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59 Calls for Submissions in December 2020 - Paying markets

11/27/2020

There are nearly five dozen calls for submissions in December. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

I post calls for submissions on the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.

Happy submitting!

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Eternal Haunted Summer: Ekphrasis. Genre: Poetry, short fiction about a piece of art. "The work of art must be Pagan/polytheist in some way, or must be interpreted through a Pagan/polytheist lens."  Payment: $5. Deadline: December 1, 2020.
Revolute. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and micro reviews. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Arkansas Intergalactic Themed Issue. Genre: Science fiction and speculative prose and poetry.   Payment: $20 a printed page (capped at $250) and copies of the journal. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Slice. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poems on theme of Levity. “We look for work that plays off the theme, particularly in unexpected ways.” Payment: $400 for long stories and essays, $150 for flash fiction, and $100 for poems. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Artificial Divide. Genre: 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.: Payment: 0.06CAD per word. Deadline: December 1, 2020. Will consider some previously published work.

Muse Magazine. Genre: Nonfiction articles for children on theme of Making Predictions.  Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Worldbuilding Fantasy Anthology. Genre: Fantasy; Between 3,500 and 7,000 words in length for short stories and between 9,000 and 15,000 words for novellas. (Shorter or longer works will be considered in cases of exceptional merit.) Theme: “Politics as Story Conflict.” Your story must include as a significant plot element a political conflict that makes up a key piece of the worldbuilding. Payment: $100 per story, $200 per novella. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Lagrange Books: Worldbuilding fantasy anthology. Genre: Fantasy on theme: “Politics as Story Conflict.” Payment: $100 for short stories, $200 for novellas. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. Genre: Short stories and poetry. See themes. Payment: 20.00 USD for featured authors, or $10.00 USD for stories published on their &More page and $5.00 USD for poems. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Parabola: Secrets. Genre: Retellings of traditional stories: 500-1500 words, original essays and translations, poetry, reviews. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

FableCroft: The Art of Being Human. Genre: Short stories between 2,000 to 20,000 words long and poetry of any length. Stories must contain speculative elements – science fiction, fantasy and horror and their sub-genres are all welcome. "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." Payment: AUD$100.00 for stories of up to 10,000 words (payment for poetry and longer stories accepted will be negotiated with the author) and a contributor copy of the ebook. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy tales, and essays on theme of Angels. Payment: $100. US dollars only. Essays: $50. Deadline: December 3, 2020.

Fireside Quarterly. Genre: Short stories, nonfiction, art. Payment: 12.5 cents per word. Deadline: December 4, 2020. Opens November 30.

Prairie Fire: For the Love of Animals. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry on the theme For the Love of Animals. “Maybe more than ever, especially since the pandemic uprooted our normal lives, people have been turning to animals for comfort and joy as a way to reduce the anxiety many of us are feeling from isolation and disconnection. Payment: $0.10/word, up to $250 for prose, $40 for poetry (Canadian). Deadline: December 4, 2020.

Cliffhanger: Amateur Magazine of Adventure and Daring. Genre: Adventure fiction stories. Payment: $10. Deadline: December 5,  2020.

Somewhere We Are Human: An Anthology on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings. Genre: Personal non-fiction essays and poems from migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and displaced people with experience in the United States. "We are especially interested in essays and poems from those in the midwest and Border towns. We are centering and giving priority to essays and poems from Indigenous migrants, Black migrants, Asian Pacific Islanders, and Arab communities.” Payment: The anthology will be published by HarperCollins in English and Spanish. Contributors will be compensated a min. of $800. Deadline: December 5,  2020.

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction on theme of Red. Payment: $10 via PayPal for each story published in an Anthology. Deadline: December 6,  2020.

Into the Void. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: $10 per poem, flash fiction or visual art piece, and $20 per long-form prose piece. Deadline: December 7,  2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

The Other Stories Podcast. Genre: Horror on theme of Secret Messages. Payment: $5. Deadline: December 7, 2020.

Copper Nickel. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and translation folios. Payment: $30 per printed page + two copies of the issue in which the author’s work appears + a one-year subscription. Deadline: December 15,  2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fees.

