Hello everyone,

Sorry this one is appearing a bit late! On Sunday morning our alarm doesn’t go off… I could pretend that we had technical difficulties… I’m so sorry!

Remember, remember, submit in November… Hello all! Many thanks for your kind messages re: my recent bereavement. Many thanks also for your kind donations and Patreon subscriptions. You’re all lovely, and kindness really is what keeps the world going around.

Thanks also for feedback about my proposed series of workshops. Everyone was agreed – one workshop weekly, in the new year, so that’s what I’m preparing. If you missed last month’s info: I’m planning a series of workshops on Facebook, with the idea that we write to certain themes (poetry or fiction – you’ll be able to do either), with the plan that the themes are from specific calls for submission or competitions. The idea is that we then submit or enter our work to those (though no one will be forced to!). You will need to be on Facebook and have Paypal to participate – as I will be charging for this series (it’s too time-consuming not to, I’m afraid). It will probably be on Wednesday nights, 7-9pm GMT, though if you’re signed up, you can access the info for as long as the course is on. I’ll be giving short personal feedback (if wanted) to all participants.

I would welcome any thoughts you have at news@cathybryant.co.uk

Of course Comps and Calls is still completely free and as long as I have control of it, always will be (I don’t know why I add that caveat. Do I think that Daleks are going to take over the world and insist that I keep running Comps and Calls, but charge for it?!).

Best wishes and stay safe,

Cathy x

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Here are some writing competitions and calls for submission, all with free, electronic entry.

As usual I’m passing these on in good faith but mistakes may be made, so do check all the submission guidelines carefully. Any info in quotes comes from the website itself and any dates at the start are deadlines. Also, I don’t know the sources personally, so do check them out for yourselves.

There are three headings (click/tap to jump straight to them):

• Competitions
• Submissions With Deadlines
• Submissions Without Known Deadlines

If you aren’t a submitter (why not? Nothing to lose! Rejection is something we all share!) then the themes can make great writing prompts/exercises.

Although I mention only fiction or poetry, many publications accept non-fiction, art or other forms, so do check if interested. Good luck and do let me know of successes! The links are in the comments, and any dates at the start are deadlines.

Where possible, I have marked the relevant entries with ‘paying’, ‘contributor copy’ etc. However, you are best off checking the info for yourselves as I am not infallible and the info isn’t always available or clear. Please be aware that a contributor copy may be in print or digital format. Also, some publications offer several things, eg payment as well as a contributor copy. Where this is the case, I have assumed that payment is enough of an incentive, so I haven’t listed everything. It’s a rough guide and should be treated as such.

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

COMPETITIONS

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

4th Nov Spectator Competition No. 3174: true to type. ‘You are invited to write a poem with each line beginning with the letters A S D F G H J K L Z X C V B N M, in that order. Please email entries to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 4 November. We are now returning to paying winners by cheque, unless you state on your entry that you would prefer to be paid by bank transfer’ PAYING https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/economies-of-scale

6th Nov POSTAL Deadline. Graphic novel. PAYING https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/publishers/vintage/jonathan-cape.html#capeshortstory (Cathy’s note: I don’t usually include comps that require postal entry, but there are so few for graphic novelists that I thought I’d bung this one in.)

6th Nov Story 1000-3000 words, written to one of the prompts on the website. PAYING https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/66/

11th Nov Spectator Competition No. 3175: a bit previous. ‘You are invited to supply a prequel to a well-known poem (please specify). Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 11 November. We are returning to paying winners by cheque, unless you state on your entry that you would prefer to be paid by bank transfer.’ https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/-today-we-have-naming-of-tiers-poems-about-coronavirus-messaging

15th Nov Flash fiction inspired by the provided image. PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/

26th Nov Poetry or story on the theme of Course. PAYING https://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/2020-free-entry-course-themed-writing-competition.html (thanks to www.prizemagic.co.uk for this one)

27th Nov Hour-long play. PAYING https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/through-the-mill (thanks to www.prizemagic.co.uk for this one)

27th Nov at noon (though students get an extra day!) ‘We are looking for good storytelling (fiction or non-fiction) written specifically for delivery and reading/viewing on a PC or Mac, the web, or a hand-held device such as an iPad or mobile phone. It could be a short story, novel, poem, narrative game, documentary, or transmedia work using words, images, film or animation with audience interaction. Interactivity is a key element of new-media storytelling’ PAYING https://newmediawritingprize.co.uk/enter/

28th Nov Free for prisoners and children: Poem on the theme of My Companion, My Best Friend. PAYING https://festivalofwords.co.uk/poetry-comp/

30th Nov Metrical sonnet. PAYING https://www.betterthanstarbucks.org/sonnet-contest

30th Nov Monologue up to 10 minutes. NON-CASH PRIZE https://www.soundwork-uk.co.uk/writers

30th Nov ‘Imagine a world where androids are a sentient, self-governing race and co-exist with human beings. The two civilizations live and work together, make friends and enemies of each other, and engage in trade and war as any two nations on Earth.’ SF 800-1200 words. PAYING http://paperdjinnpress.com/contests/

30th Nov ‘The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers recognizes outstanding young poets and is open to high school sophomores and juniors throughout the world.’ NON-CASH PRIZE https://kenyonreview.org/contests/patricia-grodd/

Last Thursday of each month: Writing according to the prompt, by children 12 years of age or under. NON-CASH PRIZE  https://www.wordhound.co.uk/competitions/

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

SUBMISSIONS WITH DEADLINES

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

2nd Nov Horror story. PAYING https://pseudopod.org/submissions/submissions-schedule/

2nd Nov ‘The London Reader is issuing an open call for short stories, travel writing, poems, photography, art, and postcard stories about travelling by land in Europe and neighbouring regions. We’re looking for road stories, interrail stories, city stories, language stories, hitchhiking stories, and border stories.’ http://londonreader.uk/2020/10/open-call-travel-writing-in-europe/

3rd Nov Poetry and fiction on the theme of Touch. PAYING https://ninthletteronline.submittable.com/submit

3rd Nov Fiction and essays on the theme of Angels. PAYING https://www.fairytalemagazine.com/p/submissions.html#.X5RGAXV7mpp

4th Nov Fiction 800-3000 words on the theme of Weird and Wonderful. https://www.liarsleaguenyc.com/submissions (Selected works will be performed)

5th Nov Speculative fiction up to 3000 words on the theme of Gluttony. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

6th Nov Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Fight or Flight. http://mironline.org/submissions/

7th Nov ‘Hard, gritty and raw’ poetry, fiction and more. Theme: Begin Again. https://blood-and-bourbon.com/submissions/

7th Nov ‘We are currently accepting submissions for both debut collections from new or emerging poets and submissions from established poets with previous collections published. We welcome poets of all ages. We will only seriously consider publishing poets who have a track record of publication or audience for their poems in the United Kingdom in some form.’ https://ninearchespress.submittable.com/submit/37322/nine-arches-press-poetry-collection-submissions

9th Nov Horror story of roughly 2000 words on the theme of Sleep Deprivation. PAYING https://theotherstories.net/submissions

10th Nov Story on the theme of Fairytale. https://www.perhappened.com/submit.html

15th Nov ‘We seek truly terrifying stories that deal with futuristic themes, set in the near future or far.’ 2500-4500 words. PAYING https://www.corpuspress.com/call-for-submissions/

