Below is Aerogramme Writers’ Studio’s regular update of writing competitions, publication opportunities, fellowships and other events for emerging and established writers. For full submission and entry information, please refer to the relevant websites.
The Poised Pencil
is currently accepting submissions of young adult mystery novel manuscripts between 45,000 to 80,000 words in length. Submissions should be accompanied by a short cover letter including a book synopsis, author biography and publication history. Writers should be based in the USA or Canada.
Salt Publishing
is currently accepting novel submissions. They are looking to publish literary fiction, crime fiction and ‘Norfolk gothic’. All works must be aimed at a British market and they prefer works of less than 80,000 words.
The Buenos Aires Review
is looking for fresh, unpublished writing in both English and Spanish. All prose submissions—fiction and non-fiction—must be under 5,000 words and poets are asked to send 3 to 6 poems at a time (up to 2,000 words).
The BlueCat Screenplay Competition
for 2014 is now open. The Best Feature Screenplay will receive a US $15,000 Grand Prize and four finalists each receiving $2500. The Best Short Screenplay will receive $10,000. There is also a special Joplin Award for the Best Feature Screenplay from outside the USA, Canada or the UK ($1500 prize). Submission dates vary; visit the website for full details.
The Warner Bros Writers’ Workshop
is for new writers looking to start and further their career in the world of television. Graduates include Terrance Winter (Boardwalk Empire), Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives), Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) and Felicia Henderson (Soul Food). Applications close 1 June.
The Ernest Hemingway Foundation Of Oak Park’s Writer In Residence Program
is seeking applicants for a year-long program designed to give writers ‘what they most need in order to create great work: space and inspiration.’ The successful writer will be given use of the workspace for one year at no cost (see application for details), and will be asked to provide cultural programming – lectures, workshops, presentations, or other programs – to the general public. Applications close 1 June.
The Fairhaven Literary Review
is a new quarterly journal focused on creative storytelling. The journal has a particular emphasis on short stories and creative non-fiction. Submissions close 1 June.
The Fiction of Relationship
is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) being conducted by Brown University. The course seeks to explore relationships and literature through readings of ten great works of narrative fiction from the 18th to the 20th century. The course commences on 3 June and runs for 12 weeks.
Penguin Australia’s Monthly Catch
occurs every month between the 1st and the 7th. During this time Penguin will accept unsolicited manuscripts, both fiction and non-fiction. Submissions are only accepted electronically and interested authors should send their manuscript together with a short synopsis and biography.
The Newcastle Poetry Prize
is one of Australia’s oldest literary prizes. The 2013 award has an AUD $20,000 prize pool. The entry must be a poem, or suite of poems, by a single author totalling no more than 200 lines and all entries will be considered for inclusion in an anthology. This prize is open to Australian residents only. Entries close 7 June.
The Guardian Masterclass
series continues on 9 June in London with ‘How to write a synopsis’, a one-day workshop aimed at anyone who wants to create a synopsis of their book. The tutors are Rowan Coleman and Madeleine Milburn, founder of The Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency.
The Iowa Summer Writing Festival
held on the campus of the famous Iowa Writers’ Workshop offers an extensive program of weekend and one-week writing courses. The festival runs between 9 June and 28 July. Workshops are limited to 12 persons each and early registration is encouraged.
The V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize
is the Royal Society of Literature’s annual prize for the best unpublished short story of the year. The winner receives £1,000 plus publication in Prospect magazine online and the RSL Review. Entrants must be citizens of the UK or the Republic of Ireland, or have been resident for the past three years. Stories should be between 2,000 and 5,000 words. Entries close 13 June.
The Templeberg Residential Writing Fellowship
is a funded, month-long writing residence in stunning Galle Sri Lanka. Fiction, non-fiction and performing arts writers, poets, journalists and bloggers are invited to apply for the Fellowship, which includes return economy airfares, accommodation, full board and an AUD $1,000 allowance. Applications close 14 June.
The Blake Poetry Prize
was established to give Australian poets new possibilities to explore religion and spirituality in the twenty-first century. First prize is AUD$5,000. Entries can be pro-religion, anti-religion, non-religiously spiritual, satirical or ironic. Poems can be up to 100 lines. Entries close 14 June.
The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference
runs from 14 to 16 June and features panels, workshops, and presentations by educators, speakers, and industry professionals focused on the craft and business of writing.
Episodic Magazine
is open for submissions for the Summer Issue which has the theme ‘Spaces’. Episodic looks for visual and literary artwork that exposes the subtle beauties and struggles in everyday life. Poetry, prose, photography, illustration and combinations are welcome. Submissions close 15 June.
Prada Journal
is a new international creative writing contest launched by high-fashion brand Prada in partnership with Gianagiacomo Feltrinelli Editore. Contestants must answer the question, ‘What are the realities that our eyes give back to us? And how are these realities filtered through lenses?’ Entries can be in any language and the winner receives €5,000. There are detailed entry conditions available on the Prada Journal website and entries close 18 June.
