Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 22

64 Writing Contests in February 2022 - No entry fees

Flickr This February there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 to a free writing class. 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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The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

Woodrow Hall Top Shelf Awards. Genre: Book of flash fiction published in 2021. Prize: $250. (Three winners) Deadline: February 1, 2022.

Gannon University Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Entrants must be a US high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Genre: Poetry. Each student may enter 1 or 2 poems; each poem may be no longer than 50 lines. Prize: First Place: $100.00 Second Place: $75.00 Third Place: $50.00. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

The Roadrunner Review. Restrictions: Open to students, graduate and undergraduate. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: February1, 2022.

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. Genre: Most outstanding book for young people published in 2016. There is a $500 award in each category: Pre-K - Grade 3;  Grades 4 - 6;  Grades 7 - 12. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry book published in 2018. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

Wednesday Club Junior Poetry Prize. Restrictions: High School Students in Grades 9 through 12 in the St. Louis Area. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $200,  $150,  $100, $80, $50, and up to five $25 honorable mentions TEACHER AWARDS: $200, $150, $100. (Applies to teachers of first three student winners.) Deadline: February 1, 2022.

Wednesday Club Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Adults over 18; living within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $500, $300, $150. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

$1000 for 1000 Words Creative Writing Contest is sponsored by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation. Restrictions: Students enrolled in grades 6-12. Genre: Short fiction of exactly 1000 words. Prize: Two $1,000 scholarship prizes will be awarded, one for grades 6-8 and one for grades 9-12. Seven $100 cash prizes will also be awarded for winning entries, one per grade level.  Deadline:  February 1, 2022.  


Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards. Genre: Play that addresses the question: “What does it mean to be a human in a computerized world?” Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 1, 2022. 

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada. Self-published books are not eligible. Genre: A 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. Prize: Winner: $25,000; Finalists: $2,500. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

North Carolina Student Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to student poets from 3rd grade to university undergraduates attending schools in North Carolina. Genres: Unpublished poems (submit one poem). Prizes: 1st Place winners will receive a $60 check, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. 2nd Place winners receive $40, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. 3rd Place winners receive $25, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. Deadline: February 1, 2022. 

The University of Chester Flash (Youth). Restrictions: Open to Scottish students aged 16-19 who are studying in the UK. Genre: flash fiction of up to 360 words. Prize: Up to £100. Deadline: February 4, 2022.

Narrative Magazine High School Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students aged 15-18. Genre: Poetry on theme: Blind Spots. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 4, 2022.

Bath Flash Fiction Award. Genre: Flash fiction (300 words max). Prize: £1000 prize for the winner, £300 second and £100 third. Two commendations £30 each. Deadline: February 6, 2022.

Max Afford Playwrights' Award. Restrictions: Open to Australian playwrights aged 18-40. Genre: Full-length plays. Prize: A$15,000. Deadline: February 6, 2022.

Young Authors Sacred Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to US students aged 13-18. Genre: Essay on racial justice. Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: February 7, 2022.

Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to writers who were born in or are residents of Virginia or, in the case of nonfiction, books with a Virginia theme, are eligible. Genre: Books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 10, 2022.

Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Restrictions: Open to authors under 30 years of age who have not had a book published. Applicant must have been born in Ohio or have lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years. Genre: Short fiction and creative non-fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 10, 2022.

The Bechtel Prize. Genre: Essays describing a virtual creative writing teaching experience, project or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. "We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the virtual classroom. We welcome essays about projects that carved a space for students to reflect on the events of the past year (eg. public health, social distancing, racial justice protests, etc.)." Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: February 11, 2022.

Lex Allen Literary Festival Prizes. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate college students. Genres: Poetry and fiction. Prize: $100. Deadline: February 11, 2022.

Luminarts Creative Writing Fellowship. The Creative Writing Fellowship awards two $7,500 grant Fellowships for excellence in creative writing in the categories of prose and poetry, in fiction and nonfiction. Applicants submit a two-page written piece (either a stand-alone piece or an excerpt of a larger piece such as a novel or short story). Open to writers between the ages of 18 and 30 years old at the time of application; be enrolled in, or have graduated from, a degree program; and live within 150 miles of the Union League Club of Chicago. Genre: Poetry or prose, fiction and nonfiction.  Prize: $7,500. Deadline: February 11, 2022.

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: A place on one of Arvon's residential writing courses and publication. Deadline: February 11, 2022.

Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Michigan.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st place - $250 and publication in The Albion Review, 2nd place - $150 and publication in The Albion Review; 3rd place - $100 and publication in The Albion Review. Deadline: February 13, 2022.

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Prizes: Up to C$10,000. Deadline: February 14, 2022.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: February 14, 2022.

Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction. Restrictions: Open to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction. Restrictions: Open to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. The winner of the prize will have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking and challenging work. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers. Restrictions: The nominee must self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. The nominee must have written and published at least one but no more than two books of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Dr. Jim Duggins Outstanding LGBTQ Mid-Career Novelist Prize. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ mid-career novelists who have published at least three novels. or two novels and substantial additional literary work (including poems, stories, or essays). Genre: Published book. Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50. Restrictions: Open to unpublished LGBTQ writers over 50 working in any genre. Genre: All genres. Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Award. Genre: Poetry - translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Ballard Spahr Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of MN, IA, ND, SD, WI, or MI. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $10,000 & book publication with Milkweed Editions. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

CAAPP Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers of African descent. Genre: First or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African and African diasporic experience. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation. Prize: $3000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Ambroggio Prize. Restrictions: Poet must be a U.S. Citizen; Resident of the United States for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Legal Permanent Status (LPS), or any subsequent categories designated by the U.S. authorities as conferring similar enhanced status upon non-citizens living in the United States. Genre: Book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Genre: Poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Haiku Society of America Merit Book Awards for Excellence in Published Haiku, Translation, and Criticism. Genre: Published book. Books must have been published in 2019 and must clearly contain a printed 2019 copyright. A member, author, or publisher may submit or nominate more than one title. At least 50 percent of the book must be haiku, senryu, or haibun, or prose about these subjects (books mostly of tanka, for example, are not eligible). Prize: $500. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative flash fiction that reflect the artwork they’ve chose for each month.(See site for images.) Prize: $10 USD. Deadline: February 15, 2022. Note: This is a monthly contest.

The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award supports the work of a promising early-career nonfiction writer on a story that uncovers truths about the human condition. Genres: Nonfiction journalism works in progress with “strong, character-driven narratives with detailed scene writing and lyrical description.” Restrictions: The award will not fund proposals to report on armed conflicts where journalists are already imperiled, nor projects that are mainly investigatory. Prize: $12,500 grant and use of the NYU library. Deadline: February 16, 2022.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2021, and February 28, 2022 to be eligible for the 2022 Prize. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: February 18, 2022.

