Writing & Poetry Competitions & Submissions – October 2024
Spooky season has arrived along with over 160 poetry competitions, writing submissions and opportunities open or with deadlines in October 2024.
As Samhain beckons and the year ebbs, come with me Into the Woods | Forests & Folklore for a brand new 30-day writing challenge in Autumn 2024!
At the end of the Ice Age, forests covered two-thirds of our planet – a source of human solace, nourishment, enchantment and fear. To this day, their whispering depths pepper our imaginations and haunt our dreams, in global tales handed down the generations.
This October, join me in the deep dark woods for 30 days of writing prompts to explore our fascination with and dependence on with these wild and restless guardians.
Into the Woods | Forests & Folklore kicks off on 30 October and I’m running a special flash sale to mark Wordbox’s 3rd birthday with 30% off bookings for the next 3 days.
The discount is applied at the checkout and ends on Wednesday 9th October at 11.59pm.
As always, there are 4no. free scholarship spots available for low income or under-represented writers (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, working class etc.) on the 30-day writing challenge. See FAQs section at the link for more info and send your applications before 21 October 2024.
The Wordbox birthday shenanigans were supposed to take place last month but health issues got in the way so we’ll celebrate in October instead. Look out for new Autumn events and special offers in your inbox and, if you haven’t already, sign up to the mailing list to avoid missing out!
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:
If you’re looking for a writing course or feedback on your writing, here’s what’s coming up in October and November at Wordbox.
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Wordbox One-to-One Mentoring Sessions - One-hour online conversation based on 6 poems (180 lines) submitted in advance.
DIY ONLINE COURSES
The Winter Almanac | A Writing Journey in January
Gods & Monsters | Writing the Greek Myths & Legends
Miracle Machine | Writing the Body
More self-study courses to be announced shortly - keep an eye on your inbox.
Keep in Touch
For the latest poetry lists, writing prompts, events and news, find Wordbox online here:
Please save/follow these links and remember, if the list is not already on the blog, it’s not published.
Alternatively, have the list delivered direct to your inbox by joining the mailing list here.
Support the Monthly Submissions List
If you find the monthly submissions list useful, and would like to show your appreciation to keep it as an open resource for writers in 2024, please click one of the buttons below and make a small contribution - a €12 donation is suggested but any and all contributions are greatly appreciated.
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Submission Opportunities in October 2024
Consilience – Poetry, Artwork, theme: Insects – closes 6 Oct (submit online)
Sixth Finch – Poetry, Artwork – closes 6 Oct (submit online)
The Sarabande Chapbook Prize – Poetry – closes 6 Oct (submit online)
Mslexia – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 7 Oct (submit online)
Peter Porter Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 7 Oct (submit online)
Arts & Disability Connect – All artistic disciplines – closes 8 Oct (submit online)
The Wells Street Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction & more, theme: Stages – closes 8 Oct (submit online)
Allingham Writing Competitions – Poetry, Flash – closes 13 Oct (submit online)
Waltham Forest Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 14 Oct (submit online)
Cave Canem Fellowship – Black poets – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
Ink Sweat & Tears – Poetry, Prose, Filmpoems & more – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
New Contrast – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction & more – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
Scottish Pen – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, theme: Change – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
Stripes Literary Magazine – Poetry, Photography, Artwork, theme: Unbound – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
Outspoken Press – Poetry Pamphlets / Collections – closes 18 Oct (submit online)
Coast to Coast to Coast – Poetry pamphlet (12 poems) – closes 19 Oct (submit online)
Stanza international Poetry Festival: Artists Proposals – Poetry – closes 19 Oct (submit online)
Cheltenham Poetry Festival International Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 20 Oct (submit online)
Ironbridge Festival Poetry Competition – All disciplines – closes 20 Oct (submit online)
Shooter Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, theme: Coming of Age – closes 20 Oct (submit online)
Black Iris Poetry – Poetry, theme: Sex and Relationships – closes 21 Oct (submit online)
Iota Shot Pamphlet Awards – Poetry manuscript (16-25 pages) – closes 21 Oct (submit online)
Seamus Heaney – Czesław Miłosz Writer in Residence Programme – Early and mid-career writers – closes 21 Oct (submit online)
Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition – Poetry, theme: Ecopoetry and place (max. 30 lines) – closes 23 Oct (submit online)
The Dark Poets Prize – Poetry, – closes 25 Oct (submit online)
The Poetry Society Members' Competition – Poetry, theme: Birds – closes 25 Oct (submit online)
Bozarts Worlds End Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 28 Oct (submit online)
Freedom from Torture Poetry Competition – Poetry, theme: Finding the Words – closes 28 Oct (submit online)
Worktown Words – Poetry, Fiction, theme: Patterns – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Anthology Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Autumn Voices Poetry Competition – Poetry, theme: Counting (poets aged 60+) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Banshee – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Non-fiction – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Frogmore Papers – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Gypsophila – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, theme: Cybernatural – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
London Grip – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
National Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
New Writing Scotland – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction Drama, Artwork & More – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Okay Donkey – Poetry, Flash – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Alchemy Spoon – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Bedford Competition – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Broken Spine: out.skirts (Pride 2025) – Poetry, Flash (all queer-identifying poets and writers within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Paris Review – Poetry, Prose – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Plaza Poetry Prize – Poetry (max 20 lines) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Solstice Prize for Young Writers – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, theme: Nature (Poets ages 7-25 years) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Thread Litmag – Poetry, Flash – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Translink & Ulster University’s Poetry in Motion – Poetry, theme: Connections made through public transport (NI Only) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Trio International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Tupelo Press: Helena Whitehill Book Award – Poetry & Nonfiction manuscripts – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
December – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Artwork & more – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
Humana Obscura – Poetry, Flash Artwork – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
Marvin Bell Memorial Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
Michigan Quarterly Review – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
Spellbinder Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Drama, Art – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
The Austin Clarke Prize in Literary Excellence – Poetry, Fiction – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
The Ireland Chair of Poetry Pamphlet Series – Poetry – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
The Foster Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
F(r)iction Contests – Poetry, Fiction. Flash – closes 3 Nov (submit online)
Disabled Poets Prize – Poetry (UK-based only) – closes 4 Nov (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH RECURRING DEADLINES
Ó Bhéal Five Words – Poetry – deadline each week, annual prize (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP IN NOVEMBER 2024
Sunday Mornings at the River – Poetry, theme: Seasons – not specified (submit online)
The Leonard Cohen Poetry Award – Poetry – closes 7 Nov (submit online)
The Straid Poetry Collection Awards – Poetry Manuscript – closes 11 Nov (submit online)
The Winged Moon – Poetry, Fiction, Art, Photography – closes 13 Nov (submit online)
The Interpreter’s House – Poetry, Fiction – closes 14 Nov (submit online)
Fugue – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction – closes 15 Nov (submit online)
Verve Poetry Festival Competition – Poetry, theme: Poets & Poetry – closes 15 Nov (submit online)
The Stinging Fly – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – open 13-27 Nov (submit online)
Bremen UNESCO City of Literature Virtual Residency – Published writers – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Broken Sleep Books – Poetry pamphlets (max 40 pages) – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Cafe Writers Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Crannog – Poetry, Fiction – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
East Riding Festival of Words Poetry Competition – Poetry, theme: My Wish – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Long Poem Magazine – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Magma Poetry – Poetry, theme: Ownership – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Oxford Poetry – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Paper Cranes – Poetry, Prose, Art, Photography – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Postcard Lit – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Propel Magazine – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Split Lip Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Memoir & more – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Tadpole Press 100-word Writing Contest – Any genre – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
The Fiddlehead – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
The London Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
The Madrigal Press – Poetry, theme: Dissonance – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
The Marrow Poetry Journal – Poetry – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
The Poetry Business International Book & Pamphlet Competition – Poetry manuscript – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
Tiny Wren Lit – Poetry, theme: Golden Shovel – closes 30 Nov (submit online)
C.P. Cavafy Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Dec (submit online)
Fugue Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 1 Dec (submit online)
The Common – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Non-fiction – closes 1 Dec (submit online)
The Ralph Gustafson Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Dec (submit online)
Edward Thomas Fellowship Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 3 Dec (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS
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)
Antiphony – Poetry, Nonfiction – 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)
Blackbird – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Arts – open (submit online)
Carve Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative 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)
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)
LitMag – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Essays – open (submit online)
Little Engines – 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)
Obsessed with Pipework – Poetry – 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)
Only Poems – Poetry – open (submit online)
Orbis – Poetry – open (submit by post (UK) or online (overseas only))
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)
Prism International – Poetry, Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Translation – 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)
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 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 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 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 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)
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)
Winged Penny Review – Poetry, 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 poetry competition or journal with a deadline in OCTOBER 2024, and it is not included above, feel free to send me the details.
