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

November 2025 Markets Newsletter

In this issue:

• "Writing for Holiday Survival: Use humor writing as a way to get through the stressful holiday season" by Chelsey Clammer
• "In Conversation with Melissa Llanes Brownlee, Author of Bitter Over Sweet, and Editor for Smokelong Quarterly and Literary Namjooning" interview by Myna Chang
• Calls from Editors and Remote Jobs
• November Deadlines: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Multigenre, Just for Fun
• Author Marketing: "Creating Your Book's Visuals" by Jodi M. Webb
• Craft Corner: "How to Write a Mind-Bending Unreliable Narrator" by Shweta Deshpande
• Recent Posts from The Muffin

Writers!

The holiday season is approaching. The evenings come sooner, leaves crunch under foot, and there’s a chill in the air as many writers prepare for holiday gatherings. It’s the perfect time to grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage and dive into a new writing project or pick up one you’ve set aside. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Yet, writing during the holidays and around family offers its own set of unique challenges, and perhaps some of you can relate to these.

First, there was the Thanksgiving when I was 14 and my 17-year-old sister discovered our dad had been pouring vodka into his Diet Sprite cans, still trying to pull off a sober façade. That Thanksgiving ended before it began, doors slammed and food left cooling in casserole dishes. I didn’t know foot stomps could be so loud on the awful emerald green carpet my mother insisted on having in our new house because white meant too much vacuuming.

To get through this event relatively undamaged, I retreated to my room as the steam settled in both the kitchen and the dining room and I wrote and wrote out the experience, getting the yuck out of me as I wrote ranting things about the dysfunction that can be a family.

And let’s not forget the political arguments between in-laws who see the holiday season as an excuse to trigger everyone’s CPTSD. ‘Tis the season for pumpkin-spiced trauma. Don’t forget the canned cranberry viscous matter (I actually love that stuff). It suctions out of the can the same way family can suck the life force out of you.

Slurps all around.

Lapping up your creative energy.

How to survive this hot mess voluntold position?

My answer: Write and laugh your way through it.

Because one must admit it was funny when my mom’s partner stormed off a few years ago due to a Christmas dinner embarrassment involving a turkey baster, but he tripped on a different green carpet as he stomped down the hall, nearly missing a fantastic faceplant ending. I for sure wrote a flash essay about the foot, the face, the funny image of a grown man succumbing to toddler status. Therapy.

And so, we must roll with it. Get through the hot mess holiday season with grace—which for me, really means writing humor.

Want to give it a try? Here are 5 humor writing tips to get your pen moving:

• Journal. Express. Therapy-write yourself out of the situation to get a little bit of a breather.

• Look at funny memes online. Just randomly search “funny dog memes” or whatever noun you want to insert and get some laughs going to spur quirky thinking with which you can take into your writing.

• Write one long ranting sentence. Just set a timer for 10 minutes and GO. Write about the event, about the way your grandfather sucks his teeth to free them of gizzard and giblet bits. Whatever it is, just rant away for a sentence.

• Get creative and look at photos of previous holiday times to use them as prompts for your writing. Visually jarring yourself back into the past can work as a creative writing prompt.

• Read some funny books. Jenny Lawson is awesome. Sloane Crosely is a must. Nora Ephron your way through this holiday season. Remember, reading is writing.

Personally, I journal my way through these times. Get snarky and snide when I describe the fastidious AF characteristic quirk of my aunt who insists on handwashing and drying the mounds of dishes—group effort!—even though we have a dishwasher and everyone is tired of each other and just wants to bail.

And in between journaling, I keep up my submissions practice by polishing essays and finding great journals to submit to. It gives me momentum, inspiration. Some great journals are featured in this month’s issue. 

In Conversation with Melissa Llanes Brownlee, Author of Bitter Over Sweet, and Editor for Smokelong Quarterly and Literary Namjooning

By Myna Chang

Melissa Llanes Brownlee is well known in the flash community as a consummate writer and an unflagging supporter of her peers. Her upcoming collection, Bitter Over Sweet, explores the lives of native Hawaiians struggling to get by in a tourist’s paradise.

Coming in early November from publisher SFWP, the book is already collecting kudos, being named one of Ms. Magazine's Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2025 and landing a spot on CLMP’s Reading List for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 2025. Library Journal says Bitter Over Sweet “will appeal most to devotees of flash fiction. Brownlee’s stories do not shy away from the ugly truth, but they also highlight resilience and possibility.”

Melissa, a native Hawaiian writer living in Japan, received her MFA in Fiction from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her work has been widely published in literary journals and magazines, including Prairie Schooner, The Rumpus, Cincinnati Review miCRo, Indiana Review, Craft, swamp pink, Moon City Review, Wigleaf, Cutleaf Journal, and others. She just learned to ride a motorcycle and you can find her driving through the Japanese countryside on the weekends. She doodles at @lumchanfa and plays her ukulele at @lumchanukulele on Instagram. She also tweets at @lumchanmfa and talks story at melissallanesbrownlee.com.

Melissa teaches writing workshops and serves as senior submissions editor for Smokelong Quarterly and co-editor of Literary Namjooning. Thanks to Melissa for taking time to share her thoughts with us!

WOW: Welcome, Melissa! Congratulations on the fantastic pre-release accolades for Bitter Over Sweet! Tell us about the collection. What themes do you explore? Who are your characters, and how do you connect with them?

Melissa: Mahalo! Thank you so much. In most of my work, especially, anything set in Hawai’i, I tend to focus on poverty, systemic racism, classicism, religious indoctrination…you know, all of the things a native person who grows up in a colonized culture deals with. I keep circling these themes through my every-girl character, “Tita.” Tita is a Hawaiian Pidgin Creole word, most likely a derivative of sister, that can be used positively or pejoratively, depending on how it’s pronounced. In this case, it’s positive and used as a nickname for most girls. Many of my stories are about Hawaiian girls and women so you could say they are about me and the women in my life, but not.

WOW: As a reader, I appreciate finding Tita woven throughout these stories, which brings me to another thing I love about your writing: the front-and-center presence of Hawaiian culture. The landscape, the mythology, and the sense of both hope and desperation come through so clearly. I’m particularly drawn to your use of language. It is gorgeously rendered and serves as a powerful immersive tool. I’m curious about the initial reaction from editors, especially those who might not already be familiar with your work. Have you received pushback on your language choices? Are you seeing any changes in the way mainstream editors and readers view the use of other languages?

Melissa: Language molds us, right? It shapes the way we speak and think. Pidgin is my mother tongue. It’s the language I used with family and friends growing up. So, when I decided to start writing about Hawai’i, it just seemed natural to include it in my work.

Of course, the first time I ever received any negative feedback on a story that used it was in a workshop during my MFA. This person insisted I needed to include a glossary and that just upset me. I hadn’t written the entire story in Pidgin. It was mainly dialogue and the context clues allowed the reader to understand what was being said, or at least that was my hope.

I didn’t listen to this person, but it made me realize that not everyone would be so welcoming. I was prepared for it if it ever happened again, but you know what? It didn’t. At least not in any rejections I have ever received. And when a piece gets an acceptance, I may get editorial suggestions, and if it concerns the use of Pidgin, I will explain why a phrase or word is required and may add a brushstroke or two to help with context if necessary.

Also, I think it can be a risk for mainstream editors to invest in a writer who uses other languages within their English narratives, but if Cormac McCarthy can write pages of Spanish in his work, then why can’t I write in Pidgin? I encourage any writers whose mother tongue is not English to experiment with using it in their writing. It is freeing and may allow you to tap into something deeper. And for those whose mother tongue is English, consider the dialect of your region, think about how the words and phrases of your youth shaped you. In the US, only broadcast English is standardized. Everything else is dialect.

“I encourage any writers whose mother tongue is not English to experiment with using it in their writing. It is freeing and may allow you to tap into something deeper. And for those whose mother tongue is English, consider the dialect of your region, think about how the words and phrases of your youth shaped you.”

WOW: Great advice! And it’s an approach that obviously works so well for you. For instance, the final piece in the collection is titled “Oh my god your voice sounds so haole.” This breathless micro pulls the reader into the schism between an islander living on the mainland and his family back home. The urgency of the piece sings with a single long sentence building tension as it progresses, with no punctuation to interrupt the flow. With lines like: “I worry I’m making a mistake jus make sure you leave your haole high maka maka shit up dea, or else the threat ringing in my ear as I hang up,” it’s clear the language serves as a symbol of this family’s separation. What were your goals when you began writing this piece? Do you feel this sort of pull between the different cultures you inhabit?

Melissa: This is a literal quote from an actual phone conversation I had with someone from Hawai’i. It still bothers me. Even today. I haven’t lived in Hawai’i since I left in 1999. I would say this conversation happened in the early 00s. I had been going to Boise State at the time and was planning a trip home and talking to someone about my plans and I guess I forgot to code switch in the conversation, so I had basically committed a social faux pax because I wasn’t talking in Pidgin.

I will say that I grew up learning that Pidgin was for poor, uneducated people, so was “trained” out of it, but if I didn’t use it in the correct social circumstances, I could have been easily ostracized, and by this, I mean I could have been shunned, or have to fight someone, or be considered, as in this case, too haole, or too good for the person I was speaking to. It was a weird tightrope to walk as a child.

WOW: That tightrope-tension really powers your collection. I’m blown away at how evocative these stories are, which is especially noteworthy due to their brevity. Almost all the stories in Bitter Over Sweet fall into the microfiction category, stand-alone stories that come in at less than 400 words. What about this length appeals to you?

Melissa: It’s funny. I have always written short. Even before flash and microfiction became categories. I think they were still called sudden fiction back then. I have always been drawn to the short form. I had to force myself to write anything longer than five pages and a lot of that was due to pressure from my MFA workshops. “All real short story writers write 3500 – 5000-word stories.” So I figured there was something wrong with me because I just didn’t feel comfortable writing to those lengths. I did it a few times and I think those stories were good, but for me the stuff I write under 400 words just sings. There is power in compression. I find micros linger much longer and also allow for multiple readings for even more depth and understanding.

