FICTION / NONFICTION -- JULY 2020

ELIZABETH NUNEZ AWARD FOR WRITERS IN THE CARIBBEAN

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

INFO: The BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean will be awarded to the best fictive short story by a writer from the Caribbean.

Stories must be original fiction. Word count: 1,200 words or less.

PRIZES AND PUBLICATION:

  • A $500 US cash prize

  • BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean

  • Winning writer will receive an official profile on the BCLF website

  • The winning story will be published in the leading e-newspaper for Caribbean culture and affairs, New York Carib News

  • Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise

DEADLINE: July 1, 2020

https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/eligibility-submission-guidelines-caribbean-nationals

ELIZABETH NUNEZ CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN WRITER'S PRIZE

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

INFO: This prize will be given to the best short story by an unpublished writer of Caribbean heritage or of Caribbean descent in the North American diaspora. Writers’ fiction must not have appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more.

Stories must be original fiction. Word count: 1,200 words or less.

PRIZES AND PUBLICATION:

  • A $500 US cash prize

  • The BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writers Award

  • Winning writer will receive official profile on the BCLF website

  • The winning story will be published in the leading e-newspaper for Caribbean culture and affairs, New York Carib News

  • Annual Membership to the The Center for Fiction

  • Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise

DEADLINE: July 1, 2020

https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/eligibility-submission-guidelines-3

LATINX LIT CELEBRATION GUEST EDITED BY RUBEN QUESADA

[PANK]

INFO: We will be publishing poetry, prose, non/traditional, and media by Latinx writers to raise awareness of the breadth of their experiences and talents. If you identify as Latinx and would like your work to be considered for publication, please submit by July 1 using the following guidelines:

For poetry:

  • Up to 3 poems

  • Include all poems in a single file

  • Begin each new poem on a new page

For prose:

  • Up to 3,000 words of fiction or non-fiction

For Non/Traditional or Media:

  • Use MP3 or MP4 only, with a file size under 60MB.

DEADLINE: July 1, 2020

https://pankmagazine.submittable.com/submit/166847/latinx-lit-celebration-guest-edited-by-ruben-quesada

CALL FOR WORK: TO SPEAK AS A FLOWER: A FOLIO OF PERFORMANCE WRITING

Anomaly

INFO: Anomaly invites previously unpublished submissions of poems, prose, playwriting, video, art, and hybrid genres of work that might fall under a broad rubric of performance writing. We embrace this term’s wide scope, encompassing everything from Don Mee Choi’s turn to playwriting conventions in “Hardly Opera” (from which we draw our title) and jayy dodd’s scene in Anomaly‘s issue 26 folio Radical : Avant Garde Poets of Color, to Tatsumi Hijikata’s dance notations and Duriel Harris’ musical scores as poems.

We are interested in work that uses performance as one of its tools, work which is made possible by a relationship to performance — even if that performance never happens, or imagines impossible commitments. What forms might such composition take if it followed Etel Adnan’s provocation that “memory and theatre work in similar ways,” or if it pursued a stage “more open to different ways of moving” (as Hilton Als has characterized Adrienne Kennedy’s work)? We are committed to promoting the work of marginalized and underrepresented artists, including by Black, Indigenous, and other artists of color, as well as, disabled, neurodivergent, women, queer, trans, and gender nonconforming artists — and we wonder whether this form might be especially useful for these artists!

DEADLINE: July 1, 2020

https://medium.com/anomalyblog/call-for-work-to-speak-as-a-flower-a-folio-of-performance-writing-63d1b9193564

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: PEOPLE OF COLOR DESTROY LOVECRAFT 

The Were-Traveler

INFO: Lovecraft wrote some hella scary monsters, on that most horror scholars agree, but he was terribly racist. I would like to see for this issue, POC characters that turn Lovecraft's racism and monsters on his/their heads. My preference for this issue is to have the majority of stories written by writers of color, if not all. Queer writers of color are especially encouraged to submit. 

Flash/shorts (750-1500 words. No more, no less) for $10 per piece original, previously unpublished. Microfics (350-749 words) will pay at a $5 per story rate for original, previously unpublished stories.  

Reprints will be accepted on this one. BUT will pay at a $5 rate for flash/shorts (750-1500 words) and $3 for microfics (350-749 words). You must identify your story as a reprint on the cover page of the manuscript and provide the market and date (mo/yr) where it was last published. 

Please follow instructions on the Guidelines page and include your name, PayPal email, and word count (total, not approximate) on the first page of your story document. 

DEADLINE: July 1, 2020

https://the-were-traveler.weebly.com/submissions-call.html

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Raising Mothers

INFO: Raising Mothers — a free online literary magazine that centers BIWOC and QTNB parents of color — seeks submissions that speaks to the layered intricacies of parenthood from the perspective of the parent or the child.

There are currently THREE calls for work:

  • Black Joy – We want to read all expressions of unadulterated Black joy. Black joy in parenting. Black joy in being alive. Black joy as resistance. Black joy as medicine.

  • Revolutionary Parenting – Tell us how you are parenting yourself, your children, your community in a time of palpable uprising.

  • First-time Parenting – Becoming a parent for the first time during a pandemic. Becoming a parent again during a pandemic. Show us what it is like and how you are coping.

DEADLINE: July 3, 2020

http://www.raisingmothers.com/submissions/call-for-work/

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Issue 3: Octavia Butler, Shirley Jackson, and Women's Work

The Second Shelf

INFO: The Second Shelf: Rare Books and Words by Women is now accepting pitches and submissions for Issue Three of our magazine. 

The Issue will have a portfolio of work focused on Octavia Butler, Shirley Jackson, Susan Sontag, and a section focused on the idea of the comforts and conundrums of home and what is considered women's work. We are looking for pieces that ruminate on favorite writings on "women's work," and its various definitions and stereotypes, from housework and home economics to cookery and the domestic arts such as sewing and embroidery, careers and working inside and outside of the home, and of course, motherhood. Pieces might be on a specific book or writer or take a broader view of a subject. 