Myong Cha Son Haiku Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Haiku. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: February 21, 2022.

Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Original poems written in Spanish and translations of English poems to Spanish. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 21, 2022.

Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Poetry composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: February 21, 2022.

Wil Mills Award. Restrictions: Open to poets who have published chap books but have no full-linked collections. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $200 Deadline: February 21, 2022.

Sonnet Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Sonnet. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 21, 2022.

Villanelle Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Villanelle. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 21, 2022.

Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students (grades 9-12) from across the Washington Metropolitan Area (Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC). Genre: Poetry. Prize: First, 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $250, $100 and $50 gift certificates.    Deadline: February 22, 2022.

Solarpunk Climate Fiction. Genre: Speculative micro-fiction. Length: 250 words max. Prize: $25.  Deadline: February 24, 2022.

Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. Genre: First book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 25, 2022.

Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one.  Genre: Nonfiction. Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is open to novels and short story collections first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Fiction that explores ideas and issues, political themes, dilemmas and injustices through imagined narratives. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Writing is open to nonfiction first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Nonfiction, including entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral and historical subjects. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: February 28, 2022.


Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to US writers only. Genre: Full-length manuscript of creative nonfiction by a writer not yet established in the genre. Prize: $12,000 and publication.   Deadline: February 28, 2022.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

Texas Review Press Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series: West Virginia. Restrictions: Open to any poet born in West Virginia, or currently residing in West Virginia, who has not yet published a full-length collection of poetry. The author may have published chapbooks or books in other genres. Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Winner will receive a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

Imagine Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories in Japanese or English for its “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA– either past, present or future. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

The Kelpies Prize (Scotland). Restrictions: Open to Scottish authors. Genre: Children’s fiction and illustration. Prize: £1,000, a publishing contract, a writing retreat, and a year of mentoring by an editorial team. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Restrictions: Open to first-generation residents of the United States. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated to the U.S., or to American-born residents whose parents were born elsewhere. Genre: Unpublished nonfiction books. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association Self-Published E-Book Literary Award.  Restrictions: Open to African-Americans. Genre: Self-Published E-Book in fiction and poetry written by African-Americans that depict the "cultural, historical, or sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora." Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

Past Year Memoir Contest. Genre: "We want you to tell us a true story from your life in 2021…in 21 words or fewer. We want a personal story from your life, which can be hilarious, heartbreaking, puzzling, uplifting, or just plain strange. Look for something intriguing, perhaps something with emotional or intellectual resonance. It’s fine if you want to include current events from the year, as long as it’s mostly about you, or how you feel about it." Prize: Free Gotham class of your choosing. Deadline: February 28, 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: February 28, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. See themes. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: February 28, 2022.

10 Literary Magazines Open to Fiction, Poetry, Essays NOW - Paying markets

"Woman writing a letter with her maid" by Johannes Vermeer Here are ten literary magazines open to submissions right now, with no firm deadlines. These publications want everything from horror, to SFF, to social commentary, to anarchist poetry, to Yiddish humor. The sky's the limit. None charge submission fees and all are paying markets.

For a list of hundreds of paying markets, broken down by genre, see PAYING MARKETS.

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The Anarchist Poetry Project. Genre: Poem Length: 3 poems up to 5 pages total. "The theme of the book is Building Better Worlds. We’re interested in what those better Anarchist worlds and systems look like. Poems that somehow relate to that theme within the context of anarchism will have a better chance of being accepted. In particular, we love speculative literature (scifi, fantasy, hopepunk and other -punk subgenres, magical realism, etc). But even if your poem doesn’t fall into such genres, we still want you to submit it as long as you identify as an anarchist, and your poems are in some way about or related to anarchism and building better worlds." Payment: $30 per poem + contributor copy. Deadline: Open until filled.

Ahoy Comics. Genre: Short fiction and social commentary. "We seek smart, weird, funny articles or stories, which run between 500 and 1,500 words." Payment. $200. 

The Bureau Dispatch. Genre: Short stories between 500 to 1,500 words. "We want your best work. We want fiction that is compelling and beautifully-crafted; narratives that leave the reader breathless and changed. The kind of story that, when all is said and done, elicits a resounding "sh*t, yeah! We are open to all narratives, but are currently partial to ones that explore the theme of DISPATCH." Payment: $50.

Bracken. Genre: Poetry and art. "Bracken is a literary magazine born of the love of the woods and its shadows." Payment: $30. 

Neon. Genre: "We prefer darker pieces, especially those with an element of the surreal or speculative, but are open to anything and like to be surprised. Images, comics, and graphic poems are also welcome, as are self-contained extracts. If you have any doubts about whether something is suitable, go ahead and send it anyway." Theme: Cuisine. Payment: Prose 2p per word; Poetry 20p per line; Photography £5 per image; Comics £5 per page. Minimum payment of £10 per contributor.

VALRAVN. Genre: Horror and “wyrd fiction” short stories (3,000 to 10,000 words). Payment: $0.10 USD per word (ten cents USD per word), with additional bonus payouts based on crowdfunding and sales. 

Off Topic Publishing: Wayward and Upward. Genre: Poetry and fiction. “A multimedia project inspired by the electrosymphonic album “Wayward & Upward” by Spinoza Gambit. The music already exists. Your job is to fill in the words.” No simultaneous submissions. Payment: $50 - $100 CAD upon publication. Deadline: January 30, 2022, or until filled.

Purim Pitch. Genre: Humor. Blog about/in Yiddish. (?) Payment: $100. Deadline: March 7, 2022, more or less.

Propertius Press. Genre: Short stories on theme: The Natural World. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2022, or until filled.

Soldiers of the Old Ones. Genre: Lovecraftian horror tales of the people who fight for, sacrifice for, and work toward the takeover of the world by the Old Ones. Payment: $25. Deadline: June 30th, 2022, or until filled.

8 Fabulous Writing Conferences in February 2022

Max Pixel February is a short, dark month, but you can liven it up with writing workshops and conferences. This February there are eight writing conferences and workshops covering every aspect of writing, from poetry, to memoir, to how to get published. There is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. During the pandemic most of these are being held virtually at reduced rates. 

Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early.

