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

August 2024 Markets Newsletter

In this issue:

• "In a Creative Slump? Be a Seeker! 4 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Unstuck, Stat!" by Melanie Faith
• "In Conversation with Tom Bromley, Author, Editor, Ghostwriter, Creative Writing Instructor, and Head of Learning at Reedsy" interview by Renee Roberson
• August Deadlines: Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Multigenre, Just for Fun
• Breaking In: "How to Become a Feel-Good Romance Author" by Julie Shackman
• Recent WOW! Features and Posts from The Muffin
• "Writer’s Bucket List (AKA Success Column)" by Margo L. Dill

Writers!

We’ve all been there. Ho-hum hours where we’re just not sure where to start a piece or even what we want to write. Sometimes, we expect inspiration to be a fireworks-in-the-sky, flash-of-insight experience, when more often it’s a gentle Hmm, now, that’s interesting thought that we brush aside because it isn’t flashy.

Let’s take a look at four quick and helpful ways to tap into your creativity today.

Seek the Superb Small: Years ago, I wrote a poem about a glass jar of buttons I deeply regretted not buying after they were sold. I shared that poem at readings and found that the seemingly effortless poem about the buttons was the one readers connected with most and even asked about later. What is it about the buttons that inspired? It’s sensory: we’d all worn (and lost) buttons, touched their worn or burnished surfaces. The buttons expressed bigger themes of family, care, childhood, regret, hindsight, loss, and much more. Small items carry big resonance. It’s the same reason “Bus Stop” by The Hollies with its umbrella imagery is such a timeless lyric. Take a walk through an antique shop or look through your kitchen junk drawer or boxes in the garage and spot the many ordinary treasures you could write about today. P.S. All’s well that ends well: last week, a canning jar of blue and green beauties entered my writing life via a local consignment shop.

Seek Creative Community. Attending readings, taking classes or workshops, scheduling a lunch out at a coffeehouse with a creative pal to free-write and then sharing: all encourage your muse to get active, pronto. You’re giving the muse a deadline as well as offering it the supportive presence of another maker. Win-win.

Seek a Prompt. Arriving blank to the blank screen can be intimidating; prompts set you up for success. Choices abound: lines from your favorite song or poem, a movie scene, or a quote you find online, such as at Brainy Quote. Or have friends send quotes or photos they like. I’ve also used paintings and figurines as prompts. Respond directly to the prompt—or don’t. You’re allowed to go with first thoughts; veer in any direction you wish. Prompts launch you to where you will do your best work. No need to keep it all. Write now; sculpt later.

By Renee Roberson

My first attempt at writing a novel was a hot mess. Following the guidelines shared in Book in a Month, I eventually fleshed out almost 80,000 words and was confident I was poised to become the Next Great American Novelist! As you can imagine, that didn’t happen. It took writing at least five more drafts, over the next five years, before I had the contemporary YA ghost story in my hands. Writing a novel isn’t easy, as we’re all crunched for time these days and pulled in a million different directions. Tom Bromley, Head of Learning at Reedsy, knows this, too, which is why he developed the course How to Write a Novel.

Tom’s course guides writers through the process of crafting a 75,000-word novel in 101 days. The course, How to Write a Novel ($1249.00 value), is one of the prizes we’ll be giving away in the Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest! Here at WOW, we are excited to have Reedsy as our contest sponsor. This summer’s contest also awards a higher first place cash prize than it usually does, and Tom Bromley will be serving as our summer season’s guest judge. We took this opportunity to interview Tom because he has a wealth of knowledge to share, and so WOW writers can get to know him and find out more about his incredible course.

After earning a master of arts in creative writing from Bath Spa University, Tom got his start in the publishing industry working as a bookseller and with a gig writing book blurbs. He served as a commissioning editor at Little, Brown, founded the imprint Portico, and was an editorial director for AA Books. In addition to his role at Reedsy, a platform that connects authors with publishing professionals for self-publishing and book marketing projects, Tom is the author of Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Half a World Away, the nonfiction music book We Could Have Been the Wombles, a book about cycling, Bespoke, and two pop culture memoirs, All in the Best Possible Taste and Wired for Sound. He wrote two crime novellas under the pseudonym Thomas Black, and his short story “Rings” was chosen as the opening piece for the Best British Short Stories 2021 anthology. Tom has also worked as a ghostwriter for the last decade, producing several prize-winners and international bestsellers. 

Join us for a lively and informative interview as Tom and I chat about his work as a commissioning editor and ghostwriter, publishing trends, his novel writing course, and how you can successfully produce your dream project.

WOW: Hi Tom, and welcome! Your writer bio is so cleverly written it made me laugh out loud a few times. Do you have any suggestions for how writers can produce their own eye-catching bio?

Tom: Thank you! I think the key with bios, like writing generally, is voice. If you can get across something of yourself while listing your details, you’re doing well. And I think humor can, depending on the genre you’re writing in, cut through too and help make a bio memorable and stand out.

WOW: Speaking of presenting the best version of yourself as a writer, the query letter can be intimidating for a lot of writers once they have a book they are ready to pitch. In your vast experience working as a commissioning editor and founding a publishing imprint, are there any suggestions you’d offer writers on how to improve this part of their submission package?

Tom: The query letter is a means to an end: to set your stall out as quickly and painlessly as possible and get the prospective editor/agent reading the manuscript, hopefully in a positive frame of mind. Keep it short would be my first bit of advice—no more than a page if possible. What is useful to include is a short (paragraph-length) summary of the plot, a bit on your writing background and experience, and something on where your book might sit in the market (a couple of comparative titles never hurts).

WOW: In your work as commissioning editor, what were some of the common problems or reasons that made you decide to pass on a manuscript?

Tom: There are various reasons for rejecting a manuscript. Firstly, there is the list you are publishing and the constraints of that: you only have so much space for so many titles a year, so as an editor, you guard those slots carefully. Sometimes there’s a “like but not love” reason for rejecting, or it doesn’t feel like a good fit for the list, or there is something on the list already that is similar.

WOW: Ah, this makes sense about “the list.” The marketplace can be so competitive! Flash fiction can be a tricky art form, as you only have a limited amount of words to tell your story. What do you think are the hallmarks of a prize-winning short story?

Tom: When I started writing, one of my inspirations was the American short story writer Raymond Carver. He had a wonderful maxim for writing: “Get in. Get out. Don’t linger,” which I think would be good advice here. For me, the best short stories are usually about capturing a specific moment and leaving the reader to extrapolate out from there for themselves. It’s the opposite to a novel where the form is about telling a story of change over time.

“For me, the best short stories are usually about capturing a specific moment and leaving the reader to extrapolate out from there for themselves.”

WOW: That’s a great explanation. Switching gears to longer pieces of writing, as an expert ghostwriter, do you have any suggestions on how writers can break into this niche?

Tom: Ghostwriting is a difficult trade to get into as there isn’t a recognized route in. Most ghosts tend to start out as something else—an editor, journalist, or author—and go into it from there. I came into it from the editing side: the first couple of jobs I did were a mixture of editing and rewriting. From there, I got a straight ghostwriting gig and built out a career through word of mouth.

Finding a way to offer some sort of experience is important to breaking in. There’s a number of publishers now who offer to self-publish your family stories. I don’t think it’s brilliantly paid, but getting a couple of books under your belt there couldn’t hurt.

WOW: On average, how long does it take you to ghostwrite a book from start to finish (specifically nonfiction)? 

Tom: It depends on the project and what else is going on, but usually you’re looking at a six- to nine-month process from start to finish.

WOW: If, during a ghostwriting interview, your subject shares something private or sensitive in nature that the publisher and readers would love to know, how do you decide whether to include it?

Tom: Depends on the subject! It’s often the case that you’ll start the process with various subjects as off-limits, then the subject relaxes as they get to know you and tell you all kinds of things. Sometimes, they’ll tell you a story off the record or ask you to switch the tape recorder off, in which case you can’t use it (though I have tried to persuade at times!). Generally, I feel protective of the subject, so I will discuss with them whether they want the information in the book or not: my line is that once it’s on the page in black and white, you can’t take it back. Usually, once the publisher knows that the detail is there, they’ll want it to help sell the book. So to protect the subject, I’ll take it out before it gets that far. Where I do take such stories out, it’s often because it involves someone else. And while the subject might be in the public eye and able to handle it, the other person may be less battle-hardened.

WOW: It can be tempting to try and write a novel that follows current trends (e.g., rom-coms, unreliable narrators, domestic thrillers). How important do you think it is to follow these publishing trends?

Tom: I’d always suggest the opposite: write the book that you want to write, not what you think will sell. If you’re traditionally published, the gap between writing and getting published can often be eighteen months or two years. So while you might be on trend when you start the book, the publishing world might have moved on by the time it is out.

“Write the book that you want to write, not what you think will sell.”

WOW: I love this advice. Speaking of novels, music and pop culture feature heavily in your works of fiction. Do you have any advice to writers on how to effectively weave these types of themes into a book while still having it appeal to a larger audience?

Tom: I might not be the best person to answer this question as my own novels with a musical theme were published here in the UK but failed to sell in the US on account of being too British. Certainly, the music played a factor in that. To work more internationally, you’d have to think about music and moments that travel. With the most recent novel I’ve been working on, I’ve been trying to steer away from more specifically British references partly for this reason.

WOW: You’ve developed a course through Reedsy on how to write a novel. Why do you think writers should check out this informative master class that sets the goal of producing 75,000 words in 101 days?

Tom: I’ve taught novel writing online for over a decade now, and the course is really a culmination of all that knowledge accrued. My pitch for the course is Masterclass meets NaNoWriMo, so mixing learning with getting the words down. We want writers to come away from the course with a deeper knowledge of writing and a full first draft to go away and work on. If that sounds like you—and you’d feel encouraged to do it in a supportive writing community—then we’d love to have you along!

WOW: WOW! Executive Editor Angela Mackintosh reviewed your course, and it sounds comprehensive and well-designed. How did you decide on the structure of the course? Is it based on how you write your own novels?

Tom: I tried to mirror the writing of a book, so a week about beginnings at the beginning, the challenges of the “middle bit” in the middle and endings at the end. In between, the focus is more on core writing skills in the first half (e.g., plot, character, dialogue) and more developed skills in the second half (e.g., emphasis techniques, doubling up, use of chapters). So in theory, as you’re working on your draft, you’re learning skills that are relevant to where you are in the story.

“We want writers to come away from the course with a deeper knowledge of writing and a full first draft to go away and work on.”

WOW: What advice would you give a writer who has an idea for a novel but is limited on time to write?

Tom: Well, as I tell my students, there is no shortcut to writing a novel. You’re going to have to put the hours in somewhere along the line. But what I would say is that with a regular routine, it’s amazing how that word count can tick up, even if you can only carve out thirty minutes a day.

WOW: At WOW, we love to hear about success stories and even have a column in this newsletter where writers share their publications. Do you have a success story you can share about working with one of your students?

