Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 29

58 Calls for Submissions in March 2021 - Paying markets

Pixabay This March there are nearly 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.





I 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!
Image credit: Pixabay
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Thema: A Postcard from the Past. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: A Postcard from the Past. Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2021.  Accepts reprints.
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: March 1, 2021.

The Evil Cookie Publishing: Gorefest. Genre: Horror. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Parabola: Young & Old. Genre: Retellings of traditional stories: 500-1500 words, original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Cuppatea Publications: We Cryptids. Genre: Urban fantasy about cryptids (like Bigfoot, Nessie, vampires, werewolves, kraken, etc) Payment: $200 + royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Canthius. Genres: Unpublished poetry and prose (both fiction and creative non-fiction – "we welcome experimental works and play excerpts). Please limit prose submissions to 3500 words and poetry submissions to five poems." Payment: $50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more, regardless of genre. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Carousel. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $40–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$40 per review. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

OUT THERE: Into the Queer New Yonder! Restrictions: Open to queer YA authors. Genre: Speculative fiction about queer teen protagonists, set in the future. Payment: $900 (US) plus a pro-rated share of any royalties received on the sale of the anthology. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Short stories and poetry. See themes. Payment: 20.00 USD for featured authors, or $10.00 USD for stories published on their &More page and $5.00 USD for poems. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

PTMN.TEAU. Genre: Fiction & creative non-fiction; Poetry & prose; Short & long-form writing. Submissions may be no longer than 5,000 words. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Combined Work from underprivileged individuals. Payment: $5. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

B Cubed Press. Genre: Fiction, essays, and poetry on three themes: Protest Diaries: “Stories from the front lines of revolutions throughout history.” Alternative War: “War shapes the world through technology, boarders, and norms. What will come next?” Stories can take place anywhere in time and space. Alternative Deathliness: “Death brings so many options” – this anthology will be a “fun filled romp into the concept and nature of Death.” Payment: 2 cents/word plus royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Contrary Magazine. Genres: Fiction and poetry. Payment: $20 per author. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: March 2, 2021.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of “Healers, Midwives and Cunning Folk.” Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: March 3, 2021.


Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on Theme of Purple. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

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: March 7, 2021.  Opens to submissions on March 1.

Augur. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. "Send us your dreamy, your quiet fantasy, your soft scifi, your literary pulp, your liminal, your slipstream, your fabulism." Payment: $60/poem; $0.11/word fiction. CAD. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

Into the Void. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $10 per poem, flash fiction or visual art piece, and $20 per long-form prose piece. Deadline: March 7, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Mslexia. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "PORTRAIT: For Issue 90 we’re looking or pieces about artists and their subjects, about seeing and being seen, about paint, pencil and film." Payment: £25. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Lightspeed. Genre: Original, unpublished science fiction short story or novelette by writers who identify s BIPOC. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Cricket Media: Faces: Great Cities of the World: Athens Genre: Nonfiction articles, fiction, activities for children. Send query only. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Dark Carnival Anthology. Genre: Circus and carnival themed horror stories. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

Aesthetic: A Dark Academia Anthology. Genre: Young Adult and New Adult Dark Academia short stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

DreamForge Anvil. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction. Payment: Between $0.04 and $0.06/word. Deadline: March 13, 2021.

Flame Tree Publishing: Chilling Crime Anthology. Genre: Crime stories. "It's time to turn to the darker side: the cold cases, the grim murders, the desperate villains, and the race against time to solve the crime. We're seeking up to 20 new stories to join our powerful collection of Chilling Crime Short Stories, new and classic tales reaching back into ancient, medieval, Elizabethan and Victorian fiction. From Oedipus Rex and Medea to Thomas More's story of the Princes in the Tower, Scheherazade's 'The Three Apples' and the chilling crime fiction of Dickens, Poe, Henry James, Baroness Orczy and Wilkie Collins." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: March 14, 2021.

Blackbird. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir excerpts. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline:  March 15, 2021.

Unsettling Reads: Hope Screams Eternal. Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Literary, and/or Sci-Fi. Stories, art, and poems that unsettle, unnerve, frighten, discomfit, challenge, and/or just generally entertain. Must use one of these words: Hatch, Resurrect, Bunny, Seed(s). 7500 words max. Payment: $20. Deadline:  March 15, 2021.
Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Colors and Art Therapy.  Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Lightspeed. Genre: Original, unpublished science fiction short story or novelette. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Hungry Zine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction about food. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry on theme of Weird West. Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

The Periodical, Forlorn. Genre: Tales of maritime disaster. Elements of the supernatural are welcome, as are stories that utilize elements of horror and science-fiction. Payment: $15. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

In the Nick of Time. Genre: Thriller short stories. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Bracken. Genre: Poetry and art. "Bracken is a literary magazine born of the love of the woods and its shadows." Payment: $30. Deadline: March 16, 2021.

carte blanche. Genre: Comics, Photography, Poetry, and Translations on theme of Resilience. Payment: Modest honorarium.  Deadline: March 18, 2021.

Unbound: The Experiment Will Not Be Bound: An Experimental Anthology of American Writing. Genre: Experimental writing. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 21, 2021.


Sundamaged. Genre: Personal essays, impersonal essays, CNF and fiction up to 5,000 words, and prose poetry of up to a page in length. The piece must be related to their themes of travel, anti-travel or neo travel in some way. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Griffith Review 73: Hey, Utopia! Genre: Essays and creative non-fiction, reportage, fiction, poetry, memoir and picture stories. "This edition of Griffith Review visits utopias old and new, near and far, to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of imagining a better future." Payment: Negotiated. Deadline: March 25, 2021.

The Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 per nonfiction piece, $50 fiction, $15 per poem. Deadline: March 25, 2021.


The Omens Call. Genre: Horror on theme of Omens. Payment: $20 - $30. Deadline: March 28, 2021.

Dragon Soul Press: Spacebound. Genre: Science Fiction. "All stories must include elements of sci-fi. Whether discovering aliens, space travel, or terraforming new planets are involved, the options are endless." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Yellow Arrow Journal. Genre: Creative nonfiction, poetry, cover art by authors that identify as women. Theme: Renascence. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Hiraeth Books: parABnormal Magazine. Genre: Stories, poetry, nonfiction about the paranormal. Payment: $25 for fiction, $20 for articles, $7 for reviews, $6 per poem. Deadline: March 31, 2021.


Engen Books: 2SLGBTQAI+ Community Anthology. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Stories by and for the 2SLGBTQAI+ community that feature 2SLGBTQAI+ characters in any stage of life and from a range of cultures, identities, and experiences in a wide variety of genres and styles, including General Fiction, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, and most other genres. Payment: $0.01 CAD per word to an upper limit of 7,500 words. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Bloodroot. Restrictions: Open to all writers who currently live in one of the six New England states, but stories do not need to be set in New England. (The six New England states are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.) Genre: Mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, historical, and horror.  Payment: $25. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Crypt. Genre: Fiction or poetry of any theme / genre will be considered, as long as there’s at least a hint of darkness. Length: 500 words max. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Misspelled – Magic Gone Awry. Genre: Short stories no more than 7000 words exploring the theme of magic and the mishaps that could happen with its use. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 31, 2021.


