38 Calls for Submissions in January 2019 - Paying markets

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There are more than three dozen calls for submissions in January 2019. 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 monthly calls for submissions on the last day of the previous 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.)

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Crystal Lake Publishing: Tales from The Lake. Genre: Horror. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: January 1, 2019.

Ellipsis Zine, Five: Love Pride. Genre: Fiction celebrating LGBTQ writers and writing. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 3, 2019.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €25 per magazine page. Poetry: €40 for single poem/magazine page. Featured Poet: €200. Deadline: January 9, 2019.

Texas Home School Coalition Review. Genre: Nonfiction articles about home schooling. (See website for topics.) Payment: $40 for nonexclusive print and electronic rights to feature articles that have been published previously, or works to which the author wishes to retain the copyright. (Authors should confirm that agreements with previous publishers will not conflict with THSC’s nonexclusive rights.) $110 for the exclusive print and electronic copyright to previously unpublished works.  Deadline: January 10, 2019.

Grumpy Old Gods Anthology. Genre: Speculative fiction. "We’re looking for stories about mythical Gods who are waning, reborn, retired, or otherwise AWOL from their assigned post." Payment: Profit sharing. Deadline: January 13, 2019.

Overland. Genre: Progressive fiction on theme of ‘future sex’. Payment: $150. Deadline: January 14, 2019.

Shifters United: Shifter Mix-ups. Genre: Paranormal romance/urban fantasy novellas featuring shape shifters. Length: 20,000 to 50,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Rattle: Instagram Poets. Genre: Poetry. The poems may be any style, length, or subject, but must have first appeared on Instagram and not yet appeared in print. Payment: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Ruminate. Ruminate welcomes submissions that both subtly and overtly engages faith from all the world religions. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $17/page of poetry (with a maximum of $60 per poem).
Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Women Artists Datebook. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $70. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Sanitarium Magazine. Genre: Horror. Payment: Token. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Helios Magazine. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. Payment:$0.03 USD per word for the first 1,500 words and $0.01 USD after for short stories, and $0.25 USD a line for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Great Weather for MEDIA: Annual Print Anthology. Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, dramatic monologues, and creative nonfiction. "Our focus is on the fearless, the unpredictable, and experimental but we do not have a set theme for our anthologies." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Wizards in Space. Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $30. Deadline: January 15, 2019. Reprints accepted.

Outlook Springs. Genre: "Weird, wobbly wordwork: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry." Payment: $10 for poems, $25 for prose. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Slice. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry on the theme of Birth. Length: Up to 5,000 words for prose. Payment: $250 for stories and essays, $75 for poems. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Prairie Fire: Work Matters. Genre: Fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, and poetry on the topic of work. Payment: Print - Prose: $0.10 per word. Poetry: $40 per poem. Deadline: January 18, 2019.

18th Wall Productions: War of the Worlds – Absolute War. Genre: Short stories expanding on H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. They’re seeking to show the entire world’s response to the Invasion. They have detailed guidelines about what they do and do not want in the stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 20, 2019.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Prose or poem fairy tale on theme "Love." Payment: $30/story; $10/poem US dollars only. Deadline: January 20, 2019.

NonBinary Review. Genre: Art and literature that "tiptoes the tightrope between now and then. Art that makes us see our literary offerings in new ways. We want language that makes us reach for a dictionary, a tissue, or both. Words in combinations and patterns that leave the faint of heart a little dizzy. We want insight, deep diving, broad connections, literary conspiracies, personal revelations, or anything you want to tell us about the themes we’ve chosen." Theme: Books of Blood. Payment: Semi-pro. Deadline: January 23, 2019.

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction up to  1000 words. Payment: $3. Deadline: January 27, 2019.

The School Magazine: Celebrate Science. Genre: Stories, articles, plays, poems and activities on the theme of ‘Celebrate Science’, on any aspect of science. Length: Up to 1,500 words for fiction and plays, 800-2,000 words for nonfiction. Length: Up to 1,500 words for fiction and plays, 800-2,000 words for nonfiction. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: January 28, 2019.

