128 Calls for Submissions in May 2023 - Paying markets

This May there are more than ten dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

I post upcoming calls for submissions shortly before the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.

Happy submitting!

(Image: Pixabay)

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

JackLeg Press. Genre: Poetry and short story collections, and literary novels and creative nonfiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Opens May 1, 2023. 

Coffee House Press is an independent book publisher and arts nonprofit based in Minneapolis, MN. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Opens May 1, 2023. Closes when cap is reached.

december magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction (essays, memoirs, biography, literary journalism, social or cultural commentary or analysis) and visual art that can be reproduced in our print format. Payment: $10.00 per page with a minimum of $40.00 and a maximum of $200.00. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

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

Crybaby. Genre: Pitch reviews, cultural criticism, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, reported features, profiles, interviews. Theme: Warmth. Payment: Up to $50 per piece. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

This Magazine. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers only at this time, with a special interest in queer and/or trans perspectives. Genre: Short stories, poems, Payment: Up to $125 CAD per piece. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

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

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

Horror Story Magazine. Genre: Horror poetry and short stories that feature monsters. "Good old-fashioned monster stories: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, Frankenstein-style creatures, or newer creatures, including those of your creation. Give us a monster, and tell us a great story." Length: 2,000-10,000 words.  A little more or a tad less is OK. Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: May 1, 2023 or until filled.

Eggplant Emoji is an annual comedy publication. Genre: Eggplant Emoji Volume 3 will be a print and eBook collection of hilarious short stories that are character-driven and culturally striking. Stories selected for this anthology will define pop culture with unforgettable characters, outrageous situations, and riotous humor. Length: 1,000 – 7,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

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

The First Line. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction using the first line provided. (See site.) Payment: $25.00 - $50.00 for fiction, $5.00 - $10.00 for poetry, and $25.00 for nonfiction. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

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

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Short Story-2,500 words or less. $0.01 USD per word/$25 USD and copy of magazine; Flash Fiction-less than a 1,000 words $0.01 USD per word/$10 USD; Poems-less than 200 words $10 upon acceptance and a PDF of the magazine. Deadline: May 1, 2023. May close early if they reach their cap.

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

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

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

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

The Suburban Review. Genre: Prose, art, poetry on theme: Spice. Payment: AUD150-275 for prose; AUD125-275 for poetry. Deadline: May 3, 2023.

Carrion Bloom Books. Genre: Chapbooks: Fiction, poetry, hybrid works, and writing with visual elements, and  translated writing of any genre. "We admire work of all genres which might be described as: feminist, grotesque, ecologically resonant, too much, formally experimental, visually acoustic, radically embodied, transnational, or surreal." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 4, 2023.

Tin House. Restrictions: Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks okay). Genre: Poetry collections + Short Story collections that focus on Food and/or Place. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 7, 2023. Opens May 6, 2023.

Cutleaf. Genre: Fiction. Length: Less than 6,000 words. Payment: $100 to $400. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

Lightspeed. Genre: Fantasy short fiction. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

Uncanny Magazine. Genre: Short speculative fiction. Length: 17,500 to 40,000 words. Payment: $.10 per word. Deadline: May 7, 2023. Opens May 1. Also accepts poetry and nonfiction.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Legendary Creatures. Payment: $50 via PayPal for each story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

Riddlebird. Genre: Literary fiction, personal essays, genre fiction. "For our summer issue, we will specifically be looking for humorous work, lighthearted pieces, or works that explore the humor woven through struggles." Payment: $100. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: Noir stories about the Summer Solstice. "To honor the solstice, we want stories about somebody’s longest, unending day. Send us tales of what someone is going through that is making every minute, every second, tick by in the most agonizing way." Length: Between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 7, 2023. This is a monthly call.

Northern Gravy. Restrictions: Northern Gravy welcomes submissions from UK & Ireland writers of any background, including first-time writers. Genre: Fiction, Poetry and Kid Lit (writing for Middle Grade and Young Adult audiences) Payment: £100 per contributor. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

Island. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Fiction. Payment: 20 cents per word, with a minimum of $350 and a maximum of $750. Deadline: May 8, 2023.

Orion's Beau. Genre: LGBTQ fantasy: fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $3. Deadline: May 10, 2023. See theme.

Tiger Lily. Restrictions: Open to writers 18-21 living in the UK. Genre: Fantasy. Length: Roughly 5000 words. Payment: £50 per piece. Deadline: May 10, 2023.

Horns & Rattles Press: Underwater Creepies. Genre: Horror science fiction and fantasy stories, with an emphasis on below the water. Payment: $20. Deadline: May 11, 2023.

Shoreline of Infinity. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, 6000 words max. Theme: Climate Change. Payment: £20/1000 words. Deadline: May 11, 2023. (Extended) Accepts translations of stories originally published in another language.

Space Cat Press. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories and creative non-fiction inspired by the theme ‘Into the Forest’. "We welcome submissions from a variety of genres. Whatever the theme inspires YOU to write – be it traditional science fiction, memoirs, poetry, (mild) otherworldly horror, fairy tales, or something else entirely – we want to read it." Payment: flat rate fee for each piece - £5 for poetry/flash fiction and £10 for short stories. Deadline: May 12, 2023.

Fusion Fragment. Genre: Science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction stories and novelettes ranging anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000 words. Payment: Both previously unpublished work and reprints pay 3.5 cents (CAD) per word, up to a maximum of $300 (CAD) per story. Deadline: May 13, 2023.(Open for one day only.)

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

Spellbinder. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, art. Payment: £3. Deadline: May 14, 2023.

Georgia Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction. Payment: $50 per printed page for prose and $4 per line for poetry. Essay-reviews and standard reviews earn honoraria of $50/printed page. Deadline: May 14, 2023. Fee to submit online; no fee for postal submissions.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. "Crip Lives: Restoring Subjectivity." "Arc Poetry Magazine invites artists who live with disability/chronic illness/mental illness and other forms of existence that are impacted by ableism to send us poems, prose, essays, and reviews exploring what it means to be in the world, or your topic of choice." Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Unnerving Books. Genre: Crime stories. Payment: $0.01/word USD + a paperback copy. Length: 1,500-8,000 words, preference being 2,500-4,000 words in length. Deadline: May 15, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Barrelhouse. Genre: All genres. Payment: $50. Deadline: Opens May 15, 2023. Closes when cap is reached.

Island. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand citizens and residents only. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $125. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

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

Uncanny Magazine. Genre: SF/F novellas. Length: 17,500 to 40,000 words. Payment: $.10 per word. Deadline: May 15, 2023. Opens May 1. 

Diet Milk Minis. Genre: Prose, poetry. Payment: $10 for poetry, $20 for prose. Deadline: May 15, 2023. See theme.

berlin lit. Genre: Poetry. Payment: 20 euros per poem. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Propertius Press. Restrictions: Open to Black, Minority, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color. Genre: Full-length literary fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Propertius Press.  Genre: Literary fiction, children's fiction, YA. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 15, 2023. May close early if cap is reached.

just femme & dandy. Genre: Fashion for the LGBTQIA+ community. Theme: Resurrect. "For this issue, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the death of one of our most beloved icons, Nina Simone, we ask you to submit creative expressions in any genre, including but not limited to writing, visual art, fashion design, video, audio, and anything you can think of that could be housed on a website that engages with the idea of resurrection and LGBTQIA+ fashion." Payment: 50 USD per text-based submission and 150 USD per multimedia submission (video, photography, image + text, fashion spread + interview, etc.). Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Untethered. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid writing, visual art and those strange things in between. Payment: $20. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

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

A Velvet Giant. Genre: "We are open to work that takes the shape of basically any format: words, recordings, visual art, hybrid forms, etc. We are open to translated original work." Payment: $20. Deadline: May 15, 2023. 

Delicate Friend. Genre: Poetry, prose, visual art, music, videos, game descriptions, fake movie reviews, real movie reviews, and more. "We want the unruly things you type at 1 A.M. The quiet daydreams you’ve scrawled down about your crush. Breathless reflections on your favorite fanfiction or how your body comes alive in nature. In short, we want your art and writing about things that are… delicate." Payment: $10. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Farmer-ish. Genre: Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Payment: $25. Deadline: May 15, 2023. See themes.

The Horror Zine: Book of Monster Stories. Genre: Monster stories. "We are looking for monsters, creatures, beasts, mutants, monstrosities, frightening oddities, malformations, altered insects or animals, mythical creatures, monsters from space or from bodies of water, or something we can't even imagine but you can." Payment: $20. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Newfound. Genre: Reviews, Poetry, and Visual Arts. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

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

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

Intrepidus Ink. Genre: Genre fiction, including flash (no horror, erotica, or children’s fiction). Themes: Intrepid and Overcoming. Payment: 2 cents/word for stories of 300-1,000 words, and $30 for stories of 1,500-2,500 words. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

GreenPrints. Genre: Personal essays about gardening. “Calling all experienced gardening writers—we seek gardening stories that are true and personal, expressive and thoughtful, and humorous and witty. We focus on the human, not the how-to, side of gardening, so your story should be entertaining, moving, unexpected, touching, and funny—a heartfelt story you would tell a friend or family member.” Payment: $100 - $150. Deadline: May 18, 2023.