Southword. Genre: Fiction. Payment: €250 per short story. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Westerly. Genre: Short stories, poetry, memoir and creative non-fiction, essays and literary criticism. Payment: Poems: $120 for one poem or $150 for two or more poems; Stories: $180; Articles: $180; Visual art/Intro essay: $120; Reviews: $100; Online Publication: $100. "We expect our contributors to be subscribers of the Magazine. While we will accept submissions from non-subscribers, should your work be accepted for publication in this instance, you will be asked to accept a subscription to the Magazine as part payment for your work." Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Rush. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art. "We're looking for high-energy pieces that reflect the rush of life." Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 31, 2021.
11:11 Press is a small indie publisher located in Minneapolis. Genre: They publish full length fiction, poetry, and hybrid manuscripts. See  submission details here . Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Were-Traveler: My job is a Hellhole! Genre: Fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, humor, and science fiction short stories and drabbles. “Working for demons, imps, devils, and other minions of hell. Your boss is a denizen of the underworld, but the story can take place in any setting. Any setting means: hell, another planet, Modern Earth, Future Earth. Heaven? Sure why not? Maybe there’s an employee exchange program between heaven and hell.” Payment: Up to $15. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times. Genre: True stories and poems. "Tough times won’t last but tough people will. We are looking for stories about how you have been affected and how you are handling the changes in your life. We’re looking for the ups and downs, so share the tough times but also the silver linings, the unexpected blessings, and resilience and gratitude that you have discovered." Payment: $200. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for true personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. We’re looking for amazing stories that will make people say “wow” or give our readers chills. Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? Were you the only person who saw your angel? How did your angel protect or guide you?" Payment: $200. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Red Cape Publishing: A-Z of Horror – I is for Internet. Genre: Horror. Payment: £10. Deadline:  March 31, 2021.

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: March 31, 2021. Note: Submit early in the month.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $100. Deadline: March 31, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

AND A FEW MORE...

West Branch. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. Payment: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Inklings: Tales From Alternate Earths. Genre: Alternative history. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Mikrokosmos: Mojo. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF. Payment: $15. Deadline: April 1, 2021.


Tales From the Magician’s Skull. Genre: Sword-and-sorcery fantasy. Payment: 4 cents per word. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Iron Horse Literary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Salamander. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays, and hybrid prose works. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

52 Writing Contests in March 2021 - No entry fees

Pixabay ​This March there are more than four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $60,000 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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Bergman Prize. Genre: First or second collection of poetry. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: March 1, 2021.
North Carolina State Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to North Carolina residents with no published books. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Writing for Peace. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 13-19. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. "Writing for Peace challenges young writers to expand their empathy skills by researching an unfamiliar culture and writing from the point-of-view of a character within that new world, while exploring social, political, and environmental pressures, and universal themes." Prize: $200.  Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. The prestigious award aims to provide promising writers a network for professional advancement. Since Poets & Writers began the Writers Exchange in 1984, 85 writers from 33 states and the District of Columbia have been selected to participate. Restrictions: Open to Arkansas residents. Genre: Poetry and Fiction. Prize: A $500 honorarium; A trip to New York City to meet with editors, agents, publishers, and other writers. All related travel/lodgings expenses and a per diem stipend are covered by Poets & Writers. Winners will also give a public reading of their work; and One-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

International Young Writers Prize (for High School Aged Writers). Restrictions: Open to high school student writers (ages 14-18) from around the world. Genre: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for young adults & children, & hybrid work. Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Alabama Arts Council Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to any author who has lived in Alabama for at least 2 years. Genre: Fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction of 10-20 pages. Prize: $5,000.  Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Mississippi Artists Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to permanent residents of Mississippi. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Balticon Poetry Contest. Sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Genre: Speculative poetry. Prize: 1st prize: $100; 2nd prize: $75; 3rd prize: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is "underwater." Prize: £5,000. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Ungar German Translation Award is bestowed biennially in odd-numbered years. Genre: Book-length literary translation translated from German into English and published in the United States between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. Prize: $1,000, a certificate of recognition, and up to $500 toward expenses for attending the ATA Annual Conference in San Francisco, California.   Deadline: March 1, 2021. Contest held in odd years.


United States/Japan Creative Artists Residencies. This is a 3-5 month residency in Japan. Grant: $24,000. Deadline: March 1, 2021. 

Beverly Hopkins Memorial Poetry Contest for High School Students. Restrictions: High school students living within 100 miles of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Prize: First prize $200, Second prize $125, Third prize $75. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Grant MacEwan Creative Writing Scholarship is sponsored by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Genres: Poetry, Short Fiction & Creative Nonfiction, Drama, or Graphic Novel. Restrictions: Authors must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate creative writing program of study or mentorship. (Max age 25) Alberta residents only. Prize: $5000 (CAN). Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. 1,500 - 2,500 words. "We want to hear your COVID-19 story. What has the virus taught you about life? If you were not infected, what has your experience been like as an “outsider?" Prize: 1st Place - $1,500, 2nd Place - $750, 3rd Place - $300, Two Honorable Mentions - $200 each. Deadline: March 1, 2021.


The Waterman Fund Essay Contest. Genre: Personal essays between 2000 and 3000 words. The topic is, simply, changes in the wild. Prizes: The winning essayist will be awarded $1500 and publication in Appalachia Journal. The Honorable Mention essay will receive $500. Deadline: March 2, 2021.

On The Premises: Repairs. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which one or more characters try to repair something. The “something” can be tangible (e.g., a smartphone, a bad haircut, a broken leg) or intangible (e.g., a relationship). The judges don’t care whether the characters succeed in their repair efforts, so long as they try." Prize: $250 for first place, $200 for second, $150 for third. Deadline: March 5, 2021.

Jane Martin Poetry Prize (UK). Restrictions: Open to UK residents between 18 and 30 years of age. Genre: Poetry. Prize: £700, second prize, £300. Deadline: March 5, 2021.


The Young Romantics Prize. Genre: Essays or poem on theme of  'Writ in Water'. Essays may be on any aspect of the works or lives of the Romantics and their circles, should be no more than 3,000 words including quotations, and should be written in a clear and accessible style. Prize: £5,000. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Separate categories for published and unpublished books. Self-published books accepted. Prize: £15,000. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

"It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Grades 6-12. Genre: Short story, and flash fiction, unpublished. Prize: 1st Place $250, 2nd Place $150, 3rd Place $100. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

Forward Prizes. Genre: Collections and single poems published in the UK and Ireland between September 2019 and September 2020 are eligible for the Prizes. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: £1,000 to £10,000. Deadline: March 8, 2021.


Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Genre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between October 1, 2020 and March 9, 2021. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $25,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between October 1, 2020 and March 9, 2021. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

NEA Literature Fellowships are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Prize: $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: March 10, 2021.


Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing and Journalism Fellowship. Restrictions: Established and recognized authors are being sought, but emerging and mid-career writers are also encouraged to apply. Genre: Seeking creative writers (poetry, fiction, nonfiction), or those in the field of journalism (writer, photojournalist, videographer, documentary filmmaker, online or print media) who demonstrate serious inquiry and dedication to the Greater Yellowstone region through their work. Fellowship: $3,500. Deadline: March 11, 2021.