EVENT. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $25/page. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

The Children of Clark Ashton Smith. Genre: Fantasy inspired by CAS. Payment: One penny Sterling per word, with a minimum payment of £10 Sterling for poems and very, very short stories. For illustrations, £30 for ‘header’ illustrations to a story, £100 for full page illustrations and £200 for the cover illustration. Deadline: January 31, 2019. Reprints accepted.

Room Magazine. Genre: Feminist fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, interviews, and book reviews. Next issue: "Sports." Payment: $50 CAD for one page, $60 for two pages, $90 for three pages, $120 for four pages, $150 for five or more pages. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Freeze Frame Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction; issues are themed. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Arc. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Less than Three Press: Bound By Nothing – LGBTQIA Collection Call. Genre: Stories of shape shifters with disabilities, from the physical to mental, visible to invisible. Payment: Royalties.   Deadline: January 31, 2019.

To Seoul, from the World. Genre: Short stories set in and/or about the city of Seoul. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Ashland Creek Press. Genre: Book-length fiction and nonfiction on the themes of the environment, animal protection, ecology, and wildlife. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, 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: January 31, 2019.

Atthis Arts: Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove. Genre: Fiction. Stories must take place over a span of five minutes, and they must take place at a specific era, location, and time of day within the rooms or grounds of the Hotel Stormcove. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Welcome to the Alpaca-lypse. Genre: Animal-themed apocalypse stories. The apocalypse can be big or small (the larger scale the better), but it must include an animal as a major part of the story. The animal can be the cause of the apocalypse, the salvation from the apocalypse, or the pet that helps the one hero get through it all. It can even be from the animal's point of view. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Fiyah: Hair. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry by and about Black writers of the African Diaspora on the theme of Hair. Length: Up to 4 poems, 2,000-7,000 words for short fiction, up to 15,000 words for novelettes. Payment: $50 for poems, $150 for short fiction, $300 for novelettes. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Third Flatiron: Hidden Histories. Genre: Speculative fiction on the theme of Hidden Histories. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Northern New England Review Raven Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Restrictions: Open to US residents. Genre: Previously unpublished piece of creative nonfiction, maximum 3,000 words. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Alternating Current Anthology. Genre: Poems about Scientists one-time print anthology. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Alternating Currrent. Genre: Book reviews, fiction, themed issues. (Please see their list. It's long.) Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

45 Writing Contests in January 2019 - No entry fees

"Does this coat make me look fat?" - Pixabay

January is a great month for writing contests. This month there are 45 contests, and none charge entry fees. Prizes range from $40,000 to a camera. As always, read the restrictions to make sure you qualify.

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

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On Teaching Poem Prize. Genre: Unpublished poem written about K–12 teaching and/or teachers. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 1, 2019.

Tony Hillerman Prize. Sponsored by St. Martin's Press. Genre: Debut mystery novel set in Southwest. Prize: $10,000 advance against royalties and publication, Deadline: January 2, 2019.

Columbia College Literary Review Editors’ Prize. Genre: Creative nonfiction or fiction in 5000 words or less. Prize: $100. Deadline: January 7, 2019.
Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6 - 12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6-12th Graders. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: January 9, 2019 for Grades 6-10, January 16, 2019 for Grades 11-12.

The Mogford Prize for Food And Drink Writing. Genre: Short story which specifically includes the subjects of food and/or drink within the plot. 2500 words. Prize:£10,000 to be awarded during the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival in April 2016. Deadline: January 7, 2019. (This prize was free but now charges a 10-pound fee. Sorry guys.)

The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. The prestigious award aims to provide promising writers a network for professional advancement. Since Poets & Writers began the Writers Exchange in 1984, 85 writers from 33 states and the District of Columbia have been selected to participate. Restrictions: Open to Arkansas residents. Genre: Poetry and Fiction. Prize: A $500 honorarium; A trip to New York City to meet with editors, agents, publishers, and other writers. All related travel/lodgings expenses and a per diem stipend are covered by Poets & Writers. Winners will also give a public reading of their work; and One-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming. Deadline: January 7, 2019.

