Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 33

33 Calls for Submissions in August 2020 - Paying markets

Pixabay There are more than two dozen calls for submissions in August. 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!

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The First Line. Genre: Stories that use a first line provided by the journal. (See journal for first lines.) Also 500-800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work.  Payment:  $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Lethe Press: Burly Tales. Genre: Classic fairy tales populated with gay Bears. “Strapping heroes are fine as long as they are stout.” All the stories should have a measure of whimsy and/or wonder, and be romantic with a happily ever after or happy-for-now ending. Payment: $0.05/word. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Violent Vixens: An Homage to Grindhouse Horror. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Our second fiction anthology, Violent Vixens, will focus on Grindhouse horror films, made famous by movies such as Night of the Living Dead, Death Proof, and Suspiria." Payment: $50. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Eerie River: With Blood and Ash. Genre: Dark Fantasy. "Earth, wind, fire, water and spirit. Dark versus light. We are giving a lot of leeway for story building, but magic must play a part in your world and there must be a dark fantasy element. Create a fantasy world for this to all play out in, or build something in ours. The choice is yours. The only requirement is that you must feature elemental magic." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

18th Wall. Genre: Supernatural stories set in the 1980s. "I love the Mall. But you wouldn’t want to be trapped here alone at night…" Payment: Royalties. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Cemetery Gates Media: Personal Local Lore/Oddities Anthology. Genre: Horror. The theme is: local lore or location-based oddities. "Write something dark into a setting you’ve experienced — it could be a place you’ve lived, or even just somewhere you’ve visited on a vacation." Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Mojo. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $15. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Third Flatiron: Brain Games: Stories to Astonish. Genre: SF, urban fantasy on theme of: Brain Games. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Timeworn Literary Journal. Genre: Historical fiction stories under 5,000 words. Must be set before 1996. "We're looking for "Historical Fiction from the fringe." Work with a bend toward the surreal, the dream-like, the strange. The offbeat kind of story that settles into your heart long after reading. That said, we also value beauty and warmth and a generally well-written story with soul. Romance, Mystery, Crime and the Gothic are all acceptable. Speculative elements strongly encouraged." Payment: $25. Deadline: August 1, 2020.
Rogue Blades. Genre: Heroic adventure. Theme: No Ordinary Mortals. Payment: $30. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Hawk and Cleaver: The Other Stories. Genre: Horror short stories. Theme: Underwater. Payment: $5. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

midnight & indigo. Restrictions: Open to Black women writers. Genre: Fiction and personal essays. Payment: $50 - $75. Deadline: August 2, 2020.

Third Flatiron: Infinite Lives: Short Tales of Longevity. Genre: Speculative fiction on theme of : Longevity. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: August 3, 2020.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction 300 - 1,000 words on theme of Sixth Sense. Payment: Pays for anthologies only. Deadline: August 3, 2020. See accepted genres.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of Angels. Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: August 3, 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: August 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on August 1.

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

Ruminate. Genre: Fiction. Length: 5,500 words max. Payment: $20 per 400 words. Deadline:  August 14, 2020. Opens to submissions on August 1.

Hawk and Cleaver: The Other Stories. Genre: Horror short stories. Theme: The Dark Web. Payment: $5. Deadline: August 14, 2020.

Mizna, the only Arab lit and art journal in the United States, is seeking submissions for a special Comix Issue. Genre: Comics. "We are seeking comics submissions by Arab and SWANA artists living anywhere in the world responding to the prompt of A New World Order. These days, it seems as though revolutionary changes are happening daily. From global political upheavals to public health crises, we are living in unprecedented times that are changing the ways we think, work, act, live, and love. We may not know what the future holds, but one thing is certain: the world as we know it is changing forever. For this issue, we are seeking comics that explore what it means for reality (whether the personal micro realities that we inhabit, or the larger political realities that engulf us) to undergo radical, transformative shifts, for better or for worse." Payment: $25. Deadline: August 14, 2020.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: August 15, 2020.

Songs of Eretz. Genre: Poetry, cover art on theme of Politics. Payment: $5. Deadline: August 15, 2020.
The New Gothic Review. Genre: Gothic fiction. Eerie atmosphere is key. Payment: $30. Deadline: August 15, 2020.

Consumed: Tales of the Wendigo. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Submissions do not have to have characters turn into a literal Wendigo. Character(s) must go through some sort of a transformation due to the “hunger.” You do not have to use the term Wendigo. We just ask that authors use the core concept of the Wendigo as inspiration for their story." Payment: $20 for the first 3,000 words, half a cent per word after that. Deadline: August 15, 2020.

Demon’s Dreaming Press: Something Good to Eat. Genre: Horror set in or around Halloween.  Payment: $100. Accepts reprints. Deadline: August 21, 2020.

Speculative City. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and essays on theme of Governance. Must be set in a city. Payment: $20-$55. Deadline: August 24, 2020.
Fireside Quarterly. Genre: Short stories, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: 12.5 cents per word.Deadline: August 28, 2020. Opens August 24.

Satan Rides Your Daughter. Genre: Horror. "We are looking for the truly satanic and downright demonic for this anthology! 'Satan Rides Your Daughter' will be HellBound's loving homage to Dennis Wheatley, William Peter Blatty, Clive Barker, and every other documenter of hellish realms and their nefarious citizens!" Payment: $5. Deadline: August 30, 2020.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles & Divine Intervention. Genre: True stories. "Miracles are all around us if we’re open to them. Sometimes we just can’t explain how good things came about. Are they celestial, otherworldly, heavenly? However they happened, these events give us peace and comfort, guidance, hope and faith." Payment: $200. Deadline: August 31, 2020.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF. Payment: $50. Deadline: August 31, 2020.

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: August 31, 2020.
Claw & Blossom Equinox Issue: Rise. Genre: Prose and poems that touch upon the natural world. Payment: $25. Deadline: August 31, 2020.

The McNeese Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry. Payment: $50. Deadline: August 31, 2020.

AND MORE...

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.

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.

16 Writing Conferences in August 2020 - Most held online

While a good number of summer writing conferences have been rescheduled, many 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.

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Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 7 - August 21, 2020, Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty and presenters include poets Erin Belieu, Traci Brimhall, Mahogany L. Browne, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Peter Campion, Tina Chang, Michael Collier, Mark Conway, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Terrance Hayes, Marie Howe, Major Jackson, Ada Limón, John Murillo, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Gregory Orr, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Martha Rhodes, and Nicole Sealey; fiction writers Kristen Arnett, Andre Dubus III, Aja Gabel, Pam Houston, Reif Larsen, Wendy C. Ortiz, Shobha Rao, Victoria Redel, Sarah Schulman, Justin Torres, and Joan Wickersham; nonfiction writers Alysia Abbott, Elissa Altman, Jill Bialosky, Garrard Conley, Nick Flynn, Ann Hood, Paul Lisicky, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, T Kira Madden, Gregory Pardlo, Dani Shapiro, Susanna Sonnenberg, Brian Turner, and Marion Winik; and graphic memoirist Nicole J. Georges. Tuition ranges from $650 to $750. The deadline for scholarship applications is April 10. General registration is first come, first served.  (See individual workshops for dates.)

Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Week. August 1 - 7, 2020: Washington, DC. For more than 20 years, the Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Workshop has offered a safe space for black writers in intensive workshop sessions and master classes. Workshops are led by award-winning writers who are influencing today’s literature. The program features critiques, craft talks, writing time and public readings. Hurston/Wright workshops serve emerging and experienced writers who are starting projects, developing projects or seeking to polish projects. More than a thousand writers have participated in workshops since the first session in 1996. Will be held virtually.

The 2020 Writers' Police Academy: Mudercon. August 6–9, 2020: Raleigh, NC. "MurderCon is a rare opportunity for writers to participate in hands-on “for law enforcement eyes only” training, using modern testing and evidence collection tools and equipment, in workshops taught by some of the world’s leading homicide investigation experts. This incredibly detailed, cutting-edge instruction has never before been available to writers, anywhere."

Cape Cod Writers Center Conference. August 6 - 9, 2020: Hyannis, Massachusetts. Supporting published and aspiring writers. Featuring distinguished authors, editors and agents in workshops on fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, poetry, mysteries and thrillers, social media, promotion and more!

The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference, August 7 - 9, 2020: West Coast Writers Conferences presents a full weekend of panels, workshops and presentations by educators, noted speakers, and industry professionals focused on the craft and business of writing.

Colrain Classic. August 7 - 10, 2020. "A select group of poets will work with nationally known poets, publishers, and editors Joan Houlihan (Conference Founder / Lesley University MFA Program); Rusty Morrison (Co-founder/Publisher Omnidawn Press); Hilda Raz (Editor/Mary Burritt Christiansen Poetry Series, University of New Mexico Press); and Ellen Dore Watson (Smith College/Editor of Massachusetts Review). All poets with an in-progress book-length or chapbook-length manuscript are welcome to apply." Will be conducted online.

Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference. August 7 - 10, 2020: Truchas, New Mexico. The conference features evaluation and discussion of book-length and chapbook-length manuscripts with poets, editors, and publishers. The cost of the conference is $1,400, which includes lodging and meals. Using the online submission system, submit a brief bio and three to four poems.

Vermont College of Fine Arts Postgraduate Writers’ Conference. August 10 - 16, 2020: Montpelier, Vermont. The conference is designed for writers with graduate degrees or equivalent experience. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as readings, craft classes, and individual consultations with faculty members. "At the heart of the Postgraduate Writers' Conference's unique model is the small workshop size, with groups led by acclaimed faculty limited to five or six writers. The intimate format allows for an extraordinarily in-depth, far-reaching discussion of participants’ work. Beyond the daily group sessions, each member has an individual consultation with the workshop instructor. The schedule also features a rich menu of readings by faculty and participants, craft talks, generative writing sessions and social events that galvanize our vibrant, inclusive community." Will be held online.

Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. August 12- 22, 2020: Ripton, VT. Workshops in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction are at the core of the conference. Each faculty member conducts a workshop that meets for five two-hour sessions over the course of the 10 days. Groups are kept small to facilitate discussion, and all participants meet individually with their faculty leaders to elaborate on workshop comments. Faculty members also offer lectures on issues around literary writing and one-hour classes on specific aspects of the craft. Readings by the faculty, conference participants, and guests take place throughout the day and into the night. Participants meet with visiting editors, literary agents, and publishers who provide information and answer questions, individually or in small groups. Will be rescheduled for Fall 2020.

Writer’s Digest Conference. August 13 - 16, 2020: New York City. Annual Writer's Digest Conference featuring: Pitch Slam, with more than fifty agents and editors in attendance, educational tracks devoted to publishing and self-publishing, platform and promotion, and the craft of writing,  speakers and instructors.

The Whole Novel Online Workshop 2020. August 16, 2020 - August 22, 2020. "This is a seven-day online workshop that features a full manuscript critique, evening “live” lectures and discussions, daily writing prompts, one-to-one mentorship, faculty Q&A, optional open mic readings and more! Online Workshop Participant Cap: 20 students. Join Us To: Have the entire draft of your novel read and critiqued." Will be held online.

Killer Nashville Writers’ Conference. August 20 - 23, 2020: Nashville, TN. The Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford in an effort to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. "At the conference, we try diligently to ensure that the weekend has something for every writer and lover of literature, and our sessions are structured to assist writers on multiple career levels. Our learning tracks tackle the craft of writing, business of writing, marketing, and forensics. Killer Nashville features nine breakout sessions for intense smaller group interaction, an authors’ bar (free for hotel guests), a moonshine and wine tasting, free agent/editor roundtable pitch sessions, a mock crime scene designed by special agents and other law enforcement professionals, cocktail receptions, the Guest of Honor Dinner and Awards Banquet, film previews, live music performances and—of course—all the great activities one can enjoy in downtown Nashville."

North Words Writers Symposium. August 27 - 30, 2019: Skagway, Alaska. Faculty: Bill Streever, Caroline Van Hemert, Heather Lende, Eva Holland, M. Jackson, Bryan Fierro, Nicole Stellon O’Donnell. Special Theme: Writing at a time of a threatened natural world.

Romance Writers of America. August 28 - 30, 2020: San Francisco, CA. The RWA Conference is the place where career-focused romance writers meet, mingle, and get down to the business of being an author. Conference highlights include the “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing; the Keynote speech; hearing from great speakers; book signings; and the Awards Ceremony. At the conference, career-focused romance writers can anticipate: education and information, networking with fellow writers, interaction with editors, agents, publishers, booksellers, and other romance publishing industry professionals. Will be held online.

49 Writers Tutka Bay Retreat. August 28 - 30, 2020: Tutka Bay, Alaska. Guest Instructor: Elena Passarello.

Developing a Series in Chapter Books Online Workshop 2020. August 30, 2020 - September 02, 2020. "This is a four-day online workshop that features evening “live” lectures, discussions, online Q&A sessions in addition to a revision roundtable, office hours for informal discussion, hands-on sessions and an optional open mic. There will be one-to-one sessions with faculty on your series overview and first chapter. Online Workshop Participant Cap: 16." Will be held online.

6 UK Literary Agents Actively Seeking Crime Novels, Nonfiction, Literary Fiction, SF/F and more

Here are six UK agents actively seeking writers. Simon Targett's interests stretch across a wide range of non-fiction as well as historical fiction. Ben Clark loves smart non-fiction of all kinds whether narrative, prescriptive or illustrated. On the fiction side he’s currently looking for tightly plotted thrillers, crime series and science fiction and fantasy. Anthony Goff represents literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction, and also several children’s writers. Margaret Halton focuses mainly on fiction. Anne-Marie Doulton's particular interests include literary fiction, narrative non-fiction (current affairs, biography etc) and high-quality thrillers and mysteries. Allan Guthrie's main area of interest is crime 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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Mr. Simon Targett of Aevitas Creative Management

Simon Targett has been engaged in the media and publishing industry for more than 25 years as a writer, editor, historian and media consultant. An award-winning journalist and former Associate Editor of the Financial Times, he has served as a judge at the prestigious British Press Awards and written for a wide range of publications, including The Economist, the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. He served as the first Editor-in-Chief of The Boston Consulting Group and founded Thinking Cap Communications, a strategic thought leadership consultancy. Simon has a PhD from Cambridge University and lectures on journalism, PR and British and American history.

What he is seeking: Simon’s interests stretch across a wide range of non-fiction—including business and leadership, history, journalism, current affairs, biography, sport, music, popular science, nature, travel, genealogy—as well as historical fiction. The common factor is an emphasis on big ideas, great stories, and fine writing.

How to submit: Follow instructions on the agency website HERE.

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Ben Clark of The Soho Agency

Ben has been with the agency for ten years, he is an agent and actively building his list.

What he is seeking: Ben loves smart non-fiction of all kinds whether narrative, prescriptive or illustrated. Whether that is history, philosophy, memoir, technology, science, business, nature writing, or anything that explores the world we live in. He works extensively with brands, television producers and magazines in developing their IP for publication. He has a soft spot for fantasy and science fiction that transports you out of the everyday, something he feels we all need a bit more of. He is drawn to the strange and unusual, stories from the fringes that need to be seen by the mainstream or different perspectives on established narratives that challenge a status quo.

In particular he is on the lookout for academics who have a story to tell to a wide audience, experts who can help us understand what is going on in the world and people who can distill something fundamental about the human experience into the written word. On the fiction side he’s currently looking for tightly plotted thrillers, crime series and science fiction and fantasy with expert world building that reflects back something about the real world. Also anything that blurs the boundaries between genres.

How to submit: Send your query to sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com along with the first three chapters or first thirty pages of your manuscript in word format, along with a synopsis.

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Mr. Anthony Goff of David Higham Associates Ltd

Anthony has been Managing Director of David Higham since 2000. He began his publishing career at Faber & Faber, starting in rights and then moving to editorial. After four years he decided that he preferred working with authors to sitting in meetings, and he became an agent. Anthony was President of the Association of Authors’ Agents from 2009 to the beginning of 2012.

What he is seeking: He represents many high-profile and successful authors of literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction, and also several children’s writers.

How to submit: Please send a one-page synopsis that gives a full explanation of the plot, and the first three chapters or up to fifty pages (double spaced). Read submission details HERE.

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Margaret Halton of PEW Literary

Margaret Halton joined PEW as an Agent in 2018. She studied English at Oxford and has had a varied career working for publishing houses and literary agencies on both sides of the Atlantic, including ICM and Rogers, Coleridge & White. She has been responsible for selling international rights in non-fiction titles as wide-ranging as Margaret Thatcher’s memoirs and Naomi Klein’s THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, and in novels by Toni Morrison, Richard Ford, Zadie Smith and Nick Hornby amongst many others. She worked as an editor at Granta Books where she was responsible for acquiring Mohsin Hamid’s first novel MOTH SMOKE and titles by Kamila Shamsie, Herta Muller and Colson Whitehead.

What she is seeking: Margaret focuses mainly on fiction. She loves novels that pack an emotional punch with characters you feel you get to know personally.

How to submit: 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

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Ms. Anne-Marie Doulton of The Ampersand Agency


Anne-Marie Doulton has been an agent for over 10 years, and is based in London. Before joining Ampersand she worked as a commissioning editor for various general publishers and as a literary scout. Her clients at Ampersand include Philip Barclay, Sharon Bolton, Annie Caulfield, Kate London and Stephen Williams.

What she is seeking: Anne-Marie’s particular interests include literary fiction, narrative non-fiction (current affairs, biography etc) and high-quality thrillers and mysteries. 

How to submit: Send your first three chapters, together with a brief outline and some biographical details to: amd@theampersandagency.co.uk

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Allan Guthrie of The North Literary Agency

Allan has worked in the book trade since 1996 and has been a literary agent since 2005. He is also an award-winning novelist, freelance editor and former publisher. 

What he is seeking: His main area of interest is crime fiction.

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

4 New Agents Seeking Romance, Fantasy, YA, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir and more

Here are four new literary agents actively seeking clients. Mariah Nichols is interested in adult and young adult fiction with genres including thriller, upmarket, romance/rom-com, horror, family drama, science fiction/paranormal, and women’s fiction. She is also wanting to represent nonfiction in categories such as cookbooks, memoirs, self-help, lifestyle, and how-to. Stories that showcase diversity and highlight mental health or special needs is something that she would especially like to see.

Amy Giuffrida wants middle grade and YA horror, romance, fantasy and mystery as well as adult Horror, Romance/Chic Lit/Rom Com and nonfiction. Shanna Furey is looking for Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Young Adult, Comedic, or General Fiction. Devon Halliday is interested in literary and upmarket fiction with sharp, insightful writing and vivid characters. She’s partial to speculative fiction, women’s fiction, contemporary fiction, metafiction, light psychological suspense, and romcoms. She leans toward adult fiction, but will also consider YA and cross-over projects. On the nonfiction side, Devon is on the lookout for creative and narrative nonfiction, investigative journalism, broad-perspective memoir, and popular science, psychology, medicine, and philosophy.

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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Devon Halliday of Transatlantic Literary Agency

Devon Halliday joined Transatlantic as a Literary Agent in the summer of 2020, with prior experience at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Susanna Lea Associates, Writers House, Maria B. Campbell Associates, and Folio Literary management in agenting and scouting. She grew up in Athens, OH, and studied Comparative Literature at Brown University. After years in the NYC publishing scene, she has returned to Ohio and is excited to build a list at Transatlantic.

What she is seeking: On the fiction side, Devon is interested in literary and upmarket fiction with sharp, insightful writing and vivid characters. She’s partial to speculative fiction, women’s fiction, contemporary fiction, metafiction, light psychological suspense, and romcoms. She leans toward adult fiction, but will also consider YA and cross-over projects. Devon is not the right agent for most thrillers, horror, mystery, or historical fiction.

On the nonfiction side, Devon is on the lookout for creative and narrative nonfiction, investigative journalism, broad-perspective memoir, and popular science/psychology/medicine/philosophy. She’s interested in any strong narrative voice that can bring a complicated or niche subject to the average reader.

How to submit: To query Devon, please send a query letter, author bio, and 20-page sample (for fiction) or proposal (for nonfiction) to querydevon@transatlanticagency.com. Please include “Query” in the subject line, and notify her if another offer of representation is received. Devon responds to all queries, though she regrets that she cannot offer personalized feedback.

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Mariah Nichols of D4EO

Mariah has a great passion for storytelling and for the publishing industry. With a BS degree in Business she wanted to apply her degree towards the world of books. After interning at Howland Literary her senior year, she soon transitioned to the role as a reader and in-house editor for the D4EO Literary Agency, working with Bob Diforio in all aspects of the business, with the intention of being named a D4EO literary agent.

What she is seeking: Mariah is interested in adult and young adult fiction with genres including thriller, upmarket, romance/rom-com, horror, family drama, science fiction/paranormal, and women’s fiction. She is also wanting to represent nonfiction in categories such as cookbooks, memoirs, self-help, lifestyle, and how-to. Stories that showcase diversity and highlight mental health or special needs is something that she would especially like to see.

How to submit: Use the agency form HERE.

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Amy Giuffrida of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

"My life is consumed with all things bookish. When I'm not working on books, I'm talking about stories with my classes as an 8th grade ELA (English/Language Arts) teacher. In my spare time, you can find me renovating my house, binge-watching TV shows on Hulu, or reading something scary—all while snuggling with my three rescue dogs."

What she is seeking: MIDDLE-GRADE AND YA: Horror- Give me your dark and twisted tales that make me question reality. I also love those campy stories full of tropes, so send them my way!

Fantasy/Paranormal- I want to see more stories with connection and relevance to culture and legends. I’m dying for a spooky ghost story! As for vampires? I’m totally interested in finding something unique and contemporary, especially if there’s an element of humor.

Romance- Remember your first kiss? I really want to see sweet first love stories. I want to feel that wave of butterflies first love creates and the awkwardness of a first kiss or that tension of having a crush—no matter the type of coupling (F/F, M/M, or F/M).

Contemporary- I am extremely interested in healthy female friendships, girl sport stories, and girls in rock bands. Give me girl power! I really want some darker or more serious stories as well, like kids dealing with homelessness, mental health, or adoption to name a few.

Mystery- I’d love to see stories including a group of teens that band together to solve puzzles and mysteries. Think of a modern day Goonies, Scooby-Doo, Nancy Drew (not the CW version), The Hardy Boys, or Pretty Little Liars. Make it gritty and dark for the win!

Novel in Verse- First love, discovering your true self, and growing up told in a lyrical form is exactly what I’m looking for.

ADULT: Horror- I want scary, smart stories. Show me your most devious characters and unreliable narrators. Romance/Chic Lit/Rom Com- Give me books that make me swoon, laugh, and cry all at the same time. Stories of best friends turned lovers makes me super happy, no matter the coupling. I’d love to see more of true love stemming from blind dates and making it in the face of diversity.

NONFICTION: I am looking for powerful stories from diverse voices, including cookbooks that highlight family stories or ancestral anecdotes. I also LOVE pop culture and am always searching for that fun book that gives us the scoop.

In all age categories, if you have a unique perspective on an old theme…send it to me! I am especially interested in underrepresented and diverse voices. All people need to see themselves in the characters on the page, so send me LGBTQIA, POC, #OwnVoices stories.

How to submit: For fiction, please include your query letter, synopsis, and the first 10 pages of your manuscript. For nonfiction, please send your query, proposal, and the first 10 pages. Queries should be submitted through QueryManager: http://QueryMe.Online/AmyGiuffrida

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Shanna Furey of Metamorphosis

It was uncommon growing up to find Shanna without her nose in a book. An avid reader from a young age, she began to get lost in the lives of historical figures long gone, which aided her love of history and pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts in History at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Shanna currently lives in Colorado with her husband and their two very cuddly cats. When she is not reading Shanna enjoys baking, knitting, and doing DIY projects.

What she is seeking: Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Young Adult, Comedic, or General Fiction.

How to submit: Use the agency form: https://querymanager.com/query/1805

31 Calls for Submissions in July - Paying markets

Needpix There are more than two dozen calls for submissions in July. 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!

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Thema: The Tiny Red Suitcase. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Tiny Red Suitcase.   Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: July 1, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Meetinghouse. Note: This is a new journal put out by Dartmouth College. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 minimum for prose, and $20/page for stories over 5 pages.  Up to 7,500 words per submission; up to 3 pieces of prose and up to 3 poems. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Jaggery. Restrictions: South Asian diasporic writers and homeland writers. "We also welcome non-South Asians with a deep and thoughtful connection to South Asian countries, who bring their own intersecting perspectives to the conversation. (By South Asia we mean Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.)" Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, art, reviews. Payment: $100 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction/poetry/art/reviews. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Writer Shed Press: Love and Sacrifice. Genre: Short stories on theme of Love and Sacrifice.  Payment: $20. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Binge Watching Cure. Genre: Science fiction short stories. Payment: $100. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Hawk and Cleaver: The Other Stories. Genre: Horror short stories. Theme: Ghost Ships. Payment: $5. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Tell-Tale Press. Genre: Fantasy, horror, mystery/crime, and/or science fiction short stories. Payment: $5 for 500 to 1000 words; $10 for 1000 to 3000 words; $25 for 3000 to 5000 words. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

The Were-Traveler: People of Color Destroy Lovecraft. Genre: Horror. They want stories with "POC characters that turn Lovecraft's racism and monsters on his/their heads." Payment: $10 for shorts, $5 for microfiction. Reprints accepted. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

carte blanche. Genre: Poetry, Translations, Photography, and Comics. Theme: Anxiety. Payment: Modest honorarium. Deadline: July 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: July 3, 2020.

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

Burial Day Books: Gothic Blue Book Vol 6 – A Krampus Carol. Genre: Short fiction and poetry. "Original Gothic Blue Books typically took place in either a monastery, convent or castle. In years past we have asked for short stories that take place in one of these locations, or a modern day location such as a morgue, haunted house or cemetery. This year, we have added a new theme – Krampus, Christmas, and ghosts / lore from the globe revolving around a major celebration." Payment: $50. Deadline: July 5, 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: July 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on July 1.

Bronzeville Books:Happy Hellidays. Genre: Horror. “Give us some twisted, unexpected holiday stories. Don’t limit yourself to Christmas — we’re looking for all kinds of special occasions gone awry.” Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: July 11, 2020.

Hawk and Cleaver: The Other Stories. Genre: Horror short stories. Theme: Immortality. Payment: $5. Deadline: July 14, 2020.

CRICKET: Takes of the Sea (ages 9–14) Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the theme of tales of the sea. Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

The Offing. Genre: Fiction, essays, micro fiction (tweet-length), art, lists, writing on science and the natural world. Payment: $25–$100. Deadline: July 16, 2020.

ArabLit Quarterly. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction translated from Arabic on theme of Cats. Payment: $15/page. Deadline: Pitches for this issue should be in by July 20. Drafts of completed works should be in by August 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: July 21, 2020.

Antimony and Elder Lace Press: Omens. Genre: Fiction on theme of Omens. Word Count: 1,000-7,500 words. “The idea of seeing the future or having warnings of what is to come is an idea that spans nearly every culture. Whether the omens are good or bad, there is the potential to affect us all. To be considered, your story must deal with the idea of omens in some fashion.” Payment: $0.01 per word and a percentage of royalties. Payment made upon publication. Deadline: July 25, 2020.

Paper Angel Press: Heartwreck – Romantic Disasters at Sea. Genre: Personal essays and memoir/creative nonfiction pieces. "Maybe a relationship fell apart and you got stuck with a boat you didn’t think you wanted. Maybe, after five days at sea with a partner and five months to go, you realized you can’t possibly live with that person on a small boat. Whatever the disaster, if it happened on or around boats, we want to read about it.” Payment: $0.02/word. Deadline: July 30, 2020.

The Rumpus. Genre: Essays, Fiction, Poetry. "We strive to be a platform for marginalized voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere, and to lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers we love. We work to shine a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power." Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Red Cape Publishing: F is for Fear. Genre: Horror. Payment: £10. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Timeworn Literary Journal. Genre: Historical fiction stories in English under 5,000 words. They should be set before 1996, rooted in history and voice-driven. "We're looking for "Historical Fiction from the fringe." Work with a bend toward the surreal, the dream-like, the strange. The offbeat kind of story that settles into your heart long after reading. That said, we also value beauty and warmth and a generally well-written story with soul. Romance, Mystery, Crime and the Gothic are all acceptable. Speculative elements strongly encouraged." Payment: $25. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

NGY Review. Genre: Story on theme. Poetry on any theme. See site for themes. Payment: Token. (Payment in Japanese yen.) Deadline: July 31, 2020. Reprints accepted.

Existere. Genre: Poetry, prose, postcards, art. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: July 31, 2020. Arc does not accept general submissions from January 1 to March 31 and from August 1 to August 31.

Dragon Soul Press: All Dark Places. Genre: Speculative fiction. "In a world where so many dark things go bump in the night, terror awaits around every corner as these authors take horror stories to the next level." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Dragon Soul Press: Fairytale Dragons. Genre: Speculative fiction. "A new twist on fairytales with a fresh element: dragons. Each fairytale has been reimagined with these beasts based on the author’s preference. Wise dragons, evil dragons, elemental dragons, oh my! These classic characters will never see this coming." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

VQR. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, personal essays, literary criticism, reporting. Payment: For poetry, $200 per poem, up to 4 poems; for a suite of 5 or more poems, $1,000. For short fiction, $1,000 and above.  For other prose, such as personal essays and literary criticism, $1,000 and above, at approximately 25 cents per word, depending on length. Note: Genre fiction is not accepted.  Deadline: July 31, 2020. Opens July 1.

The McNeese Review: Boudin. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF on topic of Football. Payment: $50.   Deadline: July 31, 2020.

And a few more for luck...