15th Nov Poetry, fiction and lots more on the theme of A Life of the Spirit. https://thebezine.com/submission-guidelines/

15th Nov Poems by children. ‘The author of the poem must have been age 15 or younger when the poem was written, and 18 or younger when submitted.’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.rattle.com/children/guidelines/

15th Nov ‘The Broken City is currently accepting submissions for its winter 2020 edition: I Know What You Did Last Pandemic. It was inevitable; the magazine is running a COVID-19 special. We’re looking for anything and everything related to COVID—what you did; what you saw; what life is like now. Send your poetry, fiction, essays, illustrations and photography.’ http://www.thebrokencitymag.com/submissions.html

15th Nov Poetry, fiction and CNF. https://harpurpalate.binghamton.edu/submit/general-submissions/

15th Nov Short horror story 4000-8000 words on the theme of H is for Hell. PAYING https://redcapepublishing.com/submissions/

15th Nov ‘For our inaugural issue, our theme is UNFINISHED STORIES, which might apply to this political moment, but also to your composition or form, or a personal experience. Send us works which resist completion, narratives whose endings we don’t or can’t know yet, or which begin with pre-existing conditions. Send us a finished story about something unresolved, or an unresolved story about something long finished.’ PAYING https://www.kaleidoscopedmag.com/submit.html

15th Nov ‘Chipper Press is looking for short stories about what life is like for monsters during their middle school years. Do humans know about the monsters? Do they attend school with them? What type of monsters are there? Do they have special classes per species? Do werewolf children get certain days off that trolls don’t?’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.chipperpress.com/anthology-submissions/

15th Nov Poetry, prose and art on the theme of Sorrow. CHARITY/GOOD CAUSE https://www.eclipselit.org/submit-1 (Cathy’s note: Proceeds from this issue will be benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.)

15th Nov Women over 60 only: ‘The Editors choose a different Short Takes topic for every issue. Short Takes are usually short pieces, fiction or non-fiction (250-500 words), but can also be topical poetry, sometimes even drawings or photography. We’re especially interested in hearing about your experiences, but you can include your thoughts, dreams, ideas and opinions. Humor and irony are always appreciated!’ Theme: Random Acts of Kindness. https://persimmontree.org/submissions/

15th Nov New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. 4000-7500 words. PAYING https://www.worldweaverpress.com/blog/call-for-submissions-new-tales-of-fairy-godmothers

15th Nov Confessional poetry on the theme of Thurnderstorms. https://theconfessionalistzine.wordpress.com/

15th Nov ‘For this collection, we would like you to send us stories that feature birds with teeth. Any birds you like as long as they possess a large set of extra sharp teeth. Thuggish Itch is our horror, sci-fi and speculative fiction collection. Please make sure that your story falls within one of these genres.’ PAYING http://www.gypsumsoundtales.com/Thuggish-Itch.php

15th Nov Poetry on the theme of Immortality. https://thenewamericanaesthetic.weebly.com/submit.html

15th Nov ‘Issue #3’s theme is “guilty pleasures.” We love honest and funny fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and poetry. We don’t care if you have an MFA or not, we all got a bit of that je ne sais quoi, and really, what do you got to lose?’ https://embryoconceptszine.com/contact/

15th Nov ‘Submit poetry written in or regarding variety Englishes, to be published in Spring 2021 Issue (41.1). Poems in Singlish, Konglish, Spanglish, AAVE, and other English-associated linguistic forms will be considered for publication. Poets may be asked to contribute supplementary linguistic information to facilitate publication.’ PAYING http://www.pinchjournal.com/glish

15th Nov ‘We invite writers and artists to send unpublished poetry, fiction, nonfiction, cross-genre, photography, visual art, and translations. Pensive seeks work for a feature section on Black Lives Matter for our Spring 2021 issue.’ https://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/pensive-a-global-journal-of-spirituality-and-the-arts/

15th Nov ‘We are always open to submissions of poetry, prose, and visual art that explore questions of ecology and spirituality from within and outside all religious traditions.’ Themes: Advent and Access to Health in both human and nonhuman communities.  http://www.ecotheo.org/homepage/submissions/

16th Nov Poetry and art on the theme of Spring. PAYING http://www.songsoferetz.com/p/guidelines.html

16th Nov Poetry, flash and more on the theme of Birth/New Beginnings. https://pureslush.com/submissions/current-submissions/lifespan-series/birth-lifespan-vol-1/

17th Nov Poetry, comics, photography (open to everyone) and fiction (open only to Canadians). PAYING http://carte-blanche.org/submissions/

18th Nov Canadians only: poetry on the theme of Reflections on the Pandemic. https://reviewcanada.ca/submissions/

19th Nov 500 word fiction. Science fiction on the theme of Contact. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

23rd Nov Horror story of roughly 2000 words on the theme of Kaiju. PAYING https://theotherstories.net/submissions

25th Nov Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Longing. https://constellatemagazine.com/submissions/

28th Nov Poetry and prose with an element of the natural world, on the theme of Other. PAYING https://clawandblossom.com/submissions/

30th Nov LGBTQ+ romance over 12,000 words on the theme of Second Chances.  ROYALTIES https://www.jms-books.com/submission-guidelines-ezp-35.html

30th Nov Writers of Colour: full length MSS. https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/2-submissions

30th Nov Poetry, prose, and more. Marginalized writers highly encouraged to submit. https://anatoliosmagazine.wordpress.com/guidelines/

30th Nov Theme: Safeguard. ‘We are looking for beautiful works exploring safety and protection against wild environments, as well as efforts to remove wilderness and chaotic nature from your life, or anything human-made that protects you from harm. We are looking for poems no longer than an A4 page, and would particularly like to receive imagist work and micro-poetry under 10 lines.’ https://www.greeninkpoetry.co.uk/submissions

30th Nov ‘We’re seeking poetry, flash fiction, short stories, novel excerpts, and essays written throughout the past seven months of the pandemic.’ CHARITY/GOOD CAUSE https://www.kaylakingbooks.com/submission-guidelines

30th Nov Theme: Nostalgia. ‘We only accept submissions from marginalised and underrepresented writers and artists. We are committed to elevating marginalised and underrepresented voices, including (but not limited to) BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, immigrant, disabled, neurodiverse, and working-class writers, artists, and creators.’ PAYING https://www.opiamag.com/submit/

30th Nov ‘ProleSCARYet: Tales of Horror and Class Warfare will be an e-book anthology about the horrors of capitalism. We want monstrous bosses, jobs from literal Hell, working class folks fighting back against great cosmic evils, and any other wild idea you can come up with.’ 1000-4000 words. PAYING https://prolescaryetanthology.com/

30th Nov Flash up to 250 words on the theme of Doors. http://www.flash-frontier.com/submissions/

30th Nov ‘All writers who call Scotland their home, irrespective of place of birth or ethnicity. All levels welcome (unpublished, published, solo or agented). What to submit: Collections of short stories and stand-alone novels of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy (and their sub-genres). A Scottish theme or setting is NOT compulsory.’ https://www.lunapresspublishing.com/submissions

30th Nov Poetry, fiction and more including the three words Loop, Ghost and Hibiscus. http://3elementsreview.com/submission-guidelines

30th Nov Theme: Last Love. ‘Whether it be the boy next door, a loyal princess, or a supernatural being, all of these stories have two things in common: everlasting love and loyalty.’ 5000-15,000 words. ROYALTIES/ CHARITY/GOOD CAUSE https://dragonsoulpress.com/anthologies/

30th Nov Theme: Wolf Night. ‘Wolf shifters galore! We are looking for romantic tales of wolf shifters in any setting or genre. The spicier, the better.’ 5000-15,000 words. ROYALTIES/ CHARITY/GOOD CAUSE https://dragonsoulpress.com/anthologies/

30th Nov Theme: Imperial Devices. ‘Steampunk! We’re looking for steampunk stories. Additional subgenres are accepted (ex. Dieselpunk, Valvepunk).’ 500-15,000 words. ROYALTIES/ CHARITY/GOOD CAUSE https://dragonsoulpress.com/anthologies/ (Cathy’s note: This anthology has different word count parameters to the other DSP anthologies.)

