Writers' Newsletter
Issue #281
August 2026
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Free International Writing Competition – Six Word Wonder 2026
firstwriter.com – Monday July 27, 2026
Entries are now open for "Six Word Wonder 2026", an annual international writing competition celebrating the art of telling a complete story in exactly six words.
First launched in 2022, the competition is free to enter and open worldwide to anyone aged 16 or over. Writers may submit up to five original six-word stories, memoirs, poems or jokes.
The winner will receive US$100 and the title "Six Word Wonder 2026". Shortlisted entries will be published in the next Six Word Wonder anthology.
The competition aims to prove that just six words can tell unforgettable stories – making readers laugh, cry, think, or see the world differently.
Deadline: September 30 2026
Enter here: https://dougweller.net/contest
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News |
Some of this month's news for writers from around the web.
Call for Submissions: Dominion II Seeks Speculative Fiction of Black Resistance | Submit by February 28, 2027
brittlepaper.com – Tuesday August 11, 2026
Crowne Books, the Black woman-owned independent press behind the acclaimed 2020 anthology Dominion, has opened submissions for its long-awaited sequel, Dominion II: Speculative Stories of Black Resistance from Africa and the African Diaspora. The anthology is edited by the award-winning duo Olivia Nightingale and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, who previously partnered on Dominion and on Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction (Tordotcom, 2022), the latter of which earned an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Where the first Dominion asked what the legacy and future of Africa and its diaspora might look like, Dominion II poses a sharper question: how do we fight for the future while holding fiercely onto the past? Editors are calling for boundary-pushing, unapologetic Black speculative fiction and poetry grounded in real-world liberation histories work that carries Black joy, communal defiance, and untamed magic across genres like Sword & Soul, Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism, Afropantheology, Horror Noire, Steamfunk and Dieselfunk, Black Cli-fi, and more. Stories engaging the global climate crisis are of particular interest to the editors.
Writers' Handbook 2027 - Out Now!
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“An Icon of Distrust”: Publishing Industry Turns Its Back on Generative AI as Labor and Copyright Disputes Mount
economy.ac – Friday August 7, 2026
- Publishing Industry Reels from Generative AI Controversies and Disputes
- Major Technology Companies Ensnared in Litigation over AI Training and Use
- Commercial Value and Credibility of AI-Generated Content Continue to Erode
Noise surrounding generative artificial intelligence (AI) is intensifying across the publishing and literary sectors. Disputes have proliferated, with novel contracts being withdrawn over suspected AI use and the results of writing competitions and literary prize deliberations being overturned. Market observers attribute the turmoil to changing perceptions of AI-generated content. AI, once regarded as a symbol of innovation and efficiency, has become a stigma that fuels distrust over authenticity, quality, and accountability.
Novel Publication Abandoned over Suspected AI Use
According to reports published on Aug. 4 by The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and other international media outlets, the contract for Nigerian American author Jerry Falade’s crime novel “Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body” was recently withdrawn without warning. The book had been one of the most closely watched debuts in the U.S. and U.K. publishing markets. Minotaur Books, an imprint of Macmillan, secured the publishing rights after offering an advance of more than $2 million in a competitive auction involving 14 publishers and had planned to release the novel in 2028. Film and television production companies had also expressed interest in securing adaptation rights before publication.
The situation reversed after allegations emerged that generative AI had been used in the work. On July 31, the agency that brokered the contract emailed publishers to announce it was withdrawing the manuscript, saying it could no longer verify the process through which the book had been created, from its initial conception to the completed draft. The agency said it had initially accepted the author’s claim that no AI had been used, but lost confidence after his account changed during subsequent discussions. Falade denied the allegations, saying, “The story, characters, and prose are all mine,” and adding that he retained timestamped drafts, notes, and conversation records. He also argued that existing AI-detection programs have high false-positive rates and are unreliable, while none of the editors or publishers involved in reviewing the manuscript had raised concerns about signs of AI use.
RBmedia Acquires Award-Winning U.K. Indie Boldwood Books
publishingperspectives.com – Friday August 7, 2026
In addition to acquiring Boldwood’s catalogue, Boldwood will become a publishing division of RBmedia and will continue to operate as an independent business.
Leading audiobook publisher RBmedia has announced that it has acquired the award-winning U.K.-based independent fiction publisher Boldwood Books. In a release, RBmedia said the acquisition will enable RBmedia to “continue to expand its international and foreign language businesses.” In addition to acquiring Boldwood’s catalogue of 2,000 titles, Boldwood will become a publishing division of RBmedia and will continue to operate as an independent business. Financial terms of the acquisition, which closed on July 31, were not disclosed.
