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.
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
Neon Hemlock Press
They publish queer speculative fiction. They are open for their novella series submissions until 30th June 2025 for trans women and writers of color only, and then October 15th to 30th 2025 from all writers; see the announcement here (scroll down). They have detailed guidelines, including length (17,500–40,000 words), genres accepted (Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Slipstream, & Weird. Hybrid work or difficult to categorize novellas are also welcome) and theme (particularly interested in work that explores some element of queer experience, broadly speaking). And, “Our standard contract will ask authors to choose between an Advance+Royalties option or a Royalties Only option.” Submit here.
New Orleans Review
They charge a submission fee from all writers, but have certain fee-free periods for different demographics at various times. For instance, “In celebration of Pride, there are no submission fees for LGBTQIA2+ writers in June. We are especially interested in trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming voices.” There is no fee for Palestinian writers, for Songs of the Sunbirds column; there is a submission cap. There is no fee for writers who are refugees living anywhere in the world, either. They pay $300 for fiction and creative nonfiction up to 5,000 words, and $100 for poetry. Submit here (there are several slots on their Submittable, please be sure to submit in the correct category.)
fifth wheel press: Garland – the body and body and body
fifth wheel press is an independent community-focused publisher of art and writing by queer, trans, and gender variant creatives. They have an upcoming themed call for their Garland magazine and have detailed guidelines, including, “the body and body and body is a call to look at the body and its edges, refuse, differences, expansions, failures, and transformations as poetic tools. Language is the material of the commons, erupting from the body to create visual, spatial, and sonic disturbance; building our communities and publics and filling them with life. … I am looking for text, image, or both. Poetry, prose, expulsions or rants or manifestos or notes or strategies or conversations; photos, collages, screenshots, drawings, relics, records, scans.” They pay $5. The deadline is 30 June 2025.
Midnight & Indigo
They publish works by Black women writers only – literary as well as speculative fiction, as well as narrative & personal essays. They have detailed guidelines for each section, please read them carefully.
Length guidelines are 1,500-7,000 words for fiction, 2,000-7,000 words for speculative fiction, at least 1,200 words for essays; they pay $0.07/word for fiction, $150 for essays. The deadline is 30 June 2025. Details here and here.
Reckoning: It Was Paradise
Reckoning is an annual magazine that publishes speculative works on environmental justice. Apart from their regular submissions (with a later deadline and a different theme), they’re also accepting works for a special theme, It Was Paradise. For this theme, they say, “In a world devastated by catastrophes, we need stories that confront these horrors. This is all out war on the planet, on life itself. War and conflict as viewed through the lens of environmental justice, are the themes for this volume of Reckoning. Probe into the heart of extinction, genocide, and climate crisis. Expose the exploitation of the earth. Show us how the world could be on the other side. Send us your stories of violence, imperialism, fascism, and resistance, of destruction, survival, and of triumph. Send us your creative writing about war and environmental justice. It Was Paradise is open for submissions now through the summer solstice, June 22, 2025, with tentative release scheduled for October. … As always, we’re seeking submissions from Black, Brown, Indigenous, queer, trans, disabled, neurodivergent, imprisoned, impoverished, and otherwise marginalized human beings from everywhere, but in particular for this issue, we will be prioritizing work by people with lived experience of war and conflict.” They will pay $0.15/word for prose, $75/page for poetry and art for this call. Details here (theme) and here. The deadline is 22 June 2025.
(Apart from the above issue, Reckoning is also accepting regular submissions for their 10th issue themed around communication, deadline 22nd September 2025.)
Chestnut Review
They accept fee-free submissions of flash prose, poetry, and art from all writers. Black and Indigenous authors can also submit longer fiction and nonfiction, of 1,000-5,000 words, without a fee (other writers are charged for this category). “We are drawn to beautiful language, resonant images, and we crave narrative.” Send up to 1,000 words for flash prose, up to 3 poems. They pay $120. The deadline for their Autumn issue is 30 June 2025; they read throughout the year, with cut-off dates for issues. Details here and here.
Room Magazine: Science
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. They want submissions on the Science theme. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry and art. They want work on the Science theme. They have detailed guidelines, including, “Science is both a lexicon for what we know and a field of exploration for what we don’t know yet. In Room Magazine’s Science, as in science, we will savour curiosity, question orthodoxy, dig into hidden histories and understudied areas, and titrate, examine, hypothesize, collaborate, queer, and dream our way to wilder futures. How do we come about and decide what is knowledge? What knowledge is accessible, credible/sanctioned, or forbidden? What pseudo-sciences shaped society in the past, and are doing so now? What does it mean to have nonhuman teachers during the Anthropocene?”
