106 Calls for Submissions in November 2023 - Paying markets

This November there are more than eight 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: Bill Dickinson: Flickr)

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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: November 1, 2023.

The Woodward Review. Genre: Poetry, prose, art, and digital media from anyone, anywhere. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Forge Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, micro-fiction. Length: Under 3,000 words preferred. Payment: $75. Deadline: They open to fee-free submissions on the first of each month and close when they reach their quota.

The Offing. Genre: Fiction. Length: 7,500 words max. Payment: $25 - $100. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Lost Boys Press: Insurgent. Genre: Speculative fiction. The setting must be a secondary world. The story must revolve around rebellion, insurgency, revolution, or resistance to established power in some form or another. Word count should be between 2,000 and 9,000 words. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Ninth Letter. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. See theme. Payment: $25 per poem, $75 per story or essay. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry. See theme. Payment: AUD150-275 for prose; AUD125-275 for poetry; comics and art AUD100-300. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Lammergeier. Genre: Poetry, fiction and nonfiction. "Have a piece you think doesn't quite fit into the previous three categories (or is a combination of said genres)? Feel free to send it in as hybrid. Submit either one piece of up to 5,000 words or less or up to three flash pieces of 1,000 words or less or equivalent audio/visual material. (Hybrids will be considered with nonfiction submissions for featured writer submissions until further notice)." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Forge Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, micro-fiction. Length: Under 3,000 words preferred. Payment: $75. Deadline: They open to fee-free submissions on the first of each month and close when they reach their quota.

Iron Horse. Genre: "Send us your poems, stories, and essays that center around unlawful acts: misdemeanors to felonies, war crimes to white collar crimes, perpetrators in the home or at work.  We'll be especially happy to receive mss about breaking laws that shouldn't be laws in the first place." Payment: $100 per essay or story, and $50 per poem or flash piece. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Note: Open one day only for free submissions.

Kelp Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Oceanic themes. Payment: $35. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

The Iowa Review. Genre: Nonfiction. Payment: $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum). Deadline: November 1, 2023. No fee for snail mail submissions. $4 fee for online submissions.

Adroit Journal. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Note: Open to high school students and up.

Cutleaf. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction prose, poetry. Payment: $100 to $400 for published nonfiction prose; $50 to $200 for published poetry; $100 to $400 for published fiction. Deadline: Opens November 1, 2023. Note: Submission window closes when their cap is reached.

Thema: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle. Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Olit. Restrictions: Strong preference for Orlando based writers/submissions about Orlando and surrounding areas. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Hybrid, Artwork, Photography. "Send us all kinds of stuff. We love the artfully weird." Payment: $10. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

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: November 1, 2023.

The Blue Route. Restrictions: Only the work of current undergraduate writers will be considered. Genres: Fiction, or creative nonfiction totaling no more than 3000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 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: November 1, 2023.

Heathens and Heroes. Genre: Sword and Sorcery / Heroic Fantasy. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories, poetry, nonfiction. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. $1 a line for poetry. 2 - 8 cents/word for nonfiction. Deadline: November 2, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

GreenPrints. Genre: Personal essays about gardening. “Calling all experienced gardening writers—we seek gardening stories that are true and personal, expressive and thoughtful, and humorous and witty. We focus on the human, not the how-to, side of gardening, so your story should be entertaining, moving, unexpected, touching, and funny—a heartfelt story you would tell a friend or family member.” Payment: $100. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

Planet Scumm. Genre: Hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, speculative fiction, weird fiction, slipstream. Payment: $30. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Fusion Fragment. Genre: Science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction stories and novelettes ranging anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000 words. Payment: Both previously unpublished work and reprints pay 4 cents (CAD) per word, up to a maximum of $350 (CAD) per story. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Hexagon. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories, flash fiction, poetry, graphic stories, and visual art, in English or French. Payment: 0.01$ CAD/ word for all short stories up to 10,000 words, and $100 CAD/page for comics. Deadline: November 7, 2023.

Deathcap and Hemlock. Genre: Speculative recipes "that hint at a deeper narrative without violating the recipe structure will catch our eye. We are looking for short pieces, formatted like actual recipes (ingredients list, steps, measurements (metric, imperial; weight or volume—you decide!)). A short introductory paragraph to the recipe is okay, but optional.' Length: 200 - 400 words preferred, 1000 words max. Payment: $10. Deadline: November 7, 2023.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: "We're looking for dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words." Payment: $25. Deadline: November 7, 2023. Open to submissions the first week of every month.

Only Poems. Genre: Poetry. "We love prose poems, traditional forms (ghazals, villanelles, sestinas), love poems, sex poems, and experimental questionnaires, but we are not married to a style or genre. We are welcoming of anything you think is your most exciting work. Ultimately, we want poems that move us or make us go: “God, I wish I had written this!” Payment: $55. Deadline: November 7, 2023.

University of Queensland Press. Restrictions: Autistic women and gender-diverse writers from around Australia. Genre: Essays about how being autistic has shaped lives and identities. Payment: AUD$600. Deadline: November 8, 2023.

Barrelhouse. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Comics on theme: What's that smell? Payment: $50. Deadline: November 10, 2023.

Galley Beggar Press. Restrictions: Open to women writers. Genre: Literary fiction (novels and short story collections) and narrative non-fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 10, 2023.

Prairie Fire. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF on theme: ‘Burning Up / Burning Down.' Payment: Prose: $0.10 per word; Poetry: $40 per poem. Deadline: November 10, 2023.

Book XI. Genre: Personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. Payment: $200 for prose; $50 for poetry. Deadline: November 11, 2023. Closes after 200 submissions.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: November 11, 2023. See themes.

Empyrean Tree Magazine. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Payment $25. Deadline: November 12, 2023. See themes.

