Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 73

YA Debut Gets Six-Figure Deal: How did Scott Bergstrom Do It?

Scott Bergstrom made publishing news last November when his debut novel, The Cruelty, got a six-figure advance with attached movie rights. Scott originally self-published his book, but not in the ordinary fashion. As an advertising executive, Scott knew that marketing was everything. He formed a LLC, NuCodex Publishing, which allowed him to display his book at the Frankfurt Book Fair. It generated a huge amount of interest, grabbing the attention of an agent - and Hollywood.

What is interesting about Scott's self-publishing story is that he planned on making a bestseller from the start. He did not spend time querying agents (it may have taken years). Instead he built success with careful planning. 

First he chose to write a thriller (great for film adaptations), with a teenage main character (YA is very popular right now), using tried-and-true tropes from previously successful books/movies.

Then he drew on his own experience as a marketer to catapult his book into the limelight. And he began his plan when he had only written a few pages.

The moral to this story - think ahead.
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YA Debut Gets Six-Figure Deal, Sold to 16 Territories and Jerry Bruckheimer

By Sue Corbett, Nov 24, 2015 Publishers Weekly

A six-figure deal for North American rights to The Cruelty is the latest in a string of good things that have happened to Scott Bergstrom’s debut novel in just the past month. The manuscript, self-published a year ago, caught fire in October at the Frankfurt Book Fair with sales, so far, into 16 territories. “Every morning I wake up to more exciting e-mails,” said his agent, Tracey Adams of Adams Literary.

The buzz that those foreign sales generated ignited interest from Hollywood. In late October, Paramount secured the film rights, with Jerry Bruckheimer attached. (Yes, that Jerry Bruckheimer – Pirates of the Caribbean, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop.)

And, now, Bergstrom has a U.S. publisher for his thriller, which Adams describes as a “YA Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets The Bourne Identity, with a dash of Homeland.” (Adams said she got one offer for the book based on nothing more than that description.) Jean Feiwel of Macmillan’s Feiwel and Friends won the book, plus a sequel, in a six-house auction. Publication is scheduled for winter 2017.

Read the rest of this fascinating article on Publishers Weekly. 

3 New Literary Agents Seeking Clients - Science Fiction, Fantasy, MG, YA, Nonfiction & more

Here are three new agents seeking writers. Paul Stevens (Donald Maass Literary Agency) is looking for science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and humor (both fiction and nonfiction). Danielle Barthel (New Leaf Literary & Media) is seeking upper middle grade, YA, adult, and nonfiction manuscripts. Tanusri Prasanna (Hannigan Salky Geltzer) is looking for kidlit, ranging from picture books and middle-grade to YA (including YA/Adult crossovers. 
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Paul Stevens of Donald Maass Literary Agency

About Paul: Paul Stevens joined the Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2016. He has worked as an editor for 15 years, primarily at Tor Books, where he edited science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. Paul has worked with authors such as Alex Bledsoe (The Hum and the Shiver), Marie Brennan (A Natural History of Dragons), Robert Brockway (The Unnoticeables), Tobias S. Buckell (Crystal Rain), Adam Christopher (Made to Kill), Hilary Davidson (The Damage Done), David Edison (The Waking Engine), Michael Livingston (The Shards of Heaven), A. Lee Martinez (Gil’s All Fright Diner), and Patrick Taylor (An Irish Country Doctor).

What he is looking for: Paul is looking for science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and humor (both fiction and nonfiction). He’s looking for strong stories with interesting characters. Well-rounded LGBT characters and characters of color are a plus.

How to submit: Please query at query.pstevens@maassagency.com. Include a cover letter and a synopsis pasted in the body of the email. (If your book has a twist at the end, please don’t reveal the twist in the synopsis. Paul needs to judge how well a twist works in the actual manuscript, and it’s better to read the ending cold without spoilers.) Please also include the first 5 pages of your manuscript pasted into the email. No attachments.
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Danielle Barthel of New Leaf Literary & Media

About Danielle: Following her completion of the Denver Publishing Institute after graduation, Danielle began interning at Writers House. While there, she realized she wanted to put her English degree and love of the written word to work at a literary agency. She worked as a full-time assistant for three years, and continues to help keep the New Leaf Literary offices running smoothly in her role of Coordinator of Team and Client Services and Associate Agent. In her downtime, she can be found with a cup of tea, a bar of chocolate, or really good book…sometimes all together.

What she is seeking: Upper middle grade, YA, adult, and nonfiction manuscripts. She’d love to find an amazing MG epistolary, engrossing YA realistic contemporary stories like THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, well-crafted fantasies, and retellings that truly twist a story from its original version. Adult family dramas akin to THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU and upmarket women’s fiction are also high on her wish list. A strong romantic subplot, especially with expertly crafted tension, is never a bad thing, and she’s particularly fond of historical romance (especially set in England). For nonfiction, she’s excited about unique and poignant lifestyle and cookbooks.

How to submit: “Do not query more than one agent at New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. Send query to query [at] newleafliterary [dot] com. The word ‘Query’ must be in the subject line, plus the agent’s name — for example ‘Query for Danielle: [title].’ You may include up to 5 double-spaced sample pages within the body of the email. No attachments, unless specifically requested. We respond if we are interested in seeing your work.”
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Tanusri Prasanna of Hannigan Salky Geltzer

About Tanusri: Tanusri had a somewhat unorthodox transition into publishing. A lawyer by training, she has a PhD in legal philosophy & human rights from Oxford University, and a Master’s degree from Harvard Law School. Along the way she worked in the legal department of the World Bank in Washington and as a teaching fellow at Columbia Law School. An avid fan of children’s literature, Tanusri joined a book club devoted to kidlit in 2012, which sowed the seeds of her decision to become a literary agent specializing in children’s books. To this end, before joining HSG, she gained valuable experience interning at Knopf Young Readers and Foundry Literary+ Media.

Tanusri was born and raised in India and although she has lived in the UK and then in New York for the past fourteen years, she has strong roots in the Indian sub-continent. She lives with her husband and two children in a household of multiple languages and religions; together they cover all four houses of Hogwarts (even Slytherin). Given her varied professional and personal background, Tanusri is also eager to find writers who can authentically articulate diverse voices and communicate the beautiful complexity of the world around us in their stories. You can follow her on twitter at @TanusriPrasanna.

What she is seeking: She is interested in all sorts of kidlit, ranging from picture books and middle-grade to YA (including YA/Adult crossovers). Tanusri is drawn to storytellers who deftly inveigle readers into their intricately-crafted plots with great voice and a touch of humor, and to writers with a vivid sense of the absurd. And while her primary interest is kidlit, she is also open to selective domestic suspense (Tana French and Sophie Hannah are two of her favorite authors in the genre) and voice-driven narrative nonfiction on social justice issues.

How to Submit: Query only one agent within HSG. HSG only accepts electronic submissions. Please send a query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript (within the email–no attachments please!) to tprasanna [at] hsgagency.com. If it is a picture book, please include the entire manuscript. “If you were referred to us, please mention it in the first line of your query. We generally respond to queries within 4-6 weeks, although we do get behind occasionally.”

6 Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers Accepting Manuscripts from Writers

Here are six science fiction and fantasy publishers that don't require an agent. Several offer competitive advances and royalties.

In publishing, as with all businesses, it is "brand recognition" that counts, and some of the names on this list are very well known.

If you don't know where to start, I would recommend beginning with Pyr.

Related posts:

3 Major Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts

Top 5 Sites for Science Fiction Writers

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Angry Robot

Angry Robot normally accepts submissions via an agent, but every so often they have an open submission month. The last open submission period ended January 31, 2016. (Go ahead, kick yourself - or me.) The next one, they say, will be in 2017. So, check their website every so often.

What they are looking for:  SF/F "and a little pinch of WTF." Note that they are looking for full-length novels, not short stories, novellas, epic poems, comic book scripts, etc. Angry Robot books are aimed at adults, so no middle grade or young adult themes at this time.

Terms: Competitive advances and royalties. English print versions in the UK, US and Australia plus region-free ebooks globally.
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Back Hall Press

Back Hall Press is aimed at niche markets.

What they are looking for: All subgenres including speculative, dystopian, apocalyptic, and dark fantasy stories. Unconventional concepts, world-building and diverse characters are always a plus.

Terms: Authors receive 30% of profits on their titles, paid quarterly. They do not pay advances. Specific details on rights, royalties and payments will be discussed before any agreements are signed.

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Edge Publishing

This is a small Canadian press.You do not have to be Canadian to submit your work, they accept manuscripts from any nationality worldwide. They have a distribution throughout North America.

What they are looking for: Science Fiction and Fantasy between 75,000 and 100,000 words. Adult audience (20 and up).

Terms: Advance and royalties. "We rarely ever negotiate the royalty percentages and/or advances that we offer, and if we do so, then only with previously published writers."

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Enigmatic Books

What they are looking for: Urban fantasy / paranormal fiction only, with a strong focus on series — no standalone titles. Books may fall within the categories of paranormal romance, mystery, thriller, fantasy, horror, and/or teen fiction

Terms: "We buy World rights… and we give them all back to you in 3 years if you ask us to. We publish your books in a reasonable time (no 18-month wait here). We offer a $200 advance, along with an extremely competitive royalty percentage (40-50%). We create e-book and paperback versions of all our full-length books, and are working on attaining paperback distribution. Our novellas and short stories are e-book only. We only take on books and authors we believe in."
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Montag

"We are a micro-niche, nano publisher currently slated to offer about 10 titles a year. We are based upon a collective structure that enables editors to personally select projects and become Project Leads as the editor in charge. This means that starting with your acceptance, you'll have one person that is completely invested, from editing, through design and into publicity, in your project."

What they are looking for: "Books worth burning." Dark Fantasy, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy.

Terms: Montag Press retains a 70/30 share (net) with the author for worldwide primary and secondary rights including digital, options, film and video production, and print rights, which is exclusive for 10 years from the date of publication.

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Pyr

Pyr is the scifi and fantasy imprint of Prometheus Books. They have international distribution.

What they are looking for: "We are not currently looking for short story collections, anthologies, novellas, or nonfiction. We prefer novels in the 100,000 to 130,000 word range. For science fiction, we do not consider material under 85,000 words in length. For fantasy, we do not consider material under 95,000 words in length. We are also looking for speculative Young Adult fiction in any subgenre. These manuscripts may be shorter."

Terms: Advance, plus royalties.

11 Agents Seeking Women's Fiction

Here are eleven agents looking for women's fiction. All are with reputable agencies.

Before querying these agents, make sure you read the agency's website for more details. 

You should also look up the agent on Query Tracker to get information about response times, and do a search to see if the agent has done any interviews. Knowing an agent's preferences before submitting will help you hone your query letter.
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Carly Watters (P.S. Literary)

About Carly: Carly is a Senior Agent and VP at P.S. Literary. She began her publishing career in London at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen's University and a MA in Publishing Studies from City University London. Since joining PSLA in 2010 Carly has had great success launching new authors domestically and abroad.

How to submit: E-query query@psliterary.com with “Query for Carly” in the subject line. “Do not send attachments. Always let us know if your manuscript/proposal is currently under consideration by other agents/publishers. If you don’t receive a response to your query within 4-6 weeks it means a no from the agency. In my women’s fiction, I look for an external hook other than the love story (career, family, personal history etc.)”
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Stephany Evans (FinePrint Literary Management)

About Stephany: Stephany is the president of Fine Print Literary Management. For more than twenty years, Stephany has represented nonfiction writers in the areas of health and wellness, spirituality, lifestyle (including home renovating, decorating, food and drink, and sustainability), running and fitness, memoir and narrative nonfiction. In fiction, she represents a range of women’s fiction, from literary to romance, including mystery, historical, and romantic suspense, and the occasional novel not aimed at women. Stephany is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and the Agents Round Table. She has served as ghostwriter on seven published books in the categories of memoir and spirituality.

How to submit: Send queries to Stephany [at] fineprintlit [dot] com. Send a query letter and include the first two chapters or so (no more than 30 pages) of your book pasted in the body of your email. No attachments.
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Sarah Joy Freese (Wordserve Literary)

About Sarah: She loves reading through queries, working with her authors on various proposals, and attending writing conferences to meet new excellent writers. Sarah especially enjoys working with authors to make their manuscripts even stronger. Sarah received her bachelor’s degree in English and communications from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also has an MA (emphasis in creative writing) and an MLIS degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

How to submit: Please address queries to: admin [at] wordserveliterary.com. In the subject line, include “Query for Sarah: [title].” Sarah will contact you within 60 days if interested. Paste the first 5 pages of the book into the email below the query.
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Stacy Testa (Writers House)

About Stacy: Stacy joined Writers House in 2011 as an assistant to senior agent Susan Ginsburg and has been actively building her own client list since 2013. Previously, she interned at Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Whimsy Literary. Stacy graduated cum laude with a BA in English from Princeton University.

How to submit: Please submit your query, including the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of the email (no attachments), to stesta [at] writershouse.com. Please do not query multiple Writers House agents simultaneously.
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Sharon Pelletier (Dystel & Goderich)

About Sharon: Sharon Pelletier joined DGLM after working for Europa Editions, Vantage Press, and Barnes & Noble. She graduated with English and History majors from Hillsdale College in Michigan in 2006, and moved to New York in 2009 to work with books in the city of skyscrapers and brunch. Born in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, she now lives in Astoria.

How to submit: E-query spelletier [at] dystel.com. Paste up to 25 pages in your email below the query.
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Carrie Pestritto (Prospect Agency)


About Carrie: Carrie Pestritto joined Prospect Agency in 2011 after working as an assistant at Writers House. With a B.A. in English from Amherst College, she has experienced all sides of the publishing industry, having worked as a ghostwriter, freelance writer, and in the editorial acquisitions department of the Greenwood Publishing Group. As an agent, she loves the thrill of finding new authors with strong, unique voices and working closely with her clients to develop their ideas and manuscripts.

