One of our main missions with Scribble House is to connect people with knowledge to hone their craft and further their creative pursuits. We'll keep adding to and improving on this page as we find more useful tools, websites, and other resources. If you know of any resources we should include on this page, we'd love to hear about them! Shoot us an email at ScribbleHousePGH [at] gmail [dot] com.
Submission Quick Guides
Guide for our monthly Send It! group, with info on writing cover letters and bios, lists of databases and lists of open calls, and other useful info to help you navigate the submission process.
Open Calls
Curated list of open calls that have caught the eye of the Scribble House crew, updated at least monthly (and often more frequently) in preparation for each month's Send It! meeting.
Unconventional Adventures in Publication - Take Home Resource
Information from our first mini-lecture event on non-traditional publishing projects. This resource includes info and advice on self-publishing as well as working with stigmatized writers. Presenter Lars Peterson also created a video interview, which you can watch below:
Nerd for Hire
Blog of Scribble House co-founder Jess Simms. The weekly posts include writing advice, book reviews, and thoughts on worldbuilding, freelancing, publishing, and other word-adjacent things. Particular posts that may be of interest:
Alliance of Independent Authors
A global organization offering advice and advocacy for independent authors. Member benefits include knowledge resources, rights licensing services, legal advice, and a forum to connect with other independent authors.
Authors Publish Magazine
There are a lot of resources for writers on this site. One is their newsletter, which sends you curated lists of open submission calls from journals and presses. Other free resources include online craft lectures and eBooks about the publishing process.
Copyright for Writers: Protecting Your Work
A concise and clear explanation of copyright law and how it protects creative work. (Sent along by Anna, thanks for sharing this info!).
Money-Saving Guide for Authors and Writers
Made by Coupon Follow, a website with some helpful info for beginning writers, along with links to knowledge resources for things like manuscript formatting, finding an agent, college scholarships, writing organizations, and more. (sent to us by Stephanie and Jess, thanks for the info!)
Reedsy
Website with tons of tools and writers for aritsts, including lists of agents and traditional publishers as well as resources for self-published authors and tools and info to help you write, edit, and publish your work.
How to Make Your Writing More Sensitive - and Why It Matters
Article explaining what it means to write with sensitivity and some techniques to do so. The bottom of the article also includes resources about inclusive language in various contexts (thanks to Emma Carey for making us hip to this helpful guide!).
Artist Image Resource
Located in the North Side neighborhood, AIR's resources include screenprinting, digital printing, and pressroom services, along with education resources and art projects featuring local creators.
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
An excellent place to find out about upcoming art exhibits and events. Members also get access to their curated list of artist opportunities, along with discounts at local art supply stores and museums.
City of Asylum
Organization with the mission of promoting creative freedom. They host Jazz Poetry Month every May, along with readings and other literary events throughout the year. They also have an on-site bookstore and host exiled writers through their writing residency program.
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
A go-to resource for artists, musicians, writers, and any other creative human in the greater Pittsburgh area. Their website includes a listing of gigs, auditions, and calls for artists, along with information on their aritst grants and their business and legal resources for artists. To top it off, they have a calendar of local events and a resource library.
Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books
An annual event that first took place in May 2022, bringing together writers, readers, and publishers from across the city. Check their website for updates on this year's events and how to get involved.
Littsburgh
The best place to find out about upcoming literary events in Pittsburgh, along with an excellent source of knowledge on local literary organizations, book stores, and other things of interest to writers and readers.
The #notwhite Collective
Collective of interdisciplinary artists using their art to fight oppression against the global majority. They put on regular art shows and events in Pittsburgh, including workshops and art making events along with gallery exhibitions and performances.
Parsec
This group for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers has been promoting speculative writing and writers in Pittsburgh for more than 30 years. Their monthly meetings are at the Squirrel Hill Library (or on Zoom) every third Saturday. They also host the Confluence Conference every summer and have resources for local writers on their website, including a list of local writing groups.
PennWriters
This is a state-wide organization for writers across Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is in Area 3 and is one of the more active chapters, with regular writing workshops for members taking place both in-person and on Zoom. They also have online courses and host an annual conference every May that has networking opportunities, workshops, and agent pitch appointments for attendees.
Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media
If you want to learn a new craft or art form, the PCAM has courses for all ages and skill levels. They also have ceramics, photography, video, and printmaking studios for members to use.
Pittsburgh Zine Fair
Founded in 2011, this annual event brings together makers of zines and other hand-made books from across the region. Registration for tables normally opens in the spring for anyone who wants to get involved.
Write Pittsburgh
A local group that aims to empower writers and foster creative relationships and community. They hold regular workshops for both adults and kids, as well as publishing the literary journal Starry False Lily.
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (Western PA chapter)
The SCBWI is a global organization for children's book authors and artists, with knowledge resources, marketing outreach programs, grant opportunities, and other tools for members. You'll find regional events and resources on the Western PA chapter's site, like virtual critique groups for YA and children's book authors and meet-ups to connect with local illustrators.
The groups listed below are all generally open to new members, though they may only offer a limited number of spots at any given time. Some are critique groups while others are generative writing group (the type of group is noted for each in the listing). Most are free to attend, so if no cost is listed you can assume that means you don't need to pay. Of course, things are always open to change and we may not be aware of them--we'll do our best to keep the info on this page up-to-date, but make sure to always check the group's rules before attending.
Group type: Critique of work written and sent in advance
Genres: Poetry and prose of all genres
Originally an in-person group based in Bloomfield, Hour After Happy Hour switched to Zoom during the pandemic and has remained all-online since (to my knowledge). Two writers are critiqued each week, with workshop signups usually happening a few weeks in advance. You can get the work through their Facebook group (linked) or sign up for their email thread if you're a non-Facebooker.
Meeting time: Varies by semester (weekday evenings for 2 hours)
Location: On Carlow's campus and online
Group type: Critique of work written and sent in advance
Genres: Poetry and prose of all genres
Cost: $175 per semester
Run by Carlow university, this workshop is taught by Carlow University professors and is open to both undergraduate students and female writers from the community. The space is limited to 12 writers per semester. Along with the workshop, participants get the opportunity to have work published in the Voices From the Attic anthology, as well as to participate in public readings.
Along with the official Pennwriters all-genre critique group and meet-up, several members in Area 3 (southwest PA) and Area 1 (northwest PA) have set up informal groups. The monthly newsletter also includes info on new groups forming, established groups seeking new members, and their critique partner program. Current ongoing workshop and writing groups include:
Critique Group North - on Zoom, 2nd Thursday 10am-2pm, critique group
Fellowship of the Quill (Erie) - on Zoom Thursdays 6:30- 10pm, critique group
Mindful Writers (Pittsburgh) - in-person Fridays 10am-2pm, writing together group
Murrysville Panera Group - in-person Tuesdays 9-11am, critique and work on current projects
Writers at Work (North Hills) - in-person, 2nd Monday 7-9pm, writing group
Since these groups are independent from Pennwriters, they're often open to any writers who want to join. If you're not a member and intrigued by a group, it's worth doing a Google search to see if there's another way to get involved.
Location: The Space Upstairs (214 N. Lexington Street)
Group type: Reading and critique of work
Genre: Poetry
The poetry atelier blends an open mic with a workshop. Attendees read their works aloud then get comments from the audience in an informal discussion. Drop-ins are welcome and it's technically free (though there's a $5 suggested donation).
Shut Up & Write is an international organization, with individual organizers setting up events in their city. They have both in-person and Zoom options--the Zoom meeting for the Pittsburgh group are Saturdays and Sundays at 9am. They also have a Zoom critique group that meets every other Sunday from 6-8pm.
Location: Zoom (2nd Tuesdays), Mt. Lebanon Public Library (4th Tuesdays)
Group type: Critique of work written and sent in advance
Genres: Sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fiction (short stories and novels)
Founded in 1996, Write or Die is among the longest-running workshop groups in the city. They've recently come under the umbrella of Parsec, though I don't imagine that will change how they operate in any marked way.
Every week, the Write Pittsburgh folks open up their virtual studio. Participants write in three 30-minute sprints, in between which they can share how it's going in the chat or call (or not).