Tom: Lots! Over the years, I’ve had about fifty or so students go on to get published. I have a soft spot for Jo Cannon, who if memory serves, got a tax rebate and tossed a coin between writing and dancing classes. I watched her debut novel, The Trouble With Goats and Sheep, unfold from the first few pages, and it went on to become the biggest selling literary debut of the year.

WOW: Oh, wow, her book sounds intriguing! Thank you for sharing that with us. Do you have any specific recommendations for tools an aspiring author should have at their disposal (e.g., apps, software, books on the craft of writing)?

Tom: I’m quite basic here: a notebook is good to jot down ideas (you always forget if you don’t). I’ve tried and failed with Scrivener over the years—I seem stuck in a Microsoft Word world forever! The one app I would recommend is Freedom, which blocks the internet from your computer. Seems strange to pay for an app to stop the internet working, but I find it really helps to concentrate. As for books, I always say that the best teachers are the novels themselves: go back and reread the writers you love and work out what makes them tick.

WOW: I’ll have to check Freedom out! Distraction online is one of my biggest vices when writing. What does a day in the life of Tom Bromley look like?

Tom: It varies depending on the day of the week, but it starts with Wordle and a cup of tea (I know). I’m usually working from home, so it’s a mixture of writing, editing, and teaching, depending on the day of week, punctuated with a bit of exercise and walks. I tend to write in the mornings when I’m fresher, and will edit/read in the afternoon, when I drink more tea to see me through to the end of the working day.

WOW: We always like to end our interviews with a fun question! You play guitar, bass, and double bass and have played in rock, funk, and folk groups! Who are your current top five? (musicians/bands)

Tom: That is a question and a half! I’m a jazz fan, and two of my current favorites are pianist Aaron Parks and guitarist Julian Lage (both good to write to as well!). My all-time musical hero is Bob Dylan, though he’s less good to write to. My second novel was based around the 70s folk singer Nick Drake, and I still listen to him a lot. I’m taking my daughter to see Taylor Swift in August, so I’m listening to her a lot to gen up for the gig!

Thanks again to Tom Bromley, published author, writing instructor, and Head of Learning at Reedsy for joining us today!

If the idea of having a linear path to writing your novel appeals to you, consider checking out Tom’s course. WOW! Executive Editor Angela Mackintosh took Tom’s How to Write a Novel course, and you can read her detailed review on our blog. As a bonus, you can sign up first without entering any payment information to receive a free video on character, so you can get an idea of Tom’s teaching style.

Tom’s next session of How to Write a Novel begins on September 2. You can click on this link to learn more. Our Summer 2024 Flash Fiction Contest is open until August 31, and Tom Bromley will be serving as the guest judge.

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and has picked up accolades for both her fiction and nonfiction writing. Her short story, “The Polaroid,” won first place in the suspense/thriller category of the 2017 Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction Awards, and “The Monster in the Woods” took second place in the Genre Short Story category of the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition in 2022. She created and produces the true crime podcast “Missing in the Carolinas,” and it receives approximately 50,000 downloads per year with Renee researching and writing all the episodes.

Poetry

2024 Coniston Prize

Deadline: August 1

The Coniston Prize is an annual award that recognizes an exceptional group of poems by a woman writing in English. Any poet who identifies as a woman is eligible. The winner of the Coniston Prize will receive $1,000, and up to 10 finalists will also be awarded $175. The winner and all finalists’ poems will be featured in the October Coniston Prize Issue. Fee: $20

https://www.radarpoetry.com/contest/

Moonstone Arts Center's Tribute to Sonia Sanchez 

Deadline: August 4

Sonia Sanchez—poet, activist, scholar—was the Laura Carnell Professor of English and Women's Studies at Temple University. She is the recipient of both the Robert Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime service to American poetry and the Langston Hughes Poetry Award. One of the most important writers of the Black Arts Movement, Sanchez is the author of sixteen books. This year celebrates her 90th birthday. Submit your poem to be considered with a limit to 35 lines total. When determining the total line length for each poem, include spaces between stanzas. The final book will be printed in 11 point Garamond font on pages that are 4.5 inches wide. Fee: $5

https://moonstoneartscenter.submittable.com/submit

Waterford Poetry Prize 2024 - Ireland Writers

Deadline: August 12

Open to residents of Ireland; no age limit. Submit a poem up to 40 lines. First Place: €400; Second: €300; Third: €200. The winner and runner-up will also be invited to participate in a writing course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore. The judge for the Waterford Poetry Prize 2024 is the writer and poet Colm Keegan. No fee.

https://waterford.submit.com/show/206  

The Other Side of Hope: Journeys in Refugee and Immigrant Literature

Deadline: August 15

They invite refugee, asylum seeker, and immigrant poets from around the world to submit their poetry for their other tongue, mother tongue issue. They consider poetry written in any language (apart from English). Send up to two poems. Pay: £200 per published poet. No fee.

https://othersideofhope.com/submissions-mother-tongue.html 

2024 Grayson Books Poetry Contest

Deadline: August 15

Submit 50-90 page poetry book manuscript with title page and table of contents. The winner will be awarded a $1,000 prize, publication, and 10 copies. The runner-up may also be offered publication. Fee: $26

https://graysonbooks.submittable.com/submit/260909/2024-grayson-books-poetry-contest

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review - Something You Can Hold in Your Hand

Deadline: August 15 (Opens August 1)

They publish quality poetry of any genre and length congruent with their themes. The theme for August is “something you can hold in your hand.” Submit up to three unpublished poems. Pay: $7 per poem. No fee.

http://www.songsoferetz.com/p/poetry-and-artwork-guidelines.html 

The Off the Grid Poetry Contest - Poets Over 60

Deadline: August 31

The Off the Grid Prize recognizes the work of older poets and highlights important contemporary voices in poetry. Winners receive $1,000 and publication, promotion, and distribution of their book in print and audio formats. They are looking for work by poets over 60, whose writing practice is ongoing and whose vision is fresh while drawing from six or more decades of lived experience. Manuscripts must be typed, paginated, and at least 50 pages in length. Fee: $25

https://www.grid-books.org/off-the-grid-press/

Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition

Deadline: August 31

The Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition is open to new, emerging and established poets from any country. At least one of these winners will be the highest scoring manuscript entered by a poet with no solo collection (full-length or chapbook) previously published. The other winner may have previously published poetry books. Up to 25 other entrants will be publicly listed as “highly commended." Manuscripts must be between 16 and 24 pages in length. The winning chapbooks will be published by Southword Editions and launched at the Cork International Poetry Festival. 1st Prize: €1000, chapbook publication and 25 complimentary copies, and a featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival (with three-night hotel stay and full board). 2nd Prize: €500, chapbook publication and 25 complimentary copies, and a featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival (with three-night hotel stay and full board). Fee: €25

https://munsterlit.ie/fool-for-poetry/

Nine Syllables Press Chapbook Competition

Deadline: August 31

Nine Syllables Press is delighted to announce their second annual chapbook contest. torrin a. greathouse will be the final judge for 2024. The winner will be awarded $500 and author’s copies. The chapbook will be published within a year. Trans and nonbinary poets of all genders, and cis women poets can submit. 20-40 pages is a guideline, but this is a chapbook contest, not a full-length or a micro. Fee: $10

https://www.ninesyllablespress.com/contest

Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Prize

Deadline: August 31

The Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Prize awards $2,000 and publication by Ex Ophidia Press to the author of a collection of poems. The winning poet will receive ten copies of the book, a publishing contract with national distribution, publicity, and a discount on book purchases. Manuscripts must consist of from 50 to 100 numbered pages, including a title page and table of contents. Fee: $25

https://www.exophidiapress.org/contest/

ARTEMISpoetry

Deadline: August 31

Poems by women of any age. Poems should be typed, or if written, then very neatly. Each poem should commence on a new page, headed "Submission for ARTEMISpoetry." You can send by mail or email. Submit up to 4 poems to a maximum of 200 lines in all. Our line counts are for poem (and any footnote) text lines only, so excluding titles and break. No fee.

http://www.secondlightlive.co.uk/artemis.shtml#submit

The Oxford Poetry Prize

Deadline: August 31

The Oxford Poetry Prize is awarded annually for a single poem in the English language. The guest judge is Rachel Long. The first-prize winner receives a cash prize of £1,000, the second-prize winner receives £200, and the third-prize winner receives £100. All winners will be offered publication in Oxford Poetry. Entries should consist of one poem per uploaded file. Fee: £10

https://partus.submittable.com/submit/279905/the-2024-oxford-poetry-prize 

Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Contest

Deadline: August 31

The Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Prize awards $2,000 and publication by Ex Ophidia Press to the author of a collection of poems. The winning poet will receive ten copies of the book, a publishing contract with national distribution, publicity, and a discount on book purchases. Poet Rebecca Lindenberg will select this year’s winning manuscript and nine finalists. Manuscripts must consist of from 50 to 100 numbered pages, including a title page and table of contents. All manuscripts must be paginated. Each new poem must start on a new page. Fee: $25

https://exophidiapress.submittable.com/submit 

Sundress Publications Open Reading Period

Deadline: August 31

Sundress Publications is open for submissions of full-length poetry manuscripts. They’re looking for manuscripts of forty-eight to eighty (48-80) single-spaced pages; front matter is excluded from page count. Individual pieces or selections may have been previously published in anthologies, chapbooks, print journals, online journals, etc., but cannot have appeared in any full-length collection, including self-published collections. Selected manuscripts will be offered a standard publication contract, which includes 25 copies of the published book. Fee: $15 (free for BIPOC writers).

https://www.sundresspublications.com/submit

Willow Springs Surrealist Poetry Prize

Deadline: September 1

They are looking for poems in the surrealist tradition and its many iterations. One of the basic tenets of surrealism is a revolt of the imagination against reason, rationalism, and empiricism. The first surrealist movement is marked by the publication of Andre Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto. It is, as Robert Bly describes in discussion of Spanish surrealist poets, the poetry of “wild association” and “leaping.” The judge is Melissa Kwasny. Prize: $1,000 for a single poem to be published in the Spring issue of the Willow Springs magazine. Submit a packet of up to three poems in one file. Do not include any identifying information on your submission. Fee: $15

https://willowsprings.submittable.com/submit/255944/willow-springs-surrealist-poetry-prize

Fiction

Jim Martin Memorial Adult Story Contest - Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Deadline: August 1

Anyone who can write a mystery story in English is invited to submit their story in 2,500 words or less. The story must fall into the range of mystery, thriller, or suspense. There are three winners. First place receives $250, second place receives $100, and third place receives $75. Fee: $15

https://arizonamysterywriters.com/amw-writing-contests/jim-martin-memorial-adult-story-contest/

That First Line - "When she was eight, Alice Henderson briefly held the world record for filling her mouth with marbles."

