Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 72

2 New Agents Looking for Clients

Here are two new agents looking for clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are enthusiastic and hard-working, and eager to make sales. Often, they are former editors and/or published authors, which means they have contacts in the industry. 

Elise Erickson (Harold Ober Associates) is seeking romance and all of its subgenres, women’s fiction, paranormal, mystery including clever cozy mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, commercial literary fiction, and some YA. Lori Galvin (Zachary Shuster Harmsworth) is seeking cookbooks.

You can find many more new and established agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients
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Elise Erickson of Harold Ober Associates

About Elise: Elise of Harold Ober Associates graduated from St. Olaf College and the NYU Summer Publishing Institute in 2014, and spent several months interning at Penguin’s New American Library imprint, Folio Literary Management, and Susanna Lea Associates before taking on her current position at Harold Ober Associates. She grew up in both Florida and Minnesota, but is quickly learning to love city life in NYC. Elise is passionate about the role and responsibility of the literary agent, especially being an advocate for authors. In addition to working with books, she currently assists in selling Harold Ober’s TV, film, and subsidiary rights, and is actively building a client list of her own.

What she is looking for: Romance and all of its subgenres, women’s fiction, paranormal, mystery including clever cozy mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, commercial literary fiction, and some YA. She is particularly drawn to stories that contain a strong sense of place, and female protagonists with unique, compelling voices.

Not Looking For: Poetry, Screenplays, Picture Books, Horror, Self-help.

How to submit: Please email the first 15-20 pages of your manuscript, a concise query letter, and a detailed synopsis to elise [at] haroldober.com.
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Lori Galvin of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth

About Lori: Lori Galvin knows cookbooks. For over a decade, she helped lead a team that produced dozens of landmark cookbooks (70+) for the multimedia publisher America’s Test Kitchen. Just a few of her titles include the companions to the most-watched cooking shows on public television, America’s Test Kitchen andCook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen, as well as the New York Times bestseller The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook, The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, Cook’s Country Eats Local, and Kitchen Hacks. With her in-depth experience working for a powerful multi-platform brand (books, magazines, web, TV, and radio), she knows what it takes to make a book and its author a success from conception to publication and beyond. Before working at ATK, Lori edited cookbooks for Houghton Mifflin, cooked in restaurant kitchens, and ran a bed-and-breakfast in Maine. Find her on Twitter and LinkedIn. She joined Zachary Schuster Harmsworth in 2015.

Lori is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR). She earned her B.A. in English Literature from Northeastern University and is a graduate of the culinary certificate program at Boston University.

What she is seeking: Lori seeks cookbook authors with a strong point of view, a solid grounding in their field, and a talent for motivating cooks of all stripes to get into the kitchen. She is also on the lookout for compelling narratives about food and drink, whether memoir or cultural commentary, serious or steeped in humor. Lifestyle topics, including motivational self-help, are also of interest.

How to submit: “Please use this form to send e-mail to anyone on our staff.”

Comparative Titles - Why You Need Them

If you have spent some time looking at successful queries, or browsing agent bios, you will notice that comparative titles figure prominently.

There are several very important reasons to come up with some comparative titles (aka "comps") for your book, all of which have to do with marketing. The marketing department - and this is true of any publisher - is not going to sit down and read your book, so it is up to you to get them the information they need to help generate publicity and sales. Your agent will also need comps to pitch your book to a publisher.

Random House has put together an excellent article on why comparative titles are important, and how they are used by marketing departments. There is a useful section at the end that describes how to find comp titles, in case you are at a loss.

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What Are Comp Titles and Why Are They Useful?

By Andrea Bachofen - Random House News for Authors

Comparison (“comp”) titles are books that are similar to yours in one of two ways: Either the content is comparable or the sales trends are expected to be similar. For your publishing team, comp titles are extremely important. The comps help editors making acquisition decisions to figure out who and how big the audience might be for a specific title. Editors also look at the sales trajectories of comp titles: Will Book X be the type of book to backlist forever, like Book Y, or go strong out of the gate and then fade fast when the publicity dies down, like Book Z? Marketing teams also find comps useful when putting together marketing plans for individual titles.

Additionally, comp titles are essential for the sales group: They give the sales reps a good shorthand when selling in to retailers. Reps have only thirty seconds to pitch each book with some accounts. Being able to say “It’s like x and y” can be one of the most effective ways to get attention from the buyer and to set expectations about audience and ballpark sales potential.

While our publishing teams often add additional comp titles during the publishing process, it is immensely valuable for them to understand what comp titles you suggest, so you can align your expectations about framing and positioning early in the process.

What Makes a Good Comp Title?

Here are a few things to ask yourself when determining if your selection is a good one:

1. Is the title recent? (Within the last two or three years is ideal.)

2. Is the title the same format? (If your forthcoming book is hardcover, don’t use a trade paperback original as a comp.)

3. Will your book have the same target audience in terms of genre? (This is relatively easy to do if the book fits neatly into a category: literary fiction, commercial women’s fiction, mystery, thriller, or science fiction. It can be more complicated if a book does not fit neatly into one category: for example, if the book is both very literary and science fiction. In that case, it is ideal to find previous books that have straddled both audiences.)

4. Does your book have the same target audience in terms of demographics? (Don’t include a young adult title if the audience for your book is clearly on the adult side, for example.)

5. Is your comp realistic and believable? (Although it’s tempting to compare your work to a breakout bestseller, it’s more credible to choose a title with a typical sales path.)

6. Has your comp been successful . . . to a certain degree? (The book doesn’t have to—and usually shouldn’t—be a phenomenon, but it should at least be on the radar of accounts or on category bestseller lists. If a comp title is a perfect editorial match but a sales failure, it may set the expectations for your book too low.)

You can read the rest of this informative article HERE.

What Agents Want: How to Make Sense of Publishing Jargon

Your manuscript is complete and polished, and now you are ready to embark on the task of sending query letters. 

(Or alternatively, you can go to a conference and pitch an agent in the flesh. Go here for a list of conferences: Writing Conferences )

Before you send your query, you need to do a little research. Does the agent accept your genre? Does the agent have a track record? Does the agent clearly describe his or her submission requirements? And when the agent starts describing what it is he or she wants, what on earth are they talking about?

Agents, like publishers, use jargon - it's one of the hazards of the trade. But as an author, you may have no idea what they mean by "high concept," "upmarket," "literary." Speaking reasonably, your job is to write your book; theirs is to find a niche for it. Unf, writers are also expected to define not only their genre, and their audience, but also their market niche, which is something they may know nothing about.

It's never too late to learn!

Here are some terms you may run across on agent bios when they describe what it is they are looking for.

High Concept means the book can be made into a movie. In general books that fall into this category have a single premise ("what if..."), clear story lines, are highly visual, appeal to a mass audience, and have a well-defined emotional focus that fits into a movie category (Family comedy? Drama? Romcom?). If you can sum up your book in one sentence, you may have written a high-concept novel.

Up-market fiction is any novel that has mass appeal and is also well-written. Memoirs of a Geisha falls into that category. These are books you want to keep. Frequently, non-genre fiction may be used to mean up-market.

Commercial fiction is entertaining, has a plot that moves right along, and may or may not feature writing that makes you cringe. The Stephanie Plum mysteries would fall into that category, as well as most popular mass market paperbacks. (Romances, in particular.) These are books you read in a dentist's office, because you found them there, and which you will probably leave in the waiting room after your teeth have been nicely polished. Most genre fiction is commercial.

Literary fiction is art. Almost every writer who has won a Nobel Prize fits into this category, as well as a few who should have but didn't. (Pretentious wannabes also fall into the category of literary fiction, but people often can't tell the difference.) In literary fiction, the way you tell a story is more important than what actually happens. (What exactly happened in White Noise?) The exploration of character, style, and theme is what moves these books along. If you are reading a book, and you have to stop because the prose is stunning, revelatory, or just plain deep (and you are not stoned) you are reading literary fiction. If you need a half hour to explain what's in your book, you may have written something literary.

Narrative non-fiction is any non-fiction book that reads like a novel. The Poet and the Murderer is a great narrative non-fiction book that tells the story of how ... no, I won't spoil it for you. You'll just have to read it.

Strong platforms are what agents representing general non-fiction like to see (though not necessarily narrative non-fiction). Are you the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation? Have you been a quarterback in the NFL? Are you a surgeon doing experimental brain transplants at a famous hospital? Does everyone on the planet know who you are? Those are people who have strong platforms. If you have a few thousand followers on Twitter, or a blog with a couple thousand followers, or lots of "friends" on Facebook, you do not have a strong platform - although all those things are important to mention if you write any kind of fiction.

These articles will help you find an agent who is right for you: 

How to Research an Agent

Beggars Can Be Choosers - How to Pick an Agent

Valuable Tips for Pitching to an Agent or Editor

Finding an Agent – Look before you leap

Are You Ready to Contact an Agent? Take This Short Quiz and Find Out

What Not to Do When Contacting an Agent

18 Paying Markets for Humor

If you have a sense of humor, why not use it to make some money instead of wasting your talent on graffiti? There are ample economic opportunities for people who can see the lighter side of life, or skewer the darker side with a well-aimed quip.

The publications below want to make their readers grin, chortle, guffaw, smile knowingly, and sometimes take you seriously until the last possible moment. Satire, sarcasm, revolting college humor, one-liners, witty bon mots, sentimental slop, whatever you're good at, some magazine on this list will pay you for it.

Happy submitting!

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McSweeney’s 

This is one of the most popular, and, in my opinion, funniest sites on the web. (Feel free to disagree.) (But you'll be wrong.) Chances of acceptance are remote, but it doesn't hurt to try. They pay on acceptance, but in keeping with their "no rules" policy, they don't say how much.

The Morning News

"The Morning News (TMN) is an online magazine of essays, art, humor, and culture published weekdays since 1999. In addition to our features, each day includes our headlines, with links to the most interesting news items, articles, and oddities around the web. At TMN, we believe in good writing, tight editing, wit, curiosity, making mistakes, and solving them with tequila. We speak through what we publish."

The Toast

"The Toast is a daily blog that publishes features on everything from literary characters that never were to female pickpockets of Gold Rush-era San Francisco. The Toast is one of those mass-market science fiction paperbacks some used bookstores put out on the street in big press-board rolling carts, the kind with drawings of women in long white robes standing in front of a horizon with two or three moons on the cover. The Toast is a long email chain about force-ranking the Mitford sisters. The Toast prefers free weights to circuit machines but also enjoys a good sit. The Toast doesn’t care how much you or Marilyn Monroe weigh. The Toast is happy, then dignified. The Toast is not haunted, but would welcome a visit from ghosts."

MAD Magazine

"We welcome all humor submissions and the best way to know what we’re looking for is to take a look at what we’re doing now! Originality and visual humor are especially prized! We’re interested in material focusing on evergreen topics, such as dating, family, school and work, plus topical material about celebrities, sports, politics, news and social trends. In addition, we will consider submissions for our Fundalini Pages and annual MAD 20 (The Dumbest People, Events and Things of the Year). We also welcome submissions for our Strip Club (artist-writers or artist-writer teams preferred)."

The Funny Times

"Our print publication pokes fun at politics, news, relationships, food, technology, pets, work, death, environmental issues, business, religion (yes, even religion) and the human condition in general. Not much is off limits, so do your best to make us laugh. Plus we’re advertising free, so whatever we like, we use. We pay upon publication, not acceptance, and the rates are $25-$40 per cartoon based on reproduction size and $60 each for story."

Happy Woman Magazine

"Happy Woman is a parody publication. We are looking for articles that spoof items one might read in magazines like Cosmopolitan, Glamour or Good Housekeeping, O or any publication of that sort."

Skirt!

"Part feminista part fashionista our mission is to publish a monthly magazine that speaks to all sides of a women’s personality - their work, their play, their families and their creativity, through one of kind content and effective advertising." Themed issues.

Cracked

"If you are a funny/smart/creative person, Cracked.com is the single best opportunity you will ever come across in your life. No experience necessary. We will pay you if it's good. You talk directly to the editors — no form letter rejections. Your work could be seen by millions of people. We need articles, photoshops, infographics and videos. Take your pick." Pays $50 per article for your first four articles, then $150 afterwards

Salon

"Salon welcomes article queries and submissions. The best way to submit articles and story pitches is via email with the words “Editorial Submission” in the subject line. Send your query or submission in plain text in the body of your email, rather than as an attached file." Topical and political humor. No fiction.

Free Wood Post

"We are looking for outrageous political humor that is indirect and satirical; Spoofing individuals as long as vitriolic language is not present (passive aggressive); Nonsensical humor that is purely made up just for the sake of being fun and doesn’t really serve any purpose. This can include faulty logic, non-sequiturs, and silly conclusions. (fun, sarcastic, and for the most part clean)."

Glossy News

"If you write satire, or you’ve just always wanted to, consider submitting your story to Glossy News. Our stories are regularly picked up by HumorFeed and Google News as well as many other leading news aggregators, so if you think you’ve got the chops there’s no better time. No more must you limit yourself to enraged letters to editors or mere blog posts, now you can put your brain where your mouth is… and that’s as sexy as it sounds." Offers prizes.

College Humor

"Wanna write articles for CollegeHumor? One of the biggest comedy sites on the internet? A site that generates millions of pageviews per day and once bought a stuffed banana for like $4 grand? Well guess what - YOU CAN! All you have to do is send an email to Articles@collegehumor.com with your pitch, and our editors will work with you to craft the perfect article. Even better? If your article submission gets accepted, WE’LL PAY YOU MONEY. For a single page article, we’ll pay you $35. For a larger multi-page article, we’ll pay you $50."

Dorkly (Obviously related to College Humor)

"Wanna write articles for Dorkly? One of the top sites for drawings of unusually-jacked Pokemon? A site that generates millions of pageviews per day and pays its freelancers a reasonable sum? Well guess what - YOU CAN! All you have to do is send an email to Articles@dorkly.com with your pitch, and our editors will work with you to craft the perfect article. Even better? If your article submission gets accepted, WE’LL PAY YOU MONEY. For a single page article, we’ll pay you $35. For a larger multi-page article, we’ll pay you $75."

Saturday Evening Post

"We accept humor submissions for the Lighter Side. Submissions must be between 1,000 and 3,000 words in length and previously unpublished. Please send articles as Microsoft Word or PDF attachments to editors@saturdayeveningpost.com with Attn: Lighter Side in the subject line. If sending a pitch or query, writers should include one or two writing samples of their work as Microsoft Word or PDF attachments. Please include contact information: name, address, phone number, email address, and Twitter handle (if applicable). In lieu of email, see hard-copy guidelines above." Pays $25-$400 per article.

Suddenly Senior

"We are seeking excellent guest columnists -- you must write well, with humor and wit, and wisdom -- to be published for Suddenly Senior's large and attentive audience. Got a humorous column or two in you that would entertain, educate, even titillate Suddenly Senior readers? In a literate way, of course." Pays $25 per article.

Imperfect Parent

"Anything that deals with any aspect of the lighter side of parenting — parody, humorous takes on parenting, satire, an “open letter”, take your pick. And if you are questioning if your humor crosses the line, then definitely send it in — we don’t want “safe.” We are a gloriously independent site that doesn’t answer to a board of directors or a huge corporate sponsorship. Use that to your advantage. We certainly aren’t afraid of offending some people, and you shouldn’t be, either." Pays $25 per article.

Reader's Digest

"Everybody’s got a funny story. What’s yours? Send us your joke, quote, or a funny true story—if it’s selected for the magazine, you’ll be paid $100!"

Listverse

This is an interesting site that capitalizes on the Internet craze for lists. You will find lists for just about everything on Listverse. They are looking for offbeat, unexpected, little-known facts, all written with a sense of humor. Check out some of their lists to see what they prefer. 1500 words minimum. Payment is $100 via Paypal only.

3 New Agents Seeking Clients

Here are three new agents seeking clients. Ryann Wahl (Holloway Literary) is interested in representing literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and young adult novels. Michael Hoogland (Dystel & Goderich) is looking for sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, upmarket women’s fiction, and some children’s books (picture books, MG, and YA), as well as a wide variety of narrative nonfiction, including science, history, and politics. Erik Hane (Red Sofa Literary) is seeking literary fiction, and for nonfiction, he seeks popular science, sports writing, popular culture/modern life, essays, and history.
____________________ Ryann Wahl of Holloway Literary

About Ryann: Ryann Wahl holds an MFA in Poetry from Columbia College Chicago and a BA in English from Allegheny College. Between literary journal editing and working in the trade publishing industry, she has six years of publishing experience. She grew to love working with foreign publishers through her three years in literary scouting with Jane Starr Literary Scouts and looks forward to continuing to do so as the Foreign Rights Manager at Holloway Literary, in addition to taking on her own clients as a literary agent. As a writer herself, she is dedicated to the rights and needs of authors, and takes a hands-on, editorial approach. Follow Ryann on Twitter @ryann_wahl.

What she is seeking: Ryann is interested in representing literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and young adult novels. For literary fiction, Ryann is looking for sharp, clean, language-driven writing with stunning turns of phrase. Ryann is interested in narratives that explore the strange within the mundane, dig into the human experience, and lift the corners of our daily lives to reveal what’s beneath. Introspective, meditative, lyrical, atmospheric, diverse, subversive, and politically relevant are all qualities to which she’s drawn. Nicole Krauss and Zadie Smith are two contemporary literary writers she loves.

For upmarket fiction, Ryann is looking for strong writing with a compelling hook. She likes psychological thrillers that approach the genre in a fresh way, such as Mark Dunn’s UNDER THE HARROW, and also smart coming-of-age stories with a mature voice, such as the work of Curtis Sittenfeld. Other examples of a compelling hook carried by well-observed writing would be M.O. Walsh’s MY SUNSHINE AWAY and Jessica Knoll’s LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE.

For young adult, she would like well-written stories that tackle challenging subjects in imaginative ways, like Gavriel Savit’s ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN, although her interest is definitely not limited to historical YA. Ryann is drawn to special YA novels that are timely yet have a timeless feel. Three-dimensional characters and world-building are essential. To this day, her favorite YA book is still THE GIVER.

How to submit: Send your query and the first fifteen pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email to submissions a[t] hollowayliteraryagency.com. In the subject header write: “Ryann/Title/Genre.” You can expect a response in 4 to 6 weeks. If Ryann is interested, she’ll respond with a request for more material. If she’s not interested in your query but thinks it will be a good fit for others at the agency, she’ll share your submission. Due to the number of emails the agency receives, Ryann can only respond if she’s interested.
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Michael Hoogland of Dystel & Goderich

About Mike: Michael Hoogland joined Dystel & Goderich after completing a foreign rights internship at Sterling Lord Literistic. Before pursuing a career in publishing, Mike studied at Colgate University and graduated with a degree in political science and the intention to work in government. He interned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but soon realized his interests and passions were better suited to a career in the publishing industry. After Colgate, Mike went on to gain a valuable education at the Columbia Publishing Course and discovered his passion for the agenting side of the business.

What he is seeking: sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, upmarket women’s fiction, and some children’s books (picture books, MG, and YA), as well as a wide variety of narrative nonfiction, including science, history, and politics. He is particularly interested in seeing thought-provoking, realistic speculative fiction.

How to submit: E-query mhoogland [at] dystel.com. “Synopses, outlines or sample chapters (say, one chapter or the first 25 pages of your manuscript) should either be included below the cover letter or attached as a separate document. We won’t open attachments if they come with a blank email, by the way. We will respond to most query letters within a six to eight week period. If you don’t hear from us within that time frame, chances are we did not receive yours. Feel free to resend it.”
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32 Writing Contests in April 2016 - No Entry Fees

There are loads of free literary contests in April, some with substantial prizes. All genres and forms are included, from humorous poetry, to short fiction, to full length-works, both published and unpublished.

Some of these contests have age and regional restrictions, so be sure to read the full guidelines before submitting.

Good luck!

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Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Now in its 15th year, this contest seeks today's best humor poems, published and unpublished. Please enter one poem only, 250 lines max. Prize: $2,250 in prizes, including a top prize of $1,000, and publication on Winning Writers. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  Submission form  HERE.

Harold U. Ribalow Prize. Genre: Fiction on a Jewish theme, published books only. Prize: $3,000.  Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Bop Dead City. Genres: Prose, poetry. Prize: $20. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. Restrictions: The writer must be Canadian, and an entry must be the writer's first or second published book of any type or genre and must have a Canadian locale and/or significance. Genre: Print books and ebooks of creative non-fiction published in the previous calendar year. Prize: C$10,000.00. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship for Writers. Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians awards fellowships for writers to spend time in McCullers' childhood home in Columbus, Georgia. The fellowships are intended to afford the writers in residence uninterrupted time to dedicate to their work, free from the distractions of daily life and other professional responsibilities. Award: Stipend of $5000 to cover costs of transportation, food and other incidentals. Fellowship recipients will be required to introduce or advance their work through reading or workshop/forum presentations. The Fellow will work with the McCullers Center Director to plan a presentation near the end of the residency. Deadline: April 1, 2016. More details are HERE.

Carbon Culture Review's Poetry Film Prize. Genre: Film: make a film of your poem. Prize: $1000.  Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

The Great American Think-Off. Genre: Essay on the theme: “Income Inequality Threatens Democracy.” Entrants should take a strong stand agreeing or disagreeing with this topic, basing their arguments on personal experience and observations rather than philosophical abstraction. Essay should be no more than 750 words. Prize: One of four $500 cash prizes. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  Submission  details are  HERE.

Paterson Fiction Prize. Genre: Published novel or collection of short fiction.  Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Genre: Poetry, up to five poems per person. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, all genres. Prize: $500. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

The Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Genre: Literary nonfiction, desert theme. Prize: $1,500. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Fall Lines: Saluda River Prize for Poetry / Broad River Prize for Prose. Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, essays, short fiction. Prizes: Two $250 cash prizes, and publication. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Graybeal-Gowen Prize for Virginia Poets. Restrictions: Open to Virginia poets. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: April 1, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

The Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize. Genre: Book-length translation of Asian poetry into English. Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: April 8, 2016.  See details  HERE.

American Literary Translators Association Italian Prose in Translation Award. Genre: Translation of a recent work of Italian prose (fiction or literary non-fiction). Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: April 8, 2016.  See details  HERE.

William Saroyan Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in 1st grade through college. Genre: Short story, 2 pages. Prize: $50 - $100. Deadline: April 11, 2016.  More details are  HERE.

Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Only undergraduates enrolled full time in United States and Canadian universities and colleges for the academic year 2015-16 are eligible. Genre: Fiction of no more than 7,500 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 15, 2016.  See submission  details  HERE.

Common Good Books Poetry Contest is sponsored by Common Good Books, proprietor Garrison Keillor. Genre: Poetry. The poem must be a declaration of gratitude. Prize: Grand prizes of $1000 each, and four poets will receive $500 for poems of particular merit. Deadline: April 15, 2016.  See submission  details  HERE.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016 to be eligible for the 2016 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: April 15, 2016. See details HERE.

Rhyme On! Genre: Poetry, one poem only. Prize: 1st prize -  $200, 2nd prize - $100, 3rd prize - $50. Deadline: April 15, 2016.  See submission  details  HERE.

Chautauqua Editors Prize. Awards will recognize the writing that best captures both the issue’s theme and the spirit of Chautauqua Institution. Prizes: $500, $250, and $100 for each issue. Deadline: April 15, 2016.  Submission form is  HERE.

The Waterman Fund Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. "The dual mission of the NPS is to conserve the resources and provide visitor enjoyment of uniquely wild and beautiful places around the country. However, with these high and growing levels of use, how can the NPS achieve these ideals? Is the spirit of wilderness alive and well in our National Parks? What do we gain or lose by protecting these areas over others? What relationships between stewardship and National Parks stand out as significant in preserving both our landscapes and our ideals of wilderness? Emerging writers are encouraged to address these questions and their own in well-crafted essays, drawing on personal wilderness experiences—in or out of Parks—as concrete examples for their arguments." Prizes: The winning essayist will be awarded $1500 and publication in Appalachia Journal. The Honorable Mention essay will receive $500. Deadline: April 15, 2016.   Submission details are  HERE.

Monash Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing. "Now in its fifth year, the Prize is a significant literary award for new and emerging writers. The prize is open to both Australian and New Zealand university students, enrolled in either an undergraduate or honours degree. All types of creative writing will be accepted, including short stories, non-fiction narrative and narrative verse." Prize: $4000.  Deadline: April 18, 2016.   Submission details are  HERE.

Sapiens Plurum. Genre: Stories that personalize the consequences of climate change so readers feel as well as know them. But stories must offer hope, at least a possibility, for without hope people rarely act. Your job, as author, is to inspire scientists and states-persons around the world to live up to the promise of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300. Deadline: April 22, 2016.  Submission details are HERE.

Toronto Book Awards. Genres: All genres accepted. Restrictions: Submission "must evoke the city itself, that is, contain some clear Toronto content (this may be reflected in the themes, settings, subjects, etc.). Authors do not necessarily have to reside in Toronto. Ebooks, textbooks and self-published works are not eligible. Prize: A total of $15,000 CD will be awarded. Each shortlisted author (usually 4-6) receives C$1,000 and the winning author is awarded the remainder. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are  HERE.

Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships. Restrictions: Applicants must reside in the U.S. or be U.S. citizens. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years of age as of April 30, 2016. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $25,800.  Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are  HERE.

Lake Superior State University High School Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students students residing in the Midwestern United States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) or Ontario, Canada. Genre: Alternate history short stories. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are HERE.

Anna Boswell Memorial Prize for Young Writers. Restrictions: Open to writers 13-19 years of age. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are HERE.

Artemis vs Apollo. Genre: Mythology, 5000 words max. Prize: $100 Visa e-card. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are HERE.

The Jan Garton Prairie Heritage Book Award will be given to the best book of the year that illuminates the heritage of America’s mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors’ first books receive extra consideration. Books published in 2014 may be nominated by publishers, authors, or readers. Genre: Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. Prize: $1000 and a sponsored book-signing. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are  HERE.

The Scythe Prize. Restrictions: Open to college students. Genre: Short stories, creative nonfiction. Prize: $250. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are  HERE.

Wax Poetry and Art Poetry Contest. Prize: $120. Deadline: April 30, 2016.  Submission guidelines are  HERE.

18 Calls for Submissions in April 2016 - Paying Markets

Here are 18 calls for submissions during the month of April. All genres and styles are represented, including poetry, creative non-fiction, essays, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, translation, speculative fiction, screenplays, and graphic art.

Happy submitting!

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Stories of Music

Genres: Creative nonfiction (personal essays, memoir excerpts, and literary journalism), poetry, photography and art, videos, and audio recordings, and additional genres and styles,  as long as music is the centerpiece and the story is true .

Payment: $200 (US dollars), a copy of the print edition

Deadline: April 1, 2016

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Impact: Colonialism in Canada Anthology

The anthology will feature works from emerging and established Indigenous-Canadian writers, and will focus on the effects of colonialism in Canada from a historical or contemporary perspective.

Genres: Historical or contemporary fiction, creative, non-fiction, essay, or poetry. Your work must address the anthology’s theme from an Indigenous perspective in compelling ways and will be assessed based on artistic and educational merit.

Length: 3,000 words and under per piece for fiction, non-fiction, or essay. Two to three pieces for poetry with a submission maximum of five.

Payment: 5¢/word for fiction, non-fiction, or essay and $50 per published poem.

Deadline: April 1, 2016

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West Branch

Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation.

Payment: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100, and two copies of the issue in which his/her work appears and a one-year subscription to West Branch.

Deadline: April 1, 2016

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NonBinary Review #10: A Study in Scarlet, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes)

"NonBinary Review is a quarterly digital literary journal that joins poetry, fiction, essays, and art around each issue's theme. We invite authors to explore each theme in any way that speaks to them: re-write a familiar story from a new point of view, mash genres together, give us a personal essay about some aspect of our theme that has haunted you all your life. We also invite art that will accompany the literature and be featured on our cover. All submissions must have a clear and obvious relationship to some specific aspect of the source text (a character, episode, or setting). Submissions only related by a vague, general, thematic similarity are unlikely to be accepted."

Payment: 1 cent per word for fiction and nonfiction, and a flat fee of $10 per poem and $25 per piece of visual art

Deadline: April 1, 2016

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Apex Publications: Undead: A Poetry Anthology of Ghouls, Ghosts, and More 

Genre: 1-3 poems, email to undeadpoetryanthology@gmail.com

Payment: $5

Deadline: April 1st, 2016. Previously published work is eligible, as long as you own the rights

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Ghosts, Gears, and Grimoires

Anthology of short stories, released as an ebook and as a paperback simultaneously

Genre: Horror-themed Steampunk

Payment: $10

Deadline: April 1st, 2016

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Nous: The Work Issue

"For many of us being at work or working for a living takes up more than half of our time. Probably also more than half of the time of our whole lives. In this issue we want to explore how our work can cause distress, make us unhappy but also show off alternatives that show how fulfilling a profession can be. Is there such a thing as good work and bad work? How do other cultures “work”, how did our grandparents “work”. What work has been done to make the world “better”. What is work, or labour, or profession, and what does it mean to us? Is working in our blood, is it good for our soul to do stuff? Many questions to explore, send us your proposals for essays, short stories, and poetry to submit@nous-magazine.de"

Payment: £20 and a copy of NOUS 7

Deadline: April 1st, 2016

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Splickety: Outdoor Misadventure

Genre: Flash fiction

Payment: 2 cents/word

Deadline: April 8, 2016

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Seizure: 'Translated Edition'

Genre: Translated poetry and fiction

Payment: $200

Deadline: April 13, 2016

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Narrative Magazine

Narrative is a highly prestigious magazine, geared to a discerning audience. Their no-fee submission period is during the first two weeks of April.

Genres: All genres, short stories, poems, novellas, one-act plays

Payment: Pay scale ranges from $50 - $1000, depending on the length of the piece

Deadline: April 14, 2016

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Brain, Child

Seeking submissions for two upcoming blog series:

Milestones: - Yours, your child’s, your family’s. Tell us about a personal or family milestone and the journey to get there (or not get there). Topics might include a mother’s spiritual awakening after her empty nest; missing a son's first time learning how to ride a bike; teaching a child with a learning disability how to read.

Multiples: Share your stories about raising multiples, being a multiple, or what it’s like growing up in a family with multiples. Topics might include: having twins as the first vs. the last children in the family; commemorating the date twins come home after months in the NICU; comparing identical twin siblings' separate identities.

Length: 750-1200 words per submission

Payment: Competitive rates

Deadline: April 15, 2016

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|tap| magazine

"|tap| magazine especially aims to publish poetry and prose on trauma, mental health, social justice, and by marginalized voices. We are looking for work that is vulnerable, work that is evocative, and work with risk and emotion."

Payment: $25

Deadline: April 15, 2016

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Epoch

"EPOCH is an open forum for literary fiction, poetry, essays, screenplays, cartoons, graphic art, and graphic fiction. We consider only work that is previously unpublished. We do not accept electronic submissions or simultaneous submissions."

Payment: $50 per poem, and a maximum of $150 per story, more for fiction submitted by literary agencies and for long stories and novellas.

Deadline: April 15, 2016

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Catskill Made: 'Flow' Issue

"Catskill Made is a digital journal of artists and makers in the Catskills. Our primary aim is to explore the creative environment in all its forms, examining how the rural mountain lifestyle affects artists, artwork, and the art-making process. Our secondary goal is to document that lifestyle and those artists in a publication as beautiful as the region itself."

Payment: 10 cents/word

Deadline: April 15, 2016 (for pitches)

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Sandwiched: Voices from the Middle

"We are looking for a wide range of first-person stories and reflective essays that connect us and rekindle our spirit on various aspects of the middle years of life."

Genre: Creative nonfiction, 1st person essays

Payment: $25

Deadline: April 15, 2016

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LET US IN

First horror anthology released by TIME ALONE PRESS.

Genre: Horror

Length: Approx 4000 words


Payment: $.06 per word. PLUS half of royalties distributed among the writers after the recovery of initial costs (paid twice per year).

Deadline: April 30, 2016

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DARK CLOUDS Anthology

"Did you know that humans emit clouds of microbes? Over a million particles an hour. With that sort of chaos something is likely to go very, very wrong."

Genre: Science fiction, although genre mashups with horror, romance, mystery, etc. will be accepted. 

Length: 3,000 to 10,000 words

Payment: 3 cents/word

Deadline: April 30, 2016

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Antioch Review

Genres: Short stories, reviews, articles, poetry

Payment: $20.00 per printed page (about 425 words) plus 2 copies of the issue

Deadline: April 30, 2016

No electronic submissions

29 Writing Conferences in April 2016

Spring has sprung, and writers are thawing out!

There are conferences springing up all over the country in April. 

Topics range from the nuts and bolts of how to get published, to how to write fight scenes, to writing science for children. 

There are workshops with authors and industry professionals, as well as critique groups, pitch sessions, and informal schmoozing.

For writers, who spend so much time in solitary pursuits, writers' conferences are exciting and rewarding experiences. I encourage you to attend one. Even if it's a one-day workshop, you will be invigorated.
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University of North Dakota Writers Conference. April 6 - 8, 2016. Grand Forks, North Dakota. This year’s theme is “The Art of Science.” The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as panel discussions and readings. Participating authors include poet Katharine Coles; fiction writers Frank Huyler, Tania James, and Kim Stanley Robinson; and nonfiction writer Brian Greene.

Tennessee Mountain Writers Annual Conference, Apr 7 - 9, 2016, Oak Ridge, TN. Speakers and session leaders include Sonja Livingston, Michael Knight, Jesse Graves, Courtney Stevens, Denton Loving, Beverly Connor, Judy DiGregorio, Robert Gipe, Saundra Kelly, Cathy Kodra, and Bob Mayer.

Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, Apr 7 - 9, 2016, Bethlehem PA. Keynote Speaker: Robert Liparulo. Pre-conference workshops: Robert Liparulo, Suzy Kuhn, Bonnie Calhoun, Catherine McLean. Additionally on Saturday will be the above plus Shawn Smucker, Ramona D. Long, Hana H. Caye, Jon Gibbs, and Kelly Simmons.

Authors Combat Academy. April 8 – 10, 2016, Nashville TN. Writers, Authors, pre-published or published who want to learn how to write better fight scenes. Special guests, lectures, group participation, banquet. Presenters: Liliana Hart, CJ Lyons, Jack Dagger, and more! Fighting experts from all different styles (martial arts, military, boxing, MMA, space battles, lovers quarrels, fantasy, and more) as well as writing experts and industry experts.

New York Writers Workshop Fiction Pitch Conference, April 8 – 10, 2016, Ripley-Grier Studios (NY Spaces) 520 Eighth Ave (36th/37th), 16th Fl. Participants polish their pitches with the help of conference leaders who are members of the New York Writers Workshop faculty, then they present them to three different editors from major New York publishing houses. Editors provide feedback and may request proposals and manuscripts after the conference. Cost: $450 for 3-day Fiction Pitch Conference, including Agents Panel.

Writing By Writers Workshop. April 8 – 10, 2016, Boulder, Colorado. Faculty: Craig Childs, Pam Houston and Luis Alberto Urrea. "Each day will start with a craft talk by one of our faculty members and then 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."

Rally of Writers Conference. April 9, 2016. Lansing, Michigan. Features workshops, craft talks, and author readings in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Participants include poet Michael Lauchlan and Rosalie Petrouske; fiction writers Bonnie Jo Campbell, Susan Froetschel, Jim Hines, and Lev Raphael; and nonfiction writers Rosa Morales, Robin Silbergleid and Bob Tarte. Cost: $85 ($60 for students) in advance, and $100 ($70 for students) on-site.

Antioch Writers' Workshop "The Writing Life," April 9, 2016, Yellow Springs, Ohio. "From finding the inspiration and time to write, to crafting outstanding query letters, to managing finances... how can you make everything happen that you need to as a writer and balance it all with the rest of your life?" Cost: $150.00.

Nuts and Bolts of Science Writing 2016 is sponsored by Highlights. April 10-14, 2016. Honesdale, PA. Workshop Faculty: Jennifer Swanson, Miranda Paul, Emily Feinberg, Paige Hazzan. "You love science and our world—and want to share your knowledge and passion with kids. How do you accomplish it? Learn the dynamics of engaging science-based writing for children and teens—whether you’re published already or just beginning. Faculty will demonstrate how to energize readers through active fiction and nonfiction writing that shines the light on exciting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts. Through presentations, hands-on workshops, one-to-one manuscript critiques, ample writing time, and sessions with acquiring editors, this workshop will give you the tools and insights you need to advance on your path to success."

Arkansas Literary Festival. Apr 14 - 17, 2016, Little Rock, Arkansas. "Prestigious award-winners, screenwriters, comedians, an expert witness, artists, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet are among the diverse roster of presenters who will be providing sessions." Free.

The Pikes Peak Writers Conference, April 15 - 17, 2016. Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The three-day conference is full of topical, in-depth workshops, dynamic keynote speakers, opportunities for one-on-one time with agents and editors, the chance to read your work aloud for constructive critique, plus time to socialize with fellow writers."

Poetry at Round Top Festival. April 15 - 17, 2016. Round Top, Texas. Features readings, lectures, craft talks, panel discussions, and workshops with poets Rosemary Catacalos, Robert Hass, Terrance Hayes, Dorianne Laux, Maurice Manning, Dunya Mikhail, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Carmen Tafolla, and Sasha West. Cost: $100 ($50 for students) or $75 for Saturday only. Workshops are an additional $35. Private manuscript consultations are available for an additional $60.

Stories From the Heart Women Writers’ Conference. April 15 - 17, 2016. Austin, Texas.Features workshops in fiction and creative nonfiction for women writers, as well as panel discussions, publishing seminars, and readings. The faculty includes poet Jan Seale; fiction writers Susan Wittig Albert and Noelle Sickels; and creative nonfiction writers Ruth W. Crocker, Cindy Eastman, and Linda Joy Myers. Cost: $405 for Story Circle members, and $460 for non-members.

Duck River Writers’ Conference. April 16, 2016. Columbia, Tennessee. Features workshops, craft talks, manuscript consultations, and a featured reading. The faculty includes poets Joseph Cook, Jeff Hardin, and Carrie Jerrell; fiction writers Adria Bernardi and Dana Carpenter; and nonfiction writer and translator Beverly Mitchell. Poet Mark Jarman will give a featured reading. Cost: $10 (free for Columbia State students with a valid I.D.) before February 29, and $15 on-site. To enroll in a workshop, e-mail three to five poems, or 10 pages of fiction, by March 18. An additional reading fee of $15 is required to attend a workshop.

Honolulu Writers' Conference 2016 – NLAPW. Apr 22 - 23, 2016, Honolulu HI. Features a dozen presenters and workshop sessions on every aspect of writing.

Northeast Texas Writers Organization. Apr 22 - 23, 2016, Mt. Pleasant, TX. Workshop sessions, breakouts, Q&A sessions, personal interaction with authors. Cost: $125.00.

Northern Colorado Writers Conference. Apr 22 - 23, 2016, Fort Collins CO. Faculty: Todd Mitchell, Laura Resau, and Kerrie Flanagan, Melanie Crowder, Judith Briles, and Shane Kuhn, Grant Blackwood, #1 NYT Bestselling author of the Briggs Tanner series, and co-writer with Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy. Agents: Paula Munier, Jody Rein, Stacey Graham, Jennifer March Soloway.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference. April 23, 2016. Newport, Rhode Island. Greensboro, North Carolina. Features intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as publisher exhibits, on-site "lunch with an author" readings, and an open mic. The faculty includes poets Vievee Francis, Matthew Olzmann, and Jennifer Whitaker; fiction writers Quinn Dalton and Travis Mulhauser; and creative nonfiction writers Jim Minick and Mylene Dressler. The keynote speaker is fiction writer Michael Parker. Cost: $150 ($99 for members) until April 17 and $165 ($135 for members) thereafter and on-site.

Rochester Writers' Spring Conference. Apr 23 2016, Rochester Hills, Michigan. Lectures, Workshops and Panel Discussions in fiction, non-fiction and business of writing presentations. Open to new, working and published writers of all genres. Attendees select four presentations from a dozen to tailor fit their needs.

DFW Writers Conference. Apr 23 - 24, 2016, Fort Worth TX. Featuring pitch sessions with literary agents, advanced classes, engaging panels, interactive workshops.

Writers' Day, April 23, 2016. Hooksett, NH. Workshops and seminars led by professional writers, editors, agents, and publishers. The conference includes the option of face-to-face manuscript critiques and agent/publisher one-on-one pitch sessions.

Mystery Writers of America (MWA) Edgar Week Symposium. Apr 27, 2015, New York City, NY. Panels, discussions. Cost: $95 members, $125 non-members – with a $10 retroactive discount for those who join Mystery Writers of America within 30 days after Symposium.

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference sponsored by the Henderson Writers’ Group, Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, Las Vegas, Nevada. April 28 – 30, 2016. Join writing professionals, agents publishers and marketing experts for a weekend of workshops and enlightening discussions about the publishing industry. A chance to pitch your manuscript and ideas to agents.

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. April 29 - May 1, 2016. Boston, Massachusetts. Features craft classes, interactive discussions, and meetings with agents and editors. Participants include fiction and nonfiction writers Charles Baxter, Robin Black, Alexander Chee, Angela Flournoy, Garth Greenwell, Jennifer Haigh, Ann Hood, and Pagan Kennedy; agents Regina Brooks (Serendipity), Robert Guinsler (Sterling Lord Literistic), Gail Hochman (Brandt & Hochman), and Kathleen Nishimoto (William Morris Endeavor); and editors Emi Ikkanda (Holt), Jenna Johnson (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Fiona McCrae (Graywolf Press), and Tracy Sherrod (Amistad). Cost: $295 for a single day, $500 for the full conference. For a one-on-one manuscript consultation with an agent or editor, submit up to 20 pages of prose with a $195 registration fee by April 6. Registration deadline is April 25.

Chanticleer Authors Conference. April 29 -May 1, 2016. Bellingham, Washington. Sessions with a special focus on the business of being a working writer on topics such as marketing, publicity, platform, sales tools & strategies, publishing, production, distribution, organization, storycraft, editing, and more. Faculty: Robert Dugoni, Kathy L. Murphy, Diane Isaacs, Toby Neal, Kiffer Brown, Pamela Beason, Sara Stamey, Chris Humphries, James R Wells,and Shari Stauch.

Monadnock Pastoral Poetry Retreat. Apr 29 - May 1, 2016. Greenfield, NH.  Includes workshops, individual conferences, participant & mentor readings; hiking & kayaking (weather permitting). Each workshop uses dual mentors.

Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference. April 29 to May 2, 2016. Naples, Maine. Features evaluation and discussion of book-length and chapbook-length manuscripts with poets, editors, and publishers. The faculty includes editor Jeff Shotts (Graywolf Press) and poets and editors Joan Houlihan, Rusty Morrison, Hilda Raz, Martha Rhodes, and Ellen Doré Watson. Cost: $1,375, which includes lodging and meals. 

Write Now! Apr 30, 2016, Raleigh NC. One day writing conference hosted by Triangle Association of Freelancers.Sessions include screenwriting, financial tips for writers, pillars of freelance success, copyediting, trade pubs, column writing, publishing tips and more. Faculty: Brian Klems, Linda Formichelli, Mark Cantrell, Donald Vaughan, Laura Poole, Connie Gentry, Frank Hyman, Tom Welch, Scott Myers. Cost: $69; $59 for students with ID and seniors 65+; $80 at the door.

Ontario Writers’ Conference. April 30 to May 1, 2016. Ajax, Canada. Features workshops, craft talks, master classes, readings, and meetings with agents and editors. The theme of this year’s conference is Diversity in Publishing. Participants include fiction writers Wayson Choy, Donna Morrissey, Alison Pick, and Amanda Sun; agents Sam Hiyate and Alison MacDonald, both of the Rights Factory; and editors Allyson Latta and Ruth E. Walker. Cost: $260 Canadian (approximately $215). The fee for a master class is $99 Canadian (approximately $82), and a one-on-one meeting with an agent or editor is $35 Canadian (approximately $29). Registration deadline is March 31.

Pitching Your Book on Twitter Fests

What are twitter pitch fests?

Twitter pitch fests  are limited periods of time (usually one day) in which you can post a 140-character pitch for your book. Pitch contests can be a little more complicated. Some pitch contests span months, and have stages in which you hone your work, preparing it for an agent. Others simply allow you to tweet your pitch, cold. Agents are on the alert at these times, and they have the option of "liking" your pitch, and then asking for a full or partial.

Should you take part in a twitter fest?

If you have a completed, agent-ready manuscript, by all means, tweet your pitch! It can't do you any harm, and it doesn't preclude querying agents by any means!

Believe it or not, pitch fests actually do work. Busy, overwhelmed agents are often more likely to read and respond to an interesting twitter pitch than they are to a query. It takes less time and a lot less effort.

However, it will not take less effort on your part. Boiling your novel down to a short sentence is loaded with pitfalls. It's surprisingly easy to turn your exciting novel into a one-sentence summary that would bore an elephant to tears. So, I would suggest that you read What's Your Book About? How to Make a Pitch before attempting one of these contests. 

It is also immensely helpful to read some twitter pitches first. You can get onto twitter right now and type #PitchCB into a search to read some excellent pitches. (Go ahead, do it now. I'll wait.) Some of those pitches will make you want to BUY those books, which is precisely what the pitch is intended for. Contrary to what you may think, a pitch is not really about the meaning, theme, or inherent quality of your book. It is a sales tool. So, think about what would make you want to read a book, and convey that in your pitch. (A hint: Pitches, like queries, follow the story arc of your main character.)

Here is a list of 2016 pitch fests. Like twitter itself, pitch fests are constantly changing and evolving. There are probably a few that I've missed. And, some of these may vanish by next year, but that is the nature of publishing. It's a volatile industry.

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#PitchCB

Hosted by Curtis Brown and Conville &Walsh

Curtis Brown, an international literary agency, holds a pitch contest on the last Friday of every month.

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#AdPit

Online writing conference for authors of Adult and New Adult works.

#KidPit

#KidPit is for COMPLETE AND POLISHED MANUSCRIPTS ONLY. Children's literature.

Both are held on April 1, 2016

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#PitchWars

#PitchMadness 

#PitMad

3 events hosted by Brenda Drake, author of Thief of Lies

See schedule HERE.

Brenda Drake has done more to popularize twitter pitch contests than anyone else. Her contests are well organized, and attract many industry professionals as well as published authors eager to help aspiring writers. Agents keep an eye on her contests, and have signed on writers through their initial pitches.

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#FicFest 

Hosted by author and editor Tiffany Hoffman

April 24, 2016 (see site for schedule)

FicFest is a brand new contest launching in 2016 that will help put manuscripts in front of agents. FicFest is unique in that this contest covers the five major categories of writing: Children’s Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult. The chances for each category to get agent requests is equal. Unlike most writing contests, an equal number of finalists will be chosen for each category so that one does not overpower the other. FicFest creators also ensure that there will be a plethora of agents wanting each of these categories. Our goal is to help writers of all books get out there, get great feedback, and have the opportunity to get partial/full requests from agents. 

