Alchemy Writers Digest

May 2026 | The Resource Newsletter for Black Writers & Poets

Welcome to Alchemy Writers Digest, a monthly newsletter of curated writing contests, fellowships, grants, & paid opportunities for writers and poets. An opportunity for your work to be seen or for your book to be represented and sold.

"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." — Oprah Winfrey

Here is the research in one location of all the opportunities for you so you can prepare and execute your submissions and pitches to form your own luck.

What’s included in the Alchemy Writers Digest May Issue — is organized into 6 sections:

1. ✨ Black Literary Agents to Know — full A–Z list of 34 agents split into two alphabetical groups, with agency names

2. 💰 Grants & Funding — 2 grants

3. ✍️ Open Submissions — __magazines and journals

4. 🏆 Contests & Prizes — 10 contests

5. 📖 Chapbook Calls — Small Harbor Publishing — Hybrid Chapbook Open Reading Period

6. 🌿 Conferences & Festivals — 1 conference and 4 festivals

✨ Black Literary Agents to Know

Finding the right literary agent is one of the most important moves you’ll make as a writer. Representation matters — not just strategically, but culturally. These are Black literary agents actively working in the industry. Whether you’re querying fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or screenplays, this list is your starting point.

A – K

• Ameerah Holliday — Serendipity Literary

• Chamein Canton — Canton & Smith Agency

• Cherise Fisher — Wendy Sherman Associates

• Christina Morgan — Serendipity Literary

• Dawn Michelle Hardy — The Literary Lobbyist

• Desiree Wilson — The Bent Agency

• Emily Forney — BookEnds Literary Agency

• Faith Hampton Childs — Faith Childs Literary Agency

• Felice Laverne — Arthouse Literary

• Georgia Bodnar — United Talent Agency

• Hafizah Geter — Janklow & Nesbit Associates

• Jas Perry — Jas Perry Literary Agency

• Jemiscoe Chambers-Black — Andrea Brown Literary Agency

• Jenissa Graham — BookEnds Literary Agency

• Jevon Bolden — Embolden Media Group

• Karen Brailsford — Aevitas Creative Management

• Kerry-Ann Bentley — KABL (New Agency)

• Kevin Lewis — Erin Murphy Literary Agency

• Kiana Nguyen — Donald Maass Agency

L – Z