WRITING INTENSIVE: Words of Resistance & Restoration
Roots. Wounds. Words.
DEADLINE: June 12, 2022 at 11:59pm ET
INFO: Words of Resistance & Restoration is a 12-week writing intensive where RWW’s faculty of acclaimed BIPOC literary artists will engage justice-involved and -impacted individuals in the art of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, as well as the art of performance. Words of Resistance and Restoration will attempt to cultivate joy, resilience, and community for storytellers who have had direct and/or indirect experience with the carceral state. The primary beneficiaries are Black, Latina/e/x, Indigenous, Asian, Southeast Asian, People of Color (BIPOC)-identified storytellers who have been arrested, incarcerated, held under state control and monitoring, or who have been impacted by the incarceration of a loved one.
Words of Resistance & Restoration is a virtual literary arts intensive.
Those taking part will be truly supported through the experience by justice-involved and -impacted faculty such as Nawaaz Ahmed (Radiant Fugitives), Patrice Gaines(Laughing in the Dark and Moments of Grace), Roya Marsh (dayliGht), and Louise Waakaa'igan (This is Where).
DATES & LOCATION: Words of Resistance & Restoration will be held weekly from Saturday, August 6th - Thursday October 20, 2022 virtually via Zoom.
TUITION & SCHOLARSHIPS: $0.00. This offering is completely tuitionless. Application and participation in Words of Resistance and Restoration is completely free. In fact, the storytellers will receive an honorarium for the culminating performance and for their work to be published in an RWW anthology.
This offering is available to beginner, moderate and advanced storytellers.
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The Letras Boricuas 2022 Fellowship
The Mellon Foundation / The Flamboyan Foundation’s Arts Fund
DEADLINE: June 13, 2022 at 4:00pm ET
INFO: The Letras Boricuas Fellowship is an opportunity sponsored by The Mellon Foundation and The Flamboyan Foundation’s Arts Fund, which will provide forty writers (of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and children’s literature) —twenty selected in 2021 and twenty selected in 2022 — $25,000 each. Recipients will also participate in a gathering of all forty Fellows to be hosted in Puerto Rico, tentatively scheduled for April 2023.
While fellowship award funds are unrestricted, the hope is to help writers in Puerto Rico and across the diaspora, pursue their writing, amplify their work to a broader audience, and create work that celebrates Puerto Rican life and culture. It is also the aim that each Fellowship cohort will include writers of different genres and writers who live in Puerto Rico, as well Puerto Ricans who may live in the United States. Applications will be accepted in Spanish and/or English.
The Letras Boricuas Fellowship will have two cohorts. The first was announced in November 2021 with the fellowship running from January to December 2022. The second cohort will be announced in fall 2022 with the fellowship running from January to December 2023.
flamboyanfoundation.org/letras-boricuas/
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VSC FELLOWSHIPS
Vermont Studio Center
DEADLINE: June 15, 2022 by midnight
INFO: VSC’s residency program welcomes artists and writers working across all mediums and genres for two, three, and four week sessions. Residents enjoy well-lit, private studios within a short walk to residency housing, dining hall, and local amenities. Studio spaces range from 170 - 300 square feet. Accommodations include a private room and shared common areas. The campus features include a print shop, digital lab, and metal, wood, ceramic facility. Studios are open 24 hours a day.
A VSC residency provides artists and writers the time and space to focus on their creative practice in an inclusive, international community within a small Vermont village. Residents can explore swimming holes, hiking and biking trails, as well as the rural charm of neighboring towns, while expanding their creative potential and building a solid network of friends and mentors.
VSC will award 17 fellowships between October 2022 and May 2023. Fellowships offer full funding and will be awarded to artists and writers with exceptional work.
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CALL FOR UNAGENTED SUBMISSIONS
Roxane Gay Books
CALL WILL OPEN: June 15, 2022
INFO: ROXANE GAY BOOKS ACCEPTS submissions from both agented and unagented writers. This imprint publishes three (3) books a year, so when submissions are closed to unagented writers, it is because my slate is currently full.
Please, please read these guidelines and follow them.
I am going to publish books I love from interesting writers. That could, of course, mean anything. I am looking for beautifully written, compelling books that challenge, delight, and entertain readers. I love literary fiction but your story has to have an interesting plot. Things have to happen. I want books I simply cannot put down and that, when I finish, I can’t stop thinking about. I love stories about difficult women. I welcome your so-called unlikable protagonists. I enjoy dark, gritty stories but I am also open to happy, joyful but unsentimental stories that reflect faith in the overall goodness of humanity.
I will consider novels, short fiction, memoirs, essay collections, and nonfiction. Most genres are welcome but my tastes skew to not only literary fiction but contemporary romance, and science fiction and fantasy. I am always open to being surprised but I will not likely be drawn to stories about sad white people marriages or autofiction. I am not interested in police propaganda narratives. Historical fiction, Westerns and the like will be a hard sell and there are other imprints that are a better fit for those stories. I am not currently seeking YA, middle-grade, or children's books. Only non-fiction will be considered on proposal.