The Great Void. Genre: Speculative fiction. Length: 600 - 2,000 words. See themes. Payment: 30% of profits shared equally among contributors. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, "and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way.” Payment: $50. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels. Genre: True stories and poems. "We are looking for true personal stories about how an angel has touched your life – stories of true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels. We’re looking for amazing stories that will make people say “wow” or give our readers chills. Have you experienced something otherworldly or celestial? Or had a personal experience with an angel or divine being? How did your angel manifest himself or herself to you? Were you the only person who saw your angel? How did your angel protect or guide you?" Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry on theme of Travel. Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Deadline: December 15, 2020.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Preteens. Restrictions: Open to preteens, teens, and men and women under age 35. Genre: True stories and poems. "We’re looking for everything, from serious to silly. What was your experience like as a preteen? Did you fit in with the popular crowd, or were you left behind to eat your peanut butter and jelly in the library? What kind of humorous or embarrassing things happened to you when you were that age?" Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens. Restrictions: Open to preteens, teens, and men and women under age 35. Genre: True stories and poems. "We’re looking for everything, from serious to silly. What was your experience like as a teenager? Did you fit in with the popular crowd, or were you left behind to eat your peanut butter and jelly in the library? What kind of humorous or embarrassing things happened to you when you were that age?" Payment: $200. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Women Artists Datebook. Genre: Poems that "promote activism and/or healing" by writers who self-identify as women, to be included in a spiral-bound datebook with original art. Payment: $70.   Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World. Genre: Short stories about fictional haunted houses. Payment: 2 cents per word and one contributor copy in each of all published formats. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Middle House Review: Height Chart. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $10. Deadline: December 19, 2020.

Newfound: Inner Spaces. Genre: Fiction, Flash, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, and Visual Arts on theme of Inner Spaces. Payment: $25. Deadline: December 21, 2020.

Story Seed Vault. Genre: Microfiction tweets based on science. Payment: Short Fiction (<150CH) $3AUD per story; Long Fiction (>150CH/<200CH) $2AUD per story. Deadline: December  24, 2020. Opens on the 10th.

Antimony and Elder Lace Press: To Live Again… Genre: Fiction on theme To Live Again. Word Count: 1,000-7,500 words. “Tho doesn’t want to live again? The idea of resurrection and conquering death is something that can be seen in many myths and legends of cultures around the world. This anthology will deal with the idea of resurrection, and of course, it’s aftermath.” Payment: $0.01 per word and a percentage of royalties. Payment made upon publication. Deadline: December 25, 2020.

Cemetery Gates Media. Genre: Horror flash fiction, 500-1,000 words. See themes. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: December 26, 2020, or until filled.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 6 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: December 28, 2020.

The Great Void. Genre: Speculative fiction. Length: 4000 - 15,000 words. See themes. Payment: 30% of profits shared equally among contributors. Deadline: December 30, 2020.

Bone & Ink Press. Genre: Creative non-fiction, poetry, and fiction chapbooks. Payment: Revenue sharing. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Red Cape Anthologies: I is for Internet. Genre: Horror. "We need short horror stories exploring the dark side of the Internet – think online dating gone wrong, killers for hire, cyber bullying etc." Payment: £10. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Dead Fish Books: Universe of Attractions. Genre: Fantasy/science fiction/speculative stories featuring a cross-species romance. Payment: $5 + Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Lonely Cryptid Media. Genre: Poetry and prose on theme Resist with Every Inch and Every Breath.   Payment: $25 for unpublished writing, $15 for reprints. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

WE’RE HERE: THE BEST QUEER SPECULATIVE FICTION 2020. Genre: Queer speculative fiction. Submissions are open for all speculative work published in 2020 under 17,500 words that deals either implicitly or explicitly with queerness. Payment: $0.01/word. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing: Lost Contact. Genre: Horror on theme of Lost Contact.   Payment: $0.05/word. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Groovy Gumshoes: Private Eyes in the Psychedelic Sixties. Genre: Crime fiction stories set during the 1960s. The ideal submission will be approximately 5,000 words. Payment: Royalties.
Deadline: December 31, 2020.
Ninth Letter. Genre: Prose and poetry. Payment: $25 per printed page, with a maximum payment of $150, as well as two complimentary copies of the issue in which the work appears. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Cincinnati Review. Genre: Prose and poetry. Payment: $25/page for prose in journal; $30/page for poetry in journal. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Existere. Genre: Poetry, prose, postcards, art. Payment: Small honorarium. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Dragon Soul Press: Spirit. Genre: Shifters. "Any animal shifters, settings, genres, etc are acceptable. All stories must include a main or secondary character that does not have a heterosexual preference." Word Count – 5,000-15,000. Payment:  Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Chestnut Review. Genre: Poetry, flash fiction, short fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, visual media (art/photography). Payment: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2020. Submit early in the month to avoid submission fee.

