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

Blanket Gravity Magazine
“Blanket Gravity Magazine is a journal for fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual art. We are interested in moments of emotional intensity, and how their effects ring out in the bigger picture of our identities. We are looking for writing and art that explore mental health or emotional life. By “mental health,” we mean art that tries to make sense of emotional struggle or uncertainty, as well as our thoughts about who we are, what other people mean to us, and the nature of the world.
For nonfiction, we hope to receive personal essays by people with lived experience of mental illness or emotional struggle.
We curate submissions for writing and art that will offer readers experiences outside their emotional pain, or a moment of interest or connection. We’re not trying to erase or replace negative moods—we’re trying to show an expression of care.” They pay $40. The deadline is 10^th January 2026 (with potential for extension).

Chestnut Review
They accept fee-free submissions of flash prose, poetry, and art from all writers. Black and Indigenous authors can also submit longer prose, of 1,000 to 5,000 words, fee-free. “We are drawn to beautiful language, resonant images, and we crave narrative.” They read throughout the year, with cut-off dates for issues. The deadline is 31 December 2025 (for the Spring issue). They pay $120. Details here and here.

Hybris Press: Otherside
This is a new magazine that accepts speculative fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art by 2SLGBTQIA+ creators only. You can read about them here. They are open for fiction reprints (for stories that cannot be read online for free) and nonfiction submissions currently. They will open for original fiction submissions from 1^st to 14^th January 2026, and they’ll have an extended submission window only for BIPOC, trans, and/or disabled authors, from 15^th to 21^st January. Their first issue will be published in March 2026. They do not accept work from writers who do not identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. They accept ongoing submissions for fiction reprints and nonfiction. They accept 500-7,500 words for reprint fiction (can also take novelette-length but will be a harder sell), up to 4,000 words for non-fiction (prefers up to 2,000 words). They pay $100 for fiction reprints and nonfiction.
Details here (click on each genre’s tab for detailed guidelines) and 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.” They especially welcome work from historically underrepresented writers, and from those outside the US. Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Writers are paid. Modern Love has two submission periods, March through June, and September through December.

Open Secrets Magazine: Food Insecurity Personal Essays
They are commissioning personal essays on food insecurity. They have detailed guidelines, including, “Open Secrets Magazine is seeking original, unpublished, non-AI-generated 1,000-2,500 word personal essays on the author’s current personal experience with food insecurity to be published in our Finances section. Priority will be given to those writing about their current experience related to food insecurity and SNAP benefits in the United States, but we are open to submissions from anywhere in the world on the topic and essays by U.S. authors unrelated to SNAP benefits. We don’t consider pitches, only full essay drafts submitted according to our guidelines.
We want to showcase the human sides of modern food insecurity and intend to publish essays by writers from a range of backgrounds, locations, races, genders, sexual orientations, and ages.” They also have a list of suggested topics. They pay $200, and will close the call once the slots are full. They will open for general submissions in 2026.

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.

t’Art
This UK based organization wants to make space “for voices who don’t get as much space as everybody else”. They are a queer and trans-led collective, but they welcome work from everyone, while prioritizing underrepresented voices including LGBTQIA+ voices and voices of colour. Their online magazine is always open for submissions and they allow submissions of poetry, short films, music videos, recordings of live shows, audio tracks, animation, design and visual art collections. They also accept short stories, creative non-fiction and essays for the ‘Articles & Fiction’ section. They are also currently reading submissions for their Trans Tongue mini journal series, through December 21st. You can learn more about that here.

oteh nîkân
This Magazine publishes writing by LGBTQ2S+ Indigenous authors. Please only submit if you are Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+. They are open to poetry, fiction, and nonfiction (including scholarly writing and criticism). They are pay $300 CAD per prose piece and $200 CAD per poem. They are open to submissions year round.

Art-emis
This new online literary and arts journal plans on showcasing previously unpublished poetry, short fiction, short creative nonfiction, and art pieces by women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ individuals in the New York Metropolitan Area. You can read their full submission guidelines here, please note that there is additional information for all submitters at the bottom of their submission guidelines.

