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
Haven Speculative
They publish speculative fiction and poetry, have resumed their alternate reading periods – one month for submissions from all writers, the next month from underrepresented writers only, and so on. “Our submission cycle is … split into two categories, where every other month is explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. The interposing six months remain open to everyone.” They also publish climate crisis focused Dry and Wet issues each year; scroll down on the guidelines page for these themes. They accept up to 6,000 words for fiction, up to 5 poems, and pay $0.08/word for fiction, $20/poem. Through May, they are reading submissions from underrepresented writers only. Details here and here.
Singapore Unbound: SUSPECT – Of the Sea
SUSPECT is the project of NYC-based Singapore Unbound, and they accept work from people of Asian heritage. They are now reading submissions for their special fiction (including flash) and poetry folio, and the theme is ‘Of the Sea’. “This August, SUSPECT will publish a special portfolio dedicated to indigenous perspectives on the region designated as maritime Southeast Asia. We invite the submission of fiction and poetry that explore the manifold effects of the sea on individuals and communities. We are particularly interested in indigenous voices but we welcome non-indigenous authors who have engaged in a significant and sustained manner with maritime Southeast Asian communities.” Send up to 6,000 words for fiction, or 3-5 poems. They pay $100. The deadline is 15 June 2025.
(See all of Singapore Unbound’s calls 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.)
IHRAM Press Publishes: Invisible Chains: Contemporary Slavery and Forced Migration
This is a call from the literary magazine of the International Human Rights Art Movement (IHRAM). For the second quarter, their theme is Invisible Chains: Contemporary Slavery and Forced Migration. “A poignant reflection on contemporary slavery and forced migration, this issue delves into exploitative labor practices, human trafficking, and the loss of human rights. It examines the economic and personal challenges faced by migrants, including discrimination, culture shock, and the lingering mental health effects.
We are dedicated to publishing firsthand experiences of forced migration, factual retellings on contemporary slavery, reflections of the author’s personal experiences with the economic challenges or discrimination, and feelings of hope and perseverance. We encourage submissions from all over the world, regardless of gender or identity.” Send essays of up to 2,500 words; they also accept short fiction, poetry, and art. They pay $50 for written work. The deadline is 1 June 2025. Details here.
The Markaz Review: Out of Our Minds
Their website says, “The Markaz Review is a literary arts publication and cultural institution that curates content and programs on the greater Middle East and our communities in diaspora.” They run themed issues; they are accepting submissions for their Out of Our Minds (mental health) issue. They accept “essay, short fiction, book excerpt, art, film, music, photography or other creative expression, which may spark important conversations.” Submissions range from 750-3,000 words. They pay an honorarium. The deadline is 23rd May 2025.
Open Secrets Magazine: Personal essays on climate change and/or climate issues
This magazine has issued a submission call: ” Open Secrets Magazine is currently accepting submissions of unpublished first person 1,000-2,000 word personal essays … based on the author’s life experience relating to climate change and/or climate issues.” They also say, “these will not be op-eds or rants or educational articles about climate change. These will be memorable, revealing personal essays from authors anywhere in the world about how the modern climate has impacted their lives. This could be about climate-related disasters such as wildfires or floods, the impact of droughts or food shortages, how climate change has impacted your personal life, health, and/or decision-making, or any other approach. Essay writers from marginalized groups will be given priority.” And, “We ONLY accept essay submissions from Open Secrets Magazine free or paid subscribers from anywhere in the world. If we are interested in publishing your essay, you will receive a response within one month. If you haven’t heard back after one month, we weren’t able to publish your essay.” This is a new column, and they will publish (at least) one personal climate-related essay per month through 2025. They pay $50. The submission deadline is 31 May 2025.
The Margins
The Margins is the literary magazine of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop. They publish work by Asian American and diasporic writers. Currently, they are open for submissions of original and translated poetry. They pay $50-90 for poetry. The deadline is 31 May 2025.