Branching Realities. Genre: Speculative Fiction and Poetry on theme of The Closet. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Workers Write! Literary Journal: Stories from the Workplace. Genre: Stories and poems from the workplace. Payment: $5 - $50. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Podcastle. Genre: Fantasy podcast. Length: Up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.06/word for original; $100 for reprints, $20 for flash fiction reprints. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Zombies Need Brains: THE MODERN DEITY’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HUMANITY, DERELICT, and WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy. Payment: 8 cents/word.   Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Chiral Mad 5. Restrictions: Underrepresented demographics only to submit – POC, LGBTQIA+, female (see guidelines). Genre: Speculative fiction, with all proceeds going to the Black Lives Matter movement. Payment: $0.06/word for fiction, $1/line for poetry. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Modern Poetry in Translation. Genre: Translations of poetry. Send up to six poems. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Allegory. Genre: Speculative fiction and nonfiction about the business of writing. Payment: $15.  Deadline: December 31, 2020. Accepts reprints.

Lost Contact: A New Horror Anthology. Genre: Horror on theme of Lost Contact. Payment: 5 cents per word. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Year’s Best Hardcore Horror. Genre: Horror. They want hardcore horror stories that were published in 2020. Stories should be up to 6,000 words. Payment: $0.01/word, capped at $60. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

The New York Times: Modern Love. Genre: Essay on modern love. Payment: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Arc Poetry Magazine. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 CAD per page. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Curiouser. Genre: Poetry and short fiction up to 5,000 words in length. Payment:$25 per poem, and from $50-125 (Australian) for short prose. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

And more ...

Cast of Wonders Podcast. Genre: Speculative fiction for teens. Length: 3,000 words max. Payment: 6 cents/word. Deadline: January 1, 2021.

50 Writing Contests in December 2020 - No entry fees

11/25/2020

This December there are more than four dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $45,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.
If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline is past, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck!
(Photo credit: Pixabay)
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Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2020.
Louise Beech. Genre: Short story of no more than 2050 words. Prize: £50. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: Open to African poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 and book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction book in progress. The project should address the history and/or legacy – broadly defined – of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding ideas. It might focus on the founding era itself, or on the myriad ways the questions that preoccupied the nation’s founders have shaped America’s later history. Fellowship amount: $45,000 stipend, health benefits, faculty privileges, a book allowance, and a nine-month residency (during the academic year 2018-2019) in historic Chestertown, MD. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Poetry Center at Smith College Prize. Restrictions: Open to sophomore or junior high school girls in New England. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

The Schneider Family Book Award is sponsored by the American Library Association. The award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Prize: Three annual awards each consisting of $5000 and a framed plaque, will be given annually in each of the following categories: birth through grade school (age 0-10), middle school (age 11-13) and teens (age 13-18). (Age groupings are approximations).  Genre: May be fiction, biography, or other form of nonfiction. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

The David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is offered annually to the best book in American historical fiction that is both excellent fiction and excellent history. Prize: $1.000.    Deadline: December 1, 2020.

The Pushcart Prize honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in small presses and literary magazines. Magazine and small press editors may nominate up to six works. Pushcart Press publishes yearly anthologies of the winning submissions. Prize: Publication. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Law & Technology International Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to all college and university students around the world. Genre: Essay. (See topics.) Prize: £1,500. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Thomas and Lillie D. Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. Restrictions: Open to published writers who are writing from the region. Genres: All. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

The W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction honors the best fiction set in a period when the United States was at war. It recognizes the service of American veterans and military personnel and encourages the writing and publishing of outstanding war-related fiction. Genre: Military fiction. Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 1, 2020.

Polar Expressions Publications Competition. Restrictions: Open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Genre: Short Story. Prize: $300, $200, $100. Deadline: December 4, 2020.

The Sunday Times Audible Story Award. Restrictions: Open to any author who has been published in the UK or Ireland. Genre: Short stories of 6000 words or less. Prize: £30,000. Deadline: December 4, 2020.

Grub Street: Writing Black Joy: True Stories From Real People. Restrictions: Open to any resident over the age of 18 in New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine) and New York state. Genre: True stories between 500 and 1000 words. Submissions can be in any genre: prose, poetry, or cross-genre. "During a time when the news is mostly dispiriting, we want to read true stories about joy – specifically Black joy: moments, scenes, memories, that celebrate Black families, relationships, culture, and history. We are looking for a vivid story that is transporting and meaningful – maybe funny, maybe poignant, but always with joy at its center." Prize: The winner will receive $1000, 2nd place $750, and 3rd place $500. Deadline: December 6, 2020. (Deadline extended)

Literature Matters. Restrictions: UK residents. Genre: "Awards will be given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. Launched as part of the RSL’s new Literature Matters programme, priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters." Award: £20,000. Deadline: December 7, 2020.