DEADLINE: July 3, 2020

https://thesecondshelf.submittable.com/submit/167108/issue-3-octavia-butler-shirley-jackson-and-womens-work?step=submission

Book Artist-in-Residence

Center for Book Arts

INFO: The Book Artist-in-Residence awards 3 to 4 residencies per year to artists who have demonstrated a commitment to the book arts as a key component of their artistic practice. Successful applications should show a demonstrated knowledge of the book arts, and include a brief discussion of what you hope to gain from access to the Center’s facilities. Residents will create a finished project over the course of the year, but should also focus on their ongoing exploration of artist's books and book arts as a way to expand their artistic practice. 

The purpose of the Book Artist Residency is to fortify the practice of early career artists in the book arts, to provide access to professional equipment, opportunities and space to work, and to strengthen and diversify the community of book artists working within the New York area. This year long residency includes a cash stipend, materials budget, tuition waiver for all courses offered at CBA during the residency period, and 24-hour access to CBA printing and binding studios in Manhattan. Book Artists-in-Residence are expected to actively utilize the studios and to complete an artist project by the end of the residency period to be included in a group exhibition. Additionally, residents are expected to regularly attend public programs at the Center and to participate in quarterly BookTalks. Residents are often provided with opportunities to speak publicly about their work, to collaborate with other artists and poets, and to hold studio visits with visiting curators and artists.

International, national and local book artists are encouraged to apply, however housing is not provided. Those not currently residing in the New York tri-state area should indicate in their statement how they plan to stay in the area for the year-long duration of the residency. On average, Book Artists-in-Residence spend 20-40 hours per week in the studios and use the tuition waiver for 8-10 courses. The residency is not able support collectives or collaborations at this time. 

We welcome artists of all backgrounds, abilities, and experiences to apply. 

The 2021 Book Artist in Residence Program runs from September 2020 through August 2021. 

NOTE: In light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Center is committed to making the space safe for all. For the duration of 2020, all public programming will be held online, while the studios and exhibition spaces will open at an extremely limited capacity. The residents have 24 hour access to the studios, and are entitled top priority access to the equipment resources. The studios will entail strict safety procedures to be observed by all artists who use the studios. Additionally, residents may participate in any virtual classes taught by instructors in the studios, as long as safety protocols are observed. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

  • A statement describing why you would benefit from being a Book Artist-in-Residence at the Center for Book Arts

  • An artistic CV (3 pages max)

  • 10 images of work samples (images should be in .jpg format, 72dpi, 1000px on longest side)

  • An image list that includes the work title, year created, materials and dimensions. 

APPLICATION FEE: $0

DEADLINE: July 6, 2020

https://centerforbookarts.submittable.com/submit/136644/book-artist-in-residence

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Rigorous

INFO: Rigorous, an online journal highlighting the works of authors, artists, critics, and educators, seeks fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, visual art, sound art, audiovisual art and movies, cartoons, and any other artistic creations by people of color.

Submittable. Please submit up to 10 files, with a maximum of 3000 words.

Please include a cover letter with a brief bio (up to 100 words).

For text submissions: we prefer an easily-editable file, from Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer. We know that line spacing is very important to some poets, so some poets prefer to submit a .pdf file to ensure their spacing is handled properly. If you do this, please submit a .pdf and a Word (or Writer) file.

We are open to spoken word presentations, songs, and music videos. Feel free to submit an audio or audiovisual file of such performances. When you do so, additionally submit a Word or Writer file with the full text of your submission.

DEADLINE: July 7, 2020

https://rigorous.submittable.com/submit

Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellowship

Wallace House at the University of Michigan

INFO: The Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellowship will take the place of our traditional, residential Knight-Wallace Fellowship for the 2020-21 academic year in response to continued uncertainty about close gathering and in-person instruction. Selected Fellows will not be required to leave their news organizations or places of work. This adapted fellowship will maintain our multidisciplinary approach and cohort-based philosophy.

The Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellowship will provide a $70,000 stipend over eight months plus $10,000 to support supplemental costs for reporting projects to be produced during the period of the fellowship. Our ten Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellows will also receive professional development and digital seminars with researchers and experts tackling challenges across a range of fields and disciplines. Fellows will have remote access to research and resources at the University of Michigan and regular opportunities for engagement with faculty and students.

We want to encourage ambitious reporting projects that step back from breaking and incremental coverage. As the world grapples with huge questions and complex solutions, we need journalists to investigate, scrutinize, analyze and explain the process and outcomes. 

When in-person gathering becomes possible and we can ensure a safe experience for our Fellows, we will host one-week Fellowship Cohort sessions in Ann Arbor at Wallace House and a final symposium on campus at the University of Michigan, highlighting the reporting work produced during the fellowship. 

A Focus on In-Depth Reporting

Published or produced work is a requirement of the fellowship. Applicants must submit a detailed reporting proposal related to the seismic challenges we now face. The output should match the proposed project and form of journalism. For instance, a documentary filmmaker might complete one film during the period of the fellowship; a long-form magazine writer might produce one or two published pieces; a community-based or enterprise reporter might produce a project that appears weekly or monthly. 

Areas of focus can include but are not limited to science and medicine, the economy, law and justice, business, race and ethnicity, education, inequality, technology, the environment, and entertainment and recreation. Areas of coverage can be local, national or global.

The fellowship is not intended to support daily beat reporting that would be produced regardless of fellowship support. It is also not intended for book writing.

All work produced during the fellowship will be owned by the media organization for which it is produced and will carry an agreed-upon acknowledgment of support by the Knight-Wallace Fellowships for Journalists at the University of Michigan.  

The program is open to staff, freelance and contract journalists. All applicants must have at least five years of reporting experience and be either a U.S. resident or hold a U.S. passport.  

