadline: November 15, 2023. No fee for poets who are Black, Indigenous, and women of color.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets for previously unpublished poems of any length that "help make real for readers the gravity of the vulnerable state of our environment at present." Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $1,000. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize. Restrictions: Entrants must be aged 18-25 years and living in the UK. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Each year a question or quote exploring Franklin’s relevance in our time is open for interpretation in 1000-1500 words. Prize: First prize of £750, second prize of £500. Winning entries will be posted on the website and also published online by The Telegraph. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, fiction, nonfiction, poetry: adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: November 15, 2023. (For books published Aug. 16-Oct. 15, 2023.)

Renee Duke Youth Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to young poets age 17 and under. Genre: Poem relating to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Arts & Letters Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Genres: poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, dramatic script, art, music, and French language. Entries must be unpublished and completed during the previous 12 months. Prizes: C$1,000 and C$250. Deadline: November 22, 2023.

Polar Expressions Publications Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Short Story. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: November 24, 2023.

Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Student writers in the 11th grade. Prizes: First Prize – $500, Second Prize – $250, Third Prize – $100. Deadline: November 26, 2023.

One Teen Story. Restrictions: Open to writers age 13 -19. Genre: Short story between 2,000 to 4,500 words. Prize: $500 upon publication and 25 copies of the magazine. Deadline: November 27, 2023.

Six Word Wonder. Genre: Stories, memoirs, poems, and jokes that are exactly 6 words. (You can enter up to 4) Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Servicescape. Genre: Short story or nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Polar Expressions Publications Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Paul Torday Memorial Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be over 60. Genre: First published novel. The novel must have been first published in the UK and Republic of Ireland between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Betty Trask Prize. Restrictions: Author must be a Commonwealth citizen. Genre: First novels, published or unpublished, written by authors under the age of 35 in a "traditional or romantic, but not experimental, style." Prize: Awards totaling 20,000 pounds. Top prize 10,000 pounds. The prize money must be used for foreign travel. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers. Restrictions: Open to writers aged 16-18. Genre: Poem. Prize: Full scholarship to The Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop, an intensive two-week summer seminar for writers aged 16-18. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Somerset Maugham Awards. Restrictions: Open to UK writers under the age of 35. Genre: Published work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Prize: 2,500 pounds apiece to four winners. Prize money must be used for travel. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Queen’s Knickers Award. Genre: Children’s illustrated book for ages 0-7. "It will recognise books that strike a quirky, new note and grab the attention of a child, whether this be in the form of curiosity, amusement, horror or excitement." Prize:  £5,000, as well as a golden Queen’s Knickers badge. The runner-up will receive £1,000 and a silver badge. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

UNT Rilke Prize. Restrictions: US citizens or residents. Open to authors with at least two prior published books of poetry. Genre: Book of poetry published between November 2022 and October 2023. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

AVBOB Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to any citizen of South Africa. Genre: Poetry. Prize: R10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Six Word Wonder. Genre: Story, memoir, poem, or joke, told in only six words. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Hudson Review Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story up to 10,000 words. Prize: First prize is $500. Second and third prizes are $250. Winning stories will be published in The Hudson Review. All entries will be considered for publication. Payment at regular rates. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

J. F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 30, 2023. 

Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre: Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Spark Award: Held by SCBWI. Restrictions: Open to members of SCBWI who have self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

16 Notable Writing Workshops and Conferences in November 2023

Lily Tang: Kauai This November there are more than a dozen writing conferences. Many conferences and workshops will be held online, but some will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!

Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year.

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Clearwater Writers Women's Writing Retreat. November 2 - 12, 2023: Clearwater, Idaho. Retreats are facilitated by the Inn’s writer-in-residence, Paula Coomer, poet and author of such books as Jagged Edge of the Sky, Dove Creek, Nurses Who Love English, and Blue Moon Vegetarian. With more than 20 years of experience as a teacher of creative writing, Ms. Coomer offers creative inspiration and support for writers at all levels of achievement and ability.

