51 Calls for Submissions in December 2019 - Paying markets

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There are more than four dozen calls for submissions in December. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

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

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

Happy submitting!

______________________


Eternal Haunted Summer. Genre: Original poetry and short fiction about the Americas. Also reviews, interviews, and essays. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Answering the Call. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Gothic Fantasy Short Stories: Bodies in the Library (Crime & Mystery) and Footsteps in the Dark (Horror & Suspense). Genres: Crime/Mystery and Horror/Suspense. Payment: 8 cents for each word (SFWA qualifying market rate) and 6 cents for reprints. Deadline: December 1, 2019. Accepts reprints.

Slice. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry on the theme of Persistence. Length: Up to 5,000 words for prose. Payment: $250 for stories and essays, $75 for poems. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Poetry and fiction on When Hell Freezes Over. Payment: $20 for featured author stories; $10 for stories published on &More page $5 for poems. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Compelling Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction. Payment: 6 cents/word for original stories. 1 cent/word for reprints. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Mythridate. Genre: Poetry, fiction, art and nonfiction which explores the theme of "Decadence."  Payment: $15 per poem; $20 per short story; $10 to $20 for nonfiction. Art pays $10-$40 per accepted piece. Deadline: December 2, 2019.

Speculative City. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and essays within the theme of Horror. Speculative City publishes provocative works that are centered within a cityscape. Payment: $20-$75. Deadline: December 2, 2019.

Fireside. Genre: Fiction. Payment: 12.5 cents per word. Deadline: December 6, 2019. Opens to submissions on December 2.

Scum. Genre: Feminist-friendly work of any variety, but as a general rule your piece should be under 2000 words (50 lines for poetry, max. 3 poems) and able to be classified as “fiction”, “culture”, “memoir”, “column”, “poetry”, and/or “review”. Payment: $60 AUD. Deadline: December 7, 2019. Opens to submissions on December 1.

Into the Void. Genre: Flash fiction (750 words max) and poetry. Payment: CA$5 per printed page of the magazine + a contributor copy. Deadline: December 7, 2019. Opens on December 1.

Revolute. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and micro reviews. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 9, 2019.

Electric Lit: The Commuter. Genre: Flash fiction. Submit up to 3 flash fiction pieces, either standalone or connected. The total word count should not exceed 1500. Payment: $100. Deadline: December 9, 2019.

Cast of Wonders Podcast. Genre: Speculative fiction for teens. Length: 3,000 words max. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Underground Writers. Restrictions: Preference given to Australian writers. Genre: Short stories and poems on theme of Romance. Length: Limit of 40 lines for poems, and 2000 words for short stories, flash fiction and reviews. Payment: $50 AUD. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Frozen Wavelets. Genre: Speculative flash fiction and poetry. Length: 750 words max. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 15, 2019. Accepts reprints.

Shenandoah. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $100 per poem. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: You Go, Girl. Genre: True stories about women."You are in charge of your life and the decisions you make. A woman doesn’t have to lose her femininity or become a bully. A woman doesn’t have to be single or divorced to be looked upon as independent. Married women and women in relationships are independent, too. We are looking for your true stories on how you are running your life, how you became empowered and achieved independence. Your story will help young women feel stronger, more capable, and more confident… more empowered." Payment: $200, publication, and 10 author copies. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, "and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way.” Payment: $50. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Eye to the Telescope 35, Hard Science Fiction Tropes. Genre: Speculative poetry on theme of Hard Science Fiction Tropes. Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Offing. Genre: Short fiction on theme of Insight. Payment: $20–$60. Deadline: December 16, 2019.

Gay Mag. Genre: Essays/cultural criticism up to 3,500 words in length on theme of Community. "What does it mean to be part of a community? How do we live amicably with others? What happens when community fractures or  falls apart? What happens when our communities fail us or when we fail our communities? What does an ideal community look like? What are your visions for utopia/dystopia? How has popular culture dealt with the idea of community in ways either good or bad? We are looking for smart, engaging essays about the nature of community." Payment:  $1/word. Deadline: December 16, 2019. Send pitch only

Newfound. Genre: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, and Visual Arts on theme of Virtual Realities. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 21, 2019.

Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry, nonfiction prose, translation, visual poetry. Payment: Made on publication at the rate of $10 per line (with a minimum payment of $300), and $150 per page of prose, for first serial rights. All rights will revert to the author upon publication. Authors will also receive two contributor copies of the issue in which their work appears. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

Antimony and Elder Lace Press: A Room is Locked: Genre: Mystery. Word Count: 1,000-7,500 words. “In the mystery genre, the idea of a locked room puzzle is one of the standbys. Everyone from Agatha Christie to Edgar Allen Poe has done it, and now it’s your turn. Your story, to be considered, must feature the idea, concept or tool of a locked room. It can be figurative or literal, the choice is yours. The challenge is to take this old idea and make it new again.” Payment: $0.01 per word and a percentage of royalties. Payment made upon publication. Deadline: December 25, 2019.

Blood Crown: Sword and Sorcery. Genre: Fiction involving blood and crowns. Length: 4000-15,000 words. Payment: Profit sharing. Deadline: December 30, 2019.

Modern Poetry in Translation. Genre: Translations of poetry. Send up to six poems. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about Self-care and Me Time. Genre: True stories. "Taking care of yourself is not just about your physical health but includes your emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing too. Self-care includes that all-important “me time” whether that means exercising or reading or meditating or having lunch with friends. Whatever your psyche needs is your “me time.” We are looking for your stories about how you neglected your self-care and then how you realized its importance and so you now engage in it." Payment: $200, publication, and 10 author copies.  Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Carrion Blue 555: Seasons of Rot. Genre: Horror, fantasy, scifi, experimental, and bizarro fiction, poetry, and art for four seasonal volumes, collectively called ‘Seasons of Rot’ Payment: $0.02/word, up to $100. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Workers Write! Literary Journal: Stories from the Workplace. Genre: Stories and poems from the workplace. Payment: $5 - $50. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. Genre: Sword and sorcery fantasy. Payment: $100 for stories and $25 for poems, upon publication. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

The 3288 Review. Restrictions: Open to current or former residents of West Michigan. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: Poetry – $5.00 per poem published, up to 10 poems; Prose 1,000 to 5,000 words – $25.00; Prose 5,001 to 10,000 words – $50.00; Collections of Photography, Illustration or Artwork – $5.00 per piece published, up to 10 pieces Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Autonomous Press: Spoon Knife 5 – Liminal. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and memoir that explores thresholds and liminalities of all kinds. The work must further intersect with themes of neurodivergence, queerness, and/or the intersections of neurodivergence and queerness. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Existere. Genre: Poetry, prose, postcards, art. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Excalibur 2020: Tales From Beyond Tomorrow Volume 3. Genre: Speculative fiction. The work must have a thematic connection to Japan and/or the Olympics. Payment: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Year's Best Hardcore Horror. Genre: Hardcore horror short stories. Requirements: The story was originally (or will be) published in a 2019 anthology, single author collection, magazine, or online magazine. Self-published anthologies and collections are acceptable as well. Payment:1 cent a word for reprint rights. ($60 max). Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Zombies Need Brains: Three anthologies APOCALYPTIC, GALACTIC STEW, and MY BATTERY IS LOW AND IT IS GETTING DARK. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy. Payment: Minimum $0.08/word. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Madness Heart Press: Ghastly Gastronomy – A Horror Cookbook Anthology. Genre: Food-based horror stories. Each story should feature a dish. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Vestal Review: Short, Vigorous Roots – An Anthology of Immigrant Fiction in the Age of Dissent. Genre: Fiction from writers anywhere who are either immigrants/migrants or who have an immigrant/migrant parent. 1000 words max. Payment: Modest honorarium. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Reprints accepted.

Your Favorite Trope. Genre: LGBT stories on Your Favorite Trope. Payment: 50% net royalties from all channels, paid quarterly. Deadline: December 31, 2019. These aren't anthology calls -- stories swill be released as individual ebooks with unique covers

Love Wins. Genre: LGBT stories on Love Wins. Payment: 50% net royalties from all channels, paid quarterly. Deadline: December 31, 2019. These aren't anthology calls -- stories swill be released as individual ebooks with unique covers.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Arc does not accept general submissions from January 1 to March 31 and from August 1 to August 31.

