These are 47 themed calls and contests from 39 magazines/anthologies/presses listed here. Some of the calls are: the end; solarpunk; food & feasting; crabs; feisty felines and other fantastical familiars; rattus futura; the unknown; literary curiosities; personal ghost stories; past perfect; cybear punk; nightmares before bed; and abandon earth.
THEMED CALLS
Hearth Stories
This is a new speculative fiction magazine; they are reading submissions for their first issue. Their About page says, “We publish fiction and poetry that explore connection, family, relationships, comfort, and the natural world. The stories often fall into a fantasy, science-fiction, or magical realism sort of “slice of life.”” They have detailed submission guidelines, including on the kind of work they like and what they do not want; please read these carefully. Regarding length, they say, “We accept works from flash fiction up to novella length. However, the ideal length may be something in the 1,500-5,000 word range.” They have shortened their submission period, and will now close on 6th September 2023 (see ‘2023 Note’ on the guidelines page).
Deadline: 6 September 2023
Length: See above
Pay: $0.01/word for fiction; $10 for poetry
Details here.
Fusion Fragment
This Canadian magazine publishes science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction. “Although any science fiction subgenre is fair game, our tastes lean towards slipstream, cyberpunk, post-apocalypse, and anything with a little taste of the bizarre. FF prefers character-driven stories, and often skews towards quiet, reflective pieces. If the primary tone of your story is one of high adventure or humour, it’s probably not the right fit for FF. That said, quality always outstrips genre preference in terms of importance, so feel free to send us anything that even vaguely resembles science fiction.” They also publish one reprint story per issue.
Deadline: 8 September 2023
Length: 2,000-15,000 words
Pay: 3.5 cents/word (Canadian), up to CAD350
Details here.
The Quiet Ones: The End
This magazine publishes quiet horror and/or intimate dystopia works of fiction and narrative poetry. They are reading submissions on The End theme.
Deadline: 10 September 2023
Length: Up to 3,000 words for fiction, up to 1,200 words for poetry
Pay: $25
Details here.
Solarpunk Magazine
This is a magazine of solarpunk fiction. The magazine “publishes hopeful short stories and poetry that strive for a utopian ideal, that are set in futures where communities are optimistically struggling to solve or adapt to climate change, to create or maintain a world in which humanity, technology, and nature coexist in harmony rather than in conflict. We also publish solarpunk art as well as nonfiction that explores real world, contemporary topics and their intersection with the solarpunk movement for a better future.” Also, “Any genre of science fiction, interstitial fiction, magic realism, or fantasy has potential as a solarpunk forum—we welcome robots and elves with equal excitement.” The kind of work they want is described on their Moksha submission page, as well as the guidelines page. They also accept non-fiction, poetry, and art.
Deadline: 14 September 2023 for fiction and poetry; rolling submissions for nonfiction and art
Length: 400-7,500 words for fiction; up to 5 poems; 1000-2,000 words for non-fiction
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction; $40/poem; $75/essay or article
Details here (guidelines) and here (Moksha submission portal)
Eye to the Telescope: Food & Feasting
This is a speculative poetry magazine and they want submissions on the Food & Feasting theme. They have detailed guidelines, including, “I’m interested in works that explore all aspects of food and feasting, from production to consumption, from culture to detachment, from ecstasy to shame. Don’t be afraid to explore form & new forms, but I admire emotional and imaginative potency above all.”
Deadline: 15 September 2023
Length: Up to 3 poems
Pay: $0.04/word, up to $25
Details here.
Book Worms: Halloween
This is a mail-order only horror zine. They want horror fiction and nonfiction on the Halloween theme. Please note, submissions have to be mailed.
Deadline: 15 September 2023
Length: Up to 1,500 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
Alien Dimensions: Official Offworld Alien First Contact
This is a space fiction magazine, and they want fiction on the Official Offworld Alien First Contact theme. They have detailed guidelines, including, “Imagine first contact happening at the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027. How would humanity deal with that?
