65 Writing Contests in December 2022 - No entry fees

This December there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $45,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

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

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

Good luck! 

(Image: Pexels)

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Green Stories Writing Competition: Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize. Genre: Novel that inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. Prize: £1000 for the winner and £500 for runner up. Half price manuscript appraisal (worth £300-400) for top three entries by established literary consultancy Daniel Goldsmith. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Kierkegaard Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry inspired by Kierkegaard. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Subnivean New Writers Award: CNY High School Writing Scholarship Competition. Restrictions: Open to high-school-aged writers in Oswego County, Onondaga County, Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Cayuga County and Cortland County. Genre: Short stories and poetry. Prize: $100 bookstore gift certificate, $1,000 scholarship to attend SUNY Oswego as a creative writing or English major. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Stowe Prize. Restrictions: US authors only. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction or body of work that "makes a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society." Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

The Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award. Genre: All works of fiction with significant Jewish thematic content written in English–novels, short story and flash fiction collections–by a single author published and available for purchase in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the award. Jewish thematic content means an extended grappling with Jewish themes throughout the book, including Judaism, Jewish history and culture, Jewish identity, etc. Prize: The award will include a $1,000 cash prize as well as support to attend the AJL conference to receive the award. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations).  Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Rise & Shine Mini Contest. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Micro poems, micro essays, and flash fiction. Prize: $75.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $75.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Blossom Contest. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: $200.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $200.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK between 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: December 2, 2022.

WWPH Writes Holiday Poetry & Prose Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 4, 2022.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 5, 2022. Opens December 2.

Quantum Shorts Competition. Genre: Fiction stories, under 1,000 words, that are "clearly inspired by some aspect of quantum physics." For 2020, entries also must contain the phrase "It's a lot to think about." Prize: $1,500 and online publication. Deadline: December 5, 2022.

Globe Soup Alternative Story Titles Challenge. Genre: Alternative title for short story (See site). Prize: £100. Deadline: December 5, 2022.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: 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. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000.  Deadline: December 6, 2022. (For books published between October 4, 2022 and December 5, 2022)

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award: $25,000. Deadline: December 8, 2022.

Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 9, 2022. 

Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2022. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $500 - $2000. Deadline: December 10, 2022.

Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre: Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline: December 13, 2022.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: December 14, 2022. See themes.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Queer Adventurers LGBTQIA Writing Contest. Restrictions; Open to any writer 18+ from anywhere in the world who identifies as LGBTQ+. Genre: 1,000 to 1,500 word personal essays on the theme of Shelter. Prize: $150. Deadline: December 15, 2022.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 16, 2022.

Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 19, 2022.

Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. New Suns Climate Fiction Award, for original short science fiction that reimagines new ways of living and depicts humanity exploring and overcoming today's climate and biodiversity crises. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: December19, 2022.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize. Topic: Essay on theme: Emotions. Prize: £2,500 top prize. Deadline: December 20, 2022.

Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 20, 2022.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2022. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 20, 2022.

Solarpunk Microfiction Contest. Genre; Microfiction, 250 words max. Prize: $25 and publication on the Solarpunk Magazine website. Deadline: December 22, 2022. See theme. Opens December 16.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2022. No self-published books.  Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2022.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition. Genre: Essay  on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100).  Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Sator New Works Award. Genre: Debut book-length work of fiction or non-fiction by an author who identifies as trans or nonbinary. Prize: $2,500 advance and publication. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The AIIRA Writing Contest 2022. Restrictions: Open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled in an accredited US academic institution and 18+ years old. Genre: Fiction or creative nonfiction that 'explores the relationship between humans, technology, and their food in 2050: what will food look, taste, and feel like; where will it come from; who will produce and transport it; and how will we access and consume it?" Prize: First Place: $2,000 USD; Second Place: $1,500 USD; Third Place: $1,000 USD. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 2,250 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022 for books published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read details HERE.

The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $2,000.  Deadline: December 31, 2022. Read more about the award HERE.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Caribbean Writer Prize. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2022 theme: "Carrying: Reflection, Recognition and Repair.” Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Olde Wolf Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2022. This is a monthly contest.

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 and publication in Meridians Journal: feminism, race, transnationalism. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award.  Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

George Bogin Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Lyric Poetry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $10 - $15 entry fee. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $10 - $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre: Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize: First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline: December 31, 2022. 

Hooks Institute National Book Award. Genre: Nonfiction book that best furthers understanding of the American Civil Rights Movement and its legacy. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

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: December 31, 2022. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

Tartts Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans. Genre: Short story collection. Prize: Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 60 copies of the book. Deadline: December 31, 2022.

5 Distinctive Writing Conferences and Workshops in December 2022

Because of the holidays, writing conferences are sparse in December. That doesn't mean there are none worth attending.

The New York Pitch Conference is well worth attending if you are ready to publish a book. This conference draws editors from all the major publishing houses, as well as agents who want to hear your pitch. If you write commercial fiction or nonfiction, this conference is a career starter.

For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)

(Image: St Augustine: Flickr)

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Nimrod Conference for Readers and Writers. December 1, 2022: University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Topic: BIPOC Women: Claim Your Voice, Empower Your Writing."Join us for a timely discussion about claiming the power in your voice as a BIPOC woman writer. We’ll talk about ways to claim your voice, empower your writing, and more at this panel discussion. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is destructive for all women, but particularly for those who have few choices, whether geographical, financial, or a combination. Many of those women are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. The way we raise our voices will shape the values of this generation and the next, and it’s vital, now more than ever, for BIPOC women’s voices to be heard." $5 fee.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop. December 2 - 5, 2022: 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 2022 Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. December 10, 2022: Online. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on December 10, 2022. 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. And even though this is the “Pittsburgh” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually."