Neltje Blanchan/Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Awards. Restrictions: Wyoming writers. Genres: The Frank Nelson Doubleday Award is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a woman writer. The Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world. Prize: $1,000.00. Deadline: March 11, 2021.

White River Environmental Law Writing Competition is sponsored by the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law and Vermont Law School. Restrictions: Open to all students currently pursuing a degree (J.D. or LL.M) at an accredited law school in the United States. Submissions written as a class component, as a journal requirement, or otherwise for academic credit are acceptable. Genre: Original essays addressing any relevant topic in the fields of environmental law, natural resource law, energy law, environmental justice, land use law, animal law, and agricultural law. Prize: $1000 cash prize and an offer of publication with the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law. Deadline: March 14, 2021.


BBC National Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over, who have a history of publication in creative writing. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: £15,000 to the winner, £3,000 for the runner-up and £500 for three further shortlisted writers. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative flash fiction that reflect the artwork they’ve chose for each month.(See site for images.) Prize: $10 USD. Deadline: March 15, 2021. Note: This is a monthly contest.

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 100 copies of the book. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Hodson Trust–John Carter Brown Library Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction (includes creative nonfiction). A book-in-process relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Award: $20,000. Deadline: March 15, 2021.


The Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers resident in the UK and Ireland who have yet to secure a publishing deal. Genre: Proposal for a book-length essay (minimum 25,000 words). Prize: £3,000 advance against publication with Fitzcarraldo Editions. Deadline: March 15, 2021.


Harper’s Bazaar short-story competition 2021. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over. Genre: Original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Threads’ up to 2,200 words. Prize: Two-night stay for two at Grantley Hall, Yorkshire (UK). Deadline: March 15, 2021.

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: March 15, 2021.

Lynn DeCaro Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Connecticut Student Poets in Grades 9-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Symptoms of Being Human: An Essay and Artistic Composition Contest. Genre: Essay. "Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever been ostracized and forced to live at the edges of any social group? Have you ever struggled with your own identity, sexuality, gender identification? This is a chance to tell others of your experience with these things. You might also talk about how you stood up for someone who was experiencing these things. Maybe you helped someone and befriended that person when he/she/they were being bullied. Tell that story. We want to hear from you."  Prize: Cash prize not specified. Deadline: March 17, 2021.

2021 POPP Award: Poetry of the Plains and Prairies. Genre: Poetry of any style for their annual Poetry of the Plains and Prairies chapbook publication. "While the author(s) may call any place home, their submissions must deftly capture the feeling of, as well as the reality of, living on the plains and prairies. Authors may submit any number of poems equaling thirty to thirty-five pages in length, with no more than one poem per page. (Single poems may extend more than one page.) The selected poetry collection will be published as a limited edition chapbook, hand-printed with antique letterpress equipment." Prize: Publication. Deadline: March 18, 2021.


Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6 - 12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6-12th Graders. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: March 19, 2021 for Grades 6-10, March 26, 2021 for Grades 11-12.

Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition for High School Students. Restrictions: Open to students in Grades 7-12. Genre: Haiku. Prize: $50. Deadline: March 22, 2021.

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: March 23, 2021.

Speculative Philosophical Fiction Contest. Genre: Speculative flash fiction on theme of Absence. The theme of this contest is Philosophical, Metaphysical, or Epistemological fiction. 1000 words max. Prize: $500.00, payable through PayPal. The top two runners-up will receive $50.00 each. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Sleeping Bear Press: Own Voices, Own Stories Award. Restrictions: Contest is open to BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ writers. Applicants must be United States residents and at least 18 years of age.  Genre: BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ children—or children of LGBTQ+ families. Prize: Grand Prize winners will receive a $2,000 cash prize, in addition to a publishing contract with advance and royalties standard for new Sleeping Bear Press authors. Honor Award winners will receive a $500 cash prize as well as one consulting session with a Sleeping Bear Press editor. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Pressfuls. Genre: Horror and fantasy up to 10,000 words. Prize: $50 and publication. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers' Contests. Restrictions: Open to writers between 14 and 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year who reside in, or attend school in Maryland. Genre: Science fiction or fantasy, 2,500 words max. Prizes: $150, $100 and $75. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Speculative Literature Foundation Older Writers Grant. Restrictions: Open to writers who are fifty years of age or older at the time of grant application. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $500.       Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Jacklyn Potter Young Poets Competition. Restrictions: Open to high school students in the Washington, DC region. Genre: Poetry. Prize: A reading with honorarium in the Miller Poetry Series, a summer program occurring in June and July. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Sarah Mook Poetry Prize for Students. Restrictions: Students in grades K-12. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: $100. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Archibald Lamp­man Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Canada's National Capital region (Ottawa). Genre: Book of any genre published by a recognized publisher. Prize: $1500. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Genres: Science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy up to 17,000 words. Prizes: Three cash prizes in each quarter: a First Prize of $1,000, a Second Prize of $750, and a Third Prize of $500, in US dollars. In addition, at the end of the year the winners will have their entries rejudged, and a Grand Prize winner shall be determined and receive an additional $5,000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

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: March 31, 2021.

Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. Genre: Poetry or literary prose. Translation of modern Arabic literature into English. Books must have been published and be available for purchase in the UK via a distributor or online. The source text must have been published in the original Arabic in or after 1967. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: £3,000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Foley Poetry Contest. Genre: One unpublished poem on any topic. The poem should be 30 lines or fewer and not under consideration elsewhere. Prize: $1000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

16 Great Writing Conferences in March 2021

Writing conferences usually to start to pick up in March. This year the vast majority of them will be held online. Virtual events still offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions — there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. 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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Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference. March 3 - 7, 2021: San Antonio, TX. "The AWP Conference & Bookfair is an essential annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. Each year more than 12,000 attendees join our community for four days of insightful dialogue, networking, and unrivaled access to the organizations and opinion-makers that matter most in contemporary literature. The 2016 conference featured over 2,000 presenters and 550 readings, panels, and craft lectures. The bookfair hosted over 800 presses, journals, and literary organizations from around the world. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America." Will be held virtually.
Futurescapes. March 11 - 13, 2021: Salt Lake City, Utah. Futurescapes Workshop of Utah Valley University, is an intensive, exclusive workshop, offering writers an unparalleled chance to work with top authors and agents in speculative fiction (science fiction, horror, fantasy, paranormal). Each participant will work with three workshop faculty mentors on the first 3,000 words of their manuscript, while receiving substantive feedback on the overall structure of their work in progress and query letters. Will be held virtually.

Southern Breeze Critique Fest 2021. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. March 12-13, 2021. "Have you ever gotten a manuscript critique, but wanted more insight on how to use those notes to take your book to the next level? Or wished you could have a professional’s eyes on your manuscript, but you weren’t sure it was ready for the world? Critique Fest 2021 goes beyond a paid critique experience, providing writers an immediate opportunity to see growth! Early Registration Opens January 2, 2021. Basic registration includes fun and informative online seminars the weekend of March 12-13, including a live Pitch Panel!  Bonus seminar included on Saturday, April 17 at 11:00 EST with author Melissa Stewart." Seminars only tickets are $40 for SCBWI members and $45 for non members. 