Poetry is a vital art form we love, but we are not considering any poetry, without exception.
Roxane Gay Books prioritizes underrepresented writers and does so, proudly. Reparations, if you will.
I hope to develop deep relationships with writers and help them navigate the process of bringing a book into the world from manuscript acceptance through and beyond publication. I am interested in working with writers who understand that publishing is a business and are willing to approach it as such. The writers who will be best suited to this imprint will want to actively promote their book and will do so without apologizing or diminishing their work as if it doesn’t matter. They will be confident in their writing or, like many of us, (ME) able to project confidence while dealing with overwhelming self-doubt.
There are no fees for submitting a manuscript. I will respond to every submission though I cannot respond to every submission personally. I will respect your work and the time you have put in to get to this point. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a large social media following or a platform. You do not need blurbs from writers for your manuscript or proposal because it is ridiculous that the market would ever expect that for an unsold project. It is an unnecessary hoop and there’s no need to jump through it for me. You don’t need to hire an editor to edit your manuscript before you submit though you do, of course, want to send your best, polished work.
All I really care about is what you put on the page.
Submissions will only be considered via Submittable. I will not consider e-mail submissions. I do not ever do business in DMs. I hope to respond within three months but may take up to six months.
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Narrative Prize
Narrative Magazine
DEADLINE: June 15, 2022
INFO: THE $4,000 NARRATIVE PRIZE is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.
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CALL FOR EVENT PROPOSALS: #AWP23
Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)
DEADLINE: June 15, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
INFO: Event proposals for #AWP23 are now being accepted! All proposals should follow the guidelines detailed in the 2023 Event Proposal Guidelines, and all participants should read the Presenter Guidelines before submitting a proposal. Additional resources for crafting and submitting an AWP event proposal can be found on the Proposal Overview page.
For #AWP23 we will continue to accept both in-person and virtual conference event proposals. All virtual conference events will be prerecorded and made available for both in-person and virtual attendees to watch on-demand online during #AWP23. Anyone who is interested in submitting a virtual event proposal should visit the Virtual Conference Events page for detailed information.
As you navigate the proposal system, please keep the following in mind:
You do not need to be a member of AWP to propose or participate in an event. However, you must have an active AWP user account. The account is free and can be created on our website.
Please note our limits on participation. You may be listed as a participant or moderator on no more than three proposals, including both in-person and virtual event proposals. If more than two of these proposals are accepted, you may be asked to step down from one of your events.
Once you submit your proposal, your event participants will receive an email asking them to confirm their willingness to be added to your event. They must link the proposal to their own AWP account by Wednesday, June 22, 2022 or your event will not be considered.
Your participants will be prompted to enter their own biographies when they link to your proposal. These biographies will be published on our online conference schedule if the event is accepted.
If you have any questions about submitting a #AWP23 event proposal, please email events@awpwriter.org.
awpwriter.org/awp_conference/event_proposals_guidelines
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2022 Walter Grants
We Need Diverse Books
DEADLINE: June 30, 2022 by 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The Walter Dean Myers Grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished.
In 2022, we are offering community-specific grants. We are offering two Walter Grants to trans writers or illustrators, two Walter Grants to Muslim creators, and two Walter Grants to Native/Indigenous/First Nations writers or illustrators. To apply for these grants, you must select that you wish to be considered in your application.
ELIGIBILITY FOR GENERAL WALTER GRANT:
Applicants must identify as diverse, as per WNDB’s definition of diversity.
Applicants must be unpublished as illustrators and/or authors. This includes both trade publishing and self-publishing. If the applicant has a book deal for an as yet unpublished book, the applicant is considered published for purposes of this grant. Essays, short stories, and articles do not render an applicant ineligible.
Applicants who have books on submission to publishing houses are not eligible for the Walter Grant. Books on submission to procure an agent however will not render the applicant ineligible.
Applicant must be working toward a career as a children’s author and/or illustrator. This includes but is not limited to: Picture Books, Early Reader Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade Books, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction, Poetry.
Applicant must be a U.S. resident or a refugee living in the States. (Note for refugee applicants: receiving a grant might affect your income limitations and any government assistance you may receive. You may want to reach out to appropriate officials, like an immigration attorney, for advice.)
Applicant must be at least 18 years in age.
ELIGIBILITY FOR WALTER GRANT FOR TRANS CREATORS:
Applicant must meet all of the above qualifications as stated for our general Walter Grant AND
Applicant must be Native, Indigenous, and/or First Nations, including but not limited to Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, and tribal citizens and members or recent descendants who are connected to their community.
You may belong to one or more of these communities and still decide to apply for a general Walter Grant. If you belong to more than one of these communities, you need to choose one of the grants to apply for and cannot apply to more than one.