New York Pitch Conference. Dec 15 - 18, 2022: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. 

The Mesa Book Festival. December 17, 2022: Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.

6 Literary Agents Seeking SFF, YA, Kidlit, Thrillers, Historical Novels, Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction and Nonfiction

Here are six literary agents actively seeking clients. All work with reputable literary agencies with good track records. 

Ciara Finan is looking for SFF, YA, psychological thrillers, historical novels, female-led commercial and book club fiction and select commercial non-fiction. Liz Nealon is particularly looking for Modern Women’s Fiction; True Crime; Narrative Non-Fiction; Art/Illustrated titles for adults; Illustrated Middle Grade (both fiction and non-fiction).

Christabel McKinley is building a list of children’s authors and illustrators, from picture books to Young Adult fiction. Stuti Telidevara is seeking young adult, middle grade, and adult SFF and general fiction. Mina Hamedi represents adult literary fiction and nonfiction. 

Maddy Belton wants SFF across all genres for all ages, including: grim dark, thriller, historical, romance, cosy fantasy, sci-fi, epic, YA fantasy, dark academia, contemporary fantasy, fantasy middle-grade, mythology, fairy tale and queer fantasy. Inspiring children’s non-fiction.

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 two 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. Ciara Finan of Curtis Brown Group, Ltd. (UK)

Ciara Finan joined Curtis Brown in 2018 and currently assists literary agent Jonny Geller.

What she is seeking: I am looking for SFF, YA, psychological thrillers, historical novels, female-led commercial and book club fiction and select commercial non-fiction. I’m particularly interested in finding and championing stories by writers from underrepresented backgrounds and communities.

How to submit: Please email ciara.finan@curtisbrown.co.uk with a synopsis and sample chapters.

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Liz Nealon of Great Dog Literary

Liz is the former Publisher of StarWalk Kids Media, an award-winning digital publishing company that she co-founded with author Seymour Simon (2012-2016). She has unique and specific experience in children's digital publishing, with extensive knowledge of the US Schools & Libraries sector. Liz is also experienced in working with international partners, generating international reprint and sub-rights deals for dozens of books. In her previous life Liz was an award-winning executive producer and children's media industry leader who played an integral role in shaping the indelible youth brands Sesame Street, Kidz Bop, and MTV. She served as Worldwide Creative Director for Sesame Street and traveled the world as Senior Vice President of MTV International Programming, reconceiving the popular music brand for Europe, Brazil, Japan and Australia.

What she is seeking: Liz is particularly looking for Modern Women’s Fiction (no fantasy or Regency); True Crime with a strong, literary voice; memorable Narrative Non-Fiction; Art/Illustrated titles for adults; Illustrated Middle Grade (both fiction and non-fiction). She is committed to representing diverse voices and would be over the moon if she could acquire a captivating LGBTQ RomCom for YA readers.

How to submit: Read guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Christabel McKinley of David Higham Associates Ltd (UK)

Christabel joined David Higham Associates in 2018, having previously worked in translation rights and at a scouting agency. She graduated with a degree in Russian and English Literature from Trinity College Dublin, after which she spent a year teaching English in South Korea.

What she is seeking: Christabel is building a list of children’s authors and illustrators, from picture books to Young Adult fiction. She is particularly drawn to writing that feels authentically child-oriented with clear insight into the way young people feel and think. Her favourite works for children include Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot and Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. She is also building a select list of adult SFF authors. She has recently enjoyed Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson.

How to submit: Children’s manuscripts or artwork should be sent to childrenssubmissions@davidhigham.co.uk as per the guidelines here.

For adult fiction: Querying authors should send the opening three chapters, a synopsis and a cover letter to christabelsubmissions@davidhigham.co.uk.

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Ms. Stuti Telidevara of Park & Fine Literary and Media

Prior to joining Park & Fine in 2021, she held positions at Raven Quill Literary, Orbit Books, and Transatlantic Literary. She holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University and spends her free time watching ice hockey, listening to history podcasts, and brewing perfect cups of tea.

What she is seeking: Stuti Telidevara works with Peter Knapp on young adult, middle grade, and adult SFF and general fiction. She is interested in diverse storytellers and vivid, detailed worldbuilding across genre, and fiction with a strong, high-concept hook. For more about what projects she’s looking for, see here.

How to submit: Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission (i.e.: “Sarah Passick – Adult Nonfiction” or “Pete Knapp – YA Fantasy”) in the subject line of the email. Send your query letter and accompanying material to queries@parkfine.com. All materials must be in the body of the email.

For adult fiction submissions, please include a query letter and approximately the first 25 pages of your work. For YA & children’s fiction submissions, please include a query letter and the first chapter or approximately the first ten pages of your work.

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Ms. Mina Hamedi of Janklow & Nesbit Associates

Mina Hamedi grew up in Istanbul, Turkey before moving to New York in 2010. She received her BA in Nonfiction and Global Identity from NYU’s Gallatin School and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Columbia University. Mina began her career in publishing at David Black Literary Agency and Writers House. She joined Janklow & Nesbit in 2018 where she supports co-founder Lynn Nesbit and her various authors including Andre Aciman, Robert Caro, Ronan Farrow, Andrew Sean Greer, Anand Giridharadas, and Maaza Mengiste, as well as the estates of Joan Didion, Shirley Hazzard, Anne Rice, and Tom Wolfe.