Disco. Genre: Your guess is as good as mine. Theme: Hacking. Payment: £200. Deadline: November 12, 2023. See theme.

The Fabulist. Genre: Fantastical flash fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: November 12, 2023. 

Ornithopter Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 12, 2023. 

Flame Tree Publishing: Elemental Forces. Genre: Horror. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: November 14, 2023. 

Decapitate. Genre: All: Social Justice themes. Payment $25. Deadline: November 14, 2023. 

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

evOke. Genre: All things Pagan, polytheist, and witchy. See themes. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 15, 2023. Open from the 1 - 15 of every month.

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: November 15, 2023. See themes.

Bad Day Book. Genre: Poetry and prose. See site for themes. Payment: $40 - $75, depending on length. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

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

Rattle: Young Poets Anthology. Restrictions: Open to poets age 15 or younger when the poem was written, and 18 or younger when submitted. Genre: Poetry. Payment:  Contributors receive ten complimentary copies of the anthology as payment. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Severn River. Genre: Full-length Crime Fiction, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Military Thriller, Historical Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Domestic Thriller, Science Fiction, Dystopian and Young Adult works in any of their accepted genres. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 15, 2023. 

Two For the Show. Restrictions: Open to writers in the US. Genre: Short fiction. See theme. Payment: 1.5 cents/word. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Spring Into SciFi. Genre: Science fiction short stories. Payment: $15. Deadline: November 15, 2023. 

The Lorelei Signal. Genre: Fantasy short stories, flash fiction, and poetry with strong female characters. Payment: $15 for short stories, $5 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces, $5 for reprints. Deadline: November 15, 2023. Accepts reprints.

ellipsis… literature & art. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, drama, and creative non-fiction. Payment: $3 per page for prose. $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 16, 2023. (Only pays American writers.)

Flora  & Fungi. Genre: Horror. Length 4000 words, max. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 18, 2023.

Wild Words. Restrictions: Open to UK residents aged 18 and under. Genre: Poem. "We want you to collaborate with an element of your local environment, whether a flower, insect, bird, tree, natural landscape, or even the weather, to craft an original piece of poetry." Payment: Publication. Deadline: November 19, 2023.

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

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Funny Stories. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for stories about something that happened to you in your life - in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud." Payment: $200. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: Dragons and Heroes. Genre: "All dragon stories with a male main character. All genres accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Farmer-ish: Winter Solstice 2023 Special Online Issue: Farmer-ish Kids. Genre: Creative and engaging content on farming, homesteading, raising animals, cooking, making, and raising a family. We want creative nonfiction, personal essays, memoir, how-to pieces, informational and instructional essays, poetry, and more. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Stanchion. Genre: Writing (prose, poetry, etc) & visual art. Payment: $15. Deadline: November 20, 2023. Writing and art posted on social media and personal blogs are considered.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk microfiction. Length: 250 words max. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 21, 2023.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and horror) and literary fiction. Payment: $80. Deadline: November 21, 2023. Opens November 1.

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: November 24, 2023. Opens November 18, 2023.

Intrepidus Ink. Genre: Fiction. Theme: Overcoming. Payment: $.02/word for flash fiction 300 – 1,000 words. $30 flat rate for short stories 1,500 – 2,500 words. Deadline: November 25, 2023.

ignitionpress. Restrictions: Open to poets who have not published a collection of poetry or pamphlet. (Individual poems are okay.) Genre: Poetry pamphlet. Payment: £125 upon acceptance of the final manuscript and an additional payment of at least £50 in travel expenses for launches. They also give poets 15 free copies of their pamphlet. Deadline: November 26, 2023.

Rough Cut Press. Restrictions: Open to the LGBTQIA community. Genre: Experimental fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. "We seek personal, lyrical, critical, and experimental work in under 650 words." Theme: Withhold. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 27, 2023.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €30 per magazine page; Poetry: €50 per poem; Featured Poet: €250. Deadline: November 28, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: Digital Love. Genre: "All romance stories evolved from the internet, social media, dating apps, etc. Happily Ever After not required. All genres accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Propel Magazine. Restrictions: Open to poets based in the UK or Ireland who have yet to publish their first full-length poetry collection. Genre: Poetry. Payment: £20. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Dismantle Magazine. Genre: Personal essays that explore larger cultural issues related to fashion, pop culture and social change. Payment: $100 per article over ~1000 words. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Boyhood Reimagined. Genre: Nonfiction essays. "Do you identify as a queer mom and a feminist? Are you parenting a son? We want to know your story! We are excited to announce a new collection of essays and interviews featuring writings by queer moms and their sons about the intersection of queer parenting and the development of healthy masculinity. We believe that queer moms, in particular queer moms who also identify as feminist, have a unique and important opportunity to raise boys with healthy parenting choices that provide an antidote to the troubling patriarchal culture that continues to dominate despite numerous waves of feminist movements." Payment: $50. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Space is the Place. Genre: Young adult (YA) science fiction. Stories should take place OFF Earth. Other planets, starships, space stations, the moon, all ok. Word count is between 6,000 and 10,000 words. Payment: 1/2 cent per word to a max of $50 paid via PayPal. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Theatre Phantasmagoria. Genre: Horror flash fiction up to 2,000 words. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2023. This is a monthly call. See themes.

The Hudson Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, essays, book reviews; criticism of literature, art, theatre, dance, film, and music; and articles on contemporary cultural developments. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: November 30th, 2023. (Fiction only)

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: November 30, 2023.

Lamar University Literary Press. Genre: Literary fiction—novels and short story collections, poetry. "While our focus is upon original literary work, we will consider books on or about the following if written to our standards: graphic art, biography, regional interest for East Texas." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

DMR Books: Die by the Sword. Genre: Sword and sorcery. Payment: $0.01/word. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Mirror World. Genre: Full-length speculative fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Detectives, Sleuths, and Nosy Neighbors Anthology. Genre: Murder mysteries, detectives noir, cozy, and humorous. Payment: Royalties (some) Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Native American Heritage Month, no-fee submissions are open for all Native/Indigenous/First Nations creators, not limited to those from the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Worcester Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 30, 2023. (No submission fee for BIPOC writers)

Variant Lit. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

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

Malahat Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: CAD $70/page. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Submissions by Canadian writers are accepted for consideration all year.

Flash Point Science Fiction. Genre: Speculative fiction stories from 100 to 1,000 words in length. "Send us your science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and everything in between, so long as it’s short." Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.08/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: November 30, 2023. 

Cricket Media: ASK Magazine. Genre: Science articles for children 7–10 years old. Theme: Secrets of Lunch. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Queries only.

Black Fox Literary Magazine. Genre: Blog posts, fiction, poetry, CNF, and art. Payment: $20. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Poetry Ireland Review. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €50 for poetry, €100 for articles. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Abyss and Apex. Genre: Speculative poetry. No horror. Payment: $5.50 per poem. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Poet Lore. Genre: Poetry translations. Payment: $50. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Genre: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Art, Photography, Combined Work from underprivileged individuals. Payment: $5. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

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

Broken Sleep Books. (UK) Genre: Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages). Payment: Royalties. Deadline:  November 30, 2023.

parABnormal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry on the paranormal. "For us, this includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores." Payment: $25.00 for original stories, $7.00 for reprints.$6.00 for each poem. $20.00 for original articles, $6.00 for reprints. $7.00 for reviews and interviews. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Red Cape Publishing: A - Z of Horror: V is for Voodoo. Genre: Horror on theme. Payment: £10. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Or until full.

Tales of the Gothic. Restrictions: Submissions are open to residents of the British Isles only, or those overseas who can demonstrate a strong link to the British Isles. Genre: British Gothic stories. Length: Between 4000 and 8000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Iron Age. Genre: Short fiction and comics. "broad variety of genres" Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Fiddlehead. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: November 30, 2023. In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, there are no submission fees during the month of November for all Indigenous writers, not limited to those living in/born the US.

Carpe Noctem. Genre: Stories and poems about darkness, night, and the multitude of things that thrive (or hide) in those elements. "We are seeking stories beyond those simply set during the night or in a dark place, and that delve into tales of the nocturnal and – as the title would imply – really seize the night as a critical element of their stories, perhaps even as a character itself." Payment: $50 CAD for prose, $20 CAD for poems. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 - $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: November 30, 2023. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

Channel. Genre: Fiction, art, creative non-fiction, and poetry that engages with the natural world, and have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self. Payment: €40/poem, and €50/page of prose up to €150. Deadline:  November 30, 2023.

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

AND A FEW MORE...

Eternal Haunted Summer. Genre: Poetry, short fiction. Theme: Horror. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Big Wing. Genre: Poetry, prose, spoken word, and visual art works. Theme: Nature. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

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

december magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (essays, memoirs, biography, literary journalism, social or cultural commentary or analysis) and visual art that can be reproduced in our print format. Payment: $10.00 per page with a minimum of $40.00 and a maximum of $200.00. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Charges for online submission. No charge via snail mail.

Assault Team Anthology. Genre: Military Science Fiction. Payment: "a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors." Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Cincinnati Review. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal. $30/page for poetry in journal. Deadline: Opens on December 1, closes when cap is reached.

Northern Lights Anthology. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Horror and horror-adjacent dark weird fiction, ideally set in Canada and incorporating a motif of night / nighttime/ dusk/ darkness. Stories should be between 500 and 5,000 words. Payment: 10 cents CAD/word. Deadline: December 1, 2023. 

What If...Walls Could Talk. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Air/Light. Genre: New and innovative works of literary arts across all mediums and genres including cross genre work. Length: Up to 4,000 words for prose, and up to 10 pages for poetry. Payment: Poetry: $50; Responses and department pieces: $100; Fiction and essays/nonfiction: $200; Visual art, music, and multimedia: $200. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

Death in the Mouth Anthology. Restrictions: Authors who identify as BIPOC or, outside of US-American context, anyone who is from a marginalized ethnicity (eg. Roma, Sámi, Nenets would also fall under this umbrella etc)”. Genre: Horror short fiction and art. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: December 1, 2023.

60 Writing Contests in November 2023 - No entry fees

This November there are five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $50,000 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: Wikimedia)

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Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: The Prize is open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. It is for ten poems exactly in order to encourage serious poets. These poems may, however, have already been published. Only poets who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published are eligible. Poets who have self-published poetry books or had chapbooks and pamphlets published are allowed to submit for this prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1500. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Brave New Weird Award. Genre: Weird Horror reprints. "Any previously published piece of short fiction under 7.499 words originally published in the English language within the eligibility period (between the 31st of October 2022 and the 31st of October 2023). You may submit NARRATIVE poems only; poems will be judged on their storytelling. Stories published in other languages are welcome if there is an English translation available." Prize: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Quarterly West.  Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 1, 2023. Closes when cap is reached.

ILA Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction English-language books for children in grades pre-K to 12 and published for the first time during the year preceding the deadline year. Must be the author's first or second book. Prize: $800. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: Writers must not have published a book, short story, or dramatic work in the mystery field, either in print, electronic, or audio form. Genre: Mystery stories of the Agatha Christie type—i.e., “traditional mysteries.” These works usually feature no excessive gore, gratuitous violence, or explicit sex. Prize: Each grant may be used to offset registration, travel, or other expenses related to attendance at a writers' conference or workshop within a year of the date of the award. In the case of nonfiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses. Each grant currently includes a $1,500 award plus a comprehensive registration for the following year's convention and two nights' lodging at the convention hotel, but does not include travel to the convention or meals. Deadline: November 1, 2023. 

The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: PEN America will only accept submissions from editors of eligible publications. Authors may not submit their own short story for this award. Genre: First published short story. Prize: $2000 and publication in The PEN America Best Debut Short Stories. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Leaders Igniting Generational Healing And Transformation(Light) Prizes. Genre: Poetry, art, letters, and stories that can be used to reimagine, transform, and process one’s experience with cancer. Prize:  1st: $500, 2nd: $375, 3rd: $125 will be given to the top three contestants of each category. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Gotham Book Prize. Genre: Book. "The Gotham Book Prize is awarded once a year to the best book (works of fiction and nonfiction are eligible) published that calendar year that either is about New York City or takes place in New York City." Prize: $50,000. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the British Commonwealth. Genre: Unpublished short fiction (2,000-5,000 words) in English. Short stories translated into English from other languages are also eligible. Prize: Regional winners receive £2,500 (US$3,835) and the overall winner will receive £5,000 (US$7,670). Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Bennington Young Writers Awards. Restrictions: Open to students in the 9th-12th grades. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500; third-place winners receive $250. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Changes Book Prize. Genre: First or second collection of poems. Prize: $10,000 and publication, Deadline: November 1, 2023.

TCU Texas Book Award. Genre: Book of fiction, nonfiction, art or photography about Texas, published in the past three years. Prize: $5000. Deadline: November 1, 2023.

Dylan Thomas Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be aged 39 or under. Eligible books must have been commercially published for the first time in the English language between January 1 and December 31 of the year in which the deadline falls. Genre: Published books of poetry, fiction (novel, novella, or short story collection), radio scripts, or screenplays. Prize: 30,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds for shortlisted authors. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

On The Premises Mini-Contest. "For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long in which a ringing bell is an important story element." Prize: First place pays $35, second pays $25, and third pays $15, all in US dollars. Honorable mentions get published, but make no money. Deadline: November 3, 2023.

The Bird in Your Hands Prize: a Contest that Centers and Celebrates BIPOC Voices. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction in any form under 500 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 5, 2023. 

Stephen Fraser Encouragement Fund. “The Impact and Legacy Fund of SCBWI is thrilled to announce the establishment of a brand new grant program, the Stephen Fraser Encouragement Fund. Genre: Children's book. Prize: A $2,000 grant will be awarded to three children’s book authors, artists or translators who have traditionally published at least one book. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

The Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World. Genre: Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2023, is eligible. If both an author and illustrator are listed on the book cover, the prize will be split between them. Prize: $2500 plus $1000 to purchase copies of the winning book for distribution to schools and libraries. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. "On each competition weekend, we’ll reveal a set of story prompts and you’ll have 55 hours to submit your best story of 500-words (or fewer)." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: November 5, 2023.

Weird Christmas Flash Contest. Genre: Weird flash fiction. 350 words max. Prize: $50 first prize, $25 second prize. Deadline: November 6, 2023.

Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black poets. Genre: Chapbook-length poetry manuscript. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: November 6, 2023.

Cave Canem Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to Black writers of African descent. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: Recipients of a Cave Canem Fellowship are invited to attend a week-long Retreat, held annually at the University of Pittsburgh|Greensburg. Fellows receive an unparalleled opportunity to study with world-class faculty and join a community of peers at the Retreat. Deadline: November 10, 2023.

Penrose Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQIA+ writers. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $200 prize, a written review from guest judge + publication. Deadline: November 12, 2023.

Painkiller Prize. Restrictions: UK-based playwrights. Genre: Playwrights will be invited to submit a pitch form for a new idea alongside a sample of their writing. Prize: A commission of £7,500 to write a new play. "We will then work with the selected playwright to develop their play ahead of a rehearsed reading at a theatre in central London. They will also have the opportunity to consult with a range of leading industry figures throughout the drafting process." Deadline: November 13, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction; under 1,000 words. See theme. Prize: $30. Deadline: November 14, 2023. Opens November 1.

Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize is sponsored by the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival. Genre: Non-fiction essay between 4 to 10 pages, set in Brooklyn about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. (Up to 2500 words). Prize: $500. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Perugia Press Prize. Restrictions: Poets must be women with more than one previously published full-length book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Book publication and $1,000. Deadline: November 15, 2023. No fee for poets who are Black, Indigenous, and women of color.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets for previously unpublished poems of any length that "help make real for readers the gravity of the vulnerable state of our environment at present." Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $1,000. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize. Restrictions: Entrants must be aged 18-25 years and living in the UK. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Each year a question or quote exploring Franklin’s relevance in our time is open for interpretation in 1000-1500 words. Prize: First prize of £750, second prize of £500. Winning entries will be posted on the website and also published online by The Telegraph. Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, fiction, nonfiction, poetry: adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: November 15, 2023. (For books published Aug. 16-Oct. 15, 2023.)

Anita McAndrews Award. Genre: Poems inspired by Article 1. of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Prize: $200. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Renee Duke Youth Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to young poets age 17 and under. Genre: Poem relating to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 20, 2023.

Arts & Letters Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Genres: poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, dramatic script, art, music, and French language. Entries must be unpublished and completed during the previous 12 months. Prizes: C$1,000 and C$250. Deadline: November 22, 2023.

Ghost Stories at the Bookshop. Genre: Ghost story. Length: Up to 2,500 words. Prize: One overall winner will receive £100, two runners up will receive £50 each. Deadline: November 23, 2023.

Polar Expressions Publications Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Short Story. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: November 24, 2023.

Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Student writers in the 11th grade. Prizes: First Prize – $500, Second Prize – $250, Third Prize – $100. Deadline: November 26, 2023.

One Teen Story. Restrictions: Open to writers age 13 -19. Genre: Short story between 2,000 to 4,500 words. Prize: $500 upon publication and 25 copies of the magazine. Deadline: November 27, 2023.

Six Word Wonder. Genre: Stories, memoirs, poems, and jokes that are exactly 6 words. (You can enter up to 4) Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Servicescape. Genre: Short story or nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Polar Expressions Publications Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Paul Torday Memorial Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be over 60. Genre: First published novel. The novel must have been first published in the UK and Republic of Ireland between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Betty Trask Prize. Restrictions: Author must be a Commonwealth citizen. Genre: First novels, published or unpublished, written by authors under the age of 35 in a "traditional or romantic, but not experimental, style." Prize: Awards totaling 20,000 pounds. Top prize 10,000 pounds. The prize money must be used for foreign travel. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers. Restrictions: Open to writers aged 16-18. Genre: Poem. Prize: Full scholarship to The Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop, an intensive two-week summer seminar for writers aged 16-18. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Gulliver Travel Grant. The Gulliver Travel Grant is awarded annually to assist writers of speculative literature in their non-academic research. These funds are used to cover airfare, lodging, and other travel expenses. Travel may be domestic or international. You may apply for travel to take place at any point in the following year. Grant: $1000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Somerset Maugham Awards. Restrictions: Open to UK writers under the age of 35. Genre: Published work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Prize: 2,500 pounds apiece to four winners. Prize money must be used for travel. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Criminal Lines Award. Restrictions: Open to writers aged 18 and over born or living in Britain (including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) and Ireland (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland). Entrants must not have previously published a novel or novella although self-published novels, novellas and self-published e-books are accepted. You must not be represented by a literary agent at the time of submission or at the shortlist stage. Genre: Full-length crime, thriller, mystery and suspense fiction. Prize: £3,500 and an offer of representation from A.M. Heath. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

The Queen’s Knickers Award. Genre: Children’s illustrated book for ages 0-7. "It will recognise books that strike a quirky, new note and grab the attention of a child, whether this be in the form of curiosity, amusement, horror or excitement." Prize:  £5,000, as well as a golden Queen’s Knickers badge. The runner-up will receive £1,000 and a silver badge. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

UNT Rilke Prize. Restrictions: US citizens or residents. Open to authors with at least two prior published books of poetry. Genre: Book of poetry published between November 2022 and October 2023. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of Instability. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

AVBOB Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to any citizen of South Africa. Genre: Poetry. Prize: R10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Storytwigs. Genre: Microfiction up to 100 words. Prize: 1st Place: $100; 2nd Place: $25; 3rd Place: $20; 4th Place: $15; 5th Place: $10. Deadline: November 30, 2023. See prompt.

Six Word Wonder. Genre: Story, memoir, poem, or joke, told in only six words. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Hudson Review Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story up to 10,000 words. Prize: First prize is $500. Second and third prizes are $250. Winning stories will be published in The Hudson Review. All entries will be considered for publication. Payment at regular rates. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

J. F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 30, 2023. 

Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living and working in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. Genre: Fiction. Prize: “a tailor-made package worth up to £2,000 including tuition via open courses, retreat time and/or mentoring at Moniack Mhor. One highly commended applicant will also receive a course or retreat.” Deadline: November 30, 2023.

USNI Information Warfare Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. "The Nation’s adversaries and competitors are proving to be formidable in the digital battlespace—using online platforms, social media, malicious code, disinformation, and cyberattacks to undermine elections, steal intellectual property, spy on governments, sow discord, and weaken alliances." Prize: $5,000. Deadline: November 30, 2023.

2024 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition.  Restrictions: Open to writers who have never been the author of any published mystery novel. Genre: Mystery novel. Prize: $10,000 advance against royalties, Deadline: November 30, 2023.

Spark Award: Held by SCBWI. Restrictions: Open to members of SCBWI who have self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: November 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: November 30, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

16 Notable Writing Workshops and Conferences in November 2023

This November there are more than a dozen writing conferences. Many conferences and workshops will be held online, but some will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

These writing events 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. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!

Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year.

(Image: Lily Tang: Kauai)

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Clearwater Writers Women's Writing Retreat. November 2 - 12, 2023: Clearwater, Idaho. Retreats are facilitated by the Inn’s writer-in-residence, Paula Coomer, poet and author of such books as Jagged Edge of the Sky, Dove Creek, Nurses Who Love English, and Blue Moon Vegetarian. With more than 20 years of experience as a teacher of creative writing, Ms. Coomer offers creative inspiration and support for writers at all levels of achievement and ability.

Creative Hybrid Online Writing Workshop With Sarah Giragosian. November 2 - December 7, 2023. Creative Writing in the Anthropocene. "Creative writing within the framework of the Anthropocene is relatively undertheorized, yet critical in a time when our current geological era is being shaped by humans. In this hybrid course, we will demystify approaches to poetry and creative non-fiction that address the sixth mass extinction, climate change, and the ecological crisis, as well as explore how to narrate and represent the Anthropocene. Since climate change is a byproduct of human interventions in the natural world, we will consider the nuanced entanglements of nature and culture, as well as how the environmental crisis is in many ways a crisis of language and literacy, exploring how writers can develop readers’ ecological literacy and help them to develop a more sustainable relationship to the creatures and world around them. Integral to our study will be an engagement with writing that reckons with the more-than-human-world, with the systems and creatures that help us to think beyond an anthropocentric frame. Of value to the creative writer seeking new ways to address the Anthropocene in their writing, we will read work by such authors as Lia Purpura, Rebecca Giggs, Rebecca Solnit, Daisy Hildyard, Elizabeth Bishop, Patricia Smith, Camille Dungy, Anne Haven McDonnell, and Charlotte Pence, among others. We will be reading and writing each week with the goal of generating new work in a supportive environment. This is a virtual course to be held on Zoom." Apply by September 15. 

Wright Women Writers Conference. November 3- 4, 2023: University of Central Arkansas. "The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference focuses on women-identifying writers from all genres and all experience levels, from journalism to mass market books to literary endeavors, and beyond. Our goal is to provide a space for camaraderie, connection-making, and inspiration, and while women-identifying writers are the only presenters at the conference, we welcome all of our male and male-identifying colleagues to attend. We believe that much of what we have to offer, including the specific, female perspective, is valuable for all audiences, and that male allies are necessary to changing the current gender imbalance in publishing."

Sanibel Island Writers Conference. November 3 - 4, 2023: Sanibel Island, Florida. Participants at all stages of development — from notebook scribblers to published novelists — are invited to view a variety of discussions and panels on fiction, poetry, songwriting, YA literature, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, and publishing and editing. 

Atlanta Writers Conference. November 3 - 4, 2023: Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE: You must be an Atlanta Writers Club (AWC) member to participate in the conference. The conference features pitch sessions, a workshop on emotional survival skills for writers, a bookfair, and manuscript and query letter critiques for poets, fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and graphic novelists. Virtual meetings and preconference editing consultations via e-mail will also be offered. Participating publishing professionals include editors Kurt Brackob (Histria Books), Cindy Bryan (Literary Wanderlust), Sydney Collins (Ballantine/Bantam), Elizabeth Ford (Blackwater Press), Kate Gale (Red Hen Press), Georgia Hughes (New World Library), Melissa McArthur (Falstaff Books), Ariana Sinclair (HarperCollins), and Melissa Valentine (Lake Union Publishing); and agents Lori Colvin (Birch Literary), Dawn Dowdle (Blue Ridge Literary Agency), La Sheera Lee (SBR Media Literary Agency), Taj McCoy (Rees Literary Agency), Gina Panettieri (Talcott Notch Literary Services), Sarah Phair (Sanford J. Greenburger Associates), Jonathan Rosen (Seymour Agency), Laura Usselman (Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency), and Jade Wong-Baxter (Frances Goldin Literary Agency). The cost of a single session or event ranges from $50 to $180; the cost of the All-Activities Package, which includes two manuscript critiques, one query letter critique, two pitch sessions, one workshop, two Q&A panels, and an optional preconference manuscript edit, is $670. Writers who are not members of the Atlanta Writers Club must purchase a yearlong membership for an additional $60 in order to register. The deadline to register for a manuscript critique is October 2. Space is limited; registration is first come, first served. The general registration deadline is November 3. Lodging is available at the conference hotel for a discounted rate of $159 per night until October 12. Visit the website for more information. 

North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference. November 3 - 5, 2023: Charlotte, NC. The WSOC will feature classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing, as well as a keynote address by Jason Mott, a Pre-Conference Tailgate and a Prompt Party to get creative juices flowing, online Open Mic readings and Happy Hour virtual gatherings, and an Agents & Editors panel discussion. 

The Fall 2023 Online San Diego Writing Workshop. November 10 - 11, 2023. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop on November 10-11, 2023. In other words, it’s two days 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. And even though this is the Online Fall “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation." 

2023 Kauai Writers Festival. November 6 – 9, 2023, Master class. November 10 - 12, 2023. Conference: Kalapaki Bay, Lihue, Kauai, HI. Join bestselling authors and agents in an intimate, oceanfront setting, with an emphasis on fiction, memoir, thrillers, and screenwriting. Includes in-depth sessions on craft, publishing, and the writing life, with opportunities for agent/editor feedback. 

American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) Conference. November 8 - 11, 2023: Tucson, AZ. Panels, workshops, readings, a book fair, and opportunities to meet with editors for translators. "The ALTA Annual Conference is a refreshingly collegial gathering of amateurs and professionals alike, both within the profession and outside it, all wholeheartedly committed to fostering, furthering, and supporting the practice of literary translation." Will be held in person.

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. November 8 - 12, 2023: Stone Creek Village, Soquel, California. (In the event it is unsafe to meet in person due to COVID they will bring the workshop fully online at a reduced cost.) The Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp is for the writer who has a full, book-length manuscript (novel, memoir, short story or essay collection) and would like to engage with a small group for a serious and productive response. The extended weekend will include an intimate manuscript workshop, craft panels, readings, and individual meetings – the perfect pre-publication boot camp for any manuscript. Classes are limited to 5 participants.

Futurescapes. November 9 - 12, 2023. Futurescapes is an intensive, exclusive workshop, offering writers an unparalleled chance to work with top authors and agents in speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal). It has been almost five years since we last held a 200-page (50,000 word) workshop and we’re excited to do it once more. APPLY EARLY.

TLA Power of Words Conference. November 11, 2023: Online. "We welcome you to our 18th Power of Words conference, a special celebration of how we can build and sustain community, forge enduring individual and social change, and discover pathways to greater healing, meaning, and joy through writing, storytelling, theater, music, spoken word, and other word arts. Come connect with over two dozen musicians, storytellers, spoken word artists, teachers, community leaders, educators, and health professionals to celebrate and investigate how the arts can promote justice, healing, community-building, and social change." Online.

Travel & Words: Northwest Travel Writers Conference. November 12 - 14, 2023: Missoula, Montana. Workshops, panels, networking and Writer Matchmaking: Writers attending Travel & Words are looking for story ideas and possibly press trips. These “speed dating” sessions connect destination marketers with freelance writers and bloggers on the “Experienced” track. 

Red Clay Writers Conference. November 15 - 16, 2023: Kennesaw GA. Red Clay Writers Conference is the annual conference of Georgia Writers Association. Red Clay has been hosted since 2009 to encourage and inspire writers through literary events that focus on the art and craft of writing. Will be held online and in person.

Gotham Writers Conference. November 18 - 19, 2023: NY, NY. A writing conference built by agents, for writers, with a faculty of some of the top agents in New York City. Receive focused attention within your genre from some of the best in the business. Will be held on Zoom.

All Write, Columbia – Writers Conference. November 2023: Spencertown, NY. A five day intensive writing conference focused fiction. The conference is open to all levels of writers, from beginners to more advanced writers with a manuscript or publications. Open to writers who are at least 18 years old. Just 20 writers will be accepted.

11 New Agents Seeking Kidlit, Women's Fiction, Memoir, Genre Fiction, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels and more

Updated 12/9/23

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

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.

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. Kathleen Foxx of The Rights Factory (CANADA)

Currently closed to queries.

Kathleen joined The Rights Factory as an editorial assistant in early 2023 and was promoted to Assistant Agent in the fall of the same year. She has an editorial background, running a freelance fiction editing company. Kat is also a writer and is heavily involved in the online writing community. She also produces/hosts the #badasswriters podcast, edits audio for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, and is a founder/host of #MoodPitch.

Outside of creative work, Kat enjoys travelling, photography, creative cooking, hiking, and spending time in Ontario’s beautiful cottage country. She’s a proud mom of five kids. She *loves* cats, coffee, chocolate, cheese, Argentinian wine. Outlander, This Is Us, You’ve Got Mail, John Krasinski, Ryan Reynolds, and Tom Hanks are favourites!

What she is seeking: In fiction, she’s looking for Adult and YA thriller/mystery/suspense, gothic and supernatural horror, historical fiction (preferably pre-20th century), historical fantasy (witches, ghosts, time travel, past lives, etc.), and romcom and romance (light spice). She also enjoys fairytale/folklore retellings and some speculative fiction, anything nostalgic, anything to do with past lives and soul connections, haunted houses, ancestry, and midwifery/natural childbirth. Kat *loves* creepy, scary stories that makes her eyes water and gives her goosebumps! For Upper MG, she’s pretty much open to genres provided it’s cute and has a good message. Across ages and genres, stories that normalize blended, single-parent, adoptive, racially and/or culturally diverse, and same-sex families are high on her list.

For nonfiction, Kat is seeking memoirs that read like fiction, motherhood/natural pregnancy and childbirth/midwifery/planned unassisted births, single parenthood (especially if paired with overcoming an abusive relationship with the other parent), past life/reincarnation, the “brotherhood” mentality of law enforcement, narcissistic abuse recovery, true crime, wine/food/travel, a history of witches and witchcraft, and ancient locations/civilizations.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Rosie Pierce of Curtis Brown Group, Ltd. (UK)

I joined Curtis Brown in 2018, after a couple of years in editorial at an independent publisher in Edinburgh. I now work alongside Felicity Blunt on her list of talented authors, and I am building my own list. I love working editorially with writers on their manuscripts - it is one of my favourite parts of my job.

What she is seeking: I read widely and across genres, and I am looking for both literary and commercial fiction. I love family dramas, ghost and horror stories, psychological suspense, murder mysteries, gripping thrillers, and big-hearted romantic comedies. 

How to submit: Please email the first three chapters/10,000 words and short synopsis (for fiction) or proposal (for non-fiction) to piercesubmissions@curtisbrowngroup.co.uk.

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Ms. Trinica Sampson-Vera of New Leaf Literary & Media

Trinica graduated from Antioch College with a degree in Creative Writing and French. After several editorial internships during college, she moved to Austin and found an unexpected home in social services, where she worked for five years as a case manager to those experiencing chronic homelessness. Prior to beginning at New Leaf, she worked as an independent editor with Salt & Sage Books and Writing Diversely.

What she is seeking: Children's, YA and adult fiction and nonfiction, graphic novels. Trinica Sampson-Vera is passionate about championing diverse voices and particularly loves speculative fiction; adventurous, character-driven stories with largely emotional stakes; stories featuring Caribbean characters/settings; and stories where queer characters find happy endings.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Jenniea Carter of New Leaf Literary & Media

Harlem born and raised, Jenniea graduated from City College of New York with a B.A in Creative Writing and Asian Studies. With haste, she moved to Japan to explore the world outside the concrete jungle. After years of exploration, she returned home with a revitalized zeal for the literary world. Her first endeavor led her to Kinokuniya Bookstore where she honed her knowledge of book buying, merchandising, and selling. Soon after; Jenniea found herself home at New Leaf on Joanna’s team, eager to uplift and amplify marginalized voices. When she is not between the pages of a book, Jenniea can be found bingeing mystery documentaries and animation.

What she is seeking: Children's and adult fiction and nonfiction, graphic novels. She is eager to uplift and amplify marginalized voices.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Sophia Ramos of New Leaf Literary & Media

Hailing from South Florida, Sophia has always had a passion for books, earning a Masters of Science in Publishing from NYU. Prior to joining New Leaf, Sophia worked as a literary scout sourcing projects for international clients, and later moved into foreign rights and international sales where she rounded out her understanding of publishing as a global industry. You can usually find Sophia and her dachshund Sunny in the kitchen or the craftroom making something Instagram-worthy. She is a Diet Coke enthusiast and champion axe thrower.

What she is seeking: Genre fiction, Picture Books, Kidlit, SFF, Short Stories. She loves to read stories that were written for the kids who had to grow up too fast and books that redefine family, love, and madness.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE. 

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Ms. Jes Trudel of The Rights Factory (CANADA)

Currently closed to queries.

