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Manuscript Contests & Prizes
Spark Translation Prize
We’re seeking book-length translations on important social justice topics and themes that impact the world around us. We especially want to hear from marginalized and underrepresented people and languages.
Winner receives $1,000, our Spark Translation Prize digital medallion, a certificate, and book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Runners-up may also be offered book publication.
Submissions open: MAY 1, 2024
Submissions close: AUG 31, 2024
Winner announced: OCT 2024
Publication: 2025/2026
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Front Range Book Prize
We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of literary fiction, short stories, poetry, plays, novels, long novellas, creative nonfiction, literary memoir, essay collections, or hybrid by Colorado authors or on the theme of Colorado.
Winner receives $1,000, our Front Range Book Prize digital medallion, a certificate, and book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Runners-up may also be offered book publication.
Submissions open: SEP 1, 2023
Submissions close: DEC 31, 2023
Winner announced: JUL 2024
Publication: 2025/2026
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Electric Book Award
We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of literary fiction, short stories, poetry, plays, novels, long novellas, creative nonfiction, literary memoir, essay collections, or hybrid.
Winner receives $1,000, our Electric Book Award digital medallion, a certificate, and book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Runners-up may also be offered book publication.
Submissions open: JAN 1, 2024
Submissions close: APR 30, 2024
Winner announced: AUG 2024
Publication: 2025/2026
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Individual Writing Contests
Charter Oak Award
We’re seeking individual pieces of historical writing in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid that give an author’s intimate or emotional take on historical places, people, events, or ideas. Pieces must noticeably fit a historical theme.
Winner receives $100, our Charter Oak Award digital medallion, a certificate, and publication in our annual journal Footnote: A Literary Journal of History and online at The Coil. All finalists receive publication in Footnote, as well, among other prizes.
Submissions open: FEB 1, 2023
Submissions close: JAN 31, 2024
Winner announced: MAR 2024
Publication: JUL 2024 (issue #10)
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Luminaire Poetry Award
We’re seeking individual poems. Standalone poetry only. Individual poems, small groups of linked poems, experimental, prose poems, and hybrid poetry considered.
Winner receives $100, our Luminaire Poetry Award digital medallion, a certificate, and publication online at The Coil with the winning piece indicated. All finalists receive publication in The Coil, as well, among other prizes, and Top-5 winners receive print publication in our triennial Luminaire anthology.
Submissions open: NOV 1, 2023
Submissions close: FEB 28, 2024
Winner announced: APR 2024
Publication: 2024/2025
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Luminaire Prose Award
We’re seeking individual stories. Standalone fiction pieces only. Experimental, flash, short novelettes, long stories, short plays, and hybrid prose considered.
Winner receives $100, our Luminaire Prose Award digital medallion, a certificate, and publication online at The Coil with the winning piece indicated. All finalists receive publication in The Coil, as well, among other prizes, and Top-5 winners receive print publication in our triennial Luminaire anthology.
Submissions open: JUL 1, 2023
Submissions close: OCT 31, 2023
Winner announced: MAY 2024
Publication: 2024/2025
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Journal Submissions
Footnote
We’re seeking individual pieces of historical writing in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid that give an author’s intimate or emotional take on historical places, people, events, or ideas. Pieces must noticeably fit a historical theme.
Footnote: A Literary Journal of History is our annual journal dedicated to historical and contemporary views on any topic of nonscholarly and personal history. We give a home to archaic historical rhymes, essays and opinions of the long-since dead, and contemporary voices commenting on historical ideas, people, or events that have touched the authors. Issues are non-themed and coincide with the announcement of the Charter Oak Award for Best Historical Writing.
Submissions open: FEB 1, 2023
Submissions close: JAN 31, 2024
FREE submissions: FEB, MAR, NOV
Selections made: MAR 2024
Publication: JUL 2024 (issue #10)
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Coming Soon: Science Journal
We’re seeking individual pieces of science writing in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid that give an author’s intimate or emotional take on the crossover between the realm of literature and science. Pieces must noticeably fit a science theme, though please note that we are not looking for commercial science-fiction, fantasy, space operas, or metaphysics.
Science: A Literary Journal of Science is our annual journal dedicated to historical and contemporary views on any topic of nonscholarly and personal scientific thought or feeling. We want that space where the literary meets the scientific world, where the scientific turns poetic and turns a phrase. Issues are non-themed.
Submissions open: FEB 1, 2024
Submissions close: DEC 31, 2024
FREE submissions: JUL, SEP, OCT
Selections made: JAN 2025
Publication: APR 2025 (issue #1)
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The Coil
We’re seeking individual pieces of nonfiction with a literary bent, including essays, book reviews, interviews, shelfies, columns, articles, artwork, historical writing, literary recipes, book lists, soundbites, spotlights, blog tours, and more.
The Coil is our weekday online literary magazine, running new content in the literary world every Monday through Friday. Please note that poetry, fiction, or historical writing must go through its respective category (Charter Oak, Luminaire, or open-reading periods) on this page. All other material can go through this portal.
Submissions open: Categories vary
Selections made: Within 2 months
Publication: Within 6 months
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Special Projects & Anthologies
Open Calls for One-Time Anthologies & Projects
We have many ongoing one-time, single-publication themed anthologies and special projects that are open for individual submissions from all authors. We regularly put together themed fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and mixed collections.
Selected pieces receive publication in the appropriate anthologies on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Please note that submissions are considered for publication but are not considered for prizes. We pay for the anthology pieces we accept.
Submissions open: Year-round
Selections made: Varies by project
Publication: 2023-2026
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Best Small Fictions
We’re thrilled to be the publisher for this renowned annual compilation of the best microfiction, flash fiction, haibun stories, and prose poetry from around the world, nominated by indie presses that published the pieces. Publishers may nominate small fictions from their presses at the end of each year.
Selected pieces receive publication in the anthology on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers.
Submissions open: NOV 15, 2023
Submissions close: JAN 31, 2024
Selections made: Spring 2024
Publication: Fall 2024
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Open Reading Periods
Book-Length Fiction
We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of literary fiction, short stories, plays, novels, long novellas, flash collections, or hybrid. Please note that we do not publish children’s, middle-grade, NA, YA, or picture books, and our focus is not on commercial titles.
Selected manuscripts receive book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Please note that submitted manuscripts are considered for publication but are not considered for prizes.
Submissions open: JUN, SEP, NOV
Selections made: Within 4 months
Publication: 2024/2025
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Book-Length Nonfiction
We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of creative nonfiction, literary memoir, essay collections, or hybrid. Please note that we do not publish children’s, middle-grade, NA, YA, or picture books, and our focus is not on commercial titles.
Selected manuscripts receive book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Please note that submitted manuscripts are considered for publication but are not considered for prizes.
Submissions open: MAY, AUG
Selections made: Within 4 months
Publication: 2024/2025
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Book-Length Poetry
We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of poetry, experimental, prose poems, or hybrid poetry. Please note that we do not publish children’s, middle-grade, NA, YA, or picture books, and our focus is not on commercial titles.
Selected manuscripts receive book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Please note that submitted manuscripts are considered for publication but are not considered for prizes.
Submissions open: JUL, OCT, DEC
Selections made: Within 4 months
Publication: 2024/2025
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Little Pigeon Chapbook Series
We’re seeking chapbook-length manuscripts in any style of themed or linked pieces with a hook, and we are especially interested in themes with a historical or science bent. Chapbooks for the series should be about 10 to 40 pages of material and must have a single theme of some sort.
Selected manuscripts receive book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. Please note that submitted manuscripts are considered for publication but are not considered for prizes.
Submissions open: NOV 1, 2023
Submissions close: APR 30, 2024
Selections made: Within 4 months
Publication: 2025/2026
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Individual Poems
We’re seeking individual poems. Standalone poetry only. Individual poems, small groups of linked poems, experimental, prose poems, and hybrid poetry considered. (Note that historical poems should be submitted to Footnote.)
Selected poems receive $10 and publication on The Coil, our weekday online literary magazine, running new content in the literary world every Monday through Friday. Please note that submitted poems are considered for publication but are not considered for prizes.
Submissions open: MAR 1, 2023
Submissions close: MAY 31, 2023
FREE submissions: APR
Selections made: Within 4 months
Publication: 2023/2024
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Individual Stories/Fiction
We’re seeking individual stories. Standalone fiction pieces only. Experimental, flash, short novelettes, long stories, short plays, and hybrid prose considered. (Note that historical stories should be submitted to Footnote. Nonfiction should be submitted through The Coil categories above.)
Selected stories receive $10 and publication on The Coil, our weekday online literary magazine, running new content in the literary world every Monday through Friday. Please note that submitted fiction is considered for publication but is not considered for prizes.
Submissions open: FEB 1, 2023
Submissions close: MAY 31, 2023
FREE submissions: MAY
Selections made: Within 4 months
Publication: 2023/2024
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