The Knight-Wallace Reporting Fellowship for the 2020-2021 academic year is a working fellowship featuring:

  • An eight-month program focused on supporting ambitious, in-depth, innovative journalism projects examining our most pressing public challenges from social shifts precipitated by the pandemic to persistent social justice issues surrounding race, ethnicity and inequality

  • A remote structure that allows staff reporters to remain with their news organizations and freelancers to remain in their place of work

  • A cohort of ten Fellows selected from a pool of experienced journalists from a variety of beats and expertise 

  • A $70,000 stipend to support reporting and fellowship participation dispersed monthly from September 2020 through April 2021

  • An additional $10,000 in supplemental support to cover extra costs including health insurance, reporting equipment and travel-related reporting expenses

  • Weekly remote seminars with University of Michigan faculty and subject matter experts from a wide range of fields

  • Professional development and supplemental skills workshops

  • Subject to public-health guidance, one-week Fellowship Cohort sessions held at Wallace House on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor with travel, lodging and hosting expenses covered by the program

  • A year-end symposium at the University of Michigan highlighting work produced during the fellowship 

DEADLINE: July 7, 2020

https://wallacehouse.umich.edu/knight-wallace/

Call for Flash Fiction from BIPOC WRITERS

Interstellar Flight Magazine

INFO: For the rest of 2020, we’re asking writers to reimagine our world for the better. We’re looking for flash fiction stories from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) writers who re-envision the future.

What were you imagining for 2020 when it began? What's on your apocalypse bingo card for next month? Does it feel like tempting fate too much to ask if our current reality can get any worse OR any better? We invite you to fast forward and tell us how any or all of 2020's chaotic plot lines resolve, get tangled, tied off, or cut. Write us some Alternate Endings to tell around the fire until we get there. Does the fae spell break at 00:00:01 on Jan 1 2021? Is a free roaming space colony in Andromeda still trying to wipe out a sentient mutated Covid-19 200 years from now? Show us our futures in evocative, speculative flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) that responds to what humanity is facing this year. Experiments with story form welcome. We are featuring BIPOC writers for this call and will select one story for each month through the end of 2020. Society needs new blueprints to build from. Show us your Alternate Endings.

Our Guest Editor for this call is Jamileh Jemison. 

 What we want:

  • Previously unpublished flash fiction (up to 1,000 words). You may submit up to 3 pieces. 

  • Speculative genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, or any interpretation of these that fits the theme.

  • By writers of color (please let us know how you’d like to be identified in your cover letter.)

  • Collaborative pieces by multiple writers are welcome. In the case of multiple writers, payment will be split between collaborators.

  • We strongly encourage submissions from underrepresented voices including but not limited to women, femmes, non-binary, and LGBTQIA authors, as well as writers with disabilities.

DEADLINE: July 10, 2020

https://www.interstellarflightpress.com/submissions.html

Summer One-on-One Manuscript Sessions

Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing

INFO: Summer One-on-One Sessions are a new offering from MVICW.  Our instructors will offer a generous review of your work, provide line edits, written feedback, and a 40-minute Zoom meeting to discuss your manuscript in late July or early August. (These Summer One-on-One sessions are separate from our Summer Conference manuscript-meetings which are included in attendance to our 2021 Summer Writers’ Conference). 

For poetry manuscripts, please submit between 3-4 poems (totaling no more than 8 pages max)

For fiction and CNF manuscripts, please submit up to 15 pages of double-spaced prose (one piece only).

Once we receive your manuscript, we’ll match you with an author/poet best suited to your work. One-on-One Manuscript Sessions will be conducted by:

  • Christopher Citro (poetry/CNF)

  • Samantha Tetangco (poetry/CNF/fiction)

  • Randi Beck Ocena (fiction/CNF)

  • Robert James Russell (fiction/CNF)

  • John T. Howard (poetry/fiction)

Please note that these sessions are available on a first-come first-served limited basis.

COST: $200

DEADLINE: July 10, 2020

https://mvicw.submittable.com/submit/166759/mvicw-summer-one-on-one-manuscript-sessions

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Fat & Queer: An Anthology of Queer and Trans Bodies and Lives

INFO: Fat & Queer: An Anthology of Queer and Trans Bodies and Lives is an anthology challenging the negative and damaging representation of fat bodies in popular culture. This anthology will celebrate our bodies, our lives, and present illuminating examples of fat & queer literature. 

Editors Bruce Owens Grimm, Miguel M. Morales, and Tiff Ferentini have teamed up to boost the voices of people who live at the intersection of fatness and queerness, especially the voices of fat and queer QTBIPOC.  Fat & Queer: An Anthology of Queer and Trans Bodies and Lives, which will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, an imprint of Hachette, in 2021.

Works between 3,000 - 5,000 words are preferred for prose. A poet may submit up to 5 poems for consideration.

DEADLINE: July 10, 2020

https://www.fatandqueer.com/?fbclid=IwAR01uuqzHjH3MsabS0mBP6Du65UIYO3Y0jGiydkPIojqUsaFbw1t0chatF4

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Sequoyah Cherokee River Journal

INFO: Sequoyah Cherokee River Journal is accepting poetry, prose, art (paintings), and art photography for Issue 4.

Please submit work relating to: Nature, water, sky, animals, Native American folk, tales or stories.

Send your work(s) up to 5 poems or artworks and bio via email to Editor/Publisher Mysti S. Milwee at mystiart21@gmail.com

In the subject line please state: Your name, # of works, and Sequoyah Cherokee River Journal

All accepted poetry that is translated will be published in the journal.

DEADLINE: July 13, 2020

https://sequoyahcherokeeriverjournal.wordpress.com/about/

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Pandemic Post

INFO: The Pandemic Post is a small online print zine featuring interviews, art, essays, recipes, fiction, poetry, and more. In solidarity with the fight for racial equity, Issue No. 4 of The Pandemic Post will only be featuring work from Black creators.

Is there anything you want to tell our progressive, largely white audience? Do you have existing work you want us to publish or re-publish? We want to see it all, and we promise to use our platform to amplify your voice as best we can.

We are a volunteer-run effort and all of our profits go to the organizations we support — however, we’re offering a small honorarium of $40 per accepted submission for this issue.

Email submissions to editors@thepandemicpost.com or upload something directly at thepandemicpost.com/submit

DEADLINE: N/A

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBwPl_njauC/

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

TueNight

INFO: TueNight is a storytelling community for women  and non-binary folks over 40, sharing where we’ve been and exploring what’s next. Twice each month on Tuesday (natch), we publish original personal essays. 