What she is seeking: Mina represents adult literary fiction and nonfiction. She is interested in stories from around the world—particularly her native Turkey and Iran. She loves fiction with Gothic-inspired atmospheres, intergenerational tales, family secrets, and deep excavations into relationships, motivations, and obsessions. She is drawn to nonfiction with a fiercely personal bent and a strong voice, and writers who are working not only to uncover the undercurrents of our world but also to change them. She seeks voices in translation and writers from underrepresented backgrounds.

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Maddy Belton of The Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency (UK)

After graduating from St Andrews University with a degree in English Literature and Art History, Maddy followed her love of literature to an internship at non-fiction literary agency Graham Maw Christie. At GMC, Maddy worked her way up to Agent and built a list of authors who wrote for both for adults and children, spanning history, tarot, and nature writing.

What she is seeking: SFF across all genres for all ages, including: grim dark, thriller, historical, romance, cosy fantasy, sci-fi, epic, YA fantasy, dark academia, contemporary fantasy, fantasy middle-grade, mythology, fairy tale and queer fantasy. Inspiring children’s non-fiction.

How to submit: Read the agency guidelines HERE.

5 New Agents Seeking Kidlit, SFF, Mystery, Horror, LGBTQ+, Romance, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction and more

Here are five new agents actively expanding their client lists. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

Saffron Dodd is seeking middle-grade fantasy, contemporary middle-grade, mystery thrillers and rom-coms. Laura Southern wants fantasy, science-fiction, and horror, rom-coms, and narratives set in the South as well as memoir and narrative nonfiction. In young adult and middle grade, Laura is interested in speculative fiction across any subgenre, as well as select contemporary fiction.

Thomas Hill is interested in representing authors in Thriller/Suspense (political, military, religious/cult, psychological, espionage), Historical, Science Fiction (AI, utopian/dystopian societies, alternate history, Western (mountain men, cowboys, Native voices). Thomas also welcomes nonfiction submissions in narrative nonfiction, memoir, and business. 

Emma Konn wants LGBTQ+ Focused Stories, Psychological Thrillers, Romance Genre, Enemies to Lovers Trope, Graphic Novels​. Fergus Inder is seeking Shakespeare adaptations, unconventional narrators, heists, Dickensian coming-of-age stories, operas (space or otherwise), metafiction, satire, really good food writing, and sexy and crushingly sad millennial literary fiction.

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 two 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. Saffron Dodd of ASH Literary (UK)

Saffron (she/her) joined the ASH Literary team in 2022 as agency assistant and in now an Associate Agent. She has a background in media and communications and has most recently worked for a children's education charity. 

What she is seeking: I love middle-grade fantasy and I’m looking for something filled with adventure, magic, and intrigue, with a strong and distinct voice, like The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody and Like A Charm by Elle McNicoll. I’m desperate to find a fantasy inspired by Caribbean culture and folklore, in the same vein as The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste.

In contemporary middle-grade, I’m looking for witty and sharp protagonists with something to say and an interesting perspective on the world, like Unfadeable by Maurice Broaddus or Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, but for a new generation. I’d also love to find a Knives Out-esque mystery (murder, or otherwise) with a Scooby-Doo-type ensemble cast for the middle-grade.

In YA, I lean towards fantasy but would also love a solid mystery thriller or a shenanigan filled rom-com that does or says something new. I’m also keen to see stories set in the UK during the transitional period between sixth form/college and university.

Above all, I’m keen to see work from historically excluded and underrepresented writers in the UK.

How to submit: Please send the first three chapters of your novel and a synopsis to here querymanager HERE. 

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Laura Southern of Wolf Literary Services

Laura Southern joined Wolf Literary Services in 2021 as an assistant to Kirsten Wolf and is now building her list as an associate agent. Born and raised in Texas, Laura received her BA in English from Baylor University before moving to New York City, where she earned her MS in Publishing from New York University while assisting at Morhaim Literary.

What she is seeking: Laura loves lyrical prose and character-driven narratives regardless of age group or genre. In adult, she is looking for fantasy, science-fiction, and horror with lush worldbuilding and voice that vibrates off the page. She’s a fan of villains, setting as character, and stories that dive headfirst into the weird or strange. Romcoms and fantasy romcoms with sharp, witty prose are also high on her list, as well as upmarket fiction with off-beat premises. As a Texan native, Laura has a soft spot for narratives set in the South, particularly when told from diverse perspectives and featuring LGBTQ+ narrators.

In young adult and middle grade, Laura is interested in speculative fiction across any subgenre, as well as select contemporary fiction. Laura loves the fae, talking/magical animals, marching band, new twists on quest narratives, genre-blending, found family, mythological retellings, and dragons.

Additionally, Laura is looking for memoir and narrative nonfiction. She’d especially like to work with scientists, journalists, and other experts writing on animal and nature conservation.

How to submit: Use her query manager HERE.

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Thomas Hill of Martin Literary Management 

Thomas Hill joins MLM after fifteen years in the publishing industry. He began his career while serving as an intern at the University of Virginia Press while pursuing his undergraduate degree in government. Part of that experience enabled him to assess incoming book proposals and advocate for acceptance of nonfiction book projects. He honed his professional editing skills as a copyeditor and proofreader in the workforce, later transitioning into content writing, ghostwriting, and publishing consulting. At Rowman & Littlefield, he edited scholarly and nonfiction titles, and he learned standard protocols for publication production at various nonprofit membership organizations in Washington, DC: the American Staffing Association, Public Broadcasting Service, and the US Chamber of Commerce. His professional experiences enabled him to serve as an editorial consultant to over a dozen publishing entities. Other notable editorial experiences include copyeditor at The Santa Fe New Mexican and, most recently, development editor at John Wiley & Sons. 

