Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 34

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.

42 Calls for Submissions in June 2020 - Paying markets

Needpix There are nearly four dozen calls for submissions in June. 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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Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Poetry and fiction on theme of Lazy, Hazy, Crazy. Payment: $20 for featured author stories; $10 for stories published on &More page $5 for poems. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Eerie River: It Calls from the Sky. Genre: Horror. "Send me your stories of lights in the sky, a storm that brings with it more than rain, comets that crash, aliens that secretly invade, or a wishing star that is hell-bent on revenge. The stories themselves do not have to take place in the sky, but the evil bad does need to come from it in some way or form." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Eternal Haunted Summer: Holy Days. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, essays about Holy Days.  Payment: $5. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

The Bare Life Review: The Climate Issue. Restrictions: Open to immigrant and refugee authors, including foreign-born authors living in the US, and writers living abroad who currently hold refugee and/or asylum-seeker status. Also, for this issue, anyone who has been displaced by climate change. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $100 - $300. $750 for accepted full-length prose pieces. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark, eerie, speculative stories. Payment: $10. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Fly on the Wall Press: Food. Genre: Poetry (up to 3 poems), flash fiction, short stories, book reviews, and artwork on the theme of Food theme. “I’m looking for personal connections with food. Cooking can be a delicate art. Sitting down at a family meal can be painful, explosive, a treasured moment; a special kind of chaotic seasonal holiday! What foods do we worship with in places of worship? What foods do we love with; give as gifts, bake with care?  Taste memory can be extremely evocative.  What kind of foods define us? What if a lack of food defines us?” Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Speculative City. Genre: Afrofuturist fiction, poetry, and essays written by authors who are specifically of Black and/or African descent. They seek speculative works that are centered within a cityscape. Payment: $20-$55. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Contrary. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

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

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

Occult Detective Magazine. Genre: Mystery short stories, nonfiction, art. "We love both old-style and modern, cutting edge weird fiction, and we love folk horror; we embrace unashamed arcane adventure, and we also draw gritty noir mysteries into our domain. At the heart of all these tales are the occult detectives." Payment: $0.01/word (up to $50, up to $30 for nonfiction). Deadline: June 5, 2020.

Bronzeville Books:Rigor Morbid 2. Genre: Horror. “A collection of horror tales for Halloween.” Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: June 6, 2020.

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

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

Mslexia. Genre: Poems and stories on theme of WILDLIFE. "We’re inviting submissions on all creatures great and small. Whether it’s a mosquito or marmoset, a flea or a ferret, we’re itching to read your zoological creations." Payment: £25. Deadline: June 8, 2020.

Hippocampus Magazine: Road and Corner Anthology. Genre: Creative nonfiction about Roads and Corners. ROAD: "We're looking for (true) road trip stories of up to 5,000 words for this essay collection. While Route 66 and other now desolate U.S. highways immediately come to mind when thinking of road trips, we are certainly interested in stories from around the globe. What we are most looking for are stories with strong characters and an arc that take place in a mobile setting." CORNER: "For this essay collection, we're looking for stories of all kinds that are set in or revolve around a corner bar/dive bar (or small pub or tavern). Like for the ROAD collection, we're seeking stories up to 5,000 words with strong characters and and arc. We're open to stories that explore aspects of these establishments: we know it was not always fun and games." Payment: $50. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Eye to the Telescope: The Sex Issue. Genre: Speculative poetry. "Sexual themes can be erotic, funny, silly, serious, heart-pounding, and heart-breaking, and perhaps doubly so when viewed through a science-fiction, fantasy, and horror lens." Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication.Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Zombie Pirate: Full Metal Horror. Genre: Sci horror, cosmic horror, and bizzaro horror. Payment: $10. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Colp: Treasure. Genre: Short fiction, all genres. "For this collection, we would like your stories that feature a treasure, whether they be buried treasure, cultural treasures or any other interpretation of the word." Payment: AU$5.00 for stories under 2500 words / AU$10.00 for anything above 2500 words. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

CRICKET: Best Friends Forever? (ages 9–14) Genre: Contemporary and historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy, folk tales, myths and legends, and poetry touching on the theme of friendship. Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Spider Magazine:Wordplay (ages 6 - 9). Genre: Word games, language activities, riddles, puzzles, and more. Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Spider Magazine: Get a Move On! (ages 6 - 9). Genre: Stories, poems, nonfiction, and activities on the theme of movement and activity, from the great outdoors to the basketball court behind school. "We’re interested in the excitement, challenge, and joy of getting up, out, and moving!" Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Ladybug: Making Make Believe (ages 3 - 6). Genre: Short stories, poetry, rebus stories, and songs to fuel the young child’s imagination. "We’re interested in work with an imaginative or magical twist, whether it’s a contemporary story of children at play, a gentle fantasy, a retelling of a folk or fairy tale, or an exaggerated story told by a narrator who might not be entirely reliable. LADYBUG accepts fiction up to 800 words (shorter work is fine) and poetry up to 20 lines. For our young audience, we are looking for lively writing that begs to be read aloud, as well as playfulness, humor, and lyricism." Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Ladybug: My Family (ages 3 - 6). Genre: Short stories, nonfiction, poetry, rebus stories, and songs about family life. "Send us stories about the personal or cultural traditions that make each family special: celebrating holidays, passing down jokes and stories, annual scavenger hunts, favorite trips, and more. Whether funny or heartfelt, we’re interested in stories about the routines and rhythms that give young children a sense of belonging. LADYBUG accepts fiction up to 800 words, nonfiction up to 400 words, and poetry up to 20 lines." Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word.  Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Babybug: Beep-Beep, Vroom-Vroom! (for babies and toddlers). Genre: Poetry, action rhymes, finger plays, and simple stories about all kinds of vehicles. "For inspiration, you might think of little ones who are fascinated with construction sites or sailboat-filled harbors, or those who love watching bicycles, trains, buses, and garbage trucks. Please keep manuscripts short; poems can be up to eight lines and stories up to six sentences. When we read submissions, we are especially interested in rhythmic writing that babies and toddlers will want to hear again and again." Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Babybug: Breezy Summer. (for babies and toddlers). Genre: Poetry, action rhymes, finger plays, and very short stories that celebrate summertime. "Your work might explore sunny outings to the park or beach, the season’s special games, sights, and sounds, or some other interesting aspect of summer. We’re looking for playful writing that the very young will want to hear again and again. Please be concise; poems can be up to eight lines and stories up to six sentences." Payment: Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and CNF. Must be "compressed" in some way. Payment: $50. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

The Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 per nonfiction piece, $50 fiction, $15 per poem. Deadline: June 25, 2020.
Midnight and Indigo. Genre: Character-driven, speculative short stories written by Black women writers. Payment: $50 - $75. Deadline: June 28, 2020.

Dragon Soul Press: Lethal Impact. Genre: Speculative fiction. "In this post-apocalyptic anthology, nothing matters except survival. In a world full of humans pitted against each other, how can there be anyone left to trust?" Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Deadite Press. Genre: Extreme horror and splatterpunk. Length: 20,000 to 100,000 words. Payment: 50% royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2020. No simultaneous submissions.

Jolly Horror Press: Coffin Blossoms. Genre: Horror.Your story must include elements of both horror and comedy. "We wanna chuckle when we read it, in between sh*tting our pants." Payment: $25. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Downstate Story. Genre: Short stories. Payment: $50. Deadline: June 30, 2020. Snail mail only.
Eraserhead Press. Genre: Bizarro fiction novels and novellas. "We want surprising, unique, well-crafted weird stories with compelling plots, eccentric characters, and never-before-seen concepts." Length: 20,000 - 100,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2020.
Ruminate. Genre: All styles of creative nonfiction—essays, short memoirs, literary journalism, etc—only requiring that it be in prose form (no line breaks). Payment: $20 per 400 words. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Muskeg Press Genre: Short stories, up to 5,000 words. "In 1348, the Black Plague hit Florence, Italy, and it would kill tens of thousands of the city's residents by the time the pandemic was over in 1351. Among those who lived in Florence at the time was Giovanni Boccacio, who would become famous for writing The Decameron. We're now living through a similar moment in time, as we each do our part in fighting the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. At Muskeg Press, we look back and admire the attitude of Boccacio, who, in the midst of a terrible pestilence, wrote a great work of art that survives to the present day." Payment: $350. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

The Threepenny Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $400 per story or article, $200 per poem or Table Talk piece. Deadline: June 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: June 30, 2020.

Allegory. Genre: Speculative fiction and nonfiction about the business of writing. Payment: $15.  Deadline: June 30, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Quommunicate Publishing: Even More Queer Families: LGBTQ+ True Stories Anthology. Genre: Short personal memoirs in prose, poetry and dramatic form up to 3,500 words on the theme of family from an LGBTQ+ perspective. Payment: $5/page. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Serendipity. Genre: Poetry, prose, and art that engages with issues of race, gender, sexuality, class, ability, and intersecting identities. "LGBTQ BIPOC are strongly encouraged to submit. Please do not submit if you do not identify as BIPOC." Payment: $15. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

And Lately, The Sun. Genre: Short stories about climate change. Payment: AUD$80; one story will receive an editor’s pick payment of AUD$500. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

MORE...

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.

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.

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: 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.

48 Writing Contests in June 2020 - No entry fees

Pxhere This June there are four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $50,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

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

Good luck!


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Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest. Restrictions: Canadian high school, college, and graduate students. Genre: Short essay on "The Ideas of Milton Friedman: Exploring the Connections between Economic Freedom and other Freedoms or Aspects of the Human Condition." Prize: CAD$1,500 in each age category. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

International Human Rights Art Festival: Creators of Justice Literary Award. Genre: poetry, short stories and essays which use the written word to celebrate justice. Prize: First Prize: $150; Second Prize: $100; Third Prize: $50. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Hiett Prize in the Humanities. The Hiett Prize in the Humanities is an annual award aimed at identifying candidates who are in the early stages of careers devoted to the humanities and whose work shows extraordinary promise and has a significant public component related to contemporary culture. Restrictions: All applicants must reside in the United States. Prize: $50,000. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

The PEN/Heim Translation Fund. Genre: Book-length works of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama in translation. Beginning in 2017, under the administering of the PEN/Heim Translation Fund, PEN will also offer the PEN Grant for the English Translation of Italian Literature. From the pool of annual submissions, judges for the PEN/Heim Translation Fund will select one project of narrative prose that has been translated into English from the Italian to receive this award, which will come with a $5,000 prize. Prize: $2000 - $4000. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets. Restrictions: Open to poets aged 18-23. Genre: Poetry. Prize:  $100 and publication in the Atlanta Review. Deadline: June 1, 2020.  

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Only undergraduates enrolled full time in United States and Canadian universities and colleges for the academic year 2017-18 are eligible. "This Prize has traditionally encouraged submissions from students with an Asian background, but we urge all students to enter." Genre: Fiction of no more than 7,500 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: June 1, 2020.  

