Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 4

10 New Literary Agents Seeking Literary and Genre Fiction, SFF, YA, MG, Women's Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction and more

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

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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Ms. Karolina Kaim of William Morris Endeavor (UK)

Karolina joined WME in 2024 after having gathered over eight years of commissioning experience at publishing houses both in the UK and abroad, with training in intellectual property law. She is based out of London and works closely with the American office to find the best home for agency’s talent.

What she is seeking: Her areas of focus are psychology, health and wellness, self-development, smart thinking, business, as well as narrative nonfiction including memoir.

In nonfiction, she’s on the lookout for dedicated experts and authentic voices who offer a novel lens through which the reader can look at the surrounding reality, whether inspiring or discerning. She’s particularly interested in authors whose works could stand alongside THE CREATIVE ACT by Rick Rubin, PRINCIPLES by Ray Dalio, STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER by Fern Brady, ULTRA-PROCESSED PEOPLE by Chris van Tulleken, BARBARIAN DAYS by William Finnegan, THE LOST PIANOS OF SIBERIA by Sophy Roberts.

How to submit: Follow her submission instructions HERE.

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Ms. Fabienne Schwizer of Ki Agency (UK)

I joined the agency in 2024 after stints in scouting, editorial and audio. I’ve got an academic background and managed the reviews side of Grimdark Magazine before becoming an agent. I will be actively building my list in 2025 once I open to queries in January 2025.

What she is seeking: Crime, Gothic, Horror, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Mystery, New Adult, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Romcom, Science Fiction, Speculative, Speculative Literary, Thriller, Upmarket Speculative, Young Adult. In fiction I’m looking at adult and YA stories. I am not currently looking for children’s books, and prefer YA on the older side. My heart is in fantasy and horror especially, though I am happy to read most genres (preferably with a bit of the supernatural). Atmosphere and a strong voice are two of the most important elements for me. My favourite stories are commercial and accessible but have something to say. I am keen on stories that centre diverse characters, be that queer, neurodivergent, disabled or BIPOC – and I’d love to hear from writers who are writing in English as a second language. I’m probably not the right agent for very spicy books.

In non-fiction, I’m mainly interested in serious trade books situating themselves in the history/archaeology/sociology area. I want to learn something new about things I’d never even considered looking into. For me, these need to be accessible to a wide audience but solidly researched. I’m probably not the right agent for books that are humour-driven.

How to submit: She requests you submit a short synopsis and the first three chapters / first 50 pages as a Word document or PDF attachment along with your query letter. She is keen to get a sense of who you are from your query and happy to accept alternative formats for accessibility reasons. Fabienne accepts submissions via email. Send materials to: fabienne@ki-agency.co.uk

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Julia Kim of The Rights Factory (CANADA)

After wasting many years studying literature in graduate school, she worked as a freelance editor and an Assistant Editor at Dundurn Press before joining The Rights Factory in 2024.

What she is seeking: Julia is looking for literary fiction and select genre fiction (mystery, crime, horror, historical). She is also seeking a range of nonfiction topics including history, politics, current affairs, women's issues, biography and memoir, food and lifestyle, art and culture, film and TV, pop culture.

She is keen to support BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and historically underrepresented writers. As a second-generation Korean Canadian based in Toronto, she has a particular interest in diverse stories from diasporic communities in North America and beyond.
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How to submit: Use her querytracker HERE. 
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Ms. Kodie Van Dusen of The Rights Factory (CANADA)

Kodie Van Dusen is a published author. She is a sucker for well-structured stories that contain hints of the whimsical, the horrific, and the absurd, favoring authors like Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell who have something reflective and important to say about the nature of humanity.

What she is seeking: Fiction —Absurdist, Horror, Science Fiction, Speculative, Commercial, Upmarket, Magical Realism | Non-Fiction — narrative journalism, philosophy, psychology, parenting, women’s issues, true crime, memoir, cultural criticism, politics.

In adult fiction she will consider: absurdism, upmarket horror (strong literary themes with accessible commercial hook and structure), science-fiction (think more Douglas Adams and Ted Chiang, less Frank Herbert). However, more important than genre is that authors understand what they’re trying to say with their stories and make a strong philosophical point, demonstrating a fundamental understanding of story structure.

For nonfiction she is actively acquiring: narrative journalism (in the style of Johann Hari and Neil Strauss), philosophy, psychology, parenting, women's issues, true crime, select memoirs, cultural and corporate criticism, and politics.

How to submit: Use her querytracker HERE. 
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Ms. Sara Shandler of The Book Group

Sara Shandler joined The Book Group in 2025 after twenty-six years in publishing, most recently as the Editor-in-Chief of Alloy Entertainment, where she collaborated with authors from the inception of their stories through publication. Sara’s introduction to publishing began around the dinner table with her can-do-anything hippie parents who encouraged her to write the bestselling book Ophelia Speaks, which gave voice to the experience of teenage girls and was published when she was just eighteen-years-old. This early success inspired Sara’s lifelong passion for connecting the dots between a blue sky idea and a best seller.

Sara is proud to have worked on many New York Times best sellers, Book Club selections, and award winning novels, including two National Book Award finalists, a Printz Honor, Walter Dean Myers Award Honors, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Carnegie Medal, the William C. Morris Award, the Stonewall Award for Teens, the Lambda Literary Award and the Coretta Scott King-Steptoe Award for New Talent. Many of the novels Sara developed and edited have been successfully adapted to TV and film. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, three children and dog, and spends summers in Fire Island.  

What she is seeking: Sara is interested in working with authors across a range of genres, especially upmarket and book club fiction, plot-driven and emotionally resonant YA and middle grade, narrative non-fiction, topical personal development, social psychology and parenting non-fiction and author-illustrators telling stories in unconventional ways. She is compelled by narratives that connect with readers and contribute to cultural conversations.

How to submit:  Follow the submission guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Laura Bennett of The Liverpool Literary Agency (UK)

Laura developed a love of writing early, attending her first Creative Writing course at college. She then decided to study Writing at Liverpool John Moores University, obtaining a BA before pursuing a career in teaching. She began work at a college for young adults with special needs, and then moved to a vocational college while studying for a post-compulsory PGCE.  Laura taught English for a few years, and also ran several Creative Writing courses before returning to LJMU to obtain an MA in Writing. She then worked as a teaching assistant at a local secondary school, before leaving that job to pursue a career in editing.

What she is seeking: Young Adult and Adult Fantasy (including Urban), SF, Dystopian, Steampunk, Post-Apocalyptic genres.

How to submit: Please follow the agency guidelines HERE. Note: Laura accepts submissions from anywhere in the UK and Ireland.
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Mr. Cody Siler of William Morris Endeavor (UK)

Cody is a coordinator in the International Rights department, working with publishers around the world to help WME books reach new audiences in translation. He’s worked with WME clients including Terry Hayes, Tom Clancy, Julia Fox, Emma Straub, Nnedi Okorafor, Jean Kwok, Kim Ghattas, and Mary Roach.

What he is seeking: Cody is actively looking for authors and projects originating outside the English language. He is interested in fiction writers who marry literary prose and a singular voice with a plot-driven, suspenseful structure, like Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Virginia Feito, Javier Cercas, Anna Burns, or Asako Yuzuki. For nonfiction, he is interested in writing that explores timely issues from a relevant and unique vantage point. Cody reads both Spanish and English.

How to submit: For fiction projects, please send Cody your query letter and bio, along with the first three chapters of your manuscript. For nonfiction, please send only the query and your bio. For works originating in languages other than Spanish or English, please include a translation sample of at least 10 pages and a synopsis in English. See submission details here.

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A.J. Van Belle of The Booker Albert Literary Agency

A.J. Van Belle (they/them) is a junior agent at the Booker Albert Literary Agency. They are also a writer of fiction and nonfiction for adults and children, an editor, and a biologist. They have a BA in art with a minor in English from Columbia College, an MA in anthropology and an MS in biology from California State University, and a PhD in biology from Boston University.
 
What they are seeking: A.J. is actively building a diverse list and welcomes queries from marginalized writers. In YA and adult fiction, they’re seeking horror, thriller, and SFF with dark and atmospheric elements. They’re also open to select MG across all genres. In all categories, they’re drawn to books that merge literary sensibilities with compelling plotlines. Some of their favorite authors include Paolo Bacigalupi, Nnedi Okorafor, Jordanna Max Brodsky, Yangsze Choo, Natasha Pulley, T. Kingfisher, and Jenna Satterthwaite.
 
In nonfiction, they’re seeking fresh ideas in science, popular science, self-help, and health/wellness from authors with established platforms. As a scientist who has published NSF-funded research in ecology, they welcome queries from authors whose expertise links with evolution, ecology, statistics, microbiology, and biogeoscience.

How to submit: See submission link HERE.

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Danielle Marshall of Jane Rotrosen Agency


Danielle Marshall joined JRA in 2025 after more than 30 years working in publishing and bookselling, with varied experiences across the book business including Editorial Director for Lake Union Publishing, marketing and publicity roles at Workman and Simon & Schuster, as well as frontlist book buyer for the largest independent bookstore on the west coast. An avid reader and editor, she is known as a strong advocate for her authors and for building bestselling brands. 

What she is seeking: Danielle is looking for fresh voices in women's fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction, contemporary romance, historical fiction, mystery and suspense, as well as memoir and selected self-help nonfiction. 

How to submit: Follow the guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Rhian Parry of The Blair Partnership (UK)

Rhian was inspired to write her first novel at 12 years old after winning her primary school’s Eisteddfod, and she’s not stopped writing since. After moving from her Welsh hometown to London and realising that a career in management consultancy was a fate worse than death, she left the industry to pursue her love of reading and writing. She’s since obtained a Publishing MA from UCL and currently works as a literary agency assistant.

What she is seeking: I’m seeking commercial fiction with a primary focus on romance, including romcoms, romantasy, paranormal romance, and dystopian romance. I am also open to some horror, but specifically horroromance that’s more of the gothic ilk than anything super gory.

I’m most interested in the new adult space, and I’m particularly keen to receive LGBTQ+ submissions across all genres. In the contemporary romance space I’m exclusively interested in romcoms, and I love anything with lots of banter and tropes – bonus points if a book has a speculative edge (think Ashley Poston) and male love interests who reject ideas of toxic masculinity.

I especially love anything in the fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian space that has a humourous edge to its tone akin to the Emily Wilde series. Although I’m open to epic fantasy, my taste typically veers towards more grounded fantasy (Godkiller by Hannah Kaner is probably my limit)! For these speculative genres, the romance doesn’t necessarily have to be central to the story – I love a brilliant fantasy plot with a side of romance. In horroramance, an atmospheric and immersive setting is key and I’m particularly interested in dark academia, both in the literal sense and aesthetically.

