June Opportunities 2020
We have compiled a small list of some exciting opportunities with upcoming deadlines for writers and literary organisations alike. Keep up to date with opportunities for writers by signing up to our newsletter and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Due to the current situation in Wales regarding the Coronavirus, we suggest that anyone interested in taking part contacts the organisers directly for the most up-to-date information.
Poetry Wales Accessibility
For readers who require a screen reader or text-to-speech accessibility: Email info@poetrywales.co.uk to purchase a new, or supplement your existing Poetry Wales digital subscription via ExactEditions with, a PDF subscription to Poetry Wales. Issues will be manually emailed to you.
For more information, visit: https://poetrywales.co.uk/access/
Financial support for invaluable community work at this time (Rhondda Cynon Taf)
The Fund will award £10,000 in total, with each successful application eligible for a £300 grant – or £500 in exceptional circumstances. Applications received by the Council will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis but those interested in applying are encouraged to do so at the earliest opportunity.
For more information, visit: https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/
Language Evolves
A free workshop for science fiction authors and short story competition on the theme of language evolution. This project is organised by Seán Roberts, Hannah Little and Catriona Silvey.
For more information, visit https://correlation-machine.com/langEvolves.html or email Seán.
Gwylllion Magazine Submissions
Gwyllion Magazine are looking for Short Stories, Poetry, Reviews and Fanfiction. They want low fantasy, space opera, pulp fiction, swords-and-sorcery tales of mystery and adventure. They want your weird fiction, your eldritch horror, your wuxia, and your steampunk. They also accept high fantasy, literary fiction, and ‘hard’ science fiction.
For more information, visit: http://gwyllionmagazine.com/submissions/
Telling Underrepresented Stories Through the Creative Essay & Short Story – Call Out – 8 June
Özgür Uyanik and Durre Shawar were successful in applying for the first #LWCommissions call out announced on 1 April 2020. They will be working with selected participants self-identifying as BAME, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, low-income or with disabilities. Participants will take part in a webinar and will receive editorial feedback on their work. To apply submit a 100 word pitch about why you write
For more information, visit: https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-news/telling-underrepresented-stories-through-the-creative-essay-short-story-call-out/
LUMIN journal 3, Submissions open – 7 June
LUMIN reflect on the relationship between experimental literature / art, and the postcolonial, radical and personal. They hope that LUMIN Journal can be a space where these converge, and sit together in dialogue with one another. Accepting: Poetry and prose, essays/ non-fiction and creative non-fiction and visual works.
Fore more information visit: https://lumin-press.com/Submit
Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year Competition—15 June
Poems can be on any subject and in any form but no more than 60 lines long. This year’s first prize is £200, with £100 for second and £50 for third place.
From the entries approximately 35 poems are chosen to appear in an anthology, which will be available from the Festival Office. Following this, a shortlist of poets will be invited to read their poems at this year’s awards evening in October and the winner will announced on the night. Dates and times will be released soon.
For more information, visit: https://canterburyfestival.co.uk/poet-of-the-year-competition-2020/
Poetry Book Awards – 30 June
An annual, international book award given to the best poetry books produced by indie writers, self published authors or books published by independent or small presses. Winners will be announced on the Poetry Book Awards website and in the local and national press. Welsh poet Dave Lewis will judge the awards in 2020.
For more information, visit: http://www.poetrybookawards.co.uk/enter/
Fitzcarraldo Editions Novel Prize—1 July
The Novel Prize offers $10,000 to the winner in the form of an advance against royalties, and simultaneous publication of their novel in the UK and Ireland by the London-based Fitzcarraldo Editions, in Australia and New Zealand by Sydney publisher Giramondo, and in North America by New York’s New Directions. The judges will be looking for novels which explore and expand the possibilities of the form, and are innovative and imaginative in style.
For more information, visit: https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/prizes/novel-prize
The V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize – 3 July
The author of the winning unpublished short story will be awarded a prize of £1,000 and have their story published in Prospect online and in the RSL Review. The V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize is administered by the Royal Society of Literature in association with Prospect magazine. Entry fee is £7.50, but 50 free entries are available for low-income writers.
For more information, visit: https://theroyalsocietyofliterature.submittable.com/submit
Ten Stories to Make a Difference – 30 July
Pop-Up Projects are commissioning and publishing Ten Stories to Make a Difference: ten original short stories for young readers by ten writers and ten illustrators. To make this venture especially unique, five well-known illustrators will illustrate stories by five emerging writers, and five emerging illustrators will illustrate stories by five well-known writers.
For more information, visit: https://pop-up.org.uk/uncategorized/competition-10-stories-to-make-a-difference/
Planet Essay Competition 2020 – 1 September
Anyone under 30 is invited to anonymously submit an essay. The brief is extremely broad – the best guide for the kind of material they would be keen to publish is found in Planet itself. They would welcome creative and unconventional ways of exploring the essay form as well as a more traditional style. Prizes: £200, A year’s subscription or renewal, A range of 6 books* published by Planet, Publication of the winning essay in the November 2020 issue of Planet, which marks our 50th anniversary. Runners-up will receive a year’s subscription or renewal.
For more information, visit: https://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/competitions