Pride Magazine. Restrictions: Open to queer writers in “Canada.” Genre: Nonfiction articles and poetry. Payment: $75 per poem, 60 cents per word for articles. Deadline: May 19, 2023.

'The Dead' Fiction Podcast. Genre: Zombies! "We're looking for new and original character driven stories focusing on the survivors of a zombie outbreak. Stories should focus on the human experience, and conflicts following a cataclysmic event, with the ever present threat of an overwhelming zombie population. Pitches should not be tied to any previously established characters, locations, or intellectual property." Payment: $2,000. If selected, writers will be commissioned to write a 90-180 page screenplay, and will be invited to participate in an educational experience, including a writing mentorship and a guided walk through the production process. Deadline: May 19, 2023. Pitches only.

Old Pal. Genre: Poetry, fiction, criticism, excerpts, audio, mixed media, and various mediums of art. Payment: $50. Deadline: May 20, 2023.

Solarpunk Micro Mini. Genre: Solarpunk micro fiction, 250 words max. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 21, 2023.

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

Full House Literary. Genre: Prose, poetry, hybrid, photography and artwork. Payment: Royalties (?) Deadline: May 22, 2023.

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

Weird West. Genre: Short stories. Westerns without a speculative element (scifi/fantasy/horror/weird) will not be considered. Payment: $.06/word for original fiction and $.03/word for reprints. Deadline: May 26, 2023. Accepts reprints.

Prairie Fire. Genre: Fiction, poetry, CNF on theme: What keeps you up at night? Payment: Prose: $0.10 per word; Poetry: $40 per poem. Deadline: May 26, 2023.

Profiles. Genre: Character-driven fiction and non-fiction — both original works and works in translation — under 5,000 words. Art. Payment: €200+ per piece. Deadline: May 26, 2023.

The Other Stories (Audio). Genre: Horror on themes. Payment: 15 GBT. Deadline: May 27, 2023. See themes.

Cry Baby Bridge: A Collection of Utter Speculation. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Across the United States there are Bridges that belong to another time. Some aren’t even attached to roads anymore, but they are well known. People who cross them, especially at night, have stories to share of phantom cries, sometimes like a baby, sometimes like a woman. There are legends attached to explain these cries, tragedies of women seeking to flee from horrible situations. Or maybe it’s something else entirely. Something dark and more mysterious that we cannot completely understand." Payment: $20 and a contributor’s copy. Deadline: May 29, 2023.

Space and Time. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk, magical realism. See theme. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: May 29, 2023.

B Cubed Press: Scott's Planet. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Be part of the first B Cubed Press shared-world anthology. The story begins just after the Scott’s Planet colony is abandoned by the founding corporation. Nearly half of the colonists chose to immigrate to other viable colonies. But the rest of the settlers decided to stay. These remaining colonists continue the struggle to carve out a niche within the planet’s native ecology. While the Earth flora and fauna they’ve brought with them are more sophisticated and complex than those of Scott’s Planet, this hasn’t always served as an advantage. Simple algae and fungus exploit the more complex invaders and prove to be incredibly resistant to removal. What happens to the colonists now?" Payment: Royalties and 3 cents/word. Deadline: May 30, 2023.

Heartlines. Restrictions: 50% of content is from writers identifying as being from Canada/Turtle Island. Genre: Speculative fiction and about relationships. "We're looking for short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. We don't want the blaze of new love or the obsession of a new friend. We want pieces that show that comfort that develops when people know each other for years." Stories - 1,000 - 3,500 words. Payment: $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction (1,000-3,500 words) and $60 CAD flat per poem. Deadline: May 30, 2023. 

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

Kweli Journal. "Kweli is the first online journal of its kind to celebrate community and cultural kinships. In this shared space, you will hear the lived experience of people of color. Our many stories. Our shared histories. Our creative play with language. Here our memories are wrapped inside the music of the Muscogee, the blues songs of the South, the clipped patois of the Caribbean." Genre: Self-contained novel excerpt, short story, or creative non-fiction piece, poetry. Length: No more than 7,000 words. Payment: "Upon publication." Deadline: May 30, 2023.

Touchpoint Press: Christmas Anthology. Genre: Wholesome stories that inspire, instill kindness and hope, and contain a sense of togetherness and community. Deep conflict (and multiple conflicts) is good, but your story must be HEA or HFN. Payment: $100 on publication ($50 for reprints). Deadline: May 31, 2023. Reprints accepted. 

AKI—Mother Earth. Restrictions: Open to Indigenous creators. Genre: Original unpublished fiction up to 5,000 words and art. Payment: 5 cents CDN per word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Right To Life. Genre: Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction. "In our latest anthology, Right to Life, we want to provide a platform for people to use their voice for both justice and education. We want to hear your stories about what it’s like to live in your body; what it’s like to be yourself in a society that often labels you as “other”; what it’s like to have to fight for your right to live in the same safety and comfort that should be granted to all, but is held by few." Focus on the US. Payment: $50 per piece. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Game Over Books is a small Boston-based press run by nerdy artists. Genre: Poetry, chapbooks and full-length mss. Payment: 30% royalties and 25 author copies. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

American Poets Continuum Series. Restrictions: Open to poets who have previously published a full-length book of poetry with a traditional publisher. Genre: Book-length poetry collection. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Bombay Magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry and graphic fiction. Payment: Indian rupees 5,000 (approx. $61). Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Short Fiction: The Visual Literary Journal. Restrictions: Open to submissions from the UK, Europe, the Commonwealth and every other country except for the USA. Genre: Fiction between 500 and 5,000 words. Payment: 2p (£0.02) per word, to the nearest 100 words, with a minimum of £30 and maximum £100. Deadline: May 31, 2023. 

Augur Magazine. Genre: Fantasy. "Give us your most gorgeous fairy tale retellings, your most earnest and subversive fables. Introduce us to your beloved mythical creatures; your trans mages and gay knights; your deeply immersive worlds and dreamworlds and underworlds." Payment: $0.11 cents (CAD) per word for short fiction (1000+ words), and a flat fee of $110.00 per flash fiction piece (1000 words and under). Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Bi+ Lines. Restrictions: Open to Bi+ poets. Genre: Poetry. The theme for the anthology is ‘in- between’. Payment: £75. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Contemporary Verse 2. Genre: Poetry and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews. Payment: $30 - $150. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Shenandoah. Restrictions: Open to writers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and/or from other marginalized identities. Genre: Creative Nonfiction Flash/micros. Payment: $100. Deadline: May 31, 2023.  

Typehouse. Restrictions: No-fee submissions are open for all API creators and all Mental Health identified creators, not limited to those in the US. Genre: Prose, poetry, art. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Long Con Magazine. Genre: Art (poetry, prose poetry, fiction, translations, visual, video, audio, and other – digital, hybrid, etc.), in response to artwork. (No nonfiction) Payment: CAD25 - 50. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Poet Lore. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

The Gettysburg Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays. Payment: $2.50 per line for poetry, with a maximum of $300.00 for an individual poem, and $25.00 per printed page for prose. Deadline: May 31, 2022. Fee to submit online; no fee for postal submissions.

AGNI. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $10 per printed (or printed-out) page for accepted prose, and $20 per page for accepted poetry, up to a maximum of $150. Deadline: May 31, 2023. Fee to submit online. No fee to submit by USPS.

Touchpoint Press: Nightmares of Strangers Anthology Genre: Horror. "We’re looking for stories that send a chill down your spine and send your imagination into overdrive, that keep you up at night and leave you shaking." Payment: $100 on publication ($50 for reprints). Deadline: May 31, 2023. Reprints accepted. 

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $40. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: May 31, 2023. In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, there are no submission fees for all API writers for the month of May, not limited to those living in/born in the US.

Quarter Press: Quarter(ly). Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. See themes. Payment: $5. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Red Cape Publishing: A - Z of Horror: S is for Slasher. Genre: Horror on theme. Payment: £10. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Reader Beware. Genre: Horror. Payment: $0.01/word for fiction, $0.05/line for poetry, $5/page for comics. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Variant Lit. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $10. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 1 cent/word for fiction and $5 - $10 for poetry. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Escape Pod. Genre: Science fiction (Audio and written format). Payment: USD $0.08 per word for original fiction. USD $100 per story for reprint fiction. Deadline: May 31, 2023. Reprints accepted.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $50 - $75 per author (via PayPal) for our web issues. Payment for print is $5 per page, minimum of $20, plus 2 contributor copies and a 1-year subscription. Deadline: May 31, 2023. Note: Submit early to avoid submission fees.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ romance stories, 12,000 words minimum. See theme. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Fanatical. Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy and horror stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words. Payment: £20. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Dragon Soul Press: A Death in the Night. Genre: "All stories featuring assassins are welcome." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry on theme of Creature. Payment: $30. Deadline: May 31, 2023. Opens May 15. Submission periods are extended by a week for BIPOC creators only.

Crannóg. Genres: Poetry, short stories. Payment: €120 per poem and €200 per story, €200 per author interview and €200 per cover image. Deadline: May 31, 2023. Requires purchase for new writers.

