Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 32

12 Writing Conferences in November 2020

Writing conferences tend to slow down during the holidays, but in November there are still a dozen being offered, mostly via online formats. You can attend workshops, presentations, readings, discussions, lectures, and critiques via Zoom.
​
Plan ahead! Conferences often offer scholarships, but these have deadlines. If one of these conferences interests you, put the scholarship deadline date on your calendar for next year, or for whenever the conference rolls around again.
For a full list of conferences, organized by month, see Writing Conferences. While nearly all of these are in the United States, you can find links on that page that will take you to world-wide conference lists.
(Photo credit: Onscout)
___________________________-

Bookgardan: A Year's Sustenance for Writers. November 1, 2020 - November 1, 2021: Keene, NY. "Devote a year to writing your book in community with an intimate group of dedicated writers, nurtured from start to finish by acclaimed author, seasoned editor, and literary mentor Kate Moses. The program opens and closes with week-long fall residency intensives at Craigardan, a secluded artists' retreat set at a circa-1800s farm nestled in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York. From the first residency onward Kate will provide writers the structure, tools, and guidance required to cultivate and nourish their manuscripts, with the goal of bringing projects to fruition (a full first draft, a revised draft, or meeting an individual goal) by program's end. Throughout the year, writers will receive ongoing individual and group mentorship, one-on-one monthly conferences in response to their manuscript submissions, and take part in online craft tutorials, group seminars, interviews with published writers and publishing professionals, and other opportunities for connection with like-minded artists sharing in an often solitary endeavor. Bookgardan culminates twelve months later—once again syncing with the autumn harvest—with a second Craigardan residency focused on the business of writing and publishing, the sustenance of lasting fellowship, and a deserved celebration. Limited to a maximum of 6 participants each year." Will be held online.

Wright Women Writers Conference. November 5- 7, 2020: University of Central Arkansas. "The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference focuses on women-identifying writers from all genres and all experience levels, from journalism to mass market books to literary endeavors, and beyond. Our goal is to provide a space for camaraderie, connection-making, and inspiration, and while women-identifying writers are the only presenters at the conference, we welcome all of our male and male-identifying colleagues to attend. We believe that much of what we have to offer, including the specific, female perspective, is valuable for all audiences, and that male allies are necessary to changing the current gender imbalance in publishing." Will be held virtually.

Sanibel Island Writers Conference. November 5 - 8, 2020: Sanibel Island, Florida. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as manuscript consultations, readings, panels, concerts, and book signings. Faculty and visiting writers have included poets Major Jackson, Annemarie Ní Churreáin, and January Gill O’Neil; fiction writers Julianna Baggott, Lynne Barrett, Brock Clarke, John Dufresne, Tod Goldberg, Steve Kistulentz, Tom McAllister, and Darin Strauss; creative nonfiction writers Steve Almond, Andrea Askowitz, Emily Black, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Joyce Maynard, Jane Roper, and Michael Ruhlman; screenwriter Mark Evan Schwartz; and agent Christopher Schelling (Selectric Artists).

The Craft of Writing Series: Poetry. November 5 - 19, 2020. The Craft of Writing Series is a three-week program that takes place virtually the first through third Thursdays of each month. Each month focuses on a different genre or form of writing.  Will be held online.

Atlanta Writers Conference. November 6 - 8, 2020: Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta Writers Conference will be held from November 6 to November 8 online and at the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel in Atlanta. The conference features online craft and marketing workshops, editing consultations via e-mail, and in-person pitch sessions and manuscript and query letter critiques for fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and graphic novelists. Participating publishing professionals include editors Nettie Finn (St. Martin’s Press), Nate Lanman (William Morrow/HarperCollins), Erin McClary (Sourcebooks), Chayenne Skeete (Penguin Random House), Haley Swanson (HarperCollins), and Alicia Tan (HarperCollins), and agents Lisa Abellera (Kimberley Cameron & Associates), Lauren Bieker (FinePrint Literary Management), Savannah Brooks (Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency), Penelope Burns (Gelfman Schneider/ICM), Brenna English-Loeb (Transatlantic Agency), Ronald Gerber (Lowenstein Associates), Jennifer Grimaldi (Chalberg & Sussman), Kaitlyn Johnson (Belcastro Literary Agency), Maria Napolitano (Bookcase Literary Agency), and Samantha Wekstein (Thompson Literary Agency). The cost of a single session ranges from $75 to $190; the cost of the All-Activities Package, which includes two manuscript critiques, one query letter critique, two pitch sessions, two workshops, and an optional preconference manuscript edit, is $650. Writers who are not members of the Atlanta Writers Club must purchase a yearlong membership for an additional $50 in order to register. The deadline to register for a manuscript critique is October 7. Space is limited; registration is first come, first served. The general registration deadline is November 5. Lodging is available at the conference hotel for a discounted rate of $129 per night until October 15. Will be held online and in person.

Breakthrough Novel Weekend. November 6 - 8, 2020: Portland, Oregon. "Is your work-in-progress your breakthrough? How can you tell? What factors matter and which should you focus on? Are you presenting your work in the best light, with a persuasive query letter and synopsis? Master instructor Donald Maass knows the answers and offers in the Breakthrough Novel Workshop practical ways to create what feels magical on the page."

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. November 6 - 9, 2020. Tahoe City, CA. The Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp is for the writer who has a full book-length manuscript (novel, memoir or short story collection) and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. The long weekend will include an intimate full manuscript workshop, craft talks, readings, an agent panel and individual agent meetings – the perfect pre-publication boot camp for any manuscript. Classes are limited to 5 participants.Tuition includes one three-day workshop, admittance to all craft talks, panels and readings, a one-on-one with an agent, all meals (dinner on Friday; three meals Saturday and Sunday; breakfast, and lunch on Sunday) and lodging in a single room for three nights. Vegetarian meals are available upon request.

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. November 9 - 15, 2020: Hood River, OR. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass. Will be held online.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Writingest State Online Conference. November 10 -14, 2020. The WSOC will feature classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing, as well as a keynote address by North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, a Pre-Conference Tailgate and a Prompt Party to get creative juices flowing, online Open Mic readings and Happy Hour virtual gatherings, and an Agents & Editors panel discussion. Will be held online.

The Monterey Writer Retreat in California. November 11 - 15, 2020: Monterey, CA. Participants in the Monterey Writer Retreat will work one-on-one with two of the best literary "closers" in the business: Gina Panettieri and Michael Neff combine 38 years of working with aspiring authors and ushering them to publication. They will be available for multiple private consultations from 9 AM to noon and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM each day of the retreat. Choice of sessions and focus will be up to each individual writer. Additionally, as circumstances permit, Gina and Michael will also join retreaters in their quest for superb dining and festivity opportunities in the Monterey and Carmel area.

Fall Nonfiction Writers Conference. November 12 - 13, 2020. ONLINE EVENT. Online conference devoted to writing, publishing and promoting non-fiction books. Participation is live via phone or Skype, and recordings can be downloaded. Features 15 speakers over three days. Private Facebook group for attendees!

Red Clay Writers Conference. November 14 - 15, 2020: Kennesaw GA. The Red Clay Writers Conference is the annual conference of the Georgia Writers Association. Red Clay encourages and inspires writers across Georgia through a full day of literary events that focus on the art and craft of writing.

