WOW! Women On Writing | Workshops | Writing Contests | The Muffin

November 2023 Markets Newsletter

In This issue:

• "It's NaNo-Palooza Time! Write Your Heart Out for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)" by Ashley Harris
• "On Submission with ELJ Prose and CNF Editor Diane Gottlieb" interview by Ann Kathryn Kelly
• November Deadlines: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Multigenre, Just for Fun
• Craft Corner: "Empowering YA Anxiety with Giant Man-Eating Butterflies: An Interview with Jennifer D. Lyle, Author of Swarm" by Margo L. Dill
• Recent WOW Features and Posts from The Muffin

Writing-Warriors!

I was a skeptic. To put it mildly. In other words, I was the ultimate NaNoNayer (NaNo-Naysayer ☹). The idea had always seemed a little silly to me. Why write my heart out in November when technically I could do that all year long? And what’s with all the badges, tools, and community building? As an adult, I should be able to manage myself without all the hoopla, right? Besides, I wasn’t working on a novel anyway.

The truth is that I didn’t write my heart out all year long. And I couldn’t manage myself. In fact, among freelancing, taking care of three dogs, tending a garden, volunteering at church, and the normal kerfuffle of life, it was all I could do to set aside a few hours a week to finish a single essay. I needed a little push. In fact, I had been talking so long about finishing my memoir that the eyes of my writer friends glazed over every time I brought it up. So, when I found out that NaNoWriMo isn’t just for novelists, I decided to give it a try.

All writers, whether novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, essayists and memoirists, are welcome at NaNoWriMo. In fact, anyone aiming to write 50,000 words toward any project will find something of value at NaNoWriMo, from motivation and accountability to making new friends and gaining new skills.

Last November, I cleared my calendar and finally started pulling together the pieces I planned for my book, which would be a memoir in essays exploring love, faith, and healing. Although I’d already written many of the pieces, I had never seen them all together in the same file. Doing so gave me the opportunity to look at them as a unit, edit and tighten, as well as plan new bridge essays to cover any holes. I also created a framework that tied together the chronological arc of the narrative—my seven years of growing cherries. Before November ended, I even had time to begin drafting a few of the new pieces. Along the way I logged onto NaNoWriMo regularly, joined a regional group, and began checking in, and lo and behold, the word count on my dashboard started to tick up and up and up! It was a true NaNo-palooza!

At the end of the month, the momentum continued. Over the next year, I concentrated on finalizing my new essays and wrote even more, ending up with a total of 22. Later, I turned back to my behemoth of a manuscript, and that’s when I re-discovered my draft framing document. This turned into the four thematic sections of “Plant,” “Believe,” “Pollinate,” and “Love,” and presto, I suddenly had a table of contents and my essays became actual chapters. Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I now have a 200-page manuscript that I’m currently circulating among my writing partners and will be submitting for publication.

Are you a diehard NaNoficionado? Or like me, are you on the fence? Either way, the tips in this column are meant to help you take advantage of NaNoWriMo and meet your own writing goals.

By Ann Kathryn Kelly

In this month’s column, we double down on fun as we sit down with Editor Diane Gottlieb to discuss an online literary journal “and” an exciting small press dedicated to elevating emerging writers for more than ten years. What does emerging mean? Here’s how the small press, ELJ Editions, and its affiliated journal, Emerge Literary Journal, define it:

Emerging doesn’t necessarily mean new to writing, but a jumping off point to publishing or sharing work with a broader audience; emerging is writers figuring out their voices, experimenting with style, exposing work that is raw and vulnerable.

Emerge Literary Journal was founded in 2011 and seeks poetry and flash prose (both fiction and CNF) full of passion, voice, and place. They love succinct images and dialogue that linger, with ideas used in magnificent ways. As the journal says: “Bring us your castles.”

ELJ Editions was founded as a small press in 2013 to support diversity and inclusion through publishing and amplifying content that is more equitable and representative of the evolving community it serves. 

In addition to her masthead role as Prose and CNF Editor for Emerge Literary Journal, Diane curated an anthology project for ELJ Editions that was published in October 2023, just as this column was going to print. I had the pleasure to get to know Diane over the summer after she chose one of my creative nonfiction pieces to be included. We’ll chat more about this exciting anthology later in our interview, but let’s kick things off with the online literary journal.

WOW: Welcome, Diane! Thanks for joining us!

Diane: Hi, Ann! So great to talk with you and with the wonderful WOW! readers! Thanks for having me!

WOW: I love that both the literary journal, Emerge, and the small press operate under the motto: Be Well. Write Well. Read Well. How does this philosophy shape the editorial vision for both? And what does it mean to you, personally?

Diane: Our foremost wish for our readers, contributors, submitters is for them to be well—physically, emotionally, psychologically. There is so much stress and pressure out there, and we hope everyone we are connected to and reach makes some space for themselves to breathe and take good care. Of course, we also wish them the opportunities to write well, to explore, experiment, and grow in their craft. Nothing inspires us more than reading beautiful, powerful prose and poetry, so we wish others to likewise find inspiration from the words they read. 

WOW: A beautiful and empowering philosophy, Diane. Thanks for sharing! How long have you been Prose and CNF Editor with Emerge Literary Journal, and how did you come to join the masthead? What do you most enjoy about it? What perspective do you bring to the editorial table?

Diane: My first editorial experience with a literary journal was at the wonderful Lunch Ticket, where I started as a reader on the CNF team and later served as Lead CNF Editor, while I was an MFA student at Antioch, LA. I loved everything about it—and learned so much there—but because it was a student-run publication, I had to leave upon graduation. About a year passed before I first became familiar with Emerge Literary Journal. I had recently begun writing fiction and looked to Emerge, which welcomes writers who are spreading their wings. I was thrilled when one of my first published fiction pieces found its home there. 

At the same time, I missed being on the editorial side of things, so when I saw Ariana’s call on Twitter for a Prose/CNF Editor, I sent her a DM, expressing my interest. We set up a phone interview and immediately hit it off! And that was that! Working for Ariana over the past two years as Emerge’s Prose/CNF Editor and, more recently, as the editor for the anthology Awakenings: Stories of Body & Consciousness, has been my great joy! I adore the flash genre. (Our word-count limit is 750.) I love reading the subs. At Emerge, we receive submissions from a wide diversity of voices and lived experiences. I am always learning and growing from the pieces I read—and from making some of the hard decisions editors are tasked with. 

WOW: For the benefit of our readers, Ariana Den Bleyker is ELJ Editions’ publisher. I believe Emerge publishes online, bi-monthly. About how many submissions come in each year, and what is Emerge’s acceptance rate? What can our readers expect for an average response time?

Diane: We actually publish four times a year. From January of this year through the first week of September, we’ve received 1,120 submissions. Our acceptance rate is around 4%. Response time is often within 30 days. If the wait is a bit longer, chances are we are seriously considering publishing the piece.

WOW: As stated here, submissions are always free “and” the journal pays $10 for each accepted piece! Fabulous! Aside from your guidelines, what else should prose writers and poets keep in mind to help their work stand out? What, for example, makes a prose piece jump out as a Yes for you? What does your colleague in the poetry section like to see?

Diane: That is the million-dollar question, right? What makes a prose piece jump out as a YES? I know this may be frustrating for submitters, but I am grateful that there is no formula to follow, that there will always be a certain level of mystery in the process. I can say that I love pieces that move me. If you make me laugh, tug at my heart (without too much sentimentality), if you make me think or feel deeply, you’re on the right track. I like the new, the experimental, the different, but also the familiar, that comfortable pair of slippers. I trust writers. If the piece feels like it’s working really well and you love it, send it to us! As far as poetry goes, I know Alisha and Ariana love image, voice, emotion. They love reading a poem that elicits a visceral response. And Ariana always says that she loves reading poems she wishes she had written.

WOW: Your point about trusting writers is key, because belief in one’s own piece is essential. We all must be invested in what we send out into the world, and our own guts will tell us when a piece is ready. I noticed that the journal’s submissions page lists sections called “Esperanza” as well as “#LitBlitz” and “Kill Your Darlings” that seem to be separate from the rolling calls for prose and poetry submissions. Can you shed more light on how these sections work into each issue? Are they tied to pop-up calls on social?

Diane: Emerge Literary Journal is firmly committed to raising awareness and ending the stigma surrounding mental health challenges and illness. We publish “Esperanza Corner,” which features writing about mental health challenges/illness, in every issue. From our submissions page: “We believe in the necessity of sharing our mental illness stories to facilitate writing through illness and create broader awareness.” 

“Kill Your Darlings” is a special category of submissions and our only category that requires a submission fee. If the piece is accepted for publication, the fee will be refunded. If we pass on the piece, the “decline” email will include a 50- to 100-word paragraph of constructive feedback from the editors.

#LitBlitz is our version of a lightning round! Ariana will randomly put out calls on social media for LitBlitz submissions, which will receive a response within 24 hours!

“If you make me laugh, tug at my heart, if you make me think or feel deeply, you’re on the right track. I like the new, the experimental, the different, but also the familiar, that comfortable pair of slippers. I trust writers. If the piece feels like it’s working really well and you love it, send it to us!"

