Top Resources Listing Calls for Submissions

Rather than listing out current calls for submissions—of which there are thousands, yes thousands!—I figured it would be really useful to provide a list of aggregate resources – websites, newsletters, social media outlets and more—that maintain up-to-date open calls for submissions. This way, you’ll always have a single hub to refer back to for all your submissions: right here, on Aspiring Author.

Ample opportunities to get published

It might seem like opportunities to get published are hard to come by, but this certainly isn’t the case in my experience. From literary magazines, small presses, and foundations, to themed submissions, grants, and paying markets, there’s always somewhere looking to publish your work. You just have to find the right place to submit, and keep on top of all those deadlines. I recommend compiling a master submission spreadsheet for this, so that you can track all your submissions in one place.

It should go without saying that I strongly encourage you to submit to places that accept simultaneous submissions. Exclusive submissions stink. Anywhere that asks for an exclusive submission and expects you to wait around for six months twiddling your thumbs while they judge your work is deluded. Spread your net far and wide, but with a tailored approach.

What are they looking for?

Calls for submission might be looking to publish any and all of the following:

Fiction
Creative non-fiction or essays
Poetry
Book-length manuscripts
Chapbook-length manuscripts
Themed submissions
Hybrid or cross-genre submissions
Age-specific submissions
Artwork
Video
Photography
Entry to writing conferences, workshops, or MFA programs.

Curated list of calls for submissions

Here’s our curated list of the best places to find calls for submissions. This list is not exhaustive; merely, the places we think you’ll find the most leads. We’ve listed alphabetically for ease. If you see any missing, please let us know.

1. Adam Morgan

2. A Dreaming Skin

3. Call for Submissions: @callforsubs on Twitter

4. Calls for Submissions: Facebook Group

5. Calls for Submissions (Poetry, Fiction, Art): Facebook Group

6. Catapult: Don’t Write Alone

7. Cathy’s Comps & Calls

8. Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP)

9. Creative Writers Opportunities

10. Erika Dreifus

11. Freedom with Writing

12. Funds for Writers

13. Literary Mama

14. Heavy Feather Review

15. New Pages

16. Poets & Writers: Classifieds

17. Published to Death

18. The Submission Grinder

19. Submittable

20. Trish Hopkinson

21. Winning Writers: Best Free Literary Contests

22. Write Jobs

23. The Writer’s Newsletter

Recommended reading

Here at Aspiring Author, we love recommending bestsellers and fawning over hot new releases. On this real time recommended reading list, you will find a list of top rated books on the publishing industry, craft, and other books to help you elevate your writing career.