ALAN ANDRES WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE
Associates of the Boston Public Library
DEADLINE: June 5, 2026 at 11:59pm
INFO: The Alan Andres Writer-in-Residence is a year-long residency (Oct 2026–Sept 2027) with a $70,000 stipend, $2,500 for professional development, and a private office in the Boston Public Library to complete a children’s or YA project (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, or graphic novels).
RESIDENCY BENEFITS:
A total stipend of $70,000, paid in monthly installments over one year.
The opportunity to request up to an additional $2,500 to be paid to an expert of your choice for coaching, editorial assistance, a critical reading of your manuscript, or a similar activity that will be helpful to you in completing your manuscript.
A private office in the Boston Public Library in Copley Square from October 2026 to September 2027. Office space usage is contingent on the Library being open to the public and it being safe to work on-site.
Access to and use of the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections.
A forum for the presentation/promotion of your finished literary work.
Opportunities to establish connections with writers (including previous Fellows), publishers, artists, and the community-at-large through participation in/attendance at library readings, lectures, and other events.
At the end of the residency, your completed manuscript will be added to the BPL’s archives. (However, you retain all rights to your completed work.)
ELIGIBILITY:
The proposed literary project should be intended for children or young adult readers. All genres are welcome, including fiction, non-fiction, scripts, graphic novels, or poetry.
The applicant should demonstrate active engagement as a writer, whether full or part-time, as an avocation or profession.
Since this program is intended for emerging authors, the applicant should not have any prior professional book publications. (Self-published books, textbooks, works for hire, articles, and short stories published in an anthology do not count against this eligibility criteria.)
Only one proposal may be submitted per person.
Joint applications or proposed collaborations by more than one author are not permitted.
Works that are already under contract with a publisher are not eligible for submission.
The fellowship is only available to U.S. citizens or green card holders living in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont).
Must be legally eligible to work in the US, as a U.S. citizen or green card holder. English fluency required.
There are NO age, gender, race, or educational requirements.
TERMS OF RESIDENCY:
You will work a minimum of nineteen (19) hours per week from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
You will participate in a public reception at the BPL on October 6, 2026, to mark the beginning of your residency.
You will complete a submission-ready manuscript by the end of residency, which you will present at a second public reception, on a mutually agreed upon date.
Throughout the fellowship, you will consult with a designated member of the Associates staff or board on a regular basis to keep them apprised of progress on your manuscript.
During your fellowship, you will participate in or create at least one program for Boston Public Library patrons, such as a presentation to Boston-area students, as mutually agreed upon with BPL Youth Services staff.
Throughout your fellowship and thereafter, you will be considered an Ambassador for the Associates of the BPL. You will include an acknowledgment to the Associates of the BPL in all work created during the residency, and during any media opportunities stemming from the program, using mutually agreed-upon language.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply, please complete the application form (below) and upload a proposal (5 pages max.) and writing sample (15 pages max.) by Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59 pm. The documents should be double-spaced with one-inch margins and at least 11-point font. The attachments should not include any biographical information, since there will be a blind judging process. See questions #13 and 14 in the FAQ below for more details.
Basic questions about the application will be answered via email (via hello@AssociatesBPL.org); no calls please. Questions regarding how to present your work will not be considered. Inquiries concerning applications under review will not be answered.
If using Submittable creates an undue burden for you, you can alternatively mail your submission to: Writer-in-Residence Program, Associates of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.
Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be altered by either candidates or Associates staff.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of judges, which includes a rotating group of authors, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, book designers, teachers, and/or citizens representing different areas of the world of children’s literature. Associates staff do not vote in this process. In addition to naming the fellow, the judges may also designate a selection of finalists.
The judges do not know the candidates’ names, gender, educational qualifications, or any background information. This blind-judging process focuses solely on the quality of the submissions.
Submissions will be judged on the merit of the original writing. Work suspected of being derived from or enhanced by an AI writing program will only increase the chance that it will be eliminated from consideration by the judges.
The candidate selected to be the 2026-2027 Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence will be notified by Friday, August 14, 2026.
KEY DATES:
Application Deadline: Friday, June 5, 2026 at 11:59 pm
Notification: Friday, August 14, 2026
Residency Period: October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027
QUESTIONS? After reading these guidelines and reviewing the application form, if you still have questions, please refer to our FAQ page or email us.
associatesofthebostonpubliclibrary.submittable.com/submit
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ALAN ANDRES PICTURE BOOK WRITER FELLOWSHIP
Associates of the Boston Public Library
DEADLINE: June 5, 2026 at 11:59pm
INFO: The Associates of the Boston Public Library's Alan Andres Picture Book Writer Fellowship intends to make a profound impact on the lives of emerging writers.
BENEFITS:
$25,000 stipend, paid in monthly installments over one year.
The opportunity to request up to an additional $2,500 to be paid to an expert of your choice for coaching, editorial assistance, a critical reading of your manuscript, or a similar activity that will be helpful to you in completing your manuscript.
Completed manuscript will be added to the BPL’s Special Collections (the writer retains all rights to their completed work)
Opportunity to publicly present your manuscript at a fall reading.
Opportunities to establish connections with writers (including previous Fellows), publishers, artists, and the community-at-large through participation in/attendance at library readings, lectures, and other events.
ELIGIBILITY:
Submitted manuscripts will be judged on their ability to tell a compelling and original story appropriate to the developmental age of the intended audience.
Works that qualify can be either of the following categories:
Ages 0-3 (board books)
Ages 3–8 (picture books and early readers)
Eligible projects may include fiction, non-fiction, memoir, or poetry. Graphic novels are not eligible.
Since this program is intended for emerging authors, applicants should not have already published any books for children.
The fellowship is only available to U.S. citizens or green card holders living in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont) at this time.
