122 Calls for Submissions in April 2023 - Paying markets

This April 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: Odessa, Wikimedia)

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Totally Entwined: All Hallow's Harem/Paranormal. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Harem with paranormal characters. LGBTQ focus. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

The Paris Review. Genres: Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens April 1, 2023, and closes when they reach capacity. 

Riddlebird. Genre: Literary fiction, personal essays, genre fiction. "For our summer issue, we will specifically be looking for humorous work, lighthearted pieces, or works that explore the humor woven through struggles." Payment: $100. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Clinch. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. “Submissions do not have to mention the martial arts—though we prefer those that do. Instead, all submissions must share in the virtues of martial arts, those of patience, meditation, and surprise, whether that be in their technique or in their content.” Payment: $15 honorarium per accepted work, payable via Venmo on the day of publication. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Reservoir Road Literary Review. Genre: Literary short stories, lyrical creative non-fiction, photography. Payment: $5. Deadline: Opens April 1, 2023. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Toronto Journal. Genre: Short stories from anywhere in the world. "We will also consider non-fiction pieces about local history (Toronto, GTA, and surrounding)." No word limit. Payment: $50 CAD per piece. All published writers will also receive two printed copies of the issue in which they appear. Deadline: April 1, 2023. 

Ninth Letter. Genre: Poems, nonfiction, and short fiction. Payment: $25 for poetry, $75 for prose. Deadline: April 1, 2023. See theme.

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

Salamander. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

The Woodward Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Violent Delights & Midsummer Dreams: An Anthology of Shakespeare Retellings. Genre: Dark/Gothic Shakespeare retellings (5,000 - 8,000 words) "We want stories that bring fresh new perspectives on the classic stories, bonus points for providing a Gothic twist. Give us Romeo & Juliet with Zombies or the real story of the Wayward Sisters. Deconstruct tropes and bring unique voices to life." Payment: US: $40 + author copy/non-US: $45 + ebook author copy). Deadline: April 1, 2023.

West Branch. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. Payment: $50 per submission of poetry, and $.05/word for prose with a maximum payment of $100. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays, and hybrid prose works.  Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Sky's the Limit. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: April 2, 2023.

Witness. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 2, 2023. Free submissions for Black and Indigenous writers only. May close early.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: April 2, 2023. Opens April 1.

Arkana: Micro Issue. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short CNF (500 words max). "We want work that celebrates its smallness, amplifies the tiniest voices with the most to say, and challenges society’s perceptions of the marginal, modest, and miniscule." Payment: All entries will be considered for an editor's choice payment of $50. Deadline: April 2, 2023.

The Sprawl Mag. Genre: Speculative poetry, short fiction, and visual art. "Whether it is utopic, dystopic, magical, or sci-fi, we look forward to seeing your work." Payment: $20 CAD. Deadline: April 2, 2023.

Shoreline of Infinity. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, 6000 words max. Payment: £20/1000 words. Deadline: April 2, 2023. Accepts translations of stories originally published in another language.

Voices from the Mausoleum. Genre: Horror short story that tells a complete story in a bathroom scene. Length: 1,500-4,000 words. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: April 3, 2023.

Robotic Ambitions. Genre: Short fiction on theme "Robotic Ambitions." Length: 5000 words max. "Using philosophical, moral, and practical points-of-view, what does it mean to be sentient and mechanical? What challenges will mechanical beings face from a fearful and chaotic world? What are their goals and ambitions?" Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: April 5, 2023. Deadline extended for BIPOC and marginalized writers.

Bright Wall/Dark Room. Genre: Essay on theme: Katharine Hepburn. "We're looking for thoughtful, engaging pieces that offer fresh or unique perspectives on Hepburn and the artistry she brought to the screen.” Payment: $50. Deadline: April 6, 2023.

Lonely Planet. Genre: Guidebooks for several Middle Eastern countries. "We’re looking for people with a deep love and knowledge of the country with great writing skills. You should be living there or have travelled through it extensively in the last 18 months.” They’re especially seeking writers in Iran, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Turkey and the UAE. Payment: Rates run upwards of $1,500 dependent on word count and research times. Deadline: April 6, 2023. Submit via form here.

Poetry Wales. Genre: Poetry, reviews, articles. See theme. Payment: Poems £20/page. Reviews £67.50/1500-word review. Articles £200/3000 word, or in that proportion, depending on number of published words. Deadline: April 7, 2023.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: Noir stories about Family. Length: Between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 7, 2023.

Lightspeed. Genre: Science fiction. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: April 7, 2023. 

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical and genre fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 8, 2023. See theme.

Griffith Review: The Leisure Principle. Genre: Nonfiction and fiction. "The leisure principle is one of work hard to play hard, a rigorous pursuit of monetarised hedonism: YOLO, live your best life, have a good time all the time. It has rendered the world a pleasure garden – for those who can afford it – of interminable excess and consumption without end. From the ecstasy of the digital to the monied spectacle that is sport, the gamification of everyday life to the flourishing hierarchy of influencers, new codes and disciplines have emerged from this regimentation of recreation." Payment: Negotiated. Deadline: April 10, 2023.

Lonely Planet. Genre: Guidebooks for across southern Africa. "We’re looking for people with a deep love and knowledge of the country with great writing skills. You should be living there or have travelled through it extensively in the last 18 months.” They have a  specific interest in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia & Zimbabwe. Payment: Rates run upwards of $1,500 dependent on word count and research times. Deadline: April 10, 2023. Submit via form here.

