13th Annual National Jewish Playwriting Contest

Website

Deadline: June 2, 2023

SUBMISSION FORM

Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, but the current review cycle closes on Friday, June 2nd, 2023. Plays submitted after this date will be held for the next cycle. Full guidelines can be found at www.jewishplaysproject.org/guide. Please note that while we accept plays in many formats, we prefer the Dramatists Guild Standard Format.

We are currently seeking unproduced full-length (65+ minutes) plays and musicals that focus on aspects of 21st Century Jewish identity, culture, and ideas, and the complex and intersectional nature of contemporary Jewish life.

The following must be true of a submitted play or musical:It contains significant Jewish themes, characters, content, or points of view.

• It does not deal directly with the history of the Shoah or the World War II period generally.
• It does not fall into the beloved category of “ethnically stereotypical comedy”. 
• It is in English, or primarily in English – we love plays that play with languages.
• It is full length, meaning over 65 minutes or 60-70 pages.
• It has not had a full production in the New York City Metro area or a major regional theater (LORT C or above).
• The play has never been published in any form.

While we value history, we will always lean toward plays that tackle vibrant strands of today’s world: social, racial and economic justice; strong women in Jewish life; diverse stories of Jews of Color; LGBTQIA inclusion; new perspectives on Israel, environmentalism, and interfaith relations in addition to deep conversations about our complex and multifaceted identities.

Selected Finalists will be part of the Jewish Dramaturgy Lab, the JPP’s signature development process, and the National Jewish Playwriting Contest, an artist-driven, community-connected program that takes democratic artistic decision making directly to audiences.

There is no submission fee. Writers may submit more than one script. Submissions from previous years are accepted, particularly if there is a new draft of the script. Each play submitted will be read by at least 2 – and up to 12 – paid Artist Panelists and one staff member.

For more information, or any writing or submission questions, email literary@jewishplaysproject.org.

The Playwrights Group ~ Join our nationwide community

The Weekly Workshop

Join our nationwide community of playwrights on Zoom. 

It’s a great way to stay connected and motivated.

 

Participating in a weekly workshop can give you the kick you need to see your script through from beginning to end.  You can bring in anything you’re working on — a full length script, a musical, a TV pilot, whatever. And when your script is ready — we’ll present it in a Public Reading. We also bring in Guest Speakers, like Pulitzer Prize winner Margaret Edson (Wit). 

 

 

Sit in on a session and see for yourself!

Tuesdays or Thursdays 7 - 9:30pm EDT

 

Check out our website for more details and rates. 

 

Script Consultations

 

If you don’t have time for the workshop but have a script you’d like some feedback on — just send a PDF of your script and you’ll get a critique via email and/or video conference. See website for rates.

 

Richard Caliban has worked with  individuals on their scripts from all over the world — Indonesia, China, Greece, Australia, Serbia, as well as right here in New York. A script consultation will provide you with feedback on the structural soundness of your story, the dramatic arc of your protagonist, thematic unity and much more.

 

Online One-on-One Courses

 

If you’re looking for more, check out our One on One Online Playwriting Courses:

 

•       The Art of Playwriting

•       Write a Play in 10 Weeks

 

Both are with instructor Richard Caliban, and since it’s One on One, the courses can be adjusted to fit your level of experience. 

 

Please visit our website for further Info and Rates: 

 

www.theplaywrightsgroup.com

 

Contact us at 

scripts@theplaywrightsgroup.com

American Theatre Group BIPOC PlayLab 2023

 Website

Deadline: June 10, 2023 at 11:59 PM EDT

SUBMISSION FORM

This is the application for ATG  PlayLab (now going into its 4th year), dedicated to providing a professional and supportive space for playwrights who are BIPOC (straight and queer BIPOC) playwrights.  

*The group will meet once every week for 10-12 sessions during the Fall, Spring and Summer via Zoom on Sunday evenings.  

*One additional meeting per month will be called for professional development discussions/workshops to discuss craft, applications, networking, marketing etc... (attendance will not be required, but strongly encouraged).  

*Applicants from anywhere in the US are welcome to apply, though preference will be given to NJ, PA and NY writers.   

*Sunday evening (6pm to 9pm EST) attendance at meetings is required.  Please don't apply to this PlayLab if you can't commit to the schedule. 

*There is no restriction on style of playwriting that the applicants use, though writers of full length plays are strongly preferred.  

*There is also no guarantee that acceptance into this PlayLab will result in any public readings or productions by American Theatre Group.  

If you have any questions about this application form or this program, please feel free to contact, Pandora Scooter, Founder/Director at pandorascooter@gmail.com.  

Deadline for application is June 10th 2023 at 11:59pm EST.

Successful applicants will be contacted by August 20th, 2023.

The Coachella Review Daily accepts short scripts/monologues

Website

Deadline: June 1, 2023

SUBMIT VIA SUBMITTABLE

The Coachella Review is the literary arts journal of the University of California Riverside–Palm Desert Graduate Center and the MFA program in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts. 

We accept original work that is vibrant, thoughtful, and precise. Whether your work is innovative or traditional, we strive to celebrate writing that holds readers in awe. 

We publish two issues a year, in June and December, and curate an eclectic blog. We welcome submissions during our open call periods for the issue and year-round for the blog. Our response time is generally one to three months; simultaneous submissions are welcome.

TCR Daily accepts flash fiction and nonfiction, poetry, photo essays, and short scripts/monologues. For reviews and interviews, please query us via email: coachellareview@gmail.com. We will not accept review or interview pitches over Submittable.

As of Monday, March 27, 2023, our submission limits are as follows:

• Fiction and Nonfiction: Up to 1,000 words (no limit on photography)
• Scripts: Up to five pages
• Poetry: Up to five poems, no word limit
• Please send your creative pieces here through Thursday, June 1. 

In addition to your submission, please include the following information in your cover letter: the title of your entry, its genre and word count, and your email address (we will use it if we don't hear from you through Submittable).

Ruby Slippers ADVANCE THEATRE FESTIVAL: 2023/24 Advancing the Radically Inclusive Stage

Website

Deadline: May 30, 2023

The Advance Theatre Festival showcases dramatic readings of five new plays written and directed by female identifying and gender non- conforming IBPOC playwrights and directors, and a workshop presentation.

If you are a playwright and your play is chosen to participate in the Advance Theatre Festival, Ruby Slippers Theatre in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts will cover the costs of all rehearsals prior to the day of the reading, your technical rehearsal, promotion, theatrical venue, and all artists’ fees.
If you are a director who wishes to participate, send us your resume and cover letter for consideration.

Playwrights: please send your play synopsis, brief bio, and a maximum ten page script excerpt to info@rubyslippers.ca by May 30, 2023. 

One submission per person please.

Successful candidates will be notified by June 30, 2023. The 2023/24 Advance Theatre Festival will take place in February of 2024, dates TBA. This is a curated process. Priority will be given to inclusivity; all cultural backgrounds, orientations, identities, abilities, and ages.

The Advance Theatre Festival is brought to you by Ruby Slippers Theatre in partnership with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Playwrights Guild of Canada. It takes place in Vancouver BC on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish people. 

Applications are accepted from across Turtle Island (North America)

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR the first issue of "The Mini Plays Magazine'

Website

Deadline: May 30, 2023

'The Mini Plays Magazine' is inviting submissions for its first issue.

The theme of the first issue is 'Love'. Please send us mini plays and monologues on this theme.

The length of a mini play or monologue should not exceed 2 pages of text.

Last date of submission: May 30th 2023 (The selected authors shall be informed by 10th June 2023).

Please send your work to miniplaysmag@gmail.com

Submit your high definition photo in JPEG format for publication with your work.

Please share your author profile (60 words) for publication in the anthology.

Note:

The anthology will be published in pdf and paperback editions.

