There are more than two dozen calls for submissions in January 2019. 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 monthly calls for submissions on the last day of the previous 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.)
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Crystal Lake Publishing: Tales from The Lake. Genre: Horror. Payment: $0.03/word. Deadline: January 1, 2019.

Ellipsis Zine, Five: Love Pride. Genre: Fiction celebrating LGBTQ writers and writing. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 3, 2019.

The Stinging Fly. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €25 per magazine page. Poetry: €40 for single poem/magazine page. Featured Poet: €200. Deadline: January 9, 2019.

Texas Home School Coalition Review. Genre: Nonfiction articles about home schooling. (See website for topics.) Payment: $40 for nonexclusive print and electronic rights to feature articles that have been published previously, or works to which the author wishes to retain the copyright. (Authors should confirm that agreements with previous publishers will not conflict with THSC’s nonexclusive rights.) $110 for the exclusive print and electronic copyright to previously unpublished works.Deadline: January 10, 2019.

Overland. Genre: Progressive fiction on theme of ‘future sex’. Payment: $150. Deadline: January 14, 2019.
Shifters United: Shifter Mix-ups. Genre: Paranormal romance/urban fantasy novellas featuring shape shifters. Length: 20,000 to 50,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Rattle: Instagram Poets. Genre: Poetry. The poems may be any style, length, or subject, but must have first appeared on Instagram and not yet appeared in print. Payment: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Ruminate. Ruminate welcomes submissions that both subtly and overtly engages faith from all the world religions. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $17/page of poetry (with a maximum of $60 per poem). Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Women Artists Datebook. Genre: Poetry, art. Payment: $70. Deadline: December 15, 2019.

Sanitarium Magazine. Genre: Horror. Payment: Token. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Helios Magazine. Genres: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. Payment:$0.03 USD per word for the first 1,500 words and $0.01 USD after for short stories, and $0.25 USD a line for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Great Weather for MEDIA: Annual Print Anthology. Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, dramatic monologues, and creative nonfiction. “Our focus is on the fearless, the unpredictable, and experimental but we do not have a set theme for our anthologies.” Payment: $10. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Wizards in Space. Genres: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Payment: $30. Deadline: January 15, 2019. Reprints accepted.

Outlook Springs. Genre: “Weird, wobbly wordwork: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.” Payment: $10 for poems, $25 for prose. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Prairie Fire: Work Matters. Genre: Fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, and poetry on the topic of work. Payment: Print — Prose: $0.10 per word. Poetry: $40 per poem. Deadline: January 18, 2019.

18th Wall Productions: War of the Worlds — Absolute War. Genre: Short stories expanding on H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. They’re seeking to show the entire world’s response to the Invasion. They have detailed guidelines about what they do and do not want in the stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 20, 2019.

Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Prose or poem fairy tale on theme “Love.” Payment: $30/story; $10/poem US dollars only. Deadline: January 20, 2019.

NonBinary Review. Genre: Art and literature that “tiptoes the tightrope between now and then. Art that makes us see our literary offerings in new ways. We want language that makes us reach for a dictionary, a tissue, or both. Words in combinations and patterns that leave the faint of heart a little dizzy. We want insight, deep diving, broad connections, literary conspiracies, personal revelations, or anything you want to tell us about the themes we’ve chosen.” Theme: Books of Blood. Payment: Semi-pro. Deadline: January 23, 2019.

EVENT. Genres: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: $25/page. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

The Children of Clark Ashton Smith. Genre: Fantasy inspired by CAS. Payment: One penny Sterling per word, with a minimum payment of £10 Sterling for poems and very, very short stories. For illustrations, £30 for ‘header’ illustrations to a story, £100 for full page illustrations and £200 for the cover illustration. Deadline: January 31, 2019. Reprints accepted.

Room Magazine. Genre: Feminist fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, interviews, and book reviews. Next issue: “Sports.” Payment: $50 CAD for one page, $60 for two pages, $90 for three pages, $120 for four pages, $150 for five or more pages. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Freeze Frame Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction; issues are themed. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 31, 2019.
Arc. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $50 per page. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Less than Three Press: Bound By Nothing — LGBTQIA Collection Call. Genre: Stories of shape shifters with disabilities, from the physical to mental, visible to invisible. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

To Seoul, from the World. Genre: Short stories set in and/or about the city of Seoul. Payment: 5 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Ashland Creek Press. Genre: Book-length fiction and nonfiction on the themes of the environment, animal protection, ecology, and wildlife. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2019.
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Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: January 31, 2019.
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Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) take a look at Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity

January is a great month for writing contests. This month there are 42 contests, and none charge entry fees. Prizes range from $40,000 to a camera. As always, read the restrictions to make sure you qualify.


