Chosen
Grow Not in Each Other’s Shadow
An anthology of Queer and Trans Writing
About the Project
Renard Press x t’ART Press are really excited to invite submissions from Queer and Trans writers for our open call for a new anthology responding to the theme Chosen.
We cannot choose our sexuality. We cannot choose our gender. We cannot choose what they say about us on the news.
But if we could, wouldn’t we choose our Queerness, our Transness, again and again?
Tell us stories of chosen families, Queer choice, Trans imagination. Offer us poems hand-forged by your fingers, each word a choice, each line break a decision. Explore the choices made for us, and the ones that are all our own, the lives and loves we determine queerly for ourselves.
We are open to what this theme prompts for you and excited to see how you approach it.
Choose your words wisely. We look forward to spending time with them.
Thank you for trusting us with your work.
Please note, this is not a funded project so we do not have the funds to pay contributors, but all contributors will receive a physical copy of the anthology, and have the opportunity to read at our launch event in London this winter. We will also be donating 10% from each copy sold to Gendered Intelligence, a charity which supports Trans people.
The best way to get a sense of the kind of work we love is to read one of our previous publications. You can buy copies of previous publications by Renard Press here and by t’ART Press here.
Details and entry
Timeline
Competition opens for entries on 1st August 2026
Closes on 31st August 2026
End of Sept/start of Oct: We will contact everyone who has submitted to let you know whether or not you have been successful. We may work editorially with you at this point.
Early December: Launch in London with readings from contributors
Submission Guidelines
GENERAL SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES
Chosen accepts poetry and prose submissions by queer and trans writers. Please only submit if you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Please ensure you read and follow the submission guidelines, and submit work that responds to the theme of ‘Chosen’.
We DO accept simultaneous submissions (although please let us know immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere so we can withdraw it from consideration).
We DON’T accept previously published work (including work published on social media or blogs).
There is no minimum (or maximum) age requirement for entry, but please bear in mind that if you’re under 18 you legally need to have parental or guardian consent to enter.
The work must be completely your own, and must not have been made by or with the assistance of artificial intelligence systems (‘AI’, by which we mean large language generative models – for the avoidance of doubt: spell-check is fine; any words generated by or with help from a system like ChatGPT are not). Why? Because these platforms are created and profit by the wholesale ‘alleged’ stealing of others’ creative work; because they are not capable of imagination, which we place a premium on; and because our anthologies seek to celebrate the breadth of human talent and experience.
Please do not include photographs or illustrations.
Please only submit once – we will only consider your first entry if you enter again.
Entries must be received by 11.59PM on 31st August 2026 to be considered.
PROSE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
We accept prose submissions of up to 2500 words, across fiction and creative non-fiction, including prose poems and hybrid works. Please do not submit more than one piece, and ensure the file you submit is clearly labelled with your name and the title of the work.
POETRY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
You can submit one poem of up to 100 lines or 750 words (whichever is lower). The book will be a B-format publication so you should consider this if your poem involves complex formatting. Please ensure the file you submit is clearly labelled with your name and the title of the work.
Please send in your submissions via the submissions form rather than by email.