Important! Space Fiction! So, set the first meeting between humans and aliens in space in a hyperfuturistic space ship or bio-ball or space station or in a rift outside space and time, etc – whatever you think will shock your protagonists.” Also, ““Set it in space and include some friendly non-humanoid aliens helping to solve a pseudo-scientific problem. More cerebral than stomach!”
Deadline: 15 September 2023
Recommended length: 5,000-7,000 words (see guidelines)
Pay: $20 (see guidelines)
Details here.
Flame Tree Publishing: African Ghost Stories
This is a fiction anthology; they want “tales from African and African-diaspora writers to be included in our powerful collection of African Ghost Short Stories. The volume will explore the deep-seated supernatural element in African storytelling – whether reaching back to the spirits, ancestors and ogres of folklore or the vibrantly modern ghosts of today’s African horror.” They also accept reprints. Flame Tree is partnering with Brittle Paper Magazine for this project.
Deadline: 17 September 2023
Length: The story length most likely to succeed is 2,000-4,000 words (see guidelines)
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
Reckoning
They publish work on environmental justice – fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, essays, translation, and art. Query for reprints and reviews. They are accepting submissions for issue 8. They have detailed guidelines, including, “For Reckoning 8, we want thinking, writing and art about … this. All of this, right now. We want to hear about active resistance to the patriarchofascist, corporate-captured extractive state. … Help us understand how strategies of repression and control all over the world concentrate agency in the hands of the few at the expense of all other life. We are looking for work in opposition to a broad, insidious fascism that treats water, trees, and bodies as exploitable, expendable resources rather than sacred, essential components of our global, infinitely interconnected and interdependent web of life.”
Deadline: 22 September 2023
Length: Up to 20,000 words for fiction and creative non-fiction, up to 10 pages of poetry
Pay: $0.10/word for prose, $50 for reviews, and $50/page of poetry. Details here (issue-specific guidelines), here (general guidelines), and here (submission portal)
Crab Tales Magazine
Their website says, “Crab Tales is a speculative fiction magazine. If your story includes crabs and has an element of the fantastic in it, we want it.”
Deadline: 24 September 2023
Length: Up to 250 words
Pay: $0.03/word
Details here.
Shooter Literary Magazine: The Unknown
They want work on The Unknown theme. Their website says, “We’re looking for stories, essays, memoir and poetry on anything to do with unfamiliar people, new places, strange experiences or foreign exploration. Work might revolve around culture clashes, romantic encounters, fears about the future, immigration, travel, or otherworldly realms altogether. The theme is open to wide interpretation, but please adhere to the submission guidelines. In addition to thematic relevance, we seek engaging, elegant writing that maintains a high literary standard.” Also, “Any non-fiction or journalistic work selected for publication will be fact-checked.” Please note, non-UK writers can opt for a contributor copy or cash payment.
Deadline: 24 September 2023
Length: 2,000-6,000 words is recommended length for prose (see guidelines), up to 3 poems
Pay: £25 for prose of 2,000-6,000 words, and £5 for poetry and shorter prose; please see the note on payment for non-UK writers
Details here.
Sley House: Tales of the Sley Siblings
This is a fiction anthology featuring the Sley siblings. They have detailed guidelines/background information on the them, including their illustrations/portraits, and also including, “The Sley siblings, pictured above, are the backbone of our publishing house, and their stories are just as dark and mysterious as any we tell. Your job, in this first-ever themed anthology, is to help us tell these stories. RG (pictured far left) is the eldest, and can often be found in his laboratory. His interests lean towards cosmic horror, arcane magics, and spells. Before he was confined to a wheelchair, he would scour the world looking to become a powerful magician and sorcerer. Charles (center) has always loved books. As the middle child, he often spent hours in the library, reading the classics, and has spent his life in pursuit of examining the truth behind classic legends. The youngest, Genevieve, is as at home in her garden as she is in the wild. A champion of the underrepresented voice, the horrors and mysteries she’s been drawn to reflect those voices.” They want horror, sci-fi, fantasy, dark mysteries, and thrillers that feature at least one of the Sley siblings predominantly in the story.