Mslexia. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Fiction poetry, nonfiction. Payment: £25. Deadline: April 10, 2023.

So to Speak. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art. "We are looking for work that matches our intersectional feminist viewpoint." Payment: $100 per contributor. Deadline: April 10, 2023. No submission fee for Black/Indigenous writers.

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: April 10, 2023.

Funicular Magazine. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Payment: Short story: $10/printed page (up to a maximum of $100); Flash: $25 per piece; Poetry: $25 per piece. Payment for print publication only. Deadline: April 11, 2023.

Stanchion. Genre: Writing (prose, poetry, etc) & visual art. Payment: $15. Deadline: April 11, 2023.

Showcase: Object & Idea. Genre: Flash fiction and nonfiction, and poetry. A poem and a prose piece are selected for each monthly issue, and the authors answer questions about the meaning behind their work. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 12, 2023. Reprints accepted.

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

Narrative. Genre: Short story, novel excerpt, novella, poem, or literary nonfiction. Payment: Up to $1000. Deadline: April 14, 2023. (Narrative does not charge submission fees during the first two weeks of April.)

All Women are Werewolves: An Anthology of Womanhood. Restrictions: Open to women, inclusive of those who identify as non-binary and trans women. Genre: Short stories. "This anthology is a collection of stories about the transformative experiences that shape womanhood; dark, uncanny, curious and captured by vivid, varied feminine voices." Payment: £100 plus author copies of the book. Deadline: April 14, 2023. 

Translunar Travelers Lounge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. Deadline: April 15, 2023. (Note: April 15-21 is reserved for writers of color)

Gallery of Curiosities. Genre: Speculative fiction up to 7,500 words. See themes. Payment:1 cent/word for reprints, 5 cents/word for original stories. Podcast. Print anthology is not paying at this time. Deadline: April 15, 2023. Accepts reprints.

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) for one page 60 for two pages, $90 for three pages, $120 for four pages, $150 for five or more pages. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Mirrors Reflecting Shadows: A Trevor Project Charity Anthology. Genre: Flash fiction and short stories. All genres. "Outcast Press, Anxiety Press, and Roi Fainéant Press have teamed up to curate a charity anthology with proceeds going towards The Trevor Project. For over 20 years, The Trevor Project has worked tirelessly on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth. We are open to most genres, including, but not limited to, literary, transgressive, horror, crime, noir, and speculative fiction. The pieces can be about most anything, so don’t feel you need to write about LGBTQ+ issues. We want a smorgasbord of short stories and flash fiction. Of course you can touch on these topics, and are encouraged to do so, but the point is to gather excellent short fiction in service of a great cause" Payment: $40. Deadline: April 15, 2023. Accepts reprints.

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

Bourbon Penn. Genre: "We are looking for highly imaginative stories with a healthy dose of the odd. Odd characters, odd experiences, odd realities. We’re looking for genre / speculative stories and are quite partial to slipstream, cross-genre, magic realism, absurdist, and the surreal." Length: 2000 - 7500 words. Payment: 3 cents/word. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature. Genre: Short stories and poetry that explore possibilities for the future. Theme: Artificial Intelligence. Word count: up to 5,000 words. Payment: $25 CND for poems and between $50 and $75 CND per short story. Deadline: April 15, 2023. Reprints accepted, provided they are not currently available for free online.

Over/Exposed. Restrictions: "We prioritize the work of graduate students, so please indicate in your submission if you are a graduate student, including your university, and department." Open internationally. Genre: Flash, short fiction, and non-fiction personal essays/memoir, poetry, reviews, experimental, art. "We are focused on the publication of works that are vulnerable, experimental, a little bit weird and sexy." Payment: CAD $15, Deadline: April 15, 2023.

FlowerSong Press. Restrictions: Open to Latinx authors. Genre: Horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Length: 75,000 to 150,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Rattle: Tribute to Prompt Poems. Genre: Poetry. The poems may be any subject, style, or length, but must have been generated by a writing prompt. Payment: $200. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Event Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: Canadian $40/page for poetry. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Bull City Press: Inch. Genre: Small collections—a minimum of three stories or essays, or a constellation of poems, between 10-16 pages in length. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. Payment: $20 - $60 for prose and poetry, $150 for art. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

The Devil Take You: Tales of Medieval Horror. Genre: Weird tales set in the medieval period that explore the human (and inhuman) experience through the lens of horror. Payment: $125 - $200. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Gival Press, LLC. Genre: Full-length fiction, non-fiction (essays / educational texts), and poetry. Publications are in English, French, and Spanish. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 15, 2023. Queries only.

Dose of Dread. Genre: Horror flash fiction. Length: 500 – 1,000 words. Payment: 2c/word. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Invisible City. Genre: Prose up to 5,000 words, all genres. Payment: $20. Deadline: April 16, 2023.

Daikaijuzine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $10.00 for each short story, and $5.00 for each poem and flash fiction piece. Deadline: April 16, 2023.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: April 16, 2023. 

Poems of Liberty—Project Europe 2050. Restrictions: Open to poets who reside within the European Union. Genre: Poetry that explores the future of Europe. Payment: €250 per contributor. Deadline: April 16, 2023.

Behind the Shadows. Genre: Horror. There is no restriction as to how you incorporate the theme into your story as long as the genre falls within Speculative Fiction, including Sci-Fi or Fantasy. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 18, 2023.

