Writing & Poetry Competitions & Submissions – January 2024
Happy New Year! Ready to roll up your writing sleeves again? To get you started, here are over 170 poetry competitions, writing submissions and opportunities open or with deadlines in January 2024.
If, like me, you find yourself pushing back against the typical ‘new year, new you’ narratives that we are sold every January, I’ve put together a short New Year essay/writing prompt to encourage a gentler, more thoughtful approach, in keeping with the slow season of winter, and to ease you back into the writing groove.
As you can see, the monthly submissions list now has a new home here on the Wordbox website, as part of a plan to bring all my resources for writers together in one place. Lots of lovely new things are on the way so watch this space!
For the moment, I will post a redirect on the old Wordpress blog each month until everyone finds their way here. Although I try to share the list as widely as possible on social media, those algorithms don’t guarantee that followers will see the posts and the best way to guarantee access to the submissions list each month is to join the mailing list here. As well as the monthly list, subscribers will also have early access to new events, special offers and discount codes for courses and workshops.
I also want to say a sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to the Christmas appeal - your donations are hugely appreciated. Unfortunately, the target of 250 donations of €12 (or the equivalent) was not reached - at the moment, we’re just over half way there.
If you find the submissions list useful, and would like to show your appreciation to ensure it remains accessible to all in 2024, please click one of the buttons below and make a small contribution.
DONATE OR SUBSCRIBE VIA PAYPAL
DONATE VIA STRIPE (CREDIT CARD)
And, if you have the means, please consider making a monthly contribution by selecting that box on the Paypal link.
Whatever you’re up to with your writing this month — drafting, honing, editing or submitting — I wish you every luck and success. Please consider sharing a link to this post on your own blog or social media pages. Thank you!
Writing Courses and Events:
While I’m not running a live 30-day writing retreat in January, the following are available as Do-It-Yourself options with a themed writing prompt in your Inbox every day.
The Winter Almanac | A Writing Journey in January
Gods & Monsters | Writing the Greek Myths & Legends
Miracle Machine | Writing the Body
The next live Wordbox course starts at the end of January and new poetry critique sessions kick off in February - more info on The Frozen World and new workshop dates coming soon.
January 2024
Mississippi Review Annual Contests – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction – closes 1 Jan (submit online)
The Thicket – Poetry, theme: Wintering – closes 1 Jan (submit online)
Magma – Poetry, theme: Performance – closes 4 Jan (submit online)
Drawn to the Light – Poetry, Art, Photography – closes 5 Jan (submit online)
Passengers Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Art – closes 5 Jan (submit online)
The Banyan Review – Poetry, Non-fiction, Art – closes 6 Jan (submit online)
Archetype Mag – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Photography & Art – closes 7 Jan (submit online)
The Edward Thomas Fellowship Poetry Competitions – Poetry – closes 7 Jan (submit online)
The Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival Competitions – Poetry, Photography, theme: Nature Unbound – closes 7 Jan (submit online)
Allium – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 8 Jan (submit online)
Button Poetry Chapbook Contest – Poetry manuscript (20-30 pages) – closes 8 Jan (submit online)
James Merrill House Writing Residency – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Plays – closes 8 Jan (submit online)
Mslexia – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 8 Jan (submit online)
Anderson Center Residency – Writers, Artists, Musicians, Performers – closes 9 Jan (submit online)
Arteles Back to Basics Residency Programme – Writers, Artists, Musicians, Performers – closes 10 Jan (submit online)
Writer in the Park: Ljubljana UNESCO City of Literature International Literary Residency 2024 – All genres – closes 10 Jan (submit online)
Causeway | Cabhsair – Poetry, Prose – closes 12 Jan (submit online)
Colorado Prize for Poetry – Poetry manuscripts – closes 14 Jan (submit online)
Driftwood Press Poem Contest – Poetry – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Gigantic Sequins – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Guernsey International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Ink Sweat & Tears – Poetry, theme: Ancient Greek/Roman – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Palette Poetry: Previously Published Poem Prize – Poetry – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Ploughshares Literary Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Poetry Kit International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Ragaire Literary Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Flash – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
CCI Artists Residency – All disciplines – closes 16 Jan (submit online)
Wurlitzer Foundation Artist Residency – Poets, Writers, Playwrights, Screenwriters & more – closes 18 Jan (submit online)
Arboreal – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Visual Art – closes 20 Jan (submit online)
Bournemouth Writing Prize – Poetry, Fiction – closes 22 Jan (submit online)
MudRoom Mag – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – closes 25 Jan (submit online)
Stanza: Poet in Residence – Poetry – closes 26 Jan (submit online)
Wet Grain – Poetry, theme: Latinx & Latin American issue – closes 26 Jan (submit online)
The Curie Review – Poetry, themes: Health, science, art, and/or the humanities – closes 27 Jan (submit online)
Frontier Poetry Ekphrastic Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 28 Jan (submit online)
Cuirt New Writing Prize – Poetry, Fiction, Irish Language – closes 29 Jan (submit online)
Dunlin Press – Poetry, Prose-Poetry, Experimental Texts – closes 29 Jan (submit online)