The First Line. Genre: Stories that use a first line provided by the journal. (See journal for first lines.) Also 500-800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work.  Payment:  $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction (all U.S. dollars). Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Eerie River: With Blood and Ash. Genre: Dark Fantasy. "Earth, wind, fire, water and spirit. Dark versus light. We are giving a lot of leeway for story building, but magic must play a part in your world and there must be a dark fantasy element. Create a fantasy world for this to all play out in, or build something in ours. The choice is yours. The only requirement is that you must feature elemental magic." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Cemetery Gates Media: Personal Local Lore/Oddities Anthology. Genre: Horror. The theme is: local lore or location-based oddities. "Write something dark into a setting you’ve experienced — it could be a place you’ve lived, or even just somewhere you’ve visited on a vacation." Payment: 5 cents/word.  Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Mojo. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $15. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Third Flatiron: Brain Games: Stories to Astonish. Genre: SF, urban fantasy on theme of: Brain Games. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Rogue Blades. Genre: Heroic adventure. Theme: No Ordinary Mortals. Payment: $30. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

Hawk and Cleaver: The Other Stories. Genre: Horror short stories. Theme: Underwater. Payment: $5. Deadline: August 1, 2020.

26 Writing Contests in July 2020 - No entry fees

Wallpaperflare This July 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 $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!


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Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. Book must be author's first full-length book of poetry, published between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Self-published books are accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

The Novel Prize. Genre: Book-length work of literary fiction written in English. Prize: $10,000.  Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Richard J. Margolis Award. Genre: Journalism. Prize is awarded annually to a promising new journalist or essayist whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. Prize: $5,000 and one month of residency at Blue Mountain Center. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Emmy Awards - Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. Restrictions: Non-US citizens under the age of 30 only. Prize: $2,500, a trip to New York City, and an invitation to the International Emmy® Awards Gala in November. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

1455’s Second Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Writers aged 13-19. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre: Poetry. The work submitted must be a first book of poetry published between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Manuscripts, CDs, and chapbooks are not accepted. Prize: $100,000. Deadline: July 1, 2020.

Green Stories Writing Competition. Genre: Full length adult novel about building a sustainable society. Prize: £750: 1st prize £500, 2nd prize £100, third prize £50 plus £50 for best student submission (18-25 years) and £50 for best < 18 year submission. Deadline: July 2, 2020.

The Margaret and Reg Turnill Competition. Restrictions: Writers must be 21 or under on July 6. (Those over 21 can enter for a fee.) Genre: Short story on theme of "Time." Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: £1,000 and publication in the annual HG Wells Short Story Competition Anthology. Deadline: July 6, 2020.

Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards. Restrictions: Scottish writers over 18 years of age. Genres: The awards are divided into three different categories.: Fiction and Narrative Non-fiction in English and Scots, Poetry in English and Scots, Children’s and Young Adult Fiction in English and Scots. Prize: £2,000 and personal development opportunities, which can include mentoring from writers and industry professionals. Training in PR, performance and presentation training, and the opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents. Deadline: July 8, 2020 (midday).

Singapore Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry containing the word "Singapore" by anyone who is NOT a Singaporean citizen or permanent resident in Singapore. Prize: $100. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

Best of Kindness 2020 Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry on the theme of kindness. Prize: First Place - $100; Second Place - $50; Third Place - $25. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

New Roscommon Writing Award. Restrictions: All entrants must have a connection with the county of Roscommon (born in, living in, currently working in, went to school in, etc). Genres: Short stories. Prize: €500.00. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

Boardman Tasker Prize. Restrictions: Books published between 1st August 2019 and July 15, 2020 in the UK. Genre: Books with mountain,not necessarily mountaineering, theme whether fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry, written in the English language. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

Arablit Story Prize. Genre: Short story translated from Arabic. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. Restrictions: Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Titles must be published between May 20, 2020 and September 30, 2020. Genre: Literary nonfiction including, among other forms, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, criticism both social and political, history, and biography.    Prize: Winner: $60,000; Finalists: $5,000. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

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 May 20, 2019 and September 30, 2020. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: July 15, 2020.

Stone Canoe. Restrictions: Open to people who live or have lived in Upstate New York (not New York City). Genres: Drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: July 8 - 22, 2020.  (Website is not clear whether the contest will be held in 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: July 31, 2020.

Broken River Prize. Sponsored by Platypus Press. Genre: Poetry chapbook. Prize: $250/£200.    Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to writers 10-13 years old, and 13-16 years old. (Two categories.) Genre: Short story. Prize: $500 for first place; $250, 2nd place; $100, 3rd place. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Restrictions: Open to young poets age 11 - 17. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Publication. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Landfall Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to New Zealand writers. Genre: Essay about New Zealand. Prize: The winner will receive $3000 and a year’s subscription to Landfall. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students who are FULL TIME, undergraduate students in an AMERICAN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY during the Spring 2015 semester. Genre: Essay: Abraham Lincoln: The Influence of Women on the Era of Abraham Lincoln Prize: 1st Prize $1500 | 2nd Prize $750 | 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Polar Expressions Publications Short Story and Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Short story, poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Jan Garton Prairie Heritage Book Award. Genre: Book published in 2018 - 19 that illuminates the heritage of North America's mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors' first books receive extra consideration. Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction. Restrictions: The writer must be a resident of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or have been a resident in the UK or ROI for the past three years. Genre: Nonfiction book. Prize: Two awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000 – are offered to support writers to complete their first commissioned works of non-fiction. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

28 Writing Conferences in July 2020

Pexels Summer writing conferences are on! Some are going ahead with their planned live formats, but in most cases organizers have figured out how to hold them virtually. (One advantage to a virtual format is that you don't have to travel to get there, which means you can attend a conference anywhere. The other advantage is that, in many cases, the price to attend has dropped considerably.)

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.

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Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort. July 1 - 22, 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. Deadline June 29.
Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 7 - August 21, 2020, Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty and presenters include poets Erin Belieu, Traci Brimhall, Mahogany L. Browne, Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Peter Campion, Tina Chang, Michael Collier, Mark Conway, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Terrance Hayes, Marie Howe, Major Jackson, Ada Limón, John Murillo, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Gregory Orr, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Martha Rhodes, and Nicole Sealey; fiction writers Kristen Arnett, Andre Dubus III, Aja Gabel, Pam Houston, Reif Larsen, Wendy C. Ortiz, Shobha Rao, Victoria Redel, Sarah Schulman, Justin Torres, and Joan Wickersham; nonfiction writers Alysia Abbott, Elissa Altman, Jill Bialosky, Garrard Conley, Nick Flynn, Ann Hood, Paul Lisicky, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, T Kira Madden, Gregory Pardlo, Dani Shapiro, Susanna Sonnenberg, Brian Turner, and Marion Winik; and graphic memoirist Nicole J. Georges. Tuition ranges from $650 to $750. The deadline for scholarship applications is April 10. General registration is first come, first served.  (See individual workshops for dates.)

Frost Place Conference on Poetry. July 5 - 10, 2020: Franconia, NH. Spend a week at “intensive poetry camp” with writers who are deeply committed to learning more about the craft of writing poetry. The Frost Place Poetry Conference offers daily workshops, classes, lectures, writing and revising time in a supportive and dynamic environment. The application deadline is June 25, 2020. Will be held online.

Online Summer Camp In Writing Fiction for Children & Teens 2020. July 05, 2020 - July 10, 2020. "We've reinvented our Summer Camp as an online experience, with five whole days of intensive instruction, mentorship, manuscript feedback, peer community and hands-on activities. We've been doing this for over 35 years, and within this year's unique structure you can expect the same focus on craft, community & mentorship." Will be held online.

Idyllwild Arts Summer Program Writers Week. July 6 - 10, 2020, Idyllwild, California. The Writing Workshops offer poets and writers at all levels an experience designed to deepen your understanding of story and language. Faculty is composed of renowned authors eager to help you begin, continue or complete your books, poems, stories and essays. This summer, enjoy a writing workshop in Poetry, Fiction, or Creative Nonfiction, as well as a great line-up of craft talks and readings scheduled throughout the summer. Will be held online.

Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers. July 6 - 12, 2020: Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as panel discussions, readings, and open mics. "Held each July at Wallowa Lake in northeast Oregon, Summer Fishtrap gathers writers for a week of inspired writing workshops and culminates with a weekend of passionate discussion on a key issue facing the West." Will be held online.

ThrillerFest XIII. July 6–14, 2020, New York City. This is the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers. The ThrillerFest conference has four main components: Master CraftFest, CraftFest, PitchFest, and ThrillerFest. Master CraftFest was designed as an educational tool for aspiring writers as well as debut and midlist authors to gain advanced training from the masters of the craft in an intimate, day-long training session. CraftFest was designed for all writers to learn from bestselling authors and subject experts who kindly offer their advice and assistance to advance attendees’ writing techniques and further their careers. PitchFest was designed to match writers with agents, editors, publishers, and producers. ThrillerFest, the final two days of the conference, is intended to offer readers a chance to meet the best authors in the industry and be introduced to debut and midlist authors. Expect innovative panels, spotlight interviews, and workshops to educate and inspire. Will be held online.

Southampton Writers Conference. July 8–12, 2020, Long Island, NY. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and publishing, as well as readings, lectures, and a master class series. Creative writing workshops are the heart and soul of the summer experience, meeting four afternoons or mornings throughout the session. Enrollment is limited to 13 lucky writers who have applied with writing samples. Those accepted have the privilege of sharing their work in an intimate, rigorous and friendly setting. Will be held online.

North Carolina Writers' Network Squire Summer Writing Residency. July 9 - 12, 2020: Greenville, North Carolina. An intensive course in a chosen genre (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry), with ten hour-and-a-half sessions over the four days of the program. Registrants work in-depth on their own manuscript samples, as well as their colleagues’, while also studying the principles of the genre with their instructor. Other features include faculty readings, panel discussions, and open mic sessions for residents. The cost of the residency ranges from $425 - $675, depending on membership and housing preferences. Registration ends June 29 at 12:00 pm (noon).

The Summer Writers Institute. July 10 - 31, 2020, St. Louis, Missouri. The Washington University Summer Writers Institute is an intensive, two-week program featuring workshops in fiction, micro fiction, modern humor, personal narrative, playwriting, and poetry, as well as reading and individual conferences with instructors. Adult writers of all levels of experience work together with published authors and exceptional teachers in a supportive, non-competitive format that allows for personalized attention and constructive feedback. Will be held online.

The Cleveland Writing Workshop. July 11, 2020: Cleveland, OH. A full-day “How to Get Published” writers conference. "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."

Online Summer Camp In Writing Nonfiction for Children & Teens 2020. July 11, 2020 - July 15, 2020. "We’ve reinvented our Summer Camp as an online experience, with four whole days of intensive instruction, mentorship, manuscript feedback, peer community and hands-on activities. We’ve been doing this for over 35 years, and within this year’s unique structure you can expect the same focus on craft, community & mentorship that we’ve always provided." Will be held online.

Young Writers Workshop. July 12 - 25, 2020, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Restrictions: For students completing grades 9, 10, 11. Three 90-minute workshop sessions daily, including imaginative writing activities and discussion of readings. Weekly individual meetings with workshop instructor. Focus is on using various forms of creative writing to develop language and thinking skills. Will be held online.

Tin House Summer Workshop. July 12 - 26, 2020, Portland, Oregon. Workshops with afternoon craft seminars and career panels. Evenings are reserved for author readings and revelry. Tin House editors and guest agents are available to meet individually with students throughout the week.  Participating writers include poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Jericho Brown, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil; fiction writers Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Kristen Arnett, Matt Bell, Jennine Capó Crucet, Renee Gladman, Manuel Gonzales, Catherine Lacey, Carmen Maria Machado, Tommy Orange, Matthew Salesses, Rion Amilcar Scott, and Leni Zumas; creative nonfiction writers Melissa Febos, Saeed Jones, Kiese Laymon, Jeannie Vanasco, and Elissa Washuta; and graphic narrative writer Mira Jacob. Tuition is $1,600. Scholarships and payment plans are available. Submit a writing sample of up to four poems, 5,000 words of prose, or up to 20 pages of graphic narrative with a $30 application fee by March 11. Will be held online.

Green River Writers Workshops:Turning Memory into Story: Memoir Writing Workshop. July 16 - 19, 2020: Las Vegas, New Mexico. Using memory as a starting point, Green River Writers Workshops focus on the craft of storytelling through memoir, fiction, historical writing, and poetry. Both experienced and beginning writers are welcome.

Saskatchewan Festival of Words. July 16 - 19, 2020: Moose Jaw, Canada. Workshops for all ages, reading sessions, concerts, film, panel discussions, interviews, music, theatre, a slam poetry competition as well as workshops and author readings.

Online Summer Camp Intensive in Illustration 2020. July 16, 2020 - July 20, 2020. "We've reinvented our Illustration Summer Camp as an online experience, with four whole days of faculty demonstrations, mentorship, portfolio/dummy feedback, and peer community. We've been doing this for over 35 years, and within this year's unique structure you can expect the same focus on craft, community & mentorship that we've always provided." Will be held online.

The Cambridge Writers’ Workshop Summer Writing Retreat. July 16 - 21, 2020, Paris, France. The retreat offers participating writers of all genres and levels to work alongside award-winning authors and editors. Participating writers will hone their craft and expand their writing skills, while working on new or existing projects. Tuition is $3,875, which includes lodging in central Paris, creative writing workshops and writing seminars with our supportive and award-winning faculty of writers and editors, and daily breakfast. Register by May 30, 2020.

Columbus State Community College Writers Conference. July 18, 2020, Columbus, Ohio. Workshops in Autobiography/Memoir, Business/Technical, Fiction, Journalism, Marketing, Non-fiction, Playwriting, Poetry, Publishing, Screenwriting. This one-day conference is free of charge.

Juniper Institute for Young Writers. July 20 - 24, 2020: Amherst, MA. For high school students. Daily workshops in poetry, fiction, & nonfiction; interactive craft sessions that include discussions & writing exercises; evening readings by faculty & writers-in-residence. Workshops and craft sessions are led by MFA candidates from the renowned University of Massachusetts MFA Program for Poets and Writers who design curricula especially for the Institute setting. Will be held online.

Midwest Writers Workshop. July 20 - 25, 2020: Muncie, Indiana. Craft and business sessions, agent pitches, manuscript evaluations. MWW includes quality instruction by a faculty of authors, agents, editors, and specialists. Will be held online.

World Building: Construct Real and Fantastical Worlds with Tracey Baptiste, a Two-Day Online Intensive 2020. July 21, 2020 - July 22, 2020. "A well-developed world is an essential component to every story--short fiction through novels. Join Tracey Baptiste as she showcases rich mentor texts like THE SERPENT’S SECRET, DREAD NATION, THE BELLES, and more for a two-day intensive in world-building." Will be held online.

Sewanee Writers’ Conference. July 21 - August 2, 2020: Sewanee, TN. Faculty will give readings and provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures, as well as meet individually with participants to discuss their manuscripts. The Conference will offer five fiction workshops, four poetry workshops, and a playwriting workshop supported by two professional actors. In addition, a substantial number of literary agents will attend.

Taylor's Professional Writers Conference. July 24 - 25, 2020: Upland, Indiana. 35 seminars covering General & First-timers, Fiction, Nonfiction, Platform & Marketing and Specialty Writing.

IWWG Summer Writers Conference. July 24 - 30, 2020: Beverly, MA. The International Women's Writing Guild sponsors this residential writing program for women. Features: Over two dozen workshops ranging from three to six days in length and spanning fiction, poetry, memoir, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, writing as performance, social justice, multi-genre, and mixed media; Critique sessions in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and playwriting; A multimedia open studio and Two book fairs.

Catamaran Writing Conference. July 26 - 30, 2020: Pebble Beach, CA. The workshop meets four mornings and each participant will receive focused feedback from the group on their poems. You'll be invited to submit a writing sample for group feedback. Optional participant readings will be held. During registration you will be invited to indicate your poetry workshop instructor preference. Will be held online.

Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. July 30 -  August 2, 2020: Mendocino, California. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft talks, readings, manuscript consultations, open mics, and pitch sessions with agents and editors. The faculty includes poet Victoria Chang; fiction writers Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Charlotte Gullick, Mitali Perkins, Shobha Rao, and Scott Sigler; and nonfiction writers Myriam Gurba, Ismail Muhammad, and Jeannie Vanasco. Participating publishing professionals include agents Sarah Bowlin (Aevitas) and Rayhané Sanders (Massie & McQuilkin) and editors Andrew Karre (Dutton Books) and Philip Marino (Little, Brown). An optional post-conference daylong Publishing Boot Camp taught by Marino will be held on August 4. The registration fee, which includes most meals, is $575. One-on-one manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60. The Publishing Boot Camp is $150. Register by June 30. Will be held online.

Willamette Writers Conference. July 31 - August 2, 2020: Portland, Oregon. This year the conference theme is Share Your Story with three full days of classes, workshops, keynotes, critiques, and events. There are also Master Classes with industry professionals in which you can learn from top instructors in a small group setting and many options for one on one critique, including On the Spot Critiques and Advance Manuscript Critique. As always, they will have a roster of agents, editors and film executives ready to hear about your project. Will be held online.

Calls for Submissions: Black Lives Matter - Paying Markets

Pixabay "This is where we are now: a fascist calls for the murder of protesters and gets an op-ed in the Times while out-of-control police roams the streets terrorizing and brutalizing peaceful protesters. Trump himself had peaceful protesters tear-gassed and beaten outside the White House on live TV in a brutal warning to Americans that he has the police and military behind him, that he will use lethal force, and that dissent will be crushed. The danger of all this can't be overstated: not only has fascism arrived in the United States—it's winning." ~ Into the Void editors.

I could not have said it any better.

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Into the Void: We Are Antifa. Into the Void literary magazine is seeking submissions for their anthology: Expressions Against Fascism, Racism and Police Violence in the United States and Beyond. All proceeds from the sale of this anthology will go to Black Lives Matter. Genre: Poetry, fiction, flash fiction and creative nonfiction. Your submission must in some way concern fascism, racism and/or police violence. Black writers are strongly encouraged to submit. Payment: $15CAD  per poem/flash piece and $30CAD per prose piece and a contributor copy. Deadline: July 31, 2020.

Frontier Poetry: Types of Burns. Frontier Poetry has launched a new series for black writers called Types of Burns. "Black Lives Matter. We must all do what we can, one individual choice at a time, to dismantle white supremacy—in our selves, our relationships, our communities, and our institutions. Frontier stands in unrelenting support of the protestors demanding change—we send you every prayer, every bit of energy we have. Stay safe and stay healthy and stay bold." Genre: Any genre, under 1500 words. This includes photography and performance. "Black voices only." Payment: $50. Deadline: August 3, 2020.

Rattle: Poets Respond. "Because of the nature of the traditional publication apparatus, poetry doesn't often respond in a timely way to current events—but we think it could. To test this hypothesis, we'd like to try publishing a poem online each Sunday (if we receive any that we like) that responds to a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since." Payment: $100. Deadline: The deadline for each week is Friday at midnight PST.

Autostraddle is an accepting and supportive environment for queer trans women. "Autostraddle is  currently only accepting submissions that center the fight for Black lives and Black futures, and the end of white supremacy. We are also looking for on-the-ground reporting of current protests and community action." Payment falls within the $40-$100 range. Read their submission guidelines.

Scalawag. "Scalawag’s Race and Place initiative seeks to expand traditional conversations about environmental racism, climate change, segregation, gentrification, and freedom movements to better understand both the nuances of how places are made and for whom, and how we can transform power to create the future places of our dreams. We’re looking for pitches that consider the connections between these conversations in places as big as nations and as small as living rooms. In particular, we’re interested in reported pieces, essays, and even fiction about Black and Latinx rural placemaking, alternative relationships to land, connections between environmental racism and climate change, policing/incarceration and toxicity, radical placemaking for pleasure (e.g, dance clubs, social clubs), and classic investigative reporting on the impact of policies and economies on the placemaking of communities of color. Stories should range from 800-1,500 words. Investigative articles can be up to 2,000 words. Multimedia submissions are also welcome. Payment: Not specified.

5 UK Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Kidlit, Science Fiction, Commercial Fiction and more

Natalie Jerome Here are five UK literary agents actively seeking clients. Natalie Jerome has a specific interest in commercial Non-Fiction across areas of health and wellness, food, current events, culture, music and entertainment as well as looking for new authors in children’s fiction. Marina De Pass loves commercial and book-club fiction in all its forms – from twisty, domestic psychological suspense to smart rom-coms and big, sweeping love stories. Justin Nash is looking for both grounded science fiction and SF of the far future. Jessica Woollard represents a diverse range of international literary fiction and narrative non-fiction. South East Asia, Japan, Africa and the Middle East are areas of particular interest. She’s long worked with memoir. Natasha Fairweather  represents predominantly writers of non-fiction as well as 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. Natalie Jerome of Aevitas Creative Management


Natalie Jerome has worked at Penguin Random House, Pan Macmillan, Bonnier Books and HarperCollins where she was Publisher for ten years. Specialising in Non-Fiction with a specific focus on entertainment and lifestyle, Natalie has commissioned and published books by a host of high profile names during her career including the multi-million copy-selling One Direction titles as well as books from Chris Evans, Alan Carr, George Best, Scarlett Moffatt, Gary Barlow, JLS, Little Mix, the ‘Victoria’ TV tie-in, Professor Steve Peters and Rochelle Humes. While at Bonnier Books, she launched new wellness imprint Lagom. She was described by the UK’s Bookseller magazine as a “brand publishing wizard” and in 2018 was included in its “Industry Top 100”.

What she is seeking: Natalie has a specific interest in commercial Non-Fiction across areas of health and wellness, food, current events, culture, music and entertainment as well as looking for vibrant new authors in children’s fiction.

How to submit: Follow instructions on the agency website HERE.

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Ms. Marina De Pass of The Soho Agency

Marina joined The Soho Agency in 2016, after working for several years in the editorial departments of Little, Brown and HarperCollins. She has a rare insight into the publishing industry – in addition to her agenting work, she is also a published author, and has studied creative writing at the Faber Academy.

What she is seeking: Marina loves commercial and book-club fiction in all its forms – from twisty, domestic psychological suspense to smart rom-coms and big, sweeping love stories – and is actively looking to take on clients in this area.

How to submit: Send your query to sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com along with the first three chapters or first thirty pages of your manuscript in word format, along with a synopsis.

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Mr. Justin Nash of Kate Nash Literary Agency

Justin has a BA in History and an MA in Medieval Studies from Birkbeck, University of London. He worked for a number of years as a teacher of History and Politics. Justin enjoyed teaching any period from the Middle Ages to the present day. He has edited and helped research new editions of two books on the Far East Prisoner of War experience in World War Two. Another book which Justin helped edit is a memoir about the life of a British family trapped in occupied France during the same period, written from the viewpoint of the youngest member of the family.

What he is seeking: Justin is looking for both grounded science fiction and SF of the far future. He loves historical fiction set in any period although Justin would particularly like to see detective fiction set in either earlier times, distant places or against the background of war. Action thrillers with complex lead characters, great settings and lots of action are welcome.

Justin is interested in standout non-fiction with a strong voice. He would be particularly interested to see history, popular science, politics and travel books that immerse the reader in either a place, culture or idea. Journalistic approaches that chronicle the author’s quest with the author present in the narrative are also welcome.

How to submit: Note: This agency prefers UK writers. To submit to the Kate Nash Literary Agency Ltd., please send a query to submissions@katenashlit.co.uk along with:

a brief cover letter with some information about yourself and how you came to write your booka sample chapter or chapters (a maximum of three chapters) from your worka synopsis including where you think your book sits in the market
For non-fiction the above can either be in the body of an email or in a Word document.

For fiction send a brief cover letter with some information about yourself and how you came to write your book, the first chapter of your work and a brief synopsis (maximum the length of one A4 page, preferably more succinct) in the body of an email.

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Ms. Jessica Woollard of David Higham Associates Ltd

Jessica joined David Higham Associates in 2016 having previously been a literary agent at The Marsh Agency and a Director at Toby Eady Associates, each for ten years.

She represents a diverse range of international literary fiction and narrative non-fiction. South East Asia, Japan, Africa and the Middle East are areas of particular interest. She’s long worked with memoir (is it the new novel). Jessica is looking for books that explore multiple genres; science, natural history, history, diversity, gender, landscape, cultural and current affairs and the way these subjects impact on our daily lives, poetic, awake, activist writing informed by an understanding of the environment. Jessica represents many prize winning authors and journalists including Rob Cowen, Stanley Donwood, Charles Foster, Jay Griffiths, Paul Kingsnorth, Emma Jane Kirby, Julia Lovell, Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris, Ben Myers, Fred Pearce, Merlin Sheldrake, Lola Shoneyin and Joshua Virasami.

How to submit: Please send a one-page synopsis that gives a full explanation of the plot, and the first three chapters or up to fifty pages (double spaced). Read submission details HERE.

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Ms. Natasha Fairweather of Rogers, Coleridge & White

Natasha Fairweather joined Rogers, Coleridge & White as a director in October 2016.  She began her career as a literary agent at Curtis Brown in 1989, returning to the profession when she joined AP Watt in 1999 after a seven-year hiatus spent living and working in Jerusalem and Moscow. More recently she was joint head of books at United Agents.

What she is seeking: She represents predominantly writers of non-fiction including journalists, politicians and historians and also a growing number of prize winning novelists. She also handles New York agent, Elyse Cheney’s, authors in the UK.

How to submit: Send your query to Matthewm@rctlitagency.com. For fiction, send the first three chapters or approximately the first fifty pages of the work to a natural break, and a brief synopsis. Non-fiction submissions should take the form of a proposal up to twenty pages in length explaining what the work is about and why you are best placed to write it.

4 New Agents Seeking Literary Fiction, Memoir, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Nonfiction and more

Here are four new agents seeking writers. Daniella Cohen is most interested in literary fiction, narrative memoir, and psychological thriller. She also loves poetry—particularly anthologies that center on feminism and religion. Evan Brown is looking for literary fiction, historical fiction, Fantasy, science fiction, sports history and memoir. Pam Gruber is seeking adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction with literary voices and commercial hooks. She is particularly interested in layered fantasy, speculative fiction, fantastical realism, rom-coms, and coming-of-age stories with a twist. She is also open to middle grade and YA graphic novels, as well as select narrative non-fiction on lesser-known subjects. Hannah VanVels represents YA, Middle Grade and Picture Books.


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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Pam Gruber of Irene Goodman

Pam Gruber began her career in publishing as an editor, working for over ten years at Hachette Book Group with a number of acclaimed authors and illustrators. From there, she went on to serve as the Editorial Director at children’s media startup Rebel Girls, where she saw first-hand how a great book can expand into other entertainment mediums.

Pam joined Irene Goodman in 2020 after she realized her favorite part of the publishing business was working directly with authors and artists, helping them to shape not only their stories, but also their careers. She looks for work that is gripping from page one, whether it makes her break out in a smile or gives her goosebumps (from excitement, not fear!). She loves complicated female protagonists, innovative twists on old tropes, and getting swept away by fully realized worlds—be they portraits of the next town over or an imagined universe unlike our own.

What she is seeking: Pam is looking for adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction with literary voices and commercial hooks. She is particularly interested in layered fantasy, speculative fiction, fantastical realism, rom-coms, and coming-of-age stories with a twist. She is also open to middle grade and YA graphic novels, as well as select narrative non-fiction on lesser-known subjects. Pam would not be the best fit for prescriptive non-fiction, anthologies, potty humor, paranormal, or erotica.

How to submit: Please include a query letter and the first ten sample pages of your manuscript in the body of your email to pam.queries@irenegoodman.com

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Ms. Daniella Cohen of Aevitas Creative Management

Daniella Cohen holds a BA in English and Creative Writing from Yale University and has published creative work in numerous school publications. She joined Aevitas in 2020, after interning with Folio Literary Management’s editorial and audio rights departments.

What she is seeking: Based in New York, Daniella is most interested in literary fiction, narrative memoir, and psychological thriller. She also loves poetry—particularly anthologies that center on feminism and religion.

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

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Evan Brown of Transatlantic Literary Agency

Evan Brown is an Associate Agent and Records Clerk at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Evan has been in publishing since 2012. Prior to joining Transatlantic in April 2019 he worked at a major trade publisher based in Toronto as a marketing specialist for adult and YA novels, including multiple New York Times bestsellers across a wide range of genres; as an acquisitions committee reader; and in online rights, helping authors combat digital piracy and plagiarism. He has experience copyediting, proofreading and freelance editing.

What he is seeking: Evan is currently developing his list and is looking for submissions in the following genres: Literary fiction, featuring unique voices, intriguing characters, writing ranging from real to the surreal, and stories that ponder big questions – even when narrow in scope. Historical fiction, literary rather than genre, featuring epic settings, multi-generational legacies, and compelling character drama. Fantasy fiction, written for adult readers, meaning mature themes more than mature content, laced with intricate lore, tangled politics, and relatable motivations. Science fiction, set in unique and evocative locations, challenging elements of contemporary society through a futuristic lens or alternative reality. Sports history and memoir, ideally narrative driven and reflecting to some extent on bigger issues or the wider world beyond sports.

How to submit: Please send a short biography, synopsis, and 20-page sample in Word or PDF to evan@transatlanticagency.com. Replies will be sent only for submissions being actively considered.

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Hannah VanVels of Belcastro Agency

Hannah’s life is consumed by all things bookish, and when she’s not working on books, she can usually be found curled up with a good cup of coffee or a glass of wine. She earned her BA at the University of Michigan and holds MA degrees from Tel Aviv University and the University of Chicago. In addition to agenting, Hannah owns a freelance editing business. Hannah has worked various bookish jobs including a stint as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, a freelance editor for scholarly and academic essays and journals, and most recently as the acquiring editor at a young adult imprint with HarperCollins Publishing. Hannah loves working closely with authors and coming alongside them to make their vision come to life on page. She lives in West Michigan with her partner, two German Shepherds, and two cats.

What she is seeking: YA, Middle Grade and Picture Books. "I’m actively building an inclusive list with a variety of voices and genres. I love working with #OwnVoices authors, and I’m looking for voices from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, regardless of genre."

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.