Competitions, submissions and other opportunities
The latest writing competitions and submissions windows for writers.
1st December – 31st January
Sci-Fi Ireland: Issue #1
Sci-Fi Ireland will be seeking submissions from 1stDecember – 31stJanuary for it’s upcoming issue publishing May 2026. Stories should be between 2000-6000 words. Stories should be Science-Fiction or Sci-Fi crossover, including but not limited to Science-Fantasy, Science-Horror and Sci-Fi blended with folklore, myth and legend.
Sci-Fi Ireland encourages submissions in Gaeilge however, stories should be submitted with an English translation and will be published bilingually.
Accepted forms: Short fiction.
Contributor fee: £75 (Approx €85) plus print and/or digital copy.
Entry fee: None
More Information here:
www.sci-fi-ireland.comOngoing from 29 September until 24 November 2025
Off the Scéal: Multilingual Open Mic Night
Off The Scéal is a new multilingual open mic night co-curated by Daniel Flynn and Ola Majekodunmi, and funded by Creative Ireland and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. It is aimed at poets, musicians, storytellers and comedians, and will take place on six occasions from September to November at the DLR Lexicon Studio. All nationalities and languages are welcome. Attendees must be 18+.
The dates for the six events are: 29 September, 13 October, 20 October, 3 November, 10 November, 24 November. For further information please contact Ola Majekodunmi at wura-ola@hotmail.com and/or Daniel Flynn at danflynn94@gmail.com.
More Information here:
www.creativeireland.gov.ieDeadline: 30 November 2025
Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition 2025
Munster Literature Centre is currently accepting submissions of original, unpublished poems (max. 40 lines) for the 2025 Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition. Entries can focus on any subject or theme and can come from anywhere in the world. Three overall winners will be selected, in addition to ten shortlisted writers who will receive €50 and have their work featured in an edition of Southword.
Accepted forms: Poetry.
Prize: 1st prize €2,000, a reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival (with a four-night hotel stay and full board) and publication in Southword; 2nd prize €500 and publication in Southword; 3rd prize €250 and publication in Southword.
Entry fee: €7 per poem or €30 for a batch of five.
More Information here:
munsterlit.ieDeadline: 30 November 2025
The International Dark Poets Prize: Edition IV
Submissions are now open for the fourth International Dark Poets Prize – an annual award celebrating poems that explore ‘the beauty within darkness’. Writers are invited to submit poems up to 250 words in length (excluding title), ideally to be submitted as a Word doc. Full details can be found on the Prize’s website.
Accepted forms: Poetry.
Prize: £1,000, certification, and an official Dark Poets Club t-shirt.
Entry fee: £6 per poem (single poem); £10 for 3 poems (£3.33 per poem); £14 for 5 poems (£2.80 per poem).
More Information here:
www.darkpoets.clubDeadline: 30 November 2025
Tintreach: The Smashing Times Arts and Literary Journal
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality would like to invite submissions to the January 2026 edition of Tintreach: The Smashing Times Arts and Literary Journal. Tintreach publishes creative work from across the artistic spectrum. Submissions are open until we reach capacity, or until midnight on Sunday, 30 November 2025 – whichever comes first. This edition is unthemed. Successful artists will receive a small fee. For more information and submission guidelines, please follow the link below.
More Information here:
smashingtimes.ieDeadline: 15 December 2025
Mini Plays Review: December 2025 Issue
The Mini Plays Review is seeking submissions of original one-minute plays (max. one page) for inclusion in its December 2025 issue. Submissions should revolve around the theme of ‘unfinished business’ and should be previously unpublished (this includes blogs/social media but does not include performance). Submissions can be emailed to miniplaysmag@gmail.com.
Accepted forms: Short plays.
Contributor fee: None.
Entry fee: None.
More Information here:
sites.google.comDeadline: Ongoing
The Dublin Review
The Dublin Review welcomes submissions of fiction and non-fiction previously unpublished in the English language. They do not accept poetry submissions. They especially encourage submissions from members of groups traditionally underrepresented in literary magazines and other cultural forums.
More Information here:
thedublinreview.comDeadline: Ongoing
Guernica: A Magazine of Global Arts & Politics
Founded online in 2004, Guernica is an award-winning 501(c)3 non-profit magazine focused on the intersection of arts and politics. A home for incisive ideas and necessary questions, Guernica publishes memoir, reporting, interviews, commentary, poetry, fiction, and multimedia journalism exploring identity, conflict, culture, justice, science, and beyond. They offer honoraria of $50 for poetry, $100 for original essays, and $150 for original fiction and reportage/journalism.
More Information here:
www.guernicamag.comDeadline: Ongoing
The London Magazine
The London Magazine (est. 1732) is now accepting pitches for essays, reviews and interviews on an ongoing basis. This from the editors: ‘We’re looking for clear, engaging writing that connects literature to wider culture or brings fresh perspectives to books, art and ideas. Please read our submission guidelines before sending pitches to pitches@thelondonmagazine.org.’
More Information here:
thelondonmagazine.orgDeadline: Ongoing
PN Review
PN Review considers submissions in hard copy form only (unless you are an individual subscriber to the magazine, in which case electronic submissions, word files rather than PDFs, will be considered). Writers wishing to send work should familiarise themselves with PN Review. Submissions should generally not exceed fifteen double-spaced pages of work (prose) or four poems/five pages (verse in English or translation). Copies of the original texts should accompany translations where possible. The editors discourage simultaneous submissions. Writers wishing to propose projects should send a synopsis and covering letter, with sample pages, having first ascertained from the website that the kind of proposal is suitable for PN Review.
Generally, the editors do not publish short stories, children’s prose/poetry and/or non-poetry related work (academic, biography etc.).
More Information here:
www.pnreview.co.ukDeadline: Ongoing
The Poetry Review
The Poetry Review, founded in 1912, is the magazine of the Poetry Society, UK, and has a long-standing policy of publishing the very best work by new, up and coming poets, and established poets. All submissions are read by the editor and considered on an equal basis. Unfortunately, due to the volume of submissions we receive, we cannot offer any individual criticism. Our aim is to accept or reject work within three months – but please read, and follow, the submission guidelines below, in order to facilitate our response.