Modern Poetry in Translation: Care Focus – Poetry (includes d/Deaf and/or disabled translators and poets, and work translated from signed languages, as well as from different alphabets, such as Braille & AAC) – closes 29 Jan (submit online)
Icarus Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Artwork – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Allegro Poetry Magazine – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Amsterdam Quarterly – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Art, theme: Generation – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
And Other Poems – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Being in Bodies Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Beloit Poetry Journal – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Black Iris Poetry – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Butcher's Dog Magazine – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Dorset Prize – Poetry manuscript (48-88 pages) – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Dust Poetry – Poetry manuscript – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Epoch Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Ink and Marrow – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
London Grip – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Magma Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Mechanic’s Institute Review Online – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Okay Donkey – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Poetry Ireland – Poetry, theme: Making Space – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Propel Magazine – Poetry (poets yet to publish a first collection) – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Seashores Haiku Journal – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Split Lip Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Memoir, Art & more – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Strix – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
SurVision Books – Poetry manuscripts (Irish writers only) – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Teignmouth Poetry Festival Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The Hedgehog Press ‘Little Black Book’ Poetry Pamphlet Competition – Poetry pamphlet (8no. pages) – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The Iowa Review Awards – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The Madrigal Review – Poetry – opens 5 Jan and closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The North Magazine – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The Paris Review – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The Prototype Prize – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Interdisciplinary – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Arc Poem of the Year – Poetry – closes 1 Feb (submit online)
Amethyst Review ‘Thin Places and Sacred Spaces’ Anthology – Poetry – closes 1 Feb (submit online)
Humana Obscura – Poetry, Flash – closes 1 Feb (submit online)
The Amphibian – Poetry, Fiction, theme: Healing – closes 1 Feb (submit online)
Spellbinder – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Drama, Art – closes 1 Feb (submit online)
Woodberry Poetry Room Creative Fellowship – Poets, Writers, Translators, Artists, Composers – closes 1 Feb (submit online)
The Poetry Society Members’ Competition – Poetry, theme: Clouds – closes 2 Feb (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH RECURRING DEADLINES
Ó Bhéal Five Words – Poetry – deadline each week, annual prize (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS IN JANUARY 2024
The Manchester Review – Poetry, Fiction, Art – closing date unknown – Spring issue (submit online)
Wales Poetry Award – Poetry – closes 5 Feb (submit online)
The DeGroot Foundation Grants for Writers – Any genre – closes 5 Feb (submit online)
MacDowell Fellowship – Any genre – closes 10 Feb (submit online)
Arts Council Ireland Bursary Awards – All genres – closes 15 Feb (submit online)
Bath Magg – Poetry – closes 29 Feb (submit online)
Southword – Poetry – closes 29 Feb (submit online)
The Plaza Poetry Prize – Poetry (max. 60 lines) – closes 29 Feb (submit online)
Acumen – Poetry – open (submit online)
Agenda – Poetry, Essays, Reviews – open (submit online)
A New Ulster – Poetry, Fiction, Artwork – open (submit online)
Anthropocene – Poetry – open (submit online)
Antipoetry Magazine – Poetry – open (submit online)
Apartment Poetry – Poetry – open (submit online)
Atrium – Poetry – open (submit online)
Bear Review – Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Artwork – open (submit online)
Bending Genres – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction – open (submit online)
Brittle Star – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
Carve Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
Cheat River Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
Confingo Publishing – Poetry, Fiction, Art, Photography – open (submit online)
Crow & Cross Keys – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, theme: Gothic – open (submit online)
Crowstep Journal – Poetry – open (submit online)
Damnation – Poetry, Prose, Flash – open (submit online)
Disabled Tales – Poetry, Fiction, Essay – open (submit online)
Dreich Mag – Poetry – open (submit online)
Driftwood Press – Poetry, Fiction, Literary Criticism – open (submit online)
Dust Poetry – Poetry – open (submit online)
Empty House Press – Poetry, Prose Poetry, Flash, Hybrid – open (submit online)
Empty Mirror – Poetry, Non-fiction, Visual Art (committed to diversity & inclusion) – open (submit online)
Fecund Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Essay & more (POC only) – open (submit online)
FIVE:2:ONE – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Artwork by underrepresented writers (POC, LGTBQ, non-binary, neurodivergent, trauma survivors etc.) – open (submit online)
Frontier Poetry – Poetry – open (submit online)
Fruit Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Hybrid (LGBTQI+, with emphasis on unheard voices – POC, trans, working class) – open (submit online)
