Writing & Poetry Competitions & Submissions – July 2025
The list is back with over 160 poetry competitions, writing submissions and literary opportunities open or with deadlines in July 2025. If you wondered where it disappeared to this Spring, read on.
2025 has become a crucible year for me - health issues, followed by personal loss, and then the final throes of a long and difficult legal dispute that means I am forced to leave my home of 21 years. The situation with the house is complicated and exhausting. I've felt shame about it for so long, even though the fault was never mine.
I am one of almost 50,000 homeowners who were unwittingly caught up in Ireland's biggest ever financial scandal, the Tracker Mortgage Investigation, involving the mishandling of tracker mortgages by major banks and lenders, and brought to light by Ireland's Central Bank in 2015.
For 17 years, I fought to understand, rectify, and seek justice for these actions, taking me from the lender’s customer service to the Supreme Court of Ireland - read more about the journey here. My health deteriorated with the stress and, by 2020, I was in a state of burnout, which led to a diagnosis of autism and ADHD (AuDHD).
As I began to understand the serious impact it was having on my health, I put the fight for justice aside and thought instead about how to reclaim my life and start over. The only viable solution is to sell my beloved home, settle the mortgage and be free of the situation for good.
But it’s expensive - legal fees to negotiate an exit strategy with the vulture fund, an energy survey, marketing costs, garden clearance and house repairs, plus autistic support (occupational therapist and others) to help navigate this difficult period of transition and change.
I am fundraising to cover these emergency costs and here are 3 ways you can help.
1. Shop the Summer Sale - 40% Off Self-Study Creative Writing Courses
All courses are instant access - either emailed direct to your inbox or hosted in a private online classroom. Start whenever you are ready and go at your own pace.
To generate new writing, try a THEMED 30-DAY WRITING CHALLENGES (usually €49.00, now €29.40).
To transform first drafts into polished poems ready for publication, try WRITING SLANT | MAKING A POEM (usually €150.00, now €90.00).
2. Donate to the GoFundMe Campaign
Read more about the Tracker Mortgage Scandal and my fight for justice here - all donations are gratefully appreciated.
3. Make a Direct Donation
If you’d like to show your appreciation of these monthly lists which I’ve been producing since 2014, or simply help out a writer in need, please make a direct donation 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 sale or the Go Fund Me campaign with your own writing network and/or social media.
Keep Writing
I want nothing more than to be free of this situation so I can redirect my energies to the simple joys of writing, creating and teaching once again.
Whatever might be going on in your life - and there are so many terrible things happening right now - I thank you for being part of this community and urge you to keep nurturing your own creative spark. The world needs your words and ideas now more than ever, and so do you.
Whatever you’re up to with your writing this month — drafting, honing, editing or submitting — I wish you every luck and success.
Please consider sharing a link to this post on your own blog or social media pages.
Thank you!
Writing Courses and Events: 40% Off in Summer Sale
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
More self-study courses to be announced shortly - keep an eye on your inbox.
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.
July 2025
Consilience Journal – Poetry, Art, theme: Waves (relating to science) – closes 6 Jul (submit online)
Mslexia – Poetry, writing by women – closes 7 July (submit online)
Poets Meet Painters – Ekphrastic Poetry – closes 7 Jul (submit online)
IWC Cill Rialaig Residencies – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction & more (English & Irish language) – closes 9 Jul (submit online)
John Broderick Residency – Professional Writers – closes 9 Jul (submit online)
Open University Open Futures Creative Writing Scholarship – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Drama (Black writers only) – closes 9 Jul (submit online)
Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry – Poetry – closes 11 Jul (submit online)
Words of the Wild: From Source to Sea – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction & more, theme: Wildlife & Wild Places – closes 12 Jul (submit online)
Interwoven Anthology Poetry Competition – Poetry, theme: Celebrating Connectedness – closes 13 Jul (submit online)
Copenhagen Lit – Poetry – closes 14 Jul (submit online)
Emerging Writers Festival: Penpals Network – Emerging writers (Dublin and Melbourne) – closes 14 Jul (submit online)
Mulberry Literary – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Art & more – closes 14 Jul (submit online)
Adrift Chapbook Contest – Poetry manuscript (15-40 pages) – closes 15 Jul (submit online)
Fairy Tale Review – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Creative Nonfiction, Art & more – closes 15 Jul (submit online)
Fox and Star Books – Poetry chapbooks (unpublished poets - UK only) – closes 15 Jul (submit online)
Psaltery & Lyre – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Hybrid – closes 15 July (submit online)
Ragaire Magazine – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction – closes 15 July (submit online)
Vallum Poetry Award – Poetry – closes 15 Jul (submit online)
William Faulkner Literary Competition – Poetry, Fiction, Play – closes 15 Jul (submit online)
New Writers Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 17 July (submit online)
Frontline Voices: An Anthology of Socially Inclusive Writing – Poetry, Fiction, Essay – closes 18 July (submit online)
Narrative Annual Poetry Contest – Poetry – closes 18 July (submit online)
Arts & Disability Ireland: Artist in the Community Scheme – Professional artists/collaborative practice – closes 21 Jul (submit online)
The Waxed Lemon – Poetry, Fiction, Flash, Art, Photography – closes 21 July (submit online)
Poetry Ireland Introductions – Unpublished poets – closes 22 Jul (submit online)
Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award – Poetry – closes 24 July (submit online)
The Arts Council Literature Project Award – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Children’s Fiction – closes 24 Jul (submit online)
Literature Alliance Scotland Bursaries – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction & more – closes 25 Jul (submit online)
The Wexford Bohemian – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Art & Photography – closes 26 Jul (submit online)
Morecambe Poetry Festival Competition – Poetry – closes 28 Jul (submit online)
Allegro Poetry – Poetry, theme: Gold – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
Amsterdam Quarterly – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Visual Art, theme: Between Hope and Despair – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
ARC Poetry – Poetry – closes 31 July (submit online)
Bending the Arc – Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, theme: Thrutopia: a thriving future on earth – closes 31 July (submit online)
Briefly Write – Poetry (10 lines max.) – closes 31 July (submit online)
Fiction Factory Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
Fly on the Wall Press – Novel/Novella manuscripts – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
Foyle Young Poets of the Year – Poetry (aged 11-17) – closes 31 July (submit online)
Gypsophila Zine – Poetry, Fiction, theme: The Ghost of the Past – closes 31 July (submit online)
Magma 91: REMIX – Poetry – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
Okay Donkey – Poetry, Flash – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
PERVERSE – Poetry – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 31 July (submit online)
Sarabande Books Open Reading Period – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Translation – closes 31 July (submit online)
Words of the Wild: From Source to Sea – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction & more – closes 12 Jul (submit online)
The Adroit Journal Editor’s Prizes – Poetry, Fiction – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
The Braag Press – Poetry and Prose Pamphlet manuscripts – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
The Darby Ryan Internantional Poetry Contest – Poetry – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
The Haibun Journal – Haibun – closes 31 July (submit online)
The Laurie Lee Prize for Writing – Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel Writing, theme: Journeys – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
The Marrow – Poetry – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
The Paris Review – Poetry – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
The Washburn Chapbook Prize – Poetry manuscript (10 poems by Women/Identified/Nonbinary writer) – closes 31 Jul (submit online)
Winchester Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 31 July (submit online)
BOA Editions Blessing the Boats Selections – Poetry manuscript (48-100 pages, women on colour only) – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
Halfway Down the Stairs – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, theme: Muse – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
Humana Obscura – Poetry, Flash, Art. Photography – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
Impossible Archetype – Poetry (LGBTQ+ only) – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
Spellbinder Literary Magazine – Poetry. Fiction, Flash, Nonfiction, Drama, Visual Art – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
The Coniston Prize – Poetry (3-5 poems by Women/Identified writing in English) – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
The Poetry Society Members' Competition – Poetry, theme: Clearing – closes 1 Aug (submit online)
Splinter Journal – Poetry, Fiction, Memoir and more, theme: First Nation poets – closes 2 Aug (submit online)
Sunday Mornings at the River – Poetry, theme: Capitalism is a Death Cult – open (submit online)
OPPORTUNITIES WITH OPEN SUBMISSION PERIODS IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2025
The Poetry Book Society Winter 2025 Pamphlet Choice – Pamphlets due for publication Jul/Aug/Sept 2024 (Publishers only) – closes 31 Aug (submit online)
The Poetry Book Society Spring 2026 Book & Translations Recommendations – Poetry collections and translations due for publication Jan/Feb/Mar 2023 (Publishers only) – closes 31 Aug (submit online)
Aurora Prize for Writing – Poetry, Fiction – closes 6 Aug (submit online)
Bere Island Arts Festival Poetry Competition – Poetry – closes 8 Aug (submit online)
Waterford Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 15 Aug (submit online)
Knocklyon Literary Festival Competitions – Poetry, Flash – closes 20 Aug (submit online)
Aesthetica Creative Writing Award – Poetry – closes 31 Aug (submit online)
Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition – Poetry manuscript (16-24 poems) – closes 31 Aug (submit online)
The James Tate Prize – Experimental poetry manuscript (24-32 pages) – closes 31 Aug (submit online)
The Oxford Poetry Prize – Poetry – closes 31 Aug (submit online)
Minding Creative Minds Nurture Mentorship Programme – Irish creatives – closes 1 Sept (submit online)
The Shore – Poetry – closes 1 Sept (submit online)
Frontier Myths & Fables Prize – Poetry – closes 7 Sept (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 Dark Horse – Poetry – open (submit by post)
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)
The Times Literary Supplement – Poetry (submit by post)
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 JULY 2025, and it is not included above, feel free to send me the details.
