Comps and calls for July 2023

hello all,

complications from 1st wrist op

just had 2nd wrist and hand op

keep writing!

Cathy xxx


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):

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.

COMPETITIONS

14th Jul ‘Reality Show Madness! We are looking for flash in the vein of these reality shows with a heavy addition of the speculative. We are not looking for fan fiction.’ Theme: Eurovision/Singing and Talent Competitions PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/

15th Jul ‘The Kaidankai podcast is accepting original, unpublished stories with a haunted house theme to be read during August. The preferred word count is 1000 to 3000 words, but I’l consider stories outside that word count.’ PAYING https://www.kaidankaistories.com/submit.html

31st Jul Short story. PAYING https://www.crossingthetees.org/short-story-competition/

31st Jul ‘Send us your poems on any theme, of any length and of any style. Winners receive a range of fantastic prizes, including further mentoring and development opportunities from The Poetry Society, and former winners are among the most successful poets writing today. Entry is free to 11 – 17 year olds everywhere.’  PRIZES (UNKNOWN WHAT) https://foyleyoungpoets.org/

SUBMISSIONS WITH DEADLINES

Free submissions open on 1st of each month. ‘The Forge Literary Magazine publishes one prose piece per week selected by a rotating cast of editors… If there is no free link, we’ve hit our quota.’ PAYING https://forgelitmag.com/submit/

2nd Jul 800-2000 word story on the theme of Women & Girls. https://www.liarsleague.com/liars_league/writers.html

3rd Jul ‘At Fathom we publish articles, personal essays, profiles, interviews, book reviews, Bible exposition, theological and/or historical analysis, poetry, and short stories. The work we prefer often utilizes personal narrative to communicate the deeper aspects of the Christian faith and to draw our readers into the nuance surrounding an idea. Our standard articles fall between 1,000 and 1,600 words. Short stories should be at least 3,000 words. Poems vary in length and style.’ Theme: Goodness. https://www.fathommag.com/writing-for-fathom

7th Jul Cosy fantasy stories 3000-8000 words. PAYING https://wyngraf.com/submissions/

7th Jul Fantasy Flash Fiction. PAYING https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/lightspeed/guidelines

7th Jul ‘ We accept proposals from Australian writers only, for general, literary and commercial non-fiction – including history, current affairs, memoir and biography.’ https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/submissions

14th Jul ‘We publish primarily speculative fiction, from horror to hard science fiction to high fantasy to mysteries to magical realism to mainstream, but we have room for other types of fiction as well.’ Poetry, flash, and short fiction. PAYING https://www.daikaijuzine.org/guidelines

15th Jul ‘State secrets, family secrets, trade secrets, secret sins and secret loves, entrusted secrets, cosmic secrets, childhood secrets,  dark secrets taken to the grave––any sort of secret at all. Can’t keep a secret? Closely guarded treasure, or a bargaining chip.We are more interested in tales of mystery than everyday gossip. Send us your best unpublished stories of approximately 50 words about a Secret, or Secrets.’ http://www.blink-ink.org/submissions/

15th Jul Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of The Moon. PAYING https://ev0kepublication.com/contributors/

21st Jul Romantic flash fiction 700-1000 words on the theme of Love on Any Level. https://sparkflashfiction.com/submission-guidelines/

22nd Jul Theme: Rituals. Stories must be 2,000 (10% tolerance +/-)  PAYING https://theotherstories.net/submissions/

25th Jul Prose and poetry. PAYING https://www.mudroommag.com/submissions

28th Jul ‘Are you drawn to satirical takes on the social scene? Enjoy writing dark humour and starkly honest account of ordinary life? We are looking for content that takes risks, screams with honesty and celebrates life’s extraordinary moments.’ Poetry and fiction. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) https://www.follyjournal.com/submissions (Cathy’s note: There’s a day between the submission deadlines for poetry and fiction, but I decided to put them in one listing. If you fear that you’ve missed the deadline, check their Submittable page.)

31st Jul ‘We are currently accepting submissions for our first issue! We’re seeking punchy, genre-oriented short stories that can captivate, intrigue, and entertain a diverse audience. We prefer stories between 1,000 and 3,000 words. However, we will consider outstanding stories outside this range with an aim toward serialization.’ PAYING https://epicechoesmag.wixsite.com/epic-echoes-magazine

31st Jul ‘We like to balance each quarterly issue between science fiction and fantasy, dark and light, serious and humorous, hard and soft science fiction, and longer and shorter works.’ Fiction, flash fiction, book reviews, art, nonfiction, and poetry. PAYING https://sites.google.com/newmyths.com/newmyths-com-home/submissions

1st Aug ‘Writing allows us to imagine a world where oppression and trauma don’t exist. And there is a reality where we are not defined by our trauma(s), but through our power—And you’re invited to be a part of that. Awake is a digital zine and collection of work by Black authors that explores the power we each hold. For the very first time, Awake will be in print! Prompt: The West is under attack! Protect your frontier and deliver your ‘isms [alive] to collect your bounty!’ PAYING  https://luckyjefferson.com/awake-collection/

1st Aug Fiction, CNF and more on the theme of SUNDOWN: an elegy to the late, great musician Gordon Lightfoot. http://www.cowboyjamboreemagazine.com/

1st Aug ‘B Cubed Press is pleased announce an Open Call for Alternative Leadership. An anthology about leadership. Leadership by the under-represented, by those too often forced to watch as those less qualified, less capable rise in a system that cannot see the value of diversity and change.’ Stories, essays and poems. PAYING https://bcubedpress.moksha.io/publication/alternative-leadership

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!)

