Happy Friday!
Yes, we’re back. I wish I could say our submission roundups took a two‑week break for something joyful or restorative, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. A sudden death in my family meant stepping away for the funeral and all the difficult, unglamorous business that comes with losing someone you love.
But the weekly roundup has returned to help you close out your 2025 submission goals strong. Next week’s edition will be the final one of the year—already! Hard to believe we’re here again. Where has this year gone?
Inspiration Prompt: Miracles All Year
December likes to claim miracles for itself. Between the Hallmark plots, the snow‑globe aesthetics, and the songs on repeat everywhere you go, it’s easy to start believing that wonder is seasonal—that it shows up only when the calendar says it should.
But miracles don’t follow a schedule. They arrive in the ordinary months, the off‑season hours, the messy stretches when no one is expecting anything luminous at all.
For this week’s prompt, look beyond the holiday glow and write into a moment of unexpected grace from any point in your life. It can be grand or quiet, explainable or not:
- A job you got against all odds—after you’d already rehearsed the rejection.
- A scholarship that appeared exactly when the math said it shouldn’t.
- A near miss, a narrow escape, an outcome that still makes people tilt their heads and say, “How did that happen?”
- Or even something small: the right person showing up at the right moment, a door opening you didn’t know you were allowed to try.
Let the “miracle” be whatever you define it to be—an event, an insight, a turn, a survival, a shift. Then translate that moment into any medium you choose: a poem that holds its breath, a story that doesn’t fully explain itself, a lyric essay threading disbelief with gratitude, a comic, a collage, a script, a scene, a song.
Where did your miracle begin? What did it change? What trace of it remains?
📬 Want even more writing prompts?
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🔔 Items marked with a bell are new to the roundup this week.
NewPages works hard to bring you a vetted and regularly updated list of currently open submission opportunities. Always double-check the official websites for the most accurate information—reading periods can shift or close early.
December 2025
Open Calls
- Alaska Quarterly Review Fall/Winter 2025 | fiction | $3 fee | Opens: December 10 | Deadline: December 19, 2025
- 🔔 Speck Magazine Issue 1: Craft | science fiction, fantasy, art | Free | Payment: $5/page up to $50 max, two copies | Deadline: December 21, 2025
- Accents Publishing Open Reading Period | fiction, nonfiction, writing for children, writing for young adults, poetry | Fee: Must purchase a book from the catalog | Opens: November 1 | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Action, Spectacle Open Reading Period | full-length poetry manuscripts | $25 fee | Prize: $1,000, chapbook publication, and 25 copies | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- American Short Fiction | fiction | $3 fee | Payment: competitive, upon publication | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Arc Poetry Magazine | poetry, translation | $2 per poem fee (US submitters) | Payment: $50/page | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- 🔔 Bellevue Literary Review General Submissions | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | $5 fee (Free for subscribers) | Payment: $75 for poetry, $150 for prose | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- CALYX, A Journal of Art & Literature by Women | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interviews, book reviews, visual art | $5 fee ($3 student/low-income fee) | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Chapter House Journal 2025 Winter Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, visual art | Free | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Chestnut Review Spring Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | Free (poetry & flash); $5 (prose) | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- 🔔 Decolonial Passage Prose Open Reading Period | fiction, nonfiction | Free | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Doubly Mad | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | Free | Guest Poetry Editor: Thomas Townsley | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- FOLIO Vol. 41: In-Between | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | $2 fee | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Girls Right the World Issue 10 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre, art, photography | Free | Deadline: December 31, 2025 | Must be a girl or young, gender-fluid writer or artist aged 14-21
- ISSUED | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic narratives | Free | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- 🔔 SmokeLong Quarterly Free Submissions Period | flash narratives | Free | Deadline December 31, 2025
- 🔔 Thimble Literary Magazine Issue 8.4 | poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art, photography | Free | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- The Uncommon GRACkle Relaunch | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | Free | Deadline: December 31, 2025 (or until full)
Writing Contests
- The Louisville Review Frederick Smock Poetry Prize | poetry | $25 fee | Prize: $1,000, book publication, 25 author copies | Deadline: December 20, 2025 | Open to Kentucky-affiliated poets
- The Letter Review The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, & Books | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre, translations, reviews, interviews | $15 – $25 fee | Prize Pool: $4,000 and publication | Deadline: December 29, 2025
- Action, Spectacle Poetry & Prose Chapbook Contest | poetry, prose | $25 fee | Payment: $1,000 and 30 copies | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- 🔔 Pinch | poetry | $4.95 fee | Deadline: January 2, 2026
- 🔔 Atlanta Review Chapbook Contest | poetry | $25 fee | Prize: $500, chapbook publication, 25 copies | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Booth Susan Neville Prize | fiction, poetry | $20 fee (includes 2-issue subscription) | Prize/genre: $1,000 and publication | Judges: Kaveh Akbar, Paige Lewis | Opens: October 1 | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Burnside Review Press Book Contest | poetry | $25 | Prize: $1,000, book publication, and 10 copies | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- Press 53 Award for Short Fiction | fiction | $30 fee | Prize: $1,000 advance, publication, 53 author copies | Judge: Kevin Morgan Watson | Deadline: December 31, 2025
- University of Southern Indiana New Harmony Book Award & Residency | fiction | $35 fee | Prize: $2,000, $750 travel stipend, 7-day residency, reading | Deadline: December 31, 2025
January 2026
Open Calls
- The Emerson Review 2026 Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, photography | Free | Deadline: January 1, 2026
- table//FEAST Issue 5 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translations, art | $3 fee (waived for need) | Payment: $5 for poetry; $10 for art; $15 for prose | Deadline: January 1, 2026
- Apricity Magazine Volume 10 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, music, short films, short plays, dance, visual art | Free | Deadline: January 3, 2026
- #Ranger | experimental/avant-garde poetry, art, music, film | Free | Opens: October 15 | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- 🔔 Arkansas International Issue #20: The Labor Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic literature, translation | $4 fee | Payment: $25/500 words (fiction); $25/page (poetry) up to $200, plus free digital subscription | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- 🔔 Blink-Ink Lost Civilizations: The Silurian Hypothesis | fiction | Free | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- FLARE: The Flagler Review Spring 2026 | fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | Free (Tip Jar available) | Payment: 1 contributor copy | Opens September 30, 2025 | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Hindsight Vol. VI | nonfiction, poetry, art | Free | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- The Meadow | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | Free | Payment: 2 contributor copies | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- 🔔 Rejoinder Ritual, Healing, and World-making-themed issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre, drama, comics, interviews, art, photography | Free | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- 🔔 Santa Clara Review Spring 2026 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre, plays, screenplays, translations, art, photography | $2 fee (Free for current students at Santa Clara University) | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Poets in the Pines Made from Midnight: Delirium | fiction, poetry, cross-genre, art | Free (paid feedback options available) | Payment: PDF copy of anthology | Opens: October 17 | Deadline: January 16, 2026
- Barely South Review | art | Free | Open: September 1 | Deadline: January 26, 2026
- 128 LIT (Re)Familiarize Project | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross‑genre, art, multimedia | $3.99 fee (fee‑waiver option available) | Payment: small honorarium | Deadline: January 31, 2026
- The Arkansas International | fiction, poetry, essays, translation, comics | $4 fee | Payment: $25/page | Opens: November 15 | Deadline: January 31, 2026
- The Hopper Spring 2026 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | $3 fee | Deadline: January 31, 2026
- RCC MUSE Spring 2026 Edition| Fiction, poetry | Free | Deadline: January 31, 2026
Writing Contests
- American Poetry Review The Stern Prize | poetry | $25 fee | Prize: $2,000, book publication, standard royalties contract | Deadline: January 1, 2026
- 🔔 Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop Erma Bombeck Writing Competition | nonfiction | $25 fee; $15 fee for students | Prize: $1,000, free registration to the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, & publication | Deadline: January 6, 2026
- Magazine 1 PoetryLife Poetry Contest | poetry | $5 fee | First Prize: $150 Bookstore1 gift card, invite to read at PoetryLife, publication | Judge: Rick Hilles | Deadline: January 10, 2026
- Driftwood Press In-House Poem Contest 2026 | poetry | $25 fee | Prize: $300, publication, 5 copies of the journal, interview opportunity | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Driftwood Press In-House Short Story Contest 2026 | fiction | $30 fee | Prize: $400, publication, 5 copies of the journal, interview opportunity | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- James Dain Indie Gold Awards | mystery, thriller, suspense, crime fiction | $15 fee ($10 early bird rate through December 18) | Grand Prize: $500, badge, newsletter feature, website feature, social promotion | Deadline: January 15, 2026
- 🔔 Martha’s Vineyard Summer Writers’ Conference Fellowships | Parent-Writers, Emerging Writers, Educators, LGBTQIA+ Writers, Writers of Color | $20 fee | $20,000 total in fellowships awarded | Deadline: January 19, 2026
- Stanford University Libraries / William Saroyan Foundation William Saroyan International Prize for Writing | fiction, nonfiction | $50 fee | Prize/genre: $5,000 | Deadline: January 30, 2026
- After Happy Hour Review Contest: Work & Labor | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | $10 fee | Prize: Percentage of fees and publication | Deadline: January 31, 2026
- RCC MUSE Spangler Award | Poetry | $5 fee | Prize: $200 and publication | Deadline: January 31, 2026
- Roanoke Review Roanoke College High School Fiction and Poetry Contest | fiction, poetry | Free | Prize: $100 (first), $50 (second), $25 (third) | Deadline: January 31, 2026
- swamp pink 2026 swamp pink Prizes | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | $20 fee | Prize/genre: $2,000 and publication | Opens: January 1 | Closes: January 31, 2026
February 2026
Open Calls
- ANMLY | poetry, fiction, nonfiction, comics, translation | $3 fee (waiver available) | Deadline: February 1, 2026
- Belladonna’s Garden Issue 3 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | Free (tip jar available) | Opens: January 15 | Closes: February 15, 2025
- Doubleback Review April 2026 Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | Free | Deadline: February 15, 2026 | Work must have been previously published in a defunct journal.
- University of Georgia Press Crux: The Georgia Series in Literary Nonfiction | nonfiction | Free | Deadline: February 15, 2026
- rex inc. lit mag. Inaugural Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, photography | Free | Payment: two contributor copies, percentage of one-year’s worth of the issue’s sales | Deadline: February 28, 2026
Writing Contests
- Next Generation Short Story Awards | fiction, poetry | $25 fee | Grand Prize: $500, engraved trophy, anthology publication; Category Prize: $75, gold medal, anthology publication | Deadline: February 26, 2026
March 2026
Open Calls
- 🔔 About Place Journal Spring 2026: The Ground Beneath Us | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, comics, cross-genre, drama, graphic narratives, screenplays, interviews, reviews, translations, art, photography, audio, video | Free | Deadline: March 10, 2026
- Kings River Review. Spring 2026 Issue | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | Free | Must be a 2-year college student | Deadline: March 15, 2026
- Barely South Review | lit comics | Free | Open: September 1 | Deadline: March 31, 2026
- Colorado Review | fiction, poetry | $3 fee | Payment: $300 for short stories and nonfiction; $100 for poetry and cover art | Deadline: March 31, 2026
Writing Contests
- Glenville State University Little Kanawha Reading Series Chapbook Contest | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid works | $10 fee | Prize: $200, publication, author copies, reading invitation | Deadline: March 31, 2026
- National Baseball Poetry Festival 2026 Contests | poetry | Free | Winners will receive recognition at Welcome Reception, 2 complimentary tix to Friday’s game, a Certificate, and a National Baseball Poetry Festival t-shirt! | Deadline: March 27, 2026 12PM ET
- National Indie Excellence Awards | fiction, nonfiction, genre fiction, memoir, writing for children, writing for young adults, poetry, graphic novel, comics, photography, cookbooks | $75 fee | Cash Prizes & Sponsorship Awards | Deadline: March 31, 2026 | Open to self-published, independently-published, & university-published books
April 2026
Open Calls
- Blood Orange Review | fiction, nonfiction, art | $3 fee | Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Talking River Review | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, art | $3 fee | Payment: one contributor copy, 1-year subscription, and 1-year gift subscription | Deadline: April 1, 2026
- West Branch | poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translation | $3 fee | Payment: $100 for poetry, $0.10/word for prose up to $200, two contributor copies, and one-year subscription | Deadline: April 1, 2026
- The Healing Muse Vol. 26 | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, visual art | Free | Payment: copies | Deadline: April 15, 2026
- Abandoned Mine | poetry | Free | Deadline: April 30, 2026
- Pine Hills Review | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, hybrid, cross-genre, art | Free | Deadline: April 30, 2026
Writing Contests
- 🔔 Orison Books 2026 Orison Prizes | fiction, poetry | $25 fee | Prize/genre: $1,500 and book publication | Judges: Leila Chatti, Margot Livesey | Opens: December 1 | Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Willow Springs Books Emma Howell Rising Poet Prize | poetry | $25 fee | Prize: $1,000 + publication | Opens: October 1 | Deadline: April 1, 2026
- Winning Writers Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest | poetry (can be previously published) | Free | Prize: $2,000, two-year gift certificate to Duotrope, online publication | Final Judge: Jendi Reiter | Deadline: April 1, 2026
- The Healing Muse F. Sean Hodge Prize for Poetry in Medicine | poetry | Free | Prize: $250 and publication | Must be a current med student, resident, or fellow or a physician who has completed post-grad training | Deadline: April 15, 2026
May 2026
Open Calls
- The Georgia Review | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, book reviews | Free (postal), $3 (online) | Payment: $50 per printed page for prose and $4 per line for poetry, up to $800, two copies | Deadline: May 15, 2026
- Willow Springs Spring 2026 | fiction, poetry | Free | Opens: September 1 | Deadline: May 31, 2026
Writing Contests
- Winning Writers Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest | fiction, nonfiction (can be previously published) | $25 fee | Prize/genre: $3,500, two-year gift certificates to Duotrope, online publication | Final Judge: Mina Manchester | Deadline: May 1, 2026
- 🔔 Livingston Press Changing Light Prize for a Novel-in-Verse | fiction | Free | Prize: $500, book publication, and 20 copies | Deadline: May 25, 2026
Year-Round Open Calls
- Action, Spectacle | fiction, nonfiction, reviews, interviews, plays, comics, visual art, poetry | $3.50 fee | Open Year-round
- Blue Mountain Review | prose, poetry, music, visual art | $5 fee
- The Capra Review | All genres + multimedia | Free
- Changing Skies | Creative nonfiction, poetry, art | Free
- Driftwood Press | All genres + graphic works | Fees vary
- Fahmidan Journal | All genres | Free | Payment: $15
- Feels Blind Literary | All genres + comics | $3 fee (free on Mondays)
- Gambling the Aisle | Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, cross-genre | Free
- Hindsight Journal | Art, photography, nonfiction, poetry | Free
- JackLeg Press Book Manuscript Queries | fiction, nonfiction, poetry | $5 fee | Deadline: Rolling
- Jewish Fiction | Fiction, translation | Free
- Lullaby Machine | lullabies | Free | Deadline: Rolling
- New Verse News | Current-events poetry | Free
- Palooka | Magazine & chapbook submissions | $3 fee (magazine), $8 fee (chapbook) | Payment: copies
- Pictura Journal | fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art | Free (tip jar) | Payment: $5 (open until quota reached)
- Plant-Human Quarterly | Poetry, essays | Free
- Stone Circle Review | Poetry | Free
- 🔔Write Hook Weekly Writing Competition | fiction | Free (inaugural contest only) otherwise €15 per entry | Peer reviewed judging | Deadline: Weekly
Ready to submit? Bookmark your favorites, mark your calendar, and good luck sharing your work!
