2023 New Year's Resolution for Writers: Motivation

Greta Stern

Every new year I make a writing resolution. In past years, I have resolved to begin projects and to finish them. I've resolved to observe the ordinary, and to read. I've resolved to write what I most feared and to get more rejections than C. S. Lewis. (He got 800 before he was published.) To my credit, I have managed to fulfill all my resolutions - even C. S. Lewis' stunning number of rejections. (I've gotten well over a thousand, but that's counting rejections for everything I've written.) (Yeah, so I cheated... so sue me.)

All of these were great resolutions, and I have done my best to follow them. After all, a promise is a promise. But where to now? I have read; I have written, I have been rejected (yet even other more additional times). I have begun projects and finished them. I have faced fear in a mirror. What's left?

For writers, what's left is discipline. Having been trained in classical music, and undergone the bootcamp known as "conservatory of music," I don't lack self-discipline. But what I do lack is motivation. Sitting down to write takes discipline. But it also takes motivation. We have to want to sit in front of a blank screen (or a blank piece of paper if you are old-fashioned) and we have to want to do it whether we receive accolades (although those help), or prizes (those really help), or publication (man, does that help!). We have to do it during the soul-sapping mental paralysis of the continuing covid pandemic and the loss of a reality we thought was eternal. (It never is.)

The reason we have to want to face that fearsome blankness is that we are writers because we have something to say. The moment we forget that, and begin to focus on the anticipated, much-hoped-for (and largely imaginary) social and financial rewards of writing, we lose the reason for writing. If we have nothing to say, then there really is no point in putting pen to paper.

So, dear writers, what do you have to say? Do you have thoughts about life, human nature, the state of the world? Do you fear for humanity's survival, take joy in random acts of kindness, blush (or retreat) when someone says "I love you"? 

Take some time out to focus. Then sit your butt down and write. It's important.

127 Calls for Submissions in January 2023 - Paying markets

This January there are more than ten 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 upcoming calls for submissions shortly before 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: PxHere)

_________________

Wyldblood Press. Genre: Speculative novels and novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January ?

Totally Entwined: Weres Vamps. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Werewolves and Vampires. LGBTQ focus. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The Rumpus: Adoptees' Stories. "We strive to be a platform for marginalized voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere, and to lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers we love. We work to shine a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power." Genre: Essays. "We are looking for stories beyond a rescue, stories that complicate gratitude, stories that might label the teller “another angry adoptee.” We want to read about how relinquishment has shaped your understanding of self-worth and how your identity has evolved because of your adoption." Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Mukana Press. Genre: Short stories by African authors to be included in its inaugural Anthology of African Writing. Stories previously published only on online literary platforms are welcome if rights were reverted to the author upon publication. Stories must range between 1000 - 8000 words. Payment: $500 and royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Mukana Press. Restrictions: Authors from Africa, South America, The Middle East, and Asia. Genre: Full length books (short story collections, memoirs and novels YA and Adult). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The Dry River: Industry. Genre: Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, and Poetry should be sent as completed drafts. All other genres can be sent as pitches. Payment: $30-$50 for short stories/poems/cnf, 7-10 cents per word for articles. Deadline: January 1, 2023. 

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Europe. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: January 1, 2023. See themes.

Substantially Unlimited. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as part of the disability community. Genre: Prose, up to 15 pages. See themes. Payment: $15. Deadline: January 1, 2023. Reprints accepted. 

The Damned & The Divine: Gothic Tales of Broken Gods. Genre: Short stories (5,000 - 8,000 words) that blend mythology with Gothic/literary vibes. Payment: US: $40 + author copy/non-US: $45 + ebook author copy). Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Grendel Press. Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror, and Romance.short stories. See themes. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy-tale inspired stories/poems. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 2, 2023.

Bent Key. Restrictions: Bent Key amplifies marginalised voices in the UK. "For 2024, we are particularly interested in promoting the lived experiences of people from the LGBTQIA+ spectrum including non-binary voices, neurodivergent voices, and black and brown voices. Please refrain from making a submission if you do not consider yourself marginalised." Genre: Full-length fiction, poetry collections, chapbooks , all genres. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 2, 2023.

Amazing Stories. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Length: 1500 words max. "We are interested in stories set in the future and revolving around Sol, including planets, moons, asteroids, Oort and Kuiper, you name it!" Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: January 2, 2023.

Meetinghouse. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $100 minimum for prose, and $20/page for stories over 5 pages.  Up to 7,500 words per submission; up to 3 pieces of prose and up to 3 poems. Deadline: January 3, 2023.

Kenyon Review: "Luminous Gender Vessel." Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as visual art (including photography, prints, and comics) and multimedia pieces (including songs, audio narratives, and film, to be published online) exploring ideas and questions of gender. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 5, 2023.

Room Magazine. Restrictions: Room publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and art by folks of marginalized genders, including but not limited to women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. See theme. Genre: Original short stories, poems, creative non-fiction, or art. Payment: $50 (CAD) Deadline: January 5, 2023.

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical and genre fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 7, 2023. See theme.

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Cosmic Horror, Lovecraftian, Weird stories, art. Payment: 6 cents/word. 50 dollars for artwork chosen as interior content. 200 dollars for cover art. Negotiable. Deadline: January 7, 2023.