Creative Hybrid Online Writing Workshop With Sarah Giragosian. November 2 - December 7, 2023. Creative Writing in the Anthropocene. "Creative writing within the framework of the Anthropocene is relatively undertheorized, yet critical in a time when our current geological era is being shaped by humans. In this hybrid course, we will demystify approaches to poetry and creative non-fiction that address the sixth mass extinction, climate change, and the ecological crisis, as well as explore how to narrate and represent the Anthropocene. Since climate change is a byproduct of human interventions in the natural world, we will consider the nuanced entanglements of nature and culture, as well as how the environmental crisis is in many ways a crisis of language and literacy, exploring how writers can develop readers’ ecological literacy and help them to develop a more sustainable relationship to the creatures and world around them. Integral to our study will be an engagement with writing that reckons with the more-than-human-world, with the systems and creatures that help us to think beyond an anthropocentric frame. Of value to the creative writer seeking new ways to address the Anthropocene in their writing, we will read work by such authors as Lia Purpura, Rebecca Giggs, Rebecca Solnit, Daisy Hildyard, Elizabeth Bishop, Patricia Smith, Camille Dungy, Anne Haven McDonnell, and Charlotte Pence, among others. We will be reading and writing each week with the goal of generating new work in a supportive environment. This is a virtual course to be held on Zoom." Apply by September 15. 

Wright Women Writers Conference. November 3- 4, 2023: University of Central Arkansas. "The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference focuses on women-identifying writers from all genres and all experience levels, from journalism to mass market books to literary endeavors, and beyond. Our goal is to provide a space for camaraderie, connection-making, and inspiration, and while women-identifying writers are the only presenters at the conference, we welcome all of our male and male-identifying colleagues to attend. We believe that much of what we have to offer, including the specific, female perspective, is valuable for all audiences, and that male allies are necessary to changing the current gender imbalance in publishing."

Sanibel Island Writers Conference. November 3 - 4, 2023: Sanibel Island, Florida. Participants at all stages of development — from notebook scribblers to published novelists — are invited to view a variety of discussions and panels on fiction, poetry, songwriting, YA literature, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, and publishing and editing. 

Atlanta Writers Conference. November 3 - 4, 2023: Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE: You must be an Atlanta Writers Club (AWC) member to participate in the conference. The conference features pitch sessions, a workshop on emotional survival skills for writers, a bookfair, and manuscript and query letter critiques for poets, fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and graphic novelists. Virtual meetings and preconference editing consultations via e-mail will also be offered. Participating publishing professionals include editors Kurt Brackob (Histria Books), Cindy Bryan (Literary Wanderlust), Sydney Collins (Ballantine/Bantam), Elizabeth Ford (Blackwater Press), Kate Gale (Red Hen Press), Georgia Hughes (New World Library), Melissa McArthur (Falstaff Books), Ariana Sinclair (HarperCollins), and Melissa Valentine (Lake Union Publishing); and agents Lori Colvin (Birch Literary), Dawn Dowdle (Blue Ridge Literary Agency), La Sheera Lee (SBR Media Literary Agency), Taj McCoy (Rees Literary Agency), Gina Panettieri (Talcott Notch Literary Services), Sarah Phair (Sanford J. Greenburger Associates), Jonathan Rosen (Seymour Agency), Laura Usselman (Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency), and Jade Wong-Baxter (Frances Goldin Literary Agency). The cost of a single session or event ranges from $50 to $180; the cost of the All-Activities Package, which includes two manuscript critiques, one query letter critique, two pitch sessions, one workshop, two Q&A panels, and an optional preconference manuscript edit, is $670. Writers who are not members of the Atlanta Writers Club must purchase a yearlong membership for an additional $60 in order to register. The deadline to register for a manuscript critique is October 2. Space is limited; registration is first come, first served. The general registration deadline is November 3. Lodging is available at the conference hotel for a discounted rate of $159 per night until October 12. Visit the website for more information. 

North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference. November 3 - 5, 2023: Charlotte, NC. The WSOC will feature classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing, as well as a keynote address by Jason Mott, a Pre-Conference Tailgate and a Prompt Party to get creative juices flowing, online Open Mic readings and Happy Hour virtual gatherings, and an Agents & Editors panel discussion. 

The Fall 2023 Online San Diego Writing Workshop. November 10 - 11, 2023. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop on November 10-11, 2023. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the Online Fall “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." 

2023 Kauai Writers Festival. November 6 – 9, 2023, Master class. November 10 - 12, 2023. Conference: Kalapaki Bay, Lihue, Kauai, HI. Join bestselling authors and agents in an intimate, oceanfront setting, with an emphasis on fiction, memoir, thrillers, and screenwriting. Includes in-depth sessions on craft, publishing, and the writing life, with opportunities for agent/editor feedback. 