How to submit: “We request a query letter, three chapters and a brief synopsis. If you are submitting a picture book text, please submit the entire manuscript. Illustrators should provide a link to their URL. We only accept submissions through our website. Please go to our SUBMISSIONS page to upload your materials. Please do not send submissions via email or mail. Responds in 3 months if interested. Illustrators and author-illustrators should refer to the guidelines in PROSPECT PORTFOLIO regarding submissions.” (Please do not submit to Linda Camacho [also on this list] if submitting to Carrie.)
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Laura Bradford (Bradford Literary)

About Laura: Laura Bradford established the Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets. During her own misadventures as a writer, Laura came to understand the importance of having a friendly but critical eye on your side, a career strategist in your corner and a guide who can lead you through the travails of publication. Her recent sales include books placed with Penguin Random House, Grand Central, Harlequin, Kensington, Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Sourcebooks, Hyperion, and many others.

How to submit: queries [at] bradfordlit.com. Put “Query: [title]” in your subject line. Please email a query letter along with the first chapter of your manuscript and a synopsis. Please be sure to include the genre and word count in your cover letter. (If you submit to Laura, please do not submit to any of the other Bradford Lit agents on this list — Monica Odom or Sarah LaPolla.)
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Linda Camacho (Prospect Agency)

About Linda: Linda Camacho joined Prospect Agency in 2015 after nearly a decade in publishing. After graduating from Cornell University, Linda interned at Simon & Schuster and Writers House literary agency, and worked at Penguin. She has an MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

How to submit: “We request a query letter, three chapters and a brief synopsis. Please go to our SUBMISSIONS page to upload your materials. Please do not send submissions via email or mail. Responds in 3 months if interested. Illustrators and author-illustrators should refer to the guidelines in PROSPECT PORTFOLIO regarding submissions.” (Please do not submit to Carrie Pestritto [also on this list] if submitting to Linda.)

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Allison Devereux (Wolf Literary)

About Allison:  Allison Devereux is an agent and the foreign & subsidiary rights manager at Wolf Literary Services. She moved to New York from Austin, where she was a graduate of the University of Texas and an intern at the Harry Ransom Center. She previously worked at Tor Books. Allison reads books across all genres, but she particularly loves literary and up-market commercial fiction featuring everyman characters who find themselves in unlikely, surprising, and unexpected situations; unconventional narrative voices; and stories set firmly in reality but that explore something fantastical.

How to submit: Send a query letter addressed to Allison along with a 50-page writing sample (for fiction) or a detailed proposal (for nonfiction) to queries [at] wolflit.com. Samples may be submitted as an attachment or embedded in the body of the email. More information can be found on the agency submission page.
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Laura Biagi (Jean V. Naggar Literary)

About Laura: Laura Biagi joined JVNLA in 2009. She is actively building her own client list, seeking adult literary fiction and young readers books. She also handles the sale of UK and Australian/New Zealand rights, as well as audio rights. She has worked closely with Jean Naggar and Jennifer Weltz on their titles, as well as Jennifer Weltz on the submission of JVNLA's titles internationally. Laura's writing background has honed her editorial eye and has driven her enthusiasm for discovering and developing literary talent. She studied creative writing and anthropology at Northwestern University. She is the recipient of a Kentucky Emerging Artist Award for fiction writing. Laura grew up in a small town in Kentucky and maintains a fondness for Southern biscuits and unobstructed views of the stars.

How to submit: Follow the instructions on the agency’s submissions page.
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Carlie Webber (CK Webber Associates)

About Carlie: Carlie Webber is the founder of CK Webber Associates. She obtained a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and for ten years she worked as a public librarian serving teens and adults, served on book awards committees, and reviewed books professionally for journals including Kirkus Reviews and VOYA. Wishing to pursue her interest in the business side of books, she then enrolled in the Columbia Publishing Course. Her professional publishing experience includes an internship at Writers House and work with the Publish or Perish Agency/New England Publishing Associates and the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

How to submit: To submit your work for consideration, please send a query letter, synopsis, and the first 30 pages or three chapters of your work, whichever is more, to carlie [at] ckwebber.com and put the word “Query” in the subject line of your email. You may include your materials either in the body of your email or as a Word or PDF attachment. Blank emails that include an attachment will be deleted unread. E-mail queries only.
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Note: For a complete list of new and established agents actively seeking clients go to: 

Agents Seeking Clients

15 Magazines That Pay $500 or More

While literary journals generally offer modest compensation (if any), there are some magazines that pay handsome professional rates. 

Many of these specialize in niche markets, which means they have a loyal readership. 

If you happen to have expertise or a background that would appeal to their audiences, these magazines will be happy to read your pitch. Quite a few accept poetry.

All information is taken from the journals’ websites.

Also see:

225 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction: These magazines represent everything from speculative fiction, to poetry, to gardening. Payments range from $1.25 to $1,000. You will find a home for your work in this list.

Speculative Fiction Magazines Accepting Submissions:  If you write science fiction, fantasy, or horror you will want to pore over this list. I have included pay ranges as well as whether they accept simultaneous submissions and/or reprints.

163 Literary Magazines Accepting Reprints: Most magazines do not accept reprints, but some welcome them. I have indicated which markets are currently paying writers. 

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1. Tai Chi Magazine

Tai Chi Magazine focuses on self-defense, internal skills, health, meditation, fitness, self-improvement, ch'i cultivation, Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, herbs, massage, etc.) and spiritual growth.

"Articles may be a feature or interview about a style, self-defense techniques, principles and philosophy, training methods, weapons, case histories of benefits, or new or unusual uses for T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Interviews with teachers or personalities should focus on their unique or individual insights into T'ai Chi Ch'uan, internal martial arts, qigong, or Traditional Chinese Medicine rather than on their personal achievement or ability, although their background can be woven into the article."

Length: Articles range from 500 to 3,500 words.

Payment: Tai Chi Magazine pay $75 to $500 per article depending on the length and quality of the article. It usually pays within 90 days of publication.

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2. Catholic Digest

"We are a lifestyle magazine that encourages and supports Catholics in a variety of life stages and circumstances. Our writers speak with the authority of experience, but always with an encouraging and positive voice. We recognize the importance of beauty and use beauty and truth to inspire our readers, but we also recognize real-life limitations. None of us is perfect. We are real-life Catholics who care deeply about our faith and our family."

Length: Approximately 550-700 words for Last Word. Features are approximately 1500 words and cover marriage, parenting, spirituality, and relationships, along with parish and work life.

Payment: $500 for features and Last Word, upon publication.

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3. Earth Island Journal

"We cover the entire spectrum of environmental issues, including: wildlife and lands conservation; innovations in science and technology; public policy and the politics of environmental protection; climate and energy; animal rights; public health; environmental justice and cultural survival; and environmentally related film, music, and books.

Whenever possible, we seek to tell the stories of individuals and communities who are successfully defending and restoring the Earth. On-the-ground reports from outside North America are especially welcomed. These pieces should be appropriate for an educated, environmentally savvy readership. We do not consider technical or academic reports."