One Story. Genre: Short story. Length: 3,000 - 8,000 words. Payment: $500. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Bury Your Gays. Restrictions: This anthology is only open to queer writers. Genre: Horror. "We’re looking for tales that explore queer tragic horror, and any other interpretation of the title theme. Show us what tragic queer love means to you. Horror is a genre with serrated edges—so make your characters bleed." Payment: 7 cents/word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

the other side of hope. Genre: Fiction and poetry by refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants only. They accept non-fiction, reviews, and interview submissions by anyone as long as the subject matter sheds light on the refugee and immigrant life. Payment: £100 per published author in the print issue, and £50 per published author in the online issue. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series. Restrictions: Open to any individual living in the U.S. who identifies as an immigrant and who either (i) was born in another country, (ii) has at least one parent who was born in another country (iii) is a refugee, or (iv) lives in the United States under Asylum or a Protection Program, such as TPS or DACA. Genre: Books of poetry, prose (fiction or nonfiction), and hybrid texts of poetry and prose. Payment: In addition to publication, marketing, and a standard royalties contract from Black Lawrence Press, authors chosen for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series will receive a travel stipend of $500, which can be used for book tours or in any manner chosen by the authors. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Exile Editions: Through the Portal – Stories from a Hopeful Dystopia. Genre: Eco-fiction stories or prose poems––literary, magical, speculative, solarpunk, supernatural, slipstream, reimagined folk/fairy tales. "We want eco-fiction that envisions imaginaries and relationships in a new or changing world. How do we walk through the portal to the other side? How will we address or overcome the legacy of the past: the negative actors and social constructs, environmental devastation, racism, exploitation, pathologies? … We want submissions from everyone, emerging through established, and from all communities––including but not limited to LGBTQ2S+, Black, Indigenous, marginalized, culturally diverse, the deaf and disabled. Stories can be literary or speculative, with the environment playing an essential role in the narrative. We welcome visual content in the form of illustrations accompanying a story or prose poem, or as graphic stories.” Length: Up to 3,500 words. Payment: CAD0.05/word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Exile Editions: Onwaachigewin. Genre: Fictional stories by Indigenous writers in many different genres, including art-based works, about what it means to glimpse the future, how foreknowledge and foretelling can serve as warning, protection, or be a matter of survival. From omens, spirit guides, premonitions, migration stories, and the Seven Fires Prophecy, to predictions encoded in wampum, cowrie shells, beads, birch-bark scrolls, petroforms and petroglyphs. Payment: CAD0.05/word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Farmer-ish. Genre: Nonfiction, CNF, poetry related to farming (including recipes). Print annual edition. Length: 800 - 200 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: May 31, 2023. See topics.

Exile Editions: Aki. Genre: Short fiction and image-based works by Indigenous creators. Payment: CAD0.05/word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Playlist of the Damned. Genre: Horror. "When a hiker finds a cassette tape in an abandoned mine reading DO NOT PLAY, a playlist of unfathomable evil, decadence, and horror is unleashed featuring the 25 songs no human was ever supposed to hear." 500 – 5000 words. Payment: Prose - .5 per word. Poetry - $1 per line, Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Lightspeed. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers only. Genre: Science fiction flash fiction Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Brigid's Gate: Scissor Sisters: Sapphic Villains Anthology. Genre: Horror short stories and flash fiction featuring lesbian villains. "We’d especially love to see stories of feminine rage, erotic horror, genderbent retellings and reclamations of power by queer femmes." Length: 1,500 to 4,000 words. Payment: $0.08 a word for flash fiction and short stories. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Broken Sleep Books. (UK) Genre: Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages). Payment: Royalties. Deadline:  May 31, 2023.

University Press of Kentucky. Genre: Books of poetry or fiction (novels, short story collections, etc.). Payment: Royalties. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Stanchion. Genre: Writing (prose, poetry, etc) & visual art on theme: Away from home. Payment: "Nominal." Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Thyme Travelers, an Anthology of Speculative Fiction by Palestinian Writers. Restrictions: Open to Palestinian writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €30 per magazine page; Poetry: €50 per poem; Featured Poet: €250. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

And a few more...

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

Massachusetts Review. Genre: Personal essays, stories, interviews, and poems about womanhood as it relates to modern times. Payment: $200. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

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

Third Flatiron. Genre: SF, fantasy, space opera, hopepunk. Theme: Rhapsody of the Spheres. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Dead Letters. Genre: Short horror stories in the epistolary format—meaning, stories written as letters, journal entries, transcripts of radio broadcasts, newspaper clippings, text messages, etc. Furthermore, each story should include some mention of how its manuscript was “discovered.” A letter found in a historian’s archive, for example. Or emails saved as part of a missing persons investigation. Or an audio file recovered from a dead podcaster’s PC. Length: 2,500 – 7,000 words. Payment: $0.01 per word. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Gemma Files. Genre: Horror short stories based on the themes set out in Gemma Files’ classic work, Experimental Film. Payment: $50 per piece. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

The New Lesbian Pulp. Genre: Short stories, scripts. Length: 3,000 - 10,000 words. "The landscape of relationships, queer embodiment, and womanhood has shifted past our cultural focus. We the editors want stories that pull the lens back to where we are now: what is the reality of the contemporary dyke?" Payment: $300 to $1,000 per contributor. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

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: June 1, 2023.

Old Moon. Genre: Weird fiction and sword-and-sorcery. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

sin cesar: Climate. Restrictions: They prioritize work by Black and Brown artists. “We do not accept work that sustains the traditional white literary Western canon that has continuously ignored and poised itself as an authority over the voices of the oppressed. We do not give a voice to stories from the perspectives of cisgender, heterosexual, white, upper-class males that continue this tradition. We also do not give a voice to feminist works that only consider white female perspectives.” Genre: Fiction (including flash fiction), nonfiction (memoir essays, critical essays, book reviews, & interviews), and poetry on the Climate theme. “We look for subversive and bold voices; thought-provoking pieces that seek to illuminate a truth for the reader.” Payment: $25-75 for poetry, $100 for prose. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

70 Writing Contests in May 2023 - No entry fees

This May there are more than five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $60,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

(Image: Pixabay)

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Parsec Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to non-professional writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. The theme for the contest is: Preserve or Purge. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue…the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. Prize: $200 and publication. Best youth story (age 19 and under) receives $50. Deadline: May 1, 2023. 

Malahat Review: Far Horizons Award for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to writers who have yet to publish a book. Genre: Short Fiction. Prize:  CAD $1,250.  Deadline: May 1, 2023. 

The Questions Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to young Australian writers (18 to 30 years). Genre: Fiction and nonfiction on any topic as long as the piece remains between 1,500 and 2,000 words. Prize: $3,000 AUD top prize. Deadline: May 1, 2023. 

Queer Scifi Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Fantasy, paranormal or horror LGBTIQA stories of no more than 300 words on the theme of Rise. Prize: The top three winners will receive cash prizes of $75, $50, and $25 respectively. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Writing Competition. Genre: Original, fictional short story.  "The theme of the competition is ‘The Wonder of Words’ and you are invited to write an original, fictional short story.  Your short story can be inspired by our theme in any way." Prize: "The winning stories (the winner and two runners up) will be recorded as an audiobook by multi-award winning and best-selling Austen narrator, Alison Larkin, published WORLDWIDE and promoted for all to hear!" Deadline: May 1, 2023.  

Sunlight Press. Genre: Flash fiction. Prize: $750. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

CINTAS Creative Writing Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to any Cuban author (including those of direct Cuban lineage; need not reside in Cuba). Genre: Novel excerpts, short stories, plays, or poems of up to 25 pages. Prize: $20,000 fellowship. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Rabbi Sacks Book Prize. Genre: Published nonfiction book that contributes significantly to the arena of modern Jewish thought. Prize: $50,000. Deadline: May 1, 2023. 

The Waterston Desert Writing Prize. Genre: Literary nonfiction, desert theme. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Questions Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors aged 18-30. Genre: Short stories of any genre or nonfiction between 1500 and 2000 words. Prize: First place winners (or prize pool for a tie) is $2000. The work will also be published in a book. Deadline: May 1, 2023. 

West Virginia Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open to West Virginia residents or students. Genre: Short fiction, 5,000 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

LIGHT Contest. Genre: Letters, short stories, art, poetry. "How might we reflect and reimagine wellness in public health through art, letters, stories, and poetry?" Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: May 1, 2023.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction. Genre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between March 1, 2023 and May 2, 2023. Deadline: May 3, 2023.

Grouse Grind Lit Prize for V: Short Forms. Restrictions: No fee for black and Indigenous writers. Genre: Flash fiction and nonfiction, hybrid forms and experimental work welcome. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: May 2, 2023.

Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian LGBTQ+ writers. Genre: Debut book for books published between March 1, 2023 and May 2, 2023. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: May 3, 2023.

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Genre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between March 1, 2023 and May 2, 2023. Prizes of $5,000 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: May 3, 2023.

RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award. "The RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award is an annual award that aims to encourage new writing and to provide a space where unpublished Canadian writers can submit short stories, creative nonfiction, journalism, and poetry. The shortlisted submissions are judged by a distinguished jury of Canadian writers." Prize: The winning entry will receive a $3,000 CAD cash prize and mentorship from a distinguished Canadian author. Deadline: May 5, 2023.

On The Premises Mini-Contest. "For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long in which the word “unicorn” (singular, not plural) is used exactly ONCE." Prize: First place pays $35, second pays $25, and third pays $15, all in US dollars. Honorable mentions get published, but make no money. Deadline: May 5, 2023.

Love the Words 2023: Dream. ‘Love the Words’ is an annual celebration of the magic and power of words, and is part of International Dylan Thomas Day. Genre: Poems on theme: Dream. Prize: Publication. Deadline: May 6, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: May 7, 2023. Opens on May 5.

Lab42 Essay Competition. Genre: Essay. "The objective of this Essay Challenge is to come up with ideas on how to solve the Abstraction and Reasoning Coprus (ARC) Challenge. The ARC Challenge is like an IQ test for machines. The goal of the challenge is to develop a program that can solve 100 secret ARC tasks, which are not accessible to the public." Prize: $2,000 top prize. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $500 in any single year. Genre: Animal Nonfiction. “Stories should be factual and true accounts of an encounter or encounters by the author with a wild animal or animals. These include, but are not limited to, birds, fish, butterflies, snails, lions, bears, turtles, wombats, etc., as long as it is not a pet.” Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Finalists will receive $50. Deadline: May 7, 2023.

The Future Bookshelf: Mo Siewcharran Prize. Restrictions: The contest is open to BAME writers in the UK. Genre: Picture book. Prize: £2,500, £1,500 and possible publication. Deadline: May 8, 2023.

Create 4 Freedom. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers in the contiguous United States (48 states plus Washington, DC). Genre: Essays and poetry. This year’s contest focuses on Reflections on Freedom. Prize: $750. Deadline: May 8, 2023.

Queer Writers of America Contest. Restrictions: Open to writers between the ages of 13 and 18. Genre: Short story, poetry, essay. Writing must contain queer themes and characters/content. Length: 5000 words max. Prize: $100 top prize. Deadline: May 10, 2023.

Cave Canem Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to Black writers of African descent who have not had a full-length book of poetry published by a professional press. Authors of chapbooks and self-published books with a maximum print run of 500 may apply. Genre: Unpublished, original collections of poems written in English. Prize: $1,000, publication by University of Pittsburgh Press in fall 2023, 15 copies of the book, and a feature reading. Deadline: May 10, 2023.

Limp Wrist: Glitter Bomb Award. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ/non-binary poets and their allies. Genre: Poem by a poet of any stage of her/his/their career. Prize: $600 and publication in Limp Wrist. Deadline: May 11, 2023.

Creative Future Writers’ Award. Restrictions: Open to underrepresented writers in the UK only, who are over 18 years old. Genre: Poetry, fiction. This year’s theme is ‘How It Started.’  Prize: Publication, unspecified monetary award (?)  Deadline: May 14, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Speculative flash fiction inspired by the monthly photograph prompt. (See site for photo.) Length: 1000 words max. Prize: $30. Deadline: May 14, 2023.

Bacopa Literary Review. Genres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry. "This is a call for writing on the topic of censorship in all six of our current submissions categories." Prizes: First ($200) and Runner-Up ($160) prizes in each genre. All published will receive $20 and a copy of the print journal. After publication, Bacopa will be promoted online. Deadline: May 14, 2023.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and French-Language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

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

Pulitzer Center's "Fighting Words—Poetry in Response to Current Events" Contest. Restrictions: Current K-12 students anywhere in the world may enter. Students may write in any language, and are welcome to submit multilingual poems. Judges will have reading fluency in English and Spanish. Genre: Poetry. Theme: How can poetry be an effective response to current events and underreported stories? How can journalism and poetry help us make connections between global issues and our local and personal contexts? Prize: $300 top prize. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction. Sponsored by the American Bar Association. Restrictions: Entrants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Genre: Original works of short fiction that illuminate the role of the law and/or lawyers in modern society. 5000 words max. Prize: $3,000 and publication in ABA Journal. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

The James Laughlin Award is sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Genre: A second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Must be under contract with US publisher. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Prize: $5,000, an all-expenses-paid week long residency in Florida, and the Academy will purchase approximately 1,000 copies of the book for distribution to its members. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Leeway Foundation: Transformation Award. Restrictions: Women and transgender poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for five or more years. Writers who have lived for at least two years in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties, who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Award: $15,000. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Singapore Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry. "We are looking for poems that use the word “snail” in imaginative ways." Prize: USD300, 200, and 100 will go to the top three winners. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

Northern Territory Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to all writers from across the Northern Territory, Australia. Several awards for adults. Youth Award is for ages 12 - 18. Genre: Theatre, Creative Non-Fiction, Essay, Short Story, Flash Fiction, Poetry. Prizes: $500 - $1000, depending on category. Deadline: May 15, 2023.

FIYAH Literary Magazine Grant Series. Restrictions: Open to Black writers and editors. Genre: Speculative fiction. Grant: $1000. Deadline: May 15, 2023. (?)

Write the World Competition. Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-19.5. Genre: Nonfiction essay about food. Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50. Deadline: May 16, 2023.  (Note: This is a monthly contest)

Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant. Genre: Articles, books, and short-form writing about contemporary art—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies. The program also supports art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. Grant: $15,000 to $50,000. Deadline: May 17, 2023.

Roscommon New Writing Award. Restrictions: All entrants must have a connection with the county of Roscommon (born in, living in, currently working in, went to school in, etc). Genre: Short story. Prize: €600.00. Deadline: May 19, 2023.

Whole Life Soaps Haiku Contest. Genre: Haiku. Prize: $100 and publication of your haiku on packages of Whole Life Soaps, a natural soap brand based in California. 2023 theme is Aging and the Cycle of Life. Deadline: May 20, 2023.

A Voice for Animals Teen Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to students between the ages of 14-18. Genre: Essays on an animal rights topic.  In the 16-18 year olds category, essays must be 800-1,000 words long and be accompanied by a photograph; in the 14-15 year olds category, essays should be between 1,400-1,500 words. One climate change prize (both age categories compete) will be awarded for an essay on how climate change affects a particular animal species. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 21, 2023.

Changing Light Prize for a Novel-in-Verse. Genre: Novel-in-Verse. Prize: $500 and publication for a novel-in-verse, 90-160 pages. Deadline: May 25, 2023.

RTÉ Radio Short Story Competition. Restrictions: Open to Irish writers and residents of Ireland. Genre: Short story. Prize: Up to 5,000 euros. Deadline: May 26, 2023.

Quay Words Young Writers’ Flash Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open writers aged 10 to 18-years. Genre: Flash fiction on theme ‘Trading Places.' Prize: £200 top prize. Deadline: May 28, 2023.

David Harold Tribe Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to anyone normally resident in Australia for at least three years prior to entry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: May 29, 2023.

Buckmxn Journal Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to Oregon and SW Washington residents only. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300. Deadline: May 29, 2023.

Irene Adler Prize for Women Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian women. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Prize: $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada. Deadline: May 30, 2023.

bpNichol Poetry Chapbook Award. Restrictions: Canadian publishers only. Genre: Published poetry chapbook. Prize: The author receives $4,000 and the publisher receives $500. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Furphy Literary Award. Genre: Short stories up to 5000 words, Theme: Australian Life in all its diversity. Prize: First prize of $15,000 in the open category (2nd prize - $ 3,000,  3rd prize - $2,000.  A junior & youth category with a prize pool of $1800 will seek entries for short stories and poetry. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Shallow Waters. Genre: Flash fiction on theme: Red. Max 1,500 words. Prize: $0.03 per word and publication. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

James Bartleman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing Awards. Restrictions: Open to aboriginal youth, 18 years or younger, residing in Ontario, Canada. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Vancouver Writers Fest's Youth Writing Contest.Restrictions: Open to students in British Columbia. Genre: Short stories and personal essays: 1,000 word limit (for elementary school student submissions) and 1,500 (for high-school student submissions). Prize: $100 top prize. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. Genre: Unpublished fiction approximately 1,000 - 5,000 words. Story should pertain to music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Prize: $100 and publication in Jerry Jazz Musician. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Rattle's Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poetry based on art. (See website) Prize: $100. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowships offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers. Genre: Fiction. Grant: $5,000. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

The Wolfe Pack Black Orchid Award. Genre: Mystery novellas in the style of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novellas. Manuscript length: 15K-20K words. Prize: $1,000, plus recognition and publication in a forthcoming issue of AAMM. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Speculative Literature Foundation Older Writers Grant. Restrictions: Open to writers who are fifty years of age or older at the time of grant application. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest. Genre: Essay on theme: How to focus in an era of distractions. 1,500 - 2,500 words. "We are constantly bombarded with breaking news, online notifications, unscheduled visits, calls, and so on. What are your distractions? How do you cope with them? How do you remain focused on what really matters?" Prize: 1st Place - $1,000, 2nd Place - $500, 3rd Place - $300, Two Honorable Mentions - $150 each. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. See themes. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

CNO Naval History Essay Contest. Genre: Scholarly essay on naval history.  Prize: First Prize: $5,000. Second Prize:$2,500. Third Prize: $1,500. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Genesis Jewish Book Week Emerging Writers' Programme. Restrictions: Open to emerging writers over 18 years of age, of any background living in the UK. Genre: Fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Prize: Up to £1,500 and mentorship. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Jenny Brown Associates Over 50 Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished and unrepresented UK writers aged 50 and above. Genre: Debut novel. Prize: £1,000, plus a week’s placement at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre for the winner including reasonable travel expenses. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

The Eighth Annual H. Gene Murtha Senryu Contest. Genre: Haiku. Prize: 1st Place: $50.00, 2nd Place: $25.00, 3rd Place: $25.00 Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents in the Atlantic Provinces. Genre: Flash fiction inspired by a Kit Sora photo, 250 words max. Prize: 10 cents/word. Deadline: May 31, 2023.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: May 31, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

37 Marvelous Writing Workshops and Conferences in May 2023

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

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early. Popular conferences also tend to close early. But if you miss one that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)

(Image: Skagway, Alaska - Wikimedia)

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Getting Strategic About Social Media For Illustrators: A Two-Night Mini. May 1 - 3, 2023: Honesdale, PA. How do you build a social media following? Where should you focus your time to best connect with publishers and fellow artists? And is there a way to monetize your social activity? Join web comic team Lisa Burdige and John Hazard to learn how illustrators can get the most out of their posts without cannibalizing time to do their art! Will be held online.