A free Pdf edition of the anthology will be published on our website .

A paperback edition will be published on ingram spark or lulu.com.

There is no publication, reading, processing or publishing fee.

Secret Theater Act One:One Act Festival 2023

Website

Deadline: June 19, 2023

It's worth submitting early we do rolling admission meaning we read as they arrive and select

https://form.jotform.com/230925571072959

July 18 - August 20, 2023

This an application for a one-act show that runs 10 or 20 minutes. 

Solo shows or excerpts under 15 mins are submittable.

Please DO NOT fill this out for full-length plays

You must provide the director and actors. 

Staging note: please consider the feasibility of your staging - we cannot promise to provide sets, props or complicated furnishing. However we may have some pieces.

Equity Showcases are allowed but you must process the application. We offer help with it but it's your application and not difficult to do

Stages Houston open for submissions

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2023

SUBMISSION FORM

Stages makes plays and tells stories that invite everyone to live more deeply and love more boldly. We are Houston's premiere mid-sized theater, and produce a broad scope of plays and musicals ranging from jukebox musicals and family entertainment to world premieres and new work by emerging writers. We are committed to telling stories by and for traditionally excluded communities.

We utilize a volunteer Season Selection Committee comprised of staff members hailing from all of our departments. We are committed to expanding timelines for creative teams, and are reading now with an eye for productions 2+ years away.

In an effort to strike a balance between our resources and our dedication to supporting diverse voices, we have an open submission policy for the months of April and May.

-Playwrights with and without agents are welcome to submit during that time frame.

-Scripts sent after May 31st will be held until the following window opens.

-We ask that you please submit only one script. (Occasionally, we will find a playwright's work inspiring, yet know a specific piece is not for Stages. In those instances, we might reach out to you for additional work to consider.)

-Please do not submit new drafts of previously submitted work unless you are invited to do so.

Depending on the overall number of submissions, you will hear from us again between June and December. Thank you in advance for your patience and your story.

If you have any questions or issues with submitting, please contact scripts@stageshouston.com.

Women's Playwrights Circle open to women-identified playwrights

Website

Deadline: June 15, 2023 

or when we've received 100 applications.

Application form: https://forms.gle/pfEVVp6Cc4NSWX7z7

This is the application form for the Women's Playwrights Circle (September 2023 to August 2024). All women-identified playwrights who reside in the US are welcome to apply. 

Preference will be given to women playwrights who are in PA, NY, NJ, CT, and DE. To be explicit, BIPOC, trans, cis and gender fluid women and those who identify on the spectrum of woman are welcome and encouraged to apply.

The first 100 applications will be considered for a spot in this year's Circle. Out of those who apply, 8-10 playwrights will be chosen to participate. Participation consists of attending up to 36 mandatory weekly (mostly) meetings (over the course of the year) to share pages, receive feedback and to develop their work. The summer session will focus on readings of full-lengths that may/may not be open to the public, depending on the determination of the playwright and the program's director.

Weekly Meetings on Zoom will be on Sundays from 2pm to 5pm. Please do not apply if you will not be able to commit to this schedule.

The deadline to apply is June 15, 2023 or when we've received 100 applications.
There is no fee to apply and no fee to participate.
Successful Applications will be contacted by August 15th.

This playwrights group will meet on Zoom.

Any questions about the Circle or about this application process should be directed to Pandora Scooter, Founder/Director at pandorascooter@gmail.com.

Every effort will be made to create as diverse a group of writers (based on race, gender identity, class, ability, background, education, etc) as possible. Please be sure to be particularly specific about all the ways in which you identify, to help us with this very important goal.

Speranza Theatre Company's mission is to create thought-provoking collaborative theatre centered on women’s issues, providing an opportunity for artists, particularly females, to share their voices through challenging and entertaining theatre based in honesty and truth.

Speranza Theatre Company is a non-profit women's theatre company and member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. Founded to provide an opportunity for artists, particularly females, to share their voices through entertaining and challenging theatre, Speranza presents professional theatrical performances, free readings of new works, and educational programming. https://www.speranzatheatrecompany.com/about

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR SPECIAL ANTHOLOGY OF ONE MINUTE HORROR PLAYS TITLED 'SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!'

Website

Deadline: May 30, 2023

FRESH WORDS-AN INTERNATIONAL LITERARY MAGAZINE is open for submissions for its Special One Minute Horror Plays Anthology titled titled 'SHHH! BREATHE SLOW!' 

Please send all submissions to dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com as per the following guidelines:

1. The play should be a 1 minute horror play/monologue.

2. We shall not accept works promoting or glorifying- violence, sexual abuse, racism , hatred or any political ideology.

3. Maximum 3 submissions per playwright.

4. The length of the plays should be decided by the playwright, keeping in mind that the performance time should not exceed 1 minute. (NOTE: if selected the performance rights and intellectual property rights of work will exclusively remain with the playwright, we shall request for one time publication rights in the anthology. The copyright of the work will revert back to the playwright immediately after publication of the anthology.)

5. Also please send a synopsis of the work.

6. All submissions to be sent to dramaanthologyfreshwords@gmail.com

7. Submission deadline: May 30th, 2023. (The selected playwrights will be informed on or before June 10th, 2023 through email.).

8. Mention YOUR NAME followed by 'SUBMISSION FOR Shhh! Breathe Slow! ANTHOLOGY ' in the subject line of your email.

General Guidelines:

1. All submissions must contain a cover letter and a short literary profile (about 50 words) of playwright in third person narrative.

2. All submissions must be sent typed in MS Word or PDF doc as attachment with the email.

3. The author should mention:

Legal Name:

Pen name (if any):

Snail mail address:

4. Playwright must send a high resolution photo (JPEG format) of self as a separate attachment with the submission.

5. Simultaneous submissions are welcome but please immediately inform us in case they are accepted elsewhere.


Website: https://sites.google.com/view/freshwordsmagazine/home?authuser=0
Twitter: @magazine_words
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/som-c-a7aa36217/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/freshwordsmagazine
Support us: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/freshwordsmag

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fresh-Words-An-International-Literary-Magazine-106332345070389/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmmN1p8jcbIa6rUxzCzL2Q

NOTE: THERE IS NO SUBMISSION OR PARTICIPATION FEE.

The Playwrights Group ~ Weekly Workshops

The Weekly Workshop

Join our nationwide community of playwrights on Zoom. 

It’s a great way to stay connected and motivated.

 

Participating in a weekly workshop can give you the kick you need to see your script through from beginning to end.  You can bring in anything you’re working on — a full length script, a musical, a TV pilot, whatever. And when your script is ready — we’ll present it in a Public Reading. We also bring in Guest Speakers, like Pulitzer Prize winner Margaret Edson (Wit). 

 

 

Sit in on a session and see for yourself!

Tuesdays or Thursdays 7 - 9:30pm EDT

 

Check out our website for more details and rates. 

 

Script Consultations

 

If you don’t have time for the workshop but have a script you’d like some feedback on — just send a PDF of your script and you’ll get a critique via email and/or video conference. See website for rates.

 

Richard Caliban has worked with  individuals on their scripts from all over the world — Indonesia, China, Greece, Australia, Serbia, as well as right here in New York. A script consultation will provide you with feedback on the structural soundness of your story, the dramatic arc of your protagonist, thematic unity and much more.

 

Online One-on-One Courses

 

If you’re looking for more, check out our One on One Online Playwriting Courses:

 

•       The Art of Playwriting

•       Write a Play in 10 Weeks

 

Both are with instructor Richard Caliban, and since it’s One on One, the courses can be adjusted to fit your level of experience. 

 

Please visit our website for further Info and Rates: 

 

www.theplaywrightsgroup.com

 

Contact us at 

scripts@theplaywrightsgroup.com

Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting Award 2023

Website

Deadline: June 1, 2023

The Open Meadows Foundation created the Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwright Award in honor of Nancy Dean.

The Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting award is to honor a woman who was at the forefront of Lesbian, queer, gay, genderqueer, gender-nonconforming, trans, intersex and people of color movements. We honor her focus and writing on Lesbian relationships before the time of the Stonewall rebellion. Her writings were the precursor to social change. In that spirit of struggle and often hidden desire we encourage the submission of new plays that address the conflict of lesbian, queer or gay, trans and nonbinary women struggling to live and love their best lives. In these times of social definition and refinement the age-old conflict of acceptance and the right to live our true lives as we truly are is still our continuing fight which is refined and embolden by each new generation.

We understand people have their own language for their gender and sexuality. We are open to submission from people who are lesbian, queer or gay, trans and nonbinary.

As we are a small family foundation with an all-volunteer board, we must rely on nominations to identify potential recipients. We are asking professors, teachers, artistic directors, directors, literary managers, actors, writers, and others to nominate promising writers. As we want to be inclusive, we will allow people to self-nominate. The following are our guidelines:

1. Writer is lesbian, queer or gay or nonbinary;
2. Writer has written at least one play;
3. Writer is writing plays about lesbians;
4. Writer is committed to writing plays and furthering her/their career; 
5. Writer is interested in receiving the award. 

Please send a letter(pdf) describing why your playwright should receive this award and a full-length play (pdf) to openmeadowsfdn@gmail.com. In your letter, please be as detailed as possible in up to 2 pages. 

Include the writer’s resume and website or other social media links. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2023. We will announce the recipients October 31, 2023. We have been granting three awards of $5000, $2500 and $1250.

Call for Submissions: The Greenhouse Ensemble's Summer Ten Minute Play Soiree

Website

Deadline: May 31, 2023

Attention talented playwrights! The Greenhouse Ensemble is excited to announce our call for submissions for our upcoming Summer Ten Minute Play Soiree. We are seeking exceptional ten-minute plays written by female-identifying playwrights to be part of this vibrant theatrical event.

The Greenhouse Ensemble is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusivity in the arts, and we believe in providing a platform for underrepresented voices to shine. This summer, we are celebrating the creativity and unique perspectives of female-Identifying playwrights through our Ten Minute Play Soiree.Theme: There are no specific themes for this event. We encourage submissions across various genres and subjects that captivate and inspire our audiences.

Length: Plays should be approximately ten minutes in duration. Please ensure that your submission adheres to this time constraint.

Female-Identifying Playwrights: Submissions are open exclusively to female-Identifying playwrights.

Original Work: We are seeking original, unpublished plays that have not been previously produced or performed publicly.

Format: Scripts should be submitted in PDF format, properly formatted for stage plays, and include a cover page with the play's title, your name, and contact information.

Multiple Submissions: Playwrights may submit up to two plays for consideration.

Please send submissions to greenhouse.ensemble@gmail.com

MEET THE PLAYWRIGHT for NYC-based playwrights

Website

Deadline: Friday, June 2, 2023, at 5PM

Link to Submission: https://jcal.submittable.com/submit

The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) seeks four new, unpublished, unproduced plays by four grassroots, early-career, and/or emerging playwrights for the Meet the Playwright (MTP) program.

MTP prioritizes writers identifying BIIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Immigrant, and People of Color) that are based in Queens. However, any NYC-based BIIPOC playwright is eligible.

Once accepted into MTP, each playwright meets monthly with the MTP's Project Manager and schedules two private readings of the play to take place at JCAL. Throughout their participation in MTP, each playwright is expected to engage fully, professionally, and with integrity in the development of their selected work.

Each month, from November 2023 to February 2024, one of the playwrights will present at least 25 minutes and no more than 35 minutes of an excerpt from their play as a professional staged reading for an audience. The staged reading begins with an introduction to the playwright and play and concludes with a brief moderated Q&A in which the playwright discusses their work.

Each playwright will receive a $2,000 

Each playwright selected for MTP will receive a total fee of $2,000. With this fee, each playwright covers the cost of engaging a director, actors, and any other collaborator (e.g., dramaturg, designers) they wish.

One of the four plays will be selected for a full-length production by JCAL in late 2024.

Application & Selection Process

Playwrights may submit 10 pages of one play (only) for consideration by a panel of theatre professionals; a 200-word personal statement; a bio; and a resume (production history, if applicable).

The panel will select a group of semi-finalists who will be asked to send an electronic copy of their complete, full-length scripts. Semi-finalists will be notified by Friday, June 30, 2023.

The panel will choose a group of finalists for interviews with the MTP Project Manager and JCAL Leadership. Interviews will take place during the week of July 17, 2023.

The playwrights selected for MTP will be notified during the week of July 31, 2023.

Application Materials (PDF or Word Only)

A. Script Sample

Please upload a 10-page sample of the script from a full-length play. The pages don't have to come from the beginning of the play, but they must be 10 consecutive pages (the title page and character breakdown do not count toward the 10 pages).

B. Letter of Interest

Please answer the question: "How will MTP further the development of your play and advance your goals as a playwright? in more than 250 words.

C. Bio

Please upload a bio of no more than 250 words. Use the bio to introduce yourself, your goals, writing, accomplishments, and anything else you'd like JCAL to know about you.

D. Playwriting Resume (Production History, If Applicable)

Please upload your professional resume or production history of your work, if applicable.

Contact:

Brenda Jones

meetheplaywright2022@gmail.com

Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest 2023

Website

Deadline: June 1, 2023

To encourage the development of quality theatrical materials for the educational, community and children’s theatre markets, Pioneer Drama Service is proud to sponsor the annual Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest.

This is an ongoing contest, with a winner selected by June 1 each year from all eligible submissions received the previous year. All eligible plays accepted for publication will be considered contest finalists, from which the winner will be selected. The contest winner will receive a $1,000 royalty advance in addition to publication.

Contest entries must meet all general guidelines and submission requirements.

Individuals currently published by Pioneer Drama Service are not eligible for this contest. Pioneer Drama Service employees and their families are also excluded.

If you are a faculty member at an accredited K-12 public or private school in the US or Canada, you may also qualify for our A+ Playwriting Contest for Teachers.

Check out our list of past contest winners for examples of desirable submissions.

What we most look for...

• We will only consider manuscripts with a running time between 15 minutes and two hours.
• Submissions must be family-friendly in both subject and language. Cursing and explicitly adult content should be kept to a minimum. Playwrights should also be open to editorial expertise and oversight on these points.
• We seek casts that are either balanced or favoring females. The more gender-neutral roles, the better.
• We favor plays and musicals with large casts, where more than just a few have a chance to shine. Flexible cast sizes are also highly desirable.
• Plays with elaborate set, costume, or technical requirements are not appealing because of the limited resources of many of our customers. Pictures, sketches, or descriptions of your vision are always helpful, as is a video of a past performance.
• Though not required, we strongly prefer plays that have had at least one production or table reading. We feel this fundamental field test is highly beneficial before a play is considered for publication since plays are created for the purpose of performance.

Preparing your manuscript...

• Manuscripts accepted for publication must be made available digitally and are also strongly preferred for submission. We accept both Microsoft Word and PDF formats.
• We also accept hardcopy manuscripts. You must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for material you wish returned. Note that all hardcopy submissions will be scanned for purposes of digital review.
• We do not require specific formatting. Your efforts to ensure your script is free of misspellings and typos is greatly appreciated more than any specific format.

Please follow the directions on this page to submit your manuscript.

SPIDER®, a literary magazine for children seeks submissions

Website

Deadline: none given

SPIDER®, a literary magazine for children, features fresh and engaging literature, poems, articles, and activities for newly independent readers. Editors seek energetic, beautifully crafted submissions with strong “kid appeal” (an elusive yet recognizable quality, often tied to high-interest elements such as humor, adventure, and suspense). 

