These are themed submission calls and contests from 37 outlets for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some call themes are: solar punk; (non)binaries; anarchy and harmony; shatter the sun – Queer tales of untold adventure; tales from the cleaners; silent nightmares – haunting stories to be told on the longest night of the year; the workplace; modern love; and storm. A couple of the outlets are open for more than one submission call.
THEMED SUBMISSION CALLS
The Slab Press: Vivid Worlds — The Solar Punk Anthology
This is a fiction anthology of “short science-fiction/science-fantasy stories in the growing solar punk genre. We want you to tell us of futures in which we take our custodianship of the planet we call home seriously. Hopeful stories. What innovations can we bring forward to survive and thrive? We want colour, culture, and nature at the forefront of your stories.” And, “No reprints from stories that have already been published in print in English, please, but stories translated into written English for the first time, or that have only been previously published in audio format are permitted.”
Deadline: 15 December 20
Length: 2,000-9,000 words; shorter or longer stories may be considered but will be a hard sell
Pay: £0.01/word up to £50
Detail here.
(And, Air and Nothingness Press wants science fiction – see guidelines – submissions for Our Dust Earth, a shared-world anthology. Stories will be based upon the RPG – Our Dust Earth, which is a “Dying Earth” era game. They pay $0.08/word for stories of 1,000-3,000 words, and the deadline is 31 December 2024.)
Eye to the Telescope: (Non)Binaries
They want speculative poetry on the (Non)Binaries theme. “Binary systems—be they of astronomical bodies, numerical values, or sociological categories like gender—exist to simplify the expression of complex ideas and existences. While sociological binary pairings like man and woman, human and animal, artificial and natural, forcibly categorize beings into absolute and unchanging opposites, binary pairings among astrological bodies mark the relationship between two bodies without insisting on their utter difference. …How do these systems of categorization limit us? How does their rigid structure lead to new forms of expression and being
For this issue, we seek speculative poems that utilize, interrogate, re-enchant, and abandon binary systems of all kinds. What cannot be binaried? What can be non-binaried? How can a binary representational system speak? How can binaries in science and beyond speak to our human experiences of existence?”
They accept translations, too. Deadline: 15 December 2024
Length: Up to 3 poems
Pay: $0.04/word (up to $25)
Details here.
Book Worms Zine: Space and Science Fiction Horror
They want short stories, essays, and poems for their Winter 2025 issue; the theme is Space and Science Fiction Horror(must have horror elements, not just sci-fi.) “We generally enjoy “fun”, “80s style” horror reminiscent of the zine’s old-school vibe, but we’ve also been blown away by fresh voices that take the genre in a new direction.” Submissions have to be mailed.
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Length: Up to 1,500 words for prose
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction and essays (up to 1,500 words), $25 for short poems (up to 10 lines), $50 for longer poems
Details here.
Flame Tree: Latin American Shared Stories
This is an anthology for their Beyond & Within series, “which will be a selection of speculative stories highlighting the many voices, mythologies, folklore and storytelling prowess of authors from Latin American countries or writing in the traditions of the Latin American diaspora.”
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Length: 2,000-4,000 words (see guidelines)
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
(Flame Tree usually posts submission calls on their blog.)
The Brothers Uber: Once Upon a Moonless Night – Tales of Betrayal, Revenge, and Redemption
Their guidelines say, “It’s the fear—not of the dark—but rather what lurks in the dark. The terror that the mind can feel, but cannot see. The whisper on the wind, heard but not understood. … You know that you shouldn’t go out in the night, shouldn’t heed its seductive call. Night after night the darkness beckons. You know that one day soon you’ll lose your resolve, give in, and become the darkness. There’ll be no going back once you do.
These are the tales whispered in dark corners. Of good people pushed too far. Stories of revenge and redemption for past wrongdoings. Stories that excite the mind where what seems to be true isn’t always the case. Dark, foreboding, full of suspense, can you weave the story of what happens during the moonless night?” They want stories in all genres.
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Length: 250-15,000 words
Pay: $0.05/word, capped at $400
Details here.
(And, Impulsive Walrus Books wants work for a speculative fiction anthology, Glen Must Die! – they’ll pay $0.03-0.08/word for stories of 2,000-5,000 words, the deadline is 1 January 2025, and the anthology is contingent on their Kickstarter being funded.)
