PEN/JEAN STEIN GRANT FOR LITERARY ORAL HISTORY
PEN America
INFO: The PEN/Jean Stein Grant for Literary Oral History recognizes a literary work of nonfiction that uses oral history to illuminate an event, individual, place, or movement. The winner receives a $10,000 grant meant to help maintain or complete their ongoing project. Past winners include Loida Maritza Pérez, Nyssa Chow, and Aleksandar Hemon.
The grant is made possible by a substantial contribution from American author and editor Jean Stein, whose groundbreaking work helped popularize literary oral history. Her books include American Journey: The Times of Robert Kennedy (1970), Edie: An American Biography (1982), and West of Eden: An American Place (2016).
DEADLINE: August 1, 2020
https://pen.org/jean-stein-oral-history-grant/?mc_cid=2843f611d3&mc_eid=d562c31e56
PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists
PEN America
INFO: The PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists is offered annually to an author of children’s or young adult fiction for a novel-in-progress. Previously called the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship, the award was developed to help writers whose work is of high literary caliber and assist a writer at a crucial moment in their career to complete their novel. The author of the winning manuscript, selected blindly by judges unaware of nominees’ names, will receive an award of $5,000.
The Grant is made possible by a substantial contribution from PEN America Member Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, the prolific author of more than 140 books, including Now I’ll Tell You Everything, the 28th and final book in the acclaimed Alice series, as well as Faith, Hope, and Ivy June and Shiloh, the first novel in a quartet, which won the 1992 Newbery Medal.
On establishing the grant, Mrs. Naylor said: “We truly work ‘blind,’ with no assurance whatsoever that anyone will be interested in our final product. It takes enormous stamina and resolve and optimism to live with our characters for a year or more—and it’s my hope that the grant, modest as it is, will let the author know that an expert panel of PEN judges has faith in the writer, admires his work, and trusts that he will be able to bring to paper what he sees in his head.”
DEADLINE: August 1, 2020
https://pen.org/pen-phyllis-naylor-grant/?mc_cid=2843f611d3&mc_eid=d562c31e56
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: CARIBBEAN FEMINIST STORIES
Intersect
INFO: Intersect, a Caribbean feminist organization committed to decolonial & intersectional knowledge production through storytelling in Antigua and Barbuda is seeking fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and art exploring Caribbean feminism. Themes are "Colourism" and "Growing Up Queer" in the Caribbean.
We need more grassroots feminist scholarship that allows us to hear and listen to diverse voices of people and their experiences with and perspectives on colourism and queerness in Antigua and Barbuda and throughout the Caribbean region. The word "queer" is also often deployed in a way that obscures people's unique experiences as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or gender non-conforming. Do you embrace this term? What does it mean to you? What have you learned about being a lesbian or a gay man and/or non-binary person from the Caribbean? The descriptions under each theme are writing prompts to help you get started. We're really hoping to receive submissions on these topics!
Fiction and non fiction: 500-1,000 words.
Poetry: less than 1,000 words.
Submit your pieces to intersect.anu@gmail.com.
DEADLINE: August 1, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA0IX-IjgL2/
FLASH CONTEST
Pidgeon Pages
INFO: Pigeon Pages is a literary space where emerging and established writers from all backgrounds are encouraged to nest together. We seek to champion voices that are not always allowed to sing loudly.
The Flash Contest is judged by Kiley Reid, bestselling author of Such a Fun Age
The winning author will receive $250 and publication in Pigeon Pages.
Two honorable mentions will receive $50 and publication in Pigeon Pages.
All submissions will be considered for publication.
ENTRY FEE: $15
DEADLINE: August 1, 2020
https://pigeonpagesnyc.submittable.com/submit/116787/flash-contest-up-to-three-entries
RED HEN PRESS NOVELLA AWARD
INFO: Established in 2018, the Novella Award is for a previously unpublished, original work of fiction. Awarded manuscript is selected through an annual competition which is open to all writers.
Award is $1000 and publication by Red Hen Press.
15,000 word minimum, 30,000 word maximum.
This year's final judge will be Donna Hemans.
SUBMISSION FEE: $25
DEADLINE: August 1, 2020
https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/119231/red-hen-press-novella-award
CCR SUMMER PRIZES IN FICTION AND POETRY – 2020
Cream City Review
INFO: You may submit multiple times if there is a payment for each entry. All submitted work must be previously unpublished. The winner will receive $700, publication, and an online feature on our website. The runner-up will receive $300, publication, and an online feature on our website as well.
The editors at CCR will read each submission, and 7-10 finalists will be forwarded to the judges for final decision.
*Current students, faculty, and staff of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin System are not eligible to enter the contest. If you have been affiliated with the university in the past, please wait three years after the affiliation to submit to the CCR Summer Prizes.
*CCR Contributors, please wait at least 2 years from date of publication before submitting.
*Previous winners and runner-ups may not submit to the prize.
*Please read the following guidelines before submitting.
Poetry Contest Guidelines:
You may send up to four poems in a single document. (.doc, .docx, & .pdf are acceptable)
Please do not include your name anywhere in the submission
You may include a brief, 3rd person bio in the appropriate box in Submittable
Each entrant will receive a one-year subscription to CCR, beginning with the issue featuring the contest winners
Judge: EJ Koh
Author of The Magical Language of Others (Tin House Books, 2020) and A Lesser Love (Pleiades Press, 2017), winner of the Pleiades Editors Prize for Poetry. Her poems, translations, stories have appeared in Academy of American Poets, Boston Review, Los Angeles Review of Books, PEN America, Slate, and World Literature Today. She has accepted fellowships from the American Literary Translators Association, Jack Straw Writers Program, Kundiman, MacDowell Colony, Napa Valley Writers’ Conference, and Vermont Studio Center. Koh earned her MFA at Columbia University in New York for Creative Writing and Literary Translation. She is completing her PhD at the University of Washington in English Language and Literature.
Fiction Contest Guidelines:
Please send us one short story of up to 9,000 words in a single document (.doc, .docx, & .pdf are acceptable)
Please do not include your name anywhere in the submission
You may include a brief, 3rd person bio in the appropriate box in Submittable
Each entrant will receive a one-year subscription to CCR, beginning with the issue featuring the contest winners
Judge: Lucy Tan
Lucy Tan is author of the novel What We Were Promised, which was long listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and named a Best Book of 2018 by The Washington Post, Refinery 29, and Amazon. Her short fiction has been published in journals such as Ploughshares, Asia Literary Review, and McSweeney’s. A recipient of fellowships from Kundiman and the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, Lucy is originally from New Jersey and currently lives in Seattle.
ENTRY FEE: It is $15 to submit one entry. One entry fee includes a one-year subscription to our journal, which is normally $22. If you submit more than one entry, we’ll extend your subscription by one year.