ELIGIBILITY FOR WALTER GRANT FOR MUSLIM CREATORS:
Applicant must meet all of the above qualifications as stated for our general Walter Grant AND
Applicant must be Muslim.
You may belong to one or more of these communities and still decide to apply for a general Walter Grant. If you belong to more than one of these communities, you need to choose one of the grants to apply for and cannot apply to more than one.
ELIBILITY FOR WALTER GRANT FOR NATIVE/INDIGENOUS CREATORS:
Applicant must meet all of the above qualifications as stated for our general Walter Grant AND
Applicant must be a part of the trans community. The Walter Grant for trans creators is open to all trans writers and illustrators, including but not limited to people who are trans men, trans women, Two Spirit, third gender, nonbinary, genderqueer, bigender/pangender, genderfluid, and agender.
You may belong to one or more of these communities and still decide to apply for a general Walter Grant. If you belong to more than one of these communities, you need to choose one of the grants to apply for and cannot apply to more than one.
diversebooks.org/programs/walter-grant/
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First Chapters Contest
CRAFT
DEADLINE: June 30, 2022
ENTRY FEE: $20
INFO: CRAFT First Chapters Contest entries are open to all fiction writers; CRAFT is a market for adult literary fiction.
Guest Judge Maisy Card will choose three excerpts from a shortlist of fifteen.
GUIDELINES:
International submissions are welcome.
Excerpts of book-length fiction only—please submit the first chapter or chapters* of your unpublishednovels/novellas, completed or in progress.
Please do not submit short stories or nonfiction.
Please submit work in English only.
5,000 word count maximum*.
We review adult literary fiction, but are open to a variety of genres and styles.
Previously unpublished work only—we do NOT review reprints for contests (previously published includes any form of self-publishing, blogs, personal websites, social media, etc.).
We allow simultaneous submissions—writers, please notify us and withdraw your excerpt if your work is picked up elsewhere.
We allow multiple submissions—please submit each excerpt as a separate submission accompanied by an entry fee.
Please, please, double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history (if applicable), and a summary of your book-length project.
We do not require anonymous submissions.
We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, disability, family status, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, or for any other reason.
Additionally, we do not tolerate discrimination in the writing we consider for publication: work we find discriminatory on any of the bases stated here will be declined without complete review (you will be refunded, less Submittable’s fee).
*Your entry may include more than your first chapter, up to 5,000 words total, but should contain complete sections—please do not leave us hanging midparagraph just to maximize word count—and must be the first chapter(s) of your book-length project, as if you were querying agents or publishing houses.
AWARDS:
Winner: $2,000 award and a full manuscript critique of the novel or novella, up to 100K words, by Artful Editor.
Runners-up: $500 and $300 award respectively for the second- and third-place finalists.
Agent query workshop for the winner and runners-up by Beth Marshea of Ladderbird Literary Agency—Beth will offer feedback on the first 5,000 words of the project, the summary, and a query letter.
Publication of the top three excerpts in CRAFT, each with an introduction by Maisy Card.
Publication of an author’s note (craft essay) to accompany the excerpt by each of the writers.
FINE PRINT:
Friends, family, and associates of the judge are not eligible for consideration for the award.
Our collaboration with editorial professionals and agents in the judging and awarding of our contests does not imply an endorsement or recognition from their agencies/houses/presses/universities/etc.
If you write YA, we recommend checking out the first chapters contest at Voyage.
Check out our 2021 winners for examples of the work we are reading for.
As we only consider unpublished writing, and will publish the winning excerpts in December, anything under contract to publish prior to March 1, 2023, should not be entered.
GUEST JUDGE MAISY CARD
Maisy Card is the author of the novel These Ghosts Are Family, which won an American Book Award, the 2021 OCM Bocas Prize in fiction, and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review Daily, AGNI, The New York Times, Guernica, and other publications. Maisy is a graduate of the Brooklyn College MFA in Fiction Program. She is currently a fiction editor of The Brooklyn Rail.
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BIPOC WRITER SCHOLARSHIP
Sonoma County Writers Camp / Hedgebrook
DEADLINE: June 30, 2022
INFO: Sonoma County Writers Camp is a 4.5-day writing retreat that is sometimes entirely virtual via Zoom (as we did in March 2022) and sometimes takes place in Healdsburg, CA (as with our October 2022 camp).
SCWC is run by acclaimed authors and teachers Ellen Sussman and Elizabeth Stark. We are pleased to partner with Hedgebrook to offer a full tuition waiver for one recipient who is BIPOC and self-identifies as a woman or non-binary.
To apply for the scholarship when it is open, please use this form.
To learn more about the camp, explore this website, here.
