We had another great meeting today, with the focus on different ways to publish, submitting to contests, and more. Here’s the first half of the update – it includes an interesting webinar for memoir writers tomorrow, Thursday, May 22, which is why I’m posting a little faster than usual.
If you’re a memoir writer intending to publish, you may want to check out tomorrow’s special live event (May 22 3-5pm ET) from Reedsy on how to write a memoir that sells in 2025. Reedsy is a site where you can hire experts in various fields to help you with your book – editors, illustrators, cover designers, formatters, etc, are all available at reasonable prices. They also offer online classes, and this one will be led by ghostwriter and book coach Amanda Nell Edgar, and author Rebecca van Laer. The class will cover what’s trending in the memoir market today, how to choose the right publishing path for your book, how to craft a compelling hook to help you write (and sell) your memoir, and practical ways to shape your life story into a powerful narrative. Register here. US$49. The replay will be available for 14 days.
Call for Memoirs: Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards is open for submissions until May 30, in seven categories: mainstream/literary fiction, genre fiction, nonfiction/reference, inspirational/self-help, memoirs/life stories, early reader/children’s picture books, and middle-grade/young adult. They want physical copies of your book, published between 2020 and now. Prizes include: a Grand Prize package that includes $10,000, a trip to the Annual Writer’s Digest Conference and a feature article about you and your book in the March/April 2026 issue of Writer’s Digest and seven First Place prize packages that include $1,000 in each respective category and promotion in the March/April 2026 issue. Every entrant will also receive a brief commentary from one of their qualified readers. Deadline May 30. Enter here. $125.
The Fairy Tale Magazine is an online literary magazine that publishes twice a year (April and November). They publish fairy-tale stories (900-2000 words) and poems (500-word limit) from and about a wide range of backgrounds, but they stress they are not aimed at children. Their Fairy Tale Prose & Poetry Contest is open until May 31, and they have no specific theme, but entries must be fairy-tale-related. Entry fee: $5. First Place Prose $50. First Place Poetry $50. Two Honorable Mentions of $25 each are awarded in both categories: prose and poetry. Details and entry forms here.
Jane Friedman is giving a webinar hosted by Writer’s Digest on June 19, 1–2:30 p.m. EDT. The topic is How to Research Agents and Publishers Like a Pro. Writers can develop a more successful freelance editing business by being more focused and strategic with the three Ps: positioning, packaging, and pricing. Full details and registration here. $89.
Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews is running a new short story contest. Entries can be up to 10,000 words, and there are no cash prizes, but the winner gets free advertising and reviews of their books in Literate-Ly Magazine and Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews, so it might help with book marketing. Also, you can submit reprints. Full details and entry forms here. Deadline June 30. $10
The North Street Book Prize is open for submissions until July 1. They are looking for self-published or hybrid-published books in one of these categories: Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, Creative Nonfiction & Memoir. (Not sure if you’re eligible? Please email them.) Poetry, Children’s Picture Book, Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, & Memoir Art Book (definition) One grand prize winner will receive $10,000, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $500 credit at BookBaby, and more. 
The top winner in each category will receive $1,000, a marketing analysis, and a one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, and more. One honorable mention in each category will receive $500and three months of Pro service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value); the honorable mention children’s picture book author will also receive a phone consultation from April Cox at Self-Publishing Made Simple (a $289 value) and access to Authorpreneur Summit sessions (an $89 value) Finalists will receive a free, full-length private critique from Winning Writers (value: $90-$240) We will publish online excerpts from all entries that win a prize, along with critiques from the judges. Entry fee $85 per book. More details and submissions here.
More information over the weekend!
