Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 12

25 Awesome Writing Conferences and Workshops in August 2023

Mendocino: Roadtripping California This August there are more than two dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but many will be in-person or hybrid as pandemic restrictions ease. Virtual events still 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. Quite a few offer scholarships.

I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)

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Writing As a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change. August 1 - 7, 2023: Watsonville, CA. "The tool we’ll use for transformation is writing and sharing from the heart. Writing and being witnessed in community is a powerful catalyst on your journey of self-discovery. We'll teach you everything you need to know to experience the power of true stories shared and received."

Willamette Writers Conference. August 2 - 6, 2023: Portland, Oregon. Three full days of classes, workshops, keynotes, critiques, and events. There are also Master Classes with industry professionals in which you can learn from top instructors in a small group setting and many options for one on one critique, including On the Spot Critiques and Advance Manuscript Critique. As always, they will have a roster of agents, editors and film executives ready to hear about your project. 

Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. August 3 -  August 5, 2023: Mendocino, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, panels, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and open mics. The faculty includes poet Claudia Castro Luna, fiction writers Jean Chen Ho and Lydia Kiesling, creative nonfiction writer Faith Adiele, and cross-genre writer Anastacia-Reneé. Fiction writer Karen Tei Yamashita will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include agent Jonah Straus (Straus Literary). The registration fee is $675 and includes morning workshops, all afternoon events, and breakfast and lunch each day. One-on-one manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60. Lodging is available at a wide range of accommodations on the Mendocino Coast, including oceanfront inns, campgrounds, and motels. The registration deadline is June 30.

Cape Cod Writers Center Conference. August 3 - 6, 2023: Hyannis, Massachusetts. Supporting published and aspiring writers. Featuring distinguished authors, editors and agents in workshops on fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, mysteries and thrillers, social media, promotion and more! 

Florida Authors and Publishers Association Annual Conference. August 4 - 5, 2023: Orlando, Florida. "Six (6) optional small-group workshops are being scheduled, offering attendees options a more intimate setting to learn about specific topics related to the publishing industry.  These focused workshops will be offered a la carte and are scheduled so that you may register for up to three (3)."

The 2023 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. August 4-5, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on August 4-5, 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 “Pittsburgh” 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." In person and virtual.

Into the Springs Writers Workshop. August 4 - 6, 2023: Yellow Springs, OH. Faculty: Jane Friedman & Jason Sanford.

Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Annual Conference. August 4 - 6, 2023: Via Zoom. More than 100 writers, editors, illustrators, & agents. Workshops, breakout sessions, manuscript and portfolio consultations, panels, discussions. Will be held online.

An Introduction to Engaging Kids with Podcasts. August 6 - 13, 2023. Online. Faculty: Matthew Winner OVERVIEW: A Short Intensive Online Course Thinking about starting a podcast for kids, but don’t know where to start? Join librarian, writer, and podcast innovator Matthew Winner to find the heart of your podcast for kids. This online intensive workshop will include presentations, small group discussions, a Q & A gathering, and more! 

Vermont College of Fine Arts Postgraduate Writers’ Conference. August 7 - 13, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. The conference is designed for writers with graduate degrees or equivalent experience. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, craft classes, and individual consultations with faculty members. "At the heart of the Postgraduate Writers' Conference's unique model is the small workshop size, with groups led by acclaimed faculty limited to five or six writers. The intimate format allows for an extraordinarily in-depth, far-reaching discussion of participants’ work. Beyond the daily group sessions, each member has an individual consultation with the workshop instructor. The schedule also features a rich menu of readings by faculty and participants, craft talks, generative writing sessions and social events that galvanize our vibrant, inclusive community." 

Travel Writers & Photographers Conference. August 10 – 13, 2023: Corte Madera, Calif. Writing and photography workshops in the morning, a full afternoon of panels and discussions, and evening faculty presentations. There are optional, working field trips to explore the resources of the Bay Area. The faculty includes publishers, magazine editors, photographers, travel essayists, food writers, restaurateurs, guidebook writers, and more. 

Writing and Illustrating Science & Nature for Kids and Teens. August 12 - 16, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Mentorship, hands-on activities, presentations, and ample time for retreating will help you on your path to energizing readers through science and nature-themed fiction or nonfiction.

Elk River Writers Workshop. August 13 - 18, 2023: Chico Hot Springs, MT. The Elk River Writers Workshop embodies the idea that deep, communal experiences with the wild open the door to creativity. We bring together some of the most celebrated nature writers in the United States with students who are serious about fostering a connection with the environment in their writing. It all happens at Chico Hot Springs, a historic retreat just north of Yellowstone National Park. 

Murphy Writing of Stockton University: Live Free and Write. August 13 - 18, 2023: Sunapee, NH. "Combine an extended writing retreat with a relaxing summer vacation in the picturesque mountains of New Hampshire. This getaway blends our trademark challenging and supportive workshop experience with plenty of free time for you to write and bask in the refreshing New England summer." 

The Speculative Fiction Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. August 13 - 19, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. The Bookcamp offers morning instruction, an afternoon editing clinic, group critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one consultations with our staff, pitch sessions with literary agents and acquisition editors, and presentations on writing or publishing topics.

From Idea & Sketch to Dummy & Submission: An Author/Illustrator Online Course. August 15 - September 19, 2023: Online. If you are illustrating AND writing your own book, and wondering how to prepare your dummy for submission, this is the course for you. You will focus on the craft of writing and illustrating a picture book with an intense level of feedback. Participants who complete all assignments should be able to finish or revise a working dummy in its entirety during the course, preparing for submission to editors, agents, or art directors.

Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. August 16 - 26, 2023: Ripton, VT. Workshops in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are at the core of the conference. Each faculty member conducts a workshop that meets for five two-hour sessions over the course of the 10 days. Groups are kept small to facilitate discussion, and all participants meet individually with their faculty leaders to elaborate on workshop comments. Faculty members also offer lectures on issues around literary writing and one-hour classes on specific aspects of the craft. Readings by the faculty, conference participants, and guests take place throughout the day and into the night. Participants meet with visiting editors, literary agents, and publishers who provide information and answer questions, individually or in small groups. 

Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference. August 17 - 20, 2023: Nashville, TN. The Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford in an effort to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. "At the conference, we try diligently to ensure that the weekend has something for every writer and lover of literature, and our sessions are structured to assist writers on multiple career levels. Our learning tracks tackle the craft of writing, business of writing, marketing, and forensics. Killer Nashville features nine breakout sessions for intense smaller group interaction, an authors’ bar (free for hotel guests), a moonshine and wine tasting, free agent/editor roundtable pitch sessions, a mock crime scene designed by special agents and other law enforcement professionals, cocktail receptions, the Guest of Honor Dinner and Awards Banquet, film previews, live music performances and—of course—all the great activities one can enjoy in downtown Nashville."

The Whole Novel Workshop. August 17 - 22, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens. Application Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Poetry at the Frost Farm. August 18 - 20, 2023:  Derry, New Hampshire. The retreat offers workshops, readings, and one-on-one consultations for formalist poets. "Join a small community of people at the historic Robert Frost Farm learning, reading and writing formal poetry with contemporary award-winning poets. Choose your focus from a series of offerings designed to provide tools for beginning poets as well as perfect the mastery of published poets." 

Shape Your Story: A 6-Week Novel Intensive with Author & Agent Linda Epstein (Fall) August 24 - September 28, 2023 Faculty: Linda Epstein OVERVIEW: A Six-Week Online Course with Pre-recorded Lectures, and Live Discussion/Q & A/Writing Exercises Mold your middle grade or young adult novel into the story only you can tell, with senior literary agent and writer Linda Epstein. Pre-recorded lectures released on Fridays (August 11, 25; September 1, 8, 15, 22) Live sessions via Zoom. 18 participants max.

Colrain Classic. August 25 - 28, 2023. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3-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, manuscript workshop and editorial sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session."

PJ Library Retreat: Picture Book Summer Camp for Emerging Writers. August 27 - 31, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "If you’re a pre-published author with a Jewish picture book in progress (or no more than one published book) we invite you to apply for five-days of inspiration, mentorship, fun, and creativity on the beautiful campus of the Highlights Foundation." Closed.

Bear River Writers’ Conference. August 31 - September 1, 2023: Camp Michigania on Walloon Lake, near Petoskey, Michigan. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, discussions, nature walks, and time to write.

DragonCon. August 31 - September 4, 2023: Atlanta, Ga. HUGE sci-fi event, with parade, autograph sessions, live performances, readings, wrestling (!), workshops on belly dancing, writing (yes, there's even some writing), art show. (This conference sounds really wild.)

10 New Agents Seeking SF/F, Literary Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Thrillers, YA, Kidlit and more

Bea Fitzgerald Here are ten 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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Bea Fitzgerald of The Blair Partnership

I represent fantasy and sci-fi, while also working as the agency’s digital lead. My tastes vary but rather consistently I enjoy voice and character led stories with propulsive writing and strong worldbuilding. Across all genres, I’d love to see work by underrepresented writers.

In fantasy I’m looking for tropey romantasy especially any with stakes so high the world itself might be at risk. Give me messy characters in a complex world and foolish and difficult choices to be made. I’m also very happy to see these vary across the spice scale – from none at all to so hot my kindle might blow. My recent favourites include Fourth Wing, The Night Circus and Once Upon A Broken Heart.

At the other end, I’d love high-concept low-stakes cosy fantasy stories that feel like a don’t-leave-the-tavern DND session – like Legends and Lattes, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches or Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea.

I want to have fun with fantasy, so darker narratives have to feel indulgent or lyrical – a recent favourite was A Dowry of Blood. I can also get sucked into some really good world-building – like Dragonfall, Godkiller and The Final Strife. These stories were also wonderful for the queer normative worlds and I’d love to see that in my submissions.

I’m always thrilled by stories rooted in myth or folklore like Kaikeyi, Morgan Is My Name and Daughter of The Moon Goddess. I also really enjoy magical realism, especially in an evocative historical setting like the drawing of the 1930s in Shanghai Immortal or the 1920s in Gods of Jade and Shadow.

My sci-fi tastes are pretty specific in that I like sci-fi stories that use the possibility of space and the future to explore humanity and ideas of progress, often in a very fun and irreverent way. My favourites in this genre include The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet, Mindwalker and Frontier.

I do not represent children’s fiction but would happily look at any sci-fi or fantasy Young Adult fiction.

How to submit: You can submit to me at beasubmissions@theblairpartnership.com. If you are emailing us a fiction submission, please include the working title of your story in the subject line of your email. In the email, please include a one-line elevator pitch, a short blurb, the target market and genre of your writing and any competitions or prizes you’ve won for writing.Then, please attach the first thirty pages of your manuscript and a one-page synopsis in one Word document or PDF. Please lay out your manuscript and synopsis so they are easy to read.
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Elizabeth Pratt of Park & Fine Literary and Media

Originally from Michigan, Elizabeth is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford. She lives on the Upper East Side, where she constantly obsesses over the many dogs (on the street and in strollers) and enjoys eating a lot of good food.

What she is seeking: Elizabeth is looking for fiction and nonfiction from diverse perspectives and emerging voices that takes something familiar and turns it on its head, recounts history from a different point of view, sheds light on something previously unnoticed, or makes us think about the world in a different way. Of particular interest to her are intergenerational family sagas, historical fiction, books with surreal elements, and deep dives into the inner workings of human relationships.

How to submit: For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work.  For non-fiction submissions, please send a query letter. Send submissions to queries@parkfine.com


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Mr. Matthew Cole of Northbank Talent Management (UK)

An experienced commissioning editor, Matt joined us from Pan Macmillan where he was responsible for signing and publishing some of the leading political, popular science, business, sport and lifestyle books of our time.

What he is seeking: Matt is responsible for Northbank’s non-fiction books representation in the UK, US and foreign language markets, including politics, history, science, economics, business, sport, lifestyle and memoir.

How to submit: Please send a cover letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of your submission as Word or Open Document attachments to nonfiction@northbanktalent.com.

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Elizabeth Counsell of Northbank Talent Management (UK)

Elizabeth's background is in book marketing, for the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival, the Klaus Flugge Prize and then here at Northbank, which gives her a keen understanding of the kinds of books which sell, how to pitch and position projects in the marketplace, and how to build audiences across both digital and physical channels.

What she is seeking: Elizabeth is responsible for Northbank’s fiction books representation in the UK, US and foreign language markets, spanning all genres of commercial adult and young adult fiction.

How to submit: Please send a cover letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of your submission as Word or Open Document attachments to fiction@northbanktalent.com.
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Amanda Bernardi of High Line Literary Collective


Amanda Bernardi comes to publishing after twelve years in publicity and branding. She did her graduate work in Social Science at the University of Colorado and a BA in English Creative Writing from Texas A&M University, where she was a lead reporter for The Battalion and founded a literary journal vandal with Angie Cruz and Daniel Pena. She then began communications work for purpose-driven organizations focused on environmental, fair labor, and health care initiatives.

What she is seeking: Amanda is actively building her client list and works exclusively with non-fiction. She is interested in platform- or expertise-driven cookbooks, home & design, art, investigative journalism, social justice, pop science, wellness, social science, sports, health, pop history, parenting, nature, environmentalism, pop culture and anything that advances our community dialogue towards a better tomorrow. She is looking for projects that are thoughtful, actionable, and engaging for a general audience.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Emma Dries of Triangle House

Emma Dries is a writer and editor, and an agent at Triangle House Literary. She has worked on bestselling and award-winning books in editorial at Alfred A. Knopf, Doubleday Books, Ecco, and Flatiron Books. She has a B.A. in History from the University of Chicago and an M.F.A in Fiction from Johns Hopkins University. She grew up in Lower Manhattan, above the Fulton Fish Market, and now lives in the Hudson Valley. 

What she is seeking: Emma is interested in literary fiction and narrative nonfiction that grapples with climate change; ambitious multigenerational novels; speculative fiction; and dark or darkly comic domestic fiction. In nonfiction, she is interested in institutional corruption; memoirs incorporating science or policy; essays and longform journalism; and environmental and travel writing. She likes to work with academic writers with great narrative sensibilities, such as historians who can target an understudied era and spin an incredible yarn. Most importantly, she seeks to be immersed—whether in our own world or a world that's entirely invented.