Our Guidelines

  • Topics: Generally, we’re interested in all relevant topics far and wide, including, but not limited to, love, sex, health, career, entertainment, travel, and food. For summer 2020, we’re interested in pitches on the following topics:

    • Freedom: deadline to pitch – July 14

    • Sleep: deadline to pitch – August 11

  • Audience: Generally Gen-X women and non-binary folks age 40+

  • Format: We typically publish essays (approximately 800-1,000 words), however, we’re also up for lists, videos and other kinds of image-driven content that’s in line with our mission.

  • Pitch: Please send pitches and 2-3 links to clips of previous work to hello@tuenight.com. We’re also open to first-time writers, so don’t be shy. If you have a great idea, we have great editors to help you bring it to life.

  • Diversity: We are intentional about publishing a diverse slate of writers. We welcome pitches from writers of every racial background, binary/non-binary, single, married, not moms, moms, city mouse, country mouse. Gen-X Midlife is our common denominator, of course.

  • Voice: Smart, vibrant, optimistic — with the occasional dose of that Gen-X side eye. We gotta be us.

  • Pay: $50

https://tuenight.com/tuenight-submission-guidelines/?fbclid=IwAR3C1mXHESzLtVKyBpw40DGMEgXVaTPAhtoHwgA9An671cqBSMQmwGTI8qg

Radical Remedies: Collective Healing and Power Through Story

Detroit Narrative Agency

INFO: As our communities face the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and severe anti-Black racism, what do resilience, resistance, joy, grief, and collective care look like?

Detroit Narrative Agency (DNA) invites Detroiters and Michigan residents to creatively respond to this question through short videos with its latest project, Radical Remedies: Collective Healing and Power Through Story. 

Radical Remedies will amplify community stories to build collective healing and power, as well as redistribute resources to storytellers and mediamakers. Video submissions should be 30 seconds to five minutes long; selected videos will receive a $100-$500 stipend, and will be shared across media platforms. This project will honor the experiences of Black, Brown and Indigenous people living in Detroit and Michigan, weaving together our collective threads, connecting kindred communities nationally and globally.

To submit to Radical Remedies, please read the following carefully:

  • Your video must be between 30-seconds and five minutes long, and creatively respond to the following prompt: As our communities face the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and severe anti-Black racism, what do resilience, resistance, joy, grief, and collective care look like?

  • Your video can be documentary/non-fiction, narrative/fiction, experimental, animation, or any other form/genre. It can be expressed through storytelling, dance, music, skillsharing, science fiction, comedy, and so much more. It simply needs to be original, creative, engaging, and related to the prompt.

  • This opportunity is open to all experience levels ranging from professional filmmakers, community mediamakers, to social media content creators (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc).

ELIGIBILITY  

Submitters must live in Michigan. We will be prioritizing entries by and about people who are BIPOC and those living in Detroit (including Hamtramck and Highland Park), but all Michigan residents are encouraged to submit.

  • You must have ownership/rights of the content shared in order to submit.

  • Videos with misinformation or any content that perpetuates harmful narratives will not be considered.

  • Selected videos will receive a stipend ranging from $100-$500, and an opportunity to have their work shared with proper credit on DNA channels, social media, and possibly screened as part of DNA's Ethics & Aesthetics series launch at the Allied Media Conference (AMC). In order to submit your video you must agree to allow DNA and Radical Remedies community partners to share your video/film publicly.

PROGRAM VALUES

  • We prioritize films made by Black, Brown, Indigenous, Immigrant, Disabled, Poor/Working Class, Queer, Trans*, non-binary, Women and Femmes who are storytellers and mediamakers.

  • We prioritize media made by people who belong to the communities their media is about. 

  • We prioritize stories that disrupt dominant media narratives.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Ryan Pearson at ryan@alliedmedia.org.

Detroit Narrative Agency (DNA) is a community organization that disrupts harmful narratives about Detroit. We do this by supporting Black, Brown, and Indigenous Detroiters to examine and create film and media that build collective healing, power and liberation.

DEADLINE: July 13, 2020

https://detroitnarrativeagency.submittable.com/submit/168281/radical-remedies-collective-healing-and-power-through-story

SFF Short Story Submissions Call for Afro-Latinx Writers

INFO: RECLAIM THE STARS is a YA science fiction and fantasy anthology that will be published by Wednesday Books an imprint of St. Martin’s Press and be edited by Zoraida Córdova (Labyrinth Lost). The collection features YA speculative fiction exploring the Latinx diaspora through the lens of SFF, with stories likely included by Elizabeth Acevedo, Vita Ayala, David Bowles, Zoraida Córdova, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibañez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Yamile Saied Méndez, Nina Moreno, Maya Motayne, Daniel José Older, Claribel Ortega, Mark Oshiro, and Lilliam Rivera. Publication is expected for winter 2022. 

The collection is one of the first of its kind, bringing much needed representation to the world of science fiction & fantasy! Along with the anthology, we are launching a submission call in search of an Afro-Latinx author writing speculative fiction. The anthology editor will review submissions for potential publication and inclusion in the anthology.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Open to Afro-Latinx writers 18 years of age or older (as defined above). Applicants must include this information in their bio.

  • Open to Afro-Latinx writers published and unpublished, so long as the short story entry has never been previously commercially published.

  • Open to Afro-Latinx authors of all genders.

  • Open to to Afro-Latinx authors eligible to work in the United States.

DEADLINE: July 15, 2020

https://zoraidacordova.com/books/reclaim-the-stars/

LAR Short Fiction Award

Los Angeles Review 

INFO: The Los Angeles Review Short Fiction Award is a prize of $1,000 and publication in LAR given annually for an exceptional work of fiction. This season's judge is Kristen Millares Young.

• Please submit a story no longer than 2,500 words. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately at editor@losangelesreview.org if your story is accepted elsewhere.

• Only previously unpublished works are considered for the Los Angeles Review Short Fiction Award. Entries are not considered for general inclusion in the Los Angeles Review.

• The winner will be selected in fall of 2020 and announced via our website, and a Red Hen Press press release.