Variety Pack: ISSUE XII – Voices of The Modern Diaspora
They have detailed guidelines, including, “For this issue, we will be accepting submissions from Diasporic writers only, but strictly folks who understand the marginalization that comes with the territory of being a Diasporic voice. Refugees, Asylum Seekers, First-generation Immigrants, Second-generation immigrants, Third-generation immigrants, folks who can trace the homeland of their roots within recent times. Although we also realize that with Diaspora, this term can refer to a wide-ranging group of folks.” They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, reviews, and visual art. They pay $10-20. The deadline is 15th June 2025.
Scavengers
This print lit magazine from Querencia Press is open to submissions through May 31st. They publish work of hybridity, experimental, fragmentary, flash art, comics and mixed media images. They don’t have strict guidelines around who can and cannot submit but state “We are especially interested in work by disabled, chronically ill, womxn and the enby community.”
Agbowo
They only want submissions from writers of African origin – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, and art. They have detailed guidelines for each genre, please read them carefully. They pay NGN 20,000-50,000. The deadline is 31 May 2025. Details here and here.
Tint Journal
They are currently open for submissions written in English by non-native speakers of English. They are open to short stories, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry on the theme of patchwork. Submissions closed on May 31st.
Another Chicago Magazine
They are open to nonfiction submissions from BIPOC writers through May 31st. They are open to nonfiction work of various lengths and focuses.
Reckoning
This paying market focuses on creative work about environmental justice. They say they 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.” See their special submission call on the theme, It Was Paradise, here.
Plenitude Magazine
They are Canada’s only queer literary magazine. They are only open to submissions from queer authors and only consider Canadian submissions in some categories. They use Submittable, and close to submissions when they hit caps, but all categories reopen at the start of the month. They are a paying market.
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.
Entre: Magazine of the Arts
They publish creative fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual works. Everything they publish focuses “on the queer and/or Latina/o/x/e experience and/or any experiences that deal with hybridity, fluidity, and inbetweenness (be it race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality, etc.) Artists do not have to belong to the queer and/or Latina/o/x/e communities in order to submit to our magazine; however, in alignment with Entre‘s mission, queer and/or Latina/o/x/e artists may be given higher consideration-” They close to submissions on June 16th.
The Ana
This QBIPOC founded and run journal is open to submissions from all and profoundly opposed to hate speech. They publish fiction, nonfiction, essays, cross genre literature, and poetry as well as poetry in translation and visual art. They close to submissions on June 1st.
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 Southeast Review
This journal established in 1979 as Sundog, is a national literary magazine housed in the English department at Florida State University, edited and managed by graduate students. They charge for most submissions but are open to submissions from BIPOC Writers of Creative Nonfiction, and Young Adult Fiction. Both these submissions have caps on them. If either of the calls reaches the upper limit of free submissions for the cap they will temporarily close to submissions, but should reopen at the start of the month.
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”. They publish nonfiction erotica and their website is NSFW, please do not visit it if you are under 18.
ALOCASIA
A journal of queer plant-based writing. They accept submissions on a rolling basis. They’re also accepting work for an All-Indigenous Summer Issue, the deadline is 31st May for that, and they pay.
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. 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.
Mayday: Black
For Mayday: Black submissions, they want nonfiction pitches and drafts from Black writers – their website says, they are “committed to delivering a new experience for Black writers, including those seeking first-time publication. We welcome nonfiction work in opinions and analyses; personal, braided, and reported essays in contemporary and historical contexts. Bring your authentic, curious, courageous, well-rounded stories on life, living, love, loss, representation, race, racism, death, dying, Black plight and civil rights, neighborhood blight, gentrification, white flight, and more. (In no way is this an exhaustive list!)” They pay $50 for Mayday: Black essays of 800-3,000 words. Details here and here. (This magazine also occasionally accepts fiction, nonfiction, culture pieces, poetry, reviews, interviews, and translations from all writers, and pays $10-20 for these.)
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.