Neon Hemlock Press: Three calls
Neon Hemlock is particularly interested in queer stories and authors. They are open for three projects:
— Baffling Magazine: Strange Forms, Baffling Magazine is a project of Neon Hemlock Press, they publish speculative fiction with the Queer bent; they’re open 1st to 15th December 2024 for stories on the Strange Forms theme, as well as unthemed speculative fiction. They accept stories up to 1,200 words, and pay $0.08/word.
— We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction, a reprint anthology; they want speculative stories published in 2024 under 17,500 words that implicitly or explicitly explores queerness and/or transness. The project is open to all writers. Deadline 31 December 2024.
— Shatter the Sun: Queer Tales of Untold Adventure, “Stories of queer heroes forged and tempered in the fire, fighting dark stars and bright suns, and overthrowing tyranny in all its forms. Sword and sorcery, sweat and sandals, souls and stars. … We are looking primarily for fantasy stories on the gritty, un-epic side of things. We expect there will be a seam of the occult and cosmic horror running through the book. We’ll also probably include a couple sword and planet stories, but that won’t be the focus. … We’re probably not looking for stories set on Earth. We’re probably not looking for Indiana Jones-type stories either (though maybe a secondary-world decolonial approach would be cool?)” They’ll also accept translations. Pay is $0.08/word for stories up to 6,000 words, deadline 15 January 2025.
Deadlines: See above
Length: See above
Pay: Varies
Details here.
(Submissions are also open for two of fourteen poems’ anthologies – one called eff-able featuring Queer disabled poets, deadline 17 December 2024; and the other for LGBTQ+ poets, deadline 10 January 2025, which pays £25/poem; details here.)
Roses & Wildflowers: Anarchy and Harmony
They publish mythopoeic fiction, poetry, and art. For the Anarchy and Harmony theme, “This is what we hope is a very fun challenge. We are exploring how societies can be arranged differently. Inspired equally by archeological evidence of very different civilizations in the ancient Celtic sites and the new evidence recently discovered in Amazonia of thriving civilizations ordered on a very different approach to living together than the one we know currently and by UK LeGuin’s work in “The Telling” and “The Dispossessed” which explore different approaches to non-hierarchical societies. We challenge writers and poets to explore Anarchy and Harmony with a playlist to be inspired by.” They invite writers and poets to listen to a playlist on their website and tell them which song the story or poem was inspired by.
Deadline: 17 December 2024
Length: 1,000-7,500 words for fiction, up to 40 lines for poetry
Pay: $20 for fiction, $10 for poetry
Details here, here, and here.
Midnight & Indigo: Music
They publish works by Black women writers only – speculative and literary fiction, and essays. “Are you a Black woman writer with a passion for speculative fiction and horror? We want to hear from you! We’re looking for previously unpublished, character-driven narratives that transport readers to worlds beyond their wildest imagination.” They’re reading unthemed work, and are also reading works for a special Music issue: “We’re looking for original, previously unpublished short stories and essays that use music as a prompt. Your piece can be inspired by anything from a lyric from your favorite song to a song title, or even a personal memory.”
Deadline: 30 December 2024
Length: 1,200-7,000 words for fiction for the music issue
Pay: $0.07/word for fiction, $150 for essays
Details here (Music issue guidelines and submission), here (general guidelines and submission links)
Brigids Gate Press: Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane – Nostalgic Terrors
They want horror fiction, nonfiction/essays, and poetry for this anthology. “The genre stirs a sense of nostalgia for us all, through vintage television hits like Tales from the Crypt and Elvira’s Movie Macabre, to famed comics such as Adventures into Terror and Weird Tales. Give us your nightmares, your childhood frights, your sleepaway camp mysteries. … Where does your mind go as you conjure unimaginable apparitions just beyond your reach? We want to know… when did Horror take root for you?
Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors is a collection of original fiction, poems, and essays where new and seasoned horror writers recount their first experiences with the genre. A mix of terror, inspiration, comfort, and reassurance, this
anthology offers a powerful experience for those who seek to create and consume stories that transcend the page.” They will open around mid-month for submissions, and may close earlier than the deadline if their submission cap is met.
