41 Calls for Submissions in September 2018 - Paying Markets

Maxpixel

There are more than three dozen calls for submissions in September. As always, anything you can think of is wanted - flash fiction, speculative fiction and poetry, creative nonfiction, children's stories, along with several interesting themed issues.

All of these literary magazines pay, and none charge submission fees.

Make sure to follow submission requirements carefully. Editors get cranky when writers don't follow their submission rules.

If you want to get a jump on next month's calls for submissions, check the page Calls for Submissions, which is where I post new calls as they come up.

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Smash Medical Paternalism. Genre: Personal accounts of experiences with medical paternalism, including forced treatment, confinement in prisons and institutions, societal pressure to “recover” from one’s identity, hiring and housing discrimination, gatekeeping access to medical treatment, and social ostracism. Also analytical, philosophical or scientific pieces that explore issues of medical paternalism, healthism and cognitive liberty from an academic or critical perspective. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

Apt. Genre: Fiction, poetry essays. The print journal is open to long-form only, 10,000 words and up. Online journal accepts lower word counts. Payment: $50. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

Hysterical. Restrictions: Open to submissions only from writers who are women, femmes or non-binary people. Genre: prose, poetry, and hybrid/cross-genre writing. Payment: $50. Deadline:  September 1, 2018.

Release the Virgins. Genre: Short stories that include, somewhere in the story, the phrase “Release the Virgins.” Length: Up to 5,000 words. Payment: 5 cents a word. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

Contrary. Genres: Fiction, poetry, commentary. Payment: $20. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

SubTerrain Magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, essays, and commentary.  Payment: Poetry: $50 per poem; Prose: $.10 per word (to a maximum of $500.) Canadian dollars. Deadline: September 3, 2018. Charges fee for online submissions; no fee for snail mail.

Hallmark Publishing Genre: Romance, and cozy mystery, full-length novels (65,000 – 85,000 words). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: September 3, 2018.

Overland Literary Journal: Tribulations of the Digital Frontier. Genre: Poetry about the Internet. Payment: AUD $150 per poem. Deadline: September 10, 2018.

Spirit's Tincture. Genre: Poetry of the supernatural. Payment: $10 per poem. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Understorey. Restrictions: Open to writers in Canada who identify as women or non-binary Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction or poetry on theme of Age. Payment: $30-$60. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Eye to the Telescope: Witches. Genre: Speculative poetry. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Arsenika. Genre: All; flash fiction and poetry. Payment: $60 USD for fiction and $30 USD for poetry. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Cricket: Curtain Call. Genre: Short stories, nonfiction and poetry about music, theater, and the performing arts for 9-14-year-olds. Payment: Up to $0.25/word for prose, $3/line for poetry, $75 for activities and recipes. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Hinnom Magazine. Genre: Weird fiction. Payment: 3001 to 5000 words, $55. 250 to 3000 words, $30. Art, $75-$150. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Corpus Press: Horror Anthology. Genre: Horror short stories. Payment: $0.03/word, capped at $150. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Selene Quarterly. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art that dwells in the shadows. Payment: $0.01-0.03/word for fiction, $35 for nonfiction, $15 for reviews $0.25/line for poetry. Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Apex: Do Not Go Quietly. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy short stories about those who resist. Payment: $.06 per word up to 7,500 words. Minimum of $60. Deadline: September 19, 2018.

Enchanted Conversation. Genre: Spooky, spellbinding, and creepy stories in fairy tale, folktale or mythic settings. Payment: $10. Deadline: September 20, 2018.

Splickety: Christmas Abroad. Genre: Flash fiction between 300 and 1000 words. "Give us young adult stories that embrace the holiday spirit in faraway lands. What does Christmas look like in high summer when the family goes to visit their grandfather in Australia? Can an army brat find the Christmas spirit on her third overseas base in three years? What happens when an exchange student in Ecuador finds romance under the mistletoe? We want to see compelling characters, evocative settings, and a hearty dose of Christmas magic." Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: September 21, 2018.

Alien Dimensions. Genre: Speculative fiction.  Payment: $10. Deadline: September 22, 2018.
The Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 per nonfiction piece, $50 fiction, $15 per poem. Deadline: September 25, 2018.

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash Fiction. Payment: $3. Deadline: September 26, 2018.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: September 28, 2018.

An anthology of Dieselpunk and Decopunk Fairy Tales. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Dieselpunk and decopunk are alternative history reimaginings of the WWI and WWII eras beginning with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and ending before the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I’m looking for tales with the grit of roaring bombers, rumbling tanks, of 'We Can Do It', the Great Depression and old time gangsters or the glamour (real or imagined) of flappers, Hollywood starlets, smoky jazz, elegant cars and Radio City Music Hall." Payment: $50. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: "More Messages from Heaven". Genre: True stories. "When our loved ones leave this world, our connection with them does not end. Death takes away their physical presence, but not their spirit, and we often sense them after they have gone. Sometimes we see or hear from them after they've passed, giving us signs and messages from beyond. We want to hear your story if you have experienced the other side or received a sign or signal from a loved one who has passed. If you submitted a story for a previous book title and we DID NOT publish it, please do submit it again if you think it will fit in this title. " Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: "Stories about Angels". Genre: True stories. "Angels are all around us. Have you encountered or been helped by an angel? How did your angel manifest himself or herself? How did your angel help you or someone you know? We are looking for stories from people who believe that they have been helped by angels. If you submitted a story for a previous book title and we DID NOT publish it, please do submit it again if you think it will fit in this title. Please do not send stories about people who are "angels" because they do nice things, and also please do not submit eulogies where you say that your loved one is now an angel." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: "Stories about Miracles". Genre: True stories. "Everyone has experienced events in their lives that cause wonder and astonishment and give them hope for a better future. Why did these things happen? We are looking for true stories in this multi-faith book that will awe you with examples of amazing events. Miracles do happen every day. Share your inspirational true stories with us to remind us that each day holds hope and that a miracle can happen at any time. If you submitted a story for a previous book title and we DID NOT publish it, please do submit it again if you think it will fit in this title." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: "Stories about My Mom". Genre: True stories. "We are collecting stories and poems written by sons and daughters of all ages about their moms, step-moms, grandmoms or someone that is "like a mom" to you. Tell us what this special person has done for you. Is she always right? Do you still turn to her for advice? Does she annoy you with her advice? Have you become your mom even though you swore you never would? How has your relationship changed as you've gotten older? Share your best stories - ones that will make us laugh, cry, or nod our heads in recognition. We are not looking for general tributes (we know your mom is terrific) nor are we looking for biographies. We are looking for specific anecdotes about you and your mom or stepmom or grandmom." Payment: $200. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Pseudopod: Artemis Rising. Genre: Horror. "Escape Artists podcasts featuring stories by women and nonbinary authors in genre fiction." Audio format. Payment: 6 cents per word. Deadline: September 30, 2018. Reprints accepted.

GRIMM, GRIT, AND GASOLINE: An anthology of Dieselpunk and Decopunk Fairy Tales. Genre: Speculative fiction/alternative history. Payment: $0.01 per word + contributor copy. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

EVENT. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $25/page. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Life After All — "an apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic/pastoral apocalyptic LGBTQIA+ anthology — The end of the world is a dark, bleak place. Life is full of grit, misery, and barely scraping by. But if humans excel at anything, it’s making the best of a bad situation, and the end of the world would be no different." Payment: $150.00. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

CONSEQUENCE is an independent, non-profit literary magazine published annually. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, non-fiction, interviews, visual art, and reviews primarily focused on the culture of war. Payment: Poetry: $25 per page; Prose: $10 per page ($250 maximum); Translations:$15 per page ($250 maximum). Deadline: September 30, 2018.

New Writing Scotland. Restrictions: Open to writers resident in Scotland or Scots by birth, upbringing or inclination. Genre: All forms of writing. Payment: £20 per published page. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Feral Cat Publishers: Bubble Off Plumb Anthology. Genre: Odd, unsettling stories. Payment:  $0.03/word. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Nashville Review . Genres: Fiction, poetry. Payment: $100 for fiction, $25 for poetry. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Writer’s Chronicle. "The editors look for articles that demonstrate an excellent working knowledge of literary issues and a generosity of spirit that esteems the arguments of other writers on similar topics." Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $18 per 100 words. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Ginger Goat Press: John Silence. Genre: "The John Silence RPG & Anthology is a collective projective reinvisioning Algernon Blackwood's "John Silence" short stories to focus on non-white/POC/ethnically and racially marginalized psychic detectives in an alternate American noir setting spanning the 1920s to the 1990s." Payment: $0.06/word for fiction, $30 for poetry. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Autonomous Press: Spoon Knife 4 – A Neurodivergent Guide To Spacetime. Genre: Speculative fiction that examines and explores two fundamental ideas: time and space; stories that engage with themes of neurodivergence, queerness, and/or the intersections of neurodivergence and queerness. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Black Ship Books: Utopian Societies Anthology. Genre: Stories that explore utopian societies – past, present, or future, or of another world. “Preference will be given to stories that imagine alternate worlds that differ from our own in ways particularly relevant, obliquely or directly, to the current crisis in American democracy.” Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Less Than Three Press: Life After All.  Genre: Apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic/pastoral apocalyptic LGBTQIA+ anthology. Payment: $150. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

22 Writing Contests in September 2018 - No Entry Fees

Max Pixel

There are nearly two dozen writing contests in September, none of which charge entry fees. This month there are contests for short stories, essays, poetry, and for both published and unpublished full-length works. Prizes range from a gift basket to $25,000. As always, read the guidelines carefully. Many contests have geographical and age restrictions.

