The April 2026 edition of "Get Submitting" is a monthly hand-curated list of the top five contests, grants, scholarships, submission calls, and awards. We try to prioritize opportunities that are at least one of the following: open to all genres, local, free to apply, and/or committed to celebrating and supporting writers from historically marginalized communities. We do the research, so you have more time for what matters: the writing.

Submissions

Sundog Lit

Fee: $2; Award: $50; Deadline: May 1st

Sundog Lit publishes two issues a year, September 1 and March 1. They accept general submissions for poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. They want writing that attempts to salvage something pure from the collision of warmth and cold, that says what it can about the world it finds itself in. And seek a diversity of voices speaking from visceral, lived experience. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

The Shore Poetry

Fee: $0; Award: Publication; Deadline: June 1st

The Shore is an online poetry publication seeking cutting, strange, and daring work from new and established poets alike. They publish 4 times a year, once each season. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Contests & Prizes

Annual Writing Competition | Writer's Digest

Early Bird Fee: $25-30; Award: $50 - 5,000 and Publication; Deadline: May 4th

The 95th Annual Writing Competition is a chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents. Almost 500 winners will be chosen in nine categories including Memoirs/Personal Essay, Rhyming Poetry, Humor, Children's/Young Adult Fiction, and more. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry | Beloit Poetry Journal

Fee: $15; Award: $1,500; Deadline: April 30th

An annual prize administered by the Beloit Poetry Journal, supported by the Adrienne Rich Literary Trust. It celebrates poetry that embodies the boldness, creativity, and social engagement championed by Adrienne Rich herself. Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on any subject in any style, up to a maximum of 10 pages per entry. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction | University of Georgia Press

Fee: $30; Award: $1000 and publication Deadline: May 31st

The University of Georgia Press is proud to be the publisher of the Flannery O'Connor Short Fiction Award series. Each year, one manuscript is selected for publication with UGA Press and a prize of $1000. More than seventy short fiction collections have appeared in the series, which was established to encourage gifted emerging writers by bringing their work to a national readership. Visit the website for complete guidelines.