J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award. Genre: Nonfiction book. Applicants for the award must already have a contract with a U.S.-based publisher to write a nonfiction book. Award: $25,000.  Deadline: December 9, 2020.

Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize is sponsored by the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival. Genre: Non-fiction essay between 4 to 10 pages, set in Brooklyn about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. (Up to 2500 words). Prize: $500. Deadline: December 10, 2020.

Friends of American Writers. Restrictions: The author must be a resident (or previously have been a resident for approximately five years) of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin; or the locale of the book must be in a region identified above. The author must not have published more than three books under his/her own pen name. Genres: Books can be fiction or creative non-fiction and published in 2020. Self-published and e-Books are not eligible. Prize: $500 - $2000. Deadline: December 10, 2020.

Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: December 11, 2020.

The Levis Reading Prize is sponsored by the Department of English and its MFA in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Restrictions: The prize is given annually for the best first or second book of poetry published in the previous calendar year. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: $5000. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Literary Nonfiction (Kansas Book Award). Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Novel or collection of short stories published within the last three years. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 15, 2020.
Spark Award: Held by SCBWI , open to members of SCBWI who are self-published. Genres: Fiction and nonfiction. Prize: Envy. The SCBWI is our most prestigious national organization (US) for children's book and YA writers. Deadline: December 19, 2020.

New York Encounter Poetry Contest. Genre: Poetry on the theme "When Reality Hits." Prize: Cash prizes of $300, $200 and $100 will be awarded to first, second and third place poems.  Deadline: December 19, 2020.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Genre: First novel published in 2020. No self-published books. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 30, 2020.

Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create literary, media, visual, and performing works of art. Prize: 25 BRIO grants of $3,000 each are awarded to Bronx artists. BRIO award winners complete a one-time public service activity. Deadline: December 30, 2020.

Ezra Jack Keats Children's Book Award. Genre: Published or self-published picture books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for both fiction and nonfiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry, Griffin Poetry Prize. Restrictions: One prize goes to a living Canadian poet or translator, the other to a living poet or translator from any country, which may include Canada. Genre: Poetry. Books must have been published in English during the calendar year preceding the year of the award. Prize: C$200,000, is awarded annually in two categories – International and Canadian. Each prize is worth C$65,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction prose, up to 17,000 words. Prize: $1,000 with $5,000 grand prize. Deadline: December 31, 2020. Read details HERE.

The Lyric College Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

The Caribbean Writer Prize. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays or one act plays which explore the ideas resonating within the region and its diaspora, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. 2020 theme: "Diasporic Rhythms: Interrogating the Past, Imagining a Future.”  Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to students enrolled in programs leading to the Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $300.  Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Center Field of Gravity Award. Genre: Science-fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories or long-form poems up to but not exceeding 17,000 words. Prize: $200. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

USNI General Prize Essay Contest. Restrictions: Authors must be USNI members or those eligible for membership. Genre: Essay "to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to national defense.” Prize: $6,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Neil Postman Award for Metaphor. Sponsored by Rattle. Genre: Poetry. All published submissions during the year are considered for the prize. Follow their regular submission guidelines. Prize: $2,000.  Deadline: December 31, 2020.

The Four Quartets Prize. Genre: unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were brought together and they form a complete sequence. Prize: Three finalists will receive $1,000 each. The winner will receive an additional $20,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Cecil Hemley Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Lyric poem that addresses a philosophical or epistemological concern. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Lucille Medwick Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry, unpublished and published. Original poem in any form on a humanitarian theme. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Lyric Po etry Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter free of charge. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: A lyric poem on any subject. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

The Writer Magazine/Emily Dickinson Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: A poem inspired by Dickinson though not necessarily in her style. Prize: $250. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

George Bogin Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. Others must pay a $15 entry fee. Genre: Poetry that takes a stand against oppression. Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Robert H. Winner Memorial Award. Restrictions: Only Poetry Society of America members may enter for free. There is a charge of $15 for non-members. Open to mid-career poets who have not had substantial recognition, and is over forty, and who have published no more than one book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition. Genre: Story of interest to Jewish women. Prize: $250.  Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA presents four awards to an African American writer published in the United States during the previous year: one for adult fiction, one for nonfiction, one for a first novelist and one for poetry. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. Prize: Four $500.00 awards. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest. Genre: Poem. Prize: $300. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Lex:lead Essay Competition. Restrictions: Finalists must show citizenship in an eligible country and enrollment in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country to be confirmed for award.  Genre: Essay on topic: How can laws promoting gender and disability rights support economic development? Prize: $500. Deadline: December 31, 2020. You must register by October 31.