American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) Conference. November 8 - 11, 2023: Tucson, AZ. Panels, workshops, readings, a book fair, and opportunities to meet with editors for translators. "The ALTA Annual Conference is a refreshingly collegial gathering of amateurs and professionals alike, both within the profession and outside it, all wholeheartedly committed to fostering, furthering, and supporting the practice of literary translation." Will be held in person.

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. November 8 - 12, 2023: Stone Creek Village, Soquel, California. (In the event it is unsafe to meet in person due to COVID they will bring the workshop fully online at a reduced cost.) The Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp is for the writer who has a full, book-length manuscript (novel, memoir, short story or essay collection) and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. The extended weekend will include an intimate manuscript workshop, craft panels, readings, and individual meetings – the perfect pre-publication boot camp for any manuscript. Classes are limited to 5 participants.

Futurescapes. November 9 - 12, 2023. Futurescapes is an intensive, exclusive workshop, offering writers an unparalleled chance to work with top authors and agents in speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal). It has been almost five years since we last held a 200-page (50,000 word) workshop and we’re excited to do it once more. APPLY EARLY.

TLA Power of Words Conference. November 11, 2023: Online. "We welcome you to our 18th Power of Words conference, a special celebration of how we can build and sustain community, forge enduring individual and social change, and discover pathways to greater healing, meaning, and joy through writing, storytelling, theater, music, spoken word, and other word arts. Come connect with over two dozen musicians, storytellers, spoken word artists, teachers, community leaders, educators, and health professionals to celebrate and investigate how the arts can promote justice, healing, community-building, and social change." Online.

Travel & Words: Northwest Travel Writers Conference. November 12 - 14, 2023: Missoula, Montana. Workshops, panels, networking and Writer Matchmaking: Writers attending Travel & Words are looking for story ideas and possibly press trips. These “speed dating” sessions connect destination marketers with freelance writers and bloggers on the “Experienced” track. 

Red Clay Writers Conference. November 15 - 16, 2023: Kennesaw GA. Red Clay Writers Conference is the annual conference of Georgia Writers Association. Red Clay has been hosted since 2009 to encourage and inspire writers through literary events that focus on the art and craft of writing. Will be held online and in person.

Gotham Writers Conference. November 18 - 19, 2023: NY, NY. A writing conference built by agents, for writers, with a faculty of some of the top agents in New York City. Receive focused attention within your genre from some of the best in the business. Will be held on Zoom.

All Write, Columbia – Writers Conference. November 2023: Spencertown, NY. A five day intensive writing conference focused fiction. The conference is open to all levels of writers, from beginners to more advanced writers with a manuscript or publications. Open to writers who are at least 18 years old. Just 20 writers will be accepted.

11 New Agents Seeking Kidlit, Women's Fiction, Memoir, Genre Fiction, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels and more

Jenniea Carter Here are eleven new literary agents actively seeking clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients. 
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Ms. Kathleen Foxx of The Rights Factory (CANADA)


Kathleen joined The Rights Factory as an editorial assistant in early 2023 and was promoted to Assistant Agent in the fall of the same year. She has an editorial background, running a freelance fiction editing company. Kat is also a writer and is heavily involved in the online writing community. She also produces/hosts the #badasswriters podcast, edits audio for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, and is a founder/host of #MoodPitch.
Outside of creative work, Kat enjoys travelling, photography, creative cooking, hiking, and spending time in Ontario’s beautiful cottage country. She’s a proud mom of five kids. She *loves* cats, coffee, chocolate, cheese, Argentinian wine. Outlander, This Is Us, You’ve Got Mail, John Krasinski, Ryan Reynolds, and Tom Hanks are favourites!

What she is seeking: In fiction, she’s looking for Adult and YA thriller/mystery/suspense, gothic and supernatural horror, historical fiction (preferably pre-20th century), historical fantasy (witches, ghosts, time travel, past lives, etc.), and romcom and romance (light spice). She also enjoys fairytale/folklore retellings and some speculative fiction, anything nostalgic, anything to do with past lives and soul connections, haunted houses, ancestry, and midwifery/natural childbirth. Kat *loves* creepy, scary stories that makes her eyes water and gives her goosebumps! For Upper MG, she’s pretty much open to genres provided it’s cute and has a good message. Across ages and genres, stories that normalize blended, single-parent, adoptive, racially and/or culturally diverse, and same-sex families are high on her list.