“Boldwood Books brings valuable expertise in multi-format publishing and additional depth in key genres like mystery, thriller, and romance,” said Michael Paull, CEO of RBmedia, in a statement. “This acquisition strengthens our international and foreign language publishing and ability to serve authors while delivering more high-quality titles to our retail and library platform partners and consumers worldwide.”
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Listings |
A selection of the new listings added to firstwriter.com this month.
New Literary Agency Listing: Renegade Literary
firstwriter.com – Thursday August 13, 2026
Handles literary fiction marked by serious ambition and a desire to be widely read, favouring work that is emotionally precise, unafraid of darkness, and willing to confront grief, history, and the uncanny. Represents contemporary poetry by established voices whose work interrogates migration, desire, embodiment, and the aftermath of upheaval. Seeks evocative lyrical voices, structurally inventive forms, and perspectives that engage meaningfully with the world.
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New Publisher Listing: Weatherglass Books
firstwriter.com – Wednesday August 12, 2026
Publishes novellas and short works of literary fiction, with a focus on distinctive voices and formally adventurous storytelling. Issues a novella prize and produces limited‑run editions through a subscription model, offering new writing in compact formats. Handles original fiction rather than nonfiction, concentrating on work that blends clarity of style with imaginative depth.
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New Magazine Listing: The Poke
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 11, 2026
Publishes humour content drawn from trending videos, tweets and news, covering politics, celebrity, entertainment, sport, science and life stories. Features satirical takes on current events, social media reactions, unusual happenings and offbeat human interest pieces. Presents short, topical articles built around viral moments, public commentary and comedic perspectives.
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| Click here for more of this month's new listings > |
Articles |
Some of this month's articles for writers from around the web.
After Editing Two AI-Assisted Manuscripts, I Rewrote My Client Agreement
janefriedman.com – Thursday August 13, 2026
Having worked on thousands of manuscripts as a freelance editor, I’ve developed a pretty reliable instinct for what makes a project difficult to edit. That said, I have never priced my services according to a manuscript’s overall perceived “quality” or the level of “effort” required to offer feedback (as these judgments are extremely subjective).
Recently, AI-generated writing has entered my inbox, and this has made me rethink what editors are being asked to do, how, and how to charge for operating in this new world.
Earlier this year, I unknowingly accepted two AI-assisted novels back-to-back. Why? Well, I didn’t ask … and the clients didn’t disclose their chatbot use. Now, this article isn’t an ethical argument about AI. Writers will make their own decisions about where and whether these tools belong in their creative process, as will the industry at large. This is, however, an article about how editors should protect themselves accordingly from AI “scope creep” with new contracts and even fee schedules.
Why Your Book Description Feels Flat—and How to Fix It
janefriedman.com – Wednesday August 12, 2026
Every good blurb takes readers on an emotional journey—a sort of miniature version of your story. You’re creating a series of emotional beats that guide readers from:
Curiosity > Interest > Action
If this progression is missing, your blurb will feel flat and directionless. Your blurb should move through three stages:
- Who is your protagonist?
- What is going on with the plot?
- Why should I turn the page?
Your “who” should spark curiosity by establishing your protagonist’s unique situation. Your “what” covers the problems your protagonist is facing. Your “why” convinces readers to click “Look Inside” or make a purchase. This could be an unanswered question, an impossible choice, a major threat, or a promise of transformation.
How a Debut Self-Published Novel Earned Five Figures in 10 Weeks Without Kindle Unlimited
janefriedman.com – Wednesday August 12, 2026
When I made the decision to self-publish my historical novel Emmaline, I had little knowledge about book publishing. But having spent 25 years in journalism and marketing, I understood enough to know that publishing was both art and business. I suspected the same marketing principles that I used to help organizations communicate with audiences would also serve me in this new endeavor, even if I had to learn the business side of book publishing from scratch.
Emmaline is an adult historical novel primarily set during the 1856 Mormon handcart migration. It follows a 14-year-old girl who escapes a forced plural marriage. The book explores themes like grief, religious coercion, polygamy, and the struggle for personal agency. But at its heart, Emmaline is a character-driven story about resilience.
Defining the goal
I started by asking myself the question I have asked marketing clients over the years: What is your goal? I don’t believe there is one perfect marketing strategy for anything. Start with your goal and work backward to get there.
Some indie authors simply want to have a book printed for family and friends. Others want to publish frequently and build a profitable backlist. I didn’t want either of those things. I wanted to produce a novel that could stand alongside traditionally published comps and be taken seriously. None of these goals is right or wrong. But each leads to a different set of publishing decisions.
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