WOW: Emerge Literary Journal also puts out occasional calls for contests. How does the team decide contest themes and choose guest editors? Is there a fee to enter? How often are contests announced? 

Diane: Yes, Emerge runs contests, though infrequently. Ariana decides to run them on a whim! If she gets an idea for a contest theme, she will reach out to a potential judge. Sometimes people will approach her with a theme. There is never a fee to enter, and all winning entries are published in the issue immediately following the contest. 

WOW: We love to promote writers. In this spirit, what are some of your favorite pieces published in Emerge that our readers might enjoy?

Diane: This is a tough one, as I love all the pieces we accept! Here are several that immediately come to mind. 

When Winter Comes is a quiet, yet powerful, piece of nonfiction by Janet Murie, a woman in her 60s. It was her first published work! 

I was also very deeply moved by Lisa Alletson’s CNF Locating the Body in Space, a multi-layered piece on grief and loss. 

Eliot Li’s flash fiction Asian American Battle Royale masterfully brings awareness to the rise in anti-Asian sentiment—and violence—in our current political climate, through the metaphor of a video game. 

And from our recent double issue, your readers might want to take a look at Sumitra Singam’s CNF, The Way You Changed How I See Things, and Coleman Bigalow’s Polar Plunge on the fiction side. Our poetry is terrific too, but since I don’t curate for our poetry section, I suggest that readers just dive in anywhere!

WOW: These selections are all wonderful. We’re thrilled to see Sumitra Singam’s name, too! Her story, “The Garden of The Masseuse Noi Is Fed on The Sorrows and Resentments of Her Clients” won 1st Place in WOW’s Winter ’22 Flash Fiction Contest.

We also like to share with our readers how journals differentiate themselves. What do you think sets Emerge Literary Journal apart?

Diane: I think the heart of our difference lies in the way we encourage writers to risk stepping out of their comfort zones. We provide a safe space to share what emerges, and our readers have the opportunity to witness the growth that results.

WOW: Turning now to ELJ Editions, you were guest editor at the helm of an exciting anthology that the press just published called Awakenings: Stories of Body & Consciousness. How did the idea for this project start? Did you approach ELJ Editions, or did they reach out to you to edit the anthology?

Diane: When Ariana put out a call on social media for anthology pitches, she and I discussed the theme of body stories. I expressed my great interest in curating an anthology on the topic. I’ve written quite a bit about my own body issues and have received some really powerful responses to those essays. I knew that we would get amazing subs and that the anthology could be an important addition to the body conversation. I wanted, very much, to give the project a shot, and Ariana gave me the go ahead.

WOW: On a personal note, I was thrilled when you emailed me to say that my CNF essay “Outlasting Angie”—excerpted from my memoir that I’m currently querying—would be included. I can’t wait to hold the anthology in my hands! What was your vision as you curated this collection? How did you want each of the pieces to talk to each other? 

Diane: On a personal note, I am thrilled that you submitted your wonderful “Outlasting Angie” and am very grateful to have your words included in the book! Honestly, I don’t think I had any specific vision for the anthology. I knew it would be a beautiful and moving collection of stories from diverse voices about different aspects of living in a body. But I could never have imagined the range of body experiences and the stunning honesty and courage of the contributors. I am incredibly grateful to all who submitted for trusting me and ELJ Editions with their words. While I didn’t know how I wanted the pieces to speak to each other, I was confident that they would. And they do! They are in conversation with each other within and across the various sections of the book, and that is one of my favorite things about the anthology! The stories are so varied and yet the common physicality and humanity are what hold them together so powerfully. 

WOW: I love the reviews coming in, like this one from author Ana Maria Spagna: “These essays astonish with tales of teeth, arms, hips, gallbladders, lungs, toes and hair. And hearts, too. These are deeply moving stories about how we move through life and make sense of it all.”

And this one, from author Rebecca Evans: “Awakenings is more than an anthology. This collection is an offering, a chorus of voices carefully orchestrated, singing and howling, sometimes in harmony, other moments in acapella or hushed string ensemble.”

Such a beautiful comparison to singing. Can you tell us more about the choice for title: “Awakenings”?

Diane: The title was actually Ariana’s idea—a brilliant one! I truly believe there is a new awakening occurring in our culture and being expressed in the literary world. People are more freely sharing difficult stories they have previously kept under wraps, many of which involve the body and the experiences of living in our bodies. People are saying NO to shame and to silence and awakening to beauty in the very parts of themselves they had found so difficult to accept and appreciate in the past. Awakenings: Stories of Body & Consciousness does sing! It’s filled with beautiful and powerful song, and I’m so very proud to have played a role in bringing this music—these diverse voices (including yours!)—together on the page. 

WOW: With the holiday season kicking off in another four weeks, Awakenings would make a wonderful gift for the readers in our lives! The anthology can be ordered for $16.00, using this link. Diane, are there plans for you to guest edit another anthology for ELJ Editions in the future? 

Diane: Thank you for sharing that link, and I totally agree that Awakenings would make a wonderful holiday gift! I truly LOVED editing this anthology. While there are no immediate plans for another one, my brain is already coming up with new possibilities. I’ll keep you posted!

“People are saying NO to shame and to silence and awakening to beauty in the very parts of themselves they had found so difficult to accept and appreciate in the past. Awakenings … is filled with beautiful and powerful song, and I’m so very proud to have played a role in bringing this music—these diverse voices (including yours!)—together on the page."

WOW: From the submissions page, it appears that writers can submit to ELJ Editions without an agent. Is there a fee? Does the press also accept agented writers and if so, does the team consider the work differently, depending on which channel it comes through? 

Diane: ELJ Editions does not accept agented writers. There is a $15 fee for manuscript submissions which goes towards paying advances to our contracted authors beginning in 2025, per our CFO.

WOW: On average, how many queries does ELJ Editions receive in a year?

Diane: ELJ Editions receives over a dozen queries a month, both inside and outside of our reading periods.

WOW: As we wrap our interview, I’d love to hear about your own first publication, as those are always memorable. With which journal were you first published? Share a link if you have it! 

Diane: Aside from blog posts in Lunch Ticket, my first publication was called Mother and was inspired by a Grace Paley story of the same name. It’s a flash piece about the deaths of my father and my first husband, and about how my dear mother dealt with both. Many thanks to Panoply for picking it up! It has a special place in my heart to this day.

WOW: Oh, Diane, your mother’s response: “Why couldn’t it have been me?” So devastating. What keeps you busy when you’re not guest editing a project like the Awakenings anthology or reviewing submissions for Emerge Literary Journal? What brings you joy?

Diane: I LOVE walking in the hot Florida sun and seeing all the lizards and birds and interesting trees! Hanging with my newly retired husband—but that only happens after he plays four hours in the morning of pickleball (what IS it about pickleball?!?), connecting with other writers and supporting their work, and FaceTiming with my kids and delicious grandson—who is 19 months!

WOW: One of my nephews is a big pickleball fan. He’s 18, and last I heard, he was searching for intramural pickleball at his new college. It’s a trend, for sure! Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about either Emerge Literary Journal or the small press ELJ Editions before we close? 

Diane: I just love the journal and the press, and believe so strongly in what ends up on their pages. To writers out there: keep sending us “your castles.” And, as always, “be well, write well, read well.” 

Thank you so much, Ann, for taking the time to interview me! This was a great pleasure! 

My thanks to Prose and CNF Editor for Emerge Literary Journal, Diane Gottlieb. I want to wish both Diane (and myself!) a happy pub week for the Awakenings anthology, out this week! Readers, remember that submissions to Emerge Literary Journal are accepted on a rolling basis, and keep ELJ Editions in mind as a potential home if you have a completed manuscript. 

Until next time!