Wyngraf. Genre: Cozy fantasy from 4,000 to 8,000 words long. Payment: 1 1/2 cents/word. Deadline: January 7, 2023.

Hammock. Genre: Short stories, narrative nonfiction and personal essays focused on writing from South Asia and beyond. Payment: $50 - $150. Deadline: January 7, 2023.

The Fantastic Other: Mirrors. Genre: Fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal, surrealist, fabulist, and magical realism on theme: Mirrors. Fiction and poetry. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 7, 2023.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: Dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: January  7, 2022. 

Augur Magazine. Genre: Dream-touched realism, slipstream, fabulism, magical realism (note: educate yourself before you claim this term) and, for lack of a better descriptor, “literary” speculative fiction. Payment: $0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under). Deadline: January 7, 2023.

Tin House. Restrictions: Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks okay). Genre: Debut novels (including Graphic novels) Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 8, 2023. Opens January 7, 2023.

Diet Milk: Gothic. Genre: Gothic fiction, poetry, and art (drawings, paintings, comics, collages). Payment: $0.01/word for fiction (minimum $40); $15/poem; $50/art piece. Deadline: January 8, 2023.

Bennington Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, film writing, and cross-genre work. Payment: $120 for prose of six typeset pages and under, $250 for prose of over six typeset pages, and $25 per poem. Deadline: January 9, 2023.

Faces. Genre: Nonfiction, activities for children 9 - 14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 9, 2023. Queries only. See themes.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Payment: £25. Deadline: January 9, 2023.

Sunlight Press. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, photography, reviews. Payment: $15 - $40. Deadline: Opens January 9, 2023.

Sunlight Press. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 30, 2021.

Alien Magazine. Genre: All types of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual art. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 10, 2023.

Fourteen Poems Genre: Poems. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round. To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com." Payment: £25 for each poem published. Deadline: January 13, 2023.

Griffith Review: Creation Stories. Genre: Nonfiction. "Creation Stories looks to the stars above and the earth below to map our ever-evolving relationships with the world around us. From archaeology and astronomy to AI and transhumanism, the preservation of traditional knowledge to the intricacies of postmodern identity, this edition travels through time and space to explore the many tales of who we are and where we might be headed." Payment: Negotiated. Deadline: January 13, 2023.

Ofic: Fandom Origin Stories. Genre: "For our fifth issue, which is our 1-year anniversary, we're accepting pieces on fandom origins, which is to say, stories about how you found fandom/fanfiction/fanart (or your experiences thereof) and what it means to you. You can interpret this prompt in any way you want, but we would prefer they be true stories, not fiction. We're opening this submission portal early so those interested have time to write and revise their pieces. We're also accepting cover art submissions around this theme." (Up to 12,000 words). Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: January 14, 2023. 

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay.  Deadline: January 14, 2023.

The Deadlands. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "The Deadlands exists in liminal spaces between life, death, and elsewhere. We are looking for fiction that concerns itself with death—but also everything death may involve." Payment: 10 cents per word for short stories, $50 per poem. Deadline: January 14, 2023. Opens January 2.

Daikaijuzine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $10.00 for each short story, and $5.00 for each poem and flash fiction piece. Deadline: January 15, 2023. Opens January 2.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Length: 1000 words mx. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Dark Matter. Genre: Dark speculative fiction, horror, Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

The Waking. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction, image text/hybrid work. "The Waking is Ruminate Community's online literary magazine that houses high-quality literary writing about what it’s like to be human. We are interested in short-form and flash prose as well as image-text/hybrid work. This art can be beautiful, it can be strange, we just ask that it feels true." 1500 words max. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2023. Opens January 1.

One Story. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 - 8,000 words. Payment: $500. Deadline: Opens January 15, 2023. (Closes when they reach their submissions cap.)

34 Orchard. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We like dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth. We’re not genre-specific; we just like scary, disturbing, unsettling, and sad." Payment: $50. Deadline: January 15, 2023. Opens January 1.

PRISM International. Restrictions: Open to writers who are indigenous, black, and people of colour. Genre: Poems, stories, nonfiction, and comics—there’s no specific theme. Payment: $40 per printed page of prose and $45 per printed page of poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Samjoko Magazine is devoted to publishing "exemplary work from content creators around the world. Focusing mainly upon the written word, we hope to create an immersive digital and print platform that stands out for its honesty and desire to take risks for the sake of artistic expression. We have no set aesthetic, though different themes will be focused upon periodically." Payment: $20. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Augur Magazine. Genre: Dream-touched realism, slipstream, fabulism, magical realism (note: educate yourself before you claim this term) and, for lack of a better descriptor, “literary” speculative fiction. Payment: $0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under). Deadline: January 15, 2023. "For the last week (January 8th - 15th 2023) we are only accepting submissions from creators who are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Disabled, and/or Trans, who are also Canadian citizens/permanent residents and/or who are living within the settler-defined borders of the land colonially known as Canada. "

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Bones. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: January 15, 2023. Queries only.

Dose of Dread. Genre: Horror flash fiction. Preference for dread-inducing stories. Length: 400 words max. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 15, 2023. 

