Authortunities Calendar
Welcome to the Authortunities Calendar! This page is regularly updated with carefully vetted opportunities for writers (submissions, contests, classes, and events) all selected for clarity, fairness, and accessibility. If it’s listed here, it’s something I’d genuinely recommend to a writer I care about.
Listings are organized by emoji for easy searching:
🟢 open for submissions, 🔴 closing, ⭐ events, and ♻️ reprints accepted.
Looking for something? Find something cool? Please share!
From MAY 2 - JUNE 4
🟢 MAY 2 · Clockwork Oceans and Lunar Dreams: A Vernean Odyssey is open until full for speculative fiction (flash to ~12,000 words; exceptions considered) “tales of ingenious inventions, daring journeys, scientific marvels, and unforgettable discoveries.” Payment: $5 USD per 1,000 words and contributor digital copy. Reprints, simultaneous, and multiple submissions accepted. Submit via email: editor@jayhenge.com (include anthology name and word count in subject).
https://www.jayhenge.com/callforstories.html
🟢 MAY 2 · Okay Donkey Magazine is open until they hit their submissions cap (Tip Jar and Expedited Response submissions will remain open) for submissions of flash fiction and poetry. Payment: $20 honorarium per accepted piece. Simultaneous submissions allowed; reprints not accepted. Submit via Submittable.
https://okaydonkeymag.com/submissions/
🟢 MAY 2 · Book Worms Zine is open until June 15 for submissions of horror flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and short stories (1,000–1,500 words) on the theme of camping. Seeking horror stories across all subgenres. Payment is $0.08 USD per word. Accepting mail in submissions only.
🟢 MAY 2 · Dark Moments Drabble Challenge is open until May 31 for speculative flash written to the theme “Time Travel.” The BEST 12 drabbles will be selected for publication online in Dark Moments. Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $0.04/word.
https://blackharepress.com/blogs/open-calls/dark-moments
🟢 MAY 2 · Short Story Substack is open until May 31 for submissions of short stories across all genres. Stories can range from 6 words to 10,000 words, with a preference for 3,000–5,500 words. Payment is USD $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue. Reprints are accepted; simultaneous submissions are allowed. Submissions are accepted via email.
https://shortstory.substack.com/
🟢♻️ MAY 2 · Saros Speculative Fiction is open until May 17 for stories between 1000-2,500 words relating to the Issue #6 theme of Breaking the Mold. Payment: CAD $33 for original fiction. Simultaneous submissions allowed; reprints accepted. Submit via Moksha.
https://sarossf.com/submissions/
🟢♻️ MAY 3 · Collaborature Monthly Contest is open until the 17th of the month for fiction and poetry “written by more than one author or include a collaboration of two people (i.e., art and poetry).” Reprints are allowed. Payment is $20 USD.
https://collaborature.blogspot.com/p/contests.html
🔴 MAY 5 · Creative Future Writers’ Award (UK) is closing for poetry (max 50 lines), fiction (max 2,000 words), and creative non-fiction (max 2,000 words). Free to enter for underrepresented UK writers aged 18+, with winners sharing £25,000 in cash and development prizes, publication in an anthology, and a reading showcase at the London Literature Festival. Entry via online form, email, or post with entry form; judging is anonymous.
https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/for-writers/creative-future-writers-award/how-to-enter/
⭐ MAY 5 · Reedsy’s How to Write a Winning Short Story Great short fiction proves that impact isn’t measured by length. In this exclusive two-hour session, we’ll explore short fiction in various forms, from flash fiction to the short story. This workshop includes two live masterclasses from world-class instructors, including two-times Bram Stoker winner Angela Yuriko Smith, with a short 15 minute break in between. You’ll also receive 1x free entry to Reedsy’s short story contest Reedsy Prompts for the chance to win $250.
https://reedsy.com/learning/events/writing-a-winning-short-story
⭐ MAY 5 · Space & Time Podcast Celebrate this month’s issue of Space & Time in this live podcast event along with submission updates and insights from the editorial team. Hosted by Publisher Ryan Aussie Smith and Editor-in-Chief Angela Yuriko Smith, this session offers a behind-the-scenes look at the magazine while highlighting the voices within its pages every Tuesday. This episode will air at 3:30 EDT.
https://open.substack.com/live-stream/187006?utm_source=live-stream-scheduled-upsell
⭐ MAY 5 · The Merritt Dialogues: On Iran In the shadow of the escalating US‑Israel war on Iran, historian Behrooz Ghamari and feminist journalist Fatemeh Jamalpour come together for a rare, intimate dialogue on Iran, dissent, and the futures imagined by those forced to live and write between worlds. Guided by cultural critic Jeff Chang, they’ll explore how revolutions are remembered, how regimes attempt to silence witnesses, and how stories cross borders even when bodies cannot. Virtual tickets $10 USD.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-merritt-dialogues-on-iran-tickets-1984803795582
🟢 MAY 6 · The Stinging Fly opens until May 20 for submissions of fiction and poetry for their Winter 2026-27 issue. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €50 per magazine page, but with a minimum/maximum payment of €375/€1250. Flash Fiction/shorter essays (1 – 2 pages): €175 Poetry: €50 per magazine page, but with a minimum payment of €80 per poem. Featured Poet: €600 Cover artwork image: €500. Simultaneous submissions and reprints are not accepted. Submit via Submittable.
https://stingingfly.org/submissions/
⭐ MAY 6-8 · Nonfiction Writers Conference begins today for its virtual event. The conference offers live sessions with industry experts, agent pitches, and one-on-one consultations, focusing on writing, publishing, and promoting nonfiction books. Registration closes with the start of the event.
www.nonfictionwritersconference.com
🟢 MAY 7 · Apex Magazine Monthly Flash Fiction Contest Submissions open to all for speculative flash fiction until the last day of the month at midnight. Winner will be announced no later than the 15th of the following month and be paid $0.08/word or $10, whichever is more and published on the Apex Magazine Patreon as an exclusive the month following and will be included in the forthcoming issue of Apex Magazine.
https://apexbookcompany.moksha.io/publication/apex-magazine-flash-fiction
🔴 MAY 7 · Anomaly is closed for dark science fiction flash fiction (≤300 words). They want disruptive, emotionally resonant speculative stories that linger. Payment is $0.08/word plus an electronic copy of a future anthology. No reprints. No simultaneous submissions. Submission method: Patreon post includes instructions.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/124086163?collection=1379866
🔴 MAY 8 · Space and Time (Issue 151: “Light the Beacons”) is closed for flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and poetry (up to 35 lines). A bold speculative theme exploring resistance through rest. The magazine seeks genre-blending work—horror, science fiction, fantasy, and boundary-pushing hybrids that challenge assumptions and reshape perspectives. Work in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian is welcome (to be translated into English). Payment is $0.01/word for fiction and $5 per poem (up to 35 lines), plus a digital contributor copy. Submission method: Duosuma.
https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/space-and-time-nDoUw
🔴 MAY 8 · Rattle Magazine’s “Poets Respond” challenge calls for poems inspired by “a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since.” Selected poems will appear as the Sunday poem at Rattle.com which appear to over 10,000 people via RSS feed and daily email service. Poets will receive $100 and a free print magazine subscription. Each week’s deadline is Friday midnight PST.
https://rattle.submittable.com/submit/30232/poets-respond-online
⭐ MAY 10 · Bi-Weekly Open Mic Night with Jordan Francis Share your words live at NeighborHub’s community open mic, happening every other Sunday at 8 PM EST. Bring your prose, your poetry, your half-finished brilliance — this is a welcoming, supportive space built for creative courage and growth. Whether you’re reading for the first time or refining your voice, you’ll find an audience that listens deeply and celebrates bold work. Part of the Authortunities Hub.
