9 Submission Opportunities for August

 1. Anti-Heroin Chic due August 26^th https://heroinchic.weebly.com

2. Crescendo Magazine due August 30^th: https://crescmag.org/CM_submissions.html

3. Tyche Books: Slapshots in Space and Magical Marathons: A Speculative Sports Anthology - This anthology “invites contributors to re-examine sports through space opera, near- or far-future science fiction, alternative worlds, time travel, magical realism, fantasy, or other lenses that fall under the umbrella of speculative fiction. Steampunk, hopepunk, science gone bad, social commentary, or just plain laugh-out-loud fun—all of these and more are fair game. Writers can (but are not required to) explore questions such as: Will future athletes be forced to accept invasive technologies in the name of better performance? In a dystopian world, how might sport be a beacon of hope? How might fantasy elements change the way we engage in, and with, sport? Sports can be recreational or competitive, solo or teams, but for the purposes of this anthology we aren’t looking for stories and poems about board games, video games, etc. Any perspective (fan, athlete, coach, game official, broadcaster, etc.) is welcome.” They also say, “Humour is a bonus. Light or psychological horror will be an easier sell than blood-and-gore or outright violence. We will not accept pieces that promote or support racism, sexism, homophobia, or other forms of intolerance.” Please note, they may give preference to Canadian authors. Deadline: 31 August 2026. Length: 1,000-5,000 words for fiction, up to 60 lines for poetry (more for prose poems). Pay: $50/story, $20 per poem. Details here.

4. Cryptic Frog Quarterly: Endless Archives, Entrancing TomesThey want speculative fiction for their first anthology. “We are seeking speculative short stories with some kind of supernatural or futuristic library or book as a central component of the narrative. Speculative fiction consists of fantasy, science fiction, and horror, in all of their various subgenres. … All pieces (including horror pieces) must include speculative elements that are integral to the story.” Please read their detailed guidelines, including hard sells. Deadline: Open now. Length: 2,000-7,500 words. Pay: $10. Details here. (Unthemed submissions for speculative fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for their magazine, Cryptic Frog Quarterly, will reopen on 1^st September 2026.)

5 - 9. https://authorspublish.com/5-paying-literary-magazines-to-submit-to-in-august-2026/

10 May Submission Opportunities

1. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories about November & December holidays - The deadline for submissions has been extended to May 15, 2026. How do you celebrate the holidays? Are your celebrations very traditional or are they very spontaneous and never the same? Do you stay home or do you travel? Do you gather with family and friends to share the special spirit of the season? How do you brighten those long winter days? If you live in a warm climate, no snow for you! How does that affect your celebration? What special things do you do? Please submit your true stories about the entire December holiday season, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and New Year's festivities too. Remember that these holiday titles do make wonderful gifts for everyone on your list! **If your stories are about celebrating Christmas, please be sure that they are "Santa Safe" so that we don't spoil the magic for precocious readers! Submit at: Possible Book Topics | Chicken Soup for the Soul

2. PLATFORM STORIES LITERARY CONTEST 2026 - https://laultimaestacionfilm.com/concurso/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 15, 2026. This international contest invites us to give voice to those who care without recognition: family members, friends, neighbors who dedicate their time, energy, and love t1. o caring for others. Stories or tales based on your experience as an unpaid caregiver. Length 1000-1500 words. Texts in Spanish or English. Prizes range $100-$300. All finalists and honorable mentioned receive publication in the anthology + audiovisual capsule recording + certificate.

3. Pinhole Poetry - They want poetry for their themed issue. “The July 2026 issue will be all about subways, undercurrents, subtext and undertows, basically anything that moves us, somewhere under the surface. Send us up to five of your best poems that fit the theme by May 15th!” They have detailed guidelines about the kind of poems they like. They also accept photography. Deadline: 15^th May 2026.
Length: Up to 5 poems. Pay: CAD5. Details here.

4. Scryptid Games: Tales from the Cryptids Anthology - This is a games, fiction, poetry, and ephemera anthology. “From Scryptid Games, this anthology of games, fiction, poetry, and other ephemera flips the lens on conventional cryptid lore. In this book, cryptids are beings with vivid lives, goals, and stories of their own to share. We are more interested in thoughtful tales of transformation, self-discovery, and embedded interrogation than stories centering cryptid hunting, categorization, or collection. … For the purpose of this anthology, cryptids are beings of real or imagined folklore who “could be real” and exist on the fringes of our world. We welcome thoughtful submissions featuring documented cryptids like Bigfoot, Mothman, and Nessie, and we also love new takes on cryptids and creative reflections on the wondrous in the everyday. Could a cryptid be a song, a memory, an entire town? We are excited to read expansive, imaginative perspectives on this theme.” And, “we are keen to acquire TTRPGs and other narrative games that embody a sense of the liminal. … For fiction and poetry, we want cryptid content that prioritizes the agency of liminal beings, places, and experiences. Your work does not need to feature a cryptid protagonist or an optimistic point-of-view, but your monsters must have agency and depth. We are also interested in micro-submissions of uncanny ephemera to literally occupy the margins of this book. Send us cryptid scribbles, doodles, haikus, photographs, and other 2D marginalia. Even we don’t quite know what we want in this category. Surprise us.” They also accept reprints. They will stay open until the deadline, or till they hit a submission cap in each category. The anthology has been funded on BackerKit. Deadline: 15 May 2026, or until filled - Length: Up to 1,000 words for fiction and games, up to 3 poems - Pay: $0.10/word for original fiction and games, $50 for original poems, $25 for ephemera. Details here and here.