Deadline: August 1

Stories must be written with the first line: When she was eight, Alice Henderson briefly held the world record for filling her mouth with marbles. The line cannot be altered in any way, unless otherwise noted by the editors. The story should be between 300 and 5,000 words and can be in any genre. Pay: $25 - $50 for fiction. No fee.

https://www.thefirstline.com/submission.htm 

12 Spooky Campfire Stories for the Bravest of Boys

Deadline: August 4

They are seeking middle grade stories that could have appeared in one of Alfred Hitchcock’s anthologies for young readers if they were being published today. Word count: up to 2,000 words. Submissions capped at 100 and limited to one submission per author. Pay: $0.01 per word. No fee.

https://angelaysmith.com/authortunities-press-2/ 

Sci Phi Journal

Deadline: August 4

They want hard SF that zooms out of the personal and lifts off into the structural, the systemic, the epic. They yearn for carefully crafted philosophical speculation that puzzles over the questions of the future and alternate pasts. And they have a soft spot for stories created as ‘artifacts’ (fictional, ‘in-universe’ non-fiction). Up to 2,000 words. Pay: €0.03/word for original fiction, €0.01/word for translations. No fee.

https://www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/submission-guidelines/ 

Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize - Romance Authors

Deadline: August 5

The winner of the Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize will receive a publishing contract with Penguin Michael Joseph, worth at least £10,000, and representation by the Janklow & Nesbit agency. All shortlisted writers will also receive one-to-one editorial feedback and guidance from an editor or agent. This year they are looking for love! If you’re a budding romance author they want to hear from you. They’re looking for a commercial romance with a romantic love story at its heart. Entrants must also be from a background currently underrepresented in publishing. Submit a synopsis of no more than 250 words, and a 5000-word extract from the start of your romance novel. No fee.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/penguin-michael-joseph-undiscovered-writers-prize 

Unicorn Mech Suit Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: August 8

Unicorn Mech Suit is holding its first short story contest. The winner will receive $400 and will be published on UMS. The top ten entries will receive personalized feedback. Authors will retain all rights. All entries should be between 500-1500 words and be broadly considered either science fiction or fantasy. (Horror will also be considered if it has speculative elements.) Please send entries to info@oliviafrias.com along with the best way to contact you. No fee.

https://algonkianconferences.com/authorconnect/index.php?/topic/37469-call-for-entries-unicorn-mech-suit-flash-fiction-contest-prize-400/ 

The 21st Annual Gival Press Short Story Award

Deadline: August 8

The winning author will receive $1,000 and their story will be published on the Gival Press website. In addition, Gival Press hopes to publish an anthology of the winners of this award along with the best short stories submitted to the contest over a period of several years in a future anthology of short stories. Must be approximately 5,000 to 15,000 words. Fee: $25

https://givalpress.submittable.com/submit

Dirty Magick Magazine

Deadline: August 15

Dirty Magick Magazine publishes short fiction from 2,000 to 12,500 words. They are interested in urban fantasy, which they define as fantasy adventure fiction which takes place in modern settings); sword and sorcery, which they define as fantasy adventure fiction taking place in an ancient or alternative world where the protagonists must use their wits and weapons to survive; and gothic and supernatural horror. Pay: $50 per story. No fee.

https://www.dirtymagickmagazine.com/submissions.html 

Luna Station Quarterly 

Deadline: August 15

Luna Station Quarterly publishes short fiction by women-identifying writers. They are seeking new fairy tales (not retellings), fantasy, sci-fi, and space opera. They also accept reprints. Stories should be 500 to 7000 words. Pay: $10 per story. No fee.

https://lunastationquarterly.com/submissions/ 

LVW’s 19th Annual Flash Fiction Contest - Theme: Thunderbirds, Phoenixes, and Other Mythological Birds

Deadline: August 15

Submissions are now open for LVW’s 19th annual Flash Fiction Contest, which awards cash prizes and does not charge an entry fee. This year's topic: thunderbirds, phoenixes, and other mythological birds. Submit a story 1,000 words or less. The first prize winner will receive $50, second prize $25, and third prize $15. Three honorable mentions will not receive cash prizes but will be published with the other winners at LVW’s website. All six winning stories will be edited by a professional editor. Their authors will also receive a one-year complimentary membership to Ligonier Valley Writers. No fee.

https://www.lvwonline.org/flash-fiction

Fourth Annual George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: August 15

The editors of Third Wednesday are pleased to honor the memory of George Dila, the editor who originally brought fiction to 3W. They accept entries of previously unpublished fiction under 1,000 words in length (including title). Three winning stories will receive cash prizes of $100 each and a print copy of the contest issue due to be published in September of 2024. Fee: $6

https://thirdwednesdaymagazine.org/flash-fiction-contest/

Saros Speculative Fiction

Deadline: August 18 (Opens August 5)

Founded in 2024, Saros Speculative Fiction aims to provide a home not only for great new stories, but to provide an opportunity for prospective editors to run their own issue of a literary magazine. Each issue will be led by a different editor. They are seeking original science fiction or SF-tinged literary stories between 2,000 and 15,000 words. They love well-realized settings, strong narrative voices, and a focus on character. Pay: $40 CAD per story. No fee.

https://sarossf.com/submissions/ 

Pseudopod

Deadline: August 20 (Opens August 9)

PseudoPod is a genre magazine in audio form. They’re looking for horror: dark, weird fiction. They run the spectrum from grim realism or crime drama, to magic-realism, to blatantly supernatural dark fantasy. They publish highly literary stories reminiscent of Poe or Lovecraft as well as vulgar shock-value pulp fiction. They are looking for short fiction (1500 - 6000 words), and flash fiction (1500 words and under). Pay is $.08/word for original fiction, $100 flat rate for short story reprints, and $20 flat rate for flash fiction reprints (stories below 1500 words). No fee.

http://pseudopod.org/submissions/

The Vellys Award

Deadline: August 20

15 awards. $62,000 in cash prizes. Grand Prize: $25,000. Runner Up: $10,000. Finalists: $1,000. Newcomer Award: $15,000. Stories must be a minimum of 10,000 words and 10 episodes. Your story’s first episode must have been published on or after June 25, 2024. Episodes published through August 20, 2024 will be counted towards the contest. Writers must be 18+ to enter. No Nonfiction, Poetry, Fan Fiction, Children's Stories, or Erotica. Stories are judged by originality and creativity, characters and plot, writing style, and reader engagement. Simply create a KDP account on Amazon, click Visit Kindle Vella, Start a Story, and click Submit this Story to The Vellys. No fee.

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/Vellys 

Short Story Award For New Writers

Deadline: August 25

The Masters Review Short Story Award for New Writers is a bi-annual contest that recognizes the best fiction from today’s emerging writers. The guest judge is Colin Barrett. The winner receives a $3,000 prize, along with online publication. Second- and third-place winners will receive $300 and $200 respectively, along with online publication. All finalists will receive agency review from our six partnered literary agencies. Submit unpublished stories under 6,000 words. Emerging writers only; writers with book-length work published or under contract with a major press are ineligible. Fee: $20

https://mastersreview.com/short-story-award-for-new-writers/ 

On the Premises Contest - Theme: Expertise

Deadline: August 30

Write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which one or more characters with significant expertise in some area matter to the story. The expert(s) DO NOT have to be the story’s main character(s), though it’s fine if they are–the judges won’t care either way. They are also open to the idea that your story’s character(s) with expertise might be either wrong, or frauds, or idiots. (Or they’re legitimate experts!) However, the idea of expertise, and at least one person who has it (or doesn’t?) has to matter to the story. First Place: $250; Second Place: $200; Third Place: $150; Honorable Mention: $75. No fee.

https://onthepremises.com/current-contest/ 

Howard Frank Mosher Short Fiction Prize

Deadline: August 31

Submit one short story with a maximum of 6,000 words. $500 prize for first place winner in each category. Publication in Hunger Mountain for first-place winners and runner-ups. Fee: $20

https://hungermtn.submittable.com/submit/6898/500-contest-howard-frank-mosher-short-fiction-prize 

Black Hare Press: Tumbleweeds

Deadline: August 31

In the desolate landscapes of Utah (or, in fact, any real or fictional place you choose), a bizarre phenomenon unfolds as thousands of tumbleweeds amass, engulfing residential yards, barricading buildings, and rendering roads impassable. But these tumbleweeds are not mere botanical oddities; they harbor an ominous secret. Black Hare Press invites speculative fiction and horror writers to explore the sinister depths of this phenomenon. Word count : 2,000 - 10,000. Submit to: short-stories@blackharepress.com. Pay: $20 - $25 plus a digital copy. No fee.

https://www.blackharepress.com/submissions/ 

Digging Press Literary Journal

Deadline: August 31

Digging Press is based in New Jersey. They publish chapbooks, a poetry series, and an online journal. They also produce a podcast and host a reading series in New York City. For their next issue, they are seeking short fiction submissions of no more than 2,500 words. Pay: $0.02 per word / $50 max. Fee: $5

https://diggingthroughthefat.submittable.com/submit 

2025 Howling Bird Press Fiction Prize - Book Length

Deadline: August 31

The competition is open to all writers in English living in the U.S., whether previously published or not. Manuscript length should be between 20,000 and 60,000 words. Novellas, novels, or short story collections will be considered. The winner receives $2,500 and book publication in fall 2025. Fee: $25

https://augsburghowlingbirdpress.submittable.com/submit

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Deadline: August 31

Gemini Magazine is accepting entries for its flash fiction contest. First prize is $1,000 and publication. Second prize wins $100 and publication, and three or four honorable mentions each receive $25 plus publication. Writers from around the world are welcome, and all entries are read blind so everyone gets an equal chance. Maximum word count length is 1,000. Fee: $8

https://gemini-magazine.com/flash-fiction-contest-2024/

The 2025 Kenneth Patchen Award for the Innovative Novel

Deadline: August 31

A prize of $1,000 and book publication by Journal of Experimental Fiction and JEF Books is given annually for an innovative novel. The submission can be of any length. Fee: $25

https://www.experimentalfiction.com/blogs/news/the-2022-kenneth-patchen-award-for-the-innovative-novel

The Miami University Novella Prize

Deadline: August 31

The Miami University Novella Prize is awarded annually to a novella-length manuscript of original fiction (18,000–40,000 words). The winner receives $1,000, a standard contract, publication and 20 copies of the book. Fee: $25

https://sites.miamioh.edu/miami-university-press/novella-prize/

Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction

Deadline: August 31

They welcome stories in all genres: literary, historic, crime, romance, gritty realism, contemporary, humor and more. Anything that can be packed into 250 words that will transport readers in an instant to weird, wonderful, tragic and dramatic moments in time. Top twenty finalists invited to the annual Flash Bash at the Scottish Art Club. Top three prize winners receive: first prize £2,000, second prize £300, third prize £150. There is also the Golden Hare Award of £500 and the Write Mango Flash Award of £300. Free membership of the Scottish Arts Club offered to all prize winners, and flash writers are invited to a Flash Bash. The guest judge is Meg Pokrass. Fee: £10

https://www.scottishartstrust.org/flash 

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

Deadline: August 31

Write yourself into history and become one of the greats with the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Submit a flash fiction story at a maximum of 1000 words. No minimum word limit. 1st Prize: £1000 / 2nd Prize: £200 / New Voice Prize: £200 / 3rd Prize: £100 / Local Prize £100. Fee: £7

https://oxfordflashfictionprize.com

Close My Eyes Forever: Crime Fiction Inspired by Heavy Metal Hits

Deadline: August 31

Ozzy Osbourne. Lita Ford. Metallica. Megadeth. Kiss. So many heavy metal bands have put their stamp on the music industry. With searing guitar riffs, fierce drums and a headbanging attitude, heavy metal continues to rock out and melt faces from their origins in the 1970s through today. The intensity of that music genre lends itself perfectly to crime fiction. That’s where you come in. Your work must be inspired by a heavy metal song, and you still must have a good crime/mystery. Length: 3,000-5,000 words. Pay: $25 per story. No fee.

https://www.mistimedia.com/calls-for-submission/heavymetal/ 

Made in L.A.

