95 Calls for Submissions in February 2023 - Paying markets

This February there are more than seven 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: Wikimedia)

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JOURN-E The Journal of Imaginative Literature. Genre: Adventure, Detection & Mystery, Fantasy, Horror & the Supernatural, and Science Fiction. Payment: One (1) cent per word for prose fiction and non-fiction, BUT with the following maximums: Up to $50.00 maximum for short stories; up to $35 maximum for scholarly articles; up to $15 maximum for reviews. Poetry from 3-13 lines--$7.50. Poetry from 14-50 lines--$15.00. Poetry over 50 lines--$15.00 plus 25 cents per line over 50 lines up to a maximum of $35.00. Interior Illustrations--$25-$50.00 (half-page to full-page). Cover Art in Full RGB Color--$100 [will be commissioned, or the illustrator should contact the editor with a concept before finished work and submission]. Deadline: February 1, 2023. Note: closes once 100 submissions have been received.

Magical Realist Eco-Fiction Anthology. Genre: Magical Realist Eco-Fiction centered on finding and examining “the sublime” and “the unknown” within our daily lives, and/or addressing the ways in which we interact with them. Payment: $50. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Galaxy's Edge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Flash fiction, short stories and novelettes up to 10,000 words. Payment: 7 cents per word for new fiction. Deadline: Opens February 1, 2023. (Note: Opens every Tuesday for submissions)

Under the Stairs. Genre: Horror. "Home is where you’re supposed to feel safe. But what happens when that safety is violated? When something malignant – living, dead, or something that never lived at all – enters our most sacred of places and begins twisting it to use that safety against you?" Length: 3,000 words max. Payment: 3 cents/word. 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.

Longleaf Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction Payment: $20. Deadline: Opens February 1, 2023. Submit early in the month. Submissions close after they reach 300.

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.

Sci Phi Journal. Genre: Hard science fiction, fictional nonfiction, and speculative philosophy. Translations accepted. Payment: €0.03/word; €0.01/word for translations. Deadline: February 2, 2023. 

Plumwood Mountain Journal. Genre: Poetry. See theme. Payment: $80. Deadline: February 3, 2023. Note: Only pays Australians.

Sylvia. Genre: Poetry and prose. "We are looking for nature-inspired pieces for summer, autumn and winter. We are leaning into our sylvan vibes this year; send us your forest poems, tales of fairies, and moments in nature." Payment: £1.75 per line for poetry (not including titles or line breaks) and £0.25 per word for prose. Deadline: February 3, 2023.

Unleashed. Genre: Horror up to 10,000 words. Payment: $25 per piece. Deadline: February 3, 2023.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Asia. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: February 5, 2023.

Nightmare Fuel Magazine: Love Has Teeth. Restrictions: Open to Australians only. Genre: Horror short stories, poems. Payment: 5 cents AUD per word. Length: 666 words max. Deadline: February 5, 2023.

Barrelhouse. Genre: Nonfiction books. "We're interested in full-length memoirs and essay collections that combine personal narrative with... something else. That could be reportage, criticism, history, etc. We're especially interested in projects where the external element has something to do with pop culture, and projects that do something unexpected and original with form and structure. A straightforward narrative memoir, no matter how engaging, is not going to be a fit for us. Send us your hybrid project that you worry might be too weird to publish, the project you thought was going to be a memoir but ended up as some new part-memoir form that you're not quite sure how to label. The project that was driven by your genuine obsession and fascination with a niche topic so close to your heart that you couldn't write about it without also including personal narrative. We want the exciting in-between stuff that pushes the boundaries of what makes a "memoir" or an "essay collection." Payment: Royalties? Deadline: February 5, 2023.

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark, eerie speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $10 for fiction. Deadline: February 5, 2023.

The Spectacle. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $50. Deadline: February 5, 2023.

Dark Matter: Monster Lairs. Genre: Dark speculative fiction, horror, Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: February 5, 2023. Note: The submission window will remain open an additional week (from Monday, January 30, until Sunday, February 5 at 11:59 p.m. CST) for previously unpublished writers, ESL writers, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ writers, and other marginalized voices.

Shenandoah. Genre: Fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: Opens February 6. Closes when cap is reached.

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: February 7, 2023.

This Magazine. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Queer issue. "LGBTQIA2S+ to the front! Send us all your ideas about love, sex, joy, rage, community, healthcare, self-connection, queering your life or parts of your life, fighting for your rights–whatever you’ve got, we want to read it. We’re looking for features, essays, columns, reported pieces, arts, and news pieces." Payment: $100. Deadline: February 7, 2023. Pitches only.

berlin lit. Genre: Poetry. Payment: 20 euros per poem. Deadline: February 8, 2023.

Suburban Review. Genre: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics, and art on theme of Itch. Payment: $75- $150. Deadline: February 8, 2023.

Forest Avenue Press. Genre: Novels. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

swim meet lit mag. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (think memoir and personal essay), visual art and photography. "Send us hybrids, work that pushes the boundaries of creativity, that you’d be proud to see published!" Payment: $30 AUD per poem and visual art piece, $50 AUD for prose and cover art. Only pays Australian writers. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

Qwerty. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry. Payment: $15 CAD. Deadline: February 11, 2023.

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical and genre fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 11, 2023. See theme.

Faces. Genre: Nonfiction, activities for children 9 - 14. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: February 11, 2023. Queries only. See themes.

Electric Literature: Recommended Reading. Genre: Short fiction between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Payment: $300. Deadline: February 12, 2023.

Augur Magazine. Restrictions: Augur Magazine is 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. 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: February 12, 2023.

Cossmass Infinities. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy short stories. Payment: $0.08/word for original fiction. Deadline: February 14, 2023. Note: Open during the first week of February and October for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other under-represented authors then opening to general submission for the second week.

Cast of Wonders. Genre: YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Theme: Seasonal Holidays. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction of any length (yes, including flash!). For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Deadline: February 14, 2023.

Applause. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, and photography. See theme. Payment: $25.  Deadline: February 14, 2023.

ParSec. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy and horror. Payment: 2p a word up to a maximum of £180.00. Deadline: February 14, 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. We aim to publish seasonally, with our inaugural issue expected to be released early 2022. Response times vary  between 1 day to 4 months. Apologies in advance for form rejections. Our goal is to publish 15 pieces per issue." Payment: $20. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

evOke. Genre: All things Pagan, polytheist, and witchy. See themes. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 15, 2023. 

Lumiere. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Poetry, prose, art. See theme. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Fallen Tree Press. Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Ghoulish Tales. Genre: Horror. Word count: 5,000 max (short stories); 3,000 max (non-fiction). Payment: 7 cents/word. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review. Genre: Poetry and art. Payment: $7 per poem, $12 for cover art and $7 for inside art. Deadline: February 15, 2023. See themes.

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 15, 2023. Some reprints accepted.

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

Funemployment Quarterly. Genre: Science-fiction/fantasy on theme: Autonomy. Payment: $20 CAD. Deadline: February 16, 2023. 

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 17, 2023. (extended)

Electric Literature: The Commuter. Genre: Poetry, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives. Payment: $100. Deadline: February 19, 2023.

fron//tera. Genre: Nonfiction (up to 5,000 words), fiction, poetry, art. Submissions can be in Spanish or English. They also publish short dual-language English and Spanish pieces side by side. See theme. Payment: $25 - $50. Deadline: February 19, 2023. (extended)

The Aurora Journal. Genre: Prose, poetry. "We look for writing that is surreal, ethereal, mystical, and explores the dangerous limits of surrealism." Payment: $12. Deadline: February 20, 2023.

Worlds of Possibility. Genre: Poetry, and science fiction and fantasy flash stories up to 1,000 words, with no minimum requirement. Ideally the stories should leave the reader feeling hopeful, peaceful, or happy. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: February 20, 2023.

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: February 20, 2023. Queries only.

Planet Scumm Genre: Hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, speculative fiction, weird fiction, and slipstream. Payment: $0.05/word. Deadline: February 21, 2023.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary flash fiction. Length: 500- to 1000-words. Payment: $80. Deadline: February 21, 2023.

Room to Read: Youth in Care Children's Book Collection. Genre: Books for and about children in the foster care system. Payment: $4,000 USD for completed manuscripts. Deadline: February 21, 2023.

Unstamatic. Genre: Flash prose and poetry, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 24, 2023.

Omenana Magazine. Restrictions: Open to writers from Africa and the African Diaspora. Genre: speculative fiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: February 25, 2023.

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

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Fairy Tale Science. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: February 28, 2023. Queries only.

Epoch. Genre: Poetry, prose, art and comics. Payment: $100 - $500 for poetry, prose, and comics, depending on length, and $350 for cover art. Deadline: February 28, 2023. No fee for snail mail submissions.

Tower Magazine. Genre: All genres. "We’re looking for work that grapples with endings, death, dissolution and finality; sudden, brutal endings; torturously slow breakdowns; how do things come to an end and who gets to decide?" Payment: €20, Deadline: February 28, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Voices from the Revolution—Iranian Women Speak. Genre: Poetry; fiction and essays up to 2500 words each or images of visual art. "The International Human Rights Art Festival's (IHRAF) publishing initiative, IHRAF Books, is accepting submissions for Voices from the Revolution: Iranian Women Speak, a print anthology of Iranian culture and experience in light of the recent protests in that country, highlighting women authors and artists." Payment: $25 per piece. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Lolwe. Restrictions: Open to Black (African, Caribbean, Diaspora) artists. Genre: Fiction, essays, poetry, and photography. Payment: "Modest" Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Triangulation—Seven-Day Weekend. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry. See theme. Payment: 3 cents per word for short stories, 25 cents per line for poetry. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Yellow Arrow Journal. Genre: Creative nonfiction, poetry, cover art by authors who identify as women. Theme: Kindling. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Dark Hare Press holds a monthly Patreon challenge. Genre: Speculative fiction drabble. Theme: Anime Horror. Word count : exactly 100 words. Payment: 4 cents/word. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Pyre. Genre: Horror, sci-fi, the weird, the macabre, fantasy, and magical realism: Flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, videos. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Southword. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €40 per poem. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Black Beacon Book of Horror. Genre: Horror. Payment: $20 per piece. $5 for reprints. Deadline: February 28, 2023. 