Only one proposal may be submitted per person.
There is no requirement to work at the Boston Public Library, though the recipient will have the chance to attend events at the library with other writers.
The Associates of the Boston Public Library does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or educational attainment.
Works by talented writer-illustrators are welcome; however, the story or concept will be given greater importance.
No AI may be used in the creation of this submission.
TERMS OF FELLOWSHIP:
You will participate in a public reception at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square to mark the beginning of your fellowship.
Throughout the fellowship, you will consult with a designated member of the Associates staff or board on a regular basis to keep them apprised of progress on your manuscript.
During your fellowship, you will participate in or create at least one program for Boston Public Library patrons, such as a presentation to Boston-area students, as mutually agreed upon with BPL Youth Services staff.
Throughout your fellowship and thereafter, you will be considered an Ambassador for the Associates of the BPL. You will include an acknowledgment to the Associates of the BPL in all work created during the residency, and during any media opportunities stemming from the program, using mutually agreed-upon language.
You will complete a completed manuscript by the end of residency, which you will present at a second public reception, on a mutually agreed upon date.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
To apply, please complete the application form on Submittable and upload a proposal (2 pages maximum) and writing sample (5 pages maximum) by June 5, 2026, at 11:59 pm. No extensions will be provided or granted. The documents should be double-spaced with one-inch margins and at least 11-point font. The attachments should not include any biographical information, since there will be a blind judging process. See our FAQs for more details.
Basic questions about the application will be answered via email (via picturebook@associatesbpl.org); no calls please. Questions regarding how to present your work will not be considered. Inquiries concerning applications under review will not be answered.
If using Submittable creates an undue burden for you, you can alternatively mail your submission following the format and answering the questions on the Submittable form to: Alan Andres Picture Book Writer Fellowship, Associates of the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. All mailed submissions must be postmarked before 11:59 p.m. on (June 5, 2026).
Late applications will not be considered. Once submitted, applications cannot be altered by either candidates or program staff.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Finalists will be evaluated by a panel of judges, which includes a rotating group of authors, librarians, booksellers, publishers, editors, literary agents, book designers, teachers, and/or citizens representing different areas in the field of children’s literature. Associates staff do not vote in this process. In addition to naming the fellow, the judges may also designate a selection of finalists.
The judges do not know the candidates’ names, gender, educational qualifications, or any background information. This blind-judging process focuses solely on the quality of the submissions.
Judges will be looking for compelling and original stories that are developmentally appropriate to board books or picture books. Particular attention will be given to texts that convey memorable or unique characters, distinctive settings, and an emotionally compelling plot.
The text must also serve to inspire an illustrator's creative interpretation. Writers may electronically submit instructions to a future illustrator of the work that suggest the flow of words, images, and page breaks.
KEY DATES:
Application Deadline: Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59 pm
Notification of Selected Fellow: by or before Friday, August 14, 2026
Residency Period: October 6, 2026, through September 30, 2027
QUESTIONS? Check out our FAQs or email us at picturebook@associatesbpl.org
associatesofthebostonpubliclibrary.submittable.com/submit
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BLACKSTONE PUBLISHING NOVEL INITIATIVE
The Black List x Blackstone Publishing
DEADLINE: June 9, 2026
INFO: The Black List and Blackstone Publishing have announced The Blackstone Publishing Novel Initiative, a new partnership to identify an unpublished manuscript to enter into a $25,000 publishing deal.
This program is open to manuscripts in all genres, but Blackstone is particularly interested in genres that elevate familiar themes from fresh, compelling perspectives, with a particular emphasis on thrillers, high-concept mysteries and romances, and horror stories.
The Black List will assist Blackstone Publishing in identifying a shortlist of outstanding manuscripts through a submission period on blcklst.com from November 20, 2025 until June 9, 2026.
All submissions must have received at least one evaluation while being hosted on blcklst.com. Once a manuscript has received an evaluation, it can be submitted to any partnership for which it is eligible at no additional cost.
REQUIREMENTS:
You must post an original manuscript on www.blcklst.com, with at least one (1) evaluation, and opt-in to the Program during the Submission Period. The Program is open to manuscripts in all genres, but Blackstone is particularly interested in manuscript submissions that elevate familiar themes such as love, adventure, guilt, desire, betrayal, family, identity, and obsession, among others from fresh compelling perspectives.
Submitted manuscripts must not be under contract elsewhere.
For the avoidance of doubt, no feature, pilot, play, or musical submissions will be eligible for this Program.
You must agree to (1) these Submission Requirements, (2) all terms relating to the Program posted on Black List’s website, which you should review and read in full, and (3) the Submission Agreement, which governs the submission of your manuscript to Company and Black List. The Submission Agreement includes important, legally binding terms and conditions, including arbitration of any disputes, which you must read in full before accepting.
If requested, you must submit (by a date determined by Company) the following materials, which are also governed by the Submission Agreement:
Contact and other personal information; and
Executed originals of the Submission Agreement.
If selected, you will have the opportunity to enter into a book deal with Company, which shall be negotiated in good faith.
You must be at least 18 years of age and not a minor in the state or country of your residence at time of submission.
If the submitted materials are written by a team consisting of one or more writers, (i) each member of that writing team must comply with these Submission Requirements, including agreeing to the Submission Agreement described below, and (ii) all members of the writing team must opt-out of the Program if any other member becomes ineligible (including as a result of failing to timely agree to the Submission Agreement or failing to timely provide the materials listed above).