Spice at all levels is welcome, but no erotica.

I’m open to some YA fiction, but specifically fantasy, paranormal, or dystopian (i.e. no YA without fantasy elements). I’m generally closed to non-fiction, but am happy to receive submissions that explore the LGBTQ+ and/or neurodivergence experience. I am always looking for books from marginalised authors.

How to submit: You can submit to her at: rhiansubmissions@theblairpartnership.com

50 Calls for Submissions in February 2025 - Paying markets

Flickr This February there are more than four dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

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

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre. Note: I update this list continually throughout the month, so check back frequently for new submission calls.

Happy submitting!
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The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: February 1, 2025. See themes.

Nightlight (Podcast). Restrictions: At least one of your birth parents must be Black. Genre: Horror. Flash fiction (750-1,500 words) Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: Opens February 1, 2025.
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Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 1.5 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

White Stag Publishing. Genre: Full length manuscripts in either Poetry, Prose / Fiction, Non-Fiction, Hybrid Work, & Ritual Projects in the scope of our thematic elements, which include alchemy & the occult with intersections of science & magick, witchcraft & activism, mysticism & spirituality, & / or the supranatural. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

The Paris Review. Genres: Fiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens February 1, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.

The First Line Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry using the line provided. (See theme) Payment: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Cordite. Genre: Poetry. See theme. Payment: Not specified. Payment is available for Australian contributors only. Deadline: February 2, 2025

Stone's Throw. Genre: Noir, dark fiction, crime short stories. Length: between 1,000 and 2,000 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 4, 2025. Note: This is a monthly call.

Sci Phi Journal. Genre: Hard science fiction, fictional nonfiction, and speculative philosophy. Translations accepted. Payment: €0.03/word; €0.01/word for translations. Deadline: February 5, 2025.

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Black History Month, no-fee submissions are open for all Black creators, not limited to those in the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 7, 2025.

The Rumpus: Enough. Genre: ENOUGH is a Rumpus original series devoted to creating a dedicated space for essays, poetry, fiction, comics, and artwork by women and non-binary people that engage with rape culture, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Payment: $50. Deadline: February 7, 2025.

Forest Avenue Press. Restrctions: Open to US residents. Genre: Unagented novel manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 9, 2025.

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry. See theme. Payment: AUD300-450 for prose; AUD300-550 for poetry; comics and art AUD200-300. Deadline: February 9, 2025. 

Wyldblood Press (UK) Genre: Short speculative fiction. Length: 6000 words max. Payment: £0.01 cent/word. Deadline: Opens February 10, 2025.


Unnerving. Genre: Crime and Mystery. Word count: 2,000 – 6,000. Payment: 1.5¢ CAD/word. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Crimson Quill. Genre: Fantasy. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Burial Books: Horror Short Stories. Genre: Horror short stories between 500 and 10,000 words in length. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

The Lorelei Signal. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, and poetry with strong female characters. Payment: $15 for short stories, $5 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces, $5 for reprints. Deadline: February 15, 2025. Accepts reprints.

Fallen Tree Press. Restrictions: Open to writers from the U.S. and Canada only. "It’s our intent to promote a diverse group of writers, especially those identifying as women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and members of underserved groups." Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 15, 2025.


Cursed Morsels Press. Restrctions: Open to BIPOC writers only. Genre: Full-length horror short story collections. "Queer, anticapitalist, and antifascist fiction. Eco horror. Body horror. Gripping prose. Unplaceable feelings of strangeness. Moral messiness. Fiction written for adults. Nuance. Ambiguity." Payment: $500 advance. 50% royalties paid quarterly. Deadline: February 15, 2025. 

Iron Horse. Genre: Poems, stories, essays on any topic. Payment: $50 - $100. Deadline: February 15, 2025. Free submissions on February 15 only.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 15, 2025. 

Griffith Review. Genre: Nonfiction on theme: Here Be Monsters. Payment: AUD $200. Deadline: February 16, 2025. 

Sinister Smile Press: If I Die Before I Wake – Tales of Cryptid Chaos. Genre: Horror. Length: Between 4,000 and 10,000 words. See theme. Payment: $40 - $50. Deadline: February 20, 2025.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: February 21, 2025.

Hiding Under the Leaves, Genre: Folk horror. Payment: 1p a word to a maximum of £50. Deadline: February 23, 2025.

Vampire Hunters: An Incomplete Record of Personal Accounts. Genre: Diary/Journal Entry type stories from vampire hunters throughout history. 1000 - 5000 words. Payment: 2 cents/word. $20 for art. Deadline: February 25, 2025. 

Fission is the British Science Fiction Association's annual anthology of SFF fiction. You don’t need to be a BSFA member to submit. Genre: Science fiction. Length: Up to 5,000 words. Payment: 2 pence per word. Deadline: February 26, 2025.

Malahat Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: CAD $70/page. Deadline: February 28, 2025. (Note: Submissions by Canadian writers are accepted for consideration all year.)

Harvest the Night: An Anthology of Folk Horror. Genre: Folk Horror. Payment: $10 per 1K words, and one contributor copy. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Terrazzo Editiions. Genre: Full-length literary fiction manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Air and Nothingness Press: Our Dust Earth. Genre: Science Fiction stories based upon the RPG - Our Dust Earth, which is a "Dying Earth" era game. Payment: 8 cents.word. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Farmer-ish. Genre: Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Payment: $25 for print journal. Deadline: February 28, 2025. See themes.

Ripples in Space. Genre: Science fiction stories that fit snugly within the imagery, concept, and theme of first contact. Payment: $20. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Murderous Ink Press: Crimeucopia. Genre: Crime fiction. Payment: Up to £7.00. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Yellow Arrow Journal. Genre: Creative nonfiction, poetry, cover art by authors who identify as women. Theme: Unfurl. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: February 28, 2025. In celebration of Black History Month, there are no submission fees for Black writers for the month of February.


New Myths. Genre: Speculative fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $50 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry; $50 for book reviews; $80 for art. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Fahmidan Publishing is a publisher for all POC & Women ardent in battle against subjugation. Genre: Poetry or fiction chapbook. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Conium Press. Genre: Magical realist, surrealist, and experimental fiction chapbooks. Payment:
Ten copies and a small honorarium. Deadline: February 28, 2025.


Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories. Restrictions: Writers must live or have lived in the following Illinois counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will, as well as Lake County, Indiana. Genre: Horror short stories about "the horrors, both real and supernatural, that populate the White City." Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Modern Mummies Anthology. Genre: Mummy genre horror. Payment: 5 cents USD per word for original fiction works and 1 cent per word for reprints. Deadline: February 28, 2025. Reprints accepted.
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JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Southword. Genre: Fiction. Payment: €300 per short story. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Dragon Soul Press: Lured Into the Deep. Genre: Speculative fiction. Theme – All mermaids (and their kin), kraken (sea monsters), underwater civilizations, etc. stories are welcome. All genres are accepted. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Gwyllion. Restrictions: Writers living in Wales and writers who identify (fully, in part, or by ancestry) as Welsh. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Welsh themes. Payment: £15 per accepted story or poem. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

The New Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to Canadian writers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $275 for a short story or nonfiction entry, and $50 per poem or postscript story. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Humour Me. Genre: Funny short stories with the theme ‘fresh starts.’ Payment: £12.50. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 8¢ per word for fiction and $20 for poetry. Deadline: February 28, 2025. (?)

AND A FEW MORE...


Brave Knights: Heroic Courage. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Theme: Bravery and courage still matter. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

Teach. Write. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction, poetry, CNF. "I prefer writing that is either written by composition teachers and writing students OR about teaching and learning." Payment: $15. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

The Woodward Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

table/FEAST. Genre: Prose, poetry, CNF, art about food. Payment: $10 per poem, prose $20, art $15. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

Singapore Unbound: Suspect. Restrictions: Open to authors who identify as Asian. Genre: Fiction and essays (maximum 6,500 words) or poetry (maximum 10 pages). See theme. Payment: $100. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. See themes. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

Thema. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Lost Sock. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2025. Accepts reprints.

Book XI. Genre: Personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. See theme. Payment: $200 for prose; $50 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2025. Closes when cap is reached.

Horror Short Story Anthology. Genre: Horror and dark fantasy. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 1, 2025.

80 Free Writing Contests in February 2025 - No entry fees

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This February there are more than six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

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

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

Good luck! 

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New Media Writing Prize. Genre: Fiction or non-fiction written specifically for delivery and reading/viewing on a PC or Mac, the web, or a hand-held device such as an iPad or mobile phone. It could be a short story, novel, poem, narrative game, documentary, or transmedia work using words, images, film or animation with audience interaction. Interactivity is a key element of new-media storytelling. Prize: £500. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Mike Resnick Memorial Award: Best Unpublished Science Fiction Short Story by a New Author. Restrictions: Open to an author who has not had any work published (including short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels in paper, digital or audio form) that has been paid a per-word rate of 6 cents a word or more or received a payment for any single work of fiction totaling more than $50. Genre: Science fiction short story, up to 7,499 words. Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: Feburary 1, 2025.

World History Association Bentley Book Prize. Genre: World history book published in the immediately preceding calendar year. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

$1000 for 1000 Words Creative Writing Contest is sponsored by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation. Restrictions: Students enrolled in grades 6-12. Genre: Short fiction of exactly 1000 words. Prize: Two $1,000 scholarship prizes will be awarded, one for grades 6-8 and one for grades 9-12. Seven $100 cash prizes will also be awarded for winning entries, one per grade level. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. Genre: Most outstanding book for young people published in previous year. There is a $1000 award in each category: Pre-K - Grade 3; Grades 4 - 6; Grades 7 - 12. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Gannon University Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Entrants must be a US high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Genre: Poetry. Each student may enter 1 or 2 poems; each poem may be no longer than 50 lines. Prize: First Place: $100.00 Second Place: $75.00 Third Place: $50.00. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition. Restrictions: Writers must be enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) in any field of study at a regular university, and be born in 1993 or later. Genre: Essay on "Global power is shifting. What’s your innovative idea to address a related risk or opportunity?" Length: 2,100 words. Prize: CHF20,000, split between three winners; they’ll also cover travel, accommodation, and admission to the symposium in Switzerland. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry book published in the previous year. Prize: $2000. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Hodson Trust–John Carter Brown Library Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction (includes creative nonfiction). A book-in-process relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Award: $20,000. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Wednesday Club Junior Poetry Prize. Restrictions: High School Students in Grades 9 through 12 in the St. Louis Area. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $200,  $150,  $100, $80, $50, and up to five $25 honorable mentions TEACHER AWARDS: $200, $150, $100. (Applies to teachers of first three student winners.) Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Iron Horse 2025 Chapbook Competition. Genre: Prose chapbook, between 40 and 56 pages (10,000 - 20,000 words) Prize: $1,000 honorarium and 15 copies. Deadline: Note: They will accept 25 free submissions on February 1, 2025.

