Poetry Competitions, Submissions & Opportunities – September 2020

Summer is on the wane and with the nights drawing in you’ll need something to keep you busy so here’s a new list with over 130 poetry competitions, writing submissions and opportunities open or with deadlines in September 2020!

It’s also the strangest ‘Back to School’ season ever. Whether you’re a parent, a student or a teacher, I wish you all well this Autumn as we broach yet another social and health frontier.

We had a fantastic time during the month of August on The Grand Tour 2020 Summer Writing Challenge – a whistle-stop virtual jaunt around Europe in the manner of old-timey toffs visiting France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Austria, Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, writing up a storm along the way! I’m planning one more challenge before the end of the year – be sure to jump on the mailing list so you don’t miss out!

Otherwise, be careful, mind yourselves and each other this month – we’re all in this together. As always, stay creative, stay grounded, stay connected and stay safe.

Whatever you are writing or sending out in September, I wish you the very best of luck. If you appreciate the monthly list and would like to support it, consider making a small donation via the Paypal donation button (right) and/or share the link on your own blog or social media pages. Thank you!

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SEPTEMBER 2020

SAND – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Translations, Art – closes 1 Sept (submit online)

Black Warrior Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Translations & more – closes 1 Sept (submit online)

Tiny Fork Chapbook Series Contest – Poetry, Prose, Hybrid manuscripts (15-40 pages) – closes 1 Sept (submit online)

For Women Who Roar – Poetry, Non-fiction, Art, Photography – closes 2 Sept (submit online)

Passengers Journal – Poetry, Non-fiction, Art, Photography – closes 4 Sept (submit online)

Dogwood Literary Prizes – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction – closes 6 Sept (submit online)

The Stirling Spoon Competitions – Poetry, Fiction, theme: Identity in America – closes 6 Sept (submit online)

Into the Void – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Creative Non-fiction – closes 7 Sept (submit online)

Tiny Seed Journal – Poetry, Flash, Photography, theme: Through the Eyes of Nature – closes 7 Sept (submit online)

Arts Council Literary Project Award – All genres – closes 10 Sept (submit online)

Black Warrior Review Contest – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Non-fiction – closes 10 Sept (submit online)

Ellipsis Zine – Prose Poetry, Flash – closes 10 Sept (submit online)

Parentheses Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Art, Photography – closes 10 Sept (submit online)

Aurora Poetry Summer Contest – Poetry – closes 12 Sept (submit online)

Westival Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 13 Sept (submit online)

Oxford Brookes International Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 14 Sept (submit online)

Jan Michalski Foundation Residencies – All disciplines – closes 15 Sept (submit online)

Cave Canem: Toi Derricotte & Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize – Poetry manuscript (25-30 pages, Black poets only) – closes 15 Sept (submit online)

Robert Watson Literary Prize – Poetry, Fiction – closes 15 Sept (submit online)

The Moth Nature Writing Prize – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction – closes 15 Sept (submit online)

The Southampton Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art – closes 15 Sept (submit online)

Visual Verse – Poetry, Flash, Non-Fiction – closes 15 Sept (submit online)

Gutter Mag – Poetry, Prose (welcomes those underrepresented in literary publications: writers of colour; with lived experience of multiple socio-economic deprivation; from marginalised ethnic and national groups, LGBTQ writers, and those writing in minority languages) – closes 18 Sept (submit online)

2020 Manchester Writing Competition – Poetry, Fiction – closes 18 Sept (submit online)

Frontier Poetry Award for New Poets – Poetry (one collection published max.) – closes 20 Sept (submit online)

Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Awards – Poetry, Fiction – closes 26 Sept (submit online)

The Puritan – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction – closes 26 Sept (submit online)

La Napoule Arts Foundation Residency – All artists – closes 28 Sept (submit online)

The Allingham Festival Competitions – Poetry, Flash – closes 28 Sept (submit online)

Troubadour Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 28 Sept (submit online)

Anthropocene – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (or sooner, depending on numbers – submit online)

Creeping Expansion – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, theme: Community – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

Drawn to the Light – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

LossLit – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction (welcomes submissions from women, ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ+ community, and other under-represented groups in publishing) – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

Lunch Ticket – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Creative Non-fiction – closes 30 Sept (numbers capped, may close sooner – submit online)