Read more HERE.

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#DVPit

Hosted by literary agent, Beth Phelan

April 19, 2016 - 8:00AM EST – 8:00PM EST

#DVpit is a Twitter event created to showcase pitches about and especially by marginalized voices. This includes (but is not limited to): Native peoples and people of color; people living and/or born/raised in underrepresented cultures and countries; disabled persons; people with illness; people on marginalized ends of the socioeconomic, cultural and/or religious spectrum; people identifying as LGBTQIA+; and more.

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#SFFpit

Hosted by Dan Koboldt

June (Date TBA)

This contest is for completed, unpublished novels of fantasy or science fiction. Complete means that it’s proofed, polished, and ready for submission. Unpublished means you haven’t self-published it online, on Amazon, or in print. Fantasy or science fiction means speculative fiction: epic fantasy, urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic, space opera.

The contest will happen on Twitter under a common hashtag (#SFFpit). During a 10-hour window on the chosen day, authors with completed manuscripts who are seeking representation or publication can tweet a pitch for their books (at most, once per hour).
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#pg70pit

Hosted by Lara Willard

July 1-7, 2016

This is a very interesting contest and pitching opportunity for writers with complete, polished novels (Middle Grade, YA, or NA/Adult) in any genre except erotica. Instead of pitching your book via 140 characters, or a synopsis, or even a first page, you submit your 70th page via a form. The idea is that by page 70 your book should be in full swing. Take a look at the submission form HERE. 
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#WritePit

August 5, 2016

This Twitter pitch party is open to all genres and readerships. That includes picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult readerships.

13 Paying Markets for Personal Essays

It seems personal essays are all the rage, lately. Even otherwise stodgy publications are turning to them as a means of drumming up clientele. (I blame blogs.)

In case you are wondering what a personal essay is, it's any nonfiction story written in first person. Personal essays always involve an experience, especially one that evokes emotions that speak to a broader audience. Like the short story, they are structured, have a theme, and usually involve a moral or message of some kind. Some literary journals and niche magazines are willing to pay substantially for these essays, so devoting a few hours to writing one is worth your consideration.

For additional markets see:

Writing to Heal

20 Places to Publish Personal Essays
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The 3288 Review

"Tell a good story. Tell a true story. Examples include A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius or the stories from The Moth. A case could also be made for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

Length: From 1,000 to 15,000 words 

Payment: Prose 1,000 to 2,500 words – $25.00; Prose between 2,500 and 7,500 words – $50.00; Prose 7,500  to 15,000 words – $75.00
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Bugle Magazine: "Women in the Outdoors" Column

"We are looking for personal essays and stories concerning elk, hunting, wildlife encounters, conservation and land-use issues. We are especially interested in thought-provoking stories and essays – personal narratives that evoke emotion and suggest connections to larger themes or ask (or attempt to answer) questions that touch the heart."

Length: 1,000 to 3,000 words

Payment: $.20/word on acceptance
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Chicken Soup for the Soul

"A Chicken Soup for the Soul story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people having extraordinary experiences. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple piece that touches our readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. These stories are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people."

Payment: $200

Books are themed
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Christian Science Monitor

"The Home Forum is looking for upbeat, personal essays. We also welcome short poems. All material must be original and previously unpublished. For seasonal material, be aware that if you submit something that is about a particular month, holiday, event (back to school, graduation), or season, we need to receive it a minimum of six weeks ahead. These are first-person, nonfiction explorations of how you responded to a place, a person, a situation, an event, or happenings in everyday life. Tell a story; share a funny true tale. The humor should be gentle. We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects, and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don't deal with the topics of death, aging and disease."

Length: 400 to 800 words

Payment: $75-$150
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Down East: The Magazine of Maine

"My Maine is our section most open to new contributors. My Maine stories are personal essays that focus on some aspect of the writer’s relationship to Maine and the Maine landscape. Pieces are often lyrical, sometimes humorous, and almost always have a strong first person component. We receive more submissions for My Maine than any other section of the magazine; please give us three months to respond to your submission before following up."

Length: 800–1000 words

Payment: Between $.40/word and $.70/word
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FATE

"FATE magazine reports on a wide variety of strange and unknown phenomena. We are open to receiving any well-written, well-documented article. (FATE does not publish poetry or fiction.) Our readers especially like reports of current investigations, experiments, theories, and experiences/"

Payment: $50 per article, and $10 for short fillers, which are less than 500 words, payable six months after print publication. Payment for “True Mystic Experiences” and “My Proof of Survival” is $25, including the use of the photograph, which will be returned.
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Good Old Days

"Good Old Days tells the real stories of the people who lived and grew up in “the Good Old Days” (about 1935–1960). We like stories to sound informal and conversational, as if you’re sitting around the kitchen table reminiscing with your friends and family. However, we are open to any way you choose to write your story, as long as it is true and falls within our targeted period of time. We prefer the author’s individual voice, warmth, humor and honesty over technical ability. We do not accept fictional manuscripts."

Length: 500 to 1,500 words

Payment: $15 to $75
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Michigan Quarterly Review

"MQR is an eclectic interdisciplinary journal of arts and culture that seeks to combine the best of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction with outstanding critical essays on literary, cultural, social, and political matters. The flagship journal of the University of Michigan, MQR draws on lively minds here and elsewhere, seeking to present accessible work of all varieties for sophisticated readers from within and without the academy."

Length: 1,500 words minimum, 5,000 average, 7,000 maximum

Payment: Semi-pro
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Slice

"We're looking for anyone with a fresh voice and a compelling story to share—basically any work that really knocks our socks off.  At the core, Slice aims to bridge the gap between emerging and established authors by offering a space where both are published side-by-side. We simply look for works by writers who promise to become tomorrow’s literary legends."

Payment: $250 

Only accepts submissions during  reading periods
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Story Quarterly

"We are interested in literary fiction, including short stories, short shorts, and novel excerpts up to 6,250 words in length, and creative nonfiction. We select work on the basis of style, craft, freshness, and vision."

Payment: $50
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The Rusty Toque

"The Rusty Toque is a contemporary online literary and arts journal from Ontario. The Rusty Toque strives to publish innovative literary writing, film, reviews, and visual art nationally and internationally in the spring and fall of each year."

Payment: $50 (CAD)
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The Smart Set

"We’re always looking for excellent, original, and previously unpublished personal essays, critical essays, reporting, memoir, travel writing, stories, photo essays, and even video projects."

Payment: Negotiable
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The Toast

"We are especially interested in original reporting and longform journalism (particularly, though not exclusively, about women and women-adjacent issues), short fiction and poetry (preferably strange), personal narratives (ditto), videos, illustrations and essays."

Payment: Amount not specified.