Leah Ryan's FEWW Playwriting Prize. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Completed full-length work for theater.  Prize: $2,500, a workshop at the Vassar Powerhouse Theater, and a reading in New York City. Deadline: January 7, 2019.

Japan Center-Canon Essay Competition. The aim of the Japan Center Essay Competition is to promote awareness and understanding of Japan in the United States and to help young Americans broaden their international horizons. Genre: Essay. Contestants should write, in English, one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. (Contestants do not need to have any experience in visiting Japan or studying Japanese. Prize: Best Essay Award in the High School Division: 1st Place: $3,000 and a Canon camera, 2nd Place: $1,500 and a Canon camera, 3rd Place: $750 and a Canon camera; Best Essay Award in the College Division: $3,000 and a Canon camera; Uchida Memorial Award: $1,000 and a Canon camera; Merit Award: $200 (each) for up to five awards. Deadline: January 8, 2019.

New York Times 'Win a Trip with Nick Kristof' Contest. Restrictions: US college and graduate students. Genre: Essay. Prize: Trip with Nick Kristof. Deadline: January 11, 2019.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 11, 2019.

Writing with the Stars. Genre: Picture book writers and illustrators. Prize: Free three-month mentorship with a published author or author/illustrator. Mentors will help mentees further develop their craft and share invaluable advice and insight into the publishing world. Deadline: January 13, 2019.

Orwell Prize. Genre: Political writing published between 1st January and 31st January 2018. All entries must have a clear British link. Journalism and ‘exposing Britain’s social evils’.   Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 14, 2019. (Their website is impossible to figure out, which is ironic.)

French-American Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: Book - best English translation of French in both fiction and non-fiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 14, 2019.

Texas Institute of Letters Literary Awards. Restrictions: Entrants must have resided in Texas for at least 2 consecutive years, or have been born in Texas. Genre: Book (published). 11 different categories. Prize: $6,000. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2018. Prize: $250. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Rattle Instagram Poets. Genre: Poem that first appeared on Instagram. Prize: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Electa Quinney Award for Published American Indian Stories. Genre: Story. "This award seeks to highlight the work of story creators who continue the tradition of teaching through narratives often crossing the boundaries of genres, formats and disciplines. To celebrate the dissemination of stories into spaces where they can be shared all published stories qualify including small press and fine arts printing." Prize: $250. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

The Ellen Meloy Fund for Desert Writers was established in 2005 to honor the memory of Ellen Meloy. The Fund provides support to writers whose work reflects the spirit and passions embodied in Ellen’s writing and her commitment to a “deep map of place.” Ellen’s own map-in-progress was of the desert country she called home. Genre: Only literary or creative nonfiction proposals will be considered. No fiction or poetry proposals will be reviewed. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Novel. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the year 2018 considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Books written by authors based in northern California and published for the first time in 2018 are eligible for nomination. Genre: Published book. Prize: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

The Page Street Kids Prize (USA). Genre: Picture books of typical length by any USA author. Prize: $1000 Visa gift card, text and art development feedback, and consideration for publication. Submit a book dummy aimed at ages 4-8 (or narrative nonfiction for ages 8-12).  Deadline: January 15, 2019. More info here.

Ellipsis. Restrictions: Open to authors who have not had a collection/novel/novella published previously. Genre: Flash fiction collection. Prize: Publication and royalties. Deadline: January 17, 2019.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Restrictions: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas. Genre: Essay on an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1956. Prize: The first-place winner receives $10,000 comprised of a $5,000 cash award and $5,000 from John Hancock. The second-place winner receives $1,000. Up to five finalists receive $500 each. Deadline: January 18, 2019.

Bethesda Literary Festival Essay and Short Story Contest. The Bethesda Urban Partnership & Bethesda Magazine have partnered to honor local writers at the Bethesda Literary Festival held April. Genres: Essays and short stories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Deadline: January 18, 2019.

Poetry Society of Virginia - Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in Virginia, grades 3 - 12. Prize: $10 - $25. Deadline: January 19, 2019.

