Art Does Not Apologize ... And Neither Do I

Over the past three and a half years, I have gotten a number of comments regarding my critical stance on Trump, expressed mildly at the top of my blog with the statement: "...in the interest of protecting the 1st Amendment, she did not vote for Trump." I've been repeatedly admonished, sometimes with a great deal of anger, to "just stick to writing." Politics, I have been told, should have no place on my blog.

The attitude that writers should "just stick to writing," as if what we write is completely divorced from the world we live in, is patently absurd. But more to the point, opposing Trump and all that he stands for is not "politics." It is a matter of life and death, quite literally.

To put it plainly, Trump is a fascist. He is also a racist, a misogynist, and a traitor. He has brought us nothing but chaos, death and destruction. He has allowed a pandemic to run rampant, and encouraged people who lack critical thinking to reject science and actively spread a disease that is killing men, women, and children by the hundreds of thousands. To support him is not only antithetical to every tenet of democracy, but to everything that comprises human decency. Opposing the erosion of democratic norms and principles that Trump has promulgated is not a political stance. It is a requirement if we are to continue living in a democracy.

Where do writers fit in? As citizens in a democracy, we must support the principles that uphold it: that all men and women are created equal, that all are entitled to the protection of the law, that we all have a voice. As artists, we have a duty to make sure that our voices are lifted to the full extent of our craft, and to resist the multiple pressures to "just stick to...," because that admonition simply means "shut up." Silencing dissent is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes.

The looming election, with all its anxiety-producing impediments - the attempted sabotaging of the USPS, the erosion of confidence in the electoral process, the multiple threats of election tampering, rigging, and hacking, the fear that the entire basis of the democratic system will be abandoned - requires that, as writers, we do, in fact, have to stick to writing - not divorced from the world we live in, but engaged with it in the deepest sense.

As a writer of fiction, I am vehemently opposed to using art strictly as a vehicle to make a point. That's not what I am recommending. Once your story becomes subservient to a point, it loses its impact.  Our overriding commitment is to tell a story the best way we can - with artistry, with beauty, with passion, and with honesty. The message should unfold naturally and organically as an inherent part of the story. An artist is inseparable from the art he or she produces. What we create is imbued with who we are. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, how you think will be apparent in every sentence. All writing is, in that sense, autobiographical. Your thinking processes are impossible to hide.

That is why every authoritarian regime makes a point of locking up, or simply killing, its artists. We are the eyes and ears of society, its conscience, its awareness, its embodiment in tangible form. When our society is in crisis, we do not hide our heads in the sand and pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn't. We speak up.

It goes without saying that you should vote. Even if you are depressed, anxious, or merely exhausted by the past three years - vote. And in the meantime, don't relinquish an ounce of your outrage. Because outrage is what we should all be feeling. With every word we write, with every breath we take, with every fiber of our being, we must continue to resist autocracy.

6 Literary Agents Seeking YA, Nonfiction, Memoirs, Speculative Fiction and more

Here are six literary agents currently expanding their client lists. Danya Kukafka is interested literary fiction. Courtney Paganelli gravitates towards realistic adult or young adult novels that offer multiple points of view, feature complex relationships, or have dashes of paranormal activity or romance. In the nonfiction space, Courtney is drawn to true crime, millennial-driven self-help, practical business, pop culture, memoirs written by marginalized voices, and books that advocate for women’s rights and social justice issues. Renée Jarvis is seeking narrative nonfiction, speculative fiction, literary fiction, and children’s books. Stephanie Kim is interested in narrative non-fiction (memoir, pop culture, self-help) as well as select voice-driven fiction. Stefanie Rossitto is currently looking for historical fiction, and funny, witty, modern romances. She also enjoys anything and everything medieval as well as exciting historical romances and/or fiction based on real characters. Aida Lilly is seeking fiction in upper middle grade, YA, and adult, and select narrative non-fiction. Her favorite genres are adult and YA sci-fi and fantasy, contemporary YA, humor, and adult general fiction.

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

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

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Ms. Stephanie Kim of New Leaf Literary & Media

Stephanie Kim is a literary agent with more than a decade of experience in publicity and marketing across the publishing, tech, and media industries. She began her career as an assistant publicist at William Morrow/HarperCollins where she cut her teeth on high-profile campaigns for Neil Gaiman, Laura Lippman, Wiley Cash, and many others. At Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Stephanie led publicity for three consecutive #1 New York Times bestsellers: What If? and Thing Explainer by xkcd creator Randall Munroe, and Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. Some additional highlights include working on Gabourey Sidibe’s memoir This Is Just My Face, Chinelo Okparanta’s Lambda Literary award-winning debut novel Under the Udala Trees, and comic artist Ariel Shrag’s quirky, irreverent coming-of-age love story, Adam.

What she is seeking: As an agent, Stephanie is focused on representing authors from diverse backgrounds with compelling stories to tell. She’s interested in narrative non-fiction (memoir, pop culture, self-help) as well as select voice-driven fiction. Some of her favorite books include Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, The Color of Water by James McBride, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Exhalation by Ted Chiang, and anything by John Green.

How to submit: Send query to query@newleafliterary.com. The word “Query” must be in the subject line, plus the agent’s name. Please also include the category (ie, PB, chapter book, MG, YA, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, etc.) You may include up to 5 double-spaced sample pages within the body of the email.

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Ms. Danya Kukafka of Aevitas Creative Management

Danya Kukafka a is a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized study, and the author of the novel Girl in Snow. She began her publishing career at Riverhead Books as an acquiring assistant editor, where she worked with authors like Meg Wolitzer, Paula Hawkins, Lauren Groff, Brit Bennett, Emma Straub, Gabriel Tallent, Helen Oyeyemi, Maile Meloy, Sigrid Nunez, and many, many more. Released in 2017, her debut novel Girl in Snow was a national bestseller.

What she is seeking: She is interested literary fiction with particularly propulsive storylines. She is seeking literary suspense, sophisticated thrillers, speculative fiction, and experimental fiction—she also loves true crime that feels attuned to today’s cultural conversations, as well as upmarket literary fiction you can read in one gulp.

How to submit: Use her form, found HERE.

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Ms. Courtney Paganelli of Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency

Courtney Paganelli joined the agency in May of 2019 and currently assists Jim Levine and Stephanie Rostan. Courtney graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in English Literature. Her time in the Twin Cities was both bone-chilling and rewarding as she launched her publishing career as an intern with Wise Ink Creative Publishing. Upon graduation she returned home to the East Coast and began working on prominent business titles at Pearson. She later joined the managing editorial department at Random House Children’s books before becoming a part of the team at LGR. Some (but certainly not all) of her favorite authors include Kate Elizabeth Russell, Stephen King, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jennifer Niven, Marisha Pessl, Gillian Flynn, Lisa Lutz, Jenny Han, Kara Thomas, and Jacqueline Woodson.

What she is seeking: Courtney enjoys reading character-driven literary fiction, diverse voices, dark psychological fiction, and anything so scary it will make her hope she locked her doors. Her interests span across genres, but she particularly gravitates towards realistic adult or young adult novels that offer multiple points of view, feature complex relationships, or have dashes of paranormal activity or romance. Her absolute favorite novels incite emotion, whether fear, heartbreak, or happiness — a book that makes her feel something is one she will read time and time again. In the nonfiction space, Courtney is drawn to true crime, millennial-driven self-help, practical business, pop culture, memoirs written by marginalized voices, and books that advocate for women’s rights and social justice issues.

How to submit: Use their form HERE.

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Ms. Renee Jarvis of Mackenzie Wolf Literary

Renée joined Mackenzie Wolf in 2018, assisting partners Gillian MacKenzie and Kirsten Wolf. Born and raised in New York City, she graduated with a BFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College. She previously interned at Don Congdon Associates and spent two years as a writing teacher at the non-profit organization Legal Outreach.

What she is seeking: Renée is seeking narrative nonfiction, speculative fiction, literary fiction, and children’s books. She is looking for works across these genres which center BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. In nonfiction, she is interested in pop culture analysis, cultural histories, linguistics, international stories, and explorations of music, fashion, and art. In fiction, she loves books with strange and unique formats,  humorous narrators, robust plots, and lyrical prose.

How to submit: To submit a project, please send a query letter along with a 50-page writing sample (for fiction) or a detailed proposal (for nonfiction) to queries@mwlit.com. Samples may be submitted as an attachment or embedded in the body of the email. Address your query to Renee.

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Ms. Stefanie Rossitto of The Tobias Literary Agency

Originally from the German Alps, Steffi used to spend hours in quaint bookstores as a child. She went on to study English language, American literature and medieval history at Regensburg University and Edinburgh University. Her master's thesis was based on a New York Times article on modern day ‘suburban’ novelists and how these authors shaped American suburban culture. After graduation, she moved to New York City where she gained publishing experience at three different literary agencies before moving on to Doubleday and Crown at Random House to explore the corporate side of the business. At Random House, she handled foreign and domestic rights for over five years and dealt with books and authors of every genre.

What she is seeking: Steffi is currently looking for historical fiction, and funny, witty, modern romances. She also enjoys anything and everything medieval as well as exciting historical romances and/or fiction based on real characters.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.


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Ms. Aida Lilly of KT Literary

Aida Z. Lilly was born in Alabama and now calls Denver home. She attended the University of Montevallo and studied English and writing. She holds an MA in Organizational Management and a graduate certificate in publishing. She is the Communications Fellow for The Word for Diversity, and an Associate Agent at kt literary. 

What she is seeking: Aida is seeking fiction in upper middle grade, YA, and adult, and select narrative non-fiction. Her favorite genres are adult and YA sci-fi and fantasy, contemporary YA, humor, and adult general fiction (bonus points for books written by diverse authors with characters that leap off the page).

How to submit: Please email your query letter and the first three pages of your manuscript in the body of the email to Aida at aidaquery@ktliterary.com

3 UK Agents Seeking YA, Nonfiction, Literary Fiction, Crime and more

Here are three UK literary agents actively looking for writers. Juliet Mushens is looking for adult and YA fiction. She is looking for crime, thriller, YA, reading group fiction, ghost stories, historical fiction, SFF, romcoms, and high concept novels. Kevin Pocklington is looking for a wider range of non-fiction submissions and would like to develop a fiction list with new authors, including accessible literary fiction and crime titles. Patrick Walsh wants fiction and nonfiction, especially from new authors.

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

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

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Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment

Juliet Mushens started her publishing career in 2008 at HarperCollins, and became an agent in 2011. She has been shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year four times and is currently the number 1 ranked UK dealmaker on Publishers’ Marketplace. She represents a bestselling and critically acclaimed list, including million-copy no. 1 bestseller Jessie Burton, multi-million copy NY Times bestseller Taran Matharu, Pointless presenter Richard Osman, and Sunday Times bestsellers Ali Land, Claire Douglas, Debbie Howells, Stacey Halls, Laura Lam and James Oswald. Her guide to YA creative writing was published by Hodder in 2015. You can find her on twitter as @mushenska and email her at juliet@mushens-entertainment.com.

What she is seeking: Juliet is looking for adult fiction and YA only. She is looking for crime, thriller, YA, reading group fiction, ghost stories, historical fiction, SFF, romcoms, and high concept novels.

How to submit: Please email sesubmissions@mushens-entertainment.com with your query and writing sample. (See website for specific instructions.)

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Kevin Pocklington of The North Literary Agency

Kevin joined JBA as an agent in 2011, where he developed a mainly non-fiction list from scratch.

What he is seeking: At The North, he is looking for a wider range of non-fiction submissions and would like to develop a fiction list with new authors, including accessible literary fiction and crime titles.

How to submit: Use the agency's submission form HERE.

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Patrick Walsh of PEW Literary 

Born and brought up in Venezuela, Patrick Walsh studied law at Cambridge before becoming a literary agent. Having co-founded Conville & Walsh in 2000, he then sold the agency to Curtis Brown before founding PEW Literary in 2016. His clients have won or shortlisted for numerous literary awards.

What he is seeking: He is always keen to hear from new authors.

How to submit: If submitting a fiction manuscript, please submit the opening three chapters (or fifty pages) along with a synopsis. The synopsis should be a clear explanation of the plot from first to final chapter. Please accompany your submission with a brief cover letter that tells us a little about you as a writer. Send your work to submissions@pewliterary.com For non-fiction send a proposal. Your proposal should be approximately thirty pages long. (See website for specifics.)

