Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 16

101 Calls for Submissions in December 2022 - Paying markets

Public Domain This December 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.
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I post 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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Extra Teeth. Genre: Short fiction between 800 and 4,000 words. Payment: £100. Deadline: December 14, 2022 (?) Opens December 1.


Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2022. Submit early to avoid submission fee. 

Empire of Beasts. Genre: Stories about entirely new societies and cultures populated by anthropomorphized creatures. Payment: $40. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Acre Books. Restrictions: BIPOC writers only. Genre: Full-length fiction, nonfiction, poetry and hybrid works. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2022.


The Woodward Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $25.  Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

The Offing: Wit Tea. Genre: Humor. "Send us your comedic work in any genre. We love strong character voices, absurdity, momentum, vulnerability, and surprise. We want the pieces only you – yes you, weirdo – could write. We want to think, we want to cry, and we want to laugh our butts off. We’ve been attached to our butts for far too long." Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Toxic Workplaces. Restrictions: Open to women writers. Genre: CNF up to 5,000 words on theme Toxic Workplaces. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Outcast Press: Diner Crime/Noir/Neo-Noir Anthology. Genre: Crime/noir/neo-noir/transgressive short stories in which a diner-like venue plays a major role in the narrative. Length: 2,000 – 7,000 words (3,000 – 4,500 words being the sweet spot). Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

Ruminate. Genre: Fiction under 5,500 words. Payment: $20 per 500 words. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Air and Nothingness Press: Gargantua. Genre: Speculative stories of massive engineering megastructures that reshape stellar systems. Length: exactly 1000 words. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Contrary. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Tomorrow's Hope. Genre: Near Future Hard Science Fiction. Payment: A percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Zero Street Fiction. Genre: Full-length LGBTQ fiction. The manuscript must be in English and should be between 60,000 and 100,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Interstellar Flight Press. Genre: Horror including but not limited to: Science Fiction Horror, Fantasy Horror, Supernatural, Weird Horror, Mystery/thrillers with horror elements. Hybrids or difficult to categorize works are welcome. Give us your slashers, zombies, witches, vampires, monsters, demons, devils, horror comedies, psychological thrillers, body horror, crime noir, creature features, aliens, ghosts, haunted houses, creepy carnivals, serial killers, possessed children, shapeshifters, disasters, and viruses. Word Count: 17,500 - 40,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Wandering Wave Press: An Anthology of Unconventional Stories. Genre: Fiction. “We’re looking for genre authors who cross boundaries. Authors whose stories twist the tropes to showcase in a cross-genre anthology of stories that entertain, but read fresh and new. Send us the story that you can’t classify: a story that can’t be pigeon-holed into a single subgenre, or that pushes against your genre’s boundaries. We want to showcase authors who write uncommon fiction.” Some examples are: witches in space, romances that flip gender roles, alternate histories set in the near-future, and fairy tales that start after the ‘happily ever after.’ Length: 1,000-10,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Book Worms. Genre: All HORROR sub-genres. No romance or erotica. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: December 2, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Island. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Fiction Nonfiction. Payment: 20 cents per word, with a minimum of $350 and a maximum of $750. Deadline: December 2, 2022.


Never Wake. Genre: Horror. "We’re looking for scary, mind-bending stories featuring dreams, nightmares, hallucinations, messed-up psychedelic experiences, and various elements of phantasmagoria." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 4, 2022.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Africa. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: December 4, 2022.

Cordite. Genre: Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 4, 2022.

Voiceworks. Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. See theme. Payment: $100 for written work and art, $150 for multi-page comics or suites of art. Deadline: December 4, 2022. Fiction, completed nonfiction and poetry.

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. Genre: Sword and sorcery fantasy. Payment: $100 for stories and $25 for poems, upon publication. Deadline: December 7, 2022. 

Stone’s Throw. Genre: Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 7, 2022. 

Revolute. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 8, 2022.

Rabbit: Collaborations. Genre: "For this issue, we are keen to see the wild and wonderful results of two or more minds and/or bodies and/or practices coming together to generate art. Such works might take the form of poetry written collaboratively by two or more people, collaborations between poet/s and other artists, cross-practice experiments, collaborations with non-humans, or any poetry-related collaborations that fall in-between or beyond." Payment: "We are able to pay all Australian contributors. International contributors receive copies of the journal." Deadline: December 9, 2022.

Exposition Review. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, scripts for stage & screen, experimental narratives, visual art, film, and comics. Theme: Lines. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 10, 2022. (No fee submission day)


Voiceworks. Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. See theme. Payment: $100 for written work and art, $150 for multi-page comics or suites of art. Deadline: December 11, 2022. Art, comics and comic pitches only.

Stanchion. Genre: Writing (prose, poetry, etc) & visual art. Payment: $10 to $15. Deadline: December 13, 2022. Submit to stanchionzine@gmail.com (There isn't a lot of information about this call)
 
The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, "and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way.” Payment: $50. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Baffling. Genre: Speculative stories that explore science fiction, fantasy, and horror with a queer bent. Length: 1200 words max. Payment: $.08/word. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Plainsongs. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 for "award" poem. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Copper Nickel. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and translation folios. Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription. Deadline: December 15, 2022. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

United Faedom. Genre: Short story collections, novellas and novels. Payment: Collections (minimum of 30k), $75. Novellas and novels (40k-100k) $100. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Journalstone. Genre: Horror novels and novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Channel. Genre: Fiction, art, creative non-fiction, and poetry that engages with the natural world, and have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self. Payment: €40/poem, and €50/page of prose up to €150. Deadline:  December 15, 2022.

Mizna. Restrictions: In this issue, we are interested in focusing specifically on work by people from Black SWANA communities and their diasporas, to create a gathering space for our voices and ideas. Those submitting work should identify as Black. Genre: Poetry, stories, creative essays, flash fiction, comics. Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

The Great Void. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: Revenue sharing. Pays for anthologies only. Deadline: December 15, 2022. 


Chicken Soup for the Soul: How stepping outside my comfort zone changed me. Genre: True stories and poems. "Tell us your own stories about stepping outside your comfort zone and how that changed your life." Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The power of positive thinking. Genre: True stories and poems. "How did you “think positive” and how did it change your life? Tell us your success story about using the power of positive thinking!" Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry. Payment: $0.04/word, up to $25. Deadline: December 15, 2022. See theme.

Propagule. Genre: Short stories that are intrepid with regard to experimentation and oddity; the strange, the surreal, the atypical, the unexpected. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Poetry Wales. Genre: Poetry, reviews, articles. See theme. Payment: Poems £20/page. Reviews £67.50/1500-word review. Articles £200/3000 word, or in that proportion, depending on number of published words. Deadline: December 15, 2022. Submissions in Welsh.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 15, 2022. See themes.

Medusa Tales. Genre: Speculative stories (sci-fi, fantasy, and horror) of human transformation and immobilization. Payment: 1 cent/word, $10 for reprints. Deadline: December 15, 2022. Accepts reprints.

The Offing: Insight. Genre: Creative nonfiction that centers one’s personal experience against the backdrop of art, literature, and culture. Insight essays are generally personal essays that raise questions or address issues about the matters that concern us aesthetically, politically, or ideologically. These essays explore how interacting with this piece of art, literature, or culture changed you, or made a lasting impression. Payment: $25–$100. Deadline: December 16, 2022.

just femme & dandy. Genre: Fashion for the LGBTQIA+ community. Theme: Survive. "For this issue, we want to hear what survival means for you and your queer identity as it relates to all areas of fashion, including but not limited to clothing, cosmetics, skincare, hair (styles and products), shoes, perfumery/cologne, accessories, hosiery, etc. Want to tell us about your favorite chainmail or faux-brass knuckles? What about that shade of red lipstick that feels like armor? How about your favorite bedazzled binder or mobility aid? We’d also love to hear about the roles clothing has played for in surviving (and/or recovering from) harm or protecting oneself against danger, illness, and other threats. Of course, these are just a few examples. We are open to pieces across subjects and genres, but in the spirit of queer and BIPOC celebration, we’re especially interested in pieces that demonstrate triumph and endurance." Payment: 50 USD per text-based submission and 150 USD per multimedia submission (video, photography, image + text, fashion spread + interview, etc.). Deadline: December 17, 2022.

Fulcrum Publishing: Women's Reproductive Health Anthology. Genre: Creative nonfiction personal essays on abortion, contraception, menstruation, infertility, miscarriage, IVF, perimenopause/menopause, pregnancy, fibroids, PCOS, endometriosis, and any other topic related to women's health. Length: 2,000 words max. Payment: $150. Deadline: December 17, 2022. Reprints accepted.

Fieldnotes is a biannual print journal publishing new writing and artworks with a focus on practices that work between disciplines and against type. Genre: “We are seeking non-conforming submissions: ideas in transition, poetry in translation, collaborations and conversations, works between genres, between fiction and theory, between text and image, new poetic modes and things-in-progress.” Payment: £100-£200. Deadline: December 22, 2022.

Black Ocean. Restrictions: Open to debut (“first book”) collections only. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: December 23, 2022. Opens December 9.

Antimony and Elder Lace. Genre: Full-length books: 60,000 words minimum. Mystery (and all associated subgenres); Horror (and all associated subgenres); Thriller (and all associated subgenres); Dark Fantasy or Science Fiction. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: December 25, 2022.

The Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 per nonfiction piece, $50 fiction, $15 per poem. Deadline: December 25, 2022.

Spirit: A White Stag Anthology. Genre: Poetry. " We want poetry that explores the ethereal realm through various mediums whether religious / spiritual, through clairvoyance / meditation, science, & the imagination. We want theology, mysticism & magick, alchemy, explore the ancient mysteries. We want work that goes beyond our sphere & into the void, translating the unknown. Send us your séances, your rituals, your communions with the gods, show us the creatures that lurk in the night (the ones we don’t already know about), tell us of your travels through space & time. We want poetry that is evocative of the otherworldly. Be bold & dare to go beyond." Payment: $5/page. Deadline: December 26, 2022.

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction on themes. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: $3. Deadline: December 27, 2022.

For Those Who Deserve to Exist. Restrictions: Those who identify as a marginalized individual or a person from a marginalized community. Genre: Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction. Theme: Reclamation by marginalized individuals. Rising up, overcoming, and righting (and rewriting) transgressions. Payment: $30. Deadline: December 30, 2022.

Dragon Soul Press: Liberty. Genre: "All LGBTQ+ stories are welcome. All fantasy genres are accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Dragon Soul Press: Carried Away. Genre: "All romantic comedy stories are welcome. Does not have to be Happily Ever After. All heat levels are accepted." Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Ninth Letter. Genre: Poems, nonfiction, and short fiction. Payment: $25 for poetry, $75 for prose. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Critical Read. Genre: Nonfiction artwork biographies, reported stories, profiles, cultural history, essay, interviews. Payment: Varies. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Pitches only.

Cinnabar Moth Literary Collections. Genre: short stories between 3,000 and 3,500 words on the topic of love lost all genres are accepted. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Path of Absolute Power Superhero Anthology. Genre: Short stories set in the fictional comic book universe of the Absolute Power tabletop role-playing game. Payment: 5 to 12 cents per word. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

King Ludd's Rag. Genre: Long-form fiction, 4,000 words minimum. Payment: $100 per piece. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Tales from the Clergy: Stories Inspired by Ghost. Genre: Horror anthology of stories inspired by the music of the band Ghost. Payment: 3 cents/word, 5,000 words max. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Best Utopian Science Fiction. Genre: Utopian science fiction. Length: up to 19,000 words (flash fiction, short stories, and novelettes) Payment: $0.01 (USD) per word + contributor copy. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Reprints only.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Meadowlark Reader. Genre: Personal essays, interviews, journalistic pieces. “True stories about Kansas written by Kansans." Payment: $10 plus one contributor copy. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Book XI. Genre: Personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. Payment: $200 for prose; 50 for each poem. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Red Cape Anthologies: R is for Revenge. Genre: Horror. "Revenge can come in many forms so we are looking for clever and unusual stories. Anything goes, so long as the story falls into the horror genre (whether that be human or non-human monsters)." Payment: £10. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Margins. Genre: Poetry, short stories, audio, video, photography, translation, art criticism, artist interviews, essays, and the daring, genre-blurring work that falls outside those categories by emerging and established queer Asian, Asian American, and Asian diasporic writers on the theme of Mehfil: An Evening of Entertainment and Enchantment. Payment: $50 – $100 for a single poem, depending on length. $150 for flash fiction (500 to 1,000 words in length) $300 – $450 for longer works of fiction (up to ~4,000 words). Nonfiction $60 - $450. Deadline: December 31, 2022.


A Coup of Owls. Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Genre: Fiction, all genres. Payment: £5 - 15. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Kaleidotrope. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry—science fiction, fantasy, and horror, but also compelling work that blurs the lines between these and falls outside of neat genre categories. Payment: For fiction, $0.01/word (1 cent a word) USD. For poetry, a flat rate of $5 USD per accepted piece. For artwork, a flat rat of $60 for cover art. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Yay! They're Here! Genre: Speculative fiction. "We are looking for Speculative Fiction stories featuring a Human/Alien first contact that starts optomistically, but then, well, things happen." Payment: $5 plus royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Cutleaf. Genre: Short stories, personal essays, poems, or hybrid work in which beer is featured. Payment: $50 to $200. Deadline: December 31, 2022. (Submit early in the month. Closes when cap is reaached.)

Solar Flare Anthology. Genre: Solarpunk. "Imagine a Solarpunk future where societies value cooperation over consumerism, where technology solves ecological challenges rather than creating them. SOLAR FLARE will envision a future where humanity has embraced the Earth and learned to co-exist with it, not simply on it, where sustainability is a way of life, not merely a catch phrase." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

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. Payment: $150 per story. $50 per poem. $300 per novelette. Deadline: December 31st, 2022. 

Islandia. Restrictions: Preference is given to residents of Florida & the Caribbean but Islandia considers written work and visual art with strong ties to the region. Genre: Poetry, art, and prose on themes of : MYTH, FOLKLORE, HISTORY, ECOLOGY, CRYPTOZOOLOGY, AND THE PARANORMAL. Payment: Pay for poetry and visual art begins at $50 and for prose submissions at $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Cincinnati Review. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Submit early in the month. Submissions close when cap is reached.


Threadcount. Genre: Prose, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid text. "We prefer writing that resists such classifications. Primarily we focus on hybrid works between prose poetry and flash fiction.” Payment: $25. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Cloud Lake Literary. Restrictions: Canadian writers. Genre: Fiction, art. creative nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature (up to and including YA). Payment: $50 CAD/per page to a maximum of $150 CAD. Visual Art Submission: $50 CAD/per submission. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horrror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: December 31, 2022. This is a monthly call. See themes.

Dancing Star Press. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Workers Write! Tales from the Club. Genre: Fiction and poetry that contain stories and poems from nightclubs, discotheques, cabarets, pubs, or any nightlife spot. "We're looking for fiction and poetry about club/bar owners, managers, bartenders and barbacks, servers, bouncers, promoters, and entertainers (comedians, DJs, strippers), anyone who makes money in a club or bar.” Payment: $5 - $50. Deadline: December 31, 2022. (Or until full.)

Allegory. Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. Payment: $15. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Arachne Press: Menopause. Genre: Fiction and poetry on theme: Menopause. Payment: Royalties.  Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Arachne Press: Byways. Genre: Fiction and poetry on theme: Byways. Payment: Royalties.  Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2022.  

Eerie River. Genre: Horror on theme of Wind. Word count: 1500 - 7000 firm. Payment: ¢1 per word CAD. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Mythic. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy short stories. Length: 2,000-5,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word for original fiction, $25 for reprints. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction Anthology Series. Genre: Speculative fiction published in 2021 that implicitly or explicitly explores queerness and/or transness. "We refer to queerness that is inclusive of ace/aro stories, trans and nonbinary stories, and intersex stories." Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Reprints only.

Freeze Frame Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. Payment: $10. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.
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Briar Rose Anthology. Genre: Sci-fi retellings of the first half of Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty), as it was told by the Grimm Bros. Payment: 1c/word for accepted fiction. Half this for reprints. $100 (negotiable) for the cover illustration. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Reprints accepted. 

Zombies Need Brains: Dragonesque. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or urban fantasy stories where a significant portion of the story is written from the dragon’s point of view. "We would like a wide variety of genre settings for this anthology, specifically science fiction and urban fantasy settings." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Zombies Need Brains: Artifice and Craft. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or urban fantasy stories where the story revolves around some type of artistic object that has been enchanted, cursed, hexed, or imbued with magical properties. "We would like a wide variety of genre settings for this anthology. In other words, we don’t want the entire anthology to be secondary world fantasy settings. As always, we are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark. " Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Zombies Need Brains: Game On! Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or urban fantasy stories where the story revolves around some type of game--be it board game, video game, or RPG. "We do NOT want sports-related stories. We would like a wide variety of genre settings for this anthology. In other words, we don’t want the entire anthology to be urban fantasy settings. As always, we are looking for a range of tones, from humorous all the way up to dark." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Heartlines Spec. Restrictions: "Since Heartlines Spec is primarily a Canadian magazine, we're looking to feature writers identifying as being from Canada/Turtle Island. This includes expats, new immigrants, and people who refuse/resist Canadian Identity. Our goal for each issue is to publish at least 50% Canadian content." Genre: short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. "We want stories and poetry with strong, confident relationships amid all the sci-fi/fantasy. We are especially interested in stories featuring queer platonic relationships, ace/aro love stories, and polycules." Payment: $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction and $80 CAD flat for poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

DMR Books: Die by the Sword. Genre: Sword and sorcery. Payment: $0.01/word. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 


AND A FEW MORE...

Wyldblood Press. Genre: Speculative novels and novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Opens in January.

Totally Entwined: Weres Vamps. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Werewolves and Vampires. LGBTQ focus. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Mukana Press. Genre: Short stories by African authors to be included in its inaugural Anthology of African Writing. Stories previously published only on online literary platforms are welcome if rights were reverted to the author upon publication. Stories must range between 1000 - 8000 words. Payment: $500 and royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Mukana Press. Restrictions: Authors from Africa, South America, The Middle East, and Asia. Genre: Full length books (short story collections, memoirs and novels YA and Adult). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2023.


Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Europe. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: January 1, 2023. See themes.

Substantially Unlimited. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as part of the disability community. Genre: Prose, up to 15 pages. See themes. Payment: $15. Deadline: January 1, 2023. Reprints accepted.

The Damned & The Divine: Gothic Tales of Broken Gods. Genre: Short stories (5,000 - 8,000 words) that blend mythology with Gothic/literary vibes. Payment: US: $40 + author copy/non-US: $45 + ebook author copy). Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Grendel Press. Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror, and Romance.short stories. See themes. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

65 Writing Contests in December 2022 - No entry fees

Pexels This December there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $45,000 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 is past, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 
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Green Stories Writing Competition: Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize. Genre: Novel that inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. Prize: £1000 for the winner and £500 for runner up. Half price manuscript appraisal (worth £300-400) for top three entries by established literary consultancy Daniel Goldsmith. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Kierkegaard Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry inspired by Kierkegaard. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Subnivean New Writers Award: CNY High School Writing Scholarship Competition. Restrictions: Open to high-school-aged writers in Oswego County, Onondaga County, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Cayuga County and Cortland County. Genre: Short stories and poetry. Prize: $100 bookstore gift certificate, $1,000 scholarship to attend SUNY Oswego as a creative writing or English major. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Stowe Prize. Restrictions: US authors only. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction or body of work that "makes a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society." Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

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

The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations).  Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Rise & Shine Mini Contest. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Micro poems, micro essays, and flash fiction. Prize: $75.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $75.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Blossom Contest. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: $200.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $200.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: December 2, 2022.

WWPH Writes Holiday Poetry & Prose Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 4, 2022.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 5, 2022. Opens December 2.

Quantum Shorts Competition. Genre: Fiction stories, under 1,000 words, that are "clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics." For 2020, entries also must contain the phrase "It's a lot to think about." Prize: $1,500 and online publication. Deadline: December 5, 2022.

Globe Soup Alternative Story Titles Challenge. Genre: Alternative title for short story (See site). Prize: £100. Deadline: December 5, 2022.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000.  Deadline: December 6, 2022. (For books published between October 4, 2022 and December 5, 2022)

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award: $25,000. Deadline: December 8, 2022.

Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 9, 2022.  

Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2022. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $500 - $2000. Deadline: December 10, 2022.

Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre: Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline: December 13, 2022.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: December 14, 2022. See themes.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Queer Adventurers LGBTQIA Writing Contest. Restrictions; Open to any writer 18+ from anywhere in the world who identifies as LGBTQ+. Genre: 1,000 to 1,500 word personal essays on the theme of Shelter. Prize: $150. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 16, 2022.

Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 19, 2022.

Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. New Suns Climate Fiction Award, for original short science fiction that reimagines new ways of living and depicts humanity exploring and overcoming today's climate and biodiversity crises. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: December19, 2022.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize. Topic: Essay on theme: Emotions. Prize: £2,500 top prize. Deadline: December 20, 2022.

Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 20, 2022.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2022. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 20, 2022.

Solarpunk Microfiction Contest. Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline: December 22, 2022. See theme. Opens December 16.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2022. No self-published books.  Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2022.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition. Genre: Essay  on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100).  Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Sator New Works Award. Genre: Debut book-length work of fiction or non-fiction by an author who identifies as trans or nonbinary. Prize: $2,500 advance and publication. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The AIIRA Writing Contest 2022. Restrictions: Open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited US academic institution and 18+ years old. Genre: Fiction or creative nonfiction that 'explores the relationship between humans, technology, and their food in 2050: what will food look, taste, and feel like; where will it come from; who will produce and transport it; and how will we access and consume it?" Prize: First Place: $2,000 USD; Second Place: $1,500 USD; Third Place: $1,000 USD. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 2,250 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

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: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022 for books published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read details HERE.

The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $2,000.  Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read more about the award HERE.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Caribbean Writer Prize. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2022 theme: "Carrying: Reflection, Recognition and Repair.” Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Olde Wolf Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022. This is a monthly contest.

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 and publication in Meridians Journal: feminism, race, transnationalism. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award.  Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

George Bogin Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Lyric Poetry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.
The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $10 - $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre: Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize: First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Hooks Institute National Book Award. Genre: Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Tartts Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans. Genre: Short story collection. Prize: Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 60 copies of the book. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

5 Distinctive Writing Conferences and Workshops in December 2022

Flickr Because of the holidays, writing conferences are sparse in December. That doesn't mean there are none worth attending.

The New York Pitch Conference is well worth attending if you are ready to publish a book. This conference draws editors from all the major publishing houses, as well as agents who want to hear your pitch. If you write commercial fiction or nonfiction, this conference is a career starter.

For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)

(Image: St Augustine: Flickr)

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Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Topic: BIPOC Women: Claim Your Voice, Empower Your Writing."Join us for a timely discussion about claiming the power in your voice as a BIPOC woman writer. We’ll talk about ways to claim your voice, empower your writing, and more at this panel discussion. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is destructive for all women, but particularly for those who have few choices, whether geographical, financial, or a combination. Many of those women are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. The way we raise our voices will shape the values of this generation and the next, and it’s vital, now more than ever, for BIPOC women’s voices to be heard." $5 fee.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop. December 2 - 5, 2022: St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

The 2022 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. December 10, 2022: Online. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on December 10, 2022. In other words, it’s one day 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."


New York Pitch Conference. Dec 15 - 18, 2022: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. 

The Mesa Book Festival. December 17, 2022: Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.

6 Literary Agents Seeking SFF, YA, Kidlit, Thrillers, Historical Novels, Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction and Nonfiction

Ciara Finan Here are six literary agents actively seeking clients. All work with reputable literary agencies with good track records. 
Ciara Finan is looking for SFF, YA, psychological thrillers, historical novels, female-led commercial and book club fiction and select commercial non-fiction. Liz Nealon is particularly looking for Modern Women’s Fiction; True Crime; Narrative Non-Fiction; Art/Illustrated titles for adults; Illustrated Middle Grade (both fiction and non-fiction).

Christabel McKinley is building a list of children’s authors and illustrators, from picture books to Young Adult fiction. Stuti Telidevara is seeking young adult, middle grade, and adult SFF and general fiction. Mina Hamedi represents adult literary fiction and nonfiction. 

Maddy Belton wants SFF across all genres for all ages, including: grim dark, thriller, historical, romance, cosy fantasy, sci-fi, epic, YA fantasy, dark academia, contemporary fantasy, fantasy middle-grade, mythology, fairy tale and queer fantasy. Inspiring children’s non-fiction.

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 two 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. Ciara Finan of Curtis Brown Group, Ltd. (UK)Ciara Finan joined Curtis Brown in 2018 and currently assists literary agent Jonny Geller.


What she is seeking: I am looking for SFF, YA, psychological thrillers, historical novels, female-led commercial and book club fiction and select commercial non-fiction. I’m particularly interested in finding and championing stories by writers from underrepresented backgrounds and communities.

How to submit: Please email ciara.finan@curtisbrown.co.uk with a synopsis and sample chapters.

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Liz Nealon of Great Dog Literary

Liz is the former Publisher of StarWalk Kids Media, an award-winning digital publishing company that she co-founded with author Seymour Simon (2012-2016). She has unique and specific experience in children's digital publishing, with extensive knowledge of the US Schools & Libraries sector. Liz is also experienced in working with international partners, generating international reprint and sub-rights deals for dozens of books. In her previous life Liz was an award-winning executive producer and children's media industry leader who played an integral role in shaping the indelible youth brands Sesame Street, Kidz Bop, and MTV. She served as Worldwide Creative Director for Sesame Street and traveled the world as Senior Vice President of MTV International Programming, reconceiving the popular music brand for Europe, Brazil, Japan and Australia.

What she is seeking: Liz is particularly looking for Modern Women’s Fiction (no fantasy or Regency); True Crime with a strong, literary voice; memorable Narrative Non-Fiction; Art/Illustrated titles for adults; Illustrated Middle Grade (both fiction and non-fiction). She is committed to representing diverse voices and would be over the moon if she could acquire a captivating LGBTQ RomCom for YA readers.

How to submit: Read guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Christabel McKinley of David Higham Associates Ltd (UK)

Christabel joined David Higham Associates in 2018, having previously worked in translation rights and at a scouting agency. She graduated with a degree in Russian and English Literature from Trinity College Dublin, after which she spent a year teaching English in South Korea.

What she is seeking: Christabel is building a list of children’s authors and illustrators, from picture books to Young Adult fiction. She is particularly drawn to writing that feels authentically child-oriented with clear insight into the way young people feel and think. Her favourite works for children include Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot and Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. She is also building a select list of adult SFF authors. She has recently enjoyed Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson.

How to submit: Children’s manuscripts or artwork should be sent to childrenssubmissions@davidhigham.co.uk as per the guidelines here.

For adult fiction: Querying authors should send the opening three chapters, a synopsis and a cover letter to christabelsubmissions@davidhigham.co.uk.

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Ms. Stuti Telidevara of Park & Fine Literary and Media
Prior to joining Park & Fine in 2021, she held positions at Raven Quill Literary, Orbit Books, and Transatlantic Literary. She holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University and spends her free time watching ice hockey, listening to history podcasts, and brewing perfect cups of tea.

What she is seeking: Stuti Telidevara works with Peter Knapp on young adult, middle grade, and adult SFF and general fiction. She is interested in diverse storytellers and vivid, detailed worldbuilding across genre, and fiction with a strong, high-concept hook. For more about what projects she’s looking for, see here.


How to submit: Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission (i.e.: “Sarah Passick – Adult Nonfiction” or “Pete Knapp – YA Fantasy”) in the subject line of the email. Send your query letter and accompanying material to queries@parkfine.com. All materials must be in the body of the email.
For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work. For YA & children’s fiction submissions, please include a query letter and the first chapter or approximately the first ten pages of your work.

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Ms. Mina Hamedi of Janklow & Nesbit Associates
Mina Hamedi grew up in Istanbul, Turkey before moving to New York in 2010. She received her BA in Nonfiction and Global Identity from NYU’s Gallatin School and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Columbia University. Mina began her career in publishing at David Black Literary Agency and Writers House. She joined Janklow & Nesbit in 2018 where she supports co-founder Lynn Nesbit and her various authors including Andre Aciman, Robert Caro, Ronan Farrow, Andrew Sean Greer, Anand Giridharadas, and Maaza Mengiste, as well as the estates of Joan Didion, Shirley Hazzard, Anne Rice, and Tom Wolfe.

What she is seeking: Mina represents adult literary fiction and nonfiction. She is interested in stories from around the world—particularly her native Turkey and Iran. She loves fiction with Gothic-inspired atmospheres, intergenerational tales, family secrets, and deep excavations into relationships, motivations, and obsessions. She is drawn to nonfiction with a fiercely personal bent and a strong voice, and writers who are working not only to uncover the undercurrents of our world but also to change them. She seeks voices in translation and writers from underrepresented backgrounds.

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Maddy Belton of The Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency (UK)


After graduating from St Andrews University with a degree in English Literature and Art History, Maddy followed her love of literature to an internship at non-fiction literary agency Graham Maw Christie. At GMC, Maddy worked her way up to Agent and built a list of authors who wrote for both for adults and children, spanning history, tarot, and nature writing.

What she is seeking: SFF across all genres for all ages, including: grim dark, thriller, historical, romance, cosy fantasy, sci-fi, epic, YA fantasy, dark academia, contemporary fantasy, fantasy middle-grade, mythology, fairy tale and queer fantasy. Inspiring children’s non-fiction.

How to submit: Read the agency guidelines HERE.

5 New Agents Seeking Kidlit, SFF, Mystery, Horror, LGBTQ+, Romance, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction and more

Saffron Dodd
Here are five new agents actively expanding their client lists. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

Saffron Dodd is seeking middle-grade fantasy, contemporary middle-grade, mystery thrillers and rom-coms. Laura Southern wants fantasy, science-fiction, and horror, rom-coms, and narratives set in the South as well as memoir and narrative nonfiction. In young adult and middle grade, Laura is interested in speculative fiction across any subgenre, as well as select contemporary fiction.

Thomas Hill is interested in representing authors in Thriller/Suspense (political, military, religious/cult, psychological, espionage), Historical, Science Fiction (AI, utopian/dystopian societies, alternate history, Western (mountain men, cowboys, Native voices). Thomas also welcomes nonfiction submissions in narrative nonfiction, memoir, and business.
Emma Konn wants LGBTQ+ Focused Stories, Psychological Thrillers, Romance Genre, Enemies to Lovers Trope, Graphic Novels​. Fergus Inder is seeking Shakespeare adaptations, unconventional narrators, heists, Dickensian coming-of-age stories, operas (space or otherwise), metafiction, satire, really good food writing, and sexy and crushingly sad millennial literary fiction.

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 two 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. Saffron Dodd of ASH Literary (UK)
Saffron (she/her) joined the ASH Literary team in 2022 as agency assistant and in now an Associate Agent. She has a background in media and communications and has most recently worked for a children’s education charity.

What she is seeking: I love middle-grade fantasy and I’m looking for something filled with adventure, magic, and intrigue, with a strong and distinct voice, like The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody and Like A Charm by Elle McNicoll. I’m desperate to find a fantasy inspired by Caribbean culture and folklore, in the same vein as The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste.

In contemporary middle-grade, I’m looking for witty and sharp protagonists with something to say and an interesting perspective on the world, like Unfadeable by Maurice Broaddus or Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, but for a new generation. I’d also love to find a Knives Out-esque mystery (murder, or otherwise) with a Scooby-Doo-type ensemble cast for the middle-grade.

In YA, I lean towards fantasy but would also love a solid mystery thriller or a shenanigan filled rom-com that does or says something new. I’m also keen to see stories set in the UK during the transitional period between sixth form/college and university.

Above all, I’m keen to see work from historically excluded and underrepresented writers in the UK.

How to submit: Please send the first three chapters of your novel and a synopsis to here querymanager HERE.
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Laura Southern of Wolf Literary Services

Laura Southern joined Wolf Literary Services in 2021 as an assistant to Kirsten Wolf and is now building her list as an associate agent. Born and raised in Texas, Laura received her BA in English from Baylor University before moving to New York City, where she earned her MS in Publishing from New York University while assisting at Morhaim Literary.

What she is seeking: Laura loves lyrical prose and character-driven narratives regardless of age group or genre. In adult, she is looking for fantasy, science-fiction, and horror with lush worldbuilding and voice that vibrates off the page. She’s a fan of villains, setting as character, and stories that dive headfirst into the weird or strange. Romcoms and fantasy romcoms with sharp, witty prose are also high on her list, as well as upmarket fiction with off-beat premises. As a Texan native, Laura has a soft spot for narratives set in the South, particularly when told from diverse perspectives and featuring LGBTQ+ narrators.

In young adult and middle grade, Laura is interested in speculative fiction across any subgenre, as well as select contemporary fiction. Laura loves the fae, talking/magical animals, marching band, new twists on quest narratives, genre-blending, found family, mythological retellings, and dragons.

Additionally, Laura is looking for memoir and narrative nonfiction. She’d especially like to work with scientists, journalists, and other experts writing on animal and nature conservation.

How to submit: Use her query manager HERE.
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Thomas Hill of Martin Literary Management

Thomas Hill joins MLM after fifteen years in the publishing industry. He began his career while serving as an intern at the University of Virginia Press while pursuing his undergraduate degree in government. Part of that experience enabled him to assess incoming book proposals and advocate for acceptance of nonfiction book projects. He honed his professional editing skills as a copyeditor and proofreader in the workforce, later transitioning into content writing, ghostwriting, and publishing consulting. At Rowman & Littlefield, he edited scholarly and nonfiction titles, and he learned standard protocols for publication production at various nonprofit membership organizations in Washington, DC: the American Staffing Association, Public Broadcasting Service, and the US Chamber of Commerce. His professional experiences enabled him to serve as an editorial consultant to over a dozen publishing entities. Other notable editorial experiences include copyeditor at The Santa Fe New Mexican and, most recently, development editor at John Wiley & Sons.

What he is seeking: He is interested in representing authors in the following fiction genres:

• Thriller/Suspense (political, military, religious/cult, psychological, espionage)
• Historical
• Science Fiction (AI, utopian/dystopian societies, alternate history)
• Western (mountain men, cowboys, Native voices)
Thomas also welcomes nonfiction submissions in narrative nonfiction, memoir, and business.

How to submit: Query Thomas at Thomas@MartinLit.com
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Emma Konn of Corvisiero Literary Agency

Now that Emma is a Literary Agent Apprentice, she has plans to keep educating herself about the publishing and literary realm. With plans to continue within the Literary Agency in future. In 2023 Emma will then be continuing her education by pursuing a Master’s degree. As a part of the LGBTQ+ community herself, Emma supports all people and spreads love to all.

On her own time Emma can be found hiking, reading, writing, or traveling. While Emma currently resides in Ohio, she has found that her home is often her favorite hiking trails in the Rocky Mountains. Hopefully within the next few years Emma can spend a few months backpacking through Europe and exploring cultures around the world. Emma can be found reading a simple novel by a window with a warm cup of Chai tea latte. She also enjoys writing a bit of poetry and painting sunsets.

What she is seeking: LGBTQ+ Focused Stories, Psychological Thrillers, Romance Genre, Enemies to Lovers Trope, Graphic Novels​.

How to submit: Follow the agency’s guidelines HERE.
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Mr. Fergus Inder of High Spot Literary Agency

A graduate of Northwestern University in Chicago, Fergus spent a decade working in the performing arts industry as an actor, grant writer, and producer. He interned at High Spot Literary while working at the University of Auckland Bookstore and recently joined the team as a Junior Agent.
​
What he is seeking: Fergus is a sucker for Shakespeare adaptations, unconventional narrators, heists, Dickensian coming-of-age stories, operas (space or otherwise), metafiction, satire, really good food writing, and sexy and crushingly sad millennial literary fiction.

How to submit: Use his query manager form HERE.

Revolutionary Road: The Art of Dialogue

Richard Yates I seldom come across perfect novels. I've read good novels, even great ones, but there is something about perfection that is diffferent from great novel writing. It's simply the quality of having reached the pinnacle of what a novel is all about: the human experience, unhampered by the conventions of literature.

Richard Yates' novel, Revolutionary Road, is a perfect novel. It doesn't have an action-packed plot, filled with twists and turns. Actually, nothing of note happens until nearly the end of the book. (And then it's a doozy!) The setting is mundane, a suburb in the 1950s. The characters are people who aren't particularly passionate, or driven, or even admirable. But Yates' goal in this book is not to develop characters of intellectual or emotional depth. In fact, it's quite the reverse; His aim is to excoriate post-war suburban life, in all its shallowness, it's "hopeless emptiness," and with all its failures.

According to writers of the era, Richard Yates exemplified the "Age of Anxiety"—the 20th century morass of "world wars, hatred, and collective neurosis"—which he somehow manages to capture without directly addressing any of the themes of the era. Yates was greatly admired by Styron and Vonnegut as the voice of their generation. And then Yates died and was forgotten. None of his books sold more than 12,000 copies during his lifetime.

I can't imagine why. Revolutionary Road is brilliant. The prose is so accessible you don't realize you're reading. The descriptions are evocative without descending into self-conscious lyricism. (A fallen stage curtain "that became a dull wall of green velvet, faded and streaked with dust" precisely conveys the dismal failure of a play's performance without using a single word that cries for attention.) And his characters are real; so believable that you'd swear you knew them.
As I read Revolutionary Road, I couldn't help asking myself: "How is he doing this?" How did Yates establish his characters so firmly, so realistically? The answer to that question lies in the fact that Yates is a master of, as one reviewer put it, "terrifyingly accurate" dialogue. Yates deftly establishes who his characters are through speech. 

What Yates successfully pulls off in his dialogue is natural-sounding speech, with all its stress patterns, rhythms, and repetitions, but without the tediousness of actual speech. Yates has a finely tuned ear, He individualizes the speech patterns of each of his characters, so you know who they are by how they sound. You hear them so clearly, it feels as if you are eavesdropping. Then he takes it one step further, letting us in on the thought processes of these characters—how they sound to themselves as they weigh what they want to say, or what they don't want to say, and their reflections on how they speak.

Does that sound boring? It isn't. It's tense, and it is frighteningly realistic, because we already know who these characters are. Not only have we met them, we may even have been some of them. 

How many couples have arguments that devolve into "You always do that..." "There you go again..." "You know how you get..."? How many couples descend into deception to cover transgression? How many weave a web of words around what they should be saying to one another, but can't? Speech is everything in this book. (When you get to the last line, that will be made crystal clear. I was left breathless.)

We don't necessarily like Yates' characters in Revolutionary Road, but I think that may have been the point. The way he delves into their inner and outer lives—with such finesse, and such detail—we can't help but identify with them. We can sympathize with them without expending the emotional effort of needing to see them in a positive light, because they are undeniably human.

As writers, it would do us good to read Revolutionary Road. This book is not only an example of how to artfully, yet without any seeming effort, establish our characters through dialogue, it serves as an example of how to create transparency through using language that cuts to the heart of description without drawing attention to itself. Despite its unpretentious delivery, or, more likely, because of it, that kind of language packs a wallop. 
​
Read this book, writers, and then read it again. It contains a lesson worth learning: Don't let your writing get in the way of what you want to say. 

73 Calls for Submissions in November 2022 - Paying markets

Flickr This November there are more than six dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

I post calls for submissions a few days prior to 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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Propertius Press. Genre: Full-length manuscripts, Historical Fiction by BIPOC, POC, Minority, Indigenous, Writers. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Kelp Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Oceanic themes. Payment: $35. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Propertius Press. Genre: Biography or memoir, full length. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Wordworks. Restrictions: Open to BC and Yukon writers. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short story, and creative non-fiction on theme of Beginnings. Payment: $125 per page for original articles, $100 for cover art and $25 for other interior illustrations, $50 for reprints. Deadline:November 1, 2022.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Poems, nonfiction, and short fiction. "The theme for this issue is Constellations. The nightsky stars themselves are not arranged in patterns and shapes and mythological beasts–it is the observer who sees the connections, draws the lines, and makes the picture. What is a constellation, then, but independences transformed into a larger vision when unseen connections are realized and imagined into being?" Payment: $25 for poetry, $75 for prose. Deadline: November 1, 2022.


Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of  queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Penguin/Random House Australia. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to Australian and New Zealand residents. Genre: Children's and YA books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

The Iowa Review. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum). Deadline: November 1, 2022. No fee for snail mail submissions. $4 fee for online submissions.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: November 1, 2022. See themes.

Olit. Restrictions: Strong preference for Orlando based writers/submissions about Orlando and surrounding areas. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Artwork, Photography. "Send us all kinds of stuff. We love the artfully weird." Payment: $10. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Thema: So THAT'S Why. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: So THAT's Why. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2022. Accepts reprints.

The First Line. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: November 1, 2022.
ellipsis… literature & art. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. Payment: $3 per page fpr prose. $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 2, 2022. (Only pays American writers.)

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: November 2, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Fanatical. Genre: Science-fiction and fantasy stories (horror and mystery too if fantastical enough) of between 2,000 and 6,000 words. stories should be inspired by tabletop games - roleplaying games, board games, miniature wargames - but not necessarily be set in those exact worlds or feature particular characters or places. Payment: £20. Deadline: November 5, 2022. 

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of The Americas. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: November 5, 2022.

Cossmass Infinities. Restrictions: Open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy short stories. Payment: $0.08/word for original fiction. Deadline: November 7, 2022.

Geez: Bread and Wine. Genre: Nonfiction, pitches on theme “Bread and Wine.” "Geez is a quarterly, non-profit, ad-free, print magazine about social justice, art, and activism for people at the fringes of faith in both Canada and the US." Genre: Long-form journalism, personal stories of transformation, short bursts of feelings, and nuggets of inspiration. Accepts poetry on a limited basis. Payment: $50 - $100. Deadline: November 7, 2022. 

Scum. Genre: Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. Deadline: November 7, 2022. Opens to submissions on November 1.

Double-Edged Sword. Genre: Co-authored, dark fantasy. Payment: $0.01/word. Deadline: November 8, 2022.


Ornithopter Press. Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Suggested manuscript length: 70 to 100 pages. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 12, 2022.

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical and genre fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 12, 2022.

Mighty. Genre: Fiction stories ranging from 500 to 3500 words. "We want to celebrate characters who are disabled and still save the day, whose abilities and disabilities are equally important aspects of their lives and identities." Payment: CAD $0.08/word. Deadline: November 14, 2022.

So to Speak. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art. Intersectionist feminist perspective. Payment; Modest honorarium. (Print issue only) Deadline: November 14, 2022.

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review. Genre: Poetry and art. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art. Deadline: November 15, 2022. See themes.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 15, 2022. Some reprints accepted.


Belanger Books: Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.P. Lovecraft. Genre: Fiction. "Imagine Holmes investigating the disappearance of a college student in the mysterious town of Innsmouth, matching wits with a man who can reanimate the dead, or using his deductive skills to help fight creatures from beyond the realm of time and space. These are just some of the stories which could be included in the new anthology Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.P. Lovecraft. The anthology will feature traditional Sherlock Holmes stories blended with one or more of Lovecraft’s tales." Payment: $50 or $100. Deadline: November 15, 2022.
Untethered. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid writing, visual art and those strange things in between. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 15, 2022.


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. Theme: Other and Different. Payment: £15. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Word West Revue. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, books, videos and photography that engage with "the west." Payment: Short prose and poetry: $100 for each accepted print piece. $25 for each accepted online piece. Photography: $5 per photo used online. $15 per photo used in print. Video: $50 for each two week block of screening. Books: authors recieve an advance upon acceptance, 15% royalties on print sales, and 35% on ebook sales, paid out quarterly. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 15, 2022. See themes.

The Lorelei Signal. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, and poetry with strong female characters. Payment: $15 for short stories, $5 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces, $5 for reprints. Deadline: November 15, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Grumpy Old Dragons. Genre: Humor. Words: 3000-4000. "We’re looking for stories where the dragon takes center stage (or at least steals the show). To be considered for the anthology, the story must contain at least one loveable ‘grumpy’ character – it can be the dragon’s human mentor, a disembodied ghost of a former dragon snack, or the dragon themselves." Payment: Profit sharing. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Eerie River: Cosmic Horror Anthology. Genre: Cosmic horror. Payment: Flat rate payment ¢1 per word CAD after approved edits - up to $70 CAD. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

The Blue Route. Restrictions: Only the work of current undergraduate writers will be considered.  Genres: Fiction, or creative nonfiction totaling no more than 3000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Shooter. Genre: Stories, essays, memoir and poetry to do with the Body. "We’re looking for stories, essays, memoir and poetry on anything to do with the body and physicality: competitive sports, endurance, sexual attraction, body image, beauty, the sense of touch, ageing, pregnancy and childbirth. Whatever might literally be on the body also makes for welcome subjects, such as tattoo art, jewellery, clothing and fashion." Payment: £25 per story and £5 per poem. Stories that fall below the requested minimum of 2,000 words will be paid at poetry rates. Artists will be paid £25 for use of their work as magazine illustration. Deadline: November 20, 2022.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: November 21, 2022. 

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: November 25, 2022. 

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction on holiday themes. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: $3. Deadline: November 26, 2022.

The Storyteller Series (Podcast and Print) Genre: Fiction, non-fiction, memoir up to 10,000 words.  Payment: $50. Deadline: November 28, 2022. Reprints accepted.

Dragon Soul Press: Beastly Tales. Genre: "All monster romance stories. All heat levels are accepted; erotica preferred." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Crannóg. Genres: Poetry, short stories. Payment: €120 per poem and €200 per story, €200 per author interview and €200 per cover image. Deadline: November 30, 2022.


The Hudson Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews; criticism of literature, art, theatre, dance, film, and music; and articles on contemporary cultural developments. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 30th, 2022. (Fiction only)


The Big Book of Things That Go Bump in the Night: A Collection of Utah Horror.  Restrictions: All entries must have a Utah connection, either on the part of the author or the story itself. Genre: Stories and poems suitable for a middle-grade audience in the same vein as Neil Gaiman, Victoria Schwab, Patrick Ness, Holly Black, and R.L. Stine. Please ensure your story/poem is suitable for a younger audience. Prize: $10 - $35. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Nine Pens. Restrictions: Open to poets in UK and Ireland. Genre: Poetry pamphlets. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Lamar University Literary Press. Genre: Literary fiction—novels and short story collections, poetry. "While our focus is upon original literary work, we will consider books on or about the following if written to our standards: graphic art, biography, regional interest for East Texas." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022.


8th & Atlas Genre: Novels, memoirs, nonfiction/long-form journalism, YA, hybrid works, essay/short story collections, graphic novels, and anthologies. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Made in L.A. Restrictions: Open to writers who live in Los Angeles. Payment: $0.01 per word. Deadline: November 30, 2022.  Accepts reprints.

Cardinal Rule Press Genre: Children’s picture books that empower children through meaningful stories for readers, age 4-11. They also publish non-fiction books for parents (word count up to 70k). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022.


This World Belongs to Us. Genre: Horror stories about bugs. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Gravelight Press: Halloween Party. Genre: Short stories and poems relating to all things horror. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Buried Treasure. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Queries only.

Afreada. Restrictions: Open to African writers. Genre: Short fiction, up to 5,000 words. Payment: £25. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Quarter Press. Genre: Stories, art, poetry, nonfiction on theme: Ends. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Broken Sleep Books. (UK) Genre: Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages). Payment: Royalties. Deadline:  November 30, 2022. 

Poet Lore. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Note: Submit early in the month.

The Fiddlehead. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, and poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Native American Heritage Month, no-fee submissions are open for all Native/Indigenous creators, not limited to those from the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horrror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2022. This is a monthly call. See themes.

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: November 30, 2022. 

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Note: Submit early in the month. Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

parABnormal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. "For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores." Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Wyldblood Press. Genre: Speculative short stories. Payment: £0.01 per word for print and digital rights (to a maximum of £75). Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to writers from everywhere except the USA. Genre: Short fiction between 500 and 5,000 words. Payment: 2p (£0.02) per word, to the nearest 100 words, with a minimum of £30 and maximum £100. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Abandon Journal: Abandon Love. Genre: Short stories, flash fiction, poetry, CNF, hybrid work, art on theme: Abandon Love. Payment: $15. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

FABLE: An Anthology of Horror, Suspense & the Supernatural. Genre: Horror, mystery, crime, thriller, and/or suspense. Supernatural elements are encourged. However, they are not necessary. Length: 1000 - 40,000 words. Payment: Original Fiction: $0.08/word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01/word after. Reprints: $0.01/word. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Cast of Wonders. Genre: YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Gateway Literary Press. Genre: Surrealist, fabulist, and magic realist story collections. US authors only. Payment: Small advance plus royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Submit early in the month.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme of Dread. Payment: $30. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Opens November 15. Submission period extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.


And a few more ...

Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2022. Submit early to avoid submission fee. 

Empire of Beasts. Genre: Stories about entirely new societies and cultures populated by anthropomorphized creatures. Payment: $40. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

The Offing: Wit Tea. Genre: Humor. "Send us your comedic work in any genre. We love strong character voices, absurdity, momentum, vulnerability, and surprise. We want the pieces only you – yes you, weirdo – could write. We want to think, we want to cry, and we want to laugh our butts off. We’ve been attached to our butts for far too long." Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Toxic Workplaces. Restrictions: Open to women writers. Genre: CNF up to 5,000 words on theme Toxic Workplaces. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Outcast Press: Diner Crime/Noir/Neo-Noir Anthology. Genre: Crime/noir/neo-noir/transgressive short stories in which a diner-like venue plays a major role in the narrative. Length: 2,000 – 7,000 words (3,000 – 4,500 words being the sweet spot). Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

Farmer-ish. Genre: Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Payment: $25 or copy of book (print only). Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

Ruminate. Genre: Fiction under 5,500 words. Payment: $20 per 500 words. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Air and Nothingness Press: Gargantua. Genre: Speculative stories of massive engineering megastructures that reshape stellar systems. Length: exactly 1000 words. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Contrary. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Tomorrow's Hope. Genre: Near Future Hard Science Fiction. Payment: A percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Interstellar Flight Press. Genre: Horror including but not limited to: Science Fiction Horror, Fantasy Horror, Supernatural, Weird Horror, Mystery/thrillers with horror elements. Hybrids or difficult to categorize works are welcome. Give us your slashers, zombies, witches, vampires, monsters, demons, devils, horror comedies, psychological thrillers, body horror, crime noir, creature features, aliens, ghosts, haunted houses, creepy carnivals, serial killers, possessed children, shapeshifters, disasters, and viruses. Word Count: 17,500 - 40,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Wandering Wave Press: An Anthology of Unconventional Stories. Genre: Fiction. “We’re looking for genre authors who cross boundaries. Authors whose stories twist the tropes to showcase in a cross-genre anthology of stories that entertain, but read fresh and new. Send us the story that you can’t classify: a story that can’t be pigeon-holed into a single subgenre, or that pushes against your genre’s boundaries. We want to showcase authors who write uncommon fiction.” Some examples are: witches in space, romances that flip gender roles, alternate histories set in the near-future, and fairy tales that start after the ‘happily ever after.’ Length: 1,000-10,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Book Worms. Genre: All HORROR sub-genres. No romance or erotica. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

42 Writing Contests in November 2022 - No entry fees

Pexels This November there are more than three dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $50,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

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

Good luck! 

(Image: Pexels)
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Gotham Book Prize. Genre: Book. "The Gotham Book Prize is awarded once a year to the best book (works of fiction and nonfiction are eligible) published that calendar year that either is about New York City or takes place in New York City." Prize: $50,000. Deadline: November 1, 2022.


Quarterly West.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Brave New Weird Awards. Genre: Weird horror. "We define New Weird Horror as a Horror subgenre focused on progress, creatively capturing themes and questions that bleed into fiction straight from the modern reader's life and future." (If you understand that definition, feel free to submit.) Prize: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2022. Previously published work only.

Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: The Prize is open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. It is for ten poems exactly in order to encourage serious poets. These poems may, however, have already been published. Only poets who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published are eligible. Poets who have self-published poetry books or had chapbooks and pamphlets published are allowed to submit for this prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1500. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Defenestration Flash Suite Contest. Genre: Flash suite. "A series of at least three flash fiction works that correlate, and build to something greater. Recurring characters, extended motifs, harmonious subject matters, and/or sustained narrative are such correlations– but we encourage innovation and new ideas.” Prize: $75. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

ILA Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction English-language books for children in grades pre-K to 12 and published for the first time during the year preceding the deadline year. Must be the author's first or second book. Prize: $800. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: PEN America will only accept submissions from editors of eligible publications. Authors may not submit their own short story for this award. Genre: First published short story. Prize: $2000 and publication in The PEN America Best Debut Short Stories. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Daily Mail First Novel Competition (UK). Restrictions: Open to any UK  author aged 18 or older. Genre: First novels for adults of manuscript length (submit 3000-word sample and synopsis). All genres except science fiction, fantasy, and sagas are accepted. Book cannot have been self-published or previously published. Prize: £20,000 and publication by Little, Brown. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the British Commonwealth. Genre: Unpublished short fiction (2,000-5,000 words) in English. Short stories translated into English from other languages are also eligible. Prize: Regional winners receive £2,500 (US$3,835) and the overall winner will receive £5,000 (US$7,670). Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Bennington Young Writers Awards. Restrictions: Open to students in the 9th-12th grades. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500; third-place winners receive $250. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: Writers must not have published a book, short story, or dramatic work in the mystery field, either in print, electronic, or audio form. Genre: Mystery stories of the Agatha Christie type—i.e., “traditional mysteries.” These works usually feature no excessive gore, gratuitous violence, or explicit sex. Prize: Each grant may be used to offset registration, travel, or other expenses related to attendance at a writers' conference or workshop within a year of the date of the award. In the case of nonfiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses. Each grant currently includes a $1,500 award plus a comprehensive registration for the following year's convention and two nights' lodging at the convention hotel, but does not include travel to the convention or meals. Deadline: November 1, 2022. 

Weird Christmas Flash Contest. Genre: Weird flash fiction. 350 words max. Prize: $50 first prize, $25 second prize. Deadline: November 2, 2022.

Dylan Thomas Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be aged 39 or under. Eligible books must have been commercially published for the first time in the English language between January 1 and December 31 of the year in which the deadline falls. Genre: Published books of poetry, fiction (novel, novella, or short story collection), radio scripts, or screenplays. Prize: 30,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds for shortlisted authors. Deadline: November 4, 2022.

Bronx Council on the Arts Community Engagement Grants. Restrictions: Open to residents of Bronx County. Genre: All art forms, including writing. Grant: $1000 - $5000. Deadline: November 14, 2022.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize is sponsored by the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival. Genre: Non-fiction essay between 4 to 10 pages, set in Brooklyn about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. (Up to 2500 words). Prize: $500. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets for previously unpublished poems of any length that "help make real for readers the gravity of the vulnerable state of our environment at present." Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $1,000. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Perugia Press Prize. Restrictions: Poets must be women with more than one previously published full-length book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Book publication and $1,000. Deadline: November 15, 2022. No fee for poets who are Black, Indigenous, and women of color.

Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. Restrictions: Books must be first edition English-language books written by a Canadian or American citizen or permanent resident of either country. Works written by women or non-binary authors are eligible for submission. The Prize welcomes and encourages submissions by transgender woman authors. Genre: Published novel, short story collection or graphic novel. Prize: $150,000 Canadian dollars. Deadline: Entries for books published between September 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022, must be received on or before November 18, 2022.

Green Bean Books and Jewish Book Week Awards. Restrictions: Open to children’s authors and illustrators living in Europe, the UK and Israel. Genre: Stories for young children based on Jewish history, values and traditions. Prize: One author and one illustrator will each receive a £1000 prize and the work will be considered for publication by specialist Jewish children’s book publisher Green Bean Books. Deadline: November 18, 2022.

Arts & Letters Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Genres: poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, dramatic script, art, music, and French language. Entries must be unpublished and completed during the previous 12 months. Prizes: C$1,000 and C$250. Deadline: November 18, 2022.

Anita McAndrews Poetry Award. Genre: Poetry on theme of human rights. Familiarity with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is recommended. Prize: First prize $200, Second prize $50. Deadline: November 20, 2022. 

Polar Expressions Publications Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: November 21, 2022.

Solarpunk Microfiction Contest. Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline: November 24, 2022. See theme. Opens November 18.

New Media Writing Prize. Genre: Fiction or non-fiction written specifically for delivery and reading/viewing on a PC or Mac, the web, or a hand-held device such as an iPad or mobile phone. It could be a short story, novel, poem, narrative game, documentary, or transmedia work using words, images, film or animation with audience interaction. Interactivity is a key element of new-media storytelling. Prize: £1000. Deadline: November 25, 2022.

One Teen Story. Restrictions: Open to writers age 13 -19. Genre: Short story between 2,000 to 4,500 words. Prize: $500 upon publication and 25 copies of the magazine. Deadline: November 27, 2022.

Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Student writers in the 11th grade. Prizes: First Prize – $500, Second Prize – $250, Third Prize – $100. Deadline: November 27, 2022.

Polar Expressions Publications Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Short Story. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: November 28, 2022

Six Word Wonder. Genre: Story, memoir, poem, or joke, told in only six words. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Love Letters to London Writing Competition. Genre: Poetry and open "We want Londoners - as well as non-Londoners who wish to celebrate this place - to tell us why they love the city. Write us up to 500 words around the theme of “making connections” Prize: £150 - £500. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Open to all ages. Some reprints accepted.

Servicescape. Genre: Short story or nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Paul Torday Memorial Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be over 60. Genre: First published novel. The novel must have been first published in the UK and Republic of Ireland between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Betty Trask Prize. Restrictions: Author must be a Commonwealth citizen. Genre: First novels, published or unpublished, written by authors under the age of 35 in a "traditional or romantic, but not experimental, style." Prize: Awards totaling 20,000 pounds. Top prize 10,000 pounds. The prize money must be used for foreign travel. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers. Restrictions: Open to writers aged 16-18. Genre: Poem. Prize: Full scholarship to The Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop, an intensive two-week summer seminar for writers aged 16-18. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Somerset Maugham Awards. Restrictions: Open to UK writers under the age of 35. Genre: Published work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Prize: 2,500 pounds apiece to four winners. Prize money must be used for travel. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

UNT Rilke Prize. Restrictions: US citizens or residents. Open to authors with at least two prior published books of poetry. Genre: Book of poetry published between November 2021 and October 2022. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

AVBOB Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to any citizen of South Africa. Genre: Poetry. Prize: R10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

J. F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

Better Than Starbucks. Genre: Metrical poetry. Your sonnet can be shakespearean, petrarchan, spenserian, rhymed, or slant-rhymed. Blank verse is fine, as long as the sonnet form is clearly identifiable. They'll consider tetrameter, hexameter, etc. as well as pentameter. Prize: $100.  Deadline: November 30, 2022. Previously published work accepted.

Olde Wolf Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2022. This is a monthly contest.

The Lancaster Playwriting Prize. Restrictions: Anyone from the North of England who identifies as disabled can apply for the competition. There is no age limit. Genre: Script (for a play). Scripts must be a minimum of 30 minutes long. Prize: £1500. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

13 Notable Writing Conferences and Workshops in November 2022

Wikimedia This November there are more than a dozen writing conferences. Many conferences and workshops will be held online, but some will be held in person or use a hybrid format.These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

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

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

(Image: Wikimedia)

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Medical Writing and Communication Conference. November 2 - 5, 2022: Denver, CO. Workshops in medical writing, designing materials for patients, analysis, clinical reports, and more. 
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Sanibel Island Writers Conference. November 3 - 5, 2022: Sanibel Island, Florida. Participants at all stages of development — from notebook scribblers to published novelists — are invited to view a variety of discussions and panels on fiction, poetry, songwriting, YA literature, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, and publishing and editing. 

Wright Women Writers Conference. November 4- 5, 2022: University of Central Arkansas. "The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference focuses on women-identifying writers from all genres and all experience levels, from journalism to mass market books to literary endeavors, and beyond. Our goal is to provide a space for camaraderie, connection-making, and inspiration, and while women-identifying writers are the only presenters at the conference, we welcome all of our male and male-identifying colleagues to attend. We believe that much of what we have to offer, including the specific, female perspective, is valuable for all audiences, and that male allies are necessary to changing the current gender imbalance in publishing."

Atlanta Writers Conference. November 4 - 5, 2022: Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE: You must be an Atlanta Writers Club (AWC) member to participate in the conference. The conference features online craft and marketing workshops, editing consultations via e-mail, and in-person pitch sessions and manuscript and query letter critiques for fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and graphic novelists. Participating publishing professionals have included editors Nettie Finn (St. Martin’s Press), Nate Lanman (William Morrow/HarperCollins), Erin McClary (Sourcebooks), Chayenne Skeete (Penguin Random House), Haley Swanson (HarperCollins), and Alicia Tan (HarperCollins), and agents Lisa Abellera (Kimberley Cameron & Associates), Lauren Bieker (FinePrint Literary Management), Savannah Brooks (Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency), Penelope Burns (Gelfman Schneider/ICM), Brenna English-Loeb (Transatlantic Agency), Ronald Gerber (Lowenstein Associates), Jennifer Grimaldi (Chalberg & Sussman), Kaitlyn Johnson (Belcastro Literary Agency), Maria Napolitano (Bookcase Literary Agency), and Samantha Wekstein (Thompson Literary Agency). The cost of a single session ranges from $75 to $190; the cost of the All-Activities Package, which includes two manuscript critiques, one query letter critique, two pitch sessions, two workshops, and an optional preconference manuscript edit, is $650. Writers who are not members of the Atlanta Writers Club must purchase a yearlong membership for an additional $50 in order to register. Will be held online and in person.


Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. November 4 - 6, 2022: Ossabaw Island, GA. Workshops and seminars led by nationally recognized faculty, and evening readings (special emphasis on ghost stories) by faculty and participants. Application deadline: September 30.

Autumn Writing Getaway. November 5, 2022: Online. Join us for a welcoming getaway designed for writers of fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction and poetry. "This retreat will trigger your imagination, giving you the freedom to compose new and exciting work. Spend time immersed in the literary life: writing, discussing craft and sharing new drafts." Held online.

Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. November 5 - December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "For over 40 years, Nimrod has hosted an in-person, all-day writing conference in conjunction with the publication of our fall issue. While we will not be hosting this year’s in-person events due to the continuing effects of the pandemic, we’re thrilled to host an extended period of virtual creative writing programming this fall. This year’s programming will feature several months of craft talks, Q&As, readings, and more. We will add more offerings to this schedule as they become available, so keep checking back."

2022 Kauai Writers Festival. November 7 – 13, 2022, Master class November 7 - 10, 2022:  Kalapaki Bay, Lihue, Kauai, HI. Join bestselling authors and agents in an intimate, oceanfront setting, with an emphasis on fiction, memoir, thrillers, and screenwriting. Includes in-depth sessions on craft, publishing, and the writing life, with opportunities for agent/editor feedback. 

Futurescapes. November 8 - 12, 2022. Futurescapes is an intensive, exclusive workshop, offering writers an unparalleled chance to work with top authors and agents in speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal). It has been almost five years since we last held a 200-page (50,000 word) workshop and we’re excited to do it once more. APPLY EARLY.

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. November 9 - 13, 2022: Stone Creek Village, Soquel, California. (In the event it is unsafe to meet in person due to COVID they will bring the workshop fully online at a reduced cost.) The Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp is for the writer who has a full, book-length manuscript (novel, memoir, short story or essay collection) and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. The extended weekend will include an intimate manuscript workshop, craft panels, readings, and individual meetings – the perfect pre-publication boot camp for any manuscript. Classes are limited to 5 participants.

San Diego Writing Workshop. November 11 - 12, 2022. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. 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 “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually."

Orion Creative Nonfiction Writer's Workshop. November 13 - 18, 2022: Online. Duration: This class meets over six consecutive Sundays from 12-3 pm ET. Instructor: Hannah Dela Cruz Abrams. The course: The Breakthrough. "The trick here will be to astonish ourselves. To outfox and outwrite ourselves. This nonfiction workshop seeks to provide us with ways to leap into ideas we didn’t know we had and deliver language we didn’t know we could. Our rationale is that, as writers, we run the risk of getting in our own way, of confining ourselves to the ideas and the vocabulary with which we set out. The risk is greater when working within a specific genre, such as place-conscious writing. We will set out by exploring a few luminous hallmarks of the genre, work which not only considers and challenges the intersections of environment, culture, history, and science but which further demonstrates how to both harness and shatter formal considerations. The exercises in this class will provide us with immediate material—either new starting points or threads which may serve to complicate and develop works-in-progress. Our goal, both in the generative and workshop segments of this course, is to locate the places in the pages where, unexpectedly and exquisitely, a boundary may be breached." Application window: September 10-25.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference. November 18 -20, 2022: Wrightsville Beach, NC. The WSOC will feature classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing, as well as a keynote address by Jason Mott, a Pre-Conference Tailgate and a Prompt Party to get creative juices flowing, online Open Mic readings and Happy Hour virtual gatherings, and an Agents & Editors panel discussion. 

8 New Agents Seeking Children's Fiction, Horror, Romance, Thriller, YA, Speculative Fiction, Nonfiction, LGBTQ+ and more

Kendall Berdinsky Here are eight new agents actively expanding their client lists. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

Kendall Berdinsky is interested in seeing upmarket romance, book club fiction, cozy mysteries and psychological thrillers, and narrative nonfiction. Katie Gisondi is seeking Children's Fiction, Horror, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult. Non-Fiction: LGBTQ, Pop Culture, Science. Favorite sub-genres: Contemporary Romance, Gothic Horror, Nature, YA Fantasy. 

Kendyll Drilling is mostly interested in fiction for all ages. Cole Lanahan is actively looking for all genres of YA, all genres of adult romance, psychological suspense and thrillers. In nonfiction she is looking for humor, business, self-help, lifestyle, and arts and crafts books.

Tamara Kawar is actively seeking graphic novels for all ages and across genres; science fiction, fantasy, horror, and historical fiction for middle grade, YA, and adult readers; upmarket and book club fiction, especially genre-bending stories, and those with an international bent; and adult & YA rom-coms and romance featuring LGBTQ+ characters. She also represents select nonfiction for young readers, including illustrated projects.

Kristen Terrette wants Faith-Based Fiction and Memoirs, Women’s Crime Thriller and Children's Literature. Zach Honey is primarily seeking thrillers and other adult fiction, especially those set in rural places, mountainous regions, or any other hard to reach corners of the world. His other interests hiking, skiing, music, boardgames, golf and other outdoor activities and he is open to non-fiction pitches in these categories. Rick Lewis represents authors of speculative fiction titles in the Adult and YA categories, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and magical realism.

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 two 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. Kendall Berdinsky of Dystel Goderich & Bourret LLC


A native Texan, Kendall Berdinsky fell in love with the Junie B. Jones books she discovered in kindergarten and has been an avid reader ever since. She is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in professional writing with a minor in English literature. During her junior year abroad, she interned in the children’s department at Simon & Schuster UK; after graduation, she served as an editorial assistant at Foundry Literary + Media and attended the Columbia Publishing Course.

What she is seeking: Kendall is interested in seeing upmarket romance, book club fiction, cozy mysteries and psychological thrillers, and narrative nonfiction. Overall, she is looking for work from underrepresented communities with new stories to tell. 

How to submit: To query Kendall, please visit her Query Manager site HERE.

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Ms. Katie Gisondi of Laura Dail Literary Agency, Inc.


Katie Gisondi graduated from Hamilton College in 2020 with a BA in Creative Writing. Before finding her home at LDLA she worked at Cut + Run Productions NYC and ran social media at Eaton Hemp Superfoods. In her spare time, she fangirls over romantasy, thrillers, and Jane Austen.

What she is seeking: Fiction: Children's, Horror, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult. Non-Fiction: LGBTQ, Pop Culture, Science. Favorite sub-genres: Contemporary Romance, Gothic Horror, Nature, YA Fantasy.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Kendyll Drilling of Corvisiero Literary Agency

Kendyll Drilling has been reading since the age of three, and she has never lost her appetite for reading. She never planned on pursuing literature as a career, but after an accident left her paralyzed, she decided it was in her best interest to focus on something that has always made her happy. This path led her to freelance editing manuscripts and going to college for a dual degree in English Literature and European History. Knowing her options would be limited due to her condition, she is excited and thankful for the opportunity to work with the team at Covrisiero Literary Agency.

Kendyll’s favorite type of books are intricate fantasy novels and historical novels set before the 20th century, but she enjoys novels of all genres, as long as there compelling characters and a plot that transports her to another world. Apart from reading, Kendyll also enjoys copious amounts of tea, music, and funny tee-shirts.

What she is seeking: Kendyll is mostly interested in fiction for all ages (middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult), and will review each project submitted to her equally. She is especially hoping to find some underrepresented voices and bring them to the forefront.

For all age groups, Kendyll enjoys:
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Fantasy and Magical Realism
Speculative Fiction
Folklore and Fairytale Retellings, especially those that may not be as well known
Mythology
Historical Fiction (especially before the 20th century)
Immersive and well-researched (but still easy to follow and understand) science fiction
Thrillers with harrowing twists and turns
True crime stories 
Anything with time travel
Own Voices narratives
Multi-POV narratives
Stories with the topics of mental health and disability 

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Cole Lanahan of The Seymour Agency 

As a junior agent, Cole Lanahan possesses a wide range of skills to offer her authors. Aside from being a published author of eight novels, Cole holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State. Her past experiences include lobbying the United States congress for better mental health initiatives, leading a multimillion-dollar mental health nonprofit, creating strategic corporate partnerships, and implementing large-scale marketing campaigns.

What she is seeking: Cole is actively looking for all genres of YA, all genres of adult romance, psychological suspense in the vein of The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, and thrillers in the vein of Verity by Colleen Hoover and I’m thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid. In nonfiction she is looking for humor, business, self-help, lifestyle, and arts and crafts books.
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How to submit; Use her querymanager HERE. 
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Tamara Kawar of DeFiore and Company 

Tamara joined DeFiore and Company in 2022. She started her career with internships at Macmillan and Writers House, then worked at ICM for five years. Tamara represents writer and illustrator clients in both the children’s and adult markets, with a particular focus on talented LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. She also serves on the AALA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, where she co-directs a mentorship program for early career agents from underrepresented backgrounds.

What she is seeking: Tamara is actively seeking graphic novels for all ages and across genres; science fiction, fantasy, horror, and historical fiction for middle grade, YA, and adult readers; upmarket and book club fiction, especially genre-bending stories, and those with an international bent; and adult & YA rom-coms and romance featuring LGBTQ+ characters. She also represents select nonfiction for young readers, including illustrated projects. Across all categories, she is passionate about championing marginalized voices and perspectives.
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How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Kristen Terrette, Literary Manager Martin Literary Management 

Kristen is a literary manager excited to build her list featuring titles in middle grade, young adult, female-driven crime thrillers, faith-based books, and the occasional picture book with an author/illustrator.

She has a BA in Early Childhood Education and MA in Theology and Religious Studies which led her into children’s ministry for many years. Eventually, her lifelong love of books and authors drew her back to her original dream of entering the publishing world. Kristen is a multi-published author and freelance writer. She’s held such positions as the Blog Manager for a national women’s ministry and the Social Media Manager for a publishing house. All these components landed her a spot in the coveted Writers House Intern Program. There, she received valuable hands-on agenting and publishing experience which she brings into her new position. 

Kristen has long been a voice for diversity. She’s written extensively on topics of racial reconciliation and unity and is a facilitator of groups around these topics in her church. In all her focused genres, she welcomes books with BIPOC or disabled main characters and diverse friendships. She believes books change people in all the best ways and that every child should see themselves in the pages. 

What she is seeking: Middle Grade (All subgenres except Sci-fi): Kristen hearts Middle Grade. She would love to see books tackling themes like abandonment, bullying, loneliness, comparison, divorce, and body image but done so by instilling hope, growth, and healing. Send her the creepy, horrifying, supernatural, fantastical, historical, and contemporary. She is ready to see it all.

Young Adult (All subgenres except Sci-fi): Kristen’s background in writing YA and her extensive reading in this genre has given her a great love and understanding of it. Grab her attention within the first couple of pages. Send her books with first loves, unique friendships, interesting and/or challenging family dynamics, and hard-hitting subject matter (race relations, suicide, abuse, divorce, etc.) but leave her with a satisfying (not necessarily happy!) ending.

Women’s Crime Thriller: Kristen loves a good thriller with a woman main character, so send her the smart, tough, and brave lady crime solvers. If she can’t figure out what’s going to happen next or what the ending will be, you’ve gotten her attention. 

Faith-Based Fiction and Memoirs: Kristen loves a good redemption or forgiveness story, a historically accurate saga, a clean and beautiful, yet realistic love story, or a memoir that has her crying and laughing within the span of a few pages. 

Picture Books with Authors/Illustrators: Picture books are an important part of establishing a love for literature at an early age, though, at this time, Kristen is only looking for authors who are also illustrators. If your work fits these criteria, she’d love to see it.

Kristen is not a good fit for Science Fiction (even in MG or YA), books with any political agenda, extremely foul-mouthed characters, or gratuitous sex scenes.

How to submit: Submit query letters to: Kristen@MartinLit.com 

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Mr. Zach Honey of FinePrint Literary Management 

Zach joined Fine Print Literary in 2020 and was became an Associate Agent in 2022. He entered the writing world from the side of an author publishing a number of short stories and maintaining a close connection with the craft as a member of writing groups in Boston and New York. After attending the NYC Pitch Conference and being introduced to the agenting side of the industry, he connected with Peter Rubie at Fine Print Literary who brought him on as an assistant.

What he is seeking: Zach is primarily seeking thrillers and other adult fiction, especially those set in rural places, mountainous regions, or any other hard to reach corners of the world. His other interests hiking, skiing, music, boardgames, golf and other outdoor activities and he is open to non-fiction pitches in these categories. He would like to support underrepresented authors especially those of American indigenous community.

How to submit: To query Zach, send an email to submissions@fineprintlit.com and write "Dear Zach" in the body of the email.

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Rick Lewis of Martin Literary Management 

Before joining the literary world, Rick spent nearly two decades as a professional writer, first in television news and then in marketing. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he lived for 25 years before recently moving to Charlottesville, VA., with his spouse and two children.  Before joining Martin Literary Management, he was editor-in-chief at Uproar Books, where he worked closely with debut authors to edit and launch award-winning science fiction and fantasy novels such as the gothic fantasy Asperfell by Jamie Thomas, the dark sci-fi comedy Always Greener by J.R.H. Lawless, and the YA contemporary fantasy Foretold by Violet Lumani. 

What he is seeking: Rick is looking for novels that feature complex, realistic characters in highly imaginative worlds. Give him genuine emotions and meaningful struggles, but also at least a touch of science, magic, or the supernatural that captures the imagination while illuminating the real world. 

How to submit: Use his querymanager HERE.