DEADLINE: August 1, 2020
https://uwm.edu/creamcityreview/contests/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: SHORT STORIES
minight & indigo
INFO: We are looking for previously unpublished, CHARACTER-DRIVEN fictional short stories written by Black women writers. All genres are welcome. Subject matter and plots can run the gamut, but we want emotion, grit, soul, and writing that forges an immediate connection with the reader.
DEADLINE: August 2, 2020
https://midnightindigo.submittable.com/submit/165994/short-stories-submission-deadline-august-2nd
Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest
Prairie Schooner
INFO: The Creative Nonfiction Essay 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. 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.
Guest judge, Sarah M. Broom will name a winner and finalist.
AWARD: The winner will receive $500 and publication in our Spring 2021 issue.
ENTRY FEE: $20, which includes a copy of the Spring 2021 issue of Prairie Schooner, in which the winning essay will appear.
DEADLINE: August 2, 2020
https://prairieschooner.submittable.com/submit/12826/creative-nonfiction-essay-contest
Literary Arts Emergency Fund
CLMP / Academy of American Poets / National Book Foundation
INFO: CLMP has joined the Academy of American Poets and the National Book Foundation to establish the Literary Arts Emergency Fund, which will provide $3.5 million to the literary arts, a field that has been disastrously impacted by COVID-19. Regrants from this fund, made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will be distributed by September 15, 2020.
ELIGIBILITY:
Literary arts organizations and publishers (magazines and presses)* AND
Incorporated nonprofits with 501(c)3 status OR a fiscal agent
*Because recent financial losses experienced by literary nonprofit organizations and publishers have been substantial and emergency relief is limited, libraries, museums, book arts organizations, literacy organizations, humanities councils, centers for the book, residencies, playwriting organizations, author’s homes, and organizations devoted to championing the legacy of an individual writer are ineligible.
Additional Information
The Literary Arts Emergency Fund will award one-time, unrestricted grants from $5,000 to $50,000.
The determination of grant amounts will include financial need and projected loss due to COVID-19; diversity, equity, and inclusion in regards to an organization’s staff and board, poets and writers contracted, and audiences served; budget size; and an organization’s demonstrated ability to offer continued programming.
This Literary Arts Emergency Fund is managed by the Academy of American Poets, Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and National Book Foundation, which will respectively be making grants to:
Poetry organizations;
Publishers (literary magazines and presses);
Literary or writers’ centers, book festivals, Writers in the Schools programs, and literary presenting organizations.
Decisions about the eligibility of applications as determined by these three organizations are final.
These three organizations assume no responsibility for applications not received due to user error. Applicant organizations will receive an email confirming receipt of their application and may verify receipt of their application by logging into Submittable.
Applications will be reviewed by independent panelists. Panel ratings will form the basis for funding recommendations.
Award decisions will be approved and finalized by members of the Board of Directors of the three organizations.
DEADLINE: August 7, 2020, at 11:59pm ET
All applicant organizations will be notified whether or not they received funding by email by September 15, 2020.
https://www.clmp.org/literary-arts-emergency-fund/
Call For BIPOC Writers
Pine Hills Review
INFO: As acts of police brutality and anti-Black racism continue to come to light, we recognize that every institution plays a part in creating an anti-racist society. Pine Hills Review condemns and opposes all forms of racism and recognizes the barriers to publication for BIPOC writers. We believe writing has the power to change our thinking and change the world; we endeavor to decolonize the literary canon and stand in solidarity with those working towards an end to systemic racism.
This is why we are opening up our submissions—to BIPOC writers exclusively. After this special reading period, BIPOC are more than welcome to submit their work during our regular reading period as well, as we push to promote quality BIPOC work on any topic. Solidarity is more than a one-off action. It is continually creating spaces for BIPOC to have their voices heard. Our submission guidelines follow.
DEADLINE: August 12, 2020
Oak Spring Garden Foundation Residency
INFO: In 2021 the Oak Spring Garden Foundation will host five separate five-week interdisciplinary residencies. Each session is designed to support eight artists, conservation practitioners, researchers, scholars, scientists or writers who are pursuing work inspired by plants, gardens and landscapes. The goal of this residency program is to provide individuals with the time and space to pursue their own creative projects alongside other residents who may be examining the natural world from different perspectives. By living and working side-by-side in a supportive environment with individuals of varying backgrounds and interests, we hope our residents experience interdisciplinary inspiration and interaction.
Who We Support: Individuals devoted to creative expression and innovative thinking that leads to new objects, movements, or ideas. This includes, but is not limited to, artists, dancers, filmmakers and musicians of all kinds, as well as writers of both fiction and non-fiction. Visual artists creating book art, drawings, fiber art, graphics, illustrations, paintings, photography, prints, sculpture or other objects have been especially prominent in Oak Spring residencies so far, but we are keen to support all forms of artistic expression.
What We Provide: Residents will attend a series of events during the first week to become familiarized with the site, our staff, and the other residents in their cohort. These events will include tours of the formal garden, landscape and library, as well as an informal “meet-and-greet” with Oak Spring staff. After this introduction residents are free to work independently on their projects, explore our 700-acre sustainably managed landscape, and make appointments to visit the library during office hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm).
Because OSGF believes in the importance of good, sustainably grown and locally sourced food, we will provide a chef who will prepare multiple communal dinners and prepare some “grab-and-go” lunches using produce from the on-site Biocultural Conservation Farm. Residents will be expected to attend dinners prepared by the chef in order to promote interactions, facilitate interdisciplinary conversations and contribute to developing a stronger sense of community. Oak Spring will also provide a residency facilitator who will live on-site to provide day-to-day support to residents and arrange field trips and other social events.
The only requirement placed on residents after the initial introductory events is that they participate in a Residency Showcase during the final week of the residency. The Residency Showcase is a fun, informal opportunity for staff and a small number of guests to visit with the participants, see the visual artist’s studios, and learn about what residents have worked on during their time at Oak Spring.
Award: Applicants selected for this award will receive a $2,000 individual grant. Residents should arrange transportation to Dulles International Airport . We will then arrange transport to the Oak Spring estate in Upperville, VA. Residents who complete this program will be able to apply to our annual Alumni Residency.
Eligibility: Residents will be exceptional practitioners who desire time and space to work on their creative projects. Awards will be granted based on excellence and merit, the applicant’s interest in joining an interdisciplinary cohort of artists-practitioners-researchers-scientists, and their work’s relationship to OSGF’s mission. Awardees cannot be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and must reside on-site for the entire duration of the program. We do not allow pets or overnight visitors during the residency.
Dates:
Session I: February 2, 2021 - March 9, 2021;
Session II: May 16, 2021 - June 18, 2021;
Session III: July 5, 2021 - August 7, 2021;
Session IV: August 22, 2021 - September 25, 2021;
Session V: October 10, 2021 - November 12, 2021
Selection Process: Preliminary vetting will be done by OSGF staff. Applicants who meet the necessary requirements will be reviewed by an external panel of established and relevant professionals working in their field. The selection committee or committees will meet in-person to discuss applicants and select awardees.
DEADLINE: August 12, 2020
https://www.osgf.org/residencies/interdisciplinary-residency
Writer to Writer Mentorship Program
AWP
INFO: AWP's mentorship program, Writer to Writer, matches emerging writers and published 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 membership. Writer to Writer is free of charge to mentees.
Should you be chosen to participate, your mentor will review your writing, listen to your concerns, and help you problem solve. You will have opportunities to interact with others taking part in that session, and AWP's membership team will be there with you every step of the way.
Our Fall session begins each September and consists of six modules over a three-month period, concluding mid-December.
Our Spring session begins each February and consists of six modules over a three-month period, concluding mid-May.
There is no charge to apply, and there is no fee for this program. Is your mentor waiting for you this season?
DEADLINE: August 12, 2020
https://www.awpwriter.org/community_calendar/mentorship_program_overview
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Remnant Archive
INFO: The Remnant Archive is committed in welcoming new voices and delightfully accepts submissions from everyone, especially women and non-binary individuals, members of the LGBTQIA community, and BIPOC.
Prose: For prose, please make sure that your piece(s) has a stronger, deeper meaning involved. We want soft, lucid prose that builds up imagery. Make sure that your work is a product of fiction. Send us a maximum of 2 fiction prose.
Reviews: These are surreal and unprecedented times. Send us your reviews of books, essays and art that helped you be yourself and find relevance. Tell us what makes it special for you, how it moved you, made you a different person. Don’t be afraid of experimenting. Draw comparisons from the novel into real life. How does our society work? What is the essence of living? Be innovative, write about your favourite character, how would they react in these times?
We hold a special place for the reviews corresponding to renaissance and indigenous art.
Send us a maximum of 2 reviews combined in one document.
PAY: Please keep in mind that TRA is not a paying market right now, although we hope to monetarily appreciate our contributors in the future.
DEADLINE: August 15, 2020
https://www.theremnantarchive.com/submission
2021 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction ($25,000)
PEN America
INFO: The PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction is a career-founding prize, which promotes fiction that addresses issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics on human relationships. Established by Barbara Kingsolver in 2000 and funded entirely by her, it is awarded biennially to the author of a previously unpublished novel-in-progress of high literary caliber that exemplifies the prize’s founding principles.
The winning novel-in-progress is chosen by a panel of three judges: Barbara Kingsolver, one editor representing Algonquin Books, and one distinguished literary author. Entries are judged blindly, to avoid any form of bias, and the identities of the authors of the submissions are not known by the judging panel until after the decision is finalized.
The author of the winning manuscript is awarded a prize of $25,000 and a publishing contract with Algonquin Books, as well as an additional publishing advance. The winning author can expect to work closely with an editor from Algonquin prior to publication, and will receive promotional support from PEN America and Algonquin. Winners for this award are eligible to receive PEN America’s official winner seal.
Defining Socially Engaged Fiction:
Socially engaged fiction may describe categorical human transgressions in a way that compels readers to examine their own prejudices. It may invoke the necessity for economic and social justice for a particular ethnic or social group, or it may explicitly examine movements that have brought positive social change. Or, it may advocate the preservation of nature by describing and defining accountable relationships between people and their environment.
The mere description of an injustice, or of the personal predicament of an exploited person, without any clear position of social analysis invoked by the writer, does not in itself constitute socially engaged literature. “Social engagement” describes a moral obligation of individuals to engage with their communities in ways that promote a more respectful coexistence, to question and confront, to work towards betterment.
Politically engaged literary fiction has influenced readers and social currents of every age, from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” – —which invigorated the American movement to abolish slavery— – through 20th-c Century classics such as “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair and Toni Morrison’s “Beloved.” More contemporary contributors to this tradition include Margaret Atwood, Jesmyn Ward, Louise Erdrich, Barbara Kingsolver, Tommy Orange, Richard Powers, Valeria Luiselli, Rion Amilcar Scott, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and others.
Because of its inherent challenges and discomforts brought to a reader, socially engaged fiction is often undervalued in American letters, while its role and recognition in American culture is only growing. Historically, its advocacy has not fallen within the stated goals of major North American publishers, endowments, or other prizes for the arts. The PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction was conceived to address these deficiencies, with the hope of enlisting more U.S. writers, publishers, and readers to share in this crucial endeavor.
Who is Eligible:
An unpublished novel manuscript by a writer who has not sold more than 10,000 copies of a previously published book.
The submission must be an original, previously unpublished novel, written by one person in English, and at least 80,000 words in length.
The applicant’s submission may not be under consideration by any publisher during the judging period, and the work should not be submitted elsewhere during the review period for this prize.
Authors must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Authors will have published at least three pieces of short fiction, poetry, or nonfiction in a literary journal, cultural website, or media outlet, which has undergone editorial review.
Individuals who were previously finalists for the PEN/Bellwether Prize cannot submit the same work again for any future offerings of this award, unless the manuscript has undergone significant revisions.
Timeline:
Applicants will be notified in early fall if their manuscript is a finalist or is no longer under consideration, at which time they should feel free to submit the work elsewhere for consideration.
Approximately ten finalists for the award will be notified in early fall, and are asked to continue to keep their manuscript under exclusive consideration of the judges until the winner announcement.
The winner announcement will be made in early 2021.
SUBMISSION FEE: $40.00 USD
DEADLINE: August 15, 2020
Call for Papers: 8th Annual Black Doctoral Network Conference: “Leveraging The Power of Black Excellence”
Black Doctoral Network Conference
INFO: The Black Doctoral Network Conference Committee is inviting abstract submissions for the 2020 conference (October 29-31, 2020) themed “Leveraging the Power of Black Excellence.” This year’s conference showcases the collective impact of Black excellence in every aspect of society. Black scholars, researchers, practitioners, and activists are invited to showcase their individual and collective achievements in their respective disciplines. The theme of the annual meeting asks: What is your contribution to Black excellence? How individuals and groups tap into personal and collective power to overcome oppression and bias? How do individuals and communities mobilize to support Black excellence? What is the future of Black excellence locally, nationally, or globally? How do we support Black excellence so that it is visible and sustainable? How do we work across disciplinary silos to meaningfully address the complex challenges that affect Black people and our communities? Three conference tracks will guide our time together: Research and Scholarship; Personal and Professional Success; Black Activism.
Research and Scholarship
Research and scholarship are the heart of knowledge creation and the generation of new and novel approaches to complex issues. This track invites submissions that showcase the broad tapestry of Black excellence in research and scholarship. Researchers and scholars in STEM, humanities, communications, human services, healthcare, and education are invited to share their work in their respective disciplines.
