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 Essays must be original, unpublished works in English. Works detected as generated by AI will not be accepted. A successful entry will be awarded each quarter and included within Kinsman Quarterly's online journal and printed magazine. No entry fee required. $100 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- Individuals able to license the unpublished work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- Each essay should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity.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 throughout the year.
- 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. If you haven't received a notice within 90 days of submission, please regard the proposed entry as unsuccessful. Members can solicit feedback at submissions@kinsmanquarterly.org. 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 with full manuscripts from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities and underrepresented individuals (preferred). The goal of the initiative is to offer more opportunities to underrepresented voices within our capacity as a nonprofit organization. Selected works will receive a modest publishing package worth $5000K that includes a $1000 cash advance for the author including generous royalty shares. We are accepting query packages throughout the year for the named genres, making selections throughout the year. Please review all of the submission guidelines as they are pertinent to progress through our review process. $25 submission fee or submit free with priority membership (professional/premium subscriptions).
Those Eligible
- individuals 18+ years old
- individuals of a BIPOC or underrepresented community (preferred)
- individuals able to receive cash licensing awards through a digital payment platform like PayPal, Zelle, Zenmo, Wise or Payoneer.
- Original authors of the unpublished work (works detected for AI-generated composition will me automaticallyb dismissed)
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). 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. Include the following named and clearly labeled sections, in order:
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. YOU MAY SUBMIT ONE FILE WITH REQUIRED QUERY MATERIALS, USING THE PROPER UPLOAD FORM BELOW.
Submit your full-length poetry collection in English (50–150 pages) for the Memoir in Verse Award, celebrating BIPOC and underrepresented poets whose thematic collections capture a personal journey or season of life. Individual poems may have been self-published or published by Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.; however, all other previously published works are ineligible.
Selected poets will receive a $1,500 cash licensing award and publication with Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.
Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026
Submission Fee: $22
(Free for active Priority Members only. No other fee waivers will be provided.)
Those Eligible
- individuals 18+ years old
- individuals of a BIPOC or underrepresented community (preferred)
- individuals able to receive cash licensing awards through PayPal, Wise, Venmo, Zelle, or Payoneer
Submission Package should include a single MS Word document or pdf, titled as such TITLE_AUTHOR-NAME. Include the following items in clearly labeled sections in order:
1. Query Letter
- Limit to 1 page, including your chapbook's theme, word count. and what makes your chapbook unique
2. Author Bio
- One paragraph in 150 words or less
- Include a professional headshot at the top of the page
3. Book Description
- Write a dust jacket copy description suitable for a book's back cover in 100-300 words
4. Table of Contents
- Create a table of contents or your individual poems and their page numbers
5. The Poetry Collection
- Submit the full manuscript as an MS Word or pdf document
- Include a title page with name and contact information
- Number pages of the manuscript (upper, right preferred)
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- SINGLE-spaced text with 1-inch margins
- Do not add images. Do not use other fonts or font sizes anywhere in the document.
Be sure that each individual poem is eligible for publication. Retracting individual poems from your original collection after submission will not be allowed. Entries that do not meet the required criteria may be dismissed without notice. YOU MAY SUBMIT ONE FILE WITH REQUIRED QUERY MATERIALS, USING THE PROPER UPLOAD FORM BELOW.
Kinsman Black Box Script Submissions are open year-round for one-act plays. We especially welcome BIPOC and traditionally underrepresented playwrights. Selected scripts will be published globally in our online database and will receive up to $500 for a licensing award. No entry fee is required.
Selected scripts will also be promoted to social media sites and printed advertisements for Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc. Copyright of individual submissions remains with the authors. Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc owns the copyright to the collection as a unit.
Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but submissions should be withdrawn if accepted elsewhere. To ensure an efficient publication process, playwrights are asked to wait a full calendar year after acceptance before republishing the work themselves or with another organization.
Those Eligible
- Individuals 18 years or older
- Ideal for authors of BIPOC and underrepresented communities
- Must be able to receive award payment through Zelle, Paypal, Venmo, Payoneer, Wise, or Cashapp.
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.
- Because of our focus on family-friendly theater and school partnerships, mature content including excessive profanity, horror, and/or overtly sexual themes are ineligible.
- AI-generated scripts are also ineligible.
- One-act scripts should be between 10 and 20 pages with less than five main characters.
- Full-length scripts should include the full Aristotelian three act structure and be between 50 - 100 pages.
- Submissions can be received year-round.
- Participants may enter simultaneous submissions, although no more than three submissions in one calendar year.
Formatting Guidelines (MUST READ)
- Submission files must be named by Title_AuthorName. Example: "Missing Diamonds_DoeJohn".
- All entries must be submitted as an MS Word doc/docx or .pdf file.
- All entries must be in 12-point courier font for in a standard play format.
- Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text.
- Entries that do not adhere to guidelines will not be considered.
Quarterly Award Announcements - June 30, Sept 30, Dec 31st, March 31st
Changes to the submission entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. However, a revised version may be resubmitted upon acceptance into the database. In such cases, include the word "revision" in the file name.
All entrants will be automatically subscribed to our mailing list and free newsletter for updates on awards 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 your subscription at any time.
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 upon entry's acceptance into the database via email stating so in the title (example: Lord of the Bears.(revised). Accepted works will be published by Kinsman Avenue Publishing Inc. and playwrights will be notified of acceptance quarterly. BE SURE TO TITLE YOUR FILE ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES ABOVE. Note that you will be directed to upload your file through Submittable. If you do not have a Submittable account, you may create one in a few easy steps.
Adolescent voices wanted for the TeenQuill Writing Contest. Participants submit an original, unpublished work in English, including short stories, nonfiction essays, plays, or poetry. Selected entries will be eligible for a $50 Amazon E-Gift Card and publication within Kinsman Quarterly's online and printed publications, social media platforms, and annual anthology.
Submissions are open throughout the year. 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. Contestants under 18 years old need the consult of a parent/guardian.
Those Eligible
- individuals under 19 years old
- BIPOC and underrepresented voices (preferred, but not limited to)
- Amazon gift cards prizes are 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. Works detected to be AI-generated will be declined.
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 are received throughout the year.
- Submissions should feature themes related to adolescents and youths (sexual or mature content unaccepted)
- PARTICIPANTS MAY NOT SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE ENTRY TO THIS CONTEST WITHIN THE SAME GENRE. STUDENTS MAY SUBMIT A COLLECTION OF POEMS IN ONE DOCUMENT. ALL SUBSEQUENT ENTRIES WILL BE DECLINED (poetry collections with more than one poem 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, poetry collections, or plays (up to 10 pages - individual poems cannot be extracted from a collection once accepted into the finals)
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.