On their About-Us page they are open about the fact that they started out in 2019 as a self-publishing collective to publish the original partners’ work, including: Benjamin Tyler Smith, R.J. Ladon, and William Joseph Roberts. If you look at their current list of authors it’s clear they’ve expanded well past that.

Their website is geared towards readers, not writers, which is always a good sign. While they don’t disclose who their distributor is, their Upcoming Events calendar which is about halfway down on the right hand column of every page, makes it clear that they make a serious effort to get publicize work on a regular basis. They do have a page devoted to recordings from past events which some may find helpful.

They are not interested in fanfiction, gratuitous sexuality and or abuse/violence. They also have more thorough notes about discrimination, message fiction, and RPG and game-based stories which you can read here.

They are open to reprints and previously published work as long as you have the rights to that work. They determine payment rates at the time of the contract, and they range from 50 to 70% of sales. They try to respond within 9 months to a year.

You must follow their formatting guidelines if you are submitting, they link to a template at the top of the submissions page. You can get a good feel of what they’ve published in the past here. Their covers vary wildly.

In 2024, they are open to submissions for the month of December.

To learn more about their submission guidelines, go here.

Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2022 Guide to Manuscript Publishers.

She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish. You can follow her on Facebook here.

Established in 2016, The Orchards has published 12 issues, each with poems from around 75 contributors. Each issue also includes an interview with a featured poet. The Orchards is published twice a year, in July and December.

Now through June 15, The Orchards is seeking submissions for their next issue. Poets may submit up to three poems in any style. The Orchards does not accept translations.

Submitting authors can expect a response within three months. Their acceptance rate is around 20%.

The Orchards accepts submissions via email, not online or by post. They accept simultaneous submissions but ask that authors withdraw work published elsewhere. They accept reprints, but they prefer unpublished poems.

The Orchards only accepts submissions that follow the guidelines they’ve posted online. Please read these guidelines in full before submitting.

If you would like to learn more or submit to The Orchards, please visit their website here.

Bio: Ella Peary is the pen name for an author, editor, creative writing mentor, and submission consultant. Over the past five years, she’s written hundreds of articles for Authors Publish, and she’s also served as a copywriter and copy editor for a wide range of organizations and individuals. She is the author of The Quick Start Guide to Flash Fiction. She occasionally teaches a course on flash fiction. You can contact her at ellapeary@gmail.com.

Larissa Marantz Need & Merit Scholarships

Ten (10) Larissa Marantz Need & Merit Scholarships are open to any writer or illustrator who identifies as BIPOC, LGBTQIA2, Jewish, Low-Income, having a Disability, is a Children’s Librarian or an Aussie.

The Children’s Book Academy’s Mastering Graphic Novels interactive e-course is specifically designed for writers and illustrators who are looking to master the art of graphic novels. You’ll learn everything you need to know to create dynamic and engaging graphic novels that will captivate young readers and bring your stories to life. And while the course focuses on Graphic Novels & Hybrid forms you’ll also learn to write and illustrate picture books, chapter books, middle grade & YA. The course will begin on May 29, 2023.

Deadline is April 15, 2023. More details here.

ALTA Fellowship 2023

Each year, a number of $1,000 fellowships are awarded to emerging translators to help them participate in the annual ALTA conference. For the ALTA Travel Fellowships, an emerging translator is someone who does not yet have a book-length work of translation published or under contract. ALTA considers chapbooks to be book-length publications for the Travel Fellowships. The ALTA Travel Fellowships are open to individual translators (not teams of co-translators) from all backgrounds. Applicants for the Jansen Fellowship (awarded to an emerging translator of color or a translator working from an underrepresented diaspora or stateless language) should apply using the online ALTA Travel Fellowship application, and check the Jansen Fellowship eligibility box in the application form.

At the conference, ALTA Fellows are invited to read their translated work at a keynote event, giving them an opportunity to present their translations to an audience of translators, authors, editors, and publishers from around the world. Applications include: a cover letter explaining your interest in sharing your work with the ALTA community; current CV / resumé; up to 10 pages of translated work (single-spaced for poetry or double-spaced for prose); and the corresponding original language text. Applications are accepted through the entry form online. Please note that translators currently participating in ALTA’s Emerging Translator Mentorship Program are not eligible to apply for a Travel Fellowship. Previous years’ Fellows are welcome to apply for the Mentorship Program, however.

Deadline is April 17, 2023. More details here. Submission (and info on other ALTA awards) here.

Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant

The 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant of $40,000 will be awarded to as many as ten (10) writers in the process of completing a book-length work of deeply researched and imaginatively composed nonfiction for a general readership. It’s intended for multiyear book projects requiring large amounts of deep and focused research, thinking, and writing at a crucial point mid-process, after significant work has been accomplished but when an extra infusion of support can make a difference in the ultimate shape and quality of the work.

Whiting welcomes applications for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, science, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, graphic nonfiction, and personal essays, among other categories. Again, the work should be intended for a general, not academic, adult reader. Self-help titles, historical fiction, textbooks, books primarily for a scholarly audience, and books for young readers are not eligible. Projects must be under contract with a publisher in Canada, the UK, or the US by April 25 to be eligible. Contracts with self-publishing companies are not eligible.

Submit up to 25,000 words of the book-in-progress; the original proposal to publishers that led to the contract; a signed contract; a statement of progress; a plan for the use of funds; a list of grants, fellowships, or other funding received for the book-in-progress; a résumé; and a letter of support from the book’s editor or publisher.

Deadline is April 25, 2023. More details here. Submission here.

WNDB Black Creatives Mentorship 

WNDB will offer eight mentorships in total to creators who identify as part of the African diaspora. The mentorships will be split among the following categories: 3 Picture Book (PB), 3 Middle Grade (MG), 2 Young Adult (YA). The winners will be matched with a mentor for five months and this mentorship period will focus on completing a full draft of their WIP, and building relationships and introductory access to the ins-and-out of US and UK publishing.

Deadline is April 27, 2023. More details here. Submission here.

The Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest 2022-2023

The Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest is open to writers for children, both published and unpublished. The award aims to encourage, discover and honor talented writers of texts for picture books from all over the world; to foster literary excellence in books for young children; and to promote international cooperation and understanding through picture books.

The winners will have the opportunity to sign publishing contracts with the sponsors to publish the manuscripts in different languages. Each winner will be required to agree that sponsors have a one-year priority option to publish winner’s manuscript to receive the cash prize. The option will begin as of the date each winner signs the declaration of compliance

Manuscript (fiction, nonfiction or poetry) must be text written for children age three (3) – eight (8). Illustrations are not accepted. Japanese manuscript must be no longer than 2,500 words and manuscript in other languages must be no longer than 1,000 words. Manuscript may be submitted in any of the following languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese or Chinese. There are two (2) Gold Prizes of $5,000 USD; eight (8) Honor Prizes of $1,000 USD; and one (1) KODANSHA Award of $3,000 USD. Please read the official rules before applying.

Deadline is April 30, 2023. More details here.

Paramount’s Writers Mentoring Program

Paramount’s Writers Mentoring Program is an eight-month program with a three-fold focus: it opens doors by providing opportunities for mentees to build and foster relationships with showrunners and network and studio executives; it supports emerging writers in their efforts to improve their craft by working with executive mentors; and it helps writers hone the essential interpersonal skills necessary to break in and succeed.

Each participant will have help in creating a rigorous career action plan and there will be on-going support in evaluating and achieving those goals. Another important benefit of the program is the development of a close-knit peer support group that will sustain participants through the program and beyond. Program elements such as mentoring, weekly workshops the mock writers room can be scheduled around participants’ existing work commitments.

The Paramount Writers Mentoring Program is not employment and there is no monetary compensation. It is, instead, a structured program of career development, support, and personal access to executives and the decision-making processes, with the goal of preparing aspiring writers for later employment opportunities in television. Aspiring diverse writers with a strong desire to write for Paramount television series are encouraged to apply. You must be 21 or older and able to work in the United States to be eligible.

Deadline is May 1, 2023. More details here. Submission here.

The Word Factory Apprentice Awards 2023/24

The Word Factory Apprentice Awards 2023/4  – a unique award programme offering one-on-one mentorship and creative development to emerging short story writers. On offer this year are two (2) nine-month long mentorships – one open to emerging short story writers in the north of England and another exciting new project supporting an emerging short story writer whose work makes a significant political impact, open to writers throughout the UK.

Entry for both Word Factory Apprenticeships is free. Applicants must be over 18 and serious about short story writing and becoming part of a dynamic writing community. In addition to their mentorship, winners will benefit from the advice and development programmes of the Word Factory, in association with Arts Council England, and all supporting partners: New Writing North, Writing Our Legacy, Galley Beggar Press and the Society of Authors. There will also be opportunities to read your work. In exchange, they expect dedication to the craft and ethos of the Word Factory. They are looking for writers who will contribute their time in helping us support other writers through events, social media and reviewing. If you experience any difficulty in applying, please contact the host via their email.

Deadline for one award is May 1, 2023, deadline for the other award is May 23rd. One has a 1000 pound stipend, the other does not. More details here.

Bio: NmaHassan Muhammad is a children’s author, short story writer and poet. He’s currently in submissions for the Wakini Kuria longlisted picture book story HAMOOD’S WISH TREE, which was inspired by the memory of a tree planting activity with his son Hamood. NmaHassan writes from Minna, Nigeria. Tweet him @NmahassanM

Historical fiction can be defined as made-up stories involving true events or series of events that happened at an earlier time. Some suggest historical fiction should be set before mid-twentieth century, but to my thinking if a reader accepts a time setting to be recognizably different from the present, it is history. Historical novels may also feature characters whose lives are recorded in the annals of history. A successful historical novel is one which transports the reader to a reconstructed time period where the characters act and speak with authenticity. This article will address how to achieve authenticity and avoid its opposite⸺phoniness that relies on stereotypes and unchecked assumptions.

Research, Research, Research 

The writer begins with an interest in a historical period, a historical event, a historical character, or all of the above. Whether the writer outlines ahead or writes by the seat of their pants, planning as they go, research needs to be on-going. This includes reading books, articles, academic papers, etc., viewing documentaries, listening to online lectures, and making notes from your sources. Research for the love of learning.

As one begins writing the story, the inner historian needs to be questioning all the time so the reader does not have to. You have your characters interacting within a Viking hall—where is the light coming from? Are there windows? candles? fire pit? Where is the smoke going? Research reveals some Viking halls may have had a few high windows with oiled skin to allow in muted light, and a central hearth fire for cooking and heat, more fires if it was the large hall of a king. Smoke found its way out through smoke holes in the roof. Fish oil lamps provided light, and beeswax candles might be used, but rushlights were easier and cheaper to make.

Now when you set your characters in motion, they view each other in dim light and sometimes cough as the smoke searches for a way out. An elder may have a raspy voice from a lifetime spent breathing smoke.

Take nothing for granted. Research clothing, noting the differences between the rich and the poor. Do the garments have pockets? No? How do they carry small items? Are there buttons on the clothes? No? How do they fasten clothing? A warrior carries a sword. Do not assume he carries it at his waist. Cleanliness? Do not assume the clothes or the wearer are unwashed. The Vikings saved their bathing and combing for Saturdays.

You are describing your heroine’s long raven-black tresses cascading over her shoulders, thinking how she will appear on your boldly romantic cover. During the High Middle Ages in Europe women covered their hair. Only little girls and prostitutes left it exposed. During the Viking Age, not so big a problem—braid it and pin it up, out of the way for work.

Language

If you wish to create a non-modern time setting, use language and rhythm that helps rather than hinders your purpose. Avoid using idioms as well as clichés. You are a writer; create metaphors and similes that would make sense in the time period. Do not compare a character’s red face to a tomato if there were no tomato plants.

