Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Perch is a creative arts journal with a mental health theme, published by the Program for Recovery and Community Health at Yale School of Medicine. For their next issue, "The Mix," they are seeking work that addresses the double-sided nature of mental illness, its highs and lows, burdens and creative insights. Entries may be poetry, fiction, personal or scholarly essays, or visual art. Editors say, "We are most interested in personal stories."

Contest details

• Sponsor: Yale School of Medicine
• Category: Poetry, Fiction, Essay, Art
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/87-specialized-manuscript-publishers-open-to-submissions/

From the resource page:

All of the presses on this list meet all of our guiding principles, but some of them have such a specific focus that we cannot justify writing a full review and sending it to our full list of subscribers. Some of them, we have full reviews on.

There is no particular organization to this list. Not all of the publishers on this list are currently open to submissions.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Bedford Competition runs annual international short story and poetry competitions open to anyone over 17 years. Winning entries are published in an anthology.

Contest details

• Sponsor: The Bedford Competition
• Category: Poetry and Short Story
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $11
• Awards: £2000

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest honors the legacy of Cai Emmons by recognizing new voices in fiction. It encourages themes central to Cai's work, such as interconnectedness, women's issues, grief, and environmental concerns.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Wordcrafters in Eugene
• Category: Fiction
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $7
• Awards: $700

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Henshaw Press Short Story Competition accepts entries of up to 2,000 words on any theme. It is open to writers aged 16 and over.

Contest details

• Sponsor: The Henshaw Press
• Category: Short Story and Fiction
• Submission length: Up to 2,000 words
• Entry fee: $8
• Awards: £200

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Indigo is a new literary journal currently seeking submissions of unpublished poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction for their first issue. Send 1-3 poems or one prose piece (no hard limit but under 3,000 words preferred). Editors say, "Experimental, hybrid, cross-genre and medium-bending submissions are greatly encouraged." See website for their aesthetic preferences for each genre.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Indigo
• Category: Poetry, Prose
• Submission length: See details above
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/76-publishing-opportunities-for-historically-underrepresented-writers-august-2026/

From the resource page:

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities. Some have limited definitions and are only interested in work by Black authors. Some are open to submissions from all authors for a fee, but allow free submissions from limited demographics.

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/76-publishing-opportunities-for-historically-underrepresented-writers-august-2026/

From the resource page:

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities. Some have limited definitions and are only interested in work by Black authors. Some are open to submissions from all authors for a fee, but allow free submissions from limited demographics.

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/50-magazines-and-anthologies-publishing-speculative-fiction-2/

From the resource page:

These magazines and anthologies publish speculative fiction – science fiction, fantasy, horror, and their many sub-genres; alternate history, dark fantasy, Weird fiction, cosmic horror, supernatural or paranormal horror, superhero, solarpunk, fairy tales, reimagined myths, and more.

Some calls are themed, and some of the themes are: gothic horror and paranormal romance, vampires, food in fairy tales, Icarus, Pandora, excess, Shakesperean speculative fiction and horror, Celtic mythologies, cats, dragon themed and time travel stories, Halloween, incensepunk, corporate horror, women with weapons, sorceress, human-shaped, and monsters & cryptids.

A number of them pay writers. Many, but not all, are open for submissions now. They are listed in no particular order.

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/5-paying-literary-magazines-to-submit-to-in-august-2026/

From the resource page:

These magazines pay for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They’re a mix of literary and genre magazines.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Briar Press NY seeks short stories in the Folk Horror tradition, previously unpublished, set in any time period/place/culture. Stories should convey beautiful writing, engaging plots, memorable characters, and an authentic Folk-Gothic atmosphere.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Briar Press NY Publishers
• Category: Fiction
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Publication

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Winter 2026 Prose & Poetry Contest runs two independently judged tracks: prose, covering short stories, memoirs and flash fiction, and poetry. Onyx Publications staff carry out the initial screening before finalists are selected.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Onyx Publications
• Category: Short Stories, Memoirs and Flash Fiction, and Poetry
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: $10
• Awards: $500

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resoure link: https://authorspublish.com/nine-publishers-open-to-direct-submissions-in-august-2026/

From the resource page:

This list focuses on nine publishers that are open to submissions this month. Some are only open for a short period of time, others will be open the whole month and beyond. At least four of these are presses we have not covered previously.

Please note that if a publisher doesn’t have a specific submission window they can close at any time, and publishers that use Submittable can close at any point because of submission caps (although these publishers generally reopen to submissions at the end of the month).

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Henshaw Press Short Story Competition accepts entries of up to 2,000 words on any theme. It is open to writers aged 16 and over.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Henshaw Press
• Category: Short Story and Fiction
• Submission length: Up to 2,000 words
• Entry fee: $8
• Awards: £200

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Neutral free contest gives $1,000 for a published article that furthers the understanding of the history of working people in the US or Canada. Entries should have been published in print or online between September 1, 2024 and August 31 of the deadline year. Articles focused on historical events, and articles about current issues (work, housing, organizing, health, education) that include historical context, are both welcome. Enter by email. Co-sponsored by the New York Labor History Association and LaborArts.

Contest details

• Sponsor: The New York Labor History Association and LaborArts
• Category: Article
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: $1,000

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/26-publishers-always-open-to-submissions/

From the resource page:

Some publishers open and close their doors to submissions on a routine basis. It can be hard to determine if they are open or shut to submissions, and when you should submit. The following publishers, however, are always open to submissions from writers without agents or previous publishing experience. All of these publishers meet our guiding principles. All of our reviews link to the publishers’ submission guidelines.

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The Flash Fiction Competition invites writers to submit stories of up to 500 words. It's a quarterly competition with prizes awarded for the top three entries each quarter. Winning entries are published on the website.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Flash 500
• Category: Short Story
• Submission length: Up to 500 words
• Entry fee: $7
• Awards: £300

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

The contest is open to US writers who have not previously published with FC2. Works can include novels, novellas, or collections of short stories, with no length requirement. Translations and previously published works are not eligible.

Contest details

• Sponsor: Fiction Collective 2
• Category: Novel, Novella, Short Story Collection
• Submission length: See details on website
• Entry fee: See details on website
• Awards: $3,000

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)

This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers

Resource link: https://authorspublish.com/nine-publishers-open-to-direct-submissions-in-august-2026/

From the resource page:

This list focuses on nine publishers that are open to submissions this month. Some are only open for a short period of time, others will be open the whole month and beyond. At least four of these are presses we have not covered previously.

Please note that if a publisher doesn’t have a specific submission window they can close at any time, and publishers that use Submittable can close at any point because of submission caps (although these publishers generally reopen to submissions at the end of the month).