Personal and Professional Success
Black excellence is not achieved in a vacuum. Hard work and dedication are often considered the “bare minimum” for achieving success. This track invites papers showcasing strategies for leveraging personal power, overcoming/addressing oppression and bias to achieve success.
Black Activism
In these turbulent times, Black activism is a necessary and proper approach to tearing down barriers and creating opportunities for Black excellence now and in the future. This track invites papers that offer collective solutions to addressing systemic social, economic, and political issues.
We invite broad engagement between activists, scholar-practitioners and academics that address the conference theme. Papers that will reflect on this theme are especially encouraged, but we accept submissions on any topic.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION:
Submission of abstracts from graduate and doctoral students, recent Ph.D. graduates and academic professionals across disciplines are welcome. We accept abstracts from (1) individuals who wish to present on a panel and from (2) groups who want to create their own panel. Abstracts should be no more than 300 words typed, double spaced, using a 12pt font. Submissions should be anonymous – please do not include your name or the name of your institution on the document. Include the title of your abstract and note whether it is an individual or a group submission. All group submissions require at least three presenters.
Priority Deadline Submissions: Submitting author will receive a confirmation message upon submitting the abstract. Acceptance announcements will be sent via email in mid-May to the submitting author. Accepted presenters and co-presenters must register for the conference and confirm their acceptance by June 30, 2020. Failure to register and confirm acceptance by June 30th will result in rescinding acceptance.
Rolling Deadline Submissions: Acceptance announcements will be sent via email starting late-June and all throughout July and August depending on space availability. Accepted presenters and co-presenters must register for the conference and confirm their acceptance within 21 days from their acceptance notification. Failure to register and confirm acceptance will result in rescinding acceptance.
PRESENTATION DETAILS:
Your presentation should describe the purpose, methods and conclusions of your research. Individual presenters will be assigned to a panel and will have 15 minutes to deliver their presentations. Group presentations will be given 45 minutes to deliver their presentations and require at least 3 presenters. You may not submit or take part in more than one panel presentation; presenters may give one and only one paper at the conference. However, you are welcome to make a workshop submission when the Call For Workshops open in late-June.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
The Conference will be an interdisciplinary event that brings together academics and professionals from the social sciences, STEM, and humanities to address how we can positively impact and inform each other’s work and engage with our communities. In addition to interdisciplinary panel presentations, this conference will have interactive roundtables and small group forum discussions. Professors and corporate professionals from various fields will converse and give insight on the need for interconnectedness throughout the academy and community. Workshops on handling job talks, grant writing and proposals, balancing relationships, and stress and time management will also be addressed. To learn more about our conference visit: https://blackphdnetwork.org/conference
DEADLINE: August 15, 2020 at 11:59pm EST
https://blackphdnetwork.submittable.com/submit
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Doek!
INFO: Doek! — a literary magazine from Namibia — seeks nuanced, exciting, challenging, disturbing, and transformative work from the following categories of eligible writers and poets:
Namibians, or those of Namibian descent, residing in Namibia;
Namibians, or those of Namibian descent, in the diaspora; and
Foreign nationals residing in Namibia who have a direct connection with Namibia (through the work they produce).
Unsolicited submissions from other foreign nationals are not presently accepted.
ACCEPTED SUBMISSIONS
Narrative-driven short fiction hotter than a city pavement, sizzling like kapana, and more filling than a porsie chips met spice en asyn (bread roll and butter sold separately).
Nonfiction with a point that haunts beyond the last full stop.
Poetry that takes the reader to the edge of their senses and beyond.
Only original work will be considered. Previously published work (in any medium, including social media or personal blogs) is not accepted.
Novel or manuscript excerpts are not eligible for consideration.
Submissions must be written in English. Writers may use words or phrases from any of Namibia’s indigenous languages provided their meaning can be understood within the text.
Submissions may not exceed 3000 words. There is no minimum word count.
Submissions must be typed: Times New Roman, 12 pt, 2.0 line spacing. The document should only contain the title and the body text of the submission. No identifying details (name, contact number, or email address) may be used in the filename or be placed anywhere in the submission document.
Only one submission per person per submission window period. Eligible writers may not submit to more than one category.
Simultaneous submissions are permitted and should be retracted when accepted for publication elsewhere.
Writers and poets must be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission.
Past contributors must wait one year from the date of their publication before submitting to Doek! again.
Submissions which do not adhere to the provided guidelines will not be considered.
DEADLINE: August 15, 2020
https://doeklitmag.com/submissions/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=doek-has-grown
CALL FOR ENTRIES: THE LIT EXHIBIT 2020: ARCHIVES
The Lit Exhibit
INFO: This year we are inviting creatives to reflect on the Archive, and to send us poetry, micro fiction, installation art, and experimental writing that speaks to this premise.
We would also like to deepen the conversation on archiving through a public forum / webinar. The archive has value: it is a means of preservation, tradition, knowledge. How do we protect memory?
These conversations are not irrelevant in these times: the means of archiving information provides accountability & often healing. We are interested in collaborating with other archivists who might be interested in co-facilitating a workshop with us! We hope to inspire people to create their own archives & to possibly share with us for our upcoming exhibition.
DEADLINE: Extended to August 15, 2020
https://www.thelitexhibit.nyc/apply
2021–2021 LGBTQ+ Bay Area Emerging Writer Fellowships—Youth / Elders
Foglifter
INFO: Foglifter will award two LGBTQ+ Bay Area Emerging Writer Fellowships that will run from September 2020 through June of 2021. The first will be awarded to an LGBTQ+ transitional-age youth (18–25 years old). The second will be awarded to an LGBTQ+ writer aged 50+ years-old.
These fellowships will amplify LGBTQ+ transitional youth and elders’ marginalized voices and provide them access to a larger literary community. The fellowship stipend ($1,500 each, paid in two disbursements of $750 [October & May]) will reward, encourage, and empower the fellows' writing. Foglifter will nurture and support their continued writing and publishing, offering them publicity and welcoming them into our literary community with open arms. As fellows, they will also learn publishing and event curation skills, enabling them to further their expertise in the publishing and literary arts world.
Each fellow will have the opportunity to participate in the production cycle of a literary journal issue from start to finish. They can select the part of the process they would like to concentrate on—reading and voting on poetry, prose, or hybrid submissions, community engagement, production, or editing. Additionally, Foglifter will feature the fellows' writing in Volume 6, Issue 1, to be released in April of 2021. The fellows will read at the release party reading at Strut, alongside five other LGBTQ+ writers published in the issue. Finally, in the spring of 2021, both fellows will collaborate to artistically curate and produce an intergenerational Foglifter reading featuring six LGBTQ+ writers (18–25 or 50+) of their choosing.
With this fellowship, Foglifter hopes to foster intergenerational collaboration and artistic vision-sharing across ages. We aim to strengthen the range of voices heard in the literary and queer community, and to disseminate those new voices to the larger public. We will also uplift the talents of emerging LGBTQ+ writers, providing these emerging artists mentorship to learn new skills in the publishing industry.
Youth Fellowship Criteria:
LGBTQ+
18–25
Prose, poetry, or hybrid writer
not currently enrolled as a full-time student
has not published a book
has no more than 10 publication credits
interested in publishing
interested in intergenerational conversations
POC, people with disabilities encouraged to apply.
Edler Fellowship Criteria:
LGBTQ+
50+ years old
Prose, poetry, or hybrid writer
not currently enrolled as a full-time student
has not published a book
has no more than 10 publication credits
interested in publishing
interested in intergenerational conversations
POC, people with disabilities encouraged to apply
DEADLINE: August 16, 2020
https://foglifter.submittable.com/submit
Seeking Diverse Writers for Children's Books
Heinemann Publishing
INFO: Heinemann Publishing, a leading publisher of leveled books, is looking for freelance writers to write engaging fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for children in grades 2 to 6.
We are eager to find voices that are as diverse as our students. Writers who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), LGBTQIA+, or disabled are encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in Native/Indigenous writers.
The ideal candidates will have a highly engaging writing style and can pitch ideas that are compelling to kids. We prefer candidates who have some experience writing for children but encourage all to apply. The assignments will be work for hire.
Please submit a resume and unedited writing samples.
DEADLINE: August 17, 2020
Emerging Reporters Program
ProPublica
INFO: People of color are underrepresented in our nation’s newsrooms. ProPublica's Emerging Reporters Program is specifically designed for those who might find investigative journalism inaccessible. All students who will be juniors or seniors in college this academic year are eligible to apply, and African Americans, Latinos and other people of color are especially encouraged to do so. Participants are expected to take a full course load during the 2020-21 school year. Applicants must also demonstrate financial need. The purpose of the stipends is to make college journalism acc
The program provides a $9,000 stipend, along with mentoring and trips to the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting conference and our New York office (or, this year, virtual programming!), for five students each year who work or want to work at college journalism outlets: newspapers, websites, radio stations or TV stations.
DEADLINE: August 20, 2020
https://propublica.forms.fm/emerging-reporters-2020-…/…/8149
CALL FOR SUBMISSION: COMEDY WRITING
Riot Act
INFO: RIOT ACT is an online journal for comedy writing – fiction, articles, poetry and more! We love all things funny and thought provoking and believe in the power of comedy as catharsis – taking power from the things that are difficult to talk about and laughing about them instead.
We’re particularly interested in work by women and non-binary writers, LGBTQ+ writers and writers of colour, but everyone is welcome. If you’re not sure if your piece fits with our objectives, please submit anyway! We will be happy to read and provide feedback.
We’re based in Glasgow, Scotland and love UK comedy – but we’d love to hear from you no matter where in the world you are!
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:
Our goal isn’t to make fun of anything, but to showcase how comedy writing can make all sorts of subjects accessible. We want to hear your story – what makes you angry, what upsets you, what brings you joy, what makes you laugh.
We’re happy to accept short fiction, poetry, non-fiction, articles… anything! If your style is a little bit more experimental and you’re not sure if you fit into those categories, go ahead and send it in anyway. We will read and provide feedback to all.
We will NOT accept any pieces that perpetuate sexism, racism, ableism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, or any other sort of -ism or -phobia you can think of. We will happily read about your experience of these things, but pieces that discriminate against others will be rejected.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Fiction, non-fiction and articles limit – 1,000 words
Poetry limit – 3 pages (up to 3 poems)
Please include a short (50 words max) third person bio to be included with your work, and any social media handles you would like to be included. You can also include a headshot if you like!
Feel free to include any artwork you would like to accompany your piece (incl. photography) but please make sure you have the rights to use it!
Please send all submissions in .docx format, size 12, single spaced to riotactmag@gmail.com.
‘We’ are a one-woman team, so please allow up to 14 days for a reply, and feel free to query if you have not heard back after this time.
We will accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your piece has been published elsewhere and withdraw your submission by emailing riotactmag@gmail.com. Please do not publish any pieces you have submitted to Riot Act on social media or other publications before their publication in Riot Act.
Your work will always be yours, first and foremost. You can re-submit pieces to Riot Act that have been published elsewhere, but please make sure you tell us so we can credit the initial publication. Similarly, if you re-submit a piece published by Riot Act first, we kindly ask that you request Riot Act to be credited as its initial publication.
If Riot Act would like to republish your work in future as part of an anthology, we will let you know so that you have an opportunity to decline if you so wish.
We do not currently charge reading fees and so are unable to pay upon publication – we hope this is something we can reconsider in future! However, we will promote you across our social media on Twitter and Instagram, in email campaign updates and in our issues.
DEADLINE: August 20, 2020
https://riotactmag.com/submit/
Because You Can: Single Parents Writer Prize
Reclaim the Warrior
INFO: Reclaim the Warrior and Helen Knott are opening a call of submissions for single parents only, single dads & single mamas & single parents who are non binary/LGTBQ2S (in Canada only). Yes, you have to be the primary caregiver holding most of the weight.
Up to 2000 words in a genre of your choice. This doesn’t have to be single parent related but can be if you want. It can be fantasy, poetry, critical narrative etc. (don’t feel like you have to hit 2000 it can be 2 poems if that’s your vibe)
Send submissions to: helen@fiercewithheart.com
PRIZES: $1500 each and a one on one consult session with me on whatever you are working on (if you are a writer) or general writing advice.*
DEADLINE: August 22, 2020
Winner will be announced the following week- if there is a high volume of submissions the winner will be announced in early September.
https://reclaimthewarrior.com/2020/07/24/because-you-can-single-parents-writer-prize/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Mixed Mag
INFO: Mixed Mag is a multimedia publication dedicated to promoting multiethnic/multicultural voices.
We are always accepting submissions covering politics, TV/film, theatre, creative writing, health/sex/wellness, food & visuals/photography. Send us your stories, poems, articles, personal essays, recipes & more!
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Written Submissions such as articles, think pieces, short stories, reviews and essays must be between 1500-3000 words (sections include FICTION/CNF, POLITICS, TV/FILM/THEATER, MUSIC, FOOD, HEALTH AND WELLNESS)
POETRY: Submit up to three poems
TV/FILM/THEATER: Monologues must be 5 pages max. Plays/screenplays must be between 10-15 page max (this includes plays, films and web series). Short films or web series episodes must be no longer than 15 minutes.
ART: Photo/visual submissions should be 10 photos/videos max
Please include what section you are submitting to in the email subject line.
send to submissions@mixedmag.co
DEADLINE: August 25, 2020
https://twitter.com/MixedMag/status/1276631534586429441
The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
INFO: The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence honors Louisiana’s revered storyteller, Ernest J. Gaines, and serves to inspire and recognize rising African-American fiction writers of excellence at a national level. The book award, initiated by donors of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, is now in its 14th year and has become nationally recognized in its role of enhancing visibility of emerging African-American fiction writers while also expanding the audience for this literature.
AWARD: The annual award of a $15,000 cash prize is to support the writer and help enable her/him to focus on her/his art of writing.
The 2020 panel of judges are themselves renowned contributors to the literary world. They are Anthony Grooms, Edward P. Jones, Elizabeth Nunez, Francine Prose and Patricia Towers.
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation sponsors the winner’s travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to receive the prize at a ceremony, where the author reads an excerpt from the selected work of fiction. A reception follows. The evening is free, open to the public and attracts a diverse audience.
The literary award winner also participates in educational activities at selected area schools and after-school programs in keeping with the Gaines Award's interest in emphasizing the role of literature and arts in education. Through small creative writing workshops with the winning author, students are encouraged to pursue reading, delve into their own creativity, and to consider becoming an author.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
http://ernestjgainesaward.org/
MAGIC: a special issue of the margins
Asian American Writers’ Workshop
INFO: For a new series on The Margins, we’re looking for work in a variety of forms on the topic of magic. The magic you write about could be a daily ritual (meditation), appear increasingly in popular culture (tarot readings), take the form of voices and visions that are commonly misunderstood (hallucinations), an experience of magical gatherings (such as healing circles), or be a family myth. It can be visionary fiction, a radical alternate reality where damage is both acknowledged and repaired, where justice is restorative and not punitive. The approach you take could be a fusion of poetry and prose, a collage, a spell, a ghost story, a divination, a response to a historical event, or something else entirely. We’re especially interested in writing that experiments and plays with form.
Please format the title of your submission as follows: “LAST NAME – Magic – TITLE OF PIECE.” Be sure to include a short biography (maximum 60 words) and tell us a little bit about why you chose your particular interpretation of magic in your cover letter.
Please limit prose submissions to approximately 3,500 words (though you may write as short as you like). Feel free to submit shorter pieces if that calls to you. You may send us up to five poems per submission. Submissions may stay true to their original formatting. Please attach your submission as Rich Text Format, MS Word, or PDF. For images, please submit with enough detail that we can read the text in JPG, GIF, PNG, or PDF format. Please do not include your name on the attachments of your submissions. We accept simultaneous submissions, but we ask that you let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere. Writers whose pieces are accepted for the issue will receive compensation.
AAWW is an organization that believes in the power of art to advocate for and center the voices and ideas on the margins. Our award-winning digital magazine The Margins publishes work by Asian, Asian American and Asian diasporic writers (including but not limited to East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, MENA [Middle Eastern and North African], Indo-Caribbean, Central Asian, Arab, and Arabophone, Pacific Islander, and Iranian writers) as well as multiracial writers. The Margins publishes Black, Latinx, and Indigenous writers. We welcome work from LGBTQIA, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming writers. Our work exists within the intersections of these identities and offers a new countercultural space in which to imagine a more just future.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
https://aaww.submittable.com/submit/171567/magic-a-special-issue-of-the-margins
LAND: A Special issue of The Margins
Asian American Writers’ Workshop
INFO: For a new series on The Margins, we are looking for essays, poetry, short fiction, and graphic work that challenge those assumptions. What is being hidden or lost when discussions of Asian identity are limited to food and language? How can things like food be used to expose and subvert those expectations? What can be unlocked when complicated legacies of land are included in those discussions? We are interested in work that investigates and interrogates Asian relationships with land—whether that land is in Asia or elsewhere. We’re looking for work that explores indigeneity, ownership, and identity. This work will inevitably reckon with colonialism and imperialism, which are at the root of those initial assumptions. Your submissions might explore the ways that land can be a record of colonialism and violence, investigate the legacy of Asian imperialism, connect Asian relationships with indigeneity to immigrant identity and natural life, or filter the value of land and homeland through lenses of colonialism and climate crises. For nonfiction submissions, we are excited to see work that incorporates personal reckoning, cultural criticism, historical inquiry, or some combination. We are especially interested in work that questions what it means to be a settler as well as work by writers with both Asian and Indigenous identities.
Please format the title of your submission as follows: “LAST NAME – Land – TITLE OF PIECE.” Be sure to include a short biography (maximum 60 words) in your cover letter and tell us a little bit about why your work speaks to the questions raised in this call for submissions.
Please double-space all prose submissions and limit them to approximately 3,500 words (though you may write as short as you like). You may send us up to five poems per submission. Please attach your submission as Rich Text Format, MS Word, or PDF. For graphic work, please submit with enough detail that we can read the text in JPG, GIF, PNG, or PDF format. Please do not include your name on the attachments of your submissions. We accept simultaneous submissions, but we ask that you let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere. Writers whose pieces are accepted for the issue will receive compensation.
AAWW is an organization that believes in the power of art to advocate for and center the voices and ideas on the margins. Our award-winning digital magazine The Margins publishes work by Asian, Asian American and Asian diasporic writers (including but not limited to East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, MENA [Middle Eastern and North African], Indo-Caribbean, Central Asian, Arab, and Arabophone, Pacific Islander, and Iranian writers) as well as multiracial writers. The Margins publishes Black, Latinx, and Indigenous writers. We welcome work from LGBTQIA, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming writers. Our work exists within the intersections of these identities and offers a new countercultural space in which to imagine a more just future.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
https://aaww.submittable.com/submit/171559/land-a-special-issue-of-the-margins
Emerging Voices Fellowship
The Emerging Voices Fellowship is a literary mentorship based in Los Angeles that has been providing underrepresented, marginalized writers with the tools they need to launch a professional literary career, since 1996. Examples of these communities include, but are not limited to, women, immigrants, people of color, older people, and those who are members of the LGBTQI+ communities. Through curated one-on-one mentorship, and introductions to editors, agents, and publishers, in addition to editing, marketing, and web development workshops, the fellowship nurtures creative community, provides a professional skillset, and demystifies the path to publication, with the ultimate goal of diversifying the publishing and media industries.
By the end of the Emerging Voices Fellowship, a writer will leave with:
Seven months of guidance from a professional mentor and written notes on their current writing project.
A professional headshot and bio.
A logline—the short summation of the project in progress.
A clear action plan for finishing this project.
Writing life, and craft tips, from notable visiting authors.
An editing guide from a professional copy editor.
Insider knowledge of publishing from agents, publishers, and editors.
An individualized submission guide for literary journals, agents, residencies, and fellowships.
Improved reading technique from a professional voice coach.
Public reading experience for a variety of audiences.
An understanding of how to be an effective workshop participant.
Lifetime membership in PEN America.