How to submit: To query Emma, please send a query letter and the first 20 pages of your manuscript or full proposal through her query manager here. 
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Mr. Thomas Dayzie of The Deborah Harris Agency 

Thomas received his BA from Princeton University in English, Creative Writing, and Humanistic Studies. His fiction thesis, “Elisha: The Collected Works of M. Amichai,” was the first to be awarded a prize for Recognition of Innovative Work. He grew up between San Diego and the Navajo Nation, and moved to Jerusalem in 2022.

What he is seeking: Thomas is interested in literary fiction, memoir, non-fiction, and any work that presents a novel or fresh perspective.

How to submit: Email your query to: thomas at DHliterary.com 



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Ms. Francesca Riccardi of Kate Nash Literary Agency (UK)

Francesca has over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry, starting at RNIB where she transcribed books into accessible formats for blind and partially sighted readers. She has since worked in sales and marketing roles at publishers Canelo, Atlantic Books, Constable & Robinson and HarperCollins.

What she is seeking: Francesca reads widely, especially across popular commercial genres, but is a particular fan of crime and thrillers, and loves a dogged detective or unusual sleuth. She also enjoys books about unusual family dynamics, toxic friendships and people keeping secrets.
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How to submit: Follow the agency's submission instructions HERE.
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Ms. Sophie Cudd of The Book Group

Sophie  Cudd joined The Book Group as Associate Agent in 2023, after nearly  four years at William Morris Endeavor. Born and raised in Nashville, TN,  Sophie has a degree in English Literature from Southern Methodist  University, studied Shakespeare at the University of Oxford, and is a  member of Phi Beta Kappa. 

What she is seeking: In  fiction, Sophie loves compelling, high-stakes tales of love, loss,  mystery and belonging. She is drawn to accessible and deeply resonant  characters, plot-driven stories with a strong sense of time and place,  and is a sucker for a twist she never saw coming. In nonfiction,  Sophie's interests are wide-ranging, but she is particularly interested  in moving and introspective memoirs, food writing, essay collections, and well-researched narrative nonfiction. Sophie also occasionally acquires children’s picture books – particularly those that make her laugh. 

How to submit: Please email a query letter and 10 sample pages to submissions@thebookgroup.com. You will receive a bounce back to your query, which you should consider receipt of your work. Please include all materials in the body of the email, as we can’t open attachments.  We only accept electronic queries sent to submissions@thebookgroup.com, and do not accept paper queries or queries by phone.  Please include the name of the agent to whom you are submitting in the subject line of your query email. 

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Catherine Bradshaw of Writers House

Catherine Bradshaw (she/her) is a junior agent at Writers House, building her adult, young adult, middle grade, and picture book lists. Catherine joined Writers House in 2018 as the front desk administrative assistant and reader for the agency at large. In 2019, she began supporting Senior Agent Susan Ginsburg’s diverse list of clients. Under Susan’s guidance and mentorship, Catherine has worked closely—both editorially and administratively—with a broad range of award-winning and bestselling adult and children’s book authors, including Diane Chamberlain, Sara Farizan, Jessica B. Harris, Deborah Heiligman, Edward Humes, Pam Jenoff, Cedella Marley, Leonard Mlodinow, Sarah Morgan, and Alexandra Penfold. Prior to Writers House, Catherine worked for Alanna Feldman Scouting, advising international and domestic clients on acquiring translation and/or TV/film rights for upcoming releases. Before that, Catherine received her Bachelor of the Arts in English with a minor in Creative Writing from New York University, all the while interning in editorial at Scholastic Book Clubs, Viking Children’s Books, and Flatiron Books.

What she is seeking: 

ADULT: My taste is wide when it comes to adult fiction—on one end of the spectrum, I love literary fiction, with a particular interest in literary horror and speculative work, and on the other end, I would love to see all of the rom-coms, especially those that subvert common tropes and represent LGBTQ+ stories. As for everything in between, I’m especially grabbed by a narrative that doesn’t follow “traditional” storytelling, plays with format and structure, or covers underexplored time periods, locations, etc. On the nonfiction adult side, I love quirky microhistories, topics within fashion, sexuality, mental health, and mortality, anything related to the Bravoverse, essay collections, and the occasional offbeat memoir.

YOUNG ADULT: As for YA, I’m hungry for all things literary, unnerving, witchy, darkly funny, ghostly, Gothic, and rom-com. I am particularly interested in first-time encounters with mental illness, complicated sibling relationships, unconventional high school life, sex positivity, emo vibes, angst, and international stories. I’m always after a good graphic novel as well, and anything that will break my heart.

MIDDLE GRADE: I love a spooky/dark middle grade—bring on the weird! In this category, I am also a huge fan of quirky/silly/banter, unlikely friendships, and unusual hobbies. At the same time, I appreciate when serious topics (such as death and mental health) can be discussed in a lively, engaging, not overly heavy way. I’d very much like to see novels in verse and illustrated/graphic novels. I have a particular hankering for stories with series potential.

PICTURE BOOKS: I’m looking for author-illustrators who can be both silly and heartfelt and create read-aloud books that will be remembered well into adulthood. I love picture books that are interactive, challenge expectations, and make me belly laugh. I also fall hard for picture books that break down difficult emotions or concepts in a digestible, meaningful way.

How to submit: Please email me a personalized query letter and 10 sample pages pasted in the body of the email (or a sketch dummy with sample finished art for picture book submissions) to cbradshaw@writershouse.com. No attachments. 

Publishing Contracts You Shouldn't Sign

When writers finally get that long-awaited offer of publication, their first reaction is jubilation, rapidly followed by "Yes, yes, a thousand time YES!!!" But with contracts, as with marriage proposals, it's better to step back before making a commitment, because divorces are long, messy, and emotionally draining affairs. 

Here are a few of the red flags - taken from real contracts I haven't signed - that should serve as indications that your work deserves to be in better hands. 

Rights in Perpetuity

Granting rights "in perpetuity" has become increasingly common in the age of the Internet. The idea is that once your work is published online, it is there "forever." This is patently false. Anything that is published online can be removed. But once you have relinquished all your future rights, you have effectively given away your copyright. Most book contracts now ask for limited rights, either extending until the book goes out of print, or until the author asks to have the rights returned. But some literary journals follow the egregious practice of asking for rights in perpetuity. 
Here is an example of a contract clause to avoid:

"The Author grants the Publisher ... perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide rights to copyedit, publish, translate and distribute in all electronic and print formats ... in all languages throughout the world."

(I've left out the long list of every format, but suffice it to say that with this initial clause, the Author has forfeited all rights.)

It gets worse.
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On page two of the contract, Article 5 stipulates that "If the Publisher changes its legal form, is acquired by another entity, or otherwise changes ownership, all rights and responsibilities granted in this Agreement will be transferred to the succeeding entity."

Not only does the publisher retain all rights, but any succeeding publisher does as well.

When I received this contract from Six Hens Publishing (a contract that was actually longer than the CNF piece I sent them),  I immediately contacted the editors and explained why I could not sign. "But a lawyer drew it up!" they protested. That was precisely the problem. A lawyer's job is to obtain the best possible terms for the client, not to further the lofty aims of literary achievement.

So, how should a contract for short work be worded? 

One sentence: "All rights revert to the author upon publication." Sometimes a literary journal will request a short period of exclusivity. That's perfectly reasonable. It is also reasonable, and courteous, to mention the first publisher when you submit your work as a reprint elsewhere. Paying journals should state how much they are paying you, and when. But if the contract is longer than a paragraph, run away.

Requiring authors to do their own marketing

Small book publishers will sometimes require that the author market their own book. While authors are certainly encouraged to promote their work, this should be in addition to everything a publisher does. After all, the reason writers sign with a publisher is precisely because they have marketing and publicity channels unavailable to writers. 

You won't normally find marketing specifics in the contract you receive. And chances are you will feel so overwhelmed by the sheer length of your contract, it won't occur to you to ask what they do for marketing.

You need to ask.

The contract that Touchpoint Press sent me for my YA fantasy, ROWENNA, was fairly standard for the industry. It specified advance (none, in this case) royalty rates, right of first refusal, and many of the other clauses included in contracts from larger publishers. (My contract with Random House was 17 pages long.) I didn't sign it immediately, because I had questions. Specifically, I wanted to know what they would do for marketing. This is what I asked:

1) The contract mentions Ingram. What other 3rd party distributors does TouchPoint use?

2) I am pleased to see that there is a clause mentioning libraries. Does Touchpoint distribute titles through Overdrive? Are reviews solicited from the major publications received by librarians (Library Journal, Booklist, etc)?

3) To which trade/industry publications does TouchPoint send requests for reviews?

4) In addition to these, does TouchPoint submit a marketing plan to authors? If so, what does a typical marketing plan include?

5) What is TouchPoint's usual advertising budget for marketing/promotion?

Their reply was cut and pasted into my original email (which I considered unprofessional), and while it contained some details, it was essentially generic. But the real clincher was that the books they had published were only getting two or three ratings on Amazon, and no industry reviews at all. If their marketing department had been up to snuff, there would have been far more ratings on Amazon, and certainly reviews.

Charging writers

Vanity presses are businesses that charge people for printing their books. They are completely upfront about what they charge (which can be a lot), because, typically, their customers only want to give a few books to family members and friends. There is no oversight, so what you submit is what they print.

Hybrid presses, on the other hand, portray themselves as a "partnership" between publisher and author. However, in the end they are actually not much better than vanity presses. They charge exhorbitant fees for each publishing function (cover design, editing, printing, etc.) while offering very little of what an author actually needs from a publisher. Though hybrid publishers like to present themselves as selective, in reality they are a form of self-publishing. But instead of keeping 100% of the royalties, authors only get to keep half. 

A contract that charges a writer for anything is not a publishing contract. It is a printing arrangement minus the pedigree conferred by a publishing house. 


Recommendations

Always read contracts carefully. Book contracts are almost invariably drawn up by lawyers, which means they are long and complicated. Writers need help to understand them. So, if you haven't joined Authors Guild yet, go ahead and join before you start sending queries to publishers. Authors Guild offers invaluable legal assistance with contracts of all types. (Even if you have an agent, it's worth your while to join Authors Guild. It's always good to get a second opinion,)

Contracts can (and should) be negotiated. In most cases, royalty rates are carved in stone, but if you don't like how a clause is worded, or you would like more author copies, you can make a request for changes. Remember: You are the source of income for publishers. Publishers merely handle what you produce.Do your homework. Look up books the publisher has published. Do they have reviews? Are the covers professional, or do they look cobbled together from open source images? How many books have they published? Are they all written by staff members? Look "inside" a few of them on Amazon. Do you spot any editing errors? A small publisher is not necessarily a bad publisher, but be aware that their resources may be limited.

Last, but not least, Google them. Have other writers posted good or bad experiences with the publisher?

Forewarned is forearmed. 

Further reading

Publishing Contracts: What Are Some Red Flags?

When Your Publishing Contract Flies a Red Flag: Clauses to Watch Out For

Red Flags That Authors Should Be Aware of With Contracts

A Publishing Contract Should Not Be Forever

IMHO: A Nuanced Look at Hybrid Publishers

4 Established Agents Seeking Genre Fiction, Literary Fiction, Kidlit, YA, Nonfiction and more

Caitlyn Mahony Here are four established agents open to queries right now. All work with reputable agencies with good track records.
 
Caitlin Mahony represents romance, genre, and commercial fiction. She loves a hard-won, epic love story (historical and contemporary), a transporting fantasy or sci-fi novel that helps parse earthly questions, a delightful beach read, or a pulse-pounding thriller.

Jenny Savill is looking for literary fiction, literary and commercial women’s fiction, psychological suspense, gothic thrillers and stories with a touch of creeping horror, ghost stories, historical fiction (the whole gamut – including alternate histories), and memoir as well as children's and young adult literature.

Ingrid Beck is seeking compelling nonfiction proposals in the following categories: practical self-help, mindfulness, mental health and wellbeing, religion and spirituality, social and cultural issues, and lifestyle.

Marin Takikawa is looking for literary fiction, YA, and memoirs.

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. Caitlin Mahony of William Morris Endeavor

Caitlin has been at WME since 2016. Caitlin’s clients include bestselling romance authors Chloe Walsh and Shantel Tessier, fantasy author Henry Neff, among others.  Caitlin is passionate about breaking out authors who originate from the self-publishing world, and bringing new opportunities their way—whether it’s a transition to traditional publishing in the US and UK, translation and audio deals, or merchandising.

What she is seeking: She represents romance, genre, and commercial fiction. Caitlin is looking for books that offer a total escape and full immersion, in either this world or an imagined one. She loves a hard-won, epic love story (historical and contemporary), a transporting fantasy or sci-fi novel that helps parse earthly questions, a delightful beach read, or a pulse-pounding thriller; and is always looking to get swept up in something that you can’t put down.
How to submit: Submissions should be emailed to cma@wmeagency.com

Caitlin would love to see your query letter (including a bio) and the first chapter of your manuscript. For previously self-published work, a link to your website, Goodreads, Wattpad, and/or Amazon page would be great too.
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Ms. Jenny Savill of Andrew Nurnberg Associates Ltd 

Jenny joined Andrew Nurnberg Associates in 2002. She represents authors writing for both children and adults.

What she is seeking: On the adult side, she’s looking for literary fiction, literary and commercial women’s fiction, psychological suspense, gothic thrillers and stories with a touch of creeping horror, ghost stories, historical fiction (the whole gamut – including alternate histories), and memoir. High fantasy is not her thing, though she is partial to a story with a speculative thread running through it. Her roster of adult authors includes internationally bestselling novelist Natasha Pulley, Shirley-Jackson winner Catriona Ward, writer of the darkly comic Sweetpea series C J Skuse, and graphic novelist Fred Fordham.

On the children’s side, she’s always on the look-out for new voices in 7+, Middle Grade and Young Adult writing. Her authors include Matt Brown, Keren David and Hana Tooke.

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Ingrid Beck of The Bindery

After earning her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Kansas State University, Ingrid Beck spent more than 17 years working in book publishing, serving in diverse roles such as acquisitions editor, managing editor, and editorial director. Ingrid joined The Bindery in 2019 as managing director and oversees day-to-day operations, proposal development, client relations, scheduling, and a variety of other special projects. 

What she is seeking: Ingrid is seeking compelling nonfiction proposals in the following categories: practical self-help, mindfulness, mental health and wellbeing, religion and spirituality, social and cultural issues, and lifestyle.
​
How to submit: Email your query to info@thebinderyagency.com. Please include the following in the body of your email: a clear summary of your book concept, an author biography, the table of contents (for nonfiction), at least two sample chapters, relevant contact information, and any publishing history. Include the word “QUERY” in the email subject line and if you’ve completed a book proposal, please attach that document to your email. You may address your query to one agent or to The Bindery as a whole.
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Ms. Marin Takikawa of The Friedrich Agency

Before joining TFA in early 2021, I got my start as an assistant to three agents at Foundry Literary + Media, following internships at The Book Group, Folio Literary Management, and Triada U.S. Born in Tokyo and raised in Singapore and NYC, I graduated from the University of Rochester with degrees in English and Business. In addition to building my own list, I support Molly Friedrich and Lucy Carson, and handle audio rights for the agency. 


What she is seeking: I’m an eclectic reader, and hope that my list will showcase this range as well—in addition to fiction and nonfiction, I also am looking to represent select YA.
 
For adult fiction, I’m looking for character-driven upmarket and literary fiction. In particular, I’m always driven by the need to understand people and discover the various kinks that aren’t visible from the surface—what drives them? What do they desire most but can’t get? I’m particularly enamored by genre-bending works, fiction with a speculative or magical bent, literary suspense, narratives about complex family relationships, and those that subvert forms of power, specifically neocolonialist ones. My tastes in YA are similar, although with more focus on speculative concepts and maybe surprisingly, contemporary rom-coms like LOVE & GELATO, ANNA & THE FRENCH KISS, and TELL ME THREE THINGS.
 
In nonfiction, I gravitate toward memoirs that balance personal narratives with engaging and insightful research and/or cultural analysis. I’m also looking for narrative nonfiction that is resistant and radical in nature, that questions why we have the institutions, ideas, and systems we have in place. I often think about the legacies of colonialism, how it haunts and perpetuates in various forms in the modern age (such as the environment and in capitalism), but also about collective action and its sense of possibilities and what the future could look like. I’d love to hear from you if your work is in this space.
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Regardless of category, I’m looking for a singular voice that will guide me through any literary terrain and is not afraid of pushing against the status quo. And above all, it’s important to me that my list is filled with writers from historically underrepresented communities, as well as diasporic voices.

How to submit: Please email your query (no sample pages) to mtakikawa@friedrichagency.com

103 Calls for Submissions in July 2023 - Paying markets

Public Domain Pictures This July there are more than 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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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.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.06/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: Opens July 1, 2023.

Lupercalia. Genre: Chapbooks. Art and writing by trans and queer creators that focuses on themes of transgender and queer sex/sexuality/excess/celebration. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Carte Blanche (Canada). Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations. comics, photography. Payment: "Modest" Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Monosyllabic Queer Theory. Genre: Poem about queer theory using monosyllabic words. Payment: $300 per piece. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

The Pleasure in Pain. Genre: Queer erotic horror. Payment: $0.05 per word for short stories. Flat rate of $5 for Poetry and $15 for Flash Fiction. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

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

Bad Day Book - College Life Edition. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for theme. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Bad Day Book - Special Needs & Disabilities Edition. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for theme. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

The Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. 2,000 words max. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

A Velvet Giant. Genre: "We are open to work that takes the shape of basically any format: words, recordings, visual art, hybrid forms, etc. We are open to translated original work." Payment: $20. Deadline: July 1, 2023. 

The Perfectly Fine Neighborhood. Genre: Horror short stories. See theme. Payment: 3 cents per word. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: Opens July 1, 2023. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Thema: The Magic of Light and Shadow. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Magic of Light and Shadow. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: July 1, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Mythos. Genre: Reprint stories SPECIFICALLY concerning those who investigate Lovecraftian/Mythos and Mythos-adjacent weirdness and horror. Stories should be 4-9k words. Payment: £25/piece (c. $30). Deadline: July 1, 2023. Accepts reprints.

It Came from the Trailer Park. Genre: Horror-comedy with the same feel as The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, Shaun of the Dead, or Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Legendary Locations. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: July 2, 2023.

The Memoirist Quarterly. Genre: Memoirs, personal essays, poetry, and original artwork and photography. Payment: $50 per piece, $25 for art. Deadline: July 2, 2023.

Flame Tree: Learning to Be Human Short Stories. Genre: Speculative fiction. See theme. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: July 2, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Flame Tree: Shadows on the Water Short Stories. Genre: Speculative fiction. See theme. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: July 2, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Maine Review. Genre: Short fiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and Nonfiction writers receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more. Poets receive a $25 honorarium per published poem. Deadline: July 3, 2023. Opens June 27.

Wordworks. Restrictions: Open to BC and Yukon writers. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short story, and creative non-fiction. See theme. Payment: $125 for articles of 400–600 words and $250 for articles of 800–1,100 words, $100 for cover art and $25 for other interior illustrations, $50 for reprints. Deadline: July 3, 2023.

Bright Wall/Dark Room. Genre: Essays on film and TV on theme of Heists. "For our August issue, we want your takes on this gloriously fun (and sometimes spiritually dark) genre. Are we obsessed with heists and robberies because of their Robin Hood-y class implications—especially since the targets of these heists are often Big Money (The Italian Job, Sexy Beast, Any Number Can Win) and our underdog protagonists are anything but?" Payment: $50 per essay. Deadline: July 5, 2023.

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Cosmic Horror, Lovecraftian, Weird stories, art. Payment: 6 cents/word. 50 dollars for artwork chosen as interior content. 200 dollars for cover art. Negotiable. Deadline: July 7, 2023.

Lightspeed. Genre: Fantasy flash fiction. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: July 7, 2023.

Timber Ghost Press. Genre: Novels and novellas, including cosmic horror, weird horror, sci-fi/horror, gothic, and contemporary. "We especially love Old West mixed with horror." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 7, 2023. Opens July 1.

Diet Milk: Gothic. Genre: Gothic fiction, poetry, and art (drawings, paintings, comics, collages). Payment: $0.01/word for fiction (minimum $40); $15/poem; $50/art piece. Deadline: July 8, 2023.

Griffith Review: Animal Magic. Genre: Nonfiction. See theme. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: July 9, 2023.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Theme: Poison. Payment: £30. Deadline: July 10, 2023.

Another Name for Darkness. Genre: "Stories that dare to face the dark, looking at it with honesty and seeing what it reveals. We want the real and the supernatural, joyful and melancholic, light and dark – as long as it's sincere." Payment: €150. Deadline: July 12, 2023. Will close early if they reach their cap.

BOA Editions — Blessing the Boats Selections. Genre: Book of poetry by Women of Color. Payment: $5,000 + Publication. Deadline: July 14, 2023.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  Deadline: July 14, 2023.

Dose of Dread. Genre: Horror flash fiction. Length: 500 – 1,000 words. Payment: 2c/word. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Able Muse. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

34 Orchard. Genre: Fiction and poetry. "We like dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth. We’re not genre-specific; we just like scary, disturbing, unsettling, and sad." Length: Up to 7,500 words. Payment: $50. Deadline: July 15, 2023. Opens July 1.

Sasee. Genre: First-person, non-fiction material that is for or about women. Essays, humor, satire, personal experience, and features on topics relating to women are their primary editorial focus. See theme. Payment: Varies. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

The Fantastic Other. Genre: Mainstream and surrealist short fiction, flash fiction, poetry, and art. Payment: $5. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Nat. Brut. Genre: Short stories, poems, CNF. Payment: $30 per piece. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Dark Blooms. Genre: Horror stories by women about girls coming of age. Length: 5000 – 10,000 words. Payment: $20 - $40. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Sonoran Horror Anthology. Genre: Dark fiction. Payment: 1c/word. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

It Was All a Dream. Genre: Short horror, weird, dark fiction between 1500 and 3000 words (firm limit) that take your least favorite horror trope and make it work. Payment: 5c/word. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

December Tales II. Genre: Horror. "No gore, no rape, no gratuitous sex, no agendas, just your best chilling ghost story." Payment: $25. Deadline: July 15, 2023. Reprints accepted.

If There's Anyone Left. Restrictions: Open to people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, members of marginalized genders, and disabled people. Genre: Speculative fiction. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

The Nightmare Never Ends. Genre: Horror. "Stuck inside a dreamworld, stuck inside your head, terrors unfold. We are looking for stories that blend dreamscapes into reality, stories where nightmares come alive, where fears take shape, and we can no longer tell what’s real and what’s not." Payment: $25. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Vautrin. Genre: Short stories on theme: “Oswald in Mexico City,” Length 2,000 - 5,000 words. Payment: $35. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Fairy Tale Review. Genre: Modern fairy tales. Payment: $50. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Fancy Feet. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: July 15, 2023. Queries only.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Hansen House. Genre: Hansen House is looking for anything with queer protagonists or by queer authors so long as the story does not fall into the “bury your gays” trope. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Invisible City. Genre: Nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Payment: $20. Deadline: July 16, 2023.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: July 16, 2023. 

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: July 17, 2023. See themes. Queries only.

Astrolabe. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography & art. Payment: $50. Deadline: July 21, 2023.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary flash fiction. Length: 500- to 1000-words. Payment: $80. Deadline: July 21, 2023. Submit early. Closes when submission cap is reached.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: July 22, 2023. See themes.

Dark Blooms. Genre: Horror stories by women about girls coming of age. Length: 5000 – 10,000 words. Payment: $20 - $40. Deadline: July 22, 2023. Extended deadline for trans women and women of color.

It Was All a Dream. Genre: Short horror, weird, dark fiction between 1500 and 3000 words (firm limit) that take your least favorite horror trope and make it work. Payment: 5c/word. Deadline: Extended submission window exclusively for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and marginalized writers open July 16 - July 22, 2023.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: July 25, 2023.

Monstrous. Genre: Dark flash fiction. Payment: 6 cents per word. Deadline: July 27, 2023.

Black Ocean. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: July 28, 2023.

Nonbinary Review: Epic Fail. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and art on theme: World Tour. Payment: 1 cent per word for prose, and a flat fee of $10 for poetry. Deadline: July 29, 2023. Closes when cap is reached, so submit early.

Mythaxis. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: July 30, 2023.

B Cubed Press: Alternative Truths, Southern Edition: Bless Their Hearts. Genre: Stories, essays, and poems. "Bless Their Hearts will examine the South, a place where politicians and their followers compete to peg the outrage meter. Why—and how—are they turning the United States into a cauldron of bigotry and hate? This book will look at the mindset behind these and other efforts to bring back the Old South, a mythical place and time when everyone knew their place. We want stories that speak to the consequences of such a mindset and where it may be taking us as individuals and as a culture. What, if left unfettered, would these efforts make of America, the world, and the future? And more importantly, how will we fight to stop them?" Payment: $.03 a word upon publication, plus a share of the profits. Deadline: July 30, 2023.

khōréō. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. "This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, transnational/transracial adoptees, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work." Genre: Stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. Payment: 0.08/word for fiction, $100 for nonfiction, and $40-300 for art. Deadline: July 30, 2023.

FIYAH. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to people of the African Diaspora. Genre: Speculative fiction, art, and poetry about African Diaspora. Length: Short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words. Theme: Belonging. Payment: $150 per story. $50 per poem. $300 per novelette. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Silver Blade. Genre: Science Fiction, Slipstream, Classic and Modern Fantasy; short fiction, flash fiction, novellas, and poetry. Payment: $15 for novellas, $3 for flash fiction, $8 for short stories, $8 for single poems and $15 for Featured Poets (by invitation only). Silver Pen will pay half of these rates for previously published works. Deadline: July 31, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Ofic. Genre: Short fiction (up to 12,000 words), nonfiction (CNF, etc.), art. "Send us your dead doves, your blorbos, your plinkos, your wretched meow meows yearning to be free; that thing you wrote that made you think, “I don’t know where this belongs”; the stuff you’d never show anyone you know IRL. Give us your shameless, self-indulgent smut; the manuscript to the video essay you dictated to your YouTube subscribers in your head; your thoughtful explorations of trauma and identity; your Pepe Silvia wall; your sci-fi, your fantasy, your romance, your realism. We want anything and everything. As long as you identify as a fan, we want to read your work." Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Diabolical Plots. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy and horror up to 3,500 words. Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Brink. Genre: Hybrid, cross-genre fiction, nonfiction poetry. Payment: $25 Poem; $50 Work (less than 1500 words); $50 Art (1-3 Images); $100 Art (4+ Images); $100 Work (more than 1501 words). Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Socrates on the Beach. Genre: Longer essays and fiction at least 3000 to 10,000 words. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Artisans of the Soul: An Anthology of Teacher Appreciation. Genre: Fiction and CNF. "We are looking for pieces that specifically highlight the strength, courage, and commitment of teachers to their students. Pieces must be from the perspective of the teacher so that you can fully highlight the heart and soul of the teacher or mentor you are writing about. Genres are limited to general fiction, realism, magical realism, creative nonfiction, fantasy, and literary." Payment: $25 for short stories, $10 for flash fiction, and $5 for poems or drabbles. Deadline: July 31, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Bad Betty. Genre: Full-length poetry collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Written Backwards: Qualia Nous. Genre: Dark science fiction and all blended sub-genres of science fiction (horror, fantasy, etc.) Length:  3,000 – 10,000 words, or poetry (up to 100 lines). Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Fifth Wheel Press: Dreamland. Restrictions: Open to queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming writers. Genre: Poetry, prose poetry, short prose (<1500 words), and other experimental writing by queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming writers. Payment: $5. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

The Cellar Door: After Tomorrow. Genre: Dark fiction. Post-apocalyptic, thriller/suspense, survival horror, creature feature, supernatural/paranormal. Word Count: 2,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: $25.00 + digital & paperback copy. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Epic Echoes. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Crime, Adventure, Horror, and everything in between. "We love genre-blending stories and unique takes on classic tropes. Grounded, more realistic stories are also welcome." Payment: $10 - $20. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Awake. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to Black authors. Genre: Poetry, prose, hybrid, art. Theme: Frontier. Payment: $15 - $50. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Midnight Echo. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Horror fiction, poetry, and non-fiction on horror-related subjects. Payment: AU$0.05/word for fiction. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Malahat Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: CAD $70/page. Deadline: July 31, 2023. Submissions by Canadian writers are accepted for consideration all year.

