87 Calls for Submissions in March 2021 - Paying markets

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

I post calls for submissions 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!

Image credit: Pixabay

_____________________

Thema: A Postcard from the Past. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: A Postcard from the Past. Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2021.  Accepts reprints.

The Blue Route. Restrictions: Only the work of current undergraduate writers will be considered. Genres: Fiction, or creative nonfiction totaling no more than 3000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Welcome to the Bear Creek Gazette. Genre: Anything you would find in a regular news portal for a town that does not exist. "Think Welcome to Night Vale, The Wicker Man, Twin Peaks and you are on the right track." Payment: $30. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Evil Cookie Publishing: Gorefest. Genre: Horror. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Parabola: Young & Old. Genre: Retellings of traditional stories: 500-1500 words, original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Cuppatea Publications: We Cryptids. Genre: Urban fantasy about cryptids (like Bigfoot, Nessie, vampires, werewolves, kraken, etc) Payment: $200 + royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Canthius. Genres: Unpublished poetry and prose (both fiction and creative non-fiction – "we welcome experimental works and play excerpts). Please limit prose submissions to 3500 words and poetry submissions to five poems." Payment: $50 for one page, $75 for two pages, $100 for three, $125 for four pages, and $150 for five pages or more, regardless of genre. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Carousel. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Payment: Poetry: $20 per poem — Fiction: $40–$80 per story — Experimental Reviews: $20–$40 per review. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

OUT THERE: Into the Queer New Yonder! Restrictions: Open to queer YA authors. Genre: Speculative fiction about queer teen protagonists, set in the future. Payment: $900 (US) plus a pro-rated share of any royalties received on the sale of the anthology. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Short stories and poetry. See themes. Payment: 20.00 USD for featured authors, or $10.00 USD for stories published on their &More page and $5.00 USD for poems. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

PTMN.TEAU. Genre: Fiction & creative non-fiction; Poetry & prose; Short & long-form writing. Submissions may be no longer than 5,000 words. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Combined Work from underprivileged individuals. Payment: $5. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

B Cubed Press. Genre: Fiction, essays, and poetry on three themes: Protest Diaries: “Stories from the front lines of revolutions throughout history.” Alternative War: “War shapes the world through technology, boarders, and norms. What will come next?” Stories can take place anywhere in time and space. Alternative Deathliness: “Death brings so many options” – this anthology will be a “fun filled romp into the concept and nature of Death.” Payment: 2 cents/word plus royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Contrary Magazine. Genres: Fiction and poetry. Payment: $20 per author. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: March 2, 2021.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of “Healers, Midwives and Cunning Folk.” Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: March 3, 2021.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on Theme of Purple. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

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: March 7, 2021.  Opens to submissions on March 1.

Augur. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. "Send us your dreamy, your quiet fantasy, your soft scifi, your literary pulp, your liminal, your slipstream, your fabulism." Payment: $60/poem; $0.11/word fiction. CAD. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

Into the Void. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $10 per poem, flash fiction or visual art piece, and $20 per long-form prose piece. Deadline: March 7, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

Mslexia. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "PORTRAIT: For Issue 90 we’re looking or pieces about artists and their subjects, about seeing and being seen, about paint, pencil and film." Payment: £25. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Lightspeed. Genre: Original, unpublished science fiction short story or novelette by writers who identify as BIPOC. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Cricket Media: Faces: Great Cities of the World: Athens Genre: Nonfiction articles, fiction, activities for children. Send query only. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Dark Carnival Anthology. Genre: Circus and carnival themed horror stories. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

Aesthetic: A Dark Academia Anthology. Genre: Young Adult and New Adult Dark Academia short stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

DreamForge Anvil. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction. Payment: Between $0.04 and $0.06/word. Deadline: March 13, 2021.

Shoreline of Infinity. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy. Payment: £10/1000 words. Deadline: March 13, 2021.

Flame Tree Publishing: Chilling Crime Anthology. Genre: Crime stories. "It's time to turn to the darker side: the cold cases, the grim murders, the desperate villains, and the race against time to solve the crime. We're seeking up to 20 new stories to join our powerful collection of Chilling Crime Short Stories, new and classic tales reaching back into ancient, medieval, Elizabethan and Victorian fiction. From Oedipus Rex and Medea to Thomas More's story of the Princes in the Tower, Scheherazade's 'The Three Apples' and the chilling crime fiction of Dickens, Poe, Henry James, Baroness Orczy and Wilkie Collins." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: March 14, 2021.

Blackbird. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir excerpts. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline:  March 15, 2021.

Unsettling Reads: Hope Screams Eternal. Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Literary, and/or Sci-Fi. Stories, art, and poems that unsettle, unnerve, frighten, discomfit, challenge, and/or just generally entertain. Must use one of these words: Hatch, Resurrect, Bunny, Seed(s). 7500 words max. Payment: $20. Deadline:  March 15, 2021.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Colors and Art Therapy.  Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Lightspeed. Genre: Original, unpublished science fiction short story or novelette. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Hungry Zine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction about food. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry on theme of Weird West. Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

The Periodical, Forlorn. Genre: Tales of maritime disaster. Elements of the supernatural are welcome, as are stories that utilize elements of horror and science-fiction. Payment: $15. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

In the Nick of Time. Genre: Thriller short stories. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Pitches for essays addressing/highlighting/grappling with the evolution of the genre. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Gutter. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction. Payment: £25. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Bracken. Genre: Poetry and art. "Bracken is a literary magazine born of the love of the woods and its shadows." Payment: $30. Deadline: March 16, 2021.

Strange Horizons. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 10¢/word USD. Deadline: March 16, 2021.

