83 Writing Contests in June 2023 - No entry fees

This June there are more than six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 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: Pxfuel)

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Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers. Genre: An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words. Prize: $2,000. Deadline: Opens June 1, 2023.

The PEN Grant for the English Translation of Italian Literature. Genre: Translation. Work-in-progress of a book-length translation of an Italian work of literary fiction or nonfiction into English. Prize: $5,000 grant. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Stone Canoe: Poetry in Flight. Restrictions: Participants must be residents of any of the 12-county region served by the Syracuse Hancock International Airport: Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, Tompkins, Jefferson, Tioga, Oneida, Lewis, Madison, Cortland, Chemung, Broome. Poems by people who are not current residents of one of these counties will not be considered. Genre: Poem on the theme of Aviation and Travel. Prize: One winning poem will receive a pair of round-trip plane tickets good for travel in the 48 contiguous states or Canada, courtesy of Delta Air Lines, up to a $1200 value. Youth Prize: Gift basket from Barnes and Noble with a value of $500, as well as one-year of enrollment to the Young Authors Academy at the YMCA's Downtown Writers Center in Syracuse. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

The Africa Institute: Global Africa Translation Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to Translators in the Global South. Genre: translations of works from the African continent and its diaspora, into English or Arabic. This is a non-residential fellowship. Projects may be retranslations of old, classic texts, previously untranslated works, poetry, prose, or critical theory collections. The project may be a work-in-progress, or a new project feasible for completion within the timeframe of the grant. Prize: $1,000-$5,000. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Abrams Amplify Award. Restrictions: Entrants must be un-agented writers who are at least 18 years. old at the time of entry, are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia, and have not previously had any children’s fiction or children’s nonfiction published. "We encourage the work of creators who self-identify as Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latinx, Middle Eastern, or Native American/Indigenous." Genre: Picture book. Prizes: One (1) winner will receive $5,000, editorial notes, and a one-on-one video conference meeting with an ABRAMS editor to discuss the Submission. Two (2) winners will receive $2,500 and editorial notes on the Submission from an ABRAMS editor. Two (2) winners will receive $1,000 and editorial notes on the Submission from an ABRAMS editor. All winners will have an opportunity for their full Submission to be reviewed by the ABRAMS Books editorial team for a possible offer of publication. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Forum Prize. Genre: Essay on the subject of: ‘Courageous Art(s)’ "We are looking for bold, visionary and persuasive essays that use academic research to pursue innovative questions. The topic may be addressed from the perspective of any of the literatures (including literary linguistics, translation and comparative literature approaches) normally covered by the journal: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish." Prize: £500 and publication. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

The OFIC Press Prize. Genre: Novels and novellas that don't really fit in a traditional publishing category. Prize: The prize for a novel is $1000 and a novella $250. Novels will be published as standalone books and novellas will be compiled into an anthology. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Cromwell Article Prize. Restrictions: Open to early career scholars. Genre: Articles published in the field of American legal history. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

The PEN/Heim Translation Fund. Genre: Book-length works of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama in translation. Prize: $2000 - $4000. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists. Restrictions: Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated sufficient income to support the author. Genre: Book-length children's or young-adult fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

The PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Literary Oral History. Genre: Literary work of nonfiction that uses oral history to illuminate an event, individual, place, or movement. Prize: $15,000 each. (Two prizes) Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets. Restrictions: Open to poets aged 18-23. Genre: Poetry. Prize:  $100 and publication in the Atlanta Review. Deadline: June 1, 2023. 

Fraser Institute Student Essay Contest. Restrictions: Canadian high school, college, and graduate students. Genre: Short essay on "What would our Essential Scholars say about the world today?" Prize: CAD$1,500 in each age category. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Peggy Willis Lyles Haiku Awards. Genre: Haiku. Prize: First Place - $200, and a miniature crystal turtle; Second Place - $100; Third Place - $50. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Bard Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to a writer who is an American citizen aged 39 years or younger at the time of application. Genre: Published fiction book. Prize: $30,000 and a one-semester appointment as writer-in-residence at Bard College. Deadline: June 1, 2023.

Molly Keane Creative Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to Irish residents. Genre: Unpublished short story, maximum 2,000 words. Prize: €250 plus a course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat. Deadline: June 2, 2023

On The Premises. "For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long in which the same thing, place, or incident is seen from two very different points of view.." Prize: $35 for first place, $25 for second, $15 for third. Deadline: June 2, 2023.

Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction based on their prompt. Length: 500 words max. Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: June 4, 2022.

Icelandic Festival of Manitoba Poetry & Short Stories Contest. Genre: Poetry and short stories. Length; 1200 words max. Prize: $50 - $125. "You do not need to be of Icelandic descent to submit an entry however material reflecting Icelandic culture and interests will be given preference." Deadline: June 5, 2023.

Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards. Restrictions: Open to writers from Northern England who would like to work in television. Genre: TV writing. Prize: Mentoring support and a bursary worth £3000. Deadline: June 5, 2023.

Defenestration. Genre: Short story including an incident of defenestration – the art or –ism of throwing people out of windows. It need not be literal. "This can be a sudden, immediate, even violent shift, change, or seismical event between the beginning and the end.” Prize: $75, two runner-up prizes of $30 each. Deadline: June 7, 2023.

Spectator Comp No. 3303: sex education. Genre: "You are invited to submit an explanation of the facts of life by a person from the field of fact or fiction who might be deemed a surprising choice. Please email entries of up to 150 words/16 lines to lucyATspectator.co.uk" Prize: £30. Deadline: June 7, 2023. 

Wyoming Creative Writing Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to Wyoming writers who are U.S. citizens or have legal resident status. Genre: Fiction, Poetry, CNF. Prize: $3,000 and an honorarium/travel stipend. One fellowship will be awarded in each category of Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Fiction, for a total of three fellowships. Applications are juried by noted authors, literary agents, or writing professionals from outside the state. Jurors may award honorable mentions. Recipients of the Creative Writing fellowships will share their work at one of Wyoming's literary conferences. Deadline: June 9, 2023.

Institute for Youth in Policy International Essay Writing Contest. Restrictions: Any student, in any country, who is enrolled in an accredited high school or college/university at the time of submitting their essay is eligible to participate. Genre: Essay. "Countless countries around the world suffer from a plethora of issues – economic hardship, social turmoil, political polarization, pandemic recovery, unreliable leadership, corrupt governance, warfare and conflict, the list goes on. If you were elected the leader of your country, what would you do to address the issues your country faces in order to build a more prosperous society?" Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: June 9, 2023.

Ocean Awareness Youth Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in grades 6 - 12. Genre: Art, poetry, prose, film. "Use humor, positivity, irony, or other unconventional approaches that are not typically used in environmental communication to address the climate crisis. Think outside the tackle-box, beyond clichés, to create something that makes the topic of climate change and our oceans more approachable and accessible." Prizes: $100 - $1,500. Deadline: June 13, 2023.

Grist: Imagine 2200. Genre: Short stories. "What we’re seeking: short stories that envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress. Our mission is to make the story of a better world so irresistible, you want it right now." Prize: First, second, and third-prize winners will be awarded $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively, and nine additional finalists will each receive a $300 honorarium. Deadline: June 13, 2023.

Apparition Lit. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Prize: $30. Deadline: June 14, 2023.

The Orchards Poetry Journal: Grantchester Award. Genre: Poetry. Prize: First place is $50.00.
Second place is $30.00. Deadline: June 15, 2023. 

The Queen’s English Society. Genre: Poem. Theme: Stone(s). Prize: £100. Deadline: June 15, 2023. 