Wax Poetry and Art: 45 Poems of Protest. Genre: Poetry. "The struggle for social justice is real, and poets are not silent. The role of the poet is to critique, celebrate, acknowledge, and inspire, to provoke thought and action, and to speak truth to power. Those are the poems sought for publication in 45 Poems of Protest. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora. Genre: Speculative fiction that grapples with the question: “What is the legacy and the future of Africa and the African Diaspora?” "We want authors and poets from the African continent and the African Diaspora. More specifically, we want horror, science fiction, fantasy, and alternate history in the following sub-genres: Horror Noire, Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, Sword and Soul, Rococoa, Steamfunk, and Dieselfunk." Payment: POETRY: Any length paid $50USD per poem. REPRINTS: Any length of poetry paid $15USD and 1,000-17,500 words of fiction paid $0.01USD per word. FICTION: 1,000-17,500 words paid $0.08USD per word for the first 1,000 words, and $0.01USD above 1,000 words. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Signs of Life. Genre: Fiction and CNF themed around first- and second-hand experiences of illness and care-giving. "How do experiences of sickness or incapacitation change our bodies, who we are, and how we see the world? And how do they affect the people around us? Writers are asked to write from the point of view of the patient, care-giver (professional or otherwise) or kin."  Payment: $AUD100. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Terraforming Earth for Aliens (a Cli-Fi Anthology of Global Warming Fiction). Genre: Climate fiction. Payment: $20 for each accepted short story, $10 for poems or song lyrics, paid on publication. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Air: Sylphs, Spirits and Swan Maidens (Elemental Anthologies #3). Genre: Fantasy fiction and poetry. "I want to fit as many airy creatures into this anthology as possible, so in addition to sylphs, spirits and swan maidens I want air dragons, fae, griffins, sirens, rocs, Thunderbird, Pegasus… and because I’m open to combining aether with air in this situation why not also hit me with your angels, phantoms, Yōkai  and nymphs too!" Payment: $50 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for stories. $20 CDN flat fee and a paperback copy of the anthology for poems. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Again, Hazardous Imaginings: More Politically Incorrect Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction. "I am looking for stories that, due to their content, viewpoint, and/or subject matter, have little or no chance of being published in the commercial market. Yesterday’s transgressions (those spotlighted in Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions) are today’s cultural virtues and/or commonplaces. What are TODAY’S taboos? What kinds of science fiction stories are verboten in today’s commercial publishing market? What just won’t fly, whether due to shared social beliefs and aversions common to editors, assumptions that editors make about their readerships’ beliefs and aversions, or the commercial pressures of the corporate publishing world? How can these modern-day taboos be illuminated and explored using the unique extrapolative tools of science fiction?" Length: Up to 7,000 words. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Sword & Kettle Press: Corvid Queen — Feminist Fairy Tales. Genre: Fairy tales from a feminist perspective. “We like work based on fairy tales, folklore, myths, and legends. We accept fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and pieces that are in-between.” Length: about 1,000-2,500 words. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Allegory. Genre: Speculative fiction and nonfiction articles about the business of writing. Payment: $15. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Accepts reprints.

Event. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: December 31, 2019. 

70 Writing Contests in December 2019 - No entry fees

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December is a great month for writing contests. This month there are no fewer than 70 contests, and none charge entry fees. Prizes range from $30,000 to envy. (If you win a Pushcart, envy is quite enough.) 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 is past, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck!

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Green Stories Writing Competition. Genre: Interactive fiction about building a sustainable society. Prize: £750: 1st prize £500, 2nd prize £100, third prize £50 plus £50 for best student submission (18-25 years) and £50 for best < 18 year submission. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Frightening First Line Contest. Genre: Scary first line. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1.000.    Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize is sponsored by the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival. Genre: Non-fiction essay between 4 to 10 pages, set in Brooklyn about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. (Up to 2500 words). Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Better Than Starbucks. Genre: Metrical poetry. Your sonnet can be shakespearean, petrarchan, spenserian, rhymed, or slant-rhymed. Blank verse is fine, as long as the sonnet form is clearly identifiable. They'll consider tetrameter, hexameter, etc. as well as pentameter. Prize: $100.  Deadline: December 1, 2019. Previously published work accepted.