3 UK Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Thrillers, Romance, Poetry, SF/F, Fiction and more

Sile Edwards Here are three UK literary agents actively looking for writers. Sile Edwards is looking for nonfiction and all genres of fiction, but she is especially interested in crime thrillers, romantic comedies, poetry and upmarket fiction. Julie Fergusson is interested in fiction across a range of genres, particularly psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, sci-fi, near-future speculative, romcoms, reading group and literary fiction. She is interested in non-fiction that explores big ideas in the areas of popular science and social justice. Eleanor Birne is looking for writers from all backgrounds and regions who have a unique story to tell — whether in fiction or non-fiction.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.

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


Ms. Sile Edwards of Mushens Entertainment

Silé began her career in publishing with several internships across the industry whilst studying for a degree in English with Creative Writing at Goldsmiths University. After graduating she worked at the Publishers Association supporting their campaigns and other communications functions. She then moved to Curtis Brown as an assistant in the Book Department, where she supported deals for a large and eclectic list of clients including Adam Kay, Deliciously Ella, Alys Fowler, Viv Groskop, Katy Brand and Lucy Foley. She is a trustee for award-winning mentoring charity and network Arts Emergency.

What she is seeking: Silé is looking for books that inform our understanding of the world, society and the ways we live. She is interested in a range of Non-Fiction from emotive life writing to topical essay-like writing to projects on cookery and food. She is particularly keen on finding experts in their field who want to write about what they know in a way that everyone can understand, appreciate and enjoy.

Silé also accepts fiction submissions. She is open to all genres, but especially interested in crime thrillers, romantic comedies, poetry and upmarket fiction.

How to submit: Please email jmsubmissions@mushens-entertainment.comwith your query and writing sample. (See website for specific instructions.)
_____________________


Ms. Julie Fergusson of The North Literary Agency

Julie obtained degrees in math then creative writing from Edinburgh University, before working for several years as both a publisher and a freelance editor.

What she is seeking: She is looking for fiction across a range of genres, particularly psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, sci-fi, near-future speculative, romcoms, reading group and literary fiction. She is interested in non-fiction that explores big ideas in the areas of popular science and social justice.

How to submit: Use the agency's submission form HERE.

_____________________


Ms. Eleanor Birne of PEW Literary

Eleanor Birne has worked in the publishing industry for twenty years. She began life as an agent at David Godwin Associates and before that was Publishing Director at John Murray where she published across literary fiction and non-fiction. Prior to that, she was Editorial Director at Duckworth Publishers. She started her publishing career in the academic division at Macmillan Press and while at university she worked as a bookseller..

What she is seeking: She is looking for writers from all backgrounds and regions who have a unique story to tell — whether in fiction or non-fiction. 

How to submit: If submitting a fiction manuscript, please submit the opening three chapters (or fifty pages) along with a synopsis. The synopsis should be a clear explanation of the plot from first to final chapter. Please accompany your submission with a brief cover letter that tells us a little about you as a writer. Send your work to submissions@pewliterary.com For non-fiction send a proposal. Your proposal should be approximately thirty pages long. (See website for specifics.)

5 Agents Seeking Children's and Young Adult Books

Lucy Irvine Here are five agents seeking books for children in all genres, from picture books, to middle grade, up to books for young adults. 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.


______________________

Ms. Lucy Irvine of Peters Fraser & Dunlop (UK)

Lucy Irvine is an Associate Agent, working with Silvia Molteni on PFD’s children’s list. After graduating from University College London with an MA in Issues in Modern Culture in 2017, she interned at Agora Books, PFD’s publishing arm, before becoming assistant to CEO Caroline Michel. She began her new role in June 2019.

What she is seeking: She is actively building her own list, and is looking particularly for commercial Middle Grade and YA – both fiction and non-fiction – along with picture books, illustrated fiction for younger readers, and graphic novels.

How to submit: Please send the first three chapters of your novel or non-fiction project, as well as a full synopsis along with your query to: lirvine@pfd.co.uk

______________________


Ms. Tori Sharp of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency 

Tori Sharp joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency as an Associate Literary Agent in 2020 after interning for two years. Tori has a BFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and her graphic memoir, JUST PRETEND, is forthcoming from Little, Brown in spring 2021. When she’s not reading, writing, or making comics, she can be found swing and blues dancing, playing tabletop games, or exploring coffee shops in beautiful Seattle, WA.

What she is seeking: Children's literature: graphic novels, MG, YA (especially SFF).

How to submit: Please email a one-page query letter to querytori.jdlit@gmail.com. Please include “Query” and the title of your project in the subject line and paste the first twenty pages of your manuscript below your query letter. Graphic novelists should paste a one- to two-page synopsis and five to ten finished sample pages in the body of the email. Please include a full link to your online portfolio in your query. Please do not use link shorteners like bit.ly. Graphic novelists do not need a full script or thumbnail draft in order to query, but have a thorough synopsis available upon request.

______________________

Ms. Kelly Dyksterhouse of Raven Quill Literary Agency

"I graduated from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2014 with an MFA in Writing and have not looked back. My stories and articles have been published in magazines and my YA story, Match Point, was a finalist for the Katherine Patterson Award. I have interned for several literary agencies and have acted as editorial reader for Hunger Mountain Literary Magazine’s Katherine Paterson Prize. I enjoy speaking and teaching on writing craft and leading writing workshops. Over the years, I’ve seen over 20 projects, from picture books to novels, evolve from rough manuscripts to polished books on store shelves."

What she is seeking: Books for children and young adults.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

______________________


Ms. Joyce Sweeney of The Seymour Agency

Joyce Sweeney has worn a lot of hats. She is the author of fourteen novels for young adults, and two chapbooks of poetry. She created and managed a local theater company in South Florida for ten years, mentoring local playwrights, producing and directing their plays. For the past twenty-five years, she has taught creative writing, both in person and online, and has mentored over sixty of her students to traditional publishing contracts. She has edited countless manuscripts and will be the quintessential ‘editorial agent’.

What she is seeking: In Picture Books: Fiction or non-fiction. I am drawn to lyrical voices, fun syntax and offbeat concepts. I like unusual characters, and plots that make me cry or laugh out loud. Illustrator/authors welcome and rhyme (if you REALLY know how to do it) is fine. Diversity, please. Most of all, be unique. In Middle Grade: I am especially drawn to humor, fantasy and sci-fi, but a realistic novel that makes me cry will work too. Actively looking for graphic novels. Advocate of books for boys. Would love to see more LGBTQ as well.

How to submit: For queries, send an email to joyce@theseymouragency.com.

______________________



Ms. Jas Perry of KT Literary


Jas Perry is a freelance editor and Manhattan-based associate agent with kt literary. She attended New York University in Florence and London before graduating with a degree in English from CUNY Hunter College. She was awarded the We Need Diverse Books Internship Grant and held several editorial intern positions with Levine Querido and Scholastic’s Arthur A. Levine Books, where she assisted on titles by Kelly Yang, Varian Johnson, Daniel José Older, Eric Gansworth, A.S. King, Francisco X Stork, and Cherie Priest, among others. Jas is Black American/Japanese and interested in representing a diverse range of strong voices — especially by disabled and/or QTPOC creators. She particularly enjoys dark contemporary fiction, offbeat humor, (Alondra Nelson-defined) Afrofuturism, and bold SFF that makes her think.