21 Futures: Tales from the Timechain. Genre: Fiction. "We want to present a broad spectrum of possible worlds all told through the lens of bitcoin." Payment: $100. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Blue Mesa Review. Genre: Fiction (up to 6,000 words), Nonfiction (up to 6,000 words), Poetry (up to 3 poems), and Visual Art. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 28, 2023. Submit early in the month.

Transform the World. Genre: Near future hopepunk. Story Length: 2.5-15K. Payment: One-time flat fee. New stories: $50 for 2.5-5k words, $75 for 5-10K words; $100 for 10-15K; Reprints accepted at half the new story rate. Deadline: February 28, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Propertius Press. Genre: Poetry on theme: Home in the World. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Dear Poetry Journal. Genre: Poetry. "Your poems should identify their dears, whether by direct dedication, title, and/or contents." Payment: $5. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The New Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to Canadian writers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $275 for a short story or nonfiction entry, and $50 per poem or postscript story. Deadline: February 28, 2023. 

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse Anthology. Genre: Short horror, weird, dark fiction between 1500 and 4000 words (firm limit) that deal with a fictional apocalypse. The story must take place within a short period of time (less than a day) at the beginning of a fictional apocalypse. Payment: 3 cents/word. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: February 28, 2023. In celebration of Black History Month, there are no submission fees for Black writers for the month of February.

Maine Review. Genre: Short fiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and Nonfiction writers receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more. Poets receive a $25 honorarium per published poem. Deadline: February 21, 2023. Closes when cap is reached.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art. Payment: $50. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme of Symmetry. Payment: $30. Deadline: February 28, 2023. Opens February 15. Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.

Dragon Soul Press: Trickster. Genre: "All Fae stories are welcome. All genres are accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

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." Payment: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles. Genre: True stories and poems. "All of us have experienced events in our lives that are completely unexplainable: the strange premonition that made you take a different route home causing you to miss an accident; the eerie feeling that you should call home… now, saving someone’s life; the mysterious communication from a loved one who has passed on." Payment: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The power of positive thinking. Genre: True stories and poems. "How did you “think positive” and how did it change your life? Tell us your success story about using the power of positive thinking!" Payment: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Maul. Genre: Horror between 100 and 3,000 words. "We enjoy pulp fiction. That means we look for stories that pop. Exaggeration, melodrama, impossibly imaginative settings, and vivid imagery are encouraged. Bring us something that really jumps off the page. Be as over-the-top as you like. If you’re a more subtle writer, submit anyway. Sometimes one good twist or some relatable descriptions will still catch people’s eye, even the uninitiated." Payment: $0.08/word for original fiction, $0.02/word for reprints. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Nightlight Podcast. Restrictions: Open to Black writers. Genre: Horror. Payment: Up to $200. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Sonder Magazine. Genre: Fiction, CNF and poetry on theme of Belonging. Payment: €300. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Rumpus. Genre: Fiction and essays. "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: February 28, 2023.

Tamarind. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction. "We welcome stories that look creatively at science and the philosophy of science." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Come Sail Away. Genre: Poetry, prose poetry, and other experimental writing by queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming writers. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

New Myths. Genre: Speculative fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: 3 cents/word with a minimum payment of $30 for all submissions, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction and poetry; $50 for book reviews; $80 for art. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Quarter Press: Quarter(ly). Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. See themes. Payment: $5. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Variant Lit. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

And a few more...

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: March 1, 2023. See themes.

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, 2023. Note: They only have 200 free submissions per month; if they exceed that number, their free submissions categories will close for the remainder of the month.

Strange Horizons' Wuxia & Xianxia Special. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Traditional and new approaches to wuxia and xianxia fiction ." Payment: up to $150 per contributor. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Contrary. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: $20. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Kangas Kahn. Genre: Halloween short stories. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Particular Passages. Genre: Poetry, fiction, art on theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2023. See themes.

Block Party Press. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction chapbook manuscripts, 15 - 24 pages. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

The Polyglot. Genre: Multilingual art, poems, essays, stories, artworks, and translations on any theme. Payment: $100 CAD. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Iron Horse. Genre: Poems, stories, essays on any topic. Payment: $50 per poem or flash piece and $100 per story or essay. Deadline: March 1, 2023. Fee free for one day only. 

Cunning Folk. Genre: Non-fiction pitches and short fiction and poetry on theme: The Vampire. Payment: £100 per article, interview or short story and £50 for poetry and rituals. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Teach. Write. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction, poetry, CNF. "I prefer writing that is either written by composition teachers and writing students OR about teaching and learning." Payment: $15. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Fission is the British Science Fiction Association's annual anthology of SFF fiction. You don’t need to be a BSFA member to submit. Genre: Science fiction. Length: Up to 5,000 words. Payment: 2 pence per word. Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Thema: Help from a Stranger. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: Help from a Stranger. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: March 1, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Short Story Substack accepts one short story every month. Genre: All genres. Word count 6,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: February 28, 2023. Reprints accepted.

5 New Agents Seeking Commercial Fiction, Women's Fiction, Literary Fiction, SFF, LGBTQ+, Nonfiction, Memoir and more

Here are five new literary agents actively seeking writers. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients.

Ariele Fredman is seeking novels or short story collections and the occasional pop culture project in NonFic. Dotti Irving is primarily interested in narrative non-fiction, in books that tell a story that rings true and speaks to a wider world. Molly Jamieson has a particular interest in scifi and fantasy across both adult and children’s books.

Wayne Arthurson actively seeking works by Indigenous writers. Claire Cavanagh is actively acquiring Commercial Women's Fiction; Literary Fiction; LGBTQ+ Commercial and Literary Fiction and Nonfiction; Hybrid Memoir; Pop Culture; Music; Film/TV; Fashion; Society; Culture; Subcultures; Alternative Communities. 

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

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

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

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Ms. Ariele Fredman of United Talent Agency

Ariele Fredman spent 12 years at Atria Books, where she worked across genres to launch bestselling campaigns for authors such as Colleen Hoover, Fredrik Backman, Lisa Jewell, Jennifer Weiner, Rebecca Serle, Zakiya Dalila Harris and Janet Evanovich. Fredman has launched more than 50 New York Times best sellers, including eight No. 1 titles, and has placed numerous titles as book club picks at prominent outlets like “Good Morning America,” “Today,” Marie Claire, New York Public Library & WNYC and Book of the Month, among others. A graduate of Emory University, Fredman began her career at Harper Collins and lives in New York with her daughter and husband.

What she is seeking: I am only accepting novels or short story collections and the occasional pop culture project in NonFic. I'm looking for character-driven commercial and upmarket fiction that will make me cry (family drama/coming of age all accepted here!), mystery/thriller/suspense with a last-page jawdropper, romance with a relatable main character and witty dialogue, and novels about women's inner lives that straddle the line between commercial and literary from a diverse range of voices and backgrounds.

How to submit: Send query letter (including your elevator pitch, synopsis, comp titles, bio, and inspiration) along with the first 50 pages of your manuscript to her querymanager HERE.

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Dotti Irving of Greyhound Literary (UK)

Dotti Irving has been lucky enough to spend her working life in the world of books. After an exhilarating decade at Penguin, she set up Colman Getty, a PR agency which specialised in publishing and campaigning, and where she worked with such inspirational writers as William Boyd, Germaine Greer, Charlie Higson, Nigella Lawson and J.K. Rowling. She handled big-ticket prizes such as the Booker Prize for Fiction and the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction (now the Baillie Gifford Prize). In 2012 Dotti sold her company to Four, a larger comms agency, and in July 2022 she stepped down to pursue her independent career again.

What she is seeking:  Dotti is primarily interested in narrative non-fiction, in books that tell a story that rings true and speaks to a wider world.

How to submit: Send an outline which tells us about your book and why you are best-placed to write it, along with some sample writing from it to dotti@greyhoundliterary.co.uk.

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Mr. Wayne Arthurson of The Rights Factory (Canada)

Wayne Arthurson is an award-winning writer of Cree and French Canadian descent. He is the author of eight novels, five books of non-fiction and over 200 articles in magazines and newspapers. For the past 30 years, Wayne has worked in journalism, communications, advertising and as a musician and independent literary agent. He spent three and half years as a member of the Edmonton Arts Council and was a founding board member of Edmonton Litfest. 

What he is seeking: Wayne is now building his list of talent, looking specifically for YA or adult literary, crime and SFF and narrative nonfiction and memoir. He's actively seeking works by Indigenous writers.

How to submit: Use his query manager HERE. 

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Ms. Claire Cavanagh of The Rights Factory (Canada)

Claire was previously in academia and holds an MSc. and PhD. in Applied Linguistics along with a Masters in Publishing from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Originally from Ireland, she has lived in Europe, Asia, and Canada. These life experiences influence her list as she is always eager to work with academics to shape academic work into trade books and is equally enthusiastic to work with authors from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

What she is seeking: Commercial Women's Fiction; Literary Fiction; LGBTQ+ Commercial and Literary Fiction; Nonfiction; Hybrid Memoir; Pop Culture; Music; Film/TV; Fashion; Society; Culture; Subcultures; Alternative Communities

Claire Cavanagh is actively acquiring adult non-fiction and selected adult fiction. In non-fiction she is seeking manuscripts on pop culture/celebrity, memoir, biography and history, society and culture. She has a keen interest in niche topics and sub-cultures, including deep dives on pop culture obsessions and analyses or insights into real or imagined communities.

In fiction she is interested in commercial and literary fiction particularly manuscripts which examine womens’ inner lives, relationships, and lived experiences along with stories focused on identity and belonging. She is also actively seeking LGBTQ+ commercial and literary fiction.

How to submit: Use her query manager HERE. 

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Molly Jamieson of United Agents (UK)

Molly joined United Agents in 2017 as an assistant. She is now an Associate Agent and continues to work closely with Jodie Hodges and Emily Talbot on their lists of children’s authors and illustrators as well as building her own list.

What she is seeking: She has a particular interest in scifi and fantasy across both adult and children’s books. For a sense of her taste, she has recently read and enjoyed Sistersong by Lucy Holland, Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, and Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber. She loves anything with high stakes, characters you would follow anywhere, big stories, expansive worldbuilding, breathless romance, and threads of adventure running throughout.