Horror stories by black writers. PAYING https://nightlightpod.com/submissions/

‘At Pratham Books, we publish books that enrich the reading experience for a child. We select manuscripts based on several parameters. Selected stories may not have all of the following attributes, but we do look for scripts that match most of them: Original and engaging, Indian setting, Interesting plot and characters, Diverse. Fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction.’ https://prathambooks.org/submissions/

Poetry, fiction, and more. https://www.therumen.com/submissions

Weird Horror Novels and novellas of 20,000 words or more. ADVANCE + ROYALTIES  http://tenebrouspress.com/submissions

‘We seek poetry, literary fiction, essays, and any kind of writings that do not fall into these categories, written or translated into English by authors who identify as Asian. We also publish reviews of books by Asian authors and interviews with Asian writers and artists.’ PAYING https://singaporeunbound.org/submissions

Comps and calls for June 2023

Hello everyone,

I’m recovering fast from my wrist fusion operation, though I’ll still be in plaster for a while. Many thanks to those of you who’ve sent good wishes. I can type properly now, at least! So this is a big, bumper issue to make up for last month’s short one.

For some reason, there are loads of opportunities in the ‘Submissions with no known deadline’ section this month. This is great for those who like to (or have to) take their time writing. One tip: copy the section, and put it in a folder to read in three months, or six months, or a year’s time. That way you won’t be submitting at the same time as everybody else! Though not all of the mags will be open at that time. As so often with submitting, it’s a difficult choice.

Huge love to those who give to my Patreon. There’s no special content – just the knowledge that you’re helping this site. You can also make a one-off contribution via PayPal, if you’d like.

Good luck and love to all,

Cathy x


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):

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.

COMPETITIONS

2nd Jun ‘For this mini-contest, tell, show, or evoke a complete story between 25 and 50 words long in which the same thing, place, or incident is seen from two very different points of view.’ PAYING https://onthepremises.com/current-contest/

5th Jun Three awards for writing for television (Channel 4). VARIOUS NON-CASH PRIZES  https://tinyurl.com/bd8u3v39

7th Jun ‘Spectator Competition No. 3303: sex education. Sex education has been in the news lately. You are invited to submit an explanation of the facts of life by a person from the field of fact or fiction who might be deemed a surprising choice. Please email entries of up to 150 words/16 lines.’ PAYING https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/spectator-competition-winners-a-liquid-lunch-with-dante/ (Cathy’s note: scroll down past the recent winners – though reading them might give you some idea of the sort of thing the Spectator likes.)

13th Jun ‘Imagine 2200 is an invitation to writers from all over the globe to imagine a future in which solutions to the climate crisis flourish and help bring about radical improvements to our world. We dare you to dream anew.’ 300-4000 words. PAYING https://grist.org/climate-fiction/imagine-2200-contest-submissions/

14th Jun ‘Reality Show Madness! We are looking for flash in the vein of these reality shows with a heavy addition of the speculative. We are not looking for fan fiction.’ Theme: House Hunters/Love it or List It/Extreme Home Makeover/Flippers PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/

15th Jun The Queen’s English Society Forum POETRY COMPETITION – WIN £100. The competition is open to all and entry is free. Each entrant may submit two poems not previously published or currently submitted for publication elsewhere. Please keep copies as those submitted will not be returned.’ Theme: STONE or STONES. To read further details, please join the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/497220742553565 (Cathy’s note: it’s free and I’m in it!)

30th Jun ‘A “drabble” is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words– but no more than 15. That’s a drabble.’ Theme: Space Station Duty Free. PAYING https://www.hiraethsffh.com/drabble-contest

30th Jun ‘The theme for Issue #13 will be These Things We Carry. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the prize winner will be published in the same or next issue (optional). Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming.’ PAYS ONE CONTRIBUTOR https://laststanzapoetry.blogspot.com/ (Cathy’s note: I wasn’t sure whether this is a comp or a call, so I’ve put it in both sections.)