5. Flash Fiction Online: Paranormal Noir - They have extended their submission window for the themed call, and have also opened a submission window for (unthemed) translations and reprints. They want speculative flash fiction on the Paranormal Noir theme, stories “that marry the noir and paranormal aesthetic in any speculative genre. … “Isn’t Paranormal Noir just a subset of Urban Fantasy?” It can be, but we’d love to see a new, fresh take on old themes: Vampires in space, doing crime? Far-future consciousness transfer-hauntings? Sad wizard investigates a murder in LA? Okay, sounds cool, submit that, but also what if he were on Mars instead? A group of West Virginia moonshiners firebombing a haunted A.I. data center?” Something else? They also welcome stories from unique points of view. Also see the kind of stories they do not want. Deadline: 15 May 2026, or until filled (extended) for themed fiction, 30 May 2026 for translations and reprints. Length: 500-1,000 words. Pay: $100 for originals, $36 for reprints. Details here.

6. Cat Eye Press: Don’t Go for the Vault – A Bank Robbery Horror Anthology: This is a fiction anthology. They want “horror stories involving bank robberies. While the title for the anthology is “Don’t Go for the Vault,” we want characters who do exactly that. We want to see what you have hidden behind that giant metal door. Give us a reason to heed this legendary piece of bank robbery advice. Stories can take place in any time period and do not need to occur exclusively within the confines of a bank. The three main requirements for stories are: must involve a bank robbery, must mention or include a bank vault door being opened; AND must have horror elements (either inside or outside the vault). While these requirements may seem simple, we encourage you to think outside the box.” Deadline: 20 May 2026 for all writers; 21^st May-31^st May for underrepresented writers. Length: 1,500-4,500 words. Pay: $0.05/word for originals. Details here.

7. Salt Bloom - This is a new print journal and they are reading submissions for their inaugural issue. The magazine is affiliated with Fairfield University. They want prose of up to 3,500 words, which “includes flash, hybrid works, micro fiction and memoir, short plays, and play excerpts”, as well as poetry. The deadline is 31 May 2026. Details here.

8. Qwerty Magazine: Post and Beam (The Architecture Issue) - They’re open for fiction, poetry, and art for their 30^th anniversary issue. “We've lain the cornerstone. Now we build the house. In this special issue commemorating our 30th anniversary, we want your stories, poems, and otherwise artistic interpretations on the theme of dark architecture and pseudoarchaeology. The connection is closer than you think: chances are the chill summer enclosure on your back deck was built with the same basic principle as Stonehenge: post and beam construction. We're not looking for any old office building—no perfect beachfront property. We want your weird little crawlspaces. We want your five-and-a-half-minute hallways and backrooms. We want your unknowable ancient monuments that might be instruments for giants. Send us your doors found ajar, dwelling and liminality, flash fiction found on street signs and graffiti, and literal concrete poetry. Over the last 30 years, we have built a lasting little nook behind the cracks of the Poets' Corner—our own typeface Fraggle Rock. Let this issue be a testament to the weird: an architecture you don't so much digest as suck it down.” Qwerty is published by graduate students in Fredericton, New Brunswick. They accept work via Submittable. Deadline: 31^st May 2026. Length: Up to 5,000 words for prose, up to 6 pages of poetry. Pay: $15. Details here and here.

9. Shacklebound Books: Witches & Warlocks - They want exactly 100-word stories (excluding the title) on the theme, Witches & Warlocks. They want dark fantasy stories for this digital and print anthology; authors receive a cash fee and a digital copy. Deadline: 31 May 2026. Length: 100 words.
Pay: $5. Details here (scroll down).

10. Cracked Anvil Press: Off the Broken Path – Dark Tales of Enchanted Forests - They want stories featuring enchanted forests for this anthology. “Tell us tales of enchanted forests. Stories filled with grit and gore. Tales of warning and woe. And if your story ends happily… make sure your characters bleed for it. We like to be surprised. Excited. Engaged. Preferring short, compact prose to long, drudgy sentences. Stories that move quickly, with subtle set ups and brutal pay offs.” Regarding genre / theme, they want “Fantasy. Grimdark. Horror. With enchanted forests taking a central role in the story. (With a preference for fantasy settings.)”. Deadline: 15 June 2026. Length: 1,000-5,000 words (can accept shorter or longer – see guidelines). Pay: $5. Details here.

8 Submissions Due by March 31

Eight submissions open with a March 31 due date:

1. EYE CONTACT AWARD IN GENRE FLASH FICTION

https://sites.google.com/setonhill.edu/eyecontact/guidelines/genre-flash-fiction-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. Theme Symphony. Genre Fantasy. Submit the best genre story that lands 1000 words or less by the deadline — and that also fits the theme — and you could not only be accepted into the magazine but win a cash prize (or gift card equivalent) of $250!

2. COPPICE PRIZE
https://www.redbudwriting.org/coppice-prize-2026
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. The Coppice Prize is an annual short story competition run by the Redbud Writing Project. Every year, we invite writers around the world to submit a short story, up to 4000 words. The contest is open to writers who identify as belonging to marginalized or under-represented groups (e.g. cultural identity, income level of your family, racial identity, gender identity, disability, or something else). Winners and the finalist receive review and feedback from a literary agent. Winners also receive $600 (first place), $300 (second place) and $100 (third place).

