This May, submit your writing fee-free. In this list are writing opportunities – contests and magazines where you can publish your work. Some only publish while some also offer payments. Read the guidelines carefully, and submit your best. Be sure to save this page for more writing opportunities.
The Cincinnati Review
The Cincinnati Review seeks fiction, nonfiction, poetry (and translations), and art. They also publish flash fiction online (miCRo). Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $25/page (prose), $30/page (poetry), $25 (miCRo)
Deadline: Open from May 1st, 2024 until cap is filled.
Bacopa Literary Review Writing Contest
This international contest offers prizes in multiple categories. Submit your work in fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, formal poetry, free verse poetry, or visual poetry. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $200 top prize and $100 honourable mention in each of the six categories.
Deadline: May 2nd, 2024.
Casa Africa Essay Contest
Casa Africa invites academics and experts to submit essays on the theme of intra-African immigration. Essays should be between 15,000-20,000 words and can be written in Spanish, English, French, or Portuguese. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: €2,000
Deadline: May 2nd, 2024.
On the Premises Mini Contest
This contest wants a complete story in just 25-50 words where a hat plays a key role. Only traditional hats (caps okay) are accepted. Get creative – the hat doesn’t even need to be worn in the story! Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $35 (1st) | $25 (2nd) | $15 (3rd)
Deadline: May 3rd, 2024.
Singapore Unbound
This international poetry contest challenges you to use the word “interrogation” creatively in your poem. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $300 (1st) | $200 (2nd) | $100 (3rd)
Deadline: May 6th, 2024.
One Story
One Story publishes literary fiction. They accept translations and occasionally reprints. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $500 and 25 contributor copies.
Deadline: Opens May 6th, 2024, until cap is filled.
Bloodletter Magazine
This feminist horror magazine seeks personal and analytical writing on horror from women, trans, and non-binary writers. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid, reviews, and art. The current theme is hysteria. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: May 7th, 2024.
2025 Cave Canem Prize
This prestigious prize seeks debut poetry collections by Black poets. Submit your manuscript for a chance to win. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $10,000, publication, feature reading.
Deadline: May 13th, 2024.
Apparition Lit
Submit your speculative flash fiction up to 1000 words on themes related to food for a chance to win. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $30.
Deadline: May 14, 2024.
Prose Poetry Contest
They’re accepting prose poems. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: £50 plus publication (1st) | £25 plus publication (2nd) | £15 plus publication (3rd) | £10 plus publication (honourable mention).
Deadline: May 15, 2024.
Nine Muses Review
Nine Muses Review, an online literary magazine, seeks fiction, flash fiction, poetry, and art for Issue II. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: May 15th, 2024
Pulp Asylum Fiction Contest
Pulp Asylum wants drabbles (100-word stories) exploring the theme of rebirth or renewal. Genres accepted are crime, mystery, horror, suspense, fantasy, science fiction, western, or just plain weird. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $10.
Deadline: May 15th, 2024.
Fish Barrel Review
Fish Barrel Review seeks dedicated writers with challenging, inspiring, and empathetic work. They accept fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: May 15th, 2024.
Sontag Mag
This is a journal of craft and poetry seeking carefully crafted poems. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: May 20th, 2024.
The Dream Foundry Emerging Writers Contest
This contest is for emerging speculative fiction writers. Send your best speculative short story (up to 10,000 words) for a chance to win. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $1,000 (1st) | $500 (2nd) | $200 (3rd).
Deadline: May 27th, 2024.
The Irene Adler Prize
This scholarship competition is now open to women globally who are pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature. Submit a 500-word essay on one of the provided topics. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $1,000 grand prize, two $250 honourable mentions.
Deadline: May 30th, 2024
Speculative Literature Foundation
This grant supports speculative fiction writers who are 50 or older and just beginning their professional writing careers. Submit samples of your fiction, poetry, drama, or creative nonfiction (with guidelines for longer works). Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $1,000
Deadline: May 31st, 2024.
Baltimore Review
The Baltimore Review seeks poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $40.
Deadline: May 31, 2024.
