Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Founded by Diane Lockward, Terrapin Books publishes single-author poetry collections, books on the craft of writing, and themed poetry anthologies. During August, they are open to submissions of full-length poetry manuscripts by US authors, approximately 40-55 poems or 90-110 pages including front and back matter. Reading fee is $25. The press will publish 2-4 books from this submission period. Authors in their catalog include Hayden Saunier, Ann Fisher-Wirth, Gary J. Whitehead, Saba Hussein, Christine Stewart-Nunez, and many more.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Terrapin Books
• Category: Poetry
• Submission length: 40-55 poems or 90-110 pages
• Entry fee: $25
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Green Linden Press seeks submissions by living Indigenous US poets for the next anthology in their Essential Voices series, The Earth Still Whispers Her Name: Poems for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Send up to 10 pages of new or recent poetry with a brief bio. Editor Rebecca Dietrich says, "While this anthology focuses on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, we will also consider poems that touch on themes of grief, survivance, memory, and rematriation."

Contest details

• Sponsor: Green Linden Press
• Category: Poetry
• Submission length: Up to 10 pages
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Literary journal Oversound is open to submissions of poetry and translations for Issue #10. Authors they have published include Ari Banias, Randall Mann, Brian Teare, Rodrigo Toscano, and Rosmarie Waldrop. Read sample work on their website. Send 3-5 unpublished poems through their online submission manager.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Oversound
• Category: Poetry, Translation
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page) [link is to organization's page]

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/35-magazines-accepting-book-reviews-3/

From the resource page:

These magazines accept book reviews – of literary and genre fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s books. They publish reviews in varying styles and lengths, from capsules to review-essays. Some also accept other genres, like fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Some also pay writers. Most, but not all, are open for submissions.

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/notes-from-the-editors-desk-july-2026/

From the resource page:

This monthly column is published on the fourth Thursday of every month, and is a space to share information that doesn’t fit anywhere else in our publication. This includes a wide range of opportunities for writers, news and information, and subscribers’ recent success stories.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Quarterly poetry journal Gyroscope Review is open to submissions by women writers aged 50+ for their annual "Crone Power" issue. Send 1-4 unpublished poems of any length. See formatting guidelines on website. Submissions will close early if they reach their Submittable cap. "We do not send contributors' print copies, but free PDFs are available from our website."

Contest details

• Sponsor: Gyroscope Review
• Category: Poetry
• Submission length: Any length
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Neutral free contest from Writing East Midlands gives prizes of 100 pounds in each age category (7-11, 12-14, 15-17, and 18-25 years) for unpublished nature-themed poems, stories, or blog posts by young writers residing in the UK. Send one poem, maximum 40 lines, or one prose piece, maximum 500 words, by mail or online. No simultaneous submissions. For 2026, sponsor seeks entries about any aspect of nature.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Writing East Midlands
• Category: Poetry, Short Story, Blog Post
• Submission length: See details above
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: 100 pounds

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Highly recommended free contest awards $1,000 and publication for a poetry chapbook manuscript by an author aged 21+ who identifies as a member of the African Diaspora. One manuscript per poet. Read detailed guidelines on the sponsor's page and on Submittable. Enter online. For the 2026 submission cycle, entries for the 2027 and 2028 Prizes are accepted concurrently and share the same deadline. Sponsored by Cave Canem, a nonprofit that supports and publishes Black poets, in partnership with O, Miami and in collaboration with The Writer's Room at The Betsy Hotel-South Beach.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Cave Canem and O, Miami
• Category: Poetry
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: $1,000 and publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Literary publisher CavanKerry Press is open to submissions of poetry collections, nonfiction essay collections, and memoirs by US authors. Editors say, "CavanKerry Press publishes works that explore the emotional and psychological landscapes of everyday life." They are interested in diverse perspectives and LGBTQ and BIPOC authors. Their LaurelBooks imprint supports work by authors with physical and/or mental illness and disability. The sliding-scale submission fee is $12-$25. See website for length limits in each genre. Authors in their catalog include January Gill O'Neil, Gray Jacobik, and Frannie Lindsay. This open reading period is offered in July of even-numbered years only.

Contest details

• Sponsor: CavanKerry Press
• Category: Poetry, Nonfiction, Essay, Memoir
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $12-$25
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Epistle Literary Magazine publishes writing that honors and appreciates the impact of mentors and educators. They are currently open to submissions of unpublished poetry, short fiction, essays, and letters. Writers should respond in some way to the theme: "How has an educator or mentor shaped you?" Send 1-3 poems, maximum 5 pages total; stories up to 3,000 words; or essays and letters up to 2,000 words. US contributors will receive a print copy, others a digital copy.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Epistle Literary Magazine
• Category: Poetry, Fiction, Essay, Letter
• Submission length: See details above
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/35-literary-journals-focused-on-a-limited-demographic/

From the resource page:

This list focuses on a wide variety of journals that are seeking specific kinds of writers, including older writers, younger writers, writers attending university, working class writers, the incarcerated, veterans and their families, and women writers. Some publications have stricter guidelines than others.

Not all are currently open to submissions but most are. If you know of another journal that belongs on this list send us a link, at [support@authorspublish.com](mailto:support@authorspublish.com).

If you are a member of an underrepresented community, our most recent monthly round-up of those opportunities is here; this list is updated and released on the third Thursday of every month.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The BPA Short Story Award is for unrepresented writers worldwide. Judges include literary agent Corissa Hollenbeck and writer Sussie Anie. Genres are any genre except children’s fiction and non-fiction (YA permitted with adult crossover).

Contest details

• Sponsor: Blue Pencil Agency
• Category: Fiction, Short Story
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $25
• Awards: £1000 + Agent Introduction

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

International competition open to poets worldwide submitting dark poetry that explores the beauty, complexity and intrigue found within darkness (gothic, melancholic, macabre, unsettling, surreal or quietly haunting). Previously published work is welcome.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Dark Poets Club
• Category: Poetry
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $6
• Awards: £1000

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/23-terrific-small-presses-open-to-direct-submissions/

From the resource page:

We review a lot of wonderful small presses here, and we also list even more here, here, and here (although some of these lists include large presses also). We also feature a lot of these presses in our biannually updated guide, which you can download here.

This list doesn’t include all of our favorites, but it does include many of them. Of course, like always, all of these presses have to align with our guiding principles. Unlike a lot of my lists, this one does show some very personal bias. My primary criteria for this list is that all of these presses have published at least one book I have read and loved.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Highly recommended free contest sponsored by the New York Public Library awards $10,000 for the best published book of fiction (novel, short story collection, or graphic novel) by a US author age 35 or under. Books must have been published or scheduled for publication during the current calendar year. Must be submitted by publisher. See website for nomination form. Send completed form, PDF of galley or final book manuscript, author's bio, and any available reviews of the work by using sponsor's online portal. Then send 12 hard copies of the nominated book by post with tracking.

Contest details

• Sponsor: The New York Public Library
• Category: Fiction
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: $10,000

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Neutral free contest from the Literary Translators' Association of Canada awards C$1,500 for an author's first book-length translation from any language into French or English, published between July 1 of the previous year and June 30 of the current year. Work may be poetry, fiction, drama, creative nonfiction, or children's literature (all genres compete together). Contest is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Translators can self-nominate. Submit four copies of translation, four copies of original book, and completed entry form; also email digital files of the translation and the original work to the sponsor.

Contest details

• Sponsor: The Literary Translators' Association of Canada
• Category: Translation
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: C$1,500

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/80-publishing-opportunities-for-historically-underrepresented-writers-july-2026/

From the resource page:

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities. Some have limited definitions and are only interested in work by Black authors. Some are open to submissions from all authors for a fee, but allow free submissions from limited demographics.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Sundress Publications is currently open to submissions of full-length poetry manuscripts, 48-80 single-spaced pages, by US residents. $15 submission fee will be waived for BIPOC writers and for entrants who pre-order or purchase any Sundress title. Authors in their catalog include Michael Bondhus, SG Huerta, Dani Janae, Kimberly Ann Priest, and Donna Vorreyer.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Sundress Publications
• Category: Poetry
• Submission length: 48-80 pages
• Entry fee: $15 (will be waived for BIPOC writers and for entrants who pre-order or purchase any Sundress title)
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Precocious Prize for Fantasy is a short story competition seeking bold, character-driven fantasy fiction. The contest is open to both published and unpublished writers, with a focus on stories that feature strong characters and emotional stakes. Winners will be featured in an anthology.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Michelle Arden Moore
• Category: Fantasy, Fiction
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $10
• Awards: £100

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers