Writing & Poetry Competitions & Submissions – September 2025
Autumn is on the way and with it comes over 150 poetry competitions, writing submissions and literary opportunities open or with deadlines in September 2025.
After a rough start to the year, I'm delighted to be returning to live teaching with two main events coming up in October & November. If you're in need of fresh inspiration for new work or essential feedback on work in progress, look no further.
Autumn Programme
First up is Ice & Fire | 30 Days of Writing Norse Mythology - a brand new Writing Challenge to provide inspiration and succour for the uncertain times we live in.
The ancient Norse sagas tell of honour and sacrifice, magic and mischief, governed by Nature's cycles of destruction and renewal, and have much to teach us about dignity and resilience. Unlike the Classical myths, the Norse pantheon occupies a grittier universe, where all beings - gods, mortals and monsters - must find their courage and confront their fate.
As with previous mythological challenges, we'll be looking for parallels between these ancient characters, creatures and events to help us make sense of the world today, following in the footsteps of great writers like William Blake, JRR Tolkien, Margaret Atwood, and Seamus Heaney, who all drew inspiration from the icy north.
Also coming in October, a new series 8-Week Autumn Poetry Workshop Groups, with daytime, evening and weekend sessions available. These are the only critique groups I'll be running this year and are ideal for emerging / intermediate writers looking to polish work for publication and are strictly limited to 5 people per group.
The sessions are an opportunity to present new work each week, and receive feedback using a tried-and-tested workshopping format. Previous participants have gone on to publish in prestigious journals, be placed or shortlisted in literary competitions and accepted for book publication, mentorships, and advanced degree programmes.
Starting on 7th October, the groups will run through to the end of November - all information at the link below. Please note, the Tuesday sessions are already booked out and the others are quickly filling up so book early to avoid disappointment.
Crowdfunding Campaign Update
I’m still fundraising to avoid homelessness and move on from the crushing consequences of the 2015 Tracker Mortgage Scandal in Ireland - thank you to everyone who has contributed and for all your support and encouragement. Your kindness and generosity will not be forgotten.
Things have been moving along rapidly over the past few weeks and I now need to put the house on the market in the next fortnight to be sure of a sale before the market slows for Christmas. However, a failed boiler inspection means still more work is required to get over the final hurdle and once again I need your help to get there.
If you would like to show your appreciation for these monthly submission lists which I’ve been producing since 2014, or to simply help out a writer in need, please consider:
Making a Direct Donation via Paypal or Credit Card below.
Every penny counts.
DONATE OR SUBSCRIBE VIA PAYPAL
DONATE VIA STRIPE (CREDIT CARD)
If you are unable to donate please consider sharing a link to either the courses or the GoFundMe campaign with your own writing network and/or social media.
Keep Writing
Thank you for being part of this community and I urge you to keep nurturing your own creativity. With so many terrible things happening around us, it is our responsibility to hold a mirror up to the world and capture what it means to be alive, if only to try and understand it for ourselves.
Whatever you’re up to with your writing this month — drafting, honing, editing or submitting — I wish you every luck and success.
Thank you!
Writing Courses and Events
Writing Slant | Making a Poem - the Wordbox signature 6-week poetry course returns as a self-study experience. Focusing on 6 key areas of poetry craft, it will help you take your work from first draft to polished piece ready for publication. All materials are hosted on a private online classroom space - start whenever you want and work at your own pace.
DIY 30-DAY WRITING CHALLENGES:
La Dolce Vita | An Italian Odyssey
Songs of a Pagan Place | Writing the Irish Myths & Legends
Fool’s Gold | 30 Days of Writing the Tarot
The Winter Almanac | A Writing Journey in January
Gods & Monsters | Writing the Greek Myths & Legends
Miracle Machine | Writing the Body
All self-study courses are automated and can be started and carried out at your own pace.
Keep in Touch
For the latest poetry lists, writing prompts, events and news, find Wordbox online here:
Please save/follow these links and remember, if the list is not already on the blog, it’s not published.
Alternatively, have the list delivered direct to your inbox by joining the mailing list here.
September 2025
Enfield Poets Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 10 Sept (submit online)
The Branches – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Visual Art, theme: Voice – closes 10 Sept (submit online)
Live Canon Poetry Collection Competition – Poetry manuscript (35+ poems) – closes 10 Sept (submit online)
Baltimore Review Micro Submissions – Poetry, Flash, Nonfiction (max. 400 words) – closes 14 Sept (submit online)
Wetherby Festival Comedy Poem Competition – Poetry – closes 14 Sept (submit online)
Abridged Magazine – Poetry, Visual Art, theme: ‘Never a Rose’ – closes 15 Sept (submit online)
Ink Sweat & Tears – Poetry, Prose – closes 15 Sept (submit online)
Kings English Societry Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 15 Aug (submit online)
Ledbury Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 15 Sept (submit online)
Munster Literature Centre Mentorships – Poetry, Fiction, Memoir – closes 15 Sept (submit online)
Poetry London Pamphlet Prize – Poetry manuscript (24 pages) – closes 15 Sept (submit online)
Heidelberg UNESCO City of Literature Artist Residency – All disciplines – closes 15 Sept (submit online)
Éigse Michael Hartnett Poetry Slam – Poetry – closes 19 Sept (submit online)
The Edward Thomas Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 20 Sept (submit online)
Gutter Magazine – Poetry, Prose – closes 21 Sept (submit online)
Palette Poetry Prize – Poetry (unpublished poets only) – closes 21 Sept (submit online)
Togetherness Poetry Challenge: Decolonising Minds & Shared Identities – Poetry – closes 26 Sept (submit online)
Allingham Writing Competitions – Poetry, Flash – closes 28 Sept (submit online)
Arts Council Artist in the Community Scheme – All artists – closes 29 Sept (submit online)
Clandeboye Global Identities Creative Residency – All artists & creatives – closes 29 Sept (submit online)
Mount Stewart Global Plant Networks Creative Residency – All artists & creatives – closes 29 Sept (submit online)
And Other Poems – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Blue Bottle Journal – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Chestnut Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Dithering Chaps – Poetry manuscript (10 pages) – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Freefall Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Art – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Gloucestershire Poetry Society Open Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Hammond House International Literary Prize – Poetry, Fiction, Scriptwriting, Songs, theme: Secrets – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Kenyon Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Essays and more, themes: Alchemy, Invisible Cities, Precarity, Document – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Lunch Ticket: Amuse Bouche – All genres – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Okay Donkey – Poetry, Flash – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Passionfruit Poetry Prize – Poetry, theme: Love – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Philip Levine Prize for Poetry – Poetry manuscript (48-80 pages) – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Presence Haiku Journal – Haiku, Senryu, Tanka, Haibun, other haiku-related poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Rhino Poetry Founders Prize – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Shearsman Magazine – Poetry – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Southword Poetry Editor’s Award – Poetry (3 poems) – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Split Lip – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Memoir, Art – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
The Broken Spine – Poetry, theme: Verdigris - Poetry of Decay – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
The Moth Nature Writing Prize – Poetry, Prose – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
The X.J. Kenedy Poetry Prize – Poetry manuscript (50-100 pages) – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
The Yale Review – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Translation – closes 30 Sept (submit online)
Asymptote Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Literary Nonfiction, Translation, theme: On Attention – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
Island Magazine – Poetry – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
Gordon Square Review – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
Obsidian Foundation Online Poetry Retreat – Poetry (Black poets of African descent anywhere in the world) – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
The Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry – Poetry books – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
The Iowa Review – Poetry, Fiction – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
Tom Howard / Margaret Reid Poetry Contest – Poetry – closes 1 Oct (submit online)
Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust – Professional writers, artists & designers over the age of 30 and experiencing financial difficulty – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Irish-language Writer in Residence: Dublin City University – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Traditional Artist in Residence: University College Cork – Traditional musician, singer, dancer, story-teller or practitioner of the oral arts such as agallamh beirte and lúibíní – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Writer in Residence: Dublin City University – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Writer in Residence: Maynooth University – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Writer in Residence: University of Galway – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Writer’s Fellowship: Trinity College Dublin – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Writer in Residence: University College Cork – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
Writer in Residence: University College Dublin – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Children’s Fiction & Poetry – closes 2 Oct (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS IN OCTOBER 2025
Arts & Disability Connect Scheme – All artistic disciplines – closes 7 Oct (submit online)
Gather Zine – Poetry, Fiction, Essay & more, theme: Abundance – closes 10 Oct (submit online)
Peter Porter Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 13 Oct (submit online)
Banshee Press – Poetry, Fiction, Memoir manuscripts – open 1-15 Oct (submit online)
Poetry Ireland Review – Poetry – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
The Poetry Lighthouse – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction & more – closes 15 Oct (submit online)
iOTA Shot Pamphlet Awards – Poetry manuscript (16-25 pages) – closes 20 Oct (submit online)
Waltham Forest Poetry Competition – Poetry, theme: Weather – closes 20 Oct (submit online)
Alchemy Spoon – Poetry – open 1-31 Oct (submit online)
Anthology Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Black Cat Poetry Press – Poetry manuscripts (40-60 pages) – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
New Writing Scotland – Poetry, Fiction, Memoir, Visual Art & more – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The Bedford Competition – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
The National Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Verve Poetry Festival Work In Poetry – Experimental Poetry/Performance – closes 31 Oct (submit online)
Cheltenham Poetry Festival International Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 1 Nov (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS
Acumen – Poetry – open (submit online)
A New Ulster – Poetry, Fiction, Artwork – open (submit online)
Anthropocene – Poetry – open (submit online)
Antiphony – Poetry, Nonfiction – open (submit online)
Atrium – Poetry – open (submit online)
Bear Review – Poetry, Fiction, Essays, Artwork – open (submit online)
Bending Genres – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction – open (submit online)
Blackbird – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Arts – open (submit online)
Carve Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
Confingo Publishing – Poetry, Fiction, Art, Photography – open (submit online)
Crow & Cross Keys – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, theme: Gothic – open (submit online)
Crowstep Journal – Poetry – open (submit online)
Damnation – Poetry, Prose, Flash – open (submit online)
Disabled Tales – Poetry, Fiction, Essay – open (submit online)
Dithering Chaps – Poetry – 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 House Press – Poetry, Prose Poetry, Flash, Hybrid – 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)
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)
Gather Lit Mag – Poetry – 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)
Narrative Mag – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction. Plays – open (submit online)
New Contrast – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
Neon Magazine – Poetry, Flash, Art and more – open (submit online)
Obsessed with Pipework – Poetry – 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)
Only Poems – Poetry – open (submit online)
Orbis – Poetry – open (submit by post (UK) or online (overseas only))
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 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)
Prelude – Poetry – open (submit online)
Prism International – Poetry, Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Translation – open (submit online)
Prole – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction – open (submit online)
Psaltery & Lyre – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Hybrid – open (submit online)
Riggwelter – Poetry, Short Fiction, Visual Art – (submit online)
River Styx – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Drama, Visual Art – open (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)
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)
Sunday Mornings at the River – Poetry – open (submit online)
Tab Journal – Poetry, Poetics – open (submit online)
Tears in the Fence – 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 Curly Mind – Poetry, theme: experimental – open (submit online)
The Dalloway – Poetry, Fiction, Flash – 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 Lincoln Review – Poetry, Flash, Creative Non-fiction, Essays and more (actively encourages writers, artists, and photographers who come from marginalised and underprivileged backgrounds) – open (submit online)
The London Magazine – Poetry, Non-Fiction, Art – open (submit online)
The Missouri Review – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
The New Absurdist – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction – open (submit online)
The New Yorker – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
The Offing – Poetry, Translation, Art and more – open (submit online)
The Orphic Review – Poetry & Art – open (submit online)
The Oxonian – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Translation – open (submit online)
The Poetry Village – Poetry – open (submit online)
The Poetry Review – Poetry – open (submit online)
The Pomegranate – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction, theme: Writing about Artists – 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)
Tinderbox Poetry Journal – Poetry – open (submit online)
Trasna – Poetry, Fiction, Essays (open to writers across the world who consider Ireland a home in some regard) – open (submit online)
Wildness – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction – open (submit online)
Winged Penny Review – Poetry, Fiction – open (submit online)
Wishbone Words – Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Visual Art & more (disabled and chronically ill writers/artists) – open (submit online)
Best of luck!
If you have a competition or journal with a deadline in SEPTEMBER 2025, and it is not included above, feel free to send me the details.