https://authortunities-hub.mn.co/posts/97187935
⭐ MAY 10 · Inspirational Indie Authors podcast with the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) and Howard Lovy. Dive deep into personal stories of indie authors, understanding their pathways to success, challenges faced, and lessons learned. Every 2nd Sunday, 1 pm GMT.
https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/inspirational-indie-author-interviews-podcast/
🔴♻️ MAY 15 · Way Downstream: A Long-Form Prose Anthology is closing for submissions “stories and essays that are too long for most literary magazines.” Submissions are open to queer, trans, and gender variant writers. Payment is $5 USD. Reprints are allowed. Submit via Duosuma.
https://fifthwheelpress.com/way-downstream
🔴 MAY 15 · Overheard (Manuscript Submissions) is closing for full-length manuscript submissions, including fiction/essay collections, poetry collections, creative nonfiction, and hybrid works. A $1,000 advance and standard royalties are paid to selected authors, with publication slated for 2027. Simultaneous submissions allowed with notification upon acceptance. Submission method: Duosuma online manager.
https://overheardlit.org/submit
🔴 MAY 15 · 100-Foot Crow is closing for speculative drabbles — exactly 100-word science fiction, fantasy, or horror stories (theme or un-themed, depending on the current call). Payment is $8.00 ($0.08/word) via PayPal. Reprints not accepted. Simultaneous submissions allowed (notify if accepted elsewhere). Submission method: Google form when open.
https://100footcrow.com/submission-guidelines/
🔴 MAY 15 · Forge Literary Magazine closes monthly submissions for literary fiction and nonfiction (strongly preferred under 3,000 words; exceptional work up to 3,500 words considered). Flash and micro-fiction encouraged; simultaneous submissions welcome. Payment: $100 per piece. Submit via Submittable (free submissions capped at 200/month). No AI-generated content.
https://forgelitmag.com/submit/
🔴 MAY 15 · Tableware Magazine closes today for original, unpublished submissions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, visual art, photography, and reviews. Payment is $50 per accepted piece. Submit via email to tablewaremag@gmail.com.
https://bigtablepress.com/tableware-magazine/
🔴 MAY 15 · Rattle Magazine’s “Poets Respond” challenge calls for poems inspired by “a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since.” Selected poems will appear as the Sunday poem at Rattle.com which appear to over 10,000 people via RSS feed and daily email service. Poets will receive $100 and a free print magazine subscription. Each week’s deadline is Friday midnight PST.
https://rattle.submittable.com/submit/30232/poets-respond-online
🔴 MAY 15 · Writers Alliance of Gainesville closes for submissions to the 2025 WAG Anthology Contest. Accepts fiction, nonfiction (up to 2,500 words), and poetry (up to 3 pages). Payment: $200 for winners; $100 for honorable mentions.
https://writersallianceofgainesville.submittable.com/submit
🔴 MAY 16 · The Offing is closing for submissions of personal essays and prose translations. Word limit for translations is up to 7,500 words. Payment ranges from $25–$100 depending on length and department. Simultaneous submissions allowed. No reprints.
https://theoffingmag.submittable.com/submit
🔴 MAY 16 · Three-Lobed Burning Eye is closing for original, unpublished speculative fiction, including horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction. They accept short stories (1,500–7,499 words) and flash fiction (500–1,499 words). Payment is $0.08 per word, plus one copy of the print anthology. Submission method: online guidelines.
https://www.3lobedmag.com/submissions.html
🔴♻️ MAY 17 · Collaborature Monthly Contest is closing for fiction and poetry “written by more than one author or include a collaboration of two people (i.e., art and poetry).” Reprints are allowed. Payment is $20 USD.
https://collaborature.blogspot.com/p/contests.html
🔴 MAY 17 · Utopia Science Fiction Magazine is closing for “enthralling stories set in a future we want to believe in, one we would fight to make a reality” from 100-4,000 words and poetry. Payment is .08 per word for prose, $25 per poem. No theme.
https://www.utopiasciencefiction.com/submit
🔴 MAY 17 · Griffith Review 94: Out of Office closes today for fiction and nonfiction on the “dispiriting 90,000 hours” we spend of our lives at work. Submissions up to 4,000 words. Payment is AUD $0.75 per word.
https://griffithreview.submittable.com/submit
🔴♻️ MAY 17 · Saros Speculative Fiction is closing for stories between 1000-2,500 words relating to the Issue #6 theme of Breaking the Mold. Payment: CAD $33 for original fiction. Simultaneous submissions allowed; reprints accepted. Submit via Moksha.
https://sarossf.com/submissions/
🟢♻️ MAY 20 · Reader Beware Magazine is open until May 31 for submissions of horror and dark fiction short stories (1,000–5,000 words) and flash fiction (under 1,000 words). Payment: $0.01 USD per word for fiction or up to three pages of poetry per author at a rate of twenty dollars plus five cents per line.
https://readerbewaremag.wixsite.com/readerbewaremag/submissions
🔴 MAY 20 · The Stinging Fly closes for submissions of fiction and poetry for their Winter 2026-27 issue. Payment: Fiction and nonfiction: €50 per magazine page, but with a minimum/maximum payment of €375/€1250. Flash Fiction/shorter essays (1 – 2 pages): €175 Poetry: €50 per magazine page, but with a minimum payment of €80 per poem. Featured Poet: €600 Cover artwork image: €500. Simultaneous submissions and reprints are not accepted. Submit via Submittable.
https://stingingfly.org/submissions/
⭐ MAY 21 · A Beginner’s Guide to the Indie Author Project Free event from the Indie Author Project (IAP), for anyone curious how the Indie Author Project (IAP) works, or how to get your ebook into libraries through IAP. In this introductory session, they walk through the full IAP pathway, including how submissions work, how libraries access indie ebooks, how to potentially earn royalties, and how the annual contests fit into the program. They will also share tips for increasing your chances of being selected and leave plenty of time for live Q&A.
https://indieauthorproject.com/expert-session/a-beginners-guide-to-the-indie-author-project/
⭐ MAY 21 · First Friday - Third Thursday Quick Read features 6 authors each reading a selection of speculative fiction for 8 minutes. There will be time for questions & answers at the end and a giveaway from the authors. This free event hosted by Strong Women - Strange Worlds features Tara Campbell, Renee Coloman, Larissa N N Davila, E.A. Noble, Caroline Shea, and Jacquelyn Stolos along with emcee/host Sarah Smith along with support from authors Anne Nydam and Terri Bruce. Pre-register.
https://strongwomenstrangeworlds.weebly.com/
🔴 MAY 22 · Rattle Magazine’s “Poets Respond” challenge calls for poems inspired by “a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since.” Selected poems will appear as the Sunday poem at Rattle.com which appear to over 10,000 people via RSS feed and daily email service. Poets will receive $100 and a free print magazine subscription. Each week’s deadline is Friday midnight PST.
https://rattle.submittable.com/submit/30232/poets-respond-online
⭐ MAY 22-25 · Balticon Explore over 300 hours of science fiction, fantasy, writing, publishing, maker, media, and fan programming at Balticon 60 in Baltimore, Maryland. This four-day convention includes panels, workshops, readings, signings, roundtables, concerts, book launches, movies, kids’ and young adult events, and virtual programming through Balticon Anywhere. Full-weekend adult memberships are currently $89 at the door, with virtual-only memberships available for $30.
⭐ MAY 24 · Bi-Weekly Open Mic Night with Jordan Francis Share your words live at NeighborHub’s community open mic, happening every other Sunday at 8 PM EST. Bring your prose, your poetry, your half-finished brilliance — this is a welcoming, supportive space built for creative courage and growth. Whether you’re reading for the first time or refining your voice, you’ll find an audience that listens deeply and celebrates bold work. Part of the Authortunities Hub.
https://authortunities-hub.mn.co/posts/97187935
⭐ MAY 24 · Writing the Negative Space: What Exists in Absence Presented by Kristin Entler, all of Fahmidan’s workshops will be recorded via Zoom. Check the listing for times. Cost: $29.99.
https://fahmidanjournal.submittable.com/submit/308885/fahmidan-workshops-2024-2025
🔴 MAY 29 · Rattle Magazine’s “Poets Respond” challenge calls for poems inspired by “a news story or public event from the previous week, and has been written in the time since.” Selected poems will appear as the Sunday poem at Rattle.com which appear to over 10,000 people via RSS feed and daily email service. Poets will receive $100 and a free print magazine subscription. Each week’s deadline is Friday midnight PST.
https://rattle.submittable.com/submit/30232/poets-respond-online
🔴 MAY 30 · Apex Magazine Monthly Flash Fiction Contest Submissions close to all for speculative flash fiction at midnight. Winner will be announced no later than the 15th of the following month and be paid $0.08/word or $10, whichever is more, and published on the Apex Magazine Patreon as an exclusive the month following and will be included in the forthcoming issue of Apex Magazine.
https://apexbookcompany.moksha.io/publication/apex-magazine-flash-fiction
🔴 MAY 30 · Adi Magazine: Spring Poetry Call is closing for poetry exploring alternative political visions. Seeking stories that center marginalized perspectives, especially from the Global South, and engage with themes of resistance, solidarity, and reimagined futures. Payment is $150 per poem.
https://adimagazine.com/submissions/
🔴♻️ MAY 31 · Reader Beware Magazine is closing for submissions of horror and dark fiction short stories (1,000–5,000 words) and flash fiction (under 1,000 words). Payment: $0.01 USD per word for fiction or up to three pages of poetry per author at a rate of twenty dollars plus five cents per line.
https://readerbewaremag.wixsite.com/readerbewaremag/submissions
🔴 MAY 31 · The Bombay Literary Magazine closes for submissions of fiction (under 5,000 words), nonfiction, and up to five poems. Payment: ₹2,500 INR for prose and ₹1,000 INR per poem (via UPI or PayPal).
https://bombaylitmag.com/submit/
🔴 MAY 31 · Split Lip Magazine closes for submissions of fiction, memoir/nonfiction, poetry, and visual art/photography. Payment: $100 per author for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, art, and interviews/reviews, and $50 for mini-reviews for our web issues. Simultaneous submissions allowed; no reprints. Submit via Submittable.
https://splitlipthemag.com/submit
🔴 MAY 31 · Black Orchid Novella Award closes submissions for original, unpublished mystery novellas between 15,000 and 20,000 words that honor the literary tradition of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe stories. Entries must feature a traditional mystery structure, with a detective—professional or amateur—solving a crime through deduction, avoiding coincidences, and excluding explicit sex or violence. The winner receives $1,000 and publication in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. International submissions in English are welcome.
https://blackorchidnovella.com/
🔴 MAY 31 · Write or Die Magazine closes for submissions in fiction, creative nonfiction, and author interviews. Payment: Approximately $50 per accepted piece. Simultaneous submissions allowed; reprints not accepted. Submit via Submittable.
https://writeordiemagazine.submittable.com/submit/326253/write-or-dies-first-ever-fiction-contest
🔴 MAY 31 · AGNI (Boston University) closes submissions for previously unpublished fiction, essays, and poetry. Writers may submit one story, one essay, or up to five poems per reading period. AGNI seeks writing that captures experience before the crusts of habit form—poetry and prose that resist ideas about what a certain kind of writing “should do.” Submissions are accepted via their online portal (with a $3 fee) or by postal mail (free). Simultaneous submissions are accepted; reprints and AI-generated content are not. The reading period includes a break from December 15 to January 15, during which submissions are not accepted.
