These are themed calls and contests from 31 publishers for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; a couple of the publishers are open for more than one call. Some of the call themes are: solarpunk conflicts; fever dreams; Aphrodite; censorship; stop surveillance copaganda; cat stories; future states of stars; on the farm; high seas horror; fortune and luck; culture vultures; and dark hearts.
THEMED SUBMISSION CALLS
Sad Ghost Ink: Solarpunk Conflicts Anthology
This is a fiction and poetry anthology. There are detailed guidelines on the theme, including, “Solarpunk is optimistic. Solarpunk is hopeful. Solarpunk is about change and unity. Solarpunks seem to agree on these points. But what are the points of conflict within solarpunk? When do solarpunks disagree, and why? Is solarpunk a monolith, is it fractured and disparate, or is it somewhere in between? What spaces of tension exist within both genre and community that can flare to sudden flame at the right (or wrong) provocation? And, what do these conflicts look like in a solarpunk world?
This anthology is about these conflicts. Stories should explore a solarpunk conflict, either one manufactured entirely for the story, or one based in a real-world point of contention you feel currently divides solarpunks, or that has done so in the past. Conflicts can be as small or as grand as you would like, though the story as a whole should be legibly solarpunk and should not champion a non-solarpunk ethos.”
Deadline: 8 November 2024
Length: 2,500–8,500 words for fiction, up to 2 pages for poetry
Pay: CAD0.05/word for fiction, CAD0.25/word for the first two hundred words of poetry, and CAD0.10/word after (see guidelines)
Details here.
Flame Tree Anthologies
Flame Tree is open for four speculative fiction anthologies: Fever Dreams, an unthemed horror anthology, deadline 14 November; Aphrodite and Loki, both part of their Myths, Gods, & Immortals series, deadline for both 24 November; and Latin American Shared Stories, part of their Beyond & Within series, for authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora, deadline 15 December. Please click on the individual tabs for details on each theme. They usually make anthology announcements on their blog.
Deadlines: See above
Length: Varies
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here, here, here, and here.
Full Bleed: Censorship, and more
Full Bleed is a magazine of visual and literary arts, published annually in print and online by the Maryland Institute College of Art. Their guidelines say, “In this year marking the hundredth anniversary of the Manifesto of Surrealism, we look forward to featuring in our next issue a selection of new manifestos for our own time and poetry in the ars poetica vein. A separate section of Full Bleed 8 will explore the topic of censorship.”
On Manifestos, they say, “we are open to submissions calling for new directions in art, literature, politics, cultural life, and collective imagining. Send us your boldest ideas and headiest visions, in any genre and form you see fit. We’re open to the contrarian, the exasperated, the polemical, and the aspirational.”On the Censorship theme, they say, “we are open to submissions of visual art, criticism, literary prose, art and design history, reportage, and poetry considering acts of censorship, or that address censorship as a phenomenon in our time or times past, here in the U.S. or in other parts of the world.
Additionally, we welcome narratives from the “front line,” so to speak. If you have been fired or punished for expressing your views or have had creative works, exhibitions, or acts censored, retracted, redacted, canceled, demonized, or de-platformed in some way, we encourage you to send us your work, or evidence of it, for consideration for inclusion in the issue along with a description of any related controversy and its consequences.” They want prose, as well as genre-defying work, poetry, and art.
Deadline: 15 November 2024
Length: Up to 7,000 words for prose
Pay: “a modest honorarium”
Details here and here.
Tyche Books: Starship Librarians
This is a speculative fiction anthology. “Badgered and beleaguered, the front line of the culture wars, enduring book bans, budget cuts, and ruthless political theatre, it’s a tough time to be a Librarian. Yet if there is to be a better tomorrow, it will be built on the art and wisdom of today. Building community, preserving knowledge, sharing art: simple principles demanding resolute determination and sincere empathy from those staffing the desks and stocking the shelves.
And the Librarians of tomorrow?
Does anyone still believe that an algorithm can fill this vital, sensitive role? Librarians function above the digital revolution’s reach. Have we realized databases, search engines, and other tech tools can never replace human librarians? In the hands of a master, such tools might increase their abilities, but the great cathedrals of knowledge and monuments of literature will never be ruled by the soulless. You can’t code empathy, program taste, or script inspiration. It’s time we recognize society should never replace empowered Librarians.