In the Veins
Their website says they are “dedicated to publishing bold stories that push boundaries in Splatterpunk, horror, satire, and LGBTQ+ themes. We champion voices that explore the shadows of speculative fiction, fostering a community where dark imagination thrives and diverse narratives flourish. … We’re especially interested in the works of underrepresented groups: members of the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, but we welcome all voices within the dark hard edged horror and satire communities.” They accept fiction (flash and short), poetry, articles, and art related to their genre.

manywor(l)ds
They want work from those who identify with and as any of the following: trans, two-spirit, disabled, neurodivergent, Mad, queer, crip, nonbinary, genderqueer, intersex. “This is a space for the words, works, and worlds of and by those whose bodyminds defy social expectations and invite new ways of thinking and knowing. We do not need to know the specifics of your identity/diagnosis/experience unless you want us to. We invite closeted and questioning people to share their work, as well as those whose experiences fall outside the confines of the language we used above.” They pay $10. They are open for submissions during January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and December.

Girl Dinner Digest
This new publication is interested in publishing a wide range of work including poetry, flash fiction, flash nonfiction, micro-reviews. Everything they publish is on the shorter side of things. They say: “Our online magazine aims to highlight the voices of women, nonbinary, queer, and any other creators who resonate with girlhood. If you fall into that realm of identity, you can submit to our mag.”

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. 

Midwest Weird
This is an audio literary magazine, seeking submissions of weird fiction or nonfiction from Midwestern authors, with a particular interest in underrepresented communities.

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 1000 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.

AC|DC
They publish short stories and creative nonfiction by LGBTQIA+ authors. They are currently open to submissions.

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.

Plentitude
They want submissions from LGBTQ2S+ writers only; their Submittable has separate submission slots for Canadian and international writers (international submissions reopened on the 1st October for fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction). Every genre has a monthly submission cap. Pay is CAD60 per poem, CAD125 per prose contribution (fiction and creative nonfiction), CAD100 for book reviews and Genre Bender (hybrid) submissions. The submission deadline for international writers is end-April, and for Canadian writers, it is end-May 2026. Details here and here.

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. 

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 (including whatever LGBTQ might appeal to a lesbian readership). 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.

Tagg Magazine
Tagg is a US-based queer women’s publication. Their website has several themes they accept articles on, including personal essays, listicles, dating advice and fashion-related content. Articles are 350-1,000 words long and pay $75-175. They welcome pitches for article ideas. See the pitch guide for contributors 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.

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. 

1. Forgotten History: From a Civil War bromance to a lesbian prison riot
2. The Kink Issue: Alternative sexualities
3. Ethnographic Journeys: LGBT lives in premodern cultures

 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.

Aloka
They want work by non-native English speakers only – poetry, translations, fiction, and hybrid work. Send up to 5 poems, or up to 2 prose pieces, up to 2,500 words each.

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-$1/word. Pay for art (graphic design, cartoons and photo essays) is $150-1,000.

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 new literary journal that accepts a wide range of submissions from Black and Brown authors.

Presses/Anthologies 

Butch Bait Anthology
They want art, poetry, fiction, erotica, and photography for this anthology. “Though there’s no formal prompt beyond “butch4butch”, we are going for a historical lesbian zine feel that captures the working-class grit and radical celebration of gnc lesbians seen in the 70s-early aughts publications. Think Set In Stone: Butch on Butch Erotica (2001), Persistent Desire (1994), Dagger On Butch Women (1994), The Little Butch Book (1998), etc.” And, “Subgenre doesn’t matter. Erotica, pulp horror, dead dove, taboo, romance, western, speculative—as long as it features butch4butch, GET CREATIVE!” The call is open to all writers, and “those who identify, align, or find themselves drawn to the prompt ‘butch4butch’…genderqueer, transmasc, transfem, nonbinary, etc: you are wanted and welcome here.”  Please see guidelines for length and other requirements. They pay $10, and the deadline is 1 January 2026.

Tenebrous Press: Your Body is a Fever Dream Anthology
This is a fiction and narrative poetry anthology. “A cosmic body horror anthology from trans and GNC voices, a companion volume to YOUR BODY IS NOT YOUR BODY, and a charity drive all rolled into one.” And, “Only accepting submissions from creators who are: Trans, NB, agender, intersex, GNC, and generally any gender identity other than binary cisgender.” They pay $0.03/word for stories up to 4,000 words; they also accept reprints and art; the deadline is 10^th January 2026. Details here and here. 

Neon Hemlock Press: We’re Here – The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2025
Neon Hemlock Press publishes work on LGBTQ+ themes. They are now accepting submissions for a reprint anthology for queer speculative fiction published in 2025, up to 17,500 words. The deadline is 31 December 2025. Details here, and here (scroll down) and here.

Àrokò Anthology No.1: Folklore From Africa & The Diaspora
“This anthology is a space for self-identified writers from the African continent and the African diaspora.” They have detailed guidelines, including, “We invite fiction that breathes new life into folklore from Africa and the African Diaspora. Send us stories that draw from folktales, myths, fables, legends, and folkloric figures—whether reimagined, adapted, or wholly invented. We want spirits and tricksters: Anansi and Pomba Gira, Papa Legba and Tokoloshe, La Diablesse and the Soucouyant, Nommo and the Boo Hag. Ancestral whispers in the form of abiku children, duppies, and the lwa. Folklore that remembers and reinvents itself across oceans: hybrid monsters, sacred rivers, haunted crossroads, and living landscapes where the mythic walks alongside the everyday.
We welcome stories rooted in history as much as those that look toward the present and the future. From the epics and oral traditions to colonial-era hauntings and resistance myths, folklore is a living archive, passed down and transformed across generations.” Send stories of 2,000-7,000 words. All proceeds from the anthology will be donated to support survivors of the Darfuri genocide. Payment is a contributor copy. The deadline is 31 December 2025.

Moonstone Arts Center: S/He Speaks 4: Voices of Women, Trans, & Nonbinary Folx 
They are open to essays, poems, and stories from Women, Trans and Nonbinary Folx. They go on to say “Because so much negative policy change has occurred on these issues in recent months, we are especially interested this year in poems and essays that pertain to writers’ personal response to current gender politics.” They include specific information about those policy changes that they hope might inspire or affect an authors writing. It’s not a requirement, but an invitation to write about these topics. They close to submissions on January 5th, 2026. Most of their other opportunities for publication have a fee attached.

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.

Balestier Press
They are committed to promoting diversity in publishing, with a particular focus on Asia. They accept submissions of a wide variety of creative works including fiction, poetry, short stories, graphic novels, creative nonfiction, memoirs. They are also open to works in translation. Assume rejection if you have not heard from them after three months.

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.

Palimpsest Press
A small press specializing in poetry and other literary works, they only publish Canadian authors. They are open to submissions from authors who identify as BIPOC, Deaf, or Disabled, all year round. 

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.

Phoenix
Phoenix is a new speculative imprint launched by Nigerian publisher Ouida Books in collaboration with Nnedi Okorafor and Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn. Phoenix is dedicated to publishing African speculative fiction and fantasy (Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism). You can learn more about it here.

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.

Random House Canada
The Canadian arm of Random House changed their submission policy have opened their policy exclusively to LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC writers, as well as those from other traditionally underrepresented communities. They are particularly looking for “High quality commercial fiction in the following genres: literary, romance, speculative fiction, historical fiction, and mystery. Please note that we do not currently accept screenplays, stage plays, young adult fiction, children’s fiction, or picture book queries. All non-fiction submissions must be submitted via a literary agent.” They are open to submissions internationally, this is not limited to Canadians.

Tundra Books, Puffin Canada, Penguin Teen Canada
These children and teen focused Canadian imprints are open to direct submissions by underrepresented authors and illustrators only. Authors need not be Canadian.

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.

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

The Caine Prize for African Writing
This prize is also called the African Booker. It is for published short stories, written by an African writers (who is a national of an African country, or who has a parent who is African by birth or nationality). They have detailed guidelines, including, “The story must have been published in the five years preceding the submissions deadline. For 2026 eligibility, the judges will only consider work published between 27th February 2021 and 27th February 2026.
Entries must be between 3,000 and 10,000 words in length.” Please note, entries must be submitted by the publisher (includes publishers of physical and digital books, literary journals, magazines, and arts-oriented websites) or a third-party institution that is independent of the author. Stories submitted by the author will not be eligible. Genres not eligible for entry include: novels, children’s stories, factual writing, academic essays, plays, poetry, autobiography/biography, and any work that does not constitute a fictional short story. The award is £10,000, and the submission deadline is 27 February 2026 (12:00 GMT).

Meridians: The Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award
Meridians is a literary magazine affiliated with Smith College. This award is for short works – poetry, fiction and non-fiction, 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.” And, “Each year we award two winners: one in Poetry and one in Prose. Each winner will have the opportunity to spend a week-long residency at Meridians at Smith College the following Fall or Spring.” There is also a prize of $500 each for the two winners. The deadline is 31 December 2025. Details here and here

table//FEAST Literary Magazine: The Blossom Contest
This contest is fee-free and only open to BIPOC writers. There will be one winner for poetry or prose. Send up to 5 poems or one piece of fiction or creative nonfiction of up to 3,000 words. The prize is $250, and the deadline is 1 January 2026. (They have other contests too, for women and for writers over 50 years, which have submission fees.)

Discoveries 2026
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. The prize is £5,000, and the deadline is 12 January 2026. Details here and here.

Foglifter Community Intern
To apply for this internship you must be LGBTQ+ and based in the SF Bay Area. Foglifter is an LGBTQ+ organization that works to celebrate and uplift queer and trans voices in art and literature. They ask that you read their mission statement before applying. They are seeking a community intern to work 1-3 hours per week during their peak season (i.e. when they are open to submissions). The community interns role is to assist the the community managers in the successful planning and execution of social media campaigns. The work they mention the community intern needing to do includes the following: “schedule social media posts on Later, assist in crafting engaging and exciting captions for Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky, and collaborate with the Community Managers to develop content ideas and design for social media campaigns. The Community Intern aggregates ongoing contributor surveys for social media post creation. They also assist in gathering assets/drafting content for our newsletter.”

They are hoping that students in the San Francisco Bay Area with experience and/or interest in communications and social media will apply. They cannot guarantee school credits, but if a student wants those credits, they will work with the institution the student is attending to try and make it happen. They close to applications on January 16th, 2026.

The Maureen Seaton Poetry Prize
Co-sponsored by Wild & Precious Life Series & South Florida Poetry Journal (SoFloPoJo), it will close to submissions after 1,000 submissions have been received (so apologies in advance if the link isn’t working). This contest is open only to LGBTQ+ poets who are 18+. The prize is $500.00. The prize will be paid to one winner, or for collaborative work it will be split between the winners. The judge of this year’s contest is Denise Duhamel. You can only submit one previously unpublished poem that is up to 3 pages in length. 

Paradise Press: Hot Flashes: Flash Fiction Contest
I went back and forth on placing this in the contest section or in the anthology section. It fits in both. The Gay Authors Workshop and Homo Promos are launching this competition: Hot Flashes. In order to submit work you must confirm the following:
“No AI has been used.
The title hasn’t appeared in any publication with an ISBN.
I am on the LGBTQ+ spectrum or identify as a straight ally.”
They are looking for Flash Fiction stories and poems for possible inclusion in the new anthology to be published in April 2026, and the completion has four categories:

1. Under 40 words prose (for poetry – haiku, limerick or clerihew).
2. Under 300 words prose, or, for poetry – sonnet, or other form under 20 lines.
3. Under 600 words prose (poetry under 40 lines).
4. Under 1000 words prose (poetry under 70 lines).

They welcome poetry submissions, but poetry must contain elements of flash fiction, i.e. a Narrative of some kind. There is one prize of £100 for each of the categories, as well as two ‘commendations’. All the work that is prize winning or given commendations will be guaranteed inclusion in the anthology. They close to submissions on January 31st. Please read their full guidelines before submitting.

Ludington Writers: Making Waves
The theme for this special issue is Pride 2026. They are asking poets, fiction, and nonfiction authors, and visual artists to submit works uplifting voices and experiences from the LGBTQ+ community and about it. Even though they use the word uplifting they clarify ““Uplifting” in this context doesn’t necessarily mean we want only happy material. As long as it’s original work that avoids clichés and sentimental language, we want to see it!”. While they are not a paying market overall they will be giving out four $50 awards, to outstanding works chosen by the editorial team. Submissions close on December 31st.

Small Harbor Publishing: Laureate Prize 
Judged by the poet Traci Brimhall, this contest from Small Harbor Press has a 25 dollar fee to enter but they waive that fee for all BIPOC writers (as well as previous finalists for the prize). Harbor Editions will publish 1 book from the contest. Finalists may also be considered for publication. The winner will receive $500 and 20 copies of their book. They close to submissions on January 1st.

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.

The Writing Barn Scholarship
The Writing Barn has a small but budding scholarship program available for our programming. Scholarships are awarded on the following criteria: seriousness of purpose, talent and financial need. They also offer specific Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity scholarships for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Neurodiverse writers, and writers with disabilities.