The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Tony Quagliano Poetry Fund, International Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to poets who have a published body of work over a period of years. Poems must be in English. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 1, 2019. (Biennial award)

Arnold Adoff Poetry Awards. Genre: Poetry books for children and young adults. Novels in verse, memoirs in verse, collections of original poetry, and edited collections are all acceptable formats for the awards. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Fresh Ink. Genre: Fiction. Prize: Short-story — $1,000 Under 7,500 words; Novelette — $1,500 From 7,500 to 17,499 words; Novella — $2,000 From 17,500 to 39,999 words; Novel — $3,000 40,000 words and over. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Law & Technology International Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to all college and university students around the world. Genre: Essay. (See topics.) Prize: £2,000. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations). Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2019. 

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 1, 2019.

New York Encounter Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry on the theme "Crossing the Divide." Prize:  Cash prizes of $300, $200 and $100 will be awarded to first, second and third place poems.  Deadline: December 2, 2019.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, all genres. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 2, 2019. 

Literature Matters. Restrictions: UK residents. Genre: "Awards will be given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. Launched as part of the RSL’s new Literature Matters programme, priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters." Award: £20,000. Deadline: December 5, 2019.

Polar Expressions Publications Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Short Story. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: December 6, 2019.

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Uncompleted work of nonfiction on a topic of American political or social concern. Prize: $30,000 fellowship. Deadline: December 9, 2019.

Nobrow Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story or CNF on theme of ‘The Censor’. "You can interpret this in any way you wish – it could represent censoring of the past, present and future; the self; the state; or the effects of censorship on everyday life." Prize:  £2000. Deadline: December 9, 2019.

Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2017. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $4000. Deadline: December 10, 2019.

The Sunday Times Audible Story Award. Restrictions: Open to any author who has been published in the UK or Ireland. Genre: Short stories of 6000 words or less. Prize: £30,000. Deadline: December 13, 2019.

Four Way Books: It's No Contest. Restrictions: Book-length manuscript written in English by a New York City resident (5 boroughs) emerging writer for a first or second collection of poems, stories, or a novella.. How to submit: Email your manuscript in one Word or PDF file and include all contact information on your cover page. If you would like, you may include acknowledgments, bio, and notes. You should include a table of contents. Pagination suggestions: aim for at least 45 pages of text for poetry and between 80-150 pages of text for a novella, and 150-250 pages of text for story collections. Kindly send your manuscript to us at editors@fourwaybooks.com. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Prize: Publication, royalties. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Wick Poetry Center: Call for Poems for Peace and Conflict Transformation. Genre: Poetry. "The poems should resonate with the themes of peace, conflict transformation, and student advocacy." They are accepting submissions in three categories: youth (K-12), adult student, or adult non-student.Prize: $500 in each category; $250 for two poets. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California.   Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Literary Nonfiction (Kansas Book Award). Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Novel or collection of short stories published within the last three years. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Kent State University Peace Poetry Contest. Genre: Poems, maximum 100 lines, on "themes of peace, conflict transformation, and student advocacy". Prize: $500. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create literary, media, visual, and performing works of art. Prize: 25 BRIO grants of $3,000 each are awarded to Bronx artists. BRIO award winners complete a one-time public service activity. Deadline: December 16, 2019.

Be Animal Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. Narrate an account of an experience in your life that brought you closer to nature. (OR) Write a short piece on your ideal utopia and some of the things you would find there. (OR) Write an informational piece on something that we could all adopt to live a happier, healthier life - whether it’s an ideology, dietary improvements or physical activity! Prize: Trip to India and 599€. Deadline: December 16, 2019.

Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 19, 2019.

Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 20, 2019.

Yardley Fantasy Song Competition (For Published Authors). Genre: Songs written as a part of a published fantasy story of typical length by any author. Prize: $250 plus 1% royalties. Deadline: December 20, 2019.