For nonfiction, Kat is seeking memoirs that read like fiction, motherhood/natural pregnancy and childbirth/midwifery/planned unassisted births, single parenthood (especially if paired with overcoming an abusive relationship with the other parent), past life/reincarnation, the “brotherhood” mentality of law enforcement, narcissistic abuse recovery, true crime, wine/food/travel, a history of witches and witchcraft, and ancient locations/civilizations.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Ms. Rosie Pierce of Curtis Brown Group, Ltd. (UK)

I joined Curtis Brown in 2018, after a couple of years in editorial at an independent publisher in Edinburgh. I now work alongside Felicity Blunt on her list of talented authors, and I am building my own list. I love working editorially with writers on their manuscripts - it is one of my favourite parts of my job.

What she is seeking: I read widely and across genres, and I am looking for both literary and commercial fiction. I love family dramas, ghost and horror stories, psychological suspense, murder mysteries, gripping thrillers, and big-hearted romantic comedies. 

How to submit: Please email the first three chapters/10,000 words and short synopsis (for fiction) or proposal (for non-fiction) to rosie.pierce@curtisbrown.co.uk.

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Ms. Trinica Sampson-Vera of New Leaf Literary & Media

Trinica graduated from Antioch College with a degree in Creative Writing and French. After several editorial internships during college, she moved to Austin and found an unexpected home in social services, where she worked for five years as a case manager to those experiencing chronic homelessness. Prior to beginning at New Leaf, she worked as an independent editor with Salt & Sage Books and Writing Diversely.

What she is seeking: Children's, YA and adult fiction and nonfiction, graphic novels. Trinica Sampson-Vera is passionate about championing diverse voices and particularly loves speculative fiction; adventurous, character-driven stories with largely emotional stakes; stories featuring Caribbean characters/settings; and stories where queer characters find happy endings.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Jenniea Carter of New Leaf Literary & Media

Harlem born and raised, Jenniea graduated from City College of New York with a B.A in Creative Writing and Asian Studies. With haste, she moved to Japan to explore the world outside the concrete jungle. After years of exploration, she returned home with a revitalized zeal for the literary world. Her first endeavor led her to Kinokuniya Bookstore where she honed her knowledge of book buying, merchandising, and selling. Soon after; Jenniea found herself home at New Leaf on Joanna’s team, eager to uplift and amplify marginalized voices. When she is not between the pages of a book, Jenniea can be found bingeing mystery documentaries and animation.

What she is seeking: Children's and adult fiction and nonfiction, graphic novels. She is eager to uplift and amplify marginalized voices.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Ms. Sophia Ramos of New Leaf Literary & Media

Hailing from South Florida, Sophia has always had a passion for books, earning a Masters of Science in Publishing from NYU. Prior to joining New Leaf, Sophia worked as a literary scout sourcing projects for international clients, and later moved into foreign rights and international sales where she rounded out her understanding of publishing as a global industry. You can usually find Sophia and her dachshund Sunny in the kitchen or the craftroom making something Instagram-worthy. She is a Diet Coke enthusiast and champion axe thrower.

What she is seeking: Genre fiction, Picture Books, Kidlit, SFF, Short Stories. She loves to read stories that were written for the kids who had to grow up too fast and books that redefine family, love, and madness.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE. 

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Ms. Jes Trudel of The Rights Factory (CANADA)

Jes Trudel (she/her/mx) has been devouring stories longer than she can remember. Her favourite childhood books were Jack London adventures (which she never really outgrew). Jes' experience includes working as a freelance editor for 15+ years, teaching creative writing to people around the globe, and founding WritingCommunity.ca in 2020 when the whole world went digital. She's been a guest presenter with SCBWI, the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, Write For Kids, and TSNOTYAW podcast, and has contributed to BoldFace, Children's Book Insider, and the SCBWI blog. She joined The Rights Factory in 2023 as an editorial assistant. As an editorial agent, Jes works with her clients to develop their manuscripts into the best version they can be.

What she is seeking: Children's Literature

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Ms. Rebecca Williamson of Sheldon Fogelman Agency

Rebecca Williamson enthusiastically joined Sheldon Fogelman Agency in 2023 after working with St. Martin's Publishing Group at Macmillan and Triada US Literary Agency. Rebecca began her agenting journey at the Columbia Publishing Course. She graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo with a double major in English (creative writing) and Communication (journalism & media).

What she is seeking: Rebecca Williamson is passionate about all children's books, from picture books through young adult.