You might be surprised to learn just how many small presses, journals, and other publishers there are in the Pittsburgh area! Here's a list of all the ones that are currently active as of the last time this was updated (September 2024). You can subscribe to the Scribble House newsletter for a monthly update on which ones are currently open to submissions.
After Happy Hour Review - Independent literary journal that publishes 3 issues a year (2 online, 1 print) and accepts poetry, fiction, CNF, comics, graphic narratives, and visual art from any and all genres
Air and Nothingness Press - Publisher of sci-fi, fantasy, and poetry anthologies, as well as short story and poetry collections
Almost Perfect Press - Micro-press of hand-bound, small-batch chapbooks of poetry, prose, art, and hybrid projects
Always Crashing - Independent literary journal with online content and 1 print issue a year. They accept fiction, poetry, visual art, and videos, including hybrid, cross-genre, and experimental work (Note: They haven't published anything new in over a year (as of January 2024) and may be defunct, I'll leave them here for a few more months before officially signing the death warrant)
The Arcanist - Independent online journal that publishes speculative flash fiction. They haven't published new stuff in a few years, unfortunately, but their archives are still available online.
Autumn House - Independent small press that publishes novels, short story collections, poetry collections, essay collections, and memoirs
BatCat Press - Small press run by the students of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School that publishes handmade limited editions of both poetry and prose (Note: They haven't yet come back from their Covid-induced hiatus, which could mean they're defunct)
Baubles from Bones - Independent quarterly sci-fi/fantasy zine based in Pittsburgh.
Belt Magazine - Independent nonprofit news outlet that covers the Rust Belt and American Midwest. While based in Cleveland, they frequently publish Pittsburgh-based authors and content
Braddock Avenue Books - Independent small press that publishes book-length literary fiction and creative non-fiction
Bridge and Tunnel Books - Independent small press that publishes fiction and poetry from Pittsburgh area authors
The Bridge Literary Arts Journal - Journal run by the Bridge Literary Arts Center in northwest PA. While they've been closed to submissions for a minute, their website says they plan to resume annual publication in 2024
Carnegie Mellon University Press - Publishing house run by CMU that primarily publishes poetry collections and non-fiction, though there are some fiction titles in their catalog
Collision - Literary Magazine run by the English Department at the University of Pittsburgh. They publish exclusively work from undergraduate students
Container - Publisher of text-based, book-like objects that can take many forms (often non-book-ish ones). Their original run ended in 2019 but they have started showing signs of life again in 2023, so are worth keeping an eye on for new projects.
Creative Nonfiction - Independent magazine that codified the genre of the same name. While the magazine is on indefinite hiatus, they've recently launched a partnership with Narratively (and you can still get all their past publications on their website)
Dawn Valley Press - Independent small press based in Beaver, PA that publishes an eclectic mix of titles, including poetry collections, childrens books, and literary criticism
Death Drive Press - Independent anti-profit collective that makes handmade, limited-run chapbooks in all genres
Eulalia Books - Small press affiliated with St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA that publishes literary translations, mostly contemporary poetry and hybrid work from Latin America
Forbes & Fifth - Journal run by University of Pittsburgh undergraduate students that publishes work by undergrads, including creative writing and research articles
The Fourth River - Literary journal run by the MFA program at Chatham University that publishes online content as well as one print issue a year. Their focus is on nature and placed-based writing and they publish fiction, poetry, and CNF
Golden Bridges Publishing - Publisher of books for all ages (adult, YA/middle grade, and early reader/picture books) that is particularly interested in historically underrepresented voices.
Lake Effect - Journal published by the Erie campus of Penn State University, in continuous publication since 1996
Last-Picked Books - Independent press publishing mostly prose, with a focus on manuscripts that don't fit neatly into salable genre boxes.
Low Ghost Press - Independent small press that publishes collections of poetry and short fiction
Northern App Review - Independent literary journal focused on writers from and writing about Northern Appalachia (which includes most of Pennsylvania along with parts of Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and New York)
The Oakland Review - Undergraduate-run literary journal based at Carnegie Mellon University that publishes fiction, CNF, and poetry from writers with a connection to Pittsburgh.