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 has passed, you can prepare for next year.
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 On Teaching Poem Prize. Genre: Unpublished poem written about K–12 teaching and/or teachers. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 1, 2019.

Tony Hillerman Prize. Sponsored by St. Martin’s Press. Genre: Debut mystery novel set in Southwest. Prize: $10,000 advance against royalties and publication, Deadline: January 2, 2019.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6–12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6–12th Graders. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: January 9, 2019 for Grades 6–10, January 16, 2019 for Grades 11–12.

The Mogford Prize for Food And Drink Writing. Genre: Short story which specifically includes the subjects of food and/or drink within the plot. 2500 words. Prize:£10,000 to be awarded during the FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival in April 2016. Deadline: January 7, 2019.

The Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. The prestigious award aims to provide promising writers a network for professional advancement. Since Poets & Writers began the Writers Exchange in 1984, 85 writers from 33 states and the District of Columbia have been selected to participate. Restrictions: Open to Arkansas residents. Genre: Poetry and Fiction. Prize: A $500 honorarium; A trip to New York City to meet with editors, agents, publishers, and other writers. All related travel/lodgings expenses and a per diem stipend are covered by Poets & Writers. Winners will also give a public reading of their work; and One-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming. Deadline: January 7, 2019.

Leah Ryan’s FEWW Playwriting Prize. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Completed full-length work for theater. Prize: $2,500, a workshop at the Vassar Powerhouse Theater, and a reading in New York City. Deadline: January 7, 2019.

Japan Center-Canon Essay Competition. The aim of the Japan Center Essay Competition is to promote awareness and understanding of Japan in the United States and to help young Americans broaden their international horizons. Genre: Essay. Contestants should write, in English, one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. (Contestants do not need to have any experience in visiting Japan or studying Japanese. Prize: Best Essay Award in the High School Division: 1st Place: $3,000 and a Canon camera, 2nd Place: $1,500 and a Canon camera, 3rd Place: $750 and a Canon camera; Best Essay Award in the College Division: $3,000 and a Canon camera; Uchida Memorial Award: $1,000 and a Canon camera; Merit Award: $200 (each) for up to five awards. Deadline: January 8, 2019.

New York Times ‘Win a Trip with Nick Kristof’ Contest. Restrictions: US college and graduate students. Genre: Essay. Prize: Trip with Nick Kristof. Deadline: January 11, 2019.

Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel Competition. Restrictions: The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel (except that authors of self-published works only may enter, as long as the manuscript submitted is not the self-published work) and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. Genre: Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 11, 2019.

Writing with the Stars. Genre: Picture book writers and illustrators. Prize: Free three-month mentorship with a published author or author/illustrator. Mentors will help mentees further develop their craft and share invaluable advice and insight into the publishing world. Deadline: January 13, 2019.

Orwell Prize. Genre: Political writing published between 1st January and 31st January 2018. All entries must have a clear British link. Journalism and ‘exposing Britain’s social evils’. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 14, 2019. (Their website is impossible to figure out, which is ironic.)

French-American Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: Book — best English translation of French in both fiction and non-fiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 14, 2019.

Texas Institute of Letters Literary Awards. Restrictions: Entrants must have resided in Texas for at least 2 consecutive years, or have been born in Texas. Genre: Book (published). 11 different categories. Prize: $6,000. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Beatrice Medicine Award for Scholarship in American Indian Studies. Genre: Essay and/or book about Native American studies published in 2018. Prize: $250. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Rattle Instagram Poets. Genre: Poem that first appeared on Instagram. Prize: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2019.
Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Electa Quinney Award for Published American Indian Stories. Genre: Story. “This award seeks to highlight the work of story creators who continue the tradition of teaching through narratives often crossing the boundaries of genres, formats and disciplines. To celebrate the dissemination of stories into spaces where they can be shared all published stories qualify including small press and fine arts printing.” Prize: $250. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

The Ellen Meloy Fund for Desert Writers was established in 2005 to honor the memory of Ellen Meloy. The Fund provides support to writers whose work reflects the spirit and passions embodied in Ellen’s writing and her commitment to a “deep map of place.” Ellen’s own map-in-progress was of the desert country she called home. Genre: Only literary or creative nonfiction proposals will be considered. No fiction or poetry proposals will be reviewed. Prize: $3,000. Deadline: January 15, 2019.

Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Novel. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the year 2018 considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $7,500. Deadline: January 15, 2019.
Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Books written by authors based in northern California and published for the first time in 2018 are eligible for nomination. Genre: Published book. Prize: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2019.
The Page Street Kids Prize (USA). Genre: Picture books of typical length by any USA author. Prize: $1000 Visa gift card, text and art development feedback, and consideration for publication. Submit a book dummy aimed at ages 4–8 (or narrative nonfiction for ages 8–12). Deadline: January 15, 2019. More info here.

Ellipsis. Restrictions: Open to authors who have not had a collection/novel/novella published previously. Genre: Flash fiction collection. Prize: Publication and royalties. Deadline: January 17, 2019.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Restrictions: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas. Genre: Essay on an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1956. Prize: The first-place winner receives $10,000 comprised of a $5,000 cash award and $5,000 from John Hancock. The second-place winner receives $1,000. Up to five finalists receive $500 each. Deadline: January 18, 2019.

Bethesda Literary Festival Essay and Short Story Contest. The Bethesda Urban Partnership & Bethesda Magazine have partnered to honor local writers at the Bethesda Literary Festival held April. Genres: Essays and short stories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First Place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Deadline: January 18, 2019.

Poetry Society of Virginia — Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in Virginia, grades 3–12. Prize: $10 — $25. Deadline: January 19, 2019.

Nine Dots Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors age 18+. Genre: Summary response on topic “Is there still no place like home?” 3,000 words. Prize: $100,000. Winner will be asked to write a book on the topic. Deadline: January 21, 2019.

Sweekstars Competition. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 22, 2019.

Driftless Unsolicited Novella Contest. Genre: Novella. Prize: $250 and publication with Brain Mill Press. Deadline: January 22, 2019.

NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowships, awarded in fifteen different disciplines over a three-year period, are $7,000 cash awards made to individual originating artists living and working in the state of New York for unrestricted use. These fellowships are not project grants but are intended to fund an artist’s vision or voice, regardless of the level of his or her artistic development. Deadline: January 23, 2019.

Roswell Award for Short Science Fiction. Genre: Science fiction, 1500 words max. Prize: $500. Finalists have their stories read by celebrities in Hollywood. Deadline: January 28, 2019.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. “The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America.” Genre: Previously unpublished work of short fiction. Prize: $100.00. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator’s Prize. The annual Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator’s Prize is awarded each spring to honor an outstanding literary translation from German into English published in the USA the previous year. Genre: Published fiction or non-fiction, may include: novels, novellas, short stories, plays, poetry, biographies, essays and correspondence. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Caine Prize for African Writing. Restrictions: Open to writers born in Africa, or nationals of an African country, or with a parent who is African by birth or nationality, Genre: Short fiction (published). Prize: £10,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Sunburst Awards. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories published in 2018. Prize: ? Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Canute A. Brodhurst Prize for Short Fiction. Genre: Short story, maximum of 3,500 words or 10 pages, accepted by The Caribbean Writer. See theme. Prize: $400. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Daily News Prize. Genre: Poem, of any length, written by a US or UK Virgin Islands resident accepted for publication by The Caribbean Writer during the deadline year. Prize: $300. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 10,000 pounds. Deadline: January 31, 2019.

Imagine Little Tokyo. Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short stories in Japanese or English for its second annual “Imagine Little Tokyo” writing contest. The setting of the story should be in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA– either past, present or future. Prize: $600. The winner of the youth division (18 or younger) will receive $400. Deadline: January 31, 2019.
 
Nelson Algren Literary Awards is a short story contest sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. This contest is open to residents of the United States. All entries must be: fiction, less than 8,000 words, double spaced, written in English. Prize: One grand prize winner will receive $3,500. Four finalists will each receive $1,000. Five runners-up will each receive $500. Total value of all prizes: $10,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.
 
Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Restrictions: Open to authors under 30 years of age who have not had a book published. Applicant must have been born in Ohio or have lived in Ohio for a minimum of five years. Genre: Short fiction and creative non-fiction. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 31, 2019.
 
16th Michael E. DeBakey Medical Student Poetry Awards. Restrictions: Only undergraduates currently enrolled in accredited United States medical schools are eligible. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: January 31, 2019. Note: Winners do not retain copyright.

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Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) take a look at Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.

Like December, January is a slow month for writing conferences. Nonetheless, there are some excellent opportunities to network, pitch your work, and attend stimulating workshops this month. (Some are conveniently located in warm climates.)

I strongly urge you to plan ahead if you are thinking of attending a writing conference. Many offer scholarships that can significantly reduce the cost. And all of the intensive writing workshops have application deadlines.


For a month-by-month list of conferences throughout the year see: Writing Conferences. (You will also find links to resources that can help you find conferences in your area on that page.)


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Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 10 - 20, 2019: Forest Grove, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing.

Key West Literary Seminar. January 10 - 13, 2019 (seminar) and January 14 - 18, 2019 (workshop), Key West, Florida. The seminar offers readings, lectures, and conversations with poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers. The island nations of the Caribbean have produced some of the most powerful and exciting writers of our time. For the 36th annual Key West Literary Seminar, we look across the waves to the vital literature that has emerged from this region. In bringing these writers together in Key West, we seek to both celebrate and transcend geography, in pursuit of the stories that hold us together.

TMW January Jumpstart XIX. Jan 11 - 13, 2019, Oak Ridge, TN. Parallel sessions of workshops on fiction, poetry, nonfiction, writing for young people, editing, storytelling, self publishing, oral history, keeping series books fresh; panel discussions/readings; Saturday banquet. Susan Gregg Gilmore will lead Fiction and Connie Jordan Green will lead Poetry.

New Year's Writing Retreat. Jan 12 - 13, 2019, Atlantic City, NJ. Workshops on Creative Nonfiction, How to Begin Your Novel, Poetry Writing Bootcamp, and more. Each workshop will offer craft discussion, writing prompts, writing time, sharing and inspiration.

Eckerd College Writers’ Conference. January 19 - 26, 2019, St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. The faculty includes poets Richard Blanco, Denise Duhamel, Major Jackson, and Peter Meinke; fiction writers Lan Samantha Chang, Andre Dubus III, Laura Lippman, Stewart O’Nan, Cathie Pelletier, Les Standiford, Sterling Watson; creative nonfiction writers Ann Hood and Helen Wallace; editor Colleen Lawrie (PublicAffairs); and agent Alexis Hurley (InkWell Management).

Palm Beach Poetry Festival. January 21 - 26, 2019, Delray Beach, Florida. The festival features workshops, readings, craft talks, manuscript consultations, panel discussions, and social events for poets. The faculty includes poets Ellen Bass, Lorna Knowles Blake, Sally Bliumis-Dunn, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Nickole Brown, Stuart Dischell, Stephen Gibson, Aracelis Girmay, Campbell McGrath, Gregory Pardlo, Matthew Olzmann, and Eleanor Wilner. The guest speakers are poets Tyehimba Jess and Sharon Olds. $895 includes all events, one gala seat; $495/auditor. Accepted participants may schedule a one-on-one conference at additional cost.

The 2019 Kaua’i Writers’ Retreat. January 27-February 2, 2019: Kaua'i, Hawaii. Live and write among the plumeria, hibiscus, and beauty of Po’ipū, Kaua’i. The Kaua’i Writers’ Retreat is designed to get you to a completed short-short story in one week in one of the most beautiful, inspirational places for writers in the world. Much discussion and freewriting will comprise the first half of the week. Then we’ll switch focus to our own writing: we’ll each write a short piece of up to 1,000 words (a complete piece or excerpt from a longer work) and do a full, one-hour discussion on your new, raw draft. FULL

I have often said that memoir is the highest form of fiction. By that, I’m not encouraging memoirists to make things up. I am simply reminding them that a good memoir must read like fiction, but it must also be honest. 

Honesty lies at the heart of every memoir. The author must adhere to the truth (allowing for the fact that there are different ways of interpreting it). Memoirists who lie to themselves, who sugarcoat, self-censor, exaggerate, or in any way compromise the integrity of their stories not only do a disservice to themselves but to us. The reason we enjoy reading memoirs is to gain insight, and to better understand the human condition. 