Baltimore Science Fiction Society Amateur Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Maryland residents or students at a MD 2- or 4-year college, and not a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America or published in a professional science fiction/fantasy magazine Genre: Science fiction short stories. Prize: 1st place is $250; 2nd place is $100; 3rd place is $50. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction. Sponsored by the American Bar Association. Restrictions: Entrants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Genre: Original works of short fiction that illuminate the role of the law and/or lawyers in modern society. 5000 words max. Prize: $3,000 and publication in ABA Journal. Deadline: June 1, 2020.

Writing for Peace. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 13-19. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. "Writing for Peace challenges young writers to expand their empathy skills by researching an unfamiliar culture and writing from the point-of-view of a character within that new world, while exploring social, political, and environmental pressures, and universal themes." Prize: $200.  Deadline: June 1, 2020

The Mother of All Contests. Genre: Flash fiction about motherhood (29 words max). Prize: Free Gotham 10-week workshop. Deadline: June 2, 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: June 2, 2020.

Icelandic Festival of Manitoba Poetry & Short Stories Contest. Genre: Poetry and short stories. Length; 1200 words max. Prize: $50 - $125. "You do not need to be of Icelandic descent to submit an entry however material reflecting Icelandic culture and interests will be given preference." Deadline: June 3, 2020.

Literary Taxidermy. Genre: Short story, must begin and end with lines from one of three chosen novels. Prize: Up to $1500 and publication. Deadline: June 4, 2020. Note: There is a voluntary $10 fee. Entrants are encouraged to pay the fee, but the fee will be waived in the case of financial hardship.

Neltje Blanchan/Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Awards. Restrictions: Wyoming writers. Genres: The Frank Nelson Doubleday Award is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a woman writer. The Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world. Prize: $1,000.00. Deadline: June 4, 2020.

The Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. Sponsored by Sisters in Crime. Restrictions: Open to emerging writers of color. An unpublished writer is preferred, although publication of one work of short fiction or academic work will not disqualify an applicant. Prize: $1,500. Deadline: June 8, 2020.

Sapiens Plurum. Genre: Short stories that personalize the consequences of climate change so readers feel as well as know them. But stories must offer hope, at least a possibility, for without hope people rarely act. This year, the contest asks brilliant imaginers such as you "Can you rewrite our children's history?" Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300. Deadline: June 9, 2020.

Young Lions Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to US citizens 35 years of age or younger. Genre: Novel or a collection of short stories. Each year, five young fiction writers are selected as finalists by a reading committee of Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians. Submissions by publisher only. Authors may not submit their own work. Prize: $10,000.00. Deadline: June 11, 2020.

Cave Canem Northwestern University Press Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to black poets of African descent who have had no more than one full-length book of poetry published by a professional press. Genre: Poetry book. Prize: $1000. Deadline: June 12, 2020.

Eden Mills Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Canadian teens. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Two $50 prizes, 2 $25 prizes. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Christopher Hewitt Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF, drama. "The award showcases outstanding responses to the AIDS pandemic and the realities of individuals living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Prize: $75 in each category. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

American-Scandinavian Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: English translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose originally written in Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, or Swedish by a Scandinavian author born after 1800. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Norton Writer's Prize. Sponsored by W.W. Norton & Company. "The Norton Writer’s Prize will be awarded annually for an outstanding essay written by an undergraduate. Literacy narratives, literary and other textual analyses, reports, profiles, evaluations, arguments, memoirs, proposals, mixed-genre pieces, and more: any excellent writing done for an undergraduate writing class will be considered." Genres: Creative Nonfiction, Scholarly Essay. Prize: $1,500. Two runner-up prizes of $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Fred Otto Prize for Oz Fiction/Warren Hollister Prize for Oz Nonfiction. Genre: Short Fiction, Art & Creative Nonfiction. All work must be related to the world of Oz. Prize: $100 in each genre. 2nd Prize $50 in each genre. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Vermont Studio Center – Full Fellowship Awards. The Vermont Studio Center offers 54 fellowships; open to anyone in the world. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Bard Fiction Prize. Genre: Published fiction book. Prize: $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People. Restrictions: Open to people 25 years of age or less. Genre: Essay (max 700 words). Theme: “A Letter from Myself in 2030.” Prize: 1st US$840, 2nd US$420. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Towson University Prize for Literature. Restrictions: Open to Maryland writers. Genre: Book-length manuscript of fiction, poetry, drama or imaginative non-fiction. The work must have been published within the three years prior to the year of nomination or must be scheduled for publication within the year in which nominated. Self-published works will not be considered. Prize: $1,000.  Deadline: June 15, 2020.(?) See nomination form HERE.

Ocean Awareness Youth Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in grades 6 - 12. Genre: Art, poetry, prose, film. "Theme | Climate Hope: Transforming Crisis." Prizes: $100 - $1,500. Deadline: June 15, 2020.

Solid Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genre: Essay (See site for topics.) Minimum number of words is 600 and maximum is 800. Prize: Scholarship of $1000. Deadline: June 18, 2020.

Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to writers who have lived in the state of Maine for at least one year. Genre: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: June 18, 2020.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: Books published between May 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019 must be received on or before June 19, 2020.

Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing. Genre: Editorial writing. The Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship was established to enable a mid-career editorial writer or columnist to have time away from daily responsibilities for study and research. Freelancers may also apply. Fellowship:  $75,000. Deadline: June 20, 2020.