Deadline: August 31

The Made in L.A. indie author co-op publishes work by new, emerging, and established writers, including those who have been underrepresented or historically misrepresented, with a preference for writers who currently live in and around Los Angeles. They are seeking stories that evoke nuanced feelings and leave a lasting impression. They want to meet vibrant characters, hear their distinct voices, and—as always—see the action unfold in a strong Los Angeles setting. Word count: 2,000 - 10,000 words. Pay: $0.01 per word and a print copy. No fee.

https://www.madeinlawriters.com/submission-guidelines/ 

Nonfiction

Mirage Travel Writing Podcast

Deadline: Rolling

Mirage is looking to publish travel writing. They want to hear what's not written in Condé Nast Traveler, and what's not told in Lonely Planet. Give them something deeper than the frivolity of writing done by tourists. You can tell that one story you've only told yourself, that narrative you’re afraid to admit. It can be dirty or wrong, or told from the perspective of an individual not well-adjusted, but it must be honest. Send a high-quality recording of a minimum of twenty minutes or writing of at least 3,000 words. Pay: $50 for writing of a minimum of 3,000 words or $100 for audio of at least 20 minutes (well-recorded and edited). No fee.

https://www.miragetravelpodcast.com/submissions 

Aurore

Deadline: Rolling

Aurore is a feminist journal that publishes real, non-fiction erotica, typically written in first person present tense. Their favorite stories are emotional and raw, so they work one-on-one with writers to create complex stories that take a positive stance on sex, while remaining wildly relatable. Please give your lovers cute pseudonyms. While you’re at it, think of a sex-goddess-worthy pen name for yourself. Length: 1,000 to 3,000 words. Pay: $50 - $100 per piece. No fee.

https://readaurore.com/submit 

The Rumpus: Essays

Deadline: August 1

The Rumpus welcomes personal narrative-driven essays as well as non-traditional forms of nonfiction up to 4,000 words. Essays should explore issues and ideas with depth and breadth, illuminating a larger cultural context or human struggle. Regardless of topic, the editors are looking for well-crafted sentences, a clear voice, vivid scenes, dramatic arc, reflection, thematic build, and attention to the musicality of prose. Pay: $400 to be divided between writers who opted in that month. No fee.

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

Prairie Schooner Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

Deadline: August 1

Prairie Schooner's annual summer nonfiction contest is open to all types of creative nonfiction essays up to 5,000 words. The winner will receive $1,000 and publication in their Spring 2025 issue. This year's guest judge is Safiya Sinclair. Fee: $20, which includes a copy of the Spring 2025 issue of the Schooner.

https://prairieschooner.submittable.com/submit/12826/creative-nonfiction-essay-contest 

Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice in the Americas Grants 2024

Deadline: August 12

The International Women’s Media Foundation is pleased to provide grants to support reporting focused on reproductive rights in Latin America and the Caribbean and the United States. These grants support reporting of untold stories surrounding issues that impact people’s daily lives in the region. This opportunity is open to women and nonbinary journalists. Grants will vary depending on the need, scope, and location of the project. Grant funds may be used to cover travel and logistics, security costs, insurance, and other reporting expenses. No fee.

https://iwmf.submittable.com/submit/300074/reproductive-health-rights-and-justice-in-the-americas-2024 

Bursaries for the Bridport Prize Memoir Competition

Deadline: August 16

The bursary scheme gives free entries to the Bridport Prize competition for under-represented writers aged 16+ on a low income. It isn't a writing grant, rather an opportunity to submit a piece of work to the Bridport Prize competition for memoir. The Memoir Prize, open internationally, awards £1,500, plus a package of a year’s worth of mentoring by The Literary Consultancy and a full manuscript assessment. (Note from WOW markets team: the deadline for the Bridport Memoir Prize is September 30, and we will be posting the contest listing in next month’s issue. If you’d like to enter that now, you can find the entry form here.)

https://thebridportprize.submittable.com/submit/230026/bursary-application-form-memoir/eligibility 

The Account: Fall 2024: Creative Nonfiction

Deadline: August 17

Send an essay of no more than 6,000 words, and your optional cover letter (as the first page) in the same file. Followed by your 150-500 word “account” in a new file. They pair each published piece with an “account” of it written by the artist. That’s where the journal name comes from. The account is like a short artist’s statement. What to say is up to you, but it should be something you want to tell the reader—a peek behind the curtain into your mind or your process while writing this piece. No fee.

https://theaccountmagazine.com/guidelines/ 

RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction

Deadline: August 30

Three annual awards—£10,000, £5,000 and £2,500—are available for authors engaged on their first commissioned works of non-fiction. The RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards support authors through the completion of their first commissioned works of non-fiction (you can previously have published work for an academic audience or edited books of writing by others, but this must be your first full-length work written for a general readership). If this sounds like you, send them your application, or get your agent or publisher to apply on your behalf. No fee.

https://rsliterature.org/rsl-giles-st-aubyn-awards-for-non-fiction/ 

Hunger Mountain Creative Nonfiction Prize

Deadline: August 31

Submit one original, unpublished piece of creative nonfiction, no more than 6,000 words. $500 prize for first place winner. Publication in Hunger Mountain for first-place winners and runner-ups. This year's judge will be writer and filmmaker Chachi D. Hauser. Fee: $20

https://hungermtn.submittable.com/submit/6904/500-contest-hunger-mountain-creative-nonfiction-prize 

The 2024 Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing

Deadline: August 31

Surveying the scope of critical art writing today, Gulf Coast recognizes the significant lack of venues and support for young and mid-career writers working across the United States. The Toni Beauchamp Prize in Critical Art Writing seeks to address this lacuna by bringing exposure to writers who are dealing with the spirit of the age and unafraid to ask difficult questions. The 2024 Beauchamp Prize will be judged by Leslie Moody Castro. The Beauchamp Prize will consider submissions of work that have been written (or published) within the last year. There will be one first place prize of $3,000, and two runners up, awarded $1,000 each. The winning essay will be featured in GC's printed journal, and the two runners-up will be considered for publication. No fee.

https://gulfcoastmag.org/contests/the-beauchamp-prize/ 

Broken Sheep Books – Nonfiction Prose Pamphlets

Deadline: August 31

Broken Sleep Books publishes a range of poetry and prose, from a range of writers. Their primary focus is in increasing access to the arts, in ensuring more people are able to engage with creativity regardless of their socioeconomic status. They particularly wish to dismantle the gentrification of creative arts, and we encourage more working-class, LGBTQ+, and POC writers to submit. They are seeking nonfiction prose, 40 – 150 pages in length. Send a sample of 40 – 70 pages. Pay is 10% royalties and five free author copies. No fee.

https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/submissions 

The Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction

Deadline: August 31 (Opens August 1)

Creative nonfiction authors are invited to submit an essay of up to 3,500 words on the subject of their choice to be considered for the Diana Woods Memorial Award in creative nonfiction. Winners will receive $250 and their work will be featured in the next issue of Lunch Ticket. No fee.

https://lunchticket.org/contests/dwm/ 

Storyhouse Biographical Nonfiction Contest

Deadline: August 31

A biographical entry must be a true story of an individual(s) known to the author personally, not a fictional or historical character. Autobiography, of course, must be a true story about the author's life, the whole or an episode. Biographical stories, especially those from older people, or about them by children and grandchildren, are especially appropriate for their mission—to "preserve the extraordinary stories of 'ordinary' people." Stories must be between 1000 - 5,000 words in length. Open internationally. Language in the stories should be free of words or scenes not suitable for children, since many children read the stories and some actually post their stories. First prize is $200. The runner-up will receive $100. No fee.

https://www.storyhouse.org/contest2024.html   

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Change your habits & attitudes / change your life

Deadline: August 31

Habits. Attitudes. Breaking bad habits and replacing them with good habits play an important role in self-care. Change your attitude and you can change your life. And self-care—including mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing—is vital to ensuring that your needs are met. It's probably what we neglect the most. The editors at Chicken Soup are looking for true stories about how you realized a certain habit or attitude was detrimental to you, what you did to change that, and the difference it made in your life. 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/ 

Anthology Personal Memoir Competition

Deadline: August 31

The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition is open to original and previously unpublished memoirs in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. In the spirit of authenticity, there are no constraints on themes or writing styles. Memoirs submitted must not exceed a maximum of 1,500 words. First prize of €500 and the winning entry published in Anthology magazine. Fee: €15

https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/memoir-competition/ 

2024 Platt Family Essay Contest - College Students

Deadline: August 31

This essay contest is for full-time undergraduates at an American college or university in Spring 2024. The essay topic for 2024: “In this current presidential election year, which some have described as the most important in history, what arguments can be made that the 1864 Lincoln-McClellan race was indeed the most crucial of American history”. Essays must be 1,500 - 5,000 words. 1st Place: $1,000. 2nd: $500. 3rd: $250. No fee.

https://www.thelincolnforum.org/platt-family-essay-contest 

The Sun: Readers Write – Chores

Deadline: September 1

Did you—or your kids—grow up helping out around the house, the farm, or a family business? Do you dread cleaning day, or is it your form of meditation? Do you secretly love to file your taxes? Maybe the real chore for you isn’t vacuuming or laundry, but social obligations or keeping up with the news. The Sun doesn’t specify a word count, but typically, they are looking for true stories around 250 words. No fee.

https://thesunmagazine.submittable.com/submit/247163/readers-write-2024

Multigenre

MoonLit Gateway Grand Opening Contest

Deadline: August 1

MoonLit Gateway is a new literary journal, and to celebrate its launch, they are holding a contest open to writers in the US, Canada, and the UK. $100 is awarded in each category: flash fiction (any genre up to 1,000 words), poetry (one poem only, 60 lines max), and visual art (any medium, including paintings, photographs, drawings, digital art). All submissions will be considered for publication on their website and in their Fall 2025 anthology. No fee.

