This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities. Some have limited definitions and are only interested in work by Black authors. Some are open to submissions from all authors for a fee, but allow free submissions from limited demographics.
We try to make it as clear as possible who the publisher is seeking work from. Sometimes the focus of the press is limited, even though there are no limitations on who can submit. A few of the opportunities are also limited by geography, again, we try to make this clear. There are always additional submission details at the site we link to, but we try to cover the basics as best we can as part of this list.
If you belong to a limited demographic that is not listed here, this list might be helpful to you.
As long as a press/opportunity/journal is open to submissions we will continue to list it, so some of the content on the list is new, some overlaps with previous issues. This article is an ongoing collaborative effort by Emily Harstone and S. Kalekar. Please send us an email at support@authorspublish.com if you have any feedback or an opportunity/journal/publisher, to recommend.
Literary Journals/Magazines
Tasavvur
Tasavvur publishes submissions of South Asian speculative fiction of all kinds – fantasy, sci-fi, horror, magical realism, mythpunk, weird fiction, or anything genre-bending during their reading periods. They also accept non-fiction pitches and art on an ongoing basis. You can read the latest issue here and past issues here to get a sense of what they publish. They accept work from “Writers of South Asian origin or association (broadly defined — including diaspora, mixed heritage, or meaningful cultural affiliation)
Non–South Asian writers whose speculative fiction stories are deeply rooted in South Asian themes or settings”. They pay $0.05/words for stories of up to 5,000 words, and $100 for nonfiction. The deadline is 31 August 2026 for fiction submissions.
Usawa Literary Review
This is an India-based literary magazine and they accept submissions from all over the world. They want submissions for their Queer Unfiltered issue, and they have detailed guidelines. “We are primarily looking for entries from queer and transgender writers. But we welcome a few entries from allies that specifically and thoughtfully engage with queer and trans lives.” Submission is via a form. The deadline is 25th August 2026.
Tawahan
They only accept work from authors who identify as Arab or live in the Arab world (broadly defined), and accept submissions in Arabic and English. “This does not mean that the work must be in any way related to being Arab, Arab identity, or anything of that sort, merely that this magazine is made by Arabs, for Arabs.” “For Tawahan, Arts is not merely visual arts, poetry, or prose. We welcome experimentation, the novel, and the new.” They are accepting work on the ‘Ruins’ theme till 23rd August 2026. Submit here.
Reckoning
This magazine publishes fiction, creative non-fiction, critical essays, poetry, translations, book reviews, and art on environmental justice. “We are always seeking work from Indigenous writers and artists, racialized writers and artists, queer, trans and/or disabled writers and artists, and anyone, anywhere in the world, who has suffered the consequences, intended or otherwise, of dominant society’s systemic disconnect with and mistreatment of the natural world.” About fiction, they say, “The fiction we publish is mostly, but not exclusively, speculative. We appreciate surreal, literary, and experimental pieces as well as strong plotting, but prefer writing that doesn’t lean too far into pulp.” They have detailed guidelines. They are reading submissions for Issue 11. Send up to 15,000 words for fiction, up to 20,000 words for creative non-fiction, up to 10 pages for poetry; they pay $0.15/word for fiction and creative non-fiction, and S75/page for poetry. Submission is via their Moksha portal. The deadline is 31 August 2026; details here and here.
And, Reckoning is are also accepting novellas on environmental justice, of 17,500 – 40,000 words, for which pay starts at $0.02/word. Submit a synopsis initially via Moksha; see here.
Reckoning is also accepting flash fiction of 1,000 words or less on environmental themes for a special call – “Outside of flash, what we specifically want are weird stories, dark stories, horror stories . . . and yet stories with some bit of hope to them, even if that hope is simply, We will persist, we will exist, we will endure. You can’t make the world a better place, after all, if you aren’t there to do the work.” The deadline for this call is 31st October 2026. Details here.
Heartlines Spec
They will soon open for submissions. This Canadian magazine of speculative fiction and poetry wants work on long-term relationships; during each submission period, they have an exclusive reading period for equity-deserving groups which includes (but is not limited to): Racialized people, People with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, Indigenous people, Women, and Neurodivergent people.
Also, their goal us to publish at least 50% work from Canadian writers for 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.” The early submission period for equity-deserving groups is August 24-31 2026 and they are reopening for general submissions September 1-30. Their submission portal will open during the reading period. Send 500-3,500 words for fiction; up to 5 poems. They pay CAD0.08/word for fiction; CAD60/poem. Details here (guidelines) and here (submission portal)
Translunar Travelers Lounge
They will open for submissions mid-September. They want fun speculative fiction; stories must have elements of science fiction or fantasy. “A fun story, at its core, is one that works on the premise that things aren’t all bad; that ultimately, good wins out. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your story has to be silly or lighthearted (though it certainly can be). Joy can be made all the more powerful when juxtaposed against tragedy. In the end, though, there should be hope, and we want stories that are truly fun for as many different kinds of people as possible.
Swashbuckling adventure, deadly intrigue, and gleeful romance are some of the most obvious examples of what we’re looking for, but we won’t say no to more subtle or complicated topics, as long as they fit under the wider “fun” umbrella.” They will reopen for submissions from 15th September to 15th October 2026; first week of submissions (15th to 21st September) is reserved for writers of color only. They pay $0.03/word for stories up to 5,000 words.
Room Magazine: Belonging
This Canadian magazine accepts work by persons of marginalized genders only, including but not limited to women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. “Send us your takes on belonging, not belonging, longing to belong, otherness, belonging on the fringe, belonging to the future, the past, the now. We welcome your imaginings, experiences, dreams, and fears of belonging in all their manifestations and intersections: poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction as always, but we’re also eager to read your comics, hybrids, graphic essays, and other forms that resist and defy the boundaries of belonging in the art world.” They are only open for submissions from Canadian writers for all categories except art; international submissions are closed. Length guidelines are up to 3,500 words for prose, up to 5 poems. They pay CAD50-200 for writing. Submissions will close by category when they fill. They’re also open for a fiction contest, for which there is a submission fee. Details here and here.
Shō Poetry Journal
This Arizona-based biannual print journal was revived in 2023 after a twenty-year hibernation period. They offer free submissions through August 31st, 2026, to US-based Indigenous poets.
Apus雨燕
A literary journal that feature bilingual diasporic artwork and writing in Chinese and English. The print and digital publication welcomes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, essays, visual arts, and creative works that blend genres. They are open to submissions till August 31st on the theme of Suspension. This is what they say about the theme: “We invite works that dwell in states of suspension —emotional, bodily, political, spatial, linguistic, or otherwise. We welcome work that lingers in ambiguity, experiments with form, and resists easy resolution.” They pay a token amount. If you have not heard from them in 30 days, assume rejection.
The Masters Review
They are open to submissions from all authors, but have a special portal for BIPOC and other historically marginalized writers. Authors can submit through this portal for free to receive either a faster response to their submission, or few lines of feedback on it. They are also open to only “new voices” so authors that have published single-author novel-length work or under contract with a major press are ineligible. They publish fiction and narrative nonfiction.
East Jasmine Review
East Jasmine Review is an electronic literary magazine that publishes quality fiction, nonfiction, poetry, articles and reviews. They don’t have strict rules around who can submit but they state “Our first goal is to publish diverse voices that may not have mainstream access or traditional access to publishing. This includes but is not limited to LGBTQIA, ethnic minorities, women, lower socio-economic status, those who are older or younger, religious minorities, and non-American persons”.
Bipolar Poetry
This not-for-profit online publication publishes original poetry by people who have been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder.
The B’K Magazine
This art and literature magazine prioritizes and pays traditionally marginalized creators, but they are open to submissions from all. They have very in-depth and detailed submission guidelines that everyone should read carefully before submitting.
CVNT
A new journal that declares they exist “for the solicitation, exhibition, advancement, & support of transfeminine writers”. Submissions are restricted to transfeminine people, binary trans women, & genderqueer folks. They accept submissions of poetry, fiction, & creative nonfiction on a rolling basis.
Gasp Magazine
I’m not linking to this publication in the title, because their website is not safe for work as they are a publisher of adult work. Please do not click on this link unless you are 18+/ They focus on sharing a multifaceted discussions on sexuality, eroticism, and queerness. They are interested in essays, interviews, research articles, creative writing, poetry, artistic illustrations, and photography (with additional rules) that reflect upon sex or the absence thereof in one way or another.
The Saartjie Journal
This new journal is only open to writing and visual art by Black women artists and writers. They accept submissions of previously unpublished original poems, short stories, and visual art.
Mande
This is a journal of bipolar talent. “Mande is always open to submissions from bipolar creatives on any topic. While I appreciate the long shadows bipolar throws, I’m particularly interested at the moment in its high points, in any joy or positive elements you find in bipolar. We also publish work by people familiar with bipolar, as long as it’s directly related to manic depression.” They pay for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. They pay $50-250.
Cripple Punk Mag
This Substack publishes “essays, criticism, news and reviews, literary nonfiction, fiction, rants and raves, comics, and hybrid works on the subject of disability and live music, especially within the context of punk, alternative, and DIY music.” They also have an annual print anthology. Payment starts at $10 and is dependent on length and sliding scale based on need. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Previously published work is allowed, and work should be between 300 and 1,000 words in length.
The West Trestle Review
This respected journal is only open to submissions poetry and art by creators around the globe who self-identify as women or as non-binary. They are always open to free submissions by BIPOC writers who self-identify as women or as non-binary, and you can see those guidelines here.
Decolonial Passage
According to their website they “publish writing from writers of all backgrounds regardless of race, origin, or gender while simultaneously centering African, African American, and Black Diaspora writing.” Their mission statement goes into more details about this. They are open on a rolling basis to essays, creative nonfiction, short stories, and flash fiction. They are open to poetry only during the months of February, June, and October; and for prose, only during April, May, August, and December.
Magnets and Ladders
They publish the work of disabled writers in two issues a year.
DisLit Youth Magazine
They only publish work by writers 14-22, and they primarily publish disabled writers.
AURORE
This publications tagline is “a curated collection of erotic stories written by and for women and LGBTQ+ based on their own experiences”. Because it is a NSFW site, the link to get to it is here, instead of the title, please only click on it if you are 18+ They publish nonfiction erotica and their website is NSFW, please do not visit it if you are under 18.
Heaven Magazine
They are interested in publishing fiction, creative non fiction, flash, and poetry by all underrepresented creators.
Sinister Wisdom
A multicultural lesbian literary & art journal. Founded in 1976, this literary journal is always open to submissions.
Saffron City Press
Saffron City Press is an online literary journal dedicated to amplifying the voices of Middle Eastern and Middle Eastern-American writers.
The Kalahari Review
A weekly African literary magazine interested in material exploring modern Africa and Africans in unique and avant-garde ways. They publish their work on Medium.
Transition
Born in Africa and bred in the diaspora, Transition is a publication of the Hutchins Center at Harvard University, published three times annually. Transition publishes writing by and about Africa and the African diaspora, with an eye towards a global perspective. They accept submissions year-round on a rolling basis, and generally respond to submissions within four months. They are reading submissions for a special folio, “Africa and Black Migrants in the Trump Era.” They are particularly interested in nonfiction, but accept other creative genres as well; the deadline is 1st September 2026.
Lavender Review
An international, biannual e-zine published in June and December, they are open to submissions of poetry and art by, about, and for lesbians. Submissions are open year round.
Ricepaper
This publication offers Asian Canadian context to ongoing arts and cultural issues, new perspectives on emerging and established Asian Canadian artists, and challenges mainstream media perspectives, little-known facts of interest, or critical stories that haven’t been told elsewhere. They are open to submissions from Asian writers around the globe as long as the editors can see a link between the content and some aspect of the Asian Canadian experience.
Raising Mothers
Raising Mothers celebrates and centers the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and Brown parents. Some sections have reading periods; columns are open year-round. Guidelines are here. See their call for 2026 here.
African Writer
They are open to all genres of literature from Africa and the African Diaspora. They do not allow simultaneous submissions.
Afritondo
According to their website, “Afritondo is a media and publishing platform that aims to connect with and tell the stories of Africans and black minority populations across the globe.” They accept a wide range of work, including manuscript-length work.
Brittle Paper
Brittle Paper is an online literary magazine for readers of African Literature. They accept the following: “fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, book reviews, essays, literary commentaries, fun listicles, and any writing with a literary bent”.
Torch Literary Arts
Torch Literary Arts is a nonprofit organization. They publish and promote creative writing by Black women only; you can read more about them here. They publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers. “We are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what Black women’s contemporary writing should be.” General submissions are accepted for Friday Features only, in which they publish fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and drama (including that accompanied by video or dramatic audio). Send up to 3,500 for prose works, up to 10 pages for drama, or up to 5 poems. Pay is $150. Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis; you can submit here.
Bi Women Quarterly
BWQ features the voices of women “with bi+ sexualities (i.e., bi, pan, fluid, and other non-binary sexualities)” and they see “woman” as a broad category and welcome contributions those who identify as trans, non-binary, cis, etc. They publish articles, creative writing, musings, and more. For their upcoming Winter issue, the theme is Body Image, and the deadline is 1 November 2026; see the submission form for details.
KOENING ZINE
They publish art, fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction submissions primarily by Asians, but they are open to submissions from non-Asians. Their uniting theme is Asian Folklore. Submitters must be over 18.
POETRY SANGO-OTA
We only usually include journals currently open to submissions, but this list is always published on the third Thursday of a given month, and this journal is only open to submissions through the 1st to the 10th of each month, so we are listing it and encouraging you to set a calendar alert for when it reopens on the 1st of the next month. “We are interested in poems with a keen connection to a sense of place, nature, or otherworldly geographies.” They only publish African poets, and pay N2,500 per poem.
The Gay & Lesbian Review
The Gay & Lesbian Review is a bimonthly magazine of history, culture, and politics targeting an educated readership of LGBT people, and their allies that publishes themed features (2,000-4,000 words), reviews, interviews, and departments. They have announced a couple of themed calls, and they also invite suggestions for future themes.
- Going South: LGBT lives below the Mason-Dixon Line
- LGBT+Z: The Gen Z queer experience
Writers can send proposals or complete pieces. They pay for features ($250) and full-length book reviews ($100).
The Acentos Review
The Acentos Review publishes writing, art, music and multigenre work by Latinx writers. They are open to submissions all year long. Details here.
Craft
This respected literary journal is open to creative work from authors of all backgrounds, but they offer free submissions + fast response times to BIPOC and other mis- and underrepresented writers, here. Craft pays $100 for flash and $200 for short fiction and creative nonfiction.
The Lighthouse / Black Girl Times
The tagline of The Lighthouse is, “Cultivating spaces of solidarity and safety for southern Black girls to shine through focused programming and research.” They have an extensive guide for pitching articles, including “We … are always looking for thought-provoking stories and other content from marginalized communities, Black girls, (in particular, but not exclusively) and gender non-conforming people. In addition to story and long-form story pitches and op-eds, they accept photography and original artwork for their online blogging platform, The Black Girl Times, and their monthly newsletter, The Black Girl Times Redux. Also, “Each month, we have an editorial theme board (kind of like the mood boards interior designers use) we post on our social media accounts (@luvblkgrls). The theme board is intended to be an inspiration and provocation of thoughts, ideas and feelings. Your response(s) can be literal or abstract and loose. And again, it might not have anything to do with anything we’ve seen.” Pay is $0.25-$50/word. Pay for art (graphic design, cartoons and photo essays) can range up to $250.
Screen Door Review
They only publish work by individuals who are Southern and queer. You can learn more about how they define Southern here. They publish flash fiction and poetry.
Emergent Literary
An exciting literary journal that accepts a wide range of submissions from Black and Brown authors.
Presses/Anthologies
Blaft Publications: Women With Weapons Anthology
They want short fiction. Your story should prominently feature a woman wielding a weapon. “*Or many weapons. Or many women, wielding many weapons.
**Trans women are women.
***Non-binary weapon wielders are also welcome.
… Your story may be in any genre. It may be set in the past, present, or future. … This call is open to writers of all genders residing anywhere in the world. However, we are an Indian company, and will give preference to stories that will work for our primarily Indian audience. Nevertheless, don’t be shy to send in your Congolese swordswomen, medieval Vietnamese vampire slayers, or Belizean Mennonite harpoonists.”
One of the requirements is, “Your story must FAIL the REVERSE BECHDEL TEST . … To FAIL the reverse Bechdel test, … your story must feature
- a) at most one man
b) or, if it does feature more than one man, the men must not talk to each other
c) or, if the men do talk to each other, they must ONLY talk about the women; they are not allowed to discuss anything else.
(Exceptions may be considered if your story is extra genderspicy and you find all this binary logic constraining.)” They pay INR3,000 + INR3/word for stories of 1,000 – 8,000 words. The deadline is 15th September 2026.
Neon Hemlock Press: We’re Here – The Best of Queer Speculative Fiction 2026
They want fiction reprints only, of queer speculative fiction published published in 2026. “We’re Here 2026 will feature the best queer speculative short fiction published in 2026.
… Authors and editors both are welcome to read the submissions guidelines and submit queer speculative work from 2026.“ And, “We are looking for:
- The best speculative stories published in 2026 under 17,500 words that implicitly or explicitly explores queerness and/or transness.
- We refer to queerness that is inclusive of ace/aro stories, trans and nonbinary stories, and intersex stories.
- What we don’t want to see: Original/unpublished work, unqueer work, non-speculative work.”
They pay $0.01/word for works of 17,500 words. The deadline is 31 December 2026. Details here (scroll down), here and here.
DILIM Press: Sirena’s Song, An Anthology of Dark Fiction from the Philippine Diaspora (vol. 2)
This is a fiction and poetry anthology. “Sirena’s Song is DILIM’s second anthology of work by debut, emerging, and established global Filipino writers and poets.
DILIM’s goal is to provide a home for work in this anthology that focuses on themes important to women and non-binary authors.
Mermaids have traditionally been understood as sea-based creatures who navigate between the ocean and the land.
Many authors in the diaspora also navigate boundaries, submerge to the depths, and rise up with new ideas.
If these concepts spark your imagination, please help us build this collection.
The stories of the Sirena are about humanity’s needs, desires, imaginations, and intentions and are of and pertaining to the ocean, the sea, the islets and bays, the shores, and the rivers and waterfalls–here and in other worlds or other planets–where our kinfolk water-creatures might exist.” They also say, “We’re seeking your tales of thalassophobia, oceanic terror, underwater kingdoms, origins of the Yonaguni monument, creatures from Lemuria, musical echoes in the depths, or the dance of the stars in the heavens.
Share with us your fable about Amanikable, Amansinaya and Haik, WASP-34, or your imaginative stories of what fisher-folk or Navy sailors have seen in the night. Did the nuclear submarine ping a strange creature? Did unidentified submerged objects make an appearance? Share with us in your weird, wild fiction!” The submission deadline is 30 September 2026 or when they hit their submission cap, whichever is earlier. Details here and here.
Penguin UK: Merkey Books New Writers’ Prize
This is an annual prize, and is open to young (ages 18-35), underrepresented and unpublished writers from across the UK and Ireland. Writers also have to be unagented. It is for a work of literary and commercial fiction (for a completed manuscript or a manuscript in progress – see FAQ); send a synopsis of 200 words and an excerpt of 1,500 words. The winner receives a publishing contract with Merkey Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, which also includes an advance. And, shortlisted writers will also be invited to their Writers’ Camp. The deadline is 24 August 2026. Submission is via a form (which also lists the genres they are accepting).
Academy of American Poets: Ambroggio Prize
This is an opportunity for US poets. They want a book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. Poets may translate their own work or collaborate with a translator who may or may not be a poet; the poet and translator must share the prize. The original manuscript in Spanish must be between 48 and 100 pages. Their website also says, established in 2017, the Ambroggio Prize is the only annual award of its kind in the United States that honors American poets whose first language is Spanish. The prize is $1,000 and publication; the deadline is 15 September 2026. Details here and here.
(The Academy of American Poets has other awards as well, both fee-free and fee-based – see their Submittable for all open calls.)
Speculative Literature Foundation: Working Class Writers Grant
They are open for various grants through the year for speculative literature, which “spans the breadth of fantastic writing, encompassing literature ranging from hard science fiction to epic fantasy, including ghost stories, horror, folk and fairy tales, slipstream, magical realism, and more. Any piece of literature containing a fabulist or speculative element would fall under our aegis.” One of their upcoming grants is the Working Class Writers Grant, an international grant for “speculative fiction writers who are working class, blue-collar, financially disadvantaged, or homeless, who have been historically underrepresented in speculative fiction due to financial barriers which make it hard to access the writing world. Such lack of access might include an inability to purchase a computer, books, and tuition, or to attend conventions or workshops. Often, these writers, many of whom work more than one job, have less time to write. … Unlike our other grants, you may choose to receive this grant anonymously or pseudonymously.” A cover letter and writing sample are part of the application requirement. The form will be available during the submission period. The grant is $1,000, and the application period is 1st to 30th September 2026; the application period will open during this period. You can see all the Speculative Literature Foundation grants here.
Generous Press
They are open to submissions from BIPOC authors only during their current reading period. Generous Press publishes “lush, high-caliber, and inclusive romance fiction: books so well written that every sentence is a delight to read aloud.” They close to submissions on September 1st.
Hear of Her
The new press Hear of Her is open to submissions for their first anthology, an erotic collection exploring female desire through the lens of darkness, in all its forms. You can learn more about what they are looking for here.
Thyme Travelers 2: An anthology of speculative fiction by Palestinian writers
Their website says, “Roseway, an imprint of Fernwood Publishing, will be publishing a sequel to the award-winning and acclaimed anthology Thyme Travellers featuring speculative fiction by Palestinian writers. … This anthology is open to writers who identify as Palestinian. This includes all Palestinians living anywhere in the world, and of any race. Authors from marginalized groups are encouraged to submit.” Payment is $0.08/word for stories up to 5,000 words. The deadline is 31 August 2026.
Rebel Satori Press
Rebel Satori Press is open to submissions for it’s LGBTQ+ speculative fiction imprint, Queer Space and Arabi Manor, it’s esoterica imprint. Queer Space only allows submissions from Queer authors and Arabi Manor is open to submissions from all authors but highly encourages submissions from Queer authors. You can read our full review here. Queer Space closes to submissions on October 14th, and Arabi Manor closes to submissions on October 31st.
Heyday Books: Berkeley Roundhouse program
Heyday is an established independent and nonprofit publisher that focuses on California and the American West. They publish nonfiction books that explore history, celebrate Native cultural renewal, fight injustice, and honor nature. They are open to submissions from Native voices in particular for their Roundhouse imprint, which you can learn more about here.
Palimpsest Press
They only publish Canadian authors. They are open to submissions from authors who identify as BIPOC, Deaf, or Disabled, all year round. They accept submissions from authors who do not identify as BIPOC, Deaf or Disabled from March 1st through March 31st. They publish poetry and other literary genres.
Adarna House
This established press based in the Philippines is committed to promoting culture and languages is support of Filipino artistry and talent. They are open to submissions from Filipinos 18 years or older, based anywhere in the world. There is no limit to the number of pitches one may submit. Submissions may be in Filipino or English or come with a Filipino or English translation.
Lantana
They are an award-winning children’s book publisher based in England, United Kingdom. They are looking for manuscripts and book dummies by authors and illustrators from underrepresented groups. They almost exclusively publish stories with child protagonists (including poetry, graphic novels and nonfiction) and are not looking for stories only featuring animal characters.
The University Of Arkansas Press
The University of Arkansas Press accepts unsolicited proposals for scholarly and trade books on topics related the African American history and culture. You can visit their website here to see the titles they’ve previously published.
aunt lute
A multicultural women’s press. Their priority is to publish work by women, both transgender and cisgender, particularly women of color. We have reviewed them here.
Little Puss Press
A feminist press run by trans women. They are open to general submissions of fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. They are also open to reprint proposals of literary/historical works of significance by transgender authors. They have good distribution, excellent press, and have already published work that has won a major award.
Arte Público Press
They focus on publishing literary work by “Hispanic writers”, and they publish work in both English and Spanish, but primarily focus on English work. They also have bilingual children’s and YA book imprint, Piñata Books.
The Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series
This opportunity, from Black Lawrence Press, is for immigrants living in the US – for manuscripts of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid writing. “Poets and authors, at any stage of their careers, who identify as immigrants are welcome to submit a book manuscript of poetry or prose or a hybrid text for consideration. Submissions are accepted year-round. However, selections are made in June and November for a total of two books per year. In addition to publication, marketing, and a standard royalties contract from Black Lawrence Press, authors chosen for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series will receive a travel stipend of $500, which can be used for book tours or in any manner chosen by the authors.”
North Dakota State University Press: Contemporary Voices of Indigenous Peoples Series
The goal of this series to feature the authentic stories, poetry, and scholarly works of Native Americans, First Nations, Maori, Aborigines, Indians, and more to give voice to contemporary Indigenous peoples. NDSU Press considers book-length manuscripts of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for publication in this series.
Monsoon Books
This respected press accepts unsolicited manuscripts with Asian, particularly Southeast Asian, themes.
Arsenal Pulp Press
A Canadian independent press that publishes a wide variety of work, prioritizes work by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors. We have reviewed them here.
Salaam Reads
They are an imprint of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. They are actively seeking to publish books that center on positive and joyous portrayals of the Muslim experience across all genres for children. They say “Our goal is to highlight well-rounded portrayals of Muslim children and families in mainstream children’s media. We want to share stories that center Muslim characters without depicting their religious identity as a major source of conflict.” They are open to submissions aimed at readers starting at 4 years of age and going up to 18. They particularly encourage submissions of MG and YA novels.
Lily
A small poetry press that publishes work of varying length. Submitting shorter work is free for everyone, but submitting poetry manuscripts is free only for poets who identify as Black. They are always open to these submissions.
Angry Robot
A great science fiction publisher that only accepts direct submissions from Black authors.
Heartdrum
Heartdrum is an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, which is edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, and is in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. Native and First Nations writers and writer-illustrators are welcome to query her directly via a form on her website. Native and First Nations illustrators are also invited to reach out.
Opportunities/Support/Contests
Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship
This is for published fiction and non-fiction writers who were born in Africa or whose parents were born in Africa (see ‘Do I need to prove my African birth place?’ in FAQ). The money is paid monthly over a course of a year. For non-fiction writers, additional funds can be made available, and given over a period of 18 months. A published writing sample is part of the application (see guidelines). One of the scholarship requirements is, writers have to submit 10,000 words of writing every month (see guidelines). They also say, “The Foundation will not review or comment on the monthly submissions as they come in. However, each Scholar will be offered the opportunity to be mentored by an established author or publisher. In most cases the mentorship will begin after the book has been finished and the Scholarship period has ended.” And, “Scholars are also asked to donate to the MMF 20% of whatever they subsequently receive from the book they write during the period of their Scholarship. … These funds will be used to support other promising writers. The 20% return obligation should be considered a debt of honour rather than a legally binding obligation.” They award £18,000 to fiction writers, possible additional funds for non-fiction writers. The deadline is 22 September 2026 (see ‘Important Dates’ in the entry requirements here.); see the application form here.
Harvard University: Radcliffe Institute Fellowships
This is an opportunity for published writers and journalists. These prestigious fellowships are for various disciplines, including creative arts – which include, but are not limited to, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, as well as journalism, and playwriting. “We welcome applications proposing innovative work that confronts pressing social, scientific, and policy issues and seeks to engage audiences beyond academia. Reflecting Radcliffe’s unique history and institutional legacy, we welcome—but do not limit eligibility to—proposals that focus on women, gender, and society or draw on the Schlesinger Library’s rich collections.
We also invite proposals relevant to the Institute’s multiyear focus area, which for 2024–2029 is academic freedom and connecting across difference.” Application is via their submission portal. The fellowship pays $78,000, and an additional $5,000 for project expenses; fellows also get an office at Harvard University, additional funds for moving expenses, childcare and housing, etc. The deadline for some disciplines, including creative arts, is 10th September 2026. See the eligible disciplines for this cycle here.
Horror Writers Association Grants
Their Diversity Grants, worth $500 each, are for “underrepresented, diverse people who have an interest in the horror writing genre, including, but not limited to writers, editors, reviewers, and library workers.” Apply here.
Their Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Scholarship is for horror writers who identify as women; “Each Scholarship is worth $2500, which may be spent on approved writing education over the two years following the granting of the scholarship.” Apply here.
The application deadline for the above grants (via Submittable) is 2nd October 2026. They have other grants as well, some of which are open now.
Perugia Press Prize
This annual prize includes book publication and a $2,000 prize, as well as 20 author copies and an ongoing discount of 50% off of the cover price for additional copies. It is open only to women, inclusive of gender-expansive identities. There is a fee attached to this prize for general submissions, but BIPOC writers can submit for free. They close to submissions on November 15th. Please read their full guidelines carefully before submitting.
Princeton University Press: Global Equity Grants
These grants are for authors of underrepresented groups to support the preparation of works that is already under contract, in production, or published within the last 12 months. Grants range from $500 to $1,000. The grants can be used to cover a wide range of supports including parental/family care, and translation. More details at the source. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.
BIPOC scholarship for Emily Harstone’s classes at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish
Each time Emily Harstone offers The Novel Writing Workshop (for manuscripts in progress), Submit, Publish, Repeat (for poems, short stories, and CNF publication in literary journals), and Manuscript Publishing for Novelists (for completed novel and memoir manuscripts) through the Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish, there is now an opportunity for two writers who identify as BIPOC to take it for free. If you registered last year, please note that the form re-set in January, and you are encouraged to fill it out again.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