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Valentina Sainato of JABberwocky Literary Agency

Valentina (she/they) is an agency assistant at JABberwocky assisting Eddie Schneider. She also handles all merchandise and third-party licensing proposals.

She graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a B.A. in English and has lived in New York City ever since. Outside of their literary interests, Valentina is a dancer of many different styles, a video game lover, and a ~very~ amateur digital artist.
Before joining JABberwocky, Valentina worked as an Events Manager with Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side, where they hosted a huge variety of author events, book clubs, children’s activities, and more. She has also interned at Foundry Literary + Media, Folio Literary Management, and the Feminist Press at CUNY.

What she is seeking: Horror is my favorite genre to read, and I’m looking for lots of different flavors here. If it’s spooky, eerie, disorienting, thrilling, existential, or even horror-lite, I want to read it. Blends with sci-fi/fantasy are also welcome!

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Mr. Beniamino Ambrosi of The Cheney Agency

Beniamino Ambrosi is from Bari, southern Italy, and has a master’s degree in Languages and Literature from the University of Florence. He graduated from the PhD program in English Language Literature at the University of Florence. During and after graduate school, he worked as a literary translator, translating Paul Murray and Salvatore Scibona into Italian, among others. He moved to New York in 2009, and worked as a literary scout at Maria B. Campbell Associates for over a decade, advising international book publishers in over 20 countries, as well as film/TV clients such as Warner Bros. and Netflix. He made the switch to agenting at the end of 2021, joining The Cheney Agency as foreign rights director, and starting his list as agent. A Zev Birger Jerusalem Fellow, Beniamino currently serves on the Young Professional’s Committee of Words Without Borders.

What he is seeking: Beniamino Ambrosi represents English-language nonfiction and literary fiction, and authors in translation.

How to submit: Please send a query letter briefly describing your project and professional background, along with up to three chapters of sample material. Queries may be sent by email to submissions@cheneyagency.com.
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Ms. Bridgette Kam of Westwood Creative Artists (CANADA)

My career in publishing began when I interned at McClelland & Stewart while pursuing Ryerson’s publishing program. Before entering the publishing world, I worked in the arts, communications, education, and legal industries in Toronto and Hong Kong. I earned my BA in English and Art History in Hong Kong and an MA in Medieval and Renaissance literature in Durham, UK. I grew up watching TVB dramas and immersed in Cantopop culture, and I’m proud to be fluent in Cantonese and to be able to speak Mandarin conversationally.

What she is seeking: In narrative non-fiction, I’m drawn to fresh, unique, diverse, and well-informed voices, especially pop culture, social issues, popular history, big ideas, current affairs, and popular science. I’m also interested in practical non-fiction: self-improvement, health, and lifestyle.

In fiction, I’d love to see submissions in the vein of Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s The Last Story of Mina Lee and Asha Lemmie’s Fifty Words for Rain.

In children’s literature, I’m especially interested in fiction and non-fiction picture book texts, middle grade fiction, and illustration.

How to submit: Please read submission guidelines HERE.
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Amy Nielsen of The Purcell Agency, LLC

Amy Nielsen spent nearly twenty years sharing her love of books with young readers on the other side of the writing aisle as a youth librarian. Daily immersion in story took root, and she started penning her 2024 YA debut, Worth It, behind her checkout desk. Amy also has a background in television production and creates book trailers for authors to use as a marketing tool. She started Mayflower Media where she works collaboratively with writers to bring the heart of their stories from the page to the screen.

What she is seeking: Picture Books: I’ll be looking for hyperbolic, zany storylines that teach a life lesson (even subtle) or ones with laugh-out-loud moments written simply to entertain.
Middle Grade: I’ll be looking for fast-paced stories mostly set in a contemporary setting that feature characters that think, act, and talk like real middle graders.
 
Young Adult: I’ll gravitate toward contemporary issue-driven plots where teens find themselves in situations they aren’t equipped to handle, but eventually figure it out.
 
Adult Fiction: I’ll lean into contemporary women’s fiction where the main characters are shattering glass ceilings despite obstacles, and defying stereotypes.
 
General Wishes: As the mother of an autistic child, I’d appreciate any story that features characters across the autism spectrum written authentically and free from stereotypes. I’m also always game for any fairy-tale retelling or re-imagining, especially if pulled into a contemporary setting. I would love any age range where a dystopian plot mirrors a current social issue. Think Handmaid’s Tale versus the current political landscape of abortion. Or how the political landscape is impacting marginalized communities such as the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.