In this virtual reading and conversation, Poets & Writers Magazine senior editor India Lena González introduces the five debut authors featured in “First Fiction 2026”: P.C. Verrone, author of Rabbit, Fox, Tar (Catapult, 2026); M Lin, author of The Memory Museum (Graywolf Press, 2026); Joe Bond, author of Hope House (Hub City Press, 2026); Amanda Rizkalla, author of Hungered (Henry Holt, 2026); and Devyn Defoe, author of Burnside (Astra House, 2026).
Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.