Valuable connections to the literary community, discounted access to residencies and MFA programs, the ability to bypass the slushpile for select literary magazines and agents, and more.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
https://pen.org/emerging-voices-fellowship/?mc_cid=2843f611d3&mc_eid=d562c31e56
Wallace Stegner Grant for the Arts
The Wallace Stegner House
INFO: This Grant consists of $500 and one month free residency in the Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, Saskatchewan. The winner will select which month.
Applicants must be published Canadian writers. Conditions of the grant require the winning writer to give a public reading and provide 2 workshops/readings in Eastend’s K-12 School, while in residency.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
https://www.stegnerhouse.ca/grantinfo.html
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: LOS ANGELES-BASED WRITERS
Craig Carpenter / Afrophonics
INFO: 2020 has lived up to the hype as a tension filled year. The upcoming presidential election serves as a referendum on our leadership, and reflects growing divides in the country. The tidal wave of events that started the year with impeachment hearings rolled into spring with the pandemic induced lockdown. Perhaps without surprise, late spring became protest season with another string of videotaped racism and killings of unarmed people of color by law enforcement or an act of vigilantism. The Black Lives Matter movement, long seen with suspicion, was suddenly joined by throngs of Americans across the spectrum, blanketing the country with voices of anger, impatience and, finally, support.
This is an especially uncertain time. Capturing this moment, before we see the longer term results unfold, can prove instructive for later generations. Those of you familiar with my work have seen my concert and street portrait photography. The lockdown had me, like everyone else, antsy and impatient at being indoors during a beautiful springtime. The protests were a call to action, both civically and politically, but also creatively. I attended several protests in Los Angeles, leaving, not only with a good amount of photos, but also a heartened feeling - that this time might be different. That this time might bring real change, and not just hope. And I decided to make it into a book project, tentatively titled, TRUTH IS NOT THE WHOLE QUESTION: Los Angeles in Lockdown and Protest.
SEEKING ESSAYS and POEMS to be included as part of an art book collection of photography captured during the lockdown and protests in Los Angeles this late Spring. 300 - 1500 words. All Los Angeles based voices welcomed. Honorarium provided for selected and included submissions. Contact with inquiries.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
LITERARURE GRANT
Café Royal Cultural Foundation
INFO: Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC will award a publishing grant to authors of fiction / creative non-fiction, poetry and playwriting.
Amounts: Up to $10,000.00
Eligibility: Authors in fiction / creative non-fiction, poetry and playwriting. The applicant must be the originator of the written material.
Grants awarded in this category may fund costs associated with continuing the composition of work submitted.
Writers applying must be a current resident of New York City and have lived there for a minimum of one year prior to applying.
The processing time of application can take up to three months. Please make sure to submit your application with ample time before the start date of your project.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020 at 9am EST
https://caferoyalculturalfoundation.org/literature-page
2020 African American Voices in Children's Literature Writing Contest
Strive Publishing / Free Spirit Publishing
INFO: The contest is open to authors of African American heritage who are residents of Minnesota and at the time of entry are at least 18 years of age and residing in Minnesota.
Categories
Eligible entries will include original fiction or nonfiction manuscripts for ages 0–4 (50–125 words) or ages 4–8 (300–800 words) featuring contemporary African American characters and culture and focusing on one or more of the following topics: character development, self-esteem, diversity, getting along with others, engaging with family and community, or other topics related to positive childhood development.
Eligibility
To enter you must be:
- of African American heritage
- a resident of Minnesota
- at least 18 years of age
Guidelines
All entries must be your original work, unpublished, and not accepted for publication anywhere at the time they are entered in the contest. Please include the following items in your entry:
Picture book text along with illustration ideas
A letter briefly describing your book, specifying the intended audience (including age range), and telling why you decided to write it
A brief biography and current email address
Awards & Cash Prizes
- First Place: $1,000 cash prize, a T-shirt from Strive, a tote bag from Free Spirit, and a meeting with Mary Taris, founder of Strive, and an editor from Free Spirit to discuss the winner’s project. The winning submission will be seriously considered for publication by Free Spirit, cobranded with Strive; however, publication is not guaranteed.
- Second Place: $500 cash prize, a T-shirt from Strive, and a tote bag from Free Spirit
- Third Place: $250 cash prize, a T-shirt from Strive, and a tote bag from Free Spirit
Judging Criteria
Cultural relevance and authentic voice
Presentation (follows submission guidelines, neatness, legibility)
Suitability (fits publishing category; targeted age group and length are appropriate for children’s manuscripts)
Content (tightness, clarity, structure, strength of lead/beginning, transitions, impact, satisfactory close)
Alignment with the spirit of the Contest
For nonfiction proposals: logical flow, accuracy of information, sound advice
Winner Notification
Winners will be notified by email on or around October 31, 2020. All potential winners are subject to verification. Each prizewinner may be required to sign and return to Sponsor, within ten (10) days of the date notice is sent, an affidavit of eligibility/liability and publicity release (except where prohibited) in order to claim their prize if applicable. If a potential winner of any prize cannot be contacted, fails to sign or return the affidavit of eligibility/liability and publicity release within the required time period, the prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, or the potential winner is deemed ineligible, the potential winner forfeits prize, and Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternative winner selected from all remaining eligible entries. Upon confirmation of eligibility, prizes will be awarded no later than December 31, 2020. Prizes will be awarded in accordance with these Official Rules. Sponsor’s determination of eligibility and selection of winners is binding on all participants.
The total number of prizes is three (3). The total prize value for all three (3) prizes is $1,750 in cash plus merchandise listed in the prize descriptions. All prizes will be awarded in connection with this Contest in accordance with the Official Rules. Within approximately thirty (30) days after confirmation of the winners, Sponsor will provide the winners with their prizes (e.g., check, gift certificate, or other document giving winner unconditional right to receive the respective prize). All prizes are nontransferable and nonassignable, and non-cash prizes cannot be redeemed for cash. All costs, fees, expenses, and taxes (including, without limitation, federal, state, and local taxes) associated with any element of a prize are the sole responsibility of the winners.
Everyone who enters the contest has the chance at publication.
Winners List
A Winners List will be posted at freespirit.com/contest and strivepublishing.com after winners have been notified.
DEADLINE: August 31, 2020
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Autumn 2020
Macro Magazine
INFO: We are currently accepting submissions for Macro Autumn 2020 on the Black Lives Matter movement.
We accept varying types of written submissions.
Short form: approximately 50 word observations on the topic of the magazine. We ask for these in both English and the native language of the country from which you are submitting - if you speak it
Medium form: approximately 500-600 word essays on the topic of the magazine
Long form feature essays: approximately 800-1,000 word essays and not more than 1,500 words on the topic of the magazine
Poetry of varying lengths
Fiction: approximately 500-600 words based on the topic of the magazine
In addition to written submissions we also accept artwork, photography, or other forms of artistic expression. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept these pieces through this form. If you would like to submit artwork, please make a note in the submission section and we will get in touch with you via email.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Deadline: August 31, 2020 / Notification: By September 14, 2020
https://macro-mag.com/contribute/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: FICTION / NON-FICTION
NELLE
INFO: NELLE proudly publishes the best, most exciting, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybird forms written by individuals identifying as women.
