Competitions, Submissions & Opportunities

Deadline: 31 October 2024

Raleigh Review

Raleigh Review is a nonprofit magazine of poetry, short fiction, and art, offering accessible works of experience that are emotionally and intellectually complex.

From now until Halloween, Raleigh Review is open to general submissions of poetry and flash fiction. Poetry entry fee is $3 and Prose entry is $5. However, they are open to fee free queries from any writer who truly cannot swing the small convenience fee to submit.

They are also open for their flash fiction prize. First Prize includes $300 USD and publication in the Spring 2025 issue. Entry Fee: $7 USD.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

The Paris Review

The Paris Review accepts unsolicited submissions of prose in February, June, and October and unsolicited submissions of poetry in January, April, July, and October. All submissions must be in English and must be previously unpublished. Translations are welcome and should be accompanied by a copy of the original. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, as long as we are notified immediately if the manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Please submit no more than six poems or one piece of prose at a time and please do not submit more than once per submission period.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

The Pan Haiku Review issue 4 (Winter 2024)

The Pan Haiku Review is now open for inclusion in their Winter 2024 issue. They are looking for haibun and tanka prose. Submit up to two haibun/tanka prose, with up to 1,500 words maximum.  for each haibun. Pan Haiku Review does not accept simultaneous submissions.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

National Poetry Competition 2024

The competition, run by The Poetry Society since 1978, is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for a single unpublished poem. This year’s judging panel includes Stephen Sexton, Romalyn Ante, and John McAuliffe. Open to all poets worldwide aged 18+. The National Poetry Competition is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines, open to all poets worldwide aged 18 or over

Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000, highly commended £500

Entry fees: The first poem submitted £8, subsequent poems in the same submission cost £5 each. Poetry Society members get one additional poem free.

More Information here:

Deadline; 31 October 2024

The Broken Spine Arts

out.skirts, the all-LGBTQIA+ special issue of The Broken Spine, invites poetry and flash fiction submissions exclusively from queer-identifying writers. This issue will be published in June 2025 to celebrate Pride Month, with the aim of amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices and showcasing the rich diversity of queer experiences. Submissions will be accepted throughout October 2024.

They seek previously unpublished, creative, original, and bold works that explore the LGBTQIA+ experience from all perspectives. Whether your writing delves into the complexities of gender identity, explores sexual orientation across the spectrum, or reflects on the power of chosen family and queer community, we want your voice to be heard.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

Banshee Press

Banshee welcomes submissions from both Irish and international writers of any background, including first-time writers. They welcome work from members of groups or communities typically under-represented within literature, whether or not the work addresses this. All submissions should be previously unpublished. Their guideline word count for stories and essays is max 5000 words. Flash fiction should be under 1000 words, poems no more than 40 lines.

They are happy to read: one story or one essay or two flashes or up to four poems. Only submit in one category per submissions period. Submissions should be in one .doc or .docx attachment. Prose submissions should be double-spaced.

They offer contributors a small fee as well as a copy of the journal.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

The Trio International Poetry Competition

The Trio International Poetry Competition is organised by Jon Sait, winner of the 2004 National Poetry Competition and founder of Trio Uganda, a micro charity working with impoverished communities in Uganda. The village of Agaria Island is building its first school, using ecological bricks.

All entry fees will equip children with books and writing materials. This year their judge is Angela Graham.

First Prize: £1,000; 2nd: £300; 3rd: £100; plus four commended poems: £25 each.

Entry Fee: £5 for the first poem, £8 for two poems, £10 for three poems

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

Sunspot Lit

For a limited time, Sunspot Lit is calling for single works of novella-length fiction or nonfiction in any category, including memoir, literary, genre, and historical. Open October 1 through October 31.

Single works of fiction or nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, from 29,001 to 49,000 words should be submitted using this form.

Graphic novels should run between 51 and 100 pages. A single poem between 86 and 105 pages is also accepted. Story, essay, and poetry collections are not accepted in this category.