One Idea Press - Independent small press based in Leechburg, PA focused on publishing books by women and historically marginalized writers
Parsec Ink - The publishing arm of Pittsburgh's longest-running sci-fi/fantasy organization. They put out the annual Triangulation Anthology and hold an annual short story contest, with the winner published in the program of that year's Confluence conference.
Petrichor Pittsburgh - A magazine for the art scene of Pittsburgh, established in 2023
Pittsburgh Locked - New online literary journal for writers based in Pittsburgh
The Poet's Press - Independent small press focused on collections of neo-Romantic poetry, though they also do Gothic, supernatural, and scholarly works through their imprints
Quilted Press - Anti-capitalist publishing collective of queer independent authors
Red Flag Poetry - Poetry publisher affiliated with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They publish poetry chapbooks as well as single poems as postcards or online
Rune - Literary journal run by Robert Morris University that publishes work from RMU students and writers from the Pittsburgh region
Sampsonia Way - Magazine published by City of Asylum, dedicated to publishing work from persecuted writers
Slab - Undergraduate-run literary journal based at Slippery Rock University.
Starry False Lily - Journal produced by the non-profit Write Pittsburgh that publishes work by teens
Triangulation - Annual anthology of speculative fiction produced by Parsec Ink
University of Pittsburgh Press - Unsurprisingly affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh, they publish fiction, poetry, and all shades of non-fiction
Uppagus - Independent online journal that publishes poetry and flash fiction, with a new issue every other month
The Watershed Journal - Literary magazine produced by the Watershed Literary Group, with a focus primarily on the Northwestern PA wilds
yawp Magazine - Print zine of poetry, prose, and art published by the Poetry Lounge in Millvale.
There are tons of journals, anthologies and presses out there. Luckily, there are also a whole bunch of websites that compile information on publishers into searchable databases. Here are a few that we find helpful.
Duotrope
One of the largest and most popular places to find publishers, Duotrope also has a database of literary agents and can be used as a submission tracker if you get a paid account. You can still use its basic search functions with a free account, and it includes publishers of visual art as well as poetry and prose.
Poets & Writers
This one's specific to the literary arts. It's also completely free, with searchable listings of literary journals, agents, and contests, along with other writing and publishing resources.
The Submission Grinder
Publishing market database and submission tracker for fiction writers and poets. There are currently about 14,000 markets in their database, making it an even larger collection of publishers than Duotrope by the numbers.
Chill Subs
Another market database with a built-in submission tracker. What makes Chill Subs unique is that it lists workshops and events, in addition to presses, journals, and contests.
Driftwood Press submission opportunity list
Curated by the editors of the literary fiction publisher Driftwood Press, this is a smaller database than the three above (which can be a good thing, if the thousands of presses on Duotrope feel a bit overwhelming). It's also a bit cleaner and faster to navigate, presenting the relevant info for all results in a streamlined grid for quick comparison.
All Things Freelance Writing
The job board and new jobs newsletter are among the most helpful features of this site. You have to be a member to get them, but membership is very affordable ($12 a year), which you'll more than make back if you find even one job from the site. They also have rate reports and advice for writers on their blog.
Funds for Writers
Run by freelancer and author C. Hope Clark, this site is chock full of helpful information for both freelancers and writers in general. Their weekly newsletter is particularly helpful, featuring current open contests, freelance jobs, and other opportunities to get paid for your writing. There are similar resources on the site itself, too.
National Writer's Union
An organization representing freelance writers in all genres, with chapters in many major cities across the United States. Members get contract advice, access to legal aid, press passes, and knowledge resources for growing your career.
National Association of Independent Writers and Editors
This professional organization is for writers and editors who work both commercially (i.e. freelancers and contractors) and in the literary realm. Along with marketing, networking, and knowledge resources, they curate a job listing for members.
American Writers & Artists Institute
The article archive on AWAI is a great place for new freelancers to grow their knowledge. They also have training events, webinars, and writing prompts to help freelancers hone their craft and grow their business.
Freedom With Writing
Curated lists of job opportunities and paying markets for creative writers across a range of genres and niches. The site also has editor interviews and case studies that can give you useful insights into the publishing process.