Also, there are threads and themes I keep coming back to, and micros let me touch on different parts of them and when they are placed together in a collection, they build upon each other, like a resonance chamber.

“There is power in compression. I find micros linger much longer and also allow for multiple readings for even more depth and understanding.”

WOW: I found that resonance in your previous collections, too. Hard Skin (Juventud Press, 2022), introduces a cast of children and young adults navigating the joy, anger, and frustration of their lives. I am especially touched by the book’s dedication: “For all the island kids dreaming of more.” How did this collection come about? What inspired you?

Melissa: It started at Boise State when I took a fiction workshop from Anthony Doerr. He inspired me to write about Hawai’i, and I wrote “Uncle Willy’s Harbor” which got me into UNLV’s MFA program. I continued writing a few more stories, all set in Hawai’i, throughout my time at UNLV. I submitted my manuscript and graduated, and then I stopped writing for six years. Not a single story that I had written up until I graduated in 2008 had ever been submitted or published. This was before online submissions were much of a thing and sending work through the mail just seemed like a lot of work for little return for a newbie writer like me.

Eventually, I started writing again and wrote a few more stories, and more importantly, I started submitting my work. Every story in Hard Skin was published before I considered submitting it as a whole…and let me tell you, it took five years for it to be accepted for publication. Five years. It had placed in a contest or two but there was no prize or offer of publication—but at least I knew my work had been recognized. Eventually, I saw that FlowerSong Press (the main publisher of the imprint Juventud Press) was accepting collections, but it was “no simultaneous submissions” so I said what the hell and pulled it from everywhere else and tried my luck and they accepted it in a few weeks. I was ecstatic.

WOW: Kudos for your perseverance! I also want to ask about your novella-in-flash, Kahi and Lua: Tales of the First and the Second (Alien Buddha, 2022). This book combines mythology and pop culture, reinventing the mythical Hawaiian gods Kahi and Lua in a modern landscape. What do these gods think of life in today’s Hawaii?

Melissa: I will be honest. I took a lot of liberties with the Hawaiian creation chant, the Kumulipo. These creations of mine aren’t truly part of the pantheon. I was playing more with this idea of gods being creators and creations of humanity, a weird cyclic conundrum, like the chicken and the egg. I wanted characters who could look at humanity but also participate in its foibles. They allowed me the freedom to comment on pop culture, on religion, on Hawai’i, on myth, on our need for them to exist. Weird, right?

WOW: Your weekly newsletter and YouTube channel often give me a hit of inspiration. Whether it’s hearing about your latest success or listening to a fun song, I always leave your site with a smile. Of course, you also share your challenges and frustrations, which is a great reality check for so many writers. What prompted these missives? Do they inspire you as much as they inspire me?

Melissa: Thank you!! I started my website because that’s what you were supposed to do as a published writer, right? And I started my talk story blog, because I thought it was something that writers needed to do to promote themselves, and I figured if I was writing something every week, I would just be honest about my journey as a writer, as a woman, as a person just living my life. I guess you could kind of call it my journal.

WOW: Drawing is also part of your journey, isn’t it? Your doodles are so much fun! They grace your website and the cover of Hard Skin. You even used them as prizes in a recent fundraising effort! Do you ever sell your works? Might a picture book be on the horizon?

Melissa: I love my doodles, too. Sadly, I took a break from daily doodles a year or so ago and you are inspiring me to start it back up again. I have done art for my own books and stories as well as for literary magazines like Flash Frog. I have never even considered a picture book. What a wonderful idea. Don’t know if I have the brain space for another project but you never know.

WOW: Speaking of brain space, you are really busy! In addition to your own writing, you serve as senior submissions editor for Smokelong Quarterly and co-editor of Literary Namjooning. What does that work entail? What do you enjoy the most about these roles?

Melissa: First, I want to say that I think all writers should work at a magazine or journal at least once in their careers. Being on the other side of the process offers a little more clarity and balance to our writing lives. I know it’s not for everyone, but I think the experience will make you a better writer.

I have been a submissions editor at Smokelong Quarterly for a few years, and I was added to the senior staff in May. When I started, I read submissions blind with a partner. I think it’s one of the fairest ways to read subs. Now that I am a senior editor, I assist with feedback, help decide contest winners as well as what will be published. It’s wonderful to showcase amazing work.

Literary Namjooning began last year as a way to honor the founder’s sister and her love of BTS. I really enjoy being a part of this magazine. It’s so different from what I have been a part of before.

“I think all writers should work at a magazine or journal at least once in their careers. Being on the other side of the process offers a little more clarity and balance to our writing lives.”

WOW: What are you working on now, and what’s on the horizon?

Melissa: I am working on all the things one needs to do to promote their book but also trying to finish this novel that I have been working on for a year or two. It’s been a challenge. I’m also trying to stay involved with the online community as much as I am able but there are so many platforms now to maintain so I have been feeling a bit stretched thin by it.

WOW: One more thing before we wrap up: what color is your motorcycle? Does it have a name? (Oops, that was two final things!)

Melissa: It’s red! I call her Vash the Stampede after the main character in the anime Trigun. She’s so cute! And for any motorcycle fans, she’s a 150cc Suzuki Gixxer.

So, readers, I’m curious: does your specific regional or cultural dialect find its way into your writing? Do you draw inspiration from your non-English mother tongue? Maybe this is a technique to explore! Thanks to Melissa for sharing these thoughts with us!

Poetry

Fernwood Press Poetry Collections

Deadline: Rolling

Fernwood Press promotes poetry collections that speak to the human capacity for spiritual experience. They are seeking poetry collections, especially from previously unpublished and lesser-known authors. Manuscripts should be 50-100 pages. Poets writing in English are eligible. Pay: royalties. No fee.

https://www.fernwoodpress.com/submissions 

Evaristo Prize for African Poetry

Deadline: November 1

An annual prize of USD $1,500 awarded to ten poems written by an African poet. An African Poet is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, who is a national or resident of an African country, or whose parents are African. Manuscripts should contain ten poems, and be no longer than 40 lines each. No fee.

https://africanpoetrybookfund.submittable.com/submit/237071/evaristo-prize-for-african-poetry 

Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize 2025

Deadline: November 1

Prizes: $1,500 grand prize, $600 runner-up, $400 2nd runner-up. Submit up to three poems per entry (100 lines max per poem). Fee: CAD $35. No fee for self-identifying Indigenous and Black writers and low-income writers.

https://prisminternational.submittable.com/submit/330041/2025-pacific-spirit-poetry-prize 

Ashland Poetry Broadside Contest 2025

Deadline: November 1

The mission of the Ashland Poetry Press is to publish and promote the best poetry submitted from new and established authors. Poems should be 40 lines or fewer to accommodate the page (including spaces between stanzas). Submit one to two unpublished poems. Prize: $250 and 50 printed copies of their winning broadside (as well as the digital original). Fee: $10

https://ashlandpoetrypress.submittable.com/submit/335617/2025-ashland-poetry-broadside-contest

Derricotte/Eady Chapbook Prize 2026 for Black Poets

Deadline: November 3

The Derricotte/Eady Prize spotlights chapbook-length manuscripts. One poet will receive $1,000, publication of their manuscript through O, Miami Books, 10 copies of the book, and a residency at The Writer’s Room at The Betsy Hotel-South Beach, and a featured reading at the O, Miami Festival in April. Open to all unpublished, original collections of poems (25-30 pages in length) written in English. No fee.

https://cavecanem.submittable.com/submit/334295/2026-derricotte-eady-chapbook-prize 

Leonard Cohen Poetry Prize 2025

Deadline: November 7

The Leonard Cohen Poetry Prize will open each year from September 21 to November 7 (LC’s birth anniversary to death anniversary). Submit up to 3 pages of poetry. Prize: $1,000 will be awarded to a poem that explores the intersections of love, faith & sex. Ten finalists will each be awarded $250. Fee: $18

https://onlypoems.submittable.com/submit/335141/3500-leonard-cohen-poetry-prize-2025

Granite State Poetry Prize 2026

Deadline: November 10

For New Hampshire Poets, the Granite State Poetry Prize is a $5,000 publication prize given annually for a previously unpublished poetry collection. Manuscripts should be between 48 and 96 pages (including front matter). The final judge for this year's award is Diannely Antigua. Fee: $30

https://yaspress.submittable.com/submit/336700/2026-granite-state-poetry-prize

The Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition 2025 – Theme: Bells

Deadline: November 14

Open to all writers, all ages, this poetry competition’s theme is “bells.” They want to represent the many moods of bells, for example: the single bell tolling for a funeral, compared with a full, tower-shaking peal for a wedding or national celebration; bells sounding as warnings in the days before radio; bells summoning townsfolk to prayer, reminding everyone who hears them that the church is alive; bells said to be ringing under the sea when villages are submerged; bells for victory at the end of war. Prizes: winning prize of £200, with £50 for second place, and £25 for third place. Submit a poem no longer than 30 lines. No fee.

https://manchestercathedral.org/news-events/news/announcing-the-manchester-cathedral-poetry-competition-2025- 

Happiful Poetry Prize 2026

Deadline: November 14

Open to writers over 18 in the UK or NI. They’re looking for poems that explore the topic of mental health and wellbeing in unique, engaging, and empowering ways. The winner will receive £100, and four shortlisted poets will receive a £25 National Book Token. All five poems will be published in issue 108 of Happiful. Submit one poem no more than 25 lines long. No fee.

https://happiful.com/enter-the-happiful-poetry-prize-2026 

Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize 2026

Deadline: November 15

Open to US residents, the prize will 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. In addition, all three poems will be published in the popular Poem-a-Day series. Poets may submit one original, previously unpublished, poem. No fee.