The submitted materials must be wholly original to you and you must be the sole owner of all rights. The submitted materials must not in any way infringe upon the copyright of any person or entity or, to the best of your knowledge in the exercise of reasonable prudence, constitute libel, defamation or invasion of privacy or any other rights of any third party. You understand and agree that Black List will share any information that you provide in connection with the Program with Company.
blcklst.com/programs/blackstone-publishing-novel-initiative
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2027 Marble House Family Residency
Marble House Project |📍Dorset, VT
DEADLINE: June 14, 2026, by 11:59pm ET
INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency is dedicated to ecological principles and integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.
Marble House Project accepts approximately 50 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old. Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond.
Artists will be notified by email by the end of September.
RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2027
July 19th - August 2nd. Family Friendly Residency.
ABOUT MHP:
All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.
Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners at least three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to publicly share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.
Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application with information about both artists Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you.
If you are applying to the ecology residency you must have a project that aligns with this theme. You may also apply to the other residency sessions as well.
If you are applying to the family friendly residency, you must have a child with you between the ages of 4 to 14. You may also apply to other residencies as well but will be unable to bring your child.
Marble House Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. For exact dates, more information or questions about the residency, visit our FAQ page. If you still have questions you may contact info@marblehouseproject.org.
Personal information is not shared with our jury and will remain confidential. This includes email, home address, phone number and any information regarding your family, anything else you would need to tell us and how you heard about Marble House Project. All of our outreach questions also remain confidential and blind to our jury.
For more information on the ecology or family friendly residency please visit marblehouseproject.org/residency-details
marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit
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Kate Medina Fellowship for Literary Narrative Nonfiction
The New York Public Library x Random House Publishing Group
DEADLINE: June 15, 2026
INFO: The New York Public Library and Random House Publishing Group are pleased to offer the Kate Medina Fellowship for Literary Narrative Nonfiction to support writers whose projects engage meaningfully with collections accessible onsite at the Library’s flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Projects requiring access to original materials including manuscripts, archives, books, photographs, prints, maps, newspapers, and journals will be given preference, but all worthy projects will be considered.
Established with the generous support of Kate Medina and Random House Publishing Group, the fellowship promotes originality and excellence in nonfiction works that combine strong storytelling, reportorial precision, artistic writing, and depth of research into important subjects and ideas. The selected fellow will receive a stipend of $30,000 to support four continuous months of research to be taken between September 1, 2026–March 15, 2027.
Fellows at The New York Public Library have sustained access to the Library’s world-class collections and space to work in one of the shared study rooms of the Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities. The Library will provide opportunities to connect with our expert librarians, subject specialists, and curators for consultation or guidance and to engage with NYPL’s broader scholarly community. As part of the Library’s commitment to expanding knowledge in the humanities more broadly, and to provide Fellows with public platforms for their scholarship and research, each Fellow will be expected to give a presentation on their work at the Schwarzman Building and to provide a blog post for the research channel of the NYPL blog.
For assistance with the application process, email fellowships@nypl.org.
KEY DATES:
Applications due: June 15, 2026
Applicants notified: July 31, 2026
Award period: The fellowship shall be taken as four continuous months between September 1, 2026–March 15, 2027, beginning no later than November 15, 2026.
ELIGIBILITY:
The Kate Medina Fellowship for Literary Nonfiction is open to individuals with the legal right to work in the United States. NYPL does not sponsor employment visas for these fellowships.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Applications are submitted through the NYPL Fellowship Portal. Click here to be taken to the application form. A complete application must include the following:
Application form completed in the NYPL Fellowship Portal
Project proposal of no more than 1500 words—see guidelines below
An updated CV
A writing sample
One professional letter of recommendation
PROJECT PROPOSAL:
Successful project proposals will include a thorough explanation of how in-person access to collections accessible at The New York Public Library is essential to the progress and completion of the project. Proposals should also include:
Abstract of the project's major themes, questions, and arguments
Significance of the project
Project plan, including a timeline of your work with the Library's collections during the fellowship term and a desired start date
Expected project outcomes including existing book contractual obligations, if any
Personal statement detailing the impact this fellowship would have on your project and/or career as well as the likelihood of successfully completing your project without this fellowship
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of expert Library staff who will consider the following criteria:
Need for research holdings of The New York Public Library
Uniqueness of materials and innovative uses of material
Quality of the project plan as it relates to the size and scope of materials to be accessed
Impact this grant might have on the applicant's project and/or career
nypl.org/about/fellowships-institutes/kate-medina-fellowship-literary-narrative-nonfiction
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PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants
PEN America
DEADLINE: June 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants were established in the summer of 2003 by a gift from Priscilla and Michael Henry Heim in response to the low number of literary translations appearing in English. Their purpose is to promote the publication and reception of translated world literature in English.
ELIGIBILITY:
Translations of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or drama, originally written by a single individual.
Translations should not have previously appeared in English in print or should have appeared only in an outdated or otherwise flawed translation.
The project must be an unpublished work in progress that will not be published prior to April 15, 2027, as the grants are intended to support the completion of a final book.
There are no restrictions on the nationality or citizenship of the translator, but the works must be translated into English.
Projects may have a maximum of two translators but are limited to one original author.
NOT eligible: Translations of works with multiple original authors, such as anthologies, translations of literary criticism, and scholarly or otherwise technical texts.
Note: Translations from Italian will automatically be considered for the PEN Grant for the English Translation of Italian Literature.
Note: Translators may only submit one project per year. Projects that have been previously submitted and have not received a grant are unlikely to be reconsidered in a subsequent year. Translators who have previously been awarded PEN/Heim Translation Fund grants are ineligible to reapply for three years after receiving a grant–for example, grant recipients from 2023 are now eligible to reapply.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
All documents should be formatted in 12pt Times New Roman, single spaced, with 1-inch margins.
A 1-2 page statement outlining the work and describing its importance.
A biography and bibliography of the author, including information on translations of their work into other languages.
A CV of the translator, no longer than 3 pages.