We are looking for stories about the librarians of tomorrow. Whether essential crew in the grand exploration of the space, defenders of knowledge in bleak radioactive tomorrows, or idealists in the halls of Neo-Alexandria, we want to check out your stories.
A bold Commander, brilliant science officers, resourceful engineers, but no starship crew is complete without a librarian!” Please note, they want Canadian spelling.
Deadline: 15 November 2024
Length: Unspecified
Pay: CAD50
Details here.
Sans. Press: Out There Anthology
They want stories that respond to this prompt, or artwork on their website. “From glowing eyes in the dark to the brief shimmer of starships, there are other realities on the brim of discovery for those daring to look! It may come in the form of visiting creatures, new inventions, pure magic or a deeply subjective perspective; but we know that other ways of existing are lurking out there. … we want the stories that go beyond the boundaries of the known world; that dive deep into the imaginary, the mad, the uncanny or the simply unbelievable. We want to expand the limits of what is possible, and dive into the uncharted waters of experimental, speculative, or just plain weird. … All genres of writing are welcome; more than any specific story or style, we want the emotional response the title and artwork evokes in you.” They will read submissions until the deadline, or until their submission cap is reached, whichever is earlier. Submission is via a form on their website.
Deadline: 21 November 2024, or until filled
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: €200
Details here.
Stop Surveillance Copaganda Anthology
This is a collaborative project; 5 selected stories will be published in a special issue of Strange Horizons and in COMPOST Magazine. They have detailed guidelines on the theme; “Surveillance technologies are increasingly built into our daily lives without our consent—and are championed in mass media for their power to do so-called good. The truth is, surveillance is mostly used to harm and oppress communities—misidentifying people through facial recognition, targeting families for missile strikes, criminalizing people who seek to assert their bodily autonomy, and facilitating scams and stalkers. Most “positive” uses of surveillance are straight-up copaganda.” They want “stories that accurately deal with surveillance tech, policing, and centralized power—and then use them as a foundation for a free, uncensorable toolkit to help all storytellers bring a more just framework to their dealings with technology. Your story doesn’t explicitly have to center cops, but can rather be about alternatives that tear down the narrative that surveillance and centralized power necessarily equals safety.” Also, the author of one short story will be provided a flight to and from Taipei, hotel accommodation, a stipend, and a ticket to access the RightsCon venue and platform, and a chance to participate.
Deadline: 21 November 2024
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $0.10/word
Details here.
Renaissance: Choices – An Anthology of Reproductive Horror
This is a horror fiction anthology by Renaissance, a publisher of diverse Canadian voices. They want submissions from writers of marginalized genders only for this anthology; please note, 50% of stories included in this anthology must be written by Canadian authors. They want submissions from Cis women, Trans women, Trans men, Nonbinary people, Two-Spirit people, and also encourage disabled, 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, racialized, and working class/poor writers to submit. “Few things are more horrifying than having your bodily autonomy stripped away. Unfortunately, for people of marginalized genders, this is a common experience. Our autonomy and choices, especially those around reproduction, are challenged every day. In many places, making our own choices has become illegal – or was never legal in the first place. Choices: An Anthology of Reproductive Horror aims to create a space for people of marginalized genders to explore these horrors through fiction. We hope this exploration will provide catharsis for both the writers and the readers.”
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Length: Up to 6,000 words
Pay: CAD0.08/word
Details here.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Cat Stories, and more
Chicken Soup publishes true stories and narrative poetry, of up to 1,200 words. They are open for works on specific topics and the next upcoming deadlines are for:
— Cat Stories: “Cats have always been considered companions and playmates that brighten our days and enrich our lives. What would we do without them? They are also wonderful and amazing teachers. The lessons we learn from our feline friends come in all shapes and sizes, just like they do. Tell us the new thing your feline friend has taught you. How smart she is or how she outsmarted you! How he made you smile. How she “rescued” you after you “rescued” her.” Deadline: 30 November 2024
— Change your habits & attitudes / change your life: “Habits. Attitudes. Breaking bad habits and replacing them with good habits play an important role in self-care. Change your attitude and you can change your life. And self-care – including mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing – is vital to ensuring that your needs are met. It’s probably what we neglect the most.” Deadline: 30 November 2024
There are other themes listed on this page, including Holiday Celebrations; and Miracles, messages from heaven & angels.