Do not be afraid to tell the truth if you are writing a memoir. Don’t hold back. And when you are finished writing your life, go get it published. Here are fifteen publishers who can help you do that — no agent required. ___________________
Academy Chicago Publishers is one of the oldest publishing houses in Chicago. They publish both fiction and nonfiction and have more than two hundred published titles on their list. Academy Chicago publishes about 60 new titles yearly under five imprints: Chicago Review Press, Lawrence Hill Books, Ball Publishing, Zephyr Press, and Academy Chicago. Seeking: Nonfiction, memoirs, mysteries, fiction, history, popular science, music, film, biography, autobiography, DIY, craft, and travel, as well as children’s activity books and young adult biographies. Read submission guidelines here.

Bellevue Literary Press publishes literary fiction and narrative nonfiction geared toward a general readership. They do not publish poetry, single short stories, plays, screenplays, memoir, or self-help/instructional books. Distributed to the trade by Consortium Book Sales & Distribution. Read submission guidelines here.

Black & White Publishing is an established Scottish press. They publish nonfiction and fiction in a variety of genres. Seeking: Commercial women’s fiction, especially chick lit, saga and romance, crime and psychological thrillers, contemporary YA and New Adult crossover books, children’s fiction. In nonfiction: memoirs, sport (UK and Ireland in particular), humour, food and drink, activity books. Read submission guidelines here.

BLF Press is open to various types of literary work. They are especially interested in work that centers women of color and same gender loving women. Their preferred genres are short fiction, literary fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction. Prose (fiction and non-fiction) manuscripts should be from 40,000–80,000 words; poetry collections should be at least 50 pages. If your work is under serious consideration elsewhere, please wait until you’ve received a decision before submitting it here. They ask for limited print and electronic rights. Read submission guidelines HERE.

Bywater Books is looking for well-written commercial fiction targeted to lesbian readers. They are especially interested the following fiction and non-fiction categories: Romance, Mystery, Action/Thriller, Science-fiction/Fantasy, Eco-fiction, Young Adult/New Adult, General Fiction, Cross-genre, Memoir, Essay, and Autobiography/Biography. They do not publish poetry or erotica. Read submission guidelines HERE. No simultaneous submissions.

City Lights Publishers has launched several famous poets, including Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Allen Ginsberg, but this press also specializes in literary fiction and nonfiction. City Lights publishes 12 books a year. Seeking: Fiction, essays, memoirs, translations, poetry, and books on social and political issues. They do not publish New Age, self-help, children’s literature, how-to guides, or genre works such as romance, westerns, or science fiction. Read their submission guidelines here.

Cleis Press publishes provocative, intelligent books across multiple genres, including literary fiction, human rights, mystery, romance, erotica, LGBTQ studies, sex guides, pulp fiction, and memoirs. Read submission guidelines HERE.
 
Fig Tree Books accepts completed manuscripts from authors of novels (adult, YA and graphic) or memoirs that deal with the American Jewish Experience. Read their submission guidelines here.
 
Honno publishes Welsh women writers — for the purposes of submission to Honno this means that you must be a woman born in Wales or resident in Wales at the time of submission. Honno also publishes titles of exceptional interest to women within Wales from writers who may not meet the first two criteria i.e. that they are female and that they are of Welsh birth or residence. They publish full length works of fiction and non-fiction for adults (manuscripts of between 60,000 and 120,000 words). Honno is open to all genres of fiction and is particularly interested in increasing the number of literary fiction, crime/thriller, commercial women’s fiction, science fiction and fantasy titles it publishes. Honno is also building a list of non-fiction works to include biography (untold tales of remarkable Welsh women, places and industries), memoir, nature and travel writing. Read guidelines HERE.
 
Kaya Press is a publisher of Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic writers in the United States. Their diverse list of titles includes experimental poetry, noir fiction, film memoir, avant-garde art, performance pieces, and “lost” novels. How to submit: Send your manuscript in electronic format. Files must be sent in a Word document or as a PDF. They will only accept works related to the Asian diaspora. Read full guidelines HERE.