Length and Payment: 25 cents/word for shorter dispatches (1,200-1,500 words) and for longer investigative features (2,500-3,000 words). You can expect to earn about $750-$1000 for an in-depth feature story. For online reports, the fee ranges from $50 to $100.
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4. VQR

"VQR strives to publish the best writing we can find. While we have a long history of publishing accomplished and award-winning authors, we also seek and support emerging writers. We read unsolicited fiction, poetry, and nonfiction submissions June 15 to July 15, and October 1 to November 1 each year through our Submittable portal. We read nonfiction pitches from June 15 to December 1." Note: No genre fiction.

Payment: $200 per poem, up to 4 poems; for a suite of 5 or more poems, payment is $1,000. For short fiction, $1,000.  For other prose, such as personal essays and literary criticism, $1,000 and above, at approximately 25 cents per word, depending on length. Online content is generally paid at $100-$200, depending upon genre and length.
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5. AMC Outdoors Magazine

"AMC Outdoors inspires readers to get outside and get involved by providing high-quality coverage of outdoor recreation, education, and conservation topics throughout the Northern Appalachian region, from Maine to Virginia. Our goal is to provide a balance of coverage that appeals to people new to the outdoors as well as experienced backcountry users. Our primary focus is recreation, but we also work to educate our more than 90,000 members on environmental issues that could affect the activities and natural areas they love. AMC Outdoors is published six times per year."

Payment and Length: $500 – $700 for features, which usually range from 2,000 to 2,500 words.
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6. The Sun Magazine

"We publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry. We tend to favor personal writing, but we’re also looking for provocative pieces on political and cultural issues."

Payment: From $300 to $2,000 for essays and interviews, $300 to $1,500 for fiction, and $100 to $200 for poetry. Reprints considered at half the rate.

No electronic submissions.
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7. The Nation

"We are a weekly journal of left/liberal opinion, covering national and international affairs as well as the arts publishing in both print and digitally. On the domestic front, we are particularly interested in civil liberties, civil rights, labor, economics, environmental, privacy and policing and feminist issues and politics. Because we have readers all over the country, it’s important that stories have national significance. In our foreign affairs coverage, we are interested in pieces on international political, economic and social developments. We are strongly committed to investigative reporting."

Payment: $250 for short comments of about 750 words and $500 for articles, 1,500-2,500 words.

Accepts poetry.

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8. The American Gardener

"The American Gardener is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society. The 64-page, four-color magazine goes out bimonthly to nearly 20,000 members. We stress environmentally responsible gardening practices, including minimizing use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, preventing illegal collection of plants from the wild, and avoiding plants with the potential to escape and damage natural ecosystems."

Payment: Payment for feature articles ranges from $300 to $600 on publication, depending on the article’s length and complexity, and the author’s background and publishing experience. Reimbursement for travel and other expenses can sometimes be negotiated at the time an article is accepted.
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9. One Story

One Story is seeking literary short stories. "They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone." Single stories are sent to email subscribers every month.

Length: Between 3,000 and 8,000 words.

Payment: $500 and 25 contributors copies.

Simultaneous submissions okay.

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10. The American Scholar 

The American Scholar is a quarterly magazine of essays, fiction, poetry, and articles covering public affairs, literature, science, history, and culture. Published since 1932 for the general reader by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the Scholar considers nonfiction by known and unknown writers, but unsolicited fiction, poetry, and book reviews are not accepted.

Payment: Up to $500 for accepted pieces and up to $250 for pieces taken only for their website.

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11. Herizons

"Herizons' audience is a feminist readership. Articles about applying feminist principles in work, in relationships and organizations, and in social justice are welcome. Our readers are interested in health issues, social and political issues, environmental issues, equality issues, justice issues, spiritual issues; parenting issues and all issues informed by diverse racial and cultural experiences. Articles in which the writer is engaged with the material work best; personal experiences, journalism style articles, interviews, articles which bring in current research and a clear feminist perspective are all things we look for."

Payment and length: Features - 1,000 to 3,000 words. In depth articles on feminist debates, current social/ political/legal/environmental/culture emerging issues or personal stories with a broader social relevance. Can be interview style, essay style or journalism style. Non academic. $250-$750 depending on length. Also publishes short new pieces for $175 and reviews for $65.

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12. The New Haven Review

"We like to see submissions from writers who can claim some connection to Greater New Haven, no matter how spurious, though it's not mandatory. We also like to see book reviews that are better than the book reviews you usually see out there, for whatever reason. But that said, we mostly publish essays, fiction (of any genre), poetry, and occasionally photojournalism."

Payment: At least $500 for prose pieces, fiction or nonfiction. $25 per poem, will publish more than one of an author's poems.

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13. One Teen Story

"One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written for the young adult audience ages 13 and up. These stories should deal with the teen experience (issues of identity, friendship, family, coming-of-age, etc.) and should be geared primarily toward an audience of teen readers. With that in mind, gratuitous profanity, sex and drug use are best avoided. We’re open to all genres of literary fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words."

Payment: $500

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14. Oregon Humanities

"As a publication of ideas and perspectives, Oregon Humanities magazine offers a forum through which Oregon writers, scholars, and readers can use the humanities to explore timeless and timely ideas and themes. We only accept submissions of nonfiction writing and artwork when we announce each issue’s theme. All personal essays and features focus on a particular issue’s theme."

Payment: $50 to $200 for shorter department pieces and $300 to $800 for personal essays and features; payment varies depending on the length and complexity of the piece.

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15. Poets & Writers Magazine

"Poets & Writers Magazine reaches a national audience of 100,000 readers from emerging to established literary writers. The magazine has a strong following among both students and faculty in creative writing programs across the country. In addition, many of its readers pursue creative writing as an avocation, often pairing their literary lives with other careers."

Payment: Up to $500, query first

16 Calls for Submissions in March 2016 - Paying Markets

Here are 16 calls for submissions in the month of March.

Genres include speculative fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, horror, erotic horror, personal essays, tech articles, crime fiction, fairy tales, as well as calls for any genre of stories and poems.

All of these are paying markets. (A couple accept reprints!)

There are some themed anthologies in the mix, so make sure you read all the requirements before you submit.

Happy submitting!

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THEMA: Drop the Zucchini and Run!

The premise (target theme) must be an integral part of the plot, not necessarily the central theme but not merely incidental.

Genres: Any

Length: Fewer than 20 double-spaced pages preferred.

Payment: Short story, $25; short-short piece (up to 1000 words), $10; poem, $10; artwork, $25 for cover, $10 for interior page display.

Deadline: March 1, 2016

Reprints accepted

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“Stiff Things: Erotic Horror”

"We are looking for the most gruesome, twisted, sick, disturbing, dark and extreme stories that push the boundaries of sex and horror and we don't have any content restrictions (except for kiddie porn, of course). Science fiction and dark fantasy will be considered but must be very dark with a strong element of horror."

Genre: Erotic Horror

Length: Up to 9K words per story.

Payment: 3 cents/word, up to a max of $270/story (9K words)

Deadline: March 1, 2016

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Tech Edge Magazine

Genre: Stories about technology in education. Themed issue: Students as creators.

Payment: $50 for up to 500 words, and $125 for articles of 500-1,500 words

Deadline: March 1, 2016

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Skirt! Magazine

Magazine for women.

Genre: Personal essays wanted for the 'Smart' Issue, 800 - 1,100 words

Payment: $200 per piece

Deadline: March 1, 2016

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Upstreet

"upstreet, based in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, is an award-winning annual literary anthology containing the best new fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction available."

Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction

Payment: $50 - $150 for poems, $50 - $250 for short stories or essays

Deadline: March 1, 2016

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Beatdom




"Beatdom is a Beat Generation-themed literary journal. We publish short stories and poetry, but mostly we’re looking for essays about the Beats. These essays should be interesting and take a different slant on the Beat Generation. There are hundreds of books and essays out there that cover these subjects, so we want something new."




Genre: Essay on the theme of Politics




Payment: $50




Deadline: March 1, 2016




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Slice Magazine

Genres: Fiction and Poetry on the theme of "Distraction"

Length: 5,000 words max

Payment: $250 for stories and essays and $75 for poems

Deadline: March 1, 2016

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Briarpatch Magazine

"Briarpatch Magazine publishes writing and artwork on a wide range of topics, including current events, grassroots activism, electoral politics, economic justice, ecology, labour, food security, gender equity, indigenous struggles, international solidarity, and other issues of political importance."

Genre: Nonfiction articles, progressive

Payment:  Up to $150/story

Deadline: March 7, 2016

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Eye to the Telescope

Themed issue: Family. "We are seeking poetry that explores the myriad and diverse ways that define family. We want poetry that challenges our own preconceived notions and definitions of what family means. We seek poetry that defines family through emotion. Show us the world, your world, different worlds, through family."

Genre: Speculative poetry

Payment: 3 cents per word

Deadline: March 15, 2016

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Crime Syndicate

Genre: Dark, dirty crime fiction short stories

Length: Between 2500 and  5000 words

Payment: $25 per piece

Deadline: March 23, 2016

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The Puritan

Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction

Payment: $100 per interview, $100 per essay, $100 per review, $50 per work of fiction, and $15 per poem (or page, capped at $60 for poems running four pages or more).

Deadline: March 25, 2016

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The Beauty of Death Anthology

"All types of horror are welcome. Sex or violence in a story should be artistically justified; no excessive gore. We welcome all subgenres and forms of speculative fiction."

Genre: Short fiction, horror

Payment: $100, 4500-7500 words.

Deadline: March 30, 2016

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Fairytales Slashed V.7

Length: Stories should be 10,000 - 20,000 words

Genre: LGBTQIA fairytales

Payment: $200 per piece

Deadline: March 31, 2016

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Chicken Soup for the Soul: 'Dreams and Synchronicities'

"Sometimes magic happens in your life. You have a dream that reveals a truth or a course of action to you. You have a premonition that changes your behavior and saves you or a loved one from disaster. You meet someone at just the right time and you can’t believe the coincidence. We’re collecting stories for a second book on this topic, following our bestseller Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and Premonitions. Share your stories about the amazing things that have happened in your own life."

Genre: Stories, poems

Payment: $200 per piece

Deadline: March 31, 2016

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Pentimento

Genre: Essays and fiction concerning disability by two groups: individuals with a disability and those who are part of the disability community, such as a family member, caregiver, special educator, etc.

Length: Word limit is 6,000

Payment: $25 - $250 per article

Deadline: March 31, 2016

Reprints accepted

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York Literary Review

Genres: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry

Payment: £50 per contributor

Deadline: March 31, 2016

46 Writing Contests in March 2016 - No entry fees

Jonathan Wolstenholme There are many free writing contests in March. (Quite a few have deadlines on March 1st.) While book-length works garner the most substantial prizes, short stories, essays, and poems are also well worth entering into contests. Cash prizes often are accompanied by publication, and it's always nice to include an award on your resume.

Some of these contests have age and regional restrictions, so make sure to read the contest rules carefully. 

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Talking Stick. Restrictions: Writers must be from Minnesota or have some connection to this area. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction. Prize: $250 for first place and $100 for second place in each of the three categories. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Carriage House Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry about trees. Prize: $300 and publication in Tiferet. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Balticon Poetry Contest. Sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Genre: Speculative poetry. Prize: 1st prize: $100; 2nd prize: $75; 3rd prize: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Lewis Galantière Award is bestowed biennially in even-numbered years. Genre: Book-length literary translation translated from any language, except German, into English and published in the United States between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2015. Prize: $1,000, a certificate of recognition, and up to $500 toward expenses for attending the ATA 57th Annual Conference in San Francisco, California, November 2-5, 2016. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Madeline P. Plonsker Emerging Writer's Residency Prize. Restrictions: Open to an emerging writer under forty years old—with no major book publication. Genre: Novel in progress. Prize: Stipend of $10,000 with a housing suite and campus meals provided by the College, and three weeks in residence on the Lake Forest College campus during the Spring 2017 term. Possible publication. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award  is sponsored by Broadside Lotus Press. Restrictions: This competition is open to African American poets only. If you have already had a book published by Lotus Press, you are ineligible. However, inclusion in a Lotus Press anthology does not disqualify you. Genres: Poetry collections of approximately 60-90 pages. Prize: $500 in cash and publication by Broadside Lotus Press within the first three months of 2017 as well as free copies and discounts. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The John Gardner Fiction Award  is sponsored by the Binghamton Center for Writers-State University of New York with support from the Office of the Dean of Binghamton University's Harpur College of the Arts & Sciences. Genre: Novel or collection of fiction published in 2015. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Hart Crane Memorial Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $200 and publication in Icon. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry is an annual regional prize, presented in partnership by Milkweed Editions and the Lindquist & Vennum Foundation. Restrictions: Open to residents of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $10,000 as well as a contract for publication to the author of the winning manuscript. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Milt Kessler Poetry Book Award is sponsored by the Binghamton Center for Writers-State University of New York with support from the Office of the Dean of Binghamton University's Harpur College of the Arts & Sciences. Genre: Poetry book in English published in 2015. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

North Carolina Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of North Carolina (including students). Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: March 1, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Irish Post's Creative Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to residents of UK. Genre: Poetry, fiction on an Irish theme. 1000 words max. Prizes: €500, publication in the Irish Post, and a trip to the Listowel Writers’ Week in Co. Kerry, June 1-5. Deadline: March 3, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Premises: CHANGES. One or more character(s) have to deal with some kind of significant change. It can be any kind of change you like, and on any scale, from a change affecting only one person (or one place, or one thing) to something affecting everyone/everything everywhere, or anything between those extremes. Genre: Short story. Length: Between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Prize: Between US$60 and US$220, and publication. Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern US time, Friday, March 4, 2016.

"It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Grades 6-12. Genre: Short story, unpublished. Prize: 1st Place $250, 2nd Place $150, 3rd Place $100. Deadline: March 6, 2016. How to enter: Read guidelines HERE.