Deadline: 30 November 2024 for Cat Stories and for Change your habits & attitudes / change your life
Length: Up to 1,200 words
Pay: $250
Details here; also see other tabs on the guidelines page for more details
OwlCrate Press: Future States of Stars
This is a fiction anthology for upper YA (18+), new adult, and adult audiences. “We are specifically seeking stories in the dystopian sci-fi genre with a Black Mirror or Twilight Zone vibe. Authors are encouraged to explore themes of the near-to-far future of states, whether set here on Earth, in space, or in other dimensions.
Consider exploring dystopian themes such as authoritarian regimes, environmental collapse, surveillance societies, loss of individual freedoms, or the impact of advanced technology on humanity.”
Deadline: December 31st, 2024 (deadline extended)
Length: Up to 8,500 words
Pay: $0.10/word
Details here.
Gypsum Sound Tales: CLOP – On the Farm
This is a fiction anthology. “Living on a farm means waking up to the crow of roosters, spending days under wide-open skies tending to crops and livestock, and enjoying the simple pleasures of fresh, homegrown food straight from the fields.
Whether it’s a tale of triumph over adversity, a humorous anecdote from the barnyard, or a heartfelt reflection on the bond between farmers and the land, join us in celebrating the spirit of farming through storytelling.”
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Length: 1,000-10,000 words
Pay: AUD5-10
Details here and here.
khōréō: Symbiosis
khōréō is a quarterly magazine of speculative fiction and migration. They only publish work by immigrant and diaspora authors. They are open for speculative fiction submissions on the ‘Symbiosis’ theme. They also accept translations.
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Length: Up to 5,000 words (prefer up to 3,500) for original fiction, up to 3,500 words for translations
Pay: $0.10/word
Details here and here.
Whisper House Press: Dread Mondays
This is a workplace horror fiction anthology. While they accept stories up to 4,000 words, stories under 3,000 words will get preference. While the deadline for general submissions (for all writers) has passed, they are still open for marginalized authors (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, etc.).
Deadline: 30 November 2024 for marginalized writers only
Length: See above
Pay: $0.06/word
Details here.
(Submissions are also open for Burial Books’ Inanimate Things – Volume Two; “We are looking for horror short stories between 1,500 and 6,000 words in length … about inanimate things that are living. It could be a doll, the dead flesh of zombies, or your Ford F-150. The story needs to involve this subject in some way…and be scary too.” Pay is $10, and the deadline is 1st December 2024. They also publish ongoing, unthemed horror and dark fantasy anthologies, and horror novellas. Details here.)
Undertaker Books: Stories To Take To Your Grave #3 High Seas Edition
They want horror stories in all subgenres that take place on the high seas for this print anthology. “We’re looking for stories of pirates, sea monsters, deserted islands, the Bermuda Triangle, and anything else taking place on or in the world’s oceans. From the ice floes of the Arctic to the nuclear wasteland of Bikini Atoll, the seven seas are your canvas for amazing horror!”
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Length: 2,000-4,000 words
Pay: $25
Details here.
Eternal Haunted Summer: Fortune and Luck
Their tagline is, ‘Pagan Songs & Tales’. They want poetry and short fiction about the Gods and Goddesses and heroes of the world’s many Pagan traditions, as well as reviews of books, graphic novels, academic journals, magazines, movies, plays which have a Pagan focus; and interviews with established and new Pagan authors, or authors of texts that interest a Pagan audience. They also accept essays concerning the Gods, Goddesses, heroes, myths and folklore of the world. The theme for Winter Solstice 2024 is ‘Fortune and Luck’. “Improbable events. Random associations, positive and negative. Is it chance or is it divine intervention? Send us your best poems, short stories, and essays about fortune and luck — good and bad — from a Pagan/polytheist, witchy, or mythological point of view. Send us poems about leprechauns, the Goddess Felicitas, the wheel of fortune, the cornucopia. Send us short stories about a man losing his luck to a cunning fae, the opening theme of Carmina Burana, the asteroid 19 Fortuna, and the wheel of fortune tarot card. Send us essays about the history of the four leaf clover, the adoption of feng shui in western interior design, and the evolution of the Goddess Fortuna into the medieval Lady Fortune.”