Polis Books is an independent publishing company actively seeking new and established authors. They are currently acquiring titles in a wide variety of genres. While Polis primarily publishes books for adults, they also publish young adult novels. Submissions: Novel-length submissions should be a minimum of 60,000 words. In nonfiction they are seeking: Humor/Essays; Memoir/biography; Sports; Pop Culture. See their submission guidelines here.
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Persea Books is an independent, literary publishing house founded in 1975 by Michael Braziller and Karen Braziller, who still own and direct the company. Genres: Poetry, fiction, essays, memoir, biography, titles of Jewish and Middle Eastern interest, women’s studies, American Indian folklore, and YA. Response time: Eight weeks for proposals and 12 weeks for requested manuscript. Submissions: Queries should include a cover letter, author background and publication history, a synopsis of the proposed work, and a sample chapter. Send queries and manuscripts to info@perseabooks.com or to the appropriate editor (Fiction or Nonfiction), Persea Books, 277 Broadway, Suite 708, New York, NY 10007. Read their submission guidelines here.
 
Rio Nuevo Publishers focuses exclusively on the American West. Their list of publications includes 69 back titles and 13 new titles. Seeking: American West arts and crafts, cooking, history, gardening, memoir, Native America, nature, spirituality, and travel. Read their submission guidelines.
 
Riverdale/Magnus is the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) imprint of Riverdale Avenue Books. They are actively looking for titles, both fiction and nonfiction, in a wide variety of areas, including popular culture, entertainment, biography/memoir, self-help, spirituality, and current affairs, among others. Read submission guidelines HERE.
 
Square One specializes in books on cooking, parenting, business/personal finance, self-help, history, and memoir among others. Square One has been named one of the top ten fastest-growing indie book publishers in North America by Publishers Weekly for six years in a row. Submissions: When submitting your manuscript proposal, please include the following items: a cover letter explaining the concept of your book, why you wrote it, and its intended audience, a detailed table of contents, a brief overview of the book, biographical information about you and any coauthors or illustrators, a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). Snail mail only. Read full guidelines here.

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Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) take a look at Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.

Here are two new literary agents actively building their client lists. Savannah Brooks is interested in nonfiction, memoir, young adult, and contemporary fiction. In both adult and YA, Katelyn Uplinger represents Nonfiction (historical and cultural topics); Fantasy & science fiction (and all speculative fiction); Horror; Historical fiction (in all sub-genres); Thriller; Women’s fiction; Romance (especially historical romance). 

Always check the agency website before submitting. Agents may switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.
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If these agents don’t suit your needs, you can find a comprehensive list of new and established agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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Savannah Brooks of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Savannah Brooks joined the Jennifer De Chiara team in 2018, after interning for a year and a half. She’s an MFA candidate at Hamline University focusing in creative nonfiction as well as an editor at Red Bird Chapbooks, a teaching artist at the Loft Literary Center, and a reader for multiple literary magazines. Her own creative work has been publishing in Hobart, Lime Hawk, and Every Writer’s Resource, among others. When not immersed in the world of words, she can be found on her bike, at a dive bar, or lounging at one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. She lives in the most beautiful literary capital: Saint Paul.

What she is looking for: “I’d love to bring more nonfiction into this world, especially topic-driven books/essays such as those written by the likes of Mary Roach, Leslie Jamison, Michelle McNamara, Malcolm Gladwell, and Bill Bryson — anything that keeps my curious mind engaged and wanting more. I’m also interested in memoir that will inspire generations to come.

For fiction, I’m interested in contemporary/literary novels/stories that are relevant to culture and focus on themes and issues that impact our daily lives. I would love to hear more from marginalized voices, regardless of whether or not marginalization is a central theme.

For YA, I’m especially interested in books that focus on friendship, conflicting identity, and the theme of truth. Show me variations in race, sexuality, gender, dis/ability, and ethnicity without that difference being a point of contention, and I’ll be thrilled.”

How to submit: Submit your query and the first 20 pages of your manuscript via QueryMe.Online/SavannahBrooks.
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Katelyn Uplinger of D4EO Literary Agency After several years of editorial work and positions at multiple literary agencies including Folio Literary Management and Inklings Literary, Katelyn joined D4EO Literary as an agent in 2018.

What she is seeking: In both adult and YA: Nonfiction (historical and cultural topics); Fantasy & science fiction (and all speculative fiction); Horror; Historical fiction (in all sub-genres); Thriller; Women’s fiction; Romance (especially historical romance).

How to submit: Send your query and first three chapters via Query Manager here: QueryManager.
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