Christmas Terror. Genre: Horror and dark poetry. Prize: Complete formatting of your book, original artwork, and a month of promotion. Deadline: December 20, 2019.

The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award.  Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

Lyric Poetry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

George Bogin Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 23, 2019.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2019. No self-published books. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2019.

Writers' HQ Flash Quarterly Contest. Genre: Unpublished flash fiction, 500 words max. Prize: 450 pounds. Top three winners win membership to Writers' HQ, a British writing resource site, and admission to three WHQ writing retreats. Winners outside the UK can substitute a manuscript critique for the retreats. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Solution Loans Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to UK residents 18 years and up. Genre: Short fiction on theme of "Coins." Prize: £200 and publication on the Solution Loans website. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250.  Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Read details HERE.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2019. Read details HERE.

Best Translated Book Awards for Fiction. Genre: All original translations published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 are eligible. Reprints and retranslation are ineligible. Prize: $5,000.00. Two awards of $5,000: one apiece for the author and translator of the winning book in fiction. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Natan Notable Books Award. Genre: Recen­t­­ly pub­­lished or soon to be pub­lished nonfic­­tion book on Jew­ish themes. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Society of Classical Poets, High School Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genre: Poetry. Three poems not exceeding 108 lines. The poems must be within the four themes used by the Society. Prize: First Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Society of Classical Poets, Poetry Translation Competition. Genre: Poetry not exceeding 108 lines. Prize: First Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Ouen Press Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story on theme of "The Gift." Prize: £300 top prize. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Viva la Novella. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand writers. Genre: Novella. Prize: $1,000 and publication in Seizure. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Lex:lead Essay Competition. Restrictions: Finalists must show citizenship in an eligible country and enrollment in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country to be confirmed for award. Genre: Essay on topic: How can access to justice reduce poverty and support economic development? Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2019. You must register by October 31.

The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry chapbook. Prize: $350. Deadline: December 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: December 31, 2019.

Dapim: Studies on the Holocaust Article Prize Competition. Genre: Nonfiction of 7,000-10,000 words about the Holocaust. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: December 31, 2019.    Questions/submissions: dapim_h@univ.haifa.ac.il

Best Translated Book Awards for Poetry. Genre: All original translations published between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019 are eligible. Reprints and retranslation are ineligible. Prize: $5,000.00. Two awards of $5,000: one apiece for the author and translator of the winning book in fiction. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

USNI General Prize Essay Contest. Restrictions: Authors must be USNI members or those eligible for membership. Genre: Essay "to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to national defense.” Prize: $6,000. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300.   Deadline: December 31, 2019.

The Caribbean Writer Prizes. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays, and one-act plays of up to 3500 words/10 pages by any author. The work must relate to the Caribbean in some way. The theme is “Dignity, power, and place in the Caribbean space.” Multiple awards categories. The work must be accepted into The Caribbean Writer, where it will automatically be considered for this prize. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

Center Field of Gravity Award. Genre: Science-fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories or long-form poems up to but not exceeding 17,000 words. Prize: $200. Deadline: December 31, 2019.

3 Great Writing Conferences in December 2019

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

The New York Pitch Conference and the CLMP Writers Conference are well worth attending if you are ready to publish a book. These conferences draw editors from all the major publishing houses, as well as agents who want to hear your pitch. If you write commercial fiction or nonfiction, these conferences are career starters.

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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CLMP Writers Conference. December 5 - 6, 2019: NY, NY. This two-day publishing conference features panels, Agent Pitch Sessions, Query Letter Clinics, and more—specifically designed to deliver insider tips on finding a literary agent, working with an editor, publishing in literary magazines, and other valuable information about building your career as a writer

New York Pitch Conference. Dec 12 - 15, 2019: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. The registration fee until December 5 is $795.00, and $895.00 after that date. This fee covers all conference pitch sessions and workshops.

The 2019 Mesa Book Festival. December 14, 2019, Mesa, Arizona. The festival features presentations, readings, visits with authors, and a poetry open mic. "Everyone! Authors, Publishers, and Book Sellers are invited to  register for space to showcase, promote, and sell their books. Readers are invited to come and buy their books direct. We're encouraging a wide variety of literary arts purveyors to share their work to create a bigger audience for everyone." All events are free and open to the public.

4 UK Agents Actively Expanding Their Client Lists

Updated 8/28/23

Here are four UK agents actively expanding their client lists. Kate Evans is seeking narrative nonfiction and fiction. Andrew Gordon is interested in handling quality non-fiction projects of all kinds as well as fiction. Lauren Gardner is looking for non-fiction projects ranging from people undertaking extraordinary challenges and having amazing adventures, to celebrities, aspiring foodies and lifestyle brands. She has a passion for children’s literature and is also looking for YA and middle grade debuts with heart, humor and maybe a supernatural twist or two. Jon Wood  is looking for entertaining and diverse stories, well told from  right across the spectrum – crime, thrillers, bookclub fiction and SFF. He is also interested in narrative non-fiction, popular science, sport, politics and ideas projects.

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

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

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Ms. Kate Evans of Peters Fraser & Dunlop

Kate Evans is an agent representing books and journalism and Publisher of Agora Books. She studied English Literature and Journalism in Australia and New York and worked variously in music, magazines, and literary festivals before beginning her publishing career at Hachette Australia in 2012. She joined PFD in 2014 and launched Agora Books in 2018.

What she is seeking: Kate is looking for beautiful narrative non-fiction with a strong voice, inspiring new approaches to relationships, business, or everyday life, writing that makes social, political, and economic issues accessible and engaging, or intriguing cultural & scientific commentary. Fiction that does the same and/ or writing that makes her want to read and re-read individual sentences are equally welcome. 

How to submit: Please send us the first three chapters of your novel or non-fiction project, as well as a full synopsis. In the body of the email, please send a query letter, including brief details about your writing career to kevans@pfd.co.uk

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Mr. Andrew Gordon of David Higham Associates Ltd

Andrew joined DHA in 2007 after a fifteen-year career in publishing, and is a director of the company. He worked in publicity at Hodder & Stoughton before moving to Little, Brown, where he began commissioning both fiction and non-fiction. In 2001 he moved to Simon & Schuster, rising to head of non-fiction.

What he is seeking: He is interested in handling quality non-fiction projects of all kinds, and welcomes approaches from experts in their field who want to communicate their ideas to a wider audience. In fiction, he likes novels that grab the attention.

How to submit: Please send a one-page synopsis that gives a full explanation of the plot, and the first three chapters or up to fifty pages (double spaced). Read submission details HERE.

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Mr. Jon Wood of Rogers, Coleridge & White

Jon Wood has worked in UK publishing for over twenty years. After a brief career in sales, he moved over to become a commissioning editor at Hodder in 1998, before joining Orion Publishing in 2000. During his editorial career he has worked with authors such as Ian Rankin, Harlan Coben, Kate Mosse, Anthony Horowitz, Andy McNab, Michelle Paver, Denise Mina, RJ Ellory and Joanne Harris. From 2003, he ran the Orion Fiction imprint before later combining that with responsibility for the Victor Gollancz SFF list. In 2015, he was promoted to the role of Orion Group Publisher. In 2018, he moved to Rogers, Coleridge and White and is now building a list of commercial fiction and non-fiction projects.

What he is seeking: He is looking for entertaining and diverse stories, well told from  right across the spectrum – crime, thrillers, bookclub fiction and SFF. He is also interested in narrative non-fiction, popular science, sport, politics and ideas projects.

How to submit: Submissions should include a query letter telling us about yourself and the background to the book. In the case of fiction send the first three chapters or approximately the first fifty pages of the work to a natural break, and a brief synopsis. For non-fiction send a proposal up to twenty pages in length explaining what the work is about and why you are best placed to write it. Send your submission to: jonw@rcwlitagency.com Opens to queries during shout-out weeks.

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Lauren Gardner of Bell Lomax Moreton Agency

Lauren joined the team in April 2014 as literary assistant and has been agenting full time since October 2015.  She graduated in 2009 with a degree in English Literature and Drama from the University of Manchester, and has a background in lifestyle journalism and PR.