30th Jun ‘Marlborough LitFest is excited to launch this year’s national Love Books competition, to celebrate and share a love of reading amongst all ages. Now in its fourth year, this competition is open to anyone across the country in three age groups: 13-15 years, 16-19 years and 20 years and above… The annual LitFest Love Books competition invites participants to explain their choice of a favourite book, poem or play by a written response of up to 750 words. The emphasis needs to be on what entrants love about their chosen read and why they think others should try it.’ PAYING https://www.marlboroughlitfest.org/2023-love-books-competition-now-open/ (thanks to www.prizemagic.co.uk )

SUBMISSIONS WITH DEADLINES

Submissions OPEN 1st June and stay open until filled, or Oct 1st: unsettling short story 1500-5000 words for one of the Dark Decades series. Check the website for specific parameters. CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) https://unsettlingreads.squarespace.com/submissions

2nd Jun ‘We are now accepting submissions of poetry, flash fiction, short stories and creative non-fiction inspired by the theme ‘Into the Forest’.’ PAYING https://spacecatpress.co.uk/submission/

2nd Jun ‘We are now open to poetry and fiction submissions for our Fiendish Father’s Day Issue, slated for publication June 2023. We are open to all of our regular horror themes as well as stories that have a Father’s Day element.’ Fiction and poetry. PAYS SOME CONTRIBUTORS https://talesmoonlitpath.com/submissions/ (Cathy’s note: pays for accepted fiction, but not for poetry.)

3rd Jun ‘Water is life-sustaining—a symbol of rebirth, cleansing, healing, and renewal. It reflects its environment, and it offers us a glimpse of our surroundings. When we gaze upon our reflection, we see our rippled selves in a seemingly altered way. In this process, refugees, like these shifting reflections, can find the resilience to reshape their lives anew. This issue of Clepsydra aims to deliver hope and inspiration to those who may need it the most. In this issue, we will come together and share words that bring hope, inspiration, and renewal to these refugees. We will also showcase art that provides refugees with joy and comfort.’ https://www.clepsydralit.com/submit

2nd Jun ‘Our theme for our inaugural issue is genesis; origin and creation. We imagine stories which explore what it means to begin or to begin anew. New Beginnings are always possible– but at what cost? What comes before the beginning? What comes after? Feel free to expand or embellish this prompt however you like– art is exploration. The Litmora team is looking forward to receiving your (undoubtedly awesome) submissions! – Submissions don’t have to be focused on the theme ‘Genesis’, but we welcome all that are!’ https://www.litmoralitmag.com/submissions

5th Jun Women writers: fiction and poetry on the theme of Poison. ‘Our Issue 99 theme is toxic substances, and the deliberate or accidental damage they can cause.’ Poetry and fiction. PAYING https://mslexia.co.uk/submit-your-work/fiction/

5th Jun Theme: Cinema. ‘For our winter 2023 issue, guest-edited by filmmaker, educator, and writer Saeed Taji Farouky, we seek works which explore the relationship between moving image–making and writing and what the two practices can offer one another… Contributors do not need to identify as of Arab/SWANA descent, provided their work is of relevance to or in dialogue with the social realities of the SWANA/Arab region or community.’ PAYING https://mizna.org/literary/call-for-submissions-the-cinema-issue/

5th Jun ‘At Fathom we publish articles, personal essays, profiles, interviews, book reviews, Bible exposition, theological and/or historical analysis, poetry, and short stories. The work we prefer often utilizes personal narrative to communicate the deeper aspects of the Christian faith and to draw our readers into the nuance surrounding an idea. Our standard articles fall between 1,000 and 1,600 words. Short stories should be at least 3,000 words. Poems vary in length and style.’ Theme: Love. https://www.fathommag.com/writing-for-fathom

6th Jun ‘Writers Victoria’s in-house magazine, The Victorian Writer, welcomes submissions from both members and non-members writing short fiction and non-fiction, poetry, and articles on the craft and business of writing.’ Theme: Lunar. PAYING https://writersvictoria.submittable.com/submit

7th Jun Science Flash Fiction. PAYING https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/lightspeed/guidelines

7th Jun We’re looking for all the same dark fiction, crime and noir as our usual submissions, but with a target length between 1,000 and 2,000 words, and aligned with the monthly submissions prompt.’ Theme: Freedom. PAYS ONE CONTRIBUTOR https://www.rockandahardplacemag.com/stones-throw-submissions

10th Jun Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. PAYING https://www.samjokomagazine.com/submission-guidelines

10th Jun Theme: Herbs and Spices. ‘Poets may send up to 5 short poems (30 lines max) as text in an email or in a single .doc attachment.’ http://www.highlandparkpoetry.org/

10th Jun ‘We seem to get a LOT of strange science fiction romance and dating shorts and poems… There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, in fact there’s so little wrong with that we gave in and are making an anthology just for it! THEME: Humorous sci-fi romance, romantic comedy, and smut. DEETS: Submit 1-3 short stories (50-3,000 words), or 1-5 poems (2-80 lines, including line breaks)’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) https://nat1publishing.submittable.com/submit (Cathy’s note: the actual deadline is 30th June, but only the first ten days of the month don’t require a submission fee.)

13th Jun ‘Skear Zines is now open for submissions – we’re looking for zines that build worlds in flash fiction, poetry, entangled memoir, spells, magic realism, literary maps, or some other experimental form (anything from 50 – 2400 words). We’re particularly interested in working with people who haven’t been published or whose work has been overlooked. UNPAID but author gets 15 of the 40 print run.’  https://skearzines.wordpress.com/2023/05/01/call-out-2023/

15th Jun Speculative poetry on the theme of Trauma. ‘Let your imaginations go wild in the speculative, but ground your trauma in the human experience.’ PAYING http://www.eyetothetelescope.com/submit.html

15th Jun ‘The theme for this issue will be “Past Regrets.” We are open for fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, flash fiction, and essays. We are looking for submissions from established, emerging, and never-before-published writers.’ http://devastationbaby.com/submissions

15th Jun Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Pagan Renaissance: Getting Started in Paganism. PAYING https://ev0kepublication.com/contributors/

15th Jun ‘In Issue 18, we are exploring the treasure heap of minutiae that enrich our lives. Minutiae may only be small, precise details, but far from mere trifles in their impact on who we are and what we truly value as humans… We accept fiction, nonfiction, visual art, and poetry of all flavors, from free verse to found. We are also interested in submissions that include raven artwork.’ https://www.youngravensliteraryreview.org/submission-guidelines.html

15 Jun ‘For poetry chapbooks, we are accepting manuscripts between 18-30 pages, single-spaced.  For flash fiction and flash creative nonfiction chapbooks, we are accepting manuscripts between 20-90 pages, double-spaced. For collections of prose, we are interested in manuscripts where most individual pieces do not exceed 2,000 words.’ PAYING https://bullcitypress.com/submissions-top/chapbook-open-reading-period/

15th Jun Flash and short fiction on the theme of Light. https://www.outtherelitmag.com/submissions

15th Jun Theme: Summer Solstice: Celebrations. ‘In the first of a new yearly digital collection, we are looking for beautiful works exploring nature in all its glory! We are particularly looking for work exploring the beauty and wonder of nature, celebrating the seasons, or natural things that you have an intimate connection to.’ https://www.greeninkpoetry.co.uk/submissions/summer-seasonal-2023

16-18th Jun Novels or collections of the SFF genres. https://www.lunapresspublishing.com/submissions

22nd Jun Theme: Wild West.  ‘This is going to be a softer take on the usual cowboy fare. We want to see things like embroidery. textile arts and other handicrafts. We’re hoping for some dusty poems and dystopian western action. Laura Ingall’s fan fiction, your grandmother’s pie recipe or a top 10 list of your favorite spaghetti westerns.  We like surrealism, magical realism, speculative, confessional essays, feminist diatribes, punk DIYs, paper dolls, poems, comics and more.’ https://creamscenecarnival.com/coming-soon/

24th Jun Theme: Artificial Intelligence II Stories must be 2,000 (10% tolerance +/-)  PAYING https://theotherstories.net/submissions/

25th Jun ‘We are looking for ghazals of any topic for our next issue. Please note that we encourage creativity within this form but we do ask that your poem be recognizable as a ghazal.’ https://www.upthestaircase.org/submit.html

25th Jun Theme: Cosmos. Poetry, fiction, and more. PAYING https://www.antithesisjournal.com.au/submit

30th Jun Fantasy Flash Fiction. Bipoc writers only. PAYING https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/lightspeed/guidelines

30th Jun Poems. http://www.glasslyrepress.com/publications.html

30th June Short stories on the theme of Mad Science. PAYING http://www.atomiccarnivalbooks.com/submissions/

30th June Horror and fantasy stories on the theme of Open All Night. PAYING http://www.atomiccarnivalbooks.com/submissions/

30th Jun ‘redrosethorns began with a simple core belief, that feminism is about empowerment. Through articles, poetry, interviews, art, and stories of all kinds, we intend to empower others to share their voices… For our second annual magazine edition, redrosethorns invites you to submit your unpublished writing and art on the theme of ‘HOME/BELONGING’… redrosethorns magazine publishes original short stories, creative non-fiction, fiction, poems, or art.’ https://www.redrosethorns.com/magazine

30th Jun Dracula Beyond Stoker: Issue 3: Lucy Westenra/Bloofer Lady. ‘What’s your take on Miss Lucy? Innocent and pure? Promiscuous Tease? How about her time as the Bloofer Lady? You can romance us or scare us, just be sure to intrigue us.’ Fiction 500-5000 words. PAYING https://www.dbspress.com/submissions

30th Jun ‘In honor of Pride Month, no-fee submissions are open for all LGBTQIA2+/Queer writers, not limited to those from the US.’ Poetry, fiction, and more. PAYING https://typehousemagazine.com/submissions/

30th Jun ‘We want to build on our micro-journal, Carmen et Error’s ethos of small things done well (and strangely!). We are publishing one fiction chapbook: Unfurl, a collaboration between Finlay Worrallo, Nathaniel Spain and Kym Deyn and we will be opening submissions for poetry pamphlets and micro chapbooks.’ PAYING or ROYALTIES, plus copies https://thebraag.co/?page_id=475

30th Jun ‘The theme for Issue #13 will be These Things We Carry. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the prize winner will be published in the same or next issue (optional). Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming.’ PAYS ONE CONTRIBUTOR https://laststanzapoetry.blogspot.com/ (Cathy’s note: I wasn’t sure whether this is a comp or a call, so I’ve put it in both sections.)

30th Jun Theme: Pentacles. ‘Welcome to our four-book series, dedicated to horror inspired by the Tarot. Does the story have to be about Tarot Cards… NO. Think cups, knives, wands, and pentacles. We are looking for the theme to be the element, not necessarily the card itself, although we would love to read that as well… What we are looking for: Unique, clever, and terrifying stories. Well-written relatable characters with flaws and real dialogue. Take us on a journey and scare the sh*t out of us while doing it.’ PAYING https://www.eerieriverpublishing.com/open-submission

30th Jun ‘Poets are invited to submit full-length collections focused on a specific theme between May 1- June 30, 2023. In choosing a theme for submissions, the press will select an area that feels rich with possibility, representative of the Guest Editor’s interests, and open enough to allow for a wide range of interpretation. For the 2023 submission period, the theme is: Dreams and the Subconscious.’  CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) or possibly CONTRIBUTOR COPY+ ROYALTIES – I’m not sure which. Cathy x https://www.codhill.com/codhill-press-guest-editor-series/

30th Jun ‘The Deronda Review is primarily a poetry magazine, but we are also open to short fiction, essay, and memoir… For the 2023 issue, we will still be interested in poems written in response to other poems (as in the 2022 issue).  Our main theme this time will be The Soul… In addition, poems about the seasons are always welcome.’ https://www.derondareview.org/submit.htm

30th Jun Aotearoa New Zealand writers only: flash fiction up to 250 words on the theme of  MOANA / OCEAN. https://flashfrontier.com/submissions/

30th Jun Poetry, flash, and much more on the theme of Mycelia. PAYING https://tersejournal.com/theory/contributor-guidelines/

30th Jun Theme: Motel. Fiction. http://www.cowboyjamboreemagazine.com/

30th Jun ‘Submissions are now open for our next anthology, ‘A Coven of Witches.’ All submissions must include witches, or a witch, as the main theme of the piece. Each author may submit up to three pieces for consideration. We accept short stories of up to 5,000 words and poetry of any length.’ PAYING https://www.westavenuepublishing.co.uk/p/anthology-submissions.html

30th Jun ‘Volume 9 of the popular Better Off Dead series will be themed around Death and Destruction.’ 4000-10,000 words. PAYING https://www.sinistersmilepress.com/submissions-new

30th Jun ‘We accept original submissions of short fiction in any genre (up to 3500 words), both formal and free verse poetry (up to 50 lines) as well as works of creative nonfiction (up to 3500 words). Theme: Childhood.’ https://www.inscribejournal.com/writeforusjournal

30th Jun ‘B Cubed press is proud to announce our latest Open Call:  Alternative Truths. Southern Edition: Bless their Hearts (working title). Edited by K.G.  Anderson and Bob Brown and the next in B Cubed Press’s best-selling Alternative Truths series. This book will examine the South, a place where politicians and their followers compete to peg the outrage meter. Why—and how—are they turning the United States into a cauldron of bigotry and hate?’ Stories, essays and poems. PAYING https://bcubedpress.moksha.io/publication/alternative-truths-southern-edition-bless-their-hearts/guidelines

1st Jul ‘O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press will consider chapbook collections of 20 (minimum) to 44 (maximum) pages of Experimental Discourse with no individual title in the submission to exceed 2100 words.’ https://ojalartsjournal.submittable.com/submit (Cathy’s note: they have 100 fee-free submissions per month, so get your submission in quickly!)

1st Jul ‘This anthology is ONLY open to authors who themselves are women, gender nonconforming, genderqueer and/or nonbinary. Stories MUST be from the point of view of a character who is a woman, gender nonconforming, genderqueer and/or nonbinary.’  Erotic fiction from 2000-5000 words. PAYING https://www.bweoftheyear.com/call-for-submissions

1st Jul Writers aged 40 or over: theme: IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE FALL IN THE CEMETERY. ‘In which your work deals with the broad idea of fall: death/endings/Halloween/All Saints, a chill in the air, etc., not horror for this, but a piece that’s more ghostly than horror would work too.’ Poetry, fiction, and more. https://devilspartypress.com/instantnoodles/

1st Jul ‘Coffin Bell is an online journal for dark literature. Publishing quarterly, Coffin Bell reads submissions year-round. If your submission misses the deadline for one (unthemed) issue, it will automatically be considered for the next.’ Flash fiction, short story, creative nonfiction, poetry, essay, short criticism, art. https://coffinbell.com/submit/

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!)

Poetry and prose. PAYING https://eddajournal.org/submit

‘We accept submissions of original fiction (short stories) and creative nonfiction (essays) up to 4000 words. Flash is also welcome. We are exceedingly unlikely to publish genre fiction.’ https://www.artwifemag.com/submit-your-work

‘Immigration Diaries will platform and empower the words of those who are immigrants or have experienced the effects of immigration in their lives. Through this, we hope to connect people through similar and shared experiences.’ https://www.immigrationdiaries.org/about

‘VerbalArt welcomes unsolicited submissions of poems and anything about poets and poetry. We also publish critical/research articles, translation, book reviews, interviews, biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, essays, travelogues and creative writings pertaining to poems, poets and poetry.’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) https://verbalart.in/submission.php

‘Honoring anarchist traditions while also remembering the great Octavia E. Butler, Black Dawn seeks to explore themes that do not reinforce dependency on oppressive forces (the State, police, capitalism, elected officials) and will generally express the values of antiracism, feminism, anticolonialism, and anti-capitalism … With its natural creation of alternate universes and world-building, speculative fiction acts as a perfect tool for imagining various avenues that can be pursued to bring forth a just and free world.’   Agents and authors are encouraged to submit science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, horror, and mystery works of 25,000 to 55,000 words. https://www.akpress.org/black-dawn.html

‘Phenomenal Literature welcomes unsolicited submissions of novels, poetry, short stories, drama, plays, Critical/Research/Academic Articles, translations, book reviews, interviews, biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, essays, travelogues and creative writing.’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) https://phenomenalliterature.com/submission.php

Accepting queries for full length books. https://www.publishinggenius.com/submissions/

‘If you have nostalgia for th carny, gritty world of professional wrestling, we wanna read, and we may wanna put it up on our new Jobbers sections, dedicated to our childhood love and adult nostalgia for the kayfabe and real stories behind the wrestling we loved growing up.  Think Tom Graves’ epic arm wrestling novel, Pullers, but with pro wrestling instead of arm wrestling.’ http://www.cowboyjamboreemagazine.com/style–submit.html

‘We are seeking works up to 32 pages.’ Poetry, fiction and more. PROFIT/REVENUE SHARING MODEL https://www.salopress.com/the-flirtations/

‘Send us your poetry, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, and whatever else you’ve been dreaming up—we’re looking for the weird and the wonderful.’ https://www.cherubmagazine.com/

‘We try to group articles and submissions by theme when it makes sense to do so. Articles are always about feminism, innovation, enterprise and critiques of policies and systems that drive inequality.  We are trans inclusive and intersectional feminists-full stop… LiisBeth/rabble.ca welcomes queries from professional and emerging feminist writers and artists anywhere along the gender continuum. We prioritize submissions from womxn, trans, queer-identified writers, community voices and journalists.’ PAYING https://liisbeth.com/contributors/guidelines/

‘The Bosphorus Review of Books is an English-language literary journal based in Istanbul. We aim to provide a platform for cross-cultural exchange, making space for literary works and non-fictional commentary for readers in Turkey and across the world.’ Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and more. https://bosphorusreview.com/submission

Poetry. ‘Some type of meter, such as iambic pentameter, is required (except for haiku, which are purely based on syllable counting). Some metrical variation is natural and fine.’ https://classicalpoets.org/submissionguidelines/

Novella and novel MSS of horror, crime, mystery, and dark general fiction. Between 20,000 and 110,000 words. ROYALTIES https://www.unnervingbooks.com/submissions

‘We are looking for good quality, pieces of writing, be that story, critique, poem, prose, spoken word, music, or other written work. The writer’s section is changing a little this year, and we are not restricting you to a theme and the open call is a rolling one. If you want to send work that is to the theme then do take a look on our website or social media pages to see what we are after for that month, Otherwise, the theme is Open – it must be creative, inspiring, or. critical in some way.’  https://www.haus-a-rest.com/opportunities

‘Wildhouse Publishing curates books for unconventional people with adventurous spirituality. We publish a variety of genres, in several imprints, but WHP focuses on trade publication (so not academic tomes or textbooks for classrooms) and always keeps our target audience in mind. We want to support gifted authors who also intend to address the WHP audience, even when it is financially risky to do so.’ ROYALTIES https://wildhousepublishing.com/submissions/

‘The way we connect with God in this life can be (and should be) shared with those who are struggling and surviving through the darkness. We are called to be the light. What have you gone through that can help others? What have you survived that points your very life to Christ? I’d love for you to share your story in written form with my subscribers.’ Poetry, fiction, and essays. https://erickaclay.com/submissions/