Deadline: 30 September 2023, or until filled
Length: 6,000-10,000 words
Pay: $25
Details here.
The Kenyon Review: Three themes
This respected journal is open for submissions through September 2023. They publish fiction (including flash and excerpts from longer works), nonfiction, poetry, and drama, as well as translations; the themes are: Extinction, Writing from Rural Spaces, and Literary Curiosities. Writers can also send unthemed submissions. They do not accept paper submissions, except from writers (such as those who are incarcerated) who do not have ready access to the internet (see guidelines).
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Length: Up to 7,500 words for prose, up to 6 poems, up to 30 pages for plays
Pay: $0.08/word for prose, up to $450; $0.15/word for poetry, up to $200
Details here and here.
Heartlines Spec
This is a Canadian online and print magazine, and they have published two issues so far. Please note, they will publish at least 50 percent Canadian content in each issue. “We’re looking for short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. We don’t want the blaze of new love or the obsession of a new friend. We want pieces that show that comfort that develops when people know each other for years.
Give us deep space, dusty frontiers, or dreamy fantasy. We want stories and poetry with strong, confident relationships amid all the sci-fi/fantasy. While we are primarily looking for stories with happy endings (yeah, yeah), we also want endings that are earned. If things get a little teary or gory, that’s ok.
We are especially interested in stories featuring queer platonic relationships, ace/aro love stories, and polycules.”
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Length: 1,000-3,500 words for fiction, or up to 5 poems
Pay: CAD0.08/word for fiction and CAD60/poem
Details here.
Clinch Literary Magazine
They publish fiction, creative nonfiction (including memoir excerpts, up to 5,000 words), and poetry about the martial arts in all its forms. “Submissions do not have to mention the martial arts—though we prefer those that do. Instead, all submissions must share in the virtues of martial arts, those of patience, meditation, and surprise, whether that be in their technique or in their content.” See the genre editors’ preferences on the guidelines page.
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Length: Up to 5,000 words for prose, up to 3 poems
Pay: $15
Details here.
Abandon: Abandon Earth
They publish fiction, creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, hybrid works, craft essays, graphic novels and cartoons, art; query for reviews. “We want to showcase writing and artwork that has been created with abandon. That term is free to be interpreted liberally, but ideally it is the kind of work that takes risks, created in a space wherein the artist doesn’t care what anyone else thinks or what everyone else is doing. This means that we’re open to so-called “genre fiction,” from mystery to sci-fi to romance to fantasy to horror to whatever strikes your fancy. As long as the writing is powerful and abandons the preconceived notions of what is expected, we want to read it.” They’re reading submissions for their Abandon Earth issue.
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Length: Up to 7,500 words for fiction, up to 6,000 words for nonfiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $15
Details here.
Eerie River Publishing: Blades/Swords
They want horror fiction themed around tarot cards; for the current reading period, they want submissions on the Blades/Swords theme. “Does the story have to be about Tarot Cards… NO. … We are looking for the theme to be the element, not necessarily the card itself, although we would love to read that as well.” They have another upcoming submission window later in the year, as well.
Deadline: 30 September 2023 (for non-members)
Length: 1,500-7,000 words
Pay: CAD0.01/word
Details here.
Talk Vomit: Personal Ghost Stories
They accept fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They want submissions on Spooky / personal ghost stories. Also, “We are open to reading anything but prefer the subversive. We generally enjoy:
– literature
– music
– art of various mediums
– harsh, well-argued criticism”.
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Length: Up to 2,000 words for fiction, up to 4,500 words for nonfiction, and “poetry just generally kept to a minimum, Monica hates it”
Pay: $10-30 for prose, $5-15 for poetry
Details here.
