Deadline Approaching for Writing Contests

A note from Lee & Low Books

The deadlines to submit to our New Voices and New Visions Awards are quickly approaching!

Our annual awards encourage writers of color and Native nations to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. As the number of diverse books increases, Lee & Low Books is dedicated to increasing the number of authors of color and Native nations as well.

Keep reading for submissions guidelines and feel free to post, share, or print PDFs to help us spread the word about these great contests!

Warmly,

The Lee & Low Team

The New Voices Award is given for a children’s picture book manuscript by a new writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer.

Past New Voices Award submissions we have published include The Blue Roses, winner of the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People; Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story, a Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist selection; and It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Honor.

Eligibility:

1. The contest is open to writers of color and Native nations who are residents of the United States, 18 years or older at the time of entry, and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published.

2. Writers who have published work in other venues and genres, including children’s magazines, young adult, and adult fiction or nonfiction, are eligible. Only unagented submissions will be accepted.

3. Work that has been published in any format, including online and self published, is not eligible.

4. Manuscripts previously submitted for this award or to Lee & Low Books will not be considered.

Prize: The Award winner receives a cash prize of $2,000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

Deadline: August 31, 2018

For full eligibility and submission guidelines, visit our website.

The New Visions Award is given for a middle grade or young adult novel by a new writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer.

Winning submissions include Ink and Ashes by Valynne Maetani, the recipient of an honor award from the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association; Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh, which received three starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection; and Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar, which received two starred reviews and was listed as a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People.

Eligibility:

1. The contest is open to writers of color and Native nations who are residents of the United States, 18 years of age or older at the time of entry, and who have not previously had a middle grade or young adult novel published.

2. Writers who have published work in other venues such as children’s magazines or picture books, or adult fiction or nonfiction, are eligible. Only unagented manuscripts will be accepted.

3. Work that has been published in its entirety in any format (including online and self publishing as well as other countries) is not eligible.

4. Manuscripts previously submitted for this award or to Tu Books will not be considered.

Prize: The Award winner receives a cash prize of $2,000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

Deadline: August 31, 2018

For full eligibility and submission guidelines, visit our website