What he is seeking:  He is interested in representing authors in the following fiction genres:

•    Thriller/Suspense (political, military, religious/cult, psychological, espionage)

•    Historical

•    Science Fiction (AI, utopian/dystopian societies, alternate history)

•    Western (mountain men, cowboys, Native voices)

Thomas also welcomes nonfiction submissions in narrative nonfiction, memoir, and business. 

How to submit: Query Thomas at Thomas@MartinLit.com

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Emma Konn of Corvisiero Literary Agency 

Now that Emma is a Literary Agent Apprentice, she has plans to keep educating herself about the publishing and literary realm. With plans to continue within the Literary Agency in future. In 2023 Emma will then be continuing her education by pursuing a Master’s degree. As a part of the LGBTQ+ community herself, Emma supports all people and spreads love to all.

On her own time Emma can be found hiking, reading, writing, or traveling. While Emma currently resides in Ohio, she has found that her home is often her favorite hiking trails in the Rocky Mountains. Hopefully within the next few years Emma can spend a few months backpacking through Europe and exploring cultures around the world. Emma can be found reading a simple novel by a window with a warm cup of Chai tea latte. She also enjoys writing a bit of poetry and painting sunsets.

What she is seeking: LGBTQ+ Focused Stories, Psychological Thrillers, Romance Genre, Enemies to Lovers Trope, Graphic Novels​.

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.

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Mr. Fergus Inder of High Spot Literary Agency

A graduate of Northwestern University in Chicago, Fergus spent a decade working in the performing arts industry as an actor, grant writer, and producer. He interned at High Spot Literary while working at the University of Auckland Bookstore and recently joined the team as a Junior Agent.

What he is seeking: Fergus is a sucker for Shakespeare adaptations, unconventional narrators, heists, Dickensian coming-of-age stories, operas (space or otherwise), metafiction, satire, really good food writing, and sexy and crushingly sad millennial literary fiction.

How to submit: Use his query manager form HERE.

Revolutionary Road: The Art of Dialogue

I seldom come across perfect novels. I've read good novels, even great ones, but there is something about perfection that is diffferent from great novel writing. It's simply the quality of having reached the pinnacle of what a novel is all about: the human experience, unhampered by the conventions of literature.

Richard Yates' novel, Revolutionary Road, is a perfect novel. It doesn't have an action-packed plot, filled with twists and turns. Actually, nothing of note happens until nearly the end of the book. (And then it's a doozy!) The setting is mundane, a suburb in the 1950s. The characters are people who aren't particularly passionate, or driven, or even admirable. But Yates' goal in this book is not to develop characters of intellectual or emotional depth. In fact, it's quite the reverse; His aim is to excoriate post-war suburban life, in all its shallowness, it's "hopeless emptiness," and with all its failures.

According to writers of the era, Richard Yates exemplified the "Age of Anxiety"—the 20th century morass of "world wars, hatred, and collective neurosis"—which he somehow manages to capture without directly addressing any of the themes of the era. Yates was greatly admired by Styron and Vonnegut as the voice of their generation. And then Yates died and was forgotten. None of his books sold more than 12,000 copies during his lifetime.

I can't imagine why. Revolutionary Road is brilliant. The prose is so accessible you don't realize you're reading. The descriptions are evocative without descending into self-conscious lyricism. (A fallen stage curtain "that became a dull wall of green velvet, faded and streaked with dust" precisely conveys the dismal failure of a play's performance without using a single word that cries for attention.) And his characters are real; so believable that you'd swear you knew them.

As I was reading Revolutionary Road, I couldn't help asking myself: "How is he doing this?" How did Yates establish his characters so firmly, so realistically? The answer to that question lies in the fact that Yates is a master of, as one reviewer put it, "terrifyingly accurate" dialogue. Yates deftly establishes who his characters are through speech. 

What Yates successfully pulls off in his dialogue is natural-sounding speech, with all its stress patterns, rhythms, and repetitions, but without the tediousness of actual speech. Yates has a finely tuned ear, He individualizes the speech patterns of each of his characters, so you know who they are by how they sound. You hear them so clearly, it feels as if you are eavesdropping. Then he takes it one step further, letting us in on the thought processes of these characters—how they sound to themselves as they weigh what they want to say, or what they don't want to say, and their reflections on how they speak.

Does that sound boring? It isn't. It's tense, and it is frighteningly realistic, because we already know who these characters are. Not only have we met them, we may even have been some of them. 

How many couples have arguments that devolve into "You always do that..." "There you go again..." "You know how you get..."? How many couples descend into deception to cover transgression? How many weave a web of words around what they should be saying to one another, but can't? Speech is everything in this book. (When you get to the last line, that will be made crystal clear. I was left breathless.)

We don't necessarily like Yates' characters in Revolutionary Road, but I think that may have been the point. The way he delves into their inner and outer lives—with such finesse, and such detail—we can't help but identify with them. We can sympathize with them without expending the emotional effort of needing to see them in a positive light, because they are undeniably human.

As writers, it would do us good to read Revolutionary Road. This book is not only an example of how to artfully, yet without any seeming effort, establish our characters through dialogue, it serves as an example of how to create transparency through using language that cuts to the heart of description without drawing attention to itself. Despite its unpretentious delivery, or, more likely, because of it, that kind of language packs a wallop. 

Read this book, writers, and then read it again. It contains a lesson worth learning: Don't let your writing get in the way of what you want to say. 

122 Calls for Submissions in November 2022 - Paying markets

This November there are more than ten 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 calls for submissions a few days prior to 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!