In-person Camp begins October 24, 2022, and runs through October 28, 2022. If you are able to attend without the scholarship, please email us to find out of there are any spots left and grab one! office@sonomacountywriterscamp.com
sonomacountywriterscamp.com/scwc-bipoc-writer-fellowship/
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TEACHER & LIBRARIAN SCHOLARSHIPS
Key West Literary Seminar
DEADLINE: June 30, 2022
INFO: We are delighted to be opening up applications for our 2023 Teacher & Librarian Scholarships.
Up to twenty outstanding teachers and librarians from around the country will be invited to join us for the Key West Literary Seminar, January 12–15, 2023. We seek a diverse group of individuals who are making positive impacts upon readers in their communities, and we hope that participation in our literary community will inspire fresh engagement with literature in schools and libraries.
Scholarships cover the entire $675 registration fee and offset the cost of lodging, as needed. Upon request, we will also provide a letter to your employer encouraging financial support for your travel expenses.
Each year's Seminar explores a particular literary theme. For our 40th annual Seminar, we turn to a topic that is long overdue. "Singing America: A Celebration of Black Literature" will be an extraordinary gathering, featuring some of the most dynamic writers of our time for a celebration of contemporary Black literature and African-American literary history. This year the Seminar will take place in the Coffee Butler Amphitheater at the award-winning Truman Waterfront Park. Confirmed speakers include: Hilton Als; Jericho Brown; Victor La Valle; Rowan Ricardo Phillips; Deesha Philyaw; Emily Raboteau; and Kevin Young. Additional presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
Through distinctive programming and unique networking events, the 2023 class of scholarship recipients will gain exposure to contemporary authors and texts, expand their professional network of teachers, librarians, and writers, and be inspired to bring new ideas to the institutions and communities they serve.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants must complete a scholarship application via Submittable. Requirements are listed below:
1. Request Letter:
Please tell us about your work as a teacher or librarian in 750 words or less. A successful request letter will describe your institution, the community it serves, and your role within it; address the theme and/or speakers for the upcoming Seminar; and explain how you hope your attendance at the Seminar will benefit you and your community. Please also tell us something about your financial need, and whether or not you would be able to attend KWLS without our support.
2. Letter of Recommendation:
One letter of recommendation is required. It may be written by a supervisor, former student, patron, or peer. An effective letter will describe your strengths as a teacher or librarian and the impact you have made on others in your community and/or institution.
In the application form, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email.
Applications without a letter of recommendation will not be considered. It is your responsibility to follow up with your recommender to make sure the letter has been sent.
3. References:
Please provide the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.
kwls.org/awards/teachers-and-librarians/
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Issue 18: Sexy
Feels Zine
DEADLINE: June 30, 2022
INFO: Feels is a feminist, sex-positive, 2SLGBTQ*, anti-racist, anti-colonial publication about feelings. For Issue 18, we will explore how we get to a place of seeing ourselves as worthy and desirable, how sexiness can empower us, how we celebrate it, and how we express ourselves as the sensual, gorgeous creatures we are.
We accept all forms of written and visual artistic expression, as long as we can print it. Please read our Community Guidelines at feelszine.com for more info about our publication, and our Submissions page for formatting your work. This issue will be risograph printed so please be aware that we may ask for edits to your visual art pieces! We are completely self-funded so all pieces are currently submitted on a volunteer basis.
Issue 18 will be released September 2022.
feelszine.com/pages/submissions
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Call for submissions: Issue 003: GROWTH
Soul In Space
DEADLINES:
June 1 - 30 (Black + Native Creatives)
July 1 - 31 (BIPOCs (all) and Allies)
INFO: Soul In Space Mag is seeking submissions in the topic of “Growth.”
You can submit, creative non-fiction, essays, poetry, fiction, etc… There is also the option for other forms of art like music, videography, digital art, and other methods of visual art.
Send your submissions to submission@soulin.space
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BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize
Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival
DEADLINE: July 1, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize is open to writers of Caribbean heritage or a Caribbean-descended writer whose work has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more.
They must also be:
A resident of the United States/Canada
Over the age of 18 years
An unpublished writer in the genre
WHAT TO SUBMIT:
Stories must be original fiction
Word count: 3,000 words or less
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
To submit your story, please click the SUBMIT ENTRY button below
All stories should be submitted in English
Writers may NOT submit multiple stories. ONE submission per writer. Writers who use pen names may not submit multiple entries
ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL LIST: The writer of the selected story will be announced in August 2022 via email, on our website, Facebook, Instagram account pages, and media partners. For more information, or to become a media partner, please e-mail contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com
PRIZES AND PUBLICATIONS:
The writer of the winning story will receive:
A US$1,750 cash prize
One handcrafted original trophy from Safa Iman Woodworks made specifically for the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival
A caché of books courtesy Akashic Books
Author interview and profile on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival website
Online interview and publication in NY Carib News
Lots of BCLF Merch
A feature episode on the acclaimed BCLF Always LIT Podcast
bklyncbeanlitfest.com/2022-eligibility-submission-guidelines-caribbeanamerican
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BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean
Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival
DEADLINE: July 1, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean is exclusively open to unpublished and published writers who were born and raised in the Caribbean.
You may submit if you are currently on temporary assignment elsewhere in the world (except the US and Canada)
Submitted stories must be original works of fiction
All writers regardless of their publishing status may apply
WHAT TO SUBMIT:
Stories must be original, unpublished fiction
Word count: 3,000 words or less
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
To submit your story, please click the SUBMIT ENTRY button below
All stories should be submitted in English
Writers may NOT submit multiple stories. ONE submission per writer. Writers who use pen names may not submit multiple entries
ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL LIST
The writer of the selected story will be announced in August 2022 via email, on our website, Facebook, Instagram account pages, and media partners. For more information, or to become a media partner, please e-mail contact@bklyncbeanlitfest.com
PRIZES AND PUBLICATIONS:
A US$1,750 cash prize
One handcrafted original trophy from Safa Iman Woodworks made specifically for the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival
A caché of books courtesy Akashic Books
Author interview and profile on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival website
Online interview and publication in NY Carib News
Lots of BCLF Merch
A feature episode on the acclaimed BCLF Always LIT Podcast
bklyncbeanlitfest.com/2022-eligibility-submission-guidelines-caribbean-nationals
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CALL FOR EMERGING WRITERS
Dissent
DEADLINE: July 1, 2022
INFO: Dissent magazine is launching a program to publish emerging writers and new voices. Accepted applicants will work closely with a member of our editorial board to refine their work prior to publication.
Pitches should show a familiarity with Dissent and should be grounded in left politics and critique. Reported features, essays, cultural criticism, and book reviews are all welcome. No fiction, please.
Accepted applicants will be paid $.50/word for pieces up to 2,000 words and will also be awarded an additional stipend for expenses. Because this program is intended for emerging writers, preference will be given, but not limited, to applicants under the age of thirty. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and working-class writers are especially encouraged to apply.
To apply, you’ll need:
A developed pitch of the article you’d like to write. Pitches should include a description of why you’re the person to write this piece.
A writing sample that shows you at your best. It can be a previously published article, a paper for a class, or something you’ve come up with just for this. Our judgment will be based on the quality of the piece, not where it comes from.
Please submit your pitch and cover letter with the subject line “Emerging Writers Pitch” to inquiries@dissentmagazine.org by July 1, 2022. Applicants will be notified of our selection by mid-July, and first drafts will be due in early September.
dissentmagazine.org/blog/call-for-emerging-writers
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Goldenberg Prize for Fiction
Bellevue Literary Review
DEADLINE: July 1, 2022
INFO: The BLR Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body.
This year’s Goldenberg Prize for Fiction will be judged by Toni Jensen.
Toni Jensen’s Carry is a memoir-in-essays about gun violence, land and Indigenous women’s lives. An NEA Creative Writing Fellowship recipient in 2020, Jensen's essays have appeared in Orion, Catapult, and Ecotone. She is also the author of the short story collection From the Hilltop. She teaches at the University of Arkansas and the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is Métis. https://www.tonijensen.com
GUIDELINES:
First prize is $1,000 (in each genre) and publication in the Spring 2023 issue of BLR.
Honorable mention winners will receive $250 and publication in the Spring 2023 issue of BLR.
Fiction: The Bellevue Literary Review seeks character-driven fiction with original voices and strong settings. We do not publish genre fiction (romance, sci-fi, horror). Our word max is 5,000, though most of our published stories tend to be in the range of 2,000-4,000 words. We have only occasionally published flash fiction. While we are always interested in creative explorations in style, we do lean toward classic short stories.
Do not put your name or other identifying information on the manuscript document (or in the filename). Manuscripts are read blindly by reviewers, editors, and judges.
Work previously published in print or electronically will not be considered. For BLR, “published work” means published in print in North America, or published on the Internet in electronic journals, e-zines, academic websites, and other “public” or “official” websites. Works posted on personal blogs or websites will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We ask that authors be honest about web postings. (If a work is discovered to have been posted or published elsewhere—and not openly acknowledged by the author in advance—we will remove it from consideration.
Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but we ask that you notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. We regret that there can be no refunds or substitutions for withdrawn work.
All contest entries will also be considered for regular publication.
Students/friends/colleagues/relations of a judge are not permitted to enter submissions to that judge's genre.
BLR acquires first-time North American rights, and the right to reprint in anthologies. After publication, all other rights revert to the author and the work may be reprinted as long as appropriate acknowledgement to BLR is made.
We encourage you to read BLR before you submit. Samples from each issue are available on our website
bellevueliteraryreview.submittable.com/submit/54967/contest-submission-fiction
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Felice Buckvar Prize for Nonfiction
Bellevue Literary Review
DEADLINE: July 1, 2022
INFO: The BLR Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body.
This year’s Felice Buckvar Prize for Nonfiction will be judged by Rana Awdish.
Dr. Rana Awdish is the author of the critically-acclaimed, best-selling memoir, In Shock, based on her own critical illness. She is the Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and a practicing Critical Care Physician. She lectures to physicians, health care leaders and medical schools both internationally and across the US on the necessity of compassionate care. www.ranaawdishmd.com
GUIDELINES:
First prize is $1,000 (in each genre) and publication in the Spring 2023 issue of BLR.
Honorable mention winners will receive $250 and publication in the Spring 2023 issue of BLR.
Creative Nonfiction: We are looking for essays that reach beyond the standard ‘illness narrative’ to develop a topic in an engaging and original manner. Incorporate anecdotes that feel alive, and dazzle us with thoughtful and creative analysis that allows these anecdotes to serve a larger purpose. Please, no academic discourses or works with footnotes. Maximum 5,000 words.
Do not put your name or other identifying information on the manuscript document (or in the filename). Manuscripts are read blindly by reviewers, editors, and judges.
Work previously published in print or electronically will not be considered. For BLR, “published work” means published in print in North America, or published on the Internet in electronic journals, e-zines, academic websites, and other “public” or “official” websites. Works posted on personal blogs or websites will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We ask that authors be honest about web postings. (If a work is discovered to have been posted or published elsewhere—and not openly acknowledged by the author in advance—we will remove it from consideration.)
Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but we ask that you notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. We regret that there can be no refunds or substitutions for withdrawn work.
All contest entries will also be considered for regular publication.
Students/friends/colleagues/relations of a judge are not permitted to enter submissions to that judge's genre.
BLR acquires first-time North American rights, and the right to reprint in anthologies. After publication, all other rights revert to the author and the work may be reprinted as long as appropriate acknowledgement to BLR is made.
We encourage you to read BLR before you submit. Sample writing is available on our website.
bellevueliteraryreview.submittable.com/submit/54923/contest-submission-nonfiction
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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: BLACK + BROWN ARTISTS
Emergent Literary
DEADLINE: Rolling
INFO: Emergent Literary is a new journal that welcomes the work of Black and brown makers in all genres, as well as work that reaches across multiple genres or obscures the boundaries between them.
The work must be previously unpublished in print or online.
Before submitting, we ask that you take a look at our mission statement in order to get a sense of the journal.
Please send all submissions to editors@emergentliterary.com with the genre in all caps as the subject line, i.e. POETRY. If your work is multimedia or doesn’t exactly fit into one category, list MULTI as your genre. Feel free to include a short note in the body of the email, and your work as an attachment.
We’re cool with simultaneous submissions, just let us know by email if one or all of your pieces are accepted elsewhere!
We will try our best to get back to you within 6 months. We’re a small team! If you have not received a response by then, you can send us an email, but please wait until then to do so.
Poetry: Please submit three to five poems in a standard font. Please include page breaks between poems and clearly delineated titles.
Fiction, Creative Nonfiction and other narrative work (including reviews) Please submit up to 1500 words, double-spaced in a standard font.
Photography and Visual Art: Please submit up to four images as an attachment to your email with the title(s) of the work(s) as the file names.
Audio and Video: Please submit up to 7 minutes of video or audio, with audio files attached as .mp3 or mp4.
Recipes: Yes, please! If you have accompanying photographs, please attach them to the email.
We warmly welcome mixed/multimedia work!
We look forward to engaging with your work.
emergentliterary.com/submission-guidelines
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ESSAYS ON RADICAL HEALING
That’s No Longer My Ministry
DEADLINE: Rolling
INFO: Hi! We’re journalists, editors and content creators Foram Mehta and Nadia Imafidon. And we’re teaming up to publish a first-of-its-kind anthology that aims to tell a different story about healing. As an extension to the evocative podcast series of the same name, the collection will tell the stories of marginalized folk in their own words about how they’re actively purging years of conditioning and the consequences of never being centered.
These stories acknowledge and move through trauma; they hold space for radical self-liberation and using “No.” as a complete sentence. They remind us: We don't have to hold onto the things that no longer serve us because that's no longer our ministry.
Publication Details
Accepted essays will be edited by us (Foram & Nadia) and curated together for a book that will be available for purchase as an e-book or as a paperback. Print copies of the book and one-hundred percent of proceeds from subsequent sales will be donated to Aakoma Project, an organization that aims to
Compensation
Writers whose essays are accepted for final publication will be credited with a byline in the book and a complimentary paperback copy of the completed anthology.
A note about writing for free: As writers ourselves, we know writers are highly underpaid and undervalued, but we also know the joy of contributing to a collaborative body of work for the sake of storytelling, for the sake of healing together. Everyone on this project (including us) is a non-paid contributor donating their time and work for the benefit of Aakoma Project.
We say this while also acknowledging that we live in a world that operates on money, and spending time to write for free is not a privilege afforded to everyone. That’s also why we’re asking for non-exclusive rights only to contributors’ essays (more details to be provided in the contributor’s agreement).
build the consciousness of youth of color and their
caregivers on the recognition and importance of mental health. They do this by offering free
therapy and workshops to youth and their families, helping to influence systems and services to
receive and address the needs of youth of color and their families.
Pitching Guidelines
We are seeking pitches for non-fiction first-person essays from people of color who hold identities that are marginalized. This includes but is not limited to:
LGBTQIA+
Immigrant/First-generation
Refugee
Indigenous
People with disabilities
When submitting your pitch, please include a brief bio and a link to your portfolio and/or first-person writing samples. We understand that not everyone will have a portfolio, so please send us something to give us an idea of your writing style.
Your pitch should include:
Working title
A summary of your story. (Tell us why you’re the person who needs to tell this story.)
We aim to get back to everyone who submits a pitch, but please allow us some time to respond, as we anticipate a full inbox! We will send contributor agreements to writers whose pitches we accept. Please, do not submit fully written essays.
Submit pitches to nolongermyministry@gmail.com. Editorial Guidelines
After we accept your essay pitch, writers should use the following writing guidelines: ● First-person reflections
○ Use this creative, non-fiction writing guide for reference
● Non-fiction
● English (with creative use of language)
● 8th grade reading level (When in doubt, keep it simple!)
● 1,500-3,00 words recommended
● AP Style (reference guide)
We’re interested in your story, but we acknowledge that your story will likely include other people in it. For that reason, we ask that if you’re mentioning someone by their name that you get their permission to do so or change the name.
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TORCH FRIDAY FEATURE
Torch Literary Arts
DEADLINE: Rolling
ENTRY FEE: $0
INFO: Torch Literary Arts welcomes submissions of original creative work by Black women writers. We are interested in work that challenges and disrupts preconceived notions of what contemporary writing by Black women should be. Your stories and poems are valuable and necessary. Write freely and submit what you are excited to share with the world.
Reading Period
Submissions are accepted for Friday Features only. We accept submissions on a rolling basis.
Simultaneous Submissions
Simultaneous submissions to other journals are welcome as long as they are identified as such and we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere.
Manuscript Submission Guidelines
Include a one (1) page cover letter noting the title(s) of the work(s) submitted.
Upload your text submission as a Word (DOC, DOCX) or portable document format/PDF (PDF).
Typed, double-spaced (poetry may be single-spaced) pages.
Numbered pages.
Margins should be set at no less than 1” and no greater than 1.5”.
Poetry: submit up to five (5) poems totaling no more than eight (8) pages.
Fiction, Hybrid genre: 12-point font. No more than ten (10) pages or 2500 words (whichever is achieved first). Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained.
Drama/Screenwriting: submit one act or a collection of short scenes no longer than ten (10) pages. Excerpts of longer works are welcome if self-contained. Indicate if a performance video or dramatic audio reading will be available with the text submission if selected.
Restrictions
We do not reprint previously published work for TORCH Friday Features.
Submitting Online
We accept submissions via our online submission management system only. Submissions via postal mail or email will be discarded without response.
Notifications and Queries
Please allow up to three months for a decision. Using our online submissions system, you will be able to track the status of your submission.
Publication & Compensation
Publication is online at TorchLiteraryArts.org, unless expressly stated for special publications.
Authors whose work is selected for a Friday Feature will receive a $50 (US) payment for publication.
All rights revert back to the author after publication.
Awards
All work accepted for publication will be considered for nomination for internal and external awards such as The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, etc.
torchliteraryarts.submittable.com/submit
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OPEN CALL: EYEBEAM CENTER FOR THE FUTURE OF JOURNALISM
Eyebeam Center
DEADLINE: Rolling
INFO: The Eyebeam Center for the Future of Journalism (ECFJ) is a grant-making program that supports artists producing innovative and revelatory journalistic work for major media outlets.
The funds distributed to artists will assist with research, travel, and other expenses many media outlets struggle to cover, allowing stories that are often out of reach in today’s climate to be produced. And, in an effort to be responsive to an ever-fluctuating news cycle, artists will be able to apply to ECFJ for support of their work on a rolling basis. Artists with longer-term, research-intensive projects are also encouraged to apply. Grant support will range from $500 to $5,000.
All applicants must read the ECFJ Open Call page before applying: https://eyebeam.org/ecfj
Eligibility:
Individuals and collectives can apply. Collectives must have work samples that reflect a history of working together.
International applicants are welcome.
Applicants must have an existing commission letter from an editor.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
At this stage of the program, all applications must be in English.
Criteria
ECFJ is a grant-making program that financially supports artists producing innovative journalistic work for major media outlets. Artists applying must have demonstrated track record of working with major media outlets.
Artists creating work with a focus on the following issues are encouraged to apply:
Data privacy
2018/2020 elections
Role of technology in society
Political influence campaigns
Interrogating harmful technologies
Countering disinformation
Artificial Intelligence
Each applicant must provide:
300-word project description
Assignment letter from editor
A reference contact or letter of support
Two samples of past work
Detailed budget of expenses (travel costs, per diem and research costs are acceptable)
At this time, final pieces must be in English.
All applications should be in alignment with Eyebeam’s core values of:
Openness: All the work here is driven by an open-source ethos.
Invention: We build on old ideas to generate new possibilities.
Justice: Technology by artists is a move towards equity and democracy.
Equity and Inclusion: Eyebeam aims to create a hub for conversation and practice-sharing that is aware and responsive to systemic inequities in technology and invests in the meaningful inclusion of historically marginalized groups and voices. Eyebeam is committed to and values diversity in its organization and programs as defined by gender, race, ethnicity, disability-status, age, sexual orientation, immigrant status, and socioeconomic status. With a history rooted in innovation and collaboration Eyebeam’s programs are grounded in artist-community dialogue. Eyebeam supports the meaningful access to technology for everyone.
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CALL FOR IMMIGRANT WRITERS
ẹwà
DEADLINE: Rolling
INFO: ẹwà is an independent journal that publishes original work exclusively by immigrant writers — foreign-born and first-generation — living in the United States. We are interested in poetry, fiction, memoir, personal essay, lyric, hybrid forms as well as non-academic cultural criticism.
A few things:
Submissions are accepted year-round, on a rolling basis.
We do not accept previously published material (in print or online).
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us right away if your work is accepted anywhere else.
We accept multiple submissions in all genres of writing. We also accept co-/multiple-authored works, but please make sure that appropriate permissions have been granted.
To submit, please send your work in a single document containing no more than six pages of writing to submit@ewajournal.com.
TERMS: ẹwà requests first rights, worldwide, and the right to include the work on the ẹwà website indefinitely. After publication, all rights revert to the author. Copyright always remains with the author. Should your work be republished elsewhere in the future, please credit ẹwà with its first publication. Our terms will be updated as necessary.
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CALL FOR MENTORS
Latinx in Publishing
DEADLINE: Rolling
INFO: The Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Program is a volunteer-based initiative that offers the opportunity for unpublished and/or unagented writers who identify as Latinx (mentees) to strengthen their craft, gain first-hand industry knowledge, and expand their professional connections through work with experienced published authors (mentors).
QUALIFICATIONS TO BE A MENTOR
Must identify as Latinx (does not include individuals of Spanish origin)
Must have published at least one book prior to February 2020
Must be located in the U.S. during the course of the program
Must be available to dedicate at least one hour per month for a minimum of ten months
ABOUT THE WRITING MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
The next cycle of the program runs from February 2022 through October 2022.
Applications for 2022 mentees will open in September, 2021. Applications for mentors are open on a rolling basis.
Mentees must complete a sign-up survey and submit 5-10 pages of sample writing.
Mentors must complete a sign-up survey and review mentor guidelines.
We match individuals based on category and time- commitment preferences. The sign-up survey will help us make the best matches between mentor and mentee.
Please be aware that not everyone who applies will be matched.
Participants will be notified of their mentor-mentee match and provided with contact information by January 2022.
Mentors and mentees will connect for one hour per month over a minimum of ten months.
The program will close in October 2022, but if the mentor and mentee would like to continue their mentor relationship, it is entirely at their discretion.
Please be aware that the Latinx in Publishing Writers Mentorship Program is a volunteer-based initiative. Latinx in Publishing will not be held responsible for mediating any relations between mentors and mentees once the program ends.
https://latinxinpublishing.com/mentorship
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Unmute Magazine
DEADLINE: Rolling
INFO: Unmute Magazine, is a digital mag that aims to lift the voices of BIPOC creatives who’ve been historically marginalized.
They are accepting the following submissions (must be arts-related):
Album/EP or concert review (600-800 words).
A review of your own music or art including a discussion of the inspiration behind it (600-800 words).
Art-related how-to article (600-800 words).
Interviews (an introductory paragraph and five written questions).
Reflections / Essays (up to 1,500 words).
Song or poem including a discussion of the inspiration behind it (may submit up to four for review).
Photograph(s), illustrations, art (JPEG or PNG format).
Have your own idea? Please pitch it to us!
Please submit the following with your piece:
A third-person bio of up to 100 words.
(Optional) Photo as JPEG or PNG format for your bio.
(Optional) Up to 3 links to social media (i.e. Spotify, Soundcloud, website, Instagram, etc).
Submission Rules:
Written works and bio must be submitted in Word or Pages format
By submitting you agree to be considered for publication in Unmute Magazine.
Work must be original.
Unmute Magazine retains standard first publication rights for submissions. All rights immediately revert to the creator upon publication.
It may take several weeks for a response, but your submission will be read. If accepted, you will be notified.
By submitting to Unmute Magazine, you agree to be added to our mailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Please email your submission to Submissions (at) unmutemagazine (dot) com