30th Nov Speculative poetry and fiction on the theme of Justice. PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/

30th Nov Poetry, flash and more on the theme of Energy. ‘We want to read your pieces that play with our heartstrings. We favor works that are highly emotional, experimental in form/language, and especially those that feel light-hearted, bittersweet, and tender.’ https://www.tunafishjournal.com/submissions

30th Nov Poetry and prose on the theme of either Truth, Fair Play and Other Myths We Live by; or Spot-Cleaning our Dirty Laundry. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES http://universaltable.org/wisingup.html

1st Dec ‘For this anthology, edited by Robert Kingett and Randy Lacey, we’re looking for short stories between 500 and 8,000 words. We are looking for own-voice stories featuring blind or visually impaired protagonists, written by authors who are blind or visually impaired. The story need not be about being visually impaired or blind, and can be any genre of fiction.’ PAYING https://pressesrenaissancepress.ca/2020/09/19/call-for-submissions-artificial-divide/

1st Dec or until filled: The Southern Issue. Theme: For the culture. ‘For this issue we are accepting all types of submissions as long as there is a story that connects you to where you came from, and your ancestors. For this issue ONLY we will accept work previously published elsewhere, please just let us know where it was published and in which issue. ‘ PAYING https://www.sagecigarettes.com/submissions

1st Dec ‘Select a work of art; it can be a painting, a photograph, a sculpture. Write a poem or short story or essay inspired by that work of art. The usual rules apply: the work of art must be Pagan/polytheist in some way, or must be interpreted through a Pagan/polytheist lens.’ PAYING https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/about/

1st Dec ‘decomp journal is now accepting submissions of Fiction, Poetry, Non-Fiction, and Media/Art for its first themed zine, “Twin Futures: Black Resistance and Indigenous Sovereignty.” Submissions should take up themes of Black and Indigenous futures while rejecting the false binaries and borders between these two formations.’ https://decompjournal.submittable.com/submit

1st Dec ‘Defined as the offspring of the sons of God and daughters of Man, the Nephilim were said to be monstrous giants. But that’s just one interpretation. Give us yours!’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://ironfaeriepublishing.com/open-anthology-calls/

1st Dec ‘Whether it’s a poem about the steaming, hazelnut coffee you will drink tomorrow morning, an essay about your hope for prison reform in a rural community, or a short story about an alien invasion in the year 2254—we want your musings, your scribbles, your cries into the void. We publish prose, poetry, and artwork (black & white is ideal, but color works great as well).’ https://callmebrackets.net/submissions/

1st Dec Spec fic 2000-20,000 words. ‘…this anthology seeks to remind readers of the hope and beauty of the Arts, and the way our engagement with writing, music, film, theatre, artworks in all media, and craft of all kinds are at the core of our humanity.’ PAYING https://fablecroft.com/submissions/

1st Dec Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Snow Job. PAYING https://bwgwritersroundtable.com/submissions-contacts/

1st Dec Poetry, essays and more on the theme of Wellness. https://parabola.org/submissions/

1st Dec Black writers only: poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Composite Dreams. https://www.oysterriverpages.com/submit

1st Dec Fiction, poetry and more on the theme of Levity. PAYING https://slicemagazine.org/submit/

1st Dec Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Intergalactic. PAYING https://acwlp.submittable.com/submit (Cathy’s note: submissions are free until they reach their free subs cap, so get yours in early! I know this is terrible grammar, but it’s very late.)

1st Dec ‘Send us your quarantine dreams, your protest poetry, and all forms of experimentation. In this issue, we want to examine stories that celebrate writing as a form of coping and connection, that wrangle with the tension of the present moment and imagining future memories in this strange new world.’ http://www.dumdumzine.com/issue-no-7-open-for-submissions/

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SUBMISSIONS WITH NO KNOWN DEADLINES

(Publishers might not give out their pay rates on their submission pages, so make sure to find them out before signing a contract!)

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

‘It’s simple: We aim to fundamentally change what you think of when you hear the phrase “men’s publication,” and to do so through and for the worldview of Black and Brown men.’ PAYING https://level.medium.com/the-level-pitching-guide-35147f4733d5

‘Albert Whitman & Company currently has an open submissions policy. We will read and review un-agented manuscripts and proposals for picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels. Please read the following instructions carefully. We will not review any submissions that do not follow these guidelines.’ https://www.albertwhitman.com/submission-guidelines-for-unrepresented-authors/

Dark fantasy fiction. No reprints. Edits & gives feedback. PAYING
https://www.commontonguezine.com/submissions/guidelines-submissions/

Poetry, flash, short fiction and CNF. http://www.spankthecarp.com/submissions.html

‘We’re a weekly online journal that accepts prose, poetry, and
non-fiction pieces with a combined word count of no more than 750. We
also accept art.’ https://theracketsf.com/submissions

Until full: horror drabbles. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

Poetry and fiction by children aged 9-13. https://luckyjefferson.com/little-jefferson/

Fiction up to 3000 words to be critiqued on a podcast. http://mironline.org/authornotpresentsubmissions/

MSS of various kinds. https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/pages/submissions/

Dark fantasy poetry and prose. PAYING https://www.commontonguezine.com/guidelines-submissions/

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Hello everyone,

So many bereavements – and this time, it was my father. We had an awful relationship, and I hadn’t seen him for years, but naturally his death brought up complicated feelings. So if I’ve made a few extra mistakes this edition, please forgive me!

I do hope that you are all well, and not struggling through similar events.

Anyway – on to happier things. I’m thinking of running a series of workshops in the New Year. These would be exercises based on different prompts – with the twist that all the prompts were upcoming themes in litmags or anthologies, and participants would be encouraged (but not forced!) to submit their work to the relevant publication (or to an alternative publication, from a list that I’ll provide).

Would any of you be interested in this? Another possibility is November, but it’s looking like New Year unless you’re all particularly keen for November. The whole thing would happen on a secret Facebook group, as I’m not really a fan of Zoom, Skype etc. There would be a charge. I can’t commit that amount of time without getting paid for it. Don’t worry, C&C will always be free, as long as I have any say in the matter.

Those interested – which would you prefer – one night a week (probably a Thursday) for five weeks with the workshop from 7-9pm GMT (though accessible at any time), or one week of concentrated workshops: two hours a day (or evening) for five days?

I would give short feedback on each piece if wanted.

At the end of the course you should have ten pieces that are ready to be submitted – poetry or fiction. That would be up to you…

I would welcome any thoughts you have at news@cathybryant.co.uk

Thanks as always to my Patreon subscribers and one-off donors. You are stars.

Best wishes and stay safe,

Cathy x

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Here are some writing competitions and calls for submission, all with free, electronic entry.

As usual I’m passing these on in good faith but mistakes may be made, so do check all the submission guidelines carefully. Any info in quotes comes from the website itself and any dates at the start are deadlines. Also, I don’t know the sources personally, so do check them out for yourselves.

There are three headings (click/tap to jump straight to them):

• Competitions
• Submissions With Deadlines
• Submissions Without Known Deadlines

If you aren’t a submitter (why not? Nothing to lose! Rejection is something we all share!) then the themes can make great writing prompts/exercises.

Although I mention only fiction or poetry, many publications accept non-fiction, art or other forms, so do check if interested. Good luck and do let me know of successes! The links are in the comments, and any dates at the start are deadlines.

Where possible, I have marked the relevant entries with ‘paying’, ‘contributor copy’ etc. However, you are best off checking the info for yourselves as I am not infallible and the info isn’t always available or clear. Please be aware that a contributor copy may be in print or digital format. Also, some publications offer several things, eg payment as well as a contributor copy. Where this is the case, I have assumed that payment is enough of an incentive, so I haven’t listed everything. It’s a rough guide and should be treated as such.

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COMPETITIONS

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4th Oct Poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE http://waxpoetryart.com/international/submissions/poetrycontest2.html

4th Oct Flash fiction 500 words or fewer, based on the prompt, which won’t be up until 2nd Oct. PAYING https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/

4th Oct Poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE http://waxpoetryart.com/contests/poetsoftheworld2.html

5th Oct ‘Send us your Halloween-themed poetry, fiction, short plays, and creative non-fiction.’ PAYING https://thefuriousgazelle.com/submit/halloween-writing-contest/

7th Oct ‘Spectator Competition No. 3170: letter of the law. ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world,’ according to Shelley, so let’s have a well-known poet writing their own law in verse. Please email up to 16 lines to lucy@spectator.co.uk by midday on 7 October.’ https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/spectator-competition-winners-the-pleasures-of-bad-poetry

8th Oct Short stories up to 2000 words on the theme of Old-Fashioned Hallowe’en. PAYING http://talesmoonlitpath.com/halloween-challenge-2020/

15th Oct Age 12-18: short story 250-500 words on the theme of “Once upon a time in my future”. NON-CASH PRIZE https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-and-idries-shah-foundation-launch-world-tales-short-story-competition

15th Oct Speculative flash fiction inspired by the provided image. PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submission-guidelines

15th Oct Flash fiction up to 300 words for this monthly comp. https://blueanimal.weebly.com/submit.html (Cathy’s note: I don’t usually post comps wherein the only prize is publication, but I notice that they offer a comment on every story submitted, so it might be worth entering if you’d like some free feedback.)

19th Oct ‘Something to say? Up for a challenge? Can you get your point across in exactly 55 words, no more, no fewer? Help us celebrate our 55th year of Welter by composing a 55-word story, poem, or piece of creative nonfiction.’ PAYING https://blogs.ubalt.edu/welter/submit/

23rd Oct Fiction 2000-6000 words on the theme of Home. PAYING https://commapress.co.uk/resources/prizes/

30th Oct ‘This year, which is a challenging one for most people, we are looking for a bit of light relief. So please send us your farce, satire, screwball, or any other subgenre that qualifies as comedy. We need the laughs.’ Fiction 1000-2500 words. VOUCHER/OTHER https://funnypearls.com/competition-2020/

31st Oct Atlantic Provinces only: Flash fiction inspired by the photo. PAYING https://engenbooks.com/kit-sora-flash-fiction-flash-photography-contest/

1st Nov Weird Christmas stories up to 350 words. PAYING https://weirdchristmas.com/2020/06/15/weird-christmas-flash-fiction-contest-3rd-annual-2020/ (thanks to https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/flash-fiction-competitions.php for this one)

1st Nov ‘In your flash fiction piece, give us a snapshot into a post-pandemic world in which a shift towards positive systems change has occurred and a new paradigm is established or unfolding.’ 1000-1250 words. PAYING https://systemschangealliance.org/flash-fiction/

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SUBMISSIONS WITH DEADLINES

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

2nd Oct Writing on the theme of Justice. https://necroproductions.com/magazine/guidelines/

2nd Oct ‘All writers who identify as ‘Other than White’ but to include White minorities. All levels welcome (unpublished, published, solo or agented). What to submit: Collections of short stories and stand-alone novels of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy (and their sub-genres).’ https://www.lunapresspublishing.com/submissions

2nd Oct ‘Our Capsule Stories Winter 2020 Edition theme is Bare Bones. We’re looking for stories, poems, and essays that feel cold and wintry and bleak.’ https://capsulestories.com/submissions/

2nd Oct Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Fever Dream. https://causticfrolic.org/submission-info/

3rd ‘For this edition, “Rituals,” we want to see work that engages with religion and spirituality of any kind.’ https://www.burningjademagazine.org/submissions

3rd Oct Witch-inspired writing, art and photography. https://www.pussymagicheals.com/hallows-eve-2020 (Cathy’s note: They are also looking for black editors: https://www.pussymagicheals.com/submit )

5th Oct Speculative flash fiction on the theme of Sight. PAYS SOME CONTRIBUTORS https://gohavok.com/submission-guidelines/upcoming-themes/ (Cathy’s note: they pay if they include your piece in one of their anthologies.)

5th Oct Speculative novellas by black writers. PAYING+ROYALTIES https://www.neonhemlock.com/submissions

5th Oct ‘Zombie Pirate Publishing is seeking short stories 2,000-7,000 words long for PIRATES OF THE EMPYREAN. Science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, or steampunk stories featuring pirates. Send us your tales of swashbuckling adventure set against space, sky, or sea.’ PAYING https://www.zombiepiratepublishing.com/Calls-For-Submissions/

8th Oct Halloween (sic) poetry and stories. PAYS SOME CONTRIBUTORS http://talesmoonlitpath.com/submissions/(Cathy’s note: pays fiction contributors only)

9th Oct Poetry and fiction. PAYING https://www.thirdpointpress.com/submission-guidelines/

9th Oct Canada only: ‘Understorey Magazine seeks submissions of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, spoken word, and visual art about women/gender and all aspects of food work. We are interested in submissions by women and non-binary writers and artists on their experiences of creating, gathering, processing, transporting, cooking & serving food, as well as the work of disposing of or redistributing food waste, food policy, and food aid.’ PAYING https://understoreymagazine.ca/submissions/

9th Oct ‘The theme for this issue is all things spooky, macabre and haunting. We want pieces that are reminiscent of jump scares, short yet memorable and lingering.’ Poetry, art and photos. PAYING https://www.sagecigarettes.com/submissions

9th Oct Poetry and prose on the theme of What Do You Fear in the Dark? https://www.perhappened.com/submit.html

11th Oct Poetry on the theme of Brownface. PAYS SOME CONTRIBUTORS http://cordite.org.au/submissions/ (Cathy’s note: only Australian contributors are paid.)

14th Oct Grim, fractured fairytales. PAYING https://gallerycurious.com/2020/09/12/submission-mini-window-opening-fairy-tales/

15th Oct ‘Are you a fan of pop-singer Madonna? Has she impacted you in a significant way? We’re seeking original stories that detail the effect she’s had on individual lives. Story and essay submissions should be between 1500-3500 words. Feel free to supplement your submission with your journal entries, photos with Madonna, photos dressed like Madonna, or other related materials.’ PAYING. Send submissions to: anthologysubmit@gmail.com

15th Oct 50 word fiction on the theme of Mercy. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES http://www.blink-ink.org/2020/08/31/mercy-blink-ink-issue-42/

15th Oct ‘Poems may be written on any subject, in any style or length, but the poet must be a person with neurological differences.’ PAYING https://www.rattle.com/submissions/guidelines/

15th Oct ‘We are looking for poems that deal with the supernatural, the mythological, the mysterious, the uncanny.’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://milkandcakepress.com/submissions/

15th Oct Fiction, poetry and more, on the theme of Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, More. PAYING https://www.griffithreview.com/submit-to-griffith-review/

15th Oct Poetry, fiction and lots more on the theme of Memories. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.northernotterpress.ca/call-for-submissions/volume-1

15th Oct ‘We are seeking short story submissions (1000-7500 words) for this anthology. The stories must be based upon a regional/cultural legend or tall-tale from any location or culture in the World. “Regional” can be a specific place (Loch Ness) or a larger region (Bigfoot in the Pacific Northwest). We are seeking stories in the horror genre.’ PAYING https://warmonkeypublications.com/submissions

15th Oct Poetry and more on the theme of Silence|Sound. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.snapdragonjournal.com/submit.html

18th Oct Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Animal Love. PAYING https://shooterlitmag.com/submissions/

19th Oct ‘For the next issue of Apofenie, we welcome submissions of fiction, poetry and non-fiction brought together by our latest theme – “the city”.’ https://www.apofenie.com/contact

20th Oct Research papers, interviews, articles and scripts on the theme of Drama. ‘Along with these, Litinfinite is accepting short stories, poems, book reviews and essays in English and Bengali for its regular section.’ https://www.litinfinite.com/call-for-papers-journal-of-arts/

21st Oct Poetry, articles and more on the theme of COVID-19 and Community. http://www.rfdmag.org/submissions.php

22nd Oct 500 word fiction on the theme of Horror Toys. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

25th Oct ‘For our Fall 2020 issue, Penumbraonline.org is calling for work by Black women authors and artists as part of our Black Voices and Experiences series. We especially welcome work by Black trans women for this issue. We are dedicated to creating a supportive space for Black women’s creative productions across multiple media and genres.’ Poetry, fiction and more. https://www.csustan.edu/penumbra/black-voices-and-experiences-series

30th Oct Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Gift. https://www.inscribejournal.com/writeforusjournal

30th Oct Weird fiction around 5000 words. CONTRIBUTOR COPY+ ROYALTIES https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

31st Oct Theme: Resist with every inch and every breath. ‘Stories of resistance and rebellion, but also of the steps in between and the change that comes after.’ Up to 15,000 words. PAYING https://lonelycryptidmedia.com/fiction-and-poetry-submissions/ (Cathy’s note: This is the Priority Deadline ‘… for historically marginalized authors including those who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, migrants, queer, disabled, women, working class, currently or formerly incarcerated, and/or living in poverty.’ You can also submit (anyone, historically marginalised or not) from Nov 1st to Dec 31st.)

31st Oct ‘The inaugural anthology will feature contemporary poetry of Iran and its diaspora. In addition to translations of Persian poetry, we hope to reflect the linguistic richness of Iran with translations of Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Luri, etc.’ https://www.greenlindenpress.com/submit

31st Oct ‘Zimbell House is holding open submissions for short stories from the point of view of the afterlife’s bounty hunter. Your story must include: which side the debt collector works for, what the debt to be collected is, the consequences at stake, how the afterlife system works, and most importantly, be from the point of view of the debt collector.’ 4500 – 19,500 words. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://zimbellhousepublishing.com/anthology_submission/

31st Oct LGBTQ romantic/erotic fiction 12,000 words and up on the theme of Ride ‘Em Cowboy (or Cowgirl). ROYALTIES https://www.jms-books.com/submission-guidelines-ezp-35.html

31st Oct Gothic romance 2000-5000 words. PAYING https://horroraddicts.wordpress.com/2020/01/03/submission-call-haunts-and-hellions-a-gothic-romance-anthology/

31st Oct Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Frontiers and Borderlands. https://masonstreetreview.org/submissions/

31st Oct Poetry, flash and more on the theme of Celebration. https://www.tunafishjournal.com/submissions

31st Oct Writing and more on the theme of Anxiety. https://feelszine.com/pages/submissions

1st Nov ‘Short stories must be less than 4000 words. Stories must not have been published anywhere else previously. The theme of this anthology is second chances, redemption, second try, play it again.’ PAYING https://www.bouchercon2021.com/anthology-information

1st Nov Fiction 800-2000 words on the theme of Heart & Soul. https://www.liarsleague.com/liars_league/forthcoming-events-themes.html

1st Nov Poetry, flash, short fiction and more on the theme of The Other Virginia. PAYING http://themaliterarysociety.com/submissions.html (Cathy’s note: those of us outside the USA may submit electronically.)

1st Nov Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Inheritance. https://halfwaydownthestairs.net/submissions/

1st Nov Mystery/crime fiction up to 4000 words on the theme of second chances, redemption, second try, play it again. PAYING, CHARITY/GOOD CAUSE ANTHOLOGY https://www.bouchercon2021.com/anthology-information

1st Nov Adventure horror 2000-8000 words. PAYING https://www.offlimitspress.com/far-from-home

1st Nov Speculative fiction up to 6400 words on the theme of The Bonds that Unite Us. PAYING https://www.constelacionmagazine.com/submissions

1st Nov Story, poem or nonfiction with the first line: Loud music filled the room, making it hard to hear anything else. PAYING http://www.thefirstline.com/submission.htm

1st Nov SF/F story on the theme of Decisions. https://starsandstaffs.weebly.com/submissions.html

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SUBMISSIONS WITH NO KNOWN DEADLINES

(Publishers might not give out their pay rates on their submission pages, so make sure to find them out before signing a contract!)

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

‘We want black voices to be showcased loudly here, so we are launching an ongoing series of black stories.’ PAYING https://www.sagecigarettes.com/submissions

Poetry. https://www.theelevationreview.com/submit

MSS of various sorts. ROYALTIES https://evolvedpub.com/submissions/

Satires of higher education. https://medium.com/the-monocle-of-higher-ed/about

Queer communist SF for this collaborative project. PAYING https://www.daybreakingzine.com/submit

Science fiction stories, comics and illustrations. PAYING https://www.infiniteworldsmagazine.com/submissions

‘HARSH is accepting flash fiction, short stories and (prose) poetry. While HARSH specializes in “upsetting, confrontational and aggressive” literature, submissions need not contain extreme gore, deviant sex acts or otherwise aberrant behavior to be considered. There are many ways to upset a reader; HARSH aims to discover all of them.’ https://harshlit.rip/submissions/ (Cathy’s note: be warned! This content may well be upsetting.)

Deadline every Friday: ‘Poets Respond—a poem written within the last week about a public event that occurred within the last week will appear every Sunday. Our only criterion for selection is the quality of the poem; all opinions and reactions are welcome.’ PAYING https://www.rattle.com/respond/

‘If you are interested in writing anything or submitting any recipes or other content please get in touch, we are happy to publish anything if it is not racist or hateful in any other way.’ https://fromthehorsesmouth.org.uk

Poetry, novels, and more. https://www.close2thebone.co.uk/wp/submission-guidelines/

‘Boneyard Soup Magazine is a horror and dark fantasy publication. Our mission is twofold: to publish the finest short stories from across the entire genre and to support new and emerging writers in order to bring fresh perspectives to horror literature.’ Fiction 2000-6000 words. PAYING https://www.boneyardsoup.com/submit

‘We’re looking for fiction (short stories, coherent novel excerpts, anything that might be deemed “flash”), poetry (just no goddamn footnotes, please), criticism of the feather-ruffling sort, reporting that tells the truth but tells it slant, and personal essays that have sentiment but aren’t sentimental.’ PAYING https://www.softpunkmag.com/contact

Poetry, fiction and more. PAYING https://www.takahe.org.nz/submit/ (Cathy’s note: submissions are accepted year-round, but there are deadlines for various issues.)

‘We are looking for speculative stories that explore science fiction, fantasy, and horror with a queer bent. We want queer stories and we want trans stories and we want aro/ace stories. We want indefinable stories. We welcome weird, slipstream, and interstitial writing.’ Up to 1200 words. PAYING https://www.bafflingmag.com/submissions

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Hello everyone,

How are things with you? I hope you’re all as well and happy as possible. I haven’t submitted as much as I should this month, which is annoying, as August is always one of the best months to submit. Still – we do our best, muddling on – and that’s fine. What makes you a Proper Writer – and I know that many of you will have Imposter Syndrome and think that you aren’t proper writers – is that you write. Nothing more.

Submitting and entering are fun, though! And they help you to develop as a writer (there are other ways – these are just two of them). You edit and proof your work properly, you think about how it would look to a reader who doesn’t know you at all, and you strengthen yourself by sending your work into the big wide world even though you know it has a good chance of being rejected, through no fault of its own…and you try new things because of themed issues or litmags with peculiar requirements, and you find yourself chatting to other writers and editors and publishers, and the whole thing grows…even if this isn’t happening for you yet, do remember that you aren’t alone. There are lots of us out there, all writing away, and dreaming and hoping and making mistakes and enjoying ourselves. Don’t think of us as the competition, but as fellow travellers.

Good luck, fellow writers!

And many, many thanks to donors and Patreon subscribers, who are so very kind and thoughtful.

Best wishes and stay safe,

Cathy x

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---

Here are some writing competitions and calls for submission, all with free, electronic entry.

As usual I’m passing these on in good faith but mistakes may be made, so do check all the submission guidelines carefully. Any info in quotes comes from the website itself and any dates at the start are deadlines. Also, I don’t know the sources personally, so do check them out for yourselves.

There are three headings (click/tap to jump straight to them):

• Competitions
• Submissions With Deadlines
• Submissions Without Known Deadlines

If you aren’t a submitter (why not? Nothing to lose! Rejection is something we all share!) then the themes can make great writing prompts/exercises.

Although I mention only fiction or poetry, many publications accept non-fiction, art or other forms, so do check if interested. Good luck and do let me know of successes! The links are in the comments, and any dates at the start are deadlines.

Where possible, I have marked the relevant entries with ‘paying’, ‘contributor copy’ etc. However, you are best off checking the info for yourselves as I am not infallible and the info isn’t always available or clear. Please be aware that a contributor copy may be in print or digital format. Also, some publications offer several things, eg payment as well as a contributor copy. Where this is the case, I have assumed that payment is enough of an incentive, so I haven’t listed everything. It’s a rough guide and should be treated as such.

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COMPETITIONS

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1st-14th Sep or when 300 submissions in each category are received. Flash fiction or flash nonfiction. PAYING https://forgelitmag.com/competition/ (Cathy’s note: don’t delay with this one! I’m expecting the categories to be filled very quickly.)

2nd Sep ‘Spectator Competition No. 3165: between the lines. You are invited to supply a job reference for a well-known public figure, past or present (please specify), that while seemingly positive reveals the failings of the candidate in question. Please email entries of up to 150 words to lucy@ spectator.co.uk by midday on 2 September.’ PAYING https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/tutti-bam-frutti-boom-musical-double-dactyls

2nd Sep Black writers only: poetry, flash and more. PAYING https://bwr.submittable.com/submit/8c0a904c-b26c-47f8-b908-8a69c5fc73b8/no-fee-contest-submissions-for-black-writers

4th Sep ‘OOOOH, THAT SMELL There are few things as evocative as scent. For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which either a specific scent, or the sense of smell in general, is important to the story.’ PAYING https://onthepremises.com/current-contest/

4th Sep Essay up to 3000 words on the theme of ‘Communal solidarity and individual freedom: antagonists or allies?’ PAYING https://www.hubertbutleressayprize.com/how-to-enter

6th Sep USA only: poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE  http://waxpoetryart.com/usa/submissions/poetsoftheusa2.html

6th Sep Texas only: poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE  http://waxpoetryart.com/texas/submissions/poetsoftexas.html

9th Sep ‘Spectator Competition No. 3166: privates on parade. Philadelphia’s annual naked cycle ride has been cancelled because of Covid-19. You are invited to supply a poem either celebrating or lamenting this turn of events. Please email entries of up to 16 lines to lucy@ spectator.co.uk by midday on 9 September.’ PAYING https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/paradise-lost-in-four-lines

13th Sep Australia only: poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE  http://waxpoetryart.com/australia/submissions/poetsofaustralia.html

13th Sep Caribbean only: poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE  http://waxpoetryart.com/caribbean/submissions/poetsofthecaribbean.html

14th Sep ‘We are looking for stories for children that in some way touch upon ideas around building a sustainable society.’ PAYING https://www.greenstories.org.uk/stories-for-children/

15th Sep BLACK WRITERS ONLY ‘All unpublished, original collections of poems written in English by black writers are eligible. Simultaneous submission to other chapbook awards should be noted: immediate notice upon winning such an award is required. Winner agrees to be present in the continental United States at her or his own expense shortly after the book is published in order to participate in O, Miami 2021.’ PAYING https://cavecanempoets.org/prizes/toi-derricotte-cornelius-eady-chapbook-prize/

15th Sep Speculative flash fiction inspired by the provided image. PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submission-guidelines

20th Sep ‘Write and submit a back cover blurb of 100 words or fewer that sets the stage for a novel, establishes the characters, and raises the stakes in a way that makes readers want to find out more.’ PAYING https://www.queryletter.com/contest

20th Sep New Zealand only: poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE  http://waxpoetryart.com/newzealand/submissions/poetsofnewzealand.html

20th Sep Socially engaged poetry up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE  http://waxpoetryart.com/contests/sociallyengaged4.html

27th Sep Residents of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland only: poem up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE http://waxpoetryart.com/dublin/submissions/poetsofireland.html

27th Sep Light-hearted poetry up to 35 lines. ROYALTIES, POSSIBLE CASH PRIZE http://waxpoetryart.com/angela/submissions/lighthearted3.html

30th Sep ‘This call for submissions accepts literary (poetry; essays and short stories under 3000 words); video; music; or visual work around the theme: “Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome.”  All pieces must be previously unpublished. The most important hallmark of Holocaust remembrance and education is the phrase ‘never again.’  Unfortunately, tribal divisions, ethnic cleansing and genocides continue in the 21st Century. We are looking for submissions in any creative media (which can be exhibited online), and which highlight aspects of human unity, and positive cross-pollination between groups, ethnicities, religions and/or nations.’ PAYING https://ihraf.org/

30th Sep Fiction up to 3000 words. PAYING https://jerryjazzmusician.com/2013/02/short-fiction-contest-details/

30th Sep All submissions (poetry, fiction and more) are considered for the ‘Best in the Land’ $1000 prize. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES, PAYING https://www.texlandia.org/submission-guidelines

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

SUBMISSIONS WITH DEADLINES

• Support Comps and Calls via Paypal or Patreon.