Nine Dots Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors age 18+.  Genre: Summary response on topic "Is there still no place like home?" 3,000 words. Prize: $100,000. Winner will be asked to write a book on the topic. Deadline: January 21, 2019.

Sweekstars Competition. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 22, 2019.

Driftless Unsolicited Novella Contest. Genre: Novella. Prize: $250 and publication with Brain Mill Press. Deadline: January 22, 2019.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships, awarded in fifteen different disciplines over a three-year period, are $7,000 cash awards made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: January 23, 2019.

Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: January 28, 2019.

Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about technology addiction. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: January 30, 2019.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. "The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America." Genre: Previously unpublished work of short fiction. Prize: $100.00.  Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize. The annual Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize is awarded each spring to honor an outstanding literary translation from German into English published in the USA the previous year.  Genre: Published fiction or non-fiction, may include: novels, novellas, short stories, plays, poetry, biographies, essays and correspondence. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Caine Prize for African Writing. Restrictions: Open to writers born in Africa, or nationals of an African country, or with a parent who is African by birth or nationality, Genre: Short fiction (published). Prize: £10,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Sunburst Awards. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories published in 2018. Prize: ? Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Canute A. Brodhurst Prize for Short Fiction. Genre: Short story, maximum of 3,500 words or 10 pages, accepted by The Caribbean Writer. See theme. Prize: $400. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Daily News Prize. Genre: Poem, of any length, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. Prize: $300. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 10,000 pounds. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Imagine Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories in Japanese or English for its second annual “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA– either past, present or future. Prize: $600. The winner of the youth division (18 or younger) will receive $400. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Nelson Algren Literary Awards is a short story contest sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. This contest is open to residents of the United States. All entries must be: fiction, less than 8,000 words, double spaced, written in English. Prize: One grand prize winner will receive $3,500. Four finalists will each receive $1,000. Five runners-up will each receive $500. Total value of all prizes: $10,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Restrictions: Open to authors under 30 years of age who have not had a book published. Applicant must have been born in Ohio or have lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years. Genre: Short fiction and creative non-fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

16th Michael E. DeBakey Medical Student Poetry Awards. Restrictions: Only undergraduates currently enrolled in accredited United States medical schools are eligible. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: January 31, 2019. Note: Winners do not retain copyright.

7 Notable Writing Conferences in January 2019

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Like December, January is a slow month for writing conferences. Nonetheless, there are some excellent opportunities to network, pitch your work, and attend stimulating workshops this month. (Some are conveniently located in warm climates.)

I strongly urge you to plan ahead if you are thinking of attending a writing conference. Many offer scholarships that can significantly reduce the cost. And all of the intensive writing workshops have application deadlines.

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

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Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 10 - 20, 2019: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 10 - 13, 2019 (seminar) and January 14 - 18, 2019 (workshop), Key West, Florida. The seminar offers readings, lectures, and conversations with poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The island nations of the Caribbean have produced some of the most powerful and exciting writers of our time. For the 36th annual Key West Literary Seminar, we look across the waves to the vital literature that has emerged from this region. In bringing these writers together in Key West, we seek to both celebrate and transcend geography, in pursuit of the stories that hold us together.

TMW January Jumpstart XIX. Jan 11 - 13, 2019, Oak Ridge, TN. Parallel sessions of workshops on fiction, poetry, nonfiction, writing for young people, editing, storytelling, self publishing, oral history, keeping series books fresh; panel discussions/readings; Saturday banquet. Susan Gregg Gilmore will lead Fiction and Connie Jordan Green will lead Poetry.

New Year's Writing Retreat. Jan 12 - 13, 2019, Atlantic City, NJ. Workshops on Creative Nonfiction, How to Begin Your Novel, Poetry Writing Bootcamp, and more. Each workshop will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, sharing and inspiration.

Eckerd College Writers’ Conference. January 19 - 26, 2019, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. The faculty includes poets Richard Blanco, Denise Duhamel, Major Jackson, and Peter Meinke; fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang, Andre Dubus III, Laura Lippman, Stewart O’Nan, Cathie Pelletier, Les Standiford, Sterling Watson; creative nonfiction writers Ann Hood and Helen Wallace; editor Colleen Lawrie (PublicAffairs); and agent Alexis Hurley (InkWell Management).