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Length: No length limit, but please discuss longer works with editors in advance (see guidelines)
Pay: $5
Details here.
(Submissions are also open for Parabola, a quarterly journal that explores the quest for meaning as it is expressed in the world’s myths, symbols, and religious traditions, with particular emphasis on the relationship between this store of wisdom and our modern life. They publish articles and translations, book reviews, retellings of traditional stories, forum contributions, and poetry. The theme for their next issue, i.e. Spring 2025, is ‘The Mystery of Time’. Pay is unspecified, and the deadline is 1 December 2024, details here.)
Fantasy is a Drag! Anthology
They want “fantasy stories that are, first and foremost, drag” from members of the drag community only.
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Length: Up to 10,000 words
Pay: $50 + royalties
Details here.
Griffith Review: Culture Vultures
Griffith Review is an Australian literary and current affairs journal; they mostly publish work of Australian writers, and some work by international writers. They’re currently accepting fiction and nonfiction submissions (no poetry) on the ‘Culture Vultures’ theme, for Issue 88. “There’s no escaping the onslaught of content these days. But it seems increasingly tricky to determine what’s good and what’s not as we stream, tap and swipe our way through our endless entertainment feeds. How can we tell our own taste? Have we reached the end of culture? What place does criticism occupy in this ever-shifting landscape? And what does all this mean for the relationship between form and content?
From page to screen and everything in between, this edition of Griffith Review consumes the culture of the twenty-first century – and tries to outrun the algorithm.” Please note, they want prose submissions only; there will be a separate call-out for poetry later in December.
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Length: Up to 4,000 words
Pay: AUD0.75/word for print prose
Details here and here.
Never Whistle at Night, Part II: Back for Blood Anthology
They want horror stories from emerging (see guidelines) Indigenous writers in North America only. “Our anthology aims to showcase fresh, original voices in Indigenous Horror, and we encourage submissions that explore new and innovative themes.” Writers may submit up to three stories. The anthology will be published by Vintage Books in the US and McClelland & Stewart and Random House Canada.
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Length: 3,000-5,000 words
Pay: $1,500
Details here.
Humor Me: Christmas
This is a comedy magazine. They are open for humor stories and cartoons on the Christmas theme. “We are happy to accept all types of humour, from sharp satire to slapstick.”
Deadline: 2 December 2024
Length: 500-3,000 words
Pay: £20 for stories
Details here.
Book XI: A Journal of Literary Philosophy – Experiments with Form
Book XI is a journal dedicated to publishing personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. The journal is affiliated with Hamilton College’s Arthur Levitt Center for Public Affairs. For the ‘Experiments with Form’ theme, they say, “We’re looking for stories or essays that use borrowed forms (memos, Yelp reviews, maps, encyclopedia articles, etc).
We will consider only previously unpublished and philosophically informed creative work (though our understanding of “philosophically informed” is capacious). You may submit text or images or both. All submissions should be made through Submittable.” Please note, they will close this opportunity when they reach their submission cap, or 15 December 2024, whichever is earlier.
Deadline: 15 December 2024, or until filled
Length: 1,000-5,000 words for prose, no more than 7,000 words
Pay: is $200 for prose, $50 for poetry
Details here and here.
Ploughshares: Look2 essays
Apart from work for the literary magazine, Ploughshares is also accepting submissions for the Look2 essay series. “This series seeks to publish essays about underappreciated or overlooked writers. The Look2 essay should take stock of a writer’s entire oeuvre with the goal of bringing critical attention to the neglected writer and his or her relevance to a contemporary audience. … The writer can be living or dead and from anywhere in the world (if there are good English translations available). Essays should make note of biographical details that are pertinent to the writer’s work.” They accept only pitches/queries of 1-2 pages, not completed work, for this series. There is no submission fees for Look2 essays.
Pitch deadline: 15 January 2025
Length: See above
Pay: $45/page, up to $450
Details here.
