It’s December at last but before the festivities begin, there’s still time to let your words take wing with one of over 140 poetry competitions, writing submissions and opportunities open or with deadlines in December 2023.
How are you all doing as we reach the end of 2023? It’s been a difficult year for many and there are such horrors taking place around the world right now that it feels strange to be thinking of celebration. I am foregoing the few holiday treats I’d normally splurge on and donating those funds towards the care of those affected by the situation in Gaza. If you’d like to join me, here are trustworthy aid agencies who are working in the region:
Doctors Without Borders
Oxfam International
Trocaire
Anera
My own year has been pretty tough with multiple bereavements and illness, and I feel I’ve been running on empty since November. I’ve shared previously about being a late-diagnosed autistic with ADHD, and this year I’ve been more aware of those differences than ever before.
Last month, our Lord Mayor announced a three-year plan to make Dublin an autism-friendly city but from my own dealings with public organisations, government departments and the legal system, this aspiration feels a long way off. Mostly, people don’t understand that we can’t process information the same way they do and it’s exhausting (not hyperbole, literal fatigue) to constantly have to bridge the communication and empathy gap.
This lack of understanding means approx. 85% of autistic people are unemployed. Others, like myself, create our own employment to give ourselves the flexibility our bodies and brains need to be productive. However, I realised this year that I have modelled my work on the same systems that have been so harmful to me during my professional career as an architect, that led to cycles of overwhelm, inertia and burnout. Recently, I have begun questioning what healthy creative practice and facilitation might look like, if we were to move away from the corporate and capitalistic messaging around work and success.
Last month, I carried out The Big Reader Survey, asking my mailing list about their writing practice and needs — I’ll write a separate post about that soon, but it seems we’re all in need of more time, more energy and more security.
Part of that healthier picture has to do with how we value ourselves and each other as writers and creatives, and how we balance our prosaic needs like food and rent, with our creative need for inspiration, time to think and write, time to rest. To this end, my courses which have been at the same price since COVID will increase in the new year, in keeping with their real value. I will continue to offer free places to under-represented writers, payment plans for the bigger ticket items, and those on my mailing list will continue to receive the best value discounts, to make these events as accessible as possible.
I spent most of 2023 teaching and I know I need to shake things up a bit in 2024, to make space for my own writing along with everyone else’s. And at the top of the list for a re-think is this monthly submissions list.
The list has been around in one form or another for ten years. Each list takes around 15-20 working hours to source, write and disseminate, and is read 8,000-14,500 times each month. I am lucky enough to have a small number of regular contributors, whose generosity I am hugely grateful for, but it doesn’t cover the cost.
Because this time is unpaid, it means I can’t always prioritise the list to ensure its prompt delivery at the beginning of the month. And it’s frustrating to see others scrape the list for unpaid content to share with or sell to their own audiences. I have always wanted to keep the list as an open resource accessible to everyone, which would be possible if enough people made a small contribution toward its upkeep.
If 250 people — that’s around 2-3% of readers — contributed with a one-off donation of €12 (£10.50 or $13) or a subscription of €1 per month via the Annual Christmas Appeal, it would safeguard the list for another year. If you can help, please donate via one of the donation links below.
I’m also re-thinking my 30-day writing challenges which have been hugely popular but also — and this is 100% my own fault, due to autistic perfectionism — become bigger and more time-consuming. I’m going to keep the challenge for NaPoWriMo in April, and am working on new writing experiences for other times of the year. The first of these – The Frozen World — is a four-week environmental-themed writing event, starting 4 January 2024, and focusing on wintering, survival and the cold places of the earth. More details coming soon.
Throughout all these changes, I remain grateful for the understanding and encouragement of this wonderful community of writers, those who participate in the poetry events and those who read this blog. I love working with you and helping you to send your work into the world. Thank you so much for your support throughout this year and I hope these lists have helped pave the way to literary success. If you are in a position to give back (see below) it is very much appreciated.
When writing your holiday gift shopping lists, please remember to shop local and support writers, small presses and independent bookstores this Christmas.
I wish you a happy, healthy, safe and peaceful holiday season and the very best of luck in sending out your poems this month. Take care and I look forward to seeing you in 2024!
Annual Christmas Request
Creating this list is a labour of love, taking the best part of 15-20 hours to source, organise and write each month. If you find it useful and would like to show your appreciation, click the button below and make a small contribution toward a writer’s necessities in life, like:
€1.00 (a cheeky wee bar of chocolate or a new pen)
€3.00 (a piping hot creamy latte or a new notebook)
€5.00 (a lovely cold pint of Guinness or a competition entry)
€10.00 (a scrumptious pizza or a new book)
If you have the means, please consider making a MONTHLY contribution.
