The Rebecca Swift Foundation and Fly on the Wall Press invite submissions for a powerful new anthology celebrating the complexity, resilience, and creativity of women’s lives today. This opportunity is open to anyone for whom woman is a meaningful identifier or lived experience.

Curated by acclaimed poet and critic Jennifer Wong, the anthology will feature twelve UK-based poets, from emerging voices to established names. Each will contribute a portfolio of up to ten poems and/or a reflective essay.

This collection will explore the journey of becoming a woman: the joys, the pain, and the defining moments that shape us. We are seeking work that speaks honestly to what it means to live as a woman — politically, bodily, emotionally — and to be seen in our own voices, on our own terms. 

We will be selecting works that together map out the stages of life, from girlhood to ageing, reflecting the breadth of lived experience across identities, cultures, and generations.

We hope this anthology will become a generational gift: something that validates lived experience, inspires future readers, and offers the deep companionship of shared understanding.

Each contributor will receive:

• A fee of £300
• A copy of the anthology

In addition, one contributor will be selected to have their essay reprinted on the Mslexia blog and deliver a workshop for Mslexia’s Salon members. The selected poet will receive an additional fee for this work.

Contributors who are also members of the Rebecca Swift Foundation’s Women Poets’ Network (WPN) will receive an invitation to read at the in-person launch event, to be held in Northern England and live streamed in July 2026.

How to Submit

We welcome submissions that surprise, delight, challenge, or move us – and those that push at the boundaries of form and experience.
We’re excited to hear from poets whose voices are under-represented in publishing,  including working-class writers and those who’ve faced barriers to participation.

There is no submission fee, but if you are in a position to do so, donations to support the work of the Rebecca Swift Foundation are very welcome.

You can submit poetry, an idea for an essay, or both:

• 3 poems (there is no upper line limit, just send your most excellent poems), and/or
• A 300 word pitch for a reflective essay or piece of creative nonfiction related to the themes of the anthology (with a title of your choice), plus a sample of your work in that form,
• A statement outlining your poetry career to date (up to 250 words). If you’re just starting out, tell us what you hope to explore or achieve in your future career.

Please note: Shortlisted poets will be invited to submit a further set of poems for consideration. Shortlisted essayists will be invited to submit the full text of their essay/piece of creative nonfiction.

Submission guidelines

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to:

• Women poets aged 18+ based in the UK, including trans women and any individual for whom woman is a meaningful identifier or lived experience.
• Poets at any career stage, whether published or unpublished

Priority will be given to members of the Women Poets’ Network, and at least eight contributors will be selected from within the network. 

Under-represented, marginalised and/or working class writers are encouraged to apply.