61 Calls for Submissions in September 2020 - Paying markets

Pikist

There are more than five dozen calls for submissions in September. 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 the following month's calls for submissions toward the end 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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Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Poetry and fiction on theme of Migration. Payment: $20 for featured author stories; $10 for stories published on &More page $5 for poems. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

A Multiplicity of Stories. Genre: Speculative fiction: Alternate history, modern day, speculative, far future. Payment: $100 CAD per piece. Deadline: September 1, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Kikwetu. "The Black Lives Matter movement, precipitated by the brutality and deaths of Black Americans at the hands of mostly white American police officers, has ignited a global demand for the end of white supremacy and spurred voices world over in speaking out against the continued subjugation of Black lives wherever they are placed." Genre: Short fiction and nonfiction pieces (3,000 word max) in English or Swahili from Black African writers living on or off the continent. "We seek pieces which celebrate and highlight Black African experiences in whatever form they take--whether at the frontlines of local or international movements against police brutality and treatment of Black bodies, whether watching the global shifts from the sidelines, or dealing with loss and fear in the face of a global health crisis, or falling in love, self-discovery, etc." Payment: $30. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

The Southampton Review. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: Prose: $100+; Poetry: $75 per poem; Illustration: $100 per page; Art Portfolios: $200 for up to 12 images. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Fecund. Genre: Fiction, essays, criticism, screenplay excerpts, fashion writing: up to 10,000 words, poetry, photography. Payment: $50 per contributor. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

SAND. Genre: Previously unpublished poems, short fiction, flash fiction, translations, and art. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Parabola: Wellness. Genre: Retellings of traditional stories: 500-1500 words, original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Jellyfish. Restrictions: "Writers of colour." Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, 1000 words max. Payment: $50. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Bicycles and Broomsticks. Genre: Speculative short fiction that combines themes of witchcraft and bicycling, through a feminist lens. Both witchiness and bicycles must be inherent to accepted stories Payment: A portion of profits after expenses from the Kickstarter project used to fund the book is split between contributors; payments are not less than $30 each. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of Angels. Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: September 3, 2020.

Anthology about New Jersey. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, personal essays, art and "everything else" about New Jersey. Payment: Varies. Deadline: September 4, 2020.

Scum. Genre: Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. Deadline: September 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on September 1.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction 300 - 1,000 words on theme of Smell. Payment: Pays for anthologies only. Deadline: September 7,  2020. See accepted genres.

Into the Void. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $10 per poem, flash fiction or visual art piece, and $20 per long-form prose piece. Deadline: September 7,  2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Fantasy Magazine. Genre: Fantasy short fiction and poetry. Payment: 8 cents per word for fiction, $40 for poetry. Deadline: September 7, 2020. Opens to submissions on September 1.

GreenPrints. Genre: Personal essays about gardening. Payment: $150.  Deadline: September 8, 2020.

Uncanny Magazine. Genre:  Science fiction and fantasy short stories and nonfiction. Payment: 10 cents per word. $100 for nonfiction. Deadline: September 9, 2020.

Longleaf Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry on theme of Harvest.  Payment: $20. Deadline: September 10,  2020.

Editing Mee. Genre: "Stories for a historical fantasy anthology, about characters who work in illegal or unsavoury positions." Payment: $15. Deadline: September 10, 2020.

Contemporary Verse 2. Genre: Poetry and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews. Theme: 2S + QTBIPOC Bodies. What does your queer body mean to you as a writer? Payment: $30 - $150. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Eerie River: It Calls from the Sea. Genre: "Think deep ocean creatures, lore of sea-folk and forgotten cities, ships lost at sea and beach side vacations. Anything that can happen on or near a body of water is acceptable." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Honeybees and Pollinators.   Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

The Periodical, Forlorn. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, poetry on Theme: Artifacts of the forest.  Payment: $15. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

The National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities (A program of the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University). Restrictions: Open to parents with disabilities to contribute to a quarterly blog on the experiences and needs of parents with disabilities. Genre: Essays or vlogs (video blogs) about the barriers parents with disabilities encounter. Video entries should be about one minute in length and submitted as an MP4 video file. Text entries should be about 1,000 words. Payment: $100 per accepted submission. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Critical Read "As we all adjust to life indoors, isolated from the world, we grow more aware of what gives our lives meaning. Art remains inseparable from our lives. Art is perhaps even more urgent in this time, as we turn to the people and places most important to us in order to find a sense of normalcy and safety. Critical Read is seeking 300-word personal essays about a particular work of art—be it a work of visual art, performing art, or literature—you are turning to in these uncertain times." Payment: $25. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Eye to the Telescope 38, Cat People. Genre: Speculative poetry. Payment: 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Blue Light Special. Genre: Folktales set in the modern world. They will each be based on a traditional folk tale but re-imagined to feature LGBTQ people grappling with today’s problems. They will each include a blue light as a surreal or supernatural element. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

CAROUSEL. Restrictions: They prefer Canadian writers, but will accept international writers as well. Genre: Poetry, fiction, reviews. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $50–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$50 per review (CAD). Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Bone & Ink Press. Restrictions: Black writers only. Genre: Creative non-fiction, poetry, and fiction chapbooks. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Middle House Review. Genre: Speculative / fantasy / afrofuturism poetry and fiction by Black Americans. Payment: $25. Deadline: September 17, 2020.

Gutter. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: £25. Deadline: September 18, 2020.

Flame Tree Press: Terrifying Ghosts Anthology. Genre: Gothic horror. "Ghastly castles, haunted mansions, shadowy forests and long, dark corridors..." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence for each word for new stories and 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: September 20, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Black Sci-Fi Anthology. Restrictions: Open to Black writers. Genre: Speculative fiction.  Payment: 8 cents/6 pence for each word (SFWA qualifying market rate) and 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: September 21, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Reckoning 5: Environmental Justice. Genre: Creative writing about environmental justice. Length: Up to 20,000 words for prose; 3-5 poems. Payment: $0.08/word for prose; $30/page for poetry; minimum $25/piece of art. Deadline: September 22, 2020.

The Puritan. Genre: Poetry, interviews, fiction, essays. Payment: $100 PER INTERVIEW, $200 PER ESSAY, $100 PER REVIEW, $150 PER WORK OF FICTION, AND $25 PER POEM (OR PAGE, CAPPED AT $80 FOR POEMS RUNNING FOUR PAGES OR MORE). Deadline: September 25, 2020.

Incoming! Genre: Science fiction comics. Pitches only. Payment: £800 (around $1,000). Deadline: September 25, 2020.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: September 28, 2020.

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: September 30, 2020. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Krampus Tales: A Killer Anthology. Genre: Horror. "The holidays have lost their cheer. Evergreen boughs hang brown and brittle. Sweets taste bitter. The little ones are restless and will not sleep. There’s something stirring in the dark, but only the bravest writers will explore what horrors stalk across the rooftops." Payment: $75 per piece. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Orca. Genre: Literary fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: September 30, 2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

The Writer’s Chronicle. Genre: Nonfiction articles on writing. Payment: $18 per 100 words for accepted manuscripts. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Tamarack: Youth Blog – Collaboration, Neighbourhoods, Community Change, Leadership. Restrictions: Open to young writers (ages 15-30). Preference given to Canadians. Genre: Original blogs, interviews, poems, personal stories, illustrations or photo essays that have a focus on collaboration, neighbourhoods, community change, and leadership. Payment: $60 CDN. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Remapping Wonderland: Classic Fairytales Retold by People of Color. Genre:  Retellings and rewritings of classic fairytales that FEATURE People of Color or different ethnic or cultural backgrounds (non-white) as the characters and that are WRITTEN by People of Color or different ethnic or cultural backgrounds (non-white). Payment: Revenue sharing.  Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Poetry Archive NOW! WordView 2020. Genre: Poetry. Payment: £100. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Self-care and Me Time. Genre: True stories. "Taking care of yourself is not just about your physical health but includes your emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing too. Self-care includes that all-important “me time” whether that means exercising or reading or meditating or having lunch with friends. Whatever your psyche needs is your “me time.” We are looking for your stories about how you neglected your self-care and then how you realized its importance and so you now engage in it." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Whortleberry Press: Strange Holiday Mysteries. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, and horror. "Writers choose which holiday on which you wish to base your story." Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Dragon Soul Press: Mistletoes and Mayhem. Genre: Fiction on theme of Christmas. "Christmas is a magical time of year, but for these characters, this special holiday is turned upside down by chaotic circumstances. Whether it’s troublesome family or magical mayhem, these stories should be Christmas-themed wrapped with mischief." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties.  Deadline: September 30, 2020.

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: September 30, 2020.

Event. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction and book  reviews. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

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: September 30, 2020.

Quommunicate Publishing: Funny Queer: LGBTQ+ Humor. Genre: LGBTQ+ humor -  fiction, nonfiction, poems, jokes, B&W comics. Payment: $5/page. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Madame Gray's Creep Show. Genre: Horror. "The ultimate creep fest! Compiled and edited by Gerri R. Gray (Graveyard Girls, Blood & Blasphemy), and published by Hellbound Books Publishing, this anthology is looking for well-written, spine-tingling tales of horror infused with black humor (gallows humor)." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

20/20 Vision: Powers of the Mind. Genre: Horror. "Your opportunity to regale us with your tales of telekenesis, mind reading, psychic powers gone terribly, terribly wrong, mind control, and any other form horror to do with the twisted human brain..." Payment: $5. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

The Toilet Zone. Genre: Horror. "The theme for this anthology is short horror stories that will make an ideal sit-down read, just long enough for those extended stays at the convenience, and terrifying enough that they really are best read whilst over water...." Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Crime Pays. Genre: Dark fiction. "All things criminal. We are looking for heists gone wrong, kidnaps that end badly, murderous plottings, and all things of a darkly criminal nature. And, whilst we love a horrific or supernatural flavor to our stories, anything goes with this one, as long as it is dark and has an unpleasant sting in its tail!" Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Water: Selkies, Sirens and Sea Monsters. Genre: Stories about shapeshifting selkies, deceptively beautiful sirens, all the monsters of the deep and any other magical water creature you can imagine—water dragons, naiads, kappa, kelpies… "If it’s a magical being associated with water, I want to read about it." Payment: $50 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for stories. $20 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for poems. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Pitt Poetry Series. Genre: Books by poets who have previously published full-length collections of poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Future Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction stories (no horror, fantasy, fan fiction, or erotica) of up to 10,000 words. "For this call we’re seeking science fiction stories that envision the future of the East Asia region in an optimistic, positive way." Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Fix the World. Genre: Speculative fiction. "For this anthology, we’re looking for stories that depict a (near) future Earth that’s somehow better than this one, Show us a world post-climate change, where we made peace with the planet. Or a world where we moved past racism and into a broader understanding of the connectedness of all the races of humanity. How about one where gender no longer matters? Or where borders are no more." Length: Minimum 5,000, Maximum 15,000 words. Payment: $75-$125 per piece. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Qwerty. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry, Art. Payment: $10. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

AND A FEW MORE ...

The Temz Review. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20 for prose, $20 per batch of poems. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Raconteur Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, CNF, poetry, art. Raconteur is a literary magazine publishing engaging, interesting, eclectic and witty writing and artwork by international writers and artists, online and in print, 3 times per year. Payment: Prose $10, poetry $5. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Kenyon Review. Genre: Prose, drama, poetry, translations, excerpts. Payment: Not specified.  Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Evil Cookie Publishing: Bludgeon Tools – Tool Infused Splatterpunk Anthology. Genre: Spatterpunk/horror. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Last Line. Genre: Fiction that ends with the last line provided. Payment: $20-$40. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Shadows Over Avalon. Genre: Cthulhu Mythos stories set in the Arthurian world. Payment: Revenue sharing.  Deadline: October 1, 2020.

Please See Me. Genre: Poetry, creative nonfiction/essays, fiction/short stories/flash fiction, scripts and digital media (photography, drawings, podcasts, and short films). "Patients, students, family members, caregivers, nurses, physicians, healthcare consumers, artists, mental health providers, physical therapists, writers, clergy—all of us will be patients one day and all are welcome to submit work. We are especially looking for content that connects us, make us feel something, or helps us see illness, wellness, health, or the healthcare environment differently." Payment: Unspecified.  Deadline: October 1, 2020.

38 Writing Contests in September 2020 - No entry fees

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This September there are more than three dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $10,000 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!

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Helen Schaible Shakespearean/Petrarchan Sonnet Contest. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $50, 2nd Prize $35, 3rd Prize $15, three Honorable Mentions, three Special Recognitions. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

AILACT Essay Prize. Genre: Papers related to the teaching or theory of informal logic or critical thinking, and papers on argumentation theory. Prize: $700 top prize. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

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: September 1, 2020.

American-Scandinavian Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: English translations of poetry, fiction, drama, or literary prose originally written in Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, or Swedish by a Scandinavian author born after 1800. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

PEN Prison Writing Contest. Restrictions: Anyone incarcerated in a federal, state, or county prison in the year before the September 1 deadline is eligible to enter. Genres: Poetry, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction. Prize: $200 top prize per category. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

Stories Out of School. Genre: Flash fiction. The story’s protagonist, or its narrator, must be a K-12 teacher. Stories must be between 6 and 749 words and previously unpublished. Prize: First-prize winners receive $1000; second-prize winners, $500. Deadline: September 1, 2020.

IWSG. Genre: Science Fiction. Theme: Dark Matter. Word count: 4500-6000. Prize: The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title. Deadline: September 2, 2020.

