104 Calls for Submissions in October 2025 - Paying markets

This October 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: Pickpik]

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IHRAM Press: Art, Action, Impact: Voices of 21st-century Activism. Genre: "This anthology will explore interventions that have sparked widespread change, highlighting protests and acts of resistance expressed through art, storytelling, and personal activism." Payment: $50. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2025.

Polar Borealis. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word. $10 for one thousand words or less. $20 for two thousand words or less (but reasonably above one thousand). $30 for three thousand words or less (but reasonably above two thousand). Deadline: Opens October 1, 2025.

Okay Donkey. Genre: One flash fiction OR one poem per author, per submission period. See website for details. Payment: $20. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2025. Closes when cap is reached.

The Iowa Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry. Payment: $1.50 per line for poetry ($100 minimum) and $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum). Deadline: October 1, 2025. No fee for snail mail submissions. $4 fee for online submissions.

The Forge Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, micro-fiction. Length: Under 3,000 words preferred. Payment: $75. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2025. They open to fee-free submissions on the first of each month and close when they reach their quota.

Gordon Square Review. Genre: Poetry, short stories, personal essays, and hybrid prose works. Payment: $25 per prose piece and $10 per poem. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

The Last Line. Genre: Fiction that ends with the last line provided. Payment: $20-$40. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

The Paris Review. Genres: Fiction, poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.

Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: $50. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2025, and closes when they reach capacity.

Humour Me. Genre: Funny short stories with the theme ‘Autumn.’ Payment: £7.50. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Flame Tree: Wars in the Stars Short Stories. Genre: Sci-fi on an epic scale. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: October 2, 2025. Opens October 1. This is a monthly call.

Stone's Throw. Genre: Noir, dark fiction, crime short stories. Length: between 1,000 and 2,000 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 3, 2025. Note: This is a monthly call.

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark, eerie speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: $10 for fiction. Deadline: October 4, 2025.

Daikaijuzine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $10.00 for each short story, and $5.00 for each poem and flash fiction piece. Deadline: October 5, 2025.

Shadows in the Ravens Eye: A Reimagining of Poe’s Tales. Genre: Short stories that reinterpret Poe's legends with fresh angles, but keeping with his style and atmosphere. Keep the dread, the obsession, the unreliable minds. Surprise us with setting, voice, or twist. Length: 2,000 to 3,000 words. Payment: 20 cents per book. Deadline: October 5, 2025.

Raconteur Press. Genre: Detective stories. The early pulp magazines and books may have cost a dime, but these detectives need more than that to keep body and soul together. They were the gumshoes, the flat-feet, who used old-fashioned persistence and a healthy dose of common sense to track down clues and close the net on the perpetrators. Read Frederic Brown’s The Fabulous Clipjoint and you’ll have a clue to what we’re looking for. Men whose gruff exterior hid a soft heart and a sharp mind, they were not noir, they were something uniquely American, classless, and driven by a desire for justice—but not at all costs. They got their man, or woman, in the end. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 5, 2025.

Tractor Beam. Genre: Soilpunk speculative fiction. Payment: $1,000 for stories and graphic novellas up to 6,000 words. Deadline: October 6, 2025.

Affirm Press. Restrictions: Open to Australians only. Genre: All literary and genre fiction. For non-fiction, they are interested in most subjects that have a connection to Australia. authors or authors based in Australia, and only manuscripts that haven’t been previously published. They only accept submissions on the first Monday of each month. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 6, 2025.

University of Queensland Press. Restrictions: Open to Australian citizens or permanent residents. Genre: Nonfiction manuscripts. UQP is currently seeking adult non-fiction submissions that address environmental sustainability and the climate crisis. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 7, 2025.

Vellum Mortis. Genre: Horror. Length: 1000 words max. See theme. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 7, 2025.

Black Inc. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Full-length general, literary and commercial non-fiction – including history, current affairs, memoir and biography. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 7, 2025. This is a monthly call.

FLESH Zine. Genre: Flash fiction, poetry, or nonfiction that is "weird, erotic, grotesque, queer, transgressive, literary, and intense." Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: October 7, 2025.

Trans Survivors Zine. Genre: Trans and nonbinary art. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 13, 2025.

Planet Scumm. Genre: Hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, speculative fiction, weird fiction, slipstream. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: October 13, 2025.

Rat Bag Lit. Genre: Drabbles of exactly 100 words on the theme, Funerary Raccoons. Payment: $1. Deadline: October 13, 2025.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay, $100 for reprint cover art, $200 for original unpublished cover art, $50 for reprint interior art, $100 for original unpublished interior art  Deadline: October 14, 2025.

Inner Worlds Zine. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or supernatural horror prose with a strong emotional or psychological focus. "We are mainly interested in fiction, but we’re open to speculative memoir or creative non fiction, as long as it has speculative elements.” Payment: £0.02 per word for each piece accepted, with a minimum £20 payment. Deadline: October 14, 2025 for members of marginalised groups only.

The Orange & Bee. Genre: Original works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction that engage in a significant way with the long history of fairy tales. Payment: Poetry: flat rate $US50.00 per poem; Flash fiction/non-fiction: flat rate $US80.00 per story (max 1000 words); Short fiction/non-fiction: $US0.08 per word (max 4000 words). Deadline: October 14, 2025.

Crimeucopia. Genre: Crime fiction. See theme. Payment: £4/US$4 per 1000 words. Reprints pay up to a maximum of - £7.00. Deadline: October 14, 2025. Accepts reprints.

Translunar Travelers Lounge. Restrictions: September 15 - 21 is reserved for writers of color. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Skylight 47. Genre: Poetry. Payment: 40 euros. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

100-Foot Crow. Genre: Speculative fiction drabbles, of exactly 100 words on two themes: Yard Sale, Haunt. Payment: $8. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Tractor Beam. Genre: Soilpunk speculative fiction. Payment: $1,000 for stories and graphic novellas up to 6,000 words. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Rat Bag Lit. Genre: Micro fiction up to 300 words. Payment: $3. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

The Deadlands. Genre: Nonfiction: critical, academic, and personal essays concerning death. Payment: $100. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Horror Tree: Trembling With Fear. Genre: Horror short stories. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy. Length: 1500-7500 words. Payment: $0.005/word up to 7500 words. Minimum of $15. Reprints paid at full rate. Deadline: October 15, 2025. Accepts reprints.

The Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror poetry and fiction on theme: Secret Police, ICE, and the Disappeared. Payment: $0.015/word for fiction, and $10 for poetry. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. Payment: $20 - $60 for prose and poetry, $150 for art. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Cutleaf: Literary Nonfiction. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Payment: $100 to $300 for published prose. Deadline: October 15, 2025. Closes when cap is reached.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: October 15, 2025. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, there are no submission fees for Latinx writers from September 15th to October 15th.

Rattle: Rebels. Genre: Poetry. "Our Spring 2026 issue will be dedicated to literary rebels—those poets who run counter to the literary mainstream." Payment: $100. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Into the Deep, Dark Woods Anthology. Genre: Original fiction and poetry in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, suspense, mystery, humor, and romance, appropriate for up to a “PG-13” audience. The setting of “deep, dark woods” must be central to the story. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Rooted. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, CNF, audio, art. See theme. Payment: $10 for online publication only. No payment for print. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Please submit work that engages with themes that may include gender expression and transition, reproductive justice, disability and chronic illness, surveillance and censorship, body modification culture, fat liberation and anti-ableism, queer desire and sexuality, the racialized body, and performance and protest. We invite works that grapple with the political, personal, and cultural dimensions of the queer body." Payment: $100. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: October 17, 2025.

Ghoulish Tales. Genre: Horror. Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: October 17, 2025.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: October 19, 2025.

Flame Tree: No Laughing Matter. Genre: Fiction which embraces the horror/thriller genres with elements of bleak, black humour, wry observation, a touch of irony and satire, and hints of the absurd. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: October 19, 2025.

Hub City Press. Restrictions: "We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South." Genre: Debut and second novels. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 19, 2025.

Quist. Restrictions: Open to writers and artists between the ages of 14 and 21 and based in Quebec. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $75. Deadline: October 20, 2025.

queerbeat: queer pop culture. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQIA+ journalists/writers. "queerbeat is an online magazine focused on deeply and accurately covering LGBTQIA+ persons in India." Genre: Nonfiction pitches. Payment: INR10,000-40,000. Deadline: October 20, 2025. 

Crimeucopia. Genre: Crime fiction. See theme. Payment: £4/US$4 per 1000 words. Reprints pay up to a maximum of - £7.00. Deadline: October 21, 2025. Accepts reprints.

Astrolabe. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography & art. Payment: $50. Deadline: October 22, 2025.

Stygian Lepus Magazine. Genre: Dark speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: September 25, 2025. This is a monthly call.

The Pretentious Literarian. Genre: Micro/short/flash fiction or CNF. All genres. Word count: 500-5000. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 25, 2025. This is a monthly call.

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry. See theme. Payment: $300 - $500. Deadline: October 26, 2025.

Crimeucopia. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Crime fiction. See theme. Payment: £4/US$4 per 1000 words. Reprints pay up to a maximum of - £7.00. Deadline: October 29, 2025. Accepts reprints.

Mythaxis. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: €0.01 per word, with a €20 minimum. Deadline: October 30, 2025.

Neon Hemlock. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 30, 2025.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Shenandoah. Genre: Comics. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: October 31, 2025, closes when they reach capacity.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art. Payment: $15 - $50. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Speculative Detective Agency. Genre: Speculative short story of a case completed by one of the agency’s detectives (who are created by you, the authors). Payment $300. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Orison Books. Genre: Fiction, including novels, short story or flash fiction collections, and novellas. Nonfiction, including essay, memoir, literary criticism, etc. Anthologies and translations also accepted. See website for additional information. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Parallel Universe Publications: Swords & Sorceries. Genre: Heroic fantasy. Payment: £25. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Engen Books. Restrictions: Newfoundland and Labrador writers preferred. Genre: Space Stories. Length: under 7,500 words. Payment: $0.01 CAD per word. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Harbor Review. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Nine Arches. Genre: Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Tenebrous Press. Restrictions: Open to POC. Genre: New Weird Horror novels and novellas. Length: 20,000 - 120,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Brick. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Payment: $65–720, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine. Deadline: October 31, 2025. Closes when cap is reached, so submit early.

Phylum Press. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art. See theme. Payment: $10. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Rebel Satori Press. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQIA+ writers. Genre: Book-length speculative fiction involving LGBTQ+ characters written by LGBTQ+ authors, including but not limited to: sci-fi, interstitial, slipstream, horror, and supernatural fictional manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

My Galvanized Friend is a new publication focused on highlighting works from those identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and essays between 500 and 3,500 words as well as works of poetry and original works of art. Payment: $25 per fiction/nonfiction/essay and $10 per page of poetry. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Cupid’s Arrow Publishing: Dalliances Anthology – Swashes and Buckles. Genre: Romance. “We are looking for lusty tales that take place upon the seven seas—and if they involve pirates, even better!” Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

MetaStellar. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy or horror. 1000 words max. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Inkd Publishing: Rebels. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories on theme: Rebels. “Rebels – Rage against the machine, storm the castle, the space alliance against the hegemony, hackers against the oligarchy, or however you envision it.” Payment: Minimum $10. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

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: October 31, 2025.

Made in L.A. Restrictions: Preference for writers who currently live in and around Los Angeles. Genre: Fiction. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: October 31, 2025. 

Walpurgis Witcheries Anthology. Genre: Sword and sorcery. Length: Between 4,000 and 8,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

​AfriCANthology II: Strange Truth of Black Canadian Fiction. Restrictions: Open to  writers who live in Canada or are Canadian citizens living outside the country who self-identify as Black. Genre: Short stories (2,500 to 4,000 words) in any genre of fiction that honour the anthology’s themes and relate to the Black experience in Canada.  Payment: $200 CAD. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

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: October 31, 2025.

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: October 31, 2025.

Dragon Soul Press: FIRE & ASH. Genre: All dragon-themed stories. All genres accepted.  Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Manawaker Studio: 100 Word Project. Genre: Speculative fiction of exactly 100 words. See theme. Payment: $1. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Anvil Press. Restrictions: Open to writers living in Canada. Genres: Full-length books per year in the following genres:
• literary fiction (short story collections, novels, uncategorizable prose)
• creative nonfiction
• memoir
• essay collections
• poetry
• books about Vancouver history (preferably off-beat or little-known history)
Read submission guidelines here. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

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: October 31, 2025.

Wildhouse Publishing. Genre: Full-length poetry collection. "Wildhouse Publishing curates books for unconventional people with adventurous spirituality." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Midnight Meadow Publishing's goal is to publish engaging and unique LGBTQ+ stories while elevating marginalized voices. They are interested in a wide variety of genres. Read submission guidelines HERE. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Glass Poetry Press. Genre: Poetry chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Phoenix Poets Series: University of Chicago Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Read full guidelines HERE. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

SpecPoVerse. Genre: Speculative poetry. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Inner Worlds Zine. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or supernatural horror prose with a strong emotional or psychological focus. "We are mainly interested in fiction, but we’re open to speculative memoir or creative non fiction, as long as it has speculative elements.” Payment: £0.02 per word for each piece accepted, with a minimum £20 payment. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Ember. Genre: Creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry aimed at children and teens. Payment: 2 cents per word or $20 per work, whichever is more, for worldwide first publication rights in English. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

New Writing Scotland. Restrictions: Open to writers resident in Scotland or Scots by birth, upbringing or inclination. Genre: All forms of writing are invited: autobiography and memoirs; creative responses to events and experiences; drama; graphic artwork (monochrome only); poetry; political and cultural commentary and satire; screenplays; short fiction; travel writing or any other creative prose may be submitted. Maximum recommended length of 3,500 words in total. Payment: $25/page. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Spring Into SciFi. Genre: Science fiction short stories. Payment: $15. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Sick Magazine Restrictions: SICK publishes work from folks who are sick/chronically ill/mentally ill/disabled. Genre: Writing & artwork that thinks through the experience of illness and disability in new ways, or explores a topic that is framed by this experience. Payment: PROSE: 12 cents per word 

POETRY & ARTWORK: Flat rate of $90. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Burial Books. Genre: Horror of at least 60,000 words. No fantasy or scifi. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Banshee Press. Genre: Fiction (including flash), nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: €300 for a story/essay; €100 for flash fiction; €75 per poem. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Riddle Fence is a Labrador and Newfoundland based quarterly magazine of arts and culture. They publish poetry, fiction, nonfiction, visual art, reviews and features. Payment: $50/page. Deadline: October 31, 2025. Fee free submissions for October only.

AND A FEW MORE...

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 1.5 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: November 1, 2025.

Ninth Letter Web Edition. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. See theme. Payment: $25 per poem and $75 for prose. Deadline: November 1, 2025.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.06/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: Opens November 1, 2025.

Clocks. Genre: Dark fiction, speculative fiction, near sci-fi, strange, wondrous. Payment: $40. Deadline: November 1, 2025. Closes when cap is reached, so submit early.

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: $50. Deadline: November 1, 2025.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: November 1, 2025. See themes.

The First Line Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry using the line provided. (See theme) Payment: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2025.

Thema. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: Today's Onerous Task. Payment:  $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2025. Accepts reprints.

64 Writing Contests in October 2025 - No entry fees

This October there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $10,000 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! 

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PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative. Restrictions: Applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. Prize: Grant, amount not specified. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Horror Writers Association Diversity Grants. Restrictions: Ppen to underrepresented, diverse people who have an interest in the horror writing genre, including, but not limited to writers, editors, reviewers, and library workers. Genre: Horror. Prize: $500 grant. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

The Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry, sponsored by the African Poetry Book Fund and in partnership with the literary journal, Prairie Schooner, is the only one of its kind in the world and was established to promote African poetry written in English or in translation and to recognize a significant book published each year by an African poet. A standard edition is 48 pages or more in length. Genre: Open to any book of original poetry, in English, published during 2015 in a standard edition by a full-length collection of poetry. Restrictions: African nationals, African residents, or poet of African parentage with roots from any country, living anywhere in the world. Prize: USD $1,000. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Changes Book Prize. Genre: First or second collection of poems. Prize: $10,000 and publication, Deadline: October 1, 2025.

2025 IHLR Long Story: Nonfiction and Fiction. Genre: Long fiction or CNF. Length: 20 to 40 pages. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 1, 2025. Note: They will accept 25 free submissions on October 1, 2025.

2025 Iron Horse Long Story: NaPoMo Contest. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 1, 2025. Note: They will accept 25 free submissions on October 1, 2025.

The Lindenwood Review Undergraduate Flash Nonfiction Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate students. Genre: Flash Nonfiction. Prize: $50 and publication. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Sunlight Press. Genre: Flash fiction. Prize: $750. Deadline: October 1, 2025.

Quarterly West.  Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $500. Deadline: No fee days: October 1 - 2, 2025. (After that point, submissions for BIPOC writers only will remain free.)

TCU Texas Book Award. Genre: Book of fiction, nonfiction, art or photography about Texas. Books must have been published between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2024. Prize: $5000. Deadline: October 3, 2025. 

American Antiquarian Society Fellowships for Creative Writers is calling for applications for visiting fellowships for historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history. Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences. The Society's goal in sponsoring this program is to multiply and improve the ways in which an understanding of history is communicated to the American people. Prize: A stipend of $2,200. Deadline: October 5, 2025.

The Republic of Letters. Genre: Letter. See site for themes. Prize: $50. Deadline: October 5, 2025.

DC Reid Poets’ Grant. Restrictions: Open to poets of "modest means." Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, living in Canada, who have published at least two books of poetry with a traditional publishing house. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000. Deadline: October 6, 2025.

Neal Peirce Foundation Journalism Travel Grants. Genre: Journalism. "Grants are intended to support journalists in covering undertold stories about ways to make cities and their metro regions work better for all their people. Grants will cover travel expenses necessary for on-the-ground reporting. Full-time freelancers as well as journalists currently employed by a news organization are eligible to apply. The grants are for journalists to travel to cities within the U.S. to produce one or more stories for publication." Prize: Up to $1500. Deadline: October 7, 2025.

Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to fiction writers aged 21+ who have not yet published a book and have never been enrolled in an MFA program. Writer must not have a book under contract with an agent and/or publisher at time of application, and writer cannot have been published by One Story (or have a forthcoming publication with One Story). Genre: Short fiction that "speaks to issues and experiences related to inhabiting bodies of difference." Prize: Free tuition for all of One Story's online classes and programming, a travel stipend of $2,000 and tuition to attend week-long summer writers' conference in Brooklyn, and a full manuscript review/consultation of a story collection or novel in progress with an executive editor. Deadline: October 8, 2025.

Zocalo Book Prize. Genre: US-published nonfiction book that best enhances our understanding of community and the forces that strengthen or undermine human connectedness and social cohesion. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 10, 2025.

John Lewis Writing Grants. Restrictions: Open to Black and African American writers who have resided in Georgia for at least one year. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screen/playwriting. Prize: $500. Deadline: October 10, 2025.

North Carolina State Fiction Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of North Carolina with no published fiction books. Genre: Short stories. Prize: $500 for fiction (up to 5,000 words) and $250 for shorter fiction (up to 1,200 words). Deadline: October 10, 2025.

Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative. Restrictions: Adults aged 18 and up who live in the United States. Genre: Short stories and CNF touching on themes related to money and personal finance. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 12, 2025.

Latino Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Latino authors who are at least 18 years of age or older and residing anywhere in the United States. Genre: Children’s stories written by and about Latino people. Must be original children’s books for ages 0–4 (50–125 words) or for ages 4–8 (300–800 words). Prize: $1,000 cash prize. Deadline: October 13, 2025.

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Short story on theme of Halloween based on movie quotes (See site); 2000 words max. Prize: $50. Deadline: October 13, 2025.

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction: Fandoms. Restrictions: Open to UK writers. Genre: Short story between 2,000 – 7,500 words, on the Fandoms theme. Prize: £500.  Deadline: October 13, 2025. 

Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship. Restrictions: Poet must be born in the United States.  Genre: Poetry. The sample must not exceed either (1) 40 typed pages or (2) one printed volume plus no more than 20 typed pages of your most recent work. There is no minimum page requirement.  Prize: $60,500 for a year of travel and study abroad. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Charles Potts Poetry Award. Genre: First book of poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

Poetic Justice Institute Book Prizes. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to BIPOC Writers. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: October 15, 2025.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for fiction, poetry. memoir, autobiography, and nonfiction. Prize: $30,000. Deadline: October 16, 2025.

Mindfood. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand residents only. Genre: Short story 2000 words in length and previously unpublished. Prize: U$1000 for the Australian winner and one (1) prize money of NZ$1000 for the New Zealand winner. Deadline: October 17, 2025.

Waltham Forest Poetry Competition. Genre: Poem on theme: Weather. Prize: 1st £50, 2nd £30, 3rd £20. Deadline: October 20, 2025. No entry fee for writers aged 18 and under.

John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize. Genre: Published book of poems. Publishers may submit four copies of a debut full-length poetry collection (or bound galleys) published originally in the English language. Prize: €10,000 (approximately $11,400) Deadline: October 20, 2025.

International Booker Prize. The International Booker Prize for fiction translated into English is awarded annually by the Booker Prize Foundation to the author of the best (in the opinion of the judges) eligible novel or collection of short stories. The work must be published by a UK or Ireland publishing house. Authors are not permitted to enter their own works. Prize: £50,000 divided equally between the author and the translator. There will be a prize of £2,000 each of the shortlisted titles divided equally between the author and the translator. Deadline: Any imprints that have more than six books to submit to the prize, may nominate the additional titles as call ins. All call-in nomination forms, justification letters, first chapters and full PDFs must be submitted by Thursday, 23 October 2025. If no text is available at the time of call-in, it should be sent as soon as it is available. 

Write the World. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 13-19. Genre: Op-ed, personal narrative and creative writing on theme: "Rule of Law." Prize: "Cash prize." Deadline: October 27, 2025. 

Scottish Book Trust: Monthly Competition. Restrictions: Entry to the competition is open to all. However, they can only provide prizes to winners who are located within the UK, or have a UK based address. Genre: Short story of no more than 50 words based on prompts. (See site for prompt) Prize: Various items. Deadline: October 28, 2025.

Storyhouse: Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $250 in any single year. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one.  Genre: Travel Nonfiction. Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Deadline: October 30, 2025.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

T Paulo Urcanse Prize For Literary Excellence. Genre: Poetry and prose. " Whether you be a lonely writer looking for community and wanting to make your literary debut, or a similarly eggheaded and celebrated writer in the vein of the namesake of this prize, we welcome your submissions with open arms, without fees or prerequisites, without ever having known you or met you at a cocktail party where we discussed the terror of contemporary history and post-structuralist theory or the pitfalls of the first person perspective in a short story or weird childhood stories that involve stray cats and the throwing of tennis balls at moving vehicles from behind bushes at night in the summer on the Main Street of the provincial town where we were raised." Prize: $50 - $250. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Mukoli Contest. Genre: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Multimedia Art. Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Manasa Lit Prize. Restrictions: Open to women of Indian origin ages 16 and up. Writers who have more than one book published are not allowed to participate. Genre: Novel. Length: 40,000 - 80,000 words. Prize: INR100,000. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Women's Prize for Fiction. Genre: Published novel by a woman. Entrants must be writing in English and must be published between 1 October 2025 and 30 November 2025. All subject matters and women of any age, from any nationality or country of residence are eligible. Prize: £30,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2025. Read submission details HERE.

Graybeal-Gowen Prize for Virginia Poets. Restrictions: Poets living in or born in Virginia, as well as those who have lived in Virginia for two or more years in the past, are eligible. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 31, 2025. (Closes after 500 submissions)

Live Theatre's North East Playwriting Award. Restrictions: Open to playwrights who are either from or based in the North East of England, age 16 and older. Genre: Full-length play. Prize: £10,000 top prize. A second award will be exclusively for young people aged 16 to 25. This will be a commission fee of £7,000 (under 70 minutes) and a commitment to develop the play at Live Theatre. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

IHRAM: African Human Rights Spoken Word Contest. Restrictions: Open to poets and activists from across the African continent. Genre: 1-minute video where you passionately recite a unique and artistic poem crafted by you. Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Marfield Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts Writing, is given annually by the Arts Club of Washington to nonfiction books about the arts written for a broad audience. Genre: Non-fiction book. Self-published books not accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Solstice Prize. Restrictions: Open to 7 - 25 year olds. Genre: Short stories, blog posts, and poems. Nature writing. Prize: Publication and cash prizes for winners in three age groups: 7-11, 12-14, and 15-17. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

New York Historical Society Children's History Book Prize. Genre: Nonfiction history or historical fiction for middle-grade readers that was published in the US in the current calendar year. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to poets of color with US citizenship who have not previously published a book-length volume of poetry. Genre: Poetry chapbook. Prize: $500, publication by Northwestern University Press, fifteen copies of the book, and a featured reading at The Poetry Foundation. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Apex Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction, 1000 words max. Prize: 8 cents/word or $10, which ever is greater. Deadline: October 31, 2025. Note: Apex Magazine’s Flash Fiction Contest is open from the first until the final day of each month. The contest is themed.

The Young Walter Scott Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK authors aged 11-19. Genre: Historical fiction between 800 and 2000 words. Prizes: £500 travel and research grant to further explore historical places in the UK, and an invitation to the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland. Two runners-up in each category receive a £100 book token, and all four winning stories are published in a special YWSP anthology book. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Lex:lead Essay Competition. Restrictions: Candidates must show citizenship in an eligible country and be enrolled in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country at the time of the award. Genre: Essay: How can laws regulating climate change and the environment support economic development? Prize: $500 scholarship. Deadline: Registration deadline October 31, 2025.

US Naval Institute Essay Prize. Genre: Essay. Length: 3,000 words max. Great power competition will require the Sea Services to rethink how to address national, strategic, and operational challenges and the way they will have to fight. Essays may address any topic. Prize: First Prize: $6000; Second Prize: $3000; Third Prize: $2000. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Tom-Gallon Trust Award. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland with at least one short story published or accepted for publication. Genre: Short story, maximum 5,000 words. May be unpublished. Prize: £2,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

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: Top prize 10,000 pounds. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Eric Gregory Awards. Restrictions: Applicants must be under 30 and a British subject by birth and must ordinarily be resident in the United Kingdom or Northern Ireland. Genre: Poetry collection. Previously published work accepted. Prize: £4,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Restrictions: Emerging African American writers. Genres: Short story collection or novel published in the current year. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

McKitterick Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors over age 40. Genre: First novel. The work must have been first published in the UK in the year in which the deadline falls (and not first published abroad), or be unpublished. Prize: £4,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Gordon Bowker Volcano Prize. Restrictions: Open to a UK or Irish writer, or a writer currently resident in those countries. Genre: A novel focusing on the experience of travel away from home. Inspired by Malcolm Lowry’s novel, Under the Volcano and in celebration of its author, the prize aims to inspire literary excellence and encourage writers to travel and to write from the resulting experience. Publishers must enter the work. Prize: The winner will receive £2,000 and the runner-up £750. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

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: October 31, 2025.

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: October 31, 2025.

Voice.club. Genre: Flash fiction, 350 words max. See theme. Prize: $25 Amazon gift card. Deadline: October 31, 2025. Note: You have to join in order to enter. 

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest is sponsored by Hollins University. Restrictions: Open to young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $5,000 renewable annual Creative Talent Scholarship in creative writing if winner enrolls at Hollins. Free tuition and housing for the university’s Hollins summer creative writing program. $200 cash prize. Publication in Cargoes, Hollins’ award-winning student literary magazine. Ten copies of Cargoes. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Mikrokosmos Annual Fiction and Poetry Contest. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Prize: First Place Prize: $200; Second Place Prize: $100; Third Place Prize: $50. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of "Friend of a friend." Your story must be no longer than 25 words. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

The Hub City Press Deep Line Poetry Series. Restrictions: Open to poets of all stages of their careers in thirteen Southern states. Submitters must currently reside or be from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia or West Virginia. Genre: Poetry. Prize: The finalist will receive a prize of $2000 and publication. Deadline: October 31, 2025.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2025. This is a 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: October 31, 2025. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

41 Outstanding Writing Conferences and Workshops in October 2025

This October 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, how to market your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

I have included conferences with deadlines that have already passed on this list to give you advance notice. 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!

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences.

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

(Image: Jackson Hole, WY: © Brian Evans/Getty Image)

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The 2025 Online Florida Writing Workshop. October  3 - 4, 2025: 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 “Florida” 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.

TLA Power of Words Conference. October 3 - 5, 2025: Unity Village, MO. "Network with writers, storytellers, performers, musicians, health professionals, educators, and change-makers to connect with those who share your passion of making a difference with words. Discover diversity and experience visionary voices at keynote sessions. Get inspired with workshops in five areas:  Social Transformation, Right Livelihood, Engaged Spirituality, Narrative Healing and Ecological TLA.

James River Writers Conference. October 3 - 5, 2025: Richmond, Virginia. James River Writers is excited to offer both in-person and online elements for our conference this year. Join us for Master Classes online, on Friday, October 4. Then, join us at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (in Richmond, Virginia) for a full slate of programs focusing on the craft and business of writing. Look forward to lively panel discussions, live critique sessions with literary agents, fun and engaging plenary sessions, and agent one-on-one meetings (standard with your ticket). In addition, we’ve included opportunities for networking and socializing, because community is at the heart of everything we do. Since 2003, this multi-day event  has been known for its inspiring, collegial atmosphere and hospitality. Whether you’re just starting out on your writing journey, or a seasoned professional, there’s something for everyone. 

State Writing Conference & Convention, sponsored by The Kansas Authors Club, Oct 3 - 5, 2025: Junction City, KS. Theme: Words Take Flight: Choose Your Own Adventure. Writing workshops, panels, and presentations. 

Write on the Sound Writers' Conference and Pre-Conference. Oct 3 - 5, 2025: Edmonds, WA. Founded in 1985, Write on the Sound writers’ conference (WOTS) is a small, affordable conference focused on the craft of writing. A variety of sessions, workshops and panel discussions are available for all levels and interests, including valuable information regarding today’s writing and publishing industry. 

The Creativity Workshop in New York. October 3 - 6, 2025: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."

Picture Book Summit. Oct 4, 2025: Online. A one day live event for picture book writers including author keynotes, interviews, workshops and agent & editor panels. Recordings provided for attendees for four months post-conference.

Retreat for Survival and Healing. October 4-5, 2025: Knoxville, TN. This two-day retreat for sexual assault survivors will be held at The Birdhouse in Knoxville, TN and will be a safe space for creativity, generative writing exercises, discussions on ways to write trauma, advice on publishing, and more. Come join us in mutual support for a weekend of writing time for healing, safety, and comfort. The event will be open to writers of all backgrounds and experiences and provide an opportunity to work with many talented poets and writers from around the country including Jezmina Von Thiele, LySaundra Campbell, Bell McEntire, Dena Igusti, and Michelle Guerrero Henry.

Flathead River Writers Conference. October 4 - 5, 2025: Kalispell, MT. Writers help writers in this two day conference packed with energizing speakers and workshops. Features: Workshops, MS preparation & submission, working with agents, movie deals, media use, & children's book publishing.

DFW Writers Conference. October 4 - 5, 2025: Hurst, TX. Featuring pitch sessions with literary agents, advanced classes, engaging panels, interactive workshops.

The Gotham Writers Fiction Conference. October 4 - 5, 2025: NY, NY. On Day 1, there are four panels and presentations, each designed to give you a peek behind the publishing curtain. You’ll hear from agents, editors, and writers, all offering their insight into the process of getting a novel out to the world. On Day 2, there are Pitching Roundtables where writers spend the day at a table with two literary agents. You’ll be pitching your book project to the agents, but rather than sweating through a very quick pitch (as done at most conferences), you’ll spend four hours with the two agents, presenting your query letter and the first two pages of your manuscript, listening to others do the same, and getting in-depth feedback from the agents about your work and the publishing process. If you don’t quite have a book ready for publication, but want to prep for the day you do, you may sign up for just the Panels and Presentations.

Intro to Writing Nonfiction: History, Biography, STEAM, and Much More! October 7 - 23, 2025: Online. Are you ready to write nonfiction for teens and children, but don’t know where to start? Join award-winning authors Jennifer Swanson and Christine Taylor-Butler for an in-depth exploration of the craft of nonfiction writing for young readers. With their guidance, you’ll build a strong foundation in key aspects of the genre, from research and structure to voice and engagement. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with editor Eileen Robinson, gaining insights into the acquisition and editing process for nonfiction projects. Plus, connect with fellow writers who share your passion and start building a supportive network within the nonfiction community.

Diving Into Picture Books: Format, Structure, and Practice. October 7 - 28, 2025: Online. Ready to write your own picture book? Join author Nikki Shannon Smith to learn the process from start to finish. This workshop covers everything from brainstorming to polishing your final draft.

The Enthusiasm of Influence. October 8th, 2025, 6:00-7:30PM EST: Online. We’ve all heard of the “anxiety” of influence. Have you ever struggled to pin down who or what is influencing your writing? Do you want to learn how to write with your influences instead of against them? Do you worry that acknowledging your influences makes your work less likely to be taken seriously? Do you want to find out more about what makes you, you on the page? If so, this workshop will help you to sleuth your voice. You will learn how your influences are working in your writing, how to make an influence-driven exercise into a polished piece, and how and when to “steal” from writers you love. Literary “influencers” like Jessica Rae Bergamino, Ansel Elkins, and Colm Tóibín will be discussed. Bring two influential texts (art, poems, music!) to share, a pre-existing draft of your own that you want to revise, and some blank notebook paper!

Editing for Impact: Revising Your MG or YA Novel (Fall). October 8  - November 12, 2025. Online.  Join novelists Jennifer Gennari and Lisa Moore Ramée for a six-week online deep dive into revision, where you’ll learn to enhance emotion, sharpen action, and refine your novel’s impact. Through live sessions, structured assignments, community support, and personalized feedback, you’ll build the skills needed to enrich your novel.

Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group for Finishing Your Draft (Fall). October 8 - December 3, 2025: Online. This supportive program takes all creatives (nonfiction or fiction, picture books, novels, essays, and more) from goal-stating to finished drafts. Together, we’ll move through live sessions, writing prompts, studio dates, daily inspirations, check-ins, feedback, and more. 50 participants max.

Whole Novel Genre: An Online Course for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, & Beyond. October 8 - December 10, 2025. Online. Apply for this transformative opportunity to have your entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This online program in particular is for writers of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and similar genre-specific novels. Apply by August 27, 2025.

Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference. October 9 - 11, 2025: Tempe, AZ. "The Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference creates a unique and intimate creative writing experience where writers of all backgrounds, genres, and skill levels gather together and connect through the celebration and study of literary craft, culture, and community. Featuring over 25 faculty members teaching more than 50 sessions, we seek to create a warm and welcoming environment that meets people wherever they are, where writers can learn from and support each other as they work toward their goals. Beyond regular programming, we also feature advanced pre-conference workshops, an exhibitor fair, scholarships, and fellowships. We also offer opportunities to advertise with or sponsor the conference as well."

Ozark Creative Writers Conference. October 9 - 11, 2025: Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Workshops by published authors, editors and agents; Publishers Row, independent publishers available to hear about your next project.

Vermillion Writing and Literature Conference. October 9  - 11, 2025: Vermillion, South Dakota. How does your creative work and/or scholarship engage with boundaries? Which boundaries mark its edges? How extensive are its stakes? What limits—aesthetic, geographical, social, political, ethical—does your work challenge, secure, or redraw? What spaces do you seek to preserve? What spaces need creating—and for whom? And how porous will their boundaries be? Join us 9-11 October 2025 for the second biennial Vermillion Writing and Literature Conference at University of South Dakota (Vermillion, SD). The 2025 theme: "Boundaries: Preserving and Creating Space," encourages creative and/or scholarly submissions that engage with questions like those above (by no means exhaustive) from a variety of perspectives (a few listed below).We look forward to readings, presentations, and discussions that test boundaries while also remaining open to what boundaries might be necessary—even if they haven’t yet been drawn. We invite proposals for creative and/or scholarly panels, roundtables, or workshops as well as individual submissions engaging with the exploration of our conference theme. Biennial conference.

New York Comicon. October 9 - 12, 2025. "New York Comic Con is your event. Where you can feel unafraid to geek out. Where you’re accepted and embraced for being yourself. Where you can experience the best in pop culture because no matter what fandom you’re passionate about, we have it waiting here for you. Be inspired by award-winning comic artists and Japanese anime creators. Get star struck over your favorite TV and film idols. Treat yourself to exclusive fandom gear and unique artwork. But most importantly, create all of those memories with the people you care about the most. Because this event is for you. To embrace your inner hero or root for the villain. To geek out as a family. To celebrate a weekend together you’ll never forget."

Colrain Classic. October 10 - 13, 2025: Online. "The Colrain Manuscript Classic is a highly focused, 3.5 day conference designed for poets with manuscripts in progress. The Classic features in-depth pre-conference work and candid, realistic evaluation and feedback from nationally-known poets, editors and publishers. In preparation, participants work at home on pre-conference assignments and then, in the workshop, review, arrange, and winnow their work based on the pre-conference work. In addition to the manuscript preparation workshop and editor sessions, there will be an editorial Q&A, and an after-conference strategy session." Will be conducted online.

Annual Maryland Writer’s Conference. October 11 - 12, 2025: Baltimore, MD. The Brain to Bookshelf Annual Conference offers over 20 workshops and agent panels. Agent pitches and critiques are available, but agent slots are limited, so register early. Keynote each day from Reed Farrel Coleman.

Publishing Trends, Market Shifts & Opportunities: A Two-Night Mini. October 14 - 16, 2025: Online. In this comprehensive but digestible workshop, Editor Harold Underdown will guide you through the different kinds of change in the publishing world, and help you best position yourself to respond to them.

Women Writing the West Conference. October 16 – 18, 2025: Online. Twelve Workshops and Panels will be presented during the conference. Our guest Editors and Agents will present a panel on the state of the publishing industry, and be available for Pitch Appointments. 

Youngstown Fall Literary Festival. October 16 - 18, 2025: Youngstown, Ohio. This year's festival will feature 145 accomplished presenters from California to Maryland and Rhode Island to Florida, presenting on understanding, writing, teaching, translating, editing and publishing literature. Discover your new favorite writer; peruse the dozens of bookfair tables; get a jump on a new piece of writing; join a discussion on writing programs in the community college, publishing as a small press, nature and eco writing, coming to writing late in life, and so much more.

Steamboat Springs Writers Conference. October 17 - 18, 2025: Steamboat Springs, CO. Two instructors, seminar-type workshops for all levels, beginning to professional. Topics change each year. Limited enrollment. 

Annual Florida Writers Conference. October 17 - 19, 2025: Altamonte Springs, Florida. Over 75 workshops, major speakers, agent interviews, professional manuscript critiques, lively social events, and much more.

Ossabaw Weekend Writer’s Retreat. October 17 - 20, 2025: Ossabaw Island, GA. Ossabaw Writers’ Retreat offers a variety of programs to address the needs of writers hoping to expand their craft and improve their work-in-progress. We hope you will join us in this great literary tradition by taking part in one or more of the various programs offered by the Ossabaw Writers’ Retreat. Where loggerhead sea turtles and endangered wood storks nest, and photographers, writers, painters, and musicians listen, watch, reflect, and create. Application deadline: September 15.

WriteAngles. October 18, 2025: Greenfield, Massachusetts. Panels and workshops, a limited number of agent meetings. Continental breakfast, and buffet lunch included. 

Craft of Writing Conference. October 18, 2025: Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Are you a detective at heart? If so, the Tulsa NightWriters need your help! We’ve heard rumors that one of our board members may be in mortal danger*, and it’ll be up to you to solve the case! Collect clues, interview suspects, and put the pieces together for a chance to win fabulous prizes at this year’s Craft of Writing Conference, THE THRILL OF WRITING!"

The Rochester Writers Fall Conference. October 18, 2025: Rochester, MI. Lectures, Workshops, and Panel Discussions. Open to new writers, working journalists, and published authors. Professional development to move writers to the next level. 

Letters & Lines Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference. October 18 - 19, 2025: Arvada, CO. This conference offers you opportunities to learn your craft, boost your career, and get feedback on your work. The schedule includes keynotes; a industry professionals panel; breakout sessions on writing, illustrating and professional development; intensives on picture books, novels and illustration; as well as critiques, portfolio reviews and showcase, a virtual bookstore of faculty titles, and more. 

Viable Paradise Science Fiction Writers' Workshop. Oct 19 - 24, 2025: Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Viable Paradise is a unique one-week residential workshop in writing and selling commercial science fiction and fantasy. The workshop is intimate, intense, and features extensive time spent with best-selling and award-winning authors and professional editors currently working in the field. VP concentrates on the art of writing fiction people want to read, and this concentration is reflected in post-workshop professional sales by our alumni. Application deadline May 15. 

WRITING THE MORE THAN HUMAN WORLD with Pam Houston - Part 2. October 20 - November 10, 2025: Online.This offering is open to anyone who took the 4-week More Than Human World Class in the spring and felt, as I did, that we ran out of time and there was so much more to talk about. We barely scratched the surface of trees and rocks and rivers and oceans and underworlds and overworlds and of course there will always be more to say about animals. This is also open to anyone signing up for The More Than Human World Part One in the Fall. If you would like to go on an 8 week journey rather than a 4-week journey. There will be additional reading, additional writing and additional conversation, exercises and opportunities to read your work aloud and possibly even a special guest. I hope to see some of you back for more.

Thrills, Chills, & Mystery: A Two-Part Mini on Genre Tales for MG Readers. October 21 - 23, 2025: Online. Learn how to tap into young readers' curiosities in this thrilling short course on writing horror, sci-fi, mystery, and other types of genre fiction with Edgar Award winner Adrianna Cuevas.

Kwame Alexander Writers’ Lab & Conference. October 23 - 25, 2025: Washington, DC. In addition to opportunities to take two Master Classes with well-known faculty writers in a selected genre track, attendees can also experience an opening and closing keynote address, featured speaker events, mix and mingle events with publishers and agents, and panel conversations. All these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration. 

Jackson Hole Writers Conference. October 23 - 25, 2025: Jackson Hole, WY. You will have ample opportunity to share your work with a distinguished faculty as well as writers from Massachusetts to Florida, from Texas to Washington. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole each year looking for a fresh, but critical eye on their work. This event usually has at least 4 agents to pitch. 

From Story to Script: An Introduction to Writing Graphic Novels. October 23 - November 13, 2025: Online. Turn your story into a compelling graphic novel—whether you're an author, an illustrator, or both! In this four-week course, you'll learn how to shape your story ideas into a dynamic visual narrative alongside award-winning graphic novelists.

Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. October 24 - 25, 2025: Dallas, Texas. The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference is a forum for journalists, writers, readers, students, educators and the general public to listen to, be inspired by and practice their craft at the highest possible level. Every year, the Mayborn Conference gathers some of the most talented storytellers in the country to share their stories, life-changing experiences and expertise with aspiring writers through three days of lectures, panels, one-on-one sessions, and student classes. In addition, the conference includes a variety of writing contests for anyone from high school students to Pulitzer prize winning professionals, who receive hand-made trophies, more than $26,000 in cash awards and have their work published in Mayborn's journal, Ten Spurs, or anthology, Best American Newspaper Narratives.

Atlanta Writers Conference. October 24 - 25, 2025: 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.

Clockwork Alchemy. October 24 - 26, 2025: Redwood City, California. Our theme for 2025 takes advantage of the upcoming Halloween season. Gaslight Fantasy is Steampunk’s more magically-inclined cousin. It’s a subgenre of Historical Fantasy with a setting that is clearly recognizable as the real-world 19th or very early 20th century. It may be a full-on Alternate History where magic exists openly and has affected the course of events or combined with traditional steampunk alternate developments in technology. Gaslight Fantasy often draws on gothic horror tropes, so grab your cape, fangs, occult symbols, fae wings, and dancing shoes!

Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (October). October 26 - 31, 2025: Boyds Mills, PA. This intensive, transformative 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. Application deadline August 6, 2025. 

Successful School Visits for Authors and Illustrators: An Online Course. October 28, 2025 - February 6, 2026: Online. Join George Jreije and guests to develop your virtual school visit, and put your plan into action with a scheduled school visit! You’ll blend who you are as a storyteller with engaging content and materials to create genuine connections with kids or teens, educators, administrators, and librarians. School Visits will take place during World Read Aloud Week! The course includes presentations, generative peer-to-peer discussions, 30-minute school visits with students, and post-course 1:1 consultations.

Writing By Writers Manuscript Boot Camp. October 30 - November 2, 2025: Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah. 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.

EVENTS WITH DEADLINES IN OCTOBER

All Write, Columbia – Writers Conference. November 6 - 9, 2025: Spencertown, NY. A five day intensive writing conference focused on nonfiction and memoir. 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. Application deadline October 2, 2025.