QTBIPOC 2021 Poetry Manuscript Contest. Restrictions: Open to QTBIPOC-identified feminist innovative writers/poets. Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: The prize winner will receive publication along with a $1,000.00 cash award to help aid in book promotion, travel, event attendance, etc. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

International Wizard of Oz Club Annual Contests. Genre: Short Fiction, Art & Academic Nonfiction Research Papers. All work must be related to the world of Oz. Prize: $100 in each genre. 2nd Prize $50 in each genre. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Sapiens Plurum. Genre: Short stories that personalize the consequences of climate change. Theme: “Inventing Beautiful Futures.” Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Little, Brown Emerging Artist Award. Genre: High-quality picture books that resonate with readers of diverse backgrounds and experience. Diversity includes literal or metaphorical inclusion of characters of underrepresented ethnicity, religious background, gender identity, class, mental or physical disability, or any other nondominant populations. Prize: American Express® gift cards totaling $1,500, round trip travel to New York City, and the honor of a one-day mentorship with a Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ professional children’s book design and editorial team. Submission will be reviewed for publication. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People. Restrictions: Open to people 25 years of age or less. Genre: Essay (max 700 words). Theme: “What is Life?” Prize: 1st US$840, 2nd US$420. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Norton Writer's Prize. Sponsored by W.W. Norton & Company. "The Norton Writer’s Prize will be awarded annually for an outstanding essay written by an undergraduate. Literacy narratives, literary and other textual analyses, reports, profiles, evaluations, arguments, memoirs, proposals, mixed-genre pieces, and more: any excellent writing done for an undergraduate writing class will be considered."  Genres: Creative Nonfiction, Scholarly Essay. Prize: $1,500. Two runner-up prizes of $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: June 15, 2023. (Note: This is a monthly contest)

Towson University Prize for Literature. Restrictions: Open to Maryland writers. Genre: Book-length manuscript of fiction, poetry, drama or imaginative non-fiction. The work must have been published within the three years prior to the year of nomination or must be scheduled for publication within the year in which nominated. Self-published works will not be considered. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: June 15, 2023. See nomination form HERE.

Baltimore Science Fiction Society Amateur Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Maryland residents or students at a MD 2- or 4-year college, and not a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America or published in a professional science fiction/fantasy magazine Genre: Science fiction short stories. Prize: 1st place is $250; 2nd place is $100; 3rd place is $50. Deadline: June 15, 2023.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: Books published between May 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023 must be received on or before June 16, 2023.

Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. Restrictions: Books must be first edition English-language books written by a Canadian or American citizen or permanent resident of either country. Works written by women or non-binary authors are eligible for submission. The Prize welcomes and encourages submissions by transgender woman authors. Genre: Published novel, short story collection or graphic novel. Prize: $150,000 Canadian dollars. Deadline: Entries for books published between January 1, 2023 – July 31, 2023, must be received on or before June 16, 2023.

Reedsy. Genre: Story on theme: Friends. Prize: $250. Deadline: June 16, 2023.

Renard Press Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry on theme: Kinship. "Kinship is a poetry anthology that seeks to provide a platform for marginalised voices, and to celebrate the great diversity and rich variation in the identities of people from around the world and from a huge cross-section of walks of life." Prize: 1st prize: £200. Deadline: June 17, 2023.

Solid Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to high school students. Genre: Essay (See site for topics.) Minimum number of words is 600 and maximum is 800. Prize: Scholarship of $1000. Deadline: June 19, 2023.

Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing. Genre: Editorial writing. The Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship was established to enable a mid-career editorial writer or columnist to have time away from daily responsibilities for study and research. Freelancers may also apply. Fellowship: $75,000.  Deadline: June 19, 2023.

WWPH Writes Pride Contest. Restrictions: Open to LGBT writers living in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Genre: Poetry, micro-prose. Prize: $100. Deadline: June 19, 2023.

Write the World Competitions. Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-19.5. Genre: Songwriting. Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50. Deadline: June 20, 2023. (Note: This is a monthly contest)

Young Scots Writer of the Year Award. Restrictions: You must be aged 11–18 to enter as an individual. Genre: Stories, poems, spoken word pieces, comics, videos or other pieces of writing. "We want to see it all, as long as it's in Scots and under 2500 words or up to ten minutes." Prize: £100 book token. Deadline: June 21, 2023. 

A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest. Genre: Non-genre fiction and creative nonfiction. Theme: Best Friends Forever…? Length: 1,000 words minimum; 5,000 words maximum. Prize: $35 - $50 Amazon gift card. Deadline: June 21, 2023.

Roxane Gay Books/Grove Atlantic Fellowship. “We are currently seeking an editorial fellow interested in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of an independent publishing house and developing a solid foundation for a career in publishing. The fellow will have exposure to the editorial, marketing, publicity, and rights departments of Grove Atlantic, and will directly support Roxane Gay Books, a new imprint at Grove Atlantic, in building an exciting list of fiction and nonfiction. This is a one-year fellowship that will allow the fellow to gain experience in publishing with an emphasis on creating access for candidates from backgrounds underrepresented in publishing….Fellows will receive a $25,000 stipend, for 24 hours a week of work, paid biweekly. The fellow is also eligible for health and dental benefits and paid time off. Candidates can be based anywhere in the United States.” Deadline: June 22, 2023.

Great Lakes Colleges (GLCA) New Writers Award. Restrictions: Open to Americans and Canadians. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. In each category, the submitted work must be an author’s first published volume. Prize: $500. Deadline: June 25, 2023.

Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers. Restrictions: Open to Canadian LGBTQ+ writers. Genre: Debut book. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: June 28, 2023 for books published between May 3, 2023 and September 30, 2023.

Emmy Awards - Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. Restrictions: Non-US citizens under the age of 30 only. Prize: $2,500, a trip to New York City, and an invitation to the International Emmy® Awards Gala in November. Deadline: June 28, 2023.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. Restrictions: Books must be English-language, first-edition trade books published by a Canadian press, written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Titles must be published between May 3, 2023 and September 30, 2023. Genre: Literary nonfiction including, among other forms, works of personal or journalistic essays, memoirs, commentary, criticism both social and political, history, and biography. Prize: Winner: $60,000; Finalists: $5,000. Deadline: June 28, 2023.

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Genre: Novel or short story collection. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to the novel or short story collection published between May 3, 2023 and September 30, 2023. Deadline: June 28, 2023.

Storyhouse. Genre: Nonfiction. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children. Prize: $200. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, fiction, nonfiction, poetry: adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: June 30, 2023 (for books published Jan. 1-May 31, 2023).

Faber Children’s: Faber and Andlyn BAME (FAB) Prize. Restrictions: Open to undiscovered BAME writers and illustrators; entrants must be of black, Asian or minority ethnic background, and UK- or Ireland-based. Genre: Text or artwork for children. Prize: £1,500 and £500 each for a writer and an illustrator. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Love Books Competition. Restrictions: Open to everyone but you need a UK bank account to receive your prize money if you win. Genre: Nonfiction, poetry, CNF. "We want you to tell us why you love your favourite book, poem or play. Your response should be in the form of a piece of text of up to 750 words. Entrants should explain what they love about their chosen read, highlighting key areas of interest, and why they think others should try it." Prize: Winner for each age group receives £300; the runner-up in each age group receives £100. Age groups: 13-15 years, 16-19 years, 20+ years. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Boroondara Literary Awards. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Prose and poetry. Prize: More than $5,000 in prize money across various age groups in the Young Writers’ category; more than $3,500 in prize money in the Open Short Story category. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

The Drabble Harvest Contest. Genre: Drabble on theme of "Space Station Duty-Free." A "drabble" is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words-- but no more than 15. Prize: $5. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal. Genre: Poetry. Prize: A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. Deadline: June 30, 2023. See theme.

SA Writer’s College Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to unpublished writers in South Africa. Genre: Short stories. Theme: Words Have Consequences. Prizes: 1st – R 10 000; 2nd – R 5 000; 3rd – R 2 000. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Storyhouse: 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. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one.  Genre: Nonfiction. Prize: First prize is $100. Runners-up will receive $50. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

My Writing Journey. Genre: Essay on the theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received. Length: 600 words. Prize: $200 (R2 000 or £100). Deadline: June 30, 2023.

McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize is awarded to the author of the best first novel published in the previous calendar year. Restrictions: Only American authors publishing in English are eligible. Non-eligible books include short story collections, flash fiction, memoirs, biographies and books published solely in electronic format. Prize: $1000. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Digital Privacy Scholarship. Restrictions: You must be a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about digital privacy. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

The Lindisfarne Crime Prize. Restrictions: Residents of the North East of England, or whose work celebrates the North East of England. Genre: Crime short story of up to 10,000 words. Prize: £2500.  Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Restrictions: The award is open to writers who have published a book-length collection of fiction or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals of national distribution. Online and self-publication does not count toward this requirement. Genre: A manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Prize: $15,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press under its standard contract. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: Prizes are awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Sargeson Prize for Secondary Schools. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled at a New Zealand secondary school and aged between 16 and 18 years. Genre: Short story, Length: 5,000 words max. Prize: First Prize: $10000; Second Prize: $1000; Third Prize: $500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Sargeson Prize. Restrictions: Open to New Zealanders. Genre: Short stories. Length: 5,000 words max. Prize: First Prize: $10000; Second Prize: $1000; Third Prize: $500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Eden Mills Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Canadian teens. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Two $50 prizes, 2 $25 prizes. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: Contest is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment and at least 5,000 copies (or 5,000 hits for online publication). Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror. 17,000 words max. Prize: $1,000 1st Prize awarded each quarter; one of those winners also receives the $5,000 annual "Golden Pen Award" grand prize. 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Contest. Restrictions: The competition is open to all citizens and residents of the Commonwealth aged 18 and under. Genre: Essay. The theme of the contest is "Community in the Commonwealth." Prize: Past prizes have included certificates, resources for winner's school, visits to Cambridge University, a trip to London and a week of activities, work experience at international organisations, and having your entry featured in worldwide media. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Hubert Butler Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to European Union citizens aged 18+. Genre: Essay on theme ‘How far can we trust science?’ 3,000 words max. Prize: First prize of €1,500 and two second prizes of €500. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Utah Division of Arts and Museums Original Writing Competition. Restrictions: Utah writers. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $1,000 top prizes for book-length manuscripts of novels, creative nonfiction & history, collection of poetry or short stories, and juvenile book; $300 top prizes for individual poems, short stories, and personal essays. 2nd Prize $500 for the book-length categories, $150 for poetry. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

2023 BCSA Writing Competition. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction. Theme: Marriage and Divorce. The 30th anniversary of the split between Czechia and Slovakia is the suggested (but not compulsory) theme of this year’s BCSA writing competition. If you choose to write on that theme it can be related to the Velvet Divorce but it needn’t be – it could be something on a much more individual or local level. Entries must deal with either (1) the links between Britain and the Czech and/or Slovak Republics, at any time in their history, or (2) society in those Republics since 1989. Entries should be in English and not more than 2,000 words long. Prize: First prize £400, second prize £150. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

Briefly Write. Genre: Poetry up to 10 lines. Prize: 1st – £40 / 2nd – £20 / 3rd (x3) – £10. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

OutWrite 2023 Chapbook Competition. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry chapbooks. OutWrite is a celebration of LGBTQ literature; entries that explore aspects of LGBTQ culture or identity are encouraged. Prize: Offer of print publication from Neon Hemlock Press, and an opportunity to read at OutWrite 2024. Deadline: June 30, 2023.

ALCS Award for Educational Writers. Genre: Nonfiction book (with or without illustrations) that stimulates and enhances learning for either 5-11 year olds (in odd-numbered years) or 11-18 year olds (in even-numbered years). For 2023, titles must be for ages 5-11. Books must have been first published in the UK within the previous two calendar years (2021 or 2022 of the current deadline year). Prize: £2,000.00. Deadline: June 30, 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. (See site for photo) Prize: 10 cents/word. Deadline: June 30, 2023. (This is a monthly contest)

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: June 30, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

Shenandoah Literary Review

Read more at: http://www.freelancewriting.com/freewritingcontests/FWC-bevel-summers-prize.php
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67 Writing Conferences and Workshops in June 2023

This June there are more than five 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. 

I've included conferences that have early application dates on my list. So, if you have missed a conference that is ideal for you, put the application deadline on your calendar for next year. (Many conferences are annual events.)

(Image: Squam Lake by Chuck Taylor: Flickr)

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Application for the Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists. Apply by June 1. August 17 - 22, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. OVERVIEW: In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included This intensive Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words*) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens. 

Tennessee Writing Day Workshop. June 2 -3, 2023. Online. This “How to Get Published” writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). Will be conducted online.

Writing The Rainbow: An Online Intensive For Picture BookStorytellers. June 2 -5, 2023: Honesdale, PA. This workshop is designed to bring LGBTQIA+ creators and allies together to craft picture books with clear LGBTQIA+ themes. You will learn to create books that celebrate joy, respect, and appreciation for children in today’s world, showing beauty and strength in our rainbow of experiences. Will be conducted online.

Sundress Academy: Summer Poetry Writing Retreat. June 2nd-4th, 2023: Firefly Farms, Knoxville, TN. The three-day, two-night camping retreat will be held at SAFTA’s own Firefly Farms in Knoxville, Tennessee.  All SAFTA retreats focus on generative poetry writing, and this year’s poetry retreat will also include the following break-out sessions: “The Cascade and the Overflow: The Use and Uselessness of Punctuating Your Poetry” and “Singing the Body Electric: Writing our Embodied Experiences.” A weekend pass includes one-on-one and group instruction, writing supplies, food, drinks, and all on-site amenities for $250. Tents, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment are available to rent for $25.  Payment plans are available if you reserve by March 31, 2023.

Wyoming Writers Conference. June 2 - 4, 2023: Cheyenne, WY. The conference features workshops in craft, marketing, and productivity for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers, as well as publisher pitch sessions, roundtable critiques, and open mics. Participating writers include fiction writer Nina McConigley. Poet Matt Mason will give the keynote address. Participating publishing professionals include publisher Bernadette Soehner (5 Prince Publishing) and director of literary development Angie Hodapp (Nelson Literary Agency). The cost of the conference is $235 until May 15 and $275 thereafter. Single-day registration is available for $150. Lodging is available through the Historic Plains Hotel. 

Bread Loaf Environmental Writers' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Orion Environmental Writers' Conference is a week-long writers’ conference designed to hone the skills of people interested in producing literary writing about the environment and the natural world. The conference is co-sponsored by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Orion magazine, and Middlebury College’s Environmental Studies Program. Application Deadline: March 1, 2023.

Bread Loaf Translators' Conference. June 2 - 8, 2023: Ripton, VT. The Bread Loaf Translators’ Conference includes workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as lectures, craft classes, meetings with editors and agents, and readings by faculty and guests. 

IWWG Summer Writers Conference. June 2 - 22, 2023: Virtual. The 2023 Virtual Conference includes an opening panel on spiritual memoir, 9 workshops, an IWWG anthology launch from our work with women writers in Afghanistan, and a closing open mic. Will be held online.

Yale Writers' Conference. June 3 - 10, 2023, on campus, June 11 - 17, virtual: New Haven, CT. The Yale Writers’ Workshop brings together the experience and expertise of leading teachers, authors, editors, agents and publishers in a series of panels and workshops, for the benefit of writers the world over. We are offering three sessions (one on campus and two remote) that will enhance the writing skills of any serious writer. Our faculty provides unique, tailored, and transformative experiences to all participants. Will be conducted online and in person. Application deadline: April 3, 2023. 

An Intersectional Lens: Awareness + Action For Representation In Kids’ Books, Libraries & Classrooms. June 4 - 7, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA.  Professional & Personal Development for Educators, Librarians, Storytellers, & Publishing Professionals. Build the skills you need to analyze children’s books for meaningful representation, reader engagement, visual literacy, and more.

Lit Camp. June 4 - 9, 2023: Bell Valley Retreat Center and the Boonville Hotel in Mendocino County, California. The conference features workshops, panels, and craft talks for fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers. The faculty includes writers Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Janis Cooke Newman, Susan Straight and Daniel Torday. The cost of the conference, including lodging and meals, ranges from $995 to $2,395, depending on lodging. Registration is limited to 25 participants. Application Deadline: March 18, 2023.