If you want to get an idea of what kinds of contests are offered throughout the year, take a look at Free Contests. The majority of these contests are yearly events. When it comes to contests, it's always a good idea to plan ahead.
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The Critical Junior Poet’s Award. Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 13 and 18.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

Cheshire Prize for Literature. Restrictions: The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire, UK. Genre: Original and previously unpublished children's story or poem. Prize: £2,000. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

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, 2018.

Wrightwood Literary Festival Young Poets Competition. Restrictions: Open to school-aged poets in the Tri-Community area and beyond (Wrightwood, CA). Genre: Poetry. Prize: Gift basket and invitation to read at the festival. Deadline: September 1, 2018.

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, 2018.

Pitch America is a pitch contest created by Laura Pohl to focus on submissions and books produced by Latino voices. This contest will feature the first 500 words and the 35-word pitch of completed and polished manuscripts written by Latinos. Please keep it in mind that this exclusively for Latino writers. Prize: Chance at representation. Deadline: September 5, 2018.

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 8, 2018.

Princemere Poetry Prize. Frequency: Annual prize. Genre: Poetry in any style. Prize: $300.   Deadline: September 11, 2018.

Michael Marks Awards for Poetry Pamphlets. Restrictions: Poetry poetry pamphlet must be published in the UK between 1st July 2016 and 31st July 2017. Genre: Poetry. Prize:  £5,000.   Deadline: September 13, 2018.

Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing. Genre: Short story on theme: Women’s Writes. Prize: £200.  Deadline: September 15, 2018.

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, 2018.

Brilliant Flash Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. Word limit: 300 words, excluding title. Prize: 50 euro first prize (or equivalent amount in your currency), 25 euro second prize, 15 euro third prize.   Deadline: September 15, 2018.

Stories Out of School. Genre: Flash fiction. Prize: First-prize winners receive $1000; second-prize winners, $500. Both will be published online by Tin House. Deadline: September 16, 2018.

Past Loves Day Story Contest. Genre: Short personal essay. "Nearly everyone has memories of a former sweetheart. Write your true story of an earlier love, in no more than 700 words. Tell us about someone whose memory brings a smile or a tear." Prize: $100 top prize. Deadline: September 17, 2018.

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 $25,000.00. Deadline: Books published between June 20 and September 18 must be received by September 19, 2018.

RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction. Restrictions: The writer must be a resident of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or have been a resident in the UK or ROI for the past three years. Genre: Nonfiction book. Prize: Two awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000 – are offered to support writers to complete their first commissioned works of non-fiction. Deadline: September 19, 2018.

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, 2018.

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, 2018.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $100. Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Salisbury Story Prize. Genre: Short fiction (500 words) on theme of "Umbrellas" or "Doves." Open to ages 4 and up. Prize: £50 for children to be spent at Waterstones. Free online course for adults.  Deadline: September 30, 2018.

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: Prose fiction work in progress. Prize: $20,000TT (or the equivalent in US dollars). Deadline: September 30, 2018.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250.    Deadline: September 30, 2018.

35 Writing Conferences in September 2018

Pixhere

In September, there are nearly three dozen writing conferences spanning the country from one coast to the other. There are conferences that focus on the craft of writing, pitch conferences with agents and editors, and retreats for those who just need to get away.

Attending a conference is the best thing you can do for your writing career. Nothing is a better use of your time and money than meeting writers, industry professionals, and agents.

If you can't make your ideal conference this year, plan ahead for next year. Many conferences are yearly events. Planning ahead also gives you an opportunity to apply for the scholarships offered by some of these conferences. You can find a comprehensive list of conferences throughout the year here: Writing Conferences.

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MASTER CLASS. September 1 - 8, 2018: Austerlitz, NY.  Instructors: Carole Maso, Jonny Diamond. "Join us for a week of writing workshops, publishing seminars, and manuscript evaluations at our beautiful Berkshires campus."

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference. Sept. 6 - 9, 2018: Denver, CO. Keynote Speakers: James Scott Bell, Kate Moretti, and Christopher Paolini. Faculty includes a wide variety of published authors, marketers, editors, and agents. Opportunities to pitch projects to agents and editors.

2018 LoonSong Retreat. September 6 -10, 2018: Cook, Minnesota. Award winning writers and teachers: Nikki Grimes, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Bruce Coville, Marion Dane Bauer, Cheryl Klein and more in an intimate setting for those who write for Children and Young Adults.