Atlanta Writing Workshop, March 13, 2021, Atlanta, GA. "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.

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 13 - 26, 2021. "The Festival is the largest community-based book event in the Mid-Atlantic region and has attracted audiences of more than 20,000 for each of the past thirteen years. We have presented a captivating list of authors, ranging from international bestsellers to topical specialists to debut authors." Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it. Will be held virtually.

Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference, March 18 - 21, 2021: NY, NY. "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. More importantly though, it is also a diagnostic method for workshopping the plot, premise, and other elements of the story to determine quality and marketability. Simply put, you cannot successfully pitch a viable commercial novel if you don't have a viable commercial novel. Our goal, therefore, is to set you on a realistic path to publication." Will be held online.

Power of Narrative. March 19, 2021: Boston, MA. Over 30 journalists, directors, producers and editors lead three days of lively discussions geared to advance the knowledge of narrative storytellers. Approximately 500 persons attend. Early registration is encouraged. Will be held online.

Sleuthfest. March 19 - 21, 2021: Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America a conference for writers and fans. Features writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:
* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work
* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission
* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops
* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors
* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors
* Sessions on the craft of writing
* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work
* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors
Will be held virtually.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. Wye Mills, Maryland, March 20, 2021. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "The BTO conference features workshops, presentations, and panel discussions on a wide variety of topics pertaining to the craft of writing, publishing, marketing, the Internet, and the intricacies of particular genres. It is an opportunity to meet with many writing peers in the region. Speakers include accomplished authors, poets, film writers, writing instructors, editors, and publishers. BTO also offers one-on-one manuscript reviews with experienced writing instructors and editors for registered attendees for a fee."
Beall Poetry Festival. March 24 - 26, 2021, Waco, TX. The festival features readings, panel discussions, and the Virginia Beall Ball Lecture on Contemporary Poetry. Participating poets include Forrest Gander, Layli Long Soldier, Evie Shockley, Meghan O’Rourke, and a Poetry Panel. All events are free and open to the public.

University of North Dakota Writers Conference. March 24 - 26, 2021: Grand Forks, North Dakota. Founded in 1970 and held every year since, the UND Writers Conference is a three day event featuring six to eight authors annually. Authors ranging from Gwendolyn Brooks and August Wilson to Tommy Orange and Colson Whitehead, the UND Writers Conference is committed to community outreach, engagement, and finding ways to increase audience access to literature. The conference is free, but workshop space is limited to twenty participants; registration is first come, first served. Will be held online.

Algonkian Novel Retreat, Sterling. Virginia, March 24 - 28, 2021. "In keeping with the spirit of this place and the goals of this retreat, you can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review of your short stories or flash fiction? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?" Registration is first come, first served.

36th Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference. March 25, 2021: Weber State University, Ogden, UT. "Each year, nearly 200 undergraduate writers and poets throughout North America, and sometimes beyond, come to Weber State University to present their work and learn from some of the most important writers in contemporary literature." Will be held online.

Write Stuff Writers Conference. March 25 - 28, 2021: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 20 workshops, Agent./Editor pitch sessions, marketing consults plus lunch and Keynote address, Book Fair, Flash Literature Writing Contest, Door Prizes. Featuring Jonathan Dylan Barker. Will be held virtually.

Writing Nature: Refuge or Threat? sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium’s Writers’ Community and the Moravian College Writers’ Conference. March 26 - 27, 2021 Bethlehem, PA. Keynote speakers: Camille Dungy and J. Drew Lanham. Plus additional workshops and a writers’ roundtable featuring area writers on Friday, March 27. Will be held virtually. FREE

WonderCon. March 26 - 27, 2021, Anaheim, CA. HUGE comic book convention.  Will be held virtually.

5 UK Literary Agents Seeking Fiction, Rom-coms, YA, Thriller/Suspense, Nonfiction, SF/F and more

Here are five UK literary agents expanding their client lists. Hannah Schofield is seeking commercial fiction, rom-coms, YA/crossovers, thriller/suspense, themes of motherhood or sisterhood, dark academia, voice-driven narratives for a millennial or Gen Z audience, and novels from traditionally underrepresented writers. Amy St. Johnston accepts fiction for all ages, from children to adults. Ian Drury wants fantasy/SF, historical fiction and action/adventure; and on the non-fiction side for history, biography and music. Abi Fellows is looking for fiction and non-fiction for adults and children. Liza DeBlock represents adult and YA fiction and nonfiction.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.

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

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Ms. Amy St. Johnston of Aitken Alexander Associates 

Amy St. Johnston joined Aitken Alexander Associates in 2018 and works with Clare Alexander and her clients. She am also building a list of my own.. She has a background in children's publishing.

What she is seeking: Amy accepts fiction for all ages, from children to adults.

How to submit: Please send your query to submissions@aitkenalexander.co.uk. Also send a short synopsis and the first 30 pages of your work as an attachment. Include Amy's name in the subject line of your email.

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Ms. Hannah Schofield of Luigi Bonomi Associates Ltd 



"I joined LBA in 2018 and am currently building a list of commercial and reading-group fiction. I previously worked for a literary scout and as a translation rights assistant, and I grew up in Luxembourg, so I have a strong working knowledge of the global publishing market and always bring an international eye to my reading."

What she is seeking: Commercial fiction, rom-coms, YA/crossovers, thriller/suspense, themes of motherhood or sisterhood, dark academia à la If We Were Villains, voice-driven narratives for a millennial or Gen Z audience, and novels from traditionally underrepresented writers in any of the above genres.

How to submit: Follow their guidelines HERE.

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Mr. Ian Drury of Sheil Land Associates Ltd 

"I read modern history at New College, Oxford before going into publishing: editing partworks and magazines before joining HarperCollins in 1994. I became Publishing Director at Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 2003. I published the Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers REAL BRAVO TWO ZERO (Michael Asher), BLENHEIM (Charles Spencer) and LAST POST (Max Arthur) as well as the landmark history of France in IndoChina, THE LAST VALLEY (Martin Windrow)."

What he is seeking: Fantasy/SF, historical fiction and action/adventure; and on the non-fiction side for history, biography and music.

How to submit: Please email proposals to idrury@sheilland.co.uk with
a) your whole manuscript attached as a Word doc (or .docx)
b) a few lines about you and a one line summary of why someone would pay their own money to read your book.

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Ms. Abi Fellows of The Good Literary Agency 

Abi joined TGLA in March 2019. Before joining TGLA, Abi worked as a literary scout at Rosalind Ramsay Ltd for seven years. She has incredibly broad experience in the industry having been a literary agent at Georgina Capel Associates prior to becoming a scout and having also worked as a bookseller at  Blackwell’s and on the sales team at Faber and Faber. Abi has a BA in English Literature from Bristol University and an MA in English Literature: Issues in Modern Culture from University College London.

What she is seeking: Fiction and non-fiction for adults and children.

How to submit: Please read their submission guidelines HERE. Note: Abi only accepts submissions from UK residents.

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Ms. Liza DeBlock of Mushens Entertainment

Originally from New York, Liza DeBlock got her start in publishing while working at Eccles Fisher Associates after interning for various scouts and agencies on both sides of the Atlantic. She is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford, 2016, which she attended between her two postgraduate degrees in Modern History of Publishing at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. Some of her favourite authors include Antonia Fraser, JK Rowling, Tamora Pierce and she loves the work of Erin Morgenstern, Deborah Harkness, Matt Haig, Lara Prescott, Tracey Chevalier, Sue Monk Kidd and Maggie O’Farrell. You can follow her on twitter as @lizadeblock.

What she is seeking: Liza is looking for both fiction and non fiction. For fiction, Liza is interested in adult and YA only. She is looking for historical fiction, commercial fantasy, romcom, saga, uplit, and thriller.  On the non fiction side, she is looking for books that teach her something new or reframe a topic from an alternative point of view. This can include cookery, pop science, social history, and current events. 

How to submit: Please email ldbsubmissions@mushens-entertainment.com with your cover letter in the body of the email; An attachment of your synopsis; A PDF or Word document containing the first three chapters or approximately the first 50pp of your book. 

FOR NON-FICTION: Your cover letter in the body of the email; A pdf or word document of your proposal; Sample Chapters (if applicable)

5 New Agents Seeking Children’s Books, Adult SF/F, Magical Realism, YA, Women’s Fiction, Romance, Nonfiction and more

Here are five new agents actively seeking writers. Alice Fugate is looking for children’s books and select adult projects. Ernie Chiara wants adult science fiction and fantasy and magical realism. Michelle Hauck is taking submissions for middle grade, young adult, and some limited adult genres. Chelsey Emmelhainz is focused on commercial, diverse voices in fiction and nonfiction. She is especially interested in young adult, and adult fiction that marries the known and the unknown or those that explore the fantastic in the everyday world. Caitlin White is now open to select submissions in YA and MG fiction.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.

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

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Ms. Chelsey Emmelhainz of Copps Literary Services 

Chelsey Emmelhainz joins Copps Literary Services after a decade as an editor of upmarket fiction and nonfiction. Upon graduating from the Denver Publishing Institute, she got her start in publishing at HarperCollins with William Morrow and Avon Books. She was most recently a senior editor at Crooked Lane Books.  As an editor, Chelsey worked on projects that cross the literary landscape: from Amish romance to upmarket thrillers and everything in between. Yet her true passion lies in helping authors refine their narratives to create compelling stories and advocating on their behalf. An editorial agent, she works tirelessly with authors to polish their work into commercial projects aimed at catching the eye of editors and publishers. 

What Chelsey is looking for: Actively building her client list, she is focused on commercial, diverse voices in fiction and nonfiction. She is especially interested in young adult, and adult fiction that marries the known and the unknown or those that explore the fantastic in the everyday world. A lover of plot-driven narratives, she’s most often drawn to fast-paced stories featuring well-drawn, believable characters navigating extraordinary circumstances. Her target genres in those spaces include: horror, supernatural thriller, suspense, and mystery. Her ideal women’s fiction, book club fiction, and romance projects feature high-concept hooks, strong female characters, and unique takes on modern relationships—be they romantic, platonic, or familial. Chelsey is open to fantasy projects based in the known world, especially those exploring magical realism.

For nonfiction, she gravitates toward history, especially narrative nonfiction, memoirs with a platform, and untold stories in true crime, but is open to projects in the areas of DIY projects (she’s a knitting fiend), gardening, and unique lifestyles.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

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Ms. Alice Fugate of The Joy Harris Literary Agency 

Alice Fugate joined The Joy Harris Literary Agency in 2020. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing. Prior to joining JHLA, she was an associate agent at Trident Media Group, where she worked for two and half years. 

What she is seeking: Alice works primarily in the children’s book space, across all formats and genres, but also enjoys working on select adult projects, including stories about the American South, historical fiction, and works that explore faith, religion, music, or nature. She’s drawn to literary or well-written commercial projects that have a classic but fresh feel with distinctive, surprising voices from diverse backgrounds. In children’s books, she loves animal fables, fairy tale retellings, comedies of manners, adventure tales, heartfelt contemporary, and narrative nonfiction. In everything, Alice looks for wit and whimsy.  

How to submit: To query Alice, please email her at alice@joyharrisliterary.com

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Mr. Ernie Chiara of Fuse Literary 

Ernie first joined the Fuse Literary team as a writer, signing on as a client with Michelle Richter. Then, when his interest in the agenting side of the business grew to match his love of writing, Ernie gained experience as an Assistant Agent under the guidance of Tricia Skinner. Now, having come full circle, Ernie is proud to be building his list as an Associate Agent. Ernie has previously served as Communications Director for Pitch Wars, a writer mentorship program, where he was also a Mentor in the Adult category. He has over 20 years of experience in business management and graphic design.

What he is seeking: Adult science fiction and fantasy and magical realism.

How to submit: Use his submission form HERE.

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Ms. Michelle Hauck of Storm Literary Agency 

Michelle devoured the classics at an early age, falling in love with heroic stories like The Three Musketeers, Ivanhoe, and The Scarlet Pimpernel. It wasn’t until her teens that she got her hands on The Sword of Shannara and discovered a new heroic level in SFF. Now she’d like to advocate for stories that take the reader beyond the traditional hero’s journey.

After graduating with a business degree, with a concentration in finance, Michelle worked as a cost accountant for several years before a short stint as a stay-at-home mom. Then she switched gears for twenty years working in an elementary school, where she’s learned a lot about what kids like to read and applied that to her own stories, publishing a historic fantasy series with Harper Voyager.

She’s been helping writers long before taking the step to become an agent. Her Midwest roots taught her to pay things forward, and along with several co-hosts, she ran an impressive collection of contests for writers, including Query Kombat, Nightmare on Query Street, and Picture Book Party. She also learned much from six years as a successful Pitch Wars mentor in adult SFF.

What she is seeking: Currently, Michelle is taking submissions for middle grade, young adult, and some limited adult genres.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

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Ms. Caitlin White of Emerald City Literary Agency 

Caitlin is a writer and editor who was previously the Interim Books Editor for Bustle, and she has written about YA books for HelloGiggles, Bustle, Elle, and Glamour. Caitlin brought her passion for YA and MG to Emerald City Literary Agency in 2019 as an intern before being promoted to Agency Assistant in October 2020. She currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario, but is from the Boston area.

What she is seeking: Caitlin is now open to select submissions in YA and MG fiction and will represent projects alongside ECLA agents Mandy Hubbard and Linda Epstein. Caitlin is looking for whodunnits that harken back to Agatha Christie, rom-coms with an original hook, stories about non-toxic groups of friends, magical realism that feels grounded, unabashedly feminist POVs, and contemporary witches set in a real-life world, like These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling. She is always interested in seeing submissions from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors. Sorry, but she is not the right person for high fantasy.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

Most Popular Publishing Posts of 2020

Every January I do a "year in review" of my most popular posts. This is a tradition I am loath to break, even though at this late stage in my blogging career, I am seldom surprised. Most people who visit my blog want to get published, so it's natural to assume that my most viewed posts would be calls for submissions and writing contests. 

In 2020, I published 69 posts. (My total number of posts since 2012 is 818. My how time flies.) In 2020, my two most popular posts were:
44 Writing Contests in January 2021 - No entry fees (18,801 views...and counting)
85 Calls for Submissions in December 2020 - Paying markets (10,102 views) 
Usually, page views for my posts number in the quadruple digits. But when they hit ten thousand or more, I sit up and take notice. There can be only one explanation: Somebody out there with a bigger platform than mine has promoted those posts. Whoever you are, thank you!
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.)

10 Most Popular Posts - All Time


22 US Children's Book Publishers Accepting Manuscripts Directly From Writers 272,443 views
325 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction  148,306 views
Agents Looking for Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers 146,311 views

3 Major Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts 92,045 views

6 Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts from Writers - No Agent Needed  74, 267 views

Mega-List of Speculative Fiction Magazines Accepting Submissions 67,355 views
16 UK Children's Book Publishers Accepting Manuscripts Directly from Writers 59,072 views

Mega-List of Paying Markets for Horror, Dark Fiction and Poetry 46,440 views
40 Paying Markets for Personal Essays 37,324 views
Mega-List of Online Reviewers Who Accept Self-Published Books 37,286 views


Some Additional Popular Posts 
82 UK Literary Agencies Seeking Clients  36,405 views
21 Poetry Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts 35,295 views
27 LGBT Publishers Accepting Manuscripts - No agent required (Plus 17 paying journals) 33,241 views

13 Paying Markets for Humor 30,541 views
25 Paying Markets for Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction 27,521 views
5 Established Agents Looking for Writers - Literary fiction, Memoir, MG, YA, Fantasy, Romance and more 27,266 views
14 Publishers Accepting Unagented Short Story Collections 26,356 views
10 Agents Representing Short Story Collections 24,765 views
253 Hashtags for Writers 20,912 views
DAW Books Opens Its Doors to Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers - No agent needed 18,756 views

51 Calls for Submissions in February 2021 - Paying markets

There are more than four dozen calls for submissions in February. 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 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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Volney Road Review. Genres: Fiction, poetry, CNF, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Sexy Fantastic Magazine. Genre: Fantastic erotic stories on theme of Stars. (No porn) "Any type of story with fantastic elements is acceptable, such as a metaphysical or surreal modern tale, magic realism, a dark fantasy thriller, science fiction satire, historical legend, an imaginary world fantasy adventure, etc." Payment: $100. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

Belmont Story Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF. Payment: $50. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Nonbinary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and flash, up to 3000 words on theme of Apocalypse. Payment: For prose, 1¢ US per word, and $10 US per poem. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

The London Reader: Counterculture Creative Writing. Genre: Stories featuring parties, protest, and the revolutionary potential of today’s and yesteryear’s countercultures. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Abyss and Apex. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. No horror. Payment: USD $.06/word (six cents a word) up to 1,250 words, and a flat payment of $75.00 for longer stories. Deadline: February 7, 2021. Opens to submissions on February 1.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on Theme of Blue. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: February 7, 2021.

The Other Stories Podcast. Genre: Horror on theme of Newly Discovered Creatures. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 8, 2021.

Moonflake Press. Genre: Short stories and poems on theme of Affairs. Payment: £5 for each story/poem. Deadline: February 10, 2021.

Third Wednesday. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, art. Payment: $3. Deadline: February 14, 2021.

Qwerty. Genre: Poetry, art and prose about food. "We invite 2SQ+BIPOC artists to submit work that explores food(s) in relation to racial, queer, gendered, etc. identities and bodies." Payment: $10. Deadline: February 14, 2021.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Science of Fear. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

The Best New True Crime Stories. Genre: Nonfiction, true crime accounts featuring lawbreaking couples who have joined forces to commit crime. Payment: $130, and 2 print copies of the book. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

Red Cape Anthologies: J is for Jack-o’-Lantern. Genre: Horror. "Halloween is the theme for these stories but the Jack-o’-Lantern must play a key role.." Payment:  £10. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

WordWorks. Restrictions: Open to writers in British Columbia or Yukon, Canada. Genre: Nonfiction. Theme: Publishing. Payment: Twenty-five cents a word for articles ($50 for reprints). Deadline: February 15, 2021.
Third Wednesday. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $3. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

Cid Pearlman: home(Body). Genre: Poetry. "(home)Body is an art installation with dance video, poetry, and live performance. This work is a collaboration between artistic director/choreographer Cid Pearlman, video artist Mara Milam, poet/dramaturge Denise Leto, and ten dance artists. The poems we commission will seek to represent a multiplicity of voices. They will inform the content we create and will function as scaffolding and inspiration for the dance and video." Payment: $500. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

EX/POST. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: Modest honorarium. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

Luna Station Quarterly. Genre: Speculative fiction by woman. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 15, 2021. Accepts reprints.

Crone Rising. Genre: Creative nonfiction by women over 40. "We want you to share the experiences that shaped you. We want to hear about your inner strength and how you learned to become who you are today." Length: 7,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: $45. Deadline: February 16, 2021.

Queer Gothic Short Stories. Genre: Queer Gothic short stories between 100 and 8,000 words. Payment: £40. Deadline: February 20, 2021.

Eastern Iowa Review. Genre: Lyric essays and prose poems, creative nonfiction and hybrid works. Theme: Winter. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 20, 2021.

Claw & Blossom. Genre: Flash fiction and poetry about the natural world on theme of Water. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 21, 2021.

Speculative City. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and essays centered in cities. See themes. Payment: $20-$55. Deadline: February 24, 2021.

The Dread Machine Press: 1986: The Anthology. Genre: Horror. "We’re seeking dread-inspiring stories that take place in 1986—either the 1986 of our reality (Stranger Things) or an alternate version (Tales From the Loop). Bring us back to a simpler, scarier time." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: February 25, 2021.

It Gets Even Better: Stories of Queer Possibility. Genre: Speculative stories about positive queer possibility, written in English. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: February 27, 2021.


The Rumpus. Genre: Essays. "We strive to be a platform for marginalized voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere, and to lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers we love. We work to shine a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power." Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Third Estate Art: Quaranzine. Genre: "Send us art with an underlying social justice theme in any discipline, or any kind of activist work that you’d like an eclectic audience for. We’ll take submissions of stories, essays, Bandcamp links, visual art, artist talks, performances, instructional videos, comics, poems, and anything else that we can reasonably put into this format." Payment: $20. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

JMS Books: LGBTQ Romance: Second Chances. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories. Stories about finding love the second time around. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Decoded Genre: "Everything from experimental comics to thinly-veiled fanfiction to good old formulaic genre is right up our alley, so don’t disqualify yourself – submit! Our only requirements are that you be a queer creator and that you bring your very best work to the page." See their open calls for submissions. Payment; Flash short story (up to 1499 words) – $25, Short story (1500 to 3499 words) – $100, Long form (3500 – 7500-ish words) – $200, Comics – $75 (no limit, but keep in mind your whole comic will run in one day) Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Southword. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €40 per poem. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme of Chance. Payment: $30. Deadline: February 28, 2021. Opens February 15.

Blue Mesa Review. Genre: Fiction (up to 6,000 words), Nonfiction (up to 6,000 words), Poetry (up to 3 poems), and Visual Art. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Down & Out Books: Mickey Finn – 21st Century Noir. Genre: Hardboiled and noir crime fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

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: February 28, 2021.