Jes Trudel (she/her/mx) has been devouring stories longer than she can remember. Her favourite childhood books were Jack London adventures (which she never really outgrew). Jes' experience includes working as a freelance editor for 15+ years, teaching creative writing to people around the globe, and founding WritingCommunity.ca in 2020 when the whole world went digital. She's been a guest presenter with SCBWI, the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, Write For Kids, and TSNOTYAW podcast, and has contributed to BoldFace, Children's Book Insider, and the SCBWI blog. She joined The Rights Factory in 2023 as an editorial assistant. As an editorial agent, Jes works with her clients to develop their manuscripts into the best version they can be.

What she is seeking: Children's Literature

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Ms. Rebecca Williamson of Sheldon Fogelman Agency

Rebecca Williamson enthusiastically joined Sheldon Fogelman Agency in 2023 after working with St. Martin's Publishing Group at Macmillan and Triada US Literary Agency. Rebecca began her agenting journey at the Columbia Publishing Course. She graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo with a double major in English (creative writing) and Communication (journalism & media).

What she is seeking: Rebecca Williamson is passionate about all children's books, from picture books through young adult.

How to submit: Follow the agency's guidelines HERE.

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Ms. Valentina Sainato of JABberwocky Literary Agency

Valentina (she/they) is an agency assistant at JABberwocky assisting Eddie Schneider. She also handles all merchandise and third-party licensing proposals.

She graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a B.A. in English and has lived in New York City ever since. Outside of their literary interests, Valentina is a dancer of many different styles, a video game lover, and a ~very~ amateur digital artist.

Before joining JABberwocky, Valentina worked as an Events Manager with Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side, where they hosted a huge variety of author events, book clubs, children’s activities, and more. She has also interned at Foundry Literary + Media, Folio Literary Management, and the Feminist Press at CUNY.

What she is seeking: Horror is my favorite genre to read, and I’m looking for lots of different flavors here. If it’s spooky, eerie, disorienting, thrilling, existential, or even horror-lite, I want to read it. Blends with sci-fi/fantasy are also welcome!

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Mr. Beniamino Ambrosi of The Cheney Agency

Beniamino Ambrosi is from Bari, southern Italy, and has a master’s degree in Languages and Literature from the University of Florence. He graduated from the PhD program in English Language Literature at the University of Florence. During and after graduate school, he worked as a literary translator, translating Paul Murray and Salvatore Scibona into Italian, among others. He moved to New York in 2009, and worked as a literary scout at Maria B. Campbell Associates for over a decade, advising international book publishers in over 20 countries, as well as film/TV clients such as Warner Bros. and Netflix. He made the switch to agenting at the end of 2021, joining The Cheney Agency as foreign rights director, and starting his list as agent. A Zev Birger Jerusalem Fellow, Beniamino currently serves on the Young Professional’s Committee of Words Without Borders.

What he is seeking: Beniamino Ambrosi represents English-language nonfiction and literary fiction, and authors in translation.

How to submit: Please send a query letter briefly describing your project and professional background, along with up to three chapters of sample material. Queries may be sent by email to submissions@cheneyagency.com.

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Ms. Bridgette Kam of Westwood Creative Artists (CANADA)

My career in publishing began when I interned at McClelland & Stewart while pursuing Ryerson’s publishing program. Before entering the publishing world, I worked in the arts, communications, education, and legal industries in Toronto and Hong Kong. I earned my BA in English and Art History in Hong Kong and an MA in Medieval and Renaissance literature in Durham, UK. I grew up watching TVB dramas and immersed in Cantopop culture, and I’m proud to be fluent in Cantonese and to be able to speak Mandarin conversationally.

What she is seeking: In narrative non-fiction, I’m drawn to fresh, unique, diverse, and well-informed voices, especially pop culture, social issues, popular history, big ideas, current affairs, and popular science. I’m also interested in practical non-fiction: self-improvement, health, and lifestyle.

In fiction, I’d love to see submissions in the vein of Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s The Last Story of Mina Lee and Asha Lemmie’s Fifty Words for Rain.

In children’s literature, I’m especially interested in fiction and non-fiction picture book texts, middle grade fiction, and illustration.

How to submit: Please read submission guidelines HERE.

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Amy Nielsen of The Purcell Agency, LLC

Currently closed to queries.

Amy Nielsen spent nearly twenty years sharing her love of books with young readers on the other side of the writing aisle as a youth librarian. Daily immersion in story took root, and she started penning her 2024 YA debut, Worth It, behind her checkout desk. Amy also has a background in television production and creates book trailers for authors to use as a marketing tool. She started Mayflower Media where she works collaboratively with writers to bring the heart of their stories from the page to the screen.

What she is seeking: Picture Books: I’ll be looking for hyperbolic, zany storylines that teach a life lesson (even subtle) or ones with laugh-out-loud moments written simply to entertain.

Middle Grade: I’ll be looking for fast-paced stories mostly set in a contemporary setting that feature characters that think, act, and talk like real middle graders.

 
Young Adult: I’ll gravitate toward contemporary issue-driven plots where teens find themselves in situations they aren’t equipped to handle, but eventually figure it out.

 
Adult Fiction: I’ll lean into contemporary women’s fiction where the main characters are shattering glass ceilings despite obstacles, and defying stereotypes.

 
General Wishes: As the mother of an autistic child, I’d appreciate any story that features characters across the autism spectrum written authentically and free from stereotypes. I’m also always game for any fairy-tale retelling or re-imagining, especially if pulled into a contemporary setting. I would love any age range where a dystopian plot mirrors a current social issue. Think Handmaid’s Tale versus the current political landscape of abortion. Or how the political landscape is impacting marginalized communities such as the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.