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

2026 Perugia Press Prize for a First or Second Book by a Woman

Deadline: November 15

Open to US residents. Perugia Press is a nonprofit feminist press that publishes one beautifully designed book each year. Manuscripts are generally between 45-85 pages. Prize: Book publication and a $2,000 prize. Fee: $30 standard rate; $15 reduced-rate option; No fee for BIWOC poets.

https://perugiapress.org/contest/ 

Nightboat Books Poetry Prize

Deadline: November 15

Open to any poet writing in English, the Nightboat Books Poetry Prize awards the winning poet(s) a $1,200 advance, a standard royalty contract, and 25 free copies of the published book. Submit a minimum of 48 pages. Fee: $28

https://nightboat.org/poetry-prize/

Aquarius Press/Willow Books Fall Poetry Chapbook Competition

Deadline: November 15

Aquarius Press/Willow Books is accepting submissions for the Fall Poetry Chapbook Competition. Submit up to 40 pages in standard format, 11 or 12-pt. font. The prize is $500 (upon publication), 20 copies of the chapbook and distribution nationwide. Fee: $25

https://aquariuspress.submittable.com/submit/336207/aquarius-press-willow-books-fall-poetry-chapbook-competition

Laurence Goldstein Poetry Prize 2025

Deadline: November 30

Seeking, cultivating, and amplifying a wide range of artistic expressions that interrogate the world and expand the imagination. Please submit up to five previously unpublished poems with a total page count of no more than 10 pages. This year's final judge will be Hala Alyan. The prize is $1,000 and the winning submission will be published in the Summer 2026 issue of the journal. Fee: $20

https://mqr.submittable.com/submit/278690/2025-laurence-goldstein-poetry-prize

Sundress Publications 2025 Poetry Broadside Contest

Deadline: November 30

The winner’s poem will be letterpress-printed as an 8.5” x 11” broadside complete with custom art and made available for sale on our online store. The winner will receive $200 and 20 copies of their broadside. Submit up to three poems, no longer than 28 lines each. Fee: $10; no fee for writers of color.

https://www.sundresspublications.com/news/2025/09/sundress-publications-open-for-2025-poetry-broadside-contest/ 

Quail Eggs - Tanka

Deadline: November 30

Quail Eggs is a tanka journal, and publishes only tanka and closely related forms such as tan-renga and tanka prose. It is UK-based and welcomes submissions from around the world. It is published quarterly, online only. Submit a maximum of 10 tank per issue. No fee.

https://quaileggstanka.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html 

Fiction

Night Shades Magazine

Deadline: Until 23 slots are filled

Night Shades opens sporadically and for indeterminate periods of time. They accept speculative fiction up to 500 words maximum. Submit one story. Pay: $65 per story. No fee.

https://www.nightshadesmag.com/submissions 

The William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers

Deadline: November 1

The grant program will award $2,500, plus a comprehensive registration for the upcoming convention and two nights’ lodging at the convention hotel, to one unpublished writer in the malice domestic genre, which is loosely described as mystery stories of the Agatha Christie type—i.e. “traditional mysteries.” These works usually feature no excessive gore, gratuitous violence, or explicit sex. Apply with an application, a plot synopsis of no more than 300 words; three consecutive chapters of the writer’s Malice Domestic genre work-in-progress. No fee.

https://000gxf1.rcomhost.com/grants.html 

Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2026

Deadline: November 1

The prize is free to enter and open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country aged 18 and over. It is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–5,000 words). The grand prize winner will receive £5,000. The regional winners will receive £2,500. All five regional winning stories will be published on Granta. No fee.

https://commonwealthfoundation.com/short-story-prize 

Little Key Press: Clocks

Deadline: November 1

Clocks is a speculative, dark fiction anthology. They will close when they reach 100 submissions; one exception: there is no submission cap for disabled writers. They are looking for short stories of 3,000 – 5,000 words on the theme of clocks. Pay: $40 per story and a contributor copy. No fee.

https://littlekeypress.com/#submissions 

2026 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Short Story Prize

Deadline: November 1

Open to Canadian residents. CBC is the online platform for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada’s national public broadcaster, which provides news, information, entertainment, and sports through a multi-platform service. Submit your original, unpublished stories up to 2,500 words in length. There is no minimum word requirement. The winner receives $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, a two-week writing residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and their story published on CBC Books. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their story published on CBC Books. Fee: $25

https://cbcliteraryprizes.submittable.com/submit/335195/2026-cbc-short-story-prize

2026 FC2 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize

Deadline: November 1

The FC2 Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize is open to writers of, from, or in the United States writing in English with at least three books published. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel. The Prize includes $15,000 and publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press, with an Introduction by the final judge. Fee: $25

https://fictioncollective2.submittable.com/submit/333859/2026-fc2-catherine-doctorow-innovative-fiction-prize

One Story

Opens: November 3 (closes when cap is met)

One Story will open on November 3rd and are seeking literary fiction. Stories should be between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be any style and, on any subject, as long as they are good. They are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone. Submit your story as a PDF. Pay: $500 per story. No fee.

https://one-story.com/write/submit-a-story 

Stone’s Throw – Theme: Holiday Office Party

Deadline: November 4 (Opens November 1)

The office holiday party is the setting for this month’s Stone’s Throw prompt. What happens when you’re forced into a social setting with a bunch of people you would never willingly socialize with except for a paycheck? How does dipping into a less formal space embolden your protagonist to tell Jan from Accounting what they really think of her? What hare-brained schemes can your protagonist come up with after knocking back a few cold ones and eyeing up the unguarded bank safe? And what fresh hell and awkward hangovers await the story’s characters the morning after? Submit a story 1,000 – 2,000 words. Pay: $25 per story. No fee.

https://www.rockandahardplacemag.com/stones-throw-submissions 

F(r)iction Flash Fiction Contest - Fall 2025

Deadline: November 7

F(r)iction is known for featuring boundary-pushing work. Prize: $300 and consideration of publication in F(r)iction. Submit a flash fiction up to 1,000 words. Fee: $10

https://frictioncontests.submittable.com/submit/330456/friction-flash-fiction-contest-single-entry-fall-2025

Myths, Gods, and Immortals: Helen of Troy

Deadline: November 9

Renowned as the face that launched a thousand ships, Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman in the world—sorry, the most beautiful of the mortal women, lest we incur Aphrodite’s wrath—and a crucial figure in the epic Trojan War, that most important of Greek mythology’s events. Now it is your chance to delve deeper into the character and backstory of Helen, to shine a light on more than her immediate link to the Trojan War. Whether you explore her beauty as a heavy burden, or the multiple viewpoints of her motivations and moral character as offered by the contradictory classical sources, or develop a whole new history, path to tread or time to inhabit, they look forward to seeing some original stories. Stories should be between 3,000-4,000 words. Pay: $0.08 per word for original stories; $0.06 per word for reprints. No fee.

https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/fantasy-gothic/helen-of-troy-call-for-submissions 

The Masters Review 2025 Novel Excerpt Contest

Deadline: November 9

Each fall, The Masters Review opens submissions for novel excerpts from emerging writers. The winning excerpt will be awarded $3,000; online publication; and an hour-long consultation with Marin Takikawa, a literary agent with The Friedrich Agency. Second- and third-place excerpts will be awarded online publication and $300 and $200 respectively, in addition to written feedback from Takikawa. Submit an excerpt under 6,000 words. Fee: $20

https://themastersreview.submittable.com/submit/334763/2025-novel-excerpt-contest-judged-by-nick-fuller-googins-3-000-prize 

Defenestrationism 2026 Flash Suite Contest – Theme: Community

Deadline: November 10

Defenestrationism defines a “Flash Suite” as a series of at least three flash fiction works that correlate, and build to something greater. Recurring characters, extended motifs, harmonious subject matters, and/or sustained narrative are such correlations—but they encourage innovation and new ideas. This year’s theme is “Community.” The winner receives $75, and the runner-up receives $60. Word limit of 1,000 for each individual piece of flash. Email in a single document (no PDFs). No fee.

https://defenestrationism.net/flash-suite-contest 

These Dreaming Hills - Appalachia

Deadline: November 15

Appalachia Book Company will be publishing a new speculative fiction anthology, edited by Christopher Rowe. Stories should be rooted in central Appalachia dependent upon broadly defined notions of speculative fiction, written by authors with strong ties to the region. All the elements of good fiction are, of course, required, but Appalachia is made up of its people, so strong characterization is an absolute necessity. Submit original works of fiction between 1,000-6,000 words. Pay: $0.08 per word and three copies of the book. No fee.

https://www.appalachiabook.co/submit 

PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers

Deadline: November 25

This award recognizes 12 emerging writers for their debut short story published in a literary magazine, journal, or cultural website, and aims to support the launch of their careers as fiction writers. The 12 winning writers each receive a $2,000 cash prize and will be published by Catapult in their annual anthology, Best Debut Short Stories: The PEN America Dau Prize. Stories may not exceed 12,000 words in length. No fee.

https://fs3.formsite.com/kGqofl/rabftinvas/index 

The Pumpkin Patch Library — Early Reader Halloween Books

Deadline: November 30

They’re seeking playful, cozy, and imaginative stories full of autumn wonder. Think pumpkins, costumes, friendly ghosts, silly witches, and trick-or-treat adventures. Cosmographia Books is delighted to open submissions for The Pumpkin Patch Library—a new line of Halloween-themed early reader books for ages 5–7. Submit the full manuscript along with 3–5 finished sample illustrations. The winning submission will receive a $450 award and publication in The Pumpkin Patch Library series. Fee: $15

https://cosmographia.submittable.com/submit/334941/the-pumpkin-patch-library-early-reader-halloween-books-450-prize-public

Indiana Review 2025 Fiction Prize

Deadline: November 30

Indiana Review is a small, student-run literary magazine at Indiana University Bloomington. Submit one short story of up to 6,000 words for the annual Fiction Prize, with a cash prize of $1,000 and publication. Fee: $20

https://indianareview.submittable.com/submit/339428/2025-fiction-prize

The Drabble Harvest Contest – Theme: Alien Guide Book for Visitors

Deadline: November 30

A “drabble” is defined as a short story containing exactly precisely no more and no fewer than 100 words. It has a title, which can be from 1 to 15 words—but no more than 15. The theme is “Alien Guide Book for Visitors.” Pay for drabbles is $0.01 per word. Prizes: First Place is $5.00, and Second Place is $2.00. Submit one drabble. No fee.

https://www.hiraethsffh.com/drabble-contest 

Indie Bites – Theme: Bandits & Botany

Deadline: November 30

Indie Bites was created by indie authors to promote the work of indie authors. Every quarter, they accept a selection of short fiction pieces that fit their themes and readership well. They enjoy fantasy stories with clever hooks, strong characters, and interesting takes on our issue’s themes. Submissions must be in the fantasy genre, in English, no longer than 7,500 words. Pay: £5 for each piece, plus an equal share of any donations they receive in the quarter prior to publication of the issue in which the work appears. No fee.

https://www.silversunbooks.com/submit 

2026 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition

Deadline: November 30

The contest is open internationally to writers who have not published a novel in any genre. All Manuscripts submitted must be original works of book length (no less than approximately 65,000 words) written in the English language. Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story. Judging will be conducted by Minotaur Books editors on the basis of the originality, creativity, and writing skill of the submission. The winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000. No fee.

https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/submitmalicedomesticmanuscript/ 

The Hudson Review Short Fiction Contest

Deadline: November 30

This contest is open internationally to writers who have never before published in The Hudson Review. First Prize: $1,000 + publication; Second and Third Prizes: $500 + publication. Submit a story up to 10,000 words. No fee.

https://hudsonreview.com/news-events/ 

J.F. Powers Prize for Short Fiction

Deadline: November 30

“One foot in this world and one in the next”: that’s how J.F. Powers described the Midwestern priests he wrote about in his fiction. Having one foot in another world can be awkward, and Powers’ characters are known not for their graceful mysticism, but for the humiliating and mordantly entertaining stumbles they make while trying to live their faith. We’re looking for carefully crafted short stories with vivid characters who encounter grace in everyday settings—we want to see who, in the age we live in, might have one foot in this world and one in the next. Prizes: 1st place: $700 and publication in Dappled Things; 2nd place: $300 and publication. Up to 8 honorable mentions: publication in the journal and a one-year subscription to Dappled Things. Submit up to 8,000 words. No fee.

https://www.dappledthings.org/the-jf-powers-prize-for-short-fiction 

Nonfiction

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/5588/nonfiction 

Revolute

Deadline: November 15

Revolute is a literary magazine of the Randolph College MFA. They are seeking essays for their next issue. Submit one essay up to 6,000 words. Pay: $50 for essays, US-based writers. No fee.

https://revolute.submittable.com/submit/333911/2025-nonfiction-submissions 

Brooklyn Nonfiction Prize

Deadline: November 15

The Brooklyn Nonfiction Prize, a cash prize of $500, will be awarded to the best Brooklyn-focused non-fiction essay, which is set in Brooklyn and is about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. These stories and several other submitted stories will be published on the Brooklyn Film and Arts Festival website and made available to the public. Authors will be selected to read from their work and discuss their Brooklyn stories with the audience at our annual finale event. Submissions should be between 4 to 10 pages. (Up to 2500 words). Send your Brooklyn Non-Fiction story as a Word document by email to: Brooklynfa@yahoo.com. No fee.

https://www.filmbrooklyn.org

Indigenous Art Writing Award

Deadline: November 24

Open internationally, Indigenous writers are invited to submit a single non-fiction text about an artist, project, exhibition, performance, event, initiative, theme, or other art-adjacent subject. Suggested length for submissions is between 1,000-2,000 words. The winner will receive $1,500 CAD; editorial support to prepare their article for publication in a future issue of C Magazine and to be shared across ICCA’s platforms; and a two-year C subscription. Two runners-up will receive $1,000 CAD; an open invitation to develop a pitch for a different text to be published in C Magazine; and a two-year subscription. All participants can request feedback on their submitted work, and will receive a one-year subscription. No fee.

https://cmagazine.com/events/call-for-the-indigenous-art-writing-award 

Fashionably Late 2

Deadline: November 28

Eldredge Books is currently accepting submissions for the second volume of Fashionably Late, a nonfiction anthology featuring LQBTQIA+ people who came out later in life (generally defined as after the age of thirty). They want to hear about the challenges and joys you faced as part of your journey. Topics of interest include: coming out during the pandemic, breaking free of gender norms, dating while newly out, redefining relationships with your family, and more. Please limit your essays to 5,000 words. Pay: $50 and two copies of the anthology. No fee.

https://eldredgebooks.com/fashionably-late-2-submissions-call 

Hippocampus

Deadline: November 30 (Opens November 1)

Hippocampus is open for regular submissions of personal essays up to 4,000 words, and flash creative nonfiction of 800 words max. Pay: $40 honorarium. Fee: $3

https://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/submissions 

Prism Review Creative Nonfiction Contest

Deadline: November 30

Submit a creative nonfiction piece up to 6,000 words; can be one single story or linked microstories. Prize: $250 and publication. Guest judge is author Sarah Fawn Montgomery. All entries are considered for publication. Fee: $10

https://prismreview.submittable.com/submit/1579/creative-non-fiction-contest 

Small Robin Press – Theme: Walls

Deadline: November 30

They want your stories about walls. Tell them of walls you’ve left behind and walls you dared to exist on the wrong side of. Tell them, too, of walls you’ve scaled, broken, or broken yourself on. The wall might be a glass ceiling, a broken/unbroken fourth wall, or it might be a literal barrier keeping someone out. What social, cultural, and institutional walls have you encountered, fought, or even found yourself building? Submit creative nonfiction up to 3,000 words. Pay: $50 per piece. No fee.

https://smallrobinpress.com/submissions 

Farmer-ish Winter Solstice – Theme: Making

Deadline: November 30

Farmer-ish is looking for creative and engaging content on farming, homesteading, raising animals, cooking, making, and raising a family. For their Winter Solstice issue, they want to hear about your stories and traditions and are hoping you will share your strategies, patterns, recipes, and more. Essays and how-to essays should be between 800 – 1,200 words. Memoir and personal essays should be between 800 – 2,000 words. Pay: $25 honorarium. No fee.

https://farmerish.net/submissions 

Fourth Genre

Deadline: November 30

Published twice annually by Michigan State University Press, Fourth Genre is a literary journal devoted to publishing notable, innovative work in creative nonfiction. Given the genre’s flexibility and expansiveness, they welcome a variety of works ranging from personal essays and memoirs to literary journalism and personal criticism. They showcase works that are lyrical, self-interrogative, meditative, and reflective, as well as expository, analytical, exploratory, or whimsical. Submit a creative nonfiction 6,000 words or fewer. Pay: $50 per piece and two complimentary copies of the journal. Fee: $4

https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/fourth-genre-YNas3 

Open Secrets – General Essays, and Flash Personal Essays About Hobbies or Possessions

Deadline: November 30

The editors of Open Secrets are seeking general essays (1,000-2,500 words) about the aspects of your life you can’t stop thinking about that fit into one of their categories: Climate, Finances, LGBTQIA+, Milestones, and Stuff-ed. Their new “Hobbies” section, launching in November 2025, will run on Saturdays for flash nonfiction essays of 500-999 words about a hobby of yours, past or present. They don’t just want to know that you took up woodworking or scrapbooking or any other hobby, but why. Their second new section, “Object-ives,” features rotating authors and will run on Fridays for flash nonfiction essays of 500-999 words about an object you own or have owned in the past that you can’t stop thinking about. These essays MUST include a photo of your possession. Pay: $50 per general essay; $25 per flash essay. No fee.

https://opensecretsmagazine.com/p/lit-mag-personal-essay-writing-guidelines

Multigenre

Girl Dinner Digest

Deadline: Rolling

In a world that’s oversaturated with information, Girl Dinner Digest hopes to create bite-sized content for busy b*tches. Featuring short-form poetry, fiction, non-fiction, pop-culture, book recs, late night snacks, sweet treats, and everything but the kitchen sink, the online magazine aims to highlight the voices of women, nonbinary, queer, and any other creators who resonate with girlhood. Flash fiction: submit one flash piece between 300-1,000 words. Poetry: submit one poem up to 16 lines. Flash Nonfiction: memoirs and essays up to 1,000 words. Micro Fiction: 300 words or less. Dinner dates: pitch interviews and features of women, up to 500 words. Micro Reviews: pitch reviews of books, films, and shows by women, 300 words or less. No fee.

https://www.girldinnerdigest.com/submit 

2026 Fresh Voices Fellowship

Deadline: November 1

The Fresh Voices Fellowship supports one writer of color who does not have an advanced degree in creative writing or a related field, and who is not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program. Applicants must be living in the United States during the twelve-month fellowship, and must be at least 18 years of age. One writer in prose or poetry will receive a $2,000 stipend, twelve-month fellowship at Epiphany, and publication in a print issue. Submit a cover letter and work sample up to five pages. No fee.

https://epiphanymagazine.submittable.com/submit/270216/2026-fresh-voices-fellowship 

John Updike Tucson Casitas Fellowship

Deadline: November 1

A two-week residency at the Mission Hill Casitas within the Skyline Country Club in Tucson, Arizona—casitas that John Updike owned and where he wrote during a part of each year between 2004-2009. Offered annually the last two weeks in May. The fellowship includes a $1,000 prize provided by The John Updike Society, which administers the fellowship. Updike wrote in all genres, so writers with any type of literary project are welcome to apply. Submit a one-half to one-page proposal that details the project, any progress made thus far, the final form the completed project will take (e.g., where it might be published, or whether it’s part of a larger work), along with a one-paragraph bio/artist’s statement. Creative writers should also provide a five-page writing sample. Send everything in a single PDF attachment to competition coordinator Robert M. Luscher, luscherr@unk.edu. No fee.