MA in Television Fiction Writing Scholarships
are being offered by Glasgow Caledonian University. The aim of the programme is to give students the knowledge and skills to be ‘industry ready’ and includes a one-year representation by a London Agent. Applications close 28 June.
The Ghana Poetry Prize
is being offered for the first time in 2013. The prize is Gh ₵ 2,000 (equivalent to $ 1000). The aim of this prize is to support younger emerging poets and entry is open to poets based anywhere in the world. The deadline is 30 June.
The Cowley Literary Award
is a global short story competition with both fiction and non-fiction categories. First prize is AUD$4,000 with a runners-up prize of AUD$1,000. Stories to be a maximum of 4,000 words. Closes 30 June.
The McLellan Poetry Prize
is for poems of no more than 80 lines and can be in any style and on any subject. First prize is £1000 and there are 8 runner-up prizes. The entry fee is £5 per poem and entry is open internationally. Closes 30 June.
Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award
is designed to motivate non-American novice writers under the age of 30, and to offer them the recognition and encouragement that might lead to a successful career in television scriptwriting. The winner will be flown to New York City to be presented with an award and a US$2,500 prize at the International Emmy® World Television Festival. The deadline for submissions is 1 July.
NASA is seeking haiku poems
to send to Mars aboard its MAVEN orbiter. According to NASA ‘Everybody on planet Earth is welcome to participate!’ You do have to be 18 years old to create a log-in email profile, and children are encouraged to ask parents and teachers for help. All haiku must be in English. The submission deadline is July 1.
visible ink
is a yearly anthology of new writing and art based in Melbourne. It aims to showcase emerging writers and artists from all over Australia, featuring poetry, short stories, non-fiction, art, photography, comics and more. This year’s theme for visible ink’s 25th edition is EVOLVE. The word limit is 2,500 words. Submissions close 7 July.
The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library
is accepting submissions for its second edition. The theme is ‘So It Goes’. The journal accepts submissions of poetry, creative non-fiction, short fiction, original artwork, and/or photography related to the theme. Both new and previously published work will be considered. The deadline is 15 July.
The Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award
is for stories up to 4,000 words. Winning and shortlisted stories will be published in the Spineless Wonders annual anthology along with stories by invited authors. This award is open to Australian residents only. The closing date is 31 July.
Seán Ó Faoláin International Short Story Competition
is an annual short story competition open to writers from around the world. First prize is €2,000, publication in the literary journal Southword, and a week-long residency at Anam Cara Writer’s and Artist’s Retreat. Submissions close 31 July.
The California Book Awards
honour the literary merit of Californian writers and publishers. Eligible books must be written while the author is a resident of California. Awards are presented in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, First Work of Fiction, Poetry, Californiana, Notable Contribution to Publishing, Juvenile Literature and Young Adult Literature. Submissions open in July.
The Costa Short Story Award
is run as part of the Costa Book Awards, one of the UK’s most prestigious and popular literary prizes. The award is for a single, previously unpublished short story of up to 4,000 words. In last year’s award the winner received prize money of £3,500. Entries open on 1 July and close on 2 August.
The Manchester Writing Competition
is a major international literary competitions, celebrating excellence in creative writing, and open to anyone aged 16 or over (with no upper age limit). The 2013 Manchester Poetry Prize will award a cash prize of £10,000 to the writer of the best portfolio of poetry submitted. All entrants are asked to submit a portfolio of three-to-five poems (total maximum combined length: 120 lines). The 2013 Manchester Fiction Prize will award a cash prize of £10,000 to the writer of the best short story submitted. All entrants are asked to submit a story of up to 2,500 words in length. Entries for both categories close on 30 August.
The Miami University Press Novella Contest
has been given annually since 2005 to a novella length manuscript of original fiction. The winning manuscript will receive US$750 and publication. Submissions are currently open and close in October.
The Dorland Mountain Arts Colony
offers residencies of up to 12 weeks year-round to visual artists, writers and composers in the secluded hills overlooking the Temecula Valley in southern California. The cost of the residency is $250 per week or $1,000 per month, and residents are responsible for their own food and travel expenses. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but must be postmarked at least 45 days prior to the requested residency start date.
Literary Agent William Boggess of Barer Literary
is seeking new clients. William’s interests include literary fiction, literary memoir, popular science, narrative history, and smart sports writing.
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I’d like to add No Pants Publications (www.nopants.be). We have a reoccuring publication (“Cape Fear Chronicles”) that is a quarterly literary journal. Accepting short stories, mini-fiction, poetry, illustrations, photography, and essays. We’re also hosting a Machinegun Mini-Fiction Challenge for Mini-Fiction submissions.
Great list! I would also like to add Nano Fiction (http://nanofiction.org/). They publish fiction stories that are 300 words or less.
thanks so much for this list, it was very helpful!