How do your characters speak? Your novel is set in the year 1000 C.E. in England—which is called Engla-lond by the Anglo-Saxons. The language is Old English, which is a mixture of Saxon German and Frisian, and the Anglo-Danes are speaking Old Norse. No one today would read a novel written in Old English even if they could, but you can add vocabulary words, older spellings, etc., to add flavour, e.g. æx rather than axe, battlesark rather than chainmail, wyf rather than wife. Viking poems used kennings, compound words that conveyed meaning poetically. A chieftain could be referred to as a ring-giver. In a negative context a warrior might be called a raven-feeder, or in a celebratory context, a glory-bringer. As long as your dialogue is not stiff or stilted, such words are like adding an onion to your stew⸺it adds flavour, but do not overdo it.

Avoid using corny, B-movie language: words such as forsooth, prithee, gadzooks, thou art, dastardly varlet, etc. Your language should not be fully modern nor stereotypically artificial.

Adding a smidgeon of dialect for a character is acceptable, but if you overdo it, the reader will skip over it and may skip finishing your book.

Swearing

Just as every language contains profane language, so does every historical period. A good writer can create the feel of the time and the culture by having their characters curse with historical authenticity. Find out what was considered rude and naughty for your time. An excellent resource—and an enjoyable read as well, is Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing by Melissa Mohr. I learned that during a time (such as the Middle Ages in England) when folks lived in shared spaces, bodily functions and sexual relations were less than private. Words for body parts and physical acts were not obscene. Later, when the wealthy acquired more privacy, that changed. What was indecent, and rather blasphemous, was making oaths invoking God’s name, e.g. “By God’s bones, I wish you dead.” Calling someone a dog or a pig was offensive as well. A sexual body part? Not so much. And not to be referred to as “one’s privates.”

Beliefs, Customs, and Technology      

It is important for you understand what your characters believe, for belief is the lens through which they see the world. If the life expectancy is only to the mid-forties, how does that affect what your protagonist believes and how she lives her life? Is there a panoply of gods to believe in or one all-powerful God? Symbols? Objects? Relics? Practices? Faith in salvation after a life of suffering, or divine intervention in this life on Earth? Heaven and Hell? Belief in the supernatural? And when one gets sick is there a spiritual cause, e.g. punishment for sin, or a supernatural one, e.g. elf-shot? Then the question follows: how does one cure a sick or wounded (or possessed) person?

Many customs follow belief systems. One does not walk under a leaning ladder because the space is a triangle and you do not wish to break the Holy Trinity⸺Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Other customs and behaviours happen on feast days. What are the most important holy days? There are customs, obligations, and procedures around season changes, commerce, transportation, law, taxation, marriage, birth, death, and warfare. The more you learn from your research, the more avenues open for your characters and the action of your story.

Your male protagonist wishes to build a dwelling. Does he do the work himself or employ others? What skills are needed? What tools were used at that time? What materials? He and his wife plan to farm. What crops were grown? Which grains? Vegetables? What fruit? How do they plough? How do they grind their grain for flour? How do they make cloth? You will need to get an understanding and a feel for the technology of your time period. If part of your story takes place at sea—delve into the technology of ships. YouTube has some wonderful film clips of shipbuilders constructing Viking longships with the tools and techniques of the Viking Age.

Historical Characters

Men and women who are remembered for their influence during their time should not be given roles they did not have. Is this a hard and fast rule? No, but be cautious. Build your character with the qualities they must have had to accomplish whatever they did. Make sure they show up at the right places at the right times. Their motivation can be up to you. Let them be driven, thwarted, and confused by the basic human drives that are common to humankind: power-seeking, comfort, security, wealth, arousal, and love. Then let them conflict with those who stand in their way.

Summary

Researching may be a different skill set from writing, easier and more enjoyable for some than others, but all writers share a love of reading. If you are choosing to write historical fiction, then have some fun learning all you can about your time period and historical characters. You will never get it totally right without traveling back in time, but intensive reading and research will make your story richer and by God’s wounds, a better read.

Garth Pettersen (B.A. history) is a Canadian writer and retired teacher. He is the author of The Atheling Chronicles series published by Tirgearr Publishing. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies and journals. He and his wife live in British Columbia’s beautiful Fraser Valley where they board horses and manage to stay out of trouble.