Sinister Smile Press: If I Die Before I Wake – Tales of Halloween Horror. Genre: Horror. Length: Between 4,000 and 10,000 words. Payment: $30 - $50 depending on length. Deadline: April 19, 2023.

SICK. Restrictions: Open to sick/chronically ill/mentally ill/disabled writers. Genre: Personal essays, creative and experimental nonfiction, fiction, lyric essays, poetry, interviews, reviews, art. Payment: £50 per contributor. Deadline: April 20, 2023.

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

The Aurora Journal. Genre: Poetry and prose (1000 words max). Payment: $12. Deadline: April 21, 2023.

Hoax. Genre: "Creative work that incorporates text." Payment: £50. Deadline: April 23, 2023.

Voiceworks. Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. See theme. Payment: $100 for written work and art, $150 for multi-page comics or suites of art. Deadline: April 23, 2023. Nonfiction pitches.

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

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

Strange Horizons. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 10¢/word USD. Deadline: Opens on April 26, 2023. Submissions capped at 1,000.

Rabbit. Genre: Nonfiction poetry. Theme: Archive. Payment: Pays Australian writers only. Deadline: April 28, 2023.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: April 29, 2023. See themes.

Ofic. Genre: Short fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, art. "Send us your dead doves, your blorbos, your plinkos, your wretched meow meows yearning to be free; that thing you wrote that made you think, “I don’t know where this belongs”; the stuff you’d never show anyone you know IRL. Give us your shameless, self-indulgent smut; the manuscript to the video essay you dictated to your YouTube subscribers in your head; your thoughtful explorations of trauma and identity; your Pepe Silvia wall; your sci-fi, your fantasy, your romance, your realism. We want anything and everything. As long as you identify as a fan, we want to read your work." (Up to 12,000 words). Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Strange Machines: An Anthology of Dark User Manuals. Genre: "We are looking for your darkest, strangest microfiction in the form of user manuals, FAQs, and how-to guides for the use of (or by) robots!" Length: 250 words max. Payment: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Nightlight (Podcast). Restrictions: At least one of your birth parents must be Black. Genre: Horror. Flash fiction (750-1,500 words) Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Boulevard. Genre: Poems up to 200 lines. Send up to five poems. Also fiction and nonfiction. Payment: $50-$250 for poetry, and $100-300 for prose. Deadline: April 30, 2023. No submission fee for mailed submissions.

Massachusetts Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, hybrid, translations. Payment: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Fee for online submissions. No fee for USPS.

Shoreline of Infinity. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, 6000 words max. Theme: Climate Change. Payment: £20/1000 words. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Accepts translations of stories originally published in another language.

After Happy Hour. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, comics. Payment: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

The Haunted Zone. Restrictions: Open to those who identify as a woman and have served in the military. Genre: Horror. THEME: Hauntings/to be haunted/to haunt. Payment: 3 cents/word. $10 minimum. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Voiceworks. Restrictions: Open to Australians under the age of 25. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art and comics. See theme. Payment: $100 for written work and art, $150 for multi-page comics or suites of art. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Fiction, completed nonfiction and poetry.

Inklings Press. Genre: Fantasy, sci fi and horror with a strong mystery or investigation theme. Length: around 5,000 words. Payment: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Honeyguide Magazine is a bi-annual magazine that features fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art, and blog posts about animals and their human neighbors. Payment: $25 for the story, $50 for art. Only pays for featured articles. Deadline: April 30, 2022. See themes.

Parallel Universe Publications: Swords & Sorceries Volume 6. Genre: Heroic fantasy. Payment: £25; and an additional £25 if a hardcover version is issued. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Smoking Pen Press: Weather. Genre: Short stories on theme: Weather. "We are looking for Ill Winds, and Wild Weather. All fiction genres are considered." Word count: 1,200 to 7,000 words. Payment: $20. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Otoroshi Journal. Genre: Horrorku, horror tanka, and horror haibun, art. Payment: Poetry, $1. Art, $10. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Read on the Run. Genre: Short fiction. Word count: 1,200 to 7,000 words. Theme: Weather. Payment: $20. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Planisphere Quarterly. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $25. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Shadows Over Olympus. Genre: Retellings of Ancient Greek mythology. What if Perseus was turned to stone by Medusa? What if Hercules was weak? What if the Trojan Horse plan backfired? Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Nine Arches. Genre: Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Chapbooks: Prose, poetry or hybrid. Payment: $120 plus royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

The Four Faced Liar. Genre: Short story, CNF, poetry, translations, flash fiction, art. Payment: €200 for short stories or creative nonfiction pieces, €100 per poem, €100 for flash fiction, and €100 per visual art piece. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Plenitude Magazine "Plenitude Magazine aims to promote the growth and development of LGBTTQI literature through an online publication of literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic narrative, book reviews and short film by both emerging and established LGBTTQI writers. We define queer literature and arts as works created by LGBTTQI people, rather than works which feature queer content alone." Payment: $50 - $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023 for international writers. Rolling submissions for Canadians.

Mythic. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy short stories. Length: 2,000-5,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word for original fiction, $25 for reprints. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Hub City Press. Genre: Books of literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, regional nonfiction, nature, and art. "We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Note: Submit nonfiction only.

