Washington Writers' Publishing House
Washington Writers' Publishing House publishes poetry and fiction in a biweekly journal, WWPH Writes. The journal is featured on our website on the second and fourth Friday of every month. We are happy to consider never-published original fiction and poetry as well as reprints from recent or upcoming collections from writers living in Washington, D.C. Maryland and Virginia. We do not charge for submissions, but there is an optional tip jar to help us maintain the site.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Please read all of the following guidelines carefully.
Eligibility: You must be a resident of the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia.
Fiction: Send one story or novel excerpt up to 1,000 words. Double-spaced, standard 12-point font.
Poetry: Send a single file containing 1-3 poems (max. 5 pages). Standard 12-point font.
PLEASE NOTE: You may re-publish your work that appears on the site after 60 days, and we ask that you credit us in future publications.
Be sure to withdraw your submission immediately upon acceptance elsewhere.
INQUIRIES: Email our editors at: wwphpress@gmail.com
The Washington Writers’ Publishing House, is a 48-year-old nonprofit, cooperative, all-volunteer press, seeks to bring together and support the creative work of poets and fiction writers in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. WWPH continues its annual contests and publications of poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction. The awards include publication, a $1,500 honorarium, editorial guidance, and launch events at the Politics & Prose Bookstore in D.C. and the Writer’s Center in Bethesda.
Washington Writers Publishing House will be publishing new poetry biweekly on our website and newsletter.
We are happy to consider never-published original poetry as well as reprints from recent or upcoming published full-length poetry collections or chapbooks (please indicate publication date and press) from writers living in Washington, D.C. Maryland and Virginia. 1-3 poems not to exceed 5 pages. 12-point type, single-spaced.
Please provide a cover letter addressed to the appropriate editor with a biography of 50 words or less.
Please limit your submission to once per year except for special calls or contests.
Washington Writers Publishing House will be publishing new fiction biweekly on our website. We are happy to consider never-published original fiction as well as reprints from recent or upcoming collections from writers living in Washington, D.C. Maryland and Virginia. 1000 words or less; 12-point type, double-spaced.
Please limit your submission to once per year except for special calls or contests.
Creative Nonfiction Prize
Open to all residents of Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The contest is open to new, upcoming, and established writers.
All manuscript contests are judged by previous winners who volunteer their time and skills. All manuscripts are read blind. Winners and finalists will be announced by March 1, 2024. Books will be published in the fall of 2024.
$1,500 award, publication, 25 author copies, editorial guidance, and launch support
As of 2023, we are accepting literary creative nonfiction, notably essay collections and memoir. We admire essays collections such as Ann Patchett’s These Precious Days, literary nonfiction narratives such as Anthony Doerr’s Four Seasons in Italy, and memoirs including Kiese Laymon’s Heavy and the winner of our first nonfiction prize Transplant: A Memoir by Bernardine Watson (on sale: October 3).
Manuscripts must be a minimum of 150 pages to a maximum of 250 pages in length. Formatted in 12-point type, New Times Roman font, double-spaced. The approximate word count is about 60,000-70,000 words.
Proof work carefully. More details on the WWPH Style sheet, which can be found here. Although winners can expect to collaborate with a WWPH writer/editor prior to publication, we are seeking completed, polished manuscripts.
A one-page synopsis must be included with your work. For more details on how to write a synopsis, see here.
Do not include your name, address, or other identifying information on the submitted documents; manuscripts and synopsis must be anonymous. Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Once submitted, manuscripts cannot be altered.
Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
Special note: writers who have books published with WWPH are invited to enter this new category–please note that this exemption applies only to creative nonfiction entries. All entries will be judged blind by WWPH members.
All entries are via Submittable. Entry fee is $28.00 via submittable.
50th Anniversary Fiction Prize sponsored
by Carol Trawick
Open to all residents of Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The contest is open to new, upcoming, and established writers.
All manuscript contests are judged by previous winners who volunteer their time and skills. All manuscripts are read blind. Winners and finalists will be announced by March 1, 2024. Books will be published in the fall of 2024.
$2,000 award, publication, 25 author copies, editorial guidance, and launch support
Submit a novel or a collection of short stories and/or novellas. Read Len Kruger’s Bad Questions: A Novel (on sale: October 3), Suzanne Feldman’s The Witch Bottle & Other Stories, or Adam Schwartz’s The Rest of the World for examples of our recent award-winning WWPH fiction.
Manuscripts must be a minimum of 150 pages to a maximum of 250 pages. 12-point type, double-spaced. Times New Roman font. The approximate word count is about 60,000-70,000 words.
Proof work carefully. More details on the WWPH Style sheet, which can be found here. Although winners can expect to collaborate with a WWPH writer/editor prior to publication, we are seeking completed, polished manuscripts.
A one-page synopsis must be included with your work. For more details on how to write a synopsis, see here.
Do not include your name, address, or other identifying information on the submitted documents; manuscripts and synopsis must be anonymous. Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Once submitted, manuscripts cannot be altered.
Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Only writers who have not published books with us are invited to enter this category.
All entries are via Submittable. Entry fee is $28.00 via submittable.
The Jean Feldman Poetry Prize
Open to all residents of Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The contest is open to new, upcoming, and established writers.
All manuscript contests are judged by previous winners who volunteer their time and skills. All manuscripts are read blind. Winners and finalists will be announced by March 1, 2024. Books will be published in the fall of 2024.
$1,500 award, publication, 25 author copies, editorial guidance, and launch support
50-80 pages in length, single or 1 1/2 spaced. Read K. Avvirin Berlin’s Leda’s Daughters (on sale: October 3), Tonee (Anthony) Moll’s You Cannot Save Here,or Steven Levya’s The Understudy’s Handbook for examples of our recent award-winning WWPH poetry collections.
Do not include your name, address, or other identifying information on the submitted document; manuscripts must be anonymous.
A table of contents and acknowledgments page (including publications in which poems from the manuscript have appeared previously) should be included.
Proof work carefully. More details on the WWPH Style sheet, which can be found here. Although winners can expect to collaborate with a WWPH writer/editor prior to publication, we are seeking completed, polished manuscripts.
Multiple submissions are permitted if submitted separately, each with a submission fee. Once submitted, manuscripts cannot be altered.
Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but please notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Only poets who have not published books with us are invited to enter this category.
All entries are via Submittable. Entry fee is $28.00 via submittable.