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 Essays must be original, unpublished works in English.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.
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- Individuals able to license the unpublished work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- Each essay should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity.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.
Asian authors and poets wanted for the Winds of Asia Award. Participants submit an original, unpublished work in English, including short stories, flash fiction, nonfiction essays, and poetry. Prizes up to $500 USD for top winners along with publication in Kinsman Quarterly's literary journal and the upcoming anthology, Winds of Asia.
Submissions must be received by February 28, 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 2025 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
- literary artists of Asian descent (strongly preferred, although not limited to)
- individuals able to receive cash prizes through PayPal and Payoneer (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 February 28, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
- Submissions should feature themes related to Asian/Southeast Asian culture or subculture; including, but not limited to cultural history, past/present family dynamics, customs, spirituality, myths and/or beliefs, cultural art, community challenges, etc.
- Participants may submit more than one entry. Poetry collections (up to 5 poems) should be included in one document file.
- Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, the work can be resubmitted as a revision as submissions are free.
Genre Guidelines:
- short stories (1000-5000)
- flash fiction (up to 1000 words)
- creative nonfiction (up to 1000 words)
- poetry (1 to 5 poems or up to 10 pages)
Formatting Guidelines
- All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, double-spaced.
- Do not include any images or decorative covers with the text files.
- 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.
- Name your file as follows: Genre_Title-of-Work_Last Name. Example: Nonfiction_The Way is Easy_Jones
- Entries that do not adhere to guidelines, unfortunately, will not be considered.
Available Prizes
Each writing genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry) is represented in the top three winning placements, however those winners compete for the one grand prize.
- Grand Prize = $500 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 1st Runner Up = $200 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 2nd Runner Up = $100 cash prize and publication in the Kinsman Quarterly and annual anthology
- 3rd Runner Up = $50 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 60 days of the author's signed licensing confirmation to accept the win and publish with Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc. Note that PayPal and Payoneer charge a small fee to transfer winning funds, which are paid by cash-winning contestants. Kinsman Quarterly reserves the right to extend competition deadline (therefore also the announcements and prize distribution) by 30 days.
Entries that do not meet the required criteria will be disqualified without notice. Only one entry can be made per submission form. No alterations can be made to the document or artwork once submissions are received. You may, however, submit a revision in a second form, stating so in the title (example: Lord of the Bears.revised). Winners and honorable mentions will receive awards as determined in our terms and guidelines and will be announced on our website and our newsletter. YOU MAY ONLY SUBMIT ONE FILE, USING THE PROPER UPLOAD FORM BELOW.