How to submit: Please send a query containing a one-line elevator pitch and two or three comparable books, together with a blurb that you could imagine on the back of your book jacket. For fiction submissions please also attach: A one page synopsis which tells us the outline of your story from start to finish and the first three chapters of your manuscript. 

Send materials to: MJamieson@unitedagents.co.uk

73 Writing Contests in February 2023 - No entry fees

This February there are more than six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $25,000 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 has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

(Image: Rawpixel)

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The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Gannon University Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Entrants must be a US high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Genre: Poetry. Each student may enter 1 or 2 poems; each poem may be no longer than 50 lines. Prize: First Place: $100.00 Second Place: $75.00 Third Place: $50.00. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Deep Wild Graduate Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to students currently enrolled in graduate programs. Genre: Poetry. "We seek work that conjures the experiences, observations, and insights of backcountry journeys." Prize:1st Place prize is $300, 2nd Place $200, and 3rd Place $100. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition. Restrictions: Writers must be enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) in any field of study at a regular university, and be born in 1993 or later. Genre: Essay on on the best or worst legacy from previous generations. Length: 2,100 words. Prize: CHF20,000, split between three winners; they’ll also cover travel, accommodation, and admission to the symposium in Switzerland. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. Genre: Most outstanding book for young people published in 2021. There is a $500 award in each category: Pre-K - Grade 3;  Grades 4 - 6;  Grades 7 - 12. Prize: $500. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Paterson Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry book published in 2021. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Narrative Magazine High School Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students aged 15-18. Genre: Poetry on theme: True or False. Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

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: February 1, 2023.

Wednesday Club Junior Poetry Prize. Restrictions: High School Students in Grades 9 through 12 in the St. Louis Area. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $200,  $150,  $100, $80, $50, and up to five $25 honorable mentions TEACHER AWARDS: $200, $150, $100. (Applies to teachers of first three student winners.) Deadline: February 1, 2023.

Wednesday Club Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Adults over 18; living within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Two individual poems. Prizes: $500, $300, $150. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

David Oluwale Competition. Genre: Previously unpublished poetry or prose which creatively responds to David Oluwale’s story and its relevance today. (See site for story.) Prize: First Prize: £500 · Second Prize: £350 · Runner up: £150. Deadline: February 1, 2023.

North Carolina Student Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to student poets from 3rd grade to university undergraduates attending schools in North Carolina. Genres: Unpublished poems (submit one poem). Prizes: 1st Place winners will receive a $60 check, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. 2nd Place winners receive $40, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. 3rd Place winners receive $25, an NCPS award certificate, and a free copy of Pinesong. Deadline: February 3, 2023. 

The University of Chester Flash (Youth). Restrictions: Open to Scottish students aged 16-19 who are studying in the UK. Genre: flash fiction of up to 360 words. Prize: Up to £100. Deadline: February 3, 2023.

Papatango New Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to anyone resident in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Genre: Script of roughly 25 – 50 pages. Prize: £7000. Their scripts will be produced as audio plays and tour the UK in free listening stations. The scripts will also be published digitally by Nick Hern Books. Deadline: February 5, 2023.

The Golden Triangle Golden Haiku poetry contest. Genre: Haiku on theme “Notes to Nature.” Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: February 5, 2023.

Future Worlds Prize. Restrictions: Open to unpublished SFF writers of color. Genre: Speculative fiction. Submit a 5,000-10,000 word extract of either a short story or the opening chapters of a novel. Prize: £4,000 top prize. Deadline: February 6, 2023.

Spectator Contest No. 3286: That’s amore. Genre: ‘Harry’s memoir tells of a love poem that Meghan wrote him (described by Rachel Cooke in the Guardian as ‘pure vomit emoji’). You are invited to submit a suitably toe-curling Valentine poem to Harry, or to the love object of your choice. Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucyATspectatorDOTcoDOTuk Prize: £30. Deadline: February 8, 2023.

Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to writers who were born in or are residents of Virginia or, in the case of nonfiction, books with a Virginia theme, are eligible. Genre: Books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Restrictions: Open to authors under 30 years of age who have not had a book published. Applicant must have been born in Ohio or have lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years. Genre: Short fiction and creative non-fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

The Bechtel Prize. Genre: Essays essays describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. "We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the classroom." Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

Highlights Foundation Scholarships. Prize: 25 full tuition scholarships and 20 partial tuition scholarships for workshops that take place at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center. 30 full tuition scholarships for online courses through the Highlights Foundation. 15 scholarships for personal retreats at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

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 Iowa 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. Deadline: February 10, 2023.

The International Radio Playwriting Competition 2023 is sponsored by the BBC World Service and British Council in partnership with Commonwealth Writers. Restrictions: Open to non-UK residents. Genre: A script for a 53 minute radio play with up to six central characters. Prize: £2500 sterling and a trip to London. Deadline: February 12, 2023.

Writers' & Artists' Short Story Competition. Genre: Short story. All entries must be original unpublished prose of 2,000 words or fewer. Prize: A place on one of Arvon's residential writing courses and publication. Deadline: February 14, 2023.