Palm Beach Poetry Festival. January 21 - 26, 2019, Delray Beach, Florida. The festival features workshops, readings, craft talks, manuscript consultations, panel discussions, and social events for poets. The faculty includes poets Ellen Bass, Lorna Knowles Blake, Sally Bliumis-Dunn, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Nickole Brown, Stuart Dischell, Stephen Gibson, Aracelis Girmay, Campbell McGrath, Gregory Pardlo, Matthew Olzmann, and Eleanor Wilner. The guest speakers are poets Tyehimba Jess and Sharon Olds. $895 includes all events, one gala seat; $495/auditor. Accepted participants may schedule a one-on-one conference at additional cost.

The 2019 Kaua’i Writers’ Retreat. January 27-February 2, 2019: Kaua'i, Hawaii. Live and write among the plumeria, hibiscus, and beauty of Po’ipū, Kaua’i. The Kaua’i Writers’ Retreat is designed to get you to a completed short-short story in one week in one of the most beautiful, inspirational places for writers in the world. Much discussion and freewriting will comprise the first half of the week. Then we’ll switch focus to our own writing: we’ll each write a short piece of up to 1,000 words (a complete piece or excerpt from a longer work) and do a full, one-hour discussion on your new, raw draft. FULL

19 Publishers Accepting Memoirs - No agent needed

Pixabay

Updated 7/27/23

I have often said that memoir is the highest form of fiction. By that, I'm not encouraging memoirists to make things up. I am simply reminding writers that a good memoir must read like fiction, but it must also be honest.

Honesty lies at the heart of every memoir. The author must adhere to the truth (allowing for the fact that there are different ways of interpreting it). Memoirists who lie to themselves, who sugarcoat, self-censor, exaggerate, or in any way compromise the integrity of their stories not only do a disservice to themselves but to us. The reason we enjoy reading memoirs is to gain insight, and to better understand the human condition.

Do not be afraid to tell the truth if you are writing a memoir. Don't hold back. And when you are finished writing your life, go get it published. Here are twenty publishers who can help you do that - no agent required.

For a list of over 150 publishers that accept submissions from writers - no agent required see Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts.

Note: Some of these publishers have submission periods. Read their submission requirements carefully.
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Academy Chicago Publishers is one of the oldest publishing houses in Chicago. They publish both fiction and nonfiction and have more than two hundred published titles on their list. Academy Chicago publishes about 60 new titles yearly under five imprints: Chicago Review Press, Lawrence Hill Books, Ball Publishing, Zephyr Press, and Academy Chicago. Seeking: Nonfiction, memoirs, mysteries, fiction, history, popular science, music, film, biography, autobiography, DIY, craft, and travel, as well as children's activity books and young adult biographies. Read submission guidelines here.

Baobab Press is currently considering completed manuscripts in all genres. They publish nonfiction (including memoir), fiction, poetry, comics, and picture books. (No MG or YA). "We like risk. We like invention. More importantly, we look for a quality of thought that adds depth to a writer's concerns. And although it is not an official requirement, we tend to select literary work with a strong sense of place at its core. Ultimately, our goal is to publish work that resonates in the contemporary climate and that will continue to resonate in years to come. We believe that that this goal and the goal of staying financially viable are one in the same." Read submission guidelines here.

Black & White Publishing is an established Scottish press. They publish nonfiction and fiction in a variety of genres. Seeking: Commercial women’s fiction, especially chick lit, saga and romance, crime and psychological thrillers, contemporary YA and New Adult crossover books, children’s fiction. In nonfiction: memoirs, sport (UK and Ireland in particular), humor, food and drink, activity books. Read submission guidelines here. See submission periods.

BLF Press is open to various types of literary work. They are especially interested in work that centers women of color and same gender loving women. Their preferred genres are short fiction, literary fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction. Prose (fiction and non-fiction) manuscripts should be from 40,000-80,000 words; poetry collections should be at least 50 pages.  If your work is under serious consideration elsewhere, please wait until you've received a decision before submitting it here. They ask for limited print and electronic rights. Read submission guidelines HERE. See submission periods.