Connecticut Fiction Fest. Sponsored by Connecticut Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Sept.  7 - 9, 2018: Norwalk, CT. Keynote speaker: Bob Mayer. Many agents and editors. 20+ workshops, suitable for all genres and skill levels, full suspense-mystery track, manuscript critiques, opportunities to pitch major agents and editors.

49 Writers Tutka Bay Retreat. Sept. 7 - 9, 2018, Tutka Bay, Alaska. Guest Instructor: Hannah Tinti.

Poets on the Coast. Sept. 7- 9, 2018: 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. (Until June 30)

San Francisco Writing for Change. Sept 8, 2018: San Francisco, CA. This event is for writers of nonfiction AND fiction who want to change the world for the better through their work.

Slice Literary Writers’ Conference. Sept 8 - 9, 2018: Brooklyn, NY. Craft workshops, panels, and one-on-one agent meetings for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Participating authors include fiction writers Patricia Park and Ted Thompson and nonfiction writers Alexander Chee and Porochista Khakpour. Participating publishing professionals include agents Sarah Bowlin (Aevitas Creative Management), Michelle Brower (Aevitas Creative Management), Linda Camacho (Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency), Reiko Davis (DeFiore & Company), Stephanie Delman (Greenburger Associates), Cherise Fisher (Wendy Sherman Associates), Erin Harris (Folio Literary Management), Annie Hwang (Folio Literary Management), Jacqueline Ko (Wylie Agency), Sarah LaPolla (Bradford Literary Agency), Kate McKean (Howard Morhaim Literary Agency), Ayesha Pande (Ayesha Pande Literary), Anjali Singh (Ayesha Pande Literary), DongWon Song (Howard Morhaim Literary Agency), Saba Sulaiman (Talcott Notch Literary), and Kent D. Wolf (Friedrich Agency). The cost of the conference is $350 for both days or $250 for one day; students receive a $50 discount. Agent meetings are an additional $100 to $200; workshops are $50.

The Journey: A Crash Course in How to Write Books for Children 2018. Sept 9 - 12, 2018: Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Highlights Foundation. "Just how do you write a children’s book–where do you start? How long does it take? What are the steps to publication? How do you get started? This workshop will answer these questions, and more! Picture book author/illustrator Don Tate and picture book author Carmen Oliver, and their special guests, will give you information and tools that will encourage you to savor your process and embrace your journey to publication."

UCLA Extension Writing Retreat at Lake Arrowhead. Sept 9 - 14, 2018: Lake Arrowhead, CA. Join a small group of committed writers for four full days of uninterrupted writing time at UCLA’s beautiful conference center at Lake Arrowhead. Participants will enjoy private bedrooms, private baths, and three gourmet meals each day, along with complimentary beverages all day long. The Writers’ Program will coordinate some structured activities, including pre-dinner social hours and nightly open mic events, but your time will ultimately be yours to accomplish your writing goals at your own pace.

Brooklyn Book Festival. September 10 -17, 2018: Brooklyn, NY. Readings, panels, workshops, and a book fair. This year BKBF will feature authors including Rumaan Alam, Martin Amis Jennifer Egan, Tayari Jones, Akwaeke Emezi, Laura Lippmann, Terry McMillan, Carmen Maria Machado, Joyce Carol Oates, Greg Pardlo, Hermione Hoby, A.M. Homes, April Ryan, Alexander Chee and Amber Tamblyn and hundreds more! All events are free and open to the public.

Hampton Roads Writers Tenth Annual Writers' Conference. Sept 13 -15, 2018: Virginia Beach, Virginia. 1 evening plus 2-full days of workshops, 2 best-selling keynoters, 2 first ten-lines critique sessions, 60 workshops during 10 breakout sessions, ten-minute agent and/or publisher pitches, cash prize contests for short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, complimentary 90-minute cocktail social, 2-hour open mic, optional 4-hour add-on WRITER'S BOOT CAMP SESSION (pre-conference); workshops cover fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, screenwriting, songwriting, marketing, and the business of getting published. A book shop, book signings, and many networking opportunities.

PNWA Conference. September 13 - 16, 2018, 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.

Kentucky Women Writers Conference, Sept. 13–16, 2018: 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.

Florida Heritage Book Festival & Writers Conference. Sept 14 - 15, 2018: St. Augustine, Florida. Among this year's scheduled presenters are Laura Lee Smith, James O. Born, Jeff Klinkenburg, Robert Macomber, Keynote Luncheon Speaker, Rod Martinez, Mary Custureri, representing Taylor and Seale Publishing Company. and Allan Marcil.