https://www.moonlitgetaway.com/ 

The Best Spiritual Literature Awards 

Deadline: August 1

Prizes awarded for single works in 3 genres (poetry, fiction, & nonfiction). The winners receive $500 and publication in our annual anthology, Best Spiritual Literature. Submit up to 3 poems (10 pp. max), 1 story (up to 8,000 words), or 1 work of nonfiction (up to 8,000 words). You may submit in multiple genres, and/or submit multiple entries in each genre. Fee: $12

https://www.orisonbooks.com/submissions

Granum Foundation Prize

Deadline: August 1

The Granum Foundation Prize will be awarded annually to help U.S.-based writers complete substantive literary works—such as poetry books, essay or short story collections, novels, and memoirs—or to help launch these works. Competitive applicants will be able to present a compelling project with a reasonable timeline for completion. They also should be able to demonstrate a record of commitment to the literary arts. Prize: One winner will be awarded $5,000. Up to three finalists will be awarded $500 or more. No fee.

https://www.granumfoundation.org/granum-prize

Swamp Ape Review

Deadline: August 1

They encourage pieces that echo the hybrid nature of the Swamp Ape, works that subvert expectations of both content and form and unsettle assumptions of what is possible. They are especially interested in publishing the work of writers from under-represented backgrounds and identities. You can submit up to five poems and no more than 6,000 words for fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid prose. No fee.

https://www.swampapereview.com/submit

We'Moon Lunar Calendar

Deadline: August 1

We'Moon is like a combination literary journal, art magazine, and poetry digest all rolled into one. They publish a lunar calendar, a handbook in natural cycles and most importantly a collaboration of women. Poetry: should not exceed 35 lines. Prose: six pieces of writing maximum, limited to 350 words. They also accept artwork and photography. Small honorarium offered. No fee.

https://wemoon.ws/pages/submissions#write

My Time Fellowship for Parent Writers

Deadline: August 5

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow in the historic arts village of Eureka Springs, Arkansas is offering a fellowship to writers who are parents of dependent children under the age of 18. Work may be any literary genre: poetry, fiction, plays, memoirs, screenplays, or nonfiction. Four fellowship winners will receive a one-week residency to allow the writer to focus completely on their work. Each writer’s suite has a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and wireless internet, along with a European-style gourmet dinner five nights a week. A $500 stipend will be provided to cover childcare and/or travel costs for each recipient. Fee: $35

https://www.writerscolony.org/fellowships 

Moss Piglet - Theme: 1970s

Deadline: August 7

The Krazines welcome your submissions of visual art, photography, comics, prose (fiction and nonfiction) and poetry for its September 2024 issue of its full-color, perfect bound professional produced art and literature journal, Moss Piglet. Their theme for September is The 1970s. Who were you in this decade? An adult, a teen, a child, or just a glimmer in someone's eye? They prefer short poems, stories, and essays up to 1,000 words. No fee.

https://www.krazines.com/submissions.html 

Stories That Need to Be Told Contest

Deadline: August 9

A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a poem, a short story, or an essay that “tells a story that needs to be told.” The winner also receives a two-year subscription to the literary database Duotrope and publication in the annual Stories That Need to Be Told Contest anthology. Word Limit: 10,000 words. Fee: $20

https://www.tuliptreepub.com/contest.html

Parcham - Theme: Music

Deadline: August 10

Parcham, which in Urdu, roughly translates into Flag or a Banner, is an online forum, meditating on literature, poetry, art, culture and politics. They are seeking submissions on the theme of “Music.” Music for the spirit, music as politics, music from the margins, music as performance, nature’s music, musical discoveries, music beyond borders, and more. Poetry: up to 3 poems in a single document. Fiction: up to 4,000 words. Book Reviews: up to 2,000 words. Nonfiction/Essays: up to 2,000 words. No fee.

https://parchamonline.in/2024/06/20/call-for-submissions-august-2024-issue/ 

The Orange & Bee - Fairy Tales

Deadline: August 14 (Opens August 1)

They are seeking original works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction that engage in a significant way with the long history of fairy tales. They are interested in works that stretch, expand, test, subvert, and challenge the fairy-tale tradition. Poetry: up to 50 lines. Flash: up to 1,000 words. Short fiction/nonfiction: up to 4,000 words. Pay: $50 per poem; $80 for flash; $0.08 for short fiction/nonfiction. No fee.

https://theorangebee.substack.com/p/submission-guidelines 

Ricochet Editions - Hybrid Manuscripts

Deadline: August 15

Ricochet Editions is run by students of the University of Southern California’s PhD Program in Creative Writing. They are committed to publishing and promoting innovative, risk-taking work. Since 2012, they have published genre-blurring, hybrid, and unconventional manuscripts, ranging from chapbooks to full-lengths. They publish writers at any stage of their career​​—established and emerging authors alike. Length: 40 and 200 pages. Pay: $1,000 and 50 copies of the perfect-bound book with ISBN. Fee: $15 (no fee for POC, indigenous writers, and writers facing financial hardship).

https://goldlinepress.submittable.com/submit 

13tracks magazine - Music Inspired

Deadline: August 15

13tracks editor Kieron is inviting 13 writers and visual artists or designers to respond to each of the 13 tracks of a playlist. These works will be collated into a physical magazine, professionally printed, and made available for purchase. The writing and the art won’t be about the music directly - the contributions will be essays, poems, short stories, photographs, paintings, collages, drawings, anything inspired by the track in the context of the playlist. Listen to the 13 tracks, get inspired, and fill out a form about what you’d like to do for the magazine. Pay: profit split equally among contributors, up to €500. No fee.

https://13tracks.com/magazine 

Block Party – Theme: Radio

Deadline: August 15

Crank the volume and create an artwork or written piece based on a song. Prose: 1,500 words or less. Poetry: 50 lines or less. Pay: $10 per piece. No fee.

https://blockpartymagazine.com/submit 

Alaska Women Speak – Fall 2024: Rainy Season

Deadline: August 15

A quarterly publication, Alaska Women Speak is seeking prose, poetry and visual art for Fall 2024: Rainy Season. They publish poetry, fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction, and essay. They also publish some book reviews and work from visual artists for cover and in-text placement. Prose: 3,000 words for fewer. Poetry: 4 poems max. No fee.

https://alaskawomenspeak.submittable.com/submit/298963/alaska-women-speak-fall-2024-rainy-season-deadline-8-15 

Root Quarterly: Winter 2025 - Theme: Glass Houses

Deadline: August 15

RQ is a quarterly print-only journal of art and ideas from Philadelphia. The theme for their winter issue is “Glass Houses.” “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” It’s a phrase that evolved from Chaucer and on through the proverb mill, with Benjamin Franklin and others taking turns at the wheel. It’s related to the idea that “those without sin should not cast the first stone” in that both convey a sense of needing to be self-aware about our own faults and vulnerabilities before we attack others. Though we live in a selfie culture, we seem to have become correspondingly less self-aware. What can we do to pause, and to reflect? What might help us in the process of regarding others as full human beings, even when we may disagree with them? Why do we hate hypocrites so much? Fiction: 500 - 2,000 words. Personal essays: for their “Switchbacks” section that relate points of inflection in a person’s life that have taken them to an unexpected and new place. Cultural criticism and think pieces: 500 - 3,500 words. Longform profiles of regional artists: pitch your proposed artist, particularly those who are mid-to-late career. Pay: $50 - $150 per piece. No fee.

https://www.rootquarterly.com/submissions 

2024 1/2K Prize

Deadline: August 15

Send them one to three pieces of 500 words (or fewer!) each, for a chance at $1000 + publication. Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry are all welcome, as long as each individual piece is 500 words or fewer. All entries will be considered for regular publication in Indiana Review. Fee: $20

https://indianareview.submittable.com/submit

The Arkansas International

Deadline: August 15

The Arkansas International is accepting submissions for their themed issue. In this themed issue, they aim to reflect the incredible diversity of their home—its geography, history, and peoples—and challenge the narrative of Arkansas as a homogenous, un-literary place. Contributors will be paid $25 a printed page (capped at $250) and receive a complimentary one year subscription and two copies of the journal with their piece. Prose submissions should be no more than 8,000 words, poem packets no more than five poems, and we ask that excerpts from longer works be self-contained. Fee: $4

https://acwlp.submittable.com/submit

The Lorelei Signal

Deadline: August 15

The Lorelei Signal is a quarterly SF/Fantasy electronic magazine - one that will feature strong/complex female characters. This does not mean your female character has to be the main hero or villain in the story. What it does mean is no shrinking violets, or women who serve only to get into trouble so the male hero can rescue them. Stories should be no longer than 10,000 words. Submit a max of 1 story or 5 poems during the submission period. Pay: $15 for short stories, $5 for poems and flash fiction, $5 for reprints. No fee.

https://www.loreleisignal.com/guidelines 

Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts

Deadline: August 15

Grist seeks high quality submissions from both emerging and established writers. They publish craft essays and interviews as well as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. You can submit three to five poems, for one work of fiction up to 7,000 words, or for one work of non-fiction up to 7,000 words (they also consider flash pieces in all categories as long as they are submitted in one document and do not total over 7000 words). Submissions will be considered for publication in either the print issue or online. Pay: $10 per poem or 1 cent per word for prose (up to $50), as well as a contributor copy. Fee: $7

https://njk.699.myftpupload.com/submit/

Qu Literary Magazine

Deadline: August 15

Qu is a literary journal published by the MFA program at Queens University of Charlotte. They publish fiction, poetry, essays and script excerpts. Pay: $100 per prose piece and $50 per poem. Contributors will also receive one copy of magazine. Please do not submit more than 3 poems. Submit fiction and nonfiction at a maximum of 8,000 words. Fee: $2.50

https://quliteraryjournal.submittable.com/submit

Meridian Short Prose Prize

Deadline: August 15

Send them your micro fiction, hybrid bits, lyric essaylets, prose poems, short-short stories...whatever you call it, they want to read your vibrant, electric writing. Submit as many times as you like, but please only include one unpublished work of 1,000 words or fewer per submission. The winner of the Meridian Short Prose Prize will receive $250 and publication in their print magazine. All submissions, including those selected as finalists, will be considered for publication. Fee: $6

https://readmeridian.org/contests.php

Nightboat Books Editorial Fellowship

Deadline: August 15

Nightbook Books is looking for an aspiring BIPOC editor to work alongside Nightboat staff to develop a book project of their choosing over the course of two years. Applicants must be a US resident and feel comfortable working independently, and be available to attend Zoom meetings and workshops. Pay: $10,000 (paid in installments—$5,000 per year of the fellowship or according to the fellow’s individual needs) for their work and participation in the program. The selected Fellow will start work at Nightboat in January 2025. No fee.

https://nightboat.org/editorial-fellowship/ 

Lucky Jefferson Poetry & Prose Summer Contest

Deadline: August 18

Lucky Jefferson's mission is to feature writers who have never been published, are underrepresented, and those who have sought to pursue writing later in life. Two finalists (one poetry and one prose) will each receive $100, publication, and a swag box. Send no more than 5 poems or prose pieces in a submission. Keep it short and sweet. No fee.

https://luckyjefferson.submittable.com/submit/297862/poetry-prose-summer-contest-2024 

Pen & Quill Contest - Theme: Longing & Dreamscapes (Writers ages 12-21)

Deadline: August 18

Pen & Quill is a magazine for young writers. Their summer contest is open to writers between the ages 12 and 21 years. Prizes: 1st: $200; 2nd: $100; 3rd: $50; Standout: $20. The theme is Longing & Dreamscapes. ““Longing and Dreamscapes” calls for works that intertwine the boundaries of fiction and reality. We invite you to explore the borders of past and present, old and new, desire and disgust. In the Northeast of the U.S., the summer heat can be so strong it makes everything feel like a dream. We invite you, too, to soak in your sweat and share with us the whispers of your dreams and the longings of your heart.” The categories are poetry, fiction, and other (ex: nonfiction, experimental work, scripts). Submit works of up to 3,000 words. No fee.

https://www.pennquill.com/summercompetition 

Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour - UK/Ireland Writers

Deadline: August 19

The prize is open to previously unpublished and unagented writers in the UK and Ireland. Entries must be works of narrative fiction or narrative non-fiction. Submit a manuscript of the first 30 pages of an original novel, as well as a 3-page maximum outline summarizing the rest of the book. The winner will receive £200, and the winner and shortlisted writers also receive an editorial consultation with an agent. No fee.

https://www.morleygallery.com/morley-lit-prize-applicants-2024 

Blue Earth Review Contest

Deadline: August 21

Blue Earth Review accepts entries for poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for its upcoming contest. You can submit up to three poems per submission, up to two flash fiction pieces of no more than 750 words each, or up to two flash creative nonfiction pieces of no more than 750 words each. The winner will receive $500 plus publication in an upcoming issue of Blue Earth Review. Fee: $5

https://blueearthreview.submittable.com/submit

Hare's Paw Literary Journal

Deadline: August 26

Hare's Paw publishes authentic, strange, soulful, and even joyful work that allows all voices to be heard. All submissions must be no more than no more than 5 poems. All fiction and nonfiction must be no more than 3 page. Fee: $4

https://harespawliteraryjournal.submittable.com/submit

Valiant Scribe Literary Journal Issue V: W.A.R. (We Are Resilient)

Deadline: August 30

They welcome submissions of previously unpublished fiction, non-fiction prose, and poetry. Each person can submit up to 5 poems, and the word count limit per prose piece is 3,000 words. They anonymize submissions. Submit via email with"Issue V" in the subject line. Send a single Word document attachment containing* a brief cover letter with your name, 100-word third-person bio, and submission(s). The issue will be published in December. Pay: $10 per piece and a complimentary copy. No fee.

https://www.valiantscribe.com/submit 

South 85 Journal - Theme: Metamorphosis

Deadline: August 31

South 85 Journal is reading fiction, flash, poetry & CNF for our Winter theme issue: METAMORPHOSIS. Fiction submissions should be between 1000 and 4000 words. Please include word count in upper corner of first page. For fiction that is fewer than 1000 words, please submit to the flash category. Nonfiction submissions should be no longer than 4000 words. Please include the word count in your email. Poetry submissions should contain no more than 3 poems, up to 6 total pages, one poem per page. All work will be considered for our Editor’s Choice Award of $100. which be given to ONE piece in issue. Fee: $3

https://south85.submittable.com/submit

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2024

Deadline: August 31

Enter your poetry or fiction for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award. £2,500 for the Poetry Winner, £2,500 for the Short Fiction Winner along with numerous other prizes. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. Works published or entered elsewhere are accepted. Fee: £12 (Poetry), £18 (Short Fiction)

https://aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award/how-to-enter/

The St. Lawrence Book Award

Deadline: August 31

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The St. Lawrence Book Award for an unpublished first collection of poetry or prose. The St. Lawrence Book Award is open to any writer who has not yet published a full-length manuscript in any genre. Manuscripts should be 45-95 pages in length (poetry) or 120-280 pages in length (prose), not including front and back matter (table of contents, title page, etc.). The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Fee: $28

https://www.blacklawrence.com/submissions-and-contests/the-st-lawrence-book-award/

Barthelme Prize for Short Prose

Deadline: August 31

The 2024 Barthelme Prize for Short Prose is now open to flash fiction, prose poems, and micro-essays of 500 words or fewer. Established in 2008, the contest awards its winner $1,000 and publication in the journal. Two honorable mentions will receive $250, and all entries will be considered for paid publication on our website as Online Exclusives. Fee: $20

https://gulfcoastmag.org/contests/barthelme-prize/

Ruth Stone Literary Contests

Deadline: August 31

They publish fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid work. Their CNF, Fiction, and Poetry contests are open. Winner receives a cash prize of $500 and both the winner and runner up will be published in their next issue. Please enter one original, unpublished story of fiction or creative nonfiction under 6,000 words per submission fee. Please submit up to three original unpublished poems in one entry. Fee: $20

https://hungermtn.submittable.com/submit

3Elements Literary Magazine - Poison Ivy, Hologram, Fire Escape

Deadline: August 31

The three elements for the current submission period are: Poison Ivy, Hologram, Fire Escape. 3Elements Literary Review is a themed literary journal, and all THREE elements (the specific words, Poison Ivy, Hologram, Fire Escape—art & photography excluded) given for the submission period must be included in your story or poem for your work to be considered for publication. There is no minimum word count, but please keep your fiction and nonfiction submissions under 3,500 words. Poetry must be under two typed pages. No fee.

https://3elementsreview.com/submission-guidelines

Split Lip Magazine

Deadline: August 31 (submit early - closes when cap is met)

A literary journal that’s totally bonkers-in-love with voice-driven writing, pop culture, and the kind of honesty that gets you right in the kidneys. Poetry: send one poem. Flash: 1,000 words or less. Fiction: 1,000 - 3,000 words. Memoir: 2,000 words or less. Micro Reviews: 250 - 500 words. They are also seeking interviews and photography/art. Pay: $75 per author for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, $50 for interviews/reviews, and $25 for mini-reviews. No fee (in August).

https://splitlipthemag.com/submit 

After Happy Hour

Deadline: August 31 (Opens August 1, submit early - they close when cap is met)

After Happy Hour is a free online literary journal that comes out twice a year online in winter and summer, with a print contest issue in the spring. Poetry: send up to 3 poems in one document. Fiction: no hard word count, but they prefer 5,000 words or less. CNF: up to 6,000 words. Visuals/Comics: short works (3 pages or under) you can send up to 5 in a single submission; for works longer than 3 pages, send one at a time. Suites: micro-chapbook, character studies, image and words combos - a document to be considered as a unit, containing 3-6 pieces, up to 10 pages. Pay: $2.50 per printed page, with a minimum of $15 and a maximum of $50, on publication ($25 for the cover artist). No fee.

https://afterhappyhourreview.com/Submissions2.html 

NAWG (National Association of Writers and Groups) Competition

Deadline: August 31

Submit to one of two categories: short story or poetry. Prizes for each category: 1st: £200, 2nd: £100, 3rd: £50. Stories must be a minimum of 500 words but must not exceed 2,000 words. Poems can be any style, maximum 40 lines. Fee: £5

https://www.nawg.co.uk/competitions-open

2024 Vinyl 45 Chapbook Contest

Deadline: August 31

Open until 400 cap is reached. The contest is open to poetry, prose, and mixed genre chapbook manuscripts, 20-25 pages in length including title page and table of contents. Collaborative manuscripts are eligible for submission. Prizes: $500 first place, publication by YesYes Books (two print runs of 200 books), 25 author copies per printing (50 total), $250 toward book tour or promotion expenses. Fee: $20

https://yesyesbooks.submittable.com/submit/295695/2024-vinyl-45-chapbook-contest 

Bryn Du Artist in Residence Program

Deadline: August 31

The focus of Bryn Du’s Artist in Residence program is to provide an inspirational setting for the creation of artistic works by one artist at a time, of any discipline, over an 8 or 12 week time frame. While in residence, the chosen artist will reside in the Cramer House, the renovated laundry building designed for Artists in Residence, behind the Bryn Du Mansion in the charming village of Granville, Ohio. Stipends include $2,000 for an 8 week residency and $3,000 for a 12 week residency. Fee: $15

https://www.bryndu.com/airapplication 

Nashville Review

Deadline: August 31

Nashville Review seeks to publish the best work they can get our hands on. Poetry: 1-3 poems (10 pages total) in one document. Fiction: short stories and novel excerpts up to 7,000 words, or three flash fiction pieces (1,000 words each) in one document. Creative Nonfiction: up to 8,000 words. Translation: up to 8,000 words. Comics: one page to graphic novel excerpts. Featured Artist: 6-14 pieces. Pay: $25 per poem and $100 for prose and art pieces. No fee.

https://as.vanderbilt.edu/nashvillereview/contact/submit 

Ampersand Review: Issue 7

Deadline: August 31

The Ampersand Review is a literary magazine published by Sheridan College’s Honors Bachelor of Creative Writing & Publishing program. Poetry: submit up to five poems. Fiction: up to 3,000 words. Nonfiction: essays and memoir up to 4,000 words. Pay: $50 for poetry, up to $100; $100 per fiction story; $100 per piece of nonfiction. No fee.

https://theampersandreview.ca/submit 

Apparition Lit - Theme: Harbinger

Deadline: August 31 (Opens August 15)

Apparition Lit is a speculative fiction magazine that publishes themed issues four times a year. They publish poems and stories between 1,000 - 5,000 words. They are currently seeking speculative poetry and fiction on the theme “Harbinger.” Send them your strange, misshapen stories with enough emotional heft to break a heart, with prose that’s as clear and delicious as broth. They love proactive characters and settings that feel lived in and real enough to touch. Stories with style, stories with emotion, stories with character. Pay: $0.05 per word, minimum of $50 for short stories and a flat fee of $50 per poem. No fee.

https://apparitionlit.com/submissions/ 

The Lost Poetry Club - Theme: Crying In Utopia

Deadline: August 31

The Lost Poetry Club is an Audible zine podcast. They seek writing that transports listeners beyond themselves, offering glimpses into uncharted emotions, compelling characters, and imaginative worlds. Their next theme is Crying in Utopia: Even joy can become a burden or a trap. From utopias cracking at the seams and unsavory secrets in polite society to wedding day jitters, we seek the cognitive dissonance of feeling wrong when everything else seems right. Stories that disturb the shiny waters of perfection to reveal the raw emotions bubbling beneath—the bloody ear by the white picket fence. Short stories/scripts: Up to 15 mins or 3000 words. Poetry/Flash Fiction: Up to 5 mins or 500 words. Song/Music/Other: Up to 10 mins. Pay: over 300 words: £0.015 per word; under 300 words: £5 flat rate. No fee.

https://www.thelostpoetryclub.com/submissions 

Polyphony Lit's 20th Anniversary - Theme: Carpe Diem (High School Students)