Taco Bell Quarterly. Genre: Short stories, non-fiction, prose, essays, poetry, art, comics, flash, films, "undefinable auras, experiments, and completely ordinary shit." "We are looking for innovative ways to lower the bar. We are looking for ways to degrade ourselves with flair. We are looking for universes that could be extremely traumatizing if the writers weren’t cowards. We are looking for ways to address the nightmares more directly." Payment: $100. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

What Really Happened. Genre: Short stories, flash fiction. "Pick a famous incident, an unknown one, or make up your own and let us know what really happened! I mean, we’re not saying it was aliens, but…" Word count maximum (firm) of 7,000 words. Anything under 2,000 words will be considered flash fiction. Payment: Royalties. Flash fiction will be paid at 1/2 rate. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Planisphere Quarterly. Genre: Fiction. "I Am - theme is metamorphosis, where the main character is changing into something. Any interpretation is welcome." Payment: $25. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Rebel Satori: QueerMojo imprint. Genre: Book-length fiction and single-author collections of short fiction or poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Red Cape Publishing: A - Z of Horror: T is for Tarot. Genre: Horror on theme. Payment: £10. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Variant Lit. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction Payment: $10. Deadline: July 31, 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: July 31, 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: July 31, 2023.

New Myths. Genre: Speculative fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $30 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry; $50 for book reviews; $80 for art. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Fanatical. Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Dark Recesses Press. Genre: Horror/dark fiction pieces 500-5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

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: July 31, 2023. 

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

The Rumpus. Genre: Essays. "We strive to be a platform for marginalized voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere, and to lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers we love. We work to shine a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power." Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Tales of Sley House. Genre: Short stories in the genres of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, noir mysteries with dark elements, and thrillers, each around 6000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Pseudopod. Genre: Horror Anthologies and Collections of stories that have been published by Pseudopod. Payment: USD $0.08 per word for original fiction. USD $100 per story for reprint fiction. Deadline: July 31, 2023. 

Witch Wizard Warlock. Genre: Short fiction. "Submissions must feature a witch, wizard, warlock, two of those, or even all three. Horror, humor, fantasy, science fiction, or even some entertaining, but bizarre mashup of genres that we haven’t considered." Payment: $10. Deadline: July 31, 2023. 

5 Second Rule. Genre: Short stories. Theme: Superhero, specifically in the 5 Second Rule universe. Payment: $75. Deadline: July 31, 2023. 

Gwyllion. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: £10 per accepted story or poem. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Flash Frog. Genre: Flash fiction ghost stories. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: $25. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Space and Time. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk, magical realism. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: July 31, 2023.
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Ricochet Editions. Genre: Hybrid/Experimental work between 40 and 200 pages. "We are looking for purposeful experimentation with language and form that challenges or plays with convention." Payment: $500 and 50 copies of the perfect-bound book. Deadline: July 31, 2023. No submission fee for POC and Indigenous writers and writers facing financial hardship.

AND A FEW MORE...

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: August 1, 2023.

We'Moon Lunar Calendar. Restrictions: Open to women only. Genre: Art, poetry and prose, 350 words maximum. Payment: Small honorarium; art up to $500. Deadline: August 1, 2023.


Upbeat Tales. Genre: Upbeat and/or comedic fantasy, science fiction and horror stories. Payment: 1 cent/word. Length: 100-6,000 words. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Totally Entwined: Falsely, Madly, Deeply. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Fake relationships. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: August 1, 2023.


Wizards in Space. Genre: Poetry, prose, art. "We’re ready to hear about the chapters of your own journeys. Which pages have you turned, and which are you now opening? We want your cliffhangers, we want your tidy knots, we want your open endings. Fresh starts and sweet farewells." Payment: $40 per original poem or per page of original art; $20 per reprinted poem or per page of reprinted art; $0.04 per word for original prose, based on final published word count; $0.02 per word for reprinted prose, based on final published word count. Deadline: August 1, 2023. Accepts reprints. 

Grimoire: Medusa—The Stone-Cold Bitches. Genre: Short stories, poems, CNF. See theme. Payment: $20. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Monosyllabic Queer Theory. Genre: Poem about queer theory using monosyllabic words. Payment: $250 per piece. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Occult Detective Magazine. Genre: Mystery short stories, nonfiction, art. "We love both old-style and modern, cutting edge weird fiction, and we love folk horror; we embrace unashamed arcane adventure, and we also draw gritty noir mysteries into our domain. At the heart of all these tales are the occult detectives." Payment: $0.01/word (up to $50, up to $30 for nonfiction). Deadline: August 1, 2023.

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

Bad Day Book - Kids (Written by kids for kids) Edition. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for theme. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Bad Day Book - Teenage Years (Written by teenagers for teenagers) Edition. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for theme. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Propertius Press. Restrictions: We are actively seeking submissions by and about persons who identify as Trans and/or Non-Binary. Genre: Full-length literary fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

Propertius Press.  Genre: Cozy mysteries. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: August 1, 2023. May close early if cap is reached.

Terrors from the Toy Box. Genre: Horror. Payment: £20 regardless of story length plus a paperback and digital (pdf & Epub.) copy. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

L’Esprit Literary Review. Genre: Short fiction, creative non-fiction, novel extracts, drama, art, literary criticism, autotheory, and book reviews "written in the fearless, risk-adept, and revolutionary spirit of High Modernism." Payment: $10. Deadline: August 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: August 1, 2023.

Madame Gray's Graveyard of Blood. Genre: Horror. "Open to all subgenres of horror, as long as the story takes place in, or is connected in some way to a cemetery. The more ghoulish, the better! The scarier, the merrier! And a bit of gallows humor is always welcome, but not required." Payment: $5. Deadline: August 1, 2023.

B Cubed Press: Alternative Leadership. Genre: Stories, poetry, and essays. "This anthology is about leadership. Leadership by the under-represented, by those too often forced to watch as those less qualified, less capable rise in a system that cannot see the value of diversity and change. We’re looking for broken barriers of all kinds. Can a man lead the National Organization of Women? Can a woman lead the NFL Players Association? Not in our current world, perhaps, but maybe in alternative worlds?" Payment: $.03 a word upon publication, plus a share of the profits. Deadline: August 1, 2023. Reprints accepted.

59 Writing Contests in July 2023 - No entry fees

Wikimedia: Sunflowers at Museum of Folk Architecture and Ethnography in Pyrohiv, Kyiv, Ukraine This July there are nearly five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 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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PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative. Restrictions: Applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. Prize: Grant, amount not specified. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

The AutoEthnographer Student Scholarships. Restrictions: Open to creatives anywhere in the world who identify as active students at any age or level. Works must be nominated by an instructor, professor, tutor, or other educator; the author/artist must have been an enrolled student in the 2022-2023 school year. Genre: Works of literary and artistic autoethnography. Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Virago 50th Furies Short Story Competition. Restrictions: Open to people of underrepresented genders and women who are from Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage, and multiple-ethnic groups; part of the LGBTQIA+ community; neurodiverse; have a disability; self-identify as working-class individuals; or are from a working-class background. Entrants must be aged 18 or over, resident in the United Kingdom and must not have an agent at the time of entering the Competition or have had any book or short story previously published by a publisher or self-published in whole or in part in any format. Genre: Feminist short story inspired by a synonym for ‘virago.’ Prize: £1,500 prize money and the opportunity to be published in the Furies paperback and ebook. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets. Restrictions: Open to poets aged 18-23. Genre: Poetry. Prize:  $100 and publication in the Atlanta Review. Deadline: July 1, 2023.  

Local Word Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Entries are welcome from living poets anywhere in Australia 16 years or older. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,000 AUD top prize. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Richard J. Margolis Award. Genre: Journalism. Prize is awarded annually to a promising new journalist or essayist whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. Prize: $5,000 and one month of residency at Blue Mountain Center. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. Book must be author's first full-length book of poetry, published between between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Self-published books are accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. The work submitted must be a first book of poetry published between between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Manuscripts, CDs, and chapbooks are not accepted. Prize: $100,000. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

BCLF Short Fiction Story Contest (BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize and BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean). Restrictions: All entrants must be of Caribbean heritage/of Caribbean descent or writers who were born/raised and holding nationality in the Caribbean. Genre: Unpublished short fiction (3000 words max). Prize: US$1750 for each contest. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards. Genre: Poetry. "The awards contest is an annual series of awards to encourage poets to explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit." Prize: $200. Deadline: July 1, 2023. Free entry for poets age 12 and under.

Limnisa Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story under 1,500 words on theme: A room of one's own. Prize: One-week, all-inclusive writers' retreat in Limnisa, Greece. Deadline:  July 2, 2023.

The Michael O’Pray Prize. Restrictions: Open to all early-career writers based in the UK. Genre: Nonfiction writing on innovation and experimentation in the moving image. Prize: £750 top prize. Deadline:  July 2, 2023.

4thWrite Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic writers aged 18+ living in the UK or Ireland. Genre: Short story, 6,000 words maximum. Prize: £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website. Deadline: July 2, 2023.

Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to writers who have lived in the state of Maine for at least one year. Genre: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction. Prize: $5,000.  Deadline: July 6, 2023.

The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Open to unpublished Australian residents aged 18 years or older. Genre: Fiction and narrative non-fiction, the first three chapters plus synopsis (max 20,000 words). Prize: $10,000 and a year’s mentorship with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers. The Guardian Australia will publish an extract of the first chapter of the winning work on its website. Deadline: July 7, 2023.

Wingate Literary Prize. Genre: Published book that explores Jewish themes. Book must be published between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, must be published, distributed or easily available in the UK and Ireland, and must be published in English, whether originally or in translation. Prize: £4,000. Deadline: July 7, 2023.

AAAS/Subaru Book Prize. Genre: Published science book. Categories include: Children's Science Picture Book (prize to author and illustrator); Middle Grades Science Book (prize to author); Young Adult Science Book (prize to author); Hands-On Science Book (prize to author). Winning authors and illustrators will be recognized at the AAAS Annual Meeting which will be held February 15-17, 2024 in Denver, CO. Prize: $1500. Deadline: July 7, 2023.

HG Wells Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story on theme of "Motion." Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: £1,000 and publication in the annual HG Wells Short Story Competition Anthology.  Deadline: July 10, 2023. No fee for writers under the age of 21. Those over 21 can enter for a fee.

Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Only undergraduates enrolled full time in United States and Canadian universities and colleges are eligible. "This Prize has traditionally encouraged submissions from students with an Asian background, but we urge all students to enter." Genre: Fiction of no more than 7,500 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: July 14, 2023.  

Blessing the Boats. Restrictions: Open to all women poets of color in the U.S., including poets who identify as cis, trans, and non-binary people who are comfortable in a space that centers on women’s experiences, regardless of citizenship and publication history. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscript. Prize: $5,000 honorarium and book publication by BOA Editions, Ltd. Deadline: July 14, 2023.  

Working Class Writers Nature Prize. Restrictions: Open to working class writers over 18 and living in the UK. The author must self-identify as working class and not have been published professionally in full-length book form. Genre: Fiction, non-fiction and poetry nature writing. Prize: £300 and a mentoring session. Deadline: July 14, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Prize: $30. Deadline: July 14, 2023.

Iron Horse Prize. Genre: First book of collected prose. Prize: The author of the winning entry will receive $1000, and their collection will be published in the summer of 2024 by Texas Tech University Press. Deadline: July 15, 2023. Free submissions on July 15 only.

Kaidankai podcast. Genre: Stories with a haunted house theme. Length: 1000 - 3000 words. Prize: $25 - $100. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Valiant Scribe Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry. "Valiant Scribe calls for submissions that focus on war and peace, despair and hope. In a world filled with war, poverty, natural disasters, human rights violations, and other ills, we seek poetry that evokes thoughts of hope, telling us there is a light at the end of the tunnel." See theme. Prize: $500 CAD. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Helen Schaible International Sonnet Contest. Genre: Poetry. Categories: #1 Traditional Sonnet – Shakespearean or Petrarchan; #2 Modern Sonnet. Prize: $50, 2nd Prize $30, 3rd Prize $20, three Honorable Mentions, three Special Recognitions. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Boardman Tasker Prize. Restrictions: The prize will be awarded for a work first published or distributed in the United Kingdom between July 17, 2022 and July 15, 2023. Genre: Books with a mountain, not necessarily mountaineering, theme whether fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry, written in the English language. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Arablit Story Prize. Genre: Short story translated from Arabic. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 15, 2023.

Stone Canoe. Restrictions: Open to people who live or have lived in Upstate New York (not New York City). Genres: Drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: July 15, 2023 for fiction. (It is difficult to find this information on their website.) 
The Burlington Contemporary Art Writing Prize. Restrictions: Entrants must have published no more than six pieces of writing in print or online prior to their submission. Genre: Review of a contemporary art exhibition. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: July 17, 2023.

Donn Goodwin and Joseph Gahagen Poetry Prizes: Milwaukee Irish Fest. Genre: Poetry. Entries should have a culture/literary relation to either Ireland, Irish-America, or to Irish poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: July 17, 2022.

Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards. Restrictions: Scottish writers over 18 years of age. Genres: The awards are divided into three different categories.: Fiction and Narrative Non-fiction in English and Scots, Poetry in English and Scots, Children’s and Young Adult Fiction in English and Scots. Prize: £2,000 and personal development opportunities, which can include mentoring from writers and industry professionals. Training in PR, performance and presentation training, and the opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents. Deadline: July 19, 2023. (Noon)

Undiscovered Voices. Restrictions: Current members of SCBWI who live in the UK or one of the current countries of the EU or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. Genre: Opening of an already completed novel for children, aimed at any age from 5 years through to Young Adult. You may submit up to 4,000 words – choosing a suitable place to stop your extract. Prize: Publication. Deadline: July 20, 2023.

Black Voices in Children's Literature Writing Contest. Restrictions: The contest is open to Black authors who at the time of entry are at least 18 years of age and residing anywhere in the United States. Genre: Original children’s books for ages 0–4 (50–125 words) or for ages 4–8 (300–800 words) featuring authentic, realistic Black characters and culture and focusing on one or more of the following topics: character development, self-esteem, identity, diversity, getting along with others, engaging with family and community, or other topics related to positive childhood development. Religious and fantasy themes will not be considered. Prize: First Place: $1000. Second Place: $500 cash prize. Third Place: $250 cash prize. Deadline: July 24, 2023.

Literature Matters. Restrictions: UK residents. Genre: "Awards will be given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. Launched as part of the RSL’s new Literature Matters programme, priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters." Award: £20,000. Deadline: July 28, 2023.

The Governor General’s Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre: Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Mustapha Matura Award. Restrictions: The competition is open to any playwright of Caribbean or African descent, resident in the UK. Entrants must be 25 years or under at the time of submission. Genre: Stage play in English. Television, radio plays and film scripts will not be considered. Prize: £3,000 top prize. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

The Prescription Prizes in Creative Writing. Genre: Prose (including scripts), poetry and hybrid writing. "In 2023 the RCPSG is launching its new ‘the prescription’ competition for creative writing around its historic collection of medical items representing Glasgow’s health care history. You can access our online collections here and you should include the name of the item that inspired you and its catalogue number in your competition entry." Prize: £100 top prize. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students who are FULL TIME, undergraduate students in an AMERICAN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY during the Spring 2023 semester. Genre: Essay on topic: ““2023 is the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Does Abraham Lincoln deserve the title of ‘The Great Emancipator’? Why or why not?” Prize: 1st Prize $1500 | 2nd Prize $750 | 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

SLF Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds Grants. Restrictions: Open to writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, working-class writers, etc. -- those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing / publishing process. Genres: Book-length works (novels, collections of short stories) of speculative fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Restrictions: Open to young poets age 11 - 17. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Publication. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Landfall Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to New Zealand writers. Genre: Essay about New Zealand. Prize: The winner will receive $3000 and a year’s subscription to Landfall. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Polar Expressions Publications Short Story and Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Short story, poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Tilted House: 1BR / 3BATH Poetry Chapbook Contest. Genre: Poetry chapbook, 16 - 35 pages of  "experimental, puckish, political, funny, playful, polemical, and/or uncomfortable. In a word: anti-poetry. While there is no theme, per se, we are hungry for work that twists the arm of poetry’s status quo. We like meta poetics, satire, work that is aware of itself and what’s in the air. Maybe you “don’t know what you’re doing” or feel like your work is “unpublishable.” Send it to us! Give us your freaky. Give us your fun." Prize: $200.  Deadline: July 31, 2023. READING FEE: $0–$20, sliding scale.

Crossing the Tees Book Festival. Genre: Short stories, 3000 words max. Prize: Cash prize. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Singapore Unbound. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates. Genre: Critical essays on topics in Singapore literature. Prize: $250. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

The Washburn Chapbook Prize. Restrictions: Open to women or non-binary writers. Genre: Chapbook exactly 10 poems long. Prize: $200 and publication of their micro chapbook online at Harbor Review. Deadline: July 31, 2023. Fees are waived for BIPOC identifying writers only.

Biopage. Genre: "Inspiring, uplifting, and heartwarming stories." Prizes: Up to $300. Deadline: July 31, 2023. Registration required.

The 1729 Book Prize in Poetry. Genre: Book-length poetry. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Arvon Award. Restrictions: Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Full-length work of fiction, poetry or narrative non-fiction work in progress. Prize: Arvon course. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

TLC Free Reads. Restrictions: Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Full-length work of fiction or narrative non-fiction work in progress. Prize: In-depth editorial report on their work in progress, Deadline: July 31, 2023.

NorthBound Book Award. Restrictions: Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Completed full-length work of fiction or narrative non-fiction. Prize: advance against royalties of £5000, publication with Saraband and access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Network. Royalties will be paid on Saraband’s standard terms. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Surging Tide. Genre: Poetry, prose. Prize: The winner of each category will be awarded $100 and each runner-up will also be awarded $25. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers. Genre: An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to writers 10-13 years old, and 13-16 years old. (Two categories.) Genre: Short story. Prize: $500 for first place; $250, 2nd place; $100, 3rd place. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of Mirage. 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: July 31, 2023.

Resource Center for Women and Ministry in the South Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to women (including trans and nonbinary women) age 18+.  Genre: Nonfiction essay, 1200 words max, on repair, release, or renewal. Each of us writes amid torn hearts, fractured communities, and broken systems. When do we repair? What do we release? How do we renew? We invite essays that explore, complicate, and/or write against this theme. Prize: $300. Deadline: July 31, 2023.

What’s Your Story? Restrictions: Open to Victorian residents. (Australia) Genre: Poetry, short stories, CNF. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 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: July 31, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

40 Fabulous Writing Conferences and Workshops in July 2023

Wallowa Lake, Oregon: Raw Pixel This July there are more than three dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but many will be in-person or hybrid as pandemic restrictions ease. Virtual events still 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. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early. Popular conferences also tend to close early. 

I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)

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Idyllwild Arts Summer Program for Children & Teens. July 2 - 29, 2023: Idyllwild, California. The 2023 Summer Program will offer workshops for all ages and abilities on our picturesque mountain campus. The tradition of gathering an impassioned community of artists during the summer months in Idyllwild dates back over seven decades and has served generations of musicians, painters, writers and performers in a variety of disciplines including dance and theatre. Join us in discovering the magic of an Idyllwild Arts summer, and explore your creativity in an inspiring setting with an enthusiastic community of students, faculty and staff. Residential options exist for adults and students aged 10 and up.

Orion Nonfiction Workshop with Moeko Fujii. July 5 - August 9, 2023. The course: Stranger Natures. "How do we see nature? When does the environment come to life—or into something stranger—in films and in nonfiction? In this workshop, we will learn how to write alongside visual media that makes us re-think our notion of “nature.” We will proceed from the infinitesimally small to the impossibly large, from looking carefully at still frames to analyzing grand narratives about the climate. In this class, we will watch slowly and with detailed attention, also looking at films that may not, at first glance, seem to be “about” the environment. We will experiment together, considering what techniques of film can be integrated into our own writing. The reading list will include essays from writers such as Susan Sontag, Rob Nixon, Anna Tsing, Annie Dillard, and Mel Chen. Each class will be separated into two parts. For the first section, we will discuss the reading/watching assignment. The second half of the class will be devoted to critiquing student work. Additionally, you will complete a small (300-500 words) writing assignment every week, in which you will respond to a prompt. Students will be asked to write a short essay inspired by the readings and viewings." Apply by May 15.

Sleuthfest. July 6 - 9, 2023: Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America a conference for writers and fans. Features writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:
* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work
* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission
* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops
* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors
* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors
* Sessions on the craft of writing
* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work
* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors

North Carolina Writing Day Workshop. July 7 - 8, 2023. Online. This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on July 7-8, 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 “Carolina” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually.

Summer Camp In Fiction: Explore, Play, And Inspire. July 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "Our summer camp is a time to find the kind of encouragement for your writing that only a generous mentor can provide. To find inspiration and support. To be with a community that understands the long process of creating. To work 1:1 and fine-tune your words and pitches while you have some fun." 

Tin House Summer Workshop. July 8 - 16, 2023: Portland, Oregon. The 20th annual Tin House Summer Workshop will be held from July 8 to July 16 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The program features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction (limited to 8 to 10 members per class), as well as one-on-one meetings with faculty and industry guests, craft lectures, author conversations, generative exercises, readings, and karaoke. Participating writers include poets Megan Fernandes, Solmaz Sharif, and Jake Skeets; fiction writers Dantiel W. Moniz, Deesha Philyaw, and Matthew Salesses; and nonfiction writers Jaquira Díaz, Melissa Febos, and Meredith Talusan. Tuition is $1,500; the fee for meals and lodging in the Reed College dormitories is $700. Scholarships, payment plans, and application fee waivers are available. Using only the online application system, writers submitted a writing sample of up to four poems totaling no more than eight pages or up to 4,000 words of prose with a $25 application fee from January 9 to January 29. Closed.

ASLE Biennial Conference. July 9 - 12, 2023: Portland, OR. "ASLE seeks to inspire and promote intellectual work in the environmental humanities and arts. Our vision is an inclusive community whose members are committed to environmental research, education, literature, art and service, environmental justice, and ecological sustainability."

Young Writers Workshop. July 9 - 29, 2023: Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Restrictions: For students completing grades 9, 10, 11. Three 90-minute workshop sessions daily, including imaginative writing activities and discussion of readings. Weekly individual meetings with workshop instructor. Focus is on using various forms of creative writing to develop language and thinking skills. 

Victorian Chautauqua Writers Workshop. July 10 - 14, 2023: Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. The Victorian Chautauqua 2023 Writers’ Workshop series will include four courses that include adult and children's literature. Children can register for one of two creative writing workshops for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The week-long workshops offer diverse instruction for creative writing disciplines by experienced and notable instructors. At the end of the week, each workshop participant will have an opportunity to be part of a public showcase of their work.

Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 10 - 16, 2023: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Take a weeklong writing workshop in your favorite genre: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, or short story. Each workshop is limited to no more than 13 participants, giving you the opportunity to build connections with a world-class instructor and your fellow writers. Throughout the week, we’ll bring the best of Summer Fishtrap to you through craft talks, discussions, open mics, readings, and a special 35th Anniversary Celebration.

Community of Writers Workshop in Fiction. July 10 - 17, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. These workshops assist serious writers by exploring the art and craft as well as the business of writing. The week offers daily morning workshops, craft lectures, panel discussions on editing and publishing, staff readings, as well as brief individual conferences. The morning workshops are led by staff writer-teachers, editors, or agents. There are separate morning workshops for Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction/ Memoir. In addition to their workshop manuscript, participants may have a second manuscript read by a staff member who meets with them in an individual conference. During the week, a portion of our workshops is devoted exclusively to nonfiction. Memoir, narrative nonfiction, and essays are invited. Literary criticism and scholarly work will not be considered. Nonfiction applicants can use the same general form for submission. Application deadline March 5.

The Summer Writers Institute. July 10 - 30, 2023: St. Louis, Missouri. The Washington University Summer Writers Institute is an intensive, two-week program featuring workshops in fiction, micro fiction, modern humor, personal narrative, playwriting, and poetry, as well as reading and individual conferences with instructors. Adult writers of all levels of experience work together with published authors and exceptional teachers in a supportive, non-competitive format that allows for personalized attention and constructive feedback.  

Summer Camp in Illustration: Intensive Artistic Inspiration. July 12 - 15, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for four days at our Summer Camp in Illustration for inspiration, guidance, support, community, fun, creativity, and growth."

Southampton Writers Conference. July 12 - 16, 2023: Long Island, NY. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and publishing, as well as readings, lectures, and a master class series. Creative writing workshops are the heart and soul of the summer experience, meeting four afternoons or mornings throughout the session. Enrollment is limited to 13 lucky writers who have applied with writing samples. Those accepted have the privilege of sharing their work in an intimate, rigorous and friendly setting. 

Saskatchewan Festival of Words. July 13 - 15, 2023: Moose Jaw, Canada. Workshops for all ages, reading sessions, concerts, film, panel discussions, interviews, music, theatre, a slam poetry competition as well as workshops and author readings.

Imaginarium. July 14 - 16, 2023: Louisville KY. A three day annual event held in Louisville, Kentucky centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels. Imaginarium Convention features extensive programming content, with panels and workshops presented by over 150 professional guests covering everything from the craft of writing to various genres, industry-specific topics, publishing, and social media/publicity. The convention features a film festival with a full array of awards, a masquerade/costume contest, live music, gaming, an expo open to the general public, an awards banquet, a series of literary awards called the Imadjinns, and many more activities, creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that is content-rich and ideal for networking, promotion and personal development. 

Colrain Classic. June 16 - 19, 2023. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3-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, manuscript workshop and editorial sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." On Zoom.

Summer Camp in Nonfiction: Explore, Engage, and Inspire. July 16 - 20, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. "In-person 5-Day/4-Night Workshop and Retreat Get away for five days at our Summer Camp in Nonfiction for inspiration, guidance, mentorship, community, fun, creativity, and growth."

Port Townsend Writers’ Conference. July 16 - 22, 2023: Port Townsend, Washington. workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft lectures, readings, open mics, and time to write. "The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference has been since 1974 at the wild heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. With a focus on community and rigorous attention to craft, the Conference offers morning workshops, afternoon workshops, residencies, guided freewrites, and a vibrant readings and lectures series presented by vital, contemporary writers." 

Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. July 16 - 29, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. In person.

Writer’s Digest Conference. July 17 - 20, 2023: New York City. Annual Writer's Digest Conference featuring: Pitch Slam, with more than fifty agents and editors in attendance, educational tracks devoted to publishing and self-publishing, platform and promotion, and the craft of writing,  speakers and instructors. 

Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 18 -  30, 2023: Sewanee, TN. Faculty will give readings and provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures, as well as meet individually with participants to discuss their manuscripts. The Conference will offer five fiction workshops, four poetry workshops, and a playwriting workshop supported by two professional actors. In addition, a substantial number of literary agents will attend.

Midwest Writers Workshop. July 19 - 22, 2023: Muncie, Indiana. July 20 -22, 2023 Virtual. Craft and business sessions, agent pitches, manuscript evaluations. MWW includes quality instruction by a faculty of authors, agents, editors, and specialists. Will be held online and in person.