Parsec Ink: Triangulation Anthology Series – Dark Hearts
This is a fiction (prefer up to 3,000, will accept up to 5,000 words) and poetry (up to 100 lines) anthology. “Dark Hearts is a women-centered theme for which anyone can submit stories. The anthology will feature speculative stories and poems about women who are anti-heroes. Send us your stories about shady ladies: women and female-presenting characters breaking the rules, defying social norms, and getting up to no good!” The editor loves “supportive female friendships. Women with a mastery of weapons or powers. Women in STEM or in disguise. Cyborgs. Hackers. Heists. Underdogs. Romance!” Regarding genre, they accept science fiction, fantasy, and horror, and blends of the three.
Deadline: 31 January 2025
Length: See above
Pay: $0.03/word for fiction, and $0.25/line for poetry
Details here and here.
THEMED CONTESTS
(Apart from the themed ones, there are also some unthemed contests open for November, including:
— Cave Canem’s Derricotte/Eady Prize for a chapbook-length manuscript by a Black poet. Winner receives a $1,000 award, publication of their manuscript by O, Miami Books, a residency in The Writer’s Room at The Betsy Hotel in Miami, and a featured reading at the O, Miami Poetry Festival in April. Deadline 6 November 2024, details here and here; Cave Canem runs other prizes too, see here.
— Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize for outstanding work by student writers in the 11th grade in the US or abroad; entrants can send published or unpublished poems, submission is via a form on their website. Prizes $1,500, $750, $500, deadline 10 November 2024, details here.
— Memezine: Weird Little Guys – Flash Poetry & Prose Contest, an unthemed flash prose and poetry contest, they want weird prose and poetry (“your weird”), first entry free. First prize $69, deadline 15 November 2024, details here.
— ServiceScape Short Story Award, any genre or theme of short story accepted, submit a work of short fiction or nonfiction, 5,000 words or fewer. Please note, they reserve the right to modify or terminate the contest at any time without prior notice. Prize $1,000, deadline 30 November 2024, details here.)
Defenestrationism: 2024 Flash Suite Contest
This is a contest for at least three flash fiction pieces (up to 1,000 words each) that co-relate in some way. A single piece of the suite may have been published before, otherwise, no previously published material. Finalists will be published daily on the site, followed by at least two weeks of Fan Voting – winners will be selected by a judging panel, with Fan Voting counting as an additional judge vote.
Value: $75, $60
Deadline: 10 November 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival: Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize
This prize will be awarded to a Brooklyn- focused non-fiction essay which is set in Brooklyn and is about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. “We are seeking compelling Brooklyn stories from writers with a broad range of backgrounds and ages (minimum age 18 years old) who can render Brooklyn’s rich soul and intangible qualities through the writer’s actual experiences in Brooklyn.” Essays have to be 4-10 pages (up to 2,500 words). Value: $500
Deadline: 15 November 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
T Paulo Urcanse Prize for Literary Excellence
T Paulo Urcanse was a Portuguese writer and activist, most famous for his short novel, The Pucker Fish. He spent a lot of money entering prizes for his short fiction and poetry, but never won. In his honor, the High Horse Magazine has issued a prize for literary excellence – it is open to “poets, writers, and essayists of all colors and stripes. Whether you be a lonely writer looking for community and wanting to make your literary debut, or a similarly eggheaded and celebrated writer in the vein of the namesake of this prize, we welcome your submissions with open arms, without fees or prerequisites”.
Value: $250, $100, $50
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Speculative Literature Foundation’s Gulliver Travel Grant
This grant is to help writers of speculative literature (in fiction, poetry, drama, or creative non-fiction) in their non-academic research. It is to be used to cover airfare, lodging, and/or other travel expenses. Writing samples (speculative literature) are part of the application requirement (see guidelines). This grant is awarded on the basis of interest and merit. Applicants need not have prior publishing credits to apply. The application portal for this grant will open during the submission period. They also have other grant submission periods coming up.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here (Gulliver Travel Grant) and here (schedule for all grants).
Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition
This is an international contest for novel manuscripts in the malice domestic genre, for writers who have never been the author of any published mystery novel. “Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Whatever violence is necessarily involved should be neither excessive nor gratuitously detailed, nor is there to be explicit sex. The suspects and the victims should know each other. There are a limited number of suspects, each of whom has a credible motive and reasonable opportunity to have committed the crime. The person who solves the crime is the central character. The “detective” is an amateur, or, if a professional (private investigator, police officer) is not hardboiled and is as fully developed as the other characters. The detective may find him or herself in serious peril, but he or she does not get beaten up to any serious extent. All of the cast represent themselves as individuals, rather than large impersonal institutions like a national government, the mafia, the CIA, etc.” The work must be at least 65,000 words. Minotaur is an imprint of Macmillan.
Value: $10,000 advance against royalties
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Open for: All writers, for a debut mystery novel
Details here.
(Minotaur is also running a First Crime Novel Competition, which has a 15th December 2024 deadline.)
Dappled Things: The J. F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction
Dappled Things is a space for emerging writers to engage the literary world from a Catholic perspective. For this contest, they want stories of up to 8,000 words “with vivid characters who encounter grace in everyday settings—we want to see who, in the age we live in, might have one foot in this world and one in the next.”
Value: $700, $300
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize
This prize is for young UK-based writers. They want fiction or non-fiction of 1,000-1,500 words on the relevance of Benjamin Franklin’s relevance in our time. The quote for this year’s competition is “Truth will be Truth tho’ it sometimes prove[s]… distasteful.”A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain. (1725). Writers are asked to interpret this quote for its significance today.
Value: £750, £500
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Open for: UK writers aged 18-35
Details here.
The Society of Authors: The Betty Trask Prize
This is for UK, Ireland, or Commonwealth (see guidelines) based writers under 35, for a debut novel. Writers can enter a published or self-published book or an unpublished manuscript which must be in a traditional or romantic, and not experimental, style.
Value: £10,000 for the winner, and a fund of £16,200 will be divided equally between shortlisted authorsDeadline: 30 November 2024
Open for: UK, North Ireland, Commonwealth writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest
This is an annual contest, they want flash fiction or narrative poetry about weird Christmas. There are three prompts the writers can choose to write on: stocking stuffer (any weird Christmas story), weird cards (use a weird Christmas card the editor has posted, as a prompt), and weird Christmas specials (“Weird Unreal Cultural Celebration” – Create a new holiday. But it also has to be from a new culture), – see guidelines for details. Writers can send multiple entries. Stories have to be up to 350 words.
Value: $50 prize for a winner in each prompt, and $35 for every honorable mention (10-12)
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
One Teen Story Contest
This is a fiction contest for writers ages 13-19 by One Story Magazine; there are three categories divided age-wise for this contest; 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19. “We are interested in great short stories of any genre about the teen experience—literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, horror, etc. What’s in a great short story? Interesting teen characters, strong writing, and a beginning, middle, and end.” Stories have to be 2,000-4,500 words.
Value: $500 for each category
Deadline: 2 December 2024
Details here and here.
(A couple of contests with later deadlines are:
— The London Society – Dreams for London: This is an international themed contest about London. “Tell us why you love this city. Write a Love Letter to London…. Entries are to be around the theme of “Dreams for London”. What are your passions, hopes and dreams for this incredible city? Just let your imagination run wild. It can be reportage, an historical essay, a ‘think piece’, a spot of futurology, a work of fiction, a poem. We are open to all forms and styles.” Entries can be up to 500 words, and poems can be up to 40 lines. There are 4 categories: Aged 11 and under; 12-18 year olds; Open – all other entrants; and Poetry. They also accept certain previously published works (see guidelines). The prizes are £500, £250, and £100 each for Open and Poetry categories; £500, and 4 runners up prizes of £150 each for 11 and under, and 12-18 categories, and the deadline is 20 December 2024. Details here.— Defenestration.net Lengthy Poem Contest: They are reading entries for a lengthy poem, of at least 120 lines and up to chapbook-length (see guidelines). It is best to divide it into parts or sections, though this is not a strict requirement. Poem cycles will be considered. Please note, the shortlisted poems will be posted on the website, which will be followed by fan voting. The prize is $300, and the deadline is 1 January 2025. Details here.
— San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program: This awards writers of any age and background a $15,000 fellowship to finish a significant writing project. Fellowships are currently offered in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University’s creative writing program. There are up to 6 fellowships of $15,000 each, and the deadline is 5 January 2025. Details here and here.)
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