Reading period: 14th – 31st December 2024/until filled
Length: Up to 32 lines for poetry, 100 words for drabbles, 500-1,000 words for flash fiction, up to 1,000 words for nonfiction
Pay: $0.08/word for prose, $50 for drabbles and poems
Details here.
Workers Write! Tales from the Cleaners
This is a fiction and poetry anthology; they want stories and poems from the cleaner’s point of view. “We’re looking for fiction and poetry about the people who clean up after everyone, such as maids, janitors, custodians, waste management workers, crime scene cleaners, and even laundromat owners.”
Deadline: 31 December 2024, or until filled
Length: 500-5,000 words
Pay: $5-50
Details here.
(Workers Write! also publishes chapbooks called the Overtime series, stories of 5,000-10,000 words – details here.)
Written Backwards: Silent Nightmares — Haunting Stories to Be Told on the Longest Night of the Year
This horror fiction anthology will be published in hardback and other formats. “Silent Nightmares will be open for submissions the month of December, 2024. This anthology of dark holiday horrors will be co-edited by Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Bailey, who will be eagerly sifting the slush for Haunting Stories to Be Told on the Longest Night of the Year. … For collaborative works, payment will be split equally between collaborators.”
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $500
Details here.
Channel Magazine
This Ireland-based magazine publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. “We love work that speaks directly of a writer’s bond with and fear for our planet, and work that takes a local landscape, or a local flower, as its subject; equally, though, we love work that draws on an aspect of nature as setting, image or metaphor. We believe that all writing relies to some extent on historical engagement with nature, in that all human language has been shaped by our embeddedness in our shared environments.” They reopened for fiction and poetry on 15th November, and the deadline for these genres is 31 December 2024. Non-fiction (considered for both print and online) is accepted on an ongoing bases. They accept submissions in English and Irish.
Deadline: 31 December 2024 for fiction and poetry, ongoing for nonfiction
Length: Varies
Pay: €35 per printed page, up to €250 per piece and with a minimum fee of €50 for single-page works; €35 per 400 words, up to a maximum of €250 per piece and with a minimum fee of €50 for work published online
Details here.
Collective Tales Publishing: Collective Madness – Schisms of the Soul
This is a fiction anthology. “We are publishing a dark fantasy anthology of short stories in the theme of “schisms of the soul.” Examples of this could include: Going insane, complicated ethical dilemmas, dimensional rifts, puppet masters, transformations (people becoming monsters or animals), hive minds, etc.”
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Length: 1,000-3,000 words
Pay: $15
Details here and here.
(Collective Tales Publishing is also open for a dark drabbles anthology, which is open until filled – details here.)
DBS Press: Dracula Beyond Stoker: Jonathan Harker
Dracula Beyond Stoker publishes fiction issues (with some poetry) featuring characters and more from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. You can read about the magazine here. For their upcoming submission period, they want work on Jonathan Harker. “What happened on the way from the castle to the hospital in Buda-Pesth? What happens after the story ends? What is his relationship with his son? Jonathan is often perceived and portrayed as impish and weak, but he might just be one of the bravest characters in the book.”
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Length: 1,500-5,000 words
Pay: $0.05/word
Details here.
The New York Times: Modern Love
Modern Love is a nonfiction column of the New York Times. They want “honest personal essays about contemporary relationships. We seek true stories on finding love, losing love and trying to keep love alive. We welcome essays that explore subjects such as adoption, polyamory, technology, race and friendship — anything that could reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma you have faced. It is helpful, but not essential, for the situation to reflect what is happening in the world now.” Also, “Love may be universal, but individual experiences can differ immensely and be informed by factors including race, socio-economic status, gender, disability status, nationality, sexuality, age, religion and culture.” Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Modern Love has two submission periods, March through June, and September through December. Writers are paid. They especially welcome work from historically underrepresented writers, and from those outside the US.
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Length: 1,500-1,700
Pay: Unspecified
Details here.
(Also see their Tiny Love Stories column; these are also personal essays similar in theme to Modern Love, but much shorter, of 100 words.)
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: 31 December 2024 (extended)
Length: 6,000-8,000 words
Pay: $0.10/word
Details here.
Rosarium Publishing: Planet Black Joy
They want work by women and non-binary folk who identify as Black, African, or of Afro-descendent heritage only. This is a speculative fiction anthology, they want stories exploring and celebrating Black joy and pleasure. “We want to showcase stories of Black joy in the fantastical and the mundane in the present, past, and the future. We’d like a variety of Black joy from catharsis to irreverence to clawing resilience out of the darkness. From Black Twitter after the Alabama Brawl to the kind of joy that has been constructed in the face of white supremacy and patriarchy. We want to know what Black joy means to you.” They also accept translations and reprints.
Deadline: 1 January 2025
Length: 3,000-7,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word for originals, $0.02/word for reprints
Details here.
(— And, FIYAH is also open; they only accept speculative fiction and poetry from Black writers of the African Diaspora. They’re reading submissions for an unthemed issue, pay $0.08/word for fiction of 2,000-15,000 words and $50 for poetry, deadline 31 December 2024.
— Also, EastOver Press Anthology of Rural Stories is open, they want submissions of previously published fiction from BIPOC writers in the rural US only, whose short stories feature characters living and/or working in rural or semi-rural spaces/from BIPOC writers who’ve spent a significant amount of time in rural or semi-rural locales and whose work might reflect those spaces. Pays $100-300 for stories up to 7,500 words, deadline is 31 December 2024.)
The Other Stories Podcast: Weird; The Workplace
This is a horror/sci-fi/thriller fiction podcast from Hawk & Cleaver. They accept themed fiction submissions of up to 2,000 words. Their upcoming theme is Weird,(“Bring us the bizarre, the unexplainable, the surreally beautiful. Old weird. New weird. Bizarro. Whatever. Bear in mind — we still want good stories with satisfying endings.”) deadline 1 January 2025; another theme is The Workplace(“Give us stories of the slow death — office politics, chaos from the cubicle, stories from the ant farm, the workshop, the assembly line, the burnout, the boss from hell.”), deadline 1 February 2025. They have listed other themes too, with later deadlines.
Deadlines: See above
Length: Up to 2,000 words
Pay: £15
Details here, here, and here.
The Fantastic Other: Storm
Their general guidelines say, “We are interested in all things fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal, surrealist, fabulist, and magical realist. Show off your weird!” They’re accepting submissions on the Storm theme: “In our changing climate, storms are here to stay. They batter us from within and without. Whether writing about a literal tempest or a figurative deluge, we want to read your torrential landscapes. Send us fiction, flash fiction, poetry, or art that strikes lightning in our hearts.”
Deadline: 5 January 2025
Length: Up to 3,500 words for fiction, up to 4 poems (see guidelines)
Pay: $5
Details here.
Rainy Weather Days
Their guidelines say, “We are shifting focus to works OF DEFIANCE—we are looking for works of and by voices of protest that challenge our current status quo. We are looking for resistance literature. This can be fictional prose of any genre, poetry, or nonfiction essays. … To be clear, the ideology of the work should oppose right-wing ideology, Nazism, Authoritarianism, Christian nationalism, white supremacy, etc. or uplift voices of dissent or marginalized voices.” They’re also looking for cover art.
Deadline: 6 January 2025
Length: 1,500-15,000 words for fiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $10/poem, $25 for prose
Details here and here.
The First Line Journal
They want fiction (any genre) and poetry that begins with pre-set first lines, one for each quarterly issue. They also accept 4-part stories (or 5-part, if also ending with the last-line prompt from The Last Line Journal – ‘I called back a week later and told them we were good to go.’ – see guidelines) from writers who want to use all the 4 (or 5) prompts, but all of these must be submitted by the 1 February 2025 deadline. For nonfiction, they want critical articles about your favorite first line from a literary work. For fiction and poetry, the first lines are:
Spring: ‘Jayce recognized the man right away but couldn’t remember his name.’ Due date: February 1, 2025
Summer: ‘No one really knows why restoration stopped on the abandoned St. Julian hotel, where commoners and kings once came to relax in luxury.’ Due date: May 1, 2025
Fall: ‘Her truck took the sharp turns of the mountain road with ease.’ Due date: August 1, 2025
Winter: ‘When anyone in town needed help, they contacted Rocky Germain.’ Due date: November 1, 2025
Deadlines: 1 February 2025 for the Spring issue, and for 4-part (or 5-part) stories; later for other issues (see above)
Length: 300-5,000 words for fiction; 500-800 words for nonfiction
Pay: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry (less postage fee for international contributors – see guidelines)
Details here.
THEMED CONTEST CALLS
(There are also some unthemed contest calls open now, including:
— Eggtooth Editions Chapbook Contest: For a chapbook in any genre (see their post here), of 15-50 pages; it is open to writers who have not previously published a full-length book, and there can be joint authors (see guidelines). They will only accept up to 100 fee-free submissions, so presumably may close earlier than the deadline. The winner also gets $250 and 20 copies of the chapbook, deadline 15 December 2024, or until filled, details here.
— Lit Fox Award: A new award for full-length poetry manuscripts of at least 48 pages by Lit Fox Books; the award is publication and $1,500, deadline 15 December 2024, details here and here.
— RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers: This is for Canadian writers who have published work in literary magazines, but not in book form. Submit up to 10 pages of either unpublished short fiction, creative nonfiction, or 5-10 pages of poetry. A self-published book or chapbook will not disqualify you. The prize is CAD10,000 for winners in each category; CAD2,500 for finalists, deadline 16 December 2024, details here (overview), here (poetry), here (short fiction), and here (creative nonfiction).
— Porter House Review 2024-2025 Editor’s Prize: Porter House Review is an online literary journal produced in conjunction with Texas State University’s MFA program in Creative Writing. They have announced their 2024 – 2025 Editor’s Prizes in Poetry (submit up to 5 poems), Nonfiction (up to 6,000 words), and Fiction (up to 8,000 words). They have detailed guidelines, please read them carefully. Also, “All submitted works will be considered for publication. Porter House Review is dedicated to paying all of our featured writers a competitive rate for accepted works.” While there is a $10 submission fee for the prize, during the week of December 22nd through December 28th, this fee will be waived. Prizes are $750 each for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, details here and here.
— And, A Public Space has writing and editorial fellowships, both of which will be announced in December – see here.
— table//FEAST Literary Magazine: The Fifty & Up Writer Awards: This contest is fee-free and only open to writers aged fifty and up. There will be one winner for poetry (send up to 2 pages), fiction, and creative nonfiction (prose of 500-2,000 words). Each winner will receive $50 plus a dollar per year if beyond the fifty years mark, deadline 1 January 2025, details here. They have other contests too, which have submission fees.
— The Welkin Mini: An international contest, “The Welkin Mini is a competition to celebrate micro fiction and creative non-fiction up to 100 words. Like the main Welkin Prize, it is free to enter and aims to be a welcoming space for all writers,” first prize £50 – please see guidelines, deadline 2 January 2025, details here.
— San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program: This is a fellowship to finish a significant writing project, in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. There does not need to be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. It is for writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support. Fellows are expected to give one public reading and will be required to reside within the counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, adjacent counties of the California central coast or central valley during most of the academic year. There will be up to 6 fellowships of $15,000 each, deadline 5 January 2025, details here and here.)
J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards
These awards are given for nonfiction works in progress which deal with a topic of American political or social concern, to aid their completion. Writers must already have a contract with a US-based publisher. One of the application requirements is 50-75 pages from the work in progress. There is no fee for the work-in-progress award. The prizes are run by Columbia Journalism School – they also have other awards, which charge entry fees.
Value: $25,000
Deadline: 5 December 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
The sine qua non prizes for prose and poetry
For their inaugural issue, the sine qua non is sponsoring two creative writing competitions: for creative prose (send up to 15 pages) and poetry (send up to 5 poems / 10 pages). “We are interested in prose and poetry that addresses any topic in a way that exhibits your unique perspective. We want to read about characters and places humming with life and situations that challenge our conceptions of the world or deepen our investment in it. We want to read pieces whose forms guide and enliven their content or upend our understandings of what forms can do. How you write affects what you write and vice versa. Surprise, unsettle, and amaze us. If you aren’t sure what to write about, remember that this is an inaugural issue, so consider some of the following suggestions: beginnings, newness, fresh starts.” They have a submission quota, so may close earlier than the deadline. Submission is via a form on their website.
