Resources
From Category: Literary Societies and Associations
(In)Visible Memoirs Project
Editors say, "Our focus is on communities traditionally underserved by literary programming and underrepresented in contemporary literature. We recognize that the exclusion of so many voices from literary programming limits our understanding of the world in which we live and deprives us all." They are seeking workshop proposals to bring the project to more communities in the US, with a special interest in the Inland Empire and San Joaquin Valley areas of California.
20.35 Africa
20.35 Africa is a resource institution and publisher for African poets, particularly younger and emerging writers across the continent. They began in 2017 with their annual electronic anthology series featuring African writers aged 20-35. Newer features on the website are the Conversations series of interviews about the role of poetry in Africa today, and the New Poets series showcasing individual writers.
African American Literature Book Club
Founded in 1997 by Troy Johnson, AALBC.com is a widely recognized source of author profiles, book recommendations, active discussion boards, writer resources, informative articles, videos, and book reviews.
Alliance of Artists Communities
Visit their site to find a writing retreat near you, and to learn about great new work being created around the world.
American Association of Community Theatre
AACT's website includes drama contest listings, directories of theatre programs in various US regions, articles about theatre, and rights management resources.
American Translators Association
ATA's primary goals include fostering and supporting the professional development of translators and interpreters and promoting the translation and interpreting professions.
Arkansas Writers’ Conference
The top prizes are only open to conference attendees; other themed contests offer smaller prizes (typically $25-$50) and are open to all writers, or to Arkansas writers only.
Asian American Writers’ Workshop
AAWW sponsors the annual Asian American Literary Awards Ceremony to recognize outstanding literary works by Americans of Asian descent. Their reading room contains notable works of Asian American literature through the decades.
Cartoonists of Color
This database maintained by comics creator Mari Naomi features cartoonists of color who work in a wide variety of genres from fantasy to historical fiction.
Center for Fiction
The Center's website features audio and video recordings of their events.
Colorado Independent Publishers Association
CIPA offers book awards, sponsors literacy programs, and helps promote members' books at literary conferences and trade shows.
Electronic Literature Organization
The ELO site includes listings of academic jobs and conferences, plus a growing archive of multimedia e-literature.
Feminist Book Club
Feminist Book Club is an online book club and resource site that builds community around reading new literature by women and nonbinary authors. There is a choice of membership tiers: buy the book of the month on your own and join the discussion; receive the book in the mail; or receive a monthly curated box with the book plus fun items from women-owned small businesses. The site also features book reviews and author interviews.
Florida Writers Association
President Glenda Ivey is a great person to have on your side.
Furious Flower Poetry Center
The nation's first academic center for Black poetry, Furious Flower was established on the James Madison University campus to serve creative writers, literary and cultural scholars, and poetry lovers everywhere. They are committed to ensuring the visibility, inclusion and critical consideration of Black poets in American letters, as well as in the whole range of educational curricula. Named after an image in a Gwendolyn Brooks poem, the academic center originated in the acclaimed 1994 Furious Flower Poetry Conference, the first major conference on African American poetry since the 1970s. See their website for educational materials, conferences, classes, and poetry prizes.
Georgia Poetry Society
The Georgia Poetry Society is a well-established literary organization with membership in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). They host a monthly poetry open mic online (not limited to Georgia authors). Other offerings include poetry contests, website listings for members' books, and online courses on the craft and marketing of writing.
Hidden River Arts
HRA offers workshops, readings, an annual writers' conference, and fiction and drama contests.
International Cities of Refuge Network
ICORN is an association of cities and regions around the world dedicated to protecting freedom of expression by offering refuge to writers fleeing political persecution.
Irish Writers’ Centre
The IWC provides a database of contemporary Irish authors and links to literary sites. Admirers of Irish culture will also enjoy the site of the Yeats Society Sligo.
James Merrill House
The James Merrill House offers workshops for adults and youth, lectures, and a writer-in-residence program.
John Clare Literary Festival
The John Clare Cottage Trust now hosts an annual literary festival each fall in his onetime home in the village of Helpston. Events include the Bard of the Fens Competition, a storytelling and performance poetry contest for authors who live or work within an hour's distance of the Fens region.
Lambda Literary Foundation
The LLF hosts a book review blog, readings and workshops, and the annual Lammy Awards for the best LGBT books.
Lowell Celebrates Kerouac
The festival, held each autumn, celebrates the life and work of novelist Jack Kerouac.
Midwest Writing Center
Founded in 1979, the Midwest Writing Center offers literary awards, conferences, workshops, book groups, and readings. Their publishing arm, MWC Press, publishes the winners of their poetry chapbook conference, the young writers' literary journal The Atlas, and literary novels and memoirs.
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Good source for grant opportunities.
National Association of Writers in Education
Resources include an annual conference for writing teachers and an online bulletin board of jobs and publication opportunities.
National Centre for Writing
The UK's National Centre for Writing offers courses, curriculum resources, prizes, youth programs, and resources for translators, to name just some of their programs. Check out their list of links to many other British literary organizations.
National Federation of State Poetry Societies
This nonprofit organization sponsors dozens of annual poetry contests with low entry fees. The individual state societies often sponsor additional contests. Some awards are specifically for middle school, high school, and college students.
