Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 9

30 Marvelous Writing Conferences and Workshops in March 2024

Algonkian Park, VA: PICRYL This March there are more than two dozen writing conferences and workshops. Many conferences and workshops will be held online, but some will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

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

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

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

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The 2024 Writing Workshop of Austin. March, 1, 2024: Austin, TX. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor, get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (120 total)." 

In Search of Home. March 2, 2024: Online. “We often think of home as a structure with a street address. But home is actually a much harder thing to pin down. It’s an experience, an attitude, a time of life, a feeling of being “at home” that is influenced by many factors, including people, landscape, weather, and age."

The 2024 Houston Writing Workshop. March 2, 2024: Houston, TX. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston Near the Galleria. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Breakout Novel Intensive. March 4 - 10, 2024: Online. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass. 

The 2024 Colorado Writing Workshop. March 8 - 9, 2024: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on March 8-9, 2024. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Colorado” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually."

2024 Carolina Writing Workshops. March 8 (Charlotte) and March 9 (Raleigh). "The workshops are both one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Colrain Classic. March 8 - 11, 2024: Via Zoom. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." 

Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. March 8 - 13,  2024: Ossabaw Island, GA. Workshops and seminars led by nationally recognized faculty, and evening readings (special emphasis on ghost stories) by faculty and participants. Application deadline: January 15.

"Writing in Proximity to History" March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2024: 3:00-6:00 PM EST. "This workshop will introduce participants to the creative practice of memory work. Akin to what Toni Morrison called “literary archeology,” memory work involves both research and imagination." NOTE: This is a live online workshop. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link one week in advance of the workshop. Registration closes at noon on March 1, 2024.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. March 9, 2024: Wye Mills, Maryland. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "Featuring eight tracks and over 30 sessions sure to fit all your writing needs, this year’s Bay to Ocean Writers Conference celebrates a quarter of a century of helping writers develop their craft, edit, publish, and market their writing.  This year’s sessions, all 90-minutes in length, are carefully designed to help you generate solid writing, hone your craft, and ask pointed questions from published and award-winning presenters about the process."

Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference. March 14 - 17, 2024: NY, NY. "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." 

Alabama Writing Workshop. March 15, 2024: Birmingham, Alabama. "A one-day writing workshop full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We will also have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well."

Writing By Writers Boulder Generative Workshop. March 15 - 17, 2024: Boulder, Colorado. Lectures, craft talks, writing exercises and class discussions. Each participant will have the opportunity to work in a small group setting with all three faculty members.

Kansas City Writing Workshop. March 16, 2024: Kansas City. This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Atlanta Writing Workshop. March 16, 2024: Atlanta, GA. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome." 

Get Away to Write. March 19 - 24, 2024: New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Spend an inspiring week working on your memoir or poetry. Enjoy plentiful writing time, insightful feedback, homemade meals and time to relax. ach workshop will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, feedback, motivation and inspiration. By spending the entire week in one workshop, you will venture deeper into your writing, making more progress than you thought possible.

Writing the Loess Hills: Letting Landscape Guide the Pen. Tuesdays, March 19, March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, 2024: Online. "The Loess Hills comprise a unique landform running primarily along the western edge of Iowa but also reaching into South Dakota, Missouri, and Nebraska. The wind-deposited steep slopes of loess are globally unique, with only one other matching site in the world. Its unique topography provides protection for hidden pockets of wildness, including some of the last remaining remnant prairie in the state. An important corridor for migration, and a repository of endangered and threatened species, its ecological significance cannot be overstated. Like most places, it also has a human story, a history of habitation, cities and towns, railroads that came and went, and visionaries of all kinds. From the Black Angel statue in a cemetery in Council Bluffs, to the ancient remains uncovered near Turin, to the story of a ranging mountain lion sporting a radio collar from Nebraska, or the history of agriculture in the valleys between the ridge lines, the older story of bison and elk, or the even older story of the Ice Age, the hills are alive with stories. Using a variety of examples, prompts and exercises, we will explore the hills creatively, crafting poems, stories and short memoir that reflect the unusual terrain and the experiences held there. We will use the hills as a metaphor to pursue our own internal stories, as well. Whether you already have a connection to the Loess Hills, or your interest is sparked and you’d like to learn more, you will leave this workshop with a renewed appreciation for their fragility and majesty, and multiple new drafts of creative work."

University of North Dakota Writers Conference. March 20 - 22, 2024: Grand Forks, North Dakota. Founded in 1970 and held every year since, the UND Writers Conference is a three day event featuring six to eight authors annually. Authors ranging from Gwendolyn Brooks and August Wilson to Tommy Orange and Colson Whitehead, the UND Writers Conference is committed to community outreach, engagement, and finding ways to increase audience access to literature. The conference is free, but workshop space is limited to twenty participants; registration is first come, first served. Will be held online and in person.

Algonkian Novel Retreat. March 20 - 24, 2024: Algonkian Park, Virginia. "In keeping with the spirit of this place and the goals of this retreat, you can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review of your short stories or flash fiction? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?" Registration is first come, first served.

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 20 - 24, 2024: Charlottesville, VA. "The Festival is the largest community-based book event in the Mid-Atlantic region and has attracted audiences of more than 20,000 for each of the past thirteen years. We have presented a captivating list of authors, ranging from international bestsellers to topical specialists to debut authors." Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it. 

Moravian Writers’ Conference: “Write to Explore”. March 21 - 23, 2024: Bethlehem, PA. To celebrate the conference's 10-year anniversary, this FREE conference (featuring in-person and live streamed events) will focus on different approaches for thinking about story and story sharing. Some questions our offerings will pose include:What is the value of writing in our society today?Can we use it as a tool to promote social justice and peace?What professions draw on storytelling skills?Can we use story sharing to make connections to our own histories and each other? 
Headliner Javier Ávila will perform The Trouble With My Name (a one-man show) on Saturday, March 23, and lead a craft talk earlier that same day—with limited spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis.

2024 Virginia Writing Workshop. March 22, 2024: Richmond, VA. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

Power of Narrative. March 22- 23, 2024: Boston, MA. Over 30 journalists, directors, producers and editors lead three days of lively discussions geared to advance the knowledge of narrative storytellers. Approximately 500 persons attend. Early registration is encouraged. Will be held in person.

California Creative Writers Conference. March 22 - 24, 2023: Los Angeles, CA. "You benefit from the most informed presentations and the latest information from the world of publishing. And along with perennial favorites, we offer important fresh voices and industry experts to widen your wealth of knowledge. Plus you have the opportunity to meet and network in person with literary agents, editors, and industry professionals to help guide you on the path to success." Via Zoom and in person.

Chesapeake Writing Day Workshop. March 23, 2024. Online. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more."

Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference. March 23, 2024: NJ. "In addition to our wonderful and diverse keynote speakers, we have a number of editors and agents who will be attending to take pitches as well as some awesome writer and reader workshops!" 

Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference. March 28 - 30, 2024: 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." 

Norwescon. March 28 - 31, 2024: Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States.

WonderCon. March 29 - 31, 2024: Anaheim, CA. HUGE comic book convention.  

Make it Strange (Again) Poetry Workshop. March 30, 2024: Lincoln, NE. "One of the wonders of poetry is how it can reawaken us to the world. The familiar can be reignited with color, metamorphosed into creatures, landscapes, and sounds that can astonish us into beauty and/or resist desensitization. In this generative poetry workshop, we will use writing prompts to look upon what we may have rendered as quotidian in our lives and make it strange again and again. Both beginners and advanced writers are welcome."

10 New Agents Seeing Genre Fiction, SFF, YA, Picture Books, Kidlit, Nonfiction, Memoir and more

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

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

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

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients. 
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Ms. Brandy Vallance of Barbara Bova Literary Agency

After more than two decades in the world of publishing, Brandy has joined Barbara Bova Literary Agency, and she is looking forward to being a champion of amazing writers and outstanding books. Throughout the years, Brandy has been a Writing Coach, a Story Consultant, and an international Publishing Specialist. For hundreds of writers, her mentorship has broken the chains of fear and self-doubt. From teaching Master Classes to sitting at quiet tables, Brandy loves helping people explore their deepest truths.

What she is seeking: I represent these genres, but I am also not limited to these genres: historical fiction, historical romance, historical mystery, romance, literary, women’s fiction, Southern fiction, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, adventure, speculative, inspirational, thriller.

How to submit: Read guidelines HERE.
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Sara Kornienko of Barbara Bova Literary Agency

Sara holds a M.A. in English and a B.A. in English with minors in Creative Writing and Journalism from Florida Gulf Coast University. During her Master’s program, she was the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Florida Gulf Coast University’s literary journal, Mangrove Review. Currently, Sara teaches writing courses at her alma mater. As an educator and avid reader, she believes stories have the power to connect us, forge understanding, and foster healing. She is passionate about sharing her love of writing and helping others find their unique voice so they can tell their own stories.

What she is seeking: Ms. Kornienko is interested in contemporary and historical fiction, fantasy, and suspense. 

How to submit: Read guidelines HERE.
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Salma Begum of Greyhound Literary (UK)

Having come from editorial at Picador (Pan Macmillan), Zaffre and Manilla Press (Bonnier Books UK), Salma is keenly aware of what it takes for a book to win a publishing contract. As an agent, Salma works closely on manuscript development while always considering marketability and timing to give her authors the best shot at finding their readership.

What she is seeking: Story is non-negotiable for Salma, regardless of whether the work is a high-concept horror or a literary doorstopper. Her submission wishlist includes a sweeping love story set against a gritty urban backdrop like An Olive Grove in Ends by Moses McKenzie; ingenious tales of time travel such as All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai and the TV series Devs; and a masterfully crafted multi-generational epic like A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.

In non-fiction, she is looking for subject experts, journalists and memoirists who appreciate long-form literature and can breathe life into an idea, an event, a memory. Her non-fiction wishlist includes interrogations of social media use and its sometimes-devastating consequences as explored in the Netflix docudrama The Social Dilemma; captivating music writing such as Grime Kids by DJ Target and On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson; and ground-shifting journalism like An Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe.

Salma has published the work of a number of prize-winning poets. As an agent, her preference is for the colloquial, rhythmic, or playful, written with the ambition of forming a cohesive collection. She is keen to work with spoken word poets who are looking to bring their work to the page.

How to submit: Follow the agency guidelines HERE.

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Jessica Lee of A.M. Heath (UK)

I’m an Associate Agent here at A.M. Heath, assisting Victoria Hobbs and Euan Thorneycroft as well as actively building my own list of authors. This includes HÄN Archive co-curator and journalist Anastasiia Fedorova, Ewan Gass, and Danielle Vrublevskis. Alongside Euan Thorneycroft, I also co-agent Zad El Bacha, winner of the 2022 Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award.