Nashville Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Translation – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

Neon Magazine – Poetry, Prose, Comics & Photography – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

New Writing Scotland – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Drama, Screenplay, Graphic Artwork – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

Split Lip – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Memoir, Art & Photography – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

The A3 Press Chapbook – Poetry, Fiction, Art (max. 12-14 pages) – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

Tiny Seed Journal – Poetry, Flash, Photography, theme: Where is Your Wild? – closes 30 Sept (submit online)

Kenyon Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Essays & more – opens 15 Sept  & closes 1 Oct (submit online)

Peter Porter Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Oct (submit online)

The Adroit Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art – closes 1 Oct (submit online)

The Aryamati Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Oct (submit online)

The Honest Ulsterman – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Critical Writing – closes 2 Oct (submit online)

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JOURNALS / OPPORTUNITIES WITH RECURRING DEADLINES

Ó Bhéal Five Words – Poetry – deadline each week, annual prize (submit online)

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JOURNALS / OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS IN SEPTEMBER:

Mslexia – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction (short pieces) – closes 5 Oct (submit online)

The London Magazine Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 12 Oct (submit online)

The Brush & Lyre Prize – Multimedia Poetry – closes 18 Oct (submit online)

404 Ink – Poetry, Short/Fiction, Non-fiction manuscripts (complete or project pitch) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)

Ambit Magazine – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)

Gingko Prize – Eco-Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)

The Bedford Writing Competitions – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Oct (submit online)

The Francis Ledwidge International Poetry Award – Poetry – closes 5 Nov (submit online)

Acumen – Poetry – open (submit online)

Agenda – Poetry, Essays, Reviews – open (submit online)

Ambit – Poetry, Fiction, Art – open (submit online)

A New Ulster – Poetry, Fiction, Artwork – open (submit online)

Anthropocene – Poetry – open (submit online)

Apartment Poetry – Poetry – open (submit online)

Atrium – Poetry – open (submit online)

Bear Review – Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Artwork – open (submit online)

Brittle Star – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)

Carve Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction – open (submit online)

Cheat River Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)

Dreich Mag – Poetry – open (submit online)

Driftwood Press – Poetry, Fiction, Literary Criticism – open (submit online)

Dust Poetry – Poetry – open (submit online)

Empty Mirror – Poetry, Non-fiction, Visual Art (committed to diversity & inclusion) – open (submit online)

Fecund Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Essay & more (POC only) – open (submit online)

FIVE:2:ONE – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Artwork by underrepresented writers (POC, LGTBQ, non-binary, neurodivergent, trauma survivors etc.) – 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)

Ink Sweat & Tears – Poetry – open (submit online)

Irish Literary Review – Poetry – open (submit online)

Lighthouse Literary Journal – Poetry & Short Fiction – open (submit online)

LitMag – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, Essays – open (submit online)

Lunate – Poetry, Fiction, Flash – open (submit online)

Marble – Poetry – 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)

Riggwelter – Poetry, Short Fiction, Visual Art – open 31 March 2020 (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)

Tears in the Fence – Poetry – open (submit online)

The American Journal of Poetry – 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 Compass Magazine – Poetry – open (submit online)

The Curly Mind – Poetry, theme: experimental – open (submit online)

The Dark Horse – Poetry – open (submit by post)

The Ellis Review – Poetry, published weekly – open (submit online)

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 London Magazine – Poetry, Non-Fiction, Art – open (submit online)

The Missouri Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)

The Moth – 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 Poetry Village – Poetry – open (submit online)

The Poetry Review – Poetry – open (submit online)

The Sea Letter – Poetry, Fiction, Artwork – open (submit online)

The Selkie – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Features (marginalised and/or under-represented voices incl. women (or identify as), people of colour, immigrants, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent and more) – 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)

Three Drops From a Cauldron – Poetry, Flash, theme: Myth, Folklore, Fables, Fairytales – on hiatus until 2021 (submit online)

Tinderbox Poetry Journal – Poetry – open (submit online)

Wildness – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)

Best of luck!

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If you have a competition or journal with a deadline in September 2020, and it is not included above, feel free to add the details with a link in the comments section below!

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(Illustration by Nicole Ray via Etsy)