They have been closed to unsolicited submissions for a long time, and only recently have opened up submissions from June 1st through June 30th 2022.

They ask that potential submitters spend time with their catalogue to see what they’ve previously published.

They are open to submissions from anyone with a completed story that is not represented by a literary agent, and has not had their work previously published in the UK. They also say that in addition to this, “we are actively looking for submissions from writers from underrepresented backgrounds. This includes writers of any race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, class, and physical ability.”

Submissions must be made via email and it must include

Your full-length book attached as a .pdf or Word .doc/ .docx

Up to a 1,000 word synopsis in the body of the email, including what genre  your story falls within (feel free to refer to currently published titles too).

100 words about yourself in the body of the email.

Your email address.

Because of the expected influx of submissions, they say you should expect to wait up to 9 months after June 30th to hear from them. Do not query them during this time unless you don’t receive a confirmation email.

To learn more, go here.

Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2021 Guide to Manuscript Publishers.

Able Muse is a small literary press that has one free reading period every year, from 1st May through 15th July. They also publish a literary journal, and they host a number of contests every year. They publish poetry and fiction primarily, and they will consider non-fiction as long as you query first. Most of the fiction they publish is short story collections and unlike other small presses, some of what they publish is genre work.

Scanning through their online catalog here can give you a good feel for what they generally publish. Their covers are usually well designed and appealing, but the layout and design of their website leaves much to be desired.

They also don’t have an “about us” page, which I always find frustrating, and I was unable to find the names of the people who actually operate the press. However, they have been around for a while and that is a good sign.

Literary presses as a general rule leave promoting up to the author (there are exceptions, like Tin House and Copper Canyon Press) and Able Muse seems to fall firmly into the self-promotion camp.

They accept submissions through their online submission system (preferred) and also via email. Be careful to follow their instructions and always just submit a single manuscript.

They take around nine months to respond to all submissions. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, as long as you notify them if the work is accepted elsewhere.

To learn more or to submit, visit their website here.

Bio: Emily Harstone is the pen name of an author whose work has been published internationally by a number of respected journals. She is a professional submissions adviser. You can follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/emilyharstone/

With that goal in mind, they publish a bi-monthly magazine and a seasonal blog, as well as a quarterly series, featuring authors from the African content and around the world. They’ve been publishing since 2020.

Isele Magazine features fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, and book reviews. They usually accept submissions on a rolling basis. Submitting authors can expect a response within six months. Right now through 30 June 2022, they’re accepting work on the ‘Queer Joy’ theme, and they seek fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, visual art, and hybrid works on this topic.

For general submissions, poets may submit up to six pages of poetry. Authors of fiction and nonfiction essays may submit up to 8,000 words. They don’t accept novel excerpts. Authors of book reviews may submit up 1,500 words. All submissions should include a cover letter. Authors published in Isele Magazine are paid “a modest token”.

Isele Magazine accepts submissions via email, not online or by post. They accept simultaneous submissions but ask that authors withdraw work published elsewhere. They do not accept previously published work, including work published in print or online on personal websites. They do, however, consider translations of work originally published in languages other than English.

Isele Magazine only accepts submissions that adhere to the guidelines they’ve posted online. Please read these guidelines in full before submitting.

If you would like to learn more or submit to Isele Magazine, 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.

Short stories are a compact, effective and short-winded form of prose. Though they may be brief, a good short story can serve to present to the reader a fascinating, evocative piece of work in a short period of time and also leave a profound impression on the reader’s mind. So much so, they can be as effective as or even rival the effect of longer forms of prose. Short stories are short-cuts to the realm of creativity and imagination.

Here are three things to keep in mind that will help you write better short stories.

1. Make it complete but concise.

The average word count of a short story is around 3,000 to 5,000 words. A short story may have a short lifespan, but it does deserve to live its life to the fullest. No matter how brief your story is, keep in mind that you’re still writing a story – one you want your audience to relate with and invest in – therefore your story shouldn’t be limited to the most basic elements a short story is touted to only have. It should include in the very least a couple of vital elements that would help bring out the color of any story. A little suspense, intrigue and a twist or two will immensely help give your story the perfect touch it needs. Remember you’re writing a ‘short’ story and not a plain one, which in effect should be a depiction of any good long-form prose. A good short story should be able to give the reader the thrilling experience of reading any long piece of prose albeit in a short period of time. It should open up a window to the world of creativity and wonder. However, make sure any element you add to your story is concise and serves the sole purpose of developing it and moving it forward. After all, brevity is key, for a short story.