What she is seeking: Jas is seeking middle grade and young adult fiction.

How to submit: Please email your query letter and the first three pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to Jas at jasquery@ktliterary.com.

32 Calls for Submissions in October 2020 - Paying markets

There are more than two dozen calls for submissions in October. 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 the following month's calls for submissions toward the end 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!

____________________

Kenyon Review. Genre: Prose, drama, poetry, translations, excerpts. Payment: Not specified.   Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Shadows Over Avalon. Genre: Cthulhu Mythos stories set in the Arthurian world. Payment: Revenue sharing.  Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Raconteur Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, CNF, poetry, art. Raconteur is a literary magazine publishing engaging, interesting, eclectic and witty writing and artwork by international writers and artists, online and in print, 3 times per year. Payment: Prose $10, poetry $5. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Temz Review. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20 for prose, $20 per batch of poems. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Please See Me. Genre: Poetry, creative nonfiction/essays, fiction/short stories/flash fiction, scripts and digital media (photography, drawings, podcasts, and short films). "Patients, students, family members, caregivers, nurses, physicians, healthcare consumers, artists, mental health providers, physical therapists, writers, clergy—all of us will be patients one day and all are welcome to submit work. We are especially looking for content that connects us, make us feel something, or helps us see illness, wellness, health, or the healthcare environment differently." Payment: Unspecified.   Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Evil Cookie Publishing: Bludgeon Tools – Tool Infused Splatterpunk Anthology. Genre: Spatterpunk/horror. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Last Line. Genre: Fiction that ends with the last line provided. Payment: $20-$40. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of Angels. Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: October 3, 2020.

Bright Wall/Dark Room. Genre: Essay. "The theme for our November issue is ‘Farce,’ and we’re looking for thoughtful analysis of movies and TV that deal with the madcap, the zany, and the world’s all-too-real absurdity.” Payment: $100. Deadline: October 3, 2020.

Zombie Pirate Publishing: Pirates of the Empyrean. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, or steampunk stories featuring pirates. Payment: $10. Deadline: October 5, 2020.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction 300 - 1,000 words on theme of Sight. Payment: Pays for anthologies only. Deadline: October 5, 2020. See accepted genres.

Third Point Press. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction poetry. Payment: $10. Deadline: October 9, 2020.

Understorey Magazine. Restrictions: Open to Canadian women writers only. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, spoken word, and visual art about food work. Payment: $50 - $100.  Deadline: October 9, 2020.

Underblong. Genre: Poetry, art. "Underblong is a journal of the not-quite-so, of unfinished thoughts, of unresolved anger, of unforgotten macaroni art. Underblong is the coatroom of your secret’s secrets, a boiling pot of kit-kats becoming your favorite soup. Send us a poem that cuts through the crap. Send us your dinner chicken." Payment: $20. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

WordWorks. Restrictions: Open to writers in British Columbia or Yukon, Canada. Genre: Nonfiction. Journalism, blogging, history, memoir, podcasts, local and family history, and more. Payment: Twenty-five cents a word for articles ($50 for reprints). Deadline: October 15, 2020.
Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of The Ears Have It.  Payment: Not specified. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

Wizards in Space. Genre: Short stories, poetry and art. "For Wizards in Space’s sixth issue, we’re seeking words & art that explore what it means to forage, to gather, to fight tooth and nail for survival." Payment: $40. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

Rattle. Genre: Poetry. Theme: Tribute to Neurodiversity. Payment: $200. Deadline: October 16, 2020.
Human/Kind. Genre: Poetry, prose and art on themes. (See site for themes.) Payment: $5 for each poem, prose, art, video, experimental or hybrid piece and $3 for each micropoem. Deadline: October 21, 2020.

Story Seed Vault. Genre: Microfiction tweets based on science. Payment: Short Fiction (150CH/Deadline: October 24, 2020. Opens on the 10th.

Corners of the World. Genre: Stories. Theme: Mezo-American/Latinx [sic] Authors and Stories. "This year we are looking for Latinx and Mezo-American [sic] authors to submit stories that pertain to the legends, folklore, culture, and fears that exist within and surround the cultures of Central and South America, as well as those that have emigrated to North America bringing their stories with them." Payment: $5. Deadline: October 30, 2020.
Quommunicate Publishing: Queer Faith: LGBTQ+ True Stories Anthology. Genre: LGBTQ+ humor -  fiction, nonfiction, poems, jokes, B&W comics. Payment: $5/page. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Horroraddicts.net: Haunts and Hellions. Genre: Horror fiction on Gothic Romance. "Gothic Romances of old featured a female protagonist dealing with a terrifying ordeal while struggling to be with her true love. Set against dark backgrounds of medieval ruins or haunted castles, the love interest was either a brooding handsome gentleman or a supernatural monster disguised as a gentleman." Payment: $10. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Room Magazine. Genre: Feminist fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, interviews, and book reviews. Payment: $50 CAD for one page, $60 for two pages, $90 for three pages, $120 for four pages, $150 for five or more pages. Deadline: October 31, 2020.


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 and your loved ones 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 in yourself and the people close to you." Payment: $200. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. Payment: $10/page for prose (up to $250), $25/page for poetry, $15/page for translations (up to $250). Deadline: October 31, 2020.

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: October 31, 2020.

Brick. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Payment: $55–660, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine.  Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Arsenika. Genre: Speculative flash fiction and poetry. Payment: $30 for poems and $60 for fiction. They also publish in audio format. Deadline: October 31, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Horroraddicts.net: Haunts and Hellions, a Gothic Romance Anthology. Genre: Gothic horror and romance. Payment: $10. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Rattle. Genre: Poetry. Ekphrastic Challenge. Payment: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

31 Writing Contests in October 2020 - No entry fees

This October there are more than two dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $25,000 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!


____________________
The Governor General’s Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre: Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $1,000 - $25,000. Deadline: Nominations by publishers for books in English must reach the Canada Council no later than October 1, 2020.

Bergen International Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to everybody under the age of 30. Genre: Essay on theme of My generation. Prize: The winner will receive EUR 2 500. Three runners up each receive EUR 500. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Patricia Dobler Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to women writers over the age of 40 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, currently living in the U.S., who have not published a full-length book of poetry, fiction, or non-fiction. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500 top prize and publication of the winning poem in Voices from the Attic. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Critical Junior Poet’s Award. Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 13 and 18. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Perito Prize. Genre: Fiction about accessibility. Prize: £250 and the story will be uploaded to the Perito Prize section of the Perito Ltd website. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize. Topic: Knowledge, Truth and Power in an Online World. Prize:  £2,500 top prize. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Bethune & Son Texas Short Story Competition. Genre: Unpublished short stories with the Texas theme: "Life and Stories from the Texas Gulf Coast." Prize: Up to $1,000. Deadline: October 2, 2020.

John Glassco Translation Prize. Sponsored by Literary Translators' Association of Canada.  Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents only. Genre: The work submitted must be the translator's first published book-length translation into English or French. The book must have been published between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 2, 2020.

Man Booker International Prize. The Man Booker International Prize for fiction translated into English is awarded annually by the Booker Prize Foundation to the author of the best (in the opinion of the judges) eligible novel or collection of short stories. Prize: £50,000 divided equally between the author and the translator. There will be a prize of £2,000 each of the shortlisted titles divided equally between the author and the translator. Deadline: October 2, 2020.

The Furious Gazelle’s 2020 Halloween Writing Contest. Genre: Halloween-themed poetry, fiction, short plays and creative non-fiction. Prize: $50. Deadline: October 5, 2020.

Pass or Pages. Genre: Novel. Prize: Possible agent representation. Deadline: October 5 - 9, 2020. (Genre revealed September 22)

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: October 11, 2020.

Dream Foundry. Restrictions: Conditions: You have published a total of less than 4,000 words of paid or income-earning speculative fiction in English. You have earned a total of less than USD 320 from those words. You have never been nominated for any award listed here as a major award in speculative fiction. Genre: Short speculative fiction, up to 10,000 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: October 11, 2020.

Grub Street: Writing Black Joy: True Stories From Real People. Restrictions: Open to any resident over the age of 18 in New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine) and New York state. Genre: True stories between 500 and 1000 words. Submissions can be in any genre: prose, poetry, or cross-genre. "During a time when the news is mostly dispiriting, we want to read true stories about joy – specifically Black joy: moments, scenes, memories, that celebrate Black families, relationships, culture, and history. We are looking for a vivid story that is transporting and meaningful – maybe funny, maybe poignant, but always with joy at its center." Prize: The winner will receive $1000, 2nd place $750, and 3rd place $500. Deadline: October 12, 2020.

North Carolina State Fiction Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of North Carolina with no published fiction books. Genre: Short stories. Prize: $500 for fiction (up to 5,000 words) and $250 for shorter fiction (up to 1,200 words). Deadline: October 13, 2020.

Expatriate and Work Abroad Travel Writing Contest. Genre: Essays about working abroad. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

A Public Space Emerging Writer Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book.Prize: $1000 and six months of editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece of prose for publication in the magazine. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship. Restrictions: Poet must be born in the United States. Genre: Poetry. The sample must not exceed either (1) 40 typed pages or (2) one printed volume plus no more than 20 typed pages of your most recent work. There is no minimum page requirement. Prize: $60,500 for a year of travel and study abroad. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

Bronx Council on the Arts Community Engagement Grants. Restrictions: Open to residents of Bronx County. Genre: All art forms, including writing. Grant: $1000 - $500. Deadline: October 19, 2020.

The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is open to novels and short story collections first published in the UK or Ireland in the calendar year 2020. Genre: Fiction that explores ideas and issues, political themes, dilemmas and injustices through imagined narratives. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: October 30, 2020. 

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to residents of UK. Genre: Short stories between 2000-6000 words on the theme "Home." Prize: £500 and 10 shortlisted authors will be published in an ebook anthology. Deadline: October 23, 2020.

Oregon Literary Fellowships. Fellowships of $3,000 each are given annually to Oregon writers to initiate, develop, or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. One Women Writers Fellowship and one Writer of Color Fellowship of $3,000 each are also given annually. Submit three copies of up to 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of prose with the required entry from. Deadline: October 30, 2020.

The John Byrne Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Scotland. Genre: A piece of creative work on a chosen theme or value (written work must be no more than 15,000 words in length). Prize:  £7500. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is the most prestigious literary award in the US. Restrictions: Authors must be living American citizens. Self-published works not accepted. Genres: Novels, novellas, and collections of short stories. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

The Eric Gregory Awards. Restrictions: Applicants must be under 30 and a British subject by birth and must ordinarily be resident in the United Kingdom or Northern Ireland. Genre: Poetry collection. Previously published work accepted. Prize: £4,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

The Young Walter Scott Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK authors aged 11-19. Genre: Historical fiction between 800 and 2000 words. Prizes: £500 travel and research grant to further explore historical places in the UK, and an invitation to the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland. Two runners-up in each category receive a £100 book token, and all four winning stories are published in a special YWSP anthology book. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Tom-Gallon Trust Award. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland with at least one short story published or accepted for publication. Genre: Short story, maximum 5,000 words. May be unpublished. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

Lex:lead Essay Competition. Restrictions: Candidates must show citizenship in an eligible country and be enrolled in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country at the time of the award. Genre: Essay: How can laws promoting gender and disability rights support economic development? Prize: $500 scholarship. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest is sponsored by Hollins University. Restrictions: Open to young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $5,000 renewable annual Creative Talent Scholarship in creative writing if winner enrolls at Hollins. Free tuition and housing for the university’s Hollins summer creative writing program. $200 cash prize. Publication in Cargoes, Hollins’ award-winning student literary magazine. Ten copies of Cargoes. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize. Restrictions: Entrants must be aged 18-25 years and living in the UK. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Each year a question or quote exploring Franklin’s relevance in our time is open for interpretation in 1000-1500 words. Prize: First prize of £750, second prize of £500. Winning entries will be posted on the website and also published online by The Telegraph. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

McKitterick Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors over age 40 on December 31, 2020. Genre: First novel. The work must have been first published in the UK in the year in which the deadline falls (and not first published abroad), or be unpublished. Prize: £4,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2020.

33 Writing Conferences in October 2020 - Most held online

Needpix While many fall writing conferences have been rescheduled, most are going ahead as planned via online formats. You can still attend workshops, presentations, readings, discussions, lectures, and critiques via Zoom.

Plan ahead! Conferences often offer scholarships, but these have deadlines. If one of these conferences interests you, put the scholarship deadline date on your calendar for next year, or for whenever the conference rolls around again.
For a full list of conferences, organized by month, see Writing Conferences. While nearly all of these are in the United States, you can find links on that page that will take you to world-wide conference lists.

__________________________
Write on the Sound Writers' Conference and Pre-Conference. Oct 1 - 4, 2020: Edmonds, WA. WOTS offers the opportunity to explore various writing craft techniques with nationally recognized industry professionals in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Will be held online.

The Loft's Wordsmith Conference. October 1 -  4, 2020, Minneapolis MN. "The conference is intended for those ready to pitch their work, those already with a book out or with an agent, and those who want to get more prepared to publish their work. It's intended for prose writers and poets, genre and literary writers, beginning and advanced. In short, we are working hard to pull together a gathering that will feature meaningful sessions, workshops, one-on-one pitch and craft meetings, and networking opportunities for writers of all levels and genres." Will be held online.

The Craft of Writing Series: Memoir. October 1 - 15, 2020. The Craft of Writing Series is a three-week program that takes place virtually the first through third Thursdays of each month. Each month focuses on a different genre or form of writing. Instructors: Denise Low and Thomas Pecore Weso. Will be held online.

The 2020 Sacramento Writing Workshop. October 2, 2020: Sacramento, CA. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more."

State Writing Conference & Convention, sponsored by The Kansas Authors Club, Oct 2 - 3, 2020, Wichita, Kansas. Writing workshops, panels, and presentations by Kevin Willmott, Huascar Medina and more.

Be a Better Freelancer October 2 - 4, 2020: Baltimore, MD. Annual conference for freelance writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, graphic artists, website managers and developers, etc., with presenters offering guidance and tips on marketing, promotions, new skills and other business aspects of freelancing. Focus: Nonfiction. Will be held virtually.

The Pacific Coast Children's Novel Workshop & Retreat. October 2 - 4 and 16 -18, 2020: Santa Cruz, CA. Intensive seminar offers editor or agent feedback on selected whole-novel manuscripts, including two in-person consults with your mentor. Editor and agent critiques on your polished, opening chapters. Faculty includes Laurel Symonds of The Bent Agency, Hannah Mann of Writers House, and Kathleen (Kat) Dougherty. Will be held online.

Picture Book Summit. Oct 3, 2020, Online. An online, one day live event for picture book writers including author keynotes, interviews, workshops and agent & editor panels. Recordings provided for attendees for four months post-conference.

Orion Poetry Workshop. October 6 - November 9, 2020. Six consecutive Saturday afternoons from 3-6pm EDT. Instructor:  Elizabeth Bradfield. Each six-session Zoom workshop is available for $500. Payment within five days of acceptance will guarantee your spot. Cancellations up until a week before the start of the course will result in a full refund. After that, refunds will be conditional on our ability to fill your spot before the course begins. Application deadline: September 10.

Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort. Oct 7 - Nov 11, 2020. 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.

Kaz Conference Keep Writing: Playwriting Intensive for Women Writers. Oct 7 - Nov 11, 2020. 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

John R. Milton Writers' Conference. Oct 8 - 10, 2020: Vermillion, South Dakota. The conference theme is “Prospecting: Uncovering New Veins and Voices in Identity, Genre, and Place.” Mary Gaitskill is keynote author, and Brandon Hobson, Steven Dunn, Karen Salyer McElmurray, and Christine Stewart are featured authors; in addition, the conference will feature readings by USD’s Department of English faculty duncan b. barlow, Leah McCormack, and Lee Ann Roripaugh, and USD Writer in Residence Residence Pete Dexter.

New York Comicon. October 8 - 11, 2020. On Youtube. New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest popular culture convention: Show Floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies and television; Panels and Autograph Sessions give Fans a chance to interact with their favorite Creators; Screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit big and small screens. Online format.

James River Writers Conference. October 9 - 11, 2020: Richmond, Virginia. TThe conference will feature pitch sessions with agents and panel discussions for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. The conference will also offer pre-conference master classes on October 9. The keynote features fiction writers Linda Sue Park and Meg Medina in conversation. Participants include poets Athena Dixon and Porsha Olayiwola; fiction writers Heath Hardage Lee, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Ran Walker; nonfiction writer Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan; and literary agents Lauren Bieker (FinePrint Literary), Michael Carr (Veritas), April Eberhardt (April Eberhardt Literary), Cherise Fisher (Wendy Sherman Associates), Katharine Sands (Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency), Eric Smith (P.S. Literary), and Saba Sulaiman (Talcott Notch Literary Services). The cost of the conference, which includes a virtual one-on-one meeting with an agent, is $295. Single-day tickets are also available starting at $145. The cost of a master class is an additional $65. Will be held online.

Colrain Classic. October 9 - 12, 2020. "A select group of poets will work with nationally known poets, publishers, and editors Gabriel Fried (Persea Press); Joan Houlihan (Conference Founder / Lesley University MFA Program); Kevin Prufer (Former editor Pleadies Press/University of Houston); and Martha Rhodes (Four Way Books). All poets with an in-progress book-length or chapbook-length manuscript are welcome to apply." Will be conducted online.

WriteAngles. October 10, 2020: South Hadley, Massachusetts. Panels and workshops, with two keynoters, a limited number of agent meetings. Continental breakfast, and buffet lunch included. Will be held online.

Kentucky State Poetry Society. October 10 - 11, 2020. Readings, workshops, panels, and keynote. "The Kentucky State Poetry Society seeks to inspire, encourage, and develop Kentucky’s poets through a wide variety of workshops, lectures, and publishing opportunities. The Kentucky State Poetry Society publishes the biannual literary journal Pegasus, offers a student and adult poetry contest, and hosts an annual poetry conference." Note: Membership not limited to Kentucky residents. Registration: $15. Will be conducted via Zoom.

The Writer's Hotel. October 14 - 20, 2020: NYC. To apply, send the first 5000 words of a prose manuscript or the first 15 poems of a poetry manuscript. We work with writers of fiction, poetry and nonfiction. We do not work on scripts. International applications are welcome. It is $30 to apply. The fee for the 2018 conference is $3,000 and includes the pre-conference TWH Team Reading and NYC in-town events. Early acceptance not only reserves a writer's spot at an intimate conference, it means writers will have ample time to revise before the NYC pitch meetings. 

Annual Florida Writers Conference. October 15 - 18, 2020: Altamonte Springs, Florida. Four workshops and panels dedicated to help you learn how to pitch your story, and more than fifty acclaimed authors, poets, and publishing industry experts for three days of networking opportunities. Will be held online.

Women Writing the West 2020 Conference. October 15 - 18, 2020. "Women Writing the West resonates the inspiration of Colorado Springs for its 2020 Virtual Conference. Just as mountain climbers find the niches necessary to scale vast heights, so we, too, will discover our own niches in craft, identity, and platforms. We’ll tackle methods to mount our own walls and climb to our summits. We’ll discover endless vistas of possibilities and create our personal visions, as endless as the views around us." Will be held online. 
Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. October 16 - 18, 2020, Grapevine, Texas. The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference is a forum for journalists, writers, readers, students, educators and the general public to listen to, be inspired by and practice their craft at the highest possible level. Every year, the Mayborn Conference gathers some of the most talented storytellers in the country to share their stories, life-changing experiences and expertise with aspiring writers through three days of lectures, panels, one-on-one sessions, and student classes. In addition, the conference includes a variety of writing contests for anyone from high school students to Pulitzer prize winning professionals, who receive hand-made trophies, more than $26,000 in cash awards and have their work published in Mayborn's journal, Ten Spurs, or anthology, Best American Newspaper Narratives.

Gotham Writers Conference. October 16 - 18, 2020: NY, NY. A writing conference built by agents, for writers, with a faculty of some of the top agents in New York City. Receive focused attention within your genre from some of the best in the business. Will be held on Zoom.

Emerald City Writers' Conference. Oct 16 - 18, 2020, Bellevue, WA. Local Romance Writers of America conference, featuring film and television scouts, who will be taking pitches along with editors and agents, keynote speakers, workshops, and a master class. Will be held online.

Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference, October 17, 2020: Rochester, Michigan. Lectures, Workshops and Panel Discussions in fiction, non-fiction and business of writing presentations. Open to new, working and published writers of all genres. Attendees select four presentations from a dozen to tailor fit their needs.

5th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference. October 17 - 18, 2020: Atlanta, GA. Headlined by #1 NYT bestseller Karen Abbott, bestselling writers, literary agents, and sessions packed with insightful information and experience, our conference offers what you need to improve your craft and get you on the road toward publication!

Medical Writing and Communication Conference. Ocotber 20 - 22, 2020: San Diego, CA. Workshops in medical writing, designing materials for patients, analysis, clinical reports, and more. Will be held virtually.

Writing By Writers Workshop @ Tomales Bay. October 21 - 25, 2020: Tomales Bay, California. Manuscript and poetry workshops are limited to 12 participants and generative workshops are limited to 15 to ensure an intimate setting. Will be held online.