Wednesday Club Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Adults over 18; living within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $500, $300, $150. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

Bath Flash Fiction Award. Genre: Flash fiction, 300 words max. Prize: £1000 prize for the winner, £300 second and £100 third. Two commendations £30 each. Deadline: February 2, 2025.

Hurston/Wright Crossover Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished, Black writers who are 18 years and older. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Submissions may be stand-alone essays or excerpts from a book in progress. Prize: $2000. Deadline: February 3, 2025.

Narrative Magazine High School Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students aged 15-18. Genre: Poetry on theme. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 5, 2025.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction. Restrictions: Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Full-length novel, work of narrative non-fiction or a short-story collection work in progress. Prize: Winners will receive awards of between £2000 and £5000 to support them to develop work in progress and to complete promising manuscripts. They will also be given access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Network. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction and Young Adult. Restrictions: Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months, and who are yet to publish a full-length novel or collection of short stories. Genre: Fiction, narrative non-fiction, young adult fiction. Prize: £2000, mentoring and access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Network. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

The Northern Writers’ Awards for Poetry and Debut Poetry. Restrictions: Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Poetry collection. Open to both established and debut poets. Prize: Winners will receive awards of between £2000 and £5000 to support them to develop work in progress and to complete promising manuscripts. They will also be given access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Network. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award. Restrictions: Open to students and graduates from any discipline who are: final-year undergraduates; current postgraduate students; or alumni who have graduated from an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at Northumbria University within the last ten years. Genre: Poetry, fiction and narrative non-fiction. Prize: £2000. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

Young Northern Writers’ Awards. Restrictions: Open to young writers aged 11-18 in the North of England. Genre: Creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap. Prize: Up to £150. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

Matthew Hale Award. Restrictions: Open to young people aged 11-18 based in the North of England. Entrants must be 18 years or under on 6 February 2025 when the awards close. The Matthew Hale Award is open to young writers who show promise but have had limited opportunities to pursue their talent. This could be due to a number of factors, including physical or mental ill-health, family circumstances, financial circumstances, lack of access to cultural opportunities or other reasons. Genre: Creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap. Prize: Package of support created by New Writing North to the value of £500. The package will be tailored to the specific interests and needs of the winner, but could include anything from one-on-one mentoring with a professional writer, enrolment on a course, books, theatre tickets or a pass to a literature festival. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

The Eva Ibbotson Award. Restrictions: Open to young writers aged 11-15 in the North of England who are writing in English as an additional language. Writers must be aged 11-15 when the awards close on 6 February 2025. Genre: Creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap. Prize: Package of support created by New Writing North to the value of £500. Deadline: February 6, 2025.

Criminal Lines Award. Restrictions: Open to writers aged 18 and over born or living in Britain (including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and Ireland (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland). Entrants must not have previously published a novel or novella although self-published novels, novellas and self-published e-books are accepted. You must not be represented by a literary agent at the time of submission or at the shortlist stage. Genre: Full-length crime, thriller, mystery and suspense fiction. Prize: £3,500 and an offer of representation from A.M. Heath. Deadline: February 7, 2025.

The University of Chester Flash (Youth). Restrictions: Open to Scottish students aged 16-19 who are studying in the UK. Genre: flash fiction of up to 360 words. Prize: Up to £100. Deadline: February 7, 2025.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: February 9, 2025. Opens February 7.

The Miracle Monocle Award for Young Black Writers. Restrictions: Writers must be 25 years old or younger and identify as Black. Genre: All. Prize: $200.  Deadline: February 10, 2025. Closes when cap is reached.

Highlights Foundation Scholarships. Prize: 25 full tuition scholarships and 20 partial tuition scholarships for workshops that take place at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center. 30 full tuition scholarships for online courses through the Highlights Foundation. 15 scholarships for personal retreats at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center. Deadline: February 10, 2025.

The Tomorrow Prize & The Green Feather Award. Restrictions: Open to Los Angeles County high school students. Genre: Science fiction, and environmentally focused sci-fi story. Prize: Tomorrow Prize: $250, $150, and $100 USD. Green Feather Award: $250.00 & online publication by the Nature Nexus Institute. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2023, and February 28, 2025 to be eligible for the 2025 Prize. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Tree2mydoor Valentines Day Poetry competition. Restrictions: Open to UK citizens. Genre: Witty or soppy, romantic or silly Valentines Day poems. Prize: £100 worth of Tree2mydoor gift vouchers. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. See theme. Prize: A place on one of Arvon's residential writing courses and publication. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Bar Sagi Prize. Restrictions: Open to Israelis aged 12 to 18 when the poem was written. Genre: Poem. Prize: 400 NIS first prize, 250 NIS second prize, 100 NIS third prize. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Aniko Press Summer Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction (100 words max) on theme: Wave. Prize: Publication on their website and social media, a copy of rock flight by Hasib Hourani, plus the latest issue of Aniko Magazine. Deadline: February 14, 2025.

Syracuse University's Veterans Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to U.S. veterans and active duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate family members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, and children. Women veteran writers and veterans of color are encouraged to submit. Genre: Unpublished, full-length novels, novella, or short story collections. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

The American Prospect Writing Fellows Program. The American Prospect’s Writing Fellows Program offers journalists the opportunity to spend two years developing their skills with the magazine at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. (or working remotely, in pandemic times). Each fellow benefits from an intensive mentoring program with the experts on our editorial team, and is expected to contribute regularly. The annual salary for this two-year fellowship starts at $46,500 and includes a full range of benefits (health, dental, vision) plus union membership in Washington-Baltimore News Guild (Communication Workers of America). Deadline: February 15, 2025.

The Tom La Farge Award for Innovative Writing, Teaching and Publishing. Genre: "literary activity that combines serious play, imagination, erudition and innovative practice." Prize: $10,00. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Genre: Poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Haiku Society of America Merit Book Awards for Excellence in Published Haiku, Translation, and Criticism. Genre: Published book. Books must have been published in 2023 and must clearly contain a printed 2023 copyright. A member, author, or publisher may submit or nominate more than one title. At least 50 percent of the book must be haiku, senryu, or haibun, or prose about these subjects (books mostly of tanka, for example, are not eligible). Prize: $500. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Poetry (Kansas Book Award). Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Novel or collection of short stories. The nominee's book must have a publication date of 2022, 2023, or 2024. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Restrictions: Open to authors under 30 years of age who have not had a book published. Applicant must have been born in Ohio or have lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years. Genre: Short fiction and creative non-fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

CAAPP Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers of African descent. Genre: First or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African and African diasporic experience. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation. Prize: $3000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Paul-Victor Winters Memorial Creative Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to NJ high school students in private or public schools, grades 9-12. Genre: Flash Fiction and Poetry. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Award. Genre: Poetry - translation into English of a significant work of modern Italian poetry. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

James Welch Prize for Indigenous Poets. Restrictions: The prize is open to new, emerging, and established poets who are community-recognized members of tribal nations within the United States and its trust territories (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans). Only poets who have not published more than one book-length collection are eligible; however, previous publication is not a requirement. Eligible contestants must be community-recognized members of their tribal nation. Formal tribal enrollment is not the only way of acknowledging belonging, and this prize aims to recognize all Native writers who are in community. Previous first place winners of this prize are not eligible, but previous finalists are welcome to submit work. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2025.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: February 15, 2025. This is a monthly contest.

Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Michigan.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st place - $250 and publication in The Albion Review, 2nd place - $150 and publication in The Albion Review; 3rd place - $100 and publication in The Albion Review. Deadline: February 16, 2025.

Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Poetry composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: February 17, 2025.

Sonnet Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Sonnet. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 17, 2025.

Villanelle Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Villanelle. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 17, 2025.

Myong Cha Son Haiku Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Haiku. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: February 17, 2025.

Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Original poems written in Spanish and translations of English poems to Spanish. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 17, 2025.

The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award supports the work of a promising early-career nonfiction writer on a story that uncovers truths about the human condition. Genres: Nonfiction journalism works in progress with “strong, character-driven narratives with detailed scene writing and lyrical description.” Restrictions: The award will not fund proposals to report on armed conflicts where journalists are already imperiled, nor projects that are mainly investigatory. Prize: $6,000 upon announcement of the winning proposal; $3,000 upon evidence of substantial progress (usually a first draft); and $3,500 upon completion and acceptance by the Award committee.. Deadline: February 19, 2025.

Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. See theme. Prize: £5,000. Deadline: February 20, 2025. 

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to authors who either are citizens or permanent residents of Western Australia. Genre: Book published during the preceding calendar year in a variety of genres. Prize: Up to A$60,000. Deadline: February 20, 2025. 

Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students (grades 9-12) from across the Washington Metropolitan Area (Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC). Genre: Poetry. Prize: First, 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $250, $100 and $50 gift certificates. Deadline: February 21, 2025.

Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. Genre: First book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 21, 2025.

The Lakefly Writers Conference. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin. Genres: Short story fiction: 3000 words or less. Any genre. Poetry: All poems, free verse to formal and everything in between—75 lines max. Personal Essay: 2500 words max. Prize: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony. Deadline: February 23, 2025.

Harper’s Bazaar short-story competition. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over. Genre: Original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘The open road’ up to 2,000 words. Prize: Two-night stay at Chewton Glen in Hampshire (UK). Deadline: February 23, 2025.

The Lancaster Playwriting Prize. Restrictions: The competition is open to applicants living or learning in Lancashire and who must have reached their 12th birthday/must not have reached their 19th Birthday by the date of the submission deadline. Genre: Script (for a play). Scripts must be 15 to 30 minutes long. See theme. Prize: The top three submissions will receive a rehearsed public reading of a 15-20 minute section of their work on 28th March 2025. Runners up will receive £250 each and the winner will receive £1000 cash prize and a trophy. Deadline: February 24, 2025.

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between October 1, 2024 and February 25, 2025. Prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: February 26, 2025.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Genre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between October 1, 2024 and February 25, 2025. Deadline: February 26, 2025.

Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian LGBTQ+ writers. Genre: Debut book  published between October 1, 2024 and February 25, 2025. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 26, 2025.

Toronto Star Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Ontario residents 16 years of age or older. Genre: Short story. Prize: 1st prize - $5000; 2nd prize - $2000, 3rd prize - $1000. Deadline: February 26, 2025.

Sejong Cultural Society Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 19-30. Also see youth and children's divisions. Genre: Essay responding to prompts. (See website) Prizes: $1000, $750, $500, $50 for honorable mention, plus possible publication. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Sejong Cultural Society Sijo Competition. Genre: Sijo. Prizes: Adult: $1000, $750, $500, $50 for honorable mention, plus possible publication. Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300) Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Post Election Emotional Turmoil Contest. Genre: Poetry, art, and prose. "If you went into a depressive spiral in November, you're not alone. Share your grief, your rage, your feelings of helplessness with us." Prize: $50. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Victor Howes Prize in Poetry. Restrictions: Undergraduate English majors currently enrolled at a New England college (2-year or 4-year). Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

The Kelpies Prize (Scotland). Restrictions: Open to Scottish authors. Genre: Children’s fiction and nonfiction, picture books. Prize: £1,000, a publishing contract, a writing retreat, and a year of mentoring by an editorial team. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

2025 Sijo Competition. Genre: A Sijo poem. Prize: Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500); Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300) Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Imagine Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories in Japanese or English for its “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA– either past, present or future. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Invent a Word. We invite you to invent a word. Not just any word. A word you think will greatly enhance the English language. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

The Orwell Society Dystopian Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to current students (both BA and MA) at British universities. Genre: Dystopian narratives of 3,000 words. Prize: £750. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association Self-Published E-Book Literary Award. 
Restrictions: Open to African-Americans. Genre: Self-Published E-Book in fiction and poetry written by African-Americans that depict the "cultural, historical, or sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora." Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Words Without Borders Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators. Genre: The grant is intended to facilitate the completion of a substantial sample of a book-length work of prose translation suitable for submission to English-language publishers, and will be awarded to an individual translator who has not yet received a book-length contract for translation work into English. We particularly welcome submissions from translators from historically underrepresented cultures and backgrounds. Prize: $3000. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: February 28, 2025. This is a monthly contest.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: February 28, 2025. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

12 Fabulous Writing Conferences and Workshops in February 2025

Picryl This February there are a dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!

Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year. 

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. February 1, 2025: Philadelphia, PA. Meet over a dozen African-American children's book writers.

San Francisco Writers Conference. February 6 - 9, 2025: San Francisco, CA. Attendees will join with 100+ presenters and fellow writers from across the country and around the world at this year’s event. The SFWC events are consistently rated among the top writer’s conferences anywhere. "Our goal is to help writers become published authors as we help them become better at the craft and business of writing. The SFWC is also one of the friendliest conferences. Presenters this year will include bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses. There will be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites. The San Francisco Writers Conference has one of the largest faculties of any writer’s conference to ensure the best networking with the people who can help you get published." 

Savannah Book Festival. February 6 - 9, 2025: Savannah, Georgia. Our four-day Festival takes place in Savannah’s Historic District against a backdrop of stunning historic buildings, cascading Spanish moss, and blooming Azaleas. Each year, over 9,000 people join us for three ticketed Headliner Address events and for our free Festival Saturday. Festival Saturday presentations take place in museums, churches, and theaters in and around the historic Telfair and Chippewa Squares in the heart of Downtown Savannah. Our lineup of nationally-recognized authors from wide-ranging genres give 30-minute solo presentations on their creative process, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Online San Diego Writing Workshop. February 7 -8, 2025. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days 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. And even though this is the Online “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation."

Southern California Writers’ Conference (and Retreat). February 14 - 16, 2025: San Diego, CA. Faculty: 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. "Founded and run by professional writers the SCWC provides veteran and emerging talent with authoritative guidance to help distinguish those manuscripts that are ready for market consideration." Limited to 150 conferees.

The Poet's Myth. Wednesday, February 19 – Wednesday, March 19, 2025: Online. In this generative poetry workshop, we’ll take a closer look at the origin of classical poetry: the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. We’ll examine texts from classical mythology to contemporary poetry, uncovering the power of poetic inspiration. Each week, we’ll read and respond to poems and artworks that engage with the myth in various forms. Works by Rainer Maria Rilke, Jack Spicer, Walt Whitman and Ovid will serve as touchstones for exploring the nature of artistic creation, while contemporary poems and other expressions of myth in popular culture will bring the forces of love, death and desire into our conversation. By the end of the workshop, you will have generated a portfolio of original poems. This workshop is for writers at all levels interested in exploring myth, artistry and the dynamic relationship between poet and muse. Limited to 12 participants.

Finding the Narrative Arc in Memoir. Wednesday, February 19 – Wednesday, March 19, 2025: Online. With you as the central character in your memoir, how would you develop a powerful narrative arc that both unfolds and reflects on the story? How can themes, details and timelines propel your story forward from beginning to end? In this workshop, we will discuss the structure and shape of your memoir’s narrative arc, as well as how linear and nonlinear structures give your story the energy to keep flowing. We will read inspiring excerpts, do generative exercises and give and receive constructive feedback on each other’s writing samples. Come empty-handed, or with excerpts of a work in progress. Limited to 12 participants.

Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 20 - 23, 2025. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora.  Deadline: January 10, 2025.

Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop. February 21-23, 2025: Monterey, CA. The Andrea Brown Literary Agency runs the Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop every winter with occasional offshoot conference locations. "Since 1997, we have brought in outstanding editors from the top publishing houses, both large and small, and successful authors to make up our experienced and giving faculty. We pride ourselves on an excellent faculty-to-attendee ratio and a weekend with ample opportunities for faculty/attendee interactions, both formal and informal. This workshop has been the source of many successful author/agent relationships and many publishing deals, including one for more than half a million dollars."

Tinker Mountain Winter Recharge. February 21 - 23, 2025: Online. The weekend begins with a social session on Friday evening and continues with workshops Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.  Just the right amount of time to affirm your writing and to reset for the balance of winter and spring. Manuscript workshops, limited to 8 participants, give you an opportunity to receive feedback on your work from peers and your faculty mentor and learn what other writers are working on. Write now workshops, limited to 10 participants, allow you to immerse yourself in the craft of writing and generate new work without the pressure of preparing or reading manuscripts.

The 2025 Las Vegas Writing Workshop. February 22, 2025:  Las Vegas, NV. The 2025 Las Vegas Writing Workshop is a full-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing event in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop. February 28 - March 3, 2025: St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

8 New Agents Seeking Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Thrillers, Literary Fiction, YA, Memoir, Nonfiction and more

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

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

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

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Charlotte Sunderland of Park, Fine & Brower

Charlotte Sunderland works with Celeste Fine on bestselling nonfiction and fiction. She comes to books with a film and tv background, having worked in Los Angeles for a decade, at Creative Artists Agency, wiip studios, and as Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Creative Executive, where she helped develop film, tv, and podcast material. Charlotte graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a B.A. in Cinema and Media Studies.
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What she is seeking: Charlotte is looking for upmarket fiction that can expand into film and television, and is particularly interested in self-sabotaging heroines and morally ambiguous characters, dysfunctional families, unreliable narrators, ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations, and humorous takes on conventionally dark subjects.

How to submit: Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission (i.e.: “Charlott Sunderland – Adult Fiction”) in the subject line of the email. Send your query letter and accompanying material to this email address: queries@parkfinebrower.com. All materials must be in the body of the email, as we are unable to open attachments. Due to the volume of email queries we receive, we will only respond if we are interested.

For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work. For YA & children’s fiction submissions, please include a query letter and the first chapter or approximately the first ten pages of your work. For non-fiction submissions, please send a query letter. 
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Ben Kaslow-Zieve of Park, Fine & Brower


Ben Kaslow-Zieve works alongside Celeste Fine on bestselling nonfiction and fiction. Having started his career in the foreign rights department at Park & Fine (now Park, Fine & Brower), he is particularly attuned to ideas and stories that will impact readers around the world—and how to help those books reach their audience in every country and every language. 

What he is seeking: He loves non-fiction of all kinds, especially books that seek to translate big ideas to a broad audience and authors who help us better understand the time and place in which we live. Whether in science, history, memoir, cultural criticism, investigative journalism, or business, he loves an unexpected angle, an untold story, and an unusual discovery. He believes in the power of nonfiction to start conversations, shift perspectives, and change our culture.

In fiction, he’s looking for smart takes on genre and accessible literary fiction that engages with its social and historical context. He loves: original premises taken to surprising conclusions; epics of all genres; unique relationships; characters at odds with their time; a feel for the rhythms of the world; understated heartbreak; compassion; compelling sentences.

How to submit: Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission (i.e.: “Ben Kaslow-Zieve – Adult Fiction”) in the subject line of the email. Send your query letter and accompanying material to this email address: queries@parkfinebrower.com. All materials must be in the body of the email, as we are unable to open attachments. Due to the volume of email queries we receive, we will only respond if we are interested.For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work. For YA & children’s fiction submissions, please include a query letter and the first chapter or approximately the first ten pages of your work. For non-fiction submissions, please send a query letter.
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Melissa Rodman of Park, Fine & Brower

Melissa Rodman works closely with Sarah Passick to develop a variety of nonfiction and select fiction projects from proposal to publication. Prior to joining the team at Park & Fine (now Park, Fine & Brower), she served as research associate in entertainment, media, and sports at Harvard Business School and editorial associate at Harvard University Press, before earning a master’s degree at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and completing an editorial internship at The New Republic. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History & Literature, magna cum laude, from Harvard University and in college interned at Picador, the U.S. imprint of her North Star author, Hilary Mantel.

What she is seeking: Her literary interests include narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, and memoir, and she enjoys collaborating with authors to hone their ideas, arguments, and sentences.

How to submit: Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission (i.e.: “Melissa Rodman – Adult Fiction”) in the subject line of the email. Send your query letter and accompanying material to this email address: queries@parkfinebrower.com. All materials must be in the body of the email, as we are unable to open attachments. Due to the volume of email queries we receive, we will only respond if we are interested.

For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work. For YA & children’s fiction submissions, please include a query letter and the first chapter or approximately the first ten pages of your work. For non-fiction submissions, please send a query letter. 
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Ms. Natalie Barracliffe of Sheil Land Associates Ltd

Natalie studied Comparative Literature and Culture at Royal Holloway University of London and graduated in 2018. She completed work experience with Rogers, Coleridge & White and then joined Sheil Land Associates in 2019 as Assistant to two literary agents, including our CEO, Sonia Land. She was promoted to Associate Agent in 2024 and is growing her list while continuing to support the agents.

What she is seeking: As I begin growing my list, I’m particularly interested in fantasy, thrillers and romances in the Adult and Young Adult market. I'm also looking for a chilling horror to sink my teeth into. Genres: Romance, Fantasy, specifically fantasy with a romance element, Young Adult fiction, specifically thrillers, fantasy and romance, Thriller, Crime fiction, Horror, General fiction.

How to submit: Please follow the guidelines HERE.