Thresholds International Feature Writing Competition. Genre: Nonfiction feature in one of two categories: Author Profile: exploring the life, writings and influence of a single short story writer. We Recommend: personal recommendations of a collection, anthology, group of short stories or a single short story. Prize: 1st prize of £500, runner-up prize of £100 Deadline: March 6, 2016. How to enter: Read additional guidelines HERE.

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers . Genre: Short fiction. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35 as of March 7, 2016; Previously published in an independently edited magazine or anthology; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Prizes: Winner: $5,000; Finalists: $1,000. Deadline: March 7, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

NEA Literature Fellowships  are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Prize: $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: March 9, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards. Restrictions: Open to all adult and high school age Chicago area poets. There is also an elementary and middle school category open to Evanston elementary and middle school students. Genre: Poetry. Prize: First Place: $100; Second Place: $50; Third Place: $25. Deadline: March 9, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Nantucket Directory Poetry Contest.  Genre: poem about Nantucket Island. Prize: $250 and publication in the print and online editions of the 2016-2017 Nantucket Directory. Deadline: March 10, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize  is awarded to the author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year. Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 11, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

BBC National Short Story Award 2016. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over, who have a history of publication in creative writing. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: £15,000 to the winner, £3,000 for the runner-up and £500 for three further shortlisted writers. Deadline: March 11, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Critical Junior Poet’s Award. Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 13 and 18. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: March 15, 2016.

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: March 15, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

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: March 15, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

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: March 15, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

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: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: March 15, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

Lynn DeCaro Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Connecticut Student Poets in Grades 9-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25. Deadline: March 15, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

The Binnacle Ultra-Short Competition. Genre: Prose works of 150 words or fewer as well as poetry of sixteen lines or fewer and 150 words or fewer.  All works should have a narrative element to them. Prize: A minimum of $300 in cash prizes will be awarded, with a minimum prize of $50. At least one of the prizes will go to a UMM student. Deadline: March 15, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Jane Martin Poetry Prize (UK). Restrictions: Open to  UK residents between 18 and 30 years of age. Genre: Poetry. Prize: £700, second prize, £300. Deadline: March 18, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Pandeism Collegiate Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate and graduate collegiate students of philosophy, theology, religious studies, social sciences, arts, literature, applied sciences, or comparable disciplines. Genre: Article presenting original thought in exploring implications of the modern theological theory of Pandeism (pantheistic Deism, belief in a Creator wholly becoming our Universe, proposed to be discernible by application of logic and reason). Papers written for course credit are acceptable. Submissions do not need to take a position in favor of or opposed to Pandeism as a theory, but must present original thought about its relative possibility, relation to other areas of theology, or implications for areas such as epistemology, ethics and morality, or science. Submissions must be a minimum of 3,000 words and a maximum of 6,000 words. Only one (1) article may be submitted by each student. Prize: $250 Amazon gift card and publication. Deadline: March 18, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award  seeks to elevate the written arts in Indiana. Restrictions: Any living published writer who was born in Indiana or has lived in Indiana for at least five years will be eligible. Authors who have published works of fiction, prose, poetry and/or non-fiction are eligible; reference works, scholarly monographs and books of photography will not be considered. Self-published authors are considered. Prize: National Author: $10,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Regional Author: $7,500 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Emerging Author: $5,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Deadline: March 18, 2016. How to enter: Read submission guidelines HERE.

Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition for High School Students. Restrictions: Open to students in Grades 7-12. Genre: Haiku. Prizes: $50. Deadline: March 25, 2016. Read submission guidelines HERE.

Southern Pacific Review Short Story Contest 2016. Located in Chile. Genre: They are not sure what they want, but they'll know it when they see it. Length: 1600 words max. Prizes: $100 USD and publication in Southern Pacific Review. Deadline: March 30, 2016.

Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Competition. Genre: Essay. Length: 1600 words max. Prizes: Military Prize—on a medical topic related to wars and veterans, $1500. General Prize—Physicians of Note, and Famous Hospitals, $1500. Deadline: March 31, 2016.

Operation Thriller. Sponsored by Reedsy. Reedsy is a self-publishing startup that offers its users access to skilled freelance book-production professionals. Genre: Book-length thriller. Prize: $750 cash plus free developmental edit by a Reedsy editor and free cover design by a Reedsy designer. Deadline: March 31, 2016.

Archibald Lamp­man Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Canada's National Capital region (Ottawa). Genre: Book of any genre published by a recognized publisher. Prize: $1500. Deadline: March 31, 2016.

Foley Poetry Contest. Genre: One unpublished poem on any topic. The poem should be 30 lines or fewer and not under consideration elsewhere. Prize: $1000. Deadline: March 31, 2016.

The Gover Story Prize. Genre: Short Fiction & Creative Nonfiction. Works of short prose must be less than 10,000 words, previously unpublished, or published with a circulation of less than 500. Prize: $250.00. Deadline: March 31, 2016. No reprints or simultaneous submissions.

The Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction. Genre: Novel published in 2015 (50,000 words minimum). Book has to be set in one of the original eleven states in the Confederacy. (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.) Prize: $2,500.00, and an expense paid trip to New York City. (The winner must come to NY to receive the award, attend a luncheon with the contest judges and a reception in his/her honor.) Deadline: March 31, 2016.

Florida Keys Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Flash fiction (500 words max). Prize: Three-week Key West residency at the Studios of Key West between July 5 and July 31, 2016. Deadline: March 31, 2016.

Haiku Society of America Merit Book Awards for Excellence in Published Haiku, Translation, and Criticism. Genre: Published book. Books must have been published in 2015 and must clearly contain a printed 2015 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). Deadline: March 31, 2016.

Speculative Literature Foundation Older Writers Grant. Restrictions: Open to writers who are fifty years of age or older at the time of grant application. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 31, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Genres: Science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy up to 17,000 words. Prizes: Three cash prizes in each quarter: a First Prize of $1,000, a Second Prize of $750, and a Third Prize of $500, in US dollars. In addition, at the end of the year the winners will have their entries rejudged, and a Grand Prize winner shall be determined and receive an additional $5,000. Deadline: March 31, 2016. Read contest rules HERE.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers' Contests. Restrictions: Open to writers between 14 and 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year who reside in, or attend school in Maryland. Genre: Science fiction or fantasy, 2,500 words max. Prizes: $150, $100 and $75. Deadline: March 31, 2016. Read contest rules HERE.

Gary Fincke Creative Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $100. Deadline: March 31, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

Spank the Carp - Ekphrasis! Genre: Poetry. Ekphrastic poems draw inspiration from a work of art, and the piece for this contest is by Elizabeth Darrow. Prize: A coffee mug! (And publication). Deadline: March 31, 2016. Read guidelines HERE.

17 Writing Conferences in March 2016

It may not seem like it, but spring is write around the corner! (Harharhar) (Okay, I admit it, that was bad.)

There are lots of great conferences in March, and some are quite affordable. Locations stretch from Massachusetts to Washington State. 

Some of these conferences offer valuable one-on-one sessions with authors to get the feedback you need, as well as pitch sessions with agents. 

Nothing beats a writing conference for getting your motor running. I highly encourage you to attend one.
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Redrock Creative Writing Seminar, St. George, Utah, March 4-5, 2016. Classes and readings in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The faculty includes poets David J. Rothman and Marleen Bussma; fiction writer Marilyn Richardson; and creative nonfiction writer Brian Passey. Cost: $65.

Wordcrafters: Be Writing. Eugene, Oregon. March 5, 2016. Six classes, one-on-one session with author. $95.

William Paterson University Spring Writer’s Conference. Wayne, New Jersey, March 5, 2016.  Application Deadline: March 1, 2016. readings and workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The faculty includes poets Hadara Bar-Nadav and Charlotte Nekola; fiction writers Philip Cioffari, Barbara Krasner, and West Moss; and nonfiction writers Laurie Lico Albanese, David Borkowski, Randall Klein, and Luc Sante. Cost: $55.

Digital Book World Conference + Expo, New York City, Mar. 7–9, 2016. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models.

Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference, New York City, March 10-23, 2016. "The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. More importantly though, it is also a diagnostic method for workshopping the plot, premise, and other elements of the story to determine quality and marketability. Simply put, you cannot successfully pitch a viable commercial novel if you don't have a viable commercial novel. Our goal, therefore, is to set you on a realistic path to publication. "

Springmingle. Decatur, Georgia, March 11-13, 2016. Conference for children's book writers and illustrators. Faculty includes writers, illustrators, agents, editors, and publishers.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. Wye Mills, Maryland, March 12, 2016. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "The BTO conference features workshops, presentations, and panel discussions on a wide variety of topics pertaining to the craft of writing, publishing, marketing, the Internet, and the intricacies of particular genres. It is an opportunity to meet with many writing peers in the region. Speakers include accomplished authors, poets, film writers, writing instructors, editors, and publishers. BTO also offers one-on-one manuscript reviews with experienced writing instructors and editors for registered attendees for a fee."

Berkshire Festival of Women Writers. Lenox, Mass. March 12 - 20, 2016. More than 40 events celebrating women writers.

Algonkian Novel Retreat, Sterling, Virginia, March 16 - 20, 2016. Consultations and time to write for fiction and nonfiction writers. The faculty includes fiction writers Robert Bausch and Michael Neff and editor Caitlin Alexander. Cost: $1,395, which includes tuition, a private room, and some meals. Submit a writing sample of up to 500 words with a short synopsis. Registration is first come, first served.

Everything You Need to Know About Children’s Book Publishing: A Crash Course. Honesdale, Pennsylvania, March 16 - 20, 2016. "In addition to giving you a comprehensive look at how the children’s book publishing industry works, we’ll give you some actual writing practice. Through exercises, writing prompts and instruction by our editors, you can begin to shape and revise your ideas in preparation for submitting to publishers. Our goal is to help you learn about the business and begin to practice your craft."

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 16-20, 2016. Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it.

Everything You Need to Know About Children’s Book Publishing A Crash Course. Honesdale, PA. March 17-20. Sponsored by Highlights for children, this is an intensive workshop covering every aspect of publishing children's books.

Norwescon, March 24-27, 2016, Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States.

WonderCon, March 25-27, 2016, Los Angeles, CA. HUGE comic book convention.

The AWP Conference & Bookfair, March 30-April 2, 2016, Los Angeles, CA. " Each year more than 12,000 attendees join our community for four days of insightful dialogue, networking, and unrivaled access to the organizations and opinion-makers that matter most in contemporary literature. The 2015 conference featured over 2,000 presenters and 550 readings, panels, and craft lectures. The bookfair hosted over 800 presses, journals, and literary organizations from around the world. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America."

31st Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference, March 31 - April 2, 2016, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. "Each year, nearly 200 undergraduate writers and poets throughout North America, and sometimes beyond, come to Weber State University to present their work and learn from some of the most important writers in contemporary literature."

13th National Black Writers Conference. Brooklyn, NY, Thursday, March 31 – Sunday, April 3, 2016. Readings, panels, and roundtable discussions on the theme of “Writing Race; Embracing Difference.” Featured writers include poet and honorary chair Rita Dove; fiction writers Edwidge Danticat and Charles Johnson; and nonfiction writer Michael Eric Dyson. Cost: $65.

7 Established Agents Looking for Writers - Literary fiction, Memoir, MG, YA, Fantasy, Romance and more

Here are seven agents seeking clients. Most of these are established agents who have recently changed agencies. All have experience in the publishing industry. They are seeking an eclectic mix, from upmarket literary to children's books, memoir to fantasy, thrillers to health and wellness.

Be sure to read the agency's full guidelines before submitting.
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Reiko Davis of DeFiore and Company

About Reiko: Before joining DeFiore in early 2016, Reiko Davis was an associate agent at Miriam Altshuler Literary Agency for four years. She grew up in Kansas City, received her BA in Comparative Literature and Art History from Brown University, and is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course.

What she is looking for: Reiko’s interests are varied, but she is particularly drawn to adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, and young adult and middle grade fiction. Above all, she wants to discover books that surprise and move her with their irresistible characters and language. 

She loves a strong narrative voice; smart, funny heroines; narrowly located settings (especially towns in the South and Midwest); family sagas; darkly suspenseful novels; and stories of remarkable friendships or that explore the often perilous terrain of human relationships. For children’s books, she is actively looking for young adult and middle grade fiction—whether it be contemporary, historical, fantasy, or simply a story with a timeless quality and vibrant characters. For nonfiction, she is most interested in cultural, social, and literary history; fascinating tours through niche subjects; narrative science; psychology; guides on creativity; and memoir.

How to submit: Please query her at reiko@defliterary.com with “Query” in the subject line as well as the following: A brief description of your book, and a brief, relevant bio. For fiction, please include the first chapter of your book pasted in the body of your email. No attachments, please.
____________________ Molly O'Neill of  Waxman Leavell Literary Agency

About Molly: Prior to becoming an agent, Molly spent thirteen years working in various roles inside the children’s publishing industry: as an Editor at HarperCollins Children's Books, where she acquired Veronica Roth's YA juggernaut Divergent series, among many other fantastic projects; as Head of Editorial at Storybird, a publishing/tech start-up; and in School & Library Marketing at both HarperCollins and Clarion Books.

What she is seeking: She is actively seeking middle grade and YA fiction and picture book author/illustrators, and—more selectively—narrative nonfiction (including children’s/YA/MG, pop science/pop culture, and lifestyle/food/travel/cookbook projects by authors with well-established platforms). In all categories, she is drawn to character-driven explorations of universal human stories, truths, and experiences; plots driven by a compelling "what-if"; a vivid sense of place and/or world-building; narratives about creativity, community, and the intersections of unexpectedly-connected topics; groundbreaking themes, formats, and voices; masterful, original writing; and stories that will surprise and delight readers. She does NOT represent: adult fiction (of any genre), poetry chapbooks, screenplays, or erotica.

