High Frequency Press is our response to a changing marketplace. Larger presses are becoming celebrity-driven conglomerates. Our over 20+ years of industry experience will allow High Frequency to be well-perched within the market we envision. We will publish only the highest quality work—work we believe in wholeheartedly—work that bucks the new norm.

We created The New Guard and The Writer’s Hotel as good literary citizens, to serve writers and dig deep into writing craft. We maintain that editorial relationships require thoughtful responses and thoughtful discussion. The new, often closed loop of non-responsive agents and editors does not help writers further their careers. Writing shapes culture. Forward motion is necessary. 

Contests are open in both categories. Why not throw your hat in the ring?

Announcing our 2024 Contest Winners in Fiction and Poetry

Thanks to all who entered our full-length book contests in fiction and poetry! The Morse Code Poetry Contest and The Skywave Fiction Contest were co-judged by Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven. HFP saw a lot of entries, and competition was at the highest level. We read some incredible manuscripts this round.

Congratulations to Gaylord Brewer, the 2024 winner of The Morse Code Poetry Contest! Brewer's free-verse poetry collection, Negotiable Gods reckons with elusive truths as much as it finds—and gloriously unveils—reverie. Congratulations also go to Paul Crehan, the 2024 winner of The Skywave Fiction Contest! Susan Benda is a raucous, smart, hip novel—and a love-note to Hollywood. 

How to submit for the 2025 contests

We accept .doc and .docx files. International entries are welcome. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided we're notified upon publication elsewhere. Entrants have no submission entry limit. Each submission is carefully considered for publication. 

Please submit previously unpublished work only. Any size print run or online publication (including self-publishing, blogs and/or social networking or video readings) disqualify an entry. We no longer accept entries via postal mail. All entries must come to us via Submittable; entry buttons are below. 

High Frequency retains standard first publication rights; all rights immediately revert to the writer six months after publication. Writers must be at least eighteen years of age to enter. 

These contests will be judged by Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven. Please submit writing that the judges have not read. Writers who have directly worked with either judge (via The Writer’s Hotel, The New Guard or other venue) may not enter that same same novel, short story collection or poetry manuscript for the contest and will be disqualified. 

High Frequency proudly holds a membership with Community of Literary Magazines and Presses. We follow standard contest rule ethics