Unicorn Writers' Conference, September 15, 2018, Purchase, NY. Make connections and get feedback with dozens of opportunities for one-on-one face time with industry insiders, including: One-on-one manuscript reading and feed-back sessions with agents and editors, Networking breakfast, lunch and dinner, After-conference networking party. Perfect Your Craft with a choice of seven workshops to attend from over thirty different sessions offered in: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Mystery, Poetry, Screenwriting, Children’s Literature, Romance, Horror/Sci-Fi. Get the insider’s edge with a vast selection of rare, how-to tutorials from every department within a publishing company, including: Marketing/Publicity, Art/Production, Contracts, Special sales, Media training, Pitching Your Work, How to appeal to agents and editors, Various writing workshops, Literary agents and editors - discussion panels.

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. September 17 - 23, 2018: Tampa, Florida. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass.

Algonkian Writer Retreat and Novel Workshop. September 19 - 23, 2018: 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.

Ridgefield Writers Conference. Sept 21, 2018: Ridgefield, CT. Faculty-led workshops; agent, editor and publisher panels; networking; readings; and post-conference resources.

North Coast Redwoods Writers' Conference. Sept 21 - 22, 2018: Crescent City, CA. Workshops on writing, poetry, memoir, editing, social media, marketing, fiction, submitting.

Be a Better Freelancer  Sept 21 - 23, 2018: Rochester NY. Annual conference for freelance writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, graphic artists, website managers and developers, etc., with presenters offering guidance and tips on marketing, promotions, new skills and other business aspects of freelancing. Focus: Nonfiction.

ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival at Boulder. Sept 21 - 23, 2018: Boulder, CO. Presentations, panels, readings, and music performances. In an uplifting celebration of the mind and heart, authors from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe will take part in provocative conversations about life and society, economics and the arts, equity, freedom, and the care of our planet. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.

A Weekend For Words. Sept 21 - 23, 2018: Irvine, CA. 60+ working, professional authors of fiction, nonfiction & screen, editors & agents. Costs $325-$425. Manuscript critique & one-on-one consultation additional.

The Pacific Coast Children's Novel Workshop & Retreat. Sept 21 - 23, 2018: Santa Cruz, CA. Intensive seminar offers editor or agent feedback on selected whole-novel manuscripts, including two in-person consults with your mentor. Editor and agent critiques on your polished, opening chapters. Faculty includes Chris Crutcher, Agent Molly Ker Hawn, and Editor Krista Vitola.

Tucson Self-Publishing Expo. September 22, 2018, Tucson, AZ. Five workshops and a display area for vendors to present products and services as well as answer questions related to self-publishing and book marketing. This year's event will include Sandra Beckwith from Build Book Buzz, the do-it-yourself book marketing site.

2018 Flathead River Writers Conference. Sept 22 - 23, 2018: 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. Past presenters: Susan Adrian, Christine Carbo, Kathy Dunnehoff, Larry J. Martin, Jess Owen. Agents: Kate Testerman and Cindy Uh.

3rd Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference. Sept 22 - 23, 2018, Decatur, GA. In addition to attending sessions, you will have the opportunity to schedule a five-minute one-on-one session with an agent.

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. September 23 - 29, 2018: San Antonio, Texas. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass.

Taking Your Writing & Art to New Places: Published Authors and Illustrators at Work 2018. September 24 - 28, 2018. Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Highlights Foundation. With this workshop, we are aiming for meaningful conversation about how to continue to push the boundaries of our work. How do we acknowledge the power of our recurring themes and at the same time find ways to break new ground and find innovation?

New York Pitch Conference. Sept 27 - 30, 2018: New York, NY. 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.Workshops, homework & pitch training, agent/editor feedback, market study, publication plan.

Chattahoochee Valley Writers Conference. Sept 28 - 29, 2018, Columbus, GA, "Whether you write prose or poetry you can explore capturing thoughts, observations, and reflections with the written word. The sessions will be criticism free. You will be exposed to various writers and their styles, and work on editing, polishing and expanding writings into something that is reflective of your personality and talents. You should leave with a piece of original work and a sense of writing as an avenue to discovering self."

LiTFUSE Poets’ Workshop. September 28 - 30, 2018, Tieton, WA. The faculty includes poets Rick Barot, Jennifer Boyden, Kimberly Burwick, Kevin Goodan, Cindy Williams Gutiérrez, Christopher Howell, Jonathan Johnson, Douglas Manuel, Kevin Prufer, Katrina Roberts, Raul Sanchez, Imani Sims, and Joanna Thomas.

GO LONG: Sonnet Crowns, Poem Sequences, and Long Poems. September 28 to October 1, 2018: Austerlitz, NY. Instructor: Danez Smith. "What happens to a poem when it explodes into many? What waits for us as writers half way through a long poem? Do we have the legs and stamina to make it to the end? What tactics can help up get there? “Go Long” is a generative workshop for built to investigate the potential of crowns, sequences, invented forms, and long poems to unveil our deeper thinking that cannot be done with brevity. Over the course of our time together, we will write, experiment, and edit towards a single, large work while guided through our group interrogations of long poems written by an array of contemporary and legendary poets."

Wrightwood Literary Festival. September 29 - 30, 2018: Wrightwood, CA. Features workshops and readings by new guest faculty. A keynote address will be given by award-winning Young Adult author and poet Ron Koertge. Registration opens in the summer.

DIY Repair Kit For Writers: Get YourFixer-Upper Ready To Sell 2018. September 30 - October 3, 2018, Honesdale, PA. For published and pre-published authors who have a novel that needs to be renovated for sale. Have a fixer-upper manuscript? One with good bones but in need of some TLC? Then this workshop is for you! Join authors Mitali Perkins and Susan Campbell Bartoletti as they guide you through renovation boot camp. Each morning will begin with craft lessons focused on the foundational elements of your novel, like dialogue, character, and setting. Follow your craft sessions with mentor-directed evaluations of your work, turning from fundamental elements to big-picture questions. After muddling through the big questions, you will get to work, dividing your story scene by scene and starting your repair. You will have feedback from your mentors and peers at every step of the way at this hands-on workshop for novelists ready to deconstruct and rebuild their manuscripts.

20 Paying Markets for Poetry

Goethe - Pixabay

Updated 5/10/24

If you write poetry, getting published is usually not a problem. The difficulty is getting paid. There are countless venues for poems that pay nothing, or that pay a modest fee.

Do not despair, poets! Many magazines are more than willing to pay you more than it would cost to buy a cup of coffee.

Here are 20 noteworthy publications that pay in the professional or semi-professional range for poetry. Most of these also accept fiction and creative nonfiction, and many are more than happy to nominate accepted poems for prizes.

See 325 Paying Markets for Short Stories, Poetry, Nonfiction for many more paying markets.

Note: Nearly all of these magazines have reading periods. Reading periods may change from year to year.
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Poetry Magazine

Poetry is a highly prestigious publication, and therefore has a high rejection rate. But do not be afraid to give it a whirl. (The worst that can happen is that they will cut your head off and stick it on a pole as a warning to other poets.) Payment: $10 per line (with a minimum payment of $300), and $150 per page of prose, for first serial rights. See reading period.

The Kenyon Review

This is another long-standing publication with a great reputation. In addition to poetry, they publish fiction, plays and creative nonfiction. Payment: Professional rate. See reading period.

Fourteen Poems 

"We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round.  To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com. Payment: £25 for each poem published.

Agni

Agni is a respected publication put out by Boston University. They publish poetry, short fiction, and essays. Payment: $40 per page for poetry, with a $300 maximum. See reading period.

The Atlantic

The Atlantic is a highly prestigious magazine founded in 1857 as The Atlantic Monthly in Boston,  They always interested in great nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Payment: Professional rates. To submit poetry, send your manuscript to: poetry@theatlantic.com.

Blackbird

Founded in 2002 as a joint venture of the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of English and New Virginia Review, Inc., Blackbird publishes poetry, plays, fiction, and CNF. Payment: Semi-professional rates. See reading period.

The Baltimore Review

The Baltimore Review is a nationally distributed journal founded in 1996. In addition to poetry, they publish fiction and CNF. Payment: $40. See reading period.

carte blanche 

"Our mandate is to provide a venue for narrative of all forms from fiction and nonfiction, to poetry and photo essays." Payment: Honorarium. See reading period.

The Cincinnati Review

The Cincinnati Review is put out by the University of Cincinnati. They also accept fiction and nonfiction. Payment: $30/page for poetry. See reading period.

Event

"We love poems that are lyrical without being overwrought, and are profound without being pretentious. We look for honesty of emotion, and images that arrest us." Event also accepts fiction. Payment:  $35/page, up to a maximum of $500, along with two copies of the issue. See submission periods.

The Fiddlehead

The Fiddlehead is open to good writing in English or translations into English from all over the world and in a variety of styles, including experimental genres. "Our editors are always happy to see new unsolicited works in fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, and poetry. We particularly welcome submissions from Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers with disabilities, LGBTQQIA+ writers, and writers from other intersectional and under-represented communities." Payment: $60 CAD per page. See reading period.