Strange Aeon. Genre: Stories in a cosmic horror/Lovecraftian vein. Payment: $20 - $35. Deadline: April 30, 2023, or until filled. See theme,

Variant Lit. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction Payment: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Haven Speculative. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Terrain.org. Genre: Poetry, nonfiction, fiction, artwork, videos, and other contributions on place, climate, and justice. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

The Threepenny Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $400 per story or article, $200 per poem or Table Talk piece. Deadline: April 30, 2023. (Nonreading period: May 1 through December 31.)

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

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

The Rabbit Hole. Genre: Weird stories and poems. Theme: “Destination: Journey”. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Cast of Wonders. Restrictions: Open to writers under 18. Genre: YA Speculative fiction. Podcast. Theme: Banned Books Week. Payment: $.08/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words. For reprints, a $100 flat rate for Short Fiction, and a $20 flat rate for Flash Fiction. Deadline: April 30, 2023. 

Soul Ink: Volume 1. Genre: Poetry. 1,000 word count minimum (not line count) Payment: Royalties (?). Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Dark Recesses Press. Genre: Horror/dark fiction pieces 500-5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Verve Poetry Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Black Hare Press: Captain Jack and His Crew, Genre: Drabble (exactly 100 words). Theme: Captain Jack Sparrow style pirate heroes, Payment: 4 cents/word. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Brick. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $55–685, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: Pirate Gold. Genre: "All stories featuring pirates are welcome. From Pirates of the Caribbean to Treasure Planet and everything in between." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art. Payment: $50. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Harbor Review. Genre: Poetry, art. See theme. Payment: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Galley Beggar Press (UK). Genre: Full-length literary fiction (novels and short story collections) and narrative non-fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Psychopomp. Genre: Speculative fiction or literary novellas between 20,000 to 40,000 words. See themes. Payment: Advance against royalties of $750, as well as 25% of net net receipts. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Texas Review Press publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and scholarly works. "Topics we are interested in include 20th/21st Century American Poetry, Environmental Writing, Ecopoetics, Contemporary Poetics, Creative Writing Pedagogy, Southern Literature, Southern Issues, Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas/Louisiana Literature, Texas/Louisiana History, Folklore, Cajun-Creole Studies, African-American Literature, African-American Studies, Latinx Literature, Latinx Studies, & Texas/Mexico History." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Submissions are capped at 300, so submit early.

Martian: The Magazine of Science Fiction Drabbles. Genre: Science fiction of exactly 100 words. Payment: Original fiction, 8 cents/word. Reprints, 4 cents/word. Deadline: April 30, 2023. Reprints accepted.

khōréō. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. "This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, transnational/transracial adoptees, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work." Genre: Stories, essays, and art: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any genre in between or around it, as long as there’s a speculative element. Payment: 0.08/word for fiction, $100 for nonfiction, and $40-300 for art. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Lightspeed. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers only. Genre: Fantasy short fiction. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Intrepid Times. Genre: Travel writing "with heart." Payment: $50 - $250. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Owlkids Books. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Children's books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Wyldblood Press. Genre: Speculative flash fiction, nonfiction, art. Payment: £0.01 per word for print and digital rights (to a maximum of £75). Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Playing with a Full Deck—Stories of Hope in Hard Times. Genre: Short stories. "We want to see stories through the eyes of people just trying to get by in this future America owned by seven corporations. Tell us your stories of hope in hard times, people making it work, and the little people figuring out the ways around the system. Word Count: 5-10K. Payment: $250 per piece. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

And a few more...

Cemetery Gates. Genre: Horror novels and novellas. Payment: Novel: $500-2,000 advance, 60% royalties to author. Novella: $500-1,000 advance, 60% royalties to author. Deadline: Opens May 1, 2023. 

Struggle Magazine. Genre: Poetry, short stories (1000-7500 words), personal essays (1000-4500 words), art criticism (1000-4500), short plays, and play excerpts. "We are not genre specific, just looking for good and honest writing. We highlight writers who have some kind of a connection to the DC, Maryland, Virginia area." Payment: $75 per contributor. Deadline: May 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: May 1, 2023.

Nonbinary Review: Epic Fail. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and art around the theme of Epic Fail. Payment: 1 cent per word for prose, and a flat fee of $10 for poetry. Deadline: May 1, 2023. Closes when cap is reached, so submit early.

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: May 1, 2023. May close early if they reach their cap.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of  queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it." Payment: $25. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Tales of the Apocalypse. Genre: Post-Apocalyptic. Length: 5,000 to 10,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Rich People Being Shitty: Tales of the Super Wealthy and Depraved. Genre: Fictional short stories ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 words examining the ways in which the most affluent among us commit wrongs. Payment: Either $25 or $35, Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Grumpy Old Gods Anthology. Genre: Speculative fiction stories about retired gods. Theme: "Grumpy Gods, particularly those who might be using their abilities in a post-internet environment.  Maybe Mercury is heavily invested in Google.  Janus might be the reason for crypto.  Heck, I bet that Aphrodite owns 90% of every single florist in the country.  Do your gods still have the juice, or have their powers gotten a little wonky as they have gotten older?  Make it Grumpy.  Make it funny." Length: 3,000-4,000 words. Payment: A percentage of the profits. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Rock and a Hard Place: The One Percent – Tales of the Super Wealthy and Depraved. Genre: Short stories, may have speculative elements. "We are looking for fictional short stories ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 words examining the ways in which the most affluent among us commit wrongs. These transgressions can range from broken laws to the perfectly legal, though otherwise reprehensible." Payment: $25 or $35. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers, Vol. 8. Genre: Horror by Texas writers. Payment: 10,000 words - $200; 7,500 words - $150; 5,000 words - $100; 2,500 words - $50; 1,500 words - $30.00. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

