Writing Competition: 2026 Boudin Novelette Chapbook Contest

 

2026 Boudin Novelette Chapbook Contest

Final judge: Robert Olen Butler

Deadline: September 15th, 2026

Prizes: The winner will receive $1,000, 25 author copies, an author-signing at AWP 2027, promotion in Boudin (“the spicy online cousin of The McNeese Review”), and a three-year subscription to The McNeese Review. The winning manuscript will be published as a special issue of The McNeese Review and distributed by TRP: The University Press of SHSU.

Two runners-up will be offered publication of individual pieces in Boudin.

Fee: $20

Manuscript details: 25-40 manuscript pages of a single story in a readable font like 12-point Times New Roman. Unpublished and original work only. Include only a title page.

Your name and contact info should NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript. Please include a cover letter and third-person bio on the Submittable submission form.

Judging: The first rounds will be read anonymously by McNeese State University’s MFA faculty and students. The final round will be read anonymously by Robert Olen Butler, who will determine the winner and two runners-up.

Robert Olen Butler's short-story collection A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1993. His most recent novel is Twice Around a Marriage.

Other: Co-authored manuscripts are fine. Submitting multiple manuscripts is fine with entry fees for each. Simultaneous submissions are fine; please withdraw immediately through Submittable if your work is accepted elsewhere. Please note that the AWP author signing will take place at the Boudin/McNeese Review booth, and does not include travel expenses. Current McNeese State University students and employees are not eligible to submit. McNeese alumni are welcome to submit if it has been at least three years since they graduated.

We, unfortunately, cannot award the prize money to international submissions, though can still offer publication and subscription prizes.

--

Boudin fine print

Please only submit original work. If your work borrows from or quotes another writer, please make explicit mention of this with your submission, giving full attribution to any material you’re using from another source. We do not accept any work that was written with the assistance of AI.

Please only submit new, previously-unpublished work.

Please limit your submissions to four issues per calendar year.

In all genres, we are particularly interested in seeing work from women, people of color, LGBTQ writers, non-binary writers, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.

No material published in Boudin may be reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, without the permission of the authors. Writers retain all rights to their work. We ask for ourselves only that Boudin be credited with first publication. Unfortunately, we are not a paying market; contributors to Boudin will receive our thanks and the promise that we’ll promote your work.

We encourage you to simultaneously submit your work while it’s under consideration at Boudin. If your submission is accepted by another publication, please withdraw immediately through Submittable.

We look forward to seeing your work! Surprise us. Spice it up!

Submit your entry here. 

Call for Submissions: Wildscape Literary Journal

Wildscape Literary Journal

Subs are OPEN.

Issue #8 subs for all genres are open until August 15, 2026

poetry guidelines

-Up to 5 poems

-Each poem must be two pages or shorter

-Please put all poems in one document, and start each poem on a new page

-12pt, times new roman font

-upload ONLY as a .doc/.docx (NOT a PDF, unless a PDF is needed to preserve the formatting. If this is the case, please let us know in your cover letter)

-Please leave all identifying information off of the document itself, as well as the document title. We prefer to read blind (i.e. not knowing who the author is)

-Keep your bio under 75 words, please. A cover letter is not mandatory and will not affect our decision, but we do enjoy getting to know the person behind the words/art, so feel free to let us know a little about yourself or the background info on your work, if you’d like.

-Prose poetry, as well as hybrid forms such as blackout/erasure poetry, are more than welcome

–We tend to lean away from rhyming poetry, and we tend to prefer experimental, contemporary, and free verse work.

flash fiction & creative flash nonfiction guidelines

-Up to 2 pieces

-max 1,500 words per piece

-Double spaced, 12pt, times new roman font

-upload each flash piece separately, and upload ONLY as a .doc/.docx (NOT a PDF, unless your work has unique formatting – if this is the case, let us know in your cover letter)

-Keep your bio under 75 words, please. A cover letter is not mandatory and will not affect our decision, but we do enjoy getting to know the person behind the words/art, so feel free to let us know a little about yourself or the background info on your work, if you’d like.

-Please leave all identifying information off of the document itself, as well as the document title. We prefer to read blind.

art guidelines

Please send up to 10 works of art. We prefer the whimsical and the beautiful, the ethereal and the wild. We tend to lean towards nature and florals, abstracts, watercolors, pastels, and whimsical work. But even if your art doesn’t fit any of these themes, send it anyway! We’re always looking for something new.
We’re open to any and all mediums, though. Submit as the file type(s) that best preserves your work. Genre does not matter, but we tend to lean away from horror.

-Please include a short, third-person bio. Keep your bio under 75 words, please. A cover letter is not mandatory and will not affect our decision, but we do enjoy getting to know the person behind the words/art, so feel free to let us know a little about yourself or the background info on your work, if you’d like.general info/FAQs

-We welcome and encourage work from all historically marginalized creators

-We do NOT accept AI-generated work, and we ask that you do not submit any work, written or visual art, that has been created using AI in any way

–Languages We Accept: We can only accept work written in predominantly English, though works with words/phrases in other languages are absolutely welcome

–Previous Contributors: We generally ask that contributors of the most recent regular issue skip one submission period before submitting work again. This does NOT apply to themed issues. This also does NOT apply to artists (i.e. artists can submit to any issue with no previous contributor restrictions). Anyone can submit work to a themed issue, regardless of when you were last published with us.

–Multiple Submissions: We allow up to THREE submissions per issue. We also allow more than one submission at a time. We do ask, however, that your submissions be separated based on the genre-specific guidelines (i.e. please do not send multiple genres within one submission, and do not send more than one submission’s worth of work within one submission).

–Simultaneous Submissions: Simultaneous submissions are more than welcome. In fact, we encourage them! Please notify us immediately of acceptance for publication elsewhere by withdrawing your piece from Duosuma, leaving a note/message in Duosuma, or by emailing us (wildscapelit@gmail.com)

–Previously Published Work: So long as you have the rights to your previously published work, and can prove that you do (i.e. contract with previous publisher, screenshot from communications with them confirming that you do, etc.), then you are welcome to submit it! We will not need proof of such until/unless your work is accepted, but please do mention that it’s previously published in your cover letter.

–Response Time: It can take us 1-6 weeks to make a decision on a submission. Sometimes, if things are slow, we might respond in around one week. Other times, if we’re swamped, it could take as long as six weeks. If you don’t hear from us within 45 days, please feel free to reach out via email, at:

wildscapelit@gmail.com.

–Compensation: Unfortunately, since we are a small team, a newer magazine, and don’t charge for submissions, we are unable to pay our contributors at this time (but we hope to in the future). We do, however, nominate for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, O. Henry Prize, and Best Small Fiction. We also promote our contributors on social media as best we can.

–Author/Artist Rights: All rights revert back to the author/artist immediately upon publication. We ask that if work originally published with us gets published elsewhere in the future, that wildscape. receives credit for first/prior publication.

–WE DO NOT ACCEPT: Hateful words of any kind (if you need clarification on this, then we might not be for you). We believe that black lives matter, that the people of Palestine & Sudan & the Congo & Haiti & all other oppressed populations/nations deserve to be free, & that trans rights are human rights. If you send work that enables or condones the oppression of any marginalized people. We reserve the right to rescind acceptance/publication of your work if it is found that you are expressing hate towards any oppressed/marginalized groups. We also do not accept work that has been created using AI in any capacity.

Submit your work here.

Call for Submissions: Punctuated Equilibrium

 

Punctuated Equilibrium is interested in your most polished work that engages with the natural environment. 

As a theory, Punk Eek (punctuated equilibrium) is an evolutionary model wherein a sudden burst of change occurs after an extended period of stasis. Born from urgency, we are an online magazine dedicated to interrupting the current moment. Fast-paced, bold, and responsive. Punk Eek follows the flow of nature: sometimes steady, sometimes unexpected.  

As editors, we take a broad view of what constitutes the natural world, and welcome writing that explores various interpretations and intersections. We value experimentation and innovation, opinions and research, audacity and compassion. We are dedicated to uplifting the writers behind the work we publish, acknowledging that writing is born from our different identities, experiences, and beliefs.  

The core of Punk Eek is the natural world—its beauty and power, the threats it faces, and the many species and places within it. Words are the spark that ignite change. 

We only accept original and unpublished work. 

Please make sure...

You email your submission to:

 punkeekmag@gmail.com

• In the subject line of the email, you put [Genre/Category – First and Last Name]
• If you’re submitting a fiction feature, your subject line should look like this: Fiction – Jane Doe
• If you’re submitting a nonfiction feature, your subject line should look like this: Nonfiction – John Appleseed
• If you’re submitting a poetry feature, your subject line should look like this: Poetry – Jane Doe
• If you’re submitting a hybrid feature, your subject line should look like this: Hybrid – Jane Doe
• If you’re submitting a Microburst, your subject line should look like this: Microburst – John Appleseed
• If you’re submitting to Heat Index, your subject line should look like this: Heat Index – Jane Doe
• If you’re submitting to Into the Fire, your subject line should look like this: Into the Fire – John Appleseed

In the body of the email, you include the title of your piece(s), word count (prose), a brief bio (100 words max), and any other info you’d like to share

You attach your work as a PDF (poetry) or Word (prose) document

You use a typeface like Arial or Times New Roman that is easy to read

There is no identifying information within the document

We accept simultaneous submissions, but please inform us if it is a simultaneous submission in the body of your email. We also ask that you let us know as soon as possible if your work is accepted elsewhere. Email us on the same email chain you used to submit your work to let us know. 

Payment: $50.00

Any other questions, please send us an email with “question” in the subject line.

More information here. 

Call for Submissions: Little Engines

 

Little Engines started in 2001, publishing four perfect-bound print issues. Each included a carefree mix of fiction, comics, interviews, photos, essays, and more. The Stranger called Little Engines “remarkably satisfying” and Philadelphia Weekly said the magazine was “such a wonderful creation.”

People liked the magazine, and I loved putting it together, but while digging into what should have been Issue Five, my day job in music became all consuming. I set the magazine aside, temporarily. Seventeen years later, a few months into Covid with live music shut down, I started working on a re-launch.

SUBMISSIONS

Open July 13 - August 9.

Stories, essays, interviews, reviews: send one, any word count will do

Poems, comics: include one to five

Books: include one chapter of your novel, memoir, or collection, along with a short description

We are a paying market.

Send work to:

avery@littleengines.pub

Call for Submissions: Headland: Literary Frontiers & Emerging Voices

 

Headland: Literary Frontiers & Emerging Voices 

Guidelines

Submissions are open until 5pm Monday 24 August 2026

Please read these guidelines thoroughly to ensure that you do not spend your energy preparing a submission that we will be unable to accept.

We accept short fiction and creative nonfiction only (up to 5,000 words). At this time we do not publish poetry, novel excerpts, scholarly essays, reviews or art. We do not include any illustrations in the pieces we publish.

We will publish what we love. Our process is as subjective as that, so please do not be discouraged if we do not select your writing for Headland.

We pay $75 (NZ) per accepted piece. We ask for first publication rights, after which all rights revert to the author. We kindly ask that you acknowledge Headland in any reprints.

We invite submitting authors to include (in your email) up to 300 words on what Headland journal means to you. We're looking to understand what readers and writers get out of Headland so that we can ensure we reflect your needs going forward. This is optional. What you write will not have any influence on our consideration of your work, but it may be published (with your permission) as part of a special blog.

When submitting work, your email address will be added to Headland's newsletter mailing list. If you would like to opt out of receiving our newsletter, please state this clearly in your email. Once on our mailing list, newsletter recipients will be able to opt out at any time.
Formatting and other FAQs

Please submit one piece only. Submissions can be made via email to:

headland.journal@gmail.com 

We do not accept submissions by post.

We do not accept material generated by AI.

Please format both your document name and the subject header of your email with the genre and the title of your piece, e.g. ‘Nonfiction_The House at Pukawa’. Include in your email a very brief writer’s bio.

For fiction and nonfiction, we ask for pieces up to 5,000 words in length. We are happy for you to submit your piece elsewhere, provided that you advise us immediately if your work becomes unavailable. All work should be previously unpublished; this includes self-publication.

We want to judge your work on its own merits, so please do not include your name anywhere in the body or file name of your document. Please include in the header of your document:

Title
Word count
Your nationality and country of residence
And, if relevant, ‘Unpublished Author’

If we are umm-ing and aah-ing over whether to select your piece, it may just tip the balance in its favour if we know that we have the opportunity to introduce a new voice and, hopefully, make someone’s day.

Any referencing should be in MLA style; see the Purdue OWL for MLA guidelines.

Please submit your work as a .doc or .docx file.

We may not be able to accept or decline all submissions until three months after each submission deadline, so please wait at least this long before contacting us.

Call for Submissions: The Manifest Station

What we publish

Personal essays and creative nonfiction about the messy parts of being alive: grief, family, the body, desire, rage, love that didn’t hold, love that held too tightly…

We’re not looking for tidy endings. We want writing that trusts the reader.

Read us before you submit.

What we don’t publish

Fiction and poetry. We love both, but they’re not what we do here.

A few specifics

• 2,500 words maximum.

• One submission at a time. Wait to hear from us before sending another.

• Simultaneous submissions are fine. Just withdraw from us if you’re accepted elsewhere.

• Previously published work is considered case by case. Tell us where it ran and why you want us to have it.

• All rights revert to you. If you republish, credit TMS.

• A photo of yourself or something that fits is welcome but not required.

• We respond to everything. Give us 90 days before following up.

On AI

The work we publish comes from specific human lives. By submitting, you’re confirming that the writing and structure came from you, not a generative AI tool. Basic spelling and grammar tools are fine. Anything beyond that should be disclosed in your cover letter. Undisclosed AI use is grounds for rejection or retraction.

Why we’re here

The Manifest Station has been publishing since 2011 because we believe words matter. Especially now.

We’re looking for pieces that refuse to look away. For writers who talk themselves out of submitting.

If that’s you, send us something.

— Angela & Amy

Submit your work here.

Call for Submissions: Epistle Literary Magazine

Epistle Literary Magazine 

Submit Your Work

We accept any form of writing, so long as it responds to the theme: "How has an educator or mentor shaped you?" Consider poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and letters to honor your educators.

• Up to 3 poems (max 5 pages total)

• Short stories up to 3,000 words

• Essays, memoirs, or letters up to 2,000 words

We accept and encourage simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere so that we can congratulate you and withdraw the submission on our end! We do not consider previously published submissions.

Along with your submission, please include a brief, third-person bio.

By submitting your work, you certify that it is your original creation, in no way plagiarized, and that you have obtained any necessary permissions from individuals named or identifiable in your piece. We reserve the right to remove your work from our site if we are made aware of plagiarism or unauthorized use of personal details.

Additionally, by submitting, you grant us the right to publish your submission in both digital and print formats if it is accepted, including on our website and social media platforms, and in any promotional materials related to the issue. Authors retain full rights to their work and may republish it elsewhere after it appears in Epistle, with credit to the magazine as the original place of publication.

Please send your submission to:

submissions@epistleliterary.org 

as a PDF. Submissions not attached as PDFs will not be opened for consideration.

Thanks to the help of generous friends and family on our end, every accepted author with a mailing address in the United States will receive a printed copy of the issue once it is released. You will have the opportunity to choose to mail this copy to the educator by whom your piece is inspired as a way to show your appreciation. Additional print and digital copies will be available for purchase by authors and readers.

Submissions close September 15, 2026.

Decisions regarding the status of your submission will be shared after the submission period ends. All submissions are read and curated by Rory Baskin, Editor-in-Chief.