Ativus Anthology. Genre: Fantasy short stories on theme: Ancient Gods. "We are looking for origin stories, battles between gods and demons/monsters, gods saving human civilization or wreaking wrathful havoc upon their creations." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

A Velvet Giant. Genre: "We are open to work that takes the shape of basically any format: words, recordings, visual art, hybrid forms, etc. We are open to translated original work." Payment: $20. Deadline: January 15, 2023. 

The Feminist Press. Genre: Full-length manuscripts. "International literature, hybrid memoirs, and intersectional activist nonfiction, either single author or anthology. Our fiction projects range from hilarious to heartbreaking, from literary to playful. We especially encourage Black and Indigenous writers and other writers of color, queer and trans writers, and disabled and neuroatypical writers to submit." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2023. 

Neon Hemlock: The Crawling Moon: Queer Tales of Inescapable Dread. Genre: Horror. "We are looking for dark stories that subvert the gothic and explore the filthier edges of horror. We would like to be scandalized. We’re using the most inclusive definition of queer. Queer, trans, ace, undefinable. Throughout, we’re looking for rich, varied and nuanced understandings of gender, family and ethnicity." Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Bikes in Space. Genre: Stories about bicycling and gardens, from a feminist perspective. Stories can be in any speculative or fantastical genre—hard science fiction, space opera, epic fantasy, alternative history, paranormal romance, hope punk, modern fairy tales and anything around or in between. Payment: $50 minimum. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Full Bleed. Genre: Criticism, belle lettres, visual art, illustration, fiction, poetry, and graphic essays. "We are always happy to feature collaborations between writers and artists; ekphrastic creations; and groundbreaking critical essays. For Issue Six, we are especially interested in submissions on the theme of materials—their unique aesthetic qualities, social histories, means of production, environmental costs, and layered meanings. Send us work that contemplates the virtues, potential, or politics of ink, paper, oil paint, dye, textiles, charcoal, lead, soil, wood, etc." Payment: Modest honorarium. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

The Archive. Genre: "We want the weird, the unexpected, the completely new. No theme, no genre." 2,000 words max. Payment: €50. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Ploughshares. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2023. (Charges for online submissions. No charge for snail mail.)

Ploughshares Solos. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction up to 20,000 words. Payment: $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2023. (Charges for online submissions. No charge for snail mail.)

Ploughshares Look2 Series. Genre: Essays about underappreciated or overlooked writers. The Look2 essay should take stock of a writer’s entire oeuvre with the goal of bringing critical attention to the neglected writer and his or her relevance to a contemporary audience. Payment: $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author. Deadline: January 15, 2023. Queries only.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: January 15, 2023. See themes.

Neon. Genre: Speculative fiction on theme Machines. "Neon is a magazine of slipstream fiction, poetry, and artwork. We publish creative work that is fantastic or surreal, and which crosses the boundaries between science-fiction, horror and literary fiction." Payment: Minimum of £10. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Dracula Beyond Stoker Magazine. Genre: "Give us your best Renfield story. Everybody’s favorite flyman is such a rich character, yet we know so little about him. Who do you think he is?" Some poetry accepted. Payment: "Compensation will be monetary plus contributor’s copies." Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Great Weather for MEDIA: Annual Print Anthology. Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, dramatic monologues, and creative nonfiction. "Our focus is on the fearless, the unpredictable, and experimental but we do not have a set theme for our anthologies." Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2023. Only pays US writers.

Women Artists Datebook. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Poems and art. Theme: Peace and Justice. Payment: $200 for art, $70 for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Wordworks. Restrictions: Open to BC and Yukon writers. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short story, and creative non-fiction. See theme. Payment: $125 for articles of 400–600 words and $250 for articles of 800–1,100 words, $100 for cover art and $25 for other interior illustrations, $50 for reprints. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Fahmidan Publishing. Restrictions: Fahmidan & Co. Publishing is a publisher for all POC & Women ardent in battle against subjugation. Genre: Poetry or fiction chapbook. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

Catapult. Genre: Fiction. Payment: $200.  Deadline: January 16, 2023.

The Rumpus: Enough. Genre: Essays, poetry, fiction, comics, and artwork by women and non-binary people that engage with rape culture, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 16, 2023. See themes.

Rattle: Tribute to CryptoPoems. Genre: Poetry. The poems may be any style or subject, but must be minted as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on a blockchain. Payment: $200. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

Invisible City. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

Alienhead Press: Literally Dead – Tales of Holiday Hauntings. Genre: Dark fiction short stories of classic paranormal, poltergeists, ghosts, spirits, haunted places and objects, and the eerily unexplained that take place on or around the winter holidays. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: January 20, 2023.

Fulcrum Publishing: Women's Reproductive Health Anthology. Genre: Creative nonfiction personal essays on abortion, contraception, menstruation, infertility, miscarriage, IVF, perimenopause/menopause, pregnancy, fibroids, PCOS, endometriosis, and any other topic related to women's health. Length: 2,000 words max. Payment: $150. Deadline: January 20, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Markaz Review. Genre: Essays, feature articles and reviews of books, film, music, theatre and art, as well as profiles/interviews of artists, filmmakers, musicians and writers (1,000–3,000 words). "We’re interested in covering a worldwide array of visual, literary and performing arts events, as well as current affairs. We also publish opinion columns (750–1,500 words)." Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: January 20, 2023. Queries only.

Carcanet Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 20, 2023. 

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary flash fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: January 21, 2023.

Full House Literary. Genre: Prose, poetry, hybrid, photography and artwork. Payment: Royalties (?) Deadline: January 22, 2023.

Real Stories of the US Space Force. Genre: Science fiction short stories and fact articles illustrating current and future near-Earth space-related threats and dispelling misconceptions about America’s newest service branch. It will be published by Baen Books in 2023. Payment: 8 cents per word for prose, $50 for verse. Deadline: January 22, 2023.

Tolka. Genre: Non-fiction: personal essay, memoir, reportage, travel writing, auto-fiction, and the writing that falls in between. Length: 2,000 - 4,000 words. Payment: €500. Deadline: January 22, 2023.

Fusion Fragment. Genre: Science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction stories and novelettes ranging anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000 words. Payment: Both previously unpublished work and reprints pay 3.5 cents (CAD) per word, up to a maximum of $300 (CAD) per story. Deadline: January 22, 2023. Accepts reprints.

The Saltbush Review. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction (including personal essays and life writing) of up to 3,000 words on the theme of ‘Intersections.’ Shorter works such as flash fiction are also welcome, as are works that challenge genre boundaries. Payment: AUD$150 per piece of fiction and non-fiction and AUD$100 per poem or piece of flash fiction. Deadline: January 23, 2023.

The Margins. Genre: Poetry, short stories, audio, video, photography, translation, art criticism, artist interviews, essays, and the daring, genre-blurring work that falls outside those categories by emerging and established queer Asian, Asian American, and Asian diasporic writers on the theme of Mehfil: An Evening of Entertainment and Enchantment. Payment: $50 – $100 for a single poem, depending on length. $150 for flash fiction (500 to 1,000 words in length) $300 – $450 for longer works of fiction (up to ~4,000 words). Nonfiction $60 - $450. Deadline: January 23, 2023.

Raw Dog Screaming Press. Genre: Novellas (20,000-38,000 words). "If it’s dark, deviant, off-kilter and thought provoking we will sniff it out." Payment: Advance plus royalties. Deadline: January 23, 2023.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: January 25, 2023.

Ecotone. Restrictions: From January 16 to 25, 2023, Ecotone will be open to no-fee Submittable submissions from BIPOC writers only. Genre: Prose and poetry. "We are particularly interested in place-based work by people historically underrepresented in literary publishing and in place-based contexts: writers and artists who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities, gender-nonconforming, LGBTQIA+, women, and others. We welcome the work of emerging writers." Payment: "Honorarium." Deadline: January 25, 2023.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box. Genre: Poetry. Payment $40 CAD. Deadline: January 25, 2023.

Every Day Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction on themes. Length: 1000 words max. Payment: $3. Deadline: January 27, 2023.

The Bombay Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry and graphic fiction. Payment: Rs. 5,000 (approx. $65). Deadline: January 30, 2023.

KUA. KUA is a six-issued publication project investigating themes of universal human conditions through the lens of transnational experiences. Genre: Essays, papers, reviews, literature, interviews. Maximum 3000 words in total. Also art, music, and sonic. Theme: Displacement. Displacement will examine the relationship between migrants* and the environment. Payment: Up to £100. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Astrolabe. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography & art. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Dark Moon Books: Horror Library. Genre: Horror. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: How stepping outside my comfort zone changed me. Genre: True stories and poems. "Tell us your own stories about stepping outside your comfort zone and how that changed your life." Payment: $200. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Mythaxis. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Book Hug Press: Back Where I Came From. Genre: Essays by diasporic writers about travelling to their motherlands, ie: their families’ places of origin or their own, in cases of early childhood immigration. "These travelogue essays will highlight personal insights about belonging and identity from their journeys. The collection is an invitation to readers to explore not only different points on our globe, but also the writers’ identities, the cultures surrounding and within them, and their ideas of home." Payment: $200. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Old Moon. Genre: Weird fiction and sword-and-sorcery. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Northern Gravy. Restrictions: Open to submissions from UK & Ireland writers of any background, including first-time writers. Genre: Fiction, Poetry and Kid Lit (writing for Middle Grade and Young Adult audiences). Payment: £100. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Silver Blade. Genre: Science Fiction, Slipstream, Classic and Modern Fantasy; short fiction, flash fiction, novellas, and poetry. Payment: $15 for novellas, $3 for flash fiction, $8 for short stories, $8 for single poems and $15 for Featured Poets (by invitation only). Silver Pen will pay half of these rates for previously published works. Deadline: January 31, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Brigids Gate: Seers and Sybils. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We're looking for stories about the mouthpieces of gods and goddesses. Who interprets their omens, tells their prophecies, sees their visions, and performs their miracles? And to what end?" Payment: 8 cents per word for short stories, $50 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast Fiction Series. Genre: Short stories in the lesbian historic fiction genre, to be produced in audio format for the podcast, as well as published in text on the website.
Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Cloisterfox. Restrictions: Open to writers based in the UK. Genre: Genre-crossing speculative fiction with a strange, uncanny bent. Theme: Ruins. Payment: £30 per piece. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Propel. Restrictions: Open to writers based in the UK and Ireland who have yet to publish their first full-length poetry collection. Genre: Poetry. Payment: £20. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Alien Dimensions. Genre: Science Fiction, 5000-7000 words. “Set it in space, in the far future, and include some friendly non-humanoid aliens helping to solve a pseudo-scientific problem. More cerebral than stomach! Space Fiction! Written in the restrictive third person.” Payment: $20. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The Temz Review. Genres: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Air and Nothingness Press: Gargantua. Genre: Speculative stories of massive engineering megastructures that reshape stellar systems. Length: exactly 1000 words. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: January 31, 2023. 