61 Writing Contests in April 2023 - No entry fees

This April 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 has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

(Image: Wallpaper Flare)

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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: April 1, 2023.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. This contest seeks today's best humor poems, published and unpublished. Please enter one poem only, 250 lines max. Prize: $3,500 in prizes, including a top prize of $2,000, and publication on Winning Writers. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Tales to Terrify. Genre: Horror based on image provided. Length: 1500 words max. Prize: $50. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

The Kentucky State Poetry Society Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 3-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Winners are invited to read their poems at the annual meeting. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship for Writers. Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians awards fellowships for writers to spend time in McCullers' childhood home in Columbus, Georgia. The fellowships are intended to afford the writers in residence uninterrupted time to dedicate to their work, free from the distractions of daily life and other professional responsibilities. Award: Stipend of $5000 to cover costs of transportation, food and other incidentals. Fellowship recipients will be required to introduce or advance their work through reading or workshop/forum presentations. The Fellow will work with the McCullers Center Director to plan a presentation near the end of the residency. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

EACWP Flash Fiction Contest. Restrictions: The contest is open to any participant living in Europe (including countries culturally linked to Europe such as Russia, Turkey, and Israel). Eleven different European languages will be leading this year’s competition: English, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, French, German, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Hebrew and Czech. Genre: Flash fiction. Length: 100 words. The topic is "Incorrect." Prize: €600 top prize. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

Mike Resnick Memorial Award: Best Unpublished Science Fiction Short Story by a New Author. Restrictions: Open to an author who has not had any work published (including short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels in paper, digital or audio form) that has been paid a per-word rate of 6 cents a word or more or received a payment for any single work of fiction totaling more than $50. Genre: Science fiction short story, up to 7,499 words. Prize: $250.00 and publication. Deadline: April 1, 2023.

The Great American Think-Off. Genre: Essay on the theme: “Which is more important to protect: the environment or the economy?” Entrants should take a strong stand agreeing or disagreeing with this topic, basing their arguments on personal experience and observations rather than philosophical abstraction. Essay should be no more than 750 words. Prize: One of four $500 cash prizes. Deadline: April 1, 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: April 3, 2023.

Gwenn A. Nusbaum / WWBA “Poets To Come” Award. Restrictions: Open to poets at the beginning of their careers, ages 25-35 years. Prize: $1500 scholarship. Deadline: April 3, 2023.

Booker International Prize. The Booker International 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. 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: For books published between April 1 and Sept 30, 2023 the entry form is due by April 3, 2023.

FSG Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to emerging writers from an underrepresented community. US resident or citizen. Genre: Debut work  of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Submit work samples as part of the application: 8-12 pages for poetry, and 40-50 pages for prose. Work samples can include previously published work and need not be from a single selection of the work. Prize: Stipend of $15,000 and mentorship. Fellowship begins on September 1, 2023. Note: Farrar, Straus & Giroux is part of Macmillan. Deadline: April 3, 2023. 

Randall Albers Young Writers Award. Restrictions: Open to all Chicago-area students currently enrolled in grades 9–12. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 top prize, Deadline: April 3, 2023.

Spectator Contest No. 3294: vegetarian. Genre: You are invited to provide the first 16 lines of an ode to a turnip or another similarly unglamorous vegetable. Email entries to lucy@spectator.co.uk Prize: £30. Deadline: April 5, 2023.

Invisible City Blurred Genre Flash Contest. Genre: Flash fiction, prose poetry or a combination. Length: 750 words max. Prize: $500, $200 and $100. Deadline: April 7, 2023. See theme.

Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prizes. Restrictions: Open to writers of Taiwanese heritage (or writers with other significant connections to Taiwan), or have subject matter otherwise relevant to the Taiwanese or Taiwanese American experience. Submissions will be considered in four categories: Middle School (enrolled in 6th-8th grade as of the deadline), High School (enrolled in high school as of the deadline), College (enrolled in community college or as an undergraduate as of the deadline), Adult (in any stage of life beyond college). Genre: Any literary genre including fiction, poetry, personal essays or other creative non-fiction. Prize: Grand Prize Winner: $500 – one selection per age category. Finalist: $200 – three selections per age category. Honorable Mention: $75 – at judge’s discretion per age category. Deadline: April 8, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: April 9, 2023. Opens on April 7.

Spectator Contest No. 3295: End of. Genre: No. 3295. ‘You are invited to submit a comically appalling final paragraph to the worst of all possible novels. Please email entries of up to 150 words to lucy@spectator.co.uk Prize: £30. Deadline: April 12, 2023.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between March 1, 2023, and April 30, 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: April 14, 2023.

Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships. Restrictions: Applicants must reside in the U.S. or be U.S. citizens. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years of age as of April 30, 2023. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $27,000.  Deadline: April 14, 2023. Please register for the online portal by April 10, 2023 if you intend to apply.

Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Poetry (Kansas Book Award). Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Novel or collection of short stories. The nominee's book must have a publication date of 2020, 2021, or 2022. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media. Genre: Nonfiction. "The Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media recognizes a select group of media professionals, including journalists, writers, and others who create exemplary work that contributes to a deeper understanding of and greater public awareness about mental health issues. To be eligible, work must have been written in English, intended for the layperson, and must have been first published/released after April 1, 2022." Prize: $3000. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Dancing Poetry Festival. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $100 top prize. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

The F. Sean Hodge Prize for Poetry in Medicine. Restrictions: Open to current medical students, residents, or fellows or physicians who have completed post-graduate training. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $250. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Superhero Competition. Genre: Graphic novel that incorporates green solutions. Prize: The winner will receive a £500 prize, and a scene from the winner’s story turned into a 1-page comic strip, made by a professional artist. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words about a date. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Brilliant Flash Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. Word limit: 400 words, excluding title. Prize: $200 first prize, $100 second prize, $50 third prize. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Wick Poetry Center Undergraduate Poetry Competition. Restrictions: The competition is open to any undergraduate currently enrolled at Kent State University. Genre: Poem, maximum 100 lines long. Prize: One-time $1,500 scholarship to Kent State University. Second and third prize: $1,000 and $500 one-time scholarships. Deadline: April 15, 2023. 

Margaret Gibson Poet Laureate Poetry Award. Genre: Poem on nature in a time of global climate crisis. Prize: 1st – $300; 2nd – $200; 3rd - $100. Deadline: April 15, 2023. 

If There's Anyone Left. Restrictions: Open to those who identify as a person of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, or of a marginalized gender. Genre: Speculative micro-fiction. Length: Up to 500 words. Prize: $250 US. Second prize: $100. 3rd Prize: $50. Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Ray Ventre Memorial Nonfiction Prize and Elinor Benedict Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry and CNF. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: April 15, 2023. Free for those who cannot afford the $15 entry fee.

Bacopa Literary Review. Genres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry. Prizes: First ($200) and Runner-Up ($160) prizes in each genre. All published will receive $20 and a copy of the print journal. After publication, Bacopa will be promoted online. Deadline: April 16, 2023.

The Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize. Genre: Book-length translations into English of either a) poetry or b) source texts from Zen Buddhism (which must not consist solely of commentaries). Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $6,000. Deadline: April 17, 2023.

American Literary Translators Association Italian Prose in Translation Award. Genre: Translation of a recent work of Italian prose (fiction or literary non-fiction). Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: April 17, 2023. 

The Women’s Prize for Playwriting. Restrictions: Open to female or non-binary residents in the UK, Republic of Ireland or in a British Overseas Territory, or have a British Forces Post Office address. Genre: Play. Prize: £12,000 top prize. Deadline: April 17, 2023. 

Write the World Competitions. Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-19.5. Genre: Poem: Particles of Life. Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50. Deadline: April 18, 2023. (Note: This is a monthly contest)

The Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants (AWAW EAG). Genre: Environmental art projects led by women-identifying artists in the United States and U.S. Territories. Prize: A total of $300,000 in funding—up to $20,000 per project. Deadline: April 18, 2023.

Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Created by the Missouri Humanities Council, the Warrior Arts Alliance, and Southeast Missouri State University Press, this series of anthologies preserves and shares military service perspectives of our soldiers and veterans of all conflicts and of their families. It is not only an outlet for artistic expression but also a document of the unique aspects of wartime in our nation's history. Genres: Poetry, Short Fiction, Essay, Photography, Interview with a Warrior. Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: April 21, 2023.

Casa Africa: Purorelato. Genre: Micro-stories related to Africa. Length: 1500 characters max. The micro-stories can be submitted in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese. Prize: First award: 750 euros, Second award: 375 euros, Third award: 225 euros. Deadline: April 21, 2023.

Hey Alma's Short Fiction Contest. Genre: Jewish short stories. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: April 24, 2023. 

Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Whiting welcomes submissions for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, the sciences, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, and personal essays, among other categories. Writers must be completing a book of creative nonfiction that is currently under contract with a publisher. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: April 25, 2023.

Toronto Book Awards. Genres: All genres accepted. Restrictions: Submission "must evoke the city itself, that is, contain some clear Toronto content (this may be reflected in the themes, settings, subjects, etc.). Authors do not necessarily have to reside in Toronto. Ebooks, textbooks and self-published works are not eligible. Prize: A total of $15,000 CD will be awarded. Each shortlisted author (usually 4-6) receives C$1,000 and the winning author is awarded the remainder. Deadline: April 28, 2023. (For books published between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023) 

The Sophie Coe Prize. Genre: Informative article or essay on any aspect of food history relating to any period, place, people or culture  Prize: £1,500 top prize. Deadline: April 28, 2023. 

Friends of Falun Gong, Poetry Contest. Genre: Poem. Submit one or two poems of no more than 50 lines each. Poems must encompass at least one of the following themes: Advocate for Falun Gong practitioner’s fundamental human rights. Expose the crimes against Falun Gong perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party. Share in the beauty, peacefulness and good nature of Falun Gong. Prizes: $500, $250, $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Under the Madness Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to any teen between the ages of 13-19 years old living on Planet Earth. Genre: Poem. Prize: $250. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Space Crone Prize. Restrictions: The prize is open to UK-based entrants who identify as one or more of: women, intersex, non-binary, agender, genderfluid and trans. Genre: Speculative fiction. The Space Crone Prize invites short fiction that speculates about questions about difference and gender. Prize: £1,000 top prize. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Al Blanchard Short Crime Story Award. Genre: Crime short story. 5,000 words maximum, with a New England setting (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) or by a New England writer. Mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, and horror genres all welcome. Prize: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023. 

The Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest. Genre: Picture book. Prize: $5,000 top prize. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Baen Fantasy Adventure Award. Genre: Adventure fantasy, 8K words max. Prize: Winner will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at industry-standard rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive a handsome engraved award and a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Author of Tomorrow. Restrictions: Open to children and youth up to age 21. Genre: Adventure writing. Prize: 11 and Under | 500 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school; 12-15 years | 1,500 - 5,000 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school; 16-21 years | 1,500 - 5,000 words. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Claudia Ann Seaman Awards For Young Writers. Restrictions: High school students. Genre: Stories and poems. Prize: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Erbacce-prize for Poetry (UK) Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Winner will be given a publishing contract with erbacce press who will publish a perfect-bound collection of the winner's book. "We will pay all costs including the legal registering of the book and supplying copies to the major libraries. The book will be sold through our sales/shop pages and the poet will be paid 20% royalties." Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Poetry Northwest: Possession Sound Poetry Series. Restrictions: Open to poets who have published at least one full-length collection. Genre: Poetry collection.  Prize: Publication (royalties). Deadline: April 30, 2023. Free submissions for BIPOC poets only.

Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens or residents attending junior high or high school. Genre: Poetry. Prize: C$400 in each of two age categories: Junior (grades 7-9) and Senior (grades 10-12). Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Storyhouse. Genre: Nonfiction animal stories. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children. Prize: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

E-waste Scholarship. Restrictions: You must be 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 e-waste. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: April 30, 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: April 30, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

The Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction. Genre: A book-length work of imaginative fiction written by a single author published in the U.S. in English or in translation to English. (In the case of a translated work winning the Prize, the cash prize will be equally divided between author and translator) Publication date between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: April 30, 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: April 30, 2023.

Ralph Angel Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

Rattle's Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poetry responding to visual art. (See site) Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: April 30, 2023.

36 Awesome Writing Conferences and Workshops in April 2023

This April there are three dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but some will be in-person or hybrid as pandemic restrictions ease. Virtual events still offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early.

(Image: Monterey: PICRYL)

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Rananim online classes Courses run for eight weeks from April through May. "Participants receive personalized feedback on assignments from their instructor, as well as responses from classmates on discussion board forums. All instructors are university professors and/or working professional writers, who have experience teaching at the Taos Summer Writers’ Conference. Classes are limited to 15 students who will engage in conversation with you and your work. Firm deadlines and feedback help keep you writing and improving your work throughout the class." International students accepted. Cost: $400 per class.

Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference. April 1, 2023: NJ. "In addition to our wonderful and diverse keynote speakers, we have a number of editors and agents who will be attending to take pitches as well as some awesome writer and reader workshops!" 

Norwescon. April 6 - 9, 2023: Sea Tac, WA. Norwescon is one of the largest regional Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions in the United States. 

Authors' Salon at Clockwork Alchemy. April 7 - 9, 2023: San Mateo, California. Clockwork Alchemy is the San Francisco area's own steampunk convention. Originally a part of FanimeCon, Clockwork Alchemy is now its own independent event celebrating music, makers, dancing, writing, crafting, fashion, and fun related to steampunk!

"Writing in Proximity to History" April 7, 14, 21, 28, 3:00-6:00 PM EST. "This workshop will introduce participants to the creative practice of memory work and is designed for those who are just beginning a family or community history project. During our time together, we will journey to sites of our respective pasts, gather fragments and traces we find there, revisit family myths and origin stories, and write into the gaps between memory and history. Each two-hour session will introduce you to the work of other next generation writers and artists, offer creative research exercises and guided writing prompts, and provide a space to write together and workshop your writing with others." NOTE: This is a live online workshop. Registered participants will receive a Zoom link one week in advance of the workshop. Registration closes at noon on March 31, 2023.

Cognitive Dissonance Unlocked: Persona Poems that Give More than Poetry. April 12, 2023, "A common trend when reading poetry is to conflate the poet with the speaker. The easiest way to unlock the cognitive dissonance of hearing a voice that does not match the person it comes from is to view performances of persona poems from established artists who are masters at the task. Some of these literary greats include Airea Dee Matthews and Patricia Smith. In this 90-minute workshop, we will watch performances and discuss not only the feelings evoked by the poems but how the words and images presented conjure ideals for us that do not match the performer of the words." Held via Zoom. Free.

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference April 13 – 15, 2023: Las Vegas, Nevada. Join writing professionals, agents publishers and marketing experts for a weekend of workshops and enlightening discussions about the publishing industry. A chance to pitch your manuscript and ideas to agents. 

The Monterey Writer Retreat in California. April 13 - 17, 2023: Monterey, CA. Participants in the Monterey Writer Retreat will work one-on-one with two of the best literary "closers" in the business: Paula Munier, Michael Neff, and Jennifer Sander combine 60 years of working with aspiring authors and ushering them to publication. They will be available for multiple private consultations from 9 AM to noon and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM each day of the retreat. Choice of sessions and focus will be up to each individual writer. 

The 2023 Writing Workshop of San Francisco. April 14 - 15, 2023: Online. A full-day “How to Get Published” event. "This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more." Online format.

Rally of Writers Conference. April 15, 2023. Lansing, Michigan. Michigan authors and educators in 15 breakout sessions and workshops on all aspects of writing, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, the Nuts & Bolts of manuscript submissions, and more. 

San Antonio Book Festival. April 15, 2023: San Antonio, TX. The San Antonio Book Festival is a FREE, annual, daylong event that unites readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries, and literary culture. Featuring more than 80 nationally and regionally acclaimed authors, the Festival offers programming for all ages.

