Free Talk: Writing Emotion — The Heart of the Story (With Emily Colin)

Harness the power of emotion to create unforgettable characters, gripping plots, and deep connections with your audience.

Available to watch right now, completely free.

Free Talk: How to Create Captivating Characters (With John Claude Bemis)

How to make your characters utterly captivating for readers and publishers.

Available to watch right now, completely free.

32 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for April 2025

These are themed calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the call themes are: solarpunk; seaside gothic; witchcraft; tributes to late bloomers; epiphany; where legends walk (superhero stories); creature feature; women of the weird west; feast or famine?; (sub)liminal; and eldritch. THEMED CALLS Solarpunk MagazineThis is a magazine of solarpunk fiction; they…

10 Manuscript Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in April, 2025

Big 5 publishers and small presses open to direct submissions. No agent required.

Merganser Magazine: Now Seeking Submissions

A new online journal paying for fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry.

No-Fee Contests for Published Books (So You Can Become an Award Winning Author)

6 book awards open to US writers. No reading fee.