A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest. Theme: Quarantine. Length: 1,000 words minimum; 5,000 words maximum. Prize: $35 - $50 Amazon gift card. Deadline: June 21, 2020.

African American Voices in Children's Literature Contest. Restrictions: The award is open to writers of African American heritage who are residents of Minnesota and at the time of entry are at least 18 years of age and residing in Minnesota. Genre: Fiction or nonfiction board books for ages 0-4 (50-125 words) and picture books for ages 4-8 (300-800 words) featuring contemporary African American characters and culture and focusing on one or more of the following topics: character development, self-esteem, diversity, getting along with others, engaging with family and community, or other topics related to positive childhood development. Deadline: June 22, 2020.

Great Lakes Colleges New Writers Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans and Canadians.   Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. In each category, the submitted work must be an author’s first published volume. Prize: $500. Deadline: June 25, 2020.

Linda Flowers Literary Award. Restrictions: Entrants must live in North Carolina. "The North Carolina Humanities Council invites original, unpublished entries of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry for the Linda Flowers Literary Award. Submissions should detail examinations of intimate, provocative, and inspiring portraiture of North Carolina, its people and cultures, bringing to light real men and women having to make their way in the face of change, loss, triumph, and disappointments." Prize: $1,500. Deadline: June 25, 2020.

Angela Poetry Magazine - The Lighthearted Poetry Contest #2. Genre: Lighthearted Poetry. Prize: Publication, royalties. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize is awarded to the author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year. Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format. Prize: $1000. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $750 in any single year. Genre: Biographical Nonfiction. Stories must be between 1000--10,000 words in length. Prize: First prize in each category will be $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Louise Meriwether First Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to fiction and narrative nonfiction by women of color and nonbinary writers of color who are US residents. Genres: First book of fiction, including novels and short story collections, or narrative memoir, of 50,000 to 80,000 words. Prize: $5,000 and a publishing contract from the Feminist Press. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies (or 5,000 hits for online publication). Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror. 17,000 words max. Prize: $1,000 1st Prize awarded each quarter; one of those winners also receives the $5,000 annual "Golden Pen Award" grand prize. 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Letheon. Genre: Poetry related to the perioperative setting. "Are you a medical professional or related to one? Perhaps you have been anesthetized recently, or you are overly acquainted with the waiting room. If you are connected to the world of anesthesia, we encourage you to share your experience with us." Prize: $500. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Restrictions: The award is open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. Online and self-publication does not count toward this requirement. Genre: A manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Prize: $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Utah Division of Arts and Museums Original Writing Competition. Restrictions: Utah writers. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $1,000 top prizes for book-length manuscripts of novels, creative nonfiction & history, collection of poetry or short stories, and juvenile book; $300 top prizes for individual poems, short stories, and personal essays. 2nd Prize $500 for the book-length categories, $150 for poetry. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

Blue Mountain Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poetry. "Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better. We suggest that you write about real emotions and feelings and that you have some special person or occasion in mind as you write." Prize: First prize $300. Second prize $150. Third prize $30. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Contest. Restrictions: The competition is open to all citizens and residents of the Commonwealth aged 18 and under. Genre: Essay. The theme of the contest is "A Connected Commonwealth." Prize: Past prizes have included certificates, resources for winner's school, visits to Cambridge University, a trip to London and a week of activities, work experience at international organisations, and having your entry featured in worldwide media. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

25 Writing Conferences in June 2020

Needpix Summertime is for writing conferences. In spite of the pandemic, quite a few are still being held live, while others have moved to an online format.

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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Odyssey Writing Workshop. June 1 - July 10, 2020: Manchester, NH. Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Top authors, editors and agents serve as guests, and 59% of graduates go on to professional publication.

Tinker Mountain Writers’ Workshop. June 7 - 12, 2020: Roanoke, Virginia. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, individual conferences with faculty members, and readings. Will be held online.

Naropa Summer Writing Program. June 7 - June 27, 2020: Boulder, CO. This is the 45th Summer Writing Program of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University.  Rescheduled for 2021.

Interlochen Writer’s Retreat. June 7 - 11, 2020: Interlochen, Michigan. Moving to an online format in 2020, the 15th Annual Writers Retreat offers a choice of four courses, each grounded in different craft concepts, across genres, with an emphasis on generating new work, and appealing to advanced and beginning writers alike. Spend four days studying the craft concept of your choice —breaking rules, humor, fiction incubator, or writing for troubled times— and write new material across an array of genres, or apply new knowledge to your existing drafts. Gain skills in the virtual classroom and write independently during "off" hours or collectively (in silence) during virtual livewriting sessions. Attend provocative presentations by the faculty, as well as readings by faculty and participants. Will be held online.

Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers. June 8 - 12, 2020: Sandy, Utah. Offers one-, two-, three- and five-day workshops. Morning workshops devoted to individual work; afternoon talks on market, craft, publication; chats w/ editors and agents; keynote; book signing. For those interested, specialized workshops--Boot Camp and Full-Novel classes. Single day programs as well. Will be held online.

Bread Loaf Translators' Conference. June 10 - 16, 2020: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Translators’ Conference includes workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as lectures, craft classes, meetings with editors and agents, and readings by faculty and guests. Application deadline: March 1, 2020. Canceled for 2020.

West Virginia Writers Conference. June 12 - 14, 2020: Ripley, West Virginia. Author readings, contests and sharing your love of writing with others. Canceled for 2020.