If the book is not in the public domain and the project is not yet under contract, please include a photocopy of the copyright notice on the original (the copyright notice is a line including the character ©, a date, and the name of the copyright holder, which appears as part of the front matter in every book). Please note that for some foreign titles, the front matter may not include a ©. Additionally, please include a letter from the copyright holder stating that English-language rights to the book are available; a copy of an email from the copyright holder is sufficient.
If the translation is currently under contract with a publisher, please submit a copy of the contract.
A translation sample is required. For prose, this should be within the range of 5-8 pages (when formatted as required, this will be approximately 3,000-5,000 words). For poetry, please include 1-2 poems per page, within an 8–10 page range.
The same passage in the original language (and, if the work has been previously translated, the same passage in the earlier version).
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PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists
PEN America
DEADLINE: June 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The PEN/Phyllis Naylor Grant for Children’s and Young Adult Novelists is offered to an author of children’s or young adult fiction for a novel in progress. Previously called the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship, the award was developed to help writers whose work is of high literary caliber and assist them in completing their novel at a crucial moment in their career. The author of the winning manuscript, selected blindly by judges unaware of nominees’ names, receives a grant of $5,000.
ELIGIBILITY:
Candidates must be writers of children’s or young adult fiction.
Candidates must have published one or more novels for children or young adults that have been warmly received by literary critics, but have not generated significant sales.
The writer’s previously published book(s) must be published by a U.S. trade publisher. Self-published works are ineligible.
The submitted work must be a novel in progress that will not be published prior to April 15, 2027.
NOT eligible: Graphic novels and picture books. Manuscripts written by more than one person.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
All documents should be formatted in 12pt Times New Roman, single spaced, with 1-inch margins.
This application requires two PDFs. The judges will only review the second, which asks for an outline, letter of utility, and manuscript. Please make sure these materials do not contain the author's name. Other materials are for internal use.
A first PDF containing:
A 1-2 page cover letter including a 1-3 sentence summary of the project, a description of how the candidate meets the criteria for the grant, and a list of the candidate’s published novel(s) for children and/or young adults.
1-3 reviews of the candidate’s novel(s) from professional publications. These may be copies or links.
A 1-2 page letter of recommendation or support from an editor or fellow writer.
A second, anonymous PDF containing:
The candidate’s name should not appear anywhere on this PDF to ensure anonymity.
A 2-4 page outline of the novel in progress being submitted.
A 1-2 page description of how the funds will be used to complete the project. What will the candidate be able to accomplish with this funding that they could not do otherwise? Book sales, earnings, or other relevant information may be included here.
A 50–75 page manuscript sample. This document should be double spaced for legibility.
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PEN/Bare Life Review Grants
PEN America
DEADLINE: June 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The PEN/Bare Life Review Grants recognize literary works by immigrant and refugee writers. For the 2027 grant cycle, we will confer two PEN/Bare Life Review Grants with cash prizes of $5,000 each.
ELIGIBILITY:
The submitted project must be the work of a single individual, written in or translated into English. In the case of translated works, the grant will be conferred to the original author.
The project must be an unpublished work in progress that will not be published prior to April 15, 2027, as the grants are intended to support the completion of a manuscript.
The project must be a work of a literary nature: fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.
This grant is available to foreign-born writers based in the U.S., and to writers living abroad who hold refugee/asylum seeker status.
Writers may only submit one project per year.
NOT eligible: Scholarly or academic writing.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
All documents should be formatted in 12pt Times New Roman with 1-inch margins. Each section should be single spaced with the exception of the writing sample which should be double spaced.
All applications require the following, submitted as one PDF file in the order below:
A 1-2 page description of the work, answering: Why is this project important, and why did this author choose to undertake this project?
A 1-2 page statement answering: How will this grant aid in the completion of the project? (This space can additionally be used to discuss any permissions, rights, contracts, publication timelines, or other aspects of your project.)
The author’s CV, including information on previous or forthcoming publications.
An outline that includes the work completed thus far and the work remaining.
A writing sample of up to 40 pages for poetry, and 75 pages for other genres. This section should be double spaced for legibility.
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PEN/Jean Stein Grants for Literary Oral History
PEN America
DEADLINE: June 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST
INFO: The PEN/Jean Stein Grants for Literary Oral History recognize literary works of nonfiction that use oral history to illuminate an event, individual, place, or movement. Two PEN/Jean Stein Grants for Literary Oral History are awarded each year, with a cash prize of $15,000.
ELIGIBILITY:
The submitted project must be the work of a single individual, written in English.
The project must be an unpublished work in progress that will not be published prior to April 15, 2027, as the grants are intended to support the completion of a manuscript.
The project must be a work of literary nonfiction.
Oral history must be a significant component of the project and its research.
NOT eligible: Scholarly or academic writing.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
All documents should be formatted in 12pt Times New Roman with 1-inch margins. Each document should be single spaced with the exception of the writing sample which should be double spaced.
A 1-2 page description of the work, answering: Why is this project important, and why did this author choose to undertake this project?
A 1-2 page statement answering: Why and how is oral history used in the project?
A 1-2 page statement answering: How will this grant aid in the completion of the project? (This space can additionally be used to discuss any permissions, rights, contracts, publication timelines, or other aspects of your project.)
The author’s CV, including information on previous or forthcoming publications.
An outline that includes the work completed thus far and the work remaining. The outline should include the names of interviewees.
6-10 pages of unedited transcripts of the project interviews relating to the writing sample.
A 20-40 page writing sample which utilizes the submitted project interviews. This document should be double spaced for legibility.
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Voodoonauts Fellowship Retreat 2026: Afro-Whimsy
Voodoonauts Summer Workshop
DEADLINE: June 18, 2026 at 11:59pm PT
INFO: “Afrofuturism is an exploration and methodology of liberation, simultaneously both a location and a journey.” -D. Denenge Duyst-Akpem
Voodoonauts is a community space and free online writing fellowship where conversations around the Black Speculative as freedom take place. Voodoonauts was founded by four Black writers Shingai Njeri Kagunda, Yvette Lisa Ndlovu, LP Kindred, and Hugh "H.D" Hunter who saw a shortage of Black storytelling-centered spaces in the mainstream SFF community. Our inaugural fellowship was held in July 2020 with 25 Black writers at varying stages of their career.
This year the theme of our Fellowship will be Afro-Whimsy. In a moment where the politics of a our world wage war against, Black, Brown, Queer and Immigrant bodies, how do we draw from the lineage of Afro-diasporic belly laughter, dancing, eroticism, loving, and communing through food and fellowship to tell the stories rooted in the worlds we want to be alive for.
FELLOWSHIP DATES: The 2026 fellowship will take place virtually from August 14-16, 2026.
OUR CO-FOUNDERS:
Shingai Njeri Kagunda is an Afrosurreal/futurist storyteller from Nairobi, Kenya with a Literary Arts MFA from Brown. Shingai’s work has been featured in the Best American Sci-fi and Fantasy 2020, Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction 2021, and Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror 2020. She has work in or upcoming in Omenana, FANTASY magazine, FracturedLit, Khoreo, Africa Risen, Baffling Magazine, Uncanny, and Lightspeed Magazine. Their debut novella & This is How to Stay Alive was published by Neon Hemlock Press in October 2021 and won the IGNYTE award for best Novella 2022. Shingai is the past co-editor of Podcastle Magazine and FANTASY Magazine, and the co-founder of Voodoonauts. They are a creative writing teacher, an eternal student, and a lover of all things soft and Black.
Yvette Lisa Ndlovu is a Zimbabwean sarungano (storyteller). Her debut short story collection Drinking from Graveyard Wells (University Press of Kentucky, Spring 2023) was selected for the 2021 UPK New Poetry & Prose Series. She is pursuing her MFA at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where she teaches in the Writing Program. She has taught at Clarion West Writers Workshop online and earned her BA at Cornell University. Her work has been supported by fellowships from the Tin House Workshop, Bread Loaf Writers Workshop, and the New York State Summer Writers Institute. She received the 2017 Cornell University George Harmon Coxe Award for Poetry selected by Sally Wen Mao and was the 2020 fiction winner of Columbia Journal’s Womxn History Month Special Issue. She is the co-founder of the Voodoonauts Summer Workshop for Black SFF writers. Her work has been anthologized in Tor.com and Fiyah Literary Magazine’s Breathe FIYAH anthology and the Voices of African Women Journal. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Columbia Journal, Tor.com, Fiyah Literary Magazine, and Kweli Journal.
Hugh “H.D.” Hunter is a storyteller, teaching artist, and community organizer from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s the author of two self-published books, Futureland (Random House, 2022), and Something Like Right (FSG, 2023). He's also the winner of several indie book awards for multicultural fiction. Hugh is committed to stories about Black kids and their many expansive worlds. He loves vegan snacks, basketball, and stories that make you cry -- but make you smile after. According to some, he's the world's fastest reviser. Check out Hugh’s work at thesoutherndistrict.com and follow him @hd_tsd.
LP Kindred is a Chicagoan-Angeleno who writes and edits speculative fiction that features Black and/or Queer Lives. LP is a proud instructor for Clarion West and the inaugural Voodoonauts Summer Workshop, as well as BTS for FiyahCon/Ignyte Awards. When Kindred is not writing and supporting writers, he can be found singing, eating good food, pretending to be fancy, watching bad TV, and lifting heavy objects. He is or will be an alum of Hurston-Wright, VONA, and Clarion. His fiction can be found in Fiyah Literary Magazine, LeVar Burton Reads, Speculative City, Prismatica Magazine, Queer Blades, and Escape Pod. #GhostClass
Email voodoonauts@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Follow us on social media for updates:
Twitter: @voodoonauts
Instagram: @voodoonauts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfycKRn18NAOh9w3NaMx8PU16CJgOT268G8HVZ3wh2tZ-ASYw/viewform
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Blank Page Revival
Slant’d
DEADLINE: June 19, 2026 at 11:59pm PST
INFO: Blank Page Revival (BPR) is our month-long creative writing program for AAPI ages 25+. BPR challenges its writers to overcome their perfectionism, channel communicable creative practices, and tackle a new piece of work from start to finish in just 30 days.
The program is centered around risk, play, collaboration, and building a sustainable writing practice.
So, what are the “risks” involved? At the start of the month, participants are intentionally blind matched with a writing partner, and each duo is tasked with co-writing a piece in a specific genre/form — we keep both the pairing and genre a surprise until the IRL kickoff! (past themes have included “Choose Your Own [Adventure]” and “Humor”)
We are happy to announce that BPR 2026 will kick off with an in-person creative writing event in San Francisco! 20 participants will engage in community-building sessions, writing sprints, and creative reboot sessions alongside their fellow cohort. After the in-person event, writers will then participate in three virtual sessions with their creative writing partner and dedicated writing coach. The goal of the program is to have a completed piece of collaborative writing done in 30 days.
PROGRAM DATES:
IRL kickoff — late August/early September (TBD)
Virtual sessions — throughout September
SLIDING SCALE COST: $250-$350 (please see FAQ below for cost transparency and outline)
In alignment with Slant’d broader mission, we intentionally uplift works by AAPIs. This includes mixed-race Asians, adoptees, and folks who were not born in the U.S., but have been here long enough to consider themselves American.
We ask that participants do not bring existing projects to work on as their collaborative piece.
Our program align with our publishing house’s mission and editorial vision. Please review these before applying.
We especially want to invite AAPI writers who identify as disabled, neurodivergent, trans, and LGBTQIA+, West Asian, South Asian, who do not have an MFA, who are unagented, or who do not have professional/career training in the arts.
FAQs:
Do I have to be located in San Francisco to participate?
You are welcome to apply if you can commit to being in San Francisco for the in-person kickoff event; otherwise, the three virtual sessions are designed for writing duos and coaches to collaborate from far and wide.
However, while you don’t have to be based in San Francisco, we unfortunately cannot subsidize travel at this time.
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OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: FINDING YOUR WAY HOME
twurl
DEADLINE: June 24, 2026
INFO: For the inaugural issue of twurl, our theme Finding Your Way Home is an invitation to return to a site of importance: geographic, psychic, familial, erotic and ancestral, while insisting that the journey may be as valuable as (or more valuable than) the destination.
We’re interested in wayfinding, waywardness, desire paths and the routes we make across physical, social and psychological landscapes, and those who guide us, when established paths are adversarial, traumatic, limiting or simply ill fit. A “desire path” is the route made by repeated movement; the unofficial trail that appears when people choose what works over what’s prescribed. The prescribed, may also be well suited when presented with the right lens; these identifiable wayfinding tools often include maps, signs and landmarks that cue our cognitive skills through often unconscious recollection. This issue looks to that kind of lived intelligence: improvisational, embodied, local, abstract and or exact. These routes that present desired and unintentional returns to self.
For the inaugural issue, we invite a constellation of poetry, autotheory, fiction and photography that speaks to the multiplicity of Black gay life through the lens of place, movement and return. In a social climate where Black LGBTQ lives remain under political attack and many of us move through the world marked by otherness, within our families, workplaces, cultural institutions and sometimes even in our chosen communities, questions of home and belonging can feel precarious. Also, in the absence of a widely held collective literary canon, politic, or media representation further complicates what it means to imagine “home” both individually and collectively. This precarity, this longing without guarantee, sits at the heart of the twurl’s inaugural issue.
So lastly, wayfinding, at its core, is the practice of orienting oneself within space using memory, intuition, signs, landmarks, and design to understand where one is and how to move forward. In this issue, we treat wayfinding as both a material and metaphysical act: a method of survival, a language of navigation and a poetics of becoming.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:
We are not seeking neat conclusions, redemption arcs, or “Disney endings”. We welcome work that resists closure; pieces that lean into opacity, darkness, contradiction and otherwise the taboo undercurrents of Black Gay experience. We are looking for works that showcase a high regard for craft, technique, uniqueness and intellectual rigor (especially for autotheory work).
We seek writing and photography grounded in locality: streets, bedrooms, porches, clubs, sanctuaries, classrooms, backseats, barbershops, basements, group chats, coastlines, church lots; sites where the body learns the map. We invite works that speak to the often shared disorientation of the Black queer experience. Works that lean into quiet and the quotidian . Return to self, to place, to memory, to body; return amid the messiness of living and the weight of sociopolitical struggle.
To emphasize Black gay poetics, we’re drawn to work wrapped in:
Fragrant diction and illustrious imagery.
Faggotry
We encourage engagements with erotics, the body, spirit and psyche as sites of knowledge and meaning-making.
Erotics and the body as archive
Spirit, psychic life, and intuition as legitimate knowledge systems
Collisions between the intimate and the historical: family lore, documents, screenshots, letters, archives, scholarship, institutional language, and other cultural basins.
Bring us the routes you took to survive. Bring us the routes you took to desire.
We want the work to feel like it’s written in Butch queen language and language that embraces your local dialect whether you’re from Baltimore, NOLA or Brooklyn.
Most importantly, we want to feel the work.
Possible starting points (not prompts, consider them potential doors…)
A return to a hometown, a lover, a neighborhood, a body, a name
“Home” as fantasy, trap, sanctuary, performance, or refusal
Migration, exile, cruising, pilgrimage, escape routes
Navigation by scent, sound, music, nightlight, rumor, prayer
Queer kinship as a map; loneliness as a geography
The archive as a lover / the lover as an archive
Language as wayfinding: code-switching, dialect, silence, omission
Black queer time: delays, loops, hauntings, detours, late arrivals
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Short Story (Fiction)
Submissions should be 1,000 - 3500 words.
Submit one piece only.
Flash Memoir
Your submission should be 750-1,000 words.
Submit one piece only.
Autotheory
Submissions should be 1000 - 3500 words.
Submit one piece only.
Included Chicago style citations where relevant.
We invite writing that braids critical, psychoanalytic, and/or academic inquiry with personal narrative and lived experience. We’re drawn to work that is intellectually rigorous without becoming dense or stuffy; scholarship that can think clearly while moving with lyric force. In an effort to unseat colonial expectations of “proper” academic voice, we welcome forms that stretch beyond conventional argumentation and citation: the poetic, the fragment, the epistolary, the dream, the confession, the field note, the prayer. For example think of texts like The Map to The Door of No Return by Dionne Brand or Lose Your Mother by Saidyiah Hartman or bell hooks.
Formats:
General Format Guidelines
Submit works that are unpublished. If your work ends up being accepted to another publication before we get back to you about your submission, please immediately let us know (twurlpublishing@gmail.com).
Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
We seek First North American Serial Rights for all accepted submissions; all rights revert to the author upon publication.
Submissions will be read by an anonymous panel of readers.
Upload your text submission as a Word (DOCX), portable document format/PDF (PDF) or rich-text format (RTF) file. No Pages, TXT, or Open Office Documents.
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”.
Please include, name and title of pieces on every page.
You can submit to across genres but for Short Story, Flash Memoir and Autotheory please only submit one piece for these genres.
All poets, photograhers and writers who submit must identiy as a part of the Black community/African diaspora and simultaneously as a Black queer/gay man, transman, stud/butch lesbian, a butch queen, GNC/non-binary or a masc-identifying person.
A short bio, no more than 150 words (Include in cover letter box). This is an opportunity to tell us about your work, your journey as a writer/poet/artist, where you've been published and anything else you’d like to include.
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Fall 2026 Narrative Shifts
Seventh Wave
DEADLINE: June 30, 2026
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: If you’re looking for community, mentorship, and accountability, our program might be for you.
We are thrilled to open up applications for our Fall 2026 digital residency, Narrative Shifts. For more information about this program, please visit our site here. We have summarized some of the pertinent information below:
The logistics: Narrative Shifts is a genre-agnostic writing program that includes seven sessions over seven weeks, centering specific aspects of craft that any writer, reader, or thinker can wield both on and off the page. In 2026, we will be running two intakes — spring and fall — each with three cohorts of 12-16 residents. Each session is two hours long.
Benefits: Throughout these seven sessions, residents will learn concrete tools of craft, tips for submitting and publishing work, best practices for cover letters, and more. Residents will get access to Seventh Wave's specially curated resources, an optional one-on-one with their facilitator, and the opportunity to practice public speaking by performing their work during the seventh session. There is also an eighth session — the bonus session — which invites an established author into the room. Past authors have included Ocean Vuong, Alexander Chee, Melissa Febos, Kaveh Akbar, Ruth Ozeki, and more.
Costs: This program costs $895, which is approximately $125 per session. There will also be two fully-funded seats per cohort, and payment plans are made available to any paying participant.
Application materials: In addition to general information, the primary application requirement is filling out our statement of interest, which asks three questions about you, your work, and why you want to join the residency.
No fee. There is no application fee to apply to Narrative Shifts.
Info session. To learn more about the program, be sure to register for our info session, taking place on Wednesday, June 3, at noon PST.
seventhwavemag.submittable.com/submit
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Indigenous Creative Nonfiction Prize
Chapter House Journal
DEADLINE: June 30, 2026
INFO: Chapter House Journal is proud to announce its inaugural Indigenous Creative Nonfiction Prize, launching with the Summer 2026 issue, Celestial Bodies: Honoring the Stars, the Moon, and Sky. This new prize centers Indigenous voices and storytelling, with the winner selected by guest judge Cynthia J. Sylvester and awarded $250.
Inspired in part by the April 1, 2026 launch of NASA’s Artemis II, this issue invites writers to reflect on our place within the vast histories of Nihimá Nahasdzáán, Yethi’nisténha Ohóntsya, Uŋčí Makhá, and all our relations. Submissions may explore connections between land, sky, memory, and cosmos, including Indigenous knowledge, star stories, and ancestral perspectives.
GUIDELINES: Writers may submit one full-length piece or up to three shorter works (maximum 5,000 words total).
ABOUT THE JUDGE: Cynthia J. Sylvester is born into the Kiyaa’áanii Clan for the Bilagáana Clan and is an enrolled member of the Diné. She is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her debut book, The Half-White Album (University of New Mexico Press, 2023), won Best LGBTQ+ Book at the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards.
chjournal.submittable.com/submit
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EMERGING WRITERS CONTEST
Electric Literature
DEADLINE: July 1, 2026 by 11:59 pm PT
INFO: For 17 years, Electric Literature has remained dedicated to uplifting emerging writers. Now, we’re furthering that mission by launching our very first Emerging Writers Contest, with categories in fiction and poetry!
One winner in each genre will receive $1,000, publication in either Recommended Reading (fiction) or The Commuter (poetry), and two weeks at the Writing Downtown residency program in Downtown Las Vegas, started by Plympton and the Writer’s Block bookstore. Second-place winners will receive $250, and third-place winners will receive $100. All fiction finalists will receive a review with feedback from a literary agent.
See below for information on judges, eligibility, and submission guidelines.
2026 CONTEST JUDGES: Our 2026 contest judges are Alexander Chee for fiction and Danez Smith for poetry.
ELIGIBILITY:
This contest is for emerging writers only. We define an emerging writer as anyone who has not published a full-length book with a major publisher. Authors who have published chapbooks, indie or university press books with a print run of under 500, or who have self-published are all eligible, provided the work submitted to the contest is original and unpublished.
The contest is open to both U.S. and international writers.
Current or past Electric Literature staff members, interns, or readers in any genre are not eligible to submit.
Friends, family, and close associates of the guest judges are not eligible to submit to that judge’s contest category.
If you have any questions about your eligibility, please email us at editors@electricliterature.com.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Submissions will open from July 1, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on July 15, 2026 or until we reach our submission caps: 1,000 for fiction and 600 for poetry. All submissions will be considered for publication.
Fiction writers may submit one story between 2,000 and 10,000 words. Poets may submit up to three poems, totaling no more than 1,500 words.
Work will be judged anonymously. Please remove all identifying information from your manuscript.
All work must be original and unpublished. Work previously published in any form (including self-published) cannot be considered.
Translations are accepted, provided the work has not previously been published in the English language and that the translator has obtained proper permissions.
Multiple submissions are allowed. Each entry must be sent as a new submission, and an entry fee must be paid for each.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please let us know immediately if a submission is accepted elsewhere.
Files should be submitted as .doc or .docx.
Work that was created using generative AI is not permitted, with rare exception made for pieces that engage with the tool in an intentional, artistic, and transparent manner (e.g., “A conversation between Ethan Gilsdorf and ChatGPT”). Any use of AI in the creation of a piece must be disclosed in your submission.
PRIZES:
Winners in each category will receive $1,000, publication in Recommended Reading (fiction) or The Commuter (poetry), and two weeks at the Writing Downtown residency program in Downtown Las Vegas, started by Plympton and the Writer’s Block bookstore.
Second-place winners in each category will receive $250, and third-place winners will receive $100.
All fiction finalists will receive a review with feedback from a literary agent.
Winners will be announced in early 2027.
electricliterature.com/about/emerging-writers-contest/
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Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize
Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF)
DEADLINE: July 1, 2026
INFO: The Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize is open to unpublished writers of Caribbean heritage in the United States and Canada. Self-published writers may apply.
ELIGIBILITY:
Open to writers of Caribbean heritage or descent residing in the United States or Canada
Must be 18 years or older
Self-published writers are welcome to apply
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
One original work of fiction, 3,000 words or less
Work must not have been published in any nationally distributed publication
Submitted in English (translations from another language accepted)
One entry per writer — multiple submissions, including across categories or under pen names, will be disqualified
Submissions must go through the contest portal; emailed manuscripts will not be considered
PRIZE PACKAGE:
US$1,750 cash prize
BCLF Trophy and branded merchandise
1-year Family/Household Membership and gift certificate from the Center for Fiction
A caché of books from Akashic Books
A gift from Moleskine
Feature episode on the BCLF Cocoapod
Author interview and profile on the BCLF website
Publication in MOKO Magazine, PREE, and Carib News
Exclusive 6-month one-on-one mentoring opportunity with an editor at a Big 5 publisher, including a tour of a publishing office
Note: There is a NET 120-day period for release of prize funds (no exceptions).
bklyncbeanlitfest.org/bclf-short-fiction-story-caribbean-american
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Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean
Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF)
DEADLINE: July 1, 2026
INFO: The Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean is open exclusively to Caribbean writers of all levels who reside and work in the Caribbean. Writers who are on temporary assignment overseas may also apply.
ELIGIBILITY:
Open to writers (published or unpublished) born and raised in the Caribbean and holding Caribbean nationality
Writers currently on temporary assignment outside the Caribbean may apply, except those based in the US or Canad
Must be 18 years or older
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
One original work of fiction, 3,000 words or less
Submitted in English (translations from another language accepted)
One entry per writer — multiple submissions, including across categories or under pen names, will be disqualified
Submissions must go through the contest portal; emailed manuscripts will not be considered
PRIZE PACKAGE:
US$1,750 cash prize
BCLF Trophy and branded merchandise
A caché of books from Akashic Books
A gift from Moleskine
Feature episode on the BCLF Cocoapod
Author interview and profile on the BCLF website
Publication in MOKO Magazine, PREE, and Carib News
Note: There is a NET 120-day period for release of prize funds (no exceptions).
bklyncbeanlitfest.org/bclf-short-fiction-story-caribbean-american
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ROLLING SUBMISSIONS
CALL FOR HORROR WRITERS
Harriet’s House
INFO: Harriet's House invites submissions from horror writers of the African diaspora for its 2026/2027 issue. Harriet’s House is an online magazine that publishes one literary horror story a month by a writer of the African diaspora. Harriet’s House is an ode to Harriet Jacobs, a formerly enslaved Black woman and one of the first Black authors to write in the gothic genre, horror’s fraternal sister, noted as the well from which modern horror writing sprang.
During Harriet’s lifetime, she hid in the crawl space of her grandmother’s house for seven years to escape a menacing slave owner who threatened to sell her children. For a long time, home was a precarious concept for Harriet. The magazine is an ode to her and the house she built for those who have followed in her literary footsteps. Send us your supernatural, haunting, and terrifying stories.
GUIDELINES: We are looking for short stories between 1,200 and 5,000 words. We are interested in but not limited to: gothic horror, speculative horror, supernatural horror, body horror, psychological drama and survival horror.
Writers can send their stories to harrietshousemag@gmail.com
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: “NOTES, COMMENTARY AND REFLECTIONS”
Small Axe Journal
INFO: The Small Axe Journal is getting a new section. Named “Notes, Commentary and Reflections,” this section will feature pieces that address urgent contemporary issues in the Caribbean.
GUIDELINES: Submissions should have a maximum of 2,500 and should be uploaded to our submissions portal, which can be found on our website.
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Amp
INFO: Want to write for The Amp? We welcome you to pitch us! We publish stories that are by and for the AAPI community, showcasing visual art, theater, dance, film, music, and everything in between.
GUIDELINES:
Essays: 800-1,000 words that identify a cultural zeitgeist and important, prescient themes within the AAPI cultural community.
Reviews: 300-500 words on recent or current events, exhibitions, publications, etc. These should have an angle or specific point of view and be overall celebratory while still remaining critical.
Profiles: 500-800 word profiles that spotlight AAPI who are shaping the cultural landscape in NYC, from artists to arts administrators, organizers, and collectors. These profiles are a testament to the fact that culture cannot exist without community.
Interviews: A conversation between cultural figures around a specific theme or a direct interview with a single subject.
To pitch, email theamp@aaartsalliance.org with the article category in the subject line (ie: Review, Profile, Essay, Interview, etc.) followed by a pithy working title. It should look something like this:
“Essay Pitch: Writing the Story of AAPI Art and Culture”
From there, describe what and why you are pitching in 3-5 sentences; what is the story and why is it important that it’s covered in The Amp? Please include any relevant time pegs as well as an estimated word count.
Finally, introduce yourself. Previous bylines or writing samples are always appreciated.
The Amp offers flat fees at a rate of $.40 per word, rounded down to the nearest hundred words (e.g. $240 for 600 words).
PLEASE NOTE: Due to limited bandwidth, The Amp can only cover events and artists that are based in the NYC area. We also do not publish features by artists writing about their own work, however we welcome you to share upcoming events for potential coverage, or submit the event to A4’s community calendar.