The competitions list is read between 8,000-14,500 times each month. If 250 readers can contribute €1 per month, it will ensure the list remains accessible to all. That’s €12 (£10.50 or $13) per year for all the time saved sourcing up-to-date submissions info each month. Will you help?
To everyone who has contributed this year, thank you so much for your kindness and generosity in valuing this work. Wishing you peace and love for the holiday season and may all your poems go out into the world and shine. ax
DECEMBER
Passengers Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Visual Arts – closes 8 Dec (submit online)
The Martello Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Visual Arts, theme: Degeneracy – closes 8 Dec (submit online)
Troubadour International Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 10 Dec (submit online)
Tentacular Magazine – Poetry, Prose, Art – closes 10 Dec (submit online)
Tyger Tyger – Poetry for Children, theme: People and Characters – closes 10 Dec (submit online)
Copper Nickel – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Translation – closes 15 Dec (submit online)
Haleakala National Park Artist Residency – All Disciplines – closes 15 Dec (submit online)
Ink Sweat & Tears – Poetry, Prose, Reviews – closes 15 Dec (submit online)
Split Lip – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Memoir (free subs for Black writers) – closes 15 Dec (submit online)
Strings Mag – Poetry, Fiction – closes 15 Dec (submit online)
The Antiquery Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Art (writers under 25 and over 60 prioritised) – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Faultline – Poetry, Fiction – closes 16 Dec (submit online)
Sunspot Lit – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction, Graphic Novel, Art – closes 16 Dec (submit online)
The Masters Review Chapbook Contest – Fiction, Nonfiction (25-45 pages) – closes 17 Dec (submit online)
Heroine’s Women’s Writing Prize – Poetry, theme: women in myth, fairy tale, folklore, legend, or untold stories – closes 18 Dec (submit online)
The Prole Laureate Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 20 Dec (submit online)
Graywolf Lab – Poetry, Fiction, Essays. Visual art – closes 22 Dec (submit online)
The Test Site Poetry Prize – Poetry manuscripts (min. 48 pages) – closes 25 Dec (submit online)
The Puritan – Poetry, Fiction, Essays – closes 25 Dec (submit online)
Alba – Poetry (12no. lines max.) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award – Poetry manuscript in progress – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Anthropocene – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Arc Poetry Magazine – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Cecil Hemley Memorial Award – Narrative Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Channel Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Visual Art – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Dolors Alberosa Poetry Prize – Poetry manuscript – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Dorset Prize – Poetry manuscript (48-88 pages) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Emily Dickinson Award – Poetry (max. 16 lines) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Enfield Poets Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Exposition Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction, Art & more – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Granta – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art, Photography – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Hollis Summers Poetry Prize – Poetry manuscript (60-95 pages) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Laurence Goldstein Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Lucille Medwick Memorial Award – Prose Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Lyric Poetry Award – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
PN Review – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online (subscribers only) or by post)
ROPES – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Memoir, Essay – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Sunspot Lit: AI & Creativity – Poetry, Prose, Art – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
The Broken Spine – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
The Griffin Poetry Prize – Poetry collections published in 2023 (publishers only) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
The Moth Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
The Sarah McGuire Prize for Poetry in Translation – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
The Two Sylvias Press Wilder Series Poetry Book Prize – Poetry manuscript (48-80 pages, female/identified poets over the age of 50 only) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Wales Young Poets Award – Poetry (ages 10-17 years) – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Wolverhampton Literature Festival – Poetry – closes 31 Dec (submit online)
Mississippi Review Annual Contests – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction – closes 1 Jan (submit online)
The Thicket – Poetry, theme: Wintering – closes 1 Jan (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH RECURRING DEADLINES
Ó Bhéal Five Words – Poetry – deadline each week, annual prize (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS IN DECEMBER 2023
The Manchester Review – Poetry, Fiction, Art – closing date unknown – Spring issue (submit online)
Magma – Poetry, theme: Performance – closes 4 Jan (submit online)
Drawn to the Light – Poetry, Art, Photography – closes 5 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)
Mslexia – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 8 Jan (submit online)
Ragaire Literary Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Flash – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Guernsey International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
Palette Poetry: Previously Published Poem Prize – Poetry – closes 15 Jan (submit online)
CCI Artists Residency – All disciplines – closes 16 Jan (submit online)
Magma Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
Poetry Ireland – Poetry, theme: Making Space – closes 31 Jan (submit online)
The North Magazine – Poetry – closes 31 Jan (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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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 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 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 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)
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 DECEMBER 2023, and it is not included above, feel free to add the details with a link in the comments section below!
(Illustration by Nicole Ray via Etsy
a dreaming skin 