Submissions for our twenty-third annual New Voices Award and our tenth annual New Visions Award are now open! Do you or someone you know write for young readers? Are you a writer of color or Indigenous/Native writer hoping to break into the publishing industry for the first time? Don’t miss this terrific opportunity to have your work considered for publication by Lee & Low Books.
The New Voices Award and the New Visions Award encourage writers of color and Indigenous/Native writers to submit their work to Lee & Low Books, a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. Winners of each award receive a $2,000 cash prize and a first-time publishing contract with Lee & Low Books.
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; and many more. Winning New Visions 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.
Both writing contests are open to writers of color and Indigenous/Native writers who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a children’s picture book published (for the New Voices Award), or a middle grade or young adult novel published (for the New Visions Award).
The deadline for both awards is August 15, 2022.
For more eligibility and submissions details, visit the New Voices Award page and the New Visions Award page. And don’t forget to read these New Voices Award FAQs and New Visions Award FAQs.
Help us spread the word! Download a printable PDF of the submissions guidelines to share with writers who may be interested.
Happy writing to you all and best of luck!
Hello,
PLEASE HELP. I attempted to upload my manuscript information last night for your 2022 New Visions awards contest. I received a notification that I was too late, however your website states August 15th as the deadline.
I would love to speak immediately with anyone who can help me.
Valarie Pearce
503-860-9288
Hi Valarie,
Thank you so much for your interest. We apologize for the inconvenience. The deadline is August 15, and we have updated the form settings. Please submit again.
Best of luck!
Shaughnessy