Algonkian Writer Conference–New York City Pitch. June 18 - 21, 2020: Ripley-Grier Studios in New York City. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals.

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. June 18 - 28, 2020: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Poetry at the Frost Farm. June 19 - 21, 2020:  Derry, New Hampshire. The retreat offers workshops, readings, and one-on-one consultations for formalist poets. "Join a small community of people at the historic Robert Frost Farm learning, reading and writing formal poetry with contemporary award-winning poets. Choose your focus from a series of offerings designed to provide tools for beginning poets as well as perfect the mastery of published poets." Canceled for 2020.

Get Published Conference. June 20, 2020: Bozeman, Montana. This conference is devoted to book writing, marketing and getting published. Faculty includes experienced writers who share their methods for planning, writing and finishing their books, along with practical marketing and promotional information.

Community of Writers at Squaw Valley: Poetry Workshop. June 20 - June 27, 2020: Olympic Valley, California. "We work together to create an atmosphere in which everyone might feel free to try anything. In the mornings we meet in workshops to read to each other the work of the previous twenty-four hours; each participant also has an opportunity to work with each staff poet. In the late afternoons we gather for a conversation about some aspect of craft. On several afternoons staff poets hold brief individual conferences." Registration deadline: April 15, 2020. Will be held online.

Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. June 21 – 26, 2020: The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. This program is for writers who want to learn how to write an Orion essay, short story, or poem; for writers who seek to become better advocates for the environment through their writing; for poets who are drawn to writing about nature and culture; for teachers and scholars who wish to write for a more general readership; and for environmental professionals who want to bring better writing skills to bear on their work. The program will feature small writing workshops dedicated to poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as faculty readings and lectures, student readings, and presentations on publishing. Canceled for 2020.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Novel Writers Workshop. June 21 - July 3, 2020, University of Kansas, Kansas. "In conjunction with the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction, Kij Johnson teaches a two-week intensive master class on writing novels. This workshop is for those interested in the art and craft of writing a speculative novel. Our primary focus is on structure and the perils and pitfalls unique to novel-length projects. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have been presented with the tools necessary to create a novel, starting from the first idea generation, to brainstorming, to organization, to the actual writing." Will be held online.

Clarion West Speculative Fiction Writers Workshop. June 21 - July 31, 2020: Seattle, Washington. "Every summer, Clarion West holds an intensive six-week workshop in Seattle’s University District, geared to help you prepare for a professional career as a writer of speculative fiction. Each workshop is limited to 18 students, and each week features a different instructor, a highly regarded author or editor offering their unique perspective on the field. Short fiction is the workshop’s focus, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Come prepared to write several new stories, to experiment and take artistic risks, and to give and receive constructive criticism. FULL

Aspen Summer Words. June 22 - 26, 2020: Aspen, Colorado. Workshops, panels, and readings in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as opportunities to meet with agents and editors. "Aspen Summer Words is the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Recognized as one of the country’s pre-eminent literary conferences, Summer Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week each June. The exceptional faculty and awe-inspiring mountain scenery combine to make this a writing retreat like no other." Will be held online.

Manhattanville College Summer Writers' Week. June 22 - 26, 2020: Purchase, New York. Each day begins with a workshop, then afternoons feature craft panels and events. Evenings feature faculty readings and a keynote reader, and these evening readings are free and open to the public. For an immersive experience, housing is available on campus for workshop participants.

Stonecoast Writers’ Conference. June 22 - 27, 2020, Portland, ME. Workshops in poetry, short fiction, novel, and nonfiction/memoir, and a mixed-genre Creative Writing Bootcamp. The Stonecoast Writers’ Conference is open to students of all experience levels. However, admission is selective. Writing sample and deposit required. Canceled for 2020.

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference. June 22 - 27, 2020: Bemidji, Minnesota. Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Publishing. Faculty: The faculty includes Elizabeth Bradfield (Poetry), Brenda Shaughnessy (Poetry), Alison Hawthorne Deming (Creative Nonfiction), Meera Subramanian (Creative Nonfiction), and Scott Russell Sanders (Fiction). And the award-winning and acclaimed author Robin Wall Kimmerer will be the Distinguished Visiting Writer. The online conference fee is $465, a reduction of $230 from the regular early bird price. Will be held online.

Chuckanut Writers Conference. June 22 - 27, 2020: Bellingham, Washington. Writers conference that includes speakers, panels, breakout sessions, authors' readings, reception with authors, pitch sessions with literary agents, book signings, open mic for attendees. Autobiography/Memoir, Children's, Fiction, Nature, Non-fiction, Poetry, Publishing. Will be held online.

Fordham University Retreat. June 24 - 28, 2020, New York City. "In order to help mentor the next generation of Asian American writers, Kundiman sponsors an annual Retreat in partnership with Fordham University. During the Retreat, nationally renowned Asian American poets and writers conduct Master Classes and manuscript consultations with fellows. Readings, writing circles and informal social gatherings are also scheduled. Through this Retreat, Kundiman hopes to provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging Asian American writers." Application Deadline: January 15th, 2020.

The Algonkian Writer Retreat and Novel Workshop, June 24 - 28, 2020: Algonkian Park, Virginia. "You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?"

DRC Conference Faculty & Workshops. June 25 - 27, 2020: Davenport, Iowa. Daily workshops, critiques, pitches, evening events, keynote. With five three-day workshops, book pitches with a publisher and an agent, author luncheon, concluding luncheon, free evening faculty reading and keynote address, there’s something for everyone!

