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

New Voices Award and New Visions Award

Lee & Low Books offers two annual writing contests that encourage writers of color to submit their manuscripts to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent.

New Voices Award Writing Competition for Authors of Color and Native nations

LEE & LOW BOOKS, award-winning publisher of children’s books, is pleased to announce the nineteenth annual New Voices Award. The Award will be given for a children’s picture book manuscript by a writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer.

Established in 2000, the New Voices Award encourages writers of color and Native nations to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. 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. 

Dates for Submission:

Manuscripts will be accepted from April 1, 2018 through August 31, 2018 and must be postmarked within that period.

See full eligibility and submission information. 

New Visions Award for Authors of Color and Native nations

TU BOOKS, the middle grade and young adult imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS, award-winning publisher of children’s books, is pleased to announce the sixth New Visions Award. The award will be given for a middle grade or young adult novel by a writer of color or Native/Indigenous writer. Established in 2012, the NEW VISIONS AWARD encourages writers of color and Native nations to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. 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.

Dates for Submission 

Submissions will be accepted from April 1, 2018 through August 31, 2018, and must be submitted within that period. The submissions site will be only open from midnight (morning) on April 1, to midnight (night), August 31. Please make sure to give yourself plenty of time to allow uploading. 

See full eligibility and submission information. 

New Voices Award and New Visions Award

Lee & Low Books offers two annual writing contests that encourage writers of color to submit their manuscripts to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. Winners of each contest receive a cash prize of $1000 and a standard publishing contract with Lee & Low Books. Honor Award winners receive a cash prize of $500.

New Voices Award - Picture Book Manuscripts

Established in 2000, the New Voices Award is given annually to an unpublished author of color for a picture book manuscript. Previous winners include award-winning titles such as As Fast As Words Could Fly, Juna's Jar, It Jes' Happened, and Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds.

Manuscripts may be FICTION, NON-FICTION, or POETRY for children ages 5-12. Manuscripts should address the needs of children of color or native children by providing stories they can identify with and which promote greater understanding of one another. Themes relating to non-traditional family structures, gender identity, or disabilities are also of interest.

Eligibility: Contestants must meet all of the following criteria to be considered:

1   Self-identify as a person of color or a Native/indigenous person.

2   Be at least 18 years old at the time of entry.

3   Be a resident of the United States.

4   Not have had a children's picture book published. 

Submission Period: May 1, 2017-September 30, 2017

See full eligibility and submission information. 

New Visions Award - Middle Grade/Young Adult Manuscripts

Established in 2012, the New Visions Award is given annually to an unpublished author of color for a middle grade or young adult manuscript. Previous winners include the award-winning Ink and Ashes as well as the forthcoming novels Ahimsa and Rebel Seoul.

Manuscripts may be novels or graphic novels in any fictional genre for children ages 8 to 12 or young adults ages 12 to 18. Manuscripts should address the needs of children and teens of color by providing stories the can identify with and which promote greater understanding of one another. Themes relating to LGBTQ+ topics or disabilities may also be included.

Eligibility: Contestants must meet all of the following criteria to be considered:

5   Self-identify as a person of color or a Native/indigenous person.

6   Be at least 18 years old at the time of entry.

7   Be a resident of the United States.

8   Not have had a middle grade or young adult novel published. 

Submission Period: June 1, 2017-October 31, 2017

See full eligibility and submission information.