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Arianna Siddiqui of FinePrint Literary Management

Arianna Siddiqui earned dual degrees in political science and economics from Trinity University and completed the Columbia Publishing Course at the University of Oxford. She also started her professional career selling used Mercedes before transitioning into a career in publishing. With experience as an assistant at Lucinda Literary and William Morris Endeavor, and as a mentee with the Writers House Mentor Initiative, she has a strong eye for engaging stories and market trends. Arianna is currently pursuing a part-time master’s in creative writing at the University of Cambridge. In her free time, Arianna writes speculative romance and fosters litters of kittens.

What she is seeking: Arianna is particularly drawn to mysteries, romance, and speculative fiction across young adult and adult audiences. She’s also open to adult nonfiction that explores unique narratives or perspectives.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE. 

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Hailey Stephens of Arthouse

Hailey Stephens is an avid reader, writer, and editor with a bachelor's degree in English-Writing from Illinois Wesleyan University, as well as a master's in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. She is especially interested in uplifting diverse artists from rural communities that may be overlooked by such a metropolis-based industry. When not reading or writing, Hailey enjoys exploring her many hobbies. She's a baker, hiker, puzzler, gamer (board games, card games, D&D, video games-she's open to it all!), cross-stitcher, and so much more. While Hailey's reading tastes include almost everything (she currently favors romance, literary fiction, and creative memoirs), her writing is focused on both creative nonfiction and psychological/supernatural horror. 

What she is seeking: In general, Hailey is only looking for Adult novels, but she will selectively take on Middle Grade books if the manuscript will inspire a passion for reading. In fiction, she is looking for literary fiction, romance, thrillers, and horror. In nonfiction, she is looking for both trade and literary proposals, including memoirs.

How to submit: Please follow the agency guidelines HERE.

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Ed Wood of The Blair Partnership (UK)

As Publishing Director at Little, Brown, I published crime, thriller and book club bestsellers including Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Carl Hiaasen, Keith Stuart, Jessica Fellowes, Patricia Highsmith, and international megabrands Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler. I published numerous Sunday Times and digital bestsellers, including at number one. Among various awards, my titles won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, various CWA Daggers, and the McIlvanney Prize. And in my second role as Little, Brown IP Director, I worked with authors on original concepts that became huge rights sales hits and international bestsellers. I like to work in creative partnership with authors to fulfil their vision – and then help them reach the biggest readership possible.

What he is seeking: I’m thrilled to take on clients in crime, thriller, mystery and book club fiction – and to be their creative and commercial champion.

How to submit: You can send submissions at EdSubmissions@theblairpartnership.com

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Ms. Marissa Koors of The Curious Minds Agency (UK)

Before joining Curious Minds in 2023, Marissa worked as an editor at Basic Books, where she edited Kate Cooper’s Queens of a Fallen World – a Finalist for the 2023 Cundill Prize – and Sophie Duncan’s Juliet.  An avid gamer with a love of branching narrative, she also edits video games and tabletop roleplaying games in her spare time. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

What she is seekng: She is seeking non-fiction authors in categories ranging from history, philosophy, and the ancient world to fashion, culture, the arts, and emerging science and technology who want to use their expertise to render the hidden structures of the world legible to readers. She is drawn to stylish and substantive books animated by bold argument that spark debate and start conversations.

How to submit: You may submit a proposal and sample chapter by email to info@curiousmindsagency.com

2025 New Year's Writing Resolution (for writers): Recycle Your Work

Every year, I make a New Year's Resolution just for writing. I don't bother with personal resolutions, because I never keep them. (I have not, for example, run the Boston Marathon, cured cancer, or finished my PhD...yet.) But, without fail, I do keep my writing resolutions. 

In past years, I have made writing resolutions to Write What I Feared (we must all face our writing demons), and to get more rejections than C. S. Lewis. (He got over 800; I clocked in at a measly 160 that year.). In 2020, I resolved to begin (facing a blank screen is always daunting) and the following year, to finish what I had started. (This is a perennial problem for writers such as myself, who have a wealth of ideas, but little patience.) 

I have resolved to read, because it is only through reading and re-reading that we hone our writing skills, and I have resolved to observe the ordinary, because observing what goes on around us, and listening, really listening, with the heart as well as the ears, is the basis of all subject matter. 

Perhaps most important of all, I have resolved to be true to my own work - that is to say, to not conform to what I think an audience might like (or dislike, as the case may be), but to be loyal to my own message, my own thoughts, my own feelings. Most writers may not realize it, but ignoring a prospective audience is actually quite difficult, especially once editors and publishers get hold of your manuscript. 

Where was I? Oh yes...

After resolving to get off my butt and get published, and, miraculously, having done so, and having started, finished, faced my writing demons, observed, revised, and re-read the greats ... what is left?

Nothing. I am completely bereft of ideas.

No, just kidding. I do have one goal this year. Over the past few years (or is it decades?), I have gotten a number of short pieces published. It was exhilaring to see my work in print. So, like an addict, I kept pursuing the intoxication of publishing new work. Meanwhile, my older stories (some of which are quite good, even if I do say so myself), have been forgotten in my lust for novelty. 

There is simply no excuse for abandoning your prior work, especially when it has appeared in journals which are now defunct. (My strategy has always been to submit to print journals first. That allows me to submit to online journals later.)

So, this year, I shall delve into my neglected writings and recycle them. There are plenty of journals that accept reprints, and, because I happen to have a list of them right here, I shall begin to recycle.

*    *    * 

If you want to follow in my footsteps, this is my excellent list of 185 Literary Magazines Accepting Reprints. You are welcome to make ample use of it.

Previous resolutions (all of which are worth following in case you're stuck for inspiration):

2024 New Year's Writing Resolution: Revise Your Darlings
2023 New Year's Resolution for Writers: Motivation
2022 New Year's Writing Resolution: Observe the Ordinary
2021 New Year's Resolution for Writers: Read
2020 New Year's Resolution for Writers: Begin
2019 New Year's Resolution for Writers: To Thine Own Work Be True
2018 New Year's Resolution for Writers: Finish
New Year's Resolution: Write What You Fear
2016 - Your Year to Get Published!
A New Year's Resolution - For Writers (Get rejected!)

67 Calls for Submissions in January 2025 - Paying markets

Wikimedia This January there are more than five dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

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

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

Happy submitting!

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What If… Skunk Wurks Edition. Genre: "Who doesn’t know the black projects that rolled out of the Skunk Works like the famous SR-71, U-2, or F-117 stealth fighter? What do you think they aren’t telling us about? This anthology dives into the concept of other black projects, their uses, and outcomes. Maybe the crazies are right. What If… the UFO’s are actually ours… Anything from discovery and design to use in application of the Aircraft, Heavy Weapons, Power Armor, Sea Vessels, and more are welcome." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

Flame Tree: Robots Past & Future Short Stories. Genre: Short fiction on theme: Robots. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: January 1, 2025. Accepts reprints.

Glen Must Die! Genre: Speculative fiction. See theme. Payment: $.03/word pending a Kickstarter launch of the anthology. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

June Road Press. Genre: Poetry collection, full-length, 40 to 60 poems, preferably the author’s first or second book. "We’re particularly interested in work with strong ecological/environmental themes, or that engages in meaningful ways with nature or place, by writers who identify as women." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

Planet Black Joy. Restrictions: Open to women and non-binary folk who identify as Black, African, or of Afro-descendent heritage. Genre: Fiction exploring and celebrating Black joy and pleasure. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

Utopia Science Fiction. Genre: Utopian science fiction. See theme. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $30 for nonfiction, $25 for poetry. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

The Paris Review. Genres: Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: January 1, 2025. See themes.

Cordite. Genre: Poetry. See theme. Payment: Not specified. Payment is available for Australian contributors only. Deadline: January 2, 2024.

Stone's Throw. Genre: Noir, dark fiction, crime short stories. Length: between 1,000 and 2,000 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 4, 2025. Note: This is a monthly call.

Sci Phi Journal. Genre: Hard science fiction, fictional nonfiction, and speculative philosophy. Translations accepted. Payment: €0.03/word; €0.01/word for translations. Deadline: Opens January 4, 2025.

The Fantastic Other. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, poetry, art on theme: Storm. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 5, 2025.

Rainy Weather Days. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction on theme of Defiance. Payment: $25 for prose, $10 for poetry.  Deadline: January 5, 2025.

All My Relations is an art and lit, online and printed magazine, exploring themes of interconnectedness. This volume is open to racially and ethnically marginalized, gender variant, and disabled creatives only, in consideration of the theme. Own voices only, please. Payment: $10. Deadline: Open until filled or until January 5, 2025, whichever comes first.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Payment: £25. Deadline: January 6, 2025.

Sunlight Press. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, photography, reviews. Payment: $15 - $40. Deadline: Opens January 6, 2025.


Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Weird and cosmic fiction under 5,000 words. Payment: 3 cents (USD) per word. Deadline: January 7, 2025.

Hexagon. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories, flash fiction, poetry, graphic stories, and visual art, in English or French. Payment: $5 for accepted poetry and cartoons, 0.01$ per word for all short stories up to 7,500 words, $40/page for comics and $150 for cover art pieces. (Payment in CAD). Deadline: January 7, 2025. Open to submissions the first week of every second month.

Fourteen Poems Genre: Poems. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round. To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com." Payment: £25 for each poem published. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

Headland. Restrictions: Open to Māori writers. Genre: Poetry, short fiction and nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

Daikaijuzine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $10.00 for each short story, and $5.00 for each poem and flash fiction piece. Deadline: January 12, 2025. Opens January 6.
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34 Orchard. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We like dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth. We’re not genre-specific; we just like scary, disturbing, unsettling, and sad." Payment: $50. Deadline: January 14, 2025. Opens January 1.

Midnight Meadow Publishing's goal is to publish engaging and unique LGBTQ+ stories while elevating marginalized voices. They are interested in a wide variety of genres. Read submission guidelines HERE. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Puncher & Wattmann. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Full-length fiction, memoir, poetry. Payment: Advance and royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

100-Foot Crow. Genre: Speculative fiction drabbles. Payment: $8. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Inked in Gray. Restrictions: Open to Marginalized Representation includes LGBTQ+ representation (we will never ask you to out yourself), Authors of Color, Disabled Authors, etc. International authors welcome! Genre: Romance manuscripts - all genres and subgenres. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Tales from the Crosstimbers. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, splipstream, and horror. Payment:  $10 per story or 1 cent/word rounded to the nearest 100 words, up to a maximum of $25. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Shatter the Sun: Queer Tales of Untold Adventure. Genre: Fantasy stories of queer heroes forged and tempered in the fire, fighting dark stars and bright suns, and overthrowing tyranny in all its forms. Sword and sorcery, sweat and sandals, souls and stars. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Beautiful Days Press. Genre: Full-length and chapbook-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2025. 