Fiction: Submit one longer story of up to 6,000 words or up to three flash or short-short pieces at a time. All submissions should include a cover letter with a brief biographical statement.
Non-Fiction: Submit one essay (6,000 word limit) or up to three shorter essays (totaling up to 6,000 words) at a time. We enjoy traditional as well as more experimental lyric essays. Note that All submissions should include a cover letter with a brief biographical statement.
All submissions will be automatically considered for our Three Sisters Awards. A prize of $500.00 will awarded in each category of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.
SUBMISSION FEE: $3
DEADLINE: September 2, 2020
https://nelle.submittable.com/submit
CALL FOR AUDIO SUBMISSIONS: HEARD/WORD
Galleyway
INFO: HEARD/WORD is Galleyway's new audio series highlighting compelling voices in poetry and prose. We invite you to share recordings of original poems and short fiction. Selected work will be showcased on our blog and social media platforms. Submissions should include:
MP3 recording of you reading your poetry (no longer than 3 minutes) or short fiction (no longer than 5 minutes)
Text version of the piece
A headshot
A brief bio
Social media handles and link to website
Please send submissions to camille@galleyway.com
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://galleyway.com/blog/2020/3/31/call-for-audio-submissions
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
NNỌKỌ
INFO: Just like the name, NNỌKỌ is a gathering of African Literature and Art. We are always on the lookout for fresh literature and art from African Writers and Writers of Colour. If you write or create art, we would love to hear from you.
What Are We Looking For?
Our sole purpose is promoting the creativity that the African continent possesses by publishing pen wielders for readers around the globe and appreciators of art, because, what’s art without exposure?
We are looking for stories that have not often been told but should be — through voices that have not yet been heard — but should. We are interested in providing a home for stories that push the limits. Stories only you can write. Stories that give us a glimpse of just how colourful the pages of your imagination can be.
Compensation
Unfortunately, Nnoko is unable to pay contributors at this time. However, we are working hard to reach a position where contributors can receive compensation for their work.
What We Publish
Short Stories
Series
Poetry
Non-Fiction
Plays
Essays
We usually respond within 10–14 days of submission. If unfortunately your piece is rejected, then fret not! You can still send us something else from your arsenal. What we ask is that you kindly wait for another 14 days before sending in another work for consideration.
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://www.nnoko.org/submissions/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Litehouse
INFO: Litehouse welcomes all ardent second-language English writers and poets to unfold their creativity, forge new words, and explore their linguistic self in an emotional and personally meaningful way.
– All submissions should be in English and include title, name, nationality, and a small bio (1-2 sentences) or your social media.
– For fiction/non-fiction, stories shouldn’t exceed 2000 words.
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://tothelitehouse.com/submit/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: DEAR LONELINESS
EX/POST Magazine
INFO: Dear Loneliness is an interactive art project. We are writing the longest letter in the world to fight loneliness.
STEP ONE: Write a letter—a real one, on paper—about loneliness.
Or draw a portrait, compose a symphony, anything you feel best expresses your point. It can be just 50 words, though any length is fine, as long as we can transfer it to an A4-sized sheet of paper.
Got writer's block? Us too. Here are a few things to think about: your mood, your high school, your strongest childhood memory, your relationship with your mother, your relationship with technology, your lack of relationships, what you like to do when home alone...
STEP TWO: Take a photo/scan and send us your letter—you can email, tag or DM us on social media, or upload to our secure form.
We want to stress that we do not record last names or any other identifying information. If you wish, you can sign up for our email list and hear about our research survey later in the year (along with other cool updates!), but this is completely optional.
STEP THREE: Follow our journey on social media and subscribe to our mailing list!
We will be updating the gallery with letters that have author approval to share, as well as posting updates on our social media and mailing list.
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://www.dearloneliness.com/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: WRITE FOR CRWNMAG!
CRWN
INFO: We're on a mission to be the most beautiful and honest representation of Black women in the history of modern print. To that end, we're working with the best writers in the world to tell OUR story. If you're an exceptional writer with style and a point of view, we want to hear from you!
Please review our writing guidelines below before submitting your pitch HERE.
GUIDELINES
We are currently accepting pitches (200-250 words) for our digital platform in the following categories:
Watch: Film, TV, Internet
Listen: Podcasts, Music, Playlists
Art: Exhibits, Museums, Interviews
Business: Roundups, Features, Advice
Beauty: Product Reviews, Beauty News, Roundups, How-Tos, Photo Essays
Hair: How-Tos, Roundups, Product News, Photo Essays
Style: Street Style, Fashion Editorials
Travel: City Guides, Photo Essays
Books: Book Reviews, Roundups, Author Features/Interviews
Food: Recipes, Restaurant Reviews
Thought: “Hot Takes,” Personal Essays, Op-Eds
Family: Marriage, Relationships, Sex, Babies
Health: Wellness, Fitness, Spirituality
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://www.crwnmag.com/blog/write
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee
INFO: The Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee is launching Shalom/Salaam Publishing, and looking for written work (short stories, poetry, etc) and imagery (paintings, photos, illustrations, collage, etc) that transcends boundaries, brings people together, and inspires faith in humanity.
The Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee (MJSC) is a grassroots organization guided by the Muslim and Jewish values of Peace שָׁלוֹם سلام, Learning علم יֶדַע, and Charity زكاة צדקה, to build meaningful relationships between all faiths, and to stand against hate through shared values and social action
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdku-rxQnpN8yB6vqnoRuDwKPnsxeOlThH6aWjts1f31Wabew/viewform
'AWAKE' ZINE SUBMISSION
Lucky Jefferson
INFO: Lucky Jefferson's new digital zine Awake seeks to amplify the experiences and perspectives of Black and African American writers in American society. This digital zine will highlight poems, essays, and art from writers of color and the different opportunities and challenges of cultural assimilation in America, establishing identity and preserving culture, and the concept of double-consciousness.
Upon acceptance, submissions will be included on our website and publicized on social media.
GUIDELINES:
- Send no more than three poems in a submission. Poems should be submitted in a single file, with poems separated by titles or page breaks.
- If sharing an essay, include an essay with no more than 1500 words.
- Send no more than three pieces of art. Artwork that offers social commentary on the Black experience is highly preferred (We love comics and collage pieces!).
- Include a cover page highlighting the poet’s name, email address, biography, and mailing address. Biographical statements should be two to three sentences or 50-75 words.
DEADLINE: Ongoing
https://luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit/167135/lucky-jefferson-awake-zine-submission