Below, I’ve listed publications and websites that are seeking writing submissions. I’ve also included links to other helpful writing sites.
Penguin — #Merky Books
An award-winning imprint launched by Stormzy and Penguin Random House UK with a clear ambition to publish books that will own – and change – the mainstream.
Penguin — Write Now
An award-winning programme designed to seek out, nurture, and publish new writers from communities under-represented on the nation’s bookshelves, providing tools and industry access.
Loud Coffee Press
An independent literary press producing a quarterly literary magazine that is hot, loud, and buzzes without caffeine (though they still love their coffee).
The Federation of Writers — Scotland
Providing dedicated opportunities for writers at all career stages to network, learn, and perform, while celebrating Scottish writing across English, Gaelic, and Scots.
Edinburgh Short Story Awards
Presented by the Scottish Arts Trust, these prestigious awards celebrate the best short fiction, true flash, non-fiction, novels, and graphic novels by writers worldwide.
Duotrope
A premier tracking resource offering extensive links, data, and submission tracking for writing competitions, agents, publishers, and literary magazines.
F(r)iction Magazine
A carefully curated literary anthology evaluating crucial cultural topics from vastly different perspectives, featuring fiction, poetry, comics, and creative non-fiction.
The Brick Lane Bookshop Writing Competition
An annual short story competition accepting entries between 1,000 and 3,000 words on any theme.
Reedsy Prompts
A weekly short story competition. Write a piece based on a preselected weekly prompt for a chance to win cash prizes.
Jericho Writers
Comprehensive publishing help, masterclasses, writing courses, and direct links to established publishers, professional editors, and beta readers.
Hot Pot Magazine
An online literary arts magazine featuring searing, powerful creative works aimed at bringing diverse communities closer together.
Lemontree Writers
An active, collaborative creative writing group based in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Dark Peninsula Press
An independent publisher specializing in dark, atmospheric, and compelling speculative fiction.
Association for Scottish Literature
An educational charity founded in 1970 that promotes the study, teaching, and writing of Scottish literature and its unique regional languages.
Reedsy Writing Competitions List
A regularly updated, comprehensive directory of short story competitions running throughout the year.
Pure Slush Publications
An independent press frequently seeking thematic poetry and prose submissions, including city-based work.
New Writers
Curates the best, most trusted current and upcoming writing competitions for authors based in the UK and internationally.
Write the World
A dedicated writing community, resource hub, and competition network designed specifically for teenage writers.
Michael Joseph Writer’s Competition
An exceptional opportunity to win a formal book contract and be published by Penguin Michael Joseph.
Granite Noir Crime Writing Festival
Inspired by the massive popularity of Scottish crime fiction and Nordic Noir, this Aberdeen-based festival celebrates atmospheric, quirky writing with a strong sense of place.
RNIB Library
Providing accessible reading materials, including talking books and audio resources, for the blind and partially sighted community.
New Writers UK
A fantastic support network and educational writing resource dedicated to emerging poets and prose writers.
Christopher Fielden
Features extensive, meticulously updated directories listing short story competitions, humorous writing contests, prizes, and awards.
UK Writers College
Offers professional creative courses, industry advice, and an extensive curated index of writing competitions.
Gutsy Great Novelist Novel Prize
An exciting literary prize inviting authors to submit the opening chapter of their novel manuscript.
Gutter Literary Magazine
Scotland’s leading independent literary magazine, showcasing striking new fiction, poetry, and essays from both emerging and established voices.
Almond Press Competitions List
A dependable, curated guide focusing on speculative, sci-fi, and contemporary short fiction contests.
The Book Network UK
A connecting hub for avid readers, book clubs, and indie authors seeking promotional support and review outreach.
Interpret Magazine
Showcasing the best new writers in Scotland alongside diverse international poems, stories, and deep-dive literary interviews.
Aaron Mullins — Help for Authors
A massive, hand-curated list of writing competitions providing the perfect platforms for short story writers, poets, and novelists to shine.
Bridge House Publishing (UK)
An independent press offering valuable developmental services to writers alongside regular themed anthology competitions.
Moonflake Magazine
Born from a desire to read more magical, scientific, funny, and horrifying words. They welcome both highly polished prose and raw, spontaneous drafts.
The Mairtín Crawford Awards
An annual award ceremony based in Belfast celebrating exceptional achievements in Poetry and Short Stories.
The Dark Horse Magazine
Founded in 1995 by Gerry Cambridge, this international poetry journal published from Scotland features elite British, Irish, and American verse.
The Broadway Arts Festival Prize
An open-theme short story competition run as part of the biennial arts festival in the Cotswolds.
The National Poetry Centre
An initiative working to establish a major spiritual home for poetry in the UK to elevate it as an accessible, democratic art form.
The Henshaw Press Short Story Competition
A popular, quarterly short story competition offering cash prizes and anthology publication for winning submissions.
Moniack Mhor Writing Centre
Scotland’s National Writing Centre. Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, they host creative retreats, mentorships, and workshops tutored by finest UK authors.
The British Science Fiction Association (BSFA)
A dedicated organization established to support, promote, and connect readers and authors of Science Fiction in all its creative forms.
New Writing: Journal of Creative Writing Studies
A leading academic and literary journal published by Taylor & Francis focusing on both the theory and practice of creative writing.
Cat’s Tales Short Story Competition
An imaginative short story contest hosted by Cats Protection, inviting aspiring writers to share creative, feline-centric tales.
Allegro Poetry Magazine
A UK-based online magazine edited by Dr. Sally Long, publishing contemporary poetry via general and themed biannual issues.
Anthropocene Magazine
A welcoming online poetry journal publishing standout contemporary poems and translations every Wednesday and Sunday.
Confluence Magazine
An independent text-art project and literary zine blending experimental prose, poetry, and beautiful risograph design accents.
Between These Shores Books
A completely non-profit literary collective producing an annual arts magazine, dedicating all proceeds back into funding local arts scholarships.
The Letter Review Prize
Awarded quarterly across short fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and books, offering a substantial cash prize pool and publication.
Open Pen
An indie publisher specializing in short fiction, a free print magazine, and a unique standalone “novelette” book series.
Indigo Dreams Publishing
A multi-award-winning independent poetry and fiction publisher twice voted ‘Most Innovative Publisher’ at the Saboteur Awards.
Creative Aberdeen Funding
A vital cultural grant programme offering financial support to individual artists, charities, and creative collectives in the Northeast.
Inverness Creative Academy
The Highlands’ primary creative hub, providing stunning studio spaces, resources, and working accommodations for local artists and social enterprises.
Lit Hub (The Literature Hub)
A dynamic, central hub for daily literary culture, behind-the-scenes essays, book journalism, and writing news.
The Yoto Carnegies Awards
The UK’s longest-running and most prestigious children’s book awards, honoring outstanding writing and illustration in youth literature.
Granta Magazine & Books
One of the world’s most acclaimed literary quarterlies, discovering and publishing exceptional new fiction, gritty reportage, and memoir.
Litro Magazine
A global platform championing literature, art, and tech, publishing bold creative voices from emerging talents to Nobel laureates.
PN Review (Poetry Nation)
Active since 1973, this highly respected journal features new international poetry, critical commentary, interviews, and literary essays.
After Happy Hour Review
A grassroots literary journal fostering community and craft, publishing standout poetry, short fiction, and visual art.
Apex Magazine
An elite, independent digital publisher of strange, surreal, shocking, and beautiful dark speculative fiction.
Fall Into Fantasy Anthologies
An annual speculative anthology showcasing a vast array of sub-genres from epic to contemporary fantasy, releasing every September.
Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA)
An organization hosting dedicated micro-fiction and short story contests to support emerging indie authors.
PRISM International
Based in Vancouver, BC, this historic journal mandates the publication of exceptional contemporary writing and translations from across the globe.
Luna Station Quarterly
A digital magazine with an ongoing mission to showcase the vast, diverse talents of female-identified speculative fiction writers.
Mslexia
The bestselling quarterly magazine for women who write, featuring opportunity listings, advice columns, and renowned guest authors.
The Malahat Review
One of Canada’s leading literary journals, dedicated to excellence in poetry, short fiction, and insightful critical commentary.
Ninth Letter Literary Awards
Annual writing awards hosted by the University of Illinois, open to exceptional poetry and prose submissions.
Rising Action Publishing Collective
A traditional, independent publishing house heavily committed to lifting up diverse authors and narrative voices.
Black Fork Review
A university-backed online journal run by students and alumni, supported proudly by the Ashland Poetry Press.
Translunar Travelers Lounge
A fun, biannual speculative fiction magazine focusing on the lighter, adventurous, and wondrous sides of fantasy and sci-fi.
The Clayjar Review
An independent Christian literary journal dedicated to publishing encouraging, life-affirming poetry and prose.
Mud Season Review
An international literary journal run by the members of the Burlington Writers Workshop, highlighting deeply felt prose and poetry.
The International Rubery Book Prize
A prestigious international book award seeking the absolute best titles published by indie authors, self-publishers, and independent presses.
Journal of Compressed Creative Arts
A unique non-profit publisher specializing exclusively in compressed art forms, including flash fiction, micro-prose, and prose poetry.
LIT eZINE
A digital literary e-magazine publishing poetry, creative non-fiction stories, and commentary articles twice a year.
Hare’s Paw Literary Journal
A boundless journal representing the ability to walk between stillness and the world, identifying what intrigues us regardless of societal demands.
Looky Here
Prints biannual literary magazines, poetry collections, and art books, alongside hosting community workshops and gallery shows.
Mania Literary Magazine
A small, edgy, independent literary magazine explicitly dedicated to publishing your rawest, urgent 3:00 AM works.
The Loyalhanna Review
Published by Ligonier Valley Writers, providing practical tools and creative inspiration to sustain emerging and established authors.
New Flash Fiction Review
Founded in 2014 by Meg Pokrass, this prominent online journal is completely devoted to outstanding flash fiction, writer interviews, and prose poetry.
Quarterly West
An esteemed literary journal opening submission windows for poetry and prose with strict submission caps to ensure focused attention.
Pink Apple Press
A fresh online magazine showcasing the single juiciest poetry and flash fiction choices of the creative bushel.
The Horror Tree
An incredible hub for speculative fiction authors, curating paying submission calls, horror anthology listings, and publisher info.
The Woolf
An online magazine of new writing and visual art operating out of Switzerland. They welcome short fiction and poetry that truly makes them howl.
Trasna Literary Journal
A global digital platform celebrating contemporary Irish writing alongside cross-cultural fiction, essays, poetry, and creative hybrids.
Troublemaker Firestarter
A biannual literary magazine specializing in bold LGBTQIA+ and feminist topics, welcoming the unapologetic and controversial.
The Frogmore Press
Publishers of the long-running bi-annual magazine The Frogmore Papers, famous for breaking the early work of renowned contemporary poets.
The World of Myth Magazine
Seeking creative submissions across an immense variety of genres, including Action/Suspense, Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Poetry.
Nethergate Writers — Dundee
A diverse collective of Dundee-based writers ranging from beginners to widely published novelists, sharing constructive peer review.
MoonLit Getaway
A realm of refuge from daily life, seeking authentic fiction, art, and poetry that masterfully challenges creative expectations.
The Hedgehog Poetry Press
An independent poetry press famous for its collection cult followings and cult publication ‘A Restricted View From Under The Hedge’.
La Piccioletta Barca
An evolving, eclectic digital home for art, literature, translation, and deeply philosophical independent commentary columns.
Ash Tales
The ultimate audio and narrative hub for post-apocalyptic fiction, featuring short stories, a dedicated podcast, and survival series tracking.
Moniack Mhor Writers Group
A local group centered around confidence building and peer feedback in a warm environment, accompanied by excellent coffee and cake.
Beatwell Editorial Services
Offers professional, unrivaled manuscript beta reading packages and meticulous structural copyediting services at competitive rates.
The British Fantasy Society (BFS)
A passionate, long-running community hub for authors, publishers, and readers who love magical creatures, monsters, and the fantastic.
Scottish Book Trust
A national charity changing lives through the power of reading and writing, fostering creativity and breaking poverty cycles across Scotland.
The Saltire Society
A crucial, celebrated independent supporter celebrating and preserving the diverse arts, languages, and historic culture of Scotland.
ABCtales
A highly interactive, free-access digital platform for independent writers to share creative work, secure reviews, and develop craft.
Dictionaries of the Scots Languages (DSL)
An invaluable historical lookup tool combining the ultimate authoritative dictionaries of Modern Scots and Older Scots online.
The North East Folklore Archive
Based at Aden Country Park, this digital archive and recording studio preserves the oral history, music, and traditions of Aberdeenshire.
Acumen Poetry
Running successfully since 1985 under Patricia Oxley, this stands as one of the UK’s longest-running and premier analytical poetry journals.
Publishing Scotland
The network and development body for the Scottish publishing industry, showcasing thousands of local titles and industry resources.
Prize Magic
A fully vetted, comprehensive directory listing the most genuine, high-value writing competitions across the UK and worldwide.
Writers’ Cafe
A vibrant online community hub providing spaces to post manuscripts, receive reviews, enter free contests, and network with authors.
The Orwell Prizes
The UK’s most prestigious prize for political writing, honoring works that make political writing into an art across fiction, journalism, and non-fiction.
Doric Books
A dedicated Community Interest Company created to actively support, publish, and provide a marketplace platform for the Doric-speaking community.
Northwords Now & Tuath
Publishing outstanding new literature in print and online, showcasing work across Scotland’s three main languages and remote regional variants.
The Royal Mint Museum Short Story Competition
A popular annual short story contest specifically designed to foster creative prose writing in school-aged children across the UK.
BBC National Short Story Award
In partnership with Cambridge University, this elite annual award honors the single finest piece of original short fiction in the UK.
The Moth Short Story Prize
A world-renowned international prize open to anyone globally, evaluated completely anonymously by a single distinguished judge.
Lallands Magazine
The historic, official journal of the Scots Language Society, dedicated completely to prose and poetry written in Scots.
Shoreline of Infinity
An award-winning, Scotland-based science fiction magazine publishing mind-expanding sci-fi stories, poetry, and reviews.
Thi Wurd Magazine
A Glasgow-based independent publisher and magazine dedicated to liberating new artistic voices that exist outside the mainstream narrative.
The Astley Prize
Run in memory of a talented young writer, this award celebrates bold, highly original storytelling and is open to international entries.
Free Flash Fiction
An accessible flash fiction contest accepting stories between 100 and 300 words on any theme, offering cash prizes and web publication.
Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize
Celebrating international literary excellence by discovering extraordinary, unpublished talent across poetry, fiction, and life writing.
Elaine Reid — Writing for Wellbeing Workshops
Workshops explicitly focused on the therapeutic process of writing for oneself, removing the pressure of audience, grammar, or spelling rules.
Scottish Association of Writers (SAW) Summer Competitions
Annual seasonal creative writing competitions offering major accolades across poetry, short stories, and novel segments.