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 - $75 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: January 31, 2023. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Be Gay, Do Time: On Queerness & Incarceration. Restrictions: The anthology is open to individuals who a) identify as queer and b) have experienced either incarceration or the threat of incarceration. (including state-mandated stays in mental hospitals as incarceration). Loved ones of those individuals may also submit. Genre: Stories, poems, essays, and visual art. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Nonbinary Review: Food. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and art around the theme of Food. Payment: 1 cent per word for prose, and a flat fee of $10 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Brink. Genre: Hybrid, cross-genre fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Theme: Gravity. Payment: $25 Poem; $50 Work (less than 1500 words); $50 Art (1-3 Images); $100 Art (4+ Images); $100 Work (more than 1501 words). Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The Rumpus. Genre: Poetry. "We strive to be a platform for marginalized voices and writing that might not find a home elsewhere, and to lift up new voices alongside those of more established writers we love. We work to shine a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power." Payment: $300 divided among all contributors. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Event. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction and book reviews. Payment: $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Fanatical. Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Belmont Story Review. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: $100 for prose, $50 for poetry. Deadline: January 31st, 2023. 

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: January 31, 2023.

Gwyllion. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: £10 per accepted story or poem. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Dark Recesses Press. Genre: Horror/dark fiction pieces 500-5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Zoetic Press: Family. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and art on theme: Food. Payment: $0.01/word for prose, $10 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2023. 

Cardinal Rule Press Genre: Children’s picture books that empower children through meaningful stories for readers, age 4-11. They also publish non-fiction books for parents (word count up to 70k). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Dragon Gems. Genre: Fantasy and science fiction short stories, 2,000 - 6,000 words. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Dragon Soul Press: Song of the Siren. Genre: "All mermaid, siren, selkie, rusalka, etc. stories are welcome. All genres are accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Headland. Genre: Short literary fiction and creative nonfiction. Payment: NZ$50 per piece. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Otoroshi Journal. Genre: Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10. Deadline: January 31st, 2023.

Anna Karenina Isn't Dead. Genre: Short fiction. "Tell us a reimagined tale of the famous, the infamous, the barely mentioned woman in an old story, poem, or legend. Give her a better journey than the one she got." Payment: 5 cents American per word (4 cents for reprints) up to 5,000 words. Length: 5,000 words max. Deadline.: January 31, 2023. Accepts reprints.

The Bureau Dispatch. Genre: Short stories between 500 to 1,500 words on theme: Wayfinding. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Sistories. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, visual art, and photography from Southern Black women, nonbinary femmes, and gender-expansive folks. See theme. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Good Life Review: Monday Micro. Genre: Micro-prose and short poetry. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 31, 2023. 

Peregrine Pocketbooks. Genre: Nonfiction books, length: 20,000 words. "Books that take a closer look at some of our favorite films, books, games, and TV shows. With this series, we aim to take the insight and passion from Filmmakers Without Cameras and use it to produce quality, insightful publications from a variety of writers." Payment: £150 advance and 50/50 split on royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

And a few more ...

The Common. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid works by current and former farmworkers of all ages, as well as those raised in farmworker families who experienced the stories and effects of this work through their parents or other relations. Work may be submitted in English or Spanish. Payment: $200 for prose pieces and $40 per poem. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Archive of the Odd. Genre: Speculative fiction, horror preferred. “Archive of the Odd is a zine of uncanny occurrences, told in even stranger ways.” They’d like a variety of time periods. Stories can be in any format, except traditional prose. Some of the suggested formats are: academic papers; technical writing; medication warning sheets; sales papers; newspaper articles; recipes; knitting/crochet/weaving/what-have-you guides; care guides (plant, animal, rock garden, etc); or any other unusual format. Submissions do not have to be entirely in text. Payment: $15-25 for fiction of 500-5,000+ words. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Giramondo Publishing (Australia). Genre: Fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

The First Line. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

73 Writing Contests in January 2023 - No entry fees

This January there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 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! 

(Image: Peter Janzen)

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Defenestration Lengthy Poem Contest. Genre: Lengthy poem (at least 3 pages). Prize: $300. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Vermont Writers' Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of Vermont. Genres: Short story, poem, play or essay on the theme of Vermont - its people, places, history or values. Entries must be unpublished and fewer than 1,500 words long. Writers may submit only one entry per year. Prize: $1,250 and publication in Vermont Magazine. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Electa Quinney Award for Published American Indian Stories. Genre: Story. "This award seeks to highlight the work of story creators who continue the tradition of teaching through narratives often crossing the boundaries of genres, formats and disciplines. To celebrate the dissemination of stories into spaces where they can be shared all published stories qualify including small press and fine arts printing." Prize: $250. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The Blossom Contest. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: $200.00 USD Prize in Poetry, $200.00 USD Prize in Prose. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

The European Society of Literature. Genre: Prose. "The theme for this European Writing Prize is ‘Anxiety’. Writers should incorporate the notion of anxiety into their work however they see fit." Length: between 1500 and 3500 words. Prize: 50 euros paid via PayPal or bank transfer and publication. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative. Restrictions: Applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. Prize: Grant, amount not specified. Deadline: January 1, 2023.

Japan Center-Canon Essay Competition. The aim of the Japan Center Essay Competition is to promote awareness and understanding of Japan in the United States and to help young Americans broaden their international horizons. Genre: Essay. Contestants should write, in English, one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. (Contestants do not need to have any experience in visiting Japan or studying Japanese. Prize: Best Essay Award in the High School Division: 1st Place: $3,000 and a Canon camera, 2nd Place: $1,500 and a Canon camera, 3rd Place: $750 and a Canon camera; Best Essay Award in the College Division: $3,000 and a Canon camera; Uchida Memorial Award: $1,000 and a Canon camera; Merit Award: $200 (each) for up to five awards. Deadline: January 8, 2023.

Dr. Paul Kalanithi Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to medical students, residents, fellow. Genre: Short stories, essays or poetry addressing patients and providers facing chronic or life limiting illness. Fiction and non-fiction submissions are welcome. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 8, 2023.

Penguin: Write Now. Restrictions: Open to UK/Ireland-based writers, for people from a background or community that is currently under-represented in UK and Irish publishing. Genre: Commercial fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 8, 2023.

The Tomorrow Prize & The Green Feather Award. Restrictions: Open to Los Angeles County high school students. Genre: Science fiction, and environmentally focused sci-fi story. Prize: Tomorrow Prize: $250, $150, and $100 USD. Green Feather Award: $250.00 & online publication by the Nature Nexus Institute. Deadline: January 9, 2023.

Jericho Prize. Restrictions: Open to unpublished and self-published Black-British children's writers. Genre: Picture book. Prize: A guaranteed publishing contract from Scholastic UK, with a £1500 author advance plus mentoring. Deadline: January 9, 2023.

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: January 9, 2023.

Stephen Dixon Award for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to wrkiters who have not published a book or have a book forthcoming at the time of submitting. Genre: Short fiction up to 9,000 words, Prize: $750 and publication online at mcsweeneys.net. Deadline: Opens on January 9, 2023. Submissions will be open until they reach 200 stories (this may take minutes, days, or weeks)

Bethesda Urban Partnership Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Essays. Length: 500 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 10, 2023.

Bethesda Magazine Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Short stories. Length: 4000 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 10, 2023.

Spectator Contest No. 3282: new look. Genre: In Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future, one chapter is narrated by a carbon atom, another by the market. You are invited to submit a short story narrated from an unusual perspective. Please email entries of up to 150 words to lucy@spectator.co.uk Prize: £30. Deadline: January 11, 2023.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Restrictions: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas. Genre: Essay on an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1956. Prize: The first-place winner receives $10,000 comprised of a $5,000 cash award and $5,000 from John Hancock. The second-place winner receives $1,000. Up to five finalists receive $500 each. Deadline: January 13, 2023.

Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Books written by authors based in northern California and published for the first time the previous calendar year are eligible for nomination. Genre: Published book. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 13, 2023.

French-American Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: Book. Best English translation of French in both fiction and non-fiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 13, 2023.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 10,000 pounds. Deadline: January 13, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction up to 1000 words on theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: January 14, 2023. See themes.

Garden Party Chapbook Contest. Genre: Prose, poetry, and hybrid between 20 and 30 pages. Prize: Publication. January 14, 2023.

Penrose Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQIA+ writers. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $200 prize, a written review from guest judge + publishing. Deadline: January 15, 2023. 

Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $1,500 top prize. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Novel. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the year 2018 considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Novella-in-Flash Award. Genre: Flash fiction/Novella. 6000 to 18000 word limit – each flash should not be more than about 1000 words. Prize: £300 prize for the winner, two runner-up prizes of £100. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Discoveries Prize. Restrictions: Open to female novelists of all ages and backgrounds, from across the UK and Ireland. Genre: Novel in progress. Prize: The winner will be offered representation by Curtis Brown Literary Agency and a cash prize of £5,000. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award. Genre: Poem, 3-10 pages long, that demonstrates a "truly inventive spirit." Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Ballard Spahr Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of MN, IA, ND, SD, WI, or MI. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $10,000 & book publication with Milkweed Editions. Deadline: January 15, 2023.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, all genres. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Writing is open to nonfiction first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Nonfiction, including entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral and historical subjects. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is open to novels and short story collections first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Fiction that explores ideas and issues, political themes, dilemmas and injustices through imagined narratives. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Prizes: Up to C$10,000. Deadline: January 16, 2023.

Bethesda Poetry Contest. Genres: Poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Prize for high school students, $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: January 17, 2023.

Spectator Contest No. 3283. Genre: Poem. You are invited to submit a poem entitled ‘A Peer’s Lament’. Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 18 January. Prize: £30. Deadline: January 18, 2023. 

Poetry Society of Virginia - Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in Virginia, grades 3 - 12. Prize: $10 - $25. Deadline: January 19, 2023.

Sparks Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: January 19, 2023. 

Western Australian Premier's Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to authors who either are citizens or permanent residents of Western Australia. Genre: Book published during the preceding calendar year in a variety of genres. Prize: Up to A$60,000. Deadline: January 19, 2023.

Writers & Artists x Questo Challenge. Genre: "The Writers & Artists x Questo Challenge is a competition that is all about creating your very own city exploration game. You will develop a script following any theme you’d like, but must include elements of fiction writing, location selection, puzzle creation and fact-finding." Prize: £1,000 top prize. Deadline: January 19, 2023.

Zocalo Public Square Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets only. Genre: Poetry that evokes a connection to place. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 23, 2023. 

“Boston in 100 Words” is an annual flash fiction writing contest in the greater Boston metropolitan area. The contest invites anyone living, working, or going to school in Boston and some surrounding towns to write stories of 100 words or fewer that depict everyday life in their communities. A team of local, renowned writers select winning stories, which are made available to the public for free in the form of large, illustrated posters installed throughout the city. “Boston in 100 Words” seeks to impact the largest number of Bostonians possible, as authors and readers of 100-word stories. Participation in the contest is free to everyone. Prize: $300. Deadline: January 23, 2023.

Nine Dots Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors age 18+. Genre: Summary response to "Why has the rule of law become so fragile?" The winner will expand on the ideas expressed in their summary response by participating in a seminar at the University of Cambridge and by writing a short book (25,000-40,000 words) to be published by Cambridge University Press. Prize: $100,000. Deadline: January 23, 2023.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships are awarded in fifteen different disciplines over a three-year period. Prize: $8,000 cash awards are made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: January 25, 2023.

Caine Prize for African Writing. Restrictions: Open to writers born in Africa, or nationals of an African country, or with a parent who is African by birth or nationality, Genre: Short fiction (published). Prize: £10,000. Deadline: January 26, 2023.

Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about technology addiction. Prize: $1000 scholarship.  Deadline: January 30, 2023.

The Hillman Prize for Journalism. Genre: Journalism. "Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honored journalists, writers and public figures that pursue investigative journalism and public policy in service of the common good." Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

International Booker Prize. The International Booker Prize for fiction translated into English is awarded annually by the Booker Prize Foundation to the author of the best (in the opinion of the judges) eligible novel or collection of short stories. The work must be published by a UK or Ireland publishing house. Authors are not permitted to enter their own works. Prize: £50,000 divided equally between the author and the translator. There will be a prize of £2,000 each of the shortlisted titles divided equally between the author and the translator. Deadline: January 30, 2023.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada. Self-published books are not eligible. Genre: A 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. Prize: Winner: $25,000; Finalists: $2,500. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

International Young Theatre Playwriting Contest. Genre: Plays for young audiences (no plays for children or adult audiences, or musicals), written in any official European language. Prize: €2,400 for Category A, €1,000 for Category B and other prizes. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Arnold Bennett Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers based in Stoke on Trent, the wider North Staffordshire area or living anywhere in the world if their work features North Staffordshire. Genre: Published fiction, nonfiction, poetry books, plays, including self-published works. Each submission should have an ISBN number and two copies should be either mailed or delivered to Jenny Amphlett, Staffordshire University, 3rd Floor, The Catalyst Building, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent. ST4 2DF. Prize: £500. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Annual Hortensia Anderson Haiku Contest. Genre: Haiku. Prize:? Deadline: January 31, 2023.

A. C. Bose Grant for South Asian Speculative Literature. Restrictions: Open to South Asian or South Asian diaspora writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Cheshire Prize for Literature. Restrictions: The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire, UK. Age ranges from 4 to adult. Genre: Short story, piece of poetry, script or children’s literature piece (this can be a script, story or poem, for children ages seven to 14) on the theme of Sustainability. Prize: Cash prizes. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Michael E. DeBakey Medical Student Poetry Awards. Restrictions: Only undergraduates currently enrolled in accredited United States medical schools are eligible. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: January 31, 2023. Note: Winners do not retain copyright.

James Welch Prize for Indigenous Poets. Restrictions: The prize is open to new, emerging, and established poets who are community-recognized members of tribal nations within the United States and its trust territories (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans). Only poets who have not published more than one book-length collection are eligible; however, previous publication is not a requirement. Eligible contestants must be community-recognized members of their tribal nation. Formal tribal enrollment is not the only way of acknowledging belonging, and this prize aims to recognize all Native writers who are in community. Previous first place winners of this prize are not eligible, but previous finalists are welcome to submit work. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Imagine Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories in Japanese or English for its “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA– either past, present or future. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The John Byrne Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Scotland. Genre: A piece of creative work on a chosen theme or value (written work must be no more than 15,000 words in length). Prize:  £250. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Dolors Alberola Poetry Prize. Genre: Full-Length poetry collection. Prize: Winner receives translation to another European language; publication of the collection (bilingual edition); 50 copies; and royalties. Finalists receive publication of the collection (Spanish edition), 10 copies of the book, and royalties on Publisher’s edition and subsidiary rights. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. See themes. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The Orwell Society Dystopian Fiction Prize 2023. Restrictions: Open to current students (both BA and MA) at British universities. Genre: Dystopian narratives of 3,000 words. Prize: £500. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: January 31, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

Hurston/Wright Awards for College Writers. Restrictions: Open to Black artists in fiction and poetry enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate school program anywhere in the United States. For the past four years, Amistad, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, has sponsored the award. Genre: Fiction, poetry. 20 pages max for fiction. Up to 3 poems. Prize: Cash prizes. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award. Genre: Any published book, whether fiction or nonfiction, that promotes public understanding of Chicago; titles must be available for purchase by the general public in either hardcover or bound paperback form; All subject areas, disciplines, and genres are eligible, including but not limited to: history, biography, the social sciences, art, architecture, poetry, drama, graphic novels, or fiction; Translations, textbooks, anthologies, reprints or new editions of previously published works, pamphlets, digital publications, travel guides, children’s books, or self-published works are not eligible. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Dandelion Cottage Short Story Contest for Michigan Students. Restrictions: Open to students attending or being home-schooled in an Upper Peninsula School District. Genre: Short story, 5,000 words max. Prize: Up to $250. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. "The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America." Genre: previously unpublished work of short fiction. Prize: $150.00. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Scriptlab. Genre: TV script or short screenplay. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: January 31, 2023.

RH Blyth Award. Genre: Haiku. Prize: 300GBP (British pound sterling). Deadline: January 31, 2023.

The Miracle Monocle Award for Young Black Writers. Restrictions: Writers must be 25 years old or younger and identify as Black. Genre: All. Prize: $200.  Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Harlequin: Romance Includes You Mentorship. Restrictions: Open to debut writers in Canada and the US. Genre: Romance novel. Prize: A contract advance plus grant with a value of $5,000 U.S. Deadline: January 31, 2023. (?) Opens January 1, so submit early.

Laureate Prize. Genre: Full-length poetry book. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 31, 2023. No entry fee for BIPOC writers. 

12 (Warm) Writing Conferences and Workshops in January 2023

We all dream of sunshine during the cold, dark days of winter. Fortunately for writers, there are a dozen delightful conferences this January held in places we would rather be. 

If you miss your ideal conference this year, don't worry. Many of these are annual events, and quite a few offer scholarships. (Apply early!) 

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.)

(Image: Key West, Flickr)

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Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 5 - 15, 2023: Seaside, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 12–15, 2023: Key West, Florida. Each year, the Key West Literary Seminar explores a particular literary theme. In 2023, we will celebrate our 40th anniversary with “Singing America: A Celebration of Black Literature”

Winter Poetry & Prose Getaway. January 13 - 16, 2023, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft talks, one-on-one tutorials, featured readings, and open mics. Tuition, which includes some meals, ranges from $490 to $690, depending on the workshop; lodging is not included. 

TMW January Jumpstart. January 14 - 15, 2023: Oak Ridge, TN. “We will have a “Meet and Greet” session Friday from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern. On Saturday there will be concurrent Poetry and Fiction morning sessions from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Eastern, and afternoon sessions from 1:30 – 4:30 Eastern." Registration $150. Application deadline December 30.

Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Conference. January 14 -21, 2023, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. The faculty includes Emily Bernard, Laura Lippman, Ann Hood,  Andre Dubus III, Michael Koryta, Stewart O’Nan, Ana Menéndez, and many more. Required mask wearing while indoors.  All faculty, staff, and volunteers must show proof of vaccination, while students must either show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result. Application period runs from August 1 to November 1.

Writing By Writers DRAFT. Lake Tahoe and Boulder, CO. DRAFT is an intensive program for 15 writers who are committed to completing a novel, memoir, short story, or essay collection over the course of two years. Whether starting a first draft, or working through a new revision, this program is appropriate for writers who want a rigorous and supportive community throughout their process. Application Deadline, January 15, 2023; Acceptance Notification, February 1, 2023; Registration Deadline, February 15, 2023; Program Kick Off, February 28, 2023.

Digital Book World Conference. January 16 - 18, 2023: NYC. This is the premier event for digital publishers and content providers of all sizes and business models. 

Jaipur Literature Festival. January 19 - 23, 2023. Presentations, panels, readings, and music performances. In an uplifting celebration of the mind and heart, authors from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe will take part in provocative conversations about life and society, economics and the arts, equity, freedom, and the care of our planet. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.

Spiraling Through Structure: The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Lyric Form. January 21, 2023. Online. "Writing true stories using logics of pattern, image and arrangement. Sign up for this online workshop if you’re curious to learn about (or learn more about) telling true stories that resist chronology and employ logics of pattern, image, and arrangement. We will explore a few lyric forms, such as spliced, segmented, and braided. Then, I’ll lead you through an exercise that focuses on either inventing a new creative nonfiction piece or revising a draft into a new form. Participants will leave the workshop with some new or revised work and at least two techniques to use to generate and revise essays with particular attention to structure." Tuition: $50. 

Writing By Writers GET THE LEAD OUT! January 20 - 22, 2023: Online. This workshop brings all levels of writers together for a weekend of inspiration, craft and the generation of new work. Faculty:
Sequoia Nagamatsu, Pam Houston & Chip Livingston. Tuition: $750 includes one three-day workshop, admittance to all craft talks and readings.

Sunshine State Book Festival. January 27 - 28, 2023: Gainesville, Florida. "Our 2023 festival will feature 150 authors writing in 15 genres. Over a third of them have won literary awards. This year’s keynote address will be given by Janis Owens, notable author of four novels, a regional cookbook, and a book of nonfiction. She will speak on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.." Admission is free.

Colrain Classic. January 27 - 30, 2023: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.