‘Free submissions are open until early September’: fiction set in urban areas. ‘…preferred stories are fast paced, have a beginning hook, and are short enough to finish in a session but long enough for character development. Focus on a person or two, their key memories, their motives. Genre varies but all have a lot of events happening in a few words to the backdrop of a city, any city of your imagination. Bonus if mentioning climate change!’ PAYING https://amultiplicityofstories.wordpress.com/submit/

4th Sep Poetry on the theme of Together and Apart. https://saccharinepoetry.wordpress.com/

6th Sep Fiction 800-2000 words on the theme of Hide & Seek. https://www.liarsleague.com/liars_league/forthcoming-events-themes.html

7th Sep Speculative flash fiction on the theme of Smell. PAYS SOME CONTRIBUTORS  https://gohavok.com/submission-guidelines/upcoming-themes/ (Cathy’s note: they pay if they include your piece in one of their anthologies.)

7th Sep ‘Montana Mouthful seeks short fiction/nonfiction, poetry, and artwork/photography submissions for its 8th issue, and the theme is “Quarantine.”’ http://montanamouthful.com/submission-guidelines/

8th Sep Writing on the theme of Mixtape. https://www.perhappened.com/submit.html

9th Sep Fiction 800-3000 words on the theme of Before and After. https://www.liarsleaguenyc.com/submissions

10th Sep Poetry, fiction and art on the theme of Synthesis. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES http://www.constellations-lit.com/submissions/

10th Sep ‘Our eighth zine will be a collection of non-fiction, creative non-fiction and memoir, of no more than 1,000 words.’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.ellipsiszine.com/eight/

10th Sep Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Harvest. PAYING https://longleafreview.com/submissions/

10th Sep Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Hair. https://angstfzine.com/2020/07/11/call-for-submissions-issue-4/

13th Sep ‘We want to publish stories that make us forget where we are, stories that introduce us to people, places and things we’ve never seen before and stories that stick with us long after we leave them.’ Fiction up to 1000 words. https://www.ellipsiszine.com/submissions/

15th Sep Black writers only: chapbooks. https://www.boneandinkpress.com/submit PROFIT/REVENUE SHARING MODEL

15th Sep Writing on the theme of Truth, Fair Play, and Other Myths We Live By, or another anthology: Spot Cleaning Our Dirty Laundry.  CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES http://universaltable.org/wisingup.html

15th Sep ‘Chipper Press is looking for short stories about Unicorns. Tell our middle-grade readers about how the unicorn came into being, and if they still exist. If they are now extinct, what happened? Is their horn magical? If so, what magic does it do? Where did they come from? How do you tame one? Do they talk? What is/was their life like?’ 4500-17,000 words. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.chipperpress.com/anthology-submissions/

15th Sep Poetry, fiction and more by writers aged 50 or more. https://www.passagerbooks.com/submit/

15th Sep ‘A blue light tells you something special is about to happen in these modern-day folktales about the LGBTQ experience.  It might be ghostly, or romantic, or spiritual, but we guarantee you won’t see it coming. Our anthology will consist of folktales set in the modern world.  A traditional tale will inspire our stories, but our authors will re-imagine the original to illuminate the lives of LGBTQ people in today’s world.’ 1000-5000 words. PAYING https://bluelightanthology.info/

15th Sep Fiction on the theme of It Calls from the Sea. ‘As with all our “It Calls From” Series this one is HORROR, so I want to be scared. Be it real or mythological creatures of lore that attacks, make our hearts race and our nightmares come alive. We also want it to be within our reality, so please keep your stories on our earth.’ PAYING https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/open-submission

15th Sep Writers under 22: ‘Why reopen? Since Flexible Press launched this project a pandemic  has broken out and George Floyd was murdered. Therefore, given how the world has changed, we can’t imagine putting 22 Under 22 out without some work addressing the state of the world midway through 2020. Therefore, we are reopening for submissions specifically on the topics of George Floyd and the resulting reckoning and the pandemic only.’https://www.flexiblepub.com/22_under_22

15th Sep Dark fantasy drabbles. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/open-submission

15th Sep ‘Our goal is to build literary culture in New Mexico outside the typical centers.’ Poetry, prose and art on the theme of Chiaroscuro. https://manzanomountainreview.com/submissions

15th Sep Speculative poetry on the theme of Cat People. PAYING http://www.eyetothetelescope.com/submit.html

15th Sep Poetic Response to the news/current events. ‘We would love it if you can use any of these forms:  Ballad, Pantoum, Bop, Golden Shovel, Villanelle. But it’s not a requirement.’ https://theliterarynest.com/submissions/literary-submissions/

15th Sep Poetry on the theme of Journey. https://feraljournal.wordpress.com/submissions/

18th Sep ‘Gutter is a magazine of new Scottish and international writing. We look for work that challenges, re-imagines or undermines the status quo; that pushes at the boundaries of form and function; that is striking and beautiful.’ PAYING (SUBJECT TO FUNDRAISER/FUNDING) https://www.guttermag.co.uk/submit

21st Sep Black writers only:  ‘We are delighted to announce a new call for submissions which is now open! We are looking for twelve to twenty short stories by black contemporary writers to complement a selection of core classic tales by early black writers of speculative fiction.’ 2000-4000 words. PAYING http://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/black-sci-fi-short-stories-call-for-submissions

24th Sep 500 word story on the theme of Reign. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES

https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

27th Sep Poems on the theme of Greenhouse. ‘We especially encourage BIPOC and QT poets to submit — your work will take priority in our consideration. However, we still welcome all work however you identify.’ https://hummingbirdmag.com/nectar-poetry/

27th Sep Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Life in Limbo. https://littledeathlit.org/submit

30th Sep ‘What’s different about this “Strange Mysteries” collection is that you writers choose which holiday on which you wish to base your story. As Associate Editor Arthur Sanchez says, “It doesn’t have to be a major holiday. If your favorite is National Taco Day, go with it!” ‘ Like most of our “Strange Mysteries” series, it will contain some 20 stories, each 3000 words.’  PAYING https://whortleberrypress.com/

30th Sep or until free subs cap is reached: ‘We are seeking retellings and rewritings of classic fairytales that FEATURE People of Color or different ethnic or cultural backgrounds (non-white) as the characters and that are WRITTEN by People of Color or different ethnic or cultural backgrounds (non-white).’ PAYINGhttp://www.press.alternatingcurrentarts.com/2016/11/submit-to-alternating-current-press.html#projects (Cathy’s note: they already have stories based on a number of fairytales, so make sure that your story is based on a different one. Check the guidelines!)

30th Sep Canadian residents and landed immigrants only: poetry and short fiction MSS. https://www.uap.ualberta.ca/publish/submission-information#literary

30th Sep ‘Speculative fiction/horror. Dark bias. Can include comedy and romance elements.’ Theme: Wrath. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/

30th Sep ‘For this anthology, we’re looking for stories that depict a (near) future Earth that’s somehow better than this one. Show us a world post-climate change, where we made peace with the planet. Or a world where we moved past racism and into a broader understanding of the connectedness of all the races of humanity. How about one where gender no longer matters? Or where borders are no more.’ 5000-15,000 words. PAYING https://www.otherworldsink.com/submissions/?cn-reloaded=1

30th Sep ‘You can submit up to SIX pieces (but please do not submit more than six), on the theme of: A NEW WORLD: Rethinking our lives post pandemic.’ Poetry. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES https://www.thepoetmagazine.org/contribute

1st Oct Poetry, fiction and more. PAYING http://raconteurmag.com/written-submission-guidelines/

1st Oct ‘We are looking for art, photography, essays, poetry, and other creative works to explore the racism, injustices and soul-killing aspects of this problem. We want artists to cry out in this anthology and demand justice.‘https://www.flowersongpress.com/call-for-submissions

1st Oct ‘Think deep ocean creatures, lore of sea-folk and forgotten cities, ships lost at sea and beach side vacations. Anything that can happen on or near a body of water is acceptable.’ 1000-10,000 words. CONTRIBUTOR COPY+ ROYALTIES https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/open-submission

1st Oct Cthulhu Mythos stories set in the Arthurian world. PROFIT/REVENUE SHARING MODEL https://18thwall.com/open-submissions-shadows-over-avalon

1st Oct ‘Patients, students, family members, caregivers, nurses, physicians, healthcare consumers, artists, mental health providers, physical therapists, writers, clergy—all of us will be patients one day and all are welcome to submit work. We are especially looking for content that connects us, make us feel something, or helps us see illness, wellness, health, or the healthcare environment differently.’ Theme: Bias. https://pleaseseeme.com/submissions/

1st Oct Theme: Bees. ‘Length of the work: our sweet spot is between 150 to 300 words. Anything over or under, we’ll be less psyched on. Poems? Let’s try to keep it under 25 lines, bbz.’ https://www.meowmeowpowpowlit.com/submission-guidelines.html

1st Oct ‘The November 2020 issue of Glass: A Journal of Poetry will be a special Poets Resist edition focusing on the 2020 election. For this 2020 Election Edition of Glass/Poets Resist, we will gather a series of poems that look back on the past four years and/or look toward the upcoming four years.’ http://www.glass-poetry.com/journal/submit.html#Elections

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SUBMISSIONS WITH NO KNOWN DEADLINES

(Publishers might not give out their pay rates on their submission pages, so make sure to find them out before signing a contract!)

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‘Here at One Hand Clapping we are not fond of submission guidelines. Just send us your best work in the format that shows it off to its best advantage. (Our one request is that, if you’re a writer, you send it in Word. But even that isn’t a hard and fast rule.)’ https://www.1handclapping.online/submissions

‘We are seeking personal essays, poetry, fiction, artwork, interviews, how-to guides, reviews, thought pieces and listicles relating to: the esoteric and liminal, weird and wyrd…’ Also magical practice, inclusive feminism, mental health and more. https://www.mookychick.co.uk/submission-guidelines

Poetry on the theme of epidemics and pandemics, from ancient to Covid. https://poetryandcovid.com/

Dystopian/political poetry, fiction and more. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES, POSSIBLE PAYMENThttps://dystjournal.net/

‘We’re looking for your scariest short fiction and terrifying true stories.’ 1000-6000 words. PAYING https://www.lompublishing.com/submission-call

‘Prose, poetry, creative non-fiction, essays, and visual art.’ https://fragmentedvoices.com/submissions/

‘Please make us smirk.  Or say to ourselves, “Clever.  Clever.”  Or open our mouths at the surreality of your world. Or make us lose our spleen in disemboweling, howling hahahaha!  Ha!’ PAYING  https://catbirdhaha.com/submissions-guidelines/

Short speculative work. ‘Octavos is a venue for speculative poetry 8 lines or under. We define a line as containing at least one character. White space doesn’t add to the line count. Constraint 280 is a venue for narrative speculative work up to 280 characters long. This usually means microfiction and poetry, but things like Twitter bots that generate tweets are also welcome. Experimental and interactive forms are very much welcome. Code may exceed 280 characters if the printed output is 280 characters or under.’ PAYING https://microverses.net/submissions

‘Submissions are currently invited for unpublished works and translations that deal with undiscovered territories and blur boundaries. Experimental works are strongly encouraged.’ https://www.pamenarpress.com/submissions

‘We are looking for writing and art that intertwines the marvelous with the mundane and uses it to convey a message. Tell us about the magic that lives at the dinner table; the creatures that walk alongside us unseen; the power that takes hold of individuals when they fight for what they care about.’ Poetry, fiction and more.  PAYING https://www.wondrousrealmag.com/submissions

‘Stinger Stories focuses on small, promising bits of prose. Most of our published work is in the science fiction or fantasy genres. We will consider any work that is well written and unusual/experimental in nature.’ https://stingerstories.com/submit.html

‘We are looking for thought-provoking poetry that leaves you wanting more. We love works that bring light to the stigma of mental health issues, damaged hearts, and souls and all those in between.’ https://uniquepoetry.com/submissions-2/

Poetry, flash fiction and more. https://www.fahmidan.net/

‘We’re always hunting for books that are thoughtful, unusual, and captivating. This is why Mango Publishing accepts unsolicited manuscripts and reviews all proposals. However, given the volume of proposals we receive, we are not able to personally respond to all unsolicited proposals unless we are interested in pursuing the project. Also, while we do publish the occasional fiction book, the majority of our focus is on nonfiction.’ ROYALTIES https://mangopublishinggroup.com/submissions/

Deadline TBC: Poetry on the theme of Waterloo. ‘Wine Cellar Press: a poetry press dedicated to publishing formal and free verse in equal measure.’ https://winecellarpress.com/submissions/

‘What do I like? –> formal poems, free verse, alliteration, metaphor, personification, and all the other things that make poetry an art form. What don’t I like? –> non-thoughtful line breaks, tortured meter, clichés, bad sonics, and all the other things that make poetry unpleasant to read.’ https://autumnskypoetrydaily.com/about/

‘We are looking for poetry and prose that engages with any aspect of the COVID-19 situation: political, personal, media, family, shopping, self care, food, routine, isolation, community, worries and hopes.’ https://www.trainriver.org/covid-19

‘We are particularly looking for poetry, short stories and flash fiction. Any genre will be accepted, although we are looking to publish strong storytelling. For our first set of pieces, we would love to see work that can help our readers to make sense of the world right now. We are not currently expecting to restrict the themes of work although we would like it to reflect the world around its writer, whether that be an internal world or the seasons outside of your window.’ Poetry, fiction and more. PAYING http://www.sylviamagazine.com/

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