How to submit: To submit a project, please send a query letter ONLY via email to one of the addresses below. Do not send attachments, though for fiction you may include 5-10 pages of your manuscript in the body of your email. Send your submission to: mollysubmit@waxmanleavell.com
Stacia Decker of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency 

About Stacia: Stacia Decker has been agenting since 2009. Previously, she worked at the Donald Maass Literary Agency and, as an editor, at Harcourt and Otto Penzler Books. She began her career as an intern and then editorial assistant at Farrar, Straus & Giroux after earning an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University and an AB in Government and English from Georgetown University. 

What she is looking for: She represents high-concept literary and speculative fiction, commercial thrillers, crime/mystery fiction, and sci-fi fantasy. She is partial to strong voices, fast-paced plotting, and near-future or cross-genre elements.

How to submit: Send a query letter to: mail@dclagency.com. Please do not send attachments.


____________________ Jennifer Udden of Barry Goldblatt Literary 

About Jennifer: Jennifer Udden was born in Houston, TX, and spent many of her formative years hiding books under tables while she was meant to be paying attention to something else. She has a BA from Mount Holyoke College, and graduated in 2008 with a major in Politics, a minor in Chinese, and honors thesis work on anxiety in British detective fiction of the early 20th century. She has worked in fundraising for an off-Broadway theater company and joined the publishing industry in 2010 at the Donald Maass Literary Agency.  She is the co-host of the podcast Shipping & Handling (shippingandhandlingpodcast.com) with Bridget Smith of Dunham Literary, Inc.

What she is looking for: Speculative fiction of all stripes, especially innovative science fiction or fantasy that explores worlds we haven’t seen before; contemporary/erotic/LGBT/ paranormal/ historical romance; contemporary or speculative YA; select mysteries, thrillers, and urban fantasies. Please, do not send to Jen: any middle-grade, chapter, or picture books; nonfiction.

How to submit: E-mail queries should include the word “query” in the subject line. To query Jen Udden, e-mail queries can be sent to query.judden@gmail.com. Your email query should include the following within the body of the email: your query letter, a synopsis of the book, and the first five pages of your manuscript. We will not open or respond to any e-mails that have attachments. If we like the sound of your work, we will request more material from you. Our response time is four weeks on queries, six to eight weeks on full manuscripts. If you haven’t heard from us within that time, feel free to check in via email.

____________________ Miriam Altshuler of DeFiore and Company 

About Miriam: Miriam Altshuler began her career at Russell & Volkening, where she worked for twelve years with such writers as Anne Tyler, Eudora Welty, Joseph Campbell, Nadine Gordimer, and Bernard Malamud.  In 1994 she established her own agency, which she ran for twenty-one years until she joined DeFiore and Company in early 2016.

What she is seeking: In fiction, she is most interested in family sagas, historical novels, and stories that offer a new twist or retelling of some kind. She does not work with adult romance, sci fi, or fantasy. In nonfiction, she loves memoir, narrative nonfiction, and self-help (as long as it is not too prescriptive). She particularly responds to books that have an important cultural, social, or psychological focus.

How to submit: Please send an email to her at querymiriam@defliterary.com with “Query” in the subject line. Include the following: A brief description of your book, and a brief, relevant bio. For fiction, please include the first chapter of your book pasted in the body of your email. She also really wants to know what you feel the heart of your book is, in one or two sentences. No attachments, please.
____________________ Maggie Riggs of Riggs Agency 

About Maggie: The Riggs Agency was founded in 2015 by Maggie Riggs, a veteran of the NYC publishing industry. Maggie has worked as an editor at Viking, an associate agent at The Friedrich Agency, and as an independent editor with NY Book Editors.  

What she is seeking: The agency specializes in literary fiction. She takes on select non-fiction projects including narrative nonfiction, essays, memoir, and food writing. She is particularly interested in works from fiction writers of color, and diverse voices of all kinds. 

How to submit: Please send your query letter, bio, and the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of your email to submissions@riggslit.com. Do not send your full manuscript, or any other materials, as an attachment to your email unless requested. 
____________________ Eric Myers of Dystel & Goderich

About Eric: Eric Myers joined Dystel and Goderich Literary Management in 2015 after thirteen years at The Spieler Agency. A graduate of UCLA and the Sorbonne, Eric entered publishing as a journalist and author. His books include Screen Deco: A Celebration of High Style in Hollywood, Forties Screen Style: A Celebration of High Pastiche in Hollywood, and Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis, all published by St. Martin’s Press. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine and Arts and Leisure sections, as well as Time Out, Variety, Opera News, and Art and Auction.

What he is seeking: As an agent, Eric has a strong affinity for young adult and middle grade fiction, as well as adult nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, biography, psychology, health and wellness, mind/body/spirit, and pop culture. He also loves a good thriller, and is open to memoir from authors with strong platforms.


How to submit: E-query emyers [at] dystel.com. “We prefer email queries, as most do nowadays, so please make sure your cover letter is in the body of the email. 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. Please do double space your samples for reading that’s easy on the eyes! 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.”

2 New Agents Seeking Clients NOW

Here are two new agents actively seeking clients. Stephanie Fretwell-Hill (Red Fox Literary) is looking for authors and illustrators of board books, picture books, middle grade, and young adult in any genre. Kemi Faderin (Dystel & Goderich) is looking for smart, plot-driven YA, historical fiction/ nonfiction, contemporary women’s fiction, and literary fiction. Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary

About Stephanie: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill started her publishing career in 2004 at Walker Books Ltd. in London, where she sold foreign language rights. Working in a design-led company with legendary artists such as Helen Oxenbury and Lucy Cousins sparked her love of illustration, while her sales role gave her an international perspective on children’s publishing. In 2011, Stephanie moved back home to the United States and joined Peachtree Publishers as an editor. During her four years there, she acquired fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. Her acquisitions received such honors as YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, Parents’ Choice Awards, and numerous starred reviews from major trade magazines. She joined Red Fox Literary in early 2016.

What she is seeking: Stephanie represents both authors and illustrators of board books, picture books, middle grade, and young adult. She will consider stories in any genre, but looks for a strong voice, rich and multi-layered plots, and stylish, classic, or quirky illustrations. Most of all, she loves anything that really makes her laugh.

How to submit: Stephanie will be open to unsolicited submissions for six months (ending mid-July 2016). Please send art samples, complete picture book text, or first three chapters of a novel (and a query) to querystephanie [at] redfoxliterary.com.
____________________ Kemi Faderin of Dystel & Goderich Literary

About Kemi: Kemi Faderin joined DGLM as an intern while pursuing her M.S. in Publishing at NYU. She grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland where she went to college and received her B.A. in English. Shortly after graduation, Kemi moved to New York in early 2015. An internship at Liza Dawson Associates solidified her interest in a career in the publishing industry, especially the agenting side of it. Find her on Twitter.

What she is seeking: She is interested in anything different and original, but especially in smart, plot-driven YA, historical fiction / nonfiction, contemporary women’s fiction, and literary fiction.

How to Submit: E-query kfaderin [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. Please do double space your samples for reading that’s easy on the eyes! 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.”