The Christian Science Monitor: The Home Forum

"Poetry that appears in The Home Forum explores and celebrates life. It provides a respite from the bleakness that appears in so much contemporary verse. We are particularly interested in poetry that has an international flavor or that offers some global or cultural insights. Short poems are more likely to be accepted (because of space constraints) than poems that are more than 18 lines long. We do not publish work that presents people in helpless or hopeless states. Nor do we print poetry about death, aging, and illness, or anything dark, violent, sensual or overtly religious." Payment: Professional rates.

Strange Horizons 

Strange Horizons publishes speculative fiction and poetry. "We're looking for modern, exciting poems that explore the possible and impossible: stories about human and nonhuman experiences, dreams and reality, past and future, the here-and-now and otherwhere-and-elsewhen. We want poems from imaginative and unconventional writers; we want voices from diverse perspectives and backgrounds." Payment: $40. See submission periods.

Ploughshares

Published by Emerson College, Ploughshares is a highly prestigious journal whose authors regularly win prizes. Payment: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author. There is a fee to submit online, but snail mail is free. See reading period. Note: Charges $3 for online submissions.

The Ex-Puritan

This Canadian literary magazine publishes fiction, interviews, essays, reviews and poetry from all over the world. Payment is $25 per poem or page, capped at $80 for poems that run four pages or longer.

Southern Indiana Review

The Southern Indiana Review is put out by the University of Southern Indiana. In addition to poetry, they publish fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama. From the poetry editor: "I like poems with tension and poise, both. Free or formal verse. Poems that risk sentimentality in favor of genuine connection. I’m looking for work that moves, transports; pieces that make me laugh, cry, nod my head in silent recognition. I badly want work that teaches me something new." Payment: $75 (five layout pages or fewer accepted for publication) and $150 (six layout pages or more accepted). See reading period.

The Southern Review

The Southern Review publishes fiction and poetry. Poetry submissions are by snail mail only. Payment: $25 per printed page with a maximum payment of $200. Please send no more than either five poems or fifteen pages, and use a 12-point font. See reading period. Note: Charges $3 for online submissions.

Josephine Quarterly

"Josephine Quarterly is an online literary magazine celebrating the resilience and voices of underrepresented poets. Inspired by Mary Josephine Sadre-Orafai, a mother of Mexican descent, a teacher and mentor, and a champion for marginalized voices. She embodies resilience. We seek poets who know the act of resistance and healing." Payment: $30 for poetry and art.

Poetry Online

Poetry Online is a poetry journal committed to publishing work made accessible to all. "We offer an online venue to share poems alongside audio, captioned video, and screenreader accessible images, so every reader is included." Accepts reprints. Payment: $60.

Poetry Wales. Genre: Poetry, features and reviews. Payment: Poems £20/page. Reviews £67.50/1500-word review. Articles £200/3000 word, or in that proportion, depending on number of published words. See reading period.

2 Agents Seeking Comics, Graphic Novels, Picture Books, Illustrators

Updated 5/16/22

Here are two new agents expanding their client lists. Britt Siess is particularly interested in seeing a variety of genres of graphic novels, including fantasy, adventure, sports, contemporary stories, horror, and magical realism. Alice Williams represents illustrators.

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

If these agents don't suit your needs, you can find a comprehensive list of new and established agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.

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Britt Siess of Britt Siess Creative Management

Britt has a strong background in publishing, having experience in both literary agencies and a book publisher. She has interned for the Taryn Fagerness Agency, Wales Literary Agency, and Martin Literary & Media Management. She comes from the sales division of The Quarto Group where she worked in domestic and foreign book sales. Attended the University of Washington where she earned her B.A. in both English Literature, and Cinema and Media Studies.

What she is seeking: At this time BSCM is particularly interested in seeing a variety of genres of graphic novels, including fantasy, adventure, sports, contemporary stories, horror, and magical realism. "We especially love character driven stories that feature lovable but flawed main characters, found families, and themes of coming-of-age."

How to submit: Read guidelines HERE.

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Alice Williams of Alice Williams Literary (UK)

Currently closed.

Note: Alice does not represent writers based in the US.

Alice set up her agency after representing children’s books for over ten years at David Higham Associates. She's a passionate champion of the writers and illustrators she works with, and she's frequently in awe of the beauty and sense of wonder (or absurdity) that her clients create!

Alice lives and works in London and has an extensive network of industry contacts in the UK and abroad. She attends the Bologna and London Book Fairs each Spring, as well as writers’ conferences throughout the year.

What she is looking for: Writers and illustrators of picture books, young fiction, middle-grade fiction, YA and non-fiction.