What she is seeking: In fiction, I’m drawn to a combination of formal precision and big feeling, and enjoy things that trouble or unsettle binaries and structured ways of being. I like works about desire: even better if they come with a good dry voice, a surreal touch, and clarity of expression. In non-fiction the same applies. I admire work about art-making and craft, political writing that interrogates established modes or ideologies, and sharp-voiced memoir.

How to submit: Send submissions to jessica.lee@amheath.com.

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Ms. Nadia Lynch of Talcott Notch Literary Services

Upon earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from Southern New Hampshire University, I worked as a paralegal in the structured legal realm. Yet, the allure of a career merging structure with the limitless creativity found in literature was irresistible. As a newly appointed Junior Literary Agent, I am thrilled to continue my journey in the world of literature, combining my love for books with a dedication to supporting authors through the publishing process.

What she is seeking: I am interested in upmarket, literary, historical, young adult, and women’s fiction, especially narratives that showcase resilient female protagonists. While these genres anchor my reading repertoire, I’m invigorated by books that push boundaries and challenge my perspectives.

In non-fiction, I enjoy delving into subjects that expand my understanding. History, philosophy, alternative medicine, and self-improvement books are among my preferred genres, each offering a unique lens to explore and absorb new insights.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Philip Gwyn Jones of Greyhound Literary (UK)

Made in Wales, educated there and in Yorkshire, trained in London, now living under Cambridgeshire’s dreaming skies, Philip has had the privilege of having the world opened up to him by the book business, participating in many editorial fellowships and literary festivals worldwide. He has served it as a Trustee and President of the Royal Literary Fund and as Trustee of English PEN for about a decade apiece, was a Creative Writing Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, and currently does his national service on the Grants Panel of the Books Council of Wales.

What he is seeking: Philip believes there is nothing more thrilling than first reading a style, a character, an idea, a fusion, a vision never encountered before. He is proud to have been the first British publisher to have spotted the originality in and offered a contract to Patrick Ness, Jenny Erpenbeck, Julian Gough, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kathryn Schulz, Magnus Mills, Naomi Klein, Ben Marcus, Mark Lynas, Azadeh Moaveni, Gavin McCrea, Melissa Broder, Anthony Doerr, Eleanor Catton, Zadie Smith, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Katherine Boo and Anna Burns, amongst others. As an agent, he is looking for their equals in invention, intelligence and impact.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Sally M. Kim of Andrea Brown Literary Agency

Sally spent more than fifteen years in children’s book marketing and publicity at a variety of publishers including Macmillan, Penguin, and Chronicle Books. More recently, she has worked as an independent consultant for global children’s book publishers and literacy-related non-profits. Sally lives in San Francisco, California, and she spends most of her free time taking videos of her cat.

What she is seeking: Please send Sally fiction and non-fiction submissions in the following categories: picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and graphic novels. Across all categories, Sally is especially eager to see authentic explorations of underrepresented cultures, relationships, and identities.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Jessica Leeke of Madeleine Milburn Agency (UK)

Jessica Leeke began her career in advertising in New York City before enjoying more than fifteen years as an editor at Bloomsbury, Simon & Schuster and most recently Penguin Michael Joseph where she was a fiction publisher. 

What she is seeking: Book club fiction that ignites conversation; unique voices; novels with a razor-sharp pitch; ideas based on a true story; cloistered settings; twists; strong characters and unforgettable settings; books with an emotional punch.

How to submit: Please follow submission guidelines HERE.

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Katie Erickson of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Katie Erickson joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in 2024, after previously interning at the agency, and after over a decade working as a freelance illustrator for clients such as Humpty Dumpty magazine. She is currently working on her Master's Degree in Creative Writing and Illustration. When she's not reading, writing, or illustrating, she can be found playing board games or taking long walks with her family. 

What she is seeking: Katie represents picture books, as well as middle-grade and young-adult literature.

How to submit: Please submit your query via her querymanager HERE.


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Ms. Jenna Satterthwaite of Storm Literary AgencyJenna Satterthwaite reached agenting sideways, as many do. She didn’t know agenting existed until she wrote her first novel back in 2014 and learned she had to do this thing called “querying.” Fast forward many years during which she wrote many novels and became agented herself, and she had an aha moment. Agenting was the nexus where her two decades of business experience in sales, pitching, project management and contract negotiation met her decade of bookish experience. After completing internships with Liza Dawson Associates and Rees Literary, Jenna joined Storm as an agent in 2024.

What she is seeking: Omnivorous in her taste, Jenna is seeking to represent adult, Young Adult and Middle Grade commercial fiction in most genres, SFF, graphic novels from middle grade to young adult, adult non-fiction, memoir, and very select picture books. (See submission guidelines for more details.) Jenna is also fully bilingual English/Spanish, so dual language projects are most welcome!
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How to submit: Follow her guidelines HERE.

7 New Agents Seeking SFF, Thrillers, Rom-coms, Memoir, Horror, LGBT, Nonfiction and more

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

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

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

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients. 
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Ms. Laurie Dennison of Creative Media Agency

After earning her master’s degree from the University of Florida, Laurie Dennison began her career as an English teacher. She then spent over ten years working as a freelance writer and editor in desktop publishing, including serving as a Pitch Wars mentor for five years. In 2022 she attended the Denver Publishing Institute, leading to an internship at Creative Media Agency, Inc. before stepping into her role as an associate agent and internship coordinator at CMA.

What she is seeking: Adult: Romance, Contemporary, Light fantasy/paranormal grounded in the real world, Book Club Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Domestic Suspense, Commercial Mystery/Thriller. Nonfiction: Memoir, Narrative, Women’s Issues, Practical Nonfiction (Pop Culture, Education, Social Science)
Young Adult: Contemporary, Suspense/Thriller/Mystery, Light Fantasy/Paranormal, Light Science Fiction, Nonfiction 

How to submit: Follow submission instructions HERE.
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Ms. Maria Napolitano of KT Literary

Maria Napolitano began her career in publishing as a book scout, where she fell in love with the process of matchmaking books with just the right editors and publishers around the world. She went on to work in subrights and as an agent, and joined kt literary as foreign rights manager and agent in 2024. In foreign rights, Maria is a native New Yorker and Cornell graduate who currently lives in Astoria, Queens with a sourdough starter named Ryeley. 

What she is seeking: As an agent, Maria represents a broad range of fiction, from commercial rom-coms to radical speculative fiction, subversive thrillers, and upmarket book club fiction. She is drawn to character-driven stories, unusual perspectives, genre-bending works, and supremely pitchable high concepts. Read more about Maria's wish list on her website.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Yael Levy of Olswanger Literary

I’m a Literary Associate for Olswanger Literary with years of experience in publishing as an author and developmental editor. Seeking manuscripts that bravely explores the human condition, social structures, the world…Iconoclasts welcome!

What she is seeking: Fiction: Action/Adventure, Commercial, General, Science Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy. Non-Fiction: Business, Journalism, Memoir, Science, "Big Idea/Think", #ownvoices, Diaspora Narratives, Politics/Current Affairs, Popular Science/Psychology. 

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Jackie Kruzie of Focused ArtistsJ/ackie has worn many hats in the literary world including librarian, writer, editor, and literary associate. She was an acquisitions editor for an Indie publisher before completing a 6-month internship with Olswanger Literary and joining the team at Focused Artists.

What she is seeking: I represent several genres including graphic novel, historical fiction, horror, mystery, paranormal/supernatural, thriller, western, and women’s fiction. My heart belongs to picture books, but I am also interested in chapter books for early readers, middle grade, and YA though my YA list will be limited . 

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Lauren Bajek of Liza Dawson Associates

Lauren Bajek joined Liza Dawson Associates as an assistant in 2021. Previously, she was a bookseller and the science fiction and fantasy buyer for the Elliott Bay Book Company, where she championed books in translation and books by women, queer people, and people of color. 

What she is seeking: Lauren is currently building a select list of fiction and nonfiction, with an emphasis in SFFH, upmarket speculative fiction, craft/DIY nonfiction, and science/nature nonfiction. Across the board, she is drawn to literary prose, queer and anticolonial perspectives, unusual or hybrid forms, and an ambitious sense of imagination. She is always interested in animal cognition, translation, and sentient houses.

How to submit: If you are interested in querying Lauren, please send a query and first three chapters or 25 pages pasted into an email to querylauren@lizadawson.com. 

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James Farner of JABberwocky Literary Agency

James Farner (he/him) is an Agency Assistant for JABberwocky Literary Agency, directly assisting COO Brady McReynolds. He was born and raised in the Midwest, received his bachelor’s degree in English writing and religious studies from the University of Oklahoma (where he interned with award-winning literary magazine World Literature Today), and moved to New York City to attend The New School for Social Research’s Liberal Studies master’s program

What he is seeking: Mysteries and thrillers.

How to submit: Use his querymanager HERE.

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Anna Zinchuk of David Black Agency

​Anna joined the team at DBA in spring of 2022 to assist David Black. She holds a BA degree in Film Studies from the University of Iowa, and prior to joining DBA she worked as a project editor for a college-level publisher.

What she is seeking: Anna is interested in a wide array of fiction, and is particularly passionate about stories that explore human complexity, with themes like mortality, grief, and loss, especially stories in which the ending is melancholic or ambiguous.

In literary fiction, her preferences lean towards coming-of-age narratives and contemplative stories. In the realm of genre fiction, she's captivated by the allure of fantasy and magical realism, with a healthy touch of romance. Regardless of the genre, Anna appreciates clever writing infused with humor, and seeks stories that keep her on the edge of her seat, whether from despair, horror, adoration, or joy. While embracing both YA and adult fiction, her specific interest lies in the 'new adult' sub-genre, which seamlessly combines plot elements of YA fiction with the maturity of adult storytelling.

How to submit: To query Anna, please send a short synopsis of your story and paste the first 50 pages of your manuscript into the body of an email to azinchuk@dblackagency.com. While she cannot respond to every query, she will reach out to any that she is interested in within 6 weeks.

64 Calls for Submissions in February 2024 - Paying markets

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

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

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

Happy submitting!

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Contested Landing Anthology. Genre: Military Science Fiction. Payment: "a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors." Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Lightspeed. Genre: Science fiction flash fiction, up to 1500 words. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 15 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

The First Line. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Bigfoot Country. Genre: Stories about Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Yeti. The genre is open. Payment: $100 CAD. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Plumwood Mountain: An Australian and International Journal of Ecopoetry and Ecopoetics. Genre: Poetry. Theme: ‘Queering Ecopoet(h)ics’ Payment: $80. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: February 2, 2024.

Cordite. Genre: Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 4, 2024.

Flame Tree: Myths, Gods & Immortals: Odin. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales." Theme: Odin. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: February 4, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Flame Tree: Myths, Gods & Immortals: Anansi. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales." Theme: Anansi. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: February 4, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Flame Tree: Myths, Gods & Immortals: Medusa. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales." Theme: Medusa. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: February 4, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Sci Phi Journal. Genre: Hard science fiction, fictional nonfiction, and speculative philosophy. Translations
\ accepted. Payment: €0.03/word; €0.01/word for translations. Deadline: February 4, 2024.

Roses and Wildflowers. Genre: Mythopoeic fiction, poetry & art. Payment: $5. Opens February 5, 2024.

Utopia Science Fiction. Genre: Utopian science fiction. See theme. Payment: $0.04/word for fiction, $30 for nonfiction, $25 for poetry. Deadline: February 6, 2024.

Speculation Publications Utter Speculation Novella Series. Genre: Novella. "The Collection of Utter Speculation series speculates about what is behind real mysteries and legends. The stories must start with the known facts. They can be rooted in real world explanations or supernatural causes, but they need to answer the question, what causes this?" Novellas should be 20,000 - 35,000 words. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: February 7, 2024.

Headland. Restrictions: Open to Māori writers. Genre: Poetry, short fiction and nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 7, 2024.

This Magazine. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: News, arts and ideas stories, and features.  Payment: $60 - $300. Deadline: February 7, 2024. Pitches only.

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry. See theme. Payment: AUD150-275 for prose; AUD125-275 for poetry; comics and art AUD100-300. Deadline: February 11, 2024. No submission fee for Australian residents.

Puncher &Wattmann. Genre: Full-length, fiction, memoir, poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 10, 2024.

Split Scream. Genre: Novelette length horror stories, 10,000 - 20,000 words. Payment: $150 upfront payment; 40% royalties. Deadline: February 14, 2024.

Cast of Wonders. Genre: YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. See theme. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words. For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Deadline: February 14, 2024.

Augur Magazine. Restrictions: Open to creators who are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Disabled, and/or Trans, who are also Canadian citizens/permanent residents and/or who are living within the settler-defined borders of the land colonially known as Canada. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories and poetry. Translations accepted. Payment: $0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under). Deadline: February 14, 2024.

Tales and Feathers. Restrictions: Open to creators who are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Disabled, and/or Trans, who are also Canadian citizens/permanent residents and/or who are living within the settler-defined borders of the land colonially known as Canada. Genre: Cozy SFF fiction up to 2500 words. Payment: 11 cents CAD/word. Deadline: February 14, 2024.

Crimson Quill. Genre: Fantasy. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 14, 2024.

The Lorelei Signal. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, and poetry with strong female characters. Payment: $15 for short stories, $5 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces, $5 for reprints. Deadline: February 15, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Lucent Dreaming. Restrictions: Open to submissions from d/Deaf and Disabled writers aged 16+ who are Welsh and / or Wales based. Genre: Poetry, prose and creative non-fiction. Payment: £50. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Omenana Magazine. Restrictions: Open to writers from Africa and the African Diaspora. Genre: speculative fiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Fallen Tree Press. Restrictions: Open to writers from the U.S. and Canada only. "We are looking for poets that are BIPOC and/or age 50 and over." Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Carte Blanche (Canada). Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations. comics, photography. Payment: $75. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 15, 2024. Some reprints accepted.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 15, 2024. See themes. Queries only.

The Spectacle. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $50. Deadline: February 16, 2024

Faces. Genre: Nonfiction, activities for children 9 - 14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 19, 2024. Queries only. See themes.

Heduan Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, prose poems, personal essays, reviews, art. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: February 25, 2024.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box. Genre: Poetry. Payment $30 CAD. Deadline: February 25, 2024. This is a monthly call.

Fission is the British Science Fiction Association's annual anthology of SFF fiction. You don’t need to be a BSFA member to submit. Genre: Science fiction. Length: Up to 5,000 words. Payment: 2 pence per word. Deadline: February 26, 2024.

New Myths. Genre: Speculative fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $50 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry; $50 for book reviews; $80 for art. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme. See theme. Payment: $30. Deadline: February 28, 2024. Opens February 15. Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 8¢ per word for fiction and $20 for poetry. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Pyre Magazine. Genre: Dark genre-bending works in the realms of horror, sci-fi, the weird, the macabre, fantasy, and magical realism. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Fanatical. Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

The Rumpus. Genre: Essays. Payment: $400 divided among all contributors. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Fahmidan Publishing is a publisher for all POC & Women ardent in battle against subjugation. Genre: Poetry or fiction chapbook. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Black History Month, no-fee submissions are open for all Black creators, not limited to those in the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles, messages from heaven, angels. Genre: True stories about miracles, angels, messages from heaven, premonitions, amazing coincidences and other unexplainable but good events! Payment: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The power of thinking positive. Genre: True stories and poems. "How did you “think positive” and how did it change your life? Tell us your success story about using the power of positive thinking!" Payment: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

The New Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to Canadian writers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $275 for a short story or nonfiction entry, and $50 per poem or postscript story. Deadline: February 28, 2024.
 
Little Ghost Books. Restrictions: "We are looking for transgressive horror fiction, queer fiction, and Canadian writers. LGBTQA+ folks, POC writers, and first time submitters are encouraged!" Genre: HORROR NOVELLAS between 17,500- 50, 000 words. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: February 29, 2024.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: February 29, 2024. In celebration of Black History Month, there are no submission fees for Black writers for the month of February.

Yellow Arrow Journal. Genre: Creative nonfiction, poetry, cover art by authors who identify as women. Theme: Elevate. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Triangulation—Hospitium. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry. See theme. Payment: 3 cents per word for short stories, 25 cents per line for poetry. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Gwyllion. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: £10 per accepted story or poem. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Malahat Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: CAD $70/page. Deadline: February 29, 2024. Submissions by Canadian writers are accepted for consideration all year.

Southword. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €50 per poem. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Dragon Soul Press: Rogue Waves. Genre: "All mermaids (and their kin), kraken (sea monsters), underwater civilizations, etc. stories are welcome. All genres are accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Epic Echoes Magazine. Genre: Action/Adventure, SFF, Horror, Mystery. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 29, 2024. 

Nightlight (Podcast). Restrictions: At least one of your birth parents must be Black. Genre: Horror. Flash fiction (750-1,500 words) Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Slay and Slay Again! An Anthology of Queer Horror. Restrictions: Preference will be given to submissions from LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC authors. Genre: Horror short fiction and poetry. Payment: $30. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Make It Yourself. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: February 29, 2024. Queries only.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Adaptive Press. Genre: Sci-fi and fantasy short stories centered around people’s pets. Word counts from 500 to 1,500 words. They will consider flash series - three or more flash tales built around a common theme. Payment: $25 - $50. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Short Story Substack accepts one short story every month. Genre: All genres. Word count 6,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: February 29, 2024. Reprints accepted.
 
AND A FEW MORE...

A Touch of Aether. Genre: Urban fantasy. Length: 5,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Teach. Write. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction, poetry, CNF. "I prefer writing that is either written by composition teachers and writing students OR about teaching and learning." Payment: $15. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: $400. Deadline: March 1, 2024. See themes.

Midstory Magazine. Genre: Personal essays written by women about life, love, loss, and friendship at midlife. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Eerie River. Genre: Horror and dark fantasy novels. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Block Party Press. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

The Woodward Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Iron Horse. Genre: Poems, stories, and essays. Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: March 1, 2024. Note: Open one day only for free submissions.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: March 1, 2024.

Thema: Bookmarks. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: Bookmarks. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2024. Accepts reprints.

85 Writing Contests in February 2024 - No entry fees

Mt Blanc: Pickpik Despite being nasty, brutish, and short, February always hosts reams of writing contests. This February there are more than seven dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes this month range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

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

Good luck! 

_______________


The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

$1000 for 1000 Words Creative Writing Contest is sponsored by the Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation. Restrictions: Students enrolled in grades 6-12. Genre: Short fiction of exactly 1000 words. Prize: Two $1,000 scholarship prizes will be awarded, one for grades 6-8 and one for grades 9-12. Seven $100 cash prizes will also be awarded for winning entries, one per grade level. Deadline:  February 1, 2024.  

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. Genre: Most outstanding book for young people published in previous year. There is a $1000 award in each category: Pre-K - Grade 3;  Grades 4 - 6;  Grades 7 - 12. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition. Restrictions: Writers must be enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) in any field of study at a regular university, and be born in 1993 or later. Genre: Essay on on the best or worst legacy from previous generations. Length: 2,100 words. Prize: CHF20,000, split between three winners; they’ll also cover travel, accommodation, and admission to the symposium in Switzerland. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry book published in 2021. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Gannon University Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Entrants must be a US high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Genre: Poetry. Each student may enter 1 or 2 poems; each poem may be no longer than 50 lines. Prize: First Place: $100.00 Second Place: $75.00 Third Place: $50.00. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Narrative Magazine High School Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students aged 15-18. Genre: Poetry on theme. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Wednesday Club Junior Poetry Prize. Restrictions: High School Students in Grades 9 through 12 in the St. Louis Area. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $200,  $150,  $100, $80, $50, and up to five $25 honorable mentions TEACHER AWARDS: $200, $150, $100. (Applies to teachers of first three student winners.) Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Wednesday Club Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Adults over 18; living within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $500, $300, $150. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

The Write Track. Genre: Full-length historical romance. Prize: $1,000 and a publishing contract with Dragonblade Publishing. Deadline: February 1, 2024.  

United States/Japan Creative Artists Residencies. This is a 3-5 month residency in Japan. Grant: $24,000. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

North Carolina Student Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to student poets from 3rd grade to university undergraduates attending schools in North Carolina. Genres: Unpublished poems (submit one poem). Prizes: 1st Place winners will receive a $60 check, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. 2nd Place winners receive $40, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. 3rd Place winners receive $25, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. Deadline: February 2, 2024. 

The University of Chester Flash (Youth). Restrictions: Open to Scottish students aged 16-19 who are studying in the UK. Genre: flash fiction of up to 360 words. Prize: Up to £100. Deadline: February 2, 2024.

Bath Flash Fiction Award. Genre: Flash fiction, 300 words max. Prize: £1000 prize for the winner, £300 second and £100 third. Two commendations £30 each. Deadline: February 4, 2024.

The Golden Triangle Golden Haiku poetry contest. Genre: Haiku on theme “Transforming Paths.” Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 4, 2024.

Max Afford Playwrights' Award. Restrictions: Open to Australian playwrights aged 18-40. Genre: Full-length plays. Prize: A$15,000. Deadline: February 4, 2024.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: February 4, 2024. Opens February 2.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6 - 12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6-12th Graders. Prize: $20,000 scholarship. Deadline: Grade 6-10: February 8, 2024.

Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Restrictions: Open to authors under 30 years of age who have not had a book published. Applicant must have been born in Ohio or have lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years. Genre: Short fiction and creative non-fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 10, 2024.

Aniko Press Summer Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction (100 words max) on theme: Wave. Prize: Publication on their website and social media, a copy of Pulitzer Prize-winning Stay True by Hua Hsu plus a copy of the latest issue of Aniko Magazine. Deadline: February 11, 2024.

Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: A place on one of Arvon's residential writing courses and publication. Deadline: February 12, 2024.

The Tomorrow Prize & The Green Feather Award. Restrictions: Open to Los Angeles County high school students. Genre: Science fiction, and environmentally focused sci-fi story. Prize: Tomorrow Prize: $250, $150, and $100 USD. Green Feather Award: $250.00 & online publication by the Nature Nexus Institute. Deadline: February 13, 2024.

Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Michigan.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st place - $250 and publication in The Albion Review, 2nd place - $150 and publication in The Albion Review; 3rd place - $100 and publication in The Albion Review. Deadline: February 14, 2024.

Tree2mydoor Valentines Day Poetry competition. Restrictions: Open to UK citizens. Genre: Witty or soppy, romantic or silly Valentines Day poems. Prize: £100 worth of Tree2mydoor gift vouchers. Deadline: February 14, 2024.


James Welch Prize for Indigenous Poets. Restrictions: The prize is open to new, emerging, and established poets who are community-recognized members of tribal nations within the United States and its trust territories (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans). Only poets who have not published more than one book-length collection are eligible; however, previous publication is not a requirement. Eligible contestants must be community-recognized members of their tribal nation. Formal tribal enrollment is not the only way of acknowledging belonging, and this prize aims to recognize all Native writers who are in community. Previous first place winners of this prize are not eligible, but previous finalists are welcome to submit work. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6 - 12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6-12th Graders. Prize: $20,000 scholarship. Deadline: February 15, 2024. Grades 11-12:

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Genre: Poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Ambroggio Prize. Restrictions: Poet must be a U.S. Citizen; Resident of the United States for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Legal Permanent Status (LPS), or any subsequent categories designated by the U.S. authorities as conferring similar enhanced status upon non-citizens living in the United States. Genre: Book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Hub City Press. Restrictions: Open to writers of all levels who have lived in South Carolina for at least one year prior to submission of their manuscript. Genre: Novel. Prize: $1,500 and book publication, including marketing and tour support from Hub City Press and the series partners, as well as placement in all South Carolina state libraries and readings/events with presenting sponsors. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Hodson Trust–John Carter Brown Library Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction (includes creative nonfiction). A book-in-process relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Award: $20,000. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

CAAPP Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers of African descent. Genre: First or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African and African diasporic experience. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation. Prize: $3000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Haiku Society of America Merit Book Awards for Excellence in Published Haiku, Translation, and Criticism. Genre: Published book. Books must have been published in 2022 and must clearly contain a printed 2022 copyright. A member, author, or publisher may submit or nominate more than one title. At least 50 percent of the book must be haiku, senryu, or haibun, or prose about these subjects (books mostly of tanka, for example, are not eligible). Prize: $500. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Vermont Studio Center – Full Fellowship Awards. The Vermont Studio Center offers 54 fellowships; open to anyone in the world. Deadline: February 15, 2024. (There is now a $25 application fee)

Paul-Victor Winters Memorial Creative Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to NJ high school students in private or public schools, grades 9-12. Genre: Flash Fiction and Poetry. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: February 15, 2024.


Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Poetry (Kansas Book Award). Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Novel or collection of short stories. The nominee's book must have a publication date of 2021, 2022, or 2023. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: 53-word story. Prize: Publication in Prime Number Magazine and  a free book from Press 53. Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Andres Montoya Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to Latino authors who are residents of the US. Genre: First book of poetry published by a Latino author. Prize: $1,000 and publication by the University of Notre Dame Press. Deadline: February 16, 2024. Biennial prize.

Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Poetry composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Villanelle Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Villanelle. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Sonnet Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Sonnet. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Myong Cha Son Haiku Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Haiku. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Original poems written in Spanish and translations of English poems to Spanish. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction. Restrictions: Open to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. The winner of the prize will have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking and challenging work. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

The Denneny Award for Editorial Excellence. Restrictions: The award will go to an editor whose commitment to the publication of LGBTQ+  writers and literature contributes significantly to the advancement of the LGBTQ+  community. Candidates can work in any genre, be at any publication, and be at any stage of their career. For 35 years as an editor at Macmillan, St. Martin’s Press, and Crown Publishing, Michael Denneny championed LGBTQ writers and stories as one of the first openly gay editors working at major publishing houses. The Denneny Award for Editorial Excellence is the only editorial award that not only recognizes the support provided by editors to the literary community, but also the importance of editors in the advancement of a social movement. Prize: The winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500. Deadline: February 16, 2024. [On a personal note, Michael Denneny was my editor at St. Martin's, I'm sad to hear he has passed away.]

The Pat Holt Prize for Critical Arts Writing. Restrictions: The award will go an LGBTQ arts critic or literary reviewer committed to examining queer works of art and culture, as Holt ground-breakingly did for 16 years. This award is made possible by Lesbians for Good, a fund of the Horizons Foundation. Prize: $4,000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Dr. Jim Duggins Outstanding LGBTQ Mid-Career Novelist Prize. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ mid-career novelists who have published at least three novels. or two novels and substantial additional literary work (including poems, stories, or essays). Genre: Published book. Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction. Restrictions: Open to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers. Restrictions: The nominee must self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. The nominee must have written and published at least one but no more than two books of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Andres Montoya Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to Latino authors who are residents of the US. Genre: First book of poetry published by a Latino author. Prize: $1,000 and publication by the University of Notre Dame Press. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2023, and February 28, 2024 to be eligible for the 2023 Prize. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

Luminarts Creative Writing Fellowship. The Creative Writing Fellowship awards two $7,500 grant Fellowships for excellence in creative writing in the categories of prose and poetry, in fiction and nonfiction. Applicants submit a two-page written piece (either a stand-alone piece or an excerpt of a larger piece such as a novel or short story). Open to writers between the ages of 18 and 30 years old at the time of application; be enrolled in, or have graduated from, a degree program; and live within 150 miles of the Union League Club of Chicago. Genre: Poetry or prose, fiction and nonfiction.  Prize: $7,500. Deadline: February 16, 2024.

J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50. Restrictions: Open to unpublished LGBTQ writers over 50 working in any genre. Genre: All genres. Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 16, 2043.

Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $1,500 top prize. Deadline: Deadline: February 17, 2024.

Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students (grades 9-12) from across the Washington Metropolitan Area (Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC). Genre: Poetry. Prize: First, 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $250, $100 and $50 gift certificates.  Deadline: February 22, 2024.
The Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award supports the work of a promising early-career nonfiction writer on a story that uncovers truths about the human condition. Genres: Nonfiction journalism works in progress with “strong, character-driven narratives with detailed scene writing and lyrical description.” Restrictions: The award will not fund proposals to report on armed conflicts where journalists are already imperiled, nor projects that are mainly investigatory. Prize: $6,000 upon announcement of the winning proposal; $3,000 upon evidence of substantial progress (usually a first draft); and $3,500 upon completion and acceptance by the Award committee.. Deadline: February 22, 2024.

Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. Genre: First book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 23, 2024.

Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is 'Mirror.' Prize: £5,000. Deadline: February 23, 2024.

Young Authors Sacred Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to US students aged 13-18. Genre: Essay discussing the power of love to strengthen communities and transform lives. Explore themes such as compassion, mutual aid, tenderness, justice, reconciliation, and healing. Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: February 23, 2024.

Harper’s Bazaar short-story competition. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over. Genre: Original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘The experiment’ up to 2,000 words. Prize: Two-night stay at Chewton Glen in Hampshire (UK). Deadline: February 25, 2024.

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to authors who either are citizens or permanent residents of Western Australia. Genre: Book published during the preceding calendar year in a variety of genres. Prize: Up to A$60,000. Deadline: February 26, 2024. 

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between October 1, 2023 and February 28, 2024. Prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: February 27, 2024.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Genre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between October 1, 2023 and February 26, 2024. Deadline: February 27, 2024.

Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian LGBTQ+ writers. Genre: Debut book  published between October 1, 2023 and February 26, 2024. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: February 27, 2024.

Victor Howes Prize in Poetry. Restrictions: Undergraduate English majors currently enrolled at a New England college (2-year or 4-year). Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2024.


The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay or monograph about Native American studies published in previous calendar year. Prize: $250. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Electa Quinney Award for Published American Indian Stories. Genre: Story. "This award seeks to highlight the work of story creators who continue the tradition of teaching through narratives often crossing the boundaries of genres, formats and disciplines. To celebrate the dissemination of stories into spaces where they can be shared all published stories qualify including small press and fine arts printing." Prize: $250. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

Toronto Star Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Ontario residents 16 years of age or older. Genre: Short story. Prize: 1st prize - $5000; 2nd prize - $2000, 3rd prize - $1000. Deadline: February 28, 2024.

The Orwell Society Dystopian Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to current students (both BA and MA) at British universities. Genre: Dystopian narratives of 3,000 words. Prize: £750. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association Self-Published E-Book Literary Award. Restrictions: Open to African-Americans. Genre: Self-Published E-Book in fiction and poetry written by African-Americans that depict the "cultural, historical, or sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora." Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

The Kelpies Prize (Scotland). Restrictions: Open to Scottish authors. Genre: Children’s fiction and nonfiction, picture books. Prize: £1,000, a publishing contract, a writing retreat, and a year of mentoring by an editorial team. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

2024 Sijo Competition. Genre: A Sijo poem. Prize: Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500); Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300) Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Sejong Cultural Society Essay Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 19-30. Also see youth and children's divisions. Genre: Essay responding to Topic: "I'm Waiting for You" by Kim Bo-young. Prizes: $1000, $750, $500, $50 for honorable mention, plus possible publication. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Honest Holiday Haiku Contest. Genre: Haiku. "In the spirit of Scrooge, Santa, and everything in between, we invite you to write your most honest holiday haiku. Use this space to vent about the itchy socks your great aunt insists on gifting you each year or wax poetic about a Valentine's Day mishap." Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Sejong Cultural Society Sijo Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 19-30. Also see youth division. Genre: Sijo. Prizes: Adult: $1000, $750, $500, $50 for honorable mention, plus possible publication. Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300) Deadline: February 29, 2024.

The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities, but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. Genre: Poetry and fiction: See prompts. Prize: £300 top prize. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Imagine Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories in Japanese or English for its “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA– either past, present or future. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

The Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators. "The grant is intended to facilitate the completion of a substantial sample of a book-length work of prose translation suitable for submission to English-language publishers, and will be awarded to an individual translator who has not yet received a book-length contract for translation work. We particularly welcome submissions from translators from historically underrepresented cultures and backgrounds." Grant: $3,000. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to US writers only. Genre: Full-length manuscript of creative nonfiction by a writer not yet established in the genre. Prize: $12,000 and publication. Deadline: February 29, 2024. Opens February 1.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: February 29, 2024. This is a monthly contest.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: February 29, 2024. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. See themes. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: February 29, 2024.

15 Writing Conferences and Workshops in February 2024

Lightner Museum , St Augustine: Wikimedia This February there are more than a dozen writing conferences. Many conferences and workshops will be held online, but some will be held in person or use a hybrid format.These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

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

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

(Image: St. Augustine, Florida: Wikimedia)

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Jaipur Literature Festival. February 1 - 5, 2024. Presentations, panels, readings, and music performances. In an uplifting celebration of the mind and heart, authors from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe will take part in provocative conversations about life and society, economics and the arts, equity, freedom, and the care of our planet. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.
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Tinker Mountain Winter Recharge. February 2 - 4, 2024: Online. The weekend begins with a social session on Friday evening and continues with workshops Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.  Just the right amount of time to affirm your writing and to reset for the balance of winter and spring. Manuscript workshops, limited to 8 participants, give you an opportunity to receive feedback on your work from peers and your faculty mentor and learn what other writers are working on. Write now workshops, limited to 10 participants, allow you to immerse yourself in the craft of writing and generate new work without the pressure of preparing or reading manuscripts.

On Memory and Metaphor: Bringing the Past to Life. February 3, 2024: Online. "How do we translate a vague memory in our thoughts into a vivid memory in an essay or memoir? Sensory knowledge, written descriptively, assists in memory, in recalling past events. From here, we metaphorically string memories together. By reflecting on our lives, we see truths not initially observed in the past. Memories are dynamic, not static. They change as we change. When we write our sensory memories, they present us with fresh perspectives. This second life doesn't just recapture past actions, it gives them depth and meaning." This presentation includes a writing prompt, space to read your work, as well as time for discussion and questions-and-answers.

Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference. February 7 - 10, 2024: Seattle, WA. "The AWP Conference & Bookfair is an essential annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. 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. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America." 

The 2024 Boston Writing Workshop. February 9-10, 2024. Online. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on February 3-4, 2023. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome."

SCBWI In-Person Winter Conference 2024. February 9-11, 2024: NY, NY. Come and be inspired by renowned authors and illustrators, learn about the state of the children's book publishing industry from panels of agents, editors and art directors, dive deep into your craft with TWO three-hour Creative Labs, and get your work in front of industry professionals!

San Francisco Writers Conference. February 15 - 18, 2024: San Francisco, CA. Attendees will join with 100+ presenters and fellow writers from across the country and around the world at this year’s event. The SFWC events are consistently rated among the top writer’s conferences anywhere. "Our goal is to help writers become published authors as we help them become better at the craft and business of writing. The SFWC is also one of the friendliest conferences. Presenters this year will include bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses. There will be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites. The San Francisco Writers Conference has one of the largest faculties of any writer’s conference to ensure the best networking with the people who can help you get published." 

Strategic Submission: An Online Workshop. February 15 – March 14, 2024, Each Thursday, 5:00-7:00pm EST/EDT: Online. "In this five-week online workshop, writers of all genres are invited to set excuses aside and learn proper submission etiquette and protocol. In a supportive environment, you’ll write cover letters and an author bio, create a submission strategy and research markets for publication, funding and conferences to identify which options best fit your work. You’ll have the opportunity to submit your writing to several markets as your workshop mates cheer you on. Bring a completed short story, a group of 3 to 5 poems, a novel excerpt, an essay or creative nonfiction piece that’s polished and ready to submit."

Southern California Writers’ Conference (and Retreat). February 16 - 18, 2024: San Diego, CA. Faculty: 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. "Founded and run by professional writers the SCWC provides veteran and emerging talent with authoritative guidance to help distinguish those manuscripts that are ready for market consideration." Limited to 150 conferees.

The Art of Short Fiction: An Online Workshop. February 16 - March 15, 2024. Each Friday, 3:00-5:00pm EST/EDT: Online. "In this workshop, we will discuss the foundations of short fiction and what makes it so uniquely different from novel writing. We will examine a diversity of voices and styles from contemporary short story writers and consider key aspects of the genre—voice, plot, characterization and more. Through generative writing exercises, we will practice techniques to help you hone your skills using these craft elements. You are welcome to bring a piece you’re currently working on or to start something entirely new. After we spend time writing, we will share and discuss our work in a supportive and productive environment. Beginning and experienced writers are welcome."


Come Play(wright) with Me! A Playwriting Class for ALL Writers. February 17, 2024: Lincoln, Nebraska. "Class for all writers, whether writing for stage and screen or not. Participants will explore techniques for building an excellent playground (i.e. structuring a story) and inviting interesting people (i.e. complicated characters) to connect with audiences there. Topics and activities include tips for utilizing non-traditional story structures, infusing character backstory seamlessly into action, and writing compelling dialogue."

The Engine of Narratives: Openings, Metaphors, and Characters. February 21. 2024. Online. Join author Tommy Dean for a 2 hour generative writing session focused on The Engine of Narratives: Openings, Metaphors, and Characters. Make dreading the blank page a thing of the past!   There are many ways to write a story, but these three elements can make the writing easier and more dynamic.  We'll look at model texts and get inspired by the writing prompts! Past students have published stories inspired by my prompts in today's best literary magazines.

Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 22 - 25, 2024. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. Deadline: Friday, December 15, 2023.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop. February 23 - 26, 2024: St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

The 2024 Indiana Writing Workshop. February 24, 2024: Indianapolis, IN. This is a full-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing conference. This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (150 total). 

14 New Agents Seeking Genre Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, YA, LGBT, Children's Books and more

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

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

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

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

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

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Ms. Hillary Fazzari of Bradford Literary Agency

Hillary Fazzari (she/her) joined the Bradford Literary Agency as the agency’s assistant in 2022 before moving into agenting in 2023. Prior to that, she had interned at Writers House and served as a long-term reader and editor for another literary agency. She is a highly editorial agent and is looking for high concept, high stakes stories with deep character development and gorgeous, commercial prose. 

What she is seeking: Overall, she acquires primarily Middle Grade and YA, and is open to any genre in those areas, including graphic novels. In New Adult and Adult, she acquires more selectively and is open to:

Rom-coms;Romantasy;SFF with strong romantic elements; important female, queer, and/or nonbinary characters; and emotive plotlines; andVery select narrative nonfiction that focuses on history.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Sobi-Dee Burbano of LCS Literary Services

Sobi-Dee Burbano earned her Associate’s Degree in Arts, but her true passion has always been reading. She discovered a love for books as a child and that has carried on through adulthood. When she is not caring for her young children, as a mother of two, the kindle is her best friend. She loves reading romance of all genres including fantasy and paranormal.  Sobi is excited to work with aspiring authors and is now actively building her list. She is looking for unputdownable stories with bold, courageous characters who take you down an emotional journey of perseverance. She enjoys getting lost in a great drama-filled fantasy and also hopes to escape into a romance that makes her fall in love with love again.

What she is seeking: 

Adult Fiction: Contemporary, Commercial, Fantasy, General, Historical, Horror, Humor, Literary, Mystery, New Adult, Paranormal, Psychological Thriller, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Women’s FictionYoung Adult Fiction: Adventure, Contemporary, Dystopian, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Sci-Fi, ThrillerMiddle Grade: Adventure, Contemporary, Dystopian, Fantasy, Humor, Mystery, Paranormal, Sci-Fi How to submit: Use the agency's querymanager HERE.

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Michelle Jackson of LCS Literary Services

Originally from Jamaica, West Indies, Michelle is now a literary agent with LCS Literary. She began her agenting career as an intern and then a Literary Associate with Olswanger Literary.  She is also a published author and has earned educational degrees from New York University, SUNY at StonyBrook, Teachers College Columbia University and Argosy University. Michelle looks forward to bringing adult fiction and select young adult and non-fiction works of new authors to the masses, especially BIPOC and underrepresented authors. She is also a content editor and loves developing and working with new authors to help them hone their craft

What she is seeking: Michelle Jackson represents books that evoke heartfelt emotions and fervent conversations among readers. Her mission is to mentor and develop authors, particularly those from underrepresented communities, and help them build a brand of quality and authentic reads. Michelle has a soft spot for fellow educators who are writers and for stories featuring educators. She is also looking for those who want to write category romances–she also loves Amish romances!

Adult Fiction: Commercial, Historical, Humor, New Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, Women’s Fiction  Sub-genres: Contemporary Romance, Multicultural, Psychological Thrillers, Romantic Comedy, Romantic SuspenseYoung Adult Fiction: Contemporary, Historical, Christian, RomanceNonfiction: Biography, True Crime, Self-Help, Relationships, Cookbooks, Narrative, Spirituality, select Memoirs
How to submit: Use the agency's querymanager HERE.

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Jynastie Wilson of LCS Literary Services

During a childhood that was spent devouring the pages of both fantasy and contemporary novels alike, Jynastie Wilson discovered that there was magic within these pages, one that was much more complex than the fact that they happened to offer a place of escape and distraction. Instead, she found that these novels had the magic to make people feel a little less alone — specifically those that came from various marginalized communities, such as she did.
 
What she is seeking: Jynastie is looking for a variety of projects in both Adult and Children’s genres.

Adult: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, and stories written by LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and/or other marginalized authors.Young Adult: Contemporary, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Horror, and stories written by LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and/or other marginalized authors.Middle Grade: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Horror, and stories written by LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and/or other marginalized authors.Childrens: Picture Books, Chapter Books, and stories written by LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and/or other marginalized authors.​
How to submit: Use the agency's querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Shabnam Banerjee-McFarland of Odom Media Management

Shabnam Banerjee-McFarland (she/her) is an Associate Agent at Odom Media Management. Throughout her career, she has worked in independent media aimed at providing tools, resources, and frameworks that support movement-building. As an editor, she has worked with New York Times bestselling authors, speakers, and activists on books and digital training products on topics of intersectionality, racial and gender justice, decolonization, identity, and community organizing. She received her B.A. from University of California, Berkeley and M.A. from Columbia University in American Studies focusing her research on gender, race, and media. 

What she is seeking: Right now, she is most focused on non-fiction books about racial capitalism and closing the racial wealth gap, decolonization, and an intersectional, gender-inclusive approach to equity and equality.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Ms. Kate Rogers of KO Media Management

Kate Rogers is a University of Washington graduate with a double major in English and Cinema Media Studies. She has worked in customer service at Vroman's Bookstore in her hometown of Pasadena, California, and as the Assistant Director for Communications and Marketing for Stevens Court Community Council in Seattle.

What she is seeking: Kate loves MG, YA, and Adult graphic novels and prose, primarily contemporary realistic fiction, horror/thriller, romance, sci-fi, women’s fiction, and narrative non-fiction. She is interested in diverse, character-driven narratives that subvert familiar tropes or conventions. Kate is not currently seeking out anything younger than MG or fantasy-heavy stories.

How to submit: Follow submission guidelines HERE.
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Ms. Tamanna Bhasin of The Rights Factory

Having realized her passion for literature far outweighed her childhood dream of fashion design, Tamanna earned her BA in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto. After honing her skills by working with various literary journals and editorial internships, Tamanna joined The Rights Factory as an Associate Editor in 2020. With a keen eye for detail cultivated through her prior editorial work, Tamanna seamlessly transitioned into publishing. Her dedication to diverse narratives shines through as a literary agent—where she now combines her love for reading with her expertise in spotting compelling manuscripts across genres.

What she is seeking: Adult: Fantasy, historical fiction, and romance. YA/MG: Fantasy and historical fiction.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Ms. Mara Hollander of FinePrint Literary Management

Mara joined FinePrint in 2023 and became an associate agent in 2024. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University (Hoya Saxa!) and a PhD at Pitt Public Health. She’s lived in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and now Charlotte, but calls DC and NYC home. In her free time, she writes fantasy novels, watches a shocking amount of figure skating, roots for the Washington Nationals, and daydreams about petting dogs.

What she is seeking: Mara is actively seeking to represent authors from communities traditionally underrepresented in publishing, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA, people  who are disabled, and people who are chronically ill.

In fiction, Mara is seeking accessibly-written genre novels for Adult and YA audiences that rip your heart out and make you forget the world around you. In particular, she’s looking to represent fantasy (including political and romantic/romantasy), light sci-fi, romance, thrillers/mysteries (including political), and women’s fiction. She is not the best fit for literary fiction, historical fiction (historical romance is okay), or work written for middle graders or younger audiences. 

Mara is also interested in narrative nonfiction for adult audiences about mental illness and/or substance use disorders and the American health care system.

How to submit: To query Mara, send an email to submissions@fineprintlit.com and write "Dear Mara" in the body of the email.
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Julie Gourinchas of Bell Lomax Moreton Agency (UK)

Julie Gourinchas (she/they) works across the agents’ various lists and provides editorial and administrative support where needed. Prior to her time at BLM, she was managing editor for a transcontinental literary consultancy, and later transferred into freelance editorial work where she worked closely with a number of agents and their clients. 

What they are seeking: Julie is drawn to uncommon voices and striking, intelligent writing—whether it be vibrant and floral or tense, quick, and sparse—as well as texture in both tone and setting, and she loves anything spiky, toothy, and dark. While the literary-speculative is her sweet spot, she considers herself genre agnostic within literary fiction, and remains open to compelling and well-executed genre overlap. These include:

historical fiction, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries (also including and indeed encouraging alternate history);gothic fiction (specifically regional gothic with a strong sense of place);dynamic-led (e.g. friendships, family, etc) dramas with high emotional stakes;searing contemporary fiction centred on themes of identity and belonging;speculative science fiction addressing the relationship between humanity and technology;dark westerns;magical realism;female-led horror, especially featuring mangled nature or cosmic, Lovecraftian vibes;dark academia;speculative “fantasy” with only drips of magic, preferably set in the real/human world.
She is keenly interested in hearing from authors traditionally underrepresented in the industry, including but not restricted to writers of colour; queer, trans, and nonbinary writers; working class writers; disabled writers; etc. 
Folkloric, literary, and mythological retellings are a special favourite, particularly when approached from a fresh, imaginative perspective; she’d also love to see a sharp, literary story exploring humanity’s relationship to technology in the vein of Black Mirror. Likewise, a New Weird story exploring the effects of climate change on humanity and society, in the vein of Jeff VanderMeer or China Miéville, would not go remiss. On rare occasion, a moody psychological suspense story, where a heady sense of atmosphere reigns, is welcome. Also, more terrible women please.
In non-fiction, Julie is keen to read in the narrative and “big ideas” spaces, particularly in the realms of politics, history, and the social sciences.

How to submit: Follow submission guidelines HERE.
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Miriam Cortinovis of ArtHouse Literary Agency 

Born and raised in Italy, Miriam (they/she) moved to Chicago as a teenager and has since earned a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Writing & Publishing from DePaul University. After an excellent internship at Aevitas Creative Management, for which she also freelance read, she landed at ArtHouse Literary as an intern. They became Associate Agent through intense months of professional growth and supported learning. When not reading or writing SFF fiction of their own, Miriam enjoys playing videogames with their partner and scheming on Dungeons & Dragons with her friends. Their MSWL is inspired by all these speculative passions on top of their non-binary, bisexual, and chronically ill identity.

What she is seeking: Miriam is eagerly looking for everything and anything speculative across most age ranges (Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade). Miriam takes an interest in Young Adult Contemporary novels that draw on their fascination with American high school from immigrant perspectives and with summer camps/adventures, in the veins of YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN. They’re also looking for queer YA Horror & Thriller the likes of HOW TO FIND A MISSING GIRL and HOLLOW.

Miriam is also on the lookout for selective works of literary fiction and creative nonfiction. For everything listed above, they’re also highly interested in novellas.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.
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Carleen Geisler of ArtHouse Literary Agency 

Carleen comes from a background in technical writing and content marketing. When she found the world of publishing, she fell in love and dove in head first: starting her own author career as well as an internship at ArtHouse. She works on both sides with equal passion, and loves to help authors discover their "why" and curate their careers.

What she is seeking: For fiction, Carleen is looking for adult contemporary stories across genres. She loves suspense, especially if it comes with a dose of weird (think GOOD RICH PEOPLE by Eliza Jane Brazier or BUNNY by Mona Awad), and dark stories are her typical go-to. She is okay with mild speculative elements if they are close to real-world or very grounded. She loves the strange and whimsical, as well as the dark and dreadful. She likes romance, but prefers it to be part of a "bigger picture" story (think THE ARC by Tory Henwood Hoen), or at least that it has a great b-plot. She is especially interested in stories told from the voices of women, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized communities. She loves morally grey characters, or stories where no one is really good in the end, and craves finding something that breaks the norm of a trope in a satisfying way. She prefers shorter stories over long ones (still within novel standards though, please!) and is happy to consider manuscripts that bend or combine genres.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.
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Esty Loveing-Downes of ArtHouse Literary Agency 

Esty holds a BFA in creative writing from Ringling College of Art + Design and is currently an MFA candidate in fiction at Queens University of Charlotte. Aside from serving as a daily editor for the Southern Review of Books, she joined the teams at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency and Tobias Literary Agency before joining the ArtHouse Literary Agency team and becoming an Associate Literary Agent. 

What she is seeking: Esty is looking for romance, upmarket fiction, YA, genre-blending sci-fi, picture books, and select nonfiction and literary fiction. She’s also looking for genre-blending sci-fi or speculative fiction like THE NIGHT CIRCUS, magical realism like Carmen Maria Machado’s HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES, or nonlinear, poetic work like THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR. She’d also love to see “romantasy” with strong leads like A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES and CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, fae stories with romance tropes like THE CRUEL PRINCE, character-driven journeys like THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE, or the fairy tale vibes of SPINNING SILVER.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Rebecca Lawrence of The Booker Albert Literary Agency

After graduating with a B.A. in Professional Writing, Rebecca completed internships with Christian Indie Publishing Association and ArtHouse Literary Agency before moving to Booker Albert Literary Agency. 

​From a young age, she has been fascinated with epic worlds like LOTR and The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Books with romantic elements like Ella Enchanted, The Goose Girl, and The Cruel Prince all have places in her top ten. She also adores historical fiction like The Wednesday Wars and iconic masterpieces like Monica Hesse's They Went Left, but her all-time favorite novel has to be the grounded fantasy The Scorpio Races. Her favorite troupes are houses-with-personality (think House of Leaves or The Haunting of Hill House), zombie apocalypses like in the book World War Z, and underwater worlds.

What she is seeking: Regardless of genre, Rebecca is looking for stories that have good pacing, grounded worlds, and believable characters. She is interested in fantasy of all kinds and anything that has a good hook. She would love to see more scary YA and MG historical fiction. 

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.
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Ms. Gabriela Laracuente Sanchez of Howland Literary

Gabriela Laracuente Sanchez had the opportunity to join the Howland team as an intern while completing a BA in English: Editing, Writing, and Media with a minor in Women’s Studies from Florida State University. During this time, she was also the Editor in Chief of The Experience and Editorial Assistant of the Kudzu Review. These experiences led her to help authors navigate the publishing process as a Publications Project Manager. She lives in Dickinson, Texas. Gabriela has since rejoined the Howland team and represents adult fiction and nonfiction. 

What she is seeking: In adult fiction, she is looking for literary and upmarket works that have strong cultural influences—especially from Hispanic and Latine backgrounds. She wants to see works that explore topics of cultural identity, complex family dynamics, womanhood, and characters adapting to new spaces. She is also interested in projects that are multilingual and utilize code-switching, incorporate elements of magical realism and speculative fiction, and incorporate elements of food writing. In adult nonfiction, she is looking for cookbooks of Latin-American and Caribbean cuisine. 

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

2024 New Year's Resolution: Revise Your Darlings

Lightspring William Faulkner is purported to have coined the phrase: "Kill all your darlings." (Although that phrase is attributed to Faulkner, Arthur Quiller-Couch had advised writers to "murder your darlings" decades earlier in 1914.) As a piece of writing advice, killing your darlings is simply a warning not to become too enamored with your lovingly created turns of phrase. Like Pygmalion, falling in love with own's own creation doesn't necessarily turn out well for the creator.

This year, in keeping with my tradition of making a New Year's writing resolution, I have resolved, not to kill my darlings, but to rephrase them. I have come to the realization that my work needs some rather drastic pruning. So, I am going to revise.

Writers tend to focus on composition. The act of creation is not only enjoyable, it provides an invigorating boost to the ego. Composition relies on talent, the innate ability to observe, and put those observations into words (or music, or any art form) in a way that is memorable. But while composition begins with talent, which I maintain can't be taught, it ends with revision, which is a skill that has to be learned. 

Revising your own work requires distance. You have to read it as if you didn't write it. That is not easy. Once you have expressed something with language, those words become imprinted in your mind. Not only are they hard to forget, it is very difficult to change those words in any major way. And, of course, there is the dilemma of not knowing if they even need changing.

The best way to revise is to put your work down for a long time, not just a few days, or even weeks, but months. Write something else. Populate your mind with other words, other observations, other stories. Then, once you are thoroughly distanced, go back to your previous work and read it, not as its creator, but as a reader does, with fresh eyes.
Then ask yourself a simple question: "Am I bored?"

Good writing is not boring. It engages the senses, and stimulates thought. Most of all, it produces an emotional response. If your writing doesn't make you feel as if you are there, it needs to be revised. Descriptions need to be more vivid, insights fully expressed, feelings generated. As a writer, your writing needs to make you, its creator, laugh, cry, shrink back in horror (but in a good way).

So, dear writers, come with me, on my 2024 quest to take a hacksaw to my writing and transform it into something more perfect, more genuine, more ... just more. 

86 Calls for Submissions in January 2024 - Paying markets

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

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

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

Happy submitting!

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Three Ravens Press. Genre: Cryptid horror. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Anterior Skies. Genre: Fiction (horror, dark fantasy, sci-fi, noir—anything macabre and weird, preferably with cosmic horror undertones), non-fiction (based on true story, investigative journalism, true crime), poetry, flash fiction. Anything and everything, as long as it fits. Payment: One cent per word. $15 minimum (if you write a 200-word poem, you’ll get $15, not $2); max payment is $50 (if you write a 6,000-word short story, you’ll get $50, not $60). Deadline: January 1, 2024.

June Road Press. Genre: Poetry collection, full-length, 40 to 60 poems, preferably the author’s first or second book. "We’re particularly interested in work with strong ecological/environmental themes, or that engages in meaningful ways with nature or place, by writers who identify as women." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

All My Relations Volume 6 is an art and lit, online and printed magazine, exploring the theme of “resistance.” This volume is open to racially and ethnically marginalized, gender variant, and disabled creatives only, in consideration of the theme. Own voices only, please. Payment: $10. Deadline: Open until filled or until January 1, 2024, whichever comes first.

Wild Umbrella. Genre: Short stories, essays, and poems. Payment: €10 per poem and €25 per fiction story or non-fiction essay. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Book Worms. Genre: Dark fiction, essays, poetry. Theme is My Bloody Valentine: dark love stories, Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, bitter romance, a lover’s revenge, tragic love, etc. Dark humor is okay, but it should fit the themes of horror and romance. Specifically looking for original poetry (any length). Payment: $0.08/word for prose. $25 – $50 per poem. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Cardinal Rule Press Genre: Children’s picture books that empower children through meaningful stories for readers, age 4-11. They also publish non-fiction books for parents (word count up to 70k). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2024.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary flash fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2024.
 
The Body’s Experience of Religion. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Totally Entwined: Oh, Baby!. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Surprise Babies. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Here There Be Dragons. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. "Dragons are icons of fantasy and legends about them abound. Found in novels, poetry, and art, they stir the imagination as helpers, heroes, villains, and symbols of love, fear, and wealth. We are looking for renderings of dragons in writing and art that capture the essence of these fascinating creatures." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2024. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

table/FEAST. Genre: Prose, poetry, CNF, art about food. Payment: $18 per poem, prose $35, art $20. Deadline: January 3, 2024.

The Feminist Press. Genre: Full-length manuscripts. "International literature, hybrid memoirs, and intersectional activist nonfiction, either single author or anthology. Our fiction projects range from hilarious to heartbreaking, from literary to playful. We especially encourage Black and Indigenous writers and other writers of color, queer and trans writers, and disabled and neuroatypical writers to submit." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 3, 2024.
 
Fourteen Poems Genre: Poems. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round. To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com." Payment: £25 for each poem published. Deadline: January 4, 2024.

Invisible City. Genre: Art. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 5, 2024.

Poet Lore. Genre: Love poems by LGBTQ poets. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 5, 2024.

Room Magazine. Restrictions: Open to artists of marginalized genders. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, and poems. See theme. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: January 5, 2024.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: January 5, 2024.

Hexagon. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories, flash fiction, poetry, graphic stories, and visual art, in English or French. Payment: $5 for accepted poetry and cartoons, 0.01$ per word for all short stories up to 7,500 words, $40/page for comics and $150 for cover art pieces. (Payment in CAD). Deadline: January 7, 2024.

Sine Theta Magazine. Restrictions: Open to people of Chinese, Taiwanese, Hong Kong, or Macau heritage, who live anywhere away from the original 'homeland' of that heritage. Genre: All genres of visual and literary work as long as they relate to the current theme. (See theme) Payment: $10. Deadline: January 7, 2024.

Only Poems. Genre: Poetry. "We love prose poems, traditional forms (ghazals, villanelles, sestinas), love poems, sex poems, and experimental questionnaires, but we are not married to a style or genre. We are welcoming of anything you think is your most exciting work. Ultimately, we want poems that move us or make us go: “God, I wish I had written this!” Payment: $55. Deadline: January 7, 2024.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: "We're looking for dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words." Payment: $25. Deadline: January 7, 2024. Open to submissions the first week of every month.

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Cosmic Horror, Lovecraftian, Weird stories, art. Payment: 6 cents/word. 50 dollars for artwork chosen as interior content. 200 dollars for cover art. Negotiable. Deadline: January 7, 2024.

Flickers of Fear. Genre: Horror. See theme. Payment: $10 for poetry and flash fiction. $25 - $50 for art. Deadline: January 7, 2024.

Flame Tree: Myths, Gods & Immortals. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a classic mythological or folkloric figure, with completely new stories alongside the original tales." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: January 7, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Payment: £25. Deadline: January 8, 2024.

Geist. Restrictions: Canadian connection required. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: $100 - $1000. Deadline: January 9, 2024. No-fee submissions for Black writers, Indigenous writers, and writers of color.

Full Bleed. Restrictions: Open to writers who are also parents. Genre: Criticism, belle lettres, visual art, illustration, fiction, poetry, and graphic essays. "We are always happy to feature collaborations between writers and artists; ekphrastic creations; and groundbreaking critical essays. For issue seven, we are especially, though not exclusively, interested in work that explores the meaning of home (or habitat), for human and non-human life, at a time of rapid ecological change, and in an era of acute, ongoing refugee and humanitarian crises. We’d also welcome work that considers the aesthetics of home, the discovery or creation of new homes, homesickness, working from home, chosen families, home-in-exile, housing insecurity, and any other angles on the theme that attract your curiosity." Payment: $50 - $100. Deadline: January 10, 2024.

Bell Press: Stasis. Restrictions: For this call, we are particularly interested in Canadian authors, though international submissions will be considered. Priority will be given to Canadian work to align with Canadian granting-body requirements. Genre: Science fiction, in particular, retrofuturistic short fiction with a modern lens. Stasis invites submissions that bend the rules of temporality: blending past, present, and future. Payment: $15 CAD plus royalties. Deadline: January 10, 2024.

Alien Magazine. Genre: All types of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 13, 2024.

Griffith Review: Attachment Styles. Genre: Non-fiction on theme: Attachment Styles. "The attachments we form in our lifetimes shape our experience of the world and our understanding of who we are. ‘Hell is other people,’ wrote Jean-Paul Sartre, his point being less about misanthropy and more about how entwined our self-perception is with the ways in which others perceive us. And alongside our personal relationships – from filial to friendship, from collegiate to romantic – sit the complex emotional connections we form with places, ideas and objects. How do we navigate these varying attachments, and what can they offer us when our lives are so mediated by technology?" Payment: Negotiated. Deadline: January 14, 2024.

Daikaijuzine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $10.00 for each short story, and $5.00 for each poem and flash fiction piece. Deadline: January 14, 2024. Opens January 1.

Seaside Gothic. G.enre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: January 14, 2024.

Waystation. Genre: Space opera. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 14, 2024.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  Deadline: January 14, 2024.

Yankee Scares. Restrictions: All stories must be set in Connecticut. Preference will be given to writers who: Live in Connecticut -- Have some connection to Connecticut -- Live in New England. Other writers may apply and will be offered space as available. Genre: 80s and 90s nostalgia horror. Length: 1000 - 8000 words. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Markaz Review. Genre: Various literary forms, including but not limited to short stories, essays, film, photography, art and music on theme: Love Sex Desire. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: January 15, 2024. 

Sunlight Press. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, photography, reviews. Payment: $15 - $40. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Women Artists Datebook. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Poems and art. Theme: Peace and Justice. Payment: $200 for art, $70 for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

34 Orchard. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We like dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth. We’re not genre-specific; we just like scary, disturbing, unsettling, and sad." Payment: $50. Deadline: January 14, 2024. Opens January 1.


just femme & dandy. Genre: Fashion for the LGBTQIA+ community. Theme: Time Travel. "We want to hear about the historical figures that informed your developing queer/trans styles, what you imagine for our queer future. Think Queerasures & Queertopias: Past, Present, and In Futurity! We’re particularly interested in receiving submissions that considers queer fashion, past, present, or future in terms of climate change and fashion’s role in (un)sustainability. We would love to hear from up and coming drag artists and independent fashion designers." Payment: 50 USD per text-based submission and 150 USD per multimedia submission (video, photography, image + text, fashion spread + interview, etc.). Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Great Weather for MEDIA: Annual Print Anthology. Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, dramatic monologues, and creative nonfiction. "Our focus is on the fearless, the unpredictable, and experimental but we do not have a set theme for our anthologies." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2024. Only pays US writers.

Rattle: Tribute to the Ghazal. Genre: Poetry. The poems may be any subject or length, but must be ghazals. Payment: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Hansen House. Genre: Hansen House is looking for anything with queer protagonists or by queer authors so long as the story does not fall into the “bury your gays” trope. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Shipwrecked. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: January 15, 2024. Queries only.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 15, 2024. See themes. Queries only.

Ploughshares. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2024. (Charges for online submissions. No charge for snail mail.)

Ploughshares Solos. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction up to 20,000 words. Payment: $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2024. (Charges for online submissions. No charge for snail mail.)

Apex: Strange Locations. Genre: Speculative microfiction in the form of tourist brochures, travel blogs, and travel guides to the strangest, darkest places you can imagine. Length: Up to 250 words. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2024. 

Philly Poetry Chapbook Review. Genre: Reviews of chapbooks coming soon or published in the past three years, essays on the crafts of poetry and chapbook making or publishing, and features about authors or publishers of chapbooks. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2024. 

Ploughshares Look2 Series. Genre: Essays about underappreciated or overlooked writers. The Look2 essay should take stock of a writer’s entire oeuvre with the goal of bringing critical attention to the neglected writer and his or her relevance to a contemporary audience. Payment: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2024. Queries only.

And One Day We Will Die. Genre: Short weird fiction between 2000 to 5000 words (firm limit) using a song from the Neutral Milk Hotel song catalog for inspiration. Payment: 5¢ per word, paid via PayPal, and an ebook copy of the anthology. Deadline: January 16, 2024. Extended submission window exclusively for writers from marginalized communities January 16, 2024 - January 23, 2024.

Faces. Genre: Nonfiction, activities for children 9 - 14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 16, 2024. Queries only. See themes.

berlin lit. Genre: Poetry. Payment: 20 euros per poem. Deadline: January 16, 2024.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box. Genre: Poetry. Payment $30 CAD. Deadline: January 25, 2024. This is a monthly call.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: January 25, 2024.

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction on themes. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: $3. Deadline: January 27, 2024.

The Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy-tale inspired stories/poems. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 29, 2024.

Corvid Queen Journal. Genre: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-between up to 5,000 words. "Feminist tales, feminist retellings of traditional tales, and personal essays related to traditional tales." Payment: $5. Deadline: January 30, 2024.

Toxic Workplaces. Restrictions: Open to women writers. Genre: CNF up to 5,000 words on theme Toxic Workplaces. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: January 30, 2024.

Mythaxis. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 30, 2024.

Paris Review. Genre: Poetry, prose. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: January 31, 2024. Closes when they reach capacity, so submit early. 

Gwyllion. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: £10 per accepted story or poem. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $75 for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, $50 for interviews/reviews, and $25 for mini-reviews web issues. Deadline: January 31, 2024. Closes when they reach capacity, so submit early. 