Writer’s Digest’s Annual Poetry Awards

Deadline: November 1 

They’re on the lookout for poems of all styles–rhyming, free verse, haiku, and more–for the 18th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards. This is the only Writer’s Digest competition exclusively for poets. Enter any poem 32 lines or fewer for your chance to win $1,000 in cash. Fee: $25

https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/poetry-awards

James Hearst Poetry Prize

Deadline: November 1

The James Hearst Poetry Prize is a competition intended to recognize the finest poetry. They welcome all forms of poetry and up to five poem entries per submission. First prize is $1,000. Fee: $23

https://northamericanreview.org/james-hearst-poetry-prize

Speckled Trout Review

Deadline: November 5

Editors of Speckled Trout Review welcome submissions of unpublished poetry for it's fall 2023 issue. Their theme for this issue is for the ages. "We’ve all heard the phrase, “that’s one for the ages,” which suggests a strange, extraordinary, fantastical, or confounding event, situation, or tale that astounds and leaves us amazed." Poets can submit up to 4 poems within that theme. No fee.

https://speckledtroutreview.com/2019/08/04/welcome-to-my-blog/

Streetlight Magazine 2022 Poetry Contest

Deadline: November 13

Submit up to three of your best, previously unpublished poems. Any subject. Prizes: 1st prize is $125, 2nd prize is $75, and 3rd prize is $50. Fee: $10

https://streetlightmag.submittable.com/submit/245987/streetlight-magazine-2023-poetry-contest

Treehouse Climate Action Poetry Prize

Deadline: November 15

The Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize is given to honor exceptional poems that help readers recognize the gravity of the vulnerable state of our environment. First place will receive $1,000; second place, $750; and third place, $500. Open to US only. Poet may submit one poem for consideration. No fee.

https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/prizes/treehouse-climate-action-poem-prize

The Sandy Crimmins National Prize for Poetry

Deadline: November 15

Philadelphia Stories is seeking submissions for The Sandy Crimmins National Prize for Poetry annual national poetry prize. The first-place winner is awarded a $1,000 cash award, and 3 runners-up will receive a $250 cash award. The Crimmins Prize celebrates risk, innovation, and emotional engagement. They especially encourage poets from underrepresented groups and backgrounds to send their work. Submit one single poem up to three pages in length. The guest judge is Kirwyn Sutherland. Fee: $5

https://philadelphiastories.org/poetry-contest/

Perugia Press Prize

Deadline: November 15

Submit 45-85 pages of your poetry collection. Poets must have no more than one previously published full-length book. Individual poems may have been published previously in magazines, journals, anthologies, and chapbooks, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished. You'll receive book publication and a $2,000 prize. You'll receive time to work with the editor to create a book she loves with input into book editing, design & promotion. Fee: $30 (No fee for Black, Indigenous, and women of color)

https://perugiapress.org/contest/

23rd Annual A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize

Deadline: November 30

The A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize is awarded to honor a poet's first book, while also honoring the late founder of BOA Editions, Ltd., a not-for-profit publishing house of poetry and poetry in translation. Only manuscripts by poets who have yet to publish a full-length book collection of poetry will be considered. Minimum of 48 pages, maximum of 100 pages of poetry. Winner Receives: Book publication by BOA Editions, Ltd. in spring 2025 & $1,000 honorarium. Fee: $25

https://www.boaeditions.org/pages/a-poulin-jr-poetry-prize

Cider Press Review Book Award

Deadline: November 30

The annual Cider Press Review Book Award offers a $1,500 prize, publication, and 25 author’s copies of a book length collection of poetry. Author receives a standard publishing contract. Initial print run is not less than 1,000 copies. Submit 48-80 pages of original poetry in English not previously published in book form (individual poems may have been previously published in journals, anthologies, and chapbooks). Fee: $26

https://ciderpressreview.com/bookaward/book-award-submission-guidelines/#.Y1R7iXbMLrf

The White Pine Press Poetry Prize

Deadline: November 30

The award consists of a $1,000 cash award and publication by White Pine Press. Manuscripts must be between 60 and 80 pages in length. Poems must be original, but may have appeared in magazines, anthologies, or chapbooks. Translations are not eligible. Fee: $20

https://www.whitepine.org/white-pine-press-poetry-prize

Chestnut Review – Chapbooks

Deadline: November 30

Chapbooks may be poetry, prose, or hybrid. When submitting, please select the genre that aligns the most closely with your chapbook. Length: 15-25 pages of poetry, or 15-35 pages of prose. Pieces may have been published individually, but never as a collection. Pay: $120 and 50 copies of the chapbook in hard copy. Fee: sliding scale of $6 - $12

https://chestnutreview.submittable.com/submit/255340/chapbooks 

Poet Lore

Deadline: November 30

Poet Lore is a biannual print journal of poetry and translations. Established by Charlotte Porter and Helen Clarke in 1889, Poet Lore is the nation’s oldest poetry journal. You may submit up to 5 poems (maximum 10 pages). Include all poems in the same document and please only submit once per submission period. Pay: $50 per poem. No fee.

https://poetlore.submittable.com/submit

Lost Boys Press - Insurgent

Deadline: November 1

Lost Boys Press is seeking submissions for their 2023 anthology under the theme, "Insurgent." They are looking for stories about rebels, insurgents and insurrectionists set in a secondary world. Word count should be between 2,000 and 9,000 words. If accepted, contributors will receive $40.00 as a flat fee for their story and receive a complimentary eBook copy. No fee.

https://www.lostboyspress.com/insurgent

2024 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize

Deadline: November 1

The FC2 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize is open to writers of, from, or in the US writing in English with at least three books of fiction published. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel of any length. There is no length requirement. The prize includes $15,000 and publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press. In the unlikely event that no suitable manuscript is found among entries in a given year, FC2 reserves the right not to award a prize. The final judge for the 2024 contest will be Amina Cain. Fee: $25

https://fictioncollective2.submittable.com/submit

Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest

Deadline: November 1

The FC2 Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest is open to writers of, from, or in the US writing in English who have not previously published with FC2. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel of any length. There is no length requirement. The prize includes $1,500 and publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press. The final judge for the 2024 contest will be Ray Levy. Fee: $25

https://fictioncollective2.submittable.com/submit

Sixth Annual Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: November 6

This is a contest for flash fiction of no more than 350 words that’s both about Christmas (or any other winter holiday) and simultaneously weird. There are three “Prompt Categories.” You have three ways to enter this year, and four ways to win a top prize. There will be one overall winner and then three winners in each of three separate categories, including stocking stuffer, weird Christmas specials, and weird cards. Top prize is $75 and there is a prompt prize of $50 for each category. No fee.

https://weirdchristmas.com/2023/08/30/announcing-the-sixth-annual-weird-christmas-flash-fiction-contest/

The Fabulist – Fantastical Flash

Deadline: November 12 (Opens November 6)

The Fabulist Flash, a new flash-fiction project from The Fabulist Words & Art, welcomes submissions for fantastical and speculative writings of up to 1,000 words. They are looking for fantastical and speculative fiction, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, myth, fairy-story, magic realism, literary fabulism, and genre/subgenre remixes. Evocative and intriguing scenes, settings, places. Please keep your submissions anonymous for their readers. Pay: $100 per story. No fee.

https://fabulistmagazine.com/call-for-submissions-nov-6-12-the-fabulist-flash/

Novel Excerpt Contest

Deadline: November 12

The Masters Review is hosting its Novel Excerpt Contest! They are looking for excerpts that show off a sense of style, with a clear grasp on craft: narrative, character, and plot. Your excerpt can come from any point in your completed or in-progress novels, but a synopsis should not be required for understanding the excerpt. Excerpts must be from previously unpublished novels; if your novel has been self-published, it is ineligible for this contest. The winning excerpt will be awarded $3000 and online publication and an hour-long consultation with Halley Parry, an agent at Drift(less) Literary. Second- and third-place excerpts will be awarded online publication and $300 and $200 respectively, in addition to written feedback from Dunne Perry. Submit an excerpt under 6,000 words. Fee: $20

https://mastersreview.com/novel-excerpt-contest/

Ironclad Short Story Competition - Dusk

Deadline: November 16

They are looking for short stories that respond in any way to the word DUSK. Any genre and length of story up to 6k words is accepted. The winning writer will be offered a prize of £100 and publication in the anthology. The second place writer will be offered a prize of £50 and publication in the anthology. Two further shortlisted writers will be offered prizes of £25 each, and publication in the anthology. Fee: £6

https://www.ironcladcreative.org/short-story-competition.html

Inkd Publishing – Detectives, Sleuths, and Nosy Neighbors

Deadline: November 30

Inkd Publishing is asearching for the murder mysteries, detective noir, cozy, and humorous. There is no restriction as to how you incorporate the theme into your story. They encourage you to weave the theme into an engaging story with well-developed characters and deep emotion. Suspense and thrillers are encouraged over horror for this anthology, but a great horror story may rise to the top. Word count: 2,000 to 8,000 words. Pay: royalty share or $20. No fee.

https://inkdpub.com/submissions/

Coverstory Short Story Collection

Deadline: November 30

Coverstory books invites submissions for short stories to contribute towards a collection which they are aiming to publish in the first quarter of 2024. Unpublished, your story should be between 2,000 and 5,000 words long. Fee: £6

https://coverstorybooks.com/open-submissions/

Indiana Review Fiction Prize

Deadline: November 30

Submit one short story of up to 5,000 words for the annual Fiction Prize, with a cash prize of $1,000 and publication. All submissions come with a one-year subscription to Indiana Review and will be judged anonymously by the Indiana Review editorial staff and final guest judge, Jonathan Escoffery, author of If I Survive You. All submissions will be considered for publication. Fee: $20

https://indianareview.submittable.com/submit/235217/2023-fiction-prize

The Iowa Review - Nonfiction

Deadline: November 1

The page limit for nonfiction is 25 pages, double-spaced. A submission can be one or multiple essays. All submissions are read blind. Pay: $0.08 per word ($100 minimum). Fee: $4

https://iowareview.submittable.com/submit

The Washington Writers' Publishing House Creative Nonfiction 2024 - Book Length

Deadline: November 1

Open to all residents of Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The contest is open to new, upcoming, and established writers. $1,500 award, publication, 25 author copies, editorial guidance, and launch support. Manuscripts must be a minimum of 150 pages to a maximum of 250 pages in length. The approximate word count is about 60,000-70,000 words. Fee: $28

https://wwph.submittable.com/submit/272643/the-washington-writers-publishing-house-creative-nonfiction-2024