Bywater Books is looking for well-written commercial fiction targeted to lesbian readers. They are especially interested the following fiction and non-fiction categories: Romance, Mystery, Action/Thriller, Science-fiction/Fantasy, Eco-fiction, Young Adult/New Adult, General Fiction, Cross-genre, Memoir, Essay, and Autobiography/Biography. They do not publish poetry or erotica. Read submission guidelines HERE. No simultaneous submissions.

Coffeetown Press publishes nonfiction—including memoir—literary fiction, and historical fiction. They prefer the word count to be between 70,000 and 100,000, but books between 50,000 and 70,000 words will still be considered. Most of their memoirs concern growing up in other cultures or have a strong theme that will appeal to a specific audience. Read submission guidelines HERE.

Delphinium Books publishes literary fiction and non-fiction, including memoir. They only accept completed manuscripts. They do not make offers on spec. They prefer submissions with a minimum of 50,000 words. "Modest advance." Read their submission guidelines HERE.

Epicenter Press publishes nonfiction and fiction submissions that relate to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest: biography & memoir, history, humor, life in the North, Native American culture, true crime. "We seek well-written, fast-paced, absorbing, compelling, and entertaining nonfiction including memoir and fiction manuscripts. We currently do not publish poetry, young adult or children’s titles." Read their full submission guidelines HERE. 

Honno publishes Welsh women writers – for the purposes of submission to Honno this means that you must be a woman born in Wales or resident in Wales at the time of submission. Honno also publishes titles of exceptional interest to women within Wales from writers who may not meet the first two criteria i.e. that they are female and that they are of Welsh birth or residence. They publish full length works of fiction and non-fiction for adults (manuscripts of between 60,000 and 120,000 words). Honno is open to all genres of fiction and is particularly interested in increasing the number of literary fiction, crime/thriller, commercial women’s fiction, science fiction and fantasy titles it publishes. Honno is also building a list of non-fiction works to include biography (untold tales of remarkable Welsh women, places and industries), memoir, nature and travel writing. Read guidelines HERE. See submission periods.

Kaya Press is a publisher of Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic writers in the United States. Their diverse list of titles includes experimental poetry, noir fiction, film memoir, avant-garde art, performance pieces, and “lost” novels. How to submit: Send your manuscript in electronic format. Files must be sent in a Word document or as a PDF. They will only accept works related to the Asian diaspora. Read full guidelines HERE.

Madrona Books welcomes submissions of booklength manuscripts. "We’re best suited for authors working within the genres of literary fiction, memoir, longform ecological and adventure journalism, and select place-based genre fiction. Irrespective of genre, all authors with ambitious, emotionally nuanced manuscripts are encouraged to submit." Terms: Madrona authors would be paid: 20% of all net dollar receipts on the book’s first $10,000, 35% on the next $10,000, 50% on net dollar receipts thereafter. Read submission guidelines HERE.

Persea Books is an independent, literary publishing house founded in 1975 by Michael Braziller and Karen Braziller, who still own and direct the company. Genres: Poetry, fiction, essays, memoir, biography, titles of Jewish and Middle Eastern interest, women's studies, American Indian folklore, and YA. Response time: Eight weeks for proposals and 12 weeks for requested manuscript. Submissions: Queries should include a cover letter, author background and publication history, a synopsis of the proposed work, and a sample chapter. Send queries and manuscripts to info@perseabooks.com or to the appropriate editor (Fiction or Nonfiction), Persea Books, 277 Broadway, Suite 708, New York, NY 10007. Read their submission guidelines here.

Rio Nuevo Publishers focuses exclusively on the American West. Their list of publications includes 69 back titles and 13 new titles. Seeking: American West arts and crafts, cooking, history, gardening, memoir, Native America, nature, spirituality, and travel. Read their submission guidelines.