#PitMad Pitch Party. #PitMad is a pitch party on Twitter where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch. Every unagented writer is welcome to pitch. All genres/categories are welcomed. Deadline: September 3, 2020.

On The Premises Short Story Contest. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which either a specific scent, or the sense of smell in general, is important to the story." Prize: Winners receive between US$60 and US$220, and publication. Deadline: September 4, 2020.

Hubert Butler Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to European Union citizens aged 18+. Genre: Essay on theme "Communal solidarity and individual freedom: antagonists or allies?" 3,000 words max. Prize: Up to 1,000 pounds. Deadline: September 4, 2020.

No Contest. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction) under 1200 words. Prize: $250 and publication.  Deadline: September 7, 2020.

The Gotham “Manuscript-to-Market” Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to people of color who have completed a book manuscript (or nonfiction book proposal) and are ready to go to market with their book. Three fellowships will be offered every year. Prize: Admittance to the Gotham Writers Conference—the panels and presentations as well as a seat at a pitching roundtable with two agents in your genre. The Gotham course How to Get Published or Nonfiction Book Proposal. A one-on-one Agent Evaluation session and a  Query Letter Coaching session, both with a literary agent. Deadline: September 8, 2020.

Young Lions Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to US citizens 35 years of age or younger. Genre: Novel or a collection of short stories. Each year, five young fiction writers are selected as finalists by a reading committee of Young Lions members, writers, editors, and librarians. Submissions by publisher only. Authors may not submit their own work. Prize: $10,000.00. Deadline: September 11, 2020.

Shoreline of Infinity Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Funny Science Fiction stories, 1000 words max. Prize: £50. Deadline: September 12, 2020.

Forge Flash Prose Competition. Genre: Flash fiction and CNF, 1000 words max. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: September 14, 2020. Submit early in the month!

Green Stories Writing Competition. Genre: Children's books about building a sustainable society.  Prize: £200 for best pre-school/illustrated book (aimed at age 2-6) and £200 for best novel in young reader’s category. Deadline: September 14, 2020.

Artist Trust: La Salle Storyteller Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington State. Students enrolled in a degree-granting program are ineligible. Genre: Fiction. Grant: $10,000.   Deadline: September 14, 2020.

Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing. Genre: Scholarly essay. All work submitted must have been written or published within the last year. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

What’s Your Story? Restrictions: Open to Victorian residents. (Australia) Genre: Poetry, short stories, CNF. Prize: $500. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black poets. Genre: Chapbook-length poetry manuscript. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

The QueryLetter:com Writing Contest. Genre: Back cover blurb of 100 words or fewer that sets the stage for a novel, establishes the characters, and raises the stakes in a way that makes readers want to find out more. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: September 15, 2020.

Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize. Restrictions: Open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34. Genre: Short story translation from Japanese to English. Entrants will translate ‘Yakyoku’ by Yusho Takiguchi. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: September 16, 2020.

Casa Africa Essay Prize: Climate Change in Africa. Genre: Essay on the theme, ‘Climate change in Africa’. 15,000-20,000 words. Prize:  €2,000. Deadline: September 17, 2020.

For The Love Of The Craft: A Short Fiction Contest From HBO & The Root. Genre: "Lovecraft Country looks at the history of Black Americans as overflowing with all kinds of monsters, literal and figurative. That’s why we’re asking short story writers to pick a decade or an important moment in Black American history, and weave a tale of the monsters that litter that time. As long as the story is fictional, we want to experience through your writing the collision of the historic and monstrous. Whether this be the monsters of oppression, the monsters of folklore, or some new beast, we’re open to everything … and, much like in Lovecraft Country, we’re curious to see how these ideas and genres combine to show us something new." Prize: $5,000 grand prize, their story published on The Root, and mentorship from writers on the show. Deadline: September 18, 2020.

Three Cheers and a Tiger. Genre: Science fiction/fantasy short story. Prize: Winning stories are published in the December issue of Toasted Cheese. If 50 or fewer eligible entries are received, first place receives a $35 Amazon gift card & second a $10 Amazon gift card. If 51 or more eligible entries are received, first place receives a $50 Amazon gift card, second a $15 Amazon gift card & third a $10 Amazon gift card. Deadline: September 20, 2020. Opens September 18.

Bodley Head/Financial Times Essay Prize. Restrictions: open to anyone between 18 and 35 years old. Genre: "A dynamic, authoritative and lively essay of no more than 3,500 words in English, on any subject." Prize: £1,500 cash and an e-publication with The Bodley Head, publication in the FT of their winning essay and a mentoring session with The Bodley Head. Two runners-up will win £500 cash each and an e-publication with The Bodley Head. Deadline: September 24, 2020.

Cullman Center Fellowships. Fellowship. The Cullman Center’s Selection Committee awards up to 15 fellowships a year to outstanding scholars and writers—academics, independent scholars, journalists, and creative writers. Foreign nationals conversant in English are welcome to apply. Award: A stipend of up to $70,000, an office, a computer, and full access to the Library's physical and electronic resources. Deadline: September 25, 2020.

Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published book by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published in the UK. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: September 25, 2020.

Iowa Short Fiction and John Simmons Short Fiction Awards. Genre: Short story collection. The manuscript must be a collection of short stories in English of at least 150 word-processed, double-spaced pages. Prize: Publication by the University of Iowa Press, royalties. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is held four times a year. Restrictions: The Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment of at least six cents per word, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits. Genre: Short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. Prizes: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000.  Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Victoria Literary Festival Writing Competition. Genre: Short story: 1500 words, taking into consideration the theme of the 2019 VLF festival: Hats Off. Prize: First prize will receive 350 CDN$ with four runners up receiving 50 CDN$ each. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers of Caribbean birth or citizenship, living and working in the Anglophone Caribbean and writing in English, over the age of 18 by 30 September, 2018 and have no previously published a book-length work in the genre in which they are making a submission.Genre: Literary non-fiction work in progress.    Prize: $20,000TT (or the equivalent in US dollars). Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Owl Canyon Press Short Story Hackathon. Genre: Short story. " Writers are invited to create and submit a short story consisting of 50 paragraphs. The contest provides the first and last paragraph and the short story writer crafts the rest." Prize: First prize is $1000, 2nd prize is $500, and 3rd prize is $250 with the winning short story published in an ebook short story anthology for Amazon, as well as an invitation to give a public reading at Inkberry Books in Niwot, CO. Twenty-four (24) Finalists will also have their short stories included in this ebook anthology. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Dzanc Books Diverse Voices Prize. Restrictions: Open to minority, underrepresented, or marginalized communities. Genre: Book-length manuscripts of fiction or nonfiction. Prize: $3000 advance and publication. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

Michael Marks Awards for Poetry Pamphlets. Restrictions: Poetry pamphlet. Only pamphlets published in the United Kingdom between September 2018 and this year’s closing date are eligible. Genre: Poetry. Prize: £5,000. Deadline: September 30, 2020.