Deadline: August 31

Instead of holding a regular call for submissions, Polyphony Lit will host a series of nine seasonal contests between July 2024 and June 2025. The theme for this contest is “Carpe Diem.” Through poetry, prose, and hybrid works, this contest encourages you to conquer the uncharted marshes of your mind and seize every minute under the eternal summer sun. High school students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit. Poetry must be 80 lines or less. Fiction and creative nonfiction must be 1,800 words or less. There will be one winner and two finalists. The winners/finalists will receive publication in Polyphony Lit Volume 20, eligibility for the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards, and more, including a full scholarship for Polyphony Lit’s "How to be a Literary Editor" course. No fee.

https://polyphony.submittable.com/submit

The Northwind Writing Award

Deadline: August 31

The Northwind Writing Award is sponsored by Raw Earth Ink and facilitated by tara caribou to shine light on little-known exceptional writers. Overall they are looking for writing which stirs their emotions, paints vivid imagery, is high-caliber or under appreciated, and is memorable. Categories include Prose Poetry (up to 1,000 words), Poetry, Short Fiction (750 – 3,500 word count), and Non-fiction/Essay/Memoir (up to 3,000 words). Open to writers 16+. First place winners in each category receive $100, a copy of the current year Northwind Treasury, a promotional interview with one of their editors, and other special prizes. No fee.

https://raw-earth-ink.com/the-northwind-writing-award/ 

Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing 2024 - Theme: Letters to My Love

Deadline: August 31

This year the Val Wood Prize invites you to write "Letters to My Love.” Whether it's a heartfelt letter to a significant other, an expression of unspoken feelings, or a unique voice. The competition is open to anyone over 16 years of age. Entries must be 1,500 words or less. The winner will receive £100 and their entry will be published on the website. No fee.

https://www.valwood.co.uk/val-wood-prize 

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

Deadlines: July 31 (creative nonfiction), August 31 (fiction). Our favorite writing community offers quarterly contests judged blindly with multiple cash prizes and more for 20 winners, up to $2,800 (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 author, editor, and creative writing instructor Tom Bromley. We are also awarding the first place winner Reedsy's How to Write a Novel course ($1249.00 value). Fee: $10 (Flash Fiction) and $12 (Nonfiction).

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

Just for Fun

August 2 is National Friendship Day! Celebrate by submitting to the Sundog Lit 2024 Collaboration Contest! Gather your dream team because Sundog Lit is looking for writing teams of two or more people to submit their fiercest story, poem, essay, or hybrid piece of 1,000 words or less. Entries will be read anonymously (please do not include identifying information on your entry documents or risk disqualification). Submit only one piece per entry. Award: $300. Deadline: August 31. Fee: $3

August 9 is National Book Lovers Day! Proclaim your love for your own book by submitting it to the 2024 Kindle Storyteller Award for a chance to win £20,000! The contest is open to writers publishing in English in any genre, who publish their work through Kindle Direct Publishing. Readers play a significant role in selecting the winner, helped by a panel of judges including various book industry experts. You must make your book available for sale as an ebook and paperback through Amazon. To enter, add StorytellerUK2024 in your "keywords" metadata field when you publish your book on KDP Amazon UK. Deadline: August 31. No fee.

By Julie Shackman

Getting published isn’t easy.

In fact, it can seem nigh on impossible, when you’re putting yourself and your work out there, and all you’re receiving in return is rejection emails—or sometimes, no response at all.

But perseverance and determination go a long way...

Here’s my story of how I managed to achieve my dream of becoming a feel-good romance author, despite collecting hundreds of rejections—and how you can do it, too. In case you aren’t familiar with “feel-good romance,” it’s a heart-warming story that focuses on a romantic relationship with inevitable conflict standing in the way of the couple at the heart of the tale. There is a strong, female lead character and a happy-ever-after ending, which hopefully will make us smile and cry at the same time!

Getting Started

From an early age, I loved writing and reading. In fact, I was obsessed with books and still am.

I remember reading Princess Daisy by Judith Krantz when I was thirteen, and I loved it. I thought it must be wonderful to write stories and get paid for it!

After I left school, I trained as a journalist in Scotland where I was raised, but I always harbored a longing to be a romance author. 

In the years that followed, I dabbled with my writing.

Life, as it invariably does, tends to get in the way. I found I didn’t enjoy some of the moral aspects of being a journalist, and so I returned to college, studied communication and media, and joined the Scottish Civil Service.

It was only after I was made redundant from my Civil Service post in 2010, that I discovered I had more time to dedicate to writing—and I realized that if I was serious about trying to become a published romance author, now was the time to give it a go!

I wrote my first romance, submitted it to agents and publishers, and then started to receive rejections. Looking back, I’m not at all surprised. My draft wasn’t very good. The plot was flimsy, it was full of clichés, and the characters could’ve done with more development.

So, I ended up stashing that away in a drawer and decided to pay more attention to the books I was reading, from a technical viewpoint. I took note of what I especially enjoyed about them, what worked, what didn’t, and how I could improve my own writing.

I devoured even more contemporary romances (not a hardship!) and hoped I was honing my craft as I went and wrote a second romance.

I began the submission process again to agents and publishers. This time, I noticed that I was receiving a little more feedback rather than form rejections or no responses at all, such as, “Not for me, but I like your writing voice,” or “This shows promise, but thank you anyway.” They were still rejections all the same, but at least they were giving me something to go on.

Still the rejections flowed in, and I was beginning to become somewhat disheartened by this point, but my late mother always used to say, “Never give up. Ever!” So, I pushed on.

When I’d exhausted all the agents and publishers I could think of, I had an idea for a ghostly romance and made this my next book, which I titled Rock My World. Once I’d edited it, I started submitting.

An Opportunity

More kind comments, but the no-thank-you responses continued to arrive. 

That was, until I was reading a copy of Writing Magazine in 2013. I spotted an article from a London based e-book publisher, seeking submissions. I decided to try my luck, submitted Rock My World, and was stunned when they got back to me two months later, saying they loved it and wanted to release it on Kindle.

They also took my next romance, Hero or Zero, in 2014. 

I was delighted at being published digitally by an e-book publisher. But like many writers, I always dreamt of a traditional publishing deal. I also knew that if I wanted to get my writing in front of the big publishers, I needed to secure agent representation.

Ha! Much easier said than done!

So, I started submitting my next manuscript, which was to become A Room at the Manor.

Again, more positive comments from literary agents, but still no offers of representation. 

I Need an Agent!

This continued for months, until I spotted an interview online with the eponymous Australian literary agent, Selwa Anthony.

I read about Selwa’s phenomenal reputation in the Australian literary world as well as her enthusiasm for mentoring and encouraging debut authors, but I assumed that with her impressive client list, she would more than likely reply with a polite decline.

Still, there was nothing to lose, and I decided to approach her with A Room at the Manor, in April 2017. 

I emailed Selwa and sent her my synopsis and first ten pages of my novel on that Saturday afternoon. I honestly didn’t expect to hear back. Below is the query email I submitted:

“To the Manor, Vaughan” 

The enigmatic Glenlovatt Manor has stood on the outskirts of the Scottish town Fairview for almost 300 years and is home to the aristocratic Carmichael family.

It enchants anyone who visits – and Lara McDonald is no exception.

When her Maltese love affair turns sour, a despondent Lara returns home to Fairview, working for dragon Kitty Walker in her local tea room “True Brew,” but keen baker Lara hasn’t reckoned with the mysterious former laird and elderly patriarch of the Carmichael family, Hugo.

Throw his grandson, moody sculptor Vaughan, into the mix and Lara finds herself not only falling under the spell of Glenlovatt.... (Total word count 80,000)

Dear Ms Anthony,

As Australia’s most prolific literary agent, I would be delighted if you were to consider representing me for my latest contemporary romance, “To the Manor, Vaughan.”

I have read about your phenomenal reputation in the literary world, your strong ethos of developing a writer’s potential and your passionate enthusiasm towards your writers. To have an agent of your standing represent me would be a dream come true!

I have cut and pasted the synopsis and first ten pages below.

My other romances, “Rock My World” and “Hero or Zero,” are selling exclusively on Amazon, published by London-based digital publishers, Not So Noble Books. (I am not self-published.)

The Sun newspaper in London nominated “Rock My World” as their E-Book of the Week.

I live in Scotland, trained as a journalist (having also studied Communication and Media), and also write captions and verses for greeting card companies – but have always wanted to write romance, which I also read copious amounts of.

I already have a promising presence on social media and have had numerous interviews, guest blog and guest post requests. My first novel was mentioned twice in USA Today and has so far secured almost 40, 5-star reviews on Amazon. I am also an active user of Twitter and have my own blog.

I have also recently been shortlisted in four separate writing competitions in Writing Magazine.

I am currently plotting my next novel.

Many thanks for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Shackman.

24 April 2017.

However, I was lost for words when an email reply pinged in my inbox from her on the next Monday morning, saying she enjoyed my writing, and could I send her the full manuscript?

She added that she would get back to me with her decision within fourteen days, so I spent the next week or so trying not to refresh my inbox every five minutes! I tried to feel quietly optimistic and told myself that even if she declined, having an agent of her stature ask for my completed manuscript was a step in the right direction.

Then, on Day 12, another email arrived from Selwa, asking if we could have a telephone chat?

When I spoke to her, I remember my heart leaping in my chest when she said my manuscript required some work but that she loved my writing style and the premise of my book. Then when she offered to represent me, I burst into tears!

After several rounds of edits, which included fleshing out the characters a little more and enhancing conflict through the story, Selwa began submitting A Room at the Manor, and within six weeks, she had secured a publishing deal with Allen & Unwin—cue more heart hammering and tears!

She then informed me that she had negotiated an audio version of the book with Bolinda.

A Room at the Manor was released in Kindle, paperback, and audio on June 27, 2018, in Australia and New Zealand, and since then, it has also been released by Forever, the romance imprint of Ullstein in Germany, as an e-book and in paperback.

A Room at the Manor was also released in the UK by Atlantic Books on Kindle and in paperback.

Digital-First Publishing

It was then in 2020, that I read about the amazing HarperCollins digital-first imprint One More Chapter, whose vision is to close the gap between author, publisher, and reader, reacting speedily to reading trends and publishing the best in commercial fiction. A digital-first imprint means that the digital version of a book is produced and published first, before it is printed. Books tend, therefore, to be released quicker; and although no advance is paid to the author, they receive a higher royalty rate.

They publish books that make readers laugh, smile, cry, and think, and their creativity and editorial skills are second to none. They support their authors, encourage them, and produce the most stunning covers. 

When I read that they had just opened their submissions window again, I emailed my agent straightaway! 

Selwa decided to submit my next romance to them, which was to become A Secret Scottish Escape. Covid was gripping the world at this point, and we didn’t hear anything for four months until Selwa emailed me at the beginning of September 2020, to tell me that they loved it and wanted to publish it.

I was so delighted; I burst into tears and couldn’t speak!

A Secret Scottish Escape was released in May 2021, and since then, I’ve had a further five feel-good romances published with them with my next, number seven, A Scottish Highland Hideaway, being released in e-book and paperback on August 15th.