Send up to 3,500 words for prose, up to 5 poems. They pay CAD50-200 for writing. They have separate submission categories for Canadian and international writers. They close by category as they reach their submission quota. Details here and here.
Consequence Forum: Young Writers Nonfiction Project
This is a call for writers ages 15-24. “Consequence is a longstanding literary journal and online forum that documents the experiences of those who have witnessed, participated in, or been affected by war and/or geopolitical violence.” They have detailed guidelines, including a brief list (with examples) of recurring themes their writers have focussed on: first-hand combat accounts of veterans; accounts and interviews of visual artists whose works are acts of cultural resistance or intervention; memoirs centering on families impacted by genocide and geographic displacement; and reflections on humanitarian aid efforts by former Amnesty International/United Nations workers. “For this young writers’ project, the journal is looking for nonfiction pieces (such as personal essays) from writers aged fifteen to twenty-four that in some way center around themselves and their relationships, as well as how those relationships have been impacted by the global crises of today and yesterday. What political and military decisions—made perhaps before you were born or before you were even allowed to vote—are plaguing the most personal parts of your world? How are you dealing with them?” They will pay $40 for submissions to this project. The deadline is 30 June 2025. Details here and here. (And, Consequence will open to general submissions from all writers on 15th July; submissions of translations for their Substack and / or website – not print – are open now, see here 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.” Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Modern Love has two submission periods, March through June, and September through December. Writers are paid. They especially welcome work from historically underrepresented writers, and from those outside the US. Details here.
(Also see their Tiny Love Stories column; these are also personal essays similar in theme to Modern Love, but much shorter, of 100 words.)
Knee Brace Press
A publisher of prose, poetry, and visual art about chronic illness, disability, mental health, and neurodivergence.
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.
Meridians
The journal is a venture of Smith College and is published by Duke University Press. Their mission is to make scholarship by and about women of color central to contemporary definitions of feminisms in the explorations of women’s economic conditions, cultures, and sexualities, as well as of the forms and meanings of resistance and activist strategies. Alongside scholarly work they also accept poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. They close to submissions for this reading period on September 30th.
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 previously unpublished 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.
Woodsqueer
This new literary journal describes their focus by stating “At Woodsqueer, we view nature as inherently “queer.” It’s queer to care about the fate of our natural world, to possess this liminal space, and to make a dwelling of your own there. While we are especially interested in the voices of underrepresented artists, we are looking for any writer who thinks their work to be queer within our natural world.” They accept poetry, fiction, and essays as well as art and photography. They are open to previously published work as long as the author is upfront about the work being a reprint.
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 January, March, May, July, September or November.
Somos en escrito Literary Foundation Literary Journal
They publish a literary magazine “dedicated to publishing raza authors to express the narratives and needs of our communities, which typically get overlooked by the mainstream presses. We intend to be the institution nobody else will build for us.”
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 will reopen on 1st October). 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. Details here and here.
Arcanum Magazine
Arcanum Magazine is a digital and print magazine for creative writing, visual art, cultural criticism, and journalism by and for the Black diaspora. They are a paying market that is open on a rolling basis to creative writing, cultural criticism, news, and journalism, as well as visual art.
Bookish Brews
They describe themselves as a “book blog and a celebration of diverse books and authors (with a side of your favorite brew)”. They prioritize BIPOC writers but are open to submissions from other historically underrepresented groups also. They publish nonfiction, craft, and lifestyle essays as well as book reviews.
Zindabad Zine
This print and electronic publication is based in the UK. They are open to submissions on a rolling basis. Currently they are closed to submissions for the print issue but open to electronic ones. They only accept work from people “in a diaspora”. They publish personal essays, articles, poetry, fiction, visual art and photography.
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.
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, hybrid works, poetry, and drama (including that accompanied by video or dramatic audio). Send up to 2,500 for fiction/hybrid 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.
- The State of LGBT Rights: What is to be done?
- The Kink Issue: Alternative sexualities
- Ethnographic Journeys: LGBT lives in non-Western 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 Projects
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
Off Topic Publishing: Trans and Genderqueer Voices Anthology
Their guidelines say, “Submit poems, flash fiction, short stories, creative nonfiction, essays, and unclassified other writing of any style and theme. The work must be written by a trans/genderqueer person. Collaborative work is okay, as long as all authors are aware of the submission. If accepted, all authors will need to sign a contract. At least one of the authors must be trans/genderqueer.” They pay CAD20. The deadline is 30 June 2025.
Sliced Up Press: Saturday Mourning Television
This is a fiction and poetry anthology. They want “horror fiction inspired by early morning kids TV for our next anthology, Saturday Mourning Television. Tune us in to something scary based on any decade you like: the educational/bizarre 1960’s & 70’s, the advert-packed 80’s, the radical 90’s, the wayward & wacky 2000’s or anything beyond. Even web-based entertainment is fair game. And don’t limit yourself to tales involving kids, what about parents, or performers & hosts, workers behind the scenes, even animated creations.” All submissions must be in the horror genre. Bizarro, splatterpunk and extreme horror are welcome. Preference will be given to submissions from LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC authors. Length guidelines are 1,000-4,000 words for prose, no length guidelines for poetry. They pay $35, and the deadline is 30 June 2025.
IHRAM Anthology: Today’s Pressured Youth
International Human Rights Art Movement (IHRAM) is open for an anthology on Today’s Pressured Youth. Apart from essays (up to 2,500 words), they also accept fiction, poetry, and visual art.
They have detailed guidelines, please read them carefully. They themes they want are: Value of the youth voice, Modern challenges faced by youths (including social-media, societal expectations, and family dynamics), Empowering childhood experiences which shaped the writer’s early adulthood, LGBTQ+ and trans representation, Mental-health, invisible illness, learning disability and neurodivergence awareness. While this call will amplify youth voices, they accept submissions from writers of all ages. They pay $50 for written submissions, and $25 for art. The deadline has been extended to 21st June 2025 for this call.
(IHRAM is open for other calls too, America’s Slide Toward Authoritarianism, deadline 1st July, and Voices of 21st-century Activism, the deadline for that is 1st October, details here.)
Midnight Meadow Publishing: Trans Anthology
Midnight Meadow is an indie publisher of LGBTQIA+ fiction. For this anthology, “We are looking for science fiction and fantasy stories featuring main characters who fall under the trans umbrella (this includes nonbinary, genderfluid, and genderqueer characters). The goal of this anthology is to offer a piece of pure trans joy at a time when there is so much hurt. So, all stories submitted should be free of any trans tragedy. Think cozy escapism.” They pay $15 per 1,000 words for stories of 2,000-7,000 words. The deadline is 30 June 2025.
Enter Here Anthology
They want submissions from BIPOC authors only, during this submission window. “Stories in this collection may fall into any genre of speculative fiction and will span the range from cozy to grimdark, but every piece must include a door opening in some manner. Physical or metaphorical, traditional or unusual—make the doors your own. Send us your lushly written, genre-blending stories that look at portals in unexpected or unusual ways.” Pay is $0.01/word for stories of 2,000-4,000 words, and the deadline is 22nd June 2025.
A Long House: Chronic
A Long House has a call for submissions for Chronic — A Chapbook on Living with Illness, edited by Yvonne Wabai. They are open to poetry, nonfiction/essays, and hybrid work within the contexts of these two genres. They welcome “work on chronic illness in all its forms—diagnosed, undiagnosed, physical, mental, visible, invisible.” They are paying a $50 honorarium to each of the contributors. They close to submissions on July 15th.
Singapore Unbound: 2025 Gaudy Boy Open Call for Novel Manuscripts
“Gaudy Boy is a New York City-based independent press that publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by extraordinary Asian voices, is open to submissions of unpublished adult novels by authors of Asian heritage residing anywhere in the world. One or more selected manuscripts will be published in 2026 or 2027. Each author will receive book publication and an advance of USD1,500.” They also accept translations. The deadline is 31 July 2025.
(See all of Singapore Unbound’s calls here.)
Little Puss Press
A feminist press run by trans women. They are open to general submissions of fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. They also are 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. Learn more here.
NeuroQueer: Annual Spoon Knife anthology
NeuroQueer is an imprint of Autonomous Press, and they publish an annual genre bending anthology called Spoon Knife which is now accepting submissions of short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. They are a paying market. Autonomous Press does not accept unagented submissions, but this is one of the ways they find authors. The theme of this anthology is Polarites, and they include details and image along the theme lines on their site. They pay $30, plus 1 cent per word. All contributors also receive a copy of the anthology their work appears in. The deadline for submissions is July 31st.
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.
Blind Eye Books
Blind Eye Books publishes science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and romance novels featuring LGBTQ protagonists. They are a print publisher and their book covers are beautifully designed and really stand out. The books they have published have won and been nominated for a number of awards, including the Lambda. 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
Simon & Schuster: Avid Reader Press “BOOKS LIKE US” first novel contest
Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is hosting the BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest. Their submission period will begin at midnight Monday, June 30, and end at right before midnight Monday, July 14, 2025. It is only open to works of adult fiction by US authors. We are listing it in this issue even though it is not open yet, because it will be closed to submissions by the time the next issue is released. The author of the selected novel will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Avid Reader Press. You can see the official rules here.
Sine Theta Magazine Annual Writing Contest
Sine Theta Magazine accepts works from people of Sino diaspora only, regardless of nationality, and the same eligibility requirement applies to this contest. They are accepting works of prose and poetry for their next issue. They have published three prompts on their website, and writers should respond to those prompts directly or indirectly. Out of all the entries submitted for publication in the magazine, they will select one winner for poetry, and another winner for prose, who will receive cash prizes. (Also, “All authors published in sinθ receive a $10 USD honorarium. For the two contest winners, there is an additional $140 USD prize, amounting to a total of $150 USD.”) The deadline is 22 June 2025.
The BCLF Short Fiction Story Contest for Caribbean Writers
This is a short story contest for Caribbean-descended writers, by Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF). For 2025, they say, “This year’s BCLF Short Fiction Story Contest seeks new fiction that speaks to the urgent need for grounding and healing. Whether it is a tale of migration and return, an act of quiet rebellion, an ancestral recipe passed through generations, a rewilding of grief, or the reclaiming of forbidden memory, we are calling for stories that prescribe survival, illuminate resilience, and offer prayers for what endures.” There are two categories, with different eligibility requirements:
— The BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize is open to unpublished writers of Caribbean heritage. Self-published writers may apply. This prize seeks to unearth hidden storytellers in the United States and Canada; Details here and here; and
— BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean is open exclusively to Caribbean writers of all levels who reside and work in the Caribbean or are on temporary assignment overseas.
Writers should send short stories of up to 3,000 words. Details here and here.
The prizes in both categories are $1,750 each, and the deadline is 1 July 2025.
Lee & Low Books: New Voices Award
This award is for writers of color and Native nations who are residents of the US, and have not previously had a children’s picture book published. The work should address the needs of children of color and Native nations, aged 5-12, by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another. Themes relating to non-traditional family structures, gender identity, or disabilities may also be included. Manuscripts can be fiction, narrative non-fiction or poetry. Only stories with human protagonists will be considered. “New Voices Award winners receive a standard publication contract, including Lee & Low Books’s basic royalties and an advance in the amount of $5,000. Winners are also given close publishing mentorship as they work to develop their first book for publication.”
The deadline is 30 June 2025. Details here (also click on the Rules and FAQ tabs) and submit here.
Chapter House New Indigenous Fiction Prize
“Chapter House Journal (formerly Mud City Journal) is an online literary journal promoting the ideals and vision of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Low Residency MFA Program. We publish new work on a biannual basis.” The journal offers a new prize for indigenous writers; there is no separate submission process, and all eligible magazine submissions qualify. “Submit one story, or up to 3 shorter stories, of up to 5000 words.
To submit for this annual prize, please go through the general Summer 2025 Fiction submission portal … All fiction submissions from May 1-June 30 2025 written by indigenous writers will be eligible for the Chapter House New Indigenous Fiction Prize, as long as tribal affiliation is specified on the cover letter.” Cash prize of $250 will be awarded to the winner, and the winner and two runners up will be published in Chapter House. The deadline is 30 June 2025. Details here and here.
Curtis Brown Creatives: Scholarship Opportunities
Curtis Brown Creatives regularly offers scholarships for their courses. Some are London-based and some are online. Right now they have have three scholarships with approaching deadlines: the HW Fisher Novel-Writing Scholarship for Writers of Colour; Breakthrough Scholarship for Fantasy Writers with Low Income; and The Breakthrough YA & Children’s Fiction Scholarship for Writers of Colour. Additional eligibility details are on the website.
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 $2,000. 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.
BIPOC scholarship for Emily Harstone’s classes at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish
Each time Emily Harstone offers a solo class through the Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish, there is now an opportunity for one to 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.
Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2024 Guide to Manuscript Publishers. She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish. You can follow her on Facebook here.
