Writing Fellowship Guidelines
The Next Writing Fellow
THE PEN PARENTIS WRITING FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW PARENTS
NEWS: THANKS TO A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE DE GROOT FOUNDATION, OUR PRIZES ARE DOUBLED
*OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS MARCH 1 - APRIL 17, 2024*
One talented writer who is the parent of at least one child under 10 years old will receive $2000 to further their writing career, a year of mentorship, and will be offered the opportunity to read their winning story online at a Pen Parentis Literary Salon in Fall 2024. Their winning story will also be published in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (both online and in print) as well as included in the annual Dreamers Writing Anthology.
The second prize and third prize will likewise be welcomed into our Cycle of support and receive $500 and $250, respectively.
See FAQ for even more on the prize!
Submissions call for a new, never-published fiction story-any genre, on any subject-of up to 499 words.
Please note: we change the word count each year! One of the goals of this project is to keep parents working — motivating all writers to continue to create new high-quality creative writing at the busiest time of the parenting journey. We keep the word count intentionally low. Write something new! You can do it!
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Put only the title of the story and its word count on the manuscript. Nothing to identify the writer.
On that note, Judging is blind and based only on the following criteria:
THE PEN PARENTIS WRITING FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW PARENTS
NEWS: THANKS TO A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE DE GROOT FOUNDATION, OUR PRIZES ARE DOUBLED
*OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS MARCH 1 - APRIL 17, 2024*
One talented writer who is the parent of at least one child under 10 years old will receive $2000 to further their writing career, a year of mentorship, and will be offered the opportunity to read their winning story online at a Pen Parentis Literary Salon in Fall 2024. Their winning story will also be published in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (both online and in print) as well as included in the annual Dreamers Writing Anthology.
The second prize and third prize will likewise be welcomed into our Cycle of support and receive $500 and $250, respectively.
See FAQ for even more on the prize!
Submissions call for a new, never-published fiction story-any genre, on any subject-of up to 499 words.
Please note: we change the word count each year! One of the goals of this project is to keep parents working — motivating all writers to continue to create new high-quality creative writing at the busiest time of the parenting journey. We keep the word count intentionally low. Write something new! You can do it!
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Put only the title of the story and its word count on the manuscript. Nothing to identify the writer.
On that note, Judging is blind and based only on the following criteria:
All genres and styles of unpublished fiction are welcome. Entry fees will not be refunded. Previous Pen Parentis Fellows and 2nd/3rd Prize winners are not eligible if they received a cash prize.
(Anyone who did not receive a cash award is encouraged to try again!)
Winner: Please list our Fellowship in your writing bio for the 12 months following your reading in NYC!
*OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS MARCH 1 - APRIL 17, 2024*
We are not kidding; we want you to push yourself to create new work!
Entry fees fund the operation of Pen Parentis, Ltd, with priority given to the maintenance of this Fellowship. $5 of the fee covers our costs of accepting credit cards.
Accepted Document Types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf
(Submissions for this year's Fellowship are open March 1 – April 17. Thanks!)
SPECIAL RATES FOR PEN PARENTIS TITLE MEMBERS:
You must be a current paid-to-date Title Member to take advantage of this offer. Please use the special link found below. (Your entry fee can not be refunded if you accidentally submit the usual way, sorry)
You must be logged in to see the page.
Second Entry FREE for all $15/mo SHARPENED PENCIL LEVEL members
Third entry – FREE for all $20/mo FOUNTAIN PEN LEVEL only members
Write your stories! Submit your stories!
The winner will be announced on the Pen Parentis website and by email or phone to the winning author on or before September 1 of the entry year.
Please make sure that the author's contact information includes email and phone! Shortlisted entries will be announced on the website only – please check back in September to see how you did! You can also sign up for the Basic membership (at no cost) to have contest results delivered to your inbox.
Prize
FAQ Answers
YES: Fill out ALL of the requested information on the Submittable Form, including the number of children you have and their prospective ages in November of the year you enter.
OF COURSE: If you move during the year or change contact info, remember to let us know! We can't tell you you've won if we can't contact you!
If you are currently pregnant with your first child or hoping to adopt your first child before November of the year you enter, please wait and enter in the following year. This contest is for people who are currently taking care of young kids and trying to write. (You'll see…)
One dependent child MUST still be under ten on the date of the November salon of the year of your entry for a writer to be eligible to win this Fellowship. It's fine to have more, but you can't have fewer and remain eligible.
The top Winner will be announced on the Pen Parentis website and by email or phone to the winning author on or before September 1 of the year you enter. The winners' list will be sent out shortly thereafter to all who submitted and posted on our homepage. Expect no other communications.
Important note: Entrants must be the parents of at least one child under 10 years old at the time of the public reading. While we accept submissions from anywhere, applicants are advised that payment will be in US dollars and drawn from a US bank, and fees & taxes are the responsibility of the recipient.
Sponsors
The Pen Parentis Fellowship is generously supported by a grant from the Sustainable Arts Foundation in California, Amazon Smile Foundation, and individual donors.
With major support from our loyal friends at:
