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 Essays must be original, unpublished works in English.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- Individuals able to license the unpublished work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- Each essay should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity.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.
Authors and poets wanted for Voices of Mixed Heritage. Participants submit an original, unpublished work in English, including short stories, nonfiction essays, or poetry exploring themes of multicultural or third-culture identity, love, belonging, home life, and pain. Prizes up to $500 USD for top winners along with publication in Kinsman Quarterly's literary journal and the upcoming anthology, Living Between Worlds: Bicultural Life, Love, & Pain.
Submissions must be received by February 28, 2026. 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 mixed heritage (preferred, but not limited to)
- individuals able to receive cash prizes through Paypal, Payoneer, Wise, 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, team members, and directors of Kinsman Quarterly and Kinsman Avenue Publishing are ineligible to enter Kinsman Quarterly contests.
- Submissions must be received by February 28, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
- Submissions should feature themes related to multicultural or third-culture identity, love, belonging, home life, and pain.
- Participants may NOT submit more than one entry (poetry collections must be submitted in one docx or pdf file).
- Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, the work can be resubmitted as a revision.
Genre Guidelines:
- short stories (300-2000 words)
- creative nonfiction (300-2000 words)
- unpublished poems or poetry collections (up to 10 pages - individual poems cannot be withdrawn after submission )
Formatting Guidelines
- All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced.
- 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.
- FILE Names should include genre, title, and name of author. Sample: "Poetry_The Flight of Eagles_John-Doe"
- Entries that do not adhere to guidelines will not be considered.
Available Prizes
- Grand Prize = $500 cash prize and publication in the Living Between Worlds anthology
- 1st Runner Up = $250 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 2nd Runner Up = $150 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- Top 6 Finalists receive a $25 Amazon gift card and publication in the Living Between Worlds anthology
- 6 Honorary Mentions to receive publication in the Living Between Worlds anthology