Writing Fellowship Guidelines
The Current 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, 2026*
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 2026. Their winning story will also be published in Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine (both online and in print) and may be included in the annual Dreamers Writing Anthology.
The second prize and third prize will likewise be welcomed into our Cycle of Support accountability groups 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 440 words. Sparkle!
Please note: we change the word count each year!
A major goal of this project is to keep parents creating — motivating you to generate new high-quality creative writing at the busiest time of your parenting journey, when many writers start to recycle old stories or just give up! We keep the word count intentionally low--because wow, we are all slammed! Our winners often are astonished by the extraordinary quality of what they create in this, their time of overwhelm.
Write something new! You can do it! AND MAKE IT YOUR BEST WORK EVER!
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All genres and styles of unpublished fiction are welcome.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!)
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.
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 we sent you via email. (Your entry fee can not be refunded if you accidentally submit the usual way, sorry)
First Entry FREE FOR ALL SUPPORTING MEMBERS (subscription levels from $10/mo Intro and up):
All repeat donors who are part of the CYCLE OF SUPPORT get their first entry for free.
Second Entry FREE for all $15/mo PRO members only
Third entry – FREE for all $20/mo ALL-ACCESS members only
LOOK FOR THE SPECIAL LINK IN AN EMAIL SENT MARCH 1 - if you are a sustaining member of Pen Parentis and do not see this email, make sure you are recieving our newsletters. If you still have not received it by March 3, please send info(at) Penparentis.org a note to let us know. LAST CHANCE TO ASK FOR THE LINK IS APRIL 15.
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. Second and third place will be notified by email.
Please make sure that your 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!