Women Artists Datebook. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Poems and art. Theme: Peace and Justice. Payment: $200 for art, $70 for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Orion. Genre: Essays on the environments in which songs are conceived and recorded. Payment: Who Pays Writers lists payment of 25 cents/word. Deadline: January 15, 2025. Pitches only.

Ploughshares. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2025. (Charges for online submissions. No charge for snail mail.)

Shenandoah. Genre: Fiction and novel excerpts. Payment: $80 per 1000 words of prose up to $400. Deadline: Opens January 15, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.


Rattle: Tribute to Food Poems. Genre: Poetry about food. Payment: $200. Deadline: January 16, 2025. 

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected. No payment for online publication. Deadline: January 17, 2025. 

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: January 19, 2025.

Flame Tree: Witch Craft. Genre: Stories that deal with what it means to be ‘witch’, and the rediscovery and reclaiming of that power, its links to nature – and the exploration of whether a witch is drawn to 'good' or 'bad', and why. Stories should be in the horror and folk horror veins, and we’d like to see as wide a range as possible. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word. Deadline: January 19, 2025.

Astrolabe. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography & art. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 21, 2025.

The Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy-tale inspired stories/poems. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 21, 2025.

This Magazine. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Submissions by BIPOC, Q2ST, disabled, and other marginalized writers are especially welcomed. Genre: Fiction. Payment: $125 per accepted short story up to 2500 words; 60$ per flash fiction story under 1000 words Deadline: January 26, 2025.

Mythaxis. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: €0.01 per word, with a €20 minimum. Deadline: January 30, 2025.

Gwyllion. Restrictions: Writers living in Wales and writers who identify (fully, in part, or by ancestry) as Welsh. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Welsh themes. Payment: £15 per accepted story or poem. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Event Magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: CAD $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

West Avenue: A Sparkle of Woodland Magic. Genre: Short stories of up to 5,000 words and poems. See theme. Payment: £10. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Garland. Genre: Poetry, prose poetry, short prose (<1500 words), and other experimental writing by queer, trans, and gender variant writers. Visual components and hybrid formats are welcome. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Brink. Genre: Hybrid, cross-genre fiction, nonfiction poetry. Payment: $25 Poem; $50 Work (less than 1500 words); $50 Art (1-3 Images); $100 Art (4+ Images); $100 Work (more than 1501 words). See theme. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $75 for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, $50 for interviews/reviews, and $25 for mini-reviews web issues. Deadline: January 31, 2025. Closes when they reach capacity, so submit early.

december magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (essays, memoirs, biography, literary journalism, social or cultural commentary or analysis) and visual art that can be reproduced in our print format. Payment: $10.00 per page with a minimum of $40.00 and a maximum of $200.00. Deadline: January 31, 2025. For the month of January, they open fee-free submission portals exclusively for BIPOC writers.

The Bombay Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry, translated fiction/poetry and graphic fiction. Payment: Indian rupees 5,000 (approx. $61) per contribution. Deadline: January 31, 2025. Closes when cap is reached.

Parsec Ink: Triangulation: Dark Hearts. Genre: Speculative stories and poems about women who are anti-heroes. Payment: 3¢ per word for fiction, 25 cents per line for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Ampersand Review. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews. Payment: Poetry: $50 per poem/page to a maximum of $100. Fiction: $100 per story. Non-fiction: $100 per piece. Reviews: $100 per piece. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Fiction. Genre: Experimental fiction and translations of works previously unpublished in English. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Dragon Soul Press: Reach for the Stars. Genre: Contemporary fiction stories. Must feature a character overcoming various obstacles to reach their goals. Can be based on true stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Inked in Gray: WriteHive Anthology. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or horror only. Theme: Surviving Humanity. Payment: $45. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Silver Blade. Genre: Science Fiction, Slipstream, Classic and Modern Fantasy; short fiction, flash fiction, novellas, and poetry. Payment: $15 for novellas, $3 for flash fiction, $8 for short stories, $8 for single poems and $15 for Featured Poets (by invitation only). Silver Pen will pay half of these rates for previously published works. Deadline: January 31, 2025. Reprints accepted.

Poetry From the Rock. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Poetry. Payment: Short poems will receive $25 per poem, medium poems $50 per poem, and long poems $75 per poem. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Litmosphere. Genre: Art, flash (fiction and nonfiction), poetry, and short prose (fiction and literary nonfiction). Payment: $50 per accepted poem, flash fiction and nonfiction; $100 per short fiction and literary nonfiction; $250 for non-exclusive online use of 15-30 images. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Space and Time. Genre: Speculative fiction. "We welcome poetry, art and fiction that bend rules, transcend genre and break stereotypes." Submissions accepted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian. See theme. Payment: 1 cent/word for prose, $5 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Only Poems. Genre: Poetry. "We love prose poems, traditional forms (ghazals, villanelles, sestinas), love poems, sex poems, and experimental questionnaires, but we are not married to a style or genre. We are welcoming of anything you think is your most exciting work. Ultimately, we want poems that move us or make us go: “God, I wish I had written this!” Payment: $55. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Southword. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €50 per poem. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Malahat Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: CAD $70/page. Deadline: January 31, 2025. (Note: Submissions by Canadian writers are accepted for consideration all year.)

Nonbinary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and art. See theme. Payment: $10 - $25. Deadline: January 31, 2025. Closes when cap is reached.

AND A FEW MORE...

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: February 1, 2025. See themes.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 15 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

The Paris Review. Genres: Fiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens February 1, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.

The First Line Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry using the line provided. (See theme) Payment: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry. Deadline: February 1, 2025.

66 Free Writing Contests in January 2025 - No entry fees

Flickr ​This January there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $55,000 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. Many of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

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Defenestration Lengthy Poem Contest. Genre: Lengthy poem (at least 3 pages). Prize: $300. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

Vermont Writers' Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of Vermont. Genres: Short story, poem, play or essay on the theme of Vermont - its people, places, history or values. Entries must be unpublished and fewer than 1,500 words long. Writers may submit only one entry per year. Prize: $1,250 and publication in Vermont Magazine. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

The Fifty & Up Writer Awards. Genre: Fiction, CNF, poetry by writers aged 50 and up. Prize: $50. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

The Welkin Mini Writing Prize. Genre: Narrative prose (fiction and nonfiction) up to 100 words. Prize: £50 top prize. Deadline: January 2, 2025.

Jack Hazard Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to writers who teach full time in an accredited high school in the United States. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 3, 2025.

San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program. Fellowships are currently offered in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University’s creative writing program. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: January 5, 2025.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: January 5, 2025. Opens January 3.

Miriam Chaikin Writing Award. Genre: Poetry and prose, including plays, short stories, and other creative writing. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 5, 2025.

Olive B. O’Connor Creative Writing Fellowship. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Prize: $55,100. Deadline: January 6, 2025.

Shepton Snowdrops: Treasures of Nature. Restrictions: No entry fee for poets under 18 years of age. Genre: Poem. See theme. Prize: £50-100. Deadline: January 6, 2025.

Bethesda Magazine Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Short stories. Length: 4000 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 7, 2025.

Dr. Paul Kalanithi Writing Award. Restrictions: No fee for medical students, residents, fellows. Genre: Short stories, essays or poetry addressing patients and providers facing chronic or life limiting illness. Fiction and non-fiction submissions are welcome. Prize: $300. Deadline: January 7, 2025.

MoCo360 Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper Northwest Washington, DC (20015 and 20016 zip codes). Genre: Short stories between 1,500 and 2,500 words. Prize: Publication in Bethesda Magazine as well as prizes up to $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (grades 9-12). Deadline: January 7, 2025.

Japan Center-Canon Essay Competition. The aim of the Japan Center Essay Competition is to promote awareness and understanding of Japan in the United States and to help young Americans broaden their international horizons. Genre: Essay. Contestants should write, in English, one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. (Contestants do not need to have any experience in visiting Japan or studying Japanese. Prize: Best Essay Award in the High School Division: 1st Place: $3,000 and a Canon camera, 2nd Place: $1,500 and a Canon camera, 3rd Place: $750 and a Canon camera; Best Essay Award in the College Division: $3,000 and a Canon camera; Uchida Memorial Award: $1,000 and a Canon camera; Merit Award: $200 (each) for up to five awards. Deadline: January 8, 2025.

The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. Restrictions: An address in the UK or Republic of Ireland or British Overseas Territory or British Forces Post Office. OR an entry code shared with you for submission to the International Award. Note: The Bruntwood Prize International Award of  £8,000 is open to international playwrights who can apply through their partners. (See site for list) Genre: Play. Prize: £16,000. Deadline: January 9, 2025.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6 - 10. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. (See website for theme) Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6-10th Graders. Prize: $20,000 scholarship. Deadline: Grade 6-10: January 9, 2025.

The Bechtel Prize. Genre: Essays essays describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. "We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the classroom." Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

Luminarts Creative Writing Fellowship. The Creative Writing Fellowship awards two $10,000 grant Fellowships for excellence in creative writing in the categories of prose and poetry, in fiction and nonfiction. Applicants submit a two-page written piece (either a stand-alone piece or an excerpt of a larger piece such as a novel or short story). Open to writers between the ages of 18 and 30 years old at the time of application; be enrolled in, or have graduated from, a degree program; and live within 150 miles of the Union League Club of Chicago. Genre: Poetry or prose, fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 10,000 pounds. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative. Restrictions: Applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. Prize: Grant, amount not specified. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

Discoveries Prize. Restrictions: Open to female novelists of all ages and backgrounds, from across the UK and Ireland. Genre: Novel in progress. Prize: The winner will be offered representation by Curtis Brown Literary Agency and a cash prize of £5,000. Deadline: January 13, 2025.

Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create literary, media, visual, and performing works of art. Prize: 25 BRIO grants of $3,000 each are awarded to Bronx artists. BRIO award winners complete a one-time public service activity. Deadline: January 13, 2025.

Hachette Children’s Novel Awards. Restrictions: Open to debut authors living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Debut children’s and early teen fiction, including but not limited to, romance, comedy, historical fiction, crime, mystery and fantasy. Prize: £3000 and a programme of mentoring opportunities with professionals at Hachette Children’s Group and a children’s publishing agent. Deadline: January 13, 2025.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: January 14, 2025. See themes.

Bethesda Urban Partnership Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Essays. Length: 500 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 14, 2025.

Bethesda Poetry Contest. Genres: Poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Prize for high school students, $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: January 14, 2025.