Charles Crupi Memorial Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students in Michigan.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st place - $250 and publication in The Albion Review, 2nd place - $150 and publication in The Albion Review; 3rd place - $100 and publication in The Albion Review. Deadline: February 14, 2023.

Tree2mydoor Valentines Day Poetry competition. Restrictions: Open to UK citizens. Genre: Witty or soppy, romantic or silly Valentines Day poems. Prize: £100 worth of Tree2mydoor gift vouchers.  Deadline: February 14, 2023.

There Is No Planet B STAFFORD GREEN ARTS FESTIVAL. Genre: Poetry, art, flash fiction, nonfiction, recipes on theme  'environmental engagement'. Prize: Publication. Deadline: February 14, 2023. Open to ages 8 and up.

Watson, Little x Indie Novella Prize. Restrictions: Open to all unpublished (self-published are accepted) UK-based authors aged 16 and over. Genre: Fiction of all lengths (novels, novellas, stories). See themes. Prize: Winning entries will receive a one page report and one hour session from an agent at Watson, Little. If, after this process, the finished novel is suitable, Watson, Little Literary Agents will have first option to represent the winner and to offer it to a recommended publisher. Deadline: February 14, 2023.

Syracuse University's Veterans Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to U.S. veterans and active duty personnel in any branch of the U.S. military and their immediate family members. This includes spouses, domestic partners, and children. Women veteran writers and veterans of color are encouraged to submit. Genre: Unpublished, full-length novels or short story collections. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: 53-word story. Prize: Publication in Prime Number Magazine and  a free book from Press 53. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Moving Words Poetry Competition for Adults. Genre: Poems of 10 lines or less that will be displayed inside Arlington Transit buses. Prize: $250. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

The 2022 Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators. "The grant is intended to facilitate the completion of a substantial sample of a book-length work of prose translation suitable for submission to English-language publishers, and will be awarded to an individual translator who has not yet received a book-length contract for translation work. We particularly welcome submissions from translators from historically underrepresented cultures and backgrounds." Grant: $3,000. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Ambroggio Prize. Restrictions: Poet must be a U.S. Citizen; Resident of the United States for the ten-year period prior to the submission deadline, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Legal Permanent Status (LPS), or any subsequent categories designated by the U.S. authorities as conferring similar enhanced status upon non-citizens living in the United States. Genre: Book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Paul-Victor Winters Memorial Creative Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to NJ high school students in private or public schools, grades 9-12. Genre: Flash Fiction and Poetry. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award. Genre: Poetry collection translated from any language into English and published in the previous calendar year. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

Haiku Society of America Merit Book Awards for Excellence in Published Haiku, Translation, and Criticism. Genre: Published book. Books must have been published in 2022 and must clearly contain a printed 2022 copyright. A member, author, or publisher may submit or nominate more than one title. At least 50 percent of the book must be haiku, senryu, or haibun, or prose about these subjects (books mostly of tanka, for example, are not eligible). Prize: $500. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

CAAPP Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers of African descent. Genre: First or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African and African diasporic experience. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation. Prize: $3000 and publication. Deadline: February 15, 2023.

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: February 15, 2023.

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: $20,000 scholarship. Deadline: Grade 6-10: February 16, 2023. Grade 11-12: February 23, 2023.

Luminarts Creative Writing Fellowship. The Creative Writing Fellowship awards two $7,500 grant Fellowships for excellence in creative writing in the categories of prose and poetry, in fiction and nonfiction. Applicants submit a two-page written piece (either a stand-alone piece or an excerpt of a larger piece such as a novel or short story). Open to writers between the ages of 18 and 30 years old at the time of application; be enrolled in, or have graduated from, a degree program; and live within 150 miles of the Union League Club of Chicago. Genre: Poetry or prose, fiction and nonfiction.  Prize: $7,500. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between October 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023 to be eligible for the 2023 Prize. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction. Restrictions: Open to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. The winner of the prize will have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking and challenging work. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers. Restrictions: The nominee must self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. The nominee must have written and published at least one but no more than two books of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Dr. Jim Duggins Outstanding LGBTQ Mid-Career Novelist Prize. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ mid-career novelists who have published at least three novels. or two novels and substantial additional literary work (including poems, stories, or essays). Genre: Published book. Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction. Restrictions: Open to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50. Restrictions: Open to unpublished LGBTQ writers over 50 working in any genre. Genre: All genres. Prize: $5000. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Young Authors Sacred Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to US students aged 13-18. Genre: Essay on "One human family." Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: February 17, 2023.

Ink Bowl's Winter Writing & Art Competition. Restrictions: Open to high school upperclassmen, college, and graduate school students across the globe. Genre: Short story, poetry, CNF. See prompt. Prize: $120 gift card. Deadline: February 20, 2023.

The Reporting Award. Genre: Journalism, in any medium, on an under-reported subject in the public interest. Prize: Up to $12,500. Deadline: February 21, 2023.

Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students (grades 9-12) from across the Washington Metropolitan Area (Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC). Genre: Poetry. Prize: First, 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $250, $100 and $50 gift certificates.  Deadline: February 23, 2023.

Wiley-Silver Prize in Civil War History. Genre: First book or monograph in Civil War history published in the previous year. Books or monographs published by scholarly or popular presses are eligible. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: February 24, 2023.

Lex Allen Literary Festival Prizes. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate college students. Genres: Poetry and fiction. Prize: $100. Deadline: February 24, 2023.

Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is 'The Planets.' Prize: £5,000. Deadline: February 24, 2023.

Harper’s Bazaar short-story competition. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over. Genre: Original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Notes’ up to 2,200 words. Prize: Two-night stay for two at Callow Hall (UK). Deadline: February 26, 2023.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association Self-Published E-Book Literary Award. Restrictions: Open to African-Americans. Genre: Self-Published E-Book in fiction and poetry written by African-Americans that depict the "cultural, historical, or sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora." Prize: $2,500. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Improve the News Foundation (ITN) Political Satire Writing Contest. Genre: "All candidates will need to write three distinct texts that flag attempts at curtailing democracy, civil liberties and/or scientific debate. These may include attempts at censorship, invasion of privacy, authoritarianism and/or disregard for facts, etc. Each flag should be about 1–2 paragraphs (750 - 1500 characters) long and target these initiatives within the context of democratic countries during the past five years. The first flag should be a critique of a product, corporation or government; the second a critique of left-wing political establishment; and the third a critique of right-wing political establishment." Prize: $1,000 top prize. Cash Prize Winners may be offered jobs on Editorial Team. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities, but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. Genre: Poetry and fiction: See prompts. Prize: £300 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Welkin Writing Prize. Genre: Narrative prose (fiction and nonfiction) up to 400 words. Prize: £150+ top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Prism Prize for Climate Literature. Restrictions: Open to USA and UK writers. Genre: Full-length book: fiction, poetry, and literary non-fiction writing in the emerging genre of climate literature. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Poems of Kindness Postcard. Genre: Poem on theme: Kindness. Prize: £75 plus 20 copies of the pamphlet in which your poem is published. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Victor Howes Prize in Poetry. Restrictions: Undergraduate English majors currently enrolled at a New England college (2-year or 4-year). Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multi-Lingual Texts. Genre: Literary translations and multi-lingual texts. Prize: $200. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Texas Review Press Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series: South Carolina. Restrictions: Open to any poet born in South Carolina, or currently residing in South Carolina, who has not yet published a full-length collection of poetry. The author may have published chapbooks or books in other genres. Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Winner will receive a standard royalty contract, and 20 copies of the published book. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Kelpies Prize (Scotland). Restrictions: Open to Scottish authors. Genre: Children’s fiction and illustration. Prize: £1,000, a publishing contract, a writing retreat, and a year of mentoring by an editorial team. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Great Gift Contest. Genre: Write about a gift. Either a great gift you’ve gotten or that you’ve given. 25 words max. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

The Buffalo Books Fiction Prize. Genre: Novels — from 40,000 to 80,000 words — that are set in or explore the Midwest, the Great Plains, and/or the alleged flyover portions of the West. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: February 28, 2023 or until they reach 100 submissions. Opens February 1.

Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to US writers only. Genre: Full-length manuscript of creative nonfiction by a writer not yet established in the genre. Prize: $12,000 and publication. Deadline: February 28, 2023. Opens February 1.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of "Haunted Spaceports." A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15. Prize: $5. Deadline: February 28, 2023.

Graywolf Press African Fiction Prize. Genre: Novel. The prize will be awarded for a first novel by an African author primarily residing in Africa. Prize: $12,000 advance and publication by Graywolf Press. Deadline: February 28, 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: February 28, 2023.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: February 28, 2023. This is a monthly contest.

 

21 Literary Magazines Open NOW for Poetry, Short Fiction, CNF, Speculative Fiction, Horror, and more

Here are 21 publications that are open to submissions now (no deadlines). All are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. Quite a few accept reprints.

You can find also upcoming calls for submissions with deadlines on my page: Calls for Submissions. Get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically. (I only post paying markets.)

Don't forget to check out Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.


Happy submitting!

(Image Pxhere)

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Radon. Genre: Short stories and poetry containing elements of anarchism, transhumanism, dystopia, and/or science fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word for original work, half a cent per word for reprints.

The Hungur Chronicles. Genre: Horror. Vampires or creatures with vampiric themes. Payment: The pay for original stories is $25.00; for reprints, $12.00. Payment for poems is $5. The pay for illustrations is $8.00. The payment for articles is $10. The pay for cover art is $25.00.

The Were-Traveler: Curst & Twysted Tarot. Genre: Short fiction. Choose an image you would like to write a story about. Payment: $10 for flash, $15 for short stories. (Open until filled.)

Fantasy Magazine. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, poetry. Payment: 8 cents per word; $40 per poem. *Note: Open to BIPOC authors only.

Through the Gate: Fantastical poetry "We are looking for fantastical poetry of literary and emotional depth from a diversity of voices and perspectives. Our definition of fantastical is quite fluid, encompassing fantasy, magic realism, myth, folklore, surrealism and slipstream. We desire poetry that is atypically beautiful, unconventionally imaginative, and boundary-crossing. We are not interested in work that is strictly science fiction or mainstream, but poetry that blurs the lines between such genres and the fantastical is welcome." Length: Up to three poems. Payment: $20 per poem. Deadline: Open now.

Three-lobed Burning Eye. "Original speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, and science fiction. We're looking for short stories from across the big classifications and those shadowy places between: magical realism, fantastique, slipstream, interstitial, and the Weird. We will consider suspense or western, though we prefer it contain some speculative element. We like voices that are full of feeling, from literary to pulpy, with styles unique and flowing, but not too experimental. All labels aside, we want tales that expand genre, that value imagination in character, narrative, and plot. We want to see something new and different." Length: Short fiction 1000–7000 words, Flash fiction 500–1000 words, (2000–5000 preferred). Payment: $100 for short fiction, $30 for flash fiction; + 1 print annual. Deadline: Open now.

Beechwood Review publishes minimalist writing and art. "We’re partial to themes of time, nature, humanity, philosophy, chaos, reason, the ridiculous, and the whimsical. We don’t like work that drones on about fancy table fruit. Although good fruit poems have their place." Payment: $5 per poem, 1 cent/word for fiction and nonfiction, $5 for art.

The Dark The Dark publishes dark fantasy and horror. "Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary; be different—try us with fiction that may fall out of “regular” categories. However, it is also important to understand that despite the name, The Dark is not a market for graphic, violent horror." Length: 2,000 – 6,000 words. Payment: 6 cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for first world rights; and 1 cent/word for reprint fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for nonexclusive reprint rights. Deadline: Open now.

Madness Heart Trigger Warning Anthology. Genre: "The grossest, most violent, most genuinely upsetting stories in your arsenal." Theme: Curses. The minimum word count is 1500. Payment: $10. Opens in February 2023.

Neon Door Column - The Immersive Future. "We are currently accepting pitches for essays about the intersection between art and technology for our online column on Neon Door called "The Immersive Future". We’re seeking pieces that explore the potentials that virtual reality, the metaverse, and immersive technologies create for a new form of storytelling." Payment is $250. Pitches only.

Et Sequitur. "We are open to all genres, from literary to speculative and everything in between. Our only requirement is that your submission in some way connect with the latest Et Sequitur story, be that in character (minor, major, protagonist, antagonist), setting (neighborhood, world, workplace, house -- even a certain object could work, if it's featured prominently), or theme. Be creative! Continue the story, tell a side-character's story, take the theme and twist it in a new way. In the submission form, you'll be asked to identify which element of the previous story you've chosen to incorporate in your own." Submissions for the next issue will open once the previous issue is published (expected to be the first day of every-other month). They will temporarily close when a story has been chosen for the next issue. Payment: $25.

Assemble Artifacts is looking for stories of wonder and suspense. "We prefer stories of at least 5,000 words, but are open to longer and shorter works. Please include a one to three sentence pitch of your story, and an author bio with your submission. We are open to writers of all levels of experience." Payment: 8-10 cents per word for short fiction.

Jay Henge: The Nameless Songs of Zadok Allen. Genre: Speculative fiction. "What lurks in the deep? Who listens from the shadows? What sorts of abominable experiments are taking place at the mysterious ivy-covered university? We want your Lovecraftian tales. " Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.

Jay Henge: The Back Forty. Genre: Speculative fiction. "In The Back Forty, we are looking for your stories that explore new, lawless frontiers, backwater towns, self-appointed sheriffs, lonesome explorers, bounty hunters, and other Wild West in Outer Space kinds of themes." Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.

Sinister Smile Press: Dead Hookers in Gas Station Bathrooms. Genre: Road trip horror. Payment: $30 - $50. Deadline: Open until filled.

Armoured Fox Press: Indecent Exposure. Genre: Fiction. “The story MUST contain erotic content centered around public locations. This can be beaches, public parks, office buildings… wherever you might attract an audience of shocked passersby doing things you shouldn’t be doing in public... and some element must be furry (anthropomorphic animals). Length: 5,00-20,000 words, Payment: 1/2 cent/word. Deadline: Open until filled.

Zooscape. Genre: Short stories. All stories must be furry. "An anthropomorphic animal figure should be significantly featured in your story — it could be anthropomorphic in body or only intelligence. We’ll consider any type of furry fiction from secret life of animals to fox in Starbucks.  We love science-fiction with animal-like aliens and fantasy with talking dragons, unicorns, or witch familiars." Payment: 8 cents/word for original fiction. $20 for reprints. Length: Original stories up to 5,000 words. Reprints up to 10,000 words.

Bards and Sages Quarterly. Genre: All speculative genres (horror, fantasy, science fiction, slipstream, steampunk, magical realism, etc) up to 5,000 words in length. Payment: $30 for original fiction; $15 for reprints.

SF Multiverse. Genre: Speculative fiction and art. Payment: 3 cents/word for fiction, $50 for art. 

Goatshed Press. Genre: Short stories, flash fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Payment: £60 for stories and essays (over 1000 words) and £25 for poems and flash fiction. They are also looking to publish longer form work in 2023, including novels, novellas, graphic novels, non fiction books and short story collections. They are happy to consider any genre except children’s fiction. 

Backyard Earth is a "round the world" series of books. The idea is that they will make five books - one for each continent (more or less). Each book will contain one story for every country on that continent.  Submissions will stay open until they have a full complement. Short fiction only. Payment: $25.