Sorry We're Prosed: 25+ ideas for submitting your writing in August
Opportunities with publishers, journals and competitions
Hello again,
I’m having some in-between time. I’m moving soon but not just yet. As I write this, I’ve just returned from a trip but am going on another one tomorrow. The weather isn’t sure if it’s August or April or October.
As it happens, the theme of one of this month’s opportunities is ‘Between’, and there are several others that tap into uncertainty, with themes of identity, the uncanny, and ‘all in the mind’. Perhaps it’s a sign to channel those feelings of vagueness into something creative.
As ever, I endeavour to mention payment and prize money where there is any, so opportunities without that information are likely unpaid.
Closing soon
A last-minute one for any essays, fiction, interviews and reviews you have between 1,000 and 5,000 words: Toronto-based Archetype is open until 6 August.
There are a few days left to submit essay or story collections, as well as children’s fiction, to The Emma Press, to be considered for publication. The current call is open until 8 August.
Indie horror publisher Off Limits Press is currently accepting submissions of novels and novellas (max 50,000 words) until 13 August. No advance but royalties are split 50/50.
The theme for Periscope Literary’s fiction competition is ‘Identity’. Entries cost £10 or £7 for students, with a top prize of £1,000. The deadline is 15 August.
A free writing contest is part of this year’s Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. The theme is ‘Revolution’ and there are categories for both fiction and nonfiction. Shortlisted entries will be published in a book, and there is a plaque and gift vouchers for the winner. No obvious location restrictions, but you should ideally be able to attend an event in Edinburgh in October. Deadline 29 August.
Atomic Bohemian, a UK-based publishing house from the directors of Cape Magazine, is accepting submissions of prose pamphlets. This is a fairly new publisher but you can read about their payments and publicity arrangements here.
Free submissions are once again open at Split Lip Magazine. Authors get $75.
Here’s a themed call from The Selkie, which publishes work from underrepresented writers. They are looking for work on the theme ‘Rebellion’ until 31 August.
General submissions are open at Haven Speculative until the end of the month. They pay 1 cent per word and will consider reprints.
The Lighthouse Journal is open until the end of August.
There is an open submission period ongoing at House of Anansi, which publishes full-length fiction and nonfiction books, until 31 August. They prioritise Canadian writers.
Until the end of the month, writing including fiction, nonfiction and translation is being considered at the Nashville Review. Contributors are paid $100 for prose pieces.
Short story collections can be submitted to Manchester-based publisher Fly On The Wall Press until 1 September, while novels and novellas have a few more days with a deadline of 6 September.
Open now
The White Review is to publish and anthology of writing in translation and is looking for submissions. They are looking at novel excerpts, short stories, and narrative non-fiction that has not been previously translated into English and are giving priority to those not yet under contract with a publisher. Translators, take a look at the full call and submit by 10 September.
Residents of the North of England who have a complete manuscript, the NorthBound Book Award offers publication with a £5,000 advance for one winner. Closing 12 September.
The theme for this year’s Ovacome Writing Competition is ‘Between’. You need to have a UK bank account to enter. It costs £8 per story and the funds raised help support ovarian cancer services and projects. Submit by midday on 15 September for a chance to win the top prize of £250.
The theme has now been unveiled for the Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction: it’s ‘The Uncanny’. Entries are free and the winner gets £500. You must be a UK resident. Submit by 22 September.
An imprint of Crystal Lake, Torrid Waters specialises in pulp and extreme horror. It has an open reading period for novels and novellas until 30 September.
This year’s SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition has the theme ‘All in the mind’. Send any prose on that topic by 30 September for a chance at winning the £200 top prize. Entries are £4 per story or £10 for three.
For London writers on a low income, the Free Reads scheme is open for applications again. This year, in addition to manuscript feedback, applicants can also seek help with their submissions packages or get an editor one-to-one. Apply by 2 October.
If you are Scotland-based or Scottish, the window for submitting to New Writing Scotland this year has just opened. It runs until 31 October, and all forms of writing are invited. Successful authors are paid at £25 per page.
Anyone in the world can enter The Bedford Competition for short stories, which closes 31 October. It costs £7.50 per story or you can submit three for £15. First prize is £1,500.
General submissions to Black Fox Literary Magazine, including for fiction, flash and non-fiction, will be open until 30 November. Contributors are paid $20 each.
Legendary crime magazine Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine is open for the foreseeable, welcoming all kinds of mystery, procedural, detective and hard-boiled or cozy crime stories. They pay around $5-$8 a word.
Opening soon
The Dial Press, an imprint of Random House, is accepting query letters from unagented writers from 20 August until 26 August. You only need to submit your query letter, not the whole work, but the material needs to be ready to be read if an editor is interested.
Entries for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, for stories by writers from Commonwealth countries, should open on 1 September. This one is usually free!
The Comedy Women in Print Prize opened in early September last year, so keep an eye on that one. It has categories for unpublished and published novels, as well as a short story competition.