The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Hektoen Internationa Nurse Essay Contest. Restrictions: Nurses, nurses’ aides, and nursing and midwifery students are encouraged to submit an essay to Hektoen International’s 2024–2025 nurse writing contest. Genre: Essays can be on any topic as it relates to medicine. Prize: $3,000 for the winner and $2,000 for the runner-up. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Moving Words Poetry Competition for Adults. Genre: Poems of 10 lines or less that will be displayed inside Arlington Transit buses. Prize: $250. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Women Artists Datebook. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Poems and art. Theme: Peace and Justice. Payment: $200 for art, $70 for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award. Genre: Poem, 3-10 pages long, that demonstrates a "truly inventive spirit." Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History. Genre: Essay on early American history (up to 1825), not previously published, with preference being given to New England subjects. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Prose fiction. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the previous year considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: January 15, 2025. This is a monthly contest.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 11 - 12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. (See website for theme) Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 11-12th Graders. Prize: $20,000 scholarship. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards Program. Restrictions: Open to current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2025. Genre: Original literary composition in English in one of the following genres of poetry, spoken word, fiction, personal essay/memoir, or book bans prompt. Prize: $10,000 scholarship. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

French-American Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: Book. Best English translation of French in both fiction and non-fiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $600. Deadline: January 15, 2025.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book: fiction, nonfiction, poetry for adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: January 17, 2025. (For books published Oct. 16-Dec. 31, 2024.)

Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Books written by authors based in northern California and published for the first time the previous calendar year are eligible for nomination. Genre: Published book. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 17, 2025.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Restrictions: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas. Genre: Essay on an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1956. Prize: The first-place winner receives $10,000. The second-place winner receives $3,000. Up to five finalists receive $1000 each. Deadline: January 17, 2025.

Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize. The annual Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize is awarded each spring to honor an outstanding literary translation from German into English published in the USA the previous year. Genre: Published fiction or non-fiction, may include: novels, novellas, short stories, plays, poetry, biographies, essays and correspondence. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 17, 2025.

The Golden Triangle Golden Haiku poetry contest. Genre: Haiku on theme “Bridges of Belonging.” Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: January 19, 2025. Note: The contest is open to all ages.

Zocalo Public Square Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets only. Genre: Poetry that evokes a connection to place. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 24, 2025. 

Future Worlds Prize. Restrictions: Open to unpublished SFF writers of color. Genre: Speculative fiction. Submit a 5,000-10,000 word extract of either a short story or the opening chapters of a novel. Prize: £4,500 top prize. Deadline: January 26, 2025.

Nine Dots Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors age 18+. Genre: Summary response to "Is data failing us?" The winner will expand on the ideas expressed in their summary response by participating in a seminar at the University of Cambridge and by writing a short book (25,000-40,000 words) to be published by Cambridge University Press. Prize: $100,000. Deadline: January 27, 2025.

The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Writing is open to nonfiction first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Nonfiction, including entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral and historical subjects. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 27, 2025.

The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is open to novels and short story collections first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Fiction that explores ideas and issues, political themes, dilemmas and injustices through imagined narratives. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 27, 2025.

Scottish Book Trust: Monthly Competition. Restrictions: Open to four categories: adult writers, all-age Gaelic writers, young writers 5-11 and young writers 12-18. Genre: Short story based on prompts. (See site for prompt) Prize: Various items. Deadline: January 28, 2025.

The Hillman Prize for Journalism. Genre: Journalism. "Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honored journalists, writers and public figures that pursue investigative journalism and public policy in service of the common good." Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 30, 2025.

Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about technology addiction. Prize: $1000 scholarship.  Deadline: January 30, 2025.

Arnold Bennett Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers based in Stoke on Trent, the wider North Staffordshire area or living anywhere in the world if their work features North Staffordshire. Genre: Published fiction, nonfiction, poetry books, plays, including self-published works. Each submission should have an ISBN number and two copies should be either mailed or delivered to Jenny Amphlett, Staffordshire University, 3rd Floor, The Catalyst Building, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent. ST4 2DF. Prize: £500. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 4000 words max. Prize: First prize $1500. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Swamp Pink. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to Indigenous people in the USA. Genre: Short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Prize: $2000. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

A. C. Bose Grant for South Asian Speculative Literature. Restrictions: Open to South Asian or South Asian diaspora writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award. Genre: Any published book, whether fiction or nonfiction, that promotes public understanding of Chicago; titles must be available for purchase by the general public in either hardcover or bound paperback form; All subject areas, disciplines, and genres are eligible, including but not limited to: history, biography, the social sciences, art, architecture, poetry, drama, graphic novels, or fiction; Translations, textbooks, anthologies, reprints or new editions of previously published works, pamphlets, condigital publications, travel guides, children’s books, or self-published works are not eligible. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

North Carolina Student Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to student poets from 3rd grade to university undergraduates attending schools in North Carolina. Genres: Unpublished poems (submit one poem). Prizes: 1st Place winners will receive a $100 check. 2nd Place winners receive $50. 3rd Place winners receive $25. Deadline: January 31, 2025. 

Cheshire Prize for Literature. Restrictions: The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire, UK. Age ranges from 4 to adult. Genre: Short story, piece of poetry, script or children’s literature piece (this can be a script, story or poem, for children ages seven to 14). Prize: Cash prizes. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Dandelion Cottage Short Story Contest for Michigan Students. Restrictions: Open to students attending or being home-schooled in an Upper Peninsula School District. Genre: Short story, 5,000 words max. Prize: Up to $250. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. "The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America." Genre: previously unpublished work of short fiction. Prize: $150.00. Deadline: January 31, 2025.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: January 31, 2025. This is a monthly contest.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: January 31, 2025. This is a monthly contest.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: January 31, 2025. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

13 (Warm) Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 2025

Flickr This January there are more than a dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!

Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year. 

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Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 4 - 14, 2025 (?): Seaside, 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. Application deadline: December 1, 2024. If you missed the deadline, put this on your calendar for next year.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 9–12, 2025: Key West, Florida. Each year, the Key West Literary Seminar explores a particular literary theme. This year the theme is: Family.

Aspen Winter Words. January 11 - March 14, 2025: Aspen, CO. The 2024 Aspen Words Winter Words lineup once again features acclaimed book club selections, bestselling authors, stunning stories of triumph and a world champion athlete. All winter long, explore these memoirs and works of fiction in person alongside the minds that conceived of them. Winter Words kicks off on January 11 with Ann Patchett and Elizabeth McCracken in conversation and runs through March 14 concluding with Abraham Verghese.

Writing By Writers DRAFT. Application deadline: January 15, 2025: Boulder, CO. DRAFT is an intensive program for 15 writers who are committed to completing a novel, memoir, short story, or essay collection over the course of two years. Whether starting a first draft, or working through a new revision, this program is appropriate for writers who want a rigorous and supportive community throughout their process. 

Writing By Writers GET THE LEAD OUT! January 17 - 19, 2025: Online. Th Each day will feature a craft talk by one of our faculty members and participants will split into small groups where they will dissect the art and craft of writing through lectures, writing exercises and class discussions. We won’t be reading and critiquing manuscripts, but rather closely examining elements of craft with the intention of allowing participants to see their work with deeper insight while also generating new material. Each participant will have the opportunity to work in a small group setting with all three faculty members. Whether you are just getting started or have projects that need new life, this workshop will offer inspiration and insight to take you to the next level.

Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. January 17 - 20, 2025, Atlantic City, New Jersey. A participant-focused writers’ conference. Advance your craft and energize your writing at the 30th annual Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. Enjoy challenging and supportive workshops, insightful feedback and an encouraging community. Choose from workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, songwriting, playwriting and more.

Colrain Classic. January 17 - 20, 2025: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.

TMW January Jumpstart. January 18 - 19, 2025: Oak Ridge, TN. “We will have a “Meet and Greet” session Friday from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern. On Saturday there will be concurrent Poetry and Fiction morning sessions from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern, and afternoon sessions from 1:30 – 4:30 Eastern." Registration $150. Application deadline December 29.  If you missed the deadline, put this on your calendar for next year.

Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Conference. January 18 -25, 2025: St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, manuscript consultation, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. Application deadline: November 1, 2024.  If you missed the deadline, put this on your calendar for next year.

The Stowe Vermont Winter Writing Adventure. January 26 - 31, 2025: Stowe, VT. The Stowe Vermont Winter Writing Adventure is a week-long workshop with Pam Houston and CMarie Fuhrman where writers will work with both faculty members to generate new work while snowshoeing, XC skiing, and exploring the beauty of New England in the wintertime. The workshop is limited to 20 participants to ensure an intimate setting, plus plenty of time to write and explore all the outdoor wonders Stowe has to offer.

Jaipur Literature Festival. January 30 - February 3, 2025. Presentations, panels, readings, and music performances. In an uplifting celebration of the mind and heart, authors from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe will take part in provocative conversations about life and society, economics and the arts, equity, freedom, and the care of our planet. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.

Sunshine State Book Festival. January 31 - February 1, 2025: Gainesville, Florida. "Authors from around Florida and the nation will gather at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center on January 27th, from 10 am to 5 pm to sell books and talk about their work. Festivities include guest speakers, giveaways, storytelling, and more." Admission is free.

SCBWI In-Person Winter Conference 2025. January 31 - February 2, 2025: NY, NY. Come and be inspired by renowned authors and illustrators, learn about the state of the children's book publishing industry from panels of agents, editors and art directors, dive deep into your craft with TWO three-hour Creative Labs, and get your work in front of industry professionals!

Conferences with application deadlines in January 2025
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Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 20 - 23, 2025. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. Deadline: January 10, 2025.

80 Calls for Submissions in December 2024 - Paying markets

Pexels This December there are more than six dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

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

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

Happy submitting!

Note: I update this list continually throughout the month HERE, so check back frequently for new submission calls. 
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Tales from the Nightside. Genre: Car Wars GameLit Fiction. Theme: Ride along with illegal street teams and see the criminal underbelly of the Autoduelling world. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Interstellar Flight Press. Genre: Speculative poetry from poets who are both queer/trans and disabled. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Griffith Review. Genre: Poetry. See theme. Payment: AUD $200. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. See themes. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Fantasy is a Drag! Anthology. Genre: Fantasy stories that are, first and foremost, drag from members of the drag community. Payment: $50 + royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Never Whistle at Night, Part II: Back for Blood Anthology. Genre: Horror stories from emerging Indigenous writers in North America only. “Our anthology aims to showcase fresh, original voices in Indigenous Horror, and we encourage submissions that explore new and innovative themes.” Payment:  $1,500. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Burial Books: Inanimate Things – Volume Two. Genre: Horror about inanimate things that are living. It could be a doll, the dead flesh of zombies, or your Ford F-150. Payment: $10. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Wallstrait. Genre: Flash fiction, longer stories, and hybrid experimental work. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry. Payment: $25 per poem and $100 for prose. Deadline: Opens December 1, 2024. Closes when they reach cap.

Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 1, 2024. 

