115 Calls for Submissions in May 2024 - Paying markets

This May there are more than nine 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: GoodFon)

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

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Flash fiction, reprints only. Payment: $100. Deadline: Opens May 1, 2024.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Flash fiction. Theme: Rural Fantasy. Payment: $100. Deadline: Opens May 1, 2024.

Grumpy Old Gods Anthology: Grumpy Old Sherwood Genre: Speculative fiction stories. Theme: Robin Hood. "It’s open season on storytelling.  It means you can take whatever bits you like best of thousands of available tales, and twist and turn them however you like." Length: 3,000-4,000 words. Payment: A percentage of the profits. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

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: May 1, 2024.

Bright Wall/Dark Room. Genre: Essay on theme: Spike Lee. "For our month of Lee, we’re seeking essays and voices tackling any and all of his films, his performances, his writings, his impact on cinema and culture.” Payment: $100. Deadline: May 1, 2024. 

Everyday Heroes. Genre: Contemporary Fiction. "In Honor of Mark Christopher Wagner the 2nd, we are looking for compelling and heartfelt stories centered around those who serve their communities. Stories of Firefighters, First responders, Law Enforcement, etc. Those Everyday Heroes who make a difference in the lives of their communities." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

Vilas Avenue. Genre: Poetry on theme of “Impermanence." Payment: $25. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

LONG DIVISION: Stories of Social Decay, Societal Collapse, and Bad Manners. Genre: Stories of transgression, of the mechanisms behind what’s fraying the bonds that bind us. Payment: 10c/word for original short fiction (up to 5,000 words). Deadline: Opens on May 1, closes when cap is reached.

New Edge Sword & Sorcery. Genre: Sword and sorcery fantasy. Length: As close to 850 words as possible. Payment: $70. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

The Bombay Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry, translated fiction/poetry and graphic fiction. Payment: Indian rupees 5,000 (approx. $61) per contribution. Deadline: Opens on May 1, 2024.

The First Line. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

Seven Story Hotel. Genre: Interviews, essays, stories, poems, and artwork. 7SH explores the weird, esoteric, and outsider fringes of contemporary culture, art, and technology. Payment: $35. Deadline: May 1, 2024. or until filled. 

Caretaker Press: Back Into The Ground. Genre: Horror. “For the purposes of Back Into The Ground we seek spooky stories inspired by place, specifically, our home, the Pacific Northwest." Payment: $40. Open until filled. 

Whisper House Press: Costs of Living. Genre: Horror. Length: 500-4,000 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Open until filled.

Vault of Shadows. Genre: Short horror, weird, dark fiction between 3000 and 7500 words (not really a firm limit - the final product will be the comics script, not the short story), that can be adapted into a comic book script of 12 pages or less. Payment: $35 per page of the adapted script, up to 12 pages, paid via PayPal, and a print copy of the issue. Deadline: Extended submission window exclusively for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and other marginalized writers open April 16 - May 1, 2024.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 15 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

Spellbinder: Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, art. Payment: £3. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

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, 2024.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: May 2, 2024. Opens May 1.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: May 3, 2024.

Pride Magazine: Infinite Horizons. Restrictions: Open to 2SLGBTQAI+ writers from across Canada. Genre: Short articles (300-600 words), and features (900-1,300 words). See theme. Payment: CAD 0.60/word. Deadline: May 4, 2024. Pitches only.

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry on theme: Meet Cute. Payment: AUD150-275 for prose; AUD125-275 for poetry. Deadline: May 5, 2024.

Eggplant Emoji is an annual comedy publication. Genre: Eggplant Emoji Volume 3 will be a print and eBook collection of hilarious short stories that are character-driven and culturally striking. Stories selected for this anthology will define pop culture with unforgettable characters, outrageous situations, and riotous humor. Length: 1,000 – 7,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 6, 2024.

One Story. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 - 8,000 words. Payment: $500. Deadline: Opens May 6, 2024. Closes when they reach their cap.

Unnerving Books. Genre: Horror. Length: 6,000-11,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: May 6, 2024. 

Geist. Restrictions: Canadian connection required. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Payment: $100 - $1000. Deadline: May 6, 2024. Geist offers no-fee general submissions for Black writers, Indigenous writers, and writers of color.

Hexagon. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories, flash fiction, poetry, graphic stories, and visual art, in English or French. Payment: $5 for accepted poetry and cartoons, 0.01$ per word for all short stories up to 7,500 words, $40/page for comics and $150 for cover art pieces. (Payment in CAD). Deadline: May 7, 2024. 

Abyss and Apex. Genre: Speculative fiction. No horror. Payment: USD $.08/word (eight cents a word) up to 1,000 words, and a flat payment of $80.00 for longer stories. Deadline: May 7, 2024.

Stone's Throw. Genre: Noir, dark fiction, crime short stories. Length: between 1,000 and 2,000 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 7, 2024. 

Island Magazine. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Fiction. Payment: 40 cents per word for print fiction, with a minimum of $700 and a maximum of $1500 and $200 per page, with a maximum of 6 pages for graphic narratives. Deadline: May 8, 2024.

The Sengkang Sci-Fi Quarterly. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 5¢ (SGD) per word (min-$100 SGD, max-$300 SGD)(Singapore dollars). Deadline: May 8, 2024.

Matchbook. Genre: Short fiction, under 1000 words. Payment: $20. Deadline: May 8, 2024. Closes when they reach their cap.

Cursed Cooking: A Horror Community Cookbook and Food Horror Anthology. Restrictions: Extended submission window exclusively for writers of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other underrepresented groups: May 1 - May 10, 2024. Genre: Horror on theme: Food. Payment: 5 cents per word for original fiction works and 1 cent per word for reprints. Accepted recipe submissions will receive $5. Deadline: May 10, 2024. Reprints accepted.

Funicular. Genre: Fiction, poetry, flash fiction. Payment: Short story: $10/printed page (up to a maximum of $100); Flash: $25 per piece; Poetry: $25 per piece. Payment for print only. Deadline: May 11, 2024. 

Cordite. Genre: Poetry. Payment: Not specified. Payment is available for Australian contributors only. Deadline: May 12, 2024. 

Shooter. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF, art on theme of Nightlife. Payment: £25 per story and £5 per poem. Deadline: May 12, 2024.

Going Down Swinging. Restrictions: Open to writers in Oceania. Genre: Long short stories, mini-manifesto, chapbook collections, essays. Length: 6,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: $600. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Island Magazine. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $175 per poem. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Georgia Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction. Payment: $50 per printed page for prose and $4 per line for poetry. Essay-reviews and standard reviews earn honoraria of $50/printed page. Deadline: May 14, 2024. Fee to submit online; no fee for postal submissions.

A Velvet Giant. Genre: "We are open to work that takes the shape of basically any format: words, recordings, visual art, hybrid forms, etc. We are open to translated original work." Payment: $20. Deadline: May 14, 2024. 

Philly Poetry Chapbook Review. Genre: Reviews of chapbooks coming soon or published in the past three years, essays on the crafts of poetry and chapbook making or publishing, and features about authors or publishers of chapbooks. Payment: $10. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Reader Beware. Genre: Horror. Payment: $0.01/word for fiction, $0.05/line for poetry, $5/page for comics. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

100-Foot Crow. Genre: Speculative fiction drabbles. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Talk Vomit. Genre: Non-fiction under 4,000 words, fiction under 2,000, and poetry just generally kept to a minimum. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction run in the $10-30 range; poetry in the $5-15 range. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Variety Pack. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, poetry, CNF, art. Payment: $10 for poetry and visual art; $20 for prose. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Eat the Rich Anthology. Restrictions: Deadline extended for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, chronically-ill/disabled, and writers from other historically marginalized groups. Genre: Speculative fiction about billionaires being eaten. Payment: $.05 per word and a paperback. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Root Quarterly. Restrictions: RQ is a quarterly print-only journal of art and ideas from Philadelphia. Genre: Nonfiction, art. "We are publishing RQ in part because we’d like to promote regional arts and culture, makers, and entrepreneurs, be part of the national discourse on important issues, build a community of thoughtful people, and reclaim discourse from the highly-politicized, rage-stoking space of social media." See theme. Payment: $25 - $100 depending on the piece and its length. Deadline: May 15, 2024. Pitches only. 

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: May 15, 2024. Accepts reprints.

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: May 15, 2024. See themes.

Archive of the Odd. Genre: Speculative fiction, horror preferred. “Archive of the Odd is a zine of uncanny occurrences, told in even stranger ways.” They’d like a variety of time periods. Stories can be in any format, except traditional prose. Some of the suggested formats are: academic papers; technical writing; medication warning sheets; sales papers; newspaper articles; recipes; knitting/crochet/weaving/what-have-you guides; care guides (plant, animal, rock garden, etc); or any other unusual format. Submissions do not have to be entirely in text. Payment: $15-$25 for fiction of 500-5,000+ words. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Fourteen Poems Genre: Poems. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round. To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com." Payment: £25 for each poem published. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Ache: Fit Notes – feminist writing on illness and work. Genre: Fiction, CNF, poetry by women, transgender and non-binary writers. Payment: £60. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Subterrain. Genre: Creative nonfiction, commentary, fiction and poetry. See theme. Payment: Poetry: $50 per poem; Prose: $.10 per word (to a maximum of $500). Deadline: May 15, 2024. No fee if submitted by mail. Journal is located in Canada.

Brilliant Flash Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction stories of 300 words or less on the subject of Tenacity. Payment: $20. Deadline: May 15, 2024. 

Diet Milk: Gothic. Genre: Gothic fiction, poetry, and art. See theme. Payment: $0.01/word for fiction (minimum $40); $15/poem; $50/art piece. Deadline: May 15, 2024. 

Luna Station Quarterly. Restrictions: Open to women writers only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: May 15, 2024. Some 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: May 15, 2024.

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: Up to $100 (?). Deadline: May 17, 2024.

Zero Readers. Genre: Poetry, fiction, CNF. Payment: Not-specified. Deadline: May 17, 2024.

Owlkids Books. Genre: Children's books. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 17, 2024.

Solarpunk Micro Mini. Genre: Solarpunk micro fiction, 250 words max. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 21, 2024.

Crimeucopia. Genre: Crime Fiction. Payment: Reprints - To a Maximum of - £7.00 at present - but negotiable. New Material - 1,000 - 5,000 - up to £10 .00 at present. New Material - 6.000 - 10,000 - up to £20.00 at present. Deadline: May 21, 2024.

Off Topic Publishing: Poetry Box. Genre: Poetry. Payment $30 CAD.  Deadline: May 25, 2024. This is a monthly call.

Rough Cut Press: Dream. Restrictions: LGBT writers only. Genre: Flash fiction up to 650 words, all genres. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 27, 2024.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €30 per magazine page; Poetry: €50 per poem; Featured Poet: €250. Deadline: May 29, 2024.

A Killing at the Copa Anthology. Genre: Crime fiction. "Barry Manilow created a crime story of his own in his hit song Copacabana, and now we look to provide the same treatment to his many other hits." Payment: $25. Deadline: May 30, 2024.

Kweli Journal. "Kweli is the first online journal of its kind to celebrate community and cultural kinships. In this shared space, you will hear the lived experience of people of color. Our many stories. Our shared histories. Our creative play with language. Here our memories are wrapped inside the music of the Muscogee, the blues songs of the South, the clipped patois of the Caribbean." Genre: Self-contained novel excerpt, short story, or creative non-fiction piece, poetry. Length: No more than 7,000 words. Payment: "Upon publication." Deadline: May 30, 2024.

Dragon Soul Press: Apocalypse. Genre: "All apocalyptic stories are welcome. All genres are accepted." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Tasavvur. Genre: South Asian speculative fiction. Payment: 2.5 cents per word, up to a maximum of 5,000 words. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Anvil. Genre: Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Westerns, and many other sub-genres. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Beyond Blue. Restrictions: Canadian writers who have had a personal experience of post-partum depression. Genre: Nonfiction stories from all aspects of the post-partum mental health spectrum, from PPD, PPD/A, PP/psychosis and more, written by the birthing parent, partner parent and/or adoptive parents. Payment: Unspecified. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Black Fox Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction of all styles and genres, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $20. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Trollbreath Magazine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Payment: 4 cents/word. 1/2 cent/word for reprints. Deadline: May 31, 2024. 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: May 31, 2024.

Broken Sleep Books. (UK) Genre: Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

table/FEAST. Genre: Prose, poetry, CNF, art about food. Payment: $18 per poem, prose $35, art $20. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Orange & Bee. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, experimental and hybrid work. Payment: Poetry: flat rate $US50.00 per poem. Flash: flat rate $US80.00 per story (max 1000 words) Short fiction/non-fiction: $US0.08 per word (max 4000 words) Deadline: May 31, 2024.

The Robots Were Right: Tales of Unstoppable Technology. Genre: Tales of technology gone right, wrong, and everything in between. Length: 500 – 5000 words. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series. Restrictions: Open to any individual living in the U.S. who identifies as an immigrant and who either (i) was born in another country, (ii) has at least one parent who was born in another country (iii) is a refugee, or (iv) lives in the United States under Asylum or a Protection Program, such as TPS or DACA. Genre: Books of poetry, prose (fiction or nonfiction), and hybrid texts of poetry and prose. Payment: In addition to publication, marketing, and a standard royalties contract from Black Lawrence Press, authors chosen for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series will receive a travel stipend of $500, which can be used for book tours or in any manner chosen by the authors. Deadline: May 31, 2024

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

AGNI. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $10 per printed (or printed-out) page for accepted prose, and $20 per page for accepted poetry, up to a maximum of $150. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Fee to submit online. No fee to submit by USPS.

Heartlines. Restrictions: 50% of content is from writers identifying as being from Canada/Turtle Island. Genre: Speculative fiction and about relationships. "We're looking for short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. We don't want the blaze of new love or the obsession of a new friend. We want pieces that show that comfort that develops when people know each other for years." Stories - 1,000 - 3,500 words. Payment: $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction (1,000-3,500 words) and $60 CAD flat per poem. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

filling station.  Genre: Stories, poems, CNF, nonfiction, and art on theme: Language. Payment: $50. Deadline: May 31, 2024. 

Cutleaf. Genre: Fiction. Length: Less than 6,000 words. Payment: $100 to $400. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Skull and Laurel. Genre: Weird Horror, Dark Fantasy, Dark Science Fiction. Short Fiction, Narrative Poetry. "We also encourage trying us with things like comic strips, mixed media, found footage, puzzles, games, experiments, and other weird forms, as long as they tell a story." Word count: 100 to 7,499. Payment: 3 cents/word; $25 for reprints. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Accepts reprints.

Little Guts. Genre: Horror. They will be taking PITCHES, and if accepted, your story should be 2-5k words. Payment: 12 cents/word. Deadline: May 31, 2024. 

Strange Aeon. Genre: Speculative fiction. See theme. Payment: $20. Deadline: May 31, 2024, or until filled.

Poet Lore. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

The Cincinnati Review. Genre: Literary nonfiction (up to 20 pages), fiction (up to 40 pages), poetry, poetry translations, drama, and art. Payment: $25/page for prose in the journal, $30/page for poetry, $25 for miCRo posts or special features. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Opens on the first day of the month and closes once they hit the submissions cap.

Skin. Genre: Speculative stories (2-5k words) on the theme of skin. "We tend to prefer speculative, surreal, supernatural, dark fiction with creeping, poetic, dread-inducing prose, and endings we can't predict, but we're open to all subgenres of dark fiction." Payment: £0.005 per word. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 8¢ per word for fiction and $20 for poetry. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme. See theme. Payment: $30. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Opens May 15. Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: May 31, 2024. In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, there are no submission fees for all API writers for the month of May, not limited to those living in/born in the US.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Barrelhouse. Genre: Fiction (up to 5000 words), poetry, essays (with pop culture angle). Payment: $50. Deadline: May 31, 2024 or until filled.

Malahat Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction. Payment: CAD $70/page. Deadline: May 31, 2024. (Note: Submissions by Canadian writers are accepted for consideration all year.)

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $75 for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, $50 for interviews/reviews, and $25 for mini-reviews web issues. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Closes when they reach capacity, so submit early. 

Escape Pod. Genre: Science fiction (Audio and written format). Payment: USD $0.08 per word for original fiction. USD $100 per story for reprint fiction. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Reprints accepted.

Contemporary Verse 2. Genre: Poetry and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews. Payment: $30 - $150. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Abyss and Apex. Genre: Speculative poetry. No horror. Payment: $5.50 per poem. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Typehouse. Restrictions: In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month, no-fee submissions are open for all API creators and all Mental Health identified creators, not limited to those from the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Lucky Jefferson: Awake – How We Make Fire. Restrictions: Open to Black writers and artists only. Genre: Flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and poetry (up to 3) on theme: ‘How We Make Fire’ Payment: $15-$25. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Lucky Jefferson: Wildflower. Restrictions: Open to autistic BIPOC writers and artists only. Genre: Flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and poetry (up to 3) on theme: ‘Wildflower’ Payment: $15-$25. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Room Magazine. Restrictions: Open to artists of marginalized genders. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, and poems. See theme. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Lucky Jefferson: Ember. Genre: Nature-based poetry. Payment: $15-$25. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

University Press of Kentucky. Genre: Books of poetry or fiction (novels, short story collections, etc.). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Graveside Press. Genre: Vampire stories. Payment: $0.02 per word. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Reprints accepted.

Graveside Press. Genre: Werewolf stories. Payment: $0.02 per word. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Reprints accepted.

Graveside Press. Genre: Ghost and possession stories. Payment: $0.02 per word. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Reprints accepted.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, New Year's. Genre: True stories and poems. "Please submit your true stories and poems about the entire December holiday season, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and New Year’s festivities too." Payment: $200. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Propel. 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: May 31, 2024.

A Public Space. Genre: Fiction, essays, poetry, as well as graphic and hybrid work. Payment: Honorarium. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Princeton Series of Contemporary Poets. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

AND A FEW MORE...

Totally Entwined: Love at Second Sight. Genre: Novellas, 30,000 - 50,000 words. Theme: Second chance romance. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

Eternal Haunted Summer. Genre: Poetry, short fiction. Theme: Gardens. Payment: $5. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

The Fires of Retribution. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Theme: A collection of stories dealing with DRAGONS! Concept: We’re looking for a story that shows the struggle between man and beast. These aren’t Pete’s Dragon; these are vicious killers who would just as soon eat you as look at you. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

Darkest Shadow, Brightest Light. Genre: Dark Fantasy. Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

Hellbound Books. Genre: Horror. Payment: $5. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

Shivering Timbers! Genre: Pirate themed horror fiction. "Avast ye, scurvy seadogs! Within these pages there be swashbuckling zombies, petrifying privateers and bloodthirsty buccaneers hunting for cursed treasure in darkened coves. Come aboard and join our crew as we set sail on a chilling voyage across the kraken infested seven seas. Sharpen your cutlasses, raise the Jolly Roger and prepare to be terrified by tales of piratical peril. Arrr!" Payment: £20. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

Parabola. Genre: Original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: $400. Deadline: June 1, 2024. See themes.

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: June 1, 2024.

The Fires of Retribution Anthology. Genre: Speculative Fiction. Theme: A collection of stories dealing with DRAGONS! Payment: Royalties. Deadline: June 1, 2024.

Ruth’s and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel. Genre: Stories about time travel. Word count must be between 500 and 4000 words. Payment: 1 cent per word for original stories or a flat $10 for reprints. Deadline: June 1, 2024. Accepts reprints.

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79 Writing Contests in May 2024 - No entry fees

This May there are more than six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes this month 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. Many of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

(Image: Freerange)

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Descant. Each year, descant offers four awards:

• the $500 Frank O’Connor Award for fiction (for the best short story in a issue)
• the $250 Gary Wilson Award (for an outstanding story in an issue)
• the $500 Betsy Colquitt Award for poetry (for the best poem or series of poems by a single author in an issue)
• the $250 Baskerville Publishers Award (for an outstanding poem or poems by a single author in an issue

There is no application process or reading fee. All published submissions are eligible for prize consideration. Simply submit your work. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

Neukom Institute Literary Arts Awards. Genre: Play that addresses the question: “What does it mean to be a human in a computerized world?” Prize: $5000. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

The Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Genre: Literary nonfiction, desert theme. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

CINTAS Creative Writing Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to any Cuban author (including those of direct Cuban lineage; need not reside in Cuba). Genre: Novel excerpts, short stories, plays, or poems of up to 25 pages. Prize: $20,000 fellowship. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

West Virginia Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open to West Virginia residents or students. Genre: Short fiction, 5,000 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

The Future Bookshelf: Mo Siewcharran Prize. Restrictions: The contest is open to BAME writers in the UK. Genre: Picture book. Prize: £2,500, £1,500 and possible publication. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

Rabbi Sacks Book Prize. Genre: Published nonfiction book that contributes significantly to the arena of modern Jewish thought. Prize: $50,000. Deadline: May 1, 2024.

Casa Africa: Essay Contest. Genre: Essay on theme: Intra-African immigration. Essays, of 15,000-20,000 words, can be in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese. Prize: €2,000. Deadline: May 2, 2024.

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 hat of some kind matters to the story. We’re going with the fairly traditional definition of “hat” for this one. Scarves, hijabs, earmuffs, wigs, hoods, and other head coverings do not qualify. I’m going to say that even helmets don’t qualify. Caps are okay; they’re an informal hat. The judges will not care if anyone wears the hat in the story, so that’s up to you." 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: May 3, 2024.

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: May 5, 2024. Opens on May 3.

Singapore Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry. "We are looking for poems that use the word “interrogation” in imaginative ways." Prize: USD300, 200, and 100 will go to the top three winners. Deadline: May 6, 2024.

RTÉ Radio Short Story Competition. Restrictions: Open to Irish writers and residents of Ireland. Genre: Short story. Prize: Up to 5,000 euros. Deadline: May 10, 2024.

Pulitzer Center's "Fighting Words—Poetry in Response to Current Events" Contest. Restrictions: Current K-12 students anywhere in the world may enter. Students may write in any language, and are welcome to submit multilingual poems. Judges will have reading fluency in English and Spanish. Genre: Poetry. Theme: How can poetry be an effective response to current events and underreported stories? How can journalism and poetry help us make connections between global issues and our local and personal contexts? Prize: $300 top prize. Deadline: May 12, 2024.

Quay Words Young Writers’ Flash Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open writers aged 10 to 18-years. Genre: Flash fiction on theme ‘Trading Places.' Prize: £200 top prize. Deadline: May 12, 2024.

Brown's Mart Theatre Award 2024. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: Script. There is no word limit. Scripts must have a performance time of more than 30 minutes. Script treatments are ineligible. Prize: The winner of the Brown’s Mart Theatre Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to select shows in Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Charles Darwin University Creative Non-Fiction Award 2024. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: A factually accurate work, written with attention to literary style and technique. Can take the form of a biography, autobiography, memoir, diary entry, travel writing, food writing, literary journalism, or criticism. Word limit: 3,000 words. Prize: The winner of the Charles Darwin University Creative Non-Fiction Award will receive a $500 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Charles Darwin University Essay Award 2024.  Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: A referenced academic essay on a topic relating to the Northern Territory. Word limit: 3,000 words. Prize: The winner of the Charles Darwin University Essay Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Flash Fiction Award 2024. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: A blog post, fan fiction, short story, fictional diary entry or fictional letter. Word limit: 500 words. Entries limited to three entries per person. Prize: The winner of the Flash Fiction Award will receive a $600 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Kath Manzie Youth Award 2024. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: A piece of creative writing, either poetry or short story, by a person aged 12 to 18 years as of 1 January 2023. Limit of three poetry entries with a 300-line limit OR a short story with a 3,000-word limit per person. Prize: The winner of the Kath Manzie Youth Award will receive a $600 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

NT Writers' Centre Poetry Award 2024. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: A single poem up to 300 lines. Entries limited to three separate poetry entries per person. Prize: The winner of the NT Writers’ Centre Poetry Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Cave Canem Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black writers of African descent who have not had a full-length book of poetry published by a professional press. Authors of chapbooks and self-published books with a maximum print run of 500 may apply. Genre: Unpublished, original collections of poems written in English. Prize: $10,000, publication by Graywolf Press in fall 2025, 15 copies of the book, and a feature reading. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Zip Print Short Story Award 2024. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Genre: An original work of short fiction. Word limit: up to 3,000 words. Prize: The winner of the Zip Print Short Story Award will receive a $1,000 prize, an NT Writers’ Centre membership and a double pass to Brown's Mart’s performance program. Deadline: May 13, 2024.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative flash fiction on themes related to food. (See site for specifics)  Length: 1000 words max. Prize: $30. Deadline: May 14, 2024.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and French-Language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Pulp Asylum Fiction Contest. Genre: Drabble. See theme. Prize: $10. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Dark Tales from the Tarot. Genre: Horror based on Tarot card. See website. Prize: $10. Deadline: May 15, 2024. Opens May 1. 

Prose Poetry Contest. Genre: Prose poem. Prize: First place: £50 plus publication; Second place: £25 plus publication; Third place: £15 plus publication; Honorable mention: £10 plus publication. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Tablet. Genre: Personal essay on theme: Belonging. Prize: The winning selection will be published in Tablet Magazine and will receive $500. All other finalists will receive $100 for their work. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Leeway Foundation: Transformation Award. Restrictions: Women and transgender poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for five or more years. Writers who have lived for at least two years in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties, who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Award: $15,000. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction. Sponsored by the American Bar Association. Restrictions: Entrants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Genre: Original works of short fiction that illuminate the role of the law and/or lawyers in modern society. 5000 words max. Prize: $3,000 and publication in ABA Journal. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant. Genre: Articles, books, and short-form writing about contemporary art—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies. The program also supports art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. Grant: $15,000 to $50,000. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Contest. Restrictions: The competition is open to all citizens and residents of the Commonwealth aged 18 and under. Genre: Essay. The theme of the contest is "Community in the Commonwealth." Prize: Past prizes have included certificates, resources for winner's school, visits to Cambridge University, a trip to London and a week of activities, work experience at international organisations, and having your entry featured in worldwide media. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

The James Laughlin Award is sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Genre: A second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Must be under contract with US publisher. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Prize: $5,000, an all-expenses-paid week long residency in Florida, and the Academy will purchase approximately 1,000 copies of the book for distribution to its members. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Brain Mill Press Chapbook Contest. Restrictions: Open to all Wisconsin poets, with a particular interest in voices under-represented in traditional publishing, such as writers of color, women, indigenous voices, disabled writers, queer writers. Genre: Poetry chapbook, 18-30 pages in length. Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Boroondara Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: More than $5,000 in prize money across various age groups in the Young Writers’ category; more than $3,500 in prize money in the Open Short Story category. Deadline: May 17, 2024.

Creative Future Writers’ Award. Restrictions: Open to underrepresented writers in the UK only, who are over 18 years old. Genre: Poetry, fiction. This year’s theme is ‘Reveal.’  Prize: Publication, unspecified monetary award (?)  Deadline: May 19, 2024.

RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award. "The RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award is an annual award that aims to encourage new writing and to provide a space where unpublished Canadian writers can submit short stories, creative nonfiction, journalism, and poetry. The shortlisted submissions are judged by a distinguished jury of Canadian writers." Prize: The winning entry will receive a $3,000 CAD cash prize and mentorship from a distinguished Canadian author. Deadline: May 19, 2024.

Roscommon New Writing Award. Restrictions: All entrants must have a connection with the county of Roscommon (born in, living in, currently working in, went to school in, etc). Genre: Short story. Prize: €600.00. Deadline: May 20, 2024.

How Does War Affect People’s Lives? Restrictions: Open to young people ages 9 - 18. Genre: Poetry, art, speech, song. Prize: Unspecified. Deadline: May 24, 2024.

Reedsy. Genre: Story on theme. See website. Prize: $250. Deadline: May 24, 2024.

Changing Light Prize for a Novel-in-Verse. Genre: Novel-in-Verse. Prize: $500 and publication for a novel-in-verse, 90-160 pages. Deadline: May 25, 2024.

Great Lakes Colleges (GLCA) New Writers Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans and Canadians.  Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. In each category, the submitted work must be an author’s first published volume. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 25, 2024.

Write the World Competition: Poetry & Spoken Word Competition. Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-19.5. Genre: Poem. Theme: Seeds of Change. Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50. Deadline: May 27, 2024.  (Note: This is a monthly contest.)

Dream Foundry Emerging Writers Contest. Restrictions: You have published a total of less than 4,000 words of paid or income-earning speculative fiction in English. You have earned a total of less than USD 320 from those words. You have never been nominated for any award listed here as a major award in speculative fiction. Genre: Short speculative fiction, up to 10,000 words. Prize: $200 - $1,000. Deadline: May 27, 2024.

Irene Adler Prize for Women Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian women. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Prize: $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada. Deadline: May 30, 2024.

The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans. This creative writing contest for U.S. military veterans and active duty personnel is hosted by The Iowa Review and made possible by a gift from the family of Jeff Sharlet (1942–69), a Vietnam veteran and antiwar writer and activist. The contest is open to veterans and active duty personnel writing in any genre and about any subject matter. Prizes: First place: $1,000 plus publication in The Iowa Review. Second place: $750. Three runners-up: $500 each. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of Interstellar Archives. A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15. Prize: $5. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Restrictions: Open to first-generation residents of the United States. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated to the U.S., or to American-born residents whose parents were born elsewhere. Genre: Unpublished nonfiction books. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

The Wolfe Pack Black Orchid Award. Genre: Mystery novellas in the style of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novellas. Manuscript length: 15K-20K words. Prize: $1,000, plus recognition and publication in a forthcoming issue of AAMM. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Harlequin: Romance Includes You Mentorship. Restrictions: Open to debut writers in Canada and the US. Genre: Romance novel. Prize: A contract advance plus grant with a value of $5,000 U.S. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

A Voice for Animals Teen Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 14-18. Genre: Essays on an animal rights topic. In the 16-18 year olds category, essays must be 800-1,000 words long and be accompanied by a photograph; in the 14-15 year olds category, essays should be between 1,400-1,500 words. Prize: $200 - $500. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

bpNichol Poetry Chapbook Award. Restrictions: Canadian publishers only. Genre: Published poetry chapbook. Prize: The author receives $4,000 and the publisher receives $500. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Vancouver Writers Fest's Youth Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in British Columbia. Genre: Short stories and personal essays: 1,000 word limit (for elementary school student submissions) and 1,500 (for high-school student submissions). Prize: $100 top prize. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Furphy Literary Award: Junior and Youth Competition. Restrictions: Open to  juniors & youth age writers who live in the Goulburn Valley, Australia. Genre: Short stories and poetry. Prize: First prize of $300. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. Genre: Unpublished fiction approximately 1,000 - 5,000 words. Story should pertain to music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Prize: $100 and publication in Jerry Jazz Musician. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Speculative Literature Foundation Older Writers Grant. Restrictions: Open to writers who are fifty years of age or older at the time of grant application. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Genesis Emerging Writers' Programme. Restrictions: Open to emerging writers over 18 years of age, of any background living in the UK. Genre: Fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Prize: Up to £1,500 and mentorship. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowships offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers. Genre: Fiction. Grant: $5,000. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

James Bartleman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing Awards. Restrictions: Open to aboriginal youth, 18 years or younger, residing in Ontario, Canada. Genre: Creative writing. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

A Very Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of ten words or fewer. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: May 31, 2024.

The Michael O’Pray Prize. Restrictions: Open to all early-career writers based in the UK. Genre: Nonfiction writing on innovation and experimentation in the moving image. Prize: £750 top prize. Deadline:  May 31, 2024.

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 specific detail of something that would normally be trivial and uninteresting is in fact extremely important or interesting." 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: May 31, 2024.

Reedsy. Genre: Story on theme. See website. Prize: $250. Deadline: May 31, 2024. This is a weekly contest.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: May 31, 2024. This is a monthly contest.

#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: May 31, 2024. This is a monthly contest.

Rattle's Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poetry based on art. (See website) Prize: $100. Deadline: May 31, 2024. Monthly contest.

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: May 31, 2024. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

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3 New Literary Agencies Seeking Nonfiction and All Genres of Fiction

New literary agencies are usually started by established agents with considerable experience in the publishing industry. They have reliable contacts in publishing houses and a roster of successes getting writers published. New agencies are looking to expand, and are eager to take on prospective clients.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. 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. 

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

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Anjali Singh Agency  

Anjali Singh founded her agency in 2024. Most recently, she was an agent at Ayesha Pande Literary for nine years; she has also worked as an editor at Vintage Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Simon + Schuster and as Editorial Director of Other Press. She is best known for having championed Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis after stumbling across it on a visit to Paris. She has always been drawn to the thrill of discovering new writers and among the literary novelists whose careers she helped launch are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Samantha Hunt, Saleem Haddad and Nawaaz Ahmed. She focuses on literary fiction, memoir, and narrative nonfiction as well as representing graphic novel writers and illustrators across all age ranges. 

If you would like to query Anjali, please send a pitch letter along with the first 5 pages of your MS in the body of the email, and the title of your project in the subject line, to queries@anjalisinghagency.com

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The Eck Agency. 

Connor Eck is the Founder and Principal Agent of Tea. He spent 8 years at Lucinda Literary as an Agent and Chief Operating Officer.

His authors are novelists, journalists, producers, professors, humorists, creative directors, athletes, and change-agents. He is most interested in books that tug at the heart strings, stimulate the mind, and have an emotional arc. Connor loves championing underrepresented authors and original thinkers with diverse backgrounds. He is known for his personable, transparent approach, dynamic editorial and pitching skills, and for his ardent advocacy of his authors.

They welcome the following genres only: adult fiction, young adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, science, sports, history, and humor. If you’re a ghostwriter, please submit your portfolio. 

Submit your query HERE.

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The Ballpoint Agency  (CANADA) 

The Ballpoint Agency is a new, artist-centred literary agency with many enthusiasms, but mostly books. We currently serve a small roster of writers with focused attention, creativity and care.  The three founders have 75 years of professional experience between them: Dave Bidini has spent 25 years writing books, earning valuable insight into the industry from an artist’s perspective. Warren Sheffer has 20 years as a lawyer, representing authors and performers and specializing in intellectual property law. Janet Morassutti has 30 years of publishing industry experience, most recently as a founder and  managing editor of a non-profit newspaper.

Read submission guidelines HERE.

41 Marvelous Writing Conferences and Workshops in May 2024

This May there are more than three dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most 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: Kachemak Bay, Alaska: Alan Grinberg | Flickr)

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Asian and Asian American Voices: An In-Community Retreat. May 2 - 5. 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. The third annual Asian and Asian American Voices retreat celebrates the vibrant world of Asian and Asian American voices in children's and young adult literature. Waitlisted.

Lakefly Writers Conference. May 3 - 4, 2024: Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Workshops, talks, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Previous presenters: Beth Amos, Malinda Andrews, Valerie Biel, Rebekah Bryan, R. R. Campbell and more. 

Washington Writers Conference. May 3 - 4, 2024: Bethesda, MD. "Expert sessions with authors and publishing pros on the many paths to publishing — from writing killer query letters and landing an agent to going your own way and utilizing a self/hybrid model — and publicizing your book once it exists!" 

Atlanta Writers Conference. May 3 - 4, 2024: Atlanta, Georgia. The goals of this conference are to give you access to eighteen top publishing acquisitions editors and literary agents actively seeking new clients (see their profiles on our Editors and Agents page), help you get your work ready for them, and educate you with a workshop and talks by experienced authors and other industry professionals. The Conference Activities page details each activity you can register for: select them all, only one, or some number in between–it’s entirely up to you, so you can craft the conference experience that will be best for your growth, interests, and budget. Virtual option for critique and pitch meetings with the agents and editors.

Workshop: Public Speaking for Writers. May 4, 2024: Via Zoom. Have you ever been to a reading where the reader mumbled, read too quickly or softly for comprehension, lost the audience’s attention shuffling through a huge, dog-eared sheaf of pages, or read long past the allotted time limit? Writing poetry or prose and speaking it well in public are two different skills, and unfortunately even many good writers are not effective at presenting their work for an audience. We’ll review the elements and skills that contribute to a good reading—including online readings—and discuss how to use readings to market your publications. You’ll go home with strategies for dealing with nerves, tips for pleasing reading organizers, audiences, and—perhaps most importantly—yourself. Limited to 10 participants.

Michigan Writers Workshop. May 4, 2024: 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. 

The 2024 Writing Conference of Los Angeles. May 4, 2024: Los Angeles, 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. 

Workshop: Getting to Know Your Characters through Passion, Purpose, and Place. May 4, 2024: Online. Katherine Higgs-Coulthard will explore share strategies for creating well-developed characters. Infusing characters with passion, purpose and place will pull readers into the story and make them care about what happens to the characters. We'll work through some examples and attendees will leave with a better idea of who they're writing about. Will be held via Zoom.

SCBWI 2024 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference. May 4 - 5, 2024: Round Rock, 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.

Blurred Lines: Writing Speculative Nonfiction. May 4 - June 8, 2024: Online. Though the golden rule of writing nonfiction is to be truthful, in speculative nonfiction, invention and imagination help a writer capture and hold truth’s slippery nature. In this five-week online workshop, we will read examples of speculative nonfiction by other writers like Margot Jefferson, Elissa Washuta and Jami Nakamura Lin, and learn how to draft scenes where facts are not fighting with what is imagined. Through exercises that employ both fiction and speculative nonfiction techniques, we will generate new material or fine-tune pieces already in progress. This workshop is open to new and more experienced writers looking to set their minds free—to use fact to explore fiction, blur the lines and create your own truth

Jewish Symposium: An In-Community Gathering for Jewish Writers and Illustrators. May 5 - 8, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. The heart of the Jewish Symposium is to offer community for Jewish writers and publishing professionals. The program is designed to be an exchange of ideas, a place to connect, and a springboard for diversifying and amplifying Jewish content in literature for children and teens. There will be inspiring and engaging keynote addresses and faculty panel discussions with Q&A, readings by faculty and participants, and time set aside to write, retreat, and connect with fellow creatives.

Orion Nonfiction Workshop. May 7 - June 25, 2024. Memory & Imagination.“Our memories . . . remain coiled within us, ready to spring and inform our lives with immediacy and our thoughts with urgency,” writes Rikki Ducornet in The Deep Zoo. In this generative class, we’ll write from prompts based on memory and the senses, with a special focus on the natural world, attempting to tap into our own “deep zoos”—touchstones of the imagination that we return to with curiosity and fearlessness and which we may transform into fiction. Ducornet, Borges, and Ackerman, among others, will offer insight into the process. The first five weeks will be devoted to discussion and writing short pieces from prompts. In the last three weeks, students will workshop one longer piece. Duration: This course meets over eight consecutive Tuesdays from 2-4 pm ET, from May 7 through June 25. Application period: Apply by February 1.

Writing As a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change. May 7 - 13, 2024: Watsonville, CA. "The tool we’ll use for transformation is writing and sharing from the heart. Writing and being witnessed in community is a powerful catalyst on your journey of self-discovery. We'll teach you everything you need to know to experience the power of true stories shared and received."

Sundress Academy for the Arts: Mapping & Memory: Poetic Cartographies. May 8, 2024: Online. Through a series of writing exercises, we’ll use memory, cultural inheritances, and geographic imagination to develop new markers and map legends toward making and expanding our own poetic landscapes. Participants should expect to finish the class having generated the start of several new poems, and with new ideas in hand for approaching poetry in both reading and writing. 

Nonfiction Writers Conference. May 8 - 10, 2024. ONLINE EVENT. Online conference devoted to writing, publishing and promoting non-fiction books. Participation is live via phone or Skype, and recordings can be downloaded. Features 15 speakers over three days. Private Facebook group for attendees!

Annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature. May 8 - 17, 2024 at various locations in New York City and Los Angeles. "This year’s festival is a tribute to our fellow former President Salman Rushdie, the visionary who conceived the festival and has championed it ever since, as he launches his new memoir, Knife, an emblem of courage and of the role of literature and truth as vessels of human resilience. The PEN World Voices Festival was founded by Salman Rushdie, Michael Roberts, and Esther Allen."

2024 Portland Writing Workshop. May 10-11, 2024: Portland, OR and Online. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, May 10, 2024, at the Radisson Hotel Portland Airport. 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.

Ohio Writing Workshop. May 10-11, 2024: Online. 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. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). Will be held virtually.

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. May 10 -  12, 2024: Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." 

Colrain Classic. May 10 - 13, 2024: Via Zoom. "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." 

Seattle Writers Workshop. May 11, 2024: 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. 

Longleaf Writers Conference. May 11 - 18, 2024: Seaside, Florida. "Formerly the Seaside Writers Conference, Longleaf Writers Conference is an annual gathering of creative writers from all over the nation, featuring award-winning writers in poetry and fiction and screenwriting who will offer a full week of intensive writing workshops, one day seminars, school outreach programs, and social events. This event occurs every year in May, and offers the opportunity for beginning, intermediate and advanced writers to celebrate writing, to network with other writers, and to hone their craft. There will also be seminars hosted by professional editors and literary agents who will offer one-on-one consultations. All participants who pay the full conference tuition fee will be able to take part in all daily activities, while those paying a la carte pricing will have the pick of which classes and workshops they would like to attend. The Longleaf Writers Conference is one of the only conferences in the nation to take place on one of the most beautiful beaches in the US, and every year will feature notable guest writers, literary agents, and professional editors."

The Braided Narrative: Weaving Creative Nonfiction. May 13 - June 17, 2024: Online. Personal narratives are driven by our own stories and experiences. In this workshop, our goal will be to weave these stories into multiple braids to create one cohesive narrative. Using craft essays as models, we will explore interconnections between the self and society, between the individual and the universal. As we share and discuss our revelatory pieces in a positive, supportive community, we will look for the potential in each draft to become relatable to a multitudinous body of readers. Come empty-handed to write something new, or bring some works-in-progress to unite.

Writing with Pride: A Two-Night Mini for Picture Book Writers. May 14 - 16, 2024: Online. Picture books can be filled with Pride! Join celebrated authors Lesléa Newman and Rob Sanders for this short course designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and their allies together to study the craft of picture books, and build confidence to create picture books with LGBTQIA+ characters and or/themes.

Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists. Application deadline May 15, 2024. August 14 - 19, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. 

Get Unstuck: Defying Writer’s Block in Your Poetry. May 15 - June 12, 2024: Online. Feeling like you want to write but can’t? Struggling to move your poems forward? This online poetry workshop for writers of all levels will give you the tools to break free from writer’s block and revise your “stuck” poems. Together, we will study published work for inspiration and experiment with creative prompts that make use of texts, art and objects you can find around your home to generate new poems. We will also play with revision strategies that will help you identify your poem’s lifeforce to enliven stale drafts you’ve all but given up on. Each weekly meeting will be preceded by a selection of assigned readings and at least one writing prompt. Our meetings will be divided between discussion of published texts, short in-class writing exercises and workshopping our poems. At the conclusion of our five weeks together, you will have assembled a reliable “Getting Unstuck” toolkit to return to whenever you need.

Biographers International Organization Conference. May 16 - 17, 2024. Each year, BIO brings together some of the finest practitioners of the craft of biography to help guide, mentor, encourage, and advise attendees on a wide variety of topics relating to the writing, researching, and selling of biography. The conference also offers a unique opportunity to hear some of biography’s best—and best-known—writers share their stories. During the James Atlas Plenary, prominent biographers such as Douglas Brinkley, Annette Gordon-Reed, David Remnick, Stacy Schiff , T. J. Stiles, and Evan Thomas begin the day in casual conversation. The afternoon features a keynote lecture by the recipient of the BIO Award. Past recipients include Robert Caro, Ron Chernow, Arnold Rampersad, Jean Strouse, and Claire Tomalin. Panel sessions throughout the day provide tips for novice biographers, examination of the craft of biography, and exploration of issues aimed at seasoned biographers. And a highlight of the conference is the presentation of the Plutarch Award for the year’s best biography.

Working Retreat: Nonfiction and Informational Fiction. May 16 - 16, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. Join Heidi Stemple, Andrea Page, and editor Eileen Robinson for time to create and connect with fellow nonfiction writers.

Pennwriters Conference. May 17 - 19, 2024: Pittsburgh, PA. The Annual Pennwriters Conference features three days of workshops, panels, networking and learning to help you learn, grow, soar! Friday, Saturday and Sunday feature an open attendance slate of one-hour workshops on all things writing. The schedule is structured with open attendance, so you can take whichever classes appeal to you. Attendees will have 40+ hours of sessions to choose from. Our faculty is comprised of published authors, literary agents and editors, and other writing industry professionals. Pitch appointments are available at no additional fee.

Peripatetic Writing Workshop and Retreat. May 17 - 24, 2024: Catskill,  New York. NYU teachers and authors Maureen Brady and Martha Hughes lead the program featuring daily workshops, stimulating writing exercises, structured "quiet hours" for writing, plus optional tutorials. Martha Hughes founded the Peripatetic on Shelter Island, NY in 1991 in response to writers' needs for a quiet time and place for writing coupled with constructive feedback of their work from excellent editors and like-minded peers. Since then in keeping with its name, the Peripatetic has moved from state to state and country to country, meeting twice-annually in such diverse locations as Achill Island, Ireland; Anna Maria Island, Florida; Antigua, Guatemala; Siracusa, Sicily; Woodstock, NY; Verona, Italy; St Simon's Island, Georgia; Tybee Island, Georgia; and Deal, England. This is the Peripatetic's first stay in Catskill in Upstate New York. The location of the Peri may change, but what remains year after year is the stimulating atmosphere and warm camaraderie created by serious writers sharing work and writing concerns.

Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference. May 18 - 21, 2024: Homer, Alaska. This year, we will be exploring the theme “Wonder in the Wounded World” and the myriad ways we can be stronger writers and readers. Not only will there be four-days of craft classes, agent and editor meetings, panel discussions, readings by the participants and the faculty, but we’ll have more chances for folks to interact with each other and form the community of writers that sustains us when we return to our desks.

Writeaway in New Mexico. May 18 - 25, 2024: Casa Bellisima, New Mexico. $3.200 for private room; $2,800 each for friends or couple sharing a room Includes writing consultations and daily writing workshops, all meals, wine and cocktails, plus a cooking class and excursion. 

Working Retreat: Novelists and Graphic Novelists. May 19 - 22, 2024: Boyds Mills, PA. All creatives need time and space to accomplish their goals. We invite novelists and graphic novelists to gather with fellow storytellers for an immersive experience where productivity meets inspiration!

Boldface Conference for Emerging Writers. May 20 - 24, 2024: Houston, Texas. Daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Balticon. May 24 - 27, 2024: Baltimore, MD. Balticon is sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS). BSFS presents the Compton Crook Award, the Robert A. Heinlein Award, and the winner of the annual Jack L. Chalker Young Writer's Contest annually at this event. Multiple tracks of Programming over the four day weekend, featuring authors, artists, scientists, musicians, podcasters, publishers, editors, costumers and other creative SF luminaries. 

Martha’s Vineyard Summer Writers’ Conference. May 26- 31, 2024: Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. "The Martha’s Vineyard Summer Writers’ Conference brings together writers from around the world with the central belief that we can all learn from one another.  Our program offers week-long classes on the craft of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, evening readings, panel discussions, and individualized manuscript sessions. Attendees study with award-winning Visiting Authors & Poets and celebrate writing on the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard. For those interested in individualized feedback, we offer Manuscript Sessions with our Visiting Authors and Poets. These one-on-one sessions allow attendees to get individualized feedback on their works-in-progress as well as advice on how to seek publication." 

From Pencil Or Paint To Pixel: A Two-Night Mini For Beginning Illustrators. May 28  - 30, 2024: Online. Beginning illustrators can join children’s book author/illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur to talk about approaches to using different media (traditional and/or digital) in your illustrations. Special guest Aram Kim will join us the second day for ten tips about submitting work to an art director (traditional and/or digital). Will be conducted online.

ThrillerFest XIX. May 28 – June 1, 2024: New York City. This is the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers. The ThrillerFest conference has four main components: Master CraftFest, CraftFest, PitchFest, and ThrillerFest. Master CraftFest was designed as an educational tool for aspiring writers as well as debut and midlist authors to gain advanced training from the masters of the craft in an intimate, day-long training session. CraftFest was designed for all writers to learn from bestselling authors and subject experts who kindly offer their advice and assistance to advance attendees’ writing techniques and further their careers. PitchFest was designed to match writers with agents, editors, publishers, and producers. ThrillerFest, the final two days of the conference, is intended to offer readers a chance to meet the best authors in the industry and be introduced to debut and midlist authors. Expect innovative panels, spotlight interviews, and workshops to educate and inspire. 

North Words Writers Symposium. May 29 - June 1, 2024: Skagway, Alaska. "Exploring the Frontiers of Language," the North Words Writers Symposium welcomes all to an intimate setting with just 40 participants engaging with authors in a spectacular Alaska setting. Join this year's faculty of Alaska-NW authors for four days of panel discussions, writing workshops, readings, and adventure in Skagway, Alaska. Symposium events include activities such as hiking and writing workshops, a barbecue with live music at Alderworks Writers & Artists Retreat in Dyea; and a keynote banquet in a show garden.

Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. May 31 - June 1, 2024: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. 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 “Pittsburgh” 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." Will be held virtually.

Wyoming Writers Conference. May 31 - June 2, 2024: Casper, WY. The conference features workshops in craft, marketing, and productivity for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers, as well as publisher pitch sessions, roundtable critiques, and open mics. Past writers have included fiction writer Nina McConigley, and Poet Matt Mason.