Romance Writers of America. July 19 - 22, 2023: Anaheim, California. Opening Session Speaker: Mel Walker. Workshop leaders: Jen Graybeal, Peggy Jaeger, Thien-Kim Lam, Mia P. Manansala, and many more.

The Cambridge Writers’ Workshop Summer Writing Retreat. July 19 - 25, 2023: Paris, France. The retreat offers participating writers of all genres and levels to work alongside award-winning authors and editors. Participating writers will hone their craft and expand their writing skills, while working on new or existing projects. Tuition is $3,875, which includes lodging in central Paris, creative writing workshops and writing seminars with our supportive and award-winning faculty of writers and editors, and daily breakfast. Register by June 1, 2023.

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Retreat. July 20 - 23, 2023, Colorado Springs, CO. An intensive 3-day writing retreat. Sold out.

North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 20 - 23, 2023: Davidson, North Carolina. This workshop will explore how to write about places and spaces, while remaining mindful of the interconnections between the natural and cultural, the built and non-built, the human and animal. We will investigate how notions of home and belonging are created and maintained as well as how they can be disrupted by alterations to the cultural traditions and physical environments that surround us and inform our sense of place. During the workshop, we will read and write about the places that have made us who we are today. We will also consider our responsibilities to those places and how to preserve them both in reality and on the page.

IWWG Summer Writers Conference: Writing for Equity and Inclusion. July 20 - 24, 2023: Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA. The conferene will feature over 70 workshops, critiques, open mics, performances, and awards.


Northwestern University Summer Writers’ Conference. July 21 - 22, 2023: Chicago, Illinois. "This year’s schedule offers presentations for writers of all genres and backgrounds. Learn how to write your life in 750 words or less, structure your chapbook, and infuse your writing with revolution. Hear from award-winning authors on how to generate dramatically rich scenes, evoke memories through metaphors, and layer your writing with suspense. Get some pro tips for interviewing and advice on how and when to submit to literary journals, agents, and contests." Will be held online.

Cascade Three-day Critique Workshop. July 21 – 23, 2023: Bremerton, WA. "Our Three-Day Critique Workshop is an opportunity for you to submit the first 4000 words of your novel, short story, or whatever project you are working on, for critique in a group of up to 8 peers led by an industry professional. This is a great way to polish up those first pages and first chapter. Submissions are due six weeks before the event via our Discord Channel. Registrants will receive login information a few weeks before submissions are due. There will also be one-hour workshops and panel presentations on craft, querying, the publishing industry, and more. Optional casual gatherings provide opportunities to get to know other writers as well as authors, editors, and agents." Proof of vaccination required.

Confluence-SFF. July 21 - 23, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. Located at the birthplace of the Ohio River, Confluence is Pittsburgh’s longest-running literary conference with a strong focus on science fiction, fantasy and horror. Award-winning authors, editors, artists and song-writers gather for three full days.

The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference, July 21-23 Virtual; July 28-30 In-Person, Los Angeles, CA. West Coast Writers Conferences presents a full weekend of panels, workshops and presentations by educators, noted speakers, and industry professionals focused on the craft and business of writing.

Mystery Writers Conference.  July 21 - 23, 2023: Corte Madera, CA. In this conference, mystery writers learn the clues to a successful writing career. Editors, agents, and publishers tell participants what they need to know to get published. Authors offer classes on setting, dialogue, suspense, point of view, and openings. They tell how to write about private eyes, amateur sleuths, and police protagonists, and how to create thrillers and historical mysteries. Panels of detectives, forensic experts, police, and other crime-fighting professionals provide information that allows crime fiction writers to put realism in their work. 

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. July 27 -  30, 2023, Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.

Taylor's Professional Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Upland, Indiana. Advanced and Teen Tracks starting July 27, 2023. 35 seminars covering General & First-timers, Fiction, Nonfiction, Platform & Marketing and Specialty Writing. 

Steamboat Springs Writers Conference. July 28 - 29, 2023: Steamboat Springs, CO. Two instructors, seminar-type workshops for all levels, beginning to professional. Topics change each year. Limited enrollment. 

The Creativity Workshop in New York. July 28 - 31, 2023: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."

Catamaran Writing Conference: Poetry. July 30 - August 3, 2023: Pebble Beach, CA. The workshop meets four mornings and each participant will receive focused feedback from the group on their poems. You'll be invited to submit a writing sample for group feedback. Optional participant readings will be held. During registration you will be invited to indicate your poetry workshop instructor preference. 

Napa Valley Writers’ Conference. July 30 - August 4, 2023: Napa, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and translation, as well as craft talks and evening readings. The faculty includes poets Jane Hirshfield and Major Jackson, fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang and ZZ Packer, and translator Forrest Gander. The cost of the conference is $1,100, which includes tuition, daily breakfast and lunch, two dinners, and wine tastings. Closed.

Frost Place Poetry Seminar. July 30 - August 4, 2023. The Seminar schedule features a daily presentation/discussion exploring aspects of craft and technique, an afternoon workshop of participants’ poems or individual, virtual meetings with faculty, and an evening reading, some by faculty poets and others featuring participants. The application deadline is July 1, 2023. Will be held online.

8 New Agents Seeking Literary Fiction, Picture Books, Kidlit, Graphic Novels, Romance, SFF, and more

Alice Caprio ​Here are eight 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. Alice Caprio of Felicity Bryan Literary Agency (UK)

I am passionate about showcasing diverse and underrepresented voices and I value books that do not shy away from representing the complexities of growing up. I am looking for books with fresh and exciting concepts, whose voices can cross borders and speak out about important topics in an accessible and authentic manner. More generally, I’m looking for captivating storytelling, engrossing world building and atmospheric real-world settings­; writing that feels escapist in some way but remains grounded in real-life concerns.

What she is seeking: I am actively building a list that spans middle grade and YA fiction across all genres, commercial adult fiction, and romance and fantasy for all ages. I am on the hunt for stories that are smart, commercial and bold, with a clear international appeal.

How to submit: Read submission requirements HERE.
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Lauren Albury of Holloway Literary

After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s in English from The College at Southeastern, Lauren interned with FinePrint Literary Agency in New York City. Prior to becoming a literary agent, She lives in Raleigh, NC.

What she is seeking: Literary fiction, Historical fiction, Book club/Women’s, Upmarket fiction, Caribbean stories and voices, Southern settings, Romantic themes, Rich immersive settings like Where the Crawdads Sing and lyrical prose like All the Light We Cannot See.

How to submit: Read full submission guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Saribel Pages of Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency

Spanish Harlem born and bred, Saribel graduated from Kalamazoo College with a B.S in Anthropology, an embarrassingly long to be read list, and a passion for children’s literature. This passion led her to positions at Penguin Random House and W.W. Norton, where she learned about the different sides of the publishing industry. Now at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency, she is excited to work with a team so dedicated to uplifting marginalized voices. When not reading, you can find her playing various tabletop roleplaying games or explaining roller derby to her friends.

What she is seeking:  I am only seeking to represent picture books and graphic novels. I’m interested in contemporary, adventure, fantasy, speculative, horror, and mysteries. In cases where accommodation is needed, you can instead email me your query and first 20 scripted pages (both pasted into the email) to saribel@galltzacker.com, and include QUERY in the title of the email.

How to submit: Use her query manager here. In cases where accommodation is needed, you can instead email me your query and first 20 scripted pages (both pasted into the email) to saribel@galltzacker.com, and include QUERY in the title of the email.
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Mr. Eric Showers of Howard Morhaim Literary Agency

Eric Showers is an agent at HMLA representing adult speculative fiction and nonfiction.

What he is seeking: He’s most drawn, in speculative fiction, to narratives that explore hierarchies of power, novel world-building in secondary world fantasy, and protagonists with unique voices. THE TRAITOR BARU CORMORANT by Seth Dickinson, THE UNSPOKEN NAME by A. K. Larkwood, and GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir are books that have hit some of these notes most recently. He’s also looking for stories on the cozier side of speculative fiction, along the lines of Becky Chambers’s THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL ANGRY PLANET or Travis Baldree’s LEGENDS AND LATTES. In nonfiction, he’s most interested in history and philosophy.

How to submit: To query Eric, please email your query letter and the first three chapters of your novel or your full non-fiction book proposal to eric@morhaimliterary.com. Email attachments are acceptable.

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Ms. Kelly Bergh of Lucinda Literary

Kelly holds a master’s degree in publishing from Drexel University and splits her time between Philadelphia and Seattle. After beginning her career as an editor in academic publishing and briefly serving as a children’s librarian, Kelly joined Lucinda Literary to begin building a list in adult practical nonfiction.

What she is seeking: Adult practical nonfiction in the categories of health and wellness, spirituality, and popular science. She selectively takes on children’s and gift books/decks in the same areas. A certified yoga teacher, Kelly is drawn to representing authors who seek to educate and empower those curious about what it means to live in alignment with their values. She is looking for PhDs and journalists who want to share their research with a general audience, as well as established thought leaders and influencers seeking a new medium through which to connect with their existing audiences.

How to submit: Use her querymanager here. 

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Clara Foster of Aevitas Creative Management (UK)

Prior to joining Aevitas, Clara was an agency assistant for the Blair Partnership.

What she is seeking: In fiction, I am looking for stories in the upmarket/book-club sweet spot where literary and genre-fiction meet (think CIRCE and LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY), intensely emotional literary women (think LUSTER by Raven Leilani or THE GUEST by Emma Cline), and just about anything written with beautiful prose, a high-stakes plot, and/or a folkloric, legendary, or mythical grounding (think SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN by Shelley Parker-Chan, A MARVELLOUS LIGHT by Freya Markse, or NINTH HOUSE by Leigh Bardugo. I love a romance in any genre—fantasy, historical, mystery, or a combination of all three—and will, no matter how dark a book gets in the middle, always gravitate towards a happy ending.

In the YA/Crossover space: much like my taste in adult fiction, I want to see clever world-building, emotional (and flawed) characters, and preferably a romantic sub-plot—or main plot. Here however I would like to find writing from authors who push the boundaries even further: new twists on old tropes, high concepts (an idea you can pitch in a sentence), and perspectives we rarely get to see. My enduring favourites from my teenage years are THE HUNGER GAMES and A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, and I would love to help publish books that stick just as steadfastly with a new generation of readers.

In Non-fiction, I would like to find highly practical guides aimed squarely at women with the intention of filling crucial gaps in our collective knowledge. Books I thinks have done this successfully include GIRLS WHO INVEST by Simran Kaur and HOW TO WORK WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND by Cate Sevilla.

How to submit: Use her querymanager here. 

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Gabriella Melendez of Great Dog Literary

Gabriella currently lives in the DMV area and received her Bachelors degree from the University of Maryland. She was previously a prose editor for UMD’s literary journal, STYLUS, as well as an editor for their academic journal. Gabriella is also a graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute, where she focused her efforts on learning about the different divisions of publishing and ways to promote diversity. She began interning at Great Dog in January 2022 before transitioning full time to the Great Dog Team.

What she is seeking: "Young adult fiction and adult fiction." Gabriella is working towards her goal of promoting diversity and underrepresented voices in fiction with specific interest in stories by Latinx/Hispanic authors. Her taste gravitates towards commercial or upmarket fiction and she is interested in stories that present real issues in a digestible format for a wide range of readers.

How to submit: Use her querymanager here. 

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Ms. Kelly Karczewski of United Talent Agency

Kelly Karczewski majored in English at Amherst College before getting her start in publishing at (now-defunct) Foundry Literary + Media. She moved to UTA in January 2023 and is now building her own list of varied fiction and nonfiction.

Whast she is seeking: On the fiction side, Kelly is generally drawn towards books that will translate well to the screen—contemporary stories that draw you in with a strong commercial hook, and keep you reading with sharp, surprising writing. She has a soft spot for elevated romantic comedies, thrillers, stories set on the East coast, and books with a touch of lifestyle envy. Anything Nancy Meyers might adapt…

For nonfiction, she reads solely to learn something new–and while there is little she isn’t curious about, she’s most interested in exploring topics with bite, especially those that speak to a larger moment in our culture. She’s always eager to read more about sexuality, art history, sports, conspiracy theories, cults, dating & relationships, and feminist history.

How to submit: Email queries only. Please send the first 10 pages of your manuscript, along with your query letter, to kelly.karczewski@unitedtalent.com with “Query for Kelly Karczewski: TITLE” as your subject heading. She’ll be in touch within 4-6 weeks if she is interested in representing your work. Due to the volume of submissions, she is unable to reply to every query.

87 Calls for Submissions in June 2023 - Paying markets

Public Domain This June there are more than seven 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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Rebel Satori: Bijou Series. Genre: Short form fiction, novels, and novelettes. Themes may include LGBTQIA+ fiction and queer speculative fiction/fantasy. Manuscripts should be 25-30K words in length. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Vastarien. Genre: Horror. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: 5 cents/word for prose; $50 for poetry and art. Deadline: Opens June 1. Submissions close when they reach their cap of 300.

Extra Teeth. Genre: Short fiction and nonfiction between 800 and 4,000 words. "We look for short stories that stick with you, lingering in the memory long after reading, and essays that explore specific interests or issues from a new perspective. We offer a space for writers to be strange, bold and experimental, and to express their unique style however they see fit." Payment: £100. Deadline: Opens June 1, 2023.

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

The Offing: Translation. Genre: Translated work in any genre. Payment: $25–$100. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Old Moon. Genre: Weird fiction and sword-and-sorcery. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

sin cesar: Climate. Restrictions: They prioritize work by Black and Brown artists. “We do not accept work that sustains the traditional white literary Western canon that has continuously ignored and poised itself as an authority over the voices of the oppressed. We do not give a voice to stories from the perspectives of cisgender, heterosexual, white, upper-class males that continue this tradition. We also do not give a voice to feminist works that only consider white female perspectives.” Genre: Fiction (including flash fiction), nonfiction (memoir essays, critical essays, book reviews, & interviews), and poetry on the Climate theme. “We look for subversive and bold voices; thought-provoking pieces that seek to illuminate a truth for the reader.” Payment: $25-75 for poetry, $100 for prose. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

llustrated Worlds Genre: Fantasy, dark fantasy and horror. Payment: fiction will pay one copy of the printed magazine and 1 cent per word. Poetry will pay one copy of the printed magazine and $10. Cover art will receive one copy of the magazine and $50. Inside art will receive one copy of the printed magazine and $10 - $20 depending on the size of the printed version. Deadline: Opens June 1, 2023.

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: June 1, 2023.

Massachusetts Review. Genre: Personal essays, stories, interviews, and poems about womanhood as it relates to modern times. Payment: $200. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

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

Third Flatiron. Genre: SF, fantasy, space opera, hopepunk. Theme: Rhapsody of the Spheres. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Dead Letters. Genre: Short horror stories in the epistolary format—meaning, stories written as letters, journal entries, transcripts of radio broadcasts, newspaper clippings, text messages, etc. Furthermore, each story should include some mention of how its manuscript was “discovered.” A letter found in a historian’s archive, for example. Or emails saved as part of a missing persons investigation. Or an audio file recovered from a dead podcaster’s PC. Length: 2,500 – 7,000 words. Payment: $0.01 per word. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Gemma Files. Genre: Horror short stories based on the themes set out in Gemma Files’ classic work, Experimental Film. Payment: $50 per piece. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

The New Lesbian Pulp. Genre: Short stories, scripts. Length: 3,000 - 10,000 words. "The landscape of relationships, queer embodiment, and womanhood has shifted past our cultural focus. We the editors want stories that pull the lens back to where we are now: what is the reality of the contemporary dyke?" Payment: $300 to $1,000 per contributor. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark, eerie speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $10 for fiction. Deadline: June 2, 2023.

Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales and poetry on theme: Love. Payment: $50. Deadline: June 2, 2023.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: June 2, 2023. Opens June 1.

Space Cat Press. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories and creative non-fiction inspired by the theme ‘Into the Forest’. "We welcome submissions from a variety of genres. Whatever the theme inspires YOU to write – be it traditional science fiction, memoirs, poetry, (mild) otherworldly horror, fairy tales, or something else entirely – we want to read it." Payment: flat rate fee for each piece - £5 for poetry/flash fiction and £10 for short stories. Deadline: June 2, 2023. (Extended)

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Legendary People. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: June 4, 2023.

Mizna. Restrictions: Contributors do not need to identify as of Arab/SWANA descent, provided their work is of relevance to or in dialogue with the social realities of the SWANA/Arab region or community. Genre: Poetry, stories, creative essays, flash fiction, comics. Theme: Cinema. "We are seeking works which explore the relationship between moving image–making and writing and what the two practices can offer one another." Payment: $200. Deadline: June 4, 2023.

The Margins. Restrictions: Open to Asian American and diasporic poets. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 to $90 (USD) for original and translated poetry; the fee varies based on the number and length of poems. Deadline: June 5, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Theme: Poison. Payment: £30. Deadline: June 5, 2023.

The Victorian Writer. Genre: Poems and articles. Payment: Poems ($70), and articles of 600 words ($100) and 1200 words ($200) in the print edition with particular interest in the craft of writing and the writing life. Deadline: June 6, 2023. Note: Pitches only. See themes.

Tasavvur. Genre: South Asian speculative fiction. Payment: 2.5 cents per word, up to a maximum of 5,000 words. Deadline: June 6, 2023.

Lightspeed. Genre: Science fiction flash fiction Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: June 7, 2023.

Words and Sports. Genre: Baseball/football/basketball/hockey/soccer stories & comics & poems & collages & cnf & hybrid & other genres we're not even thinking about, but we'd really love to see stuff in any way related to non-major sports! Payment: $50. Deadline: June 7, 2023.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: Noir stories on theme: Freedom. Length: Between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: June 7, 2023. This is a monthly call.

Bright Wall/Dark Room. Genre: Essays on film and TV on theme of Vacation. "For our July issue, we’re looking at Vacations on film—the good, the bad, and the furiously funny." Payment: $100 per essay. Deadline: June 7, 2023.

Samjoko Magazine. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, play, screenplay. Payment: $20. Deadline: June 10, 2023.

Antithesis. Genre: Poetry, research articles, art, and short fiction, creative nonfiction, and personal essays up to 3,500 words on the theme of Cosmos. Payment: $50 AUD. Deadline: June 11, 2023.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  Deadline: June 14, 2023.

Cast of Wonders. Genre: YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Theme: Banned Books Week. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words. For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Deadline: June 14, 2023.

Neon. Genre: Speculative fiction on theme of Childhood. "Neon is a magazine of slipstream fiction, poetry, and artwork. We publish creative work that is fantastic or surreal, and which crosses the boundaries between science-fiction, horror and literary fiction." Payment: Minimum of £10. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Bull City Press. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction Chapbooks. Payment: Royalties (?) Deadline: June 15, 2023

Baffling. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Length: Under 1200 words. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: June 15, 2023. See themes.

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

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: June 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: June 15, 2023.

A Public Space. Genre: Fiction, essays, poetry, as well as graphic and hybrid work. Payment: Honorarium. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Augur Magazine. Restrictions: Open to creators who are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Disabled, and/or Trans, who are also Canadian citizens/permanent residents and/or who are living within the settler-defined borders of the land colonially known as Canada. Genre: Fantasy. "Give us your most gorgeous fairy tale retellings, your most earnest and subversive fables. Introduce us to your beloved mythical creatures; your trans mages and gay knights; your deeply immersive worlds and dreamworlds and underworlds." Payment: $0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under). Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Grain Magazine. Genre: Fiction, literary nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: CAD50/page up to CAD250 for writing, up to CAD500 for art. Deadline: June 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: June 15, 2023.

Propertius Press.  Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 15, 2023. May close early if cap is reached.

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

Transit Books. Genre: Translations (fiction & nonfiction) and nonfiction proposals for their Undelivered Lectures series. They are not considering English-language fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Saltbush. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction of up to 3,000 words on the theme of ‘Fracture.’ Shorter works are also welcome, as are works that challenge genre boundaries. Payment: AUD$150 per piece of fiction and non-fiction and AUD$100 per poem or piece of flash fiction. Deadline: June 16, 2023.

The Offing: Insight. Genre: Creative nonfiction (usually personal essay) that centers one’s personal experience against the backdrop of art, literature, and culture. Insight essays generally fuse together two topics that don’t typically belong together, weaving—and investigating—what is perceived versus what is true. Payment: $25–$100. Deadline: June 16, 2023.

Luna Press. Genre: Speculative fiction novels and collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 18, 2023.

Witch House. Genre: Cosmic horror. Payment: $10. Deadline: June 18, 2023.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: June 24, 2023. See themes.

Anthesis. Genre: Creative writing (short fiction, creative non-fiction, personal essays) up to 3,000 words; Scholarly research articles up to 7,500 words; Poetry up to 100 lines; Artwork (paintings, drawings, photography, digital art, comic art, graphic narratives, etc.) Payment: AU$50. Deadline: June 25, 2023. See theme.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box. Genre: Poetry. Payment $40 CAD. Deadline: June 25, 2023.

Afreada. Restrictions: Open to African writers. Genre: Short fiction, personal essays. Payment: £25. Deadline: June 29, 2023.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art. Payment: $50. Deadline: June 30, 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: June 30, 2023.

Green Writers Press. Genres: Poetry, fiction, short story collections, environmental essay collections, middle-grade and YA/teen fiction, artwork, and photography. Green Writers Press is an independent, Vermont-based publishing company, is dedicated to spreading environmental awareness and social justice by publishing authors who promulgate messages of hope and renewal through place-based writing and environmental activism. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30th, 2023.

Harbor Editions: Hybrid Chapbook Reading Period. Genre: Hybrid chapbook. Chapbooks should be around 20-50 pages. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2023. No fee for BIPOC writers.

Dracula Beyond Stoker. Genre: Fiction based on Stoker’s characters. See theme. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Sinister Smile Press: If I Die Before I Wake – Tales of Death and Destruction. Genre: Horror. Length: Between 4,000 and 10,000 words. See theme. Payment: $30 - $50 depending on length. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Written in the Wind – Fantastic Tales on the Power of Names. Genre: Fantasy short stories will explore names and the power they hold over us. Length: 2000-4000 words (+/- 250 words) Payment: $20. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

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

Greater Than His Nature. Genre: Short stories based on the theme of “mad science.” Cackling Victorian scientists, giant atomic monsters, and Cronenbergian body horror are all fair game. I’m even open to the right piece of nonfiction for this one. I’m especially interested to include stories from disabled and chronically ill writers. You don’t need to self-identify if you don’t want to or give me any information you don’t feel comfortable with; just know that, if you’ve got some medical trauma you need to work through with monsters and mayhem, I’m here for you." Payment: $5. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Open All Night. Genre: Horror and fantasy (and all and any assorted sub- and cross-genres) based around the theme of “open all night.” "While not strictly necessary, I’ll definitely be looking for retail and service industry-based stories. Give me graveyard shifts, overnight inventories gone bad, and haunted diners, shit so sordid and spooky that even the most seasoned of waitresses can’t handle what’s happening." Payment: $5. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Meerkat Press. Genre: Full-length speculative fiction, novellas and novels. Darker themes. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: June 30, 2023. In celebration of Pride, there are no submission fees for LGBTQIA2+ writers in June. We are especially interested in trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming voices.

Unicorn Press. Genre: Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Midnight & Indigo. Restrictions: Open to black women. Genre: Fiction, personal essays. Payment: $50 for essays, and $50-$75 for fiction. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Bamboo Ridge. Genre: All works by and about Hawaii's people. Payment: $50. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Deadline: June 30, 2023. No fee for BIPOC writers.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

They Hunt By Night. Genre: Horror stories set in the real world, before 1950. "Vampires and werewolves. Ghouls and gargoyles. History is filled with legends of those who walk among us, living seemingly innocent lives by day, only to transform into fearsome creatures as the daylight fades and the shadows deepen." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Eerie River. Genre: Horror inspired by Tarot: 1500 - 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Small Harbor Publishing. Genre: Hybrid chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2023. Submission fee waived for BIPOC writers only.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Allegory. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. Payment: $15. Deadline: June 30th, 2023.

Dancing Star Press. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 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: June 30th, 2023. (Poetry only)

Dragon Soul Press: To Hunt and to Hold. Genre: "All stories featuring vampires. Any era, setting, genre is acceptable. Outer space is also an option." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30th, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: Beautiful Darkness2. Genre: " In a world where so many dark things go bump in the night, terror awaits around every corner as these authors take horror stories to the next level." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30th, 2023.

B Cubed Press: Alternative Truths, Southern Edition: Bless Their Hearts. Genre: Stories, essays, and poems. "Bless Their Hearts will examine the South, a place where politicians and their followers compete to peg the outrage meter. Why—and how—are they turning the United States into a cauldron of bigotry and hate? This book will look at the mindset behind these and other efforts to bring back the Old South, a mythical place and time when everyone knew their place. We want stories that speak to the consequences of such a mindset and where it may be taking us as individuals and as a culture. What, if left unfettered, would these efforts make of America, the world, and the future? And more importantly, how will we fight to stop them?" Payment: $.03 a word upon publication, plus a share of the profits. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Lightspeed. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers only. Genre: Fantasy flash fiction. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

A Coven of Witches. Genre: Short stories and poems with witches, or a witch, as the main theme of the piece. Payment: £10. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Happy Hellidays. Genre: Horror. "We want your stories of of holidays (any holiday at all!) filled with terror and dread, blood and guts, ghosts, and demons most foul." Payment: $5. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Nightlight (Podcast). Restrictions: At least one of your birth parents must be Black. Genre: Horror. Flash fiction (750-1,500 words) Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Space Brides. Genre: Speculative fiction about mail-order brides or husbands. "Looking to settle off world? We have husbands and wives searching for you." No erotica. Payment: $15. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Nonprofit Quarterly. Genre: Climate fiction. "Inspired by Janelle Monáe, Octavia E. Butler, and Ursula K. Le Guin, we’re looking for short climate fiction stories that spark imaginative visions of the future. Particularly, we want to see writing that is largely speculative in nature but scientifically grounded." Payment: Up to $500 per piece. Deadline: June 30, 2023.


And a few more...

Lupercalia. Genre: Chapbooks. Art and writing by trans and queer creators that focuses on themes of transgender and queer sex/sexuality/excess/celebration. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

A Velvet Giant. Genre: "We are open to work that takes the shape of basically any format: words, recordings, visual art, hybrid forms, etc. We are open to translated original work." Payment: $20. Deadline: July 1, 2023. 

The Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. 2,000 words max. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: July 1, 2023.


The Perfectly Fine Neighborhood. Genre: Horror short stories. See theme. Payment: 3 cents per word. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: Opens July 1, 2023. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Thema: The Magic of Light and Shadow. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Magic of Light and Shadow. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: July 1, 2023. Accepts reprints.

It Came from the Trailer Park. Genre: Horror-comedy with the same feel as The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, Shaun of the Dead, or Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: July 1, 2023.

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71 Writing Contests in June 2023 — No entry fees

Pxfuel This June there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 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! 

__________________


Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers. Genre: An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: Opens June 1, 2023.

