August 30, 2019

20 Themed Calls for Submissions for September 2019

These are 20 themed submission calls in the 14 markets listed here for writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the themes are classics remixed, fierce, mystery, urban nature and the environmental challenges of cities, classic fairy tales populated with gay Bears, AfroMyth, the magic of dogs (and cats), Christmas, me-time, Anne of Green…

August 29, 2019

Agora Books: Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Updated March 3, 2023: They haven’t been posting on Instagram for over a year, and some of their newer links are now broken. I’m assuming they are defunct. Agora Books (UK) is linked to the established literary agency Peters, Fraser & Dunlop. It is very important not to confuse this Agora Books with the one…

Potato Soup Journal: Now Seeking Submissions

Updated 2023: Permanently closed to submissions. Potato Soup is a new online literary journal of fiction, flash fiction, ten-word stories, creative essays, memoirs, and stories by prompts. The name of their journal is inspired by the creative flow required to turn bland potatoes into delicious potato soup. Humans tell stories, and humans hear stories. Somewhere…

I’m Not Playing On My Phone… I’m Selling Books!

As a mother and a writer, I often feel guilty when I am working because it means time away from the family. However, I decided long ago that I needed and deserved time to write and I guard it fiercely, whilst making sure it does not intrude on family life too much. In recent years…

August 28, 2019

Genre: A Novel’s Flavor

By Modupeh Duncan Writing a novel comes with many challenges: finding time to write on a busy schedule, developing a consistent and intriguing plot, navigating character threads, creating well-rounded, realistic characters, etc. But something that most people do not spend enough time thinking about is genre. Selecting a genre seems almost intuitive; however, there is…

August 26, 2019

7 Common Mistakes New Authors Make When It Comes To Publishing

For the purpose of this article, I am defining new authors not as people new to writing, but as writers new to publishing their work. Publishing your work is a completely different beast than writing. There is some overlap between crafting a good query letter and crafting a good chapter, but it is insignificant in…

August 22, 2019

Claret Press: Seeking Manuscript Submissions

Claret Press is a UK based press founded in 2015. It is an independent press that focuses on publishing works of political fiction and creative nonfiction. They publish a minimum of three books a year. Most books are offered in print and digital format. Some also have an audio option. They do not have traditional…

Déraciné: Now Seeking Submissions

Déraciné is an online journal of dark fiction, poetry, and art. A déraciné  is a person who feels displaced, and Déraciné magazine hopes to raise awareness of psychological issues and feelings of displacement. Using elements of the literary gothic, horror, and fantasy, Déraciné explores the shadow of the psyche. To get a sense of what they…

August 19, 2019

15 Paying Creative Nonfiction Markets Now Seeking Submissions

These publications accept creative nonfiction, including personal essays and memoir. Most of these outlets accept other genres also, like fiction and nonfiction. A few also publish translations and artwork. All of them pay writers, from token to pro rates, and are listed in no particular order. Shenandoah The magazine publishes poetry, prose, translations, and comics….

August 15, 2019

Agate Publishing: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Agate Publishing is a small press located in Evanston Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. They started in 2002 with their Bolden imprint and initially published only African American authors before expanding from there. They have good distribution within the United States. They are only open to queries, which means that you can only send your…

Philosophical Idiot: Now Seeking Submissions

Philosophical Idiot is an online journal for weirdos. It’s a creative playspace featuring work that’s easy to read but hard to digest. They like writing that’s odd, angsty, and/or hilarious. They don’t have rules. To get a sense of their style, you can read past issues online. Launched in July 2017, Philosophical Idiot has published…

Three Reasons To Work With An Editor On Your Book

Ben Graff For any writer, knowing how to make your book the best it can possibly be, is not an easy question. For the new author it is even more acute. What you have written matters. You have lived with the story for so long in your head. All those desk hours later something real…

August 12, 2019

12 Specialized Manuscript Publishers that Accept Direct Submissions

All of the presses on this list meet all of our guiding principles, but most of them have such a specific focus that we cannot justify writing a full review and sending it to our full list of subscribers. But they are still good publishers. Instead, we have compiled this list of mini reviews. I have…

August 7, 2019

Princeton Architectural Press: Accepting Submissions

Princeton Architectural Press is a small press that focuses on publishing books on architecture, design, photography, landscape, and visual culture. They also publish beautiful stationary and children’s books. They are based in New York. In 2009 they were bought by McEvoy Group. They are now a sister company to Chronicle Books. They have excellent distribution…

Lamplit Underground: Now Seeking Submissions

Lamplit Underground is an online journal of strange beauty. Named after the image of children hiding by lamplight in an underground fort, Lamplit Underground features eerie adventure and unexpected fear. They publish both new and established authors, and they accept all forms and styles of writing—though they prefer eccentricity. You can get a sense of…