I’ve been immersed in the art world both as a writer and advocate — as well as a teacher, critic, and mostly ardent fan — for the last several decades. I’ve seen a lot of things unfold in real time and, as such, have opinions.

Everything, of course, is evolving and changing all the time. Technology in the 21st century has super-sized and intensified this trend, and more and more, we’ve grown accustomed to all the things we used to understand now being in flux. It’s the new normal. Naturally, this applies to media in general and the publishing industry in particular. Only more so.

Following the mantra to “create the world you want to live in,” we introduce 1455 books with the broad goal of celebrating storytelling and providing more viable opportunities for writers to publish their work. This builds on the free programming that 1455 Literary Arts has promoted since 2018, including our panels, workshops, author-interview series, and our zine, Movable Type. Our mission remains simple yet urgent: encourage and showcase the voices our world desperately needs, celebrating the stories that will provide solace and inspiration. 

We launch this initiative with three open calls for submissions: 

• Young Poets Anthology — for writers under 21; the theme: Hope (no submission fee). Deadline: Jan. 30, 2026.
• Women Writers Anthology — open to women-identifying writers; the theme: Silence (no submission fee). Deadline: Mar. 1, 2026.
• 1455 books Contest — one full-length manuscript (poetry, fiction, or nonfiction) professionally published ($25 submission fee). Deadline: Apr. 30, 2026. 

Toni Morrison said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” Where necessary and possible, it’s also incumbent on us to create the literary world we wish to inhabit. Our organization exists, simply and transparently, to lift creative voices and establish a diverse, inclusive community.  

Everything is changing but not much has changed: The winners write the history, and the good guys don’t always win. Authentic voices, then, will be the antidote to impersonal technologies and the people using them to disempower those without access. All of which is to say: The need for personal narratives is as imperative as ever, and the ability to share these stories has never been more accessible, more possible. 

Sean Murphy is the founder and executive director of 1455 Literary Arts.