FICTION / NONFICTION — JULY 2025

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: RECOMMENDED READING

Electric Literature

DEADLINE: July 6, 2025 (or when they receive 750 submissions)

INFO: Recommended Reading publishes fiction between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please notify us immediately if a piece is accepted elsewhere. Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.

Response time is six to eight months.

COMPENSATION: Upon acceptance, we can offer authors $300 for publishing rights.

GUIDELINES: During the general submissions periods, writers may submit one piece per period. (This does not apply to year-round submitting members. For more information on member submissions, please refer to the welcome email you received when you signed up as a member or reach out to wynter@electricliterature.com.)

Writers with a submission pending with The Commuter can still submit to Recommended Reading.

Please do not submit a story already previously rejected by Electric Literature, even if the story has been revised (unless you've been invited to do so by an EL editor).

electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

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Ruby Creatives In Residence Program

The Ruby

DEADLINE: July 8, 2025

INFO: The Ruby is a collective of creative women, trans women, femmes, and nonbinary people that values empathy and education. Our Creatives in Residence (CIR) program supports QT BIPOC Bay Area creatives with 10 fully-funded year-long memberships.

Our Creatives in Residence Program is designed to offer creatives the opportunity to immerse themselves in a supportive environment and create new work while interacting with the Ruby community. Our program is open to creatives working in all disciplines, including visual arts, music, literature, performing arts, journalism, and more. In addition, we welcome applications from arts educators, oral historians, cultural workers, food and drink-based artisans, community organizers, and other changemakers.

As a Creative in Residence, you will have access to our community workspace and resources from September 15, 2025 - September 15, 2026. You will also have the opportunity to engage with Ruby community members through workshops, readings, community meals, and other events.

The program is open to both emerging and established creatives.

GENERAL CREATIVES IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM:

We are excited to offer 5 CIR opportunities to LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford a Ruby membership. These are year-long Full Ruby memberships that will span a year, from September 15, 2025 - September 15, 2026.

SPECIALIZED CRATIVES IN RESIDENCE OPPORTUNITIES:

We also have several specialized creatives in residence opportunities available for those with financial need who would benefit from a Ruby membership. These are also year-long Ruby memberships spanning from September 15, 2025 - September 15, 2026.

• The Dorothea Gertrude Flynn CIR Opportunity will be given to a recipient who was the first in their family to enroll in higher education. Dorothea Gertrude Flynn was born in 1917. She had planned to attend Barnard College (Columbia did not accept women at the time) and dreamed of a becoming a writer—specifically, a journalist. After her mother died in childbirth and her father subsequently lost everything in the Depression, she was no longer able to afford college, and never attended. She was always a passionate advocate for education for women, and would have been thrilled by the community of writers and creatives here at the Ruby. This is a full, one-year membership to The Ruby.
  
  The Leonore Peyser Davis CIR Opportunity will be given to a musician or music writer with financial need. Leonore Peyser Davis was a devotee of all the arts, and music, especially opera, which was something she adored. This CIR opportunity celebrates her passion for music and is dedicated to cultivating emerging voices in the field. This is a full, one-year membership to The Ruby.

• The Rachel Khong CIR Opportunity will be given to a LGBTQ+ and/or POC fiction writer with financial need working on their first novel. Rachel Khong is a San Francisco-based writer and the founder of The Ruby. Rachel worked tirelessly to provide a collaborative, safe space for women and non-binary people to pursue their goals and creative work in community with others. This CIR will join the Ruby for a year as a full member and as a welcome contributor to the mutually affirming community that Rachel built.

• The So-Youn Kim CIR Opportunity will be given to an emerging Bay Area LGBTQ+ and/or POC writer tackling topics relating to social justice. So-Youn Kim was a writer and activist, tackled the injustices she saw all around her. She was passionate about advocating for women and girls, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color. She loved deeply and recklessly, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who met her. A San Francisco native, she died at the age of 23 in 2009, while serving with the Peace Corps in Morocco. The So-Youn Kim Creative in Residence opportunity celebrates her life and creativity. In addition to a year-long community membership at the Ruby, the CIR will be able to contribute to a chapbook, housed in the Ruby library, that includes writings from So-Youn and prior So-Youn Kim Creatives in Residence.

• The Tillie Olson CIR Opportunity will be given to a creative over the age of fifty with financial need. Tillie Olson was a Bay Area-based writer and labor organizer who stopped writing for thirty years because of financial issues before publishing her seminal work, Silences, at 66. Her interest in long-neglected women authors inspired the development of academic programs in women’s studies. This is a full, one-year membership to The Ruby.

CREATIVES IN RESIDENCE VALUES:

The Ruby Creatives in Residence program extends and expands on The Ruby’s values for collective support and collaboration for artists and creatives.  In applying to this program, we expect alignment with the below values:

• Collective Support and Care: Creatives in residence, as all Ruby members, are expected to contribute time and care to the Ruby. Each member is expected to contribute approximately 3 hours monthly to the community. This may include organizing opportunities for members to gather, staffing the front desk, supporting an event, or mentoring and supporting other members of the collective.

• Dedication to work: Creatives in residence are expected to use the provided communal space for working and showcasing on their art and creative projects.

• Respect for the community: Creatives in residence are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner towards other community members. They should treat the space and resources with care and be mindful of the impact their work may have on the community.

• Active participation: As the crux of our work is collective support and community empowerment, creatives in residence are expected to participate actively in workshops, exhibitions, events, and, like all members of our community, contribute time in support of community stewardship of our space.

Overall, artists in residence of a creative collective are expected to be collaborative, dedicated, respectful, and active. In exchange, they will have access to a supportive and inspiring environment to create new work, develop their skills, and build connections with other creatives.

APPLICATION SEASON: We are seeking applicants who will regularly use The Ruby as a work space, who might make meaningful progress on their projects during the course of this year, share in our collective values, and who are in financial need. Creatives in residence, as all Ruby members, are expected to contribute time and care to the Ruby. Each member is expected to contribute approximately 3 hours monthly to the community. This may include organizing opportunities for members to gather, staffing the front desk, supporting an event, or mentoring and supporting other members of the collective.

therubysf.com/creativesinresidence

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Spotify x JED Impact Award

The Black List / Spotify / JED

DEADLINE: July 8, 2025

INFO: The Spotify x JED Impact Award is a new initiative to identify five unpublished, novel-length manuscripts that elevate exceptional depictions of mental health in fiction.

AWARD: The selected recipients will receive a grant of $10k each and will maintain the rights to their manuscript. 

ELIGIBILITY: This initiative is open to unpublished manuscripts of all genres, but we particularly encourage submissions that normalize mental health experiences, challenge stereotypes, and showcase help-seeking and help-giving narratives.

As a part of the initiative, Spotify will cover up to 140 fee waivers for one month of free hosting and a free evaluation.

The Black List requires all submissions to have received at least one evaluation–for more information on this requirement, please see our Letter from the Founder. Once a manuscript has received an evaluation, it can be submitted to any number of partnerships at no additional cost.

When the submission period ends, The Black List will provide Spotify with a shortlist of outstanding manuscripts. 

Submissions for the Spotify x JED Impact Award: A Mental Health in Fiction Initiative are open until July 8, 2025.

For guides on mental health storytelling and writer self-care from JED, visit Spotify's resource hub.

REQUIREMENTS:

• You must post an original manuscript on www.blcklst.com, with at least one (1) evaluation and opt-in to the Program during the Submission Period. The Program is open to unpublished, novel-length manuscripts in all genres, but we particularly encourage submissions that normalize mental health experiences, challenge stereotypes, and showcase help-seeking and help-giving narratives. Submitted manuscripts must not be under contract elsewhere. For the avoidance of doubt, no feature, pilot, play, or musical submissions will be eligible for this Program. 

• You must agree to: (1) these Submission Requirements; (2) all terms relating to the Program posted on Black List’s website, which you should review and read in full; and (3) the Submission Agreement, which governs the submission of your material to Spotify and Black List. The Submission Agreement includes important, legally binding terms and conditions, including arbitration of any disputes, which you must read in full before accepting.

• If requested, you must submit (by a date determined by Spotify) the following materials, which are also governed by the Submission Agreement:

• Contact and other personal information; and

• Executed originals of the Submission Agreement.

• If selected by Spotify for the Program, as a condition of your participation, you must agree to Spotify’s terms of participation.

• You must be at least 18 years of age and not a minor in the state or country of your residence at time of submission.

• If the submitted materials are written by a team consisting of one or more writers: (i) each member of that writing team must comply with these Submission Requirements, including agreeing to the Submission Agreement described above; and (ii) all members of the writing team must opt-out of the Program if any other member becomes ineligible (including as a result of failing to timely agree to the Submission Agreement or failing to timely provide the materials listed above).

• The submitted materials must be wholly original to you and you must be the sole owner of all rights. The submitted materials must not in any way infringe upon the copyright of any person or entity or, to the best of your knowledge in the exercise of reasonable prudence, constitute libel, defamation or invasion of privacy or any other rights of any third party. You understand and agree that Black List will share any information that you provide in connection with the Program with Spotify.

blcklst.com/programs/spotify-x-jed-impact-award

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The Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism

International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)

DEADLINE: July 13, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: Kari Howard loved stories that left readers feeling as though they had just met a new friend. Writers fortunate enough to work with her as their editor found themselves challenged to weave the music of everyday life and the passion of extraordinary love into the fabric of stories illuminating the most important issues of the day. Kari’s family and friends, together with the International Women’s Media Foundation, are honored to offer grants to support the narrative journalism she championed.

Grants will be for a maximum of $5,000. Applicants may be a print journalist or a print journalist leading a multi-media team. Projects reported and published in English anywhere in the world are eligible. All reporting and publishing must be completed within six months of the award of the grant. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• This opportunity is open to women and nonbinary journalists.

• Applicants may be freelance or staff print journalists and may apply individually or as part of a multi-format team.

• Professional journalism must be the applicant’s primary profession.

• Applicants must have three (3) or more years of professional journalism experience. Internships do not count as professional experience.

• Applicants must be able to show proof of interest from an editor or have a proven track record of publication in prominent media outlets. 

• Applicants must apply and publish in English. 

• Any multi-format reporting must supplement a printed project.

• Please note that stories can be published digitally and not necessarily in a newspaper or magazine. 

Applicants will receive a decision on their applications by early September.

iwmf.submittable.com/submit/2801c7e6-dca3-45d1-b4dc-80769ce25ce5/the-kari-howard-fund-for-narrative-journalism-2025

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BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest

Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster)

DEADLINE: July 14, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is pleased to announce the launch of the fourth BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest. The aim of the contest is to facilitate access to the publishing process for writers from underrepresented groups, and to celebrate the diversity of readers across the United States. As the nation strives for progress, Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster aim to help catalyze that change by amplifying voices that represent us, by publishing books like us.

The BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest is rotated among Simon & Schuster’s other adult imprints. Previous contests have been administered by the Atria Books, Gallery Books, and Simon & Schuster imprints.

A two-week submission period will begin at 12:00:00 AM ET Monday, June 30, 2025 and end at 11:59:59 PM ET Monday, July 14, 2025. At that time, writers are invited and encouraged to submit twenty-five pages of an original adult novel using the online form below. The publisher welcomes inclusive, entertaining, and groundbreaking reads with expert pacing, depth as well as heart, and irresistible characters who leap from the page. At the end of the submission period, the editorial, marketing, and publicity team at Avid Reader Press will review all submissions for originality, relevance to today’s publishing climate, and writing quality. In November 2025, the author of the selected novel will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Avid Reader Press.

FAQs:

Will the winner receive a book deal?

The winner will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC

 Will the winner be paired with a literary agent?

The winner will be provided a list of literary agents who have expressed interest in representation to choose from. The winner is also welcome to search for an agent on their own. Our intention is to allow the winner the option of signing with an agent of their choice.

Can I submit my young adult novel?

We are only accepting adult fiction.

Can I submit my novel in another language, other than English?

The submission must be in English.

If I am a writer who isn’t 18, can I still enter?

Participants must be at least 18 years of age.

Are you accepting submissions from international writers?

No, the contest is open only to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. 

What if I have previously self-published my manuscript?

Self-published manuscripts are not eligible at this time.

If I submitted last year, can I resubmit?

Yes! If you previously participated in the BOOKS LIKE US contest, you’re welcome to enter again provided the manuscript was never published by any third party or self-published, and otherwise complies with the Guidelines and Restrictions in the Official Rules.

Must my 25-page submission be the opening pages from a completed manuscript?

Yes, that’s correct. Semifinalists will be notified on or about September 29, 2025, and will have one week from notification to submit their final manuscript. For that reason, we recommend that entrants fine-tune their completed manuscripts prior to September.

simonandschuster.com/p/avid-first-novel

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KYOTO RETREAT

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $95

INFO: The Kyoto Retreat is a new program created by Japan-based, independent curator Dexter Wimberly. The Kyoto Retreat offers artists, curators, and writers, based anywhere in the world, an opportunity to spend four weeks in Kyoto, Japan, for research, exploration, and inspiration. If selected for the retreat, you will receive a roundtrip flight, a private bedroom, and $800 USD to supplement meals and local transportation.

We select artists, curators, and writers at all career stages, working in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, interdisciplinary, and social practice. Individuals must be over 21 years old to apply.

The inaugural Kyoto Retreat will take place from October 16 - November 13, 2025. Individuals selected for the retreat will be notified by August 15, 2025.

A 4-WEEK EXPERIENCE:

We select artists, curators, and writers at all career stages, working in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, interdisciplinary, and social practice. Individuals must be over 21 years old to apply. Our application requires you to submit a CV or resume, a brief statement about your creative interests and a description of how you anticipate using the time if selected for The Kyoto Retreat. You can also provide up to 10 work samples.

• For artists, Kyoto's temples and shrines, such as the golden splendor of Kinkaku-ji and the serene rock gardens of Ryoan-ji, provide a gateway into traditional Japanese aesthetics. The interplay of light and shadow in these sacred spaces, alongside the intricate details of wooden architecture and ornate carvings, can ignite a profound creative spark.

• Curators will find Kyoto's preservation of heritage arts—like tea ceremonies, ikebana (flower arranging), and Noh theater—a living museum that transcends time. The city's numerous galleries and artisan workshops showcase both classical crafts and contemporary art, offering a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of Japanese artistry.

• For writers, Kyoto's tranquil gardens and winding cobblestone streets evoke narratives waiting to be penned. The changing hues of autumn during October and November paint the city in vibrant reds and golds, providing a stunning backdrop for contemplation and storytelling. Walking through the bamboo groves of Arashiyama or along the philosopher's path can stir reflections on nature, philosophy, and the human experience.

kyotoretreat.com

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BOLT CUTTERS COHORT

Unicorn Authors Club

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

INFO: Bolt Cutters Cohort is a six-week program for authors who have been incarcerated, jailed, or detained by ICE

Authors who have served time inside prisons, jails, and immigration detention centers have vital stories to share. If you’re a system-impacted writer, the Bolt Cutters Cohort is here to support you to further your writing project. This program is fully funded for all accepted participants.

The program will run from September 15 to October 31, 2025.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

I - Interactive Cohort Gatherings

Learn from writers who share expertise, offer generative writing prompts, discuss assigned readings, and answer your questions.

Tuesday, September 16, Tuesday, October 7, and Tuesday, October 28, 5-6:30 pm Pacific.

II - Café Unicorn

Write your book in facilitated co-writing sessions, with supportive prompts and check-in circles.

Friday, September 26 and Friday, October 17, 12-1:30 pm Pacific.

III - Solve Your Story Group Coaching

Brainstorm with peers and a coach to get real-time help with your book’s problems.

Thursday, October 9, 5-6 pm Pacific.

IV - Private Unicorn Clubhouse

Chat with other cohort members online and use our curated toolkit of resources for every stage of the writing process.

Available 24/7.

ELIGIBILITY: We invite applications from people who have been held in an immigration detention center or incarcerated/jailed in the United States prison industrial complex in the past. (This program is not set up to be accessible to currently incarcerated folks.)

All genders are welcome. Strong priority will be given to applicants who are Black, Indigenous, Latine, or a person of color; or white allies with a track record of racial justice work.

The cohort supports works of fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, and graphic storytelling. This can include, but is not limited to, projects about your experience of the carceral system; stories of communities establishing and using power through organizing and activism; and works of imagination that help diversify the literary world.

You are welcome to work on books; shorter pieces such as a chapter, autobiographical statement, article, essay, op-ed, short story, artist bio, or artist statement; or just establishing a daily word count.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

This is an intensive program, and we seek writers who can commit to all parts of it. Please review the list below and make sure this program is a good fit for you:

• Commitment to attend all cohort gatherings (see schedule above).

• Capacity to dedicate a minimum of 4 hours per week to your writing project.

• Access to stable internet, a place where you are able to work, and a computer.

• Ability to use Zoom, respond promptly to cohort emails, navigate an online forum, and ask for tech assistance if you need it.

• Commitment to complete evaluation surveys about the program at the end.

All sessions are live online via Zoom and include auto-captioning. For security purposes, Bolt Cutters Cohort sessions will not be available via recording. We are committed to maintaining the privacy of all applicants and members. If your carceral record or immigration status involves special considerations, please let us know, and we will work with you to build a safe environment where you can create your narrative without fear of repercussions, up to and including maintaining anonymity.

Please reach out to boltcutters@unicornauthors.club for any safety or accessibility concerns.

unicornauthors.club/bolt-cutters/

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2026 artist residency

Marble House Project

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency is dedicated to ecological principles and integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.

Marble House Project accepts approximately 60 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old.   Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond. 

RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2026:

• April 21 - May 12

• May 19 - June 9

• June 30 - July 14   (ecology residency) 

• September 29 - October 20

ABOUT:

All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.

Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners at least three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to publicly share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.

Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and staff. Artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application. Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you. 

If you are applying to the ecology residency you must have a project that aligns with this theme.  You may also apply to the other residency sessions as well.

Marble House Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. For exact dates, more information or questions about the residency, visit our FAQ page. If you still have questions you may   contact info@marblehouseproject.org. 

Personal information is not shared with our jury and will remain confidential. This includes email, home address, phone number and any information regarding your family, anything else you would need to tell us and how you heard about Marble House Project. Please remove this information from your resume. All of our outreach questions also remain confidential and blind to our jury.  

marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit

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U.S. Writers Aid Initiative

PEN America

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

INFO: PEN America is an organization of writers and their allies, and that solidarity is never more important than when members of our literary community face crises. PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative, part of the PEN America Writers Emergency Fund, offers grants for writers in the United States facing acute financial need following an emergency situation.

The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is intended to assist fiction and nonfiction authors, poets, playwrights, translators, and journalists in addressing short-term financial emergencies. To be eligible, applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. The fund is limited, and not every application can be supported. Grant decisions are made on a quarterly basis by a volunteer committee of literary peers in consultation with PEN America staff, using the following guidelines to evaluate professional credentials:

• Publication of one or more books. (Writers who are only self-published or published by a press that charges for publication are not eligible.)

• Multiple essays, short stories, or poems appearing in literary anthologies or literary journals (either online or in print) in the last two years.

• A full-length play, performed in a theater by a professional theater company. Productions in academic settings qualify if the author is not a student at the time of the production.

• Employment as a full-time professional journalist, columnist, or critic, or a record of consistent publication on a freelance basis in a range of outlets during the last two years.

• Contracted forthcoming books, essays, short stories, poems, or articles for which the name of the publisher can be provided.

• Other qualifications that support the applicant’s professional identity as a writer.

The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is not intended to subsidize writing-related expenses, such as residencies, sabbaticals, computers, printing, shipping, travel, or publicity services. Applications received on or before the following quarterly deadlines will be reviewed before the last day of that month.

pen.org/us-writers-aid-initiative/

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The 2025 Adrift Short Story Contest

Driftwood Press

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $30 (each submitter will receive a free copy of a Driftwood Press fiction title of their choosing in the mail).

GUIDELINES:

• Fiction only.

• 1,000-6,000 word limit.

• A standard, 12-point font is preferred. 

• The work must not have been previously published.

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but
  please withdraw the work if the story has been
  accepted elsewhere.

• Submit works written in English only, no translations.

• Please submit your manuscript in a .doc, .docx, or PDF format.

• We read submissions blind, so please do not include your name, email, or any identifying characteristics on the manuscript itself. 

​TIMELINE:

• The winner will be announced in November 2025.

• The winning short story will be published in the 2027 anthology.

​AWARDS: ​​

• The winner will receive $500 dollars and five copies of the anthology in which the story appears. The winner will also have the opportunity to be interviewed about their work; the interview will be published alongside the story.

• If a runner-up is chosen, their work will be offered publication, an accompanying interview, $200, and five copies of the issue in which their work appears.

GUEST JUDGE: Kelly Link is the author of The Book of Love, a national bestseller that was longlisted for The Center for Fiction Fiction First Novel Prize; White Cat, Black Dog, a finalist for The Kirkus Prize; Get in Trouble, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction; Magic for Beginners; Stranger Things Happen; and Pretty Monsters. Her short stories have been published in The Best American Short Stories and Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards. She is a MacArthur “Genius” fellow and has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. She is the co-founder of Small Beer Press and co-edits the occasional zine Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet. She is also the co-owner of Book Moon, an independent bookstore in Easthampton, Massachusetts.

driftwoodpress.com/adriftstorycontest

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call for submissions: MER 24: “Mother & Family”

MER

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $3 fee for each poetry submission (of up to 3 poems), nonfiction/creative prose submission, art, and fiction or cross-genre submission (up to 1000 words total—can be several short pieces that total under 1000 words).

INFO: Often, as mothers, we are the nuclei of families—of the legacies, obligations, and stories that orbit around us. Family of heritage, family of birth, family of choice, our greater human family: our families can be sources of support, of exhaustion, of love, of pain.  Our families can pass down to us lore or trauma. For MER 24, we are exploring poems, fiction, and creative prose works that address our role as mother in these unwieldy units, how we embroider with and untangle these familial threads that can heal or hinder. Send us your poems, your family recipes, your generational myths, your memories that you’ve borne, your visions for the future.

Please read our print journal and online quarterly: http://merliterary.com

We publish poetry (up to 3 poems, no more than 5 pages), and fiction, creative prose/nonfiction, and hybrid works (up to 1000 words) on mothering or motherhood. We also seek mother-themed art. You need not be a mother to submit. Our calendar conforms to Eastern Time.

Submit work that has not been previously published online or in print. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please let us know promptly if your submission is accepted elsewhere, by using your Submittable.com account to add a note to your submission telling us which titles are no longer available for consideration.

Submissions will be considered for the print issue and for MER Online on our website unless you specify that you are only submitting for one or the other. If you have previously submitted to MER online or print, we request that you submit work other than that previously submitted.

PLEASE NOTE: If your work was included in the Mom Egg Review Vol. 23, please wait until next year to submit in the same genre to our print issue. You may submit in a different genre. If you submit work in the genre previously published, it will be considered for online publication only. 

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

• Cover letter: Please include the title(s) of each individual work in the submission and a brief (50-75 word) third person bio. 

• Submit your work in one document named "Last name, First name, Genre."  We strongly prefer .doc, docx, .txt, or .rtf. If your work requires a pdf, please email us at mersubmissions@gmail.com and attach the pdf. 

• Poetry: Please submit up to 3 poems in a single word or text document of no more than 6 pages with the file name Last name, First name, Poetry. Please number your pages and start each poem on a separate page. Important: Please left justify your poem without indenting and single space your poem unless indenting or extra spacing is an integral part of the poem. 

• Creative Prose, Fiction, Cross-genre: Please submit one piece up to 1000 words, or several short-short pieces that total fewer than 1000 words in all, in a single word or text document with the file name Last name, First name, Genre. Please double space, number your pages, and put title of the submission (but not your name) on top of each page.

• Visual Art: Please submit up to four works of art (drawings, paintings, photos, etc.) that relate to mothers or motherhood, in a .jpg file at 300 dpi. (MER cover is color; interior art is black and white. If your art is selected, we will request a larger file.

SCHOLARSHIP SUBMISSIONS: We have a limited number of submission scholarships available. If the submissions fee is a hardship, you may submit during the "Early Bird" period or email us at MERsubmissions @gmail.com with your submission, cover letter and bio. Please put “Scholarship Application” as subject line.

CONTACT: MERsubmissions@gmail.com (Please be sure to add this address to your email program so that you can receive correspondence from us). We will add all submitters to our mailing list (we send a bimonthly newsletter) but you may unsubscribe if you wish.

themomegg.submittable.com/Submit

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FSG Writer’s Fellowship 

Farrar, Straus and Giroux 

DEADLINE: July 18, 2025 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: The FSG Writer’s Fellowship is a program designed to give an emerging writer from an underrepresented community additional resources to build a life around writing: funding, editorial guidance, and advice on how to forge a writing career. It offers the unique opportunity for a writer to spend time with and enjoy the support and mentorship of the FSG community. The fellowship celebrates the spirit of the FSG list and its commitment to invention, curiosity, and extending the limits of literature.

TIMELINE: 

• The Fellowship runs from January to December 2026

• The application period begins on June 16, 2025, and ends 11:59 PM EST, July 18, 2025

• The five finalists will be interviewed in November 2025

• The Fellowship winner will be announced in December 2025

• The Fellowship begins January 6, 2026

THE FELLOWSHIP AWARD:

• $15,000 paid over two installments: half paid at the start of the Fellowship program, half paid in June 2026

• Mentorship with an FSG house author

• Guidance from two in-house editors, who will offer line and structural feedback on the fellow’s work throughout the year 

• Opportunities for meet-and-greets with representatives from other departments – including Publicity/Marketing, Art, Subsidiary Rights, and Managing Editorial – to discuss their areas of expertise, answer questions, and help build a broader understanding of the publishing business 

• Support with networking beyond FSG

• The Fellow and finalists will receive a collection of FSG classics.

• The Fellow agrees to offer to FSG the Fellow’s first book-length work before submitting to, or soliciting offers from, any other publisher.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must submit:

• A sample of work—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—aimed at an adult audience

  • For fiction and nonfiction, the sample must be between forty and fifty double spaced pages

  • For poetry, the sample must be eight to twelve pages

  • The sample can include previously published work and does not need to be from a single section of the work

• A Statement of Purpose of no more than 500 words

Please note: The applicant’s name and contact information must not be anywhere on the writing sample or the Statement of Purpose—this includes within the uploaded file name.

ELIGIBILITY:

• The applicant must not have published a book-length work in any genre, have a book under contract, or be negotiating a contract either in the United States or abroad by the time the fellowship begins. Having published short poetry chapbooks will not exclude an applicant from eligibility

• Applicants must submit in only one category (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry)

• The applicant must be a U.S. Permanent Resident (green card) or U.S. Citizen

• There are no experience, degree credentials, or location requirements. This fellowship will take place remotely

• The applicant should be writing for an adult audience in the English language

• The applicant must be over 18 years of age

• The applicant cannot be an employee or family member of an employee of FSG or any other Macmillan affiliate

• The applicant may not use generative AI or work from AI-generated text for their samples and statements

fsgfellowship.com

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Summer 2025 Special Digi Issue

The African American Folklorist

DEADLINE: July 25, 2025

INFO: The African American Folklorist is now accepting submissions for our Summer 2025 Special Digi Issue.

This issue is a tribute to the deep-rooted and evolving relationships that Black communities have with the land, environment, and agrarian practices—exploring stories of conservation, environmental justice, food sovereignty, ancestral land stewardship, and sustainable futures.

SUBMISSION TOPICS:

1. Reclaiming the Soil: Black Land Rematriation and Stewardship

• Stories of reclaiming land, from legal battles to collective purchases.

• How families and communities are restoring ancestral connections through landownership.

• The spiritual and cultural significance of land in Black traditions.

2. Building from the Ground Up: Infrastructure, Enterprise, and Black Agrarian Futures

• Narratives of creating farms, businesses, co-ops, and sustainable agricultural enterprises.

• How Black-led food systems support economic independence and community resilience.

• Challenges and triumphs in developing sustainable infrastructure.

3. Blues and the Land: Music, Culture, and Agrarian Legacies

• The role of blues, field songs, and other musical traditions in Black agrarian life.

• How land and labor shaped the sound and stories of Black musical heritage.

• Blues as a form of resistance, storytelling, and cultural preservation.

4. Lessons in Black Cultural Maintenance: Keeping Traditions Alive

• How Black farmers, gardeners, and land stewards preserve cultural knowledge.

• The intersection of herbal medicine, spiritual practices, and agriculture.

• How oral traditions shape ecological practices and land-based storytelling.

5. Food, Memory, and Liberation: Cultivating Ancestral Wisdom

• How food traditions connect to Black ecological knowledge and resilience.

• The role of food sovereignty in Black liberation movements.

• Recipes, rituals, and farming practices that sustain cultural identity.

6. Music, the Land, and Black Social Spaces: 

• How have the sounds of the blues, gospel, and other Black musical traditions been shaped by the experiences of Black farmers, sharecroppers, and land stewards? 

• How do juke joints and social clubs reflect the rhythms of agrarian life?

We invite you to contribute your:

• Essays and articles

• Visual art and photography

• Oral histories and interviews

• Poetry and creative writing

• Documented traditions or community stories

• Multimedia submissions

Together, let’s uplift the narratives, memories, practices, and visions that continue to shape Black relationships to land, environment, and legacy.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKa4JBjsHWbAeQU_Q7y96_ByfRdUOZPhTiSWz4cPriuuejYA/viewform

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CALL FOR work exploring disability and neurodivergence

Ave Astra

DEADLINE: July 25, 2025

INFO: Ave Astra, an organization dedicated to discovering disability and neurodivergent culture through a fresh perspective, is now accepting submissions for our inaugural digital magazine issue.

We invite contributions that challenge established narratives and bring forward perspectives that deepen and complicate our understanding of disability and neurodivergence. Through essays, personal reflections, poetry, visual art, and research, your unique perspective becomes a vital force in driving precise and thoughtful dialogue.

By sharing your work, you actively shape conversations grounded in rigor, depth, and authenticity. Together, we build a platform that respects the complexity of disability and neurodivergent experiences, ensuring every contribution sharpens the collective discourse.

TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS:

• Articles & Essays - Personal reflections, opinion pieces, research summaries, interviews, or cultural commentary (typically 800–1,500 words).

• Creative Writing - Stories, poems, or other literary works that engage with meaningful themes, evoke emotion, and offer fresh perspectives.

• Art & Photography - Original artwork, sculptures, illustrations, or photography that explore compelling themes, emotions, and perspectives through creative expression.

• Other Media - Multimedia projects, audio, or video pieces may be considered—please contact us prior to submission.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Ownership and Publication - We accept original work created by you. Submissions previously published elsewhere are welcome, provided you have the rights to share them on our platform. Please verify any restrictions from prior publishers or platforms before submitting.

• Format Requirements:

  • Text submissions: Word document (.doc/.docx) or Google Doc preferred.

  • Images: High-resolution JPEG or PNG files. Please include captions or descriptive text to ensure accessibility.

  • Accessibility: We encourage clear, straightforward language and recommend avoiding jargon to make your work accessible to a broad audience.

• Respectful Content - We seek thoughtful, respectful contributions that foster understanding and inclusivity. Content promoting harm, discrimination, or exclusion will not be accepted.

• Permissions - If your submission includes work by others, please ensure you have the appropriate rights and permissions to share it.

ave-astra.org/#submit

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CALL FOR PAPERS: ‘PORTALS’

WSQ (Feminist Press)

DEADLINE: July 30, 2025

INFO: In the 2020 essay “The Pandemic is a Portal,” novelist and activist Arundhati Roy invites her readers to consider how the COVID-19 global pandemic, in all of its devastation—both immediate and lingering in impact—has operated as a portal through which we may discover and enter into new and different modes of relationality, for good and ill. Pandemics, Roy reflects, force “humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew.”

Responding to Roy’s appeal, this special issue represents a continued and collaborative effort—a portal in itself—to think, dream, agitate, and “con-spire” (we are interested in the practices of “breathing together” and gathering that are often misconstrued as malicious planning instead of defending our literal ability to breathe) to name the kinds of worlds we wish, and indeed need, to see come into being. We refuse to cede the future to those whose vision of it consists of ruin and annihilation, which is essentially no future at all. Like Arundhati Roy, we believe “another world is not only possible, she is on her way. . . . On a quiet day, if [we] listen very carefully, [we] can hear her breathing.”

We welcome submissions by, among others, political theorists, creatives, scholars of feminist studies, queer and transgender, and Black studies, creative writers, artists, and activists engaging the question of what it means to participate in constructing portals to elsewhere, bridges from this world to the next (along temporal, geographic, epistemic, institutional, political, and spiritual lines), and how portals can be throughways to either more or less habitable worlds. Future visioning, as we are thinking about it, does not mean ignoring the present or reneging on the healing work needed to repair the violence of the past and present. Instead, future work enables us to understand precisely how and why we must fight for the past and the present.

Arundhati Roy’s theorizations about portals have been borne out in myriad ways. For instance, workers across an array of sectors became more acutely aware of their perceived fungibility as the capitalist profit motive underwriting their workplaces placed them in closer proximity to dangerous spheres of risk. Workplace risk, danger, and death in Roy’s India looked like forty-six million people pushed out of multiple urban cores, walking toward rural family, starvation, and joblessness while bearing and collecting more sickness. During the pandemic’s portal time, the sick, the suffering, and the dying could not simply be abandoned and placed beyond the fortress of safety.

Roy’s descriptions of pandemic-era anti-Muslim lynchings and fugitives taking refuge in graveyards while heads of state worried over elections, state visits, and their public image as be trustworthy fathers of the nation are deliberately horrifying. Roy curated the linkage between personal protective equipment manufactured in India and sold to medical workers in the US by a government whose alleged nationalism prioritized their citizens. Portal time, explains Roy, exposed how the virus brought the world’s people closer together through shared viral vulnerabilities, while also yanking us farther apart because the response to the virus still followed some of the rules about global racial hierarchies.

The widespread exposure to vulnerability—the degree of which was further calibrated by one’s social location along lines of race, gender, and migrant status—engendered a collective consciousness that prompted a mass multiethnic, multigenerational labor exodus termed by researchers the “Great Resignation.” The pandemic also created an opening for societies and communities across the globe to generate and imagine novel ways of practicing collective responsibility, which in some sense represents a renewed commitment to care for one another. In both of these instances, the portals wedged open by both individuals and societies were about creating a path toward, perhaps, a more human-oriented world.

Conversely, some saw the pandemic as an opening to drawing deeper and more dangerous lines of differentiation between one’s own group or ideological commitments and others whose existence they deemed both contaminating and threatening. The discursive expressions of this form of portal-opening work are on display in a plethora of white/ethnic nationalist–inflected propaganda where entire groups of people are foully marked as “enemies,” “foreigners,” “interlopers,” “invaders,” or inferior subjects having stepped out of their place. The call in such statements is to construct a gateway to the future where any divergence from the norm of whiteness is equal to deficiency and deviance. Within this paradigm, “different” serves as a proxy for “dangerous,” and therefore as an element in need of expunging. This value-claim, of course, bears grave implications for the future, as well as for how we construct visions of and make sense of the past.

Submissions might reflect on the following questions: How do you conceptualize the notion of portal-work? What initiates a break from the present and the past? What pedagogical practices create possibilities for movement into the futures we want to live in? What do portals make perceivable? How might groups engage in collective acts of portal-work? In what ways can protest and movement building serve as portals? What must we take with us into the future? What must we leave behind as we envision new, more human-workable worlds / worlds worthy of us? What portals need to be sealed off, and who must we become in order to initiate such foreclosures? Is the project of opening up portals an insurgent act? How do individuals engage in portal work in quotidian ways?

Other topics may include but are not limited to:

• Physical conduits to elsewhere

• Feminist notions of futurity and future-making

• Trans futurities

• The portals engendered through world-making practices of collectivities

• Radical dreaming as constituting a portal

• Afro-futurist constructions of portals

• Disaster/catastrophe as a portal

• Spatial conduits to elsewhere

• Pedagogical practices that transport

• Borders and crossings as portals

• Water/flows as a conduit

• Protest as a portal

• Feminist ecological practices

• Authoritarianism as a dangerous throughway

• The body as a portal

• Sonic transportations to elsewhere

• The role of Spirit and ritual in portal work

• Eschatological elsewheres

• Literature as a gateway to the beyond

• Art as a portal

• Environmental justice work and climate change activism

• Fugitive modes of portal-work

• Poetics of portal time

• Pandemic poetry

• Indigenous theories, cultural practices, or imaginaries

• Engagements with physics

ISSUE EDITORS:

• DESIREÉ R. MELONAS, University of California, Riverside

• ZAHRA AHMED, St. Mary’s College of California

• TIFFANY WILLOUGHBY-HERARD, University of California, Irvine, and University of South Africa

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Scholarly articles should be submitted to WSQ.submittable.com. Upload one Word document that includes the anonymized, complete article. Directly in Submittable, not as an attachment, please write a cover page that includes the article title, abstract, keywords, and a short author bio. Remove all identifying authorial information from the file uploaded to Submittable. Scholarly submissions must not exceed 6,000 words (including un-embedded notes and works cited) and must comply with formatting guidelines at feministpress.org/submission-guidelines. For questions, email the guest issue editors at WSQEditorial@gmail.com.

• Artistic works (whose content relates clearly to the issue theme) such as creative prose (fiction, essay, memoir, and translation submissions between 2,000 and 2,500 words), poetry (3 poems maximum per submitter), and other forms of visual art or documentation of performative artistry should be submitted to WSQ.submittable.com. Note that creative submissions may be held for six months or longer. We do not accept work that has been previously published. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable if the editors are notified immediately of acceptance elsewhere. Visual artists are also asked to submit a document containing captions for all works (including title, date, and materials), an artist’s statement and a short bio, each 100 words or less. For questions, email the guest issue editors at WSQEditorial@gmail.com.

• For works that are difficult to categorize, including those that fall between academic articles and personal narratives or creative essays, please choose the hybrid works option on Submittable, and explain the nature of the work in your cover page. Please especially indicate whether the work requires academic peer review.

• All submitters please note that if your submission contains images (including images embedded into a larger article or essay) please include them as separate attachments of 300dpi or more. Please also include a short bio and current email address [all submitters, directly onto the Submittable form, not as an attachment] as well as an artist’s statement and image caption [visual artists] or an abstract and keywords [academic submissions].

ABOUT WSQ:

Since 1972, WSQ has been an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of emerging perspectives on women, gender, and sexuality. Its peer-reviewed interdisciplinary thematic issues focus on such topics as Open Call, Unbearable Being(s), Pandemonium, Nonbinary, State/Power, Black Love, Solidão, Asian Diasporas, Protest, Beauty, Precarious Work, At Sea, Solidarity, Queer Methods, Activisms, The Global and the Intimate, and Trans-, combining legal, queer, cultural, technological, and historical work to present the most exciting new scholarship, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and visual arts on ideas that engage popular and academic readers alike. WSQ is edited by Shereen Inayatulla (York College, CUNY) and Andie Silva (York College and the Graduate Center, CUNY), and published by the Feminist Press at the City University of New York. Visit feministpress.org/wsq.

feministpress.org/current-call-for-papers

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‘The Next Big Story’ fiction contest

The Novelry

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

INFO: Have you got an idea for a big story? Bring your wildest dreams to life: enter our prize competition to find the next big story.

What do you need? Just 3 pages of pure imagination—the beginning of a work of fiction, the first 1,500 words of what could become a page-turning book. Eight shortlisted entries, chosen by our judges, will win The Finished Novel Course from The Novelry, the world’s top-rated fiction writing school. Together, we’ll help you turn your winning idea into a publishing-ready book.

No experience necessary. We’re looking for people ready to write their golden ticket to the next chapter of life!

PRIZE: One winner will take home $100,000.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: Big ideas! From people from all walks of life. Everything good in this world begins with a dream. Storytelling, not fancy words. We want to hear your voice come through the words on the page. Imagine yourself at the fireside with friends, telling them a great story.

All you need to do, in three pages or less, is make us care about what happens next. The five prize-winning tips below will help you start writing the next big story. Give it a shot!

ABOUT THE JUDGES:

Our wise judges will be looking for a fresh voice in fiction and the beginnings of a gripping story. Keeping in mind the results of the public vote, they’re going to choose the winner from the shortlist and will have the final say on the prize winner!

• Tayari Jones

• Emma Roberts

• Julia Quinn

• Zibby Owens

• Yann Martel

• Zosia Mamet

• Carley Fortune

• Kimmy Nwokorie

• Jackie Oshry

• Brady Lockerby

thenovelry.com/prize

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AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship Program

AWP

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

INFO: The AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship Program matches emerging writers with established authors for a three-month series of modules on topics such as craft, revision, publishing, and the writing life. Mentors volunteer their time and receive a free one-year AWP individual membership as a token of appreciation. Writer to Writer is free of charge to mentees, though they must be AWP members to apply.

SEASON 22: This session will take place September 15–December 5, 2025.

MENTEES: The AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship Program is open to all AWP members who identify as emerging writers, but we particularly encourage applications from those writers who have never been associated with an MFA program, and those writing from regions, backgrounds, and cultures that are too often underrepresented in the literary world.

Season 22 begins on September 15, 2025, and will consist of six lightly structured modules over a three-month period, concluding on December 5. You and your mentor will make a commitment to the process—and to each other.

FAQs:

If I have already been a mentee with W2W, can I apply again?

While you are welcome to apply an unlimited number of times before being matched, we only allow individuals to participate in the program as a mentee once.* We receive a high volume of applications each season and do our best to match as many individuals as possible.

*In the case of extenuating circumstances such as personal or health issues, we make every effort to rematch mentees who must withdraw from the program. However, this is up to staff discretion and depends on the availability of volunteer mentors.

Can I submit in two different genres?

While we do allow multiple applications, please note that you can only be matched with a mentor once; so, if you have a strong preference for one genre over the other, we advise you to apply only in that genre. If you do choose to apply in multiple genres, please indicate that on your application.

Can I submit work that has already been published?

We encourage you to submit a writing sample that gives the best sense of who you are as a writer, and what you will be working on with your mentor. While you are welcome to submit a published piece you are proud of, we encourage you to submit a sample of your work in progress, particularly if you are seeking manuscript review.

How are mentees selected?

We take your interest in connecting with a mentor seriously. After our reviewers read all mentee applications, we send a selection of potential matches to our participating mentors, who ultimately choose their own mentee. They tend to choose mentees based on shared goals and interests, and whether they feel they can help that person at the stage they are in now. Our mentees come from all backgrounds and levels of experience; to ensure that we make the best possible matches this season, we ask that you be open and honest about your goals, your background, and where you are now with your writing.

Should you be chosen to participate, your mentor will review your writing, listen to your concerns, and help you work toward your writing goals. AWP’s membership team will also be there to support you, every step of the way.

awpwriter.secure-platform.com/applications/page/W2W/W2W_Mentees

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call for submissions: GODS AND MONSTERS

FIYAH Lit Mag

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

INFO: Beyond the fringes of our knowledge lie divine, sacred, and unknowable forces. When these beings cross over into our reality, we know them as gods and monsters. Do they notice us? Do they care for us? Will they save us from our frailty or lead us to oblivion? Do they live in the heavens, below the sea, or right next to you and me?

For this latest issue of FIYAH, bring us your oshira, your loa, your tricksters and beasts and creeping things. Do you fancy a storyteller like Anansi or an avenger like Godzilla? What prose and poetry sings to you from beyond the numinous veil?

Publisher and Exectutive Editor DaVaun Sanders is particularly interested in horror and science fiction with rich world building—but don’t let that stop you if your style is different! Some other tips include:

• Cosmic horror? Sign me up!

• Overly gruesome or gory elements are a tough sell.

While we love a good novelette, shorter stories are an easier sell, as we prefer to acquire two 7k word stories more often than one at 14k.

fiyahlitmag.com/submissions/

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2025 Gaudy Boy Open Call for Novel Manuscripts

Gaudy Boy

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

INFO: Gaudy Boy, a New York City -based independent press that publishes poetry, fiction, and non-fiction 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.

Please submit the first 30 pages of your novel manuscript and a cover letter to our Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Jee Leong Koh, at jkoh@singaporeunbound.org. We will contact you if we are interested to see more. Please do not submit your work unless you have a completed draft.

Established in 2017, Gaudy Boy is an imprint of the literary nonprofit, Singapore Unbound. A transnational literary organization based in New York City, Singapore Unbound envisions and works for a creative and fulfilling life for everyone through the arts and activism. Gaudy Boy has published novels such as Lovelier, Lonelier by Daryl Qilin Yam, whose writing has been shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize; Bengal Hound by Rahad Abir, which won the Georgia Author of the Year Award for Literary Fiction; and Memorial Club by Mozid Mahmud, a noted writer from Bangladesh. Gaudy Boy also publishes poetry and creative non-fiction, and offers an annual poetry prize.

GUIDELINES:

1.     The open call is open to emerging and established novelists of Asian heritage residing anywhere in the world.

2.     No proof of Asian heritage is required. As writers ourselves, we go by honor between writers.

3.     The call is not open to AI-generated work.

4.     Manuscripts must not have been published anywhere in the world. Self-published manuscripts are not eligible.

5.     We are interested in adult fiction only. Translations of novels are eligible, so long as the translator has permission from the author to translate the work. Genre fiction (such as speculative or historical fiction) is welcome if it is written with a literary intent and style. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with our publication catalog before submitting: https://singaporeunbound.org/gaudyboy.

6.     Please submit the following to our Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Jee Leong Koh, at jkoh@singaporeunbound.org:

• The first 30 pages (double-spaced) of your novel manuscript as a PDF or Word document, with page numbers and using a standard 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial). Please indent every paragraph (the standard indentation is 0.5") and use the # symbol to indicate section breaks, if any. Do not send more than 30 pages; they will not be considered.

• A synopsis of your novel (maximum one-page, single-spaced) as a PDF or Word document.

• A cover letter (maximum 500 words) that describes your project, including word count, comparable titles (books that are similar to yours in theme, style or readership) and a short author biography. Please include the cover letter in the body of your email.

7.    Although we are asking for only 30 pages initially, please do not submit unless you have a completed draft of at least 50,000 words.

8.    Each writer may submit only one manuscript during this open call.

9.     You may submit the manuscript elsewhere simultaneously. Please let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted by another publisher.

singaporeunbound.org/opp/2025-gaudy-boy-open-call-for-novel-manuscripts

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Black Atlantic Editorial Fellowship

The Republic (Nigeria)

DEADLINE: August 3, 2025 at 5:00 pm Lagos Time

INFO: The Republic is pleased to announce the Black Atlantic Editorial Fellowship, a six-month fellowship programme designed towards the commissioning, writing and curation of stories rooted in Blackness and the African experience.

This fellowship will support five early- to mid-career editors, writers, researchers and/or journalists based in the different regions of Africa—West, East, Southern, North and Central. Fellows will receive mentorship, stipend and editorial support to commission original writing, produce original written content and curate local conversations around the most urgent themes shaping the African experience.

Each fellow will propose a theme from one of The Republic’s eight focus areas—including Art x Culture, Science x Technology, and Politics x Security—and will be expected to develop a distinct editorial identity and perspective for their regional division. Over the course of six months, fellows are required to commission two original essays per month, produce one story of their own each month and host one public engagement event in their African city at the end of the fellowship term.

COMPENSATION: Fellows will receive a monthly stipend of $500, as well as editorial guidance, workshop access and structured feedback from The Republic’s editorial team. They will also participate in workshops, skill-building sessions and a final digital symposium to showcase their work and launch a growing pan-African editorial network.

GUIDELINES: This fellowship is open to editors, journalists, curators or other storytelling practitioners who are based in Africa and have at least three years of professional experience. The fellowship is remote, and reliable internet access is required.

Applicants must submit a three-page proposal outlining their editorial focus and plan for the fellowship; a CV; a 500-word statement of interest; two samples of published work; and the contact details for two professional referees.

Selected fellows will be notified by September 2025.

rpublc.com/dispatch/black-atlantic-editorial-fellowship

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Call for submissions: Yu & Me Zine

Yu & Me Books

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

INFO: Yu & Me Books in New York City is launching its first zine! They are now taking submissions if you would like for your work to be included.

The theme is…FRIENDSHIP!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. Must be submitted in store (drop off zine submissions at the check out counter)

2. 4x6 max size

3. Any artistic form accepted

4. If written, must be <500 words

5. Will be printed in B&W

6. Include how you want to be credited + your email (in your submission)

If your submission is selected, they will notify you via email to receive a final copy of the zine!

They are planning on finishing the zine in early fall and will let Yu all know when it is ready in store.

www.instagram.com

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Spring 2025 Story Contest

Narrative Mag

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm PT

ENTRY FEE: $27 (with your entry, you’ll receive three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage).

INFO: Our spring contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. We’re looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

Narrative winners and finalists have gone on to win Whiting Awards,the Pulitzer Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Atlantic prize, and have appeared in collections such as Best American Short Stories,Best American Nonrequired Reading, and many others. View the recent awards won by Narrative authors.

As always, we are looking for works with a strong narrative drive, with characters we can respond to, and with effects of language, situation, and insight that are intense and total. We look for works that have the ambition of enlarging our view of ourselves and the world.

We welcome and look forward to reading your pages.

AWARDS:

• First Prize is $2,500

• Second Prize is $1,000

• Third Prize is $500

• Up to ten finalists will receive $100 each.

• All entries will be considered for publication.

JUDGING: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. Winners and finalists will be announced to the public by August 31, 2025. All writers who enter will be notified by email of the judges’ decisions, which will be final. The judges reserve the option to declare ties and to designate and award only as many winners and/or finalists as are appropriate to the quality of contest entries and of work represented in the magazine.

narrativemagazine.com/spring-2025-story-contest

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CALL FOR MENTORS: Prison Writing Mentorship Program

PEN America

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

INFO: The PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program has been a pillar of the Prison and Justice Writing Program for nearly 50 years. Separated from the outside world, incarcerated writers face unique challenges to their emergence and careers as writers, journalists, and artists with valuable contributions.

The PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program aims to fill this gap by matching an incarcerated writer with a writer on the outside who has volunteered to read and respond to submitted work—a relationship similar to that of a writer and editor. The majority of mentees join the program through the annual PEN Prison Writing Awards, either as winners or by recommendation of the judging committee.

Through these pairings, writers receive feedback on new or existing work, support with crafting a writing practice and process, and, most importantly, a tether to literary communities outside prison walls. These exchanges are designed to be connective experiences, where reciprocal learning occurs between mentees and mentors. In this respect, the PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program aims for participants to:

• Celebrate Different Perspectives

• Develop a Writing Practice

• Strengthen Literary Craft

• Explore New Methods of Storytelling

• Foster Connections with Literary Landscape

LASTING IMPACT: The impact of the PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program often extends beyond the writing goals of its participants. Participating mentees who complete the correspondence cycle receive a certificate of completion. Previous participants have included this certificate—as well as other documentation of their work with PEN America—in dossiers for parole hearings.

The program also facilitates the cultivation of deep and enduring relationships between writers in prisons and those on the outside. These meaningful connections are honored through the annual PEN America/L’Engle Rahman Prize for Mentorship, which is named for the 10-year written friendship of the late acclaimed author Madeleine L’Engle and scholar, writer, and former Black Panther Party leader Ahmad Rahman. In his nomination essay, 2023 PEN America/L’Engle Rahman Prize winner Steven Perez writes about his impactful relationship with his mentor, Alison Harney:

MENTEES: The Prison and Justice Writing Program works with adult writers who are incarcerated in federal and state prisons, jails, and detention centers. Program participants are of all age groups, races, ethnicities, genders, ability, and educational backgrounds, and join a community of writers with diverse lived experiences and writing backgrounds. PEN America works with individuals regardless of the circumstances that led to their incarceration.

MENTORS: The community of volunteers involved in the PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program are writers and editors of all genres who have direct experience with teaching, conducting an editorial process, facilitating workshops, and/or have familiarity with the media, literary, and publishing landscapes. This program is not suited for high school and undergraduate students. Graduate students, in MFA programs or otherwise, are welcome to apply. Individuals with justice involvement are highly encouraged to submit a mentor application.

PAIRING PROCESS: Pairings are decided based on the experience, skills, and strengths of each mentee and mentor applicant. We also cross reference each mentee’s expressed goals and intentions from their onboarding survey to provide a supportive and enriching experience.

Due to the convoluted nature of sending mail to and from prison, as well as the increasing censorship practices and mail digitization, the PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program is generally limited to writers who are recipients of the PEN Prison Writing Awards. Mentor applicants who are not paired for the upcoming cohort, may apply next year for the 2026-2027 mentorship cycle, and are encouraged to register for Works of Justice—PJW’s newsletter-based content series—to learn about future opportunities.

Please note that this is not a pen pal program. We support and admire the important work of pen pal programs and encourage those who do not fit the above criteria, or who don’t receive a pairing, to pursue those opportunities which are critical to mitigating the impact of isolation on the millions of people incarcerated in the US. Some of our favorites areHuman Rights Pen Pals, Lifelines to Solitary, Black and Pink, pARTner project.

MENTOR ENGAGEMENT:

PEN America facilitates most correspondence between mentors and mentees, with the expectation that mentors respond to each mentee communication within three weeks. Mentors are expected to correspond with mentees throughout the 10-month cycle, but are welcome to continue beyond that.

Throughout the cycle, the Prison and Justice Writing Program team will also host a variety of community-based sessions for volunteers, including an orientation, webinars, and other learning opportunities.

2025-2026 TENTATIVE TIMELINE:

Below are key dates for the 2025-2026 mentorship cycle. Some of these dates, such as the orientation, are subject to change based on internal and participant scheduling.

• June 1 – July 31, 2025: Mentorship application open

• September 30, 2025: All mentor/mentee pairs confirmed

• October 7, 2025: Mentor Orientation (virtual)

• October 15, 2025: Correspondence cycle begins

• August 14, 2026: Correspondence cycle ends

pen.org/prison-and-justice-writing/mentoring-program/

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The Emerging Writer Fellowship in Hybrid Writing

Brink

DEADLINE: July 31, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

INFO: The Emerging Writer Fellowship in Hybrid Writing offers editorial support, guidance, and mentorship to previously unpublished writers who demonstrate exceptional promise in hybrid and cross-genre writing. The fellow will work alongside the Brink design and editorial team to prepare their piece for publication. The virtual fellowship will take place over a period of four months in the fall and will provide the following: 

• One-on-one developmental editing alongside a Brink editor with an emphasis on developing the innovative hybrid aspects of the selected piece 

• Advice and guidance on career development via the submission and publication process

• Publication in a print issue of Brink, providing a significant and respected publication credit 

• Four copies of the journal issue in which the winning submission appears

GUIDELINES:

The fellowship is open to all writers and artists who identify their work as hybrid or cross-genre in nature or who are interested in the process of learning how to hybridize their work in a readable, creative manner. 

• Emerging writers who have not yet published a book-length collection are eligible.

• Writers with forthcoming books may enter if their first book is published after April 2025.

• Writers who have edited and published an anthology or a collection of other writers' works remain eligible.

• Submit up to 15 pages in one previously unpublished submission per entrant.

• All entries will be read anonymously. Before you submit, please remove your name and any other identifying information from your submission. We will contact you regarding your submission through Submittable, so please ensure your contact information is accurate.

• Family, colleagues, intimate friends, and contributors previously published in Brink Literary Journal are ineligible.

brink.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ISSUE 6 – "BEAUTY"

Spoken Black Girl Magazine

DEADLINE: August 1, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $0

INFO: Spoken Black Girl - a literary platform centering Black women, femmes, and gender-expansive voices - is seeking poetry, essays, short stories, and visual art for Issue 6: BEAUTY, exploring the intersections of mental health, self-discovery, and the radical redefinition of what it means to be beautiful.  

For Black women, femmes, and gender-expansive people, beauty has never been just skin deep—it is a practice, a protest, a homecoming. We want to hear how you’ve shed old narratives, embraced healing, and reclaimed beauty as an act of liberation.  

We’re looking for work that asks:  

• How has your relationship with beauty evolved through mental health struggles or breakthroughs?  

• In what ways has wellness—spiritual, emotional, physical—shaped your understanding of beauty?  

• How do you define beauty outside of oppressive standards?  

• What rituals, mantras, or radical acts help you embody self-love?  

• How has growth—painful or joyful—transformed your sense of worth?  

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:  

• Poetry: Up to 3 poems (max 5 pages total)  

• Prose (Essays/Short Stories): 500–2,000 words  

• Visual Art: High-resolution images (300 DPI) with a short artist statement  

• No AI generated submissions!

COMPENSATION: Accepted contributors will receive a $50 honorarium and a print copy of the issue.  

spokenblackgirl.com/submit

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Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Prairie Schooner

DEADLINE: August 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $20 (includes a copy of the Spring 2025 issue of the Schooner in which the winning essay will appear)

INFO: Our annual summer nonfiction contest opens May 15th to all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words.

PRIZE: The winner will receive $1,000 and publication in our Spring 2026 issue.

JUDGE: This year's guest judge is Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Aimee is the author of the New York Times best-selling illustrated collection of nature essays, WORLD OF WONDERS: IN PRAISE OF FIREFLIES, WHALE SHARKS, & OTHER ASTONISHMENTS, which was chosen as Barnes and Noble’s Book of the Year and named a finalist for the Kirkus Prize. She also wrote four previous poetry collections: OCEANIC, LUCKY FISH, AT THE DRIVE-IN VOLCANO, and MIRACLE FRUIT. With the poet Ross Gay, she co-authored the chapbook LACE & PYRITE, a collaboration of epistolary garden poems. Her writing appears twice in the Best American Poetry Series, The New York Times Magazine, ESPN, Ploughshares, American Poetry Review, and The Paris Review.

GUIDELINES:

Entries must include:

• Cover Letter: In the cover letter, include the submission's title and your contact information, including e-mail address, phone number, and mailing address. Your name and contact info must not appear anywhere within the manuscript itself (double-check headers and footers!).

• Essay Manuscript: The contest is open to all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words. We're interested in reading imaginative essays of general interest. (Scholarly articles requiring footnote references should be submitted to journals of literary scholarship.) Manuscripts should be double-spaced and use a standard font, and, again, the submitter's name and contact info should not appear within the manuscript itself.

Multiple submissions are welcome and encouraged, but a separate entry fee must accompany each submission. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, provided you withdraw your work promptly should it be accepted for publication elsewhere. We do not consider work that has been previously published anywhere, including online publications.

This contest is administered anonymously. Editorial Assistants, Assistant Nonfiction Editors, the Guest Judge, and the Editor in Chief of the Schooner are not privy to submitters' identifying information.

If you have a problem with your submission, please write to Managing Editor Jessica Poli at prairieschooner@unl.edu.

prairieschooner.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Nightboat Prose Reading Period

Nightboat Books

DEADLINE: August 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $15

INFO: We’re thrilled to announce that Nightboat Books is considering prose manuscripts. Please familiarize yourself with our editorial affinities by checking out our catalogue. Buy our books! Borrow them from the library! Read them!

We’re looking for innovative prose manuscripts of formally experimental fiction and/or nonfiction. We welcome prose translations, international anglophone writing, and multi-lingual texts. We’re most excited about projects that disrupt our expectations of what prose can do. No strict forms. No limits. Your manuscript might include poetry and poetic sections, but we’re not considering full-length poetry collections at this time. We’re looking for text-based projects. You’re welcome to include images in your manuscript, but please note that we are not able to print in full-color.

The kinds of work we are are excited to encounter might include, but isn’t limited to:

Writing that emerges from the liminal
Writing that builds up / writing that tears down
Writing that torques conventional prose forms or genre
Writing that examines and perverts existing narratives around identity
Writing that documents past / present / future periods of political uprising
Writing that investigates or borrows from other mediums: visual art, music, film, performance
Writing that searches for and troubles the sacred / sacrilegious
Writing that illustrates and proliferates complexity in our world
Writing that glitches the algorithm
Writing that proposes
instigates
bewilders
seduces 

Examples of Prose books from Nightboat Books:

• Nova Scotia House by Charlie Porter

• Crocosmia by Miranda Mellis

• Residual by Tisa Bryant

• !PóNK! by Marcus Clayton

• The Fifth Wound by Aurora Mattia

• Dreaming in the Fault Zone by Eleni Stecopoulos

• Sex Goblin by Lauren Cook

• Tree Spirits, Grass Spirits by Hiromi Ito, translated by Jon L. Pitt

• Greasepaint by Hannah Levene

• The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions by Larry Mitchell & Ned Asta

• Honey Mine by Camille Roy

• Phototaxis by Olivia Tapiero, translated by Kit Schluter

• Virgil Kills by Ronald V. Wilson

• Neotenica by Joon Oluchi Lee

Please include the following with your manuscript (of up to 300 pages, double spaced) through Submittable. (a) your name and contact information (b) a short professional biography (100 words maximum) (c) a description of the book/project (150 words maximum).

We plan to accept 1-2 manuscripts. Authors will receive an advance and royalty contract.

nightboat.org/announcing-the-2025-nightboat-prose-reading-period/

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Granum Foundation Prizes

Granum Foundation

DEADLINE: August 1, 2025 at 11:59pm Pacific Time

ENTRY FEE: $0

INFO: The Granum Foundation Prize will be awarded annually to help U.S.-based writers complete substantive literary works—such as poetry books, essay or short story collections, novels, and memoirs—or to help launch these works.

Additionally, the Granum Foundation Translation Prize will be awarded to support the completion of a work translated into English by a U.S.-based writer.

Funding from both prizes can be used to provide a writer with the tools, time, and freedom to help ensure their success. For example, resources may be used to cover basic needs, equipment purchases, mentorship, or editing services.

Competitive applicants will be able to present a compelling project with a reasonable timeline for completion. They also should be able to demonstrate a record of commitment to the literary arts.

The Granum Foundation is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

PRIZES:

• Granum Foundation Prize - One winner will be awarded $5,000. Up to three finalists will be awarded $500 or more.

• Granum Foundation Translation Prize - One winner will receive $1,500 or more.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Winners and finalists who received cash prizes from previous Granum competitions are not eligible.

• Writers who have published more than five books, including chapbooks, are not eligible for the Granum Foundation Prize. Literary journals and anthologies are not included in this count. This restriction does not apply to Granum Foundation Translation Prize applicants.

• Only U.S. residents 18+ are eligible for funding, and prizes must be spent in the U.S.

• Funds cannot be used specifically for travel or for study at an educational institution.

• At this time, we are not accepting screenplays, stage plays, or children’s picture books.

• Only one entry is allowed per person for each prize.

Winners and finalists will be announced in November.

granumfoundation.org/granum-prize

FICTION / NONFICTION — JUNE 2025

call for submissions: ‘Haunting’ issue

MQR Mixtape

DEADLINE: June 1, 2025

INFO: MQR Mixtape is seeking submissions for Haunting, an issue guest edited by Malia Maxwell.

"For this issue of MQR Mixtape, I am seeking poems, essays, short fiction, and visual art that engage with the spectrum (and spectralities) of “haunting.” Give me ghost stories and habits broadly understood or work that engages specific traditions of haunting such as the apparitional lesbian or the haunted anthropocene. Give me metapoetic work that dis/engages formal traditions. Haunt me. For this issue, I am as much interested in haunted genres or subjects as I am in work that resists or enacts haunting on a formal level."

GUIDELINES:

• Poetry: up to three poems

• Prose*: up to 3,000 words (*short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction essays)

• Visual art/photography: up to five works

• Hybrid work**: up to five pages (**multimedia work, comics, collaborations (within and across disciplines), archival materials, love letters, etc. Surprise me!)

Only previously unpublished work will be considered. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted by another publication. Please send only one submission per window; subsequent submissions will be rejected automatically.

mqr.submittable.com/submit

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2026 EMERGING WRITER AWARDS

Key West Literary Seminar

DEADLINE: June 2, 2025 by 11:59 pm EST (Letters of recommendation must be received by the following week)

ENTRY FEE: $12

INFO: We are now accepting applications for the 2026 Emerging Writer Awards.

The Cecelia Joyce Johnson Award, Scotti Merrill Award, and Marianne Russo Award recognize and support writers who possess exceptional talent and demonstrate potential for lasting literary careers.

Each award is tailored to a particular literary form. The Merrill Award recognizes a poet, while fiction writers may apply for either the Johnson Award (for a short story) or the Russo Award (for a novel-in-progress).

Winners of the 2026 Emerging Writer Awards received full tuition support for our January 2026 Seminar and Writers’ Workshop Program, round-trip airfare, lodging, a $500 honorarium, and appeared on stage during the Seminar. They will be in Key West from January 4 – 12, 2026.

Please review the criteria, complete the application form, and upload the required documents via Submittable. Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we have implemented a $12 application fee to cover review costs.

kwls.submittable.com/submit

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New Author Contest:Romantasy Stories For Young Adults By BIPOC Writers

Sweet July Books x Zando

DEADLINE: June 5, 2025 at 5:00pm ET

INFO: Zando is thrilled to announce the New Author Contest. The contest will recognize a BIPOC, unpublished, and unagented writer for an original short story of the romantasy genre for young adults with a first-place prize of being published in an anthology by Zando.

WHAT CAN I WIN?

The winner’s short story will be published in These Kindred Hearts edited by Shari B. Pennant, a collection of romantasy tales for young adults written by talented BIPOC voices. This anthology is being published by Zando on their Sweet July Books imprint. 

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

• Genre: The story must contain elements of both romance and fantasy.

• Length: 2,000 to 4,500 words

• BIPOC Requirement: The protagonist(s) and love interest(s) of your story must be BIPOC

• All entries must be the fully original creations of the entrants.

WHO CAN ENTER:

In order to enter, you must:

• Be 18+ years old

• Self-identify as BIPOC 

• Be resident of the United States, Puerto Rico, or any other territory and possession of the United States

• Be unpublished and unagented at the time of your entry

HOW WILL ENTRIES BE JUDGED:

Submissions are evaluated by Zando’s editors with any final selection made by the Romantasy Collection’s Editor.​

Judging will be conducted using the following criteria:

• Appropriate story/content for young adults aged 12 to 18.

  The story should also reflect the Romantasy genre, provide a hopeful and/or happy ending

• Tone and voice

• Premise

• World-building. 

• Emotional connection

• Writing quality

• Uniqueness

WHAT HAPPENS IF I WIN?

One (1) winner will be judged and awarded. If you are the winner or an eligible finalist, you will be notified on or about July 18, 2025 via email and phone! Final contest results will be announced on our Website after July 18, 2025.

thesekindredhearts.com

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Writer-in-Residence program

Associates of the Boston Public Library

DEADLINE: June 6, 2025 at 11:59 pm

INFO: The Associates of the Boston Public Library's Writer-in-Residence program is intended to:

• Provide an emerging children’s writer with the financial support and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.

• Encourage the imagination of young readers, and in so doing, draw attention to the importance of authors and the essential role they perform in nurturing developing minds and furthering our culture.

• Promote the awareness of the Boston Public Library and its resources, by establishing a living link between the Library and the community.

TIMELINE: The Writer-in-Residence program will run from October 2025 through September 2026.

RESIDENCY BENEFITS:

• A total stipend of $70,000, paid in monthly installments over one year.

• The opportunity to request up to $2,500 to be paid to an expert of your choice for coaching, editorial assistance, or a critical reading of your manuscript.

• Use of a private office six days per week. Office space usage is contingent on the Library being open to the public and it being safe to work onsite.

• Access to and use of the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections.

• A forum for the presentation/promotion of your finished literary work.

• Opportunities to establish connections with writers, publishers, artists, and the community-at-large through participation in/attendance at Library readings, lectures, and other events.

• At the end of the residency, your completed manuscript will be added to the BPL’s archives. (However, you retain all rights to your completed work.)

ELIGIBILITY:

• The proposed literary project should be intended for children or young adult readers. All genres are welcome, including fiction, non-fiction, scripts, graphic novels, or poetry.

• The applicant should demonstrate active engagement as a writer, whether full or part-time, as an avocation or profession.

• Since this program is intended for emerging authors, the applicant should not have any prior professional book publications. (Self-published books, textbooks, works for hire, articles, and short stories published in an anthology do not count against this eligibility criteria.)

• Only one proposal may be submitted per person.

• Joint applications or proposed collaborations by more than one author are not permitted.

• Works that are already under contract with a publisher are not eligible for submission.

• There is NO residency restriction to apply, but you must be able to spend at least nineteen (19) hours per week at the Boston Public Library’s Central Library in Copley Square.

• Must be legally eligible to work in the US, as a U.S. citizen or green card holder. English fluency required.

• There are NO age, gender, race, or educational requirements.

TERMS OF RESIDENCY:

• You will work a minimum of nineteen (19) hours per week from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

• You will participate in a public reception at the BPL on October 7, 2025 to mark the beginning of your residency.

• You will complete a submission-ready manuscript by the end of residency, which you will present at a second public reception, on a mutually agreed upon date.

• You will include an acknowledgment of the Associates of the Boston Public Library in all work created during the residency, and during any media opportunities stemming from the program, using mutually agreed upon language.

• Optionally, you may participate in or create a program for Boston Public Library patrons such as a teen writing workshop or a presentation to Boston-area students, as mutually agreed upon with BPL Youth Services staff. (Participation would be only a small portion of your time and is not required but encouraged.)

APPLICATION PROCESS:

• To apply, please complete the application form (below) and upload a proposal (5 pages max.) and writing sample (15 pages max.) by Friday, June 6, 2025 at 11:59 pm. The documents should be double spaced with one inch margins and at least 11 point font. The attachments should not include any biographical information, since there will be a blind judging process. See questions #13 and 14 below for more details.

• Basic questions about the application will be answered via email (via hello@AssociatesBPL.org); no calls please. Questions regarding how to present your work will not be considered. Inquiries concerning applications under review will not be answered. 

• If using Submittable creates an undue burden for you, you can alternatively mail your submission to: Writer-in-Residence Program, Associates of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.

• Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be altered by either candidates or Associates staff. 

SELECTION PROCESS:

• Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of judges, which includes a rotating group of authors, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, book designers, teachers, and/or citizens representing different areas of the world of children’s literature. Associates staff do not vote in this process. 

• The judges do not know the candidates’ names, gender, educational qualifications, or any background information. This blind judging process is focused solely on the quality of the submissions. 

• Submissions will be judged on the merit of the original writing.  Work suspected of being derived from or enhanced by an AI writing program will only increase the chance that it will be eliminated from consideration by the judges.

• The candidate selected to be the 2025-26 Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence will be notified by Monday, August 11, 2025.

KEY DATES:

• Notification: Monday, August 11, 2025

• Residency Period: October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026

QUESTIONS? After reading these guidelines and reviewing the application form, if you still have questions, please refer to our FAQ page or email us.

associatesofthebostonpubliclibrary.submittable.com/submit

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Page One Media 2026 Grant

Page One Media (P1M)

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025

INFO: Effective for the 2026 publishing year, P1M is shifting from providing three partial grants to providing one fully supported pro bono publicity campaign to an underrepresented writer.

The 2026 grant will provide one full book publicity campaign spanning eight months for a book publishing in 2026. The chosen author will be supported by the Page One team and assigned a lead publicist, I will lead on strategy, there will be administrative support for the campaign, and the book will be included in all of our team based pitching, media meetings, and annual outreach for holiday gift guides, book clubs, year-end best of lists, and in our social media when appropriate. The campaign will receive the same level of time, care, creativity, and dedication that all our campaigns receive.

For more about why Page One is doing this, head over to the blog post announcement.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

• You live in the United States

• Your book is for adults (young adults, middle grade, children’s and picture books do not qualify)

• Your book is not publishing as a reprint or anniversary edition (hardcover and paperback originals only)

• Your book is being published by a US based publisher and is being published in the US

• Your book will publish sometime between January and December 2026

• You have submitted all of the requested materials: grant form, publisher affidavit, author questionnaire, and a manuscript that is under contract and scheduled for publication in the 2026 calendar year

• By submitting your materials you agree to abide by the terms & conditions (scroll to the bottom of this page for those)

INSTRUCTIONS: The “Publisher Affidavit” form is required for submission, our author questionnaire is only required if you don’t have one from your publisher. Both will be submitted, along with your manuscript in the Grant Application form. All materials need to be submitted at the same time and by the final due date of June 15, 2025. Please keep this in mind and do not delay in requesting that someone from your publisher fill out the affidavit form. Partial submissions will not be considered.

page1m.com/2026-grant/

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2025 TUSCULUM REVIEW FICTION CHAPBOOK PRIZE

Tusculum Review 

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: A prize of $1,500, publication of the story in The Tusculum Review’s 21st volume (2025), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded for the winning story. 

The entry fee is $20 per manuscript. Entry fees include a one-year subscription to The Tusculum Review (an annual publication) and consideration for publication in our 21st volume (2025). We encourage international submissions but must charge an additional $15 fee to mail the journal to locations outside the U.S.

All entries should be sent through Submittable:tusculumreview.submittable.com. We do not accept mailed or emailed submissions, but if Submittable is a hardship, let us know atreview@tusculum.edu.

Each manuscript should consist of a single story in a standard 12-point font. Storiesmaybe between 2,000 words (about 7 manuscript pages) and 7,000 words (22 pages).

Storiesmaynot have been previously published nor be forthcoming. You are welcome to submit your story to other publications or contests while we consider it for the prize, but please alert us if your story is going to be published or honored elsewhere, so we can take it out of the running. If you have more than one story to submit, create a new entry for each.

Please do NOT include your name or any other identifying information on any page of the story manuscript.

Contest judge Jaime Cortez and editors of the The Tusculum Review will determine the winner of the 2025 prize. Family, friends, and previous students of the contest judge and the The Tusculum Review editors are disqualified from the competition, as are those with reciprocal professional relationships. Previous winners of Tusculum Review contests are also disqualified. Previous finalists and honorable mentionsmayenter.

Names and identifying information will not be visible to the judges. The Tusculum Review reserves the right to extend the call for manuscripts or cancel the award. We have only canceled one of the 30+ contests we’ve hosted, due to single-digit entries. We look forward to reading your work.

Publication Rights:except for second printings of the journal due to demand, all rights to material in The Tusculum Review and chapbooks revert to the individual authors and artists after publication (first serial rights). We request that you acknowledge us if you reprint work we published first. Tusculum University does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, identity, religion, veteran or military status, citizenship status, ethnic origin, or disability.

Contest judgeJaime Cortez is a California writer and artist based in Watsonville and the SF Bay Area. His writing and drawings have appeared in Kindergarten: Experimental Writing For Children (Black Radish Press), No Straight Lines (Fantagraphics), Street Art San Francisco (Abrams Press), and Infinite Cities (UC Berkeley Press). He wrote and illustrated the graphic novel Sexile for AIDS Project Los Angeles. His debut short story collection, Gordo, was published in 2021 by Black Cat, an imprint of Grove Atlantic. Gordo received national acclaim from the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal of Excellence in Fiction and the Lambda Literary Award for fiction, and was named a best book of the year by National Public Radio and Bookpage. Cortez received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MFA from UC Berkeley. Jaime’s website iswww.jaimecortez.org.

ttr.tusculum.edu/8085-2/

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CALL FOR “OF THE SEA” PORTFOLIO

SUSPECT (Singapore Unbound)

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025

INFO: Indigenous maritime communities know that the law of the sea is more ancient and powerful than the United Nations Convention of the same name. They know that the sea connects as well as divides. That the sea gives as much as it takes. That the sea is vast in its volume and tender in its tides. That in its eternal restlessness the sea contests fixed boundaries and national borders. 

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. 

We are looking for: 

• Short fiction of 1,500 to 6,000 words

• 2-4 pieces of flash fiction that total 500 to 1,500 words

• 3-5 poems that total 3 to 10 pages

We welcome translated work, but translators must provide documentation of authorization from the original authors or their literary estates.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately should they be accepted for publication elsewhere. 

We only accept work that has not been previously published. For translations, the original work may be published, but not the translations.

PAYMENT: USD $100

SUBMIT TO: Sharmini Aphrodite at suspect@singaporeunbound.org

singaporeunbound.org/opp/of-the-sea

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Call for submissions: fall/winter 2025 print issue

Epiphany

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $5

INFO: Submissions are currently open for the Fall/Winter 2025 print issue.

GUIDELINES FOR FICTION SUBMISSIONS:

1. Submit one story at a time.

2. Format in 12-pt font, double-spaced.

3. Withdraw promptly through Submittable should your work be accepted elsewhere.

4. We only consider previously unpublished work (online or in print).

5. Please include your name, title, and word count on the first page of the submitted file.

6. Fiction contributors will receive a payment of $175, and two contributor's copies of the journal.

GUIDELINES FOR NONFICTION SUBMISSIONS:

1. Submit one essay at a time.

2. Format in 12-pt font, double-spaced.

3. Withdraw your work promptly through Submittable should it be accepted elsewhere.

4. We only consider previously unpublished work (online or in print).

5. Please include your name, title, and word count on the first page of the submitted file.

6. Excerpts from books in progress, memoirs, or longer works are welcome.

7. Nonfiction contributors will receive a payment of $175 and two contributor's copies.

GUIDELINES FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS:

1. Submit up to 5 poems at a time.

2. Format in 12-pt font, single-spaced (where appropriate).

3. Send us a Message (not a Note) informing us if a poem in your submission has been accepted for publication elsewhere.

4. We only consider previously unpublished work (online or in print).

5. Poetry contributors will receive a payment of $75 per poem and two copies of the journal.ent stage.

We aim to respond to submissions within three to four months. Please be  patient: we give thoughtful and thorough consideration to each  submission. We look forward to receiving your work.

epiphanymagazine.submittable.com/submit

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call for submissions: ‘Issue 17: Estallido’ (for Latin/Latin-American Writers and Artists)

Lucky Jefferson

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025 by 11:59pm

INFO: You know what’s happening. You know about the injustices in the world, the abuse of power, and the suffering it causes. But you also know about the people resisting—those putting themselves on the line to confront the problem. You know those who gather, fight, and push for a better life.

Estallido is about social outbreaks: what leads to them, the people in the front and the back of them, those who can only join in spirit, the fighting spirit that sustains them, and most importantly, the change they can bring.

We want to see pieces that show your fighting spirit—moments when that spirit faltered but rose again, your support for others fighting the fight, and your voice in these times of outbreaks.

We have never been quiet, but together, we can be louder.

—

Sabes muy bien lo que está pasando. Sabes sobre las injusticias ocurriendo en el mundo. Sabes sobre personas abusando de su poder y sabes sobre las personas que sufren. Sin embargo, también debes saber sobre la gente que resiste, la gente que se pone en primera línea y se enfrenta al problema. Sabes sobre esas personas juntándose y luchando juntas por una mejor vida. Esto es un Estallido

Esta edición es sobre estallidos sociales: como empezaron, la gente al frente y atrás de ellos, la gente que solo puede participar en espíritu, el espíritu de lucha en ellos, y lo más importante, el cambio que pueden traer. Quiero ver piezas que muestren tu espíritu de lucha, momentos donde tu espíritu de lucha disminuyó pero se levantó, tu apoyo a otras personas luchando y tu voz en estos tiempos de estallidos. 

Nunca hemos estado callados, pero podemos ser más ruidosos juntos. 

—

PAYMENT (UPON ACCEPTANCE):

$15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)

SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD

$20 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction, Hybrid/Experimental (under 1000 words)

SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD

$25 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)

SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD

 Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media.  Accepted authors will receive a payout of $15, $20, or $25, for each accepted submission. 

luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit

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call for nonfiction submissions: ‘How I Learned’ Series

Blaise Allysen Kearsley

DEADLINES:

• Soft Deadline: June 16, 2025

• Hard Deadline: June 20, 2025

INFO: The How I Learned Series was a live reading/storytelling/comedy show created by Blaise Allysen Kearsley in 2009. The monthly series ran for a little over a decade with events in the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and New Orleans, and included benefits for Emily's List and Housing Works.

Featured guests included Mira Jacob, Alexander Chee, Ayo Edebiri, John Fugelsang, Anna Sale, James Hannaham, Hugh Ryan, Sasheer Zamata, John Wray, David Carr, Starlee Kine, Taylor Negron, Issac Fitzgerald, Aparna Nancherla, Emily Flake, Dodai Stewart, Choire Sicha, Jami Attenberg, Maggie Estep, Rosie Schaap, and many others.

How I Learned has been "on hiatus" since the Covid shutdown. Now, it's being resurrected as an online magazine. This aftertimes iteration is not public yet so don’t even bother to Ask Jeeves about it.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: In the nightlife spirit of the eclectic series, we are seeking sharp personal nonfiction stories from diverse perspectives, sensibilities, and voices that offer an evocotive spin on existential-leaning themes . The horror and the hilarity of living. The profound and the preposterous. The details that conflict with the old narrative, the little things that challenge a longheld belief. How something is changed, how we get shook; ways of seeing and moving in the world. Heavy stories, humor, stories, what lives in between — whatever the tone or the mood, your How I Learned story does not resolve neatly with a bow. Make meaning out of chaos, but leave us wondering where the story takes you after it ends.

• Nonfiction essay: 1500 - 2500 words

• Flash nonfiction: up to 800 words

• Email subject heading: Submission - How I Learned.

• Add a brief synopsis of your piece.`

• Attach your submission as a Word or Google doc.

• Send to: howilearned@gmail.com

For a less general sense of the vibe, here's a sampling of topics from live shows. You DO NOT have to write to any of these themes, though you're more than welcome to!

How I Learned To Fight Back; How I Learned My Adolescence Was Over; How I Learned What Life is Like; How I Learned About Sex; How I Learned To Lie, Cheat or Steal; How I Learned To Live in New York; How I Learned The Hard Way; How I Learned It's All My Parents Fault; How I Learned It's Not Me, It's You; How I Learned To Say I'm Sorry; How I Learned Nothing is Even Real; How I Learned To Believe; How I Learned There Might Be Some Issues: Stories About Therapy...

blaiseallysenkearsley.com/how-i-learned-magazine-submissions

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Muses & Melanin BIPOC Fellowship

Muses & Melanin

DEADLINE: June 20, 2025 at 5pm PST

APPLICATION FEE: $20

INFO: This intensive, fully funded hands-on practicum provides the career savvy writers of color need to stand out from the crowd of aspiring writers who, though talented, lack the marketplace acumen they need to craft and grow a literary career within a #PublishingSoWhite industry.

The Muses & Melanin Fellowship for California BIPOC Creative Writers is a supportive, hybrid, fully funded eight-month cohort-based professional development practicum for talented California creative writers of color who aspire to become professional authors. A few spaces are reserved for talented out-of-state applicants. The Fellowship is designed for those who do not yet have a lengthy list of publishing credits, are not under a publishing contract, do not have literary agent representation, and do not have a doctoral degree in English, Creative Writing, or Literature (a Master's degree in these subjects is fine, such as an MFA or MA). A Bachelor's degree is required.

Participants complete a comprehensive curriculum that equips them with the strategies, tools, and knowledge they need to transition from creative writing students or hobbyists to professional authors. As a hybrid program, Fellows must be able to attend occasional onsite meetings in downtown San Francisco. This program is made possible with support from the San Francisco Arts Commission and California Humanities, a nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Do not apply before reading the FAQ on our website.

The application fee is $20. To pay the fee:

1. Go to https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/LVDQFPPUA6ZYW

2. Send your transaction ID number to MusesAndMelanin@gmail.com along with the name you used on your application.

Given the competitive nature of the selection process for this Fellowship, we advise paying diligent attention to application instructions. Materials must be free of typos, punctuation and grammar errors, and follow the standards of good, solid writing (no reliance on passive voice, adverb overuse, dangling modifiers, etc.). Failure to follow instructions will result in disqualification. Applicants evidencing the following issues will not advance to the interview stage:

• *incomplete applications

• *applications that don't adhere to instructions

• *submissions demonstrating the applicant did not review the program information beforehand

• *submissions featuring genres outside of those listed

• *ineligible applicants as described in the program information.

In 2024, we detected common issues across the breadth of rejected applicants. These issues were:

• insufficient mastery of solid literary mechanics [Indications: passive voice reliance, adverb overuse, dangling modifiers and referents, structural delivery problems]

• undeveloped, poorly considered, incomplete responses to the short-answer questions--in some cases providing statements that were non-responsive [Indications: raises questions about applicant's seriousness of purpose, intent, and dedication]

• lack of evidence of genuine interest in a literary career [Indications: bio and short answers did not support the claim]

• more than two typos on one or more pages [Indications: failure to proofread; carelessness; lack of serious intent]

• too many instances of basic punctuation and/or grammar errors [Indications: represents a mismatch between the applicant and the caliber of writer for which the Fellowship is designed)

• evidence in submitted materials that applicant cannot follow directions or did not read them, a critical skill for becoming a professional author [Indications: lack of attention to detail, disregard for instructions]

• inappropriate references listed [Indications: "friend," "book club colleague"]

• submitting an application after the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted, without exception. To avoid technical issues, we advise not waiting until the deadline day to submit your application.

Accepted genres: 

• *short and long fiction

• *creative nonfiction

• *memoir

• *articles and papers for newspapers, magazines, and  literary and academic journals

• *poetry

• *graphic novels and comics

The fellowship consists of the following components:

• *two online Weekend Intensives (August 8-10 and August 15 - 17. Fridays start at 5pm; Saturdays begin at 10am and end at 5:30pm. Sundays begin at 11am and end at 5pm.

• *ten weekly 2-hour online workshops (Tuesdays, 5pm-7pm, mid-August - October)

• *four monthly 3-hour online co-working sessions (one per month from September-December 2025, Tuesdays, 5pm - 8pm).

• *a February 2026 public graduation ceremony and reception at the San Francisco Public Library for qualified graduates. This ceremony features a public reading, Literary Launch Care Package, and a stipend to fund Fellows' new literary bank accounts. 

Applicants will receive admission decisions on or by July 13, 2025.  Accepted participants must not miss more than two class meetings and complete all assignments (except for optional ones) to remain in the program and to maintain graduation eligibility.

shuffle.do/projects/muses-melanin-fellowship-for-bipoc-creative-writers/about

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Book Project Emerging Writer Fellowship

Lighthouse Writers

DEADLINE: June 21, 2025

INFO: In 2018, we launched the Book Project Emerging Writer Fellowship, which covers partial or full tuition for the entire two-year program for writers who need financial support in order to enroll in the program. Book Project Fellows will receive all the benefits of the program, including one-on-one mentorship with a published author, classes with fellow Book Project participants, weekend intensives and retreats, and publishing advice from our in-house expert.

In 2025, we're pleased to announce the Nighthawk Nature Writing Fellowship, covering partial or full tuition for the Book Project. This annual fellowship supports writers who are engaged in work that explores and honors the natural world—and the animals and plants that inhabit it. 

The Book Project fellowships are supported by generous individual donors.

EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIP: Writers of fiction, nonfiction, short stories, memoir, and hybrid texts can apply for a Book Project Emerging Writer Fellowship. Each application is reviewed by Book Project faculty and rewarded based on merit and financial need.

NIGHTHAWK NATURE WRITING FELLOWSHIP: In addition to the Emerging Writer Fellowship, we're also pleased to offer the Nighthawk Nature Writing Fellowship, a sponsored award in support of writers who are engaged in work that explores and honors the natural world and the animals and plants that inhabit it.

AWARD DETAILS: Book Project Fellows receive full or partial tuition for the Book Project. The number of awards depends on the funding received each year.

HOW TO APPLY: When applications open, follow the instructions for the Book Project application and select the fellowship option. You’ll be asked to include annual household income and a statement of financial need (500 words or less). Writers making it to the final round may be asked for income verification in the form of IRS filings.

FELLOWSHIP NOTIFICATION: Applicants will receive two notifications. The first will let you know whether or not you’ve been accepted to the Book Project in early July. The second, a week later, will let you know whether or not you’ve received the fellowship. Applicants not accepted to the program will not receive a second notification about the fellowship.

lighthousewriters.org/book-project-fellowships

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call for submissions: recommended reading

Electric Literature

SUBMISSION PERIOD: June 23 - July 6, 2025 (or when they receive 750 submissions)

INFO: Recommended Reading publishes fiction between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please notify us immediately if a piece is accepted elsewhere. Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.

Response time is six to eight months.

COMPENSATION: Upon acceptance, we can offer authors $300 for publishing rights.

GUIDELINES: During the general submissions periods, writers may submit one piece per period. (This does not apply to year-round submitting members. For more information on member submissions, please refer to the welcome email you received when you signed up as a member or reach out to wynter@electricliterature.com.)

Writers with a submission pending with The Commuter can still submit to Recommended Reading.

Please do not submit a story already previously rejected by Electric Literature, even if the story has been revised (unless you've been invited to do so by an EL editor).

electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

_____

FALL 2025 Trillium Arts Residency

Trillium Arts

DEADLINE: June 26, 2025 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Trillium Arts residencies offer secluded space for rejuvenation and creating in a beautiful, remote setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our location is ideal for an individual artist to complete an existing work, or develop and incubate new material. Our facilities in the fall months are best suited to the disciplines of literary arts, photography, visual arts and arts administration.

Individual artists who do not require a rehearsal studio (such as writers and photographers) are encouraged to apply for a one week residency. Performing artists (such as choreographers and theater artists) are also welcome to apply, with the understanding that the Red Barn Studio is seasonal and availability is dependent on weather. The Red Barn Studio will not be available after October 31.

Use of the studio is an additional fee of $35 per day.

There is ample land and outdoor space available for ideation and research. We are currently unable to accommodate groups or collaboratives on the Trillium property. Individual artist residencies are on a solo adventure during their time here and your residency will not overlap with other awarded artists. If an artist would like to bring collaborators, there are a variety of AirBnB’s available for rent in the immediate area. A list of recommended AirBnB’s is available upon request.

2025 RESIDENCIES INCLUDE:

• Private accommodations in a  one-bedroom, ground floor suite. (Trillium Arts co-founders live upstairs but resident artists have a private entrance).

• Welcome dinner with your hosts

• Shared use of the grounds, including firepit, hot tub, walking paths and waterfall area

• Use of onsite creative spaces that include a contemplation gazebo and a 380 square foot open air, covered workspace. Learn more about creative spaces HERE

• Basic kitchen supplies and all household goods (towels, linens, paper products, etc.)

• Access to high speed fiber optic internet

• Laundry facilities

• Mentorship services (optional for an additional fee) 

DATES: All 2025 residencies are one week of seven consecutive days in length. Applications are currently being accepted for residencies one week in length during:

• September 21-28, 2025, or

• Anytime between October 10-November 14, 2025

A limited number of work exchange scholarships are available.

ELIGIBILITY: Artists of various disciplines (writers, photographers, visual artists, choreographers) at any stage of their careers are invited to apply.

trilliumartsnc.org/artist-residencies

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Rooted & Relational Archives Fellowship

Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (NYC)

DEADLINE: June 27, 2025

INFO: CENTRO’s Rooted & Relational Archives Fellowship will expose early career archivists to the work and projects of CENTRO’s Archives. The fellowship will present a pathway into Ethnic Studies Libraries and Archives in order to provide students and recent graduates with practical work experience in areas commonly discussed in archival scholarship such as reparatory and bilingual description, community-oriented practices and spaces, and enrichment and diversification of the archival record. 

The CENTRO Rooted & Relational Archives Fellow will develop and implement a Fellowship Project in collaboration with CENTRO’s Digital Collections Manager based on the needs of the Archives as well as the Fellow’s experience and interests. In addition to the Fellowship Project, fellows will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of projects and participate in the day-to-day activities of the Archives, which may include assisting patrons and participating in events and workshops. Through these experiences, fellows will learn collection and project management skills, immerse themselves in CENTRO’s archival collections and communities, and become familiar with digital archiving skills. Fellows will be in residence for the 2025-2026 academic year and they will receive a $20,000 stipend paid in four installments.

The ideal candidate will be an advanced graduate student or recent graduate with experience in archives or special collections, experience conducting the type of work expected for the project, or experience managing small-scale projects. Some programming knowledge and  project management experience will be considered valuable. The fellow will be expected to work 20 hours a week in person as part of the fellowship. 

The fellow will receive support and mentorship from CENTRO Archives and Library staff and will be responsible for the tracking, implementation, reporting, and dissemination of their designated project. They will also be provided with professional development support and opportunities to develop skills in various areas of interest to information professionals, independent of the fellowship project. Fellows will be encouraged to participate in professional organizations and present their work at conferences and symposia.

POTENTIAL FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS + AREAS OF INTEREST INCLUDE:

• Collection assessment of digital materials

• Digital preservation strategies

• Development of usage and access metrics 

• Development of access and outreach tools, including LibGuides, instruction plans, and events

• Development of quality control and quality assurance processes

• Development of policies and strategies for A/V archiving

• Reparatory and bilingual description

• Community-oriented practices and spaces

ELIGIBILITY:

• Current graduate student or recent graduate (within the last 2 years) with coursework in archives or digital preservation (Archives experience may substitute for coursework)

• Reading comprehension in Spanish

• Interest in working with Puerto Rican collections or Ethnic Studies Archives

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

• All documents below must be submitted in PDF 

• CV or  Resume 

• Submit a cover letter in English or Spanish describing your interest in working at the CENTRO Archives, the type(s) of projects you would be interested in working on, and how this fellowship will benefit your career trajectory

OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSION PROCESS:

• Complete the form ensuring all mandatory fields are filled

• Review and confirm your submission

• We will email you to confirm receipt of your form

• We will email you with our decision and, if applicable, further steps

COMPENSATION FOR SELECTED FELLOW:

• $20,000 stipend (paid in four installments)

CONTACT INFO:

If you encounter any issues or have questions about the submission process, please don’t hesitate to contact Cristina Fontánez Rodríguez at cf3285@hunter.cuny.edu.

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/centro-rooted-relational-archives-fellowship/

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS: Aesthetics of Joy and Refuge in Contemporary Culture — An Interdisciplinary Conference

The Latinx Project at New York University

DEADLINE: June 29, 2025

INFO: The Latinx Project invites submissions to an Open Call conference exploring scholarly approaches to the study of contemporary Latinx visual and expressive culture. The program will take place on Friday, October 10, 2025 at New York University. We are especially interested in original contributions that examine contemporary visual and expressive culture across film, media, sound, visual arts, design, architecture, fashion, advertising—and all forms in which today’s society visualizes Latinx culture.

We seek to examine the aesthetic strategies and creative interventions of artists and cultural producers, while also understanding how they visualize diverse expressions and work to transform contemporary visual and creative industries. Going beyond traditional approaches to visual stereotypes and the pathologization of Latinx culture, we’re looking for proposals that highlight creative strategies or that contextualize the larger historical and political economy context in which representations move. We are particularly curious about submissions that explore the political economy behind the production, circulation, and consumption of expressive culture— the ways in which communities engage with mediated representations of culture in all its forms. We welcome work that theorizes what we can learn about Latinx politics of joy, protest, and refuge in the twenty-first century when we foreground contemporary strategies of visual representation. 

Some ideas and concepts for possible contributions include but are not limited to:

• Media and cultural policies affecting film, media, sound, and other culture industries

• Explorations of design, public art, and public interventions on the landscape

• Black and Indigenous visualities

• Disability and expressive cultures

• Visual artists working across or along borderlines, and/or far from creative centers

• Perspectives on aesthetics, sexuality, and contemporary art

• Grassroots media and alternative fashion

• AI futures

• Logics of gender and citizenship

• Aesthetic epistemologies

• The politics of archives

• Surveillance technologies

• Labor in creative industries

• Media and algorithmic citizenship

APPLICATION:

• Please submit (1) a short abstract (pdf) under 200 words and (2) a bio or CV. Contributors selected to present will receive an honorarium and travel stipend.

FAQs:

• How do I apply? Submit your proposal via the submission form here by June 29, 2025,

• Who should apply? Scholars at all ranks and independent writers and critics are encouraged to submit a proposal to present.

• Is the symposium hybrid? The symposium is planned as an in-person event open to the public. Sessions may be recorded in accordance with the preference of the presenters.

• Who can I contact for more information? Please email latinxproject@nyu.edu with subject line: 2025 Symposium.

latinxproject.nyu.edu/20242025/open-call-conference

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Get the Word Out Publicity Incubator

Poets & Writers

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Get the Word Out is a publicity incubator for early career authors. Under the mentorship of an accomplished book publicist, writers will develop and execute publicity strategies to maximize the exposure of their first or second book, reach readers, and create a platform to propel their literary careers.

Get the Word Out fellows will:

• Participate in a six-session online publicity workshop led by an experienced book publicist.

• Attend six online seminars with leading media, events, marketing, and sales professionals, and accomplished authors.

• Devote time outside of scheduled sessions to implement book publicity strategies they are acquiring in workshops and seminars.

• Contribute to a peer learning community by sharing what works and what does not, helping each member of the cohort to amplify their impact.

• In addition, alumni of the program are eligible to apply for The Poets & Writers Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center, which provides a fully funded three-week residency to fiction writers and poets in alternate years.

Get the Word Out 2026 fiction cohort is open to authors with books slated for publication between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Fellows will be selected based on the strength of their statement of purpose, writing sample, and suitability for the program.

Get the Word Out is open to all eligible applicants. The program aims to support writers who might not otherwise have access to in-depth publicity support and to help develop strong literary voices nationwide. To that end, we encourage applications from writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, persons of color, immigrants, writers with disabilities, LGBTQ+ writers, writers residing outside of major cities, writers who do not have an MFA or equivalent degree, and writers whose books are slated to be published by independent presses.

The selection decisions of Poets & Writers will be final and not subject to review.

HOW TO APPLY:

Authors can apply to the program via Poet & Writers’ online application. Applications must include:

• A completed application form.

• A double-spaced excerpt (10-15 pages in 12 pt. font) from your debut novel or short story collection.

• An author bio (max: 250 words).

2026 FICTION PUBLICITY MENTOR: Born and raised in Malaysia, May-Zhee Lim is a writer working on her first novel and a freelance publicist living in New York. During her time with Riverhead Books, she has worked on all kinds of book campaigns, helping launch the careers of debut authors and expand the readership of prize-winning authors including Hernan Diaz, Olga Tokarczuk, James McBride, Masha Gessen, Patricia Lockwood, C Pam Zhang, Claire Vaye Watkins, and Sigrid Nunez, just to name a few. In 2021, she made the Publishers Weekly Star Honoree list for her creative, out-of-the-box publicity ideas, including a partnership with a New York City bakery to print a short story by Etgar Keret in cake wrapping and an open air, pop-up reading room series around the city.

For more information, please email programs@pw.org

pw.org/content/get_the_word_out

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call for submissions: “ON MOTHERHOOD”

Listen Journal

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

INFO: Often conversations surrounding motherhood & pregnancy fail to represent the honesty, nuance and spectrum of real life experiences. The truth is every persons journey is personal. No two stories are the same.

For our first call for submissions, we’re inviting you to share your experiences with motherhood or pregnancy in all forms; whether raw, joyful, painful or complex.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: We are looking to hear about a wide range of experiences in relation to motherhood, we understand the journey to and through motherhood can often be turbulent with many experiences left unspoken.

This could be:

• Experience with adoption

• Doulas & midwives perspective

• Sickness through pregnancy

• Pregnancy as a professional athlete

• Not wanting children

• Experiencing homelessness as a mother

• Relationship with your own mother

• Spiritual experiences through birth

• Post-partum depression

• Disability and motherhood

• Difficulty with pregnancy / fertility issues

DESIRED FORMATS: long form writing (1500 - 2000 words), poetry, photo sets, video & illustrations

HOW TO SUBMIT: pitch to us through the submissions form or email a brief pitch to contact@listen-journal.com with subject line “On Motherhood”

listen-journal.com/submissions

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Call for Papers and Projects: The Caribbean Digital XII

The Caribbean Digital

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

INFO: Beginning in 2014, The Caribbean Digital has sought to create a generative, multidisciplinary space within which to engage critically with the digital as practice and as a historicized societal phenomenon, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities presented by the media technologies that ever more intensely reconfigure the social and geo-political contours of the Caribbean and its diasporas.

In the twelfth iteration of this gathering, we are thrilled to continue these conversations via collaboration with the Early Caribbean Digital Archive, the Africana Studies Program, and the NULab for Humanities and Computational Social Science at Northeastern University.

The continued need for rigorous and ethical engagement with the digital “revolution” is especially immediate among the people of the Caribbean and its diasporas. Information technology remains a significant way people connect and frame pressing social problems and political aspirations. Moreover, the Internet is analogous in important ways to the Caribbean itself as a dynamic and fluid cultural space: it is generated from disparate places and by disparate peoples; it fundamentally challenges the geographical and physical barriers that disrupt or disallow connection; and it places others and elsewhere in relentless relation. Yet while we celebrate these opportunities for connectedness, we must ensure that the digital realm undermines and confronts rather than re-inscribes forms of silencing and exclusion in the Caribbean.

Following conversations that animated past events, we are looking forward in this twelfth public forum to continuing our critical engagement with presentations that might evoke any of the following topics and the ways they might intersect with each other:

• Gendered and class dimensions of the digital in the Caribbean

• The connection between digital technologies and practices of the Caribbean “folk”

• World-building – Reimagining through and as the digital

• Citizenship, mobility, migration, and the digital

• Material, audio, and visual culture connected to the digital

• 3-D imaging and the digital

• Considering the politics and ethics of AI in/and the Caribbean

• Digital pedagogies, curriculum, and/or classroom or community education activities

• Archives in and about the Caribbean

• Languages as technology and structures of the digital

• The relationship between the aesthetics of absence and the digital

• Minimal computing as a form of digital resistance

• Digital counter-publics/counter-narratives

• Digital mapping and questions of place, space, and belonging

• Collaborative/community-engaged digital projects

• Relationships between digital and physical resistance

• Digital access and the aesthetics/politics of digital ownership

• Digital possibilities and imaginaries

• Digital knowledge-making and decolonial epistemologies

Both traditional conference papers and multimedia presentations on these or related topics are welcome. We also welcome virtual synchronous participation by presenters who cannot travel to Boston to attend the event. Participants from this forum will be encouraged to submit their work to archipelagos, an interactive, born-digital, print-possible, peer-reviewed publication.

The 2025 conference is being held in the loving memory of Dr. Ángel David Nieves (1971 – 2023). At the time of his passing, Dr. Nieves was Dean’s Professor of Public and Digital Humanities, Professor of Africana Studies and History, and Director of the Humanities Center at Northeastern University in Boston. Dr. Nieves also held positions at Hamilton College, Yale University, San Diego State University, and many other institutions. Dr. Nieves’s vivacious presence, teaching, and work left a lasting impression on everyone. His books, An Architecture of Education: African American Women Design the New South (2018) and ‘We Shall Independent Be:’ African American Place Making and the Struggle to Claim Space in the U.S. (edited with Leslie Alexander, 2008) were significant explorations into the labors done by of Black feminists that served to eventually uplift all others. Like his subjects of study, Nieves, too, believed that all people deserve a good education and working conditions to lead a good life. His investments in social justice were total and all-encompassing. As a proud, queer, Brown man whose roots were in Puerto Rico, he was especially dedicated to supporting like-minded scholars such as those associated with The Caribbean Digital. The conference especially welcomes submissions that engage with the spirit and content of Dr. Nieves’ foundational work.

GUIDELINES: We welcome abstracts of 250-300 words in length. Abstracts should include name, academic affiliation, contact information, and short bios. Please submit using this form (requires Google sign-in). by 30 June 2025. Successful applicants will be notified by 30 August 2025. Travel and accommodations for conference presenters will be covered.

thecaribbeandigital.org/cfp

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NEW VOICES AWARD

Lee & Low Books

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

INFO: Do you write for children or do you know someone who does?

Are you an unpublished author of color or Indigenous/Native writer hoping to break into the publishing industry for the first time?

Don’t miss this terrific opportunity to have your work considered for publication by a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent.

ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to writers of color and Indigenous/Native writers who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a picture book published. It’s one way Lee & Low Books uplifts historically marginalized voices in the predominantly white children’s book industry.

GUIDELINES: Manuscripts must be FICTION, NON-FICTION, or POETRY aimed at readers ages 5 to 12, and should address the needs of children of color or Native/Indigenous children by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and promote a greater understanding of one another.

PRIZE: The winner receives a standard publication contract, including Lee & Low Books’s basic royalties and a $5,000 advance.

leeandlow.com/blog/new-voices-award-now-accepting-submissions/

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call for submissions: Fall 2025 issue

The Plentitudes

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST

READING FEE: $5

INFO: The Plentitudes is now open for submissions for their Fall 2025 issue. Send us your best short stories, short memoirs, personal essays, poems, and flash pieces.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• During our general submissions period, we accept submissions through Submittable and Duotrope. 

• We charge a small reading fee (US$5.00 per entry) to cover maintenance costs and operating expenses.

• We allow multiple submissions by the same writer--however, each entry should be separately submitted and accompanied by a reading fee.

• A single submission consists of:

  • Poetry: No more than three poems, and no more than ten pages, and should place all poems in a single document.

  • Fiction or Nonfiction: One short story or one personal essay between 1,000 - 5,000 words. 

  • Flash: One micro-fiction or micro-nonfiction piece under 1,000 words.

• Please limit formats to .doc, .docx, and .pdf.

• We suggest 12-point Times New Roman font, and double-spacing all prose submissions.

• We do not publish previously published work, including those published on blogs.

• Simultaneous submissions (i.e., concurrently submitting to other journals and platforms) are permitted; however, please notify us promptly if your piece has been accepted elsewhere. 

• Upon publication, we retain the right to be the sole publisher of the works for the first year from the initial date of publication. Thereafter, contributors may republish their works, with The Plentitudes Journal credited as the initial publisher. We retain the right to re-publish works designated for print publication in an anthology and on our social media platforms. 

• Marginalized voices, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and Crip/disabled writers, are particularly encouraged to submit. 

• We pay an honorarium of $50 for published work. The honorarium is payable within a week after the publication of the piece.

theplentitudes.com/submit

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call for submissions: nature-themed poetry, fiction + nonfiction

Mississippi Review

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $3

INFO: We are currently accepting Poetry for Mississippi Review 53.3, with a publication date of Winter 2026.

GUIDELINES:

• Poetry - Though we are happy to read and consider any Poetry for this issue, we are particularly interested in nature-themed pieces. Submit up to five poems in one file (file should be no more than ten pages total).

• Fiction - Though we are happy to read and consider any Fiction for this issue, we are particularly interested in nature-themed pieces. Stories should be 8,000 words or less.

• Nonfiction - Though we are happy to read and consider any Creative Nonfiction for this issue, we are particularly interested in nature-themed pieces. Essays should be 8,000 words or less.

WHO CAN SUBMIT? Anyone who is not currently a student at the University of Southern Mississippi or affiliated with the Mississippi Review can submit.

COMPENSATION: As a university-supported literary journal, we are working to find new ways to compensate our contributors. For Mississippi Review 53.3, we are able to pay each contributor $50 and send two free copies of the issue upon publication.

Contributors with mailing addresses outside of the U.S. will receive two copies of Mississippi Review 53.3 and a Mississippi Review subscription at the value of $50. 

mississippireview.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

Wasafiri

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

ENTRY FEE: A single entry costs £12, with £16 for double entry. We also offer subsidised entry.

INFO: Wasafiri is thrilled to announce that the 2025 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize is now open!

Since 2009, the Prize has been awarded to some of the most exciting new voices in life writing, poetry, and fiction from around the world. The sixteenth edition of the prize brings an exciting new development as we open to entries in translation – across all three categories – for the first time since the prize was founded by Dr. Susheila Nasta.

JUDGES: Our 2025 Chair is Romesh Gunesekera, who is joined by our three category judges: Anton Hur (Fiction), Noreen Masud (Life Writing), and Yasmine Seale (Poetry).

PRIZE: The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri magazine; if a work in translation wins, the cash prize will be split equally between the author and translator.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality or background. New for 2025: Accepting work in translation.

wasafiri.org/writing-prizes/queen-mary-wasafiri-new-writing-prize/enter-the-2025-queen-mary-wasafiri-new-writing-prize/

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Regeneration Literary Contest

Ninth Letter + I-Regen + the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

DEADLINE: June 30, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $7 (Contest entrants will have the option to purchase a copy of the Fall/Winter 2024 issue or a one-year print subscription at a discounted price at the time of submission)

INFO: Our lives and communities revolve around food: hungering for it, buying it, preparing it, and eating it, but also growing it, moving it from field to shelf, and disposing of its waste. Just as healthy food promotes human health, healthy food systems promote healthy communities—places and people oriented toward restoration, regeneration, and even rebirth. What would it look like to live in a world where our food systems regenerated not only us, but the planet? What if how we grew and ate our food could sequester carbon, replenish the soil, restore ecosystem biodiversity, and help battle disease?

I-Regen is working toward such a vision and is partnering with Ninth Letter to help us all imagine it. We invite poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction responding to or exploring the subject of regeneration, specifically as it relates to food and food systems. What does regeneration in our lives and communities look like, sound like, feel like, taste like? How does its absence harm us? Feel free to think as narrowly or as broadly as you like about the theme—surprises are always delightful and welcome. Please include a brief note that explains your work’s connection to the theme of “regeneration.” Please see full theme description at the top of this page.

2025 GUEST JUDGE: Scott Chaskey is the author of Soil and Spirit (Milkweed 2023). His poetry, first printed in literary journals in the early seventies, has been widely published over four decades. A pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for thirty years he cultivated more than sixty crops for the Peconic Land Trust at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett, New York, one of the original CSAs in the country.

CONTEST DETAILS: Submissions will be accepted from May 23, 2025-June 30, 2025. Winner and finalists will be announced in the fall. Prize: $1,000 and publication in the Fall/Winter 2023-24 print edition of Ninth Letter (with the opportunity to also publish excerpts or full work on ninthletter.com) and two contributors copies. You can read previous Regeneration contest winners for free here.

GENERAL GUIDELINES: Submissions are read anonymously, so neither the author’s name nor any identifying information should appear on the manuscript itself. If the author’s name appears in the poem, story, or essay, please replace with [Author’s Name] or a pseudonym to maintain anonymity. Acceptable file formats are .pdf, .doc, .docx. If you have questions or need clarification, please email ninthletter9@gmail.com.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your submission immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. For flash and poetry, please send a message via Submittable if withdrawing select pieces but not the entire manuscript. Due to logistical and labor considerations, neither refunds nor replacement submissions will be offered for withdrawn manuscripts.

• Prose (fiction, creative nonfiction): Please submit one piece of no more than 8,000 words. You may also submit up to three pieces of flash-fiction or flash-nonfiction as long as the total word count of the submission is no more than 8,000 words.

• Poetry: Please submit up to 5 poems in a single file of no more than 8 pages.

ELIGIBILITY: Writers affiliated with Ninth Letter or the UIUC Creative Writing Department within the last 4 years are not eligible to submit. Any writers with a close, personal connection with the judge that could signify a conflict of interest are not eligible to submit. Regeneration Contest winners within the last 4 years are not eligible to submit.

ninthletter.com/regeneration-literary-contest/

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2025 WNDB Black Creatives Revision Workshop

We Need Diverse Books (WNDB)

DEADLINE: July 1, 2025

INFO: Launched in 2021, WNDB created the Revisions Workshop to help Black writers edit their stories, learn about publishing, and build a creative community within their cohort. Over a six-month period, our workshop participants revise their manuscript with guidance from a dedicated mentor and through faculty-led seminars. 

Workshop attendees must be U.S.-based writers who identify as part of the African diaspora. During the workshop period, attendees will be matched with a published author who will guide them through the process of revising their manuscript.

Throughout the workshop, the attendees will also attend virtual seminars to learn more about the publishing industry, both from editors and agents along with published authors. Each attendee will also receive $1,000 as a grant to help them on their publishing journey.

Upon completion of the program, the attendees’ manuscripts will be submitted to Penguin Random House, which will select two winning manuscripts and that will be considered for publication.

ELIGIBILITY:

The Revisions Workshop is available to: 

• unpublished and un-agented writers based in the U.S.

• who identify as part of the African diaspora and

• who have a fully completed manuscript that a.) features Black protagonists and that b.) focuses on a diverse central subject matter

The work AND the author must not be published, either traditionally, self-published or in any other medium. The submitted manuscript cannot be submitted to other programs designed to lead to publication. 

Applicants who do not have a completed manuscript at the time of application will not be considered. Applicants should only submit one work in one genre. Multiple applications will not be considered.

The submitted manuscript should be:

• Fully written and complete; partially finished drafts are not eligible for submission.

• Unpublished in any form, including individual chapters or short story adaptations.

• Between 30,000 (for middle grade works) and 75,000 words. These word counts are strict; any manuscripts over the word count will not be considered.

• Original work of the participant, not co-written or co-created.

You will be asked to submit your fully completed manuscript to your mentor at the beginning of the program. If you are accepted and unable to produce your manuscript at the outset of the program, you will not be allowed to continue in the program and will not be compensated.

Participants must sign a document committing to submit a final manuscript to PRH at the conclusion of the program.

Applicants may only apply for one of the three mentorship categories: Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Adult. Previous recipients of the WNDB general Mentorship program may not apply for this opportunity.

diversebooks.org/programs/revisionsworkshop

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BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

DEADLINE: July 1, 2025 at 11:59pm EST (late submissions will not be accepted)

INFO: In a year when our festival becomes a Literary Botánica—a sanctuary of memory, resistance, and reimagining—we invite writers across the Caribbean and its diasporas to submit stories that act as remedies for the times we live in.

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.

ELIGIBILITY:

• All entrants must be of Caribbean heritage/of Caribbean descent

• Be a resident of the United States/Canada

• Be over the age of 18 years

• Self-published writers may apply

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

• Stories must be original works of fiction. Work should not be published in any nationally distributed publication

• Word count: 3,000 words or less

HOW TO SUBMIT:

• Contest portal must be used to submit stories

• Emailed manuscripts WILL NOT be considered

• Please review submission guidelines carefully before selecting a category and entering your story

• Errors in category selection will not be corrected on your behalf; requests for the same WILL NOT be accommodated

• If you are uncertain of which category you belong to, send an email to contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• To submit your story, please click the SUBMIT ENTRY button below

• All stories should be submitted in English

• Entrants are allowed one (1) submission only. Entrants may not submit in both categories. Multiple submissions (of stories/award categories) will be rendered ineligible and disqualified from consideration

• Writers who use pen names may not submit multiple entries

• English translations of another language will be accepted    

• Review categories thoroughly to self-determine eligibility. The BCLF will not switch entry categories if there is a user error at selection

• All stories must be the original work of the entrant. The BCLF appreciates your integrity in this regard

• The judges’ decision is final

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL LIST

The writers of the selected stories will be announced in August via email, on our website, Facebook, Instagram account pages, and media partners. For more information, or to become a media partner, please e-mail contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com

PRIZES AND PUBLICATIONS

The writer of the winning story will receive:

• *A US$1,750 cash prize

• BCLF Trophy

• A caché of books courtesy Akashic Books

• A feature episode on the acclaimed BCLF Cocoapod

• Author interview and profile on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival website 

• BCLF branded merchandise

• Winner will be published in PREE

• Winner will be published in Carib News

bklyncbeanlitfest.org/2025-bclf-short-fiction-story-caribbean-american

_____

BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

DEADLINE: July 1, 2025 at 11:59pm EST (late submissions will not be accepted)

INFO: In a year when our festival becomes a Literary Botánica—a sanctuary of memory, resistance, and reimagining—we invite writers across the Caribbean and its diasporas to submit stories that act as remedies for the times we live in.

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.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Exclusively open to unpublished and published writers who were born/raised and holding nationality in the Caribbean

• You may submit if you are currently on temporary assignment elsewhere in the world (except the US and Canada)

• Submitted stories must be original works of fiction

• Be over the age of 18 years

• All writers regardless of their publishing status may apply

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

• Stories must be original works of fiction

• Word count: 3,000 words or less

HOW TO SUBMIT:

• Contest portal must be used to submit stories

• Emailed manuscripts WILL NOT be considered

• Please review submission guidelines carefully before selecting a category and entering your story

• Errors in category selection will not be corrected on your behalf; requests for the same WILL NOT be accommodated

• If you are uncertain of which category you belong to, send an email to contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• To submit your story, please click the SUBMIT ENTRY button below

• All stories should be submitted in English

• Entrants are allowed one (1) submission only. Entrants may not submit in both categories. Multiple submissions (of stories/award categories) will be rendered ineligible and disqualified from consideration

• Writers who use pen names may not submit multiple entries

• English translations of another language will be accepted    

• Review categories thoroughly to self-determine eligibility. The BCLF will not switch entry categories if there is a user error at selection

• All stories must be the original work of the entrant. The BCLF appreciates your integrity in this regard

• The judges’ decision is final

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL LIST

The writers of the selected stories will be announced in August via email, on our website, Facebook, Instagram account pages, and media partners. For more information, or to become a media partner, please e-mail contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com

PRIZES AND PUBLICATIONS

• *A US$1,750 cash prize

• BCLF Trophy

• A caché of books courtesy Akashic Books

• A feature episode on the acclaimed BCLF Cocoapod

• Author interview and profile on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival website 

• BCLF branded merchandise

• Winner will be published in PREE

• Winner will be published in Carib News

bklyncbeanlitfest.org/2025-bclf-short-fiction-story-writers-in-the-caribbean

_____

Black Women’s History Series Incubator

The University of North Carolina Press

DEADLINE: July 1, 2025

INFO: The editors of the Black Women’s History series invite applications for the series’ annual incubator. Authors who are currently completing a book-length manuscript on Black women’s history are encouraged to apply. Applications will be due in May for an incubator to take place the following Spring semester. One to two applicants will be selected and have the opportunity to receive feedback on their work-in-progress from series editors (Dr. Talitha L. LeFlouria, Dr. Ashley D. Farmer, and Dr. Daina Ramey Berry) as well as other invited interlocutors in their field.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

To complete the application, please be prepared to upload:

• A cover letter with key details about the project and your interest in the series and incubator.

• A project abstract that does not exceed 500 words.

• A 2-page CV or resume.

• A polished sample chapter. 

Selected authors will be notified September 1, 2025.

Please contact Dawn Durante at dawn.durante@uncpress.org with questions about the incubator.

uncpress.org/black-womens-history-series-incubator/

_____

The Kyoto Retreat 2025

DEADLINE: July 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $95.00

INFO: The Kyoto Retreat is a new program created by Japan-based, independent curator Dexter Wimberly. The Kyoto Retreat offers artists, curators, and writers, based anywhere in the world, an opportunity to spend four weeks in Kyoto, Japan, for research, exploration, and inspiration. If selected for the retreat, you will receive a roundtrip flight, a private bedroom, and $800 USD to supplement meals and local transportation.

We select artists, curators, and writers at all career stages, working in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, interdisciplinary, and social practice. Individuals must be over 21 years old to apply.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Individuals selected for the retreat will be notified by August 15, 2025

• The inaugural Kyoto Retreat will take place from October 16 - November 13, 2025

kyotoretreat.com

_____

CALL FOR PITCHES: AAPI WRITERS BASED IN NYC

The AMP

DEADLINE: Ongoing

INFO: The Amp is an online magazine from the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) that celebrates the vibrant, multifaceted, and rich AAPI cultural community in NYC and beyond. Through critical essays and reviews, thoughtful profiles, and insightful interviews, we aim to serve as an evolving record of and voice for AAPI art and artists.

SUBMISSIONS:

Want to write for The Amp? We welcome you to pitch us! We publish stories that are by and for the AAPI community, showcasing visual art, theater, dance, film, music, and everything in between.

To pitch, email theamp@aaartsalliance.org with the article category in the subject line (ie: Review, Profile, Essay, Interview, etc.) followed by a pithy working title. It should look something like this:

“Essay Pitch: Writing the Story of AAPI Art and Culture”

From there, describe what and why you are pitching in 3-5 sentences; what is the story and why is it important that it’s covered in The Amp? Please include any relevant time pegs as well as an estimated word count.

Finally, introduce yourself. Previous bylines or writing samples are always appreciated.

The Amp offers flat fees at a rate of $.40 per word, rounded down to the nearest hundred words (e.g. $240 for 600 words).

Please note: Due to limited bandwidth, The Amp can only cover events and artists that are based in the NYC area. We also do not publish features by artists writing about their own work, however we welcome you to share upcoming events for potential coverage, or submit the event to A4’s community calendar.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Essays: 800-1,000 words that identify a cultural zeitgeist and important, prescient themes within the AAPI cultural community.

Reviews: 300-500 words on recent or current events, exhibitions, publications, etc. These should have an angle or specific point of view and be overall celebratory while still remaining critical.

Profiles: 500-800 word profiles that spotlight AAPI who are shaping the cultural landscape in NYC, from artists to arts administrators, organizers, and collectors. These profiles are a testament to the fact that culture cannot exist without community.

Interviews: A conversation between cultural figures around a specific theme or a direct interview with a single subject.

Email: theamp@aaartsalliance.org

aaartsalliance.org/magazine/about

_____

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: CRITICAL ESSAYS

The Margins

DEADLINE: Ongoing

INFO: The Margins is open year-round to pitches and submissions of critical essays on Asian American literature, film, visual art, and culture.

We specifically seek essays that—through close engagement with art—might challenge the Asian American community to think or act in a new way. We are open to criticism of any artform, of works from any time period, so long as the writer speaks in some way to how we live now. Critics are encouraged to foreground their own voice and style in the pursuit of this goal, but should ultimately keep focus on their chosen objects of study.

Possible forms include but are not limited to:

• A review of a single title with ambitions and analysis that extend beyond the title under review. E.g., “The Banality of Hate” by Sanjena Sathian (The Margins)

• An essay where personal experience or voice is used to drive a critical study. E.g., “Death, Mediated” by Ismail Ibrahim (The Margins)

• A study of an emerging phenomenon—referencing multiple recent works—with an eye toward the future. E.g., “Mixed-Race Metaphor” by Andrea Long Chu (Vulture)

• A critique of a persistent, underexamined issue in our literature or literary community. E.g., “Blunt-Force Ethnic Credibility” by Som-Mai Nguyen (Astra)

• An essay that puts new work into conversation with older works (or emerging artists into conversation with established artists) to make an argument about the evolution of a form or genre. E.g., “Controlled” by Noor Qasim (The Drift)

Additional notes on book reviews: We prefer criticism of works by more established writers, or posthumous criticism. We are generally not interested in list-style or roundup reviews, but are open to pieces that put multiple books in conversation with each other, or to reviews of anthologies. It is useful, but not a requirement, for a pitch to be timed to a publication date.

Send pitches of up to 500 words or drafts from 1,500-3,000 words to Spencer Quong, criticism editor, at criticism@aaww.org. Writers can expect a reply within two months. Please do not use the criticism@aaww.org inbox to pitch interviews.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

aaww.org/criticism/

FICTION / NONFICTION — MAY 2025

call for pitches: aapi writers based in nyc

The AMP

DEADLINE: Ongoing

INFO: The Amp is an online magazine from the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) that celebrates the vibrant, multifaceted, and rich AAPI cultural community in NYC and beyond. Through critical essays and reviews, thoughtful profiles, and insightful interviews, we aim to serve as an evolving record of and voice for AAPI art and artists.

SUBMISSIONS:

Want to write for The Amp? We welcome you to pitch us! We publish stories that are by and for the AAPI community, showcasing visual art, theater, dance, film, music, and everything in between.

To pitch, email theamp@aaartsalliance.org with the article category in the subject line (ie: Review, Profile, Essay, Interview, etc.) followed by a pithy working title. It should look something like this:

“Essay Pitch: Writing the Story of AAPI Art and Culture”

From there, describe what and why you are pitching in 3-5 sentences; what is the story and why is it important that it’s covered in The Amp? Please include any relevant time pegs as well as an estimated word count.

Finally, introduce yourself. Previous bylines or writing samples are always appreciated.

The Amp offers flat fees at a rate of $.40 per word, rounded down to the nearest hundred words (e.g. $240 for 600 words).

Please note: Due to limited bandwidth, The Amp can only cover events and artists that are based in the NYC area. We also do not publish features by artists writing about their own work, however we welcome you to share upcoming events for potential coverage, or submit the event to A4’s community calendar.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Essays: 800-1,000 words that identify a cultural zeitgeist and important, prescient themes within the AAPI cultural community.

Reviews: 300-500 words on recent or current events, exhibitions, publications, etc. These should have an angle or specific point of view and be overall celebratory while still remaining critical.

Profiles: 500-800 word profiles that spotlight AAPI who are shaping the cultural landscape in NYC, from artists to arts administrators, organizers, and collectors. These profiles are a testament to the fact that culture cannot exist without community.

Interviews: A conversation between cultural figures around a specific theme or a direct interview with a single subject.

Email: theamp@aaartsalliance.org

aaartsalliance.org/magazine/about

_____

call for submissions: critical essays

The Margins

DEADLINE: Ongoing

INFO: The Margins is open year-round to pitches and submissions of critical essays on Asian American literature, film, visual art, and culture.

We specifically seek essays that—through close engagement with art—might challenge the Asian American community to think or act in a new way. We are open to criticism of any artform, of works from any time period, so long as the writer speaks in some way to how we live now. Critics are encouraged to foreground their own voice and style in the pursuit of this goal, but should ultimately keep focus on their chosen objects of study.

Possible forms include but are not limited to:

• A review of a single title with ambitions and analysis that extend beyond the title under review. E.g., “The Banality of Hate” by Sanjena Sathian (The Margins)

• An essay where personal experience or voice is used to drive a critical study. E.g., “Death, Mediated” by Ismail Ibrahim (The Margins)

• A study of an emerging phenomenon—referencing multiple recent works—with an eye toward the future. E.g., “Mixed-Race Metaphor” by Andrea Long Chu (Vulture)

• A critique of a persistent, underexamined issue in our literature or literary community. E.g., “Blunt-Force Ethnic Credibility” by Som-Mai Nguyen (Astra)

• An essay that puts new work into conversation with older works (or emerging artists into conversation with established artists) to make an argument about the evolution of a form or genre. E.g., “Controlled” by Noor Qasim (The Drift)

Additional notes on book reviews: We prefer criticism of works by more established writers, or posthumous criticism. We are generally not interested in list-style or roundup reviews, but are open to pieces that put multiple books in conversation with each other, or to reviews of anthologies. It is useful, but not a requirement, for a pitch to be timed to a publication date.

Send pitches of up to 500 words or drafts from 1,500-3,000 words to Spencer Quong, criticism editor, at criticism@aaww.org. Writers can expect a reply within two months. Please do not use the criticism@aaww.org inbox to pitch interviews.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

aaww.org/criticism/

_____

U.S. WRITERS AID INITIATIVE

PEN America

DEADLINE: May 2, 2025

INFO: PEN America is an organization of writers and their allies, and that solidarity is never more important than when members of our literary community face crises. PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative, part of the PEN America Writers Emergency Fund, offers grants for writers in the United States facing acute financial need following an emergency situation.

The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is intended to assist fiction and nonfiction authors, poets, playwrights, translators, and journalists in addressing short-term financial emergencies. To be eligible, applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. The fund is limited, and not every application can be supported. Grant decisions are made on a quarterly basis by a volunteer committee of literary peers in consultation with PEN America staff, using the following guidelines to evaluate professional credentials:

• Publication of one or more books. (Writers who are only self-published or published by a press that charges for publication are not eligible.)

• Multiple essays, short stories, or poems appearing in literary anthologies or literary journals (either online or in print) in the last two years.

• A full-length play, performed in a theater by a professional theater company. Productions in academic settings qualify if the author is not a student at the time of the production.

• Employment as a full-time professional journalist, columnist, or critic, or a record of consistent publication on a freelance basis in a range of outlets during the last two years.

• Contracted forthcoming books, essays, short stories, poems, or articles for which the name of the publisher can be provided.

• Other qualifications that support the applicant’s professional identity as a writer.

• The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is not intended to subsidize writing-related expenses, such as residencies, sabbaticals, computers, printing, shipping, travel, or publicity services. Applications received on or before the following quarterly deadlines will be reviewed before the last day of that month.

ELIGIBILITY: Writers currently enrolled in degree-granting programs are also not eligible. Writers do not have to be Members of PEN America to receive a grant, but all recipients of emergency funding will be given a complimentary one-year PEN America membership.

PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is made possible by generous support from an anonymous donor , PEN America Members, and other supporters. Questions may be addressed to writersfund@pen.org

pen.org/us-writers-aid-initiative/

_____

LITERATURE GRANT

Cafe Royal Cultural Foundation

DEADLINE: May 5, 2025 (or if we reach our limit of 40 applications, which ever comes first)

INFO: The world is a story and the writer, the story teller. In writing stories we are trying to make sense of our world by seeking what is real, by rejecting what is false, and by exercising the greatest of our mortal gifts in pursuit of the immortal.

DESCRIPTION: Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a writing grant to authors of fiction / creative nonfiction and poetry.  

SUBMISSIONS: To ensure that each submission receives the attention it deserves we will be only accepting 40 applications for each of our categories.

AMOUNTS: Up to $10,000.00  

ELIGIBILITY:

• Authors in fiction / creative non-fiction and poetry (*please see note regarding plays below)

• The applicant must be the originator of the written material.

• Grants will not be made for the purpose of research only. 

• Grants will not be made for equipment.

• Writers applying applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

Grants awarded in this category may fund costs associated with continuing the composition of work submitted. Such as:

• Course Reduction (if you're a Teacher/Professor)

• Salary Replacement

• Living Expenses

• Research Expenses

• Travel Research Expenses

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Up to and no more than a 15 page PDF of the work, for the Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection and Executive Committee to download and read. Please make sure your links are correct and not password protected. If they are not correct or have password protection your application will be declined and not reviewed by the Selection Committee.

• A short description of the project.

• A short author biography of the person(s) involved.

• Budget must not exceed the amount of $10,000.00.

• List of costs of how you plan to use the grant funds.
  (Please review our lists of Approved and Ineligible Budget Items for Literature Grant Funds, located below)

• Travel and Research costs within the United States must demonstrate a direct correlation to the project for which you are applying.

• You may not apply for International Travel and Research Costs.

• If you are hiring fact checkers / editors / research assistants please be aware that we prefer that individuals providing these services are located in the NYC area.

• Writers applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

• We ask that the completion of your manuscript is no sooner than 90 days after this application's due date (no sooner than August 1, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than June 17, 2026).

• Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

• You may apply in a different cycle with a different project.

• * Regarding Plays - We Don’t offer support for playwrights in our literature category, we encourage playwrights with a finished script to apply for a grant in our Performance category which offers funding for stage production.  

caferoyalculturalfoundation.org/literature-page

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2025 ARTS WRITERS GRANT

The Andy Warhol Foundation

DEADLINE: May 7, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant supports emerging and established writers who write about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in three categories—articles, books, and short-form writing—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies.

We also support art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply.

Writers are invited to apply in one of the following categories:

• Article

• Books

• Short-Form Writing

To be eligible for this grant, an arts writer must be:

• an individual;

• applying for a project about contemporary visual art;

• an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or a writer in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts;

• a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);

• at least twenty-five years old by Oct 1 in the application year;

• a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on grant category; see the project-specific eligibility requirements).

• By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art.

An arts writer is NOT eligible for this grant if they are:

• applying on behalf of an organization;

• applying for a project in which their primary involvement will be as an editor;

• a full-time student in a degree-granting program (with the exception of those students who are simultaneously maintaining professional careers as arts writers);

• an artist, writer, or curator writing an interpretive essay on their own practice;

• applying for a project that is primarily fiction, poetry (including ekphrasis), or memoir;

• applying for a project based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis;

• applying to conduct a Q&A interview (or series of Q&A interviews);

• applying to assemble an archive or database;

• applying for a project on Andy Warhol;

• applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;

• applying for a Creative Capital Award for any project in the same grant year (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a Creative Capital Award (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a curatorial research fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (including as a collaborator);

• a grantee of The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant;

• a recent juror of the program (evaluators are eligible to apply after one grant cycle; panelists are eligible after two grant cycles);

• a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or The Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.

artswriters.org/application/

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CARE IN PRECARITY: AN OPEN CALL FOR CARIBBEAN WRITERS

Burnaway / Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute

DEADLINE: May 8, 2025 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Burnaway and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) are pleased to announce our new collaboration: Care in Precarity, an open call for Caribbean writers to reflect on practices of care in the context of climate-based instability and crisis. This partnership is representative of our organizations’ shared commitments to amplifying Caribbean creative culture, engaging with community beyond linguistic barriers, and exploring the intersections of art, culture, and care in the face of climate crisis and systemic inequities.

Burnaway is an online art magazine that celebrates art from the American South and the Caribbean, while CCCADI is a New York-based cultural institution dedicated to preserving and promoting African diasporic cultures through arts, education, and activism. Working toward bridging some of the linguistic siloing of the region, pitches for Care in Precarity will be accepted in both Spanish and English, with CCCADI supporting translation alongside Burnaway’s Editorial Assistant Isabella Marie Garcia. In addition to Garcia and Natalie Willis Whylly (Caribbean Editor-At-Large) is CCCADI’s Lead for the CROSSROADS program, Dr. Marissel Hernánndez Romero, who will join the Burnaway team in the selection panel for the open call as well as community outreach. 

 “At CCCADI, we recognize that shaping meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations is essential,” said Melody Capote, Executive Director of CCCADI. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to fostering creative and intellectual exchange that uplifts the experiences of Caribbean communities. It is through these intentional efforts that we continue to build a more inclusive and representative cultural realm.” 

Together, we invite writers to reflect on the unique ways we show collective care as a region (for the landscape, community, ancestors, and memory), and how this serves as a vital practice in a moment of ongoing climate crisis. Celebrating the similarities and divergences of the Caribbean, Capote adds, “We hope it creates a space where artists, scholars, and cultural workers from different Caribbean nations can find resonance in each other’s work.” Care in the context of this open call could mean tending to an ancestral altar, engaging in environmental activism, offering a sharp critique of colonial legacies, or speaking a soft word to those who most need to hear it. 

Natalie Willis Whylly, Burnaway’s Caribbean Editor-at-Large, shares: “Care in Precarity is a heartfelt invitation to Caribbean creative community to reflect on the ways we use care as a radical act of survival and solidarity, contributing to a deeper understanding of how this collective care has historically sustained us in times of crisis.”

Isabella Marie Garcia, Burnaway’s Editorial Assistant, states: “My initial entry into working with Burnaway was through participating in the 2022 Arts Writing Incubator, where the overarching theme was Criticism as Care. As a bilingual woman of Caribbean descent myself who advocates for care matrices wherever possible, I’m honored to uplift the language accessibility of the selected writers and increase reader visibility towards the Caribbean.”

To be considered eligible for the open call, applicants must meet and agree to the following criteria:

• Be a writer living in the Caribbean or in the Caribbean diaspora,  including those without tertiary education or professional arts experience. Pitches are particularly encouraged from those who are a part of marginalized and underserved demographics, keeping postcolonial ethics of care, healing and support in mind.

• Submissions accepted in English and Spanish. Writing will be published in both English and Spanish in a spirit of bolstering connection between linguistic regions of the Caribbean.

• Pitches must reflect on practices of care in the context of climate-based instability and crisis within the Caribbean i.e. how artists are navigating migration within an island induced by rising sea levels or a group exhibition that responds to issues surrounding infrastructure such as damaged residential homes, coastal populations, and food insecurity. For more information on conflict of interest and pitching policies, click here.

• The format of the piece can take the form of essays, artist profiles, interviews, dispatches, and other experimental art writing, with an intended word count of 1,000–1,500 words. Compensation for the selected pieces published by Burnaway will be $0.30 per word (USD).

To apply to the open call or if you have any questions, please email caribbean@burnaway.org by Thursday, May 8th at 11:59pm EST

burnaway.org/daily/burnaway-announces-open-call-collaboration-with-cccadi/

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2025-2026 EMERGING CRITICS FELLOWSHIP

National Book Critics Circle

DEADLINE: May 9 at 11:59 pm PT

INFO: The National Book Critics Circle’s Emerging Critics Fellowship seeks to identify, nurture, and support the development of the next generation of book critics.

ELIGIBILITY: The Emerging Critics Fellowship is open to critics of all experience levels who seek to review and write about books for print and digital outlets. Applicants may or may not have previously published book reviews. The NBCC seeks a broad range of diverse applicants, especially those who have demonstrated a genuine interest and commitment to engaging in a critical conversation about books. Applicants must be 21 years or older.

Applicants do not need to be U.S. permanent residents and/or citizens to apply. However, applicants should be available to participate in mandatory Emerging Critics Fellowship programming and events for the duration of their term, including virtual workshops, events, and gatherings (scheduled during evenings/weekends, Eastern/Pacific Time Zones). Applicants must also be willing to communicate regularly with mentors and their fellow emerging critics via email, phone, and message board. The NBCC Emerging Critics Program is an interactive, participatory program guided by the philosophy that critical thought can be fostered and enriched through dialogue within a cohort of similarly-interested critics.

At the NBCC, we are invested in encouraging people who are great thinkers and writers but who need support along the path to becoming an active critic. Our fellowship aims to break down financial and geographical barriers for emerging critics. In particular, BIPOC critics, LGBTQIA+ critics, critics with disabilities, and critics from historically resilient communities are encouraged to apply.

THE FELLOWSHIP:

• Over the course of the one-year fellowship, emerging critics will receive:

• One-on-one mentorship from board members

• Small group Q&A with board members

• Small group professional development/ craft lectures over Zoom

• Dues-free NBCC membership, admission to NBCC events, and annual reception for one year

TO APPLY:

Fill out the contact form and include your name/pronunciation, pronouns, phone number, email address, website, two references, and a short bio (50-100 words).

Upload as attachments:

• Resume/CV (1 page)

• Statement of purpose (300-500 words): What are your interests? How will you benefit from the NBCC Emerging Critics Fellowship program? Why are you an ideal candidate?

• 3 writing samples demonstrating critical thought

bookcritics.org/emerging-critics/fellowship/

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Adroit Prize for POETRY + PROSE

The Adroit Journal

DEADLINE: Extended to May 11, 2025

INFO: The Adroit Prizes are awarded annually to two students of secondary or undergraduate status. We're fortunate to receive exceptional work from emerging writers in high school and college, and the best of the best will be recognized by the Adroit Prizes.

The 2025 Adroit Prize for Poetry will be selected by Danez Smith. The 2025 Adroit Prize for Prose will be selected by Aria Aber.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

All secondary and undergraduate students are eligible, including international students and students who have graduated a semester early (in this case, in December 2024). Each poetry submission may include up to five poems (maximum of ten pages single-spaced). Each prose submission may include up to three works of fiction or creative nonfiction (combined word limit of 3,500 words; excerpts are acceptable). 

Each student may send up to five separate submissions for the Adroit Prize for Poetry (each with up to five poems) and up to five separate submissions for the Adroit Prize for Prose (each with up to three works of prose), totaling ten separate submissions. 

Poems and prose pieces included in submissions may be sent to other contests and publications as well (but please disclose simultaneously submitted work in your cover letter), and may have been previously recognized by other organizations and/or featured in campus-wide publications. If work under consideration is accepted elsewhere, submitters should reach out promptly by adding a note to the corresponding submission on Submittable.

All submitted poems and prose pieces will be considered for publication in the Adroit Journal.

PRIZE: Winners will be awarded $200, and their work—along with the work of runners-up—will be featured in the Adroit Journal. Runners-up and finalists will receive a copy of the judges' latest book.

To accommodate this while offering free online issues, we have set a non-refundable submission fee of $15. If you require financial assistance, please download this form and follow the instructions.

Please direct any questions to editors@theadroitjournal.org. 

2025 JUDGES:

Aria Aber (Prose) was born and raised in Germany and now lives in the United States. Her first novel GOOD GIRL is was published from Hogarth (US) in 2024 and Bloomsbury (UK) in 2025, and will be translated into German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, and Japanese. Her debut poetry collection, Hard Damage, won the Prairie Schooner Book Prize and the Whiting Award. She is a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford and graduate student at USC, and her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, New Republic, The Yale Review, Granta, and elsewhere. Raised speaking Farsi and German, she writes in her third language, English. She serves as the poetry editor of Amulet, as a contributing editor at The Yale Review, and works as an assistant professor of Creative Writing at the University of Vermont. Aber divides her time between Vermont and Brooklyn.

Danez Smith (Poetry) is the author of four poetry collections: [insert] boy, Don’t Call Us Dead, Homie, and, most recently, Bluff.  They are also the curator of Blues In Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes. For their work, Danez was won the Forward Prize for Best Collection, the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry, the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and have been a finalist for the NAACP Image Award in Poetry, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the National Book Award, as well as an array of grants, fellowships, and residencies including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the Princeton Arts Fellowship. Danez lives in the Twin Cities with their people and teaches at the Randolph College MFA program and the Black Youth Healing Arts Center in St. Paul, MN. 

adroit.submittable.com/submit

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Creative Nonfiction Summer Essay Contest

Prairie Schooner

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: Each year, the Schooner accepts submissions to the Summer Creative Nonfiction Contest, open to all types of creative nonfiction essays, up to 5,000 words.

PRIZE: Winner receives $1,000 and publication in the following Spring issue.

JUDGE: The guest judge for the 2025 contest is Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of Bite by Bite and World of Wonders.

GUIDELINES: Entries should include a cover letter with the submission’s title and your contact information. Your name and contact information shouldn’t appear anywhere on the manuscript. Multiple submissions are encouraged, but an entry fee must be paid for each submission. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, provided you withdraw your work promptly should it be accepted for publication elsewhere. We do not consider work that has been previously published anywhere, including online publications.

We prefer electronic submissions via Submittable, but we also accept hard copy submissions. Hard copy submissions should follow the above guidelines, and should be printed single-sided. A self-addressed, stamped envelope must accompany the submission, which may be sent to the attention of the editor at:

ATTN: CNF Editor(s)
Summer Essay Contest
Prairie Schooner
110 Andrews Hall
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0334

prairieschooner.unl.edu/submit/creative-nonfiction-summer-essay-contest/

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2025 Emerging Writer’s Contest

Ploughshares

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: 

• Current Members: $0 

• Non-Members: $30

INFO: The Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. We consider authors “emerging” if they haven’t published or self-published a book in any genre.

One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. The winners will also receive a conversation with our partnering literary agency, Aevitas Creative Management, regarding their work and writing careers. 

The 2025 contest judges are R . O. Kwon in fiction, Joshua Bennett in poetry, and Elisa Gabbert in nonfiction. 

GUIDELINES:

PUBLICATION: The winning story, essay, and poems from the 2025 contest will be published in the Winter 2025-26 issue of Ploughshares. 

ELIGIBILITY:

You are eligible if you:

• Have not published a book or chapbook in any genre.

• Have no book or chapbook forthcoming before April 15, 2026.

• Are not currently affiliated with Emerson College or with Ploughshares as a volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.

• Will not have a relationship with Emerson College before April 15, 2026 (example: if there is a chance you will attend the Emerson MFA program in the coming year or if your work has been accepted for publication for an upcoming issue).

SUBMITTING:

We accept fiction and nonfiction up to 6,000 words and 3-5 pages of poetry. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.

• Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager. 

• No entries via email or mail will be considered for the contest.

• Submitted work must be original and previously unpublished in any form.

• Please remove all identifying information from your manuscript as it will be read anonymously.

• For poetry, we will be reading both for the strongest individual poem and the general level of work, and maychoose to publish one, some, or all of the winner’s submitted poems.

• We cannot accommodate revisions once a manuscript has been submitted.

• If submitting work with images, please acquire permission beforehand and, if possible, ensure any images are high resolution (300 dpi).

• We strongly encourage typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced), and numbered pages.

SIMULTANEOUS vs. MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: We only consider one submission per author for the duration of the contest, regardless of genre. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are fine as long as we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere via email (pshares@pshares.org) or our online contact form. 

ENTRY FEE: If you are a current subscriber, your contest entry is free of charge. Make sure you are logged into your account before you begin the submission process. You will still be prompted to “checkout” but you will not be required to enter payment information and will not be charged. 

If you are not a subscriber, the submission manager will prompt you to pay the $30 fee at checkout. The fee includes a 1-year print and digital subscription to Ploughshares and free submissions to the 2025 regular reading period (June 1-January 15). 

pshares.org/submit/emerging-writers-contest/

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Mineral Arts & Residencies FELLOWSHIPS

Mineral Arts & Residencies (Mineral, WA)

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: Mineral Arts & Residencies (formerly Mineral School) is an artists residency founded in a former 1947 elementary school near Mt. Rainier, in Mineral, Washington. During 2025 and the first half of 2026, we'll host 32 creative people during six sessions ranging from one to two weeks in length, providing them with time, space, nutritious food, community, and access to the outdoors as well as the wild and wonderful energy of the region.

During 2025-2026, we are able to offer 11 fellowships so writers and artists may attend residency at no cost; fellowshipped writers are provided with travel assistance to Mineral from within the I-5 corridor between Portland and Seattle. Otherwise, one-week residency costs $450 and two-week residency costs $900, which includes all meals, linens, and programming. 

FELLOWSHIPS:

• June Dodge Fellowships (8) are open to poets or writers from the Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) or the provinces of western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon) and whose work is inspired by adventure, travel, the outdoors, and a feisty won't-give-up spirit. Though named for a woman, applicants of any identity may apply! These fellowships fund a two-week residency and include transit to Mineral from Portland, Seattle, or points between along I-5.

• The Tahoma Literary Review Fellowship (1) will offer one writer of poetry or prose who identifies as part of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color) community support for a two-week residency. Applicants may request that their submission be read solely for residency or also considered for publication in Tahoma Literary Review. TLR is supporting this fellowship and publication opportunity to recognize and uplift BIPOC voices. The fellowship also includes travel assistance from points between Portland, OR and Seattle, WA along the I-5 corridor, if needed.

• The Mona Lisa Roberts Visual Artist Fellowship  (1) supports a two-week residency for one visual artist who self-identifies as LGBTQ+ and lives in the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) or the provinces of western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon). This fellowship funds a two-week residency any month. Depending on the medium and artist preference, the accepted artist can work in the studio room where they also sleep, spread out in the gym, or work outdoors.

• The Erin Donovan Writing Fellowship (1) supports one woman writer at midlife (40+). A fan of small town culture, travel, dive bars, nature, wordplay, and late-night talks about the meaning of life, Erin Donovan lived with abandon. Her friends and family co-created a fellowship in her memory open to applicants from the states where Erin lived. This residency is open to a woman-identifying writer of poetry or prose living in Massachusetts, New York, Washington, or Oregon, who is at least 40, and whose writing expresses wit and compassion. This fellowship funds the two-week residency fee and offers travel support upon proof of travel purchase or mileage, up to $175 (OR/WA) or $400 (NY/MA).

welcometomars.submittable.com/submit

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Summer 2025 digital residency: The Workshop

Seventh Wave

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: We are thrilled to open up applications for our Summer 2025 digital residency, The Workshop. For more information about this program, please visit our site here. We have summarized some of the most pertinent information below: 

• The logistics: The Workshop is a genre-agnostic writing program that includes five sessions across five weeks, a space for creatives to share their works-in-progress with a purposefully curated group of writers, artists, and activists. In 2025, we will be running one intake in the summer, with two cohorts of 7 residents. Each session is 2 hours long. 

• Benefits: Over the course of five weeks, residents will have the chance to experience the Seventh Wave's take on the traditional model, one that centers the writer as the expert of their own piece. Each resident will be workshopped once, and receive extensive written and verbal feedback from their cohort, as well as from their facilitator. Residents are also encouraged to sign up for a one-on-one session with their facilitator to discuss their workshop experience and next steps for their piece.

• Costs: This program costs $450, which is $90 per session. There will be limited financial aid available for selected residents.

• Application materials: In addition to general information, the primary requirement is responding to our statement of interest questions, which are an opportunity to tell us about you, your work, and why you want to join the residency. All applicants are also required to share the piece they are looking to bring to The Workshop if they are accepted. 

• Zoom info sessions. Seventh Wave will be hosting a Zoom info session in April to answer any and all questions about application requirements and the program in general. You'll see our announcement for this via newsletter and social media.

theseventhwave.org/programs/digital-residencies/the-workshop/

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call for mentors + mentees: Girls Write Now Summer Cycle

Girls Write Now

DEADLINE: Extended to May 15, 2025

INFO: Girls Write Now is a national nonprofit dedicated to connecting young women and gender expansive youth with mentors. For nearly three decades, they have broken down the barriers of gender, age, race, and poverty to mentor, teach, and connect writers and leaders across disciplines and around the nation.

They are currently seeking mentors and mentees for their Summer Cycle, which runs from July 1 to September 31. Girls Write Now hosts a number of Journeys, which are focused on topics such as Teleplays: Writing for TV and Book Club: Summer Read.

In these Journeys, women and gender expansive mentors work one-on-one with mentees aged 14-24 to set goals, write together, and form important connections.

You can find the complete list of Journeys here: https://girlswritenow.org/journeys/

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2025/26 LITERARY ARTS RESIDENCY PROGRAM

The Studios of Key West

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $45

INFO: The Studios of Key West, the premier arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, offers a residency program for emerging and established artists and writers from around the world. We provide residencies to visual artists, writers, composers, musicians, media artists, performers, and interdisciplinary artists.

The program grants nearly 40 artists each year the time and space to imagine new artistic work, engage in valuable dialogue and explore island connections.

The Studios’ residency program is community-based and built upon the hope that visiting artists will take inspiration from Key West’s rich artistic past and present, and will engage with — and be inspired by — the remarkable people and culture that surrounds them.

skw.org/pear-program/

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Monson Arts FALL residency program

Monson Arts (Maine)

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

INFO: Monson Arts’ residency program supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. During each of our 2-week and 4-week programs throughout the year, a cohort of 5 artists and 5 writers are invited to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment. They receive a private studio, private bedroom in shared housing, all meals, and $500 stipend ($250 for 2-week programs). The Abbott Watts Residency for Photography offers access to the photography studio and darkroom of Todd Watts in nearby Blanchard, adjacent to the former home of Berenice Abbott. Click here to read more about this unique opportunity specifically for photographers.

Applications for a residency at Monson Arts are open to anyone at any stage of their career, working in visual arts, writing, and related fields (i.e. audio, video, photography, woodworking, movement, screen and playwrights). Open calls for residency applications currently take place 3 times throughout the year with deadlines on January 15, May 15, and September 15. Each application period corresponds to specific residency offerings 3-6 months out.

Residents’ studios are located in newly renovated Main Street buildings that have been designed specifically for visual artists and writers. All of our studio spaces are outfitted to be as flexible as possible so that we can accommodate a variety of creative practices. Our visual arts studios are spacious and light-filled with large work tables and sinks. Shelving and portable storage carts are available as needed. Access is available to woodshop and metal shop facilities in nearby buildings for any fabrication needs. Our writing studios are comfortably furnished with work tables, office chairs, bookshelves, and reading chairs. For those working in time and sound based media: apply to the Writing category if quiet contemplation would be best for your project or the Visual Arts category if you need room and the opportunity to make and play sounds out loud.

Residents live in newly renovated historic homes throughout town, within walking distance to studios and everything that downtown Monson has to offer. These are mostly 3 bedroom structures that are fully furnished and comfortable all four seasons of the year. Houses all have shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas with laundry machines, telephone, and other amenities as well. Wifi is available in all of our buildings through high speed fiberoptic service.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:

• Up to 5 images / 5 minutes of media OR 5 pages of writing examples

• A letter of intent for your time at the residency

• C.V. or Resume (limited to 6000 characters)

• Two reference names

FALL 2025 RESIDENCY SCHEDULE

• Sep 8 – Sep 18 : 2 week (with Abbott Watts)

• Sep 22 – Oct 16: 4 week

• Oct 20 – Nov 13: 4 week (with Abbott Watts)

monsonarts.org/residencies/overview/

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VCCA FULLY-FUNDED FELLOWSHIPS

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

INFO: In residencies ranging from one to six weeks, Fellows have the freedom to work individually and interact with 20+ writers, visual artists, and composers in residence. Returning and first-time Fellows combine to create a mutually supportive and inspiring community of peers.

Mt. San Angelo offers artists a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a separate individual studio, and three meals each day, all within sight of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

VCCA is proud to offer a rotating selection of fully-funded fellowships.

The following fully-funded fellowships are available for the Spring 2026 residency period at Mt. San Angelo in Amherst, Virginia.

BARBARA CROOKER CAREGIVING FELLOWSHIP

Who: Artists in any discipline who are caregivers to an ill or disabled family member
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

RICHARD E. CYTOWIC NONFICTION FELLOWSHIP

Who: Writers of long-form nonfiction, with preference given to writers who are gay, residents of Washington D.C., or caregivers to an ill or disabled family member
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

JACQUES AND NATASHA GELMAN FELLOWSHIP

Who: Visual artists, with preference given to those of African American and Latin American descent
What: Two-week or one-month residency at Mt. San Angelo; $1,000 honorarium
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

GOLDFARB FAMILY FELLOWSHIP

Who: Writers of creative nonfiction
What: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

GREATER OPPORTUNITY FELLOWSHIPS

Who: Artists in any discipline who have not previously been in residence at VCCA, with preference given to those who self-identify as people of color
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

MONTANA FELLOWSHIP

Who: Artists in any discipline who live in Montana
What: One-month residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

RICHARD S. AND JULIA LOUISE REYNOLDS POETRY FELLOWSHIP

Who: Poets
What: Three-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2026 (January – April)

vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/

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Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award

Trio House Press

DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: The Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award is open to ALL living authors, regardless of publication history. 

Notification of our winners and finalists is posted on our web page and announced through social media during the summer months.  Please check our website for results. If you are a finalist, semi-finalist, or the winner, you will be personally notified.  

• Manuscripts must be 45,000 - 80,000 words of creative nonfiction (excluding title page, table of contents, and all front matter), written in English by a person residing within the U.S.

• No submissions from those living outside of the United States, unless they plan to reside in the US for the year following the publication of the book.

• No submissions are accepted that are written by the deceased.

• Submissions generated using AI in whole or in part are prohibited.

• Translations are not eligible for publication, nor are previously published or self-published books. If the book has an ISBN, it is considered to be published.

• Manuscripts must be sent in a single file. We accept Word and PDF files.

• Include and upload your cover letter with your bio and contact information in the cover letter option area.

• Include an acknowledgement page of excerpts published within the manuscript.  The manuscript as a whole must not be previously published.

• Multiple award submissions are accepted as long as a $25 fee accompanies each award submission.

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted as long as we are notified immediately if your manuscript is chosen elsewhere.

• Relatives and current or former students of Trio House Press editors, staff, or Board members are not eligible for awards or publication during our contest submissions period.

• No edits can be made to manuscripts after you submit your manuscript.  However, if chosen for award or publication, edits will be made prior to final proofs.

• Your submission acknowledges that you understand and agree to all guidelines and to being contacted via our distribution list.

triohousepress.submittable.com/submit/319805/2025-aurora-polaris-award-in-creative-nonfiction

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The Art Writing Incubator

Burnaway

DEADLINE: May 16, 2025

TUITION: Tuition for the 2025 cycle is $250. Thanks to generous funding from our partners, Burnaway will consider additional needs-based support for selected participants that indicate.

INFO: The Art Writing Incubator is an annual online writing intensive, which cultivates the next generation of critics and art writers through a series of workshops with leading culture writers and artists from around the world and one-on-one tutorials with Burnaway’s editors. Much of the program is funded by Critical Minded, which supports emerging writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, and writers in rural communities. 

The theme this year is ‘the personal’. The 2025 AWrI Your Voice is Critical will explore the role of subjectivity and personal perspective in art criticism. In doing so, we will acknowledge and honor that art writing is a means to share who you are as much as what you see. 

Burnaway’s Arts Writing Incubator program has equipped participants with tools for pitching, writing statements, and producing considered criticism for the last eight years. The four-week program begins with a session hosted by Burnaway’s editorial masthead and subsequent weeks led by guest speakers. Over the course of the program, students will formally propose, develop, and complete a short-form writing project with one-on-one feedback from Burnaway’s editors. Following the completion of the program, these works will be compiled into a small chapbook circulated on Burnaway’s platform.

The 2025 Art Writing Incubator will be held virtually. Applications are open to anyone over the age of 18 with a connection to our coverage area – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and The Caribbean. The Art Writing Incubator intends to foster new writers and champion under-represented voices.

We will be hosting a Q&A / info session on May 6 from 6:30-7:30. RSVP for the Zoom link here.

For program inquiries, please email madeline@burnaway.org.

burnaway.org/programs/2025-art-writing-incubator/

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Lambda Literary's Special Prizes

Lambda Literary

DEADLINE: May 16, 2025 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Lambda's Special Prizes season is open for applications! These prizes award LGBTQ+ writers in various stages in their careers with thousands of dollars in cash each year.

1. The Karla Jay Prize for Emerging Writers in Gender and Sexuality Studies - The prize recognizes an individual with an emerging career in Gender and Sexuality Studies research, writing, and publication. The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,500.

2. The Denneny Award for Editorial Excellence - The Denneny Award for Editorial Excellence is named in honor of Michael Denneny, who founded the first ever LGBTQ+ imprint at a major publishing house, was essential in the publishing of literature dealing with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and so generously shared his talents with writers right up until the end of his life. The award will go to an editor whose commitment to the publication of LGBTQ+ writers and literature contributes significantly to the advancement of the LGBTQ+ community. The Denneny Award for Editorial Excellence is the only editorial award that not only recognizes the support provided by editors to the literary community, but also the importance of editors in the advancement of a social movement. The winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500.

3. The Pat Holt Prize for Critical Arts Writing - The Pat Holt Prize for Critical Arts Writing is presented in memory of the celebrated author and long-time SF Chronicle book review editor Patricia Holt and honors LGBTQ Critical Writing on Arts & Literature. The award will go an LGBTQ arts critic or literary reviewer committed to examining queer works of art and culture, as Holt ground-breakingly did for 16 years. This award is made possible by Lesbians for Good, a fund of the Horizons Foundation, and includes a cash prize of $4,000.

4. The Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction - The Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction, in memory of the celebrated author Randall Kenan, honors Black LGBTQ writers of fiction. The award will go to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work. The award includes a cash prize of $3,000.

5. Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction - Lambda Literary’s Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction, in memory of the beloved activist and author, honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/gender non-conforming nonfiction authors. The award will go to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. The winner of the prize will have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking and challenging work. The award was introduced in 2018 and includes a cash prize of $2,500.

6. The Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers - The Judith A. Markowitz Award for Exceptional New LGBTQ Writers recognizes LGBTQ-identified writers whose work demonstrates their strong potential for promising careers. The award includes a cash prize of $1,500. Two prizes are awarded annually.

7. Jim Duggins, PhD Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Prize - Dedicated to the memory of author and journalist Jim Duggins, this prize honors LGBTQ-identified authors who have published multiple novels, built a strong reputation and following, and show promise to continue publishing high quality work for years to come. This award is made possible by the James Duggins, PhD Fund for Outstanding Mid-Career LGBTQ Novelists, a fund of the Horizons Foundation, and includes a cash prize of $5,000.

8. The J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50 - The J. Michael Samuel Prize honors emerging LGBTQ writers over the age of 50. This award is made possible by writer and philanthropist Chuck Forester, who created it out of the firmly held belief that “Writers who start late are just as good as other writers, it just took the buggers more time.” The prize will go to an unpublished LGBTQ writer over 50 working in any genre. The award includes a cash prize of $5,000. 

lambdaliterary.org/awards/special-awards/

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Amazon Literary Partnership GRANTS

Amazon Literary Partnership

DEADLINE: May 18, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.

INFO: With the goal of helping writers tell their stories and find their readers, the Amazon Literary Partnership supports nonprofit literary organizations that empower writers to create, publish, learn, teach, experiment, and thrive.

We provide grant funding to innovative groups that amplify diverse voices and strive not only for a lasting impact on writers' lives but on the broader literary and publishing communities. To learn more about the Amazon Literary Partnership, visit: www.amazonliterarypartnership.com

Grant recipients will be notified by June 27, 2025.  

apply.amazonliterarypartnership.com/submit

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Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency

The Adirondack Center for Writing

DEADLINE: May 19, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $30 (There is no cost to attend the residency)

INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.

The residency is generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, writers will paddle to the site of her property and explore the lake with locals.

The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are plenty of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available, but limited (email ; Zoom ). Most cell phones will not work (a landline is available).

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Residency Dates: September 21 – October 5, 2025

• Notification: July 2025

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Cover Letter: In the space provided in Submittable (no attachments), include a brief, third-person bio and a work plan detailing your goals for this residency.

2. Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 pages of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name does not show up anywhere in your writing sample. Writing samples that include your name will not be considered. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications.

We do not accept printed applications. Contact info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org or 518-354-1261 with any questions.

adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/

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call for writing: ‘Remote Connections’

Writers Club NY

DEADLINE: May 25, 2025 by 11:59pm EST

SUBMISSION FEE: $5

INFO: In recent years, we've shifted toward remote connections in our homes, workplaces, and personal relationships—so much so that it's become difficult to distinguish between surface-level and meaningful connectedness. For our first zine, we want to explore how you connect (or disconnect) with people, nature, and inanimate objects.

Were interested in all forms of community and connection including:

•   neighbors to coworkers

•   morning commutes to virtual meetups

•   recreational clubs to family gatherings

•   urban to nature walks, and more

Consider the following questions:

•   What is your threshold for isolation?

•   Your breaking point?

•   How do you sustain connections?

• When do you feel most connected?

Only successful applications will be contacted by Monday, June 16, 2025.

Only the first 75 writing submissions will be considered.

Email us at writersclubny@gmail.com.

writersclubny.notion.site/1d76253496f380fd8a16ec49fab28bc2

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2025 fall multi-disciplinary artist residency

Bethany Arts Community

DEADLINE: May 26, 2025 at 11:58pm EST  

INFO: Bethany Arts Community (BAC) offers residencies to emerging and established artists for the development of both new works and works-in-progress. BAC welcomes artists working across any discipline and medium, including visual artists, sculptors, writers, playwrights, choreographers, musicians, composers, performance artists, filmmakers, and more to our Fall Multidisciplinary Residency. Any and all artistic mediums are encouraged to apply. Enjoy an environment where artists from different disciplines and walks of life can work in community and near each other, creating opportunities for generative collaboration and cross-pollination. 

Residents will be surrounded by uninhibited creativity during their time at BAC, in the form of other Multidisciplinary Residents, local studio artists, BAC staff and board members, those presenting programs on campus, and more!  

A unique component of residencies at BAC is Community Programming. As part of a residency, we ask each artist to develop and facilitate a Community Program related to their residency plan. This part of the residency is an opportunity for artists to engage with the local community in Ossining and Westchester County, and for the local community to engage with artists through their work. 

The Fall Multidisciplinary Residency runs for two, two-week sessions, September 9 to 23, 2025 and September 26 to October 10, 2025, each with its own cohort. Artists are provided room & board, a private studio conducive to artists’ medium and/or project, 3 basic meals a day*, and a $225 stipend per week upon completion of the residency. Artist is responsible for transportation to and from BAC and any supplies or materials needed for their practice. We ask that you only apply if you can stay for the entire length of this residency. 

*Please note for the 3 meals a day included during the residency, Bethany Arts Community is only able to accommodate for vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free diets. Please contact submit@bethanyarts.org with any questions or if you have any further allergies/dietary needs not listed. 

Regarding Artist Teams/Groups/Collaborations: Artist team applications will only be considered for groups up to 3 members. 

TIMELINE:

• Application Deadline: May 26, 2025 at 11:58 PM EST  

• Letters of Recommendation Deadline: June 2, 2025 at 11:58 PM EST 

As letters of recommendation (LORs) requests are sent out at the time of application submission, we give applicants another week to ensure that their LORs are in. Please ensure your LOR is submitted by this deadline to be considered for this residency. 

There is one letter of recommendation and one reference (not the same person who wrote the LOR) required to be considered. 

Your LOR and your reference should come from someone who can speak to your artistry, character, and integrity. LORs and References from relatives will not be accepted. 

• Notifications: June 25, 2025 

bethanyarts.org/calendar/fall2025residency/

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EDItorial themes: features, long-form essays + interviews

Burnaway

DEADLINE: May 28, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

Burnaway is excited to announce the editorial themes that will guide the magazine’s 2025 features, long-form essays, and interviews.

THEMES:

• Trickster: The Trickster bends, and at times, breaks the truth. A crosser of boundaries, they are devoted to mischief. Eschewing stagnation, purity, or the binary, the trickster is always on the move. Never good or evil, they are paradoxically both.

• Ghost: Ghost is a restless spirit that lingers after death. Or, it is an after image, one that remains when the act of creation is complete.Ghost recalls erased labor and histories, digital afterlives, “ghosting” and ghostwriting, ephemerality, shadow-banning, and censorship.

• Siren: Siren sings a song you hear with more than your ears. Its echo rises from within, appealing to a deep sense of longing. They may appear as a solitary seductress, weaponizing femininity as a lure, but it is in the company of sisters, a chorus, treachery awaits.

To read more about pitching to Burnaway, please review our pitch page.

To submit, please send a brief proposal by email to editorial@burnaway.org.

Proposals should be for long-form essays, interviews, experimental art criticism, visual projects, or other ambitious forms of writing about art. Proposals should include two samples of previous writing.

burnaway.org/magazine/introducing-our-2025-editorial-themes/

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Thr Black Womxn Writers in Europe Retreat

Black Womxn Writers in Europe (France)

DEADLINE: May 30, 2025

INFO: The Black Womxn Writers in Europe Retreat is a four-day writing workshop for Black womxn writers currently residing in Europe. 

FORMAT:

Our third annual BWWE retreat will take place November 7-10, 2025 in Fauroux, near Toulouse and Bordeaux, in southwest France. 

The format will include: 

• Workshop sessions where writers give and receive feedback on submitted work

• Generative/free creative time (prompts will be provided to work on at your own pace) 

• Shared activities to foster closer connections

Though our surroundings will be beautiful, please note that this is not a luxury writing retreat. Writing and honing our craft together takes precedence over gorgeous photos for social media (though there will be time for that too!). 

TIMELINE:

• Thurs, May 1, 2025: Application Opens

• Fri, May 30, 2025: Application Deadline

• Early July 2025: Notifications go out. All applicants will hear from us before the end of the month, whether you are invited this year or not. 

• Nov. 7-10, 2025: BWWE Workshop! 

COST:

The retreat costs 450€ per participant.

This covers food, lodging, and materials for the retreat. It does not include travel. Coming from within Europe to either the Toulouse or Bordeaux airport and by shuttle to Fauroux (we arrange the shuttle), plan for around 200€ for travel. 

Each participant, including the hosts, will pay the same amount. We are not profiting from this. The experience and our gathering together is our priority. 

We will send a deposit schedule when we notify accepted applicants. If you are concerned about cost, please let us know. We are working hard to make this affordable! 

blackwomenwritersineurope.com

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2025-2026 Emerging Writer Fellowship Program

The Center for Fiction

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025

INFO: The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowship program offers grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers.

Applications are judged on a blind reading of a writing sample and there is no fee to apply. Fellowships begin in October and last for one year. We encourage all eligible NYC-based writers to apply and to share this opportunity with others in the community.

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP:

The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowship Program annually provides financial support, professional and creative development, personalized mentorship, and community engagement to nine early-career, New York City-based fiction writers. The Fellowship also marks the beginning of a lifelong relationship with The Center. Alumni remain a vital part of our community, launching their debuts on our stage, participating in our programs, and offering support to new Fellows.

Our 125 Fellowship alumni have published over 60 books, reflecting The Center’s mission to nurture and champion exciting new voices. Fellows have gone on to receive prestigious honors and awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Whiting Award, the NAACP Image Award, the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award, the Gotham Prize, and the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35.

During the one-year Fellowship period, Fellows receive:

• A grant of $5,000

• The opportunity to have their manuscript revised and critiqued by an experienced editor

• Access to write in our Writers Studio

• The opportunity to meet with editors, authors, and agents who represent new writers at monthly dinners

• Two public readings as part of our annual program of events

• A professional headshot for personal publicity use

• Inclusion in an anthology distributed to industry professionals

• Tickets to our First Novel Fête and/or Annual Awards Benefit

• Complimentary admission to all Center events

• A 25% discount on writing workshops at The Center

• A workshop on reading as performance

centerforfiction.org/grants-awards/nyc-emerging-writers-fellowship

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2025-2026 Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers

GrubStreet

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025

INFO: GrubStreet’s Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers provides financial and professional development support to two self-identified Black writers interested in teaching classes, participating in events, and working with our instructors and staff to deepen our curriculum.

The fellowship includes compensation of $20,000, (plus additional compensation for teaching duties), artistic mentorship, and access to the GrubStreet community and the Muse and the Marketplace conference. In time, the program aims to offer sustainable support to Black Writers and create a cohort of fellows who have direct access to GrubStreet resources, classes, and events. We also hope the fellows can influence GrubStreet’s pedagogy and cultural vision based on their experience and feedback.

COMPENSATION:

• $25,000 per fellow for the year ($20,000 artist grant and $5,000 or more in teaching compensation)

• Access to mentorship from GrubStreet’s Education Director and fellow instructors

• Free access to events and sessions during GrubStreet's Manuscript Month and other industry events, with the additional option to lead a paid session at the GrubStreet events.

• A space at GrubStreet’s new community space to work on personal writing projects

• 60 hours (or roughly 20 weeks) of free GrubStreet classes, which can be taken during or after the fellowship

• A two-year GrubStreet membership.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Participate in the development or revision of class curriculum and future course/event brainstorming.

• Teaching one ten-week class

• Teaching one six-week class

• Teaching one week-long teen camp

• Teaching one six-hour seminar

• The option to teach more classes for additional payment.

• [Note that the teaching load can be adjusted to some degree in terms of the types of classes, to better suit the fellow's interest areas. So if a fellow loves youth work, that teaching area can be expanded to replace other coursework.]

• Moderate or participate in a Boston Writers of Color’s event

• Meet with the Director of Faculty and Fellowships periodically to track progress

• Meet with new fellows at the end of your own fellowship year

The fellowship begins September 2nd, 2025 and runs through the end of August 2026.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: This fellowship is open to writers who self-identify as Black, are 18 or older, are able to work with both adult and teen audiences, and have a passion for expansive pedagogy, curriculum development, and professional growth. Ideal candidates will have some publication and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those working on their first book or a larger project. MFAs, a long publishing record, or extensive teaching experience are not requirements to apply, though feel free to tell us if you have any of these things.

Covid-19 Update: We hope fellows will be able to join us in-person during their fellowship year. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston (assuming it's safe to do so). Learn more about GrubStreet’s Covid-19 updates.

HOW TO APPLY:

The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers Application Form will require the following:

• A personal statement (500 words max), which should include:

• Your background as a writer and teacher

• Your personal philosophy or approach to creative writing workshops

• How this particular fellowship fits your interests and goals as a writer and educator

• Your CV or resume

• A writing sample (20 pages limit for prose; 12 pages for poetry; 25 pages for scripts; and 20 pages for other or fused genres) that best exemplifies your current trajectory as a writer

• Two personal references (name, email, and phone number) who can speak to your experience and dedication to writing and teaching

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Applications open: Friday, February 28, 2025

• Deadline: Saturday, May 31, 2025

• Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of GrubStreet’s program staff

• Final decisions will be announced mid-July

• Program kicks off on September 2, 2025 and runs through the end of August 2026

Questions? If you have specific questions about the Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers, email programs@grubstreet.org or call the office anytime at 617.695.0075.

grubstreet.org/write/teaching-fellowship-for-black-writers

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call for submissions: 2025/2026 issue

Harriet's House

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025

INFO: Harriet's House invites submissions from horror writers of the African diaspora for its 2025/2026 issue. Harriet’s House is an online magazine that publishes one literary horror story a month by a writer of the African diaspora. Harriet’s House is an ode to Harriet Jacobs, a formerly enslaved Black woman and one of the first Black authors to write in the gothic genre, horror’s fraternal sister, noted as the well from which modern horror writing sprang.