(Image: Flickr)

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Propertius Press. Genre: Full-length manuscripts, Historical Fiction by BIPOC, POC, Minority, Indigenous, Writers. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Iron Horse Party Issue. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction."Poems, stories, and essays that center around parties: birthday, anniversary, going away, coming home, Super Bowl, baby showers, bachelor or bachelorette, dinner or cocktail, housewarming, costume, tea, slumber, hurricane watch, toga, block, or raves. Any type of party!" Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Kelp Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Oceanic themes. Payment: $35. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Propertius Press. Genre: Biography or memoir, full length. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Wordworks. Restrictions: Open to BC and Yukon writers. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short story, and creative non-fiction on theme of Beginnings. Payment: $125 per page for original articles, $100 for cover art and $25 for other interior illustrations, $50 for reprints. Deadline:November 1, 2022.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Poems, nonfiction, and short fiction. "The theme for this issue is Constellations. The nightsky stars themselves are not arranged in patterns and shapes and mythological beasts–it is the observer who sees the connections, draws the lines, and makes the picture. What is a constellation, then, but independences transformed into a larger vision when unseen connections are realized and imagined into being?" Payment: $25 for poetry, $75 for prose. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of  queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Galaxy's Edge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Flash fiction, short stories and novelettes up to 10,000 words. Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction. Deadline: November 1, 2022. (Note: Opens every Tuesday for submissions)

Penguin/Random House Australia. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to Australian and New Zealand residents. Genre: Children's and YA books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

The Iowa Review. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum). Deadline: November 1, 2022. No fee for snail mail submissions. $4 fee for online submissions.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: November 1, 2022. See themes.

Olit. Restrictions: Strong preference for Orlando based writers/submissions about Orlando and surrounding areas. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Artwork, Photography. "Send us all kinds of stuff. We love the artfully weird." Payment: $10. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

Thema: So THAT'S Why. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: So THAT's Why. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2022. Accepts reprints.

The First Line. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: November 1, 2022.

ellipsis… literature & art. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. Payment: $3 per page fpr prose. $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 2, 2022. (Only pays American writers.)

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: November 2, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Fanatical. Genre: Science-fiction and fantasy stories (horror and mystery too if fantastical enough) of between 2,000 and 6,000 words. stories should be inspired by tabletop games - roleplaying games, board games, miniature wargames - but not necessarily be set in those exact worlds or feature particular characters or places. Payment: £20. Deadline: November 5, 2022. 

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of The Americas. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: November 5, 2022.

Cossmass Infinities. Restrictions: Open to Black, Asian, Latin, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy short stories. Payment: $0.08/word for original fiction. Deadline: November 7, 2022.

Geez: Bread and Wine. Genre: Nonfiction, pitches on theme “Bread and Wine.” "Geez is a quarterly, non-profit, ad-free, print magazine about social justice, art, and activism for people at the fringes of faith in both Canada and the US." Genre: Long-form journalism, personal stories of transformation, short bursts of feelings, and nuggets of inspiration. Accepts poetry on a limited basis. Payment: $50 - $100. Deadline: November 7, 2022.

League of Canadian Poets: Adventitious Sounds. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens and residents. Genre: Poetry. "The purpose of this call for submission is to rebuild to soundscape of medical practitioners." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 7, 2022. (Deadline extended.)

Dismantle Magazine. Genre: Personal essays that explore larger cultural issues related to fashion, pop culture and social change. Payment: $75.00 per article over ~1000 words. Deadline: November 7, 2022.

Shenandoah. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $100. Deadline: November 7, 2022. Opens November 1. Closes when cap is reached.

Double-Edged Sword. Genre: Co-authored, dark fantasy. Payment: $0.01/word. Deadline: November 8, 2022.

Galaxy's Edge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Flash fiction, short stories and novelettes up to 10,000 words. Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction. Deadline: November 8, 2022. (Note: Opens every Tuesday for submissions)

Porter House Review. Genre: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction. Payment: "Competitive rates" Deadline: November 8, 2022.

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: November 8, 2022. 

Ornithopter Press. Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Suggested manuscript length: 70 to 100 pages. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 12, 2022.

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical and genre fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 12, 2022.

berlin lit. Genre: Poetry. Payment: 20 euros per poem. Deadline: November 12, 2022.

Mighty. Genre: Fiction stories ranging from 500 to 3500 words. "We want to celebrate characters who are disabled and still save the day, whose abilities and disabilities are equally important aspects of their lives and identities." Payment: CAD $0.08/word. Deadline: November 14, 2022.

So to Speak. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art. Intersectionist feminist perspective. Payment; Modest honorarium. (Print issue only) Deadline: November 14, 2022.

Flame Tree: Darkness Beckons. Genre: Horror. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: November 14, 2022.

WTAW Full-Length Manuscripts. Genre: Full-length manuscripts: novels, memoirs, creative nonfiction, collections of stories and essays, hybrids. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 15, 2022. Fee waived for BIPOC writers.

The Hopkins Review: Locating a Collective Lyric I. Genre: Essays. "For this folio, we invite a range of contributions and approaches to theorizing a collective lyric I across media from those working in and beyond disciplines such as disability studies, history of art, history, literature, political theory, performance, translation, and the visual arts. Scholarly writing, creative work, and experimental essays are among the genres we welcome." Payment: $1 per line for poetry and $10 per page for prose, with a minimum payment of $40 per poetry acceptance and $100 per prose acceptance. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

The Rialto. Genre: Poetry. Payment: £20 per poem.  Deadline: November 15, 2022. Note: They may close early if their submission cap is reached. 