2. Use clear but evocative descriptions.

Descriptions are crucial aspects of each and every story, they add effect, and a story won’t be complete without them. That being said, adding descriptions to short stories calls for careful consideration and creativity. You want to avoid writing effusive descriptions that are verbose, nor do you want too-short, meager ones that don’t deliver. The middle ground is to use precise, clear but evocative descriptions. It is imperative that your descriptions be vivid, comprehensive and be able to flick a switch in the mind of the reader. See this description from a Sherlock Holmes story, for instance.

“He was a tall, handsome youth about thirty, well-dressed and elegant but with something in his bearing which suggested the shyness of the student rather than the self-possession of the man of the world.” ~ The Adventure of the Creeping Man, by Arthur Conan Doyle

A well-written description delights the reader and complements the work of all other elements in the story. The above description is designed to evoke ideas. Notice how the writer brilliantly, succinctly laid out to the reader all essential features of the character, and sprinkled a bit of intrigue for effect.

3. Pour your heart into it.

Your story will only be as good as the effort you put into it. For your story be well-composed, to have the desired impact, it only makes sense to put in as much effort as you’d put in long-form prose. Regardless of the good elements added to a story, without putting in the required effort, it’d remain a body without a soul. Mediocre effort can only produce unsatisfactory results. But if you put passion, skill, and devotion into a story, it will show; it’ll ultimately give the body of your story a soul to hold it up, animate and steer it.

Bio: Abdulraheem Jameel Ango is a freelance writer with years of experience, that has written for a wide range clients and businesses. Find out more at: https://medium.com/@abdulwrites

Wyoming Arts Council Creative Writing Fellowship 2022

The Wyoming Arts Council Creative Writing Fellowship 2022 is now accepting applications. These fellowships are merit-based awards that honor Wyoming’s literary artists whose work reflects serious and exceptional writing. They are based on a writer’s body of work. Three fellowships will be awarded, one in each category of poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction. Noted authors, literary agents, and other writing professionals from outside the state judge the applications. The jury may give honorable mentions. The Creative Writing Fellowship recipients will receive $3,000 and the opportunity to present their work at a literary conference in Wyoming. Applications must be submitted online through Submittable.

Deadline is June 9, 2022.

For details, go here. For other fellowships from Wyoming Arts Council, go here.

The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest

The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest, with the theme The Funny Thing About Climate Change, challenges students to learn about climate change and its impact on the ocean, and to explore new ways to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis. They are seeking for innovative pieces that challenge their expectations for what climate change messaging should look like. Their guidelines say, how can you talk about climate change in a fresh way? How can you capture attention without sacrificing your message? What are innovative ways to creatively communicate about climate change? Consider: Humor, Positivity, Satire, Parody, Kitsch, Irony, Avant-Garde and more! The world is your oyster! Submissions are accepted in: Visual Art, Poetry & Spoken Word, Creative Writing, Film, Performing Arts (Music & Dance) and Interactive & Multimedia.

Deadline is June 13, 2022.

For details, go here.

Writer-in-Residence Program 2022

The Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence program is intended to provide an emerging children’s writer with the financial support, editorial assistance, and office space needed to complete one literary work for children or young adults. It is also aims to promote the awareness of the Boston Public Library and its resources, by establishing a living link between Library and the community. The fellowship recipient will receive $23,000 stipend, up to $2,000 of additional funding for coaching/editorial assistance, private office space at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, and opportunity to publicly present their manuscript at a fall reading. The completed manuscript will also be added to the BPL’s collection. All genres are welcome. Eligible projects include fiction, nonfiction, a graphic novel, script, or poetry intended for children or young adults. Applicants should not have already published any books and must be able to legally work in the US. The recipient must work for a minimum of 19 hours per week during the year-long residency, which runs from October through September.

Deadline is June 24, 2022.

For details, go here.

Walter Myers Grant 2022

The Walter Dean Myers Grants are open for submissions by unpublished but promising diverse writers and Illustrators. They are offering community-specific grants of $2,000 including two Walter Grants to Muslim creators, and two Walter Grants to Native/Indigenous/First Nations writers or illustrators, and two Walter Grants to trans writers or illustrators. To apply for these grants, you must select that you wish to be considered in your application. Applicants must be diverse, at least 18 years, and unpublished as illustrators and/or authors (this includes both trade publishing and self-publishing) and be U.S. residents or refugees living in the States.

Deadline is June 30, 2022.