Natan Notable Books Award. Genre: Recently published or soon to be published nonfiction book on Jewish themes. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Society of Classical Poets, Poetry Translation Competition. Genre: Metered translation of a poem from the Romantic period or earlier. Prize: $100. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

2 Noteworthy Writing Conferences in December 2020

11/23/2020

While winter is usually a slow time of year for conferences, two of the most popular conferences for aspiring authors are held in December: the CLMP Writers Conference and the New York Pitch Conference.

Each of these conferences focuses on publishing. Most importantly they offer pitch sessions with agents. Making direct contact with an agent is the best way to engage their interest. A pitch session not only gives you the opportunity to present your book, briefly (you only have about five minutes), it also gives you the opportunity to present yourself. Make an impression!

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. During the pandemic most of these are being held virtually at reduced rates. Quite a few offer scholarships, so apply early.

(Photo credit: Pixabay)

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CLMP Writers Conference. December 2 - 4, 2020: NY, NY. Learn how to maneuver in the marketplace as an informed, empowered, professional writer. Our three-day online publishing conference features panels, clinics, Agent Pitch Sessions, and more—specifically designed to deliver insider tips on finding a literary agent, working with an editor, publishing in literary magazines, and other valuable information about building your career as a writer. Will be held online.

New York Pitch Conference. Dec 10 - 13, 2020: NY, NY. The New York Pitch Conference and writers workshop is held four times a year and features publishing house editors from major houses such as Penguin, Random House, St. Martins, Harper Collins, Tor and Del Rey, Kensington Books and many more who are looking for new novels in a variety of genres, as well as narrative non-fiction. The event focuses on the art of the novel pitch as the best method not only for communicating your work, but for having you and your work taken seriously by industry professionals. The registration fee until December 5 is $795.00, and $895.00 after that date. This fee covers all conference pitch sessions and workshops. Will be held online.

10 Literary Magazines Accepting Poetry NOW - Paying markets

11/18/2020

Here are ten literary magazines accepting poetry right now, from traditional verse to experimental forms. Most of these journals also accept fiction. All are paying markets, and none charge submission fees.

For a list of hundreds of paying markets calling for all genres and forms see Paying Markets.

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The Lit Quarterly

“We prefer to publish verse poetry of 12–40 lines, albeit we remain open-minded to submissions of fewer and greater verses. Without demanding observance to any particular brand of formalism, we solicit poems that elicit emotional response and critical reflection.” Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $100 CAD.

Microverses: Octavos

"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." Genres: Poetry and microfiction. Payment: $1 USD/line.

Scarlet

"Scarlet is a bimonthly blog dedicated to publishing the work of artists whose pieces give voice to the complexities of our multiple identities. In keeping with JIP’s mission to uplift marginalized voices, Scarlet aims to showcase bold and unique framings of the view from the margins, giving strong preference to writing that questions norms and provokes discourse. We are looking for work that redraws lines and reclaims spaces, as well as writing that is pithy, deliberate, and/or experimental." Genres. Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. You may submit up to three poems at a time. Payment: $80.

Apparition Lit: Justice

"Send us your strange, misshapen stories with enough emotional heft to break a heart, with prose that’s as clear and delicious as broth. We love proactive characters and settings that feel lived in and real enough to touch. Stories with style, stories with emotion, stories with character. We want it all." Genre: Speculative poetry and fiction on theme of Justice. Payment: $30. Deadline: November 30, 2020.

Split Lip Magazine

"We’re a literary journal that’s totally bonkers-in-love with voice-driven writing, pop culture, and the kind of honesty that gets you right in the kidneys. We love stories and poetry and art because they’re our insides turned out for everyone to see: the darkness and the confetti in equal measure." Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art. Payment: $50 per author for web issues, and $5/page for print. Deadline: November 30, 2020. Black writers may submit with no fee until December 31, 2020.

Somewhere We Are Human: An Anthology on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings.

This anthology seeks personal non-fiction essays and poems from migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and displaced people with experience in the United States. "We are especially interested in essays and poems from those in the midwest and Border towns. We are centering and giving priority to essays and poems from Indigenous migrants, Black migrants, Asian Pacific Islanders, and Arab communities.” Payment: The anthology will be published by HarperCollins in English and Spanish. Contributors will be compensated a minimum of $800. Deadline: December 5, 2020.