Interlochen Writer’s Retreat. June 4 - 9, 2023: Interlochen, Michigan. Nestled deep in the woods between two lakes, Interlochen College of Creative Arts' five-day Writers Retreat is a true writer's dream. Spend your days writing new material, attending presentations by award-winning faculty, and enjoying lakeside lunches and evening readings while making friends and connections in the literary world. Select your concentration from four unique courses, each grounded in different craft concepts  with an emphasis on generating new work—appealing to both advanced and beginning writers alike. 

Fine Arts Work Center Summer Workshops (poetry, fiction, art, and creative nonfiction). June 4 - August 19, 2023: Provincetown, Massachusetts. The faculty includes poets Oliver Baez Bendorf, Tina Chang, Chen Chen, Vievee Francis, Kimiko Hahn, Marie Howe, Jessica Jacobs, Gail Mazur, Eileen Myles, Porsha Olayiwola, Matthew Olzmann, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, and Monica Youn; fiction writers Alexander Chee, Andrea Lawlor, Celeste Lecesne, Carmen Maria Machado, Victoria Redel, and Alexandra Teague; and nonfiction writers Garrard Conley, Melissa Febos, Nick Flynn, Paul Lisicky, Seema Reza, Sarah Schulman, Deborah Taffa, and Joan Wickersham. Tuition is $800 for one workshop/week. Housing is available at nearby guesthouses and inns; limited campus housing is available on a first-come, first-served basis for $1,000 for six nights. See individual workshops for dates.

VCFA Novel Retreat. June 5 - 11, 2023: Montpelier, Vermont. "Whether you seek the reflective solitude of a retreat or writing time combined with consultations, group discussions, and more, the VCFA Novel Retreat enables you to craft an experience best suited to your individual needs. No matter what stage your project is at—beginning, drafting, middle, or final edit—the retreat is designed to accommodate all aspects of the writing process. Retreat participants gain the added benefit of working with our renowned faculty. Our 2023 faculty includes Connie May Fowler, Adam McOmber, Laura Warrell, and literary agent Jeff Kleinman, founding partner at Folio Literary Management in New York City. While participants and faculty write each morning, afternoons and evenings offer a variety of optional sessions, including craft and process discussions, generative writing classes, manuscript clinics, and agent advice."

The Writers Hotel. June 5 - 11, 2023: Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Following the pre-conference Team Reading process, writers meet in Maine for the TWH immersive, intense program. Writers workshop their writing in intimate Major Workshops with some of the industry’s top authors, and they attend generative Craft Lab workshops. We are keeping the price the same, at $3500. This is a semi-hybrid event; our Agent Pitching Sessions and Agent Pitching Practice Session for prose writers will take place virtually on Zoom on June 29th, 2024, following the in-person conference. All other events will be held on-site at the Inn.

Odyssey Writing Workshop. June 5 and August 14, 2023. (6 weeks and 12 weeks) Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Will be held online. Deadline March 15. 

From Pencil Or Paint To Pixel: A Two-Night Mini ForBeginning Illustrators. June 6 - 8, 2023: Honesdale, PA. Beginning illustrators can join children’s book author/illustrator Courtney Pippin-Mathur to talk about approaches to using different media (traditional and/or digital) in your illustrations, and special guest Aram Kim for ten tips about submitting work to an art director (tradition and/or digital).  This program is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions offering limited interaction with the community, but loads of information. Will be conducted online.

In-Company: A Retreat For Experienced Authors AndIllustrators. June 7 - 11, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. Join us in company to share, grow, and cultivate creativity when you’ve been working in the industry for a long time. Talk with your peers about your career, challenges, deadlines, and upcoming projects. Offer your wishes for pushing boundaries of your work, and the industry! 22 participants max. 

The Loft's Wordplay Conference. July 8, 2023, Minneapolis MN. "The Loft’s Wordplay aims to be Minnesota's largest celebration of readers, writers, and great books. Imagine a weekend full of famous authors and celebrated books; a weekend of readings, conversations, workshops, kids’ activities, demonstrations, and one-of-a-kind happenings with outdoor stages, cooking stages, book signings, quiet reading corners, boisterous parties, food trucks, beer tents, and books, books, books." 

Clarksville Writers Conference. June 8 - 9, 2023: Clarksville, TN. Two days of writing workshops and presentations, a keynote banquet with the authors, and manuscript consultations.

Historical Novel Society North American Conference. June 8 - 10, 2023: San Antonio, TX. The biennial Historical Novel Society (HNS) North America Conference will be held from June 8 to June 10 at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio, Texas, as well as online. The conference features presentations, panels, pitch sessions with agents and editors, query critiques, a Readers Festival, and social events for historical fiction writers. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Working Writer.” Participating writers include fiction writers James Scott Bell, Jamie Ford, Libbie Grant, and Lisa Wingate. Participating publishing professionals include editors Amy Durant (Sapere Books), Amelia Hester (Dragonblade Publishing), and Verena Rose and Harriette Sackler (Level Best Books); and agents Danielle Egan-Miller (Browne & Miller Literary Associates), Cate Hart (Harvey Klinger), Shannon Hassan (Marsal Lyon Literary Agency), Viola Hayden (Curtis Brown), Imogen Pelham (Marjacq), Marcy Posner (Folio Literary Management), Rayhané Sanders (Massie & McQuilkin), Mitchell Waters (Brandt & Hochman), and Paige Wheeler (Creative Media Agency). The cost to attend the conference in person is $639 ($589 for HNS members), or $350 for students, not including lodging. The cost to stay at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter is $195 a night. The cost for virtual participants is $299. Registration is rolling through May 15 for in-person participants, and June 4 for virtual participants. The cost of master classes ranges from $50 to $75. The cost of pitch sessions and query critiques is $25 per session. Hybrid event.

New York Pitch Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals.

Squam Writes Retreat. June 8 - 11, 2023: Squam Lake, New Hampshire. The Squam Writes Retreat is a small group retreat for experienced fiction writers. We focus on craft with an eye toward publication. We offer opportunities for feedback and plenty of time to write, make new friends, and recharge creative batteries in a beautiful New Hampshire lakeside setting. Every participant receives a one-on-one critique with an agent or editor. 

The 2023 Writers' Police Academy. June 8 – 11, 2023: Raleigh, NC. "MurderCon is a rare opportunity for writers to participate in hands-on “for law enforcement eyes only” training, using modern testing and evidence collection tools and equipment, in workshops taught by some of the world’s leading homicide investigation experts. This incredibly detailed, cutting-edge instruction has never before been available to writers, anywhere."

Indiana University Writers’ Conference. June 8 - 11, 2023, Indiana University in Bloomington. The conference features workshops in poetry and fiction, as well as craft classes, readings, and panels for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The cost of the conference is $375, or $800 with a workshop. Lodging and meals are not included; lodging is available in campus dormitories and in the campus hotel. The registration fee is $25; general registration is first come, first served. To attend a workshop, submit 8 to 10 pages of poetry or 15 to 25 pages of prose; admissions are made on a rolling basis. 

Sundress Academy: Trans/Nonbinary Writing Retreat. June 9th-10th, 2023: Via Zoom. All SAFTA retreats focus on generative writing, and this year’s retreat will also include the following craft talk sessions: “Queering the Lens: Trans Ekphrastic” and “The Poetics of Addiction: Imagery, Symbolism, and Juxtaposition in Writing Alcoholism.” The event will be open to trans and nonbinary writers of all backgrounds and experience levels and provide an opportunity to work with many talented authors and poets from around the country, including workshop leaders jason b. crawford and Remi Recchia and keynote speaker Ina Cariño. Cost $75.

West Chester University Poetry Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: West Chester, PA. The conference offers poetry workshops and features a keynote speaker, critical seminars, panel discussions, faculty readings, and an opportunity for participants to have conferences with workshop leaders and resident poets.

Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. June 9 - 11, 2023: Cumberland Gap, TN. "Every year writers gather at the ancient and beloved Cumberland Gap to celebrate writing, music, and Appalachian heritage. Events include workshops, panels, readings, concerts, lectures, open mic, and more." 

West Virginia Writers Conference. June 9 - 11, 2023: Ripley, West Virginia. Author readings, contests and sharing your love of writing with others. 

The Creativity Workshop in New York. June 9 - 12, 2023: New York, New York. "The Creativity Workshops take away the fear of writing and open the way to new ideas. They are especially helpful for writers in fiction, poetry, memoir, theatre and film to get over writing blocks. In our Creativity Workshop Retreats you will generate both new work and ideas for the work you are in the midst of creating. We use many different techniques to help you find your way through the novel, essay, poem, memoir, or script you are writing or hope to write. In The Creativity Workshop you will be doing free writing, writing from guided visualizations, collaborative writing, journaling and memoir work and even some rudimentary drawing, collage and photography."

Get Published Conference. June 10, 2023: Bozeman, Montana. This conference is devoted to book writing, marketing and getting published. Faculty includes experienced writers who share their methods for planning, writing and finishing their books, along with practical marketing and promotional information

California Crime Writers Conference. June 10 - 11, 2023: Culver City, California. "Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and SoCal Mystery Writers of America invite emerging and established mystery writers for a weekend of invaluable guidance, insight, and community at the California Crime Writers Conference. Whether your novel is brewing in your imagination, ready to publish, or you already have several published books under your belt, our workshops, presented by agents, editors, award-winning authors, and crime investigation professionals, are geared to elevate your mystery writing skills and foster relationships on your path to publication and beyond."

Tinker Mountain Writers’ Workshop. June 11 - 15, 2023: Roanoke, Virginia. The conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as craft seminars, individual conferences with faculty members, and readings. 

Juniper Summer Writing Institute. June 11 - 17, 2023: Amherst, MA. Daily workshops in poetry, fiction, & nonfiction; interactive craft sessions that include discussions & writing exercises; evening readings by faculty & writers-in-residence. Workshops and craft sessions are led by MFA candidates from the renowned University of Massachusetts MFA Program for Poets and Writers who design curricula especially for the Institute setting. Application deadline February 15.

Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers. June 12 - 16, 2023: Sandy, Utah. A week-long conference filled with hands-on workshops where the faculty work WITH you on your manuscript. As a participant of a five-day workshop, you get free feedback from an agent or editor on your writing, opportunities to network with like-minded writers, and five days of afternoon breakout sessions filled with dozens of craft-specific topics designed especially for kidlit authors.

Naropa Summer Writing Program. June 12 - July 1, 2023: Boulder, CO. Summer Writing Program of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University. (See site for individual classes)

Responsible Representation in Children's Books. June 13, 2023. Online. Whether you’re drawing from your own experiences or outside of them, writing demands research, empathy, attention to detail, and an interrogation of one’s own place in this world. Join literary agents and writers D. Ann Williams and Linda Epstein to begin your own personal interrogation, and build understanding of crafting respectful and responsible representation in your writing. Webinar style program.

ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) Writers Conference, June 13  - 15, 2023: Online. "As freelance journalists and authors, we collaborate with editors, agents, publishers, designers, and multimedia experts. At the 2022 conference, we will explore the ways collaboration helps us succeed. We have three tracks of interactive, dynamic programming focused on journalism, content marketing, and books. Sessions will benefit freelancers at all phases in their careers. Also available are members-only mastermind programs for small groups led by freelance experts.​​​​​​​"

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. June 15 - 25, 2023: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Whole Novel Historical: A Virtual Course for Historical Novelists. June 15 - August 11, 2023. The Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. This online program in particular is for writers of Historical Fiction novels. Multi-Month Online Course, $2199. This program is full, but will be offered again next year. If you would like to be notified when it is available, please add your name to the waitlist.

Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop. June 18 - June 23, 2023: The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. This program is for writers who want to learn how to write an Orion essay, short story, or poem; for writers who seek to become better advocates for the environment through their writing; for poets who are drawn to writing about nature and culture; for teachers and scholars who wish to write for a more general readership; and for environmental professionals who want to bring better writing skills to bear on their work. The program will feature small writing workshops dedicated to poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as faculty readings and lectures, student readings, and presentations on publishing.

The Santa Barbara Writers Conference. June 18 – 23, 2023: Santa Barbara, Calif. "Every summer, writers in many genres from around the world gather to participate in a magical week of intensive work focused on story, voice, craft, marketing, and networking with fellow writers and publishing professionals." 

Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 18 – 23, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. Online.

Aspen Summer Words. June 18 - June 23, 2023: Aspen, Colorado. Workshops, panels, and readings in fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as opportunities to meet with agents and editors. "Aspen Summer Words is the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Recognized as one of the country’s pre-eminent literary conferences, Summer Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week each June. The exceptional faculty and awe-inspiring mountain scenery combine to make this a writing retreat like no other."

Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. June 18 - 24, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. Workshops in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction led by an accomplished faculty. Genre workshops (Fiction, Literary Nonfiction, and Poetry) are held for three hours each morning. Online. Applications are open March 15 – April 16, 2023.

Speculative Fiction NIP Bookcamp & Writing Retreat Work Week. June 18 - 24, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. Six days of personal writing time with opportunities to discuss writing issues with the Retreat Mentor (an award-winning novelist and editor), opportunities to attend certain Bookcamp presentations, all social activities, critiques, and chat with fellow writers and publishing professionals in a relaxed environment.

The All-Genre Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat. June 18 - 24, 2023: West Bend, Wisconsin. The Bookcamp offers morning instruction, an afternoon editing clinic, group critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one consultations with our staff, pitch sessions with literary agents and acquisition editors, and presentations on writing or publishing topics.

Chesapeake Writers' Conference at St. Mary's College of Maryland. June 18 - 24, 2023: St. Mary's City, Maryland. "Join us on Maryland’s Western Shore-for the 8th Annual Chesapeake Writers’ Conference for a week of craft talks, lectures, panel discussions, and readings, as well as daily workshops in fiction, poetry, screenwriting, translation, songwriting, or creative nonfiction.

Christopher McKitterick Speculative Fiction Writing Workshop. June 18 - 30, 2023: Online. Learn how to write SF that sells. Using the short-story form, we help you master the elements that create great stories. Since 1985. This annual two-week residential writing workshop helps established writers grow their skills while helping those who have just begun to publish or who need the final bit of insight or skill to master the elements that create great stories readers love and editors want to buy. Become part of a writing community: Award-winning author, SF scholar, long-time director of James Gunn's original SF research center, and Ad Astra SF Institute Director Christopher McKitterick has led this workshop since 2010, and served as guest author in James Gunn's SF Writers Workshop starting in 1995. Apply by May 19.

Community of Writers at Squaw Valley: Poetry Workshop. June 19 - June 25, 2023: Olympic Valley, California. "We work together to create an atmosphere in which everyone might feel free to try anything. In the mornings we meet in workshops to read to each other the work of the previous twenty-four hours; each participant also has an opportunity to work with each staff poet. In the late afternoons we gather for a conversation about some aspect of craft. On several afternoons staff poets hold brief individual conferences." Registration deadline: March 28, 2023.

Stonecoast Writers’ Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023, Portland, ME. "Your conference experience centers around the workshop. In these classes, your work (and the work of your peers) serves as the primary text. Faculty focus on providing constructive criticism that can help you unlock your writing. Class discussions provide opportunities to discuss theories and practical application of writing craft. Each instructor adapts their class to reflect the interest and abilities of the students. Generative writing exercises ensure that you’ll have threads of new work to follow after the conference ends. This summer we are offering two distinct workshop classes: Fiction and CNF/Memoir. Each workshop is limited to ten students.

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference. June 20 - 25, 2023: Bemidji, Minnesota. We offer six intensive four-day writing classes and affordable auditor options. We’re proud to announce our 2023 MNWC faculty:  Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Hybrid Poetry & Prose) Ross Gay (Poetry), Keetje Kuipers (Poetry), Lia Purpura (Creative Nonfiction), Will Weaver (Fiction) and Diane Wilson (Memoir to Fiction). And we’re thrilled to have Heid E. Erdrich and Sun Yung Shin be our two visiting writers. Waitlisted.

Chautauqua Writers’ Festival. June 21 - 24, 2023: Chautauqua, New York. In addition to the Festival’s tradition of intensive workshops and optional à la carte one-on-one conferences with award-winning contemporary authors, attendees can also experience panel conversations, and a keynote address. The 2023 theme is “Hope & its Entanglements” and these various conversations will draw fruitful and urgent connections between the personal, the political, and the craft of writing. All of these features are included in the cost of Standard Registration and available as an option to any workshop participant.

Western Writers of America Convention. June 21 - 24, 2023: Great Falls, Montana. Children's, Fiction, Marketing, Non-fiction, Publishing, Young Adult. History presentations at the convention include Cats in the Old West, Border Wars/Law and Order, Mark Twain Literary Contributions, and more. Other sessions will take place related to the craft of writing, book marketing, and research sources and techniques.

Writing For The Educational Market. June 21 - 25, 2023: Boyds Mills, PA. If the words “educational market” make you think only of workbooks and textbooks, it’s time to think again!  Today’s educational publishers are eager to see lively nonfiction, fast-paced fiction, poetry, video scripts, and more.

Fordham University Retreat. June 21 - 25, 2023: New York City. "In order to help mentor the next generation of Asian American writers, Kundiman sponsors an annual Retreat in partnership with Fordham University. During the Retreat, nationally renowned Asian American poets and writers conduct Master Classes and manuscript consultations with fellows. Readings, writing circles and informal social gatherings are also scheduled. Through this Retreat, Kundiman hopes to provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging Asian American writers." 

Jackson Hole Writers Conference, June 22 - 24, 2023: Jackson Hole, WY. You will have ample opportunity to share your work with a distinguished faculty as well as writers from Massachusetts to Florida, from Texas to Washington. Serious writers pour into Jackson Hole each June looking for a fresh, but critical eye on their work. This event usually has at least 4 agents to pitch. 

David R Collins Conference Faculty & Workshops. June 22 - 24, 2023: Rock Island, IL. Daily workshops, critiques, pitches, evening events, keynote. Will be held in person.

In Your Write Mind Workshop. June 22 - 25, 2023: Greensburg, Pennsylvania. No up-to-date details. The following is from last year: Special Guest: L. Marie Wood. Agents: Eva Scalzo (Speilburg Literary Agency) and Erin Clyburn (Howland Literary). Editors: Miranda Hill (Berkley-Penguin Publishing Group) and John Edward Lawson (Raw Dog Screaming Press). Artist: Greg Chapman. Business and Craft Tracks. Pitch Sessions. Book Signing. Networking. Author Readings. Writing Sprints. Critique Groups. And more! Will be held online and in person.

Bookstock Literary Festival. June 23 - 25, 2023: Woodstock, Vermont. From Poets & Writers: "The festival features workshops, readings, discussions, and a book fair for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. Participating writers have included poets Benjamin Aleshire, Laura Foley, Pamela Harrison, April Ossmann, and Elizabeth Powell; fiction writers Jean Hanff Korenlitz and Roland Merullo; and nonfiction writers Jabari Asim, Bruce Coffin, and Sarah Prager. All events and workshops are free and open to the public."

 

The 2023 Writing Workshop of Chicago. June 24, 2023: Chicago, IL. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the Congress Plaza Hotel. 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.

Frost Place Conference on Poetry and Teaching. June 24 - 28, 2023 | Writing Intensive June 28 - June 29, 2023: Franconia, NH. Held each year in June, the Conference on Poetry and Teaching (CPT) is a unique opportunity for teachers to work closely with both their peers and a team of illustrious poets who have particular expertise in working with teachers at all levels: K–12, graduate and undergraduate, and nontraditional and community-based instructors.

Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops. June 25 - July 8, 2023: Gambier, Ohio. At Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops, talented high school students from around the world join a dynamic and supportive literary community to stretch their talents, discover new strengths, and challenge themselves in the company of peers who are also passionate about writing. In person.

New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College. June 25 - July 22, 2023: Saratoga Springs, NY. Since 1987, the Institute has been offering students the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary faculty of distinguished writers led by director Robert Boyers. The program is an offshoot of the New York State Writers Institute created by Albany native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy. The curriculum is designed for college-aged students and adults, and the new virtual format will retain many of the Institute’s hallmark features:

• Creative writing workshops in poetry, fiction and non-fiction
• Small classes that offer individualized attention and workshop student writings
• Public readings and afternoon Q & A sessions with world-renowned guest writers
• Private tutorial sessions for student fiction manuscripts, book-length poetry, or non-fiction (available for an additional fee)
• Option to enroll for one-week, two-week, or four-week sessions
• Optional undergraduate credit for eligible students enrolled in one genre for four weeks
• Merit Scholarships for tuition

Clarion West Summer Writers Workshop. June 25 - August 5, 2023: Seattle, Washington. "The six-week workshop can give you time away from everyday distractions and encourage you to experiment and take artistic risks. The critique sessions are the heart of the workshop: you learn not only by receiving critiques, but by reading others’ work and constructing your own critiques. Instructors work directly with attendees to present group critiques of newly written stories, participate in discussions about writing techniques or professional concerns, and hold individual or small-group conferences. Throughout the entire experience, the Clarion West Workshop staff is present to help guide participants and facilitate an inclusive environment." Closed.

Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Week. June 26  - July 21, 2023: Rutgers. For more than 20 years, the Hurston/Wright Summer Writers Workshop has offered a safe space for Black writers in intensive workshop sessions and master classes. Workshops are led by award-winning writers who are influencing today’s literature. The program features critiques, craft talks, writing time and public readings. Hurston/Wright workshops serve emerging and experienced writers who are starting projects, developing projects or seeking to polish projects. More than a thousand writers have participated in workshops since the first session in 1996. See website for individual workshops.

Haiku North America Conference. June 28 - July 2, 2023. Cincinnati, Ohio. "Haiku North America is designed for, and open to, everyone—beginners and seasoned specialists alike. Haiku North America (HNA) is a biennial conference in celebration of haiku poetry. Every two years we offer five stimulating days of papers, panels, workshops, readings, performances, book sales, cultural outings, and much socialization with fellow poets, translators, scholars, editors, and publishers. Our first conference was in 1991 and subsequent conferences have taken place in the United States and Canada, focusing on North American poets, their haiku, and related arts. Everyone is welcome to attend HNA, the largest and oldest gathering of haiku poets outside Japan."

9 New Agents Seeking EVERYTHING - Kidlit, Cooking, Commercial Fiction, SFF, Memoirs, LGBTQ+, Poetry and more

Updated 3/5/26

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

All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for everything from cats to cooking. 

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. 

__________________

Ms. Jen Newens of Martin-Newens Literary Management

In her role as Senior Literary Manager, Jen applies her 360-view of the publishing business to MLM, seeking out fresh, original voices and developing exciting new talent. At different phases of her publishing career, Jen has been an author, editor, and publisher, giving her experience in all sides of the business. She comes to us after a seven-year stint as publishing director at West Margin Press, an Ingram Content Group company. There, she acquired a wide range of different genres, but holds a special place in her heart for young people’s literature. She began to acquire graphic novels in 2019 and sees it as an exciting and burgeoning way to tell children’s stories. 

A subject matter expert in food and drink titles, Jen spent two decades as a cookbook editor and writer (she even went to culinary school!). She’s experienced in working with celebrity chefs, business owners, cooking brands, and food bloggers, as well as accomplished home cooks.

What she is seeking: The following are on Jen’s current wishlist, but she’s always open to hearing new ideas. 

Childrens/MG/YA/Graphic Novels 

•    Books that portray historically excluded voices, disability, neurodivergent characters, LGBTQ topics

•    Regional books with national crossover potential

•    Author/illustrators with strong storytelling skills and a clear vision

•    Children’s activity books

•    Quirky and humorous stories

•    Cat content (she’s crazy for cats)

Food and Drink

•    New ways to spin current trends (vegan air-fryer anyone?)

•    Chefs with personal stories, especially from under-represented groups

•    Food writers and bloggers with a distinctive story to tell

•    Unique regional topics with wide appeal

•    Weeknight cooking

•    Diet-specific and health and wellness titles

•    Mocktails and the NA lifestyle

•    Fresh takes on wine and cocktails

How to submit: Please submit queries here: http://QueryManager.com/JenNewens

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Katie Greenstreet of Paper Literary (UK)

Katie Greenstreet joined Paper Literary in 2022. A corporate lawyer by training, she worked for several large law firms before making the leap into publishing. She started her career in books as an assistant at ICM Partners in New York, where she supported a list of Booker, Pulitzer, and Nobel Prize-winning authors. She then moved to London and joined C&W, where she began building her own list while also working alongside Sue Armstrong and Sophie Lambert. At C&W, Katie discovered her passion for amplifying undiscovered voices and for getting stuck into projects editorially. At every step of the publication process, Katie prioritises the reach and longevity of her authors’ careers, and she is especially looking for clients with whom she can build enduring, long-term relationships.

What she is seeking: She is building a list of quality commercial and upmarket/book club fiction, with a select number of memoirs and non-fiction projects also in the mix.

How to submit: Send a query letter, synopsis and the first 10,000 words to submissions@paperliterary.com. See website for complete submission requirements. 

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Rose Ferrao of PS Literary Agency

Rose Ferrao is an associate agent at PSLA. She began her publishing career in London, working in non-fiction at Bloomsbury and science fiction, fantasy and horror at Orbit Books. She has a BA in English Literature and Film from Queen’s University and an MA in Publishing from University College London. Rose has a wide range of reading tastes, but she is particularly drawn to compelling, character-driven stories that embrace the weird and wondrous. Outside of work, she spends her time cooking and watching too many movies.

What she is seeking: Rose is currently acquiring both fiction and non-fiction. In fiction, she is looking for commercial romance, adult and crossover fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction and select young adult fiction. She is drawn to stories that embrace genre conventions from a fun, fresh angle. In non-fiction, she is looking for cookbooks and food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, and wellness, especially when approached from a specific, unique perspective. She welcomes and encourages submissions from neurodivergent writers. 

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

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Cole Hildebrand of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc.

Currently closed to queries

Cole Hildebrand began his career as an assistant editor at YesYes Books, going on to become managing editor for the press, involved in manuscript acquisitions, event planning, website design and publicity for YesYes Books' list, which includes works by authors such as Elizabeth Acevedo, Justin Phillip Reed, Danez Smith, and many others. He joined JVNLA in 2021, where he is actively building his list while aiding with international rights, film rights, and contracts, as well as handling the Australia/New Zealand market. Cole earned his BA in English from Lewis & Clark College and his MA in English and American Literature from New York University.

What he is seeking: He is acquiring literary and upmarket fiction, narrative non-fiction, essays, and poetry, particularly works by LGBTQ+ authors. He is drawn to character and voice driven stories with unique perspectives on the contemporary moment, especially those engaging with radical ideas and issues of social justice. He loves fostering the careers of debut authors, working closely with them to help develop and edit their projects, and guiding them through the full process from submission to publication and beyond.

How to submit: Use the agency's query form HERE.

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Elise Howard of DeFiore & Company

Elise is currently closed to queries apart from referrals.

Prior to joining DeFiore & Company, Elise Howard was the founding publisher of Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Workman Publishing, which she led from 2011 to 2022. Elise was previously SVP and associate publisher at HarperCollins Children's Books, where she oversaw the publication of many award-winning and bestselling books. Some of the authors she has worked with include Masuma Ahuja, Avi, Tracey Baptiste, Kelly Barnhill, Sara Farizan, Neil Gaiman, Kelly Jensen, and Nova Ren Suma. Books she has edited have won the Newbery Medal twice, the Edgar Allen Poe Award for best juvenile novel twice, and many other awards and honors. She began her career as a book packager, conceiving, selling to publishers, and developing juvenile and adult fiction and non-fiction projects. 

What she is seeking: As a literary agent, Elise is looking for new favorites— hers, an editor’s, and ultimately the reader’s: fiction and non-fiction to be savored and remembered for its immersive storytelling, rich world-building, and illumination of landscapes known and unknown.

Elise is generally not looking for genre fiction, but she may take on a book with a great love story at its heart or one with elements of fantasy. She is looking for a twisty, well-done mystery, especially if it features a great new sleuth with many stories to tell.

She’s also eager to represent eye-opening narrative non-fiction, particularly stories of the natural world, visible or invisible, including the human mind and body, or of people and events previously unknown or overlooked.

Submission guidelines: Please email queryelise@defliterary.com with the title of your work and its category (e.g., adult n.f., middle-grade fiction) in the subject line. Please include in the body of your email:

• A brief, compelling description introducing your book

• A paragraph (not more!) about you, relevant to your submission.

• For non-fiction, a concise synopsis that compels me to read on and the opening chapter.

• For fiction, the opening chapter.

• For graphic novels, the first chapter or the first twenty-five pages.

• For picture books, the full manuscript.

• No attachments, please. Submissions that include them won’t be opened.

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Mr. Arley Sorg of KT Literary

Currently closed to queries

Arley Sorg, Associate Agent: (Pronouns: He/Him, Salutation: Mr.) Arley is a kt literary associate agent. Arley is a two-time World Fantasy Award Finalist and a two-time Locus Award Finalist for his work as co-Editor-in-Chief at Fantasy Magazine. He is also a SFWA Solstice Award Recipient, a Space Cowboy Award Recipient, and a finalist for two Ignyte Awards: for his work as a critic as well as for his creative nonfiction. Arley is senior editor at Locus Magazine, associate editor at both Lightspeed & Nightmare, a columnist for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and conducts interviews for Clarkesworld. Arley grew up in England, Hawaii, and Colorado, and lives in the SF Bay Area. He is a 2014 Odyssey Writing Workshop graduate.

What he is seeking: He is primarily interested in adult speculative titles, including science fiction, fantasy, and horror with speculative/fantastic elements, literary speculative fiction, and climate fiction.

How to submit: Use his query manager HERE.

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Mr. Aram Fox of Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agents

At age 26, Aram founded a book scouting agency where for 23 years he represented international publishers and American film/TV companies, guiding his publisher and film/TV clients to acquire a Who’s Who of bestsellers and prize-winners, including: Brit Bennett, Peter Godfrey-Smith, Lauren Oyler, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Bill Gates, George Saunders, Angela Duckworth, Patrick Radden Keefe, Dave Grohl, Lena Dunham, Emma Cline, Harlan Coben, Jeff VanderMeer, Alex Honnold and Andy Weir.

What he is seeking: He’s crazy about commercial and literary fiction that put immersive storytelling front and center, and a wide range of nonfiction including memoir, narrative nonfiction, natural history and perspective-changing explainers and advice-givers.

How to submit: Please send your query letter and 30 pages to aram@mmqlit.com. The letter should include a synopsis, a brief bio, and your contact information. Aram asks that you put “Query” in the subject line and paste the letter and sample pages into the body of the email. Please note — and it kills him to say this — that Aram is not able to respond to everyone who sends him material. If he would like to hear more about your writing, he will be in touch within 2-3 weeks.

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Ms. Morgan Strehlow of The Bindery 

An experienced freelance editor and writer, Morgan has worked in various capacities with a range of content providers and education platforms, including Christianity Today, Baylor University, Sacred Ordinary Days, Called Creatives, and Go and Tell Gals. Morgan spent the first decade of her career in the sports industry as a go-to communications strategist and creative collaborator for major brands, coaches, and athletes. She holds a B.S. in Communications from Hardin-Simmons University and an M.S. in Sport Management from Texas A&M University. Morgan lives in Waco, Texas, with her husband, Sean, and their son. 

What she is seeking: Morgan is seeking compelling nonfiction by athletes, journalists, experts, academics looking to publish for the general market, and emerging voices with a growing platform who can speak to pop culture, sports, feminism, social justice, sex/sexuality, or religion/spirituality.

She's especially interested in the dynamic and interesting voices writing and speaking at the intersection of sport and society. On the fiction side, Morgan is eager for upmarket fiction, complex women's fiction, and sports fiction.

How to submit: To query The Bindery about literary representation, email your query to info@thebinderyagency.com. Please include the following in the body of your email: a clear summary of your book concept, an author biography, the table of contents (for nonfiction), at least two sample chapters, relevant contact information, and any publishing history. Include the word “QUERY” in the email subject line and if you’ve completed a book proposal, please attach that document to your email. You may address your query to one agent or to The Bindery as a whole.

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Ms. Camille Burns of Solas Literary Agency (UK)

Currently closed to queries

Camille has an MSc in Publishing from Edinburgh Napier University and an MA in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh. She currently serves as the Secretary of the Association of Authors’ Agents, as well as Co-Chair for the AAA’s Bridge Committee for early career agents and assistants. She also previously volunteered at the Story Museum in Oxford. Through organisations such as the SYP she has mentored students from a variety of backgrounds to help them gain access to the publishing industry.

What she is seeking: Children's and young adult fiction, as well as adult non-fiction and commercial adult fiction.

How to submit: Read guidelines here. UK writers only. 

  

Writing Fiction Like Nonfiction

I abhor writing rules. If you follow them, you will produce cookie-cutter prose that sounds as if it has been written by a machine. (Although, this may be what publishers are actually looking for.) 

One of the most egregious of these rules is: "Write nonfiction like fiction." I have read the work of writers who took this advice entirely too literally. They invariably produce personal essays and memoirs laden with self-conscious turns of phrase, excessively lyrical prose, and literary devices that transform what should have been an honest account into a parody. 

Verisimilitude is the bedrock of fiction. The appearance of reality in fiction is absolutely necessary, because without it readers won't be able to identify with the characters in the story. Even for genres in which readers are required to suspend disbelief, such as fantasy and science fiction, the thoughts and emotions of the characters need to conform to what readers already know about how people operate in the real world.   

"But ... but ... but..." (I can hear the objections now) "Write nonfiction like fiction" simply means that there should be an engrossing story line, well-developed characters, and that it should fully engage the reader! That is, in fact, a description of fiction. No, let me amend that. It's a description of good fiction. There is plenty of bad fiction out there that does none of those things. Conversely, there is plenty of nonfiction that does all of those things. The main difference is that unlike fiction, readers don't have to suspend disbelief. From the moment they open the book, they are ready and willing to believe that they are reading something that is actually true not merely like ("simil") the truth.

Good narrative nonfiction, because it is firmly grounded in real life, sticks with you. It expands your knowledge and brings people you have heard of (or perhaps not) to life, with all their quirks. (I will never forget that Winston Churchill wore pale pink silk underwear - a tantalizing detail I learned from Erik Larson's book, The Splendid and the Vile.) A well-written piece of narrative fiction not only expands your knowledge, it is immersive. You will feel as if you have personally experienced the London Blitz, or that you have visited the Black Sea. That quality of immersiveness is what makes good nonfiction unforgettable.

Of course, it also helps if the writer is skilled at storytelling, which is perhaps why so many narrative nonfiction writers have had early training as journalists. In journalism, writers must answer the basic questions: Who? What? When? Where? How? and (sometimes) Why? If those questions are answered in the right order, they combine to make a story. It's no accident that so many of our great novelists - Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Hemingway, and Mark Twain, to name a few - started as journalists. 

But at the root of good storytelling is mystery. Wanting to know what happens next is what makes you turn the page. Whether it's fiction or nonfiction, any book you can't put down contains that vital element of mystery.

By reading good narrative nonfiction, fiction writers can learn a great deal about their craft. So, which nonfiction books contain all of the features essential to fiction: immersiveness, great story-telling, mystery, "characters" who come to life, believability, and, of course, beautiful writing? 

Here are four books that fulfill those criteria. 

1) The Poet and the Murderer: A True Story of Literary Crime and the Art of Forgery by Simon Worrall. If you don't think the forgery of an Emily Dickinson poem makes for a thrilling read, think again. (I have devoured this book twice, and the second time was just as luscious as the first.) Worrall (a British journalist) takes a deep dive into a forgery that turned the literary world upside down. Step by step, he follows the path of a forged poem until it ends with psychosis and murder. (Two things you would never think of associating with Emily Dickinson.) I learned a great deal about forgery from this book. But most important, I learned how to bring a dry topic to life. 

This is how Worrall starts his book: "He thought he had gone under deep enough, but as he followed the curve of the letter m, he felt a momentary tremor like the distant rumbling of an earthquake." Now that is how to begin a book about a forger. (By the way, always read prologues. Don't skip them.)

Interestingly, in the fourth chapter of the book (aptly titled, Auction Artifice), Worrall quotes the forger as saying that deceiving people gave him "a sense of power." But the power of deception can only be achieved when people are willing to suspend disbelief. The reason forgeries find willing buyers is because the forgeries themselves are imbued with the stories people want to hear - an old woman who finds a letter written by Lincoln tucked in a picture frame in her attic, a man who comes across a signed first edition of Pride and Prejudice in a rummage sale. The possession of the object therefore comes fully endowed with a desirable story, which the owner now possesses as well. Perhaps, deceiving people through giving them a story they want to hear, and allowing them to "own" it, is the ultimate power wielded by fiction writers.

2) Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia by Peter Pomerantsev. I've read everything written by Pomerantsev and all I can say is that I wish he would write more. Pomerantsev is a consummate storyteller. This book explores the world of Russian reality TV in a way you will never forget. Pomerantsev, whose parents emigrated to England to avoid being sent to the gulag (ironically, for distributing Solzhenitsyn's The Gulag Archipelago), returned to Moscow to spend ten years working in Russian television, specifically reality TV. And what a ride it was! Professional hit men, Kremlin propagandists, the suspicious death of a supermodel, remote Siberian towns run by  crime bosses...damn! This book took my breath away. 

His second book, This Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality, is also breathtaking. He begins each chapter with a gripping biographical section on his parents, told in third person. This is a literary device which was all the more effective because it was a true story.

What I learned from these books is not just how Russian TV propaganda works, but their applicability to our own television, which suffers no less from the war against reality.

3) The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson. Any book by Erik Larson (who is, predictably, a journalist) is well worth reading. Each of Larson's books contains the magical alchemy of great storytelling, people you come to know intimately, and immersiveness. And I can guarantee you won't forget what you have learned from reading any of his books. 

Among Larson's works, The Devil in the White City stands out as exemplary. The story is captivating. In addition, the writing is superb. Larson is no stranger to lyrical prose, which he uses only where it is essential. (I will never forget his description of the first skyscrapers: "the inaudible cry of overstressed steel.") And most important of all, this book has mystery. Weaving in and out of building the monumental Chicago world's fair in the face of natural disasters and catastrophe, there is the nail-biting story of hunting down a gruesome serial killer. And all of it is true. 

4) I can also recommend The Black Sea by Neal Ascherson, another British journalist. This book is more than a history. Ascherson also includes his own experiences, including the time he just happened to be in Crimea during the coup against Gorbachev, who had been placed under house arrest in Crimea. (That was exciting!) I found the entire book to be captivating, not least because Ascherson is a superb writer. The history of this region is fascinating, and in the hands of a wonderful writer, it is unforgettable.  

But let's not stop with nonfiction writers who are worthy of emulation. Here are two works of fiction that embody what is best about narrative nonfiction.

The Giant, O'brien by Hilary Mantel. Mantel, who sadly passed away recently, wrote several noteworthy works of historical fiction. But this book is unique. It is a marvelous combination of science (I learned a lot about surgery), fairy tales, Irish history, and the harsh realities of 18th century squalor. While fiction, this book incorporates the true story of John Hunter, England's most famous surgeon, anatomist, and advocate of the scientific method in medicine. Mantel did a careful job of researching this novel, and it shows. It's not only engrossing, it's perfectly credible.

Anthony Doerr is another writer whose prose is so transparent, so (seemingly) effortless, you are hardly aware that you are reading. Like good narrative nonfiction, his prose is natural, yet precise, and it never draws attention to itself. I've read, and loved, all of Doerr's work. But The Shell Collector is fiction that embodies what is best about good narrative nonfiction. It is instantly believable and as lovingly detailed as the shells which provide the story's anchor. Like Ascherson, Doerr has the ability to take you to another place so convincingly, you will think you've been there.

(Image: Inside/Outside: Illusion Meets Reality: Uwe Schroder, Flickr)