The PEN Grant for the English Translation of Italian Literature. Genre: Translation. Work-in-progress of a book-length translation of an Italian work of literary fiction or nonfiction into English. Prize: $5,000 grant. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Stone Canoe: Poetry in Flight. Restrictions: Participants must be residents of any of the 12-county region served by the Syracuse Hancock International Airport: Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, Tompkins, Jefferson, Tioga, Oneida, Lewis, Madison, Cortland, Chemung, Broome. Poems by people who are not current residents of one of these counties will not be considered. Genre: Poem on the theme of Aviation and Travel. Prize: One winning poem will receive a pair of round-trip plane tickets good for travel in the 48 contiguous states or Canada, courtesy of Delta Air Lines, up to a $1200 value. Youth Prize: Gift basket from Barnes and Noble with a value of $500, as well as one-year of enrollment to the Young Authors Academy at the YMCA's Downtown Writers Center in Syracuse. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

The Africa Institute: Global Africa Translation Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to Translators in the Global South. Genre: translations of works from the African continent and its diaspora, into English or Arabic. This is a non-residential fellowship. Projects may be retranslations of old, classic texts, previously untranslated works, poetry, prose, or critical theory collections. The project may be a work-in-progress, or a new project feasible for completion within the timeframe of the grant. Prize: $1,000-$5,000. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Abrams Amplify Award. Restrictions: Entrants must be un-agented writers who are at least 18 years. old at the time of entry, are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia, and have not previously had any children’s fiction or children’s nonfiction published. "We encourage the work of creators who self-identify as Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latinx, Middle Eastern, or Native American/Indigenous." Genre: Picture book. Prizes: One (1) winner will receive $5,000, editorial notes, and a one-on-one video conference meeting with an ABRAMS editor to discuss the Submission. Two (2) winners will receive $2,500 and editorial notes on the Submission from an ABRAMS editor. Two (2) winners will receive $1,000 and editorial notes on the Submission from an ABRAMS editor. All winners will have an opportunity for their full Submission to be reviewed by the ABRAMS Books editorial team for a possible offer of publication. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Forum Prize. Genre: Essay on the subject of: ‘Courageous Art(s)’ "We are looking for bold, visionary and persuasive essays that use academic research to pursue innovative questions. The topic may be addressed from the perspective of any of the literatures (including literary linguistics, translation and comparative literature approaches) normally covered by the journal: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish." Prize: £500 and publication. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

The OFIC Press Prize. Genre: Novels and novellas that don't really fit in a traditional publishing category. Prize: The prize for a novel is $1000 and a novella $250. Novels will be published as standalone books and novellas will be compiled into an anthology. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Cromwell Article Prize. Restrictions: Open to early career scholars. Genre: Articles published in the field of American legal history. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

The PEN/Heim Translation Fund. Genre: Book-length works of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama in translation. Prize: $2000 - $4000. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists. Restrictions: Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated sufficient income to support the author. Genre: Book-length children's or young-adult fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

The PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Literary Oral History. Genre: Literary work of nonfiction that uses oral history to illuminate an event, individual, place, or movement. Prize: $15,000 each. (Two prizes) Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets. Restrictions: Open to poets aged 18-23. Genre: Poetry. Prize:  $100 and publication in the Atlanta Review. Deadline: June 1, 2023.  

Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest. Restrictions: Canadian high school, college, and graduate students. Genre: Short essay on "What would our Essential Scholars say about the world today?" Prize: CAD$1,500 in each age category. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Peggy Willis Lyles Haiku Awards. Genre: Haiku. Prize: First Place - $200, and a miniature crystal turtle; Second Place - $100; Third Place - $50. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Bard Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to a writer who is an American citizen aged 39 years or younger at the time of application. Genre: Published fiction book. Prize: $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Molly Keane Creative Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to Irish residents. Genre: Unpublished short story, maximum 2,000 words. Prize: €250 plus a course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat. Deadline: June 2, 2023

On The Premises. "For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long in which the same thing, place, or incident is seen from two very different points of view.." Prize: $35 for first place, $25 for second, $15 for third. Deadline: June 2, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction based on their prompt. Length: 500 words max. Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: June 4, 2022.


Icelandic Festival of Manitoba Poetry & Short Stories Contest. Genre: Poetry and short stories. Length; 1200 words max. Prize: $50 - $125. "You do not need to be of Icelandic descent to submit an entry however material reflecting Icelandic culture and interests will be given preference." Deadline: June 5, 2023.

Defenestration. Genre: Short story including an incident of defenestration – the art or –ism of throwing people out of windows. It need not be literal. "This can be a sudden, immediate, even violent shift, change, or seismical event between the beginning and the end.” Prize: $75, two runner-up prizes of $30 each. Deadline: June 7, 2023.

Wyoming Creative Writing Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to Wyoming writers who are U.S. citizens or have legal resident status. Genre: Fiction, Poetry, CNF. Prize: $3,000 and an honorarium/travel stipend. One fellowship will be awarded in each category of Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Fiction, for a total of three fellowships. Applications are juried by noted authors, literary agents, or writing professionals from outside the state. Jurors may award honorable mentions. Recipients of the Creative Writing fellowships will share their work at one of Wyoming's literary conferences. Deadline: June 9, 2023.

Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Writing Contest. Restrictions: Any student, in any country, who is enrolled in an accredited high school or college/university at the time of submitting their essay is eligible to participate. Genre: Essay. "Countless countries around the world suffer from a plethora of issues – economic hardship, social turmoil, political polarization, pandemic recovery, unreliable leadership, corrupt governance, warfare and conflict, the list goes on. If you were elected the leader of your country, what would you do to address the issues your country faces in order to build a more prosperous society?" Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: June 9, 2023.

Ocean Awareness Youth Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in grades 6 - 12. Genre: Art, poetry, prose, film. "Use humor, positivity, irony, or other unconventional approaches that are not typically used in environmental communication to address the climate crisis. Think outside the tackle-box, beyond clichés, to create something that makes the topic of climate change and our oceans more approachable and accessible." Prizes: $100 - $1,500. Deadline: June 13, 2023.

Grist: Imagine 2200. Genre: Short stories. "What we’re seeking: short stories that envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress. Our mission is to make the story of a better world so irresistible, you want it right now." Prize: First, second, and third-prize winners will be awarded $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively, and nine additional finalists will each receive a $300 honorarium. Deadline: June 13, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Prize: $30. Deadline: June 14, 2023.

The Orchards Poetry Journal: Grantchester Award. Genre: Poetry. Prize: First place is $50.00.
Second place is $30.00. Deadline: June 15, 2023. 

QTBIPOC 2021 Poetry Manuscript Contest. Restrictions: Open to QTBIPOC-identified feminist innovative writers/poets. Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: The prize winner will receive publication along with a $1,000.00 cash award to help aid in book promotion, travel, event attendance, etc. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

International Wizard of Oz Club Annual Contests. Genre: Short Fiction, Art & Academic Nonfiction Research Papers. All work must be related to the world of Oz. Prize: $100 in each genre. 2nd Prize $50 in each genre. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Sapiens Plurum. Genre: Short stories that personalize the consequences of climate change. Theme: “Inventing Beautiful Futures.” Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Little, Brown Emerging Artist Award. Genre: High-quality picture books that resonate with readers of diverse backgrounds and experience. Diversity includes literal or metaphorical inclusion of characters of underrepresented ethnicity, religious background, gender identity, class, mental or physical disability, or any other nondominant populations. Prize: American Express® gift cards totaling $1,500, round trip travel to New York City, and the honor of a one-day mentorship with a Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ professional children’s book design and editorial team. Submission will be reviewed for publication. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People. Restrictions: Open to people 25 years of age or less. Genre: Essay (max 700 words). Theme: “What is Life?” Prize: 1st US$840, 2nd US$420. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Norton Writer's Prize. Sponsored by W.W. Norton & Company. "The Norton Writer’s Prize will be awarded annually for an outstanding essay written by an undergraduate. Literacy narratives, literary and other textual analyses, reports, profiles, evaluations, arguments, memoirs, proposals, mixed-genre pieces, and more: any excellent writing done for an undergraduate writing class will be considered."  Genres: Creative Nonfiction, Scholarly Essay. Prize: $1,500. Two runner-up prizes of $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: June 15, 2023. (Note: This is a monthly contest)

Towson University Prize for Literature. Restrictions: Open to Maryland writers. Genre: Book-length manuscript of fiction, poetry, drama or imaginative non-fiction. The work must have been published within the three years prior to the year of nomination or must be scheduled for publication within the year in which nominated. Self-published works will not be considered. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2023. See nomination form HERE.


Baltimore Science Fiction Society Amateur Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Maryland residents or students at a MD 2- or 4-year college, and not a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America or published in a professional science fiction/fantasy magazine Genre: Science fiction short stories. Prize: 1st place is $250; 2nd place is $100; 3rd place is $50. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: Books published between May 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023 must be received on or before June 16, 2023.

Renard Press Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry on theme: Kinship. "Kinship is a poetry anthology that seeks to provide a platform for marginalised voices, and to celebrate the great diversity and rich variation in the identities of people from around the world and from a huge cross-section of walks of life." Prize: 1st prize: £200. Deadline: June 17, 2023.

Solid Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genre: Essay (See site for topics.) Minimum number of words is 600 and maximum is 800. Prize: Scholarship of $1000. Deadline: June 19, 2023.

Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing. Genre: Editorial writing. The Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship was established to enable a mid-career editorial writer or columnist to have time away from daily responsibilities for study and research. Freelancers may also apply. Fellowship: $75,000.  Deadline: June 19, 2023.

Write the World Competitions. Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-19.5. Genre: Songwriting. Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50. Deadline: June 20, 2023. (Note: This is a monthly contest)

Young Scots Writer of the Year Award. Restrictions: You must be aged 11–18 to enter as an individual. Genre: Stories, poems, spoken word pieces, comics, videos or other pieces of writing. "We want to see it all, as long as it's in Scots and under 2500 words or up to ten minutes." Prize: £100 book token. Deadline: June 21, 2023. 

A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest. Genre: Non-genre fiction and creative nonfiction. Theme: Best Friends Forever…? Length: 1,000 words minimum; 5,000 words maximum. Prize: $35 - $50 Amazon gift card. Deadline: June 21, 2023.

Great Lakes Colleges (GLCA) New Writers Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans and Canadians.  Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. In each category, the submitted work must be an author’s first published volume. Prize: $500. Deadline: June 25, 2023.

Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian LGBTQ+ writers. Genre: Debut book. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: June 28, 2023 for books published between May 3, 2023 and September 30, 2023.

Emmy Awards - Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. Restrictions: Non-US citizens under the age of 30 only. Prize: $2,500, a trip to New York City, and an invitation to the International Emmy® Awards Gala in November. Deadline: June 28, 2023.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. Restrictions: Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Titles must be published between May 3, 2023 and September 30, 2023. Genre: Literary nonfiction including, among other forms, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, criticism both social and political, history, and biography. Prize: Winner: $60,000; Finalists: $5,000. Deadline: June 28, 2023.

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Genre: Novel or short story collection. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to the novel or short story collection published between May 3, 2023 and September 30, 2023. Deadline: June 28, 2023.

Storyhouse. Genre: Nonfiction. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children. Prize: $200. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, fiction, nonfiction, poetry: adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: June 30, 2023 (for books published Jan. 1-May 31, 2023).

Faber Children’s: Faber and Andlyn BAME (FAB) Prize. Restrictions: Open to undiscovered BAME writers and illustrators; entrants must be of black, Asian or minority ethnic background, and UK- or Ireland-based. Genre: Text or artwork for children. Prize: £1,500 and £500 each for a writer and an illustrator. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Love Books Competition. Restrictions: Open to everyone but you need a UK bank account to receive your prize money if you win. Genre: Nonfiction, poetry, CNF. "We want you to tell us why you love your favourite book, poem or play. Your response should be in the form of a piece of text of up to 750 words. Entrants should explain what they love about their chosen read, highlighting key areas of interest, and why they think others should try it." Prize: Winner for each age group receives £300; the runner-up in each age group receives £100. Age groups: 13-15 years, 16-19 years, 20+ years. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Boroondara Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: More than $5,000 in prize money across various age groups in the Young Writers’ category; more than $3,500 in prize money in the Open Short Story category. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of "Space Station Duty-Free." 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: June 30, 2023.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal. Genre: Poetry. Prize: A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. Deadline: June 30, 2023. See theme.

SA Writer’s College Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished writers in South Africa. Genre: Short stories. Theme: Words Have Consequences. Prizes: 1st – R 10 000; 2nd – R 5 000; 3rd – R 2 000. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Storyhouse: Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $500 in any single year. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one.  Genre: Nonfiction. Prize: First prize is $100. Runners-up will receive $50. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize is awarded to the author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year. Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format. Prize: $1000. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Digital Privacy Scholarship. Restrictions: You must be a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about digital privacy. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

The Lindisfarne Crime Prize. Restrictions: Residents of the North East of England, or whose work celebrates the North East of England. Genre: Crime short story of up to 10,000 words. Prize: £2500.  Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Restrictions: The award is open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. Online and self-publication does not count toward this requirement. Genre: A manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Prize: $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: Prizes are awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Sargeson Prize for Secondary Schools. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school and aged between 16 and 18 years. Genre: Short story, Length: 5,000 words max. Prize: First Prize: $10000; Second Prize: $1000; Third Prize: $500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Sargeson Prize. Restrictions: Open to New Zealanders. Genre: Short stories. Length: 5,000 words max. Prize: First Prize: $10000; Second Prize: $1000; Third Prize: $500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Eden Mills Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Canadian teens. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Two $50 prizes, 2 $25 prizes. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: 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 and at least 5,000 copies (or 5,000 hits for online publication). Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror. 17,000 words max. Prize: $1,000 1st Prize awarded each quarter; one of those winners also receives the $5,000 annual "Golden Pen Award" grand prize. 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Contest. Restrictions: The competition is open to all citizens and residents of the Commonwealth aged 18 and under. Genre: Essay. The theme of the contest is "Community in the Commonwealth." Prize: Past prizes have included certificates, resources for winner's school, visits to Cambridge University, a trip to London and a week of activities, work experience at international organisations, and having your entry featured in worldwide media. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Hubert Butler Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to European Union citizens aged 18+. Genre: Essay on theme ‘How far can we trust science?’ 3,000 words max. Prize: First prize of €1,500 and two second prizes of €500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Utah Division of Arts and Museums Original Writing Competition. Restrictions: Utah writers. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $1,000 top prizes for book-length manuscripts of novels, creative nonfiction & history, collection of poetry or short stories, and juvenile book; $300 top prizes for individual poems, short stories, and personal essays. 2nd Prize $500 for the book-length categories, $150 for poetry. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Briefly Write. Genre: Poetry up to 10 lines. Prize: 1st – £40 / 2nd – £20 / 3rd (x3) – £10. Deadline: June 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: June 30, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.