Submission fee is $25.00

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

Anthology Poetry Competition 2024

The Anthology Poetry Competition is now open for submissions from poets all over the world. Poets are welcome to submit original and previously unpublished poems written in English. There is no restriction on theme or style, and poems should not exceed 40 lines.

There are three prizes of  €1,000 (1st) plus publication of the entrant’s work in a future issue of Anthology, €250 (2nd), and €150 (3rd).

This year’s judge is Dr. Rachel Hegarty. Entry fee is €18 

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 October 2024

Poetry in Motion campaign

As part of Translink and Ulster University’s Poetry in Motion campaign, there is a call for writers and poets across Northern Ireland to share their creative voices and poems and celebrate the connections made possible by public transport—whether by train, Metro, Urby, Foyle Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus, or Goldliner – and how public transport helps us to be Better Connected to ourselves and each other.

Submit poems that capture how public transport connects us to so many things – like education, the economy, the environment, health, community, and even to ourselves and others. The best submissions will be featured in a special Translink and Ulster University Poetry in Motion booklet launching this, Autumn at Belfast Grand Central Station.

More Information here:

Deadline: 1 November 2024

New England Review

New England Review is seeking submissions of poetry from writers of all backgrounds. Writers can submit their unpublished work to New England Review online portal or through the mail along with a cover letter. Fiction submissions for this issue have already closed.

Payment for work published in the journal is $20 per page ($50 minimum), plus two copies of the issue in which the work appears and a one-year subscription to the print or e-book edition.

More Information here:

Deadline: 1 November 2024

Iceland Writers Retreat, Reykjavik

For its 11th year, the Iceland Writers Retreat (IWR) will be held in Reykjavík, a UNESCO City of Literature, from April 23-27, 2025. Participants will gather for small group workshops on the craft of writing led by an esteemed faculty including Curtis Sittenfeld, Ayana Mathis, Helen Macdonald, Danny Ramadan, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Jann Arden, Meng Jin, Kevin Chong, Pedro Gunnlaugur Garcia, and others. The IWR also includes literary-themed tours of the region, talks by Icelandic writers, receptions, readings, and a Q & A with the faculty.

Scholarships for the 2025 Iceland Writers Retreat are available, and applications are being accepted through Nov. 1. It is free to apply. See website for full details.

More Information here:

Deadline: 5 November 2024

Poetry Chair of Ireland Pamphlet Series with HOWL New Irish Writing

The Ireland Chair of Poetry Trust, in partnership with HOWL New Irish Writing, is delighted to announce a new project that will showcase the ubiquitous talent of Ireland’s emerging poets.

Poets who have not yet published a pamphlet or collection will be invited to submit a sample of their work of between twelve and twenty pages of poetry and a brief CV. Poems will be selected by Professor Paul Muldoon for inclusion in two pamphlets of The Ireland Chair of Poetry Pamphlet Series, which will be published by HOWL New Irish Writing in Spring 2025.

Poets submitting must have had at least three poems published in journals or periodicals and will need to submit a publication list as part of the application.

More Information here:

Deadline: 15 November, 2024

LitMag’s Emily Dickinson Award for Poetry

First Prize: $1,500 + publication in LitMag + agency review by  Amy Bishop-Wycisk of Trellis Literary Management, Emily Wescott of CAA,  Hailey Hedemann of William Morris Endeavor, Kelsey Day of Aragi, PJ Mark of Janklow & Nesbit, and Rayhane Sanders of Massie & McQuilken. Finalists: Three finalists will receive $100 each.  All finalists will be considered for possible agency review and publication.

More Information here:

Deadline: 15 November, 2024

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition is now open to writers across the globe. Submissions do not need to follow any particular theme or genre, but must be written in English with a maximum word count of 3000 words.

Prizes:1st prize: £1000, plus a free creative writing course of the winner’s choice and publication on our site. 2 runners-up: £200 each.

Helen Moorhouse is this year’s judge.

More Information here:

Deadline: 17 November 2024

Fly on the Wall Press manuscript submissions

Fly on the Wall Press specialises in political fiction, poetry and cross-genre anthologies on pressing issues, from exceptional international authors.

Submissions will be open between Friday 1st November 2024 – Sunday 17th of November 2024. Short Story Collections and Poetry collections only in this mini window. In order to submit, you must have bought a FOTW book from their online store in 2024. Writers who have previously submitted work in 2024 should wait until the Summer 2025 window.

They are seeking manuscripts with a strong narrative voice that explore human nature and the pressing issues of our time. They are drawn to writing with a distinct, bold style and writers who are unafraid to make a statement or leave a mark.

More Information here:

Deadline: 21 November 2024

Sans, PRESS, Out Three, Issue 9

Sans. PRESS are an independent literary publisher based in Limerick, Ireland, and their main focus is producing themed anthologies with short fiction by new and emerging writers.

They are looking for short story submissions for their new collection, Out There! They are looking for stories of all genres that respond to their title and/or cover art(see website), and writers will receive a flat rate of €200 for accepted submissions.

More Information here:

Deadline: 27 Nov 2024

The Stinging Fly, Summer 2025 Issue

The Stinging Fly publish new, previously unpublished work by Irish and international writers. They have a particular interest in promoting new writers, and in promoting the short story form. Each issue of The Stinging Fly includes a mix of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, alongside Featured Poets and Comhchealg sections, occasional author interviews and novel extracts. They also welcome submissions of poetry and prose in translation.

Their next submission opening will be between Wednesday November 13th and Wednesday November 27th 2024 (for the Summer 2025 issue). Please note: Submissions will close at 5pm (Irish time). Submissions will be accepted via Submittable.

Payment Fiction and nonfiction: €45 per magazine page, but with a minimum/maximum payment of €325/€1200. Flash Fiction/shorter essays (1 – 2 pages): €150. Poetry: €45 per magazine page, but with a minimum payment of €70 per poem. Featured Poet: €425. Cover artwork image: €425. Contributors also receive a copy of the issue in which their work is featured and can order further copies at a discounted rate.

More Information here:

Deadline: 30 November 2024

Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition

The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast poems in the English language of 40 lines or fewer. The poem can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. Translated work is not in the scope of this competition. Once entered, no alterations can be made to the submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please notify us immediately should your work be accepted elsewhere.

The Line limit is 40. Entry fee: €7 per poem or €30 for a batch of five.

1st Prize is €2,000, featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival (with four-night hotel stay and full board), featured on the Southword Poetry Podcast and publication in Southword. 2nd Prize is €500, publication in Southword. 3rd prize is €250 and publication in Southword and ten Runners-Up receive €50 and publication in Southword

More Information here:

Deadline: 30 November 2024

Fish Short Story Prize

The Short Story Prize 2024 is open and the winners will be published in the Fish Anthology 2025. The Fish Short Story Prize was started in 1994, and has become an established event on the literary calendar. Previous judges, Roddy Doyle and Colum McCann are honorary patrons. (Past honorary patrons were Frank McCourt and Dermot Healy).  The judge for this year is novelist and short story writer, Sean Lusk. Sean will select 10 short stories to be published in the Fish Anthology 2025.

First prize is  €3,000 (€1,000 of which is for travel expenses to the launch of the Anthology) plus a week long fiction writing workshop during the West Cork Literary Festival. Second prize is €300. Third prize is €300. Seven Honourable Mentions receive €200 each. The ten published authors will each receive five copies of the Anthology and will be invited to read at the launch during the West Cork Literary Festival in July.

More Information here:

Deadline: 30 November 2024

Broken Sleep Books

Broken Sleep Books are a working-class, small, innovative press, who publish a range of poetry and prose, from a range of writers. Our primary focus is in increasing access to the arts, in ensuring more people are able to engage with creativity regardless of their socioeconomic status. We particularly wish to dismantle the gentrification of creative arts, and we encourage more working-class, LGBTQ+, and POC writers to submit. Politically we are left wing, and have no interest in misogynists, racist, sexists, the alt-right, or dickheads in general. They are open for submissions between 1st October – 30th November for poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages)

More Information here:

Deadline; 4 December 2025

Ennis Book Club Festival 2025 Short Story Competition

The Ennis Book Club Festival second annual Short Story Competition is now open, following a hugely successful inaugural competition in 2024. This year’s competition will be judged by writer Cathy Sweeney, author of short story collection Modern Times (2020) and debut novel Breakdown, which was published in January 2024.