The Aurora Journal. Genre: Prose, poetry. "We look for writing that is surreal, ethereal, mystical, and explores the dangerous limits of surrealism." Payment: $12. Deadline: November 15, 2022. 

Carousel. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $40–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$40 per review. Deadline: November 15, 2022. Note: They only have 200 free submissions per month; if they exceed that number, their free submissions categories will close for the remainder of the month.

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review. Genre: Poetry and art. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art. Deadline: November 15, 2022. See themes.

The Pig’s Back. Genre: Fiction and non-fiction. Length: 2000 - 5000 words. Payment: €300. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 15, 2022. Some reprints accepted.

Belanger Books: Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.P. Lovecraft. Genre: Fiction. "Imagine Holmes investigating the disappearance of a college student in the mysterious town of Innsmouth, matching wits with a man who can reanimate the dead, or using his deductive skills to help fight creatures from beyond the realm of time and space. These are just some of the stories which could be included in the new anthology Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.P. Lovecraft. The anthology will feature traditional Sherlock Holmes stories blended with one or more of Lovecraft’s tales." Payment: $50 or $100. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Galaxy's Edge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Flash fiction, short stories and novelettes up to 10,000 words. Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction. Deadline: November 15, 2022. (Note: Opens every Tuesday for submissions)

Untethered. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid writing, visual art and those strange things in between. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

A Coup of Owls. Restrictions: Only submit if you are aged 18 or over and belong to an underrepresented or marginalised community. These include, but are not limited to: LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and disabled people. Genre: Fiction. Theme: Other and Different. Payment: £15. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Word West Revue. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, books, videos and photography that engage with "the west." Payment: Short prose and poetry: $100 for each accepted print piece. $25 for each accepted online piece. Photography: $5 per photo used online. $15 per photo used in print. Video: $50 for each two week block of screening. Books: authors recieve an advance upon acceptance, 15% royalties on print sales, and 35% on ebook sales, paid out quarterly. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 15, 2022. See themes.

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: November 15, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Grumpy Old Dragons. Genre: Humor. Words: 3000-4000. "We’re looking for stories where the dragon takes center stage (or at least steals the show). To be considered for the anthology, the story must contain at least one loveable ‘grumpy’ character – it can be the dragon’s human mentor, a disembodied ghost of a former dragon snack, or the dragon themselves." Payment: Profit sharing. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Eerie River: Cosmic Horror Anthology. Genre: Cosmic horror. Payment: Flat rate payment ¢1 per word CAD after approved edits - up to $70 CAD. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

The Blue Route. Restrictions: Only the work of current undergraduate writers will be considered.  Genres: Fiction, or creative nonfiction totaling no more than 3000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

The London Reader: Plant Life. Genre: Stories, poems, essays, and art about the secret lives of plants and the people who live with them. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: November 15, 2022.

Maine Review. Genre: Short fiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and Nonfiction writers receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more. Poets receive a $25 honorarium per published poem. Deadline: Fee free from November 11 - November 17, 2022.

Wilson Quarterly - Navigating Geopolitical Strategic Competition. Genre: Nonfiction articles. "We are looking for reporting that will highlight examples of partnerships of all kinds that are strengthening the technological, economic, supply chain, energy, and infrastructure underpinnings required for America and its allies to deter aggression and secure a rules-based order. In short, we want to showcase ways that the US can be proactive in creating an advantage in a competitive world." Payment: $2000. Deadline: November 17, 2022. Pitches only.

Shooter. Genre: Stories, essays, memoir and poetry to do with the Body. "We’re looking for stories, essays, memoir and poetry on anything to do with the body and physicality: competitive sports, endurance, sexual attraction, body image, beauty, the sense of touch, ageing, pregnancy and childbirth. Whatever might literally be on the body also makes for welcome subjects, such as tattoo art, jewellery, clothing and fashion." Payment: £25 per story and £5 per poem. Stories that fall below the requested minimum of 2,000 words will be paid at poetry rates. Artists will be paid £25 for use of their work as magazine illustration. Deadline: November 20, 2022.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: November 21, 2022. 

Geist. Restrictions: Canadian connection required. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: $100 - $1200. Deadline: November 21, 2022.  Accepts reprints.

Bracken. Genre: Poetry and art. "Bracken is a literary magazine born of the love of the woods and its shadows." Payment: $30. Deadline: November 21, 2022. 

Galaxy's Edge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Flash fiction, short stories and novelettes up to 10,000 words. Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction. Deadline: November 22, 2022. (Note: Opens every Tuesday for submissions)

Cutleaf. Genre: Poetry. Send up to seven poems. Payment: $50 to $200. Deadline: November 24, 2022. (Submit early in the month. Closes when cap is reaached.)

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: November 25, 2022. 

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction on holiday themes. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: $3. Deadline: November 26, 2022.

Voiceworks. Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. Theme: Grain. Payment: $100 for written work and art, $150 for multi-page comics or suites of art. Deadline: November 27, 2022. Nonfiction pitches only.

Flame Tree: Lost Atlantis. Genre: Short stories. "We’re looking for tales of lost civilisations, perfect societies that withdraw from the world, from the plains of Saharan Africa, to the India of the Indus, from subterranean coastlines to narrow mountain ravines, hidden by vistas of cloud, but enchanting the minds of those yearning for something better, something beyond." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: November 27, 2022. Reprints accepted.

Flame Tree: Spirits and Ghouls. Genre: Short stories. "We’re looking for explorations of spirits, ghosts and ghouls, from every corner of the world. The spirits of the mountainside, the ghouls of the deserts, the abandoned ghosts of pirate ships, the spirits who linger to protect, the apparitions who thirst for revenge, and the ghouls who simply lust for the taste of flesh." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: November 27, 2022. Reprints accepted.

The Storyteller Series (Podcast and Print) Genre: Fiction, non-fiction, memoir up to 10,000 words.  Payment: $50. Deadline: November 28, 2022. Reprints accepted.

Poems of Liberty—Human Rights Edition. Genre: Poetry. " This year, we are focusing on three topics that have been defining for human rights in Europe in 2022: Press Freedom, Diversity and Disinformation & Diversity. Payment: €250 per contributor. Deadline: November 28, 2022.

Faces. Genre: Nonfiction, activities for children 9 - 14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 28, 2022. Queries only. See themes.

Exposition Review. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, scripts for stage & screen, experimental narratives, visual art, film, and comics. Theme: Lines. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 29, 2022. (No fee submission day)

Galaxy's Edge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Flash fiction, short stories and novelettes up to 10,000 words. Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction. Deadline: November 29, 2022. (Note: Opens every Tuesday for submissions)

Dragon Soul Press: Beastly Tales. Genre: "All monster romance stories. All heat levels are accepted; erotica preferred." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Good Printed Things. Genre: Poems, essays, short stories on theme: Rituals. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Tram Editions. Genre: Poetry and hybrid chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Closes when submission cap is reached.

55 Fathoms. Genre: Book length works (40,000 to 120,000 words). Unpublished novels and nonfiction works only. "We are only interested in those books written in the literary style; mainstream genre works are not a good match for us." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022

The Worcester Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 30, 2022. (No submission fee for BIPOC writers)

Flare An Anthology of Chronic Illness Told in Flash Narratives. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and hybrid prose to 750 words about the experience of chronic illness. Payment: $10. Deadline: November 30, 2022. (Deadline extended)

Crannóg. Genres: Poetry, short stories. Payment: €120 per poem and €200 per story, €200 per author interview and €200 per cover image. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Night Terror Novels Publishing: Hear the Slay Bells Ring. Genre: Flash fiction. Christmas- and winter-themed horror. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €30 per magazine page; Poetry: €50 per poem; Featured Poet: €250. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Opens November 15, 2022.

The Hudson Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews; criticism of literature, art, theatre, dance, film, and music; and articles on contemporary cultural developments. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 30th, 2022. (Fiction only)

The Big Book of Things That Go Bump in the Night: A Collection of Utah Horror.  Restrictions: All entries must have a Utah connection, either on the part of the author or the story itself. Genre: Stories and poems suitable for a middle-grade audience in the same vein as Neil Gaiman, Victoria Schwab, Patrick Ness, Holly Black, and R.L. Stine. Please ensure your story/poem is suitable for a younger audience. Prize: $10 - $35. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Nine Pens. Restrictions: Open to poets in UK and Ireland. Genre: Poetry pamphlets. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Lamar University Literary Press. Genre: Literary fiction—novels and short story collections, poetry. "While our focus is upon original literary work, we will consider books on or about the following if written to our standards: graphic art, biography, regional interest for East Texas." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

8th & Atlas Genre: Novels, memoirs, nonfiction/long-form journalism, YA, hybrid works, essay/short story collections, graphic novels, and anthologies. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Dragon Soul Press: Union. Genre: "Science fiction romance stories. Outer space and aliens are accepted. All heat levels are accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. (Extended deadline)

Poetry Wales. Genre: Poetry, reviews, articles. See theme. Payment: Poems £20/page. Reviews £67.50/1500-word review. Articles £200/3000 word, or in that proportion, depending on number of published words. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Submissions in English.

Made in L.A. Restrictions: Open to writers who live in Los Angeles. Payment: $0.01 per word. Deadline: November 30, 2022.  Accepts reprints.

The Hopkins Review: Folio on Walking. Genre: "Creative and critical-creative essays and other writings for a folio on walking as a creative and conceptual practice and as a place where private reveries and public perception intersect." Payment: $1 per line for poetry and $10 per page for prose, with a minimum payment of $40 per poetry acceptance and $100 per prose acceptance. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Stanchion. Genre: Chapbook collections of short stories, flash fiction, poetry, essays, or a hybrid mix of writing. All genres will be considered. Payment: Stanchion authors will receive a lump sum payment of $200 for the initial press run of 100 copies of their book, paid upon publication via PayPal. For each additional press run of 100 copies, the author will receive additional payments, escalating in $50 increments. For example, the 2nd printing nets the author $250, the 3rd $300, and so on, capping at $400. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

The Maul. Genre: Horror between 100 and 3,000 words. "We enjoy pulp fiction. That means we look for stories that pop. Exaggeration, melodrama, impossibly imaginative settings, and vivid imagery are encouraged. Bring us something that really jumps off the page. Be as over-the-top as you like. If you’re a more subtle writer, submit anyway. Sometimes one good twist or some relatable descriptions will still catch people’s eye, even the uninitiated." Payment: $0.08/word for original fiction, $0.02/word for reprints. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

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: November 30, 2022.

Maine Review. Genre: Short fiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and Nonfiction writers receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more. Poets receive a $25 honorarium per published poem. Deadline: Fee free from November 24 - October 30, 2022.

This World Belongs to Us. Genre: Horror stories about bugs. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Quarter(ly). Genre: Stories, poems, art, reviews, analysis, graphic stories. See themes. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Gravelight Press: Halloween Party. Genre: Short stories and poems relating to all things horror. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Buried Treasure. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Queries only.