The Writers’ League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference. June 26 – June 28, 2020: Austin, Tex. The conference features panel discussions, lectures, pitch sessions, receptions, and one-on-one consultations with agents and editors. PParticipating agents include Ian Bonaparte (Janklow & Nesbit), Jamie Carr (Book Group), Rebecca Gradinger (Fletcher & Company), Robert Guinsler (Sterling Lord Literistic), Sandy Lu (L. Perkins Agency), Duvall Osteen (Aragi, Inc.), and John Rudolph (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret). The cost of the conference is $469 for Writers’ League members and $529 for non-members. Lodging is available at the conference hotel for discounted rates. Admissions are rolling through June 24.

Chicago Writing Workshop. June 27, 2020: Chicago, IL. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, June 29, 2019, at the historic Congress Plaza Hotel, just south of the downtown area. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers  of all genres are welcome." Features over two dozen attending agents.

Pandemic Writing Wanted - Paying markets

John William Waterhouse - The Decameron The COVID-19 pandemic is no match for writers! Literary magazines have stepped up and spawned a whole new genre - lockdown writing. How isolation affects people is varied and often unpredictable. People can become more gregarious, sympathetic and communicative, or they can drift toward the opposite side of the spectrum, becoming suspicious, angry and hostile. In all cases, the experience of isolation is disorienting.

These journals are looking for artistic, personal, and even humorous writing about life during the pandemic. All are paying markets, and none charge submission fees.

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Critical Read

"As we all adjust to life indoors, isolated from the world, we grow more aware of what gives our lives meaning. Art remains inseparable from our lives. Art is perhaps even more urgent in this time, as we turn to the people and places most important to us in order to find a sense of normalcy and safety. Critical Read is seeking 300-word personal essays about a particular work of art—be it a work of visual art, performing art, or literature—you are turning to in these uncertain times."

Payment: $25

Deadline: May 19, 2020

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Appalachia

"Those who read and write for Appalachia journal find their true selves in the backcountry and wilderness areas around the world—but especially in the Northeast. And within the Northeast, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and wild areas of Maine especially call to us.

Appalachia journal is looking for thoughtful essays in the range of 1,000 to 2,000 words on the COVID-19 pandemic. What has getting onto trails and cliffs and hills meant during this terrifying period? Do you see mountains more as life itself and less as recreation now? What is it like going to the backcountry and finding that facilities are closed, people must stay away from each other?"

Payment: Not specified. "We do our best."

Deadline: May 20, 2020.

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Muskeg Press

"In 1348, the Black Plague hit Florence, Italy, and it would kill tens of thousands of the city's residents by the time the pandemic was over in 1351. Among those who lived in Florence at the time was Giovanni Boccacio, who would become famous for writing The Decameron. The Decameron's main narrative tells the tale of seven young women and three young men who escape the plague by travelling to a countryside villa. There, they each tell one story each night for ten nights. They told stories of love, of lust, greed, of the fickleness of fortune, of the power of the human will.

We're now living through a similar moment in time, as we each do our part in fighting the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. At Muskeg Press, we look back and admire the attitude of Boccacio, who, in the midst of a terrible pestilence, wrote a great work of art that survives to the present day.

With that in mind, we are putting out a CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for any author out there who would like to spend this time in self-isolation to write a story for a forthcoming publication of Muskeg Press. We'll select 10 stories from all the submissions, and publish them in a book around Christmastime of 2020."

Length: Up to 5,000 words.

Payment: $100. Deadline June 30, 2020.

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Funny Women Surviving Coronavirus Lockdown by Laughing Through It


You’ve laughed. You’ve cried. You’ve stopped wearing a bra and started day-drinking. Now’s the time to start writing. The Syndrome Mag is curating a book of funny essays about how women across the world are coping with quarantine, social distancing, teleworking and all the other changes we face because of the COVID-19 crisis. We are looking for hysterical first-person stories and lists on specific issues from a women’s perspective. 

Payment: $20 for each essay (800-1200 words) accepted into the book.

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Pandemic Publications

This Canadian project has a mandate to "provide relief for multi-disciplinary artists through modest bursaries, while showcasing original and thought-provoking work from a diversity of voices." They are currently seeking writing loosely based around the following three themes: All things considered; On doing nothing; When this is all over. They have particular fondness for positive or darkly comedic writing.

Payment: $120 CAD for fiction and non-fiction; $50 CAD per poem; $150 CAD for photography and illustrations.

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Plenitude

Plenitude Magazine is Canada's only queer literary magazine. They are currently seeking poetry and prose from Canadian LGBTQ2S+ writers for their “Queer Isolation in a Pandemic” call.

Payment: $35 CAD per poem and $80 CAD per prose contribution (including book reviews and articles).

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Rattle

Poets Respond is a call for poetry written within the last week about a public event that occurred within the last week. "Our only criterion for selection is the quality of the poem; all opinions and reactions are welcome."

Payment: $100

6 UK Agents Seeking Fantasy, Science Fiction, Children’s, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction and more

Here are six UK agents expanding their client lists. Stevie Finegan is seeking Fantasy, Science Fiction, Children’s, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction. Sara O'Keeffe has a particular passion for Irish writing. Harriet Moore represents literary fiction, narrative non–fiction, illustrated non–fiction and poetry. Robbie Guillory is looking for outstanding writing across a number of genres: stand-out commercial fiction, science fiction that focuses on communities and relationships whilst the galaxy looks after itself, crime and psychological thrillers with a difference, gripping historical dramas, and beautiful nonfiction with roots in the natural world. (Note: Robbie prefers UK writers.) Hilary Delamere represents a wide range of children’s book authors and illustrators from pre-school books to YA novels.