What she is seeking: Lauren is currently building her list and is looking for non-fiction projects ranging from people undertaking extraordinary challenges and having amazing adventures, to celebrities, aspiring foodies and lifestyle brands.  She has a passion for children’s literature and is also looking for YA and middle grade debuts with heart, humour and maybe a supernatural twist or two.

How to submit: All submissions can be emailed to agency@bell-lomax.co.uk Please do not send submissions addressed for the attention of more than one agent within the agency.

7 Literary Agents Actively Seeking Nonfiction, Memoir, YA, Literary Fiction and more

Updated 8/27/23

Here are seven agents actively building their client lists. Maile Beal is seeking nonfiction and YA. Maggie Cooper is seeking historical novels, cookbooks and unclassifiable projects. Heather Carr is seeking nonfiction and literary novels. Ian Bonaparte is actively acquiring in the areas of journalistic reportage, current events, science, creative memoir, and history, and is especially interested in social justice. Abigail Frank is passionate about stories for young people, especially those that are hilarious, poetic, quietly heartbreaking, and/or swoon-worthy. She is also looking for select adult fiction and nonfiction. Melanie Figueroa is actively looking for fiction and narrative nonfiction. Chelsea Eberly represents authors of middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, and women’s fiction, as well as writer-illustrators of picture books.

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

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

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Ms. Maile Beal of Arc Literary Management

Maile Beal joined Arc Literary Management in 2021 after over 5 years at the Carol Mann Agency. She began her career as an intern before becoming subrights manager and assistant to Myrsini Stephanides and eventually growing her own client list. She is passionate about advocating for writers and artists so that they are empowered to create work that will have a lasting impact - books in which readers will see themselves represented, find tools for social change, learn something new, connect with a different perspective, and deepen their understanding of the world.

What she is seeking: Maile is interested in adult non-fiction as well as children’s, middle grade, and YA fiction and non-fiction. In all categories, she is looking for projects that amplify underrepresented voices and untold stories.

In adult nonfiction, Maile is interested in journalistic, investigative deep dives, narrative retellings of untold histories, business and leadership resources centering underestimated identities, lifestyle and cookbooks with a fresh, personal hook, and unexpected humor and gift books.

In children’s, Maile is seeking fiction and non-fiction in all age categories. In picture books and MG, she gravitates toward heartfelt, earnest stories that use humor and silliness to connect with readers. In YA, she’s drawn to voice driven projects focusing on community and relationships with strong, complex characters that will stick with readers beyond the last page.

How to submit: Use her Query Manager HERE.

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Ms. Maggie Cooper of Aevitas Creative Management

Maggie Cooper comes to Aevitas from the world of of small presses, academic publishing, and literary journals. A 2016 graduate of the Clarion Writers Workshop, she holds a degree in English from Yale University and earned her MFA in fiction from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she served as an editor for The Greensboro Review.

What she is seeking: Maggie is a passionate reader with a taste for imaginative, genre-bending fiction; capacious historical novels; beautifully told queer stories; and smart, feminist happy endings. Her other loves include unclassifiable book projects, food and cookbooks, and writing that interrogates whiteness, capitalism, and the heteropatriarchy.

How to submit: Use her Query Manager HERE. Note: Maggie will re-open to queries at a later date.

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Ms. Heather Carr of The Friedrich Agency

“After two and a half years at Trident Media Group, I joined The Friedrich Agency in March 2018 and am thrilled to be part of this small, close-knit team."

What she is seeking: "I’m drawn to voice-driven nonfiction that teaches me something new while never losing personal warmth and/or zaniness. There’s a specific kind of alchemy that happens for me when a nonfiction writer marries their command of a subject with personal vulnerability. I’m also interested in long-form journalism of any type, but especially as it relates to gender and sexuality. In fiction, I love literary novels about dysfunctional families and friendships, high-concept commercial fiction, and anything with a singular voice." 

How to submit: Query Heather at hcarr@friedrichagency.com

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Ian Bonaparte of Janklow & Nesbit

Ian began his career in publishing at Farrar, Straus & Giroux, where he worked at the nexus of sales, publicity, and marketing. Having booked tours, pitched and edited essays from authors across Macmillan, and rescued numerous readings from disaster and near-miss, he departed for the agency world, joining Janklow & Nesbit in 2016. A graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course at the Columbia Journalism School, Ian holds a B.A. in English with a focus in Creative Writing from Vanderbilt University.