https://blogs.iwu.edu/johnupdikesociety/grants-scholarships-and-awards/ 

Bloodletter Issue Six: Play

Deadline: November 1

Bloodletter is a digital magazine that publishes horror through an experiential perspective grounded in feminism. Writers of all disciplines who identify as women, trans, and/or non-binary are encouraged to submit. Poetry: 5 poems max. Fiction: up to 15 pages. Nonfiction: pitch first. Pay: $250 per piece. No fee.

https://bloodlettermag.com/submit 

The Madison Review

Deadline: November 1

The Madison Review accepts poetry, fiction, and art submissions during their reading period. They publish two issues, a digital issue in fall and a physical issue in the spring. Fiction submissions should be no longer than 30 pages. Poetry: submit up to 5 poems with 15 pages combined maximum. Fee: $2

https://madisonreview.submittable.com/submit

New England Review

Deadline: November 1

New England Review invites submissions in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, drama, and translations in every genre. Fiction: They are looking for short stories, short shorts, novellas, novel excerpts (if they can stand alone), and translations. The word limit is 20,000, though most of what they publish is shorter than 10,000 words. Poetry: long and short poems, including translations. Please send no more than six poems at once. Nonfiction: open to a broad range of nonfiction, including interpretive and personal essays, critical reassessments, cultural criticism (art, film, etc.), travel writing, environmental writing, and works in translation. The word limit is 20,000. Fee: $3

https://newenglandreview.submittable.com/submit

Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts

Deadline: November 1

Zone 3, a literary journal is an annual online magazine dedicated to publishing emerging and established writers. Fiction: Please submit no more than one story (3,000 words max) during this submission period. They will consider novel excerpts and flash pieces. Nonfiction: Please submit one traditional length essay (up to 3,000 words) or one to three flash pieces (500-1,500 words each). Poetry: Please submit no more than six poems during this submission period. Pay: All contributors will receive payment for their accepted works. Fee: $3

https://ceca.submittable.com/submit

Foglifter General Submissions

Deadline: November 1

Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. Currently accepting the following unpublished unsolicited submissions: 3 to 5 poems, one poem per page (max 5 pages); and up to 20 pages of cross-genre work, text-image hybrids, or drama. Contributors receive two copies of the issue in which they appear and a $100 honorarium. No fee.

https://foglifter.submittable.com/submit

The Under Review - Sport Slant

Deadline: November 1

The Under Review is an online literary journal committed to publishing literary fiction, poetry, and CNF with a sport slant, nod, backdrop, or undercurrent. Fiction and creative nonfiction submissions must be limited to 3,000 words. Novel and memoir excerpts are acceptable as long as they stand on their own. Short and flash forms are welcome in both CNF and fiction and up to three pieces in these forms, with the total number of words for all pieces combined not exceeding 3,000 is acceptable. Poetry submissions must be limited to three poems or fewer. Fee: $3

https://theunderreview.submittable.com/submit

Azahares

Deadline: November 1

Azahares is looking for fresh work that presents the themes of the Latin@ experience: poetry that transports readers into new perspectives; prose that makes readers laugh or cry or sigh with satisfaction; art that lifts us towards the sublime or soothes us like un chocolatito caliente on a cold evening. Poetry: 200-line maximum. Prose: 3,500 maximum word count. No fee.

https://azaharesliterarymagazine.submittable.com/submit

The Normal School

Deadline: November 1

Nonfiction: For the current submission period, they will consider essays, memoir, and other forms of creative nonfiction of no more than 5,000 words, with contemporary styles and an attention to language, form, and consciousness. Their ideal word count is around 3,500. Fiction: Submit 5000 words maximum. Send them your stories that are strange, surreal, and sincere, stories that dip into the unexpected and meaningful. Poetry: Limit to 5 poems per submission. Send them your weird, your strange, your hybrids, your rough edged, thorned, and deadly. They want the poetry that captures, transports, conjures, imagines, materializes you on a page. Fee: $2

https://normalschool.submittable.com/submit

2026 Pattie Layser Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing and Journalism Fellowship

Deadline: November 3

Open to US residents, the fellowship will award $3,500 to a creative writer (poetry, fiction, nonfiction), or those in the field of journalism (writer, photojournalist, videographer, documentary filmmaker, online or print media) who demonstrate serious inquiry and dedication to the Greater Yellowstone region through their work. Submit up to 20 pages. No fee.

https://wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit/335062/2026-pattie-layser-greater-yellowstone-creative-writing-and-journalism-fellowship 

Gulf Stream - Theme: WET!

Deadline: November 3

They publish fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, hybrid works, translations, book reviews & visual art. Issue 37 has the theme of WET! Fiction: 5,000 words (or 3 pieces of up to 1,000 words); Creative Nonfiction: 5,000 words; Poetry: 3 poems per submission. Fee: $3

https://gulfstreamlitmag.com/submissions

Write or Die Magazine

Deadline: November 7 (Opens November 1 for free submissions)

Write or Die Magazine publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, and author interviews. Fiction: the editors are looking for character-driven stories up to 4,000 words. Nonfiction: they are interested in essays that focus on the writing life and especially love work where the personal intersects with the critical up to 3,000 words. Interviews: they accept pitches from interviewers interested in covering authors with a forthcoming or recently published book. Pay: $200 for published fiction pieces; $50 for nonfiction; $25 for interviews. No fee.

https://writeordiemag.com/submission-guidelines 

New Letters Editor's Choice Award

Deadline: November 10

The editors are looking to read your best short narratives, whether they are stories, essays, poems, or hybrid forms. The only requirement is that each entry must be brief: 1,000 words or fewer. The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and publication in New Letters. Fee: $20

https://newlettersmagazine.submittable.com/submit/118210/1-000-editors-choice-award 

Periphery Journal

Deadline: November 14

Fall submissions for Periphery, issue 63 are open. Periphery accepts stories, photographs, poems, personal narratives, music, essays, paintings, interviews, new media work, sculptures, graphic narratives, spoken word, comics, prose poems, and genres that have yet to be created or recognized. Periphery allows up to 5 art submissions and up to 3 literary submissions by any one person. If you plan to submit a literary work, it must be limited to 10 pages. No fee.

https://peripheryjournal.com/submit

The 2026 Jewish Children’s Book Awards

Deadline: November 5

Open to UK/Europe, the awards aim to discover and celebrate inspiring new stories for young children based on Jewish history, values and tradition. As in previous years, there will be one prize for story and one for illustration. The winner of each category will receive £1,000 and all entries will be considered for publication by Green Bean Books. The submission should be suitable for readers aged 4-8 and no longer than 1,200 words. Each submission must include a separate note explaining the Jewish content in no more than 200 words. No fee.

https://greenbeanbooks.com/jcba2026/ 

2026 Blanchan and Doubleday Writing Awards 

Deadline: November 14

Open to Wyoming residents, the Wyoming Arts Council offers two writing awards: The Frank Nelson Doubleday Award is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a woman writer. The Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world. $1,000 award is given for each contest. Writers must not have published more than one book and must not be a full-time student. Poetry: up to 10 pages. Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: up to 25 pages. Drama and Screenplays: up to 25 pages. No fee.

https://wyomingartscouncil.submittable.com/submit

The ILF Encouragement Fund for Children’s Books

Deadline: November 15

The Encouragement Fund will provide three grants of $2,000 each to children’s book authors, artists, or translators who have traditionally published at least one book of any genre. Generously supported by Stephen Fraser, a veteran editor and now one of our industry’s most respected agents at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency, this grant reflects Stephen’s commitment to supporting talent. Encouragement comes in many forms. As such, the grants have no strings attached and may be used however the recipient sees fit. In addition to the financial grant, recipients may also take advantage of Stephen’s offer to meet with them for career advice or feedback. Submit your book as a PDF file, and include a 250-word essay describing why you need a burst of encouragement to complete or begin a humor book, and how receiving the grant would support that. No fee.

https://www.scbwi.org/impact-and-legacy-fund/programs/encouragement-fund  

Quarterly West 2025 Poetry & Prose Contests

November 15

Quarterly West is the online literary journal run and staffed by PhD creative writing students at the University of Utah. For the Poetry Contest: submit up to three poems as one file (.doc, .docx, or .pdf), no more than eight pages total. For the Prose Contest: submit prose (fiction, nonfiction, hybrid) up to 6,000 words. Prizes: The winner of each contest will receive $500 and publication, and the runner-up of each contest will receive $200. Fee: $5; No fee for BIPOC writers.

https://quarterlywest.submittable.com/submit

Birdcoat Quarterly

Deadline: November 15

They welcome submissions that blur genre and play with form, experiment with compression or expansion, use language in surprising ways, and bring attention to subject matter of contemporary urgency or uncommon interest. They especially love work that is tender, weird, and wild, hard-hitting and incisive, clear-sighted and daring. Poetry: Submit up to five poems (or a maximum of ten pages) in a single document. Lyric essays of up to 3,750 words (one longer piece or up to five flash pieces). Fiction: up to 3,750 words (one longer piece or up to five flash pieces). Pay: $20 per poem and $25 per essay. Fee: $3

https://birdcoatquarterly.submittable.com/submit

Clockhouse

Deadline: November 15

Clockhouse is a national literary journal published by Clockhouse Writers’ Conference, whose editors are MFA alumni of Goddard College. They accept works of poetry, fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and dramatic works for stage or screen. They encourage submissions from both established and emerging writers. Poetry: Submit up to three poems of any length per reading period. Fiction: Flash fiction, micro fiction, etc.: up to 3 pieces, up to 750 words each. Short stories and self-contained novel excerpts: one piece, 751 - 3,500 words. Nonfiction: All memoir and creative nonfiction in traditional and experimental literary styles. Submit one piece, up to 5,000 words. No fee.

https://clockhouse.submittable.com/submit

Alyssa Milano: Story not Sorry – Theme: Finding Meaning in Times of Strife

Deadline: November 15

They are seeking your best essays and short fiction built around the theme Finding Meaning in Times of Strife. You may interpret that theme as broadly as you want. Works selected for publication will be rendered into a professional, broadcast-quality audio, and the author will be invited onto the podcast for an interview with Alyssa Milano. Length: 2,000-5,000 words. Pay: $100 per piece. No fee.

https://sorrynotsorrypod.com/events/story-not-sorry-submissions 

The Raven Review

Deadline: November 15

The Raven Review is a quarterly literary magazine that publishes extraordinary poetry and short fiction centered around the deep, dark, and emotional. Poetry: They will consider most forms of structured poetry, including rhyming couplets, haikus, sonnets, odes, etc. Please only include ONE poem in your submission document. Fiction: They’re looking for exceptional short fiction that is thought-provoking, engaging, and of a high literary standard up to 2,000 words. Fee: $3

https://www.theravenreview.org/submit.html

Outskirts Literary Journal

Deadline: November 15

Outskirts publishes poetry, short stories, essays, hybrid works, and visual art. They seek to amplify a wide range of voices from emerging and established artists. In fact, they'd love to be your first publication! Poetry: Submit 3 to 5 poems for a maximum of ten pages. Poems should start on a new page. Prose: submit up to 12 pages. Multiple flash pieces are okay! Fee: $3 (They offer 50 free submissions for BIPOC individuals in both poetry and prose.)

https://www.outskirtslit.com/submit

NORward Prizes

Deadline: November 15

New Ohio Review awards $750 annually for a poem or series of poems, a short story, and a piece of creative nonfiction submitted to the NORward contest in each genre. Submit a poem or group of poems up to 6 pages or fiction or nonfiction up to 20 pages. The winner will receive a $750 Prize and publication in a future print issue of New Ohio Review. Entry fee comes with a 1-year subscription. Fee: $21

https://newohioreview.submittable.com/submit

Cutthroat Journal Contests – Theme: Standing Up: Coping With Vast Domestic And Global Change

Deadline: November 15

Submit up to three unpublished poems (100-line limit each), one unpublished short story or creative nonfiction piece (5000-word limit). Their theme is Standing Up: Coping With Vast Domestic And Global Change. Prizes: first place in each genre: $1,200 and publication; second place in each genre: $300 and publication; and honorable mention: publication. Fee: $25

http://www.cutthroatmag.com/contest.html

The SmokeLong Quarterly Grand Micro Contest

Deadline: November 15

SmokeLong is seeking submissions for their odd-year grand micro contest. Submit two or four micros. Word Count: 400 words or fewer for each micro (excluding the title). Put both/all micros in the same document. Fiction, non-fiction, and hybrid narratives are considered. Grand Prize: $1500; Second Place: $500; Third Place: $300; Finalists: $100. All the above will be published in the December 2023 issue of SmokeLong Quarterly. Fee: $14 (for two); $22 (for four)

https://smokelong.submittable.com/submit

Sink Hollow

Deadline: November 17

They're an online literary journal seeking provocative, resonant, polished pieces of undergraduate work. They accept all original, unpublished works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art from exclusively undergraduate students worldwide. Fiction & nonfiction: no more than 7,500 words (flash form no more than 750 words). Poetry: please submit up to 5 poems, no more than 10 pages. No fee.

https://sinkhollow.submittable.com/submit

The Arts and Letters Awards: HERSTORY Empowers

Deadline: November 19

Open to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, this special award commemorates the 100th Anniversary of Women Achieving the Right to Vote and Hold Public Office. Works submitted must be related to women’s right to vote and hold public office: the suffrage movement, the 1925 accomplishment, the implications, women’s past or current engagement in political activity, etc. There will be 5 cash awards of $1,000 each. Submissions can be up to 5,000 words and in the genres of Poetry, Short Fiction, Non-Fiction, Dramatic Script, French Literary, Music, and Visual Arts. No fee.

https://www.gov.nl.ca/tcar/artsheritage/culture/arts-and-letters-program/arts-and-letters-25-26-special-category-herstory-empowers 

The “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers

Deadline: November 19

This fellowship aims to provide Black women writers a restful environment conducive to reflection and writing. The selected writer will receive a ten-day solo residency in July and can choose whether to stay at Trillium Arts’ rural “Firefly Creek” apartment in Mars Hills, NC or at E. Patrick Johnson and Stephen Lewis’ “Montford Manor” residence near downtown Asheville, NC. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend and transportation to and from Asheville, NC. Apply with a CV/resume, a one-page proposal, a letter of recommendation, and a sample of your writing. No fee.

https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/writing-fellowships-guidelines 

The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize 2026

Deadline: November 19

Open to UK residents from 18-25 years of age, this contest explores Benjamin Franklin’s relevance in our time. Submit fiction or nonfiction between 1,000 and 1,500 words. Prizes: the winner receives £750, and second place receives £500. No fee.

https://benjaminfranklinhouse.org/education/literary-prize 

Horizon Review

Deadline: November 24

Horizon Review is an annually published magazine based in Albuquerque, NM. They only accept submissions from current residents of the Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah), with preference given to submissions from New Mexico. Note: The subject matter does not need to relate to the Southwest. They are currently seeking submission for their Spring 2026 issue. Fiction and Creative Nonfiction: up to 5,000 words. Poetry: submit up to three poems, no longer than ten pages for all three. Pay: $25 per piece. No fee.

https://www.horizonreview.org/submit 

Mudroom

Deadline: November 25

Mudroom publishes three issues a year. Their mission is to provide every writer, emerging and established, the opportunity to both see their work published, and engage with a larger literary community. Poetry: submit 3-5 original, previously unpublished poems in any style. Fiction, essays, and essays in translation: up to 6,000 words. Pay: $15 per piece. No fee.

https://www.mudroommag.com/submissions

ServiceScape Short Story Award 2025

Deadline: November 29

For this award, any genre or theme of short story is accepted. All applicants should submit their original unpublished work of short fiction or nonfiction, 5,000 words or fewer, to be considered. Along with receiving an award for $1,000.00 USD, the winner will have his or her short story published on their blog. No fee.

https://www.servicescape.com/short-story-award 

Yolk

Deadline: November 30

Yolk is a Montreal-based literary journal that publishes fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and visual arts in their print (Canadian citizens and residents of Canada) and digital (Canadian + international) publications. They offer a $100 CAD honorarium for digital publication. For print, they offer $30 per page up to a maximum of $200. They also pay $200 for cover art. Fiction: Do not submit more than two works; neither should exceed 4000 words. We will only review self-contained works. Poetry: Submit a maximum of three poems. Your submission cannot exceed six pages. Fee: $3

https://www.yolkliterary.ca/submissions

The Baltimore Review

Deadline: November 30

Baltimore Review is accepting flash prose and flash poetry and general submissions for nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. Flash Contest: Total word limit for this category is 1,000, same as for flash fiction and prose poem. One, two, or three flash CNF works or prose poems in one Word doc, but no more than 1,000 words for all works combined. Seriously. And shorter is often better. They love shorts. General Submissions: Submit no more than three poems, one short story (really, just one, no more than 5,000 words; shorter is often better, to be honest), one flash fiction, or one creative nonfiction piece (no more than 5,000 words). Shorter works of CNF are often a better fit for them. Contest Prizes: $400 prize in each category (Flash Fiction, Flash Creative Nonfiction, and Prose Poem) and publication in their winter issue. All entries are considered for publication with payment at their regular rate. Pay (general submissions): $50 per piece. Fee: $8 (for contest); no fee for general submissions

https://baltimorereview.org/submit

Red Hen Press Quill Prose Award

Deadline: November 30

Red Hen Press seeks book-length work from authors who identify as queer. The prize is $1,000 and book publication by Red Hen Press. Submit a 25,000-word minimum (approximately 150 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt font); prose (fiction or nonfiction book-length) by a queer writer only. Fee: $10

https://redhen.org/awards/quill-prose-award 

Contemporary Verse 2

Deadline: November 30

Contemporary Verse 2 aims to educate, engage, and expand public appreciation of the poetic art form by sharing and promoting high-caliber, original verse and critical writing by local, national, and international poets. They are seeking general submissions for their next issue. Poetry: no more than 5 poems, to a maximum of 6 pages. Interviews: no more than 6-8 pages in length, double-spaced. Articles: no more than 3-4 pages, double-spaced. Essays: no more than 2-4 pages, double-spaced. Reviews should be 600-1000 words, double-spaced. (Between ½ and 2 pages long.) Pay: $35 per poem; $75-$150 for interviews, articles, essays; $65-$100 for reviews. Fee: $3 for international writers. No fee for Canadian writers.

https://contemporaryverse2.ca/submission-guidelines 

Claudine

Deadline: November 30

Claudine is a monthly literary magazine. Each issue presents a fiction micro, a creative nonfiction micro, a micro by a new writer, and a prose chapbook review. Word Count: up to 400 words. All categories. Pay: $25 per piece for fiction, creative nonfiction, and micro. No fee.

https://www.claudineliterary.net/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; $10 for poems; $20 for original articles, $6 for reprints; $7 for interviews and reviews; $20 for interior artwork; $400 for cover art. No fee.