https://agnionline.bu.edu/submit/
🔴 MAY 31 · Dappled Things closes submissions for original, unpublished fiction, poetry, and visual art. Fiction and poetry submissions are accepted exclusively during this period, while nonfiction, book reviews, and guest blog posts are read year-round. Fiction and nonfiction pieces receive $100 per accepted submission; poetry payments are unspecified; visual artists featured in each issue receive $100. Simultaneous submissions are allowed; reprints and AI-generated content are not accepted. Submit via Submittable.
https://www.dappledthings.org/submissions
🔴♻️ MAY 31 · The Stygian Society – Zine Submissions is closed for short fiction, poetry, personal musings, visual art, and comics. Written works must not exceed 2,500 words; comics are limited to 5 pages. Visual submissions should be in PDF or PNG format at 300 dpi minimum (black and white only). Accepted contributors receive a $20 CAD honorarium and the option to purchase print copies at cost plus shipping. Reprints are accepted with disclosure; simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please withdraw if accepted elsewhere. Submit via their online form. Contributing creator must be a Canadian citizen.
https://www.stygiansociety.com/submissions
⭐ MAY 29–31 · Bay Area Book Festival unites readers, writers, and changemakers through three cornerstone programs—the flagship Bay Area Book Festival, the Merritt Dialogues, and the Affinity Lit Collectives.
🔴 MAY 31 · Rattle Magazine’s Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge is closed for ekphrastic poetry in response to selected visual art posted on their page. Two winners, one chosen by the artist and the other by Rattle’s editor, receive $100 and publication online.
https://rattle.com/page/ekphrastic/
🔴♻️ MAY 31 · NonBinary Review, Zoetic Press Issue #45: Films is closed for prose, poetry and visual art. Submissions may close before the closing date as there is an acceptance cap for each issue. Payment is $0.01 USD per word for prose up to 3k words, $10 for poetry and visual art $25 USD flat rate.
https://nonbinaryreview.submittable.com/submit
🔴 MAY 31 · (s)crawl magazine is closed for horror fiction and poetry. (s)crawl is a Canadian-based literary magazine seeking unsettling, thought-provoking horror from women, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, BIPOC, disabled, and gender-diverse writers. They accept short fiction (approximately 1,000–4,000 words) and poetry (up to 3 poems). Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Payment is $20 CAD per accepted piece. Submission method: online guidelines.
https://scrawlmag.com/submissions/
🔴 MAY 31 · Indie Author Project Annual Contest is closed for submissions, including the brand-new Children’s Picture Book category. This expansion reflects the incredible work indie creators are doing for young readers and brings beautifully illustrated storytelling into the contest for the first time. The contest is free to enter, with submissions evaluated by librarian judges across the U.S. and Canada. Winners in nine genres receive $2,500, runners-up receive $500, and one genre winner from the 2025 contest winners will be named 2026 Indie Author of the Year during Indie Author Day this November.
https://indieauthorproject.com/the-2026-iap-annual-contest-details-new-category/
🔴 MAY 31 · The Older Writers Grant is closed for speculative fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama (up to 5,000 words or 10 pages). This grant supports writers aged 50+ who are early in their careers and writing within speculative genres such as fantasy, science fiction, horror, and magical realism. Payment is $1,000 USD. Writers worldwide are eligible. Submission requires a writing sample and a 500–1,000 word autobiographical statement. Submission method: online form.
https://speculativeliterature.org/grants-3/slf-older-writers-grant/
🔴 MAY 31 · MEMEZINE is open until May 31 for poetry and prose “traditional or hybrid pieces that directly or indirectly engage with the intersections of humanity and technology.” This includes (but is not limited to) memes, political/current events, viral content, trends, social media, pop/internet culture, technology, and any other work that blurs the lines between art, literature, and content.” Payment is $10. Submit via Duosuma.
https://www.memezinelit.com/submit
🔴 MAY 31 · Dark Moments Drabble Challenge closes for speculative flash written to the theme “Time Travel.” The BEST 12 drabbles will be selected for publication online in Dark Moments. Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $0.04/word.
https://blackharepress.com/blogs/open-calls/dark-moments
🔴 MAY 31 · Short Story Substack is closing for submissions of short stories across all genres. Stories can range from 6 words to 10,000 words, with a preference for 3,000–5,500 words. Payment is USD $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue. Reprints are accepted; simultaneous submissions are allowed. Submissions are accepted via email.
https://shortstory.substack.com/
JUNE
🟢 JUN 1 · Space and Time (Issue 152: “Reject Fake Muse”) is open until June 8 for flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and poetry (up to 35 lines). A bold speculative theme exploring resistance through rest. The magazine seeks genre-blending work—horror, science fiction, fantasy, and boundary-pushing hybrids that challenge assumptions and reshape perspectives. Work in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian is welcome (to be translated into English). Payment is $0.01/word for fiction and $5 per poem (up to 35 lines), plus a digital contributor copy. Submission method: Duosuma.
https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/space-and-time-nDoUw
🟢 JUN 1 · BookLife is open until July 1 for submissions of self-published general literary and historical general fiction, and books of poetry for their Indie Spotlight feature, a thematic roundup of self-published books both online and in print in Publishers Weekly magazine. Each Indie Spotlight is open to all types of books as long as they match the month’s topic. Submissions close for self-published self-published twisty mysteries, procedurals, thrillers, and works of true crime.
https://booklife.com/about-us/booklife-s-indie-spotlight.html
🟢 JUN 1 · Okay Donkey Magazine is open until they hit their submissions cap (Tip Jar and Expedited Response submissions will remain open) for submissions of flash fiction and poetry. Payment: $20 honorarium per accepted piece. Simultaneous submissions allowed; reprints not accepted. Submit via Submittable.
https://okaydonkeymag.com/submissions/
🟢 JUN 1 · Short Story Substack is open until June 30 for submissions of short stories across all genres. Stories can range from 6 words to 10,000 words, with a preference for 3,000–5,500 words. Payment is USD $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue. Reprints are accepted; simultaneous submissions are allowed. Submissions are accepted via email.
https://shortstory.substack.com/
🟢♻️ JUN 1 · Cast of Wonders opens until June 15 for submissions of young adult speculative fiction (flash: 100–1,500 words; short stories: 1,500–6,000 words) for Banned Books Week. Payment: $0.08 per word for original fiction; $20 for flash reprints (up to 1,500 words); $100 for short story reprints (1,500–7,500 words). Simultaneous submissions allowed; multiple submissions not accepted; reprints accepted. Submit via Moksha.
https://www.castofwonders.org/submissions/
🟢 JUN 1 · Anomaly is open until June 7 for dark science fiction flash fiction (≤300 words). They want disruptive, emotionally resonant speculative stories that linger. Payment is $0.08/word plus an electronic copy of a future anthology. No reprints. No simultaneous submissions. Submission method: Patreon post includes instructions.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/124086163?collection=1379866
🟢 JUN 1 · Plott Hound Magazine is open until June 15 for submissions of animal-centric speculative fiction, poetry, and essays. They seek stories with anthropomorphized animal protagonists in genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Underrepresented voices (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent) are encouraged to submit. Payment is $0.08 per word for fiction, $50 per poem, and $100 per essay.
https://plotthoundmag.com/submissions/
🔴 JUN 1 · Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction is closed for submissions of original fiction (up to 5,000 words) that illuminates the role of the law and/or lawyers in modern society. Prize: $5,000. Open to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents 21 and older. One entry per person; joint entries not permitted. Submit via email.
https://www.abajournal.com/contests/ross_essay/
🔴 JUN 1 · Wallstrait: A Literary Journal of Hard-to-Define Fiction is closed for submissions of fiction (flash fiction 500–1,000 words; short stories 1,000–5,000 words). Seeking experimental, literary, and mainstream work across all genres and topics. Payment is $100 USD per accepted story. $3 submission fee.
https://www.wallstrait.com/submissions
🔴 JUN 1 · CEA Mid-Atlantic Review: Volume 34 closes today for submissions of scholarly articles, essays, short fiction, poetry, and pedagogical reflections. The special theme is Artificial Intelligence, but non-themed submissions are also welcome. Payment is $20 per accepted piece. Submit via email to CEAMidAtlanticReview@gmail.com.
🟢♻️ JUNE 1 · Fiction on the Web opens for submissions of short stories (1,000–7,500 words) and novelettes (7,500–10,000 words) across genres including literary, science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, and humor. Payment: £15 or $15 per accepted story. Simultaneous submissions allowed; reprints accepted.
https://www.fictionontheweb.co.uk/p/submissions.html
🟢 JUNE 1 · SFPA Poetry Contest 2025 is open until August 31 for unpublished speculative poems (multiple entries allowed; $3 per poem entry fee). Winners published on SFPA website. Simultaneous submissions allowed; no AI-generated content. Submit via online form; entries read anonymously.
https://sfpoetry.org/wp/annual-contest/
🟢 JUN 1 · The New Quarterly is open until June 30 for nonfiction submissions. Literary excellence required; seeking balanced, innovative work in approachable language. Payment: $275 per accepted piece plus contributor copy. Submit via online portal. Canadian writers only.
🟢 JUN 1 · Write or Die Magazine is open for free submissions of essays and essays and fiction for the first week of the month. There is a $3 submission fee for the rest of the month. No fee for author interviews. “Payment is approx. $50.”
https://writeordiemag.com/submission-guidelines
🟢 JUN 1 · The Forge Literary Magazine is open for fiction and nonfiction, including flash and micro, until the free submissions quota is full. “If there is no free link, we’ve hit our quota.” Payment is for $100 flat rate, regardless of length.
https://forgelitmag.com/submit/
🟢 JUN 1 · Electric Spec is open until July 15 for speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, and the macabre), 250–7,000 words, for their August issue. Payment is $20 per story. Submission method: online guidelines.
https://www.electricspec.com/Submissions.html
🟢 JUN 1 · Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter is open to monthly themed submissions of original fiction (700–1,000 words) from newsletter subscribers only (free to subscribe). Payment is $0.08 / £0.06 per word. Submission windows typically last around two weeks each month. Submission method: online guidelines.
https://www.flametreepress.com/submissions/
🟢 JUN 1 · Rattle Magazine’s Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge opens until the last day of the month for ekphrastic poetry in response to selected visual art posted on their page. Two winners, one chosen by the artist and the other by Rattle’s editor, receive $100 and publication online.
https://rattle.com/page/ekphrastic/
🔴 JUN 1 · The Malahat Review closes for submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Submit unpublished poetry (3–5 poems, up to 10 pages), fiction (up to 8,000 words or multiple stories under 1,000 words each), or creative nonfiction (up to 5,000 words). Open to Canadian writers through June 1; international submissions are accepted only during January and May. Payment is CAD $70.
https://www.malahatreview.ca/submission_guidelines.html
🔴 JUN 1 · The Offing is closing for Insight, their creative nonfiction category. Submissions should be personal essays up to 5,000 words that connect lived experience with art, literature, and culture. Payment ranges from $25–$100 depending on length and department. Simultaneous submissions allowed. No reprints.
https://theoffingmag.submittable.com/submit
🟢♻️ JUN 3 · Collaborature Monthly Contest is open until the 17th of the month for fiction and poetry “written by more than one author or include a collaboration of two people (i.e., art and poetry).” Reprints are allowed. Payment is $20 USD.
https://collaborature.blogspot.com/p/contests.html
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