3. CLAIRE HARRIS POETRY PRIZE
https://gooselane.com/pages/claire-harris-poetry-prize-submissions

NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. Eligible writers include Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who are writers from Black, Indigenous, or other racialized communities and who have not previously published a book-length collection of poetry. (Poets who have published a chapbook, but not yet a book-length collection, are eligible to apply). Manuscripts should be book-length works of poetry, i.e., approximately 48-100 pages. The prize includes a cash award of $1,000, a contract for the publication of the collection under the icehouse poetry imprint in the following year (2027), and public readings in at least three Canadian cities.

4. FOLEY POETRY CONTEST

https://americamedia.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. Each entrant is asked to submit one poem of 45 lines or fewer. Poems should not be under consideration elsewhere. Poems may address any topic. The winning poem will be announced in early June and published in the print edition of America. The cash prize is $1,000. Three runners-up will also be published in subsequent issues.

 

5. PARSEC SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://parsec-sff.org/short-story-contest/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. The 2026 Contest theme is "Metamorphosis." No minimum, no more than 3500 words. Stories will be judged on writing quality and effective use of the contest theme. The contest is open to non-professional writers who have not met the eligibility requirements for SFWA Full Membership. Writers meeting the SFWA Associate level of membership are eligible to submit to the contest. Submitting to the contest implies consent for printing in the Confluence program book and publication in a short story contest ebook that will be distributed to Parsec members. First-place receives $200 and publication in the Confluence program book and 2026 short story contest ebook. Second-place receives $100 and publication in 2026 short story contest ebook. Third-place receives $50 and publication in 2026 short story contest ebook. Youth Story Prize receives $50 and publication in 2026 short story contest ebook.

 

6. THE ILSE SCHWEPCKE PRIZE FOR WOMEN'S TRAVEL WRITING
https://societyofauthors.org/prizes/other-prizes/ilse-schwepcke-prize/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. This prize is for non-fiction prose works of travel writing and not open to fiction or poetry. The winning author will receive £5,000. Entries must be written in English and not translated works. Submissions must be made by an established commercial publisher.

 

7. ANN PETRY AWARD

https://redhen.org/ann-petry-award/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2026. The Ann Petry Award is for a work of previously unpublished prose, either a novel or a collection of short stories or novellas, with a minimum of 150 pages, by a Black writer. Grand prize $3000, publication by Red Hen Press. 

 8. WILD LOT PRESS

https://wildlotpress.com/submissions

NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline May 31 2026. Wild Lot Press, with the assistance of the Pennsylvania Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (CEAP), is publishing an illustrated nonfiction anthology book about night, with the working title Nightness: Ruminations on the Darker Side of Day. We’re looking for essays/creative nonfiction of any length, from snippets and passing anecdotes to longform opuses, that take keen interest in what happens between dusk and dawn in the wild spaces of our world, or better still, in the liminal spaces that bridge the human-centric, built world and the extra-human margins that encircle us. The winning essay will receive a prize of $250; all selected contributors will receive free copies.

9 Submission Opportunities Due by November 1st.

All nine of these submission opportunities are due on 10/31 or 11/1.

1) Black Hare Press: Dark Moments – Irish/Celtic Myths
Black Hare Press publishes horror and dark speculative fiction; they run a themed monthly drabble challenge, titled Dark Moments, each month. For July, the theme is Ghost Ships: “we invite you to board the haunted decks of ghost ships lost to time and storm. Picture spectral vessels adrift in swirling ocean mist, crewed by the damned and desperate to lure the living into their eternal voyage. Give us your best 100-word tales—microfiction dripping with maritime dread, haunted crews, cursed treasures, or phantom calls echoing across midnight waves. Whether your ship is a tattered wreck or a vanished luxury liner, let your imagination drift into the unknown. All genres welcome, as long as your story captures the chilling spirit of the theme.” Submissions have to be exactly 100 words. They will publish 12 stories in August, from this open call.
Deadline: October 31 2025
Length: 100 words (see guidelines)
Pay: $0.04/word
Details here. 

2) Cloaked Press: Spring into SciFi Anthology
This is an annual anthology and they want all sub-genres of science fiction. “Spring Into SciFi” will contain stories of Space Exploration, Advanced Technology, AI, Cloning, Robotics and of course, Aliens. We are seeking fresh faces as well as seasoned Science Fiction pros for this yearly anthology.”
Deadline: 31 October 2025
Length: 2,500-9,000 words
Pay: $15 or a contributor copy
Details here.

3) DMR Books: Walpurgis Witcheries Anthology
Walpurgis Witcheries is a fiction anthology, a companion to their Samhain Sorceries anthology. They have detailed guidelines, including, “Like Samhain, Walpurgisnacht is a time when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. Witches gather at Mount Brocken to celebrate the coming of the spring and to ward off evil spirits. A perfect backdrop for sword-and-sorcery tales!
For clarification, sword-and-sorcery is a genre that combines swashbuckling adventure with supernatural elements (usually of a horrific nature) in a pre-industrial setting. Some of the best-known characters of the genre are Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Cimmerian, Michael Moorcock’s Elric, and Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. … Due to the specific theme of the anthology, stories submitted for Walpurgis Witcheries must be set in Central Europe, and Walpurgis must be integral to the plot.”
Deadline: 31 October 2025
Length: 4,000-8,000 words
Pay: $0,01/word, up to $80
Details here.

4) Inkd Publishing: Rebels
This is a speculative fiction anthology. “Rebels – Rage against the machine, storm the castle, the space alliance against the hegemony, hackers against the oligarchy, or however you envision it.”
Deadline: 31 October 2025
Length: 2,000-8,000 words
Pay: Minimum $10 (see guidelines)
Details here (scroll down).
(Inkd Publishing is open for other themed calls too – Phantom Dusk, deadline 30^th November and Dance, When They Want You to Cower, a fiction anthology with queer protagonists, deadline 15^th December – details here.)

5) Cupid’s Arrow Publishing: Dalliances Anthology – Swashes and Buckles

Cupid’s Arrow Publishing accepts stories for themed romance anthologies. For the Swashes and Buckles anthology, “We are looking for lusty tales that take place upon the seven seas—and if they involve pirates, even better!” They do not want erotica. Submission is via a form on their website.
Deadline: 31 October 2025 (extended)
Length: 2,000-6,000 words
Pay: $0.02/word
Details here
(See their other calls, which are open until filled, on this page.)

6) ALUMINUM CROWN SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.chokeandstroke.com/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline October 31, 2025. In the year 2101, due to environmental changes, the Melbourne CBD will be enclosed in a cube: the Central Business Cube, the CBC. We are looking for stories based around this speculative event in the future of Australia. We are asking you to think inside the box. Open to Australian and international writers. Word length between 1000-5000 words. Stories cannot be published elsewhere (including blogs/Facebook etc). 1st place: $300 (AU), 2nd place: $150 (AU), 3rd place: $50 (AU). (NOTE: $300 Australian is $200 USD)

7) The First Line Journal
They want fiction (any genre) and poetry that begins with pre-set first lines, one for each quarterly issue (they primarily want fiction, and also accept some poetry). For nonfiction, they want critical articles about your favorite first line from a literary work. For fiction and poetry, the first line for the Winter issue is:
‘When anyone in town needed help, they contacted Rocky Germain.’
Deadline: 1 November 2025 for the Winter issue
Length: 300-5,000 words for fiction; 500-800 words for nonfiction
Pay: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry (less postage fee for international contributors – see guidelines)
Details here.

8) Utopia Science Fiction: Alien Celebrations
They publish utopian science fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. They have detailed guidelines, please read them carefully. Their next upcoming theme is Alien Celebrations – “Bring us tales of celebrations from the far reaches of the galaxy!” This is also their Art special issue (see guidelines).
Deadline: 1 November 2025
Length: 100-4,000 words preferred for fiction, up to 6,000 words for nonfiction, up to 5 poems
Pay: $0.08/word for fiction, $30 for nonfiction, $30 per poem
Details here.
(Utopia Science Fiction has other themes listed too, with later deadlines; see guidelines.)

9) Full Bleed: Inheritance
Full Bleed is an annual print and online journal devoted to the intersection of the visual and literary arts. They have detailed guidelines for the Inheritance theme, including, “We are especially interested in innovative projects combining word, image, and design; collaborations between writers and artists; ekphrastic creations; and ambitious critical essays.  
Inheritances take on many forms: wealth, land, keepsakes, genetic material, artifacts, entire archives. We can also be said to inherit ideas and aesthetic traditions, political conflict, inequities, trauma, ecologies, or systems of belief. An inheritance may be a blessing or a curse. It can be life-changing and marked by turmoil or escape notice entirely. In some cases, a rightful inheritance can be forsaken, destroyed, or stolen, leaving future generations deprived of access to or understanding of the past. Essentially, an inheritance can be seen as a measure of the past’s ties to the present and future, of the bonds between generations and disparate peoples. Likewise, acts of dispossession can sever or disrupt such bonds.” … “We will consider critical essays, creative nonfiction, poetry, short stories, visual art, and hybrid, genre-bending works.”
Deadline: 1 November 2025
Length: Up to 4,000 words for prose; up to 3 poems
Pay: $25-50
Details here and here. 

14 Submission Opportunities in August

 14 August deadlines and submission opportunities...

1.) The Fairy Tale Magazine: Trolls - They’ll soon open for a brief submission period. They want fairy tales inspired by the Trolls theme. “Tell us what compels trolls to guard bridges. Are bridge trolls keepers of wisdom, curses, or safe passage? Or perhaps you have a troll song to share, the story of a fiddling troll, or maybe a new tune for escaping the Hall of the Mountain King.
Or tell us the tale of the troll who tends the hearth, the garden, brews a soup that keeps the forests in balance. How do trolls live among us today? (Not internet trolls, but beings of stone, moss, and magic trying to survive in the world today.) Give us the story of someone who has troll ancestry; tell us about their sense of self, their magic, their place in the world.” They have detailed guidelines, including, “Keep in mind that all fairy tale related fiction and poetry needs an element of the supernatural—as well as transformation. Mashups welcomed. The essence of classic fairy tales should be maintained in stories and poems submitted here. You can take a lot of license with the work, but there must be a clear connection to the theme.” They do not want children’s stories. They want PG content. Submissions will be via a form. Payment is unspecified.
Reading period: 15 to 21 August 2025
Length: 900-2,000 words for fiction, up to 500 words for poetry
Pay: Unspecified
Details here.

2.) Griffith Review: On the Money - Griffith Review is an Australian literary magazine and they want fiction and nonfiction submissions for their 91^st issue; the theme is On the Money. “Money talks – but it doesn’t always speak the truth. It’s also far more than a medium of exchange and a store of value: money is a status symbol, a friendship destroyer, an opportunity creator, a psychological blocker, an obsession, a dream, a curse, an albatross and an elephant in the room.

And if money makes the world go round, it’s spinning us faster than ever these days. Do we stand any chance of bridging the wealth gap? How does money influence our behaviour? What part does it play in the erosion of democracy and institutional trust? Should financial literacy be taught in schools? And does anyone actually understand crypto?
This edition of Griffith Review follows the money to tally the past, present and future of our filthy lucre.” Do not send poetry (there will be a separate call-out for poetry in September). They mostly accept work from writers in Australia, and some work from overseas writers.
Deadline: 24 August 2025 (see guidelines)
Length: Up to 4,000 words for prose (for print)
Pay: AUD0.75/word
Details here and here.

 

3.) Flame Tree Anthologies - They are reading fiction for some themed anthologies with deadlines in August: two romantic fantasy anthologies, and for two anthologies that are part of their Myths, Gods, and Monsters series. They also accept reprints for all of these anthologies. 

— Romantic Fantasy Series: Dreams Divine: Enigmatic escapes from reality and gateways into unknown worlds, dreams arrive in different forms, a distant whispering, prophesying a message. They are unbound. An illogical succession of events, freed from the constricts of time, understanding and place. Our fantasies may be revealed in our dreams, they find us, suspended in the twilight zone of reality and a dream-like state, blurring what is real and what isn’t, balancing on the known and unknown. Lost loves or new loves materialise from the mists in this amorphous world – will they solidify into reality or vanish from whence they came? Still, we yearn to dream, craving to see a face again from a distant place, but where there is light, the cracks can be filled with darkness, where dreams can look like nightmares, a veil that is pulled across our eyelids.” Stories of 2,000-4,000 words, deadline 24^th August 2025.

— Romantic Fantasy Series: Of Swords & Roses: They want “tales of chivalry and court intrigue; quests of passion and honour; wars waged for the sake of a beloved’s hand; and great sacrifices made in the name of love. Such endeavours may play out as open clashes on the battlefield, or as guileful strategy woven into court rivalries. With a flavour of the fantastical, tales are twined with magic or abound with whimsical creatures, spanning kingdoms or bridging worlds. A chivalric hero may clash with their enemy to win another’s affections; or perhaps that enemy proves to have been The One all along?”Stories of 2,000-4,000 words, deadline 24^th August 2025.

— Myths, Gods, and Monsters Series: The Valkyries: “The Valkyries – fierce daughters of battle, riders of storm and shadow. They choose the slain and carry souls to glory, moving between mortal and divine. For this call, we seek stories that tell their own back stories, and echo their power: tales of fate, war, sacrifice and the mythic eternal. Awe-inspiring and magical, when we think of the Valkyries, we conjure a vision of fierce but angelic warrior goddesses racing across the sky. They come to select half of those who have died in battle and escort them to Odin’s hall of heroes: Valhalla. There they receive the heroes with horns of mead. But there is so much more to these heavily symbolic beings. … This submission theme offers an exciting opportunity to explore and expand on existing stories associated with Valkyries (not simply retell classic tales) or imagine completely new names and narratives for those who have never seen the limelight.” (Stories of 3,000-4,000 words, deadline 24^th August 2025.)

4.) WolfSinger Publications: Search for the Any Key - This is a fiction anthology; the theme is, Search for the Any Key. “This will be mostly action/adventure, but can be placed in any time period, on other planets or any type of setting. All genres accepted and may contain humor, drama, romance, etc. Diverse characters welcome, human or otherwise. The catch – no traditional keys accepted. If the characters don’t find the key, that’s okay.
Example – on a certain TV show, characters were searching for forgiveness and the key to enter was tears of regret. Another film had a key as part of a puzzle box which opened several artifacts.
Please think outside the box when writing these stories. The Why of the search is the most important point.”
Deadline: 29 August 2025
Length: 1,000 – 7,000 words
Pay: $15 + royalty share
Details here.

 

5.) Thalia Press: Time After Time Anthology - This is “is a short story anthology targeted toward lovers of mysteries set in specific historical eras. We are seeking short stories of no more than 7,500 words that have a strong crime or mystery element and that take place in a time period other than the present. Both cozy and dark stories are welcome. … If you choose to submit a story set in the future, please be aware that, again, it must be primarily mystery- or crime-related and not just science fiction. Bonus points for creating an authentic historical setting that engrosses readers.” Please read their terms carefully.

Deadline: 31 August 2025
Length: Up to 7,500 words
Pay: $25
Details here.
(Thalia Press is also reading fiction for a mystery/crime fiction anthology featuring one or more cats as an integral part of the plot; pays $25, deadline 30 September, details here – scroll down.)

 

6.) White City Press: Sex and Synthesizers –  An Erotic Crime Anthology - This is a fiction anthology, the second in a series. “In this second volume, synthesizers can be used as an instrumental enhancement, as a weapon, or as a concept. Synthesizers are made to trick the audience into believing something is there – but it’s not. Example: it can make you believe there’s a piano playing when there is no piano on stage. This can give a nice twist to a story. The key is to have something appear to be one thing when it’s actually another.” And, “We do expect stories to be anywhere from Rated R to Rated XXX. The anthology is sold age-restricted to 18 and older.” All stories must be set in the 1980s. LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC characters (and authors) are welcome and encouraged.

Deadline: 31 August 2025
Length: 3,500 – 5,000 words
Pay: $25 or two paperback copies
Details here.

 

7.) Zoetic Press: Non-Binary Review – Erased from History - They want speculative work – poetry, fiction, essays, translations, and art. They’re reading on the Erased from History theme. All submissions must have a clear relationship to the theme. “History, as the old saying goes, is written by the winners. This means that in most histories, the stories are about discovery and conquest rather than plunder and genocide. It also means that some of those losers of history have been forgotten – erased by the cultures that overran them. Historical erasure isn’t limited to countries or cultures. Underrepresented societal groups – those denigrated by the dominant culture – are often left out of histories, their contributions to society, including their arts, inventions, and scientific discoveries, are either attributed to others, or left out entirely.

We are looking for stories of people or things that have been erased from history, the mechanism by which that erasure is effected, or the consequence of erasure. We want the story of the lizard people that originally colonized earth, leading to the widespread theory that many world leaders are lizard people. The reason why Atlantis was erased from history and relegated to myth. The fact that gravity was invented by an illiterate Burmese restaurant owner in 1146CE.
We are NOT looking for dry factual histories (no term papers, please), personal screeds or jeremiads, or the life and personal stories of individuals from an erased group”.
Please note, they have changed their reading periods; they will now read submissions in February, May, August, and November. They are in the process of changing their submission system to Duosuma.
Deadline: 31 August 2025
Length: Up to 3,000 words for prose; up to 3 pages for poetry
Pay: $0.01/word for prose, $10 for poetry
Details here and here.
(They’ve also given the reading periods for other themes on their website.)

 

8.) STORYHOUSE BIOGRAPHICAL NONFICTION CONTES - https://www.storyhouse.org/contest2025.html - NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2025. 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 our mission--to "preserve the extraordinary stories of 'ordinary' people." Stories from any country are fine, although they must be written in English. 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. One prize of $200 for the winner, $100 for the runner-up, and certificates of achievement for all finalists.

 

9.) Cast of Wonders: Young Author Showcase - Cast of Wonders is Escape Artists’ speculative young adult (YA) online and audio magazine. “All stories should contain a clear speculative element and be appropriate for a YA audience. We particularly encourage submissions from authors whose backgrounds are under-represented in publishing, and also love #ownvoices submissions.” They have detailed guidelines on what counts as young adult, please read them carefully. For this submission window, they want submissions by young authors only, under 20 years of age. They also accept reprints.

Deadline: 31 August 2025
Length: Up to 6,000 words
Pay: $0.08/word for originals
Details here (guidelines), here (schedule), and here (submission portal + details of Young Author Showcase 2025).
(And, Cast of Wonders will open for YA fiction submissions by all authors from 1^st to 14^th September – see their schedule.)

 

10.) Thinking Ink Press - They open during August and February for literary postcards, Instant Books, and other publications in non-traditional formats.  “For postcards: (a 4 x 6″ flat card that can be sent through the mail) poems or flash stories you wish someone would send you in the mail. Story length is about 100 to 300 words. Poetry length is 30 lines or fewer.

For Instant Books: (a mini book folded from a single sheet of paper) standalone stories around 500-1,300 words in length with strong narrative arcs.
For a 4-page flexagon: (A flexagon is a flat paper object that you can fold and twist to reveal hidden surfaces.) Stories or poems that can be divided into four pages and read as a loop, with no enforced beginning or end. Word limit is about 130 words per page, or about 16 lines of poetry per page.” Please read the guidelines for the editor’s preferences.
Deadline: 31 August 2025
Length: One story or up to 5 poems (see guidelines)
Pay: $20
Details here.

 

11.) SHORTCUTS SHORT FILM CONTEST (ILLINOIS) - https://www.plussevencompany.com/815horts - NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2025. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is encouraging Illinois filmmakers to enter the DCEO Illinois Film Office’s Shortcuts Short Film Contest dedicated to promoting the best short films from Illinois students or residents 22 years old or younger. The Shortcuts winner will receive $250 and be screened at the 815HORTS festival, a short film festival based in Rockford scheduled November 14-15, 2025.

 

12.) HellBound HIGHWAY - AN anthology of Road Trip Terror: HellBound Books Anthology submission Calls - * 3K - 6K word count  Deadline: 31 August 2025 (please note: all submissions are assessed only AFTER the deadline date and, due to the overwhelming response HBB receives for all anthologies, we are only able to contact the the authors of sucessful submissions).

 

13.) KINDLE STORYTELLER AWARD - https://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_cg_ConUK_4c1_w?node=77998573031&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-1&pf_rd_r=P3C3G27AE89T43A6BSMN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=3db39743-4143-410b-a414-dc401262df5e&pf_rd_i=12061299031

NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2025. A literary prize for authors who publish in any genre in English on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Amazon's self-publishing service between 1st May 2025 and 31st August 2025. Each Finalist will receive a Kindle Oasis E-reader. The winning author will receive a cash prize of £20,000 and a merchandise package to support the book on Amazon.co.uk.

 

 14.) INTREPID WRITING COMPETITION - https://intrepidtimes.com/writing-competition-a-book-led-me-there/ - NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2025. Open internationally. The winning writer will receive a prize of $300 USD as well as publication on Intrepid Times. Up to four runners-up will also be selected for publication and paid our standard publication fee. Pieces must be original, factual, and not published elsewhere online. The maximum word count is 2000; pieces that exceed this limit will not be considered.

— Lunch Ticket: Diana Woods Award in Creative Nonfiction and Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts: For short creative non-fiction ($250) and translation ($200) respectively; deadline 31 August 2025; details here and here.