During Harriet’s lifetime, she hid in the crawl space of her grandmother’s house for seven years to escape a menacing slave owner who threatened to sell her children. For a long time, home was a precarious concept for Harriet. The magazine is an ode to her and the house she built for those who have followed in her literary footsteps. Send us your supernatural, haunting, and terrifying stories.

GUIDELINES: We are looking for short stories between 1,250-2,500 words. We are interested in but not limited to: gothic horror, speculative horror, supernatural horror, body horror, psychological drama and survival horror.

harrietshousemag.com

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call for essay submissions

The Offing

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025

INFO: The Offing’s Essay department is seeking new works!

GUIDELINES: Please submit personal essays, rather than commentary or criticism, of any length.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

• Upon publication, contributors will be paid a $25–$100 fee, depending on department and number/length of works published.

• All pieces should be original, and previously unpublished in any format in English.

• We acquire first serial rights worldwide in English and non-exclusive anthology rights. 

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted; please be sure to withdraw your piece promptly if it’s accepted elsewhere.

• Please direct all inquiries and comments to info@theoffingmag.com.

• We'll do our utmost to respond within six months, but due to the volume of submissions we receive, and the careful & collaborative nature of our review process, that may not always be possible. Thank you for your patience.

theoffingmag.submittable.com/submit

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THE RESTLESS BOOKS PRIZE FOR NEW IMMIGRANT WRITING

Restless Books

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing was created in 2015 to honor outstanding debut literary works by first-generation immigrants, awarded for fiction and nonfiction in alternating years. The winner receives $10,000, a writing residency from Millay Arts, and publication by Restless Books. 

Beginning in 2025, the prize will no longer alternate between fiction and nonfiction, but will accept submissions in both genres every year.

GUIDELINES + ELIGIBILITY: 

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing will now accept unpublished adult fiction and nonfiction submissions each year. Submissions in both genres must be complete. Fiction submissions can take the form of a novel or a book-length collection of short stories or some creative combination of the two. Nonfiction submissions can take the form of narrative nonfiction, memoir, polemic essay, a collection of essays, or some creative combination of these. 

• All manuscripts in fiction and nonfiction must be complete and full-length. All submissions must be in English. 

• Candidates must be first-generation residents of their country. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated, or to residents of a country with parents who were born elsewhere.

• Fiction and nonfiction candidates must not have previously published a book-length work in English in the genre in which they’re applying. This includes self-published work. We encourage applicants to look at the other titles Restless has published and previous contest winners to get a sense of our aesthetic.

• We will accept only one submission per candidate per submission period. Submissions must be under the author’s real name, not under a pseudonym. Agented submissions are welcome.*

• Candidates may not submit the same manuscript for the Prize in subsequent years unless specifically invited to do so by Restless.

• Restless reserves the right to invite writers to submit for the Prize.

• Restless reserves the right to consider any Prize submission for publication.

• The winning manuscript will be published by Restless Books in paperback, electronic, and audio format. Restless Books reserves world (translation) rights.

• By applying, candidates agree to travel at their own expense for festivals or awards in connection with the Prize should they win.

• Submitted manuscripts may be simultaneously under consideration for publication by other publishing houses. Please withdraw the submission immediately if it is accepted elsewhere. Once a manuscript is selected as the winner of the Prize, Restless will ask that the manuscript be withdrawn from consideration elsewhere. A publishing contract between the winning author and Restless Books must be signed before the winner is announced.

* Please note that while Restless Books welcomes all submissions for the Prize, we do not accept unsolicited manuscripts for our regular publishing program.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Candidates are asked to submit the following:

• A CV and one-page cover letter: the letter should address the candidate’s background as a writer, experience as an immigrant, and a succinct paragraph describing the submitted work and the inspiration for it.

• All files must be submitted together in one document. Please include the CV and cover letter as the first pages of your submission.

• The text should be double-spaced, in twelve-point font, with numbered pages.

• The submission must be uploaded as a PDF.

• Please adhere to the required word length. All manuscripts must be complete, with a minimum of 45,000 words.

• Restless will accept only electronic submissions by way of our submissions manager.

• There is a $20 fee to submit a manuscript for consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact us if this presents a hardship for you.

restlessbooks.org/prize-for-new-immigrant-writing

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call for FICTION submissions

A Public Space

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025 by 11:59pm

INFO: A Public Space is officially open for our spring reading period.

Please submit only one (​1) story at a time. Additional submissions will be returned unread. Only previously unpublished work will be considered. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but if your piece is accepted elsewhere we ask that you please withdraw it from our system. Novellas and novel excerpts are welcome. Translations are welcome; it is the translator's responsibility to secure rights to the work before it is submitted.

We suggest reading recent issues of A Public Space to acquaint yourself with work the magazine has published. Subscriptions are available here. We have also made a selection of pieces from the magazine available as part of our Public Access series, including:

• “Khushiya” by Marzia Grillo, translated from the Urdu by Matthew Reeck and Aftab Ahmad

• “War, Blossoms” by S. J. Naudé

• "Young Lover, New Lover" by Muhammad Aladdin, translated from the Arabic by Humphrey Davies

We aim to reply to submissions within four months. If it has been ​more than four months and you have not yet received a response, we will be happy to reply to a query regarding the status of your submission.

apublicspacedemo.submittable.com/submit

_____

call for NONFICTION submissions

A Public Space

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025 by 11:59pm

INFO: A Public Space is officially open for our spring reading period.

Please submit only one (​1) essay at a time. Additional submissions will be returned unread. Only previously unpublished work will be considered. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but if your piece is accepted elsewhere we ask that you please withdraw it from our system. Excerpts are welcome. Memoir is welcome. Long-form cultural criticism is welcome. Translations are welcome; it is the translator's responsibility to secure rights to the work before it is submitted. 

We suggest reading recent issues of A Public Space to acquaint yourself with work the magazine has published. Subscriptions are available here. We have also made a selection of pieces from the magazine available as part of our Public Access series, including:

• “Meeting Points: Between and In Between Subject and Object” by Cleo Mikutta

• “Pita in the Arms of God” by Elena Poniatowska, translated by Christina MacSweeney

We aim to reply to submissions within four months. If it has been ​more than four months and you have not yet received a response, we will be happy to reply to a query regarding the status of your submission.

apublicspacedemo.submittable.com/submit

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The Kinder/Crump Award for Short Fiction

Pleiades

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025 at 11:59 CST

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: Pleiades is accepting submissions for the Kinder/Crump Award for Short Fiction during the month of May. The winner will receive $1,000 and publication in an upcoming issue of Pleiades: Literature in Context. .

JUDGE: Fabienne Josaphat is the 2023 PEN Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, and the author of the novel Kingdom of No Tomorrow (Algonquin), longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize 2025. Her first novel, Dancing in the Baron’s Shadow, was published by Unnamed Press. Her work has been published in The Bellevue Literary Review, Pleiades, the Master’s Review, The Hong Kong Review, The Washington Post and Teen Vogue. She is currently at work on a third novel.

TO SUBMIT: Writers may submit one story for a $20 entry fee between May 1-May 31, 2025. There is no word count maximum, and writers may submit multiple times. Please visit pleiadessubmissions.com to submit. ***Please select “Kinder/Crump Award for Short Fiction under “genre” or your submission will not be read. Please include your order number in the comments section of your submission. Please do not include any identifying information on the submission document or PDF. 

The Kinder/Crump Award for Short Fiction is named in honor of Professor Emerita at UCM and Editor Emerita of Pleiades, R.M. Kinder, and Professor Emeritus at UCM and Pleiades fiction reader G.B. Crump.

pleiadesmag.com/submit/

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James A. Winn Prize

Michigan Quarterly Review

DEADLINE: May 31, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $20 (includes a one-year digital subscription for four issues of MQR beginning with the Summer 2025 issue).

INFO: The James A. Winn Prize will be awarded annually by the Michigan Quarterly Review to one nonfiction piece submitted for consideration. The Michigan Quarterly Review established this prize in 2023 in honor of former English professor and inaugural director of the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities, James A. Winn.

GIUDELINES: Please submit one unpublished piece of nonfiction of 1,500-7,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please withdraw your submission as soon as it is accepted elsewhere.  

We ask entrants not to include their names or contact information within the document they upload to Submittable, its title, or its file name.

JUDGING PROCESS: Preliminary judges for the prize will be the Helen Zell Writers’ Program students at University of Michigan who currently review submissions on behalf of the journal.

Submissions will go through two rounds of consideration before ten (10) finalists are passed on to the judge.

The 2025 Judge will be Elizabeth Goodenough. The winning story will be published in the Winter issue of the following year.

ELIGIBILITY: Current faculty and students as well as recent graduates (in the past three years) of the Helen Zell Writers’ Program will be barred from submitting. Close friends, relatives, and current and former students (in the past three years) of the Judge will be barred from submitting. MQR’s staff and editorial board, as well as their immediate family members, are also excluded from the contest.

PRIZE: The prize will be in the amount of $1,500 and publication. All submissions will be considered for publication in MQR.

mqr.submittable.com/submit

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OPEN CALL for prose chapbooks

Split/Lip Press

DEADLINE: June 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $10

INFO: We loved it so much last year that we're once again doing an open prose call for our chapbook period, which means we're open for fiction vs. nonfiction vs. hybrid vs. secret fourth options—we want to read it all! Six members of the SLP editorial team (managing director Caleb, marketing directors Gage and Abby, incoming multigenre/chapbook editor Erin, novel/novella editor Kate, and director Kristine) will be serving as both your first-round readers and your final editorial team decision-makers, which means your chaps are going directly to the top! We will be reading, discussing, and voting democratically as a team to decide on our selection.

We are currently looking for previously unpublished prose chapbook manuscripts that are considered complete projects as they stand—we do not view chapbooks as "a taste of a longer work" but, instead, as the beautiful, brief books they are. Collections of individual pieces which gain power through their proximity to one another, or a single, sustained long work—we're open to and interested in both!

Individually published pieces within the manuscript are absolutely fine (and expected!) but the chapbook should not have been published as a BOOK before. Our definition of "chapbook" is between 60-100pg, but we've got a little flex, so don't let those guidelines exclude your work if you're pretty close to that page count. If your book is significantly longer, keep us in mind during our novel/novella reading period in July, our nonfiction/hybrid full-length reading period in October, our short story/flash fiction collection reading period in January, or our new chapbook + multigenre full-length reading period next April!

First and foremost, we seek out manuscripts that question boundaries (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional—you get the gist). Our editors are drawn to work with a twist, whether that means blending fact with fiction, employing speculative elements, placing lyricism alongside criticism, and/or image-based work interacting with text.

To get an idea of what we've historically loved, please check out our current chapbook offerings: 

Sienna Liu's forthcoming Specimen, Heather Bartel's Exit the Body, Tucker Leighty-Phillips' Maybe This is What I Deserve, Claudia Putnam’s Double Negative, Kelly Ann Jacobson's An Inventory of Abandoned Things, Calvin Walds’ Flee, Samantha Edmonds’ The Space Poet, Tyler Barton's The Quiet Part Loud, Shasta Grant's Gather Us Up and Bring Us Home, SJ Sindu’s I Once Met You But You Were Dead, and Kara Vernor's Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song. 

We'd love it if you'd add a copy of any (/all) of our chapbooks to your submission, and we'll happily throw in free shipping (US only; our apologies!) as a thanks!

Historically underrepresented perspectives are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED and HIGHLY SOUGHT—we want to help bring your voice to the world!

Our press mission

We publish boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up. We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated. If your book is a wedge in a crack, Split/Lip Press is the hammer helping you split the wall apart.

However, Split/Lip Press does not tolerate manuscripts celebrating racist, homophobic, or misogynistic perspectives, and will discard such manuscripts unread. We believe in breaking boundaries at Split/Lip, but we will not assist agendas of hate.

Basic formatting details

Times New Roman 12 (or similar), double-spaced (unless you are specifically using special formatting—which we'd love to see), and PLEASE remove your name from the manuscript and file name—we want to review your manuscripts without names attached. There is a box on the submission form where, if you choose, you may indicate any information about positionality which may be helpful for the readers to know.

Please note that while we love and welcome work which includes images/diagrams/etc, all images may need to appear in black-and-white within a 6" x 9" printed book, so please keep that in mind when submitting.

Hugs + thanks

We work closely with our authors on all elements of their book, from design to promotion. We are engaged in the literary community, and as writers ourselves, we know how important it is to have a book that you love that is supported by a press that loves you. We'd love for you to be part of the Split/Lip Press family.

Simultaneous submissions are obviously welcome. Our reading process is a process and we move quickly and efficiently, but we also don't interrupt it prematurely. So if another publisher snags you first, we just ask that you withdraw your submission (and congrats to you!).

We intend to reply to all submissions by July 15, 2025, so please do not query about the status of your manuscript before that date. If you haven't seen anything from us by 7/15/25, check your status in Submittable and double-check your email spam filter because Submittable's messages sometimes get stuck there—we will definitely respond!

Thank you for considering Split/Lip Press as the home for your chapbook!

splitlippress.submittable.com/submit

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Call for submissions: Poetry, short stories + essays

No More Margins Literary Journal

DEADLINE: June 1, 2025

INFO: The first issue of this annual publication, Liberation, focuses on amplifying the voices of Black women as they explore and express their unique truths through literature and art. Liberation signifies freedom from external validation, standing boldly in the human right to exist, and creating spaces filled with love, joy, and empowerment. Thank you for your submission.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. Eligibility: Submissions are open to members of the NMM community and beyond.

2. Written Submissions: You may submit up to three pieces (poetry, short stories, and essays) for consideration. We are specifically looking to publish works completed as part of a free writing activity. However, we will accept written works that align with the theme of liberation and embody creative, authentic expression. Submissions must be provided in a Word document or PDF format. Submit all pieces in one document. Each piece should be titled and on a separate page. Do not submit more than 5 pages total.

3. Artwork Submissions: You may submit up to three original images for consideration. Artwork submissions must be high-resolution (minimum 300 DPI) and submitted in JPG or PNG format.

4. Submission Deadline: All entries must be submitted by June 1, 2025. Each image must be titled.

5. Priority: Priority will be given to members of the NMM family who have attended our writing groups.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeingowczc9PTB_qS-csjEIMa3TZL9_XThojaa-aG9zInodxg/viewform

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2025-2026 Rooted + Relational Community Micro-Grant Program

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College (New York City)

DEADLINE: June 1, 2025

INFO: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College is pleased to announce that applications are now open for its 2025-2026 Rooted + Relational Community Microgrants Program. CENTRO will award up to 12 grants of up to $5,000 each, to non-institutionally affiliated community organizations, individuals, or projects focused on community-based initiatives.

Theme: “Boricuas in Relation”

The 2025-2026 theme, Boricuas in Relation, invites community organizations to explore the formation of Boricua archipelagic and diasporic communities in connection with other racial and ethnic groups. Throughout history, Boricuas have developed and sustained political, social, kinship, creative, labor, and spiritual practices alongside diverse communities across the United States and beyond. 

We seek to fund projects that examine the experiences and impact of migration, language, assimilation, cultural and linguistic resilience, and the connections between Puerto Ricans and other racial and ethnic groups. Applicants are encouraged to consider Boricua connections with Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latinx, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and/or other communities. 

The theme of Boricuas in Relation centers the lived experiences and histories of Puerto Ricans in both the archipelago and the diaspora, building on existing important community activism and critical scholarship while forging new directions within and beyond Puerto Rican Studies. Ultimately,  this theme asks: what can we learn from the complex and overlapping relationships that Puerto Ricans have across global geographies and within specific cities, sites, and communities? What responsibilities do we have to one another as we strive for political and cultural decolonization, self-determination and liberation, and anti-racism in our communities? 

Who can apply?
Community Micro-Grant recipients will be non-academic, non-institutionally affiliated individuals or groups, including:

• Community organizers

• Artists, creatives, and writers

• Agricultural workers

• Activists and organizers

• Cultural workers

Applicants must reside in Puerto Rico or the United States and its territories and collaborate on projects that engage participants who identify as Puerto Rican or are of Puerto Rican descent, or work on a community project related to Puerto Rican histories, legacies, or futures.

Project Period 
During the 2025-2026 academic year (September 2025 – August 2026), grantees will implement their funded projects within their chosen communities. Additionally, they will be invited to:

• Present their work at a CENTRO event (format to be announced).

• Attend three virtual meetings.

• Have their work highlighted through CENTRO’s communications and media channels.

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be community-based individuals, groups, or organizations engaged in artistic, community-driven, agricultural, activist, or cultural projects 

• Applicants must not be affiliated with a college or university (professors, graduate students, and academic staff are not eligible).

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Submission Guidelines
To apply, complete the application form at: https://centropr.submittable.com/submit/324462/2025-2026-rooted-relational-community-micro-grant-program/collectOrganization

• Required Identifying Information

• Program/initiative/event title

• Project description (1 paragraph)

• Objectives (bullet points)

• Biographical or organizational sketch (150 words)

• Timeline (implementation plan)

• Budget (total project cost and requested grant amount, up to $5,000)

• Optional: A PDF or hyperlink showcasing past works (photos, media, press, reviews, or portfolio).

• Proposals may be submitted in English or Spanish.

Application Submission Checklist

✔ Complete the application form, ensuring all mandatory fields have been filled out

✔ Review and confirm submission.

✔ Receive confirmation of receipt upon submission.

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/community-fellows-micro-grant-program/

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call for submissions ‘Invisible Chains: Contemporary Slavery and Forced Migration’

IHRAM Press

DEADLINE: June 1, 2025

INFO: 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.

Magazine Themes: Modern slavery, forced migration, human trafficking, economic challenges, cultural discrimination, first-hand accounts, feelings of hope and perseverance.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Before submitting, please review the following guidelines, including (1) IHRAM’s accepted media, required supplemental information, and quarterly magazine themes. We are only accepting pieces which align with our annual themes at this time. Thank you!

We are interested in reviewing and publishing the following for the 2025 quarterly magazine:

• Poetry

• Short stories (2500 words or less)

• Essay (2500 words or less), or 

• Artwork*

  *Accepted Visual Art includes: mixed media, acrylics, oil paintings, drawings, photographs, collages, sculptures, or any forms that fit our magazine themes.

  Submission for artwork is unlimited. Please note, your published artwork might be presented in black-and-white and therefore should be suitable for “print”. We WILL NOT accept any AI-Generated art. Ensure your artwork is submitted as .JPG, .PDFs, or .PNGs.

Please submit your poetry, short story, essay, or artwork to submit@humanrightsartmovement.org along with the following required information:

• Your full name and/or pen name.

• Your country of residence.

• A brief third-person bio (roughly 100 words). If your bio includes references of your past work, feel free to provide links!

• A brief foreword to your piece (between 300-500 words), explaining your inspiration for creating it, background information, explanation of key characters, and any other key insight for the reader.

  *If your piece is accepted, we will request a high-resolution author photograph. However, authors are not required to provide photographs of themselves and are always welcome to decline, should they wish to remain anonymous.

  IHRAM Press pays $50 per accepted written piece.

humanrightsartmovement.org/ihraf-publishes

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2026 EMERGING WRITER AWARDS

Key West Literary Seminar

DEADLINE: June 2, 2025 by 11:59 pm EST (Letters of recommendation must be received by the following week)

ENTRY FEE: $12

INFO: We are now accepting applications for the 2026 Emerging Writer Awards.

The Cecelia Joyce Johnson Award, Scotti Merrill Award, and Marianne Russo Award recognize and support writers who possess exceptional talent and demonstrate potential for lasting literary careers.

Each award is tailored to a particular literary form. The Merrill Award recognizes a poet, while fiction writers may apply for either the Johnson Award (for a short story) or the Russo Award (for a novel-in-progress).

Winners of the 2026 Emerging Writer Awards received full tuition support for our January 2026 Seminar and Writers’ Workshop Program, round-trip airfare, lodging, a $500 honorarium, and appeared on stage during the Seminar. They will be in Key West from January 4 – 12, 2026.

Please review the criteria, complete the application form, and upload the required documents via Submittable. Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we have implemented a $12 application fee to cover review costs.

kwls.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Tusculum Review Fiction Chapbook Prize

Tusculum Review 

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: A prize of $1,500, publication of the story in The Tusculum Review’s 21st volume (2025), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded for the winning story. 

The entry fee is $20 per manuscript. Entry fees include a one-year subscription to The Tusculum Review (an annual publication) and consideration for publication in our 21st volume (2025). We encourage international submissions but must charge an additional $15 fee to mail the journal to locations outside the U.S.

All entries should be sent through Submittable:tusculumreview.submittable.com. We do not accept mailed or emailed submissions, but if Submittable is a hardship, let us know atreview@tusculum.edu.

Each manuscript should consist of a single story in a standard 12-point font. Storiesmaybe between 2,000 words (about 7 manuscript pages) and 7,000 words (22 pages).

Storiesmaynot have been previously published nor be forthcoming. You are welcome to submit your story to other publications or contests while we consider it for the prize, but please alert us if your story is going to be published or honored elsewhere, so we can take it out of the running. If you have more than one story to submit, create a new entry for each.

Please do NOT include your name or any other identifying information on any page of the story manuscript.

Contest judge Jaime Cortez and editors of the The Tusculum Review will determine the winner of the 2025 prize. Family, friends, and previous students of the contest judge and the The Tusculum Review editors are disqualified from the competition, as are those with reciprocal professional relationships. Previous winners of Tusculum Review contests are also disqualified. Previous finalists and honorable mentionsmayenter.

Names and identifying information will not be visible to the judges. The Tusculum Review reserves the right to extend the call for manuscripts or cancel the award. We have only canceled one of the 30+ contests we’ve hosted, due to single-digit entries. We look forward to reading your work.

Publication Rights:except for second printings of the journal due to demand, all rights to material in The Tusculum Review and chapbooks revert to the individual authors and artists after publication (first serial rights). We request that you acknowledge us if you reprint work we published first. Tusculum University does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, identity, religion, veteran or military status, citizenship status, ethnic origin, or disability.

Contest judgeJaime Cortez is a California writer and artist based in Watsonville and the SF Bay Area. His writing and drawings have appeared in Kindergarten: Experimental Writing For Children (Black Radish Press), No Straight Lines (Fantagraphics), Street Art San Francisco (Abrams Press), and Infinite Cities (UC Berkeley Press). He wrote and illustrated the graphic novel Sexile for AIDS Project Los Angeles. His debut short story collection, Gordo, was published in 2021 by Black Cat, an imprint of Grove Atlantic. Gordo received national acclaim from the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal of Excellence in Fiction and the Lambda Literary Award for fiction, and was named a best book of the year by National Public Radio and Bookpage. Cortez received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MFA from UC Berkeley. Jaime’s website iswww.jaimecortez.org.

ttr.tusculum.edu/8085-2/

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Call for “OF THE SEA” Portfolio

SUSPECT (Singapore Unbound)

DEADLINE: June 15, 2025

INFO: Indigenous maritime communities know that the law of the sea is more ancient and powerful than the United Nations Convention of the same name. They know that the sea connects as well as divides. That the sea gives as much as it takes. That the sea is vast in its volume and tender in its tides. That in its eternal restlessness the sea contests fixed boundaries and national borders. 

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. 

We are looking for: 

• Short fiction of 1,500 to 6,000 words

• 2-4 pieces of flash fiction that total 500 to 1,500 words

• 3-5 poems that total 3 to 10 pages

We welcome translated work, but translators must provide documentation of authorization from the original authors or their literary estates.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately should they be accepted for publication elsewhere. 

We only accept work that has not been previously published. For translations, the original work may be published, but not the translations.

PAYMENT: USD $100

SUBMIT TO: Sharmini Aphrodite at suspect@singaporeunbound.org

singaporeunbound.org/opp/of-the-sea

FICTION / NONFICTION — APRIL 2025

CREATIVE CAPITAL AWARD

Creative Capital

DEADLINE: April 3, 2025

INFO: The Creative Capital Award provides individual artists with unrestricted project grants for the creation of bold, innovative, original, and imaginative new artistic works. In addition to unrestricted project grants from $15,000 up to $50,000, the Award offers transformative professional development support including strategic advising, peer mentorship, industry connections, and community-building opportunities. Grants are awarded via a national, democratic, open call, external review process.

For the 2026 grant cycle, Creative Capital invites professional artists to propose experimental, original, bold new works in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature. Multidisciplinary, technology, and/or socially engaged projects are welcome in all disciplinary categories. Creative Capital seeks project proposals for formally and/or conceptually innovative works in all disciplines, including, but not limited to, painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video and multimedia, dance, theater, playwriting, jazz, opera, music, experimental film, documentary and narrative film, poetry, and fiction.

Creative Capital welcomes a full range of artistic approaches and thematic inquiries, including boundary-pushing formal explorations, as well as projects that engage urgent social issues of our time. Creative Capital also seeks new projects or works addressing subjects that Creative Capital has not previously funded. For example, for this grant cycle, Creative Capital also seeks strong visual arts projects dealing with fentanyl, veterans/military, or wealth inequality.

The Creative Capital Award seeks project proposals in the following disciplines:

• Visual Arts: architecture & design, craft, drawing & illustration, ecological art, installation, painting & printmaking, performance art, photography, public art, sculpture, social practice, sound art, video art, technology, and socially-engaged visual art

• Performing Arts: dance, jazz, multimedia performance, music, musical theater, opera, theater, playwriting, technology, and socially-engaged performing arts 

• Film: animation, documentary film, experimental film, and narrative film 

• Literature: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry

A diverse cohort of approximately 50 artists will be selected for the Creative Capital Award through an external review process. Our goal is to support artists and new works across a range of disciplines, themes and ideas, geographic regions, identities, ages, and career stages. See recent Creative Capital Awardees and Projects for 2025, 2024, and 2023.

Creative Capital’s transformative giving approach is built on the principle that artists need funding as well as networks and advisory services in order to realize ambitious projects and build thriving careers. Recipients of the Creative Capital Award receive access to a full range of professional development services over a five-year period. These services include strategic planning, legal and financial advising, marketing and communications strategy, peer mentorship, and industry networking opportunities.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

ROUND I: Project Proposal

Creative Capital welcomes project proposals for original, imaginative, impactful new artistic works in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature. Multidisciplinary, technology, and/or socially-engaged projects are welcome in every category. 

Along with a project title, one line project description (50 words max), project description (500 words max), bio, resume, and artist website (recommended), applicants will answer the following questions:

1. Creative Capital supports formally and conceptually innovative and experimental work. How does your project idea take an original and imaginative approach to content and form? (150 words / 1,000 characters max)

2. Place your work in context. What are the main influences upon your work as an artist? How does your past work inform your current project? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

3. What kind of impact do you hope your project will have, and why? What specific audiences and/or communities will the project engage? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

4. Creative Capital awards artists at catalytic moments in their careers. How is this a catalytic moment in your practice? How will your proposed project or new work act as a catalyst for your artistic and professional growth? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

5. Creative Capital provides professional development services and community-building opportunities for awardees and encourages a spirit of mutual generosity and exchange among our artists. How would this support and being part of the Creative Capital community be impactful for you? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

In addition, applicants will submit one (1) work sample from a completed, past work. 

• Visual Arts applicants will submit one Image Sample or Video Sample. 

• Performing Arts applicants will submit one Video Sample.

• Film applicants will submit one Video Sample.

• Literature applicants will submit one Writing Sample.

For more details on application questions and work sample guidelines, see the Creative Capital Application Handbook.

ROUND II: Project Details

Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round II will submit additional materials to support their application:

1. Project itemized budget

2. Project timeline (1 page)

3. Work samples (see Application Handbook for guidelines)

4. Proof of eligibility

ROUND III: Panel Review

Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round III will be asked to:

1. Confirm collaborators (if applicable)

2. Submit project updates (optional, 100 words max)

Full application guidelines are outlined in the Application Handbook.

2026 OPEN CALL APPLICATION TIMELINE:

These dates may change.

• March 3, 2025: Round I application portal opens

• April 3, 2025 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time: Round I application deadline

• June 2025: Notification of advancement to Round II

• September 2025: Notification of advancement to Round III: Final Panel Review

• Early 2026: Public announcement of 2026 Creative Capital Awards and State of the Art Prizes

Artist Eligibility

• US citizen, permanent legal resident, O-1 visa holder, or Tribal ID holder

• At least 25 years old by application deadline

• Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice within their chosen discipline

• Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program

• May not apply to the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant program in the same year

• May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award

• May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year

• State of the Art Prize recipients must be a resident of the state they are awarded in through February 1, 2026. Prize recipients must provide proof of residence in the state or territory to receive the grant. 

Projects that are not eligible

• Projects whose main purpose is promotional

• Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business or nonprofit organization 

• Curation or documentation of existing work

• Projects that will premiere or be completed before October 1, 2026

More questions? Email awards@creative-capital.org. No phone calls please.

creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award

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THE STATE OF THE ART PRIZE

Creative Capital

DEADLINE: April 3, 2025

INFO: Through the 2026 Open Call process for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients of the State of the Art Prize, a new national, two-year initiative, which aims to recognize one artist residing in each U.S. state and its territories, with an unrestricted grant of $10,000 per artist. All applicants to the Creative Capital Award will be automatically considered for the State of the Art Prize and will be evaluated for the Prize using the same criteria; there is no separate application process. State of the Art Prize recipients will also have access to a suite of online professional development resources, including the Creative Capital Curriculum and Artist Labs, Artist Opportunities, and online community-building opportunities.

State of the Art Prize recipients may apply again to future open calls for the Creative Capital Award. However, artists who have already received the Creative Capital Award may not apply for the State of the Art Prize. Both the State of the Art Prize and the Creative Capital Award are one-time awards. 

APPLICATION PROCESS:

ROUND I: Project Proposal

Creative Capital welcomes project proposals for original, imaginative, impactful new artistic works in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature. Multidisciplinary, technology, and/or socially-engaged projects are welcome in every category. 

Along with a project title, one line project description (50 words max), project description (500 words max), bio, resume, and artist website (recommended), applicants will answer the following questions:

1. Creative Capital supports formally and conceptually innovative and experimental work. How does your project idea take an original and imaginative approach to content and form? (150 words / 1,000 characters max)

2. Place your work in context. What are the main influences upon your work as an artist? How does your past work inform your current project? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

3. What kind of impact do you hope your project will have, and why? What specific audiences and/or communities will the project engage? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

4. Creative Capital awards artists at catalytic moments in their careers. How is this a catalytic moment in your practice? How will your proposed project or new work act as a catalyst for your artistic and professional growth? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

5. Creative Capital provides professional development services and community-building opportunities for awardees and encourages a spirit of mutual generosity and exchange among our artists. How would this support and being part of the Creative Capital community be impactful for you? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

In addition, applicants will submit one (1) work sample from a completed, past work. 

• Visual Arts applicants will submit one Image Sample or Video Sample. 

• Performing Arts applicants will submit one Video Sample.

• Film applicants will submit one Video Sample.

• Literature applicants will submit one Writing Sample.

For more details on application questions and work sample guidelines, see the Creative Capital Application Handbook.

ROUND II: Project Details

Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round II will submit additional materials to support their application:

1. Project itemized budget

2. Project timeline (1 page)

3. Work samples (see Application Handbook for guidelines)

4. Proof of eligibility

ROUND III: Panel Review

Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round III will be asked to:

1. Confirm collaborators (if applicable)

2. Submit project updates (optional, 100 words max)

2026 OPEN CALL APPLICATION TIMNLINE:

These dates may change.

• March 3, 2025: Round I application portal opens

• April 3, 2025 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time: Round I application deadline

• June 2025: Notification of advancement to Round II

• September 2025: Notification of advancement to Round III: Final Panel Review

• Early 2026: Public announcement of 2026 Creative Capital Awards and State of the Art Prizes

Artist Eligibility

• US citizen, permanent legal resident, O-1 visa holder, or Tribal ID holder

• At least 25 years old by application deadline

• Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice within their chosen discipline

• Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program

• May not apply to the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant program in the same year

• May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award

• May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year

• State of the Art Prize recipients must be a resident of the state they are awarded in through February 1, 2026. Prize recipients must provide proof of residence in the state or territory to receive the grant. 

Projects that are not eligible

• Projects whose main purpose is promotional

• Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business or nonprofit organization 

• Curation or documentation of existing work

• Projects that will premiere or be completed before October 1, 2026

More questions? Email awards@creative-capital.org. No phone calls please.

creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES

Massachusetts Review

DEADLINE: April 4, 2024

INFO: INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES is a special Massachusetts Review issue that seeks to center and honor the literary art of incarcerated writers and their families. 

With INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES, a special issue, the Massachusetts Review intends to extend the definition of families and broaden the portrait of lives impacted by our justice system to include that most basic unit of our society, the family. We are interested in traditional families but also in alternative forms of caretaking, parenting, and kinship that have a long history in queer and/or BIPOC communities. 

The Massachusetts Review seeks writers who can reveal more about how the concept of family might be transformed by those who are on the inside. When the bonds with their loved ones outside are severed, what kind of familial care emerges between people who are still incarcerated, in spite of the carceral system's tactics for dividing and isolating them from one another? 

In the spirit of the stunning documentary Time, created by Garrett Bradley, the Massachusetts Review wants to publish stories, poems, essays, hybrids, and art that follow the struggles of families to confront, survive, and triumph over the challenges that incarceration creates for both prisoners and their families. We seek writing and art that traces the tragic aftermath and long-term effects on children and families that too often result from a system that we euphemistically call “correctional.” We are also interested in how communal caretaking that redefines what "family" means (and what justice means) contributes to the overall goal of prison abolition. In widening our focus to include family members as well as the incarcerated, we hope to give a more accurate portrait of the toll of our prison-industrial complex and also include readers who haven’t yet confronted the Kafka-esque dilemma of standing directly before the law.

INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES is a special MR issue that asks for your personal essays, stories, interviews, poems, hybrids and visual art about incarceration and its direct and indirect impacts. Your essays, stories, interviews, poems, and/or hybrids might (but do not have to) engage these questions:

1. How can a family persist in the face of incarceration’s barriers and obstacles?

2. What is the impact of incarceration on the radius of care beyond the individual imprisoned?

3. How do definitions of family shift, contract and/or widen in the carceral environment?

SUBMISSION INFO: Submissions should be no more than 7,000 words for prose (fiction, nonfiction), hybrids, up to 6 poems for poetry, or up to 3 pages of visual art. We are interested in submissions from people who are most marginalized by oppressive systems, to include trans, gender queer, poverty-born, incarcerated, justice-involved, system-impacted, disabled, neurodivergent, BIPOC, colonized, people living on the frontlines of climate crisis, and others. 

COMPENSATION: Published writers will receive $300 upon publication.

Please send work as a Word or PDF attachment to themassreview@gmail.com and indicate the special issue and genre in the subject line (i.e. "INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES: Fiction"). 

If online submission is not possible, please mail work to:

The Massachusetts Review
400 Venture Way

Hadley, MA 01035

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED WORK.

themassachusettsreview.substack.com/p/mr-call-for-papers

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SITKA RESIDENCY

The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology (Otis, OR)

DEADLINE: April 3, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: Sitka residencies provide time and space for self-paced work and reflection in an inspiring natural setting. Residents from a broad range of art, writing, performance, science, education and interdisciplinary practices come to Sitka to create and explore away from the familiar contexts and constraints of daily routines, and free from external expectations.

Sitka Residencies offer dedicated time and space for artists, writers, scientists, educators and interdisciplinary creators to immerse themselves in independent work amid the remarkable ecology of Cascade Head and the Oregon coast.

Sitka residents enjoy solitude as well as opportunities for self-directed exchange and collaboration in a supportive environment, free from outside pressures, drawing inspiration from a landscape that invites discovery, reflection and renewal.

Residencies, ranging from two weeks to three months between October and May, are awarded through an annual juried process and provided free of charge. Some Sitka residents also receive living and travel stipends as part of their awards.

RESIDENCY DETAILS:

Facilities

Each resident is provided with private living and, if needed, studio space. Residences include living, sleeping, bathroom and kitchen areas, equipped for basic cooking. Laundry facilities are available on campus. Wi-Fi is provided in both residences and studios. Residents are responsible for their own transportation, food and supplies.

The Sitka Center is a non-smoking and non-vaping environment. Please avoid strong scents, as some individuals have allergies. Candles and incense are not permitted. Pets are not allowed on Sitka’s main campus or at our 80 acre nature preserve.

Sitka is family-friendly, and partners are welcome to stay or visit. Please inform the Sitka office if you have overnight visitors.

We are located about seven miles from the nearest grocery store, in Lincoln City, a small coastal town. The area receives about 98 inches of rain annually, so rain gear is essential for outdoor activities.

Cost

Living and studio spaces are provided free of charge. There is a $30 application fee to cover administrative costs. Residents are responsible for their own travel, food, supplies and other expenses. If the application fee is a barrier, please contact Sitka at info@sitkacenter.org for a fee waiver.

Accessibility

Sitka’s studios, office and library are ADA accessible, with one ADA-compliant cabin. Some areas on our steep campus may be less accessible. Please contact us with any specific needs or concerns. Certified service animals are welcome with prior disclosure and permission. Sitka has housing options for families with children of different ages or residents who are caretakers. Please indicate any housing needs in your application. Sitka has an extremely limited ability to host a pet or emotional support animal in a single off-campus cabin. Please do not count on being able to bring your pet when you apply.

Collaborations

Collaborating teams should submit one application. Please note if you will need sperate sleeping accommodations.

Studio Supplies and Materials

Sitka provides basic studio equipment, including easels, task lights, tables, and chairs, as well as a printing press and a small ceramics studio. Residents must bring their own materials for their work, and we can discuss specific needs ahead of time.

Solitude and Engagement

Residents can engage with other residents and the local community in their own ways. We host a Zoom Resident Talk event where each resident shares their work. Participation is encouraged but not required.

Expectations

Residents are asked to present at a Resident Talk event, complete an exit survey and leave their assigned residence and studio clean and in the same condition as when they arrived. There are no expectations regarding creative or scientific productivity and no culminating report or presentation is required.

Commitment to Equity

The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology affords equal opportunities to applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. We are committed to equity and inclusion and believe different voices and perspectives strengthen our organization and amplify Sitka’s impact. 

MATERIALS NEEDED TO APPLY:

• References – Name and contact information (your references will be sent a form to complete).

• Application – Complete responses to all application questions.

• Resume – Submit as a .doc, .docx or .pdf file.

• Work Samples – Provide examples of your current work in formats that best showcase your practice.

  • Visual artists, designers and architects: 8-10 high quality images of your most current work.

  • Creative writers, journalists, playwrights and poets: 2 writing samples of up to 10 pages. For shorter works (poetry, short prose, etc.), submit 4 samples of up to 5 pages each. Excerpts are accepted for all writing forms. (.doc, .docx or .pdf)

  • Scientists: Any combination of images, files and text that reflects your most current work, up to 6 images or files (if applicable) and up to 2 writing samples (up to 10 pages each) (.doc, .docx or .pdf).

  • Musicians, composers, performers and Film Makers: 2-4 audio or video files (mp3, video files or links) of your most recent work. Excerpts are encouraged for longer works. 

  • ‍Curators, educators and social practice artists: Any combination of images, files and text that reflects your most current work, up to 6 images or files and up to 2 writing samples of a maximum of 10 pages each.  

  • ‍Interdisciplinary practitioners: Any combination of images, files and text that reflects your most current work, up to 6 images or files and up to 2 writing samples of a maximum of 10 pages each.

sitkacenter.org/residency-at-sitka/

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BIPOC ARTIST RESIDENCY AT SITKA CENTER

Portland in Color / The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology (Otis, OR)

DEADLINE: April 4, 2025 by 11:59 PM PT

INFO: The Portland in Color Residency at Sitka Center was created to establish the foundation for a partnership between our community organizations in an effort to collectively support artists of color in Oregon.

Artist residency programs can offer creatives at all stages a supportive place to rest, dream, and/or create as they see fit, without the expectation of production or output. It can be a meaningful, regenerative process to have time and space away from existing routines and setting, yet we recognize that residencies can be inaccessible to artists so this initiative seeks to address some barriers of access by waiting application fees, including a modest stipend of financial support, and flexible scheduling.

In 2025-2026, The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology will offer 2 residency spots for a Portland in Color collaboration, with the opportunity for 2 artists of color to be in residence at Sitka Center for up to a month.

DETAILS:

• Residency Period: October 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026

• Duration: 2-4 weeks (length and dates to be determined by your availability)

• Eligibility: Open to BIPOC artists over 18 years old residing in Oregon who have not previously participated in a Sitka artist residency.

• Location: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, 56605 Sitka Dr, Otis, OR 97368

• Funding availability: $600 stipend flat fee

• Notifications: All applicants will be notified by email by April 30th, 2025.

portlandincolor.com/residency

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APPLY YOURSELF! APPLYING TO RESIDENCIES, GRANTS, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER WRITING OPPORTUNITIES IN EUROPE AND BEYOND

Black Women Writers in Europe

INFO: Are you looking for opportunities to support, develop or fund your writing? 

Join BWWE co-founders, Joy and Jeannetta, for a two-part class designed to help writers navigate the world of residencies, grants, fellowships, workshops, and other writing programs in Europe and beyond.

DATES:

• April 6, 2025 (Session 1 - Resources + Artist Statement DNA)

• April 20, 2025 (Live Feedback Session on Submitted Artist Statements)

TIME:: 7:30–9:30 PM CET

LOCATION: Zoom

PRICE: 50€

WHAT TO EXPECT:

In this hands-on workshop, we will explore:

• The different types of writing opportunities available, including residencies, fellowships, grants, workshops, mentorships, and MFA programs.

• How to find and research opportunities that align with your goals.

• How to craft a compelling artist statement—a key component of most applications.

• Writing prompts and exercises to help articulate your creative vision.

• During the second session, we will provide feedback and guidance on your artist statements, helping to refine applications for success.

 Whether you’re new to applying for opportunities or looking to strengthen your applications, this workshop will give you practical tools and confidence to take the next step in your writing journey.

Limited spots available! Sign up now to secure your place.

blackwomenwritersineurope.com/the-classes

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Call For Pitches: Creativity at Work in Midwest Communities

Arts Midwest

DEADLINE: April 6, 2025

INFO: We’re looking for stories of creativity in action—projects, people, and ideas that are solving problems, strengthening connections, and shaping communities in the Midwest.

What does creativity look like where you live? How is it distinctly of, by, and for your community? Tell us more!

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR: 

We’re seeking engaging, people-centered stories that showcase the power of creative action across our coverage region—especially from Greater Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

We cover Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Native Nations that share this geography. Pitches from outside of this region will not be considered.

Selected pitches will be contracted for 500-word written articles to be published by Arts Midwest’s Creativity News Desk starting May 2025. The compensation of the 500-word story is $500; paid once all deliverables are finalized and ready for publishing.

artsmidwest.org/about/updates/call-for-pitches-creativity-at-work-in-midwest-communities

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​​​Brown Handler Residency

Friends of the San Francisco Library

DEADLINE: April 6, 2025 at 11:59pm PST

INFO: Friends of the San Francisco Public Library (Friends) is pleased to announce this year’s application for the 2025-2026 Brown Handler Residency. Created by Lisa Brown and Daniel Handler in 2018, this residency supports the creative expression of diverse San Francisco-based writers, offering time, space, and a connection to the public through the Library. The Brown-Handler Residency offers five San Francisco writers a free, year-long studio space, a connection to the SF Public Library system, and opportunities to engage the public through literary programming.

Reflecting the Library’s mission as a democratic, public, and accessible institution, we are committed to supporting writers from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and genre.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Residencies will be offered to five San Francisco-based writers for one year, open to:

• Fiction writers

• Nonfiction writers

• Children’s writers and illustrators

• Poets

• Playwrights/screenwriters

Both emerging and established writers are welcome to apply. Priority will be given to applicants who can most benefit from access to space, support, and connection.

There is no cash award offered for the residency.

There is no requirement to publish a work at the end of the residency, but candidates must be

working on a personally significant project.

Residents will be required to participate in at least two Library events and programs.

THE SPACE:

The writing space is located at the office of the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library at 1630 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 (between Carolina & Wisconsin). It is a rich, supportive environment with Friends staff working during regular business hours. The large writing space is in the front of the office, with a vast window overlooking Jackson Park. The back of the building houses thousands of donated books, sold to support the Library’s programs and services.

It is important that residents can work well in an office community of this arrangement. The office will not be perfectly quiet nor without exciting bustle. Residents will have 24-hour access to the space, though, seven days a week — plenty of quiet time without staff around.

BENEFITS:

Dedicated, free space to focus on your creative work 24-hour access to Friends’ writing salon conveniently located near Potrero Hill Storage, printers, copier, kitchen, bathrooms, free access to the internet, and a Friends’ email address for business use, if desired

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY:

As the Library is a public place, it cannot designate a permanent space for a writer. However, residents can be paired with neighborhood library branches in relationships of support and exchange. Residents often have relationships with a library “host branch,” and Friends’ staff will help facilitate the relationship to ensure a quality experience as a “special author” at select branches.

Opportunities are available for residents to participate in library programs and activities that promote their work and public engagement with writing. (i.e. toddler and children’s reading circles; teen book clubs; branch literary and cultural events; and special readings/activities designed by you and the Library staff)

PROMOTION:

Marketing and social media exposure through Friends’ Communications Department and the Public Relations Department of the Library Readings at books sales and events coordinated by SFPL or Friends

friendssfpl.org/residency.html

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OPEN CALL FOR 2025 Editors-in-Chief: community anthologies

Seventh Wave

DEADLINE: April 9, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $5

INFO: Seventh Wave is excited to open up applications for it’s 2025 cohort of editors-in-chief, who will be curating our next round of Community Anthologies.

For information about this program, please visit the FAQ section of our Submit page here (scroll down to "Anthologies") and see our 2024 Community Anthologies here. We have summarized some of the information below: 

• Four Editors-in-Chief: We will be selecting four individuals to be our 2025 EICs. Each EIC will curate and publish a "Community Anthology," which is a digital anthology that publishes 6-8 writers or artists within each on Seventh Wave's website here.

• Budget/Stipend: Each EIC receives a $1,000 stipend for curating their issue. Each anthology has a budget of up to $2,050: $1,000 of that goes to the EIC, $600-800 goes to contributors (each contributor is paid $100 for their work), and there is a $250 stipend that an EIC can use to work with a featured artist for the issue.

• Overview of work: Seventh Wave will guide the four EICs through five phases of work together: call curation, submission/selection, editorial, staging, and publication. Each EIC is required to attend a monthly meeting, each of which focuses on one of the five phases of the work. For example, our first monthly meeting will focus on the call curation process, and during that month, EICs will work to produce their own 1-paragraph prompt for their anthology, which will serve as their call for submissions. 

• Application Materials: As you'll see in the form, we're asking folks to submit a bio, your topic of interest, intended submission method, and a statement of interest that addresses a few simple questions. Please note: your topic and submission method can change once selected; however, we want to get an idea of what topic you are thinking of curating to ensure that we bring in a diverse set of potential topics. There is a $5 application fee, which honors the time it takes our team to read and respond to every submission. If the $5 fee is cost prohibitive, you can submit your full application to submit@seventhwavemag.com for free by 4/9. 

seventhwavemag.submittable.com/submit

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OPEN CALL - THIS QUEER ARAB FAMILY: AN ANTHOLOGY BY LGBTQ+ ARAB WRITERS

Saqi Books (UK)

DEADLINE: April 10, 2025 at Midnight GMT

ENTRY FEE: £0

INFO: Are you Queer and of Arab heritage? Do you have something to say about it? Would you like your work to be published alongside other ground-breaking writers, including Randa Jarrar and Elias Jahshan?

Whether you’re a published author or are looking to get your life writing down for the first time, we would love to read about your experiences.

Successful pieces from the open call will be included in a collection titled This Queer Arab Family, edited by Elias Jahshan and published by Saqi Books (September 2025). This intimate and hopeful collection celebrates the family we inherit and the friends we choose to become our family. It is a testament to the challenges and triumphs that bind us together.

You might want to write about:

• Finding kinship in unexpected places – at festivals, online, etc

• Parenting – rewriting the parenting ‘rule’ book

• Staying connected with extended family around the world – the wild etiquette of your family WhatsApp group, the rituals we hold dear to feel near to one another

The writing you submit can be funny, poignant, passionate, thoughtful, angry and every shade in between. We want to readers to understand how LGBTQ+ Arabs are redefining what traditional roles and relationships look like.

COMPENSATION: Successful writers whose work is selected will be notified in May 2025 and paid a fee of £400.

Please review the guidelines and submit your writing for consideration at submissions@saqibooks.com

saqibooks.com/2025/02/open-call-for-submissions-this-queer-arab-family/

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African Voices Call for Fiction, Poems, Art & Essays Celebrating Harry Belafonte

African Voices

DEADLINE: April 11, 2025 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: African Voices invites submissions for the Summer/Fall 2025 issue focused on the artistry and activism of the late Harry Belafonte. This issue will be guest edited by award-winning poet, author, and artist Keisha-Gaye Anderson. 

Harry Belafonte's decades-long work of blending his artistry and activism to promote civil rights and human rights in the United States and beyond helped to foment significant social change in his lifetime, from his work with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to his role in the anti-apartheid movement.

This issue will showcase fiction, art, poetry, and essays that exemplify some of the areas that Belafonte was passionate about, including racial equity, social justice, human rights, community empowerment, the interconnectedness of the cultural production of the African diaspora in the Americas, and the power of literacy and the arts to positively transform lives. 

 “Artists are the gatekeepers of truth," said Belafonte. "We are civilization’s anchor. We are the compass for humanity’s consciousness.” The issues that Belafonte worked to advance in his life in terms of Civil Rights and human rights are particularly resonant at this moment. We want to share your work that reflects and ponders these themes.

Please include your short bio and contact information with your submission.

What we’re looking for:

• Fiction – no more than 2,500 words

• Essays – no more than 2,500 words

• Poetry – three to five poems

• Artwork – three to five images

File types accepted: Word, PDF, JPEG, TIFF.

africanvoices.submittable.com/submit/318874/african-voices-call-for-fiction-poems-art-essays-celebrating-harry-belafonte

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2025 Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize

The de Groot Foundation / Desperate Literature

DEADLINE: April 13, 2025

INFO: The 2025 Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is now open for submissions.

PRIZES:

First Prize:

• €2000

• A week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation

• A consultation with a Literary Agent

• A manuscript assessment and follow-up meeting with a literary editor

Runner-up Prizes:

• €1000 (two prizes available)

All Shortlisted Writers:

• Eligible for publication in select literary publications.

• Participation in Desperate Literature Prize events at Desperate Literature, Madrid and Burley Fisher, London.

All Longlisted Writers:

• Receive one year’s access to The Literary Consultancy’s ‘Being a Writer’ platform.

One Shortlisted Writer:

• Will be invited to participate in the European Writers Salon in Brussels (EU writers Only)

One Shortlisted Writer:

• Will be offered a ten-day stay in their in-house residency, Madrid.

desperateliterature.com/prize

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2026 Writer-In-Residence

Hedgebrook

DEADLINE: April 14, 2025

INFO: Hedgebrook is a nonprofit organization serving women-identified writers. Our retreat program is located on Whidbey Island near Seattle where writers come to write, rejuvenate and be in community with each other. Hedgebrook welcomes all women-identified writers representing diversity in citizenship status, nationality, current place of residence, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, trans* identity, age, disability, professional experience, and economic resources. We welcome applicants, published or not, who embrace the mission and opportunity to be a member of Hedgebrook's community.

Writers join an intimate and diverse community of six residents at a time who share a home-cooked meal, their work, their process and their stories, in addition to the time spent in solitude.

Applications will be accepted in the following genres:

• Non-Fiction

• Poetry

• Screenwriting

• Playwriting

• Fiction

https://hedgebrook.slideroom.com

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Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency

The Adirondack Center for Writing

APPLICATION PERIOD: April 14 - May 19, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $30 (There is no cost to attend the residency)

INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.

The residency is generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, writers will paddle to the site of her property and explore the lake with locals.

The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are plenty of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available, but limited (email ; Zoom ). Most cell phones will not work (a landline is available).

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Residency Dates: September 21 – October 5, 2025

• Notification: July 2025

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Cover Letter: In the space provided in Submittable (no attachments), include a brief, third-person bio and a work plan detailing your goals for this residency.

2. Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 pages of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name does not show up anywhere in your writing sample. Writing samples that include your name will not be considered. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications.

We do not accept printed applications. Contact info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org or 518-354-1261 with any questions.

https://adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/

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2025 Fiction Contest

BOMB Magazine

DEADLINE: April 15, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

READING FEE: $30

INFO: BOMB Magazine’s 2025 Fiction Contest is open for submissions, and we’re honored to have the Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur Fellow Kelly Link joining us as this year’s guest judge. Link will select one winner to receive a $1,000 prize and publication in BOMB’s quarterly magazine.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Manuscripts may contain no more than 5,000 words and must consist of a single work of short fiction.
  All entries will be considered anonymously. Do not include author name on manuscript pages.Nonanonymous manuscripts will be disqualified.

• Reading Fee: $30. Includes a yearlong print subscription to BOMB for US entrants (a $60 value). All non-US entrants will receive a digital-only subscription. All new subscriptions will begin with BOMB’s Summer 2025 issue, arriving on newsstands June 15. Current subscribers to BOMB have a discounted reading fee of $5 and will receive details on discounted entry via email.

• Work must be previously unpublished.

• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but we ask that you notify us if your piece is accepted elsewhere. The fee is nonrefundable.

• Work must be uploaded via Submittable.

Email firstproof@bombsite.com with any questions. The winner and finalists will be announced in July 2025.

ABOUT KELLY LINK:

Kelly Link is the author of five collections and the novel The Book of Love. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her family and owns the independent bookstore Book Moon. A former MacArthur Fellow and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, she coedits the occasional zine Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet. You can find her on Bluesky at @kellylink.bsky.social.

bombmagazine.org/articles/2025/02/28/2025-fiction-contest-judged-kelly-link/

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2025 Breakout! Writers Prize: For outstanding undergraduate + graduate student writers of POetry + prose

Epiphany Magazine

DEADLINE: April 15, 2025

INFO: The 2025 Breakout! Writers Prize is officially open for submissions. The Breakout! Writers Prize brings visibility to and supports outstanding undergraduate and graduate student writers. Winners have won the PEN/Dau Prize and gone on to get agents, publish books, and discover new careers in publishing.

This year’s prize judges are: Victoria Chang for poetry, and Hilary Leichter for prose.

PRIZE:

Two Writers, One in Prose and One in Poetry, Will Each Receive:

• A $1000 cash prize

• Publication in the Summer 2025 issue of Epiphany

• A one-year subscription to Epiphany

To apply you must have been enrolled in an accredited university, at least part-time, for the academic years 2024 or 2025. The prize is open to both undergraduate students and graduate students receiving a Masters degree. PhD candidates are not eligible. Students need not be specifically enrolled in MFA programs or creative writing programs.

https://epiphanyzine.com/features/2025-breakout-prize

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2025 Prose Contest

Fugue

DEADLINE: April 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: Submissions are currently open for Fugue’s 2025 Prose Contest

GUIDELINES: Submissions should include no more than one short story or one essay per submission in a .doc, .docx (preferred), or .pdf document. Multiple submissions are considered as long as a separate fee is paid for each. We ask that submissions not exceed 7000 words.

PRIZE: The contest winner in prose receives $1,000 and publication in Fugue’s 2025 print issue. One runner-up is also published. All submissions will be read by at least two editors, and ten finalists will go on to our judge. All submissions will be considered for general publication in Fugue.

JUDGE: This year's prose judge is Jess Arndt. Jess Arndt is a transgenre writer seeking protuberant forms. Their story collection, Large Animals, (CATAPULT 2017 / CIPHER 2020), was shortlisted for the California Book Prize and their writing has recently appeared in Conjunctions, Granta, LARB, Lithub, Fence, BOMB, Night Papers, and in collaborations with The Knife's Shaking the Habitual tour. Arndt received an MFA at Bard College (2007) and is a co-founder of the Brooklyn-based prose experiment, New Herring Press. They have been teaching endogenous writing at the Pacific Northwest College of the Arts (PNCA), the California Institute of the Arts, and currently co-chair the Bard MFA Writing department. 

fugue.submittable.com/submit

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THE PEN PARENTIS WRITING FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW PARENTS

Pen Parentis

DEADLINE: April 17, 2025

INFO: One talented writer who is the parent of at least one child under 10 years old will receive $2000 to further their writing career, a year of mentorship, and will be offered the opportunity to read their winning story online at a Pen Parentis Literary Salon in Fall 2025. Their winning story will also be published in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (both online and in print) as well as included in the annual Dreamers Writing Anthology.

The second prize and third prize will likewise be welcomed into our Cycle of support and receive $500 and $250, respectively.

GUIDELINES: Submissions call for a new, never-published fiction story-any genre, on any subject-of up to 350 words.

PLEASE NOTE: we change the word count each year! One of the goals of this project is to keep parents working — motivating all writers to continue to create new high-quality creative writing at the busiest time of the parenting journey. We keep the word count intentionally low--this year shorter than ever (because wow, we are all slammed!)

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

Put only the title of the story and its word count on the manuscript. Nothing to identify the writer.

On that note, Judging is blind and based only on the following criteria:

• 1. Adherence to contest rules

• 2. Creativity

• 3. Narrative arc

• 4. Emotional truth

• 5. Elements of surprise, humor, writing skill, and/or layers of depth.

All genres and styles of unpublished fiction are welcome. Entry fees will not be refunded. Previous Pen Parentis Fellows and 2nd/3rd Prize winners are not eligible if they received a cash prize.

(Anyone who did not receive a cash award is encouraged to try again!)

Entry fees fund the operation of Pen Parentis, Ltd, with priority given to the maintenance of this Fellowship. $5 of the fee covers our costs of accepting credit cards.

Accepted Document Types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf.

penparentis.org/fellowship/

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Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship

International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)

DEADLINE: April 20, 2025 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship provides academic and professional opportunities to advance the reporting skills of women and nonbinary  journalists who focus on human rights and social justice. The Fellowship was created in memory of The Boston Globe correspondent and IWMF Courage in Journalism Award (1998) winner Elizabeth Neuffer, who died while reporting in Iraq on May 9, 2003. In collaboration with Neuffer’s family and friends, the IWMF started this program to honor Neuffer’s legacy while advancing her work in the fields of human rights and social justice.

The Neuffer Fellowship is designed for women and nonbinary journalists with at least three years of professional experience in journalism working in print, broadcast, or digital media, either as a staff journalist or as a freelancer. All nationalities are welcome to apply but non-native English speakers must have excellent written and verbal English skills in order to fully participate in and benefit from the program. The Fellow will complete research and coursework at MIT’s Center for International Studies and journalism internships at The Boston Globe and The New York Times. The flexible structure of the program provides the fellow with opportunities to pursue academic research and hone their reporting skills. Past fellows have taken advantage of opportunities to publish work under their byline through various media outlets.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• The Neuffer Fellowship is open to women, nonbinary and gender non-conforming journalists whose work focuses on human rights and social justice issues.

• All applicants for the Neuffer Fellowship must be working journalists with at least three years of full-time, professional journalism experience. Internships and journalism-related work completed as a university student do not count as professional experience. Applicants may be affiliated or freelance journalists.

• Journalists from any country around the world are eligible to apply. However, applicants must speak, read, and write English fluently in order to fully participate in and benefit from the Fellowship.

FELLOWSHIP SCHEDULE:

• June 2025: Elizabeth Neuffer Fellow will be selected

• February 2026: Fellowship begins in Boston with an internship at the Boston Globe and research/coursework at MIT’s Center for International Studies

• May 2026: Fellow moves to New York for internship at The Express Desk, The New York Times

• July 2026: Fellowship ends

QUESTIONS:

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions page for the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship before starting your application or contacting the IWMF.

For any inquiries related to the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship, or if you are experiencing accessibility/connectivity issues, please contact Divya at dtewari@iwmf.org.

iwmf.submittable.com/submit/3ec88fa1-364d-4120-85b3-370b8734671a/2026-elizabeth-neuffer-fellowship

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Real People, Real Struggles, Real Stories Fellowship: Writing About Mental Illness

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

DEADLINE: April 21, 2025 by midnight CST

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is pleased to announce the "Real People, Real Struggles, Real Stories" Fellowship, designed to support a writer working on a short or long-form non-fiction project that explores personal experiences with mental illness. This fellowship seeks narratives that not only provide insight and awareness but, most importantly, offer hope. Writers are encouraged to share their journeys, aspirations, and the ways they adapt and fine-tune their dreams. Stories addressing relationships, family life, travel, employment, civic contributions, and personal passions—alongside the barriers, fears, and stigmas encountered—are especially welcome. Submissions must be non-fiction and may take the form of memoir, essay, profile, or biography. The winning application will demonstrate insight, honesty, literary merit, and strong potential for publication.

AWARD: The fellowship winner will be awarded a two-week residency at WCDH, providing the recipient with an opportunity to focus entirely on their writing. Each writer’s suite includes a bedroom, private bathroom, dedicated writing space, and wireless internet. The residency also includes uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner five nights a week, and the camaraderie of other professional writers. A community kitchen stocked with essential ingredients is available for additional meals. WCDH will work closely with the fellow to develop a community outreach project that aligns with their strengths and skillset.​

TIMELINE: The fellowship winner will be announced no later than June 1, 2025, and the residency must be completed by December 31, 2026.

For further details, please contact:

Jeanne Glass, Director
The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow
515 Spring Street, Eureka Springs, AR 72632
479-253-7444
wcdhfellowships@gmail.com

writerscolony.org/fellowships

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: “AMPARO” MICRO-ISSUE

Dominican Writers Association

DEADLINE: April 21, 2025

INFO: AMPARO, that uniquely Dominican sense of protection that goes beyond physical shelter. The arms that held you, the sacrifices made in silence, the “bendición” that followed you out the door like an invisible shield.

We’re launching “Palabras del Alma,” a new bi-monthly micro-issue series exploring Dominican emotional concepts, and our first theme is close to our hearts.

GUIDELINES:

• Submit your poetry, flash fiction, micro-essays, or testimonios reflecting on maternal protection, family guardianship, or community shelter.

• 300-1000 words (or 1 poem, max 1 page)

• English, Spanish, or Spanglish welcome – “en el idioma que te salga del corazón”

Email submissions to: editor@dominicanwriters.com

Subject line: “AMPARO SUBMISSION - [Your Name]”

Selected pieces will be published in our May Substack issue, with a virtual reading to follow.

“Bajo mi ala” as our mothers would say. “Mientras yo viva, tú no pasas trabajo” as our grandmothers promised. What does AMPARO mean to you?

dominicanwriters.substack.com/p/call-for-submission-amparo

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Reading Periods: FICTION, NONFICTION + POETRY

A‍pogee Journal

DEADLINE: April 21, 2025

INFO: Apogee publishes a journal of literature and art that encourages thoughtful exploration of identity at its intersections: race, gender, sexuality, class, and disability status. We publish fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art, as well as reviews, interviews, flash, and more on our digital platform, Perigee. 

The word “apogee” denotes the point in an object’s orbit farthest from a center. In turn, we value artistic expression far from the political center, created by artists and writers of oppressed identities who interrogate aesthetic and political status quos through their work. As we do so, we pay tribute to the Black feminist Combahee River Collective in recognition that “the major systems of oppression are interlocking.” To that end, we combat the domination of white, cis-heteronormative, patriarchal, settler-colonial voices that pervade our literary landscape in our celebration of linguistic diversity and our commitment to our community of readers and contributors. We recognize that centrist literary and artistic spheres contribute to genocide and other forms of violence via censorship and political suppression. We aim to uplift the work of those writing against genocide and would like to extend an invitation to Palestinian, Lebanese, Congolese, and Sudanese writers in particular to share their work during this reading period. 

We look for work that centers the experience of marginalized perspectives. We want to foster work that addresses the politics of identity, such as migration, diaspora, multiculturalism, privilege, hierarchy, oppression, though these themes are not a requirement for publication. We believe the exploration of perspectives and voices that are mostly unheard and ignored is a political act itself. To read our mission statement, please visit this page.

• All work must be previously unpublished.

• Cover letters are optional.

• Please include a current bio.

• We accept simultaneous submissions. Please notify us if your work has been accepted elsewhere.

• For prose submissions, please send a maximum of 5,000 words, in either .doc or .docx format.

• Please send only one piece per reading period.

• Please send a maximum of five poems in the same document, either .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.

Check out our past issues to get a sense of the journal before sharing your work with us. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and if you have any questions email us at editors@apogeejournal.org. We look forward to reading your work!

apogeejournal.org/share-work

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call for submissions: The Commuter (Prose, Poetry, and Graphic Narratives)

Electric Literature

SUBMISSION PERIOD: April 21 - 27, 2025 (or until submissions cap at 750 (325 per category)

INFO: The Commuter is our home for poetry, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives. It publishes weekly on Wednesday morning, and has showcased the likes of Caroline Hadilaksono, Aleksandar Hemon, Jonathan Lethem, Lindsay Hunter, Tahirah Alexander Green, and Julia Wertz.

Please keep the following guidelines in mind:   

• For Prose, submit one or more pieces, either standalone or connected, in a single document. The total word count should not exceed 1500 words. We encourage writers to push boundaries.

• For Poetry, submit 4–6 poems in a single document, and please limit the page count to 8. Keep in mind that due to our digital platform, not all poems may render exactly as they appear in a PDF.

• For Graphic Narrative, we are interested in both traditional and non-traditional forms of visual storytelling. Submit up to 3 pieces of narrative illustration, comics, mixed media narrative, or genre-negative oddments. For comics, each piece should contain a minimum of 3 panels. The total page count of your submission should not exceed 20 pages.

• Please submit all genres in .doc, .docx, or PDF. 

• Please submit only once per category.

• Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.

• Please include your email address.

• If your work is selected, we offer a total payment of $100.

• Writers with a submission pending with Recommended Reading may still submit to The Commuter.

All submissions will be accepted through our Submittable page. For a sense of the kind of work we publish, check out recent issues of The Commuter, our 280-character contest winners, and Recommended Reading’s 300th issue.

For candid advice from our editors on how to make your poems, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives stand out, watch our video "How to Get Published in The Commuter." 

electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant

Whiting Foundation

DEADLINE: April 23, 2025 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: The 2025 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant of $40,000 will be awarded to as many as ten writers in the process of completing a book-length work of deeply researched and imaginatively composed nonfiction for a general adult readership. It is intended for multiyear book projects requiring large amounts of deep and focused research, thinking, and writing at a crucial point mid-process, after significant work has been accomplished but when an extra infusion of support can make a difference in the ultimate shape and quality of the work.

Whiting welcomes applications for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, science, philosophy, criticism, graphic nonfiction, and personal essays, among other categories. Again, the work should be intended for a general, not academic, adult reader. Self-help titles, historical fiction, textbooks, books primarily for a scholarly audience, and books for young readers are not eligible. Examples of the wide range of previous grantees can be found here.

Projects must be under contract with a publisher in Canada, the UK, or the US by April 23 to be eligible. Contracts with self-publishing companies are not eligible.

Writers must submit the materials listed below via the online application form by 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, April 23. The application form includes detailed instructions for each requested item.

• The original proposal that led to the contract with your publisher

• Up to 25,000 words from your draft. Please submit full-length draft chapters, rather than short excerpts from across your book, to the extent the word count allows

• A statement of work yet to be completed

• A plan for use of funds

• A signed and dated contract (please note that to be eligible, books must be under contract with a Canadian, UK, or US publisher – unfortunately, we can make no exceptions to this requirement)

• A current resume

• A list of grants, fellowships, or other funding received for the book

• A letter of support from your publisher or editor

Each project under submission will have two first-round readers who will evaluate for substance and execution (while understanding that they are reading a work in progress). Finalists will be considered by a separate panel of judges who will evaluate for need in addition to substance and execution. Readers and judges will consist of experts in the field from Canada, the UK, and the US, and they will serve anonymously to shield them from any external pressures. The grantees will be announced in December.

The Foundation hosted two online information sessions to answer questions and offer guidance on applying for the grant. You can watch a recording of an info session here.

If you have any questions about the eligibility of your project or the application process, please contact us at nonfiction@whiting.org.

Regardless of eligibility for this grant, Whiting encourages nonfiction writers at all stages of the writing process to consult the Poets & Writers’ Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database for other opportunities for support.

Nonfiction authors with books under contract with a publisher might also consider applying to the J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Awards.

A few opportunities open to nonfiction writers not under contract with a publisher include:

• AWP Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction

• Cullman Center Fellowships at the NYPL

• Fund for Investigative Journalism

• Gournay Prize from Ohio State University Press

• Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize

• Leon Levy Center for Biography Fellowships

• NEH Public Scholars program

• NEH Fellowships

• Silvers Grants for Works in Progress

• The DAG Prize for Literature

• The Yale Nonfiction Book Prize

• Zone 3 Press Creative Nonfiction Book Award

whiting.org/writers/creative-nonfiction-grant/about

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Call for submissions: ‘Birds: Witnessing the mathematics of flight, of song, of movement…’

Women Who Submit

DEADLINE: April 25, 2025

INFO: The Women Who Submit blog is now open for submissions for our bi-monthly publication.

Send us your poetry, flash fiction, or brief essays that explore BIRDS in all their glorious, known and unknown complexities. We want work that peeks into those moments when a flock transforms what we see into new territory, when a single song breaks the morning into remembering, when migration patterns map themselves onto your geography. Work that captures the preciseness of flight: the way wings cut through air or how the presence of birds marks territories in our urban (or rural) spaces.

Your story, essay, or poem might delve into the biomechanics of how or why the bird flies, tell the story of the red-shouldered hawk, document the exact moment you counted the fifth mockingbird on the bird day trail, or it might share your connection to the ancient language of bird song. Whether your words lean into physics or document the way you watched a nest appear outside your window, we want to read work that takes flight. Every single pun intended.

Work will be selected for the May & June publication.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The WWS blog accepts original, unpublished pieces no more than 2,000 words.

• Work should be 12 Times New Roman, double spaced (single-spaced for poetry) with one-inch margins

• Email the piece as an attached .doc or .docx. If images are included, please do not send attachments (we’ll ask for them if the piece is accepted). 

• Include a short cover letter in the body of the email that states how you heard of Women Who Submit, your genre, where you reside, and a short 50-word bio. 

• Simultaneous submissions under more than one theme are accepted. You can submit to any themes throughout the year, as long as the decline has not passed. 

• Send to the Managing Editor, Jessica Ceballos y Campbell at blog@womenwhosubmitlit.org with the theme you are submitting under and the word “Submission” in the subject line. e.g.: “Dreams Submission”, “Rain Submission”

• Contributors whose work is accepted will receive $75 per piece, upon publication.

*Note: As an editor & publisher, Jessica Ceballos y Campbell  disengages from writing that perpetuates violence through racist, xenophobic, classist, sexist, misogynistic, ageist, ableist, homophobic, and/or transphobic ideologies.

womenwhosubmitlit.org/submit-to-us/

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Confluence: International Indigenous Art Criticism Residency

Forge Project

DEADLINE: April 25, 2025

INFO: Confluence is a fully funded art criticism residency that brings together six Indigenous writers for two weeks of workshops, reflection, and collaboration to support them in their creative practice at any stage in their career. 

Continuing a series that has brought Indigenous writers, scholars and knowledge keepers together between continents and archipelagos, Confluence is convened by Sarah Biscarra Dilley (yaktitʸutitʸu yaktiłhini), Director of Indigenous Programs and Relationality at Forge Project, and Léuli Eshrāghi (Tagata Sāmoa), Curator of Indigenous Practices at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. 

We recognize Indigenous art as the foundation of all contemporary art, not simply as a facet of art history or historical context. Reaching beyond the inhibited memory of settlement with Indigenous artists, methods, and histories that assert longevity, innovation, and Native futurity, Confluence refuses the limited focus of a dominant art historical canon that situates the emergence of art at moments of colonial rupture in fractured geographies. Rather than reproducing narratives that situate Native intellectual, material, and artistic practice as objects of study, the cohort and faculty of Confluence contribute to the critical fields of Indigenous art, art history, and cultural sovereignty by speaking from, and between, our respective centers. 

Confluence grounds our work in the importance of gathering and exchange as a space of intellectual kinship, inviting an international cohort of residents to affirm the inherent inter-nationalism of ceremonial-political practices, kinships, tribes, and Native nations. 

By bringing together Indigenous art writers based in occupied lands, those impacted by global imperialism and other distinct colonial projects, residents can deepen comparative study in a distinctly relational way. The gathering will move at a pace that supports the importance of coming together in deep thought and critical exchange while balancing days of presentation and workshops with days of unstructured time to write, rest, or reflect. 

Participants in this residency will develop ideas and texts in kinship with an international roster of guest faculty belonging to Indigenous nations in North America and the Great Ocean. Taking place at Forge Project, located in the unceded homelands of the Moh-He-Con-Nuck (People of the Waters that are Never Still) in upstate New York, this is conceived as a retreat for emerging and established Indigenous art historians, critics, curators, and poets. 

Confluence offers fully funded travel, meals, and lodging for both faculty and residents, minimizing barriers to access, with the intention of shaping a cohort that represents writers in varied stages of their careers.

FACULTY:

Confluence is co-facilitated by Sarah Biscarra Dilley(yaktitʸutitʸu yaktiłhini), artist and Director of Indigenous Programs and Relationality, Forge Project; and Léuli Eshrāghi(Tagata Sāmoa), artist and Curator of Indigenous Practices, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.

• Drew Kahuʻāina Broderick (Kanaka ʻŌiwi), artist, writer, and member of kekahi wahi (kw)

• Candice Hopkins (Carcross/Tagish First Nation), Executive Director and Chief Curator, Forge Project

• Heather Igloliorte (Nunatsiavummiuk), Canada Excellence Research Chair and Professor, Visual Arts, University of Victoria

• Tanya Lukin Linklater (Sugpiaq), artist-choreographer and Postdoctoral Fellow in Decolonial and Transformational Art Practices at University of Victoria

• Lana Lopesi (Tagata Sāmoa), author and Assistant Professor in Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies at University of Oregon

• Jolene Rickard (enrolled citizen of Skarù:ręˀ - Tuscarora, Turtle Clan), Associate Professor in the History of Art and Visual Studies with affiliations in American Studies, American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Art, and Performance, and Media Studies at Cornell University

• Monique Tyndall (Mohican/Munsee-Lenape/Omaha/Creek), Director of Cultural Affairs at Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans

ELIGIBILITY:

Confluence is shaped with the intention of convening an international cohort of Native writers from across diverse spatial and cultural contexts from Indigenous communities throughout shared saltwater, continents, and archipelagoes. This is inclusive of writers and thinkers beyond the context of North America. 

We envision the reach of this residency as global and the cohort will be selected with attention to a collaborative whole. We recognize that there are multiple forms of community-affirmed relationships and Indigenous governance but remain accountable to lived practices of kinship, cultural belonging, and sovereignty. 

Recently discovered or distant Native ancestry, absent ongoing community relations, or claiming a community that does not claim an applicant does not qualify an individual as Indigenous for the purpose of this residency. 

As an extension of Forge Project’s commitment to support Native leadership in the arts and culture broadly, we choose to center applicants whose practice benefits collective or community-centered work.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

To apply, please see guidelines below:

Applications should be submitted as a single PDF to info@forgeproject.com by Friday, April 25 at midnight EST, and include:

• A résumé or CV of relevant community-based, creative, publishing and/or professional experience (1 page maximum)

• A statement of relationality and intention for joining the cohort (2 page maximum)

  • This statement should offer:

    • clear narrative context for your relationship(s) to your Native and/or Indigenous communities,

    • commitment to working alongside or in service to them, 

    • an overview of your intention(s) for applying to this residency and what most draws you to the experience 

  • This statement can be shared in an alternative format -  such as links to audio clips and/or video responses (6 minutes maximum)

• A writing sample (4 page maximum, both published or unpublished writing in Indigenous and colonial languages [with parallel and/or translated texts] will be accepted)

ACCESSIBILITY:

Confluence will be led and conducted in both English and a variety of Indigenous languages. We recognize the limitations that this presents and seek to expand our capacity to work across broader linguistic contexts in future iterations of this residency series.

The residency will take place in a variety of spaces throughout the Mahicannituck (Hudson River) Valley region surrounding Forge Project in Taghkanic, NY. Both lodging and shared workshops spaces are in a largely rural environment with local travel by personal vehicle, train routes from nearby towns to major cities, and provided, pre-arranged transportation.

Residents will be housed together in offsite accommodations at Sylvan Motor Lodge which allows each resident to have their own hotel room on the ground floor as well as access to a shared kitchen, living room space, and heated pool. Transportation in minivans between Forge, Sylvan Motor Lodge, other host sites and pre-arranged errand runs will be provided.

Forge is committed to increasing accessibility to our site, including physical accessibility. We welcome requests for accommodation and further questions—please reach out directly by emailing robbie@forgeproject.com or info@forgeproject.com.

forgeproject.com/projects/convenings

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call for submission: Issue 14

PREE

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025

INFO: The prompt for our fourteenth issue comes from James Baldwin:

“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word “love” here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace — not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth”

— James Baldwin, “Down at the Cross”. Letter from a Region in My Mind”. 

For PREE 14, we invite you to engage with Baldwin’s expansive vision of love, and his notion of quest. Dare we breach established rules of inclusion and exclusion to escape conceptions of the present and past dictated by the ruling culture? What might this quest of the daring self-aware subject look like?  And where is the love? We welcome your explorations that challenge default assumptions about love —- in the Caribbean context, or otherwise — and paint a picture of what love might look like if we ventured into the unknown. 

If you’re unfamiliar with PREE we ask that you take a look at the content we’ve already published to get an idea of the quality of writing we expect. A fun fact: We wish we received as many prose submissions as we do poetry.

GUIDELINES:

PREE is a magazine for writing from, on or about the Caribbean. We are not open to submissions from writers based in in the Global North.

At PREE we want to showcase your writing and require original works (previously unpublished) for us to feature. The piece should not be under consideration elsewhere.

By submitting your work, you acknowledge that, if accepted, your work will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Terms of Use outlined below.

What Are We Looking For?

Vivid pieces of finished work that fit our issue themes. This includes essays, articles, creative non-fiction, fiction, short stories, poetry, and photo essays.

We accept work written in Caribbean vernaculars, English, and representations of both. At this time we’re unable to accept submissions in other languages.

Length & practicalities:

• For prose (fiction and non-fiction) – anywhere from 1,500 words to 5,000 words.

• For poems – 2-3 works.

We will only accept one submission per person and it’s important that this is the first place your piece has been published, both in print and digitally. You’ll retain the copyright on the work but we’ll be contracting for the right to publish that work for the first time.

Formats to submit to PREE:

The Editors have different ways of reading

• Save the filename as TITLE (eg Miss Birdie or Carousel or whatever the title of your piece is)

• Arial. 12 point. Double-spaced.

• Save either as a .doc, a .docx. We cannot accept any other format.

• Your name and the title of the piece should be on the front page. Please don’t embed your name on other pages.

• Finished work only, please. It can be within a minute of the last day but it needs to be finished.

Please check you’ve done all these things before submitting. We are unable to consider work that does not fall within these guidelines.

POETRY

We will accept a minimum of two poems and a maximum of three poems. The poems can be any length. The poems must come in one single document. Each new poem must start on a brand new page in the document. It’s important you use Arial 12 point as the font and size. Please use manual breaks at the end of lines and paragraph breaks at the end of each stanze. Do NOT use paragraph breaks at the end of each line. If you have specific formatting requirements for the poems, it’s important they be formatted as intended.

If you have any queries, comments or just want to get in touch, let us know via preeliteditors@gmail.com

If you are a publisher or agent who wants information about submitting writers you publish or represent please email preeliteditors@gmail.com 

preelit.com/contact/

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Letras Boricuas Fellowship

Flamboyan Arts Fund

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. (AST)

INFO: The Letras Boricuas Fellowship is an opportunity sponsored by the Mellon Foundation and the Flamboyan Arts Fund that awards individual grants of $25,000 to literary writers who identify as Puerto Ricans. The program began in 2021 and has named three cohorts of Letras Boricuas Fellows to date.

The fellowship’s call for 2025 will open Tuesday March 18, 2025. The next round for Letras Boricuas will open in 2026. Twenty-four writers will be selected annually in 2025 and 2026. The fellowship supports writers working within one of the following literary genres: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Spoken Word and Playwriting.

In addition to providing unrestricted funds to support writers in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. diaspora, Letras Boricuas seeks to encourage literary practice, connect writers, expose writers’ works to a wider audience, and support the creative development of works that celebrate Puerto Rican lives and culture.

The fellowship program aims for each group of grantees to include writers from different literary genres. Applications will be accepted in Spanish, English, or both languages.

GUIDELINES: Please read the following guidelines closely, as our application requirements may have changed from previous years and aspects of the program have been adjusted for 2025. Learn more about Letras Boricuas on www.letrasboricuas.org

FELLOWSHIP TIMELINE:

• Online Application Period - March 18 to April 30, 2025

• Application Period Ends - April 30, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

• Evaluation and Selection Period - May 1 to September 30, 2025

• New Letras Boricua Cohort Announcement - Fall 2025

ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION PROCESS:

ELIBILITY: To determine eligibility and be considered for this fellowship, the applicant must meet and adhere to the following criteria:

• Must be 21 years of age or older at time of application

• Self-identify as Puerto Rican

• Must be a current resident of Puerto Rico or reside in the United States (50 states)

• Must present original work

• Must have or create an account at www.submittable.com

• Must complete and submit the application on time by Wednesday April 30, 2025. The application portal closes at 5:00 p.m. (AST).

• Former Letras Boricuas Fellows are not eligible to rapply for an additional fellowship.

• Writers of multiple genres must select one eligible genre in which to complete the application

• Applications from publishers, organizations, or institutions will not be considered.

• Employees or contractors of the Flamboyán Foundation and the Mellon Foundation are not eligible. Immediate family or people living in their household cannot apply either.

SELECTION PROCESS: The new Letras Boricuas cohort, made up of twenty-four writers, will be chosen through a two-step nomination and selection process by committee members. The Selection Committee, appointed by the Mellon Foundation and the Flamboyan Arts Fund, consists of experienced writers, literary experts, and former Letras Boricuas Fellows.

Eligible applications will be reviewed based on literary merit, the latter of which may include work samples that display some or all of the following characteristics: originality, imagination, creativity, a strong point of view, a unique voice, facility with language, technical skill and craft. Financial status will not be taken into consideration.

It is recommended to closely review all required materials listed in the guidelines. The application has specific requirements for each genre; each applicant can apply in one literary genre. Incomplete applications or applications that do not meet specifications will result in disqualification. Late applications will not be accepted, without exception.

NON-ELIGIBLES: The following publications will NOT be considered as demonstrating eligibility or as valid work samples:

• co-authored or co-published works

• academic writing (dissertation, thesis, critical essays, research, textbook chapters, etc.)

• journalism (articles, reporting, pieces of criticism including book or

• other reviews, opinion pieces, etc.)

• biographies

• graphic novels

• wordless books

• cookbooks

• song lyrics

• screenplays or television scripts

• opera theater plays (libretto)

• any other works that are not considered literary.

Decisions by the Flamboyan staff regarding eligibility are final. Due to the high number of submissions, we are not able to provide individual feedback on any application.

Letras Boricuas Boricuas does not discriminate based upon age, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, status as a veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

flamboyanfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/guialetrasingles2025-2-1.pdf

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2025 Nonfiction prize

Autumn House Press

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025

READING FEE: $35

INFO: For the 2025 prize, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is May-lee Chai.

PRIZE: The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,500 ($1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book).

We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by August 1, 2025.

All finalists will be considered for publication

GUIDELINES:

• Nonfiction submissions should be approximately 150-300 double-spaced pages (37,500-75,000 words)

• The reading fee is $35 (We will waive the submission fee for those undergoing financial hardship or living with limited means. Before you reach out to request a waived fee, please read our full statement and instructions here. If the guidelines are not followed, we will not be able to offer a waived fee.)

• Autumn House is looking for personal essay collections and memoirs; we do not accept self-help books

• The book must be previously unpublished as a whole. However, individual pieces may have been published in journals, magazines, or anthologies.

• We only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted

• Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript; if your name appears within the body of the text, please omit it or black it out (first name is fine, but last name must be omitted)

• You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable

• Do not include a bio or an acknowledgments page in the manuscript

• Feel free to include a table of contents (This does not count as part of your final page count)

• Simultaneous submissions permitted

• Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships.

• Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest.

autumnhouse.org/submissions/nonfiction/

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Internship Grant Program

We Need Diverse Books

DEADLINE: April 30th at 12am PST/ 3am EST.

INFO: In 2025, We Need Diverse Books will award sixteen $3,000 grants to expand WNDB's efforts to diversify the publishing industry—there will be grants focused on both children's publishing and adult publishing.

Internship positions must take place over the summer between June 1st and August 31st.  In addition to the grant award, grantees are expected to attend various events throughout the summer, including an introductory Internship Grant Bootcamp, as well as additional professional development and networking events, publishing panels, organized partner mentor/mentee meetings, and an exit interview/testimonial of the program. Please be mindful that the virtual events will take place during the day of your internship (our placement partners are aware of this and will be flexible with you so you can attend all the events).

For Summer 2025, remote positions are permitted.

Please note the below:

• You can find a walkthrough of the application process below.

• Applicants will be notified of their grant award confirmation within 30 days after the application window closes at the very latest.

• Applications are set to close on Wednesday, April 30th at 12am PST/ 3am EST.

• Any questions? Reach out to internships@diversebooks.org

APPLICATION PROCESS WALKTHROUGH:

You're probably here because you love books. We do, too!

The WNDB Internship Grant Program provides supplemental grants to applicants from diverse backgrounds who wish to pursue a career in children’s and adult publishing. The high cost of living in New York City and other major publishing hubs bars many marginalized students from accepting the opportunity to intern in publishing—a vital entry point to the industry.

In 2025, we will award sixteen $3,000 grants our Children’s Internship Grant Program and Adult Internship Grant Program. In addition to financial support, our grantees also benefit from the camaraderie of their fellow grantees, receive mentorship from industry professionals, and make crucial networking connections through various summer programming events.

diversebooks.org/internship-grants-application-process/

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2025-2026 Miriam Jiménez Román Fellowship

The Latinx Project at NYU

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: The Miriam Jiménez Román Fellowship is designed for post-doctoral candidates and junior scholars whose research advances the study of Afro-Latinx communities in the U.S. The fellowship is open to all fields. In order to be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must have defended their dissertation or plan to defend their dissertation before the start of the fellowship on or after September 1, 2025. 

The selected candidate will spend a semester or a year with the NYU Latinx Studies academic community. The fellowship aims to allow the fellow to complete a major publication or a research project during the fellowship year. The fellow will also have access to limited funds (up to $5,000) to develop one public programming event around the focus of their research, to be hosted and supported by The Latinx Project. The fellow will receive a stipend of $45,000 for an academic year (or $22,500 for a one-semester fellow). Workspace at NYU will be provided for the duration of the fellowship

The fellowship is named after our dear former colleague Miriam Jiménez Román, a pioneer in the field of Afro Latinx Studies who taught the first courses on the subject at the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis at NYU. This fellowship aims to honor her legacy of mentorship and activism as an inspiring public intellectual and scholar of Afro Latinx studies. 

FELLOWSHIP DATES: Starts on or after September 1, 2025 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

• Who are the past Miriam Jiménez Román Fellows? Click here to meet past Miriam Jiménez Román Fellows.

• What are examples of public programs organized by past fellows? Past public programs include: Calling to the Ancestors: Garifuna Women as Embodied Archives (spring 2024), Transing Afro-Latinx Studies and Identity (Fall 2023), Garifuna Ancestral Memory in Diaspora (Spring 2022), Ciguapa Unbound: Blackness, Gender & Transnational Geographies of Marronage (Spring 2021).

• Do I need to be based in NYC? No. The fellowship can be completed virtually; however, in-person participation is encouraged to promote community engagement at NYU.

• What do you mean by junior scholar? For the purpose of this opportunity, junior scholars are individuals who have recently graduated from a PhD program, have defended their dissertation, or will defend their dissertation before the start of the fellowship. Junior scholars are pre-tenure and must have completed their PhD before starting the fellowship.

• Who is eligible to apply? Applicants must have defended their dissertation or plan to defend their dissertation before the start of the fellowship on or after September 1, 2025.

• Who can I contact for more information? Please email latinxproject@nyu.edu with subject line: 2025 Miriam Jiménez Román Fellowship.

latinxproject.nyu.edu/miriam-jimenez-roman-fellowship

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T&W Magazine Editorial Fellowship

Teachers & Writers Magazine

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025

INFO: Teachers & Writers Magazine is accepting applications for the T&W Magazine Editorial Fellowship. The fellows will join the T&W Editorial Board and assist with the production of Teachers & Writers Magazine. In addition to supporting the operations of the magazine, the Editorial Fellowship is intended to give students and recent graduates editorial and publishing experience through hands-on assignments and mentorship from experienced editors. By the end of the fellowship term, the fellow should have a body of knowledge and work which may be shared in a resume and/or portfolio. Up to two fellows may be selected. 

The Editorial Fellows will be expected to attend monthly meetings via Zoom, where the editorial board will discuss submissions, accept editorial assignments, generate new content, and further engage in the publication of Teachers & Writers Magazine. Fellows will be paired with an experienced editor to establish a mentor relationship and provide time and space for questions the editorial associates may have. 

Fellows will be expected to edit or write at least one piece per month. In addition to accepting editing assignments, fellows may pitch ideas to generate or solicit new material for the magazine. The Editorial Fellowship will last for one year (July 2025 - June 2026), with the possibility of renewing for a second year following a review. The fellows' stipend will disbursed over the course of the year on a bi-monthly (every other month) schedule. 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

• Stipend: $3,000

• Location: Remote

• Hours: Approx. 12 hours per month

• Duration: 1 year with potential to renew for a second year

TO APPLY: Please share a cover letter, resume/CV, and a brief editorial statement (200-300 words) sharing why you are interested in this fellowship, what you hope to gain from the experience, and your editorial vision for the magazine. 

Preference will be given to applicants with experience teaching creative writing. Learn more about Teachers & Writers Magazine at www.teachersandwritersmagazine.org.

twc.submittable.com/submit/324075/tw-magazine-editorial-fellowship

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS ON GRIEF

Ebony Tomatoes Collective

DEADLINE: April 30, 2025 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: After generations of unbridled loss and trauma, Black folks from across the diaspora have much to mourn. We’re interested in stories that capture grief in its many forms and faces. 

Think: The mundane griefs that pepper our lives as a result of intergenerational trauma. The silence that follows going no-contact with family members who do not accept our queerness or religious differences. The loss of temperate seasons as a result of widespread environmental catastrophe. The altars we maintain for our ancestors and all the love and wisdom they were not able to share with us. 

While we encourage you to interpret the theme of grief broadly and authentically, here are the types of stories our three editors are most excited to read.

OUR WISHLIST:

Ava is seeking:

• Personal essays or short stories about experiences with poverty, abuse, or marginalization

• Stories on the impact of intergenerational trauma, complex trauma, and PTSD 

• Speculative or horror fiction

• International writers, Afro-Latine writers, or those outside of urban centers

Cecilia is seeking:

• Longform pieces or poetry about how grief lives in the body and somatic experiences

• Surrealist pieces

• Writers with disabilities, chronic illness, mad and neurodiverse writers

Yumna is seeking:

• Essays about going no-contact with family due to queerness or religious beliefs

• Stories that explore grief related to climate change and environmental crisis

• Essays on the experience of growing up in predominantly white spaces

• Queer writers from East and West Africa

COMPENSATION:

All writers will be compensated $0.04 per word for up to 1,000 words.

The selected editorial artist will receive a stipend of $80 for illustrating the issue based on the selected writing.

Non-writing submissions will be compensated on a case-by-case basis depending on length, medium etc.

Payments will be sent upon completion of the issue via Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle.

GUIDELINES:

• Please submit up to 3 poems.

• 3,000 word limit for essays and creative non-fiction.

• 4,000 maximum word count for fiction.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Please email all writing submissions to submit.ebonytomatoescollective@gmail.com by Tuesday, April 30th, 2025 at 11:59PM EST to be considered.

To apply as an editorial photographer, email us with former work samples by Tuesday, April 30th, 2025 at 11:59PM EST to be considered. Painters and visual artists are encouraged to apply. Please note you don’t have to create any new work for your application.

Please include “ISSUE 24” in your email’s subject line along with a brief biography (3-4 sentences, in third person) in your email.

ebonytomatoescollective.com/submit/

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EastOver Prize for a Debut Story Collection

EastOver Press

DEADLINE: May 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: EastOver Press seeks submissions for the EastOver Prize for a Debut Story Collection, which will be awarded to a writer who has not published another full-length book.

AWARD: The winner of this contest will be awarded $2,000 and be offered publication by EastOver Press (after successful completion of a contract).

The editors reserve the right to close the contest early if the number of submissions exceeds our ability to respond to each submission in a timely manner.

JUDGE: Manuel Muñoz will serve as the judge for the competition. Friends, family members, former students, and anyone well-acquainted with the judge is not eligible for consideration.

eastoverpress.com/submit/

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U.S. Writers Aid Initiative

PEN America

DEADLINE: May 2, 2025

INFO: PEN America is an organization of writers and their allies, and that solidarity is never more important than when members of our literary community face crises. PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative, part of the PEN America Writers Emergency Fund, offers grants for writers in the United States facing acute financial need following an emergency situation.

The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is intended to assist fiction and nonfiction authors, poets, playwrights, translators, and journalists in addressing short-term financial emergencies. To be eligible, applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. The fund is limited, and not every application can be supported. Grant decisions are made on a quarterly basis by a volunteer committee of literary peers in consultation with PEN America staff, using the following guidelines to evaluate professional credentials:

• Publication of one or more books. (Writers who are only self-published or published by a press that charges for publication are not eligible.)

• Multiple essays, short stories, or poems appearing in literary anthologies or literary journals (either online or in print) in the last two years.

• A full-length play, performed in a theater by a professional theater company. Productions in academic settings qualify if the author is not a student at the time of the production.

• Employment as a full-time professional journalist, columnist, or critic, or a record of consistent publication on a freelance basis in a range of outlets during the last two years.

• Contracted forthcoming books, essays, short stories, poems, or articles for which the name of the publisher can be provided.

• Other qualifications that support the applicant’s professional identity as a writer.

• The U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is not intended to subsidize writing-related expenses, such as residencies, sabbaticals, computers, printing, shipping, travel, or publicity services. Applications received on or before the following quarterly deadlines will be reviewed before the last day of that month.

ELIGIBILITY: Writers currently enrolled in degree-granting programs are also not eligible. Writers do not have to be Members of PEN America to receive a grant, but all recipients of emergency funding will be given a complimentary one-year PEN America membership.

PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative is made possible by generous support from an anonymous donor , PEN America Members, and other supporters. Questions may be addressed to writersfund@pen.org

pen.org/us-writers-aid-initiative/

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LITERATURE GRANT

Cafe Royal Cultural Foundation

DEADLINE: May 5, 2025 (or if we reach our limit of 40 applications, which ever comes first)

INFO: The world is a story and the writer, the story teller. In writing stories we are trying to make sense of our world by seeking what is real, by rejecting what is false, and by exercising the greatest of our mortal gifts in pursuit of the immortal.

DESCRIPTION: Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a writing grant to authors of fiction / creative nonfiction and poetry.  

SUBMISSIONS: To ensure that each submission receives the attention it deserves we will be only accepting 40 applications for each of our categories.

AMOUNTS: Up to $10,000.00  

ELIGIBILITY:

• Authors in fiction / creative non-fiction and poetry (*please see note regarding plays below)

• The applicant must be the originator of the written material.

• Grants will not be made for the purpose of research only. 

• Grants will not be made for equipment.

• Writers applying applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

Grants awarded in this category may fund costs associated with continuing the composition of work submitted. Such as:

• Course Reduction (if you're a Teacher/Professor)

• Salary Replacement

• Living Expenses

• Research Expenses

• Travel Research Expenses

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Up to and no more than a 15 page PDF of the work, for the Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection and Executive Committee to download and read. Please make sure your links are correct and not password protected. If they are not correct or have password protection your application will be declined and not reviewed by the Selection Committee.

• A short description of the project.

• A short author biography of the person(s) involved.

• Budget must not exceed the amount of $10,000.00.

• List of costs of how you plan to use the grant funds.
  (Please review our lists of Approved and Ineligible Budget Items for Literature Grant Funds, located below)

• Travel and Research costs within the United States must demonstrate a direct correlation to the project for which you are applying.

• You may not apply for International Travel and Research Costs.

• If you are hiring fact checkers / editors / research assistants please be aware that we prefer that individuals providing these services are located in the NYC area.

• Writers applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

• We ask that the completion of your manuscript is no sooner than 90 days after this application's due date (no sooner than August 1, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than June 17, 2026).

• Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

• You may apply in a different cycle with a different project.

• * Regarding Plays - We Don’t offer support for playwrights in our literature category, we encourage playwrights with a finished script to apply for a grant in our Performance category which offers funding for stage production.  

caferoyalculturalfoundation.org/literature-page

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2025 Arts Writers Grant

The Andy Warhol Foundation

DEADLINE: May 7, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant supports emerging and established writers who write about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in three categories—articles, books, and short-form writing—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies.

We also support art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply.

Writers are invited to apply in one of the following categories:

• Article

• Books

• Short-Form Writing

To be eligible for this grant, an arts writer must be:

• an individual;

• applying for a project about contemporary visual art;

• an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or a writer in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts;

• a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);

• at least twenty-five years old by Oct 1 in the application year;

• a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on grant category; see the project-specific eligibility requirements).

• By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art.

An arts writer is NOT eligible for this grant if they are:

• applying on behalf of an organization;

• applying for a project in which their primary involvement will be as an editor;

• a full-time student in a degree-granting program (with the exception of those students who are simultaneously maintaining professional careers as arts writers);

• an artist, writer, or curator writing an interpretive essay on their own practice;

• applying for a project that is primarily fiction, poetry (including ekphrasis), or memoir;

• applying for a project based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis;

• applying to conduct a Q&A interview (or series of Q&A interviews);

• applying to assemble an archive or database;

• applying for a project on Andy Warhol;

• applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;

• applying for a Creative Capital Award for any project in the same grant year (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a Creative Capital Award (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a curatorial research fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (including as a collaborator);

• a grantee of The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant;

• a recent juror of the program (evaluators are eligible to apply after one grant cycle; panelists are eligible after two grant cycles);

• a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or The Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.

artswriters.org/application/

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Care in Precarity: An Open Call for Caribbean Writers

Burnaway / Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute

DEADLINE: May 8, 2025 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Burnaway and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) are pleased to announce our new collaboration: Care in Precarity, an open call for Caribbean writers to reflect on practices of care in the context of climate-based instability and crisis. This partnership is representative of our organizations’ shared commitments to amplifying Caribbean creative culture, engaging with community beyond linguistic barriers, and exploring the intersections of art, culture, and care in the face of climate crisis and systemic inequities.

Burnaway is an online art magazine that celebrates art from the American South and the Caribbean, while CCCADI is a New York-based cultural institution dedicated to preserving and promoting African diasporic cultures through arts, education, and activism. Working toward bridging some of the linguistic siloing of the region, pitches for Care in Precarity will be accepted in both Spanish and English, with CCCADI supporting translation alongside Burnaway’s Editorial Assistant Isabella Marie Garcia. In addition to Garcia and Natalie Willis Whylly (Caribbean Editor-At-Large) is CCCADI’s Lead for the CROSSROADS program, Dr. Marissel Hernánndez Romero, who will join the Burnaway team in the selection panel for the open call as well as community outreach. 

 “At CCCADI, we recognize that shaping meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations is essential,” said Melody Capote, Executive Director of CCCADI. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to fostering creative and intellectual exchange that uplifts the experiences of Caribbean communities. It is through these intentional efforts that we continue to build a more inclusive and representative cultural realm.” 

Together, we invite writers to reflect on the unique ways we show collective care as a region (for the landscape, community, ancestors, and memory), and how this serves as a vital practice in a moment of ongoing climate crisis. Celebrating the similarities and divergences of the Caribbean, Capote adds, “We hope it creates a space where artists, scholars, and cultural workers from different Caribbean nations can find resonance in each other’s work.” Care in the context of this open call could mean tending to an ancestral altar, engaging in environmental activism, offering a sharp critique of colonial legacies, or speaking a soft word to those who most need to hear it. 

Natalie Willis Whylly, Burnaway’s Caribbean Editor-at-Large, shares: “Care in Precarity is a heartfelt invitation to Caribbean creative community to reflect on the ways we use care as a radical act of survival and solidarity, contributing to a deeper understanding of how this collective care has historically sustained us in times of crisis.”

Isabella Marie Garcia, Burnaway’s Editorial Assistant, states: “My initial entry into working with Burnaway was through participating in the 2022 Arts Writing Incubator, where the overarching theme was Criticism as Care. As a bilingual woman of Caribbean descent myself who advocates for care matrices wherever possible, I’m honored to uplift the language accessibility of the selected writers and increase reader visibility towards the Caribbean.”

To be considered eligible for the open call, applicants must meet and agree to the following criteria:

• Be a writer living in the Caribbean or in the Caribbean diaspora,  including those without tertiary education or professional arts experience. Pitches are particularly encouraged from those who are a part of marginalized and underserved demographics, keeping postcolonial ethics of care, healing and support in mind.

• Submissions accepted in English and Spanish. Writing will be published in both English and Spanish in a spirit of bolstering connection between linguistic regions of the Caribbean.

• Pitches must reflect on practices of care in the context of climate-based instability and crisis within the Caribbean i.e. how artists are navigating migration within an island induced by rising sea levels or a group exhibition that responds to issues surrounding infrastructure such as damaged residential homes, coastal populations, and food insecurity. For more information on conflict of interest and pitching policies, click here.

• The format of the piece can take the form of essays, artist profiles, interviews, dispatches, and other experimental art writing, with an intended word count of 1,000–1,500 words. Compensation for the selected pieces published by Burnaway will be $0.30 per word (USD).

To apply to the open call or if you have any questions, please email caribbean@burnaway.org by Thursday, May 8th at 11:59pm EST

burnaway.org/daily/burnaway-announces-open-call-collaboration-with-cccadi/

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2025-2026 Emerging Critics Fellowship

National Book Critics Circle

DEADLINE: May 9 at 11:59 pm PT

INFO: The National Book Critics Circle’s Emerging Critics Fellowship seeks to identify, nurture, and support the development of the next generation of book critics.

ELIGIBILITY: The Emerging Critics Fellowship is open to critics of all experience levels who seek to review and write about books for print and digital outlets. Applicants may or may not have previously published book reviews. The NBCC seeks a broad range of diverse applicants, especially those who have demonstrated a genuine interest and commitment to engaging in a critical conversation about books. Applicants must be 21 years or older.

Applicants do not need to be U.S. permanent residents and/or citizens to apply. However, applicants should be available to participate in mandatory Emerging Critics Fellowship programming and events for the duration of their term, including virtual workshops, events, and gatherings (scheduled during evenings/weekends, Eastern/Pacific Time Zones). Applicants must also be willing to communicate regularly with mentors and their fellow emerging critics via email, phone, and message board. The NBCC Emerging Critics Program is an interactive, participatory program guided by the philosophy that critical thought can be fostered and enriched through dialogue within a cohort of similarly-interested critics.

At the NBCC, we are invested in encouraging people who are great thinkers and writers but who need support along the path to becoming an active critic. Our fellowship aims to break down financial and geographical barriers for emerging critics. In particular, BIPOC critics, LGBTQIA+ critics, critics with disabilities, and critics from historically resilient communities are encouraged to apply.

THE FELLOWSHIP:

• Over the course of the one-year fellowship, emerging critics will receive:

• One-on-one mentorship from board members

• Small group Q&A with board members

• Small group professional development/ craft lectures over Zoom

• Dues-free NBCC membership, admission to NBCC events, and annual reception for one year

TO APPLY:

Fill out the contact form and include your name/pronunciation, pronouns, phone number, email address, website, two references, and a short bio (50-100 words).

Upload as attachments:

• Resume/CV (1 page)

• Statement of purpose (300-500 words): What are your interests? How will you benefit from the NBCC Emerging Critics Fellowship program? Why are you an ideal candidate?

• 3 writing samples demonstrating critical thought

bookcritics.org/emerging-critics/fellowship/

FICTION / NONFICTION — MARCH 2025

RUMPUS PRIZE FOR POETRY, FICTION, AND CREATIVE NONFICTION

The Rumpus

DEADLINE: March 2, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $20 per entry

INFO: The Rumpus has a long history of championing emerging and established poets, fiction writers, and essayists, and we’re pleased to announce a new way the magazine will bring attention to great writing. 

All submissions will be read by The Rumpus‘s editorial team, and our final judges will be Kaveh Akbar (Poetry), Rachel Khong (Fiction), and Megan Stielstra (Creative Nonfiction).

AWARD:

• $3,600 in prizes:

• $1,000 first-place prize and publication in three genres: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction

• Honorable mentions receive $200 and publication in each of the three genres

All submitters can opt in if they’d like to be considered for publication by The Rumpus, regardless of whether they’re named a winner or finalist.

Finalists will be contacted in May 2025. Winners will be announced publicly and published by June 2025.

therumpus.net/2024/12/05/the-rumpus-prize/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: HISTORICAL FICTION BY AFRICAN WRITERS

Lọún Lọún

DEADLINE: March 2, 2025

INFO: Lọún Lọún is a literary journal focused on historical fiction based on historical events that have shaped and defined places and times in Africa and the experiences of those who lived through the events—or didn’t—no matter how minute. They’re interested in a car crash in 2004 published in the local newspapers as much as they are in the Rwandan and Biafran genocides of 1994 and 1967, respectively.

We are interested in speculative or factual tellings of African history centred on themes across Economics, Society & Politics, Gender & Feminism, Hope & Healing, Identity & Belonging, and War, Conflicts, & Disaster. We strongly recommend reading a few stories from past issues before submitting.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

African writers, and those of African descent, home and abroad.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Before submitting your work, please carefully read and adhere to the following guidelines:

We accept only submissions in fiction.

Fiction: 2000 – 4000 word range.

1. Only original pieces will be considered. Previously published pieces and excepts from a larger body of work are not accepted.

2. Submissions should be in EB Garamond, size 12, 1.5-spaced, and submitted in Word document format with word count included.

3. Submissions should be in English or translated into English. Writers are, however, allowed creative freedom with the expression of their languages.

4. Submissions must be based on an event that has happened on or affected the continent, regardless of where characters in the telling are located.

5. Submissions must contain a brief historical setting description (max. two sentences) formally describing the historical events in telling.

6. Submissions must have at least two reference links to the historical events in telling.

7. We accept simultaneous submissions, but let us know promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.

8. Ensure your submissions are meticulously reviewed for correct formatting, grammar, and punctuation. Significant mistakes in these areas can hinder the likelihood of your work being considered for publication.

COMPENSATION:

As of now, we cannot appropriately compensate our writers but stick around.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

To submit your work, send an email to submissions@lounloun.com with the subject ‘Fiction Submission.’ In the body of the email, include your third-person bio and theme, and attach the story. Please ensure the story has references and is in Word document format.

REVIEW PROCESS:

Our editorial team carefully reviews each submission. We strive to provide feedback and appreciate the time and effort you put into your work. Please be patient; the review process may take 3-8 weeks after the deadline.

We look forward to reading your work!

CONTACT:

If you have questions or encounter issues during submission, please contact our editorial team at lounlounjournal@gmail.com.

lounloun.com/submissions/

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RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

The Boston Public Library

DEADLINE: March 3, 2025

INFO: The Boston Public Library is proud to announce two new research fellowships to support the use of special collections:

I - Telling Boston Stories Fellowship:

The Boston Public Library's Special Collections Department is offering a four-week fellowship intended to support research projects whose focus is on the people and communities of Boston that are often left out of the historical narrative.

This fellowship can support a wide variety of projects, both academic and artistic. Successful topics for this fellowship could include projects looking at Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood and its history of community activism, the rise of Boston’s Little Syria neighborhood, the campaign from Villa Victoria residents to save their community from urban renewal displacement, or other projects that applicants may be interested in researching further.

Fellows will receive a $4,500 stipend, with the first half dispensed at the start of the fellowship and the second at the completion of the fellowship. Fellows will be expected to spend four weeks working with collections, primarily at the Boston Public Library and Northeastern University, though trips to other Boston cultural heritage institution or research centers may be included in the four weeks. The weeks do not have to be consecutive.

In addition to their research time, fellows will be asked to:

• Write a blog post on their research topic and collections utilized, to be published on the Boston Public Library’s website

• Work with the Community History Department at the Boston Public Library to create a workshop or program based on their research experience

Fellows will work with the Community History Department to run a program at a neighborhood branch of the Boston Public Library within four months of completing their research time. This program will use the fellow’s research experience as a launching point to encourage other community members to delve into their own research. Suggested formats include a short talk paired with a community discussion or story sharing session. The Programming & Outreach Librarian for Community History will support the fellow in developing a program.

Artists, independent scholars, graduate, and doctoral students are all encouraged to apply, as well as academics, community activists, and library, archives, and museum professionals. We particularly welcome applications from artists, scholars, and researchers who belong to the community or neighborhood they wish to study.

II - Surfacing Overlooked Stories Fellowship:

The Boston Public Library's Special Collections Department is offering an eight-to-ten-week fellowship intended to highlight often overlooked voices and narratives in our collections.

The theme for the 2025-2026 fellowship will be looking into Black Bostonians from Boston’s founding through Boston’s incorporation as a city in 1822. Suggested collections for research include the Boston Town Records, Elijah Adlow Collection of Boston Legal History, Mellen Chamberlain Autograph Collection, and Boston Tax Records, 1780-1821, as well as city directories and newspapers held in our research collections.

Fellows will receive a $9,500 stipend, with the first half dispensed at the start of the fellowship and the second at the completion of the fellowship. Fellows are expected to research at the Boston Public Library's Special Collections Department for eight to ten weeks within their fellowship year, though these do not have to be consecutive weeks. Supplementary research with the Boston Public Library’s Research Collections will also count towards the research time.

In addition to their research time, fellows will be asked to:

• Give an informal talk to Research & Special Collections staff midway through their fellowship about their research

• Give a public talk at the Central Library in Copley Square on their research topic and collections they utilized at the end of their research time

• Create a narrative guide to identifying the voices of Black Bostonians in the collections they utilized

Fellows will work with the Special Collections Public Services Supervisor to create this narrative guide within four months of completing the research residency, to be published digitally by the Boston Public Library on a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license. Fellows are welcome to publish, present with, or otherwise use their written work elsewhere and retain the copyright for their work. The fellow will not be processing collections or creating archival description or finding aids for materials. Staff may choose to augment collection description based on findings from this fellowship at a later date.

Masters and doctoral students, post-doctoral, academic, and independent scholars, and artists as well as curators and other library, archive, and museum professionals are welcome to apply. We particularly welcome applications from students and scholars who identify in groups that have been historically unrepresented in academia. We will look for fellows whose expertise and research interests align with our chosen theme of the year and whose research projects would be supported and informed by the collections they utilize during their research at the Boston Public Library.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A FELLOWSHIP:

Fellowship applications are due on Monday, March 3, 2025. To apply for this fellowship, please email specialcollections@bpl.org. Please include in the subject line which fellowship you are applying to. Please also include the following documents:

• Cover letter

• Curriculum vitae or resume

• Writing sample (maximum 400 words, preferably public-facing; excerpts from larger works are fine)

• Project proposal, including explanation of how this fellowship would support and inform the project

• Proposed research dates and collection materials

  • For the Telling Boston Stories Fellowship include any other institutions and collections you would hope to use during the fellowship

If you have any questions about the fellowship or application process, please write to Special Collections Public Services Supervisor Kathleen Monahan at specialcollections@bpl.org. Please identify yourself as an applicant for a fellowship in your email.

bpl.org/blogs/post/apply-for-a-research-fellowship-with-the-bpls-special-collections-department/

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2025 SUMMER INSTITUTE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Black Midwest Initiative (University of Illinois Chicago)

DEADLINE: March 7, 2025

INFO: The Black Midwest Initiative (BMI) at the University of Illinois Chicago invites applications from early-career scholars, artists, and community organizers to its 2025 Summer Institute on Environmental Justice. This convening will bring together 15 participants, designated as BMI Fellows, who are doing work around environmental justice issues affecting Black people and communities within the Midwest and Rust Belt regions of the United States for a week-long series of discussions, presentations, and workshops with leading figures in the field. In alignment with environmental sociologist and Institute facilitator David Pellow, we conceive of environmental racism as a “form of violent control over bodies, space, and knowledge systems.” Accordingly, we define the parameters of the environmental justice issues applicants might propose to address broadly—from urban agriculture, toxic emissions, natural disasters, and climate change to carcerality, housing instability, residential segregation, community health and wellness, and beyond.

After the conclusion of the Institute, each Fellow will also work to develop a project, individually or in collaboration with one or more other Fellows, that will be incorporated into the Black Midwest Justice Hub (the HUB)—a digital platform we will launch in the fall of 2026 that will serve as a resource repository for the BMI Environmental Justice Collaboratory, a set of environmental justice courses that will be taught across multiple midwestern colleges and universities during the 2026-27 academic year. HUB projects may ultimately take any number of forms that can be accessed digitally, including but not limited to short films, virtual exhibits, traditional academic papers, storymaps, graphic notes, sound recordings, oral histories, interviews, and introductory essays or lectures.

INSTITUTE FACILITATORS:

• Erika Allen, Urban Growers Collective

• Adrienne Brown, University of Chicago

• Lydia Marie Hicks, Black Eden Arts Alliance

• Fayola Jacobs, University of Minnesota

• Tonika Lewis Johnson, UnBlocked Englewood

• David Pellow, UC Santa Barbara

• LaShawnda Crowe Storm, Indianapolis, Indiana

• Monica M. White, University of Wisconsin-Madison

ELIGIBILITY:

Emerging artists of all genres (including filmmakers, dancers, poets, and other literary, visual, sound, and performance artists), community organizers and activists, graduate students, junior faculty, adjunct and non-tenure track faculty, independent scholars, and postdoctoral scholars whose work deeply engages with environmental justice issues affecting Black communities in the Midwest or Rust Belt regions of the United States (ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, SOUTH DAKOTA, WISCONSIN).

DETAILS OF PARTICIPATION:

Fellows from outside of the Chicago area will be expected to arrive in Chicago on Sunday, July 20, with departure scheduled for the morning of Saturday, July 26. Most days of the Institute will feature a morning session during which facilitators will discuss their work with the Fellows and an afternoon session during which the Fellows will present their work to the group. There will also be a site visit during the week to a location TBA that is engaging critical EJ work in the Chicago metro area. Fellows will be expected to attend all sessions, including the site visit and final group dinner, to complete any readings or screenings assigned by the facilitators, and to prepare a presentation of their work to be shared during one of the afternoon sessions. The Summer Institute will be hosted at the UIC Institute for the Humanities, and all sessions will be held in person.

Each Fellow will receive up to $500 toward their travel expenses to attend the Summer Institute. Lodging will be provided in UIC campus housing for all Fellows coming from outside of the Chicago area. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day of the Institute, as well as dinner on Friday. After the conclusion of the Summer Institute, each participant will receive a $1000 stipend to be used toward the costs associated with their HUB project.

APPLICATION:

The BMI Summer Institute Application requires a 500-word project statement and a 5-page cv or resume.

Applicants will be notified of decisions by April 10.

QUESTIONS?

Please feel free to email theblackmidwest@gmail.com with any questions.

theblackmidwest.com/summer-institute

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PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program

PB Rising

APPLICATION PERIOD: March 7 - 21, 2025

INFO: The #PBRisingStars Mentorship started with a tweet, a huge response, and two authors with book deals looking for ways to give back to the KidLit community that gave so much to them.

We pair agented picture book creators that are knowledgeable about querying, author-agent relationships, being on submission, book deals, and contract language, with the next generation of children’s book creators for an immersive, three-month, one-on-one mentorship experience that is more than just a critique.

Our mission is to give experienced picture book professionals the platform to pull up-and-coming picture book creators up the turbulent publishing ladder. We center Black creators, creators of color, and ALL historically excluded communities because we believe in equity. Above all, we believe that our mentors and mentees should reflect what publishing SHOULD look like.

MENTEE ELIGIBILITY:

• Must be 18 years or older.

• Must be an agented or unagented picture book author, illustrator, or author-illustrator.

• Everyone in our program must foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• We encourage past PB Rising Star runner-ups and honorable mentions to apply!

• You must not have any AGENT-REPPED traditionally published PICTURE BOOKS or traditional PICTURE BOOK deals sold by (or represented by) an agent. Self-published creators can apply! AND Creators who self-represented their book deals can apply! And creators with traditionally published books in other markets can apply!

• Must not have been a mentee in another official PICTURE BOOK mentorship program anytime between January 2024-September 2025.

• Must be available to participate in the full mentorship program from May 15, 2025 through September 30, 2025. The schedule and workload are flexible and is led by the mentor’s availability + a mutually agreed upon plan.

• Must agree to pause (or wait on) querying for the duration of the mentorship, unless a unique opportunity arises and is agreed upon by both mentor and mentee.

• Must commit to revising one or more manuscripts, portfolio pieces, and/or dummies based on you and your mentor’s agreed upon terms and schedule.

PB RISING STARS MENTORSHIP INCLUDES:

• A 4-month long mentorship, including 3 months of a 1-on-1 craft intensive with your mentor + 1 month of publishing business development with PBRS co-founders Ebony Lynn Mudd and Kailei Pew. The full experience runs from May 23-September 30.

• Feedback and revision help on one (or more) manuscripts, dummies, or portfolio pieces that will go well beyond typical critique.

• A website spotlight, showcasing your headshot, bio, and social media links.

• Exclusive workshops hosted by industry professionals.

• A mentee-only Discord chat group to communicate and build community with fellow mentees.

• An end-of-mentorship wrap party to celebrate your accomplishments and growth.

• Lifelong membership in our PB Rising Stars community which gives you access to private, in-person meetups and any private virtual events that we have for our community.'

IMPORTANT DATES:

• March 7, 2025 - March 21, 2025: Mentee applications open! Apply here during the application period. Applications close on March 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM EASTERN TIME. Please coordinate with your time zone and plan accordingly.

• May 15, 2025: 2025 Mentees, Runner Ups, and Honorable Mentions are announced! We won’t be announcing on social media this year, so subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know everything! www.pbrisingstars.com/subscribe

• May 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time: 2025 Mentee Bonding Event (Virtual/Zoom) — This is an opportunity for our 2025 mentees to meet and mingle prior to the mentorship. Expect intros/games! *This will be a private event for the 2025 Mentees only.

• May 29, 2025 at 8:00pm-10:00pm Eastern Time: 2025 Mentee Orientation (Virtual/Zoom) — This is mandatory to attend live or to watch the recording by June 1, 2025. *This will be a private event for the 2025 Mentees only.

• June 2, 2025 - June 8, 2025: Your one-on-one mentorship begins! During this week, Mentors will host their first meetings with their Mentees based on a mutually agreed upon date and time.

• June 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time: Honorable Mention AMA (Ask Me Anything) Zoom Q&A w/ Ebony Lynn Mudd and Kailei Pew. *This will be a private event for the 2025 Honorable Mentions only.

• June 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time: PB Rising Stars Meetup & Reunion (Virtual/Zoom) — This is an exclusive event for PB Rising Stars Mentees and Mentors only.

• June 27, 2025 - June 30, 2025: PB Rising Stars 2nd Annual IN-PERSON Meetup in Philadelphia, PA (During the American Library Association Annual Conference) — Optional Event for 2022-2025 Mentees and Mentors ONLY. More info will be sent to 2025 Mentees after they apply and get selected.

• August 27, 2025: This is the final day of the one-on-one mentorship with the mentors!

• August 28, 2025 at 8:00-10:00 PM Eastern Time: 2025 PB Rising Stars Wrap Party (Virtual/Zoom) — Time to celebrate yourself, the mentors, and your fellow mentees!

• September 4, 2025 - September 29, 2025: The four-week publishing business intensive with co-founders Ebony Lynn Mudd and Kailei Pew. [Workshops will tentatively be held on September 4, 11, 18, and 25 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.]

In addition to the dates above, exclusive industry workshops will take place during the mentorship. The dates and details will be released to our 2025 Mentees in May.

pbrisingstars.com/mentees

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2025-2026 EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIP

GrubStreet (Boston, MA)

DEADLINE: March 10, 2025

INFO: The Emerging Writer Fellowship aims to develop new, exciting voices by providing three writers per year tuition-free access to GrubStreet’s classes and several key publishing/industry events. Over the course of one year, each Emerging Writer Fellow will attend a combination of seminars and multi-week courses of their choosing, along with a wide selection of other topical programming, in order to enhance their understanding of craft and the publishing industry.

We hope that this year's fellows will be able to join us in-person for classes and events. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston.

OVERVIEW: The Emerging Writer Fellowship will be awarded to three writers who demonstrate a passion for writing, a commitment to developing their writing abilities, and financial need. Any person 18 and older who demonstrates ability and passion for writing is eligible.

The Emerging Writer Fellowship will provide access to each of the following:

• 5 multi-week courses

• 5 three-hour seminars

• Access to key annual industry events and other craft-related programs.

• Access to GrubStreet's Artistic Director and/or other program staff members for quarterly (or as-needed) office hours for personalized mentorship. (Optional)

• At the end of the program, fellows will also receive a complimentary one-year GrubStreet membership so they can continue enjoying extra community perks even after their program year ends.

The fellowship year begins in May.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: This fellowship is open to anyone 18 and older with a passion for writing. The fellowship specifically aims to assist writers in need of financial assistance in reaching their writing goals. We particularly encourage writers of color, ethnic minorities, those who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and other members of communities historically underrepresented by the literary community to apply.

WHY WE CREATED THIS FELLOWSHIP: Over the years, GrubStreet encountered more and more people who loved to write but didn't have the money to invest in a creative writing education that would help advance their craft or give them a thoughtful introduction to the publishing world. As part of its mission to make sure that voices of every type and talent are heard, GrubStreet developed the Emerging Writer Fellowship to eliminate some of the financial barriers to entry. Through this program, we hope to connect writers to a literary world – a world made richer and more relevant with the contribution of these voices.

In the program's first year, we were able to offer one fellowship to one student. As of the 2018-2019 cycle, we were able to begin offering a second fellowship in memory of novelist Anita Shreve, longtime board member and dear friend of GrubStreet. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we now offer three fellowships each year.

HOW TO APPLY:

The Emerging Writer Fellowship Application Form will require the following:

A sample of your writing that demonstrates your artistic style and voice. 5-10 pages for prose, screenwriting, or playwriting. 3-7 pages for poetry.

A personal statement—no more than 500 words please!—which should include the following:

• How you envision using the fellowship.

• A description of your relationship to writing. By this we mean: what excites you about it? What does it mean to you personally?

• How the fellowship will help you in your growth and success as a writer.

• Your writing and workshop history (Note: Prior workshop experience at GrubStreet is not required).

• The Fellowship year begins in May.

• All applicants can expect to hear back by early May.

grubstreet.org/write/emerging-writer-fellowship

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LGBTQIA+ LITERARY SUCCESS GRANTS

Georgia Writers

DEADLINE: March 10, 2025 BY 11:59 pm ET

INFO: Georgia Writers’ LGBTQIA+ Literary Success Grants, modeled on our John Lewis Grants, are designed to encourage and amplify the voices of LGBTQIA+ youth (18-24) in Georgia. At a time when the country possesses a record number of anti-LGBTQ legislation (400+ bills and counting), we believe it is our responsibility to promote positive stories of queer life in the South. By promoting young queer voices state- and nationwide, we offer models for success that all young queer people in the state of Georgia can aspire to.

Generously supported by the Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA), the LGBTQIA+ Literary Success Grants will be awarded annually in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and screenwriting. The purpose of the grants is to elevate, encourage, and inspire the voices of young queer writers in Georgia.

THE GRANTS:

Winners in each genre will receive:

• A grant of $500 to give a reading at our Red Clay Writers Conference

• A scholarship to the next annual Red Clay Writers Conference

QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must be 18 - 24 years of age and emerging writers who are queer residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award.

• Applicants are ineligible if they have published more than one traditionally published book. Promising writers without publication will be considered. Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win a grant once. There is no submission fee to enter.

• Applications will be reviewed anonymously.

• Applicants are ineligible if they are of relations to any of the Georgia Writers staff or board of directors.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Writers may apply in only one genre and must submit the following:

• A completed grant application

• An essay of no more tha 500 words as a concise description of your work and goals as a writer. Please tell us what inspires or challenges your writing career.

• No more than a ten-page writing sample of a published or unpublished piece in the genre in which you are applying--fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or screenwriting. If submitting poetry, one poem per page please.

• Please format your manuscript: 12 pt. font, double-spaced, name and page number on each page.

georgiawriters.org/literarysuccess

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CALL FOR PAPERS - CHRONIC: LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS

WSQ (Spring 2026)

DEADLINE: March 14, 2025

INFO: In late December 2023, Giorgia Lupi, an information designer, published a long illustrated essay in the New York Times Opinion section titled “1, 380 Days: My Life With Long COVID.” “Long COVID,” she writes, “is a physical affliction, but chronic illness, stretching over months and years, has a way of picking apart your mind and breaking your heart. It is a constant deluge of pain that slowly strips you of everything you used to be by taking away everything you used to do . . . and, eventually . . . the ability to imagine a future without harsh physical limits.” The reported suffering of those like Giorgia Lupi who live with long COVID has brought into the spotlight the many chronic illnesses Americans endure—notably ME, myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), from which primarily women suffer. Thanks to innovative treatments, especially over the last decade, some cancers have also become manageable chronic illnesses.

In contrast to acute or terminal disease, chronic illness—which includes mental illness—takes many forms over a lifetime: chronic with pain, chronic without pain, chronic with a medical diagnosis or without one (conditions that resist clinical documentation), chronic that is life-limiting or life-threatening, with progression, progression free, or stable, visible or invisible. There is not one chronic experience.  

This special issue of WSQ takes this contemporary phenomenon as our point of departure to consider the social, affective, and political consequences of living with chronic illness. We are soliciting essays, personal and researched, that reflect this variety and that map the critical and scholarly intersections of chronic illness with disability and critical race studies, notably in relation to lupus, but also related to health and healthcare issues. These might include, for example, issues primarily affecting Black women, including access to diagnosis and treatment of various cancers, notably gynecological ones. Though we will consider all approaches, we welcome work theorizing from the first person, whether in poetry, essay, comic, or hybrid form. Questions about chronic illness align as well with care, affect, and feminist eco-theory, which help illuminate the literary, social, and philosophical implications of what it means to be living one’s life in an ill body. To document the surprising variety of expressions of the lived experiences of chronic illness, we hope to include pieces that in some way grapple or experiment with the visual, whether through data visualizations, graphic representations, photography, or other media. (See guidelines below for more details.)

We see this project, in the spirit of the journal’s history, as transdisciplinary in conception, accessible and experimental at a variety of levels, and committed to the public good.

At the same time, we want specifically to explore new ways to live with and understand the challenges of chronic illness, and in the process, following activism and scholarship in the fields of health humanities and graphic medicine, we also hope to propose new paradigms of health and healthcare.

Submissions might attend to some of the following:

• definitions and themes of the chronic in the twenty-first century: diagnosis, disability, medical infrastructure, autoimmune disease, comorbidity, chronic and crisis (as in the case with COVID-19)

• discussions and/or representations of/discourse around chronic illnesses such as COVID/long COVID, HIV/AIDS, Lupus, ME (CFS), Lyme, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer

• advocacy and community: What are the challenges of living in relation to what philosopher Havi Carel calls “social architecture”? What different/alternative communities/illness mentorships exist? How do different illness communities advocate for their specific needs? What role(s) are played by factors like gender, race, religion, sexuality, etc.?

Other topics may include but are not limited to:

• individual experiences and their relation to community activism, advocacy, and social norms

• questions of gender expression, sexuality, and race

• economics and illness; economics and healthcare

• the physical (side effects, immunology)

• psychological/social/temporal frames: “scanxiety”; the scan-to-scan existence; recurrence

• relation to medical establishment

• literal and metaphorical space

• pain: its literary languages and visual representation

• American television drug promotion

• affect and chronicity (prolonged grief disorder, bipolar disorder, etc.)

ISSUE EDITORS:

• NANCY K. MILLER, The Graduate Center, CUNY

• TAHNEER OKSMAN, Marymount Manhattan College

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Scholarly articles should be submitted to WSQ.submittable.com. Upload one Word document that includes the anonymized, complete article. Directly in Submittable, not as an attachment, please write a cover page that includes the article title, abstract, keywords, and a short author bio. Remove all identifying authorial information from the file uploaded to Submittable. Scholarly submissions must not exceed 6,000 words (including un-embedded notes and works cited) and must comply with formatting guidelines at feministpress.org/submission-guidelines. For questions, email the guest issue editors at WSQEditorial@gmail.com.

Artistic works (whose content relates clearly to the issue theme) such as creative prose (fiction, essay, memoir, and translation submissions between 2,000 and 2,500 words), poetry (3 poems maximum per submitter), and other forms of visual art or documentation of performative artistry should be submitted to WSQ.submittable.com. Note that creative submissions may be held for six months or longer. We do not accept work that has been previously published. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable if the editors are notified immediately of acceptance elsewhere. Visual artists are also asked to submit a document containing captions for all works (including title, date, and materials), an artist’s statement and a short bio, each 100 words or less. For questions, email the guest issue editors at WSQEditorial@gmail.com.

For works that are difficult to categorize, including those that fall between academic articles and personal narratives or creative essays, please choose the hybrid works option on Submittable, and explain the nature of the work in your cover page. Please especially indicate whether the work requires academic peer review.

All submitters please note that if your submission contains images (including images embedded into a larger article or essay) please include them as separate attachments of 300dpi or more. Please also include a short bio and current email address [all submitters, directly onto the Submittable form, not as an attachment] as well as an artist’s statement and image caption [visual artists] or an abstract and keywords [academic submissions].

ABOUT WSQ:

Since 1972, WSQ has been an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of emerging perspectives on women, gender, and sexuality. Its peer-reviewed interdisciplinary thematic issues focus on such topics as Unbearable Being(s), Pandemonium, Nonbinary, State/Power, Black Love, Solidão, Asian Diasporas, Protest, Beauty, Precarious Work, At Sea, Solidarity, Queer Methods, Activisms, The Global and the Intimate, and Trans-, combining legal, queer, cultural, technological, and historical work to present the most exciting new scholarship, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and visual arts on ideas that engage popular and academic readers alike. WSQ is edited by Shereen Inayatulla (York College, CUNY) and Andie Silva (York College and the Graduate Center, CUNY), and published by the Feminist Press at the City University of New York. Visit feministpress.org/wsq.

feministpress.org/current-call-for-papers

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Writer to Writer Mentorship Program

AWP

DEADLINE: March 15, 2025

INFO: The AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship Program is open to all AWP members who identify as emerging writers, but we particularly encourage applications from those writers who have never been associated with an MFA program, and those writing from regions, backgrounds, and cultures that are too often underrepresented in the literary world.

We take your interest in connecting with a mentor seriously. After the AWP membership team reviews all mentee applications, we send a selection of potential matches to our mentors, who ultimately choose their own mentee. They tend to choose mentees based on shared goals and interests, and whether they feel they can help that person at the stage they are in now. Our mentees come from all backgrounds and levels of experience; to ensure that we make the best possible matches this season, we ask that you be open and honest about your goals, your background, and where you are now with your writing.

Should you be chosen to participate, your mentor will review your writing, listen to your concerns, and help you work towards your writing goals. AWP's membership team will also be there to support you, every step of the way.

Season 21 begins on May 5, 2025, and will consist of six lightly structured modules over a three-month period, concluding on July 25. You and your mentor will make a commitment to the process—and to each other.

awpwriter.secure-platform.com/applications/page/W2W/W2W_Mentees

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DAG Prize for Literature

DAG Foundation

DEADLINE: March 15, 2025 by 11:59 pm

INFO: The $20,000 DAG Prize for Literature is awarded annually to an emerging prose writer whose work expands the possibilities for American writing.

The goal of the DAG Prize is to contribute meaningfully to the evolution of American prose literature. To that end, we aim to support writing that offers significant innovation—for example, at the level of form, content, or genre. What more can prose literature be? What more can it do? The recipient will be a writer who has already published one book demonstrating commitment to such investigations but whose work has not yet received prominent literary recognition. The DAG Prize is meant to support a second project already substantially underway.

Prize funds can be used for research, writing, editing, workshops, residencies, or other activities that facilitate the creation of a significant project in prose literature.

ELIGIBILITY: 

• You have published one book of prose with a nationally distributed U.S. press. Online publication and self-publication do not fulfill this criterion, nor do books first published in another country or in a language other than English.

• You aim to publish a second book of prose in the U.S., written in English.

• This second project must be substantially underway.

• You reside in the United States as of the application deadline.

• A “book of prose” may contain elements of poetry, visual art, or other forms but should be primarily recognized/categorized as prose.

• If you have won, or were a finalist or shortlisted for, the Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, a National Book Critics Circle Award, an award from the American Academy for Arts and Letters, a PEN America Literary Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Booker Prize, or another major national or international prize, you are not eligible for the DAG Prize.

• If you have published a second book of prose, or have a second book of prose under contract, by the application deadline, you are not eligible for the DAG Prize.

• We do not invite or accept nominations from agents, editors, mentors, or peers.

APPLICATION MATERIALS: 

On the application page, you will be asked for:

• Your author bio (250 words maximum)

• Information about your first book. Copies will be requested from finalists in April.

• Your CV or résumé (3 pages maximum)

• A description of your new project that gives an overview of its subject matter and discusses its artistic innovations, with an approximate timeline for completion of the project (500 words maximum)

• An excerpt from your new project (25 pages maximum)

• We neither require nor accept letters of support. Please do not ask anyone to contact DAG on your behalf.

dagfoundation.org/the-dag-prize/

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BAYARD RUSTIN RESIDENCY

Penington Friends House (New York City)

DEADLINE: March 15, 2025

INFO: Building on the social activist history of Penington’s founders, original board, and later residents, the Bayard Rustin Residency at Penington Friends House (PFH) is envisioned as an ongoing ladder to empowerment for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end Systemic Racism and to create a culture of anti-Racism and intersectional equality in the United States of America. It is also intended to extend and strengthen the wider Quaker witness to equality.

Beginning in September of 2025, this residency will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong project that addresses ending Systemic Racism and who has a necessity to be in New York City for up to one year. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Bayard Rustin Resident will demonstrate a need to live in Manhattan. Areas of focus of their work can include activism in the arts, policy change, human rights, community organizing, and other areas of activism focusing on ending racism and strengthening equality. Residents will meet regularly with the Residency Manager and will be expected to share their progress with the New York City community in the form of presentations or workshops.

The resident does not have to be Quaker but their work should be shaped by and in harmony with our tenets of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. The resident will be expected to be a full-time resident of PFH and be participating member of this intentional community. This includes eating chef prepared dinners with the other residents and participating in shared light house chores. ( 1 1/2 hour commitment per week on average.) The Penington Friends House’s approach to living collaboratively may be new to you. We encourage to look at our website and instagram account (@Penington_friends_house) to gain a better understanding of what we are. Feel free to call us as well with questions. We are LGBTQ embracing community. We believe Black Lives Matter. We are always working to be a safe space and an anti-racist community.

Resident selection is made through a BIPOC committee of Quakers and non-Quakers and is based on the strength of the applicants work and proposed project. Final approval of the Bayard Rustin resident is made by the Penington Friends House Residents and staff, in the same interview process that all other residents are approved to live at the Penington. Applicants should note that the Bayard Rustin Resident bedroom is on the 4th floor of an historic Brownstone. An elevator is not available. Bathrooms are shared with other floor residents. This residency covers the cost of rent, boarding (food) provided 5 nights a week, internet, cable, and heat/AC. Limited access ( starting at 3:30PM weekedays) to a studio space may be available. A stipend is NOT currently provided by this residency.

Here are a few types of artists and activists activities that we would be interested in considering. Please contact us before applying if you are not sure your project would fit our call. Questions can be directed to Todd Drake at outreach at penington dot org.

• An artist working on a body of art that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A writer working on a new book, play, screenplay, or collection that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A performer creating a new dance piece that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A community based artist designing or carrying out a community based project that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• An activist organizing communities to address racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A social entrepreneur that is starting a non-profit focused on addressing racism and/or intersectional issues.

• An inventor or designer working on solving a problem associated with systemic racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A graduate student that has a strong and well defined anti-racism project that needs support and time to launch.

BACKGROUND: The residency is named after Bayard Rustin who was a Quaker and an attender at 15th Street Monthly Meeting in New York City. This meeting (Quaker house of worship) is next to the Penington Friends House. Rustin worked commitedly for the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. He was an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on nonviolence. Rustin was also a chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a founding member of the Freedom Riders. He was an early advocate for gay rights. Rustin’s later work included a heavy focus on refugee affairs. Rustin served as Vice Chairman of the International Rescue Committee, helped to found the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees, and was Chairman of the Executive Committee of Freedom House. He died in 1987. In 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. ( Source rustinfund.org)

We are currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Bayard Rustin Residency. This is our 5th Bayard Residency.

The Bayard Rustin Residency is supported with funds from the Society of Friends (Quakers) New York Yearly Meeting, the New York Quarterly Meeting, the Brooklyn Monthly Meeting, the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, and the Board of Penington Friends House. Donations are currently being accepted.

penington.org/rustin-residency/

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Raz-Shumaker Book Prize in Fiction and Poetry

Prairie Schooner

DEADLINE: March 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: Submissions to the 2025 Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize Contest are open.

PRIZES: Winners will receive $3000 and publication through the University of Nebraska Press.

ELIGIBILITY: The Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize Series welcomes manuscripts from all living writers, including non-US citizens, writing in English. Both unpublished and published writers are welcome to submit manuscripts. However, we will not consider manuscripts that have previously been published, which includes self-publication. Writers may enter both contests. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but we ask that you notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted for publication somewhere else. No past or present paid employee of Prairie Schooner or the University of Nebraska Press or current faculty or student at the University of Nebraska will be eligible for the prizes.

MANUSCRIPT:

We prefer that fiction manuscripts be at least 150 pages long and poetry manuscripts at least 50 pages long. Novels are not considered; we will consider manuscripts comprised either entirely of short stories or one novella along with short stories (please do not send a single novella or a collection of novellas). Manuscripts may contain stories or poems that have been published in journals or in chapbook form; however, if the full-length manuscript includes work from a previously published chapbook, the majority of the manuscript must be additional work not appearing in the chapbook. Prairie Schooner accepts electronic submissions as well as hard copy submissions. Please see below for further formatting guidelines and the link to submit electronically.

HARD COPY SUBMISSIONS:

The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript. All entries will be read anonymously. Please include two cover pages: one listing only the title of the manuscript, and the other listing the author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address. An acknowledgements page listing the publication history of individual stories or poems may be included, if desired. No application forms are necessary.

For hard copy submissions, photocopies are acceptable. Please do not bind manuscripts with anything other than a binder clip or rubber band. Please include a self-addressed postage-paid postcard for confirmation of manuscript receipt. Please use a standard postcard—small index cards will not be accepted by the U.S. Postal Service. A stamped, self-addressed business size envelope must accompany the submission for notification of results. No manuscripts will be returned. All manuscripts that do not win will be recycled.

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS: The author’s name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. All entries will be read anonymously. An acknowledgements page listing the publication history of individual stories or poems may be included, if desired. No application forms are necessary. Click here to submit via Submittable.

NOTIFICATION: Winners will be announced on this website on or before August 15, 2025. Results will be emailed or mailed shortly thereafter.

ADDRESS:

Prairie Schooner Prize Series
Attn: Fiction or Poetry
110 Andrews Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0334

Please send any questions to PSBookPrize@unl.edu.

For information on submitting to the journal, please see our submission guidelines.

prairieschooner.unl.edu/book-prize-guidelines/

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The 117° Summer Writer’s Residency

Black Mountain Institute (Las Vegas, NV)

DEADLINE: March 15, 2025

INFO: The 117° residency is for emerging and distinguished writers working in English who have published at least one book with a trade or literary press. This fellowship is for writers working on a project in nonfiction or poetry (or a hybrid work that includes one or both of those genres). The fellowship includes:

• A salary of $10,000 paid over a two-month period

• a two-month letter-of-appointment

• eligibility for optional health coverage

• office space at BMI on the campus of UNLV

• housing (fellows cover some utilities) in a unique and vibrant arts complex in the bustling district of downtown Las Vegas—home to The Writer’s Block, our city’s beloved independent bookstore

• recognition as a "BMI Fellow"

While there are no formal teaching requirements, this is a “working fellowship” located in Las Vegas. BMI’s visiting fellows will maintain office hours (1 day a week), and will offer regular service to the community. In addition to the primary goal of furthering one’s own writing during their term in Las Vegas, visiting fellows are expected to engage in a substantial way with BMI’s community in ways that connect to their interests and skills. Upon acceptance into the program, each fellow will craft a plan for community-engagement in partnership with BMI. This component is equally weighted along with the writing sample and proposed literary project in the application. Here are some examples of activities a visiting fellow might pursue:

• Offer readings, craft talks, and other public presentations to the readers and writers of UNLV and Southern Nevada.

• Offer workshops or seminars.

• Curate events or programs, live and virtual.

Please feel free to move beyond these examples in your application – BMI wants to find new ways to serve the Las Vegas community.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

Please submit:

1. A one-page personal statement,* which includes 1) your interest participating in the Las Vegas literary community, 2) a description of how you envision fulfilling your service hours and engaging the Las Vegas community, and 3) the writing project(s) you will work on while in residency.

2. A writing sample (10 pages maximum,* double-spaced, 12 pt. font).

3. A résumé or CV.

*Please respect the committee’s time by observing these guidelines and page limits.

Candidates are selected by a committee of staff and community members at BMI.

For more information, please consult our Fellowship FAQs.

blackmountaininstitute.submittable.com/submit

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2025 NOVELETTE PRINT PRIZE

CRAFT

DEADLINE: March 16, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $30 (multiple entries will be welcomed)

INFO: The novelette occupies a unique and enigmatic space in the literary landscape. Too expansive to be confined by the brevity of a short story, yet too concise to fully embody the scope of a novel or novella, the modern novelette stands on its own as a bold and ambitious form. But within its constraints lies the opportunity for daring experimentation, as seen in last year’s prize winner, Landing in Andonia by Philip Anderson. This year, we dare you to embrace the challenges and idiosyncrasies of the form and then send us your most mesmerizing novelette for consideration.

For the CRAFT 2025 Novelette Print Prize, we’re seeking submissions of polished novelettes from 7,500 to 15,000 words. One grand-prize winner will receive $3,000, print publication, royalties, and twenty author copies. The winner will have the option of international distribution through drop-shipping at Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and other platforms, earning fifty percent of royalties on their published novelette.

GUEST JUDGE: ’Pemi Aguda, a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award, will choose the winner and write the foreword for the print publication. 

AWARDS:

• $3,000,

• online excerpt publication,

• print publication with foreword by the guest judge, 

• royalties on optional international drop-shipping with our partners, 

• twenty author copies,

• and a free class at The Loft Literary Center!

https://craft.submittable.com/submit

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Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship

Democracy Center

DEADLINE: March 17, 2025

INFO: The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) is thrilled to announce the 3rd annual Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship. This year’s fellowship will award $5,000 unrestricted awards to two emerging writers of color who write critically about music.

Writers of color have knowledge and experiences that differ from the dominant Eurocentric ones, and their perspectives give art produced by marginalized communities the depth of attention and consideration it deserves. The fellowship seeks to encourage critics of color starting out in the field to continue writing about works from their own cultural and political perspectives, enriching and broadening cultural criticism as a practice and profession. By supporting and highlighting these voices, the fellowship seeks to broaden public discourse and strengthen participation in cultural conversations by diverse communities.

Irene Yamamoto (1937–2020) was a life-long lover of the arts. Born in Los Angeles, she was incarcerated with her family during WWII in Gila River, AZ. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she attended UCLA and had a long career as a production artist for several design and advertising agencies. In her free time, she loved to draw, learn new languages, visit museums, and travel.  

The Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship is made possible through a gift from Sharon Mizota to honor Irene Yamamoto. This project is also supported by Critical Minded, an initiative to invest in cultural critics of color cofounded by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Ford Foundation. 

PURPOSE:

The fellowship focuses on a different artistic discipline each year. This year’s focus is music.

In order to ensure full consideration of your application, please make sure your writing samples are works of criticism or reviews of live or recorded music. Although music is experienced in many different contexts, for the purposes of this award, music is defined as a creation that is experienced primarily as sound. For example:

• A review of a film’s soundtrack would be appropriate, but not a review of the film.

• Criticism of an audio recording of songs from an opera or musical theater production would be considered, whereas a response to the overall production would not. 

• Critical views on the music industry, its figures, or trends are acceptable, as long as they are directly related to the artistry, production, or reception of music.

Above all, writing samples must provide a critical, analytical, or interpretive perspective on a piece or pieces of music. 

AWARD:

Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowships will be awarded to two (2) emerging writers of color, each of whom receive a $5,000 award to be spent over a six-month period.

The awards are unrestricted. Funds may be used for any purpose that helps the fellows advance their careers, including paying themselves to write. In addition to the cash award, the fellows are given the opportunity to write a piece of criticism or review of a musical work for the Democracy Center blog as well as the opportunity to deliver a talk at the Democracy Center at JANM on their work.

A brief, written report in the form of a letter accounting for the use of funds is required at the end of the fellowship period. No receipts or other documentation is required.

For more information:

• See Eligibility Criteria, Application Process, and Review Process  VIEW NOW

• Official Fellowship Call APPLY NOW

• Learn about past Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship Recipients  PAST FELLOWS

ORGANIZATIONS:

Established in 1985, the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)  promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @jamuseum. 

The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) at JANM, convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement. The Democracy Center is a place for dialogue about race and social justice, where visitors can examine contemporary and historical frameworks, including the Asian American experience. 

janm.org/democracy/arts-writer-fellowship

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Spring YA Workshop

Tin House (Portland, OR)

DEADLINE: March 17, 2025

INFO: The Tin House Spring YA Workshop is a long weekend consisting of curated and intimate workshops (with no more than six participants per class), craft lectures, generative exercises, and readings. There will also be plenty of opportunities for mingling, sightseeing in Portland, and, of course, karaoke.

The workshops will take place at our offices in NW Portland, which are centrally located in Northwest Portland. Many housing and eating options are within walking distance of our offices.

Room and board are not included in this workshop, though breakfast will be provided throughout the weekend, as well as coffee/tea, snacks, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Lunch will be provided on Monday.

Enrolled applicants will be able to connect for shared housing as well as discount rates at the Silver Cloud Inn, a nearby hotel.

APPLICATION:

We ask for one unpublished novel sample (4,000 words or less) from the project you intend to work on while attending. Once admitted, you will have the opportunity to workshop a different manuscript or section from your project.

If you have previously attended, please do not apply with the same sample. A different excerpt from the same project is acceptable.

In addition to the writing sample, the application includes several questions about your project.

Applicants must be 21 years of age to apply.

International writers may apply.

There is no cap on the number of Tin House Workshops you may attend.

Applications are read by a board composed of Tin House Workshop staff and Reading Fellows (whose stipends are paid via the application fees). At least two readers will read all applications, and acceptance is based on the strength and promise of the writing sample and how much the board feels an applicant might benefit from the Workshop and contribute to the community.

Fee waivers: Through our Pay It Forward program, Tin House offers a limited number of application fee waivers. We will distribute these waivers on a first-come, first-serve basis. As an applicant, you can help cover the cost of another writer’s application fee through this same program. All excess application funds will go towards our Scholars Travel Fund.

For inquiries, please email workshop@tinhouse.com with the subject line “Spring YA Fee Waiver.”

COST: $1000

SCHOLARSHIPS:

Scholarships cover the entire conference tuition. Scholars are responsible for their travel to/from Portland.

All scholarship applicants are considered for general admission (you do not need to submit a separate general application).

Previous Tin House Scholars are not eligible to apply for awards.

We announce the names of the Scholars publically after the workshop’s conclusion (though scholars themselves will be notified before the conference).

Please reach out to workshop@tinhouse.com if you have any eligibility questions.

General Scholarship: Open to all applicants.

BIPOC Scholarship: This award is open to anyone identifying as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.

LGBTQIA2S+ Scholarship: This award is open to anyone identifying as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, plus other identities not explicitly listed.

SCHEDULE:

Thursday, May 29th
3:00 pm: Welcome Lecture
3:30 pm: Welcome Workshop Meeting
5:00 pm: Welcome Reception

Friday, May 30th
9:oo am: Student Readings
10:00 am: Workshops
3:00 pm: Lecture
4:30 pm: Lecture
5:30 pm: Social Hour

Saturday, May 31st
9:30 am: Student Readings
10:30 am: Lecture
12:00 pm: Portland Getaway Day
8:00 pm: Karaoke

Sunday, June 1st
10:00 am: Workshops
3:00 pm: Lecture
4:30 pm: Student Readings
7:30 pm: Faculty Reading

Monday, June 2nd
10:00 am: Workshops
1:00 pm: Goodbye Lunch

tinhouse.com/workshop/ya-workshop

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The Editor-Writer Mentorship

The Word for Diversity

DEADLINE: March 17, 2025 at 11:59pm US Denver/MT

INFO: The Editor-Writer Mentorship pairs upcoming writers from underrepresented groups* with experienced book publishing editors!

 Our Editor Mentors provide substantive feedback to help raise a strong manuscript to its best position for submission to potential agents and editors. This is an opportunity to learn from the knowledge of experienced acquiring editors. This program is free of cost to ensure wide accessibility, which is made possible due to the generosity of our volunteer editors. 

ELIGIBILITY: Aspiring or upcoming writers from underrepresented groups (see explanation below) with a completed, unpublished manuscript in the above outlined categories may apply. Applicants may apply in only one category.

HOW TO APPLY:

Step 1: Download the full application instructions.

   Remember to follow all formatting requirements when you apply! 

Step 2: Take a look at this example submission attachment to double check yourself.

Step 3: Submit your application HERE.

More about underrepresented voices:

How do we focus our search for underrepresented voices? We promote the inclusive representation of experiences in literature, including a diversity of experiences based on: racial, cultural, ethnic, or religious identity; gender identity; sexual orientation; physical, cognitive, or emotional disability; socioeconomic adversity; and personal experiences of adversity or injustice. 

*We recognize that personal experiences of adversity occur in many forms and we believe that the impact of each must be respected. To guide the use of our resources, we focus on experiences that lack representation in literature, based on our best knowledge and research. 

Additional program information:

Mentors and mentees will determine their contact schedules and frequency based on the needs of both parties. All mentors and mentees will be provided guidelines and resources to help promote productive working relationships. The mentorship relationship does not guarantee publication of any completed work and mentors are not expected to provide any referrals to acquiring agents, editors or others. The program’s goal is to support the development of the mentee writer’s work.​

Mentors and mentees will have a minimum of two meetings over a 6-9 month mentorship relationship. Feedback may be written or oral, as is determined by each volunteer editor. Additional meetings and feedback will be determined by each mentor/mentee pair, based on the volunteer editor's availability and the needs of the mentee. 

FAQs

Is this opportunity open to writers whose subject-matter may not directly reflect their personal identity?

We recognize that the perspectives of individuals from marginalized backgrounds will influence their works in a variety of ways. We further recognize that identity is a complex question. We, therefore, do not have any subject-matter limitations for this opportunity.

I’ve read the explanation of “underrepresented voices” but I’m still not sure if my background fits within the underrepresented category. Should I submit?

Our mentorship is focused on providing support for individuals whose background has proved a challenge to their writing path and entry into the publishing space, as well as focused on stories that are underrepresented among published books. We ask that you consider whether your identity and background have offered challenges on your writing path, and whether you think that your work will contribute to our mission to achieve greater inclusivity among those groups that have been regularly marginalized. If based on those considerations you believe that your work is the right fit for this program, we welcome your submission. 

Is this opportunity open to agented writers or writers who have been previously published? 

We don’t require that a writer be unpublished or unagented. Given the high volume of interest and need, we do ask all writers to consider whether you are truly in need of this opportunity. 

The manuscript for which you are seeking feedback must be unpublished. 

What can I expect from my mentor-editor if selected for the program?

This mentorship pairing is for the purpose of providing our Mentee Writers with editorial feedback on one full-length manuscript. Mentees will have at least two touch points for feedback during the mentorship program (approximately 6-9 months in length), and each pair will determine the method of feedback that will be provided (e.g.,: editorial letter, oral feedback, or feedback in multiple rounds). 

Can I submit to more than one category?  

Applicants may only submit one manuscript for consideration per application year. Applicants should not submit multiple manuscripts, even if in different categories, or this will result in disqualification.

What category should I apply for?

Editor Jessica Anderson generously demystifies the KidLit genres for us. Learn about the differences between Chapter Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult books. Here is the link to the video and skip to the 24-minute mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-_120Rj4k4

Does my manuscript have to be complete for me to apply? 

Yes, your manuscript must be complete. If you are chosen as a finalist, you will be required to submit your complete manuscript for the Editor-Mentors to evaluate and chose their mentee. This mentorship program is meant for authors who are looking to prepare a manuscript for agent or editor submissions, which requires a completed piece of work.  

Are you accepting graphic novel submissions?

At this time, we are NOT accepting graphic novel submissions.

For picture books: What if my manuscript is less than 10 pages? 

You should submit your entire manuscript in your initial application materials if it is less than 10 pages.

 For picture books: Should my manuscript include directions on page breaks and art direction or art notes? 

As long as your manuscript does not exceed 10 pages, and meets all other formatting requirements listed in the application instructions, it can be formatted in whatever way you feel best communicates your vision.  

For my pitch, should I include comp titles? 

Write your pitch in whatever way you think will best represent your manuscript. What you choose to include is up to you as long as it does not exceed the word limit set in the application instructions.  

Can non-US citizens or non-US residents (international applicants) apply? 

You are welcome to apply for our mentorship program regardless of your location. Keep in mind that all of our editors are located in the US, and so if you are chosen as a mentee, when it comes to scheduling times to chat, meet, and do critiques, you'll have to be a lot more flexible with their schedules. But if that's not a problem, then please apply!

Can co-authors submit?

We unfortunately can only accept submissions for one writer mentee.

thewordfordiversity.org/editor-writer-mentorship

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Call for Papers: Summer 2026 CENTRO Journal

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO)

DEADLINE: March 17, 2025

INFO: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO) opens a call for contributors to a special issue of CENTRO Journal titled New Histories of Health, Care Work, and Healthcare Activism in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the United States, which will be published in September 2026.

This special issue will bring into dialogue new scholarship on the history of health, care work, and healthcare activism in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and relevant Latinx communities in the United States since the late nineteenth century. In recent years, new histories of health and medicine have built on social history and showcased the volatile relationship between health and political and economic systems. In interconnected ways, scholarship on care work and healthcare activism has underscored how political and other forms of mobilization around care, health, and social reproduction have taken shape and challenged the state and society to create a more caring world. In this special edition, we will explore the intersections within these conversations, emphasizing how thinking about health and care as uncertain and contested terrain allows us both to account for “hidden” and “silenced” histories and to map new paths forward in times of continuity, crisis, and change.

The issue will build on scholarship that has considered how social, cultural, political, and economic factors have informed medical logics and practices, and expanded who is seen as qualified to produce and exercise health knowledge, power, and authority. We seek to further unpack and nuance these recent trends in a historical register while charting interdisciplinary terrain. To pursue and complicate history in modest or intense cross-/interdisciplinary fashion, we will use health, care work, and healthcare activism as conceptual tools to help anchor our collective effort and center what Pablo Gómez, Katherine McKittrick, and others have called the “experiential”—creative-intellectual- sensorial-embodied ways of knowing and being (Gómez 2017; McKittrick 2021). By amplifying the variability of medical and health actors and their techniques, taking seriously community voices and knowledge, and stressing how medicine and healing always exist in layers of context and community, we seek to trouble traditional understandings of the history of medicine and health.

This discussion will engage with the histories of care work and healthcare activism, exploring how individuals and communities have fought against marginalization, discrimination, and violence. As Premilla Nadasen has argued, a deep history of the care economy can show us how it has served as an engine to extract profit under racial capitalism while also revealing how minoritized people have organized politically around social reproduction and fought for new ways of provisioning care and mutual aid (Care: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, 2023). This issue will examine the crucial roles of women, people of color, and heterodox practitioners, among others, as activists demanding care and healthcare in their communities. We invite contributions that shed light on Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and US-based Latinx approaches to and mobilization around health and care and how their ideas, practices, and organizing have confronted epistemic imperialism, state violence, and colonialism while envisioning, materializing, and demanding new social and economic relationships in society.

Contributors to this issue of CENTRO Journal are welcome to think with, critique, and transcend prevailing frameworks and, potentially, interpretive status quos in histories of health, care work, and healthcare activism. We encourage thinking from and with the people, ideas, practices, and sources at the core of our work rather than just producing knowledge on or about them. We therefore invite submissions that engage with and expand CENTRO’s archive, as well as those that contemplate the histories in question in comparative, transnational, and “undisciplined” keys, specifically in relation to how health, care work, and healthcare activism have manifested in Puerto Rico, the circum-Caribbean, and/or Latinx communities in the US. We seek to sit with and lean into how health, care work, and healthcare activism have been lived historically across categories of difference and invite methodologically ambitious and rigorous submissions that elaborate on this aspect.

Topics for this issue may include histories of health, care work, and healthcare activism that dialogue with:

• Health and wellness

• Medicine and public health

• “Popular” or “folk” medicine

• Medical pluralism

• “Madness” and psychiatry

• Social work and social welfare

• Communities of care and mutual aid

• Religious/spiritual healing

• Care work and reproductive labor

• Social determinants of health and social reproduction

• Healthcare activism

• Social movements

• Reproductive health and justice

• Popular culture

• Art and literature

• Gender and sexuality

• Race and ethnicity

• Feminisms

• Disability studies

• Geographies of health

• Colonialism and capitalism

• Environment and ecology

• Climate justice

• Policing and incarceration

POSSIBLE SUBMISSION FORMATS:

To allow for a breadth of approaches and lenses, contributors are invited to submit pieces in one of the following formats (with listed word counts, inclusive of main text, references, and notes):

• Articles (12,000 words max)

• Short essays/interviews (2,000 words)

• Poems (1-3 poems depending on length)

• Art/photography (1 piece/representative photograph with a brief written explanation)

GUEST EDITORS
Emma Amador, University of Connecticut-Storrs
Alberto Ortiz Díaz, University of Texas at Arlington

TIMELINE:

• Abstract submission deadline:
  March 17, 2025

• Notification of abstract approval:
  April 7, 2025

• Final manuscript submission:
  July 25, 2025

• The publication of this special volume (v. 38, n. 2) is scheduled for September 2026.

ABSTRACT AND MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION DETAILS:

Please send a 250-word abstract of your work and a 50-word biography to the following link (https:/ /bit.ly/centro_journal_summer_2026_abstract)
We will accept abstracts and manuscripts in English and Spanish.

Approved manuscript submissions should be uploaded to the following link (https:/ /bit.ly/centro_journal_summer_2026_manuscript)

All submissions should follow CENTRO Journal’s style guidelines (https:/ /bit.ly/centro_journal_style_guide) and will be sent out for peer review. Please include a brief cover letter with your manuscript title, the word count (including references and notes), your full name, a short biography (of no more than 75 words), institutional or organizational affiliation (if applicable), email address, and phone number.

For more information:
Questions should be addressed to the guest editors of the special issue:

Emma Amador
(emma.amador@uconn.edu)

Alberto Ortiz Díaz
(alberto.ortizdiaz@uta.edu)

or to the journal editor:
Gustavo Quintero Vera
(journal@hunter.cuny.edu)

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/call-for-papers-summer-2026-centro-journal/

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2025 LAMMY AWARDS

Lambda Literary

DEADLINE: March 21, 2025

INFO: Lambda Literary Awards celebrate the outstanding LGBTQ+ storytelling from a given year. Lambda uses “LGBTQ+” as a catch-all term, meaning that works reflecting identities beyond lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer or questioning are also welcome, to include two-spirit, intersex, pansexual, aro/ace, and other emerging identities.

Please read through these guidelines carefully to ensure that your book is eligible for consideration and that you are submitting it to the proper category. When you are ready during the open submission period, tap the “GO TO SUBMITTABLE” button at the top of the page to submit works through our Submittable portal and follow the instructions for the feature labeled “37th Lambda Literary Awards Registration.” If there is no button, it means the submission period has not opened.

If you have a question not answered here, visit the Awards FAQ page or email awards[at]lambdaliterary.org.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Submitted works must be published between January 1 and December 31, 2024. The work must also be distributed (i.e., available in bookstores or online) or performed (in the case of plays) in the United States during 2024.

• Lambda Literary Awards are open to all authors regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity except in the case of the special prizes that mark specific stages of an individual LGBTQ writer’s career. The content of the submitted work must be representative of/content relevant to LGBTQ+ lives.

• Titles must be published in English. Translations from other languages are eligible provided they meet other requirements re: publication year.

• Self-published books are eligible. Works must be available for purchase in a bound or collected format (i.e. not dripped in chapters delivered by newsletter. The work should exist published in a single file). Works published exclusively on social or subscriber-based sites such as blogs, personal newsletters, Patreons, and Wattpad are not eligible.

• First print editions of books previously published online or in ebook format are eligible.

• Reprints of books that were published in the US in previous years are not eligible. This includes second (or later) editions, books that have been republished by a different publisher, and books that are modified versions of previously published works. 

• First US editions of books published outside the US before 2024 are eligible if the original edition was not submitted for Lammy consideration in a previous year.

• Poetry chapbooks over 30 pages in length are eligible.

• Submitted works must be human-authored and not generated in whole or in part by “A.I.”/LLM engines or services (i.e. ChatGPT). Submitted works found in violation of this policy will be disqualified without refund.

SUBMISSION FEES:

For the 2025 award cycle, submission fees are as follows:

• Submissions by Big 4 publishers and large universities: $115.00 USD per title

• Submissions by small press/independent publishers, small colleges, and individual authors: $65.00 USD per title for 1-10 titles; $55.00 USD per title for 11+ titles

SUBMISSION FORMATS:

For the 2024-2025 award cycle, submissions must be made initially in digital format (epub, pdf preferred). To accommodate accessibility requests for our judges, we request three (3) additional physical/print copies of each submitted title where available (4 titles for the LGBTQ+ Young Adult category). Mailing address and additional information will be provided within Submittable. Failure or refusal to submit physical copies does not automatically disqualify a title from consideration, but may make it more difficult for judges to fully review the work. We do not accept audiobooks at this time. 

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES:

A book may be submitted to only one category.

If a category receives fewer than ten (10) submissions, the category will not be active in this awards cycle. The submitted books may then be reassigned to another category, if appropriate. If the book cannot compete in another category, the submission fee will be refunded.

LESBIAN OR GAY CATEGORIES:

Books eligible for lesbian categories feature a prominent lesbian/sapphic/nonbinary and/or female- or femme-attracted character or contain content of strong significance to lesbian lives.

Books eligible for gay categories feature a prominent gay/achillean/nonbinary and/or male- or masc-attracted character or contain content of strong significance to gay lives.

Lesbian Fiction or Gay Fiction:
Literary fiction that does not fit more precisely into a specific genre category such as Erotica, Romance, Speculative Fiction, or Mystery. Novels, novellas, and short story collections by a single author are eligible; anthologies are not.

 Lesbian Memoir/Biography or Gay Memoir/Biography:
Biographies, memoirs, autobiographies, and works of creative nonfiction by or about lesbians and gay men or with content of strong significance to gay and lesbian lives. Posthumously published works and/or those with co-authors are eligible; anthologies are not. 

Lesbian Poetry or Gay Poetry:
Single volumes and collected poems are eligible as are chapbooks over 30 pages in length. Updated editions of previously published works are not eligible unless at least 50% of the poetry (not the supplemental text) is new.

Lesbian Romance or Gay Romance:
Novels, novellas, and short story collections by a single author that focus on a central love relationship between two or more characters are eligible; anthologies are not. Category includes a broad range of subgenres including traditional, historical, gothic, Regency, and paranormal romance.

BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENDER CATEGORIES":

These categories are non-gender-specific works containing material of strong significance to members of the bi/pan and trans communities.

Bisexual Fiction or Transgender Fiction:
Novels, novellas, short story collections, and anthologies with prominent bi/pan, nonbinary/genderqueer, and trans characters and/or content of strong significance to these communities. May include historical novels, comics, cross-genre works of fiction, humor, and other styles of fiction.

Bisexual Nonfiction or Transgender Nonfiction:
Nonfiction works with content of strong significance to members of the bi/pan, nonbinary/genderqueer, and trans communities. Includes a wide range of subjects for the general or academic reader (e.g., history, memoirs, cultural studies, public policy, law, politics, community organizations, humor, spirituality, gender studies, parenting, religion, spirituality, relationships, psychology, travel).

Bisexual Poetry or Transgender Poetry:
Single volumes and collected poems are eligible, as are chapbooks over 30 pages in length. Updated editions of previously published works are not eligible unless at least 50% of the poetry (not the supplemental text) is new.

LGBTQ CATEGORIES:

These categories are non-gender-specific works containing material of strong significance to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

LGBTQ+ Anthology:
Anthologies are collections of fiction, nonfiction, and/or poetry by multiple authors. Collected works authored entirely by a single person are not eligible in this category.

LGBTQ+ Children’s Books:

Individual works and collections of fiction, nonfiction, picture books, board books, early-readers and poetry whose intended audience is young readers are all eligible; anthologies are not.

LGBTQ+ Middle Grade:
Individual works and collections of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry whose intended audience is the middle grade audience are all eligible; anthologies are not.

LGBTQ+ Young Adult:
Individual works and collections of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry whose intended audience is young adult readers are all eligible; anthologies are not.

LGBTQ+ Comics:
Book-length works of fiction or non-fiction that use a combination of words and sequential art to convey a narrative are eligible, including novels, graphic memoirs and short story or comics collections by the same author/team. Individual comic books, periodicals, anthologies, and web-only content are not eligible.

 LGBTQ+ Drama:
Plays and other theatrical works and performance pieces that have been published in book or script form during 2024. Collections from a single author are eligible; anthologies featuring multiple authors are not. Plays which have been produced in 2024 but not published are also permitted, but will need to be provided in a written format for review.

 LGBTQ+ Mystery:
Novels, novellas, and short story collections in which a crime or series of crimes is an integral part of the story are all eligible; anthologies are not. Category includes a wide range of crime fiction subgenres including police procedurals, political/legal/medical thrillers, cozies, and hard-boiled detective stories.

LGBTQ+ Nonfiction:
LGBTQ-themed works for general readers, as opposed to those targeted primarily to scholarly audiences (e.g., LGBT/Queer/Gender Studies programs). Includes but is not limited to law, history, politics, spirituality, humor, parenting, relationships, psychology, travel, and photography. Anthologies (edited collections of separately authored work) are not eligible in the LGBTQ+ Nonfiction category and should be submitted to LGBTQ+ Anthology. (Please see the LGBTQ+ Studies category below for comparison.)

LGBTQ+ Poetry:
Single volumes and collected poems are eligible as are chapbooks over 30 pages in length. Updated editions of previously published works are not eligible unless at least 50% of the poetry (not the supplemental text) is new. Works of specifically Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender Poetry are encouraged to submit in their respective categories to allow representations of other identities space in this category.

LGBTQ+ Romance and Erotica:
Novels, novellas, and short story collections by a single author that focus on a central love relationship between two or more LGBTQ+ characters, to include characters on the aromantic/asexual spectrum, or whose content is principally of an erotic nature are eligible. Category includes a broad range of subgenres including traditional, historical, gothic, Regency, and paranormal romance. Works of specifically Lesbian or Gay Romance are encouraged to submit in their respective categories to allow representations of other identities space in this category.

LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction:
Includes science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related genres. Novels, novellas, and short story collections are eligible; anthologies are not.

LGBTQ+ Studies:
Scholarly work focusing on issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, and oriented toward academia, libraries, cultural professionals, and the more academic reader. Generally, but not exclusively, published by university presses. Anthologies (edited collections of separately authored work) are not eligible in the LGBTQ+ Studies category and should be submitted to LGBTQ+ Anthology. (Please see the LGBTQ+ Nonfiction category above for comparison.)

lambdaliterary.org/awards/lammys-submissions/

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The Artist Publishing Practicum: March 22 - 23, 2025

at Louis Place

INFO: The Artist Publishing Practicum is a virtual crash course on pathways to book publishing, designed for artists and open to all.

Workshops are led with generosity and care by our supportive network of authors, editors, and mentors: Elizabeth Karp-Evans (Pacific), Erika Stevens (Salky Literary Management), Kameelah Janan Rasheed (artist and writer), Karen Kelly (Dancing Foxes Press), Mindy Seu (designer and author, Cyberfeminism Index), Rachel Valinsky (co-founder, Wendy’s Subway; Director of Publications, C.A.R.A.), and Yusuf Hassan (BlackMass Publishing).

The Practicum takes place Saturday, March 22 - Sunday, March 23, 2025.

atlouisplace.com/practicum

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Luminary Editorial Incubator for Black Feminist Writers

SISTORIES

DEADLINE: March 24 at 10:00pm ET

INFO: In The Style of Liberation is a two-pronged political education & public program series housed by SISTORIES and curated by Mariah M. designed to develop and deepen attendees' political consciousness & narrative voice.

This program is a study and praxis space for Black women and non-binary/genderqueer artists based in North Carolina looking to make a deeper commitment to both one's craft, study & creative self.

Six (6) young Black creatives, ranging from ages (22-28), will comprise the 16-week Luminary Editorial Incubator (LEI) fellowship cohort. As a part of the cohort, members will engage in craft study of Black radical feminists, their writing and politic, as well as create a zine from both their written and photographic work.

There will also be a zine launch & exhibition opening of the works created during the LEI program held at the conclusion of the program in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Awardees of the Luminary Editorial Incubator fellowship will also receive a personal no-strings scholarship of $1500 to use however is needed in order to actualize themselves as artists paid midway (June) and at the conclusion of the program (August 10th)

To apply to this program you must:

• be Black woman, genderqueer and/or non-binary

• be a current resident of the Southeastern US

• have 8-10 hours weekly for 16 consecutive weeks to dedicate to this program and your creative development

• be available virtually on Tuesday and Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm EST starting the week of April 6th

• be available Friday, April 11th - Sunday, April 13th for opening weekend orientation

• be available for the artist talk + zine launch on Friday, August 8th & closing brunch Sunday, August 10th

• submit samples of your writing

• have & express your desire and interest to study a Black radical feminist creative writer/figure

Meet the LEI Mentors & Workshop Stewards

Mariah M. (@m_lightsower) | LEI Program Director & Guest Curator of Cultural Programs for SISTORIES ||

Mariah M., or Em, (they/them) is a Black queer writer, cultureworker , and worldbuilder rooting in Greensboro, North Carolina (ancestrally Keyauwee & Saura tribal land). As a practicing abolitionist, Em embodies non-binary as a praxis for navigating our lives under and undoing imperialism, and moves with their roles in community inseparable from their identity as an artist. by way of Toni Cade Bambara, they aim to use their existence to the ends of making revolution irresistible. They are presently a 2024-25 Mellon Community Fellow with the Diaspora Solidarities Lab and a 2024 Winter Roots.Wounds.Words. Fellow in Speculative Fiction. They are the inaugural artist-in-residence at The Beautiful Project (c. 2023) and Program Steward of Ekphrasis in Black, an artist incubator for young Black women & non-binary folk designed for fellows to expand in both poetryform and photography as well as deepen in politic. They are also a two-time Watering Hole fellow (c. 2017, 2019) and an Emergent Poet Fellow with Crescendo Literary & the National Poetry Foundation (c. 2017). You can find Em talking to a tree about our futures, indoors dancing under red lights and on Substack at Selfish Mars Musings. They have poems published by the Neighbor News Pan-African News Service of Oakland, voicemail poems & SISTORIES.

Ashley Nickens (@laydeeashley) | Founding Director & Editor-in-Chief of SISTORIES Literary Magazine || 

Ashley Nickens (she/her) is an educator, writer, and the founding director of SISTORIES—a southern-rooted queer Black feminist publishing and production organization that explores sites of recovery and resistance in the archival narratives of southern Black women, femmes, and GNC people. Born in Maryland, raised in Chesapeake, Virginia, and made a woman in the Carolinas, her work is grounded in her southeastern roots, and seeks to continue a tradition of Black feminist storysharing that uncovers, recovers, and (re)creates models of possibility across time and space. In 2024, Ashley received the Charlotte Arts & Science Council $50,000 Founders Grant Award for visionary artists who build and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to community. She has held artist residencies as a Culture Bearer with QC Family Tree (2024),  a Prismatic Artivist with  Cypress Fund (2022-2024), and The Roll Up CLT (2021). Her writing has been published in RaceBaitr, Engaging Collections, and Black Femme Collective.  

Samiah Fulcher (@samiahfulcher) | Editorial Mentor, Poetry Editor @ SISTORIES ||

Samiah Fulcher is a lifelong writer and editor moved by personal poetry and the world-building power of narrative storytelling. As a proudly Black, Queer, and Jewish woman from the South, it is the weaving of disparate parts in visual art, media, and the written word that inspires her passion for building community. She has spent the last 5+ years braiding experiences in nonprofit communications and community strategy with a deeply rooted commitment to creative expression. From Nigeria to Montreal, uplifting interconnected narratives of peoples, cultures, and the places they’re from is the North Star for her work in this life.

Ivy Nicole-Jonét (@ivynicolejonet) | Study & Curriculum Mentor || 

Ivy Nicole-Jonét is a Black Womxn and storyteller based in Greensboro, NC, whose work teleports between the past, present, and future. Rooted in Afrofuturism and Black Womxnism, their art blends archival exploration, digital media, and immersive landscapes to conjure spaces where history and imagination embrace. Water flows through Ivy’s work as both an ancestral guide and a symbol of transformation, shaping dreamscapes where Black Womxn and folx exist in their full power—unbound, thriving, free. Each piece is a ritual, a reclamation, and a call to remember and reimagine liberation.

Fola Onifade (@_holafola) | Editorial Mentor, Poetry Editor @ SISTORIES ||

Fola Onifade (she/they) is an Aries sun, Libra moon, and Aries rising, so it's sweet and spicy over here. She serves as Sistories' Editorial Director and Poetry Editor and is the staff writer and associate podcast producer for Democracy in Color, a nonprofit media organization at the intersection of race and politics. In her creative work, Fola explores and celebrates the realities of African diaspora women through poetry, playwriting, and narrative fiction. You can find her on a nature trail, strolling in an art museum, or nibbling on plantain chips.

J. Tiffany Holland | Study & Curriculum Mentor || 

J. Tiffany Holland is a public educator, freedom dreamer, and wayward scholar. Her scholarly passions focus on the expansiveness and complexities of black identity and the potentials of black liberation. A
former performing artist and middle-school teacher, Tiffany teaches in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She livesin Greensboro, North Carolina with her partner, her wonder-twin children, and her extended and magical queer family.

We can't wait to review your application! If you have any questions, please email mariahmcreates@gmail.com with 'LEI' in the subject line.

The Luminary Editorial Incubator is a program and personal project of Mariah M. as SISTORIES' Guest Curator of Cultural Programs. This project is made possible in part by the Poetry Partnerships, Programs and Innovation Grant awarded jointly to Mariah M. and SISTORIES by the National Poetry Foundation.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbB8jkD1UqvbwuwG6QJqE8rWtaJBWz-UjoNCnRxRz0zjJ07g/viewform

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call for submissions: Winter Black fox prize

Black Fox

DEADLINE: March 30, 2025 by midnight EST

ENTRY FEE: $12

INFO: Black Fox is accepting submissions for our winter writing prize. The theme for this round is “Rise or Ruin.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre, as always.

Good reputation or bad? Reputations can mold destinies, define legacies, and/or echo through history. We invite writers to investigate a reputation’s power, potential, and frailty. Will your hero rise or will your legends fall? Give us themes of redemption, scandal, honor, or betrayal—where truth or lies can shift the direction of a life or shatter a legacy in a single moment. We’re looking for work that will uncover truths behind personas and reveal the complex layers of how we are perceived and remembered.

GUIDELINES: Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner that we feel interprets the theme best.

PRIZE: $325 and print publication in the Summer 2025 issue. All submissions are considered for print publication in the Summer 2025 issue.

https://blackfoxlitmag.com/contests/

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THE WRITING FELLOWSHIP 

A Public Space

DEADLINE: March 31, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET 

INFO: The Writing Fellowships at A Public Space support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision. Writers who have not yet published a book are invited to apply. The three Fellows selected annually receive editorial support to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine; a $1,000 honorarium; complimentary access to all A Public Space Master Classes during the fellowship year; the opportunity to meet virtually with members of the publishing community and to participate in a public reading.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

Time Period and Compensation: Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply to the 2025 Writing Fellowships. Submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are welcome. Three fellowships will be awarded. 

During the seven-month fellowship, fellows will receive:

• editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine;

• a $1,000 honorarium;

• a one-year subscription to A Public Space;

• a guest pass to attend Master Classes;

• the opportunity to participate in a public reading and conversation with A Public Space editors and contributors.

ELIGIBILITY: Only writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work with a U.S. publisher are eligible. Writers who have self-published, published an academic text, published a book with a publisher outside the U.S., or translated another writer’s work are eligible to apply. Writers who have published a chapbook or published (or contracted to publish) a book-length work in any of the fellowship genres (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry) in the U.S. are ineligible to apply. International applicants are encouraged to apply, but we are only able to consider submissions in English. Only one submission per person is allowed. Please do not submit a piece you have previously submitted to A Public Space, either through the Fellowship category, the General Submissions category, or an Open Call. A Public Space reserves the right to invite submissions.

TIMELINE: Successful applicants will be informed no later than May 27, 2025. The fellowship period will be June 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.

PROCEDURE: Only electronic submissions will be considered. Applications must be submitted through the Writing Fellowship category in Submittable. (The category will not be available until March 1, 2025.) There is no application fee. Please submit the following:

• A résumé

• A cover letter containing a one-paragraph biographical statement; one paragraph that is a favorite of yours from a book you've read, be it recently or long ago; and a brief statement telling us why this particular passage is meaningful to you. 

• One previously unpublished piece (for prose, a limit of 6,000 words; for poetry, up to 15 pages). If selected, the submitted manuscript is the piece that will be published in the magazine. 

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please note that if any part of the submitted work is accepted elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw your entire application; replacement submissions will not be accepted once the deadline has passed. 

Only PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx) are accepted. The cover letter and manuscript should be submitted as separate files. Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be returned unread.

apublicspace.org/about/fellowships/writing-fellowship 

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WINTER 2025 STORY CONTEST

Narrative

DEADLINE: March 31, 2025 by 11:59 pm PST

SUBMISSION FEE: $27 (with your entry, you’ll receive three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage).

INFO: Our Winter Contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. We’re looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

Narrative winners and finalists have gone on to win Whiting Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Atlantic prize, and have appeared in collections such as Best American Short Stories, Best American Nonrequired Reading, and many others. View the recent awards won by Narrative authors.

As always, we are looking for works with a strong narrative drive, with characters we can respond to, and with effects of language, situation, and insight that are intense and total. We look for works that have the ambition of enlarging our view of ourselves and the world.

We welcome and look forward to reading your pages.

AWARDS: 

• First Prize is $2,500

• Second Prize is $1,000

• Third Prize is $500

• Up to ten finalists will receive $100 each. 

• All entries will be considered for publication.

All contest entries are eligible for the $5,000 Narrative Prize and for acceptance as a Story of the Week.

JUDGING: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. Winners and finalists will be announced to the public by April 30, 2025. All writers who enter will be notified by email of the judges’ decisions, which will be final. The judges reserve the option to declare ties and to designate and award only as many winners and/or finalists as are appropriate to the quality of contest entries and of work represented in the magazine.

narrativemagazine.com/winter-2025-story-contest

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2025 creative nonfiction Prize

Indiana Review

DEADLINE: March 31, 2025 by 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FEE: $20 (comes with a year-long subscription to Indiana Review. Entrants without a US mailing address will receive an electronic version of the journal.

INFO: Send us one creative nonfiction piece, up to 5000 words, for a chance at $1000 + publication. Each paid submission also gets you a year-long subscription to Indiana Review. Entrants without a US mailing address will receive an electronic version of the journal.

Please note the following:

• Previously published works and works forthcoming elsewhere cannot be considered.

• Multiple and simultaneous submissions are permitted; however, each submission requires a separate reading fee. Please withdraw your piece immediately if it is accepted elsewhere.

• IR cannot consider work from anyone currently or recently affiliated with Indiana University or the prize judges. This includes people who have studied or taught at Indiana University in the past four years.

JUDGE: Shayla Lawson

indianareview.submittable.com/submit

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The Future Success of American Writers

Deep South Convening

DEADLINE: March 31, 2025

INFO: This event convenes writers, literary nonprofits, journal publishers, book publishers, writing programs, and funders. Our aim is to listen to writers speak about what they need to thrive, understand the work that organizations and funders already do to support that goal, and synthesize findings to develop and grow bold new initiatives that nurture and embolden writers who live or work in the American South.

RATIONALE: The Deep South has historically lagged other regions in terms of literary infrastructure, including access to publishing houses, agents, journals, and residency programs. In an era where storytelling has the power to unite and inspire or divide and demean, our goal is to take one big step to overcoming the historical and contemporary challenges that writers in the South face while gathering and amplifying a diverse array of voices from the region.

ATTENDANCE: 100 people will attend by way of invitation or application. No one will pay registration fees.Some people will receive travel stipends. Applications will be available on Submittable. Writers and organizers working in the South are encouraged to apply to attend the convening. A successful applicant will demonstrate a commitment to building literary community in the South and a commitment to active participation in the convening, bringing expertise from their work in their own communities.

Organizers

• Ashley M. Jones, Poet Laureate of Alabama, Executive Director of Magic City Poetry Festival

• Meg Reid, Executive Director, Publisher, Hub City Press

• John T Edge, Developer, Greenfield Farm Writers Residency, University of Mississippi

hubcity.submittable.com/submit

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The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship

The American Library in Paris

DEADLINE: April 1, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: €30 

INFO: The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship offers writers, researchers, and creators the unique opportunity to spend a month in Parisworking independently on their own creative project while contributing to the cultural life of the Library.

In addition to working on their own project, Fellows present a public program during their residency that engages our audience and members around a central theme. The theme for 2025-2026 is Ways of Seeing.

THEME: Ways of Seeing is a theme that invites exploration of how we perceive and interpret the world through art, literature, media, and culture. Inspired by John Berger’s influential work and the broader concept of understanding perspectives, this theme encourages Fellows to delve into new ways of thinking, creating, and connecting. Programs could explore topics such as visual storytelling, cultural perception, cross-cultural exchange, or innovative approaches to creativity and representation. 

FELLOWSHIP DETAILS: 

• Residency Period: One month, between September 2025 and June 2026. Fellowships are not available in July or August due to the Library’s programming hiatus.

• Stipend: $5,000 USD paid prior to the Fellowship period to cover travel, accommodation, and expenses in Paris.

• Eligibility: Open to writers, researchers, journalists, poets, screenwriters, playwrights, directors, and documentary filmmakers. International applicants are welcome.

THE FELLOWSHIP INCLUDES:

• An orientation day that includes meeting Library staff, a guided tour of the collections and archives, and lunch.

• A Library membership with full access to the Library’s collections, archives, and e-resources.

• A commitment to spend at least three half-days per weekin the Library during the residency working on your personal creative project.

• Dedicated time and space to work independently on a self-guided creative project.

• The opportunity to develop and deliver a one-hour public program tied to the theme of Ways of Seeing. This program could be a talk, workshop, panel, performance, or other creative format.

• Opportunities to attend fundraising dinners, cocktail gatherings, or exclusive events as a representative of the Fellowship.

• Participation in filming promotional material for the Library and your Fellowship experience.

• A final exit interview to share feedback and insights about the Fellowship experience.

• An expectation to acknowledge the Library and Fellowship in any publications or media resulting from the project.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications for the Visiting Fellowship require:

• A single PDF file (maximum 5 pages) containing:

• A one-page cover letter and a two-page CV.

• A one-page narrative description of your personal creative project, including its timeline, current stage, and how the Fellowship at the Library will contribute to its success.

• Three brief (max. 50 words each) proposals for a public program tied to Ways of Seeing.

• Two professional references (names and contact information).

americanlibraryinparis.org/about-the-visiting-fellowship/

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Black Mountain Institute-Kluge Fellowship

Black Mountain Institute / Library of Congress

DEADLINE: April 1, 2025

INFO: The Black Mountain Institute-Kluge Fellowship consists of a three-month term for a writer whose book would directly benefit from access to the Library of Congress’ extensive collections and time in which to conduct research and write. Although this fellowship has some in-person requirements it is primarily virtual, wherein the recipient can continue most of their scholarship and creative activity where they live while receiving prestigious support from Black Mountain Institute and the Library of Congress. During the three-month term, the fellow will spend two weeks at the Library of Congress conducting research. After the conclusion of their fellowship, the scholar/writer will visit BMI and UNLV in Las Vegas to offer a public program during the academic year.

The fellowship includes

• a salary of $15,000 to be paid over a three-month period

• flights to/from Washington, D.C. for research at The Kluge Center

• flights to/from Las Vegas for a public program

• 3 nights of lodging in Las Vegas

• recognition as a BMI-Kluge Fellow

Applicants must have a master’s degree or doctorate directly related to the area/subjects the applicant proposes to study (although, major creative or scholarly publications in the area of the proposed research may replace the graduate degree requirement); or, a bachelor's degree plus five (5) years professional work experience. 

The application includes:

• a proposal regarding the project the fellowship would serve, 1 - 3 pages in length 

• identification of specific Library collections materials that the applicant deems necessary for their research

• a CV

• a writing sample of no more than 10 pages, double-spaced in 12-point font

• three references’ names and contact information 

ABOUT:

The Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at UNLV champions writers and storytellers through programs, fellowships and community engagement. From the brightest spot on the planet, Black Mountain Institute amplifies writing and artistic expression to connect us to each other in the Las Vegas Valley, the Southwest, and beyond.

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress was created in the year 2000 to host scholarly programs and to support scholars in residence from around the world in their use of the Library’s extensive collections.

blackmountaininstitute.submittable.com/submit

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Ann Perry Award

Red Hen Press

DEADLINE: April 1, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: Founded in 2020 in partnership with Red Hen Press and the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance, the Ann Petry Award seeks to publish prose literature by Black authors.

The Ann Petry Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose (including self-published works), either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a minimum of 150 pages, by a Black writer.

The awarded manuscript is selected through an annual submission process, with primary review by Aliah Wright, who will winnow the submissions to a list of finalists for the final judge.

The Ann Petry Award will consist of $3000 and publication of the awarded manuscript by Red Hen Press, as well as a four-week residency at The Community Library's Ernest and Mary Hemingway House in Ketchum, Idaho.

Please use double-spaced, 12-pt. Times New Roman font. Title only on the cover sheet, with no other identifying information on the manuscript itself. The entry should be a minimum of 150 pages. 

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:  

The Ann Petry Award is open to all Black writers, with the following exceptions:

• Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press;

• Current employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press;

• Relatives of employees or members of the Red Hen Press executive board of directors;

• Members or former members of the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance;

• Relatives or individuals having a personal or professional relationship with any of the final judges or with members of the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance where they have taken any part whatsoever in shaping the manuscript, or where, for whatever reason, selecting a particular manuscript might have the appearance of impropriety.

PROCEDURES + ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

To be certain that every manuscript finalist receives the fairest evaluation, all manuscripts shall be submitted to the judges without any identifying material. Bios, acknowledgments, and other identifying material shall be removed from judged manuscripts until the conclusion of the competition.

Please remove all names, bios, acknowledgments, and other identifying material from the submitted manuscript, and include only your name, contact information, and a short biographical statement in the cover letter field of Submittable.  

The Ann Petry Award of Red Hen Press and the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance is committed to maintaining the utmost integrity of our awards. Judges shall recuse themselves from considering any manuscript where they recognize the work. In the event of recusal, a manuscript score previously assigned by the managing editor of the press will be substituted.

redhen.org/awards/ann-petry-award

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Call for submissions: Prose, Poetry + Translation

Michigan Quarterly Review

DEADLINE: April 1, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $3

INFO: Michigan Quarterly Review is currently seeking submissions of prose, poetry and translation for its print journal. The average turnaround time is six months, but we may take longer and ask that you do not query us until a year has passed.

GUIDELINES:

• Prose submissions: Manuscripts should be double-spaced, right margins not justified; 1,500–7,000 words. All nonfiction submissions will be automatically considered for publication in MQR Online. All stories accepted for publication will be passed on to a judge as finalists for the $2000 Lawrence Prize. There is no additional fee for the prize beyond submission.

• Poetry submissions: Please submit up to 6 poems in one document, not to exceed a total of 12 pages. Poems published in MQR by early career writers (those who have not yet published a full-length collection) will be considered as finalists for our Page Davidson Clayton Prize.

• Translations: Please submit translations in the appropriate genre and include biographical information for both the author and translator.

Upon publication, MQR takes a nonexclusive license to publish work in print and online in perpetuity, and requests that MQR is formally acknowledged as the first publisher in any reprints.

mqr.submittable.com/submit

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The State of the Art Prize

Creative Capital

DEADLINE: April 3, 2025

INFO: Through the 2026 Open Call process for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients of the State of the Art Prize, a new national, two-year initiative, which aims to recognize one artist residing in each U.S. state and its territories, with an unrestricted grant of $10,000 per artist. All applicants to the Creative Capital Award will be automatically considered for the State of the Art Prize and will be evaluated for the Prize using the same criteria; there is no separate application process. State of the Art Prize recipients will also have access to a suite of online professional development resources, including the Creative Capital Curriculum and Artist Labs, Artist Opportunities, and online community-building opportunities.

State of the Art Prize recipients may apply again to future open calls for the Creative Capital Award. However, artists who have already received the Creative Capital Award may not apply for the State of the Art Prize. Both the State of the Art Prize and the Creative Capital Award are one-time awards. 

APPLICATION PROCESS:

ROUND I: Project Proposal

Creative Capital welcomes project proposals for original, imaginative, impactful new artistic works in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature. Multidisciplinary, technology, and/or socially-engaged projects are welcome in every category. 

Along with a project title, one line project description (50 words max), project description (500 words max), bio, resume, and artist website (recommended), applicants will answer the following questions:

1. Creative Capital supports formally and conceptually innovative and experimental work. How does your project idea take an original and imaginative approach to content and form? (150 words / 1,000 characters max)

2. Place your work in context. What are the main influences upon your work as an artist? How does your past work inform your current project? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

3. What kind of impact do you hope your project will have, and why? What specific audiences and/or communities will the project engage? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

4. Creative Capital awards artists at catalytic moments in their careers. How is this a catalytic moment in your practice? How will your proposed project or new work act as a catalyst for your artistic and professional growth? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

5. Creative Capital provides professional development services and community-building opportunities for awardees and encourages a spirit of mutual generosity and exchange among our artists. How would this support and being part of the Creative Capital community be impactful for you? (150 words / 1,000 character max)

In addition, applicants will submit one (1) work sample from a completed, past work. 

• Visual Arts applicants will submit one Image Sample or Video Sample. 

• Performing Arts applicants will submit one Video Sample.

• Film applicants will submit one Video Sample.

• Literature applicants will submit one Writing Sample.

For more details on application questions and work sample guidelines, see the Creative Capital Application Handbook.

ROUND II: Project Details

Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round II will submit additional materials to support their application:

1. Project itemized budget

2. Project timeline (1 page)

3. Work samples (see Application Handbook for guidelines)

4. Proof of eligibility

ROUND III: Panel Review

Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round III will be asked to:

1. Confirm collaborators (if applicable)

2. Submit project updates (optional, 100 words max)

2026 OPEN CALL APPLICATION TIMNLINE:

These dates may change.

• March 3, 2025: Round I application portal opens

• April 3, 2025 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time: Round I application deadline

• June 2025: Notification of advancement to Round II

• September 2025: Notification of advancement to Round III: Final Panel Review

• Early 2026: Public announcement of 2026 Creative Capital Awards and State of the Art Prizes

Artist Eligibility

• US citizen, permanent legal resident, O-1 visa holder, or Tribal ID holder

• At least 25 years old by application deadline

• Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice within their chosen discipline

• Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program

• May not apply to the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant program in the same year

• May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award

• May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year

• State of the Art Prize recipients must be a resident of the state they are awarded in through February 1, 2026. Prize recipients must provide proof of residence in the state or territory to receive the grant. 

Projects that are not eligible

• Projects whose main purpose is promotional

• Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business or nonprofit organization 

• Curation or documentation of existing work

• Projects that will premiere or be completed before October 1, 2026

FAQS:

Eligibility

• Do you fund artist-run nonprofits or businesses?

The Creative Capital Award is specifically designed to support the realization of new artist projects. Creative Capital does not fund nonprofits and artist-run businesses, nor are Creative Capital’s services well-suited to support these kinds of ventures. 

• Do you fund curatorial projects?

The Creative Capital Award does not support the production of exhibitions. Creative Capital funds new, discrete artistic projects that have one author, director, lead or a core group of collaborating artists. 

• Do you fund educational projects?

Creative Capital supports artist projects, and does not fund projects that are solely academic. While Creative Capital understands that all art is educational to some degree, if the end goal of your project is to serve a student audience, create a curriculum, or help fund programming for a community center, then the project is ineligible.

• I am looking to expand an existing project, should I apply?

Creative Capital is most interested in projects that are in the early stages of development and production, as they can benefit the most from the services that Creative Capital offers. That being said, if you still consider your project to be in development or have only shared the work in workshops or much more condensed versions, you are welcome to apply. Note that Creative Capital does not provide support to projects that are at a stage where they need finishing funds or touring support. Creative Capital asks our reviewers to specifically consider the timeline of development for a project to make sure that Creative Capital can make the most impact on the artist and the final results of their project. If you think that a significantly more evolved version of your project could take form, then the project is eligible. 

• How do you define five years of professional experience?

Creative Capital defines five years of professional experience as engaging an artistic practice in some public capacity over a cumulative five years. This could be constituted through projects, exhibitions, readings, panel conversations, screenings, interviews, etc. 

• How do you define student status?

All applicants must have finished any degree-granting educational commitments before applying. This applies to ABD (all but dissertation) status Ph.D. candidates and students in low-residency MFA programs. 

• Can I apply with multiple projects?

You may only submit one project per award cycle. Artists may not apply as a collaborator on an additional application, as all collaborators are considered awardees. 

Application Materials

• My work spans multiple disciplines. How do I pick just one?

Creative Capital invites artists to submit their proposals based on which area experts are most suited and qualified to review the project proposal, with the understanding that radical art is often by nature interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or antidisciplinary. Choosing a disciplinary category is a way to frame the discussion around your work and to indicate which experts are most qualified to evaluate the project proposal.

• How do you define the “Technology” sub-discipline category in Visual Arts and Performing Arts?

Visual Arts and Performing Arts applicants have the option of selecting “Technology” as one of their project’s three sub-disciplines if technology (including but not limited to: games, digital media, artificial intelligence, robotics, AR/VR, internet art, bio art, etc.) plays a significant role in the form of the work.

• What kind of non-monetary support does Creative Capital provide?

Creative Capital offers a range of professional development services including strategic planning, legal and financial advising, marketing and communications strategy, industry networking, awardee gatherings, and artist-to-artist connections. 

• Why do you ask about my hometown?

The hometown question lets us know if you maintain roots that are different from your present location. Creative Capital finds that many people who currently live and work in major cities still identify as coming from another place. If you were born and raised in your current city, please enter your current city.

• My application contains sensitive information. How are you going to use this information? Can I submit it another way besides through your application portal?

Creative Capital is only able to receive information through the application portal as this is what reviewers use to access and score submissions. Applications are only shared with select Creative Capital staff and the reviewers who will evaluate the project. You can make note of any sensitive information in the materials or in the title of your work.

State of the Art Prize

• How are State of the Art Prize recipients selected?

The State of the Art Prize recipients will be selected from the Creative Capital Award applicants, following the same guidelines and criteria. There is no separate application process. A multi-disciplinary cohort of artists will be selected for as many states and territories as Creative Capital receives applications from. They represent the strongest applications per state.

• How many artists will receive the State of the Art Prize?

One artist will be selected for the Prize from each state and territory that Creative Capital receives applications from.

• What is the Prize amount?

Prize recipients will receive $10,000.

• Are collaboratives eligible for the State of the Art Prize? Do all members of the collaborative have to live in the same state to be eligible?

For Collaboratives, eligibility for State of the Art Prize is based on the state of residence of the Lead Applicant.

• If I receive the State of the Art Prize, am I required to complete my proposed project?

No, this is an unrestricted artist prize of $10,000.

• Can I apply for both the Creative Capital Award and the State of the Art Prize? If so, how?

The State of the Art Prize recipients will be selected from the Creative Capital Award applicants. There is no separate application process.

• Is it possible to receive both a Creative Capital Award and State of the Art Prize in the same year?

No. State of the Art Prize recipients are welcome to apply for the Creative Capital Award in future grant cycles. Past recipients of the Creative Capital Award are not eligible to apply for the State of the Art Prize. Recipients of the State of the Art Prize may apply again for the Creative Capital Award, but will not receive the State of Art Prize a second time.

More questions? Email awards@creative-capital.org. No phone calls please.

creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award

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Call for Submissions: Incarcerated Writers & Families

Massachusetts Review

DEADLINE: April 4, 2024

INFO: INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES is a special Massachusetts Review issue that seeks to center and honor the literary art of incarcerated writers and their families. 

With INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES, a special issue, the Massachusetts Review intends to extend the definition of families and broaden the portrait of lives impacted by our justice system to include that most basic unit of our society, the family. We are interested in traditional families but also in alternative forms of caretaking, parenting, and kinship that have a long history in queer and/or BIPOC communities. 

The Massachusetts Review seeks writers who can reveal more about how the concept of family might be transformed by those who are on the inside. When the bonds with their loved ones outside are severed, what kind of familial care emerges between people who are still incarcerated, in spite of the carceral system's tactics for dividing and isolating them from one another? 

In the spirit of the stunning documentary Time, created by Garrett Bradley, the Massachusetts Review wants to publish stories, poems, essays, hybrids, and art that follow the struggles of families to confront, survive, and triumph over the challenges that incarceration creates for both prisoners and their families. We seek writing and art that traces the tragic aftermath and long-term effects on children and families that too often result from a system that we euphemistically call “correctional.” We are also interested in how communal caretaking that redefines what "family" means (and what justice means) contributes to the overall goal of prison abolition. In widening our focus to include family members as well as the incarcerated, we hope to give a more accurate portrait of the toll of our prison-industrial complex and also include readers who haven’t yet confronted the Kafka-esque dilemma of standing directly before the law.

INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES is a special MR issue that asks for your personal essays, stories, interviews, poems, hybrids and visual art about incarceration and its direct and indirect impacts. Your essays, stories, interviews, poems, and/or hybrids might (but do not have to) engage these questions:

1. How can a family persist in the face of incarceration’s barriers and obstacles?

2. What is the impact of incarceration on the radius of care beyond the individual imprisoned?

3. How do definitions of family shift, contract and/or widen in the carceral environment?

SUBMISSION INFO: Submissions should be no more than 7,000 words for prose (fiction, nonfiction), hybrids, up to 6 poems for poetry, or up to 3 pages of visual art. We are interested in submissions from people who are most marginalized by oppressive systems, to include trans, gender queer, poverty-born, incarcerated, justice-involved, system-impacted, disabled, neurodivergent, BIPOC, colonized, people living on the frontlines of climate crisis, and others. 

COMPENSATION: Published writers will receive $300 upon publication.

Please send work as a Word or PDF attachment to themassreview@gmail.com and indicate the special issue and genre in the subject line (i.e. "INCARCERATED WRITERS & FAMILIES: Fiction"). 

If online submission is not possible, please mail work to:

The Massachusetts Review
400 Venture Way

Hadley, MA 01035

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED WORK.

themassachusettsreview.substack.com/p/mr-call-for-papers

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APPLY YOURSELF! Applying to Residencies, Grants, Workshops, and Other Writing Opportunities in Europe and Beyond

Black Women Writers in Europe

INFO: Are you looking for opportunities to support, develop or fund your writing? 

Join BWWE co-founders, Joy and Jeannetta, for a two-part class designed to help writers navigate the world of residencies, grants, fellowships, workshops, and other writing programs in Europe and beyond.

DATES:

• April 6, 2025 (Session 1 - Resources + Artist Statement DNA)

• April 20, 2025 (Live Feedback Session on Submitted Artist Statements)

TIME:: 7:30–9:30 PM CET

LOCATION: Zoom

PRICE: 50€

WHAT TO EXPECT:

In this hands-on workshop, we will explore:

• The different types of writing opportunities available, including residencies, fellowships, grants, workshops, mentorships, and MFA programs.

• How to find and research opportunities that align with your goals.

• How to craft a compelling artist statement—a key component of most applications.

• Writing prompts and exercises to help articulate your creative vision.

• During the second session, we will provide feedback and guidance on your artist statements, helping to refine applications for success.

 Whether you’re new to applying for opportunities or looking to strengthen your applications, this workshop will give you practical tools and confidence to take the next step in your writing journey.

Limited spots available! Sign up now to secure your place.

blackwomenwritersineurope.com/the-classes

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OPEN CALL - THIS QUEER ARAB FAMILY: AN ANTHOLOGY BY LGBTQ+ ARAB WRITERS

Saqi Books (UK)

DEADLINE: April 10, 2025 at Midnight GMT

ENTRY FEE: £0

INFO: Are you Queer and of Arab heritage? Do you have something to say about it? Would you like your work to be published alongside other ground-breaking writers, including Randa Jarrar and Elias Jahshan?

Whether you’re a published author or are looking to get your life writing down for the first time, we would love to read about your experiences.

Successful pieces from the open call will be included in a collection titled This Queer Arab Family, edited by Elias Jahshan and published by Saqi Books (September 2025). This intimate and hopeful collection celebrates the family we inherit and the friends we choose to become our family. It is a testament to the challenges and triumphs that bind us together.

You might want to write about:

• Finding kinship in unexpected places – at festivals, online, etc

• Parenting – rewriting the parenting ‘rule’ book

• Staying connected with extended family around the world – the wild etiquette of your family WhatsApp group, the rituals we hold dear to feel near to one another

The writing you submit can be funny, poignant, passionate, thoughtful, angry and every shade in between. We want to readers to understand how LGBTQ+ Arabs are redefining what traditional roles and relationships look like.

COMPENSATION: Successful writers whose work is selected will be notified in May 2025 and paid a fee of £400.

Please review the guidelines and submit your writing for consideration at submissions@saqibooks.com

saqibooks.com/2025/02/open-call-for-submissions-this-queer-arab-family/

FICTION / NONFICTION — FEBRUARY 2025

LITERATURE GRANT

Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC

DEADLINE: February 3, 2025 (or if we reach our limit of 40 applications, which ever comes first)

INFO: The world is a story and the writer, the story teller. In writing stories we are trying to make sense of our world by seeking what is real, by rejecting what is false, and by exercising the greatest of our mortal gifts in pursuit of the immortal.

DESCRIPTION: Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a writing grant to authors of fiction / creative nonfiction and poetry.  

SUBMISSIONS: To ensure that each submission receives the attention it deserves we will be only accepting 40 application for each of our categories.

AMOUNTS: Up to $10,000.00  

ELIGIBILITY:

• Authors in fiction / creative non-fiction and poetry.

• The applicant must be the originator of the written materialS.

• Grants will not be made for the purpose of research only. 

• Grants will not be made for equipment.

• Writers applying applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

Grants awarded in this category may fund costs associated with continuing the composition of work submitted. Such as:

• Course Reduction (if you're a Teacher/Professor)

• Salary Replacement

• Living Expenses

• Research Expenses

• Travel Research Expenses

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Up to and no more than a 15 page PDF of the work, for the Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection and Executive Committee to download and read. Please make sure your links are correct and not password protected. If they are not correct or have password protection your application will be declined and not reviewed by the Selection Committee.

• A short description of the project.

• A short author biography of the person(s) involved.

• Budget must not exceed the amount of $10,000.00.

• List of costs of how you plan to use the grant funds.
  (Please review our lists of Approved and Ineligible Budget Items for Literature Grant Funds, located below)

• Travel and Research costs within the United States must demonstrate a direct correlation to the project for which you are applying.

• You may not apply for International Travel and Research Costs.

• If you are hiring fact checkers / editors / research assistants please be aware that we prefer that individuals providing these services are located in the NYC area.

• Writers applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

• We ask that the completion of your manuscript is no sooner than 90 days after this application's due date (no sooner than May 4, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2026).

• Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

• You may apply in a different cycle with a different project.

REVIEW PROCEDURES: The Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection Committee Judges will review and score all applications. The top five scored applications will move to a next round and will be reviewed Executive Committees. In recognition of the time, effort, and professional expertise that our Selection Committee Judges devote to the grant selection process, Café Royal Cultural Foundation provides a stipend to honor their commitment.

The following criteria will be applied in evaluating grant application:

• Creativity, originality, ideas and concepts, writing style

• Importance of the Project/Cultural Relevance

• Promise of future achievements in writing

  Please note you do not need to have a publisher to apply for this grant.

GRANT APPLICATIONS: 
We accept applications all year round, please view our submission dates in our Grant Schedule.

We ask that the completion of your manuscript is (no sooner than May 4, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2026).

caferoyalculturalfoundation.org/literature-page

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2025 TORCH RETREAT

Torch Literary Arts

APPLICATION PERIOD: February 3 - 17, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Torch Literary Arts is proud to provide our annual creative writing retreat. We welcome applications from Black women writers with works-in-progress across poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction (personal memoir or lyric essays), and script (plays or screenplays).

RETREAT LOCATION: Austin, TX

ABOUT THE RETREAT:

• Dedicated Writing Time - Fellows receive plenty of time for dedicated writing devoted to their works in progress. We gently support you in your writing goals for the week by providing group check-ins and the opportunity to share your progress in a nurturing environment.

• Comfortable Accommodations - Retreat fellows will stay at the beautiful Colton House Hotel. Accommodations include a private bedroom and bathroom in a two-bedroom suite with a shared living room and full kitchen. During your week-long retreat, you will receive dedicated writing time each morning, catered breakfast and lunch, and ample time during the afternoons and evenings to rest, recharge, enjoy the hotel amenities, or explore the city. The retreat will also include guest speakers and a public reading by fellows at the end of the week. 

• Financial Support - There is no fee to apply or attend the retreat. Each fellow will receive a $1,000 stipend to assist with travel, supplies, childcare, or anything else that helps make it possible for fellows to attend regardless of financial ability.

torchliteraryarts.org/retreat

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MACDOWELL FELLOWSHIP: FALL/WINTER 2025-2026

MacDowell

DEADLINE: February 10, 2025

INFO: The Fellowship application period for Fall/Winter 2025-2026 residencies at MacDowell will open on January 15, 2025.

MacDowell encourages artists to apply in any stage of their career, and from all backgrounds and countries. We invite applications in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. If your proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines, contact the admissions department for guidance at admissions@macdowell.org.

MacDowell has no residency fees, and to defray expenses that accrue during an artist’s stay, we provide need-based stipends to cover rent, utilities, childcare, and lost income from taking time off from employment, as well as reimbursements for travel to and from the residency.

Fall/Winter residencies will take place between September 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026.

macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship

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Writing in Color Fellowship for BIPOC+ Writers

Lighthouse Writers Workshop

DEADLINE: February 10, 2025 at 11:59 pm MST

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: The Writing In Color Fellowship for Emerging Writers is awarded annually to a writer of color who demonstrates a passion for writing, a commitment to developing their craft, and a dedication to community service. 

This fellowship provides financial support for writers who would benefit from a year of involvement at Lighthouse but would not be able to do so without financial support. The goal is to support emerging writers of color who have limited access to traditional literary opportunities. BIPOC+* writers who reside in the United States and have participated in Lighthouse programming in the past or are planning to participate in the near future are eligible to apply.

In order to support the skills and creative passion of emerging writers in the Lighthouse community, this fellowship is intended for emerging writers of color who have not had significant access to or experience with traditional opportunities to learn and grow in the literary world. 

While Lighthouse has always emphasized accessibility, this award offers a depth and consistency of engagement to the fellowship recipient. The year-long award period not only engages the writer in directed literary activities, but also allows for full immersion in a project or body of work.

The Fellowship will provide access to:  

• Four multi-week courses 

• Participation in the annual Writing in Color Fest including a featured reading

• Up to 5 hours access to a Lighthouse faculty member for mentorship 

• One-year membership at Lighthouse Writers Workshop 

• Opportunity to support a Lighthouse community outreach program, helping to facilitate, administrate, or teach in the program. 

*BIPOC+ includes but is not limited to: African, Indigenous, Native, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Arab, and Multiracial heritage.

FELLOWSHIP DATES:  April 2025–April 2026

NOTIFICATION: Applicants will be notified of submission status via email in the beginning of April 2025.

WHO’S ELIGIBLE:

• Writers identifying as BIPOC+* who reside in the United States and have participated in Lighthouse programming in the past or are planning to participate in the near future.

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older

APPLICATION GUIDELINES: Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not meet the requirements below will not be considered.

Your submission should comprise a cover letter including your name, the name of the genre you are applying for, and your contact information. Your cover letter is the only place where your name should appear. Paginate your document, and use legible, 12-point font and standard margins. Upload your writing sample as a single .pdf, .doc, or .docx document. 

Recommendation letters are not required.

WRITING SAMPLE FORMAT: 

• Poetry: Six-to-eight pages of poems. Only one poem per page is permitted, though you may submit multi-paged poems. Insert hard page breaks between every page.

• Prose: Excerpt or combination of pieces to equal no more than 2500 words. More is not necessarily better. Please use standard manuscript format, double-spacing and ensuring page numbers are visible.

To complete your application via Submittable you will answer fellowship specific questions, submit your writing sample, cover letter, and pay the application fee of $25. If the application fee is prohibitive, please e-mail us at info@lighthousewriters.org to discuss alternatives.

Cover letters should be typed into the corresponding box on Submittable. Include your full name, address, email address and telephone number.

Please respond to each question in the corresponding text box explaining why you wish to apply for the fellowship and what you expect to accomplish over the course of the year.

One application per candidate. Please do not wait until the last day to apply in case you have technical difficulties submitting your application. Please note that we will not be able to respond to inquiries regarding applications that are not accepted, nor will we be able to provide feedback on those entries. 

Lighthouse Mission: The mission of Lighthouse Writers Workshop is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education, support, and community for writers and readers in the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. We strive to ensure that literature maintains its proper prominence in the culture, and that individuals achieve their fullest potential as artists and human beings.

QUESTIONS? 
Email our Community Engagement Program Manager, Marissa Morrow at marissa@lighthousewriters.org

lighthousewriters.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Native Writing Intensive

We Need Diverse Books

DEADLINE: February 14, 2025

INFO: The Native Writing Intensive offers an opportunity for reflection, conversation, celebration, and manuscript and career development.

Applications are now open for the 2025 We Need Diverse Books Native Children’s-YA Writing Intensive which will take place from Thursday, June 12 to Sunday, June 15 at the Texican Court Hotel in Irving, Texas.

If you have any questions about the application, please contact info@diversebooks.org.

WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR THE NATIVE CHILDREN’S AND YA WRITING INTENSIVE?

• Native/First Nations/Indigenous writers seeking a weekend devoted to deep study, craft and conversation, manuscript feedback, and career mentorship.

• Apprentice/beginner, agented, and/or published children’s and YA writers who are Native/First Nations/Tribal citizens/members or recent descendants who are connected to their community. (Priority will be given to those still in their pre-publishing apprenticeship and new voices with three books or fewer.)

• Native/FN/Indigenous writers, including those who are Elders, 2SLGBT+, Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, Métis, Black Natives, Five SE Tribes Freedmen, Indigenous folks who’re urban/rez/’burbs/rural/small-town, veterans, etc.

• Native/First Nations/Indigenous writer-illustrators are welcome to apply and will receive feedback on their work, though the program emphasis will be on writing rather than illustration.

It is not required that your children’s or YA writing be centered on Native characters or topics. Please feel free to bring your mainstream nonfiction about, say, the history of roller skates or fiction about, say, robots from outer space.

WRITING INTENSIVE INCLUDES:

• Presentations and Q&A sessions with agent, author and editor faculty members.

• A 10-page critique (on one long project or no more than two picture books) in standard manuscript format or a career consultation with faculty. (Typically, you’ll chat one-on-one with one of the authors and either the agent or editor. For assignment purposes, you’ll indicate on the application whether you’re already agented, etc.)

• The opportunity to read and participate in the discussion about the creative submissions of your peers.

APPLICATION:

To apply for the Intensive, please fill out this application AND email a five-page writing sample to wndb.native.writing.retreat@gmail.com. 

• This writing sample is not part of your critique submission (it’s for broader participation consideration). Critique submissions will take place after participants are selected.

• Writing sample tips: The sample should be aimed at young readers - not at grown-up readers. The piece does not have to be Native-centered, it can be fiction or nonfiction, on any topic appropriate for young people.

• Please use standard manuscript format (double-spaced, 1" margins). Don't try to squeeze in extra text.

• For past participants, it's better to send new work than a piece that's been submitted before.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning Jan. 6, 2025 at 10 am EST. The deadline to apply is Feb. 14, 2025.

If you have any questions about the application, please contact info@diversebooks.org.

diversebooks.org/programs/native-writing-intensive/

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call for submissions: Issue 24: Pride

FeelZine

DEADLINE: February 14, 2025 at 11:59pm

INFO: The relationship between our 2SLGBTQQIA+ identities and pride is deeply personal, storied, and nuanced. Between ourselves as individual beautiful beings and the social discourse of pride and queerness exists a multidimensional and complex expanse. What does it mean to feel pride in who we are? In our communities? How do we show it? How do we grapple with the vast spectrum of safety and unsafety we exist in? In issue 24, we witness each other’s journeys, honour our experiences, and celebrate queer joy, whatever that looks like for us.

Please send all submissions to submittofeels@gmail.com with a short bio and description of your work. Thanks to the Ontario Arts Council this is a paid opportunity! Each contributor will receive a $60 honorarium.

We accept:

• Writing: poetry, personal essays, fictional stories, interview proposals.

• Visual Art: photography, illustration, art, typography.

• Have an idea for a submission not listed above? Send us an email with your proposal, we’re eager to read it.

Before submitting, please read our COMMUNITY GUIDELINES.

We welcome (and encourage) people of all diverse experiences, abilities and communities to submit their work. Your voice is important, and we would like to support it. The more voices we hear, the more we can learn from one another.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. Please title your email submissions using the following: "FEELS Submission - Issue ___ - [Your name as it should appear in the issue if accepted] - Title of Submission"

2. If submitting a collection of works, please submit all in one email with the name of the collection as the title.

3. If submitting multiple separate works for the same issue, please submit each individually.

4. Art submissions: FEELS is 7.5" x 9.5" with a 0.125" bleed. Please be advised that we will recolour or ask you to recolour your artwork as we print in specific risograph ink colours.

5. Longform written submissions: the maximum word count for submissions is 1200 words. Please submit as a word document or using Google Docs.

6. A short bio about yourself and description of your work, including the country you are submitting from, as we publish a majority Canadian content as a Canadian publication, but do include global contributors as well. 

Please send all submissions to submittofeels@gmail.com. If you do not receive a reply to your email confirming it has reached us, please follow up with our main email, hellofeelszine@gmail.com.

We kindly request submissions are limited to one or two works due to the high volume of submissions we receive, and please have patience with us in responding to new emails--we promise to reply to each and every one.

feelszine.com/pages/submissions

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FORGE PROJECT FELLOWSHIP

Forge Project (Taghkanic, NY)

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM ET

INFO: Forge Project is seeking a 2025 cohort of six Indigenous individuals that represent a broad diversity of cultural practices, participatory research, organizing models, and geographical contexts that honor Indigenous pasts as well as build Native futures.

Two of the six fellowships are awarded to enrolled tribal members, First- and Second-Line Descendants of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians in recognition of the peoples on whose homelands Forge Project is situated and to encourage site-specific and relational projects.

Each Forge Project Fellow receives a total of $25,000 toward their practice and will have access to the Forge Project site, libraries, and lending collection of living Indigenous artists during a residency stay of up to three weeks.

ABOUT THE JURY:

The Forge Project Fellowship 2025 applications will be reviewed by a juried panel of four distinguished Native cultural practitioners, artists, writers, scholars and former Fellows. The two Fellows from the Stockbridge-Munsee Community will be selected in a parallel process by a separate juried panel of three Native experts in their fields including a former Fellow.

General Fellowship Jury

• Angela Ferguson (Onondaga): food sovereignty practitioner, educator

• Julian Lang (Karuk): multidisciplinary artist, writer, language and culture teacher

• Wanda Nanibush (Anishinaabekwe): curator, writer, organizer 

• Mikayla Patton (Oglala Sioux Lakota): interdisciplinary visual artist, 2024 Forge Project Fellow

Stockbridge-Munsee Fellowship Jury

• Donna Hogerhuis (Stockbridge-Munsee): basketweaver, archivist, and 2024 SMC Fellow 

• Zack Khalil (Ojibway): filmmaker and artist

• Marie Watt (Seneca): interdisciplinary artist

APPLICATION + ELIGIBILITY:

Interested individuals can learn more about the application and how to apply via Forge Project’s Submittable page. Applicants must be an enrolled member, citizen, or descendant with verification from the enrollment office of a state or federally recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation, or of Native Hawaiian ancestry, a Canadian First Nations (status or non-status), Métis or Inuit to apply for the 2025 Forge Project Fellowship. At least two Fellows will come from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians.

• Stockbridge-Munsee Community Fellowship Informational webinar, Wednesday, December 4 from 6-7:30 PM ET. Register here.

• General Fellowship Informational Webinar, Wednesday, December 11 from 6 - 7:30 PM ET. Register here. 

• Applications are due Saturday, February 15, 2025 by 11:59 PM ET

• The 6 individuals will be announced in Spring 2025

forgeproject.com/fellowship/how-to-apply

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editorial fellowship

A Public Space

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025

INFO: The Editorial Fellowship is a program for aspiring editors. It is our hope to support the next generation of editors who will offer a more diverse publishing community—culturally, aesthetically, economically.

This is a 6-month working fellowship, and is designed to provide practical, hands-on experience as well as mentorship and education in editing and independent publishing. A Public Space is an independent, nonprofit publisher, and the Editorial Fellows will be an integral part of the staff and involved with all programs, which include a literary and arts magazine, A Public Space Books, an academy, and APS Together, a series of virtual book clubs.

The Editorial Fellows' responsibilities will include assisting with management of submissions; reading and reporting on incoming manuscripts; research; proofreading; assisting with marketing and publicity; and general office work, including filing, responding to emails, newsletters, website updates, and database maintenance.

Additionally, the Editorial Fellows will participate in editorial meetings; receive training in all aspects of editing, from evaluating submissions through to publication of a piece; meet regularly with the senior editorial staff to discuss the role of the editor and publishing history; and serve as the lead editor for a piece to be published in the magazine.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

TIME PERIOD + COMPENSATION: The 2025 Editorial Fellowships period is approximately six months, from June 1, 2025 through November 30, 2025. The Fellows will work on their own schedule, and will have responsibilities of approximately fifteen hours weekly. They must be able to attend up to two weekly meetings (virtual and in person) during regular office hours. The Fellows will receive compensation of $6,000.

ELIGIBILITY: A strong interest in contemporary literature and a career in publishing. The ability to work independently, and to bring curiosity and initiative to their work. Excellent verbal and written English-language communication skills. A commitment to meeting deadlines. Individuals who bring diverse experiences and new perspectives to our work are especially encouraged to apply. Some experience in editorial work is preferred but not required. Preference will be given to aspiring editors who have not worked extensively in literary publishing, and who may have limited access to career opportunities in the industry. The Editorial Fellows must be residents of New York City for the duration of the Fellowship. Proof of residency will be required. A Public Space reserves the right to invite candidates to apply. Unfortunately, A Public Space is unable to sponsor work visas.

TIMELINE: Applications for the 2025 Editorial Fellowships will be accepted via Submittable from January 15, 2025–February 15, 2025. Submissions for the Fellowships close at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on February 15, 2025. Successful applicants will be informed no later than April 5, 2025. The Fellowships will begin June 1, 2025.

GUIDELINES:

Please submit the following:

• —A résumé

• —As one file:

A statement describing your interest in editing and independent publishing; the influences and experience that you will bring to your work as an Editorial Fellow; and your goals for the fellowship and beyond. Please also include where you heard about the Editorial Fellowships.

A short excerpt from a work by an under-recognized writer; and a brief statement (250 words max.) on the writer and why you feel work such as this should be championed by editors.

A statement (250 words max.) about one author published by A Public Space, either in the magazine or A Public Space Books, and how their work resonates with your editorial interests.

Each Editorial Fellow serves as the lead editor for a portfolio that will appear in the winter issue of the magazine. This project starts with developing an idea for an Open Call for submissions. Please submit a short paragraph outlining two potential ideas for an Open Call, and your interest in these topics.

Note that only PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx) are accepted. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

QUESTIONS? Contact us at office@apublicspace.org.

apublicspace.org/about/fellowships/editorial-fellowship

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OPEN CALL: The Artist Publishing Cohort 

at Louis Place

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025

INFO: at Louis Place is a community for artists and writers. Through an accessible, collaborative online platform, at Louis Place is an ecosystem for artistic practice that values liberation, experimentation, cooperation, and shared leadership. Daily co-writing, weekly writing groups, monthly guest workshops, peer exchange, and other offerings connect participants to peers around the world. at Louis Place was created by and for writers marginalized by conventional writing communities, including Black, Indigenous, immigrant, disabled, and over-50 writers, as well as writers outside urban centers; it is open to everyone who shares our values.

The Artist Publishing Cohort is a new initiative offering personalized support for eight artists with publishing projects in progress. Selected artists receive a $1,000 stipend, coaching and staff support, optional weekly workshop, and access to aLP resources.

The Artist Publishing Cohort at Louis Place is made possible by the generous support of Wagner Foundation.

WHO IS THIS FOR: 

The Artist Publishing Cohort is right for:

• Visual artists, choreographers and performing artists, and other interdisciplinary artists whose primary training is outside of the field of creative writing

• Artists preparing a publishing project featuring their own creative work, such as a novel, memoir, monograph, or book of poems

• Artists looking for regular practical and creative support on their publishing project

• Artists looking to build their work in fellowship with other artists and writers

• Artists preparing work for digital publication, self-publication, or traditional publication

• Artists with projects actively and urgently in progress and ready for support

We love all writers, but this particular program is not suited for:

• Academically-trained writers preparing academic manuscripts in any field 

• Playwrights and other trained writers preparing projects for performance rather than publication

• Published authors with access to extensive writing networks 

• Artists preparing print editions that won’t require an editorial process

• Artists preparing projects that will be distributed in editions less than 50

Current and past aLP writers are eligible for this opportunity, along with those who are new to our community.

Not eligible?

Artists curious about publishing who do not have a specific project in mind are invited to join our Artist Publishing Practicum in Spring 2025 to learn more about pathways to publication for artists and nontraditional writers.

The creative community at Louis Place welcomes artists and writers who share our values, even if they are not eligible for the Artist Publishing Cohort. We review registrations in September, January, and May.

WHAT DO PARTICIPATING ARTISTS RECEIVE? 

Participating artists receive:

• Financial support: A stipend of $1,000 to support their creative work—use it to offset childcare, research, rent, groceries, supplies, or anything else connected to life as an artist.

• Mentorship: A supporting coaching session by an external mentor aligned with the artist’s creative goals, scheduled early in the cohort session

• Peer support: Monthly cohort meetings to share project progress and identify opportunities and connections, facilitated by aLP staff

• Workshop: Participate in a weekly workshop for creative feedback and accountability (this is an optional offering)

• Practicums: In March and October 2025, aLP will offer two comprehensive practicums designed to demystify the pathway to publication for visual artists featuring a network of special guests. aLP Cohort artists are encouraged to join these special retreats.

• Resources: Benefit from monthly writing workshops by guest lecturers, our archive of past events, our prompt and resource libraries, our extended network of writers of all kinds, and all other aLP offerings.

Artist Publishing Cohort artists should be prepared to participate fully in program offerings. Cohort artists are not required to attend every event, but should be able to make a meaningful commitment to regular participation.
 
HOW DO I APPLY: 

The application requests biographical information, a CV, information about your project, and a work sample.

Have questions? Join us for the information session January 23 at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern time. Register for the information session HERE.

Artists registered for the information session also receive access to the information session recording.

HOW ARE ARTISTS SELECTED?

After an internal review for eligibility, cohort artists are selected by an independent jury of artist-writers.

Applications are reviewed according to the following criteria: 

• Is this the publication the world needs now? Is the work innovative, excellent, and exciting to the jurors? 

• Is the project feasible; is the opportunity timely? Can this project be realized with the capacity you have and according to the plans you described? Is the opportunity a good fit with your current stage in career as well as the stage of the project? 

• Is the project aligned with aLP values and priorities? Is this project under-supported by traditional publishing pathways—would it benefit from the specific resources we offer at Louis Place?

IMPORTANT DATES: 

• Applicants notified: Early March, 2025

• Program dates: March 22, 2025 - September 30, 2025

atlouisplace.com/cohort

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Indigenous Writer in Residency

Cranberry Lake Biological Station (Syracuse, NY)

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Cranberry Lake Biological Station (CLBS) is located in the heart of the Adirondack Park, on the lands of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The biological station is a satellite campus of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF), in Syracuse, NY.

For over 100 years CLBS has served as a source of ecological knowledge and inspiration. Generations of students have learned from the land, explored their interests, and built lasting bonds with other students. CLBS is a place where student aspirations take root and career paths are launched. It is also a hub of research with over 115 peer reviewed publications crediting CLBS. Building on this tradition our mission is to provide learners with exceptional field experiences, further ecological understanding of the Adirondacks, engage with the broader scientific community, ensure diverse communities are supported in field studies, and to engage with local communities.

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:

Three, three-week residency slots are: May 18 - June 6, June 8 – June 27, July 13 - August 1. Housing, a private room with shared living space, three meals a day are provided at the station dining hall, and a workspace will be provided. The resident will also have access to all facilities including canoes, classroom spaces, microscopes, and the ability to join classes if desired. Additional needs and requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Eligibility: The residency is open to Indigenous writers over 21 years of age whowrite poetry, plays/screenplays, fiction/short stories, and/or nonfiction.

• Funding: The residency is fully subsidized and provides housing, food, and workspace space at no cost. In addition, the selected artist will receive a stipend/travel allowance of $1,000.

• Expectations: It is expected that each resident will offer two evening readings/discussion during the residency, one for students at the station and one for local residents, these programs will be planned in conjunction with CLBS staff. In the fall writers are asked to participate either virtually or in person in an event on the SUNY ESF main campus in Syracuse, NY alongside the other residents. Past residents are also asked to serve on the selection committee for the next year.

• Support: The residency is jointly supported by the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment and the Cranberry Lake Biological Station

APPLICATION DETAILS:

The application is hosted through an online form. The required information for the application is provided below. You may be unable to save your application, so please be prepared to submit all information at one time. Please submit all materials as a single PDF or word document.

• Brief Biography - In 500 words or less, please share your professional trajectory, skills, and any relevant background you would like to share

• Applicant Proposal - A 500-word proposal that addresses the concept and direction of planned work

• Importance of Cranberry Lake Biological Station

  • In 500 words or less, please explain how CLBS is suited to your work and how you will utilize the station and its resources.

• Résumé/CV - Please include educational background, teaching, publications, awards, honors, and other pertinent experiences.

• Preferred Residency Dates - You will be asked to submit your ranked choice of residency dates.

• Work Samples - Please submit a work sample no longer than 10 pages.

EVAULATION: Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee made up of past recipients, Indigenous and non-Indigenous professional writers, and other qualified individuals.

This committee will make the final decision on who will be awarded residencies. The residencies can be awarded to writers at all career stages, from those who have never been published and without formal writing education to established writers with extensive education. Selection will be based on the strength of the application package.

NOTIFICATION:

Writers will be notified in mid-March whether they have been offered residency. All applicants will be notified about the final status of their application.

For questions, please reach out to Terrance Caviness at tcaviness@esf.edu

esf.edu/clbs/iwr.php

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Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction

Sarabande Books

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025 by 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FEE: $34

INFO: The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction is awarded annually to one full-length manuscript of literary fiction: short stories, flash fiction, or novellas in any combination. The prize includes $2,000, publication of the work, a standard royalty contract, and an introduction written by the guest judge.

GUEST JUDGE: Ed Park

ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Employees and board members of Sarabande are not eligible. Agented manuscripts are not eligible. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Individual pieces from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines, chapbooks of less than 48 pages, or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. To avoid conflicts of interest, close friends of a judge or current students in a degree-granting program with a judge are not eligible.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Manuscript must be anonymous

• Manuscript must be typed, standard font, 12 pt. 

• Manuscript must be between approximately 150 and 250 pages 

• Manuscript must be paginated consecutively with a table of contents 

• Cover letter should include acknowledgements list (a list of publications in which poems in the manuscript have appeared)

Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please withdraw the submission if accepted elsewhere. 

Sarabande Books considers all finalists for publication. 

sarabandebooks.submittable.com/submit

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Sarabande Prize in the Essay

Sarabande Books

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025 by 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FEE: $34

INFO: The Sarabande Prize in the Essay is awarded annually to one full-length manuscript of literary nonfiction: an essay collection or book-length essay. The prize includes $2,000, publication of the work, a standard royalty contract, and an introduction written by the guest judge.

GUEST JUDGE: Leslie Jamison

ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to any nonfiction writing in English. Employees and board members of Sarabande are not eligible. Agented manuscripts are not eligible. Individual essays from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines, chapbooks of less than 48 pages, or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. To avoid conflict of interest, close friends of a judge or current students in a degree-granting program with a judge are not eligible.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Manuscript must be anonymous

• Manuscript must be typed, standard font, 12 pt. 

• Manuscript must be between 150 and 250 pages 

• Manuscript must be paginated consecutively with a table of contents 

• Cover letter should include acknowledgements list (a list of publications in which poems in the manuscript have appeared)

Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please withdraw the submission if accepted elsewhere. 

Sarabande Books considers all finalists for publication. 

sarabandebooks.submittable.com/submit

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summer editorial fellowship

Boston Review

DEADLINE: February 15, 2025

INFO: Boston Review’s summer editorial fellowship program is designed to prepare the next generation of editors by offering intensive training in editing and producing long-form, ideas-driven magazine writing for a general audience.

Each summer program offers hands-on training for one editorial fellow, touching on all aspects of editorial work: fact checking, proofreading, production, and engagement as well as acquisitions, pitch and draft evaluation, and developmental, line, and copy editing. The program also offers opportunities to network with industry professionals. Fellows work full time, five days a week, in person at our offices in Cambridge, MA.

The fellowship runs from June 1 to around August 31, with some flexibility around exact start and end dates. Fellows are paid $20 per hour. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, especially those not well-represented in journalism and the publishing industry.

DETAILS: Fellows work closely with Boston Review’s small team to gain hands-on experience with the nuts and bolts of editorial work. 

Beyond workshops and trainings with Boston Review staff, most fellowship time is spent proofreading and fact checking essays for print and web publication, assisting with web production, helping to evaluate pitches and drafts, and taking part in all-staff meetings. Fellows may also gain experience with newsletter production, art research, events planning, and website and calendar maintenance.

ELIGIBILITY: The program is designed for those ready to step into an editorial career, so a bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience is required. (Currently enrolled students, except those who will graduate before the program begins, should not apply.) Regrettably, we are not able to sponsor visas for applicants from outside the United States.

Prior editorial experience is less important than a strong interest in an editorial career and a commitment to learning the editorial craft that goes on behind the scenes. We seek fellows who are curious about ideas and open to feedback, excited about engaging and evaluating alternative views, and comfortable discussing complex, often controversial issues in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment. 

Perhaps most important, applicants should be familiar with magazine writing of the sort that Boston Reviewpublishes: primarily ideas-driven feature essays, long-form nonfiction book reviews, and political and social analysis (as opposed to op-eds, personal essays, and reportage). Please note that the program does not provide training or mentorship in fellows’ own writing projects.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit the following materials in a single PDF file:

1. A cover letter of no more than one single-spaced page. This is by far the most important element of your application. Please give us some sense of the ideas and issues that are most important to you, your academic or research background, and how the fellowship would help to advance your career goals.

2. A résumé or curriculum vitae detailing your educational and professional background, no more than two pages.

3. The names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two references. Please specify their relationships to you. We prefer that at least one reference be a past or current employer.

4. Responses to the following two questions:

• In no more than 250 words, say what you liked about an essay of at least 3,000 words, published in a magazine comparable to Boston Review.

• In no more than 300 words, describe what you take to be the best possible objection to a view you are deeply committed to, and then defend your position by responding to the objection.

If you have any questions, please contact us at fellowships@bostonreview.net.

bostonreview.submittable.com/submit

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WORKSHOP: “Power to the Pen: Writing for Revolution”

Blue Stoop (Philadelphia, PA)

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: February 23, 2025 by 11:59 pm ET

INFO: “Power to the Pen: Writing for Revolution” is an opportunity for new and returning Blue Stoop students to build their storytelling skills in a supportive environment. Applicants will choose from two 3-week classes, one in poetry and the other in essay-writing, and will be invited to participate in other community-building activities. Classes will be held in-person at 1315 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. 

Due to limited space, we require a brief application. We’re looking for local students who are eager to learn and form connections with other writers. No experience or prior training is required — you only need a solid grasp of the English language and the willingness to show up and try!

TUITION: Full-price tuition is $225. Thanks to a grant from PECO, Power to the Pen participants earning less than $20,000/year will receive full scholarships and pay $0 for tuition. Participants earning $20,000 – $39,999/year, and those impacted by the closure of The University of the Arts (i.e. former staff, faculty, and students), will receive half scholarships and pay $112.50 for tuition. Payment plans are available upon request.

Selected participants will be notified by March 10, 2025. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Read the descriptions below and decide which class you’d like to take. You can choose poetry, essay-writing, or “either.”

Complete the application by February 23, 2025, 11:59 pm ET. You’ll need approximately 20-30 minutes and a brief statement (up to 3000 characters, which is roughly 500 words maximum) about your interest in the program.

Wait to hear back from us. We’ll notify those selected by March 10, 2025. If you are not selected, we encourage you to check out our other spring classes and financial aid options.

ABOUT BLUE STOOP

Founded in 2018, Blue Stoop provides high quality classes, inspiring events, and transformative professional opportunities to creative writers in the greater Philadelphia area. Blue Stoop envisions a radically inclusive literary community where Philadelphia readers and writers are thriving and supported. Blue Stoop is a fiscally sponsored 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia. Learn more about our work here.

bluestoop.org/power

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2025 fiction prize

Autumn House Press

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

READING FEE: $35 (We will waive the submission fee for those undergoing financial hardship or living with limited means. Before you reach out to request a waived fee, please read our full statement and instructions here. If the guidelines are not followed, we will not be able to offer a waived fee.

INFO: For the 2025 prize, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Alexandra Kleeman.

AWARD: The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,500. We will announce the finalists and the winner by June 1, 2025.

GUIDELINES:

• The winner will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book

• All finalists will be considered for publication

• Fiction submissions should be approximately 150-300 double-spaced pages (37,500- 75,000 words)

• All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible

• The book must be previously unpublished as a whole. However, individual pieces may have been published in journals, magazines, or anthologies.

• We only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted.

• Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript

• You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable

• Do not include a bio or an acknowledgments page in the manuscript

• Feel free to include a table of contents (This does not count as part of your final page count)

• Simultaneous submissions permitted

• Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships.

• Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest.

autumnhouse.org/submissions/fiction/

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AWP AWARD SERIES

AWP

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

ENTRY FEES:

• Non-members: $30

• AWP Members: $20

INFO: The 2025 AWP Award Series is open for submissions. AWP welcomes your book-length manuscripts in poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and the novel.

This year, Cheryl Strayed, R. O. Kwon, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, and Kevin Wilson will judge the Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction, the James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel, the Donald Hall Prize for Poetry, and the Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction, respectively.

Judges will select one winning manuscript in each genre by late summer 2025. Winning authors receive a cash prize and publication by one of our partner presses

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Only book-length manuscripts are eligible. The AWP Award Series defines “book-length” as follows:

• poetry: 48 pages minimum text;

• short story collection or creative nonfiction: 150–300 manuscript pages; and

• novel: at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words.

Poems, stories, and essays previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion in submissions, but manuscripts previously published in their entirety, including self-published manuscripts, are not eligible. As the series is judged anonymously, no list of acknowledgments should accompany your manuscript.

The AWP Award Series is open to all authors writing original works primarily in English for adult readers. Mixed-genre manuscripts cannot be accepted. Criticism and scholarly monographs are not acceptable for creative nonfiction, which the AWP Award Series defines as factual and literary writing that has the narrative, dramatic, meditative, and lyrical elements of novels, plays, poetry, and memoir.

To avoid conflicts of interest, friends and former students of a judge (former students who studied with a judge in an academic degree-conferring program or its equivalent) are ineligible to enter the competition in the genre for which their former teacher is serving as judge.

Current staff of AWP and members of the AWP Board of Directors may not enter the AWP Award Series, and previous staff and board members may not enter for a minimum of three years after leaving AWP or rotating off the board, respectively.

AWP makes every effort to vary the judges by region, aesthetic, and institution so that writers, if ineligible one year, will certainly be eligible other years. If contestants win in any genre, they may not enter the competition again in the same genre for the next five consecutive years.

PRIZES:

• Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction: $2,500 and publication by the University of Georgia Press

• James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel: $5,500 and publication by the University of Nebraska Press

• Donald Hall Prize for Poetry: $5,500 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press

• Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction: $5,500 and publication by Mad Creek Books, an imprint of The Ohio State University Press

awpwriter.org/AWP/AWP/Contests/AWP-Award-Series/Overview.aspx

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women’s prose prize

Ren Hen Press

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through an annual competition which is open to all writers who identify as women.

AWARD:

• $1000

• Book publication by Red Hen Press

• Final Judge: TBD

GUIDELINES: 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font) to 80,000-word maximum. Entries will be accepted via Submittable only.

INELIGIBILITY:

The award is open to all women writers with the following exceptions:

• Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press

• Employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press

• Relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors

• Relatives or individuals having a personal or professional relationship with any of the final judges where they have taken any part whatsoever in shaping the manuscript, or where, for whatever reason, selecting a particular manuscript might have the appearance of impropriety

PROCEDURES + ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

To be certain that every manuscript finalist receives the fairest evaluation, all manuscripts shall be submitted to the judges without any identifying material.

Bios, acknowledgments, and other identifying material shall be removed from judged manuscripts until the conclusion of the competition.

Red Hen Press is committed to maintaining the utmost integrity of our awards. Judges shall recuse themselves from considering any manuscript where they recognize the work. In the event of recusal, a manuscript score previously assigned by the managing editor of the press will be substituted.

redhen.org/awards/womens-prose-prize/

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Fiction & Poetry Contest

Hayden's Ferry Review

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

INFO: Hayden’s Ferry Review is accepting submissions for its Fiction & Poetry Contest.

AWARD: There will be two prizes of $1000 each and publication in HFR (online in summer 2025 and in the fall/winter 2025 print issue) for a poem or a group of poems and a work of fiction. A runner-up in each category will receive $250 and publication. All entries are considered for publication.

JUDGES:

• This year’s fiction judge is Gwen Kirby, author of Shit Cassandra Saw.

• Our poetry judge is Hieu Minh Nguyen, author of Not Here.

GUIDELINES + ENTRY FEE:

Submit 1-3 poems totaling up to 10 pages or a short story or novel excerpt of up to 20 pages with a contest entry fee. 

You can choose between a $15 entry fee, which comes with a 1-year digital subscription or a $23 entry fee, which comes with a 1-year print subscription. For international addresses outside of the US, please select a digital subscription. Your 1-year subscription will begin with our spring/summer 2025 issue. Current subscribers will receive a 1-year renewal. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each entry must include its own entry fee.

*If you have an international shipping address and are interested in a 1-year print subscription, we are happy to accommodate this with an additional shipping fee. Please get in touch before submitting and no later than February 20th to discuss details at haydensferryreview (at) gmail (dot) com. 

We will accept free submissions during a short free submissions window or until we hit our cap of 50 in each genre. *Please subscribe to our free newsletter by February 3rd. We’ll let our subscribers know via newsletter when our free submissions period will take place.* All will be able to submit for free during the free submission period or until we hit our cap; however, only newsletter subscribers will know in advance exactly when the free submission period will take place. Free submissions do not come with a 1-year subscription.

Judges will pick the winners and runner-ups from a list of finalists chosen by HFR editors. All entries are considered for publication in the fall/winter 2025 print issue. We do not read submissions anonymously. 

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Between Feb 1-28, 2025 submit your work to the appropriate genre at https://hfr.submittable.com/ 

Submitted work must be original work by the writer and unpublished. If your work is accepted elsewhere for publication, please withdraw your submission. If only a part of your poetry submission has been accepted elsewhere, please leave a note in Submittable.

ELIGIBILITY:

Close friends, family, or former and current students of the judges should refrain from submitting. We define a "former or current student" as someone who has done a semester-length course with the judge or who the judge has served as a thesis advisor. If you attended a one- or two-week-long workshop or similar with the judge, you are still eligible.

If you were published in one of HFR's print journals or web issues in the past two years, you CAN submit to this contest. (See our "general notes on submission" for specific guidelines for our print and web issues, which may differ from contest guidelines.)

Anyone affiliated with ASU (staff, faculty, and graduate/undergraduate students) is not eligible to submit to this contest and should refrain from submitting to HFR until they have been unaffiliated from ASU for three years.

All individuals are able to submit without regard to sex, race, national origin, religion, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

haydensferryreview.com/haydens-ferry-review-contest

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Book Art Research Fellowship

Center for Book Arts

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

INFO: Researchers and scholars in art history, literature, book history, library science, or museum studies, conservation studies, or other relevant fields are invited to submit research proposals that draw upon CBA’s unique collections of materials related to book art.

CBA’s Permanent Collection consists of three parts:

1. Fine Arts Collection of artists’ books, prints, and objects

2. Reference Library focused on the practice, theory, and history of book arts

3. CBA’s Archives containing records of original exhibitions presented at CBA and the history of CBA’s programmatic activities.

Taken as a whole, CBA’s collections serve as a historical record of book art as a creative medium and a framework for critical research into book art practice.

You can browse the collections online or make an appointment to visit in-person by emailing collections@centerforbookarts.org.

The individual(s) selected for the Fellowship will have access to CBA’s collections, provided institutional support during the research process, and receive a $1,200 stipend.

Fellows are expected to spend a total of 2-3 weeks conducting research on-site at Center for Book Arts. Research periods can take place any time in the calendar year of 2025 outside of holidays and other planned closures. Please note that this fellowship is intended for scholarly research projects rather than the creation of artworks.

At the culmination of the Fellowship, the selected individual(s) will present their research in a public talk. CBA will subsequently have the first right of refusal to publish their research in our Book Art Review journal.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Applications must include all of the following:

1. A resume or CV

2. A 500 to 1000 word proposal outlining the research project, including:

   1. How holdings from the Center for Book Arts relate to the project

   2. A short bibliography listing individual resources from the collection to be consulted (5 or more works)

   3. A proposed timeline for residency at the Center for Book Arts. Please note that due to the application timeline, research will take place April-December, 2025.

Please note that this fellowship is intended for scholarly research projects rather than the creation of artworks.

centerforbookarts.org/book-art-research-fellowship

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Self-Publishing Literary Awards

Black Caucus of the American Library Association

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

INFO: The Black Caucus of ALA’s Self-Publishing Literary Awards honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres.

These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. The purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and scholarly research including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African Americans. The judging committee will be comprised of a BCALA-appointed panel, which will select one winner in each genre.

AWARD: Each genre prize winner shall receive: $2,500, formal recognition at the NCAAL conference, and a BCALA Literary Award Seal to use in their marketing.

ADDITIONAL INFO: The awards will be presented during the National Conference Of African American Librarians (NCAAL) in summer of 2025. Authors will be advised of the Literary Award Committee’s decision in advance of the conference.

This contest is free and open to all self-published authors who meet the requirements. The submission process only takes about 10 minutes, and you are welcome to submit as many of your ebooks as you would like. All ebooks submitted to the contest must be:

• In the poetry or fiction genres

• A PDF or an ePUB file

• In the English language

• An original work that you own the rights to

• Written by an African American author born in the U.S.

FAQs:

• Will I lose the rights to my ebook when I submit?

  • No, the author retains full rights of their ebook after submitting, and their ebook may be removed from the contest at any time. 

• What happens if I include my ebook in the Indie Author Project?

  • If you choose to opt-in to the Indie Author Project, you will still retain full rights of your ebook, and you will have the opportunity to have it distributed in libraries across the United States and Canada, increasing visibility and discoverability for your work. If you choose to remove your ebook from the Indie Author Project at any time, simply contact us and it will be removed. 

• What happens if I choose not to include my ebook in the Indie Author Project?

  • If you choose to opt-out of the Indie Author Project, your ebook will only be distributed on the BiblioBoard platform so that the BCALA-appointed panel has access to judge your work. It will not be available to anyone outside of the BCALA-appointed panel and the technology support team, and once the contest has ended it will be removed. 

• Is there a minimum publication date required to submit to the contest?

  • No, as long as your book meets the other contest criteria, it can be submitted, regardless of when it was published. 

bcala.librariesshare.com/bcala-ebook-contest/#guidelines

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call for submissions: nonfiction, poetry + cover art

Yellow Arrow Journal

DEADLINE: February 28, 2025

INFO: Yellow Arrow Journal is excited to announce that submissions are open for the spring 2025 (Vol. X, No. 1) issue:

UNFURL

: to release from a furled, coiled, or wrapped state
: to open out from or as if from a furled state
: to unfold

This issue of Yellow Arrow Journal explores the process people go through when finding and transforming into their authentic selves. UNFURL will be a survey of the unique journeys people take when experiencing and undergoing self-transformation, journeys that all start with a little fire, a desire, deep inside.

GUEST EDITOR: Sara J. Streeter, or 한혜숙 Hea Sook Han, is a writer and a Korean-American adoptee. Since starting her writing journey in 2021, Sara found her writing community through Adoptee Voices and developed a meaningful connection to readers, both within the adoption constellation and beyond. She mainly writes creative nonfiction prose and has been published in literary journals, such as Longleaf Review, Hippocampus Magazine, Peatsmoke Journal, The Rappahannock Review, GASHER Journal, Cutleaf Journal, and others. Sara has been nominated for Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and Best Small Fiction. She joined the Yellow Arrow community when her piece “Bitter / Sweet” was included in Yellow Arrow Journal kitalo Vol. IX, No. 2. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her family and is an interior designer for a small hospitality firm. You can find her at sarajstreeter.com. You can also find the video above on the Yellow Arrow YouTube channel.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Accepted submissions include creative nonfiction and poetry by authors identifying as women (cover art guidelines follow below).

• Submissions must relate to the theme UNFURL, as interpreted by the author, using provided guiding questions (these will change for each theme).

  • What role did community play in finding yourself?

  • How has your sense of self changed due to your transformation? What about your relationships?

  • What did you find along the way?

  • What do you still need to be authentically you?

  • Was there something that forced you to be a different version of yourself? How did you internalize it?

• Creative nonfiction (1 submission per author per issue) must be between 100 and 2,000 words. Poetry (up to 2 poems per author per issue, grouped into a single document) may be any length.

• Submissions do not need to be in English but must include an English translation.

• No previously published work will be accepted at this time—this includes all printed and online material; simultaneous submissions are okay but please let us know when you send in your submission(s) and if a submission is published elsewhere in the interim, email submissions@yellowarrowpublishing.com immediately.

COVER ART SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Cover art (1 submission per artist per issue) can be a painting, drawing, print, photo, graphic design, comic, or anything else that can be dreamed up by artists identifying as women, as related to the theme/guiding questions.

• Artists must own all rights to the work submitted—if published or shown previously, artists must be able to list where and when.

• If chosen, the artist must be able to supply the artwork at a resolution no lower than 300 dpi and at a size of 8 ½ x 11 cm, as a .jpeg/.jpg or .tiff/.tif.

ARE YOU READY TO SUBMIT?

To submit to UNFURL (Vol. X, No. 1, spring 2025), send an email to submissions@yellowarrowpublishing.com and include:

• Subject: Vol. #, No. # Theme – type of submission [nonfiction, poetry, or cover art] (required)

• Your full name (and name you would want Yellow Arrow to use), nationality, and current city/state/country of residence (required)

• Our writers and readers come from all walks of life and so do we. We are taking steps across our portfolio to increase representation and give greater visibility to the voices of underrepresented women-identifying storytellers. If you are comfortable doing so, please share with us which underrepresented communities you identify with that may make you uniquely positioned to connect with a particular group of readers (optional)

• Your pronouns and age (optional)

• Where you heard about us (optional)

• For cover art submissions, a list of past publications/exhibits for the artwork you are submitting (required, if applicable).

Authors/artists should only submit one type of submission per issue; no agents.

Note that submissions are anonymously reviewed in-house; the information you provide above is used only to better understand the composition of our audience.

Attach your submission to your email. Accepted files for creative nonfiction and poetry submissions include .doc/.docx, .rtf, or .pdf (.doc/.docx preferred)—use minimal document styling and do not include identifying information (only within your email). Accepted files for cover art include .jpeg/.jpg, .tiff/.tif, .gif, .eps, or .psd—a low resolution is preferable at this time.

By sending your submission you agree to the following statements:

• You are a writer or artist who identifies as a woman

• You have completely read and submitted within the guidelines.

Due to the volume of submissions and the nature of our submission process, authors/artists will not receive an email confirming receipt of submission. Rather, all who submit within the guidelines, whether accepted to the next issue or not, will receive an email after submissions have closed—please do not email us to inquire about a submission. Submissions for UNFURL (Vol. X, No. 1, spring 2025) are open February 1-28.

yellowarrowpublishing.com/submissions

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2025 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award (for writers + poets living in north dakota or south dakota)

Poets & Writers

DEADLINE: March 1, 2025 by 11:59pm

INFO: Established in 1984, the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. The prestigious award, which aims to provide promising writers a network for professional advancement, has helped to launch the careers of Sue Monk Kidd (The Invention of Wings, The Secret Life of Bees), David Mura (Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei), Craig Santos Perez (from unincorporated territory [åmot]), Mona Simpson (Case), Lidia Yuknavitch (Thrust), and others.

Since Poets & Writers began the Writers Exchange in 1984, 114 writers from forty-four states or jurisdictions have been selected to participate. The award is generously supported by Maureen Mahon Egen, a member of the Poets & Writers Emeritus Board.

Writers from the states of North and South Dakota are invited to apply for the 2025 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award. One fiction writer and one poet will be selected. Winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to meet with top literary professionals, including editors, agents, publishers, and prominent writers. This year’s judges are Kali Fajardo-Anstine for fiction and Chet'la Sebree for poetry.

ELIGIBLE WRITERS

Poets and fiction writers who are residents of North Dakota or South Dakota are eligible to apply if they: 

1. Reside in North Dakota or South Dakota presently and for at least two years prior to the application deadline, which is March 1, 2025.

2. Have never published a book or have published no more than one full-length book in the genre in which they are applying. 

Winners and runners-up will be asked to submit verification of residency, as well as publication history. 

Writers may apply in poetry and/or fiction (only one manuscript per category).

Employees of Poets & Writers, Inc. are not eligible. 

AWARDS:

One poet and one fiction writer will be selected as winners. Winners will be announced in summer 2025. Each will receive: 

• A $500 honorarium.

• An all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in fall 2025 to meet with editors, agents, publishers, and other writers, and to give a public reading, hosted by Poets & Writers.

• A one-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming.

Manuscript Submission Requirements

• Poetry manuscripts should not exceed ten pages, single or double-spaced (minimum of 7 pages). 

• Fiction manuscripts should not exceed 25 pages and must be double-spaced. Fiction manuscripts may include stories and/or excerpts from novels. 

Published work may be included; however, photocopies of previously published work from a book or a magazine will not be accepted. Published work submitted for this award must conform to the above manuscript requirements and should not be identified as published work. 

All work must be the applicant’s original work and written in English; translations are not eligible. There are no restrictions on style or subject matter.

pw.smapply.us/prog/wex/

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2025 Rooted and Relational Summer Research Fellowships

Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO)

DEADLINE:  March 1, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) invites applications from scholars, writers, and faculty for the 2025 Rooted and Relational Summer Research Fellowships. The fellowship tenure is three months during the summer of 2025 (June-August 2025) and proposals should be aligned with our annual theme, Archives: Memory & the Present Past of Puerto Rico and should explicitly engage with CENTRO’s available archival collections. For this round, we will be awarding two summer research fellowships of $5,000 each. For one of these fellowships, priority will be given to researchers interested in working with the Jesús Colón Papers. The other fellowship is open to any area of study or collection housed at the CENTRO Library & Archives. 

Theme description: Archives: Memory & the Present Past of Puerto Rico

The CENTRO library and archive of the Puerto Rican Diaspora is the only archival repository in the United States committed to documenting Puerto Rican communities in the United States. From this standpoint, we are uniquely positioned to invite scholars to reflect on how archives, archival theory and practice allow us to reframe the present past of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican communities as well as help us imagine and build Boricua futures.

The theme: Archives: Memory & the Present Past of Puerto Rico, invites researchers to engage with the word “archives” as concept,  practice, and theory by bringing together some of the most important framings of historically inflected research. The theme contends with the material and theoretical importance of the archive in contemporary scholarship and research practices while opening a space to engage with contestation, archival reckoning, archival architecture, facilities, and accessibility, and quotidian interventions and forms of archival refusal. 

At a time when Puerto Rican Studies is seeing a resurgence in the United States, this is an opportunity to examine the roots of the field as we also contemplate what lies ahead. Both archival studies and archival structures in the Puerto Rican context, can be contentious and precarious. Thinking about the promises, betrayals, and possibilities of the archive in material and theoretical contexts opens a space for us to consider questions such as: How do we engage with institutional archives that continue to uphold colonial fantasies of race and gender? What are the material and theoretical relations between archives, memory, and temporality (e.g. notions of past, present, future)? What do we gain from challenges to various prominent historical archival practices like reading “archives against the grain,” which challenge the dominant historical consciousness and praxis of European empires? How do we approach memory and cultural preservation in times of austerity and natural disasters? These questions, and others will guide our discussions during this year-long seminar, where we will be considering different uses of the archive and explore how these spaces, collections, and practices can be transformed through a decolonial, feminist, and queer lens. 

Possible Topics:

• Archival Silences

• Memory and preservation

• Archives and Affect

• Embodiment 

• Afro-Boricua archives 

• Feminist Archives and archival practices

• Queer Archives

• Community Archives

• Family Archives

• Oral Histories

• Archiving performance

• Archives and Accessibility

• Archiving through disaster

• Tropical Archives 

• Born digital archives

• Archiving social media

• Information/Right to Information (FOIA and other types of access to public information)

• Archives and Accountability

• Processing and new archival technologies

• Metadata and Algorithms

• Archival Engineering and Structures

ELIGIBILITY:

This call requires that fellows be over 21 years of age and can be faculty, graduate students, or independent scholars. The fellow must work in the field of Puerto Rican Studies and should be able to work at the CENTRO Library & Archives location (2180 3rd Ave, 1st Floor, Rm. 120 New York, NY 10035) during weekdays between June 1st and August 31st 2025 for a minimum of 10 days within the three month tenure of the summer fellowship. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

The application form will ask you to provide the following:

1. CV (maximum 3 pages) 

2. Proposal:

1. Project Description (approx 500-1000 words)

2. Collection(s) to be used (approx 250-500 words)

3. Overall Timeline of your final project (approx 250 words)

4. Timeline of the fellowship residency (month/dates you plan to visit)

TERMS:

1. This is a three month long residency and will start on June 1st  and will end by August 31st. The fellow agrees to conduct research at the Library and Archives of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, with the intention of informing the development of their research project.The fellow must register at least 10 visits to the Library and Archives as part of the residency. 

2. The Center for Puerto Rican Studies will provide a work space for the fellows to carry out their research and will offer personalized support.

3. At the end of the residency, the fellows will share their works-in-progress at a CENTRO event or panel organized by CENTRO (date to be announced in fall 2025). 

4. The fellows will receive an amount of $5,000 ($2,500 at the start of the residency and $2,500 after completing the full number of visits to the CENTRO Library & Archives).  

5. CENTRO will not be able to provide lodging or meals during the research residency. 

Sending the application implies acceptance of all the conditions established in this call.

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/rooted-relational-summer-2025-research-fellowship-open-call/

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KHN Residency

Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts (Nebraska City, NE)

DEADLINE: March 1, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts awards up to seventy juried residencies per year to established and emerging visual artists, writers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists from across the country and around the world. Residencies are 2 to 8 weeks in length. Each resident receives a $175 stipend per week, housing, and a private studio. 

2025 SESSIONS: July 7 - December 19, 2025

GUIDELINES: Each item will be presented as a separate form within our online application portal. Before beginning your application, download the WORK SAMPLES guidelines specific to your discipline (file links located bottom of page) and follow the directions to help prepare files. Application sections include:

• General Application Information including your preferred dates and length of residency.

• 2 ANONYMOUS Statements: An anonymous Statement of Submitted Works that clarifies the work and/or its relevance within contemporary or historical creative practices, contemporary society/issues, or the evolution of your personal creative practice; and an anonymous Statement of Intent regarding how you intend to utilize your time and why a residency at KHN is important to you at this point in your career. 

  • KHN utilizes a blind jury process. The ONLY items seen and reviewed by jurors are ANONYMOUS WORK SAMPLES and ANONYMOUS STATEMENTS. Jurors rate applications based solely on the quality and relevance of the submitted work and the statements' effectiveness in clarifying the work and the applicant’s intentions for a residency.

  • Do NOT include your NAME, CREDITS, AWARDS, UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYERS, COLLABORATORS, COMMISSIONING OR PUBLISHING AGENTS, GALLERY OR VENUE NAMES, or any other identifying information within the statements.

• ANONYMOUS Work Samples: See the guidelines PDF specific to your discipline (file links located bottom of page) to help you prepare your materials.

  • KHN utilizes a blind jury process. The ONLY items seen and reviewed by jurors are ANONYMOUS WORK SAMPLES and ANONYMOUS STATEMENTS. Jurors rate applications based solely on the quality and relevance of the submitted work and the statements' effectiveness in clarifying the work and the applicant’s intentions for a residency.

  • Do NOT include your NAME, CREDITS, AWARDS, UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYERS, COLLABORATORS, COMMISSIONING OR PUBLISHING AGENTS, GALLERY OR VENUE NAMES within any uploaded work samples, file names, or descriptions.

• References: Contact information for two professional references that are familiar with your work and your potential to be a positive member of our small community of residents. 

• Professional History from your current resume or CV. Your name MAY appear in the contents of this information.

• Application Fee of $35 paid via credit card through the online portal. All fees must be paid through the online portal. We are unable to waive the application fee.

STIPEND, HOUSING, + TRAVEL: Residency awards come with a weekly $175 stipend. All residents are provided housing that includes a private bedroom, bathroom, and studio space. Writers and visual artists generally share an apartment with one other resident, with shared kitchen, living room, and balcony space. Composers are generally housed in a garden-level studio apartment.

All travel expenses are the responsibility of the awardee, with the exception of cab fare from Omaha or Lincoln on the day of arrival and/or departure.

There are two airports about an hour away: Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA) and the Lincoln Airport (LNK). To get from either airport to Nebraska City, residents can arrange for transportation with Nebraska City's Tree City Cab at least 24 hours prior to their arrival or departure. The taxi fare ($100 per trip) will be paid for by the Kimmel Foundation.

Residents can also consider traveling by train or bus to Lincoln or Omaha. The same arrangement with the taxi service applies. The Kansas City Airport (KCI) is two hours away. However, taxi service will not be paid for from Kansas City to Nebraska City.

WORK SAMPLE GUIDELINES FOR WRITER + POET (LITERARY) SUBMISSIONS:

Upload one PDF that contains all writing samples (up to 10MB).

• Previously published or non-published material is eligible.

• Only writing submitted in English will be considered.

Fiction: Submit no more than 2 short stories or novel chapters, not to exceed 7500 words in length. If a portion of a novel is submitted, a brief (100-200 word) synopsis may be included and does not count toward the 7500-word limit.

Non-fiction: Submit no more than 2 essays or chapters, not to exceed 7500 words in length. If a portion of a manuscript or book is submitted, a brief (100-200 word) synopsis may be included and does not count toward the 7500-word limit. If the work submitted is memoir or biography, the requirement to remove your name from the writing sample may be disregarded.

Poetry: Submit up to 10 poems, combined length not to exceed 30 pages.

Drama: Submit up to 2 one-act plays or up to 2 excerpts (monologues, acts, scenes) from a longer work. Include a character list and brief synopsis. Total number of pages may not exceed 30.

Screenplays: Submit no more than 2 screenplays. Include a brief synopsis. Total number of pages may not exceed 30.

Combination of Genres/Non-traditional applications: If submitting samples from more than one genre, total submission should not exceed 7500 words or thirty pages in length.

All work samples MUST be ANONYMOUS. Do NOT include your NAME, CREDITS, AWARDS, UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYERS, COLLABORATORS, COMMISSIONING OR PUBLISHING AGENTS, or GALLERY or VENUE NAMES within any work samples or in the title/description area within Slideroom.

*If your application includes a combination of visual and literary works, please consider applying under the interdisciplinary category.

Contact us at info@khncenterforthearts.org or 402-874-9600 with any questions regarding applications or submission materials.

khncenterforthearts.org/residency

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Open Call for SUSPECT Journal’s Themed Portfolio: Eco-

SUSPECT (Singapore Unbound)

DEADLINE: March 1, 2025

INFO: Wouldn’t you like a four-day work week, or to work from home? While economy and ecology both come from the root word oikos – for home – housework is excluded from GDPs; so too are the bat flights that pollinate a durian orchard, the citizen science surveys for salamanders, and the sea-spanning carbon capture projects of phytoplankton. The economy works through, not above or beyond, nature. “Economy is ecology,” as political theorist Jason Moore highlights. When supply chains and investments (re)move or (re)place things around the home that is Earth, that home changes. Whose work is prevented on developing land? Whose land is used up for the work, and whose isn’t? What kind of home is this building, and is it the kind we want?

We invite writing that engages with the powerful tensions and dimensions within the word “eco-”. We want nature writing grounded in physical and social contexts; writing that imagines how economies could center ecologies; writing on the work of becoming and belonging together with others. Works might highlight unappreciated labour (both human and otherwise), demand labour, address land and labour issues; might delve into ecological concepts from edge effects to metabolic rifts; might address houses, homes, displacement, and “homing” back to places like pigeons or salmon.

SUSPECT invites submissions exploring the theme of “Eco-” for our special portfolio, which is scheduled for publication starting 5th June 2025 to commemorate World Environment Day.

• We accept fiction and essays (maximum 6,500 words) or poetry (maximum 10 pages). Authors may submit to multiple categories.

• As our mission is to publish Asian authors, submitters must identify as Asian. In collaborative works, the work must involve at least one Asian author.

• Any translated work will be submitted by the translator; any editing of the translated work will take place between SUSPECT and the translator. We expect translators to have received permission from the writers of the original works, if still living, to publish their translations.

• Each accepted contribution is paid USD100.00. For translations or collaborative works, payment is made to the translator or submitter only.

We look forward to reading your submissions. Submit your work to Sharmini Aphrodite at suspect@singaporeunbound.org. Direct your questions to her as well.

singaporeunbound.org/opp/eco

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manuscript call: short story + flash fiction collections

Split/Lip Press

DEADLINE: March 1, 2025

READING FEE: $15**

INFO: We are currently looking for short story or flash fiction full-length book manuscripts (combinations of flash and longer short stories in the manuscript are welcome as well). Individually published pieces within the manuscript are absolutely fine (and expected!) but the book should not have been published as a BOOK before. We won't define "full-length" (our only hard limit is the lower end: minimum of 100pg), but 150-250 pages tends to be the sweet spot. If your book is shorter than 100pg, keep our chapbook reading period in mind this April! 

We're looking for manuscripts that question boundaries (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional—you get the gist). Dazzle us with your version(s) of truth! 

To get an idea of what we love, please check out our current short story/flash fiction offerings: Hayden Casey's forthcoming story collection Show Me Where the Hurt Is, Midwatch by Jillian Danback-McGhan, Phantom Advances by Mary Lynn Reed, My Share of the Body by Devon Capizzi, 48 Blitz by Brett Biebel, This. This. This. Is. Love. Love. Love. by Jennifer Wortman, Hungry People by Tasha Coryell, Felt in the Jaw by Kristen Arnett, and The Hook and the Haymaker and I Am the Oil of the Engine of the World, both by Jared Yates Sexton. We'd love it if you'd add a copy of any (/all) of our books to your submission, and we'll happily throw in free shipping (to US/Canada only) as a thanks!

Historically under-represented perspectives are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED and HIGHLY SOUGHT—we want to help bring your voice to the world!

OUR PRESS MISSION:

We publish boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up. We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated. If your book is a wedge in a crack, Split/Lip Press is the hammer helping you split the wall apart.

All books published at Split/Lip Press have been discovered during our open reading periods—we do not solicit manuscripts and do not accept manuscripts sent outside of our reading periods. Every author has the same opportunity to join us! However, Split/Lip Press does not tolerate manuscripts celebrating racist, homophobic, or misogynistic perspectives, and will discard such manuscripts unread. We believe in breaking boundaries at Split/Lip, but we will not assist agendas of hate.

BASIC FORMATTING DETAILS:

TNR 12 (or similar), double-spaced (unless you are specifically using special formatting—which we'd love to see), and PLEASE remove your name from the manuscript and file name—our readers want to review your manuscripts without names attached. There is a box on the submission form where, if you choose, you may indicate any information about positionality which may be helpful for the readers to know.

Please note that while we love and welcome work which includes images/diagrams/etc, they would need to appear as black-and-white images within a 6" x 9" printed book, so keep that in mind when submitting.

HUGS + THANKS

We work closely with our authors on all elements of their book from editing to design to promotion. We are engaged in the literary community and as writers ourselves, we know how important it is to have your book supported by a press that cares about more than the bottom line. We'd love for you to be part of the Split/Lip Press family.

Simultaneous submissions are obviously welcome. Our reading process is a process and we move quickly and efficiently, but we also don't interrupt it prematurely. So if another publisher snags you first, we just ask that you withdraw your submission (and congrats to you!).

We intend to reply to all submissions by May 15, 2025, so please do not query about the status of your manuscript before that date. If you haven't seen anything from us by 5/15/25, check your status in Submittable and double-check your email spam filter because Submittable's messages sometimes get stuck there—we will definitely respond!

Thank you for considering Split/Lip Press as the home for your book.

** The reading fee helps cover our costs as a press, and our SS/FF reading team splits 25% of the submission fees collected during this reading period as compensation for their hard work. But we don't want a fee to keep us from finding the best work out there. If you can't afford the reading fee, please send an email to splitlipthepress@gmail.com before submitting to receive a manuscript fee waiver, no questions asked.

splitlippress.submittable.com/submit

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Rumpus Prize for Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction

The Rumpus

DEADLINE: March 2, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $20 per entry

INFO: The Rumpus has a long history of championing emerging and established poets, fiction writers, and essayists, and we’re pleased to announce a new way the magazine will bring attention to great writing. 

All submissions will be read by The Rumpus‘s editorial team, and our final judges will be Kaveh Akbar (Poetry), Rachel Khong (Fiction), and Megan Stielstra (Creative Nonfiction).

AWARD:

• $3,600 in prizes:

• $1,000 first-place prize and publication in three genres: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction

• Honorable mentions receive $200 and publication in each of the three genres

All submitters can opt in if they’d like to be considered for publication by The Rumpus, regardless of whether they’re named a winner or finalist.

Finalists will be contacted in May 2025. Winners will be announced publicly and published by June 2025.

therumpus.net/2024/12/05/the-rumpus-prize/

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call for submissions: historical fiction BY AFRICAN WRITERS

Lọún Lọún

DEADLINE: March 2, 2025

INFO: Lọún Lọún is a literary journal focused on historical fiction based on historical events that have shaped and defined places and times in Africa and the experiences of those who lived through the events—or didn’t—no matter how minute. They’re interested in a car crash in 2004 published in the local newspapers as much as they are in the Rwandan and Biafran genocides of 1994 and 1967, respectively.

We are interested in speculative or factual tellings of African history centred on themes across Economics, Society & Politics, Gender & Feminism, Hope & Healing, Identity & Belonging, and War, Conflicts, & Disaster. We strongly recommend reading a few stories from past issues before submitting.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

African writers, and those of African descent, home and abroad.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Before submitting your work, please carefully read and adhere to the following guidelines:

We accept only submissions in fiction.

Fiction: 2000 – 4000 word range.

1. Only original pieces will be considered. Previously published pieces and excepts from a larger body of work are not accepted.

2. Submissions should be in EB Garamond, size 12, 1.5-spaced, and submitted in Word document format with word count included.

3. Submissions should be in English or translated into English. Writers are, however, allowed creative freedom with the expression of their languages.

4. Submissions must be based on an event that has happened on or affected the continent, regardless of where characters in the telling are located.

5. Submissions must contain a brief historical setting description (max. two sentences) formally describing the historical events in telling.

6. Submissions must have at least two reference links to the historical events in telling.

7. We accept simultaneous submissions, but let us know promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.

8. Ensure your submissions are meticulously reviewed for correct formatting, grammar, and punctuation. Significant mistakes in these areas can hinder the likelihood of your work being considered for publication.

COMPENSATION:

As of now, we cannot appropriately compensate our writers but stick around.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

To submit your work, send an email to submissions@lounloun.com with the subject ‘Fiction Submission.’ In the body of the email, include your third-person bio and theme, and attach the story. Please ensure the story has references and is in Word document format.

REVIEW PROCESS:

Our editorial team carefully reviews each submission. We strive to provide feedback and appreciate the time and effort you put into your work. Please be patient; the review process may take 3-8 weeks after the deadline.

We look forward to reading your work!

CONTACT:

If you have questions or encounter issues during submission, please contact our editorial team at lounlounjournal@gmail.com.

lounloun.com/submissions/

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research fellowships

The Boston Public Library

DEADLINE: March 3, 2025

INFO: The Boston Public Library is proud to announce two new research fellowships to support the use of special collections:

I - Telling Boston Stories Fellowship:

The Boston Public Library's Special Collections Department is offering a four-week fellowship intended to support research projects whose focus is on the people and communities of Boston that are often left out of the historical narrative.

This fellowship can support a wide variety of projects, both academic and artistic. Successful topics for this fellowship could include projects looking at Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood and its history of community activism, the rise of Boston’s Little Syria neighborhood, the campaign from Villa Victoria residents to save their community from urban renewal displacement, or other projects that applicants may be interested in researching further.

Fellows will receive a $4,500 stipend, with the first half dispensed at the start of the fellowship and the second at the completion of the fellowship. Fellows will be expected to spend four weeks working with collections, primarily at the Boston Public Library and Northeastern University, though trips to other Boston cultural heritage institution or research centers may be included in the four weeks. The weeks do not have to be consecutive.

In addition to their research time, fellows will be asked to:

• Write a blog post on their research topic and collections utilized, to be published on the Boston Public Library’s website

• Work with the Community History Department at the Boston Public Library to create a workshop or program based on their research experience

Fellows will work with the Community History Department to run a program at a neighborhood branch of the Boston Public Library within four months of completing their research time. This program will use the fellow’s research experience as a launching point to encourage other community members to delve into their own research. Suggested formats include a short talk paired with a community discussion or story sharing session. The Programming & Outreach Librarian for Community History will support the fellow in developing a program.

Artists, independent scholars, graduate, and doctoral students are all encouraged to apply, as well as academics, community activists, and library, archives, and museum professionals. We particularly welcome applications from artists, scholars, and researchers who belong to the community or neighborhood they wish to study.

II - Surfacing Overlooked Stories Fellowship:

The Boston Public Library's Special Collections Department is offering an eight-to-ten-week fellowship intended to highlight often overlooked voices and narratives in our collections.

The theme for the 2025-2026 fellowship will be looking into Black Bostonians from Boston’s founding through Boston’s incorporation as a city in 1822. Suggested collections for research include the Boston Town Records, Elijah Adlow Collection of Boston Legal History, Mellen Chamberlain Autograph Collection, and Boston Tax Records, 1780-1821, as well as city directories and newspapers held in our research collections.

Fellows will receive a $9,500 stipend, with the first half dispensed at the start of the fellowship and the second at the completion of the fellowship. Fellows are expected to research at the Boston Public Library's Special Collections Department for eight to ten weeks within their fellowship year, though these do not have to be consecutive weeks. Supplementary research with the Boston Public Library’s Research Collections will also count towards the research time.

In addition to their research time, fellows will be asked to:

• Give an informal talk to Research & Special Collections staff midway through their fellowship about their research

• Give a public talk at the Central Library in Copley Square on their research topic and collections they utilized at the end of their research time

• Create a narrative guide to identifying the voices of Black Bostonians in the collections they utilized

Fellows will work with the Special Collections Public Services Supervisor to create this narrative guide within four months of completing the research residency, to be published digitally by the Boston Public Library on a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license. Fellows are welcome to publish, present with, or otherwise use their written work elsewhere and retain the copyright for their work. The fellow will not be processing collections or creating archival description or finding aids for materials. Staff may choose to augment collection description based on findings from this fellowship at a later date.

Masters and doctoral students, post-doctoral, academic, and independent scholars, and artists as well as curators and other library, archive, and museum professionals are welcome to apply. We particularly welcome applications from students and scholars who identify in groups that have been historically unrepresented in academia. We will look for fellows whose expertise and research interests align with our chosen theme of the year and whose research projects would be supported and informed by the collections they utilize during their research at the Boston Public Library.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A FELLOWSHIP:

Fellowship applications are due on Monday, March 3, 2025. To apply for this fellowship, please email specialcollections@bpl.org. Please include in the subject line which fellowship you are applying to. Please also include the following documents:

• Cover letter

• Curriculum vitae or resume

• Writing sample (maximum 400 words, preferably public-facing; excerpts from larger works are fine)

• Project proposal, including explanation of how this fellowship would support and inform the project

• Proposed research dates and collection materials

  • For the Telling Boston Stories Fellowship include any other institutions and collections you would hope to use during the fellowship

If you have any questions about the fellowship or application process, please write to Special Collections Public Services Supervisor Kathleen Monahan at specialcollections@bpl.org. Please identify yourself as an applicant for a fellowship in your email.

bpl.org/blogs/post/apply-for-a-research-fellowship-with-the-bpls-special-collections-department/

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2025 Summer Institute on Environmental Justice

Black Midwest Initiative (University of Illinois Chicago)

DEADLINE: March 7, 2025

INFO: The Black Midwest Initiative (BMI) at the University of Illinois Chicago invites applications from early-career scholars, artists, and community organizers to its 2025 Summer Institute on Environmental Justice. This convening will bring together 15 participants, designated as BMI Fellows, who are doing work around environmental justice issues affecting Black people and communities within the Midwest and Rust Belt regions of the United States for a week-long series of discussions, presentations, and workshops with leading figures in the field. In alignment with environmental sociologist and Institute facilitator David Pellow, we conceive of environmental racism as a “form of violent control over bodies, space, and knowledge systems.” Accordingly, we define the parameters of the environmental justice issues applicants might propose to address broadly—from urban agriculture, toxic emissions, natural disasters, and climate change to carcerality, housing instability, residential segregation, community health and wellness, and beyond.

After the conclusion of the Institute, each Fellow will also work to develop a project, individually or in collaboration with one or more other Fellows, that will be incorporated into the Black Midwest Justice Hub (the HUB)—a digital platform we will launch in the fall of 2026 that will serve as a resource repository for the BMI Environmental Justice Collaboratory, a set of environmental justice courses that will be taught across multiple midwestern colleges and universities during the 2026-27 academic year. HUB projects may ultimately take any number of forms that can be accessed digitally, including but not limited to short films, virtual exhibits, traditional academic papers, storymaps, graphic notes, sound recordings, oral histories, interviews, and introductory essays or lectures.

INSTITUTE FACILITATORS:

• Erika Allen, Urban Growers Collective

• Adrienne Brown, University of Chicago

• Lydia Marie Hicks, Black Eden Arts Alliance

• Fayola Jacobs, University of Minnesota

• Tonika Lewis Johnson, UnBlocked Englewood

• David Pellow, UC Santa Barbara

• LaShawnda Crowe Storm, Indianapolis, Indiana

• Monica M. White, University of Wisconsin-Madison

ELIGIBILITY:

Emerging artists of all genres (including filmmakers, dancers, poets, and other literary, visual, sound, and performance artists), community organizers and activists, graduate students, junior faculty, adjunct and non-tenure track faculty, independent scholars, and postdoctoral scholars whose work deeply engages with environmental justice issues affecting Black communities in the Midwest or Rust Belt regions of the United States (ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, SOUTH DAKOTA, WISCONSIN).

DETAILS OF PARTICIPATION:

Fellows from outside of the Chicago area will be expected to arrive in Chicago on Sunday, July 20, with departure scheduled for the morning of Saturday, July 26. Most days of the Institute will feature a morning session during which facilitators will discuss their work with the Fellows and an afternoon session during which the Fellows will present their work to the group. There will also be a site visit during the week to a location TBA that is engaging critical EJ work in the Chicago metro area. Fellows will be expected to attend all sessions, including the site visit and final group dinner, to complete any readings or screenings assigned by the facilitators, and to prepare a presentation of their work to be shared during one of the afternoon sessions. The Summer Institute will be hosted at the UIC Institute for the Humanities, and all sessions will be held in person.

Each Fellow will receive up to $500 toward their travel expenses to attend the Summer Institute. Lodging will be provided in UIC campus housing for all Fellows coming from outside of the Chicago area. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day of the Institute, as well as dinner on Friday. After the conclusion of the Summer Institute, each participant will receive a $1000 stipend to be used toward the costs associated with their HUB project.

APPLICATION:

The BMI Summer Institute Application requires a 500-word project statement and a 5-page cv or resume.

Applicants will be notified of decisions by April 10.

QUESTIONS?

Please feel free to email theblackmidwest@gmail.com with any questions.

theblackmidwest.com/summer-institute

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2025-2026 emerging writer fellowship

GrubStreet (Boston, MA)

DEADLINE: March 10, 2025

INFO: The Emerging Writer Fellowship aims to develop new, exciting voices by providing three writers per year tuition-free access to GrubStreet’s classes and several key publishing/industry events. Over the course of one year, each Emerging Writer Fellow will attend a combination of seminars and multi-week courses of their choosing, along with a wide selection of other topical programming, in order to enhance their understanding of craft and the publishing industry.

We hope that this year's fellows will be able to join us in-person for classes and events. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston.

OVERVIEW: The Emerging Writer Fellowship will be awarded to three writers who demonstrate a passion for writing, a commitment to developing their writing abilities, and financial need. Any person 18 and older who demonstrates ability and passion for writing is eligible.

The Emerging Writer Fellowship will provide access to each of the following:

• 5 multi-week courses

• 5 three-hour seminars

• Access to key annual industry events and other craft-related programs.

• Access to GrubStreet's Artistic Director and/or other program staff members for quarterly (or as-needed) office hours for personalized mentorship. (Optional)

• At the end of the program, fellows will also receive a complimentary one-year GrubStreet membership so they can continue enjoying extra community perks even after their program year ends.

The fellowship year begins in May.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: This fellowship is open to anyone 18 and older with a passion for writing. The fellowship specifically aims to assist writers in need of financial assistance in reaching their writing goals. We particularly encourage writers of color, ethnic minorities, those who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and other members of communities historically underrepresented by the literary community to apply.

WHY WE CREATED THIS FELLOWSHIP: Over the years, GrubStreet encountered more and more people who loved to write but didn't have the money to invest in a creative writing education that would help advance their craft or give them a thoughtful introduction to the publishing world. As part of its mission to make sure that voices of every type and talent are heard, GrubStreet developed the Emerging Writer Fellowship to eliminate some of the financial barriers to entry. Through this program, we hope to connect writers to a literary world – a world made richer and more relevant with the contribution of these voices.

In the program's first year, we were able to offer one fellowship to one student. As of the 2018-2019 cycle, we were able to begin offering a second fellowship in memory of novelist Anita Shreve, longtime board member and dear friend of GrubStreet. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we now offer three fellowships each year.

HOW TO APPLY:

The Emerging Writer Fellowship Application Form will require the following:

A sample of your writing that demonstrates your artistic style and voice. 5-10 pages for prose, screenwriting, or playwriting. 3-7 pages for poetry.

A personal statement—no more than 500 words please!—which should include the following:

• How you envision using the fellowship.

• A description of your relationship to writing. By this we mean: what excites you about it? What does it mean to you personally?

• How the fellowship will help you in your growth and success as a writer.

• Your writing and workshop history (Note: Prior workshop experience at GrubStreet is not required).

• The Fellowship year begins in May.

• All applicants can expect to hear back by early May.

grubstreet.org/write/emerging-writer-fellowship

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LGBTQIA+ Literary Success Grants

Georgia Writers

DEADLINE: March 10, 2025 BY 11:59 pm ET

INFO: Georgia Writers’ LGBTQIA+ Literary Success Grants, modeled on our John Lewis Grants, are designed to encourage and amplify the voices of LGBTQIA+ youth (18-24) in Georgia. At a time when the country possesses a record number of anti-LGBTQ legislation (400+ bills and counting), we believe it is our responsibility to promote positive stories of queer life in the South. By promoting young queer voices state- and nationwide, we offer models for success that all young queer people in the state of Georgia can aspire to.

Generously supported by the Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA), the LGBTQIA+ Literary Success Grants will be awarded annually in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and screenwriting. The purpose of the grants is to elevate, encourage, and inspire the voices of young queer writers in Georgia.

THE GRANTS:

Winners in each genre will receive:

• A grant of $500 to give a reading at our Red Clay Writers Conference

• A scholarship to the next annual Red Clay Writers Conference

QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must be 18 - 24 years of age and emerging writers who are queer residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award.

• Applicants are ineligible if they have published more than one traditionally published book. Promising writers without publication will be considered. Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win a grant once. There is no submission fee to enter.

• Applications will be reviewed anonymously.

• Applicants are ineligible if they are of relations to any of the Georgia Writers staff or board of directors.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Writers may apply in only one genre and must submit the following:

• A completed grant application

• An essay of no more tha 500 words as a concise description of your work and goals as a writer. Please tell us what inspires or challenges your writing career.

• No more than a ten-page writing sample of a published or unpublished piece in the genre in which you are applying--fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or screenwriting. If submitting poetry, one poem per page please.

• Please format your manuscript: 12 pt. font, double-spaced, name and page number on each page.

georgiawriters.org/literarysuccess

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CALL FOR PAPERS - CHRONIC: LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS

WSQ (Spring 2026)

DEADLINE: March 14, 2025

INFO: In late December 2023, Giorgia Lupi, an information designer, published a long illustrated essay in the New York Times Opinion section titled “1, 380 Days: My Life With Long COVID.” “Long COVID,” she writes, “is a physical affliction, but chronic illness, stretching over months and years, has a way of picking apart your mind and breaking your heart. It is a constant deluge of pain that slowly strips you of everything you used to be by taking away everything you used to do . . . and, eventually . . . the ability to imagine a future without harsh physical limits.” The reported suffering of those like Giorgia Lupi who live with long COVID has brought into the spotlight the many chronic illnesses Americans endure—notably ME, myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), from which primarily women suffer. Thanks to innovative treatments, especially over the last decade, some cancers have also become manageable chronic illnesses.

In contrast to acute or terminal disease, chronic illness—which includes mental illness—takes many forms over a lifetime: chronic with pain, chronic without pain, chronic with a medical diagnosis or without one (conditions that resist clinical documentation), chronic that is life-limiting or life-threatening, with progression, progression free, or stable, visible or invisible. There is not one chronic experience.  

This special issue of WSQ takes this contemporary phenomenon as our point of departure to consider the social, affective, and political consequences of living with chronic illness. We are soliciting essays, personal and researched, that reflect this variety and that map the critical and scholarly intersections of chronic illness with disability and critical race studies, notably in relation to lupus, but also related to health and healthcare issues. These might include, for example, issues primarily affecting Black women, including access to diagnosis and treatment of various cancers, notably gynecological ones. Though we will consider all approaches, we welcome work theorizing from the first person, whether in poetry, essay, comic, or hybrid form. Questions about chronic illness align as well with care, affect, and feminist eco-theory, which help illuminate the literary, social, and philosophical implications of what it means to be living one’s life in an ill body. To document the surprising variety of expressions of the lived experiences of chronic illness, we hope to include pieces that in some way grapple or experiment with the visual, whether through data visualizations, graphic representations, photography, or other media. (See guidelines below for more details.)

We see this project, in the spirit of the journal’s history, as transdisciplinary in conception, accessible and experimental at a variety of levels, and committed to the public good.

At the same time, we want specifically to explore new ways to live with and understand the challenges of chronic illness, and in the process, following activism and scholarship in the fields of health humanities and graphic medicine, we also hope to propose new paradigms of health and healthcare.

Submissions might attend to some of the following:

• definitions and themes of the chronic in the twenty-first century: diagnosis, disability, medical infrastructure, autoimmune disease, comorbidity, chronic and crisis (as in the case with COVID-19)

• discussions and/or representations of/discourse around chronic illnesses such as COVID/long COVID, HIV/AIDS, Lupus, ME (CFS), Lyme, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer

• advocacy and community: What are the challenges of living in relation to what philosopher Havi Carel calls “social architecture”? What different/alternative communities/illness mentorships exist? How do different illness communities advocate for their specific needs? What role(s) are played by factors like gender, race, religion, sexuality, etc.?

Other topics may include but are not limited to:

• individual experiences and their relation to community activism, advocacy, and social norms

• questions of gender expression, sexuality, and race

• economics and illness; economics and healthcare

• the physical (side effects, immunology)

• psychological/social/temporal frames: “scanxiety”; the scan-to-scan existence; recurrence

• relation to medical establishment

• literal and metaphorical space

• pain: its literary languages and visual representation

• American television drug promotion

• affect and chronicity (prolonged grief disorder, bipolar disorder, etc.)

ISSUE EDITORS:

• NANCY K. MILLER, The Graduate Center, CUNY

• TAHNEER OKSMAN, Marymount Manhattan College

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Scholarly articles should be submitted to WSQ.submittable.com. Upload one Word document that includes the anonymized, complete article. Directly in Submittable, not as an attachment, please write a cover page that includes the article title, abstract, keywords, and a short author bio. Remove all identifying authorial information from the file uploaded to Submittable. Scholarly submissions must not exceed 6,000 words (including un-embedded notes and works cited) and must comply with formatting guidelines at feministpress.org/submission-guidelines. For questions, email the guest issue editors at WSQEditorial@gmail.com.

Artistic works (whose content relates clearly to the issue theme) such as creative prose (fiction, essay, memoir, and translation submissions between 2,000 and 2,500 words), poetry (3 poems maximum per submitter), and other forms of visual art or documentation of performative artistry should be submitted to WSQ.submittable.com. Note that creative submissions may be held for six months or longer. We do not accept work that has been previously published. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable if the editors are notified immediately of acceptance elsewhere. Visual artists are also asked to submit a document containing captions for all works (including title, date, and materials), an artist’s statement and a short bio, each 100 words or less. For questions, email the guest issue editors at WSQEditorial@gmail.com.

For works that are difficult to categorize, including those that fall between academic articles and personal narratives or creative essays, please choose the hybrid works option on Submittable, and explain the nature of the work in your cover page. Please especially indicate whether the work requires academic peer review.

All submitters please note that if your submission contains images (including images embedded into a larger article or essay) please include them as separate attachments of 300dpi or more. Please also include a short bio and current email address [all submitters, directly onto the Submittable form, not as an attachment] as well as an artist’s statement and image caption [visual artists] or an abstract and keywords [academic submissions].

ABOUT WSQ:

Since 1972, WSQ has been an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of emerging perspectives on women, gender, and sexuality. Its peer-reviewed interdisciplinary thematic issues focus on such topics as Unbearable Being(s), Pandemonium, Nonbinary, State/Power, Black Love, Solidão, Asian Diasporas, Protest, Beauty, Precarious Work, At Sea, Solidarity, Queer Methods, Activisms, The Global and the Intimate, and Trans-, combining legal, queer, cultural, technological, and historical work to present the most exciting new scholarship, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and visual arts on ideas that engage popular and academic readers alike. WSQ is edited by Shereen Inayatulla (York College, CUNY) and Andie Silva (York College and the Graduate Center, CUNY), and published by the Feminist Press at the City University of New York. Visit feministpress.org/wsq.

feministpress.org/current-call-for-papers

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BAYARD RUSTIN RESIDENCY

Penington Friends House (New York City)

DEADLINE: March 15, 2025

INFO: Building on the social activist history of Penington’s founders, original board, and later residents, the Bayard Rustin Residency at Penington Friends House (PFH) is envisioned as an ongoing ladder to empowerment for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end Systemic Racism and to create a culture of anti-Racism and intersectional equality in the United States of America. It is also intended to extend and strengthen the wider Quaker witness to equality.

Beginning in September of 2025, this residency will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong project that addresses ending Systemic Racism and who has a necessity to be in New York City for up to one year. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Bayard Rustin Resident will demonstrate a need to live in Manhattan. Areas of focus of their work can include activism in the arts, policy change, human rights, community organizing, and other areas of activism focusing on ending racism and strengthening equality. Residents will meet regularly with the Residency Manager and will be expected to share their progress with the New York City community in the form of presentations or workshops.

The resident does not have to be Quaker but their work should be shaped by and in harmony with our tenets of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. The resident will be expected to be a full-time resident of PFH and be participating member of this intentional community. This includes eating chef prepared dinners with the other residents and participating in shared light house chores. ( 1 1/2 hour commitment per week on average.) The Penington Friends House’s approach to living collaboratively may be new to you. We encourage to look at our website and instagram account (@Penington_friends_house) to gain a better understanding of what we are. Feel free to call us as well with questions. We are LGBTQ embracing community. We believe Black Lives Matter. We are always working to be a safe space and an anti-racist community.

Resident selection is made through a BIPOC committee of Quakers and non-Quakers and is based on the strength of the applicants work and proposed project. Final approval of the Bayard Rustin resident is made by the Penington Friends House Residents and staff, in the same interview process that all other residents are approved to live at the Penington. Applicants should note that the Bayard Rustin Resident bedroom is on the 4th floor of an historic Brownstone. An elevator is not available. Bathrooms are shared with other floor residents. This residency covers the cost of rent, boarding (food) provided 5 nights a week, internet, cable, and heat/AC. Limited access ( starting at 3:30PM weekedays) to a studio space may be available. A stipend is NOT currently provided by this residency.

Here are a few types of artists and activists activities that we would be interested in considering. Please contact us before applying if you are not sure your project would fit our call. Questions can be directed to Todd Drake at outreach at penington dot org.

• An artist working on a body of art that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A writer working on a new book, play, screenplay, or collection that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A performer creating a new dance piece that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A community based artist designing or carrying out a community based project that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• An activist organizing communities to address racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A social entrepreneur that is starting a non-profit focused on addressing racism and/or intersectional issues.

• An inventor or designer working on solving a problem associated with systemic racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A graduate student that has a strong and well defined anti-racism project that needs support and time to launch.

BACKGROUND: The residency is named after Bayard Rustin who was a Quaker and an attender at 15th Street Monthly Meeting in New York City. This meeting (Quaker house of worship) is next to the Penington Friends House. Rustin worked commitedly for the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. He was an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on nonviolence. Rustin was also a chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a founding member of the Freedom Riders. He was an early advocate for gay rights. Rustin’s later work included a heavy focus on refugee affairs. Rustin served as Vice Chairman of the International Rescue Committee, helped to found the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees, and was Chairman of the Executive Committee of Freedom House. He died in 1987. In 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. ( Source rustinfund.org)

We are currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Bayard Rustin Residency. This is our 5th Bayard Residency.

The Bayard Rustin Residency is supported with funds from the Society of Friends (Quakers) New York Yearly Meeting, the New York Quarterly Meeting, the Brooklyn Monthly Meeting, the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, and the Board of Penington Friends House. Donations are currently being accepted.

penington.org/rustin-residency/

FICTION / NONFICTION — JANUARY 2025

ANN FRIEDMAN WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP

Ann Friedman

DEADLINE: January 3, 2025 by 11:59pm PST

INFO: The Ann Friedman Weekly Fellowship is an annual program for nonfiction writers who are not yet established in their careers. It includes mentorship and editing; a $5,000 stipend; regular check-ins to provide structure and accountability; and space in my newsletter where fellows can publish and promote their work. This program is funded by paying members of the Ann Friedman Weekly.

For the 2025 fellowship, I will provide support and accountability to two writers, who will each write and publish a newsletter of their own. Each fellow will come up with an editorial focus (or hone an existing one), create a workflow, and integrate feedback as they build a body of self-published work. I will, of course, welcome conversation about other writing projects and offer broader advice throughout the year. But the newsletter will be their main fellowship focus.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

• Who I’m looking for: Nonfiction writers who don’t have (m)any published clips, who aren’t well-connected to editors, who don’t have a substantial social media following. I’m looking for people who are already writing and developing their skills. I invite people from populations that are underrepresented in media to apply. (I know most job listings have a line like this, but I really and truly mean it. Please apply!) For reasons related to scheduling calls and time zones, I am limiting this to writers who live in the United States.

• Compensation: A stipend of $5,000. This fellowship is not a full-time job and will not provide any health insurance benefits. Think of it more like a year-long, highly personalized workshop with steady mentorship.

• Commitment: We’ll do a monthly Zoom check-in, and you will have space in my newsletter at least once a month, too. Your time commitment will be variable, but I think it’s safe to say a few hours per week. I expect you to engage with your fellow fellow (lol) and with me, and to meet the deadlines we set together.

• Why I’m doing this: I’m eager to share what I know about the craft and profession of writing, and I love having colleagues. For more context, read this.

• How to apply: Write me a letter, no longer than one page. In it,

• Tell me a little bit about who you are and the writing you’re currently doing.

• Then tell me about the newsletter you’d like to publish in 2025. It could be a limited series, or an ongoing project you hope to keep up after the fellowship ends. It could be just the germ of an idea, or something you’ve been working on for awhile that needs a refresh. Be as specific as you can.

• Tell me about the nonfiction writing skills you’re most eager to develop in the coming year. (Examples: Conducting great interviews, writing compelling titles/headlines, making the personal resonate more universally.) Put another way: How do you hope to improve over the course of the fellowship year?

• If you have a little space left, briefly tell me about the last thing you read and loved. What was so good about it?

• Title the document “[Your Name] AF WKLY 2025”

• Fill out this form and upload the letter. I will only consider applications submitted through the form.

• TIMELINE: Applications are due by 11:59pm PST on January 3, 2025. This deadline is strict. I will be in touch with all applicants by February 15. Fellowships begin March 3, 2025 and run through the end of the calendar year.

annfriedman.com/fellowship

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SHORT-TERM FELLOWSHIPS FOR WRITERS, ARTISTS, AND OTHER HUMANISTS

Newberry Library

DEADLINE: January 3, 2025

INFO: Newberry fellowships give researchers the time, space, and community required to pursue innovative and ground-breaking projects. Fellows advance scholarship in various fields, develop new interpretations, and expand our understanding of the past.

The Jan and Frank Cicero Fellowship - Offering one month of support for a person working in the visual and performing arts who wishes to advance their artistic practice through the use of the Newberry collection.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Artists and performers including (but not limited to) painters, sculptors, choreographers, dramaturgs, creative writers, composers, and others in artistic fields.

The Arthur and Lila Weinberg Fellowship for Independent Researchers - This fellowship is for writers, journalists, filmmakers, visual and performing artists, and other humanists who wish to use the Newberry’s collection to further their creative work. Preference is given to individuals working on projects that focus on social justice or reform.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Applicants must be individuals working outside of traditional academic settings.

The Historical Fiction Writing Fellowship - Offering one month of support for a person working in the area of historical fiction. We encourage applications relating to a wide range of historical fiction including novels, short stories, plays and theatrical works, or poetry.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Writers of historical fiction.

newberry.org/research/fellowships/short-term-fellowships

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: UNTHEMED SUMMER ISSUE

Mizna

DEADLINE: January 6, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: We write this call as the ongoing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza has passed its one year mark. In the midst of catastrophe and on the brink of new waves of fascism, we look towards cultural work— art, writing, music, film, and criticism— as the generative space in which our communities can come together in grief, rage, and solidarity as we redefine and upend our current world order. For this unthemed issue, we continue to encourage work that affirms the necessity of resistance and steadfastness against imposed structures of catastrophe; work that imagines new collectivities, new forms of struggle, new worlds.

We welcome writing which centers Palestine, Armenia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Morocco, Libya, and beyond, places directly affected by the worst of recent imperial devastations. As solidarity with Palestine continues to be met with harsher forms of censorship, doxxing, cancellation of awards and events, expulsion from universities, and firing from professional positions, we also encourage writing from our anti-Zionist comrades as well as those who have been subjected to the aforementioned silencing. While we welcome submissions from former contributors seeking a space for their work in this urgent moment, we also especially encourage submissions from writers who have never been published by us before. 

Mizna has long been a home for literature with innovative, experimental forms, as well as visual art that is published with high quality print production practices. As such, we especially encourage ongoing submissions of visual poetry work, or hybrid works that cross the arbitrary boundaries of genre. In general, literary works of poetry, visual poetry, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, comics, collage, invented forms, and any forms of mixed print or hybrid work will all be considered. 

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Submitters do not need to be SWANA or Arab identified, but work submitted should be considerate of Mizna’s ethos and the social realities of our audiences, as well as aim to contribute to ongoing conversations in and beyond our communities. Submitters may also decide to expand these social realities altogether. We encourage submitters to read back issues of Mizna before submitting work for consideration.

Mizna focuses on debut writing; please submit previously unpublished work. We do not accept visual art submissions. Simultaneous submissions are permissible, though we ask to be notified as soon as possible if the submission is accepted elsewhere. There are no submission fees. Selected contributors receive a $200 honorarium, a one-year subscription to Mizna, and five copies of the issue.

Please include a short cover letter (200 words or less), with a brief overview of the work you are submitting and why you are submitting to Mizna. Include a note disclosing any simultaneously submitted works.

1. Poets should list the poems they are submitting. 

2. Prose submissions should include a brief, 1–2 sentence overview of the submission (e.g., a synopsis if it is a story or narrative essay, or an overview of the argument for more expository essays). Keep in mind that we are a literary magazine.

3. Include a brief (50 words or less) author bio. 

4. Add a maximum of one sentence for any additional information you would like the editorial team to know about the work. 

5. Include contact information: email, phone number, and mailing address.

Please submit as .doc or .docx files. Submitting pdfs is allowable only for pieces with complex layouts. We do not accept other file formats (e.g., .pages). Prose submissions should be double spaced and limited to 5000 words. Please do not send us your term papers or thesis manuscripts for consideration. Poetry submissions should be limited to four poems of any length. Verses exceeding our page width will be treated with a run-over indent.

Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will NOT be considered. Unsolicited submissions sent to our email will be discarded.

COMPENSATION: Selected contributors receive a $200 honorarium, a 1-year subscription to Mizna, and 5 copies of the issue.

mizna.org/journal/submissions/

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WHAT CAN WE DO?

Asian American Arts Alliance (A4)

DEADLINE: January 7, 2024

INFO: What Can We Do? (WCWD?), presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), is a grant opportunity for artists looking to support the Asian and AAPI communities in NYC with engaging, creative projects rooted in care.

The lingering effects of the pandemics of COVID and anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate – including Islamophobia – continue to be felt today. In response, many mutual aid groups, direct service organizations, and community and business leaders have stepped in to take care of elders and other vulnerable Asian and AAPI community members across the city.

In addition, the ongoing genocide in Gaza has left Palestinian communities feeling unsafe and unsupported. AAPI artists, organizers, and care workers have come together to demand a ceasefire, raise awareness around the conflict in Gaza, and organize campaigns in support of Palestinian American artists and cultural workers who have been censored and banned from opportunities.

WCWD? gives artists a chance to find their place in the care ecosystem either by complementing existing services and offerings, or creating their own.

PROGRAM GOALS: For this program, a minimum of 15 NYC-based artists will be selected as project awardees by A4. Each artist will receive $1,500 to create and carry out ideas to engage, aid, and care for the Asian New Yorker community with a focus on Chinatown, Manhattan; Flushing, Queens; and/or social justice projects focused on the support of NYC-based Palestinian creators and their communities.

The project engagements must be completed within a four-month period (February 4–June 3, 2025).

Projects may take many forms such as performing music for seniors waiting in line at food pantries, leading workshops with youth to create ‘zines that reinforce positive aspects of AAPI culture, or organizing creative activities in support of the Palestinian community. While we prefer projects to be in-person activities, we understand that for safety reasons, projects might need to be virtual. You can review past projects here.

INFORMATION SESSION: An information session for those interested in applying will be held on Tuesday, November 19 from 12:00-1:00 pm ET via Zoom. You can RSVP for the information session here.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Are you a NYC-based artist, community leader, or social justice organizer interested in exploring and/or developing a creative project with the aim to offer care for the Asian community in New York? Do you feel you want to do something about anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate and violence and its effects on the community, but don’t know how to get started? Your skills and talents can make a difference, and we want to hear from you.

What Can We Do? is seeking 15 participants with a range of artistic expression, social justice/social impact expertise, organizing frameworks, and lived experiences.

REQUIREMENTS:

• A resident of New York City & primarily based in New York City during the program period

• Must be at least 21 years of age

• The project must benefit communities in Chinatown, Manhattan (District 1); Flushing, Queens (District 20); and/or social justice projects focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities.

• All disciplines and stages of artistic exploration/developments, activism, community organizing, educational practice, and thought leadership are welcome; No prior organizing experience required

• Demonstrate a willingness or an interest in community work and care for vulnerable populations

• Create or develop an existing or new project that centers community building, healing, reflection, and joy, and not limited to being solely reactionary to moments of crisis or protest

• Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate an intention to build an ongoing relationship and engagement with the community

• Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received the award, but anyone can apply

• The event(s) or project engagement(s) must take place within the four-month period between February 4–June 3, 2025

SELECTION CRITERIA:

After an eligibility screening, the A4 Team will be evaluating and selecting the awardees based on the following criteria:

• Community Impact: Will your proposed project have an impact, and show support, and care to AAPI communities? If your project is focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities, how does it impact the groups most affected by the issue? Do you have existing relationships or a desire to build/deepen relationships with residents of the communities on a long-term basis? Do you have an understanding of issues facing AAPI communities?

• Outreach Strategy: Do you have a clear plan to conduct outreach to community members? If you plan to work with a community organization, does your outreach strategy align with the scope and contents of your project? If your project is focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities, does your outreach strategy align with the goals and values of the movement and focus on local needs?

• Project Development and Creativity: Does your project contain a clear display of innovation, imagination, and/or creativity? Will participation in the WCWD program help you realize or shape your project?

• Ability to Commit and Viability: Is your project achievable given the proposed engagement dates and four-month timeline?

We strive for a balance of geography, populations served, and disciplines. These factors will also be taken into account when the applications are evaluated.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE + TIMELINE:

As part of the program, participants will:

• Carry out their event(s) or project engagement(s) anytime between February 4–June 3, 2025, providing periodical progress updates to A4

• Write and submit a simple, one-page report of their work including 2 photographs, the community they served, its impact, and any next steps

• Present their final project in-person or virtually at the end of the program in a public share out

• Receive an honorarium of $1,500 per awardee; please note that awardees will receive the first half of the honorarium ($750) upon signing the agreement and the second half of the honorarium ($750) upon completion of the final report

The program schedule is as follows:

• November 12, 2024 – Application opens

• November 19, 2024 – Pre-submission Information Session via Zoom (12-1pm ET)

• January 7, 2025 – Deadline for all submissions (by 11:59 pm ET)

• January 21, 2025 – Awardees selected and notified

• February 4–June 3, 2025 – Awardees carry out their projects

• June 5, 2025 – Final reports due

• June 12, 2025 (Tentative) – Public Share Out

This program is presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Special thanks to Council Members Christopher Marte and Sandra Ung. Projects focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities are supported by the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice.

aaartsalliance.org/opportunities/what-can-we-do

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Emerging Boston Art Writing Fellowship

Boston Art Review / Praise Shadows Art Gallery

DEADLINE: January 9, 2025 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: Now accepting applications for the 2025 art writing fellowship!

Presented in partnership with Praise Shadows Art Gallery, the program supports three individuals based in Boston ages eighteen through twenty-one who are interested in expanding their knowledge of the city’s contemporary art community through hands-on experience writing reviews, artist interviews, and exhibition texts while deepening their understanding of the operations behind a commercial gallery. This fellowship is not a traditional internship, but rather a curriculum-based program with learning at the center.

The program is a five-month commitment that begins with a crash course in art writing led by the team at Boston Art Review. In this part of the program (February–March), individuals participate in weekly workshops and field trips to cultivate their writing practices and relationships within Boston’s art community. Fellows will pitch, develop, and complete a project that is published with Boston Art Review in summer 2025.

For the second half of the program (April–May), fellows participate in paid, part-time internships at Praise Shadows Art Gallery in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner. Here, they learn the inner workings of a contemporary art gallery, including marketing and press release writing and engaging with the general public about the work on view.

In addition to workshops with local writers and arts leaders, past fellows have participated in sessions with editors from Triple Canopy and Book Art Review (part of Center for Book Arts) and met with an executive at Higher Ground (the Obamas’ media company). They also heard from Dr. Jovonna Jones, Nakia Hill, Jackie Houton, Jessica Shearer, and visited exhibitions at ICA / Boston, Boston Center for the Arts, and Northeastern’s Gallery 360.

Selected applicants must be available for virtual interviews January 21–23, 2025. The program will begin on February 4, 2025.

If you have questions about the fellowship program please contact Camila Bohan Insaurralde, programs and partnerships manager at camila@bostonartreview.com.

bostonartreview.com/writing-fellowship

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2025 BECHTEL PRIZE 

Teachers & Writers Magazine

DEADLINE: January 10, 2025

INFO: Each year Teachers & Writers Magazine awards the Bechtel Prize and a $1,000 honorarium for an essay describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. 

The Bechtel Prize is named for Louise Seaman Bechtel, who was an editor, author, collector of children’s books, and teacher. In 1919, Bechtel became the first person to lead a juvenile book department at an American publishing house. Bechtel helped establish the field of children’s literature and was a tireless advocate for the importance of literature in children’s lives. This award honors her legacy.

We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of creative writing in the classroom. We welcome essays about projects that carved a space for students to reflect on current events and social justice. The experience/project/activity should be one that:

• Helped students identify as writers.

• Opened new pathways to creative writing.

• Engaged students in all parts of the writing process.

• Promoted connections between reading and writing.

• Supported the publication of student writing.

The essay itself should:

• Share actual classroom experience, including how students engaged with the project (in other words, this should not be a planned project but one that has already taken place).

• Focus on the classroom experience and what makes it innovative.

• Focus on teaching creative writing (eg. poetry, fiction, memoir, playwriting).

• Please do not send essays that have to do with teaching academic writing or teaching literature in general.

PRIZE: The essay selected to receive the Bechtel Prize will be published in Teachers & Writers Magazine, and the author will receive a $1,000 award.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Essays must be previously unpublished and under 2,500 words. They should include a cover page with the essay title, author’s name, e-mail address, phone number, and a brief bio (no more than 150 words).

• Send submissions in Word or PDF format via Submittable.

• Submissions will be judged anonymously. The author’s name and address must not appear anywhere on the essay.

• Authors of the Bechtel Prize-winning essay and finalists must permit T&W to publish their essays in Teachers & Writers Magazine. T&W reserves the right to edit essays for publication.

• Submissions are only accepted through Submittable.com. Please do not email submissions.

• All submissions that conform to the above guidelines will be considered for general publication. Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be reviewed for the Bechtel Prize.

Selection criteria for the Bechtel Prize include the submission’s relevance and appropriateness for readers of Teachers & Writers Magazine, most of whom teach writing at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level. Teachers & Writers Magazine publishes work that is concise, lively, and geared toward a general audience. Prospective entrants for the Bechtel Prize are encouraged to visit the magazine to become familiar with the work of Teachers & Writers and to read past winners of the award. 

Questions regarding these guidelines may be sent to editors@twc.org. Please do not send submissions by email. 

teachersandwritersmagazine.org/bechtel-prize/

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Investigative Reporting Summer Internship

Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting

DEADLINE: January 10, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting is proud to announce that it will partner with news organizations across the country to offer 17 investigative reporting internships to collegiate journalists and recent college graduates during the summer of 2025.

This reflects an increase of six internships from 2024, and that number could grow before the selection process concludes. Two of the internships will be exclusively remote.

The internship places students in paid 10-12 week assignments working alongside investigative reporters and editors at some of the nation’s top news organizations. Students from traditionally underrepresented groups and those attending HBCUs and MSIs are especially encouraged to apply.

The Society will enjoy partnerships with eight returning news organizations and nine new ones.

The 2025 internship sites include renewed partnerships with:

• The Associated Press

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution

• Indianapolis Star

• Los Angeles Times

• Miami Herald

• The New York Times

• USA TODAY

• The Washington Post

New partnerships include:

• The New York Amsterdam News, the first Black Press partner in the internship program’s history.

• Bloomberg News, one of the largest business news organizations on earth with more than 2,700 journalists in more than 100 global bureaus and headquartered in New York, NY.

• The Current, a nonprofit accountability news organization serving the coastal region of Georgia, including Savannah, Brunswick and other communities. It is a part of the Scripps Howard Fund nonprofit newsroom internship program in partnership with the Institute for Nonprofit News.

• Dallas Morning News, one of the nation’s top paid-circulation and award-winning newspapers.

• The Kansas City Star, an award-winning daily that is part of the McClatchy news group. 

• Louisville Courier-Journal, a celebrated award-winning newspaper in Kentucky, which is part of the Gannett/USA TODAY Network.

• The Maine Monitor, an independent digital publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, which focuses on investigative and explanatory journalism that impacts residents of that state. It is a part of the Scripps Howard Fund nonprofit newsroom internship program in partnership with the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Two internships will be remote:

• The Examination, a globally based independent nonprofit news organization that investigates preventable health threats and seeks to empower communities adversely impacted by harmful industrial products and practices. Its team of journalists is dispersed in such locations as Houston, New York City, Chicago, Mexico City, London, Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, and parts of California and the Midwest. 

• Snopes, a fact-checking digital site and internet reference source that researches urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be members of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting. Join for free at this link.

Rising college juniors, seniors and graduate students, as well as individuals who graduated from college within the past three years with multimedia journalism skills, including print and broadcasting are welcome to apply.

Candidates should be actively involved in campus media or have other news reporting experience and a demonstrated desire to incorporate investigative reporting techniques into their work as they aspire to advance their careers.

The application requires a cover letter, a resume, five work samples and two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak about your journalistic abilities and would be willing to answer any follow-up questions from the selection committee.

idabwellssociety.org/news/2025-internship-applications-are-now-open/

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Wild Seeds Retreat for Writers of Color

Center for Black Literature

DEADLINE: January 10, 2025

INFO: The Wild Seeds Retreat provides writers of color with an opportunity to meet other writers; to workshop their writing among peers; and to engage with published writers about concerns and issues related to writing and publishing. Through its writing workshops leaders, the Retreat provides the public with an opportunity to become knowledgeable about the range and diversity of the work produced by writers of color.

Fellows will engage in daily writing, reading and sharing sessions with workshop leaders and cohort leaders. Fellows will also have an opportunity for one on one sessions with their workshop leader. A detailed itinerary will be provided to accepted fellows.

COST: Tuition is $400 for this VIRTUAL retreat. A limited number of scholarships are available, with a written rationale required upon applying.

DATES: The Online Retreat will take place February 20 – 23, 2025, from 10am-3pm each day.

FACILITATORS:

• Ladee Hubbard (Fiction)

• Phill Branch (Creative/Non-Fiction Memoir)

APPLICATION INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS:

The applicant’s submission packet must include a cover letter of introduction that includes:

1. The reason you want to participate in the Wild Seeds Retreat for Writers ofColor.

2. A statement about how you would benefit from this experience.

3. Background information about you as a writer.

4. Brief description of the project you are presently working on (if applicable).

5. A writing sample (up to five pages).

6. Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your writing. This will also be a separate upload in the application below.

7. A rationale for a scholarship if you are requesting one. Scholarships are very limited.

OUR BACKGROUND: The Wild Seeds Retreat for Writers of Color (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), began in 2004 as a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers. Today it continues to provide a writing community where established and emerging writers can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora.

Writing fellows have an opportunity to draw upon their experiences as writers in a racialized society; to become knowledgeable about the issues facing other writers of color; and to study with a professional in the genres of fiction, memoir, and poetry.

Recognizing that the Writers Retreat should not be limited to a specific geographical region, the Center renamed the Retreat in honor of Octavia E. Butler, a speculative fiction writer known globally for blending science fiction with African American spiritualism. Butler's writing crossed many boundaries and represented varying diverse voices.

centerforblackliterature.org/wild-seeds-retreat/

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Call for debut novels

Tin House

SUBMISSION PERIOD: January 11 - 12, 2025

INFO: Tin House offers a two-day submission period for writers to submit their work. Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks are okay). Per our schedule below, we accept works of fiction and poetry, both originally in English and in translation (please only submit translation projects which the translator has already been granted formal permission to translate), and ask that you do not send us a project unless you have a completed draft.

In particular, we are looking to engage with work by writers from historically underrepresented communities, including—but not limited to—those who are Black, Indigenous, POC, disabled, neurodivergent, trans and LGBTQIA+, debuting after 40, and without an MFA.

tinhouse.com/book-submissions

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2025 Memoir and Autobiographical Writing Workshop

Lewis Latimer House Museum

APPLICATIONS DUE: January 13, 2025 (Participants will be notified by January 27, 2025)

INFO: Queens, New York is known as the most diverse county in the United States. As our country grapples with issues of race and immigration in real time, the stories from our borough have an important role to play. The Lewis Latimer House Museum is pleased to present this fully funded opportunity to the writers of Queens!

Join our six-session writing workshop on memoir and autobiographical writing focusing on themes of race and immigration. We will dive into student work from day one, finding our voices, developing characters, creating context and backdrop, and honing our narratives. Everyone will have the opportunity to have their pieces reviewed in workshop three times, and will leave the course with a refined, voice-driven piece of personal writing.

Open to writers of all levels of experience.

INSTRUCTOR: Abeer Hoque

CLASS SIZE: 8 writers

COST: Free--All participants in the workshop will receive a scholarship from Lewis Latimer House Museum

WHEN:

*Participants must commit to all dates listed below.

• Pre-workshop meet-up (in-person): Saturday, February 8, 12:00 p.m. -- 1:00 p.m.

• Six Saturdays (virtual): March 8, March 22, April 5, April 19, May 3, May 17, 2:00 p.m. -- 4:30 p.m.

• Public reading (in-person): Saturday, May 31, 2:00 p.m. -- 4:00 p.m.

WHERE:

• Six workshop sessions via Zoom. Links will be shared with participants.

• In-person meet-up and public reading at Lewis Latimer House Museum.

lewislatimerhouse.org/events/2025memoirwritingapplication

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2025 EARLY CAREER ARTIST RESIDENCY - FOR MN + NY ARTISTS

Anderson Center at Tower View

DEADLINE: January 14, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency Program offers month-long residency-fellowships at Tower View to a cohort of emerging artists from Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City for concentrated, uninterrupted creative time to advance their personal artistic goals and projects.

Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency is an ideal fit for early-career artists in need of focused time and dedicated space in an inspiring residency work environment that empowers them take risks, embrace challenges, and utilize unconventional approaches to problem-solving.

Thanks to generous support from the Jerome Foundation, selected emerging artists receive a $625/week artist stipend, documentation support, art-making resources, lodging & studio space, a travel honorarium, groceries, and chef-prepared communal dinners.

Anderson Center is an artist community founded in 1995 on the Tower View estate, a venerable research-and-development lab for the arts rooted in an expansive natural setting in rural Red Wing, MN (approximately 1-hour outside the Twin Cities metro).

The Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency is geared toward generative art making, as well as exchange across an interdisciplinary cohort. The program is well suited for vocational early-career artists in pursuit of time, space, and resources to truly commit to a project and explore new creative territories. Critiques, studio visits, and formal professional development are not offered.

The Anderson Center seeks to support emerging writers and artists with an uncompromising drive to create new work at Tower View in September 2025 that demonstrates significant potential for cultural and community impact, is technically accomplished, and engages diverse communities. The organization also believes that the environment and resources of Tower View, along with an exchange of ideas between artists working across disciplines, can serve as a catalyst for new inspiration and innovative directions for the work emerging artists create while in residence.

TO APPLY:

The application deadline for the Anderson Center's 2024 Early Career Artist Residency Program is Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 12 p.m. Noon, Central Standard Time. Applications must be submitted on or before the deadline in order to be considered in the jury review period. There is no fee for applying to this residency program.

Jury review will take place in late January and early February. Applicants will be notified by Feb. 7 as to the status of their application. A phone interview process with finalists will take place in late February following a second round of jury review. Selected artist residents, wait-list and runners-up will be notified by March 4, 2024.

ABOUT ANDERSON CENTER: Anderson Center nurtures a vibrant artist community based at Tower View, an expansive Historic Site and natural area in Red Wing, Minnesota. Founded in 1995, the Anderson Center has renovated and restored Tower View's historic buildings to support working artists and the creative process, including developing twenty-two active studio spaces and three galleries. A renovated barn serves as a performance and event venue, the historic main residence houses artists-in-residence, and fifteen acres support a sculpture garden. 

Anderson's signature Artist Residency Program, together with the Studio Artist Program, forms the core of the organization's artistic community. The Residency Program provides artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment with dedicated time and space to create, advance, or complete new work. In addition to community engagement activities through the artist residency program, the organization's additional outreach programs create connections and integrate the arts into community life through local partnerships, hosting annual arts events, and participating in other community-based initiatives.

ABOUT JEROME FOUNDATION: The Jerome Foundation, founded in 1964 by artist and philanthropist Jerome Hill (1905-1972), honors his legacy through multi-year grants to support the creation, development, and presentation of new works by early career artists. The Foundation makes grants to vocational early career artists, and those nonprofit arts organizations that serve them, in all disciplines in the state of Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City. The Jerome Foundation is generously providing support for the Anderson Center’s Emerging Artist Residency Program.

LOCATION: Anderson Center is located on the 350-acre historic Tower View campus, built by scientist & farmer Dr. Alexander Pierce Anderson between 1915 and 1921, on the western edge of Red Wing, Minnesota, and its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Center features a large sculpture garden, and is adjacent to the Cannon Valley Trail, a 20-mile biking and walking trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Red Wing. The Center is 45-60 minutes southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Transportation is provided between the Center and the Twin Cities airport on the first and last day of residencies only. Artist Residents that choose to drive will have access to private parking on the property.

The community of Red Wing, Minn., (pop. 16,000) is nestled amidst the scenic bluffs of the upper Mississippi River.

DEFINITION OF “EARLY CAREER”: While Anderson Center’s general Artist Residency Program hosts artists with a wide range of talent and experience, its Early Career Artist Residency Program exclusively focuses on meeting the specific needs of artists who are in the early stages of their artistic development and career.

Anderson Center’s goal is to support artists early in their careers who create work that is and/or has the potential to be:

• Compelling—offering distinctive vision and authentic voice;

• Deeply considered, imaginative, and executed with attention to craft and with technical proficiency, providing artistic experiences that communicate unique perspective/s, and invite viewers to question, discover, explore new ideas in new ways;

• Innovative and risk-taking—engaging, questioning, challenging or re-imagining conventional artistic forms.

Anderson Center defines an early career artist as someone in the early stages of their creative development with 2-10 years of generative experience, and:

• have a focused direction and goals, even while still developing their artistic “voice”

• have yet to be substantially celebrated within their field, the media, funding circles or the public at large

• are vocational (as opposed to avocational, academic, amateur or educational) artists

Artists who have been in the field for longer than 10 years (excluding any time in a degree-granting program; as a dancer in work created by others; remounting the work of other choreographers; or time away from working as an artist due to circumstances–e.g., having children, caring for family members, long-term illness, etc.) are generally not eligible, even if they feel under-recognized. Age is not a factor in determining emerging artist status.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:

The four primary eligibility guidelines for Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency are:

1. Legal residency in the State of Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City.

2. Not enrolled in any degree-granting program from time of application through residency period.

3. Self-identification as an “early career artist” with 2-10 years of generative experience in the field

4. An artistic practice centered in generating and creating entirely new work.

Minnesota or New York City artists - Artists must currently be legal residents of Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City and have been residents for at least one year prior to the submission of an application. Artist did (or will) file US federal taxes as a resident of Minnesota or New York City. Account address in Submittable must be within MN or NYC. Selected artists will be required to provide proof of Minnesota or New York City residency before a residency is formally offered. Artists must have a US Social Security Number or US Tax ID.

No students - Students enrolled in any degree-granting program from the time of application through the residency period are not eligible to apply for an Early Career Artist Residency at the Anderson Center (this includes any and all K-12, technical school, college, graduate, postgraduate, ABD studies). There are no exceptions to this eligibility criterion. If an artist is pursuing a degree-granting program in some form, they are not eligible. Please do not contact Anderson Center staff regarding technical situations or special edge cases around student status. This program supports vocational artists, not students. No matter the specifics or details, if an artist can be considered a student of a degree-granting program in any way, they are simply not eligible.

“Early Career Artist” Status – Eligible artists self-identify as an “early career artist” and are in the early stages of their creative development with 2-10 years of generative experience. The Anderson Center’s goal is to serve a spectrum of artists typically in their 2nd to 10th year of creative practice, post-student status (if applicable). This spectrum is framed by artists with some track record of creating and presenting full work (not beginning artists), and artists who are NOT at a point in their careers where they receive consistent development and production opportunities and significant recognition, awards, and acclaim (not mid-career or established artists).

Artists who have been in the field for longer than 10 years (excluding any time in a degree-granting program; as a dancer in work created by others; remounting the work of other choreographers; or time away from working as an artist due to circumstances–e.g., having children, caring for family members, long-term illness, etc.) are generally not eligible, even if they feel under-recognized.

Age is not a determining factor. Career stage is assessed by the cumulative number of years an artist has been generating their own work. Mid-career or established artists shifting from one artistic discipline to another will not be considered early career. For example, a composer with a substantial career in music who is now moving into film will not be considered early career.

Anderson Center has defined the 2–10 year span recognizing that some artists may experience enormous success and move past early career status well before their 5th year or 10th year. The organization recognizes that the number of opportunities afforded to artists may differ significantly based on discipline, race/ethnicity, class, gender, physical ability, and geography among other factors. Consequently, some artists may be past their 10th year and still be on the spectrum of early career status due to taking time out of active artistic practice for school or other circumstances. The Anderson Center understands that the lack of an absolute or rigid definition leaves room for interpretation but embraces this flexibility out of our value around diversity and in recognition of the many variables that impact artists’ careers.

New Work – Eligible artists are generating and creating entirely new work (rather than interpreting, translating, arranging, copying, remounting pre-existing work or the work of others). Generative artists are those who conceive and create new original work (e.g., choreographers, composers, playwrights and devisers, filmmakers, writers, visual artists, etc.). This program does not support artists who solely perform or develop/produce the work of others (e.g., dancers, musicians, actors, editors, journalists, etc.).

Collaboratives - Artists that are part of an artistic collective, partnership, or collaborative are welcome to apply, but collaborative residencies are also rare. The program is extremely competitive, and space is simply limited. Each artist must also complete their own application form. Obviously, each application will repeat things and have much overlap. That is OK. In the work plan for in each application, highlight that artist's contribution / skills, while making clear the collaborative nature of the project.

Notes - Artists of all disciplines are eligible and are encouraged to apply. Applications must be submitted through the Anderson Center’s online webform via Submittable.

Please direct any questions regarding early career artist status and eligibility requirements directly to Anderson Center at Tower View staff at 651-388-2009 or info@andersoncenter.org.

APPLICATION: A completed application form includes a brief artist statement, a work plan, an early career statement, work samples, and a resume or CV. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed by the panel. You may begin your application, leave and return as many times as necessary to complete the form PRIOR to clicking the submit button at the bottom of the completed form. Important: do not submit your application form until you are completely finished editing as your application will be finalized at that time.

If you are a prior resident of the Anderson Center, you must wait one year from the time of your residency to apply again.

The Artist Statement, provides an opportunity for you to share, in 100 words or less, a brief statement or summary about your past and current work.

The Resume, CV, or Biographical Statement is a Word or PDF document that shows education, work experience, publications, awards, and previous residency experience. 3 pages maximum.

The Work Plan is a one page Word or PDF document that clearly and concisely describes what you are working on and what you’d like to accomplish at the Anderson Center. Successful applicants address how the timing, location, and cohort-based model of the residency would benefit their practice. Artists may also mention how specific amenities or resources at the Anderson Center (such as the surrounding natural environment, specific studio spaces or equipment) would advance their work. The statement can be single-spaced.

An Early Career Statement addresses, in 250 words or less, your status as an emerging artist or early-career artist. How would participating in this program impact or advance your practice as an early career artist? In what ways would this program meet your needs as an early career artist? Why is this residency important to this stage of your career path? How do you identify as an early career artist? 

Work Samples should be of recent work and should include:
     · For composers and musicians: 3 recordings
     · For visual artists: At least 5 images of work (300 dpi or larger)
     · For nonfiction and fiction writers: 10 pages of double-spaced prose
     · For playwrights & screenwriters: 10-page excerpt (does not need to be from the beginning)
     · For poets: 10 pages of poetry
     · For translators: 10 pages of translation and original text
     · For performance artists: 3 short video excerpts of performances (no videos longer than 5 minutes)
     · For filmmakers: at least 3 short film clips (no videos longer than 5 minutes)
     · For Scholars: 10 pages of work, including research abstracts and relevant diagrams

If you are an interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary artist, you may "split the difference" on the work sample guidelines above at your own discretion. For example, including 5 pages of writing and 3 images, etc. 

Likewise you may also choose to simply submit a PDF or Word Doc with hyperlinks to work samples that meet the guidelines outlined above.

Regarding work samples, please put yourself in the shoes of a jury panel member. Make it easy for them to review your best work first. Yes, give the jury various ways to go deeper or experience more if they are motivated but focus first on presenting only your strongest work samples in the most compelling way possible. Please contact staff if you have questions about work samples, but reflecting on the jury and the many applications they have to review & score can serve as a helpful guide in deciding what to include, how much to share, how long it can be, and how to present it.

DURATION OF RESIDENCY: The Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency Program is a 4-week residency-fellowship the month of September 2025. Selected artists must commit to arriving on September 2 and departing on September 29. September is the only month the program takes place.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Each artist-in-residence receives:

• $625/week artist stipend

• Travel honorarium ($550 for New Yorkers and $150 for Minnesotans)

• $450 documentation budget (services for photography, video, audio, etc.)

Evening dinners are prepared and presented by the Anderson Center chef Monday through Friday. The chef also shops for meal items for artist residents, and residents are responsible for preparing their own breakfasts and lunches, and meals over the weekends. There are also housekeepers who clean and maintain the historic facilities.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Each resident is provided room, board, and workspace for the length of the residency period in the historic Tower View residence. Visual artists are provided a 15' x 26' studio and are responsible for supplying their own materials.  Other workspaces on site include a dark room, and a print studio (with a Vandercook 219 letterpress and a Charles Brand-like etching press) for printmakers with demonstrated experience. Practice space is also available for dancers, choreographers, and musicians. Composers are provided with access to a 1904 Steinway piano and a Royale grand piano.

Residents have access to the many walking trails on campus and to the Cannon Valley Trail, which goes through the Anderson Center’s property. Bicycles are also provided. Residents have responded to many different aspects of the gorgeous Tower View campus through their work, including composers sampling natural sounds and visual artists harvesting plant materials to create site-specific natural inks.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The program is set-up to minimize distractions and other obligations so that artists have every opportunity to fully focus on their work. However, the Anderson Center was one of the first artist residency programs in the country to require that residents give back to the local community and connect with area residents & organizations through community engagement activities.

Staff work with artists to facilitate and customize at least one hour of mutually beneficial exchange with the Red Wing community that helps foster connection and greater a sense of place.

Within the last few years, Anderson Center residents have connected with schools in five area communities (ranging from elementary through college), senior centers, correctional or detention facilities, community organizations serving children and families, and community organizations serving adults. Residents have also engaged individuals from all walks of life through public workshops, events, discussions, and artful interventions -- both at the Anderson Center or in the community of Red Wing.

PROGRAM MISSION & VALUES: As an interdisciplinary arts organization, the Anderson Center embraces artists who are diverse in every way. Since its inception, the organization has intentionally worked with artists representing a wide range of disciplines, with the belief that the exchange of ideas is generative. The residency program supports artists from around the world, representing a wide range of cultures, races, sexual identities and genders. The Center strives to bring people and ideas together and operates with a spirit of welcome for all.

SELECTION TIMELINE:

• January 14, 2025 (12:00 p.m. Noon CST) – application deadline

• February 7, 2025 – Jury has selected Round 2 applications. All artists are notified of the status of their application.

• February 25, 2025 – Jury has determined finalists. Phone interviews with finalists begin.  

• March 4, 2025 – Final notification to selected artists, wait-list and runners-up

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Selection criteria include (in order of importance):

1. Artistic excellence as demonstrated by work samples, resume and artist statement

2. Potential benefit and impact on career as demonstrated by work plan

3. Balance of artistic disciplines, identity, geography, etc within selected cohort

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Anderson Center provides equal opportunity for all people to participate in and benefit from the activities of the Center, regardless of race, national origin, color, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, in admission, access, or employment. The Anderson Center staff is willing to do what they can to accommodate residents with disabilities. Please call before applying to discuss special needs.

theandersoncenter.submittable.com/submit

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2025 ANDERSON CENTER RESIDENCY

Anderson Center at Tower View

DEADLINE: January 14, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: Anderson Center nurtures a vibrant artist community based at Tower View, an expansive Historic Site and natural area in Red Wing, Minnesota. Founded in 1995, the Anderson Center has renovated and restored Tower View's historic buildings to support working artists and the creative process, including developing twenty-two active studio spaces and three galleries. A renovated barn serves as a performance and event venue, the historic main residence houses artists-in-residence, and fifteen acres support a sculpture garden.

Anderson's signature Artist Residency Program, together with the Studio Artist Program, forms the core of the organization's artistic community. The Residency Program provides artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment with dedicated time and space to create, advance, or complete new work. In addition to community engagement activities through the artist residency program, the organization's additional outreach programs create connections and integrate the arts into community life through local partnerships, hosting annual arts events, and participating in other community-based initiatives.

ELIGIBILITY: The Anderson Residency Program is open to early career, mid-career, and established visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, multidisciplinary artists, musicians, performance artists, scholars, and translators from across the globe. The program is interdisciplinary and the organization welcomes applications from a wide range of creative and intellectual genres, including those that don't fit neatly into the above list.

To be considered, artists must submit an application through the Anderson Center’s online form via Submittable. Complete program details are below. Please contact the organization at 651-388-2009 or info@andersoncenter.org for any questions.

DURATION OF RESIDENCY: For the 2025 season, the Anderson Center is offering 2- or 4-week residency sessions during the months of August and October. Preference is generally given to 4-week residencies. That said, 2-weeks sessions are possible. There is a 48-hour turnover between residency sessions, no matter their duration, to allow time for housekeeping. Specific start and end dates are listed in the application form. Please plan your requested residency dates carefully. Provide as much detail as possible regarding your availability, as that information is incredibly helpful in assembling cohorts and organizing the waitlist.

September 2024 residencies are reserved for the organization’s Early Career Artist Residency.

2025 SCHEDULING & AVAILABILITY:

Each season the Anderson Center hosts a limited number of artists through its various exchanges, fellowships, and dedicated programs that reduce the number of spots available for artists submitting materials for this General Residency program opportunity. In 2025 exterior renovations to the residence limit the residency options to the months of August and October.

Availability as of September 2024:

• August 2025 - Four 4-week spots (or eight 2-week spots); space for 4-6 artists depending on duration. 

• October 2025 - Three 4-week spots (or 6 2-week spots); space for 3 – 5 artists depending on duration.

In general, for months that incorporate 2-week sessions, no fewer than four artists–and no more than six artists would be scheduled for 2-week residencies within that month.

Due to the competitiveness of the program, the organization's goal is to be upfront and transparent about the availability for the General Residency program in 2025 in an effort to help you make a decision about whether this year is the best time to submit an application. Again, please contact us if you have any questions or need further clarification here.

LOCATIONThe Anderson Center is located on the 350-acre historic Tower View campus, built by scientist & farmer Dr. Alexander Pierce Anderson between 1915 and 1921, on the western edge of Red Wing, Minnesota, and its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Center features a large sculpture garden, and is adjacent to the Cannon Valley Trail, a 20-mile biking and walking trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Red Wing.

The Center is 45- 60 minutes southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Transportation is provided between the Center and the Twin Cities airport on the first and last day of residencies only. Artist Residents that choose to drive will have access to private parking on the property. The community of Red Wing, Minn., (pop. 16,000) is nestled amidst the scenic bluffs of the upper Mississippi River.

APPLICATION: A completed application form includes a brief artist statement, a work plan, work samples, and a resume or CV. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed by the panel. You may begin your application, leave and return as many times as necessary to complete the form PRIOR to clicking the submit button at the bottom of the completed form. Important: do not submit your application form until you are completely finished editing as your application will be finalized at that time. If you are a prior resident of the Anderson Center, you must wait one year from the time of your residency to apply again.

The Artist Statement, provides an opportunity for you to share, in 100 words or less, a brief statement or summary about your past and current work.

The Resume, CV, or Biographical Statement is a Word or PDF document that shows education, work experience, publications, awards, and previous residency experience. 3 pages maximum.

The Work Plan is a one-page Word or PDF document that clearly and concisely describes what you are working on and what you’d like to accomplish at the Anderson Center. Successful applicants address how the timing, location, and cohort-based model of the residency would benefit their practice. Artists may also mention how specific amenities or resources at the Anderson Center (such as the surrounding natural environment, specific studio spaces or equipment) would advance their work. The statement can be single-spaced.

Work Samples should be of recent work and should include:

• For composers and musicians: 3 to 5 recordings

• For visual artists: At least 5 images of work (300 dpi or larger)

• For nonfiction and fiction writers: 10 pages of double-spaced prose

• For playwrights & screenwriters: 10-page excerpt (does not need to be from the beginning)

• For poets: 10 pages of poetry

• For translators: 10 pages of translation and original text

• For performance artists: 3 short video excerpts of performances (no videos longer than 5 minutes)

• For filmmakers: at least 3 short film clips (no videos longer than 5 minutes)

• For Scholars: 10 pages of work, including research abstracts and relevant diagrams

If you are an interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary artist, you may "split the difference" on the work sample guidelines above at your own discretion. For example, including 5 pages of writing and 3 images, etc. 

Likewise you may also choose to simply submit a PDF or Word Doc with hyperlinks to work samples that meet the guidelines outlined above.

Regarding work samples, please put yourself in the shoes of a jury panel member. Make it easy for them to review your best work first. Yes, give the jury various ways to go deeper or experience more if they are motivated but focus first on presenting only your strongest work samples in the most compelling way possible. Please contact staff if you have questions about work samples, but reflecting on the jury and the many applications they have to review & score can serve as a helpful guide in deciding what to include, how much to share, how long it can be, and how to present it.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Each resident is provided room, board, and workspace for the length of the residency period in the historic Tower View residence. Visual artists will be provided a 15' x 26' studio and are responsible for supplying their own materials. Other workspaces on-site include a dark room and a print studio for professional printmakers (with a Vandercook 219 letterpress and a Charles Brand-like etching press). Practice space is also available for dancers, choreographers, and musicians. Composers are provided with access to a 1906 Steinway piano and a Royale grand piano.

Dinners are prepared and presented by the Anderson Center chef Monday through Friday. This chef also shops for groceries for artists-in-residence. Residents are responsible for preparing their own breakfasts and lunches, and meals over the weekends. There are also housekeepers who clean and maintain the historic facilities.

Residents have access to the many walking trails on campus and to the Cannon Valley Trail, which goes through the Anderson Center’s property. Bicycles are also provided. There is a very basic home gym in the residence. Residents have responded to many different aspects of the gorgeous Tower View campus through their work, including composers sampling natural sounds and visual artists harvesting plant materials to create site-specific natural inks.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The program is set-up to minimize distractions and other obligations so that artists have every opportunity to fully focus on their work. However, the Anderson Center was one of the first artist residency programs in the country to require that residents give back to the local community and connect with area residents & organizations through community engagement activities.

Staff work with artists to facilitate and customize at least one hour of mutually beneficial exchange with the Red Wing community that helps foster connection and greater a sense of place.

Within the last few years, Anderson Center residents have connected with schools in five area communities (ranging from elementary through college), senior centers, correctional or detention facilities, community organizations serving children and families, and community organizations serving adults. Residents have also engaged individuals from all walks of life through public workshops, events, discussions, and artful interventions -- both at the Anderson Center or in the community of Red Wing.

PROGRAM MISSION & VALUES:

"This stay is particularly suitable for artists who want to devote themselves intensively to the realization of a concept. Here you can devote yourself to artistic work undisturbed and far away from everyday worries." - Eva Möseneder, 2012 resident

Anderson Center’s goal is for connections participating artists make with one another, as well as connections made with other creatives and community members, to outlast the duration of their residency visit. The organization believes that the environment and resources of Tower View, along with an exchange of ideas across disciplines, can serve as a catalyst for new inspiration and innovative directions for the work artists create while in residence.

As an interdisciplinary arts organization, the Anderson Center embraces artists who are diverse in every way. Since its inception, the organization has intentionally worked with artists representing a wide range of disciplines, with the belief that the exchange of ideas is generative. The residency program supports artists from around the world, representing a wide range of cultures, races, sexual identities and genders. The Center strives to bring people and ideas together and operates with a spirit of welcome for all.

SELECTION TIMELINE:

• January 14, 2025 (12:00 p.m. Noon CST) – application deadline

• February 7, 2025 – Jury has selected Round 2 applications. All artists are notified of the status of their status.

• March 5, 2025 – Final notification to selected artists, wait-list and runners-up

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Selection criteria include (in order of importance):

1. Artistic excellence as demonstrated by work samples, resume and artist statement

2. Potential benefit and impact on career as demonstrated by work plan

3. Balance of artistic disciplines, identity, geography, etc within selected cohort

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Anderson Center provides equal opportunity for all people to participate in and benefit from the activities of the Center, regardless of race, national origin, color, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, in admission, access, or employment. The Anderson Center staff is willing to do what they can to accommodate residents with disabilities. Please call before applying to discuss special needs.

theandersoncenter.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR FICTION SUBMISSIONS

Shenandoah

SUBMISSIONS OPEN: January 15, 2024

INFO: Submissions will be considered by Editorial Fellow Anes Ahmed. Here’s what he’s looking for:

“For the curation of my issue, there will be no themed call, as I personally find themes somewhat restrictive. Rather I seek all types of fascinations, panoramas and menageries. But, if it is of any value, I find myself chronically obsessed and drawn towards subversion, lingual and historical experimentations, as well as certain archetypes within prose—the destructive despot, the vanishing artist, the beautiful revolutionary, the anti-flaneur employee, the lost citizen, the consequential progenitor, the animate insentience, & the brief lover. Additionally, stories whose settings, characters, and telling exists outside the mythological container that is America are particularly welcome. The ideal word count would be 3,000 to 4,000 words, but if you’re a rule breaker like me, you’ll break whatever rules necessary to tell the full truth of your story.”

www.instagram.com

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CAI EMMONS FICTION AWARD

Red Hen Press

DEADLINE: January 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: To honor the life and enduring legacy of beloved novelist Cai Emmons, who published three novels through Red Hen Press (Weather Woman, Sinking Islands, and Livid) and who passed away with dignity on January 2, 2023 after a hard-fought battle with ALS, Red Hen Press is proud to announce the Cai Emmons Fiction Award.

We are so grateful to Cai and her family for choosing to endow this award to keep Cai’s spirit and love of life-changing fiction alive.

We are looking for a fresh and original story of fiction with a minimum of 150 pages. The awarded fiction manuscript is selected through an annual submission process which is open to all authors.

AWARD DETAILS:

• $5000

• Book publication by Red Hen Press

• Judge: E.P. Tuazon

Notes: Name on cover sheet only, with a 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font). Entries will be accepted via Submittable only.

GUIDELINES:

The award is open to all writers with the following exceptions:

• Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press;

• Employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press;

• Relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors;

• Relatives or individuals having a personal or professional relationship with any of the final judges where they have taken any part whatsoever in shaping the manuscript, or where, for whatever reason, selecting a particular manuscript might have the appearance of impropriety.

PROCEDURES + ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

To be certain that every manuscript finalist receives the fairest evaluation, all manuscripts shall be submitted to the judges without any identifying material.

Bios, acknowledgments, and other identifying material shall be removed from judged manuscripts until the conclusion of the competition.

Red Hen Press is committed to maintaining the utmost integrity of our awards. Judges shall recuse themselves from considering any manuscript where they recognize the work. In the event of recusal, a manuscript score previously assigned by the managing editor of the press will be substituted.

For questions or to withdraw a submitted entry, please contact editorial@redhen.org.

redhen.org/awards/cai-emmons-fiction-award/

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OPEN CALL: 2025 BIPOC ART RESIDENCY

Ma’s House

DEADLINE: January 15, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Ma’s House’s Artist-In-Residency program is open to US-based creatives of color working in any genre of visual art, creative writing, and performance arts.

We encourage resident artists to pursue work that relates to or is inspired by Shinnecock’s history, the local landscape, community based work, and critical engagement in issues of diversity, race, and identity.

E:IGIBILITY - The Ma’s House Artist Residency is open to national and international BIPOC artists 21+ years of age. A variety of disciplines are accepted including, but not limited to: visual arts, media/new genre, performance, architecture, film/video, literature, interdisciplinary arts, and music composition. Solo artists are a eligible to apply. 

Applicants will be chosen based on project proposals, artistic merit, feasibility/logistics of the residency, and how the artist will benefit from working at Ma’s House and Shinnecock.

RESIDENCY LENGTH - Residencies will be scheduled by mutual agreement between accepted resident artists and Ma’s House year-round.

Residencies can be a minimum of a weekend and a maximum of two weeks. Artists from federally recognized tribes may apply for up to six months.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS - Residents will be required to participate in a minimum of one public program during their stay (open rehearsals, workshops, studio visits, lectures, or artist talks).

Engaging with or researching Shinnecock artists, east-end artists, and local art institutions  is strongly recommended before arrival.

RESIDENCY COSTS - There is no fee to apply or fee to attend. Residents will be responsible for their own groceries and meals.

Thanks to the Creatives Rebuild New York grant, we are grateful to offer $250.00 per week honorariums for visiting artists. (Or about $35.70 per day if staying more or less than a week)

RESIDENCY EXPERIENCE - Ma’s House is located in a quiet and remote part of the Shinnecock Reservation. Applicant artists should expect a retreat-style residency.

The lead artist of Ma’s House (Jeremy Dennis) also lives at Ma’s House.

SHINNECOCK INDIAN NATION - Ma’s House & BIPOC Artist Residency is located on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation, a sovereign self-governing nation in Southampton, NY.

The residency presents a privilege of being a guest of the nation. We ask that you be respectful to our community by respecting the privacy and space of others on the reservation and to not wander alone through the territory. 

TRANSPORTATION, RESIDENCY CAR, & LOCATION - Ma’s House is located on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, NY (about two hours from NYC).

Resident artists traveling from NYC have the option of using the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), Hampton Jitney, or drive with their own vehicle. We can arrange for pickup and drop off at the train station or bus stop in Southampton.

As of 2023, we now have a donated vehicle dedicated to resident artist use. Resident artists may use public transit or drive their own car to Ma’s House and decide to use our vehicle. Resident artist will be asked to fill out an additional car usage form and car use is restricted to a one hour radius drive around Ma’s House and no overnight trips with the vehicle.

Uber, Lyft, and car rentals are available nearby.

FACILITIES - Ma’s House has an assortment of woodworking tools, basic art materials including tempera paints, brushes, scissors, colored pencils, crayons, glue sticks, hot glue guns, exacto knives, assortment of beads, and more.

At the moment we do not have a ceramic kiln, metal working tools, 3d printing, or a formal dance platform, but hope to one day!

THE HOMEBODY FELLOWSHIP - Announcing an open call fellowship for QTBIPOC artists based in the San Francisco Bay Area for the Artist Residency Program at Ma’s House! Two chosen artists will be awarded an unrestricted $750 during the residency which spans 2-4 weeks at Ma’s House on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, NY.

This opportunity is made possible by the Homebody Fund, a small donor-advised fund at East Bay Community Foundation, resourcing POC—especially QTPOC—spiritual/healing spaces that support community leadership and cultural transformation in decolonial movements for liberation, especially in the East Bay Area.

.mashouse.studio/residency/

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REGULAR READING PERIOD

Ploughshares

DEADLINE: January 15, 2025 at noon EST

INFO: Ploughshares welcomes unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction during our regular reading period. The literary journal is published four times a year: blended poetry and prose issues in the Winter and Spring, a prose issue in the Summer, and a special longform prose issue in the Fall. Our Spring and Summer issues are guest-edited by different writers of prominence.

Guest editors are invited to solicit up to half of their issues, with the other half selected from manuscripts submitted to the journal and screened for them by staff editors. This guest-editor policy, which we have used since our founding in 1971, is designed to introduce readers to different literary circles and tastes, and to offer a fuller representation of the range and diversity of contemporary letters than would be possible with a single editorship.

MANUSCRIPT GUIDELINES:

We accept up to 6,500 words of prose, and 1-5 pages of poetry. 

If you are submitting to our Fall Longform issue, we accept up to 15,000 words. Please note that past Longform issue contributors may not be published again in a future Longform issue. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained, and translations are welcome if permission has been granted by the original author. 

Queries to the Look2 Critical Essay series are welcome (see guidelines here).

It would be much appreciated if you kept the following in mind when submitting your work:

• Typed, double-spaced pages. (Single-spacing is welcome for poetry).

• Numbered pages.

• If in hard copy, submit with text on one side of the page.

We do not consider:

• Unsolicited book reviews and criticism.

• Previously published work. If your submission is part of a forthcoming book, let us know in your cover letter and the expected publication date.

• Work written by individuals currently affiliated with Ploughshares or Emerson College as a volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.

We cannot accommodate revisions, changes of return address, or forgotten SASEs. We cannot be responsible for delay, loss, or damage.

COVER LETTERS:

We encourage you to include a short cover letter with your submission. It should reference:

• Major publications and awards.

• Any association or past correspondence with a guest or staff editor.

• Past publication in Ploughshares.

CONTRIBUTOR HONORARIUM:

Payment is upon publication:

• $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author.

• Two contributor copies of the issue.

• A discounted rate for additional contributor copies.

• A one-year subscription.

SIMULTANEOUS VS. MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS:

We do not consider multiple submissions, so please send only one manuscript at a time, either by mail or online. Do not send a second submission until you have heard about the first. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are welcome as long as they are identified as such and we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. 

If you are working on submissions with an agent, or are an agent submitting work on behalf of an author, please read our note on simultaneous submissions with an agent.

SUBMIT ONLINE:

Submit via our online submission manager. 

If this is your first time submitting, please fill out the submission form first, then click “Add to Cart.” You will then be prompted to create an account on our website.

• There is a $3.75 service fee for online submissions (current subscribers may submit online without charge). This is not a reading fee.

• Upload your submission as a Word (.doc, .docx), rich-text format (.rtf) file, or PDF. No .Pages, .txt, or Open Office Documents.

• Upload only one file containing one prose piece or one to five pages of poems.

• Type or paste your cover letter into the provided “Cover Letter” field.

• From the drop-down genre menu, be sure to select the appropriate genre of the work you are submitting. Please select “Longform” for longform submissions, regardless of genre.

FREE ONLINE SUBMISSIONS:

Subscribe to Ploughshares and submit online for free. You may subscribe here. If you are a current subscriber, you will still be prompted to checkout, but you will not be required to enter your credit card information and will not be charged.

SUBMIT BY MAIL;

We greatly prefer digital submissions, but you may mail submissions to:

Ploughshares
Emerson College
120 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116-4624

• Mail your manuscript in a page-size manila envelope with your full name and address written on the outside (at least an inch down from the top, to account for USPS barcodes).

• Identify the genre of your manuscript on the outside of the envelope.

• You must include your email address in your cover letter.  All manuscript replies will be sent via email, and we cannot process a mailed submission without a corresponding email address.

• If you are an incarcerated writer and do not have access to an email address, please provide the email address of a trusted individual or indicate in your cover letter that you do not have access to email. 

• If you would like your full manuscript to be returned, indicate this in your cover letter and ensure that you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with adequate postage.

• We cannot return manuscripts to international addresses, even with IRCs.

• There is no service charge for mail submissions.

Unsolicited work sent directly to a guest editor’s home or office will be ignored and discarded; guest editors are formally instructed not to read such work.

ACCESSING YOUR SUBMISSIONS:

You can view the status of your current submission as well as a list of your past submissions at any time by logging in to your account and clicking “My Submissions.”

NOTIFICATIONS + QUERIES:

Expect three to five months for a decision (our backlog is heaviest during the fall and spring). We receive well over a thousand manuscripts a month, so please be patient. We accept queries after five months have passed. Queries as well as withdrawal notifications should be sent via email or the mail. They should include:

• Your name.

• The date, genre, and title of the submission.

• Whether the submission was sent by mail or online.

• A SASE, if you send your query via mail.

pshares.org/submit/journal/

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Short Story Contest

Driftwood Press

DEADLINE: January 15, 2025

SUBMISSION FEE: $30

INFO: Driftwood Press is currently open for submissions to its Short Story Contest.

To alleviate wait times on your end, we will be declining and accepting submissions as we read them. All submissions accepted will initially be given runner-up status. In April or May, one of the runner-ups will be awarded the Grand Prize.

Winner and runner-ups will be published in our annual anthology.

​AWARDS: ​​

• The Grand Prize winner will receive $400 USD and five copies of the issue in which the story appears. The winner will also have the opportunity to be interviewed about their work; the interview will be published alongside the story.

• Runner-ups will be offered publication, an accompanying interview, $200 USD, and one copy of the issue in which their work appears.

GUIDELINES:

• Fiction only.

• 1,000-5,000 soft word limit.

• A standard, 12-point font and single-spacing is preferred.

• The work must not have been previously published.

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw the work if the story has been accepted elsewhere.

• Submit works written in English only, no translations.

• Please submit your manuscript in a .doc, .docx, or PDF format.

• We read submissions anonymously, so please do not include your name, email, or any identifying characteristics on the manuscript itself. All work is considered by two editors.

• While AI may be useful as a researching tool, we do not accept AI generated submissions.

• Each submitter will receive a free copy of a Driftwood Press fiction title of their choosing in the mail. 

driftwoodpress.com/storycontest

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MACDOWELL FELLOWSHIP: FALL/WINTER 2025-2026

MacDowell

APPLICATION PERIOD: January 15 - February 10, 2025

INFO: The Fellowship application period for Fall/Winter 2025-2026 residencies at MacDowell will open on January 15, 2025.

MacDowell encourages artists to apply in any stage of their career, and from all backgrounds and countries. We invite applications in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. If your proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines, contact the admissions department for guidance at admissions@macdowell.org.

MacDowell has no residency fees, and to defray expenses that accrue during an artist’s stay, we provide need-based stipends to cover rent, utilities, childcare, and lost income from taking time off from employment, as well as reimbursements for travel to and from the residency.

Fall/Winter residencies will take place between September 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026.

macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship

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VCCA RESIDENCIES

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024

INFO: Residencies can be transformative to an artist’s process and the effect on an artist’s career profound. A residency at VCCA gives artists the time and space to explore and go deeper into their work. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible.

VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Virginia, typically hosts 360 artists each year in residencies of varying lengths (no minimum; up to six weeks) with flexible scheduling. A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals a day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VCCA is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails. Many local sites and additional inspiration can be found in short drives to Lynchburg (20 minutes), Charlottesville (1 hour), Roanoke (1.5 hours), or Richmond (2 hours).

FULLY FUNDED RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIPS:

The following fully-funded fellowships are available for the Fall 2025 residency period at Mt. San Angelo.

50TH ANNIVERSARY FELLOWSHIPS FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR

Eligibility: Artists of color who have not previously been in residence at VCCA
Opportunity: Residency of up to two-week at Mt. San Angelo 
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

ALONZO DAVIS FELLOWSHIP

Eligibility: American writers, visual artists, and composers of African or Latin American descent
Opportunity: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo; $500 honorarium
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

EDITH LEONIAN WORDS AND MUSIC COLLABORATIVE FELLOWSHIP

Eligibility: Two artists working together on an artistic project combining words and music
Opportunity: Two-week collaborative residency at Mt. San Angelo; $500 honoraria
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

ALISON LURIE MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP

Eligibility: Female-identifying fiction writers
Opportunity: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

SARA PENNYPACKER FELLOWSHIP

Eligibility: Composers creating substantive work for children
Opportunity: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo; $500 stipend
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

STEVEN PETROW AND JULIE PETROW-COHEN LGBTQ+ FELLOWSHIP

Eligibility: Writers in any genre who self-identify as LGBTQ+
Opportunity: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

RICHARD S. AND JULIA LOUISE REYNOLDS POETRY FELLOWSHIP

Eligibility: Poets
Opportunity: Three-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

MARIAN TREGER FELLOWSHIP FOR ENDURING CREATIVITY

Eligibility: Female-identifying fiction writers, screenwriters, or visual artists, emerging in mid-life and beyond, whose creative paths may have been detoured or hindered by chronic health conditions or disabilities
Opportunity: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo; $400 stipend
Residency available: September 1 – December 31, 2025

LEARN MORE

vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/

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TRANSLATION PROJECT FELLOWSHIPS

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

DEADLINE: January 16, 2025

INFO: Through fellowships to published translators, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) supports projects for the translation of specific works of prose, poetry, or drama from other languages into English. The work to be translated should be of interest for its literary excellence and merit. We encourage translation projects that feature languages, perspectives, and writers that are not well represented in English, as well as work that has not previously been translated into English. The NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual support for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups.

Applying for a federal grant can be time consuming. We estimate that after registering, the process to draft and submit an application takes approximately 12 hours. Competition for fellowships is rigorous. Potential applicants should consider carefully whether their work will be competitive at the national level.

ELIGIBILITY: Individual U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who meet specific publication requirements are eligible to apply. To determine eligibility, review the complete list of requirements in the Grant Program Details document linked below.

An individual may submit only one application for FY 2026 Literature Fellowships funding. You may not apply for both a Translation Project at this deadline (January 16, 2025) and a Creative Writing Fellowship in Prose at the March 2025 deadline. See more information about the Creative Writing Fellowships program to determine which opportunity is the right fit for your literary work.

Funding is not available in this category for organizations.

FUNDING LEVEL: Grant amounts range from $10,000 to $25,000. Award amounts are determined by the National Endowment for the Arts.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Applications for Translation Fellowships are accepted annually.

• Panel Review - Spring/Summer 2025

• National Council on the Arts Meeting - Late October 2025

• Notifications - December 2025

• Earliest Project Start Date - January 1, 2026

GRANT PROGRAM DETAILS + INSTRUCTIONS:

• Grant Program Details: This document includes a detailed description of the grant program, eligibility information, award information, an application calendar, application review details, FAQs, and federal award administration information. Review this information before you decide to apply.

• Application Instructions: This document contains step-by-step instructions for assembling and submitting a complete application, including filling out the required Application for Federal Domestic Assistance—Individual form (SF-424), and creating the additional required application materials. Review this information while preparing your application.

HOW TO APPLY:

Submitting an application is a multi-step process. Detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the required application materials can be found in the Application Instructions PDF above.

1. REGISTER with Login.gov and Grants.gov, or renew/verify these registrations. See the Grant Program Details document linked above for more information about how to register.

2. SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

   Clicking the link below will take you directly to the pre-populated application package in Grants.gov. See the Application Instructions document linked above with detailed instructions for preparing and submitting your application materials.

arts.gov/grants/translation-project-fellowships

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Winter/Spring '25 Guest Residency

Woodward Residency

DEADLINE: January 10, 2025

INFO: Applications are now open for our Winter/Spring '25 Guest Residency in Ridgewood, Queens.

ELIGIBILITY: Established/emerging artists and creative professionals in the fields of literary arts, design, music, and multi-disciplinary arts are encouraged to apply.

Please note that art forms that generate fumes (such as oil painting) cannot be accommodated. Also, with the exception of our piano residents who can use headphones, our space is best suited to less cacophonous artistic pursuits.

AWARD BENEFITS:

• Access to the building from 9AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday for the duration of your Guest Residency.

• Guest Residents will work in the communal Great Room, with library etiquette.

• Open invite to weekly tea and cake gatherings, and occasional work shares and evening parties.

• A supportive and engaged community of working creatives.

WORK SAMPLES + PERSONAL STATEMENT: Recent work samples and your personal statement should reflect your commitment to your work and clarify how the residency would benefit your work at this time. Please see our application for specific guidelines.

REFERENCES: Please provide the contact info of at least one professional and one personal reference (excluding family members or significant others).

If you are new to your field of interest and don’t have a professional reference to speak to your current creative pursuits, you are welcome to provide a reference from someone in another field who has worked directly with you.

RESIDENCY SESSION: Feb 10— June 20, 2025

EVALUATION PROCESS: A rotating panel of arts professionals will review all applications with the intent of supporting both established and emerging artists. Panelists include novelists, filmmakers, performance artists, literary agents, film/theater producers.

Selection criteria includes originality, commitment to your proposed field of work, interest in community, and demonstrated need for a work space.

We have limited space for Guest Residents and encourage all applicants to reapply if they don’t get a spot in the upcoming session.

NOTIFICATION: All applicants will be notified at least two weeks in advance of the start of their requested residency session.

woodwardresidency.co/guestresidency

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MVICW Fellowships

Martha’s Vineyward Institute of Creative Writing

DEADLINE: January 19, 2025 at 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

INFO: MVICW is committed to providing financial support to writers through our fellowship program. Our fellowships offer parent-writers, writers of color, educators, queer-writers, vineyard writers, and authors/poets with financial needs the opportunity to attend our Summer Writers’ Conference every year. Through generous donations, we are able to offer a wide range of  full and partial registration fellowships!

VOICES OF COLOR FELLOWSHIPS:

We are proud to announce the Leonard A. Slade, Jr. Poetry Fellowships for Writers of Color (established 2018) to honor poets of color, and The Voices of Color Fellowships (established 2017) to honor prose writers of color. The fellowships assist MVICW with our commitment to expanding the American literary canon by promoting voices from a wide array of cultural backgrounds, and to increasing philanthropic support for writers of color in the arts. Application for these fellowships is open to all writers of color, ages 18 and older.

Two Full Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive the Full Attendance Package to the MVICW Summer Writers' Conference which includes registration, lodging, and a manuscript session.

Please note: We only announce the names of our first place winners on social media and in our public announcements. Finalists will not be announced.

PARENT-WRITER FELLOWSHIPS:

We are proud to announce the MVICW Parent-Writer Fellowships (est. in 2016 thanks to support from The Sustainable Arts Foundation). Writers who are also parents have increased difficulties in making time for their writing. Our Parent-Writer Fellowships are intended to give parents both the time and financial support to devote a week to themselves and their writing at MVICW. These fellowships offer funding to attend programs held by the Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. Application for these fellowships is open to anyone who has a child age 16 or younger living with them.

QUEER-WRITER FELLOWSHIPS:

Established in 2019, these fellowships assist with our commitment to increasing philanthropic support for LGBTQIA+ writers and expanding the American literary canon. Application for the fellowships is open to all queer-identified writers, ages 18 and older.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE, FILE NAME, SUBMISSION, OR LETTER OF INTEREST. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

• For Poetry Submissions: Letter of Interest (approx. 750 words): Please tell us about who you are as a person and an artist. We'd like to hear about your life, your artistic career, and your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit your single best poem (1-3 pages max)

• For Prose Submissions: Letter of Interest (approx. 750 words): Please tell us about who you are as a person and an artist. We'd like to hear about your life, your artistic career, and your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit one short story OR one flash fiction piece OR novel excerpt OR creative non-fiction entry. (The submission should not exceed 3,000 words)

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:

• You are welcome to submit more than one piece by submitting them separately and paying the submission fee for each entry.

• The entry must be submitted in English and must be your own original work.

• You may submit new or previously published material. As the manuscripts will not be published/reprinted, the author retains all rights to the work.

• There is no restriction to style, content, or genre.

• You must be a writer of color.

• You must be 18 years old or older on the day the retreat begins to enter.

• The submission must not include your real or pen name or any information that identifies you in any way.

• You must submit before midnight on the deadline date.

• Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. However, second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.

DETAILS ON AWARDS AND RULES:

Full fellowship recipients will receive registration, lodging, and a manuscript session for the MVICW Summer Writers’ Conference. The lodging for full fellowship recipients is a triple room with two other attendees at MVICW lodging. If a private room is preferred, the winning writer may choose to pay the difference. The prize does not include lodging outside of MVICW shared-lodging, but the winner may choose to forfeit the lodging stipend and arrange for their own accommodations on the island. The awards do not cover air/travel to the island or food/personal expenses.

You are not eligible to enter the competition if you are (a) our employee or independent contractor of MVICW; (b) a family member (spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, and grandchildren) of our employees; (c) a judge involved in the competition, including any reviewer who participates in selecting the nominees and finalists; (d) a close friend of the judge so that the judge can identify your work; (e) a previous MVICW full fellowship/first place contest winner. However, first place winners of our Virtual Conference Fellowships are eligible to apply in hopes of winning attendance to our in-person conference.

We will notify potential winners via telephone or email. If potential winners decline the prize or fail to respond within seven (7) days after the first contact, the winners will be deemed to forfeit the prize and MVICW has the right to select alternate potential winner(s) in their place.

mvicw.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Virtual Summer Retreat

Abode Press

DEADLINE: January 31, 2025

INFO: Starting June 8th, 2025, Abode Press is returning with our virtual retreat experience! With the success of our first retreat, we are coming back bigger and better than ever with more weekly offerings and two new cohorts: speculative fiction and one additional poetry cohort. We will also have workshops available in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, and attendees will also be able to attend 2-3 craft talks and lectures throughout the week (x2 as much than our first retreat).

Most retreat experiences are costly, tending to be upwards to $2000. At Abode, we are working tirelessly to increase accessibility for writers to attend much needed spaces to work on their craft and build connections without compromising their livelihood. This is why the retreat will only cost $250-$400 (sliding scale), but because of this low price, applicants will be selected based off the strength of their application and alignment with our press.

Applications will open via Submittable from December 15th to January 30th. It is FREE to apply (though we do appreciate donations!) and applicants will be notified of acceptance in mid-March. All funds will go towards paying our presenters, press operations, and paying Retreat admins.

FACULTY:

• Nonfiction Faculty Leader: KB Brookins is a Black queer and trans writer, cultural worker, and visual artist from Texas. KB’s chapbook How To Identify Yourself with a Wound won the Saguaro Poetry Prize, a Writer’s League of Texas Discovery Prize, and a Stonewall Honor Book Award. Their debut poetry collection Freedom House won the American Library Association Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Texas Institute of Letters Award for the Best First Book of Poetry. KB’s debut memoir Pretty released in May 2024 with Alfred A. Knopf. Follow them online at @earthtokb.

• Speculative Fiction Faculty Leader: Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya is a lesbian writer of essays, short stories, and pop culture criticism living in Orlando. Her queer horror novelette Helen House (Burrow Press) was named one of the Best LGBTQ Books of 2022 by NBC News. She is the managing editor of Autostraddle and the former managing editor of TriQuarterly. Her short stories appear in McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, Catapult, The Offing, Joyland, Foglifter, and others. Some of her culture writing can be found in The Cut, The A.V. Club, Vulture, Refinery29, and Vice, and she previously worked as a restaurant reporter for Eater NY. She was a 2023-2024 Tin House Reading Fellow and a 2023 Lambda writer in residence. Her fiction will be featured in the upcoming anthology Be Gay, Do Crimes, out from Dzanc Books in 2025.

• Short Fiction Faculty Leader: Stephanie Macias is a musician, writer, and artist based in Austin, TX. She has been performing since 2000. From 2011 to 2018 she performed under the name Little Brave. She has an MFA from the New Writers Project at the University of Texas. Her stories have been a finalist for the Jesmyn Ward Prize in Fiction and longlisted for the DISQUIET Prize. Her work has appeared and is forthcoming in Brink, No Tokens, Southern Humanities Review, and more. Between the years of 2003 and 2016, she made her living as a touring singer-songwriter, an illustrator, a photographer, and a painter. She is the managing editor at American Short Fiction and is currently working on a novel and a collection of short stories.

• Poetry Faculty Leader: mónica teresa ortiz is a poet, memory worker, and critic born, raised, and based in Texas. Their work has appeared in Scalawag Magazine, The Tiny, Mizna, and the Brooklyn Rail. Their poetry collection, Book of Provocations (Host Publications) was published in 2024. Find them on Instagram @ridingwiththepoet. They call for the liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea, and believe empire will fall in our lifetime.

• Poetry Faculty Leader: Ariana Brown is a queer Black Mexican American writer and the author of We Are Owed. (Grieveland, 2021) and Sana Sana (Game Over Books, 2020). A national collegiate poetry slam champion, Ariana holds a B.A. in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies, an M.F.A. in Poetry, and M.S. in Library Science. She lives and works in Houston, TX, where she teaches creative writing to teens. She has been writing, performing, and teaching poetry for over a decade.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

• Since it is free to apply, we ask that applicants only apply to one genre to help lessen the reading load.

• ​For fiction/speculative fiction/nonfiction, only one story, 4,000 words max.

• For poetry, three to five poems, no more than 10 pages.

• ​Once admitted, you can workshop a manuscript different from the one you applied with.

• ​In addition to the writing sample, the application asks for an author bio and artist statement.

• ​Applicants must be 21 years of age by March 1st, 2025 to apply.

• International writers are welcome to apply as long as the dates/times for the workshops work for your schedule.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

One person from each cohort will be granted a partial scholarship. In order to apply for this, all you must do is click "Yes" to the scholarship question on the Submittable application.

COST + DATES:

At Abode Press, we work tirelessly to provide accessible and affordable opportunities to writers at all stages. This is why we are pricing our virtual retreat at a reasonable cost. Please note that this means that all applicants who apply should be able to pay the Retreat cost. One partial scholarship will be granted to one person from each cohort, but all applicants should only apply if they can attend the Retreat.

Application Fee: Free! (Though donations are appreciated.)

Cost: $250 - $400, sliding scale. $250 is recommended for writers in need, and if writers are able, they are encouraged to pay more on the scale as this allows for fair pay towards presenters, admins, increasing Retreat offerings, and so much more.

Dates:

Mandatory Workshop Dates from 11am-2pm CST

• Sunday, June 8th

• Sunday, June 15th

• Sunday, June 22nd

• Sunday, June 29th

Please note, throughout the week attendees will have access to 2-3 weekly lectures, craft talks, and more from workshop leaders and renowned writers. There will also be multiple open mic opportunities for attendees to read their works, and friends and family are encouraged to attend! A comprehensive guide of Retreat Programming will be provided to accepted attendees.

If you have additional questions, please email us at info@abodepress.com

abodepress.submittable.com/submit

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Money for Women: Nonfiction + Poetry

Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Inc.

DEADLINE: January 31, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: In 2025, Money for Women will award grants in the categories of Poetry and Nonfiction. We are delighted again to offer individual grants up to $2000 to individual feminist women in the arts with primary residence in the US and Canada.

WE WELCOME:

• Applications from feminist writers and visual artists who are women (cis, transgender, or nonbinary) and:

• Exhibit high quality and originality in their work.

• Use feminism as their central interpretive lens.

• Value both personal and political changes that promote freedom and agency for women.

• Validate differences that intersect with gender such as race, ethnicity, and class.

• Express an inclusive vision of social justice while focusing on justice for women.

WE ARE INTERESTED IN:

Projects that are well underway and for which you have substantial work to show. Translation projects are eligible. Please take time to carefully read the guidelines and application form on Submittable.

WE DO NOT AWARD:

Film, video, theatre, dance, music, or performance projects. Scripts and musical compositions are also not eligible. We do not award work which is or will be self-published, or work that is generated by AI without acknowledgment or artistic rationale. We do not give loans or provide money for educational assistance, work on dissertations, or research (except research to be used in writing a book). We do not provide funds for the cost of editing services, business projects, or emergency money for people in need. We rarely give money to groups.

Former grantees must wait three years before reapplying.

MATERIALS FOR YOUR APPLICATION:

Below are the materials you will need to submit:

• Project description (max. 400 words)

• Budget (Click here for sample budgets)

• Description explaining why you are applying to a feminist fund (max. 100 words)

• Resume (max. 2 pages)

PROJECT SAMPLES: Poetry and Nonfiction - Submit 10-15 pages, using 12-point type. Please paginate and include your name and project title in the top right corner of each page. Double-space for fiction and nonfiction submissions.

demingfund.org/apply-pd-11.php

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The Avery Review Essay Prize 2025

The Avery Review

DEADLINE: January 31, 2025

INFO: The Avery Review, a journal of critical essays on architecture published by the Office of Publications at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, invites submissions for its eighth annual Essay Prize. The call is open to current students (undergraduate and masters) and recent graduates, whether in schools of architecture or elsewhere (eligibility details below). In keeping with the mission of the journal, we hope to receive submissions that use the genres of the review and the critical essay to explore the urgent questions animating the field of architecture. We’re looking for essays that test and expand the author’s own intellectual commitments—theoretical, architectural, and political—through the work of others.

We plan to award one first-place prize ($4,000) and three second-place prizes ($2,000) across the various categories of eligible participants. The winning essays will be published in our June 2025 issue.

Submissions should use the Chicago Manual of Style’s note and shortened notefootnote formatting, with complete citation information. Images should be submitted separately from your Word file as jpegs. Whether a pitch for a review or a long-form think piece, we welcome your thoughts—with the simple request that they critically engage the work of someone else. Please send all submissions, queries, and comments to editors@averyreview.com.

averyreview.com/submissions

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VERMONT WEEK

Vermont Studio Center

DEADLINE: January 31, 2024

INFO: For one week in May, 30 talented, Vermont-based, artists and writers are the recipients of a week-long, fully funded fellowship to be in residence at Vermont Studio Center. In addition to a studio, private lodging, and wonderful, locally sourced meals, residents have access to Vermont Studio Center’s renowned Visiting Artist and Writer program which provides residents with studio visits, consultations, and manuscript reviews.

Vermont Week is for artists and writers who have been a resident of Vermont for a minimum of one year. For additional information visit VTWK FAQ.

Vermont Week 2025 - May 5 to May 12

• Monday, May 5 - Arrival Day

• Wednesday, May 7 - Visiting Writer Reading with Carolyn Kuebler

• Thursday, May 8 - Visiting Artist Talk with Misoo Bang

• Sunday, May 11 - Vermont Week Open Studios, 2 to 4pm

• Monday, May 12 - Departure Day

vermontstudiocenter.org/vermontweek2025

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Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing 2025–26

Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts at Bucknell University

DEADLINE: February 1, 2025

INFO: Named for Bucknell's renowned literary alumnus and initiated in the fall of 1993, the Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing offers up to four months of unfettered writing time for a writer working on a first or second book in any literary genre. The residency provides lodging in Bucknell's "Poets' Cottage" and a stipend of $5,000.

In the spring semester of 2025, the Stadler Center will accept applications for the 2025–26 Roth Residences (Aug.–Dec. 2025 and Jan.–May 2026). The application deadline for both residencies is Feb. 1, 2025. Please note: The Roth Residency is now open to writers in ANY literary genre: fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, hybrid works, graphic fiction, etc.

bucknell.edu/academics/beyond-classroom/academic-centers-institutes/stadler-center-poetry-literary-arts/programs-residencies/philip-roth-residence-creative-writing

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LITERATURE GRANT

Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC

DEADLINE: February 3, 2025 (or if we reach our limit of 40 applications, which ever comes first)

INFO: The world is a story and the writer, the story teller. In writing stories we are trying to make sense of our world by seeking what is real, by rejecting what is false, and by exercising the greatest of our mortal gifts in pursuit of the immortal.

DESCRIPTION: Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a writing grant to authors of fiction / creative nonfiction and poetry.  

SUBMISSIONS: To ensure that each submission receives the attention it deserves we will be only accepting 40 application for each of our categories.

AMOUNTS: Up to $10,000.00  

ELIGIBILITY:

• Authors in fiction / creative non-fiction and poetry.

• The applicant must be the originator of the written materialS.

• Grants will not be made for the purpose of research only. 

• Grants will not be made for equipment.

• Writers applying applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

Grants awarded in this category may fund costs associated with continuing the composition of work submitted. Such as:

• Course Reduction (if you're a Teacher/Professor)

• Salary Replacement

• Living Expenses

• Research Expenses

• Travel Research Expenses

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Up to and no more than a 15 page PDF of the work, for the Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection and Executive Committee to download and read. Please make sure your links are correct and not password protected. If they are not correct or have password protection your application will be declined and not reviewed by the Selection Committee.

• A short description of the project.

• A short author biography of the person(s) involved.

• Budget must not exceed the amount of $10,000.00.

• List of costs of how you plan to use the grant funds.
  (Please review our lists of Approved and Ineligible Budget Items for Literature Grant Funds, located below)

• Travel and Research costs within the United States must demonstrate a direct correlation to the project for which you are applying.

• You may not apply for International Travel and Research Costs.

• If you are hiring fact checkers / editors / research assistants please be aware that we prefer that individuals providing these services are located in the NYC area.

• Writers applying must be a current citizen or resident of the United State and must currently reside in New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying and plan to be a resident through the completion of their project.

• We ask that the completion of your manuscript is no sooner than 90 days after this application's due date (no sooner than May 4, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2026).

• Applicants can only apply with the same project twice.

• You may apply in a different cycle with a different project.

REVIEW PROCEDURES: The Café Royal Cultural Foundation Selection Committee Judges will review and score all applications. The top five scored applications will move to a next round and will be reviewed Executive Committees. In recognition of the time, effort, and professional expertise that our Selection Committee Judges devote to the grant selection process, Café Royal Cultural Foundation provides a stipend to honor their commitment.

The following criteria will be applied in evaluating grant application:

• Creativity, originality, ideas and concepts, writing style

• Importance of the Project/Cultural Relevance

• Promise of future achievements in writing

  Please note you do not need to have a publisher to apply for this grant.

GRANT APPLICATIONS: 
We accept applications all year round, please view our submission dates in our Grant Schedule.

We ask that the completion of your manuscript is (no sooner than May 4, 2025) and no later than 12 months after your grant’s award date (no later than March 24, 2026).

caferoyalculturalfoundation.org/literature-page

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TRANSLATION COLUMN

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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CALL FOR AUTHORS

Vanderbilt University Press

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: Vanderbilt University Press acquires books in the areas of Latin American and Hispanic studies; global and public health; human rights and civil rights; anthropology; history and postwar studies; and studies of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We also publish books with a regional focus on Tennessee and the South, including, for example, books on Nashville and country music.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial inquiries about potential book projects should be queried to the acquisitions department via email. We do not accept full manuscripts until requested. First, ensure that VUP publishes in the disciplinary area that your project represents.

If that is the case, please send a cover letter and book proposal that includes the following:

• A short book abstract

• A brief but detailed statement outlining the manuscript’s arguments, themes, and significance to the field

• A table of contents that clearly summarizes the content and structure of each chapter

• Assessment of the work’s fit with existing literature, comparison with published books on the topic, and discussion of the intended audiences and market for the book

• Statement of the anticipated word count of the manuscript; plans for tables, figures, or other illustrations; and schedule for completion

• Sample chapter (optional)

• Curriculum vitae

• If your manuscript is based on a dissertation, please discuss how the material and research has been developed, reframed, or otherwise revised. VUP does not publish unrevised dissertations.

• If your manuscript is an edited collection, please include information about each of the contributors and note if any of the chapters are previously published.

• If your manuscript is a translation, please describe why the author’s work warrants translation into English, as well as any and all information on rights to the work and the book’s history in its native language.

Keep a file or a copy of your proposal materials. We do not return proposals. Please do not call the Press to inquire about the status of your proposal or manuscript. We review all material received, and you will be contacted when a decision has been made. We aim to communicate whether a proposed project is being pursued further no more than eight weeks after the receipt of the proposal.

For more information about specific series initiatives, visit our Series page.

vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/resources/submission-guidelines-for-prospective-authors/

FICTION / NONFICTION — DECEMBER 2024

LITERARY ARTS GRANTS

South Arts

DEADLINE: December 4, 2024

INFO: As part of its Literary Arts Initiative, South Arts is excited to announce grants for literary arts projects for writers and publishers. These grants deepen our commitment to amplifying literary traditions and practices of the American South through directly funding the initiation, development, and completion of literary arts projects in poetry, fiction, creative or literary nonfiction, young readers’ literature, and drama (playwriting and screenwriting).

Literary Arts Grants will be made to writers, independent literary publishers, and small presses: 

• LITERARY ARTS GRANTS FOR WRITERS: South Arts will award literary grants up to $5,000. Applicants (writers or organizations) must apply through Salesforce and include writing samples and other required attachments specified in these Guidelines.

• LITERARY ARTS GRANTS FOR PUBLISHERS: South Arts will award literary arts grants up to $5,000 to support Southern independent publishers and small presses. Applicants must apply through Salesforce and include the publisher’s representative work samples and other required attachments as specified in these Guidelines. 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Deadline to Apply: 12/4/2024

• Awards Announced: February 2025

• Funding Cycle: March 1, 2025 – August 30, 2026 (18 months)

The award announcement may be earlier or later than the date listed above, depending on the number of applications and judging process.

Applicants who are not selected for an award will receive notification via the email on their application form before the award announcement.  

South Arts reserves the right to not consider incomplete or improperly submitted applications without informing the applicant.  

Judges do not communicate any information or details of their review. Given the volume of applications received, South Arts cannot provide individual feedback on the application and from the panel.

Applicants who move from the South Arts Region after they submit their application are encouraged to notify South Arts and will not be eligible to receive a grant award. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

• All applicants are eligible to receive only one grant award.

• Current, full-time resident or Headquartered in the South Arts Region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, The Carolinas, Tennessee) both at the time of application and at receipt of the award.

For Writers

• One application per artist or arts organization per funding cycle will be accepted.

• Applicant artists must be 18 years of age or older.

• Applicant artists must not be enrolled in a literary arts/writing academic program at time of application and at receipt of award.

• Current, full-time residents for at least the prior 12 months s of the South Arts region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, The Carolinas, Tennessee) both at the time of application during the project period.

• Works authored by more than one person are ineligible.

For Literary Arts Organizations

• For Publishers: Independent nonprofit publishers and small presses including journals.

• Based in the South Arts Region for at least the prior 12 months (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, The Carolinas, Tennessee) both at the time of application and during the project period.

• Other non-profit organizations with a literary arts mission.

INELIGIBLE ENTITIES

• Units of government

• Colleges/Universities are ineligible to apply for this grant.

UNALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES

• General operating support. 

• Support for a full season of programming. 

• Courses or coursework in degree-granting or continuing education institutions. 

• Literary publishing that does not focus on contemporary literature and/or writers. 

• Publication of books, exhibition of works, or other projects by the applicant organization's board members, faculty, or trustees. 

• Projects for which no curatorial, juried, or editorial judgment has been applied to the selection of artists or art works. 

• Social activities such as receptions, parties, galas, community dinners, picnics, and potlucks. 

• Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any associated costs are unallowable; generally, this includes activities at venues such as bars, wineries, and breweries where the consumption of alcohol/social activity is the primary purpose of the venue. 

• Awards to individuals or organizations to honor or recognize achievement. 

• Commercial (for-profit) enterprises or activities, including arts markets, concessions, food, t-shirts, artwork, or other items for resale. This includes online or virtual sales/shops. 

• Construction, purchase, or renovation of facilities.

• Sub-granting or regranting.

UNALLOWABLE COSTS

• Cash reserves and endowments. 

• Startup costs or other costs associated with establishing new organizations. 

• Alcoholic beverages or other hospitality costs. 

• Purchase and/or use of gift cards and gift certificates to support project costs.

• Gifts and prizes, including cash prizes as well as other items with monetary value (e.g., electronic devices, gift certificates).

• Contributions and donations to other entities, including donation drives.

• General miscellaneous or contingency costs. 

• Fines and penalties, bad debt costs, deficit reduction.  

• Marketing expenses that are not directly related to the project.  

• Audit costs. 

• Rental costs for home office workspace owned by individuals or entities affiliated with the applicant.

• The purchase of vehicles.

• Costs incurred before the beginning or after the completion of the official project period. 

MATCHING REQUIREMENTS

All grants require a 2:1 cost share. South Arts matches $2 for every $1 the applicant contributes towards project costs.

Grants will pay up to 2/3 of the total cost of the opportunity, with a maximum award of $5,000. The applicant must cover remaining expenses, and South Arts requires a 2:1 match (2 South Arts: 1 grantee). Artists may include their own cash in the match. Examples:  

1. Total Project Cost- $6,000, the applicant can request up to $4,000 and contribute the remaining $2,000 of funds through a combination of their own cash and other contributions. 

2. Total Project Costs are $15,000:  The applicant can request up to $5,000 and contribute the remaining $10,000 of funds through a combination of their own cash and other contributions.

3. Toal Project Costs are $3,000:  The applicant can request up to $2,000 and contribute the remaining $1,000 of funds through a combination of their own cash and other contributions. 

Budget details should identify the source of funds (including self-funding, private contributions, institutional stipends, or additional grant funding) not requested from South Arts.

Total projected expenses must meet or exceed the request by 50%. 

Funds can be used for these eligible expenses directly related to participation in proposed activities:

• For Organizations:  Itemize project personnel costs 

• Travel (itemize air, ground, lodging, per diem, visa services) 

• Equipment rental (itemize all equipment rental expenses) 

• Office expenses (itemize supplies, and shipping/postage) 

• Services/professional fees (itemize editorial, graphic design, photography/videography, financial, publishing, production, and distribution services, etc.) 

• Marketing 

• Facility expenses (itemize rent, space rental, utilities) 

• Insurance 

• Childcare or elder caregiver service costs that arise as a result of applicant planning and executing the proposed project 

southarts.org/grants-opportunities/literary-arts-grant

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INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING FELLOWSHIP

Ida B. Wells Society

DEADLINE: December 6, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: The Ida B. Wells Society is thrilled to launch its investigative reporting fellowship for 2025! This no-cost, intensive program will bring professional journalists to Atlanta to sharpen their investigative reporting skills under the guidance of some of the most accomplished reporters and editors in the industry. The fellowship is intended for journalists not presently assigned to investigative teams. Up to 12 fellowships will be awarded. 

During training, participants will work on projects they have proposed for publication in their respective newsrooms. Freelance journalists also are invited to apply. 

The selected journalists will join the Society in Atlanta for up to a week, once a month from February through July to delve into topics related to investigative reporting including: 

• The Investigative Reporting Mindset 

• Data Journalism 

• Process and Development 

• Interviewing and Writing for Investigations 

Interested applicants must work with their newsroom leadership to ensure their availability to attend. Proposed projects should also be cleared by leadership to ensure their publication upon completion. 

ELIGIBILITY:  

• Applicants must have at least three years of professional news reporting experience. 

• The program is open to U.S.-based print, broadcast, online and multimedia journalists. 

• Applicants must provide a resume, examples of previous written work, a project pitch, and be available for phone interviews if requested.  

• Applicants must be able to participate in four weeklong training sessions in Atlanta, (approx. 16 days of instruction; 24 days including travel, which will call for arriving in Atlanta on Sundays and departing on Fridays or Saturdays). Training weeks will be scattered throughout the year.  

• Applicants must submit letters from their employers indicating that they will be allowed to participate in the fellowship program and that their investigative work produced during the program will be published (more details of employer requirements below). 

• Freelancers must have a news organization willing to write a supportive statement and agreement to publish their work. 

REQUIREMENT OF APPLICANT’S EMPLOYER:

• Allow participants to continue to earn their salaries while taking part in training in Atlanta without using any accrued vacation time. There will be four weeklong training courses scattered throughout the year. 

• Provide support and guidance to the participants as they take part in the program and work to develop a proposed project. 

• Publish the project. 

idabwellssociety.org/news/2025-investigative-reporting-fellowship/

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WRITERS RETREAT FOR EMERGING LGBTQ VOICES

Lambda Literary

DEADLINE: December 8, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: The Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices is the nation’s premier LGBTQ writing residency. It is the only multi-genre writing residency devoted exclusively to emerging LGBTQ+ writers. The Retreat is an unparalleled opportunity to develop one’s craft and find community.

Since 2007, the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices has offered sophisticated instruction in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young adult fiction, playwriting led by the most talented writers working today. In 2022, the Writers Retreat expanded to include instruction in screenwriting and speculative fiction, and in 2025, we will introduce the newest cohort serving writers working in both and between playwriting and screenwriting.

In 2025, as we did in 2024, we are holding our Writers Retreat online. This format allows for us as an organization to continue building our resources while offering the same high-quality programming that remains accessible to folks who may not otherwise be able to attend in-person programs.

We are excited to announce that this year, we will be lengthening the typically week-long program to a 10-day virtual retreat, from Thursday, July 31-Saturday, August 9. In this new model, we will use the first two evenings on Thursday and Friday to build community and hold additional programming. We hope that this new model will build relationships and community, offer more learning opportunities, but we also aim to allow those attending the retreat from home to continue to sustain the elements of their livelihood outside of the Retreat program.

Additionally, we will be adding a brand new cohort to our Writers Retreat: the screen/play/writing cohort. This cross-genre cohort is meant for performance writers who work outside of the stage/screen binary, those who waft between genres, and those who are working in adaptations. We invite all screenwriters and playwrights in this cohort to consider how their work can move between genres, between stage and screen, while centering writing for performance. Coming back for another year after an astounding stint as Playwriting Faculty in 2024, we welcome back Roger Q. Mason to lead this inaugural cohort!

SCHEDULE:

We’ve extended the typical length of the retreat from 7 days to 10:

• We will have a mix of synchronous programming and asynchronous programming, and on days when we offer all day programming, fellows can expect to have ample breaks and rest from screens.

• Thursday, July 31-Friday, August 1: Programming begins at ~7:00 pm EST/ 4:00 pm PST

• Saturday, August 2-Friday, August 8: All day programming

• Saturday, August 9: Programming ends at ~6:00 pm EST/3:00 pm PST
   

APPLICATION DETAILS:

Applications to attend the 2025 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ* Voices open on November 1, 2024 and close at 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 8, 2024. You may apply to more than one workshop, however, each application must be submitted separately and requires an additional fee.

We are offering a number of application fee waivers for the QTBIPOC** (Queer and Trans folks who are or identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color) folks who would be attending the Retreat for the first time. Please email retreat@lambdaliterary.org to request an application fee waiver.

To Apply, Please Prepare

1. An artistic/biographical statement (max 500 words).

2. a writing sample matching the genre of the workshop you’re applying for:

• .DOC, .DOCX, or .PDF format.

• For prose, double spaced, 12 point font.

• For Fiction, Nonfiction, Speculative Fiction, and Young Adult Fiction: 15 pages maximum. This maximum applies to cross-genre samples as well as samples in verse.

• For Playwriting/Screenwriting and Play/Screen/Writing: 15 pages maximum from a full-length work, short play/script, or piece of theatre/film.

• For Poetry: 8 pages maximum.

• The sample you apply with does not have to be the same sample you plan to workshop at the Retreat.

3. Optional, not required for acceptance:

• Any publications of your work during the past two years, including anthologies, literary journals, magazines, websites, and books.

• Any other writing conferences, retreats, and workshops have you attended.

• If you're applying to scholarships, a scholarship statement (max 500 words).

TUITION + SCHOLARSHIPS:

Writers Retreat tuition is currently set at $1,625. However, we are working on raising funds to lower this price for fellows. This means there is a possibility that the price of tuition will go down, but it will not go any higher than $1,625.  All accepted/waitlisted applicants will be notified of the final price of tuition before accepting their fellowship.

Lambda Literary has a host of full and partial scholarships that are available for accepted applicants.

Ability to pay is in no way part of the decision-making process. We have a robust and ever-growing host of scholarships available thanks to our intensive fundraising efforts and generous donors. Lambda also supports fellows in their own fundraising efforts using our fundraising platform. Many fellows who used our peer-to-peer fundraising platform in 2024 raised their entire tuition fee.

The $30.00 application fee is processed through Submittable's online portal. If you wish to pay by cash or check please contact retreat@lambdaliterary.org.

APPLICATION STATUS NOTIFICATIONS:

Writers Retreat Faculty make the final determinations regarding accepted and waitlisted applicants. All applicants will be notified of their application status in April 2025.

lambdaliterary.org/emerging-writers-retreat/

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ANTON CHEKHOV AWARD FOR FLASH FICTION 

LitMag

DEADLINE: Extended to December 8, 2024

CONTEST FEE: $16

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Entries must be short stories between 500 and 1,500 words. Please use 12pt type, preferably Times New Roman, and submit your short story as either a Word doc or a PDF. Only previously unpublished short stories are eligible. Writers may submit multiple stories, each of which requires a separate submission. Submissions through Submittable only.  Notification: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. The winning short stories and finalists will be announced publicly on our Web site and social media as well as by email to all contestants in May 2023.

FIRST PRIZE: $1,250 + publication in LitMag + agency review by  Sarah Fuentes of UTA, Molly Glick of CAA, Erin Harris and Sonali Chanchani of Folio Literary Management, Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency, David Forrer of Inkwell Management, Monika Woods of Triangle House, Emily Forland of Brandt & Hochman, and Nat Sobel of Sobel Weber Associates

FINALISTS: Three finalists will receive $100 each. All finalists will be considered for possible agency review and publication.

litmag.submittable.com/submit

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FREE RESIDENCIES FOR TEACHERS

Saltonstall

DEADLINE: December 8, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: Saltonstall is once again offering two special residencies in 2025 for local public school teachers. These 5-day, 4-night residencies are designed as an artistic retreat for teachers with a creative practice in the following disciplines:

• Creative writing (any genre)

• Photography / film / video

• Painting / Sculpture / Visual Art

The residencies are FREE to attend. Six teachers will be selected through a lottery system for each residency.

We have accessible accommodations! Our new accessible space includes a one-bedroom suite with a roll-in shower, a private studio (for artists or writers), and a kitchen.

Residency dates are:
February 17 - 21, 2025 (winter recess)
April 14 - 18, 2025 (spring recess)

Teachers working in the following districts are eligible: Dryden, Groton, Ithaca, Lansing, Newfield, and Trumansburg.

saltonstall.org/residencies/residency-for-teachers/

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2025 Open City Editorial Fellowship

Asian American Writers Workshop

DEADLINE: December 15, 2024

INFO: The Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW) is excited to announce the Open City Editorial Fellowship, a new iteration of AAWW’s long-standing Open City Fellowship. In 2025, the program will focus on editorial and journalistic development, offering one emerging writer and editor a unique opportunity to contribute to Open City, a section of The Margins devoted to the life, senses, and politics of immigrant and Muslim communities in the New York tristate area. 

The ideal fellow is passionate about telling the stories of immigrant communities in New York City and beyond. They will work directly with the Senior Editor of Open City and other members of the editorial team, gaining invaluable experience in researching, editing, and occasionally writing stories. The selected fellow will be based in New York City and will dedicate at least four hours per week to the fellowship from February 2025 to January 2026.

The fellow will be expected to occasionally meet in person at AAWW’s offices in Chelsea and will receive:

• A $5,000 stipend;

• Access to AAWW events, conferences, and workshops;

• Use of the AAWW office and library;

• Mentorship from The Margins editorial team.

FELLOWSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES:

The fellow will assist with the editorial operations of Open City by:

• Collaborating with the Senior Editor on story edits;

• Screening pitches and fact-checking articles;

• Writing original stories for Open City;

• Copyediting stories with a quick turnaround;

• Researching potential stories and writers;

• Meeting with the Senior Editor or AAWW staff every two weeks.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

We are looking for individuals with a passion for Asian, Asian American, and Asian diasporic literature, politics, and history, with a particular focus on the experiences of immigrant and Muslim communities in the tristate area. The ideal candidate will have:

• Strong writing and verbal communication skills;

• A firm grasp of journalistic standards and practices;

• Some experience in editing and fact-checking;

• A collaborative approach to writing and editing;

• Familiarity with The Chicago Manual of Style and copyediting (preferred);

• On-the-ground knowledge of immigrant and Muslim communities in the tristate area (preferred).

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants should apply through submittable, and should submit:

• A cover letter;

• Résumé;

• A pitch for a story you would like to write for Open City;

• Two writing samples of journalistic work.

This fellowship offers an exciting opportunity to develop your editorial and writing skills while amplifying stories from underrepresented communities in New York City. We look forward to reviewing your applications!

aaww.org/fellowships/open-city/

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Developmental Editing Fellowship for Emerging Writers

The Kenyon Review

DEADLINE: December 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $18 (If this fee poses a hardship, please contact us at kenyonreview@kenyon.edu)

INFO: The Kenyon Review Developmental Editing Fellowship for Emerging Writers is designed to nurture and develop new voices in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The fellowship will provide support for emerging writers who demonstrate exceptional talent, promise, and commitment to their chosen craft. Participation in the program involves one-on-one mentorship by an experienced editor on the KR team over a period of four months. Fellows can expect to have monthly hour-long conversations with a Developmental Editor, who will provide feedback and suggestions on a book draft.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Applicants must be twenty-one years of age or older.

• This fellowship opportunity is open to any writer who is not currently enrolled in a degree-granting creative writing program.

• Applicants should not have published a full-length literary book with a major publisher, university press, or other established press, or be under contract for a book. Published work in literary magazines or journals is acceptable.

• Writers from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the publishing industry are especially encouraged to apply.

APPLICATION:

Include…

• a project description (max 500 words). Please note any challenges or particular areas of concern within the work.

• a poetry or prose writing sample of the project. The writing sample should be 10–15 pages (double spaced for fiction and nonfiction).

• a recent copy of your CV.

• All fee-paying applicants are invited to claim a complimentary half-year Print plus Digital subscription toThe Kenyon Review (for domestic addresses) or a half-year digital subscription (for international addresses) through December 31, 2024.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Our Developmental Editors (members of the KR editorial team) will review the applications and select the Fellows they will work with. They will reach out to the Fellow and arrange for an initial conversation by phone or Zoom. Fellows and Developmental Editors will collaborate on a work plan, establish goals, and determine deadlines and a schedule for monthly hour-long conversations. Over the course of four months, they will meet by phone or Zoom to discuss the progress of the writing project. Winners will be announced in early 2025.

kenyonreview.org/fellowship/developmental-editing-fellowship/

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SHE WHO HAS NO MASTER(S) MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

She Who Has No Master(s)

DEADLINE: December 15, 2024 at 11:59pm PT

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: She Who Has No Master(s) offers creative writing mentorships uniquely designed for and led by women and nonbinary writers of the Vietnamese and SE Asian diaspora. The centering of this perspective is important because in most educational settings the focus on subject matter and perspectives of women/nonbinary SE Asian diasporic women is marginalized, if not totally unaddressed.

In offering one-on-one mentorships guided by established writers and artists in our collective, we create a uniquely nourishing experience where aspiring writers can explore, embrace their particularities, and create more expansively. Our mentorships are conducted remotely. The next mentorships cycle will take place in 2025.

FAQs:

Who are you, and what is this? 

She Who Has No Master(s), or SWHNM, is a collective of womxn and nonbinary writers of the Vietnamese diaspora who engage in collaborative, polyvocal, and hybrid-poetic works to enact a politics of connection across diasporic boundaries. Through a collaborative writing and art process, SWHNM explores multi-voiced collectivity, encounters, in-between spaces and (dis)places of the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian diaspora. SWHNM has a fluid and evolving membership.

She Who Has No Master(s) initiated a creative writing mentorship program in 2022 led by and designed for Vietnamese and SE Asian diasporic women and nonbinary writers through the Diasporic Vietnamese Artist Network (DVAN). SWHNM is now an independent collective and our own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and this mentorship program has no affiliation with DVAN. 

The centering of Vietnamese and SE Asian perspectives is important because in most educational settings the focus on subject matter and perspectives of women/nonbinary SE Asian diasporic women is marginal, if not totally unaddressed. In creating educational spaces that center those viewpoints, we create a nourishing space in which aspiring writers can see themselves, explore, and embrace their own particularities, and create more expansively. These mentorships will address both creative and professional aspects involved in the writing life. These offerings fulfill a dire contemporary need in our nation’s current environment for creative writing education.

Who are the mentors, and what do they do? 

The SWHNM mentors range depending on the cycle. During the inaugural mentorship program in 2022, there were 4 mentors (all members of the SWHNM collective) partnered with 4 writers and literary artists based out of the United States, Vietnam, and Switzerland. 

The mentors are writers who have benefited from belonging to supportive and inclusive writing and artist communities who wish to mentor promising writers of Vietnamese and/or SE Asian descent–folx who are at earlier stages in their writing careers than we are.

Our mentors compose poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, criticism, as well as hybrid and multimedia forms (including graphic forms, among others), and are looking to pair with mentees working in these forms. 

Our mentors are published authors and/or established artists who are members of or connected to SWHNM and thus experienced with the collaborative and creative ethos of our collective that also informs the spirit of our mentorships.

Past mentors include: Diana Khoi Nguyen, Hoa Nguyen, Lily Hoang, and Vi Khi Nao.

For our 2025 cycle, mentors will be: Cathy Linh Che, MyLoan Dinh, Abbigail Rosewood, Sophia Terazawa, Nhã Thuyên.

The SWHNM mentorship program in 2025 expands its concept and its community by reaching out to the writers who live inside Vietnam with writing practices in Vietnamese, with the hope to create a more open space for a plurality of Vietnamese literature. 

How does the mentorship work? 

The first year of mentorship took place in 2022. This year (2025) will be our second. Each mentor takes on one mentee. Mentors and mentees (fellows) will meet virtually for at least 30 minutes every month to discuss topics pertinent to each pair. These topics may range from: prompts for writing, feedback fellows’ writing, and craft elements to professional details such as submitting to publications, finding an agent, writing a book proposal, sending a manuscript out to contests/open reading periods, applying to graduate school, to name a few. Some of us, though not all, are willing to read and give feedback on fellows’ work—within certain limits, which mentors can specify. On your application you may specify what types of mentorship you are looking for. If you are selected for a mentorship, we will use the information in your application to make the best mentor match for your needs.

In addition, mentors may periodically arrange panels and events for the mentorship collective; we hope to host panels on topics helpful for fellows as a group, and will collaborate with fellows to determine these topics. We may also offer some events and panels that are open to the general public.

SWHNM is a collective and makes decisions as a group, as well as shares the labor of running both the collective and this mentorship. That said, the particulars of individual mentors’ engagement with fellows depends on their particular circumstances and on the nature of each pairing’s relationship. The only requirement of the mentorship is the monthly meetings.

Who are the Fellows, and what do they do? 

Mentees should be passionate and committed to exploring creative writing, ready to generate new creative work, engage in revision processes, and be capable of working both independently as well as from writing prompts given by mentors. Mentors will work with mentees to tailor creative writing guidance that meets the mentees’ specific interests and needs.

Past fellows have been promising writers and artists who are serious and dedicated to their journey as a writer/literary artist. Just like with the mentors, the depth of individual fellows’  involvement depends on their particular circumstances. The only requirement for fellows  is the monthly meeting with mentors. 

There may be opportunities for further engagement with the mentorship program and SWHNM collective such as planning panels and events, as well as participating in collective readings, performances, and exhibitions. We are interested in hearing what fellows think would be useful and beneficial for the program and collective.

What are you looking for in fellows? 

We’re so glad you’re reading this. We’re looking for fellows who identify as a woman or nonbinary person of Vietnamese and/or SE Asian descent, who live outside and/or inside Vietnam. There is no nationality requirement, and fellows must be at least 18 years of age. Fellows’ writing should show promise, and are relatively early in their (writing) careers.

In particular, we would especially like to award mentorships to those with limited past access to writing communities or writing guidance. We strive to equalize access so that writers can achieve their goals regardless of their background and affiliations.

Most of our mentors write predominantly in English. However, some of us are also fluent in Vietnamese and may also be willing to work across language barriers. Please indicate in your application what language (or languages) you write in and/or are interested in working in. 

If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program in creative writing, you are not eligible for mentorship. You are also not eligible if you have published a book (or have one under contract) with a major U.S. press in a genre in which we mentor. 

The SWHNM mentorship program is competitive; in our inaugural 2022 year, we received over 80 applications for only 4 mentorship spots. 

Our number of available mentorship spots will differ each year depending on the mentors. In 2025 we will offer 5 mentorship spots.

How can I apply? Is there an application fee?

Please find detailed guidelines on our “How To Apply” page.

When you are ready to apply, submit your materials via our Application Form (this link will take you to a Google form for uploading + submitting your application materials).

If you need the Application Form in Vietnamese, click here. Nếu bạn cần nộp đơn đăng ký bằng tiếng Việt, vui lòng nhấn vào đây.

There is an application fee of $25, which helps us to cover administrative costs. You may request a fee waiver. Applicants residing in Vietnam may also receive a fee waiver. 

If you have questions or issues regarding how to send us your application materials, or if you are in need of an application fee waiver, please DM us (with “Fee Waiver Request 2025” in the subject field) at: she.who.has.no.masters@gmail.com. 

Is any of the work paid? Is there a financial cost for anyone involved?

Mentors are paid a modest stipend for their time, while members of the SWHNM collective organize and facilitate the mentorship program on an unpaid basis since we are a collective of writers who want to, and are able to, participate in this vibrant community. 

We are committed to the idea of supporting Vietnamese and SE Asian diasporic women and nonbinary writers. This mentorship program is one that exists outside of any institutions. Some of the mentors may be affiliated with institutions such as universities but we don’t have outside funding or other institutional support for this project. It’s just us–a labor of care and love. 

Who assesses applications, and how are they assessed?

The mentors for each cycle, along with volunteer members of the collective, read and assess the applications based on promise and need. From there, a smaller committee determines which few candidates might benefit the most from a SWHNM mentorship based on their current access to writing resources and commitment to craft and career, their financial need, and other factors.

There are a few writers with whom I’d especially love to be matched. Can I specify that?

No, though we welcome for you to share what you’re looking for in a mentor.

How far along should a writing sample be?

You should submit your best work, whether it’s published or not. A sampling of different pieces—representing various genres or not—is fine.

I have a question that isn’t addressed here, or something else I want to get in touch about.

You can email us at she.who.has.no.masters@gmail.com. 

shewhohasnomasters.com

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Widening the Pipeline Fellowship:Year-Long Fellowship for U.S.-Based Journalists of Color

National Press Foundation

DEADLINE: December 15, 2024

INFO: U.S. journalism has an ongoing diversity crisis. There simply are not enough reporters and editors of color to inform, engage and accurately reflect our society.

To combat this, the National Press Foundation’s Widening the Pipeline Fellowship will provide trainings in Washington, D.C., as well as virtual workshops to support journalists of color staying in – and leading – the newsrooms of tomorrow.

NPF welcomes U.S.-based journalists from any medium with seven years or less of professional newsroom experience to participate in this career-defining cohort.

In Widening the Pipeline’s first two years, 45 journalists from across America received skills training, mentoring and peer support to help them navigate America’s newsrooms, where people of color comprise less than a quarter of positions. And too often, early career journalists of color leave the industry due to lack of support and mentorship–before they can build the strategies and skills that could help them make much-needed contributions to communities across the country.

Our fellows have learned from journalism veterans – including Ron Nixon, VP of News and Investigations with the Associated Press; Catalina Camia, Deputy Director at Bloomberg Law; Politico’s Senior Managing Editor Sudeep Reddy; and The Atlantic columnist and author Jemele Hill – and been paired with mentors, such as “CNN News Central” Anchor Boris Sanchez, PBS Newshour Deputy Editor Kenichi Serino and Reckon Editor R. L. Nave.

This support has helped nearly half of Widening the Pipeline fellows land new jobs or receive pay raises. All of the fellows say the program renewed their commitment to an industry that urgently needs their diverse lived experiences shaping coverage.

No one can describe the value of the training better than the fellows themselves:

This competitive fellowship is open to U.S.-based reporters and editors working in print, television, radio or online media. We greatly value diversity in all our programs and applicants from across the nation are encouraged to apply. Through its John C. and Ethel C. Eklund Scholarship Fund, the foundation will cover airfare, hotel, some ground transportation and most meals for the two in-person trainings in Washington, D.C., held in February and December 2025. A virtual training day will be held roughly every month, with the following schedule:

2025 session dates:

• Jan. 13 (virtual)

• Feb. 19-21 (Washington, D.C.)

• March 3 (virtual)

• April 7 (virtual)

• May 5 (virtual)

• June 2 (virtual)

• Sept. 8 (virtual)

• Oct. 6 (virtual)

• Nov. 3 (virtual)

• Dec. 8-11 (Washington, D.C).

nationalpress.org/training/apply-by-dec-15-widening-the-pipeline-fellowship-2025/

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Long-term Public Humanities Fellowships

Folger Institute

DEADLINE: December 15, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET

INFO: Folger Institute Long-term Public Humanities Fellowships, new for the 2025-26 year, are designed to support significant, full-time research and public humanities project implementation related to the histories, concepts, art, and objects of the early modern world (ca. 1400-1800) and its legacies. This fellowship is open to college and university faculty, independent scholars, artists, public scholars, writers, PhD candidates, postdocs, community leaders, cultural workers, educators and other knowledge holders. Applicants are not required to hold a terminal degree but should describe their equivalent training and industry-specific experience in their CV. 

For the 2025-26 year, the Folger Institute will offer one Long-term Public Humanities Fellowship at $70,000 for a standard period of 9 months (approximately $7,777 per month). 

FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS:

The successful applicant will draw on the strengths of the Folger’s collections, exhibitions, and programming themes to devote 75% of their residency to research and 25% to implementing public humanities engagement for Folger audiences, in cooperation with Folger Institute staff. This can include–but is not limited to–onsite or virtual programs such as readings, talks, videos, podcasts, workshops, community activations, and performances, as well as digital humanities work hosted on non-Folger platforms such as games, interactives, and online resources. In their fellowship application, applicants must propose and detail one type of public humanities engagement they will develop and implement to take place during each of the Folger’s four program seasons: 

• Summer 2025: July 1 to August 31 

• Fall 2025: September 1 to November 30 

• Winter 2026: December 1 to February 28 

• Spring 2026: March 1 to May 30 

Please note that the Folger will not acquire or archive any materials, physical or digital, resulting from the Public Humanities Fellowship for our collections at this time. 

Long-term public humanities fellows can take up to 3 months of their 9-month fellowship virtually. This virtual time may be taken at any point in the fellowship and does not have to be taken concurrently. Applicants may propose any research schedule that best fits their project’s needs. 

In their proposals, applicants must describe how they will utilize the onsite and virtual (if applicable) portions of their fellowship. Applicants may propose virtual fellowship time to cover any combination of the following full-time work: research with online collections, writing, editing, creative work, and studio time as they relate to the proposed project. Please note, virtual months may also be used to support research for applicants who have dependent care responsibilities. 

folger.edu/research/the-folger-institute/fellowships/apply-for-a-fellowship/long-term-public-humanities-fellowships/

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FINE ARTS WORK CENTER FELLOWSHIP

Fine Arts Work Center

DEADLINE: December 16, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $65

INFO: Each year, the Work Center offers 20 seven-month residencies to a juried group of emerging visual artists, fiction writers, and poets. Each Fellow receives an apartment, a studio (for visual artists), and a monthly stipend of $1,250 plus an exit stipend of $1,000. Residencies run from October 1 through April 30. During this time, Fellows have the opportunity to pursue their work independently in a diverse and supportive community of peers.

THE RESIDENCY:

During the course of the Fellowship, each Writing Fellow is invited to give a public reading and each Visual Art Fellow is given a solo exhibition opportunity. Readings and openings are attended by current and past Fellows, local residents, visitors to Provincetown, leadership of the town’s numerous cultural institutions, and the many illustrious artists and writers who make their homes in Provincetown. Events take place in the beautifully renovated public spaces of the Work Center: the Stanley Kunitz Common Room and Hudson D. Walker Gallery.

VISITING ARTISTS + WRITERS

While in residence, Fellows also help select a series of visiting artists and writers. These visiting artists and writers meet with the Fellows for studio visits and manuscript reviews and give public readings and artist talks that draw thousands from Provincetown and beyond. Visiting guests have included presidential inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel; winner of the National Book Award for Poetry Mark Doty; Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress Robert Pinsky; artist and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Judy Pfaff; and Katherine Porter, whose work is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. 

The Work Center’s founders believed that seven months was the minimum amount of time needed for artists and writers in the crucial early stages of their careers to learn to structure their lives around their creative practice. Each generation of Fellows ideally moves on from the Work Center with a firm belief in their ability to pursue a life as a practicing artist or writer.

fawc.org/apply/

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Call for Papers: Katrina’s America

Southern Cultures

DEADLINE: December 16, 2024

GUEST EDITOR: Andy Horowitz (University of Connecticut)

INFO: Southern Cultures, the award-winning, peer-reviewed quarterly from UNC’s Center for the Study of the American South, encourages submissions from scholars, writers, and artists for a special issue, Katrina’s America, to be published Fall 2025. We will accept submissions for this issue through December 16, 2024.

Nearly twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina sent a storm surge into the Gulf of Mexico. When the levee system surrounding metropolitan New Orleans collapsed, hundreds of people died, tens of thousands of people lost their homes, and years of suffering and struggle followed. At the time, many people understood Katrina as an unprecedented disaster, or a catastrophe that could only occur on the underprivileged margins of American wealth and power. From today’s vantage, however, Katrina no longer looks like an exception. The two decades since the flood have brought more water, fire, and pandemic, surging racist violence, widening economic inequality, and seemingly irreconcilable political conflict. The past two decades have brought, too, emboldened community organizing, ambitious visions for addressing the climate crisis, and other creative efforts to build a more humane future. In all of these domains, Katrina does not appear to be retreating into the past so much as resounding in the future. It is increasingly clear that we live, today, in Katrina’s America. 

In the Fall 2025 issue, Southern Cultures explores Katrina as augur and author of the twenty-first century United States. We seek scholarly articles, personal essays, interviews, photography, and art that make sense of Katrina’s significance, and how its meaning has changed over time. We understand Katrina as an acute event that took place in the summer of 2005 in the attics of the Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans East, Chalmette, and other flooded neighborhoods. We also understand Katrina as an ongoing process that continues on the Gulf Coast, in the places displaced people went, in the halls of power in Baton Rouge and Washington, DC, and in politics and culture across the country and around the world. We are interested in submissions that map Katrina’s America at any or all of these local, national, and global scales. We especially seek submissions that are informed by the time that has passed since the flood.

Submissions can explore any topic or theme, and we welcome investigations of the region in the forms Southern Cultures publishes: scholarly articles, creative nonfiction, memoir (first-person or collective), interviews, surveys, photo and art essays, and shorter feature essays. 

Topics and questions to explore might include:

• “where are they now?”

• accounts of contemporary New Orleans, its suburbs, the Alabama and Mississippi coasts, and other flooded places

• evacuation, displacement, resettlement, and the ongoing Katrina diaspora

• gentrification, and the intersection of economic and environmental change

• infrastructure, and the relationships between structural inequality and the built environment

• racism, poverty, and the construction of vulnerability 

• the legacy of Katrina among volunteers, Teach for America alumni, and others who spent time in New Orleans after the flood and then left

• Katrina and charter schools, policing, public housing, public health, and other reform movements

• Katrina and disaster policy, insurance policy, water infrastructure, and climate adaptation

• Katrina and George W. Bush’s presidency, Barack Obama’s election, Black Lives Matter, the Confederate Monuments debate, the Green New Deal, the COVID-19 pandemic, and etc.

• Katrina and the ways people experience or imagine race, class, and the climate crisis

• the significance of popular culture in shaping Katrina’s meaning, and responses to Katrina in music and art

• reflections on iconic images of the disaster

• efforts to memorialize Katrina

• Katrina and the meanings of justice and community

southerncultures.org/call-for-papers-katrinas-america/

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2024 Memoir Prize

Narratively

DEADLINE: December 19, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

INFO: Narratively is accepting entries for our 2024 Memoir Prize. We’re on the hunt for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. Entries will be judged on a rolling basis in four rounds: the first three by experienced Narratively readers and staff, and the final by our incredible and generous guest judge, critically acclaimed writer Jami Attenberg!

Jami Attenberg is the New York Times bestselling author of 10 books, including The Middlesteins, All Grown Up, the recently published A Reason to See You Again and a memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home. She is also the creator of the annual online group writing accountability project #1000wordsofsummer, which inspired the USA Today bestseller 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round. Jami has also written for The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The Sunday Times, The Guardian and others. Her work has been published in 16 languages. She lives in New Orleans.

We’ll award the top three writers the following cash prizes, as well as publication on Narratively.com and inclusion in a special Narratively 2024 Memoir Prize Digital Collection:

• Grand Prize: US$3,000

• Finalist: US$1,000

• Finalist: US$1,000

Further, Narratively editors will work with the finalists to potentially adapt their stories into larger projects in different mediums (TV, film, podcasts, etc.).

COMPETITION INFO:

• Prize period opens: 9 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on October 28, 2024. 

• Prize period closes: 9 p.m. EDT on December 19, 2024. We will not accept entries once the prize period closes.

• Final decision announced: On or around February 27, 2025. Entrants will be notified via Submittable and/or email.

• Entry fee: US$20, nonrefundable and due at time of entry; free entry for paid subscribers (become one here!). If you’re already a paid subscriber, first of all, thank you for supporting indie journalism! Second of all, just email us at prizes@narratively.com to request the (paid) subscriber-only free submission link.

• Eligibility: Open to folks 18 years of age or older on or before 9 a.m. EDT on October 28, 2024, and who are not employed by, related to or sharing living quarters with Narratively staff or our guest judges. This competition is open to anyone, including past and current Narratively contributors. Current and former Narratively editors are ineligible.

What should my entry look like?

As with all Narratively stories, submissions should be composed of vivid, active scenes, unique characters and an engaging narrative arc. We have a few rules to follow, but encourage maximum creativity within these guidelines. The best way to get a sense of what we’re looking for is to read the stories on the list of examples we love below. 

Here are a few examples of first-person Narratively pieces we love:

• Welcome to America’s Most Elite Girls Boarding School. Let the Hazing Begin.

• My Childhood in an Apocalyptic Cult

• The Adventures of a Pakistani in Texas

• My Bizarre Reign as New York’s King of “Virgin Russian Hair”

• I Was Taught to Hate My Lesbian Neighbors. They Took Me In Anyway.

• Diary of a Bachelor Who Suddenly Became a Solo Dad to a Teenage Girl

• My Secret Life Tracking Down Debtors

• How I Wrote Myself into a Real-life Romantic Comedy — That Turned into a Survivalist Thriller

• My Coming Out Story, Starring a Priest, an Animal Sacrifice and Ricky Martin

Why do we charge a fee? Your entry fee will allow us to compensate the people who are helping us effectively and fairly evaluate every single Prize submission — from our freelance readers to our Prize editors, copy editors, fact-checkers, visual editors and producers. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Ready-to-publish pieces only — no pitches accepted

• Word count: 2,000 to 7,000

• Nonfiction, written in the first person and in English (translations permitted)

• Original and previously unpublished as a written work

• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but must notify Narratively if entry is accepted elsewhere.

• Multiple submissions from a single author are permitted, but each must be submitted and paid for individually.

• Adaptations from other media (podcasts, scripts, etc.) are permitted with disclosure.

• Any citations should be in endnote form and listed at the end of the Submission.

• Please remove your name and contact information from your Submission.

• Narratively prefers common fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial, at 10-12-point size, double spaced, for ease of reading. Please do not include images or graphics.

To answer your questions: 

• This competition is open to anyone, including past and current Narratively contributors. (Current and former Narratively editors, however, are ineligible.)

• The Grand Prize Winner and Finalists will be required to sign our standard Contributor Agreement.

• These are a few of the key points in our agreement:    

• You retain print publication rights, should you pursue a book version of your story now or in the future.

• Narratively has the right to pursue TV and film projects based on the work. These projects could be either unscripted/documentary or fictional (inspired by your story).

• Revenue from any TV or film projects is shared with contributors.

• We publish Narratively Out Loud, which features read-aloud audio versions of all Narratively stories, so the contract also gives us the rights to produce those.

narratively.submittable.com/submit

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Call for Submissions: ‘Crashing Out’ Issue

Post No Bills Mag

DEADLINE: December 29, 2024

INFO: Post No Bills, a literary magazine showcasing and publishing writing, art, and photography centered around Black/brown/queer folxs of NYC, seeks art, photography, essays, poems, interviews, etc. for its “Crashing Out” issue.

{THEME} Quarterlife Crisis: Navigating the messy middle—where uncertainty and transitions collide with disillusionment and self-discovery. It’s all about figuring out who we are while everything else keeps changing.

Email all work to postnobillsmag@gmail.com

instagram.com/p/DDITH11y04p/

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The Anthony Veasna So Scholarships IN FICTION

The Adroit Journal

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $15

INFO: Anthony Veasna So (1992-2020) was an American writer of short stories that often drew from his upbringing as a child of Cambodian immigrants and were described by the New York Times as "crackling, kinetic and darkly comedic." His debut short story collection, entitled Afterparties, was published posthumously by HarperCollins in 2021 and was simultaneously named a New York Times Bestseller and a winner of the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize for Best First Book.

Anthony was not just one of the most talented new writers to grace this decade—he was also a member of the Adroit family, having served as a prose editor for four years. Anthony was as an inspiration to all of us, and to so many writers around the world. In honor of Anthony's contribution to both the Adroit Journal's staff community and the world's fiction readers, we will recognize six emerging fiction writers each year as Anthony Veasna So Scholars in Fiction.

All emerging writers who have not published full-length collections or novels are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and are encouraged to submit. Writers with forthcoming debut full-length collections are eligible so long as collections won't appear earlier than April 2025.

Anthony Veasna So Scholars receive $200 and publication of one piece from their portfolio in a future issue of the Adroit Journal. Finalists will be awarded copies of Anthony's collection, Afterparties, and a list of semifinalists determined by the editors will be released with results.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Submissions may include up to three stories (max of 9,000 words total). Simultaneous submissions, previously published submissions, and submissions recognized by outside organizations are accepted, provided that a) a full catalogue of publication history for enclosed work is included in the submission (please note publication history at the top of the submission and in the cover letter) and b) at least one piece in the submission remains unpublished. Submitters should promptly add a note to their entry on Submittable if work disclosed as unpublished is accepted elsewhere. If the entire submission is published, it will be disqualified. 

Writers are welcome to additionally submit enclosed work to the Adroit Prizes as well as through our general submission portal during those submission periods. We are also happy to consider revisions of work previously submitted to the Adroit Prizes, to the Veasna So opportunity, or through the general submissions portal (including work currently in progress or work that has recently received an editorial decision). Finally, please note that each writer may not send more than one entry per year for Veasna So Scholars.

As mentioned above, all emerging writers who have not published full-length collections are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and Anthony Veasna So Scholars will receive $200 and publication in a future issue of the Adroit Journal.

We have set a non-refundable submission fee of $15. If you require financial assistance, you may submit a fee waiver with the Veasna So Scholars fee waiver request form. You can find both fee waiver request forms by clicking here.

Please direct any questions to editors@theadroitjournal.org.

adroit.submittable.com/submit

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18th Annual Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence

Ernest J. Gaines Award

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

INFO: The Ernest J. Gaines Award serves to enhance the visibility of emerging African-American fiction writers while also expanding the audience for this literature.

CRITERIA + SUBMISSION:

• A work of fiction (novel or collection of short stories) that is published between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Galleys for a 2024 publication are also accepted.

• The nominee must be a rising author, not yet widely recognized for their work.

• Author must be an African-American U.S. citizen.

• Self-published books will not be accepted. Self-published defined as publishing one's work independently and at one's own expense.

• Emailed entries will not be accepted. 

• The winning author must be willing to attend the award ceremony in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2024 and participate in media and educational outreach activities during that week.

TO ENTER A PUBLISHED BOOK OR GALLEY FOR REVIEW, SEND THE COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM AND EIGHT (8) COPIES TO:

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
c/o Baton Rouge Area Foundation
100 North St., Suite 900
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

Non-winning entries will be donated to an area nonprofit. Ineligible entries will not be returned.

TIMELINE:

• May 1, 2024 – December, 2024  Eligible entries for the 18th Annual Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence will be accepted. See eligibility criteria and submission instructions above. All entries for the book award will receive written notification of receipt.

• Spring 2025 – The winner will be selected by a national panel of judges. The judges reserve the right not to issue the award if they feel the selection pool lacks an acceptable candidate. Once the winner is selected, written notification will be sent to all eligible entries.

• 2025 – The 18th Annual Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence Ceremony will take place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

For additional information, please email gainesaward@braf.org

ernestjgainesaward.org/criteria

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Jesmyn Ward Prize in Fiction

Michigan Quarterly Review

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

INFO: The Michigan Quarterly Review has established this prize for fiction in honor of Helen Zell Writers’ Program alumna Jesmyn Ward and her significant contributions to the literary arts.

AWARD: One short story submitted for this prize will be awarded $2,000 and publication in MQR. All submissions for the prize will be considered for publication. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Please submit one unpublished short story of 1,500–7,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please withdraw your submission as soon as it is accepted elsewhere. We ask entrants not to include their names or contact information within the document they upload to Submittable, its title, or its file name. Affiliation with the judge, MQR, or the Helen Zell Writers Program may disqualify a submission; please consult the prize details on Submittable for more information about exclusions.

The 2025 judge is Ghassan Zeineddine.

Ghassan Zeineddine is the author of the story collection Dearborn and co-editor of the creative nonfiction anthology Hadha Baladuna: Arab American Narratives of Boundary and Belonging. Dearborn was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, a finalist for the CLMP Firecracker Award for Debut Fiction, shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, and longlisted for the Story Prize and the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection. The story collection was also awarded the 2023 Khayrallah Book Prize and named a 2024 Michigan Notable Book, a 2024 American Library Association Notable Book, and a Best Fiction Book of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, the Chicago Public Library, Powell’s, and the Writer’s Bone, and a Good Housekeeping Best Book of Fall and a Washington Post Best Book of September, among other honors. Zeineddine lives with his wife and two daughters in Ohio, where he’s an assistant professor of creative writing at Oberlin College.

sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/submit/

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Pages in Progress 2025: An AAWW Fiction Contest

Asian American Writers’ Workshop

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW), Plympton, and Third State Books proudly present an open call/competition for fiction novels in progress.

AWARD:

Winners will receive:

• One-month residency with Writing Downtown in Las Vegas, Nevada; 

• One-hour virtual consultation with Third State Books, a new publishing house amplifying stories from Asian America; 

• One-hour virtual consultation with an AAPI literary agent;

• One complimentary seat to an AAWW workshop;

• One full-day pass to the AAWW’s 2025 Publishing Conference. 

Winners will also receive invaluable networking and mentorship through the AAWW, Plympton, and Third State communities. Please note that travel costs are not included for any of the prizes.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• All genres of fiction will be considered, including but not limited to: speculative fiction, fantasy/science-fiction, young adult, horror, mystery, thriller, and romance.

• All submissions should include a one-page synopsis or overview of the work

• Our ideal manuscript is a nearly-complete draft of 50,000-100,000 words – let us help you get your book over the finish line!

• Please attach manuscripts in either Word .doc, .docx, or PDF format

• All work must be original; translations will not be accepted

• Previously published or forthcoming manuscripts will not be considered

aaww.submittable.com/submit

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call for submissions: Issue 18: Radical Futurity

Seventh Wave Mag

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $7

INFO: We are now open for submissions to Issue 18: Radical Futurity. Below, you will find everything you need to know in order to submit a competitive piece for publication. We can't wait to read your work. Any questions, reach out: submit@seventhwavemag.com. 

IMPORTANT DATES. We are open for submissions until December 31, 2024. You will be notified of the status of your submission by end of February 2025.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS. You will submit three items: 1) a bio of 2-6 sentences, 2) a 250-500 word statement (addressing the four questions below), and 3) your submission as a Word Document or PDF. These are not optional.

STATEMENT + QUESTIONS. In your statement — this will be a text field in the form on the next page — please tell us in 500 words or less: 1) What are the driving forces behind your work? Tell us what your particular aesthetic or voice will bring to this issue; 2) What are recent social issues, political decisions, or cultural mishaps that sparked meaningful conversation and inspired you to create art, write stories, or otherwise communicate your thoughts to the world? 3) Tell us a little about what you hope to get out of this editorial process; and 4) How does your submission relate to our topic?  

FAQs: We highly recommend you read our Submit page and our FAQ page. There is plenty of information there: why we don't read "blind," why we charge a $7 fee, why we require a cover letter/statement, the type of work we're (not) looking for, etc. You should also read this post on our Well-Crafted bulletin: 7 tips on submitting work to the Seventh Wave. 

GENRE / FORM: We welcome prose and poetry, hybrid work, and visual art. For prose, a good limit is 3,000 words (though this isn't a strict cut-off). For hybrid work, a good limit is 10 pages (keep in mind how your work might appear on a digital platform). For poems, you can submit up to four poems (please let us know if they are all part of a series, etc). For art, please keep in mind that we will be publishing your work on a website. We have some visual capabilities — accordion scrollers, galleries and lightboxes, and even a flipbook, as well as audio capabilities — but we are primarily built to handle written pieces. 

SUBMISSION FORMATS: For prose and poetry, you'll upload a Word Doc or PDF. For art, send whatever format you think will help our selection committee get the best understanding of your work.  

FEE WAIVER: If our $7 submission fee is prohibitive, no problem. Just email your full submission to submit@seventhwavemag.com by the deadline, no questions asked. Please write "Issue 18 • [Last Name] [Genre]" in the subject line. Our submission fee helps us honor our team's time and labor in reviewing submissions.

NOTE ON EDITING STYLE: Our editorial process is intimate. We host an orientation session for all contributors once selected; you work with two editors toward publication; and you'll get to know others in your cohort. If you are just looking to get your work published, our magazine likely isn't for you. Everything we do is rooted in community, conversation, and collaboration.

MULTIPLE / SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Multiple submissions are not accepted. Please only submit once for each open call. We do, however, accept simultaneous submissions. Please just let us know if any of the poems/pieces you submit get picked up by another magazine/platform.

PAYMENT: We are committed to paying our contributors. While it can vary by submission, generally speaking, we offer $100 for prose, film, plays, multiple poems, and multiple pieces of artwork; for individual poems, images, and artwork, we offer $75.

seventhwavemag.submittable.com/submit

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Fiction and Poetry Contests

Third Coast 

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $10

INFO: Submissions to the 2024-2025 Third Coast Fiction and Poetry Contests are open. This year’s judges will be Misha Rai (Fiction) and Jamaal May (Poetry). 

AWARD: Winners receive $1,000 and publication in Third Coast. All contest entries will be considered for publication in Third Coast.

GUIDELINES: Submit one previously unpublished story of up to 9,000 words or up to three previously unpublished poems at a time, in one file. All manuscripts should be typed and fiction manuscripts should be double-spaced. Please include entry title and page numbers on all manuscript pages. Because judging is blind, the author’s name and identifying information (address, email, phone number, and bio) should appear only in the “cover letter” section of the Submittable form; identifying information must not appear anywhere on the manuscript itself. Manuscripts including identifying information will be disqualified.

Simultaneous submissions are permitted, though if work is accepted elsewhere, we ask that it be withdrawn from the contest immediately. If a piece is chosen as a finalist, we ask that it be withdrawn from other publications’ consideration until our judge selects a winner. Multiple entries are permitted, but each entry must be submitted separately.

Writers associated with the judges, WMU, or Third Coast are not eligible to submit.

thirdcoastmagazine.com/contests/

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2025 Plentitudes Prizes

The Plentitudes

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

INFO: Our 2025 Plentitudes Prizes is now open for submission!

JUDGES: Guest judges Annell Lopez, Melody Nixon, Dana Isokawa, and Celine Aenlle-Rocha will select winners in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Flash, respectively.

AWARD:

• First-place winners in each genre will receive $1,000

• Second-place winners will receive $300

• Third-place winners receive $200

• The winning entries will be published in our Spring 2025 issue.

GUIDELINES:

• Multiple submissions by the same writer is permitted, though each must be submitted under a separate entry. You may retain your name on the submission but you may not submit if you are personally connected to any of the guest judges and/or the editors. Simultaneous submissions are fine, as long as you contact us if the work is accepted elsewhere.

• All writers who enter will be notified by email of the judges’ decisions, which will be final. Winners will have seven days upon the receipt of email to confirm their publication agreement; otherwise, the offer is considered rescinded. Submissions must be must be an original, unpublished work, written by the submitter. Submissions also must be primarily in English, though we welcome writers to leverage their linguistic diversity. 

• The Plentitudes acquires First Rights for accepted works for publication. Upon acceptance of publication, The Plentitudes Journal retains the right to be the sole publisher of the works for the first year from the initial date of publication. Thereafter, contributors may republish their works, with The Plentitudes Journal credited as the initial publisher. The Plentitudes Journal retains the right to re-publish works designated for print publication in an anthology and on our social media platforms. 

• Marginalized voices, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and Disability writers, are particularly encouraged to submit.

theplentitudes.com/prizes

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OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature

Bocas Lit Fest

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

ENTRY FEE: US$45 (TT$300) per title

INFO: The OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature is an annual award for literary books by Caribbean writers, first presented in 2011. Books are judged in three categories: poetry; fiction — both novels and collections of short stories; and literary nonfiction — including books of essays, biography and autobiography, history, current affairs, travel, and other genres, which demonstrate literary qualities and use literary techniques, regardless of subject matter.

There is a panel of three judges for each genre category, who determine category shortlists and winners. 

The three category winners are then judged by a panel of four judges — consisting of the chairs of the category panels and the prize chair — who determine the overall winner. 

The author of the book judged the overall winner will receive an award of US$10,000. The other category winners will receive US$3,000

ELIGIBILITY:

To be eligible for entry for the 2025 prize, a book must: 

1. Have been first published in the calendar year 2024 (1 January to 31 December); 

2. Have been written by a single author who either holds Caribbean citizenship or was born in the Caribbean (this must be verified by the publisher), regardless of current place of residence; 

3. Have been written by an author who is living on 31 December, 2024; 

4. Have been written and first published in English originally (i.e. translations are not eligible); 

5. Be a new work, previously unpublished in book form (though collections including poems, stories, essays, or other short pieces that have individually appeared in print in periodicals or anthologies are eligible). 

bocaslitfest.com/awards/ocm/

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Kevin McIlvoy Book Prize

WTAW Press

DEADLINE: December 31, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $30

INFO: We welcome submissions of full-length books of prose (novels, memoirs, narrative nonfiction, essay and story collections, and hybrid works) from new, emerging, and established voices and from writers of all backgrounds.

Manuscript Anonymity - Identifying information for the author must not be included anywhere in the manuscript, including in the file name or title field in the submission manager. Manuscripts containing identifying information in any way will be automatically disqualified, and the entry fee forfeited.

Previously Published Material - The manuscript, in its entirety, must be previously unpublished. It may contain some previously published portions, but the majority of the work should be new. Any previously published material in the manuscript must be credited in the cover letter (see cover letter guidelines below). Acknowledgements of previously published material may not be included in the manuscript file. Manuscripts containing acknowledgements will be automatically disqualified.

Originality and AI Restrictions - All material must be the author’s own, original composition and free from copyright restrictions. Submissions generated by AI tools or language models are not accepted.

Simultaneous Submissions - Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but by submitting a manuscript, the author agrees to notify WTAW immediately if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere for publication and to withdraw it from Submittable.

Multiple Submissions - Multiple submissions are accepted, provided each is accompanied by a separate entry fee. Each submission must be unique.

Submission Finality - Submissions cannot be edited once submitted. Manuscripts selected for publication will undergo an editing process with the editors.

Manuscript Formatting - Manuscripts should be submitted as a .doc or .docx file, in a 12-point standard font such as Times New Roman, double-spaced, with at least 1-inch margins, and paginated. Include a title page with the total word count and, if applicable, a table of contents.

Cover Letter Guidelines - Cover letters must be entered into the appropriate field in the submission manager. They may not be included in the manuscript file. Submission files that contain a cover letter will be automatically disqualified.

Cover letters must include the following information:

• Author contact information (address, phone, email)

• The work’s title, genre, and word count

• A list of credits for any previously published portions

• A brief synopsis of the work (short paragraph)

• A brief author biography, including author website address and social media handles, and, if applicable, publishing history

• An indication if the manuscript is submitted simultaneously, with acknowledgment of the requirement to withdraw it if accepted elsewhere

• Where you heard about the Kevin McIlvoy Book Prize

Disqualification - Any submission that doesn’t follow the guidelines will be disqualified, and the submission fee forfeited.

Responses - WTAW responds to every submission through the submission manager at the email address provided with the submission.

Thank you for considering the Kevin McIlvoy Book Prize. We look forward to reading your work.

wtaw-press.submittable.com/submit

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Ann Friedman Weekly Fellowship

Ann Friedman

DEADLINE: January 3, 2025 by 11:59pm PST

INFO: The Ann Friedman Weekly Fellowship is an annual program for nonfiction writers who are not yet established in their careers. It includes mentorship and editing; a $5,000 stipend; regular check-ins to provide structure and accountability; and space in my newsletter where fellows can publish and promote their work. This program is funded by paying members of the Ann Friedman Weekly.

For the 2025 fellowship, I will provide support and accountability to two writers, who will each write and publish a newsletter of their own. Each fellow will come up with an editorial focus (or hone an existing one), create a workflow, and integrate feedback as they build a body of self-published work. I will, of course, welcome conversation about other writing projects and offer broader advice throughout the year. But the newsletter will be their main fellowship focus.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

• Who I’m looking for: Nonfiction writers who don’t have (m)any published clips, who aren’t well-connected to editors, who don’t have a substantial social media following. I’m looking for people who are already writing and developing their skills. I invite people from populations that are underrepresented in media to apply. (I know most job listings have a line like this, but I really and truly mean it. Please apply!) For reasons related to scheduling calls and time zones, I am limiting this to writers who live in the United States.

• Compensation: A stipend of $5,000. This fellowship is not a full-time job and will not provide any health insurance benefits. Think of it more like a year-long, highly personalized workshop with steady mentorship.

• Commitment: We’ll do a monthly Zoom check-in, and you will have space in my newsletter at least once a month, too. Your time commitment will be variable, but I think it’s safe to say a few hours per week. I expect you to engage with your fellow fellow (lol) and with me, and to meet the deadlines we set together.

• Why I’m doing this: I’m eager to share what I know about the craft and profession of writing, and I love having colleagues. For more context, read this.

• How to apply: Write me a letter, no longer than one page. In it,

• Tell me a little bit about who you are and the writing you’re currently doing.

• Then tell me about the newsletter you’d like to publish in 2025. It could be a limited series, or an ongoing project you hope to keep up after the fellowship ends. It could be just the germ of an idea, or something you’ve been working on for awhile that needs a refresh. Be as specific as you can.

• Tell me about the nonfiction writing skills you’re most eager to develop in the coming year. (Examples: Conducting great interviews, writing compelling titles/headlines, making the personal resonate more universally.) Put another way: How do you hope to improve over the course of the fellowship year?

• If you have a little space left, briefly tell me about the last thing you read and loved. What was so good about it?

• Title the document “[Your Name] AF WKLY 2025”

• Fill out this form and upload the letter. I will only consider applications submitted through the form.

• TIMELINE: Applications are due by 11:59pm PST on January 3, 2025. This deadline is strict. I will be in touch with all applicants by February 15. Fellowships begin March 3, 2025 and run through the end of the calendar year.

annfriedman.com/fellowship

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Short-Term Fellowships for Writers, Artists, and Other Humanists

Newberry Library

DEADLINE: January 3, 2025

INFO: Newberry fellowships give researchers the time, space, and community required to pursue innovative and ground-breaking projects. Fellows advance scholarship in various fields, develop new interpretations, and expand our understanding of the past.

The Jan and Frank Cicero Fellowship - Offering one month of support for a person working in the visual and performing arts who wishes to advance their artistic practice through the use of the Newberry collection.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Artists and performers including (but not limited to) painters, sculptors, choreographers, dramaturgs, creative writers, composers, and others in artistic fields.

The Arthur and Lila Weinberg Fellowship for Independent Researchers - This fellowship is for writers, journalists, filmmakers, visual and performing artists, and other humanists who wish to use the Newberry’s collection to further their creative work. Preference is given to individuals working on projects that focus on social justice or reform.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Applicants must be individuals working outside of traditional academic settings.

The Historical Fiction Writing Fellowship - Offering one month of support for a person working in the area of historical fiction. We encourage applications relating to a wide range of historical fiction including novels, short stories, plays and theatrical works, or poetry.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Writers of historical fiction.

newberry.org/research/fellowships/short-term-fellowships

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WHAT CAN WE DO?

Asian American Arts Alliance (A4)

DEADLINE: January 7, 2024

INFO: What Can We Do? (WCWD?), presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), is a grant opportunity for artists looking to support the Asian and AAPI communities in NYC with engaging, creative projects rooted in care.

The lingering effects of the pandemics of COVID and anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate – including Islamophobia – continue to be felt today. In response, many mutual aid groups, direct service organizations, and community and business leaders have stepped in to take care of elders and other vulnerable Asian and AAPI community members across the city.

In addition, the ongoing genocide in Gaza has left Palestinian communities feeling unsafe and unsupported. AAPI artists, organizers, and care workers have come together to demand a ceasefire, raise awareness around the conflict in Gaza, and organize campaigns in support of Palestinian American artists and cultural workers who have been censored and banned from opportunities.

WCWD? gives artists a chance to find their place in the care ecosystem either by complementing existing services and offerings, or creating their own.

PROGRAM GOALS: For this program, a minimum of 15 NYC-based artists will be selected as project awardees by A4. Each artist will receive $1,500 to create and carry out ideas to engage, aid, and care for the Asian New Yorker community with a focus on Chinatown, Manhattan; Flushing, Queens; and/or social justice projects focused on the support of NYC-based Palestinian creators and their communities.

The project engagements must be completed within a four-month period (February 4–June 3, 2025).

Projects may take many forms such as performing music for seniors waiting in line at food pantries, leading workshops with youth to create ‘zines that reinforce positive aspects of AAPI culture, or organizing creative activities in support of the Palestinian community. While we prefer projects to be in-person activities, we understand that for safety reasons, projects might need to be virtual. You can review past projects here.

INFORMATION SESSION: An information session for those interested in applying will be held on Tuesday, November 19 from 12:00-1:00 pm ET via Zoom. You can RSVP for the information session here.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Are you a NYC-based artist, community leader, or social justice organizer interested in exploring and/or developing a creative project with the aim to offer care for the Asian community in New York? Do you feel you want to do something about anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate and violence and its effects on the community, but don’t know how to get started? Your skills and talents can make a difference, and we want to hear from you.

What Can We Do? is seeking 15 participants with a range of artistic expression, social justice/social impact expertise, organizing frameworks, and lived experiences.

REQUIREMENTS:

• A resident of New York City & primarily based in New York City during the program period

• Must be at least 21 years of age

• The project must benefit communities in Chinatown, Manhattan (District 1); Flushing, Queens (District 20); and/or social justice projects focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities.

• All disciplines and stages of artistic exploration/developments, activism, community organizing, educational practice, and thought leadership are welcome; No prior organizing experience required

• Demonstrate a willingness or an interest in community work and care for vulnerable populations

• Create or develop an existing or new project that centers community building, healing, reflection, and joy, and not limited to being solely reactionary to moments of crisis or protest

• Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate an intention to build an ongoing relationship and engagement with the community

• Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received the award, but anyone can apply

• The event(s) or project engagement(s) must take place within the four-month period between February 4–June 3, 2025

SELECTION CRITERIA:

After an eligibility screening, the A4 Team will be evaluating and selecting the awardees based on the following criteria:

• Community Impact: Will your proposed project have an impact, and show support, and care to AAPI communities? If your project is focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities, how does it impact the groups most affected by the issue? Do you have existing relationships or a desire to build/deepen relationships with residents of the communities on a long-term basis? Do you have an understanding of issues facing AAPI communities?

• Outreach Strategy: Do you have a clear plan to conduct outreach to community members? If you plan to work with a community organization, does your outreach strategy align with the scope and contents of your project? If your project is focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities, does your outreach strategy align with the goals and values of the movement and focus on local needs?

• Project Development and Creativity: Does your project contain a clear display of innovation, imagination, and/or creativity? Will participation in the WCWD program help you realize or shape your project?

• Ability to Commit and Viability: Is your project achievable given the proposed engagement dates and four-month timeline?

We strive for a balance of geography, populations served, and disciplines. These factors will also be taken into account when the applications are evaluated.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE + TIMELINE:

As part of the program, participants will:

• Carry out their event(s) or project engagement(s) anytime between February 4–June 3, 2025, providing periodical progress updates to A4

• Write and submit a simple, one-page report of their work including 2 photographs, the community they served, its impact, and any next steps

• Present their final project in-person or virtually at the end of the program in a public share out

• Receive an honorarium of $1,500 per awardee; please note that awardees will receive the first half of the honorarium ($750) upon signing the agreement and the second half of the honorarium ($750) upon completion of the final report

The program schedule is as follows:

• November 12, 2024 – Application opens

• November 19, 2024 – Pre-submission Information Session via Zoom (12-1pm ET)

• January 7, 2025 – Deadline for all submissions (by 11:59 pm ET)

• January 21, 2025 – Awardees selected and notified

• February 4–June 3, 2025 – Awardees carry out their projects

• June 5, 2025 – Final reports due

• June 12, 2025 (Tentative) – Public Share Out

This program is presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Special thanks to Council Members Christopher Marte and Sandra Ung. Projects focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities are supported by the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice.

aaartsalliance.org/opportunities/what-can-we-do

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2025 Bechtel Prize 

Teachers & Writers Magazine

DEADLINE: January 10, 2025

INFO: Each year Teachers & Writers Magazine awards the Bechtel Prize and a $1,000 honorarium for an essay describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. 

The Bechtel Prize is named for Louise Seaman Bechtel, who was an editor, author, collector of children’s books, and teacher. In 1919, Bechtel became the first person to lead a juvenile book department at an American publishing house. Bechtel helped establish the field of children’s literature and was a tireless advocate for the importance of literature in children’s lives. This award honors her legacy.

We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of creative writing in the classroom. We welcome essays about projects that carved a space for students to reflect on current events and social justice. The experience/project/activity should be one that:

• Helped students identify as writers.

• Opened new pathways to creative writing.

• Engaged students in all parts of the writing process.

• Promoted connections between reading and writing.

• Supported the publication of student writing.

The essay itself should:

• Share actual classroom experience, including how students engaged with the project (in other words, this should not be a planned project but one that has already taken place).

• Focus on the classroom experience and what makes it innovative.

• Focus on teaching creative writing (eg. poetry, fiction, memoir, playwriting).

• Please do not send essays that have to do with teaching academic writing or teaching literature in general.

PRIZE: The essay selected to receive the Bechtel Prize will be published in Teachers & Writers Magazine, and the author will receive a $1,000 award.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Essays must be previously unpublished and under 2,500 words. They should include a cover page with the essay title, author’s name, e-mail address, phone number, and a brief bio (no more than 150 words).

• Send submissions in Word or PDF format via Submittable.

• Submissions will be judged anonymously. The author’s name and address must not appear anywhere on the essay.

• Authors of the Bechtel Prize-winning essay and finalists must permit T&W to publish their essays in Teachers & Writers Magazine. T&W reserves the right to edit essays for publication.

• Submissions are only accepted through Submittable.com. Please do not email submissions.

• All submissions that conform to the above guidelines will be considered for general publication. Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be reviewed for the Bechtel Prize.

Selection criteria for the Bechtel Prize include the submission’s relevance and appropriateness for readers of Teachers & Writers Magazine, most of whom teach writing at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level. Teachers & Writers Magazine publishes work that is concise, lively, and geared toward a general audience. Prospective entrants for the Bechtel Prize are encouraged to visit the magazine to become familiar with the work of Teachers & Writers and to read past winners of the award. 

Questions regarding these guidelines may be sent to editors@twc.org. Please do not send submissions by email. 

teachersandwritersmagazine.org/bechtel-prize/

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2025 Early Career Artist Residency - For MN + NY artists

Anderson Center at Tower View

DEADLINE: January 14, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency Program offers month-long residency-fellowships at Tower View to a cohort of emerging artists from Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City for concentrated, uninterrupted creative time to advance their personal artistic goals and projects.

Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency is an ideal fit for early-career artists in need of focused time and dedicated space in an inspiring residency work environment that empowers them take risks, embrace challenges, and utilize unconventional approaches to problem-solving.

Thanks to generous support from the Jerome Foundation, selected emerging artists receive a $625/week artist stipend, documentation support, art-making resources, lodging & studio space, a travel honorarium, groceries, and chef-prepared communal dinners.

Anderson Center is an artist community founded in 1995 on the Tower View estate, a venerable research-and-development lab for the arts rooted in an expansive natural setting in rural Red Wing, MN (approximately 1-hour outside the Twin Cities metro).

The Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency is geared toward generative art making, as well as exchange across an interdisciplinary cohort. The program is well suited for vocational early-career artists in pursuit of time, space, and resources to truly commit to a project and explore new creative territories. Critiques, studio visits, and formal professional development are not offered.

The Anderson Center seeks to support emerging writers and artists with an uncompromising drive to create new work at Tower View in September 2025 that demonstrates significant potential for cultural and community impact, is technically accomplished, and engages diverse communities. The organization also believes that the environment and resources of Tower View, along with an exchange of ideas between artists working across disciplines, can serve as a catalyst for new inspiration and innovative directions for the work emerging artists create while in residence.

TO APPLY:

The application deadline for the Anderson Center's 2024 Early Career Artist Residency Program is Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 12 p.m. Noon, Central Standard Time. Applications must be submitted on or before the deadline in order to be considered in the jury review period. There is no fee for applying to this residency program.

Jury review will take place in late January and early February. Applicants will be notified by Feb. 7 as to the status of their application. A phone interview process with finalists will take place in late February following a second round of jury review. Selected artist residents, wait-list and runners-up will be notified by March 4, 2024.

ABOUT ANDERSON CENTER: Anderson Center nurtures a vibrant artist community based at Tower View, an expansive Historic Site and natural area in Red Wing, Minnesota. Founded in 1995, the Anderson Center has renovated and restored Tower View's historic buildings to support working artists and the creative process, including developing twenty-two active studio spaces and three galleries. A renovated barn serves as a performance and event venue, the historic main residence houses artists-in-residence, and fifteen acres support a sculpture garden. 

Anderson's signature Artist Residency Program, together with the Studio Artist Program, forms the core of the organization's artistic community. The Residency Program provides artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment with dedicated time and space to create, advance, or complete new work. In addition to community engagement activities through the artist residency program, the organization's additional outreach programs create connections and integrate the arts into community life through local partnerships, hosting annual arts events, and participating in other community-based initiatives.

ABOUT JEROME FOUNDATION: The Jerome Foundation, founded in 1964 by artist and philanthropist Jerome Hill (1905-1972), honors his legacy through multi-year grants to support the creation, development, and presentation of new works by early career artists. The Foundation makes grants to vocational early career artists, and those nonprofit arts organizations that serve them, in all disciplines in the state of Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City. The Jerome Foundation is generously providing support for the Anderson Center’s Emerging Artist Residency Program.

LOCATION: Anderson Center is located on the 350-acre historic Tower View campus, built by scientist & farmer Dr. Alexander Pierce Anderson between 1915 and 1921, on the western edge of Red Wing, Minnesota, and its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Center features a large sculpture garden, and is adjacent to the Cannon Valley Trail, a 20-mile biking and walking trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Red Wing. The Center is 45-60 minutes southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Transportation is provided between the Center and the Twin Cities airport on the first and last day of residencies only. Artist Residents that choose to drive will have access to private parking on the property.

The community of Red Wing, Minn., (pop. 16,000) is nestled amidst the scenic bluffs of the upper Mississippi River.

DEFINITION OF “EARLY CAREER”: While Anderson Center’s general Artist Residency Program hosts artists with a wide range of talent and experience, its Early Career Artist Residency Program exclusively focuses on meeting the specific needs of artists who are in the early stages of their artistic development and career.

Anderson Center’s goal is to support artists early in their careers who create work that is and/or has the potential to be:

• Compelling—offering distinctive vision and authentic voice;

• Deeply considered, imaginative, and executed with attention to craft and with technical proficiency, providing artistic experiences that communicate unique perspective/s, and invite viewers to question, discover, explore new ideas in new ways;

• Innovative and risk-taking—engaging, questioning, challenging or re-imagining conventional artistic forms.

Anderson Center defines an early career artist as someone in the early stages of their creative development with 2-10 years of generative experience, and:

• have a focused direction and goals, even while still developing their artistic “voice”

• have yet to be substantially celebrated within their field, the media, funding circles or the public at large

• are vocational (as opposed to avocational, academic, amateur or educational) artists

Artists who have been in the field for longer than 10 years (excluding any time in a degree-granting program; as a dancer in work created by others; remounting the work of other choreographers; or time away from working as an artist due to circumstances–e.g., having children, caring for family members, long-term illness, etc.) are generally not eligible, even if they feel under-recognized. Age is not a factor in determining emerging artist status.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:

The four primary eligibility guidelines for Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency are:

1. Legal residency in the State of Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City.

2. Not enrolled in any degree-granting program from time of application through residency period.

3. Self-identification as an “early career artist” with 2-10 years of generative experience in the field

4. An artistic practice centered in generating and creating entirely new work.

Minnesota or New York City artists - Artists must currently be legal residents of Minnesota or one of the five boroughs of New York City and have been residents for at least one year prior to the submission of an application. Artist did (or will) file US federal taxes as a resident of Minnesota or New York City. Account address in Submittable must be within MN or NYC. Selected artists will be required to provide proof of Minnesota or New York City residency before a residency is formally offered. Artists must have a US Social Security Number or US Tax ID.

No students - Students enrolled in any degree-granting program from the time of application through the residency period are not eligible to apply for an Early Career Artist Residency at the Anderson Center (this includes any and all K-12, technical school, college, graduate, postgraduate, ABD studies). There are no exceptions to this eligibility criterion. If an artist is pursuing a degree-granting program in some form, they are not eligible. Please do not contact Anderson Center staff regarding technical situations or special edge cases around student status. This program supports vocational artists, not students. No matter the specifics or details, if an artist can be considered a student of a degree-granting program in any way, they are simply not eligible.

“Early Career Artist” Status – Eligible artists self-identify as an “early career artist” and are in the early stages of their creative development with 2-10 years of generative experience. The Anderson Center’s goal is to serve a spectrum of artists typically in their 2nd to 10th year of creative practice, post-student status (if applicable). This spectrum is framed by artists with some track record of creating and presenting full work (not beginning artists), and artists who are NOT at a point in their careers where they receive consistent development and production opportunities and significant recognition, awards, and acclaim (not mid-career or established artists).

Artists who have been in the field for longer than 10 years (excluding any time in a degree-granting program; as a dancer in work created by others; remounting the work of other choreographers; or time away from working as an artist due to circumstances–e.g., having children, caring for family members, long-term illness, etc.) are generally not eligible, even if they feel under-recognized.

Age is not a determining factor. Career stage is assessed by the cumulative number of years an artist has been generating their own work. Mid-career or established artists shifting from one artistic discipline to another will not be considered early career. For example, a composer with a substantial career in music who is now moving into film will not be considered early career.

Anderson Center has defined the 2–10 year span recognizing that some artists may experience enormous success and move past early career status well before their 5th year or 10th year. The organization recognizes that the number of opportunities afforded to artists may differ significantly based on discipline, race/ethnicity, class, gender, physical ability, and geography among other factors. Consequently, some artists may be past their 10th year and still be on the spectrum of early career status due to taking time out of active artistic practice for school or other circumstances. The Anderson Center understands that the lack of an absolute or rigid definition leaves room for interpretation but embraces this flexibility out of our value around diversity and in recognition of the many variables that impact artists’ careers.

New Work – Eligible artists are generating and creating entirely new work (rather than interpreting, translating, arranging, copying, remounting pre-existing work or the work of others). Generative artists are those who conceive and create new original work (e.g., choreographers, composers, playwrights and devisers, filmmakers, writers, visual artists, etc.). This program does not support artists who solely perform or develop/produce the work of others (e.g., dancers, musicians, actors, editors, journalists, etc.).

Collaboratives - Artists that are part of an artistic collective, partnership, or collaborative are welcome to apply, but collaborative residencies are also rare. The program is extremely competitive, and space is simply limited. Each artist must also complete their own application form. Obviously, each application will repeat things and have much overlap. That is OK. In the work plan for in each application, highlight that artist's contribution / skills, while making clear the collaborative nature of the project.

Notes - Artists of all disciplines are eligible and are encouraged to apply. Applications must be submitted through the Anderson Center’s online webform via Submittable.

Please direct any questions regarding early career artist status and eligibility requirements directly to Anderson Center at Tower View staff at 651-388-2009 or info@andersoncenter.org.

APPLICATION: A completed application form includes a brief artist statement, a work plan, an early career statement, work samples, and a resume or CV. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed by the panel. You may begin your application, leave and return as many times as necessary to complete the form PRIOR to clicking the submit button at the bottom of the completed form. Important: do not submit your application form until you are completely finished editing as your application will be finalized at that time.

If you are a prior resident of the Anderson Center, you must wait one year from the time of your residency to apply again.

The Artist Statement, provides an opportunity for you to share, in 100 words or less, a brief statement or summary about your past and current work.

The Resume, CV, or Biographical Statement is a Word or PDF document that shows education, work experience, publications, awards, and previous residency experience. 3 pages maximum.

The Work Plan is a one page Word or PDF document that clearly and concisely describes what you are working on and what you’d like to accomplish at the Anderson Center. Successful applicants address how the timing, location, and cohort-based model of the residency would benefit their practice. Artists may also mention how specific amenities or resources at the Anderson Center (such as the surrounding natural environment, specific studio spaces or equipment) would advance their work. The statement can be single-spaced.

An Early Career Statement addresses, in 250 words or less, your status as an emerging artist or early-career artist. How would participating in this program impact or advance your practice as an early career artist? In what ways would this program meet your needs as an early career artist? Why is this residency important to this stage of your career path? How do you identify as an early career artist? 

Work Samples should be of recent work and should include:
     · For composers and musicians: 3 recordings
     · For visual artists: At least 5 images of work (300 dpi or larger)
     · For nonfiction and fiction writers: 10 pages of double-spaced prose
     · For playwrights & screenwriters: 10-page excerpt (does not need to be from the beginning)
     · For poets: 10 pages of poetry
     · For translators: 10 pages of translation and original text
     · For performance artists: 3 short video excerpts of performances (no videos longer than 5 minutes)
     · For filmmakers: at least 3 short film clips (no videos longer than 5 minutes)
     · For Scholars: 10 pages of work, including research abstracts and relevant diagrams

If you are an interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary artist, you may "split the difference" on the work sample guidelines above at your own discretion. For example, including 5 pages of writing and 3 images, etc. 

Likewise you may also choose to simply submit a PDF or Word Doc with hyperlinks to work samples that meet the guidelines outlined above.

Regarding work samples, please put yourself in the shoes of a jury panel member. Make it easy for them to review your best work first. Yes, give the jury various ways to go deeper or experience more if they are motivated but focus first on presenting only your strongest work samples in the most compelling way possible. Please contact staff if you have questions about work samples, but reflecting on the jury and the many applications they have to review & score can serve as a helpful guide in deciding what to include, how much to share, how long it can be, and how to present it.

DURATION OF RESIDENCY: The Anderson Center’s Early Career Artist Residency Program is a 4-week residency-fellowship the month of September 2025. Selected artists must commit to arriving on September 2 and departing on September 29. September is the only month the program takes place.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Each artist-in-residence receives:

• $625/week artist stipend

• Travel honorarium ($550 for New Yorkers and $150 for Minnesotans)

• $450 documentation budget (services for photography, video, audio, etc.)

Evening dinners are prepared and presented by the Anderson Center chef Monday through Friday. The chef also shops for meal items for artist residents, and residents are responsible for preparing their own breakfasts and lunches, and meals over the weekends. There are also housekeepers who clean and maintain the historic facilities.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Each resident is provided room, board, and workspace for the length of the residency period in the historic Tower View residence. Visual artists are provided a 15' x 26' studio and are responsible for supplying their own materials.  Other workspaces on site include a dark room, and a print studio (with a Vandercook 219 letterpress and a Charles Brand-like etching press) for printmakers with demonstrated experience. Practice space is also available for dancers, choreographers, and musicians. Composers are provided with access to a 1904 Steinway piano and a Royale grand piano.

Residents have access to the many walking trails on campus and to the Cannon Valley Trail, which goes through the Anderson Center’s property. Bicycles are also provided. Residents have responded to many different aspects of the gorgeous Tower View campus through their work, including composers sampling natural sounds and visual artists harvesting plant materials to create site-specific natural inks.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The program is set-up to minimize distractions and other obligations so that artists have every opportunity to fully focus on their work. However, the Anderson Center was one of the first artist residency programs in the country to require that residents give back to the local community and connect with area residents & organizations through community engagement activities.

Staff work with artists to facilitate and customize at least one hour of mutually beneficial exchange with the Red Wing community that helps foster connection and greater a sense of place.

Within the last few years, Anderson Center residents have connected with schools in five area communities (ranging from elementary through college), senior centers, correctional or detention facilities, community organizations serving children and families, and community organizations serving adults. Residents have also engaged individuals from all walks of life through public workshops, events, discussions, and artful interventions -- both at the Anderson Center or in the community of Red Wing.

PROGRAM MISSION & VALUES: As an interdisciplinary arts organization, the Anderson Center embraces artists who are diverse in every way. Since its inception, the organization has intentionally worked with artists representing a wide range of disciplines, with the belief that the exchange of ideas is generative. The residency program supports artists from around the world, representing a wide range of cultures, races, sexual identities and genders. The Center strives to bring people and ideas together and operates with a spirit of welcome for all.

SELECTION TIMELINE:

• January 14, 2025 (12:00 p.m. Noon CST) – application deadline

• February 7, 2025 – Jury has selected Round 2 applications. All artists are notified of the status of their application.

• February 25, 2025 – Jury has determined finalists. Phone interviews with finalists begin.  

• March 4, 2025 – Final notification to selected artists, wait-list and runners-up

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Selection criteria include (in order of importance):

1. Artistic excellence as demonstrated by work samples, resume and artist statement

2. Potential benefit and impact on career as demonstrated by work plan

3. Balance of artistic disciplines, identity, geography, etc within selected cohort

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Anderson Center provides equal opportunity for all people to participate in and benefit from the activities of the Center, regardless of race, national origin, color, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, in admission, access, or employment. The Anderson Center staff is willing to do what they can to accommodate residents with disabilities. Please call before applying to discuss special needs.

theandersoncenter.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Anderson center residency

Anderson Center at Tower View

DEADLINE: January 14, 2025

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: Anderson Center nurtures a vibrant artist community based at Tower View, an expansive Historic Site and natural area in Red Wing, Minnesota. Founded in 1995, the Anderson Center has renovated and restored Tower View's historic buildings to support working artists and the creative process, including developing twenty-two active studio spaces and three galleries. A renovated barn serves as a performance and event venue, the historic main residence houses artists-in-residence, and fifteen acres support a sculpture garden.

Anderson's signature Artist Residency Program, together with the Studio Artist Program, forms the core of the organization's artistic community. The Residency Program provides artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment with dedicated time and space to create, advance, or complete new work. In addition to community engagement activities through the artist residency program, the organization's additional outreach programs create connections and integrate the arts into community life through local partnerships, hosting annual arts events, and participating in other community-based initiatives.

ELIGIBILITY: The Anderson Residency Program is open to early career, mid-career, and established visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, multidisciplinary artists, musicians, performance artists, scholars, and translators from across the globe. The program is interdisciplinary and the organization welcomes applications from a wide range of creative and intellectual genres, including those that don't fit neatly into the above list.

To be considered, artists must submit an application through the Anderson Center’s online form via Submittable. Complete program details are below. Please contact the organization at 651-388-2009 or info@andersoncenter.org for any questions.

DURATION OF RESIDENCY: For the 2025 season, the Anderson Center is offering 2- or 4-week residency sessions during the months of August and October. Preference is generally given to 4-week residencies. That said, 2-weeks sessions are possible. There is a 48-hour turnover between residency sessions, no matter their duration, to allow time for housekeeping. Specific start and end dates are listed in the application form. Please plan your requested residency dates carefully. Provide as much detail as possible regarding your availability, as that information is incredibly helpful in assembling cohorts and organizing the waitlist.

September 2024 residencies are reserved for the organization’s Early Career Artist Residency.

2025 SCHEDULING & AVAILABILITY:

Each season the Anderson Center hosts a limited number of artists through its various exchanges, fellowships, and dedicated programs that reduce the number of spots available for artists submitting materials for this General Residency program opportunity. In 2025 exterior renovations to the residence limit the residency options to the months of August and October.

Availability as of September 2024:

• August 2025 - Four 4-week spots (or eight 2-week spots); space for 4-6 artists depending on duration. 

• October 2025 - Three 4-week spots (or 6 2-week spots); space for 3 – 5 artists depending on duration.

In general, for months that incorporate 2-week sessions, no fewer than four artists–and no more than six artists would be scheduled for 2-week residencies within that month.

Due to the competitiveness of the program, the organization's goal is to be upfront and transparent about the availability for the General Residency program in 2025 in an effort to help you make a decision about whether this year is the best time to submit an application. Again, please contact us if you have any questions or need further clarification here.

LOCATIONThe Anderson Center is located on the 350-acre historic Tower View campus, built by scientist & farmer Dr. Alexander Pierce Anderson between 1915 and 1921, on the western edge of Red Wing, Minnesota, and its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Center features a large sculpture garden, and is adjacent to the Cannon Valley Trail, a 20-mile biking and walking trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Red Wing.

The Center is 45- 60 minutes southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Transportation is provided between the Center and the Twin Cities airport on the first and last day of residencies only. Artist Residents that choose to drive will have access to private parking on the property. The community of Red Wing, Minn., (pop. 16,000) is nestled amidst the scenic bluffs of the upper Mississippi River.

APPLICATION: A completed application form includes a brief artist statement, a work plan, work samples, and a resume or CV. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed by the panel. You may begin your application, leave and return as many times as necessary to complete the form PRIOR to clicking the submit button at the bottom of the completed form. Important: do not submit your application form until you are completely finished editing as your application will be finalized at that time. If you are a prior resident of the Anderson Center, you must wait one year from the time of your residency to apply again.

The Artist Statement, provides an opportunity for you to share, in 100 words or less, a brief statement or summary about your past and current work.

The Resume, CV, or Biographical Statement is a Word or PDF document that shows education, work experience, publications, awards, and previous residency experience. 3 pages maximum.

The Work Plan is a one-page Word or PDF document that clearly and concisely describes what you are working on and what you’d like to accomplish at the Anderson Center. Successful applicants address how the timing, location, and cohort-based model of the residency would benefit their practice. Artists may also mention how specific amenities or resources at the Anderson Center (such as the surrounding natural environment, specific studio spaces or equipment) would advance their work. The statement can be single-spaced.

Work Samples should be of recent work and should include:

• For composers and musicians: 3 to 5 recordings

• For visual artists: At least 5 images of work (300 dpi or larger)

• For nonfiction and fiction writers: 10 pages of double-spaced prose

• For playwrights & screenwriters: 10-page excerpt (does not need to be from the beginning)

• For poets: 10 pages of poetry

• For translators: 10 pages of translation and original text

• For performance artists: 3 short video excerpts of performances (no videos longer than 5 minutes)

• For filmmakers: at least 3 short film clips (no videos longer than 5 minutes)

• For Scholars: 10 pages of work, including research abstracts and relevant diagrams

If you are an interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary artist, you may "split the difference" on the work sample guidelines above at your own discretion. For example, including 5 pages of writing and 3 images, etc. 

Likewise you may also choose to simply submit a PDF or Word Doc with hyperlinks to work samples that meet the guidelines outlined above.

Regarding work samples, please put yourself in the shoes of a jury panel member. Make it easy for them to review your best work first. Yes, give the jury various ways to go deeper or experience more if they are motivated but focus first on presenting only your strongest work samples in the most compelling way possible. Please contact staff if you have questions about work samples, but reflecting on the jury and the many applications they have to review & score can serve as a helpful guide in deciding what to include, how much to share, how long it can be, and how to present it.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Each resident is provided room, board, and workspace for the length of the residency period in the historic Tower View residence. Visual artists will be provided a 15' x 26' studio and are responsible for supplying their own materials. Other workspaces on-site include a dark room and a print studio for professional printmakers (with a Vandercook 219 letterpress and a Charles Brand-like etching press). Practice space is also available for dancers, choreographers, and musicians. Composers are provided with access to a 1906 Steinway piano and a Royale grand piano.

Dinners are prepared and presented by the Anderson Center chef Monday through Friday. This chef also shops for groceries for artists-in-residence. Residents are responsible for preparing their own breakfasts and lunches, and meals over the weekends. There are also housekeepers who clean and maintain the historic facilities.

Residents have access to the many walking trails on campus and to the Cannon Valley Trail, which goes through the Anderson Center’s property. Bicycles are also provided. There is a very basic home gym in the residence. Residents have responded to many different aspects of the gorgeous Tower View campus through their work, including composers sampling natural sounds and visual artists harvesting plant materials to create site-specific natural inks.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The program is set-up to minimize distractions and other obligations so that artists have every opportunity to fully focus on their work. However, the Anderson Center was one of the first artist residency programs in the country to require that residents give back to the local community and connect with area residents & organizations through community engagement activities.

Staff work with artists to facilitate and customize at least one hour of mutually beneficial exchange with the Red Wing community that helps foster connection and greater a sense of place.

Within the last few years, Anderson Center residents have connected with schools in five area communities (ranging from elementary through college), senior centers, correctional or detention facilities, community organizations serving children and families, and community organizations serving adults. Residents have also engaged individuals from all walks of life through public workshops, events, discussions, and artful interventions -- both at the Anderson Center or in the community of Red Wing.

PROGRAM MISSION & VALUES:

"This stay is particularly suitable for artists who want to devote themselves intensively to the realization of a concept. Here you can devote yourself to artistic work undisturbed and far away from everyday worries." - Eva Möseneder, 2012 resident

Anderson Center’s goal is for connections participating artists make with one another, as well as connections made with other creatives and community members, to outlast the duration of their residency visit. The organization believes that the environment and resources of Tower View, along with an exchange of ideas across disciplines, can serve as a catalyst for new inspiration and innovative directions for the work artists create while in residence.

As an interdisciplinary arts organization, the Anderson Center embraces artists who are diverse in every way. Since its inception, the organization has intentionally worked with artists representing a wide range of disciplines, with the belief that the exchange of ideas is generative. The residency program supports artists from around the world, representing a wide range of cultures, races, sexual identities and genders. The Center strives to bring people and ideas together and operates with a spirit of welcome for all.

SELECTION TIMELINE:

• January 14, 2025 (12:00 p.m. Noon CST) – application deadline

• February 7, 2025 – Jury has selected Round 2 applications. All artists are notified of the status of their status.

• March 5, 2025 – Final notification to selected artists, wait-list and runners-up

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Selection criteria include (in order of importance):

1. Artistic excellence as demonstrated by work samples, resume and artist statement

2. Potential benefit and impact on career as demonstrated by work plan

3. Balance of artistic disciplines, identity, geography, etc within selected cohort

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Anderson Center provides equal opportunity for all people to participate in and benefit from the activities of the Center, regardless of race, national origin, color, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, in admission, access, or employment. The Anderson Center staff is willing to do what they can to accommodate residents with disabilities. Please call before applying to discuss special needs.

theandersoncenter.submittable.com/submit

_____

Cai Emmons Fiction Award

Red Hen Press

DEADLINE: January 15, 2025

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: To honor the life and enduring legacy of beloved novelist Cai Emmons, who published three novels through Red Hen Press (Weather Woman, Sinking Islands, and Livid) and who passed away with dignity on January 2, 2023 after a hard-fought battle with ALS, Red Hen Press is proud to announce the Cai Emmons Fiction Award.

We are so grateful to Cai and her family for choosing to endow this award to keep Cai’s spirit and love of life-changing fiction alive.

We are looking for a fresh and original story of fiction with a minimum of 150 pages. The awarded fiction manuscript is selected through an annual submission process which is open to all authors.

AWARD DETAILS:

• $5000

• Book publication by Red Hen Press

• Judge: E.P. Tuazon

Notes: Name on cover sheet only, with a 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font). Entries will be accepted via Submittable only.

GUIDELINES:

The award is open to all writers with the following exceptions:

• Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press;

• Employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press;

• Relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors;

• Relatives or individuals having a personal or professional relationship with any of the final judges where they have taken any part whatsoever in shaping the manuscript, or where, for whatever reason, selecting a particular manuscript might have the appearance of impropriety.

PROCEDURES + ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

To be certain that every manuscript finalist receives the fairest evaluation, all manuscripts shall be submitted to the judges without any identifying material.

Bios, acknowledgments, and other identifying material shall be removed from judged manuscripts until the conclusion of the competition.

Red Hen Press is committed to maintaining the utmost integrity of our awards. Judges shall recuse themselves from considering any manuscript where they recognize the work. In the event of recusal, a manuscript score previously assigned by the managing editor of the press will be substituted.

For questions or to withdraw a submitted entry, please contact editorial@redhen.org.

redhen.org/awards/cai-emmons-fiction-award/

_____

Regular Reading period

Ploughshares

DEADLINE: January 15, 2025 at noon EST

INFO: Ploughshares welcomes unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction during our regular reading period. The literary journal is published four times a year: blended poetry and prose issues in the Winter and Spring, a prose issue in the Summer, and a special longform prose issue in the Fall. Our Spring and Summer issues are guest-edited by different writers of prominence.

Guest editors are invited to solicit up to half of their issues, with the other half selected from manuscripts submitted to the journal and screened for them by staff editors. This guest-editor policy, which we have used since our founding in 1971, is designed to introduce readers to different literary circles and tastes, and to offer a fuller representation of the range and diversity of contemporary letters than would be possible with a single editorship.

MANUSCRIPT GUIDELINES:

We accept up to 6,500 words of prose, and 1-5 pages of poetry. 

If you are submitting to our Fall Longform issue, we accept up to 15,000 words. Please note that past Longform issue contributors may not be published again in a future Longform issue. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained, and translations are welcome if permission has been granted by the original author. 

Queries to the Look2 Critical Essay series are welcome (see guidelines here).

It would be much appreciated if you kept the following in mind when submitting your work:

• Typed, double-spaced pages. (Single-spacing is welcome for poetry).

• Numbered pages.

• If in hard copy, submit with text on one side of the page.

We do not consider:

• Unsolicited book reviews and criticism.

• Previously published work. If your submission is part of a forthcoming book, let us know in your cover letter and the expected publication date.

• Work written by individuals currently affiliated with Ploughshares or Emerson College as a volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.

We cannot accommodate revisions, changes of return address, or forgotten SASEs. We cannot be responsible for delay, loss, or damage.

COVER LETTERS:

We encourage you to include a short cover letter with your submission. It should reference:

• Major publications and awards.

• Any association or past correspondence with a guest or staff editor.

• Past publication in Ploughshares.

CONTRIBUTOR HONORARIUM:

Payment is upon publication:

• $45/printed page, $90 minimum per title, $450 maximum per author.

• Two contributor copies of the issue.

• A discounted rate for additional contributor copies.

• A one-year subscription.

SIMULTANEOUS VS. MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS:

We do not consider multiple submissions, so please send only one manuscript at a time, either by mail or online. Do not send a second submission until you have heard about the first. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are welcome as long as they are identified as such and we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. 

If you are working on submissions with an agent, or are an agent submitting work on behalf of an author, please read our note on simultaneous submissions with an agent.

SUBMIT ONLINE:

Submit via our online submission manager. 

If this is your first time submitting, please fill out the submission form first, then click “Add to Cart.” You will then be prompted to create an account on our website.

• There is a $3.75 service fee for online submissions (current subscribers may submit online without charge). This is not a reading fee.

• Upload your submission as a Word (.doc, .docx), rich-text format (.rtf) file, or PDF. No .Pages, .txt, or Open Office Documents.

• Upload only one file containing one prose piece or one to five pages of poems.

• Type or paste your cover letter into the provided “Cover Letter” field.

• From the drop-down genre menu, be sure to select the appropriate genre of the work you are submitting. Please select “Longform” for longform submissions, regardless of genre.

FREE ONLINE SUBMISSIONS:

Subscribe to Ploughshares and submit online for free. You may subscribe here. If you are a current subscriber, you will still be prompted to checkout, but you will not be required to enter your credit card information and will not be charged.

SUBMIT BY MAIL;

We greatly prefer digital submissions, but you may mail submissions to:

Ploughshares
Emerson College
120 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116-4624

• Mail your manuscript in a page-size manila envelope with your full name and address written on the outside (at least an inch down from the top, to account for USPS barcodes).

• Identify the genre of your manuscript on the outside of the envelope.

• You must include your email address in your cover letter.  All manuscript replies will be sent via email, and we cannot process a mailed submission without a corresponding email address.

• If you are an incarcerated writer and do not have access to an email address, please provide the email address of a trusted individual or indicate in your cover letter that you do not have access to email. 

• If you would like your full manuscript to be returned, indicate this in your cover letter and ensure that you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with adequate postage.

• We cannot return manuscripts to international addresses, even with IRCs.

• There is no service charge for mail submissions.

Unsolicited work sent directly to a guest editor’s home or office will be ignored and discarded; guest editors are formally instructed not to read such work.

ACCESSING YOUR SUBMISSIONS:

You can view the status of your current submission as well as a list of your past submissions at any time by logging in to your account and clicking “My Submissions.”

NOTIFICATIONS + QUERIES:

Expect three to five months for a decision (our backlog is heaviest during the fall and spring). We receive well over a thousand manuscripts a month, so please be patient. We accept queries after five months have passed. Queries as well as withdrawal notifications should be sent via email or the mail. They should include:

• Your name.

• The date, genre, and title of the submission.

• Whether the submission was sent by mail or online.

• A SASE, if you send your query via mail.

pshares.org/submit/journal/

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TRANSLATION COLUMN

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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CALL FOR AUTHORS

Vanderbilt University Press

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: Vanderbilt University Press acquires books in the areas of Latin American and Hispanic studies; global and public health; human rights and civil rights; anthropology; history and postwar studies; and studies of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We also publish books with a regional focus on Tennessee and the South, including, for example, books on Nashville and country music.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial inquiries about potential book projects should be queried to the acquisitions department via email. We do not accept full manuscripts until requested. First, ensure that VUP publishes in the disciplinary area that your project represents.

If that is the case, please send a cover letter and book proposal that includes the following:

• A short book abstract

• A brief but detailed statement outlining the manuscript’s arguments, themes, and significance to the field

• A table of contents that clearly summarizes the content and structure of each chapter

• Assessment of the work’s fit with existing literature, comparison with published books on the topic, and discussion of the intended audiences and market for the book

• Statement of the anticipated word count of the manuscript; plans for tables, figures, or other illustrations; and schedule for completion

• Sample chapter (optional)

• Curriculum vitae

• If your manuscript is based on a dissertation, please discuss how the material and research has been developed, reframed, or otherwise revised. VUP does not publish unrevised dissertations.

• If your manuscript is an edited collection, please include information about each of the contributors and note if any of the chapters are previously published.

• If your manuscript is a translation, please describe why the author’s work warrants translation into English, as well as any and all information on rights to the work and the book’s history in its native language.

Keep a file or a copy of your proposal materials. We do not return proposals. Please do not call the Press to inquire about the status of your proposal or manuscript. We review all material received, and you will be contacted when a decision has been made. We aim to communicate whether a proposed project is being pursued further no more than eight weeks after the receipt of the proposal.

For more information about specific series initiatives, visit our Series page.

vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/resources/submission-guidelines-for-prospective-authors/

FICTION / NONFICTION — NOVEMBER 2024

fall 2024 submissions

One Story

SUBMISSION OPEN: November 1, 2024 (and close when they reach their submissions cap)

INFO: One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and on any subject as long as they are good. We are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone.

FAQs:

Does One Story pay?
Yes. One Story pays $500 and 25 contributors copies for First Serial North American rights. All rights will revert to the author following publication.

Does One Story accept previously published material?
No. One Story is looking for previously unpublished material. However, if a story has been published in printoutside of North America, it will be considered. Stories previously published online—on blogs, personal websites, online literary magazines, or other forums—will not be considered.

Does One Story accept simultaneous submissions?
Yes, but please withdraw your submission immediately if your submission is accepted for publication elsewhere.

What file types can I submit?
We accept PDF, RTF, DOC, and DOCX files. Please include the story title and all writer contact info on the first page of the submitted file.

Will you send me comments on my story?
No. One Story receives over 5000 submissions a year. Unfortunately,  we do not have time to comment on individual stories.

Can I change the story I submitted with an updated draft?
We strongly prefer that you only send us final drafts, but if you must upload a new version, please withdraw your submission through Submittable and resubmit.

Can I send a revision of a story that was previously rejected?
No. Please send us new work. Revisions of previously rejected stories will not be considered and will be automatically declined.

Do you consider translations?
Yes. Please include the name of the original author and language, as well as the name of the translator on the first page of your submission.

How soon can I expect to hear about my submission?
We do our very best to respond to submissions within 3 months after they are received. If you don’t hear back from us within that time, please be patient! It is our goal to make sure that each submission gets a good read.

Can I submit the same story to One Story and One Teen Story?
No. One Story and One Teen Story are looking for different kinds of stories. For more information on submitting to One Teen Story, go here.

one-story.submittable.com/submit

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CALLS FOR SUBMISSION: DEBUT FICTION

Aster(ix)

DEADLINE: November 6, 2024 at 11:59pm PST

INFO: At Aster(ix), we are proud to be a writers’ first publication, especially for those from marginalized identities whose work may have not found a home by mainstream outlets. Our upcoming issue will focus on debut fiction.

We’re honored and excited that Cleyvis Natera, best-selling author of Neruda on The Park (Ballantine Books, 2023), will be the guest editor for our SPRING 2025 ISSUE: DEBUT FICTION. Cleyvis is wonderful writer, editor, and teacher. She also deeply understands the journey of the debut author — Aster(ix) actually published a a chapter excerpt from Neruda on the Park in 2019! This is your opportunity to return to your stories and novels and consider sharing your work with us!

What we’re looking for in THE DEBUT FICTION ISSUE:

• 1) short stories by writers who have not yet published any fiction in a literary journal.

• 2) self-contained novel chapters of an unpublished debut novel (excerpts of forthcoming debut novels under contract will be considered). Writers who have published short stories but have not yet published a novel excerpt are also eligible to submit.

• For both categories, we favor submissions under 6000 words.

• Please send only one submission per author for this call (i.e. a short story or a standalone novel chapter). If multiple submissions are sent, none will be reviewed. Focus on one piece and send us your best draft!

• Please note that Aster(ix) is a transnational feminist literary arts journal committed to social justice and translation, placing people of color at the center of the conversation. We’re looking for the intimate, the honest, and the beautiful. Explore previously published fiction here.

For this special issue, we are pleased to share that we can pay $100-250 per piece based on length. We only accept submissions via Submittable.

asterixjournal.com/fall2024call/

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call for submissions: Recommended Reading

Electric Lit

DEADLINE: November 10, 2024 at 11:59pm PST

INFO: Recommended Reading publishes fiction between 2,000 and 10,000 words. (For fiction shorter than 2,000 words, check for open submission periods to The Commuter.)

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please notify us immediately if a piece is accepted elsewhere. Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.

• Response time is six to eight months.

• Upon acceptance, we can offer authors $300 for publishing rights.

• During the general submissions periods, writers may submit one piece per period. (This does not apply to year-round submitting members. For more information on member submissions, please refer to the welcome email you received when you signed up as a member or reach out to wynter@electricliterature.com.)

• Writers with a submission pending with The Commuter can still submit to Recommended Reading.

• Please do not submit a story already previously rejected by Electric Literature, even if the story has been revised (unless you've been invited to do so by an EL editor).

For candid advice from our editors on how to polish your first pages and revise your work, check out our "Submission Roulette II" event and our video "How to Get Published in Recommended Reading." 

electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

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MONTHLY MENTORSHIP: RIGHT TO WRITE AWARDS

Writability

DEADLINE: November 12, 2024

INFO: Each year, two Right to Write Awards are given to outstanding applicants who have already been accepted into the Monthly Mentorship program. The award supports BIPOC and Veteran writers by waiving their tuition. Applicants must apply and be accepted to Monthly Mentorship before or in tandem with applying to the Right to Write Award.

Monthly Mentorship program dues are $4150. Recipients of a Right to Write Award will receive $3650 and are asked to pay the balance of $500, which covers fees Maximum Impact incurs for software, streaming, and tech features that help bring the program content to you in accessible ways. Application details are below.

writeability.org/rtwa

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RISING WRITER PRIZE

Autumn House Press

DEADLINE: November 15, 2024

READING FEE: $30

INFO: The 2025 Rising Writer Prize is for a first full-length book of fiction. The Autumn House staff and select outsider readers will serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is K-Ming Chang.

PRIZE: The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,000. We will announce the contest’s finalists and the winner by March 15, 2025. 

GUIDELINES:

• Must be the author’s first full-length fiction book (previous publications of chapbooks and full-length books in other genres are fine)

• The winners will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,000 travel/publicity grant to promote their book

• All finalists will be considered for publication

• Submissions should be approximately 100 – 200 pages

• The reading fee is $30 (We will waive the submission fee for those undergoing financial hardship or living with limited means. Before you reach out to request a waived fee, please read our full statement and instructions here. If the guidelines are not followed, we will not be able to offer a waived fee.)

• All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible

• The book should be previously unpublished

• We only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted

• Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript; if your name appears within the body of the text, please omit it or black it out

• You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable

• Do not include an acknowledgments page in the manuscript

• Feel free to include a table of contents

• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please let us know immediately if your book was accepted elsewhere

• Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships

• Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest

ABOUT THE JUDGE: K-Ming Chang is a Kundiman fellow, a Lambda Literary Award winner, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree, and an O. Henry Prize Winner. She is the author of the New York Times Book Review Editors’ choice novel BESTIARY (One World/Random House, 2020), which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and the Otherwise Award. In 2021, her chapbook BONE HOUSE was published by Bull City Press. Her story collection GODS OF WANT (One World/Random House) won a Lambda Literary Award and was a NYT Editors’ Choice. Her latest novel is ORGAN MEATS (One World, 2023), a Lambda Literary Award finalist, and CECILIA, a novella (Coffee House Press, 2024).

autumnhouse.org/submissions/rising-writers-prize/

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Call for Pitches: Nearest & Dearest: An Anthology of Dyke Domesticity

Combos Press

PITCH DEADLINE: November 15, 2024

INFO: Combos Press is now accepting pitches for our first print issue of Nearest and Dearest: An anthology of dyke domesticity.

Nearest and Dearest is a physical anthology of art and writing celebrating and archiving the experiences of domesticity amongst lesbians. We want to know: how does domesticity take shape in your life? What are historical examples of dyke domesticity that can help connect us to our present experiences as lesbians? What are perspectives about homemaking and community care that are only made possible when we consider the experiences of dyke domesticity?

We are hoping to elevate stories connected (but not limited) to homemaking, kitchen/home gardening, child-rearing, homeschooling, marriage, partnership, separation, kinship, communal living, future-planning/longing, demonstrating commitment, and/or birthwork, etc.* Ever wanted to interview your gay aunts? Break down what it was like having kids? Draw a chosen family tree? Nearest and Dearest is the place for all of that and more.
*We acknowledge that this is not necessarily a comprehensive list of all the ways people experience domesticity. Feel free to interpret domesticity in whatever way is relevant to your experience.

WHO CAN PITCH: We are hoping to feature work from multiple generations of lesbianism and encourage pitches from within our elder community, our trans community, our BIPOC community as well as pitches from first-time and unpublished contributors. Nearest and Dearest is not geographically limited, so feel free to pitch no matter where in the world you live.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Essays - either personal, or researched/academic/reported (final pieces no more than 2000 words)

• How-to guides

• Interviews/profiles - proposed interviews should be edited for brevity and clarity (final pieces no more than 3000 words). If you are open to being interviewed/conducting an interview, please submit a bio/explanation of what you’d like the interview to be.

• From the archive: are you affiliated with a queer focused archive? We would love to feature examples of dyke domesticities from your collections and elevate your work!

• Visual pitches - photo series, paintings, illustrations, prints, etc.

CONTRIBUTOR PAYOUT
We are a small self-funded press. Every contributor will be paid the same flat-rate amount of $75. You will be paid via Venmo, Paypal, or check after Nearest and Dearest is printed. Every contributor also receives 1 free copy.

HOW TO PITCH
Fill out this Google form by the deadline

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
Email clare@combospress.com to chat or set up a phone call. 

docs.google.com/document/d/1xOhAGnX5gLpWt2h6N8bz4gG5pXLcD-nY0gcdVQ4bwec/edit?tab=t.0

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Fine Arts Work Center Fellowship

Fine Arts Work Center

DEADLINE: November 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $40

INFO: Each year, the Work Center offers 20 seven-month residencies to a juried group of emerging visual artists, fiction writers, and poets. Each Fellow receives an apartment, a studio (for visual artists), and a monthly stipend of $1,250 plus an exit stipend of $1,000. Residencies run from October 1 through April 30. During this time, Fellows have the opportunity to pursue their work independently in a diverse and supportive community of peers.

THE RESIDENCY:

During the course of the Fellowship, each Writing Fellow is invited to give a public reading and each Visual Art Fellow is given a solo exhibition opportunity. Readings and openings are attended by current and past Fellows, local residents, visitors to Provincetown, leadership of the town’s numerous cultural institutions, and the many illustrious artists and writers who make their homes in Provincetown. Events take place in the beautifully renovated public spaces of the Work Center: the Stanley Kunitz Common Room and Hudson D. Walker Gallery.

VISITING ARTISTS + WRITERS

While in residence, Fellows also help select a series of visiting artists and writers. These visiting artists and writers meet with the Fellows for studio visits and manuscript reviews and give public readings and artist talks that draw thousands from Provincetown and beyond. Visiting guests have included presidential inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel; winner of the National Book Award for Poetry Mark Doty; Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress Robert Pinsky; artist and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Judy Pfaff; and Katherine Porter, whose work is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. 

The Work Center’s founders believed that seven months was the minimum amount of time needed for artists and writers in the crucial early stages of their careers to learn to structure their lives around their creative practice. Each generation of Fellows ideally moves on from the Work Center with a firm belief in their ability to pursue a life as a practicing artist or writer.

fawc.org/apply/

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Call for pitches

Chutney Magazine

DEADLINE: November 15, 2024

INFO: Chutney is looking for a handful of stories to accompany commissioned pieces for Issue 04, launching Spring 2025. As always, the focus is on everyday stories of culture & identity from voices of the Global Majority and its diasporas. Previous issues have explored (home)land, colonial history, craft, family, food, language... There’s no specific theme (more info about our editorial structure on the website), but as we collectively bear witness to multiple gen*cides, we’ve also been reflecting on: relations with Land & More-Than-Human Beings, Resistance, technology, aesthetics, surreality. 
.
We accept essays (personal or investigative), photo series, criticism and fiction. We're not accepting poetry at the moment. Please refer to the stories on the Chutney website to get a sense of the magazine’s tone. 
. 
WRITERS + PHOTOGRAPHERS: Please send a 200-300 word pitch to hello@chutneymag.com, with the subject ‘ISSUE 04, PITCH’. Outline a specific topic you’d like to explore, your connection to the topic, as well as the format (essay, photo series etc), as well as a couple of lines about yourself + interests! Links to previously published work are also welcome, but not necessary.
.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: please also include any relevant image samples alongside your written pitch.
.
ILLUSTRATORS: we occasionally commission illustrations, so if you’d like to be considered in the future, please get in touch with some work samples. See our website gallery + posts for a sense of our graphic style.

Spaces and budget are unfortunately always tight, so we can only accept a limited number of pitches—this is not necessarily a reflection of the quality/importance of your story, but influenced by factors such as topics, geographies, and voices already included the issue. 

Wherever you are in the world —we’ll aim to notify everyone within a week’s time. Any questions, please reach out via DM or email. Selected contributors will be paid a small fee (£50 min, tbc) and receive a free copy of the new issue.

TIMELINE:

• Contributors Notified: November 22, 2024

• First Draft Due: December 20, 2024

• Final Draft Due: January 31, 2025

instagram.com/p/DB1c_YICQjd/?img_index=1

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2024 KWELI EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIP

Kweli Journal

DEADLINE: November 19, 2024

INFO: Kweli has been mentoring underrepresented writers since December 2009. Designed to help emerging Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) writers hone their craft, this fellowship provides 11 months of editorial support from Kweli editors along with the following benefits:

• a $2,000 stipend,

• free enrollment in our annual International Literary Festival and Color of Children’s Literature Conference,

• publication in Kweli Journal,

• all-expense paid writing retreat,

• admission-free enrollment in three professionally led writing workshops on literary fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry, and

• participation in four public readings

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible candidates are early career vocational writers living in New York City, who are not enrolled in degree-granting programs and self-identify as Black, Native/First Nations, POC, and/or Arab American.  

Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply.  

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Please submit the following:

• A cover letter containing a one-paragraph biographical statement; one paragraph that is a favorite of yours from a book you've read recently; and a brief statement telling us why this particular passage is meaningful to you. Please also note in your cover letter if you are a resident of one of New York City's five boroughs.

• A CV or résumé  

• A brief statement of your career goals and what you expect to accomplish as a Kweli Fellow.  

• A 10 page writing sample. There is no word-count requirement. Eligible genres are fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and cross-genre writing, whether written for adults, young adults, or children.

kwelijournal.submittable.com/submit

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2025 McKnight Fellowships for Writers 

The Loft

DEADLINE: November 19, 2024 at 11:59pm

INFO: The intent of the McKnight Artist and Culture Bearers Fellowships program is to recognize and support artists and culture bearers who are beyond emerging and have sustained experience in their area of practice. Fellows demonstrate achievement, commitment, and high level proficiency in artistic and/or culture bearer practice that contributes to their field and impacts and benefits people in Minnesota.

The McKnight Fellowships for Writers provide Minnesota writers who are beyond emerging with an opportunity to work on their craft for a concentrated period of time.

One $25,000 fellowship is awarded each year in children’s literature, including poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. This year’s award is offered to a writer for children 8 years old and older. 

Four $25,000 fellowships are offered in alternating years to writers of creative prose and poetry/spoken word. The 2025 year cycle is in creative prose.

The Loft administers the McKnight Fellowships for Writers. Five $25,000 awards are presented annually to accomplished Minnesota writers and spoken word artists. Four awards alternate annually between creative prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry/spoken word. The fifth award is presented in children’s literature and alternates annually between writing for ages under eight years old and writing for children eight years and older.

ELIGIBILITY:

General Requirements

Applicants must have been legal residents of Minnesota for at least 12 months prior to the application deadline (since November 19, 2023) and must reside in Minnesota for the duration of the fellowship.

Full-time students in a degree granting program (if you're a student at the time of application and/or if you will be starting your program during the fellowship year, which begins in 2025 and goes till April 2026) are not eligible to apply.

Applicants may apply for only one McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship per year. You may not apply for the Award in Creative Prose and also apply for any other McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowships, including the Award in Children’s Literature or a McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship in an alternate discipline, such as ceramics or music.

Recipients of the McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship in any discipline in the last five years are not eligible to apply, so recipients of a 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024 McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship in any discipline are not eligible to apply. Honorable mentions are eligible. 

Recipients of a McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship prior to 2020 must demonstrate a new body of work since their last McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellowship.

Loft and McKnight Foundation staff and board members are not eligible. Immediate family members of staff or board members of the Loft or McKnight Foundation are also not eligible.

If you have questions about your eligibility for the McKnight Fellowships for Writers, please email Marion Gómez, program manager of awards, at mgomez@loft.org by November 13, 2024.

Additional Requirements for the Loft Awards in Creative Prose

In addition to the general eligibility requirements, applicants must have:

• Published a book (e.g., novel, memoir, collection of short stories or personal essays) OR

• Published at least five pieces of original creative prose (fiction, creative nonfiction, or a combination of the two) in no fewer than three literary journals or magazines that regularly feature creative prose as part of their format. Work published in an online journal that has an editorial process is eligible. Work published in an anthology is eligible. The same piece printed in a journal and in an anthology may only be counted once; applicants may not use multiple publications of the same work to meet the five required pieces.

• Authors counting a self-published book for eligibility must include a brief letter from the publisher confirming that the manuscript underwent an editorial process. Please upload this in the eligibility requirements.

• Work that is pending publication and will be published before April 1, 2025, is eligible. When asked for proof of eligibility, please upload a letter from the editor or publisher stating the date of publication with proof of publication.

Additional Requirements for the Loft Award in Children’s Literature

In addition to the general eligibility requirements, applicants must have

• Published a book for children eight years of age or older, in any genre other than educational textbook material, OR

• Published at least three pieces of original work in one or more publications that regularly feature creative work for children eight years of age or older as part of their format. Work published in an online journal that has an editorial process is eligible. Work published in an anthology is eligible. The same piece printed in a journal and in an anthology may only be counted once; applicants may not use multiple publications of the same work to meet the three required pieces.

• Work that is pending publication and will be published before April 1, 2025, is eligible. Please provide a letter from the editor or publisher stating the date of publication with proof of publication.

Ineligible Work in Both Awards:

• Student-only publications

• Self-published books that did not go through an editorial process

• Work published on personal home pages or online sites that do not have an editorial process.

• Work in a genre outside the category in which you are applying (e.g., published poetry may not be used to meet the publication requirements for the Award in Creative Prose and writing for children younger than eight years of age may not be used to meet the publication requirements for the Award in Children's Literature/Older Children).

• Work that has previously won a McKnight Artist Fellowships for Writers. If you are a previous winner, you must submit a manuscript different from the one for which you received the earlier award.

• Translations.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

You must apply through Submittable, and you will need to create a Submittable account if you do not already have one. If you have technical submission questions, please contact Submittable technical support at help.submittable.com.

In addition to the form in Submittable, you will need to prepare three files to upload with your submission (see descriptions further down the page for details):

• a work sample

• proof of Minnesota residency

• proof of publication

• if self published, or have work pending publication, a letter from the editor

WORK SAMPLE

Please prepare your writing sample.  Work samples may be published writing. All work samples must be anonymous. If your name appears as part of the manuscript text, omit it, use a pseudonym, or redact it out so it is illegible. Do not include your name as part of the writing sample file name. Identifying information should only be included in the Submittable application form--these parts of the form are not accessible to the judge. Identifying information anywhere in the submitted work sample file will disqualify your submission.

Loft Awards in Creative Prose: Applicants should submit at least 20 but no more than 25 pages of a typed (12-point font), double-spaced manuscript. Pages must be consecutively numbered.

Loft Award in Children’s Literature: Applicants should submit a manuscript that is at least five but no more than 20 pages in length and that is written for ages eight and older. Manuscripts may be in prose or poetry or a combination of the two. All manuscripts must be typed in a 12-point font. Prose manuscripts should be double-spaced. Poetry may be single- or double-spaced. All pages must be consecutively numbered.

Work samples may be submitted as PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, MP3, WAV, MP4, or MOV files.                                          

PROOF OF RESIDENCY

The Loft requires finalists to provide proof of Minnesota residency. This may be a scan or digital photo of a valid Minnesota driver’s license, ID, or utilities bill with name and address and date. Name, address, and date should be clearly legible.

PROOF OF PUBLICATION

Applicants must submit proof of each publication necessary to meet eligibility. For books, we will need a photocopy or scanned image of the title and copyright pages. For journals, we will need photocopies or scanned documents of either the cover or title page of the journal as well as the table of contents page and the pages on which your work appears. For self-published books, please provide a brief letter from the publisher confirming an editorial process.

• Applicants should include a brief biographical statement—you will see a field for this in Submittable. Do not attach the biographical statement to your manuscript. The biographical statement is used for publicity purposes only when the winners are announced. Biographical statements are not seen by the judges.

Please contact program manager of awards, Marion Gómez at mgomez@loft.org with any questions.

loft.submittable.com/submit/307565/2025-mcknight-fellowship-for-writers-creative-prose-childrens-literature-for

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WRITING CIRCLE

One Story

DEADLINE: November 19, 2024

INFO: The One Story Writing Circle is a year-long education program and accountability group, hosted and moderated by One Story.

When you join the One Story Writing Circle, you join a small cohort of fiction writers looking to devote a year to improving their craft and process. Writing Circle members will be granted access to an online portal, facilitated by One Story staff, where they will set personal writing objectives, both creative and professional. 

Each month will feature motivational essays, writing prompts, and resources aimed at helping writers achieve their targets. One Story will track individual and group goals so we can celebrate our progress together each month, and will host Zoom meetups with Circle members throughout the year for writers who want to connect and share their progress.

Circle members will also receive access and discounts to select One Story classes for 2025. To get an idea of the kinds of courses we offer, visit our classes page.

As with One Story’s other online course offerings, the Writing Circle is geared toward fiction writers.

While there will be space for writers to share questions and ideas with each other, there will be no individual evaluations or reviews. The One Story Writing Circle is not a place for criticism or critique. It is a supportive space to help you reach your writing goals.

The Writing Circle will launch in mid-January and will be limited to 30 students. Writers can be at any level, but to ensure a consistent and committed community, all applications must be received by November 19, 2024 and writers must commit to the full year. 

We are seeking writers:

• with a clear project in mind

• with a need for community

• who are excited to be a part of a group environment and ready to get to work

• who are able to commit to and participate in monthly check-ins

• who are eager to take part in our online classes

• who are comfortable connecting with other writers in an online setting

The One Story Writing Circle costs $595 for One Story patrons and $625 for non-patrons. There is a $10 application fee.

What you get:

• Free access to all of One Story’s 2025 asynchronous open-enrollment classes and self-guided courses

• Access to our 2025 Lecture Series

• 50% off Craft Courses and Reading Groups

• Exclusive access to the One Story Writing Circle portal, featuring goal setting, essays on writing, accountability check-ins, readings, and a discussion board to share your progress with fellow members

• A small writing community built solely for support and encouragement

• Extended access to One Story online class material: all Writing Circle members will have unlimited access to 2025 asynchronous classes for one year after the course start date (regular students only receive access for 5 weeks after the class’s start date)

HOW TO APPLY:

Please visit Submittable for complete application instructions. Applications will consist of a statement of intent so that we can learn about you and your project and a few other questions to gauge your experience in online group settings and where you are in your writing career.  Applicants will be chosen based on their interest in and commitment to the class as demonstrated in their application. There is no writing sample required for this class. The deadline to apply is 11:59pm ET on November 19, 2024. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by early January.

FAQ:

Will the One Story Writing Circle provide critiques or feedback on my writing?

No. The Writing Circle provides educational programming and a cheering squad to help you reach your writing goals, but will not be providing critiques or individual feedback on your writing.

When can I apply for the One Story Writing Circle?

The application period is open through November 19, 2024.

What are the application requirements?

We are seeking writers at all stages in their careers who are ready to commit to their writing goals and who are willing participate in a year-long online community.

How does the portal work?

Once a month, Writing Circle members will log in to our portal on Thinkific to track their progress toward their goals and share any updates  on the discussion board.

This is also where we’ll also share craft essays, resources for writers, and the occasional writing or discussion prompt. We will also meet for live Zoom sessions throughout the year that will include readings by Writing Circle members and chances to share resources and connect with one another.

How many members are in the Writing Circle?

The Writing Circle will be capped at 30 members.

Is participation on the Writing Circle discussion board required?

Yes. In addition to helping writers create a sustainable writing practice, we hope to build a community of writers who can support you and your work long after the class is over. It is for this reason that we are seeking applicants who can commit to participating in class discussions.

Is there homework?

Yes. Circle members will be expected to track their goal progress and share updates on that progress with the group. Moderators will review methods for tracking goal progress at the beginning of class.

How much time will the Writing Circle take?

Plan to spend at least an hour per month reviewing the monthly lessons and resources, plus however much time you’d like on the discussion board.

Can I take it on my phone?

Yes, though we recommend using a tablet or a computer for easier access to class materials.

Can I participate in the monthly meetings if I’m not a member of the Writing Circle?

No. These monthly meetings are only offered to Writing Circle members. You are still welcome to register for our other online course offerings.

What classes will the Writing Circle give me access to?

Writing Circle members will receive access to all open-enrollment asynchronous classes and all of our self-guided classes. They will receive 50% off our craft courses and reading groups if they choose to enroll. They will not receive access to online workshops or our Writers’ Conference, though they are welcome to apply.

Do you offer scholarships or financial assistance for the Writing Circle?

There are no scholarships or financial assistance available for the Writing Circle.

DISCOUNT + POLICIES:

Our online classes are designed to be safe spaces for all who participate. One Story will not tolerate hate speech, bullying, or harassment directed toward instructors or fellow students, and reserves the right to remove participants who engage in such behavior from our classes.

Patron Discount: In order to qualify for our member discount, you must either be an active Patron or register for a Patron membership by the application deadline for this opportunity. Please note that the discount is for our Patrons only. Patrons commit to annual donations and receive benefits that allow them to participate in the organization in more meaningful ways. Not all One Story subscribers are Patrons. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Patron, you can do so here.

Refund Policy: One Story classes are nonrefundable after the class start date. A full refund policy will be made available upon acceptance. For questions about the refund policy, or if you are unable to take the class after you have registered, please contact maribeth@one-story.com.

If you have any questions, please contact edu.support@one-story.com.

one-story.com/learn/writing-circle/

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Call for Submissions: To the End: Divorce narratives from queer, trans, non binary, gay, bisexual, lesbian, two-spirit, gender-expansive, and intersex writers

Morty Diamond, LCSW

DEADLINE: Extended to November 20, 2024

INFO: This anthology aims to explore the full depth and breadth of divorce narratives from queer, trans, non-binary, two-spirit, genderfluid, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and intersex writers. Divorce can be painful, clarifying, freeing, extremely messy, and/or full of renewed life. What story are you called to share about your divorce and how it relates to your LGBTQQI experience?

I am interested in all of the narratives on divorce. Looking at divorce through a wide lens, the book will include stories of hurt, frustration, anger, compassion, transcendence and acceptance.

Essay prompts that might be useful (you do not need to write about these topics):

• What lessons about identity did you discover through your divorce?

• What did you gain and/or lose during your divorce?

• Are you disillusioned with marriage now that you have gone through divorce? Why or why not?

• Some of us looked to marriage as a way to legitimize and/or normalize our lives. Did marriage accomplish this? Did divorce change this?

• If you are trans: How did your trans identity complicate divorce? For example: were you in a marriage that ended when you came to terms with your trans identity or transitioned?

• Were there unique stressors related to your gender and/or sexuality found in your marriage that led to divorce?

• How did the narrative of gay marriage fit into your understanding of what being married meant and how did it ultimately affect your divorce?

TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK:

• Please email your non-fiction personal essay of no more than 6000 words to: mortydiamond@gmail.com.

• Formats preferred: MS Word or link to a Google Document.

• Contributors will be paid for their work and will receive copies of the book.

ABOUT THE EDITOR: Morty Diamond is a trans/queer therapist, social worker, artist, and writer living in California. Morty experienced his own divorce in 2020 and has since been interested in bringing more clarity and insight into the social and emotional aspects of divorce for LGBTQQI people. His last two anthologies, Trans/Love and From the Inside Out FTM and Beyond, are both published by Manic D Press. He is a lecturer at San Francisco State University in the School of Social Work.

mortydiamondlcsw.com/totheendbook

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Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship Program (AUSTRALIA)

Writing NSW

DEADLINE: November 25, 2024

INFO: The annual Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship is now open.

Presented by Writing NSW and Text Publishing, with support from the First Nations Australia Writers Network (FNAWN), the mentorship is awarded annually to an unpublished Indigenous writer who has made substantial progress on a work of fiction or non-fiction. The intention of the program is to support the writer to develop their manuscript and to facilitate a pathway to publication.

The program pairs an emerging Indigenous writer from anywhere in Australia with an established Indigenous writer for a structured year-long mentorship. The writer receives 20 hours of mentorship over the following year, including feedback on their work in progress and general advice on writing and developing a publishing career. If possible, an opportunity to meet with the mentor face to face is provided. The writer also receives editorial feedback and manuscript development from Text Publishing and access to Writing NSW professional development services.

At the conclusion of the mentorship, Text Publishing have the exclusive first right to consider the winning manuscript for publication, under terms to be negotiated with the writer. Since the establishment of the mentorship in 2019 three of the mentored writers, John Morrissey, Lenora Thaker, and Allanah  Hunt, have been offered publishing deals by Text Publishing.

HOW TO APPLY: Writers do not need to have a full manuscript at the time of submission, though they must have made substantial progress on a manuscript, which they intend to complete (refer to submission requirements). Applicants must not previously have had a full-length work of fiction or non-fiction professionally published. 

Submissions must be either a work of fiction (including short-story collections) or narrative non-fiction for adult, kids (middle grade) or young adults. Please note that poetry, plays, picture books and practical non-fiction are ineligible.

writingnsw.org.au/getsupport/prizes-opportunities/boundless-mentorship-2025/

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Fall 2024 Story Contest

Narrative

DEADLINE: November 26, 2024, at 11:59 pm PST

SUBMISSION FEE: There is a $27 fee for each entry. With your entry, you’ll receive three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage.

INFO: Our fall contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. We’re looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

Narrative winners and finalists have gone on to win Whiting Awards,the Pulitzer Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Atlantic prize, and have appeared in collections such as Best American Short Stories,Best American Nonrequired Reading, and many others. View the recent awards won by Narrative authors.

As always, we are looking for works with a strong narrative drive, with characters we can respond to, and with effects of language, situation, and insight that are intense and total. We look for works that have the ambition of enlarging our view of ourselves and the world.

We welcome and look forward to reading your pages.

AWARDS:

• First Prize is $2,500

• Second Prize is $1,000

• Third Prize is $500

• Up to ten finalists will receive $100 each

• All entries will be considered for publication

• All contest entries are eligible for the $5,000 Narrative Prize and for acceptance as a Story of the Week.

JUDGING: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. Winners and finalists will be announced to the public by December 31, 2024. All writers who enter will be notified by email of the judges’ decisions, which will be final. The judges reserve the option to declare ties and to designate and award only as many winners and/or finalists as are appropriate to the quality of contest entries and of work represented in the magazine.

GUIDELINES: Please read our Submission Guidelines for manuscript formatting and other information.

narrativemagazine.com/fall-2024-story-contest

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Logic(s)’ Palestinian Journalist Fellowship in Collaboration with Arab Reform Initiative

Logic(s)

DEADLINE: November 27, 2024

INFO: Every Palestinian is a living archive of collective memory and freedom dreaming. Palestinian journalists provide a crucial mechanism through which these collective stories are deepened and circulated globally. With extensive military aid from the US government, Israeli Occupation Forces subject these journalists and their families to forced disappearances, imprisonment, and execution. More than ever, it is critical that journalists be anchored in the communities they report on and with, and that we act quickly to move resources to Palestinians while they are still alive. These dual commitments are what instigated Logic(s)’ development of this one-year fellowship for Palestinian journalists, co-administered with the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI). 

The purpose of this program is to support community-led storytelling on Palestine and its relationship to technology, to strengthen the magazine’s contributions to Palestine reporting, and to redistribute resources to Palestinian journalists. Logic(s) will provide training, workshops, and informal mentoring to fellows on domain-specific topics like secure communication, algorithmic models, and techno-culture. ARI provides bilingual (English/Arabic) programming including a workgroup on tech in the Middle East North Africa region. Fellows have the option to participate in their workgroups and publications if they are interested.

Each of the four Palestinian journalists selected will receive a stipend of 20,000 USD over the course of their fellowship year. They will participate in the Logic(s) magazine editorial board and have the option to participate in programming on critical technology studies alongside members of the ARI. Fellows are required to contribute at least one article to the magazine over the fellowship year but have the option to commission and publish up to two pieces per issue. We are a technology magazine that thinks about technology very broadly, publishing in a range of genres, including nonfiction essays, photography, graphic stories, poetry, and speculative fiction. Given that we publish only twice a year, we look for stories that take a step back to provide analysis on the larger historical, political, and technical context, rather than just-the-facts reporting better suited for daily news.

The fellowship is open to any Palestinian journalist and/or storyteller, anywhere in the world. Special priority is given to early career applicants who are either currently located in Palestine or in refugee camps, and/or have been recently displaced.

This fellowship was made possible through the generous support of Distributed AI Research, Migration and Technology Monitor, Pillars Fund as well as individual Logic(s) readers and supporters who gave between $5 and $45,000 each.

For those who are ready to hit the ground running right now, they can submit within six weeks for an expedited consideration. For those who need more time, you can submit by November 27. At least two slots will be reserved for those who apply by the second date.

PITCH GUIDELINES:

In terms of length, our pitches are usually around two short paragraphs. In terms of content, we’re generally looking for the following:

1. Specificity: The more details, the better. How does the thing or process you’re describing work, at the most intimate level? The kind of detail can vary widely: it might involve technical detail if you’re describing a technology, or reported detail if it’s a reported piece. But specificity is critical to any good piece. It not only helps make for an interesting piece of writing; it also establishes your credibility as the one writing it. The details you foreground illustrate why you should be the one writing this piece.

2. Stakes: Why does this piece matter? Why should the reader read past the first few paragraphs? A successful piece should answer the “so what?” question early and often. It’s possible that a few readers will come to your piece already interested in the particular subject you’re discussing—but the vast majority won’t. How will you make the case to your readers that they should keep reading?

3. What makes you uniquely positioned to write this? Who are you? Where do you come from? This can be an opportunity to focus on either your personal or professional background, depending which feels most relevant to the pitched story.

We define technology very capaciously. To get a sense of the range we publish, please check out Beacons, supa dupa skies: move slow and heal things, policy: seductions and silences, and our most recent issue, Medicine and the Body. Reading through these issues will also give you a sense of how writers have approached the above considerations

FAQs:

What are the education requirements?

None.

What topics does Logic(s) cover?

We prioritize stories that are outside of the US and think critically about race, gender, sexuality, and disability but, we are open to pitches on any topic that has a connection to technology. The most important part is that we don’t publish “just-the-facts reporting”; we are interested in pieces that have a unique and in-depth analysis.

Can I publish in Arabic or another language?

Our editorial board only has capacity to conduct developmental editing in English, but we will provide additional funding to translate pieces into Arabic or any other relevant language.

Who will be deciding which applicants are selected?

We have four Palestinian advisors who will be leading the selection process. Logic(s) editorial leadership will be involved as well, but the advisors have the majority vote.

If you have any additional questions that are not listed here, please reach out to editors@logicmag.io and we will do our best to respond quickly.

logicmag.io/palestinian-journalist-fellowship/

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CALL FOR PITCHES: issue 8: Dreaming 

sweet-thang

Deadline: November 29, 2024, 23:59 GMT

INFO: Welcome! Thank you for your interest in contributing to sweet-thang Issue 8. 

Please fill out all sections marked with an asterisk (*). If you have any questions or if anything is unclear, feel free to email us at sweetthanginfo@gmail.com.

Remember, this is just a pitch. We’re not looking for finished work (though if your piece is already complete, that’s cool too). The pitching process helps us understand your idea, your creative vision, and whether it’s the right fit for the issue.

UNDERSTANDING THE FORM:

"Title of Your Pitch" = A working title of what you want to submit. This can be the actual artistic title or a literal description, for example: "A short story discussing freedom and hope."

"Short Description of Your Pitch" = A short explanation of what the piece of work is, for example: "Speculative fiction about a character unpacking what it means to find hope in the face of life's challenges. The story follows x y z and touches on themes of x y z. This relates to the theme of dreaming because..."

Please note: the work must be original and not published elsewhere within the past three years.

We’re looking for:

• Photography

• Collages

• Poetry

• Illustrations

• Journal scans

• Long + short-form creative writing

• Speculative fiction

• Personal essays

& more - as long as it can be expressed in print form. 

ACCESSIBILITY:

You can also submit your pitch in video format by recording your responses to each section and emailing it to sweetthanginfo@gmail.com with the subject line: “Video Submission: Issue 8 Pitch - [Your Name].”

If you have any questions about accessibility or require this form in another format, please send us an email.

As we only have space to accept 20 pitches, please don’t be disheartened if your pitch isn’t selected. We will get back to everyone regardless of the outcome and will do our best to provide feedback.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwmRk9xCUpavqJRVRPi3wq_SQF3rymxn-1uTMYu6AKsS16Wg/viewform

_____

Long Form Mentorship

Diaspora Dialogues

DEADLINE: November 29, 2024 by 11:59pm

INFO: Diaspora Dialogues invites submissions from emerging writers in both the GTA and across Canada who currently have a full or near-full draft of a manuscript. We accept novels, short story collections, creative non-fiction/memoir, works intended for young adults and poetry. Complete or near complete means that the writer has up to 85,000 words or 300 double-spaced pages of prose; or up to 25 poems (50 pages maximum). Submissions will consist only of excerpts from these works (see guidelines below).

Diaspora Dialogues is committed to supporting a literature that is as diverse as Canada itself. Writers are encouraged to keep this mandate in mind, but addressing this theme directly is not essential in the submission.

Notifications will be made at the end of December. The mentorships will begin in early 2025 and run for six months. Assigned mentors are at the discretion of Diaspora Dialogues.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Work from which the excerpt is submitted must be in a full draft or near-full draft stage.

• Excerpts submitted can be one chapter or one short story from the collection up to but not exceeding 5,000 words; poetry can include up to 10 poems but not exceed 15 pages.

• Submissions must include a one-page description of the project.

• Submissions must include a short biography in paragraph form (no more than 250 words.)

• The work must be original and not previously published.

• Submissions must be in English.

• Each writer may submit only one manuscript.

• A completed submission form must be included.

• Submissions will be accepted by electronically.

• Commentary/feedback is not available on submissions.

• Applicants who live in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area must submit to the GTA Long Form Program.

FORMATTING YOUR SUBMISSION:

• All prose submissions should be double-spaced, Times New Roman font size 12.

• Please do not adjust the margins.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Writers must not have a previously published full-length manuscript (although appearances in magazines and/or anthologies are acceptable).

• Any writer of any age can apply.

• Writers must be citizens or permanent residents

diasporadialogues.com/mentorship/

_____

DREAMing Out Loud

PEN America

DEADLINE: November 30, 2024

INFO: DREAMing Out Loud is a paid, tuition-free creative writing workshop series for migrant writers, primarily those who are undocumented, DACA recipients, and/or DREAMers who came to the United States when they were children. By providing community and professional support to the next generation of immigrant writers, the program seeks to counter anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S. and to amplify the voices of many living in this country who are marginalized because of their immigration status.

In 2025, three workshops will be in-person and two workshops will be virtual. Instructors Álvaro Enrigue's and Claudia Rueda's in person workshops will be held at the PEN America office (120 Broadway 26N Floor, New York, NY 10271). The in person playwriting workshop will be held at The Drama Book Shop (266 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018). Instructors Charlie Vázquez and Cherry Lou Sy's workshop will be virtual. If selected, attendance and commitment to the program, whether in-person or virtual, is expected and required.

BENEFITS:

In workshops led by established writers from migrant backgrounds or connections to the migrant community, 40 participants are provided a modest stipend to develop original fiction, poetry, nonfiction, plays, and picture book writing.Participants are invited to perform or have their work performed at a public reading and invited to voluntarily publish in various print and digital formats, including an annual anthology. The program provides access and connections to professionals in the publishing and theater industries and empowers DREAMers to develop their own unique artistic voice and craft to ensure that any future literary canon will include their stories, perspectives, and lived experiences. Participants receive access to resources tailored for migrant artists, including at least one author-led talkback about writing and publishing each year.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must identify as an immigrant, reside and/or go to college in New York City, and be 18 years or older to apply. Limited space will be reserved for and DREAMing Out Loud alumni. College graduates are welcome to apply.

The official deadline (Saturday, November 30, 2024 by 11:59 pm) is rolling and may close if all slots are filled. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance via email.

ARTIST RIGHTS AGREEMENT pertaining to The DREAMing Out Loud Anthology:

• Ownership: The artist retains full ownership and copyright of all original works submitted for publication or exhibited in any public events and in the DREAMing Out Loud anthology.

• Right to Remove: The artist reserves the right to request the removal of their submitted work at any time. Upon such request, the work will be removed in a timely manner.

• Attribution: The artist will be properly credited for their work in all instances of publication and exhibition.

• Usage Rights: PEN America may use the submitted work for promotional purposes of the program and PEN America, provided the artist is notified and credited accordingly.

• Modifications: The artist retains the right to modify their work prior to the final deadline provided. This agreement aims to protect the artist's rights while allowing for collaborative opportunities.

ROYALTIES AND PROFITS pertaining to The DREAMing Out Loud Anthology:

This anthology is published by PEN America, a nonprofit organization, and as such, no profits or royalties will be generated from this publication. Any and all proceeds from the sale of the DREAMing Out Loud anthology will be reinvested into the organization’s mission and activities supporting the program. Please note that this work is printed on demand, ensuring that each copy is produced specifically to meet reader requests without excess inventory. Thank you for your support and understanding.

QUESTIONS?

Contact the Program Coordinator (TC. Mann, tcmann@pen.org).

pen.org/program/dreaming-out-loud/

_____

call for Essay Collection/Memoir/Nonfiction-Hybrid Manuscripts

Split Lip Press

DEADLINE: November 30, 2024

INFO: We are currently looking for previously unpublished essay collections, memoirs, and nonfiction-hybrid full-length book manuscripts. Individually published pieces within the manuscript are absolutely fine (and expected!) but the book should not have been published as a BOOK before. We won't define "full-length" for you (you're the author, after all) but books over 100 and under 300 pages tend to hit our sweet spot. If your book is shorter, keep us in mind for our chapbook reading period!

We're looking for manuscripts that question boundaries (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional—you get the gist). Dazzle us with your version(s) of truth! When it comes to genre-based boundary bending, we love to see imaginative essays, autofictions, fictionalized memoirs, lyric essaying, formal and layout-based experimentation, etc. Please note: while we are big fans of poetry, we aim to publish prose and mostly-prose/prose-esque manuscripts. If your project includes more than a handful of poems, it may not be the best fit for this submission call.

To get an idea of what we love, please check out our current full-length NF/hybrid offerings. We'd love it if you'd add a copy of any (/all) of our books to your submission, and we'll happily throw in free shipping as a thanks! 

• jade vine's forthcoming essay collection Hold Me

• Sean Enfield's essay collection Holy American Burnout!

• Sarah Fawn Montgomery's essay collection Halfway from Home

• Esteban Rodriguez's essay collection Before the Earth Devours Us

• Jeannine Ouellette's memoir-in-essays The Part That Burns

• Athena Dixon's essay collection The Incredible Shrinking Woman

• Melissa Matthewson's memoir-in-essays Tracing the Desire Line

• Melissa Wiley's essay collection Antlers in Space and Other Common Phenomena. 

Historically under-represented perspectives are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED and HIGHLY SOUGHT—we want to help bring your voice to the world!

OUR PRESS MISSION: We publish boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up. We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated. If your book is a wedge in a crack, Split/Lip Press is the hammer helping you split the wall apart.

All books published at Split/Lip Press have been discovered during our open reading periods—we do not solicit manuscripts and do not accept manuscripts sent outside of our reading periods. Every author has the same opportunity to join us! However, Split/Lip Press does not tolerate manuscripts celebrating racist, homophobic, or misogynistic perspectives, and will discard such manuscripts unread. We believe in breaking boundaries at Split/Lip, but we will not assist agendas of hate.

BASIC FORMATTING DETAILS: TNR 12 (or similar), double-spaced (unless you are specifically using special formatting—which we'd love to see), and PLEASE remove your name from the manuscript and file name—our readers want to review your manuscripts without names attached. There is a box on the submission form where, if you choose, you may indicate any information about positionality which may be helpful for the readers to know.

Please note that while we love and welcome work which includes images/diagrams/etc, we are unable to reproduce color images and they would need to appear as black-and-white images within a 6" x 9" printed book, so please keep that in mind when submitting.

HUGS + THANKS: We work closely with our authors on all elements of their book, from design to promotion. We are engaged in the literary community, and as writers ourselves, we know how important it is to have a book that you love that is supported by a press that loves you. We'd love for you to be part of the Split/Lip Press family.

Simultaneous submissions are obviously welcome. Our reading process is a process and we move quickly and efficiently, but we also don't interrupt it prematurely. So if another publisher snags you first, we just ask that you withdraw your submission (and congrats to you!).

We intend to reply to all submissions by February 15, 2025, so please do not query about the status of your manuscript before that date. If you haven't seen anything from us by 2/15/25, check your status in Submittable and double-check your email spam filter because Submittable's messages sometimes get stuck there—we will definitely respond!

Thank you for considering Split/Lip Press as the home for your book.

P.S.: The reading fee helps cover our costs as a press, and our nonfiction/hybrid reading team will be splitting 25% of the submission fees collected during this reading period as compensation for all of their hard work. But we don't want a fee to keep us from finding the best work out there. If you can't afford the fee, please send an email to splitlipthepress@gmail.com before submitting to receive a manuscript fee waiver, no questions asked.

splitlippress.submittable.com/submit/121154/essay-collection-memoir-nonfiction-hybrid-manuscripts

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QUILL PROSE AWARD

Red Hen Press

DEADLINE: November 30, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $10

INFO: Queer literature is often found in the side stacks, in the back of the bookstore, under “Gay and Lesbian.” These authors are put into a genre that barely fits them, excluded from mainstream funding, and alienated by submission questionnaires and prying questions about identity and the underlying, “What are you?” The contradiction is that though labels can be alienating, they can also be empowering and community building. Red Hen Press seeks to work against the negative politics of labeling while honoring and empowering authors who identify as queer.

AWARD DETAILS:

• $1000

• Book publication by Red Hen Press

• Final Judge: Raymond Luczak

Note: Name on cover sheet only; 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font); prose (fiction or nonfiction) by a queer writer only.

Submissions are currently open for this award.

GUIDELINES:

The award is open to all writers with the following exceptions:

• Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press

• Employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press

• Relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors

• Relatives or individuals having a personal or professional relationship with any of the final judges where they have taken any part whatsoever in shaping the manuscript, or where, for whatever reason, selecting a particular manuscript might have the appearance of impropriety

PROCEDURES + ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

To be certain that every manuscript finalist receives the fairest evaluation, all manuscripts shall be submitted to the judges without any identifying material.

Bios, acknowledgments, and other identifying material shall be removed from judged manuscripts until the conclusion of the competition.

Red Hen Press is committed to maintaining the utmost integrity of our awards. Judges shall recuse themselves from considering any manuscript where they recognize the work. In the event of refusal, a manuscript score previously assigned by the managing editor of the press will be substituted.

redhen.org/awards/quill-prose-award/

_____

Emerging Writer Award

The Bridge Awards

DEADLINE: November 30, 2024 at 23:59pm

INFO: The Emerging Writer Award is open to unpublished prose writers (fiction) living in the UK with a collection of short stories or novel in development. Writers can be writing for any age group (including children and young adults) and may have had excerpts or articles published in the past, but have not yet published any major body of work. We would particularly encourage applications from those who experience barriers to the writing process.

Poetry, playwriting, screenwriting and works of non-fiction are all ineligible. Writers who have had a major body of work published in a form other than fiction are also ineligible (e.g. a poetry collection, or a non-fiction book-length work).

Writers who are agented and otherwise meet all the eligibility criteria are eligible. Writers who have only self-published their works are eligible.

APPLICATION:

Please apply by sending one document, preferably in Microsoft Word format, which includes:

• A cover letter outlining your work in progress and how this award will benefit your work (up to one A4 page)

• A 2000-word sample of work.

  • This does not need to be directly related to work in progress, but please make clear if that is not the case.

  • We will allow up to 10% over the 2000-word limit if the piece requires it

• Judging takes place anonymously. Please include your name in the document title only. The document will be renamed before being sent to the judging panel. Do not include your name within the document. You can include any non-identifying information on your writing and/or career in your cover letter if relevant.

AND

• In a separate document please send a copy of your CV. This is for administration purposes and will not be seen by the judging panel, therefore this can contain your name and identifying information.

• For advice on what to put in a writing CV, click here to read this blog post with advice from 2016 Award Winner, Heather Parry.

We would also appreciate if you were able to complete our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Monitoring Form, link to online form here. The information in this form is gathered anonymously.

moniackmhor.org.uk/writers/awards-residencies/the-bridge-awards/

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call for submissions: essays

Cutleaf

DEADLINE: November 30, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: Cutleaf is now open to nonfiction submissions, and we can't wait to read your work!⠀

We are interested in essays in both standard and hybrid forms. We welcome new approaches such as speculative nonfiction, essays based in metaphor, essays in verse, and other re-imaginings of the format. We welcome work about literature, travel, music, visual art, and film in multiple formats. We are less interested in journalistic approaches than in work that shows the larger and smaller truths about being human. We are generally interested in essays of less than 6,000 words. Longer work must be exceptionally compelling, and we may publish longer works in installments.
⠀
Cutleaf is a journal run by writers. We try to treat writers as we want to be treated:

• We pay from $100 to $300 per published nonfiction piece.

• We reply to submissions in a timely manner, usually not later than three months and generally much sooner.⠀

cutleafjournal.com/submit/

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Open call for 2024 fiction submissions

The Hudson Review

DEADLINE: November 30, 2024 at 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: The Hudson Review is open to fiction submissions. Online submissions close at 11:59 p.m. on November 30; mailed submissions must be postmarked by November 30.

GUIDELINES:

• 10,000 word limit.

• No simultaneous submissions.

• No previously published work (if your story has appeared in any form, including online—in a blog, social media posts, etc.—we consider it to be previously published work).

• Submit online or by mail (enclose SASE) to 33 W. 67th St., New York, NY 10023.

• Reading is not blind; feel free to include contact info in your manuscript. (We’re not picky about formatting.)

Questions? Email us at info@hudsonreview.com

hudsonreview.com/news-events/open-call-for-2024-fiction-submissions/

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Scholars-in-Residence Program Fellowship 2025-26

The Schomburg Center

DEADLINE: December 1, 2024

INFO: The Scholars-in-Residence Program offers both long-term and short-term fellowships designed to support and encourage top-quality research and writing on the history, politics, literature, and culture of the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora, as well as to promote and facilitate interdisciplinary exchange among scholars and writers in residence at the Schomburg Center.

LONG-TERM FELLOWSHIPS provide a $35,000 stipend to support postdoctoral scholars and independent researchers who work in residence at the Center for a continuous period of six months. The Scholars-in-Residence Program provides funding for six fellows each year, three of whom are supported by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Selected fellows can choose to begin their term either in September or in January. Fellows are provided with individual office space and a computer, research assistance, and full access to the unparalleled resources of the Schomburg Center. In addition to pursuing their own research projects, fellows also engage in an ongoing interdisciplinary exchange of ideas, sharing their research with one another in a weekly work-in-progress seminar. While in residence, they are also exposed to the vibrant intellectual life of the Schomburg through its public exhibitions, panels, screenings, and events.

SHORT-TERM FELLOWSHIPS are open to postdoctoral scholars, independent researchers, and creative writers (novelists, playwrights, poets) who work in residence at the Center for a continuous period of one to three months. Short-term fellows receive a stipend of $3000 per month. (These short-term fellowships are a recent addition to the Scholars-in-Residence Program, having been offered for the first time in the 2017-18 application cycle; they are funded by an endowment provided by the Ford Foundation and the Newhouse Foundation.)

Both long-term and short-term fellowships are awarded for continuous periods in residence at the Schomburg Center. Fellows are expected to devote their full time to their research and writing. They are expected to work regularly at the Schomburg Center and to participate in the intellectual life of the Scholars-in-Residence Program. Fellows may not be employed during the period in residence, except on sabbaticals from their home institutions. Those selected as Scholars-in-Residence are encouraged to supplement their stipends with funding support from their home institutions or other non-residential fellowships or grants if the requisite approval is received from the Schomburg Center.

ELIGIBILITY:

The Scholars-in-Residence Program is intended for scholars and writers requiring extensive, on-site research with collections at the Schomburg Center, the pre-eminent repository for documentation on the history and cultures of peoples of African descent around the globe. Fellows are expected to be in full-time residency at the Center during the award period and to participate in scheduled seminars and colloquia. The Program is intended to support research in African diasporic studies undertaken from a humanistic perspective; projects in the social sciences, science and technology, psychology, education, and religion are eligible if they utilize a humanistic approach and contribute to humanistic knowledge.

Candidates who need to work primarily in the New York Public Library's other research libraries – the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, and the Science, Industry and Business Library – are not eligible for this fellowship, nor are people seeking funding for research leading directly to a degree. (Applications are accepted from current doctoral students, as long as they will defend their dissertation and graduate before starting the fellowship tenure.) Only U.S. citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals who have been resident in the United States for the three years immediately preceding the application deadline may apply.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

A complete application must include:

• The Schomburg Center Scholars-in-Residence Application.

• A 1500-word description of the proposed study.

• Curriculum vitae (limit to 3 pages).

• Names of references (long-term fellows must submit three recommendation letters; short-term fellows must submit a minimum of two letters). References will receive an e-mail instructing them how to upload their recommendations.

In no more than 1500 words the applicant should provide a detailed description of the proposed study, including but by no means restricted to the following elements:

• A statement of the topic under consideration with specific reference to the major questions, problems, and theses being investigated.

• An outline of the plan for carrying out the study or project.

• Discussion of the sources in the Schomburg Center and other research units of The New York Public Library that the applicant plans to use for the study and plans for examining them.

• Description of research methods.

• Applicant's competence in the use of any foreign languages needed to complete the study.

• The place of the study in the applicant's overall research and writing program.

• The significance of the study for the applicant's field and for the humanities in general.

• The final objective and expected outcomes of the project. Plans for publications, lectures, exhibitions, teaching, and other vehicles of dissemination should be detailed. Fellows will be expected to share and discuss their research and writing with other scholars-in-residence in the weekly work-in-progress seminar during their residency.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Applications for the Scholars-in-Residence Program will be reviewed by a Selection Committee consisting of five external reviewers, a rotating panel of accomplished scholars and writers with expertise across the fields of study covered by the fellowship. The Selection Committee is convened and chaired by the Director of the Scholars-in-Residence Program.

Fellows will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

• Relationship of the project to the resources of the Schomburg Center.

• Qualifications of the applicant.

• Quality and feasibility of the project plan.

• Importance of the proposed project to the applicant's field and to the humanities.

• Relationship of the project to the humanities.

• Likelihood that the project will be completed successfully.

• The provisions for making the results of the project available to scholars and to the public at large.

Applicants selected for the Program will be notified in late March.

If there are any questions, please email sir@nypl.org.

nypl.org/about/fellowships-institutes/schomburg-center-scholars-in-residency/application

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CALL FOR PAPERS: A FURIOUS FLOWER BLOOMS–HONORING THE INTELLECTUAL AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF DR. JOANNE V. GABBIN

Furious Flower

DEADLINE: December 1, 2024

INFO: This is an announcement to share a call for papers celebrating and honoring the intellectual and political contributions of Dr. Joanne V. Gabbin, founder of the Furious Flower Poetry Center, the nation's first academic center for Black poetry. The papers will be a part of an anthology on the contributions of Dr. Gabbin, which will be edited by Jaimee A. Swift, executive director and founder of Black Women Radicals and Assistant Professor of Black Politics in the Department of Political Science at James Madison University. 

Dr. Joanne Veal Gabbin has given so much to our world. An activist, educator, poet, scholar, and community organizer, Dr. Gabbin’s work spans the intellectual, political, and cultural gamut. A pioneering visionary, her leadership has and continues to inspire generations of poets, educators, activists, and more in the United States and beyond.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Gabbin earned her B.A. degree in English from Morgan State College in 1967 and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English and Literature from the University of Chicago in 1970 and 1980, respectively. Gabbin began her career as an instructor of English at Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1971, and later was hired as an Assistant Professor of English at Chicago State University in 1972. From 1973 to 1975, she was the program director and instructor of Catalyst for Youth, Inc., in Chicago, a non-profit organization created to help young people to become emotionally stable, socially responsible, and physically healthy contributing members of society.  

In 1977, Gabbin became an Assistant Professor of English at Lincoln University and was later promoted to Associate Professor of English in 1982. After serving in this position until 1985, she was hired as an Associate Professor of English at James Madison University (JMU). Despite her contending with the ills of racism, discrimination, and sexism in the Department of English at JMU, she refused to allow the ignorance of some to deter her from her mission of excelling as a professor, educator, and scholar. In the spirit of fortitude and resilience, Gabbin persevered and later became Director of the Honors College, a position she held until 2005. In 1987, she founded the Wintergreen Women Writers’ Collective, an intergenerational gathering, communion, and literary sisterhood of Black women writers.  

In 1994, Gabbin organized the first academic conference on Black poetry, titled, “Furious Flower: A Revolution in African American Poetry” at James Madison University. Named in honor of renowned Pulitzer-Prize winning poet and former U.S Poet Laureate, Gwendolyn Brooks, and an ode to her 1968 poem, “The Second Sermon on the Warpland”, the conference brought together over 400 attendees and featured prominent Black poets including Amiri Baraka, Nikki Giovanni, and Sonia Sanchez. The conference was hailed by The Washington Post as a “historic gathering.” After the successes of the first and second Furious Flower Poetry Conferences, Gabbin established the Furious Flower Poetry Center at JMU, the first academic center dedicated to Black poetry in the United States.  

Gabbin is also the author and editor of several works including Sterling A. Brown: Building the Black Aesthetic Tradition; Furious Flower: African American Poetry From the Black Arts Movement to the Present; and The Furious Flowering of African American Poetry. She is the executive producer of the Furious Flower video and DVD series. After 37 years at JMU, she retired in 2022 and JMU’s Gabbin Hall is named in her honor. 

We invite submissions of academic articles, reflective pieces, poetry, and review essays on Dr. Joanne Gabbin’s substantial and wide-ranging scholarship and community work.

Themes and topics include (but are not limited to):

• Impact of the Furious Flower Poetry Center and Furious Flower Poetry Conferences

• The Future of the Furious Flower Poetry Center 

• Wintergreen Women’s Writers’ Collective 

• Joanne Gabbin and Black Poetry

• Joanne Gabbin and Black Women’s Poetics 

• Joanne Gabbin and the Black Arts Movement 

• Joanne Gabbin and Community Organizing

• The World of Black Poetry 

• Black Feminist Thought and Politics 

• The Power of Black Women Writers

• Public scholarship and community-based organizing and interventions

• Black Poetics in the African Diaspora

• The Futurity of Black Poetry and Prose

• Black Women’s Sisterhood, Intimacies, and Solidarity 

• Reflections of African American Women Writers 

• Impact on Gwendolyn Brooks and Margaret Walker on Joanne Gabbin’s Leadership

• Black Women and Community Building 

• Black Poetry, Archives, and Memory Work

• Misogynoir and Black Women in Academia 

• Revolutionary Black Literature

Paper Submission

Authors are invited to submit papers for this anthology to gabbinanthology@gmail.com. 

When submitting, in the subject line, please put LAST NAME, FIRST NAME - GABBIN ANTHOLOGY. 

Submissions must be original and should not have been published previously or be under consideration for publication while being evaluated for this anthology. 

Important Dates

• Submission Deadline : December 1, 2024. 

• Notification of Acceptance : January 10, 2024

• Final Edited Manuscript Due: March 15, 2024

• Publication Date: Determined by the Editor. 

Manuscript Requirements

The final revised manuscript – in a Word document – should be double-spaced, in a 12-point font, must have a title, and must have a complete bibliography of all sources cited. Ensure the word count is between 2,500 - 3,000.

For poetry, please keep the word count between 1,000 - 2,000 words. 

Subheadings should be in bold typeface. Refer to the Chicago Manual of Style (latest edition) for grammatical guidance. Avoid page layout formatting. Please insert page numbers. 

Please make sure to add an author’s short bio at the end of the Word document.

Please direct any inquiries about the anthology to Jaimee Swift: (swiftja@jmu.edu).

blackwomenradicals.com/blog-feed/call-for-papers-dr-joanne-gabbin

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Storyteller Initiative

Voice of Witness

DEADLINE: December 1, 2024

INFO: The Storyteller Initiative is a new fellowship program from Voice of Witness that supports artists, oral historians, storytellers and story gatherers, documentarians, and multidisciplinary changemakers from historically marginalized communities. VOW will assist participants to plan, develop, and activate a project of their choosing. While the projects do not need to be presented in oral history form, the work should be rooted in oral history methods and ethical storytelling. 

This initiative will provide institutional support and mentorship to a cohort of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or otherwise underrepresented narrative changemakers working to uplift stories from their own communities. Grassroots storytellers have deep insight into the issues facing their communities—and yet, they often struggle to carry out projects due to lack of funding and resources. This program aims to provide this support; expand and democratize the kinds of stories that get told; and contribute to narrative change efforts.

The Storyteller Initiative will provide funding for up to two years, depending on the project, with a $10,000 stipend per year. In addition, fellows will receive oral history training (so don’t let an unfamiliarity with oral history methodology discourage you from applying!), editorial guidance, and networking opportunities. VOW will draw from our 15+ years of experience conducting ethics-driven oral history, documentary, and human rights storytelling work to offer guidance and amplify the fellows’ work. Staff will share insights on project planning and development, relationship building, holistic and trauma-informed interviewing, narrative editing, and more.

PURPOSE: Narrative change is the strategy of shifting the patterns, ideas, and themes embedded within the stories we tell. The Storyteller Initiative aims to transform the harmful patterns in dominant narratives shared about marginalized communities by recentering storytelling from within those communities themselves. The fellows in this program will illuminate critical issues through dynamic, impactful storytelling. We hope the projects generated will deepen our collective understanding of the issues they explore, build community, advance public knowledge, and drive social equity.

TIMELINE: The fellowship will begin on March 3, 2025. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X) to stay updated on dates and details.

FELLOWSHIP SCOPE: The VOW Storyteller Initiative will provide comprehensive support to each fellow and their project, including regular 1:1 coaching, group training, and skill-building workshops. Fellows selected for the program will also benefit from co-working sessions, guest speakers, and revision guidance. In addition, the program will tap into VOW’s expertise in publishing to offer various resources and access to peer and mentor support. The program concludes with an online public showcase, where fellows have the opportunity to present their work to oral history professionals, multidisciplinary artists, editors, and the general public. This multi-faceted approach is designed to develop your skills and project, connect you with others exploring similar work and questions, and provide opportunities to share your stories with a wider audience.

MORE INFO + FAQs

For details about the program, read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

An informational session will take place on Zoom on November 7th, 2024 at 11am PT / 2pm ET where the program coordinators can answer any additional questions. Attendance is not required to apply but is recommended. Register to join here.

voiceofwitness.org/oral-history-projects/storyteller-initiative/

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Micro Prize

Fractured Lit

DEADLINE: December 1, 2024

READING FEE: $20

INFO: Fractured Lit has always been a place that celebrates the use of writing craft to tell small stories with big impacts. In the return of our Micro Prize, we want to honor stories of 400 words or fewer that tell a complete story and have us marveling at the depth of character and language.

As an added opportunity, writers can also register for a generative workshop with Editor-in-Chief Tommy Dean called “Writing Micros with Urgency and Immediacy” from October 01 to October 31. The class will be held on November 7.

We're thrilled to partner with Guest Judge Deb Olin Unferth, who will choose three prize winners from a shortlist. We're excited to offer the first-place winner of this prize $2,500 and publication, while the second- and third-place place winners will receive publication and $600 and $400, respectively. All entries will be considered for publication.

Deb Olin Unferth is the author of six books, including the novels Barn 8 and Vacation, the memoir Revolution, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, two story collections, and the graphic novel I, Parrot. Her fiction and essays have appeared in over fifty magazines and journals, including Harper’s Magazine, The New York Times, The Paris Review,Granta, and McSweeney’s. She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, three Pushcart Prizes, a Creative Capital Fellowship for Innovative Literature, and fellowships from the MacDowell, Yaddo, and Ucross residencies. She’s a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches for the Michener Center and the New Writers Project, and she also directs the Pen City Writers, the prison creative writing program at a south Texas penitentiary. Originally from Chicago, she lives in Austin with the philosophy professor Matt Evans.

GUIDELINES:

• Your $20 reading fee allows up to three stories of 400 words or fewer each per entry—if submitting more than one microfiction, please put them all in a SINGLE document.

• We allow multiple submissions—each set of three microfictions requires a separate submission accompanied by a reading fee.

• Writers from historically marginalized groups will be able to submit for free until we reach our cap of 25 free submissions. No additional fee waivers will be granted.

• Please send microfiction only—400 word count maximum per story.

• We only consider unpublished work for contests—we do not review reprints, including self-published work (even on blogs and social media). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.

• Simultaneous submissions are okay—please notify us and withdraw your entry if you find another home for your writing.

• All entries will also be considered for publication in Fractured Lit.

• Double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12 (or larger if needed).

• Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable). In the cover letter, please include content warnings as well, to safeguard our reading staff.

• We only read work in English, though some code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.

• We do not read anonymous submissions. However, shortlisted stories are sent anonymously to the judge.

• Unless specifically requested, we do not accept AI-generated work. For this contest, AI-generated work will be automatically disqualified.

We will announce the shortlist within 12-14 weeks of the contest's close. All writers will be notified when the results are final.

SOME SUBMITTABLE HOT TIPS:

• Please be sure to whitelist/add this address to your contacts, so notifications do not get filtered as spam/junk: notifications@email.submittable.com.

• If you realize you sent the wrong version of your piece: It happens. Please DO NOT withdraw the piece and resubmit. Submittable collects a nonrefundable fee each time. Please DO message us from within the submission to request that we open the entry for editing, which will allow you to fix everything from typos in your cover letter to uploading a new draft. The only time we will not allow a change is if the piece is already under review by a reader.

OPTIONAL EDITORIAL FEEDBACK:

You may choose to receive editorial feedback on your piece. We will provide a two-page global letter discussing the strengths of the writing and the recommended focus for revision. Our aim is to make our comments actionable and encouraging. These letters are written by editors and staff readers of Fractured Lit. Should your story win, no feedback will be offered, and your fee will be refunded.

fracturedlit.com/fractured-lit-2024-micro-prize/

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Fall 2024 Black Fox Prize

Black Fox

DEADLINE: December 1, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $12

INFO: Black Fox is accepting submissions for its Fall 2024 Black Fox Prize. The theme for this round is “Fragments of Time.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre, as always.

When we think of time, we often think of a ticking clock. But time is more than merely seconds, minutes, hours, or measurements. Time also has the power to shape our lives. It can be a fleeting moment, a seemingly endless stretch, or a loop. Time can be a guardian of memories, the signal for change, and the constant that connects us to the world around us.

For this contest, we’re looking for writers to explore the intricacies of time: How does it mold us, ruin us, or set us free? Is time a friend or an enemy? Does time heal or wound? Whether it’s traveling through centuries, racing against the clock, or pausing in a single, spectacular moment, we want work that investigates the mysteries, difficulties, joy, or wonder of time.

Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner that we feel interprets the theme best. The prize is $325 and publication in the Winter 2025 issue. All submissions are considered for publication in the Winter 2025 issue. The contest entry fee is $12, and submissions must be submitted before midnight (EST) on December 1, 2024.

Please make sure your manuscript is double-spaced with 12-point font. Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. For poetry, send up to three poems in the same document. For flash fiction, send up to two stories in the same document. Author’s name and page number should appear in the top right-hand corner of every page. We also ask that you specify the category/genre of your work in the cover letter. Submissions are accepted through our submission manager, found here.

Please DO NOT submit work that isn’t ready. Take your time and polish your work to the best of your ability before sending it in. No changes can be made to your submission after we receive it.

We will select a winner by the end of January 2025, and each entrant will receive a response to their submission.

blackfoxlitmag.com/contests/

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One Teen Story Contest

One Story

DEADLINE: December 2, 2024

INFO: One Teen Story publishes 3 stories a year and accepts submissions from teen writers ages 13-19. For a list of writers we have published in the past and short samples of their stories, please visit our past issues page.

For our One Teen Story contest, we ask writers ages 13-19 to enter their original, unpublished fiction. We are interested in great short stories of any genre about the teen experience—literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, horror, etc. What’s in a great short story? Interesting teen characters, strong writing, and a beginning, middle, and end.

PRIZE: The winning stories will be published on our website. The contest winners will receive $500 upon publication. The contest winners will also have the opportunity to work with a One Teen Story editor prior to publication. Honorable mentions will be chosen in three age categories: 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19, and each will be announced on our website, by email announcement, and on social media.

GUIDELINES: 

• To enter, you must be between the ages of 13-19 as of December 2, 2024.

• Short stories should be between 2,000 to 4,500 words and be the writer’s own original, previously unpublished work.

• Previously published stories and stories forthcoming at other publications cannot be considered. This includes stories that have been self-published online on personal websites or other publishing platforms, including blogs and school publications.

• By submitting your work, you are acknowledging that it is your own creation, that it has not been borrowed from any other person’s work (including film, video, and online content), that it has not been created with any assistance from AI tools or software, and that the characters and situations are of your own invention.

• Stories should have teens as their main characters and be about the teen experience.

• No entry fee is required.

• Only one submission per person.

• One Teen Story reserves the right to approve all final, edited content.

• A parent or legal guardian must sign a consent form for One Teen Story to publish the names of winners who are under the age of 18 on our website and social media platforms.

• A parent must sign a consent form for One Teen Story to publish the names of the winners and honorable mentions on our website.

• You must submit through Submittable.

• Proof of age must be provided by all winners and finalists.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

When you are ready to submit, please go here and select One Teen Story Contest followed by your age group (13-15, 16-17, 18-19). You will receive a confirmation email upon submitting. This is also where you can view the status of your submission or withdraw a submission.

IMPORTANT: Please note that we only accept work by writers ages 13-19. If your story is being considered for publication, we will ask that you provide us with proof of your age. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS:

Teachers: if you would like to use this contest for a class project, please email us at otscontest@one-story.com and we’ll send you a PDF of one of our previous winners to share with your classroom.

one-story.com/write/one-teen-story-contest/

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literary arts grants

South Arts

DEADLINE: December 4, 2024

INFO: As part of its Literary Arts Initiative, South Arts is excited to announce grants for literary arts projects for writers and publishers. These grants deepen our commitment to amplifying literary traditions and practices of the American South through directly funding the initiation, development, and completion of literary arts projects in poetry, fiction, creative or literary nonfiction, young readers’ literature, and drama (playwriting and screenwriting).

Literary Arts Grants will be made to writers, independent literary publishers, and small presses: 

• LITERARY ARTS GRANTS FOR WRITERS: South Arts will award literary grants up to $5,000. Applicants (writers or organizations) must apply through Salesforce and include writing samples and other required attachments specified in these Guidelines.

• LITERARY ARTS GRANTS FOR PUBLISHERS: South Arts will award literary arts grants up to $5,000 to support Southern independent publishers and small presses. Applicants must apply through Salesforce and include the publisher’s representative work samples and other required attachments as specified in these Guidelines. 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Deadline to Apply: 12/4/2024

• Awards Announced: February 2025

• Funding Cycle: March 1, 2025 – August 30, 2026 (18 months)

The award announcement may be earlier or later than the date listed above, depending on the number of applications and judging process.

Applicants who are not selected for an award will receive notification via the email on their application form before the award announcement.  

South Arts reserves the right to not consider incomplete or improperly submitted applications without informing the applicant.  

Judges do not communicate any information or details of their review. Given the volume of applications received, South Arts cannot provide individual feedback on the application and from the panel.

Applicants who move from the South Arts Region after they submit their application are encouraged to notify South Arts and will not be eligible to receive a grant award. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

• All applicants are eligible to receive only one grant award.

• Current, full-time resident or Headquartered in the South Arts Region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, The Carolinas, Tennessee) both at the time of application and at receipt of the award.

For Writers

• One application per artist or arts organization per funding cycle will be accepted.

• Applicant artists must be 18 years of age or older.

• Applicant artists must not be enrolled in a literary arts/writing academic program at time of application and at receipt of award.

• Current, full-time residents for at least the prior 12 months s of the South Arts region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, The Carolinas, Tennessee) both at the time of application during the project period.

• Works authored by more than one person are ineligible.

For Literary Arts Organizations

• For Publishers: Independent nonprofit publishers and small presses including journals.

• Based in the South Arts Region for at least the prior 12 months (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, The Carolinas, Tennessee) both at the time of application and during the project period.

• Other non-profit organizations with a literary arts mission.

INELIGIBLE ENTITIES

• Units of government

• Colleges/Universities are ineligible to apply for this grant.

UNALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES

• General operating support. 

• Support for a full season of programming. 

• Courses or coursework in degree-granting or continuing education institutions. 

• Literary publishing that does not focus on contemporary literature and/or writers. 

• Publication of books, exhibition of works, or other projects by the applicant organization's board members, faculty, or trustees. 

• Projects for which no curatorial, juried, or editorial judgment has been applied to the selection of artists or art works. 

• Social activities such as receptions, parties, galas, community dinners, picnics, and potlucks. 

• Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any associated costs are unallowable; generally, this includes activities at venues such as bars, wineries, and breweries where the consumption of alcohol/social activity is the primary purpose of the venue. 

• Awards to individuals or organizations to honor or recognize achievement. 

• Commercial (for-profit) enterprises or activities, including arts markets, concessions, food, t-shirts, artwork, or other items for resale. This includes online or virtual sales/shops. 

• Construction, purchase, or renovation of facilities.

• Sub-granting or regranting.

UNALLOWABLE COSTS

• Cash reserves and endowments. 

• Startup costs or other costs associated with establishing new organizations. 

• Alcoholic beverages or other hospitality costs. 

• Purchase and/or use of gift cards and gift certificates to support project costs.

• Gifts and prizes, including cash prizes as well as other items with monetary value (e.g., electronic devices, gift certificates).

• Contributions and donations to other entities, including donation drives.

• General miscellaneous or contingency costs. 

• Fines and penalties, bad debt costs, deficit reduction.  

• Marketing expenses that are not directly related to the project.  

• Audit costs. 

• Rental costs for home office workspace owned by individuals or entities affiliated with the applicant.

• The purchase of vehicles.

• Costs incurred before the beginning or after the completion of the official project period. 

MATCHING REQUIREMENTS

All grants require a 2:1 cost share. South Arts matches $2 for every $1 the applicant contributes towards project costs.

Grants will pay up to 2/3 of the total cost of the opportunity, with a maximum award of $5,000. The applicant must cover remaining expenses, and South Arts requires a 2:1 match (2 South Arts: 1 grantee). Artists may include their own cash in the match. Examples:  

1. Total Project Cost- $6,000, the applicant can request up to $4,000 and contribute the remaining $2,000 of funds through a combination of their own cash and other contributions. 

2. Total Project Costs are $15,000:  The applicant can request up to $5,000 and contribute the remaining $10,000 of funds through a combination of their own cash and other contributions.

3. Toal Project Costs are $3,000:  The applicant can request up to $2,000 and contribute the remaining $1,000 of funds through a combination of their own cash and other contributions. 

Budget details should identify the source of funds (including self-funding, private contributions, institutional stipends, or additional grant funding) not requested from South Arts.

Total projected expenses must meet or exceed the request by 50%. 

Funds can be used for these eligible expenses directly related to participation in proposed activities:

• For Organizations:  Itemize project personnel costs 

• Travel (itemize air, ground, lodging, per diem, visa services) 

• Equipment rental (itemize all equipment rental expenses) 

• Office expenses (itemize supplies, and shipping/postage) 

• Services/professional fees (itemize editorial, graphic design, photography/videography, financial, publishing, production, and distribution services, etc.) 

• Marketing 

• Facility expenses (itemize rent, space rental, utilities) 

• Insurance 

• Childcare or elder caregiver service costs that arise as a result of applicant planning and executing the proposed project 

southarts.org/grants-opportunities/literary-arts-grant

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Investigative reporting fellowship

Ida B. Wells Society

DEADLINE: December 6, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: The Ida B. Wells Society is thrilled to launch its investigative reporting fellowship for 2025! This no-cost, intensive program will bring professional journalists to Atlanta to sharpen their investigative reporting skills under the guidance of some of the most accomplished reporters and editors in the industry. The fellowship is intended for journalists not presently assigned to investigative teams. Up to 12 fellowships will be awarded. 

During training, participants will work on projects they have proposed for publication in their respective newsrooms. Freelance journalists also are invited to apply. 

The selected journalists will join the Society in Atlanta for up to a week, once a month from February through July to delve into topics related to investigative reporting including: 

• The Investigative Reporting Mindset 

• Data Journalism 

• Process and Development 

• Interviewing and Writing for Investigations 

Interested applicants must work with their newsroom leadership to ensure their availability to attend. Proposed projects should also be cleared by leadership to ensure their publication upon completion. 

ELIGIBILITY:  

• Applicants must have at least three years of professional news reporting experience. 

• The program is open to U.S.-based print, broadcast, online and multimedia journalists. 

• Applicants must provide a resume, examples of previous written work, a project pitch, and be available for phone interviews if requested.  

• Applicants must be able to participate in four weeklong training sessions in Atlanta, (approx. 16 days of instruction; 24 days including travel, which will call for arriving in Atlanta on Sundays and departing on Fridays or Saturdays). Training weeks will be scattered throughout the year.  

• Applicants must submit letters from their employers indicating that they will be allowed to participate in the fellowship program and that their investigative work produced during the program will be published (more details of employer requirements below). 

• Freelancers must have a news organization willing to write a supportive statement and agreement to publish their work. 

REQUIREMENT OF APPLICANT’S EMPLOYER:

• Allow participants to continue to earn their salaries while taking part in training in Atlanta without using any accrued vacation time. There will be four weeklong training courses scattered throughout the year. 

• Provide support and guidance to the participants as they take part in the program and work to develop a proposed project. 

• Publish the project. 

idabwellssociety.org/news/2025-investigative-reporting-fellowship/

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Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices

Lambda Literary

DEADLINE: December 8, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: The Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices is the nation’s premier LGBTQ writing residency. It is the only multi-genre writing residency devoted exclusively to emerging LGBTQ+ writers. The Retreat is an unparalleled opportunity to develop one’s craft and find community.

Since 2007, the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices has offered sophisticated instruction in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young adult fiction, playwriting led by the most talented writers working today. In 2022, the Writers Retreat expanded to include instruction in screenwriting and speculative fiction, and in 2025, we will introduce the newest cohort serving writers working in both and between playwriting and screenwriting.

In 2025, as we did in 2024, we are holding our Writers Retreat online. This format allows for us as an organization to continue building our resources while offering the same high-quality programming that remains accessible to folks who may not otherwise be able to attend in-person programs.

We are excited to announce that this year, we will be lengthening the typically week-long program to a 10-day virtual retreat, from Thursday, July 31-Saturday, August 9. In this new model, we will use the first two evenings on Thursday and Friday to build community and hold additional programming. We hope that this new model will build relationships and community, offer more learning opportunities, but we also aim to allow those attending the retreat from home to continue to sustain the elements of their livelihood outside of the Retreat program.

Additionally, we will be adding a brand new cohort to our Writers Retreat: the screen/play/writing cohort. This cross-genre cohort is meant for performance writers who work outside of the stage/screen binary, those who waft between genres, and those who are working in adaptations. We invite all screenwriters and playwrights in this cohort to consider how their work can move between genres, between stage and screen, while centering writing for performance. Coming back for another year after an astounding stint as Playwriting Faculty in 2024, we welcome back Roger Q. Mason to lead this inaugural cohort!

SCHEDULE:

We’ve extended the typical length of the retreat from 7 days to 10:

• We will have a mix of synchronous programming and asynchronous programming, and on days when we offer all day programming, fellows can expect to have ample breaks and rest from screens.

• Thursday, July 31-Friday, August 1: Programming begins at ~7:00 pm EST/ 4:00 pm PST

• Saturday, August 2-Friday, August 8: All day programming

• Saturday, August 9: Programming ends at ~6:00 pm EST/3:00 pm PST
   

APPLICATION DETAILS:

Applications to attend the 2025 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ* Voices open on November 1, 2024 and close at 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 8, 2024. You may apply to more than one workshop, however, each application must be submitted separately and requires an additional fee.

We are offering a number of application fee waivers for the QTBIPOC** (Queer and Trans folks who are or identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color) folks who would be attending the Retreat for the first time. Please email retreat@lambdaliterary.org to request an application fee waiver.

To Apply, Please Prepare

1. An artistic/biographical statement (max 500 words).

2. a writing sample matching the genre of the workshop you’re applying for:

• .DOC, .DOCX, or .PDF format.

• For prose, double spaced, 12 point font.

• For Fiction, Nonfiction, Speculative Fiction, and Young Adult Fiction: 15 pages maximum. This maximum applies to cross-genre samples as well as samples in verse.

• For Playwriting/Screenwriting and Play/Screen/Writing: 15 pages maximum from a full-length work, short play/script, or piece of theatre/film.

• For Poetry: 8 pages maximum.

• The sample you apply with does not have to be the same sample you plan to workshop at the Retreat.

3. Optional, not required for acceptance:

• Any publications of your work during the past two years, including anthologies, literary journals, magazines, websites, and books.

• Any other writing conferences, retreats, and workshops have you attended.

• If you're applying to scholarships, a scholarship statement (max 500 words).

TUITION + SCHOLARSHIPS:

Writers Retreat tuition is currently set at $1,625. However, we are working on raising funds to lower this price for fellows. This means there is a possibility that the price of tuition will go down, but it will not go any higher than $1,625.  All accepted/waitlisted applicants will be notified of the final price of tuition before accepting their fellowship.

Lambda Literary has a host of full and partial scholarships that are available for accepted applicants.

Ability to pay is in no way part of the decision-making process. We have a robust and ever-growing host of scholarships available thanks to our intensive fundraising efforts and generous donors. Lambda also supports fellows in their own fundraising efforts using our fundraising platform. Many fellows who used our peer-to-peer fundraising platform in 2024 raised their entire tuition fee.

The $30.00 application fee is processed through Submittable's online portal. If you wish to pay by cash or check please contact retreat@lambdaliterary.org.

APPLICATION STATUS NOTIFICATIONS:

Writers Retreat Faculty make the final determinations regarding accepted and waitlisted applicants. All applicants will be notified of their application status in April 2025.

lambdaliterary.org/emerging-writers-retreat/

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Anton Chekhov Award for Flash Fiction 

LitMag

DEADLINE: Extended to December 8, 2024

CONTEST FEE: $16

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Entries must be short stories between 500 and 1,500 words. Please use 12pt type, preferably Times New Roman, and submit your short story as either a Word doc or a PDF. Only previously unpublished short stories are eligible. Writers may submit multiple stories, each of which requires a separate submission. Submissions through Submittable only.  Notification: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. The winning short stories and finalists will be announced publicly on our Web site and social media as well as by email to all contestants in May 2023.

FIRST PRIZE: $1,250 + publication in LitMag + agency review by  Sarah Fuentes of UTA, Molly Glick of CAA, Erin Harris and Sonali Chanchani of Folio Literary Management, Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency, David Forrer of Inkwell Management, Monika Woods of Triangle House, Emily Forland of Brandt & Hochman, and Nat Sobel of Sobel Weber Associates

FINALISTS: Three finalists will receive $100 each. All finalists will be considered for possible agency review and publication.

litmag.submittable.com/submit

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She Who Has No Master(s) Mentorship Program

She Who Has No Master(s)

DEADLINE: December 15, 2024 at 11:59pm PT

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: She Who Has No Master(s) offers creative writing mentorships uniquely designed for and led by women and nonbinary writers of the Vietnamese and SE Asian diaspora. The centering of this perspective is important because in most educational settings the focus on subject matter and perspectives of women/nonbinary SE Asian diasporic women is marginalized, if not totally unaddressed.

In offering one-on-one mentorships guided by established writers and artists in our collective, we create a uniquely nourishing experience where aspiring writers can explore, embrace their particularities, and create more expansively. Our mentorships are conducted remotely. The next mentorships cycle will take place in 2025.

FAQs:

Who are you, and what is this? 

She Who Has No Master(s), or SWHNM, is a collective of womxn and nonbinary writers of the Vietnamese diaspora who engage in collaborative, polyvocal, and hybrid-poetic works to enact a politics of connection across diasporic boundaries. Through a collaborative writing and art process, SWHNM explores multi-voiced collectivity, encounters, in-between spaces and (dis)places of the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian diaspora. SWHNM has a fluid and evolving membership.

She Who Has No Master(s) initiated a creative writing mentorship program in 2022 led by and designed for Vietnamese and SE Asian diasporic women and nonbinary writers through the Diasporic Vietnamese Artist Network (DVAN). SWHNM is now an independent collective and our own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and this mentorship program has no affiliation with DVAN. 

The centering of Vietnamese and SE Asian perspectives is important because in most educational settings the focus on subject matter and perspectives of women/nonbinary SE Asian diasporic women is marginal, if not totally unaddressed. In creating educational spaces that center those viewpoints, we create a nourishing space in which aspiring writers can see themselves, explore, and embrace their own particularities, and create more expansively. These mentorships will address both creative and professional aspects involved in the writing life. These offerings fulfill a dire contemporary need in our nation’s current environment for creative writing education.

Who are the mentors, and what do they do? 

The SWHNM mentors range depending on the cycle. During the inaugural mentorship program in 2022, there were 4 mentors (all members of the SWHNM collective) partnered with 4 writers and literary artists based out of the United States, Vietnam, and Switzerland. 

The mentors are writers who have benefited from belonging to supportive and inclusive writing and artist communities who wish to mentor promising writers of Vietnamese and/or SE Asian descent–folx who are at earlier stages in their writing careers than we are.

Our mentors compose poetry, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, criticism, as well as hybrid and multimedia forms (including graphic forms, among others), and are looking to pair with mentees working in these forms. 

Our mentors are published authors and/or established artists who are members of or connected to SWHNM and thus experienced with the collaborative and creative ethos of our collective that also informs the spirit of our mentorships.

Past mentors include: Diana Khoi Nguyen, Hoa Nguyen, Lily Hoang, and Vi Khi Nao.

For our 2025 cycle, mentors will be: Cathy Linh Che, MyLoan Dinh, Abbigail Rosewood, Sophia Terazawa, Nhã Thuyên.

The SWHNM mentorship program in 2025 expands its concept and its community by reaching out to the writers who live inside Vietnam with writing practices in Vietnamese, with the hope to create a more open space for a plurality of Vietnamese literature. 

How does the mentorship work? 

The first year of mentorship took place in 2022. This year (2025) will be our second. Each mentor takes on one mentee. Mentors and mentees (fellows) will meet virtually for at least 30 minutes every month to discuss topics pertinent to each pair. These topics may range from: prompts for writing, feedback fellows’ writing, and craft elements to professional details such as submitting to publications, finding an agent, writing a book proposal, sending a manuscript out to contests/open reading periods, applying to graduate school, to name a few. Some of us, though not all, are willing to read and give feedback on fellows’ work—within certain limits, which mentors can specify. On your application you may specify what types of mentorship you are looking for. If you are selected for a mentorship, we will use the information in your application to make the best mentor match for your needs.

In addition, mentors may periodically arrange panels and events for the mentorship collective; we hope to host panels on topics helpful for fellows as a group, and will collaborate with fellows to determine these topics. We may also offer some events and panels that are open to the general public.

SWHNM is a collective and makes decisions as a group, as well as shares the labor of running both the collective and this mentorship. That said, the particulars of individual mentors’ engagement with fellows depends on their particular circumstances and on the nature of each pairing’s relationship. The only requirement of the mentorship is the monthly meetings.

Who are the Fellows, and what do they do? 

Mentees should be passionate and committed to exploring creative writing, ready to generate new creative work, engage in revision processes, and be capable of working both independently as well as from writing prompts given by mentors. Mentors will work with mentees to tailor creative writing guidance that meets the mentees’ specific interests and needs.

Past fellows have been promising writers and artists who are serious and dedicated to their journey as a writer/literary artist. Just like with the mentors, the depth of individual fellows’  involvement depends on their particular circumstances. The only requirement for fellows  is the monthly meeting with mentors. 

There may be opportunities for further engagement with the mentorship program and SWHNM collective such as planning panels and events, as well as participating in collective readings, performances, and exhibitions. We are interested in hearing what fellows think would be useful and beneficial for the program and collective.

What are you looking for in fellows? 

We’re so glad you’re reading this. We’re looking for fellows who identify as a woman or nonbinary person of Vietnamese and/or SE Asian descent, who live outside and/or inside Vietnam. There is no nationality requirement, and fellows must be at least 18 years of age. Fellows’ writing should show promise, and are relatively early in their (writing) careers.

In particular, we would especially like to award mentorships to those with limited past access to writing communities or writing guidance. We strive to equalize access so that writers can achieve their goals regardless of their background and affiliations.

Most of our mentors write predominantly in English. However, some of us are also fluent in Vietnamese and may also be willing to work across language barriers. Please indicate in your application what language (or languages) you write in and/or are interested in working in. 

If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program in creative writing, you are not eligible for mentorship. You are also not eligible if you have published a book (or have one under contract) with a major U.S. press in a genre in which we mentor. 

The SWHNM mentorship program is competitive; in our inaugural 2022 year, we received over 80 applications for only 4 mentorship spots. 

Our number of available mentorship spots will differ each year depending on the mentors. In 2025 we will offer 5 mentorship spots.

How can I apply? Is there an application fee?

Please find detailed guidelines on our “How To Apply” page.

When you are ready to apply, submit your materials via our Application Form (this link will take you to a Google form for uploading + submitting your application materials).

If you need the Application Form in Vietnamese, click here. Nếu bạn cần nộp đơn đăng ký bằng tiếng Việt, vui lòng nhấn vào đây.

There is an application fee of $25, which helps us to cover administrative costs. You may request a fee waiver. Applicants residing in Vietnam may also receive a fee waiver. 

If you have questions or issues regarding how to send us your application materials, or if you are in need of an application fee waiver, please DM us (with “Fee Waiver Request 2025” in the subject field) at: she.who.has.no.masters@gmail.com. 

Is any of the work paid? Is there a financial cost for anyone involved?

Mentors are paid a modest stipend for their time, while members of the SWHNM collective organize and facilitate the mentorship program on an unpaid basis since we are a collective of writers who want to, and are able to, participate in this vibrant community. 

We are committed to the idea of supporting Vietnamese and SE Asian diasporic women and nonbinary writers. This mentorship program is one that exists outside of any institutions. Some of the mentors may be affiliated with institutions such as universities but we don’t have outside funding or other institutional support for this project. It’s just us–a labor of care and love. 

Who assesses applications, and how are they assessed?

The mentors for each cycle, along with volunteer members of the collective, read and assess the applications based on promise and need. From there, a smaller committee determines which few candidates might benefit the most from a SWHNM mentorship based on their current access to writing resources and commitment to craft and career, their financial need, and other factors.

There are a few writers with whom I’d especially love to be matched. Can I specify that?

No, though we welcome for you to share what you’re looking for in a mentor.

How far along should a writing sample be?

You should submit your best work, whether it’s published or not. A sampling of different pieces—representing various genres or not—is fine.

I have a question that isn’t addressed here, or something else I want to get in touch about.

You can email us at she.who.has.no.masters@gmail.com. 

shewhohasnomasters.com

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TRANSLATION COLUMN

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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CALL FOR AUTHORS

Vanderbilt University Press

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: Vanderbilt University Press acquires books in the areas of Latin American and Hispanic studies; global and public health; human rights and civil rights; anthropology; history and postwar studies; and studies of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We also publish books with a regional focus on Tennessee and the South, including, for example, books on Nashville and country music.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial inquiries about potential book projects should be queried to the acquisitions department via email. We do not accept full manuscripts until requested. First, ensure that VUP publishes in the disciplinary area that your project represents.

If that is the case, please send a cover letter and book proposal that includes the following:

• A short book abstract

• A brief but detailed statement outlining the manuscript’s arguments, themes, and significance to the field

• A table of contents that clearly summarizes the content and structure of each chapter

• Assessment of the work’s fit with existing literature, comparison with published books on the topic, and discussion of the intended audiences and market for the book

• Statement of the anticipated word count of the manuscript; plans for tables, figures, or other illustrations; and schedule for completion

• Sample chapter (optional)

• Curriculum vitae

• If your manuscript is based on a dissertation, please discuss how the material and research has been developed, reframed, or otherwise revised. VUP does not publish unrevised dissertations.

• If your manuscript is an edited collection, please include information about each of the contributors and note if any of the chapters are previously published.

• If your manuscript is a translation, please describe why the author’s work warrants translation into English, as well as any and all information on rights to the work and the book’s history in its native language.

Keep a file or a copy of your proposal materials. We do not return proposals. Please do not call the Press to inquire about the status of your proposal or manuscript. We review all material received, and you will be contacted when a decision has been made. We aim to communicate whether a proposed project is being pursued further no more than eight weeks after the receipt of the proposal.

For more information about specific series initiatives, visit our Series page.

vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/resources/submission-guidelines-for-prospective-authors/

FICTION / NONFICTION — OCTOBER 2024

open Call for criticism pitches

The Margins (Asian American Writers’ Workshop)

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins is open year-round to pitches and submissions of critical essays on Asian American literature, film, visual art, and culture. 

We specifically seek essays that—through close engagement with art—might challenge the Asian American community to think or act in a new way. We are open to criticism of any artform, of works from any time period, so long as the writer speaks in some way to how we live now. Critics are encouraged to foreground their own voice and style in the pursuit of this goal, but should ultimately keep focus on their chosen objects of study. 

Possible forms include but are not limited to:

• A review of a single title with ambitions and analysis that extend beyond the title under review. E.g., “The Banality of Hate” by Sanjena Sathian (The Margins)

• An essay where personal experience or voice is used to drive a critical study. E.g., “Death, Mediated” by Ismail Ibrahim (The Margins)

• A study of an emerging phenomenon—referencing multiple recent works—with an eye toward the future. E.g., “Mixed-Race Metaphor” by Andrea Long Chu (Vulture)

• A critique of a persistent, underexamined issue in our literature or literary community. E.g., “Blunt-Force Ethnic Credibility” by Som-Mai Nguyen (Astra)

• An essay that puts new work into conversation with older works (or emerging artists into conversation with established artists) to make an argument about the evolution of a form or genre. E.g., “Controlled” by Noor Qasim (The Drift)

Additional notes on book reviews: We prefer criticism of works by more established writers, or posthumous criticism. We are generally not interested in list-style or roundup reviews, but are open to pieces that put multiple books in conversation with each other, or to reviews of anthologies. It is useful, but not a requirement, for a pitch to be timed to a publication date.

Send pitches of up to 500 words or drafts from 1,500-3,000 words to Spencer Quong, criticism editor, at criticism@aaww.org. Writers can expect a reply within one month. Please do not use the criticism@aaww.org inbox to pitch interviews. 

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

aaww.org/criticism/

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2025 Right of Return Fellowship

The Center for Art & Advocacy

DEADLINE: October 11, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Center for Art & Advocacy will accept applications from U.S.-based creatives working in visual art, film, music, creative writing, performance, design, and multidisciplinary practices for the 2025 Right of Return Fellowship from September 1, 2024, through October 11, 2024.

The Right of Return Fellowship is open to directly impacted creatives from every discipline. For the 7th annual cohort, a panel of external reviewers will select six new 2025 Right of Return Fellows from our open-call applicant pool to receive a $20,000 grant, mentorship, and community building.

The Center for Art & Advocacy’s Right of Return Fellowship invites directly impacted artists to propose art projects aimed at transforming our criminal legal and immigration systems, to reduce their scale and reach.

Artists have always played a critical role in social movements as culture-makers and catalysts for change. Right of Return Fellows exist and work at the forefront of social movements and have the unique power to translate complex and nuanced ideas into powerful experiences. The goal of the Right of Return Fellowship is to support the creation of new bodies of work that uplift the voices of people directly impacted by the criminal justice system, reflect the humanity of criminalized and incarcerated people, and build public will for ambitious and visionary change.

ARTIST RETREAT: If selected, Right of Return Fellows will be asked to commit to participating in a group retreat in spring 2025 and be invited to a multi-cohort retreat in following years. The Right of Return retreats are meant to foster community, develop political advocacy skills, and support practice sustainability. If COVID-19 or other circumstances makes in-person convenings impossible, abbreviated versions of the retreat will be held online.

THERAPY INITIATIVE: During the course of this fellowship, all fellows are encouraged to engage in at least 6 hours of a trauma healing modality of their choice. The Center will be responsible for coordinating the logistics and ensuring services are financially covered. Fellows are welcome to try multiple modalities including but not limited to: talk therapy, EMDR, somatic coaching, group therapy, art therapy, and more.

FELLOWSHIP GRANT: The Right of Return Grant is $20,000 total: $10,000 artist award, $10,000 for project materials and production. Selected fellows will be asked to provide a proposed overall budget for the project and a project summary upon completion. A project budget is not required for the application.

ELIGIBILITY:

The Right of Return Fellowship seeks to support directly impacted artists with a demonstrated capacity to advance social change and a clear vision for utilizing their creative practice to end mass incarceration.

More specifically:

• Directly impacted artists of all creative disciplines, age 18 or older at the time of the application. We do not fund organizations or non-profits, only individual artists.

• We define the word “artist” in broad terms to include creatives who work in visual art, film, music, creative writing, performance, design, and multidisciplinary practices.

• In the context of this Fellowship, “directly impacted” includes those who have themselves been incarcerated, charged, or convicted, including felony convictions; people who were detained in migrant detention centers but who have now attained U.S. citizenship by the time of this application’s open.

• Artists must collaborate with an advocacy organization during the development and/or execution of their proposed project (collaborating organizations do not need to be secured at the time of application and The Center for Art & Advocacy can help connect fellows to advocates).

• Artists may be at any stage of their career, with or without formal training.

• Projects and applicants must be U.S. based. This includes all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico.

• The Center for Art & Advocacy seeks a diverse cohort of fellows with regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and experience.

FELLOWS NOTIFIED: Mid-December 2024

centerforartandadvocacy.org/fellowships/

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call for submissions: ‘Kinship’ Issue

Myriad (Hexagon Mag)

SUBMISSION PERIOD:

• Initial Deadline: October 14 - November 1, 2024

• BIPOC Deadline: October 14 - November 8, 2024

INFO: Kinship is at the heart of all humanity. Myriad is looking for stories that examine how and why people form communities in a micro or macro sense. It’s about finding your place and your people, whether it’s through chosen family, solidarity, co-working, or grassroots activities.

We want stories that utilize the speculative to explore beyond the traditional notions of kinship, be it familial (nuclear family) or romantic (monogamous relations.

Send flash fiction (1,000 words or less) that interrogates:

• Can humans get along?

• How can technology or magic change how humans live with one another?

• BFFs til the end of the world.

COMPENSATION: CAD $18.00

hexagonmagazine.ca/myriad/

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OPEN SUBMISSIONS: NONFICTION

Hub City Press

DEADLINE: October 15, 2024

INFO: Hub City Press publishes books of literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, regional nonfiction, nature, and art. We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South who have written well-crafted, high-quality works. We are particularly interested in books with a strong sense of place. We believe strongly that the publishing industry needs to promote a more diverse range of experiences, and so have committed ourselves to spotlighting lesser-heard Southern voices including: people of color, members of LGBTQ and gender diverse communities, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, as well as ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. Hub City is a small press, publishing eight to ten titles per year. In general, our publication schedule operates at least 12-18 months in advance of release.

Hub City publishes writers living in or from the South. What's the South? A complicated issue, to say the least, but the short answer for our purposes: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia. (Are you from a border state like Missouri, Oklahoma, or Ohio? If you feel like your book is a good fit for us, make a case in your query.)

We do not publish romance, science fiction, true crime, mystery, cookbooks, how-to books, horror/paranormal or specific-religion inspirational books. We do not publish books for young people (YA, middle grade or childrens). Please do not send us a query if your book has already been self-published, even only as an e-book. We are looking only for full length works, rather than single stories, essays, or poems. We will automatically reject works with evidence of AI authorship.

WHAT TO SEND US:

• A brief, informative query letter about your manuscript (include the title, genre, length, description of the work, author background and publication history)

• Any credentials that particularly qualify you to write your book. If you have access to special markets or promotional opportunities for your book, we’d like to know about them as well.

• Your full manuscript (.doc and .docx preferred) Please note incomplete manuscripts will be automatically rejected.

/hubcity.submittable.com/submit

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2025 RESIDENCIES

Vermont Studio Center

DEADLINE: October 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: Vermont Studio Center invites applications for 2025. Nestled in the Green Mountains, VSC hosts an inclusive, global community of artists and writers. Enjoy private studios and lodging, fresh - local meals, and a vibrant Visiting Artists & Writers Program.

VSC’s residency program welcomes artists and writers working across all mediums and genres for two, three, and four week sessions.

Residents enjoy well-lit, private studios within a short walk to residency housing, dining hall, and local amenities. Studio spaces range from 170 - 300 square feet. Accommodations include a private room and shared common areas. The campus features include a print shop, digital lab, and metal, wood, ceramic facility. Studios are open 24 hours a day.

A VSC residency provides artists and writers the time and space to focus on their creative practice in an inclusive, international community within a small Vermont village. Residents can explore swimming holes, hiking and biking trails, as well as the rural charm of neighboring towns, while expanding their creative potential and building a solid network of friends and mentors.

PROGRAMMING

During each session, Visiting Artists and Visiting Writers are invited to join us for presentations, craft talks, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and individual studio visits. Residents can also enjoy open studio nights, resident presentations, and exhibition openings. All scheduled activities are optional. Residents are encouraged to unplug, completely immerse themselves in their work, and work at their own pace.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

VSC is committed to community building both locally and on campus. Every resident has the opportunity to participate in our Community Contribution Program for 3 hours per week, by assisting in one of these areas: Kitchen, School Arts Program, Visual Arts, and the Writing Program. No prior experience is necessary.

vermontstudiocenter.org/apply

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ART OMI: WRITERS RESIDENCY

Art Omi

DEADLINE: October 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: Art Omi, a not-for-profit arts center with a 120-acre sculpture and architecture park and gallery, offers residency programs for international artists, writers, translators, musicians, architects and dancers. Art Omi believes that exposure to internationally diverse creative voices fosters acceptance and respect, raises awareness, inspires innovation, and ignites change. By forming community with creative expression as its common denominator, Art Omi creates a sanctuary for the artistic community and the public to affirm the transformative quality of art.

Art Omi: Writers hosts authors and translators for two weeks to one month throughout the spring and fall. The program’s strong international emphasis provides exposure for global literary voices and reflects the spirit of cultural exchange that is essential to Art Omi’s mission.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Each applicant is required to provide 4 (four) separate items in total:

1. A cover letter, which provides the following details: country of birth, country of residency, the language in which you write, your preferred residency dates. Please note we have two sessions per year: Spring (March 27 - May 28) and Fall (September 4 - November 5). Additionally, please let us know how you heard about Art Omi: Writers, why you want to come to Art Omi: Writers and what you expect to get from the experience.

2. A brief (2 pages, maximum) statement about your work history, referencing publications, performances and writing credits. This can be submitted in CV format.

3. A writing sample, no more than 25 pages. The work sample does not have to be published or related to your current project and can be a combination of multiple samples.

4. A one page description of the work to be undertaken while at Art Omi: Writers.

Your writing sample does NOT have to be an English translation; please submit your writing sample in your mother tongue. All other documentation must be submitted in English.

Your cover letter should be provided in the designated Cover Letter field. Items 2-4 should each be provided as separately uploaded files.

Alumni of the program are eligible to reapply after 5 years.

RESIDENCY DATES: 

Spring: 

• Thursday, March 27–Tuesday, April 22, 2025

• Thursday, May 8–Wednesday, May 28, 2025 

Autumn: 

• Thursday, September 4–Wednesday, October 1, 2025

• Thursday, October 9–Wednesday, November 5, 2025

DECISION NOTIFICATION: January, 2025

artomi.submittable.com/submit

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The Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship

One Story

DEADLINE: Extended to October 16, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Each year, together with the Talve-Goodman Family, One Story awards one writer the Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship. Honoring the memory of author and former One Story Managing Editor Adina Talve-Goodman, this educational fellowship offers a year-long mentorship on the craft of fiction writing with One Story magazine. Our hope is to give a writer outside of the fold a significant boost in their career.

THE FELLOW RECEIVES:

• Access to One Story online classes.

• Admission to One Story’s Writing Circle.

• Stipend ($2,000) and free admission to One Story’s week-long summer writers’ conference, which includes craft lectures, an intensive fiction workshop, and panels with literary agents and publishers.

• A full manuscript review and consultation with One Story Executive Editor Hannah Tinti (story collection or novel in progress up to 150 pages/35,000 words).

REQUIREMENTS:

This fellowship calls for an early-career writer of fiction who has not yet published a book and is not currently nor has ever been enrolled in an advanced degree program (such as an MA or MFA) in Creative Writing, English, or Literature, and has no plans to attend one in the 2025 calendar year. We are seeking writers whose work speaks to issues and experiences related to inhabiting bodies of difference. This means writing that centers, celebrates, or reclaims being marginalized through the lens of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, class, religion, illness, disability, trauma, migration, displacement, dispossession, or imprisonment. All applicants must be at least 21 years of age as of January 1st, 2025.

TO APPLY TO THIS FELLOWSHIP YOU WILL NEED:

• A fiction writing sample (3,000 – 5,000 words)

• A personal statement (600 – 1,100 words)

• Two professional or personal references who can speak to your commitment to writing (no recommendation letters required but please provide: name, email, phone)

• A current resume detailing any work or educational experience. Please also list any writing classes you have taken, along with writing-related awards, fellowships, publications, and residencies (if any).

• All applications will be received via Submittable

The winner of the 2025 Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship will be publicly announced in January 2025

one-story.com/learn/fellowship/

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Writers Mentorship Program

Latinx in Publishing

DEADLINE: October 16, 2024

INFO: The Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Program offers the opportunity for unpublished and unagented writers who identify as Latinx (mentees) to strengthen their craft, gain knowledge about the traditional publishing industry, and expand their professional connections through work with experienced Latinx authors (mentors).

WMP 2025 WILL ACCEPT MENTEES IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

• Adult Non-Fiction

• Adult Horror Fiction

• Adult Romance Fiction

• Poetry

• Young Adult Fiction

ABOUT THE WRITING MENTORSHIP PROGRAM:

• The next cycle of the program runs from February 2025 through October 2025.

• Mentees must complete an application, state which mentor they are applying to work with, and submit 20-30 pages of sample writing for their writing project in the appropriate genre/category. If you are applying in the picture book author-illustrator or graphic novel categories, please include a link to illustration samples along with your writing sample.

• Your application should be tailored to the mentor you would like to work with, meaning that your writing sample should be in the genre that mentor works in. You may submit applications for up to 3 different mentors, but in that case, each application form will likely require a different writing sample.

• Participants will be notified of Latinx in Publishing’s admission decisions in December 2024, and mentors and mentees will be formally connected in January 2025.

• Mentors and mentees will connect for a minimum of one hour per month over the course of ten months.

• The program will close in November 2025. If the mentor and mentee would like to continue their mentor relationship after that point, it is entirely at their discretion.

• Please be aware that the Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Program is a volunteer-run initiative. Latinx in Publishing will not be held responsible for mediating any relations between mentors and mentees once the program ends.

QUALIFICATIONS TO BE A MENTEE:

• Must identify as Latinx (does not include individuals of Spanish origin)

• Must be unagented and unpublished

• Must have an active interest in writing books and a project in mind to work on during the mentorship

• Must be located in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) and be at least 18 years of age

• Must be available to dedicate at least one hour per month for a minimum of ten months for a meeting with their mentor

• Must be available to attend mandatory program events that are scheduled with notice, about once a month or once every two months.

latinxinpublishing.com/mentorship

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The Kenyon Review Fellowships

Kenyon Review

DEADLINE: October 18, 2024

INFO: In 2012, The Kenyon Review welcomed the first of its KR Fellows. This initiative was inspired by the great tradition of Kenyon Review literary fellowships awarded in the 1950s to writers such as Flannery O’Connor and W.S. Merwin in their formative years. These fellowships represent a significant fulfillment of one aspect of our continuing mission: to recognize, publish, and support extraordinary authors in the early stages of their careers. We believe that after two years, these KR Fellows will be more mature and sophisticated writers, teachers, and editors. As a result, they will be extremely attractive candidates for academic positions as well as for significant publishing opportunities.

This post-graduate residential fellowship at Kenyon College offers qualified individuals time to develop as writers, teachers, and editors. The fellowship provides an annual stipend, plus health benefits. Fellows are expected to:

• Undertake a significant writing project and attend regular individual meetings with faculty mentors.

• Teach one class per semester in the English Department of Kenyon College, contingent upon departmental needs.

• Assist with creative and editorial projects for The Kenyon Review.

• Participate in the cultural life of Kenyon College by regularly attending readings, lectures, presentations, and other campus activities.

• Hold no other teacher, graduate study, or fellowship obligations for the duration of the Kenyon Review Fellowship

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Applications must be submitted electronically through Kenyon’s employment website. Completed applications must be submitted by October 18, 2024 to guarantee full consideration. There is no application fee.

A complete application must include the following:

• A one-page cover letter

• A curriculum vitae

• An 8-10 page writing sample

• A one-page course proposal for an undergraduate introductory level multi-genre creative writing class

• An unofficial transcript

• Two letters of recommendation, one of which should directly address the applicant’s teaching ability

ELIGIBILITY:

Who can apply for a KR Fellowship?

Any writer who has completed an MFA or PhD degree between January 1, 2019 and September 15, 2024.

I’m not a U.S. citizen. Can I still apply?

Yes, but all applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. Any non-U.S. citizen who receives a fellowship will qualify for a J-1 Visa.

Is there an age limit for applicants?

No.

I don’t have a graduate degree in creative writing, but I have many publications and awards. May I apply for a fellowship?

No. To be eligible for a KR fellowship, applicants must have completed an MFA in creative writing or PhD in creative writing, English literature, or comparative literature between January 1, 2019 and September 15, 2024.

I am receiving my MFA in May 2025. Am I eligible?

No. Applicants must have an MFA or PhD in hand at the time of application, hence the September 15, 2024 degree completion deadline.

What kind of teaching experience is required?

Applicants must have professional teaching experience in creative writing and/or literature at the undergraduate level.

Will you only accept applicants who write fiction or poetry?

No. We invite applications from all genres, including creative nonfiction and playwriting.

kenyonreview.org/fellowship/

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Moondancer Fellowship For Environmental + Nature Writers

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

DEADLINE: October 21, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is pleased to offer the 2024 Moondancer Fellowship for authors who express their passion for the natural world and concern for the environment through their writing. This fellowship is open to poets, fiction writers, playwrights, screenwriters, essayists, memoirists, and columnists.  Prior publication is not a requirement. The successful applicant will demonstrate insight, honesty, literary merit, and the likelihood of publication or production.

The fellowship winner will receive a two-week residency at WCDH to focus completely on their writing. Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet. We provide uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner prepared five nights a week and served in our community dining room, the camaraderie of other professional writers when desired, and a community kitchen stocked with the basics for other meals.

Fellowship applications must be accompanied by a writing sample and a non-refundable $35 application fee. Only one writing project may be proposed per application. Writers proposing more than one project must submit a separate application and fee for each one.

The winner will be announced no later than November 20, 2024. Residency must be completed by December 31, 2025.

writerscolony.org/fellowships

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Call for essay submissions: Writings on Diasporican Visual Artists

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO)

DEADLINE: October 21, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO), the largest university-based research institute, library, and archive dedicated to the Puerto Rican experience in the United States, invites art critics, curators, art historians, and art or art history students to submit their original works focusing on contemporary diasporic Puerto Rican visual artists to be included in our Diasporican Art in Motion database initiative. This community of artists is understudied and as a result, they are underrepresented in the field of Arts and Arts criticism. This underrepresentation stems from the fact that diasporic Puerto Rican visual artists often fall outside the boundaries of American, Latin American, Caribbean, and sometimes even Puerto Rican art. 

As a research center focused on the Diasporic Puerto Rican experience, we are committed to promote the creation of knowledge of our cultural heritage and expressions. Diasporic Puerto Rican Artists have been at the forefront of identity issues and their work often examines and expands the national representation boundaries. The production of knowledge based on Diasporic Puerto Rican Artists will not only help the understanding and promotion of their work, but will enlighten the understanding of ourselves and of our diasporic journeys. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Essays should be no more than 1000 words and focus on an artist currently included in the Diasporican Art in Motion database.

• Essays can take the form of an artist profile, exhibition review or response, short interview, or response to a specific artwork.

• Submissions should follow the same standard requirements of our CENTRO Journal Style Guide, with the exception that submissions won’t be sent by email but through a digital form instead.

• Any writer can submit more than one writing for different artists. Manuscripts can be submitted either in English or Spanish.

• Writings should be original and not previously published.

• We encourage writings on artists whose work has not been widely studied.

OVERVIEW OF MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION PROCESS:

• Complete the form below, ensure all mandatory fields are completed, and review and confirm your submission.

• We will email you to confirm receipt of your form.

• Your manuscript undergoes a rigorous review process where independent experts in your field evaluate its quality, originality, and relevance. The decision to publish your article will be based on the outcome of the peer reviews. Depending on the availability of peer reviewers, this process may take up to six months.

• We will email you with our decision and, if applicable, further steps.

COMPENSATION FOR SELECTED ESSAYS: $300

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/writings-on-diasporican-visual-artists/

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John Lewis Writing Grants

Georgia Writers

DEADLINE: October 28, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: Georgia Writers’ John Lewis Writing Grants are inspired by the late civil rights icon and his more than three decades of service as Georgia’s 5th District representative. The John Lewis Writing Grants will be awarded annually in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The purpose of the grants is to elevate, encourage, and inspire the voices of Black writers in Georgia.

Lewis' works includes Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement, the March series, and Run: Book One. Lewis received the Georgia Author of the Year Award for Memoir in 2017 for March: Book Three.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Applicants must be 18 years of age and emerging writers who are Black or African-American residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award.

• Applicants are ineligible if they have published more than one traditionally published book. Promising writers without publication will be considered.

• Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win a grant once.

• Applications will be reviewed anonymously.

• Applicants are ineligible if they are of relations to any of the Georgia Writers staff or board of directors.

PRIZE:

Winners in each genre will receive:

• A grant of $500 to present a workshop or reading at a selected Georgia venue

• A scholarship to the next annual Red Clay Writers Conference

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Writers may apply in only one genre and must submit the following:

• A completed grant application

• An essay of at most 500 words as a concise description of your work and goals as a writer. Please tell us what inspires or challenges your writing career.

• No more than a ten-page writing sample of a published or unpublished piece in the genre in which you are applying--fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. If submitting poetry, one poem per page please.

georgiawriters.org/john-lewis-writing-award

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The Helena Whitehill Book Award (FOR POETRY + CREATIVE NON-FICTION)

Tupelo Press

DEADLINE: October 31, 2024

INFO: The Helena Whitehill Book Award is a prestigious INTERNATIONAL prize for adult writers. This year we are beyond thrilled to announce it will be judged by the inimitable Ilya Kaminski, a decorated poet who in 2019 was named among “12 Artists who changed the world” by the BBC.

PRIZE: The Helena Whitehill Book Award includes a cash award of $1,000 in addition to publication by Tupelo Press, a book launch, national and international distribution by the University of Chicago Press, a one-week residence at Gentle House on the Olympic Peninsula, and unlike our other prizes, open to submissions of poetry, chapbook or full length, no page limit, and also open to creative non-fiction, no page limit. Manuscripts are judged anonymously and all finalists will be considered for publication. Please read the complete guidelines before submitting your manuscript.

Sally Whitehill writes: “My mother, Helena Whitehill, loved words, and in particular, poetry. She believed creative expression should and could be for everybody, and passed this belief on to me and to my sisters. In Tupelo Press and Jeffrey Levine, I am excited to find partners who share this doctrine. The anonymous nature of the submission process for the Helena Whitehill Book Award is one way we have put this belief into action. I can think of no better way to honor my mother than to support this prize and other writers.”

tupelopress.org/helena-whitehill-book-award/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ESSAYS

The Rumpus

DEADLINE: October 31, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: We welcome essay submissions up to 4,000 words in length. In addition to personal narrative-driven essays we are interested in non-traditional forms of nonfiction. Essays should explore issues and ideas with depth and breadth, illuminating a larger cultural context or human struggle. Regardless of topic, we are looking for well-crafted sentences, a clear voice, vivid scenes, dramatic arc, reflection, thematic build, and attention to the musicality of prose. 

Because the volume of submissions is so high and it takes time to read work carefully, it is generally not advisable to send time-sensitive work. Essays that deal with current events in ways that do not rely on timeliness are very welcome. 

Essays must be previously unpublished. This includes personal blogs and social media. Please submit only one essay for consideration at a time; we ask that you wait until a decision has been made on that essay to submit again.

A cover letter is also welcome. Tell us a little bit about yourself, why you chose The Rumpus, where your work has appeared before, or anything else you think might be important for us to know. Simultaneous submissions are fine, but do withdraw your submission if your essay is picked up elsewhere.

Thank you for taking the time to proofread your submission. Double-spaced text is appreciated. If you have not heard a decision from us after 3 months, feel free to check in.

therumpus.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Fresh Voices Fellowship

Epiphany

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024 at 11:59pm

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: The Fresh Voices Fellowship supports one or more emerging Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other writer of color who does not have an MFA and is not currently enrolled in a degree-granting creative writing program.

One or More Writers, in Prose or Poetry, Will Receive:

• A $2000 stipend

• Publication in a print issue of Epiphany

• A one-year subscription to Epiphany

• A close relationship with the editorial team and participate in the editorial and publication process of a small non-profit literary magazine

• The opportunity to contribute an online essay series during their fellowship

We encourage writers who work outside the traditional literary and academic systems to apply, and applicants must not have an advanced degree in English, creative writing, or other related fields, and must not be enrolled at the time of application in any degree-granting program. Applicants must also have not have published or be contracted to publish a book.

Work Sample: Please include a 5-page sample (double-spaced for prose) of previously unpublished work that you feel most represents you, your interests, and your literary style. (If you’re sending a novel excerpt, please include a short synopsis of the novel and an explanation of where, in the story, the excerpt falls.)

We are also offering everyone who applies to the Fresh Voices Fellowship a free digital subscription to Epiphany. If you apply for the fellowship, the code for a free digital subscription will be included in our initial response letter.

epiphanymagazine.submittable.com/submit

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PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers

PEN America

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

INFO: The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers recognizes twelve emerging writers each year for their debut short story published in a literary magazine, journal, or cultural website, and aims to support the launch of their careers as fiction writers.

Each of the twelve winning writers receives a cash prize of $2,000 and the independent book publisher Catapult will publish the twelve winning stories in an annual anthology entitled Best Debut Short Stories: The PEN America Dau Prize, which will acknowledge the literary magazines and websites where the stories were originally published.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE:

• Stories must be submitted by editors of literary magazines, journals, or cultural websites and published in the English language. Publications may be based and/or distributed anywhere in the world, so long as the story submitted was originally written in and published in English. Authors may not submit their own work.

• Participating publications include literary magazines, journals, or cultural websites published on a recurring schedule.

• Stories must have been published or forthcoming in the applicable calendar year.

• Editors from eligible publications may only submit a writer’s debut short story. “Debut” is defined as the writer’s absolute first fiction publication in any language, which has undergone an editorial review process and been accepted and published in a literary outlet that the author is not academically or professionally associated with. Translations are ineligible. Writers who have published one or more books which have undergone editorial review are ineligible.

• Editors from eligible publications may submit up to four eligible stories from debut authors in a given award year. Stories may not exceed 12,000 words in length.

• Submitted story files should not include the journal name or other identifying information.

• Both the editor and debut author must agree to and sign the award’s declaration of eligibility at the bottom of this form.

pen.org/program/pen-dau-short-story-prize/

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Shearing Fellowship

Black Mountain Institute

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

INFO: The Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute hosts residential fellowships every academic year. Visiting fellows join a community of writers and scholars in a thriving literary scene in Las Vegas and on the campus of UNLV; they are supported by individuals and groups that share the commitment to bringing writers and the literary imagination into the heart of public life.

For emerging and distinguished writers who have published at least one book with a trade or literary press, this fellowship includes: 

• compensation of $46,500 paid over a nine-month period;

• a nine-month-long letter of appointment;

• eligibility for optional health coverage;

• office space in the BMI offices on the campus of UNLV;

• housing (fellows cover some utilities) in a unique and vibrant arts complex in the bustling district of downtown Las Vegas—home to The Writer’s Block, our city’s beloved independent bookstore; and

• recognition at BMI as a “Shearing Fellow.”

While there are no formal teaching requirements, this is a “working fellowship” located in Las Vegas. BMI’s visiting fellows will maintain office hours (10 per week), and will offer regular service to the community. In addition to the primary goal of furthering one’s own writing during their term in Las Vegas, visiting fellows are expected to engage in a substantial way with BMI’s community, in ways that connect to their interests and skills. Upon acceptance into the program, each fellow will craft a plan in partnership with BMI. This is equally weighted against the writing sample and proposed literary project for the residency. Here are some examples of activities a visiting fellow might pursue:

• Offer readings, craft talks, and other public presentations to the readers and writers of UNLV and Southern Nevada.

• Offer workshops or seminars.

• Curate events or programs.

• Provide support to one of BMI’s publications(e.g. judge contests or consult on editorial processes).

Please feel free to move beyond these examples in your application – BMI wants to find new ways to serve the Las Vegas community, especially beyond the UNLV campus.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

Please submit:

1. A one- to three-page personal statement,* which includes 1) your interest in being part of the Las Vegas literary community, 2) a practical description of how you envision fulfilling your service hours and engaging the Las Vegas community, and 3) the writing project(s) you will work on while in residency.

2. A writing sample (10 pages maximum,* double-spaced, 12 pt. font).

3. A résumé or CV.

*Please respect the committee’s time by observing these guidelines and page limits.

Finalists will be asked to send copies of their books. (Applicants must have at least one book published by a trade or literary press.) Candidates are selected by a committee of staff and community members at BMI.

blackmountaininstitute.org/fellowships/apply/

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CALL FOR FICTION SUBMISSIONS: SPRING ISSUE 10.1

Foglifter

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

INFO: Foglifter is now open for submissions for our Spring Issue 10.1.

GUEST EDITOR: This issue's guest fiction editor is Jonathan Ayala, a writer from El Paso, Texas and a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso’s MFA program in Creative Writing. He has studied at the Tin House Summer Workshop and the Macondo Summer Writers’ Workshop. His stories have been published in journals such as Foglifter, Rio Grande Review, and The Acentos Review. In addition to writing, he works in health equity and writes, "Cultural Analysis/Cultural Activism," a newsletter about art and culture responding to the HIV epidemic.

GUIDELINES:

• Please send a single Word document with up to 7500 words of fiction (up to three flash fiction pieces). Make sure it is in standard double-spaced formatting and a readable font.

• For grant purposes, we cannot consider submissions that do not include a completed demographic survey with their submission.

Foglifter aims to reflect the vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ+ literary community in our award-winning journal. Fill out our anonymized Demographics Survey to be considered for publication—then take a screenshot of the thank-you screen at the end and attach it along with your submission.

foglifter.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR HYBRID + DRAMA SUBMISSIONS: SPRING ISSUE 10.1

Foglifter

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

INFO: Foglifter is now open for submissions for our Spring Issue 10.1.

GUEST EDITOR: This issue's guest hybrid editor is Jai Dulani (he/him), a twice Pushcart nominated multi-genre writer. He was a finalist in the 2023 New Michigan Press / DIAGRAM chapbook contest and the Rose Metal Press 2023 Open Reading Period. His poetry and creative non-fiction have appeared in The Rumpus, Best New Poets, Alaska Quarterly Review and elsewhere. Dulani served as the Assistant Managing Editor of the Bellingham Review, where he co-founded “Resilient Pieholes,” a food feature noted in the New York Times.

GUIDELINES:

• Send up to 20 pages of cross-genre work, text-image hybrids, or drama. 

• PDFs are accepted in this category.

• For grant purposes, we cannot consider submissions that do not include a completed demographic survey with their submission.

Foglifter aims to reflect the vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ+ literary community in our award-winning journal. Fill out our anonymized Demographics Survey to be considered for publication—then take a screenshot of the thank-you screen at the end and attach it along with your submission.

foglifter.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR NONFICTION SUBMISSIONS: SPRING ISSUE 10.1

Foglifter

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

INFO: Foglifter is now open for submissions for our Spring Issue 10.1.

GUEST EDITOR: This issue's guest nonfiction editor is Jai Dulani (he/him), a twice Pushcart nominated multi-genre writer. He was a finalist in the2023 New Michigan Press / DIAGRAM chapbook contest and theRose Metal Press 2023 Open Reading Period. His poetry and creative non-fiction have appeared in The Rumpus,Best New Poets, Alaska Quarterly Review and elsewhere. Dulani served as the Assistant Managing Editor of the Bellingham Review, where he co-founded “Resilient Pieholes,” a food feature noted in the New York Times.

GUIDELINES:

• Please send a single Word document with up to 7500 words of nonfiction (up to three flash nonfiction pieces). 

• Please make sure it is in standard double-spaced formatting and a readable font.

• For grant purposes, we cannot consider submissions that do not include a completed demographic survey with their submission.

Foglifter aims to reflect the vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ+ literary community in our award-winning journal. Fill out our anonymized Demographics Survey to be considered for publication—then take a screenshot of the thank-you screen at the end and attach it along with your submission.

foglifter.submittable.com/submit

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Mesa Refuge Residency

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $50

INFO: Mesa Refuge welcomes a diverse community of writers—both emerging and established—who define and/or offer solutions to the pressing issues of our time. Particularly, it is our priority to support writers, activists and artists whose ideas are “on the edge,” taking on the pressing issues of our time including (but not limited to): nature, environment and climate crisis; economic, racial and gender equity; social justice and restorative justice; immigration; health care access; housing; and more. 

We especially want writers of nonfiction books, long-form journalism, audio and documentary film. Occasionally we accept poetry, fiction (Young Adult/Adult Literary), screenwriting and playwriting, photojournalism, personal memoirs (as a vehicle to tell a larger story) and graphic narrative. We tend not to accept academic writing. The potential impact and distribution of your project is also important.

We aim to support a diverse community of writers and welcome applicants that represent a broad spectrum of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, immigration status, religion or ability. Please see our DEI statement for more information about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

As a small nonprofit, our application fee of $50 helps underwrite the cost of application review. However, we do not want the application fee to be a barrier to apply. To request a fee waiver, please email us directly here.

GUIDELINES: The questions on our application are mostly short answer. We require one writing sample (max 2,000 words or 10 pages), a current resume, headshot photo and two references (we do not require letters of recommendation). Applicants will be contacted approximately 10 weeks after the application deadline.

Our residencies are two weeks long and there is no residency fee. Additional residency expenses like travel, transportation and food are your responsibility. Our facility accommodates three residents at a time.

When you click the button, below, you will be transferred to our application on Submittable. Our residency application will be available on June 1, 2024.

For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions page, or contact us at info@mesarefuge.org.

mesarefuge.org/residencies/application/

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Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Commonwealth Foundation

DEADLINE: November 1, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $0

INFO: The search for some of the Commonwealth’s best short story writers has begun again. Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and over can enter a short story of 2000-5000 words for a chance to win £5,000.

Submissions should be made via the online entry form. The eligibility and entry guidelines can be found here.

An international judging panel of writers will select a shortlist of around twenty stories, from which five regional winners are chosen. One of the regional winners is then selected as the overall winner, who receives £5,000. The regional winners will receive £2,500. All five regional winning stories will be published on Granta.

Scroll down to read answers to frequently asked questions about the prize, including who can enter, how stories are judged and what languages we accept.

For any inquiries regarding the prize, please email: creatives@commonwealthfoundation.com

commonwealthfoundation.com/short-story-prize/

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MONTHLY MENTORSHIP: RIGHT TO WRITE AWARDS

Writability

DEADLINE: November 12, 2024

INFO: Each year, two Right to Write Awards are given to outstanding applicants who have already been accepted into the Monthly Mentorship program. The award supports BIPOC and Veteran writers by waiving their tuition. Applicants must apply and be accepted to Monthly Mentorship before or in tandem with applying to the Right to Write Award.

Monthly Mentorship program dues are $4150. Recipients of a Right to Write Award will receive $3650 and are asked to pay the balance of $500, which covers fees Maximum Impact incurs for software, streaming, and tech features that help bring the program content to you in accessible ways. Application details are below.

writeability.org/rtwa

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Rising Writer Prize

Autumn House Press

DEADLINE: November 15, 2024

READING FEE: $30

INFO: The 2025 Rising Writer Prize is for a first full-length book of fiction. The Autumn House staff and select outsider readers will serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is K-Ming Chang.

PRIZE: The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,000. We will announce the contest’s finalists and the winner by March 15, 2025. 

GUIDELINES:

• Must be the author’s first full-length fiction book (previous publications of chapbooks and full-length books in other genres are fine)

• The winners will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,000 travel/publicity grant to promote their book

• All finalists will be considered for publication

• Submissions should be approximately 100 – 200 pages

• The reading fee is $30 (We will waive the submission fee for those undergoing financial hardship or living with limited means. Before you reach out to request a waived fee, please read our full statement and instructions here. If the guidelines are not followed, we will not be able to offer a waived fee.)

• All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible

• The book should be previously unpublished

• We only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted

• Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript; if your name appears within the body of the text, please omit it or black it out

• You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable

• Do not include an acknowledgments page in the manuscript

• Feel free to include a table of contents

• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please let us know immediately if your book was accepted elsewhere

• Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships

• Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest

ABOUT THE JUDGE: K-Ming Chang is a Kundiman fellow, a Lambda Literary Award winner, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree, and an O. Henry Prize Winner. She is the author of the New York Times Book Review Editors’ choice novel BESTIARY (One World/Random House, 2020), which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and the Otherwise Award. In 2021, her chapbook BONE HOUSE was published by Bull City Press. Her story collection GODS OF WANT (One World/Random House) won a Lambda Literary Award and was a NYT Editors’ Choice. Her latest novel is ORGAN MEATS (One World, 2023), a Lambda Literary Award finalist, and CECILIA, a novella (Coffee House Press, 2024).

autumnhouse.org/submissions/rising-writers-prize/

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TRANSLATION COLUMN

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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CALL FOR AUTHORS

Vanderbilt University Press

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: Vanderbilt University Press acquires books in the areas of Latin American and Hispanic studies; global and public health; human rights and civil rights; anthropology; history and postwar studies; and studies of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We also publish books with a regional focus on Tennessee and the South, including, for example, books on Nashville and country music.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial inquiries about potential book projects should be queried to the acquisitions department via email. We do not accept full manuscripts until requested. First, ensure that VUP publishes in the disciplinary area that your project represents.

If that is the case, please send a cover letter and book proposal that includes the following:

• A short book abstract

• A brief but detailed statement outlining the manuscript’s arguments, themes, and significance to the field

• A table of contents that clearly summarizes the content and structure of each chapter

• Assessment of the work’s fit with existing literature, comparison with published books on the topic, and discussion of the intended audiences and market for the book

• Statement of the anticipated word count of the manuscript; plans for tables, figures, or other illustrations; and schedule for completion

• Sample chapter (optional)

• Curriculum vitae

• If your manuscript is based on a dissertation, please discuss how the material and research has been developed, reframed, or otherwise revised. VUP does not publish unrevised dissertations.

• If your manuscript is an edited collection, please include information about each of the contributors and note if any of the chapters are previously published.

• If your manuscript is a translation, please describe why the author’s work warrants translation into English, as well as any and all information on rights to the work and the book’s history in its native language.

Keep a file or a copy of your proposal materials. We do not return proposals. Please do not call the Press to inquire about the status of your proposal or manuscript. We review all material received, and you will be contacted when a decision has been made. We aim to communicate whether a proposed project is being pursued further no more than eight weeks after the receipt of the proposal.

For more information about specific series initiatives, visit our Series page.

vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/resources/submission-guidelines-for-prospective-authors/

FICTION / NONFICTION — SEPTEMBER 2024

CHANGEMAKER AUTHORS COHORT 

Narrative Initiative / Unicorn Authors Club

DEADLINE: Extended to September 3, 2024

INFO: The Changemaker Authors Cohort is a yearlong intensive coaching program supporting full-time movement organizers and social justice practitioners to complete books that create deep, durable narrative change to restructure the way people feel, think, and respond to the world.

To help create new networks of opportunity, Narrative Initiative partnered with the Unicorn Authors Club to offer this unique writing cohort for Changemaker Authors. Our first Changemaker Authors Cohort launched in early-2022; the 2023-2024 Cohort began on November 2023. Applications are opening June 1st for the 2025 Cohort. 

The Changemaker Authors Cohort supports those working towards racial, economic, and social justice to write and publish books that create durable narrative change. This can include books that are about communities establishing and using their power through organizing and activism, as well as those contributing to the plurality of voices in the broader artistic and cultural discourse. Visit the cohort pages for 2022 and 2024 to get a sense of some of the projects supported within this program. 

This 12-month virtual program begins on March 1, 2025 and supports cohort members to make significant progress with their project at the end of each 4-month term. This can include manuscript completion or having a submittable manuscript or proposal ready for an agent or publisher, through coaching, regular writing cafés, craft talks, and resources about crafting stories and the publishing industry. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the upcoming Cohort year can be found here. 

Please email (changemakerauthor@narrativeinitiative.org) for any additional questions about the Changemaker Authors Cohort  application or the program.

narrativeinitiative.org/changemaker-authors-program/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ESSAYS — PERSONAL NARRATIVES

Electric Literature

SUBMISSION PERIOD: September 3 - 17, 2024 (or when they reach a cap of 750 submissions)

INFO: Calling all essay writers! Electric Lit is seeking personal narrative submissions.

GUIDELINES:

• Submissions must be full drafts of personal essays submitted via Submittable

• While there are no restrictions on form or subject matter, submissions should center narrative and consider what it means to essay; in other words, write to interrogate, investigate, adventure, and introspect

• Submissions must be between 2,000 and 6,500 words in length

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know immediately if a submission is accepted elsewhere

• Previously published work will not be considered

• Response time is approximately six to eight months

• Writers may submit once per submission period, but writers can have active submissions across other EL categories. (This does not apply to year-round submitting members. For more information on member submissions, please refer to the welcome email you received when you signed up as member, or email wynter@electricliterature.com.)

• Upon acceptance, we can offer authors $100 for publishing rights, with 90-day exclusivity

• For more information on what we’re looking for, please watch our salon on EL’s General Nonfiction Program

electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

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Winter Writers’ Retreat for Storytellers of Color

Roots. Wounds. Words.

DEADLINE: September 8, 2024

INFO: The Roots. Wounds. Words. Winter Writers’ Retreat for Storytellers of Color is a sacred space wherein BIPOC stories are celebrated, and BIPOC storytellers immersed in liberation. At the Writers’ Retreat, Storytellers receive literary arts instruction offered by award-winning BIPOC writers in the fields of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, speculative fiction, and young adult fiction.

In January 2025, Roots. Wounds. Words. Fellows will commune online where they will workshop their literary art, perform their work, participate in BIPOC-centered healing and liberation modalities, as well as receive literary arts pedagogy from renowned BIPOC storytellers.

To attend this offering, submit an application through our online system. Prior writing experience is insignificant. Whether you’ve attended a writing workshop before or not holds no weight. All applicants are judged on the merits of their full application, which includes an artistic statement, bio, and writing sample.

Our Writers’ Retreat provides BIPOC storytellers with a transformative opportunity to push your pen, strengthen your craft, access literary art professionals, rest and restore, and build the tribe you need to support your writing goals.

The Roots. Wounds. Words. Writers’ Retreat is for Us.

RETREAT LOCATION: Online / Virtual

RETREAT DATES: January 5 - January 11, 2025

TUITION: $1,500 (partial scholarships and payment plans are available)

2025 WINTER WRITERS’ RETREAT FACULTY:

• FICTION FACULTY - Jamil Jan Kochai (he/him) is the author of The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories, a finalist for the 2022 National Book Award and a winner of the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize and the 2023 Clark Fiction Prize. His debut novel 99 Nights in Logar was a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. His short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Ploughshares, Zoetrope, The O. Henry Prize Stories, and The Best American Short Stories. His essays have been published at The New Yorker, The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Kochai was a Hodder Fellow at Princeton University, a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, and a Truman Capote Fellow at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He teaches creative writing at California State University, Sacramento.

• NONFICTION FACULTY - Nadia Owusu (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based writer and urbanist. Her memoir, Aftershocks, was selected as a best book of 2021 by over a dozen publications, including Time, Vogue, Esquire, and the BBC, and has been translated into five languages. It was a New York Times Editors’ Choice pick, named one of Barack Obama’s favorite books of the year, and selected by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai for her Literati book club. Nadia is the winner of a Whiting Award in nonfiction. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Orion, Granta, The Paris Review Daily, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appétit, Travel + Leisure, and others. She teaches creative writing at Columbia University and at the Mountainview MFA program and is the Director of Storytelling at Frontline Solutions.

• POETRY FACULTY - porsha olayiwola is a native of chicago who writes, lives and organizes in boston, where she is the current poet laureate. olayiwola is a writer, performer, educator and curator who uses afro-futurism and surrealism to examine historical and current issues in the black, woman, and queer diasporas. she is an individual world poetry slam champion and the founder of the roxbury poetry festival. porsha olayiwola is currently teaching in her role as assistant professor of poetry at Emerson College. she is the author of i shimmer sometimes, too. her work can be found in or forthcoming from with triquarterly magazine, black warrior review, the boston globe, essence magazine, redivider, split this rock, the nba, the academy of american poets, netflix, wilderness press, the museum of fine arts and elsewhere.

• SPECULATIVE FICTION FACULTY - Andrea Hairston (she/her) is a novelist, playwright, and L. Wolff Kahn 1931 Professor Emerita of Theatre and Africana Studies at Smith College. Novels: Archangels of Funk; Will Do Magic For Small Change, a New York Times Editor’s pick and finalist for the Mythopoeic, Lambda, and Otherwise Awards; Redwood and Wildfire, Otherwise and Carl Brandon Award winner; Master of Poisons on the 2020 Kirkus Review’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy; and Mindscape, Carl Brandon Award winner. Her short fiction appears in So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Visions of the Future; New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color; Trouble the Waters and Lightspeed Magazine. Plays and essays appear in Lonely Stardust.

rootswoundswords.org/2025-winterretreat

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MACDOWELL FELLOWSHIP

MacDowell

DEADLINE: September 10, 2024

INFO: About 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded Fellowships each year and the sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence. There are no residency fees, and need-based stipends and travel reimbursement grants are available to open the residency to the broadest possible community of artists. 

MacDowell encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. Any applicant whose proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines should contact the admissions department for guidance. We aim to be inclusive, not exclusive in our admissions process.

macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship

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PRINCETON ARTS FELLOWSHIPS

Lewis Center for the Arts

DEADLINE: September 10, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: Princeton Arts Fellowships, funded in part by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, David E. Kelley Society of Fellows in the Arts, and the Maurice R. Greenberg Scholarship Fund, will be awarded to artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching. Applicants should be early career visual artists, filmmakers, poets, novelists, playwrights, designers, directors and performance artists—this list is not meant to be exhaustive—who would find it beneficial to spend two years teaching and working in an artistically vibrant university community.

Princeton Arts Fellows spend two consecutive academic years (September 1-July 1) at Princeton University and formal teaching is expected. The normal work assignment will be to teach one course each semester subject to approval by the Dean of the Faculty, but fellows may be asked to take on an artistic assignment in lieu of a class, such as directing a play or creating a dance with students. Although the teaching load is light, our expectation is that Fellows will be full and active members of our community, committed to frequent and engaged interactions with students during the academic year.

A $92,000 a year stipend is provided. Fellowships are not intended to fund work leading to an advanced degree. One need not be a U.S. citizen to apply. Holders of Ph.D. degrees from Princeton are not eligible to apply.

Past recipients of the Hodder Fellowship and individuals who have had a sustained and continuous relationship with Princeton University are not eligible to apply. Those who have had an occasional and sporadic relationship with Princeton may apply.

To apply, please submit a curriculum vitae, contact information for three references (should the search committee choose to contact references, please do not request letters or have letters sent in advance of a request from the search committee), and work samples (i.e., a writing sample, images of your work, video links to performances, etc.). Please also submit a 750-word proposal that includes how you would hope to use the two years of the fellowship to develop your work, how you would contribute to Princeton’s arts community through teaching and/or production, and how you have encouraged diversity and inclusion and furthered accessibility in your artistic practice, teaching, and/or research.

Applicants can only apply for the Princeton Arts Fellowship twice in a lifetime.

arts.princeton.edu/fellowships/princeton-arts-fellowship/

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The WNDB Mentorship Program

We Need Diverse Books

DEADLINE: September 15, 2024

INFO: The WNDB Mentorship Program aims to support writers and illustrators by pairing them with an experienced professional in the field. Our mentors work one-on-one with a mentee and their completed draft of a manuscript over the course of a year, offering advice to improve craft and to better understand the publishing industry.

For 2025, WNDB is offering fifteen mentorships split among the following categories: Picture Book Text (PB), Middle Grade (MG), Young Adult (YA); and Illustration (IL).

The winners will communicate with their mentor for approximately one year in a mentor/mentee custom-defined program, and the mentorship period will run from January to December 2025.

Applicants are encouraged to research our 2025 mentors to figure out who would be the best fit. You can find their professional bios and mentor statements on our website.

diversebooks.org/programs/mentorship-program/

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VCCA RESIDENCY

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts

DEADLINE: September 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: Residencies can be transformative to an artist’s process and the effect on an artist’s career profound. A residency at VCCA gives artists the time and space to explore and go deeper into their work. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible.

VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Virginia, typically hosts 360 artists each year in residencies of varying lengths (no minimum; up to six weeks) with flexible scheduling. A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals a day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VCCA is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails. Many local sites and additional inspiration can be found in short drives to Lynchburg (20 minutes), Charlottesville (1 hour), Roanoke (1.5 hours), or Richmond (2 hours).

SELECTION PROCESS: VCCA Fellows are selected by peer review on the basis of professional achievement or promise of achievement in their respective fields. Separate review panels are created for each category (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting/screenwriting, children’s literature, performance, film/video, book arts, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, music composition, etc.). Panelists undergo periodic review and rotate regularly to ensure VCCA admission decisions are guided by high caliber artists who represent a diversity of styles and tastes.

All VCCA residency and fellowship applications are accepted online via SlideRoom. The standard application fee is $30. If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, artists should reach out to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com to request an application fee waiver at least five days before the deadline.

FELLOWSHIPS / FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: A variety of fully-funded fellowship opportunities are available at each application deadline. In addition, significant financial assistance is available throughout the year.

vcca.com/apply/residencies-at-vcca/

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The People of Color in Publishing Mentorship Program

People of Color in Publishing

DEADLINE: September 15, 2024

INFO: The People of Color in Publishing Mentorship Program is a volunteer-based initiative that aims to create mentorship relationships between entry-level and experienced-level POC industry professionals. The initiative’s goal is to provide entry-level POC professionals a personal resource for support, guidance, and encouragement, as they begin to navigate a career in publishing.

The mentorship program lasts for 6 months, beginning January, with each mentor/mentee pair determining the scheduling, pace, structure, and circumstances of their mentorship. Mentors are asked to spend at least an hour per month one-on-one (whether by phone, Skype, gchat, or in person) with their mentee in order to provide the kind of attention and information they can put to good use in their careers. This amounts to a total commitment of 6 hours between the mentor and mentee across the 6 month mentorship period.

Each pair is assigned one member of the subcommittee as their point person, who will be there to give guidance, advice, and to take feedback and address concerns. We welcome any and all comments that may help us improve and refine this program so that it truly works to combat the disproportionate lack of POCs in the publishing industry.

pocinpublishing.com/mentorship

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PIGEON PAGES FLASH CONTEST

Pigeon Pages

DEADLINE: September 15, 2024

INFO: Submit to Pigeon Pages’ Flash Contest!

Previously unpublished fiction and nonfiction pieces of 850 words or less are eligible for this contest.

PRIZE: The winning author will receive $250 and publication in Pigeon Pages.

JUDGE: Rachel Lyon is the author of Self-Portrait with Boy, a finalist for the Center for Fiction's 2018 First Novel Prize, and Fruit of the Dead, an NEPM (New England Public Media) Book Club pick, which The New York Times called “superb” and “refreshing.” Rachel’s short work has appeared in One Story, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, and elsewhere. A cofounder of Ditmas Lit (Brooklyn, NY) and The Dream Away Reading Series (Becket, MA), and a creative writing instructor for various institutions, most recently Bennington College, Rachel has been appointed the 2024 Paris Writer in Residence by the Paris School of Arts and Culture, the American University of Paris, and the Centre Culturel Irlandais. She lives with her husband and two young children in Western Massachusetts.

pigeonpagesnyc.com/flash-contest-2024

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Call for Papers: Special Issue on Puerto Rican Migration: 
Diasporic Puerto Rican Communities in Transformation

CENTRO Journal

DEADLINE: September 15, 2024

INFO: This special issue of CENTRO Journal aims to acknowledge, document, and examine Puerto Rican migration to traditional and non-traditional destinations of migration, and the transformations/changes undergone by emerging, maturing, and declining communities resulting from these new patterns of migration. 

Recent decades have witnessed economic, political, ecological, and socio-demographic changes that have engulfed Puerto Rico, with out-migration a common response to such transformations. While the Puerto Rican diaspora was once concentrated in New York City and Chicago, Puerto Ricans from the States and the archipelago continue to migrate to non-traditional destinations across the country, with the current majority residing in Florida. In the last decade, states like Georgia, Ohio, and North Carolina have experienced significant growth in their Puerto Rican population. 

Cascading events in the past two decades such as the expiration of Section 936 tax breaks, a prolonged economic recession, Puerto Rico’s unaudited debt and the subsequent imposition of the Puerto Rican Fiscal Oversight and Management Control Board (la Junta), Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the earthquakes of 2019–2020, and the COVID-19 pandemic, all have contributed to migration. Exploitative labor recruitment of Puerto Ricans from the archipelago by stateside companies continues to draw people away. Concurrently, the Puerto Rican diaspora has grown, and Puerto Rican communities have diversified, though less is known about how Puerto Rican families and communities in the diaspora have become heterogenous through patterns of exogamy, cultural identities, regionalism, social mobility, and other factors. We are interested in papers that examine this heterogeneity and how it manifests itself through the migration experience seen in mobility patterns within and among US states. 

The editors seek papers that use a diversity of approaches and methods to understand the state of Puerto Rican migration and placemaking and its consequences for diasporic communities and Puerto Rican institutions. 

GUEST EDITORS: 

• Elizabeth Aranda, University of South Florida

• Delia Fernández-Jones, Michigan State University

• Simone Delerme, University of Mississippi

SPECIFIC TOPICS OF INTEREST INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

• Patterns of settlement and the formation and transformation of Puerto Rican diasporic communities 

• Labor recruitment that has drawn Puerto Ricans to traditional and non-traditional sectors 

• Social, cultural, political, and/or economic incorporation in different communities 

• The impact of factors like race, social class, gender, sexuality, disability, and other identities on migratory experiences 

• Comparisons to other diasporic communities 

• Transformations to emerging and/or maturing communities 

• Relationships and interactions between Puerto Ricans, other Latinos/as/es/xs, and/or other ethnic and racial groups 

• Residential patterns and homeownership 

• Various forms of placemaking including but not limited to economic, cultural, and religious 

• Political and civic engagement at various levels 

• The effect of return and/or circular migration on diasporic communities

• The effect of long standing economic and/or colonial policies on new patterns of migration 

POSSIBLE SUBMISSION FORMATS:

Contributors are invited to submit pieces in one of the following formats (with listed word counts, inclusive of references and notes): 

• Articles (12,000 words) 

• Short essays/interviews (2,000 words) 

• Digital humanities projects 

TIMELINE: 

• Abstract submission deadline: September 15, 2024 

• Notification of abstract approval: September 30, 2024 

• Final manuscript submission: December 15, 2024 

• Publication of this special volume (v. 37, n. 3): winter 2025

ABSTRACT + MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION DETAILS:

Please send a 250-word abstract of your work and a 50-word bio to the following link (https://bit.ly/centro_journal_fall_2025_abstract). We accept abstracts and manuscripts in English and Spanish. 

Approved manuscript submissions should be uploaded to the following link (https://bit.ly/centro_journal_fall_2025_manuscript). All submissions should follow CENTRO Journal’s style guidelines (https://bit.ly/centro_journal_style_guide) and will be sent out for peer review. Please include a cover letter with your manuscript title, the word count (including references and notes), your full name, a short bio (of no more than 75 words), institutional or organizational affiliation (if applicable), email address, and phone number.

Questions should be addressed to the guest editors Elizabeth Aranda (earanda@usf.edu), Delia Fernández-Jones (dmf@msu.edu), and Simone Delerme (sdelerme@olemiss.edu), or to the journal editor Gustavo Quintero Vera (journal@hunter.cuny.edu).

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/centro-journal-fall-2025/

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2025 Writer - Winter / Spring Residency

Jentel Artist Residency

DEADLINE: September 15, 2024 at noon MST

APPLICATION FEE: $30

ELIGIBILITY Residencies are intended as professional development opportunities for visual artists in all creative disciplines and writers in creative non-fiction, fiction, and poetry. Proposals for self-directed, creative residencies must be compatible with available working studio spaces, facilities, and resources. Artistic merit and promise are the basis for selections. Mature as well as emerging artists are encouraged to apply. Individuals enrolled in a degree program at the time of application are ineligible for residency. Artists and writers over age 25 residing in the United States and US citizens abroad are eligible. Four visual artists and two writer residencies are awarded each session. 

DURATION OF RESIDENCY All residencies start on the 15th of each month and end on the 7th of the next month. No exceptions, please.

CHARACTER STATEMENTS: During the application process, Jentel requests contact information for three (3) individuals who know them on a day-to-day personal basis, are familiar with their creative work habits, and have the ability to engage congenially in small groups. Jentel will be considering these applicants for a residency award. Submittable will generate an email to the three (3) individuals with a link to submit a brief character statement on behalf of the applicant. (Jentel does not accept statements from Inter-Folio.)

AWARDS A rotating panel of experts and professionals in the arts and humanities independently reviews applications and supporting materials. Final awards of residencies are at the discretion of Jentel. In some instances, artists and writers are invited to participate without submitting an application.

COUPLES Couples who are artists or writers may apply individually, understanding that one partner may be accepted and the other may not. Each artist or writer accepted for a residency will be offered a separate studio or workspace. Jentel is unable to invite spouses or partners to accompany artists in residence under any other circumstances.

COLLABORATORS Collaborators may be accepted for a residency; however, both need to submit separate applications along with a joint proposal. Please indicate in the proposal the requirements for the workspace.

REAPPLICATION After five years have lapsed, previous residents may reapply for a residency by submitting a new application with new work and new character statement contacts. Artists who have applied previously may reapply by submitting a new application and a new work sample.

LOCATION The Jentel Artist Residency Program is located on a working cattle ranch 20 miles southeast of Sheridan (Population nearing 20,000). Set in the rolling sage hills along Piney Creek, numerous buildings cluster one of the original ranch houses, which serve as a reception center.  Spectacular views of the Big Horn Mountains are set against an ever-changing backdrop of light and sky. 

FACILITIES Residencies provide time, space, and facilities for research, experimentation, and production of work and ideas in the visual and literary arts. Residents are at liberty to structure their own time and activity. They may choose to maintain their privacy or to engage with other residents and activities at Jentel. Each resident is offered separate living accommodations and workspace. Large, well-lighted studios are equipped with running water and adequate light for late work. Writers need to bring their own writing materials and laptops. Areas inside and outside are reserved for residents. Common spaces include a library, a recreation area, and a great room. A large kitchen adjacent to the living area may be used for food and meal preparation. A weekly stipend is provided to help defray personal expenses.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT A monthly stipend is distributed in three (3) separate installments of $100 at the end of each week in residence. Residents are responsible for their own personal living expenses, food and beverage, supplies, telephone charges, and any expenses related to the production of work during the residency. Travel and shipping expenses to and from the Jentel Artist Residency Program are also the responsibility of the resident.

FEES: There are no fees charged for the residency. The receipt of a $100 reservation deposit is due within two weeks of notification of the residency award and confirms the residency. The reservation deposit is returned during orientation at the residency. When an artist or writer cancels a residency reservation less than two months prior to the beginning of the residency, they waive the return of the reservation deposit. Application fees are non-refundable.

CHILDREN Accommodations for children and family members are not provided.

PETS Pets are not allowed at Jentel.

VISITORS Accommodations for visitors are available in Sheridan, 20 miles northwest of Jentel.

SMOKING/VAPING Jentel is a vape and smoke-free environment.

PRIVACY All application materials and work samples are confidential and retained for the use of the Jentel Artist Residency Program only.

COMMUNITY Although no services are expected of residents during their stay, interaction within the community is welcomed and graciously supported.

Questions?
Please see the Application/FAQs on the website: www.jentelarts.org.

jentelartistresidency.submittable.com/submit 

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HUMAN RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIP

Ragdale / Lake Forest College

DEADLINE: Extended September 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $10

INFO: Ragdale is pleased to announce the HUMAN Residency Fellowship, an exciting new partnership with Lake Forest College made possible by the Mellon Foundation.

This multi-year collaboration invites artists from diverse disciplines to explore the intersection of the humanities, artificial intelligence, and social justice. Ragdale encourages applications from individuals whose work addresses questions about the impact of bias on AI outputs, the influence of dominant historical narratives on current AI technologies, and the ethical considerations for integrating AI into daily life.

ELIGIBILITY: Emerging, midcareer, and established writers, dancers, musicians, composers, and visual artists are encouraged to apply.

AWARD: Ragdale will award the HUMAN Residency Fellowship to 6 artists.  This award includes an initial 6-day Group Residency in spring 2025 (dates TBD) with fellow HUMAN Residency Fellowship recipients and comes with a $1,000 stipend to offset travel and expenses. This AI-themed residency session will be followed by a full, individual, 18-day, fee-waived residency to be scheduled in the subsequent two years (2026 or 2027).

Full residencies are comprised of cohorts of up to 14 multidisciplinary artists working on their own projects. Awardees will receive a second stipend of $3,000 during the 18-day residency. All applicants who apply for the HUMAN Residency Fellowship will be asked to participate in a program, such as a panel talk, visiting artist lecture, workshop, or other related event as part of a culminating AI symposium in 2027. Program details will be determined after the cohort is selected.

The HUMAN residency at Ragdale is part of the Lake Forest College’s $1.2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation for HUMAN: Humanities Understanding of the Machine-Assisted Nexus, led by Professor of English and Executive Director of the Krebs Center for the Humanities, Davis Schneiderman.

GUIDELINES: All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application.

A completed online application form includes:

1. A one-page artist statement and proposal. Proposals should describe how a residency would support the applicant’s work in exploring the intersection of the humanities and artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, with an emphasis on questions of equity and social justice.    

2. A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background. 

3. Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted. 

PLEASE NOTE: Letters of recommendation are not required nor accepted.

ragdale.submittable.com/submit/293033/2025-human-residency

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2024 Beauchamp Prize in Critical Writing

Gulf Coast

DEADLINE: September 16, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $0

INFO: The Prize invites submissions of expository writing, scholarly essays, and exhibition reviews that have been written–or published–within the last year. 

No specific word count requirement, but our arts publications typically hover around 2,000 words per industry standard. 

Securing image permissions is incurred on the writer and, when relevant, reprint consent if the essay has been previously published.

The Prize is judged anonymously, so please withhold biographic details, including your name, or any contact data in the uploaded document. This information should only be pasted in the “Comments” field.

gulfcoastajournalofliteratureandfinearts.submittable.com/submit

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2025 Guggenheim Fellowships

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

DEADLINE: September 17, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: Guggenheim Fellowships are intended for mid-career individuals who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts and exhibit great promise for their future endeavors.

Fellowships are awarded through an annual competition open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada. Candidates must apply to the Guggenheim Foundation in order to be considered.

The Foundation receives approximately 3,000 applications each year. No one who applies is guaranteed success in the competition and there is no prescreening; all applications are reviewed. Approximately 175 Fellowships are awarded each year.

During the rigorous selection process, applicants will first be pooled with others working in the same field, and examined by experts in that field. The work of artists will be reviewed by artists, that of scientists by scientists, that of historians by historians, and so on. The Foundation has a network of several hundred advisers, who either meet at the Foundation offices to look at applicants’ work, or receive application materials to read offsite. These advisers, all of whom are Guggenheim Fellows from previous years, then submit reports critiquing and ranking the applications in their respective fields. Their recommendations are then forwarded to and weighed by a Committee of Selection, which then determines the number of awards to be made in each area. Occasionally, no application in a given area is considered strong enough to merit a Fellowship.

We guarantee our advisers and Committee of Selection members, as well as those who submit letters of reference, absolute confidentiality. Therefore, under no circumstances will the reasons for the rejection of an application be provided.

The Committee of Selection then forwards its recommendations to the Board of Trustees for final approval. The successful candidates in the United States and Canada competition are announced in early April.

FAQs:

What are Guggenheim Fellowships?

Guggenheim Fellowships are grants awarded to around 175 selected individuals every year. The purpose of the Guggenheim Fellowship program is to provide Fellows with blocks of time in which they can work with as much creative freedom as possible. As such, grants are made freely, without any special conditions attached to them; Fellows may spend their grant funds in any manner they deem necessary to their work. The United States Internal Revenue Service, however, does require the Foundation to ask for reports from its Fellows at the end of their Fellowship terms.

How does the Foundation define “advanced professional”?

The Foundation understands advanced professionals to be those who as writers, scholars, or scientists have a significant record of publication, or as artists, playwrights, filmmakers, photographers, composers, or the like, have a significant record of exhibition or performance of their work.

How does the Foundation define “performing arts”?

The Foundation understands the performing arts to be those in which an individual interprets work created by others. Accordingly, the Foundation will provide Fellowships to composers but not conductors, singers, or instrumentalists; choreographers but not dancers; filmmakers, playwrights, and performance artists who create their own work but not actors or theater directors.

What is the amount of a grant?

The amounts of grants vary, and the Foundation does not guarantee it will fully fund any project. Working with a fixed annual budget, the Foundation strives to allocate its funds as equitably as possible, taking into consideration the Fellows’ other resources and the purpose and scope of their plans. Members of the teaching profession receiving sabbatical leave on full or part salary are eligible for appointment, as are those holding other fellowships and appointments at research centers.

gf.org/how-to-apply/

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2025 Periplus Fellowship

Periplus Collective

DEADLINE: September 20, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET

INFO: Applications for the 2025 Periplus Fellowship are open!

Periplus is a community of writers who provide mentorship and guidance to early-career BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) writers in the United States so they can achieve their own professional and artistic goals.

During the year-long fellowship, mentors and fellows meet monthly to discuss various topics, which might include, for example, building writing into a daily routine, making money as a writer, considering craft concerns like structuring a book or magazine article, and approaching career-related problems like finding an agent, pitching magazines, or applying to graduate school.

There are also opportunities for Fellows to engage with the broader Periplus community such as planning panels, talks, meet-ups, readings or other events; attending those events; sharing support and resources; and doing whatever else they think would be useful and interesting.

bit.ly/periplusfaq

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: KIN KEEPERS Live Storytelling Presents: Friendship

Literary Liberation

DEADLINE: September 20, 2024

INFO: Do you have a story about friendship that’s itching to be told? We want to hear it! Prepare a 5-8 minute story sharing your unique take on friendship. Whether it's a heartwarming tale of lifelong bonds, a humorous anecdote about unexpected friendships, or a moving reflection on the ups and downs of maintaining connections. Tell us about meeting, keeping, or losing a friend at any age.  Tell us how friendships have shaped and/or enriched your life.

Selected storytellers will be notified the week of September 27th.

MORE DETAILS:

We are selecting 7-10 participants. 

• Submissions must be true personal narratives (with the exception of names and place to protect the identity of others).

• Stories should be original, unpublished, and 700-1000 words max. (5-8 minutes long)

• Include your name, contact information, time zone, and a brief bio (50-100 words) with your submission.

• Upload your story submission as a PDF or Word document

literaryliberation.substack.com/p/submit-now-kin-keepers-live-storytelling

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Rooted & Written 2024 Conference

The Writers Grotto

DEADLINE: September 22, 2024

INFO: Rooted & Written was founded in 2019, and this year marks our fifth year of empowering writers of color and we're excited to continue the tradition.

This year, The Writers Grotto in San Francisco, California will again host Rooted & Written, the first fully-funded, tuition-free professional writing conference for writers of color in the country.

Forty Rooted & Written Fellows will be selected to attend seven days of classes, workshops, and mentoring, plus the opportunity to participate in lunchtime “Conversations” with featured literary luminaries. Rooted & Written will take place on October 27- November 2, 2024

All Rooted & Written Fellows are awarded full scholarships to the entire seven-day conference and workshops.

The week kicks off with an orientation for our Fellows on Sunday, October 27, featuring keynote speakers, seminars, classes, and workshops.

The Rooted & Written 2024 Keynotes will be held virtually and are open to the public. Our keynote speakers include literary luminaries such as Susan Kiyo Ito, a celebrated writer and professor, who made a significant literary impact this year with the publication of her acclaimed memoir I Would Meet You Anywhere, will be the keynote speaker, sharing her insights on storytelling, family, and resilience. Eirinie Carson, a dynamic writer whose debut memoir The Dead are Gods has captivated readers with its raw and powerful exploration of grief and identity, will be the keynote speaker, offering her profound insights into the healing power of storytelling.

In addition, during the weekdays, Fellows will participate in craft classes led by our core faculty across various disciplines, including Fiction, Screenwriting, Poetry, Memoir/Essay/Creative Nonfiction, and Screenwriting.

On Thursday and Friday, October 31 and November 1, 2024, Rooted & Written Fellows and all conference applicants will participate in Rooted & Written 'Flash Classes'—a menu of three 60-minute courses each day, covering all genres and featuring invaluable talks by agents and editors focused on professional development.

The week will conclude on Saturday, November 2th with the "Words of Color" literary reading featuring all 40 Rooted & Written Fellows. The “Words of Color” event will be held in person and open to the public at The Writers Grotto in San Francisco as well as via Zoom.

Rooted & Written was first conceptualized and founded by Salvadoran writer Roberto Lovato as a free conference by The Writers Grotto for Bay Area-based BIPOC writers, and has since evolved into a full-blown writing conference and curriculum featuring internationally renowned speakers, faculty, and seasoned professionals in the literary industry.

rooted-written.org

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2025–2026 CULLMAN CENTER FELLOWSHIP

The New York Public Library.

DEADLINE: September 27, 2024 at 5 p.m. EDT

INFO: The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers offers Fellowships to people whose work will benefit directly from access to the research collections at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Renowned for the extraordinary comprehensiveness of its collections, the Library is one of the world’s preeminent resources for study in anthropology, art, geography, history, languages and literature, philosophy, politics, popular culture, psychology, religion, sociology, sports, and urban studies.

The Cullman Center’s Selection Committee awards fifteen Fellowships a year to outstanding scholars and writers—academics, independent scholars, journalists, creative writers (novelists, playwrights, poets), translators, and visual artists. Foreign nationals conversant in English are welcome to apply. Candidates for the Fellowship will need to work primarily at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building rather than at other divisions of the Library. People seeking funding for research leading directly to a degree are not eligible.

The Cullman Center looks for top-quality writing. It aims to promote dynamic communication about literature and scholarship at the very highest level—within the Center, in public forums throughout the Library, and in the Fellows’ published work.

BENEFITS: A Cullman Center Fellow receives a stipend of $85,000, the use of an office with a computer, and full access to the Library’s physical and electronic resources. Fellows work at the Center for the duration of the Fellowship term, which runs from September through May. Each Fellow gives a talk over lunch on his or her current work-in-progress to the other Fellows and to a wide range of invited guests, and may be asked to take part in other programs at The New York Public Library.

nypl.org/help/about-nypl/fellowships-institutes/center-for-scholars-and-writers/fellowships-at-the-cullman-center

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Gold Line Press Chapbook Contests

Gold Line Press

DEADLINE: September 30, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $15 (however, free submissions are availble for BIPOC writers and writers facing financial hardship)

INFO: Gold Line Press, a student-run press housed in the Creative Writing and Literature PhD program at the University of Southern California, seeks submissions for its annual contests.

They seek submissions for chapbook-length (30-page max for prose and 5000-15000 words for prose) projects in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The judges are 'Pemi Aguda (fiction), Jaquira Díaz (nonfiction), and Diannely Antigua (poetry).

PRIZE: The winner in each genre will be published by Gold Line Press, receive a $750 prize, and 50 author copies of their published chapbook.

goldlinepress.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: YA OPEN

Voyage YA by Uncharted

DEADLINE: October 1, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $20

INFO: Voyage YA by Uncharted is pleased to announce our newest contest, the YA OPEN, judged by Voyage editors. Send us your wildest, most electric YA prose. We want to see drama, enigma, and tension. Your prose should glimmer with energy, with passion in every sentence. Make our heads turn. Write something that it is impossible for us to ignore. Show us what you needed to read when you were a teen.

PRIZE: First place will win $1,000, second and third place will win $600 and $400, respectively. All three winners will be published on our website.

For this contest, Voyage YA by Uncharted is open to all prose: Short Fiction, Flash Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Creative Nonfiction, and Hybrid Prose. We will not accept traditionally lineated poetry nor excerpts of longer works. Please see below for specific guidelines.

GUIDELINES:

• All entries must be in the YA genre.

• The $20 reading fee allows for the submission of one <5,000 word short story or two flash pieces <1,000 words apiece. If submitting two flash pieces, please put them in the same document.

• Writers from historically marginalized groups may submit for free until we reach a cap of 25 submissions in this category. No additional fee waivers will be granted for this contest. [The cap for this category has been reached.]

• Stories must be written primarily in English, but some code-switching/meshing is welcomed.

• We encourage multiple submissions, but each entry must be submitted separately, each with a separate reading fee.

• Reprints are not eligible. If your story has been published anywhere else, even on a blog or social media, it will be automatically disqualified from the contest.

• If your story is a simultaneous submission, please withdraw immediately if it’s accepted elsewhere.

• Submissions should be double-spaced and use Times New Roman 12, or larger if needed.

• All submissions should include a cover letter, however brief, with your publication history, if applicable.

• We do not accept anonymous submissions.

• Please include a content warning, if applicable. This information will not factor into whether your submission is accepted, but rather simply serve to safeguard our staff.

• AI-generated stories will be automatically disqualified.

OPTIONAL EDITORIAL FEEDBACK:

Participants are invited to request a two-page editorial feedback letter about their submission for an extra fee of $69, or three editorial letters from three different editorial consultants for $179. These letters will provide the recipient with valuable and personalized input from a qualified editor. Please allow up to twelve weeks from the close of the contest to receive your feedback. If your work is chosen for publication, no feedback will be given and your fee will be refunded.

unchartedmag.com/ya-open-contest/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: A SPECIAL ISSUE ON MIGRATION

Michigan Quarterly Review

DEADLINE: October 1, 2024

INFO: MQR is calling for submissions for a special issue on the theme of migration, with particular interest in texts that record, analyze, re-document/re-interpret, and ruminate on the various aspects of displacement and erasure at the convergence of global instabilities caused by war, economic pressures, political instability, racial/ethnic/religious/gender hostility, and/or climate change. 

We are particularly interested in more experimental or innovative writings that subvert and re-contextualize common understanding around themes of documentation, statelessness, migration, and/or asylum/refugee status as it pertains to the lived stories that detail the physical, emotional, and/or psychological consequences of those who are deported, denied: citizenship, permanent resident status, asylum, temporary protected status; and/or those forced to live in severe states of legal uncertainty after arrest such as indefinite detention without recourse for a trial. We are also looking for texts from the lived realities of people (or their descendents) displaced from their native countries such as Palestine, and/or who currently reside in their native country whose borders are the active sites of contestation; this includes indigenous people of the U.S and elsewhere whose land, citizenship, and autonomy has been stolen.  

We welcome texts in all genres (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, art, and researched essays). In addition to original, previously unpublished works in all genres, we also welcome collaborative works, translations, and visual works that can be presented in print or digitally on MQR Online. 

GUEST EDITOR: Marcelo Hernandez Castillo 

GUIDELINES:

• The issue will be published in Spring 2025.

• Maximum length for articles, essays and works of fiction is 7,000 words.

• Poetry submissions must not exceed 10 pages.

• If Submittable is not accessible to you, please email mqr@umich.edu with your concern.

sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/submit/

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Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative Contest

Principal Foundation / Short Édition / The Center for Fiction

DEADLINE: October 2, 2024 by 11:59 pm PDT

ENTRY FEE: $0

INFO: Principal Foundation has launched the second edition of the Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative contest. The national short story contest, hosted in collaboration with Short Édition and The Center for Fiction, aims to destigmatize and encourage conversations about money through the power of storytelling.  

ELIGIBILITY: Adults ages 18 and older in the U.S. can submit short stories now through October 2, 2024.

PRIZE: One winner and up to 20 finalists will be selected by a panel of literary experts including Zakiya Dalila Harris, Casey Parks, Joe Wilkins, and Cecily Wong. The winner will receive $1,000 and each finalist will receive $150. Those stories will also be distributed through unique short story dispensers located in New York, NY; Charlotte, N.C.; Los Angeles, CA; Iowa City, IA; Seattle, WA; and Washington, D.C. 

short-edition.com/en/contest/principal-foundation

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TRANSLATION COLUMN

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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CALL FOR AUTHORS

Vanderbilt University Press

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: Vanderbilt University Press acquires books in the areas of Latin American and Hispanic studies; global and public health; human rights and civil rights; anthropology; history and postwar studies; and studies of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We also publish books with a regional focus on Tennessee and the South, including, for example, books on Nashville and country music.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial inquiries about potential book projects should be queried to the acquisitions department via email. We do not accept full manuscripts until requested. First, ensure that VUP publishes in the disciplinary area that your project represents.

If that is the case, please send a cover letter and book proposal that includes the following:

• A short book abstract

• A brief but detailed statement outlining the manuscript’s arguments, themes, and significance to the field

• A table of contents that clearly summarizes the content and structure of each chapter

• Assessment of the work’s fit with existing literature, comparison with published books on the topic, and discussion of the intended audiences and market for the book

• Statement of the anticipated word count of the manuscript; plans for tables, figures, or other illustrations; and schedule for completion

• Sample chapter (optional)

• Curriculum vitae

• If your manuscript is based on a dissertation, please discuss how the material and research has been developed, reframed, or otherwise revised. VUP does not publish unrevised dissertations.

• If your manuscript is an edited collection, please include information about each of the contributors and note if any of the chapters are previously published.

• If your manuscript is a translation, please describe why the author’s work warrants translation into English, as well as any and all information on rights to the work and the book’s history in its native language.

Keep a file or a copy of your proposal materials. We do not return proposals. Please do not call the Press to inquire about the status of your proposal or manuscript. We review all material received, and you will be contacted when a decision has been made. We aim to communicate whether a proposed project is being pursued further no more than eight weeks after the receipt of the proposal.

For more information about specific series initiatives, visit our Series page.

vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/resources/submission-guidelines-for-prospective-authors/

FICTION / NONFICTION — AUGUST 2024

CREATIVE NONFICTION ESSAY CONTEST

Prairie Schooner

DEADLINE: August 2, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $20, which includes a copy of the Spring 2025 issue of the Schooner, in which the winning essay will appear.

INFO: Our annual summer nonfiction contest seeks all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words.

PRIZE: The winner will receive $1,000 and publication in our Spring 2024 issue.

JUDGE: Safiya Sinclair was born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She is the author of the memoir How to Say Babylon, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, finalist for the Women’s Prize in Non-Fiction and the Kirkus Prize, and longlisted for the OCM Bocas Prize. How to Say Babylon was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of the year, a Washington Post Top 10 Book of 2023, a TIME Magazine Top 10 Nonfiction Book of 2023, one of The Atlantic’s 10 Best Books of 2023, a Read with Jenna/TODAY Show Book Club pick, and one of President Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2023. 

GUIDELINES: 

• Entries will consist of three parts: a cover letter, the essay manuscript, and the entry fee.

• Cover Letter: In the cover letter, include the submission's title and your contact information, including e-mail address, phone number, and mailing address. Your name and contact info must not appear anywhere within the manuscript itself (double-check headers and footers!).

• Essay Manuscript: The contest is open to all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words. We're interested in reading imaginative essays of general interest. (Scholarly articles requiring footnote references should be submitted to journals of literary scholarship.) Manuscripts should be double-spaced and use a standard font, and, again, the submitter's name and contact info should not appear within the manuscript itself.

Multiple submissions are welcome and encouraged, but a separate entry fee must accompany each submission.

This contest is administered anonymously. Editorial Assistants, Assistant Nonfiction Editors, the Guest Judge, and the Editor in Chief of the Schooner are not privy to submitters' identifying information.

If you have a problem with your submission, please write to Managing Editor Siwar Masannat at prairieschooner@unl.edu.

prairieschooner.submittable.com/submit

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2024-2025 ARTS WRITING INCUBATOR

The Black Embodiments Studio

DEADLINE: August 2, 2024

INFO: Participants in the Arts Writing Incubator meet to discuss contemporary black art, sharpen our understanding of the practice of arts writing, and to develop our own publishable arts writing.

This year will feature a single cohort of 5 people who convene October 2024 - May 2025. The cohort will convene virtually every month to discuss assigned arts writing and to workshop writing-in-progress. They are tasked with seeing black art in their own locales on their own time, maintaining a writing practice that engages this art, and will be expected to pitch and ideally publish at least once during their session. Their writing will also be collected in the annual BES journal, A Year in Black Art.

The cohort will also gather for an in-person convening—details TBD—where they will participate in closed-door sessions with invited artists, arts writers, and arts workers.

Cohort members will receive a humble $1,000 for their participation.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

The application consists of a 2-page letter of interest describing your critical practice, how using writing to think through contemporary black art will be generative to your practice, and what you hope to gain through engaging with The Black Embodiments Studio.

We welcome applicants coming to BES with a variety of interests and experiences in arts writing. This year, however, we are emphasizing the formal and conceptual strategies necessary for two often distinct poles of arts writing: short-form arts journalism, where the arts writer often has to churn out short reviews with high frequency, and longer-form catalogue essays, where writers are often given months if not a year plus to write. This emphasis reflects the national and global conversation about the “death'“ of arts journalism (moving apace with fears about the broader death of traditional journalism, particularly print journalism) as well as the distinct forms, stakes, and ethics that comprise fine art publication practices.

Application materials should be sent in PDF format to blackembodiments@gmail.com by August 2, 2024. 5 people will be notified of their acceptance by September 6, 2024 and publicly announced shortly thereafter. Our organizational capacity unfortunately makes it impossible to respond with individual feedback on applications.

BEST PRACTICES:

You do not have to have any experience in the arts or in arts writing to apply! But you should be experienced in self-directed thinking, invested in contributing to conversation, and able to dedicate time for reading arts writing and for seeing art on your own time. You should also have proficiency in reading, thinking about, and discussing race, and doing so from an anti-racist perspective.

Things to think about when writing your application: be specific!

• Nearly every applicant will discuss their commitment to black art(s) and their need or desire to be amongst other critical black arts thinkers. The routes to these commitments, desires, and needs can be very different, however. Your application should show us how specific people, conversations, ideas, works, and/or artists, etc. have helped shape how you have arrived at this opportunity—and what you might make of it.

• You don’t have to have any arts writing experience to participate in the AWI but writing is the tool through which BES operates. It is important to discuss the stakes of (arts) writing for you, your practice, and the contributions you want to make in the (arts) world(s) you are a part of.

• There may be plenty you don’t know and want to learn through participating in the AWI—you might not even know what you don’t know! When describing your goals, needs, and/or desires to use BES and the AWI as a learning space, be clear on any specific tools, methods, strategies, frameworks, etc. that you hope to develop and why.

• The AWI requires participants set their own schedules for experiencing, reflecting on, and writing about black art. Your letter should discuss how you are currently or will be intentionally engaged in cultural practices in your region, and ways that you are or will be intentionally engaged in some sort of reflection on those practices.

blackembodiments.org/apply

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Editor-Writer Mentorship

The Word

DEADLINE: August 4, 2024 at 11:59pm MT

INFO: The Editor-Writer Mentorship pairs upcoming writers from underrepresented groups with experienced book publishing editors!

Our Editor Mentors provide substantive feedback to help raise a strong manuscript to its best position for submission to potential agents and editors. This is an opportunity to learn from the knowledge of experienced acquiring editors. This program is free of cost to ensure wide accessibility, which is made possible due to the generosity of our volunteer editors.

ELIGIBILITY:

Aspiring or upcoming writers from underrepresented groups (see explanation below) with a completed, unpublished manuscript in the above outlined categories may apply. Applicants may apply in only one category.​

HOW TO APPLY:

Step 1: Download the full application instructions.

Remember to follow all formatting requirements when you apply! 

Step 2: Take a look at this example submission attachment to double check yourself.

Step 3: Submit your application via this form.​

MORE ABOUT UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES:

How do we focus our search for underrepresented voices? We promote the inclusive representation of experiences in literature, including a diversity of experiences based on: racial, cultural, ethnic, or religious identity; gender identity; sexual orientation; physical, cognitive, or emotional disability; socioeconomic adversity; and personal experiences of adversity or injustice. 

*We recognize that personal experiences of adversity occur in many forms and we believe that the impact of each must be respected. To guide the use of our resources, we focus on experiences that lack representation in literature, based on our best knowledge and research. ​

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFO:

Mentors and mentees will determine their contact schedules and frequency based on the needs of both parties. All mentors and mentees will be provided guidelines and resources to help promote productive working relationships. The mentorship relationship does not guarantee publication of any completed work and mentors are not expected to provide any referrals to acquiring agents, editors or others. The program’s goal is to support the development of the mentee writer’s work.

Mentors and mentees will have a minimum of two meetings over a 6-9 month mentorship relationship. Feedback may be written or oral, as is determined by each volunteer editor. Additional meetings and feedback will be determined by each mentor/mentee pair, based on the volunteer editor's availability and the needs of the mentee. ​

OUR 2024 EDITOR MENTORS

NAOMI GIBBS
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Pantheon Books
2024 Adult Fiction Mentor

Naomi Gibbs is an Executive Editor at Pantheon Books. Previously, she worked in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade division. She acquires literary and upmarket fiction, both American and international, as well as some select memoir, essays, and narrative nonfiction. Some of her recent and forthcoming titles include the National Book Award finalist Chain-Gang All-Stars and Friday Black by New York Times-bestselling author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, winner of the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree; Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa, finalist for the National Book Award; How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by nationally bestselling author Alexander Chee, winner of the Publishing Triangle Award and Lambda Literary honoree; Thin Skin by Jenn Shapland, finalist for the National Book Award; No Time to Spare by Ursula K. Le Guin, winner of the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay; Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen, one of President Barack Obama’s favorite books of the year; and The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, finalist for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.

CHARLOTTE PETERS
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Dutton
2024 Adult Romance Mentor

Charlotte Peters joined Dutton in May 2022. In fiction, she is interested in commercial, genre, and literary fiction, especially anything in unique, atmospheric settings that involve gothic, fantastical, or magical elements, escapist romance imbued with magic (in the literal and figurative sense!), and immersive, character-driven fantasy and romantasy with a feminist bend and clever takes on unique perspectives and experiences. In nonfiction, Charlotte gravitates towards relatable pop culture-focused works that appeal to enthusiastic fanbases, publicity-driven memoirs, and fun, quirky history. Upcoming titles include Cats of the World by Hannah Shaw and Andrew Marttila and The Knox by Karen Winn.

RACHEL DIEBEL 
EDITOR
Feiwel & Friends (an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
2024 Young Adult Fiction Mentor

Rachel is an editor at Feiwel & Friends (an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group), acquiring middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. Throughout her career, she has worked on multiple New York Times bestsellers, as well as celebrity projects including books by Lili Reinhart, Jimmy Fallon, and Jake Gyllenhaal. She lives in the Seattle area with her partner and one very silly tuxedo cat.

LEYLA ERKAN
ASSISTANT EDITOR
HBG/Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano Books
2024 Middle Grade Mentor

Leyla Erkan is an Assistant Editor at Christy Ottaviano Books. Prior to joining the team full-time at LBYR, Leyla interned with Christy for two seasons while at Macmillan. She has also worked with NYU Press and The Bronx is Reading as a freelance designer, supported COB author Jennifer Bertman with her Book Scavenger website, and interned at Nike in their Global Internal Communications department. Leyla played Division I tennis at Florida State University, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in Creative Writing and Communications/Media Studies.

TJ OHLER​​​
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Zando

2024 Picture Book Mentor
TJ Ohler is an Assistant Editor at Zando, acquiring across age categories for young readers with a focus on YA and YA crossover as well as adult romance, select adult genre fiction, and IP. Prior to joining Zando, they were a literary assistant at Andrea Brown Literary Agency and a bookseller and assistant store manager at the beloved NYC-based children’s bookstore, Books of Wonder.

FAQs

Is this opportunity open to writers whose subject-matter may not directly reflect their personal identity?

We recognize that the perspectives of individuals from marginalized backgrounds will influence their works in a variety of ways. We further recognize that identity is a complex question. We, therefore, do not have any subject-matter limitations for this opportunity. 

I’ve read the explanation of “underrepresented voices” but I’m still not sure if my background fits within the underrepresented category. Should I submit?

Our mentorship is focused on providing support for individuals whose background has proved a challenge to their writing path and entry into the publishing space, as well as focused on stories that are underrepresented among published books. We ask that you consider whether your identity and background have offered challenges on your writing path, and whether you think that your work will contribute to our mission to achieve greater inclusivity among those groups that have been regularly marginalized. If based on those considerations you believe that your work is the right fit for this program, we welcome your submission.  

Is this opportunity open to agented writers or writers who have been previously published?

We don’t require that a writer be unpublished or unagented. Given the high volume of interest and need, we do ask all writers to consider whether you are truly in need of this opportunity. 

The manuscript for which you are seeking feedback must be unpublished. 

What can I expect from my mentor-editor if selected for the program?

This mentorship pairing is for the purpose of providing our Mentee Writers with editorial feedback on one full-length manuscript. Mentees will have at least two touch points for feedback during the mentorship program (approximately 6-9 months in length), and each pair will determine the method of feedback that will be provided (e.g.,: editorial letter, oral feedback, or feedback in multiple rounds).

Can I submit to more than one category? 

Applicants may only submit one manuscript for consideration per application year. Applicants should not submit multiple manuscripts, even if in different categories, or this will result in disqualification. 

What category should I apply for?

 Editor Jessica Anderson generously demystifies the KidLit genres for us. Learn about the differences between Chapter Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult books. Here is the link to the video and skip to the 24-minute mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-_120Rj4k4

 Does my manuscript have to be complete for me to apply? 

Yes, your manuscript must be complete. If you are chosen as a finalist, you will be required to submit your complete manuscript for the Editor-Mentors to evaluate and chose their mentee. This mentorship program is meant for authors who are looking to prepare a manuscript for agent or editor submissions, which requires a completed piece of work. 

Are you accepting graphic novel submissions?

 At this time, we are NOT accepting graphic novel submissions.

 For picture books: What if my manuscript is less than 10 pages? 

 You should submit your entire manuscript in your initial application materials if it is less than 10 pages.

 For picture books: Should my manuscript include directions on page breaks and art direction or art notes? 

 As long as your manuscript does not exceed 10 pages, and meets all other formatting requirements listed in the application instructions, it can be formatted in whatever way you feel best communicates your vision.  

​For my pitch, should I include comp titles? 

 Write your pitch in whatever way you think will best represent your manuscript. What you choose to include is up to you as long as it does not exceed the word limit set in the application instructions. 

 Can non-US citizens or non-US residents (international applicants) apply?

 You are welcome to apply for our mentorship program regardless of your location. Keep in mind that all of our editors are located in the US, and so if you are chosen as a mentee, when it comes to scheduling times to chat, meet, and do critiques, you'll have to be a lot more flexible with their schedules. But if that's not a problem, then please apply!

 Can co-authors submit? 

We unfortunately can only accept submissions for one writer mentee.

thewordfordiversity.org/editor-writer-mentorship

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"MY TIME" FELLOWSHIP

Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

DEADLINE: August 5, 2024 by midnight CST

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is pleased to announce the 2024 "My Time" fellowship funded by James Dean. Writers who are parents of dependent children under the age of 18 are invited to apply. Work may be any literary genre: poetry, fiction, plays, memoirs, screenplays, or nonfiction. The successful application will demonstrate literary merit and the likelihood of publication. Prior publication is not a requirement.

PRIZE: Four fellowship winners will receive a one-week residency to allow the recipient to focus completely on their work. A $500 stipend will be provided to cover childcare and/or travel costs to each recipient.

Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet. We provide uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner prepared five nights a week, and served in our community dining room, the camaraderie of other professional writers when you want it, and a community kitchen stocked with the basics for other meals.

Fellowship applications must be accompanied by a writing sample and a non-refundable $35 application fee. There is a limit of one submission per application. The winner will be announced no later than September 9, 2024.

Residencies may be completed anytime before December 2025.

writerscolony.org/fellowships

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: VOL. 7 (SUMMER/FALL 2024) - THE DRAG ISSUE

Just Femme and Dandy

DEADLINE: August 5, 2024

INFO: We are currently taking submissions for our 7th issue! The theme is DRAG. Our definition of drag is expansive, and we invite you to consider how drag as the performance of gender shows up in your lives. We want to hear about how/when/where gender is performed, the day to day lives behind the makeup, the politics of gender and normativity, different forms of drag, how this all coincides with fashion and dress. While we would love to hear from up and coming drag artists and independent fashion designers, this theme is for everyone, not just drag artists and enthusiasts. If you have something to say about gendered performance, we want to hear it! You are welcome to send us submissions outside of the theme, but submissions that relate to the theme are highly encouraged. We accept anything that can be displayed on a website: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, tutorial, illustration, comix, photography, painting, video, drag, costume/fashion designs, hot takes, interviews, and so on!

COMPENSATION: We pay 50 USD per text-based submission and up to 150 USD (note, this is a change from previous issues) per multimedia submission (video, photography, image + text, fashion spread + interview, etc.), determined by the editor who accepts the piece for publication. We pay using Venmo or PayPal and we are unable to work with any other payment services.

GUIDELINES:

Please only submit ONE submission. Pitches that don’t fall under any specific category (or multiple categories) can be sent to info@justfemmeanddandy.com, but please do take some time to consider which section it most applies.  

Some of our sections have changed! Read below.

We take submissions for consideration in features, manivestoes (queer futures & radical identities), sew what (DIY/shift/makeshift), genderfuckery (isn’t it obvious?), fat + furious (fatshion), life is but a drag (BRAND NEW!), and cancel & gretel (ethics & inclusion). We also take submissions for not what it seams, a column housed within sew what that focuses on costuming.

Please send your submissions to the following emails for each section:

• genderfuckery: genderfuckery@justfemmeanddandy.com

• sew what / not what it seams: sewwhat@justfemmeanddandy.com

• manivestoes: manivestoes@justfemmeanddandy.com

• fat + furious: fatfurious@justfemmeanddandy.com

• cancel & gretel: cancelgretel@justfemmeanddandy.com

• life is but a drag: lifeisbutadrag@justfemmeanddandy.com

We take interviews, artist profiles, complete submissions in any genre that can be housed on a website, as well as pitches and inquiries. Email the specific section you believe your submission fits.

Please include with your submission a short bio of no more than 150 words, your headshot (including image description), any images, video, and/or audio (including alt-text - descriptions of images and video, transcriptions for audio, etc), along with a note of how your submission fits our mission and the particular category you are submitting to for consideration. We have no word count limitations, but we ask you be thoughtful about length as it relates to screen fatigue.

Headshots are not mandatory, so feel free to not include them if you would not like them included, just let us know in your submission.

We do expect you to consider yourself part of the LGBTQIA+ community, but we won’t be policing/asking directly.

We love all your many names and monikers, but please make it explicitly clear which name you would like to be published under.

We do expect all submissions to directly relate to LGBTQIA+ fashion/aesthetics, but our framework for that is flexible. We do not expect nor do we require anyone to be an “expert” on fashion. We see every human as a unique vessel, and we’ve long observed that fashion, aesthetics, and style to be a powerful language and reclamation for the LGBTQIA+ community. One of the reasons we do what we do is to intervene in the elitist, inaccessible, ableist, white supremacist, gatekeeping frameworks that have surrounded mainstream fashion.

ACCESS/DESIGN NOTE: Your submission MUST include descriptions for all visuals, including images, headshots, and audio descriptions/transcripts for video. Please send images separately instead of embedding them in the document, and make clear which description describes which image (by labeling it the same name as the file, etc.). If you’d like images to be placed in a specific location within the text, please make that clear as well. Please do not include more than 10 images for editing concerns and capacity. 

Please ask if you need help/support for resources on how to write alt text, and we’re happy to direct you to resources.

NOTE: Your submission will be considered incomplete until you have submitted all of these materials.

AI NOTE: We will not accept ANY SUBMISSION that uses AI. If your submission is accepted and we discover that it has been created using AI, we will pull your publication/submission and ask for you to repay your honorarium. We have no interest in participating in or contributing to a system that steals from artists.

justfemmeanddandy.com/call-for-submissions

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Walter Grant

We Need Diverse Books

DEADLINE: Extended to August 14, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Walter Dean Myers Grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished. Since 2015, we have awarded over 55 grants, and our grant recipients have now published over 50 books.

For this cycle, they are offering up to 15 Walter Grants.

They accept submissions from diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished, and encourage Black, Native, and Palestinian creators to apply.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Applicants must identify as diverse, as per WNDB’s definition of diversity. 

• Applicants must be unpublished as illustrators and/or authors. This includes both trade publishingand self-publishing. If the applicant has a book deal for an as yet unpublished book, the applicant is considered published for purposes of this grant. Applicants may have published shorter pieces, such as essays, short stories, and articles.

• Applicants who have books on submission to publishing houses are not eligible for the Walter Grant. Books on submission to procure an agent, however, will be considered.

• Applicant must be working toward a career as a children’s author and/or illustrator. This includes but is not limited to: Picture Books, Early Reader Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction, Poetry.

• Applicant cannot be applying for funding to self-publish their project.

• Applicant must be a U.S. resident or a refugee living in the States. (Note for refugee applicants: receiving a grant might affect your income limitations and any government assistance you may receive. You may want to reach out to appropriate officials, like an immigration attorney, for advice.)

• Applicant must be at least 18 years in age.

diversebooks.org/programs/walter-grant/

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The Nightboat Editorial Fellowship

Nightboat Books

DEADLINE: August 15, 2024

INFO: Nightboat staff designed the Editorial Fellowship to explore a new editorial model that incorporates community input and expands access to editorial decision-making to those of diverse circumstances and identities.

Seeking to support the labor of editors of color, we are delighted to open applications for our second Editorial Fellowship. We are looking for an aspiring BIPOC editor to work alongside Nightboat staff to develop a book project of their choosing over the course of two (2) years. Black and Indigenous editors are strongly encouraged to apply. Projects should not be comprised of the applicant’s original work. 

We hope to work collaboratively with this Editorial Fellow to foreground undervalued or little-known forms of experimental writing across a range of communities. As such, we’ll be providing the selected Fellow with the resources and mentorship necessary to acquire, edit, and guide to publication a project specific to their interests. 

 WHAT YOU’LL GET OUT OF THE FELLOWSHIP:

• Familiarity with the full life-cycle of a book and the guidance of Nightboat staff and other project mentors through the 2-year process.

• Experience working collaboratively with an editorial team to research and pursue potential projects and clarify editorial perspectives. 

• Experience with developmental and conceptual editing, line editing, copy editing, permissions, design, cataloging, production, publicity, and marketing.

• A personalized program of meetings with Nightboat staff, external editorial mentors, and workshops based on your needs and interests.

• An in-depth understanding of the publication process that can be applied to future jobs and projects.

• $10,000 (paid in installments—$5,000 per year of the fellowship or according to the fellow’s individual needs) for their work and participation in the program. 

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Someone who is interested in the editorial and book-making process and can commit to a two-year project that will result in a finished book. 

• Experience in editorial work is preferred but not required. Our goal is to increase access to editorial work. Therefore we do not require that you have any formal institutional and/or academic experience. We welcome a variety of editorial experiences and visions.

• Applicants do not need to have a pre-existing editorial project in order to apply, so long as they can demonstrate an editorial perspective and intent. Projects should not be comprised of the applicant’s original work.

• We are open to poetry, prose, nonfiction, archival projects, and what coalesces in the gaps between. We are, as always, excited by the provocative, the strange, the queer, what activates genre, and what’s been elided or excised from the archive. 

• The Fellow must feel confident working independently. Since this is not an hourly position, attention will be paid to setting up an individualized meeting/workshop schedule and supportive project management structure that functions with the Fellow’s unique employment situation in mind. 

• The fellowship involves some administrative work i.e.: sending and responding to emails from collaborators and Nightboat staff, scheduling meetings, updating collaborators on the status of your work, staying organized, and working within deadlines. You will need access to a computer and the internet. Nightboat will share our project management resources, offer examples and templates whenever possible, and work with you to set and manage deadlines. 

• Applicants do not have to be based in NYC but must live in the United States and be able to attend scheduled Zoom meetings and workshops. 

• We approximate that this fellowship will require a commitment of 400 hours at $25/ hour in total, approximately 15 hours/month over the course of 2 years.

Finalists will be chosen through an open application process by a committee of current and former Nightboat editors before meeting with Nightboat staff members for a final interview process this fall. Selections will be made based on the applicant’s ability to provide a unique perspective on experimental literature; to reimagine, expand, or illuminate archival projects; to explore the complex relationships that arise between social, political, and aesthetic concerns; to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of Nightboat’s mission and an interest in expanding it productively. 

The selected Fellow will start work at Nightboat in January 2025. Dates TBA & schedule subject to change.

TO APPLY:

Please provide the following using our online Submittable application.

1. A statement summarizing your editorial interests and previous literary experience (500 words)—what are you reading/listening to/watching right now? What writing, performance, events, and community organizing have you participated in?

2. An example of a project(s) you’d be interested in bringing to Nightboat. This can be purely speculative (200 words)—is there a writer whose work you think deserves collecting? What kinds of aesthetic forms are you invested in? Are there communities outside of experimental writing you’d like to collaborate with and engage? Please note, if you are awarded the Editorial Fellowship, you will not be required to pursue this particular project.

3. A current CV.

ELIGIBILITY - APPLICANTS MUST:

• Identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color. We will not make judgments in relation to the boundaries of that category; we trust that those who apply will do so in good faith.

• Be able to commit to the two-year fellowship position.

• The applicant must live in the United States and be authorized to work within the U.S. This includes: U.S. Permanent Residents, DACA recipients, and U.S. Citizens.

nightboat.org/editorial-fellowship/

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2024 1/2K Prize

Indiana Review

DEADLINE: August 15, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

INFO: Send us one to three pieces of 500 words (or fewer!) each, for a chance at $1000 + publication. Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are all welcome, as long as each individual piece is 500 words or fewer. Each paid submission also gets you a year-long subscription to Indiana Review. Please note the following:

• Previously published works and works forthcoming elsewhere cannot be considered. 

• Multiple and simultaneous submissions are permitted; however, each submission requires a separate reading fee. Please withdraw your piece immediately if it is accepted elsewhere. If you need to withdraw one piece from a packet with multiple, please leave a note on your submission.

• Do not include your name on or in your submission file.

• IR cannot consider work from anyone currently or recently affiliated with Indiana University or the prize judge(s). This includes people who have studied or taught at Indiana University in the past four years.

• All entries will be considered for regular publication in Indiana Review.

This year's prize will be judged by K. Iver, author of Short Film Starring My Beloved's Red Bronco.

indianareview.submittable.com/submit

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call for submissions: fiction

khōréō

DEADLINE: August 15, 2024

INFO: khōréō is dedicated to diversity and amplifying the voices of immigrant and diaspora authors and artists. We welcome, but do not require, a brief description of the author’s identity in their cover letter.

We invite you to submit if you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora in the broadest definitions of the terms. This includes, but is not limited to, first- and second-generation immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, persons who identify with one or more diaspora communities, persons who have been displaced or whose heritage has been erased due to colonialism/imperialism, transnational/transracial adoptees, and anyone whose heritage and history includes ‘here and elsewhere’. We especially encourage BIPOC creators who identify as the above to submit their work. 

When reading submissions, we take in good faith that you identify as an immigrant or member of a diaspora as described above. If you still aren’t sure if you should submit, please email contact@khoreomag.com.

We kindly request individuals who do not identify as such to support the magazine by reading our stories, subscribing, and helping spread the word instead. 

WHAT WE WANT:

We are looking for short speculative fiction under 5,000 words. Because we are a young journal, we have a stricter budget and therefore prefer stories under 3,500 words.

As a new magazine, we’re still finding our identity: therefore, please don’t self-reject because you’re not sure if your work is a good fit. We won’t know until we see it, so please give us a chance to look!

Please submit stories through our Moksha system. Please submit based on length — stories ≤1,500 words should go into our flash queue, while stories 1,501-5,000 words should go into the short story queue. Writers may submit one story each to the Flash and Short Story queues every submission period.

Please format your story using the Shunn modern manuscript format (details at this link: https://www.shunn.net/format/story/). Writers may omit their mailing address for submission, but accepted stories will require a mailing address for our contracts. 

WHAT WE OFFER: Payment at SFWA pro rates ($0.10/word). 

WHAT WE DON’T WANT: Please do not send us stories with gratuitous gore or violence; fridging (where a character dies or undergoes pain in service of the protagonist’s story or to serve as character development); overwhelming racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. elements that are not subverted or challenged; clichés; “it was all a dream” endings; stories where a person from a non-marginalized group experiences life as someone from a marginalized background. 

We are currently not accepting novelettes or novellas, but hope to expand in the future. We may also consider serialized stories one day. 

We do not accept multiple submissions within one category, unsolicited resubmissions, reprints, or AI-generated submissions.

Please do not withdraw and resubmit the same story in one submission window; stories that are caught doing this will be rejected. 

Stories over 5,000 words will be rejected without being read. Please don’t try to “trick” us. 

ADDITIONAL INFO: The remainder of the information may be helpful for those who want more details on our submission process, how to write a cover letter, and more information on content warnings.

SUBMISSION PROCESS:

1. First round of reading

A First Reader will read the piece in its entirety, then provide a rating out of 10 and an initial recommendation of the story’s potential to the editors.

2. Second round of reading

An editor will review each story, taking into account the reader’s feedback, before finalizing their decision (reject or hold for discussion). The writer will receive a notification at this point once the editor’s decision is made. 

This will usually be one of the following:

• Rejection

• Rejection with an expression of interest in the work/request to submit again in the future

• Notice that we’re holding the submission for further consideration

• Notice that there’s a technical problem with the submission

• Query about you and/or the submission because we need additional context

We endeavor to respond to all submissions within two weeks of each submission period closing. 

3. Third round of reading

Stories that are held for further discussion will be shared with the entire editorial team. All editors will read and review the stories in this longlist, and then discuss and make a decision on each piece. 

The writer will then receive a notification from us, usually one of the following:

• Rejection with an expression of interest in the work/request to submit again in the future

• Request to revise & resubmit (usually with substantial feedback offered in the letter or in conversation)

• Provisional acceptance requesting specific edits and/or additions

• Acceptance, possibly with some suggestions for edits

4. Final decisions and publication process

Once the writer has formally accepted our offer of publication, we provide a contract and an overview of the publication process. 

This will include:

• A short editorial process to clarify any outstanding issues

• Author approval of copy edits

• Author communications with the audio department on casting and audio preferences

• Author communications with the editor and art director on spot art

All stories go through these steps and no changes are made without the author’s input and approval.

5. Notes

We usually receive ~400 stories per submission period, and about ~80 stories make it to the longlist. As we only publish ~5 stories per issue, there are often many stories we love that we have to pass on, but we will always want to see more work from you in the future!

If you made a truly horrific mistake (like, you submitted the wrong file), reach out to eic@khoreomag.com when you make the discovery and we’ll figure out if there’s a way to make things right.

A typo does not count as a horrific mistake; we haven’t rejected a single story because of a typo. Realizing you could have rewritten a few sentences or added/killed a paragraph does not count as a horrific mistake either, and stories that are accepted go through a revision process; however, please make sure your story is ready and final before submitting it.

khoreomag.com/submissions-fiction/

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Call for Manuscript Submissions 

Ricochet Editions

DEADLINE: August 15, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $15 (Free submissions are available for self-identifying POC and Indigenous writers and writers facing financial hardship)

INFO: Ricochet Editions invites manuscript submissions that are unpredictable. We are looking for purposeful experimentation with language and form that challenges or plays with convention—whether textual or visual, contemporary or historical, personal or cultural. Send us your texts that merge genres and languages, that draw on found forms, that are collaboratively or collectively authored, that collage, fragment, and blend mediums to expand the limits of the book form. 

Ricochet Editions is committed to publishing and promoting innovative, risk-taking work. Since 2012, we have published genre-blurring, hybrid, and unconventional manuscripts, ranging from chapbooks to full-lengths. We publish writers at any stage of their career​​—established and emerging authors alike. We welcome work from underrepresented voices, including BIPOC writers, LGBTQIA+ writers, writers from non-academic backgrounds, and writers with disabilities.  

Writers are encouraged to read our previously published books to get a sense of Ricochet’s aesthetics: Sympathetic Little Monster by Cameron Awkward-Rich, The Hatchet and the Hammer by Caitlin Scarano, People I’ve Met From the Internet by Stephen van Dyck, of being neighbors by Daniel Biegelson, As I Said: A Dissent by Abby Minor, ryman by Christian Schlegel, and Temporal Anomalies by Matt Broaddus. All titles are available for purchase at the Ricochet Catalog page.

GUIDELINES: Your manuscript should be between 40 and 200 pages, although we’re open to exceptional work outside these limits.  

If your manuscript is selected for publication, you will receive $1,000 and 50 copies of the perfect-bound book with ISBN. The staff will also send out copies to venues for reviews and (if applicable) awards.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

• Multiple submissions are acceptable, as long as they are submitted separately with separate entry fees.

• Simultaneous submissions are fine, but please be sure to withdraw your submission via Submittable if your work is accepted elsewhere.

• Please update any changes in contact information via your profile on Submittable.

• No revisions to submitted manuscripts will be considered. Authors whose manuscripts are accepted will have the opportunity to make revisions prior to publication.

• Current students of English or Creative Writing at the University of Southern California and recent alumni (graduating years 2018 to present) are not eligible to submit. Please direct any further questions to editors(at)ricocheteditions(dot)com.

goldlinepress.submittable.com/submit

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FALL ‘24 GUEST RESIDENCY

Woodward Residency

DEADLINE: August 16, 2024

INFO: Applications are now open for the Fall '24 Guest Residency in Ridgewood, Queens. This year we're offering two longer residencies (instead of our usual 3).

Established/emerging creatives in the fields of literary arts, design, film, and multi-disciplinary arts are all encouraged to apply. We also have two pianos in the space for musicians and composers.

FALL DATES: Sept 16, 2024 — Jan 31, 2025

ELIGIBILITY: Established/emerging artists and creative professionals in the fields of literary arts, design, music, and multi-disciplinary arts are encouraged to apply.

Please note that art forms that generate fumes (such as oil painting) cannot be accommodated. Also, with the exception of our piano residents who can use headphones, our space is best suited to less cacophonous artistic pursuits.

AWARD BENEFITS:

• Access to the building from 9AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday for the duration of your Guest Residency.

• Guest Residents will work in the communal Great Room, with library etiquette.

• Open invite to weekly tea and cake gatherings, and occasional work shares and evening parties.

• A supportive and engaged community of working creatives.

woodwardresidency.co

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Individual Artist Residencies: November & December 2024

Trillium Arts

DEADLINE: August 16, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Trillium Arts residencies offer secluded space for rejuvenation and creating in a beautiful, remote setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our location is ideal for an individual artist to complete an existing work, or develop and incubate new material. Our current facilities are best suited to the disciplines of literary arts, photography, visual arts and arts administration.

Individual artists who do not require a rehearsal studio (such as writers and photographers) are encouraged to apply for a one week residency. Performing artists (such as choreographers and theater artists) are also welcome to apply, with the understanding that studio space is not available during the colder months. 

There is ample land and outdoor space available for ideation and research. We are currently unable to accommodate groups or collaboratives on the Trillium property. Individual artist residencies are on a solo adventure during their time here and your residency will not overlap with other awarded artists. If an artist would like to bring collaborators, there are a variety of AirBnB’s available for rent in the immediate area. A list of recommended AirBnB’s is available upon request.

DATES: Applications are currently being accepted for residencies one week in length during November & December 2024. Specific date ranges are listed in the application form.

2024 RESDENCIES INCLUDE:

• Private accommodations in a freshly renovated one-bedroom, ground floor suite. (Phil and Heather live upstairs but resident artists have a private entrance).

• Welcome dinner

• Shared use of the grounds, including firepit, hot tub, walking paths and waterfall area

• Use of onsite creative spaces that include a contemplation gazebo and a 380 square foot open air, covered workspace. Learn more about creative spaces HERE

• Basic kitchen supplies and all household goods (towels, linens, paper products, etc.)

• Access to high speed fiber optic internet

• Laundry facilities

• Mentorship services (optional for an additional fee)

All 2024 residencies are modestly priced and one week in length. 

Artist arrival is on Saturdays with a check-in at 3:00pm or after. Welcome dinners are hosted on Sunday evening. The residency week ends with an optional Friday evening work-share. Check out is on Saturday mornings by 10am.

RATES FOR RESIDENCIES:

• Independent Artist: $600 for the week

• Mentorship: $750 for the week

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: Upon acceptance of a 2024 Residency, a 50% deposit will be due. This deposit is non-refundable, with the exception of unforeseeable circumstances due to the COVID-19 virus. Full payment of the Balance is due upon arrival. Additional payment instructions will be included along with Residency acceptance materials.

FINANCIAL AID: Trillium Arts offers a limited number of work scholarships. The scholarship is an exchange of eight hours of work during the residency week for a 50% discount off the residency fee. The work is directly related to the success of the Trillium Arts, such as community engagement, office work, facilities maintenance and improvement, gardening, internet communication. More info available in the application.

trilliumartsnc.org/artist-residencies

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Small Press Incubator Program

Center for Book Arts

DEADLINE: August 18, 2024

INFO: We are thrilled to announce the open call for our Small Press Incubator Program, an opportunity for BIPOC writers and poets to explore book-making and publishing. This 8-week program, running from October 21, 2024, to December 12, 2024, offers studio access, a $2,000 stipend, a $1,000 materials budget, and 30 hours of workshops on Design, Riso Printing, and Bookbinding. Participants will also receive personalized mentorship from industry professionals and have the chance to present their publishing projects at a final public program.

Designed specifically for BIPOC writers, artists, and poets, this program fosters a supportive and inclusive environment. We aim to empower participants to turn their publishing ideas into reality, providing the skills, context, and community needed to start a small press.

The application period is open from June 26, 2024, to August 18, 2024, with an information session on August 2, 2024, from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM ET. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by September 20, 2024. Apply now via centerforbookarts.org!

WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?

• This program is meant for BIPOC writers/poets interested in learning what it takes to create a long-term small publishing press.

• This program is for those who have a project connected to their community.

• This program is not meant for established publishing presses and is instead geared to those in the beginning stages of their small press activity.

• This program is meant for individuals only. Any collectives/groups would need to have a single representative for the program. 

• This program is meant for anyone who is 18 and older. 

• This program is for those who would be able to attend the Small Press Incubator program full-time in-person for eight weeks at Center for Book Arts. Please see dates below.

TIMELINE:

• Open Call: 06/24/2024 - 08/18/2024

• Information session: August 2nd, 2024, from 12:30PM to 1:00PM ET

• Notified of acceptance: 9/20/2024

• Start date of the Program: 10/21/2024

• Final Presentation: 12/13/2024

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply for the Small Press Incubator Program, please submit the following materials:

• A brief statement of interest outlining why you are interested in participating in the program and what you hope to gain from it.

• Do you identify as a (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) BIPOC person? A participant’s self-declared identity at registration will be accepted at face value and there shall be no basis for, or tolerance of, a challenge to a participant’s self-declared identity.

• A brief bio or resume highlighting your background and connection to publishing

• Describe the small press that you would like to create. Please bear in mind the following; the feasibility of the project, the audience for this project, and the impact it would have in your community.

• What do you hope the life-span of this publishing project would be?

• Submit three publication ideas that you would potentially publish with your small press.

• Name three publishers that you admire and explain why.

• Would you be available to participate full-time in this eight-week in-person Small Press Incubator program from 10/21/24 - 12/13/24 at Center for Book Arts in New York?

centerforbookarts.submittable.com/submit/299342/small-press-incubator

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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: Afro-Latin@* Reader: Vol 2

Editors: Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vásquez, Paul Joseph López Oro, and Omaris Z. Zamora 

DEADLINE: August 18, 2024

INFO: In July 2010, the watershed publication of The Afro-Latin@ Reader: History and Culture in the United States edited by the late Miriam Jiménez Román and Juan Flores blazed a trail for the emerging field of Afro-Latinx* Studies. The reader continues to be a foundational and transformative text and in honor of the scholarly activist legacy of Miriam and Juan, we are announcing the development of The Afro-Latin@* Reader: Volume 2. We are using Afro-Latin@* with an asterisk as a way to respect the original title while making space for multiple identity pathways within Black Latinidad and to disrupt the normative gender politics embedded in the Spanish language. The asterisk, a mathematical symbol, represents multiplication, and underscores for the editors, a multiplicity of ways to engage, identify, or disidentify with the markers of Afro-Latinidad.

In this second volume, we envision expanding the discourses and provocations posed by the first volume and seek to cultivate and unearth new terrains of knowledge production by and for Black Latinx peoples in the United States, whose histories, politics, and cultures remain understudied and undertheorized. This volume highlights the directions in which Afro-Latinx Studies as a field has developed and made major contributions to Black and Latinx Studies, among other fields. This volume focuses on contemporary concerns and developments in Afro-Latinx* Studies that center Blackness and Indigeneity, gender, sexuality, queerness, history, community, spirituality, cultural productions, and politics through transdisciplinary dialogues. 

This volume centers the embodied knowledges, cultural productions, and epistemologies rooted in the memories and racialized gendered experiences of Afro-Latinx*s in the US. We seek to engage the politics and genre of testimonios, considering what Nancy Lopez calls “street race,” while expanding Flores’ notion of triple consciousness and Afro-Latinx identity. We open the volume with a meditation on the geographies and cartographies of Afro-Latinidad from slavery and cimarronaje to transnational migration and diasporas. We emphasize hemispheric approaches to Blackness and the role of the U.S. Census in shaping the language of identity formation. In this intellectual and communal gathering of scholars, activists, educators, and artists, the volume crafts directions, pathways, and futurities of Afro-Latinx studies, culture, and life. The collective exercise of this project is rooted in responsive community care, faithful witnessing, and fluidity that continues to center the African Diaspora in the Americas and Black life. 

Volume two will be edited by Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vasquez, Paul Joseph López Oro, and Omaris Z. Zamora, and is envisioned as also having a wide array of voices, a chorus, that represent disciplinary, creative, and activist scholars. Through this choral approach, we have invited a team of collaborating section editors, themselves leaders in the fields of thought and practice, to help curate each section of the volume.  Section editors include: Zaire Dinzey-Flores, Jessica Marie Johnson, Kaysha Corinealdi, Janel Martinez, Mary Peña, Alan Pelaez López, Petra R. Rivera-Rideau, Ashley Coleman Taylor, Guesnerth Josue Perea, and The Afro-Latin@ Forum. 

We invite researchers, educators, artists, activists, writers, and independent scholars, among others, to submit:

1. A 300-500 word abstract of a proposed critical, research, or personal essay (if critical or research please include a short bibliography of 5-10 selected sources)

 OR 

1. A compilation of 1-3 creative works (poetry, short story, visual works; accompanied by a short contextual introduction), for consideration for publication in this volume. 

The proposed work should fall within one of the following featured sections of the book, but may certainly go beyond these bounds: 

1. Early Black Américas: Slavery, Cimarronaje, Collective Beginnings 

2. Hemispheric Blackness: Contemporary Entangled Geographies 

3. Self-Making Politics: Race, Ethnicity, and the U.S. Census

4. Embodied Archives: Storytelling, Memoirs, Testimonios 

5. Poetics & Literary Landscapes

6. Spiritualities, Syncretisms, and Ritual Practice 

7. Arts, Culture, Performance & Curation 

8. Music & Sonic Technologies

9. Feminisms, Gender & Queerness

10. Digital Worlds of Afro-Latinidades

GUIDELINES:

• Please submit your abstract (including short bibliography for essays or contextual introduction for creative work) accompanied by your CV to the link below. 

• Final contributions should be 3-5k words for critical/research essays; 2-3k words for creative works; up to two poems; OR up to 2-3 visual works.  

• Initial decisions will be announced by September 15, 2024. Submission of the first draft of contributions will be November 15, 2024. 

• Questions can be directed to editorial manager Francheska Pierce: AfroLatinxReader[at]gmail.com Please allow up to two working days for response. 

yomairafigueroa.com/afrolatinx-reader-vol-2

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call for manuscripts

Feminist Press

DEADLINE: August 20, 2024

INFO: Feminist Press is now accepting full-length book manuscripts, including literary fiction, activist nonfiction, hybrid memoirs, and anthologies.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Your submission must be one PDF that includes:

• A synopsis of your work, including a brief explanation of why it is a good fit for Feminist Press

• A short author bio, including anything you’ve published before and where we might find you on social media (if applicable)

• A brief marketing plan that outlines the following: your network, your promotional experience and capacity, and your ideas for positioning your work

• At least three sample chapters (or 50 pages) of your work

feministpress.org/submissions

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Call for submissions: ‘Al Ritmo del Dominicano: Una Antología de Ficción’ ANTHOLOGY

The Dominican Writers Association / La Editorial Nacional

DEADLINE: August 24, 2024

INFO: The Dominican Writers Association (DWA) and La Editorial Nacional are thrilled to announce our upcoming anthology titled "Al Ritmo del Dominicano: Una Antología de Ficción," which will be published for sale and distribution during the Feria Internacional del Libro, taking place this year in Santo Domingo.

La Editorial Nacional, renowned for its commitment to promoting Dominican literature, will publish this anthology, which aims to capture the vibrant and diverse experiences of the Dominican community in the United States through a collection of fictional narratives. We are particularly interested in showcasing previously published works that reflect the life, dreams, and challenges of Dominicans in the U.S.

We would be honored if you would consider submitting one of your previously published fiction works for inclusion in this anthology. This project holds significant importance as it will highlight the creative talents of our community and amplify Dominican voices during one of the most prestigious book fairs. Additionally, it reinforces our collaboration with La Editorial Nacional, ensuring broader recognition and distribution of our work.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Theme: Fictional stories that explore the Dominican experience in the United States.

• Topics of Interest:

  • Mystery and Suspense

  • Romance and Relationships

  • Adventure and Discovery

  • Magic and Magical Realism

  • Historical Fiction

  • Futurism and Science Fiction

• Language: Submissions in English are welcome and will be translated into Spanish. Spanish fictional works that have only been published in the U.S. will also be accepted. Works already published in the Dominican Republic will not be accepted.

• Length: Between 2,000 and 5,000 words.

• Rights: Authors must hold the reprint rights to their work.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Format: Please submit your manuscript in Word format (.doc or .docx), using Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced.

• Author Information: Include a brief biography (maximum 150 words) and your contact details (full name, email address, and phone number).

SPECIAL EDITION DETAILS: Selected works will be published under the seal of La Editorial Nacional. Authors will be required to sign a release form granting us the right to publish and distribute their work. This anthology will be a special and limited edition, available exclusively in the Dominican Republic. Selected authors will receive 1-2 copies of the published anthology. We are requesting previously published works to mitigate the editorial and correction process, given that the anthology needs to be ready for printing in September.

Please send your submissions to info@dominicanwriters.com. Selected authors will be notified via email and will receive a copy of the published anthology.

We are excited about the possibility of including your work in this important project and look forward to your submission. This anthology will showcase our community's literary talent and provide an opportunity for your work to be highlighted during the Feria Internacional del Libro in Santo Domingo.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9Ov8SdP-hbeImnGGgJoATU_5mkYDcHfV0OJRCszj8YI_jIg/viewform

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call for submissions: British Latinx special issue

Wasafiri

DEADLINE: August 25, 2024 by 11.59pm

INFO: Wasafari is seeking submissions for a British Latinx special issue of Wasafiri, to be guest co-edited by Leonardo Boix and Karina Lickorish Quinn, and published in winter 2025.

We are looking for:

• Unpublished short fiction or life writing (3,000-5,000 words)

• Poetry (up to 2 poems per submission)

We especially welcome submissions from unpublished writers, UK-based BIPOC and LGBTQ+ writers with heritage from Abya Yala, or the region known as Latin America, and writers who identify as Latinx in the UK.

We are especially interested in writing that embraces and incorporates the Indigenous languages of Abya Yala.

Submissions of poems may be written in any of the languages of Latin America/Abya Yala. Poems not written in English or Spanish need to be accompanied by a translation into English.

Send your submissions along with a 100 word bio to britishlatinxsubs@gmail.com

instagram.com/p/C9KJv3JojFe/?igsh=Z2V2anF0bWQ2M3Iw

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2024 – 2025 Jennifer Weiner Fellowship

Blue Stoop

DEADLINE: August 26, 2024

INFO: Introducing the 2024 – 2025 Jennifer Weiner Fellowship, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to nurturing and empowering woman-identified emerging prose writers in the United States. Established through the generous support of acclaimed author Jennifer Weiner, in partnership with Blue Stoop, this fellowship aims to elevate voices that often go unheard in the literary world.

THE FELLOWSHIP:

The fellowship will take place from early November to mid-December, 2024. During this period, fellows will receive:

• An unrestricted $5000 stipend, paid in 2 installments over the course of the fellowship. These funds can be used to cover living expenses, child care, travel, educational or professional opportunities, or anything that supports writing, ideation, or creative exploration.

• One-on-one mentorship from Jennifer Weiner.

• Access to a catalog of Blue Stoop resources, including classes and workshops.

• The support of a writing cohort, the Blue Stoop community, and our partners.

• Career-building and publication opportunities.

After the fellowship concludes, fellows are encouraged to continue engaging with the Blue Stoop community through resources, classes, and events. We look forward to supporting your future writing endeavors!

ELIGIBILITY:

Selected fellows will be:

• Woman-identified.*

• 18 years of age or older.

• Currently living in the United States.**

• Passionate about writing prose (fiction and/or nonfiction).

• Emerging writers.***

• Willing to participate in the Blue Stoop community as a member of a supportive cohort, as a mentee of Jennifer Weiner, and as a student continually working to develop craft and professional skills.

*For the purposes of this fellowship, the term “woman” explicitly includes transgender women, cisgender women, and nonbinary people who feel connected to the identity of “woman.”

**Fellows are not required to live in or travel to Philadelphia. All fellowship activities will be accessible remotely, with optional in-person opportunities.

***We define emerging writers as those without a Master’s or Doctoral Degree in creative writing, and have not published (or signed a contract to publish) a full length book of prose with a major publisher, university press, or other established press. Please read the application for additional clarification.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, fill out the online application form. Applications will not be accepted via email.

You will need the following materials to apply. Please read the full application for details on word count, etc:

• A short author bio.

• An artist’s statement.

• A reflection on how your gender identity has shaped your writing style/career/practice.

• A statement on how the fellowship would impact you.

• A writing sample (3-5 pages of prose).

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of Blue Stoop staff and board members, with final selections made by Jennifer Weiner.

Finalists and winners will be notified by October 21, 2024.

bluestoop.org/jennifer-weiner-fellowship

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call for submissions

PREE

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024

INFO: PREE, an online magazine for new contemporary writing from and about the Caribbean, is accepting submissions for its next issue; PREE 13.

There’s no theme for this issue so show the best of the places your writing will take you. Send your best Essays, Memoir, Criticism, Fiction, Poetry, and Art.

Email your submissions to preelieditors@gmail.com

preelit.com/contact/

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Willapa Bay AiR residency

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: Willapa Bay AiR, situated on 20 acres in coastal southwest Washington state, launched its residency program in March 2014. The Residency has been specifically designed, from the site selection to the architecturally specific building concepts, layouts, and materials, to combine the opportunity for solitude with the opportunity for daily community that fosters creative endeavor.

We offer month-long, self-directed residencies to emerging and established artists, filmmakers, writers, playwrights, scholars, singer/songwriters, and musical composers. The Residency provides lodging, meals, and work space, at no cost, to six residents each month from April 1 through October 28 of the year. Applications are evaluated by selection committees comprised of working artists and professionals in the applicants' respective fields of discipline.

SELECTION PROCESS: Applications are evaluated by selection committees comprised of working artists and professionals in the applicants' respective fields of discipline. Invitation to a Willapa Bay AiR residency is based on the merit of past work and the potential for creative evolution through the exploration and experimentation offered in the residency environment.

willapabayair.org/apply

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call for creative nonfiction, poetry + cover art

Yellow Arrow Journal

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024

INFO: Yellow Arrow Publishing is excited to announce that submissions for our next issue of Yellow Arrow Journal, Vol. IX, No. 2 (fall 2024) is open August 1-31, exploring the concept griefulness, an intertwining of grief and gratitude. Guest editor, Tramaine Suubi contemplated about the term and how “it feels deeply resonant for our current times. My life, my very body, feels full of grief. As I tried to find home on 15 wildly different streets, in five cities, across four nations, on three continents, my body certainly kept the score. . . . In my present season of life, I am reclaiming darkness and blackness as spaces of goodness—as spaces of rest, reflection, and revival. . . . Grief and gratitude are often intertwined in my findings.”

This issue’s theme is kitalo

: an empathetic Luganda term of solidarity offered when someone experiences a spectrum of loss

: directly translates to “this/that is tragic” but is far richer than that

Our hope is that this issue gives women-identifying creatives a place where they can meditate on communal grief and communal gratitude. Here are some guiding questions about the theme:

1) In the midst of grief, how have others cared for you, how do you care for others, and how do you care for yourself? What are the most striking or profound examples you have experienced or witnessed?

2) If your grief were to take the form of an animal (remember, humans are animals, too), which animal (fictional, nonfictional, or extinct) would it be and how would this animal behave? Be as specific as possible. Feel free to defy logic and science; grief often can.

3) Have you ever immigrated to or emigrated from a different nation than your current nation of residence? What potential life paths and livelihoods did you leave behind as a result? Which ones do you still yearn for and why, if any?

4) Have you ever experienced a platonic break-up (real or imaginary friend)? If so, how do you specifically navigate or ignore the gaps left by lost friendship?

5) Who (fictional or nonfictional) is no longer present in your life, whom you would like to offer your deepest gratitude to?

Yellow Arrow Journal is looking for creative nonfiction, poetry, and cover art submissions by writers/artists who identify as women, on the theme of kitalo. Submissions can be in any language as long as an English translation accompanies it. For more information regarding journal submission guidelines, please visit yellowarrowpublishing.com/submissions. Please read our guidelines carefully before submitting. To learn more about our editorial views and how important your voice is in your story, read about the journal. This issue will be released in November 2024.

Kitalo’s guest editor, Tramaine Suubi (she/they) is a multilingual writer who was born in Kampala. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Their forthcoming debut is a full-length poetry collection titled phases, which will be published in January 2025. Their forthcoming second book is also a full-length poetry collection titled stages, which will be published in January 2026. Both books will be published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins. Tramaine was one of our 2023 writers in residence and their poem "begin again" was included in Yellow Arrow Journal ELEVATE (IX/01). We appreciate all that she has done for Yellow Arrow and are excited to welcome Tramaine on this new venture.

yellowarrowpublishing.com/news/yaj-ix-02-submissions-open-kitalo

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THE PUBLISHING LABORATORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS

University of New Orleans Press

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $28

INFO: We are looking for the best unpublished novel or short story collection. The Publishing Laboratory at the University of New Orleans seeks to bring innovative publicity and broad distribution to authors. We collect submissions from March 1 to August 31, deciding on 15-20 finalists. The finalists are read by students from The Publishing Laboratory in the fall, and one is chosen for publication.

The selected author will receive a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) advance on royalties and a contract to publish with the University of New Orleans Press. The work does not have to be regionally focused. There is no word limit. There is no restriction on subjects covered. The contest is open to all authors from around the world, regardless of publishing history.  Works of fiction (novels and short story collections) only. 

The University of New Orleans Press is based at the University of New Orleans and distributed by Hopkins Fulfillment Services. Abram Shalom Himelstein is the editor-in-chief.

uno.edu/unopress/lab 

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2024 Gulf Coast Prize in Translation

Gulf Coast

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $20 (includes a yearlong subscription to Gulf Coast (2 issues)

INFO: A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gulf Coast will be given annually for a work of translation into English. Honorable mentions will each receive $250. All entries will be considered for publication in print or online. This year's final judge is Kristin Dykstra.

GUIDELINES:

• Submit up to 10 pages of poetry translated into English and a copy of the original text. Excerpts from longer works are welcome.  

• Only previously unpublished work will be considered. The contest will be judged blindly so your personal information should not appear in the uploaded document.   *In your submission, please provide one of the following: 

  • A note (from the translator) in the Comments section of our Online Submission Manager stating that permissions are granted.

  • From the copyright holder (in the event the piece makes it to the final judging round): Written permission granting you right to translate the work in your contest submission. Permission should name the work being translated, date consent was given, and identify the copyright holder.

gulfcoastajournalofliteratureandfinearts.submittable.com/
 

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2024 Barthelme Prize in Short Prose

Gulf Coast

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $20 (includes a yearlong subscription to Gulf Coast)

INFO: A prize of $1,000 and publication in Gulf Coast is given annually for a piece of short prose or prose poetry. Two honorable mentions will each receive $250. All entries will be considered for publication. This year's final judge is Lucy Ives.

GUIDELINES:

• Submit a prose poem, a piece of flash fiction, or a micro-essay of up to 500 words. Each entry can include up to three pieces. The fee for each entry is $20, which includes a yearlong subscription to Gulf Coast.

• Only previously unpublished work will be considered. The contest will be judged blindly, so please do not include your cover letter, your name, or any contact information in the uploaded document.

gulfcoastajournalofliteratureandfinearts.submittable.com/
 

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STORYKNIFE WRITERS RETREAT

Storyknife

DEADLINE: August 31, 2024 by midnight

APPLICATION FEE: $40.00 

INFO: Women’s stories are vital and important. Currently, those stories whether expressed in poems, plays, novels, essays, or memoirs are not published, reviewed, or promoted as often as the work of men. Storyknife provides women with the time and space to explore their craft without distraction. Every aspect of a residency at Storyknife is steeped in a profound generosity of spirit so that each writer knows she and her work are valuable. Storyknife residents carry away both this affirmation and a living community of women writers to assist their valuable work wherever they go.

Residencies at Storyknife in Homer, Alaska, are either for two or four weeks. Resident’s food and lodging is covered during the period of their residency, but travel to and from Homer, Alaska, is the responsibility of the resident. Residents stay in individual cabins & dine at the main house. An on-staff chef is responsible for food preparation.

Four week residencies begin on the 1st of each month and end on the 28th. Two week residencies begin on the 1st of each month and end on the 14th OR begin on the 15th and end on the 28th. Residencies are available April through October.

Applications for 2025 season is currently open and will close on August 31, 2024 at midnight. Please make sure that you subscribe to our newsletter below or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must:

• Be woman-identified

• Be 21 years of age or older

• Apply as an individual artist, not a collaborative group or team

• Writers who have been in residency for a minimum of two-weeks at Storyknife must wait five years before they can re-apply for another residency.

• Please note that for the 2025 residency season, the Board of Directors of Storyknife strongly requests that all residents must be vaccinated and appropriately boosted against COVID-19.

You will provide a work sample and answer four questions (each answer 300 words or fewer).

• How have you sought to educate yourself as a writer? (Formal education not a prerequisite, but evidence of curiosity and learning in your applicable genre is.)

• What is your experience with publishing your work? (Publishing is not a prerequisite but is considered a goal for writers who attend Storyknife.)

• What project will you pursue while in residency? (Please note that you will be free to work on whatever writing you wish during residency. We simply are interested in what you think you’ll be pursuing.)

• Why would a writing residency benefit you at this time especially?

WRITING SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS:

• Writing samples should reflect work completed within the last two years. All writing samples must be uploaded through Submittable. Written work samples will be uploaded directly within the application.

• Applicants can submit published or unpublished writing samples.

• All writing samples must be combined into one PDF file.

• A writing sample not to exceed 10 pages (prose: double-spaced 12 point font, poetry: single-spaced 12 point font acceptable). Prose includes screenplays and stage plays which also must conform to the 10 page limit.

• This is an anonymous jurying process. Any writing samples with identifying material will be disqualified (including in the file name). Do not include your full name, last name, address, or publication credits in your writing sample (including the file name). This only refers to the writing sample, not the answers to the questions.

DIVERSITY: Storyknife is committed to diversity and elevating voices of historically excluded communities. We value all aspects of diversity and seek to make each resident’s time at Storyknife as productive and pleasant as possible.

Please contact executive director, Erin Hollowell, at ehollowell@storyknife.org to ask about accommodation or to speak further about your needs. Storyknife is welcoming to all and will work with you to meet your needs.

TRAVEL FUNDS: In 2025, there will be multiple opportunities for travel cost stipends. Those that want to be considered for travel funds will indicate so on their applications.

storyknife.org/how-to-apply/

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Call for novel & novella manuscripts

Split/Lip Press

DEADLINE: September 1, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $15

INFO: We are currently looking for previously unpublished novel or novella manuscripts. We're looking, in particular, for books that question boundaries (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional—you get the gist). Dazzle us with your version(s) of truth!

To get an idea of what we love, please check out our four novel/novellas currently at Split/Lip Press: Colleen Burner's novella Sister Golden Calf, Anurag Andra's novella Submarine, Emily Thomas Mani's novella The Church of Wrestling and Mila Jaroniec's novel Plastic Vodka Bottle Sleepover. We'd love it if you'd add a copy to your submission, and we'll happily throw in free shipping as a thanks!

Historically under-represented perspectives are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED and HIGHLY SOUGHT—we want to help bring your voice to the world!

OUR PRESS MISSION: We publish boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up. We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated. If your book is a wedge in a crack, Split/Lip Press is the hammer helping you split the wall apart.

SUBMISSION PERIOD INFO: The submission reading fee helps cover our costs as a press, and our novel/novella reading team will be splitting 25% of the submission fees collected during this reading period as compensation for their hard work. But we don't want a fee to keep us from finding the best work out there. If you can't afford the reading fee, please send an email to splitlipthepress@gmail.com before submitting to receive a manuscript fee waiver, no questions asked.

We hope to find the next novel or novella addition to our press catalog during this reading period! That said, our press mission is paramount, and if we are unable to acquire a book from this period that fits, the remainder of the proceeds from this period's reading fees (after paying the readers) will be applied toward submission fee waivers for the next novel/novella reading period.

All books published at Split/Lip Press have been discovered during our open reading periods—we do not solicit manuscripts and do not accept manuscripts sent outside of our reading periods. Every author has the same opportunity to join us! However, Split/Lip Press does not tolerate manuscripts celebrating racist, homophobic, or misogynistic perspectives, and will discard such manuscripts unread. We believe in breaking boundaries at Split/Lip, but we will not assist agendas of hate.

BASIC FORMATTING DETAILS:

TNR 12 (or similar), double-spaced (unless you are specifically using special formatting—which we'd love to see), and PLEASE remove your name from the manuscript and file name—our readers want to review your manuscripts without names attached. There is a box on the submission form where, if you choose, you may indicate any information about positionality which may be helpful for the readers to know.

Please note that while we love and welcome work which includes images/diagrams/etc, we are unable to reproduce color images and all images would need to appear in black-and-white within a 6" x 9" printed book, so please keep that in mind when submitting.

HUGS & THANKS:

We work closely with our authors on all elements of their book, from design to promotion. We are engaged in the literary community, and as writers ourselves, we know how important it is to have a book that you love that is supported by a press that loves you. We'd love for you to be part of the Split/Lip Press family.

Simultaneous submissions are obviously welcome. Our reading process is a process and we move quickly and efficiently, but we also don't interrupt it prematurely. So if another publisher snags you first, we just ask that you withdraw your submission (and congrats to you!).

We intend to reply to all submissions by November 15, 2024, so please do not query about the status of your manuscript before that date.  If you haven't seen anything from us by 11/15/24, check your status in Submittable and double-check your email spam filter because Submittable's messages sometimes get stuck there—we will definitely respond!

splitlippress.submittable.com/submit

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2024 Writing for Change Essay Contest

Mochi Magazine

DEADLINE: September 1, 2024

INFO: The Black Allyship @ Mochi (BA@M) column is an ongoing project that urges an awareness of racial injustice in the United States, particularly the oppression of Black people in America. The articles, resources, and opinions we share are a call to action, an open discussion, and a place to take a stance against anti-Black racism.

“You cannot change any society unless you take responsibility for it, unless you see yourself as belonging to it and responsible for changing it.” — Grace Lee Boggs

In memory of Grace Lee Boggs’ work with Black communities, we are seeking essays from BIPOC writers that answer the question: 

In consideration of complex histories and current movements, what can Asian Americans do to be better allies and co-conspirators in the fight for racial justice? 

The kinds of writing we want to see are previously unpublished pieces that blend personal experience with data or interviews from changemakers in a way that educates an Asian American audience of all ages. For example: 

• Reaching Asian Power: To Build Solidarity, Asian Americans Must Know Ourselves First – Mochi Magazine

• Fight Anti-Blackness with our Asian Parents – Mochi Magazine 

• Mom and Dad, This is What I Want to Tell You About the Riots – Mochi Magazine

• We Cannot Trust White Society With Asian Justice – Mochi Magazine 

• I want justice for anti-Asian violence — but not at the expense of Black people

• Miseducated: Encounters with Blackness and Whiteness

All submissions will be reviewed by Mochi Magazine’s editor-in-chief and our guest judges Rohan Zhou-Lee, a Mochi contributor and the founder of the Blasian March, and Yasna Vismale, TikTok creator, author, and film composer, along the following criteria:

• Engagement with the prompt in actionable for Mochi’s audience

• Exploration of a topic or perspective not yet present in the BA@M column

• Originality of ideas or a unique perspective

Submissions must be 1,800 words or less.

The grand prize is $500 and publication in Mochi Magazine’s BA@M column. One to two finalists may also be selected and awarded $100 and publication. Current Mochi staff and previous contest winners are not eligible to submit. Pieces should have a word limit of 1,800 words. Writers must be willing to work with our editors to ready their pieces for publication according to Mochi Magazine’s publishing calendar. 

Feel free to email Giannina Ong (gianninaong@mochimag.com) with questions or comments. Submit your piece to BlackAllyship@MochiMag.com by September 1, 2024. 

mochimag.com/activism/2024-writing-for-change-essay-contest/?utm_campaign=linkinbio&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Fairytale & Folklore

Raising Mothers

DEADLINE: September 1, 2024

INFO: The fairy tales and folklore we hear as children often shape our paradigms about the family unit. We seek flash fiction and flash nonfiction inspired by these narratives, which merge the real with the surreal, the domestic with the fantastical. How can we reimagine tropes and archetypes like the dutiful daughter, the crone, or the absent mother? What do these experiences mean under the lens of BIPOC parenting/childhood and the experience of difference?

According to Editor Monique Quintana: “I am intrigued by work that takes tropes and archetypes and subverts expectations. Whether the narratives are curious, bittersweet, humorous, or haunting, I want to understand more about the intimate and political ramifications of the familiar bond.”

ACCEPTED GENRES: micro & flash fiction & nonfiction

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeem_98SBMj-lRN6dDTG8eBgEM2jaCAKJGBnRS_CORT-h3rsA/viewform

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CHANGEMAKER AUTHORS COHORT 

Narrative Initiative / Unicorn Authors Club

DEADLINE: Extended to September 3, 2024

INFO: The Changemaker Authors Cohort is a yearlong intensive coaching program supporting full-time movement organizers and social justice practitioners to complete books that create deep, durable narrative change to restructure the way people feel, think, and respond to the world.

To help create new networks of opportunity, Narrative Initiative partnered with the Unicorn Authors Club to offer this unique writing cohort for Changemaker Authors. Our first Changemaker Authors Cohort launched in early-2022; the 2023-2024 Cohort began on November 2023. Applications are opening June 1st for the 2025 Cohort. 

The Changemaker Authors Cohort supports those working towards racial, economic, and social justice to write and publish books that create durable narrative change. This can include books that are about communities establishing and using their power through organizing and activism, as well as those contributing to the plurality of voices in the broader artistic and cultural discourse. Visit the cohort pages for 2022 and 2024 to get a sense of some of the projects supported within this program. 

This 12-month virtual program begins on March 1, 2025 and supports cohort members to make significant progress with their project at the end of each 4-month term. This can include manuscript completion or having a submittable manuscript or proposal ready for an agent or publisher, through coaching, regular writing cafés, craft talks, and resources about crafting stories and the publishing industry. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the upcoming Cohort year can be found here. 

Please email (changemakerauthor@narrativeinitiative.org) for any additional questions about the Changemaker Authors Cohort  application or the program.

narrativeinitiative.org/changemaker-authors-program/

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MacDowell Fellowship

MacDowell

DEADLINE: September 10, 2024

INFO: About 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded Fellowships each year and the sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence. There are no residency fees, and need-based stipends and travel reimbursement grants are available to open the residency to the broadest possible community of artists. 

MacDowell encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. Any applicant whose proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines should contact the admissions department for guidance. We aim to be inclusive, not exclusive in our admissions process.

macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship

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Princeton Arts Fellowships

Lewis Center for the Arts

DEADLINE: September 10, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: Princeton Arts Fellowships, funded in part by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, David E. Kelley Society of Fellows in the Arts, and the Maurice R. Greenberg Scholarship Fund, will be awarded to artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching. Applicants should be early career visual artists, filmmakers, poets, novelists, playwrights, designers, directors and performance artists—this list is not meant to be exhaustive—who would find it beneficial to spend two years teaching and working in an artistically vibrant university community.

Princeton Arts Fellows spend two consecutive academic years (September 1-July 1) at Princeton University and formal teaching is expected. The normal work assignment will be to teach one course each semester subject to approval by the Dean of the Faculty, but fellows may be asked to take on an artistic assignment in lieu of a class, such as directing a play or creating a dance with students. Although the teaching load is light, our expectation is that Fellows will be full and active members of our community, committed to frequent and engaged interactions with students during the academic year.

A $92,000 a year stipend is provided. Fellowships are not intended to fund work leading to an advanced degree. One need not be a U.S. citizen to apply. Holders of Ph.D. degrees from Princeton are not eligible to apply.

Past recipients of the Hodder Fellowship and individuals who have had a sustained and continuous relationship with Princeton University are not eligible to apply. Those who have had an occasional and sporadic relationship with Princeton may apply.

To apply, please submit a curriculum vitae, contact information for three references (should the search committee choose to contact references, please do not request letters or have letters sent in advance of a request from the search committee), and work samples (i.e., a writing sample, images of your work, video links to performances, etc.). Please also submit a 750-word proposal that includes how you would hope to use the two years of the fellowship to develop your work, how you would contribute to Princeton’s arts community through teaching and/or production, and how you have encouraged diversity and inclusion and furthered accessibility in your artistic practice, teaching, and/or research.

Applicants can only apply for the Princeton Arts Fellowship twice in a lifetime.

arts.princeton.edu/fellowships/princeton-arts-fellowship/

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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TRANSLATION COLUMN

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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CALL FOR AUTHORS

Vanderbilt University Press

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: Vanderbilt University Press acquires books in the areas of Latin American and Hispanic studies; global and public health; human rights and civil rights; anthropology; history and postwar studies; and studies of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We also publish books with a regional focus on Tennessee and the South, including, for example, books on Nashville and country music.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial inquiries about potential book projects should be queried to the acquisitions department via email. We do not accept full manuscripts until requested. First, ensure that VUP publishes in the disciplinary area that your project represents.

If that is the case, please send a cover letter and book proposal that includes the following:

• A short book abstract

• A brief but detailed statement outlining the manuscript’s arguments, themes, and significance to the field

• A table of contents that clearly summarizes the content and structure of each chapter

• Assessment of the work’s fit with existing literature, comparison with published books on the topic, and discussion of the intended audiences and market for the book

• Statement of the anticipated word count of the manuscript; plans for tables, figures, or other illustrations; and schedule for completion

• Sample chapter (optional)

• Curriculum vitae

• If your manuscript is based on a dissertation, please discuss how the material and research has been developed, reframed, or otherwise revised. VUP does not publish unrevised dissertations.

• If your manuscript is an edited collection, please include information about each of the contributors and note if any of the chapters are previously published.

• If your manuscript is a translation, please describe why the author’s work warrants translation into English, as well as any and all information on rights to the work and the book’s history in its native language.

Keep a file or a copy of your proposal materials. We do not return proposals. Please do not call the Press to inquire about the status of your proposal or manuscript. We review all material received, and you will be contacted when a decision has been made. We aim to communicate whether a proposed project is being pursued further no more than eight weeks after the receipt of the proposal.

For more information about specific series initiatives, visit our Series page.

vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/resources/submission-guidelines-for-prospective-authors/

FICTION / NONFICTION — JULY 2024

Call for Submissions: Translation Column

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: Rolling

INFO: The Margins seeks work from writers for an ongoing monthly column on language, culture, and translation from Asia. We consider Asia as an umbrella term that encompasses all of its regions (South, Southeast, East, Central, and North Asia, and SWANA) and the many diaspora communities of Asians all over the world.

We welcome essays, hybrid works, translations, and translator’s notes that engage with Asia’s literature, cultures, subcultures, languages, and diasporas. We are also interested in works that grapple with the concept of the Transpacific, colonialism, history, and empire, especially as they relate to language and translation.

We pay all writers and translators. Please refer to our rate sheet for more details.

Examples of work we’re interested in:

• Translator’s notes: Essays on the philosophy, craft, and art of translation

• Translator’s diaries: Writings about the experience and choices for a particular book in translation

• Essays and translations of essays on languages and multilingualism

• Essays on power and empire as they relate to translation

• New translations/re-translations of essays by important Asian scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and revolutionaries

• Reportage on the writing, reading, publishing, and translation culture of a particular place

• Photo essays about bookstores and literary salons in Asia or that feature Asian literature

• Interviews with independent publishers, writers, artists, and thinkers in Asia or the Asian diaspora

Some examples of what we’re looking for:

• I Make Myself a Channel

• Inside a Japanese Feminist Publishing House and Bookstore: An Interview with etc.books

• Van Runcit Putih | Neighborhood Sundry Van

• Two Rohingya Lullabies

• Sugar on the Gash

Send pitches of up to 500 words or finished pieces from 1,000-2,500 words to Soleil David, senior editor, at translation@aaww.org. For translations into English, translator must have already obtained permission from the copyright owner.

We read submissions year round and in all languages spoken and read in Asia. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know via email if your pitch/essay has been accepted elsewhere. Writers can expect a reply within three to four months.

aaww.org/submissions-translation-column/

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open call from Shenandoah’s editorial fellow in creative nonfiction

Shenadoah

SUBMISSIONS OPEN: July 1, 2024 (and closes when they receive 300 submissions)

INFO: Stevie Billow (they/them) is a writer, educator, and creative organizer living in DC. They are the founder of Rotary Arts, a multimedia arts collective for and by emerging LGBTQ+ creatives. Stevie has received support from GrubStreet as a 2023-2024 Emerging Writer Fellow and from the Straw Dog Writers Guild as a 2024 Edith Wharton Writer in Residence.

Stevie holds a BA in History and Art History from Smith College and an MAT from the Universidad de Alcalá. Their independent work has previously appeared in Fauxmoir, Meat for Tea: the Valley Review, Meow Meow Pow Pow, and Beyond Queer Words among others.

STEVIE’S OPEN CALL:

For the Spring 2025 issue of Shenandoah, I’m seeking creative nonfiction that explores the relationship between language and identity. Send me your personal essays that bend and

break the “rules” of grammar, tackle the translation of self between and beyond languages, ruminate on verbal code-switching, your bilingual and multilingual writing, your emojis and emoticons where words won’t suffice, the words that fail you, the words that feel like home.

I am especially interested in promoting the work of emerging writers from marginalized backgrounds, communities, and experiences. I highly encourage folks who don’t have an extensive publication history to submit!

Pieces between 1000 and 4000 words is my preference, but is not a hard-set rule. Contributors are paid $80 per 1000 words up to $400

shenandoahliterary.org/submissions/

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FSG FELLOWSHIP

Farrar, Straus & Giroux

DEADLINE: Extended to July 7, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: The FSG Writer’s Fellowship is a yearlong program designed to give an emerging writer from an underrepresented community additional resources to build a life around writing: funding, editorial guidance, and advice on how to forge a writing career. It offers the unique opportunity for a writer to spend time with and enjoy the support and mentorship of the FSG community. The fellowship celebrates the spirit of the FSG list and its commitment to invention, curiosity, and extending the limits of literature.

FELLOWSHIP AWARD:

• $15,000 paid over two installments: half paid at the start of the Fellowship program, half paid in June 2025

Plus:

• Yearlong mentorship with an FSG house author

• Guidance from two in-house editors, who will offer line and structural feedback on the fellow’s work throughout the year

• Opportunities for meet-and-greets with representatives from other departments – including Publicity/Marketing, Art, Subsidiary Rights, and Managing Editorial – to discuss their areas of expertise, answer questions, and help build a broader understanding of the publishing business

• Support with networking beyond FSG

• The Fellow will have the opportunity to publish writing in Work in Progress, FSG’s weekly newsletter.

• The Fellow and finalists will receive a collection of FSG classics.

• The Fellow agrees to offer to FSG the Fellow’s first book-length work before submitting to, or soliciting offers from, any other publisher.

TIMELINE:

• The Fellowship runs from January to December 2025

• The five finalists will be interviewed in November 2024

• The Fellowship winner will be announced in December 2024

• The Fellowship begins January 6, 2025

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must submit:

• A sample of work—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—aimed at an adult audience

• For fiction and nonfiction, the sample must be between forty and fifty double spaced pages

• For poetry, the sample must be eight to twelve pages

• The sample can include previously published work and does not need to be from a single section of the work

• A Statement of Purpose of no more than 500 words

Please note: The applicant’s name and contact information must not be anywhere on the writing sample or the Statement of Purpose—this includes within the uploaded file name.

ELIGIBILITY:

• The applicant must not have published a book-length work in any genre, have a book under contract, or be negotiating a contract either in the United States or abroad by the time the fellowship begins. Having published short poetry chapbooks will not exclude an applicant from eligibility

• Applicants must submit in only one category (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry)

• The applicant must be a U.S. Permanent Resident (green card) or U.S. Citizen

• There are no experience, degree credentials, or location requirements. This fellowship will take place remotely

• The applicant should be writing for an adult audience in the English language

• The applicant must be over 18 years of age

• The applicant cannot be an employee or family member of an employee of FSG or any other Macmillan affiliate

• The applicant may not use generative AI or work from AI-generated text for their samples and statements

THE JUDGING PROCESS:

The FSG community will conduct the first review of the applications and select twenty semifinalists for consideration by the judges. The Fellow will be chosen by FSG from among five finalists selected by the judges. The first two stages of the selection process will be anonymous.

fsgfellowship.com

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call for submissions: 2024 Fall/Winter Print Issue

Epiphany

DEADLINE: July 8, 2024 at 11pm

INFO: We are pleased to announce Epiphany is open for submissions for our 2024 Fall/Winter print issue in the categories of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, translation, hybrid work, and art. We look forward to reading your best work—work that makes you excited and in turn will make us pause and wonder. Please click the link in our bio for more information and to read a selection of work from previous issues to get a sense of what we've published in the past.

We also offer everyone who submits a free digital subscription to Epiphany. The code for a free digital subscription will be included in our initial response letter.

GUIDELINES:

Prose submissions: submit one piece at a time, double-spaced

Poetry submissions: submit up to five poems

Translated Work: submit one piece at a time, double-spaced for prose; translations require rights permission from the original writer

• We accept simultaneous submissions but please inform us in your cover letter and withdraw promptly through Submittable should your work be accepted elsewhere.

• We only consider previously unpublished work.

• All work will be considered for online publication

• Please include your name, title, and word count on the first page of the submitted file.

• Self-contained novel chapters/excerpts are welcome.

• Please include a short bio with your cover letter.

epiphanyzine.com/features/submissions-open-for-fallwinter-2024

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PIGEON PAGES FICTION CONTEST

Pigeon Pages

DEADLINE: Extended to July 9, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $15

INFO: The Pigeon Pages Fiction Contest will be judged by Vanessa Chan, author of The Storm We Made.

AWARD:

• The winner will receive $250 and publication in Pigeon Pages.

• Honorable mentions will be receive $50 and publication.

GUIDELINES:

• Original, previously unpublished short stories of 3,500 words or less are eligible for this contest.

• We do accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if the submitted piece is accepted elsewhere.

• Please do not include personal information on your piece, as submissions will be read blind.

• All submissions will be considered for publication in the general journal.

pigeonpagesnyc.com/fiction-contest

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Rooted + Relational Research Associate Program

Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CUNY)

DEADLINE: July 12, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Center for Puerto Rican Studies invites applications for the 2024-2025 cohort of the CENTRO Research Associate Program. For this round, we are accepting applications for:  Hybrid/remote fellows, independent researchers, artists, and dissertation fellows. The fellowships are held for one year (August 2024-July 2025). Fellows will spend their time at CENTRO working on a specific research project and will be required to attend weekly seminar meetings, as well as additional workshops, and public events. 

The CENTRO Library & Archives of the Puerto Rican Diaspora is the only archival repository in the United States committed to documenting Puerto Rican communities in the United States. From this standpoint, we are uniquely positioned to invite scholars to reflect on how archives, archival theory, and practice allow us to reframe the present past of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican communities as well as help us imagine and build Boricua futures.

The inaugural theme: Archives, Memory & the Present Past of Puerto Rico, invites researchers to engage with the word “archives” as concept,  practice, and theory by bringing together some of the most important framings of historically inflected research.  The theme contends with the material and theoretical importance of the archive in contemporary scholarship and research practices while opening a space to engage with contestation, archival reckoning, archival architecture, facilities, and accessibility, and quotidian interventions and forms of archival refusal. 

At a time when Puerto Rican Studies is seeing a resurgence in the United States, this is an opportunity to examine the roots of the field as we also contemplate what lies ahead. Both archival studies and archival structures in the Puerto Rican context, can be contentious and precarious. Thinking about the promises, betrayals, and possibilities of the archive in material and theoretical contexts opens a space for us to consider questions such as: How do we engage with institutional archives that continue to uphold colonial fantasies of race and gender? What are the material and theoretical relations between archives, memory, and temporality (e.g. notions of past, present, future)? What do we gain from challenges to various prominent historical archival practices like reading “archives against the grain,” which challenge the dominant historical consciousness and praxis of European empires? How do we approach memory and cultural preservation in times of austerity and natural disasters? These questions, and others, will guide our discussions during this year-long seminar, where we will be considering different uses of the archive and explore how these spaces, collections, and practices can be transformed through a decolonial, feminist, and queer lens. 

POSSIBLE TOPICS:

• Archival Silences

• Memory and preservation

• Archives and Affect

• Embodiment 

• Afro-Boricua archives 

• Feminist Archives and archival practices

• Queer Archives

• Community Archives

• Family Archives

• Oral Histories

• Archiving performance

• Archives and Accessibility

• Archiving through disaster

• Tropical Archives 

• Born digital archives

• Archiving social media

• Information/Right to Information (FOIA and other types of access to public information)

• Archives and Accountability

• Processing and new archival technologies

• Metadata and Algorithms

• Archival Engineering and Structures

We invite applications from researchers and artists in all fields of study and disciplines, including creative writing and visual arts. 

QUALIFICATIONS + HOW TO APPLY:

Hybrid/Remote Fellows:

• Open to researchers working on the annual theme who are unable to relocate to New York City for the duration of the fellowship year. 

• PhD is not required, but fellows must have extensive background in Puerto Rican Studies.

Artists:

• Must be in residence at CENTRO for the 2024-2025 academic year

Independent Researcher:

• Must be in residence at CENTRO for the 2024-2025 academic year

• PhD is not required

Dissertation Fellow:

• Must be ABD in a related discipline by July 1, 2024 

• Must be in residence at CENTRO for the 2024-2025 academic year

• One of the 3 reference letters must come from the dissertation advisor

All applicants must submit the following through the application form:

• Cover letter describing related qualifications, experience, and proposed research activities.

• Current CV

• Writing sample related to the position (20-25 double spaced pages) or artist/media portfolio

• One page course proposal

• Contact information for 3 professional references.

Upload all documents as ONE single .pdf file

COMPENSATION:

• Hybrid/Remote Fellows: $25,000

• Artists: $75,000 

• Independent Researchers: $75,000

• Dissertation Fellows: $50,000

If you have any questions about these positions, please email programs@centropr.app

centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/opportunities/rooted-relational-research-associate/

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Call for submissions: The Present

A Public Space

DEADLINE: July 14, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: In connection with the Editorial Fellowship program at A Public Space, we are pleased to announce an open call for a piece in the magazine to be edited by Louis Harnett O'Meara.

Time keeps budding into new moments, every one of which presents a content which in its individuality never was before and will never be again. Let anyone try, I will not say to arrest, but to notice or attend to, the present moment of time. One of the most baffling experiences occurs. Where is it, this present? It has melted in our grasp, fled ere we could touch it, gone in the instant of becoming. — William James

We can’t escape the present moment, but we can inhabit it in different ways. We can become more physically embodied, experiencing the passage of time as sensuous and sensorial; or we can establish distance from the immediate, and treat the external world as a disordered mass that we must constantly rearrange. The present can be encountered as repetition and recurrence, the fundamental continuity between things; or as Heraclitus said, panta rhei, meaning that all is change, everything flows. 

Literature is a temporal art, and while the present is always “gone in the instant of becoming,” we know intuitively that works of poetry and prose can offer us some sense of “the truth” about how we live in each moment. It can do this because it is not limited to the sterile science of minutes, months and years. In books, as in life, time can slow down or speed up; recurring experiences can be imbued with singular charge; and fleeting moments can extend seemingly forever. 

I would like to see prose that makes use of the present for my Open Call. I don’t mean that I would like to see writing that is about the idea of the present or writing that is “of its time.” I don't want to read a list of cultural reference points for the 2020s. I would like to encounter writing that is of time—writing that treats the present moment as the stuff that it is made of. I welcome interpretations that are broad, and responses that are specific.

Submission Requirements: Only previously unpublished works of fiction or nonfiction are eligible. International and multilingual submissions are welcome, provided that English is the primary language used. Only one submission per person is allowed. Writers whose work is published in the magazine will receive an honorarium.

Please submit the following:

— A cover letter, including a one-paragraph biographical statement, and a paragraph describing how your work makes use of the present. 

— One previously unpublished piece of fiction or nonfiction up to 8,000 words, double spaced. 

— Only writers who have not yet published a book or been contracted to write a book-length work in English are eligible. 

— Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please note that if your piece is accepted elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw your entire application; replacement pieces will not be accepted once the deadline has passed. 

Note that we only accept PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx). The cover letter and manuscript should be submitted as separate files. Incomplete submissions or submissions that do not address this call will not be considered and will be returned unread.

Questions? Write Editorial Fellow Louis Harnett O'Meara at louis@apublicspace.org.

Examples from the APS archive:

— In “Time’s Weather,” published in APS 23, Friederike Mayröcker writes “I have always written with my body.” For Mayröcker, the flow of writing is linked with her embodied presence.

— Garth Greenwell’s “Mentor,” published in APS 22, describes an experience from moment to moment in sensuous, at-times claustrophobic detail. Questions of attraction and risk run through this, intensifying each second.

— David Hayden published “Dublin, We Were,” in APS 29. In it, the narrator describes the past beneath the present, which is an almost impervious surface: “There are countless pasts here: living, half-living, dead. Worlds that are unattended in the present.” 

— “The problem is to make time pass,” writes Hervé Guibert in his journal, translated by Nathanaël and published as “The Mausoleum of Lovers” in APS 17. Guibert’s epistolary form invokes the present as immediate, but also insubstantial, sometimes skipping whole weeks. 

— Forty-eight hours disperse across time and space in Tracey Hill’s “In Transit,” published in APS 08, which flies the reader over continents before ending in suspension and stasis.

apublicspace.org/news/detail/open-call-the-present

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Call for submissions: The Art of Culinary Writing

A Public Space

DEADLINE: July 14, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

INFO: In connection with the Editorial Fellowship program at A Public Space, we are pleased to announce an open call for a special portfolio in the magazine to be edited by Maurice Rodriguez.

Cooking can be an art, but it is not the only art where food is present in the center or memorably in the margins. Consider contemporary still lifes in the works of multimedia artist Lucia Hierro, photographer Arden Surdam, or ceramist Stephanie H. Shih. Films like Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow (2020), Tranh Anh Hung’s The Scent of Green Papaya (1993), and Gabriel Axel’s Babette’s Feast (1987) often use food to symbolize integral ideas and narrative threads. In Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, a rich boeuf en daube grounds the reader at the dinner table amidst a tapestry of memories. Gabriel García Márquez weaves Fermina Daza’s capricious feelings about eggplant throughout Love in the Time of Cholera as a signifier for the state of her marriage. Littered amidst many of Haruki Murakami’s works are carefully crafted, drool-inducing cooking sequences that you could emulate your own recipe after. The depiction of food in art and literature has the myriad potential to transform and transport us just as much as the sensory experiences of cooking and eating do.

I am interested in reading culinary writing in any genre—fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry—that explores but is not limited to, the following questions: How can food be a source of resistance and an expression of cultural identity? What might our depictions of food, or the ways we cultivate, consume, and interact with it, say about who we are? How are our senses and memories conjured through food writing?

I am especially eager to read works that experiment with style, form, and language, as well as works in translation.

Submission Requirements: Only previously unpublished works of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry are eligible. International and multilingual submissions are welcome, provided that English is the primary language used. Only one submission per person is allowed. Writers whose work is published in the magazine will receive an honorarium.

Please submit the following:

— A cover letter, including a one-paragraph biographical statement, and a paragraph describing an artistic depiction of food (literature, film, music, etc.) that captures what food means to you.

— One previously unpublished piece up to 6,400 words, double spaced, or up to five (5) poems. 

— Only writers who have not yet published a book or been contracted to write a book-length work in English are eligible. 

— Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please note that if your piece is accepted elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw your entire application; replacement pieces will not be accepted once the deadline has passed. 

Note that we only accept PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx). The cover letter and manuscript should be submitted as separate files. Incomplete submissions or submissions that do not address this call will not be considered and will be returned unread.

Questions? Write Editorial Fellow Maurice Rodriguez at maurice@apublicspace.org

Examples of stylistic interest from the APS archive:

— Yohanca Delgado's "Our Language," published in APS No. 29. The story remixes a mythical being of Dominican folklore while exploring the malleability of language, as well as cultural imagination and identity.

— Yōko Ogawa's "Backstroke," published in APS No. 01. Here, the decay of a family is captured through the lens of a curiosity about why we do what we do, and why those things are considered acceptable or not.

— Mi Jin Kim's "Pocket Money," published in APS No. 30. The final line encapsulates the everyday tension simmering beneath the surface of our ordinary lives: "It was a body hanging from a rod, or kelp in dark water—that depended on how you saw things, and who you were."

— Selva Almada's "The Monkey in the Whirlpool," published in APS No. 28. This work in translation by Samuel Rutter places us in the production of Lucrecia Martel's Zama (2017) among the Qom of Argentina. Fragmentary in nature, Almada folds and refolds a colonial history upon itself.

— Kimiko Hahn's "To save the cell-phone battery—," published in APS No. 29. A short, observational poem that weighs as much as one can see.

apublicspace.org/news/detail/open-call-the-art-of-culinary-writing

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An Audacious Book Club Writing Contest

Roxane Gay / The Audacity

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024

INFO: At the end of our June book club selection, Bite by Bite, author Aimee Nezhukumatathil offers a series of food writing prompts to spark your imagination. We would love to see what these wonderful prompts inspire so paid subscribers are invited to participate in an essay writing contest with a guest judge selecting the winner. 

AWARD: The winner will receive $2,500, publication in The Audacity, and a one-hour Zoom session where I offer feedback on up to 25 pages (double-spaced) of your fiction or non-fiction prose. 

GUIDELINES: Paid subscription status will be verified for all entries! Your essays (this contest is for nonfiction only) should be between 1,000 and 2,500 words. Entries will be accepted until July 15th. Winners will be announced on September 3rd. The prompts are, merely, starting points. Where you go from there is entirely up to you. 

audacity.substack.com

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call for submissions: Issue One: Potential Energy

Notch

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024

INFO: At the root of each creative process is the mysterious stillness that precedes the conception of an idea, followed by the thrill of possibility. The moment in which a thousand futures fold into the present, neither true nor false.

While meditating on this shift from absence to presence–potential to kinetic–we discovered an inflection point that each artist has felt. It exists at the neck of an hourglass when ideas transform from the vague realm of the imaginary into something that can be shared in this world. The delightful metamorphosis that is invisible to all but the creator.

For this first issue, we ask our artists to meditate on the top half of the hourglass–the infinitude that potential energy holds before its whittling into reality.

GUIDELINES:

We are looking for new and strange, excellent and mystifying, sharp. Send us work that sparks imaginative discourse, ideas to take our breath away and mull over for days to come. 

• Literary - Previously unpublished fiction exploring the state of motionless vertigo, poetry from the precipice, essays that rescue excellent works from obscurity, comparative criticism stitching together unexpected forms, screenplays that capture the seismic potential between two souls...
  
  Currentness is overrated. A thoughtful connection to the theme is not. 
  
  Pieces up to 1500 words are preferred. Longer work is considered on occasion.
  
  Works in translation are welcome.

• Visual - Film negatives that show what light can invert, drawings with perspective that tumbles the viewer into the frame, sculptures that call upon the sediment from which they came, paintings that defamiliarize their objects, textiles that center the stitch... 
  
  Or something completely different. 
  
  Please send a high resolution image of your art. Artist statement optional.

• Other - Tattoo flash sheets that spark momentum, mathematical equations that illustrate the potential between two planets, set lists that build and build, nail art that activates a multiplicity of identity, a puppet show whose pacing defies the insistent pull of gravity...
  
  Please send a link or a high resolution image or audio file. Artist statement optional.

notch.ink

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4th Singapore Unbound Awards for the Best Undergraduate Critical Essays on Singapore and Other Literatures

Singapore Unbound

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024

INFO: For the fourth year running, Singapore Unbound, a NYC-based transnational literary organization, will be giving out three awards of USD250.00 each for the best three undergraduate critical essays on topics in Singapore and other literatures. The purpose of these awards is to encourage the teaching and study of Singapore literature at college level and the cultivation of general appreciation for the character and achievements of Singapore literature.

Funded by Professor Koh Tai Ann (NTU, Singapore), these awards will be given to written works of literary criticism that illuminate their chosen topics for the general reader. We welcome all critical and theoretical perspectives, but we prefer writing that is graceful, compelling, and accessible. The award-winning essays will be published on Singapore Unbound’s journal SUSPECT. Read last year's winners here, here, and here.

For the purpose of these awards, Singapore literature is defined as literature written in English from 1965 onwards by a Singaporean citizen, permanent resident, or anyone with a strong personal and literary association with Singapore. The author does not have to be residing in Singapore or to have maintained their citizenship. The work(s) discussed may be in any of the literary genres, including but not limited to poetry, fiction, literary non-fiction, drama, and graphic novels. In future iterations of the awards, we hope to include Singapore literature written in other languages besides English.

Essay topics may include studies of a single author or a single work (for example, a novel, poetry collection, or collection of short stories). In the case of a single work, the essay must go well beyond the ambition of a book review and reflect mature analysis and reflection. The topics may also be of a comparative nature, that is, the essay may compare an author/work with another author/work, as long as both works are in English. The second author/work may be non-Singaporean, but at least half of the essay must focus on its Singaporean aspect.

JUDGE: Our judge this year is Sophia Siddique Harvey. Professor Harvey holds a PhD from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. She is an associate professor of Film at Vassar College. Her research interests include Singapore film, Southeast Asian cinemas, and genres such as science-fiction and horror. Her forthcoming publications include a collaborative interview with Tan Pin Pin (Routledge Companion to Asian Cinemas, co-edited by Zhen Zhang, Intan Paramaditha, Sangjoon Lee, and Debashree Mukherjee) and a personal essay about her involvement in Shirkers 1.0 (Incomplete: The Feminist Possibilities of the Unfinished Film, University of California Press, co-edited by Alix Beeston and Stefan Solomon).

The awards will be announced in September 2024.

GUIDELINES:

1. The prizes are open to all college undergraduates residing anywhere in the world. There is no entry fee.

2. Your essay must be written in English and be between 4,500-5,000 words, including bibliography and endnotes. Please provide a 150-200 word abstract at the beginning of the essay.  Give your essay a title, number the pages of your manuscript, and provide a word count at the end. Format and citation should follow MLA 8th edition.

3. Email Jee Leong Koh at jkoh@singaporeunbound.org with a brief cover letter in the body of your email and the essay manuscript attached in MSWord format. The cover letter should include your full name, mailing address, institutional affiliation, and year of graduation. The required information should not appear in your essay manuscript.

4. Please do not submit your essay manuscript to any other places while it is under consideration with us.

singaporeunbound.org/opp/4th-undergraduate-critical-essays-dzhtk

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Teacher + Librarian Scholarships

Key West Literary Seminar

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024

INFO: We are delighted to be opening applications for our 2025 Teacher & Librarian Scholarships.

Up to twenty outstanding teachers and librarians from around the country will be invited to join us for the Key West Literary Seminar, January 9–12, 2025. We seek a diverse group of individuals who are positively impacting readers in their communities, and we hope that participation in our literary community will inspire fresh engagement with literature in schools and libraries.

Full scholarships cover the entire $825 registration fee and offset the cost of lodging (upon request, we will also provide a letter to your employer encouraging financial support for your travel expenses). Winners of this award will be invited to stay in Key West for three nights, attend a Welcome Meet & Greet under the stars and a private library archive tour to view Hemingway's papers. Award recipients will enjoy the full roster of Seminar programming, including the Opening Keynote Reception, and will have the opportunity to network with attendees and authors.

This year's Seminar theme is "Family" - confirmed presenters include John Irving, National Book Award-winner and author of four New York Times #1 bestsellers; two-time National Jewish Book Award-winner Dani Shapiro, S.A. Cosby, whose "southern noir" crime novels were on Barack Obama's summer reading lists; and Emily Raboteau, an American Book Award-winner whose newest book confronts our era's catastrophes from the standpoint of a mother, among many distinguished writers.

ELIGIBILITY: Scholarships are available to all teachers and librarians in the United States. We seek a diverse group of individuals who are making a positive impact upon readers in their communities.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants must complete a scholarship application via Submittable. Requirements are listed below:

1. Request Letter:

Please tell us about your work as a teacher or librarian in 750 words or less. A successful request letter will describe your institution, the community it serves, and your role within it; address the theme and/or speakers for the upcoming Seminar; and explain how you hope your attendance at the Seminar will benefit you and your community. Please also tell us something about your financial need, and whether or not you would be able to attend KWLS without our support.

2. Letter of Recommendation:

One letter of recommendation is required. It may be written by a supervisor, former student, patron, or peer. An effective letter will describe your strengths as a teacher or librarian and the impact you have made on others in your community and/or institution.

In the application form, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email.

Applications without a letter of recommendation will not be considered. It is your responsibility to follow up with your recommender to make sure the letter has been sent.

3. References:

Please provide the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.

kwls.org/awards/teachers-and-librarians

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: BLACK BRITISH LITERATURES & CREATIVE COMMUNITIES

Callolloo

DEADLINE: Extended to July 15, 2024 at 11:59pm

INFO: Callaloo seeks new writing (essays, fiction, poetry, memoir), scholarly articles, and visual art for a special issue entitled "New Dimensions: Black British Literatures and Creative Communities", guest-edited by Karen McCarthy Woolf and Jason Allen-Paisant. Critical and creative writing that focuses on the following areas of Black British life is particularly welcomed: 

• Art: historical perspectives as well as new approaches in Black British artistic expression

• Activism 

• Music 

• New perspectives in Black British writing 

• The rural experience of Black Britons

• Queer perspectives and aesthetics 

Book reviews: You may propose a review for books with a publication date between October 2024 and February 2025. 

Prose pieces should be no more than 6000 words long, unpublished, and not currently under consideration elsewhere. Scholarly articles should follow the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd edition) and include a works cited and endnotes, not footnotes.

callaloo.submittable.com/submit

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FELLOWSHIP FOR NATIVE AMERICAN WRITERS

Ucross

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024 by 11:59pm MT

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Ucross is dedicated to fostering the creative spirit of working artists by providing uninterrupted time, studio space, living accommodations, and the experience of the majestic High Plains, while serving as a responsible steward of our historic 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming.

In 2020, following the success of its Fellowship for Native American Visual Artists, Ucross launched a similar opportunity for Native American writers at all stages in their professional careers. The Ucross Fellowship for Native American Writers is open to practicing writers who are currently producing work in one or more of the following genres — fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, screenwriting, playwriting, or hybrid forms. 

Two Ucross Fellowships for Native American Writers are awarded each year. Those selected for the fellowship are offered a four-week residency, a stipend of $2,000, and an opportunity to present work publicly. 

Current work is requested. An applicant's work sample and project description are the most significant feature of their application. Unless work is interdisciplinary, i.e. the various genres interconnect, each applicant is encouraged to apply in a primary discipline and submit a work sample and project description that emphasizes this single discipline. Competition for residencies varies annually and with the number of applications. While only one Fellowship winner will be selected, all applicants will have the option of being considered for a general Ucross residency.

ELIGIBILITY: Residencies are open to Native American writers who meet the criteria below.

They must:

• Be a practicing contemporary writer who is currently producing works in one or more of the following genres, including but not limited to FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY, DRAMA, SCREENWRITING, PLAYWRITING, and HYBRID FORMS;

• Be an enrolled member of a state-recognized or federally-recognized Tribe, Pueblo, Nation, Native Community, Political Entity, or Alaskan Native Village.

FICTION WORK SAMPLE: Your writing sample should represent the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Writing samples should be double-spaced and include your full name. * Appropriate sample: 20 pages of fiction, which could be a novel excerpt, a story, several stories, or a combination.

NONFICTION WORK SAMPLE: Your sample should represent the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Writing samples should be double-spaced and include your full name. * Appropriate sample: 20 pages of nonfiction.

POETRY WORK SAMPLE: Your sample should represent the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Poetry submissions may be single-spaced and should include your full name. * Appropriate samples: 10 pages of poetry.

PLAYWRITING WORK SAMPLE: Your sample should represent the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Writing samples should be double-spaced and include your full name. * Appropriate samples: One complete play (documentation of production may be included, if relevant), noting the 20 pages that you would like the reviewers to read.

SCREENWRITING WORK SAMPLE: Your sample should represent the genre in which you plan to work while in residence. Writing samples should be double-spaced and include your full name. * Appropriate samples: One complete screenplay (documentation of production may be included, if relevant), noting the 20 pages that you would like the reviewers to read.

ucrossfoundation.submittable.com/submit

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Robert and Adele Schiff Award

The Cincinnati Review

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: The Cincinnati Review invites submissions for the annual Robert and Adele Schiff Awards. One poem, one piece of fiction, and one piece of literary nonfiction will be chosen for publication in our prize issue, and winning authors will receive $1,000 each. All entries will be considered for publication in The Cincinnati Review.

RULES: Writers may submit up to 8 pages of poetry (up to 5 poems total within those pages); up to 10,000 words of a single double-spaced piece of fiction; or 5,000 words of a single double-spaced piece of literary nonfiction, per entry. Previously published manuscripts, including works that have appeared online (in any form), will not be considered. There are no restrictions as to form, style, or content; all entries will be considered for publication. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable under the condition that you notify us if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. As the contest is judged anonymously, no contact information may appear anywhere on the manuscript file. Files that do include identifying information will be rejected unread, and entry fees will not be refunded (though you’ll still get your free subscription).

TO ENTER: The entry fee is $25, and includes a one-year subscription to The Cincinnati Review. Multiple submissions are welcome and come with additional yearlong subscriptions, which can be used to extend your original subscription or given as gifts. All entrants with an international address will receive an e-book subscription. (If you live at a US address and would prefer an e-book subscription, please write that in the “comments” field as you submit your entry.)

We will be accepting submissions only via our online submission manager, through which you’ll pay the entry fee. Again, please do not include the writer’s name or any identifying information in the manuscript file. Instead, in the “comments” field at the bottom of the entry page, enter the writer’s name, mailing address, telephone number, email, and the title(s) of the submitted work(s). Also, be sure to use the “genre” tab to indicate whether your submission is poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction.

SUBMISSION PERIOD

The 2024 contest will run from June 1 to July 15 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Results will be announced on October 1. Winning entries will be published in the Summer 2025 issue, which comes out in May.

CONTACT INFO: If you have any questions about the contest or problems submitting and/or making payment, please email editors[at]cincinnatireview[dot]com or use the contact form on this site, and we’ll get back to you shortly.

CLMP CONTEST CODE OF ETHICS:

In keeping with the CLMP‘s contest code of ethics, we’d like to inform you of the following:

CLMP’s community of independent literary publishers believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing. We believe that intent to act ethically, clarity of guidelines, and transparency of process form the foundation of an ethical contest. To that end, we agree to 1) conduct our contests as ethically as possible and to address any unethical behavior on the part of our readers, judges, or editors; 2) to provide clear and specific contest guidelines—defining conflict of interest for all parties involved; and 3) to make the mechanics of our selection process available to the public. This Code recognizes that different contest models produce different results, but that each model can be run ethically. We have adopted this Code to reinforce our integrity and dedication as a publishing community and to ensure that our contests contribute to a vibrant literary heritage.

OUR SELECTION PROCESS:

• We ask all entrants to omit names or other identifying information from their files. If such information is included, that entry will not be read and the entry fee will not be refunded (though that writer will still receive a free subscription).

• Then, we also use a special feature on our submission manager to remove the author and cover-letter sections from view of our screeners and judges.

• In the first round of judging, the screeners for each of the three contest tracks (poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction) pick 15-40 pieces to send on for the next round of judging. With the special feature still blocking author and cover-letter information, Erica Dawson judges the poetry contest, Michael Griffith judges the fiction contest, and Kristen Iversen judges the literary nonfiction contest.

• As with our regular submission policy, current and former students, faculty, and staff of the University of Cincinnati are ineligible to submit unless they are more than two years removed from their affiliation with the university.

cincinnatireview.com/contests/robert-and-adele-schiff-awards/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ISSUES IX + X

Mulberry Literary

DEADLINE: July 15, 2024 at midnight CT

INFO: Submissions are open for Mulberry Literary’s Issue IX (Fall/Winter 2024) and Issue X (Spring/Summer 2025). Please note that submissions for a particular genre are subject to close early if a large amount of submissions are received.

Mulberry accepts all creative media—from prose, flash, poetry, script, and comics, to film, music, visual art, dance, and everything in-between. Cross-genre, experimental, and hybrid work are always welcome, as well as excerpts of longer pieces.

We accept work from everyone who wishes to submit, but we particularly encourage work from LGBTQIA+, gender expansive creators, and BIPoC voices. If you’re a creative writing undergraduate, graduate student, or member of creative writing faculty at a college/university, we’d love to hear from you. As ever, international submissions and submissions of translated work are welcome.

mulberryliterary.com/submit

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2024 Community Anthologies

Seventh Wave

DEADLINE: July 18, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $7

INFO: Our 2024 Community Anthologies — curated by our editors-in-chief Xu Li, Isaiah Yonah Back-Gaal, dezireé a. brown, and Para Vadhahong — are now open for submissions.

Prior to submitting, please ensure that you have read about this program in full here, as well as visited our FAQ page here. To call out a few key details:

• Four 2024 Community Anthologies. There are four Community Anthologies open for submission, each of which is curated and edited by a different editor-in-chief. The Seventh Wave selected our four 2024 Editors-in-Chief through an application process in March 2024, and our four EICs — named above — were selected based on the anthology topic they wished to curate in the world. 

• Each Community Anthology focuses on a different topic. As mentioned at the links above, our four 2024 Community Anthologies are On Endings (curated by Xu Li), On Queer Family (curated by Isaiah Yonah Back-Gaal), On Gaming (curated by dezireé a. brown), and On Prayer (curated by Para Vadhahong). Each Community Anthology has its own call/topic for submission, but there is only 1 submission form for all 4 (as you can only apply to one anthology). 

• Each EIC will be selecting 6-8 contributors. If you are one of the 6-8 contributors selected by the EIC you submit work to, please note that you will be working directly with that EIC from acceptance to publication. TSW will host orientation sessions for all accepted contributors in August, but you will then work on revisions with your EIC from September - November. 

GUIDELINES:

• In terms of genre/form, Xu is specifically looking for poetry (long(er) poems especially encouraged), lyric essays, and creative non-fiction.

• In terms of form/genre, Isaiah is specifically interested in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and multimodal art. This call is also a hybrid call: Isaiah will be inviting 1-3 contributors to submit work, and the remaining 5-7 spots will be filled via an open call on Submittable (each anthology publishes 6-8 people).

• In terms of form, Dez is looking for creative writing — poetry, flash fiction, flash CNF, short screenplays, hybrid, and interactive works — and visual art.

• In terms of form, Vadhahong encourages BIPOC artists to submit, though this call is open to all writers and artists.

seventhwavemag.submittable.com/submit

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flash fiction open reading period

The Margins / AAWW

DEADLINE: July 22, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: In 2025, we are excited to once again publish stories in our Flash Fiction series, featuring emerging and established Asian, Asian American, and Asian diasporic writers. The series has been on hiatus for the past six months—a time for us to plant the seeds for future creativity, to let the garden lie fallow and rejuvenate its soil.

We plan to notify writers in November 2024 and publish accepted stories in 2025.

We are only accepting submissions from writers who have not already been published in the series.

Some of the most fascinating and experimental writing exists as short, fished pieces, like rare blooms in a kaleidoscopic garden. Gardens—like flash fiction—can be enchanting, lush, serene, exuberant, idyllic, rustic, meticulous, overgrown, fragrant, wild. 

WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Short fiction that luxuriates in capaciousness and bursts with urgency

• Forms that subvert what “flash fiction” means

• Memorable characters and moments that appear in brevity but linger long afterward

• Writing that embraces humor, sensuality, irreverence, and audacity

• Work that interrogates the zeitgeist, evokes history, and imagines bold futures

GUIDELINES:

• Submit up to two pieces of flash fiction between 500 and 1,000 words in length. Include both stories in the same file.

• We do not accept work that has been previously published elsewhere.

• Submissions are only open to writers who have not already published work in the Flash Fiction series.

• Title your submission with the title(s) of your stories separated by semicolons.

• We accept simultaneous submissions. However, notify us immediately via Submittable if a piece has been accepted elsewhere. If you need to withdraw one piece and leave the other, please specify which in your message.

• If you make an error in your submission document, withdraw your submission and re-submit according to the guidelines.

Send us your best work. As we often think of flash as the length of a campfire story, we recommend reading your draft aloud to listen to the language as you revise your submission.

We welcome submissions from Asian and Asian diasporic writers, including those that identify as South, Southeast, East, North, and Central Asian; SWANA; Pacific Islander; and Indo-Caribbean.

Authors whose flash is accepted for publication will receive a writer fee of $150.

We invite you to read an essay by the series editor and works from the series (here and here) to have an idea of what we’ve published so far. We’re also looking to be surprised. We can’t wait to read your flash!

aaww.submittable.com/submit

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call for contributors: 51 Words Anthology

Branden Janese / Reparative Reading Consultancy

DEADLINE: July 30, 2024

INFO: We are looking for creators to contribute to our limited edition anthology.

51 Words: An Examination of Language Evolution is an anthology focused on the radical evolution of the English language. This project is sponsored by the New York State Council of the Arts.

51 Words is a reaction to the radical changes that our language has gone through in the past several decades. How have some of the biggest historical events changed our language? What have contemporary artists learned from these changes? What’s next for our language and the ways we use it? These are some questions that 51 Words will challenge the readers to think about. This project will be a mix of fiction, nonfiction, interviews, illustrations and more. 

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must reside in New York State. 

We are currently looking for:

• Photo collections that depict "Love Languages"

• Essays on the language of grief

• Flash fiction focused on language as the antagonist

We are publishing novel takes on language evolution, including, fiction stories that follows a character navigating a lost language, and nonfiction essays on the history of slurs and bad words, (like that time you called someone a 'blank'), or how gentrification changed the language you hear in New York City. We are looking for political cartoons outing our modern social ills and exposing the new dog whistles said by our government officials. We are looking for graphic designs that depict the ever changing data of language. We are publishing innovative, novel, complex, and completely inappropriate literature and visuals. Send us something off-beat, raunchy, tear-jerking, uncomfortable and uncouth. We are not opposed to something that might get us cancelled. Show off, surprise us.

We are accepting Fiction, Nonfiction, Illustration/Graphic design, Research/Data, Interviews, and Criticism/Reviews. 

Selection process: Our editors will review your work samples thoroughly and make a decision within two weeks or less. Selected contributors must attend a reading presentation upon the anthology's release in Winter 2024 in New York City.

COMPENSATION: Each selected contributor will receive a $300 payment. 

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdY1VtQDdMUotbyJcIodQ5IdqvLHnPGl-Mau02JoXw4KowI8Q/viewform

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: "SPACEFARING AUNTIES" Issue

FIYAH

DEADLINE: July 31, 2024

INFO: It’s time to explore the adventures of bold, fearless women who defy societal expectations and embark on daring space voyages. From thrilling space operas to quiet character studies, we want to see Aunties who are scientists, engineers, pilots, and leaders guiding their crews through uncharted territory.

Guest Editor Kerine Wint is looking for:

• Women-led stories, not as sidekicks but fleshed-out protagonists.

• SHOW how cool these Aunties are through their actions. Quiet moments on a spaceship are good, but make enough tension to highlight the bravery of these women.

• A wide spectrum of women- queer, disabled, etc. – without feeding into the “Strong Black Woman ™” tropes that often dehumanize and stifle characters.

airtable.com/appW2EIPQbzXiQRkD/shrtoN6661Y2Pcbly

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: THE FICTION THAT CHANGED ME

Raising Mothers

DEADLINE: July 31, 2024

INFO: We’re seeking strong narrative voices that dig deep into the why and how a fiction title has impacted your motherhood/parenthood in beautiful ways. Provide a poignant description of how a work of fiction has heavily shifted your perspective, helped to heal old wounds, or pushed you through a difficult time. What book, written by and about a person belonging to the global majority changed your life?

IMPORTANT INFO:

• Word count: 2000

• Response Time: 1-3 months

• Genre: Essay

• Column: Books on Books - Connections

• Editor: Ain Heath Drew

raisingmothers.com/submissions/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: PERSONAL ESSAYS FOR ‘RADICAL JOY’ COLUMN

Raising Mothers

DEADLINE: Extended to July 31 2024

INFO: For its Radical Joy column, Raising Mothers is interested in personal essays and other forms of creative nonfiction that explore the intersection of joy and motherhood/parenthood. Specifically, essays that require the reader to sit with the way our desires and longings for pleasure and joy are impacted by both the practicalities of parenting as well as the often-unspoken emotional and psychological conflicts that can arise from mothering while Black/Brown. That said, the center of any piece should be joy and not necessarily trauma or pain.

From Editor Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts: “Good storytelling, a unique lens, and writing that makes me want to throw my own laptop in the trash will always get my attention.”

WORD COUNT: 1500 words

raisingmothers.com/submissions/

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THE JULY OPEN: call for book-length manuscripts of poetry, prose + literary nonfiction

Sarabande Books

DEADLINE: July 31, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $22

INFO: Sarabande is pleased to offer an open reading period for book-length manuscripts of poetry (hybrid and visual poetry, book-length poems, and experimental poetry), short fiction (micro/flash fiction, short stories, novellas, and short novels), and literary nonfiction (essay collections, book-length essays, and hybrid and experimental works).

The July Open is also open to proposals for works of poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction in translation.

ELIGIBILITY: This submission period is open to manuscripts in English. Employees and board members of Sarabande are not eligible. It is highly recommended that those who intend to submit a manuscript familiarize themselves with Sarabande’s catalog. You can find some of our recent titles to the right.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTSL

Submissions to The July Open should include:

• A cover letter with a description of the work and a brief author bio

• A complete, full-length manuscript, paginated consecutively with a table of contents and acknowledgements page

• poetry should be single spaced, prose should be double spaced, all manuscripts should be typed in a standard 12 pt font

***

TRANSLATION PROPOSALS:

ELIGIBILITY:

Publication of a translated work is contingent upon the agreement to grant English language rights and other contractual terms. Employees and board members of Sarabande are not eligible. Sarabande reserves the right to reject any submitted manuscript or to withdraw a publication offer if contractual obligations are not met.

It is highly recommended that those who intend to submit a proposal familiarize themselves with Sarabande’s catalog. You can find some of our bilingual titles and works in translation to the right.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Translators wishing to submit a query should include:

• A one-page cover letter that that addresses the book’s cultural, historical, and artistic significance

• A brief biography of the poet and the translator, including previously published works

• A sample translation of at least 20 pages (more complete manuscripts are preferred, but not required)

• A statement confirming that permission has been granted to the translator(s) for English translation and publication of the original text by the rights holder 

• A $15 reading fee

sarabandebooks.org/the-july-open

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2025 Queer|Art|Mentorship program

Queer Art

DEADLINE: July 31, 2024

INFO: The Queer|Art|Mentorship program nurtures exchange between LGBTQ+ artists at all levels of their careers and works against a natural division between generations and disciplines.

Fellows apply with a specific project they would like to work on during the program and meet with their Mentors monthly to discuss their progress.

Fellows also meet each month as a group to work through important issues shaping their creative and professional development in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment.

The program begins in January 2025 and ends in October 2025

“QAM Debuts” are virtual artist talks scheduled throughout the program year in which current Fellows introduce their work to the broader QAM community and receive vital feedback. “The QAM Works-in-Progress (WIP)” series provides additional opportunities for Fellows to advance their Mentorship projects through public in-person presentations.

MENTORS:

Queer|Art is pleased to announce the new Mentors for the 2025 Queer|Art|Mentorship program cycle:

FILM
Andrew Ahn
Tabitha Jackson
Frédéric Tcheng

LITERATURE
Alexander Chee
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Stacy Szymaszek

PERFORMANCE
Raja Feather Kelly
Young Joon Kwak
Erin Markey

VISUAL ART
Liz Collins
Chitra Ganesh
Ken Gonzales-Day

Now in its 14th year, the organization’s celebrated year-long creative and professional development program supports both remote and in-person participation between early-career and established LGBTQ+ artists from across the country. In expanding nationally, Queer|Art|Mentorship bridges professional and social thresholds that often isolate artists by generation, discipline, and region. The program supports a year-long exchange between emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists across four distinct fields—Film, Literature, Performance, and Visual Art. 

Fellows apply with a specific project they would like to work on during the program and meet each month with their Mentors to discuss their progress in the lead-up to this event. Fellows also meet each month as a group to learn from and provide support for one another throughout the year.

STRUCTURE:

The program is a year in length. Fellows in Film, Performance, Literature, and Visual Art apply with a specific project they would like to work on during the program. Proposing a project is a way for Fellows to introduce themselves to Mentors, and working on that project in dialogue with a Mentor is a way to focus the development of the relationship. Keeping Queer|Art|Mentorship project-based also provides a manner by which to assess, and modify if necessary, the program’s long-term effectiveness in facilitating and supporting the actual creation of new work.

The program is largely driven by the unique character of each Mentor/Fellow pairing, organized through individual monthly meetings. Fellows also meet each month as a group in an environment that provides an opportunity for sharing ideas across disciplines and gathering further support among peers. The entire group of Mentor/Fellow pairs also convenes for two dinners throughout the cycle, hosted by Queer|Art. Throughout the year, Queer|Art staff engage in an ongoing dialogue with the Mentors and Fellows in an effort to ensure that the program best serves its participants. Further opportunities for ongoing career education and development will be sought out as the unique needs of each group of Fellows are assessed.

HISTORY + CONTEXT:

Queer|Art|Mentorship was born of a need to address the lack of support for queer content in a variety of cultural sectors and the scarcity of examples of sustainable careers for LGBTQ+ artists. A sensitivity to the absence of mentors who would have emerged from the generation most strongly affected by AIDS is also a palpable and driving force behind the program. The program launched in 2011.

Queer|Art|Mentorship aims to expand the perceived value of queer work and cultivate a collection of voices that amplify queer artistic experience. The program does not expect any kind of specific content in terms of artists’ work or how queerness manifests within and around it.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

Artists must be working at a generative level within at least one of the following fields:

• Film

• Literature

• Performance

• Visual Art

Queer|Art|Mentorship is for artists who are:

• Self-identified as queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and/or intersex

• Based in the United States, including US territories

• Early-career and professionally focused, with a body of work already behind them

• Not currently enrolled in school or university

• And have a specific project they’d like to work on with a Mentor during their Mentorship cycle.

Most importantly, we are looking for artists who have an extraordinary potential for engagement in queer and artistic communities and would gain from, and add to, interaction with others.

Each Mentor chooses the Fellow they will be working with during the program. We encourage Mentors to look for artists who stand to receive maximum benefit from the resources of the program and bring diverse experiences and perspectives to the Queer|Art community.

queer-art.org

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HUMAN Residency Fellowship

Ragdale / Lake Forest College

DEADLINE: July 31, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $10

INFO: Ragdale is pleased to announce the HUMAN Residency Fellowship, an exciting new partnership with Lake Forest College made possible by the Mellon Foundation.

This multi-year collaboration invites artists from diverse disciplines to explore the intersection of the humanities, artificial intelligence, and social justice. Ragdale encourages applications from individuals whose work addresses questions about the impact of bias on AI outputs, the influence of dominant historical narratives on current AI technologies, and the ethical considerations for integrating AI into daily life.

ELIGIBILITY: Emerging, midcareer, and established writers, dancers, musicians, composers, and visual artists are encouraged to apply.

AWARD: Ragdale will award the HUMAN Residency Fellowship to 6 artists.  This award includes an initial 6-day Group Residency in spring 2025 (dates TBD) with fellow HUMAN Residency Fellowship recipients and comes with a $1,000 stipend to offset travel and expenses. This AI-themed residency session will be followed by a full, individual, 18-day, fee-waived residency to be scheduled in the subsequent two years (2026 or 2027).

Full residencies are comprised of cohorts of up to 14 multidisciplinary artists working on their own projects. Awardees will receive a second stipend of $3,000 during the 18-day residency. All applicants who apply for the HUMAN Residency Fellowship will be asked to participate in a program, such as a panel talk, visiting artist lecture, workshop, or other related event as part of a culminating AI symposium in 2027. Program details will be determined after the cohort is selected.

The HUMAN residency at Ragdale is part of the Lake Forest College’s $1.2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation for HUMAN: Humanities Understanding of the Machine-Assisted Nexus, led by Professor of English and Executive Director of the Krebs Center for the Humanities, Davis Schneiderman.

GUIDELINES: All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application.

A completed online application form includes:

1. A one-page artist statement and proposal. Proposals should describe how a residency would support the applicant’s work in exploring the intersection of the humanities and artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, with an emphasis on questions of equity and social justice.    

2. A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background. 

3. Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted. 

PLEASE NOTE: Letters of recommendation are not required nor accepted.

ragdale.submittable.com/submit/293033/2025-human-residency

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YADDO RESIDENCY

Yaddo

DEADLINE: August 1, 2024

INFO: Yaddo offers residencies to professional creative artists from all nations and backgrounds working in one or more of the following disciplines: choreography, film, literature, musical composition, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video. Artists apply individually. Peer review is the keystone of our selection process, with different panelists each season. Residencies last from two weeks to two months and include room, board and a studio. There is no fee to come to Yaddo, and we have modest access grants to help offset the costs of attending a residency.

All artists whose work falls within the five disciplines we serve are encouraged to apply. Generally, those who qualify for Yaddo residencies are either working at the professional level in their fields or are emerging artists whose work shows great professional promise. An abiding principle at Yaddo is that applications for residency are judged solely on the quality of the work. Yaddo places no publication, exhibition or performance requirements on artists in residence.

Not only is Yaddo an equal opportunity employer—we will not discriminate against any individual, employee, or application for residency based on race, color, marital status, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, disability, or any other legally protected status recognized by federal, state, or local law—we strongly encourage applicants from backgrounds underrepresented in arts and culture to apply.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES + INSTRUCTIONS:

Application Deadlines: The January 10 deadline is for residencies starting May of the same year, through March of the following year. Applicants receive results by email in mid-March.

The August 1 deadline is for residencies starting November of the same year through June of the following year. Applicants receive results by email in early October.

Late applications are not accepted. All applications must be submitted electronically through the SlideRoom portal, yaddo.slideroom.com. The application portal opens in June for the August 1 deadline and early November for the January 10 deadline.

ELIGIBILITY:

Artists who are enrolled in graduate or undergraduate programs, or who are engaged in completing work toward an academic degree at the time of application, are not eligible.

Artists may apply once every other calendar year. For example, if you applied to a 2022 deadline, you will be eligible to apply again to a 2024 deadline.

Yaddo supports individual artists engaged in the genesis of new, original work. Auxiliary artists such as sound and lighting technicians, musicians, dancers and designers are ineligible to apply.

REAPPLICATION:

The criterion for repeat visits is the same as for first visits – the quality of the artist’s work. All artists must submit a complete application, including recent work samples.

FEES:

The nonrefundable application fee is $30. Depending on the discipline, an added fee of $5 to $10 for media uploads may apply. Application fees must be paid by credit card. If the fees represent a barrier to application, please contact our Program Department. Artists are responsible for their travel to and from Yaddo. We have modest access grants available to offset the costs of accepting an invitation. Applications for Access Grants are sent with your invitation.

LENGTH OF STAY:

Residencies vary in length, from two weeks to two months.

DISCIPLINES:

Applications are considered by independent Admissions Committees. Membership changes with each application round, and is composed of artists whose work is recognized and esteemed by their peers.

Panels consider applications to Yaddo in the following disciplines:

1. Literature: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, librettos, and graphic novels.

2. Visual Art: painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, mixed media, and installation art.

3. Music Composition: instrumental forms, vocal forms, electronic music, music for film, and sound art.

4. Performance: choreography, performance art, and multimedia works incorporating live performance.

5. Film & Video: narrative, documentary and experimental films, animation, and screenplays.

Apply to the Admissions Panel that best represents the project you’d like to work on at Yaddo. Apply to only one admissions panel, and in one genre, at a time. Contact the Program Director with any questions.

COLLABORATIONS:

Yaddo is no longer accepting applications under Collaborative Teams. Our Admissions department is exploring workshop formats that invite collaborators to Yaddo. Details are forthcoming.

Artists who wish to be in residence at the same time should apply to the Admissions Panel in their individual artistic discipline. Concurrent dates of residence may be requested.

REFERENCES:

At this time, references are not required as part of our application process.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

All application materials, including contact information and work samples must be submitted through yaddo.slideroom.com. Complete instructions by discipline, including details about the process and requirements, are offered in the SlideRoom portal. Specific work sample requirements are available here.

Submit a work sample(s) that reflects the project you wish to pursue during your residency, and that represents recent, finished work. The weight of your application is on your work sample; please choose your strongest work. Samples may be visual images, video clips, manuscript pages, or audio files, depending on the requirements for your discipline.

Address admissions questions to admissions@yaddo.org. Include your name and discipline in all correspondence. For technical assistance during the application process, contact support@slideroom.com.

Please note: Follow the instructions in Slideroom for your specific discipline, outlined below.

INSTRUCTIONS BY DISCIPLINE:

The initial stages of our application review are anonymous. Therefore, we ask that you omit your name from all work sample uploads in the file title and anywhere embedded in the file. Identities are revealed in the later stages of review. More detailed instructions on upload requirements are available in SlideRoom when the portal is open (early November – early January and again early June – early August).

• Literature - Submit both a two-page preview sample and a full-length writing sample in double-spaced, manuscript format. For the longer excerpt, page length is determined by literature genre, including fiction & nonfiction (20 pages, about 5,000 words), drama & libretto (30 pages), poetry (10 pages), and graphic novel (10 pages). Work sample requirements are available here.

• Visual Art - Submit seven digital images of visual artwork. Note: The Admissions Committee views images on personal computer screens and a large screen via projection. Optional: Documentary or elemental video of an installation. Work sample requirements are available here.

• Music Composition - Submit two separate musical works, with recordings of one or both works. Both must include either a score or a brief statement. Work sample requirements are available here.

• Performance - Submit both a preview work sample and a full-length work sample. For the preview, submit a two-minute continuous excerpt of one of your performance works. For the longer excerpt, include video documentation of up to three excerpts, totaling no more than 10 minutes in length. Include title, year, performers, any major collaborators, performance space/ location, and a brief description. Work sample requirements are available here.

• Film & Video - Submit both a preview work sample and a full-length sample of the same work. For the preview, offer a two-minute continuous excerpt of your work. The longer sample includes a video or film segment, no more than 10 minutes total. Optional: Brief description of the samples. Work sample requirements are available here.

• Screenwriters - Submit two writing samples of your screenplay. One longer sample of no more than 10,000 words or 30 pages and a second two-page excerpt of the same work. Optional: May include a brief synopsis if necessary. Work sample requirements are available here.

yaddo.org/apply/#instructions-by-discipline

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CREATIVE NONFICTION ESSAY CONTEST

Prairie Schooner

DEADLINE: August 2, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $20, which includes a copy of the Spring 2025 issue of the Schooner, in which the winning essay will appear.

INFO: Our annual summer nonfiction contest seeks all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words.

PRIZE: The winner will receive $1,000 and publication in our Spring 2024 issue.

JUDGE: Safiya Sinclair was born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She is the author of the memoir How to Say Babylon, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, finalist for the Women’s Prize in Non-Fiction and the Kirkus Prize, and longlisted for the OCM Bocas Prize. How to Say Babylon was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of the year, a Washington Post Top 10 Book of 2023, a TIME Magazine Top 10 Nonfiction Book of 2023, one of The Atlantic’s 10 Best Books of 2023, a Read with Jenna/TODAY Show Book Club pick, and one of President Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2023. 

GUIDELINES: 

• Entries will consist of three parts: a cover letter, the essay manuscript, and the entry fee.

• Cover Letter: In the cover letter, include the submission's title and your contact information, including e-mail address, phone number, and mailing address. Your name and contact info must not appear anywhere within the manuscript itself (double-check headers and footers!).

• Essay Manuscript: The contest is open to all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words. We're interested in reading imaginative essays of general interest. (Scholarly articles requiring footnote references should be submitted to journals of literary scholarship.) Manuscripts should be double-spaced and use a standard font, and, again, the submitter's name and contact info should not appear within the manuscript itself.

Multiple submissions are welcome and encouraged, but a separate entry fee must accompany each submission.

This contest is administered anonymously. Editorial Assistants, Assistant Nonfiction Editors, the Guest Judge, and the Editor in Chief of the Schooner are not privy to submitters' identifying information.

If you have a problem with your submission, please write to Managing Editor Siwar Masannat at prairieschooner@unl.edu.

prairieschooner.submittable.com/submit

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2024-2025 Arts Writing Incubator

The Black Embodiments Studio

DEADLINE: August 2, 2024

INFO: Participants in the Arts Writing Incubator meet to discuss contemporary black art, sharpen our understanding of the practice of arts writing, and to develop our own publishable arts writing.

This year will feature a single cohort of 5 people who convene October 2024 - May 2025. The cohort will convene virtually every month to discuss assigned arts writing and to workshop writing-in-progress. They are tasked with seeing black art in their own locales on their own time, maintaining a writing practice that engages this art, and will be expected to pitch and ideally publish at least once during their session. Their writing will also be collected in the annual BES journal, A Year in Black Art.

The cohort will also gather for an in-person convening—details TBD—where they will participate in closed-door sessions with invited artists, arts writers, and arts workers.

Cohort members will receive a humble $1,000 for their participation.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

The application consists of a 2-page letter of interest describing your critical practice, how using writing to think through contemporary black art will be generative to your practice, and what you hope to gain through engaging with The Black Embodiments Studio.

We welcome applicants coming to BES with a variety of interests and experiences in arts writing. This year, however, we are emphasizing the formal and conceptual strategies necessary for two often distinct poles of arts writing: short-form arts journalism, where the arts writer often has to churn out short reviews with high frequency, and longer-form catalogue essays, where writers are often given months if not a year plus to write. This emphasis reflects the national and global conversation about the “death'“ of arts journalism (moving apace with fears about the broader death of traditional journalism, particularly print journalism) as well as the distinct forms, stakes, and ethics that comprise fine art publication practices.

Application materials should be sent in PDF format to blackembodiments@gmail.com by August 2, 2024. 5 people will be notified of their acceptance by September 6, 2024 and publicly announced shortly thereafter. Our organizational capacity unfortunately makes it impossible to respond with individual feedback on applications.

BEST PRACTICES:

You do not have to have any experience in the arts or in arts writing to apply! But you should be experienced in self-directed thinking, invested in contributing to conversation, and able to dedicate time for reading arts writing and for seeing art on your own time. You should also have proficiency in reading, thinking about, and discussing race, and doing so from an anti-racist perspective.

Things to think about when writing your application: be specific!

• Nearly every applicant will discuss their commitment to black art(s) and their need or desire to be amongst other critical black arts thinkers. The routes to these commitments, desires, and needs can be very different, however. Your application should show us how specific people, conversations, ideas, works, and/or artists, etc. have helped shape how you have arrived at this opportunity—and what you might make of it.

• You don’t have to have any arts writing experience to participate in the AWI but writing is the tool through which BES operates. It is important to discuss the stakes of (arts) writing for you, your practice, and the contributions you want to make in the (arts) world(s) you are a part of.

• There may be plenty you don’t know and want to learn through participating in the AWI—you might not even know what you don’t know! When describing your goals, needs, and/or desires to use BES and the AWI as a learning space, be clear on any specific tools, methods, strategies, frameworks, etc. that you hope to develop and why.

• The AWI requires participants set their own schedules for experiencing, reflecting on, and writing about black art. Your letter should discuss how you are currently or will be intentionally engaged in cultural practices in your region, and ways that you are or will be intentionally engaged in some sort of reflection on those practices.

blackembodiments.org/apply

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"My Time" fellowship

Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

DEADLINE: August 5, 2024 by midnight CST

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is pleased to announce the 2024 "My Time" fellowship funded by James Dean. Writers who are parents of dependent children under the age of 18 are invited to apply. Work may be any literary genre: poetry, fiction, plays, memoirs, screenplays, or nonfiction. The successful application will demonstrate literary merit and the likelihood of publication. Prior publication is not a requirement.

PRIZE: Four fellowship winners will receive a one-week residency to allow the recipient to focus completely on their work. A $500 stipend will be provided to cover childcare and/or travel costs to each recipient.

Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet. We provide uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner prepared five nights a week, and served in our community dining room, the camaraderie of other professional writers when you want it, and a community kitchen stocked with the basics for other meals.

Fellowship applications must be accompanied by a writing sample and a non-refundable $35 application fee. There is a limit of one submission per application. The winner will be announced no later than September 9, 2024.

Residencies may be completed anytime before December 2025.

writerscolony.org/fellowships

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call for submissions: Vol. 7 (Summer/Fall 2024) - THE DRAG ISSUE

Just Femme and Dandy

DEADLINE: August 5, 2024

INFO: We are currently taking submissions for our 7th issue! The theme is DRAG. Our definition of drag is expansive, and we invite you to consider how drag as the performance of gender shows up in your lives. We want to hear about how/when/where gender is performed, the day to day lives behind the makeup, the politics of gender and normativity, different forms of drag, how this all coincides with fashion and dress. While we would love to hear from up and coming drag artists and independent fashion designers, this theme is for everyone, not just drag artists and enthusiasts. If you have something to say about gendered performance, we want to hear it! You are welcome to send us submissions outside of the theme, but submissions that relate to the theme are highly encouraged. We accept anything that can be displayed on a website: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, tutorial, illustration, comix, photography, painting, video, drag, costume/fashion designs, hot takes, interviews, and so on!

COMPENSATION: We pay 50 USD per text-based submission and up to 150 USD (note, this is a change from previous issues) per multimedia submission (video, photography, image + text, fashion spread + interview, etc.), determined by the editor who accepts the piece for publication. We pay using Venmo or PayPal and we are unable to work with any other payment services.

GUIDELINES:

Please only submit ONE submission. Pitches that don’t fall under any specific category (or multiple categories) can be sent to info@justfemmeanddandy.com, but please do take some time to consider which section it most applies.  

Some of our sections have changed! Read below.

We take submissions for consideration in features, manivestoes (queer futures & radical identities), sew what (DIY/shift/makeshift), genderfuckery (isn’t it obvious?), fat + furious (fatshion), life is but a drag (BRAND NEW!), and cancel & gretel (ethics & inclusion). We also take submissions for not what it seams, a column housed within sew what that focuses on costuming.

Please send your submissions to the following emails for each section:

• genderfuckery: genderfuckery@justfemmeanddandy.com

• sew what / not what it seams: sewwhat@justfemmeanddandy.com

• manivestoes: manivestoes@justfemmeanddandy.com

• fat + furious: fatfurious@justfemmeanddandy.com

• cancel & gretel: cancelgretel@justfemmeanddandy.com

• life is but a drag: lifeisbutadrag@justfemmeanddandy.com

We take interviews, artist profiles, complete submissions in any genre that can be housed on a website, as well as pitches and inquiries. Email the specific section you believe your submission fits.

Please include with your submission a short bio of no more than 150 words, your headshot (including image description), any images, video, and/or audio (including alt-text - descriptions of images and video, transcriptions for audio, etc), along with a note of how your submission fits our mission and the particular category you are submitting to for consideration. We have no word count limitations, but we ask you be thoughtful about length as it relates to screen fatigue.

Headshots are not mandatory, so feel free to not include them if you would not like them included, just let us know in your submission.

We do expect you to consider yourself part of the LGBTQIA+ community, but we won’t be policing/asking directly.

We love all your many names and monikers, but please make it explicitly clear which name you would like to be published under.

We do expect all submissions to directly relate to LGBTQIA+ fashion/aesthetics, but our framework for that is flexible. We do not expect nor do we require anyone to be an “expert” on fashion. We see every human as a unique vessel, and we’ve long observed that fashion, aesthetics, and style to be a powerful language and reclamation for the LGBTQIA+ community. One of the reasons we do what we do is to intervene in the elitist, inaccessible, ableist, white supremacist, gatekeeping frameworks that have surrounded mainstream fashion.

ACCESS/DESIGN NOTE: Your submission MUST include descriptions for all visuals, including images, headshots, and audio descriptions/transcripts for video. Please send images separately instead of embedding them in the document, and make clear which description describes which image (by labeling it the same name as the file, etc.). If you’d like images to be placed in a specific location within the text, please make that clear as well. Please do not include more than 10 images for editing concerns and capacity. 

Please ask if you need help/support for resources on how to write alt text, and we’re happy to direct you to resources.

NOTE: Your submission will be considered incomplete until you have submitted all of these materials.

AI NOTE: We will not accept ANY SUBMISSION that uses AI. If your submission is accepted and we discover that it has been created using AI, we will pull your publication/submission and ask for you to repay your honorarium. We have no interest in participating in or contributing to a system that steals from artists.

justfemmeanddandy.com/call-for-submissions

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Changemaker Authors Cohort 

Narrative Initiative / Unicorn Authors Club

DEADLINE: August 15, 2024

INFO: The Changemaker Authors Cohort is a yearlong intensive coaching program supporting full-time movement organizers and social justice practitioners to complete books that create deep, durable narrative change to restructure the way people feel, think, and respond to the world.

To help create new networks of opportunity, Narrative Initiative partnered with the Unicorn Authors Club to offer this unique writing cohort for Changemaker Authors. Our first Changemaker Authors Cohort launched in early-2022; the 2023-2024 Cohort began on November 2023. Applications are opening June 1st for the 2025 Cohort. 

The Changemaker Authors Cohort supports those working towards racial, economic, and social justice to write and publish books that create durable narrative change. This can include books that are about communities establishing and using their power through organizing and activism, as well as those contributing to the plurality of voices in the broader artistic and cultural discourse. Visit the cohort pages for 2022 and 2024 to get a sense of some of the projects supported within this program. 

This 12-month virtual program begins on March 1, 2025 and supports cohort members to make significant progress with their project at the end of each 4-month term. This can include manuscript completion or having a submittable manuscript or proposal ready for an agent or publisher, through coaching, regular writing cafés, craft talks, and resources about crafting stories and the publishing industry. 

A virtual information session with Q&A about the program will be held on Friday, June 14, 2024 at 8pm ET/5pm PT. You can also watch last year’s info session on YouTube in English and in Spanish. 

Please note: Attending or watching an Info Session is required to apply for the program.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the upcoming Cohort year can be found here. 

Please email (changemakerauthor@narrativeinitiative.org) for any additional questions about the Changemaker Authors Cohort  application or the program.

narrativeinitiative.org/changemaker-authors-program/

FICTION / NONFICTION — JUNE 2024

Artist in Residence Program

Headlands Center for the Arts

DEADLINE: June 10, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: The Artist in Residence (AIR) program awards fully sponsored residencies to approximately 50 local, national, and international artists each year. Residencies of four to ten weeks include studio space, chef-prepared meals, housing, travel and living expenses. AIRs become part of a dynamic community of artists participating in Headlands’ other programs, allowing for exchange and collaborative relationships to develop within the artist community on campus. Artists selected for this program are at all career stages and work in all media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, dance, music, interdisciplinary, social practice, arts professions, and architecture.

All Artist in Residence applicants are also considered for the following awards:

• McLaughlin Foundation Award

• McLaughlin Children’s Trust Award

• Henderson Award

• Project Space

PROGRAM GOALS:

• To invest in individuals at the cutting edge of artistic fields and whose work has potential to have significant cultural and social impact.

• To support artists to explore and experiment in order to take their work to the next level.

• To build a nurturing and dynamic community of local, national, and international artists and thinkers.

• To encourage artists to develop ideas and work within the context of the Marin Headlands, a part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

• To bring national and international artists to the Bay Area to engage and have cross-cultural exchange with local artists and audiences.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

• Fully sponsored 4- to 10-week residencies

• Paid roundtrip airfare, and up to $1,000 a month of either a stipend or reimbursed expenses

• 100- to 2000-sq.-foot studios

• Private bedroom in shared house

• A maximum two week stay for families in the Family House (by request only and subject to availability)

• Five chef-prepared meals per week

• Access to vehicles on-site

• Facilities access: Basic woodshop; audio/video equipment; artists’ library with computer, scanner, and printer • Wi-Fi in designated spaces

• Up to 15 Artists in Residence living on-site

• Participation in monthly “Show & Tell” nights

• Participation in seasonal Open House

• Access to Headlands Public Events

• Field trips to Bay Area museums, galleries, and cultural venues

• Become part of Headlands Alumni Network

ELIGIBILITY:

• Artists not currently enrolled in an academic program at the time requested residency would take place. Eligibility of artists enrolled in PhD programs will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Former Headlands’ Artists in Residence (AIR), and any recipients of Alumni New Works, Chamberlain, Chiaro, or Tournesol Awards may not apply within five years of previous Residency.

• All other Alumni of Headlands’ Programs are eligible to apply for the AIR Program at any point.

• Must be able to speak basic English.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

• Merit of past work.

• Readiness to engage with and benefit from the residency experience at Headlands (see program goals). • Potential to develop creative practice and impact the community at Headlands and beyond.

SELECTION PROCESS:

• Headlands’ staff reviews applications to ensure completion and eligibility

• Submissions are reviewed by a jury of knowledgeable and esteemed artists and arts professionals

• The jury evaluates each artist’s materials and selects finalists

• Finalists are invited to talk about their work and ideas a 20-minute Zoom interview to determine the final award selection

WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY:

A full application includes the following:
Please note that all applications and work samples must be submitted in or translated to English.

• Resume or curriculum vitae

• Letter of interest, outlining your specific interest in working at Headlands and how program participation will affect your practice

• The names and email addresses of three personal or professional references; please note, we do not want letters of reference.

• Documentation of recent work (see specifications below for guidelines according to discipline) • Please note: we’ll start accepting applications for 2025 residencies on April 1, 2024.

• Documentation of recent work (see specifications below for guidelines according to discipline)

  **Artist collaboratives should apply together by submitting ONE application per group, specifying the number of individuals on the application form. For live-in Artists in Residence, Headlands can accommodate no more than three total artists in a collaborative group.

DOCUMENTATION:

Please select from the following list materials appropriate to your practice. The category headings are guidelines; please submit whatever type of materials best represent your work.

• Visual (painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, installation, conceptual)

  • Applicants may submit up to 12 work samples, which can be a combination of images, video, or audio files (maximum of 30 minutes of video and audio).

  • Submission of an image list with title, date, size, media, and, where applicable, conceptual intent, is optional.

• Writing (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting, graphic narrative)

  • Submission of an image list with title, date, size, media, and, where applicable, conceptual intent, is optional.

  • Submit up to 20 pages of poetry, 30 pages of prose or one to two full-length plays/scripts.

• Performance / Dance **

  • Submit 30 minutes of video, along with any other material that adequately describes your work.

  • Please note: the first 10 minutes will be used for primary review unless the artist directs otherwise.

• Film / Video / New Media**

  • Submit up to 30 minutes of video.

  • Please note: the first 10 minutes will be used for primary review unless the artist directs otherwise.

• Music / Sound**

  • Submit up to 30 minutes of audio and/or video.

  • Please note: the first 10 minutes will be used for primary review unless the artist directs otherwise.

• Arts Professionals (art writers, administrators, and curators)

  • Submit sufficient material to evidence the breadth of your work and interests, including reviews, essays, and catalogs.

• Architecture / Environment

  • Review documentation requirements for Visual Artists.

• Interdisciplinary Arts**

  • Review other categories to determine what materials you should submit.

headlands.org/event/artist-in-residence/

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2025 Writers-in-Residence (Fiction / Non-Fiction / Poetry)

Hedgebrook

DEADLINE: June 12, 2024 by midnight PST

APPLICATION FEE: $45

INFO: Hedgebrook’s mission is to support visionary women writers whose stories and ideas shape our culture now and for generations to come. Writers must be women, which is inclusive of transgender women and female-identified individuals. 

Because gender inequity still occurs in all spaces including literary ones, it is part of our explicit mission to support and promote women’s voices. The Writers in Residence (WiR) program is Hedgebrook’s core program, which for 36 years in 2024 has supported free-for-writers residencies representing diversity in citizenship status, nationality, current place of residence, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, professional experience, and economic resources. We welcome applicants, published or not, who embrace the mission and opportunity to be a member of Hedgebrook's community.

Applications are genre-specific, and will be evaluated by readers and judges proficient in evaluating those genres. Please be sure to read all the instructions. Your job as an applicant is to convey to the readers:

• Your passion for the project you propose to work on in residence (Artist Statement)

• Your skill and ability to do the work as a writer (Writing Sample)

• Diversity of Your Voice 

Non-refundable processing fees (U.S. currency) due for each application are as follows (Deadlines are at midnight, Pacific Time): 

• $45 for submissions received 4/17-5/28/24

• $55 for submissions received 5/29-6/12/24 

• Fee waivers are available to the first 50 people on a first-come, first-served basis

THIS APPLICATION IS FOR RESIDENCIES TAKING PLACE January to early November, 2025.

THIS APPLICATION IS NOT FOR HEDGEBROOK ALUMNAE. If you are an alumna, please consider a Mother Tree Residency or email programs@hedgebrook.org to learn about opportunities to engage with Hedgebrook.

hedgebrook.slideroom.com

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Narrative Prize

Narrative

DEADLINE: June 15, 2024

INFO: The $5,000 NARRATIVE PRIZE is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.

The prize is announced in October and is given to the best work published each year in Narrative by a new or emerging writer, as judged by the magazine’s editors. In some years, the prize may be divided between winners, when more than one work merits the award. Entries selected for publication are eligible for the Narrative Prize, which is not a contest but an award.

WORD COUNT GUIDELINES:

• SHORT SHORT STORY manuscripts must be at least 500 and no more than 2,000 words in length.


• MANUSCRIPTS OF 2,000 to 15,000 WORDS can include short stories, essays, one-act plays, and other complete short works of nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of fiction and nonfiction.


• NOVELLAS and other long works that are less than book length may run between 15,000 and 40,000 words. For works of this length, please submit the first 15,000 words with a synposis. (Based on our reading of the first 15,000 words, we will ask to see the complete manuscript if we think the work is suitable for Narrative.)


• SERIALIZATION OF BOOK-LENGTH WORKS. For consideration for serialization, please send the first chapter and a one-page synopsis of the book. (Based on our reading of the first chapter and synopsis, we will ask to see the complete book manuscript if we think the book is suitable for serialization in Narrative. For further information on our program of serializations, please click here.)


• POETRY submissions may contain up to five poems. The poems should be contained in a single file. Your submission should give a strong sense of your style and range. We accept submissions of all poetic forms and genres but do not accept translations.


• ONE-ACT PLAYS: We are particularly interested in finding dramas whose impact can be experienced as much on the page as in production. We are open to plays that have been previously published but are out of print, to plays that have been produced, and to ones that have never been produced or published. Length can run up to 15,000 words.

• NARRATIVE OUTLOUD AUDIO PROSE submissions may be fiction or nonfiction but should take a storytelling form. Audio prose submissions must be in MP3 format and may be up to ten minutes long. Files must be no bigger than 50mb.

• NARRATIVE OUTLOUD AUDIO POETRY submissions must be in MP3 format and may be up to ten minutes long.
 Files must be no bigger than 50mb.

• NARRATIVE OUTLOUD VIDEO submissions may be short films and documentaries of up to 15 minutes. Submissions must be in .mp4 or .mov format. Files must be no bigger than 50mb.

• READERS’ NARRATIVES may run up to 1,500 words.

narrativemagazine.com/great-stories/narrative-prize

_____

2024 DVAN-Millay New Author Residency

Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network

DEADLINE: June 15, 2024 at 11:59pm PDT

INFO: The DVAN-Millay New Author Residency is a special partnership with Millay Arts to celebrate and lift up one author who recently published their first book. For this residency, a new author will be selected through a juried process by 2023 DVAN-Millay New Author Fellow and author of The Cocounut Children, Vivian Pham, for a residency from October 2 – 29, 2024.

The residency includes a private bedroom and studio, shared living spaces, a laundry room, a workstation, and the use of the Alumni and Nancy Graves Memorial Libraries. Bedding and linens are provided. Groceries are included along with communal dinners prepared by the in-house chef. Located in the Hudson Valley, nestled against the Berkshire foothills of Austerlitz, New York, Millay Arts’ seven acres border the beautiful Harvey Mountain State Forest and the home and gardens of the famed early 20th-century poet, activist, and Pulitzer Prize winner Edna St. Vincent Millay.

ELIGIBILITY:

Self-identify as diasporic Vietnamese or Southeast Asian.

• Have published one book in the last five (5) years, excluding self-published or vanity presses

• International applicants are encouraged to apply, but submissions must be in English. 

  • Please be advised that DVAN cannot assist in paying for international travel.

• Only one submission per person is allowed.

• All attendees must have Proof of Vaccination and a minimum of one booster.

• Applicants must be available for the full duration of the residency.

• Applicants must use a Google or Gmail account to access the application.

• The contest runs from May 15 to June 15. The application deadline is June 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM, Pacific Standard Time.

EXPECTATIONS:

We kindly request that the winning resident agree to 1) serve on the jury the following year for a month-long reading submission period in late spring or early summer to select the next nominee, and 2) highlight this opportunity and the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network in their social media and future publishing acknowledgments.

MANUSCRIPT REQUIREMENTS:

We accept submissions of unpublished creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry.

• Submissions must be:

  • 10 – 20 pages of unpublished stories, excerpts, essays, or poems.

  • Use standard formatting: Times New Roman font, 12-point size, regular 1-inch margins, and page numbers. Double-spaced, please!

  • Include a title at the top of the submission.

  • Word documents only.

  • All submissions exceeding twenty (20) pages will be disqualified.

• Submissions must also include: 

  • a one-page cover letter (300 words or less) describing your next project or where you are in your writing process.

  • a CV outlining your publications, readings, work, accolades, etc., of three (3) pages or less.

• Please do not… 

  • include your name anywhere on the manuscript. Submissions are reviewed anonymously. 

  • include a cover page. 

  • submit newspaper journalism, co-authored work, screenplays, or self-help literature.

• The application deadline is June 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM, Pacific Standard Time. Submissions received after the deadline will not be read. 

• There is a $35 application fee. This helps offset DVAN’s operational costs.

• DVAN reserves the right to reject entries that do not follow these rules.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING:

Using a Google Form for the DVAN-Millay New Author Residency, submit a 10-20 page Writing Sample of your unpublished work following the Manuscript Guidelines and Rules above.

PLEASE NOTE: Since we use Google Forms for the application, you will be asked to sign in with a Google or Gmail account.

dvan.org/2024-dvan-millay-new-author-residency/

_____

call for submissions: Spring/Summer Issue

Same Face Collective

DEADLINE: June 15, 2024

INFO: All are welcome to submit, but we especially seek experimental forms and work from marginalized voices. 

HOW TO SUBMIT: Name ALL FILES: Title of Piece, Name as you would like it published. Please send work as a doc or docx attachment; do not paste it to the body of the email.

We accept:

• Fiction

• Poetry

• Creative Nonfiction

• Craft Essays

• Literary Criticism

• Experimental/Hybrid Prose

• Flash Fiction

Note: We rarely accept genre fiction, but will still consider!

All visual work must be accompanied by a brief description of at least 50 words.

• Photography

• Visual Art

• Film and Animation - Under 5 minutes

• Performance - Music, Dance, Theatre under 5 minutes

Please only submit ONE story or essay per reading period.

You may submit up to THREE poems per reading period. If you submit multiple poems at once that are NOT a cohesive collection, attach them as separate files.

Maximum word count for fiction and nonfiction is 8000 words. 

Send your work to samefacescollective@gmail.com

GUIDELINES:

1. Make the subject line: (Genre) Submission - Your Name (ie. Poetry Submission - Alice Brown), If you would like to remain anonymous, just let us know.

2. Cover letter not necessary, but welcome. Include a short, third-person bio (under 300 words). If you have Instagram, include your handle so we can tag you.

3. Attach Your Work as a doc or docx. If you are submitting a photo series, compile them into a folder.

DUE TO THE VOLUME OF SUBMISSIONS AND SMALL TEAM, ONLY SUBMISSIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE GUIDELINES WILL BE CONSIDERED.​

We accept simultaneous submissions, just let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere.​

You retain the rights to your own work upon publication. 

samefacescollective.com/how-to-submit

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FALL 2024 & WINTER 2025 RESidency

Vermont Studio Center

DEADLINE: June 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: Applications are now being accepted for fall 2024 through April 2025 residency at Vermont Studio Center. Nestled in the Green Mountains, VSC hosts an inclusive, global community of artists and writers. Enjoy private studios and lodging, fresh - local meals, and a vibrant Visiting Artists & Writers Program.

VSC’s residency program welcomes artists and writers working across all mediums and genres for two, three, and four week sessions.

Residents enjoy well-lit, private studios within a short walk to residency housing, dining hall, and local amenities. Studio spaces range from 170 - 300 square feet. Accommodations include a private room and shared common areas. The campus features include a print shop, digital lab, and metal, wood, ceramic facility. Studios are open 24 hours a day.

A VSC residency provides artists and writers the time and space to focus on their creative practice in an inclusive, international community within a small Vermont village. Residents can explore swimming holes, hiking and biking trails, as well as the rural charm of neighboring towns, while expanding their creative potential and building a solid network of friends and mentors.

PROGRAMMING

During each session, Visiting Artists and Visiting Writers are invited to join us for presentations, craft talks, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and individual studio visits. Residents can also enjoy open studio nights, resident presentations, and exhibition openings. All scheduled activities are optional. Residents are encouraged to unplug, completely immerse themselves in their work, and work at their own pace.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

VSC is committed to community building both locally and on campus. Every resident has the opportunity to participate in our Community Contribution Program for 3 hours per week, by assisting in one of these areas: Kitchen, School Arts Program, Visual Arts, and the Writing Program. No prior experience is necessary.

vermontstudiocenter.org/apply

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2024 room nonfiction contest

Room

DEADLINE: June 15, 2024

INFO: Room publishes work by people of all marginalized genders, including cis and trans women, trans men, nonbinary and Two-Spirit people.

ENTRY FEE: Entry fees include shipping and are based on the address associated with your Submittable account, as this is where your subscription will be shipped: 

• If you reside in Canada: $39 CAD

• If you reside in the US: $49 CAD

• If you reside outside North America: $59 CAD

JUDGE: Angela Sterritt

CONTEST RULES & GUIDELINES:

• We accept entries up to 3500 words. Please double-space all submissions. 

• Please submit in 12 point font. Times New Roman preferred but not required. 

• You can only upload ONE document (.pdf, .doc, or .docx preferred; can also accept .rtf) per submission on Submittable, so you must submit your entire submission in one file. 

• Submissions must be anonymous—please do not include your name or personal details anywhere in your document, including the file name. You will have a chance to include your contact information on the Submittable form. Cover letters and bios are not necessary and will not be forwarded to the judge.

• Each entry must be original and unpublished.

• We accept simultaneous submissions, but if your submission is accepted elsewhere, please notify us and withdraw your submission immediately. 

• Room's contests are open to women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and nonbinary people. We specifically encourage writers with overlapping under-represented identities to submit their work.

• Previously commissioned Room writers are disqualified from entering the contest.

• Any submission that does not meet these guidelines will be disqualified. The submission fee is non-refundable. 

• Please direct any questions or concerns to contests@roommagazine.com.  

PRIZES:

• FIRST PRIZE: $1,000 + publication in Room

• SECOND PRIZE: $250 + publication in Room

• THIRD PLACE: $100 + publication on Room's website

room.submittable.com/submit

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The Hold Space Grant for Artists of Color

Ox-Bow

DEADLINE: June 16, 2024 at 12:00 am EST

INFO: Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency is excited to launch a new opportunity for BIPOC artists and creatives to utilize our campus and facilities via the Hold Space Grant for Artists of Color.

Participants who qualify can enjoy communal living, making, and opportunities to organize on Ox-Bow’s campus in Saugatuck, Michigan. Lodging, three meals per day, and access to Ox-Bow studios and spaces are provided.

People of color across the creative spectrum including artists of any discipline, writers, curators, teachers, and Ox-Bow Alumni are encouraged to apply. The grant supports individuals or groups of up to twenty for any length from one to seven nights. The dates available for the Hold Space Grant in 2024 are September 4-11, 2024.

Ox-Bow encourages applicants to consider how they would like to use its facilities and resources to best suit their interests and goals. Some proposal examples are listed below, but are not limited to;

An individual artist utilizing the metals, ceramics, printmaking, fiber, painting, or writing studio, with guidance from Ox-Bow’s on-campus studio managers. You can see more about our studios and equipment here.

A self-organized group retreat with collaborative creative projects and BIPOC speakers. Assistance from the Ox-Bow programming team is available.

Other nonprofits in need of time and space to plan and organize, with comfortable lodging, and space to talk and make. Assistance from the Ox-Bow programming team is available.

BIPOC curators may utilize the campus gallery spaces for exhibitions, with assistance from the campus team.

A set of existing collaboratives coming together to design a suite of dinner parties and conversation with assistance from Ox-Bow’s hospitality team.

Proposals are reviewed by a panel of BIPOC curators and artists who are familiar with the Ox-Bow experience. The Hold Space Grant, includes lodging, meals, and access to Ox-Bow resources. Hold Space Grant recipients should be 21 years or older at the start of their residency and have the option of bringing their children to campus. Children must be accompanied by a legal guardian while on campus. Ox-Bow does not provide childcare or additional care support at this time. This experience is valued at $300 per person, per day, and does not currently include a cash grant.

Inspired by BIPOC participant feedback, the Hold Space Grant for Artists of Color, is the product of many months of thoughtful planning and research by Ox-Bow's Senior Leadership Team.

Project research was initiated in 2020 with former Ox-Bow staff member and current program ambassador, independent curator and founder of AMFM, Ciera McKissick, and a group of 9 Thought Partners who had experience in the Ox-Bow community. The research process resulted in the design of a program that held intentional and exclusive space for BIPOC artists at Ox-Bow. Ox-Bow extends their gratitude to the Thought Partners for their foundational work, invaluable guidance and consultation on this initiative: Cecilia Beaven, Jen de los Reyes, Kyrae Dewan, Jessica Gatlin, Rami George, Salvador Jimenez Flores, Arnold J. Kemp, Abigail Lucien, and “Q” Patrick Quilao.

Ox-Bow’s DEIA Statement:

Ox-Bow School of Art & Artists’ Residency fosters an environment that rejects injustice, oppression, and racism through radical hospitality and care. We are committed to continued listening, learning, and direct action that will result in sustainable change within our organization to ensure that Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Latine artists, trans and queer artists, and artists with disabilities are seen, heard, and supported at Ox-Bow.

Our leadership team is working toward being an anti-racist organization. Recent tangible actions include a year-long educational relationship with Enrich Chicago, expanding funding opportunities in support of BIPOC participation in Ox-Bow programs, the Peter Williams Award for teaching and mentorship by a BIPOC alum, revised hiring practices that support equity, the adoption of ethical storytelling in our communications and the development of the Hold Space Grant for Artists of Color.

ox-bow.submittable.com/submit

_____

New City Critics

Urban Design Forum / The Architectural League

DEADLINE: June 20, 2024 at 11:59pm

INFO: In 2022, Urban Design Forum and The Architectural League launched a fellowship program to empower new, fearless, and diverse voices to challenge the ways we understand, design, and build our cities. The fellowship supports the development of six critics from underrepresented backgrounds through guest lectures and workshops, research guidance, networking, and production of new critical projects on a dedicated platform. Through published work and other channels, the fellowship encourages a more expansive conversation on the future of cities.

New City Critics aims to drive change in the culture of criticism. Today, architectural criticism and urban analysis in mainstream media is a shrinking arena, though it remains extremely powerful. Newspapers and magazines have moved away from having full-time critics on staff, and feature the work of just a few, largely older, and mostly male, white writers. A handful of professional critics from similar backgrounds means attention to a limited selection of topics and perspectives. We want to see kaleidoscopic coverage from a much wider variety of perspectives and rewrite public understanding of why urban design and development matter.

New City Critics is for a criticism of city design and development that reflects the people who live in cities. We need more informed and sustained examination of citymaking in media beyond small professional circles, for a broader public. Housing, workplaces, infrastructure, public spaces and monuments define the contours of our lives. They demand critical attention and a critical imagination expressed through novel formats and in new forums. Our goal is to equip a new generation of critics with new skills and a meaningful network to make urban processes legible and argue for a city they want to live in. 

STUCTURE:

Fellows will meet twice each month throughout the 9-month program. 

For this cycle, the fellowship will be organized into modules, each focused on developing a specific critical skill and new written work. Modules will focus on reading critical texts on the city, writing about urban places and projects, writing with and about actors in citymaking, and reviewing texts, objects, and events. 

Fellowship sessions will include conversations and workshops with members of the program Advisory Board, and guest writers, editors, advocates, practitioners, and change makers in the built environment. In other sessions, Fellows will develop and workshop their writing together. 

The Architectural League, Urban Omnibus, and Urban Design Forum staff will support Fellows’ research and networking across the broader media community and built environment professions.

Fellows will complete regular writing assignments and publish work in a dedicated New City Critics newsletter and section on Urban Omnibus. 

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

We welcome applicants who are passionate about introducing readers to the complex, delightful, and fraught experiences of our cities and shedding light on how neighborhoods are shaped, managed, and lived in. We invite applications from early- to mid-career writers or urbanists deeply committed to making cities legible to broad audiences. Candidates should possess experience in both writing and urban practice, though we expect the balance to vary. We encourage submissions that demonstrate prior publication and significant engagement with the field. In addition, we welcome storytellers of varying ages and experiences – writers, journalists, designers, planners, scholars, advocates, artists, curators, organizers, DIY newsletter writers, zine publishers, podcasters, photo essayists, and others – who are committed to producing critical work about the shape and experience of our city. 

New City Critics is intended for people who do not see themselves or their experiences reflected in the fields of criticism, urbanism, and design today. We aim to build a cohort of six individuals who will lean on each other’s curiosities and grow together. Beyond support in developing projects and skills, applicants should be searching for co-conspirators to broaden their understanding and imagination. Fellows must live or work in the New York metropolitan area for the duration of the program to be considered.   

WHAT WE OFFER:

Shape Discourse

Fellows will learn together, developing their skills and expanding their thinking and writing on design and cities. We will provide numerous opportunities to publish on a new vertical by Urban Omnibus across the fellowship year and engage with Urban Design Forum and Urban Omnibus’ audiences.

Produce Original Work

Fellows will have an opportunity to develop new work that advances a critical perspective on issues in the built environment, shape and refine it by working closely with experienced editors, and present it to an engaged audience. 

Leverage Our Networks

Fellows will be encouraged to connect with the Urban Design Forum’s and Architectural League’s networks and audiences. They will have access to experts in design, planning, and development in New York City, as well as accomplished critics and cultural producers.

Participate in Forum and League Programs

Fellows will enjoy two years of complimentary Urban Design Forum and Architectural League membership and access to our lectures and discussions. 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Applications Due – Thursday, June 20, 2024, 11:59 pm

• Finalist Interviews – Week of July 29, 2024

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

In-Person Programming

Sessions will be held at Urban Design Forum and Architectural League offices in downtown Manhattan, or offsite with a session speaker. Fellows will be given enough time in advance to schedule travel. 

Individual Accommodations

We will work with all accepted Fellows to accommodate individual accessibility requirements, caretaking responsibilities, technology needs, unique health and safety concerns, or other circumstances.

Time Commitment

Fellows will meet Monday evenings twice a month in New York City. They should make reasonable efforts to attend all required meeting dates listed in the application portal and notify staff of anticipated conflicts. During the 9-month fellowship, there will be an estimated total of 55 hours dedicated to program sessions, along with an expectation that fellows will commit substantial time outside of sessions for reading, research, and writing. 

Project Funding

Fellows will be awarded a stipend of $7,500 for participation in the 9-month fellowship. 

urbandesignforum.org/initiative/new-city-critics/

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The Book Project

Lighthouse Writers

DEADLINE: June 22, 2024

INFO: The Book Project is an intensive, two-year program aimed at giving writers of book-length manuscripts the classes, advice, and moral support they need to draft, revise, and—most importantly—finish. Whether you're working on a novel, memoir, short story collection, or narrative nonfiction title, our program mentors (all of whom are published authors) will work closely with you to chart a path through your project. Intensives, retreats, and classes with fellow Book Project participants give you a supportive, encouraging community to thrive in. And our in-house publishing expert provides the advice you need to take your completed book to market. You'll emerge with a manuscript you can be proud of and a support team ready to help you take the next steps.

THE BOOK PROJECT PATH: Workshops can help us improve a short story, poem, or novel chapter, but it's difficult to get the consistent feedback (as well as the advice, encouragement, hand-holding) we need to make it through a book-length work. This customized program helps book writers develop and stick to a schedule, a time frame, and a set of aesthetic goals. Our program pairs each writer with a mentor to provide advice and feedback as well as a community of writers to inspire and hold each other accountable.

WHY CHOOSE IT? The Book Project is affordable, at just a fraction of the cost of an MFA degree, yet every bit as rigorous as the best creative writing programs. It's a personalized course of study and a proven way to break through the mire of drafts that never seem to get finished. And remote study is available; you can participate in Book Project even if you don't live in the Denver area. As of 2023, we've seen eight of our book project mentees sign book deals with major publishers, two—a novel (from Riverhead/Penguin Random House) and a nonfiction book (from Hachette)—were published in 2022, and three more—a middle grade novel (from Levine Querido), and a nonfiction book and story collection (from Penguin Random House) will arrive in 2023.

MENTORS: Our mentors are working, award-winning writers—William Haywood Henderson (Director of the program), Erika Krouse, Vauhini Vara, Anna Qu, Rachel Weaver, and Benjamin Whitmer—all highly skilled teachers with years of experience nurturing creative writers. Our resident publishing expert, Shana Kelly, will guide you through the process of finding an agent, sending out queries, and handling the business side of book writing.

TUITION: Tuition is $8,580 per year, which includes all courses and weekend intensives, mentor meetings, agent meetings, and two full manuscript reads. We also help facilitate two optional writing retreats (food and lodging up to participants) per year. Our Book Project Fellowship covers partial or full tuition for the entire two-year program. Awards are based on merit and financial need; see the link below for more information.

FELLOWSHIPS: In 2018, we launched the Book Project Fellowship, which covers full or partial tuition for the entire two-year program.

lighthousewriters.org/adult/book-project

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Call for submissions: Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors short story contest

GRIST / NRDC

DEADLINE:  June 24, 2024 by 11:59 pm PST

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: Grist is excited to open submissions for the fourth year of our Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors short story contest. 

Imagine 2200 is an invitation to writers from all over the globe to imagine a future in which solutions to the climate crisis flourish and help bring about radical improvements to our world. We dare you to dream anew. [Get Imagine updates: Sign up for our email list]

We are thrilled to also announce the judges for our 2024/25 contest: Omar El Akkad and Annalee Newitz. El Akkad is an author and journalist whose award-winning debut novel, American War, is an international bestseller and was selected by the BBC as one of 100 Novels That Shaped Our World. Newitz is a science fiction and nonfiction writer whose third novel, The Terraformers is a finalist for the Nebula Award, and whose latest nonfiction book, Four Lost Cities, is a national bestseller.

THE PREMISE:

Imagine 2200 celebrates stories that envision the next decades to centuries of equitable climate progress, imagining futures of abundance, adaptation, reform, and hope. We are looking for stories that are rooted in creative climate solutions and community-centered resilience, showing what can happen as solutions take root, and stories that offer gripping plots with rich characters and settings, making that future come alive.

In 2,500 to 5,000 words, show us the world you dream of building.

Your story should be set sometime between the near future and roughly the year 2200.

A great Imagine story is not afraid to explore the challenges ahead — the path to climate progress will involve struggle and adaptation, and we invite you to show that — but ultimately offers hope that we can work together to build a more sustainable and just world. We want to see stories that incorporate real world climate solutions and climate science, as well as cultural authenticity (a deep sense of place, customs, cuisine, and more) and characters with fully-fledged identities. We especially want to read — and share — stories that center solutions and voices from the communities most impacted by the climate crisis. 

If you’re newer to climate, below this prompt we’ve included some resources to get you started in finding inspiration from existing solutions. Feel free to use these as a jumping off point, or to bring in any climate and justice solutions you find inspiring.

Your story can bring these principles into any genre — we love seeing climate themes show up in love stories, mysteries, adventure, comedy, and more. Climate connects to every part of life, and all sorts of stories can be climate stories, so dream big — envision a world where climate solutions have flourished, and where we prioritize our well-being, work to mend our communities, and lead lives that celebrate our humanity. We can’t wait to read what you come up with.

PRIZE: The winning writer will be awarded $3,000. The second- and third-place winners receive $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. An additional nine finalists will each receive $300. All winners and finalists will have their story published in an immersive collection on Grist’s website.

We are also partnering with Oregon State University’s Spring Creek Project, which will offer the winning writer (or a runner-up, in the case the winner cannot accept) the opportunity to participate in its Environmental Writing Fellowship and Residency, including a writing residency at the Cabin at Shotpouch Creek for the winner to spend up to four weeks in residence to continue their climate writing project. The Fellow will receive a $3,000 honorarium from Spring Creek Project.

Stories will be reviewed by a panel of experts, and judged by acclaimed authors Omar El Akkad and Annalee Newitz.

Your submission must be an original fictional story of between 2,500 and 5,000 words that has not been previously published. The full contest rules are available on our submission portal. 

grist.org/climate-fiction/imagine-2200-contest-submissions

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call for submissions: Black British Literatures & Creative Communities

Callolloo

DEADLINE: June 28, 2024 at 11:59pm

INFO: Callaloo seeks new writing (essays, fiction, poetry, memoir), scholarly articles, and visual art for a special issue entitled "New Dimensions: Black British Literatures and Creative Communities", guest-edited by Karen McCarthy Woolf and Jason Allen-Paisant. Critical and creative writing that focuses on the following areas of Black British life is particularly welcomed: 

• Art: historical perspectives as well as new approaches in Black British artistic expression

• Activism 

• Music 

• New perspectives in Black British writing 

• The rural experience of Black Britons

• Queer perspectives and aesthetics 

Book reviews: You may propose a review for books with a publication date between October 2024 and February 2025. 

Prose pieces should be no more than 6000 words long, unpublished, and not currently under consideration elsewhere. Scholarly articles should follow the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd edition) and include a works cited and endnotes, not footnotes.

callaloo.submittable.com/submit

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FSG FELLOWSHIP

Farrar, Straus & Giroux

DEADLINE: June 30, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: The FSG Writer’s Fellowship is a yearlong program designed to give an emerging writer from an underrepresented community additional resources to build a life around writing: funding, editorial guidance, and advice on how to forge a writing career. It offers the unique opportunity for a writer to spend time with and enjoy the support and mentorship of the FSG community. The fellowship celebrates the spirit of the FSG list and its commitment to invention, curiosity, and extending the limits of literature.

FELLOWSHIP AWARD:

• $15,000 paid over two installments: half paid at the start of the Fellowship program, half paid in June 2025

Plus:

• Yearlong mentorship with an FSG house author

• Guidance from two in-house editors, who will offer line and structural feedback on the fellow’s work throughout the year

• Opportunities for meet-and-greets with representatives from other departments – including Publicity/Marketing, Art, Subsidiary Rights, and Managing Editorial – to discuss their areas of expertise, answer questions, and help build a broader understanding of the publishing business

• Support with networking beyond FSG

• The Fellow will have the opportunity to publish writing in Work in Progress, FSG’s weekly newsletter.

• The Fellow and finalists will receive a collection of FSG classics.

• The Fellow agrees to offer to FSG the Fellow’s first book-length work before submitting to, or soliciting offers from, any other publisher.

TIMELINE:

• The Fellowship runs from January to December 2025

• The five finalists will be interviewed in November 2024

• The Fellowship winner will be announced in December 2024

• The Fellowship begins January 6, 2025

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must submit:

• A sample of work—fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—aimed at an adult audience

• For fiction and nonfiction, the sample must be between forty and fifty double spaced pages

• For poetry, the sample must be eight to twelve pages

• The sample can include previously published work and does not need to be from a single section of the work

• A Statement of Purpose of no more than 500 words

Please note: The applicant’s name and contact information must not be anywhere on the writing sample or the Statement of Purpose—this includes within the uploaded file name.

ELIGIBILITY:

• The applicant must not have published a book-length work in any genre, have a book under contract, or be negotiating a contract either in the United States or abroad by the time the fellowship begins. Having published short poetry chapbooks will not exclude an applicant from eligibility

• Applicants must submit in only one category (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry)

• The applicant must be a U.S. Permanent Resident (green card) or U.S. Citizen

• There are no experience, degree credentials, or location requirements. This fellowship will take place remotely

• The applicant should be writing for an adult audience in the English language

• The applicant must be over 18 years of age

• The applicant cannot be an employee or family member of an employee of FSG or any other Macmillan affiliate

• The applicant may not use generative AI or work from AI-generated text for their samples and statements

THE JUDGING PROCESS:

The FSG community will conduct the first review of the applications and select twenty semifinalists for consideration by the judges. The Fellow will be chosen by FSG from among five finalists selected by the judges. The first two stages of the selection process will be anonymous.

fsgfellowship.com

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New Visions Award

Lee + Low Books

DEADLINE: June 30, 2024

INFO: Established in 2012, the New Visions Award is given biennially to an unpublished writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer for a middle grade or young adult novel or graphic novel manuscript.

New Visions Award winners receive a standard publication contract, including Lee & Low Books’s basic royalties for a first-time author and an advance in the amount of $15,000.

Winners are also given close publishing mentorship as they work to develop their book for publication. Nurturing manuscripts takes time, and Lee & Low's commitment to this contest represents over a decade of dedication. We are in this for the long haul! We ask for the same commitment and courtesy from applicants. Please make sure you are able to abide by the eligibility and manuscript submission guidelines before entering.

Past winners include Ink and Ashes by Valynne Maetani, an Asian/Pacific American Honor for Literature; Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh, which received three starred reviews and is a Junior Library Guild selection; Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar, which received two starred reviews and is listed as a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People; The Wind Called My Name by Mary Louise Sanchez; and Julieta and the Diamond Enigma by Luisana Duarte Armendáriz.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Open to writers of color and Native/Indigenous writers who at the time of entry are 18 years of age or older (or the legal age of majority in his/her state of legal residence, whichever is older) and a legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Writers located outside the 50 United States or the District of Columbia are not eligible. In order to enter the contest or receive the prize award, you must fully comply with the Official Rules and, by entering, you represent and warrant that you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Lee & Low Books, whose decisions shall be binding and final in all respects relating to this Contest.

• To be eligible for participation in the contest, writers cannot have had a middle grade or young adult novel or graphic novel traditionally published.

• Writers who have published work in other genres (including children’s magazines or adult fiction/nonfiction) are eligible to enter. Authors of self-published books may also enter but must submit a new manuscript rather than a project or manuscript that has already been self-published.

• Only manuscripts from unagented writers will be considered, but if Lee & Low Books (in its sole and absolute discretion) extends an offer for publication to a winner, winner will be given one month from the date of winner notification to consult with an agent if winner so chooses. 

• Manuscripts previously submitted for the New Visions Award or to Lee & Low Books by other means will not be considered for the contest.

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES:

• Manuscripts should address the needs of children and teens of color, and Native/Indigenous children and teens, 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 may also be included.

• Manuscripts may consist of either novel or graphic novel manuscripts and may be FICTION, NARRATIVE NONFICTION, or WORKS IN VERSE for middle grade readers ages 8 to 12 and young adult readers ages 12 to 18. We are interested in contemporary or historical fiction, literary fantasy, science fiction, mystery, suspense, and genre fusions. Graphic novel scripts and novels in verse for these categories are also welcome. Picture books and short stories will not be accepted.

• Narrative nonfiction projects should have strong educational appeal, centered around a person or people from marginalized groups. Instructional or reference nonfiction (e.g. cookbooks, encyclopedias, etc.) will not be considered. Please include a preliminary bibliography and an explanation of how you came to write the book with your manuscript.

• Manuscripts and graphic novel scripts must be written in English and should be typed, double-spaced, composed in a clear 12-point font, and saved as a Word document. Graphic novel submissions should include 6 to 10 pages of final art samples and optional character sketches in PDF format only if you are an author/illustrator.

• Middle grade novels should not exceed 75,000 words in length; young adult novels should not exceed 95,000 words in length; graphic novel manuscripts should not exceed 150 scripted pages.

• All submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter that includes the author’s name, address, phone number, email address, brief biographical note, relevant cultural, ethnic, and any other background information, how the author heard about the contest, and publication history, if any.

• Submissions that have been submitted to other publishers or writing contests are not eligible. Submissions may not be sent to other publishers, mentorship, contests, or writing contests while under consideration for this contest.

• No automatic, programmed, robotic, mechanically altered, or reproduced entries are permitted, and any such entries will be deemed void and disqualified. Manuscripts must be your original written work product; plagiarism of any kind will result in disqualification.

• Artificial Intelligence: The use of generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) of any kind to create a Manuscript or any portion thereof for this Contest, whether in the writing or editing phase, is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification. In this context, AI includes, but is not limited to, ChatGPT, Zoom AI Companion, Bing AI, Google Bard, Microsoft’s CoPilot, Jasper, Westlaw Precision, and Lexis+AI. Note that for these purposes, AI does not include basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references, etc. Lee & Low Books reserves the right to screen Submissions for use of AI through an AI detector. Entrants utilizing AI to generate their work product in whole or in part will be disqualified. If it is determined after the winner is announced and the prize is awarded that the winning entrant utilized AI to generate the written submission in whole or in part, then the entrant will forfeit the winning designation and shall return any advance or royalty payments that have already been paid at the time of such forfeiture. In Lee & Low Books’s sole and unfettered discretion, a new winner may then be selected from all other non-suspect eligible submissions.

• Be sure to leave sufficient time to resubmit your submission if technical difficulties occur. Lee & Low Books is not responsible for late, lost, or incorrectly submitted Manuscripts.

HOW TO ENTER:

• All manuscripts must be submitted between April 1, 2024 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time and June 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

• Manuscripts must comply with the Submission Instructions/Requirements to be eligible for entry.

• Limited to no more than 2 submissions per entrant, provided, however, that each submission must be submitted separately.

• Submissions will not be acknowledged or returned.

• Click here to enter your manuscript.

SELECTION PROCESS:

• After the close of the submission period, Lee & Low Books will judge all eligible submissions based on the following equally-weighted judging criteria: (i) originality, (ii) strength of voice, (iii) appeal to readers between the ages of 8 to 18, and (iv) thought-provoking themes.

• On or about September 30, 2024, up to 5 to 10 semi-finalists will be chosen based on the above-mentioned judging criteria. In or about mid-October, an editor will contact each semi-finalist to schedule a one-on-one video conference meeting to discuss their submission. Up to 3 to 5 finalists will be chosen from the semi-finalists based upon the above-mentioned judging criteria and the one-on-one video conference meeting. Lee & Low Books reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to select less than 5 to 10 semi-finalists and less than 3 to 5 finalists.

• On or about December 13, 2024, the finalists will go on to a finalist meeting to be discussed by the Lee & Low’s judging committee. Each finalist submission will be re-judged to select 1 winner on the equally-weighted criteria listed above.

• Lee & Low Books reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to choose an Award winner.

• If a winner is chosen, they will be contacted by Lee & Low Books after January 6, 2025 with an advance offer and standard contract. If an offer is extended, it does not need to be immediately accepted by the winner. The winner may evaluate the details of the offer if/when it is made and consult an agent.

• The potential winner (and/or agent if applicable) will be required to respond by no later than the ordinary close of business on February 6, 2025 with the intent of moving forward with signing the publication contract or officially declining the offer and publication. If the potential winner declines the offer, Lee & Low Books reserves the right to offer the same publication terms to another finalist, as selected using the same judging criteria set forth above for determination of a winner.

• In the unlikely event of a tie in the selection of either semi-finalists, finalists or the winner, the tied submissions will be re-judged using the judging criteria.

• Odds of winning the Award will depend upon the nature, quality, and total number of eligible Submissions received.

• The decisions of Lee & Low Books are final and binding in all matters relating to this Contest, including, but not limited to, interpretation and application of these Official Rules. By entering the Contest, you fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and its designated judges, which will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest, including but not limited to, the selection of the Award winner, and such decisions cannot be appealed.

leeandlow.com/writers-illustrators/new-visions-award

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: PErsonal essays for ‘RADICAL JOY’ COLUMN

Raising Mothers

DEADLINE: June 30, 2024

INFO: For its Radical Joy column, Raising Mothers is interested in personal essays and other forms of creative nonfiction that explore the intersection of joy and motherhood/parenthood. Specifically, essays that require the reader to sit with the way our desires and longings for pleasure and joy are impacted by both the practicalities of parenting as well as the often-unspoken emotional and psychological conflicts that can arise from mothering while Black/Brown. That said, the center of any piece should be joy and not necessarily trauma or pain.

From Editor Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts: “Good storytelling, a unique lens, and writing that makes me want to throw my own laptop in the trash will always get my attention.”

WORD COUNT: 1500 words

raisingmothers.com/submissions/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: “WHY I STAYED” ANTHOLOGY

Taevo Publishing

DEADLINE: June 30, 2024

INFO: Taevo Publishing wants to elevate your voice and publish your story. One that explores the truths behind intimate partner violence from actual survivors. Raising awareness regarding domestic violence is very important to us at Taevo.

Why I Stayed will be an anthology of 40,000 – 50,000 words, edited by Tamara Mayo and a to-be-appointed editor, featuring stories from survivors of intimate partner violence.

This anthology will be part one of a two-part book series – the goal being to bring a deeper understanding and empathy to domestic violence victims, and to hopefully shift the narrative away from blaming the victim and using verbiage such as, “She’s choosing to stay in that relationship, so clearly she just wants it to happen…”

We welcome well-told stories that explore the truths about how domestic partner violence doesn’t start on a physical level – these stories should explore how the victim was first exposed to mental and emotional abuse that wore them down internally before any actual physical abuse began,

Note: Book Two is entitled, “Why I Left”, and is a celebration of how survivors overcame and found the strength to leave their abusive situations. Authors who are accepted for the first anthology will need to submit a separate piece when submissions open for that book.

Own voices and diversity

At Taevo Publishing, we want people of all backgrounds to be heard – this includes men who may have found themselves in a domestic violence situation yet are ashamed to admit it for fear of being labeled “weak”.

We understand the sensitive nature of this topic and the need for some writers to use a pen name or pseudonym for privacy or safety purposes. Usage of a pseudonym is permitted. 

No AI-generated pieces

While we champion innovation and the advantages that AI offers, we will not accept AI-generated or AI-edited pieces.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

What you can submit:

• Memoir excerpts up to 2,500 words

• Short stories up to 3,000 words – we understand that some writers do not want to reveal their names or may need to change the names of those involved in order to avoid retaliation. This is not only permitted but encouraged.

• Black-and-white art illustrations

• Poetry – Up to 50 lines

• No simultaneous submissions

• Reprints are OK

• Multiple submissions from one author are OK

If you feel you have a story or illustration that fits this anthology but doesn’t fit the guidelines perfectly, please do not self-reject your piece. We highly recommend that you submit it and give us the opportunity to see it first.

COMPENSATION:

We are paying a flat rate per submission.

• $100 per memoir excerpt

• $100 per short story

• $50 per poem

• $50-$100 per illustration (it depends on the size and complexity of the image)

HOW TO SUBMIT:

To ensure that your manuscript is not auto-rejected, please follow these guidelines:

• Write a brief cover letter describing yourself and your story.

If your submission does not meet the exact guidelines above, please explain how

For memoirs, short stories, or poems:

• Format your story according to SMF (standard manuscript format). Need an example? Here’s a link to a comprehensive sample of how to format your manuscript.

• Save your document in Word, Open Office, or as a plain text document

• Name the document file as: “Author Name – Title of Story or Poem”

For art:

• Save your work in .PNG, Photoshop, or Illustrator format

• Name the document file as: “Artist Name – Title of Piece”

Email submissions@taevopublishing.com with the following:

• Subject: Why I Stayed Anthology Submission: “Title of the Piece”

• Body: Put your cover letter here

• Attachment: The piece you’re submitting

Note: If you need special accommodation for your submission, or if certain aspects of the guidelines cannot be fulfilled due to accessibility needs, please email us. Taevo Publishing wants our anthology submission call to be open to everyone. We are always happy to assist.

taevopublishing.com/why-i-stayed-anthology-submission/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: THE FUTURITIES ISSUE

Mizna

DEADLINE: Extended to June 30, 2024

INFO: Before speculative writing, we must have speculative thought. Before thinking and feeling into the future, we must acknowledge our past and bear witness to our catastrophic present.

We write this call amid an ongoing genocide in Gaza—a genocide occurring before the world’s eyes, enabled by the world’s powers, a genocide that will yield generations of incommensurable grief and consequences, and, as of today, a genocide with no end in sight, a genocide that intends never to look back on its own crimes. Gaza is not alone in facing catastrophe—in Sudan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Morocco, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, and elsewhere throughout the region and the world, people are facing forced displacement, devastating violence, economic precarities, and uncertain futures. In approaching the subject of SWANA futurities, we face the very real question: In a moment when the present is so urgent, why bother discussing or imagining any future at all? Our short answer is: Because apathy is an intended effect of the forces who want to eradicate our Palestinian kin and exhaust our efforts of resistance and solidarity.

As we embark on this project, it is crucial to name that this genocide emerges from the future-oriented, settler-colonial project of Zionism; a project which exemplifies how notions of utopia and futurity can be instrumentalized to serve fascist and genocidal intentions. Our present moment manifests from long histories of extractive capitalism and colonial ambition that have come to shape the realities of the SWANA region and beyond, and constrain our abilities to imagine futures without these systems in place. To sow fear for the future and helplessness in the present is precisely the point; to colonize time and portray the desired outcomes of empire as inevitabilities is precisely the point. These tactics that work to manage and anticipate the expansion of colonial power have stoked the rise of genocidal futurities spanning Manifest Destiny, the Translatlantic Slave Trade, world-scale European colonialism and fascism, and the various trajectories of diaspora, migration, and forced displacement that converge in our staff, artists, and communities. This includes the stolen Dakota land on which we live and work in Minnesota and the endurance of systemic racism and police brutality in the United States. In this sense we know we are not alone in facing precarity, and that the stakes of this work are high. 

The doomsday futurities that circulate throughout the SWANA region are not merely narratives; they alter the very fabric of how we move through time and space. In recent decades, the SWANA region has been dubbed the site of the “forever wars,” a barbaric desert locked in endless conflict, plagued by religious fundamentalism, and unable to “learn.” War itself demands a specific conceptualization of temporality, as urgency interrupts our relations to past and future, stretching the experience of the present into a looping, ruptured infinity. The region is also variegated in its projections and manifestations of futurity: oil-rich Gulf countries exploit migrant workers and decimate local ecosystems to consolidate wealth; governments brand themselves as progressive while curtailing populist movements. Elsewhere, Western military incursions and economic sanctions have likewise coopted SWANA futures and intensified present precarities in the name of “progress.”

We issue this call with faith in our ability to transform and imagine our futures, which are in fact undetermined, unsettled. In recent months, many have pointed to the joy and steadfastness of Palestinians amid incomparable catastrophe. In the words of Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, “Part of our resistance to the finality of genocide is for us to talk about tomorrow, plan for tomorrow, work on healing the wounds of our people. The aim of this war is that there would no Palestinian tomorrow. We own tomorrow. Tomorrow is a Palestinian day.”

The stakes of futurity

What dreams and tomorrows can we imagine that grapple with the urgencies of today? What forms of writing can intervene in the projections of unending trauma and destitution seemingly prescribed for the SWANA region and beyond—those narratives that compel us to assume a predetermined future? How can we, by writing imagined alternatives, reject the catastrophes we are condemned to and disrupt the systems of oppression that rely on deliverable forecasts of violence, dispossession, and immiseration? 

This issue is inspired by the literary, aesthetic, and chronopolitical movement of Afrofuturism. We resonate deeply with Afrofuturism’s concern, as Kodwo Eshun writes regarding the role of the artist in combating the Global North’s predatory and demoralizing forecasts of African and Afrodiasporic futurities, “with the possibilities for intervention within the dimension of the predictive, the projected, the proleptic, the envisioned, the virtual, the anticipatory and the future conditional . . . a space within which the critical work of manufacturing tools capable of intervention within the current political dispensation may be undertaken.” We are equally engaged with Indigenous futurisms, queer futurities, anti-capitalist Gulf Futurism, ecofuturism, and beyond. Situating ourselves in a constellation of proleptic liberation movements, we welcome any and all contributions from authors engaging with these and related modes of thought. Through speculative writing, we aim to foster conversations that shed the chains of colonial futurities, while also remaining lucid, creative, and rigorously attendant to the action that must take place in the present in order for such futures to be realized. 

We seek work that writes with the gravity of the fact that our present moment is the projected and sought future of the status quo. We seek work that takes seriously the need to intervene with agency and take action in the present if we ever wish to see a freer, alterable future. 

Who we are and what we seek

Mizna is a SWANA-run and -focused literary journal, and the work you submit should speak to our audience and mission. We welcome all SWANA peoples and those in community with us who seek to contribute interventions, incitements, speculations, and agitations geared to shift currents in collective action, imagination, morale, history, and plausibility through literature.

• Writing of all forms: Poetry, prose, short stories, essays, creative nonfiction, visual poetry, comix, songs, spells, manifestos. Work that writes against form or incorporates multiple forms.

• Speculative works rooted in our world but not necessarily taking place in the world we know. We are open to science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, magical realism, alternate history, utopia and dystopia, fairy tales, steampunk, cyberpunk, solarpunk, climate fiction, theory fiction, ecopoetics, and others related to this genre.

• More Octavia Butler, less Arthur C. Clarke.

• Works that look to the past for inspiration and can shift our thinking in the present. For example, reimaginings of SWANA folktales, myths, legends, and stories. 

• Historical fiction with speculative elements inspired by explorations of settings and conditions for revolutionary movements. For example: the Arab Workers Movement (Mouvement des Travailleurs Arabes) and the Black Panthers’ refuge in Algeria in the early ’70s.

• Works that give voice to, and create a platform for, minoritized peoples in Western and SWANA contexts alike. Please be aware of your positionality when submitting this type of work.

• Works that challenge the notions of progress and linear time.

We are not looking for:

• Indulgences in escapism, uncritical technocapitalist sci-fi, utopian projects collaborating with empire, or the over-intellectualization of liberatory struggles.

• Academic writing or term papers. Your work can be complex and theoretical, but it should be clear and legible to a nonacademic audience. Easy on the jargon!

• Visual art submissions.

General Submissions Guidelines

Submitters do not need to be SWANA- or Arab-identifying, but work submitted should be mindful of Mizna’s aesthetic and the social realities of our audiences, as well as be a contribution to ongoing conversations in and beyond our communities. We encourage submitters to read back issues of Mizna before submitting work for consideration.  

Mizna focuses on debut writing; please submit previously unpublished work. We do not accept visual art submissions. Simultaneous submissions are permissible, though we ask to be notified as soon as possible if the submission is accepted elsewhere. There are no submission fees. Selected contributors receive a $200 honorarium, a one-year subscription to Mizna, and five copies of the issue.

Please include a short cover letter (200 words or less) as the first page of your submission, with a brief overview of the work you are submitting and why you are submitting to Mizna. Include a note disclosing any simultaneously submitted works.

1. Poets should list the poems they are submitting. 

2. Prose submissions should include a brief, 1–2 sentence overview of the submission (e.g., a synopsis if it is a story or narrative essay, or an overview of the argument for more expository essays). Keep in mind that we are a literary magazine.

3. Include a brief (50 words or less) author bio. 

4. Add a maximum of one sentence for any additional information you would like the editorial team to know about the work. 

5. Include contact information: email, phone number, and mailing address.

Please submit as .doc or .docx files. Submitting pdfs is allowable only for pieces with complex layouts. We do not accept other file formats (e.g., .pages). Prose submissions should be double spaced and limited to 5000 words. Please do not send us your term papers or thesis manuscripts for consideration. Poetry submissions should be limited to four poems of any length. Verses exceeding our page width will be treated with a run-over indent.

Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered.

mizna.org/literary/call-for-submissions-futurities/

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GLOBAL BLACK WOMEN’S NON-FICTION MANUSCRIPT PRIZE

Cassava Republic Press

DEADLINE: Extended to June 30, 2024 at 23:59 GMT

INFO: As part of its mission as a global Black publishing house connecting Africa and the African diaspora, Cassava Republic Press’s is proud to announce the launch of our inaugural $20,000 Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize dedicated to exceptional works by Black women (cis, trans and genderqueer). 

The prize represents a first in the world of Black women’s letters, not only by virtue of its global scope, but also its non-fiction focus, and its generous prize value. Our mission is to publish emerging and established Black women writers and thinkers from across the world, focusing on critical ideas across time and space.

At the heart of this prize lies a deep commitment to amplifying the long tradition of Black women writers as knowledge-makers and critical thinkers. We take seriously Black South African feminist scholar and writer Desiree Lewis’ observation that ‘publishers have tended to focus on black women’s fictional and autobiographical writing, or on poetry. This tends to be symptomatic of a publishing and reading/marketing stereotype about black women in the public sphere being “interesting” mainly as entertainers, storytellers, or so-called “creatives,” rather than as knowledge-makers and critical thinkers.’

PRIZE: 

• The winner of the Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize will receive a $20,000 advance and a publishing contract with Cassava Republic Press.  

• Two runner-up writers will each receive a $5000 advance and publication by Cassava Republic Press bringing the total prize value up to $30,000.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR: We are looking to publish and champion Black women writers who bridge the gap between “creativity” and “theory” with work that is both rigorous and beautiful, creative and thoughtful.

We are not an academic publisher, but welcome submissions from academics writing for a mainstream audience. Our goal is to amplify and unearth the critical ideas that might otherwise remain unpublished or confined to academic circles or smaller audiences. Importantly, in seeking creative critical writing and knowledge-making for a broad audience, we welcome writing that will challenge and excite our readers.
 
We do not accept straightforward memoirs, but manuscripts that incorporate theory with personal essays/experiences  within a broader context are welcome.

HOW TO APPLY:

• We are asking for 5 sample chapters and a  pitch letter, which should include a synopsis and a full outline of all chapters.

• Longlisted authors will then be given a week to submit full manuscripts. 

ELIGIBILITY: The manuscript prize is open to Black women writers aged 18 and over living anywhere in the world.

cassavarepublic.biz/black-womens-non-fiction-manuscript-prize/

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RAGDALE ARTIST RESIDENCY

DEADLINE: Extended to June 30, 2024 by 11:59pm CST

INFO: Ragdale is a non-profit artists’ community located on architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s country estate in Lake Forest, IL, 30 miles north of Chicago. In 1976, Shaw’s granddaughter, Alice Judson Hayes, transformed her family’s summer home into an artist's retreat to provide time and space for artists to create important new work.

Today, Ragdale annually hosts nearly 140 visual artists, writers, dancemakers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists at all stages of their careers for 18-day residencies, making it one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. Ragdale offers a retreat setting where at any given time, up to a dozen creative individuals experience uninterrupted time for dedicated work, a supportive environment, family-style dinners, and dynamic artist exchanges within a backdrop of 50 acres of idyllic prairie.

Residency Awards, up to 140 awarded in 2025:

18-day residency session for individuals. Based on personal financial considerations, artists determine their own residency fee, and may opt to pay according to our suggested income-based sliding scale.  No financial aid application is required. Admitted residents are responsible for their own travel.

FELLOWSHIPS: We currently offer 12 fellowships each year. All qualified applicants may apply for fellowships. A fellowship award includes an 18-day fee-waived residency for individuals and a stipend of at least $1000 to participate in the Ragdale Youth Engagement educational outreach program. All applicants who apply for fellowships will be considered. Please note that applicants may be awarded a residency without a fellowship award. Fellowship awards are disclosed upon acceptance.

Late applications cannot be accepted. If you are applying for the Waud Fellowship, the application deadline is 11:59 PM CST June 30.

ELIGIBILITY:

Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields. Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

GUIDELINES:

All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application:

A completed online application form includes:

1. A one-page artist’s statement and work plan explaining your work and what you plan to do while in residence.

2. A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background.

3. Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted. 

4. If you would like to be considered for a fellowship, we require an eligibility statement of 500 words or less for each fellowship you would like to be considered for. An eligibility statement explains how you qualify for the selected fellowship and how a fellowship would support your work at this time.

5. There is an application fee of $25. This amount covers the cost of application processing. Ragdale does not profit from application fees. If you are not in a position to cover the processing fee, please reach out to the Residency Manager, Deanna Miera at deanna@ragdale.org, to request a fee-waived application.

*PLEASE NOTE: Letters of Recommendation are no longer required or accepted.

EVALUATION:

Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Board and staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:

1. Work samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting.

2. Work samples indicate relevance in their contemporary field.

3. Work sample presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and are professionally presented and documented.

4. Artist’s experience: Artist statement and CV/Resume reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium.

5. Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?

NOTIFICATION: Applicants are notified of admission status via email in September.

COLLABORATIONS: Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs i.e. how many private studio and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific concerns can be directed to Regin Igloria, Artistic Director at regin@ragdale.org, before applying.

TIMELINE:

• September: Notification of Residency or Fellowship award.

QUESTIONS? All inquiries should be directed to Artistic Director, Regin Igloria (regin@ragdale.org), and Residency Manager Deanna Miera (deanna@ragdale.org). Please do not reach out through Submittable.

ragdale.submittable.com/submit

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EMERGING ARTIST & WRITERS RESIDENCY

Centrum Foundation

DEADLINE: June 30, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Centrum is thrilled to announce the open call for applications to all of the 2025 Residency Programs. These programs include:

EMERGING ARTIST & WRITERS RESIDENCY: The Emerging Artist and Writers Residency provides stipends, multiple resident gatherings, visiting artists & curators, and an open studio/public reading. This residency is aimed at writers, visual, and interdisciplinary artists in the Pacific Northwest who are towards the beginning of their creative paths and can benefit from the time to focus and receive support from a community of peers and specialists in their fields.

• Stipend/Honorarium: $1500

• Time of year: October

• Length: 4 weeks

• Applicants must live in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho, or Montana

SELF-DIRECTED GENERAL RESIDENCIES: These residencies are largely solitary, with an optional weekly coffee meet-up with other residents. These happen Jan-June and August-December. This program is fee-based, with fee-waived scholarships available.

• Cost: $450/week

• Stipend/Honorarium: None, but a limited number of Scholarships for waived fees are available.

• Time of year: August-June.

• Length: 1-4 weeks

• Applicants may come from anywhere in the world.

IN THE MAKING RESIDENCIES - SLOTS LIMITED!

These residencies have public-facing components that could be a workshop, a temporary installation, a performance, or another type of community engagement at some point during the residency. Stipends and funds for these vary and are project-specific. These happen throughout the year. If you have an idea for In the Making, indicate so on your application with a brief description, and if selected, we’ll follow up to plan it in more detail.

• Cost: There is no fee charged for this residency.

• Stipend/Honorarium: Dependent on scope of project and funding.

• Time of year: Varies and depends on project. Typically between August-June.

• Length: 1-4 weeks.

• Applicants may come from all over the world.

centrum.org/program/artist-residencies/

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BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize 

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

DEADLINE: July 1, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST

INFO: 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.

WHO MAY SUBMIT:

• All entrants must be of Caribbean heritage/of Caribbean descent

• Work should not have appeared in any nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more

• Be a resident of the United States/Canada

• Be over the age of 18 years

• Self-published writers may apply

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

• Stories must be original works of fiction

• Word count: 3,000 words or less

HOW TO SUBMIT:

• Contest portal must be used to submit stories

• Emailed manuscripts WILL NOT be considered

• Please review submission guidelines carefully before selecting a category and entering your story

• Errors in category selection will not be corrected on your behalf; requests for the same WILL NOT be accommodated

• If you are uncertain of which category you belong to, send an email to contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com SUBJECT: CATEGORY CLARIFICATION

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• All stories should be submitted in English

• Entrants are allowed one (1) submission only. Entrants may not submit in both categories. Multiple submissions (of stories/award categories) will be rendered ineligible and disqualified from consideration

• Writers who use pen names may not submit multiple entries

• English translations of another language will be accepted

• Review categories thoroughly to self-determine eligibility. The BCLF will not switch entry categories if there is a user error at selection

• All stories must be the original work of the entrant. The BCLF appreciates your integrity in this regard

• The judges’ decision is final

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL LIST: The writers of the selected stories will be announced in August via email, on our website, Facebook, Instagram account pages, and media partners. For more information, or to become a media partner, please e-mail contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com

PRIZES AND PUBLICATIONS:

• The writer of the winning story will receive:

• *A US$1,750 cash prize

• Cafe Con Libros gift card

• A caché of books courtesy Akashic Books

• Author interview and profile on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival website

• Winner will be published in The Brooklyn Rail

• Interview opportunities with US Media houses

• BCLF branded merchandise

• A feature episode on the acclaimed BCLF CocoaPod

bklyncbeanlitfest.org/2024-bclf-short-fiction-story-contest-1

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BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

DEADLINE: July 1, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST

INFO: The 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. 

WHO MAY SUBMIT:

• Exclusively open to unpublished and published writers who were born/raised and holding nationality in the Caribbean

• You may submit if you are currently on temporary assignment elsewhere in the world (except the US and Canada)

• Submitted stories must be original works of fiction

• Be over the age of 18 years

• All writers regardless of their publishing status may apply

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

• Stories must be original works of fiction

• Word count: 3,000 words or less

HOW TO SUBMIT:

• Contest portal must be used to submit stories

• Emailed manuscripts WILL NOT be considered

• Please review submission guidelines carefully before selecting a category and entering your story

• Errors in category selection will not be corrected on your behalf; requests for the same WILL NOT be accommodated

• If you are uncertain of which category you belong to, send an email to contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com SUBJECT: CATEGORY CLARIFICATION

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• To submit your story, please click the SUBMIT ENTRY button below

• All stories should be submitted in English

• Entrants are allowed one (1) submission only. Entrants may not submit in both categories. Multiple submissions (of stories/award categories) will be rendered ineligible and disqualified from consideration

• Writers who use pen names may not submit multiple entries

• English translations of another language will be accepted    

• Review categories thoroughly to self-determine eligibility. The BCLF will not switch entry categories if there is a user error at selection

• All stories must be the original work of the entrant. The BCLF appreciates your integrity in this regard

• The judges’ decision is final

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL LIST: The writers of the selected stories will be announced in August via email, on our website, Facebook, Instagram account pages, and media partners. For more information, or to become a media partner, please e-mail contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com

PRIZES AND PUBLICATIONS:

• *A US$1,750 cash prize

• Cafe Con Libros gift card

• A caché of books courtesy Akashic Books

• Author interview and profile on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival website 

• Winner will be published in The Brooklyn Rail

• Interview opportunities with US Media houses

• BCLF branded merchandise

• A feature episode on the acclaimed BCLF Cocoapod

bklyncbeanlitfest.org/2024-bclf-short-fiction-story-contest-2

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PIGEON PAGES FICTION CONTEST

Pigeon Pages

DEADLINE: July 1, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $15

INFO: The Pigeon Pages Fiction Contest will be judged by Vanessa Chan, author of The Storm We Made.

AWARD:

• The winner will receive $250 and publication in Pigeon Pages.

• Honorable mentions will be receive $50 and publication.

GUIDELINES:

• Original, previously unpublished short stories of 3,500 words or less are eligible for this contest.

• We do accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if the submitted piece is accepted elsewhere.

• Please do not include personal information on your piece, as submissions will be read blind.

• All submissions will be considered for publication in the general journal.

pigeonpagesnyc.com/fiction-contest

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2024 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

Wasafiri

DEADLINE: July 1, 2024 at 5pm BST

INFO: For 15 years, the Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize has awarded some of the most exciting new voices in life writing, poetry, and fiction from around the world. Representing more of the globe than any other prize of its kind, the prize supports writers who have not published book-length works, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background.

PRIZE: The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri magazine. All winners and shortlisted writers will be offered the Chapter and Verse or Free Reads mentoring scheme in partnership with The Literary Consultancy (dependent on eligibility), and a conversation with The Good Literary Agency to discuss their career progression, as well as a one-year print subscription to Wasafiri. 

Past winners and  shortlistees of the New Writing Prize include the likes of Akwaeke Emezi, Caleb Femi, and Louise Kennedy, who have gone on to score deals with major international publishing houses such as Penguin, Peepal Tree Press, Bloomsbury and Hachette, and to be shortlisted for and win prizes including the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Forward Prizes, and the Bocas Poetry Prize, among many others. You can read more about the 2023 winners here and read the winning pieces in our forthcoming spring issue, Wasafiri 117: ‘The State of the Industry’.

JUDGES: This year’s multi-award-winning judges are Margaret Busby (Chair), Cristina Rivera Garza (Life Writing), Meena Kandasamy (Poetry), and Isabel Waidner (Fiction).    

The prize will be chaired by the visionary and trailblazing literary figure Margaret Busby, who says she is ‘proud to have been associated with the prize since it was launched 15 years ago’. Margaret’s long association with Wasafiri and the prize places her in a unique position to judge work with ‘cross-cultural coverage across worlds and genres’ and which offers ‘inspiring dialogue and acts as a necessary reminder of what is possible when the imagination is freed from the constraints of margins and borders’. She will be joined by a truly remarkable panel of poets and authors.

Fiction judge, Isabel Waidner will be ‘looking for fiction that is adventurous and inventive in its approach to literary form. That writes difference with urgency and criticality. That doesn’t underestimate humour as a strategy of resistance. And that knows, or knows it doesn’t know, what it wants’. Speaking about the magazine, they added that, ‘Wasafiri continues to be one of the most reliable and effective counteragents in a publishing industry defined by sameness’.

Meena Kandasamy remembers the moment she first read Wasafiri: ‘it felt like another way of looking at the world, and reading the reviews and the interviews gave me this sliver of insight into how writers and artists approached the world around them’. As judge of the poetry category, she will be ‘looking for the things I look for in the best of poetry: something to still my blood, something to make me say a prayer, something to wipe a tear, something which makes me raise my fist in a march. I’m waiting to be moved, I’m waiting to read someone bear witness, I’m waiting for the singular pleasure that language offers‘.

And, Cristina Rivera Garza is looking forward to ‘courageous, inquisitive, path-opening pieces of writing’ as judge of the life writing category.

ABOUT THE JUDGES:  

Margaret Busby CBE, Hon. FRSL (Nana Akua Ackon) is a major cultural figure around the world. Her career has spanned work as a publisher, editor, interviewer, reviewer, scriptwriter, lyricist, radio and TV presenter, activist and mentor. She has judged prestigious literary prizes, including the Booker Prize, and served on the boards of such organisations as the Royal Literary Fund, Wasafiri magazine, Tomorrow’s Warriors, and the Africa Centre in London. She has been a guest on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. In 2023, she was appointed President of English PEN.

Cristina Rivera Garza is an author, translator and critic. Recent publications include Liliana’s Invincible Summer(Hogarth, 2023), which was long listed for the National Book Award in nonfiction. The Taiga Syndrome, trans. by Suzanne Jill Levine and Aviva Kana, (Dorothy Project, 2018), won the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award. Grieving. Dispatches from a Wounded Country, trans. by Sarah Booker (The Feminist Press, 2020), was a finalist National Book Critics Circle Award In Criticism. She is M.D. Anderson Distinguished Professor and founder of the PhD Program in Creative Writing in Spanish at the University of Houston, Department of Hispanic Studies, and a MacArthur Fellow 2020-2025. 

Meena Kandasamy has been described by the Independent as a ‘one-woman, agit-prop literary-political movement’. Meena Kandasamy is a poet, writer, translator, anti-caste activist and academic based in India. Her extensive corpus includes two poetry collections, Touch (2006) and Ms Militancy (2010), as well as three novels, The Gypsy Goddess (2014), When I Hit You (2017) and Exquisite Cadavers (2019). In 2022, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) and was also awarded the PEN Hermann Kesten Prize for her writing and work as a ‘fearless fighter for democracy, human rights and the free word.’ Her latest published work is Tomorrow Someone Will Arrest You, a collection of political poetry written over the last decade.

Isabel Waidner is a novelist based in London. They are the author of Corey Fah Does Social Mobility (2023), Sterling Karat Gold (2021), We Are Made of Diamond Stuff (2019), and Gaudy Bauble (2017). They are the winner of the Goldsmiths Prize 2021 and were shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize in 2019, the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction in 2022 and the Republic of Consciousness Prize in 2018, 2020 and 2022. They are a co-founder of the event series Queers Read This at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and they are an academic in the School of English and Drama at Queen Mary University of London.

wasafiri.org/2024-queen-mary-wasafiri-new-writing-prize-opens-for-submissions/

FICTION / NONFICTION — MAY 2024

2024 ART WRITING INCUBATOR

Burnaway

DEADLINE: May 3, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Art Writing Incubator is an annual online writing intensive, which cultivates the next generation of critics and art writers through a series of workshops with leading culture writers and artists from around the world and one-on-one tutorials with Burnaway’s editors. Much of the program is funded by Critical Minded, which supports emerging writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, and writers in rural communities. 

The Art Writing Incubator theme this year is Process is Critical. The 2024 AWrI will examine process as more than a means to an end for artists and writers. Instead, process is rehearsal, reaction, reflection. It is re-writing and re-examining. The incubator will consider how sharing process in criticism offers revelation.

Burnaway’s Arts Writing Incubator program has equipped participants with tools for pitching, writing statements, and producing considered criticism for the last seven years. The five-week program begins with a session hosted by Burnaway’s editorial masthead and subsequent weeks led by guest speakers. In addition, Burnaway has invited a renowned cultural figure to give a keynote public talk addressing the yearly theme. Over the course of the program, students will formally propose, develop, and complete a short-form writing project with one-on-one feedback from Burnaway’s editors. Following the completion of the program, these works will be compiled into a small chapbook circulated on Burnaway’s platform.

The 2024 Art Writing Incubator will be held virtually. Applications, available April 1st, are open to anyone over the age of 18 with a connection to our coverage area – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and The Caribbean. The Art Writing Incubator intends to foster new writers and champion under-represented voices. It is supported by Critical Minded. 

Additional information will be shared about the 2024 Keynote and Guest Speakers during the application period.

COST: Tuition for the 2024 cycle is $275. Thanks to generous funding from Critical Minded, Burnaway will consider additional needs-based support for selected participants that indicate.

INFO SESSION: There will be a Q&A session on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 7-7:45 PM EDT. You can register for and attend the session here: https://lu.ma/a749bvl2.

burnaway.org/programs/2024-art-writing-incubator/

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MARBLE HOUSE PROJECT

DEADLINE: May 6, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.

Marble House Project accepts approximately 60 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old.   Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond. 

All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.

Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.

Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and staff. Artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application. Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you. 

RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2025

• March 11th - April 1st

• April 6th - April 29th

• May 6th - May 27th

• June 3rd - June 24th

• July 8th - July 22nd. Parent / Artist Residency

Parent artist residency. This residency is only for parent artists who will be attending with their children. Children must be four years old by the start of the residency. Please note that if you only apply for this residency it is very competitive. If you choose other dates you will also be considered for those as well.  To find out more about the family friendly residency please visit http://www.marblehouseproject.org/residencyprograms/

• October 7th - October 28th

• November 3 - November 24th

marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit

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93rd Annual Writing Competition

Writer’s Digest 

EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: May 6, 2024

INFO: The 93rd Annual Writing Competition is open for submissions. Winners will be announced in our Nov/Dec 2024 issue. 

Writer’s Digest has been shining a spotlight on up-and-coming writers in all genres through its Annual Writing Competition for over 90 years. Enter our 93rd Annual Writing Competition for your chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen.

PRIZES: 

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

• $5,000 in cash

• An interview with them in Writer’s Digest (Nov/Dec 2024 issue) and on WritersDigest.com

• A paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote

•  A coveted Pitch Slam slot at the Writer's Digest Conference where the winner will receive one on one attention from editors or agents

• Publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com

• The First place winner in each category will receive $1,000 in cash and publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com.

• The Second place winner in each category will receive $500 cash.

• The Third place winner in each category will receive $250 in cash.

• The Fourth place winner in each category will receive $100 in cash.

• The Fifth place winner in each category will receive $50 in cash.

• The Sixth through Tenth place winners in each category will receive a $25 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com.

All top winners will also receive:

• Their names and the title of their winning piece listed in Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com

• A one-year subscription (new or renewal) to Writer’s Digest magazine

• A one-year subscription to Writer’s Digest Tutorials

• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University

• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

All Honorable Mentions receive:

• Their names and the title of their selected piece listed on WritersDigest.com

• 20% discount off of purchases made at Writer’s Digest University

• A special graphic recognizing their winning status

CATEGORIES:

• Inspirational/Spiritual

• Memoirs/Personal Essay

• Nonfiction Essay or Article

• Genre Short Story (Mystery, Romance, etc.)

• Mainstream/Literary Short Story

• Rhyming Poetry

• Non-rhyming Poetry

• Humor

• Children’s/Young Adult Fiction

writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/annual-writing-competition

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LIFE ON THE MARGINS 

Tell-All Boston

DEADLINE: May 9, 2024

INFO: TELL-ALL BOSTON is seeking nonfiction submissions of your true stories about being marginalized, living on the edge, feeling othered, or pushed to the borders. What is your interpretation of margins? Submit your piece (1,000 words max) by MAY 9th, to tellallboston@gmail.com. We will select 3-4 writers to read on

stage during our special "Life on the Margins" live event. TELL-ALL is Boston's only live-on-stage reading series dedicated

to the craft of memoir and personal essay.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:

• Your submission should be approximately 1,000 words. We can’t consider anything longer than 1,000 words.

• The live reading time is limited to 5 minutes. Practice before you submit.

• Submit your best writing to tellallboston@gmail.com by Thursday, May 9. Only one submission at a time, please.

  • Attach your submission as a Word or PDF file. We can’t accept links to Google docs.

  • Include a short bio (100 words maximum) in the body of the email. If you would like us to share your social media accounts, please also include your social media handles in your bio.

  • Also attach a headshot in .jpg or .png format.

• We will notify accepted readers shortly after the submission deadline.

• Questions? For more details on how to submit, please visit the Tell-All Boston FAQ’s page or email tellallboston@gmail.com.

tellallboston.com

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Milkweed Fellowship (MINNEAPOLIS, MN)

Milkweed Editions

DEADLINE: May 13, 2024

INFO: The Milkweed Fellowship is grounded in our belief that books have the potential to change the way we see the world, and that equity is essential to a vibrant, diverse, and empowered literary ecosystem.

This paid, one- to two-year immersion program is designed to offer the tools, experience, and exposure necessary to pursue a career in book publishing. Intended to provide an alternative route to leadership in an industry where the prerequisite to an entry-level position is typically an unpaid internship, this learning-oriented position seeks to provide entry to those historically underrepresented among workers in book publishing—Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and those with disabilities—so they may advance, discover, and champion transformative literature for years to come. This position is based on-site in our Minneapolis office and is full time (40 hours per week, for 12–24 months), beginning in September 2024 or earlier. Compensation includes a salary of $40,000 per year, generous paid time off, and health and dental benefits.

WHO WE ARE: Milkweed Editions is one of the nation’s leading independent literary presses. Based in Minneapolis, our mission is to identify, nurture and publish transformative literature, and build an engaged community around it. As a mission-driven independent book publisher, we publish 25–30 new books of literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction each year, as well as continuing to print and support authors published in prior years such as Robin Wall Kimmerer, Ada Limón, Fady Joudah, Jos Charles, Elizabeth Rush, and J. Drew Lanham. Our books and authors have been winners of or finalists for the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Our authors currently include six MacArthur Fellows and the U.S. Poet Laureate. Milkweed Editions is located in Open Book, a literary and book arts center that also houses Milkweed Books, our independent bookstore. Open Book is accessible by light rail and bus lines.

RESPONSIBILITIES + OPPORTUBNITIES:

The 2024–25 Milkweed Fellow will be offered a holistic publishing experience, working across disciplines to learn the trade of book publishing from seasoned professionals. The Fellow will take part in all stages of our publication process, and will be closely trained for some or all of the below responsibilities. Staff mentors will work with the Fellow to develop specific goals, discover the Fellow’s strengths, and, as appropriate, we will tailor project assignments and experiences to individual interests and skills. Key responsibilities may include:

• Text design and layout of book interiors

• ​​Read, evaluate, and discuss submitted manuscripts

• Design and layout communication materials for advancement and engagement

• Research and solicit submissions and potential collaborators

• Assist in drafting contracts and tracking payments to authors

• Work with our editors to provide feedback on manuscripts under development

• Proofread and fact-check manuscripts

• Draft promotional and descriptive copy and related digital content for forthcoming titles

• Partner with staff across team to assist on the promotion, distribution and design of new books

• Research potential partners and new sales/event/media outlets

• Support outreach, fundraising, and community engagement efforts

• Participate in staff meetings

• Correspond with authors, agents, contractors, partners, and other publishers

• Research and write grant proposals

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• An avid reader with abundant enthusiasm for literary community and the business of publishing

• A creative, industrious person interested in the craft of bookmaking

• Excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills

• Fluency in other languages and cultures

• A strong sense of initiative and a drive to seek out opportunities

• A collaborative, enthusiastic team spirit

• A commitment to increasing access to and equity in literature

• Someone who believes in the power of books to foment change

Please let us know if you have special experience or interests in any of the following (non-required) areas: academic research, translation, grant writing, ecological community building, text design, bookselling, book reviewing, editing, Adobe Creative Suite, communication design, copywriting, fundraising, or anything that you see as relevant to this Fellowship experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Must be able to talk on and manipulate a phone, participate in meetings, type on a keyboard, sit for extended periods, and move about an accessible office, but we are open to making this position accessible for those for whom these demands may present a barrier, using the resources available to us. We’re listening.

TO APPLY:

Applicants should submit the application materials listed below as one combined PDF via Submittable. Please include your last name in the file name of your application document (i.e., Taylor_Application.pdf). Learn more about Milkweed on our website.

1. Cover letter addressed to Ruby Hoglund, Executive Assistant, including answers to the following application questions (up to 2 pages single spaced): Why are you interested in working in the publishing industry and what areas are you most curious about? What are your career ambitions and what would help you achieve them?

2. Résumé (1–2 pages)

3. Writing sample: Write about the potential for literature to impact the future of humanity and the more-than-human world. Please cite specific texts. (1 page, single spaced).

We are committed to making publishing an increasingly diverse and inclusive industry. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, gender and sexual identities, and disability statuses.

It is the policy of Milkweed Editions to afford equal employment opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, status as a disabled veteran, status with regard to public assistance, or any other protected class recognized by applicable laws.

milkweed.org/2024-call-for-fellowship-applications

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2024-2025 BIPOC CRITICS LAB cOHORT

The Public Theater

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024

INFO: Are you interested in being a part of the next generation of BIPOC arts journalists? Join our next BIPOC Critics Lab Cohort, in partnership with founder & cultural critic, Jose Solís! Applicants who were not accepted to any past cohorts are encouraged to apply again; previously accepted Lab participants are ineligible to re-apply. Applications are now open until Wednesday, May 15. The application asks applicants to answer a series of general background questions, as well as upload answers to three prompts:

• Please upload a resume of your proudest moments.

• Please respond to the question, “What are my dreams for criticism over the next year?” in the medium you see fit.

• In 100 words or less per review, please write three short reviews of the listed topics.

The Public Theater is hosting cultural critic Jose Solís’ BIPOC Critics Lab in the 2024-25 season. After successfully hosting the 2023-2024 cohort, The Public is honored to continue Solís’ commitment to creating an educational space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) writers in the realm of cultural criticism.

Sessions for the Lab will span the course of The Public’s 2024-25 season. Those chosen to participate will receive offers to join the cohort in late June, with the cohort officially beginning in mid-September. This iteration of the cohort will be a hybrid model of online sessions and option in-person activities.

The program begins with ten 90-minute weekly sessions on Zoom for cohort members to define “What My Criticism Will Be”, to take place in Fall 2024. Additional learning opportunities will take place in the spring on a semi-regular basis. Participants who meet the attendance requirements will be assigned a future commissioned piece with compensation.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS: Members are required to attend the first cohort session, and eight out of ten of the weekly sessions in Fall 2024. If a member misses the first session they are automatically removed from the cohort, and if they miss a later weekly session, they are expected to watch the recording.

Please reach out to us at BIPOCCriticsLab@publictheater.org for any inquiries.

About the BIPOC Critics Lab

The BIPOC Critics Lab was founded in 2020 by Jose Solís as a first-of-its-kind program designed to train and create work by emerging BIPOC theater journalists. Solís noticed a gap in training based on his own experience as a cultural critic in the field and created an educational space for BIPOC writers who had not been welcomed into cultural criticism, whether due to systemic oppression, lack of opportunity, or because they didn’t know they were allowed to see themselves as critics. Solís solicited applicants for the first cohort through Twitter where over 100 BIPOC participants expressed interest in participating. From 2021-2023, The Kennedy Center hosted the BIPOC Critics Lab online as a part of the American College Theater Festival. In the summer of 2023, a cohort was also co-hosted by the Stratford Festival and Intermission Magazine. During its 2023-2024 season, The Public Theater hosted its first BIPOC Critics Lab cohort. Alumni of the program have gone on to write and work as editors for outlets such as The Los Angeles Times, Andscape, Elle, Glamour, American Theatre, Broadway News, 3Views, Brooklyn Rail, and Token Theatre Friends.  

Following the tenets of dialogue, compassion, and nurturing one’s unique voice, future critics who participate in the cohort will contribute to the creation of a custom program that fits their specific needs and encourages them to pursue the path of criticism that best serves them. Participating in the cohort is at no cost to members. Selected members will have the opportunity to learn all aspects of arts journalism through a variety of mediums beyond the written word. BIPOC experts in the field also serve as guest speakers for the Lab. Writers who meet the attendance requirements at the culmination of the program will be assigned a futurecommissioned piece with compensation. 

publictheater.org/programs/bipoc-critics-lab-cohort/

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EMERGING WRITER FELLOWSHIPS

Miami Book Fair

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Miami Book Fair’s Emerging Writer Fellowships program offers a life-changing experience to fresh literary voices. Three program recipients will enjoy critical mentorship from a nationally established author in their respective genre, as well as a host of other strategic supports.

EWF supports developing writers who demonstrate exceptional talent and promise by providing them with time, space, and an intellectually and culturally rich artistic community. The program’s goal is to actively support these writers – who are working to complete a book-length project within a year – and help them launch their literary careers. Emerging Writer fellows are granted professional experience in arts administration, teaching creative writing, and other opportunities; a $50,000 stipend; and strong literary community support to allow for 12 glorious months of uninterrupted time to craft their works.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

• List of Application Materials Needed

• Proposal for manuscript-in-progress

• Statement of need

• Manuscript sample

• CV

• Recommendation letters (2)

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Applicant may apply only once per submission cycle, regardless of genre.

• Only online submissions are accepted through our submission manager, Submittable. Applicants may verify the receipt of their manuscripts by logging into Submittable.

• Miami Book Fair assumes no responsibility for manuscripts not received due to user error. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application early.

• There is no fee to apply.

• Aside from the Submittable Cover Page, there should be no identifying information in any of the submitted materials.

• Academic Nonfiction, Translations, Graphic Narratives, Children’s Literature and Young People’s Literature (including Middle Grade and Young Adult), and Film or Play Scripts are not eligible.

FORMATTING GUIDELINES:

• The following materials must be submitted (acceptable files are PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, RTF). There should be no identifying information in any of these materials. Any applications that do not comply with this strict formatting will be immediately disqualified. Application file must include:

• Proposal to complete a manuscript-in-progress that can be feasibly completed within the year-long fellowship (not to exceed one single-spaced page). Must include synopsis of project. Name the document [PROPOSAL_GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE]. (example: Proposal_Fiction_Beloved) Within the body of the document there should be no identifying information (this includes your name).

• Statement of need: Tell us why it is important that you receive this fellowship now. Name the document [STATEMENT_GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE]. (example: Statement_Fiction_Beloved)

• Sample of manuscript-in-progress (paginated, include title of manuscript in header):

• Prose: 50-70 pages in Times New Roman, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.

• Poetry: 20-30 pages in Times New Roman, single-spaced (unless style requires special formatting)

• Name the document [GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE].doc (example: Fiction_Beloved.doc)

• CV (education, professional experience, full publication list, honors and awards, etc.). Name the document [LASTNAME]_[FIRSTNAME]_CV.doc (example: Smith_Jane_CV.doc) Within the body of the document there should be no identifying information (this includes your name).

• Applicant must also request that two (2) recommendation letters be submitted online or emailed to Ismery Pavon at Ipavon@mdc.edu within seven (7) calendar days after the application deadline.

• Letters of recommendations should include information relevant to writing, dedication, any relevant strengths, and skills regarding the applicant’s writing, work ethic, and ability to engage with community.

• Letters of recommendations can include college professors, mentors, and anyone who can speak for the applicant’s writing, work ethic, skills, and community involvement.

• Applicants should provide this link to recommenders so they can directly upload their recommendation letter by the deadline: https://mdc.formstack.com/forms/emerging_writer_fellowships_letter_of_recommendations

IMPORTANT DATES:

•   Application deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on May 15, 2024

• Winners Notified: Mid—September

•   Fellows Arrive: January 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026

•   Final project manuscript and completed survey of fellowship from fellows submitted by January 31, 2026

miamibookfair.com/fellowships/emerging-writer-fellowships-submission-guidelines/

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2024 Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant

Creative Capital

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant supports emerging and established writers who write about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in three categories—articles, books, and short-form writing—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies. The program also supports art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply. 

To be eligible for this grant, an arts writer must be:

• an individual;

• applying for a project about contemporary visual art;

• an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or a writer in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts;

• a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);

• at least twenty-five years old by Oct 1 in the application year;

• a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on grant category; see the project-specific eligibility requirements).

By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art.

An arts writer is NOT eligible for this grant if they are:

• applying on behalf of an organization;

• applying for a project in which their primary involvement will be as an editor;

• a full-time student in a degree-granting program (with the exception of those students who are simultaneously maintaining professional careers as arts writers);

• an artist, writer, or curator writing an interpretive essay on their own practice;

• applying for a project that is primarily fiction, poetry (including ekphrasis), or memoir; 

• applying for a project based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis;

• applying to conduct a Q&A interview (or series of Q&A interviews);

• applying to assemble an archive or database;

• applying for a project on Andy Warhol;

• applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;

• applying for a Creative Capital Award for any project in the same grant year (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a Creative Capital Award (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a curatorial research fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (including as a collaborator);

• a grantee of The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant;

• a recent juror of the program (evaluators are eligible to apply after one grant cycle; panelists are eligible after two grant cycles);

• a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or The Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.

artswriters.org/application/guidelines

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RAGDALE ARTIST RESIDENCY

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm CST

INFO: Ragdale is a non-profit artists’ community located on architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s country estate in Lake Forest, IL, 30 miles north of Chicago. In 1976, Shaw’s granddaughter, Alice Judson Hayes, transformed her family’s summer home into an artist's retreat to provide time and space for artists to create important new work.

Today, Ragdale annually hosts nearly 140 visual artists, writers, dancemakers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists at all stages of their careers for 18-day residencies, making it one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. Ragdale offers a retreat setting where at any given time, up to a dozen creative individuals experience uninterrupted time for dedicated work, a supportive environment, family-style dinners, and dynamic artist exchanges within a backdrop of 50 acres of idyllic prairie.

Residency Awards, up to 140 awarded in 2025:

18-day residency session for individuals. Based on personal financial considerations, artists determine their own residency fee, and may opt to pay according to our suggested income-based sliding scale.  No financial aid application is required. Admitted residents are responsible for their own travel.

FELLOWSHIPS: We currently offer 12 fellowships each year. All qualified applicants may apply for fellowships. A fellowship award includes an 18-day fee-waived residency for individuals and a stipend of at least $1000 to participate in the Ragdale Youth Engagement educational outreach program. All applicants who apply for fellowships will be considered. Please note that applicants may be awarded a residency without a fellowship award. Fellowship awards are disclosed upon acceptance.

Late applications cannot be accepted. If you are applying for the Waud Fellowship, the application deadline is 11:59 PM CST June 30.

ELIGIBILITY:

Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields. Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

GUIDELINES:

All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application:

A completed online application form includes:

1. A one-page artist’s statement and work plan explaining your work and what you plan to do while in residence.

2. A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background.

3. Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted. 

4. If you would like to be considered for a fellowship, we require an eligibility statement of 500 words or less for each fellowship you would like to be considered for. An eligibility statement explains how you qualify for the selected fellowship and how a fellowship would support your work at this time.

5. There is an application fee of $25. This amount covers the cost of application processing. Ragdale does not profit from application fees. If you are not in a position to cover the processing fee, please reach out to the Residency Manager, Deanna Miera at deanna@ragdale.org, to request a fee-waived application.

*PLEASE NOTE: Letters of Recommendation are no longer required or accepted.

EVALUATION:

Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Board and staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:

1. Work samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting.

2. Work samples indicate relevance in their contemporary field.

3. Work sample presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and are professionally presented and documented.

4. Artist’s experience: Artist statement and CV/Resume reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium.

5. Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?

NOTIFICATION: Applicants are notified of admission status via email in September.

COLLABORATIONS: Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs i.e. how many private studio and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific concerns can be directed to Regin Igloria, Artistic Director at regin@ragdale.org, before applying.

TIMELINE:

• May 15: Application Deadline

• September: Notification of Residency or Fellowship award.

QUESTIONS? All inquiries should be directed to Artistic Director, Regin Igloria (regin@ragdale.org), and Residency Manager Deanna Miera (deanna@ragdale.org). Please do not reach out through Submittable.

ragdale.submittable.com/submit

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VCCA RESIDENCY

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: Residencies can be transformative to an artist’s process and the effect on an artist’s career profound. A residency at VCCA gives artists the time and space to explore and go deeper into their work. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible.

VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Virginia, typically hosts 360 artists each year in residencies of varying lengths (no minimum; up to six weeks) with flexible scheduling. A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals a day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VCCA is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails. Many local sites and additional inspiration can be found in short drives to Lynchburg (20 minutes), Charlottesville (1 hour), Roanoke (1.5 hours), or Richmond (2 hours).

VCCA Fellows are selected by peer review on the basis of professional achievement or promise of achievement in their respective fields. Separate review panels are created for each category (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting/screenwriting, children’s literature, performance, film/video, book arts, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, music composition, etc.). Panelists undergo periodic review and rotate regularly to ensure VCCA admission decisions are guided by high caliber artists who represent a diversity of styles and tastes.

All VCCA residency and fellowship applications are accepted online via SlideRoom. The standard application fee is $30. If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, artists should reach out to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com to request an application fee waiver at least five days before the deadline.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: A variety of fully-funded fellowship opportunities are available at each application deadline. In addition, significant financial assistance is available throughout the year.

vcca.com/apply/residencies-at-vcca/

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The Watering Hole Virtual Summer Retreat

The Watering Hole

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $10

INFO: Over a three-day period (July 19-21, 2024), Summer Retreat participants will be able to attend two readings, evening community activities, and daily classes/workshops (3 hours each) in three major genres:

• Short Stories (Fiction) with DeLana R.A. Dameron (Redwood Court, How God Ends Us, Weary Kingdom)

• Essays (Creative Non-Fiction) with Julian Randall (The Dead Don't Need Reminding, Refuse, Pilar series, Black Boy Joy)

• Poetry Manuscript with Crystal Simone Smith (Founder and Editor of Backbone Press, Among These Blues, Ebbing Shore)

Our mission is to build Tribe through genuine relationships and help poets reach their best work. 

Writing Facilitators: T.B.A.

APLICATION PROCESS:

1. A Cover Letter (with aesthetics statement) and 

2. A writing sample of 3 poems 

ELIGIBILITY: You must be 21 years of age by July 19th.

ADDITIONAL HELP:

The poems may be written or audio. We accept a variety of file types. The poems must have been written within the last two years). Do not include your name on these materials. Judging will be blind.

 The cover letter must be written (not audio). If you need help with the basic cover letter format, check out our blog post of Cover Letter Advice.   The type of aesthetics statement that we ask for is a paragraph or two that details...

1. who influences your writing,

2. what challenges have you faced on your creative journey,

3. what you seek to accomplish in your poems,

4. and what The Watering Hole means to you as a writer of color.

This will contextualize the poems in your submission and help us get to know you as an artist. You may also optionally include how your writing or aesthetic informs what you do, where you work, or any work you do in the arts community or vice versa.  Make certain your submission is your final version. Corrections and new versions will not be accepted.  

twhpoetry.submittable.com/submit

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The Emerging Writer’s Contest 

Ploughshares  

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 at noon EST

ENTRY FEE: 

• Subscribers - $0

• Non-subscribers - $30  

INFO: The Emerging Writer's Contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book. Read past winners of the contest here. 

We award publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres. Submit to the Emerging Writer's Contest through our submission manager. You must be logged in to access our submission manager.

The 2024 contest judges are Dantiel W. Moniz (Fiction), Porsha Olayiwola (Poetry), and Augusten Burroughs (Nonfiction). 

PUBLICATION:

The winning story, essay, and poems from the 2024 contest will be published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Ploughshares. 

ELIGIBILITY:

You are eligible if you:

• Have yet to publish a book (including eBooks, translations, books in other languages/countries, self-published works, and poetry chapbooks with a print run of more than 300).

• Have no book forthcoming before April 15, 2025.

• Are not affiliated with Emerson College or with Ploughshares as a volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.

• Will not have a relationship with Emerson College before April 15, 2025 (example: if there is a chance you will attend the Emerson MFA program in the coming year or if your work has been accepted for publication for an upcoming issue).

SUBMITTING:

The contest is now open. We will announce the winners in mid-September of 2024. 

Fiction and Nonfiction: Under 6,000 words

Poetry: 3-5 pages

Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager. 

• Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager. 

• No entries via email or mail will be considered for the contest.

• Submitted work must be original and previously unpublished in any form.

• For poetry, we will be reading both for the strongest individual poem and the general level of work, and may choose to publish one, some, or all of the winner's submitted poems.

• International submissions are welcome, but we ask that you please be in touch via email for more information about this process.

• We cannot accommodate revisions once a manuscript has been submitted.

• If submitting work with images, please acquire permission beforehand and, if possible, ensure any images are high resolution (300 dpi).

• We strongly encourage typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced), and numbered pages.

• Cover letters are not necessary. Please remove all identifying information from your submission as they will be read anonymously.

Simultaneous vs. Multiple Submissions
We only consider one submission per author for the duration of the contest, regardless of genre. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are fine as long as we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere via email (pshares@pshares.org) or our online contact form. 

FEES:

• If you are a current subscriber through our Winter 2024-2025 issue, your contest entry is free of charge. You will still be prompted to "checkout" but you will not be required to enter payment information and will not be charged. If you're not sure when your subscription expires, feel free to email us at pshares@pshares.org.

• If you are not a subscriber, or your subscription expires before our Winter 2024-2025 issue, the submission manager will prompt you to pay the $30 fee at checkout. The fee includes a 1-year subscription to Ploughshares (beginning with the Spring 2024 issue and ending with the Winter 2024-2025 issue) and free submissions to the 2024 regular reading period. 

• If you are an international submitter, please be in touch via email for more information about this process. 

pshares.org/submit/emerging-writers-contest/guidelines

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Cokie Roberts Fellowship for Women’s History Application Information

National Archives Foundation

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Cokie Roberts Research Fund for Women’s History will support one to three annual fellowships for emerging and established historians, journalists, authors, or graduate students who perform and publish new research to elevate women’s history using the records held by the National Archives. This fellowship is intended to support the cost of travel and time to conduct research and publish works related to original research conducted at the National Archives.  

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be emerging or established historians, journalists, authors, or graduate students with proven writing skills, a demonstrated passion for women’s history, and the ability to perform in-person research at a National Archives facility. Applicants can be based anywhere in the U.S.

AWARD: Up to $12,500

NOTIFICATION: Application notifications will be in the summer of 2024.

archivesfoundation.org/cokie-roberts-fellowship/

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The Studios at Key West

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024

INFO: The Studios of Key West, the premier arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, offers a residency program for emerging and established artists and writers from around the world. We provide residencies to visual artists, writers, composers, musicians, media artists, performers, and interdisciplinary artists.

The program grants nearly 40 artists each year the time and space to imagine new artistic work, engage in valuable dialogue and explore island connections.

The Studios’ residency program is community-based and built upon the hope that visiting artists will take inspiration from Key West’s rich artistic past and present, and will engage with — and be inspired by — the remarkable people and culture that surrounds them.

Key West’s official motto, “One Human Family” reflects our commitment to living together as caring, sharing neighbors dedicated to making our home as close to paradise as we can. To that end, we encourage artists of all races, nationalities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities to apply.

DURATION: Our residencies are one month; they run from the 2nd day of the month to the last day of the month. For example: if you are awarded a residency in June, you would plan to arrive on June 2, and would plan to depart by June 30.

We’re sorry, but we are currently unable to offer residencies of less than one month. If you are accepted to the program, please plan to be in residence for the full month.

COST: There is no fee for the residency once an artist has been accepted into the program. However, artists are responsible for their travel to Key West, as well as living expenses and incidentals.

tskw.org/pear-program/

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Monson Arts Residency

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024

INFO: Monson Arts’ residency program supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. During each of our 2-week and 4-week programs throughout the year, a cohort of 5 artists and 5 writers are invited to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment. They receive a private studio, private bedroom in shared housing, all meals, and $1,000 stipend ($500 for 2-week programs).

Applications for a residency at Monson Arts are open to anyone at any stage of their career, working in visual arts, writing, and related fields (i.e. audio, video, photography, movement, screen and playwrights). Open calls for residency applications currently take place 3 times throughout the year with deadlines on January 15, May 15, and September 15. Each application period corresponds to specific residency offerings 3-6 months out.

Residents’ studios are located in newly renovated Main Street buildings that have been designed specifically for visual artists and writers. All of our studio spaces are outfitted to be as flexible as possible so that we can accommodate a variety of creative practices. Our visual arts studios are spacious and light-filled with large work tables and sinks. Shelving and portable storage carts are available as needed. Access is available to woodshop and metal shop facilities in nearby buildings for any fabrication needs. Our writing studios are comfortably furnished with work tables, office chairs, bookshelves, and reading chairs. For those working in time and sound based media: apply to the Writing category if quiet contemplation would be best for your project or the Visual Arts category if you need room and the opportunity to make and play sounds out loud.

Residents live in newly renovated historic homes throughout town, within walking distance to studios and everything that downtown Monson has to offer. These are mostly 3 bedroom structures that are fully furnished and comfortable all four seasons of the year. Houses all have shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas with laundry machines, telephone, and other amenities as well. Wifi is available in all of our buildings through high speed fiberoptic service.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Up to 5 pages of work samples / 15 pages for playwright or screen writing

• A letter of intent for your time at the residency

• C.V. or Resume (limited to 6000 characters)

• Two reference names

monsonarts.org/residencies/overview/

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WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM

The Associates of the Boston Public Library

DEADLINE: May 17, 2024 at 11:59pm

INFO: The Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence program is intended to:

• Provide an emerging children’s writer with the financial support, editorial assistance, and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults.

• Encourage the imagination of young readers, and in so doing draw attention to the importance of authors and the essential role they perform in nurturing developing minds and furthering our culture.

• Promote the awareness of the Boston Public Library and its resources, by establishing a living link between Library and the community.

WHAT DO FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS GET?

• $23,000 stipend.

• Up to $2,000 of additional funding for coaching / editorial assistance.

• Private office space at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.

• Completed manuscript will be added to the BPL’s Archives.

• Opportunity to publicly present your manuscript at a fall reading.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?

• All genres welcome! Eligible projects include fiction, non-fiction, a graphic novel, script, memoir, or poetry intended for children or young adults.

• Since this program is intended for emerging authors, applicants should not have already published any books.

• The recipient must work for a minimum of 19 hours per week during the year-long residency.

• Applicants must be able to legally work in the US.

TERMS OF RESIDENCY:

• You will work a minimum of nineteen (19) hours per week from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

• You will participate in a public reception at the BPL on October 1, 2024 to mark the beginning of your residency.

• You will complete a submission-ready manuscript by the end of residency, which you will present at a second public reception, on a mutually agreed upon date.

• You will include an acknowledgment of the Associates of the Boston Public Library in all work created during the residency, and during any media opportunities stemming from the program, using mutually agreed upon language.

• Optionally, you may participate in or create a program for Boston Public Library patrons such as a teen writing workshop or a presentation to Boston-area students, as mutually agreed upon with BPL Youth Services staff. (Participation would be only a small portion of your time and is not required.)

APPLICATION PROCESS:

• To apply, please complete the application form (below) and upload a proposal (5 pages max.) and writing sample (15 pages max.) by Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm. The documents should be double spaced with one inch margins and at least 11 point font. The attachments should not include any biographical information, since there will be a blind judging process. See questions #13 and 14 below for more details.

• Basic questions about the application will be answered via email (via hello@AssociatesBPL.org); no calls please. Questions regarding how to present your work will not be considered. Inquiries concerning applications under review will not be answered. 

• If using Submittable creates an undue burden for you, you can alternatively mail your submission to: Writer-in-Residence Program, Associates of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.

• Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be altered by either candidates or Associates staff. 

SELECTION PROCESS:

• Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of judges, which includes a rotating group of authors, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, book designers, teachers, and/or citizens representing different areas of the world of children’s literature. Associates staff do not vote in this process. 

• The judges do not know the candidates’ names, gender, educational qualifications, or any background information. This blind judging process is focused solely on the quality of the submissions. 

• Submissions will be judged on the merit of the original writing.  Work suspected of being derived from or enhanced by an AI writing program will only increase the chance that it will be eliminated from consideration by the judges.

• The candidates selected to be the 2024-25 Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence will be notified by Monday, July 29, 2024.

KEY DATES:

• Application Deadline:  Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm

• Notification: Monday, July 29, 2024

• Residency Period: October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025

associatesbpl.org/events-and-programs/writer-in-residence-program/

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CRAFT SHORT FICTION PRIZE 2024

Craft

DEADLINE: May 19, 2024

INFO: Welcome to the CRAFT 2024 Short Fiction Prize! Since our launch in 2017, CRAFT has been a premier online home for the contemporary short story. We admire self-assured style and unabashed ingenuity, a willingness to explore and expand the form.

For this year’s contest, Guest Judge Deesha Philyaw dares writers to indulge, to be bold and defiant:

For me, a short story succeeds when I see, on the page, the writer indulging their own desires, interests, quirks, and demons; when I see the writer daring to write like themselves, eschewing mimicry and playing it safe. Not being daring for the sake of being daring or performative, but daring because they’re defying the person or rule that told them, “You can’t write about that,” or “You can’t write like that,” or “You can’t write.” I’m looking for fearlessness and audacity. I’m looking for characters making a mess of it all, then putting the pieces of themselves back together (or not). I’m a Virgo, so naturally I want the writer to mind the details—physical, emotional, and spiritual.

The first-place winner will receive a $2,000 award, online publication, a subscription to Journal of the Month, and—new this year—a writerly Tech Bonus worth up to $500! The second- and third-place finalists will receive $500 and $300, respectively, along with online publication. The 2024 Short Fiction Prize opens on March 18 and closes on May 19, 2024. Send us your most audacious short stories!

GUIDELINES:

• CRAFT submissions are open to all writers.

• International submissions are allowed.

• Please submit work primarily written in English, but some code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.

• We seek short fiction only for this contest: 1,000 to 5,000 words in length.

• We review literary fiction but are open to a variety of genres and styles—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.

• Submit previously unpublished work only—we do NOT review reprints for contests (including work posted on blogs, personal websites, social media, etc.). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.

• We allow simultaneous submissions—writers, please notify us and withdraw your piece if your work is accepted for publication elsewhere.

• We allow multiple submissions—please submit each piece as a separate submission accompanied by an entry fee.

• This contest requires a $20 entry fee per submission.

• All entries will also be considered for publication in CRAFT.

• Please double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.

• Include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).

• We do not require anonymous submissions. However, we do anonymize the fifteen shortlisted stories before sending them to the guest judge.

• Writers from historically marginalized groups will be able to submit for free until we reach fifty free submissions. This free categorywill close when we reach capacity.

• AI-generated work will be automatically disqualified.

• Entries that do not adhere to these guidelines will be automatically disqualified.

• We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, disability, family status, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, or for any other reason.

• Additionally, we do not tolerate discrimination in the writing we consider for publication: work we find discriminatory on any of the bases stated here will be declined without complete review.

AWARDS:

• Winner receives a $2,000 cash award, a free four-issue subscription from Journal of the Month, and our Tech Bonus: their choice of an iPAD 10th Generation, reMarkable 2, or a Freewrite Traveler (up to $500 value).

• Second- and third-place finalists receive $500 and $300, respectively.

• The top three stories will be published in CRAFT, each with an introduction by the guest judge.

• Each publication will also include an author’s note (craft essay) by the writer.

FINE PRINT:

• Friends, family, and associates of the guest judge are not eligible for consideration for the award.

• Our collaboration with editorial professionals in the judging of our contests and the awarding of our prizes does not imply an endorsement or recognition from their agencies, houses, presses, universities, etc.

• Read our 2023 contest winners for examples of work chosen in the past.

• As we only consider unpublished writing and will publish the winning pieces in October 2024, anything under contract to publish prior to January 2025 should not be entered.

OUR GUEST JUDGE: Deesha Philyaw is the author of the debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, which won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize, the 2020 Los Angeles Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies focuses on Black women, sex, and the Black church, and is being adapted for television by HBO Max with Tessa Thompson executive producing. Deesha is also a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and a Baldwin for the Arts Fellow. Her debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, is forthcoming from Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, in 2025. Find her on Twitter @DeeshaPhilyaw.

craftliterary.com/craft-short-fiction-prize-2024/#

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ANNE LABASTILLE MEMORIAL WRITERS RESIDENCY

Adirondack Center for Writing

DEADLINE: May 19, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30  

INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region (aka “The North Country”… see FAQ below for specifics) and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.

The residency is generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, writers will paddle to the site of her property and explore the lake with locals.

The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are plenty of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available, but limited (email ; Zoom ). Most cell phones will not work (a landline is available).

Covid-19 Requirements: Proof of vaccination is required. Residents who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons will be required to provide proof of negative test upon arrival and can contact ACW with any COVID-19-related questions: info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org.

IMPORTANT DATES: 

• Residency Dates: September 22 – October 6, 2024

• Notification: July, 2024

FEE: There is no cost to attend the residency.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Cover Letter: In the space provided in Submittable (no attachments), include a brief, third-person bio and a work plan detailing your goals for this residency.

2. Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 pages of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name does not show up anywhere in your writing sample. Writing samples that include your name will not be considered. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications.

adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/

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Call for submission: 2024 WWS SUBMISSION CONFERENCE

Women Who Submit

DEADLINE: May 28, 2024

INFO: The 2024 WWS Submission Conference will be held Saturday, August 10, 2024 at Plaza de la Raza in Lincoln Heights. The third conference in a series, the 2024 conference is the first to be offered in person thanks to a partnership with Plaza de la Raza and a grant from the Latino Community Foundation and California Arts Council. Online options will be made available for those experiencing barriers to attending due to health, finances, travel, family care, and more. The Women Who Submit Submission Conference is a biennial (every other year), one-day speaker program created by women and nonbinary writers for women and nonbinary writers to empower marginalized voices to submit work for publication and achieve success in publishing and academia. The first WWS Submission Conference was held as an online event in the heart of lockdowns in August 2020 thanks to a grant from the Eastside Arts Initiative and individual donors.

The WWS Submission Conference seeks to feature writers, translators, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians, publicists, professors, and more from the Southern California region to discuss pathways to success. Women Who Submit works to center individuals from marginalized communities including, but not limited to, people who identify as Trans and/or nonbinary, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and Disabled. WWS focuses on an anti-capitalist model of generosity, shared leadership, inclusion & accessibility, and resilience. More on our core values can be found here.

ABOUT PROPOSING PANELS + WORKSHOPS:

For the 2024 WWS Submission Conference, Beyond the Writing: Building Community, Advocacy, and a Literary Career, Women Who Submit is accepting proposals for panels and workshops to be produced in person at Plaza de la Raza with a hybrid option. All panels and workshops will take place on Saturday, August 10, 2024, between the hours of 9am-5pm. Up to three in person panels and three in person workshops will be accepted.

CRITERIA:

1. Women Who Submit is looking for proposals that celebrate, investigate, or highlight a variety of writers’ experiences that focus on strategies and pathways to success. Proposals should consider varied viewpoints and are encouraged to be intersectional and inclusive in topics, guest speakers, and moderators. 

2. Proposals must be submitted by a registered member of Women Who Submit – either from Los Angeles or one of the WWS chapters. However, panels and workshops can include partners from outside the WWS community. 

3. Any individual member may submit up to two proposals. This could be two panels, two workshops, or one and one. Any individual speaker or facilitator is only allowed to feature on one accepted proposal. 

4. Panels and workshops will be allotted 75 minutes.

5. Panels proposals must include a moderator and 3 guest speakers. 

6. Workshop proposals can include 1 or 2 facilitators. 

7. Proposals will be selected based on diversity*, synchronicity with core values, synergy of topics, and how well the proposal addresses essential issues affecting women and nonbinary writers. 

ACCEPTED PROPOSALS WILL RECEIVE:

1. $100 per panelist/moderator

2. $150 per co-workshop facilitator or $300 for a single workshop facilitator

3. Free lunch on the day

4. Promotional support including flyers for social media and posts on the Women Who Submit, Plaza de la Raza, and partnering social media accounts

5. Recognition in the WWS Submission Conference program

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Submissions close: May 28, 2024

• Notification of acceptance: June 14, 2024

• WWS Conference:  Saturday, August 10, 2024

womenwhosubmitlit.org/wws-submission-conference/

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Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers

GrubStreet

DEADLINE: May 30, 2024

INFO: GrubStreet’s Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers provides financial and professional development support to two self-identified Black writers interested in teaching classes, participating in events, and working with our instructors and staff to deepen our curriculum. The fellowship includes compensation of $25,000, artistic mentorship, and access to the GrubStreet community and the Muse and the Marketplace conference. In time, the program aims to offer sustainable support to Black Writers and create a cohort of fellows who have direct access to GrubStreet resources, classes, and events. We also hope the fellows can influence GrubStreet’s pedagogy and cultural vision based on their experience and feedback.

COMPENSATION:

• $25,000 per fellow for the year.

• Access to mentorship from GrubStreet’s Education Director and fellow instructors.

• Free access to the Muse and the Marketplace during the fellowship year and the option to lead a paid session at the conference.

• Access to additional GrubStreet events.

• A dedicated space at GrubStreet’s new home to work on personal writing projects.

• 60 hours (or roughly 20 weeks) of free GrubStreet classes, which can be taken during or after the fellowship.

• A two-year GrubStreet membership.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Teaching one ten-week class.

• Teaching one six-week class.

• Teaching one week-long teen camp.

• Teaching one three-hour seminar (plus, the option to teach more for additional payment).

• Moderate or participate in a Boston Writers of Color’s event.

• Meet with the Director of Faculty and Fellowships periodically to track progress.

• Meet with new fellows at the end of your own fellowship year.

The fellowship begins September 3rd, 2024 and runs through the end of August 2025.

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

This fellowship is open to writers who self-identify as Black, are 18 or older, are able to work with both adult and teen audiences, and have a passion for expansive pedagogy, curriculum development, and professional growth. Ideal candidates will have some publication and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those working on their first book or a larger project. MFAs, a long publishing record, or extensive teaching experience are not requirements to apply, though feel free to tell us if you have any of these things.

Covid-19 Update: GrubStreet’s programming is currently taking place both virtually and in-person. We hope fellows will be able to join us in-person later in 2024 and 2025. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston when it's safe to do so.

HOW TO APPLY:

The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers Application Form will require the following:

• A personal statement (500 words max), which should include:

• Your background as a writer and teacher.

• Your personal philosophy or approach to creative writing workshops.

• How this particular fellowship fits your interests and goals as a writer and educator.

• Your CV or resume.

• A writing sample (20 pages limit for prose; 12 pages for poetry; 25 pages for scripts; and 20 pages for other or fused genres) that best exemplifies your current trajectory as a writer.

• Two personal references (name, email, and phone number) who can speak to your experience and dedication to writing and teaching.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Deadline: Thursday, May 30th, 2024.

• Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of GrubStreet’s program staff.

• Final decisions will be announced at the end of June.

• Program kicks off on September 3rd, 2024 and runs through the end of August 2025.

QUESTIONS?

If you have specific questions about the Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers, email programs@grubstreet.org or call the office anytime at 617.695.0075.

grubstreet.org/write/teaching-fellowship-for-black-writers

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Susan Kamil 2024–2025 Emerging Writer FellowshipS

The Center for Fiction

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024

INFO: The Center for Fiction / Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellowships offer grants, editorial mentorship, and other opportunities to early-career New York City-based practitioners who are at a critical moment in their development as fiction writers. Learn more about the Fellowships and meet our current Fellows below.

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIPS:

During the one-year Fellowship period, Fellows receive:

• A grant of $5,000

• The opportunity to have their manuscript revised and critiqued by an experienced editor

• Access to write in our Writers Studio

• The opportunity to meet with editors, authors, and agents who represent new writers at monthly dinners

• Two public readings as part of our annual program of events

• A professional headshot for personal publicity use

• Inclusion in an anthology distributed to industry professionals

• Tickets to our First Novel Fête and/or Annual Awards Benefit

• Complimentary admission to all Center events

• A 25% discount on writing workshops at the Center

• A workshop on reading as performance, conducted by Audible

centerforfiction.org/grants-awards/nyc-emerging-writers-fellowship/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FROM BIOPIC AUTISTIC WRITERS + ARTISTS

Lucky Jefferson

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: BIPOC autistic writers and artists are invited to embrace their inner wildflowers by sharing poems, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, art, and more for this digital publication.

We invite you to:

• Describe the inner life and beauty of introspection/introvertedness

• Share experiences being on the spectrum

• Share experiences being a BIPOC artist or writer on the spectrum

• Share experiences with sexuality (and beyond) on the spectrum

Examples of what we're looking for: “When does the kosanba rest?” by Leslie McIntosh / bad road by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

COMPENSATION (UPON ACCEPTANCE):   

• $15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)

  • SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD

• $25 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction, Hybrid/Experimental (under 1000 words)

  • SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD

• $25 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)

  • SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD

Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media.  

luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: 'Awake' Zine - Issue 6, How We Make Fire

Lucky Jefferson

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Awake is a digital zine and collection of work by Black authors that explores the power we each hold. For a second time, Awake, [Issue 6], will be in print!

Use the prompt below to complete your submission: 

What survival skills are necessary to exist?

Submit poetry, essays, creative nonfiction, and more, about your experiences outdoors and how Black people survive, thrive, navigate oppression and privilege in nature. 

*All poetic expressions are welcome (haikus, creative non-fiction, art, poetry, etc.)*

Examples of what we're looking for: The Bison Run with Chango by Frank X Walker / First Fire by Camille T. Dungy

COMPENSATION (UPON ACCEPTANCE):   

• $15 — Haiku, Short Poems (<14 lines), Micro Fiction (under 100-300 words)

  • SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD

• $25 — Prose, Short Story, Flash fiction, Creative-Nonfiction (under 1000 words)

  • SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD

• $50 — Hybrid, Experimental, Essays, Long-form pieces. (under 2000 words)

  • SUBMIT NO MORE THAN 1 PIECE PER UPLOAD

• $50 — All Artwork (includes comics, paintings, etc.)

  • SUBMIT UP TO 3 PIECES PER UPLOAD

Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website, in print, and will be eligible to be publicized on social media.  

luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit

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EMERGING WRITER AWARDS

Key West Literary Seminar

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST (Letters of recommendation must be received by the following week)

ENTRY FEE: $12

INFO: We are now accepting applications for the 2025 Emerging Writer Awards. These awards recognize and support writers who possess exceptional talent and demonstrate potential for lasting literary careers.

Winners of the the Scotti Merrill Award, Cecelia Joyce Johnson Award, and Marianne Russo Award receive full tuition to our Writers' Workshop Program and the 42st annual Seminar, "Family," as well as round-trip airfare, full lodging support, and a $500 honorarium. Winning submissions will be published in our program book and recipients will have the opportunity to read their work on stage. To participate in both programs, award winners will be in Key West from January 5 - 13, 2025.

Each Emerging Writer Award is tailored to a particular literary form. The Merrill Award recognizes a poet, while fiction writers may apply for either the Johnson Award (short story) or the Russo Award (novel-in-progress). Poets and writers who have not yet published a book with a major publisher are eligible to apply.

GUIDELINES FOR THE CECELIA JOYCE JOHNSON AWARD FOR SHORT STORY:

1. COVER LETTER: In approximately 350 words, please tell us about your background, motivations as a writer, and previous accomplishments.
    File name should adhere to the following model: “Lastname_Firstname_cover.doc” and your name should appear at the top-right-hand-corner of the page.

2. WRITING SAMPLE: Please submit a complete short story of 20 pages or fewer (12-point font, double-spaced). File name should adhere to the following model: “Title_of_Short_Story.doc” and your name should not appear on the manuscript.

3. LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: One letter of recommendation is required. In the application form below, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email..

   *Applications missing the letter of recommendation are incomplete and will not be considered. Application deadline is May 30 and your letter of recommendation must be received no more than a week later.

4. REFERENCES: Please provide the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.

Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we are implementing a $12 application fee to cover review costs. Award winners will be notified by November 1.

ELIGIBILITY: Writers of any age who live in the United States and have not yet published a collection with a major publisher are eligible to apply. If you are the author of a book that is self-published, published with an independent press, or had a print run of 500 or fewer copies, you may or may not be eligible. If you think your eligibility may be called into question, please provide relevant details about prior publications as part of your cover letter. We reserve the right to make all final decisions regarding eligibility.

GUIDELINES FOR THE MARIANNE RUSSO AWARD FOR A NOVEL-IN-PROGRESS:

1. COVER LETTER: In approximately 350 words, please tell us about your background, motivations as a writer, and previous accomplishments.
    File name should adhere to the following model: “Lastname_Firstname_cover.doc” and your name should appear at the top-right-hand-corner of the page.

2. WRITING SAMPLE: Please submit an excerpt from your novel of 25 pages or fewer (12-point font, double-spaced). Preface this excerpt with a single page containing a “pitch” of 250 words or fewer; this should provide an outline of your novel and any context that may be useful to the reader.
   File name should adhere to the following model: “Title_of_Novel.doc” and your name should not appear on the manuscript.

3. LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: One letter of recommendation is required. In the application form below, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email..

   *Applications missing the letter of recommendation are incomplete and will not be considered. Application deadline is May 30 and your letter of recommendation must be received no more than a week later.

4. REFERENCES: Please provide the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.

Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we are implementing a $12 application fee to cover review costs. Award winners will be notified by November 1.

ELIGIBILITY: Writers of any age who live in the United States and have not yet published a collection with a major publisher are eligible to apply. If you are the author of a book that is self-published, published with an independent press, or had a print run of 500 or fewer copies, you may or may not be eligible. If you think your eligibility may be called into question, please provide relevant details about prior publications as part of your cover letter. We reserve the right to make all final decisions regarding eligibility.

kwls.submittable.com/submit

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2024-25 Frances Ellen Watkins fellowship

The 19th

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024

INFO: Named for the “mother of African-American journalism,” the program was launched to provide recent graduates, mid-career alums and former students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with full-year, salaried fellowships with full benefits in the areas of reporting, audience engagement and news product and technology.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellows will spend a year working in reporting, audience engagement, product or technology roles with full-time salaries and benefits, made possible by the generous support of Michelle Mercer and Bruce Golden. Fellows will receive on-the-job training, mentorship and professional development opportunities. We also provide career coaching to prepare fellows for their path after their fellowship.

FELLOWSHIP TRACKS:

Our cohorts include three reporting fellows, one audience engagement fellow and one product & technology fellow.

Fellows in the reporting track should expect to gain more experience in:

• Covering issues deeply through original reporting, researched context and nuanced framing

• Pitching stories they want to follow through the lens of equity and representation

• Identifying and developing areas of expertise within their reporting

• Exploring storytelling across digital platforms and in-person events

• Centering the voices and experiences of people on the margins, who are often affected the most at the intersections of gender and policy

See stories reported on by our 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 fellows.

Fellows in the audience engagement track should expect to gain more experience in:

• Finding, pitching, producing and reporting out audience-centric stories that live first and foremost on off-platform channels like Instagram. For example, our callout for Black country music fans, or our roundup of Women’s History Month quotes from our current fellow cohort

• Optimizing and distributing journalism across platforms — such as on our site, via search, on social and in newsletters — to meet different audiences where they are

• Crafting accurate, compelling headlines, social and newsletter copy, and visuals on deadline

• Working with different roles across editorial, audio, event and product teams to execute on audience engagement projects

• Using key newsroom platforms and tools to draft and schedule social media posts, update our homepage, monitor real-time metrics and trending topics, and produce an article or newsletter

Fellows in the product and technology track should expect to gain more experience in:

• A specific engineering focus, building on existing skills in PHP and/or WordPress development, front-end engineering in HTML, CSS and JavaScript or data science quantitative analysis

• Testing product feasibility, writing technical requirements and estimating timelines

• Collaborating with engineers, product designers, researchers and managers to build, test and launch new features for products, like our website, republishing tools, apps like Apple News, and revenue and audience databases. For example, our current fellow built analytics dashboards for staff.

• Communicating about technical progress, roadblocks and tradeoffs in a way that is understandable for non-technical stakeholders

• Making technical decisions based on factors like ethics, security, performance and accessibility

WHO CAN APPLY:

Eligible candidates should be any one of the following:

• A recent graduate (within two years of graduation), early-career (three to four years’ experience) or mid-career alum (5-10 years’ experience) of a Historically Black College or University

• A graduating senior of a Historically Black College College or University with a graduation date prior to the anticipated fellowship start date of October 2024

• An individual who attended a Historically Black College or University for at least two years, and either transferred or did not graduate

• All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This can include conditional student/work visas, provided The 19th will not be required to take additional steps in sponsorship

Eligible candidates should also have the following:

• Some relevant experience in their chosen fellowship track

• A genuine interest in growing their career in journalism

• Alignment with The 19th’s values and community guidelines

HOW TO APPLY:

When submitting an application, prospective fellows will need to submit the following:

• A cover letter explaining why you want to work at The 19th, and what impact this fellowship program would have on your career goals

• Your résumé

• Relevant samples of your work

Feel free to reach out to jobs@19thnews.org if you have any questions.

19thnews.org/apply-for-a-19th-news-fellowship/

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call for submissions: “Transition” Issue

Callaloo

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 at 11:59pm

INFO: Callaloo invites submissions on the theme of “Transition”.

Transition: the only constant is change…

n. the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.

v. undergo or cause to undergo a process or period of transition.

We like to believe that things are certain, static, reliable, when in fact everything is constantly in flux. At every moment, our bodies are aging, our children are growing up, our environment and the ground beneath our feet are shifting. We marry, we divorce, we move, we lose jobs or choose new ones, violence enters our lives, we get sick, we lose loved ones, we are failed by our leaders, we are surprised by good fortune. Sometimes the shifts are within us—like a discovery or a loss of faith—other times our world changes around us, leaving us in search of our center. With each shift, we grow and adapt, or we resist. 

Callaloo seeks scholarship, personal essays, fiction, poetry, and visual art focused on the question of how we grapple with or choose change, assimilate it, make ourselves anew in the face of it. Submissions might focus on (but should not be limited to):

• Political change, upheaval, transfer of power, and war

• Shifts in family structure

• Immigration, migration, changes in home and language

• Identity and allegiance: sociocultural, gender, racial, spiritual

• Crossing class/education barriers

• The natural environment/landscape/climate

• Birth, aging, illness, and death

• Sexual awakening, discovery

• Moving through developmental stages (childhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age, senior years)

• The impact of technological and scientific discoveries

• Theft and loss

Articles should follow the MLA Style Guide (3rd edition).

callaloo.submittable.com/submit

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Calls for submissions: MQR Mixtape—DANGER, or: Speak Anyway

Michigan Quarterly

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024

INFO: In “Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work” Edwidge Danticat writes, “to create dangerously” means “to create fearlessly, boldly embracing the public and private terrors that would silence us, then bravely moving forward even when it feels as though we are chasing or being chased by ghosts.” To contend with the danger of the everyday demands courage and boldness, the doubt notwithstanding.

For this issue, MQR Mixtape seeks original, brave, and inventive work that bears witness to and reckons with human peril. We are particularly interested in work that troubles its genre, language, and the very idea of “danger” or speaking. For this issue, we seek honest work that contends with what impels them to stay silent but demands an unsilencing through art. What is the place of humor in works about imperiled lives? What does a dangerous story look like? What does a dangerous essay look like? What is the literary possibility of danger?

We want to know, so please submit: 

• Fiction: up to 5,000 words 

• Nonfiction: up to 4,500 words 

• Poetry: 1–4 poems, up to 6 pages total 

• Hybrid work, visual art and/or audiovisual: 250 word abstract and sample 

Only previously unpublished work will be considered. Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted by another publication. Please send only one submission per window; subsequent submissions will be rejected automatically.

GUEST EDITOR: Kabelo Sandile Motsoeneng has published fiction and literary journalism in Joyland, Lolwe, Prairie Schooner and others. Currently a Zell Fellow at the University of Michigan, Motsoeneng obtained his MFA in Fiction at the Helen Zell Writers’ Program and studied English and Human Rights Studies at Trinity College. Motsoeneng has been awarded the Avery Hopwood Prize in the Novel, the Frederick Busch Prize, among others. He’s currently working on a novel set in Johannesburg, where he grew up. 

sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/submit/

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James A. Winn Prize in Nonfiction

Michigan Quarterly

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024

INFO: The Winn Prize is awarded annually to a work of nonfiction of exemplary quality submitted for consideration. One essay submitted for this prize will be awarded $1,500 and publication in MQR. All submissions will be considered for publication.

The 2024 judge is Elizabeth Goodenough.

Elizabeth Goodenough has taught at Harvard, Claremont McKenna, and Sarah Lawrence Colleges as well as at University of Michigan’s Residential College, School of Education, and School of Information. She graduated from Smith College, received an MAT and PhD from Harvard University, and published Infant Tongues: The Voice of the Child in Literature (Wayne State Univ. Press, 1994), Secret Spaces of Childhood (U of Michigan Press, 2003) and Under Fire: Childhood in the Shadow of War (Wayne, 2008). Her co-produced, award-winning PBS documentary, Where Do the Children Play? included companion volumes: A Study Guide to the Film (WSUP, 2007) and A Place for Play (National Institute for Play, 2008). Summer 2024 she participates as a U-M Road Scholar. What the Presidents Read: Childhood and Family Favorites, co-edited with Marilynn Olson, will be published by Rowman & Littlefield in Fall 2024. 

sites.lsa.umich.edu/mqr/submit/

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The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation Grant for Writing on Sculpture

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST

INFO: In this grant program, the Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation’s goal is to encourage and support sculptors, whether emerging or established, and writers about sculpture.

About the Grant

• The JBSF offers one $20,000 grant per year.

• The JBSF grant program operates on a 2-year cycle with alternating grants that support writing in even years and sculpture in odd years. Applications are now open for writing on sculpture, and the recipient will be announced later in the year. The sculpture grant application will be available in 2025.

• The writing grant is specifically for a writer who generates fresh writing and thinking on the history, aesthetics, purposes, imagination or situation of sculpture.

• Supported categories of writing include essays and books.

  • Essays: magazine essays, catalogue essays, book essays

  • Books: research or manuscripts currently in process or nearing completion.

• Types of writing that are supported include art criticism, art history, memoir, psychoanalytical study, philosophical meditation and literary study.

• The grant recipient is expected to complete the project within one year of receiving the award. 

The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, or national origin; on the grounds of disability; on the basis of age; or on the basis of sex. 

DEADLINE AND ANNOUNCEMENT DATES:

• Applications are now open for writing on sculpture.

• Applications must be submitted through the JBSF Grant Application Form. We must receive your application no later than 11:59pm EST on May 31, 2024. See the Application page for more information about the Grant Application Form.

• Expect notification of awards no earlier than November 15, 2024.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

You are eligible to apply for the grant in writing on sculpture if you meet the following requirements:

• You are an individual.

• You are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or you hold an O-1 Visa.

• At least one example of your writing has been published for the first time within the last five years (between January 1, 2019, and the present).

• Types of eligible work:

  • Books, essays, memoirs.

• Minimum requirements for submitting writing samples:

  • Up to three published writings from magazines, literary journals, or other publications (including online). The samples can originate from the same publication (although submitting samples from diverse publications is encouraged).

  • No sample should be longer than 2,500 words. If the original text exceeds 2,500 words, the sample can be an excerpt from it.

• The samples should demonstrate your strength as a writer and their relevance to your project proposal. 

• The following types of work are NOT eligible: pre-publication material, such as proofs; work that has appeared in a publication for which you are the publisher or editor; collaborative writing; news reporting; letters to the editor; social media posts; essays on one’s own art or writing practice; student publications (including dissertations-theses). 

• You are not eligible if you are an employee, consultant, or board member of the Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.

HOW TO APPLY:

• Applications must be submitted electronically through the JBSF Grant Application Form. It is strongly recommended that you submit several days before the application deadline to avoid technical or submission issues. You will receive confirmation of a successful submission within 24 hours.

• All writing samples and attached materials must be in English.

• Questions or concerns regarding the Application Form can be directed to info@jonathanandbarbarasilverfoundation.org.

• IMPORTANT: Your application will be automatically rejected without panel review if:

  • One or more required forms or attachments are missing

  • Your writing sample(s) exceed the word count requirement

  • Incorrect or insufficient publication information is provided

  • You have already received a grant from the JBSF during the last 5 years 

  • You are not a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or O-1 Visa-holder

  • The writing samples are not in English

  • The application is not responsive to the mission and values of the Foundation

  • Your project proposal includes referential content about your own art or writing practice

APPLICATION REVIEW:

• The selection process is two-tiered; evaluators first determine eligibility, and then three panelists chosen by the JBSF will review the proposals in closed sessions. 

• Evaluation is based on the vitality of the writing, the potential of the project proposal to contribute to the field of sculpture, appropriateness of the project to the Foundation’s mission, and confidence in the writer’s ability to complete the project.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION:

• Budget: The applicant will attach a budget, in paragraph form (a max. of 250 words) that itemizes the expenses necessary to complete the proposed project. Briefly describe the categories of expenses and the amounts for each category the grant will cover. 

• Eligible expenses:

  • Writer’s fee (amount incurred by creating time to write)

  • Research

  • Travel (airfare, car rental, ground transportation, lodging, meals, per diem)

  • Living expenses (including childcare)

  • Fees for image permission

  • Reproduction and copying costs

  • Costs relating to editing, transcription, or translation

  • Expenses relating to the following are NOT eligible and your application will be rejected if your budget proposes to use the grant funds for any of these: loans or other debts: reimbursement of payments already incurred; purchase of land or building; tuition expenses; fees paid to third parties for promotion, marketing, or sale of work; commissioning work by others; health-related expenses (dentistry, hospitalization, etc.).

• The applicant will list any contributions that have already been raised, as well as any other pending sources of income for the project (for example, other grant applications).

AWARD NOTIFICATION:

• Announcement of the grant recipient will be made in November 2024, but no earlier than November 15.

• The recipient will be notified of the grant award via an email with the subject line: Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation: Award Notice XXXX-XX to Your Name

• Award documents will be provided in a separate email, including the award letter and reporting requirements (see below).

• *Important: The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation grant program is pending approval from the Internal Revenue Service. The award funds will be disbursed after the Foundation is approved.

AWARD ACCEPTANCE: RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Reporting Requirements

  • The project is expected to be completed within 1 year of receiving the award. 

  • The Foundation expects a progress report on the project 6 months after receiving the award, as well as a final report after the full year. If the work has not been completed, the final report can summarize your progress.

  • Progress Report: the one-page report should include (1) A description of all activities supported by the grant and (2) grant-supported activities planned for the remainder of the grant period (i.e. research or travel).

  • Final Project Report: The grant recipient’s completed work will be considered their final report. Plans for publication are recommended but not required. 

  • Conversation with the Director: A conversation about the project with the Artistic Director of the Foundation will take place at the Foundation Space (67 West Street, Brooklyn, NY) as part of their Final Report. The event will be live streamed, recorded, and posted to the JBSF website. This will be an opportunity for the writer to receive feedback on their work.

  • An outline of expenditures

  • A one-page report on the Awardee’s experience with the grant

• Grant recipients assume legal, financial, and administrative responsibility for complying with the terms included in the grant award documents. 

• Failure to comply with these requirements may result in suspension or termination of the award and the Foundation’s recovery of funds.

• Copyright and Cataloging Information

  • You may copyright any material that is subject to copyright and was developed under the JBSF award during the grant period.

  • We reserve the indefinite right to reproduce, publish, or make available for research work produced under the JBSF grant period.

ACCESSIBILITY:

• Individuals who do not use conventional print or electronic media may access the information in the Grant Application Form by contacting the JBSF at info@jonathanandbarbarasilverfoundation.org for assistance.

jonathanandbarbarasilverfoundation.org/2024-writers-grant-about

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african women’s non-fiction writing workshop

Cassava Republic Press

DEADLINE: May 31, 2024

INFO: Cassava Republic Press is calling on all African women non-fiction writers! We are delighted to be hosting a residential writing workshop this July for African women living on the continent and interested in writing non-fiction.

Enter now for a chance to work closely with an acclaimed Black women author and have your work published in an anthology called, Taboo!

Coupled with our Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Prize, this project is part of our mission to nurture and encourage more Black women to write critical, thoughtful and inspiring works of non-fiction by providing them with a sanctuary for their creative expression and intellectual exploration.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

This is a 10-day residential workshop of creativity and collaboration in Johannesburg from June 30th – July 11th 2024, led by an acclaimed Black women author, whose name will be announced soon. The workshop offers writers the opportunity to refine their craft and engage critically with the long tradition of non-fiction writing as they explore their own unique voice.  The workshop will culminate in a final essay to be published in an anthology by Cassava Republic Press.

Travel within the continent, accommodation and food will all be provided for, and participants need only bring themselves and a willingness to learn and complete their essay!

THE WORKSHOP THEME

The workshop’s theme, Taboo, is an invitation for writers to explore subject from different angles, leading to a published collection of essays on the theme.

 Taboos are practices that are forbidden, restricted and even controversial. They are shaped by social and religious customs, and vary across cultures. What does taboo mean to you? It is a question that sparks curiosity and invites introspection. This could be a historical or theoretical exploration of the origins of different taboos, or a more journalistic piece on the effects of breaking an existing taboo or if the theme hits closer to home, perhaps a personal essay on navigating a taboo and the felt experience. This theme is an invitation to provoke and stimulate discourse;and the anthology will stand as a testament to the allure of the forbidden.

Final essays will be a minimum of 5,000 words and should be beautiful, thoughtful, rigorous and bring a fresh insight to the conversation.

cassavarepublic.biz/african-womens-non-fiction-writing-workshop/

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2024 Tenth Anniversary Open Prose Chapbook Submissions

Split/Lip Press

DEADLINE: June 1, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $10

INFO: It's Split/Lip Press's Tenth Anniversary and this year, we're doing an open prose call for our chapbook period, which means we're open for fiction vs. nonfiction vs. hybrid vs. secret fourth options—we want to read it all. Seven members of the SLP editorial team (managing director Caleb, marketing directors Gage and Abby, short story/flash fiction editor Pedro, novel/novella editor Kate, nonfiction/hybrid editor Athena, and director Kristine) will be serving as both your first-round readers and your final editorial team decision-makers, which means there's no "reading team" filter—your chaps are going directly to the top! We will be reading, discussing, and voting democratically as a team to decide on our Tenth Anniversary Chapbook selection.

We are currently looking for previously unpublished prose chapbook manuscripts that are considered complete projects as they stand—we do not view chapbooks as "a taste of a longer work" but, instead, as the beautiful, brief books they are. Collections of individual pieces which gain power through their proximity to one another, or a single, sustained long work—we're open to and interested in both!

Individually published pieces within the manuscript are absolutely fine (and expected!) but the chapbook should not have been published as a BOOK before. Our definition of "chapbook" is under 80pg, but we've got a little flex, so don't let those guidelines exclude your work if you're pretty close to that page count. If your book is significantly longer, keep us in mind during our novel/novella reading period in July, our nonfiction/hybrid full-length reading period in October, or our short story/flash fiction collection reading period in January!

First and foremost, we seek out manuscripts that question boundaries (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional—you get the gist). Our editors are drawn to work with a twist, whether that means blending fact with fiction, employing speculative elements, placing lyricism alongside criticism, and/or image-based work interacting with text.

To get an idea of what we've historically loved, please check out our current chapbook offerings: 

Heather Bartel's forthcoming Exit the Body, Tucker Leighty-Phillips' Maybe This is What I Deserve, Claudia Putnam’s Double Negative, Kelly Ann Jacobson's An Inventory of Abandoned Things, Calvin Walds’ Flee, Samantha Edmonds’ The Space Poet, Tyler Barton's The Quiet Part Loud, Shasta Grant's Gather Us Up and Bring Us Home, SJ Sindu’s I Once Met You But You Were Dead, and Kara Vernor's Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song. 

We'd love it if you'd add a copy of any (/all) of our chapbooks to your submission, and we'll happily throw in free shipping as a thanks!

Historically under-represented perspectives are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED and HIGHLY SOUGHT—we want to help bring your voice to the world!

Our press mission

We publish boundary-breaking fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid books, lifting the transition boards that prevent fluidity and smashing those we cannot pry up. We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated. If your book is a wedge in a crack, Split/Lip Press is the hammer helping you split the wall apart.

All books published at Split/Lip Press have been discovered during our open reading periods—we do not solicit manuscripts and do not accept manuscripts sent outside of our reading periods. Every author has the same opportunity to join us! However, Split/Lip Press does not tolerate manuscripts celebrating racist, homophobic, or misogynistic perspectives, and will discard such manuscripts unread. We believe in breaking boundaries at Split/Lip, but we will not assist agendas of hate.

Basic formatting details

TNR 12 (or similar), double-spaced (unless you are specifically using special formatting—which we'd love to see), and PLEASE remove your name from the manuscript and file name—we want to review your manuscripts without names attached. There is a box on the submission form where, if you choose, you may indicate any information about positionality which may be helpful for the readers to know.

Please note that while we love and welcome work which includes images/diagrams/etc, we are unable to reproduce color images and all images would need to appear in black-and-white within a 6" x 9" printed book, so please keep that in mind when submitting.

Hugs + thanks

We work closely with our authors on all elements of their book, from design to promotion. We are engaged in the literary community, and as writers ourselves, we know how important it is to have a book that you love that is supported by a press that loves you. We'd love for you to be part of the Split/Lip Press family.

Simultaneous submissions are obviously welcome. Our reading process is a process and we move quickly and efficiently, but we also don't interrupt it prematurely. So if another publisher snags you first, we just ask that you withdraw your submission (and congrats to you!).

We intend to reply to all submissions by July 15, 2024, so please do not query about the status of your manuscript before that date. If you haven't seen anything from us by 7/15/24, check your status in Submittable and double-check your email spam filter because Submittable's messages sometimes get stuck there—we will definitely respond!

splitlippress.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: “ALL MY LOVE'“ ISSUE

Plantin

DEADLINE: June 5, 2024

INFO: Plantin is an online illustrated magazine dedicated to becoming an un-gated platform for writers belonging to the Black immigrant experience. They are currently seeking submissions for their next issue: "All My Love."

Love is a wonderful, vital thing (especially in our current times). They are especially looking for work relating to queer/trans/non-binary expressions of love and romance or navigating queer dating and partnership.

Send your short stories or poetry about your OTP or the time all the signals magically connected.

plantinmag.com/Submit-1

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call for submissions: The Futurities Issue

Mizna

DEADLINE: June 6, 2024

INFO: Before speculative writing, we must have speculative thought. Before thinking and feeling into the future, we must acknowledge our past and bear witness to our catastrophic present.

We write this call amid an ongoing genocide in Gaza—a genocide occurring before the world’s eyes, enabled by the world’s powers, a genocide that will yield generations of incommensurable grief and consequences, and, as of today, a genocide with no end in sight, a genocide that intends never to look back on its own crimes. Gaza is not alone in facing catastrophe—in Sudan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Morocco, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, and elsewhere throughout the region and the world, people are facing forced displacement, devastating violence, economic precarities, and uncertain futures. In approaching the subject of SWANA futurities, we face the very real question: In a moment when the present is so urgent, why bother discussing or imagining any future at all? Our short answer is: Because apathy is an intended effect of the forces who want to eradicate our Palestinian kin and exhaust our efforts of resistance and solidarity.

As we embark on this project, it is crucial to name that this genocide emerges from the future-oriented, settler-colonial project of Zionism; a project which exemplifies how notions of utopia and futurity can be instrumentalized to serve fascist and genocidal intentions. Our present moment manifests from long histories of extractive capitalism and colonial ambition that have come to shape the realities of the SWANA region and beyond, and constrain our abilities to imagine futures without these systems in place. To sow fear for the future and helplessness in the present is precisely the point; to colonize time and portray the desired outcomes of empire as inevitabilities is precisely the point. These tactics that work to manage and anticipate the expansion of colonial power have stoked the rise of genocidal futurities spanning Manifest Destiny, the Translatlantic Slave Trade, world-scale European colonialism and fascism, and the various trajectories of diaspora, migration, and forced displacement that converge in our staff, artists, and communities. This includes the stolen Dakota land on which we live and work in Minnesota and the endurance of systemic racism and police brutality in the United States. In this sense we know we are not alone in facing precarity, and that the stakes of this work are high. 

The doomsday futurities that circulate throughout the SWANA region are not merely narratives; they alter the very fabric of how we move through time and space. In recent decades, the SWANA region has been dubbed the site of the “forever wars,” a barbaric desert locked in endless conflict, plagued by religious fundamentalism, and unable to “learn.” War itself demands a specific conceptualization of temporality, as urgency interrupts our relations to past and future, stretching the experience of the present into a looping, ruptured infinity. The region is also variegated in its projections and manifestations of futurity: oil-rich Gulf countries exploit migrant workers and decimate local ecosystems to consolidate wealth; governments brand themselves as progressive while curtailing populist movements. Elsewhere, Western military incursions and economic sanctions have likewise coopted SWANA futures and intensified present precarities in the name of “progress.”

We issue this call with faith in our ability to transform and imagine our futures, which are in fact undetermined, unsettled. In recent months, many have pointed to the joy and steadfastness of Palestinians amid incomparable catastrophe. In the words of Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, “Part of our resistance to the finality of genocide is for us to talk about tomorrow, plan for tomorrow, work on healing the wounds of our people. The aim of this war is that there would no Palestinian tomorrow. We own tomorrow. Tomorrow is a Palestinian day.”

The stakes of futurity

What dreams and tomorrows can we imagine that grapple with the urgencies of today? What forms of writing can intervene in the projections of unending trauma and destitution seemingly prescribed for the SWANA region and beyond—those narratives that compel us to assume a predetermined future? How can we, by writing imagined alternatives, reject the catastrophes we are condemned to and disrupt the systems of oppression that rely on deliverable forecasts of violence, dispossession, and immiseration? 

This issue is inspired by the literary, aesthetic, and chronopolitical movement of Afrofuturism. We resonate deeply with Afrofuturism’s concern, as Kodwo Eshun writes regarding the role of the artist in combating the Global North’s predatory and demoralizing forecasts of African and Afrodiasporic futurities, “with the possibilities for intervention within the dimension of the predictive, the projected, the proleptic, the envisioned, the virtual, the anticipatory and the future conditional . . . a space within which the critical work of manufacturing tools capable of intervention within the current political dispensation may be undertaken.” We are equally engaged with Indigenous futurisms, queer futurities, anti-capitalist Gulf Futurism, ecofuturism, and beyond. Situating ourselves in a constellation of proleptic liberation movements, we welcome any and all contributions from authors engaging with these and related modes of thought. Through speculative writing, we aim to foster conversations that shed the chains of colonial futurities, while also remaining lucid, creative, and rigorously attendant to the action that must take place in the present in order for such futures to be realized. 

We seek work that writes with the gravity of the fact that our present moment is the projected and sought future of the status quo. We seek work that takes seriously the need to intervene with agency and take action in the present if we ever wish to see a freer, alterable future. 

Who we are and what we seek

Mizna is a SWANA-run and -focused literary journal, and the work you submit should speak to our audience and mission. We welcome all SWANA peoples and those in community with us who seek to contribute interventions, incitements, speculations, and agitations geared to shift currents in collective action, imagination, morale, history, and plausibility through literature.

• Writing of all forms: Poetry, prose, short stories, essays, creative nonfiction, visual poetry, comix, songs, spells, manifestos. Work that writes against form or incorporates multiple forms.

• Speculative works rooted in our world but not necessarily taking place in the world we know. We are open to science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, magical realism, alternate history, utopia and dystopia, fairy tales, steampunk, cyberpunk, solarpunk, climate fiction, theory fiction, ecopoetics, and others related to this genre.

• More Octavia Butler, less Arthur C. Clarke.

• Works that look to the past for inspiration and can shift our thinking in the present. For example, reimaginings of SWANA folktales, myths, legends, and stories. 

• Historical fiction with speculative elements inspired by explorations of settings and conditions for revolutionary movements. For example: the Arab Workers Movement (Mouvement des Travailleurs Arabes) and the Black Panthers’ refuge in Algeria in the early ’70s.

• Works that give voice to, and create a platform for, minoritized peoples in Western and SWANA contexts alike. Please be aware of your positionality when submitting this type of work.

• Works that challenge the notions of progress and linear time.

We are not looking for:

• Indulgences in escapism, uncritical technocapitalist sci-fi, utopian projects collaborating with empire, or the over-intellectualization of liberatory struggles.

• Academic writing or term papers. Your work can be complex and theoretical, but it should be clear and legible to a nonacademic audience. Easy on the jargon!

• Visual art submissions.

General Submissions Guidelines

Submitters do not need to be SWANA- or Arab-identifying, but work submitted should be mindful of Mizna’s aesthetic and the social realities of our audiences, as well as be a contribution to ongoing conversations in and beyond our communities. We encourage submitters to read back issues of Mizna before submitting work for consideration.  

Mizna focuses on debut writing; please submit previously unpublished work. We do not accept visual art submissions. Simultaneous submissions are permissible, though we ask to be notified as soon as possible if the submission is accepted elsewhere. There are no submission fees. Selected contributors receive a $200 honorarium, a one-year subscription to Mizna, and five copies of the issue.

Please include a short cover letter (200 words or less) as the first page of your submission, with a brief overview of the work you are submitting and why you are submitting to Mizna. Include a note disclosing any simultaneously submitted works.

1. Poets should list the poems they are submitting. 

2. Prose submissions should include a brief, 1–2 sentence overview of the submission (e.g., a synopsis if it is a story or narrative essay, or an overview of the argument for more expository essays). Keep in mind that we are a literary magazine.

3. Include a brief (50 words or less) author bio. 

4. Add a maximum of one sentence for any additional information you would like the editorial team to know about the work. 

5. Include contact information: email, phone number, and mailing address.

Please submit as .doc or .docx files. Submitting pdfs is allowable only for pieces with complex layouts. We do not accept other file formats (e.g., .pages). Prose submissions should be double spaced and limited to 5000 words. Please do not send us your term papers or thesis manuscripts for consideration. Poetry submissions should be limited to four poems of any length. Verses exceeding our page width will be treated with a run-over indent.

Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered.

mizna.org/literary/call-for-submissions-futurities/

FICTION / NONFICTION — APRIL 2024

call for submissions: “Why I Stayed” anthology

Taevo Publishing

SUBMISSION PERIOD: April 1 - June 30, 2024

INFO: Taevo Publishing wants to elevate your voice and publish your story. One that explores the truths behind intimate partner violence from actual survivors. Raising awareness regarding domestic violence is very important to us at Taevo.

Why I Stayed will be an anthology of 40,000 – 50,000 words, edited by Tamara Mayo and a to-be-appointed editor, featuring stories from survivors of intimate partner violence.

This anthology will be part one of a two-part book series – the goal being to bring a deeper understanding and empathy to domestic violence victims, and to hopefully shift the narrative away from blaming the victim and using verbiage such as, “She’s choosing to stay in that relationship, so clearly she just wants it to happen…”

We welcome well-told stories that explore the truths about how domestic partner violence doesn’t start on a physical level – these stories should explore how the victim was first exposed to mental and emotional abuse that wore them down internally before any actual physical abuse began,

Note: Book Two is entitled, “Why I Left”, and is a celebration of how survivors overcame and found the strength to leave their abusive situations. Authors who are accepted for the first anthology will need to submit a separate piece when submissions open for that book.

Own voices and diversity

At Taevo Publishing, we want people of all backgrounds to be heard – this includes men who may have found themselves in a domestic violence situation yet are ashamed to admit it for fear of being labeled “weak”.

We understand the sensitive nature of this topic and the need for some writers to use a pen name or pseudonym for privacy or safety purposes. Usage of a pseudonym is permitted. 

No AI-generated pieces

While we champion innovation and the advantages that AI offers, we will not accept AI-generated or AI-edited pieces.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

What you can submit:

• Memoir excerpts up to 2,500 words

• Short stories up to 3,000 words – we understand that some writers do not want to reveal their names or may need to change the names of those involved in order to avoid retaliation. This is not only permitted but encouraged.

• Black-and-white art illustrations

• Poetry – Up to 50 lines

• No simultaneous submissions

• Reprints are OK

• Multiple submissions from one author are OK

If you feel you have a story or illustration that fits this anthology but doesn’t fit the guidelines perfectly, please do not self-reject your piece. We highly recommend that you submit it and give us the opportunity to see it first.

COMPENSATION:

We are paying a flat rate per submission.

• $100 per memoir excerpt

• $100 per short story

• $50 per poem

• $50-$100 per illustration (it depends on the size and complexity of the image)

HOW TO SUBMIT:

To ensure that your manuscript is not auto-rejected, please follow these guidelines:

• Write a brief cover letter describing yourself and your story.

If your submission does not meet the exact guidelines above, please explain how

For memoirs, short stories, or poems:

• Format your story according to SMF (standard manuscript format). Need an example? Here’s a link to a comprehensive sample of how to format your manuscript.

• Save your document in Word, Open Office, or as a plain text document

• Name the document file as: “Author Name – Title of Story or Poem”

For art:

• Save your work in .PNG, Photoshop, or Illustrator format

• Name the document file as: “Artist Name – Title of Piece”

Email submissions@taevopublishing.com with the following:

• Subject: Why I Stayed Anthology Submission: “Title of the Piece”

• Body: Put your cover letter here

• Attachment: The piece you’re submitting

Note: If you need special accommodation for your submission, or if certain aspects of the guidelines cannot be fulfilled due to accessibility needs, please email us. Taevo Publishing wants our anthology submission call to be open to everyone. We are always happy to assist.

taevopublishing.com/why-i-stayed-anthology-submission/

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CREATIVE CAPITAL GRANTS

Creative Capital

DEADLINE: April 4, 2024

INFO: For our 25th Anniversary, Creative Capital welcomes innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms.

The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants which can be drawn down over a multi-year period, bespoke professional development services, and community-building opportunities.

Grants are awarded via a democratic, national, open call, external review process. Our goal is to fund individual artists creating conceptually, aesthetically, and formally challenging, risk-taking, and never-before-seen projects.

GRANT APPLICATION DETAILS:

Creative Capital is committed to groundbreaking ideas that challenge what art can be. As Creative Capital Awardees have demonstrated, socially impactful ideas are embedded in a myriad of artistic forms and practices. We invite artists to propose experimental, original, bold projects in the visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms which push boundaries formally and/or thematically. 

We invite artists to select a primary discipline for their proposals based on which experts are most suited and qualified to review the project proposal, with the understanding that radical art is often by nature interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or antidisciplinary. By choosing to apply within a certain disciplinary category, we are asking you to choose how you want to frame the discussion around your work and to indicate which experts are most qualified to evaluate your project proposal.

2025: 50 Grants 

• Visual Arts: including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, architecture, design, multimedia, installation, video art, performance art, new genres, craft, and socially engaged, and/or sustainable visual art-based practices

  1. Performing Arts: including dance, theater (new theatrical work, playwriting), jazz, music, opera, singing, and socially engaged and/or sustainable performing arts-based practices

  2. Film/Moving Image: including experimental film, short film, animation, documentary film, narrative film, and socially engaged and/or sustainable film/moving image-based practices

  3. Technology: including augmented reality/virtual reality, bio art, data visualization, hardware, software, digital media, internet art, and socially engaged and/or sustainable technology-based practices

  4. Literature: including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and socially engaged and/or sustainable literature-based practices

APPLICATION CYCLE:

ROUND I: Tell us your idea. Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

Along with your project title, one line project description (25 words max), project description (250 words max), resume (1 page max), and artist website (if applicable), please answer the following questions:

1. How does your project take an original and imaginative approach to content and form? Please be as specific as possible. (150 words)

2. Please place your work in context so we may better evaluate it. What are the main influences upon your work as an artist? How does your past work inform your current project? Please use concrete examples, which may include other artists’ work, art movements, cultural heritage, science, philosophy, research/work from outside the arts field, etc. (150 words)

3. What kind of impact—artistic, intellectual, communal, civic, social, political, environmental, etc.—do you hope your project will have? What strategies will you employ to achieve the desired impact? (100 words)

4. Who are the specific audiences/communities that you hope to engage through this project? Please think beyond the broader art community where possible. How are you hoping to reach them? (100 words)

5. How might your proposed project act as a catalyst for your artistic and professional growth? In what ways is it a pivotal moment in your practice? (100 words)

6. In addition to funding, Creative Capital also provides scaffolding and support services for awardees (such as expert consultations, gatherings, alumni network, workshops). How would our non-monetary services help you to realize your goals for this project and/or your long-term artistic and professional growth? (100 words)

ROUND II: Project Details

1. Project itemized budget (1 page)

2. Project timeline (1 page)

3. Work samples (see application handbook for guidelines)

ROUND III: Final Panel Review

1. Submit proof of eligibility. 

2. Confirm collaborators (if applicable)

3. Project updates (optional, 100 words max)

Full application guidelines are outlined in the Application Handbook.

All applications are reviewed by external reviewers who are scholars, curators, artists, past awardees, and experts in the field. The final recommendations for the awards are reviewed and then ratified by our Board. Awardees are announced in January 2025. Under no circumstances will the reasons for the rejection of an application be provided.

Any awarded projects which are directly related to any of the 17 UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals will have the opportunity to have the “Way” or the icon of that UN Sustainable Development goal attached to their project on the Creative Capital website in effort to advance the global dialogue around these critical issues impacting the future of our communities, our planet, and beyond. In keeping with the spirit of the 17 UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, we too have an expansive definition of “sustainability” that goes far beyond climate change and the environmental challenges we face—including: good health and wellbeing, affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities, life on land, and peace, justice, and strong institutions.

2025 CREATIVE CAPITAL GRANT TIMELINE:

These dates may change.

• March 4 to April 4, 2024: Letter of Inquiries (LOI) accepted

• April 4, 2024 4:00 PM Eastern Time / New York Time: LOI deadline

• June 2024: Notification of advancement to Round II

• September 2024: Notification of advancement to Final Panel Review

• January 2025: Public announcement of 2025 Creative Capital Awards

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY:

• US citizen, permanent legal resident, or O-1 visa holder

• At least 25 years old

• Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice

• Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program

• May not apply to the Warhol Foundation Arts Writers grant program in the same year

• May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award

• May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year

Projects that are not eligible

• Projects whose main purpose is promotional

• Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business

• Curation or documentation of existing work

• Projects that will be completed before January, 2025.

JUROR INFORMATION:

Creative Capital invites regional, national, and international experts in a wide range of disciplines to serve in our review process. External reviewers are offered honoraria for their time and expertise. All external reviewer names are confidential until the awards are announced.

creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award

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FIRST PAGES PRIZE

DEADLINE: April 10, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

JUDGE: Edwidge Danticat

INFO: Our mission is to discover, recognize and encourage emerging voices through the annual creative nonfiction and fiction FIRST PAGES PRIZE awards.

Open to un-agented writers worldwide, the FIRST PAGES PRIZE  invites you to enter your FIRST FIVE PAGES (1250 words) of a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction.

Winners receive cash awards, a developmental mentorship, and an agent consultation.  

PRIZES:

• Five prizes are awarded annually to emerging writers.

• The competition is for writers who are NOT currently represented by a literary agent.

• The top three winners in each category of Fiction and Creative Nonfiction receive a cash award (1st - $2,000, 2nd - $1,500, 3rd - $1000)

• A Developmental Mentorship  that will include virtual meetings to discuss your work, review of select pieces of your work and potentially a written report from the mentor. Each mentor/mentee experience will reflect the needs of the winning writer.

• Consultation with an agent via Zoom

• Cash prizes are not transferable. The tailored edit and agent consultation are not transferable or redeemable.

ELIGIBILITY - Entrants

• Eligible writers from anywhere in the world may enter.

• Entrants must be individuals (not a company or organization) and submission must be the entrant’s original work.

• Entrants must be over 18 years of age at the time of entering their work.

• Entrants must be currently unagented. If you are represented by or signed with an agent, you are NOT eligible to enter.

• If an entrant signs with an agent prior to winners being announced and their entry is still in our review process and has not been declined, notify First Pages Prize immediately to withdraw and have the entry fee will refunded (minus fees).

• Entrants may submit more than one entry. Each entry needs to be submitted as a separate entry and you need to pay the fee for each entry.

• Entrants must submit the work using their name, not a pen name. A pen name may be used when announcing their win, if requested.

• By entering, entrants accept that their email address is added to the mailing list of the First Pages Prize.

• By entering, winners accept that quotes from their entry and their photo and bio details may be used to promote the First Pages Prize.

• This competition is NOT OPEN to members of the board or employees of The First Page Prize, Inc., The de Groot Foundation, the reviewers or judge. Family members of the aforementioned are also NOT eligible.

ELIGIBILITY - Entries

• Entries are blinded. The entrant’s name MUST NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript of the entry to ensure judging anonymity. The entrant’s full name (initials included) MUST NOT be part of the story title. Any entry failing to comply with this rule is immediately disqualified without refund of entry fee.

• Must be your unpublished, original work.

• Must be written in English.

• Entries may be for works of Fiction or Creative Non-Fiction.

• Must not infringe upon the copyright of any person or entity.

• No entry will be returned or kept after the winners have been announced.

• Entries will be acknowledged upon completion of submission.

• Copyright remains with the author.

• Entrants may submit more than one entry. Each entry needs to be submitted as a separate entry and you need to pay the fee for each entry.

• Entries (or drafts of entries) that previously entered the First Pages Prize and did not place 1st, 2nd or 3rd or 4th or 5th are eligible to enter.

WORKS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE:

• Previously published entries (including on a website, Wattpad or any other online or offline platform).

• Entries (or drafts of entries) that won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in any other competition.

• Translated works.

SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS are possible, however, if your entry wins 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in another competition you must notify the First Pages Prize immediately by emailing info@firstpagesprize.com. If your entry is still in our review process and has not been declined, you must withdraw your submission and your entry fee will be refunded.

HOW TO ENTER:

• All submissions must be made through the Submittable platform https://firstpagesprize.submittable.com/submit

• Please submit the first pages (1,250 words maximum) of a longer work of fiction or creative non-fiction.

• Kindly double space your pages, using Times New Roman 12-point font.

• Name your file with your story title and make sure your story title does not include your name. Include your story title on the top of the first page of your submission.

• Acceptable file types are .PDF, .DOCX, .RTF, .ODT, .DOC, and .TXT

• Entries for the 2024 competition open on March 1, 2024 at 00:00 am Pacific Standard Time and close on April 10, 2024 at 23:59 (11:59 p.m.) Pacific Standard Time. An extended entry period opens on April 10, 2024 at 00:00 am Pacific Standard Time and closes on April 24, 2024 at 23:59 (11:59 p.m.) Pacific Standard Time. Please check a time zone converter to avoid disappointment and inability to enter http://www.timebie.com/std/pst.php or https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com

• Only submissions received and paid for within the entry periods will be considered.

• Entries that are not paid for, are incomplete, corrupted or submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

• The entry fee is $20 US dollars per entry. The extended entry fee is $35 US dollars per entry.

• No alteration may be made to the entry once it is submitted.

• By entering this competition, each entrant agrees to be bound by the competition guidelines, terms and conditions.

REVIEW + JUDGING PROCESS:

• All entries to the First Pages Prize are submitted to a blinded review process. Reviewers and judge do not know the identity of entrants submitting.

• Our judging criteria are: quality of writing (including character development and originality), a sense of story or bigger narrative emerging, and how much the reviewers and judge are hooked by the writing.

• Our review and judging process adheres to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics (see below).

• Only winners will be contacted.

• No individual feedback will be provided except to the top five Finalists.

• The decisions of the reading panel and judge are final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the judging process.

firstpagesprize.com

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2024 GULF COAST PRIZES

Gulf Coast Journal

DEADLINE: April 10, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $26

INFO: The 2024 Gulf Coast Prizes in Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction are now officially open.

Our final judges this year will be Zaina Arafat (Fiction), Monica Youn (Poetry), and Edgar Gomez (Nonfiction).

AWARD: The contest awards $1,500 and publication in Gulf Coast to the winner in each genre. Two honorable mentions in each genre are awarded $250. All entries are considered for publication and the entry fee includes a one-year subscription to Gulf Coast.

Entries for the Gulf Coast Prizes in Fiction and Nonfiction should be a single prose work not exceeding 7,000 words. Entrants for the Gulf Coast Prize in Poetry may submit up to five poems not exceeding 10 total pages in length. We only accept submissions via Submittable.

Entrants may submit more than once or in more than one genre, but each new entry must be accompanied by a separate $26 entry fee.

CONTEST GUIDELINES:

• Submit your work as a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• Only previously unpublished work will be considered.

• The contest will be judged blindly, so please do not include your cover letter, your name, or any contact information in the uploaded document. This information should only be pasted in the “Comments” field in Submittable.

• Submittable accepts all major credit cards for the $26 entry fee, which includes a one-year subscription to Gulf Coast.

gulfcoastmag.org/contests/gulf-coast-prize

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The Himalayan Emerging Writers Residency

The Himalayan Writing Retreat

DEADLINE: April 10, 2024

INFO: The residency offers emerging writers an opportunity to live, learn and write with the Himalayas as their muse. The residency aims to help writers finish their writing projects and make their debut. It’s going to be hard work, and fun.

If you are a writer from South Asia looking to escape your everyday monotony and take time to focus on your craft and your important project, please apply.

ELIGIBILITY:

• You must be above 18 years of age and be a citizen of any South Asian country.

• You could be working on a fiction, non-fiction or children’s book. Academic/Technical writers are not eligible for this residency.

• While we deeply appreciate poetry and translation and hold courses for both, these are not included in the ambit of this residency.

• The project you are working on should be your own original work. Ghost writers are not eligible.

• This residency is for emerging writers not traditionally published yet. If you are a published writer of repute, please consider any of the other residencies listed here.

• If you are a self-published author never traditionally published, you may apply.

• Each application needs to be accompanied by a payment of INR 250.

• We’ll accept a maximum of ten writers.

himalayanwritingretreat.com/emerging-writers-residency/

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BAC 2024 FALL MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESIDENCY

Bethany Arts Community

DEADLINE: April 10, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Bethany Arts Community (BAC) offers residencies to emerging and established artists for the development of both new works and works-in-progress. BAC welcomes artists working across any discipline and medium, including visual artists, sculptors, writers, playwrights, choreographers, musicians, composers, performance artists, filmmakers, and more to our Fall Multidisciplinary Residency. Any and all artistic mediums are encouraged to apply. Enjoy an environment where artists from different disciplines and walks of life can work in community and near each other, creating opportunities for generative collaboration and cross-pollination.  

Residents will be surrounded by uninhibited creativity during their time at BAC, in the form of other Multidisciplinary Residents, local studio artists, BAC staff and board members, those presenting programs on campus, and more!

A unique component of residencies at BAC is Community Programming. As part of a residency, we ask each artist to develop and facilitate a Community Program related to their residency plan. This part of the residency is an opportunity for artists to engage with the local community in Ossining and Westchester County, and for the local community to engage with artists through their work.  

The Fall Multidisciplinary Residency runs for two sessions, September 23 to October 7 and October 18 to November 4, each with its own cohort. Artists are provided room & board, a private studio conducive to artists’ medium and/or project, 3 basic meals a day*, and a $225 stipend per week upon completion of the residency. Artist is responsible for transportation to and from BAC and any supplies or materials needed for their practice. We ask that you only apply if you can stay for the entire length of this residency. 

*Please note for the 3 meals included during the residency, Bethany Arts Community is only able to accommodate for vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free diets. We are currently unable to accommodate severe allergies (celiac's disease, tree nut allergy, peanut allergy, etc.) and other commonly-used ingredient allergies (garlic, allium allergy, etc). Please contact submit@bethanyarts.org with any questions or help making arrangements if you have an allergy.

Artist team applications will only be considered for groups up to 3 members. 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Application Deadline: April 10, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST 

• Letters of Recommendation Deadline: April 17, 2024 at 11:59PM EST

As letters of recommendation (LORs) are sent out at the time of application submission, we give applicants another week to ensure that their LORs are in. Please ensure your LORs are submitted by this deadline to be considered for this residency.

• Notifications: May 28, 2024

We're having two Q&A sessions for this residency application on March 27 & April 3, 2024 from 5-6PM EST. If you're interested in attending, please email submit@bethanyarts.org for the Zoom link. Attending these sessions will not impact the selection process for residency.

bethanyarts.submittable.com/submit/290581/bac-2024-fall-multidisciplinary-residency

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Kerouac Project Writers-in-Residence program

The Kerouac Project of Orlando

DEADLINE: April 14, 2024 at 11:59pm

SUBMISSION FEE: $50

INFO: The Kerouac Project provides six residencies a year to writers of any stripe or age, living anywhere in the world. Each residency consists of approximately a two-month stay in the cottage where Jack Kerouac wrote his novel The Dharma Bums.

While at the Kerouac House, each writer stays free with their utilities covered and a $600 food and supplies stipend to use during their residency. The residents are required to participate in four events: a welcome potluck dinner held in their honor, two creative workshops, and a final reading of their work at the end of their residency. They are also encouraged to participate in other readings and events around the Central Florida literary community, but this is not necessary.

RESIDENCY SLOTS:

The 2024-2025 residency slots to be filled are as follows:

• Residency 1: September 1 through October 20, 2024

• Residency 2: November 1, 2024 through December 22, 2024

• Residency 3: January 3, 2025 through February 23, 2025

• Residency 4: March 1, 2025 through April 20, 2025

• Residency 5: May 1, 2025 through June 22, 2025

• Residency 6: July 1, 2025 through August 2, 2025

kerouacproject.org

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SUBMISSIONS CALL: all categories

Electric Literature

DEADLINE: April 14, 2024 (or until the submission cap of 750 is reached)

INFO: Electric Literature will open for submissions in ALL CATEGORIES. We have a number of categories, including Essays, Recommended Reading, and The Commuter.

The Commuter Prose, Poetry, and Graphic Narrative Submissions — The Commuter will open for submissions on April 1, 2024 for two weeks or until the submission cap of 750 is reached.

The Commuter is our home for poetry, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives. It publishes weekly on Wednesday morning, and has showcased the likes of Caroline Hadilaksono, Aleksandar Hemon, Jonathan Lethem, Lindsay Hunter, Tahirah Alexander Green, and Julia Wertz.

Please keep the following guidelines in mind:   

• For Prose, submit one or more pieces, either standalone or connected, in a single document. The total word count should not exceed 1500 words. We encourage writers to push boundaries.

• For Poetry, submit 4–6 poems in a single document, and please limit the page count to 8. Keep in mind that due to our digital platform, not all poems may render exactly as they appear in a PDF.

• For Graphic Narrative, we are interested in both traditional and non-traditional forms of visual storytelling. Submit up to 3 pieces of narrative illustration, comics, mixed media narrative, or genre-negative oddments. For comics, each piece should contain a minimum of 3 panels. The total page count of your submission should not exceed 20 pages.

• Please submit all genres in .doc, .docx, or PDF. 

• Please submit only once per category.

• Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.

• Please include your email address.

• If your work is selected, we offer a total payment of $100.

• Writers with a submission pending with Recommended Reading may still submit to The Commuter.

All submissions will be accepted through our Submittable page. For a sense of the kind of work we publish, check out recent issues of The Commuter, our 280-character contest winners, and Recommended Reading’s 300th issue.

Recommended Reading General Fiction Submissions — Recommended Reading will open for submissions on April 1, 2024 for two weeks or until the submission cap of 750 is reached.

Members of Electric Literature can submit year-round. Join today!

• Recommended Reading publishes fiction between 2,000 and 10,000 words. (For fiction shorter than 2,000 words, check for open submission periods to The Commuter.)

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please notify us immediately if a piece is accepted elsewhere. Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.

• Response time is six to eight months.

• Upon acceptance, we can offer authors $300 for publishing rights.

• During the general submissions periods, writers may submit one piece per period. (This does not apply to year-round submitting members. For more information on member submissions, please refer to the welcome email you received when you signed up as a member or reach out to wynter@electricliterature.com.)

• Writers with a submission pending with The Commuter can still submit to Recommended Reading.

• Please do not submit a story already previously rejected by Electric Literature, even if the story has been revised (unless you've been invited to do so by an EL editor).

For candid advice from our editors on how to polish your first pages and revise your work, check out our "Submission Roulette II" event and our video "How to Get Published in Recommended Reading." 

Essays - Personal Narrative — Personal Narrative Essays will open for submissions on April 1, 2024 for two weeks or until the submission cap of 750 is reached.

Members of Electric Literature can submit year-round. Join today!

• Submissions must be full drafts of personal essays submitted via Submittable

• While there are no restrictions on form or subject matter, submissions should center narrative and consider what it means to essay; in other words, write to interrogate, investigate, adventure, and introspect

• Submissions must be between 2,000 and 6,500 words in length

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know immediately if a submission is accepted elsewhere

• Previously published work will not be considered

• Response time is approximately six to eight months

• Writers may submit once per submission period, but writers can have active submissions across other EL categories. (This does not apply to year-round submitting members. For more information on member submissions, please refer to the welcome email you received when you signed up as member, or email wynter@electricliterature.com.)

• Upon acceptance, we can offer authors $100 for publishing rights, with 90-day exclusivity

• For more information on what we’re looking for, please watch our salon on EL’s General Nonfiction Program

electricliterature.submittable.com/submit

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Jerome Hill Artist Fellowships

Jerome Foundation

DEADLINE: April 15, 2024 BY 4:00pm CT / 5:00pm ET

INFO: Jerome Hill Artist Fellowships support early career Minnesota- and New York City-based generative artists who take creative risks in exploring, expanding, imagining, or re-imagining creative practices and experiences; reclaiming or reviving traditional forms in original ways; and/or questioning, challenging, or disrupting cultural norms.

Jerome Foundation seeks to support artists who are creating, developing, and presenting imaginative work that is deeply considered, presented with technical skill, is compelling, and offers a distinctive vision and authentic voice. This three-year Fellowship supports artists who embrace their roles as part of a larger community of artists and citizens, and consciously work with a sense of service and responsibility.

Support is directed to early career artists, which Jerome Foundation defines as within their 2nd–10th year as a generative artist.

Fellows receive $60,000 over three consecutive years ($20,000 each year) to support their time and expenses for the creation of new work, artistic development and/or professional artistic career development. The Foundation expects to award a total of 45 fellowships across 7 artistic fields.

jeromefdn.org/jerome-hill-artist-fellowship

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Emerging Artist & Writers Residency

Centrum Foundation

APPLICATION PERIOD: April 15 - June 30, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Centrum is thrilled to announce the open call for applications to all of the 2025 Residency Programs. These programs include:

EMERGING ARTIST & WRITERS RESIDENCY: The Emerging Artist and Writers Residency provides stipends, multiple resident gatherings, visiting artists & curators, and an open studio/public reading. This residency is aimed at writers, visual, and interdisciplinary artists in the Pacific Northwest who are towards the beginning of their creative paths and can benefit from the time to focus and receive support from a community of peers and specialists in their fields.

• Stipend/Honorarium: $1500

• Time of year: October

• Length: 4 weeks

• Applicants must live in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho, or Montana

SELF-DIRECTED GENERAL RESIDENCIES: These residencies are largely solitary, with an optional weekly coffee meet-up with other residents. These happen Jan-June and August-December. This program is fee-based, with fee-waived scholarships available.

• Cost: $450/week

• Stipend/Honorarium: None, but a limited number of Scholarships for waived fees are available.

• Time of year: August-June.

• Length: 1-4 weeks

• Applicants may come from anywhere in the world.

IN THE MAKING RESIDENCIES - SLOTS LIMITED!

These residencies have public-facing components that could be a workshop, a temporary installation, a performance, or another type of community engagement at some point during the residency. Stipends and funds for these vary and are project-specific. These happen throughout the year. If you have an idea for In the Making, indicate so on your application with a brief description, and if selected, we’ll follow up to plan it in more detail.

• Cost: There is no fee charged for this residency.

• Stipend/Honorarium: Dependent on scope of project and funding.

• Time of year: Varies and depends on project. Typically between August-June.

• Length: 1-4 weeks.

• Applicants may come from all over the world.

centrum.org/program/artist-residencies/

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Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency

Adirondack Center for Writing

APPLICATION PERIOD: April 15 – May 19, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30  

INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region (aka “The North Country”… see FAQ below for specifics) and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.

The residency is generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, writers will paddle to the site of her property and explore the lake with locals.

The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are plenty of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available, but limited (email ; Zoom ). Most cell phones will not work (a landline is available).

Covid-19 Requirements: Proof of vaccination is required. Residents who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons will be required to provide proof of negative test upon arrival and can contact ACW with any COVID-19-related questions: info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org.

IMPORTANT DATES: 

• Residency Dates: September 22 – October 6, 2024

• Notification: July, 2024

FEE: There is no cost to attend the residency.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Cover Letter: In the space provided in Submittable (no attachments), include a brief, third-person bio and a work plan detailing your goals for this residency.

2. Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 pages of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name does not show up anywhere in your writing sample. Writing samples that include your name will not be considered. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications.

adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/

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2024-2025 Baldwin Fellowship Program

Baldwin For The Arts

DEADLINE: April 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: The mission of Baldwin For The Arts is to support the creation of art that reflects the lived experiences of African, Asian, Caribbean, Indigenous, Hispanic/ Latino/a/x, and dual-heritage backgrounds.

A Baldwin Fellowship consists of a one-week private residency that includes exclusive use of a solo workspace, living accommodations, and three prepared meals per day. Unless you are accepted with an artistic partner to work on a joint project, please note that you will be the only artist-in-residence during the duration of your Fellowship.

DISCIPLINES:

Emerging and established artists of the Global Majority who specialize in the following disciplines are encouraged to apply:

• **Literature: **All genres.

• **Performance: **All disciplines which are performed in front of a live audience, including theater, music composition, and dance.

• **Visual: **All art forms that use paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, and filmmaking (includes documentary, narrative, and experimental projects).

• **Interdisciplinary: **All projects that use multiple disciplines, such as science, technology, literature, philosophy, to create new and unique artistic experiences.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• April 15: Application Period Ends

• April 30: References due

• Mid-June: Interviews Scheduled for Final Round Applicants

• Mid-July: Baldwin Fellows Announced

COST: Jacqueline Woodson created Baldwin For The Arts, Inc. as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization to offer no-cost residencies for literary, performance, visual and interdisciplinary artists of the Global Majority. To ensure Baldwin Fellowships are as accessible as possible, we cover all costs for accepted Fellows including travel, room and board, all meals, artistic workspace and a modest budget for related materials and supplies.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

In addition to being an artist of the Global Majority, applicants should note that all applications must be submitted through SlideRoom and will require:

• a [X-word] description of proposed project;

• a brief description of proposed project;

• an artist resume that lists education and/or training, relevant experience, awards and achievements, and other residencies attended;

• Name and contact info for (1) professional reference and (1) peer reference;

• sample(s) of current and/or past work (varies depending on discipline); and

• A $25 non-refundable application processing fee paid online by debit or credit card. Please note that application fee waivers are available.

• If your application makes it to the final round, you will be required to participate in a virtual interview with the application committee in June.

Currently, Baldwin For The Arts only provides Fellowships for artists of the Global Majority who reside in the US and Canada.

baldwinforthearts.org/apply

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Poetry + Prose

Lampblack Magazine

DEADLINE: Extended to April 15, 2024

INFO: In the past year we have witnessed chaos and cruelty on an epic scale. While capitalism fuels armed conflicts across the known world, it simultaneously facilitates the broadcast of genocides in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo.

What creates the duty of community and who are its participants? What is its role? Lampblack’s Community issue seeks to interrogate these questions through writing.

This fourth issue of the Lampblack Magazine will feature authors who have participated in our various programs, as well as those we have yet to meet. By combining these elements, we hope to affirm and expand our community while giving readers a broader sense of today’s Black writerly thought and insight into where we stand during a world in conflict.

Offer us work that best represents who you are as a writer. We will consider all submissions, regardless singularly on the strength of its craft. If you are looking for a prompt, feel free to write about what community means to you.

We encourage you to read our Lab[our] issue to gain a sense of our aesthetic, which is available on our website and in local independent bookstores. If you cannot afford to purchase one of our Founders’ issues and would like to read it before submitting, please reach out to us at magazine@lampblacklit.com informing us of your situation and we will ensure you are provided with a digital copy of the magazine free of charge.

GUIDELINES: Please submit no more than 5 pages of poetry or 15 pages of prose

instagram.com/p/C5OazwxLADu/?img_index=1

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WRITING FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW PARENTS

Pen Parentis

DEADLINE: April 17, 2024

FEES:

• First Entry – FREE FOR ALL TITLE MEMBERS

• Second Entry – FREE for all $15/mo SHARPENED PENCIL LEVEL members

• Third entry – FREE for all $20/mo FOUNTAIN PEN LEVEL only members

INFO: One talented writer who is the parent of at least one child under 10 years old will receive $2000 to further their writing career, a year of mentorship, and will be offered the opportunity to read their winning story online at a Pen Parentis Literary Salon in Fall 2024. Their winning story will also be published in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (both online and in print) as well as included in the annual Dreamers Writing Anthology.

The second prize and third prize will likewise be welcomed into our Cycle of support and receive $500 and $250, respectively.

Submissions call for a new, never-published fiction story-any genre, on any subject-of up to 499 words.

Please note: we change the word count each year! One of the goals of this project is to keep parents working — motivating all writers to continue to create new high-quality creative writing at the busiest time of the parenting journey. We keep the word count intentionally low. Write something new! You can do it!

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

Put only the title of the story and its word count on the manuscript. Nothing to identify the writer.

On that note, Judging is blind and based only on the following criteria:

1. Adherence to contest rules

2. Creativity

3. Narrative arc

4. Emotional truth

5. Elements of surprise, humor, writing skill, and/or layers of depth.

All genres and styles of unpublished fiction are welcome. Entry fees will not be refunded. Previous Pen Parentis Fellows and 2nd/3rd Prize winners are not eligible if they received a cash prize.

(Anyone who did not receive a cash award is encouraged to try again!)

Winner: Please list our Fellowship in your writing bio for the 12 months following your reading in NYC!

penparentis.org/fellowship/

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“Telling True Stories” narrative nonfiction Fellowship

Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

DEADLINE: April 22, 2024 at midnight CST

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: Writers of narrative nonfiction are invited to apply for this fellowship. It must be historically accurate, and it must tell a compelling story, but it can take a variety of forms, including memoirs, autobiography, biography, history, journalism, and even drama and poetry. It cannot be “fictionalized,” that is, fully or partially made up. Prior publication is not required. The writing sample must demonstrate good storytelling.

The fellowship winner will receive a two-week residency at WCDH to focus completely on their writing. Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet. We provide uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner prepared five nights a week and served in our community dining room, the camaraderie of other professional writers when desired, and a community kitchen stocked with the basics for other meals.

Fellowship applications must be accompanied by a writing sample and a non-refundable $35 application fee. Only one writing project may be proposed per application. Writers proposing more than one project must submit a separate application and fee for each one.

The winner will be announced no later than May 27, 2024. Residency must be completed by December 31, 2025.

writerscolony.org/fellowships

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2024 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant

Whiting Foundation

DEADLINE: April 23, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: The 2024 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant of $40,000 will be awarded to as many as ten writers in the process of completing a book-length work of deeply researched and imaginatively composed nonfiction for a general adult readership. It is intended for multiyear book projects requiring large amounts of deep and focused research, thinking, and writing at a crucial point mid-process, after significant work has been accomplished but when an extra infusion of support can make a difference in the ultimate shape and quality of the work.

Whiting welcomes applications for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, science, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, graphic nonfiction, and personal essays, among other categories. Again, the work should be intended for a general, not academic, adult reader. Self-help titles, historical fiction, textbooks, books primarily for a scholarly audience, and books for young readers are not eligible. Examples of the wide range of previous grantees can be found here.

ELIGIBILITY:

Projects must be under contract with a publisher in Canada, the UK, or the US by April 23 to be eligible. Contracts with self-publishing companies are not eligible.

GUIDELINES:

Writers must submit the following materials via an online application form:

• The original proposal that led to the contract with a publisher

• Up to 25,000 words from your draft. Please submit full-length draft chapters, rather than short excerpts from across your book, to the extent the word count allows

• A statement of work yet to be completed

• A plan for use of funds

• A signed and dated contract (please note that to be eligible, books must be under contract with a Canadian, UK, or US publisher – unfortunately, we can make no exceptions to this requirement)

• A current resume

• A list of grants, fellowships, or other funding received for the book

• A letter of support from your publisher or editor

• Each project under submission will have two first-round readers who will evaluate for substance and execution (while understanding that they are reading a work in progress). Finalists will be considered by a separate panel of judges who will evaluate for need in addition to substance and execution. Readers and judges will consist of experts in the field from Canada, the UK, and the US, and will serve anonymously to shield them from any external pressures. The grantees will be announced in December.

whiting.org/writers/creative-nonfiction-grant/about

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Nonfiction Prize

Autumn House Press

DEADLINE: April 30, 2024

INFO: For the 2024 contest, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Clifford Thompson. The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,500. The submission period closes April 30, 2024 (Eastern Time). We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by August 1, 2024. 

GUIDELINES:

• The winner will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book

• All finalists will be considered for publication

• Nonfiction submissions should be approximately 150-300 double-spaced pages (37,500-75,000 words)

• The reading fee is $35 (We will waive the submission fee for those undergoing financial hardship or living with limited means. Before you reach out to request a waived fee, please read our full statement and instructions here. If the guidelines are not followed, we will not be able to offer a waived fee.)

• Personal essays and memoirs are eligible

• The book should be previously unpublished

• We only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted

• Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript; if your name appears within the body of the text, please omit it or black it out (first name is fine, but last name must be omitted)

• You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable

• Do not include a bio or an acknowledgments page in the manuscript

• Feel free to include a table of contents (This does not count as part of your final page count)

• Simultaneous submissions permitted

• Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships.

• Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest.

autumnhouse.org/submissions/nonfiction/

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AWP HBCU Fellowship Program

Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP)

DEADLINE: April 30, 2024

INFO: Thriving undergraduate creative writing programs exist at many historically Black colleges and universities. Through the AWP HBCU Fellowship Program, we seek to uplift the work HBCU faculty are doing to support and establish creative writing programs at their institutions, as well as to provide HBCU students the opportunity to connect with peers from across the country.

To invite strong HBCU participation at the conference and to nurture and encourage new generations of Black writers within the AWP community, we award faculty and student fellowships to attend and participate in every annual AWP Conference & Bookfair. Current fellowships will send fellows to the 2025 AWP Conference & Bookfair!

MEET OUR CHOSEN CREATIVE ADVISOR:

Faculty and student fellows will have the opportunity to work and speak with our wonderful guest author, Tayari Jones!

New York Times bestselling writer Tayari Jones is the author of four novels, most recently An American Marriage, which was awarded the Women’s Prize for Fiction. Jones, a 2021 Guggenheim fellow, has also been a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, a United States Artists Fellowship, and a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship. Her third novel, Silver Sparrow, was added to the NEA Big Read library of classics in 2016.

Jones is a graduate of Spelman College, the University of Iowa, and Arizona State University. She is an Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and a Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University.

In addition to helping to select the two HBCU faculty fellows, she will also lead multiple events on supporting creative writing endeavors and paths to publishing at HBCUs.

FACULTY + STUDENT FELLOWS:

The #AWP25 HBCU Fellowships will be offered to two faculty and four students. The fellowships include the following:

• a $4,000 honorarium for faculty and a $250 honorarium for students

• paid travel expenses and lodging for the duration of the conference

• meeting Tayari Jones and attending private group discussions

• a complimentary one-year AWP membership

• publication in the Writer’s Chronicle of an article about each fellow’s #AWP25 experience

awpwriter.org/community_calendar/hbcu_fellowship_program_overview

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CALL FOR SUBMISSION: JULY 2024 'DISABILITIES'  ISSUE 

FIYAH

DEADLINE: April 30, 2024

INFO: FIYAH is a quarterly speculative fiction magazine that features 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 regardless of gender identity or orientation.

Show us life at the intersections of Blackness and disability. We’re not your magical negros, we’re not your inspiration porn. We do not want to be scorned or pitied. Life can be difficult in a racist world which too often denies access. We are worthy of being protagonists, just like anyone else. Let’s demonstrate what we can do!

Guest Editor: Emmalia Harrington

What Emmalia is looking for:

• Variety: stories about visible disabilities, invisible ones, chronic illness, mental illness, and neurodivergence to name a few.

• Tales centered on disability, and others where it’s part of the story but not the focus. Stories where magic and technology add accessibility, as well as SFFH settings adding unique barriers to access.

• Let’s avoid “cure narratives” which include a device or other product which eliminates the disability, and portrays this as an unproblematic good.

• Similarly, avoid stories where disabilities are automatically markers of supernatural power.

• Understanding of medical, social, and diversity models of disability and how they affect narratives.

fiyahlitmag.com/submissions/

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The Cornerstone Writer-in-Residence Program

Wilton Library

DEADLINE: April 30, 2024

INFO: Wilton Library (located in Wilton, CT) announces the inaugural year of The Cornerstone Writer-in-Residence Program. The program supports an emerging or mid-career writer with a $30,000 stipend, generously provided by the Wilton Library Endowment Fund, and provides office space for 12 months as they complete one manuscript with the intent to publish.

In addition to completing their manuscript, the Writer-in-Residence will facilitate a series of library programs for all ages and offer outreach visits to Wilton schools within the 12 months of their residency.

FAQs:

Is housing included?
Housing is not included with the residency. The Writer-in-Residence will be responsible for securing their own housing.

Do I need to be a resident of Wilton or CT?
No, you do not need to be a resident of Wilton or CT. We welcome applicants from any location. However you will be expected to spend time in-person at the library on a regular basis.

How is the stipend paid?
The $30,000 stipend will be paid in monthly installments beginning in September 2024. The Writer-in-Residence will receive a 1099 at the end of the calendar year.

When will I hear back about my application?
Finalists will be notified in early June 2024. Please refer to the application page for the full timeline.

Where is the office space located?
The Writer-in-Residence will have access to a study room in the Library. The Writer-in-Residence is responsible for securing their own transportation to and from the Library.

wiltonlibrary.org/the-cornerstone-writer-in-residence-program/

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Call for submissions Issue 9.2

Foglifter

DEADLINE: May 1, 2024

INFO: Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it.

We provide a path to representation for a broad selection of LGBTQ+ voices, centering queer and trans literary artists of color, youth, elders, and those beyond traditional LGBTQ+ cultural centers so that our readers and audiences can see their own experiences authentically represented through queer and trans literary arts.

We believe that queer and trans people must curate our own artistic discourses and we curate with a commitment to not perpetuate harm in our communities and recognize our responsibilities as editors to uplift the voices of queer and trans people while not punching down on those of us who live at the intersection of multiple oppressed identities.

GUIDELINES:

Title your submission with the title of the work(s) you are submitting (separated by commas).

Include a 50-word or less bio (with pronouns after your name, please!) in your cover letter. (If accepted, we will request an author photo; JPG or PNG files are best.)

We accept the following unpublished unsolicited submissions:

• 3 to 5 poems (max 5 pages)

• up to 7500 words of fiction or nonfiction (up to three flash fiction pieces)

• up to 20 pages of cross-genre work, text-image hybrids, or drama

All submissions must be uploaded as one DOC or DOCX file using the following titling convention: First_Last_Foglifter (i.e., Audre_Lorde_Foglifter)

• We accept simultaneous submissions; however, please withdraw your piece immediately if it is accepted elsewhere (or, if you only need to withdraw part of a submission, send us a message in Submittable).

• Only one submission per genre is permitted each reading period.

• We do not accept previously published material.

• We welcome translated work in all genres, provided rights have been secured before submission. (Both author and translator will receive an honorarium.)

• If we've recently accepted your work, please wait two reading periods (1 year) to submit again.

• Contributors receive two copies of the issue in which they appear and a $50 honorarium (via PayPal).

foglifter.submittable.com/submit

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2024 ART WRITING INCUBATOR

Burnaway

DEADLINE: May 3, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Art Writing Incubator is an annual online writing intensive, which cultivates the next generation of critics and art writers through a series of workshops with leading culture writers and artists from around the world and one-on-one tutorials with Burnaway’s editors. Much of the program is funded by Critical Minded, which supports emerging writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, and writers in rural communities. 

The Art Writing Incubator theme this year is Process is Critical. The 2024 AWrI will examine process as more than a means to an end for artists and writers. Instead, process is rehearsal, reaction, reflection. It is re-writing and re-examining. The incubator will consider how sharing process in criticism offers revelation.

Burnaway’s Arts Writing Incubator program has equipped participants with tools for pitching, writing statements, and producing considered criticism for the last seven years. The five-week program begins with a session hosted by Burnaway’s editorial masthead and subsequent weeks led by guest speakers. In addition, Burnaway has invited a renowned cultural figure to give a keynote public talk addressing the yearly theme. Over the course of the program, students will formally propose, develop, and complete a short-form writing project with one-on-one feedback from Burnaway’s editors. Following the completion of the program, these works will be compiled into a small chapbook circulated on Burnaway’s platform.

The 2024 Art Writing Incubator will be held virtually. Applications, available April 1st, are open to anyone over the age of 18 with a connection to our coverage area – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and The Caribbean. The Art Writing Incubator intends to foster new writers and champion under-represented voices. It is supported by Critical Minded. 

Additional information will be shared about the 2024 Keynote and Guest Speakers during the application period.

COST: Tuition for the 2024 cycle is $275. Thanks to generous funding from Critical Minded, Burnaway will consider additional needs-based support for selected participants that indicate.

INFO SESSION: There will be a Q&A session on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 7-7:45 PM EDT. You can register for and attend the session here: https://lu.ma/a749bvl2.

burnaway.org/programs/2024-art-writing-incubator/

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Marble House Project

DEADLINE: May 6, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.

Marble House Project accepts approximately 60 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old.   Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond. 

All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.

Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.

Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and staff. Artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application. Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you. 

RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2025

• March 11th - April 1st

• April 6th - April 29th

• May 6th - May 27th

• June 3rd - June 24th

• July 8th - July 22nd. Parent / Artist Residency

Parent artist residency. This residency is only for parent artists who will be attending with their children. Children must be four years old by the start of the residency. Please note that if you only apply for this residency it is very competitive. If you choose other dates you will also be considered for those as well.  To find out more about the family friendly residency please visit http://www.marblehouseproject.org/residencyprograms/

• October 7th - October 28th

• November 3 - November 24th

marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit

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Emerging Writer Fellowships

Miami Book Fair

DEADLINE: May 15, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Miami Book Fair’s Emerging Writer Fellowships program offers a life-changing experience to fresh literary voices. Three program recipients will enjoy critical mentorship from a nationally established author in their respective genre, as well as a host of other strategic supports.

EWF supports developing writers who demonstrate exceptional talent and promise by providing them with time, space, and an intellectually and culturally rich artistic community. The program’s goal is to actively support these writers – who are working to complete a book-length project within a year – and help them launch their literary careers. Emerging Writer fellows are granted professional experience in arts administration, teaching creative writing, and other opportunities; a $50,000 stipend; and strong literary community support to allow for 12 glorious months of uninterrupted time to craft their works.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

• List of Application Materials Needed

• Proposal for manuscript-in-progress

• Statement of need

• Manuscript sample

• CV

• Recommendation letters (2)

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Applicant may apply only once per submission cycle, regardless of genre.

• Only online submissions are accepted through our submission manager, Submittable. Applicants may verify the receipt of their manuscripts by logging into Submittable.

• Miami Book Fair assumes no responsibility for manuscripts not received due to user error. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application early.

• There is no fee to apply.

• Aside from the Submittable Cover Page, there should be no identifying information in any of the submitted materials.

• Academic Nonfiction, Translations, Graphic Narratives, Children’s Literature and Young People’s Literature (including Middle Grade and Young Adult), and Film or Play Scripts are not eligible.

FORMATTING GUIDELINES:

• The following materials must be submitted (acceptable files are PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, RTF). There should be no identifying information in any of these materials. Any applications that do not comply with this strict formatting will be immediately disqualified. Application file must include:

• Proposal to complete a manuscript-in-progress that can be feasibly completed within the year-long fellowship (not to exceed one single-spaced page). Must include synopsis of project. Name the document [PROPOSAL_GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE]. (example: Proposal_Fiction_Beloved) Within the body of the document there should be no identifying information (this includes your name).

• Statement of need: Tell us why it is important that you receive this fellowship now. Name the document [STATEMENT_GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE]. (example: Statement_Fiction_Beloved)

• Sample of manuscript-in-progress (paginated, include title of manuscript in header):

• Prose: 50-70 pages in Times New Roman, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.

• Poetry: 20-30 pages in Times New Roman, single-spaced (unless style requires special formatting)

• Name the document [GENRE_MANUSCRIPT_TITLE].doc (example: Fiction_Beloved.doc)

• CV (education, professional experience, full publication list, honors and awards, etc.). Name the document [LASTNAME]_[FIRSTNAME]_CV.doc (example: Smith_Jane_CV.doc) Within the body of the document there should be no identifying information (this includes your name).

• Applicant must also request that two (2) recommendation letters be submitted online or emailed to Ismery Pavon at Ipavon@mdc.edu within seven (7) calendar days after the application deadline.

• Letters of recommendations should include information relevant to writing, dedication, any relevant strengths, and skills regarding the applicant’s writing, work ethic, and ability to engage with community.

• Letters of recommendations can include college professors, mentors, and anyone who can speak for the applicant’s writing, work ethic, skills, and community involvement.

• Applicants should provide this link to recommenders so they can directly upload their recommendation letter by the deadline: https://mdc.formstack.com/forms/emerging_writer_fellowships_letter_of_recommendations

IMPORTANT DATES:

•   Application deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on May 15, 2024

• Winners Notified: Mid—September

•   Fellows Arrive: January 15, 2025 – January 31, 2026

•   Final project manuscript and completed survey of fellowship from fellows submitted by January 31, 2026

miamibookfair.com/fellowships/emerging-writer-fellowships-submission-guidelines/

FICTION / NONFICTION — MARCH 2024

FIRST PAGES PRIZE

SUBMISSIONS PERIOD: March 1 - April 10, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

JUDGE: Edwidge Danticat

INFO: Our mission is to discover, recognize and encourage emerging voices through the annual creative nonfiction and fiction FIRST PAGES PRIZE awards.

Open to un-agented writers worldwide, the FIRST PAGES PRIZE  invites you to enter your FIRST FIVE PAGES (1250 words) of a longer work of fiction or creative nonfiction.

Winners receive cash awards, a developmental mentorship, and an agent consultation.  

PRIZES:

Five prizes are awarded annually to emerging writers.

The competition is for writers who are NOT currently represented by a literary agent.

The top three winners in each category of Fiction and Creative Nonfiction receive:

- A cash award (1st - $2,000, 2nd - $1,500, 3rd - $1000)

- A Developmental Mentorship  that will include virtual meetings to discuss your work, review of select pieces of your work and potentially a written report from the mentor. Each mentor/mentee experience will reflect the needs of the winning writer.

- Consultation with an agent via Zoom

Cash prizes are not transferable. The tailored edit and agent consultation are not transferable or redeemable.

ELIGIBILITY - Entrants

Eligible writers from anywhere in the world may enter.

Entrants must be individuals (not a company or organization) and submission must be the entrant’s original work.

Entrants must be over 18 years of age at the time of entering their work.

Entrants must be currently unagented. If you are represented by or signed with an agent, you are NOT eligible to enter.

If an entrant signs with an agent prior to winners being announced and their entry is still in our review process and has not been declined, notify First Pages Prize immediately to withdraw and have the entry fee will refunded (minus fees).

Entrants may submit more than one entry. Each entry needs to be submitted as a separate entry and you need to pay the fee for each entry.

Entrants must submit the work using their name, not a pen name. A pen name may be used when announcing their win, if requested.

By entering, entrants accept that their email address is added to the mailing list of the First Pages Prize.

By entering, winners accept that quotes from their entry and their photo and bio details may be used to promote the First Pages Prize.

This competition is NOT OPEN to members of the board or employees of The First Page Prize, Inc., The de Groot Foundation, the reviewers or judge. Family members of the aforementioned are also NOT eligible.

ELIGIBILITY - Entries

Entries are blinded. The entrant’s name MUST NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript of the entry to ensure judging anonymity. The entrant’s full name (initials included) MUST NOT be part of the story title. Any entry failing to comply with this rule is immediately disqualified without refund of entry fee.

Must be your unpublished, original work.

Must be written in English.

Entries may be for works of Fiction or Creative Non-Fiction.

Must not infringe upon the copyright of any person or entity.

No entry will be returned or kept after the winners have been announced.

Entries will be acknowledged upon completion of submission.

Copyright remains with the author.

Entrants may submit more than one entry. Each entry needs to be submitted as a separate entry and you need to pay the fee for each entry.

Entries (or drafts of entries) that previously entered the First Pages Prize and did not place 1st, 2nd or 3rd or 4th or 5th are eligible to enter.

WORKS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE:

- Previously published entries (including on a website, Wattpad or any other online or offline platform).

- Entries (or drafts of entries) that won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in any other competition.

- Translated works.

SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS are possible, however, if your entry wins 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in another competition you must notify the First Pages Prize immediately by emailing info@firstpagesprize.com. If your entry is still in our review process and has not been declined, you must withdraw your submission and your entry fee will be refunded.

HOW TO ENTER:

All submissions must be made through the Submittable platform https://firstpagesprize.submittable.com/submit

Please submit the first pages (1,250 words maximum) of a longer work of fiction or creative non-fiction.

Kindly double space your pages, using Times New Roman 12-point font.

Name your file with your story title and make sure your story title does not include your name. Include your story title on the top of the first page of your submission.

Acceptable file types are .PDF, .DOCX, .RTF, .ODT, .DOC, and .TXT

Entries for the 2024 competition open on March 1, 2024 at 00:00 am Pacific Standard Time and close on April 10, 2024 at 23:59 (11:59 p.m.) Pacific Standard Time. An extended entry period opens on April 10, 2024 at 00:00 am Pacific Standard Time and closes on April 24, 2024 at 23:59 (11:59 p.m.) Pacific Standard Time. Please check a time zone converter to avoid disappointment and inability to enter http://www.timebie.com/std/pst.php or https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com

Only submissions received and paid for within the entry periods will be considered.

Entries that are not paid for, are incomplete, corrupted or submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

The entry fee is $20 US dollars per entry. The extended entry fee is $35 US dollars per entry.

No alteration may be made to the entry once it is submitted.

By entering this competition, each entrant agrees to be bound by the competition guidelines, terms and conditions.

REVIEW + JUDGING PROCESS:

All entries to the First Pages Prize are submitted to a blinded review process. Reviewers and judge do not know the identity of entrants submitting.

Our judging criteria are: quality of writing (including character development and originality), a sense of story or bigger narrative emerging, and how much the reviewers and judge are hooked by the writing.

Our review and judging process adheres to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics (see below).

Only winners will be contacted.

No individual feedback will be provided except to the top five Finalists.

The decisions of the reading panel and judge are final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the judging process.

firstpagesprize.com

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CALL FOR SUBMISSION: July 2024 'DISABILITIES'  ISSUE 

FIYAH

SUBMISSION PERIOD: March 1 – April 30, 2024

INFO: FIYAH is a quarterly speculative fiction magazine that features 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 regardless of gender identity or orientation.

Show us life at the intersections of Blackness and disability. We’re not your magical negros, we’re not your inspiration porn. We do not want to be scorned or pitied. Life can be difficult in a racist world which too often denies access. We are worthy of being protagonists, just like anyone else. Let’s demonstrate what we can do!

Guest Editor: Emmalia Harrington

What Emmalia is looking for:

• Variety: stories about visible disabilities, invisible ones, chronic illness, mental illness, and neurodivergence to name a few.

• Tales centered on disability, and others where it’s part of the story but not the focus. Stories where magic and technology add accessibility, as well as SFFH settings adding unique barriers to access.

• Let’s avoid “cure narratives” which include a device or other product which eliminates the disability, and portrays this as an unproblematic good.

• Similarly, avoid stories where disabilities are automatically markers of supernatural power.

• Understanding of medical, social, and diversity models of disability and how they affect narratives.

fiyahlitmag.com/submissions/

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Creative Capital GRANTS

Creative Capital

APPLICATION PERIOD: March 4 - April 4, 2024

INFO: For our 25th Anniversary, Creative Capital welcomes innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms.

The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants which can be drawn down over a multi-year period, bespoke professional development services, and community-building opportunities.

Grants are awarded via a democratic, national, open call, external review process. Our goal is to fund individual artists creating conceptually, aesthetically, and formally challenging, risk-taking, and never-before-seen projects.

GRANT APPLICATION DETAILS:

Creative Capital is committed to groundbreaking ideas that challenge what art can be. As Creative Capital Awardees have demonstrated, socially impactful ideas are embedded in a myriad of artistic forms and practices. We invite artists to propose experimental, original, bold projects in the visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms which push boundaries formally and/or thematically. 

We invite artists to select a primary discipline for their proposals based on which experts are most suited and qualified to review the project proposal, with the understanding that radical art is often by nature interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or antidisciplinary. By choosing to apply within a certain disciplinary category, we are asking you to choose how you want to frame the discussion around your work and to indicate which experts are most qualified to evaluate your project proposal.

2025: 50 Grants 

• Visual Arts: including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, architecture, design, multimedia, installation, video art, performance art, new genres, craft, and socially engaged, and/or sustainable visual art-based practices

  1. Performing Arts: including dance, theater (new theatrical work, playwriting), jazz, music, opera, singing, and socially engaged and/or sustainable performing arts-based practices

  2. Film/Moving Image: including experimental film, short film, animation, documentary film, narrative film, and socially engaged and/or sustainable film/moving image-based practices

  3. Technology: including augmented reality/virtual reality, bio art, data visualization, hardware, software, digital media, internet art, and socially engaged and/or sustainable technology-based practices

  4. Literature: including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and socially engaged and/or sustainable literature-based practices

APPLICATION CYCLE:

ROUND I: Tell us your idea. Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

Along with your project title, one line project description (25 words max), project description (250 words max), resume (1 page max), and artist website (if applicable), please answer the following questions:

1. How does your project take an original and imaginative approach to content and form? Please be as specific as possible. (150 words)

2. Please place your work in context so we may better evaluate it. What are the main influences upon your work as an artist? How does your past work inform your current project? Please use concrete examples, which may include other artists’ work, art movements, cultural heritage, science, philosophy, research/work from outside the arts field, etc. (150 words)

3. What kind of impact—artistic, intellectual, communal, civic, social, political, environmental, etc.—do you hope your project will have? What strategies will you employ to achieve the desired impact? (100 words)

4. Who are the specific audiences/communities that you hope to engage through this project? Please think beyond the broader art community where possible. How are you hoping to reach them? (100 words)

5. How might your proposed project act as a catalyst for your artistic and professional growth? In what ways is it a pivotal moment in your practice? (100 words)

6. In addition to funding, Creative Capital also provides scaffolding and support services for awardees (such as expert consultations, gatherings, alumni network, workshops). How would our non-monetary services help you to realize your goals for this project and/or your long-term artistic and professional growth? (100 words)

ROUND II: Project Details

1. Project itemized budget (1 page)

2. Project timeline (1 page)

3. Work samples (see application handbook for guidelines)

ROUND III: Final Panel Review

1. Submit proof of eligibility. 

2. Confirm collaborators (if applicable)

3. Project updates (optional, 100 words max)

Full application guidelines are outlined in the Application Handbook.

All applications are reviewed by external reviewers who are scholars, curators, artists, past awardees, and experts in the field. The final recommendations for the awards are reviewed and then ratified by our Board. Awardees are announced in January 2025. Under no circumstances will the reasons for the rejection of an application be provided.

Any awarded projects which are directly related to any of the 17 UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals will have the opportunity to have the “Way” or the icon of that UN Sustainable Development goal attached to their project on the Creative Capital website in effort to advance the global dialogue around these critical issues impacting the future of our communities, our planet, and beyond. In keeping with the spirit of the 17 UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, we too have an expansive definition of “sustainability” that goes far beyond climate change and the environmental challenges we face—including: good health and wellbeing, affordable and clean energy, reduced inequalities, life on land, and peace, justice, and strong institutions.

2025 CREATIVE CAPITAL GRANT TIMELINE:

These dates may change.

• March 4 to April 4, 2024: Letter of Inquiries (LOI) accepted

• April 4, 2024 4:00 PM Eastern Time / New York Time: LOI deadline

• June 2024: Notification of advancement to Round II

• September 2024: Notification of advancement to Final Panel Review

• January 2025: Public announcement of 2025 Creative Capital Awards

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY:

• US citizen, permanent legal resident, or O-1 visa holder

• At least 25 years old

• Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice

• Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program

• May not apply to the Warhol Foundation Arts Writers grant program in the same year

• May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award

• May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year

Projects that are not eligible

• Projects whose main purpose is promotional

• Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business

• Curation or documentation of existing work

• Projects that will be completed before January, 2025.

JUROR INFORMATION:

Creative Capital invites regional, national, and international experts in a wide range of disciplines to serve in our review process. External reviewers are offered honoraria for their time and expertise. All external reviewer names are confidential until the awards are announced.

creative-capital.org/about-the-creative-capital-award

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Emerging Writer Fellowship

GrubStreet

DEADLINE: March 11, 2024

INFO: The Emerging Writer Fellowship will be awarded to three writers who demonstrate a passion for writing, a commitment to developing their writing abilities, and financial need. Any person 18 and older who demonstrates ability and passion for writing is eligible.

The Emerging Writer Fellowship will provide access to each of the following:

• 4 multi-week courses

• 4 one-day (6hr) classes

• 4 three-hour seminars

• Access to a wide selection Muse & the Marketplace conference series programming

• Access to GrubStreet's Education Director and/or other program staff members for quarterly (or as-needed) office hours for personalized mentorship. (Not Required) 

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

This fellowship is open to anyone 18 and older with a passion for writing. The fellowship specifically aims to assist writers in need of financial assistance in reaching their writing goals. We particularly encourage writers of color, ethnic minorities, those who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and other members of communities historically underrepresented by the literary community to apply.

WHY WE CREATED THIS FELLOWSHIP:

Over the years, GrubStreet encountered more and more people who loved to write but didn't have the money to invest in a creative writing education that would help advance their craft or give them a thoughtful introduction to the publishing world. As part of its mission to make sure that voices of every type and talent are heard, GrubStreet developed the Emerging Writer Fellowship to eliminate some of the financial barriers to entry. Through this program, we hope to connect writers to a literary world – a world made richer and more relevant with the contribution of these voices. 

HOW TO APPLY:

The Emerging Writer Fellowship Application Form will require the following:

• A sample of your writing that demonstrates your artistic style and voice. 5-10 pages for prose, screenwriting, or playwriting. 3-7 pages for poetry.

• A personal statement -- no more than 500 words please! -- which should include the following:

• How you envision using the fellowship.

• A description of your relationship to writing. By this we mean: what excites you about it? What does it mean to you personally?

• How the fellowship will help you in your growth and success as a writer. 

• Your writing and workshop history (Note: Prior workshop experience at GrubStreet is not required).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Do I need to have a college degree to qualify for this fellowship?
No! The fellowship is open to anyone with a dedication and passion for writing, regardless of education level. If you are committed to your personal growth as a writer, then apply!

If I win this fellowship, do I have to quit my job? Are the classes full time?
The short answer is no. Our flexible class schedule is designed to work around people’s jobs! We offer classes in the morning, evening, and on weekends that you can choose from. However, we do expect the fellows to take full advantage of the courses, as well as attend our Muse & the Marketplace Conference, so you should plan for and commit to a steady amount of writing, homework, and immersion in GrubStreet’s community throughout the fellowship year.

What if I came to writing later in life? Is there an age restriction to this fellowship?
There’s no age restriction for the fellowship! Adult students at GrubStreet range from 18-year-olds to folks over 80. The fellowship is open to the same range of ages.

Are any genres preferred?
We are open to all genres of writing. Current and previous fellows have taken courses in short fiction, novel, nonfiction, magical realism, sci-fi & fantasy, and screenwriting, among others. However, applications that show a cohesive vision of how the applicant would take advantage of the classes to develop their work tend to stand out during our decision-making process.

grubstreet.org/programs/emerging-writer-fellowship

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PROPUBLICA INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR TRAINING PROGRAM

ProPublica

DEADLINE: March 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET

INFO: For the second year, ProPublica will invite up to 10 news editors from media companies across the country to participate in a yearlong investigative editing training program, led by the newsroom’s award-winning staff.

Applications are now open for the ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program. Submissions are due Monday, March 11.

As the nation’s premier nonprofit investigative newsroom, ProPublica is dedicated to journalism that changes laws and lives and to advancing the careers of the people who produce it. The goal of this program is to address our industry’s critical need to diversify the ranks of investigative editors. Building a pipeline of talent is a priority that serves us and our industry.

“ProPublica has made real strides since it was established 15 years ago in building an investigative newsroom, but it has struggled, like our competitors across the country, when it comes to finding journalists with the investigative chops to become editors,” said Ginger Thompson, chief of correspondents and an architect of the editor training program. “Rather than sitting around lamenting the problem, we decided to try to do something to fix it.”

When we announced this program last year, we were overwhelmed by the interest. We chose our inaugural cohort from a stacked field of 159 applicants who were eager to develop their skills as investigative editors.

Then we brought them to New York for an intensive weeklong boot camp featuring a curriculum developed by Thompson and Deputy Managing Editor Alexandra Zayas that breaks down how ProPublica crafts its investigations for maximum impact.

“When reading ProPublica stories, I often wondered how the reporter and editor even thought to do them,” said Brendan Klinkenberg, a member of the inaugural cohort and, now, senior editor at The New York Times. “And in our first course, I started to see in really clear terms how ProPublica thinks about investigations. It was a real curtain-peeled-back moment.”

In addition to the sessions, which focus on every aspect of editing from story selection and memos to managing the reporting and digging into the first draft, participants also get to learn from one another.

“Everyone was more open than I expected them to be,” said Lillian M. Ortiz, a member of the inaugural cohort and managing editor at Shelterforce. “I took a lot away from the training session that I’ve brought back to my newsroom. It was also eye-opening to hear about the similar challenges other editors are facing or have faced — especially in newsrooms that are much larger than mine.”

Tracy Jan, deputy health and science health editor at The Washington Post, said, “I left with not only inspiration but also concrete, practical steps I can take as an editor to help our team achieve ambitious, rewarding work.”

This year’s program will begin in June 2024 with a weeklong boot camp in New York that will include courses and panel discussions on how to conceive of and produce investigative projects that expose harm and have impact. The editors will also get training in how to manage reporters who are working with data, documents and sensitive sources, including whistleblowers, agency insiders and people who have suffered trauma. The program continues with a yearlong mentorship pairing and virtual continuing education sessions.

This program is funded through the generous support of the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, which supports organizations in journalism, film and the arts whose work is dedicated to social justice and strengthening democracy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is this?

The ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program is designed to help expand the ranks of editors with investigative experience in more newsrooms across the country, with a focus on people from underrepresented backgrounds.

What kind of experience can you expect?

The program kicks off with a five-day intensive editing boot camp in New York, with courses and panel discussions led by ProPublica’s senior editors, veteran reporters and other newsroom leaders. The boot camp will include hands-on editing exercises and opportunities for participants to workshop projects underway in their own newsrooms.

Afterward, participants will gather virtually every two months for seminars and career development discussions with their cohort and ProPublica journalists. Each of the participants will also be assigned a ProPublica senior editor as a mentor for advice on story and management challenges or on how to most effectively pursue their own professional aspirations.

What skills should I expect to learn?

• How to evaluate story ideas and determine the right scope, length and time for getting the work done.

• How to manage a reporter through a complicated accountability story and communicate feedback in ways that build trust and confidence.

• How to edit investigative drafts, spot holes in reporting logic, organize a narrative and guide the reporter through the fact-checking process.

• How to work collaboratively with research, data and multimedia teams to elevate an investigative project.

When is the boot camp?

The five-day, all-expenses-paid boot camp will be held June 2-6, 2024, in New York, with remote sessions via Zoom throughout the year.

Is there a virtual option for the boot camp?

We are planning for the 2024 boot camp to be held in person and will not have a virtual option.

Will I be responsible for my expenses in New York?

ProPublica will cover participants’ expenses for meals, travel and lodging during the boot camp.

How many participants will be selected each year?

Up to 10 journalists.

What if I can’t make it this year?

ProPublica plans to offer this training in 2025 as well.

Who is eligible?

The program is open to all, but we especially encourage people from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. As part of the application, participants will be asked how their inclusion in the program will help to diversify the editing ranks of investigative journalism.

The ideal participants will have:

• A minimum of five years of journalism experience, either as an editor or as a reporter primarily doing work with an investigative or accountability focus.

• A strong grasp of the basics of editing, storytelling, structure and framing.

• Experience managing a team of journalists or a complicated multipronged reporting project.

• An accountability mindset: You don’t have to have been on the investigative team, but we are looking for people with an eye for watchdog reporting and editing.

Am I eligible if I live outside of the United States?

Our program is open to all, but our goal is to improve the diversity of investigative editors in the United States and we’ll focus participation accordingly.

How can I learn more about the program?

We’ll be hosting an informational webinar on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. You can register and submit questions in advance here.

What if I have other questions?

Send an email to Assistant Managing Editor Talia Buford at talent@propublica.org.

boards.greenhouse.io/propublica02/jobs/4325953006

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SHENANDOAH FELLOWSHIP FOR EMERGING EDITORS

Shenandoah

APPLICATIONS OPEN: March 15, 2024

INFO: In order for substantive change to happen in the predominantly homogeneous publishing industry, innovation must happen at all levels, from the big five book corporations in New York City to literary magazines like Shenandoah. We recognize that if we want writers from diverse backgrounds, varied perspectives, and underrepresented groups to feel at home in Shenandoah, and for the literature we publish to be full of varied and passionate perspectives that enliven, empower, and engage all of us, we need to have representation at our core.

Through this editorial fellowship, we’re committed to expanding the roster of people we work with and to discovering new voices to amplify and empower. Selected fellows will receive a $1000 honorarium and will curate a selection of published work in a genre of their choosing for a single issue of Shenandoah, working with the Shenandoah staff to guide the work to publication. This opportunity will give fellows the chance to learn about all aspects of a small literary publisher and create connections with peers and potential future employers in the industry and in academia.

REQUIREMENTS + ELIGIBILITY: A single fellow will be selected for each issue of Shenandoah going forward, alternating genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics) as we see fit. Working with the editorial staff, fellows will curate a suite of work for their issue. Each fellow will receive a $1000 honorarium for their work. We welcome writers and editors of all experience levels. No previous editorial experience is necessary, but we are looking for applicants who are passionate and informed about the literary community. We are committed to the development of an inclusive environment and strive to advance diverse perspectives and approaches.

We welcome applications from all writers, including underrepresented minority candidates and members of other communities that are traditionally underrepresented in academia and publishing. Washington and Lee University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other protected class status under the law in its educational programs and activities, admissions, and with regard to employment.

THE APPLICATION:

Applications will be open twice a year. Keep an eye on this page or on our social media accounts Submittable. The application will ask you to upload a single document that responds to these three prompts separately:

1. In 500 words or fewer, describe why this fellowship would be valuable to you, addressing what you think is the role and value of a literary magazine in the publishing ecosystem.

2. In 500 words or fewer, tell us about a favorite piece of writing you recently read in a literary magazine in your desired genre. Describe how you found it, who wrote it, its aesthetic attributes, and what you loved about it.

3. In 500 words or fewer, describe the unique perspective or experience you would bring to Shenandoah. Make sure to include your writing and editing experience and the genre you would be most excited to work in (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics).

shenandoahliterary.org/submissions/ 

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Summer 2024 Virtual Workshops

VONA

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

FEES:

• Application Fee: $30.00 

• Workshop Tuition: $1,000.00

• Residency Tuition: $1,200.00

INFO: The 2024 VONA Summer will be a week of virtual workshops, panels, readings, and community building for writers of color. Workshops will take place via Zoom.

Each summer we gather esteemed faculty to work with emerging writers of color to explore elements of craft, issues of culture, works of social justice and practices of literary production.  

The premier multi-genre workshop for BIPOC Writers, VONA is a Home where writers of color come to hone their craft and be in community. VONA honors its writers' unique histories, traditions and aesthetics and provides a protected mentoring space for learning and fellowship. VONA fosters the development of personal and political writing and engages in the work of social justice as we build our global community of writers.

Upon acceptance, you will be asked to submit a non-refundable $200.00 deposit to confirm your spot. Payment plans and competitive scholarships will also be available. Any questions please email programming@vonavoices.org.

WORKSHOP DATES: June 23 - 29, 2024

vonavoices.org

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2024 KIMBILIO FELLOW

Kimbilio

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024

INFO: If you are a serious-minded, committed writer with a solid grounding in the fundamentals of fictional craft, you should consider applying to become a Kimbilio Fellow.

The retreat will take place on the SMU Campus in Taos, New Mexico from July 21-27, 2024.  You are required to attend the entire retreat, arriving for a 5:30pm dinner meeting on the 21st and departing on the morning of the 27th, no later than noon. Tuition is covered by Kimbilio, and we provide transportation to and from the airports in Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to New Mexico as well as a small fee that partially covers the costs for room and board with the amount varying by size of the chosen accommodation.  Housing fees range between 250 and 600 dollars.  A small number of scholarships may be available to accepted Fellows. There is no application fee.

APPLICATION:

• An essay of no more than 150 words describing what attending the Kimbilio Summer Retreat means for you or what you hope to gain from the experience.

• A 20-page, double-spaced, 12-point font manuscript of fiction (short story or novel excerpt). If submitting a novel excerpt, you may include a short summary of no more than 200 words. Juries will not read beyond the page limit. The summary page does not count as part of the 20-page excerpt.

kimbiliofiction.com

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CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

Screen Door Press

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024

INFO: Dedicated to discovering unique, exceptional, and varied voices within Black literary traditions, the Screen Door Press Imprint will celebrate the very best in fiction across a broad range of categories. Its 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. The Screen Door Press Imprint is sponsored by the Thomas D. Clark Foundation.

Submission and publication timeline

• February 1, 2024 – Imprint submissions open

• March 15, 2024 – Imprint submissions close

• August 2024 – Finalists selected and announced

• 2025 – Publication of first imprint titles

Submission materials must include:

• Full manuscript

• Cover letter

• Author bio OR resume/CV

• Contact information

EDITED BY CRYSTAL WILKINSON

Crystal Wilkinson, a recent fellowship recipient of the Academy of American Poets, is the award-winning author of Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, a culinary memoir; Perfect Black, a collection of poems; and three works of fiction—The Birds of Opulence, Water Street and Blackberries, Blackberries. She is the recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Poetry, an O. Henry Prize, a USA Artists Fellowship, and an Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. She has received recognition from the Yaddo Foundation, Hedgebrook, The Vermont Studio Center for the Arts, The Hermitage Foundation and others. Her short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including most recently in The Atlantic, The Kenyon Review, STORY, Agni Literary Journal, Emergence, Oxford American and Southern Cultures. She was Poet Laureate of Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. Wilkinson currently teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky where she is a Bush-Holbrook Endowed Professor.

kentuckypress.com/screen-door-press/

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Phillis Wheatley Special Feature

Callaloo

DEADLINE: March 15, 2024

INFO: We invite those who participated in the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival’s 50th Anniversary to submit work (scholarly articles, essays, poetry, fiction, visual art) for consideration for a special issue of Callaloo. This issue will function to archive, document, and continue the legacy of the PWPF, and the importance of intergenerational conversations, knowledge sharing, reflection, and Black women’s creative and intellectual work.

An overview of the 1973 festival and “schedule of events” can be viewed here. The 50th anniversary program and session information is available here. Additionally, we are interested in pieces on topics including but not limited to:

• The poetics of African American orality

• Margaret Walker as “the most famous poet no one ever knew”

• Mentorship and kinship among African American women writers

• Margaret Walker and the implementation of Black Studies Centers

• HBCUs at the center of African American writing

• African American or HBCU archival preservation

• The role of art or artistic expression of African American women

• Migration: exile, immigration, & homeplace 

• Phillis Wheatley & Black women’s poetry

• Art and economics for Black women

• Impact and Legacy of the inaugural Phillis Wheatley Conference in 1973

• The significance of Black women’s literary salons, workshops, & writing retreats

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Submissions must be sent via Callaloo’s Submittable page.

• Please indicate your submission is for consideration in the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival special issue. If you were a festival participant or panelist, please note that in your cover letter.

callaloo.submittable.com/submit/289145/phillis-wheatley-special-feature

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2024 Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship

Japanese American National Museum

DEADLINE: March 17, 2024

INFO: The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) invites applications to the second annual Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship (Yamamoto Fellowship). Beginning this year, the Yamamoto Fellowship will focus on a different artistic discipline each year. The 2024 Yamamoto Fellowship grants two $5,000 unrestricted awards to two emerging writers of color who write critically about theater, dance, and/or performance art.

Irene Yamamoto (1937–2020) was a lifelong lover of the arts. Born in Los Angeles, she was incarcerated with her family in the Gila River concentration camp in Arizona during World War II. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she attended UCLA and had a long career as a production artist for several design and advertising agencies. In her free time, she loved to draw, learn new languages, visit museums, and travel.

The Yamamoto Fellowship is made possible through a gift from Sharon Mizota to honor her late aunt. This project is also supported by Critical Minded, an initiative to invest in cultural critics of color cofounded by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

PURPOSE: The Yamamoto Fellowship encourages emerging arts writers of color to write about works from their own cultural and political perspectives, enriching and broadening cultural criticism as a practice and profession. Theater, dance, and performance art were selected for 2024 because these art forms are still struggling in the wake of setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic.

AWARD: The Irene Yamamoto Arts Writers Fellowship will be awarded to two (2) emerging writers of color, each of whom receive a $5,000 award to be spent over a six-month period. The awards are unrestricted. Funds may be used for any purpose that helps the fellows advance their careers, including paying themselves to write.

In addition to the cash award, the fellows have the opportunity to write about an exhibition for the Preserving Democracy blog and deliver a talk about their work at the Democracy Center.

A brief, written report in the form of a letter accounting for the use of funds is required at the end of the fellowship period. No receipts or other documentation are required.

ELIGIBILITY:

Eligible applicants must:

• Reside in or be a citizen of the US

• Be at least 18 years of age 

• Identify as a member of a community with ancestry in one of the original peoples of Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, or Pacific Islands

• Have less than 2 years of publication experience, which may include a blog or self-publishing 

• Have demonstrated a commitment to writing about theater, dance, or performance art

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applicants are required to submit through our online portal. Applications should be prepared to submit the following: 

• Name, contact information, website, pronouns, race/ethnicity

• Cover letter: Applicants must submit a cover letter (Word or PDF) introducing themselves, their work, why they are applying for the fellowship, and how they would spend the money (1000 words or less)

• Resume or CV (Word/PDF) that includes all relevant published works

• Short biography summarizing your background and writing interests (500 words or less)

• Anything else you would like the panel to know

• Writing samples

WRITING SAMPLES:

In order to ensure full consideration of your application, please make sure your writing samples fall into one of these categories:

• Theater: a work of criticism or review of a dramatic presentation of a play, musical, or opera that takes place in front of a live audience. 

• Dance: a work of criticism or review of a performance of rhythmic or choreographed movement, usually set to music, that takes place in front of a live audience.

• Performance art: a work of criticism or review of a live, time-based presentation that takes place in front of an audience. Performance art is typically hybrid and experimental in nature and may encompass many different activities and media. For the purposes of this award, it does not include live performances of popular or classical music, stand-up or improvisational comedy, nor pre-recorded film or video screenings that do not incorporate some other performative element.

Please upload between one (1) and three (3) writing samples in a Word or PDF format. The written sample(s) should include information about where and when the piece was published or appeared. All writing samples together should not exceed 3,000 words.

Please do not submit links to websites where the sample was published as they do not substitute for the actual written piece. Please do not submit works whose final, published form is an interview.

ORGANIZATIONS:

Established in 1985, the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a center for civil rights, ensuring that the hard-fought lessons of the World War II incarceration are not forgotten. A Smithsonian Affiliate and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories. JANM is a center for the arts as well as history. It provides a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture.

The Democracy Center is a place where visitors can examine the Asian American experience, past and present, and talk about race, identity, social justice, and the shaping of democracy. It convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement; educates and informs the public and public officials about important issues; creates strength within and among communities to advocate for positive change; and explores the values that shape American democracy. The Democracy Center looks for solutions that engage communities in self-advocacy, explore the evolving idea of what it means to be an American, and result in actions that bring everyone together.

janm.org/democracy/arts-writer-fellowship/criteria

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Berkley Open Submission Program

Berkley / Penguin Random House

ENTRIES OPEN: March 18, 2024 at 9:00 am EST (they will accept the first 1,000 submissions)

INFO: Berkley launched its Open Submission Program in 2021 with the goal of creating a direct submission channel to editors in hopes of reaching more potential authors and sharing their works with the world. At Berkley, we strive to publish commercial fiction that reflects the world we live in and to bring readers stories that encompass a full range of backgrounds, experiences and unique perspectives. We are inviting submissions from all writers, including those sharing underrepresented stories in regards to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. We hope to discover new talent and introduce their fiction to readers everywhere.

We are thrilled to announce that our editors found four fantastic projects through our first open submission window, and Berkley will publish those four novels in Fall 2024/Winter 2025.

We are looking for full-length adult novels in the following genres: romance, women’s fiction, mystery, suspense and thrillers, horror, science fiction, and fantasy.

PROGRAM RULES:

1. Submissions will only be accepted during the announced submission window. Submissions sent outside of this time frame will not be considered.

2. We will only accept 1,000 submissions for consideration during this window. Once we receive the first 1,000 submissions, we will close the window. This is to ensure we can respond to writers in a timely manner.

3. Authors must be unagented. If an offer for publication is made, authors may seek an agent to represent them before negotiations.

4. Projects may only be submitted once.

5. Authors may only make submissions for works they have completed.

6. Authors may not make submissions that have used AI in their creation, whether in the outlining or writing of the manuscript.

7. Submissions must include a 1-page synopsis, the first 10 pages of the manuscript, an author bio, and a query letter with links to social media platforms, if applicable, and any other information you wish the editors to consider. A query letter is an introductory one-page letter that tells an editor something about the story, something about the writer, and why Berkley should publish the book.

We will do our best to respond to all submissions as soon as we can. Due to volume, we cannot respond to follow up queries.

The Berkley Open Submission Program is governed by the Penguin Random House privacy policy (available at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/privacy/). By submitting, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to this privacy policy. As set forth in the privacy policy, Penguin Random House is not responsible for the privacy, information, or other practices of any third parties used in connection with your submission.

Berkley reserves the right to update, modify, or replace any part of the Open Submission Program or its rules at any time, or to cancel the program at its sole discretion, by posting updates to our website. By making a submission, you expressly acknowledge that neither Berkley nor Penguin Random House is entering into any agreement with you to publish or compensate you for your work or to maintain the confidentiality of the materials submitted.

https://sites.prh.com/berkley-open-submissions-2024

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Black Creatives Revisions Workshop

We Need Diverse Books

DEADLINE: March 22, 2024

INFO: Applications are now open for the Revisions Workshop!⁠ We Need Diverse Books will help ten writers revise their finished manuscripts over a six-month period with guidance from a dedicated mentor and through faculty-led seminars.⁠
⁠
Upon completion of the workshop, the writers will be granted the opportunity to have their novels submitted to a team of editors at Penguin Random House. To apply, you must have a fully completed MG, YA, or adult fiction manuscript. ⁠
⁠
This Mentorship is open to:⁠

Unpublished and un-agented writers based in the U.S. who identify as part of the African diaspora and have a fully completed manuscript that 1) features Black protagonists and that 2) focuses on diverse central subject matter.⁠
⁠
The submitted manuscript should be:⁠

• Fully written and complete; partially finished drafts are not eligible for submission.⁠

• Unpublished in any form, including individual chapters or short story adaptations.⁠

• Between 30,000 (for MG) and 100,000 words. These word counts are strict, any manuscripts over the word count will not be considered.⁠

• Original work of the participant, not co-written or co-created.⁠

2024 REVISIONS WORKSHOP MENTORS:
⁠
ADULT⁠

• N.E. Davenport

• Zelda Lockhart

• Nina Foxx

• Shauna Robinson

TEEN/YA⁠

• Julian Winters

• Deborah Falaye

• Kim C. Johnson

• Pamela N. Harris

MIDDLE GRADE⁠

• Kelly J. Baptist

• Barbara Binns

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5hbvgKSFCGJT0uioTZhntLV-_Q-3nxX7rFgag1z5FnsQ0kw/viewform

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The Novel Immersive for LGBTQ+ Writers

GrubStreet / Milo Todd

DEADLINE: March 26, 2024

INFO: The Novel Immersive for LGBTQ+ Writers is back for its third year!

For queer and trans writers, a lack of queer-focused guidance, support, and community in writing workshops can stifle or even stall progress for novels. Taking place remotely over nine months, the Novel Immersive for LGBTQ+ Writers is a program uniquely designed to fill this void and help queer writers complete or make significant progress towards completing a draft of their novel in a supportive community. LGBTQ+ writers will leave this immersive with a finished and/or more polished draft, a trajectory for getting published (including support for applying to higher-level GrubStreet programs, such as the Novel Incubator), and a supportive queer writing community that they can hold onto long after the program is over.

Capped at ten students, the program is divided into three phases prioritizing craft lectures, workshopping, and community building. In addition to classic lectures on craft topics such as point of view, tension, and characterization, this program will also include craft lectures related to socio-cultural struggles, such as relatability, believability, inviting in outsiders, and navigating the publishing industry as a marginalized author.

Workshops will be conducted in the non-silencing format that allows for participation from writers. The intensive will also include guest speakers with a focus on intersectionality to ensure that queer writers from all walks of life feel represented and heard. For the first third of the program, we'll read and analyze together "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi.

Scholarships are available, class is remote, and queer, trans, and/or nonbinary identities of all experiences are encouraged to apply. We'll have a virtual open house on February 22nd.

TIMELINE:

• The submission window closes on March 26th.

• Writers will be notified in May and class runs June 4th, 2024 to February 18th, 2025.

• Class is on Tuesdays from 6:00pm-9:00pm Eastern Time.

TUITION: The cost of the program is $2,495, payable in full before the start of class. Admitted students will be given a specific payment deadline. Fellowships of 25% - 75% tuition are available and based on a combination of merit and financial need. Applicants can apply for a GrubStreet Fellowship at the end of their application to the program.

thequeerwriter.milotodd.com/submissions-open-for-novel-immersive-for-lgbtq-writers/

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Winter 2024 Story Contest

Narrative

DEADLINE: March 28, 2024, at midnight, Pacific Standard Time.

SUBMISSION FEE: $27 (for each entry). With your entry, you’ll receive three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage.

INFO: Our Winter contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. We’re looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

Narrative winners and finalists have gone on to win Whiting Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Atlantic prize, and have appeared in collections such as Best American Short Stories, Best American Nonrequired Reading, and many others. View the recent awards won by Narrative authors.

As always, we are looking for works with a strong narrative drive, with characters we can respond to, and with effects of language, situation, and insight that are intense and total. We look for works that have the ambition of enlarging our view of ourselves and the world.

AWARDS:

• First Prize is $2,500

• Second Prize is $1,000

• Third Prize is $500

• Up to ten finalists will receive $100 each

• All entries will be considered for publication

JUDGING: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. Winners and finalists will be announced to the public by April 30, 2024. All writers who enter will be notified by email of the judges’ decisions, which will be final. The judges reserve the option to declare ties and to designate and award only as many winners and/or finalists as are appropriate to the quality of contest entries and of work represented in the magazine.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Please read our Submission Guidelines for manuscript formatting and other information.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept work that includes machine-generated text.

narrativemagazine.com/winter-2024-story-contest?uid=103566&m=56fe29daf0abf811b3c3310f8f76179b&d=1707061991

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2024 Writing Fellowships

A Public Space

DEADLINE: March 31, 2024

INFO: We are pleased to announce that applications for the 2024 Writing Fellowships at A Public Space will open on March 1, 2024. The aim of these fellowships is to seek out and support writers who embrace risk in their work and their own singular vision.

Established in 2014, the Writing Fellowships at A Public Space have supported thirty writers at the start of their careers, including several who have gone on to publish debut books, among them Mahreen Sohail, Arinze Ifeakandu, Jai Chakrabarti, Kate Doyle, Bruna Dantas Lobato, Gothataone Moeng, Deborah Jackson Taffa, and LaToya Watkins.

Writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book are invited to apply to the 2024 Writing Fellowships. Submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are welcome. Three fellowships will be awarded.

During the four-month fellowship, fellows will receive:

• editorial support from A Public Space editors to prepare a piece for publication in the magazine;

• a $1,000 honorarium;

• a one-year subscription to A Public Space;

• a guest pass to attend Master Classes;

• the opportunity to participate in a public reading and conversation with A Public Space editors and contributors.

ELIGIBILITY: Only writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work with a U.S. publisher are eligible. Writers who have self-published, published an academic text, published a book with a publisher outside the U.S., or translated another writer’s work are eligible to apply. Writers who have published a chapbook or published (or contracted to publish) a book-length work in any of the fellowship genres (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry) in the U.S. are ineligible to apply. International applicants are encouraged to apply, but we are only able to consider submissions in English. Only one submission per person is allowed. Please do not submit a piece you have previously submitted to A Public Space, either through the Fellowship category, the General Submissions category, or an Open Call. A Public Space reserves the right to invite submissions.

Timeline: Applications for the 2024 Writing Fellowships will be accepted via Submittable from March 1, 2024–March 31, 2024. Submissions for the Fellowships close at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on March 31, 2024. Successful applicants will be informed no later than May 27, 2024. The fellowship period will be June 1, 2024 through November 30, 2024.

PROCEDURE: Only electronic submissions will be considered. Applications must be submitted through the Writing Fellowship category in Submittable. (The category will not be available until March 1, 2024.) There is no application fee. Please submit the following:

• A résumé

• A cover letter containing a one-paragraph biographical statement; one paragraph that is a favorite of yours from a book you've read, be it recently or long ago; and a brief statement telling us why this particular passage is meaningful to you.

• One previously unpublished piece (for prose, a limit of 6,000 words; for poetry, up to 15 pages). If selected, the submitted manuscript is the piece that will be published in the magazine.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please note that if any part of the submitted work is accepted elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw your entire application; replacement submissions will not be accepted once the deadline has passed.

Only PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx) are accepted. The cover letter and manuscript should be submitted as separate files. Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be returned unread.

apublicspace.org/news/detail/the-2024-a-public-space-writing-fellowships

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Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize

Cassava Republic Press

DEADLINE: March 31, 2024 at 23:59 GMT

INFO: As part of its mission as a global Black publishing house connecting Africa and the African diaspora, Cassava Republic Press’s is proud to announce the launch of our inaugural $20,000 Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize dedicated to exceptional works by Black women (cis, trans and genderqueer). 

The prize represents a first in the world of Black women’s letters, not only by virtue of its global scope, but also its non-fiction focus, and its generous prize value. Our mission is to publish emerging and established Black women writers and thinkers from across the world, focusing on critical ideas across time and space.

At the heart of this prize lies a deep commitment to amplifying the long tradition of Black women writers as knowledge-makers and critical thinkers. We take seriously Black South African feminist scholar and writer Desiree Lewis’ observation that ‘publishers have tended to focus on black women’s fictional and autobiographical writing, or on poetry. This tends to be symptomatic of a publishing and reading/marketing stereotype about black women in the public sphere being “interesting” mainly as entertainers, storytellers, or so-called “creatives,” rather than as knowledge-makers and critical thinkers.’

PRIZE: 

• The winner of the Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize will receive a $20,000 advance and a publishing contract with Cassava Republic Press.  

• Two runner-up writers will each receive a $5000 advance and publication by Cassava Republic Press bringing the total prize value up to $30,000.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR: We are looking to publish and champion Black women writers who bridge the gap between “creativity” and “theory” with work that is both rigorous and beautiful, creative and thoughtful.

We are not an academic publisher, but welcome submissions from academics writing for a mainstream audience. Our goal is to amplify and unearth the critical ideas that might otherwise remain unpublished or confined to academic circles or smaller audiences. Importantly, in seeking creative critical writing and knowledge-making for a broad audience, we welcome writing that will challenge and excite our readers.
 
We do not accept straightforward memoirs, but manuscripts that incorporate theory with personal essays/experiences  within a broader context are welcome.

HOW TO APPLY:

• We are asking for 5 sample chapters and a  pitch letter, which should include a synopsis and a full outline of all chapters.

• Longlisted authors will then be given a week to submit full manuscripts. 

ELIGIBILITY: The manuscript prize is open to Black women writers aged 18 and over living anywhere in the world.

cassavarepublic.biz/black-womens-non-fiction-manuscript-prize/

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The 2024 Silvers Grants for Work in Progress

The Robert B. Silvers Foundation 

DEADLINE: March 31, 2024

INFO: Anglophone writers of any nationality may apply for up to $10,000 to support long-form essays in the fields of literary criticism, arts writing, political analysis, and/or social reportage. Grants may not be used to fund translation. 

Applicants must have an editorial agreement with a publication or publishing house for the work under consideration.

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF to grants@silversfoundation.org, and should include:

• a curriculum vitae

• a one-page description of the project

• full responses to the financial questionnaire (download a copy of the form here)

• a 500–2,000 word sample of the writer’s work. 

Your responses to the financial questionnaire should include all anticipated costs and should state other sources of funding, including book advances. Priority is given to projects that have not been supported by a significant advance.

The writing sample can be from the writer’s work in progress or from a previously published essay, article, or book.

In addition, please let us know where you heard about the Grants.

For inquiries, please contact grants@silversfoundation.org. 

silversfoundation.org/grants/

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Black Fox Prize: Fairy Tale Remix

Black Fox Literary Magazine

DEADLINE: March 31, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

ENTRY FEE: $12

INFO: Black Fox is accepting submissions for its Winter 2024 writing prize. The theme for this round is “Fairy Tale Remix.” We are open to loose interpretations of the theme in any genre, as always.

What if the big bad wolf was a person who had a past? Or what if Snow White wasn’t so perfect on paper?

We’re looking for original work that reimagines fairy tales from around the world! We challenge writers to reshape classic fairy tales and invent their own spellbinding versions. Give us a twist to a familiar plot, introduce modern elements, or explore unconventional characters. This theme is a chance to remix fairy tales in your own distinctive way. Enchant the hearts of our readers!

Please submit your strongest fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and we will choose one winner that we feel interprets the theme best. The prize is $300 and publication in the Summer 2024 issue. All submissions are considered for publication in the Summer 2024 issue.

blackfoxlit.submittable.com/submit

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Bayard Rustin Residency

Penington Friends House

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

INFO: We are currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Bayard Rustin Residency.

Building on the social activist history of Penington’s founders, original board, and later residents, the Bayard Rustin Residency at Penington Friends House (PFH) is envisioned as an ongoing ladder to empowerment for Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end Systemic Racism and to create a culture of anti-Racism and intersectional equality in the United States of America. It is also intended to extend and strengthen the wider Quaker witness to equality.

Beginning in September of 2024, this residency will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong project that addresses ending Systemic Racism and who has a necessity to be in New York City for up to one year. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Bayard Rustin Resident will demonstrate a need to live in Manhattan. Areas of focus of their work can include activism in the arts, policy change, human rights, community organizing, and other areas of activism focusing on ending racism and strengthening equality. Residents will meet regularly with the Residency Manager and will be expected to share their progress with the New York City community in the form of presentations or workshops.

The resident does not have to be Quaker but their work should be shaped by and in harmony with our tenants of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. The resident will be expected to be a full-time resident of PFH and be participating member of this intentional community. This includes eating chef prepared dinners with the other residents and participating in shared light house chores. (1 1/2 hour commitment per week on average.) The Penington Friends House’s approach to living collaboratively may be new to you. We encourage to look at our website and instagram account (@Penington_friends_house) to gain a better understanding of what we are. Feel free to call us as well with questions. We are LGBTQ embracing community. We believe Black Lives Matter. We are always working to be a safe space and an anti-racist community.

Resident selection is made through a BIPOC committee of Quakers and non-Quakers and is based on the strength of the applicants work and proposed project. Final approval of the Bayard Rustin resident is made by the Penington Friends House Residents and staff, in the same interview process that all other residents are approved to live at the Penington. Applicants should note that the Bayard Rustin Resident bedroom is on the 4th floor of an historic Brownstone. An elevator is not available. Bathrooms are shared with other floor residents. This residency covers the cost of rent, boarding (food) provided 5 nights a week, internet, cable, and heat/AC. A stipend and studio space is NOT currently provided.

Here are a few types of artists and activists activities that we would be interested in considering. Please contact us before applying if you are not sure your project would fit our call.

• An artist working on a body of art that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A writer working on a new book, play, screenplay, or collection that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A performer creating a new dance piece that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A community based artist designing or carrying out a community based project that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.

• An activist organizing communities to address racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A social entrepreneur that is starting a non-profit focused on addressing racism and/or intersectional issues.

• An inventor or designer working on solving a problem associated with systemic racism and/or intersectional issues.

• A graduate student that has a strong and well defined anti-racism project that needs support and time to launch.

Background
The residency is named after Bayard Rustin who was a Quaker and an attender at 15th Street Monthly Meeting in New York City. This meeting (Quaker house of worship) is next to the Penington Friends House. Rustin worked commitedly for the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. He was an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on nonviolence. Rustin was also a chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a founding member of the Freedom Riders. He was an early advocate for gay rights. Rustin’s later work included a heavy focus on refugee affairs. Rustin served as Vice Chairman of the International Rescue Committee, helped to found the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees, and was Chairman of the Executive Committee of Freedom House. He died in 1987. In 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. ( Source rustinfund.org)

penington.org/rustin-residency/

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2024–25 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship

The American Library in Paris

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

INFO: The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship was created in 2013 to nurture and sustain a heritage as old as the Library itself: deepening French-American understanding. The Visiting Fellowship offers writers and researchers an opportunity to pursue a creative project in Paris for a month or longer while participating actively in the life of the American Library.

There are two one-month Fellowship periods a year in fall and spring, with dates to be specified later.

A $5,000 stipend will be paid before start of a Fellowship period. The award, to be spent at the discretion of the Fellow, is designed to cover travel to Paris, accommodation, and expenses associated with the month in Paris. In addition to the stipend, the Library will connect the fellow to resources and people in Paris that could be helpful to his or her project.

The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship is made possible through the generous support of The de Groot Foundation.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

We welcome the applications of all researchers, journalists, writers (both fiction and non-fiction), poets, screenwriters, playwrights, directors, and documentary filmmakers.

Applicants should be researching or working on a project that contributes to cross-cultural discourse. Particular attention will be paid to an applicant’s ability to offer the Library’s community a variety of opportunities for exploring a topic. All topics and subject matters are eligible.

Applicants need not be American. International applicants are encouraged. The proposed project must be in English. Members of the Library governance are not eligible recipients of a Visiting Fellowship.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF VISITING FELLOWS?

Visiting Fellows must be in Paris during the period of the fellowship, and are expected to be present in the American Library for a minimum of three half-days a week. During their residency, fellows will present an hour-long evening program at the Library, participate in a Library reception, meet with staff informally to explore a topic of mutual interest, and extend the Library’s reach by participating in events arranged by the Library with other organizations in Paris.

At the conclusion of the Visiting Fellowship period, fellows will provide the Library and the funding foundation with a written report of the Fellowship experience. Fellows are expected to appropriately acknowledge the Library and the Visiting Fellowship in publications and print media related to the Fellowship project. Fellows will participate in the Library’s social media communication, fundraising campaigns, and other public events.

HOW TO APPLY?

This year’s application form asked applicants to provide a single file containing:

• A cover letter (one page) and CV (two pages max.).

• The narrative description of your project (one page max.). In this description, please indicate the timeline and current stage of the project, what you hope to accomplish during your residency period, and why a fellowship at the American Library will contribute to its success.

• Three proposals (max. 50 words each) for cultural programs at the Library during your residency period. These can include evening conversations, workshops, performances, panels, or other event formats.

• The names and contacts of two professional references.

• A one-time application fee of 30 €.

americanlibraryinparis.org/visiting-fellowship

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Lampblack

DEADLINE: April 1, 2024

INFO: Lampblack is accepting submissions of previously unpublished poetry, prose and criticism for its Community issue.

Please submit no more than 5 pages of poetry or 15 pages of prose via email to magazine@lampblacklit.com. Please include your name, the title of your submission, and the genre you are submitting to in the subject line of your submission.

We will pay $350 for accepted submissions in any genre. If your work is accepted, please be aware that Lampblack will likely ask you to take part in promotional readings and events.

We encourage you to read our Lab[our] issue to gain a sense of our aesthetic, which is available on our website and in local independent bookstores. If you cannot afford to purchase one of our Founders’ issues and would like to read it before submitting, please reach out to us at magazine@lampblacklit.com informing us of your situation and we will ensure you are provided with a digital copy of the magazine free of charge.

lampblacklit.com/submissions

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Crossover Award

Hurston/Wright Foundation

DEADLINE: April 2, 2024

INFO: The Hurston/Wright Crossover Award, sponsored by ESPN’s Andscape, honors probing, provocative, and original new voices in literary nonfiction. Named after the most common dribbling move in basketball, the Crossover Award, aims to highlight an unconventional winner who writes across genres and can effectively crossoverbetween writing styles and techniques. The name also speaks to the potential of the award winner to transition from obscurity to the spotlight. This award will celebrate one writer who contributes a unique perspective to the literary nonfiction landscape. 

The award submission period closes April 2, 2024. The winner of the award, which includes a cash prize, will be announced during the 23rd Annual Legacy Awards Ceremony in October 2024. 

ELIGIBILITY: 

• Unpublished, Black writers who are 18 years and older are eligible.

• Writers who have published books, including poetry books or fiction narratives, through any publishing platform, are not eligible. 

• Writers who currently work for the Hurston/Wright Foundation or are related to current employees or board members of the Hurston/Wright Foundation are ineligible.

• All work submitted must be original and unpublished at the time of submission. Hurston/Wright does not accept simultaneous submissions. 

• Submissions must be works of literary nonfiction. 

• Essays should explore and illuminate the various intersections of culture and society through innovative storytelling, original reporting and/or provocative commentary. 

• Submissions may be stand-alone essays or excerpts from a book in progress. 

APPLICATION GUIDELINES: 

• No more than 20 pages double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font, and within 1-inch margins. 

• Put title of the work on each page of the submission. 

• Do not put the author’s name on the pages of the work. All submissions will be screened and judged anonymously. 

• Author name and contact information should not appear on the submission. All submissions will be judged anonymously by a distinguished published author of literary nonfiction. 

• Winning works may be published in whole or in part by Hurston/Wright online or in print. Your submission gives the Hurston/Wright Foundation and our sponsor, ESPN, permission to publish an excerpt or the entire work. The author retains all rights. 

• Hurston/Wright maintains the right to decline any submission not deemed eligible. 

AWARD:

• $2000 to one recipient 

• Tuition-free attendance of a 2024 Hurston/Wright summer writer’s workshop 

• Complimentary ticket to the annual Legacy Awards Ceremony in October 2024

hurstonwrightfoundation.submittable.com/submit

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2024 Gulf Coast Prizes

Gulf Coast Journal

DEADLINE: April 10, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $26

INFO: The 2024 Gulf Coast Prizes in Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction are now officially open.

Our final judges this year will be Zaina Arafat (Fiction), Monica Youn (Poetry), and Edgar Gomez (Nonfiction).

AWARD: The contest awards $1,500 and publication in Gulf Coast to the winner in each genre. Two honorable mentions in each genre are awarded $250. All entries are considered for publication and the entry fee includes a one-year subscription to Gulf Coast.

Entries for the Gulf Coast Prizes in Fiction and Nonfiction should be a single prose work not exceeding 7,000 words. Entrants for the Gulf Coast Prize in Poetry may submit up to five poems not exceeding 10 total pages in length. We only accept submissions via Submittable.

Entrants may submit more than once or in more than one genre, but each new entry must be accompanied by a separate $26 entry fee.

CONTEST GUIDELINES:

• Submit your work as a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• Only previously unpublished work will be considered.

• The contest will be judged blindly, so please do not include your cover letter, your name, or any contact information in the uploaded document. This information should only be pasted in the “Comments” field in Submittable.

• Submittable accepts all major credit cards for the $26 entry fee, which includes a one-year subscription to Gulf Coast.

gulfcoastmag.org/contests/gulf-coast-prize

FICTION / NONFICTION — FEBRUARY 2024

The Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize

Graywolf Press

SUBMISSION PERIOD: February 1 - 29, 2024

INFO: A $20,000 advance and publication by Graywolf Press will be awarded to the most promising and innovative literary nonfiction project by a writer not yet established in the genre. The winning author will also receive a $2,000 stipend intended to support the completion of their project. 

The Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize emphasizes innovation in form and content, and we want to see projects that push the boundaries of literary nonfiction. The Graywolf editors are particularly interested in new approaches to the personal essay, cultural and literary criticism, creative scholarship, and books exploring complex ideas from unexpected angles. We hope to be moved, challenged, and surprised. Please note that we are not interested in straightforward memoirs or journalistic reporting. Before submitting your manuscript for the prize, please look at the books previously published as winners of the prize or other Graywolf nonfiction titles for examples of the type of work that we are seeking. 

The prize will be awarded to a manuscript in progress. We request that authors send a long sample from their manuscript, as well as a description of the work, as detailed below. We expect that we will work with the winner of the prize and provide editorial guidance toward the completion of the manuscript. 

The prize will be judged by the Graywolf Press editors. The editors reserve the right to invite submissions and make exceptions. Agented submissions are welcome. Manuscripts submitted for previous years’ prizes will not be reconsidered unless resubmission has been specifically requested by the Graywolf editors. Graywolf will only consider one submission per author for each open submission period.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA:

• A one-page cover letter containing a short biographical statement and brief description of the project

• A list of all previous publications

• A two to ten-page overview of the project, including a description of what is already complete and what work remains to be finished

• A minimum of 100 pages (roughly 25,000 words) from anywhere within the manuscript, using regular margins, double spacing, and 12-point font

ELIGIBILITY:

• Live in the United States, regardless of citizenship status

• Have published at least one piece of nonfiction in a literary journal or magazine; reviews, interviews, reportage, and other similar pieces do not qualify

• Have not yet authored a book of literary nonfiction; authorship of other kinds of nonfiction books is not disqualifying

TERMS OF PUBLICATION:

• $20,000 advance 

• World rights, including translation

• Format: paperback original 

graywolfpress.org/about-us/submissions

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CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

Screen Door Press

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 1 - March 15, 2024

INFO: Dedicated to discovering unique, exceptional, and varied voices within Black literary traditions, the Screen Door Press Imprint will celebrate the very best in fiction across a broad range of categories. Its 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. The Screen Door Press Imprint is sponsored by the Thomas D. Clark Foundation.

Submission and publication timeline

• February 1, 2024 – Imprint submissions open

• March 15, 2024 – Imprint submissions close

• August 2024 – Finalists selected and announced

• 2025 – Publication of first imprint titles

Submission materials must include:

• Full manuscript

• Cover letter

• Author bio OR resume/CV

• Contact information

EDITED BY CRYSTAL WILKINSON

Crystal Wilkinson, a recent fellowship recipient of the Academy of American Poets, is the award-winning author of Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, a culinary memoir; Perfect Black, a collection of poems; and three works of fiction—The Birds of Opulence, Water Street and Blackberries, Blackberries. She is the recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Poetry, an O. Henry Prize, a USA Artists Fellowship, and an Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. She has received recognition from the Yaddo Foundation, Hedgebrook, The Vermont Studio Center for the Arts, The Hermitage Foundation and others. Her short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including most recently in The Atlantic, The Kenyon Review, STORY, Agni Literary Journal, Emergence, Oxford American and Southern Cultures. She was Poet Laureate of Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. Wilkinson currently teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky where she is a Bush-Holbrook Endowed Professor.

kentuckypress.com/screen-door-press/

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Writing In Color FELLOWSHIP

Lighthouse

DEADLINE: February 3, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: Offered annually to a person who demonstrates a passion and skill for writing, a commitment to developing their writing skills, and a clear commitment to community service, the Writing In Color Fellowship for Emerging Writers is for anyone who would benefit from a year's worth of involvement at Lighthouse but who would not be able to do so without financial support. Any adult (over the age of 18) writer of color living in the United States, writing in any genre, who has not published a full-length manuscript is eligible to apply.

In order to support the skills and creative passion of emerging writers in the Lighthouse community, this fellowship is intended for emerging writers of color who have not had significant access to or experience with traditional opportunities to learn and grow in the literary world.

FELLOWSHIP DATES:  April 2024–April 2025

NOTIFICATION: Applicants will be notified of submission status via email by the beginning of April 2024.

ELIGIBILITY: Writers identifying as people of color (i.e. BIPOC+) who are 18 years of age or older.

While Lighthouse has always emphasized accessibility, this award offers a depth and consistency of engagement to the fellowship recipient. The year-long award period not only engages the writer in directed literary activities, but also allows for full immersion in a project or body of work. The fellow will have the opportunity to read from what they’ve written at the annual Writing in Color Fest.

The Emerging Writing In Color Fellowship will provide access to:

• Four multi-week courses 

• Participation in the annual Writing in Color Fest including a featured reading

• Up to 5 hours access to a Lighthouse faculty member for mentorship, as needed 

• One-year membership at Lighthouse Writers Workshop 

• Opportunity to support a Lighthouse community outreach program, helping to facilitate, administrate, or teach in the program. 

APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not meet the requirements below will not be considered.

Your submission should comprise a cover letter including your name, the name of the genre you are applying for, and your contact information. Your cover letter is the only place where your name should appear. Paginate your document, and use legible, 12-point font and standard margins. Upload your writing sample as a single .pdf, .doc, or .docx document. 

WRITING SAMPLE FORMAT:

• Poetry: Six-to-eight pages of poems. Only one poem per page is permitted, though you may submit multi-paged poems. Insert hard page breaks between every page.

• Prose: Excerpt or combination of pieces to equal no more than 4000 words. More is not necessarily better. Please use standard manuscript format, double-spacing and ensuring page numbers are visible.

• Recommendation letters are not required.

To complete your application via Submittable you will answer fellowship specific questions, submit your writing sample, cover letter, and pay the application fee of $25. If the application fee is prohibitive, please e-mail us at info@lighthousewriters.org to discuss alternatives.

Cover letters should be typed into the corresponding box on Submittable. Include your full name, address, email address and telephone number. Please respond to each question in the corresponding text box explaining why you wish to apply for the fellowship and what you expect to accomplish over the course of the year.

One application per candidate. Please do not wait until the last day to apply in case you have technical difficulties submitting your application. Please note that we will not be able to respond to inquiries regarding applications that are not accepted, nor will we be able to provide feedback on those entries. 
Lighthouse Mission: The mission of Lighthouse Writers Workshop is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education, support, and community for writers and readers in the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. We strive to ensure that literature maintains its proper prominence in the culture, and that individuals achieve their fullest potential as artists and human beings.

lighthousewriters.submittable.com/submit/281769/writing-in-color-emerging-writers-fellowship-2024

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2024 COURAGE TO WRITE GRANTS

The de Groot Foundation

DEADLINE: February 5, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $22.00

INFO: The de Groot Foundation will award thirty COURAGE to WRITE unrestricted grants to writers in 2024.

Ten COURAGE to WRITE grants of $7000 each and twenty Writer of Note grants of $1500 each. These grants are meant to encourage and support writers as they further or complete a specific project. The Writer of Note grantees are chosen from the pool of finalists for the COURAGE to WRITE grants.

GUIDELINES: Applicants for COURAGE to WRITE grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applications:

• are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.

• must be submitted in English.

• are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committee.

• Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.

• If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup

Application

There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample

1. Your biosketch

a. A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person

b. Limited to no more than 100 words

c. Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.

2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:

a. An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)

b. How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)

c. How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)

d. Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)

e. Please address the letter to: Dear COURAGE to WRITE Reviewers

f. Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.

The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.

3. Writing sample

a. Please submit an unpublished writing sample, which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.

b. Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.

c. The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.

d. Exceptions:

i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.

ii. Screenplay or a play: You may submit up to 12 pages of a sample using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.

iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.

IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.

Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.

Format:

• Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.

• Numbering pages is optional.

Application Timeline:

• Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.

• Finalists will be notified by the end of April 2024.

• Grant awardees will be notified by the end of May 2024.

Review and Selection:

You’ll be sent a message when your application has been received.

• Stage 1 Review: All eligible applications are read by teams of reviewers. Depending on the discretion of the reviewers, between 40 to 60 finalist applications are chosen.

• Stage 2 Review: Finalist applications are evaluated by the final Selection Committee. This committee chooses the ten COURAGE to WRITE grantees. From the remaining applications, this committee will then pick the 20 Writer of Note grantees.

The Selection Committees are writers and writing professionals who appreciate the challenges of emerging writers. Selection Committee decisions are final. Correspondence will only be entered into with finalists and grantees.

Grantees will be asked to complete a Grant Acceptance Agreement and, if appropriate, a U.S. W-9 tax form. One year after receipt of funding, grantees agree to complete and return a one-to-three-page final report so that we can learn about your project and the grant’s impact on your work.

degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-grants/

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2024 LANDO GRANT

The de Groot Foundation

DEADLINE: February 5, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $22.00

The de Groot Foundation is thrilled to collaborate with Barry Lando, award winning investigative journalist and former 60 Minutes producer, to provide the LANDO grants for immigration, migration, and/or refugee writing.

GUIDELINES: Applicants for LANDO grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applications:

• are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.

• must be submitted in English.

• are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committees.

• Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.

• If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.

HOW TO APPLY:

We want all applications to be considered. Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup

Application

There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample

1. Your biosketch

• A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person

• Limited to no more than 100 words

• Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.

2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:

• An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)

• How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)

• How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)

• Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)

• Please address the letter to: Dear LANDO Reviewers

• Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.

The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.

3. Writing sample

• Please submit a writing sample which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.

• Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.

• The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.

• Exceptions:

i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.

ii. Screenplay or a play: Please submit a one to two page synopsis of the screenplay or play and up to 12 pages of a sample script using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.

iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.

IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.

Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.

FORMAT:

• Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.

• Numbering pages is optional.

Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.

Finalists will be notified by early April 2024.

Grant awardees will be notified by early May 2024.

degrootfoundation.org/2024-lando-grant-guidelines/

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Call for submissions: March 2024 Issue

Writers Resist

DEADLINE: February 8, 2024

INFO: Writers Resist is an intersectional feminist literary journal born of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. We publish creative expressions of resistance by diverse writers and artists from around the globe.

In solidarity with those affected by violent conflict, Writers Resist is seeking poetry, fiction, narrative nonfiction, and digital images from writers and artists living in non-U.S. regions impacted by war, genocide, and political oppression, for publication in our March 2024 issue, guest edited by DW McKinney

U.S. residents who have ancestral heritage or ethnicities affiliated with these regions may also submit.

GUIDELINES:

We do not accept previously published works. This includes publication on social media platforms, blogs, etc.

We publish with the intent that the works will be shared far and wide, so please submit only if you are comfortable making your published submissions available to the world via a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.

HONORARIUM:

Published works in the Amplified Voices issue will receive an honorarium of $30 for each accepted submission, transferred via PayPal or WorldRemit after publication.

TO PREPARE YOUR SUBMISSION:

• Simultaneous submissions are fine, but if your submission is accepted elsewhere, please withdraw it from our submission manager.

• Please send a short bio with your submission, including a statement identifying your personal connection to a conflict region.

• Include your website URL and any social media presence you’d like to share with our readers.

• Poetry submissions: You may include a maximum of three poems in one submission. Please submit them in a single MSWord document with your name, contact information, and a short bio in the document with a statement identifying your personal connection to a conflict region. Once in our submission system (see below), be sure to select Amplified Voices for your genre.

• Fiction and narrative nonfiction submissions: You may submit one piece of fiction or narrative nonfiction with a maximum of 2,500 words. Please submit it in an MSWord document with your name, contact information, and a short bio in the document with a statement identifying your personal connection to a conflict region. Once in our submission system (see below), be sure to select Amplified Voices for your genre.

• Digital image submissions: SUBMIT IMAGES ONLY VIA EMAIL (do not submit images via our submission system). You may submit a maximum of three images, in JPEG format, with your last name and first name as the file name. EX: cubbins.barth.jpeg. Please include with your submission an MSWord document with your name, contact information, a short bio with a statement identifying your personal connection to a conflict region, and the image’s title. Digital images must be submitted via email to WritersResist@gmail.com, and be sure to indicate you are submitting them for the Amplified Voices issue.

writersresist.com/submission-guide/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Translations from the Arabic (Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction)

Epiphany

DEADLINE: February 9, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $5

INFO: We are seeking translations from Arabic in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction for our Spring / Summer 2024 issue.

GUIDELINES FOR PROSE SUBMISSIONS:

1. Submit one story at a time.

2. Format in 12-pt font, double-spaced.

3. Tell us if you're submitting simultaneously to other publications (and please withdraw promptly through Submittable should your work be accepted elsewhere).

4. Please include your name, title, and word count on the first page of the submitted file.

5. Translations require rights permission from the original writer.

6. Include a short bio with your cover letter.

7. Fiction contributors will receive a payment of $175, and two copies of the journal.**

GUIDELINES FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS:

1. Submit up to 5 poems at a time.

2. Format in 12-pt font, single-spaced (where appropriate).

3. Tell us if you're submitting simultaneously to other publications (and withdraw promptly through Submittable should your work be accepted elsewhere).

4. Please include your name and title on the first page of the submitted file.

5. Translations require rights permission from the original writer.

6. Include a short bio with your cover letter.

7. Poetry contributors will receive a payment of $75 per poem and two copies of the journal.

epiphanymagazine.submittable.com/submit

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macdowell fellowship: 2024 Fall/Winter

MacDowell

DEADLINE: February 10, 2024, at 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Fellowship application period for 2024 Fall/Winter residencies at MacDowell is now open!

MacDowell encourages artists to apply in any stage of their career, and from all backgrounds and countries. We invite applications in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. If your proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines, contact the admissions department for guidance at admissions@macdowell.org.

We also encourage you to watch our “How to Apply to MacDowell's Residency Program” video on our YouTube channel for detailed instructions on our application process.

MacDowell has no residency fees, and to defray expenses that accrue during an artist’s stay, we provide need-based stipends to cover rent, utilities, childcare, and lost income from taking time off from employment, as well as reimbursements for travel to and from the residency.

Fall/Winter residencies will take place between September 1, 2024 and February 28, 2025.

macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship

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Writing Workshop: Literary Landscapes with Author Tony Robles

Tony Robles

WORKSHOP DATES:

• Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 4:00pm EST

• Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 4:00pm EST

• Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 4:00pm EST

PRICE: $50.00 ($54.49 w/service fee)

INFO: Literary Landscapes is a 3-week generative writing workshop that will explore the landscapes of memory, empathy, and identity. Participants will read and discuss writings by authors of different genres whose work embodies these elements. Participants will take part in writing exercises that will strengthen their use of craft while mining their interior landscapes to write short pieces of prose or poetry. Work will be shared and discussed among participants.

INSTRUCTOR’S BIO: Tony Robles is a poet and author originally from San Francisco, now based in Hendersonville, North Carolina. He is the author of 3 books of poetry and short stories, Cool Don't Live Here No More--A letter to San Francisco, Fingerprints of a Hunger Strike, and Thrift Store Metamorphosis. His writing has been published in numerous anthologies including, Of Color: Poet's Ways of Making, The Roadrunner Review, Growing Up Filipino Volume II, Mythium Journal, Bamboo Ridge, and many others. He earned his Masters in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2023.

brownpapertickets.com/event/6213449

_____

Passing Down Our Stories Writing Contest

Girls Write Now / Sweet July

DEADLINE: February 13, 2024

INFO: Girls Write Now is teaming up with Sweet July for a writing contestand chance to interview Ayesha Curry!

In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, and the impact of strong female role models, we are proud to partner with Ayesha Curry’s Sweet July for a writing contest to elevate the voices of girls and gender expansive young adults. This contest is about the people who raised us, from found family members to maternal figures, ancestors to parents. 

Answer this prompt below with a short story, essay, or poem: 

Tell the story behind a family heirloom or tradition. How has it shaped who you are?

TO QUALIFY, YOUR PIECE MUST…

1. Be 850 words or under in length

2. NOT have been previously published in any medium

3. NOT have been recognized with any prior awards

4. Be submitted as a Google Doc via the form on this page before 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, February 13, 2024

THIS CONTEST IS OPEN TO…

Girls and gender-expansive young adults who are Girl Write Now participants or alumni ages 14 and up.

ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER AGED 14 OR OVER WILL…

• Be published on the Sweet July website

• Interview Ayesha Curry on Instagram Live

TWO MORE HONORABLE MENTIONS AGED 14 OR OVER WILL…

• Be published on the Sweet July website

EIGHT FINALISTS AGED 14 OR OVER WILL…

• Be published in a special featured section of the Girls Write Now site.

girlswritenow.org/sweet-july-contest-submit/

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MARY MCCARTHY PRIZE IN SHORT FICTION

Sarabande Books

DEADLINE: February 15, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $29

INFO: In celebration of Sarabande’s 30th anniversary, we are pleased to offer an increased prize in the amount of $3,000, as well as publication of the manuscript with an introduction by Lauren Groff, and a standard royalty contract.

2024 JUDGE: Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and The New York Times–bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida.

ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Employees and board members of Sarabande are not eligible. Agented manuscripts are not eligible. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. To avoid conflict of interest, close friends of a judge or current students in a degree-granting program with a judge are not eligible.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Manuscript must be ANONYMOUS—the author’s name or address must not appear anywhere on the manuscript (title page should contain the title only)

• Must be typed, standard font, 12 pt., double-spaced

• Between 150-250 pages

• Manuscript should be paginated consecutively with a table of contents and acknowledgements page (a list of publications in which stories or sections of the manuscript have appeared)

• Must be submitted electronically through Submittable

Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Once submitted, electronic manuscripts can only be edited within a week of submitting, but do note that any publications resulting from this contest will undergo a full editorial and copyedit. Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please withdraw your manuscript if accepted elsewhere.

Sarabande Books considers all finalists for publication. 

sarabandebooks.org/mccarthy

_____

THE SARABANDE PRIZE IN THE ESSAY

Sarabande Books

DEADLINE: February 15, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $29

INFO: In celebration of Sarabande’s 30th anniversary, we are pleased to offer an increased prize in the amount of $3,000, as well as publication of the manuscript with an introduction by Alexander Chee, and a standard royalty contract.

2024 JUDGE: Alexander Chee is the bestselling author of the novels Edinburgh and The Queen of the Night, and the essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel, all from Mariner Books. He is a 2021 United States Artists Fellow, a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow, an NEA Fellow, and a Whiting Award recipient.

ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to any nonfiction writing in English. Employees and board members of Sarabande are not eligible. Agented manuscripts are not eligible. Individual essays from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines, chapbooks of less than 48 pages, or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. To avoid conflict of interest, close friends of a judge or current students in a degree-granting program with a judge are not eligible.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Manuscript must be ANONYMOUS—the author’s name or address must not appear anywhere on the manuscript (title page should contain the title only)

• Must be typed, standard font, 12 pt.

• Between 100-250 pages

• Manuscript must be paginated consecutively with a table of contents and acknowledgements page (a list of publications in which poems in the manuscript have appeared)

• Must be submitted electronically through Submittable

Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Once submitted, electronic manuscripts can only be edited within a week of submitting, but do note that any publications resulting from this contest will undergo a full editorial and copyedit. Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please withdraw the submission if accepted elsewhere.

Sarabande Books considers all finalists for publication.

sarabandebooks.org/essay

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2024 RESidencies

Vermont Studio Center

DEADLINE: February 15, 2024

INFO: Vermont Studio Center is pleased to invite applications for its residency program for writers working in all genres. The Maverick Studio Building offers views of the Gihon River and daily inspiration.

Accepted residents will enjoy access to:

• Visiting Artists & Writers Program

• private accommodation

• private studio space

• delicious fresh daily meals

Residency sessions are approximately 2-, 3-, and 4-weeks. Each residency offers a supportive environment where you can further develop your writing projects, finish your manuscript, make deep revisions, start a new project, and more.

Vermont Studio Center accepts writers working in all genres, and includes the following: 

• fiction 

• creative nonfiction 

• poetry 

• screen/playwriting 

• hybrid*

• translation 

vermontstudiocenter.org/fellowships

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2024 Forge Project Fellowship

Forge Project

DEADLINE: February 15, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

INFO: The Forge Project Fellowship is intended to support Indigenous cultural workers broadly. The Fellowship supports artists, organizers, writers, cultural practitioners, musicians, scholars, activists, researchers, educators, and others who represent a diversity of expertise, participatory research and organizing models, and geographic contexts.

Each Forge Project Fellow will receive $25,000 USD toward their practice and will have full access to the Forge Project site, libraries, and lending collection of living Indigenous artists during their fellowship. 2023 Fellows will also have the opportunity to present their work to the local Forge Project audience on site as well as a wider international audience via social media. Forge covers return travel, local transportation, accommodations, and all meals while fellows are in residence.

The cash award is unrestricted and can be used however you wish. Please note that this award is considered taxable income by the IRS.

Fellows are invited to stay in residence at Forge for up to three weeks to make use of the studio, library, and lending collection and be on the land. We also understand that many of our fellows have full-time careers, families, and other responsibilities. Forge’s Director of Indigenous Programs and Relationality, Sarah Biscarra Dilley (yaktitʸutitʸu yaktiłhini [Northern Chumash]) and Public and Community Programs Coordinator, Robbie Wing (Cherokee Nation) will work with fellows to determine residency dates that work best for them.

If fellows decide that spending time in residence is aligned for them and their practice, we support residency stays onsite between June 1 and September 30, 2024. Applicants will be asked to include two preferred residency date ranges in their application to best support accommodating each fellow’s request.

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be an enrolled member, citizen, or descendant with verification from the enrollment office of a state or federally recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation, or of Native Hawaiian ancestry, a Canadian First Nations (status or non-status), Metis or Inuit to apply for the 2024 Forge Project Fellowship. Applicants may be asked to provide documentation of their Native citizenship or ancestry to confirm eligibility. At least two Fellows will come from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians.

forgeproject.com/fellowship/how-to-apply

_____

THE Yale Nonfiction Book Prize

Yale Review / Yale University Press

DEADLINE: February 15, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: The Yale Review and Yale University Press are seeking submissions for the 2024 inaugural Yale Nonfiction Book Prize. The winning manuscript will be selected by the series’ current judge: essayist, poet, and editor Meghan O’Rourke. The prize includes a payment in the amount of $15,000, publication of the manuscript by Yale University Press within the Yale Nonfiction Series, and first serialization in The Yale Review.

We seek manuscripts that tackle ambitious and under-explored subjects in vivid prose that would appeal to a broad audience. We welcome submissions in a range of categories, including the following:

• Reported nonfiction

• Cultural and literary criticism for a general audience

• Book-length essays

• Essay collections with a strong throughline

• Memoirs that include research or reportage

We do not accept scholarly monographs, books intended for an academic audience or a specialized reader, or memoirs that do not take up larger cultural or political questions.

1. Submissions must be original, unpublished book-length nonfiction manuscripts (no illustrations) written in the English language by a single author who has not previously published a book of nonfiction. English-language translations are not eligible unless the translation is made by the author.

2. Authors may submit only one manuscript per entry year. Manuscripts submitted in previous years may be resubmitted; however, an author may win the competition only once.

3. Manuscripts that have been previously published are ineligible. This includes self-published works.

4. Manuscripts may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for production or publication at the time of submission. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, so long as we are notified immediately if and when there is serious interest from other parties.

5. Eligibility for the prize, including both the prize money and publication by Yale University Press, is contingent on the writer’s agreeing to the terms of the Press’s publishing agreement which is non-negotiable.

6. An entry fee of $25.00, payable by credit card or via PayPal, is required at the time of submission. Consistent with our belief that financial hardship should not be an impediment to submission, we have a limited number of fee-free submissions available. If for any reason the fee is an impediment, please write to yalenonfictionbookprize@gmail.com with “Fee Waiver” in the subject line.

7. Submissions for the 2024 competition must be submitted no earlier than January 15, 2024, and no later than February 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.

8. Manuscript submissions must be under 80,000 words and should be accompanied by a 500–750 word pitch and/or summary. Manuscripts must be complete or substantially completed. For example, we cannot consider a manuscript that is half-written with an outline, but we can consider a manuscript for which the writer plans to revise an introduction or conclusion or add footnotes.

9. The manuscript must include a title page and a table of contents.

10. Manuscripts must be paginated.

11. In formatting the manuscript, please make legibility your first concern. Select a standard typeface (such as Bodoni, Garamond, or Times New Roman) in at least 12-point type. Manuscripts may be double-spaced or 1.5-spaced.

12. Please enter the title of your manuscript, your name and contact information, and a brief biography where indicated in the electronic submission form.

13. The Yale Review and Yale University Press reserve the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.

14. Once an author is notified that their manuscript has been selected as a finalist, the author has seven days to send written notice if they intend to accept or decline the prize and the Press will issue a publishing agreement for their signature. If the author does not return a signed contract within fourteen days of the date issued, they forfeit their entry and are ineligible to receive the prize.

15. The Yale Review and Yale University Press reserve the judge’s right not to choose a winner for any given year of the competition and the right to determine the ineligibility of a winner, in keeping with eligibility requirements of the competition.

theyalereview.submittable.com/submit/284705/the-yale-nonfiction-book-prize

_____

2024 Editorial Fellowships

A Public Space

DEADLINE: February 15, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: We are pleased to announce that applications for the 2024 Editorial Fellowships, a program for aspiring editors, will open on January 1, 2024. Established in 2019, the Editorial Fellowships at A Public Space aim to support the next generation of editors who will offer a more diverse publishing community—culturally, aesthetically, economically; and to explore new possibilities for editing, writing, and literature.

A Public Space is an independent, nonprofit publisher of a literary and arts magazine and A Public Space Books. The Editorial Fellowship is designed to provide practical, hands-on experience as well as mentorship and education in editing and independent publishing.

Two Editorial Fellows will be selected to work alongside the editorial staff at A Public Space on various aspects of the magazine, including evaluating submissions, researching, developing, and soliciting work, editing, copyediting, proofreading, production, and promotion. They will also have the opportunity to oversee an Open Call and serve as the lead editor on a piece for the magazine.

APPLICATION:

Time Period and Compensation: The 2024 Editorial Fellowships period is approximately four months, from June 3, 2024 through October 6, 2024. The Fellows will work on their own schedule, and will have responsibilities of approximately fifteen hours weekly. They must be able to attend up to two weekly meetings (virtual and in person) during regular office hours. The Fellows will receive compensation of $5,000.

Eligibility: A strong interest in contemporary literature and a career in publishing. The ability to work independently, and to bring curiosity and initiative to their work. Excellent verbal and written English-language communication skills. A commitment to meeting deadlines. Individuals who bring diverse experiences and new perspectives to our work are especially encouraged to apply. Some experience in editorial work is preferred but not required. Preference will be given to aspiring editors who have not worked extensively in literary publishing, and who may have limited access to career opportunities in the industry. The Editorial Fellows must be residents of New York City for the duration of the Fellowship. A Public Space reserves the right to invite candidates to apply. Unfortunately, A Public Space is unable to sponsor work visas.

Timeline: Applications for the 2024 Editorial Fellowships will be accepted via Submittable from January 1, 2024–February 15, 2024. Submissions for the Fellowships close at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on February 15, 2024. Successful applicants will be informed no later than April 1, 2024. The Fellowships will begin June 3, 2024.

Procedure: Only electronic submissions will be considered. Applications must be submitted through the Editorial Fellowships category in Submittable. There is no application fee. Please submit the following:

—A résumé
—As one file:

• A statement describing your interest in editing and independent publishing; the influences and experience that you will bring to your work as an Editorial Fellow; and your goals for the fellowship and beyond. Please also include where you heard about the Editorial Fellowships.

• A short excerpt from a work by an under-recognized writer; and a brief statement (250 words max.) on the writer and why you feel work such as this should be championed by editors.

• A statement (250 words max.) about one author published by A Public Space, either in the magazine or A Public Space Books, and how their work resonates with your editorial interests.

Note that only PDF or Word files (.doc and .docx) are accepted. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

apublicspace.org/news/detail/apply-to-the-2024-editorial-fellowship

_____

A CALL FOR PAPERS: 17TH NATIONAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE

The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College

DEADLINE: Extended to February 16, 2024

INFO: The Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY (CBL), presents the 17th National Black Writers Conference, “All That We Carry: Where Do We Go From Here?” This is a public gathering of writers, scholars, literary professionals, theater and film luminaries, students, and the public.

The dates are March 20, 2024–March 23rd, 2024. Honorees for the 17th National Black Writers Conference are author Bernice McFadden, publisher Paul Coates, scholar Peniel Joseph, and writer Percival Everett.

CBL invites proposals on the work of Bernice McFadden, Paul Coates, Peniel Joseph, Percival Everett, and/or John Oliver Killens. Papers should examine the following:

• The ways in which Black writers draw from oral histories and ancestral stories to craft stories that evoke memory, respond to present-day realities, and inspire visions of more liberatory futures.

• Using themes from Peniel Joseph’s work as a guide, examine how Black writers’ commentaries and perspectives of the Civil Rights, Black Power, and Black Lives Matter movements have shifted and evolved. How are a new generation of Black writers grappling with what bell hooks expressed as “white supremacist, capitalist, patriarchy”?

• How the idea of “All That We Carry: Where Do We Go From Here?” is connected to the Black experience or culture and how it is expressed or expanded in the works created by the writers and scholars Paul Coates, Bernice McFadden, Peniel Joseph and Percival Everett.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Please submit electronically an abstract/proposal of 300–500 words, a list of related references for the presentation, and the thesis or question you plan to explore. Do not send manuscripts. Submissions must be authentic and original and should not have been published previously or be under consideration for publication while being evaluated for this event.

Please submit the following to info@centerforblackliterature.org:

1. Your name and contact information on the title page.

2. Title of proposed talk

3. Institutional affiliation

4. Short academic bio of no more than 50 words

NOTE: Include your name and “Call for Papers 17th NBWC” in the subject line. Scholars’ panels will be held virtually on Thursday, March 21, 2024 (11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET).

centerforblackliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Final.NBWC-Call-Papers-2024.pdf

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Aldo & Estella Leopold Residency

DEADLINE: February 16, 2024

APPLICATION FEE:  $20

INFO: An inspiring one-month retreat based at historic "Mi Casita," Aldo and Estella's first home in New Mexico, the Aldo and Estella Leopold Residency provides a space for writers and respected thinkers committed to reshaping the cultural story about the relationship between humans and Nature, to reflect and write about the relevance of Aldo Leopold’s ideas to 21st century cultural and environmental issues In 2023, the Leopold Writing Program celebrates the 11th anniversary of this influential residency.

• Stay for up to one month during the months of May to October.

• Receive a stipend to help defray travel and living expenses.

• Give a public presentation at the Harwood Art Museum in Taos.

The Aldo & Estella Leopold Residency is for college students, graduate students, post-graduate students, and other emerging and mid-career professional writers from around the country and abroad interested in exploring connections in our communities and cultures, and in our lives and landscapes. Two residents per year are selected from a field of candidates who complete the application process.

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested applicants may submit a maximum two-page resume along with a maximum 500-word statement of interest describing how your work at Mi Casita will extend the legacy of Aldo and Estella Leopold.  Also, please indicate how you heard about the Residency Program. The deadline for the May – October 2024 season is February16, with decisions made by March 22, 2024.

Please email application materials to Program Director Nina Simon. Direct any questions about the residency to Jeff Pappas, LWP Board Member and Residency Coordinator.

leopoldwritingprogram.org/residency.html

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Critical Writing Fellowship

Momus

DEADLINE: February 25, 2024 by midnight EST

INFO: Momus is excited to launch our 2024 Fellowships!

This year the Critical Writing Fellowship is realized with the generous support of Critical Minded, and mentorship is overseen by Jessica Lynne. The Fellowship runs from April to December 2024, and comes with a $4,000 USD honorarium.

This paid opportunity provides sustained mentorship, editorial support, and network-building to an early-career art writer or critic. Over an 8-month period of research, dialogue, and drafting, the Fellow will produce a feature-length text to be published in Momus. Two Shortlisted Fellows will also be commissioned to produce texts for publication in Momus.

An ideal candidate for the Fellowship is an early-career art writer/critic with some publishing experience, a clear voice, and the desire to learn and evolve through the editing process. Applicants writing from a de-centered or historically marginalized position will be prioritized. There are no limitations on the candidate’s nationality or geographic location.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please send your application as a single PDF to programs@momus.ca.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, and the results will be announced before the start of the fellowship in April.

The application should be a single PDF and contain the following:

• A one-page letter of intent describing why you are applying for the fellowship and the area of interest you would seek to engage in through the fellowship.

• A C.V. (no more than three pages long)

• One published writing sample; a second writing sample is optional (the second sample may be published or unpublished). There is no word limit.

• Any questions about the program or the application process can be directed to programs@momus.ca.

momus.ca/critical-writing-fellowship/

_____

The 2024 Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction

AWP

DEADLINE: February 28, 2024

ENTRY FEES:

• $20 (Member)

• 30 (Nonmember)

PRIZE: $2,500 and publication by the University of Georgia Press

JUDGE: Chloé Cooper Jones

MANUSCRIPT LENGTH: 150–300 pages

Your name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript, otherwise it will be disqualified.

Acknowledgements should not appear anywhere on the manuscript, otherwise it will be disqualified.

The cover letter field can contain this information, or anything else you choose.

Please also include a brief (roughly one hundred words) synopsis in the designated field, as this will help our screeners more easily categorize and review the submissions they read.

About the AWP Award Series

The AWP Award Series is an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and it is open to published and unpublished authors alike. 

The AWP Award Series conducts an evaluation process of writers, for writers, by writers. AWP hires a staff of screeners who are writers themselves; the screeners review manuscripts for the judges. Typically, the screeners will select ten manuscripts in each genre for the judges’ final evaluations.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Only book-length manuscripts are eligible. The AWP Award Series defines “book-length” as: 

• Poetry: 48 pages minimum text;

• Short story collection or creative nonfiction: 150–300 manuscript pages; and

• Novel: at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words.

Poems, stories, and essays previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion in submissions, but manuscripts previously published in their entirety, including self-published manuscripts, are not eligible. As the series is judged anonymously, no list of acknowledgments should accompany your manuscript.

The AWP Award Series is open to all authors writing original works primarily in English for adult readers. Mixed-genre manuscripts cannot be accepted. Criticism and scholarly monographs are not acceptable for creative nonfiction, which the AWP Award Series defines as factual and literary writing that has the narrative, dramatic, meditative, and lyrical elements of novels, plays, poetry, and memoir. 

To avoid conflict of interest and to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, friends and former students of a judge (former students who studied with a judge in an academic degree-conferring program or its equivalent) are ineligible to enter the competition in the genre for which their former teacher is serving as judge. 

Current staff of AWP and members of AWP’s board of directors may not enter the AWP Award Series, and previous staff and board members may not enter for a minimum of three years after leaving AWP or rotating off the board, respectively. 

AWP makes every effort to vary the judges by region, aesthetic, and institution so that writers, if ineligible one year, will certainly be eligible other years. If contestants win in any genre, they may not enter the competition again in the same genre for the next five consecutive years. 

You may submit your manuscript to other publishers while it is under consideration by the Award Series, but you must withdraw your manuscript via Submittable if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

AWP cannot consider manuscript revisions during the course of the contest, but the winning authors will have an opportunity to revise their works before publication. Please read the entry requirements and guidelines carefully before submitting your work.

Winners will be announced on our website and via email in summer 2024.

Terms & Conditions

• Your submitted manuscript must be an original work of which you are the sole author.

• The decision of the judge is final. The judge may choose no winner if he or she finds no manuscript that, in their estimation, merits publication and the award. 

• Your manuscript must be submitted in accordance with the eligibility requirements, format guidelines, and entry requirements, or it will be disqualified.

• No entry fees will be returned.

• This competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law. 

Manuscript Format Guidelines

Manuscripts must be typed and double-spaced. Poetry manuscripts may be single-spaced. Each manuscript must include a title page with the manuscript title only. If the author’s name appears anywhere on the manuscript, the submission will be disqualified. Do not add a page with acknowledgment of previous publications or a biographical note. Please upload your manuscript to our submission system as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

Entry Requirements

• Please upload your manuscript to our submission system as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• You will be required to remit an entry fee—$30 for nonmembers and $20 for AWP members—at the time of submission. All entry fees are nonrefundable. Students and faculty who have been registered by their program directors as members of AWP are eligible for the member fee. (Please note that if you are not an AWP member and submit to the member category, your submission will be disqualified).

• You may enter in more than one genre, and you may also enter multiple manuscripts in one genre, provided that each manuscript is uploaded separately as an individual entry.

The award for the prizes consists of the following:

• Prize money; and

• Publishing contract with the participating press.

Award winners will be invited to the annual AWP Conference & Bookfair for a celebration and reading. 

The award, and its corresponding prize money, is contingent on the author signing an agreed-upon contract with the participating press.

Questions? Email chronicle@awpwriter.org.

awp.submittable.com/submit

_____

The 2024 James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel

AWP

DEADLINE: February 28, 2024

ENTRY FEES:

• $20 (Member)

• 30 (Nonmember)

PRIZE: $5,500 and publication by the University of Nebraska Press

JUDGE: Jason Mott

MANUSCRIPT LENGTH: 60,000–110,000 words

Your name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript, otherwise it will be disqualified.

Acknowledgements should not appear anywhere on the manuscript, otherwise it will be disqualified.

The cover letter field can contain this information, or anything else you choose.

Please also include a brief (roughly one hundred words) synopsis in the designated field, as this will help our screeners more easily categorize and review the submissions they read.

About the AWP Award Series

The AWP Award Series is an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and it is open to published and unpublished authors alike. 

The AWP Award Series conducts an evaluation process of writers, for writers, by writers. AWP hires a staff of screeners who are writers themselves; the screeners review manuscripts for the judges. Typically, the screeners will select ten manuscripts in each genre for the judges’ final evaluations.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Only book-length manuscripts are eligible. The AWP Award Series defines “book-length” as: 

• Poetry: 48 pages minimum text;

• Short story collection or creative nonfiction: 150–300 manuscript pages; and

• Novel: at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words.

Poems, stories, and essays previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion in submissions, but manuscripts previously published in their entirety, including self-published manuscripts, are not eligible. As the series is judged anonymously, no list of acknowledgments should accompany your manuscript.

The AWP Award Series is open to all authors writing original works primarily in English for adult readers. Mixed-genre manuscripts cannot be accepted. Criticism and scholarly monographs are not acceptable for creative nonfiction, which the AWP Award Series defines as factual and literary writing that has the narrative, dramatic, meditative, and lyrical elements of novels, plays, poetry, and memoir. 

To avoid conflict of interest and to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, friends and former students of a judge (former students who studied with a judge in an academic degree-conferring program or its equivalent) are ineligible to enter the competition in the genre for which their former teacher is serving as judge. 

Current staff of AWP and members of AWP’s board of directors may not enter the AWP Award Series, and previous staff and board members may not enter for a minimum of three years after leaving AWP or rotating off the board, respectively. 

AWP makes every effort to vary the judges by region, aesthetic, and institution so that writers, if ineligible one year, will certainly be eligible other years. If contestants win in any genre, they may not enter the competition again in the same genre for the next five consecutive years. 

You may submit your manuscript to other publishers while it is under consideration by the Award Series, but you must withdraw your manuscript via Submittable if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

AWP cannot consider manuscript revisions during the course of the contest, but the winning authors will have an opportunity to revise their works before publication. Please read the entry requirements and guidelines carefully before submitting your work.

Winners will be announced on our website and via email in summer 2024.

Terms & Conditions

• Your submitted manuscript must be an original work of which you are the sole author.

• The decision of the judge is final. The judge may choose no winner if he or she finds no manuscript that, in their estimation, merits publication and the award. 

• Your manuscript must be submitted in accordance with the eligibility requirements, format guidelines, and entry requirements, or it will be disqualified.

• No entry fees will be returned.

• This competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law. 

Manuscript Format Guidelines

Manuscripts must be typed and double-spaced. Poetry manuscripts may be single-spaced. Each manuscript must include a title page with the manuscript title only. If the author’s name appears anywhere on the manuscript, the submission will be disqualified. Do not add a page with acknowledgment of previous publications or a biographical note. Please upload your manuscript to our submission system as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

Entry Requirements

• Please upload your manuscript to our submission system as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• You will be required to remit an entry fee—$30 for nonmembers and $20 for AWP members—at the time of submission. All entry fees are nonrefundable. Students and faculty who have been registered by their program directors as members of AWP are eligible for the member fee. (Please note that if you are not an AWP member and submit to the member category, your submission will be disqualified).

• You may enter in more than one genre, and you may also enter multiple manuscripts in one genre, provided that each manuscript is uploaded separately as an individual entry.

The award for the prizes consists of the following:

• Prize money; and

• Publishing contract with the participating press.

Award winners will be invited to the annual AWP Conference & Bookfair for a celebration and reading. 

The award, and its corresponding prize money, is contingent on the author signing an agreed-upon contract with the participating press.

Questions? Email chronicle@awpwriter.org.

awp.submittable.com/submit

_____

The 2024 Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction

AWP

DEADLINE: February 28, 2024

ENTRY FEES:

• $20 (Member)

• 30 (Nonmember)

PRIZE $5,500 and publication by Mad Creek Books, an imprint of The Ohio State University Press

JUDGE: Deesha Philyaw

MANUSCRIPT LENGTH: 150–300 pages

Your name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript, otherwise it will be disqualified.

Acknowledgements should not appear anywhere on the manuscript, otherwise it will be disqualified.

The cover letter field can contain this information, or anything else you choose.

Please also include a brief (roughly one hundred words) synopsis in the designated field, as this will help our screeners more easily categorize and review the submissions they read.

About the AWP Award Series

The AWP Award Series is an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and it is open to published and unpublished authors alike. 

The AWP Award Series conducts an evaluation process of writers, for writers, by writers. AWP hires a staff of screeners who are writers themselves; the screeners review manuscripts for the judges. Typically, the screeners will select ten manuscripts in each genre for the judges’ final evaluations.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Only book-length manuscripts are eligible. The AWP Award Series defines “book-length” as: 

• Poetry: 48 pages minimum text;

• Short story collection or creative nonfiction: 150–300 manuscript pages; and

• Novel: at least 60,000 and no more than 110,000 words.

Poems, stories, and essays previously published in periodicals are eligible for inclusion in submissions, but manuscripts previously published in their entirety, including self-published manuscripts, are not eligible. As the series is judged anonymously, no list of acknowledgments should accompany your manuscript.

The AWP Award Series is open to all authors writing original works primarily in English for adult readers. Mixed-genre manuscripts cannot be accepted. Criticism and scholarly monographs are not acceptable for creative nonfiction, which the AWP Award Series defines as factual and literary writing that has the narrative, dramatic, meditative, and lyrical elements of novels, plays, poetry, and memoir. 

To avoid conflict of interest and to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, friends and former students of a judge (former students who studied with a judge in an academic degree-conferring program or its equivalent) are ineligible to enter the competition in the genre for which their former teacher is serving as judge. 

Current staff of AWP and members of AWP’s board of directors may not enter the AWP Award Series, and previous staff and board members may not enter for a minimum of three years after leaving AWP or rotating off the board, respectively. 

AWP makes every effort to vary the judges by region, aesthetic, and institution so that writers, if ineligible one year, will certainly be eligible other years. If contestants win in any genre, they may not enter the competition again in the same genre for the next five consecutive years. 

You may submit your manuscript to other publishers while it is under consideration by the Award Series, but you must withdraw your manuscript via Submittable if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

AWP cannot consider manuscript revisions during the course of the contest, but the winning authors will have an opportunity to revise their works before publication. Please read the entry requirements and guidelines carefully before submitting your work.

Winners will be announced on our website and via email in summer 2024.

Terms & Conditions

• Your submitted manuscript must be an original work of which you are the sole author.

• The decision of the judge is final. The judge may choose no winner if he or she finds no manuscript that, in their estimation, merits publication and the award. 

• Your manuscript must be submitted in accordance with the eligibility requirements, format guidelines, and entry requirements, or it will be disqualified.

• No entry fees will be returned.

• This competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law. 

Manuscript Format Guidelines

Manuscripts must be typed and double-spaced. Poetry manuscripts may be single-spaced. Each manuscript must include a title page with the manuscript title only. If the author’s name appears anywhere on the manuscript, the submission will be disqualified. Do not add a page with acknowledgment of previous publications or a biographical note. Please upload your manuscript to our submission system as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

Entry Requirements

• Please upload your manuscript to our submission system as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

• You will be required to remit an entry fee—$30 for nonmembers and $20 for AWP members—at the time of submission. All entry fees are nonrefundable. Students and faculty who have been registered by their program directors as members of AWP are eligible for the member fee. (Please note that if you are not an AWP member and submit to the member category, your submission will be disqualified).

• You may enter in more than one genre, and you may also enter multiple manuscripts in one genre, provided that each manuscript is uploaded separately as an individual entry.

The award for the prizes consists of the following:

• Prize money; and

• Publishing contract with the participating press.

Award winners will be invited to the annual AWP Conference & Bookfair for a celebration and reading. 

The award, and its corresponding prize money, is contingent on the author signing an agreed-upon contract with the participating press.

Questions? Email chronicle@awpwriter.org.

awp.submittable.com/submit

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Autumn house Fiction Prize

Autumn House Press

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024

READING FEE: $35

INFO: For the 2024 contest, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Kristen Arnett. The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,500.

We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by June 1, 2024. 

GUIDELINES:

• The winner will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book

• All finalists will be considered for publication

• Fiction submissions should be approximately 150-300 double-spaced pages (37,500- 75,000 words)

• The reading fee is $35 (We will waive the submission fee for those undergoing financial hardship or living with limited means. Before you reach out to request a waived fee, please read our full statement and instructions here. If the guidelines are not followed, we will not be able to offer a waived fee.)

• All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible

• The book should be previously unpublished

• We only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted.

• Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript

• You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable

• Do not include a bio or an acknowledgments page in the manuscript

• Feel free to include a table of contents (This does not count as part of your final page count)

• Simultaneous submissions permitted

• Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships.

• Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest.

FINAL JUDGE BIO: Kristen Arnett is the queer author of With Teeth: A Novel (Riverhead Books, 2021) which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction, and the New York Times bestselling debut novel Mostly Dead Things (Tin House, 2019) which was also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and was shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. She was awarded a Shearing Fellowship at Black Mountain Institute, has held residencies at Ragdale Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the Millay Colony, and the Key West Literary Seminar (upcoming 2024), and was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize recognizing mid-career writers of fiction. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, The Cut, Oprah Magazine, Guernica, Buzzfeed, McSweeneys, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, Salon, The Washington Post, and elsewhere. Her next novel, CLOWN, will be published by Riverhead Books (Penguin Random House).

autumnhouse.org/submissions/fiction/

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ‘ELEVATE’ Issue

Yellow Arrow Journal

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024

INFO: Yellow Arrow Publishing is excited to announce that submissions for our next issue of Yellow Arrow Journal, Vol. IX, No. 1 (spring 2024) is open, providing a platform for authors to embrace and amplify their own voice. Guest editor, Jennifer N. Shannon, contemplates about her voice by reflecting on The Color Purple:

“I am proud of my becoming, as a mother and writer and friend and daughter and partner. I am also excited about the honesty I am searching for even when it’s scary. The Color Purple did that. The latest version of this masterpiece still does that for me. It makes me want to be brave, live in my truth, evolve into who I will become, and share my voice as loudly as I can. It makes me want to help other women do the same, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to do just that, with my curatorial work and with Yellow Arrow Journal, Vol. IX, No. 1.”

This issue’s theme is ELEVATE

: to improve morally, intellectually, or culturally

: to lift up or make higher

: to raise the spirits of

1. What story do you want to tell but haven’t found the words for? How will the story affect those who read or hear your truth? What will it do for you to share this story with the world?

2. What has guided you along your journey? What actions have elevated you? Are there any themes that show themselves to you repeatedly and if so what do you think they mean?

3. How are you moving forward in your writing, in your life, in your job, in your relationships, within your passion(s)? What is expanding and evolving you? Is your mindset growing? What scares you about your progression? What brings you joy? What’s stopping you?

Yellow Arrow Journal is looking for creative nonfiction, poetry, and cover art submissions by writers/artists who identify as women, on the theme of ELEVATE. Submissions can be in any language as long as an English translation accompanies it. For more information regarding journal submission guidelines, please visit yellowarrowpublishing.com/submissions. Please read our guidelines carefully before submitting. To learn more about our editorial views and how important your voice is in your story, read about the journal. This issue will be released in May 2024.

yellowarrowpublishing.com/news/yaj-ix-01-submissions-open-elevate

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Tiny Spoon Residency + WORKSHOPS

Tiny Spoon

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024

INFO: As writers and educators ourselves, at Tiny Spoon we understand the importance of having opportunities to practice and expand your professional experience. That is why starting in 2022, we founded our Tiny Residency, a remote opportunity to fine tune your writing workshop leadership skills and be featured by Tiny Spoon so your work can reach a wider audience.

WHAT IS THE RESIDENCY?

We will select three residents per year in the Spring, Fall, and Winter who will each conduct a workshop on a topic of their choice, and will have opportunities for promotion and publishing online. You will also receive payment based on workshop sign-up funds.

WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE RESIDENT?

The resident will be in charge of planning the curriculum of a weekend virtual live workshop, either May 25 & 26, September 28 & 29, or February 2025 TBD. Their main focus will be preparing for the workshops through lesson planning, gathering sources, creating writing exercises, promotional materials, etc. Tiny Spoon is here to help with questions and ensuring the workshop runs smoothly, but the overall content and format of the workshop is at the discretion of the resident.

While Tiny Spoon will serve as the platform for the workshop, additional marketing materials will be requested to help promote the workshop and tease its contents. This may include a page on our website to showcase you and your workshop; a brief blog post further teasing the workshop; an artist statement or feature blog post to introduce yourself; and additional videos, quotes, samples of work to be used in promotional content. Specifics of this will be discussed upon acceptance into the residency.

WHAT DOES A WORKSHOP ENTAIL?

Tiny Spoon will handle sign up logistics, but you will be in charge of leading the actual workshop from start to finish. This means it can be anything you imagine! You might think about what writing workshops have inspired you in the past and how you want to balance inspirational content and examples with time for writing and sharing.

Upon acceptance, Tiny Spoon will have a brainstorming talk with you to solidify your ideas for the workshop, but you might consider in advance: What is the central theme of my workshop? What samples of writing, art, or otherwise might I introduce for inspiration? Will I lecture or perform to introduce new ideas? What writing or creative prompts will I provide? How will I pace information with creation time? Will it be centered on writing, or other art or performative media?

If you haven’t attended many workshops or led them yourself, you can still apply to the residency! Reflect upon the above questions, and the editors of Tiny Spoon can help guide you build its weekend curriculum.

WHAT ARE THE PERKS OF BEING A RESIDENT?

The residency is all about you. Within our modest time and date parameters, the workshop can take whatever content and form you desire. We’ll not only promote your workshop, but your work in general. We’ll spotlight you on our social media, website, and blog and connect to any social media and website that gives further information for your work. The residency is all about exposure and experience. Tiny Spoon will do all it can to ensure your name and creative practice is highlighted.

Tiny Spoon will handle the logistics of the workshop, from the sign ups, emails, and Zoom meetings. You will be able to focus on creative content and lesson planning, while we prepare the behind-the-scenes of the event.

You will also receive half of the funds from workshop sign-ups. This will vary on the amount of people who register. As a part of our ethos, we believe in welcoming everyone to writing workshops and encourage sign up with a sliding-scale, donation-based payment.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN CANDIDATES?

For this particular residency, we are looking for burgeoning writers. As many professional opportunities, such as teaching jobs, writing programs, or other residencies, often ask for similar experiences, we want this to be a space where you can experiment, practice, and grow in your early career. We will prioritize those who exemplify our experimental spirit and show potential through their energetic, rising profession. We will not obsess over credentials, but rather, the promise you present where you are in the moment.

WHEN IS THE RESIDENCY?

We will have a Spring and Fall Tiny Resident, with the following workshop dates:

• May 25th (Saturday) and 26th (Sunday) for the Spring Resident

• September 28th (Saturday) and 29th (Sunday) for the Fall Resident

• February 2025 TBD for the Winter Resident

On the application, you will be asked to indicate preference for spring, fall, or both/either. You must be available on the above dates for the respective Spring/Fall/Winter Residency you select; we can be mildly flexible with the workshop time itself. We recommend workshops that are 2-3 hours per day.

THE APPLICATION: To prepare, the application will ask you for information about yourself, your creative practice, and ideas for your workshop. At this time, we do not expect you to provide us with an extensive lesson plan (unless that’s your style), but it should be detailed enough to give us an understanding of your intentions if you are chosen as the resident.

The applications are due by February 29. Those in by early February will receive priority for the Spring Residency position.

So finances are not an obstacle, we do not charge to apply for the residency. That said, a great deal of time and care will go into the selection process, and we want our residents to get all they can out of the program. If you are able to contribute, we recommend adding $5 or $10 into the Tip Jar, but any amount is welcome. All funds will go toward the residency program.

tinyspoon.org/residency/

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call for submissions: mutter magazine

Moss & Milk Press

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024

INFO: Mutter Magazine, a writing magazine on care, mothering, matrescence & mother nature is currently accepting submissions for issue two. The theme is roots: ideas might include roots in the community/communal roots, ancestral roots, interconnectedness, maiden & mother roots (identity/self/growth) & mother nature (tree roots, roots in the wild/our animal roots).

Feel free to explore this however you like.

Email one file, in .doc or .docx format, containing up to five pieces (articles, poetry, prose, etc.) with clear titles, to: mutterbristol@gmail.com.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

• Submissions are open year-round so feel free to submit whenever you like. If we don’t use your work for one issue we will keep it in mind for another, as long as it suits the theme.

• The themes for each issue act as a guide.

• Copyright remains yours. If you send us something that has been published before please inform us about where and when so that we can take this into consideration.

• Your connection to motherhood is personal. This is a gathering of various records and voices of motherhood and mothering; of caring and being cared for; of mourning and loss; of trying to conceive; of infertility; of the mothering of siblings, of parents, of oneself; of foster care or fostering, adoption or surrogacy, abortion or miscarriage; of one’s own mothers or grandmothers; of all those caring, nurturing, and growing life on this earth, alongside mother nature.

CONTENT GUIDELINES:

Our focus is creative writing, but we are open to the possibility of publishing all kinds of writing, including non-fiction/articles, as we acknowledge that your written creative output as a mother or carer may take different and/or experimental forms.

Please keep prose to 1,500 words or under and poetry to around 100 lines (including blank lines between verses). However, work that slightly exceeds these limits will still be considered.

mossandmilk.co.uk/submit/

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Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators

Words Without Borders

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024

INFO: Words Without Borders announces the second annual Momentum Grant for Early-Career Translators, judged by Sawad Hussain.

Reading work from other places, and from other points of view, is one of the most horizon-expanding and culturally educational experiences available to us, but this experience depends on the financial viability of translation as a profession. Although many countries support translators in various ways, the US lags behind them, and the challenges of entering the profession are exacerbated for translators from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in the publishing sector. In a market that provides a paucity of governmental and institutional support for translation work, individual grants are especially important. This grant aims to support early-career translators seeking to bring international work into the English-language marketplace.

The grant is intended to facilitate the completion of a substantial sample of a book-length work of prose translation suitable for submission to English-language publishers, and will be awarded to an individual translator who has not yet received a book-length contract for translation work into English. We particularly welcome submissions from translators from historically underrepresented cultures and backgrounds. Submissions will be judged by translator Sawad Hussain and the editors of Words Without Borders. An excerpt of the winning sample translation will be published in Words Without Borders, and the recipient will receive $3,000, funded by the Malecha Family Foundation.

ELIGIBILITY:

Translators who have not published or received a contract for a book-length translation into English are eligible. Submitted projects may be from any original language but must not have already appeared in English translation. Though contemporary English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States.

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

• a 500-word project description

• a 2,500-word translation sample and the corresponding section of the original text

• author bio

• translator bio

• a personal statement on the applicant’s trajectory as a translator and professional goals, not to exceed 300 words

• copyright information for the original text and confirmation from the copyright holder that English-language rights to the book are available (unless the work is in the public domain)

wordswithoutborders.org/read/article/2024-01/words-without-borders-announces-second-annual-momentum-grant-for-early-career-translators/

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Wild Words 2024: ACW Seeks Writing By North Country Teens

Adirondack Center for Writing

DEADLINE: February 29, 2024 by midnight

INFO: Submissions are now open for the 2024 Wild Words Adirondack Teen Writing Anthology, presented by the Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW). This new print publication is a place for teens living in the North Country to publish their creative writing. A public book launch is scheduled for April 27, 2024 at Harrietstown Town Hall in Saranac Lake (39 Main Street). Copies will be available for a small donation.

Teens ages 13-19 living in the North Country of New York State are eligible to submit writing for consideration in the anthology, which will be published in the spring of 2024. Last year’s 2023 anthology featured 70 teen writers from all corners of the Adirondack region, including poetry, short stories, plays, memoirs, personal essays, book excerpts, science fiction, and fantasy writing. Over 300 copies of the 2023 anthology have been distributed to date, and 200 teens, family members, friends, and community supporters attended the 2023 book launch. 

ACW has provided an online toolkit for organizations and teachers who are interested in sharing this opportunity with members of their communities, available at adirondackcenterforwriting.org/wildwords. The toolkit provides marketing materials as well as accessible creative writing prompts designed to get teens writing. Submissions are due by midnight on February 29, 2024. 

The Wild Words anthology is a collaboration between Visiting Writer Erin Dorney and the Adirondack Center for Writing as part of the Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY) Artist Employment Program. CRNY, a project of the Tides Center, is a three-year, $125 million investment in the financial stability of New York State artists and the organizations that employ them. Dorney will work with ACW through June 2024 on a variety of projects designed to encourage creative writing and readership throughout the Adirondacks.

adirondackcenterforwriting.org/wild-words-2024/

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Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award for native american poets + writers

Poets & Writers

DEADLINE: March 1, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

INFO: Indigenous writers who are enrolled members of a Native American tribe in the contiguous United States or Alaska are invited to apply for the 2024 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award.

One fiction writer and one poet will be selected. Winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to meet with top literary professionals, including editors, agents, publishers, and prominent writers. This year’s judges are Kelli Jo Ford for fiction and Jake Skeets for poetry.

ELIGIBLE WRITERS:

• Poets and fiction writers are eligible to apply if they:

• Are a U.S. resident and an enrolled member of a Native American tribe in the contiguous United States or Alaska for at least two years prior to the application deadline, which is March 1.

• Have never published a book or have published no more than one full-length book in the genre in which they are applying.

• Winners and runners-up will be asked to submit verification of residency and tribal enrollment, as well as publication history.

• Writers may apply in poetry and/or fiction (only one manuscript per category).

• Employees of Poets & Writers, Inc. are not eligible.

AWARDS:

• One poet and one fiction writer will be selected as winners. Winners will be announced in summer 2024. Each will receive:

• A $500 honorarium;

• An all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in fall 2024 to meet with editors, agents, publishers, and other writers, and to give a public reading, hosted by Poets & Writers;

• A one-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming.

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Poetry manuscripts should not exceed ten pages, single or double-spaced (minimum of 7 pages).

• Fiction manuscripts should not exceed 25 pages and must be double-spaced. Fiction manuscripts may include stories and/or excerpts from novels.

• Published work may be included; however, photocopies of previously published work from a book or a magazine will not be accepted. Published work submitted for this award must conform to the above manuscript requirements and should not be identified as published work.

• All work must be the applicant’s original work and written in English; translations are not eligible. There are no restrictions on style or subject matter.

2024 JUDGES:

Kelli Jo Ford is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Her novel-in-stories debut, Crooked Hallelujah, was longlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, the Story Prize, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, the Dublin Literary Award, and the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. She is the recipient of honors and awards including a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship, the Paris Review’s Plimpton Prize, a Creative Capital Award, and a Native Arts & Cultures Foundation Artist Fellowship. She teaches writing at the Institute of American Indian Arts.

Jake Skeets is the author of Eyes Bottle Dark with a Mouthful of Flowers, winner of the National Poetry Series, American Book Award, Kate Tufts Discovery Award, and Whiting Award. His poetry and prose have appeared widely in journals and magazines including Poetry, the New York Times Magazine, and the Paris Review. He holds an MFA in Poetry from the Institute of American Indian Arts. His honors include a National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Arts Projects, a Mellon Projecting All Voices Fellowship, and the 2023-2024 Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. He is from the Navajo Nation and teaches at the University of Oklahoma.

pw.org/about-us/maureen_egen_writers_exchange_award

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call for submissions: Flash Friday

Raising Mothers

DEADLINE: March 1, 2024

INFO: Raising Mothers’ column, Flash Friday, has its first call and we want to read your words!

THEME:

Send in your micro and flash submissions in fiction or nonfiction on the theme: HIBERNATE/EMERGE.

• How does it feel when transitioning from winter to spring?

• How would it be to awaken when you still want to sleep?

• What does your family do with a bright winter’s day or a warm and rainy morning?

• What secrets do you hear, and what joys are left behind or rediscovered?

GUIDELINES:

Send us your micro (100 words max) and flash (1000 words max) exploring the space between seasons.

• All writing should have a strong narrative arc and distinctive voice

• Raising Mothers only publishes work from members of the global majority

raisingmothers.com/submissions/

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Apogee Journal Reading Periods

Apogee

DEADLINE: March 1, 2024

INFO: We’ll be reading for nonfiction, fiction, and poetry during the month of February 2024 (February 1 – March 1). To share flash, interviews, and reviews with Perigee, please see this page.

The word “apogee” denotes the point in an object’s orbit farthest from a center. In turn, we value artistic expression far from the political center, created by artists and writers of oppressed identities who interrogate aesthetic and political status quos through their work. As we do so, we pay tribute to the Black feminist Combahee River Collective in recognition that “the major systems of oppression are interlocking.” To that end, we combat the domination of white, cis-heteronormative, patriarchal, settler-colonial voices that pervade our literary landscape in our celebration of linguistic diversity and our commitment to our community of readers and contributors. We recognize that centrist literary and artistic spheres contribute to genocide and other forms of violence via censorship and political suppression. We aim to uplift the work of those writing against genocide and would like to extend an invitation to Palestinian, Lebanese, Congolese, and Sudanese writers in particular to share their work during this reading period.

To submit to Fiction please click here before submitting your work at the Apogee Journal Submission Manager. You must complete the Submitter Form and submit your story for us to consider your fiction. Please note, these steps apply only for fiction submissions.

We look for work that centers the experience of marginalized perspectives. We want to foster work that addresses the politics of identity, such as migration, diaspora, multiculturalism, privilege, hierarchy, oppression, though these themes are not a requirement for publication. We believe the exploration of perspectives and voices that are mostly unheard and ignored is a political act itself. To read our mission statement, please visit this page.

All work must be previously unpublished.

• Cover letters are optional.

• Please include a current bio.

• We accept simultaneous submissions. Please notify us if your work has been accepted elsewhere.

• For prose submissions, please send a maximum of 5,000 words, in either .doc or .docx format. Please send only one piece per reading period.

• Please send a maximum of five poems in the same document, either .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.

apogeejournal.org/share-apogee/

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2024 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Gotham Writers

DEADLINE: March 1, 2024 by 11:59pm EST

ENTRY FEE: $25

INFO: The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. This long-running series at Symphony Space in New York City celebrates the art of the short story by having stars of stage and screen read aloud the works of established and emerging writers. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast.

The 2024 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties). The winning work will be performed by an actor in spring 2024, and published on Electric Literature. The winning writer will receive $1000 and a free 10-week course with Gotham Writers.

GUIDELINES:

• Entries should be 750 words or less.

• Stories can be on any theme.

• Writers of all ages and nationalities are eligible.

• The story must have a title.

• We do not accept work that has been previously published in print, online, or any other medium.

• We do not accept works in translation.

• Once entered, we do not accept revisions for any stories. Your $25 is nonrefundable.

• You may enter as many stories as you like, but a $25 fee is required for each story.

• We no longer accept mailed, paper submissions. Stories received in the mail will be returned unread with your uncashed check. If you have problems with the online form or are unable to submit online for some extenuating circumstance, please contact Selected Shorts directly at shorts@symphonyspace.org and we will make sure your work reaches us.

• The winner will be announced in spring 2024. 

v2.writingclasses.com/contests/stella-kupferberg-memorial-short-story-prize-2024

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ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program

ProPublica

DEADLINE: March 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET

INFO: For the second year, ProPublica will invite up to 10 news editors from media companies across the country to participate in a yearlong investigative editing training program, led by the newsroom’s award-winning staff.

Applications are now open for the ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program. Submissions are due Monday, March 11.

As the nation’s premier nonprofit investigative newsroom, ProPublica is dedicated to journalism that changes laws and lives and to advancing the careers of the people who produce it. The goal of this program is to address our industry’s critical need to diversify the ranks of investigative editors. Building a pipeline of talent is a priority that serves us and our industry.

“ProPublica has made real strides since it was established 15 years ago in building an investigative newsroom, but it has struggled, like our competitors across the country, when it comes to finding journalists with the investigative chops to become editors,” said Ginger Thompson, chief of correspondents and an architect of the editor training program. “Rather than sitting around lamenting the problem, we decided to try to do something to fix it.”

When we announced this program last year, we were overwhelmed by the interest. We chose our inaugural cohort from a stacked field of 159 applicants who were eager to develop their skills as investigative editors.

Then we brought them to New York for an intensive weeklong boot camp featuring a curriculum developed by Thompson and Deputy Managing Editor Alexandra Zayas that breaks down how ProPublica crafts its investigations for maximum impact.

“When reading ProPublica stories, I often wondered how the reporter and editor even thought to do them,” said Brendan Klinkenberg, a member of the inaugural cohort and, now, senior editor at The New York Times. “And in our first course, I started to see in really clear terms how ProPublica thinks about investigations. It was a real curtain-peeled-back moment.”

In addition to the sessions, which focus on every aspect of editing from story selection and memos to managing the reporting and digging into the first draft, participants also get to learn from one another.

“Everyone was more open than I expected them to be,” said Lillian M. Ortiz, a member of the inaugural cohort and managing editor at Shelterforce. “I took a lot away from the training session that I’ve brought back to my newsroom. It was also eye-opening to hear about the similar challenges other editors are facing or have faced — especially in newsrooms that are much larger than mine.”

Tracy Jan, deputy health and science health editor at The Washington Post, said, “I left with not only inspiration but also concrete, practical steps I can take as an editor to help our team achieve ambitious, rewarding work.”

This year’s program will begin in June 2024 with a weeklong boot camp in New York that will include courses and panel discussions on how to conceive of and produce investigative projects that expose harm and have impact. The editors will also get training in how to manage reporters who are working with data, documents and sensitive sources, including whistleblowers, agency insiders and people who have suffered trauma. The program continues with a yearlong mentorship pairing and virtual continuing education sessions.

This program is funded through the generous support of the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, which supports organizations in journalism, film and the arts whose work is dedicated to social justice and strengthening democracy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is this?

The ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program is designed to help expand the ranks of editors with investigative experience in more newsrooms across the country, with a focus on people from underrepresented backgrounds.

What kind of experience can you expect?

The program kicks off with a five-day intensive editing boot camp in New York, with courses and panel discussions led by ProPublica’s senior editors, veteran reporters and other newsroom leaders. The boot camp will include hands-on editing exercises and opportunities for participants to workshop projects underway in their own newsrooms.

Afterward, participants will gather virtually every two months for seminars and career development discussions with their cohort and ProPublica journalists. Each of the participants will also be assigned a ProPublica senior editor as a mentor for advice on story and management challenges or on how to most effectively pursue their own professional aspirations.

What skills should I expect to learn?

• How to evaluate story ideas and determine the right scope, length and time for getting the work done.

• How to manage a reporter through a complicated accountability story and communicate feedback in ways that build trust and confidence.

• How to edit investigative drafts, spot holes in reporting logic, organize a narrative and guide the reporter through the fact-checking process.

• How to work collaboratively with research, data and multimedia teams to elevate an investigative project.

When is the boot camp?

The five-day, all-expenses-paid boot camp will be held June 2-6, 2024, in New York, with remote sessions via Zoom throughout the year.

Is there a virtual option for the boot camp?

We are planning for the 2024 boot camp to be held in person and will not have a virtual option.

Will I be responsible for my expenses in New York?

ProPublica will cover participants’ expenses for meals, travel and lodging during the boot camp.

How many participants will be selected each year?

Up to 10 journalists.

What if I can’t make it this year?

ProPublica plans to offer this training in 2025 as well.

Who is eligible?

The program is open to all, but we especially encourage people from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. As part of the application, participants will be asked how their inclusion in the program will help to diversify the editing ranks of investigative journalism.

The ideal participants will have:

• A minimum of five years of journalism experience, either as an editor or as a reporter primarily doing work with an investigative or accountability focus.

• A strong grasp of the basics of editing, storytelling, structure and framing.

• Experience managing a team of journalists or a complicated multipronged reporting project.

• An accountability mindset: You don’t have to have been on the investigative team, but we are looking for people with an eye for watchdog reporting and editing.

Am I eligible if I live outside of the United States?

Our program is open to all, but our goal is to improve the diversity of investigative editors in the United States and we’ll focus participation accordingly.

How can I learn more about the program?

We’ll be hosting an informational webinar on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. You can register and submit questions in advance here.

What if I have other questions?

Send an email to Assistant Managing Editor Talia Buford at talent@propublica.org.

boards.greenhouse.io/propublica02/jobs/4325953006

FICTION / NONFICTION — JANUARY 2024

JACOBS/JONES AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERARY PRIZE

North Carolina Writers’ Network

DEADLINE: January 2, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE:

• Member: $10

• Non-Member: $20

INFO: The Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize honors Harriet Jacobs and Thomas Jones, two pioneering African-American writers from North Carolina, and seeks to convey the rich and varied existence of African-American/Black North Carolinians. The contest, sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network, is administered by the Creative Writing Program at UNC-Chapel Hill. The winner receives $1,000 and possible publication of the winning entry in The Carolina Quarterly.

ELIGIBILITY + GUIDELINES:

• The competition is open to any African-American/Black writer whose primary residence is in North Carolina.

• Entries may be fiction or creative nonfiction, but must be unpublished*, no more than 3,000 words, and concerned with the lives and experiences of African-American/Black North Carolinians. Entries may be excerpts from longer works, but must be self-contained. Entries will be judged on literary merit.

• An entry fee must accompany each submission: $10 for NCWN members, $20 for nonmembers. You may submit multiple entries, but the correct fee must accompany each one.

• You may pay the members’ entry fee if you join the NCWN when you submit.

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

• If submitting by mail, submit two copies of an unpublished manuscript, not to exceed 3,000 words, on single-sided pages, double-spaced, in black 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.

• The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript. Instead, include a separate cover sheet with name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and manuscript title.

• To submit by USPS:
  Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize
  c/o NCWN
  P. O. Box 21591
  Winston-Salem, NC 27120

• When you submit online, Submittable will collect your entry fee via credit card ($10 NCWN members / $20 non-members). (If submitting online, do not include a cover sheet with your document; Submittable will collect and record your name and contact information. For more information about Submittable, click here.)

• Entries will not be returned.

• The winner will be announced in February.

• For questions, please contact mail@ncwriters.org.

ncwriters.org/programs/competitions/jacobs-jones-african-american-literary-prize/

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call for full-length manuscripts

Feminist Press

DEADLINE: January 3, 2024

INFO: Feminist Press is now accepting full-length book manuscripts, including fiction, nonfiction, and anthologies!

Your submission must be one PDF that includes:

• A synopsis of your work, including a brief explanation of why it is a good fit for Feminist Press

• A short author bio, including anything you’ve published before and where we might find you on social media (if applicable)

• A brief marketing plan that outlines the following: your network, your promotional experience and capacity, and your ideas for positioning your work

• At least three sample chapters (or 50 pages) of your work

• Please review the submissions guidelines on our website for more information about what we're looking for.

• You will only be able to submit one project to this portal, so please review your work carefully before submitting.

feministpress.submittable.com/submit

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SALTONSTALL FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS

DEADLINE: January 7, 2024. by 11:59pm

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: The Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts is thrilled to announce our Call for Entries for the 2024 Residency season! Residencies will begin May 30 and run through October 31.

We welcome submissions from artists and writers living in New York State and Indian Nations therein working in the following disciplines:

• Poetry

• Fiction & Creative Nonfiction

• Photography & Filmmaking

• Painting | Sculpture | Visual Arts

Accessible to all artists and writers

Saltonstall has re-centered our mission to make the residency experience accessible to all artists and writers in New York State.

• In 2017, we waived application fees to remove an economic bar to access.

• In 2019, we piloted a one-week residency specifically for artists and writers with at least one dependent child at home.

• And in 2021, we offered a newly-constructed accessible space, so that all artists and writers in New York State could be part of our residency program

There is no cost associated with the residency and no cost to apply.

Artists and writers who are awarded a residency are provided the following:

• $100 per-week stipend + additional stipend support based on financial need. This was a new initiative in 2023. We expect the upper threshold to be approximately $1,000 with priority given to those living below the median household income for their NYS County.

• Artist/writer parents who attend the 7-night residency for parents will receive a $500 stipend.

• writers: a spacious private apartment with ample desk space

• visual artists: a private apartment with adjoining studio space on the same level

• photographers or filmmakers: a private apartment with ample desk space and a fully functional wet darkroom

• all apartments have private baths and a patio or balcony

• hearty chef-prepared vegetarian dinners (we always accommodate for allergies but cannot always accommodate very specific dietary sensitivities.)

• groceries and a 24-hour accessible kitchen

• washer and dryer in each building

saltonstall.org/residencies/application-guidelines/

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2024 COURAGE to WRITE GRANTS

The de Groot Foundation

APPLICATION PERIOD: January 7 - February 5, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $22.00

INFO: The de Groot Foundation will award thirty COURAGE to WRITE unrestricted grants to writers in 2024.

Ten COURAGE to WRITE grants of $7000 each and twenty Writer of Note grants of $1500 each. These grants are meant to encourage and support writers as they further or complete a specific project. The Writer of Note grantees are chosen from the pool of finalists for the COURAGE to WRITE grants.

GUIDELINES: Applicants for COURAGE to WRITE grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applications:

• are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.

• must be submitted in English.

• are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committee.

• Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.

• If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup

Application

There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample

1. Your biosketch

a. A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person

b. Limited to no more than 100 words

c. Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.

2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:

a. An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)

b. How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)

c. How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)

d. Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)

e. Please address the letter to: Dear COURAGE to WRITE Reviewers

f. Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.

The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.

3. Writing sample

a. Please submit an unpublished writing sample, which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.

b. Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.

c. The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.

d. Exceptions:

i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.

ii. Screenplay or a play: You may submit up to 12 pages of a sample using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.

iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.

IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.

Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.

Format:

• Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.

• Numbering pages is optional.

Application Timeline:

• Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.

• Finalists will be notified by the end of April 2024.

• Grant awardees will be notified by the end of May 2024.

Review and Selection:

You’ll be sent a message when your application has been received.

• Stage 1 Review: All eligible applications are read by teams of reviewers. Depending on the discretion of the reviewers, between 40 to 60 finalist applications are chosen.

• Stage 2 Review: Finalist applications are evaluated by the final Selection Committee. This committee chooses the ten COURAGE to WRITE grantees. From the remaining applications, this committee will then pick the 20 Writer of Note grantees.

The Selection Committees are writers and writing professionals who appreciate the challenges of emerging writers. Selection Committee decisions are final. Correspondence will only be entered into with finalists and grantees.

Grantees will be asked to complete a Grant Acceptance Agreement and, if appropriate, a U.S. W-9 tax form. One year after receipt of funding, grantees agree to complete and return a one-to-three-page final report so that we can learn about your project and the grant’s impact on your work.

degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-grants/

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2024 LANDO Grant

The de Groot Foundation

APPLICATION PERIOD: January 7 - February 5, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $22.00

The de Groot Foundation is thrilled to collaborate with Barry Lando, award winning investigative journalist and former 60 Minutes producer, to provide the LANDO grants for immigration, migration, and/or refugee writing.

GUIDELINES: Applicants for LANDO grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.

WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applications:

• are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.

• must be submitted in English.

• are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committees.

• Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.

• If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.

HOW TO APPLY:

We want all applications to be considered. Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup

Application

There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample

1. Your biosketch

• A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person

• Limited to no more than 100 words

• Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.

2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:

• An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)

• How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)

• How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)

• Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)

• Please address the letter to: Dear LANDO Reviewers

• Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.

The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.

3. Writing sample

• Please submit a writing sample which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.

• Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.

• The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.

• Exceptions:

i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.

ii. Screenplay or a play: Please submit a one to two page synopsis of the screenplay or play and up to 12 pages of a sample script using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.

iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.

IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.

Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.

FORMAT:

• Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.

• Numbering pages is optional.

Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.

Finalists will be notified by early April 2024.

Grant awardees will be notified by early May 2024.

degrootfoundation.org/2024-lando-grant-guidelines/

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JAMES MERRILL WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE

James Merrill House

DEADLINE: January 8, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: In recognition of Merrill’s own contributions to Stonington, and his longstanding generosity, the fellowship provides living and working space and a $1,100 stipend to a writer to complete a project of literary or academic merit. Fellows are also hosted by local community members and organizations.

CRITERIA:

• A writer or scholar with a specific project of literary or academic merit who is committed to full-time residence in Stonington during his or her stay. We regret that the residency is not intended for completion of one’s dissertation. Genres accepted: poetry, fiction, non-fiction, plays.

• A person willing to contribute to the community. It is expected that this will include a reading or a workshop for the community.

• A person of integrity and responsibility who can be entrusted with the Merrill Apartment and its contents.

• We welcome suggestions from applicants about ways in which our fellows might reinforce the community’s links to writing, poetry, and James Merrill’s legacy. 

ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:

• We have six residencies for 2024-25: September 2024 (4 weeks), October (4 weeks) November (4 weeks) February-mid March 2025 (6 weeks) April-mid May (6 weeks) August (4 weeks)

•  For more information about living and working in the apartment, please visit: https://www.jamesmerrillhouse.org/apply

• The Writer-in-Residence program includes a stipend of $1,100 per month, prorated according to the length of stay.

APPLICANTS:

We accept applications for the 2024-2025 residencies between October 1, 2023 and January 8, 2024 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time. Decisions will be made by mid-March A complete application includes the following documents:

1. A resume of four or fewer pages

2. A writing or work sample of ten or fewer pages

3. A statement of your plan of work while in Stonington CT

4. Two letters of reference

5. If applicable, a brief biographical sketch of a spouse or partner who would be residing in the apartment with you. Please note that due to the age and nature of the building we cannot accept pets and it may be difficult for a child to reside there. If you have a child that would need to reside with you during the residency please let us know. Also, please note that the apartment is located on the third floor and is only accessible by stairs.

6. The James Merrill House follows the State of Connecticut guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic.

jamesmerrillhouse.org/apply

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“MISS SARAH” FELLOWSHIP FOR BLACK WOMEN WRITERS

Trillium Arts

DEADLINE: January 9, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: The “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers aims to provide Black women writers a restful environment conducive to reflection and writing. It also offers uninterrupted, independent time to plant the seed of an idea for a new writing project or to develop or complete a project underway.

For 2024 the Fellowship will focus on the genre of Fiction.

WHAT THE FELLOWSHIP ENTAILS:

The selected writer will receive a ten-day solo residency in July 2024 and can choose whether to stay at Trillium Arts’ rural “Firefly Creek” apartment in Mars Hills, NC or at E. Patrick Johnson and Stephen Lewis’ “Montford Manor” residence near downtown Asheville, NC. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend and transportation to and from Asheville, NC. Additional benefits will be custom tailored to the needs of the awardee.

DATES: The preferred dates for a “Miss Sarah” Fellowship in 2024 are July 10-20. However, the panel will consider other dates.

ELIGIBILITY: Black women writers at any stage of their careers are invited to apply. For applicants outside of the United States, please note that travel expenses will only be covered within the United States. International airfare will be at the expense of the applicant.

TIMELINE: The Deadline to apply is Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. The deadline is firm and the submission portal will be closed at the deadline. Applications will be reviewed by a panel and applicants will be notified by late April 1, 2024.

REQUIREMENTS:

Please upload and submit all of the following documents, either as PDF or Word documents. Files should not exceed 10 MB each.

• CV or resume (not to exceed 5 pages)

• A one-page statement of purpose outlining the proposed project.

• A one-page statement that addresses the question of, “Why Trillium Arts?” Be specific in how a Fellowship at Trillium Arts will benefit your creative work.

• One letter of recommendation. The letter should be submitted separately by an outside recommender. The letter should specifically refer to your writing project. Be sure to choose someone who can speak specifically about your project, and we suggest you share your work sample with your recommender so they can be informed about your writing.

In your letter, we will request that the recommender address the following three questions:

1. What makes the applicant's project significant?

2. Who do you imagine would be most served by this project?

3. What do you find inspiring about the applicant's project?

Provide an email address for your recommender in the online Submittable application form and your recommender will receive an automatic link to use to submit their letter on your behalf. Please remind the recommender that they need to reply to the automatic email and submit their letter by no later than Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 11:59pm EST, which is a two day grace period for the recommenders, following your application completion deadline of Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. Please plan accordingly to ensure that your recommender has enough time to submit.

• A writing sample of your proposed project. Work-in-progress is highly recommended. Writing samples should be in English. The genre for 2024 is Fiction.

• MA and MFA theses, PhD dissertations, and edited collections are not eligible and will be disqualified. Your work sample must be original.

• ·Your name and the title of your written piece should appear on the top of each uploaded file.

• Please submit your writing sample in ONE PDF document. The sample should be a minimum of 10 pages not exceed 15 pages. All submitted documents should be double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and in an easily readable 12-point font.

trilliumartsnc.org/writing-fellowships-guidelines

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2024 ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Anderson Center at Tower View

DEADLINE: January 9, 2024 at noon CST

INFO: Applications for our 2024 Artist Residency Programs in Red Wing, Minnesota are open. Advance your practice with dedicated time & space in a community of artists!

Jury review will take place in late January and February. Selected artist residents, wait-list and runners-up will be notified by March 5, 2024.

Anderson Center at Tower View offers various residency programs of two to four weeks’ duration from May through October each year to enable artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment to create, advance, or complete work. There are typically 5 residents at the Anderson Center at a time, and the organization hosts approximately 35-40 residents each year.

andersoncenter.org/residency-program/

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2024 Bechtel Prize

Teachers & Writers Collaborative

DEADLINE: January 12, 2024

INFO: T&W is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Bechtel Prize, judged by Garth Greenwell. Each year the Teachers & Writers Magazine editorial board awards the Bechtel Prize and a $1,000 honorarium for an essay describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction.

The Bechtel Prize is named for Louise Seaman Bechtel, who was an editor, author, collector of children’s books, and teacher. In 1919, Bechtel became the first person to lead a juvenile book department at an American publishing house. Bechtel helped establish the field of children’s literature and was a tireless advocate for the importance of literature in children’s lives. This award honors her legacy.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the classroom. We welcome essays about projects that carved a space for students to reflect on the events of the past year (eg. public health, remote learning, social justice, etc.). The experience/project/activity should be one that:

• helped students identify as writers

• opened new pathways to creative writing

• engaged students in all parts of the writing process

• promoted connections between reading and writing

• supported the publication of student writing

The essay itself should:

• Share actual classroom experience, including how students engaged with the project (in other words, this should not be a planned project but one that has already taken place).

• Focus on the classroom experience and what makes it innovative.

• Focus on teaching creative writing (eg. poetry, fiction, playwriting). Please do not send essays that have to do with teaching academic writing or teaching literature in general.

PRIZE: The essay selected to receive the Bechtel Prize will be published in Teachers & Writers Magazine, and the author will receive a $1,000 award.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Essays must be previously unpublished and under 2,500 words. They should include a cover page with the essay title, author’s name, e-mail address, phone number, and a brief bio (no more than 150 words).

• Send submissions in Word or PDF format via Submittable.

• Submissions will be judged anonymously. The author’s name and address must not appear anywhere on the essay.

• Authors of the Bechtel Prize winning essay and finalists must permit T&W to publish their essays in Teachers & Writers Magazine. T&W reserves the right to edit essays for publication.

• Submissions that do not conform to the above guidelines will not be reviewed for the Bechtel Prize. Submissions are only being accepted through Submittable.com. Please do not email submissions. Selection criteria for the Bechtel Prize include the proposal’s relevance and appropriateness for readers of Teachers & Writers Magazine, most of whom teach writing at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level. Teachers & Writers Magazine publishes work that is concise, lively, and geared to a general audience. Prospective entrants for the Bechtel Prize are encouraged to visit the magazine to become familiar with the work of Teachers & Writers and to read past winners of the award.

teachersandwritersmagazine.org/bechtel-prize/ ‘

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2023 Literary Awards

Santa Fe Writers Project

DEADLINE: January 14, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $30

INFO: We are looking for fiction and creative nonfiction of any genre. Past winners have included upmarket novels, collections of short stories, flash fiction, memoir, essays, magical realism, and even a graphic novel. SFWP is a traditional publisher with global distribution. We aggressively pursue subrights and have successfully sold translation, audio, and seven figure movie/TV deals for many titles in our catalog. Authors selected by our publishing wing will be offered a competitive contract with full marketing support. SFWP has extensive relationships with trade publications, sales reps, subrights agents, and bookbuyers worldwide.

Contracted authors enjoy a full developmental edit, an in house copyeditor, and will work closely with our in-house layout and design team. SFWP provides full support throughout the duration of your contract, and our authors consistently earn out.

You do not need to be from or associated with New Mexico or Santa Fe. We publish a wide range of books from authors who live all around the world, and are globally distributed by the Independent Publishers Group. Our subrights are represented by the Susan Schulman Agency in New York.

JUDGE: Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.

ELIGIB ILITY: All unpublished work is eligible. Previously published material is also eligible as long as it has not been published by a major press. So you can submit if you have published in zines, lit journals, and with micro presses. Self-published books are eligible, as are books published via Amazon and Ingram. If you have published with a small press and have not received any marketing support, then your book is eligible. We will accept excerpts and Works-In-Progress. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact us.

PRIZE: The grand prize is $1,500, and two runner-ups will receive $500 each

• Authors retain all rights to their work

• Winners will be offered a competitive book contract for full-market, frontlist release. There’s no obligation to sign this contract. The prize money is awarded either way.

• There is a pay-it-forward option, 100% of which will be used to cover the entry fee for authors who are not able to afford the fee. We will also be offing coupons, discounts, and raffles via our social media channels. If you are unable to pay the entry fee, please contact us.

• There is no minimum or maximum page limit.

• Simultaneous submissions are allowed. If your work is published during the contest, you will not be disqualified, and you do not need to withdraw your entry. If you do withdraw from the contest, we are not able to refund the reading fee.

santafewritersproject.submittable.com/submit/264984/2023-literary-awards-judged-by-deesha-philyaw

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KUNDIMAN RETREAT

Kundiman

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024

INFO: In order to mentor and build community among AAPI writers, Kundiman sponsors an annual Retreat in partnership with Fordham University. During each Retreat, six nationally renowned AAPI poets and fiction writers conduct craft classes and mentorship meetings. Readings, writing circles, and informal social gatherings are also scheduled. Through this Retreat, Kundiman hopes to provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging AAPI writers. This five-day Retreat takes place from Wednesday to Sunday.

CRAFT CLASSES & MENTORSHIP MEETINGS: A nationally renowned AAPI writer facilitates each craft class. Fellows are assigned a home group for the duration of the retreat, and each home group takes one craft class with each faculty member in their genre. Craft classes will not exceed six students. The Kundiman Retreat is generative in nature and so craft classes are focused on new work that is written at the Retreat. Craft classes include a craft talk, readings and prompts / exercises to generate this new work. Poetry and fiction Fellows will receive 30 minute mentorship meetings where they can speak with a faculty member about craft, career, and the writing life. Our hope is that Fellows are able to forge a deeper relationship to their artistic process and are able to encounter their work with renewed focus and energy.

LOCATION: The Kundiman Retreat is held at Fordham University's beautiful Rose Hill Campus located in the Bronx, NYC.

If you have any questions about accessibility or if you need any accommodations, please email info@kundiman.org.

ELIGIBILITY: Anyone who self-identifies as AAPI can apply to the Retreat.

LOGISTICS: It is expected that Fellows and faculty are in residence at Fordham University for the duration of the Retreat. We will ask that you not invite in outside visitors, or make plans to meet with visitors during the retreat. If you would like to explore New York City separate from the Retreat, please make plans to arrive in New York a few days before or after the Retreat to make arrangements for this. If you know that you will not be able to be in residence for the entirety of the Retreat, it is recommended that you select another year to attend.

Everyone in attendance will be required to be vaccinated and boosted to attend the Retreat, and to take a COVID test before arrival. Masks are required to be worn at all mandatory indoor events except when drinking or eating. Further guidance on COVID protocol will be provided to admitted Fellows at a later date.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Between December 1st and January 15th, apply to the Kundiman Retreat by clicking on one of the below buttons. Submit a cover letter and brief writing sample 5–7 pages of poetry or 5 pages of prose (1250 words max). Notification on application status will be given by mid-March.

kundiman.org/retreat

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2023 Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest

Craft Literary

DEADLINE: January 14, 2024

READING FEE: $20 per entry.

INFO: Calling all memoirists and essayists—we want to read your story! We’re looking for your most authentic creative nonfiction for the 2023 CRAFT Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest. Here’s what our wonderful guest judge, Sarah Fawn Montgomery, would like to see for this contest:

I’m looking for work that does not follow predictable patterns, but instead reimagines structural and stylistic possibilities entirely, transporting the reader into a writer’s world as opposed to translating that world for the reader. I want to be immersed in the writer’s mind, experiencing their sense of self in all its tender, powerful, painful, and gorgeous uncertainty. I’m drawn to unapologetic vulnerability, a thorough questioning of subject and self, and an attempt to capture complexity that does not necessarily result in tidy conclusion. Bonus points for attention to image and language that sings.

Please carefully review the guidelines below, then send us your most polished work. Three winners will receive $1,000 each and publication. Our team will also select two “editors’ choices” to publish alongside the three grand-prize winners. All fifteen shortlisted creative nonfiction writers will receive a $1,000 scholarship to PocketMFA. Do your words “sing” on the page? If so, don’t wait—submit ASAP!

GUIDELINES:

• CRAFT submissions are open to all writers, emerging and experienced.

• Submit creative nonfiction ONLY! (Please, no academic work, flash prose, short fiction, or poetry.)

• International submissions are allowed.

• Please submit work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary code-switching/meshing is warmly welcomed.

• This contest is for creative nonfiction excerpts and essays between 1,001 and 6,000 words. Please do not submit flash prose.

• We review literary creative nonfiction, but are open to a variety of genres and styles including memoir excerpts, lyric essays, personal essays, narrative nonfiction, speculative nonfiction, and experimental prose—our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft.

• For this contest, we will consider previously unpublished work only—we will not review reprints or partial reprints, including self-published work (even if only on social media). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.

• We allow simultaneous submissions—writers, please notify us and withdraw your entry if your work is accepted elsewhere.

• The $20 reading fee per entry allows one longform creative nonfiction piece (either memoir excerpt or essay) from 1,001 to 6,000 words. We will not read flash nonfiction prose for this contest. Please do not submit flash prose.

• We allow multiple submissions—each entry should be accompanied by a separate reading fee.

• All entries will also be considered for publication in CRAFT.

• Please double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.

• Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable).

• Please include appropriate content warnings (if applicable), for the sake of our dedicated, diligent staff.

• We do not require anonymous submissions, but the guest judge will review the shortlist anonymously.

• Creative nonfiction writers from historically marginalized groups are invited to submit for free until we reach the twenty-five free submissions budgeted for this particular contest. Email us with relevant inquiries.

• We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, disability, family status, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, or for any other reason.

• Additionally, we do not tolerate discrimination in the writing we consider for publication: work we find discriminatory on any of the bases stated here will be declined/disqualified without complete review.

• AI-generated work will be automatically disqualified.

• Entries that do not adhere to these guidelines in full will be declined/disqualified without complete review.

AWARDS:

The writers of the three winning pieces will receive:

• $1,000 each;

• publication in CRAFT, each with an introduction by Sarah Fawn Montgomery;

• publication of an author’s note (craft essay) to accompany the piece;

• and a set of six titles of Graywolf’s The Art Of series.

The two writers chosen in the editors’ choice round will receive:

• $200 each;

• publication in CRAFT, each with an introduction by the editorial team;

• and publication of an author’s note (craft essay) to accompany the piece.

• All fifteen shortlisted writers will also receive a $1,000 scholarship to PocketMFA.

craftliterary.com/craft-memoir-excerpt-essay-contest-2023/

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50TH ANNIVERSARY FELLOWSHIPS FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR

VCCA

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30 (if the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, please write to vcca@vcca.com by January 10, 2024, to request an application fee waiver)

INFO: Conceived during VCCA’s 50th anniversary year in 2021 and established in 2022, the 50th Anniversary Fund provides free first-time VCCA residencies for 50 artists of color a year.

Each 50th Anniversary Fellow receives a free residency of up to two weeks at Mt. San Angelo, VCCA’s artist residency program in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. All VCCA residencies include a private studio, a private bedroom with en-suite bath, three prepared meals each day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.

APPLICATION DETAILS

• Eligibility: Artists of color (writers, visual artists, and composers) who have not previously been in residence at VCCA

• Length of Fellowship: Up to two weeks with flexible scheduling

Next available for: Fall 2024

• Residencies Available: September 1 – December 31, 2024

• Application Deadline: January 15, 2024

• Notification by: April 30, 2024

To be considered as a 50th Anniversary Fellow, complete the “Application for Mt. San Angelo Residencies, VCCA in Virginia,” selecting your fellowship interest in Question 2..

VCCA intends the term artist of color to broadly include those creating original work in a wide variety of literary, visual art, and/or musical/sound disciplines who self-identify as part of one or more of these U.S. census groups: American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latinx; Middle Eastern or North African; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; Multi-Racial. If you have a question about whether VCCA’s studio spaces would be suitable to the nature of your creative work, please write to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com in advance of the deadline.

Applicants must submit an online application by the deadline, complete with recent work samples, a project description, and a variety of biographical and logistical details. VCCA no longer requires letters of recommendation. Applicants will be considered for a VCCA residency and as many funding opportunities for which they are eligible.

vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/50th-anniversary-fellowships-for-artists-of-color/

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Pigeon Pages Essay Contest

Pigeon Pages

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $15

INFO: Pigeon Pages’ annual Essay Contest - judged by by Jiordan Castle, author of Disappearing Act - is now open.

PRIZE: The winner will receive $250 and publication in Pigeon Pages.

Honorable mentions will be receive $50 and publication.

GUIDELINES:

• Previously unpublished creative nonfiction pieces of 3,500 words or less are eligible for this contest. 

• We do accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if the submitted piece is accepted elsewhere.

• Please do not include personal information on your piece, as submissions will be read blind.

• All submissions will be considered for publication in the general journal.

pigeonpagesnyc.com/essaycontest

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MVICW 2024 Summer Writers’ Conference FELLOWSHIPS

Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024

INFO: MVICW is committed to providing financial support to writers through our fellowship program. Our fellowships offer parent-writers, writers of color, educators, queer-writers, vineyard writers, and authors/poets with financial needs the opportunity to attend our Summer Writers’ Conference every year.

I - VOICES OF COLOR FELLOWSHIPS

We are proud to announce the Leonard A. Slade, Jr. Poetry Fellowships for Writers of Color (established 2018) to honor poets of color, and The Voices of Color Fellowships (established 2017) to honor prose writers of color. The fellowships assist MVICW with our commitment to expanding the American literary canon by promoting voices from a wide array of cultural backgrounds, and to increasing philanthropic support for writers of color in the arts. Application for these fellowships is open to all writers of color, ages 18 and older.

FELLOWSHIP PRIZES:

• Two Full Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive the Full Attendance Package to the MVICW Summer Writers' Conference which includes registration, lodging, and a manuscript session.

• Two Second-Place Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive full registration to the MVICW Weekend Writers Series which includes four virtual weekend-long craft seminars on poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Please note: Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. Second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE, FILE NAME, SUBMISSION, OR LETTER OF INTEREST. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

• For Poetry Submissions - Letter of Interest (approx. 750 words): Please tell us about who you are as a person and an artist. We'd like to hear about your life, your artistic career, and your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit your single best poem (1-3 pages max)

• For Prose Submissions - Letter of Interest (approx. 750 words): Please tell us about who you are as a person and an artist. We'd like to hear about your life, your artistic career, and your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit one short story OR one flash fiction piece OR novel excerpt OR creative non-fiction entry. (The submission should not exceed 3,000 words)

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:

• Payment is $20 per submission. You are welcome to submit more than one piece by submitting them separately and paying the submission fee for each entry.

• The entry must be submitted in English and must be your own original work.

• You may submit new or previously published material. As the manuscripts will not be published/reprinted, the author retains all rights to the work.

• There is no restriction to style, content, or genre.

• You must be a writer of color.

• You must be 18 years old or older on the day the retreat begins to enter.

• The submission must not include your real or pen name or any information that identifies you in any way.

• You must submit before midnight on the deadline date.

• Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. However, second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.
  

II - PARENT-WRITER FELLOWSHIPS

We are proud to announce the MVICW Parent-Writer Fellowships (est. in 2016 thanks to support from The Sustainable Arts Foundation). Writers who are also parents have increased difficulties in making time for their writing. Our Parent-Writer Fellowships are intended to give parents both the time and financial support to devote a week to themselves and their writing at MVICW. These fellowships offer funding to attend programs held by the Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. Application for these fellowships is open to anyone who has a child age 16 or younger living with them.

FELLOWSHIP PRIZES:

• Two Full Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive the Full Attendance Package to the MVICW Summer Writers' Conference which includes registration, lodging, and a manuscript session.

• Two Second-Place Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive full registration to the MVICW Weekend Writers Series which includes four virtual weekend-long craft seminars on poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Please note: Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. Second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE, FILE NAME, SUBMISSION, OR LETTER OF INTEREST. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

• For Poetry Submissions - Include a letter of interest (approx. 750 words) in your submission. Please tell us about yourself as a person, an artist, and a parent. We'd like to hear how your family life inspires or challenges your artistic career and how parenthood plays a role in your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit your single best poem (1-3 pages max)

• For Prose Submissions - Include a letter of interest (approx. 750 words) in your submission. Please tell us about yourself as a person, an artist, and a parent. We'd like to hear how your family life inspires or challenges your artistic career and how parenthood plays a role in your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit one short story OR one flash fiction piece OR novel excerpt OR creative nonfiction entry. (The submission should not exceed 3,000 words)

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:

• Payment is $20 per submission. You are welcome to submit more than one piece by submitting them separately and paying the submission fee for each entry.

• The entry must be submitted in English and must be your own original work.

• You may submit new or previously published material. As the manuscripts will not be published/reprinted, the author retains all rights to the work.

• There is no restriction to style, content, or genre.

• You must have at least one child under the age of 16 (who lives with you) to qualify for the fellowship.

• You must be 18 years old or older on the day the retreat begins to enter.

• The submission must not include your real or pen name or any information that identifies you in any way.

• You must submit before midnight on the deadline date.

• Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. However, second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.

III - QUEER-WRITER FELLOWSHIPS

Established in 2019, these fellowships assist with our commitment to increasing philanthropic support for LGBTQIA+ writers and expanding the American literary canon. Application for the fellowships is open to all queer-identified writers, ages 18 and older.

FELLOWSHIP PRIZES:

• Two Full Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive the Full Attendance Package to the MVICW Summer Writers' Conference which includes registration, lodging, and a manuscript session.

• Two Second-Place Fellowship Winners (one prose and one poetry) will receive full registration to the MVICW Weekend Writers Series which includes four virtual weekend-long craft seminars on poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

Please note: Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. Second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE, FILE NAME, SUBMISSION, OR LETTER OF INTEREST. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

• For Poetry Submissions - Letter of Interest (approx. 750 words): Please tell us about who you are as a person and an artist. We'd like to hear about your life, your artistic career, and your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit your single best poem (1-3 pages max)

• For Prose Submissions - Letter of Interest (approx. 750 words): Please tell us about who you are as a person and an artist. We'd like to hear about your life, your artistic career, and your creative work. If you have specific needs (financial or creative) which would be met by this award please outline them in your letter.

Submit one short story OR one flash fiction piece OR novel excerpt OR creative nonfiction entry. (The submission should not exceed 3,000 words)

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:

• Payment is $20 per submission. You are welcome to submit more than one piece by submitting them separately and paying the submission fee for each entry.

• The entry must be submitted in English and must be your own original work.

• You may submit new or previously published material. As the manuscripts will not be published/reprinted, the author retains all rights to the work.

• There is no restriction to style, content, or genre.

• You must identify as queer-writer.

• You must be 18 years old or older on the day the retreat begins to enter.

• The submission must not include your real or pen name or any information that identifies you in any way.

• You must submit before midnight on the deadline date.

• Previous First Prize Fellowship & Contest Winners (who attended the in-person conference) are not eligible to apply. However, second-place winners and all virtual conference winners are eligible.

mvicw.submittable.com/submit

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2023 "Imagination" Fellowship

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $35

INFO: The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is offering a fellowship "Imagination."

How has imagination inspired you?  How have you used imagination in your life?  This Fellowship invites writers to explore how imagination has influenced them and others.  Has imagination helped you confront and deal with a problem?  Or, has it helped you form a new idea that changed your life or led you to a creative outlet that you didn't know existed? 

The fellowship winner will receive a two-week residency to allow the recipient to focus completely on their work. Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet. We provide uninterrupted writing time, a European-style gourmet dinner prepared five nights a week and served in our community dining room, the camaraderie of other professional writers when you want it, and a community kitchen stocked with the basics for breakfast and lunch. Fellows are given the opportunity to participate in the community outreach of their choice and are provided the chance to be published in eMerge, the online literary magazine of the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow.

Fellowship applications must be accompanied by a writing sample and a non-refundable $35 application fee. Writers proposing more than one project must submit a separate application and fee for each one. The submission period opens on Monday, October 16, 2023. Deadline is midnight on Monday, January15, 2024. The winner will be announced no later than February 26, 2024. Residency must be completed by March, 2025.

writerscolony.org/fellowships

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Bakwin Award for Full-Length Prose

Blair Publishing

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024 by 11:59 pm ET (or until we reach our cap of 300 submissions)

ENTRY FEE: $0

INFO: The Bakwin Award for Full-Length Prose is for an unpublished full-length literary prose work of fiction or nonfiction, prioritizing manuscripts by authors that fit Blair's mission of publishing new and historically neglected voices.

Entries should be literary in nature. Novels, short story collections by a single author, memoirs, essay collections, and biographies are all acceptable (NO POETRY COLLECTIONS, PLEASE). Blair does NOT publish strict genre fiction (mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, etc.), but we acknowledge that some elements of genre fiction may be present in literary fiction. The last Bakwin Award winner was @Maegan_Poland for her story collection What Makes You Think You're Awake? selected by Carmen Maria Machado. For a list of previous Bakwin Award winners, go to https://blairpub.com/submissions.

This contest is free to enter. There is a suggested donation of $25.00. Donation information will not be known to our team of readers nor the final judge. Submissions will be accepted through Submittable; no mailed submissions will be accepted. For accessibility requests only, please email us at ops (at) blairpub (dot) com.

DO NOT INCLUDE CONTACT INFORMATION anywhere in your manuscript file. Any manuscripts submitted with identifying information will be automatically declined. Use the cover letter field in Submittable to provide a short bio. If portions of your manuscript are previously published in journals or other outlets, you may include those acknowledgments in the cover letter field of Submittable. The manuscript as a whole should be unpublished.

The 2024 Bakwin Award final judge will be National Book Award-winning writer @TiyaMiles. The winner will receive publication and a $1,000 advance against royalties.

Though you may have multiple manuscripts that fit this call, you may only submit ONE manuscript to this award.

blair.submittable.com/submit

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FALL 2024 RESIDENCY Program

Ucross

DEADLINE: January 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. MT

INFO: Ucross strives to provide a respectful, comfortable, and productive environment, freeing artists from the pressures and distractions of daily life. Each year, we provide residencies to approximately 115 individuals. Residencies range from two weeks to six weeks in length. At any one time, there are up to ten individuals in residence, typically four writers, four visual artists, and two composers.
 
Ucross provides each artist with living accommodations, meals, work space, and uninterrupted time so that the artists can focus on their creative process. Lunch and dinners are prepared Monday to Friday by a professional chef with ample provisions on hand for breakfasts and weekends. Lunches are delivered to individual studios; group dinners take place at 6 p.m. Towels and all linens are provided, as is weekly housekeeping for bedrooms. There is cell phone service and wireless internet throughout residency facilities. Residents are responsible for providing their own working materials and for their travel to Sheridan, Wyoming.  There is no charge for a residency. 

The residency program is open to visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, interdisciplinary artists, performance artists, and collaborative teams. Applicants must exhibit professional standing in their field; both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply.

Learn more about the dedicated Fellowships for Native American Visual Artists and Writers.

There are two residency sessions each year:

• The Spring session runs from February through early June.

• The Fall session runs from August through early December.

ucrossfoundation.org/residency-program.html

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Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards

Penguin Random House

DEADLINE: January 16, 2024 3:00 pm CT (or when 1000 applications have been received)

INFO: Penguin Random House is passionate about encouraging the next generation of readers and authors and promoting diverse voices and stories. For 30 years, Penguin Random House has supported this mission through the Creative Writing Awards, which in 2019 entered into an innovative new partnership with national advocacy nonprofit We Need Diverse Books. Through this program, Penguin Random House will award college scholarships of up to $10,000 each to five public U.S. high school seniors, nationwide.

Creative Writing Awards winners have gone on to become professional and award-winning authors. Since 1993, this program has awarded more than $2.9 million dollars to public high school students for original poetry, memoir/personal essay, fiction/drama, and spoken-word compositions. This signature program continues to empower and celebrate hundreds of young writers each year.

This program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team. 

AWARD:

Awards will be distributed as follows:

• $10,000 Maya Angelou Award for Spoken Word

• $10,000 Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry

• $10,000 Fiction/Drama

• $10,000 Michelle Obama Award for Memoir

• $10,000 Freedom of Expression award for book bans prompt

• One hundred (100) Honorable Mention recipients will receive a “Creativity Kit” gift from Penguin Random House.

In recognition of the Creative Writing Awards previously being centered in New York City and as an extension of our longtime work with local schools there, we will also offer an additional first-place prize of $10,000 to the top entrant from the NYC area.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants to the Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards Program in Partnership with We Need Diverse Books must:

• Be current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2024

• Be 21 years of age and under

• Plan to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school Fall 2024

• Submit one original literary composition in English in one of the following genres of poetry, spoken word, fiction/drama, personal essay/memoir, or book bans prompt.

• All submissions must be typed, double-spaced with a minimum 12 point font size and no longer than 10 pages.

• All submissions with multiple pages must be numbered with a page number and total number of pages (Ex. 1/3, 2/3, 3/3).

• A four-page minimum is recommended for the fiction/drama genre.

• Spoken word entries must upload a typed entry along with an emailed audio format file.

• Only one entry per student may be submitted and considered.

• Freedom of Expression entries must write about the provided topic.

learnmore.scholarsapply.org/penguinrandomhouse/

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2024 Writer to Agent

Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP)

DEADLINE: January 17, 2024

INFO: AWP is pleased to offer registered conference attendees the opportunity to apply to meet with literary agents at the #AWP24 Conference & Bookfair. All registered attendees, including both in-person and virtual-only attendees, are welcome to submit to Writer to Agent. These agents are seeking new clients to represent in fiction and nonfiction.

Literary agents from Aevitas Creative Management, Ayesha Pande Literary, Folio Literary Management, The Friedrich Agency, Serendipity Literary Agency, and Trellis Literary Management will read and review applications on a rolling basis to find prospective clients to meet with at the conference. If the literary agency is interested in the author’s work, they will contact the applicant directly to schedule a day and time to meet during #AWP24.

Submissions open on Monday, November 6, 2023 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage applicants to submit as soon as possible. The deadline for submission is 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

• Only registered attendees of the #AWP24 Conference & Bookfair are eligible to submit.

• Submit a query letter along with the first five pages of a novel, essay collection, narrative nonfiction book manuscript, or short story collection as one document via the link to the Writer to Agent Submittable form. The Writer to Agent Submittable form is hidden and can only be accessed through this webpage for registered attendees.

• Your submission document should be saved and submitted according to your type of project and your name (ProjectType_LastName_FirstName); for example, “Novel_Lee_MinJin” or “Essays_Smith_Zadie.” Clearly indicating the type of project in your submission title helps the participating agents sort through the submissions more easily.

• The five-page writing sample should be double-spaced in Times New Roman, 12-point font.

• Query letters are comprised of a description of the book and the author’s bio. If you have questions about writing and submitting a query letter, review the Writer to Agent Web Series episode for instructions and tips.

• Agents from each of the six participating agencies will read the query letters and submissions. You may address your query letter to “agent.”

• Indicate in the query letter if the submission has been published in a magazine or journal.

• Indicate in the query letter if you are actively querying the project or if the project is still in progress.

• Submissions are limited to one per conference attendee. If you are working on multiple projects, you can only pitch one but may very briefly mention other projects towards the end of your query letter: i.e. “I am also working on a young adult novel.” Multiple submissions will be removed from consideration.

• Submissions in poetry are not eligible.

• If you are contacted by a participating agent and have already received and/or are considering another offer of representation, please let the participating agent know right away.

• If you accept an offer of representation after submitting to Writer to Agent, please immediately withdraw your submission to Writer to Agent.

TERMS + CONDITIONS:

• The opportunity to meet with agents is solely at the discretion of Aevitas Creative Management, Ayesha Pande Literary, Folio Literary Management, The Friedrich Agency, Serendipity Literary Agency, and Trellis Literary Management.

• AWP facilitates this service as a benefit to conference attendees but does not participate in reviewing applications.

• Meeting with an agent does not constitute a partnership or relationship or establish representation on behalf of the agency.

• AWP, Aevitas Creative Management, Ayesha Pande Literary, Folio Literary Management, The Friedrich Agency, Serendipity Literary Agency, and Trellis Literary Management make no claims as to the probability applicants will be selected to meet with an agent.

• Applications are only accepted via Submittable. Aevitas Creative Management, Ayesha Pande Literary, Folio Literary Management, The Friedrich Agency, Serendipity Literary Agency, and Trellis Literary Management will not respond to any inquiries about submissions or the Writer to Agent program.

• Due to the volume of applications, feedback is not possible for applicants who are not selected.

awpwriter.org/awp_conference/writertoagent_overview

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Artist Residency Program

The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation

DEADLINE: January 18, 2024

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: The Foundation offers three months of rent-free and utility-paid housing to people who specialize in the creative arts. Our eleven artist casitas, or guest houses, are fully furnished and provide residents with a peaceful setting in which to pursue their creative endeavors.

The Foundation accepts applications from painters, poets, sculptors, writers, playwrights, screenwriters, composers, photographers, and filmmakers of national and international origin.

Applications are reviewed by a selection committee consisting of professionals who specialize in the artistic discipline of the applicant. Numerous jurors serve on committees for each: visual arts, music composers, writers, poets, playwrights, and filmmakers. Jurors, who know nothing about the artist's demographics, score in five categories based purely on the merit of the applicant's creative work samples.

Artists in residence have no imposed expectations, quotas, or requirements during their stay on the HWF campus. The HWF’s residency program provides artists with the time and space to create, which in turn enriches the artistic community and culture locally and abroad.

RESIDENCY SESSIONS:

• #1: Jan - Apr, 2025

• #2: Jun - Aug, 2025

• #3: Sep - Dec, 2025

wurlitzerfoundation.org/apply

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2024 Brendan Gill Prize

The Municipal Art Society of New York

DEADLINE: January 19, 2024

INFO: The Brendan Gill Prize is given each year to the creator of a specific work; a book, essay, musical composition, play, painting, sculpture, film, or choreographic piece, that best captures the spirit and energy of New York City.

All eligible nominations must have been completed and produced between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, and must be based-in and pertaining to New York City. The prize is not awarded for a body of work or lifetime achievement.

The prize was established in 1987 in honor of Brendan Gill by friend and fellow MAS board member Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis along with board members Helen Tucker and Margot Wellington.

mas.org/news/nominate-brendan-gill-prize-2024/

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CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Mekong Review

DEADLINE: January 20, 2024

INFO: RMIT University’s nonfiction/lab is proud to partner with Mekong Review to commission a new series of short, collaboratively-written literary works or criticism (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics work, book reviews etc) for publication in forthcoming issues of the international publication.

Mekong Review, under the managing editorship of Kirsten Han, is a quarterly English-language magazine of arts, literature, culture, politics, the environment and society in Asia, written by people from the region or those who know it well. From its founding in 2015 by Minh Bui Jones, its aim has been to provide a fresh perspective: one that covers Asian histories, lives and cultures through emerging regional voices. Its approach is close to that of publications like the New York Review of Books and the London Review of Books—that is, basing its writing around new publications of interest—but its view is distinctly Asian. Contributors are requested to please familiarize themselves with the content and style of Mekong Review.

In line with the publication’s position as a cosmopolitan and free press in Asia, this series will examine the notions of space and place through creative exchange and collaboration between writers from Australia and SE Asia. Questions that these pieces might consider/respond to include: What are the pressing conversations or exchanges we might have today about space, place, home, housing, belonging and/or unbelonging? How do writers understand and/or represent place and space? How does the politics of place inform our writing/art? What kinds of spaces do we create through writing? What opinions do we share or differ on regarding space/place phenomena? How might we approach the writing of place together from our respective positions?

Works will be commissioned IN PAIRS but published as a single work. We would like one writer to be based in Australia and one in the SE Asia region. You might like to discuss and debate a book, co-create a poem, story or comic, review one another’s books, interview one another, or anything in between or beyond! It is up to you to choose your writing companion and approach.

There will be up to EIGHT works commissioned. Prose: 1000-1200 words; 50-60 lines poetry; comics up to half a page (dimensions W 24.96 x H 16.74 cm).

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:

Interested contributors need to submit:

• 150-word abstract articulating the form and nature of the intended work

• Bios for each author

• A piece (or excerpt) of writing by each contributor in the form (e.g. fiction, review, poem) proposed in the abstract (or similar sample of writing).

Please submit the above to both Sree Iyer sreedhevi.iyer@rmit.edu.au and Kirsten Han kirstenhan@mekongreview.com by 20 January 2024. Decisions on abstracts will be made by first week of February 2024, and final pieces will be due on a rolling basis as negotiated with Mekong Review. *

*Please note that the first issue in the series (May) has a deadline of 20 March for final pieces.
Please indicate in your submission if you would be able to make that deadline.

Industry-based writers (ie non-salaried practitioners without university affiliation) will be paid for their work.

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Short Fiction Contest

Kenyon Review

DEADLINE: January 31, 2024

ENTRY FEE: $24

INFO: Submissions for the Kenyon Review Short Fiction Contest are accepted electronically every year from January 1 through January 30.

GUIDELINES:

• Writers must not have published a book of fiction at the time of submission. (We define a “published book of fiction” as a novel, novella, short story collection, or other fiction collection written by you and published by someone other than you in print, on the web, or in ebook format.)

• Submissions must be no more than 3,000 words in length.

• Please submit no more than once per year.

• Please do not simultaneously submit your contest entry to another magazine or contest.

• Please do not submit work that has been previously published.

• Before you submit, please remove your name and any other identifying information from your manuscript.

• The Submittable portal will remain active between January 1 and 31, 2024.

• The entry fee for the Short Nonfiction Contest is just $24, collected at the time of submission. All entrants are invited to claim a complimentary half-year Print plus Digital subscription to The Kenyon Review (for domestic addresses) or a half-year Digital-only subscription (for international addresses) through February 15, 2024. Your new half-year subscription to The Kenyon Review will include the Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 issues. Current subscribers will receive a two-issue extension on their current subscription. As always, we will open in the fall for regular submissions, which we read at no cost to writers.

The Kenyon Review publishes the winning story, and the author is awarded a full scholarship to attend the 2023 Kenyon Review Writers Workshops.

kenyonreview.org/submit/short-fiction/

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The Chautauqua Janus Prize

DEADLINE: January 31, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE: $20

INFO: The Chautauqua Janus Prize will be awarded for the seventh time this summer, celebrating an emerging writer’s single work of short fiction or nonfiction for daring formal and aesthetic innovations that upset and reorder readers’ imaginations. In addition to receiving a $5,000 award plus a travel expense, the winner gives a lecture on the grounds during the summer season and appears in a forthcoming issue of the literary journal Chautauqua. Eligibility and submission information can be found below under “Guidelines.”

Named for Janus, the Roman god who looks to both the past and the future, the prize will honor writing with a command of craft that renovates our understandings of both. The prize is funded by a generous donation from Barbara and Twig Branch.

GUIDELINES:

Eligible entries:

• May be up to 15,000 words in length but no more than 100 pages. The Chautauqua Janus Prize encourages writing that challenges conventional presentation and publication of fiction/nonfiction in the English language.

• Must be either unpublished or published no earlier than April of 2023.

• Must be authored by emerging writers of fiction/nonfiction. Emerging writers are defined as writers who have yet to publish their first book (exceeding 15,000 words and/or 100 pages) in any prose genre. (Poets: This prize was created to support emerging writers. Reconsider your eligibility if you have published one or more poetry collections, even if our word count parameters technically qualify you.) There is no age or citizenship status restriction for eligibility.

• May be nominated by the authors themselves or on an author’s behalf by editors or creative writing program directors. Self-nominating authors may submit no more than two entries per submission period. Editors and program directors must have the consent of authors to nominate their work and may nominate no more than three entries per submission period. Nomination by an editor program or press/magazine does not preclude an author from submitting additional self-nominated entries.

SUBMISSIONS:

• Complete the Submittable form, including fee payment*, by the advertised deadline EST. Please use PDF format. Contact Emily Carpenter at ecarpenter@chq.org if PDF format is not ideal for your submission.

• Meet formatting specifications where possible. If your submission’s prior publication or experimental form simply aren’t conducive to Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, and double-spacing, know that we will give full consideration to all legible PDF submissions.

chq.org/schedule/resident-programs/literary-arts/chautauqua-janus-prize

FICTION / NONFICTION — DECEMBER 2023

NOVEL GENERATOR

GrubStreet

DEADLINE: December 4, 2023 at 11:59pm EST

INFO: The Novel Generator is a nine-month program designed to help 14 students write the first drafts of their novels. The course is divided into three phases, each with its own structure and goals. Phase I, which lasts for six weeks, focuses on craft, through a combination of lectures, exercises, and discussion of a common text. Sometime during this phase, students will have an initial one-on-one meeting with the instructor to discuss their project.

In Phase II, the class meets for fourteen weeks of workshopping using the Novel in Progress method—scenes read aloud in class for on-the-spot feedback. Towards the end of Phase II, students will be divided into small groups for weekly accountability for the remainder of the course. At the end of Phase II, students will submit 20 pages of revised or new work to the instructor, and will each have a one-on-one meeting with the instructor to discuss those pages, the novel’s structure, and the student’s vision for the book as a whole. Phase III includes three class meetings, with students writing independently as they finish their novel drafts.

Students have entered this program with as few as 10 pages written and as many as 150. No matter how far along, all writers will be asked (through exercises and class discussion) to re-examine their initial concept and, if necessary, to make changes to shore up their plots. Writers who have already written a substantial number of pages will get the most out of this program if they feel open to all possibilities for their novels.

The Novel Generator can work as a companion to the Novel Incubator, but it is not an alternative to it. The Incubator is for students who have completed a strong first draft of a novel; the Generator is designed to push students toward that strong draft, whether or not they ultimately enroll in the Incubator or pursue other revision strategies.

Please note that the upcoming round of the Novel Generator, which begins in January 2024, will take place at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston. Hybrid participation is not available, however, if you are interested in an online round of the Generator, our Fall 2024 round will be held on Zoom. Applications for the Fall 2024 round of the Novel Generator will open in June 2024.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• The application deadline is Monday, December 4th, at 11:59 PM (EST).

• All applicants can expect to hear back early in 2024.

• All applicants will be notified in early 2024

• Program starts on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2023

grubstreet.org/programs/intensives/generators/novel-generator

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: FICTION, CREATIVE NONFICTION, POETRY, AND VISUAL WORKS

Entre Magazine

DEADLINE: December 4, 2023

INFO: Entre is, primarily, a creative platform for queer Latina/o/x artists, but we are open to publishing works from all artists, regardless of background.

They currently seek submissions for its premiere issue, to tentatively debut in Spring 2024, including previously-unpublished creative fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual works that focus on the queer Latinx experience or any experiences that deal with hybridity, fluidity, and inbetweenness (be it race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality, etc.)

Submissions should be previously unpublished; please do not submit any works that have been previously published on personal blogs, social media, or in other magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks.

We will gladly accept simultaneous submissions. Please notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere and it will be withdrawn from the consideration process. 

GUIDELINES: All submissions should include (aside from the work) an artist's bio (50-100 words) and a brief statement describing the artist's motivation behind the work--what is the intention of the work? What does the work represent?  

Artists are free to submit multiple works in multiple categories, but please be advised that only one work in one genre will most likely be selected to encourage a diverse representation of artists.

FORMATTING: Written works must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format. Fiction submissions should not exceed a maximum of 5,000 words. Poetry submissions should not exceed a maximum of 3 poems. Fiction submissions should be double-spaced, utilize a standard typeface and font size (12 pt), and have numbered pages. Poetry submissions can be single-spaced, but should still utilize a standard typeface and font size. If submitting more than one poem, please start each new poem on its own page.

Visual works must be submitted either as JPEGs (JPGs), PNGs, or any widely-accepted image format (up to 100 MB).  

PUBLISHING:

1. All submissions are subjected to an editing process. If selected for publication, artists will always have the final say as to how their submissions will appear in Entre.

2. By submitting to Entre, artists agree to be published digitally (online) in Entre Magazine. Artists also agree to be potentially promoted on Entre's social media platforms (as they are launched). Social media handles may be included (if provided during the submission process). 

3. After first publication in Entre Magazine, artists will retain all rights to their work.

4. Entre does not provide monetary compensation for publications at this time. 

entremagazine.com/submissions

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About Me, About You: A Writing Workshop By and For Women of Color

Collegeville Institute

DEADLINE: December 7, 2023

INFO: This generative writing workshop will bring together women of color from diverse backgrounds to write creative prose (fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid forms) rooted in personal experience. Participants will generate new work based on the group’s discussions and reflections on lineage, tradition, and faith. In doing so, the workshop seeks to expand limiting narratives about women of color both within their faith traditions and in American culture broadly. We will gather every day to discuss craft and the creative path, write together based on guided exercises and respond to one another’s work. Part of each day will be set aside for participants to write on their own and some evenings will feature community-building activities.

This workshop will be held from April 22-April 28, 2024 at General Theological Seminary in New York City.

FACILITATOR BIO: Roohi Choudhry was born in Pakistan and grew up in southern Africa and the Middle East. She worked for a decade as a researcher in criminal justice reform, public policy, and community health, and has taught creative writing in drug treatment settings and public libraries as well as to cancer survivors, community activists, and cultural organizers. Awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in 2015, her writing has appeared in Ploughshares, Callaloo, Longreads and the Kenyon Review, among others. An alum of the Collegeville Institute resident scholar program, she holds an MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan and now teaches fiction and memoir in New York City as well as online. Her debut novel, Outside Women, is forthcoming from the University Press of Kentucky. Find out more at brooklynstani.com.

PLAN FOR THE WEEK:

• Day 1 – Travel Day. Introductions.

• Day 2 – Interrogating place and community.

• Day 3 – Stories of my faith, stories of me.

• Day 4 – Guest artist presentation.

• Day 5 – Individual vs. collective storytelling.

• Day 6 – Writing from the margins.

• Day 7 – Travel Day.

WHO MAY APPLY: Self-identifying women of color, creative writers (primarily prose) of all levels.

This workshop is limited to 10 participants.

collegevilleinstitute.org/events/event/about-me-about-you-2/

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Black Girl Writers Mentoring PROGRAM

DEADLINE: December 11, 2023

INFO: Black Girl Writers is a free mentoring program for Black women who write. We pair Black women with the best in the industry, from bestselling authors to internationally renowned literary agents, and host online workshops throughout the year.

We are aware that there is a racial disparity in the publishing industry, which is not helped by a lack of knowledge on how to get published. Mentoring is a great way to get your work to its highest standard, which then increases your chances of getting an agent or book deal.

So if you have a completed manuscript, a work in progress, a short story collection, a poetry cycle, a non-fiction proposal—anything—and you would like to be mentored by the very people who sign the deals, please get in touch!

How does it work?

The aim of Black Girl Writers is to connect professional mentors with aspiring writers who identify as Black women for free. Black in this sense includes women of African, Caribbean, Afro-Latin, African-American, and Bi-racial heritage. Women includes cis, trans, and non-binary. We are based in the UK, but accept applications internationally.

These mentors are a mixture of editors, writers, and literary agents.

We will forward your details to your chosen mentor (subject to availability). After an introductory email, you and your mentor will then organise weekly, fortnightly, or monthly sessions together. Monthly mentorships should last between 2-4 months unless your mentor decides to keep you on for longer.

We are currently running on a first come, first served basis, which means mentor spaces get filled very quickly. If your chosen mentor is no longer available, we will work with you to arrange a session with our 1:1 standalone mentors as an alternative.

On rare occasions, we will be unable to find a suitable mentor for your application, but in such cases, we aim to organise a private, tailor-made group session to give unmatched mentees the opportunity to speak to an industry professional in a safe and confidential environment.

Due to increasing demand, we will periodically close our applications. Application windows will generally run from late January - May, and then August - October but we may have to close early if too many mentors are full.

We also organise free writing events with publishing professionals throughout the year. These are a great opportunity to network and ask your burning questions to literary agents, editors, authors, and directors. We always announce our events on the news page.

Future plans of Black Girl Writers include regular meetups to discuss our WIPs, offer support, and collaborate on anthology projects. All of these things will be achieved by potential lottery funding. Please watch this space for future announcements!

blackgirlwriters.org

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2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)

DEADLINE: December 13, 2023 at 5:00pm EST.

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: Applications for 2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships in Fiction, Folk/Traditional Arts, Interdisciplinary Work, Painting, and Video/Film are now open.

This $8,000 unrestricted cash grant is available to artists living in New York State and/or one of the Tribal Nations located therein. Please visit our website for full eligibility requirements. The NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship is designed to give artists at all career stages the time, space, and resources they need to create. This is not a project grant, so applicants are encouraged to apply with work they have already completed that best represents their vision and voice.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships are offered in 15 different disciplines over a three-year cycle.

2024 DISCIPLINES:

• Fiction

• Folk/Traditional Arts

• Interdisciplinary Work

• Painting

• Video/Film

ELIGIBILITY: Artists who have received a NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in any discipline in the last five consecutive years are ineligible to apply. Applicants who were named as NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Finalists are eligible to apply. Check NYFA's website for full eligibility requirements.

apply.nyfa.org/submit

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2024-2025 WRITING FELLOWSHIP

The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown

DEADLINE: Extended to December 15, 2023

INFO: Since its creation 50 years ago, the Fine Arts Work Center Fellowship has become one of the leading residency programs in the world.

Each year, the Work Center offers 20 seven-month residencies to a juried group of emerging visual artists, fiction writers, and poets. Each Fellow receives an apartment, a studio (for visual artists), and a monthly stipend of $1,250 plus an exit stipend of $1,000. Residencies run from October 1 through April 30. During this time, Fellows have the opportunity to pursue their work independently in a diverse and supportive community of peers.

The Fine Arts Work Center has hosted more than 1,000 Fellows since 1968, nurturing an accomplished and far-reaching alumni network. The impact of the experience is best illustrated by the extensive list of awards Fellows have gone on to win, including the Guggenheim Fellowship, MacArthur Fellowship, Prix de Rome, Pulitzer Prize, and the Nobel Prize in Literature.

THE RESIDENCY: During the course of the Fellowship, each Writing Fellow is invited to give a public reading and each Visual Art Fellow is given a solo exhibition opportunity. Readings and openings are attended by current and past Fellows, local residents, visitors to Provincetown, leadership of the town’s numerous cultural institutions, and the many illustrious artists and writers who make their homes in Provincetown. Events take place in the beautifully renovated public spaces of the Work Center: the Stanley Kunitz Common Room and Hudson D. Walker Gallery.

VISITING ARTISTS + WRITERS: While in residence, Fellows also help select a series of visiting artists and writers. These visiting artists and writers meet with the Fellows for studio visits and manuscript reviews and give public readings and artist talks that draw thousands from Provincetown and beyond. Visiting guests have included presidential inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel; winner of the National Book Award for Poetry Mark Doty; Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress Robert Pinsky; artist and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Judy Pfaff; and Katherine Porter, whose work is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. 

The Work Center’s founders believed that seven months was the minimum amount of time needed for artists and writers in the crucial early stages of their careers to learn to structure their lives around their creative practice. Each generation of Fellows ideally moves on from the Work Center with a firm belief in their ability to pursue a life as a practicing artist or writer.

fawc.org/the-fellowship/

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Call for Submissions: Mizna 25.1

Mizna

DEADLINE: December 15, 2023

INFO: As Mizna’s twenty-fifth anniversary approaches, we are opening submissions for our Summer 2024 Issue, Mizna 25.1. Although this issue will be unthemed, the editorial team wishes to center and uplift our community in a time of rage and mourning, especially those Palestinian, Armenian, Afghan, Sudanese, Moroccan, and Libyan folks who are living through various forms of colonial, imperial, genocidal, and ecological catastrophe.

We highly encourage submissions from those most affected by these disastrous situations. Furthermore, in a moment where solidarity with Palestine has been met with censorship, doxxing, cancellation of awards and events, and firing from professional positions, we continue to welcome writing from our anti-Zionist comrades as well as those who have been victims of aforementioned silencing. While we welcome submissions from former contributors seeking a space for their work in this urgent moment, we also especially encourage submissions from writers who have never been published by us before.

Mizna has long been a home for literature with innovative, experimental forms, as well as visual art that is published with high quality print production practices. As such, we especially encourage ongoing submissions from artists doing visual poetry work, or hybrid works that cross the arbitrary boundaries of genre. In general, literary works of poetry, visual poetry, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, comics, collage, invented forms, and any forms of mixed print or hybrid work will all be considered.

Submitters do not need to be SWANA or Arab identified, but work submitted should be considerate of Mizna’s aesthetic and the social realities of our audiences, as well as be a contribution to ongoing conversations in and beyond our communities. We encourage submitters to read back issues of Mizna before submitting work for consideration.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, though we ask to be notified as soon as possible if the submission is accepted elsewhere. There are no submission fees. Selected contributors receive a $200 honorarium, a 1-year subscription to Mizna, and 5 copies of the issue.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Please include a short cover letter (200 words or less) as the first page of your submission, with a brief overview of the work you’re submitting and why you are submitting to Mizna.

• Poets should list out the poems they are submitting, and let us know if there are simultaneous submissions elsewhere.

• Prose submissions should include a brief 1-2 sentence overview of the submission (e.g. a synopsis if it is a story or narrative essay, or an overview of the argument for more expository essays; keep in mind that we are a literary magazine).

• Include a brief (50 words or less) author bio.

• Add a maximum of one sentence for any additional information you would like the editorial team to know about the work.

• Please submit as .doc or .docx files preferably, or pdfs for pieces with complex layouts. We do not accept other file formats (e.g. pages). Prose submissions should be double spaced and limited to 5000 words. Please do not send us your term papers or thesis manuscripts for consideration. Poetry submissions should be limited to four poems of any length, verses exceeding our page width will be treated with a runover indent.

• Please only submit once per submission period. We are open to submissions from November 15 through December 15. All submissions that do not adhere to our guidelines will be discarded unread.

mizna.org/journal/submissions/

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call for submissions

Honey Literary

DEADLINE: December 15, 2023 by 11:59 pm PST.

INFO: Honey Literary is a BIPOC-focused literary journal / 501(c)(3) literary arts organization. They publish two issues each year, one in winter, and one in summer.

To share your work, please upload your .docx or image files to the appropriate category:

• Animals

• Poetry

• Sex+ OR Food and Beverage

• Valentines OR Hybrid

• Essays OR Rants and Raves

• Interviews OR Sticky Fingers

honeyliterary.submittable.com/submit

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Artists in Residence fellowships

Newberry Library

DEADLINE: December 15, 2023

INFO: Newberry Library is offering three fellowships for writers, artists, and other humanists.

FELLOWSHIPS:

The Jan and Frank Cicero Artist-in-Residence Fellowship

• Offering one month of support for a person working in the visual and performing arts who wishes to advance their artistic practice through the use of the Newberry collection.

• Stipend: $3,000

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Artists and performers including (but not limited to) painters, sculptors, choreographers, dramaturgs, creative writers, composers, and others in artistic fields.

The Arthur and Lila Weinberg Artist-in-Residence Fellowship for Independent Researchers

• This fellowship is for writers, journalists, filmmakers, visual and performing artists, and other humanists who wish to use the Newberry’s collection to further their creative work. Preference is given to individuals working on projects that focus on social justice or reform.

• Stipend: $3,000/month

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Applicants must be working outside of traditional academic settings.

The Historical Fiction Writing Artist-in-Residence Fellowship

• Offering one month of support for a person working in the area of historical fiction. We encourage applications relating to a wide range of historical fiction including novels, short stories, plays and theatrical works, or poetry.

• Stipend: $3,000

• Length: 1 month

• Who can apply: Writers of historical fiction.

newberry.org/research/artists-in-residence

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call for submissions: the fire inside Volume 3

Zora’s Den

DEADLINE: December 18, 2023 by 11:59pm

INFO: Zora's Den is dedicated to empowering Black women writers, by offering a platform for their authentic stories and unique voices. 

We are currently accepting fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry written by Black women for our third anthology, The Fire Inside, Volume III. 

GUEST EDITOR: Bernice McFadden, award-winning author of Sugar, Praise Song for the Butterflies, and more.

GUIDELINES:

• Poetry: Submit up to three (3) poems with a combined length of no more than five (5) pages.

• Fiction: maximum length of 3000 words. 

• Non-Fiction: maximum length of 2500 words.

• All submissions should be double-spaced (except poetry, which can be single-spaced). 12 point font. Pages must be numbered.

• No experimental forms in any genre.

• No names or identifying information on any pages.

• Upload submission as a Word document (either DOC or DOCX format) or pdf.

• We welcome simultaneous submissions but request immediate notification, if your work is accepted by another publisher.

• Submissions should be original; we will not accept content generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

• Work should not have been previously published in print or online. (including author’s website or blog)

• Accompany your submission with a brief bio.

• All rights remain with the author.

• Each author will receive a contributor copy of the anthology, as compensation.

zorasden.submittable.com/submit

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call for submissions: Spring/Summer 2024 print issue

Epiphany Magazine

DEADLINE: December 18, 2023

SUBMISSION FEE: $5

INFO: How quickly the seasons change: We are now open for submissions for our Spring/Summer 2024 print issue in the categories of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art.

Send us work that blooms and withers and speaks through a larger netowrk of root; send us your most honest and original work. We are especially eager to read more nonfiction and works in translation.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Prose: submit one piece at a time, double-spaced / Poetry: submit up to five poems

• Please format submissions in 12-pt font

• We accept simultaneous submissions but please withdraw promptly through Submittable should your work be accepted elsewhere.

• We only consider previously unpublished work.

• All work will be considered for online publication

• Please include your name, title, and word count on the first page of the submitted file.

• Translations are welcome with rights permission from the original writer. Novel chapters / excerpts are also welcome.

• Please include a short bio with your cover letter.

epiphanyzine.com/features/open-spring-summer-2024

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JANUARY 2024 Anderson Center Winter Retreat

The Anderson Center

DEADLINE: December 22, 2023

INFO: The Anderson Center’s Winter Retreat program is a short-term residency during the organization’s off-season for artists and writers seeking concentrated creative time for reflection and the advancement of their personal artistic goals. A Winter Retreat at the Anderson Center is a fee-based opportunity for up to four artists at a time to live in community and fellowship while working on their own projects in the inspiring setting of the historic Tower View Estate.

The Anderson Center is currently accepting applications for sessions of 1 to 4 weeks in duration from Monday, January 8 to Sunday, February 4, 2023. Arrival takes place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each Monday and includes a short orientation. Check out is by 10 a.m. on Sundays. Spaces are rented on a first come, first serve basis and acceptance is made at the discretion of staff. There is no fee to apply. Application or participation in a Winter Retreat in no way affects eligibility or selection for other Anderson Center Residency Programs.

Practicing artists of all backgrounds and at any stage of their career are encouraged to apply. A self-paced Winter Retreat may be a good fit for artists & writers who need time away from daily responsibilities and distractions to focus on a creative project, visual artists needing access to the Anderson Center’s specific studio facilities, or educators seeking focused creative time during a winter break or sabbatical. A Winter Retreat is also an ideal opportunity for collaborating artists to advance a project or work alongside one another at Tower View.

If you have any questions about Winter Retreats, please contact Program Director Adam M. Wiltgen at 651-388-2009 x4.

RATES, ACCOMMODATIONS, & AMENITIES

The weekly rate for a Winter Retreat at the Anderson Center is $600. A 10% discount is offered to local artists living with in Goodhue County, Minnesota. A 50% deposit is due upon acceptance with the balance due at arrival. There is no fee to apply. Notification of acceptance and confirmation of dates will be emailed within a week of receiving application.

A Winter Retreat in the Historic Tower View Residence includes a private bedroom and a private bathroom, along with access to a fully equipped kitchen, laundry room, living room, dining room, and several common spaces. Bedrooms are equipped with either a king bed, full bed, or twin beds; a desk, a dresser, a large closet, and a comfortable chair.

Linens and towels are provided. The house is cleaned weekly. Couples are welcome and may share bedroom/studio if desired (weekly rate applies to each person). Children and pets (except for certified service animals) are unable to be accommodated during Winter Retreats.

The Granary Printmaking Studio (with a Vandercook 219 letterpress and Charles Brand-like etching press) is available for Winter Retreats for $150/week. The fee for a 15' x 26' visual art studio in the North Studios complex (with a sink, heater, easels, and tables) is $100/week.

The Anderson Center does not supply paper or any visual art supplies. Residents are generally expected to bring supplies and tools with them, or have supplies sent to the Center prior to arrival. All Winter Retreat participants should be able and willing to work independently.

Dancers and choreographers interested in using the Tower View Barn for movement work are encouraged to inquire with staff regarding availability and rates. Musicians and composers interested in utilizing the Tower View Barn (and its Grand Royale piano) are likewise encouraged to make a special request about rates and availability.

The Anderson Center does not hire a chef for Winter Retreats and no meals or groceries are provided. Participating writers and artists are expected to do their own grocery shopping and their own cooking in the fully equipped kitchen. There are numerous grocery stores, gourmet shops and restaurants nearby.

Artists are responsible for their own transportation. Given the time of year, Tower View’s location, and that no food is provided, participating artists and writers staying longer than one week are required to have their own car with them.

CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY

Before December 1, cancellations will be offered a refund of their deposit. Beginning December 1, deposits are non-refundable. Cancellations will not be offered a refund of their deposit on or after December 1.

VACCINATION POLICY

Prior to arrival, all artists are sent a Retreat Handbook outlining many items related to daily life, including the most current safety policies and protocols. The organization's goal is to balance standard pandemic policies and clear expectations while also highlighting areas where communication or flexibility within each cohort might be beneficial or needed.

The Anderson Center Residency Program trusts that artists know what they need most to advance their individual practices and how best to use their time to benefit their own work and reach their own goals. Likewise, artists are empowered to collectively make changes where appropriate and ultimately build the artist community they'd like to see.

At the same time, and as is outlined in the Retreat Handbook, the Anderson Center is committed to supporting artists by creating a safe space for their residency experience. As such, the organization requires all participating Winter Retreat artists to provide proof COVID-19 vaccination (and a booster within the last 12 months) prior to arrival.

Of course even with all of these precautions, by simply participating in an the retreat program with other artists, there is an inherent risk of exposure, even for vaccinated persons, that is beyond the ability of the Anderson Center to control entirely. By applying to this program you are communicating that you are comfortable with that risk and that you are also up-to-date on your COVID vaccinations (or will be prior to arrival). A COVID-19 risk acknowledgement and liability waiver is included in the retreat agreement.

ABOUT THE ANDERSON CENTER

The Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, founded in 1995 on the Tower View estate in rural Red Wing, Minn., has renovated and restored historic buildings to support working artists and the creative process, including developing twenty-two active studio spaces and three galleries. A renovated barn serves as a performance and event venue, the historic main residence houses artists-in-residence, and fifteen acres support a sculpture garden.

The Anderson Center's flagship artist residency program runs May through October each year and enables artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment to create, advance, or complete work. In addition to community engagement activities through the artist residency program, the organization has a strong history of helping integrate the arts into community life through local partnerships, hosting annual arts events and participating in other community-based initiatives.

LOCATION

The Anderson Center campus is located on the 350-acre historic Tower View Estate, built by scientist & farmer Dr. Alexander Pierce Anderson between 1915 and 1921, on the western edge of Red Wing, Minnesota, and its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Center features a large sculpture garden, and is adjacent to the Cannon Valley Trail, a 20-mile biking and walking trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Red Wing.

The Center is approximately 45 minutes southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Transportation is provided between the Center and the Twin Cities airport on the first and last day of residencies only. Artist Residents that choose to drive will have access to private parking on the property.

The community of Red Wing, Minn., (pop. 16,000) is nestled amidst the scenic bluffs of the upper Mississippi River.

The town is settled on the ancestral homelands of the Mdewakanton & Wahpakute bands of the Dakota people. The City of Red Wing is named after Tatanka Mani (Walking Buffalo), a leader of the Mdewakanton Dakota in the upper Mississippi Valley who wore a ceremonial swan’s wing dyed in brilliant red. In 1815, Tatanka Mani and his people moved their village south to a place they called Khemnichan (Hill, Wood, & Water) in present-day downtown Red Wing. Euro-American immigrants who met him as they advanced into the region in the early nineteenth century came to know him and his village as “Red Wing.”

Since its settlement and eventual incorporation in 1857, Red Wing established itself as a center for agriculture, industry, tourism, medical care, technology, and the arts. The Red Wing Shoe Company and its iconic brands, in particular, continue to have a significant impact on the community’s economic, business, and community development climates. Natural resources abound with Red Wing's riverfront, winding paths through the majestic bluffs, bike trails, and 35 city parks. The Prairie Island Indian Community is located northwest of the city. Frontenac State Park is to the southeast on Lake Pepin. Minnesota State College Southeast Technical’s Red Wing campus is known for its string and brass instrument repair programs. The MN Dept. of Corrections also operates a large juvenile residential facility in Red Wing.

Other amenities include a destination bakery, a chocolate shop, coffee shops, restaurants, the flagship Red Wing Shoe Company store, Goodhue County Historical Society Museum, the Red Wing Stoneware & Pottery store, the Pottery Museum of Red Wing, a Duluth Trading store, the Red Wing Marine Museum, a Target, several pharmacies, a plant nursery & garden center, a Mayo Health System Hospital, a small independent bookstore, and a public library.

theandersoncenter.submittable.com/submit/261191/january-2024-andeson-center-winter-retreat

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2024 Jesmyn Ward Fiction Prize

Michigan Quarterly Review

DEADLINE: December 31, 2023 by 11:59pm EST

SUBMISSION FEE: $25

INFO: The Jesmyn Ward Prize will be awarded annually by the Michigan Quarterly Review to one short story submitted for consideration. The Michigan Quarterly Review has established this prize in honor of Helen Zell Writers’ Program Alumna Jesmyn Ward and her significant contributions to the literary arts.

PRIZE: The prize will be in the amount of $2,000 and publication. All submissions will be considered for publication in MQR.

GUIDELINES:

• Please submit one unpublished short story of 1,500-7,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please withdraw your submission as soon as it is accepted elsewhere.

• We ask entrants not to include their names or contact information within the document they upload to Submittable, its title, or its file name.

• First readers for the prize will be the Helen Zell Writers’ Program students who currently review submissions on behalf of the journal.

• Submissions will go through two rounds of consideration by graduate students before 10 finalists are passed on to the judge.

• Current faculty and students and recent graduates (in the past 3 years) of the Helen Zell Writers’ Program will be barred from submitting. Close friends, relatives, and current and former students (in the past 3 years) of the Judge will be barred from submitting. MQR’s staff and editorial board, as well as their immediate family members, are also excluded from the contest.

JUDGE: The 2024 Judge will be David Lynn. The winning story will be published in the Summer 2024 issue of MQR.

mqr.submittable.com/submit

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Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant

History Through Fiction Press

DEADLINE: December 31, 2023

INFO: Are you an Indigenous writer? Are you an enrolled member of a tribal community within Minnesota? Then you're eligible for the Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant.

In conjunction with his forthcoming novel, Reclaiming Mni Sota, author Colin Mustful, and his press, History Through Fiction, will award one Indigenous writer a $10,000 grant to pursue the advancement of their creative writing projects, education, and career. To be considered for the grant, eligible applicants must submit proof of membership to federally recognized Minnesota Indian community, a personal essay, and a writing sample.

PERSONAL ESSAY - The personal essay should be an expression of the writer's journey that clearly demonstrates the writer's intentions to use creative writing to share stories about the past. It should convey the importance of historical storytelling and the value of advancing diverse narratives in historical fiction. It should be between 750 and 1,500 words long.

WRITING SAMPLE - The writing sample should be a sample of the writer's creative writing. It can be any form of fiction or poetry and can be a complete short-form narrative or an excerpt from a longer piece. It can be the writer's published or unpublished work. It should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words long.

TO APPLY - To apply for the Reclaiming Mni Sota Indigenous Writers Grant, please submit all materials through our Duosuma Submission Manager. Please attach the personal essay and writing sample as a PDF, .doc, or .docx file. Your cover letter should include your full name, tribal membership, email, phone number, and mailing address. Your writing sample should not include any identifying information. The application period begins June 15, 2023 and ends December 31, 2023.

SELECTION + AWARDING - The awardee will be chosen through a reviewal process by Colin Mustful, History Through Fiction, and judges Erica T. Wurth, Linda G. Johnston, and CMarie Fuhrman. The awardee will be selected and notified no later than January 31, 2024. The grant will be awarded by check at a public event or banquet on a date to be determined, but shall be no later than May 1, 2024.

DETAILS + DISCLAIMERS:

• This grant is an effort of Colin Mustful and History Through Fiction and is supported by its contributors and advocates. It is not directly affiliated with any other person or organization.

• The full award will amount to the total earned through the GoFundMe campaign less fees and taxes. Therefore, the final total may not be equal to $10,000.

• The fundraising period for this grant begins June 15, 2023 and ends December 31, 2023. There will be no further contributions made after December 31, 2023.

• The application period begins June 15, 2023 and ends December 31, 2023. The awardee will be chosen through a reviewal process by Colin Mustful, History Through Fiction, and judges Erica T. Wurth, Linda G. Johnston, and CMarie Fuhrman. The awardee will be selected and notified no later than January 31, 2024. The grant will be awarded by check at a public event or banquet on a date to be determined, but shall be no later than May 1, 2024.

• The awardee must be an enrolled member of one of the eleven federally recognized Indian Tribes in Minnesota.

• The awardee agrees to provide the History Through Fiction and Colin Mustful bi-yearly updates on how the grant funding is being utilized. Colin Mustful will publish the updates on his blogs and newsletters. The awardee shall provide four total updates.

duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/form.aspx?id=R1oLKW7-d53F2-R0di9Mz

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Short Nonfiction Contest

Kenyon Review

DEADLINE: December 31, 2023

SUBMISSION FEE: $24

INFO: The Kenyon Review publishes the winning essay in print, and the author is awarded a full scholarship to attend the Kenyon Review Writers Workshops.

GUIDELINES:

• Writers must not have published a book of creative nonfiction at the time of submission. (We define a “published book of creative nonfiction” as a memoir, book of essays, or other creative nonfiction collection written by you and published by someone other than you in print, on the web, or in ebook format.)

• Submissions must be no more than 3,000 words in length.

• Please submit no more than once per year.

• Please do not simultaneously submit your contest entry to another magazine or contest.

• Please do not submit work that has been previously published.

• Before you submit, please remove your name and any other identifying information from your manuscript.

• The Submittable portal will remain active between December 1 and 31, 2023.

• The entry fee for the Short Nonfiction Contest is just $24, collected at the time of submission. All entrants are invited to claim a complimentary half-year Print plus Digital subscription to The Kenyon Review (for domestic addresses) or a half-year Digital-only subscription (for international addresses) through January 15, 2024. Your new half-year subscription to The Kenyon Review will include the Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 issues. Current subscribers will receive a two-issue extension on their current subscription. As always, we will open in the fall for regular submissions, which we read at no cost to writers.

Winners will be announced in the late spring. You will receive an email notifying you of any decisions regarding your work.

kenyonreview.org/submit/short-nonfiction-contest/

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call for submissions

eMerge Magazine

DEADLINE: January 1, 2024

INFO: Become an Emerge Author! Writers and artists work in the loneliest of all professions, inside our heads. Those writers who are daring enough to create and reveal a small part of their souls, are to be lauded. The staff of eMerge, and the thousands of eMerge readers, salute your courage and thank you for your submissions.

Submissions will be considered for inclusion in next year's issues of eMerge and submitters will be notified prior to publication.

eMerge Magazine supports writers of all backgrounds and genres through publishing original, creative work.

emerge-magazine.com/authors/

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Jacobs/Jones African American Literary Prize

North Carolina Writers’ Network

DEADLINE: January 2, 2024

SUBMISSION FEE:

• Member: $10

• Non-Member: $20

INFO: The Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize honors Harriet Jacobs and Thomas Jones, two pioneering African-American writers from North Carolina, and seeks to convey the rich and varied existence of African-American/Black North Carolinians. The contest, sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network, is administered by the Creative Writing Program at UNC-Chapel Hill. The winner receives $1,000 and possible publication of the winning entry in The Carolina Quarterly.

ELIGIBILITY + GUIDELINES:

• The competition is open to any African-American/Black writer whose primary residence is in North Carolina.

• Entries may be fiction or creative nonfiction, but must be unpublished*, no more than 3,000 words, and concerned with the lives and experiences of African-American/Black North Carolinians. Entries may be excerpts from longer works, but must be self-contained. Entries will be judged on literary merit.

• An entry fee must accompany each submission: $10 for NCWN members, $20 for nonmembers. You may submit multiple entries, but the correct fee must accompany each one.

• You may pay the members’ entry fee if you join the NCWN when you submit.

• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

• If submitting by mail, submit two copies of an unpublished manuscript, not to exceed 3,000 words, on single-sided pages, double-spaced, in black 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins.

• The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript. Instead, include a separate cover sheet with name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count, and manuscript title.

• To submit by USPS:
  Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize
  c/o NCWN
  P. O. Box 21591
  Winston-Salem, NC 27120

• When you submit online, Submittable will collect your entry fee via credit card ($10 NCWN members / $20 non-members). (If submitting online, do not include a cover sheet with your document; Submittable will collect and record your name and contact information. For more information about Submittable, click here.)

• Entries will not be returned.

• The winner will be announced in February.

• For questions, please contact mail@ncwriters.org.

ncwriters.org/programs/competitions/jacobs-jones-african-american-literary-prize/

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Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts

DEADLINE: January 7, 2024. by 11:59pm

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: The Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts is thrilled to announce our Call for Entries for the 2024 Residency season! Residencies will begin May 30 and run through October 31.

We welcome submissions from artists and writers living in New York State and Indian Nations therein working in the following disciplines:

• Poetry

• Fiction & Creative Nonfiction

• Photography & Filmmaking

• Painting | Sculpture | Visual Arts

Accessible to all artists and writers

Saltonstall has re-centered our mission to make the residency experience accessible to all artists and writers in New York State.

• In 2017, we waived application fees to remove an economic bar to access.

• In 2019, we piloted a one-week residency specifically for artists and writers with at least one dependent child at home.

• And in 2021, we offered a newly-constructed accessible space, so that all artists and writers in New York State could be part of our residency program

There is no cost associated with the residency and no cost to apply.

Artists and writers who are awarded a residency are provided the following:

• $100 per-week stipend + additional stipend support based on financial need. This was a new initiative in 2023. We expect the upper threshold to be approximately $1,000 with priority given to those living below the median household income for their NYS County.

• Artist/writer parents who attend the 7-night residency for parents will receive a $500 stipend.

• writers: a spacious private apartment with ample desk space

• visual artists: a private apartment with adjoining studio space on the same level

• photographers or filmmakers: a private apartment with ample desk space and a fully functional wet darkroom

• all apartments have private baths and a patio or balcony

• hearty chef-prepared vegetarian dinners (we always accommodate for allergies but cannot always accommodate very specific dietary sensitivities.)

• groceries and a 24-hour accessible kitchen

• washer and dryer in each building

saltonstall.org/residencies/application-guidelines/

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“Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers

Trillium Arts

DEADLINE: January 9, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $0

INFO: The “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers aims to provide Black women writers a restful environment conducive to reflection and writing. It also offers uninterrupted, independent time to plant the seed of an idea for a new writing project or to develop or complete a project underway.

For 2024 the Fellowship will focus on the genre of Fiction.

WHAT THE FELLOWSHIP ENTAILS:

The selected writer will receive a ten-day solo residency in July 2024 and can choose whether to stay at Trillium Arts’ rural “Firefly Creek” apartment in Mars Hills, NC or at E. Patrick Johnson and Stephen Lewis’ “Montford Manor” residence near downtown Asheville, NC. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend and transportation to and from Asheville, NC. Additional benefits will be custom tailored to the needs of the awardee.

DATES: The preferred dates for a “Miss Sarah” Fellowship in 2024 are July 10-20. However, the panel will consider other dates.

ELIGIBILITY: Black women writers at any stage of their careers are invited to apply. For applicants outside of the United States, please note that travel expenses will only be covered within the United States. International airfare will be at the expense of the applicant.

TIMELINE: The Deadline to apply is Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. The deadline is firm and the submission portal will be closed at the deadline. Applications will be reviewed by a panel and applicants will be notified by late April 1, 2024.

REQUIREMENTS:

Please upload and submit all of the following documents, either as PDF or Word documents. Files should not exceed 10 MB each.

• CV or resume (not to exceed 5 pages)

• A one-page statement of purpose outlining the proposed project.

• A one-page statement that addresses the question of, “Why Trillium Arts?” Be specific in how a Fellowship at Trillium Arts will benefit your creative work.

• One letter of recommendation. The letter should be submitted separately by an outside recommender. The letter should specifically refer to your writing project. Be sure to choose someone who can speak specifically about your project, and we suggest you share your work sample with your recommender so they can be informed about your writing.

In your letter, we will request that the recommender address the following three questions:

1. What makes the applicant's project significant?

2. Who do you imagine would be most served by this project?

3. What do you find inspiring about the applicant's project?

Provide an email address for your recommender in the online Submittable application form and your recommender will receive an automatic link to use to submit their letter on your behalf. Please remind the recommender that they need to reply to the automatic email and submit their letter by no later than Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 11:59pm EST, which is a two day grace period for the recommenders, following your application completion deadline of Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:59pm EST. Please plan accordingly to ensure that your recommender has enough time to submit.

• A writing sample of your proposed project. Work-in-progress is highly recommended. Writing samples should be in English. The genre for 2024 is Fiction.

• MA and MFA theses, PhD dissertations, and edited collections are not eligible and will be disqualified. Your work sample must be original.

• ·Your name and the title of your written piece should appear on the top of each uploaded file.

• Please submit your writing sample in ONE PDF document. The sample should be a minimum of 10 pages not exceed 15 pages. All submitted documents should be double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and in an easily readable 12-point font.

trilliumartsnc.org/writing-fellowships-guidelines

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2024 Artist Residency Programs

Anderson Center at Tower View

DEADLINE: January 9, 2024 at noon CST

INFO: Applications for our 2024 Artist Residency Programs in Red Wing, Minnesota are open. Advance your practice with dedicated time & space in a community of artists!

Jury review will take place in late January and February. Selected artist residents, wait-list and runners-up will be notified by March 5, 2024.

Anderson Center at Tower View offers various residency programs of two to four weeks’ duration from May through October each year to enable artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment to create, advance, or complete work. There are typically 5 residents at the Anderson Center at a time, and the organization hosts approximately 35-40 residents each year.

andersoncenter.org/residency-program/