• The winning story will be published in the new LAR Online and included in the annual best-of print edition, set to be released in spring 2021.

•  In the cover letter field of each submission, include author’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. Do NOT include this information in the submitted file.

ENTRY FEE: $20

DEADLINE: July 15, 2020

https://losangelesreview.submittable.com/submit/52323/lar-short-fiction-award

LAR Flash Fiction Award

Los Angeles Review 

INFO: The Los Angeles Review Flash Fiction Award is a prize of $1,000 and publication in LAR given annually for an exceptional work of fiction. This season's judge is Ellen Meeropol.

• Please submit a piece no longer than 500 words. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately at editor@losangelesreview.org if your story is accepted elsewhere.

• Only previously unpublished works are considered for the Los Angeles Review Flash Fiction Award. Entries are not considered for general inclusion in the Los Angeles Review.

• The winner will be selected in fall of 2020 and announced via our website, and a Red Hen Press press release.

• The winning story will be published in the new LAR Online and included in the annual best-of print edition, set to be released in spring 2021.

•  In the cover letter field of each submission, include author’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. Do NOT include this information in the submitted file.

ENTRY FEE: $20

DEADLINE: July 15, 2020

https://losangelesreview.submittable.com/submit/52324/lar-flash-fiction-award

LAR Creative Nonfiction Award

Los Angeles Review 

INFO: The Los Angeles Review Creative Nonfiction Award is a prize of $1,000 and publication in LAR given annually for an exceptional work of nonfiction. This season's judge is Aimee Liu.

• Please submit a piece no longer than 2,500 words. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us immediately at editor@losangelesreview.org if your piece is accepted elsewhere.

• Only previously unpublished works are considered for the Los Angeles Review Creative Nonfiction Award. Entries are not considered for general inclusion in the Los Angeles Review.

• The winner will be selected in fall of 2020 and announced via our website, and a Red Hen Press press release.

• The winning piece will be published in the new LAR Online and included in the annual best-of print edition, set to be released in spring 2021.

•  In the cover letter field of each submission, include author’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. Do NOT include this information in the submitted file.

ENTRY FEE: $20

DEADLINE: July 15, 2020

https://losangelesreview.submittable.com/submit/52325/lar-creative-nonfiction-award

Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency

The Adirondack Center for Writing

INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a two-week residency annually in October to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.

Six writers are selected to take part in this intimate community of writers, half of the spaces are reserved for regional authors, and the other spaces are open to writers from all over the world. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications. We’re more interested in your writing than your MFA or publications. Send us good writing!

AT THE LODGE

Meals are served family-style in the Lodge, which is luxurious with lots of common spaces for evening group discussions as well as private spaces for quiet writing and reflection during the day. Residents are offered single rooms with private baths. There are no desks in individual rooms, but plenty of private and collaborative work space throughout the residence. Residents are encouraged to take full use of the hiking and paddling of the local area.

This residency exists to provide space, time and an inspiring landscape for regional and outside writers to work on their writing projects. With no cell phone coverage, this residency is a chance to unplug and connect with other writers, and to tap into the creative self.

Prepping Your Application for the Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency

  • Prepare to send up to 10 pages of manuscript, or a .pdf. The text should be in your choice of easily readable 12pt font with 1.5 line spacing.

  • Remove your name from ALL materials (except cover letter and references, if included). In order to remain unbiased, we will be forced to disregard any submissions that include your name.

  • Do you live at least part time in the region of the Adirondack Park? If so, please submit under the Adirondack Region category. If not, please use the Out of Town category instead.

Eligibility: The residency will be open to 6 writers every year, with three spaces for writers from the region, and three from elsewhere. We accept writers in any genre.

Fees: $30. The entire two-week residency is free for selected applicants.

References: We don’t request references, but allow submission of up to two.

DEADLINE: July 15, 2020. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application by August 15, 2020.

https://adirondackcenterforwriting.org/2019/05/13/applications-open-to-the-anne-labastille-memorial-writers-residency/

Letters from the Inside: intersectional reflections on life in lockdown

Art Spoken Madrid / Intersect Madrid

INFO: Intersect Madrid in partnership with Art Spoken Madrid present, Letters from the Inside: Intersectional Reflections on Life in Lockdown — an anthology that aims to bring to light stories from the recent quarantines arisen from the global COVID-19 pandemic and our transition into the first phases of worldwide re-opening. Through this anthology, we hope to create a body of work for community healing amidst a time of turbulent change.

We are looking for submissions in the genres of creative non-fiction, poetry, photography/video essays, and visual art. If you are a seasoned writer, a novice, or anywhere in-between, we want to hear your voice. Our goal is to uplift intersectional voices of historically underrepresented artists, including people of color, queer and trans individuals, asylum seekers, indigenous communities, and differently- abled and neurodivergent people. You can find the submission guidelines below, along with the anthology prompts thereafter.

What are the maximum limits for my piece?

  • For poetry: 2 pages

  • For creative non-fiction: 3,000 words

  • For video essays: 5 minutes

  • For photography essays: 15 photographs & 1,000 words in total For visual art: 5 pieces

How do I submit my work?

Please send the following to lfti.anthology@gmail.com:

  • Your piece as a word document (.doc/.docx) or a Google Docs link.

  • A short bio (200-300 words) telling us a little bit about yourself and any writing credits (not

    mandatory if you have not been previously published).

  • A high-quality photo of yourself (.png or .jpg).

  • If submitting a video essay: .mov, .mp4; If photography/visual art: .jpg, .tiff, .png, .pdf

  • Your Venmo/Bizum/PayPal account information (optional)

What languages can I submit pieces in?

• English
• Spanish
• Other languages are welcome, but please submit a short English or Spanish summary of the piece

Will I be paid for my submission?

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer payment to contributors. However, we will provide you with a publishing credit as well as a free digital copy of the anthology. The money earned from this anthology will be utilized by Art Spoken and Intersect Madrid, two local non-profit organizations that uplift communities of color and other underrepresented groups through an emphasis on education and the performing arts. Both of our organizations are committed to creating spaces for voices that are typically left out of classrooms and artistic venues throughout the world. We also plan to develop lessons and curriculum based on the anthology in order to engage students in Madrid and beyond in an intersectional understanding of the pandemic.

NOTE: We find it important to acknowledge that the lack of direct compensation in this project plays into a historic undervaluing of artists, especially those from underrepresented communities. All artists deserve to be paid for their work, and as such, we encourage you to share with us your Venmo/Bizum/PayPal account information (or any other method in which to send compensation), so that we can invite readers to make direct contributions to you if they feel compelled to do so. Please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail with any questions or suggestions regarding this topic.

Who retains the copyright to my work?

By submitting to this anthology, you grant Intersect Madrid and Art Spoken Madrid the right to use your submitted work in this anthology project. Uses include but are not limited to an e-book, print book, websites, marketing, and any other reasonable purpose having to do with the anthology. As it pertains to originally published pieces in this anthology, you retain the rights to use your work in any other future settings; however, we ask that you cite the piece as published in our anthology (i.e. “originally published in Letters from the Inside: Intersectional Reflections on Life in Lockdown”) and if published online, include a link to the forthcoming website.

What do I do if I’m resubmitting a piece that has been published elsewhere?

If you’re using a piece that has been published elsewhere, please include the location of where it was originally published and include permission to republish the piece.

Note: We do not accept any physical copies, only digital versions sent via the email below. If you don’t have online access, please ask a friend or loved one to share your work with us. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to send a message to us at lfti.anthology@gmail.com.

DEADLINES:

  • Early-Bird: July 18, 2020

  • General: August 8, 2020

*Early bird submissions will be given priority consideration.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hsaJ9liUjdh-lfyLUQ_OcDe2VdDjnCS5/view

ArabLit Quarterly's Fall 2020 Issue: CATS

INFO: We are looking for cats (قطط)-focused writing, however that might be interpreted. Naturally, we are as interested in The Merits of the Housecat, by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (tr. David Larsen) as we are in “Medieval Cat Poem” by Abū ʿĀmir al-Faḍl ibn Ismāʿīl al-Tamīmī al-Jurjānī, in Rehab Bassam's “Days of the Black Cat,” in “Minouche,” by Anis Arrafai, and in cats both real and mystical. 

We are also interested in cat recipes (?), cat essays, cat comix, feline playlists, a history of cats in a particular city, as well as other cat topics not yet considered.

Also: If you have classic photos of Arab authors and their cats, please do share.

We are also interested in:   

  • Translated short stories between 100 and 10000 words  

  • Translated poetry   

  • Translated playtexts   

  • Translated comix 

  • Texts that play with genres, cat-like    

We are not able to accept:  Fiction and poetry written originally in English. Sorry.   

We do accept: Both pitches and completed works.      

Yes, we do pay: $15/page

DEADLINE:

  • Pitches: Due by July 20, 2020

  • Drafts of completed works: Due by August 20, 2020

https://arablit.submittable.com/submit/163429/arablit-quarterlys-fall-2020-issue-cats

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

A Public Space

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 Taylor Michael.

Memory is a tricky thing. Whether it’s obsessing over our failures, surveying the tokens that trigger us, or considering our past and where we come from, our memories, collective and individual, can tell us about ourselves. Why do we hold onto certain things—failures, archival materials, family trauma—and not others?

Submit prose, fiction, or nonfiction, that thinks about inheritance or legacy, broadly considers memory, or incorporates archival history. I’m open to wherever this prompt may take you.

Only previously unpublished pieces are eligible. Black, Indigenous, and folks of color are especially encouraged to submit. International submissions are welcome, but we are only able to consider work in English. Only one submission per person is allowed. Writers whose work is published in the magazine will receive an honorarium.

DEADLINE: July 20, 2020

https://apublicspace.org/news/detail/open-call-for-submissions?utm_source=Master+List&utm_campaign=89730eb444-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_06_12_04_15_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6566a6ed1a-89730eb444-68639565

2020 ArabLit Story Prize

INFO: The ArabLit Story Prize is an award for the best short stories, in any genre, newly translated from Arabic into English. Translators must have rights to the work, and translations must have been previously unpublished.

 Stories will be judged primarily on the quality of the translated work as a thing-in-itself, although translators must also submit the Arabic original, as this must be a translation, not a loose adaptation nor a work written originally in English.

This year's three judges are Sawad Hussain, Donia Kamel, and Hilal Chouman.

PRIZE: $500 to the winner, split between author and translator. Shortlisted stories will have the opportunity to be published in the ArabLit Quarterly as well as a future anthology.

SUBMISSION FEE: $0. However, if you wish to see last year's shortlist, you can tick the box to get e-copies of previous issues of ArabLit Quarterly. If you do not tick the box, you will not be asked for a fee.

DEADLINE: July 20, 2020

https://arablit.submittable.com/submit/162720/2020-arablit-story-prize

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: I am my Father's Daughter 

The Miki Chronicles

INFO: Father-Daughter relationships tend to be the most precious and sometimes affect the way decisions are made.  Navigating a father-child relationship is not easy and everyone has a version of their experience. Whether the relationship took some work or no work at all, there is something special about how it affects your growth as a woman. 

I am my Father's Daughter is a  collection of stories written by powerful women about their relationship with their father. Please submit if your story meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Do you have a relationship with your father that has evolved from distant or tumultuous to healthy and thriving?

  2. Have you always had a good relationship with your father despite enduring hard times?

  3. Have you always had e and continue to have a good relationship with your father?

  4. You do not have a good relationship with your father and are at peace with it?

​Word Limit: 2000 and must be written in English

DEADLINE: July 21, 2020, 9 PM EST

https://www.themikichronicles.com/submission

COVD-19 ARTIST RELIEF GRANTS

INFO: This Summer, Artist Relief will continue offering $5,000 grants for U.S. artists in need. The 10-minute application is open to all artists, including poets and writers.

Before applying, we ask that applicants self-evaluate whether they are experiencing dire financial emergencies during this time and make space for those most urgently in need.