The winner of the competition will be awarded €750 and will have the honour of reading their story at a festival event, “The Art of the Short Story,” on March 7th. The second prize is €400, with additional prizes for runners-up.

More Information here:

Deadline: 20 December 2024

The Griffin Poetry Prize

The Griffin Poetry Prize is awarded annually for the best collection of poetry written in, or translated into, English. A longlist of 10 books is announced annually in March, and a shortlist of 5 books is announced annually in April. The winner is announced at the Griffin Poetry Prize readings held in Canada annually in June. The winner receives C$130,000 and the other shortlisted poets each receive C$10,000.

The Griffin Poetry Prize is pleased to announce that Nick Laird (Northern Ireland), Anne Michaels (Canada), and Tomasz Różycki (Poland) are the judges for the 2025 Griffin Poetry Prize. Entries must come from publishers only. Inquiries about entries must also come from publishers only. Publishers are welcome to enter an unlimited number of titles.

More Information here:

Deadline: 15 January 2024

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

The Bournemouth Writing Prize is an annual international short story and poetry competition. Winners of this writing contest receive personal feedback from industry professionals and there is a cash prize for each category. Run by the staff and students of the MA in Creative Writing and Publishing at Bournemouth University the competition is entering its ninth year. April 2025 will see the winners and anthology edited and published by the Dorset-based indie publisher Dithering Chaps.

The Prizes; Short Story £500 cash prize, plus an hour-long consultation with our short story judge, Greene and Heaton agent, Laura Williams. Poetry; £500 cash prize, plus an hour-long consultation and feedback session with our poetry judges, indie publisher Dithering Chaps.

For both categories: the winners will each have 2 free tickets and an Open Mic slot of up to 10 minutes at the Bourn Jammy event on Saturday 26th April at the Pavilion Dance. Each of the overall winners will receive 2 free tickets to any talk or workshop taking place at the Pavilion Dance over the course of the three-day festival. Each winner selected for the anthology will receive a free, printed copy of the resulting anthology. Prizes are non-transferable and no alternative (cash or otherwise) will be given.

More Information here:

Deadline: 25 January 2024

The Nine Dots Prize

The Nine Dots Prize is a writing prize which seeks to reward original thinking in response to contemporary societal issues. It is judged anonymously and seeks submissions from both established writers and emerging talent. Entrants must respond with 3,000 words. The winner receives $100,000, editorial support and their book published by Cambridge University Press, plus the opportunity to spend a term at the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH) at Cambridge University. This competition is free to apply.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 January 2025

The 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize

The 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to all published and unpublished writers. There is no geographical restriction on entry–the 2025 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to everyone, whether they are based in the UK or outside the UK. The maximum length of submissions is 4,000 words (not including the title); there is no minimum length. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-based (e.g. Crime, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Romance, Children’s, etc.).

1st prize is £1,000, 2nd prize is £500, 3rd prize is £250. 12 further prizes of £50 will be presented to the remaining shortlisted writers. All shortlisted writers will receive a free copy of the anthology. Prizes will be sent to any writer on the shortlist who is unable to attend the awards ceremony.

Entry fee is £12 per story. There are 250 free online entries available to those for whom the entry fee is a barrier to submission – for instance, those on low income or without paid employment.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 January 2025

New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2025

The New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2025 welcomes entries of up to 300 words on any theme and from anywhere in the world. The head judge is Shreya Sen-Handley, an award-winning author, columnist, playwright and illustrator.

The winner will receive £1,100, with £300 for second place and £200 for third. The three winning entries will be published on the New Writers site and in a future New Writers Anthology. Entry fee is£10 with £1 from each entry donated to First Story, a creative writing charity for young people.

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 January 2024

The 4th Dolors Alberola International Poetry Prize

The 4th Dolors Alberola International Poetry Prize aims to promote poetry reading from around the world. Poets may enter the competition with an unpublished collection of poems (500-800 lines). Poems may be on any subject and in any form or style. Entry is FREE, but limited to one collection per entrant.  The jury of honor will include Dolors Alberola, a renowned Spanish poet.