Riverdale/Magnus is the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) imprint of Riverdale Avenue Books. They are actively looking for titles, both fiction and nonfiction, in a wide variety of areas, including popular culture, entertainment, biography/memoir, self-help, spirituality, and current affairs, among others. Read submission guidelines HERE.

Roseway Publishing publishes works of fiction, creative non-fiction, memoirs, biographies and other literary writing that reflects our interest in social justice issues. "We publish primarily for an adult audience, but have occasionally published young adult material as well. We tend not to publish children’s books or poetry." Read their submission guidelines HERE.

Schaffner Press publishes: Fiction: literary adult fiction, short fiction collection, historical with socially relevant content, crime fiction. Non-fiction–memoir, autobiography, biography. Journalistic Expose or Narrative, True Crime, Art, Culture, pop culture, World History, current events, science, arts and letters, US history, military history music, are some of the preferred categories. No Children’s or Young Adult fiction or non-fiction. No science fiction, romance, or fantasy. Length: Manuscripts must be between 60,000 – 100,000 words. Read their submission guidelines HERE.

Golden Storyline Books publishes trade, industry, academic and non-fiction. The publication and editorial team are always open to receiving submissions for proposed books in the following genres: Mystery/Thriller, Crime Fiction, Sci-fi/ Fantasy, Young Adult, Woman’s Fiction, Historical Fiction and Suspense/ Psychological. We are pleased to receive proposals in the genres: Humanities and Social Sciences, Lifestyle/ Culture, Current Events, Memoir and the Arts. Read their submission guidelines here.

Sourcebooks publishes adult nonfiction. Genres: Memoir, history, college reference and study aids, entertainment, general self-help/psychology, business, parenting and special needs parenting, health and beauty, reference, education, biography, love and relationships, gift books and women's issues.  Read nonfiction guidelines here.

Three Rooms Press is a New York-based independent publisher inspired by dada, punk, and passion. Founded twenty-five years ago by editors Peter Carlaftes and Kat Georges, Three Rooms Press serves as a leading independent publisher of cut-the-edge creative, including fiction, memoir, poetry translations, drama and art. In addition, Three Rooms Press produces and promotes a variety of literary and cultural events worldwide, including readings, plays, workshops and concerts. Three Rooms Press books are distributed by PGW / Ingram. Read guidelines here.

2 Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Romance, Kidlit, Mystery, Thrillers and more

Updated 12/16/19

These two agents are seeking to expand their client lists. John Butman  is looking for big, preferably contrarian, ideas and authors who seek to influence thinking, motivate action, and reveal new truths through analysis, storytelling, research, data, and personal narratives—in business, history, technology, psychology, and politics. Marlo Berliner is interested in all genres of MG and YA fiction, with particular emphasis on adventure, psychological thriller, suspense, mystery, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative, and romance. She also wants all genres of Romance, except inspirational, historical and erotic. She is also open to women’s fiction, mystery, thriller, and suspense.

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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John Butman of Kneerim & Williams

DECEASED 

John Butman has been engaged in the creative aspects of publishing for more than thirty years. He specializes in idea-driven, nonfiction books about business, the social sciences, and current affairs, and has worked with leading figures in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations throughout the United States and around the world. John has been involved in the creation of more than fifty titles including Real Boys by Harvard psychologist Dr. William Pollack, a New York Times bestseller; Trading Up by Boston Consulting Group partners Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske, a BusinessWeek bestseller and Berry-AMA Award winner; The Resilience Dividend by Judith Rodin, former president of The Rockefeller Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania; and Employees First, Customers Second by Vineet Nayar, former CEO of HCL Technologies and a member of the Thinkers50 global ranking. John is the author of Breaking Out (Harvard Business Review Press) and co-author, with Simon Targett, of New World, Inc. (Little, Brown).

What he is looking for: John is looking for big, preferably contrarian, ideas and authors who seek to influence thinking, motivate action, and reveal new truths through analysis, storytelling, research, data, and personal narratives—in business, history, technology, psychology, and politics.