GreenPrints Magazine - Your True Personal Gardening Story

Deadline: November 3

GreenPrints publishes personal gardening stories from the heart. They are seeking gardening stories that are true and personal, expressive and thoughtful, and humorous and witty. They focus on the human, not the how-to, side of gardening, so your story should be entertaining, moving, unexpected, touching, and funny—a heartfelt story you would tell a friend or family member. And they want stories that “show, don’t tell.” Dialogue is a great way to demonstrate the feelings and situations. They don’t do sappy or preachy stories, so please avoid those types. Finally, your story should have a strong ending—a creative and forceful conclusion that ends your story with a wham and a wow! Your story should be between 600-1,500 words. They accept reprints. Pay: $100 per story. No fee.

https://greenprints.submittable.com/submit 

The Tarbell Fellowship - Early Career Journalists Interested in AI

Deadline: November 5

The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year programme for early-career journalists interested in covering emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence. Fellows receive a 9-month placement at a major newsroom, participate in a study group covering AI governance & technical fundamentals, and attend a 2 week journalism summit in Oxford. The Tarbell Fellowship provides a stipend of up to $50,000 to support these placements. No fee.

https://www.tarbellfellowship.org/

The Rumpus - Essays

Deadline: November 8

They welcome essay submissions up to 4,000 words in length. In addition to personal narrative-driven essays we are interested in non-traditional forms of nonfiction. Essays should explore issues and ideas with depth and breadth, illuminating a larger cultural context or human struggle. Regardless of topic, we are looking for well-crafted sentences, a clear voice, vivid scenes, dramatic arc, reflection, thematic build, and attention to the musicality of prose. Pay: Each month, they set aside $400. All eligible contributors are able to opt in for payment at the end of the month, and the money is divided between those writers who opt in. No fee.

https://therumpus.submittable.com/submit/3882/essays

2023 Barry Lopez Creative Nonfiction Contest

Deadline: November 15

One essay or memoir piece (5000-word limit/double spaced) in 12-point font. Entries are judged blindly, so make sure you don't include your name anywhere on the manuscript. Unpublished work only. No work that has already won a prize is eligible. No former Cutthroat prize-winning author may enter the contest he/or she has previously won. Multiple submissions okay, but they must be informed immediately of acceptances elsewhere. Finalists considered for publication. 1st Place receives $1,200 and publication; 2nd Place receives $300 and publication. The final judge is CMarie Fuhrman. Fee: $25

https://cutthroatajournalofthearts.submittable.com/submit/44861/2023-barry-lopez-creative-nonfiction-contest-deadline-nov-15th

CLMP Firecracker Awards 2024: Creative Nonfiction

Deadline: November 17

Memoirs, essay collections, and other literary nonfiction books published by independent presses during the 2023 calendar year are eligible. Each winner in the books category will receive $2,000–$1,000 for the press and $1,000 for the author or translator—and each winner in the magazine categories will receive $1,000. In addition, a partnership with the American Booksellers Association, promotional materials are distributed to over 750 independent booksellers across the country. Winners are also promoted in CLMP’s newsletters, on our website, and through a dedicated social media campaign. The publishers of winning titles receive a free one-year membership to CLMP, and magazine winners receive a one-year CLMP Member subscription to Submittable. Fee: $65 ($55 for CLMP Members)

https://clmp.submittable.com/submit/268733/firecracker-awards-2024-creative-nonfiction

Flashlight Grant Application - Investigative Journalists

Deadline: November 19

Flashlight is giving $500 - $1,000 grants to U.S.-based freelance investigative journalists. Journalists retain complete editorial control and are free to publish their work wherever they like. No fee.

https://flashlightcollective.xyz/#apply

Farmer-ish: Winter Solstice 2023: Farmer-ish Kids

Deadline: November 20

Farmer-ish publishes both online issues and print collections. They’re looking for creative and engaging content on farming, homesteading, raising animals, cooking, making, and raising a family. Their winter theme is Farmer-ish Kids, and they are open to creative nonfiction, personal essays, memoir, how-to pieces, informational and instructional essays, poetry, and more. General essays and how-to essays should be approximately 1,000 words. Personal essays and memoir should be between 800 and 2,000 words. Pay: $25 honorarium. No fee.

https://farmerish.net/submissions/ 

Chicken Soup for the Soul – Funny Stories

Deadline: November 20

Laughter is the best medicine. They are looking for true stories about something that happened to you in your life—in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home—that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Did you mean for it to be funny? Did the other person mean to make you laugh? Did a situation just get out of control? Did a misunderstanding turn into a comedy of errors? They can’t wait to hear your true stories. They want them to be silly, outrageous and hilarious, and make them laugh! Nonfiction stories should be a maximum of 1200 words. Pay is $250 and ten copies of the book your story appears in. No fee.

https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/submit-your-story/ 

Baltimore Review Winter Contest Flash Creative Nonfiction

Deadline: November 30

There is no theme for the winter contest. Subject matter is up to you. Total word limit for this category is 1,000. One, two, or three flash CNF works in one Word doc, but no more than 1,000 words for all works combined. Seriously. And shorter is often better. One writer in the flash creative nonfiction category will be awarded a $400 prize and published in the summer issue. All entries considered for publication with payment at their regular rate. Work is judged blind. Final judge: Marion Winik. Fee: $8

https://baltimorereview.submittable.com/submit/272544/winter-contest-flash-creative-nonfiction-11-30-23-deadline

Ned Stuckey-French Nonfiction Contest 2023

Deadline: November 30

Southeast Review's nonfiction contest was established in honor of Dr. Ned Stuckey-French, whose legacy will last as one of service to the literary community, his students, hospital workers’ unions, and beyond. His spirit of selfless service is a model we aspire to, and his unflinching dedication to truth and its telling inspires the nonfiction we publish and produce. They seek submissions in this vein: nonfiction that prods and pressures expectations; that speaks to the personal against the powerful; and that prioritizes soul, heart, and service. Please send essays up to 10 pages. CJ Hauser will judge. The winner will receive $750, and winners and finalists will be notified in Spring 2024 and published in their biannual issue in Fall 2024. Fee: $5

https://southeastreview.submittable.com/submit/271743/ned-stuckey-french-nonfiction-contest-2023

Narratively 2023 Memoir Prize

Deadline: November 30

Narratively is on the hunt for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. Entries will be judged on a rolling basis in four rounds: the first three by experienced Narratively readers and staff, and the final by our incredible and generous guest judge, New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land! Grand prize: $3,000; two finalists will receive $1,000. Further, Narratively editors will work with the Finalists to potentially adapt their stories into larger projects in different mediums (TV, film, podcasts, etc.). Word count: 2,000 to 7,000. Fee: $20

https://narratively.submittable.com/submit/274339/narratively-2023-memoir-prize

Tough – Crime Fiction, Book Reviews, Essays

Deadline: Rolling

Tough is a crime fiction journal publishing short stories and self-contained novel excerpts of between 1,500 words and 7,500 words, and occasional book reviews and essays of 1,500 words or fewer. They are particularly interested in stories with rural settings. Tough publishes three times a month on Mondays. Send full submissions for fiction, and pitches for book reviews, essays, and reprints. Pay: $50 per story, book review, or essay; $25 for reprints. No fee.

https://redneckpress.submittable.com/submit

Cult Magazine

Deadline: Rolling

Cult, as the name suggests, wants the weird, the risk-taking: the stuff that gets tucked away because someone thinks no one would ever publish that. They want art that challenges and confronts; not coddles and reaffirms. They publish stories, poems, essays, and art. Pay: $25 per piece for online publication; $40 for inclusion in their biannual print edition. No fee.

https://www.cultmag.net/submit 

Lit/South Awards 2024

Deadline: November 1

Lit/South will award $6,000 in prizes for writing in three categories: poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. Entries are open to current and former residents of North Carolina and its border states: South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia. The winning entry in each category will be awarded $1,000, and all finalists will share in an additional $3,000 prize pool and receive publication in the 2024 edition of Litmosphere: Journal of Charlotte Lit, in both print and online editions. The final judge for this year’s creative nonfiction awards is Maggie Smith. Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: Submit up to 4000 words, any style or subject. Poetry: Submit 1 to 3 poems in a single file, up to 5 pages total, any style or subject. Fee: $10

https://manager.submittable.com/opportunities/organization/23784/ 

Ninth Letter: Web Editions – Praise

Deadline: November 1

Ninth Letter will be accepting submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for a special online edition to be published in Winter 2024. The theme for this issue is Praise. “What beasts do you praise? What monsters do you pay tribute to? How sharp are the objects of your veneration? We seek the flashlight pushing its beam through darkness; we seek the grin that bears the weight. Show us the reverence that glows like an ember in the ash. Show us your demons, and share with us the odes and hymns, the lullabies and incantations you sing to earn their peace. Show us your beasts, and give your beasts praise.” Submit up to three poems, or one piece of short prose (fiction or nonfiction) of up to 3500 words; please also include a cover letter that briefly explains how you see your work connecting to the theme. Pay: $25 per poem, $75 per story or essay. No fee.