Writer's Digest Novel Writing Conference. October 22 - 25, 2020: Pasadena, CA. Experienced authors, editors, agents and publishing experts will be on hand, ready to help you develop your own craft and position yourself for success.

The Writer's Hotel 2020 Virtual Poetry Weekend. October 22 - 25, 2020. Attendance is capped at 40 poets. Apply today to reserve your spot. 2020 Poetry Faculty: Joy Harjo, Marie Howe, Heather McHugh, Terrance Hayes, Mark Doty, Cornelius Eady, Deborah Landau, Tim Seibles, Valzhya Mort, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Camille Dungy, Javier Zamora, Alexandra Oliver, Kevin Larimer, Jenny Xie, TWH Directors Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven. CLOSED.

Magna cum Murder. Oct 23 - 25, 2020: Indianapolis, IN. 45+ authors of crime writing fiction.

Creating an Image System That Works for Your Verse Novel Online Course + Optional Onsite Retreat 2020. October 28, 2020 - November 25, 2020. Optional Onsite Retreat: December 3-6, 2020. Register here. Join Us To: Learn how to use image systems to improve your novel in verse. An image system is a series of images (can be a symbol or a metaphor or a simile) strung together in a narrative that, as they build." Will be held online.

Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. October 30  - November 1, 2020: Ossabaw Island, GA. Workshops and seminars led by nationally recognized faculty, and evening readings (special emphasis on ghost stories) by faculty and participants. Application deadline: October 4.

Art Does Not Apologize ... And Neither Do I

Over the past three and a half years, I have gotten a number of comments regarding my critical stance on Trump, expressed mildly at the top of my blog with the statement: "...in the interest of protecting the 1st Amendment, she did not vote for Trump." I've been repeatedly admonished, sometimes with a great deal of anger, to "just stick to writing." Politics, I have been told, should have no place on my blog.

The attitude that writers should "just stick to writing," as if what we write is completely divorced from the world we live in, is patently absurd. But more to the point, opposing Trump and all that he stands for is not "politics." It is a matter of life and death, quite literally.

To put it plainly, Trump is a fascist. He is also a racist, a misogynist, and a traitor. He has brought us nothing but chaos, death and destruction. He has allowed a pandemic to run rampant, and encouraged people who lack critical thinking to reject science and actively spread a disease that is killing men, women, and children by the hundreds of thousands. To support him is not only antithetical to every tenet of democracy, but to everything that comprises human decency. Opposing the erosion of democratic norms and principles that Trump has promulgated is not a political stance. It is a requirement if we are to continue living in a democracy.

Where do writers fit in? As citizens in a democracy, we must support the principles that uphold it: that all men and women are created equal, that all are entitled to the protection of the law, that we all have a voice. As artists, we have a duty to make sure that our voices are lifted, to the full extent of our craft and to resist the multiple pressures to "just stick to...," because that admonition simply means "shut up." Silencing dissent is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes.

The looming election, with all its anxiety-producing impediments - the attempted sabotaging of the USPS, the erosion of confidence in the electoral process, the multiple threats of election tampering, rigging, and hacking, the fear that the entire basis of the democratic system will be abandoned - requires that, as writers, we do, in fact, have to just stick to writing - not divorced from the world we live in, but engaged in the deepest sense.

As a writer of fiction, I am vehemently opposed to using art as a vehicle to make a point. That's not what I am recommending. Our overriding commitment is to tell a story the best way we can - with artistry, with beauty, with passion, and with honesty. But the artist is inseparable from the art he or she produces. What we create is imbued with who we are. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, how you think will be apparent in every sentence. All writing is, in that sense, autobiographical. Your thinking processes are impossible to hide.

That is why every authoritarian regime makes a point of locking up, or simply killing, its artists. We are the eyes and ears of society, its conscience, its awareness, its embodiment in tangible form. When our society is in crisis, we do not hide our heads in the sand and pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn't. We speak up.

It goes without saying that you should vote. Even if you are depressed, anxious, or merely exhausted by the past three years - vote. And in the meantime, don't relinquish an ounce of your outrage. Because outrage is what we should all be feeling. With every word we write, with every breath we take, with every fiber of our being, we must continue to resist autocracy.

6 Literary Agents Seeking YA, Nonfiction, Memoirs, Speculative Fiction and more

Stephanie Kim Here are six literary agents currently expanding their client lists. Danya Kukafka is interested literary fiction. Courtney Paganelli gravitates towards realistic adult or young adult novels that offer multiple points of view, feature complex relationships, or have dashes of paranormal activity or romance. In the nonfiction space, Courtney is drawn to true crime, millennial-driven self-help, practical business, pop culture, memoirs written by marginalized voices, and books that advocate for women’s rights and social justice issues. Renée Jarvis is seeking narrative nonfiction, speculative fiction, literary fiction, and children’s books. Stephanie Kim is interested in narrative non-fiction (memoir, pop culture, self-help) as well as select voice-driven fiction. Stefanie Rossitto is currently looking for historical fiction, and funny, witty, modern romances. She also enjoys anything and everything medieval as well as exciting historical romances and/or fiction based on real characters. Aida Lilly is seeking fiction in upper middle grade, YA, and adult, and select narrative non-fiction. Her favorite genres are adult and YA sci-fi and fantasy, contemporary YA, humor, and adult general 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.

_____________________


Ms. Stephanie Kim of New Leaf Literary & Media

Stephanie Kim is a literary agent with more than a decade of experience in publicity and marketing across the publishing, tech, and media industries. She began her career as an assistant publicist at William Morrow/HarperCollins where she cut her teeth on high-profile campaigns for Neil Gaiman, Laura Lippman, Wiley Cash, and many others. At Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Stephanie led publicity for three consecutive #1 New York Times bestsellers: What If? and Thing Explainer by xkcd creator Randall Munroe, and Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. Some additional highlights include working on Gabourey Sidibe’s memoir This Is Just My Face, Chinelo Okparanta’s Lambda Literary award-winning debut novel Under the Udala Trees, and comic artist Ariel Shrag’s quirky, irreverent coming-of-age love story, Adam.

What she is seeking: As an agent, Stephanie is focused on representing authors from diverse backgrounds with compelling stories to tell. She’s interested in narrative non-fiction (memoir, pop culture, self-help) as well as select voice-driven fiction. Some of her favorite books include Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, The Color of Water by James McBride, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Exhalation by Ted Chiang, and anything by John Green.

How to submit: Send query to query@newleafliterary.com. The word “Query” must be in the subject line, plus the agent’s name. Please also include the category (ie, PB, chapter book, MG, YA, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, etc.) You may include up to 5 double-spaced sample pages within the body of the email.

_____________________


Ms. Danya Kukafka of Aevitas Creative Management

Danya Kukafka a is a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized study, and the author of the novel Girl in Snow. She began her publishing career at Riverhead Books as an acquiring assistant editor, where she worked with authors like Meg Wolitzer, Paula Hawkins, Lauren Groff, Brit Bennett, Emma Straub, Gabriel Tallent, Helen Oyeyemi, Maile Meloy, Sigrid Nunez, and many, many more. Released in 2017, her debut novel Girl in Snow was a national bestseller.

What she is seeking: She is interested literary fiction with particularly propulsive storylines. She is seeking literary suspense, sophisticated thrillers, speculative fiction, and experimental fiction—she also loves true crime that feels attuned to today’s cultural conversations, as well as upmarket literary fiction you can read in one gulp.

How to submit: Use her form, found HERE.

_____________________


Ms. Courtney Paganelli of Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency

Courtney Paganelli joined the agency in May of 2019 and currently assists Jim Levine and Stephanie Rostan. Courtney graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in English Literature. Her time in the Twin Cities was both bone-chilling and rewarding as she launched her publishing career as an intern with Wise Ink Creative Publishing. Upon graduation she returned home to the East Coast and began working on prominent business titles at Pearson. She later joined the managing editorial department at Random House Children’s books before becoming a part of the team at LGR. Some (but certainly not all) of her favorite authors include Kate Elizabeth Russell, Stephen King, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jennifer Niven, Marisha Pessl, Gillian Flynn, Lisa Lutz, Jenny Han, Kara Thomas, and Jacqueline Woodson.

What she is seeking: Courtney enjoys reading character-driven literary fiction, diverse voices, dark psychological fiction, and anything so scary it will make her hope she locked her doors. Her interests span across genres, but she particularly gravitates towards realistic adult or young adult novels that offer multiple points of view, feature complex relationships, or have dashes of paranormal activity or romance. Her absolute favorite novels incite emotion, whether fear, heartbreak, or happiness — a book that makes her feel something is one she will read time and time again. In the nonfiction space, Courtney is drawn to true crime, millennial-driven self-help, practical business, pop culture, memoirs written by marginalized voices, and books that advocate for women’s rights and social justice issues.

How to submit: Use their form HERE.

_____________________



Ms. Renee Jarvis of Mackenzie Wolf Literary

Renée joined Mackenzie Wolf in 2018, assisting partners Gillian MacKenzie and Kirsten Wolf. Born and raised in New York City, she graduated with a BFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College. She previously interned at Don Congdon Associates and spent two years as a writing teacher at the non-profit organization Legal Outreach.

What she is seeking: Renée is seeking narrative nonfiction, speculative fiction, literary fiction, and children’s books. She is looking for works across these genres which center BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. In nonfiction, she is interested in pop culture analysis, cultural histories, linguistics, international stories, and explorations of music, fashion, and art. In fiction, she loves books with strange and unique formats,  humorous narrators, robust plots, and lyrical prose.

How to submit: To submit a project, please send a query letter along with a 50-page writing sample (for fiction) or a detailed proposal (for nonfiction) to queries@mwlit.com. Samples may be submitted as an attachment or embedded in the body of the email. Address your query to Renee.

_____________________


Ms. Stefanie Rossitto of The Tobias Literary Agency

Originally from the German Alps, Steffi used to spend hours in quaint bookstores as a child. She went on to study English language, American literature and medieval history at Regensburg University and Edinburgh University. Her master's thesis was based on a New York Times article on modern day ‘suburban’ novelists and how these authors shaped American suburban culture. After graduation, she moved to New York City where she gained publishing experience at three different literary agencies before moving on to Doubleday and Crown at Random House to explore the corporate side of the business. At Random House, she handled foreign and domestic rights for over five years and dealt with books and authors of every genre.

What she is seeking: Steffi is currently looking for historical fiction, and funny, witty, modern romances. She also enjoys anything and everything medieval as well as exciting historical romances and/or fiction based on real characters.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.


_____________________



Ms. Aida Lilly of KT Literary

Aida Z. Lilly was born in Alabama and now calls Denver home. She attended the University of Montevallo and studied English and writing. She holds an MA in Organizational Management and a graduate certificate in publishing. She is the Communications Fellow for The Word for Diversity, and an Associate Agent at kt literary. 

What she is seeking: Aida is seeking fiction in upper middle grade, YA, and adult, and select narrative non-fiction. Her favorite genres are adult and YA sci-fi and fantasy, contemporary YA, humor, and adult general fiction (bonus points for books written by diverse authors with characters that leap off the page).


How to submit: Please email your query letter and the first three pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to Aida at aidaquery@ktliterary.com

3 UK Agents Seeking YA, Nonfiction, Literary Fiction, Crime and more

Here are three UK literary agents actively looking for writers. Juliet Mushens is looking for adult and YA fiction. She is looking for crime, thriller, YA, reading group fiction, ghost stories, historical fiction, SFF, romcoms, and high concept novels. Kevin Pocklington is looking for a wider range of non-fiction submissions and would like to develop a fiction list with new authors, including accessible literary fiction and crime titles. Patrick Walsh wants fiction and nonfiction, especially from new authors.

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.

_____________________



Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment

Juliet Mushens started her publishing career in 2008 at HarperCollins, and became an agent in 2011. She has been shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year four times and is currently the number 1 ranked UK dealmaker on Publishers’ Marketplace. She represents a bestselling and critically acclaimed list, including million-copy no. 1 bestseller Jessie Burton, multi-million copy NY Times bestseller Taran Matharu, Pointless presenter Richard Osman, and Sunday Times bestsellers Ali Land, Claire Douglas, Debbie Howells, Stacey Halls, Laura Lam and James Oswald. Her guide to YA creative writing was published by Hodder in 2015. You can find her on twitter as @mushenska and email her at juliet@mushens-entertainment.com.

What she is seeking: Juliet is looking for adult fiction and YA only. She is looking for crime, thriller, YA, reading group fiction, ghost stories, historical fiction, SFF, romcoms, and high concept novels.

How to submit: Please email sesubmissions@mushens-entertainment.com with your query and writing sample. (See website for specific instructions.)

_____________________



Kevin Pocklington of The North Literary Agency

Kevin joined JBA as an agent in 2011, where he developed a mainly non-fiction list from scratch.

What he is seeking: At The North, he is looking for a wider range of non-fiction submissions and would like to develop a fiction list with new authors, including accessible literary fiction and crime titles.

How to submit: Use the agency's submission form HERE.

_____________________



Patrick Walsh of PEW Literary 

Born and brought up in Venezuela, Patrick Walsh studied law at Cambridge before becoming a literary agent. Having co-founded Conville & Walsh in 2000, he then sold the agency to Curtis Brown before founding PEW Literary in 2016. His clients have won or shortlisted for numerous literary awards.

What he is seeking: He is always keen to hear from new authors.

How to submit: If submitting a fiction manuscript, please submit the opening three chapters (or fifty pages) along with a synopsis. The synopsis should be a clear explanation of the plot from first to final chapter. Please accompany your submission with a brief cover letter that tells us a little about you as a writer. Send your work to submissions@pewliterary.com For non-fiction send a proposal. Your proposal should be approximately thirty pages long. (See website for specifics.)

41 Calls for Submissions in September 2020 - Paying markets

Pikist There are more than three dozen calls for submissions in September. 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 the following month's calls for submissions toward the end 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!

____________________


Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Poetry and fiction on theme of Migration. Payment: $20 for featured author stories; $10 for stories published on &More page $5 for poems. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

A Multiplicity of Stories. Genre: Speculative fiction: Alternate history, modern day, speculative, far future. Payment: $100 CAD per piece. Deadline: September 1, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Kikwetu. "The Black Lives Matter movement, precipitated by the brutality and deaths of Black Americans at the hands of mostly white American police officers, has ignited a global demand for the end of white supremacy and spurred voices world over in speaking out against the continued subjugation of Black lives wherever they are placed." Genre: Short fiction and nonfiction pieces (3,000 word max) in English or Swahili from Black African writers living on or off the continent. "We seek pieces which celebrate and highlight Black African experiences in whatever form they take--whether at the frontlines of local or international movements against police brutality and treatment of Black bodies, whether watching the global shifts from the sidelines, or dealing with loss and fear in the face of a global health crisis, or falling in love, self-discovery, etc." Payment: $30. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Fecund. Genre: Fiction, essays, criticism, screenplay excerpts, fashion writing: up to 10,000 words, poetry, photography. Payment: $50 per contributor. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

SAND. Genre: Previously unpublished poems, short fiction, flash fiction, translations, and art. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Parabola: Wellness. Genre: Retellings of traditional stories: 500-1500 words, original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Jellyfish. Restrictions: "Writers of colour." Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, 1000 words max. Payment: $50. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Bicycles and Broomsticks. Genre: Speculative short fiction that combines themes of witchcraft and bicycling, through a feminist lens. Both witchiness and bicycles must be inherent to accepted stories Payment: A portion of profits after expenses from the Kickstarter project used to fund the book is split between contributors; payments are not less than $30 each. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of Angels. Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: September 3, 2020.

Anthology about New Jersey. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, personal essays, art and "everything else" about New Jersey. Payment: Varies. Deadline: September 4, 2020.

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: September 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on September 1.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction 300 - 1,000 words on theme of Smell. Payment: Pays for anthologies only. Deadline: September 7,  2020. See accepted genres.

Into the Void. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $10 per poem, flash fiction or visual art piece, and $20 per long-form prose piece. Deadline: September 7,  2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Fantasy Magazine. Genre: Fantasy short fiction and poetry. Payment: 8 cents per word for fiction, $40 for poetry. Deadline: September 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on September 1.

Editing Mee. Genre: "Stories for a historical fantasy anthology, about characters who work in illegal or unsavoury positions." Payment: $15. Deadline: September 10,  2020.

Contemporary Verse 2. Genre: Poetry and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews. Theme: 2S + QTBIPOC Bodies. What does your queer body mean to you as a writer? Payment: $30 - $150. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Blue Light Special. Genre: Folktales set in the modern world. They will each be based on a traditional folk tale but re-imagined to feature LGBTQ people grappling with today’s problems. They will each include a blue light as a surreal or supernatural element. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

CAROUSEL. Restrictions: They prefer Canadian writers, but will accept international writers as well. Genre: Poetry, fiction, reviews. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $50–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$50 per review (CAD). Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Middle House Review. Genre: Speculative / fantasy / afrofuturism poetry and fiction by Black Americans. Payment: $25. Deadline: September 17, 2020.

The Puritan. Genre: Poetry, interviews, fiction, essays. Payment: $100 PER INTERVIEW, $200 PER ESSAY, $100 PER REVIEW, $150 PER WORK OF FICTION, AND $25 PER POEM (OR PAGE, CAPPED AT $80 FOR POEMS RUNNING FOUR PAGES OR MORE). Deadline: September 25, 2020.

Incoming! Genre: Science fiction comics. Pitches only. Payment: £800 (around $1,000). Deadline: September 25, 2020.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: September 28, 2020.

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: September 30, 2020. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Krampus Tales: A Killer Anthology. Genre: Horror. "The holidays have lost their cheer. Evergreen boughs hang brown and brittle. Sweets taste bitter. The little ones are restless and will not sleep. There’s something stirring in the dark, but only the bravest writers will explore what horrors stalk across the rooftops." Payment: $75 per piece. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Orca. Genre: Literary fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: September 30, 2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Self-care and Me Time. Genre: True stories. "Taking care of yourself is not just about your physical health but includes your emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing too. Self-care includes that all-important “me time” whether that means exercising or reading or meditating or having lunch with friends. Whatever your psyche needs is your “me time.” We are looking for your stories about how you neglected your self-care and then how you realized its importance and so you now engage in it." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Whortleberry Press: Strange Holiday Mysteries. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, and horror. "Writers choose which holiday on which you wish to base your story." Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Dragon Soul Press: Mistletoes and Mayhem. Genre: Fiction on theme of Christmas. "Christmas is a magical time of year, but for these characters, this special holiday is turned upside down by chaotic circumstances. Whether it’s troublesome family or magical mayhem, these stories should be Christmas-themed wrapped with mischief." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties.  Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.06/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Event. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction and book  reviews. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Quommunicate Publishing: Funny Queer: LGBTQ+ Humor. Genre: LGBTQ+ humor -  fiction, nonfiction, poems, jokes, B&W comics. Payment: $5/page. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Madame Gray's Creep Show. Genre: Horror. "The ultimate creep fest! Compiled and edited by Gerri R. Gray (Graveyard Girls, Blood & Blasphemy), and published by Hellbound Books Publishing, this anthology is looking for well-written, spine-tingling tales of horror infused with black humor (gallows humor)." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

20/20 Vision: Powers of the Mind. Genre: Horror. "Your opportunity to regale us with your tales of telekenesis, mind reading, psychic powers gone terribly, terribly wrong, mind control, and any other form horror to do with the twisted human brain..." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

The Toilet Zone. Genre: Horror. "The theme for this anthology is short horror stories that will make an ideal sit-down read, just long enough for those extended stays at the convenience, and terrifying enough that they really are best read whilst over water...." Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Crime Pays. Genre: Dark fiction. "All things criminal. We are looking for heists gone wrong, kidnaps that end badly, murderous plottings, and all things of a darkly criminal nature. And, whilst we love a horrific or supernatural flavor to our stories, anything goes with this one, as long as it is dark and has an unpleasant sting in its tail!" Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Water: Selkies, Sirens and Sea Monsters. Genre: Stories about shapeshifting selkies, deceptively beautiful sirens, all the monsters of the deep and any other magical water creature you can imagine—water dragons, naiads, kappa, kelpies… "If it’s a magical being associated with water, I want to read about it." Payment: $50 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for stories. $20 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for poems. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Pitt Poetry Series. Genre: Books by poets who have previously published full-length collections of poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Future Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction stories (no horror, fantasy, fan fiction, or erotica) of up to 10,000 words. "For this call we’re seeking science fiction stories that envision the future of the East Asia region in an optimistic, positive way." Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Fix the World. Genre: Speculative fiction. "For this anthology, we’re looking for stories that depict a (near) future Earth that’s somehow better than this one, Show us a world post-climate change, where we made peace with the planet. Or a world where we moved past racism and into a broader understanding of the connectedness of all the races of humanity. How about one where gender no longer matters? Or where borders are no more." Length: Minimum 5,000, Maximum 15,000 words. Payment: $75-$125 per piece. Deadline: September 30, 2020.
​
AND A FEW MORE ...

Eerie River: It Calls from the Sea. Genre: "Think deep ocean creatures, lore of sea-folk and forgotten cities, ships lost at sea and beach side vacations. Anything that can happen on or near a body of water is acceptable." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Temz Review. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20 for prose, $20 per batch of poems. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: October 1, 2020.


FacebookTwitterPinterestShare