‘Our focus is on visual and literary art that is “ekphrastic” in nature. The scope that this covers is broad: literature inspired by painting, photography, film, performance; visual art provoked by poems, prose, essays, journalism, etc.  We request any work that finds its home in interdisciplinary expression. This includes visually-adventurous poetry, non-conventional prose, scripts, screenplays, reviews, original translation, and more.’ https://ekphrasismagazine.weebly.com/submit.html

‘According to the Coroner is excited to hear what you have sworn to take to the grave. We take submissions always and publish issues when the ghosts start to get loud. We are excited to look at submissions of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual art.’ https://accordingtothecoro.wixsite.com/home/submission-guidelines

‘Thank you for your interest in submitting to Guernica. We publish poetry, essays, reportage/journalism, criticism, and fiction.’ PAYING https://guernicamagazine.submittable.com/submit

Up to three haiku or senryu. https://shadowpondjournal.blogspot.com/2023/05/information.html

‘The Battering Ram will only review submissions from students in high school or younger. Submit your work to be reviewed by our Editorial Board, and possibly be published in our award-winning journal! We welcome submissions of poetry, prose, artwork, photography, and anything else magnificent you’ve created.’ CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL) https://www.battering-ram-wds.org/submit

‘InterNova is a pure science fiction magazine, no fantasy, horror and so on (no offence intended!). We are looking for intelligent, stylish and entertaining modern sf stories, original in idea and conception, from all over the world. For our nonfiction-section we are also looking for articles and essays on international science fiction, especially surveys of the local sf production of countries and areas outside of the English-speaking world.’ https://internova.worldculturehub.net/submission-guidelines/

‘Have something you think would fit at The Gorko? Email fake news reviews cartoons art poems and queries.’ https://thegorkogazette.com/submit/

Erotic fiction for a podcast. PAYING https://nobilis.libsyn.com/

‘We like stories with singular visions and points-of-view. We want to be the home of fiction that challenges the reader even just a little bit, at least to the point of thinking about something in a new or different way. We’d like to sit somewhere between speculative fiction and literary fiction, taking aspects of both and creating something new and original. We like wild, out-there, high-concept ideas that are still very grounded in character.’ PAYING https://www.cosmoramaofficial.com/submit

Poetry and short prose. https://inksweatandtears.co.uk/submissions/ (Cathy’s note: although there’s no pay, I, S and T is highly respected here in the UK, and elsewhere.)

Comps and calls for May 2023

Hello Everyone,

I had my wrist fusion operation this month! So, the listings are tiny!

I should be better next month I hope when I shall be able to type with any luck. Keep writing!

Good luck and love to all,

Cathy x


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):

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.

COMPETITIONS

11th May ‘Limp Wrist’s Glitter Bomb Award  (GBA) is an annual poetry contest.  The award is for one outstanding poem by a poet of any stage of her/his/their career.  The GBA is a contest with no entry fee that is open to LGBTQIA+/non-binary poets and their allies.’ PAYING https://www.limpwristmagazine.com/glitterbombaward (thanks to www.winningwriters.com for this one)

14th May Underrepresented UK writers over 18 only: poetry, fiction or CNF on the theme of X. PAYING https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/for-writers/creative-future-writers-award/how-to-enter/ (Cathy’s note: the eligibility criteria are quite broad, so don’t self-reject!)

14th May ‘Reality Show Madness! We are looking for flash in the vein of these reality shows with a heavy addition of the speculative. We are not looking for fan fiction.’ Theme: Great British Bake Off/Baking It/Cooking Shows PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/

15th May ‘Submissions should be haiku inspired by insects (or spiders or millipedes or other related arthropods).’ PRIZES (UNKNOWN WHAT) https://express.adobe.com/page/NyhMS45l2Be0H/

1st Jun ‘The OFIC Press Prize will be awarded to up to 2 novels and up to 3-4 novellas, which will be published in 2024. The prize for a novel is $1000 and a novella $250. Novels will be published as standalone books and novellas will be compiled into an anthology. Your work must stand on its own as an original piece, although we of course welcome common fanfiction tropes (or the subversion thereof), and works that feel fanfiction-y but contain original characters and worlds. If you don’t know what “in fandom” means, this is not the press for you.’ PAYING https://www.oficmag.com/submit

SUBMISSIONS WITH DEADLINES

3rd May Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Spice. PAYING https://thesuburbanreview.com/submit/

3rd May Poets living outside the United States: ‘… you must be a woman over 60. You may submit up to three poems, all of which should be previously unpublished.’ https://persimmontree.org/submissions/#poetry (Cathy’s note: they refer to this as a competition, but as there’s no prize except publication, it doesn’t fit the specifications for a competition on Comps and Calls.)

