So, you’ve written something. Now what?

Sometimes writing is about the process – getting something that’s been swirling around your head down onto the page in a way that makes sense to you. It’s why Joan Didion was such an advocate for the notebook, as a place to put ‘bits of the mind’s string too short to use, an indiscriminate and erratic assemblage with meaning only for its maker.’

But what about the words you want to share with the world? The ones you want to have meaning for other readers, too?

We set up Dear Damsels for exactly this reason: to provide a space where women could send their words and receive support and feedback and a general rallying response. Personal blogs – like notebooks – serve their purpose, but can sometimes feel like shouting into the void.

Luckily, DD is just one platform among many providing the chance for writers to have their work published, whether through regular submission periods or one-off callouts.

With so many fantastic opportunities out there, we wanted to share our top list of the platforms currently accepting submissions.


the tiny narrative

As featured on a recent episode of Her Own Words, the tiny narrative, run by Elizabeth Lovatt, is an email newsletter sharing a piece of fiction, non-fiction and poetry every two weeks, describing itself as ‘personal despatches for narrative obsessives’. Submissions are always open and you can send your pieces of writing under 1,000 words to thetinynarrative@gmail.com. Peruse their wonderful archive to find out more.

Shirley Magazine

Shirley Magazine is a US-based online literary magazine who read and accept submissions from everyone, but especially encourage women, non-binary writers and writers of colour to submit their work. They publish in April, August and December and submissions are always open. Find out more here.


Best Practice Zine

If you don’t follow Best Practice Zine on Instagram we heartily recommend you do so for some work-related lols. But with submissions for their third issue now open, you can also submit your own writing to this zine about work culture and worker’s experiences. Browse previous issues through their online shop and send any kind of writing or art to bestpracticezine@gmail.com.


The Future Bookshelf

For those of you with novel ambitions, be sure to keep your eye on The Future Bookshelf, which will run its second submission period open to writers from underrepresented backgrounds in May 2019. Find out more about how to submit, and about The Future Bookshelf Class of 2018, through their website.

For Books’ Sake

The brilliant For Books’ Sake has been running for a number of years now, with the mission of championing writing by women and girls. There are so many ways your can get involved with FBS, from signing up to their much-loved Write Like a Grrrl workshops, going along to their spoken word That’s What She Said events, or submitting to have your fiction featured as their Weekend Read (details of how to submit here). On top of that, they are also taking applications from women and non-binary writers who want to perform with them at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.

So there you have it: writing opportunities galore. And of course, there’s always DD – we open up submissions on a new theme every month. We’re currently looking for all kinds of writing on the theme of ESCAPE (submissions close Weds 24th April). Whether you’ve been published before or it’s your first time sharing your words with the world, why not send something our way? We can’t wait to hear from you.

Know of a great writing platform that you’d add to this list? Let us know about it on Twitter and Instagram.


Dear Damsels is your collective.

We wanted to create a space where you can find out what your collective is doing for you. Whether it’s upcoming events, publications or podcast episodes, this blog is where we communicate directly with you about what is going on in the world of DD.

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