https://ninthletteronline.submittable.com/submit 

Foglifter – LGBTQ+

Deadline: November 1

Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and they are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. Poetry: 3 to 5 poems (max 5 pages). Fiction and Nonfiction: up to 7,500 words (or up to three flash pieces). Cross-genre: up to 20 pages of cross-genre work, text-image hybrids, or drama. Pay: $50 honorarium, and two copies of the issue in which the work appears. No fee.

https://foglifter.submittable.com/submit  

ellipsis… literature & art

Deadline: November 1

They accept original English language submissions in poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, and art. Submit poems in one document, please. Short fiction, creative non-fiction, and drama piece, submit up to 8,000 words. Pay is $10 per poem and page of visual art, and $3 per page of prose, plus two free copies of the issue. No fee.

https://ellipsis.submittable.com/submit

F(r)iction Contests

Deadline: November 3

Submit your short stories: 1,001 – 7,500 words; flash fiction: up to 1,000 words per piece; and poetry: up the three pages per poem. First short story prize receives $1,000 and will be considered for publication in F(r)iction, their triannual print collection or through our online blog F(r)iction Log. Up to five finalists will be considered for publication too. First flash fiction and poetry prize receives $300 and will be considered for publication in F(r)iction or through their online blog, F(r)iction Log. Up to five finalists will be considered for publication too. Fee: $15 (short story submission); $10 (single entry poetry/flash fiction); $12 (3-pack submission of poetry/flash fiction)

https://frictioncontests.submittable.com/submit

Book XI – Books, Reading, Being Read

Deadline: November 10

Book XI is a journal dedicated to publishing personal essays, memoir, fiction, science fiction, humor, and poetry with philosophical themes. They will consider only previously unpublished and philosophically informed creative work (though our understanding of “philosophically informed” is capacious). Please submit only one prose manuscript for each issue (you may submit up to 5 poems for each issue; please submit them as one document). Length: 2,000 and 7,000 words. Pay: $200 per piece; $50 per poem. They will close submissions after reaching 200 subs, so submit soon. No fee.

https://bookxiajournalofliteraryphilosophy.submittable.com/submit/269900/books-reading-being-read 

PolterGeist Writing Contest

Deadline: November 13

It’s tricky to translate the word Geist. Its range of meaning includes “spirit,” “wit,” and even “ghost.” Inspired by this etymology, they seek fact + fiction and all the stories that dwell in between. They’re looking for stories that give voice to ghostly echoes and make homes in eerie landscapes. Send them your haunted cartographies, your paranormal prose and your uncanny tales, from the strangeness of the everyday to the sublime. First Prize: $500; Second: $250; Third: $150. Length: 500 words or less; both fiction and nonfiction approaches are welcome. Fee: CA$25

https://geist.submittable.com/submit/274144/2023-poltergeist-writing-contest

The Interpreter’s House

Deadline: November 14

Poetry: please send up to 5 poems. Fiction: please send up to 2 stories (combined, they should total no more than 3000 words). No fee.

https://theinterpretershouse.org/submissions

Women's Studio Workshop The Art-in-Education Artist’s Book Grant

Deadline: November 15

The grant is a residency awarded to two artists to create a new artist’s book and teach young people in WSW’s studios. Generally, the resident dedicates their first month to producing a limited edition artist’s book, which is hand-printed and bound in the studio. During the second half of the residency, the artist works with young people in WSW’s studios, teaching one to two days/week for three to four weeks, and visiting the students twice in school. It includes a stipend of $350/week for up to ten weeks, up to $1000 for materials, up to $250 for travel, free onsite housing, and 24/7 studio access during non-AIE sessions. No fee.

https://wsworkshop.org/residencies/art-in-ed-artists-book-residency-grant/

Kevin McIlvoy Book Prize for an Unpublished Full-length Book of Prose

Deadline: November 15

WTAW Press welcomes submissions of full-length books of prose (novels, memoirs, narrative nonfiction, collections of stories or essays, hybrid prose) from new, emerging, and established voices and from writers of all backgrounds. The award will offer a $2500 cash prize, publication, and a book contract with royalties. Nina McConigley, Joan Silber, and Peter Turchi will judge. A manuscript in its entirety must be previously unpublished. It may contain some previously published portions, but it should contain a majority of new work. Identifying information for the author must not be included anywhere on the manuscript, including the name of the file or the title field in the submission form online. Fee: $28

https://wtaw-press.submittable.com/submit/275124/kevin-mcilvoy-book-prize-for-an-unpublished-full-length-book-of-prose 

Swim Meet Lit Mag – Issue 5: FEEL

Deadline: November 15

swim meet lit mag is an online literary publication based in Meanjin (Brisbane, Australia). They accept all kinds of creative work and are currently seeking submissions for their theme: FEEL. Do you have a connection with the water? What do you feel when you dive, submerge, flip beneath the surface? Literally, though, do your palms have a grasp on this elusive fluid or does it slip between your fingers? Poetry: Up to 3 poems, up to 50 lines each, in one document. Prose: One piece of up to 2000 words. Flash pieces are also welcome! Visual Art and Photography: Up to 10 pages/pieces in one submission. Pay: $30 AUD for poems, flash prose, and visual art. $50 AUD minimum for longer prose, cover art, or suites of poetry and visual work. No fee.

https://swimmeetlitmag.com/submit/

The Lorelei Signal

Deadline: November 15

The Lorelei Signal is a quarterly SF/Fantasy electronic magazine—one that will feature strong/complex female characters. This does not mean your female character has to be the main hero or villain in the story. What it does mean is no shrinking violets, or women who serve only to get into trouble so the male hero can rescue them. They are looking for fantasy fiction no longer than 10,000 words. Submit up to 5 poems. Reprints are accepted as long as it has been at least 1 year since the story was previously published. Pay: $15 for stories, $5 for poems and flash, $5 for reprints. No fee.

https://www.loreleisignal.com/guidelines 

Atticus Review

Deadline: November 15

Atticus Review is an online triannual literary journal of prose, poetry, and mixed media. They are currently open for fiction and creative nonfiction submissions until November 15. Poetry is closed. Submissions for book reviews and interviews are rolling. Fiction: Send one story of up to 4,000 words. Flash Fiction: Submit stories 800 words or less. Creative Nonfiction: Send one piece of up to 3,000 words. Flash CNF: 800 words or less. Book Reviews: 900-1200 words long. Author Interviews: 900-1400 words long. They are also interested in emerging writers. They define this as writers with fewer than five publications across all genres. If this applies to you, please note "New Voices" in your cover letter. Fee: $3

https://atticusbooks.submittable.com/submit

Thriving: An Anthology

Deadline: November 16

From global events to microscopic movements, change happens around us, to us and within us. We are challenged to adapt, plan, grow, rethink, relax, endeavor, risk, feel and act. How do we live robustly when plans are disrupted and wellbeing is threatened? How do we find purpose? Feel joy? Be creative? Achieve? Connect? How do we thrive? Poetry: Submit up to five (5) single-spaced poems in one document. Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: Submit up to five (5) nano-, micro- or flash-fiction pieces (up to 750 words) or one short story (up to 2500 words) in one document. Pay: $10 per piece. Fee: $5

https://exsolutaspress.submittable.com/submit/257922/thriving-an-anthology

Gulf Stream Magazine

Deadline: November 18

They publish fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and visual art; and love a wide range of genres and styles, especially writing that is innovative in form and progressive in content. Work must be original and previously unpublished. Fiction and creative nonfiction: up to 5,000 words. Poetry: up to 3 poems. Book Reviews: from books that have published in the last year, 500-750 words. No fee.

https://gulfstreamlitmag.com/submissions/

Route 7 Review

Deadline: November 20

Submit creative nonfiction and fiction up to 5,000 words. Poetry submissions contain 3-5 poems and to not exceed 10 pages with one (1) submission per poet. No fee.

https://r7review.submittable.com/submit/237107/2023-call-for-submissions

Baltimore Review Winter Contest Flash for Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Prose Poems

Deadline: November 30

Total word limit for this category is 1,000. One, two, or three flash CNF works in one Word doc, but no more than 1,000 words for all works combined. And shorter is often better. Prizes include one writer in the flash creative nonfiction category, fiction, and prose poem categories will be awarded $400 and published in the winter issue. All entries considered for publication with payment at their regular rate. Work is judged blind. Final judge: Marion Winik. Fee: $8

https://baltimorereview.submittable.com/submit

Italia Americana

Deadline: November 30

Italia Americana, published since 1977, seeks works of short fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, and personal essay by writers of Italian heritage on either side for their Summer 2024 issue. Works incorporating Italian American themes are preferred, but not necessary. Submissions should be no longer than 4,000 words. No fee.

http://blogs.luc.edu/italianamericana/authors-guidelines-italian-americana/

​​57th New Millennium Writing Awards

Deadline: November 30

New Millennium Writings was launched in 1996 with a 15-word classified ad. From those humble beginnings, NMW has exploded into an internationally recognized and highly sought-after literary award and journal. Prizes: Poetry (each entry may include three poems, up to five pages total.): $1,000; Fiction (7,499 words or less): $1,000; Nonfiction (7,499 words or less): $1,000; Flash Fiction (1,000 words or less): $1,000. All winners are published in their anthology and online. Previously published works accepted if: Print circulation was under 5,000, or the work was published online only. Fee: $20

https://newmillenniumwritings.submittable.com/submit/270880/57th-new-millennium-writing-awards

Black Fox Literary Magazine - Winter Issue

Deadline: November 30

Black Fox Literary Magazine is a print and online biannual publication featuring quality fiction of all styles and genres, poetry, nonfiction, art, and photography. Fiction & YA Fiction: Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words. Flash Fiction: Stories should be 1000 words or less. Poetry: Please send only 3 poems at a time in one document. Nonfiction: They are looking for nonfiction pieces that read more like fiction, up to 5,000 words. Blog Posts: Articles 1,500 words or less on the craft of writing, book reviews, book news, and publishing news. Pay: $20 per piece. No fee.

https://blackfoxlit.submittable.com/submit

​​Peatsmoke Journal

Deadline: November 30

They accept previously unpublished poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Fiction submission is one story per submission between 1,500-7,000 words. Flash fiction work should be no longer than 1,000 words. Submit up to 3 flash pieces per submission. For nonfiction, please send only one piece at a time between 1,500-7,00 words. For poetry, please send up to three poems of any length. No compensation but the magazine does nominate for major prizes including Pushcart, Best of the Net, and Best Small Fictions. Fee: $3

https://peatsmokejournal.submittable.com/submit

Talk Vomit - Gifts

Deadline: November 30

Talk Vomit is a women-owned and run online literary art zine based out of Massachusetts that harbors a willful longing for when the internet was still fun. They publish essays, short stories, visual art and genre-bending ruminations. Non-fiction under 4,000 words, fiction under 2,000 and poetry just generally kept to a minimum. Their winter edition’s theme is gifts, however you interpret that. Please submit one prose piece or two poems. Pay: Fiction and nonfiction run in the $10-30 range; poetry in the $5-15 range. No fee.

https://talkvomit.com/submissions/

The Stephen Mitchell Prize for Translation 2023

Deadline: November 30

Stephen Mitchell has written or translated over twenty books. He has brought into English lucid, beautiful translations of Yehuda Amichai, Homer, Pablo Neruda, Rainer Maria Rilke, and such foundational texts as the Tao Te Ching, Gilgamesh, and Genesis, among others. In honor of Mitchell’s linguistic and poetic acumen, Green Linden Press will award the Prize for an unpublished book-length manuscript in any genre translated from any language into English. Awards: $1000 and publication. All finalists are considered for publication. Submit an unpublished manuscript of at least 48 pages in any genre translated from any language into English. Fee: $25

https://greenlindenpress.submittable.com/submit/265364/the-stephen-mitchell-prize-2023

Magpie Messenger – Winter Solstice 2023: Funeral

Deadline: November 30

The Magpie Messenger by Curious Corvid Publishing is a literary magazine that features original poetry and prose from indie authors. They are accepting submissions for their upcoming theme: “Winter Solstice 2023: Funeral.” Poetry: submit up to five poems with a maximum of 2,500 words total. Prose: short stories should be no longer than 2,500 words. Articles: should be no longer than 2,500 words and should include citation of any sources used. Articles containing unfounded or unsupported claims will be dismissed. Topics related to personal experience/growth as an artist, the publishing industry (mainstream or indie), literary analysis, writing advice, and book reviews will be given priority. Artwork and Photography: must be related to the issue’s theme. Recipes: should be related to the theme of the issue or the season. Recipes with incomplete or difficult to follow instructions will not be accepted. Pay: $10 per piece or a print copy of the journal. No fee.

https://www.curiouscorvidpublishing.com/submissions 

ParABnormal Magazine

Deadline: November 30

The subject matter of parABnormal Magazine is, yes, the paranormal. This includes ghosts, spectres, haunts, various whisperers, and so forth. It also includes shapeshifters and creatures from various folklores. They are looking for original stories with word counts between 3,000 and 6,000 words. Poems: length should be from 5-15 lines. Articles, Reviews, and Interviews: they are looking for original articles and reviews with word counts between 1,500 and 4,000 words. Pay: $25 for original stories, $7 for reprints; $6 for poems; $20 for original articles, $6 for reprints; $7 for interviews and reviews; $5 for interior artwork. No fee.

https://www.hiraethsffh.com/parabnormal-magazine-guidelines

Prism Review Poetry and Story Contests

Deadline: November 30

$250 prize in each category. Judges: Poetry: Douglas Manuel. Fiction: Allison Wyss. Short stories: up to 7,000 words; can be one single story or linked microstories. Poetry: 1-5 poems, ten pages max. Multiple submissions accepted. Fee: $10

https://prismreview.submittable.com/submit

WOW! Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Contests

Deadlines: October 31 (nonfiction) and November 30 (fiction). Our favorite writing community offers quarterly contests judged blindly with multiple cash prizes and more for 20 winners, up to $1,350 (fiction) and $1,175 plus a gift certificate to CreateWriteNow (nonfiction), an affordable critique option, and a 300-entry limit on each contest. Previously published work is accepted! What’s not to love? This season's guest judge is Literary Agent Amy Giuffrida with Belcastro Literary Agency. Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Nonfiction).

https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

In celebration of Author's Day (Nov 1), why not support your favorite author friend by submitting a book review or author interview to Cool Beans Lit? They accept book reviews focused on literary works across many genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoirs, and essays. Aim for a review length between 500 and 1,000 words. For author interviews, submit an interview (Q&A format) up to 2,500 words. Deadline: November 15. No fee.

Did you know November 11 is National Happy Hour Day? The Coil literary magazine is looking for well-made (and taste-tested) food and drink recipes with a literary bent for their Naked Lunch column. They can be based on food from books, be based on what characters might eat or drink, have punny literary titles, or simply be a recipe accompanied by an essay. They are open about that, but it should pertain to literature in some facet. Pay is $10 per piece. Pieces should have a minimum of 600 words. Fee: $2

Craft Corner: Writing a YA Sci-fi Survival Novel

Empowering YA Anxiety with Giant Man-Eating Butterflies: An Interview with Jennifer D. Lyle, Author of Swarm

By Margo L. Dill

Giant man-eating butterflies, you ask? What does that have to do with a teenage girl who is trying to deal with severe anxiety? This is the magic of Young Adult (YA) science fiction and fantasy. Authors take true-to-life characters whom you probably recognize in your own life and place them in extraordinary circumstances, where they are still teenagers trying to figure out their world and rise to the challenges.

Jennifer D. Lyle, author of Swarm, is joining the ranks of J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, Rick Riordan, and James Dashner. If you love young adult novels, you will fall in love with Shur and her brothers and friends as they survive an attack from butterfly-like creatures that “swarm” the world, looking for prey. Shur may be an unlikely heroine in a crisis situation—it’s established early on that she has anxiety “episodes,” and everyone is extremely worried about her in this survival situation. But as Jennifer discusses below, this helps her more than anyone could ever imagine, and isn’t that amazing? Jennifer has taken a challenge for many youth and adults, and she shows us how it can empower and help in a crisis situation. This is why I loved Swarm. Jennifer writes refreshing realistic characters in this world she has created. She will be one to watch. 

Let’s hear what she has to say about writing her book, launching a debut novel, and words of inspiration for all authors out there.

WOW: Thank you for talking with us, Jennifer. Let’s start with your fantastic and thrilling YA, Swarm. Where did you get the idea for the species that terrifies the world, but specifically our protagonist, Shur, her brothers, and their friends?

Jennifer: Swarm started ages ago with a dream of butterflies causing the apocalypse via the dust on their wings, but I was never able to get past that initial thought. Years later, I had a dream where an enormous moth was crawling (harmlessly) up my leg and had an ah-ha moment! 

As far as Shur goes—who’s better in a crisis than someone who’s always in crisis mode? At least, that’s been my own personal experience (as someone with anxiety). I wanted Shur to be surrounded by people she really cared about, and who cared about her back, but I didn’t want her to be a superheroine who could jump into action to easily save the day. I also didn’t want her to act like an adult—to take the place of her mom—but rather to use the tools she had to do what needed doing, even if she wasn’t yet aware that her anxiety could be used as a tool. It was important for the others to not take her seriously at first—if they didn’t appreciate her quirks before the crisis, it was definitely going to take a minute for them to get on board.

Anxiety is so often treated as (and can be) crippling, but it really can be useful in some situations. So, when it came to a caretaker responsible for the survival of her family (on the heels of the loss of her father), I wanted someone who would absolutely think of everything that could go wrong and plan for it. 

Terrible Charlie and Little are based on my Amazon parrot and my nephew, respectively. I got a kick out of the idea of having to take care of a living being that absolutely does not care what’s going on around it, but still demands feeding (Charlie) and does not appreciate the effort in the least. For Little, I too often read small child characters who don’t act like real little kids—demanding, hilarious, monstrous when overtired. While being trapped with her friends and twin made sense, those circumstances alone were too easy. It felt more authentic to me to have these additional components for Shur to deal with.

WOW: How cool that you had an idea that percolated until a strange dream led you to this book idea. Thank you, too, for sharing with us about your anxiety and how you are using it as one of Shur’s strengths in this book. What an empowering take! One way to describe this novel is as a survival YA read. Did you pay attention to tropes when writing your story?

Jennifer: I definitely had my influences! I knew which tropes I wanted to keep and which ones I wanted to avoid. The sense of isolation, constant danger around every corner, no place being truly safe—these were all things I could see serving my characters and, by extension, the story’s tension. I’ve been obsessed with cordyceps infections since reading The Girl with All the Gifts and watching Fortitude. So, I loved the idea of something sort of zombie-like driven by nature and unpredictable from species to species.

There were a few tropes I tried to avoid. Starvation was a big one (that’s why Shur is constantly cooking, she’ll have read all the YA survival books almost as instruction manuals). I feel like I’ve read that a million times, from scrounging unripe berries to cracking open the last mystery can in the cupboard. Another was finding true love. I did want to have the potential for romance, but I don’t realistically think Shur would be in a place to fall in love at that particular moment. It would be the furthest thing from her mind. Finally, I didn’t want to introduce a backstabber into the house. That’s something I see in a lot of great books, but not something I wanted to do here—they’re a cohesive unit from start to end, and I didn’t want real betrayal factoring into that.

“That she’s able to come to terms with her anxiety vs. 'cure' it by the end is what that storyline is really about. Her anxiety is part of her, and it serves a purpose. Maybe she’ll work through it with time, and maybe it’ll always be there, but it’s nothing for her to be ashamed of. It can be a strength.”

WOW: That’s what I think makes a great book—some tropes are there for readers who enjoy those stories, but then you put your unique spin on it and what works for your characters! Another point that our readers could really learn from is the masterful way you handle four characters who are at the center of this—two males and two females. How did you work on their characters to stay distinct during their sheltering-in-place, especially at the beginning of the novel?

Jennifer: I tend to think of my characters as real people. I like to do some initial character studies to understand their unique motivations before I start to write them. Once a character’s traits and behaviors are established, it’s easier to think of the things they would say, how they’d react to certain stimuli, how they’d be under extreme pressure. 

Understanding who my characters are (and why they are that way) from the start was the key to keeping them realistic all the way through. There’s always a core to a person—who they are when you strip everything else away—but that core grows differently depending on stimuli. I think of it like a plant—if the soil is acidic, the flowers will be a different color. If it’s only getting light from one direction, it will grow in that direction. Characters are like that—you need their growth, their journey, to make sense organically, and that means understanding who they are from the very beginning. So, when you subject them to different stimuli, say being trapped in a house with killer butterflies outside and a child who will not stop singing “Let it Go” on repeat, their responses should feel authentic.

WOW: Definitely. Your take on writing characters in a novel is one we can all learn from, no matter what we are writing. One more question about the book: You gave Shur, the main protagonist, an internal struggle with her anxiety as well as the external struggle with the swarm. Why was it important to explore both stories? How does this add depth to the novel and did you know from the beginning of writing that she would deal with anxiety attacks?

Jennifer: I think it was important from the beginning to acknowledge that this is a person who has had serious struggles with her mental health because something really dreadful happened to her through no fault of her own, and that it’s impacted her entire way of existing. When the story starts, she’s already a mess because her anxiety has her on the edge of fight-or-flight all the time. She’s perpetually waiting for the next shoe to drop.

I could have had a more neurotypical character, but the idea of already having anxiety about everything, then having that paranoia absolutely justified, made perfect sense to me. If you don’t have to pass through the “I cannot believe this is happening to me” phase and instead go directly to “OK, how do I handle this?” it’s a little easier to transition to a new normal. 

The way that Shur processes information and deals with disaster is what gets her friends and family through the crisis. At first, no one really takes their situation (or her reaction) seriously except her—it takes them awhile to figure out that she’s right to panic. That she’s able to come to terms with her anxiety vs. “cure” it by the end is what that storyline is really about. Her anxiety is part of her, and it serves a purpose. Maybe she’ll work through it with time, and maybe it’ll always be there, but it’s nothing for her to be ashamed of. It can be a strength.

WOW: Yes, I think this is really a strength of this book. I think readers will be able to relate to Shur and your characters as they survive. Let’s look at a few other aspects of launching your first book into the world! What have you been doing to prepare for your book launch?

Jennifer: Mostly panicking and trying not to compulsively check Goodreads. Seriously, the marketing team at Sourcebooks is amazing, and they’ve been doing all the heavy lifting. From my side, I’m mostly updating my socials and bracing for the big day!

WOW: So glad to hear you have marketing support, and this means that our readers can add Swarm to their bookshelves on Goodreads. What is the one thing you are really looking forward to once the book is released on November 7?

Jennifer: I’m hoping to walk into a bookstore and see Swarm on a shelf. It’s simple, but it’ll be surreal! I’ve wanted to be a published author since I was barely into double digits, so for that to happen will blow my mind a little bit. My sister, to whom the book is dedicated, is really into audiobooks, so I know what she’s really looking forward to is asking Alexa to read my book to her.

WOW: Ha! I love it. That’s the greatest. What advice do you have for authors who are marketing their first book or their fifteenth? 

Jennifer: Ask me again once I get through this first one! Seriously, I’ve found myself thrust into the world of social media, setting up presences on Instagram and Threads, creating a website, and answering lots of questions on Goodreads. My goal is to be accessible to my readers and to build anticipation for my next book(s)! My advice would be, put yourself out there and interact with your readers. Find out what they liked and didn’t about your current work. But, like with all criticism, have a thick skin. Not everyone will love you, and that’s OK.

WOW: This is great advice, especially for YA authors. Teens will love this and your authenticity, but they can also be SO honest. I know—I have a seventh grader who will be thirteen at the end of October. What’s next for you? Is there a sequel or another YA book in the same genre?

Jennifer: As of right now, there’s no sequel in the works for Swarm, although I’d love to revisit that world someday. I’ve been obsessed with folk horror for a while now, so my next book will be in that genre, keeping with the YA audience. Similar to Swarm, the latest story has an underlying theme of isolation, but my readers will find my new MC and her predicament very different from Shur and her butterflies.

“The first hard thing to understand is that writing isn’t romantic—it’s hard work. It takes commitment and ruthlessness. You have to be prepared to write a terrible first draft.”

WOW: Awesome! I just followed you on Goodreads, so I can’t wait to see what’s in store. For those members of our community who are reading this at home and wondering: Will this ever be me? What is some advice you have for them?

Jennifer: Of course it will be you! This isn’t my first novel, or even my second. I started writing fan fiction as a kid (before I knew there was a name for what I was doing) and slowly worked up to writing novels. The first hard thing to understand is that writing isn’t romantic—it’s hard work. It takes commitment and ruthlessness. You have to be prepared to write a terrible first draft. Seriously. It’s easier to edit and revise something that exists in the world than it is to keep rewriting and revising the same chapter over and over to get the words just right. Do outlines—pantsing works for some people, but mostly it doesn’t work. Invest in a program like Scrivener that helps you with character sketches and blocking out chapters. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that success is impossible or that no one is interested in what you’re writing. Invest in professional feedback for your query letter. Be prepared to write more than one book. Read a lot. And don’t ever give up.

WOW: Yes to all this! Thank you. We all know that listening to each other, as writers, is so important. No one understands writers like another writer. Any closing thoughts?

Jennifer: I’d love for your readers to find me on Goodreads and to ask me any questions they want answered! I’m on Threads, Instagram, and X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @jenniferdlyle and at jenniferdlyle.com. And thank you so much for the interview! 

WOW: Thank you, Jennifer! We wish you much success!

Readers, we hope you will connect with Jennifer in one of the ways she mentions above. We are lucky to get her perspective on so many writing and book marketing aspects as a debut novelist. And I hope you love Swarm as much as I did. 

Margo L. Dill is an author, editor, and publisher in St. Louis, Missouri. She started Editor-911 Books, a small traditional publisher, in 2020, and has been a published author of children's and YA books since 2012. When she is not busy with her publishing company, she spends her day writing mostly about agriculture for a marketing agency and parenting her 13-year-old daughter and 4-year-old dog, Sudsi! Find out more at www.editor-911.com.

Book Giveaways!

Time to Write: Inspiring lessons and practical skills for writing the novel you've always wanted

By Emily Winslow

Time to Write is a creative writing guide aimed at anyone who wants to write a novel. It contains 49 lessons, each easy to read and packed with insights based on Emily's experience as a novelist and teacher at Cambridge University. This book is full of encouragement and covers the craft of writing with insight and clarity as well as professional topics, such as how to give and take critique and how to evaluate publishers and agents.

Enter the Giveaway by Oct 31

Force of Nature

By Joan M. Griffin

In this riveting memoir, three friends, women in their fifties, set out to hike “the most beautiful long-distance trail in the world,” the John Muir Trail. From the outset, their adventure is complicated by self-inflicted accidents and ferocious weather, then enriched when they “adopt” a young hiker abandoned by her partner along the trail. Together, they are pulled forward toward the trail’s end atop the highest peak in the High Sierra, Mt. Whitney, and the culmination of their transformative journey.

Enter the Giveaway by Nov 5

Partner: Institute of Children's Literature

Imagine working one-on-one with a published author or professional editor as your instructor—a true mentor who stretches your imagination and helps you set attainable goals for your stories.  

The Institute of Children’s Literature has over 50 years of experience teaching students how to write for children and teens, and how to market their writing to publishers. Our unique one-on-one method of instruction combined with our evergreen curriculum has been time-tested. Your one-on-one instructor is your personal guide from your first assignment until you graduate—customized instruction of this quality and intensity is rare and extraordinarily effective. 

When you enroll, you’ll master writing techniques, explore what inspires you, draw upon your observations, imagination, and interests, and translate your ideas into compelling stories and articles for children. Think: goal setting, targeting, planning, editing, and critiquing assignments. By the time you complete your course, you’ll have at least 1 manuscript suitable for submission to publishers.  

Submitting your Writing Sample kicks things off. It only takes a few minutes and it’s FREE!

The Institute is your launchpad—providing the structure, guidance, and support you need to stay focused and produce polished work.  

Stop wondering, start writing. Submit Your Writing Sample! 

WOW: Recent Feature

What You Need to Know Before You Publish Your Book: An Interview with Sarah Kolb-Williams of Spoonbridge Press

By Nicole Pyles



According to a report released by Bowker, the official ISBN agency for the United States, self-publishing remains as popular as ever. In 2021, 2.2 million books were self-published. That’s a lot of books! However, as appealing as it is to have full control over the publication of your book, it also comes with a lot of challenges. Simply knowing when your book is ready to release to the world is a major consideration. You don’t want to hit that publish button too soon, because that can impact your potential success. But when do you know it’s the right time?

Today, we address this complicated question with Sarah Kolb-Williams, co-founder and lead editor of Spoonbridge Press. This publishing services company helps new and growing authors navigate the world of self-publishing. With fifteen years of editorial experience and a passion for helping independent authors thrive, Sarah delights in unlocking the fullest potential of every client’s manuscript. Along with project manager Britt Peterson, she supports authors through the intimidating process of self-publishing a book while giving them full creative and financial control over their publishing journeys.

READ MORE

Friday Speak Out! How Book Clubs Can Improve Your Writing

By Sharon Virts

When it comes to penning your novel, there are so many contradictory methods and strategies to writing that it can be overwhelming. I mean, how do you know if your writing will delight an audience? 

I know, because when I began crafting my first novel, finding my rhythm, building my story structure, and determining my writing style was quite challenging. 

Surprisingly, it was my book club that helped me write with more confidence. 

READ MORE

Friday Speak Out! Writing Diverse Characters

By Karen Klink

As a white female who grew up outside Akron, Ohio, I found that writing a 19th century historical novel featuring a bisexual young man and a young black slave who he considered his brother to be a fascinating and sometimes risky journey. I wanted to explore the multifaceted aspects of writing diverse characters, the significance of historical accuracy, and the delicate balance between representation and sensitivity. 

READ MORE

Friday Speak Out! And We're Off! On a Writing Spring, That is!

By Allison Chaney

In the labyrinthine landscape of the blank page, where the cursor blinks with expectant impatience, writer’s block often emerges as the Minotaur, nostrils flared and ready to attack if we dare attempt to pass into the land of wordsmithing. Fear not, dear scribes: the Theseus to this literary conundrum is at hand, woven into the elegant simplicity of… timed writing sprints.

Ah, the writing sprint—a concentrated burst of unbridled literary output that occupies a timed enclave. Some of us like a good 25-minute sprint, others prefer 10 or 30 or even a full hour. "Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good.” Wise words from William Faulkner. Words on a page, ladies! That’s all we need. 

READ MORE

Reevaluating My Writing Path

By Ann Kathryn Kelly

I’m coming off a summer full of adventure, new friends, breakthroughs in my writing, and a big upheaval in my career. I spent the month of July in Prague, at an immersive summer writing program that brought together poets along with fiction and nonfiction prose writers from around the world to workshop our pages with an award-winning faculty. 

READ MORE

The Pitfalls of Research

By Sue Bradford Edwards

One day as I was watching a YouTube video, a recommendation scrolled by. It was a cooking video, “6 Sandwiches from the 60s.” I watched it and another video in which Anna Buchholz mentioned using the 1940s Joy of Cooking in her video on war time cooking. Buchholz also talked about the changes that had been made in that edition of the cookbook. 

I knew my mom had a 1950s edition. She bought me the most recent edition when I got married. We laughed out how different it was from hers. As I thought about this, I realized I had no idea what my characters would be eating. Sure, there would be similarities to today, but there are things I can pick up at the grocery store today that required a trip to Chinatown when I was a teen. I needed to do more research.

READ MORE

Ten Things I've Learned About Publishing a Book

By Cathy C. Hall

1. Everything takes longer than planned. (You would assume by now that I’d just plan on an hour to get something done, but no, that would be learning from past experience. Apparently, I continue to cling to the hope that whatever it is, I can finish in twenty minutes.) 

2. A Technology Glitch will occur at the worst moment. (Which may or may not have some bearing on anything taking at least an hour to complete.) 

3. It is possible to find any answer to any problem. (The trick is figuring out exactly how to phrase the problem. Specificity is the key! And um… perhaps swallowing pride and checking before wasting that hour in the first place.) 

READ MORE

Ask the Book Doctor: About Common Errors

By Bobbie Christmas

Q: Q: I was watching a reality show some years back wherein celebrities were competing in attempts to win money for their favorite charities. Something happened in it that has bothered me for years. Cyndi Lauper said something like, “I felt bad about that.” The MC, who I thought was supposed to be the smartest person in the show, corrected her and said, “You felt badly, Cyndi. The correct word is badly.” Cyndi dropped her head and with embarrassment “corrected” herself and said, “I felt badly.”

Am I crazy? Wasn’t she right in the first place?

READ MORE

The Forever Intangible Feedback: "It Needs Something More"

By Nicole Pyles

Lately, I've been reading through flash fiction entries for the WOW! Women on Writing contest. And it always gives me insights into my own writing as I read. 

One area I stumbled across was after reading a couple of stories. There were some minor flaws but the overall feeling I had about it was, "It needs something more."

Have you ever felt that about a story you were reading? Whether it's your own or someone else's? Maybe it reminds you too much of another one you read. Maybe the plot didn't grab your attention. Maybe the ending was weak.

Sometimes, though, it's intangible.

READ MORE

The Emotional Response to Negative Reviews

By Renee Roberson

I was feeling proud of myself a few Fridays ago. It was the start of the weekend, and I’d just uploaded a new episode of my podcast, “Missing in the Carolinas,” which I had decided to put out weekly with the help of an intern and a freelance writer. My production schedule had never been consistent before I went back and forth between weekly to bi-monthly episodes. I scrolled through the podcast app on my phone, looking at the reviews. I noticed the number of starred reviews was approaching 100, then stopped short when I saw a listener had posted a new review: 

"I think this is a great podcast, well put together and cases I hadn’t heard of! Although I would like it a little more if she didn’t talk about herself so much. We are here for the story of the victims . . . not the story of the author/narrator’s life. Great narration and still listening for a reason."

READ MORE

4 Things to Remember Before You Query an Agent

By Linnea Gradin

In today’s publishing landscape, opportunities to get traditionally published without an agent are far and few between. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but in order to be taken seriously—or to even be considered at all—most publishers require manuscripts to pass through an agent before landing on an editor’s desk. And the competition is fierce.

So if you’re looking to increase your chances of landing an agent, here are 4 things to remember before you start querying.

READ MORE

Never Stop Chasing Your Dreams - Persist and Write Till Christmas

By Kelly Sgroi

My life has been all about persistence. I feel like I’ve fumbled my way through everything from work to motherhood, and writing is no different. 

When I opened Word intending to write a novel for the first time, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea where that desire would take me. And I couldn’t see how far I would have to come before I got even close to having any of my work published. But isn’t that the beauty of ignorance? It’s bliss to be in the moment, following your inspiration and not worrying about a goal post. 

I wonder, if I had known it would be 11 years before I got something published, would I have even started? Would I have bothered to enjoy the journey I had just begun? 11 years is a long time, so I think it’s safe to say I may not have troubled to finish that first manuscript. But here we are and I’m so glad I followed my heart. 

When you love something, time is but a number. 

READ MORE