Regeneration Literary Contest A project of Ninth Letter (see other related projects). This project is on indefinite hiatus. Check their site to find out whether this is a submission and/or publication hiatus. (June 2026) About Presented in partnership with I-Regen and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Our lives and communities revolve around food: hungering for it, buying it, preparing it, and eating it, but also growing it, moving it from field to shelf, and disposing of its waste. Just as healthy food promotes human health, healthy food systems promote healthy communities—places and people oriented toward restoration, regeneration, and even rebirth. What would it look like to live in a world where our food systems regenerated not only us, but the planet? What if how we grew and ate our food could sequester carbon, replenish the soil, restore ecosystem biodiversity, and help battle disease?I-Regen is working toward such a vision and is partnering with Ninth Letter to help us all imagine it. We invite poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction responding to or exploring the subject of “regeneration,” specifically as it relates to food and food systems. What does regeneration in our lives and communities look like, sound like, feel like, taste like? How does its absence harm us? Feel free to think as narrowly or as broadly as you like about the theme—surprises are always delightful and welcome. Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions. The fee is USD $7 (below average for contests). Country of Publication United States Publication Media & Contest Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationAwarded 1 x per yearPrint Publication Print PublicationAwarded 1 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Collapse section Fiction On Hiatus Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words; Up to 3 pieces. Short Story: 1,000 - 7,500 words; Unknown number of pieces. Novelette: 7,500 - 8,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Other: See guidelines.Winner's Prize:Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $1,000.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Unknown.Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.Multiple entries: Unknown.Media: Text. Collapse section Nonfiction On Hiatus Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Lengths: Essay: Up to 8,000 words; Unknown number of pieces. Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 8,000 words; Unknown number of pieces.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Other: See guidelines.Winner's Prize:Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $1,000.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Unknown.Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.Multiple entries: Unknown.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry On Hiatus Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known; Up to 3 pieces.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.Topics: Other: See guidelines.Winner's Prize:Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Professional payment. Details: USD $1,000.Submissions:Method: Submittable submission manager. Reprints: Unknown.Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.Multiple entries: Unknown.Media: Text. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to contest webpage Report: Correction/Update Support this Publisher: Make a Donation Subscribe Regeneration Literary Contest Submission Statistics The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months. Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Related ProjectsNinth Letter Charges fees for some submissionsNinth Letter Ekphrastic Poetry Contest DNQ Charges fees for all submissionsNinth Letter Literary Awards Charges fees for all submissionsNinth Letter Web Edition Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 01 Sep 2026 Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only