Mirrorball: How Taylor Swift Reflects the Loss, Hope & Love of Millions Around the World. Genre: Poems or prose up to 3500 words. See theme. Payment: $50/poet and $100/essay or prose. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Stonehouse Publishing. Restrictions: Open to Canadian writers. Genre: Full-length literary and trade fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

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

Augur Magazine. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories and poetry. Translations accepted.   Payment: $0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under), $60 per poem. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Tales and Feathers. Genre: Cozy SFF fiction up to 2500 words. Payment: 11 cents CAD/word. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Heathen. Genre: Horror, dark fantasy. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Ampersand Review. Restrictions: Priority is given to Canadians. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews. Payment: Poetry: $50 per poem/page to a maximum of $100. Fiction: $100 per story. Non-fiction: $100 per piece. Reviews: $100 per piece. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

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

Dragon Soul Press: The Hunt. Genre: "All monster hunter stories. From dragons and dinosaurs, to Cthulhu and sirens, to the usual vampires and werewolves. Gore, horror, and originality are appreciated. All genres accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 31, 2024.
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Alien Dimensions. Genre: Science Fiction, 5000-7000 words. Theme: Mars Colonization. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Belmont Story Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: $100 for prose, $50 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2024. 

Event Magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: CAD $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Terrain.org. Genre: Poetry, nonfiction, fiction, artwork, videos, and other contributions on place, climate, and justice. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Nightmares Before Bed  Genre: Horror. "No sexual violence, abuse of children, overly disturbing images and ideas, or gore will be published.  We want horror, we want to be scared, but let's do it in a way that is respectful. We'd love to see fantasy horror or sci-fi horror here. We are looking for polished manuscripts of about 3,500 - 12,000 words." Payment: 3 cents per word. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

The Cellar Door: Marshland Horrors. Genre: Creature feature, serial killer, undead/zombies, voodoo/witchcraft, suspense/thriller, cosmic horror. Looking for horror/suspense stories that take place in swamps, bayous, and marshlands. Special preference for stories with backwater cults/legends, cryptid monsters, and other slimy creatures lurking just below the water. Word Count: 2,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: $25.00 + digital & paperback copy. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Space and Time. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk, magical realism. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: January 31, 2024.
. 
Nonbinary Review. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. "We’re looking for speculative takes on old friends – the weird, the outrageous, the mysterious. Length: Up to 3,000 words for prose; up to 3 pages for poetry Payment: $0.01/word for prose, $10 for poetry. $25 flat fee for visual art, or $50 for pieces chosen as cover art. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

AND A FEW MORE...

Contested Landing Anthology. Genre: Military Science Fiction. Payment: "a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors." Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 15 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

The First Line. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Bigfoot Country. Genre: Stories about Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Yeti. The genre is open. Payment: $100 CAD. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: February 1, 2024.

43 Writing Contests in January 2024 - No entry fees

Ralph This January there are more than three dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $25,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

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

Good luck! 

_________________


Defenestration Lengthy Poem Contest. Genre: Lengthy poem (at least 3 pages). Prize: $300. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Vermont Writers' Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of Vermont. Genres: Short story, poem, play or essay on the theme of Vermont - its people, places, history or values. Entries must be unpublished and fewer than 1,500 words long. Writers may submit only one entry per year. Prize: $1,250 and publication in Vermont Magazine. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

Electa Quinney Award for Published American Indian Stories. Genre: Story. "This award seeks to highlight the work of story creators who continue the tradition of teaching through narratives often crossing the boundaries of genres, formats and disciplines. To celebrate the dissemination of stories into spaces where they can be shared all published stories qualify including small press and fine arts printing." Prize: $250. Deadline: January 1, 2024.

San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program. Fellowships are currently offered in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University’s creative writing program. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: January 5, 2024.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: January 7, 2024. Opens January 5.

Quantum Shorts Competition. Genre: Fiction stories, under 1,000 words, that are "clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics." Entries also must contain the phrase “Nobody said this was going to be easy” (“Constraint”) Prize: First prize $1,500 and online publication. Deadline: January 8, 2024.

Discoveries Prize. Restrictions: Open to female novelists of all ages and backgrounds, from across the UK and Ireland. Genre: Novel in progress. Prize: The winner will be offered representation by Curtis Brown Literary Agency and a cash prize of £5,000. Deadline: January 8, 2024.

Japan Center-Canon Essay Competition. The aim of the Japan Center Essay Competition is to promote awareness and understanding of Japan in the United States and to help young Americans broaden their international horizons. Genre: Essay. Contestants should write, in English, one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. (Contestants do not need to have any experience in visiting Japan or studying Japanese. Prize: Best Essay Award in the High School Division: 1st Place: $3,000 and a Canon camera, 2nd Place: $1,500 and a Canon camera, 3rd Place: $750 and a Canon camera; Best Essay Award in the College Division: $3,000 and a Canon camera; Uchida Memorial Award: $1,000 and a Canon camera; Merit Award: $200 (each) for up to five awards. Deadline: January 8, 2024.

Dr. Paul Kalanithi Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to medical students, residents, fellows. Genre: Short stories, essays or poetry addressing patients and providers facing chronic or life limiting illness. Fiction and non-fiction submissions are welcome. Prize: $300. Deadline: January 10, 2024.

Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Books written by authors based in northern California and published for the first time the previous calendar year are eligible for nomination. Genre: Published book. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

The Lancaster Playwriting Prize. Restrictions: The competition is open to applicants living or learning in Lancashire and who must have reached their 12th birthday/must not have reached their 19th Birthday by the date of the submission deadline on Friday, January 12, 2024. Genre: Script (for a play). Scripts must be 15 to 30 minutes long. Prize: There will be two winners – one from each age group - who will each receive a prize cash and vouchers worth up to £750. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

International Booker Prize. The International Booker Prize for fiction translated into English is awarded annually by the Booker Prize Foundation to the author of the best (in the opinion of the judges) eligible novel or collection of short stories. The work must be published by a UK or Ireland publishing house. Authors are not permitted to enter their own works. Prize: £50,000 divided equally between the author and the translator. There will be a prize of £2,000 each of the shortlisted titles divided equally between the author and the translator. Deadline: January 12, 2024 for works published between December 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024.

The Bechtel Prize. Genre: Essays essays describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. "We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the classroom." Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Restrictions: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas. Genre: Essay on an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1956. Prize: The first-place winner receives $10,000 comprised of a $5,000 cash award and $5,000 from John Hancock. The second-place winner receives $1,000. Up to five finalists receive $500 each. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

French-American Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: Book. Best English translation of French in both fiction and non-fiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 10,000 pounds. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

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: $5000. Deadline: January 12, 2024.

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Prizes: Up to C$10,000. Deadline: January 14, 2024.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: January 14, 2024. See themes.

The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $600. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Ballard Spahr Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of MN, IA, ND, SD, WI, or MI. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $10,000 & book publication with Milkweed Editions. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History. Genre: Essay on early American history (up to 1825), not previously published, with preference being given to New England subjects. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Prose fiction. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the previous year considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award. Genre: Poem, 3-10 pages long, that demonstrates a "truly inventive spirit." Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 15, 2024.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: January 15, 2024. This is a monthly contest.

Bethesda Urban Partnership Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Essays. Length: 500 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 16, 2024.

Bethesda Magazine Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Short stories. Length: 4000 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 16, 2024.

Moving Words Poetry Competition for Adults. Genre: Poems of 10 lines or less that will be displayed inside Arlington Transit buses. Prize: $250. Deadline: January 17, 2024.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book: fiction, nonfiction, poetry for adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: January 19, 2024 (For books published Oct. 16-Dec. 31, 2023.)

Poetry Society of Virginia - Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in Virginia, grades 3 - 12. Prize: $10 - $25. Deadline: January 19, 2024.

The Fantastic Other. Genre: Flash fiction of theme of Hope. Prize: 35 USD, for second place is 25 USD, and for third place is 15 USD. Deadline: January 21, 2024.

Zocalo Public Square Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets only. Genre: Poetry that evokes a connection to place. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 22, 2024. 

Bethesda Poetry Contest. Genres: Poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Prize for high school students, $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: January 22, 2024.

The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Writing is open to nonfiction first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Nonfiction, including entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral and historical subjects. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 24, 2024.

The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is open to novels and short story collections first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Fiction that explores ideas and issues, political themes, dilemmas and injustices through imagined narratives. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 24, 2024.

Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about technology addiction. Prize: $1000 scholarship.  Deadline: January 30, 2024.

Scottish Book Trust: Monthly Competition. Restrictions: Open to four categories: adult writers, all-age Gaelic writers, young writers 5-11 and young writers 12-18. Genre: Short story based on prompts. (See site for prompt) Prize: Various items. Deadline: January 30, 2024.

The Hillman Prize for Journalism. Genre: Journalism. "Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honored journalists, writers and public figures that pursue investigative journalism and public policy in service of the common good." Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 30, 2024.

Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 2,250 words max. Prize: First prize $750. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: January 31, 2024. This is a monthly contest.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada. Self-published books are not eligible. Genre: A book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Prize: Winner: $25,000; Finalists: $2,500. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

A. C. Bose Grant for South Asian Speculative Literature. Restrictions: Open to South Asian or South Asian diaspora writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Cheshire Prize for Literature. Restrictions: The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire, UK. Age ranges from 4 to adult. Genre: Short story, piece of poetry, script or children’s literature piece (this can be a script, story or poem, for children ages seven to 14) on the theme of Sustainability. Prize: Cash prizes. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Dandelion Cottage Short Story Contest for Michigan Students. Restrictions: Open to students attending or being home-schooled in an Upper Peninsula School District. Genre: Short story, 5,000 words max. Prize: Up to $250. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award. Genre: Any published book, whether fiction or nonfiction, that promotes public understanding of Chicago; titles must be available for purchase by the general public in either hardcover or bound paperback form; All subject areas, disciplines, and genres are eligible, including but not limited to: history, biography, the social sciences, art, architecture, poetry, drama, graphic novels, or fiction; Translations, textbooks, anthologies, reprints or new editions of previously published works, pamphlets, digital publications, travel guides, children’s books, or self-published works are not eligible. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. "The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America." Genre: previously unpublished work of short fiction. Prize: $150. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Laureate Prize. Genre: Full-length poetry book. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 31, 2024. No entry fee for BIPOC writers. 

Iridescence Award. Restrictions: Open to literary or visual artists of the Black, Indigenous, or People of Color Community. Genre: Fantasy, folk mythology, science fiction, and the paranormal. Short fiction, poetry. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: January 31, 2024. (Deadline extended)

Highlights Foundation Scholarships. Prize: 25 full tuition scholarships and 20 partial tuition scholarships for workshops that take place at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center. 30 full tuition scholarships for online courses through the Highlights Foundation. 15 scholarships for personal retreats at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of "Alien Fetishes." A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15. Prize: $5. Deadline: January 31, 2024.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: January 31, 2024. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.