Authortunities March 29-April 12

Open paying submissions, grants, contests, fellowships, events and more.

Two weeks of organized goodness to help us all get published—and paid. This is my personal list expanded to include all the authortunities I find. If you know of something you think should be included, send it to me to add. If you find success through this list, let me know so I can share that too. Feel free to pass this on. Thank you and good luck! 😉

How to read the list: If a date is red (🔴), it’s a submission closing. If a date is green (🟢), that a submission opening. When I can, I make a note of both open and close dates for an event. If the date has a star (⭐), it’s an event like an open mic, podcast or show.

Here are the next two weeks of authortunity for you:

🔴March 31: Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature is accepting nominations for the Paul Engle Prize, with a cash prize of $20,000. The prize is awarded annually to a writer who represents a pioneering spirit in the literary arts through writing, editing, publishing, or teaching, and whose participation in larger issues of the day has contributed to the betterment of the world. Poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers are eligible. Submit a nomination, including a list of the writer's works and a statement about how the writer embodies the spirit of the prize, by March 31. Self-nominations are not allowed. For complete guidelines, visit their website: http://iowacityofliterature.org/paul-engle-day.

🔴March 31: A Public Space is offering three six-month Writing Fellowships of $1,000 each to emerging poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who "embrace risk in their work" and have not published a full-length book. The fellows will work with the editors to prepare a piece for publication in A Public Space, receive complimentary access to all A Public Space master classes during the fellowship year, and will also have the opportunity to meet with publishing professionals and participate in a public reading. For fellowships from June 1, 2023, to November 30, 2023, using only the online submission system, submit a group of poems no more than 15 pages in length or a short story or essay of up to 8,000 words with a cover letter and a brief written statement by March 31. There is no application fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines. http://apublicspace.org

🔴March 31: Restless Books, Prize for New Immigrant Writing, offers $10,000 and publication for a debut book of nonfiction by a first-generation immigrant. Eligible writers who have not published a book of nonfiction in English can submit a prose manuscript of at least 45,000 words or a writing sample of 25,000 words or more and a detailed proposal; a curriculum vitae; and a one-page cover letter using the online submission system. The prize alternates annually between fiction and nonfiction. There is no entry fee. For complete guidelines, visit the website http://restlessbooks.org/prize-for-new-immigrant-writing

🔴March 31: Submit your story to Reedsy Prompts #191: Sakura for a chance to win $250. Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing. To enter, pick a prompt and submit here: https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/191/

⭐March 31:  PODCAST: Advanced Crowdfunding for Authors: On this month's Advanced Self-Publishing Podcast, Orna Ross and Joanna Penn discuss the latest trends, strategies, and tips for authors to fund writing and publishing projects through crowdfunding. They share their own experiences and upcoming plans, while providing insights around how to set up a successful crowdfunding campaign, engage your reader community, and smash your funding goals. Beginning at 1 pm GMT. .https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/advanced-salon/

APRIL

🔴April 1: Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest A prize of $2,000, a gift certificate for a two-year membership to the literary database Duotrope, and publication on the Winning Writers website is given annually for a humorous poem. A second-place prize of $500 is also awarded. Jendi Reiter will judge. Unpublished and previously published works are eligible. Submit a poem of up to 250 lines using only the online submission system by April 1. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines. http://winningwriters.com/our-contests

🔴April 1: The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship application window closes. This fellowship provides a stipend of $5,000 for a one-week residency for a parent writer to focus on their work. Writers may submit work in any literary genre: poetry, fiction, plays, memoir, screenplays, or nonfiction. More information can be found at

http://www.mccullerscenter.org/#academic-opportunities

🔴April 1: The Nimrod Literary Awards: The Nimrod Literary Awards include the Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction and the Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry. The winners of each prize will receive a $2,000 cash prize and publication in Nimrod International Journal. $20 entry fee. For more information, visit https://nimrod.utulsa.edu/literaryawards.html.

🟢April 1: Broken Sleep Books opens for poetry collections of 40 poems+ from April 1 to May 31. Payment is pay 10% royalties, with the author receiving five (5) free author copies and a 50% discount on future purchases. Simultaneous submissions. For more info visit: https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/submissions

⭐April 1: The first show of the second season (S2E13) airs with guest Colleen Anderson, president of the Science Fiction and Poetry Association and poetry co-host Amy Zoellers to kick of National Poetry Month. Check the YouTube link for times in your area.

🔴April 3: Gwenn A. Nusbaum/WWBA "Poets to Come" Scholarship. Winning poet will receive a one-time $1,500 scholarship to be used for supportive activities to further their writing career (e.g., college tuition/fees for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or post doc levels; writing courses and workshops; writing conferences; writing retreats; or other approved activities). Submit a poetry sample (ten poems, one chapbook, OR five poems to illustrate a narrative of your autobiographical statement) by April 3. For more info visit: https://www.waltwhitman.org/poetstocome/

🔴April 7: Invisible City Blurred Genre Flash Contest awards up to $750 for flash fiction, flash nonfiction, or prose poetry (all genres compete together), 750 words maximum. For 2023, sponsor seeks entries on the theme of "levity". Opens March 7 and closes April 7. For more info: https://www.invisiblecitylit.com/contests/

🔴April 7: Poetry Wales are currently accepting submissions for their Summer 2023 Issue to celebrate the South Wales Valleys and areas like it that experience economic stress. They would be glad to see submissions from those writers who have connections to the Valleys as well to communities that may be considered ‘working class’ across the UK and the world. Poems £20/page, Reviews £67.50/1500-word review, Articles £200/3000 word, payment is made on publication. Details: https://poetrywales.co.uk/submission/

🟢April 7: Bright Wall/Dark Room is currently accepting submissions for our monthly online magazine. Each issue is built around a particular theme, this month is Katherine Hepburn. Pay $100 per accepted essay, upon publication. Details: https://brightwalldarkroom.submittable.com/submit

🟢April 7: Furious Fiction ultimate flash fiction challenge opens. Writers race against the clock to come up with their best 500 words or less flash story in 55 hours. Free to enter, details at: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/furious-fiction/

⭐April 8: Exercise Your Writes with Kyle Toucher (S2E14) visual effects artist for Battlestar Galactica (2004) and the author of LIVE WIRE.. Check the YouTube link for times in your  area.

🔴April 9: GriffithReview81 submissions are open until April 9 with a theme of The Leisure Principle. Seeking non-fiction and fiction that responds to the theme with a preference for pieces that are no longer than 4,000 words. Details: https://www.griffithreview.com/for-writers/

🔴April 10: Mslexia Issue 98 has 17 ways to submit, from a four-line poem to a 3,000-word lead article, from a 300-word bedtime story to a 700-word memoir performance piece. Payment varies but starts at start at £30. Details: https://mslexia.co.uk/submit-your-work/

🔴April 12: Funicular Magazine publishes quality fiction and poetry that shocks, surprises, moves, and tickles them. Payment of $25 per work of flash fiction and poetry and $10 per printed page of short fiction (to a maximum of $100) plus one contributor copy of Funicular Magazine. Details:  https://funicularmagazine.submittable.com/submit