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Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Writers Conference. MAR/APRIL 2022 (5 weeks) meeting Wednesdays from 2 to 4PM EST. "Are you a nonfiction writer working on a memoir? For 5 weeks this spring just 6-8 writers will gather via ZOOM -- at each workshop two writers will workshop 10 to 16 pages of a work of creative nonfiction/memoir. The sessions include discussions on the business of being a writer i.e. publishing, legal issues, agents and self promotion. The Kaz Conference was founded by award winning author Donna Kaz (UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl) and is committed to diversity. Our conference faculty, mentors and cohorts reflect an all-encompassing and equal world and our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writers community that continues beyond the workshop because the stories we tell become the world we live in. In this workshop you will discover what is working in your pages, where your readers have questions, and what your peers want to see more of. These responses will spark fresh ideas about how you can strengthen your story and inspire you to return to your desk to complete and publish your work. Virtual workshop tuition: $375 for 5 weeks - includes at least two reviews of your writing samples from Donna Kaz and your cohort." Will be held online. Apply by February 2, 2022.

Michigan Writers Conference, February 4 - 5, 2022: Detroit, MI. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. 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. Will be held virtually.

Getting Started with Memoir. February 16 – Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Each Wednesday, 7:00-9:00pm EST/EDT. "Everybody has a story to tell. It does not need to be earth-shattering to be compelling; it just needs to be well written. We will start with a “snapshot” of memory—a recalled taste, sound, texture or smell—and learn to make it rich with sensory details, well-chosen words and a clear point of view. We will examine memoir excerpts to discuss how these authors create dialogue, move around in time or capture a sense of place. You will write in response to prompts that guide you to tap into your memories, experiences and ideas, practice new storytelling techniques and learn how fictional tools help the memoir writer. As we share our developing stories, we will also discuss how to expand them into publishable pieces." Led by Constance Adler. Limited to 12 participants. Cost: $350-$450. Will be held virtually.

Extending the Document: An Online Poetry Workshop. Thursday, February 17 – Thursday, March 17, 2022 Each Thursday, 7:00-9:00pm EDT/EST. "Join us for this five-week online poetry workshop focused on documentary poetics. Write to inspiring prompts, get insightful feedback and connect with a supportive community of writers." Led by Stephanie Cawley. Limited to 12 participants. Will be held virtually.

San Francisco Writers Conference, February 17 - 20, 2022: San Francisco, CA. Attendees will join with 100+ presenters and fellow writers from across the country and around the world at this year’s event. The SFWC events are consistently rated among the top writer’s conferences anywhere. "Our goal is to help writers become published authors as we help them become better at the craft and business of writing. The SFWC is also one of the friendliest conferences. Presenters this year will include bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses. There will be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites. The San Francisco Writers Conference has one of the largest faculties of any writer’s conference to ensure the best networking with the people who can help you get published." 

Southern California Writers’ Conference (and Retreat). February 18 - 20, 2022: San Diego, CA. Faculty: 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. "Founded and run by professional writers the SCWC provides veteran and emerging talent with authoritative guidance to help distinguish those manuscripts that are ready for market consideration." Cost: $350-$425. Manuscript critique & one-on-one consultation additional. Limited to 175 conferees.

The Writers Studio, sponsored by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, February 24 - 27, 2022, Los Angeles, CA. The conference offers workshops in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as writing for television and film. Offered by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, the Writers Studio brings together a community of writing students to workshop with some of Southern California’s most accomplished writers and teachers. From among the 10 offered, participants choose one workshop in which they work closely with a professional writer in classes limited to no more than 15 people. Will be held online.

Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 24 - 27, 2022. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. The cost of the Retreat is $500 and there is a one-time nonrefundable $25 application fee.

6 Agents Actively Seeking Cookbooks, General Nonfiction, Fiction

Erin Clyburn Here are six agents actively seeking cookbooks and other nonfiction, as well as fiction. All are from established agencies with good track records.

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.

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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Erin Clyburn of The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Erin joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency as Associate Literary Agent in 2019 after an internship and apprenticeship with a boutique literary agency. She has worked as a copy editor and recipe editor in the magazine industry and was general manager and director of collection development for Turtleback Books. She received her BA in English Literature from Mississippi State University and her MA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University. When not working, Erin loves hiking, cooking, traveling, painting, and trying to keep her three rabbits, Felix, Agnes, and Valentino, from chewing up every baseboard in the house. She is seeking cookbooks and culinary histories, nonfiction and fiction.
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Christine J. Lee of The Leshne Agency

Christine J. Lee is an Associate Literary Agent at The Leshne Agency with interest in a broad range of genres, including full-length literary fiction, sci-fi, thrillers, horror, true crime, and romance, YA, cookbooks, interior design and gardening, parenting, books on self-empowerment, and memoirs/biographies touching on race, sex, class, and identity. She has worked in the publishing industry for more than 13 years, beginning at Bedford/St. Martin’s, then moved on to Simon & Schuster. She earned a BA from Princeton University in English Literature and a MFA from the University of Houston in Fiction. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, son, and cat.
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Stacey Glick of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC

Stacey Kendall Glick, Vice President, joined DG&B in 1999 after working in film and television development for five years. Following a number of internships in the entertainment business, her first job after college was at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, where she looked for book projects to be adapted into feature films. Next, she worked as a story editor at Hearst Entertainment, where she scouted material for television movies. Stacey grew up just outside of Manhattan and is a former child actress who appeared on television, on stage, and in feature films. She has a wide-ranging and eclectic client list, and is interested in many subjects, including (but not limited to) on the adult side: practical and narrative nonfiction including cooking and food, memoir, psychology, mental health and wellness, lifestyle, women’s issues, parenting, current events, pop culture and science, and select adult contemporary fiction. And on the children’s side: YA, middle grade, nonfiction, and select picture books. Stacey is a member of the AAR, Women’s Media Group, and is a council member of the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature (RUCCL.org).
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Gina Panettieri of Talcott Notch Literary Services

Gina Panettieri is the founder of Talcott Notch Literary Services, a full service literary agency representing the freshest voices in fiction and nonfiction for both adults and children. Some of her latest projects include Hillerman Prize winner THE HOMEPLACE by Kevin Wolf (St. Martin’s Press), WSJ bestseller WAR SHADOWS by Andrews & Wilson (Thomas & Mercer), and GARDEN STATE GANGLAND by Scott Deitche (Rowman & Littlefield).
“I find it all fascinating! History, business, self-help, science, gardening, cookbooks, crafts, parenting, memoir, true crime and travel. Teach me something new, something I couldn’t find somewhere else, something based on original research and that’s the hook I’m looking for. With fiction, I love quirky, edgy characters. Send me women’s fiction, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, science fiction, historical, mystery, thrillers and suspense.”
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Katherine Latshaw of Folio Literary Management