Unsettling Press: Dark Decades Anthology Series – Six themes
Submissions are open for six Dark Decades anthology series by Unsettling Press. They want stories in the horror/thriller/suspense genres for six anthologies.
— Escape: This anthology will feature the 1920’s prominently in the setting of the story, and feature film and/or cinema, and focus on the theme, In the Shadows. “Picture yourself in an old theater. Velvet curtains, plush seats. Ornate sconces line dark walls. Film spools onto a spinning reel, and … Monsters and horrors come to life before your very eyes. But, what if they decide they don’t want to stay on the screen? … What happens when abominations of imagination come to life? Help us discover what lurks in the shadows.”
— Listen will feature the 1940’s prominently in the setting of the story, feature radio, and focus on the theme, Message Received. “Radio was the original broadcast medium, bringing the world to you, no matter what corner you occupied. People gathered around their radios to harvest news about their soldiers at war and to root for their favorite sports heroes. …. But what if this connection, this escape felt more like an invasion, a trap, or an addiction?”
— Watch will feature the 1960’s prominently in the setting of the story, feature television, and focus on the theme, Tune In. “You’ve adjusted the channel on the television console, and you’re settling in on the family couch. Variety shows, news, and commercials saturate your mind. It all seems safe, run-of-the-mill. But, who’s controlling things? Can the people on the screen see into your home? How can innocent voyeurism go wrong?”
— Capture will feature the 1980’s prominently in the setting of the story, feature at least one VCR or camcorder recording, and focus on the theme, Unkind Rewind. “The VCR and the camcorder took much of the world by storm in the 1980’s—especially in America. The novelty of being able to watch a movie at home on demand created “watch parties.” … Experiences, shows, and movies could be captured and rewatched, relived, dissected, analyzed, or sometimes… erased. Bring us stories of moments, events, shows or movies caught on these ubiquitous plastic tapes and the fallout when maybe the least kind thing to do is to rewind.”
— Host will feature the 2000’s prominently in the setting of the story, feature a computer and/or the internet, and focus on the theme, Connections. “Working, seeking out information, finding entertainment, and building relationships all happen on an object that sits in your lap or on your desk. … Who’s hiding behind those screens? Friends, strangers, and bullies have access to you at lightning speed. What happens when someone on the information superhighway takes a detour to darkness?”
— Lurk will feature the 2020’s prominently in the setting of the story, feature a cell phone and/or social media/AI technology, and focus on the theme, Tethered/Observed. “In the last century, people listened to what came out of the speakers on their devices. Now, those devices/speakers listen to us. … And different generations prefer different assistants. Many of us rely on them every day to wake us up, answer our questions, schedule our time, etc. What happens when these handy little “friends” like Siri and Alexa aren’t at hand—or aren’t so friendly?”
Deadline: 1 October 2023 for all Dark Decades anthologies
Length: 1,500-5,000 words
Pay: $10
Details here and here.
The Last Line Journal
This is an annual journal. They accept fiction which ends with a pre-set first line, which cannot be altered in any way, unless otherwise noted by the editors. For the current submission period, the line is, ‘Samir was never one to back down from a challenge.’
Deadline: 1 October 2023
Length: 300-5,000 words
Pay: $20-40 (less postage for international authors, if the author opts to receive a physical copy of the magazine – see guidelines)
Details here and here.
Cybear Punk Anthology
This submission call is for science fiction stories – they want cyberpunk, Afrofuturist, solar punk, space opera, hard and soft sci-fi, futuristic speculative fiction, raypunk, dystopian, sci-fi noir, post-apocalypse and utopian stories. They want “sci-fi stories that feature fat/chubby/big-boned’ed gay/bi/queer men in heroic leads (bonus points if there’s — gasp! — more than one fat gay man in your story!)”. Please see their preferences and also the kind of work they do not want. Regarding who can submit to this anthology, they say, “literally anyone! We would love for those in the gay bear community to submit, own-voice matters to us. But anyone who wants to can submit a story.”