Value: $500 each for poetry and prose, and $250 for runners-up
Deadline: 15 December 2024, or until filled
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
King’s English Society Poetry Competition: Paper
This is a poetry contest by the King’s English Society (formerly the Queen’s English Society), and the theme is ‘Paper’. “Poems sent by post should each be typed on a separate sheet with contact details on the reverse. Each emailed poem must be sent separately with contact details well separated from the poem.” The poem can be up to 20 lines, in the author’s choice of form.
Value: £100
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Length: Up to 20 lines
Details here.
Minotaur Books / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
This is an international contest for crime novel manuscripts, for writers who have never been the author of any published novel in any genre and are uncontracted. The writing should be no less than approximately 60,000 words. Authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work. Minotaur is an imprint of Macmillan.
Value: $10,000 advance against royalties
Deadline: 15 December 2024
Open for: Unpublished writers (see guidelines)
Details here.
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).
Value: £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
Deadline: 20 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Poetry Society of America: The Four Quartets Prize
This is for a unified and complete sequence of poems published in the US in a print or online journal, chapbook, or book in 2024. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were published in 2024 and that brought together, they form a complete sequence. The minimum requirement is 14 pages of published poems unified by subject, form, and style. Entire books composed of a unified sequence, however long, are also welcome.Submissions will have to be mailed. Self-published work is not eligible. They have other awards also, though these have an entry fee, or do not have an application process.
Value: $1,000 for three finalists, an additional $20,000 for the winner
Deadline: 31 December 2024 (postmark date)
Open for: Unspecified
Details here (download the entry form).
Lilith Magazine Fiction Contest
This magazine publishes work of interest to Jewish women. They like work with both feminist and Jewish content. Submit fiction up to 3,000 words.
Value: $300
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
The Caribbean Writer Prizes
Their website says, “The Caribbean Writer (TCW) has issued a call for submissions for Volume 39 under the 2025 theme: Possibilities: Beyond Tradition, Inside of Courage.
Contributors may submit works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora. The Caribbean should be central to the work, or the work should reflect a Caribbean heritage, experience or perspective.” Submissions are also eligible for various prizes (there is no separate application process): The Canute A. Brodhurst Prize of $600 for best short fiction; The Daily News Prize of $500 awarded to a resident of the US Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands; The Marvin E. Williams Literary Prize of $500 for a new or emerging writer; The Cecile deJongh Literary Prize of $500 for a Caribbean author whose work best expresses the spirit of the Caribbean; The Vincent Cooper Literary Prize of $300 awarded to a Caribbean author for exemplary writing in Caribbean Nation Language.
Value: $300-600
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here and here.
The Writers College: My Writing Journey Competition
This is an international contest, open to all writers. They want a 600-word essay on the theme, The best writing tip I’ve ever received.
Value: NZ$200 (R2000 or £100)
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Meridians: The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award
Meridians is a literary magazine affiliated with Smiths College. This award is for short works – poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and play scripts. “The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award celebrates an author whose work embodies the lyrically powerful and historically engaged nature of Dr. Alexander’s writing. We aim for this award to highlight different forms of knowledge production that emerge from the artistic, political, and cultural advocacy undertaken by women of color nationally, transnationally, and globally. Works engaging with feminism, race, and transnationalism will be prioritized. Translated works and manuscripts in languages other than English are encouraged as well.” Apart from a cash prize, the award also offers a reading and retreat at Smith College, and publication in Meridians.
Value: $500
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
The Lyric Magazine: College Poetry Contest
This is a contest open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Poems must be original and unpublished, 39 lines or less, written in English in traditional forms, preferably with regular scansion and rhyme. Students can send up to three poems.
Value: $500, $200, $100
Deadline: 31 December 2024
Open for: Undergraduates in an American or Canadian college or university
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.
Value: $300
Deadline: 1 January 2025
Open for: All writers
Details here
Shepton Snowdrops: Treasures of Nature
Their website says, “The Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Project is a not for profit Community Interest Company run entirely by volunteers. We run and support the annual Snowdrop Festival each February and plant snowdrop bulbs each autumn across the town.” They’re also open for a poetry contest. There is an entry fee for over-18s, and poets under 18 years can send one poem, on the ‘Treasures of Nature’ theme, of up to 30 lines, for free. Your entry should have a unique title and your initials in the filename.