What he is seeking: He is actively acquiring in the areas of journalistic reportage, current events, science, big idea, creative memoir, and history, and is especially interested in social justice, radical thought, and moving the Overton window of discourse. He is able to help writers place journalism and op-eds. With an extensive background in editing fiction, he is also seeking a select list of fiction writers, and is interested in seeing any novel that is both moving and plot-driven.

How to submit: For email submissions, please send your material to submissions@janklow.com. Please see the website for detailed instructions.

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Abigail Frank of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates

Abigail joined the Greenburger team in 2017 after interning at Writers House. Formerly an assistant to Brenda Bowen, she now assists Faith Hamlin with her extraordinary and eclectic list of clients. Abigail graduated with a degree in English Literature from Swarthmore College and worked in healthcare before pursuing her passion for books. Find her mostly retweeting @abigailcrfrank

What she is seeking: Abigail is passionate about stories for young people, especially those that are hilarious, poetic, quietly heartbreaking, and/or swoon-worthy, and she cares about voice, above all. She gravitates towards picture books that feel entirely original, chapter books with big personalities, and novels about unforgettable teens falling in love. She is committed to advocating for the work of marginalized authors and artists, and she’s actively looking for stories that allow young readers to recognize themselves in the books they love. She is also looking for select adult fiction and nonfiction.

To submit your work: Query Abigail at afrank@sjga.com under the subject line “QUERY – project title.” Please include a brief bio in your cover letter and your full manuscript or proposal as an attachment. If you are a visual artist, please also include a link to your portfolio. If Abigail believes your work might be a good fit for her list, she will be in touch within 4-6 weeks. Due to the volume of queries she receives, she is unable to respond personally to each submission.

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Melanie Figeroa of Root Literary

After graduating with an MS in writing and book publishing from Portland State University, Melanie worked as an editorial project manager at Quarto and then as a freelance editor for several years before joining Root Literary in 2018. She lives in Anaheim with my husband, a local sous chef, and a pack of animals currently comprised of two cats, one dog, and a geriatric turtle.

What she is seeking: "I'm actively looking for fiction and narrative nonfiction. I'm especially excited to find high-concept commercial and literary leaning general fiction, young adult novels with a strong voice and propulsive pacing, and heartfelt and humorous middle grade novels across genres. I was born and raised in Southern California in a multi-cultural, blended family, so I have a soft spot for books that shine a spotlight on the nuances of family relationships and identity."

How to submit: Please send a query letter and the first 20 pages of your manuscript to Melanie via her Query Manager form.

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Ms. Chelsea Eberly of Greenhouse Literary Agency

"I began my publishing career as an editor of Kindergarten and Pre-K reading textbooks at McGraw-Hill, which gave me a solid respect for everything the School/Library market does, but I always knew that children's book publishing was my true passion. After attending the Columbia Publishing Course, I joined Random House Books for Young Readers, where I rose to become a Senior Editor. I've had the pleasure of publishing multiple award-winning and New York Times bestselling books, editing authors such as Tamora Pierce, Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Sarah J. Maas, Matt de la Peña, Mark Siegel, Julia Walton, and Jessica Cluess to name only a few."

What she is seeking: Chelsea Eberly represents authors of middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, and women’s fiction, as well as writer-illustrators of picture books. "I am actively building my list and am primarily interested in fantasy, magical realism, contemporary fiction (particularly romance, thrillers, and humor), and graphic novels—though please surprise me with an excellent read that I didn’t know I needed! I have a soft spot for literary when there’s a strong plot propelling the reader forward. I am interested in projects from underrepresented and marginalized voices. I am also interested in reads that thoughtfully address mental health and learning disabilities as part of the story but not necessarily the main focus. I am open to non-fiction with a unique point of view and/or a platform-driven project."

How to submit: See site for submission guidelines.  Note: Chelsea Eberly is closed to queries except by referral. She will reopen at a later date.