Deadline: 1 October 2023
Length: 5,000-10,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word
Details here.
Griffith Review: Past Perfect
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 nonfiction and fiction submissions only, on the ‘Past Perfect’ theme. They have detailed guidelines, including, “The past, famously, is a foreign country – but in the twenty-first century, it’s one in which we increasingly seek solace.
No matter the relentless pace of technological innovation and the digitisation of everything from money to media – our appetites for retro design and aesthetics, for cultural products that reimagine technicolour-dream versions of decades gone by, or for fantasies of a past golden political age are ever on the rise.
But what fuels this love affair with recycling our history? What periods do we choose to romanticise, and how do our rose-tinted glasses occlude reality? Is all this nostalgia signifying – as the late Mark Fisher opined – the disappearance of the future?
This edition of Griffith Review surveys our need to idealise, sensationalise and glamorise – and asks what the circular nature of our obsessions says about our present cultural moment.” They want complete submissions only, no pitches.
Deadline: 15 October 2023
Length: Up to 4,000 words
Pay: Unspecified
Details here.
(Griffith Review will issue a separate call for poetry on this theme at a later date.)
Feisty Felines and Other Fantastical Familiars
This is a fiction and poetry anthology by WordFire Press. They want fantasy, science fiction, horror, suspense, humor, and romance, appropriate for up to a “PG-13” audience. Felines and or familiars (of other types) must be central to the work. “We’re familiar with familiars … or are we? Gifted adventurers across time and space have traveled with an animal familiar—often a cat, but other fuzzy, scaly, or prickly creatures make appearances, too. These magical companions might lead their humans into mischief, help them out of a sticky situation, or provide opinionated commentary along the way. But when the wizards are away, the familiars will play. Feisty Felines and Other Fantastical Familiars is an original collection that shines the limelight on the sidekicks, the familiars. Familiars have lives of their own, a sense of humor, and a shadowy underbelly that we totally overlook. Does the Siamese cat companion develop powers of telekinesis … maybe to knock deadly potions off the counter? What happens when a rat studies to become a familiar in a class full of cats? Is the circus leopard really the puppet master who makes her handler look good?
They don’t all have to be felines. What about unfamiliar familiars? A time-traveling elephant that never forgets a grudge against his warlock? A lowly earthworm horrified to find itself bonded for life to an ungrateful enchanter? … Make your stories humorous, dark, or heartwarming—so long as the familiar is the central figure in the story.”
Deadline: 15 October 2023
Length: Up to 5,000 words
Pay: $0.06/word
Details here and here and here.
Manawaker Studio: Rattus Futura
Rattus Futura is an anthology focused on stories about the future which feature rodents. This volume will contain stories, poetry, and visual art. “Submitted works should be of any genre, as long as the work depicts a world that is noticeably in the future. Hard and Soft Sci-fi, (Post-)apocalyptic, Solarpunk, Slipstream, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Alternate (future) History, Supernatural, Retro-futurism etc. are all fine names for genres that often take place in the future, but your story doesn’t have to fit into one of those. … All works must also prominently feature at least one rodent. It does not have to be a rodent of the genus Rattus. Other members of the rodent family, like mice and beavers, are also acceptable, as are non-biological minks, metaphorical hamsters, robots with the acronym S.Q.R.L., and so on.” This is a sequel to their earlier Felix Futura anthology.
Deadline: 31 December 2023
Length: No hard word limit for fiction, but novellas and above might be hard to find room for (see guidelines), up to 5 poems
Pay: $10/poem, $0.01/word for fiction
Details here.
Underdog Press: Two anthologies
They are reading submissions for two fiction anthologies. “How you incorporate the quarterly theme in your story is up to you. We do ask that you make sure the theme idea is not an afterthought, but an integral part of the story. We want truly want stories depicting underdogs rising to the occasion when it seems all hope is lost. … If your story is nobledark, noblebright, grimdark, or grimbright or something in the middle of all of those that’s okay.”
