Nonfiction essays of inspiration wanted (between 500 to 1200 words). Submissions should highlight the struggle and resilience of the human spirit, a cultural figure and/or tradition, or celebrate an art form especially related to cultures of marginalized communities. Essays must be original, unpublished works in English. A successful entry will be awarded each quarter and included within Kinsman Quarterly's online journal and magazine. No entry fee required. $150 licensing award granted for selected entries.
Those Eligible
- individuals 18+ years old or 14+ years with parent consent
- individuals of a BIPOC or underrepresented community (preferred)
- individuals able to receive cash licensing awards through Paypal or Payoneer (non-negotiable).
- Individuals able to license the unpublished work
Submission Guidelines
- Each essay should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity.
- Essays tracked as (or suspected of) being created by AI will be immediately rejected.
- Submissions are selected quarterly and can be received anytime before 11:59pm EST on December 31, 2024.
- Submissions should feature nonfiction essays of the resilience of the human spirit, especially related to cultures of marginalized communities.
- Participants may submit more than one entry, but cannot be awarded more than once in the same year.
IMPORTANT Genre and Formatting Guidelines
- nonfiction essays only (500-1200)
- All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced.
- Text files should be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf formats. (NOT .txt)
- Do not attach images with the document file
- Multipage submissions must include page numbers (not mandatory for title pages)
- Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text.
- Entries that do not adhere to guidelines will not be considered.
All authors are automatically subscribed to our mailing list and free newsletter for updates on winners and upcoming contests. Subscription is free. Your personal information will not be given or sold to an outside party under any circumstance. You may cancel subscription at any time.
Only one entry can be made per submission form. Successful submissions will be notified within 90 days. Unsuccessful entries or entries that do not meet the required criteria will be dismissed without notice. Successful entries will receive notice within 60 days of submission. YOU MAY ONLY SUBMIT ONE FILE, USING THE PROPER UPLOAD FORM BELOW.
As a part of our nonprofit mission, Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc. is seeking to publish new voices and full manuscripts in 2025 from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities and underrepresented individuals preferred. Selected works will receive a publishing package worth $10K that includes a $1500 cash licensing award. We are accepting query packages throughout the year for the named genres, making selections in the first half of the year by July 31, 2025 and the second half by December 31, 2025. Please review all of the submission guidelines as they are pertinent to progress through our review process.
Those Eligible
- individuals 18+ years old
- individuals of a BIPOC or underrepresented community (preferred)
- individuals able to receive cash licensing awards through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or Payoneer
- Original authors of the unpublished work
YOUTH (adventure, fantasy, myth, sci-fi, coming-of-age)
We want fiction manuscripts from BIPOC authors to address the literature gap for BIPOC middle and high school students. We’re looking for adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, and coming-of-age stories that celebrate BIPOC culture, traditions, and history. Entries must be original, unpublished works in English, 20,000 to 50,000 words, and free of profane or sexually explicit content.
NONFICTON (Memoirs, Self-Help, Inspirational)
We are seeking full-length, nonfiction manuscripts, including memoirs, self-help, and inspirational works from BIPOC and underrepresented authors (preferred) by 12/31/2025. Must be original, unpublished books in English (50,000–100,000 words).
LITERARY FICTION (All subgenres welcomed)
We want full-length, literary fiction manuscripts from BIPOC and underrepresented authors (preferred) that highlight BIPOC and underrepresented communities, cultures, or traditions.. Must be original, unpublished books in English (50,000–100,000 words).
Upload Query Package as a single MS Word document file, titled as such TITLE_AUTHOR-NAME.
1. Query Letter
- Limit to 1 page.
- Include the author’s full contact information at the top.
2. Author Bio
- Provide relevant information about the author in 100 words or less.
- Include a professional headshot at the top of the page.
3. Book Description
- Write a description suitable for a book's back cover. Include the word count, genre/sub-genre, and details about the BIPOC and/or underrepresented communities represented in the book.
- In a second paragraph, include the target audience, a brief market analysis, comparable titles, and what makes your manuscript unique.
4. Narrative Summary or Chapter Outline
- For fiction or memoirs, include a narrative summary not exceeding 2 pages.
- For nonfiction, include a chapter outline with summaries, also not exceeding 2 pages.
5. Full Manuscript
- Submit the full manuscript as an MS Word document formatted according to submission guidelines:
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- Double-spaced text with 1-inch margins
- No extra spaces between paragraphs
- Number all pages of the manuscript (upper, right preferred)
Include the following at the beginning of the manuscript:
- A title page with the author’s name and contact information
- A table of contents listing all chaptersEntries that do not adhere to guidelines will not be considered.
Only one manuscript can be made per submission form. Edit access will not be granted. Entries that do not meet the required criteria may be dismissed without notice. Entries that fulfill the requirements will receive either a successful or unsuccessful notice by July or December 31st, depending on dates of submission. YOU MAY SUBMIT ONE FILE WITH REQUIRED QUERY MATERIALS, USING THE PROPER UPLOAD FORM BELOW. Note that submission fees are nonrefundable.