Columbus State Community College Writers Conference. April 15, 2023: Columbus, Ohio. Workshops to explore audiobooks, crafting kids’ books, comedy, fan fiction and more. This one-day conference is free of charge

Spring in Bloom. April 15, 2023: Chicago, Ill. "The story structure of a romance doesn't get talked about a lot, but structure is just as important in a romance as it is in a mystery or a work of speculative fiction. In this hands-on, example-driven workshop, we'll break down a romance into its essential skeletal blocks and then reconnect the bones to the sinews of the story (plot, character, motivation, etc) to show how all the components work together." In person and via Zoom.

Poetry For Kids: A World Of Publishing Possibilities. April 16 - 19, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Poetry anthologies, stand alone poems, lyrical picture books, narrative picture books, and verse novels make up the colorful fabric of poetic offerings to children. Learn ways to weave words, sounds, and stories into engaging poems, and find new markets and opportunities in writing poetry for children. There will be ample private retreat time so that you can write, wander, and connect with fellow poets.

Intro To Verse Novels: A Virtual Tour Of Limitations AndLiberations Of Verse Novels. April 18 - May 16, 2023. Honesdale, PA. Join verse novelist Cordelia Jensen for a five-week online course to explore the fundamentals, celebrations, and challenges of writing novels in verse. You’ll be introduced to using this form to its utmost advantage, while taking into consideration the general foundations of storytelling. Waitlisted.

Emerge with Katey Schultz: A Free Writing Program. April 19 through May 4, 2023, weekdays from 12:00-1:15 pm ET: Online. "Join late, leave early, come to all sessions, come to a few sessions–there’s no wrong way to participate in the two-week EMERGE livewriting sessions. It is free, and everyone is welcome to join."

Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group For FinishingYour Draft. April 19 - June 7, 2023. Honesdale, PA. This supportive program takes all writers (nonfiction or fiction, picture books, novels, essays, and more) from goal-stating to finished drafts.  Together, we’ll move through live sessions, writing prompts, daily inspirations, check-ins, and feedback with Sarah Aronson, Chris Tebbetts, and special guests Diana Ma and Meera Trehan. 

Nebraska Writers Guild Annual Conference and Writing Retreat. April 20 - 22, 2023: Omaha, NE. Workshops, pitch sessions with an agent and writing sessions followed by evening keynote speakers.

Monadnock Pastoral Poetry Retreat. April 21 - 23, 2023. Greenfield, NH.  Includes workshops, individual conferences, participant & mentor readings; hiking & kayaking (weather permitting). Each workshop uses dual mentors.

Colrain Classic. April 21 - 24, 2023: Arlington, Vermont. "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."

The Creativity Workshop in New York. April 21-24, 2023: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography." Apply by April 18.

Philadelphia Writing Workshop. April 22, 2023: Philadelphia, PA.  This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Philadelphia Convention Center. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Spring Conference. April 22, 2023: University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina. Features intensive workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as publisher exhibits, on-site "lunch with an author" readings, and an open mic. 

Writing in the Pines. April 22, 2023 (in person), Stockton University, Galloway, NJ. Choose from workshops in memoir, poetry and revision. Each workshop will meet for 6 hours and will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, sharing and inspiration. 

Creating Picture Books with Humor and Heart: A Working Retreat. April 23 - 26, 2023: Boyds Mills, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by Highlights Foundation. With Sunita Apte, Elise Broach and Emily Jenkins.

Breakout Novel Intensive 2.0. April 24 - 30, 2023: Hood River, OR. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. Instructor: Donald Maass. 

Chanticleer Authors Conference. April 27 - 30, 2023: Bellingham, Wash. Sessions with a special focus on the business of being a working writer on topics such as marketing, publicity, platform, sales tools & strategies, publishing, production, distribution, organization, storycraft, editing, and more. 

The Pikes Peak Writers Conference. April 27 -  April 30, 2023: Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The three-day conference is full of topical, in-depth workshops, dynamic keynote speakers, opportunities for one-on-one time with agents and editors, the chance to read your work aloud for constructive critique, plus time to socialize with fellow writers. Will be held in person.

Ozarks Writers League Conference. April 28 - 29, 2023: Branson, MO. The Ozarks Writers League is a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to promoting writing, literacy, photography, and art. Since 1983, OWL has welcomed individuals at all stages of their development. 

Malice Domestic. April 28 - 30, 2023, Bethesda, MD. Malice Domestic™ is an annual fan convention in the metropolitan DC area that celebrates the traditional mystery, books best typified by the works of Agatha Christie. The genre is loosely identified as mysteries which contain no explicit sex, or excessive gore, or violence. 

Poetry at Round Top Festival. April 28 - 30 2023: Round Top, Texas. Featuring: Camille Dungy, Victoria Chang, Pamela Uschuk, Lauren Camp, Cyrus Cassells, Ire’ne Lara Silva, David Meischen. 

Michigan Writers Workshop. April 29, 2023: Detroit, MI. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. .

Seattle Writers Workshop. April 29, 2023: Seattle, WA. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

San Diego Writing Workshop. April 29, 2023: San Diego, CA. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

Northeast Texas Writers Organization. April 29, 2023, Jefferson, TX. (?) One-day bootcamp. 

Austin SCBWI 2023 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference. April 29 -  30, 2023: Austin, TX. Conference on children's books with keynotes; general sessions; breakout sessions for writing, professional development and illustration; intensives for novels, picture books and illustration; critiques; pitches and more. Will be held in person.