We have particular interests in stories that explore themes of identity (gender expression, ability, race and ethnicity, family structure including LGBTQAI+ and single parent homes, neighborhoods, beliefs, and traditions); global cultures and languages; scientific and technological exploration and innovation; magical or interplanetary landscapes; cities and metropolitan areas; real kids doing real things; weird and sometimes gross stuff; and the creative spirit.

Calls for Submissions:

General submissions are always open. 

Guidelines

Before submitting, be sure to familiarize yourself with our magazines. (Sample copies are available for viewing at the Cricket Media Store, or you can order a current issue by calling 800-821-0115.) Issues are also available at many local libraries.

Fiction Stories and Plays

We seek fiction of all kinds: fantasy, folk or fairytale, sci-fi, historical, humorous, or realistic. Whether the setting is long-ago or contemporary, or the protagonist is a shy newcomer, clever trickster, class clown, fantasy creature, or superhero, characters and the worlds they inhabit should be complex and believable. Plays should have 2–6 characters so that a child could feasibly perform the play at home with family or friends.

Length: 300–1000 words

Poetry

Poems should be succinct, imaginative, and accessible; we tend to avoid long narrative poems.

Length: Up to 20 lines

Nonfiction Articles

For nonfiction, SPIDER readers enjoy well-researched articles about animals, kids their own age doing amazing things, women and people of color, and cool scientific discoveries (such as wetsuits for penguins and real-life invisibility cloaks). Nonfiction articles should rise above a simple list of facts; we look for kid-friendly nonfiction shaped into an engaging narrative.

Length: 300–800 words

Crafts and Activities

We also appreciate clever crafts, recipes, games, and puzzles; however, please submit only activities that a reader would be able to perform with minimal parental assistance.

Length: 1–2 pages
ProcedureWe only accept online submissions, and the Submittable page you're currently on is the only place we accept them. We do not accept hard-copy submissions or email submissions. Submittable accepts international submissions.
Please do not email submissions to editors or Customer Service.

Cricket Media’s literary magazines (BABYBUG®, LADYBUG®, SPIDER®, and CRICKET®) will consider all manuscripts that are sent on speculation. We do not accept queries. Please submit a complete manuscript. (Manuscript should be submitted as a .doc, .docx, .txt, or .rtf file.) Fiction and nonfiction manuscripts should include an exact word count; poetry manuscripts should include an exact line count. Include full contact information: phone, email, and mailing address.

Please allow up to 3–6 months response time.

Questions may be directed to our email at submissions@cricketmedia.com. 

What Happens Next?

The Manuscript Review ProcessAfter manuscripts are received, they are reviewed by first readers. First readers consider each submission’s literary potential and whether it might be a good fit for one of our magazines.
Promising submissions are then carefully reviewed by several editors, including the magazine’s editor.
The magazine editor makes a final decision on whether to reject or accept the manuscript. For manuscripts that show some promise but need further development, the editor may write the author to request revisions on speculation.

After Acceptance

If we accept your manuscript, we will send you an acceptance letter detailing payment and rights information and any revisions we would like you to make (which acceptance shall only be binding upon your signing a final agreement that embodies agreed-upon rights and terms).

Once we’ve received your revisions, we carefully line edit the manuscript. The manuscript is then returned for your review. We work closely with our writers to bring out the best in each story, essay, and poem.

Once the manuscript is edited, it will be kept on file until it is assigned to an issue. Because we work 6–8 months ahead of each issue, it can be a year or more before a manuscript is placed.

Rights

Stories and poems previously unpublished: Rights vary.
Stories and poems previously published: SPIDER purchases second publication rights. Fees vary, but are generally less than fees for first publication rights.

Rates

Stories and articles: up to 25¢ per word
Poems: up to $3.00 per line; $25.00 minimum
Activities, games, and recipes: $75.00 flat rate