56 Writing Contests in December 2016 - No entry fees

The end of the year is always marked by a substantial number of writing contests. This December there are poetry, manuscript, short story and essay contests in every genre. None of these contests change entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and regional restrictions, so be sure to check submission guidelines before submitting.

Many contests are annual, so if you miss your ideal contest this year,  you can always enter next year. For a month-by-month list of free contests see: Writing Contests

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Brunel University African Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. Genre: 10 poems exactly. Prize: 3,000 pounds. Deadline: December 1, 2016. Read details here.

Arnold Adoff Poetry Awards. Genre: Poetry books for children and young adults. Novels in verse, memoirs in verse, collections of original poetry, and edited collections are all acceptable formats for the awards. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2016. 

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1.000. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication.  Deadline: December 1, 2016.

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth. Restrictions: Canadians, grades 7-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $400. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2016.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations). Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 2, 2016.

Iron Soap. Genre: Story of around 200 words on the theme of Christmas. Prize: $10. Deadline: December 2, 2016.

Propinquity. Genre: Micro-fiction. ‘Propinquity is such a clumsy and unusual word! For this mini-contest, we dare you to show, tell, or evoke a complete story in no more than 40 words, exactly ONE of which is “propinquity.” Use it well, contestants–no fair writing a story about a spelling bee where someone has to spell it, for instance.’ Prize: $25. Deadline: December 2, 2016.

Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create literary, media, visual, and performing works of art. Prize: 25 BRIO grants of $3,000 each are awarded to Bronx artists. BRIO award winners complete a one-time public service activity. Deadline: December 9, 2016.

White River Environmental Law Writing Competition is sponsored by the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law and Vermont Law School. Restrictions: Open to all students currently pursuing a degree (J.D. or LL.M) at an accredited law school in the United States. Submissions written as a class component, as a journal requirement, or otherwise for academic credit are acceptable. Genre: Original essays addressing any relevant topic in the fields of environmental law, natural resource law, energy law, environmental justice, land use law, animal law, and agricultural law. Prize: $1000 cash prize and an offer of publication with the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law. Deadline: December 9, 2016.

Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres:Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2015. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $4000. Deadline: December 10, 2016.

Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction. Prizes: 1st-$100, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$25. Deadline: December 11, 2016.

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Uncompleted work of nonfiction on a topic of American political or social concern. Prize: $30,000 fellowship. Deadline: December 12, 2016.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 12, 2016.

Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 15, 2016.

Digital fiction. Genre: Digital fiction. ‘Importantly, digital fictions are different to e-books. Rather than existing as a digital version of a print novel, digital fictions are what are known as “born digital” – that is, they would lose something of their form and/or meaning if they were removed from the digital medium. For example, they may contain hyperlinks, moving images, mini-games or sound effects. In many digital fictions, the reader has a role in constructing the narrative, either by selecting hyperlinks or by controlling a character’s journey through the storyworld.’ Prize: £300 to the winner of each category (there are 5). Deadline: December 15, 2016. Entries accepted in English and Welsh.

Authors.me Romance Novel Contest. Genre: Romance novel. Prize: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2016.

Women Artists Datebook. Genre: Poetry. Green themes. Prize: $70. Deadline: December 15, 2016.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 16, 2016.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States during the Fall 2015 Semester. Genre: Essay Topic: Articulate with clarity an ethical issue that you have encountered and analyze what it has taught you about ethics and yourself. 3,000 to 4,000 words. Prize: $5,000. 2nd Prize $2,500, 3rd Prize $1,500, two Honorable Mentions $500 each. Deadline: December 19, 2016. Read details here.

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award.  Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

Lyric Poetry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

George Bogin Memorial Award. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 22, 2016.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Medal. Deadline: December 23, 2016.

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 both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2016. The winners are announced in the spring.

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Read details HERE.

Gover Story Prize. Genres: Short fiction and creative nonfiction. Prize: annual cash prize ($250) and publication in Best New Writing for the best fiction and creative nonfiction under 10,000 words. Finalists are also published in Best New Writing. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Submit HERE.

Kansas Book Award. Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Book of fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Read details HERE.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Read details HERE.

SPS Studios Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Read details HERE.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students attending allopathic or osteopathic schools of medicine in the United States and Canada. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Read details HERE.

Society of Classical Poets, Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry. Three to five poems, each of which does not exceed 50 lines. The poems must be within the four themes used by the Society (at least one poem must be in the Issues of Our Age theme.) Prize: First Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Read details HERE.