Eye to the Telescope

"I particularly enjoy genre-bending and pushing of form/function. That being said, non-traditional and hybrid forms are very welcome! or audio—.mp3 is best. Would love image or image/word hybrid—.jpg please! Video possible, not highly preferred, but will consider; conceptual here over literal, though open to literal with poetic intent. Column/table-format poems great. Would really love to see more math/science-based works." Genre: Speculative poetry on theme of Travel. Payment: US 3¢/word rounded up to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication. Deadline: December 15, 2020.

Arc Poetry Magazine

"At Arc, we find the brave new voices. We feature poetry that is woozy, cunning, shearing and wildlike, and prose that offers new perspectives on the verse you thought you knew." Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 (CAD) per page. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Modern Poetry in Translation

"We only publish translations of poetry (and not original English-language poetry) and the translations must be previously unpublished. We welcome work from any age, but we have a preference for contemporary work. You are welcome to send submissions of up to six poems. You must be able to obtain rights for the reproduction of these translations both in MPT and online on our site." Payment: Not specified. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

Curiouser Magazine

“We specialise in prose and poetry that can be defined roughly by the genre of magic realism. Whilst the official definition for magic realism states it is a form of literature that deals, in an accepting fashion, aspects of life usually represented as outside reality, we prefer to cast our nets a little bit wider.
We love the fantastical, the horrific, the experimental, the incantatory. We don’t like morality plays, overt spiritualism, the banal, the painfully self-aware.” Send up to three poems. Payment: $25 (Australian) per poem and $50-125 for prose. Deadline: December 31, 2020.

4 Agents Seeking Nonfiction

11/5/2020

Here are four agents seeking nonfiction. Georgia Frances King is interested in nonfiction books about emerging science and technology, futurism, design, culture, and the arts, and supporting underrepresented voices. Anna Petkovich is interested in wellness, personal development, narrative nonfiction, journalists and podcasters with big ideas, and women writing from a faith-based perspective. Shannon O'Neill seeks nonfiction books that inform, intrigue, and inspire: areas of special interest include current affairs, popular science, history, memoir, and psychology. Doug Young's range of interests is broad – including (but not limited to) history, science and politics, memoir and the occasional off-the-wall novel.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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Ms. Georgia Frances King of Aevitas Creative Management

Georgia Frances King is the former Ideas Editor of Quartz, where she led the opinion section, developed their influencer network, and published award-winning articles from Nobel Prize winners to NASA astronauts and thought leaders from Melinda Gates to Reid Hoffman. Before giving in to her inner geek, King spent a decade at a number of prestigious design and lifestyle magazines, including being the Editor of Kinfolk Magazine, where she also edited the New York Times bestselling interiors book The Kinfolk Home.

What she is seeking: She is interested in nonfiction books about emerging science and technology, futurism, design, culture, and the arts, and supporting underrepresented voices. With one foot in the creative world and the other in academia, she delights in making intelligent people more intelligible.

How to submit: Use her form, found HERE.

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Ms. Anna Petkovich of Park & Fine Literary and Media

Previously, Anna worked at Sterling Lord Literistic. Prior to beginning her career in book publishing, Anna was a freelance journalist writing about food, restaurants, travel and art for local magazines. Anna graduated from Scripps College in Claremont, CA with a B.A. in English and Gender Studies and an almost minor in French. Originally from Northern California, she now lives in Brooklyn.

What she is seeking: She is interested in wellness, personal development, narrative nonfiction, journalists and podcasters with big ideas, and women writing from a faith-based perspective.

How to submit: Send your query to queries@parkfine.com Please specify the first and last name of the agent to whom you are submitting, as well as the category and genre of your submission in the subject line of the email.

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Ms. Shannon O'Neill of Ross Yoon Literary Agency

Shannon is a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College and earned a Masters in Writing from Johns Hopkins University. A Washington DC native, in her post-college years she was able to fulfill her tweenage dream becoming a bookseller at landmark indie bookstore Politics & Prose. She has taught writing and publishing courses in a variety of venues and to audiences ranging from first year American University students to retired diplomats. She now lives in the Maryland suburbs with her family where she enjoys logging long miles on the C&O Canal towpath.

What she is seeking: Shannon seeks nonfiction books that inform, intrigue, and inspire: areas of special interest include current affairs, popular science, history, memoir, and psychology. She also seeks literary fiction that reveals the inner workings of complex characters or offers a fresh look at a seemingly familiar time, place, or situation.

How to submit: please send one of the following: query letter briefly explaining your idea, media platform, and qualifications for writing on this topic or a complete book proposal featuring an overview of your idea, author bio, media and marketing strategy, chapter outline, and 1-3 sample chapters. Please send these as attachments in .doc or .docx format to submissions@rossyoon.com.

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Mr. Doug Young of PEW Literary (UK)

Doug Young has worked in publishing for over 25 years, latterly as a publishing director at Penguin Random House but also previously at Hachette and BBC Books. He joined PEW in 2019 and is interested in hearing from writers with a story to tell, whether in fiction or non-fiction form, and people who write in a distinctive voice or from a fresh perspective.

What he is seeking: His range of interests is broad – including (but not limited to) history, science and politics, memoir and the occasional off-the-wall novel.

How to submit: If submitting a fiction manuscript, please submit the opening three chapters (or fifty pages) along with a synopsis. The synopsis should be a clear explanation of the plot from first to final chapter. Please accompany your submission with a brief cover letter that tells us a little about you as a writer. Send your work to submissions@pewliterary.com For non-fiction send a proposal. Your proposal should be approximately thirty pages long. (See website for specifics.)

7 New Agents Seeking Science Fiction, Fantasy, YA, Picture Books, Kidlit, Nonfiction and more

11/3/2020

Here are seven new agents actively building their client lists. Jennifer Herrington specializes in Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Mystery in both YA and adult fiction. Michael Signorelli is interested in literary and commercial fiction as well as nonfiction spanning science, current affairs, sports, and cultural history. Melissa Richeson wants picture books, chapter books, mysteries or magic in middle grade, and character-driven stories in young adult. Kayla Cichello is seeking everything from heartfelt or humorous picture books to dynamic, unpredictable YA. Kim Lindman is interested in representing narrative non-fiction, select short story collections, commercial and literary fiction in adult and young adult age groups, with special interest in contemporary fiction and magical realism. Renae Moore is interested in speculative fiction, mystery, thrillers, and select romance in YA and adult books. Renae is always interested in #OwnVoices. Paloma Hernando is looking for both graphic novels and prose fiction for YA or adult. She loves romance, particularly queer romance, science fiction that feels fresh, high fantasy, and middle grade with a good sense of humor. She is also interested in non-fiction.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.

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Ms. Melissa Richeson of Storm Literary Agency

Melissa has been working as a writer for years, with publishing credits in The Washington Post, Florida Today, Space Coast Parent, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and many more. She had a children’s fiction serial run in WDW Magazine for over a year, and she is a current features writer at the same publication. In addition, previous backgrounds in both marketing and teaching give her a unique edge as an agent.

What she is seeking: Melissa is drawn to witty wording and whimsical design for picture books, humor and quick pacing for chapter books, charming mysteries or magic in middle grade, and fresh, character-driven stories in young adult. She’s not the best fit for horror, high fantasy, paranormal, or graphic violence of any kind.

How to submit: Use her submission form HERE.

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Ms. Jennifer Herrington of Harvey Klinger, Inc.

Jennifer started her career on the editorial side of publishing with Kensington Books Publishing’s Lyrical Press imprint and an internship with Entangled Publishing. She’s also worked as a freelance editor for independent authors. After an internship at a New York agency, she joined the Harvey Klinger Agency in 2020.

What she is seeking: Jennifer is currently building her own list and is interested in representing YA and adult fiction. She’s specializing in Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Mystery. She’s especially open to BIPOC and LGBTQ voices in the mentioned categories.

How to submit: Use her form here: https://querymanager.com/query/JenniferHerrington

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Mr. Michael Signorelli of Aevitas Creative Management

Michael Signorelli joined Aevitas after years working as an editor. He published the New York Times bestselling novels The Death of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell, House of Earth by Woody Guthrie, and The North Water by Ian McGuire. In nonfiction, he edited Flash by Christopher Bonanos, winner of a National Book Critics Circle Award, and The Most Dangerous Animal of All by Gary Stewart and Susan D. Mustafa, a New York Times bestseller and the basis of a forthcoming mini-series on the FX Network. Signorelli graduated from Hamilton College with a BA in English Literature. He began his career at HarperCollins Publishers, before joining Henry Holt & Company as a senior editor. Most recently, he was the Managing Director of Gotham Ghostwriters.

What he is seeking: Literary and commercial fiction as well as nonfiction spanning science, current affairs, sports, and cultural history.

How to submit: Use his submission form HERE.

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Ms. Kayla Cichello of Upstart Crow Literary

Kayla Cichello brings to Upstart Crow Literary nearly a decade of experience in children’s publishing. A former Conference Coordinator for the International Summer and Winter Conferences for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she most recently logged several years as assistant to Senior Agent Jennifer Rofé at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She is open to a wide range of books, from picture books through young adult novels, and is especially keen to discover unique voices and champion new creators of tomorrow’s classics

What she is seeking: Kayla is seeking everything from heartfelt or humorous picture books (she has a soft spot for animal protagonists) to dynamic, unpredictable YA (she loves a good murder mystery or a clever rom-com). Kayla’s taste lies squarely in that sweet spot between commercial and literary, and she is looking for captivating voices and rich worldbuilding—whether it’s a seaside town in Maine or a fantastical other world. Kayla welcomes dark humor, suspense, magical realism, awkwardly adorable romance, and everything in-between. She is not seeking sci-fi or horror. Kayla is also open to representing illustrators. Some of her favorite illustrators include Mike Boldt, Amber Ren, Vashti Harrison, and Eliza Wheeler.

How to submit: Please send your query and first 20 pages in the body of the email to kayla.submisssions@gmail.com

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Ms. Kim Lindman of Stonesong

Kim started as an assistant at Stonesong in 2018, and now holds the positions of Associate Agent and Social Media Coordinator. Originally from the West Coast, she graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a B.A. in English Literature and a subfocus in Journalism. Since moving to the NYC area, Kim has worked with the United Nations and currently holds a hospitality position at Van Brunt Stillhouse in Brooklyn. Her distinct professional experience and personal passions make her a good choice for social sciences, travel, and beverage/cocktail books.

What she is seeking: Kim Lindman is interested in representing narrative non-fiction, select short story collections, commercial and literary fiction in adult and young adult age groups, with special interest in contemporary fiction and magical realism.

How to submit: Address your query to Kim Lindman at submissions@stonesong.com.

– Include the word “query” in the subject line of your email to ensure we receive it and it isn’t filtered as spam.

– For Fiction: Include the first chapter or first 10 pages of your work, pasted into the body of your email, so that we may get a sense of your writing. Please do not send attachments.

– For Nonfiction: Include your bio, credentials, social media analytics, previous publications in major media or books, and any other media, so that we may get a sense of your author platform.

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Ms. Renae Moore of The Tobias Literary Agency

Renae fell in love with reading in elementary school when she discovered all the places she could go just by turning a page. Originally earning a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Renae worked as a contract attorney. Soon, motivated by her love of reading, she returned to school obtaining her Master of Education degree. She then worked as a high school English teacher. Renae’s move into the publishing world began with an editorial internship at Tessera Editorial. She joined The Tobias Literary Agency in 2020.

What she is seeking: In YA and Adult, she is interested in speculative fiction, mystery, thrillers, and select romance. Renae is always interested in #OwnVoices.

How to submit: Use her query manager HERE.

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Ms. Paloma Hernando of Einstein Literary Management

Paloma Hernando (she/her/hers) joined Einstein Literary Management as an Associate Agent in 2020. Paloma has been working in independent publishing since 2015, involved in editing, publishing, and selling mini-comics, zines, graphic novels, webcomics, and large-scale anthologies. A 2017 graduate of Maryland Institute College of Art, Paloma currently lives in Brooklyn.

What she is seeking: Paloma’s favorite books often have a bit of magic in them, and she loves being able to dive into any world, real or invented, presented on the page. She is looking for both graphic novels and prose fiction for YA or adult, including more mature stories, particularly ones that deal with difficult emotions and nuanced characters. She loves romance, particularly queer romance, science fiction that feels fresh, high fantasy, and middle grade with a good sense of humor. She is interested in non-fiction for all ages, especially anything that digs into media analysis or an event in history. She loves a story with a strong voice and solid construction.

How to submit: Please submit a query letter and the first ten double-spaced pages of your manuscript in the body of the email (no attachments) to submissions@einsteinliterary.com. Please put the name of the agent to whom you are submitting in the subject line of your email.

59 Calls for Submissions in December 2020 - Paying markets

50 Writing Contests in December 2020 - No entry fees

2 Noteworthy Writing Conferences in December 2020

10 Literary Magazines Accepting Poetry NOW - Paying markets

4 Agents Seeking Nonfiction

7 New Agents Seeking Science Fiction, Fantasy, YA, Picture Books, Kidlit, Nonfiction and more

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