Breath & Shadow
Breath & Shadow only publishes work from people with disabilities. This is how they define disability: “We use the term “disability” broadly to encompass anyone with a physical, mental, emotional, cognitive, or sensory impairment that significantly affects one or more major life functions.” They accept writing on any topic in terms of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and drama. Pieces do not have to be about disability. The academic or article type nonfiction, including profiles, interviews, and opinion pieces, do have to relate to disability in some way. They pay $25 per poem (max 2) and $40 for prose. The Spring issue deadline is 1st June 2025.
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 website says, “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 + royalty share. The deadline is 30 June 2025.
Bona Books: Wrath Month Anthology
This is a fiction anthology. “We’re seeking fantasy, science-fiction, and horror short stories that embrace punk and queer rage.
There’s a glass ceiling in SFF representation, and we want you to throw a brick through it. Bring us the coven that burned Salem and your roaring bear-serkers. We want gangs of acid-wash werewolves, furious bipyromancers, flesh-eating femmes, and vengeant celestial bois—a cast of the downtrodden who make ruins of their oppressors.
Wrath lies at the heart of queer liberation—it can be a spur to action and the only righteous response to a world that would prefer we didn’t exist. So crash mainframes, collapse empires, and break normativity. Pride month is over. It’s time for — Wrath Month”. In their ‘Notes on Stories’ section, they say, “Queerness embraces a full spectrum of identities and experiences.” And, “We are particularly interested in submissions from trans, non-binary, or intersex writers; black, south asian, east asian, and other writers of colour; aro/ace writers; disabled writers; neurodiverse writers.” They pay $0.08/word for stories up to 6,000 words, and the deadline is 31 May 2025. Details here and here.
Harbor Editions – 2025 Hybrid Chapbook Reading Period
The press offers fee-free submissions to BIPOC writers and previous finalists for their ‘Harbor Editions – 2025 Hybrid Chapbook Reading Period’; the deadline is end-May; see the relevant category in Submittable for details.
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.)
Brain Mill Press
They are a traditional publisher that focuses on marginalized and underrepresented authors. They are currently open to novella submissions for two separate calls. In terms of mystery novellas they are currently considering manuscripts on the theme “beyond the grave” and the mystery novellas must be must be between 20,000-40,000 words on the theme of “beyond the grave.” In terms of horror novellas they are open to manuscripts between 20,000-50,000 words on the theme of “ashes, bones, and relics. Novellas will be published in print and eBooks. They stress that “novellas must strongly embody the theme.” They close both calls on June 1st.
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
The Irene Adler Prize
The competition is open to women worldwide, commencing or continuing to pursue a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in 2025-26. Applications include a 500-word essay on one of these five topics on the website:
— Who – in any field of endeavor – inspires you with their combination of talent and hard work?
— What is the biggest life lesson you have personally learned from the 2020’s so far?
— Write about an event from your life and show why it means a lot to you.
— What brings you happiness, peace, or a sense of focus and direction in our turbulent world?
— Write a fictional short story that is gripping, memorable, or surprising – or all three at once.
The prize is intended to be applied to educational expenses such as tuition fees – please see the rules.
Value: $1,000; up to two prizes of $250 each
The deadline is 30 May 2025. Details here (download 2025 submission guidelines and rules).
Speculative Literature Foundation: Older Writers Grant
They offer grants for writers of speculative literature, spread out across the year; during May, they’re open for The Older Writers Grant for writers who are at least 50 years old at the time of grant application, and is intended to assist such writers who are just starting to work at a professional level. The writing application sample could be of fiction, poetry, drama, or creative nonfiction, of speculative literature. A writing sample (see guidelines) is part of the application. The award is $1,000, and the deadline is 31 May 2025. Details here and here.
The PEN/Bare Life Review Grants
These are new grants, which recognize literary works by immigrant and refugee writers. Foreign-born writers based in the U.S., and writers living abroad who hold refugee/asylum seeker status, are eligible to apply. The project must be a work of a literary nature: fiction, creative non-fiction, or poetry, and translated works (in case of translated works, the grant will be conferred to the original author). A writing sample is part of the submission requirements — up to 40 pages for poetry, and 75 pages for other genres. For the 2025 grant cycle, they will confer two grants. The project must be an unpublished work-in-progress (see guidelines), as the grants are intended to support the completion of a manuscript. The grants are $5,000 each, and the deadline is 1 June 2025. Details here and here.
(PEN is also open for other grants: PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Literary Oral History; PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants; and PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists. They all have a deadline of 1 June 2025. See their Submittable for details.)
Creative Future Writers’ Award
This is an award for underrepresented writers in the UK, for fiction, creative nonfiction (prose up to 2,000 words) and poetry (up to 50 lines). Writers can submit one piece of writing. The theme for this year is ‘Wild’; they also say, “The theme is a creative prompt, not a requirement.” Apart from cash prizes, winners also get various non-cash prizes, like mentorship, agent meeting, and manuscript assessment. The awards are £75, £50, and £25 (more about the prizes here). The deadline is 18 May 2025 (postal submissions must be received by 19th May).
The Future Bookshelf: Mo Siewcharran Prize
This is a prize for BAME writers in the UK. “The initiative … aims to nurture talent from under-represented backgrounds writing in English. Run as part of Hachette UK’s The Future Bookshelf scheme, the prize was launched in 2019.” The prize is hosted by different divisions of the publisher each year. “For 2025, the prize will be hosted by Trapeze, an imprint of Orion Books, and we are looking for non-fiction writing under the theme Reclaiming History.” And, “We would like to see non-fiction proposals of no more than 10,000 words that explore history and the past in a compelling and unique way….The book must explore historical events; however, it may also include personal narrative, memoir, mythology, legend or polemic writing. The proposal must be aimed at adults.” Apart from the cash prizes, there are various non-cash prizes, including a meeting with literary agents. “The winner’s entry will also be taken forward to a Hodder & Stoughton’s acquisitions meeting and considered for full publication with a competitive advance against royalties. Hodder & Stoughton does not guarantee that the winner will be offered a publishing contract.” The cash awards are £2,500 and £1,500. The deadline is 30 May 2025. Details here, here, and here.
Lee & Low Books: New Voices Award
Lee & Low is an established press that hosts this award biennially. Submissions are only open to unpublished writer of color or Native/Indigenous writers who are also legal US residents. The award is given for a picture book manuscript intended to be read by children ages 5 to 12. They say that “Manuscripts should address the needs of children of color or Native/Indigenous children by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another. Themes relating to different family structures, gender identity, LGBTQ+ communities, or disabilities are also of interest.” Submissions will close on June 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. They ask that you make sure you are able to abide by the eligibility and manuscript submission guidelines before entering. New Voices Award winners receive a standard publication contract, including Lee & Low Books’s basic royalties as well as an advance in the amount of $5,000.
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.
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 only have one scholarship with approaching deadlines: the UTA Scholarship for TV Screenwriters with Low Income. Additional eligibility details are on the website.
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.
Creative Capital, Skoll Foundation, Mellon Foundation: Forward Funds
The crowdsourcing platform for creatives, Kickstarter, now has Forward Funds. Their website says, “Forward Funders are foundations, nonprofits, and organizations that back Kickstarter campaigns related to their visions and missions around a more creative and equitable world. Each Forward Funder makes a public commitment and then backs projects just like anyone else—through single pledges that bring the works one step closer to reality.” One such fund is the $700,000 fund from Creative Capital, Skoll Foundation, and Mellon Foundation. “Creative Capital in collaboration with Skoll Foundation and Mellon Foundation have partnered in this $700,000 fund to support innovative and impactful projects across all categories by Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx creators in the United States (US citizens, permanent residents, and O-1 visa holders).” Projects launched on Kickstarter following their rules are eligible, and creators can nominate themselves for specific Forward Funds. This is for both, creators and organizations.
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.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