Rhyming Picture Books: A Two-Night Mini. May 2 - 4, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Take a look at stories that sing with rhythm and rhyme, and learn how to accomplish the structure and skills needed in your own work with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Anne Marie Pace. Will be held online.

Nonfiction Writers Conference. May 3 - 5, 2023. ONLINE EVENT. Online conference devoted to writing, publishing and promoting non-fiction books. Participation is live via phone or Skype, and recordings can be downloaded. Features 15 speakers over three days. Private Facebook group for attendees!

IBPA Publishing University. May 4 - 6, 2023: San Diego, CA. The Independent Book Publishers Association offers 30+ educational sessions including experiential learning labs, insightful keynotes, a gala book award ceremony, networking events, and more! Cost: $495. 

Asian And Asian American Voices: An In-Community Retreat. May 4 - 7, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This in-community retreat is for writers and illustrators from the Asian and Asian American Communities, with special hosts Grace Lin and Debbi Michiko Florence and their guests. It is an informally structured retreat, where the focus is on your own projects. We’ll also celebrate this diverse and talented community.

Lakefly Writers Conference. May 5 - 6, 2023: Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Workshops, talks, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. Previous presenters: Beth Amos, Malinda Andrews, Valerie Biel, Rebekah Bryan, R. R. Campbell and more. 

Atlanta Writers Conference. May 5 - 6, 2023: Atlanta, GA. The conference features publishing panels, pitch sessions, manuscript and query letter critiques, and a workshop on author branding for fiction writers, nonfiction writers, and graphic novelists. The goals of this conference are to give you access to eighteen top publishing acquisitions editors and literary agents (our most ever!) actively seeking new clients, 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. 

The Massachusetts Poetry Festival. May 5 - 7, 2023, Salem, Massachusetts. The Mass Poetry Festival offers nearly 100 poetry readings and workshops, a small press and literary fair, panels, poetry slams, and open-air readings. More than 150 poets will engage with thousands of New Englanders. 

Picture Book Plotting A – Z. May 5 - June 8, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Are you ready to do a deep, deep dive into picture book structure? This online course with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen features pre-recorded and/or written assignments for each letter of the “Picture Book Alphabet,” plus weekly LIVE Zoom sessions for all of your course related questions. Will be held online.

Rock Your Research & Proposals! A Two-Night Mini. May 8 - 10, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Join authors Stephanie Gibeault, Jolene Gutiérrez, and Anita Yasuda as they share the tools and strategies writers need to dig into research with confidence. Will be held online.

Writing Around the Wound of Estrangement. May 10, 2023, 6:00-7:30PM EST. "This 90-minute generative workshop will look at how we talk about estrangement and, more critically, what is left unsaid. We’ll examine the landscape of estrangement: Why do relationships fracture? Who is primarily affected? Whose voices are elevated in discussions of estrangement, and whose are silenced? We’ll use Jane Alison’s “Meander, Spiral, Explore” to consider the narrative shapes best suited to estrangement stories. What structures explain what often feels untranslatable? How do we give meaning to this wound when it requires we write about painful material, regrettable behaviors, or family secrets? We will read excerpts from Cheryl Strayed and MB Caschetta to unpack the narrative choices writers make, and what we believe this wound reveals or conceals about us. Generative writing prompts will allow writers to examine this topic in a supportive group environment. Writers will be encouraged (but not required) to share."

Annual Nonfiction Writers Conference. May 10 - 12, 2023: Conducted online. The Nonfiction Writers Conference (NFWC) is a multi-day event featuring live presentations by top speakers and industry experts, Q&A with speakers, and plenty of downloadable materials. You can attend the live webcast by computer, mobile device or phone.

Annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature. May 10 - 13, 2023 at various locations in New York City and Los Angeles. "Join more than 125 writers and artists representing over 50 nationalities in New York City for the 2019 PEN World Voices Festival: Open Secrets. In 60+ events in venues across New York City, the 15th anniversary of New York’s first international literary festival will gather nonfiction and fiction writers, thinkers, and activists to discuss what we reveal and what we withhold, and the opportunities and dangers inherent in the rapid reconfiguring of the public and the private in the literary, cultural, social, and political realms." 

Washington Writers Conference. May 12 - 13, 2023: Bethesda, MD. "Expert sessions with authors and publishing pros on the many paths to publishing — from writing killer query letters and landing an agent to going your own way and utilizing a self/hybrid model — and publicizing your book once it exists!" 

Florida Writing Workshop. May 12 - 13, 2023. Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Florida” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually."

Big Sur on Cape Cod. May 12 - 14, 2023, North Falmouth, MA. Focus on children's writing. Faculty: Andrea Brown and four of her agents, four editors and four authors. 

Nebula Conference. May 12 - 24, 2023: Los Angeles, CA. SFWA members and other individuals who are interested in the field of science fiction and fantasy are welcome to attend SFWA’s Nebula Conference. Attendees may participate in workshops, programming and special events throughout the weekend. You do not need to be a member of SFWA to attend. Will be held online and in person.

The 2023 Writing Conference of Los Angeles. May 13, 2023: Los Angeles, CA. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference. May 13 - 16, 2023: Homer, Alaska. The 2023 keynote speaker will be Robin Wall Kimmerer, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. The amazing writers Francisco Cantú, Reyna Grande, Sara Eliza Johnson, J. Drew Lanham, Jason Mott, and Paisley Rekdal will be teaching at the conference. Editor Daniel Slager from Milkweed Editions and agent Jin Auh at the Wylie Agency will join the faculty to represent the publishing industry.

Longleaf Writers Conference. May 13 - 20, 2023: Seaside, Florida. "Formerly the Seaside Writers Conference, Longleaf Writers Conference is an annual gathering of creative writers from all over the nation, featuring award-winning writers in poetry and fiction and screenwriting who will offer a full week of intensive writing workshops, one day seminars, school outreach programs, and social events. This event occurs every year in May, and offers the opportunity for beginning, intermediate and advanced writers to celebrate writing, to network with other writers, and to hone their craft. There will also be seminars hosted by professional editors and literary agents who will offer one-on-one consultations. All participants who pay the full conference tuition fee will be able to take part in all daily activities, while those paying a la carte pricing will have the pick of which classes and workshops they would like to attend. The Longleaf Writers Conference is one of the only conferences in the nation to take place on one of the most beautiful beaches in the US, and every year will feature notable guest writers, literary agents, and professional editors."

Turn Up The Volume On Quiet Picture Books: A Two-Night Mini. May 16 - 18, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Sometimes feedback whispers, “this book is too quiet,” but what does that really mean? And, is there a place in the market for a “quiet” book? Join award-winning author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow to learn ways to embrace your “quiet” book, turning up the volume for your audiences. Will be held online.

Grub Street Muse and the Marketplace Conference. May 18 -  21, 2023: Boston, Massachusetts. The Muse and the Marketplace is a three-day literary conference designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, to prepare them for the changing world of publishing and promotion, and to create opportunities for meaningful networking. On all three days, prominent and nationally-recognized established and emerging authors lead sessions on the craft of writing—the "muse" side of things—while editors, literary agents, publicists and other industry professionals lead sessions on the business side—the "marketplace." Will be held virtually.

Hedgebrook: Virtual Radical Craft Retreat. May 18 - 22, 2023:Virtual. "Our Virtual Radical Craft Retreat series brings Hedgebrook’s retreat experience into your home.  We invite you to transform your space into a writer’s sanctuary for a week.  Join us in virtual residence and study with a celebrated teacher. Creative writing workshops in a diversity of formats and genres are offered to women writers at all levels of experience. Participation in each class is limited to 10 writers to ensure individual attention and create an intimate, supportive writing community. You will enjoy 2 hour daily virtual workshops led by Mira, and a 1:1 session setup for you and Mira to dive deeply into an aspect of your project.  You will receive daily emails with creative writing prompt videos, as well as videos and photos from the current season at the Hedgebrook retreat on Whidbey Island. Each writer will also receive a lovingly curated box of goodies, just for writers, mailed right to your doorstep. Opportunities to meet virtually with other participants outside of the daily workshop sessions are offered 24/7. A private Slack channel is setup for all participants to share work, inspiration, and chat outside of the workshop sessions as well. A virtual orientation on May 17 sets the stage for your week in retreat, and offers an opportunity to meet the writers who will be in retreat with you!" Closed

Idaho Writers League Annual Conference. May 19 - 20, 2023: Sandpoint, Idaho. Workshops focusing on writing, publishing, marketing and IWL awards. Faculty has included Mary Buckham, keynoter; active settings for all fiction; pacing; one-on-ones; Jack Nisbet, memoirs, non-fiction; Janet Oakley, researching/writing historical fiction; Tom Reppert, character development, time-travel; Jim Payne, Jennifer Lamont Le. 