3rd May Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Spice. PAYING https://thesuburbanreview.com/submit/

7th May 800-2000 word story on the theme of Heroes & Villains. https://www.liarsleague.com/liars_league/writers.html

8th May ‘At Fathom we publish articles, personal essays, profiles, interviews, book reviews, Bible exposition, theological and/or historical analysis, poetry, and short stories. The work we prefer often utilizes personal narrative to communicate the deeper aspects of the Christian faith and to draw our readers into the nuance surrounding an idea. Our standard articles fall between 1,000 and 1,600 words. Short stories should be at least 3,000 words. Poems vary in length and style.’ Theme: Self-control. https://www.fathommag.com/writing-for-fathom

15th May Poetry and art on the theme of Second POV. PAYING http://www.songsoferetz.com/p/guidelines.html

15th May Poetry, fiction and more on the theme of Pride Month. ‘What might a sacred story immortalizing an LGBTQIA+ icon look like today? Do you factor Stonewall, Pride, or marriage equality into your sacred cosmology? Do you view some deities as being particularly linked with LGBTQIA identities or breaking gender norms?’ PAYING https://ev0kepublication.com/contributors/

15th May ‘Farmer-ish publishes both online issues and print collections. We’re looking for creative and engaging content on farming, homesteading, raising animals, cooking, making, and raising a family. We want creative nonfiction, personal essays, memoir, how-to pieces, informational and instructional essays, poetry, and more.’ PAYING https://farmerish.net/submissions/

19th May Women over 60: writing on the theme of Verbal Lightning. https://persimmontree.org/submissions/

20th May Women over 60: ‘Topic for the fall issue: Shameless Self-Promotion. What we are looking for: Women of the “boomer” generation and before were, by and large, raised to be self-effacing, not to trumpet our accomplishments. In fact, many of us came of age believing it would be unseemly for us even to have accomplishments. It’s time to step outside that (dis)comfort zone: Short Takes is open for bragging. Of all the fabulous things you have done in your life, until now cloaked in demure silence, which makes you proudest? Share it, or them, with pride, and without embarrassment.’ https://persimmontree.org/submissions/#poetry

31st May Speculative fiction and poetry on the theme of Creature. PAYING https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/

30th May ‘Pupusas nourish body and soul. They are an umbilical cord to the cultural, spiritual, and historical roots of Salvadorans and Central Americans in the US. Tell us your stories of immigration, arrival, resilience, identity, and community through the lens of the humble and mighty pupusa. We welcome poems written in English or Spanish.’ https://www.flowersongpress.com/call-for-submissions

31st May ‘Our third issue invites poetry, short stories, essays, interviews, visual art, film, and creative nonfiction that responds to conflict in the post-Soviet space. Conflicts may be interpreted broadly, including the linguistic, economic, social, ethnic, national, religious, or political. We seek to avoid Russocentrism, highlighting the underrepresented. However, we also acknowledge the responsibility Russians have to interrogate the cultural forces that undergird, promote, or permit Russian authoritarianism and imperialism. For this reason, we also invite Russian dissident voices.’ https://www.pocketsamovar.com/submissions

31st May ‘Reckon Review accepts prose (fiction and non-fiction) of any length. No poetry please… This is where we tell you what our aesthetic is, but we don’t like rules, and believe guidelines cramp creativity. Send us honest and vulnerable, something you’re proud of, something that will keep us up at night. Meagan’s taste skews gritty and rural, but she loves surprises.’ https://reckonreview.com/submissions/

31st May ‘This summer, we are celebrating Farmer-ish kids with a special issue written for kids and by kids. Because future generations are our hope, we are excited to present an opportunity for young writers, ages 12-18, to share their stories or passions for farming, gardening, nature, and more.’ PAYS SOME CONTRIBUTORS https://farmerish.net/farmer-ish-kids-summer-solstice-call-for-submissions/

31st May ‘We want real life content that makes us choke into our coffee. Whether it is something overheard in Wellington, Auckland, Tulum, LA or Brooklyn NY. Send us your hilarious snippets, your short essays on life, and see how far you can push it.’ https://www.follyjournal.com/submissions CONTRIBUTOR COPY/COPIES (MAY BE PRINT OR DIGITAL)

1st Jun ‘We seek to publish the best in Black and Brown poetry, fiction, and non-fiction from established, emerging, and never-before-published writers around the world.’ Theme: Climate. PAYING https://drylandla.wordpress.com/submit/

1st Jun ‘O:JA&L’s Buttonhook Press will consider pamphlet collections of 8 (minimum) to 16 (maximum) pages of poetry, prose poetry, or flash discourse, ifiction or nonfiction, including memoir.’ https://ojalartsjournal.submittable.com/submit (Cathy’s note: they have 100 fee-free submissions per month, so get your submission in quickly!)

1st Jun ‘Saucy Pineapple Publishing is currently taking submissions for polyamorous tentacle lover stories for Treasured Tentacles. This anthology is just for fun because… well, we’re curious. Aren’t you?’ 5000-10,000 words. PAYING https://www.saucypineapple.com/call-for-submissions-treasured-tentacles/

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!)

None this month! Normal service should be resumed soon…