2022 Contest Roundup!

Hello writing and illustrating friends! Here we are looking at a new year with new opportunities! Inspired, I have been scouring the interwebs for contests and pitch events. January and February are looking pretty promising with quite a few listings.

Looking forward and having a deadline can be helpful too, so I have gone through the Contest Roundup Calendar and added all of the listings I could find that meet our Sub It Club criteria (free and a good opportunity to submit work, get feedback, or learn.) 2022 is looking pretty good so far!

Of course, more contests will be added as we find them. Dates and details are subject to change. Please, contact Sub It Club anytime if you find a good opportunity we can add to the calendar to share with writers and illustrators!

Following are some highlights from the 2022 Contest Roundup calendar. (Scroll through the calendar for more anytime!):

JANUARY:

#HARLEQUINREGENCY Pitch – Monday, January 10. Open to Regency romance. Pitch your Regency romance to Harlequin Historical editors via Twitter or Facebook between 8am and 8pm GMT. For details go to: https://www.writeforharlequin.com/join-us-for-the-harlequinregency-pitch-event/

30th International Illustration Contest – Monday, January 10. Theme: The skies. From the website: “What do you like to see when you look up to the heavens? Show us the scenes and characters that match your favorite meteorological circumstances with your illustrations! “The winner of the Grand Prize will receive US$2,000. Go to https://www.clipstudio.net/en/cspcontest30/ for details.

#IWSGPit – Wednesday, January 26. Pitch your completed, polished manuscript via Twitter using the #IWSGPit hashtag between 8am and 8pm EST. 1 pitch per hour allowed. Open to all genres and categories. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-twitter-pitch.html

Scholastic’s Intro to Publishing Seminar – Friday, January 28. “Scholastic’s Trade Publishing team created this seminar with the intent to provide advice, guidance, and resources to BIPOC. The seminar aims to break down barriers to publishing for aspiring BIPOC professionals and to make information and entry into the children’s publishing industry accessible and free. To apply go to:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfj5N6w9Nij_AtYaDyZ6WOsKnuDRPmQmeFWPmqQFKWY9a1-jg/viewform

Silent Manga Audition – Monday, January 31. Theme: Haste, rage, and smiles. Please go to https://www.manga-audition.com/sma17-moments-of-haste-rage-or-smiles-2022-january-silent-manga-audition/ for details.

FEBRUARY:

Valentiny Contest – Saturday, February 12 Open to children’s writing.
Write a Valentines’ story appropriate for children (ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone feels brave. Post your story on your blog between 12:00 AM EDT Friday, February 12th and Sunday, February 14th by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list that will accompany Susanna Hill’s February 12th post. Prizes of picture book manuscript critiques and more! Go to: https://susannahill.com/category/valentiny-writing-contest/ for more details.

Apila’s First Printing Award – Monday, February 14. International Illustrated Picture Book Contest. Open to illustrators who have not yet published a book with an ISBN. Submit an illustrated picture book written in Spanish or English. The winning entry will be published by the Apila Ediciones. The winner will receive € 4.000. https://www.apilaediciones.com/premio-apila-primera-impresion/

Sweetheart Pitchfest – Wednesday, February 16. Post your three-line pitch as a comment on the agent and editor post of your choice at the Savvy Authors website. Agents and editors TBA. Pitchfest is open February 16-18th. 
https://savvyauthors.com/2022-sweetheart-pitchfest

#PBPitch – Thursday, February 17. Open to picture books. Pitch your completed manuscript via Twitter using the #PBPitch hashtag between  8 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST. You may pitch each manuscript one time during the morning hours and once during the afternoon hours. Illustrators can attach an image to their tweet. See www.pbpitch.com for more details.

MARCH:

National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship – Thursday, March 10. Open to poetry writers. A $25,000 grant to be awarded. See details at https://www.arts.gov/grants/creative-writing-fellowships/program-description

APRIL:

#LGBTNPit – Thursday, April 14. “LGBTNPit is an annual Twitter pitch event for queer, trans, and nonbinary authors using the hashtag #lgbtnpit on April 14, 2022 (between 8AM EST – 8PM EST) with a special focus on trans and nonbinary people.” Open to all genres and categories of writing. Pitch your completed work via Twitter using the #lgbtnpit hashtag. Go to: https://lgbtnpit.com/ for more details.

JUNE:

#PitchDIS – Thursday, June 23, 2022. Open to unagented writers who self-identify as disabled. Open to all categories and genres. Pitch your completed work via Twitter using the #PitchDIS hashtag between 8am and 8pm EDT. See the rules and guidelines at: https://www.pitchdis.com/rules-guidelines

OCTOBER:

Scholastic Asian Book Award (SABA) – Monday, October 31, 2022. Open to writers of Asian descent living in Asia. Submit your chapter book, novel, or short story collection for children of 6000 words or more. Cash prize of SGD 10,000 and manuscript will be considered for publication by Scholastic Asia. 1st and 2nd runners up to be given feedback. For details go to: https://scholastic.asia/en/scholastic-book-award/SABA

NOVEMBER:

Bergman Prize for Poetry – Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Open to a first or second selection of poetry. Winner to receive $10,000, publication, a summer residency in Italy, and more. See https://changes.press/The-Bergman-Prize-2 for details.

Good luck! Don’t forget to check our Contest Roundup Calendar for more opportunities, and to check back monthly for more additions.

And don’t be afraid to put your work out there. You never know what success you will find if you don’t give yourself a chance. Join our Sub It Club Submission Support Group and Critique Partner Matchup if you haven’t already. You don’t have to go it alone. Here’s to 2022!