86 Logic: A Celebration of Artists from the Hospitality Industry. Restrictions: You must have worked in the hospitality industry at some point in your life. Genre: Poetry, prose, fiction, art, comics, photography, and non-fiction/journalism. Payment: $15. Deadline: March 16, 2021.

carte blanche. Genre: Comics, Photography, Poetry, and Translations on theme of Resilience. Payment: Modest honorarium.  Deadline: March 18, 2021.

Unbound: The Experiment Will Not Be Bound: An Experimental Anthology of American Writing. Genre: Experimental writing. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Translunar Travelers Lounge. Restrictions: BIPOC writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. Deadline: March 21, 2021. 

Nightmare Magazine. Genre: Horror, dark fantasy short stories, flash fiction, poetry. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Dreaming the Goddess Anthology. Genre: Short stories between 2,500 and 20,000 words. Each story must have a Pagan, Heathen, Occult influence that has a spark of truth in regards to the connection with the  feminine aspect of the divine. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Sundamaged. Genre: Personal essays, impersonal essays, CNF and fiction up to 5,000 words, and prose poetry of up to a page in length. The piece must be related to their themes of travel, anti-travel or neo travel in some way. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: March 21, 2021.

Wight Christmas. Genre: Holiday horror, and in particular stories that subvert Christmas tropes and seasonal clichés. "We are seeking dark reinterpretations of seasonal traditions, and stories that reimagine holiday characters as ghosts, demons, spirits, supernatural entities, or other paranormal phenomena." Payment: CAD 1/2 CENT per word for originals; 50% for reprints (i.e. CAD 1/4 CENT per word). Deadline: March 23, 2021. Reprints accepted.

Strange Horizons. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 10¢/word USD. Deadline: March 23, 2021.

Griffith Review 73: Hey, Utopia! Genre: Essays and creative non-fiction, reportage, fiction, poetry, memoir and picture stories. "This edition of Griffith Review visits utopias old and new, near and far, to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of imagining a better future." Payment: Negotiated. Deadline: March 25, 2021.

The Puritan. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 per nonfiction piece, $50 fiction, $15 per poem. Deadline: March 25, 2021.

Strange Religion. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Strange Religion fills a lacuna in the field of speculative short fiction, which often does not treat religion with sufficient depth and thoughtfulness. These stories reconsider theological topics—incarnation, reincarnation, revelation, miracles, and the like—through the lens of science fiction and fantasy." Payment: CAD 2c/word for originals; 50% rate for reprints. Deadline: March 28, 2021. Reprints accepted.

Strange Wars. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Strange Wars explores military conflict through speculative fiction. These are stories with an original take on organized aggression." Payment: CAD 2c/word for originals; 50% rate for reprints. Deadline: March 28, 2021. Reprints accepted.

The Omens Call. Genre: Horror on theme of Omens. Payment: $20 - $30. Deadline: March 28, 2021.

Voiceworks, Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Nonfiction on theme of Pickle. Pitches only. Payment: $100. Deadline: March 28, 2021.

Inked in Gray. Genre: Full-length manuscripts. Payment: Royalties? Deadline: March 30, 2021.

Strange Horizons. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 10¢/word USD. Deadline: March 30, 2021.

Dragon Soul Press: Spacebound. Genre: Science Fiction. "All stories must include elements of sci-fi. Whether discovering aliens, space travel, or terraforming new planets are involved, the options are endless." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Glass Poetry Press. Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Yellow Arrow Journal. Genre: Creative nonfiction, poetry, cover art by authors that identify as women. Theme: Renascence. Payment: $10. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Epoch Press. Genre: Creative nonfiction submissions of writing, artwork and music on theme of Space. Payment: £15 per accepted piece. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Hiraeth Books: parABnormal Magazine. Genre: Stories, poetry, nonfiction about the paranormal. Payment: $25 for fiction, $20 for articles, $7 for reviews, $6 per poem. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy up to 6,000 words. Podcast. Payment: $0.08 per word USD for original fiction, $100 flat rate for reprints over 1,500 words, and $20 flat rate for flash fiction reprints (stories below 1,500 words). Deadline: March 31, 2021. Reprints accepted.

Engen Books: 2SLGBTQAI+ Community Anthology. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Stories by and for the 2SLGBTQAI+ community that feature 2SLGBTQAI+ characters in any stage of life and from a range of cultures, identities, and experiences in a wide variety of genres and styles, including General Fiction, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, and most other genres. Payment: $0.01 CAD per word to an upper limit of 7,500 words. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Bloodroot. Restrictions: Open to all writers who currently live in one of the six New England states, but stories do not need to be set in New England. (The six New England states are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.) Genre: Mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, historical, and horror.  Payment: $25. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Crypt. Genre: Fiction or poetry of any theme / genre will be considered, as long as there’s at least a hint of darkness. Length: 500 words max. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Misspelled – Magic Gone Awry. Genre: Short stories no more than 7000 words exploring the theme of magic and the mishaps that could happen with its use. Payment: $50. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Southword. Genre: Fiction. Payment: €250 per short story. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Parks & Points & Poetry. Genre: Poetry inspired by nature. "We invite poetry submissions that reflect upon nature, outdoor exploration, and accompanying moments of adventurousness or self-reflection." Payment: $10. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Black Cat Mystery Magazine Presents Cozies. Genre: Contemporary and traditional mysteries, thrillers, suspense stories, private eye stories, cozy stories, and edgy, noir-tinged stories up to 15,000 words. Payment: 3 cents per word ($250 maximum) on or before publication, plus 2 copies of the magazine. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Westerly. Genre: Short stories, poetry, memoir and creative non-fiction, essays and literary criticism. Payment: Poems: $120 for one poem or $150 for two or more poems; Stories: $180; Articles: $180; Visual art/Intro essay: $120; Reviews: $100; Online Publication: $100. "We expect our contributors to be subscribers of the Magazine. While we will accept submissions from non-subscribers, should your work be accepted for publication in this instance, you will be asked to accept a subscription to the Magazine as part payment for your work." Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Rush. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art. "We're looking for high-energy pieces that reflect the rush of life." Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

11:11 Press is a small indie publisher located in Minneapolis. Genre: They publish full length fiction, poetry, and hybrid manuscripts. See submission details here. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Were-Traveler: My job is a Hellhole! Genre: Fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, humor, and science fiction short stories and drabbles. “Working for demons, imps, devils, and other minions of hell. Your boss is a denizen of the underworld, but the story can take place in any setting. Any setting means: hell, another planet, Modern Earth, Future Earth. Heaven? Sure why not? Maybe there’s an employee exchange program between heaven and hell.” Payment: Up to $15. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times. Genre: True stories and poems. "Tough times won’t last but tough people will. We are looking for stories about how you have been affected and how you are handling the changes in your life. We’re looking for the ups and downs, so share the tough times but also the silver linings, the unexpected blessings, and resilience and gratitude that you have discovered." Payment: $200. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for true personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. We’re looking for amazing stories that will make people say “wow” or give our readers chills. Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? Were you the only person who saw your angel? How did your angel protect or guide you?" Payment: $200. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Verve Poetry Press. Genre: Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Red Cape Publishing: A-Z of Horror – I is for Internet. Genre: Horror. Payment: £10. Deadline:  March 31, 2021.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: March 31, 2021. Note: Submit early in the month.

Mikrokosmos: Mojo. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF. Payment: $15. Deadline: March 31, 2021. 

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $100. Deadline: March 31, 2021. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee. 

Rialto. Genre: Poetry. Payment: £20. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Roulette. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays by Queer folk. Payment: $15 minimum. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Banshee. Genre: Short stories, flash fiction, essays. Payment: "Small payment." Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Aster(ix) is a transnational feminist literary arts journal committed to social justice and translation, placing women of color at the center of the conversation. Genre: Fiction. Payment: $250. Deadline: March 31, 2021. Accepts reprints.

AND A FEW MORE...

West Branch. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. Payment: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Temz Review. Genre: Fiction and creative non-fiction up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Inklings: Tales From Alternate Earths. Genre: Alternative history. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Tales From the Magician’s Skull. Genre: Sword-and-sorcery fantasy. Payment: 4 cents per word. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Iron Horse Literary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Salamander. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays, and hybrid prose works. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

Zone3 Press. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC authors. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

The HerStories Project. Restrictions: Open to Gen-X women at midlife. Genre: "Our next anthology will be about how midlife women have fared during this pandemic. We want to publish stories of how women's lives have changed — their work lives, their family lives, their marriage and partnerships, their friendships, their relationships with their community." Payment: $50. Deadline: April 1, 2021.

68 Writing Contests in March 2021 - No entry fees

This March there are more than five dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $60,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

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

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

Good luck! 

________________________

Bergman Prize. Genre: First or second collection of poetry. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

North Carolina State Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to North Carolina residents with no published books. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Toronto Star Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Ontario residents 16 years of age or older. Genre: Short story. Prize: 1st prize - $5000; 2nd prize - $2000, 3rd prize - $1000. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Writing for Peace. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 13-19. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. "Writing for Peace challenges young writers to expand their empathy skills by researching an unfamiliar culture and writing from the point-of-view of a character within that new world, while exploring social, political, and environmental pressures, and universal themes." Prize: $200.  Deadline: March 1, 2021.

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: March 1, 2021.

International Young Writers Prize (for High School Aged Writers). Restrictions: Open to high school student writers (ages 14-18) from around the world. Genre: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for young adults & children, & hybrid work. Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Alabama Arts Council Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to any author who has lived in Alabama for at least 2 years. Genre: Fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction of 10-20 pages. Prize: $5,000.  Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Mississippi Artists Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to permanent residents of Mississippi. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Balticon Poetry Contest. Sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Genre: Speculative poetry. Prize: 1st prize: $100; 2nd prize: $75; 3rd prize: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is "underwater." Prize: £5,000. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Ungar German Translation Award is bestowed biennially in odd-numbered years. Genre: Book-length literary translation translated from German into English and published in the United States between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. Prize: $1,000, a certificate of recognition, and up to $500 toward expenses for attending the ATA Annual Conference in San Francisco, California.   Deadline: March 1, 2021. Contest held in odd years.

United States/Japan Creative Artists Residencies. This is a 3-5 month residency in Japan. Grant: $24,000. Deadline: March 1, 2021. 

Beverly Hopkins Memorial Poetry Contest for High School Students. Restrictions: High school students living within 100 miles of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Prize: First prize $200, Second prize $125, Third prize $75. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Grant MacEwan Creative Writing Scholarship is sponsored by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Genres: Poetry, Short Fiction & Creative Nonfiction, Drama, or Graphic Novel. Restrictions: Authors must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate creative writing program of study or mentorship. (Max age 25) Alberta residents only. Prize: $5000 (CAN). Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. 1,500 - 2,500 words. "We want to hear your COVID-19 story. What has the virus taught you about life? If you were not infected, what has your experience been like as an “outsider?" Prize: 1st Place - $1,500, 2nd Place - $750, 3rd Place - $300, Two Honorable Mentions - $200 each. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

The Waterman Fund Essay Contest. Genre: Personal essays between 2000 and 3000 words. The topic is, simply, changes in the wild. Prizes: The winning essayist will be awarded $1500 and publication in Appalachia Journal. The Honorable Mention essay will receive $500. Deadline: March 2, 2021.

Spectator Competition No. 3189: Heaven scent. Genre: Poem. "You are invited to submit a poem about a favourite smell." Email entries of up to 16 lines to lucy at spectator.co.uk. Prize: £30. Deadline: March 3, 2021. (Registration required)

On The Premises: Repairs. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which one or more characters try to repair something. The “something” can be tangible (e.g., a smartphone, a bad haircut, a broken leg) or intangible (e.g., a relationship). The judges don’t care whether the characters succeed in their repair efforts, so long as they try." Prize: $250 for first place, $200 for second, $150 for third. Deadline: March 5, 2021.

The FuPo Poetry Contest. Genre: “FUnny and POignant” poems under 60 lines. "We want witty, we want dark humor, we want to look at things in a new way or learn a fact that fits perfectly into a well-told-tale. We aren’t looking for linguistic puzzles, but we’re also not looking for Ogden Nash—apologies to Nashites." Prize: 1st Place: $250, 2nd Place $100, 3rd Place $50. All submissions are considered for publication in Coastal Shelf (which has a payment of $30 currently). Deadline: March 5, 2021.

Coastal Shelf Ceiling 200 Contest. Genre: Very short fiction or prose poetry under 200 words. Prize: 1st Place: $250, 2nd Place $100, 3rd Place $50. All submissions are considered for publication in Coastal Shelf (which has a payment of $30 currently). Deadline: March 5, 2021.

Jane Martin Poetry Prize (UK). Restrictions: Open to UK residents between 18 and 30 years of age. Genre: Poetry. Prize: £700, second prize, £300. Deadline: March 5, 2021.

The Young Romantics Prize. Genre: Essays or poem on theme of  'Writ in Water'. Essays may be on any aspect of the works or lives of the Romantics and their circles, should be no more than 3,000 words including quotations, and should be written in a clear and accessible style. Prize: £5,000. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Separate categories for published and unpublished books. Self-published books accepted. Prize: £15,000. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

"It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Grades 6-12. Genre: Short story, and flash fiction, unpublished. Prize: 1st Place $250, 2nd Place $150, 3rd Place $100. Deadline: March 7, 2021.

Forward Prizes. Genre: Collections and single poems published in the UK and Ireland between September 2019 and September 2020 are eligible for the Prizes. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: £1,000 to £10,000. Deadline: March 8, 2021.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Genre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between October 1, 2020 and March 9, 2021. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $25,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between October 1, 2020 and March 9, 2021. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

Spectator Competition No. 3190: first and worst. Genre: "You are invited to supply the first paragraph of your least favourite type of novel." Email entries of up to 150 words to lucy at spectator.co.uk. Prize: £30. Deadline: March 10, 2021. (Registration required)

NEA Literature Fellowships are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Prize: $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: March 10, 2021.

Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing and Journalism Fellowship. Restrictions: Established and recognized authors are being sought, but emerging and mid-career writers are also encouraged to apply. Genre: Seeking creative writers (poetry, fiction, nonfiction), or those in the field of journalism (writer, photojournalist, videographer, documentary filmmaker, online or print media) who demonstrate serious inquiry and dedication to the Greater Yellowstone region through their work. Fellowship: $3,500. Deadline: March 11, 2021.

Neltje Blanchan/Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Awards. Restrictions: Wyoming writers. Genres: The Frank Nelson Doubleday Award is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a woman writer. The Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world. Prize: $1,000.00. Deadline: March 11, 2021.

The Ulysses Writing Contest. Restrictions: You must be 18 years or older to enter. Open to US and Canada (excluding Quebec) only. Genre: Prose and poetry inspired by Disney's Flora & Ulysses. Prize: $500. Deadline: March 12, 2021.

White River Environmental Law Writing Competition is sponsored by the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law and Vermont Law School. Restrictions: Open to all students currently pursuing a degree (J.D. or LL.M) at an accredited law school in the United States. Submissions written as a class component, as a journal requirement, or otherwise for academic credit are acceptable. Genre: Original essays addressing any relevant topic in the fields of environmental law, natural resource law, energy law, environmental justice, land use law, animal law, and agricultural law. Prize: $1000 cash prize and an offer of publication with the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law. Deadline: March 14, 2021.

BBC National Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over, who have a history of publication in creative writing. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: £15,000 to the winner, £3,000 for the runner-up and £500 for three further shortlisted writers. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2020. Prize: $250. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

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: March 15, 2021.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative flash fiction that reflect the artwork they’ve chose for each month.(See site for images.) Prize: $10 USD. Deadline: March 15, 2021. Note: This is a monthly contest.

Tartts Fiction Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans. Genre: Short story collection. Prize: Winning short story collection will be published by Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama, in simultaneous library binding and trade paper editions. Winning entry will receive $1000, plus their standard royalty contract, which includes 100 copies of the book. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Hodson Trust–John Carter Brown Library Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction (includes creative nonfiction). A book-in-process relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Award: $20,000. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers. Genre: An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

The Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers resident in the UK and Ireland who have yet to secure a publishing deal. Genre: Proposal for a book-length essay (minimum 25,000 words). Prize: £3,000 advance against publication with Fitzcarraldo Editions. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Harper’s Bazaar short-story competition 2021. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over. Genre: Original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Threads’ up to 2,200 words. Prize: Two-night stay for two at Grantley Hall, Yorkshire (UK). Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Lynn DeCaro Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Connecticut Student Poets in Grades 9-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Underblong: blongprize. Genre: Poetry. "Underblong is a journal of the not-quite-so, of unfinished thoughts, of unresolved anger, of unforgotten macaroni art. Underblong is the coatroom of your secret’s secrets, a boiling pot of kit-kats becoming your favorite soup. Send us a poem that cuts through the crap. Send us your dinner chicken. Poems made by a soul." Prize: 2 winners receive $150 and 2 runner-ups receive $100. Deadline: March 15, 2021.

Symptoms of Being Human: An Essay and Artistic Composition Contest. Genre: Essay. "Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever been ostracized and forced to live at the edges of any social group? Have you ever struggled with your own identity, sexuality, gender identification? This is a chance to tell others of your experience with these things. You might also talk about how you stood up for someone who was experiencing these things. Maybe you helped someone and befriended that person when he/she/they were being bullied. Tell that story. We want to hear from you."  Prize: Cash prize not specified. Deadline: March 17, 2021.

2021 POPP Award: Poetry of the Plains and Prairies. Genre: Poetry of any style for their annual Poetry of the Plains and Prairies chapbook publication. "While the author(s) may call any place home, their submissions must deftly capture the feeling of, as well as the reality of, living on the plains and prairies. Authors may submit any number of poems equaling thirty to thirty-five pages in length, with no more than one poem per page. (Single poems may extend more than one page.) The selected poetry collection will be published as a limited edition chapbook, hand-printed with antique letterpress equipment." Prize: Publication. Deadline: March 18, 2021.

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: March 19, 2021 for Grades 6-10, March 26, 2021 for Grades 11-12.

Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition for High School Students. Restrictions: Open to students in Grades 7-12. Genre: Haiku. Prize: $50. Deadline: March 22, 2021.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000.  Deadline: March 23, 2021.

Speculative Philosophical Fiction Contest. Genre: Speculative flash fiction on theme of Absence. The theme of this contest is Philosophical, Metaphysical, or Epistemological fiction. 1000 words max. Prize: $500.00, payable through PayPal. The top two runners-up will receive $50.00 each. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The Gutter & Edwin Morgan Trust Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Contest is open to poets over 40. Poets must not previously have published a full collection greater than 40 pages in length. Genre: Poetry on theme of  ‘All things are possible.’ The judges will be looking for fresh single poems that in some way relate to, or spring off from, any aspect of Morgan's life or work. Prize: £500.  Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Sleeping Bear Press: Own Voices, Own Stories Award. Restrictions: Contest is open to BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ writers. Applicants must be United States residents and at least 18 years of age.  Genre: BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ children—or children of LGBTQ+ families. Prize: Grand Prize winners will receive a $2,000 cash prize, in addition to a publishing contract with advance and royalties standard for new Sleeping Bear Press authors. Honor Award winners will receive a $500 cash prize as well as one consulting session with a Sleeping Bear Press editor. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

PodCastle Flash Fiction Contest VI. Genre: Fantasy story of 500 words or fewer. Prize: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Pressfuls. Genre: Horror and fantasy up to 10,000 words. Prize: $50 and publication. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers' Contests. Restrictions: Open to writers between 14 and 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year who reside in, or attend school in Maryland. Genre: Science fiction or fantasy, 2,500 words max. Prizes: $150, $100 and $75. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Jacklyn Potter Young Poets Competition. Restrictions: Open to high school students in the Washington, DC region. Genre: Poetry. Prize: A reading with honorarium in the Miller Poetry Series, a summer program occurring in June and July. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Sarah Mook Poetry Prize for Students. Restrictions: Students in grades K-12. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: $100. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

City of Literature Paul Engle Prize. Genre: This prize does not recognize one work, nor is it solely limited to reflecting literary achievement. Rather, the award seeks to recognize a writer, like Engle, who makes an impact on his or her community and the world at large through efforts beyond the page. It also seeks to raise awareness about Engle and his works. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Archibald Lamp­man Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Canada's National Capital region (Ottawa). Genre: Book of any genre published by a recognized publisher. Prize: $1500. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prizes. Restrictions: Open to Taiwanese American high school and college students. Genre: Creative writing. Prize: $1500 total. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

The George W. Hunt, S.J., Prize for Excellence in Journalism, Arts & Letters. Genre: Writers of published novels, novellas, short stories, flash fiction, plays and screenplays whose work engages with one or more of the following broad topical areas are welcome to apply: religion (which includes spirituality and ultimate questions of human existence), the arts, politics, economics, sports and/or public affairs on the national or international level. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Genres: Science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy up to 17,000 words. Prizes: Three cash prizes in each quarter: a First Prize of $1,000, a Second Prize of $750, and a Third Prize of $500, in US dollars. In addition, at the end of the year the winners will have their entries rejudged, and a Grand Prize winner shall be determined and receive an additional $5,000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Restrictions: Open to first-generation residents of the United States. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated to the U.S., or to American-born residents whose parents were born elsewhere. Genre: Unpublished nonfiction books. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. Genre: Poetry or literary prose. Translation of modern Arabic literature into English. Books must have been published and be available for purchase in the UK via a distributor or online. The source text must have been published in the original Arabic in or after 1967. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: £3,000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Foley Poetry Contest. Genre: One unpublished poem on any topic. The poem should be 30 lines or fewer and not under consideration elsewhere. Prize: $1000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Storytwigs micro-writing competition. Restrictions: Open to citizens/residents of United States or Canada. You must be 18 years or older to enter. Genre: Short prose 100 words or fewer on prompt of String. Prize: From $10 to $100. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

Slackjaw Humor Writing Challenge! Genre: Humor. Prize: Up to $2000. Deadline: March 31, 2021.

17 Great Writing Conferences in March 2021

Writing conferences usually start to pick up in March. This year the vast majority of them will be held online. Virtual events still offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. During the pandemic most of these are being held virtually at reduced rates. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early.

Photo credit: Wikimedia

___________________

Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference. March 3 - 7, 2021: San Antonio, TX. "The AWP Conference & Bookfair is an essential annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. Each year more than 12,000 attendees join our community for four days of insightful dialogue, networking, and unrivaled access to the organizations and opinion-makers that matter most in contemporary literature. The 2016 conference featured over 2,000 presenters and 550 readings, panels, and craft lectures. The bookfair hosted over 800 presses, journals, and literary organizations from around the world. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America." Will be held virtually.

Futurescapes. March 11 - 13, 2021: Salt Lake City, Utah. Futurescapes Workshop of Utah Valley University, is an intensive, exclusive workshop, offering writers an unparalleled chance to work with top authors and agents in speculative fiction (science fiction, horror, fantasy, paranormal). Each participant will work with three workshop faculty mentors on the first 3,000 words of their manuscript, while receiving substantive feedback on the overall structure of their work in progress and query letters. Will be held virtually.

Southern Breeze Critique Fest 2021. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. March 12-13, 2021. "Have you ever gotten a manuscript critique, but wanted more insight on how to use those notes to take your book to the next level? Or wished you could have a professional’s eyes on your manuscript, but you weren’t sure it was ready for the world? Critique Fest 2021 goes beyond a paid critique experience, providing writers an immediate opportunity to see growth! Early Registration Opens January 2, 2021. Basic registration includes fun and informative online seminars the weekend of March 12-13, including a live Pitch Panel!  Bonus seminar included on Saturday, April 17 at 11:00 EST with author Melissa Stewart." Seminars only tickets are $40 for SCBWI members and $45 for non members. 

Atlanta Writing Workshop, March 13, 2021, Atlanta, GA. "This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome." Will be held virtually.

Virginia Festival of the Book, March 13 - 26, 2021. "The Festival is the largest community-based book event in the Mid-Atlantic region and has attracted audiences of more than 20,000 for each of the past thirteen years. We have presented a captivating list of authors, ranging from international bestsellers to topical specialists to debut authors." Book exhibits, talks by authors, readings, workshops on book promotion, finding an agent, poetry, publishing, agents roundtable - you name it, this conference has it. Will be held virtually.

Spring Writers' Night - Narrative Medicine: Trauma, Illness, and Writing to Heal. March 18, 2021. Online format. During this extended period of extreme social isolation, many of us turn to the power of stories to remind us we are not alone. Narrative Medicine, or writing about the medical or trauma journey, takes that power one step further, using writing as a way to tell the deeper stories that help us heal. Hear a panel of three celebrated writers and Bay Path MFA faculty in Narrative Medicine--Charles Coe, Áine Greaney, and Allan Hunter--read intimate selections from recent work; share their wisdom about writing and healing; and answer questions about how to tell your own medical, grief, or trauma story. Free and open to the public. Pre-registration required.

Algonkian Writers New York Pitch Conference, March 18 - 21, 2021: NY, NY. "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. More importantly though, it is also a diagnostic method for workshopping the plot, premise, and other elements of the story to determine quality and marketability. Simply put, you cannot successfully pitch a viable commercial novel if you don't have a viable commercial novel. Our goal, therefore, is to set you on a realistic path to publication." Will be held online.

Power of Narrative. March 19, 2021: Boston, MA. Over 30 journalists, directors, producers and editors lead three days of lively discussions geared to advance the knowledge of narrative storytellers. Approximately 500 persons attend. Early registration is encouraged. Will be held online.

Sleuthfest. March 19 - 21, 2021: Boca Raton, FL. Sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America a conference for writers and fans. Features writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions, including:

* Agent Appointments to pitch your finished work

* Critiques of your 10 page manuscript submission

* Forensic track with current forensic techniques & hands-on workshops

* Social events to mingle with agents, editors and your favorite authors

* Auction to purchase critiques of your work by bestselling authors

* Sessions on the craft of writing

* Sessions on marketing and promoting your work

* Practice your Pitch sessions with experienced authors

Will be held virtually.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference. Wye Mills, Maryland, March 20, 2021. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Writers Association. "The BTO conference features workshops, presentations, and panel discussions on a wide variety of topics pertaining to the craft of writing, publishing, marketing, the Internet, and the intricacies of particular genres. It is an opportunity to meet with many writing peers in the region. Speakers include accomplished authors, poets, film writers, writing instructors, editors, and publishers. BTO also offers one-on-one manuscript reviews with experienced writing instructors and editors for registered attendees for a fee."

Beall Poetry Festival. March 24 - 26, 2021, Waco, TX. The festival features readings, panel discussions, and the Virginia Beall Ball Lecture on Contemporary Poetry. Participating poets include Forrest Gander, Layli Long Soldier, Evie Shockley, Meghan O’Rourke, and a Poetry Panel. All events are free and open to the public.

University of North Dakota Writers Conference. March 24 - 26, 2021: Grand Forks, North Dakota. Founded in 1970 and held every year since, the UND Writers Conference is a three day event featuring six to eight authors annually. Authors ranging from Gwendolyn Brooks and August Wilson to Tommy Orange and Colson Whitehead, the UND Writers Conference is committed to community outreach, engagement, and finding ways to increase audience access to literature. The conference is free, but workshop space is limited to twenty participants; registration is first come, first served. Will be held online.

Algonkian Novel Retreat, Sterling. Virginia, March 24 - 28, 2021. "In keeping with the spirit of this place and the goals of this retreat, you can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our writer mentors, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer. You discuss with us ahead of time via the Algonkian Writer Retreat Application the goals you wish to accomplish, and we'll work with you to make it happen. Do you desire a review of your short stories or flash fiction? A line edit? Do you wish to discuss the reality of the current fiction market, your novel project, plot and characters, or perhaps get feedback on the opening hook or a few sample chapters? Or would you simply like a relaxed and productive dialogue about your goals as a writer?" Registration is first come, first served.

36th Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference. March 25, 2021: Weber State University, Ogden, UT. "Each year, nearly 200 undergraduate writers and poets throughout North America, and sometimes beyond, come to Weber State University to present their work and learn from some of the most important writers in contemporary literature." Will be held online.

Write Stuff Writers Conference. March 25 - 28, 2021: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 20 workshops, Agent./Editor pitch sessions, marketing consults plus lunch and Keynote address, Book Fair, Flash Literature Writing Contest, Door Prizes. Featuring Jonathan Dylan Barker. Will be held virtually.

Writing Nature: Refuge or Threat? sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium’s Writers’ Community and the Moravian College Writers’ Conference. March 26 - 27, 2021 Bethlehem, PA. Keynote speakers: Camille Dungy and J. Drew Lanham. Plus additional workshops and a writers’ roundtable featuring area writers on Friday, March 27. Will be held virtually. FREE

WonderCon. March 26 - 27, 2021, Anaheim, CA. HUGE comic book convention. Will be held virtually.

4 UK Literary Agents Seeking Fiction, Rom-coms, YA, Thriller/Suspense, Nonfiction, SF/F and more

Updated 9/21/23

Here are four UK literary agents expanding their client lists. Hannah Schofield is seeking commercial fiction, rom-coms, YA/crossovers, thriller/suspense, themes of motherhood or sisterhood, dark academia, voice-driven narratives for a millennial or Gen Z audience, and novels from traditionally underrepresented writers. Amy St. Johnston accepts fiction for all ages, from children to adults. Ian Drury wants fantasy/SF, historical fiction and action/adventure; and on the non-fiction side for history, biography and music. Liza DeBlock represents adult and YA fiction and nonfiction.

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

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

_____________________

Ms. Amy St. Johnston of Aitken Alexander Associates 

NO LONGER LISTED ON AGENCY WEBSITE

Amy St. Johnston joined Aitken Alexander Associates in 2018 and works with Clare Alexander and her clients. She is also building a list of her own. She has a background in children's publishing.

What she is seeking: Amy accepts fiction for all ages, from children to adults.

How to submit: Please send your query to submissions@aitkenalexander.co.uk. Also send a short synopsis and the first 30 pages of your work as an attachment. Include Amy's name in the subject line of your email.

_____________________

Ms. Hannah Schofield of Luigi Bonomi Associates Ltd 

"I joined LBA in 2018 and am currently building a list of commercial and reading-group fiction. I previously worked for a literary scout and as a translation rights assistant, and I grew up in Luxembourg, so I have a strong working knowledge of the global publishing market and always bring an international eye to my reading."

What she is seeking: Commercial fiction, rom-coms, YA/crossovers, thriller/suspense, themes of motherhood or sisterhood, dark academia à la If We Were Villains, voice-driven narratives for a millennial or Gen Z audience, and novels from traditionally underrepresented writers in any of the above genres.

How to submit: Follow their guidelines HERE.

_____________________

Mr. Ian Drury of Sheil Land Associates Ltd 

"I read modern history at New College, Oxford before going into publishing: editing partworks and magazines before joining HarperCollins in 1994. I became Publishing Director at Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 2003. I published the Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers REAL BRAVO TWO ZERO (Michael Asher), BLENHEIM (Charles Spencer) and LAST POST (Max Arthur) as well as the landmark history of France in IndoChina, THE LAST VALLEY (Martin Windrow)."

What he is seeking: Fantasy/SF, historical fiction and action/adventure; and on the non-fiction side for history, biography and music.

How to submit: Please email proposals to idrury@sheilland.co.uk with

a) your whole manuscript attached as a Word doc (or .docx)

b) a few lines about you and a one line summary of why someone would pay their own money to read your book.

_____________________

Ms. Liza DeBlock of Mushens Entertainment

Originally from New York, Liza DeBlock got her start in publishing while working at Eccles Fisher Associates after interning for various scouts and agencies on both sides of the Atlantic. She is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford, 2016, which she attended between her two postgraduate degrees in Modern History of Publishing at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. Some of her favourite authors include Antonia Fraser, JK Rowling, Tamora Pierce and she loves the work of Erin Morgenstern, Deborah Harkness, Matt Haig, Lara Prescott, Tracey Chevalier, Sue Monk Kidd and Maggie O’Farrell. You can follow her on twitter as @lizadeblock.

What she is seeking: Liza is looking for both fiction and non fiction. For fiction, Liza is interested in adult and YA only. She is looking for historical fiction, commercial fantasy, romcom, saga, uplit, and thriller.  On the non fiction side, she is looking for books that teach her something new or reframe a topic from an alternative point of view. This can include cookery, pop science, social history, and current events. 

How to submit: Please email ldbsubmissions@mushens-entertainment.com with your cover letter in the body of the email; An attachment of your synopsis; A PDF or Word document containing the first three chapters or approximately the first 50pp of your book. 

FOR NON-FICTION: Your cover letter in the body of the email; A pdf or word document of your proposal; Sample Chapters (if applicable)

6 New Agents Seeking Children’s Books, Adult SF/F, Magical Realism, YA, Women’s Fiction, Romance, Nonfiction and more

Here are six new agents actively seeking writers. Alice Fugate is looking for children’s books and select adult projects. Ernie Chiara wants adult science fiction and fantasy and magical realism. Michelle Hauck is taking submissions for middle grade, young adult, and some limited adult genres. Chelsey Emmelhainz is focused on commercial, diverse voices in fiction and nonfiction. She is especially interested in young adult, and adult fiction that marries the known and the unknown or those that explore the fantastic in the everyday world. Caitlin White is now open to select submissions in YA and MG fiction. Jessica Saint Jean is looking for illustration portfolios and illustrated stories across all children’s lit genres, from board books to YA graphic novels. 

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

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

_____________________

Ms. Chelsey Emmelhainz of Copps Literary Services 

Chelsey Emmelhainz joins Copps Literary Services after a decade as an editor of upmarket fiction and nonfiction. Upon graduating from the Denver Publishing Institute, she got her start in publishing at HarperCollins with William Morrow and Avon Books. She was most recently a senior editor at Crooked Lane Books.  As an editor, Chelsey worked on projects that cross the literary landscape: from Amish romance to upmarket thrillers and everything in between. Yet her true passion lies in helping authors refine their narratives to create compelling stories and advocating on their behalf. An editorial agent, she works tirelessly with authors to polish their work into commercial projects aimed at catching the eye of editors and publishers. 

What Chelsey is looking for: Actively building her client list, she is focused on commercial, diverse voices in fiction and nonfiction. She is especially interested in young adult, and adult fiction that marries the known and the unknown or those that explore the fantastic in the everyday world. A lover of plot-driven narratives, she’s most often drawn to fast-paced stories featuring well-drawn, believable characters navigating extraordinary circumstances. Her target genres in those spaces include: horror, supernatural thriller, suspense, and mystery. Her ideal women’s fiction, book club fiction, and romance projects feature high-concept hooks, strong female characters, and unique takes on modern relationships—be they romantic, platonic, or familial. Chelsey is open to fantasy projects based in the known world, especially those exploring magical realism.

For nonfiction, she gravitates toward history, especially narrative nonfiction, memoirs with a platform, and untold stories in true crime, but is open to projects in the areas of DIY projects (she’s a knitting fiend), gardening, and unique lifestyles.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

_____________________

Ms. Alice Fugate of The Joy Harris Literary Agency 

NO LONGER AN AGENT

Alice Fugate joined The Joy Harris Literary Agency in 2020. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN with a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing. Prior to joining JHLA, she was an associate agent at Trident Media Group, where she worked for two and half years. 

What she is seeking: Alice works primarily in the children’s book space, across all formats and genres, but also enjoys working on select adult projects, including stories about the American South, historical fiction, and works that explore faith, religion, music, or nature. She’s drawn to literary or well-written commercial projects that have a classic but fresh feel with distinctive, surprising voices from diverse backgrounds. In children’s books, she loves animal fables, fairy tale retellings, comedies of manners, adventure tales, heartfelt contemporary, and narrative nonfiction. In everything, Alice looks for wit and whimsy.  

How to submit: To query Alice, please email her at alice@joyharrisliterary.com

_____________________

Mr. Ernie Chiara of Fuse Literary 

Ernie first joined the Fuse Literary team as a writer, signing on as a client with Michelle Richter. Then, when his interest in the agenting side of the business grew to match his love of writing, Ernie gained experience as an Assistant Agent under the guidance of Tricia Skinner. Now, having come full circle, Ernie is proud to be building his list as an Associate Agent. Ernie has previously served as Communications Director for Pitch Wars, a writer mentorship program, where he was also a Mentor in the Adult category. He has over 20 years of experience in business management and graphic design.

What he is seeking: Adult science fiction and fantasy and magical realism.

How to submit: Use his submission form HERE.

_____________________

Ms. Michelle Hauck of Storm Literary Agency 

Michelle devoured the classics at an early age, falling in love with heroic stories like The Three Musketeers, Ivanhoe, and The Scarlet Pimpernel. It wasn’t until her teens that she got her hands on The Sword of Shannara and discovered a new heroic level in SFF. Now she’d like to advocate for stories that take the reader beyond the traditional hero’s journey.

After graduating with a business degree, with a concentration in finance, Michelle worked as a cost accountant for several years before a short stint as a stay-at-home mom. Then she switched gears for twenty years working in an elementary school, where she’s learned a lot about what kids like to read and applied that to her own stories, publishing a historic fantasy series with Harper Voyager.

She’s been helping writers long before taking the step to become an agent. Her Midwest roots taught her to pay things forward, and along with several co-hosts, she ran an impressive collection of contests for writers, including Query Kombat, Nightmare on Query Street, and Picture Book Party. She also learned much from six years as a successful Pitch Wars mentor in adult SFF.

What she is seeking: Currently, Michelle is taking submissions for middle grade, young adult, and some limited adult genres.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

_____________________

Ms. Caitlin White of Emerald City Literary Agency 

Caitlin is a writer and editor who was previously the Interim Books Editor for Bustle, and she has written about YA books for HelloGiggles, Bustle, Elle, and Glamour. Caitlin brought her passion for YA and MG to Emerald City Literary Agency in 2019 as an intern before being promoted to Agency Assistant in October 2020. She currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario, but is from the Boston area.

What she is seeking: Caitlin is now open to select submissions in YA and MG fiction and will represent projects alongside ECLA agents Mandy Hubbard and Linda Epstein. Caitlin is looking for whodunnits that harken back to Agatha Christie, rom-coms with an original hook, stories about non-toxic groups of friends, magical realism that feels grounded, unabashedly feminist POVs, and contemporary witches set in a real-life world, like These Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling. She is always interested in seeing submissions from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors. Sorry, but she is not the right person for high fantasy.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

_____________________

Jessica Saint Jean of Root Literary

Jessica Saint Jean attended Emerson College, where she fell in love with Boston and book publishing. She earned her B.A. in Writing, Literature, and Publishing and spent the next decade working at two independent children’s book publishers – as an editor at Barefoot Books and in the art department at Candlewick Press, where she was in charge of the ongoing search for new illustrators, collaborated with various departments to pair illustrators with texts, and negotiated illustrator deals. She loves traveling the world with her friends, color-coding anything/everything, and curling up with a good book.

What she is seeking: Jessica Saint Jean is looking for illustration portfolios and illustrated stories across all children’s lit genres, from board books to YA graphic novels. She is not reviewing manuscript-only submissions at this time.

How to submit: Please read her submission guidelines HERE.