How to submit: Fiction: Attach the full manuscript as a Word doc, double spaced. Attach a synopsis of the novel outlining the entire plot arc, including the ending - one to two pages. Nonfiction: Attach a sample chapter, or the full text/rough dummy if it is a non-fiction picture book. Send to:  submissions@alicewilliamsliterary.co.uk

When Good Agents Go Bad

From all appearances Danielle Smith was a good agent. She started out at Foreword Literary, moved to Red Fox in 2014, and then in 2017 started her own agency, Lupine Grove, representing children's book authors. There was nothing about her performance to indicate anything unusual. She made sales and negotiated contracts with major publishers. I even included her on this blog. Yet, for the past five years she has repeatedly committed fraud, for reasons which remain entirely mysterious. When it came out that she had been forging letters of acceptance from publishers to her clients, and deceiving the authors she represented, the publishing world was shocked.

Danielle Smith's story is, fortunately, unusual among legitimate agents. It would be a mistake to come to the conclusion that her pattern of deception is common. But, by the same token, every prospective author should be aware that when an agent does not appear to be abiding by normal rules of conduct (e.g. keeping in regular touch with clients), it is worth questioning them.

Here is the Publishers Weekly story on the sad, complicated case of Danielle Smith. Give it a read.

Agent Danielle Smith’s Former Clients Speak Out

Publishers Weekly, August 2, 2018

The children’s book publishing world has been roiling for the past week over the disclosure that Danielle Smith, the principal of Lupine Grove Creative, an agency specializing in children’s and YA authors, acted more like a literary grifter than a literary agent. Since Smith emailed a letter to her clients on July 24, confessing that recently she had “not handled a situation as well as I should have” and thus was dissolving the agency effective immediately, 19 former clients have reached out to PW, sharing tales of a pattern of malfeasance that has shaken their confidence and adversely affected their careers.

According to some former clients, she claimed to have had offers in hand that didn’t exist, such as, one author requesting anonymity disclosed, a $50,000 two-book deal. She informed others that editors had expressed interest in their submissions, but subsequently told them that either the editors had then lost interest or had outright rejected those submissions. Clients also complained about Smith’s refusal to communicate with them honestly and in a timely fashion, as well as the lack of transparency, including a reluctance to render submission lists to them upon request. Several clients allege that she even forged emails from editors and passed this correspondence along to them.

Read the rest of this fascinating article HERE.

2 New Literary Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Memoir, Religion, and Historical Fiction NOW

Updated 12/9/19

Here are two new agents actively seeking clients. Elizabeth Resnick is looking for books about food, travel, health & wellness, popular science/psychology, cookbooks, and Big Ideas. In fiction, she appreciates deeply researched historical settings. Roger Freet is seeking narrative and idea-driven nonfiction in the areas of religion, spirituality, memoir, and cultural issues by leading scholars, pastors, historians, activists and musicians.

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

If these agents don't suit your needs, you can find a comprehensive list of new and established agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.

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Roger Freet of Folio Literary Management

CLOSED TO QUERIES

Prior to becoming an agent, Roger worked as an Executive Editor at HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers where he published New York Times and national bestselling authors James Martin, Paul Stanley, Bart Ehrman, Adam Hamilton, Diana Butler Bass, Stephen Prothero, Bruce Cockburn, and Stephen Meyer. His clients and authors have enjoyed extensive national coverage including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, New York Times Book Review “Editor’s Choice”, NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Time, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Slate, The Wall Street Journal, and other top media outlets. In advance of joining the editorial team at Harper, Roger was the Associate Director of Marketing and Publicity where he ran bestselling campaigns across the full spectrum of the HarperOne list.

What he is looking for: Roger represents a wide variety of narrative and idea-driven nonfiction in the areas of religion, spirituality, memoir, and cultural issues by leading scholars, pastors, historians, activists and musicians.

How to submit: Please send your proposal to: rfsubmissions@foundrymedia.com

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Elizabeth Resnick of Fletcher & Company 

CLOSED TO QUERIES

Since graduating from Brown University with a B.A. in Middle East Studies, Elizabeth has worked in a broad range of fields, including international development, farming, food photography, health & wellness media, and immigration law. She grew up in Western Massachusetts and lived in Tunisia before moving to New York City.

What she is seeking: "I seek out books that teach me something about a place, era, person, phenomenon, or relationship and that reveal truths about who we are as humans, how we interact with the world around us, and how we can improve. In nonfiction, these qualities appeal to me in books about food, travel, health & wellness, popular science/psychology, and Big Ideas. I also have a particular weakness for cookbooks. In fiction, I appreciate deeply researched historical settings—or invented places that are so vividly depicted that they could be real—and characters who linger in my mind long after I’ve finished reading."

How to submit: To query, please send a letter, brief synopsis. and the first 5-10 pages of the manuscript/proposal pasted into the body of the email to info@fletcherandco.com. Please do not include email attachments with your initial query, as they will be deleted. Average response time is 4-6 weeks, so please do not follow up any sooner than that.