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. Stevie Finegan of Zeno Literary Agency

"I joined Zeno at the beginning of 2020 after time served working for science fiction and fantasy imprint Gollancz, adult non-fiction publisher Icon, and almost every Waterstones bookshop London has to offer. My degree specialised in children’s literature with a dissertation debating what Young Adult fiction actually is. All of the above strongly influenced the kind of books I get excited about, as well as broader narratives that explore stories connected with LGBTQIA+, BAME, disability,  mental health, and other marginalised experiences."

What she is seeking: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Children’s, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction.

How to submit: Send the first three chapters (or an equivalent segment of around 50 double-spaced pages), a synopsis, and a query letter.  The chapters should be sent in .doc, .docx or PDF format, in a legible font (no smaller than 12pt), double spaced, and with the pages numbered. Please put your name, email address, and a contact number on the title page. Send material to:  finegan@zenoagency.com

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Sara O'Keeffe of Aevitas Creative Management

Sara has come to Aevitas with twenty years’ experience in the world of publishing, having worked with a host of major brand names in fiction ranging from crime writer Minette Walters to bestselling women’s fiction author Elizabeth Buchan, Roman epic series writer Robert Fabbri and award-winning science fiction writer Chris Beckett. She was the UK editor for Kevin Kwan’s international bestseller, Crazy Rich Asians along with Robert Ludlum’s hugely successful Bourne series. She acquired and published the bestselling cult hit Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell which spent six weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

What she is seeking: Sara has a particular passion for Irish writing and has previously published rising stars in Irish fiction: Eithne Shortall, Catherine Ryan Howard and Rachel Donohue. She enjoys the process of working with authors on their ideas, honing their craft and turning their creativity and talent into commercial success. She is passionate about storytelling, with particular interest in genre and reading group fiction.

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

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Ms. Niamh O'Grady of The Soho Agency

Niamh joined the agency in 2015, having worked as a Waterstones bookseller in Manchester. She works closely with Mark Lucas and Alice Saunders on their client lists and also helps manage the agency’s speaking activity alongside Alice, providing talent for corporate and public sector live events – from literary festivals to tech conferences – around the world.

What she is seeking: Niamh is actively looking for accessible literary and reading-group fiction, and narrative non-fiction. She is drawn to books with heart and humor, thought-provoking writing and distinctive, compelling voices. She particularly loves novels that explore family and relationships and wants to read stories that leave an emotional impact, with characters that stay with her long after the final page. She is keen to find new Irish and Northern writing talent.

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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Ms. Harriet Moore of David Higham Associates Ltd

Harriet has worked at David Higham intermittently since 2006, when she spent a summer archiving Graham Greene’s contracts as part of her work experience here aged sixteen. She formally joined the agency in 2011 after graduating in English Literature from University College London.

Harriet represents literary fiction, narrative non–fiction, illustrated non–fiction and poetry, and collaborates with Lizzy Kremer on her list also. She is looking for writing which has atmosphere, ambition, style and flair with a particular interest in emotionally rigorous writers. She is drawn to the eerie and uncanny; voices which are sly, darkly jaunty and humorous; writing which is both intimate and political; and women thinking hard about other women. In non–fiction her areas of special interest are food, art and design—with an expertise in twentieth century writers and artists—and she is passionate about work which crosses disciplines, particularly the point at which memoir and biography meet.

Writers she admires include: Lydia Davis, Joy Williams, Rachel Cusk, Denise Riley, John Berger, MFK Fisher, Fleur Jaeggy, Jean Rhys, Natalia Ginzburg, Katherine Heiny, Elizabeth Strout, Claudia Rankine, Anne Carson, Jane Bowles.

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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Robbie Guillory of Kate Nash Literary Agency

Robbie grew up in North Norfolk and worked as a butler before moving to Glasgow in 2005 to study, obtaining a degree in Comparative Literature and Slavonics. After a brief foray in education, he embarked on a career in publishing, most recently for Saraband Books. In 2016 he was shortlisted for the Saltire Society’s Emerging Publisher of the Year Award.

What he is seeking: Robbie is looking for outstanding writing across a number of genres: stand-out commercial fiction, science fiction that focuses on communities and relationships whilst the galaxy looks after itself, crime and psychological thrillers with a difference, gripping historical dramas, and beautiful nonfiction with roots in the natural world.

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. Hilary Delamere of The Agency

Hilary joined Lemon Unna & Durbridge in the early 90s to look after the Paddington Bear titles and to build her own book list. She worked for several different publishing houses including Rights Director at Penguin Children’s Books before becoming an agent. She is now a partner at the Agency and continues to represent Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear.

What she is seeking:  Hilary represents a wide range of children’s book authors and illustrators from pre-school books to YA novels – handling their publishing deals alongside their film, TV and stage rights.

How to submit: Send a query letter, and attach a short synopsis and the first three chapters of a novel or the full picture book text (attached as a double-spaced Word document) and send to Hilary Delamere and Jessica Hare at hd-office@theagency.co.uk with ‘Children’s Book submission’ in the subject line.

4 New Agents Seeking Memoir, Short Story Collections, Literary and Commercial Fiction, Horror, Kidlit and more

Here are four new agents actively building their client lists. Siobhan McBride specializes in literary and commercial fiction—including mystery and crime, suspense, and psychological horror—and narrative nonfiction, including memoir. She is interested in reading about marginalized voices, strong females, gender issues (men and women), class divide, mental health issues, self-help and psychology, as well as dystopian themes and fantastic fiction. 