Afreada. Restrictions: Open to African writers. Genre: Short fiction, up to 5,000 words. Payment: £25. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Quarter Press. Genre: Stories, art, poetry, nonfiction on theme: Ends. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

MQR Mixtape. Genre: Short stories, essays, and poetry, and a variety of other work that isn’t standard fare in most literary journals. Length: 300 words max. See theme. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Broken Sleep Books. (UK) Genre: Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages). Payment: Royalties. Deadline:  November 30, 2022. 

Poet Lore. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Note: Submit early in the month.

The Fiddlehead. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, and poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Native American Heritage Month, no-fee submissions are open for all Native/Indigenous creators, not limited to those from the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horrror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2022. This is a monthly call. See themes.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.06/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: November 30, 2022. 

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Note: Submit early in the month. Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

parABnormal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. "For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores." Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Wyldblood Press. Genre: Speculative short stories. Payment: £0.01 per word for print and digital rights (to a maximum of £75). Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Underdog Press. Genre: Fiction of about 3,500 - 7,500 words. Theme: Underdogs. “This anthology will focus exclusively on BIPOC writers who live in or hail from locales in the United States and whose short stories feature BIPOC characters set in a science fiction or fantasy setting where the character is an underdog who uses their skills to overcome a challenge.” Payment: 3 cents/word. Deadline: November 30, 2022. (Extended deadline)

Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to writers from everywhere except the USA. Genre: Short fiction between 500 and 5,000 words. Payment: 2p (£0.02) per word, to the nearest 100 words, with a minimum of £30 and maximum £100. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Abandon Journal: Abandon Love. Genre: Short stories, flash fiction, poetry, CNF, hybrid work, art on theme: Abandon Love. Payment: $15. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

FABLE: An Anthology of Horror, Suspense & the Supernatural. Genre: Horror, mystery, crime, thriller, and/or suspense. Supernatural elements are encourged. However, they are not necessary. Length: 1000 - 40,000 words. Payment: Original Fiction: $0.08/word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01/word after. Reprints: $0.01/word. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Accepts reprints.

Cast of Wonders. Genre: YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Gateway Literary Press. Genre: Surrealist, fabulist, and magic realist story collections. US authors only. Payment: Small advance plus royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Submit early in the month.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme of Dread. Payment: $30. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Opens November 15. Submission period extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.

Unbound Firsts. Restrictions: To apply you must be: aged 18+, a writer of colour, previously unpublished. Genre: Adult fiction or non-fiction. Full-length manuscripts must be completed, unpublished, written in English. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

On Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $100CAD. Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Markaz Review. Genre: Essays, feature articles and reviews of books, film, music, theatre and art, as well as profiles/interviews of artists, filmmakers, musicians and writers (1,000–3,000 words). "We’re interested in covering a worldwide array of visual, literary and performing arts events, as well as current affairs. We also publish opinion columns (750–1,500 words)." Theme: Freedom. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: November 30, 2022. Queries only.

And a few more ...

Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2022. Submit early to avoid submission fee. 

Empire of Beasts. Genre: Stories about entirely new societies and cultures populated by anthropomorphized creatures. Payment: $40. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Acre Books. Restrictions: BIPOC writers only. Genre: Full-length fiction, nonfiction, poetry and hybrid works. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Woodward Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $25.  Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

The Offing: Wit Tea. Genre: Humor. "Send us your comedic work in any genre. We love strong character voices, absurdity, momentum, vulnerability, and surprise. We want the pieces only you – yes you, weirdo – could write. We want to think, we want to cry, and we want to laugh our butts off. We’ve been attached to our butts for far too long." Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Toxic Workplaces. Restrictions: Open to women writers. Genre: CNF up to 5,000 words on theme Toxic Workplaces. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Outcast Press: Diner Crime/Noir/Neo-Noir Anthology. Genre: Crime/noir/neo-noir/transgressive short stories in which a diner-like venue plays a major role in the narrative. Length: 2,000 – 7,000 words (3,000 – 4,500 words being the sweet spot). Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

Farmer-ish. Genre: Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Payment: $25 or copy of book (print only). Deadline: December 1, 2022. See themes.

Ruminate. Genre: Fiction under 5,500 words. Payment: $20 per 500 words. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Air and Nothingness Press: Gargantua. Genre: Speculative stories of massive engineering megastructures that reshape stellar systems. Length: exactly 1000 words. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Contrary. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Tomorrow's Hope. Genre: Near Future Hard Science Fiction. Payment: A percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. Deadline: December 1, 2022. 

Interstellar Flight Press. Genre: Horror including but not limited to: Science Fiction Horror, Fantasy Horror, Supernatural, Weird Horror, Mystery/thrillers with horror elements. Hybrids or difficult to categorize works are welcome. Give us your slashers, zombies, witches, vampires, monsters, demons, devils, horror comedies, psychological thrillers, body horror, crime noir, creature features, aliens, ghosts, haunted houses, creepy carnivals, serial killers, possessed children, shapeshifters, disasters, and viruses. Word Count: 17,500 - 40,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Wandering Wave Press: An Anthology of Unconventional Stories. Genre: Fiction. “We’re looking for genre authors who cross boundaries. Authors whose stories twist the tropes to showcase in a cross-genre anthology of stories that entertain, but read fresh and new. Send us the story that you can’t classify: a story that can’t be pigeon-holed into a single subgenre, or that pushes against your genre’s boundaries. We want to showcase authors who write uncommon fiction.” Some examples are: witches in space, romances that flip gender roles, alternate histories set in the near-future, and fairy tales that start after the ‘happily ever after.’ Length: 1,000-10,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2022.

Book Worms. Genre: All HORROR sub-genres. No romance or erotica. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: December 1, 2022.