Issues

Cleis Press: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Updated October 9th 2023, They are currently open only to agented submissions. I’m not sure if this is a permanent change or a temporary one. Cleis Press is the largest independent sexuality publishing company in the United States, and they focus on LGBTQ, BDSM, romance, and erotic writing for all sexual preferences. They publish LGBTQ+…

3 Questions to Answer Before Your Inciting Event

By Ashley Taylor Clark Story beginnings are infamously difficult to write. Since most major story beats don’t happen until the second act, many writers are left floundering with what feels like slow, tedious detail as they attempt to write their opener. If you’re a plotter, you may have even sought out templates or other tips…

Rock the Mic: Giving a Poetry Reading They Will Remember

By Allison Whittenberg Readings are everywhere: in coffee houses and cafes. Bookstores and libraries. Museums and art galleries. Colleges and universities. Chances are  wherever you live, you are within a stones throw or at the very most, driving distance from a reading. Perhaps the spotlight is on you this  time around. Here are some tips…

Hedge Apple Halloween Contest: Now Seeking Submissions

Hedge Apple is a literary annual published by Hagerstown Community College in Maryland.  Students and faculty work together to produce the journal, which is published both online and in print. Some issues are themed, and past themes include: “The Wilderness/The City,” “Personal Identity,” and “Paradigm Shift.”  You can read the journal online to get a…

Upper Room: Now Accepting Manuscript Proposals

Upper Room is a Christian press that focuses on “Christian spiritual formation.” The work they publish is designed to appeal to both clergy and lay people. It is designed with individuals and small groups in mind. They “seek writers who offer insights and guidance on these topics: prayer and other spiritual practices, spiritual formation, Advent…

Simple Strategies for Building a Daily Writing Habit

By Emily-Jane Hills Orford We’re not all morning people. Some of us are more alert in the afternoon and evening. I’m a morning person and I’m also a creature of habit. Routines get me going, and make me feel like I’m accomplishing something and getting the day off to a good start. And by having…

Odyssey Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Update June 2023: The last book they published was in October 2022. Since they are a small press more might be forthcoming, but since they are currently closed to submissions it’s not exactly clear what the future holds. Odyssey Books is a small press based in New Zealand. It was founded in 2009 by Michelle…

Random Sample: Now Seeking Submissions

Random Sample is an online journal of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They’re looking for quality writing that expresses the human experience in a unique and accessible way. They want, “work that is decidedly and unabashedly human.” To get a sense of what they publish, you can read the journal online. Random Sample has been published…

How to Actually Use Beta Reader Feedback (And When to Ignore It)

By Aliya Bree Hall Beta readers are usually the first real readers that you’ll get outside of your critique partners that will offer insight into your story. It’s an important stage of the writing process because their comments will help you determine what’s working in your story and what still needs some work. Once you…

Case Study: How I Published My Debut Novel Off the Yoga Mat

By Cheryl J. Fish This is part of our ongoing series on how authors published their first book. You can read our other stories in this series, here, here, here, and here. I am writing about what happened to me, at the threshold of publishing my debut novel. After fifteen years, after realizing there are notable paths…

Case Study: How I Broke Into Traditional Publishing As A Debut Author

By Nev March This is part of our ongoing series on how authors published their first book. You can read our other stories in this series, here, here, and here. “And you’re going to speak at the Edgar Award Ceremony. You’ll go first, before the Edgars,” said Mystery Writers of America director Margery Flax. Jaw…

Wesleyan University Press: Now Accepting Manuscript Proposals on Dance and Music

Wesleyan University Press focuses on poetry, music, dance, science fiction studies, film-TV, and Connecticut history and culture. They have been actively publishing since 1957. Books they have published have won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. They are an established and respected university press. Currently they are accepting proposals for books in the…

Defenestration: Now Seeking Submissions

Defenestration is an online magazine of humorous fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Launched in 2003, it’s a well-established publication. They showcase a wide range of humor, from slapstick to satire, in every form and style. To get a sense of what they publish, you can read the magazine online. Defenestration is published three times a year,…

Opportunities Open to Submissions From Historically Underrepresented Voices This September

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….

3 Things Your Opening Scenes Should Achieve

By Ashley Taylor Clark You’ve done it — you’ve finally crafted the perfect plot, and you know exactly what your inciting event needs to be to get your protagonist started on their adventure. Now you just have to figure out how to get them there. You only have a handful of scenes with which to…

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