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

Booth

Deadline: November 30

Booth publishes four titles of original literature on the first Friday of every month, and two print issues yearly. They are open to submissions twice a year. Poetry: submit up to 3 poems in a single document. Fiction and Nonfiction: up to 7,500 words in a single document. They also accept Lists, Comics, and Audio submissions. Pay: $50 per piece regardless of length. Fee: $3

https://booth.submittable.com/submit 

The Gulliver's Travel Grant

Deadline: November 30 (Opens November 1)

Since 2004, the Gulliver Travel Grant has been awarded annually to assist writers of speculative literature in their non-academic research. These funds are used to cover airfare, lodging, and other travel expenses. Travel may be domestic or international. You may apply for travel to take place at any point in the following year. The grant awards $1,000 to a writer working with speculative literature. Poetry and Drama: up to 10 pages. Fiction or Creative Nonfiction: up to 5,000 words. Novel, Novella, or Novelette: include a one-page synopsis as the first page of the document. No fee.

https://speculativeliterature.org/grants-3/the-gulliver-travel-grant/ 

Strange Pilgrims

Deadline: November 30

Open to writers anywhere in the world. Strange Pilgrims is a literary journal founded by two lovers and writers of prose, who believe in narrative as pilgrimage—a journey through wild and wounded places into strangeness and transformation. For their first call for submissions, they are seeking: Short Stories, Essays/Narrative Nonfiction: up to 5,000 words. Flash Fiction and Flash CNF: under 1,000 words. Pay: $200 for long-form; $50 for flash. No fee.

https://www.strangepilgrims.com/p/first-open-submission-call

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 Gracie Freeman Lifschutz with DG&B. Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Nonfiction).

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

Just for Fun

November 12th is National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day! Celebrate by submitting a true story or poem to Chicken Soup's forthcoming theme: Funny Stories. They are looking for stories about something that happened to you or someone close to you, the kind of stories that get you and your listeners laughing when you tell them. Rat out your spouse. Share that funny thing your kid said. Tell them that hilarious thing that happened when your relatives did... yeah, that thing. They want to hear about your family, your friends, your colleagues... and most importantly, that embarrassing thing that you did. Laughing at ourselves is the best! The deadline is November 15th. Word count: 1,200 words or less. Pay: $250 and ten copies of the book. No fee.

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

Creating Your Book's Visuals

By Jodi M. Webb



Recently, I found the time for a surprise visit to my local library. But I soon discovered that I had left my reading glasses at home. Reading back covers or online catalog descriptions was impossible. Squinting, I chose four books based on their front covers.

That experience started me wondering about book covers. How important are they (when your potential reader actually remembers her eyeglasses)? How much say do authors have in their cover design? What makes a successful cover? Where do self-published authors get their covers?

How Important Is Cover Design?

Let’s do a fun experiment. Pull a book off your bookshelf. Imagine it with just a white cover and the title. Compare it to the cover with images. If the book were new to you, which one would influence you to learn more? Yes, titles can be descriptive, but cover images offer so many more clues to genre, tone, and audience. Author Erin Egnatz, who writes as Eliza Nevius, confesses what is probably true for most readers, “If I like a cover, I’m more than likely going to check out the description; if a cover is boring or less appealing, I may overlook it for a different option, potentially missing a great read.” 

Especially for authors without name recognition, a book cover is your first impression. It can be memorable, or it can be...blah. Covers can create a sense of mystery, encouraging the reader to read the back cover or give clues about what type of story awaits inside. Striking covers can embed themselves in a reader’s brain, encouraging them to explore a book further, mention it to a fellow reader, or describe it to a salesperson. Ask a bookstore employee how many times they’ve had a shopper approach them, asking for “the book with the eye peeking through the keyhole” or “the orange book with the lady with a topknot and big glasses.” The title may escape them, but the image remains.

“When an artist gets to create in the style they love, the joy of that process shines through—and it always elevates the final result.”

—Rachel Sierra

Who Designs a Cover?

With larger, traditional publishing houses, the cover may be beyond the author’s influence. But self-published authors, as well as those with indie publishers, have much more control. With Atmosphere Press, author Ekta Garg answered a questionnaire, received a dozen possible covers based on her answers, and could fine tune the final selection with Kevin Stone, their in-house art department’s cover designer.

Self-publishing authors can design their own cover with one of the many graphic design programs available or find a freelance book designer. Several authors mentioned designing—or attempting to design—a book cover and regretting it. Many book designers have graphic art and/or artistic training and can provide professional work in a variety of price ranges, starting at just $250. Much like literary agents, designers can be found through online searches or by asking fellow authors who they hire. For this article, I used the reputable sites Reedsy and I Need a Book Cover. Be cautious of book designers on budget work sites that may be using AI, stock images, and pre-made templates that lack the originality a successful book cover demands.

“Readers do expect certain cues in each genre, but the magic happens when a cover feels familiar enough to belong and original enough to stand out.”

—Vanessa Mendozzi

You’ve done your research and have a list of designers. Although deadlines and budget will be a consideration, it’s important to find the best match for your project. Ask to see a portfolio of their favorite covers so you can see the range of styles they’re comfortable using. Book designer Rachel Sierra, who loves creating painted covers, believes, “When an artist gets to create in the style they love, the joy of that process shines through—and it always elevates the final result.” But also ask for covers in your specific genre. “Readers do expect certain cues in each genre,” explains book designer Vanessa Mendozzi, “but the magic happens when a cover feels familiar enough to belong and original enough to stand out.”

You can also ask a prospective book designer if they’ve created multiple covers for an author. If an author is satisfied enough to come back for several books, it speaks to the ease of working with them and the quality of their work.

From Designer to Cover

The process usually begins with a simple email or conversation discussing what the author has in mind. For a successful collaboration between author and book designer, aim for the middle ground. You might think giving a designer free rein is freeing, but many feel the opposite. “I always cringe a little when an author says, ‘I trust you—do whatever you think’ because most people have preferences. It’s better to know these upfront than to guess wrong,” says Sierra. Equally problematic is the author who knows exactly what they want because it can “box in the design.” Instead of getting caught up in the exact images and colors you want, ask yourself bigger questions. What message or emotion do you want the cover to send?

It's better to sketch out your ideal cover with broad strokes by giving your book designer some key pieces of information. Helpful information can include a book synopsis, general concepts, moodboard, and book covers you like. Pinpoint what about the covers you like—color palette, font, texture, minimalism. Don’t worry about using the “right” words. Notes such as “This has a dreamy feeling,” “These colors really pop,” or “I like this font” can steer your designer to the cover you want.

“The majority of your audience will see your cover online at thumbnail scale.”

—Danna Steele

After initial input, most designers will work out several concepts and, when one is selected by the author, design a detailed cover with continued input. If you disagree with details, it helps to ask the designer about their choices. Robin Leeman Donovan thought her long book titles taking up space on her book covers would be a good thing. But she was presented with the opposite: an unusual but large image and a smaller title. And that was when she saw the wisdom in trusting her cover designer. “The visual on the cover gives you a feeling that makes you want to read the long title.” It also set her series apart from the typical cozy mystery covers.

Danna Steele also points out how book designers like herself are often influenced by aspects not on an author’s radar, like bookseller’s websites. “The majority of your audience will see your cover online at thumbnail scale. With that in mind, it’s important to craft a title that’s clearly legible at a small scale and graphics that follow suit.” Designers can also take into consideration how well an image will transfer to bookmarks and other promotional material as well as how it can link to other books in the same series or by the same author.

Although timelines vary depending on the amount of work a book designer has scheduled, when there is a clear line of communication, a cover can be created in approximately four weeks.

The author-book designer relationship works best with equal amounts of trust in each other’s expertise and respect for the author’s vision. As Garg explains, “Don’t compromise on your cover. It’s essentially the front door to your story world, and you want that door to look as inviting as possible.”

Self-Publish Your Masterpiece: 2-Hour Video Class

This two-hour video course takes you step-by-step from turning your Word document into a gorgeous hard-copy book and ebook on Amazon’s KDP platform. (We’ll also look at other options as well.) We’ll take the mystique out of ISBNs and copyright and barcodes. We’ll talk about the importance of the cover. And we’ll take a quick spin through the marketing realm—what to do after you hit “publish.” With these tools in hand, you will be your own publisher in no time.

Only $35! Led by author and editor Barbara Noe Kennedy.

Details:

wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/BarbaraNoeKennedy_Self-PublishingWebinar.php

How to Write a Mind-Bending Unreliable Narrator

By Shweta Deshpande

Every story begins with an implicit promise: that the narrator knows what they’re talking about. But what happens when they bend the truth? Suddenly, you’re in the hands of an unreliable narrator—part trickster, part confessor. They might exaggerate, misremember, or even outright deceive. And yet we follow along, because their skewed account is often more entertaining (and in its own way, revealing) than the “truth” could ever be.

But writing an unreliable narrator isn’t as simple as letting your character fib their way through a plot. Here are six tips to help you pull it off, with examples to show you how it’s done.

1. Decide how (and why) your narrator is unreliable

Not all unreliable narrators are liars. Some misinterpret reality; others are blinded by naïveté. Only certain kinds of narrators deliberately manipulate those around them. Before you dive in, ask yourself: Why is this narrator unreliable, and what does that unreliability add to the story?

Take The Catcher in the Rye, for example. Its teenage narrator, Holden Caulfield, doesn’t set out to deceive anyone—but his cynicism and emotional immaturity inevitably color everything he tells us. He often contradicts himself, calling everyone “phony,” yet admitting that he’s “the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life.” Even his erratic recounting of events (like claiming he’s leaving Pencey right away, then lingering) shows how his emotional turmoil skews his version of the truth.

Now compare that to a book like Gone Girl. Amy Dunne’s narration is entirely calculated, every diary entry crafted to mislead. At the book’s halfway point, this diary—the one painting her as a terrified wife—is revealed to be a fabrication. Every romantic confession and description of Nick’s temper was designed to frame him for her disappearance. The twist instantly reframes the first half of the novel and exposes Amy as a master manipulator. Unlike Holden, she knows exactly what she’s doing—which makes her an especially dangerous storyteller.