Pennwriters Conference. May 19 - 21, 2023: Pittsburgh, PA. The Annual Pennwriters Conference features three days of workshops, panels, networking and learning to help you learn, grow, soar! Friday, Saturday and Sunday feature an open attendance slate of one-hour workshops on all things writing. The schedule is structured with open attendance, so you can take whichever classes appeal to you. Attendees will have 40+ hours of sessions to choose from. Our faculty is comprised of published authors, literary agents and editors, and other writing industry professionals. Pitch appointments are available at no additional fee.

Biographers International Organization Conference. May 19 - 21, 2023: NY, NY. The conference features panels on current issues in biography and the craft of biography, including discussion of the topics of interviewing, writing about writers, and obituary writing. The conference also offers a unique opportunity to hear some of biography’s best—and best-known—writers share their stories. During the James Atlas Plenary, prominent biographers such as Douglas Brinkley, Annette Gordon-Reed, David Remnick, Stacy Schiff , T. J. Stiles, and Evan Thomas begin the day in casual conversation. The afternoon features a keynote lecture by the recipient of the BIO Award. Past recipients include Robert Caro, Ron Chernow, Arnold Rampersad, Jean Strouse, and Claire Tomalin. Panel sessions throughout the day provide tips for novice biographers, examination of the craft of biography, and exploration of issues aimed at seasoned biographers. And a highlight of the conference is the presentation of the Plutarch Award for the year’s best biography.

Writeaway in New Mexico. May 20 - 27, 2023: Casa Bellisima, New Mexico. $2,750 for private room; $2,350 each for friends or couple sharing a room Includes writing consultations and daily writing workshops, all meals, wine and cocktails, plus a cooking class and excursion. 

Crafting Novels In Verse: Workshop And Retreat. May 21 - 24, 2023: Honesdale, PA. From start to finish, the skills needed to craft a verse novel are unique– part poetry, part narrative, all heart. Join verse novelists Rajani LaRocca and Chris Baron, with special guest Cordelia Jensen, to explore this emotionally packed form of storytelling. We also include ample private retreat time so that you can write, wander, and connect with fellow poets.

Boldface Conference for Emerging Writers. May 22 - 26, 2023: Houston, Texas. Daily workshops, readings, craft talks, social events and professionalism panels in an intimate and supportive environment designed specifically with the needs of emerging writers in mind.

Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort. June 2023. "Are you a nonfiction writer working on a memoir? For one month this winter/spring just 6-8 writers will gather via ZOOM -- at each workshop two writers will workshop 10 to 20 pages of a work of creative nonfiction/memoir. The sessions include discussions on the business of being a writer i.e. publishing, legal issues, agents and self promotion." Will be held online. Deadline May 24.

North Words Writers Symposium. May 24 - 27, 2023: Skagway, Alaska. "Exploring the Frontiers of Language," the North Words Writers Symposium welcomes all to an intimate setting with just 40 participants engaging with authors in a spectacular Alaska setting. Join this year's faculty of Alaska-NW authors for four days of panel discussions, writing workshops, readings, and adventure in Skagway, Alaska. Symposium events include activities such as hiking and writing workshops, a barbecue with live music at Alderworks Writers & Artists Retreat in Dyea; and a keynote banquet in a show garden.

The Writer’s Hotel Maine “Mini MFA”. May 24 - 30, 2023: Boothbay Harbor, Maine. "The Writer’s Hotel Maine “Mini MFA” is a unique, hybrid, comprehensive writing program. Our programming includes our TWH two-editor pre-conference Team Reading and our conference, to be held IN-PERSON at the Spruce Point Inn Resort and Spa in Boothbay Harbor, Maine! TWH Directors and Editors Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven will read and consult on each writer’s full length manuscript pre-conference in our “TWH Team Reading”. Each writer receives two sets of comments in their Team Reading—two editors read each manuscript. We also offer a follow-up phone call to discuss the comments and strategize next steps. No other writers conference delivers a full, comprehensive pre-conference manuscript reading and a conference call. We developed our program around the Team Readings—so that writers have their full manuscripts read all the way through, right from acceptance." Closed

Writing Heights Writers Conference. May 25-27, 2023: Fort Collins, CO. Workshops, seminars, speakers, entertainment, agent roundtables, pitch sessions, networking with authors and industry professionals. Will be held online and in person.

Balticon 57. May 26 - 29, 2023: Baltimore, MD. Balticon is sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS). BSFS presents the Compton Crook Award, the Robert A. Heinlein Award, and the winner of the annual Jack L. Chalker Young Writer's Contest annually at this event. Multiple tracks of Programming over the four day weekend, featuring authors, artists, scientists, musicians, podcasters, publishers, editors, costumers and other creative SF luminaries. 

Peripatetic Writing Workshop and Retreat. May 29 - June 8, 2023: Kent, UK. The first week of the conference features daily workshops, discussions, readings, and time to write. The second week of the conference features writing time, discussions, readings, and individual manuscript tutorials. The workshop will be led by NYU teachers and authors Maureen Brady and Martha Hughes. 

ThrillerFest XIV. May 30 – June 3, 2023: New York City. This is the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers. The ThrillerFest conference has four main components: Master CraftFest, CraftFest, PitchFest, and ThrillerFest. Master CraftFest was designed as an educational tool for aspiring writers as well as debut and midlist authors to gain advanced training from the masters of the craft in an intimate, day-long training session. CraftFest was designed for all writers to learn from bestselling authors and subject experts who kindly offer their advice and assistance to advance attendees’ writing techniques and further their careers. PitchFest was designed to match writers with agents, editors, publishers, and producers. ThrillerFest, the final two days of the conference, is intended to offer readers a chance to meet the best authors in the industry and be introduced to debut and midlist authors. Expect innovative panels, spotlight interviews, and workshops to educate and inspire. 

The Crash Course In Children’s Book Publishing:Illustrator’s Edition. May 31 - July 26, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Join lead faculty Pat Cummings and Harold Underdown for this special Illustrator’s Edition of our Crash Course in Children’s Publishing. At the end of the course, you will understand how the children’s book publishing industry works for illustrators and author/illustrators, including ways to build your portfolio and engage with art-directors. Will be held online.

18 Publishers Accepting Novels, Poetry and Nonfiction Manuscripts - No agent required

Updated 3/2/26

These eighteen publishers have opened their doors to submissions - no agent required. They are looking for romance, thrillers, speculative fiction, kidlit, memoir, and more. All of these are traditional publishers (not vanity publishers). All pay royalties, but only the larger houses pay significant advances.

When submitting to a publisher make sure you follow their guidelines carefully. Don't give anyone an excuse to throw out your work!

For a list of hundreds of publishers organized by genre that don't require an agent see Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts. 

(Image: Look and Learn)

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June Road Press. Genre: Poetry collection, full-length, 40 to 60 poems, preferably the author’s first or second book. "We’re particularly interested in work with strong ecological/environmental themes, or that engages in meaningful ways with nature or place, by writers who identify as women." Payment: Royalties. Has reading periods.

Zero Street Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ+ writers. Genre: Full-length literary fiction. "Zero Street will be committed to LGBTQ+ literary fiction with commercial potential, providing marginalized authors opportunities for a wide readership in the trade fiction market. The series editors are Timothy Schaffert, bestselling author of The Perfume Thief, and SJ Sindu, author of Blue-Skinned Gods. The series seeks LGBTQ+ literary fiction of all kinds, from stories of modern life to innovations on traditions of genre and are particularly interested in BIPOC authors, trans authors, and queer authors over 50." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Submissions to the series are accepted annually January 1 – April 30.

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. Please read full guidelines here. 

Black Lyon Publishing, LLC is a small, independent publishing house operating in Oregon. Established in January of 2007, it is a royalty-paying, Romance Writers of America-recognized publisher. Response time: 3 months. Read guidelines HERE.

Farrago Books is an imprint of Duckworth Press (UK). Farrago’s tagline is “fiction to make you smile”. All of the work they publish, from mysteries to science fiction, have humor at the core. They do not publish memoir. Please read full guidelines here. 

Pan Macmillan Australia accepts electronic manuscript submissions of fiction and commercial nonfiction, including memoir, directly from writers. Authors need not be Australian. Read their submission guidelines here. Has submission periods.

Tundra Books, Puffin Canada, and Penguin Teen Canada publish books for teens and children. They are open to direct submissions by underrepresented authors and illustrators only. Authors need not be Canadian. Read their submission guidelines here.