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: September 30, 2020.

28 Writing Conferences in September 2020 (most held online)

Flickr matt_ze ott

While many fall writing conferences have been rescheduled, most are going ahead as planned via online formats. You can still attend workshops, presentations, readings, discussions, lectures, and critiques via Zoom.

Plan ahead! Conferences often offer scholarships, but these have deadlines. If one of these conferences interests you, put the scholarship deadline date on your calendar for next year, or for whenever the conference rolls around again.

For a full list of conferences, organized by month, see Writing Conferences. While nearly all of these are in the United States, you can find links on that page that will take you to world-wide conference lists.

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The Sci-Fi Short Story Workshop. Sept 1, Sept 8, 2020. "This workshop is for sci fi short stories, but is useful to anyone who has a story they want to write. We will be focused on 1500 word, short stories, in the Science Fiction (and maybe a touch of horror or humor, or both!) genre." Will be held online. FREE!

Heaven Scent: A Sci-Fest L.A. Reading with Actor David Westbay. September 3, 2020.
"A FREE online reading to raise awareness for Sci-Fest LA’s short story writing competitions! “Heaven Scent” by John McCollum is a delightful story about a close encounter of the canine kind. It tells how empathy can cross all boundaries, whether they are between planets or species. Stage and TV actor David Westbay brings the story alive in a dramatic reading."

DragonCon. September 3 - 7, 2020: Atlanta, Ga. HUGE sci-fi event, with parade, autograph sessions, live performances, readings, wrestling (!), workshops on belly dancing, writing (yes, there's even some writing), art show. (This conference sounds really wild.)

WriterCon. September 4 - 6, 2020: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. "Discover if self-publishing is the best option for your book–and how to self-publish easily. See what techniques and tools you need to be your own best editor. Find out how to pitch to an agent–by email and in person. Go over the 7 steps to creating your fiction novel, so it’s ROCK SOLID every time. Learn about ghostwriting, which can be a lucrative market for authors. Dive deeper into children’s writing, writing for computer games, poetry, screenplays, songs, cookbooks and more. Witness how to publish on Kindle step-by-step. Uncover the latest tips, tricks and tools for marketing your book–and yourself–effectively. Talk to top agents, editors, publishers and publicists, and MORE."

Western Writers of America Convention. September 4 - 6, 2020: Rapid City, South Dakota. Children's, Fiction, Marketing, Non-fiction, Publishing, Young Adult. History presentations at the convention include Cats in the Old West, Border Wars/Law and Order, Mark Twain Literary Contributions, and more. Other sessions will take place related to the craft of writing, book marketing, and research sources and techniques.

Chanticleer Authors Conference. September 8 - 13, 2020. Sessions with a special focus on the business of being a working writer on topics such as marketing, publicity, platform, sales tools & strategies, publishing, production, distribution, organization, storycraft, editing, and more. Will be held online.

Kentucky Women Writers Conference. Sept. 10–15, 2020: Lexington, KY. The Kentucky Women Writers Conference is the longest running literary festival of women in the nation. About 1,000 individuals attend the conference each year. Daytime sessions attract about 150 writers at all stages of development, and free evening events gather a lively community of readers. Most come seeking literary sisterhood, help with a manuscript, or practical advice about the publishing industry. Many are students or beginning writers.

Red Ink Conference. September 11 - 12, 2020: Detroit, MI. "Here are some topics we'll cover: Writing from the Editor's Point of View, Self-Publishing Industry Secrets, How to Create a Bestselling Bio, The Bestseller Book Synopsis, Marketing to Make Money."

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference. Sept.11 - 13, 2020: Denver, CO. Keynote Speakers: Marie Force, John Gilstrap, and Anne Hillerman. Faculty includes a wide variety of published authors, marketers, editors, and agents. Opportunities to pitch projects to agents and editors. Canceled for 2020.

Poets on the Coast. Sept. 11- 13, 2020: La Conner, Washington. Workshop, one-on-one mentoring, craft classes, and yoga for women poets. The faculty includes poets Kelli Russell Agodon and Susan Rich. Tuition, which does not include lodging or meals, is $429. Will be held online.

The Colorado Writing Workshop. September 12, 2020: Denver Colorado. 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."

Slice Literary Writers’ Conference. September 12 - 13, 2020: Brooklyn, NY. Craft workshops, panels, and one-on-one agent meetings for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Fiction and nonfiction writers Mira Jacob and Kiese Laymon will deliver the keynotes. Participating publishing professionals include agents Amy Elizabeth Bishop (Dystel, Goderich & Bourret), Sarah Bowlin (Aevitas Creative Management), Reiko Davis (DeFiore & Company), Stephanie Delman (Greenburger Associates), Mitch Hoffman (Aaron Priest Literary Agency), Annie Hwang (Folio Literary Management), Heather Jackson (Heather Jackson Literary Agency), Jacqueline Ko (Wylie Agency), Ayesha Pande (Ayesha Pande Literary), Anjali Singh (Ayesha Pande Literary), and DongWon Song (Howard Morhaim Literary Agency). The cost of the conference is $375 for both days or $275 for one day; students receive a $50 discount. Agent meetings are an additional $100 to $175; workshops are $50.

San Francisco Writing for Change. September 13 - 20, 2020: San Francisco, CA. This event is for writers of nonfiction AND fiction who want to change the world for the better through their work. Will be held online.

Digital Book World Conference. September 14 - 16, 2020. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models. Will be held online.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Writing Novels in Verse and Novels in Vignettes Online Course + Optional Onsite Retreat 2020. September 16, 2020 - October 21, 2020. "Optional Onsite Retreat: December 3-6, 2020. Join Us To: Explore the challenges of writing novels in verse and novels in vignettes. Discover how to use the form to its utmost advantage while taking into consideration all the foundation of storytelling. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of working within these cutting-edge forms." Will be held online.

Algonkian Writer Conference–New York City Pitch. September 17 - 20, 2020: Ripley-Grier Studios in New York City. 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.