Best Translated Book Awards for Poetry. Genre: Published poetry book. Prize: $5,000: one apiece for the author and translator of the winning book in poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Caribbean Writers Prizes. Genre: Short fiction, nonfiction, books. Prize: $400 - $500. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. 1,500 - 2,500 words. "In the context of this current moment in history, The Fountain’s 2016 Essay Contest invites you to consider the issues facing today’s immigrants. Are you an immigrant, too? Were your parents or grandparents immigrants? Are we all immigrants in this world? How do immigrants contribute to your society? How do they cause problems in your society? How would you help immigrants thrive?" Prize: 1st Place - $1,500, 2nd Place - $750, 3rd Place - $300, Two Honorable Mentions - $200 each. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Goldstein, Lawrence, and Clayton Prizes in Poetry and Short Fiction. Sponsored by Michigan Quarterly Review. Genres: Poetry, short fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2016

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of northern California. Genre: Published books of all genres. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

USNI Naval History Essay Contest. Genre: Essay.  Prize: First Prize: $6,000. Second Prize:$3,000. Third Prize: $2,000. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History. Genre: Essay on early American history (up to 1825), not previously published, with preference being given to New England subjects. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Eastern Iowa Review. Restrictions: For writers who have fewer than two publications (any kind). Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

From the Horse's Mouth Short Story and Poetry Competitions. Genres: Poetry, short fiction up to 5,000 words. Prize: £100 top prize. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Dapim: Studies on the Holocaust Article Prize Competition 2016. Genre: Nonfiction of 7,000-10,000 words about the Holocaust. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: December 31, 2016.  Questions/submissions: dapim_h@univ.haifa.ac.il

Words Magazine. Genre: Short story on theme of "Murder." (2000 words max). Prize: 1st - £50, 2nd - £25. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Relevant Reads. Restrictions: US residents only. Genre: Story between 1,000 and 10,000 words in one of the following categories: Diversity, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror /Suspense, or Teens by Teens (“Categories”). Prize: $3000. Deadline: December 31, 2016. Note: Winning authors give up all publishing rights.

Nightlight. Genre: Short story on theme of "Mystery." "This contest is geared to encouraging professional and amateur writers to write stories for at-risk boys in the 10- to 12-year-old age group who often stop reading for pleasure because of a lack of engaging literature for their age group.  Nightlight Reading’s goal is to fund and promote literature that appeals to boys and keeps them engaged and reading." Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Alban Lake. Genre: Micro-fiction (drabbles) of exactly 100 words. "The theme of this contest is: Dear Abby in the 24th Century. Basically, we’re looking for stories that are a bit off-beat, quirky, unusual. What would be the problems Abby would have to address in the future, and how would she address them?" Prize: $1. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

New Terrain Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates. Genre: Environmental writing — poetry, fiction or non-fiction. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2016.

Should You Go to A Pitch Conference?

There are many varieties of writing conferences, ranging from writing retreats, workshops where you write and get critiques, and master classes in which you meet with a single author to large annual meetings for writers' organizations, and practical conferences where you present your project to editors and agents. These are known as pitch conferences.

If you have a completed manuscript, a pitch conference will suit your needs perfectly. These conferences not only offer you a chance to pitch your work to an agent or editor, they include workshops that teach you how to pitch. There is no better way to meet an agent, so if you can go to one of these conferences, I highly recommend it.

You can find a comprehensive list of writing conferences HERE as well as links to help you find conferences in your area.

Helpful articles:

The Literary Agent Pitch: Dream Or Nightmare?

This is a wonderful article about how to approach a pitch session with an agent.

Rant: Pitch sessions are the spawn of Satan

Literary agent, Janet Reid, reminds us that literary agents are human.

4 Questions Agents Ask Writers at Pitch Sessions

Be prepared! Agents ask questions!

What's Your Book About? How to Make a Pitch

Step-by-step instructions for how to make a pitch.

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Upcoming pitch conference

(Even if you don't plan on going, read the website. It will give you a good idea of what a pitch conference is like.)

New York Pitch Conference

When: Dec 8 - 11, 2016

Where: New York City 

The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. 

See a full list of faculty members with bios HERE.

Fees: The registration fee until December 5 is $795.00, and $895.00 after that date. This fee covers all conference pitch sessions and workshops. Registration form is HERE.

27th Free “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest: Women’s Fiction

Jacquelyn Bischak - Woman Reading By The Window

Chuck Sambuccino, the editor of the Guide to Literary Agents, is running another "Dear Lucky Agent" contest. These contests allow writers to submit one page of their manuscript to be judged by an agent. The genre for this contest is women's fiction. There is no entry fee.

Winners of the contest have a more than good chance of getting representation. It's good to enter contests, not just because you may win one, but because they force you to write short summaries and synopses, and to polish your first few pages until they shine. These are usually the only pages an agent will see before making a decision. (Sometimes they only read a paragraph.)

The contest deadline is Nov. 25, 2016. CLICK HERE for more details.

For hundreds of free contests organized by month see: FREE CONTESTS.

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From the GLA blog: 

Welcome to the 27th (free!) “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest on the GLA blog. This is a FREE recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here’s the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. If you’re writing a women’s fiction novel, then this 27th contest is for you! The contest is live through end of day, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2016. The contest is judged by agent Irene Goodman of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

WHY YOU SHOULD GET EXCITED

After a previous “Dear Lucky Agent” contest, the agent judge, Tamar Rydzinski (The Laura Dail Literary Agency), signed one of the three contest winners. After Tamar signed the writer, she went on to sell two of that writer’s books! How cool! These contests can’t be missed if you have an eligible submission.

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to dearluckyagent27@gmail.com. Please paste all text. The only time to include attachments are when you have to attach images to show your social-media sharing (more info that below).

MEET YOUR (AWESOME) AGENT JUDGE!

Irene Goodman has been a leading member of the publishing community for over 30 years. She has sold more than 1,500 books and counting. Her clients are regulars on the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Bookscan bestseller lists. She began her career as the assistant to the agent who represented Stephen King, and established her own agency shortly after that. Her fiction list includes upmarket women’s fiction, middle grade, young adult, thrillers, historical fiction, and mysteries. Her nonfiction list includes pop culture, Jewish interest, science, self-help, Francophilia, and lifestyle.

Irene has written columns and articles for a number of writers’ publications, and is also a frequent speaker at writers conferences, including keynoting at the Historical Novelists Society and Novelists Ink., and workshops at the San Francisco Writers Conference, the Surrey International Writers Conference, the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, SEAK, the South Carolina Writers Workshop, Malice Domestic, and many regional events. Originally from the Midwest and still trying to lose the accent, Irene has a B.A. and a master’s degree from the University of Michigan. She and her husband divide their time between New York and the Berkshires, and have two grown children.

WHAT TO SUBMIT (AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REQUIREMENTS)

The first 150-300 words (i.e., your first double-spaced page) of your unpublished, completed women’s fiction novel. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also note your city of residence (i.e. — the city you live in, not your full address). Submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with each entry. Self-published novels are not eligible.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, you must mention this contest twice through any any social-media. Please provide a social-media link or Twitter handle or screenshot or blog post URL, etc., with your official e-mailed entry so the judge and I can verify eligibility. Some previous entrants could not be considered because they skipped this step! In short, simply spread the word twice through any means and give us a way to verify you did; a TinyURL for this link/contest for you to easily use is http://tinyurl.com/jje3qaw

An easy way to notify me of your sharing is to include my Twitter handle @chucksambuchino at the end of your mention(s) if using Twitter. If we’re friends on FB, tag me in the mention. If you are going to just use Twitter as your 2 entries, please wait one day between mentions to spread out the notices, instead of simply tweeting twice back to back. Thanks. (Please note that simply tweeting me does not count. You have to include the contest URL with your mention; that’s the point. And if you use Twitter, put my handle @chucksambuchino at the middle or the end, not at the very beginning of the tweet, or else the tweet will be invisible to others.)

Here is a sample TWEET you can use (feel free to tweak): New FREE contest for writers of Women’s Fiction http://tinyurl.com/jje3qaw Judged by agent @igagency, via @chucksambuchino

2 New Literary Agents Seeking Clients NOW

Updated 6/19/21

Here are two new agents actively building their client lists. Melissa Nasson (Rubin Pfeffer Content) is interested in middle-grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. She is also accepting picture book queries. She is open to all genres, but has a special love for fantasy and science fiction. Janna Bonikowski (The Knight Agency) is seeking women's fiction, romance, historical fiction, literary/commercial fiction, young adult, and suspense.