How to submit: Please send a polished query letter to submissions@kwlit.com, and include a synopsis, a brief bio, and ten to twenty pages of initial sample material in the body of the email (no attachments will be opened). Include name of the agent you are querying in the subject line of the email, along with the title of your project.

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Marlo Berliner of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

NO LONGER AN AGENT

Marlo Berliner is an award-winning young adult author, freelance editor, and bookseller. She joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in March 2018 as an editorial intern after having completed a previous internship with The Bent Agency. Now, she is actively building her list as an associate agent. She is a member of SCBWI, RWA, NJ-RWA, and YA-RWA. Prior to her career in the publishing world, Marlo was an accounting manager for a Fortune 500 company. She holds B.S. degrees in Economics and Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon University

What she is seeking: "Middle Grade and Young Adult: I am interested in all genres of MG and YA fiction, with particular emphasis on adventure, psychological thriller, suspense, mystery, paranormal, urban fantasy, horror, speculative, and romance. I enjoy magic, magical realism, unusual settings, pirates, dark elements, gothic tone, secrets or secretive characters, treasure hunts, and unreliable narrators. Also, if you can take a story or intellectual property (in TV or books) that is popular with the adult crowd and give me it’s MG or YA version, then I will give it a look because I believe these types of stories may have strong potential for the market. Stories told by #ownvoices, and stories with diverse characters of all kinds, including neuro-diverse and LGBTQIA+ are all welcomed. I am also open to coming-of-age stories set in college that walk the line between upper YA and NA. While I do like contemporary tales, I may not be the best fit for ‘issue’ books where the central conflict revolves primarily around rape/rape-culture, drugs, or illness. I will also consider some select non-fiction projects in MG and YA, particularly if they involve pop-culture or current events.

Adult: I am interested in all genres of Romance, except inspirational, historical and erotic. I am also open to women’s fiction, mystery, thriller, and suspense."

How to submit: Please submit your query and first 20 pages of your finished and polished manuscript Marlo's Query Manager: http://QueryMe.Online/marloberliner

2 New Agents Actively Seeking YA, Nonfiction, Memoir, Romance Sci-fi and more

Here are two new literary agents actively building their client lists. Savannah Brooks is interested in nonfiction, memoir, young adult, and contemporary fiction. In both adult and YA. Katelyn Uplinger represents Nonfiction (historical and cultural topics); Fantasy & science fiction (and all speculative fiction); Horror; Historical fiction (in all sub-genres); Thriller; Women’s fiction; Romance (especially historical romance).

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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Savannah Brooks of KT Literary 

Savannah Brooks started in agenting as an intern with the Jennifer De Chiara team in 2017, moving to associate agent in 2018. In 2022, she joined the incredible team at KT Literary as an agent, where she represents all of kid lit and adult contemporary fiction, romcoms, thrillers/mystery/suspense, and horror. She’s especially interested in stories that teach her something new, add to a larger sociopolitical conversation, and highlight underrepresented identities and cultures. She earned her MFA, focused in creative nonfiction, from Hamline University and her BS in marketing management from Virginia Tech and worked on the editorial side of publishing for two years prior to joining JDLA. As well as agenting, she works as a publishing and literature lecturer at the University of Minnesota and a teaching artist at the Loft Literary Center. She lives in Minneapolis and can regularly be found at one of Minnesota’s 11,842 lakes—yes, even in winter.

What she is looking for: She is seeking all of kid lit—picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA, both fiction and nonfiction—and adult contemporary fiction, romcoms, thrillers/mystery/suspense, and horror.

How to submit: Submit your query to her querymanager HERE.

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Katelyn Uplinger of D4EO Literary Agency

CLOSED TO QUERIES

After several years of editorial work and positions at multiple literary agencies including Folio Literary Management and Inklings Literary, Katelyn joined D4EO Literary as an agent in 2018.

What she is seeking: In both adult and YA: Nonfiction (historical and cultural topics); Fantasy & science fiction (and all speculative fiction); Horror; Historical fiction (in all sub-genres); Thriller; Women’s fiction; Romance (especially historical romance).

How to submit: Send your query and first three chapters via Query Manager here: QueryManager.