Value: £50-100 for under-18s
Deadline: 6 January 2025
Open for: Free for under-18s
Details here.
The Leon Levy Centre for Biography: Biography Fellowships
These are four resident fellowships at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City, to nonfiction writers working on biographies. preference in the award of fellowships is given to those who have not yet published a biography or received fellowships for the writing of a biography. They also welcome applications from published and accomplished writers who are undertaking their first biography. The Leon Levy Center for Biography does not award fellowships for memoirs, essays, plays, films, or fiction. One of the application requirements is a sample of the proposed biography, a maximum of 2,500 words. (Also see the Sloan Fellowship, given annually to a writer working on a biography of a figure in the field of science or technology.)
Value: $72,000, residency
Deadline: 6 January 2025
Open for: Writers working on biographies
Details here and here.
The Joan Shorenstein Fellowship
This is a fellowship from Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy. “The mission of the Joan Shorenstein Fellowship is to advance research in the field of media, politics and public policy; facilitate a dialogue among journalists, scholars, policymakers and students; provide an opportunity for reflection; … The primary focus for a Fellow is to research, write and publish a paper on a media/politics topic.” Also, “Past fellows include journalists from local, national and international TV, radio, print, and digital media; media and civic technology innovators; nonfiction authors; political advisors and policymakers; leading academic scholars in fields such as media research and political science; and policy analysts. Successful former fellows have come from a variety of backgrounds and career stages.” And, “Fellows work independently, with the support of center staff, on the project and/or research agenda agreed to between the fellow and the center. The exact nature of a fellow’s work varies depending on interests, goals, desired impact, and capacity. Fellows who are in-residence and doing significant research work are expected to make the fellowship their full-time commitment during their term. Shorter term fellowships or hybrid arrangements are possible, and may be proposed. “ Also, “Stipends and other financial and material assistance for fellows are dependent on need, and scope of a fellow’s work and contribution to the center. You may indicate in the application whether you would require financial assistance to do your proposed project or fellowship activities. Stipend funds are limited and not guaranteed.” Applicants must be a working journalist with a minimum of ten years of full-time experience (see guidelines), politician, scholar or policymaker currently or recently active in the field. They are now accepting fellowship applications for the Spring 2025 term, Fall 2025 term, and the full 2025-2026 academic year. Application is via a form on the website.
Value: Unspecified
Deadline: Open now
Open for: Non-fiction authors and journalists
Details here.
(A couple of contests with later deadlines are:
— The 2025 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting: This prize, for an hour-long play, is split across four categories with different eligibility requirements; one of the categories is open internationally, the rest for UK playwrights. Prizes range from £10,000 to £20,000, deadline 9 January 2024, details here and here.
— Discoveries 2025: It is for UK- and Ireland-based unpublished and unrepresented women writers, for a novel-in-progress (adult fiction) – send the first 10,000 words and a synopsis. This prize is run by The Women’s Prize Trust, Audible, Curtis Brown Literary Agency, and Curtis Brown Creative writing school. Apart from a cash prize, the winner also gets literary representation. There are also non-cash prizes for shortlisted and longlisted writers (see T&C). The prize is £5,000, and the deadline is 13 January 2025. Details here and here.
— Patrick Henry Fellowship: This fellowship is from the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College in Chestertown, Md. It is for those working on American history and/or legacy. The residential fellowship supports work on the subject by both scholars and non-academics in many genres. Applicants should have a significant project currently in progress — a book, film, oral history archive, podcast series, museum exhibition, or similar work. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the U.S. founding era and/or the nation’s founding ideas. The fellowship pays $45,000, health benefits, book allowance, faculty privileges, and residency; the deadline is 15 January 2025. Details here.
— Harbor Editions Prizes: They are running two prizes – the Laureate Prize for Poetry, for which they accept fee-free submissions from BIPOC writers and previous finalists for poetry manuscripts, the prize is $500 and publication; they also have the Harbor Review Editor Prize, which is for a micro poetry chapbook manuscript, and for which, also, submissions for BIPOC writers and previous finalists are free, and prize is $200; entries for other poets have a submission fee; the deadline for both prizes is 31st January 2025, details are in their Submittable; please be sure to submit in the correct category.)
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