Dragon Soul Press: Organic Ink. Genre: Poetry. "All poetry pieces are welcome. There is no theme." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Spartan. Genre: Literary prose, 1500 words max. Payment: $20. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Air and Nothingness Press: The Wild Hunt. Genre: Stories may be of any genre as long as they fit within the idea of the Wild Hunt. "We are open to Grimdark, New Weird, Science Fiction, Fantasy and genre bending/breaking."  Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Air and Nothingness Press: Upon a Once Time. Genre: Choose two of your favorite fairy
tales, and a genre of your choice, and mash them up to make something new.  "We are open to Grimdark, New Weird, Science Fiction, Fantasy and genre bending/breaking."  Payment: $0.08/word.  Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Night Shift Radio. Genre: Fiction, non-fiction, memoir - 7,000-10,000 words. Payment: $50 or $25. Deadline: February 28, 2021. Opens February 21.

Stonecrop Review. Genre: Creative Non-Fiction, Fiction, Reader’s Corner, Artwork, Photography on theme of Flora. "We are particularly keen to publish works that explore nature in cities that have not been as widely represented in the urban nature canon." Payment: $20. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Horror and dark fantasy. Payment: 1 cent per word for original fiction. 10k words = $100; 0.5 cents per word for reprints; 50 cents per line for poetry; 20 dollars for artwork chosen as interior content; 50 dollars for cover art. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Good Southern Witches Anthology. Genre: Fantasy and horror fiction and occult nonfiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

​
Upstreet. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction pieces 5,000 words or less. Payment: $50 - $250 for short stories or essays. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Small Harbor Publishing: Marginalia Series. Genre: Chapbooks by  traditionally marginalized writers. Payment: 25 copies. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Thunderbird Studios: Decades of San Cicaro. Genre: Short stories that take place in the city of San Cicaro between the years of 1930 to 1989. Payment: $175. Deadline: February 28, 2021.
​
Ghost Orchid Press: Dark Hearts Anthology. Genre: Stories exploring the twisted side of love.  Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Flypaper. Genre: Poems, book reviews of contemporary poetry collections, interviews with poets and essayists, essays on music, as well as short stories and CNF pieces with fewer than 3000 words Payment: $5. Deadline: February 28, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls: Cyberpunk Fairy Tales. Genre: Cyberpunk fairy tales. "We are excited to mash the world of cyberpunk together with fairy tales and see what sort of magic results. Embracing the high-tech/low-life aspect of cyberpunk will give these stories both the sleek coolness of futuristic technology and the grittiness of traditional fairy tales." Length: up to 7,500 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: February 28, 2021. Opens February 1.

Pseudopod. Genre: Horror. Audio format. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction, $100 flat rate for short story reprints, and $20 flat rate for flash fiction reprints (stories below 1500 words). Deadline: February 28, 2021.  Reprints accepted.

And a few more...

Thema: A Postcard from the Past. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: A Postcard from the Past. Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2021.  Accepts reprints.
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: March 1, 2021.

Canthius. Genres: Unpublished poetry and prose (both fiction and creative non-fiction – "we welcome experimental works and play excerpts). Please limit prose submissions to 3500 words and poetry submissions to five poems." Payment: $50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more, regardless of genre. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Carousel. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $40–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$40 per review. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

OUT THERE: Into the Queer New Yonder! Restrictions: Open to queer YA authors. Genre: Speculative fiction about queer teen protagonists, set in the future. Payment: $900 (US) plus a pro-rated share of any royalties received on the sale of the anthology. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Short stories and poetry. See themes. Payment: 20.00 USD for featured authors, or $10.00 USD for stories published on their &More page and $5.00 USD for poems. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

PTMN.TEAU. Genre: Fiction & creative non-fiction; Poetry & prose; Short & long-form writing. Submissions may be no longer than 5,000 words. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Combined Work from underprivileged individuals. Payment: $5. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

B Cubed Press. Genre: Fiction, essays, and poetry on three themes: Protest Diaries: “Stories from the front lines of revolutions throughout history.” Alternative War: “War shapes the world through technology, boarders, and norms. What will come next?” Stories can take place anywhere in time and space. Alternative Deathliness: “Death brings so many options” – this anthology will be a “fun filled romp into the concept and nature of Death.” Payment: 2 cents/word plus royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

54 Writing Contests in February 2021 - No entry fees

Huddington: Geograph (UK) This February there are more than four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees. Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.
​
If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline is past, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck! 

Photo credit: Geograph (UK)

________________________

The Tomorrow Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Los Angeles. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. Prize: $250. Deadline: February 1, 2021.
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 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

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 1, 2021.

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 1, 2021.

Wil Mills Award. Restrictions: Open to poets who have published chap books but have no full-linked collections. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $200 Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Genre: Poetry, up to five poems per person. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.  

Sonnet Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Sonnet. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Villanelle Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Villanelle. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry book published in 2018. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: $5000.  Deadline: February 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

$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, 2021.  

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, 2021. Snail mail entries only.

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, 2021.

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 2, 2021 for books published between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. They have an unreadable website.

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, 2021.

Life Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK residents. Genre: Life writing. The Prize defines life writing as ‘intended to be true’, reflects someone’s own life journey or experiences and is not fiction. Prize: Winner will receive £1,500, publication on Spread the Word’s website, an Arvon course, two years’ membership to the Royal Society of Literature and a development meeting with an editor and an agent. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Narrative Magazine "Tell Me a Story" High School Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students aged 15-18. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 4, 2021.

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 5, 2021.

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 5, 2021.

Bethesda Poetry Contest. Genres: Poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: February 5, 2021 for adults, February 12, 2021 for high school students.

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 7, 2021.

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 7, 2021.

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to authors who either are citizens or permanent residents of Western Australia. Genre: Book published during the preceding calendar year in a variety of genres. Prize: Up to A$60,000. Deadline: February 8, 2021.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships are awarded in fifteen different disciplines over a three-year period. Prize: $7,000 cash awards are made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: February 10, 2021.

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, 2021.

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: £500 and publication. Deadline: February 12, 2021.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021 to be eligible for the 2020 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 12, 2021.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Award. Genre: Poetry - translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

Syracuse University's Veterans Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to U.S. veterans and active duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate family members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, and children. Women veteran writers and veterans of color are encouraged to submit. Genre: Unpublished, full-length novels or short story collections. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

Bethesda Essay Contest. Genre: Essays. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: February 18, 2021.

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 18, 2021.

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 22, 2021.

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 26, 2021.

The Lakefly Writers Conference. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin. Genres: Short story fiction: 1500 words or less. Any genre. Flash fiction: 500 words or fewer. Any genre. No theme. Poetry:  All poems, free verse to formal and everything in between—75 lines max. Teen short story: Open to 18 years old and younger. Maximum 1,500 words. Any genre. See theme. Prize: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony. Deadline: February 26, 2021.