Winner: Translation into another European language. Publication of the collection (bilingual edition) plus 50 copies of the book with royalties on the publisher’s edition and subsidiary rights.

Finalists: Publication of the collection (Spanish edition) and 10 copies of the book with royalties on the publisher’s edition and subsidiary rights.

More Information here:

Deadline: 1 April 2025

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

This is a contest for humor poems, not serious poems. Serious poems will not be judged. The poem you submit should be in English. No fee to enter. Judge: Jendi Reiter, assisted by Lauren Singer. One poem only, please. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. No restriction on age of author. Both unpublished and previously published work accepted. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). First Prize: $2,000 plus a two-year gift certificate from our co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value). Second Prize: $500. Third Prize: $250. Honorable Mentions: 10 awards of $100 each. Top 13 entries published online

More Information here:

Deadline: 31 July 2025

Anthology Short Story Competition

The Anthology Short Story Competition is now open for submissions of original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words. Writers can submit as many entries as they wish. Each submission will require a separate entry form and is subject to a separate entry fee of €12.

First prize of €1,000 and the winning story published in Anthology magazine. Second prize: €250 and third prize: €150

More Information here:

Opens Spring 2025

Royal Society of Literature Scriptorium Awards

The RSL is set to launch a new prize for writers founded and generously supported by its President Bernardine Evaristo. The RSL Scriptorium Awards will provide free writing residencies in a cottage in Ramsgate owned by Evaristo.

The residencies, which can be for up to a month at a time,  will offer uninterrupted time for professionally active writers to focus on their projects. They could be finishing a manuscript against a deadline or starting a new commission and they will have exclusive use of the house for the duration of their retreat so they can focus solely on the task of writing.

Winning writers will not be permitted to bring guests, and the property has been designed to be as free from distractions as possible.

More details coming in 2025. Opens Spring 2o25

More Information here:

Deadline: Ongoing

Guernica / a magazine of art & 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 publish 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 for reportage/journalism.

More Information here:

Deadline: 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. We 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.

We publish no short stories, children’s prose/poetry and very little non-poetry related work (academic, biography etc.) at the current time. We are not considering fiction in English or in translation at this time.

More Information here:

Deadline: Ongoing

Poetry Ireland Review

Poetry Ireland Review is published three times annually. Poetry Ireland welcome unsolicited submissions of poems, and proposals for articles and reviews, from Ireland and abroad, in Irish or English.

Cuireann Éigse Éireann fáilte roimh iarratais i nGaeilge. Is féidir iad a sheoladh go díreach chuig pir@poetryireland.ie i gceangaltán Word.

More Information here:

Deadline: 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.

More Information here:

Deadline: Ongoing

The Orphic Review

The Orphic Review (Orphic Press) formerly known as Crow of Minerva was created as a blog featuring monthly interviews with women artists. It was created in 2019 by the artist Roisin Ní Neachtain with the aim of supporting and promoting emerging women artists working in any medium. It closed temporarily in March 2023 and reopened January 2024. It is currently running as a poetry journal and micropress.

More Information here:

Deadline: Ongoing

The Dublin Review

The Dublin Review welcomes submissions of fiction and non-fiction previously unpublished in the English language. We do not accept poetry submissions. We especially encourage submissions from members of groups traditionally underrepresented in literary magazines and other cultural forums.

More Information here:

Ongoing

The 12th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Every Tuesday at 12pm (Irish time) from 9th April 2024 – 28th January 2025, five words are be posted on their competition page. Entrants have one week to compose and submit one or more poems which include all five words given for that week. The winners & shortlist are announced around the first week of March 2025.

More Information here:

Deadline: Ongoing

Spellweaver

Spellweaver is a new Cork based online and print journal dedicated to supporting new and emerging writers, particularly in the Fantasy genre. We accept stories and poetry, anything with a hint of the unreal. Submissions are open year-round. Contributors will be paid.

More Information here: