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
Haven Speculative
They publish speculative fiction and poetry. They now have Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall submission periods. “Our submission cycle is split into four reading periods, each containing three parts: a month explicitly reserved for submissions by authors of color, members of LGBTQIA+ communities, and writers belonging to other underrepresented groups; a month open to general submissions, during which anyone may submit; and a month in which we’re closed to submissions so that we may do the difficult (and exciting!) work of choosing content for future issues.” 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 5,000 words for fiction, up to 5 poems, and pay $0.08/word for fiction, $20/poem. Till 30 April 2026, they want submissions from underrepresented writers only; “authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups.” In May, they will be open to submissions by all writers. Details here and here.
Midnight & Indigo
They publish work by Black women writers only. They are open for character-driven literary fiction, creative non-fiction, and speculative fiction. Length guidelines are 1,500-7,000 words for literary fiction, minimum 1,200 words for nonfiction, and 2,000-7,000 words for speculative fiction. Pay is $0.07/word for fiction, $150 for nonfiction. The deadline is 30 June 2026. Details here and here.
Rough Cut Press: Speed
They publish work from the LGBTQIA community, and have occasional themed submission calls. Send short poetry or prose of up to 650 words on the Speed theme. They pay $25 for works up to 650 words. The deadline is 27 April 2026. Details here (see ‘what we look for’) and here.
FIYAH: Black Kishōtenketsu
They accept Black speculative fiction and poetry. They feature stories by and about Black people of the African Diaspora. This definition is globally inclusive (Black anywhere in the world) and also applies to mixed/biracial and Afro-appended people. For the Black Kishōtenketsu theme, “All stories are the same: we meet our characters, a conflict arises, and our crew journeys to set things right. Correct? Well, allow us to introduce another tradition: kishōtenketsu.
Ki = Introduction | Shō = Development | Ten = Complication | Ketsu = Reconciliation
Henry Lien’s SFWA article is particularly insightful: “The Asian four-act structure is not necessarily based on conflict, tension, and resolution. It is more interested in exploring the unseen relationships among the story’s elements than in pitting them against each other. It is also not symmetrical. The first two acts [Ki, sho]are characterized by a gradual buildup. A radical twist appears in the third act [ten]that introduces a new element. The fourth act [ketsu] “harmonizes” all the elements that came before. By ‘harmonize,’ I don’t necessarily mean a peaceful resolution. I mean that the fourth act contains a revelation about the relationships among the elements that often feels like a new element in itself.”
We’re eager to see submissions without the confines of Western three-act (or five-act) story structure. What could that look like? Films like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Parasite, and even Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” are cited as great examples.”
Also their notes on preferred genre and story length for this issue.
Length guidelines are: short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words; up to 1,000 words for poetry. Pay is $0.08/word for fiction, $50 for poetry. The deadline is 30 April 2026.
Fourteen Hills
Their general submission period is currently open and will remain open until June 15th. They have fee free submissions for BIPoC, LGBTQ+ and disabled writers. They accept poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, and experimental and hybrid work. You can learn more here.
The Missing Slate
The Missing Slate works to uplift historically underrepresented creatives. Part of what they are doing during this reading period, which is focused on the theme “Boxes in the Attic,” is to offer editing help during live zooms March 10-15. The schedule for these will be shared here. For Issue 21, the editors ask that “you submit your process as well as the final piece. Perhaps a previous draft, the marks of an editing process, sketches, and brainstorming. We want to watch your piece grow, and reminisce in the memories of what it took to make it. ” Submissions will close on April 20th.
beestung
“beestung considers poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, hybrids, and art by creators who fall under the non-binary umbrella, genderqueer umbrella, and two-spirit umbrella. Multilingual work and work in translation is welcome. Historically underrepresented writers are encouraged to send work.” They pay $20. They are open now for general submissions.
Hybris Press: OTHERSIDE
OTHERSIDE is a queer-led literary magazine that publishes speculative fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art by 2SLGBTQIA+ creators only. They have spring, summer, autumn and winter submission windows for fiction, reprints, and poetry for 2SLGBTQIA+ creators and extended windows for marginalized 2SLGBTQIA+ creators. Submissions of nonfiction are open year-round. See guidelines for length recommendations for each genre. Payment varies by genre and ranges from $50 up to $320. Till 21st April, they are open for submissions of original fiction and poetry. Submit here.
the other side of hope: journeys in refugee and immigrant literature
“We invite refugee, asylum seeker, and immigrant poets from around the world to submit their poetry for our other tongue, mother tongue issue. This edition celebrates linguistic diversity by featuring poetry written in any language, presented along English translations.” Submit up to 2 poems in any language except English. Please state in English the language your poems are written in. “If your poem is selected for publication, you can self-translate it or a member of our Translations Advisory Group will translate it into English (see guidelines for the languages covered by this group). Members of the editorial team will work with you to polish and finalize the translation.” They pay £50 per published poet, and £25 for the English translation. The deadline is 30 April 2026.
The Belladonna
They publish only work from women, non-binary, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming authors. They publish satire and other humour focused pieces, but they are not interested in satirical news stories.
East Jasmine Review
East Jasmine Review is an electronic literary magazine that publishes quality fiction, nonfiction, poetry, articles and reviews. They don’t have strict rules around who can submit but they state “Our first goal is to publish diverse voices that may not have mainstream access or traditional access to publishing. This includes but is not limited to LGBTQIA, ethnic minorities, women, lower socio-economic status, those who are older or younger, religious minorities, and non-American persons”.
Bipolar Poetry
This not-for-profit online publication publishes original poetry by people who have been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder.
The B’K Magazine
This art and literature magazine prioritizes and pays traditionally marginalized creators, but they are open to submissions from all. They have very in-depth and detailed submission guidelines that everyone should read carefully before submitting.
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.
CVNT
A new journal that declares they exist “for the solicitation, exhibition, advancement, & support of transfeminine writers”. Submissions are restricted to transfeminine people, binary trans women, & genderqueer folks. They accept submissions of poetry, fiction, & creative nonfiction on a rolling basis.
Gasp Magazine
I’m not linking to this publication in the title, because their website is not safe for work as they are a publisher of adult work. Please do not click on this link unless you are 18+/ They focus on sharing a multifaceted discussions on sexuality, eroticism, and queerness. They are interested in essays, interviews, research articles, creative writing, poetry, artistic illustrations, and photography (with additional rules) that reflect upon sex or the absence thereof in one way or another.
The Saartjie Journal
This new journal is only open to writing and visual art by Black women artists and writers. They accept submissions of previously unpublished original poems, short stories, and visual art.
Mande
This is a journal of bipolar talent. “Mande is always open to submissions from bipolar creatives on any topic. While I appreciate the long shadows bipolar throws, I’m particularly interested at the moment in its high points, in any joy or positive elements you find in bipolar. We also publish work by people familiar with bipolar, as long as it’s directly related to manic depression.” They pay for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. They pay $50-250.
Cripple Punk Mag
This Substack publishes “essays, criticism, news and reviews, literary nonfiction, fiction, rants and raves, comics, and hybrid works on the subject of disability and live music, especially within the context of punk, alternative, and DIY music.” They also have an annual print anthology. Payment starts at $10 and is dependent on length and sliding scale based on need. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Previously published work is allowed, and work should be between 300 and 1,000 words in length.
The West Trestle Review
This respected journal is only open to submissions poetry and art by creators around the globe who self-identify as women or as non-binary. They are always open to free submissions by BIPOC writers who self-identify as women or as non-binary, and you can see those guidelines here.
Decolonial Passage
According to their website they “publish writing from writers of all backgrounds regardless of race, origin, or gender while simultaneously centering African, African American, and Black Diaspora writing.” Their mission statement goes into more details about this. They are open on a rolling basis to essays, creative nonfiction, short stories, and flash fiction. They are open to poetry only during the months of February, June, and October; and for prose, only during April, May, August, and December.
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. The Gender Bender section is only open to Canadian 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. 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. Submissions are open year round.
Ricepaper
This publication offers Asian Canadian context to ongoing arts and cultural issues, new perspectives on emerging and established Asian Canadian artists, and challenges mainstream media perspectives, little-known facts of interest, or critical stories that haven’t been told elsewhere. They are open to submissions from Asian writers around the globe as long as the editors can see a link between the content and some aspect of the Asian Canadian experience.
Raising Mothers
Raising Mothers celebrates and centers the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and Brown parents. Some sections have reading periods; columns are open year-round. Guidelines are here. See their call for 2026 here.
African Writer
They are open to all genres of literature from Africa and the African Diaspora. They do not allow simultaneous submissions.
Afritondo
According to their website, “Afritondo is a media and publishing platform that aims to connect with and tell the stories of Africans and black minority populations across the globe.” They accept a wide range of work, including manuscript-length work.
Brittle Paper
Brittle Paper is an online literary magazine for readers of African Literature. They accept the following: “fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, book reviews, essays, literary commentaries, fun listicles, and any writing with a literary bent”.
Torch Literary Arts
Torch Literary Arts is a nonprofit organization. They publish and promote creative writing by Black women only; you can read more about them here. They publish contemporary writing by experienced and emerging writers. “We are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what Black women’s contemporary writing should be.” General submissions are accepted for Friday Features only, in which they publish fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and drama (including that accompanied by video or dramatic audio). Send up to 3,500 for prose works, up to 10 pages for drama, or up to 5 poems. Pay is $150. Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis; you can submit here.
Bi Women Quarterly
BWQ features the voices of women “with bi+ sexualities (i.e., bi, pan, fluid, and other non-binary sexualities)” and they see “woman” as a broad category and welcome contributions those who identify as trans, non-binary, cis, etc. They publish articles, creative writing, musings, and more.
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.
- Homo Litterarius: Iconic LGBT figures in fiction
- Inside a Frame: Coded messages in art through the ages
- Sex in Public: From bathhouses to “cottaging”
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
Android Press: The Cookout Anthology
Submissions to this anthology are open only to Black individuals of the African Diaspora (see guidelines). Android Press publishes science fiction, fantasy, horror, and the various -punk subgenres. “We love stories that are full of hope and optimism. We also love stories that hold up a mirror to our society and force us reexamine our past and our values in order to move forward and build a better future.” For The Cookout Anthology, “YOUR CHARACTER HAS BEEN INVITED TO THE COOKOUT, A GATHERING OF FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FOES FROM DIFFERENT TIMES, SPACES, AND GENRES. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?”
They want speculative fiction that is generally uplifting, and centered around the culture of The Cookout from some point in the African Diaspora. They pay $0.10/word for stories of 500 to 5,000 words, and the deadline is 30 April 2026. Details here, here and here.
Paranoid Tree: MN Reflections — A Chapbook Project
Submissions are open for writers and poets from Minnesota ages 14 and above for MN Reflections: A Chapbook Project; “We’re creating a chapbook of art and writing in response to the illegal ICE occupation of Minnesota. Our goal is to honor the compassionate efforts of our neighbors and organizers, and give us space to process and heal.
If you’re based in Minnesota, we want to hear from you! Send us your poems, stories and essays under 400 words.” People of color, and/or of Native and immigrant communities are strongly encouraged to submit. They pay $50, and the deadline is 30 April 2026; details here and here.
Thyme Travelers 2: An anthology of speculative fiction by Palestinian writers
Their website says, “Roseway, an imprint of Fernwood Publishing, will be publishing a sequel to the award-winning and acclaimed anthology Thyme Travellers featuring speculative fiction by Palestinian writers. … This anthology is open to writers who identify as Palestinian. This includes all Palestinians living anywhere in the world, and of any race. Authors from marginalized groups are encouraged to submit.” Payment is $0.08/word for stories up to 5,000 words. The deadline is 31 August 2026.
DILIM Press: DILIM Anthology of Dark Fiction from the Philippine Diaspora – Galleon Dreaming
They want stories with a connection to the Philippines or Filipino diaspora. “Volume I: Galleon Dreaming explores the trade era and how the legacies of colonization continue to shape our island chain.
Aswang, ghostly sailors, and ocean creatures navigate their own journeys between displacement and a sense of belonging.
We are seeking short stories and poems that explore your ideas and thoughts about how to bridge the abyss between our past and future, how we carry our belongings and our dreams to distant shores, and how we know what’s inside of our own unique box of treasures-literal and metaphorical-what do we most value now and always?” They want short stories in the following genres: historical fiction, magical realism, fantasy, science fiction, horror, adventure, mystery, or up to 5 poems. Send fiction up to 7,000 words, or poetry up to 5,000 words. They pay $0.07/word for originals and also accept reprints (see guidelines). And, “We send North America and Philippines-based writers two print copies of the final work.” The deadline is 30 May 2026, or when filled – they will close submissions early if they meet their quota. Galleon Dreaming is their inaugural anthology. They have other anthologies listed too, with later deadlines. Details here, here, and here.
Heyday Books: Berkeley Roundhouse program
Heyday is an established independent and nonprofit publisher that focuses on California and the American West. They publish nonfiction books that explore history, celebrate Native cultural renewal, fight injustice, and honor nature. They are open to submissions from Native voices in particular for their Roundhouse imprint, which you can learn more about here.
FurPlanet Productions: Claw Vol 2
This is a furry fiction anthology. “The F/F erotic furry anthology returns, rejoining the ROAR and FANG anthologies. CLAW! seeks to showcase the sapphic works of women and nonbinary authors, and is fully trans-inclusive.
The theme for the second volume will be “Women In Power.” We will be accepting a wide variety of submissions that play with this theme across multiple genres. This will be a mature audience short story collection. While erotica is preferred, sex is not required.” They pay half a cent per word for stories of 4,000 to 10,000 words, and the deadline is 30 April 2026.
Palimpsest Press
They only publish Canadian authors. They are open to submissions from authors who identify as BIPOC, Deaf, or Disabled, all year round. They accept submissions from authors who do not identify as BIPOC, Deaf or Disabled from March 1st through March 31st. They publish poetry and other literary genres.
Adarna House
This established press based in the Philippines is committed to promoting culture and languages is support of Filipino artistry and talent. They are open to submissions from Filipinos 18 years or older, based anywhere in the world. There is no limit to the number of pitches one may submit. Submissions may be in Filipino or English or come with a Filipino or English translation.
Lantana
They are an award-winning children’s book publisher based in England, United Kingdom. They are looking for manuscripts and book dummies by authors and illustrators from under-represented groups. They almost exclusively publish stories with child protagonists (including poetry, graphic novels and non-fiction) and are not looking for stories only featuring animal characters.
The University Of Arkansas Press
The University of Arkansas Press accepts unsolicited proposals for scholarly and trade books on topics related the African American history and culture. You can visit their website here to see the titles they’ve previously published.
aunt lute
A multicultural women’s press. Their priority is to publish work by women, both transgender and cisgender, particularly women of color. We have reviewed them here.
Little Puss Press
A feminist press run by trans women. They are open to general submissions of fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. They are also open to reprint proposals of literary/historical works of significance by transgender authors. They have good distribution, excellent press, and have already published work that has won a major award.
Arte Público Press
They focus on publishing literary work by “Hispanic writers”, and they publish work in both English and Spanish, but primarily focus on English work. They also have bilingual children’s and YA book imprint, Piñata Books.
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, but prioritize Canadian writers. They had a previous issue where the submission page was up, but they had an auto-responder on that indicated they were closed to submissions. This seems to be resolved based on reader feedback.
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 Cave Canem Prize
This is a prize for Black poets. “The Cave Canem Prize supports the work of Black poets to overcome the obstacle of publishing their first book of poems. Awarded to one poet annually, the Prize recipient receives a monetary award, as well as having their manuscript published by one of our partner publishers, Graywolf Press; University of Pittsburgh Press; or University of Georgia Press.” About eligibility, “All unpublished, original collections of poems written in English by Black poets who have not had a full-length book of poetry published by a professional press.” Also, “Cave Canem defines Black poets as any poet who identifies as a member of the African Diaspora. Submissions must be paginated with a font size of 11 or 12, and 60 – 75 pages in length, inclusive of title page and table of contents.” The winning manuscript will be published by Graywolf Press. The prize/submission portal will open for submissions on 1st April 2026, and close on 30th April 2026.
Screen Door Press
I went back and forth on where to list this. It’s an opportunity to be published by an imprint of University of Kentucky Press, but the authors are awarded $5,000 as a prize as well as a publishing contract. Screen Door Press is dedicated to “discovering unique, exceptional, and varied voices representing Black literary traditions.” Their goal “is to publish thought-provoking books that use relatable characters, strong narratives, and beautiful language to champion diverse views from throughout the Black diaspora. ” They are open to submissions of Novel/novellas, Short Story Collections, poetry, and “other”. The editor is Crystal Wilkinson. You can see what they published in the past here, and you can see their submission page here. They close to submissions April 20th.
The Writer’s Award: Creative Future
This contest is only open to individuals under the age of 18 living in the UK (regardless of immigration status) who are from underrepresented backgrounds. Authors who submit must also not have yet secured a literary agent or published a book (or are under contract for publication), in creative non-fiction, fiction/YA or poetry. You can learn more about their eligibility requirements here. They ask that writers submit one piece of writing, that is up to and not exceeding the word limits (not including the title, section/stanza breaks, or epigraphs):
- Poetry: 50 lines
- Fiction: 2,000 words
- Creative Non-Fiction: 2,000 words
The theme for 2026 is ‘Material’ but this is just a prompt, not a requirement. Submissions must be received by Tuesday May 5th. Fifteen winners are selected and prizes are awarded for poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction, including cash and writing development opportunities. Winners also receive ongoing, long-term 1:1 support from Creative Future. They are also celebrated as part of an awards ceremony and winning work is published in an anthology. Please read their full guidelines carefully before submitting.
Terrain.org Editor’s Prize
Terrain.org welcomes submissions on place, climate, and justice – fiction (short story, flash fiction series, novel excerpt, radio play, or other fiction piece) and non-fiction; they are not open for poetry in 2026. They also accept translations, and art. Payment for general submissions is $50. And, “All accepted submissions by writers of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, women, and/or other marginalized communities whose contributions explore place particularly in the context of social, environmental, or climate justice are considered for our annual Editor’s Prize of $500 per genre.” There is no separate submission process or entry fee for this contest; they have other, fee-based contests too. Certain sections, like Letter to America and ARTerrain, are open year-round. Submissions close on 30th April for fiction and nonfiction. The Editor’s Prize for underrepresented writers is $500 per genre. Details here.
Curtis Brown Creatives
They have a number of scholarships for classes and have various eligibility requirements. Some of their scholarships focus on low income writers, others on LGBTQ+ writers and BIPOC writers. There next round of scholarships all have an April 20th deadline. Please review their details closely before applying.
The Rose Library: LGBTQ Collections Travel Award
The Rose Library (at Emory College) is offering the LGBTQ Collections Travel Award. Among its various holdings, the Billops-Hatch archives has more than 1,200 play scripts written by African Americans, 1,400 interviews with various artists, and a library of rare and unique books and periodicals. Past fellowship recipients include post-graduate students, authors, professors, and scholars researching areas of African American art and art history, including the visual arts, theater, film, and literature. This fellowship has a value of $1,000 per week. The total amount depends on the applicant’s research proposal. Additional details, including eligibility requirements are at the website. Applications must be made by May 14th.
Princeton University Press: Global Equity Grants
These grants are for authors of underrepresented groups to support the preparation of works that is already under contract, in production, or published within the last 12 months. Grants range from $500 to $1,000. The grants can be used to cover a wide range of supports including parental/family care, and translation. More details at the source. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.
BIPOC scholarship for Emily Harstone’s classes at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish
Each time Emily Harstone offers The Novel Writing Workshop (for manuscripts in progress), Submit, Publish, Repeat (for poems, short stories, and CNF publication in literary journals), and Manuscript Publishing for Novelists (for completed novel and memoir manuscripts) through the Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish, there is now an opportunity for two writers who identify as BIPOC to take it for free. If you registered last year, please note that the form re-set in January, and you are encouraged to fill it out again.
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