For details, go here.

Drue Heinz Literature Prize

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world. The award is open to writers in English, whether or not they are citizens of the United States, who have published a novel or a book-length collection of fiction with a reputable book publisher, or a minimum of three short stories or novellas in magazines or journals of national distribution. Digital-only publication and self-publication do not count toward this requirement. Manuscripts are judged anonymously by nationally known writers. Winners will receive a cash prize of $15,000, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, and support in the nation-wide promotion of their book.

Deadline is June 30, 2022.

For details, go here.

Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award 2022

The Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award is designed to motivate non-American novice writers under the age of 30, and offer them the recognition and encouragement that might lead to a successful career in television scriptwriting. Entrants are asked to create a completed half-hour to one-hour English-language television drama script. The award winner will receive $2,500 and opportunity to be presented with the Sir Peter Ustinov Award in New York City.

They will also be invited to take part in the red carpet festivities at the 50th International Emmy Awards.

Deadline is June 29, 2022.

For details, go here.

SCHIESSLHAUS AiR Residency

Artists and creative professionals from Germany and abroad are invited to apply for a two-month residency at SCHIESSLHAUS AiR in Kollnburg. The residency program is open for visual artists of all disciplines, as well as for other creative fields such as film, theater, literature, architecture, sound, design, and music. Applications that seek to pursue interdisciplinary approaches at the interfaces of art, science/theory, media and technology are highly encouraged.

Applications are open to individual artists and/or artists’ collectives from Germany and abroad. There is no age restriction. It is compulsory to stay at the residence during the two-month residency. Short-term absences are possible. By participating in the residency program, the guest artists agree to participate in three events of the SCHIESSLHAUS AiR public program: the Jour-Fixe (lecture series and networking event with workshop), the “Kollnburger-Kunstsonntag” (informal project presentations) or the Open Studios, and the SCHIESSLHAUS AiR Annual Exhibition (November 2022). The dates will be communicated upon positive decision. In addition, the participation in the residency program requires a short report on the residency experience (either in written form, in the form of a photo album, a video/audio documentation or similar). Benefits include living spaces, studio and exhibition spaces, high-profile presentation platforms and networks, monthly grant/artists’ fee of 1.200 EUR (incl. costs of materials), reimbursement of travel expenses within Germany up to max. 120 EUR, within the EU up to max. 300 EUR, outside the EU up to max. 600 EUR, reimbursement of exhibition-related travel expenses (annual exhibition), and if applicable, additional funds for costs of materials and transport (annual exhibition). Current open call is for the residency period: September 13 – November 5, 2022.

Deadline is July 2, 2022.

For details, go here.

AFIRE Linda Ikeji Prize For Literature 2022 

The African Indie Writers Review (AFIRE) e-journal is happy to announce the 2022 Linda Ikeji Prize for Literature worth ₦1,000,000 (Almost $2,800). The Literature Prize is for African students and applicants from any African country. There are six categories, namely:

Fiction, Prose – full-length novels (published, self-published or unpublished); Fiction, Prose – short stories (published, self-published or unpublished); Non-Fiction (published, self-published or unpublished); Poetry collections (published, self-published or unpublished); Drama (published, self-published or unpublished); and Social media essay collections (published, self-published or unpublished).

Deadline is July 31, 2022.

For details, go here.

SCBWI’s Russell Freedman Award For Nonfiction For A Better World

In honor of the late Russell Freedman, Newbery Award winner and one of the modern masters of narrative nonfiction, SCBWI are happy to announce the The Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World as part of their Impact and Legacy Fund. To apply, fill out the application form and submit it to the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund. Requirements include a summary of your book (250 words max), your book’s topic, your intention in writing the book, and what you hope will be its effect on the world. Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2022, is eligible. Also, you do not have to be a member of SCBWI to submit. However, your book must be published by a publisher on the SCBWI PAL list (check SCBWI website for the Book Publisher). Twenty finalists will be selected. If your book is a finalist, you will be notified, and full copies of your book will be provided to the judging committee. The winner will receive a prize of $2500, recognition in all SCBWI publications, and a virtual forum to give a speech before the entire children’s book community.

Deadline is September 15, 2022.

For details, go here.

Bio: NmaHassan Muhammad is a children’s author and poet. He is currently on a residency at Ebedi International Writers Residency in Iseyin, Nigeria, where he will be completing the revision of three picture books workshopped recently at GrubStreet’s Picture Book Revision with Holly Thompson and teaching creative writing to students.