I started working with my new editor, Jennie Rothwell, from Book two, A Scottish Highland Surprise, and immediately, I could see that Jennie’s ideas, forward thinking, and editorial capabilities were amazing and just what I needed in my editor. 

On digital first publishing and what she specifically looks for at One More Chapter, Jennie says, “Readers are looking for, searching for, escapism in the form of book content. They want to see feel-good romances with tropes they love (second chance, friends to lovers, etc.) and gorgeous settings. 

“In summer books, we notice readers are searching for destination fiction, perhaps to read on the beach, or so that they feel they’re transported away from the everyday. 

“The trend for romance is continuing to grow, and we’re seeing it come in all formats, from friendship to relationships to community to family—romance trends are leading the way. As a digitally-focused publisher, we’re constantly looking at trends in the market, what readers are interested in, and how we can form these into market-leading books to bring joy to the everyday. 

“We’re quick to publish books, and our focus on the digital market means that we’re (hopefully) ahead of other publishers. We have an open submission policy. The link is on our website, www.onemorechapter.com/submissions and we open them several times a year, so would encourage anyone who has written a story, to send us their work. You can also find a list of genres and further information on our website as well.”

Jennie has the patience of a saint and is so enthusiastic!

“Readers are looking for, searching for, escapism in the form of book content. They want to see feel-good romances with tropes they love (second chance, friends to lovers, etc.) and gorgeous settings.” —Jennie Rothwell, Senior Commissioning Editor at One More Chapter

In my romance books, I do explore some common tropes with my own spin. For example, characters who are at logger-heads but have more in common than they believe, or protagonists who have had a tough time of it, but are determined to make positive things happen in their lives. Sometimes, they promise themselves they won’t fall in love, but life has other plans!

If someone had said to me a few years ago, that I’d be sitting here, published with the fabulous One More Chapter, I would never have believed them!

My Advice

So, to anyone out there who wants to be a writer, please keep going and never give up. It only takes one person to say yes. 

I received enough rejections from agents and publishers to paper my bathroom, and there were moments, when I wondered whether someone was trying to tell me something, and I should just call it a day.

But my late mum’s words of “Never give up,” combined with that old saying of “A published writer is an unpublished writer who never quit,” kept me going.

Read lots, write lots, and if you want it badly enough, it will happen.

Good luck!

Recent Feature

By Jodi Webb

Jenna. Reese. Oprah. In their daydreams, authors imagine their book being announced as the selection for one of these high-profile book clubs that reach millions of readers. What if you aren’t on the radar for these ladies or another celeb/influencer-led book club? If you’ve been wondering how to include the book club circuit as an effective way of reaching out to potential readers, below are some helpful experiences from authors, publishers and book club moderators.

READ MORE

The Muffin

Where do you get your books?

By Sue Bradford Edwards

I’ve started asking my fellow authors this because I’m amazed how many only buy their books from Amazon. I'm not going to say I never shop at Amazon. My cart always has a strange variety of items. My most recent haul included a frame for a painting by my aunt, two frames for kendo certificates, a frame we are using to build a shadow box, and a set of sashiko templates. These are all things I couldn't find locally.

I also add things to my cart that I don’t want to forget. I buy some of them from Amazon, but I also shop at my local independent bookstore. If you don’t know what an indie bookstore is, it is a bookstore that is independently owned. It is a small business. 

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What To Do If You Lose Track Changes and Other Tips

By Kelly Sgroi

I’m currently in the phase of motherhood where I’m more Taxi Driver than Helicopter Parent. It’s not an easy stage, but giving up some control and allowing my kids to navigate the world on their own more and more these days gives me the time to absorb truckloads of writerly content while I’m battling highway demons. 

Not only are audiobooks my new favorite, but podcasts are hot on my car stereo rotation. And while listening to Dear Rach and Soph, I learned how to solve a problem I had when I hired an editor and sent her back a clean manuscript. Face plant!

My last blog was all about my failed manuscript. It wasn’t an easy blog to write and it hasn’t been an easy time in my life. But since I opened up about my situation, it’s been easier for me to move on. 

Step one was to reacquaint myself with my manuscript and decide what to do with it. 

But how can you read a manuscript with fresh eyes? 

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Go with the Flow in Life and Pitching Your Work

By Renee Roberson

I’m on vacation with my family this week. Instead of our normal trek to the ocean, we decided to rent a mountain house near where our son will be attending college and appreciate the cooler weather and fun outdoor activities. We had everything planned out, and a lot of our itinerary was based on the advice of my husband, who also attended college in this area thirty plus years ago. 

Our first adventure was tubing down the New River with nothing but the current to carry us and a few drinks packed in a cooler. A shuttle van took us to the drop-off point and we were basically told to “have fun!” We settled in for a lazy two hours in the water, until we noticed we were approaching a bridge that looked—what’s the best way to describe it?—sagging in the middle? We were supposed to just float underneath the bridge but as we got closer, we began to panic. Did we have enough room to clear it? 

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Is the Party Over?

By Jodi Webb

“I’m always late to the party,” I told a writing colleague the other day. Sometimes it’s physically late to be at the place I promised to be. More often it’s not quite so literal: late catching on to a new trend, mastering a new skill or learning about a development in the writing industry.

Once I was early.

We all have a book (or two…or three) in the proverbial drawer gathering dust. Some are what I like to consider practice books. Yes, they’re bad but that’s OK. They showed us what we were doing wrong and give us the knowledge to do better next time. But some get stuck there for reasons that have nothing to do with our writing.

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Ask the Book Doctor: About Author Intrusion

By Bobbie Christmas

Q: Someone online the other day inquired about a quick, easy way to look up questions about writing. People suggested The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, as well as The Chicago Manual of Style. Those are well known. I suggested Bobbie Christmas’s Purge Your Prose of Problems.

Now I’ve just looked through that book and your other gem, Write in Style. I think I remember reading something in Write in Style, where you said when writing in third person, the writer’s voice should not have opinions about the story or characters that they impose on the reader. I hope I'm remembering this correctly.

I want to be sure I’m not advising a client wrong about her story. If the main character says someone’s a jerk, that’s fine, but the narrator should not be calling that character a jerk. Right?

I’d like to quote you (if that’s your position) but I can’t find it in the book.

A: You're absolutely right. The issue is one of author intrusion. If the narrative calls a character a jerk, it reflects the author’s opinion and is therefore author intrusion. If a character calls someone a jerk, that’s the character’s opinion, and it’s fine.

Example of author intrusion: The jerk who stole Marie’s purse threw it in a trash bin. 

Example of character’s opinion: Marie looked at her battered pocketbook and said, “The jerk who stole it threw it in a trash bin.”

Although I may have covered the issue briefly in Write In Style, I covered it more in depth in Purge Your Prose of Problems. Here’s what Purge Your Prose of Problems says about author intrusion:

Strong writing shuns author intrusion, which can happen when a portion of a novel is not written in the viewpoint of a character in the book.

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Friday Speak Out!: A. S. Byatt's "A Stone Woman": A Primer on Making Magic Realism Work

By Cynthia Reeves

One story I never tire of reading—indeed, it affects me ever more deeply as I age—is “A Stone Woman” by A. S. Byatt, a wondrous example of magic realism. The story concerns Ines, an elderly woman who, after her mother’s death, confronts not only the grief brought on by that profound loss but also by her own aging and the peculiar sense that the last barrier to her death has fallen away. The story’s heart is an exploration of the psychology of aging and facing death, or, quoting Byatt, “the way the body intrudes increasingly as it goes about its dying.” 

Broadly defined, magic realism is a story in which a detailed, realistic setting merges with the irreal. The most successful magic realist stories deploy certain strategies; “A Stone Woman” presents a case study in which to examine these strategies. 

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Writer’s Bucket List (AKA Success Column)

By Margo L. Dill

This month, we want to share a little fun with you as the Olympics are off to a start, and you cheer on your favorite country and team and sport. Many of these Olympians have bucket lists (also known as life goals), and many of them probably list “Compete in the Olympics” as an item—which they can now check off! 

As writers, we have our own “Olympic” bucket list. I’m lucky to have already fulfilled some of mine, such as getting to present as a guest author at an elementary school and get paid, having a book launch party, or winning 1st prize in a writing contest. But there’s still more—I dream of going to certain conferences or winning book prizes or my book being selected as a book club read by a celebrity. What’s on your writer’s bucket list? We received several answers on Facebook and Instagram we want to share with you. 

Before we do that, we want to share these two successes that were sent in this month! Remember to look for our social media posts and/or you can always email them to me at margolynndill@gmail.com with Success Story in the subject line!

Success from the WOW! Facebook Community

Renee Roberson writes, “After starting my true crime podcast in 2020, where I write and research almost all of the scripts, the podcast Dateline: Missing in America reached out to me inquiring if I want to do a promo swap for their new season. I am elated for this free opportunity to attract new listeners!”

Randy Rebecca Krusee writes, “I released a new book. It’s called Suddenly Unemployed-52 Personal Stories of Hope & Encouragement Through Financial Crisis.” 

What’s on your Writer’s Bucket List?

Instagram

scherliess writes, “Finishing and publishing my nonfiction book and my novel, both on my laptop and there for up to 13 years already.”

Amylynnhardy_author writes, “I wanna win a WOW Contest!!”

summerlewisdesigns writes “Traveling to exotic locations to write about them in my stories!”

k.r.morrisonpoet writes, “Reading poems at Grace Cathedral here in SF.”

saleemaishq writes, “To speak at a writers conference.” 

terahvandusen writes, “To be interviewed about my memoir on NPR's Fresh Air.”

cyndilstuart writes, “To have my just released first published mystery novel noticed by any and all of the major book critics.”

mirandajremington writes, “Write about the nearly seven years I spent solo roaming North America in my jeep, from 2017-2024... Nonstop for the last four years.”

jo.cora.writer, “Writers retreat in Italy.”

cariejuettner writes, “Someone names their pet after one of my characters.”

blynngoodwin writes, “Better marketing, starting with an opportunity to get a professional reaction to your pitch or query or opening or all 3.”

Facebook

Mary Jo Thayer, Author writes, “To edit novel 2 in such a way that my editor is delighted!”

Roberta Codemo writes, “To publish my first book.”

Chapters of Life from Elle writes, “Figuring out what platform to share my writings. Truly expressing my voice. Writing more instead of thinking I can remember, only to forget. Being in the moment all of the time. Writing out the chapters and placing the puzzle together to flow. And of course, publishing.”

Janis Bishop writes, “Finish my memoir!”

Sandra Jensen writes, “To get an agent.”

Michele Miles Gardiner writes, “To continue writing and publishing many more books. My second book is nearly done.”

June Flavin writes, “To stop procrastinating and actually write.”

Randy Rebecca Krusee writes, “Release my first book this week.”

Joy Bach writes, “To always publish one more book.”

Melodie Ladner writes, “For even one person I don't know to read my book.”

Yong Takahashi writes, “Book to movie.”

Sienna Finney writes, “To finally organize all the things I've written into a book...and publish it.”

Becky Brandon writes, “Publish a novel.”