Note: You can find dozens of new and established literary agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients

IMPORTANT: You should NEVER query an agent without checking the agency website first. Submission requirements change, and agents may close their lists, or switch agencies.

Melissa Nasson of Rubin Pfeffer Content

Rubin Pfeffer Content is now merged with Aevitas

Melissa Nasson has spent her life living in and around Boston, attending college at Boston University (Go Terriers!). While studying at Boston University School of Law, she realized that becoming a literary agent would combine her passion for books with her legal background, and she began interning at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, and later at East-West Literary Agency and Rubin Pfeffer Content. After taking the bar exam in 2012, Melissa worked as a foreign rights intern at Perseus Books Group before starting as contracts director at Beacon Press. Now, she continues her work at Beacon Press while actively building her list as an associate agent at Rubin Pfeffer Content. Melissa loves dogs, craft beer, making pickles, tending to her tiny vegetable garden, and her pet tortoise, Norton.

She is seeking: Melissa is seeking middle-grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. She is also accepting picture book queries. She is open to all genres, but has a special love for fantasy and science fiction. She enjoys unexpected settings and loves a good romantic angle. For nonfiction, she'd love to see manuscripts that bring to light untold stories from history, particularly featuring individuals from marginalized groups. Above all, she wants to see strong, polished writing, fully developed and multifaceted characters, and fresh concepts. Tip: Melissa is not a good fit for bathroom humor.

How to submit: Please e-mail a query letter and the first 50 pages of your manuscript as a Word doc or PDF to melissa [@] rpcontent.com.

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Janna Bonikowski of The Knight Agency

NO LONGER AN AGENT

Janna Bonikowski joined the Knight Agency with several years of experience as both an independent editor and a freelance editor for Lyrical Press/Kensington. Though her Bachelor’s degree focused on business and economics, her passion for books made a career in publishing inevitable.

Raised on a steady supply of books including everything from Little House on the Prairie to Trixie Belden to Anne of Green Gables, Janna has since moved on, expanding her reading diet to multiple genres: romance, women’s fiction, literary/commercial fiction, suspense, young adult, and historical fiction. With such a wide range of literary loves, she manically adds to her to-be-read pile every new-release Tuesday, supporting the economy one book purchase at a time.

She is Seeking: Women’s fiction, romance, historical fiction, literary/commercial fiction, young adult, suspense.

How to Submit: Use their submission manager HERE.

What a Trump Presidency Means for Writers

(Quote from the Washington Post)

Since last week's election, dozens of articles have appeared speculating what a Trump presidency could mean for any number of sectors - the economy, social security, healthcare, technology and the Internet, reproductive rights, foreign relations, and so on.

With the exception of Wall Street, which is already showing its jubilation over the deregulation of financial institutions, most of these articles have ranged from a cautious "we don't really know" to glum.

How this presidency will affect writers has not been discussed at any great length. However, there are signs that do not bode well.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Trump has essentially declared war on freedom of speech, opening up the possibility of  lawsuits directed at journalists who are critical of his administration (Washington Post). This is not just a violation of First Amendment rights, it is a green light to the potential abuse of power. In a recent article, The Authors Guild issued a strong warning:

 "there is a risk that Trump’s veto power as president could endanger a pending federal free speech bill—the SPEAK FREE Act—from becoming law. This pending legislation, based on similar laws in more than half of our states, would allow federal courts to dismiss unfounded lawsuits filed solely to punish people for speaking out. It just so happens these types of lawsuits (know as “strategic lawsuits against public participation,” or SLAPP suits)—and the threat of them—have been a favorite Trump tactic."

As president, Trump would attempt to overturn Supreme Court decisions protecting journalists from harassment lawsuits initiated by public figures. The first of these dates back to the Court’s unanimous 1964 decision in The New York Times v. Sullivan, which allowed free reporting of the Civil Rights movement. Not coincidentally, Trump named the New York Times as one of the newspapers he would sue.

COPYRIGHT

Trump's stance on copyright has not been formalized, but given the Trump campaign's unauthorized use of copyrighted images, and the lawsuits resulting from his breach of copyright law, it would not be a stretch to conclude that reforming copyright law will not be high on Trump's list of priorities.

NET NEUTRALITY

Perhaps the most profound blow to writers would come with the elimination of net neutrality. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, net neutrality guarantees equal access to the Internet without favoring some sources over others. If Trump has his way, Internet content would be filtered, and businesses would be able to pay for being prioritized. In short, the net would be reduced to an advertising platform for the wealthiest corporations. That leaves writers hoping to build an online presence in the lurch.

WHAT TO DO?

1) WRITE. As writers we have an advantage over people who are not used to expressing themselves in print. The pen, in our hands, is mightier than the sword. We can write articles, communicate with our representatives and the media, and reach the public in ways that are effective and articulate. Above all, DO NOT SHUT UP! Self-censorship is the worst kind of censorship. Speak your mind, honestly and frankly, and without apology.

2) JOIN ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEFEND WRITERS. PEN America and the National Coalition Against Censorship are two long-standing organizations that defend writers and the First Amendment right to free speech. The Authors Guild, which is dedicated to defending the legal rights of authors, particularly regarding copyright, has also stated it will protect authors during the Trump presidency.

3) DONATE TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEFEND CIVIL RIGHTS. There are many organizations in the United States dedicated to defending the civil rights of U.S. citizens and residents. Here is a list of Pro-Women, Pro-Immigrant, Pro-Earth, Anti-Bigotry Organizations that need your support. You don't have to give a lot - every little bit helps.

4) PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. Half of registered voters did not participate in the last election. Democracy is a "use it or lose it" form of government. No matter how discouraged you may feel - don't opt out. Do your research, understand the issues, ignore the hype, and vote.

5) ADVOCATE. Defend those who cannot defend themselves - the disabled, the undocumented, the impoverished. Sign petitions, call your representative, wave signs if you want to. This is the land of liberty, not the land of bullies, hate mongers, and pussy grabbers. Trump has done a good job of normalizing reprehensible behavior; it's up to us to stamp it out.

2 Established Literary Agents Actively Seeking Clients

Updated 7/20/25

These two established agents are seeking clients. Rachel Crawford represents literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction. In nonfiction she’s interested in climate change, nature, ecology, geopolitics, migration, pop culture, tech, psychology, and in works that might be defined as cultural anthropology. Catherine Cho is seeking book club and literary fiction and Young Adult fiction.

Note: For a comprehensive list of dozens of new and established agents seeking clients see: Agents Seeking Clients.

IMPORTANT: You should NEVER query an agent without checking the agency website first. Submission requirements change, and agents may close their lists, or switch agencies.

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Catherine Cho of Paper Literary

Raised in Kentucky, Catherine studied literature at New York University. She lived in Hong Kong for several years and studied international law. After a stint in corporate law and lobbying, she worked for Folio Literary Management in New York, before moving to Curtis Brown in London.

What she is seeking: I represent book club and literary fiction and Young Adult fiction. I want to find unforgettable stories, books that you want to share with everyone you know. I am particularly looking to work with debuts.

* Voice-driven and character-driven narratives - I am always captivated by a distinctive voice, and I am looking for stories with unforgettable characters who live and breathe.

* Novels that explore families and relationships - I am fascinated by family secrets and the relationships within a family. I would love to find a multi-generational novel or stories that follow cross-cultural experiences. Ann Patchett, Chimamanda Adichie, Elizabeth Strout are some of my favorite authors, and I adored Min Jin Lee's Pachinko and Mary Beth Kean's Ask Again, Yes

* Psychological suspense with a distinctive voice or unusual structure - I am looking for upmarket suspense, something pacey with a compelling premise.

* High-concept and speculative novels - I particularly love anything involving time travel or mythology. Emily St John Mandel is one of my favorite authors, and I love Kazuo Ishiguro as someone who uses speculative themes to illuminate the truths of our world.

* YA fantasy and cross-over - I represent a select number of YA fantasy titles, I love a richly imagined world, a strong voice. I love Leigh Bardugo, and I was a Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley fan as a teen.

How to submit: Please send a query letter, synopsis, and the first 3 chapters (10,000 words) to submissions@paperliterary.com.

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Rachel Crawford of Wolf Literary Services

Rach Crawford joined Wolf Literary Services as an agent in 2015. She represents authors in both the U.S. and Australia, and represents U.S. rights on behalf of select Australian publishers and agents. Previously, she was MacKenzie Wolf’s foreign rights manager. Before moving to Wolf, Rach worked in rights at Fletcher and Company, at Sterling Lord Literistic, and as a publicist for a small press. Rach’s clients have won Walkley Awards, are Fulbright Scholars, have been shortlisted for the Stella Prize, the Commonwealth Writers Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, nominated for Pushcart Prizes, and appeared in Best American Short Stories.

What she is seeking: Rach represents literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction. In nonfiction she is drawn above all else to lyrical writing and rigorous thinking, and is interested in climate change, nature, ecology, geopolitics, migration, pop culture, tech, psychology, and in works that might be defined as cultural anthropology—books that help us understand the world we live in now. She represents select, expert-driven practical nonfiction. In fiction, as well as work that engages with the above topics, she is looking for horror—especially social horror, feminist horror, and folk horror—, literary fiction that flirts with genre, working class characters, and intimate novels that burrow deep into the brain of one captivating weirdo. She is particularly interested in LGBTQ+ writing across categories.

How to contact: Rachel is now accepting queries via Query Manager. Please send a query letter, synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your manuscript (for fiction), or your full proposal (for nonfiction) through the form available here.

26th Free “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest: Fantasy and Science Fiction

Every so often, Chuck Sambuccino, the editor of the Guide to Literary Agents, runs a free contest called "Dear Lucky Agent." Each contest is focused on a specific genre. These contests allow writers to submit one page of their manuscript to be judged by an agent.

Winners of the contest have a more than good chance of getting representation. It's good to enter contests, not just because you may win one, but because they force you to write short summaries and synopses, and to polish your first few pages until they shine. These are usually the only pages an agent will see before making a decision. (Sometimes they only read a paragraph.)

The contest deadline is Thursday, November 10, 2016. CLICK HERE for more details.

For hundreds of free contests organized by month see: FREE CONTESTS.

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From the website

WHY YOU SHOULD GET EXCITED

After a previous “Dear Lucky Agent” contest, the agent judge, Tamar Rydzinski (The Laura Dail Literary Agency), signed one of the three contest winners. After Tamar signed the writer, she went on to sell two of that writer’s books! How cool! These contests can’t be missed if you have an eligible submission.

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to dearluckyagent26@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

(This contest went live a few hours before the e-mail was created, so several people who submitted early had their work bounce back. Apologies if this was you. As of early October 26, 2017, this e-mail address is up and running and fine. Submit! Thank you. All is now well.)

MEET YOUR (AWESOME) AGENT JUDGE!

Mike Hoogland joined Dystel & Goderich after completing a foreign rights internship at Sterling Lord Literistic. Before pursuing a career in publishing, Mike studied at Colgate University and graduated with a degree in political science and the intention to work in government. He interned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but soon realized his interests and passions were better suited to a career in the publishing industry. After Colgate, Mike went on to gain a valuable education at the Columbia Publishing Course and discovered his passion for the agenting side of the business. He is seeking: sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers, upmarket women’s fiction, and some children’s books (picture books, MG, and YA), as well as a wide variety of narrative nonfiction, including science, history, and politics. He is particularly interested in seeing thought-provoking, realistic speculative fiction.

WHAT TO SUBMIT (AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REQUIREMENTS)

The first 150-250 words (i.e., your first double-spaced page) of your unpublished, completed fantasy or science fiction novel. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also note your city of residence (i.e. — the city you live in, not your full address). Submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with each entry. Self-published novels are not eligible.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, you must mention this contest twice through any any social-media. Please provide a social-media link or Twitter handle or screenshot or blog post URL, etc., with your official e-mailed entry so the judge and I can verify eligibility. Some previous entrants could not be considered because they skipped this step! In short, simply spread the word twice through any means and give us a way to verify you did; a TinyURL for this link/contest for you to easily use is http://tinyurl.com/jymslez

An easy way to notify me of your sharing is to include my Twitter handle @chucksambuchino at the end of your mention(s) if using Twitter. If we’re friends on FB, tag me in the mention. If you are going to just use Twitter as your 2 entries, please wait one day between mentions to spread out the notices, instead of simply tweeting twice back to back. Thanks. (Please note that simply tweeting me does not count. You have to include the contest URL with your mention; that’s the point. And if you use Twitter, put my handle @chucksambuchino at the middle or the end, not at the very beginning of the tweet, or else the tweet will be invisible to others.)

Here is a sample TWEET you can use (feel free to tweak): New FREE contest for writers of Fantasy and Science Fiction http://tinyurl.com/jymslez Judged by agent @mike_hoogland, via @chucksambuchino