Make A Way Book Award. Restrictions: “American Editions invites progressive American authors to apply. Authors must have a strong, regular social media presence that is free of trolling or bias against marginalized groups.” Genre: Nonfiction book-length essay about changing the United States for the better. Prize: $700. Deadline: February 26, 2021. (Extended deadline)

The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Creative Capital Award. Restrictions: Entrants must be US citizens or permanent residents, aged 25+, with 5+ years' professional writing experience, and not be full-time students. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. Grant: Up to $50,000. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

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. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

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, 2021.

Invent a Word. Genre: "We invite you to invent a word. Not just any word. A word you think will greatly enhance the English language. Give us your word, a one-sentence definition, and use the word in a sentence." Prize: Free Gotham class of your choosing. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

55 Writing Contests in February 2021 - No entry fees

Huddington: Geograph (UK) This February there are more than four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees. Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.
​
If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline is past, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck! 

Photo credit: Geograph (UK)

________________________

The Tomorrow Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Los Angeles. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. Prize: $250. Deadline: February 1, 2021.
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 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

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 1, 2021.

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 1, 2021.

Wil Mills Award. Restrictions: Open to poets who have published chap books but have no full-linked collections. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $200 Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Genre: Poetry, up to five poems per person. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.  

Sonnet Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Sonnet. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Villanelle Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Villanelle. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry book published in 2018. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: $5000.  Deadline: February 1, 2021.

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, 2021.

$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, 2021.  

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, 2021. Snail mail entries only.

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, 2021.

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 2, 2021 for books published between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. They have an unreadable website.

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, 2021.

Life Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK residents. Genre: Life writing. The Prize defines life writing as ‘intended to be true’, reflects someone’s own life journey or experiences and is not fiction. Prize: Winner will receive £1,500, publication on Spread the Word’s website, an Arvon course, two years’ membership to the Royal Society of Literature and a development meeting with an editor and an agent. Deadline: February 1, 2021.

Narrative Magazine "Tell Me a Story" High School Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students aged 15-18. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 4, 2021.

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 5, 2021.

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 5, 2021.

Bethesda Poetry Contest. Genres: Poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: February 5, 2021 for adults, February 12, 2021 for high school students.

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 7, 2021.

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 7, 2021.

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to authors who either are citizens or permanent residents of Western Australia. Genre: Book published during the preceding calendar year in a variety of genres. Prize: Up to A$60,000. Deadline: February 8, 2021.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships are awarded in fifteen different disciplines over a three-year period. Prize: $7,000 cash awards are made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: February 10, 2021.

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, 2021.

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: £500 and publication. Deadline: February 12, 2021.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021 to be eligible for the 2020 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 12, 2021.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Award. Genre: Poetry - translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

Syracuse University's Veterans Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to U.S. veterans and active duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate family members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, and children. Women veteran writers and veterans of color are encouraged to submit. Genre: Unpublished, full-length novels or short story collections. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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, 2021.

Bethesda Essay Contest. Genre: Essays. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: February 18, 2021.

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 18, 2021.

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 22, 2021.

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 26, 2021.

The Lakefly Writers Conference. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin. Genres: Short story fiction: 1500 words or less. Any genre. Flash fiction: 500 words or fewer. Any genre. No theme. Poetry:  All poems, free verse to formal and everything in between—75 lines max. Teen short story: Open to 18 years old and younger. Maximum 1,500 words. Any genre. See theme. Prize: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony. Deadline: February 26, 2021.

Make A Way Book Award. Restrictions: “American Editions invites progressive American authors to apply. Authors must have a strong, regular social media presence that is free of trolling or bias against marginalized groups.” Genre: Nonfiction book-length essay about changing the United States for the better. Prize: $700. Deadline: February 26, 2021. (Extended deadline)

The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

Creative Capital Award. Restrictions: Entrants must be US citizens or permanent residents, aged 25+, with 5+ years' professional writing experience, and not be full-time students. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. Grant: Up to $50,000. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

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. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

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, 2021.

Invent a Word. Genre: "We invite you to invent a word. Not just any word. A word you think will greatly enhance the English language. Give us your word, a one-sentence definition, and use the word in a sentence." Prize: Free Gotham class of your choosing. Deadline: February 28, 2021.

9 Great Writing Conferences in February 2021

Shutterstock February might be "nasty, brutish and short" but it features nine great conferences for writers. These conferences offer everything from intensive workshops and panels, to pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books. This month there is something for everyone.
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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.

(Photo credit: Shutterstock)

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Kaz Conference Keep Writing: Playwriting Intensive for Women Writers. Feb 7 - March 15, 2021. Workshops include developmental workshops as well as talks on the practical training of writers with input from editors, publicists, agents, social media experts and productivity coaches. Because reading and reviewing other work helps to strengthen ones own writing, peer review is a requirement of all sessions. Just 10 to 16 writers are accepted for each cohort. Will be held online.
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Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Writers Conference. February 10 - March 17, 2021. "The Kaz Conference offers two to four intensive seminars for writers each spring and fall: Advanced Manuscript Boot Camp (fiction/nonfiction); Creative Nonfiction Writers Conference; Comedy Writing for Women Intensive (all genres) and Script Lab (Plays/Screenplays). All workshops include developmental workshops as well as talks on the practical training of writers with input from editors, publicists, agents, social media experts and productivity coaches. Because reading and reviewing other work helps to strengthen ones own writing, peer review is a requirement of all sessions. Just 10 to 16 writers are accepted for each cohort. The Kaz Conference Writing Workshop is committed to diversity and our faculty reflect an all-encompassing and equal world. Our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writers community that continues beyond the workshops." Will be held online.

Southern California Writers’ Conference (and Retreat). February 12 - 14, 2021: 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 125 conferees.

San Francisco Writers Conference, February 11 -14, 2021, 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." Will return in 2022.

Minnesota Writers Workshop. February 12 - 13, 2021: St. Paul, MN. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront. 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 online.

Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference. February 18 - 20, 2021: Tempe, AZ. "The Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference creates a unique and intimate creative writing experience where writers of all backgrounds, genres, and skill levels gather together and connect through the celebration and study of literary craft, culture, and community. Featuring over 25 faculty members teaching more than 50 sessions, we seek to create a warm and welcoming environment that meets people wherever they are, where writers can learn from and support each other as they work toward their goals. Beyond regular programming, we also feature advanced pre-conference workshops, an exhibitor fair, scholarships, and fellowships. We also offer opportunities to advertise with or sponsor the conference as well." Will be held online.

The Writers Studio, sponsored by the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, February 18 - 21, 2021, 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.

Publishing Workshop. February 20 - 21, 2021: Hammonton, NJ. "Do you want to publish your writing but struggle with a lack of know-how and fear of rejection? Join us for this hands-on workshop where we will guide you through the process from blank page to published piece. If you are an aspiring author you will learn how and where to submit your work. If you are experienced you will discover new markets and resources to expand your readership. Whether you are working on a novel, memoir, short stories, personal essays or poetry, you will go home with an action plan and the tools to carry it out." Will be held online.

California Creative Writers Conference. February 26 - March 6, 2021: Los Angeles, CA.  Educational and inspirational guidance from more than 40 literary agents, veteran educators, industry professionals, professional editors, and publishers in the craft and business of writing fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting taught by Hollywood veterans. Over three days, you can learn how to take your writing to the next level and what it takes get published. Will be held online.