KABAM! (Kingman Area Books Are Magic). September 19, 2020: Kingman, AZ. The KABAM! book festival & writers conference welcomes writers of all skill levels to breakout sessions, pitching tables, and other events. Faculty has included Mystic Publishers; Crystal Publishing. Headline Author: YA - Randall Platt. Headline Poet: Myrlin Hepworth. Marketing Specialist: Brian Rouff Jo A. Wilkins, author/publisher/writing coach. Richard Draude, author/graphic design.

Flathead River Writers Conference. Sept 19 - 20, 2020: Kalispell, MT. Writers help writers in this two day conference packed with energizing speakers and workshops. Features:Workshops on VOICE, HOOK, Your WORLD & TRIBE, MS preparation & submission, working with agents, movie deals, media use, & children's book publishing.

Imaginarium. September 21 - 27, 2020: Louisville KY. A three day annual event held in Louisville, Kentucky centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels. Imaginarium Convention features extensive programming content, with panels and workshops presented by over 150 professional guests covering everything from the craft of writing to various genres, industry-specific topics, publishing, and social media/publicity. The convention features a film festival with a full array of awards, a masquerade/costume contest, live music, gaming, an expo open to the general public, an awards banquet, a series of literary awards called the Imadjinns, and many more activities, creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere that is content-rich and ideal for networking, promotion and personal development. Will be held online.

Algonkian Writer Retreat and Novel Workshop. September 23 - 27, 2020: Sterling,Virginia. This event is now enhanced with new pre-event studies and pre-event phone consultation, a broader range of faculty, an array of vital workshops, as well as extended personal time with business professionals. "You can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, have your work read by our writer mentors, attend our workshops, pitch a literary agent or two, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer.

PNWA Conference. September 24 - 27, 2020, Seattle, Washington, Sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. More than 50 seminars, editor/agent forums & appointments, practice pitching, keynote and featured speakers, reception, awards ceremony. Many agents and editors attending. Will be held online.

Ridgefield Writers Conference. Sept 25, 2020: Ridgefield, CT. Faculty-led workshops; agent, editor and publisher panels; networking; readings; and post-conference resources.

Idaho Writers League Annual Conference. Sept 25 -26, 2020: Sandpoint, Idaho. Workshops focusing on writing, publishing, marketing and IWL awards. Faculty has included Mary Buckham, keynoter; active settings for all fiction; pacing; one-on-ones; Jack Nisbet, memoirs, non-fiction; Janet Oakley, researching/writing historical fiction; Tom Reppert, character development, time-travel; Jim Payne, Jennifer Lamont Le. Will be held online.

North Coast Redwoods Writers' Conference. Sept 25 - 26, 2020: Crescent City, CA. Workshops on writing, poetry, memoir, editing, social media, marketing, fiction, submitting.

LiTFUSE Poets’ Workshop. September 25 - 27, 2020: Tieton, WA. The workshop features readings, performances, and meditation for poets. The past faculty included poets Susan Blair, Thom Caraway, Laura Da’, Natalie Diaz, Christopher Howell, Claudia Castro Luna, Finn Menzies, Saretta Morgan, Cynthia Neely, Matthew Nienow, Dan Peters, and Maya Jewell Zeller.

Publish & Promote Your Book Conference. September 26, 2020: Bronxville, New York. "If you’re ready to find an agent and present your book to the marketplace, come join our community of educators, writers, agents, editors, and publishers at a one day conference designed to help you succeed in your publishing ventures. In addition to panel discussions, participants can register for Pitch Sessions and discuss their book with up to three agents/editors for 10 minutes each. If you're thinking of attending a Pitch Session, consider signing up for one of our Prep For Your Pitch sessions."

Orion Poetry Workshop. September 26 - October 31, 2020. Six consecutive Saturday afternoons from 3-6pm EDT. Instructor: Geffrey Davis. Each six-session Zoom workshop is available for $500. Payment within five days of acceptance will guarantee your spot. Cancellations up until a week before the start of the course will result in a full refund. After that, refunds will be conditional on our ability to fill your spot before the course begins. Application deadline: September 10.

Brooklyn Book Festival. September 28 - October 5, 2020: Brooklyn, NY. The festival features readings, panels, and a book fair. Participants have included poets Jericho Brown, Tina Chang, Rigoberto González, Ilya Kaminsky, and Sally Wen Mao; fiction writers Ted Chiang, Susan Choi, Edwidge Danticat, Jonathan Safran Foer, Amitav Ghosh, Aleksandar Hemon, Marlon James, N. K. Jemisin, Laila Lalami, Courtney Maum, Maaza Mengiste, Joyce Carol Oates, Téa Obreht, and Nell Zink; and nonfiction writers Christopher Bonanos, Dave Cullen, Benjamin Dreyer, Bill McKibben, Mary Norris, Rebecca Traister, and Damon Young. All events are free and open to the public.

American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) Conference. September 30 - October 18, 2020: Rochester, NY. Panels, workshops, readings, a book fair, and opportunities to meet with editors for translators. "The ALTA Annual Conference is a refreshingly collegial gathering of amateurs and professionals alike, both within the profession and outside it, all wholeheartedly committed to fostering, furthering, and supporting the practice of literary translation." Will be held virtually.

20 Literary Magazines Accepting Submissions from Young Writers

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School literary magazines have long been a tradition in high schools and colleges. But since the advent of the Internet, youth-oriented literary magazines have expanded to include submissions from students all over the world. A good number of these magazines are staffed by students themselves.

Some of these magazines offer payment, but most do not. I have placed the paying markets at the top.

Also see: 18 Children's and YA Magazines That Pay Writers. For more paying markets see: Paying Markets

Happy submitting!


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One Teen Story

Age: 13 - 19
Genre: Short story
Payment: $500 and 25 copies of the journal

One Teen Story publishes 3 stories a year. "One Teen Story is looking for great short stories written by teens about the teen experience. Some examples of stories we look out for are ones that deal with issues of identity, friendship, family, and coming-of-age. Gratuitous profanity, sex, and drug use are best avoided. We’re open to all genres of well-written young adult fiction between 2,000 and 4,500 words."


Guardian Angel Kids Online Magazine

Age: Up to 14
Genre: Stories and poetry
Payment: .03 cents per word for articles and stories. Poems $10. Photos $3 each with an article. Original Artwork $5-25 per illustration-One illustration/picture per article/story.

"Guardian Angel Publishing believes we can change the world by investing in children one child at a time. Our hope is that the seeds of the influence from our books will live longer than we do. Our goal is to build a harvest of knowledge and vibrant faith in kids to help transform a time in the future that we may never see."