New Zealand Poetry Society
Their website includes numerous listings for literary events, resources and contests for writers in New Zealand and abroad.
NewTown Writers
NewTown also offers workshops for local writers and sponsors literary events.
Poets and Patrons
Founded in 1954 in Chicago, Poets and Patrons sponsors national and international contests such as the Helen Schaible International Sonnet Contest, along with in-person and online writing workshops.
Printed Matter
Founded in 1976, NYC-based Printed Matter is the leading nonprofit dedicated to promoting artists' books and zines. Their website includes a state-by-state list of book and zine fairs, news of upcoming exhibitions, and the opportunity to have your book sold in their bookstore and website.
Prism Comics
Prism Comics is the leading nonprofit, all-volunteer organization supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual and LGBTQIA-friendly comic books, comics professionals, readers and educators. Prism awards an annual Queer Press Grant to help an independent comics creator publish their work of interest to an LGBTQIA audience. Prism also publishes anthologies and hosts panel discussions at comics conventions around the United States.
Prisons Foundation
The Prisons Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC that promotes the arts and education in prison and alternatives to incarceration. Visit the gallery page of their website to view and purchase original work by incarcerated artists.
Saison Poetry Library
SPL is the major British library for modern and contemporary poetry and is funded by the Arts Council England. Visit the Competitions page for listings of British poetry contests, updated monthly.
Science Fiction Poetry Association
SFPA publishes the literary journal Star*Line. Their website has many useful links to journals specializing in SF poetry, anthologies, and individual author websites, as well as a free contest with small cash prizes.
Singapore Unbound
Founded by award-winning poet Jee Leong Koh, Singapore Unbound is a cross-cultural literary organization that builds connections between Singaporean and American authors through projects such as the biennial Singapore Literary Festival in New York City; Gaudy Boy Press, publisher of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction by authors of Asian heritage; and the SP Blog, with book reviews and artist interviews.
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators is one of the largest existing organizations for writers and illustrators. It is the only professional organization specifically for those individuals writing and illustrating for children and young adults in the fields of children’s literature, magazines, film, television, and multimedia. SCBWI offers advocacy, networking, and grants for members of the children's publishing community.
Tennessee State Poetry League
The League publishes an annual anthology (with special editions for the blind and deaf), hosts monthly readings, and offers two annual fellowships for poets and artists. The poetry fellowship gives the author a choice of $1,000, a reading tour in Nashville, or publication of their manuscript in an edition of 500 copies. No website; email John D. Gosslee for more information.
The Academy of American Poets
Site includes over 1,200 poems by 450 noteworthy poets, with an emphasis on American and 20th century poets. Search by poem, poet and text. Numerous audio selections. See also the Online Poetry Classroom sponsored by the Academy, with its suggested 100 Best Poems to Memorize.
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)
AWP's bimonthly magazine, The Writer's Chronicle, is well worth a subscription, and includes information on grants, awards and publishing opportunities. AWP members may access a special Job List of academic and non-academic jobs. Search AWP's extensive program directory for a writing program near you, and consider attending AWP's popular annual conference, a good value for its seminars, networking and readings.
The Book Canopy
The Book Canopy is a monthly online book discussion group. They seek to build community among writers and readers through discussing socially relevant contemporary literature.
The Latino Author
Founded by Corina Chaudhry, The Latino Author is a networking site that brings Hispanic/Latino authors and readers together. They welcome indie and self-published authors. The site includes annual best books lists, author profiles and interviews, and craft essays.
The Museum of American Poetics
Seeks out diverse subcultures and genres. Special attention to multimedia presentations. Free video performances and lectures.
The Poetry Society
Publishes Poetry Review and Poetry News, and sponsors Britain's longest running poetry competition.
The Poetry Society of America
Membership not only lets you enter PSA's quality contests for free, you also get free or discounted admission to readings and seminars, and a subscription to the Poetry Society's magazine, Crossroads. Excellent value. Sign up through PSA's website. Also at the site, do visit the Resource page (free to all) with towers of links to quality poetry journals, festivals, websites, publishers, MFA programs, bookstores and literary organizations.
VIDA: Women in Literary Arts
Award-winning poets Cate Marvin and Erin Belieu founded this online community in August 2009 to address the need for female writers of literature to engage in conversations regarding women's work as well as the critical reception of women's creative writing in our current culture. Formerly known as WILLA: Women in Letters and Literary Arts.
Writers’ Workshop of Asheville
The Writers' Workshop of Asheville, NC, offers weekend classes and contests for emerging and experienced writers. Financial assistance is available for low-income writers in exchange for volunteering. The prize in their contests is generally a choice between a stay at their Mountain Muse B&B, free workshops, or a free manuscript edit.
Zona Rosa
Zona Rosa began in Savannah, GA as a female empowerment writing workshop founded by award-winning Southern memoirist Rosemary Daniell. Chapters now exist across the country, with famous graduates including John Berendt ('Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil') and Cassandra King ('Those Same Sweet Girls'). Visit the website for a schedule of workshops and retreats, information on starting your own group, links to Daniell's books, and an excerpt from her new guide Secrets of the Zona Rosa: How Writing (and Sisterhood) Can Change Women's Lives.