9 Submission Opportunities

1. REFRACTIONS GENRE FLASH FICTION CONTEST: https://www.unchartedmag.com/2024-calendar/ - ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 1-31, 2025. We want your stories of 1,500 words or fewer in all of our genres for the Refractions: Genre Flash Fiction Prize. So sharpen those pens and flex those fingers. We’re excited to offer the winner of this prize $1,000 and publication, while the second- and third-place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively. Also, OCTOBER and DECEMEBER dates.

2. BOOKS LIKE US FIRST NOVEL CONTEST: https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/avid-first-novel - Deadline July 14, 2025. Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is pleased to announce the launch of the fourth BOOKS LIKE US First Novel Contest. The aim of the contest is to facilitate access to the publishing process for writers from underrepresented groups, and to celebrate the diversity of readers across the United States. Encouraged to submit twenty-five pages of an original adult novel using the online form. The author of the selected novel will be awarded the opportunity to enter into a $50,000 book deal with Avid Reader Press.

3. BLACK VOICES IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE WRITING CONTEST: https://go.teachercreatedmaterials.com/free-spirit/black-voices-childrens-literature-writing-contest - NO ENTRY FEE.  Deadline July 22, 2025. Sponsored by Free Spirit Publishing (an imprint of Teacher Created Materials) and Strive Publishing. Black writers residing in the United States can submit unpublished children's stories for ages 0–4 or 4–8 featuring authentic, realistic Black characters and culture. Three prizes: $1000, $500, $250. All entries are considered for publication.

4. - 7. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Possible Book Topics | Chicken Soup for the Soul - NO ENTRY FEE. Topics include Grandmothers, Miracles/Messages/Angels, Funny Stories, and Holidays. Dues dates July, August, and February.

8. NOT QUITE WRITE PRIZE FOR FLESH FICTION: https://notquitewritepodcast.com/fleshfiction/?utm_source=funds+for+writers&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=comp+list - FREE ENTRY! Deadline August 24 2025 AEST. The Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH Fiction calls for erotic stories of up to 1,500 words written in response to the theme: "Making the unsexy irresistible." Compete for cash prizes plus a trophy, a range of "spicy" sponsored prizes, and the chance at print publication. Please note: All characters must be consenting adults and all characters must be fictional (no fan fic). Overall Winner AU$500 and a trophy. Category Winners (x5) AU$100 (excludes the Overall Winner).

9. STORYHOUSE BIOGRAPHICAL NONFICTION CONTEST: https://www.storyhouse.org/contest2025.html - NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline August 31, 2025. 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 our mission--to "preserve the extraordinary stories of 'ordinary' people." Stories from any country are fine, although they must be written in English. 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. One prize of $200 for the winner, $100 for the runner-up, and certificates of achievement for all finalists.

Spring 2025 Submission and Reading Opportunities for Veterans, Graduates, and More

It's May, that time of year to gear up for high school and college graduations, as well as honoring our Veterans.  It's also an opportunity to enjoy some extra time reading, or prepare a submission for a few anthology calls:

1) Southeast Missouri State University Press and the Warriors Arts Alliance have joined together once again to create the 14th volume in a series of anthologies about military experiences. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, essays, and interviews. I was fortunate enough to be included in the second volume with my interview of award-winning author Tim O'Brien (The Things They Carried). For more information on supporting these great Americans or to learn more about the Proud to Be series: https://mohumanities.org/veterans/

2) Interested in a graduation flash fiction? Read mine here, or try writing your own. You can also see my list of 5 Books for Graduates.

3) Chicken Soup for the Soul has a call out for six different anthologies right now. To learn more, check out: https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

4) Challenge: Compose a letter of thanks to a soldier you do not know or donate books to the troops. For more ideas on how you can help: http://www.give2thetroops.org/

Have you ever written for veterans or graduates? Does this seem like something you might want to try?

12 Submission Deadlines Fast Approaching

12 Submission Deadlines over the next month. 

1. Deadline: February 27, 2025 - Entries are now being accepted for the 2025 Next Generation Short Story Awards, a not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories. The Short Story Awards offers 30+ categories to choose from and accepts original, unpublished stories (5000 words or less) written in English by authors in the U.S., Canada, or internationally. Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to have your story considered for 30+ cash prizes, gold medals, complimentary gold digital stickers, literary exposure and recognition as one of the top stories of the year! Winners in each of the 30+ categories will have their story published in an annual Anthology of Winners (you maintain copyright) and will receive a complimentary copy of the Anthology of Winners. Three Finalists in each of the 30+ categories will have their author name and story title mentioned in the Anthology of Winners. Three Grand Prize Winners selected from all entries will be invited to attend the Next Generation Indie Book Awards annual gala. Enter today at www.ShortStoryAwards.com. 

2. WRITING MAGAZINE NEW YEAR PROMPT COMPETITION - https://www.writers-online.co.uk/writing-competitions/free-to-enter-new-year-new-you NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2025. To get your new year off to a flying start, you could win a cash prize and publication by entering stories up to 800 words about someone who resolves to make a change in the year ahead. The winner will receive £150 and online publication.

3. 2025 ESSAY COMPETITION - https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/essay.php NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2025. Divisions: adult (age 19 - 30 years), senior (grade 9th - 12th), and junior (grade 8th and younger). Essays must not exceed 1,000 words in length. Each division has a topic. One entry per category per contestant is permitted. Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500). Senior division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300). Junior division: First ($300), Second ($200), Third ($100). Honorable mention (for all divisions listed above): Friends of Pacific Rim Awards ($50 each). Winners' works may be published in the Korea Times Chicago or the Korean Quarterly or Azalea: A Journal of Korean Literature and Culture.