Hydra Publications publishes genre fiction. All speculative fiction genres are desired and include thriller, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, steampunk, dystopian, and all reasonable sub-genres thereof. Hydra is actively seeking LitRPG of any type! If you have a LitRPG submission, please include your sub-genre in the subject line of your email to get access to immediate consideration. Subtypes include VR, no logout, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, dungeon core, harem, crunchy, light, moba, portal fantasy, town builder, and LitFPS, among others. See guidelines HERE. Has submission periods.

Crooked Lane publishes mysteries, thrillers, and suspense. titles in both print and electronic editions. Crooked Lane Books is distributed through Penguin Random House. They are represented by Biagi Literary Management for subsidiary rights licensing in foreign and domestic markets, and their business relationships include Bookspan, home of the country’s largest book clubs, and Dreamscape Media, one of the nation’s largest independent audiobook publishers. Read submission guidelines here.

Android Press is a small press that publishes science fiction, fantasy, and the various -punk subgenres. "We love stories that are full of hope and optimism. We also love stories that hold up a mirror to our society and force us reexamine our past and our values in order to move forward and build a better future." Accepts novels, graphic novels, and novellas. Read submission guidelines here.

Starry Eyed Press: 224-Verse and Galactic Treks is seeking space opera, 2,000 words to novel length. Payment: Royalty split. Read guidelines here.

Lyrical Press, an imprint of Kensington, publishes suspense fiction, thrillers, and cozy mysteries. They have a penchant for romance. Submit to one editor only. (The list of editors includes the genres they are receiving.) Response time is three months. Read submission guidelines here.

Publishers With Regional Restrictions

Penguin Random House SEA was launched in October 2018 to bring local writing from the South East Asian region to a wider audience, breaking barriers of language and geographies. "As one of the world’s premier English-language publishers, we publish across a whole range of genres and are home to some of today’s most revered names in fiction and non-fiction, poetry and prose. We are publishing and discovering new and established, local and international voices in English for adults and children primarily for Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. We have a strong fiction and non-fiction list across every genre including biography, travel, business, politics, history, religion and philosophy, lifestyle and self-help." Submit HERE.

Text Publishing Australia accepts non-fiction and fiction manuscripts, including middle grade and young adult, from Australian or New Zealand residents.

Hachette Australia accepts work from Australian or New Zealand residents. They do not accept science fiction/fantasy, illustrated children’s books, illustrated books, cookbooks, poetry, self-help, screenplays or academic submissions.

Allen & Unwin accepts pitches for fiction and nonfiction manuscripts on Fridays. Please only apply to the Friday Pitch if you are currently living in Australia or New Zealand.

Lucent Dreaming is open to any genre, but has a preference for accessible literary, fantasy, sci-fi, speculative and/or surreal fiction. Word Limit: 40,000-80,000+ words, Pay Rate: Advance fee of £500, 20% royalties. You must be a UK resident for your work to be considered. They are especially looking for novel submissions from writers who are under-represented in UK publishing.

Thistledown Press (CANADA). Restrictions: Open to Canadian authors, with a preference for Western Canadian voices. Genre: Full-length literary work, including novels, short story collections, creative non-fiction, and collections of poetry. They will consider YA novels and—occasionally—books for younger children. Payment: Royalties.

20 Literary Magazines Open NOW for Poetry, Short Fiction, Essays, CNF, Speculative Fiction and more - Paying markets

Updated 11/30/23

Here are 21 publications open for submissions now (no deadlines). All are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. Quite a few accept reprints.

You can find also upcoming calls for submissions with deadlines on my page: Calls for Submissions. Get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically. (I only post paying markets.)

Don't forget to check out Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.

(Image:  Lady Writing a Letter: Albert Edelfelt)

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The SFWA Blog is open to pitches for original nonfiction articles on topics that might be of interest to new and/or established creators of science fiction and fantasy. SFWA welcomes pitches from both members and nonmembers; Black, Indigenous, and other writers of color, as well as writers of other under-represented identities, are encouraged to submit article pitches. Payment: 10 cents/word.

Electric Literature's essays examine books and culture through a personal and critical lens. "We prefer full submissions on spec but accept detailed pitches as well. Instead, email a detailed pitch to editors@electricliterature.com with the subject line [ESSAY PITCH]. Pitches should describe the subject matter of the essay (which must be about books, writing, storytelling or narrative media like movies, games, and TV) and give a sense of the argument you plan to make or the story you plan to tell. We welcome thoughtful considerations of new releases, overlooked classics, childhood favorites—anything that can illuminate or be illuminated by the human experience. Requests for Electric Literature to cover your book or your client's book are not considered pitches. If your story is immediately time-sensitive or news-responsive, indicate this in your subject line; otherwise, please wait at least a week to follow up." Payment: $100.

Alien Dimensions. Genre: Science Fiction, 5000-7000 words. Theme: First Contact. "Set the meetings in space in a hyperfuturistic space ship or bio-ball or space station or in a rift outside space and time, etc – whatever you think will shock your protagonists." Payment: $20.

Armoured Fox Press: Indecent Exposure. Genre: Fiction. “The story MUST contain erotic content centered around public locations. This can be beaches, public parks, office buildings… wherever you might attract an audience of shocked passersby doing things you shouldn’t be doing in public... and some element must be furry (anthropomorphic animals). Length: 5,00-20,000 words, Payment: 1/2 cent/word. Deadline: Open until filled.

Goatshed Press. Genre: Short stories, flash fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. Payment: £60 for stories and essays (over 1000 words) and £25 for poems and flash fiction. They are also looking to publish longer form work in 2023, including novels, novellas, graphic novels, non fiction books and short story collections. They are happy to consider any genre except children’s fiction.

Backyard Earth is a "round the world" series of books. The idea is that they will make five books - one for each continent (more or less). Each book will contain one story for every country on that continent. Submissions will stay open until they have a full complement. Short fiction only. Payment: $25.

Starry Eyed Press: 224-Verse and Galactic Treks. Genre: Space opera, 2,000 words to novel length. Payment: Royalty split. Read guidelines here.

Psychopomp. Genre: Nonfiction essays on art, short fiction, novels, movies, music, fashion, culture, entertainment, science, and more, that fall under the umbrella of goth, death, funerary, grief, loss, alternative, otherworldly themes. Payment: $50.

The International Human Rights Festival (IHRAF). Genre: Poem, short story, or essay (2500 words or less) Payment: $50.

Et Sequitur. "We are open to all genres, from literary to speculative and everything in between. Our only requirement is that your submission in some way connect with the latest Et Sequitur story, be that in character (minor, major, protagonist, antagonist), setting (neighborhood, world, workplace, house -- even a certain object could work, if it's featured prominently), or theme. Be creative! Continue the story, tell a side-character's story, take the theme and twist it in a new way. In the submission form, you'll be asked to identify which element of the previous story you've chosen to incorporate in your own." Submissions for the next issue will open once the previous issue is published (expected to be the first day of every-other month). They will temporarily close when a story has been chosen for the next issue. Payment: $25.

Assemble Artifacts is looking for stories of wonder and suspense. "We prefer stories of at least 5,000 words, but are open to longer and shorter works. Please include a one to three sentence pitch of your story, and an author bio with your submission. We are open to writers of all levels of experience." Payment: 8-10 cents per word for short fiction.

Jay Henge: The Pelagic Zone. Genre: Speculative fiction. "This planet (and surely others like it) are mostly covered in water, and while we know a bit about life there, what mysteries might still lie far down within its depths? From gripping narratives that explore the ocean, the discovery of lost civilizations, or the dangers of creating underwater colonies, we are seeking stories that examine those worlds, and transport readers to a place that is both familiar and fantastical." Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.

Jay Henge: Sunshine Superhighway. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Solarpunk, cyberpunk, other planets, alternate worlds that might be nearly lost through our own hubris; futuristic fantasy and speculative-fiction stories of all kinds that are hopeful and leave us with the idea that despite the doom and gloom in the universe, things can possibly work out if we strive to make life better, even if in a small way." Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.

Jay Henge: The Kafka Protocol & the Burden of Compliance. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Do you have a story to tell about the struggles of navigating an endless sea of paperwork, the tedium and surrealism of bureaucratic procedures, the tyranny of faceless institutions, or some other aspect of the absurdity of Kafka-esque politics? We are excited to read your speculative fiction (SFF+) submissions and to bring together a collection of stories that will transport readers to a world that is both bizarre and thought-provoking." Payment: $5 USD per 1000 words. Length: Up to 15k words. Open until filled.

Radon. Genre: Short stories and poetry containing elements of anarchism, transhumanism, dystopia, and/or science fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word for original work.

The Hungur Chronicles. Genre: Horror. Vampires or creatures with vampiric themes. Payment: The pay for original stories is $25.00; for reprints, $12.00. Payment for poems is $5. The pay for illustrations is $8.00. The payment for articles is $10. The pay for cover art is $25.00.

The Were-Traveler: Curst & Twysted Tarot. Genre: Short fiction. Choose an image you would like to write a story about. Payment: $10 for flash, $15 for short stories. Open until filled.

Through the Gate: Fantastical poetry "We are looking for fantastical poetry of literary and emotional depth from a diversity of voices and perspectives. Our definition of fantastical is quite fluid, encompassing fantasy, magic realism, myth, folklore, surrealism and slipstream. We desire poetry that is atypically beautiful, unconventionally imaginative, and boundary-crossing. We are not interested in work that is strictly science fiction or mainstream, but poetry that blurs the lines between such genres and the fantastical is welcome." Length: Up to three poems. Payment: $20 per poem. Deadline: Open now.

Three-lobed Burning Eye. "Original speculative fiction: horror, fantasy, and science fiction. We're looking for short stories from across the big classifications and those shadowy places between: magical realism, fantastique, slipstream, interstitial, and the Weird. We will consider suspense or western, though we prefer it contain some speculative element. We like voices that are full of feeling, from literary to pulpy, with styles unique and flowing, but not too experimental. All labels aside, we want tales that expand genre, that value imagination in character, narrative, and plot. We want to see something new and different." Length: Short fiction 1000–7000 words, Flash fiction 500–1000 words, (2000–5000 preferred). Payment: $100 for short fiction, $30 for flash fiction; + 1 print annual. Deadline: Open now.

The Dark The Dark publishes dark fantasy and horror. "Don’t be afraid to experiment or to deviate from the ordinary; be different—try us with fiction that may fall out of “regular” categories. However, it is also important to understand that despite the name, The Dark is not a market for graphic, violent horror." Length: 2,000 – 6,000 words. Payment: 6 cents/word for original fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for first world rights; and 1 cent/word for reprint fiction up to 6,000 words on publication for nonexclusive reprint rights. Deadline: Open now.

4 Agents Seeking Literary Fiction, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Nonfiction, Kidlit, YA and more

Updated 3/6/26

Here are four literary agents actively seeking clients. All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for everything from pop culture to fantasy. 

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

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

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Ms. Daisy Chandley of Peters Fraser & Dunlop (UK) 

Daisy Chandley is an Associate Agent and assistant to Head of Books Tim Bates and Senior Agent Annabel Merullo. After graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, she joined Peters, Fraser & Dunlop. She works alongside Tim Bates as the UK sub-agent for New Directions Publishing in the US.

What she is seeking: I’m actively building a list of both fiction and non-fiction authors across a range of genres.

On the non-fiction side, I’m looking for bold new insights and underrepresented voices on popular science, nature writing, relationships, social issues and politics, and am always especially interested in fresh, playful and exciting writing on pop culture, love and the internet. I’d also love to see illuminating narrative non-fiction, whether a beautiful and lyrical exploration, or an enthralling and explosive deep-dive.

With fiction, my reading broadly falls into two main categories: sharp, witty and clever novels across a range of genres with just the right balance of emotion and edge, and things with a darker side, be it unputdownable thrillers, mysteries, or even a good old-fashioned ghost story. Whether it’s a delightfully fun and scandalous page-turner, or something more literary and experimental, if it’s stylish and smart, I’d love to see it. And I must admit – I’m an absolute sucker for a really good twist.

I’m also definitely interested in literary speculative fiction, though I’m not generally looking for SFF. Across the board, I’m always looking for stories that explore sexuality, race, gender, and disability, and would love to hear from writers whose voices and experiences aren’t given enough space in publishing.

Just a few(ish) of the writers whose work I love include Patricia Lockwood, Raven Leilani, Torrey Peters, Gillian Flynn, Shirley Jackson, Max Porter, Carmen Maria Machado, Virginia Woolf, Sayaka Murata, Kiley Reid, Laurie Colwin, Sally Rooney (sorry), George Saunders, Joan Didion, Amy Liptrot, Elif Batuman, Sarah Waters, Ottessa Moshfegh, Donna Tartt, Tana French, & Fernanda Melchor.

I’m also very keen to see anything that shares themes or style with wonderful shows like Succession, The White Lotus, I May Destroy You, or Severance – anything that has you on the edge of your seat one minute (even if just from the world’s most awkward conversation), laughing the next, and feeling punched in the chest by the time the credits roll.

How to submit: Please send the first three chapters (or around fifty pages) of your novel, as well as a full synopsis and a covering letter, with a brief CV of your writing career, if appropriate. For non-fiction projects, please send a detailed proposal, alongside the covering letter and CV to dchandley@pfd.co.uk

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Roma Panganiban of Azantian Literary Agency

Roma Panganiban began her publishing career at The Gernert Company before moving to Janklow & Nesbit in 2019, where she began representing literary and upmarket fiction and nonfiction across the adult and children’s markets. She joined the Azantian Literary Agency in 2025 to continue championing fresh, unexpected perspectives, particularly those of writers from underrepresented communities. Her taste leans literary, but she is open to fiction that incorporates genre elements, as well as work that defies categorization altogether. She is interested in narrative nonfiction that reorients our understanding of history, culture, science, society, and ourselves, and creative nonfiction that appeals equally to the heart, mind, and sense of humor. Roma is a member of the American Association of Literary Agents (AALA) and an ambivalent Twitter and Bluesky user (@romapancake). She lives in Brooklyn.

What she is seeking: 

ADULT FICTION: I’m interested in novels that are fresh and inventive without necessarily seeking to be edgy. I value writing that is thoughtful, clear, clever, and beautiful on a line level, so long as those well-crafted sentences comprise a compelling, memorable voice and a distinct point of view. I favor character-driven literary fiction that’s unashamed to borrow from genre fiction, particularly speculative/fantasy elements, rich historical settings, and a little mystery. My interest is always piqued by coming-of-age narratives at any age; campus novels; ensemble casts and found/chosen families; grappling with religious tradition; cults and cliques, broadly defined to include any group with a shared obsession—band kids, secret societies, sports fans, witch covens; marginalized characters and underrepresented points of view; dry humor; and unconventional storytelling methods. Fiction offers infinite possibilities, and I’m open to being surprised.

ADULT NONFICTION: In nonfiction, I’m looking for narrative works of journalism or cultural history that uncover new ground or approach familiar topics with such curiosity and intensity that they feel new, as well as creative nonfiction that feels intimate, idiosyncratic, and/or wryly funny. I love food writing that incorporates aspects of personal narrative, and any book involving original research or contemporary analysis that reorients the way we see the world.

YA/MG: My interest on the children’s side is primarily in YA, but I’m open to select MG projects. I read for many of the same qualities in children’s fiction as I do in adult, but I prefer more high-concept, fun MG (Freddie vs. the Family Curse, The Gilded Girl) and more realistic, emotional YA, whether contemporary or historical. I’m drawn to second-gen narratives in the vein of Kelly Loy Gilbert, Randy Ribay, Mary H.K. Choi; school stories with an edge (Ace of Spades, One of Us Is Lying); enemies-to-friends relationships; and smart, weird kids, e.g. the orphans of A Series of Unfortunate Events, the child prodigies of The Mysterious Benedict Society, and the savvy, sassy winner of The Westing Game. Across categories, I want to see books for kids and teens who aren’t white, cis, straight, male, neurotypical, allosexual, able-bodied, beautiful, middle-class, Americans, or any of the many things they’re taught are “normal” and good—books that allow young readers to better understand each other, themselves, and the world around them.

How to submit: Read submission guidelines HERE.

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Chandler Wickers of Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency 

Chandler Wickers joined Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency in 2021 after an early career working in tech. She graduated from Washington and Lee University, where she played Division III soccer and earned a degree in English and Film, then going on to complete the Columbia University Publishing Course. 

What she is seeking: She’s seeking literary and upmarket fiction, story collections, and elevated genre fiction. She’s drawn to novels with a distinct voice, and is especially interested in stories with setting-as-character, coming-of-age, family sagas, noir elements, narratives seeped in contemporary internet culture, and protagonists grappling with timeless questions around faith and desire. 

In non-fiction, she’s looking for literary journalism and idea-driven books across history, current affairs, politics, popular culture, and the natural world. She enjoys narratives that refract a broader view of modern life, incisive cultural criticism, scholarly inquiries with literary sensibilities, and projects that demystify a subculture to reveal something consequential about society.

How to submit: Please send a query letter and the first few (up to 10) pages of your manuscript or proposal in the body of an email (not an attachment) to cw@skagency.com

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Ms. Kiya Evans of Paper Literary

Kiya Evans started her career at Mushens Entertainment in 2020, first as an intern. She worked as an assistant before being promoted to Associate Agent, working closely with a list of both debuts and brand authors, Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers, including Richard Osman, Abigail Dean, Jessie Burton, Claire Douglas, and Saara El-Arifi.

What she is seeking: I read very broadly – across fiction, non-fiction, literary, and commercial – but above all I am always looking for books that completely immerse and sweep me away. My favourite books have a huge heart, effortless writing, and a carefully crafted plot.

I am keen to represent books across the spectrum of the literary to the commercial, but am forever drawn to sharply observed interpersonal dynamics, a strong hook (which might lie in the plot, but could just as easily be found in the voice—I’m a big Otessa Moshfegh fan!) and authentic representation of untold perspectives. Above all, I enjoy books that feel singular – like you are the only person who could’ve written it. I have a particular soft spot for LBGTQI+ narratives and stories which grapple with sticky questions of girlhood and growing up.

How to submit: Please follow the agency's guidelines HERE.