Guernica – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Photo Essays – open (submit by post)
Hosking Houses Trust Residencies – Women writers over 40 (all genres – must have contract to publish / broadcast / perform) – open (submit online)
Idler – Poetry, Fiction, Essays – open (submit online)
Irish Literary Review – Poetry – open (submit online)
Jaden Magazine – Poetry, Non-fiction, Flash, Art & Photography (writers of colour/underrepresented writers) – open (submit online)
Lighthouse Literary Journal – Poetry & Short Fiction – open (submit online)
LitMag – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Essays – open (submit online)
Lunate – Poetry, Fiction, Flash – open (submit online)
Narrative Mag – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction. Plays – open (submit online)
New Contrast – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
Neon Magazine – Poetry, Flash, Art and more – open (submit online)
Omelette Literary Magazine – Poetry, Visual Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Creative Non-fiction & more – open (submit online)
One – Poetry, a single poem – open (submit online)
Orbis – Poetry – open (submit by post (UK) or online (overseas only))
PANK – Poetry – open (submit online)
Palette Poetry – Poetry (under-represented and marginalized voices of all colors encouraged to submit) – open (submit online)
Peepal Tree Press – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction manuscripts from Black & Caribbean writers – open (submit online)
Pigeon Pages – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction – open (submit online)
POETRY Magazine – Poetry (submit online)
Poetry Ireland Review – Poetry – open (submit by post)
Poetry London – Poetry – open (submit by post or online)
Poetry Salzburg – Poetry – open (submit by post or online)
Poetry Wales – Poetry – open (submit by post or online)
Porridge Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art – open (submit online)
PN Review – Poetry, Essays, Reviews – open (submit by post)
Prelude – Poetry – open (submit online)
Prole – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction – open (submit online)
Psaltery & Lyre – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Hybrid – open (submit online)
Riggwelter – Poetry, Short Fiction, Visual Art – (submit online)
River Styx – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Drama, Visual Art – open (submit online)
Shakespeare & Co Tumbleweeds Residency – all writers – open (submit online)
Sine Theta Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art (Sino diaspora only. People of Chinese, Taiwanese, Hong Kong, or Macau heritage, who live anywhere away from the original ‘homeland’ of that heritage – rolling deadlines, email to express interest (submit online)
South Bank Poetry – Poetry – open (submit online)
Spry Literary Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Creative Non-fiction, Artwork – open (submit online)
Squawk Back – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Reviews, Plays – open (submit online)
Stand Magazine – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
Stepaway Magazine – Poetry, Flash Fiction, theme: walking in the city – open (submit online)
Sunday Mornings at the River – Poetry – open (submit online)
Tab Journal – Poetry, Poetics – open (submit online)
Tears in the Fence – Poetry – open (submit online)
The Brooklyn Quarterly – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Translation, Humour – open (submit online)
The Cardiff Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Flash (preference given to students and unpublished graduates of Creative Writing, English Literature & Journalism) – open (submit online)
The Curly Mind – Poetry, theme: experimental – open (submit online)
The Dalloway – Poetry, Fiction, Flash – open (submit online)
The Dark Horse – Poetry – open (submit by post)
The Ellis Review – Poetry, published weekly – open (submit online)
The Galway Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Reviews, Plays – open (submit online)
The Lake – Poetry – open (submit online)
The Lascaux Review – Poetry, Fiction, Essays – open (submit online)
The Lincoln Review – Poetry, Flash, Creative Non-fiction, Essays and more (actively encourages writers, artists, and photographers who come from marginalised and underprivileged backgrounds) – open (submit online)
The London Magazine – Poetry, Non-Fiction, Art – open (submit online)
The Missouri Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
The New Absurdist – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – open (submit online)
The New Yorker – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
The Offing – Poetry, Translation, Art and more – open (submit online)
The Ofi Press Magazine – Poetry & Short Fiction – open (submit online)
The Orphic Review – Poetry & Art – open (submit online)
The Oxonian – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Translation – open (submit online)
The Poetry Village – Poetry – open (submit online)
The Poetry Review – Poetry – open (submit online)
The Pomegranate – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction, theme: Writing about Artists – open (submit online)
The Sea Letter – Poetry, Fiction, Artwork – open (submit online)
The Seventh Quarry – Short Poetry – open (submit online)
The Southeast Review – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Reviews, Artwork – open (submit online)
The Sun Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Interviews – open (submit online)
The Times Literary Supplement – Poetry (submit by post)
Three Drops From a Cauldron – Poetry, Flash, theme: Myth, Folklore, Fables, Fairytales – on hiatus (submit online)
Tinderbox Poetry Journal – Poetry – open (submit online)
Trasna – Poetry, Fiction, Essays (open to writers across the world who consider Ireland a home in some regard) – open (submit online)
Wildness – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
Wishbone Words – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Visual Art & more (disabled and chronically ill writers/artists) – open (submit online)
Best of luck!
If you have a competition or journal with a deadline in JANUARY 2024, and it is not included above, feel free to send me the details.