“I joined Folio in 2013 after working as an agent at The Literary Group International with Frank Weimann. Prior to that, I worked at packager and literary agency Stonesong, where I participated in every facet of book production, from sales to photo shoots to edits and design. That unique perspective has allowed me to weigh in with authority on behalf of clients during every step of the publishing process. I relish working one on one with authors. For nonfiction, I will often brainstorm with clients who have the requisite knowledge and platform but aren’t sure how to harness that into a saleable concept. I will write, re-write, and edit behind a client to present the best possible pitch to editors. For fiction, my aim is the same, and I will provide whatever is necessary to achieve that result, from general editorial suggestions to line edits. My authors range very widely from celebrities like Burt Reynolds to ice cream sandwich empire Coolhaus to antiracism author Layla Saad. I’m looking for commercial nonfiction: cookbooks; lifestyle; memoir; pop culture; health & wellness; social media-platformed projects; incisive essay collections; illustrated/gift books; feminist and underrepresented voices; select fiction. I am also looking for seasoned collaborators and ghostwriters so send along those resumes!”
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Jennifer Unter of the Unter Agency

Jennifer Unter is the founder of the Unter Agency. She has worked in many aspects of the publishing industry from editorial at Henry Holt, to a copyright lawyer at an entertainment firm. In addition to placing projects at domestic and foreign publishers, she also sells to audio, film and television. She is a member of Women’s Media Group. She is interested in seeing quality fiction and general nonfiction, with a particular interest in memoir, food/cooking, nature/environment, biography, pop culture, travel/adventure, true crime, politics and health/fitness. Additionally, she is looking for all types of children’s literature (picture books, middle grade, and young adult).

10 Paying Markets for Narrative Journalism, Essays, Personal Essays, and Cultural Criticism

Image: Flickr In most cases, not only is nonfiction easier to publish than fiction, it's lucrative. Professional rates of several hundred dollars up to a thousand for features are not unusual. And some magazines with substantial circulations, like Cosmopolitan, are willing to accept pitches from freelancers.

If you are a fiction writer, don't be discouraged. Personal essays are well within your grasp. They have the same structure as short fiction - a beginning, a middle, and an end. If you can write short fiction, you can write a personal essay.

For more nonfiction publishing opportunities see:

The New York Times Wants Your Personal Essays - Paying market

Top 12 Paying Markets for Fiction, Personal Essays and Poetry

42 Paying Markets for Personal Essays

27 Magazines that Publish Freelance Book Reviews - Paying markets

Freelancing: Getting Paid to Write Nonfiction Articles
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Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan is looking for personal essays, reported pieces, and cultural criticism for the opinion section. From the editor: "Your pitch should center on an opinion that you’ll justify with thoughtful reasoning, insightful facts, and strong resources that support your viewpoint. Show me how your piece will help readers make sense of and better understand people, events, ideas, trends, or culture. Topics can range from irreverent pop culture rants to nuanced takes on public policy. Whether it's niche or mainstream, beloved or unpopular, timely or random, I’m down as long as you’ve got a clear opinion and a strong, thoughtful argument to back it up." 

Payment: Rates typically start between $250-$350 and can scale up depending on the scope and requirements of each piece. Ideal word count typically ranges from 600-900. Send an email to patrice dot peck at hearst dot com. In the subject line, write PITCH: [A Possible Headline For Your Piece]. Include the projected word count and a feasible deadline. Several pitches in one email is fine as long as they each have the info above. And if you’ve already written the piece, feel free to include it. 

Read more here.
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Insider and Business Insider 

Insider and Business Insider are publications looking for journalistic articles with "heat." 
"We at Insider want great, heat-seeking narrative journalism. Ambitious pieces with character, color, tension, and drama. Stories that trace an obsession, unlock a secret, or expose some WTF-level insight about how power works. Ripping yarns, stories of true crime, of loves lost and won. Rivalries in sports, tech, and entertainment. Chronicles of dreams realized and broken. Politics, entertainment, business, international intrigue. We're into all of it."

Payment: Who Pays Writers reports payment of between 20 and 35 cents a word.  
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Bitch Magazine

"Our definition of culture is broad, encompassing cultural attitudes and myths, phenomena of the popular imagination, and social trends as well as movies, TV shows, web series, books, internet subcultures, and the like. For Bitch, culture also includes politics, science, health, and life, including food, parenting, chronic illness, relationships, religion, activism, education, climate change, and different elements of our lives that we all consider as we decide who we are as feminists."

Payment: $700-$1000 for features, $350 for dispatches, and between $250-$700 for culture stories.
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Air Canada En Route Magazine

"What makes an Air Canada enRoute story? We engage our audience through intelligent writing, insight, humour and spot‑on service journalism. Our stories exemplify narrative journalism at its best, exploring the world through first‑hand, highly experiential pieces. We look for articles with unique, unexpected angles and for subjects that will remain fresh during our four‑to‑six‑month lead time. Air Canada enRoute commissions stories that focus on everything from food and drink, design and architecture to style, arts and culture, technology, social trends and sports, all told through the lens of travel."

Payment: Who Pays Writers reports payment of $1 a word. 
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Longreads

"Longreads is dedicated to publishing and sharing the best longform nonfiction storytelling on the web. Personal/Critical Essays and Columns These pieces typically run between 2,000 and 6,000 words, but can be longer or broken up into a series depending on the length and subject matter.  Personal essays should be submitted on spec. We look for smart, original angles and fresh, unique voices." 

Payment: $500 per essay or column.

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WhatCulture.com

What Culture is a huge site with articles about popular culture. The minimum word length is 1500 words. You do not need to have any relevant experience or hold any particular qualifications, but you do need to:Possess excellent creativityHave a keen eye for detailShow a passion for content creationStay on top of trends "List-driven written features are our bread and butter. But we'll also consider Quizzes, Galleries, Video submissions or News pieces."Film, TV, Gaming, Sport & MoreRecommended minimum 1500 words for lists - galleries and quizzes are even simpler!Have your work publishedShare it on Facebook/Twitter
You can submit as many articles as you want.

Payment: £0.50 for every 1,000 views generated in the first 28 days of publication. 

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Global Comment

"We welcome pitches from people at all levels of experience from all over the world. Our goal is to promote conversations and diverse media.

We don’t like neo-Nazis. Or terrorists. We strive to publish a variety of opinions on this site, but we do have a strong view as to what is and isn’t acceptable discourse. We lean towards progressive voices and oppose populism; if you read the existing writing on the site, you will probably have a good idea of whether or not your work is right for us. If you aren’t sure, ask!"

What they are looking for:Well-informed essays on a topic you are fascinated by or passionate aboutWell-researched opinion or comment pieces on a topic you feel strongly aboutReviews of films, TV, books, music or theatre that’s at a national or international level. Payment: $50

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Griffith Review

"Lyrical essays, researched essays, creative non-fiction, analytical pieces – we publish them all. We like new and creative ideas, and we like you, the writer. Don’t be afraid to let yourself shine through in your writing. Griffith Review is not an academic journal (although academics may be able to obtain research credits for their writing), and while we often tackle complex ideas, we are committed to giving our writers space for their own voice. Give us your provocations and opinions, so long as they are considered and backed up." Pieces generally range from 2,000 to up to 5,000 words, unless previously negotiated with the editors. They publish some fiction as well.

Payment: Negotiated.

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The Point

"The Point is a magazine of philosophical writing that embodies two distinct but complementary convictions: on the one hand, that humanistic thinking has relevance for contemporary life; on the other, that our lives are full of experiences worth thinking about. We welcome submissions for our print journal, which is published three times a year, and for our website, which is updated continuously. 

Each issue of the magazine has three main sections: ESSAYS, SYMPOSIUM and REVIEWS. Our essays blend memoir, criticism and journalism to examine the ideas and beliefs that shape our world. The symposium is a collection of responses to a question chosen by the editors (e.g., What is protest for? What is marriage for? What is privacy for?). Reviews can be about pretty much anything at all. Print essays run between 3,000 and 6,000 words; reviews and symposium articles are of medium length (1,500-3,000 words). We also accept ideas-driven reported pieces for our CORRESPONDENCE section (3,000-5,000 words). The website runs articles of any length but preferably of about 1,500-3,000 words."

Payment: "Contributors whose articles appear in the print journal will be compensated." 

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The Audacity

THE AUDACITY features an emerging writer twice a month. (An emerging writer is someone with fewer than three article/essay/short story publications and no published books or book contracts.)

"Please submit your best nonfiction and nonfiction only. I am interested in literary essays and memoir. Please submit only one essay at a time. Essays should be between 1500 and 3000 words. I am interested in thoughtful essays, beautiful, intelligent writing, deep explorations, timelessness, and challenging conventional thinking without being cheap and lazy. We may take up to eight weeks to respond but we will respond to all submissions."
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Payment: All essays are paid a flat fee of $2,000.

Subscription Services for Self-Published Authors

Subscription services are often overlooked by self-published authors. The reason for the oversight is simple: authors tend to focus on sales rather than borrows. There aren't many book subscription services, so the field is fairly narrow. But those that exist have a huge number of subscribers (and an equally huge number of books).

Self-published authors should consider offering their books on subscription services because, as far as publishing goes, the more venues the better. You should get your book onto as many sites, and in as many formats, as you can.
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Scribd

Scribd is a subscription service with 80 million unique visitors a month. For a monthly fee of $8.99 subscribers can read unlimited books. The Scribd library boasts more than half a million e­books and over 30,000 audiobooks, including New York Times bestsellers, Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as self-published works. 60+ million documents ­have been uploaded by ­users, Essentially, anyone can upload a file onto Scribd, which has led to several copyright infringements, Although Scribd has a huge readership, the best way to ensure that they notice your book, and that you get some monetary compensation, is to go through your publisher. As a self-publisher, you can use Smashwords or BookBaby, each of which offers a Scribd royalty payment.

Find more information about Scribd for writers HERE and HERE.
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Substack
Serializing novels is nothing new. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas was originally published in serial form in 1844. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, and Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea were also serialized. But while Substack is willing to offer famous authors a substantial advance, an unknown author would probably have no greater chances of a sale than trying to get the attention of a traditional publisher. Substack's only appeal to unknown authors it that, like self-publishing, it allows an author to simply put a book out there, come what may.

Aside from serialization, Substack offers of couple of features that make it appealing to writers, one of which is that you can import your existing blog, or create a new one. You can also send newsletters via Substack. And if you already have a newsletter, you can import your subscriber list. 

The monthly fee for newsletters can vary anywhere from free to $2 a month to a yearly fee of $200. The writer sets the fee. While writers don't have to pay to sign up, Substack charges 10% of the subscriber fee. An additional 2.9% of your billing rate, plus 30 cents per transaction will be taken out by Stripe, the service Substack uses for billing. Like many self-publishing platforms, Substack offers editing, proofreading, art and design, and legal services as part of their packages.

In addition to subscriptions, Substack also runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." The prize is $100 for the chosen story plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Submit stories by the end of the month. (Only one story receives the full payout.) Their preferred length is 6000 - 10,000 words. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute. Read more about the competition HERE.


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Kindle Unlimited offers a Netflix-style, all-you-can-read approach to more than 600,000 e-books, including blockbuster series like “The Hunger Games” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” nonfiction titles like “Flash Boys” by Michael Lewis, as well as literary fiction and classics for $9.99 a month. Books published through Amazon's KDP Select program are automatically enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. The catch is that for 90-days (renewable) you cannot offer your book on any other platform. Royalties: Once a customer reads more than 10% of your book, or a Kindle Owners' Lending Library customer downloads your book, you'll receive a share of the KDP Select Global Fund.

Most Popular Publishing Posts of 2021

Pixabay Every January I do a "year in review" of my most popular posts during the previous year. Most people who visit my blog want to get published, so it's natural that my most viewed posts are calls for submissions. 

Last year was no exception. There were over 50,000 visits to my Calls for Submissions page. 
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In 2021, I published 81 posts. (My total number of posts since 2012 is 892.) I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed of this apparent "blog addiction." I blame my children. (They also said, "Mom, you need a Facebook page," and look where that has gotten me!) (Oh, and Twitter...don't get me started!)

In 2021, my most popular post was (drum roll):

30 Traditional Publishers Accepting Submissions - No agent required (15,300 views)

Despite the popularity of self-publishing, most people visiting my blog want to get traditionally published. That is not at all surprising. Most writers want the pedigree that an established publishing house offers, not to mention the marketing and distribution. 

At this time of year, I also like to do a review of my most popular posts of all time. (All of these posts have been recently updated.)

5 Most Popular Posts - All Time

22 US Children's Book Publishers Accepting Manuscripts Directly From Writers 279,000 views

325 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction 155,000 views

Agents Looking for Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers 156,000 views

3 Major Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts 94.700 views

6 Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts from Writers - No Agent Needed 77,600 views

Some Additional Popular Posts

16 UK Children's Book Publishers Accepting Manuscripts Directly from Writers 60,900 views

Mega-List of Paying Markets for Horror, Dark Fiction and Poetry 55,400 views

40 Paying Markets for Personal Essays 37,324 views

20 Publishers Accepting Picture Books - No Agent Required 30,600 views

20 Magazines That Pay $500 or More 22,000 views

2022 New Year's Writing Resolution: Observe the Ordinary

Last year I made a resolution to re-read some of the books that have impressed me with their brilliant prose, their poetic insights, their ability to make me lose myself completely in another time and place. These are the books I hug after I get to the last line, unwilling to give them back to the library. Eventually, I will  purchase them to display on shelves where I can gaze upon their spines, and open them when the mood strikes me, to revel once again in the joy of fine prose.

Why then, do I keep devouring Anne Tyler novels? Between reading Cloud Cuckoo Land and Piranesi, both of which are magnificent recent contributions to the literary world, I read Anne Tyler novels - ten of them, to be precise. Tyler has written twenty-four novels. She churns them out every year or so like a litter of kittens, barely taking a breath before the next one pops out. There is no need for her to research her books. They all take place in Baltimore, where she lives. They all revolve around somewhat dysfunctional families and marriages, which I assume she has experience with. And they all have happy-ish endings. She even recycles her characters, dressing them up in new bodies, but keeping all their old foibles and quirks. I view these characters as variations on a theme, not as individuals. Indeed, I had a hard time remembering any of their names, even while I was reading about them. And yet, like popcorn, I couldn't consume just one of her books, even though none of them seemed to have plots.

Why are Tyler's novels so addictive? I believe the answer is literally as plain as the nose on your face. Tyler does not take us to another time and place. Nor does she delve into anything that is outside of our experience. There are no bombs about to explode, no hair-raising chase scenes, no imminent threats. There are no detailed descriptions of the siege of Constantinople, or excursions into the tangled prisons of a deranged mind. There are no new worlds to discover. Instead, her novels are loaded with descriptions of the familiar. Her dialogue is what we hear in everyday speech. Her characters are ordinary, not outstanding, or even memorable, much like strangers you might encounter on a grocery check-out line. And nothing of note ever happens to them. In short, her subject matter is relentlessly mundane.

That is precisely what makes her books so easy to read. It is their utter familiarity. With each and every phrase, we are reminded of things we already know. Reading is simply an act of recognition. The question is, how does one write a book that is as effortless to read as an Anne Tyler novel ... without being boring? Without being predictable? For it is unpredictability that keeps readers turning the pages.  

I have resolved this year to solve that puzzle. 

In 2022 I am going to pay attention to the mundane. I have to face facts: I'll never write like an Anthony Doerr or a Susannah Clarke. I don't have their talent. But what I can do is look around me, pay more attention to my locale, describe it in terms that are familiar, I can listen - really listen - to people when they talk. The content is less important than the style of their delivery. I can watch what people do in everyday settings. And I can try to find the unpredictable in life. There is certainly enough of it.  

Like all creative endeavors, the trick to writing is to make it appear effortless, natural, unstudied. Because it is only by entering into the familiar recesses of a reader's mind that people can forget they are reading. And that brief illusion, my lovely readers and writers, is a writer's ultimate goal. 

4 New Agents Seeking Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, MG, YA, Picture Books, Graphic Novels and more

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

Laura Stone is seeking: Romance, Mystery/Crime, Fantasy, Science Fiction, YA, MG, Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure, Thrillers. Carol Woien wants Inspirational Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, Sweet Romance, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Suspense, True Crime. 

Leslie Truex is looking for Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedies, Inspirational Romantic Suspense, Romantic Suspense/Mystery, New Adult Romance, YA Romance, YA Fantasy. Regina Bernard-Carreno represents Non-Fiction, Picture Books, MG, YA, Picture Books, and Graphic Novels.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.
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You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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Ms. Leslie Truex of Blue Ridge Literary Agency

Leslie Truex began her writing career by accident. After starting a career website in 1998, she wrote two traditionally published non-fiction books, was the home business expert at About.com (now DotDash: The Balance Small Business), and her articles have appeared in Entrepreneur, Personal Branding Blog, and Business 2 Community. However, her passion lies in writing fiction. She is the author of a dozen romance and mystery novels using a pen name. She is passionate about helping writers through her online community for romance writers, and as the President of the Virginia Writers Club. She's excited to work with writers in getting their works published through Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

What she is seeking: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedies, Inspirational Romantic Suspense, Romantic Suspense/Mystery, New Adult Romance, YA Romance, YA Fantasy.

How to submit: Use her online form HERE.

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Laura Stone of Blue Ridge Literary Agency

After spending more than twenty years as an editor, Laura Stone joins Blue Ridge Literary Agency. She began her career as a freelance editor, eventually working with Entangled Publishing as a senior editor, working as the managing editor of The Manning Times, and integrating mentoring and coaching into her business. Now, as an accomplished editor, mentor, coach, and published author, Laura is eager to help other writers achieve their publishing dreams.


What she is seeking: Romance, Mystery/Crime, Fantasy, Science Fiction, YA, MG, Historical Fiction, Action/Adventure, Thrillers.

How to submit: Use her online form HERE.

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Ms. Carol Woien of Blue Ridge Literary Agency

Carol lives in Indiana with her husband. Under a pseudonym, she's the author of two previously published Cozy Mysteries. She spends her free time near a pool or beach, reading, writing, visiting with family, and avoiding math.

What she is seeking: Inspirational Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, Sweet Romance, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Suspense, True Crime. 

How to submit: Use her online form HERE.

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Regina Bernard-Carreno of Martin Literary Management

Regina joined Martin Literary Management in 2021. She holds a PhD in Education from the Graduate and University Center at the City University of New York, and graduate degrees in African American Studies from Columbia University and Philosophy from the Graduate Center (CUNY). She holds other degrees in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY). Alongside writing and teaching, Regina facilitates Reader Discussion Groups, Private Reading groups and has served as a reader and sometimes editor for both literary and academic journals. She has published widely in academia as well as in trade magazines. The work she hopes to accomplish as a literary manager is to help writers, as well as author-illustrators, think through their projects, see multiple opportunities where perhaps they don't readily exist and help shape their work into successful books. Ultimately, she looks forward to championing great ideas.

What she is seeking: Non-Fiction: In non-fiction, she’s open to seeing true crime projects (No crimes against children or graphic gore against women/children) as well as memoir. Regina also loves cookbooks that help the reader travel to new places. She wants to see cookbooks that have personal narratives tied to them, whether that's a personal story woven throughout, cultural traditions and practices, and/or dishes that tie together cultural memories. She is also accepting submissions for artisanal projects such as crafting (think knitting, sewing, crafting, home-gardening/homesteading, apothecary/healing, and alternative health practices). 

Picture Books: Regina is looking for picture books that deal with a little magical realism, immigrant stories, bilingual picture books, and stories that deal with children and their relationship to animals, earth, and the environment. She’d love to see folktales from a wide variety of places reimagined, especially from authors-illustrators. 
 
Middle Grade: Regina is seeking chapter books and middle-grade novels dealing especially with adventures, solving mysteries, and facing/overcoming hardships and developing friendships.

Graphic Novels: Regina is looking for Middle Grade, Young Adult, and adult graphic novels. She’d love to see more writers of color telling stories of MG & YA and has her eye out for BIPOC creators in this genre. For adult graphic novels, Regina is interested in projects in the vein of Marjane Satrapi’s work and projects in that spirit telling of immigrant stories.

Young Adults: Regina would love to receive rom coms of all kinds. Think Hallmark cards and movies geared towards young adults, complete with heartbreak, friendships, and triumph.

How to submit: Queries should be sent to Regina@MartinLit.com

67 Calls for Submissions in January 2022 - Paying markets

Pixabay This January there are more than five 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.

post calls for submissions on the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

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

Happy submitting!


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The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on theme of Victorian England. Payment: 15 GBT.  Deadline: January 1, 2022.

Antilang. Restrictions: Open to Canadian writers. Genre: Poetry, short/flash fiction, creative non-fiction (including, but not limited to: creative essays, ficto-criticism, flash memoir, photo essays), and hybrid/multi-media such as comics, postcard fiction, and collaborations across media. Payment: $20 CAD. Deadline: January 1, 2022. See theme.

Liquid Imagination. Genre: Modern fantasy, science fiction, slipstream, or literary ficiton and poetry up to 6,000 words. "We want awe and intensity, maybe tinged with the ominous side of life." Payment: $8 for short stories (1001 words up to 6000 words) and poems, and $3 for flash stories (up to 1000 words). A $2 bonus will be added for authors who accept payment via Paypal. Deadline: January 1, 2022. 

Folkloric: Lovecraftian Inspired Tales of Folklore & Horror. Genre: Dark fantasy and horror. Payment: $100-150. Deadline: January 1, 2022. 

Particular Passages. Genre: Poetry, fiction, art on theme: Particular Passages. "The theme is: you just don’t know what’s behind that door until you open it." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2022. Reprints accepted.


The Quiet Ones. Genre: Queer-centered horror and dystopian fiction for adults and young adults. Theme: True Love Never Dies. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 1, 2022.

The Best New True Crime Stories. Genre: Nonfiction, true crime accounts on theme of Crimes of the Famous and Infamous. Payment: $130, and 2 print copies of the book. Deadline: January 1, 2022.

Tin House. Restrictions: Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks okay). Genre: Debut novels (including Graphic novels) Payment: Royalties (?) Deadline: January 3, 2022.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on Theme of DISCOVERIES & EXTINCTIONS. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: January 3, 2022.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of “Weather.” Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: January 3, 2022.

The Great Void. Genre: Speculative fiction on theme: mythology. Payment: Revenue sharing.  Deadline: January 5, 2022. 


Nectar. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We especially encourage BIPOC and QT poets to submit — your work will take priority in our consideration. However, we welcome all work however you identify." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 7, 2022.

Fantasy Magazine. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, poetry. Payment: 8 cents per word for original short stories and flash fiction. $40 per poem. Deadline: January 7, 2022. Opens to submissions on January 1.

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:  January 7, 2022. Opens to submissions on January 1.

Diet Milk: Gothic. Genre: Gothic fiction, poetry, and art (drawings, paintings, comics, collages). Payment: $0.01/word for fiction (minimum $40); $15/poem; $50/art piece. Deadline: January 8, 2022.

Faces. Genre: Nonfiction, activities for children 9 - 14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 10, 2022. Queries only. See themes.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Payment: £25. Deadline: January 10, 2022.


Berkley is a division of Random House. Genre: Full-length romance, women’s fiction, mystery, suspense and thrillers, horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 9, 2022.

Flame Tree Press: Compelling Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction short stories, 2000-4000 words. Payment: 8 cents/word, 6 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: January 9, 2022. Reprints accepted.

Flame Tree Press: Christmas Gothic Short Stories. Genre: Gothic horror on theme of Christmas, 2000-4000 words. Payment: 8 cents/word, 6 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: January 9, 2022. Reprints accepted.

SAND is a Berlin publication that "looks for submissions that push the boundaries of form, message, and voice in fresh and unpredictable ways—work that is haunting for its soul, edge, and truth." Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, art, poetry, translations. Payment: Professional rates. Deadline: January 10, 2022. (Or until filled)

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Cosmic horror, Lovecraftian, Weird, and dark science fiction stories, original and reprints. Art accepted as well. Payment: 3 cents per word for original fiction. 5k words = $150; 1 cent per word for reprints. Deadline: January 14, 2022. Accepts reprints.

The Cellar Door: Forbidden Magic. Genre: Horror/dark fantasy stories featuring forbidden or taboo magic. Must include some form of spell casting or alchemy. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Great Weather for MEDIA: Annual Print Anthology. Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, dramatic monologues, and creative nonfiction. "Our focus is on the fearless, the unpredictable, and experimental but we do not have a set theme for our anthologies." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Paper Lanterns. Genre: Fiction and poetry for young adults. Payment. €50 for poetry or flash fiction and €75 for short stories. If you are under 16, you will receive a book voucher. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Arc Manor Books: The Reinvented Detective Anthology. Genre: Updated crime fiction. "As we move forward into the age of information, what happens to our ideas of detection and crime? How do you handle it when your smart car blackmails you or you need to murder the downloaded personality of your enemy? What acts to enforce society's norms and catch those violating them in the future?" Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Adi Magazine: Political Fictions. Genre: Short fiction. "We’re looking for short stories that examine lives impacted by policy and politics. We’re not interested in the drearily righteous; we want stories that unearth new worlds, that plumb interior lives alongside external conflicts, that satirize and fantasize, that disturb, beguile, challenge, surprise, ignite." Payment: For full-length stories, 2,500 words or more, payment is $500. For flash fiction, under 1,000 words, payment is $200. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Shenandoah. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $100 per poem. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Counting Your Blessings. Genre: True stories and poems. "Please share your stories about handling challenges in your life, finding the silver linings, and counting your blessings, whether the challenges you are facing are COVID-19 related or other kinds. Stories can be serious or funny, but definitely should be inspirational and heartwarming. Attitude adjustments, finding contentment and gratitude, a new way of handling your daily life, and other great ideas to inspire readers to find their own paths to happiness and to remember to count their blessings every day are what we are looking for." Payment: $200. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Skepticism. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Cobblestone. Genre: Fiction, poetry and nonfiction articles of historical accuracy and lively, original approaches to the themes for children from ages 9–14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 15, 2022. See themes. Queries only.

Qu. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $100 per prose piece, $50 per poem or visual art. Contributors will also receive one copy of magazine. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Ploughshares: Look2 Essays. Genre: Essays about underappreciated or overlooked writers.  Payment: $45/page, up to $450. Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Room Magazine. Restrictions: Room publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and art by folks of marginalized genders, including but not limited to women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. Theme: Audacity. Genre: Original short stories, poems, creative non-fiction, or art. Payment: $50 (CAD) Deadline: January 15, 2022.

Women Artists Datebook. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Poems and art. Theme: Peace and Justice. Payment: $200 for art, $70 for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2022. 

Jaggery is a DesiLit arts and literature journal, connects South Asian diasporic writers and homeland writers. "We also welcome non-South Asians with a deep and thoughtful connection to South Asian countries, who bring their own intersecting perspectives to the conversation. (By South Asia we mean Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.)" Genre: Art, Essays, Fiction, Poetry, Reviews. Payment: $100 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction/poetry/art/reviews.  Deadline: January 17, 2022.  
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Planet Scumm Genre: Hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, speculative fiction, weird fiction, and slipstream. Payment: $0.04/word. Deadline: January 17, 2022.
 
Solstice 2022. Genre: Winter-themed short literary works. Poems, short stories, literary non-fiction. Think Northern Lights, candles against the darkness, the rolling year, spirits (both in a glass and in the ether), warm hearths. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 20, 2022.

Off Topic Publishing: Wayward and Upward. Genre: Poetry and fiction. “A multimedia project inspired by the electrosymphonic album “Wayward & Upward” by Spinoza Gambit. The music already exists. Your job is to fill in the words.” No simultaneous submissions. Payment: $50 - $100 CAD upon publication. Deadline: January 20, 2022. Or until filled.

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

Cricket: Ask Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children 7–10 years old who are curious about science and the world they live in. Theme: Facing Fear. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 30, 2022. Pitches only.

Puncher and Wattmann. Genre: Full-length manuscripts of poetry, fiction, life writing, poetry anthologies and critical non-fiction. Payment: Royalties (?) January 20, 2022.

Blood Rites Horror: Terror in the Trench. Genre: Stories “on the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean. Feel free to interpret this theme as you wish; we’ll consider stories about the unknown, about strange, leviathan creatures." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 28, 2022.


Otoroshi Journal. Genre: Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10.  Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Welkin. Genre: Magical realist, fabulist, fairy tale, fantasy, gothic, metafictional, slipstream, fantastic, weird, surrealist, and experimental genres. Payment: 1cent/word. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

khōréō. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. "This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, transnational/transracial adoptees, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work." Genre: stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. See themes. Payment: 0.08/word for fiction, $100 for nonfiction, and  $40-300 for art. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

Circumference. Genre: New translations of poetry, essays, long-form writing, and drama. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2022.


Glass. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

Dragon Soul Press: Everlast. Genre: Romance. "Romance can be difficult on its own, even before adding the complications of time travel to the equation. These couples find themselves from separate timelines in history, but cross paths due to unforeseen circumstances." Word Count – 5,000-20,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2022. (Deadline extended)

Event. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction and book reviews. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

The Overcast. (Podcast) Genre: Speculative fiction: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, Magical Realism, Slipstream, or an as-yet-unnamed genre. No horror. The sweet spot for submissions is 2,000-3,000 words. Payment: $0.01 per word, but not less than $20 for any story. Flat rate of $20 for all stories under 2,000 words. Deadline: January 31, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Nonbinary Review: Shared Worlds. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and art around the theme of Shared Worlds. Payment: 1 cent per word for prose, and a flat fee of $10 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy Anthology. Genre: Sci-Fi and Fantasy in the range of 1500-7500 words. Payment: $0.005/word up to 7500 words. Minimum of $15. Reprints paid at full rate. Deadline: January 31, 2022. Accepts reprints.

The Rumpus. Genre: Fiction and poetry. "We strive to be a platform for marginalized voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere, and to lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers we love. We work to shine a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power." Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

Hydra Publications: Ghosts of the Old Gods. Genre: Epic fantasy/sword and sorcery. Length: 6,000 – 10,000 words. Payment: $35. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

A Public Space. Genre: Fiction, essays, poetry, as well as graphic and hybrid work. Payment: Honorarium. Deadline: January 31, 2022.

Luminescent Machinations: Queer Tales of Monumental Invention. Genre: Speculative stories focusing on queerness in the darker side of science-fiction, fantasy and horror: mechs, mecha and cybernetics as both extensions and perversions of humanity. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Horror That Represents You. Restrictions: Open to marginalized authors. Genre: Horror, 1000 to 7000 words. Payment: 11 cents/word. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Midnight & Indigo. Restrictions: Open to black women. Genre: Fiction, personal essays. Payment: $50 for essays, and $50-$75 for fiction. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Deep in the Woods Anthology. Genre: Horror and dark fiction. All stories must take place in the woods/forest. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: January 31, 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: January 31, 2022. Note: Submit early in January to avoid submission fees.

34 Orchard. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We like dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth. We’re not genre-specific; we just like scary, disturbing, unsettling, and sad." Payment: $50. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Sci Phi Journal. Genre: Hard sci-fi. See topics. Payment: 3 (Euro) cents per word for original fiction and 1 (Euro) cent per word for translations of fiction into English. Deadline: January 31st, 2022.

Raven Canticle Press. Genre: Speculative fiction in the following genres: Fantasy, Horror, Espionage/Thriller, Science Fiction. Up to 80,000 words, minimum of 15,000 words (novellas). Payment: Advance and royalties. Deadline: January 31st, 2022. 

Belmont Story Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: $50 for prose, $25 for poetry. Deadline: January 31st, 2022. 

And a few more...

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on theme of Metamorphosis. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

Please See Me. Genre: Poetry, creative nonfiction/essays, fiction/short stories/flash fiction, and digital media (photography, drawings, podcasts, and short films) on theme of Women’s Health. "We are especially looking for content that connects us, make us feel something, or helps us see illness, wellness, health, or the healthcare environment differently." Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 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: February 1, 2022.


The Temz Review. Genres: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: February 1, 2022.


Wishing Well. Genre: Poetry, fiction, art on theme: Wishes. "We want stories about wishes granted. Whether they played out the way the wisher wanted is up to you." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 1, 2022. Reprints accepted.

Magic Portals. Genre: Poetry, fiction, art on theme: Magic Portals. "We want stories about magic portals that open up to other places, other worlds, other times, or just other." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 1, 2022. Reprints accepted.

CatsCast. Genre: Speculative stories about cats. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

The Century. Genre: First-person narratives (under 1,000 words) on theme of Eye. Payment: $100. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

The Southampton Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art. Payment: Prose: $100+, Poetry: $75 per poem. Illustration: $100 per page. Art Portfolios: $200 for up to 12 images. Deadline: February 1, 2022. Submit early in the month to avoid fees.

Samhain Sorceries. Genre: Sword-and-sorcery stories where Samhain/Halloween is relevant to the plot. Payment: One cent per word, plus one copy of the paperback edition. Deadline: February 1, 2022.

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: February 1, 2022.