The Machine
The Machine seeks work from disabled creatives that challenges ableist perspectives. They accept fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and audio. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: May 31st, 2024
UnSerious Collective Fellowship
This fellowship recognizes talented emerging Nigerian poets with work that is commendable, experimental, brilliant, and daring. Four fellows will be selected. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: N125,000 each and publication.
Deadline: May 31st, 2024.
The Shore Poetry
The Shore Poetry wants your cutting-edge, unusual, and bold poetry. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Deadline: June 1st, 2024.
Rolling Submissions
These are open calls with recurring deadlines or without specified deadlines; be sure to check if they haven’t reached their submission caps or closed, before submitting.
D’LitReview
D’LitReview website is open for submissions. Send your poetry, fiction, non-fiction, essays, hybrid work, you name it! Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Red Ogre Review
Red Ogre Review seeks poetry, prose poetry, book reviews, critical essays, visual art, and music. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Shelfy Editorial
Shelfy Editorial wants engaging pieces that analyze and celebrate culture with a focus on long-term impact. They pay writers a starting rate of $0.50 per word. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Men’s Journal
Men’s Journal, a lifestyle publication for men, is looking for big, impactful feature stories. Think inspiring adventures, deep dives into luxury items, in-depth health reporting, or other compelling narratives that appeal to their audience. They pay $250 for pieces between 600-800 words.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Shark Tank Enthusiasts Wanted
Do you love Shark Tank? A writing/editing position is available for someone passionate about the show. Expect to work 40-50 hours per month at a rate of $15 per hour.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
The International Policy Journal
The International Policy Journal wants your ideas on improving foreign policy. They welcome articles (750-1,000 words, $400 payment) and in-depth features (3,000 words, $1,500 payment).
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Fansplaining
Fansplaining, a podcast-turned-written publication about fandom, is accepting pitches for well-researched and analytical pieces (2,000 – 4,000 words). They’re not interested in quick takes. Payment is $250 per piece.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Trampset Journal
Trampset Journal seeks short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from diverse voices. They welcome simultaneous submissions but do not accept multiple submissions at once. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $25 per accepted piece.
The 20Something Pub
Submit your 20s-themed stories to this mag, focusing on personal experiences, challenges, triumphs, and life lessons. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
The Kalahari Review
This vibrant African literary magazine is seeking fresh, unconventional perspectives on modern Africa. They accept various genres, including fiction, essays, poetry, and visual art. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Farafina Books Blog
Submit your short stories, poems, and reviews (minimum 500 words) to info@kachifo.com. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Palimpset Press
As part of their commitment to breaking down barriers for BIPOC, Deaf, and Disabled authors, they are now accepting submissions year-round from authors who identify as above. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
The University of Wisconsin Press
They have introduced a new series called Women and Gender in Africa, inviting manuscripts from African-born authors. The series, edited by UW–Madison professors Jacqueline-Bethel Mougoué and Aili Mari Tripp, focuses on publishing original research in history, politics, and cultural studies. It seeks innovative works addressing topics such as women and religion, LGBTQI+ concerns, human rights, migration, and more. Manuscripts should engage in broad theoretical debates, demonstrate comparative insights, and incorporate discussions on literature and popular culture. Submissions will be evaluated based on significance, quality of scholarship, clarity, and marketability. Authors can inquire about their projects by contacting the series editors or submitting a brief email query. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Naija Theatre
They are currently open for reviews, aiming to publish 1-2 reviews monthly. To submit, individuals are required to watch a Nigerian stage play, write a review, and share their name, email address, and the review itself. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: NGN50,000 for each accepted and published review.
Deadline: 25th of each month.
Shenandoah Literary
Fiction submissions for short stories and novel excerpts are now open on Shenandoah Literary. Only the first 250 submissions will be accepted.
Check the details and guidelines for submissions >>here<<
Illino Magazine
They’re looking for African fiction; afrofuturism, extended folklore, fantasy, mystic fiction, and young adult fiction by African writers who currently live in an African country.
Prizes: From $20.
Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
The War Cry
The Salvation Army magazine welcomes writings from freelance writers. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: If you create something new, they pay $0.35 for each word, and for articles they’ve published before, it’s $0.15 per word.
Contingent Magazine
A history magazine currently accepting pitches. They’re interested in various formats. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes:
– $250 for shorts, field trips, and reviews.
– $100 for mailbags and mini-essays.
– $50 for postcards.
The Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ)
This nonprofit magazine is on the lookout for pitches. They are specifically seeking pieces for their new column called “We Stood Up,” which features the voices of individuals working towards economic justice in their workplace. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $300.
Post-Mortem
They are currently open for pitches. They feature retrospectives of life experiences in the style of a Big Tech post-mortem, written by funny and witty people. If you have a humorous take on life experiences, they want to hear from you. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $100.
Meridian
This magazine focused on untold stories in tech, is open to pitches at all times. Prize: The pay ranges between $0.80 and $1 per word. If you have an interesting pitch, you can send it to meridian@mercury.com. Before pitching, it’s a good idea to check their website to get a sense of the kind of work they publish. Check it out >>here<<
Type Investigations
This is a nonprofit investigative newsroom with a focus on pressing issues such as racial and economic justice, climate and environmental health, and civil and human rights. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: They typically offer compensation ranging from $3,000 to $6,000, which includes coverage for travel and reporting expenses.
The Progress Network
This is a movement striving for a brighter future amidst a world often filled with pessimistic voices. They are eager to receive substantive good news, solutions journalism stories, constructive opinions on current affairs, and progress-oriented perspectives on various themes including history, psychology, philosophy, and culture. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: The compensation for contributions ranges between $250 and $650.
The Drift
Positioning itself as a “magazine of culture and politics,” they’re seeking socially engaged cultural criticism, class-sensitive analysis, pieces addressing overlooked or evaded aspects in politics, media, arts, or academia, along with upbeat cynicism, un-self-serious screeds, generous takedowns, entries from the margins, fiction, poetry, and concise book, movie, TV, or art reviews. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $2,000 for essays, $500 to $1,000 for short stories, $150 for poems, and $25 for Mentions.
The New Yorker
They accept fiction, poetry, shouts & murmurs and daily shouts, cartoons, and other type of writings. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Benefit: Publication.
Flora Fiction
They welcome submissions of artwork and offer a platform for artists to share insights related to creativity, including processes, inspiration, critical thinking, and more. The submission categories include Flash Fiction, Poetry & Prose, Photography, and Drawings & Illustration. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Benefit: Publication.
Apex Magazine
Their submission portal for short fiction is currently open. If you have a speculative fiction piece ready, this is your chance to submit. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $0.08 per word
The House of Gamut
Fiction and poetry submissions are currently open. If you have stories fitting the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, thrillers, neo-noir, new-weird, transgressive fiction, magical realism, or literary fiction leaning into the genre, this is your chance to submit. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $0.10 per word (fiction). $50 per poem for new work and $25 per poem for reprints. (Poetry)
The Cosmic Background
If you enjoy crafting flash fiction stories that don’t necessarily follow a conventional narrative and love the bizarre and unusual, this is your chance to submit. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $0.08 per word
The O’Shaughnessy Fellowship
This fellowship presents a unique opportunity for innovative creators worldwide. It is a one-year remote program open to individuals above eighteen years old. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: up to $100,000 in funding, along with access to founders, investors, and experts who will provide support in bringing your projects to life.
The RCDIJ Africa Fund
They are actively providing support for small to mid-scale data and/or investigative journalism projects across various crucial topics, including education, health, security, environment, democracy, corruption, economy, migration, technology, culture, and development. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: Successful projects can be awarded funding ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
Eco Punk Literary Magazine
They offer a continuous submission window for writers and artists interested in contributing Eco Poetry and Artwork. If you have environmentally-themed poetry or artwork, this could be an excellent platform for your creative expression. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $10.
Menagerie
They accept submissions in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prize: $50.
Palette Poetry
They exclusively accept submissions in the Poetry genre. Read the details and guidelines for submission >>here<<
Prizes: $50 per poem, up to $150.
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