— The Way of Worlds “is an anthology focused on space exploration and colonization … We want aliens, solar systems, spaceships, alternate universes, and to go somewhere beyond imagination. The focus of this anthology is space but it doesn’t have to be hard science fiction. Show us what is happening in the galaxy next door.” Deadline 31 December 2023.
— Nightmares Before Bed “is exactly what you think it is. This will be our first horror anthology and we want to be clear, no sexual violence, abuse of children, overly disturbing images and ideas, or gore will be published. We want horror, we want to be scared, but let’s do it in a way that is respectful. We’d love to see fantasy horror or sci-fi horror here.” Deadline 31 January 2024.
Deadlines: See above
Length: 3,500-12,000 words for both Underdog Press anthologies
Pay: $0.03/word
Details here.
THEMED CONTESTS
The Debra E. Bernhardt Labor Journalism Prize
This award is given for a published article that furthers the understanding of the history of working people. Articles must be focused on historical events OR focused on current issues (work, housing, organizing, health, education) and include historical context. The article must be published in print or online between August 31, 2022 and August 30, 2023. The prize is given to insightful work that contributes to the understanding of labor history; shows creativity; demonstrates excellence in writing; and adheres to the highest journalistic standards of accuracy. Publications and subject matter should target the United States and Canada.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 5 September 2023
Open for: Unspecified; but publications and subject matter should target the US and Canada
Details here.
Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival Poetry Contest: Against the Odds
This is for writers living in Ireland. They want poetry, of up to 30 lines, on the theme, Against the Odds.
Value: €150, €100
Deadline: 15 September 2023
Open for: Poets in Ireland
Details here.
Changing Skies: Climate Crisis
Changing Skies is a journal affiliated with the University of Colorado Boulder, and is a subsidiary of Hindsight, partnering with Mission Zero Fund. They publish writing – prose, poetry, comics, and art – on the climate crisis. They are also running a fee-free climate crisis-themed prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) and art contest, with cash prizes. The contest deadline is 17 September 2023; please note, they consider all work for print or online publication. Submission for the contests, as well as for Changing Skies and Hindsight magazines, is via Submittable, here; please be sure to submit in the correct category.
Value: $500, $200 for prose writing; $300 for art
Deadline: 17 September 2023
Details here and here
New York Public Library: Cullman Centre Fellowship
This is for writers whose project draws on the collection housed in The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (formerly the Humanities and Social Sciences Library). Visual artists can also apply (see guidelines).
Value: $85,000 and residency
Deadline: 29 September 2023
Open for: All writers
Details here and here.
Last Stanza Poetry Journal: I Never Knew
They award one prize to an outstanding poem, from general submissions to their journal. The theme for this issue is, I Never Knew. “As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. … A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the prize winner will be published in the same or next issue (optional).”
Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming, of up to 64 lines.
Value: $100
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Open for: All poets
Details here.
Speculative Literature Foundation’s Working Class Writers Grant
This grant is to help writers of speculative literature. This grant is awarded annually to assist working class, blue-collar, poor, and homeless writers, and writers from these backgrounds, who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction due to financial barriers. One of the submission requirements is a writing sample, of poetry, drama, fiction, or creative non-fiction (see guidelines); the submitted work must be speculative. Unlike their other grants, writers may receive this grant anonymously or pseudonymously. They have other grant submission periods coming up.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Open for: All writers from working class background
Details here (Working Class Writers Grant) and here (schedule for all grants).
Willie Morris Awards for Southern Writing
These awards are for works that evoke the American South. For fiction and non-fiction, the awards are for published books; for poetry, send a poem of up to 3 pages on the theme.
Value: $12,000 for prose; $3,000 for poetry
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
International Human Rights Arts Festival: Creators of Justice Literary Awards
They want submissions of fiction (up to 2,500 words), essays, and poetry; they feature works which “highlight the struggle for human rights and social justice the world over. These may be imagined in any manner in which the writer sees fit, however, it must be based in our signature values. We do not publish work which is based in anger, or stems from an “us v. them” mentality.” There is also a Youth award for under-18s.
Value: $150, $100, $50 each for fiction, essays, and poetry
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Details here.
International Human Rights Arts Festival: Art of Unity Creative Award
They accept literary (poetry; essays and short stories under 2500 words); video; music; dance; performance or visual work around the theme: “Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome. The most important hallmark of Holocaust remembrance and education is the phrase ‘never again.’ Unfortunately, tribal divisions, ethnic cleansing and genocides continue in the 21st Century. We are looking for submissions in any creative media (which can be exhibited online), and which highlight aspects of human unity, and positive cross-pollination between groups, ethnicities, religions and/or nations.” There is also a Youth award for under-18s.
Value: $150, $100, $50
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Details here.
Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
They want a short story on any theme. Stories should ideally be up to 3,000 words, though those up to 4,000 words are considered. Readers of the magazine are interested in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Their newsletter subscribers include publishers, artists, musicians, and fellow writers. Their guidelines say, “While your writing should appeal to a reader with these interests and in these creative professions, all story themes are considered.”
Value: $150
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Green Stories Project: Short Stories Competition – Microbes
They want a short story on the Microbes theme. The Green Stories Project includes contests by the University of Southampton, and their mission is “to create a cultural body of work that entertains and informs about green solutions, inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy.” Send a short story of 1,000-3,000 words. They have detailed guidelines on the theme, including, “It may appeal to writers with a scientific bent as it aims to use fiction to raise awareness of Environmental Biotechnology (EB) and what microbial systems can do for us.” Entries will be judged on two criteria: Well written, engaging story; and directs attention towards a better future involving EB or promotes how EB works to minimise a pollutant footprint.
Value: £500, £200, £100
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Open for: All writers
Details here.
CAPTRS Universe of Threats Essay Contest: Infrastructure Threat Contest
The Center For Advanced Preparedness And Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS) is running a scenario writing contest for their Universe of Threats game; you can read more about it here and about that, and an upcoming contest, here. For this contest, they say, “This contest prompts applicants to submit an original essay describing a threat scenario related to one or more of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors (in the US). Complex threat scenarios which include threats across multiple infrastructure sectors are encouraged. Scenarios must be plausible and may explore interdependent social, economic, political, environmental or technological forces that shape the unfolding threat.” And, “We invite you to submit a one page ground truth document … which specifies the sector(s) experiencing the threat, the details and origin of the threat, and the considerations for the unfolding response which may not be explicitly stated in your essay. The cause of the threat may be from humans, nature or space. … In addition to the ground truth, submit an original essay/story which is an extension and more detailed story around the ground truth you created. Complex threat scenarios which include threats across multiple infrastructure sectors are encouraged.” You may submit as an individual or a team. Teams can include up to 6 members and must identify a team lead (see guidelines regarding teams, including the award and split). The essays can be up to 2,500 words, and ground truth, up to 1,000 words.
Value: $5,000; $2,500 (up to 2 winners); $1,000 (up to 5 winners)
Deadline: 30 September 2023
Open for: Unspecified
Details here.
(They also have an upcoming contest, on natural disaster threats, see here – scroll down.)
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 is issuing 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: 1 October 2023
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Mallorqueta Inaugural Short Story Contest
They want a short story of up to 5,000 words. The narrative must have a connection to Mallorca, either in setting or relevance to Mallorcan culture. The winning piece will be published in the first issue of Mallorqueta magazine, scheduled for 1 March 2024, and receive a cash payment. They accept entries in all genres. The competition is open to authors of all nationalities. Submissions may be in English, Catalan or Spanish.
Value: €300
Deadline: 1 October 2023
Open for: All writers
Details here.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