4. 2025 SIJO COMPETITION - https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/sijo.php NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 28, 2025. Divisions: adult division (age 19 and older) and pre-college division (age 18 and younger). Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third ($500). Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300). Honorable mention (for both divisions listed above): ($50 each). Competition winners may be announced in AZALEA: Journal of Korean Literature and Culture, published by the Korea Institute at Harvard University. Contestants are permitted one sijo entry.

5. DIANA WOODS MEMORIAL AWARD FOR NONFICTION - https://lunchticket.org/contests/dwm/ Reading period month of February. Creative nonfiction authors are invited to submit work 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. Each award recipient must submit a 100-word biography, current photo, and send a brief note of thanks to the Woods family.

 6. IMAGINE LITTLE TOKYO SHORT STORY CONTEST - https://www.littletokyohs.org/imagine-2024 Deadline February 28, 2025. The story must be original, fictional, written in either Japanese or English by the submitting author and never been published (even online). Submitted manuscript should be 2,500 words or less for English or 5,000 ji or less for Japanese and have a title. If your submitted short story wins first place for the Youth, English Language or Japanese Language categories, you will receive a monetary prize of $500 after providing an e-mail of acceptance and biographical information for publication purposes.

7. TORONTO STAR SHORT STORY CONTEST - https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/03/3004034/0/en/Toronto-Star-and-Toronto-Public-Library-Launch-2025-Short-Story-Contest.html. NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 26, 2025. Open to Ontario residents 16 years of age or older. One of the biggest prizes in Canada for a short story contest, with the first-place winner receiving $5,000. In addition to seeing their story in the largest newspaper and on one of the most-visited websites in Canada, the winner also gets to study with some of the country’s best creative writing teachers. Part of the top prize includes the tuition fee for one of two programs at the Humber School for Writers, either the Creative Writing Graduate program, which has an approximate retail value of $3,895, or the Summer Workshop in Creative Writing, valued at $1,665. The second-place winner receives a cash prize of $2,000 and the third-place winner will be awarded $1,000. All three winners will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges.

8. WATERMAN FUND ESSAY CONTEST - https://www.watermanfund.org/essay-contest/enter-essay-contest/ NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2025. Since 2008, Appalachia, the mountaineering and conservation journal published by the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Waterman Fund have joined to sponsor an annual essay contest for emerging writers. Writers who have not published a major work Contestof fiction or narrative nonfiction on topics of wilderness, wildness, or the ethics and ecology of environmental issues are eligible. The Waterman Fund provides generous prize money of $3,000 for the first-place essay selection and $1,000 for a runner-up. Submissions should be 2000-3000 words.  

9. PILGRIMAGES – 2025 TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION - https://intrepidtimes.com/pilgrimages-2025-travel-writing-competition-now-open/ NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2025. Intrepid Times is inviting writers to explore the concept of the pilgrimage. Literary, secular, personal, or spiritual. Your story should be non-fiction, between 1200 and 1800 words, and written in the narrative style favored by Intrepid Times stories. The winning writer will be paid $300 USD and have their original story and accompanying photographs published in Intrepid Times. Up to four runners-up will also be selected for publication at our standard article rates. 

10. ALPINE FELLOWSHIP POETRY PRIZE - https://alpinefellowship.com/poetry-prize Deadline March 1, 2025. Awarded for the best poetic response on the 2025 theme, which will be announced in January. The winner and runners-up will receive cash prizes and will be invited to attend our annual symposium. First place: £3,000. Second place: £1,000. Third place: £1,000. Will also offer up to £500 travel expenses to help with travel to the event and meals and accommodation during the symposium dates are also covered. Open to all nationalities. You may submit one poem or a collection of poems as long as all the poems in the collection speak to the theme. There is a maximum of 500 words per entry.

11. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST - https://www.arts.gov/grants/creative-writing-fellowships Deadline March 12, 2025. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Creative Writing Fellowships program offers $50,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Individual U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who meet specific publication requirements are eligible to apply.

12. Chicken Soup for the Soul has a call out for several titles including one about Miracle and one about Pets which are both due March 31. NO ENTRY FEE. To learn more: Possible Book Topics | Chicken Soup for the Soul

IWSG: Changing Your Story

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

FEBRUARY QUESTION - Is there a story or book you've written you want to or wish you could go back and change?

MY ANSWER - I always think there could be room for improvement. The truth is, are any of us ever really finished with a piece, even after it's in print? I try not to regret a piece once it's been published. If there is something I realize I don't like after publication, I use that information while working on my future pieces. If I don't feel a piece is ready, I simply don't submit it (usually). There are times I reflect on older work versus newer and feel like "What happened? I used to be fairly good" and other times, I'm like "Wow, I'm glad that is no longer in print". Like any artist, I'm constantly changing moods, experiences, and issues. The quality of my work is often a reflection of this. So, yes, there are times I wish I could change something, but those feelings are generally more directed toward pieces that have not been published yet. If we let ourselves become too engrossed in wanting to change the past, we might not move forward. While it's impossible to live without any regrets, it's more likely we will regret giving up than any failed attempts toward "perfection". So instead, focus on changing your story as it is evolving now. Could you commit more time to writing, to editing, to submitting? If the answer is yes, make that change when and if possible. Everything has a season. I wish you all the best - keep moving forward!

How about you? Is there a story or book you've written you want to or wish you could go back and change?