Sophie Pugh-Sellers is looking for both fiction and nonfiction projects, particularly innovative takes on classical narrative elements and stories told by radical new voices. Arlie Johansen is interested in literary fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, and feminist nonfiction. She particularly enjoys short story and essay collections, and both fiction and nonfiction that elevates traditionally underrepresented voices. Larissa Melo Pienkowski is seeking picture books, YA, speculative fiction, magical realism, memoir, narrative nonfiction, cookbooks, and poetry.

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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Siobhan McBride of Carnicelli Literary Management

Siobhan McBride, associate agent, joined CLM in 2020, after having held positions at Sobel Weber Associates and Serendipity Literary Agency and internships at W.W. Norton and Writers House. At Serendipity, she gained a thorough knowledge of young adult literature, nonfiction health, advice, and how-to, and mystery and crime fiction. At Sobel Weber, she built on her love of mystery, crime, and literary fiction and developed an interest in psychology and fantasy fiction, working with Southern crime fiction authors Tom Franklin and Brian Panowich, crime/science fiction author Dan Stout, and mystery writer Peter Swanson.

What she is seeking: Siobhan specializes in literary and commercial fiction—including mystery and crime, suspense, and psychological horror—and narrative nonfiction, including memoir. She is interested in reading about marginalized voices, strong females, gender issues (men and women), class divide, mental health issues, self-help and psychology, as well as dystopian themes and fantastic fiction. She especially loves finding stories that haunt her (physically/philosophically/spiritually) for weeks after reading.

How to submit: Please use the form HERE.

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Ms. Sophie Pugh-Sellers of The Gernert Company

Sophie joined The Gernert Company in 2019, and holds a BA in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Barnard College. Raised in Oakland, California and Charlottesville, Virginia, her literary palate is as eclectic and complex as her two hometowns. All of her favorite writing includes characters, language, and worlds so powerful that she misses them long after closing the book. She lives in Washington Heights.

What she is seeking: She is looking for both fiction and nonfiction projects, particularly innovative takes on classical narrative elements and stories told by radical new voices.

How to submit: Queries by e-mail should be directed to: info@thegernertco.com. Please indicate in your letter which agent you are querying.


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Arlie Johansen of Aevitas

Arlie Johansen graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a BA in English, and minors in Journalism and Creative Writing. She joined Aevitas in 2019, after attending the Columbia Publishing Course in 2017 and subsequently interning at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Soho Press, and the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.

What she is seeking: Arlie is interested in literary fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, and feminist nonfiction. She particularly enjoys short story and essay collections, and both fiction and nonfiction that elevates traditionally underrepresented voices.

How to submit: Use Arlie's form HERE.

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Larissa Melo Pienkowski of Jill Grinberg Literary Management

Larissa Melo Pienkowski grew up outside of Boston and attended Simmons University, where she earned her degree in Social Work and Sociology, performed poetry competitively and recreationally, and edited a number of literary magazines. Larissa later went on to receive her MA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College, where she worked with the likes of Beacon Press and Barefoot Books, before becoming the assistant publisher of a small indie press. She joined Jill Grinberg Literary Management in 2020 and is now working to build her list. The daughter of Brazilian and Polish immigrants, Larissa speaks Portuguese and Spanish and travels to experience as much of the world as possible—always with a good book in hand

What she is seeking: In fiction, she is looking for character-driven, idiosyncratic stories that center underrepresented voices; braided, multigenerational narratives that make her cry; powerful stories of migration, diaspora, and displacement; haunting, atmospheric speculative fiction and magical realism in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado’s Her Body and Other Parties and Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits, respectively; modern re-imaginings of mythology for adult and YA readers; quirky coming-of-age stories about identity and the gritty yet relatable parts of life; and well-researched historical fiction that immerses her in another world. She has a soft spot for novels that stretch the boundaries and limitations of genre.

On the non-fiction side, she is seeking emotionally searing memoirs from underrepresented perspectives; journalistic reporting that blends seamlessly with personal narrative; cookbooks that feature diverse cuisines; essay collections that chronicle contemporary life through the lens of social justice; niche cultural history and criticism; and radically transformative spiritual/self-help titles.

Larissa likes poetry that addresses contemporary themes while striking her in the heart. She is also open to funny, whimsical picture books in which children can see a reflection of themselves.

As an advocate for authors from marginalized communities, Larissa is especially interested in representing diverse voices and experiences across all genres.

How to submit: Please submit to info@ jillgrinbergliterary.com

Your email subject line should follow this general format: QUERY: Title of Project by Your Name / Age Category/Genre / ATTN: Name of Agent.

Please paste your query letter in the body of the email and attach your materials as a docx. file.

For all fiction submissions, please send a query letter and the first fifty (50) pages of your manuscript. If we are interested in reading more, we will reach out to request the full manuscript.

For all nonfiction submissions, please send a query letter and complete proposal. Your nonfiction proposal should include a project overview or outline, proposed chapter summaries, comparable titles, a sample chapter, your biography, and a bibliography of any additional works. You may also include promotional ties/materials if relevant.

Picture book submissions should include the full text. If you are working with an illustrator or have illustrated your own book, please provide full-color images or the fully illustrated text. If applicable, you can provide a link to the illustrator’s online portfolio or website.