Highlights

Age: 16 and up
Genre: Stories and poems
Payment: $25 to $150 and up

"Highlights is a general-interest magazine for children ages 6-12. By publishing stories, puzzles, articles, and activities that are fun and engaging, we aim to inspire kids to be their best selves–creative, curious, caring, and confident. Highlights was founded in 1946 by Dr. Garry Cleveland Myers and Caroline Clark Myers, and is still owned and run by their family. The magazine accepts no outside advertising and has no religious or organizational affiliation. Highlights has a circulation of about a million and is published monthly."


Cast of Wonders

Age: "We are particularly interested in considering stories from younger writers (under 18)."
Genre: YA fiction
Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length. For reprints, $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction

Cast of Wonders is a young adult short fiction market, open to stories up to 6,000 words in length. They want stories that evoke a sense of wonder, have deep emotional resonance, and have something unreal about them. "We aim for a 12-17 age range: that means sophisticated, non-condescending stories with wide appeal, and without gratuitous or explicit sex, violence or pervasive obscene language. Think Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. Stories are presented in audio format, which means our audience rarely skim past boring bits."


Stone Soup

Age: 13 and younger
Genre: Poetry and stories

Stone Soup is an established magazine for children. They have no minimum word length, but the maximum length for a story or personal narrative is 10,000 words. The majority of the stories they publish are only 2-5 pages long. "We publish stories on all subjects—dance, sports, problems at school, problems at home, magical places—and in all genres—literary fiction, science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery; there is no limit to the subject matter of a Stone Soup story." They accept prose and poetry. Poems and their weekly contest are free. Fiction and CNF have fees.


The Blue Pencil

Age: 12–18
Genre: Prose and poetry

The Blue Pencil is a publication edited and produced by the Walnut Hill Writing, Film & Media Arts Department, and publishes literary work by high school writers, ages 12–18, from around the world.


The Milking Cat

Age: Teens
Genre: Comedy

The Milking Cat is an online comedy magazine dedicated to teen comedians. Founded in 2018, The Milking Cat was created by three high school juniors who wanted to spread their love of comedy.. Run by high school students across the country, the website publishes original comedy of all media types.


New Moon Girls

Age: Girls 8 and up
Genre: Fiction, poetry, personal essays, how-to articles, art, comics, photography

New Moon Magazine is aimed specifically at female tweens and teens, and offers them a place of inspiration, connection and support where they can stay deeply connected to their true interests, abilities, and hopes.  The magazine is offered in both print and electronic format.


Polyphony Lit

Age: High School students
Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction

"Polyphony Lit is a global online literary platform for high school students. We invite high school students worldwide to submit creative writing, join our editorial staff, write blog posts, take workshops, and grow into leadership roles.  Because developing young writers is central to our mission, our editors provide feedback on every submission." Submissions are open from July 1, 2020–April 30, 2021.


Teen Ink

Age: 13 to 19
Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews, art

Teen Ink is a national magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos, and forums. For over 25 years, it’s offered teens a place to publish their creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives.


Young Writers Project

Age: Up to age 19
Genre: All

Based in Burlington, Vermont, YWP is a community of young writers and artists who create and connect online at youngwritersproject.org, and in person, through words, photos, and art. "Since Young Writers Project started in 2006, it has been an oasis of civility and respect. More than 115,000 young people have participated in YWP, and it's this culture of civility that continues to make YWP so incredible. YWP revolves around three core areas -- the website, publications, and workshops -- for young people between ages 13 and 19 (younger with parental permission)."


The Weight

Age: High School students
Genre: All sorts of creative writing: poetry, slam, flash fiction, short fiction, creative non-fiction, hybrid, and whatever else you have.

"The WEIGHT is a literary blog for high school students who may find themselves in need of a creative outlet, about the pandemic or anything else. Everyone has something heavy to get off their chest."


Adroit

Age: High School and up
Genre: Poetry, art, and fiction

The Adroit Journal (ISSN 2577-9427) was founded in November 2010 by poet Peter LaBerge. At its foundation, the journal has its eyes focused ahead, seeking to showcase what its global staff of emerging writers sees as the future of poetry, prose, and art. "We’re looking for work that’s bizarre, authentic, subtle, outrageous, indefinable, raw, paradoxical. We’ve got our eyes on the horizon. Send us writing that lives just between the land and the sky." Adroit also offers mentorships to young writers. Has submission periods.


Élan 

Age: Students currently enrolled in grades 9 through 12
Genre: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screen writing, plays and visual art

The Élan international student literary magazine produces two online editions a school year, one in the Fall and another in the Spring.  The two editions are combined into a single print edition at the end of each school year. "We seek original, innovative, creative and nuanced work from around the world." Has reading periods.


School Lunch

Age: 13 - 17
Genre: Fiction, poetry, flash prose, personal essay, YA, and creative nonfiction

School Lunch is a bi-weekly publication of Lunch Ticket catering to young writers. Lunch Ticket is a publication of the MFA community of Antioch University. "With a commitment to publishing the best literary writing and visual art, we encourage submissions from underrepresented and marginalized artists and writers." Has reading periods.


Levitate

Age: High School students
Genre: Prose, poetry, art

Levitate is a publication of the Creative Writing Department, The Chicago High School for the Arts. "We strive to assemble a collection of literature and art designed and written with purpose and demonstrating a passion for the work. We are open to unconventional work, while still appreciating the traditional. We are committed to publishing literature and art that is inclusive of diverse identities, perspectives, and crafts. We encourage new voices, but accept work from established artists and writers as well." Has reading periods.


Parallax Literary Magazine

Age: High School students
Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and dramatic writing

Parallax Literary Magazine has been published by the Creative Writing department of Idyllwild Arts Academy since 1997. Idyllwild Arts Academy is a college preparatory boarding high school dedicated to the arts. In 2011 Parallax expanded by adding an online component, which accepts submissions from high school students worldwide. The website also showcases student book reviews and writer interviews.


Bridge

Age: 14 - 24
Genre: Short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, art, graphic novels and short plays for stage and screen.

Bridge is a journal for young writers published by Bluffton University. "We look for work that demonstrates virtuosity and wonder, work that interrogates norms and assumptions, and delights us all along the way."

Ember

Age: Submissions for and by readers aged 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged.
Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for all age groups.

" One of the foundational goals of Ember is to foster the next generation of great writers by providing them with excellent reading material now. We believe that people who learn to love reading at an early age are more likely to seek knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and math."

The Caterpillar

Age: 16 and up
Genre: Poetry, art and short stories

"The Caterpillar is for kids between the ages of 7 and 11(ish), though grown-ups are bound to like it too. It appears four times a year ‒ in March, June, September and December ‒ and is jam-packed full of entertainment."