August 17, 2023

A New Ruse by Publishers to Make Authors Pay to Publish

Since 2020 there are more authors than ever trying to publish. This has impacted both the self publishing and publishing industry in profound ways. I’m only going to talk about the shift that has happened that is most worrying to me — as a reviewer of traditional publishers, as an author myself, and as an…

Don’t Change Your Debut

By Grace Bialecki I was nearly finished with my first novel when I met up with an author acquaintance to ask for advice about getting a literary agent. It was a bitter New York winter night, and I felt icy and invigorated as I slid into the bar. Soon I would send out my manuscript…

August 14, 2023

37 Wonderful International Literary Journals

The bulk of the journals we review are based in North America, with a smattering in the UK. Although we sometimes seek out and include international journals, the bulk of the journals we’ve reviewed are in these two regions. All of the journals in this list are not in either of these regions. They span…

August 10, 2023

Monarch Educational Services: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Monarch Educational Service’s Publishing arm was founded in 2021 and bills themselves as a “boutique publishing house” and a “full-service traditional publishing company,” even though the name “educational services” implies otherwise. They focus on publishing work for middle grade readers and young adults. They also recently started an imprint, Caterpillar, that is focused on publishing…

The Colored Lens: Now Seeking Speculative Fiction Submissions

The Colored Lens is an established print publisher of speculative fiction. They aim to help readers see the real world more clearly by looking at it through the lens of the imagination: “By considering what could be, we gain a better understanding of what is.” They publish all forms and styles of speculative fiction, including…

It’s Time to Stop Reading and Start Writing

By Ratika Deshpande Let me ask you a question: in the last week or month, how much time have you spent reading about writing? How many articles on how to open your novel? How many articles on the routines of famous writers? How many articles describing the success stories of those who’ve come before you?…

Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers this August

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities….

August 7, 2023

30 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for August 2023

These are themed submission calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the calls are: subscribe; masks; graveyard boots; shopping mall horror; betrayed; reclamation; coastal new weird; comfort & joy; rip; Halloween; uncharted waters; and the midnight labyrinth. THEMED CALLSCirsovaTheir tagline is, ‘Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense’. They have detailed guidelines…

August 3, 2023

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in August 2023

These magazines pay for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They are a mix of literary and genre outlets. Not all are open through the month. Nashville Review They accept submissions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translations during the months of February and August. Please note, they have a submission cap and may close early if volume…

No Starch Press: Now Accepting Book Proposals

No Starch Press is a small press that focuses on publishing work on technology, particularly work with “a focus on open source, security, hacking, programming, alternative operating systems, LEGO®, science, and math.” Their motto is “the finest in geek entertainment.” They are distributed by Penguin Random House. You can get a good feel for what…