Due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we define “dire financial emergencies” as the lack or imminent endangerment of essentials such as housing, medicine, childcare, and food. We are aware that each artist’s needs differ, so ask that you thoroughly and accurately describe your situation. Applicants should demonstrate a pressing and critical need for emergency support to be considered for this grant.

We also highly recommend reviewing our FAQ for questions related to eligibility, application, selection process, and disbursement.

To be eligible, you must be able to answer ”Yes“ to the prompts listed below.

  • I am a practicing artist able to demonstrate a sustained commitment to my work, career, and a public audience;

  • I am experiencing dire financial emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic;

  • I am 21 years of age or older;

  • I can provide a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) after I’ve been notified of my selection;

  • I have been living and working in the U.S. for the last two years;

  • I am not a full-time employee, board member, director, officer, or immediate family member of any of the coalition partners;

  • I have not previously been awarded a relief grant from this fund

DEADLINE: July 22, 2020

https://www.artistrelief.org/apply

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Trotamundos 103 °

INFO: Trotamundos 103 ° is a digital magazine based in Mexico. We are seeking submissions for our special publication Personal. In this edition we seek to give voice to the changes that our individual realities suffered as a result of the confinement derived from COVID-19. The objective of this publication is to reflect on the social, political and cultural repercussions. 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

  • Authors must be 18+

  • The works must be original

  • One work per modality will be accepted. 

  • The topics will be chosen freely by the author as long as they relate to the pandemic.

CATEGORIES:

  • Chronicle : maximum length of two pages. 

  • Micro essay or article : maximum length of one page. 

  • Story : maximum length of three pages.

  • Photography : series of three pieces minimum, six pieces maximum. 

  • Illustration : one to three works per author can be presented in any artistic technique.

DEADLINE: July 25, 2020

https://trotamundos103.com/convocatoria

Varuna Residential Fellowships

INFO: Varuna Residential Fellowships offer two to three weeks of full board and accommodation at Varuna including a prepared evening meal, uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, the companionship of your fellow writers and a one-hour Varuna Conversation with a Varuna consultant.

In 2021, Varuna will offer 24 Varuna Residential Fellowships, including our prestigious Flagship Fellowships.

Varuna Residential Fellowships can be taken between January and the end of May 2021.

What you need to send us

You will need to send us between 7,000 and 10,000 words from the beginning of your manuscript, along with a synopsis of the entire work.  For poetry, you need to send us a selection of 10 poems.

What we are looking for

Varuna welcomes manuscripts from writers working in all creative forms, including fiction, screenplay/drama, poetry, children’s books, and narrative non-fiction. Artistic merit is the most important criterion for our assessors, who are looking for strongly written characters, sound structure, compelling themes, a distinctive and engaging voice, and social and cultural relevance. Our assessors also consider the potential of your manuscript, based on the experience of the writer and their work plan.

Fees

Application fees are $65 per application, unless you are a financially current alumni member using your annual fee waiver. Application fees are used to pay professional assessors to read your work. If you have a Healthcare card, the application fee is $35.

If you are successful, you will be asked to make a contribution of $315 per week towards your residency (note that this fee is waived for the Henry Handel Richardson fellowship).

And you will need to meet your own travel expenses to and from Varuna. If you have a Healthcare card, you may apply to the Varuna Travel Assistance Fund for a subsidy of up to $300. 

DEADLINE: July 29, 2020

https://www.varuna.com.au/fellowships/varuna

THE SALAM AWARD FOR IMAGINATIVE FICTION

INFO: The Salam Award for Imaginative Fiction is a short story award to promote science fiction and related genres of writing in Pakistan. The scope is broad and will include every thing from regular science fiction and steampunk to magic realism and weird fiction. 

PRIZE:

  1. A cash prize of Rs 50,000

  2. Story will be published on the Salam Award website

  3. Review by an established literary agent for market guidance and possible representation

  4. An editorial review by a professional editor for critique and potential publication in a multi-award winning science fiction magazine

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

http://thesalamaward.com/

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: July 31, 2020

https://www.thelitexhibit.nyc/apply

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN, DIASPORA ARTISTS

Lolwe

INFO: Lolwe -- an online magazine that publishes fiction, literary criticism, personal essays, photography, and poetry -- is accepting submissions for Issue 2 throughout the month of July (1-31 July 2020). The issue will be guest-edited by Mapule Mohulatsi, Gbenga Adesina and Esther Karin Mngodo.

We are looking for work that is bold, different, and blurs or pushes boundaries: play with form and language, ignore genre classifications, send in your fears and joys, your doubts and faiths, your curiosities and silences.

Please read the submission guidelines and send us your work via Submittable.

Submission Guidelines

What to submit: Fiction, essays, poetry, and photography.

Who can submit: Black (African, Caribbean, Diaspora) artists.

Limit: 1,000-10,000 words for fiction and essays. 3-5 poems contained in a single document. 5-10 images/artwork in one document alongside 200-500 words about the work.

Format: Word document, Times New Roman, pt 12, double-spaced.

Response time: 3-4 months after submission deadline. Queries to info@lolwe.org.

Multiple submissions: No. Please submit to only one category.

Simultaneous submissions: Yes. Just remember to withdraw if accepted elsewhere.

Republishing: No. Only original, unpublished submissions will be read.

Submission fees: None. Feel free to donate a “tip” to us though.

Payment: Lolwe will offer a modest remuneration for work that is accepted for publication. You can help by donating to Lolwe.

Send a brief bio alongside the submission.

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

https://lolwe.org/submit/

2020 RCWMS Essay Contest

Resource Center for Women & Ministry in the South

INFO: RCWMS is committed to supporting women as they find their voices and make them heard. In addition to our writing classes, workshops, and retreats, we run an essay contest in most years. Our 2020 Essay Contest opens for submissions on June 15 and is open through July 31, 2020. Women 18 years of age and older may submit previously unpublished nonfiction essays of 1,200 words or less. 

THEME: Essays should focus on the theme “What has changed for you in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing racism in the USA, and the recent public response to police violence?” We invite submissions that consider this theme in a variety of ways. What has changed for you? How are you responding? What have you lost or abandoned? What has sustained you during this time? 

DETAILS: Women 18 years of age or older may submit up to 2 nonfiction essays, 1,200 words or less. Submit online only: rcwms.submittable.com/submit. Previous first-place winners and current RCWMS Board members not eligible. No sermons, please. Do not put your name on your essay(s). Fill out the online cover letter form with the essay's title, your name, address, phone, and email. Submissions open June 15, 2020 and close July 31, 2020. 

PRIZES: $300 for first place, $200 second, and $100 third. The winning essay will be published in the RCWMS newsletter, South of the Garden, in September or December 2020. 

NOTIFICATION: Winners will be notified by email.

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

https://rcwms.submittable.com/submit/168413/2020-rcwms-essay-contest

Event & Workshop Pitches for Fall 2020

Asian American Writers’ Workshop

INFO: The Asian American Writers’ Workshop is an alternative literary arts space, an incubator for emerging writers and a sanctuary space for readers and ideas. Our public space is designed for gathering communities and building critical dialogue between literature and movement culture. At a time when migrants, women, people of color, Muslims, and LGBTQ people are specifically targeted, we are a community of activists who use our artistry to advocate for and center the voices and ideas on the margins. We offer a new countercultural public space in which to imagine a more just future.

The Asian American Writers’ Workshop is accepting applications for the Fall 2020 season for workshops, readings, panels and performances. If you have a workshop or event which you’d like to present to our curation team, do visit our workshop and events pages and even better, attend our events and workshops to get a feel for the space and AAWW community. 

All the AAWW events at our site are open to the public with a $5 suggested donation. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Our on-site events take place on weekday evenings  starting at 6:30 PM and run for 50 minutes. If you have an event that may have unique space or A/V needs, please do include this in your applications. 

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

https://aaww.submittable.com/submit/159810/event-workshop-pitches-for-fall-2020

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

An Asian Tapestry of Colors

INFO: Stories reveal the soul of a community and provide us with a glimpse into someone else’s life. For this upcoming new collection, we are seeking short stories that reveal the soul of human interactions that are set in Asia. More specifically, we are looking for stories that focus on Asian heritage, cultural practices and beliefs. In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s words:

“… it is impossible to engage properly with a place or a person without engaging with all of the stories of that place and that person … and when we realise that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.”

Let’s weave an Asian paradise with multiple voices together in this collection.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Unpublished stories

  • Stories revolving around any aspect of heritage, cultural practices and beliefs.

  • Stories can be set in any Asian country. We are particularly interested in stories from: SingaporeMalaysiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesBruneiLaosCambodiaMyanmarVietnamSouth KoreaChinaJapan and India.

  • Authors do not have to be based in the countries where their stories are set.

  • Stories written for readers between
    13 to 17 years old.

  • Word count: 3,000 to 5,000 words.

  • To include a glossary if necessary.

  • Translated stories may be submitted for consideration, as long as they have not been previously published in English. Stories which have been published in English (including online on websites and personal blogs) will not be considered. If you intend to submit a translation, please obtain permission to translate from the author.

  • You may submit more than one story and up to a maximum of two stories.

  • Submissions must be literary in tone. Non-fiction and creative non-fiction will not be accepted.

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

2021 Bard Fiction Prize

INFO: To apply, candidates should write a cover letter explaining the project they plan to work on while at Bard and submit a CV, along with three copies of the published book they feel best represents their work. No manuscripts will be accepted.

The creation of the Bard Fiction Prize, presented each October since 2001, continues Bard’s long-standing position as a center for creative, groundbreaking literary work by both faculty and students. From Saul Bellow, William Gaddis, Mary McCarthy, and Ralph Ellison to John Ashbery, Philip Roth, William Weaver, and Chinua Achebe, Bard’s literature faculty, past and present, represents some of the most important writers of our time. The prize is intended to encourage and support young writers of fiction, and provide them with an opportunity to work in a fertile intellectual environment. Last year’s Bard Fiction Prize was awarded to Greg Jackson for his short story collection Prodigals (Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2016).

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

http://www.bard.edu/bfp/

Spring 2020 Story Contest

Narrative

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.

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.

Submission Fee: There is a $27 fee for each entry. And with your entry, you’ll receive three months of complimentary access to Narrative Backstage.

All contest entries are eligible for the $4,000 Narrative Prize and for acceptance as a Story of the Week.

DEADLINE: July 31, 2020

https://www.narrativemagazine.com/spring-2020-story-contest?uid=103566&m=fe23855d75c151df0a3814f3cfdcb3bc&d=1588262960

CALL FOR ESSAYS: BLACK REFLECTIONS

Non.Plus Lit

INFO: We recognize the systemic, structural, and interpersonal racism that permeates through our society as a whole--and we know the literary world is no exception to these imbalances of power. We’ve spent the past few weeks considering ways in which Non.Plus Lit can support the movement to dismantle white supremacy. Among other long term, structural steps we’re taking, we’re opening up submissions for Black Reflections: a collection of essays by black writers.

For Black Reflections, we’re accepting previously unpublished personal essays on any topic of the writer’s choosing. As our About page states, we’re looking for writing that “takes us somewhere we’ve never been, leaves us nonplussed with nothing left to say.” The same is true here. There’s no guidelines other than the collection only accepting essays by black writers. 

We’ll be paying 50 dollars per accepted essay to collection contributors.

DEADLINE: N/A

https://www.nonpluslit.com/blackreflections

PEN/JEAN STEIN GRANT FOR LITERARY ORAL HISTORY

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

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/

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Mixed Mag

INFO: Mixed Mag is a multimedia publication dedicated to promoting multiethnic/multicultural voices.

Submission guidelines:

  • prose submissions must be under 1500 words in the following categories (fiction/CNF, politics, tv/film/theatre, music, health/wellness/food)

  • submit up to 3 poems

  • submit up to 10 original photos or visuals

send to mixedmag.media@gmail.com

DEADLINE: August 1, 2020

https://twitter.com/MixedMag/status/1276631534586429441

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 PoetsBoston 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 PloughsharesAsia 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

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 titlenamenationality, 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