Afro descendants wanted for the African Diaspora Award 2025. Participants submit an original, unpublished work in English, including short stories, nonfiction essays, or poetry. Prizes up to $1000 USD for top winners along with publication in Kinsman Quarterly's literary journal and the upcoming anthology, Mosaic: African Threads of Prose & Poetry. A $25 entry fee is required.
Submissions must be received by June 30, 2025 and should feature themes that are rich in culture. Selected finalists will be featured in the Kinsman Quarterly, its social media sites, printed promotions, and 2026 anthology. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however submissions should be withdrawn if accepted elsewhere. To ensure that we are able to publish the unpublished work, winning contestants and finalists are asked to wait a full year after winning announcements before they republish the work themselves or with another organization. Copyrights of the individual submissions remain with the authors and artists, and copyrights for the anthology as a collection are reserved to Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.
Those Eligible
- individuals 18 years or older
- authors and poets of African descent (preferred, but not limited to)
- individuals able to receive cash prizes through Paypal, Payoneer, Venmo, or Zelle (transfer through other platforms not allowed). Runner-up finalists receive Amazon gift cards (non-transferable).
By submitting an original, unpublished work, contestants authorize work to be published in the Kinsman Quarterly, its annual anthology, within its promotional announcements, and social media outlets.
Contest Guidelines
- Each entry should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity. If a work is found to be plagiarized, the offending contestant will be liable for all costs related to the plagiarism, including legal liabilities and the return of any winnings.
- Employees and directors of Kinsman Quarterly and Kinsman Avenue Publishing are ineligible to enter Kinsman Quarterly contests.
- Submissions must be received by June 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
- Submissions should feature themes related to African culture or subculture; including, but not limited to, a cultural history, past/present family dynamics, customs, spirituality, myths and/or beliefs, cultural art, community challenges, Afrofuturism, etc.
- Participants may submit more than one entry.
- Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, the work can be resubmitted as a revision.
Genre Guidelines:
- visual art piece, collection, or 1-min video
- short stories (500-5000)
- creative nonfiction (up to 1000 words)
- poetry collection (3 to 10 poems or up to 10 pages)
Formatting Guidelines
- All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced.
- Text files should be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf formats. (NOT a .txt file)
- Multipage submissions must include page numbers (not mandatory for title pages)
- Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text.
- Entries that do not adhere to guidelines, unfortunately, will not be considered.
Available Prizes
Each writing genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art) is represented in the top four winning placements, however those winners compete for the one grand prize.
- Grand Prize = $1000 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 1st Runner Up = $300 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 2nd Runner Up = $200 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- Top 6 Finalists receive a $25 Amazon gift card and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 6 Honorary Mentions to receive publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
Note that cash prizes will be received within 45 days of the author's signed confirmation to accept the win and publish with Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.. Kinsman Quarterly reserves the right to extend competition deadline (therefore also the announcements and prize distribution) by 45 days.
Submissions have opened for short stories and poetry by BIPOC authors for Kinsman Quarterly’s Iridescence Award 2025. Themes should include the supernatural, extraterrestrial, or the paranormal. Prizes include publication in the Iridescence anthology with cash awards up to $1000 USD. $15 entry fee (or free for priority members). Deadline is May 31, 2025.
Those eligible must submit an original, unpublished work in English. Genres include, but are not limited to, fantasy, folk mythology, science fiction, and the paranormal. Winning submissions will also be featured in the Kinsman Quarterly, its social media sites, and printed promotions. Copyrights of the individual submissions remain with the authors and artists. However, copyrights for the anthology as a collection are reserved to Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.
Those Eligible
- individuals 18 years or older
- literary or visual artists preferred of the Black, Indigenous, or People of Color Community
- must be able to receive cash prizes through Paypal or runner-up finalist prizes through Amazon gift cards.
- must allow winning submission to be published in the Kinsman Quarterly, in promotional announcements, and social media outlets
Contest Guidelines
- Each entry should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity. Works published solely on the blog or social media outlets of the submitting author are eligible.
- Submissions must be received by May 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
- Submissions should feature themes of the supernatural, extraterrestrial, or the paranormal, preferably by authors of the BIPOC and underrepresented community.
- Participants may enter more than one submission.
- Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, a revised version may be uploaded and indicated as such in the file name.
Genre Guidelines:
- short stories (500-5000)
- poetry collection (3 to 5 poems)
Formatting Guidelines
- All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced.
- Title your file with Title_Author-Name (Ex. Hells Gate_John-Doe)
- Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text.
- Entries that do not adhere to guidelines, unfortunately, will not be considered.
Available Prizes
- First Place = $1000 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and Iridescence
- Second Place = $300 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and Iridescence
- Third Place = $150 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and Iridescence
- 6 Finalists receive $25 Amazon gift card and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and Iridescence
- 6 honorable mentions will receive publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and Iridescence
Note that prizes will be received within 45 days of announcements and are non-transferable. Kinsman Quarterly reserves the right to extend competition deadline and announcement dates up to 45 days.