Both these approaches work well, but for different reasons. Knowing why your narrator is unreliable—whether it’s innocence, bias, or pure manipulation—will help you build more believable characters and a much stronger narrative overall.

2. Anchor the reader with truths

Think of a friend who can spin a wild yarn with such conviction you believe them… until one little detail makes you pause. Wait, is that really what happened? 

That flicker of doubt is what makes unreliable narrators so irresistible. But be careful not to overdo it; if everything feels slippery, the story can quickly collapse.

That’s why every plot needs reliable touchpoints—i.e., details your unreliable narrator can’t distort. These might be concrete elements like the setting, consistent behavior from secondary characters, or certain facts that remain fixed no matter how warped the narration gets. These anchors give readers sufficient footing to follow along without feeling totally lost.

In Rebecca, for example, Daphne du Maurier uses point of view and imagery (two common literary devices) to strike this balance. The unnamed narrator—a young, insecure woman—is clouded by self-doubt, which distorts her understanding of Manderley and her husband, Maxim. Yet du Maurier keeps readers anchored in tangible, sensory details: the cold grandeur of the estate, the scent of azaleas, the morning mist by the sea, and the ever-menacing presence of Mrs. Danvers.

These details contrast with the narrator’s emotional misreadings—such as when she mistakes Maxim’s brooding guilt for indifference—acting as “reality” landmarks for readers. No matter what kind of unreliable narrator you’re writing, try to use similar landmarks in your own story!

3. Play with what’s unsaid

One of the most delicious tricks of writing an unreliable narrator is giving readers just a brief glimpse through the cracks. Maybe your narrator insists they’re calm, but does so with a tense jaw and clenched fists. Or maybe they “forget” to mention something important, only for another character (or a later twist) to pull the rug out from under us. That tension between what’s said and what’s left unsaid helps keep readers hooked.

At the start of Atonement, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a charged moment between her older sister Cecilia and Robbie, a family friend. When Cecilia strips down to her slip and plunges into a fountain to retrieve something, Briony’s limited, childlike grasp of adult desire makes her misread the act as something shameful or coercive. This single misunderstanding sets off the novel’s tragedy—Briony’s later “testimony” about Robbie’s supposed guilt is based on small misunderstandings, but destroys multiple lives in its wake.

What makes McEwan’s use of unreliability so brilliant is how it evolves. Much later, we discover it isn’t the thirteen-year-old Briony narrating at all, but an older Briony looking back, trying to rewrite what she can’t undo. Rather than confessing outright, she does what she knows best—she tells another story. The “happy ending” she gives Cecilia and Robbie isn’t truth but fiction, her final act of atonement delivered through yet another layer of unreliable narration.

McEwan shows how omission, misinterpretation, and retrospective storytelling can all work together to create a deeply unreliable narrator. What Briony says (and crucially, what she leaves unsaid) becomes the core of the novel’s tension.

4. Let voice do the heavy lifting

With unreliable narrators, how the story is told often matters just as much as what is told. Voice can convey bias, denial, or fear. Even subtleties like rhythm, word choice, humor, or repeated phrases and thought patterns can hint at unreliability.

Mike, the narrator of Sebastian Faulks' Engleby, recounts the disappearance of a fellow student in a detached tone that makes him seem calm and rational. His dry, almost academic narration—“I remember thinking how cold it was that night”—paints him as an objective observer. But then small cracks begin to surface: his obsessive fixation on the missing girl, his jarring memory gaps, and his vague allusions to violence. These cracks eventually reveal that he’s not merely recounting events, but also concealing his own role in them.

Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle works differently, but with the same effect. Merricat, our teenage narrator, draws readers in with her whimsical tone—but over time, her obsessive rituals, secretive behavior, and flashes of cruelty begin to erode our trust in her version of events. At one point, her vision of the villagers dying (“I wished they were dead. I would have liked to come into the grocery store some morning and see them all, even the Elberts and the children, lying there crying with the pain and dying”) gives us a vivid glimpse into the malice beneath her sing-song voice.

In both cases, the narrator’s voice does the heavy lifting: it guides the story and keeps readers off balance without having to spell everything out.

5. Use misdirection and plant red herrings

Deliberate misdirection is, of course, a quintessential tactic and a surefire way to make your narrator unforgettable. Plant clues that feel relevant, but turn out to be distractions; craft a persona your readers trust, only to later challenge that trust.

In Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, misdirection works on multiple levels. The narrator guides us through a gritty, disillusioned view of modern life—all while concealing the truth that Tyler Durden is a just manifestation of his own fractured psyche. 

Throughout the novel, he recounts his friendship and rivalry with Tyler as if they’re two different men. Tyler holds conversations, gives orders, even sleeps with Marla—and because the narrator’s perspective feels so grounded, we accept these interactions as real. Only in the final act does the truth surface: Tyler never existed apart from him.

Every “clue” we missed (from their never being seen together by others to Tyler’s eerie omnipresence) suddenly snaps into focus, revealing that the greatest red herring was Tyler himself. This sleight of hand shocks the reader and also underscores the narrator’s inability to perceive himself clearly, making the reveal startling yet thematically sound.

6. Balance technique with purpose

Finally, on the note of thematically sound: remember that an unreliable narrator should never be a gimmick! Every detail, omission, and misdirection should serve the story’s emotional or thematic arc.

For example, Patrick Bateman’s distorted reality in American Psycho isn’t meant to create shock value (or at least, it’s not exclusively for shock value). Rather, it’s part of Bret Easton Ellis’s critique of consumerism, moral decay, and alienation. Bateman’s own blurred perception exposes the moral vacuum and soulless excess of 1980s capitalism. In a world where everyone’s superficial and interchangeable, even murder becomes meaningless.

Similarly, Mike Engleby’s matter-of-fact narration in Engleby reflects his fragmented sense of self. His calm recounting of horrific acts—presented as if they were ordinary events—isn’t just deception; it’s a psychological portrait of alienation and suppressed guilt.

The trick to getting ahead of an unreliable narrator is to always plan your payoff. The best unreliable narrators obviously shouldn’t leave readers feeling cheated. Instead, they lead them through a carefully constructed puzzle so that by the end, every move feels purposeful.

Final thoughts: handle with care

Unreliable narrators are among the most magnetic storytellers because they make us question everything we think we know. And they aren’t confined to a single genre! From fantasy to psychological thrillers to romance, they can add complexity and emotional depth to any story.

But crafting one must be a careful, deliberate act. Misuse your unreliable narrator and it can leave your story feeling confusing or contrived. But write a great one, and it’ll keep readers guessing, reflecting, and appreciating how every twist feels earned—transforming a good story into a hauntingly amazing one.

The Muffin

Self-Publishing Made Simple, Or Not

By Sue Bradford Edwards

On Monday, I launched my first self-published book, What to Do When Your Book Is Banned. I did a lot of the work myself. I watched tutorials and read books on graphic design before putting together my cover. Since I worked as an archaeological illustrator in college, I felt comfortable turning my layout skills toward something like this. Besides, I had Angela to give me tips. 

Then I took Self-Publish Your Masterpiece: Video Class here at WOW with Barbara Noe Kennedy. One of the things Barbara talked about was making certain your fonts are copyright free or that you pay for the right to use them. I had read something on Microsoft’s site that made me think this was not essential, but I could not relocate that advice. Instead, I found the link to click for Microsoft to calculate your fee. So, I found copyright free fonts. 

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Do Easter Eggs Belong in Your Writing?

By Jodi Webb

I enjoyed the post last month by my fellow blogger Renee Roberson about her family being captivated by the streaming show The Summer I Turned Pretty. I was also escaping into author Jenny Han's world of young love, heartbreak, and beautiful beach houses. 

Then I went online.

Sure, there was the standard debate of the love triangle. Were you Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad? But it was more than just that simple question. 

Social media was flooded with discussions of every detail of the show and books from the use of color to movies (Sabrina and Bye, Bye Birdie made several appearances) to the symbolism of numbers, food, music, clothes, home decor. These super fans were investigating even the smallest detail as they went over each scene, each word, each pause with a fine tooth comb. What was the meaning behind that song, that dessert, that seating at the dinner table?

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Taking a Break from Writing... And the Trip of a Lifetime

By Renee Roberson

For years, I put everyone else in my life first. With no close family nearby, I took jobs that allowed me to work part-time or remotely so I could be there for drop offs, pick ups, sporting events, and other special occasions for our two kids. I tag teamed with my husband wherever possible. One year we planned a trip to Nantucket, a place I’ve always wanted to go, for our 10-year wedding anniversary. But when it came down to the wire, logistics (asking family friends to watch the kids, get them to their sporting events, finding someone to care for our pets) became too difficult and we cancelled that trip. 

“We’ll do something fun for our 20th anniversary,” my husband told me, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and that trip (to St. Lucia) also got postponed. We ended up taking that trip later, but changed it to the U.S. Virgin Islands and took our kids (who were in high school then) for a spring break trip. It was fun, and we even bumped into author Elin Hilderbrand on a day trip to St. John. We helped send both our kids to Europe while they were in high school on trips with their classmates, even though neither of us had ever been yet. 

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Friday Speak Out!: A Rose By Any Other Name . . .

By Reyna Marder Gentin

As authors, we put a lot of thought and energy into what the covers of our books say about what’s inside, because of course, readers do judge. Is it more unfair to choose to read or pass on a book based just on its title? We know that titles matter too; they’re the introduction your novel presents to the world. “Hi, there! I’m …”

Choosing a title for your novel is very personal. Finding something that’s both meaningful to you and captures the imagination of potential readers is no easy task. Just like your child has to live with the name you choose, you’ll have to live with the title you pick. And, depending on the route you go, you’ll have to explain your intent in choosing the name of your book going forward.

There’re many ways to pick a title for a novel. Here are four suggestions of how to think about your options if you’re struggling.

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Happy November Writing!