Little Moa. Restrictions: Open to New Zealand writers. Genre: Children's books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

Eternal Haunted Summer. Genre: Poetry, short fiction. Theme: Fortune and Luck. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 1, 2024.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: December 1, 2024. See themes.

Serving House Books. Genre: Nonfiction essay collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 2, 2024.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: December 2, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Broken Tribe Press. Genre: Memoirs. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 2, 2024.

Humour Me. Genre: Humor stories and cartoons on the Christmas theme. “We are happy to accept all types of humour, from sharp satire to slapstick.” Payment: £20. Deadline: December 2, 2024.

Meetinghouse. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: $40 for digital content, $100 for prose published in print, and $40 for each poem published in print. Deadline: December 3, 2024.
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Stone's Throw. Genre: Noir, dark fiction, crime short stories. Length: between 1,000 and 2,000 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 4, 2024. 

Geist. Restrictions: Canadian connection required. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: $100 - $1000.  Deadline: December 4, 2024. Geist offers no-fee general submissions for Black writers, Indigenous writers, and writers of color.

Anodyne. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry, Art, Photography, Video on theme of Health. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: December 7, 2024.

The Pedestal Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 8, 2024.


Samjoko Magazine. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, play, screenplay. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 10, 2024.

Dawn Hill Publications: In Every Way We Love. Restrictions: Open to submissions from UK-based writers, with a special focus on underrepresented voices. Genre: Short stories on theme of Love. Payment: £75. Deadline: December 12, 2024.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected. No payment for online publication. Deadline: December 13, 2024.
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Buckman Journal. Restrictions: Open to Portland and Pacific Northwest creatives. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction. See theme. Payment: $100. Deadline: December 14, 2024.

Vivid Worlds. Genre: Solar punk. Payment: 1p a word to a maximum of £50. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, "and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way.” Payment: $50. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Propagule. Genre: Short stories that are intrepid with regard to experimentation and oddity; the strange, the surreal, the atypical, the unexpected. Payment: Up to $30. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry. See theme. $0.04/word, up to $25. Deadline: December 15, 2024. 

Brazenhead Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2024. Note: Closes when cap is reached.

Baffling Magazine. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Copper Nickel. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and translation folios. Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription. Deadline: December 15, 2024. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

A Public Space. Genre: Fiction, essays, poetry, as well as graphic and hybrid work. Payment: Honorarium. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Book Worms. Genre: Horror: fiction, poetry, and essays. See theme. Length: Up to 1,500 words. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Radon. Genre: Short stories and poetry containing elements of anarchism, transhumanism, dystopia, and/or science fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word for original work, half a cent per word for reprints. $20 per original poem and $10 for reprints. $100 for issue cover art, $30 for back cover art, and $20 for art used on their website. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

The Brothers Uber: Once Upon a Moonless Night – Tales of Betrayal, Revenge, and Redemption. Genre: Dark fiction. "These are the tales whispered in dark corners. Of good people pushed too far. Stories of revenge and redemption for past wrongdoings. Stories that excite the mind where what seems to be true isn’t always the case. Dark, foreboding, full of suspense, can you weave the story of what happens during the moonless night?” Length: 250-15,000 words. Payment: $0.05/word, capped at $400. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Bellevue Literary Press. Genre: Narrative nonfiction books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Book XI. Genre: Personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. See theme. Payment: $200 for prose; $50 for poetry. Deadline: December 15, 2024. Closes when cap is reached.

Flame Tree: Latin American Shared Stories. Genre: Speculative stories highlighting the many voices, mythologies, folklore and storytelling prowess of authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word. Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Utter Speculation Novella Series. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas explaining or exposing the root of a real life supernatural mystery, urban legend or folklore. Payment: Royalty split. Deadline: December 16, 2024.

The Offing. Genre: Creative nonfiction (usually personal essay) that centers one’s personal experience against the backdrop of art, literature, and culture.. Length: 7,500 words max. Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 16, 2024.

The Margins. Genre: Poetry by emerging and established Asian American and diasporic poets. Payment: $50 – $90 for a single poem. Deadline: December 18, 2024.

Made in Appalachia. Restrictions: Open to writers from Appalachia, who have lived in or visited Appalachia,  and/or whose writing is set in Appalachia. Genre: Fiction, short story. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 22, 2024.

ZO Magazine. Genre: Fiction and art. See theme. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 29, 2024.

Sonder Magazine. Genre: Fiction, CNF and poetry on theme of Madness. Payment: €300. Deadline: December 30, 2024.

Jackleg Press. Restrictions: JackLeg only publishes U.S.-based writers. Genre: Full-length fiction, CNF. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 30, 2024.

The Cincinnati Review. Genre: Literary nonfiction (up to 20 pages), fiction (up to 40 pages), poetry, poetry translations, drama, and art. Payment: $25/page for prose in the journal, $30/page for poetry, $25 for miCRo posts or special features. Deadline: December 31, 2024. Opens on the first day of the month and closes once they hit the submissions cap.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 8¢ per word for fiction and $20 for poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Dancing Star Press. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2024.
The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: December 31, 2024. This is a monthly call. See themes.

Workers Write!. Genre: "We're looking for fiction and poetry about the people who clean up after everyone, such as maids, janitors, custodians, waste management workers, crime scene cleaners, and even laundromat owners." Payment: $5 - $50. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

OwlCrate Press: Future States of Stars. Genre: Speculative fiction. "We are specifically seeking stories in the dystopian sci-fi genre with a Black Mirror or Twilight Zone vibe. Authors are encouraged to explore themes of the near-to-far future of states, whether set here on Earth, in space, or in other dimensions. Consider exploring dystopian themes such as authoritarian regimes, environmental collapse, surveillance societies, loss of individual freedoms, or the impact of advanced technology on humanity.” Payment: $0.10/word. Deadline: December 31, 2024. (Extended deadline)

EastOver Press. Genre: Book-length nonfiction manuscripts. "We are especially interested in collections of literary essays, but will consider essay-based memoirs, mixed genre works, and other hybrid works. We are interested in manuscripts that take a narrative approach to nonfiction." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Dracula Beyond Stoker. Genre: Fiction featuring characters and more from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. See theme. Payment: $0.05/word for stories of 1,500-5,000 words. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Meadowlark Reader. Genre: Personal essays, interviews, journalistic pieces. “True stories about Kansas written by Kansans." Payment: $10 plus one contributor copy. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

FIYAH. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to people of the African Diaspora. Genre: Speculative fiction, art, and poetry about African Diaspora. Length: Short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words. Payment: $150 per story. $50 per poem. $300 per novelette. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Channel. Genre: Fiction, art, creative non-fiction, and poetry that engages with the natural world, and have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self. Payment: €40/poem, and €50/page of prose up to €150. Deadline: December 31, 2024.
 
Dragon Soul Press: Between Realms. Genre: Speculative fiction. Theme – All stories involving dimension travel. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Silent Nightmares. Genre: Dark holiday horror. Payment: 10 cents/word capped at 5,000 words. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors. Genre: Horror. Payment: 8 cents/word for prose, $50 per poem or drabble. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Ofic. Genre: Short fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, art. "Send us your dead doves, your blorbos, your plinkos, your wretched meow meows yearning to be free; that thing you wrote that made you think, “I don’t know where this belongs”; the stuff you’d never show anyone you know IRL. Give us your shameless, self-indulgent smut; the manuscript to the video essay you dictated to your YouTube subscribers in your head; your thoughtful explorations of trauma and identity; your Pepe Silvia wall; your sci-fi, your fantasy, your romance, your realism. We want anything and everything. As long as you identify as a fan, we want to read your work." (Up to 12,000 words). Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Workers Write! Tales from the Cleaners. Genre: Stories and poems from the cleaner's point of view. Word count: 500 to 5,000 words. Payment: Between $5 and $50 (depending on length and rights requested) Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Freeze Frame Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "Any genre, no content restrictions. We want your science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, drama, literary works, satire, bizarre fiction, or anything else you can come up with or mix together. The more original, the better. The weirder, the better.” Payment: $10. Deadline: December 31, 2024.
The New York Times: Modern Love. Genre: Essay on modern love. Payment: Not Specified. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Variant Lit. Genre: Poetry, fiction, flash fiction, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

EastOver Press: Rural Writers of Color. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers who live in or hail from rural or semi-rural locales in the U.S. and whose short stories feature characters living or working in rural or semi-rural spaces. Genre: Short stories. Payment: $100-$300. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Air and Nothingness Press. Genre: Speculative fiction. "We are seeking submissions for an anthology to be titled Our Dust Earth which will collect stories that take place within the Our Dust Earth mini-RPG." Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Best American. Genre: Published short stories, essays, food writing, mystery and suspense, nature writing, science fiction and fantasy. Payment: ? Deadline: December 31, 2024.
​
We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2024. Genre: Queer Speculative Fiction. Submissions are open for all speculative work published in 2024 under 17,500 words that deals either implicitly or explicitly with queerness. Editors and authors may submit. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Spooky. Genre: Horror. "Cozy horror. Fun horror. Classy horror. Dare we say, wholesome horror?" Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Allegory. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Payment: $15. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

The Letter Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Length: Up to 5000 words. Payment: $50. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Mayday. Genre: Short fiction, CNF, Poetry, Art, Interviews, Nonfiction. Payment: $20 - $50. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

The Deadlands. Genre: Fiction. "The Deadlands exists in liminal spaces between life, death, and elsewhere. We are looking for fiction that concerns itself with death—but also everything death may involve." Payment: 10 cents/word for fiction. Deadline: December 21, 2024. Accepts reprints. 

Made in Appalachia. Restrictions: Open to writers from Appalachia, who have lived in or visited Appalachia,  and/or whose writing is set in Appalachia. Genre: Nonfiction essay. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2024.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $120. Deadline: December 31, 2024. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

AND A FEW MORE...

What If… Skunk Wurks Edition. Genre: "Who doesn’t know the black projects that rolled out of the Skunk Works like the famous SR-71, U-2, or F-117 stealth fighter? What do you think they aren’t telling us about? This anthology dives into the concept of other black projects, their uses, and outcomes. Maybe the crazies are right. What If… the UFO’s are actually ours… Anything from discovery and design to use in application of the Aircraft, Heavy Weapons, Power Armor, Sea Vessels, and more are welcome." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

June Road Press. Genre: Poetry collection, full-length, 40 to 60 poems, preferably the author’s first or second book. "We’re particularly interested in work with strong ecological/environmental themes, or that engages in meaningful ways with nature or place, by writers who identify as women." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2025.
Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

Planet Black Joy. Restrictions: Open to women and non-binary folk who identify as Black, African, or of Afro-descendent heritage. Genre: Fiction exploring and celebrating Black joy and pleasure. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2025.

The Paris Review. Genres: Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: January 1, 2025. See themes.