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Best Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 425 contests that match your search.

The Reedsy Prompts Contest

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Every Friday, Reedsy sends out five writing prompts. Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy’s literary magazine, Prompted.

Additional prizes:

$25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

National Poetry Competition 2024

The Poetry Society

Genres: Poetry

The competition, run by The Poetry Society since 1978, is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for a single unpublished poem. Judged by Stephen Sexton, Romalyn Ante, John McAuliffe. Open to all poets worldwide aged 18+.

Runners-up receive £2,000 and £1,000. Commended entries receive £500

💰 Entry fee: $8

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024

#GWstorieseverywhere

Gotham Writers

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

Each month we invite you to post a story on Twitter using #GWstorieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere.

Gotham Writers Workshop

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

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Free Verse Poetry Contest

FanStory.com Inc.

Write a free verse poem. This is a method of writing poetry, which does not essentially follow any structure or style. There is no fixed meter and no structure regarding rhyme and lines in each stanza.

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: August 22, 2022 (Expired)

The Plough Prize

The Plough Arts Centre

Now in its twenty first year, the Plough Poetry Prize is an international open competition for poems in English up to 40 lines on any subject. We're delighted that this year's competition will be judged by Roger McGough.

2nd: £500 | 3rd: £250

💰 Entry fee: $6

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction

Dzanc Books

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels. It is open to all writers, including those with agents. Submissions must be unpublished and include a synopsis, author bio, and contact info.

Advance and publication by Dzanc Books

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024

South Warwickshire Literary Festival Writing Competition

South Warwickshire Literary Festival

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction 800 words, Poetry 40 lines, any genre any style. Over 16s only

Read entry at literary festival, September 2024 UK

📅 Deadline: March 29, 2024 (Expired)

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The contest encourages students to reflect on strength and resilience in overcoming challenges. Since 2001, it has engaged over 15,000 students from more than 20 countries, with 900 participants this year. Winners were selected based on their unique voice and thoughtful analysis.

2nd place: $750 3rd place: $500

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry

As we move forward we carry our culture wherever we go. It keeps us alive. This is why we propose the theme to be “¡Hacia delante!”. A phrase that means to move forward. This year we ask that you think about the following questions: What keeps you moving forward? What do you carry with you going into the future? How do you celebrate your successes, your dreams, and your culture?

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

The Letter Review

This Prize is free to enter. 2-4 Winners are published. We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Seeking poems up to 70 lines. Judges’ feedback available. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no style / theme restrictions. Judged blind. All entries considered for publication + submission to Pushcart.

Publication by The Letter Review

The Book of the Year Awards

The Independent Author Network

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story

The Independent Author Network presents the 10th Annual IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 55 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners are eligible to receive a share of cash prizes of $6,000 USD. Open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.

$6,000.00 USD in total cash prizes

💰 Entry fee: $49

📅 Deadline: August 16, 2024 (Expired)

Anthology Flash Fiction Award

Anthology Magazine

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is open to original and previously unpublished flash fiction on any theme in the English language by writers of any nationality. We are looking for writing that is clever and unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling story. Max 250 words.

💰 Entry fee: $12

True Story Flash

Genres: Flash Fiction and Non-fiction

Share your flash fiction story. But for this contest we aren't looking for fiction. Rather share your true story with only 100 words. Cash prize!

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024 (Expired)

A Very Short Story Contest

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Participants write a short story using ten words or fewer, inspired by the famous six-word story attributed to Hemingway. The submission must be original and unpublished, with entries judged based on originality and quality.

Winning entry receives a free Gotham class of their choosing (excluding premium classes).

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)

UNO Press Publishing Lab

University of New Orleans Press

Genres: Novel

The Publishing Laboratory at the University of New Orleans seeks to promote innovative publicity and broad distribution for authors. They accept submissions for unpublished novels and short story collections. A selected author is awarded a $10,000 advance on royalties and a publishing contract.

Advance on royalties

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Expired)

J. Michael Samuel Prize for Emerging Writers Over 50

Lambda Literary

Genres: LGBTQ

The J. Michael Samuel Prize honors emerging LGBTQ writers over the age of 50. This award is made possible by writer and philanthropist Chuck Forester, who created it out of the firmly held belief that “Writers who start late are just as good as other writers, it just took the buggers more time.” The prize will go to an unpublished LGBTQ writer over 50 working in any genre.

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Narratively 2023 Memoir Prize

Narratively

Genres: Essay, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Narratively is currently accepting submissions for their 2023 Memoir Prize. They are looking for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The guest judge is New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land.

$1,000 and publication

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)

PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers

PEN America

The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize recognizes 12 emerging writers for their debut short story published in a literary magazine, journal, or cultural website. The 12 winning stories are selected by a committee of three judges who are well-respected experts in the art of the short story. The winning writers each receive a $2,000 cash prize and will be published by Catapult in their annual anthology.

Publication in Catapult

📅 Deadline: November 15, 2021 (Expired)

Kinsman Poetry Slam

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

The Kinsman Poetry Slam is a global competition seeking unique contemporary poetry for the upcoming collection, SLAM! Winners receive up to $300 cash prizes and publication. Submissions of original, unpublished works in English up to 10 pages are encouraged, focusing on themes of culture, resilience, passion, and justice. Entry fee is $5.99, and submissions must be received by May 31, 2024.

2nd place: $200 3rd place: $100 4th place: $50 Top 6 Finalists: $25 Amazon gift card; 6 Honorary Mentions. Winner also receives publication in Kinsman Quarterly and the "SLAM" anthology.

Colorado Gold Writing Contest for Unpublished Writers

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Colorado Gold Rush Literary Awards Contest is aimed at unpublished writers of novel-length fiction, offering feedback and exposure to literary agents and editors. It encourages diverse voices and celebrates various genres.

Winner receives official certificate, trophy, and reading during the conference luncheon. Three finalists receive $50, certificate, and pitch session with agents.

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

Goldfinch Books Novel Award

Goldfinch Books

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Goldfinch Books, an independent bookshop, café and event space in Alton, Hampshire, UK has announced a UK nationwide literary competition to coincide with the inaugural Alton Arts Festival. The Goldfinch Novel Award 2024 is a prize for emerging authors (aged 16+) with completed young adult or adult novels. This competition is open to authors in the UK and will have a prize of £300 for the winning novel, chosen by judge Kiya Evans, Associate Literary Agent at Mushens Entertainment.

Goldfinch Membership

💰 Entry fee: $14

📅 Deadline: May 27, 2024 (Expired)

Tom Howard / Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Winning Writers

Welcome to the 20th annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre. $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style.

$200 for 10 honorable mentions

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Ayn Rand Institute

Genres: Essay

The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is open to all high school, college, and graduate students worldwide. Participants write essays based on prompts related to Ayn Rand's novel _Atlas Shrugged_. The contest has seasonal entry rounds with unique prompts, and essays must be between 800 and 1,600 words. The winning essays demonstrate a strong grasp of the book's themes.

Annual Grand Prize of $25,000 Seasonal prize winners: 1st place: $3000 2nd place: $2000 3rd place: $1000

📅 Deadline: June 14, 2024 (Expired)

The Carla Crown Jewel of Books

Mid-America Romance Authors (MARA)

Genres: Romance

The Carla Crown Jewel of Books contest is for traditionally or self-published authors with an original copyright date of 2022. Finalists are announced in late October and the winner on or about November 30, 2024.

📅 Deadline: June 10, 2024 (Expired)

The Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

AWP sponsors the Award Series, an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence, and is available to published and unpublished authors alike.

Publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2024 (Expired)

Military Anthology: Partnerships, the Untold Story

Armed Services Arts Partnership

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.

$500 Editors' Choice award

$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

AWP Prize for the Novel

Publication by New Issues Press

Spring Microfiction Battle

Writing Battle

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Two days to write a 500 word short story. The peer-powered quarterly writing contest where every story receives oodles of feedback. Write one. Read ten. Win thousands.

Genre Winner (x4): $1,500

Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 | Feedback by industry professionals

📅 Deadline: May 03, 2024 (Expired)

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Welcome to the 31st annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $9,000 in prizes.

Two-year gift certificate from Duotrope; 10 Honorable Mentions will receive $300 each

💰 Entry fee: $22

Emerging Writer's Contest

Ploughshares

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Emerging Writer's Contest, held by Ploughshares since 1971, recognizes outstanding work by emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Winners are announced in the fall and their works are published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Ploughshares.

Publication in Ploughshares and a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management.

Inspiring Fiction's Special Edition Short Story Contest

Inspiring Fiction

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller

The contest invites participants to explore the theme of freedom through crime, speculative, and fantasy fiction. Winning entries will be published in a special bumper issue of Tangled Web Magazine and Mirk Fantasy Magazine.

Winner published in a special issue.

📅 Deadline: July 31, 2024 (Expired)

The Bath Novel Award

The Bath Novel Awards

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult

The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for emerging writers of adult fiction. Submit the first 5,000 words plus a one-page synopsis of your novel for adults or young adults. Shortlisted entrants will receive feedback on their full manuscript and all listees will receive editorial director feedback on their extract and synopsis.

£1800 for one longlistee

💰 Entry fee: $38

Bacopa Literary Review Annual Writing Contest

Writers Alliance of Gainesville

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Bacopa Literary Review is an annual international print journal seeking engaging and original submissions across multiple genres. The contest includes various categories with specific guidelines to encourage diverse forms of writing.

$100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories

📅 Deadline: May 02, 2024 (Expired)

Share Your Story

Genres: Essay and Memoir

Write about an event in your life. Everyone has a memoir. Not an autobiography. Too much concern about fact and convention. A memoir gives us the ability to write about our life with the option to create and fabricate and to make sense of a life, or part of that life.

📅 Deadline: August 13, 2024 (Expired)

The One Page Poetry Contest

One Page Poetry

One Page Poetry is dedicated to the art of expressing a poetic theme on a single page, whether your poem is four lines or forty, whether yours is a love poem, inspirational poem, philosophical poem, or just one that is fun or whimsical. We welcome any and all poetic forms, as long as they fit on a single page.

2nd: $1000 | 3rd: $500

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course : How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

• "How to Craft a Killer Short Story" ( Click here )
• "The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction" ( Click here )
• "How to Write a Novel" ( Click here )
• "Understanding Point of View" ( Click here )
• "Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love" ( Click here )
• "Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character" ( Click here )
• "Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine" ( Click here )

On Editing:

• "Story Editing for Authors" ( Click here )
• "How to Self-Edit Your Manuscript Like a Pro" ( Click here )
• "Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites" ( Click here )
• "How to Write a Novel: Steps From a Bestselling Writer" ( Click here )
• "How to Write a Short Story in 9 Simple Steps" ( Click here )
• "100 Literary Devices With Examples: The Ultimate List" ( Click here )
• "20 Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft" ( Click here )
• "How to Write Fabulous Dialogue [9 Tips + Examples]" ( Click here )
• "8 Character Development Exercises to Write 3D Characters" ( Click here )

Bonus resources

• 200+ Short Story Ideas ( Click here )
• 600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You ( Click here )
• 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors ( Click here )
• Story Title Generator ( Click here )
• Pen Name Generator ( Click here )
• Character Name Generator ( Click here )

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

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12 international writing contests to enter this year

Writing contests are useful for developing your writing craft and giving yourself a deadline to finish something polished. Often, you receive valuable feedback from experienced judges. It’s best to see writing competition prizes as a possible bonus. Treat international writing contests as exercises in creating in response to diverse writing prompts and sending your work out into the world.

• Post author By Jordan
• 15 Comments on 12 international writing contests to enter this year

Here are 12 legitimate writing contests open to international submissions, their entry requirements, prizes and other information:

1. The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

What: Lorian Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, founded this international short story contest that’s been running over 30 years.

Contest prizes:

• First place: $1500 and publcation of the winning story in Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts
• Second and third place: $500 each
• Promising entries are also awarded honorable mentions

Submission guidelines:

Submissions must not exceed 3500 words and must be original, unpublished fiction. There are no theme or genre restrictions. For 2018, submissions must be made by 1 May. You can read the full submission guidelines here .

Submission fee:

$15 per story, $20 late entry fee for any story submitted up to two weeks after the submission deadline.

Who judges this contest?

Hemingway herself and an additional panel comprised of writers and literary academics.

2. Writers and Artists’ Yearbook Short Story Competition

What: Writers and Artists’ annual short story competition is open to published and aspiring authors anywhere and entry is free.

• First place: A place in Arvon’s Clcokhouse writing retreats, as well as publication on Writers and Artists’ website.

Your submission must be a story for adults up to 2000 words long. There is no theme or subject requirement. Send submissions as per the guidelines here by Tuesday 13th February 2018 for this year’s contest.

Submission fees:

Submission is free though W&A requires you to be registered on their website.

In 2018, the judge for this contest is comissioning editor Alysoun Owen.

3. Colorado State University’s Nelligan Prize for Short Fiction

What: Colorado State University’s Center for Literary Publishing runs this annual contest (open to submissions from outside the US, too) in memory of an alumnus of the university, Liza Nelligan.

The winner of this contest receives:

• Publication in the fall/winter issue of Colorado Review

Stories shold be between 10 and 50 pages long (2500 – 12, 000 words). The submission deadline in 2018 is March 14. is There are no theme restrictions, and you may submit more than one story. Stories must be previously unpublished. Read the full guidelines here.

$15 per story.

The final judge for 2018’s contest is author and teaching academic Margot Livesey.

4. The Australian Book Review’s Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize

What: An annual Australian contest open to authors writing in English anywhere in the world.

• First prize: (AU) $7000
• Second prize: $2000
• Third prize: $1000
• Three commended stories will share a remaining $2500

Entries must be a single story between 2, 000 and 5, 000 words, in English. Entries close midnight 10 April 2018. You can read the full Terms and Conditions here .

AU$25 for standard entry, AU$15 for annual subscribers to the ABR.

Authors Patrick Allington, Michell Cahill and Beejay Silcox. Read their bios here.

[ Before you submit work, polish it through constructive feedback and get help finishing your short story or novel .]

5. The EJ Brady Short Story Competition

What:  An annual short story contest organized by the Mallacoota Arts Council in Australia. The contest is held in memory of Australian author, biographer, newspaper editor and journalist Edwin James Brady.

• The Gabo Prize (for a very short story not exceeding 700 words) is AU$500.
• The Betka Prize (for humorous stories not exceeding 1000 words) is AU$1000
• The Mallacoota Prize (for stories up to 2500 words long) is AU$2000 to first place and AU$300 to the runner-up.

Submission guidelines: 

For the 2018 contest, entries must be sent in by 28th February. You can enter online here . You can read the full guidelines for entry here .

To enter the very short story contest (Gabo Prize), it costs AU$8, it’s AU$10 to enter the Betka Prize and AU$12 to enter the Mallacoota prize.

The judging panel is made up of a panel of volunteer judges (you can read information about past judges as well as past examples of winning stories here ).

6. Writer’s Digest’s Annual Writing Competition

What:  An annual contest that has been running for over 80 years. WD accepts entries in several categories, including Inspirational (spiritual/religious), Memoirs/Personal essay, Genre short story (mystery, romance, etc.) and several others.

Contest prizes: 

Each of the contest’s 9 categories features the following prizes:

• Grand Prize: One winner will receive US$5000, an interview with Writer’s Digest, one-one-one help from a Writer’s Digest editor or agent and several other prizes.
• Category prizes: First place in each category receives US$1000 and a $100 off a purchase on Writer’s Digest’s store. Second through tenth place all receive cash prizes, with second through fifth also receiving vouchers for Writer’s Digest’s store.
• The Grand Prize piece and first place in each category are all published in WD’s annual Writing Competition Collection

You can read further details about additional prizes here .

The deadline for submission for all categories in 2018 is May 4. Because there are different word count limits for different categories, it’s worth reading through the information particular to your category here.

Submission fees: 

May 4 is the early bird deadline and entry is $20 for poetry (and $15 for each additional poem submitted), and $30 for each story ($25 for each additional).

Between May 4 and June 1 costs a little more. The split is $25/$20 for first and additional poetry entries and $35/$30 for first and additional fiction entries.

This information is not immediately clear on Writer’s Digest’s contest page.

7. The Crime Writers’ Association’s Margery Allingham Short Story Competition

What:  The UK-based CWA runs an annual competition named after detective fiction author Margery Allingham.

• First prize: £500 and two passes to Crimefest 2019.
• Mentions on the CWA website for longlisted and shortlisted entrants.

Entries in 2018 are due by midnight UK time, 28 February. Authors residing anywhere are eligible to enter, provided the story has not been published elsewhere. Entries may be up to 3,500 words long.

£12, payable via PayPal.

Who judges this contest? 

This is not apparent on the CWA’s website, but you can find information about what judges are looking for here . The main requirement is that the story fits Allingham’s definition of a mystery :

‘The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.’

8. The Claremont Review Annual Writing & Art Contest

What:  A Canadian contest specifically for young writers between 13 and 19 from anywhere in the world.

• First prize in fiction and poetry: CAD$750
• Second prize in fiction and poetry: CAD$500
• Third prize in fiction and poetry: CAD$250
• Publication of first, second, third and honorable mentions in the fall edition of The Claremont Review .

Entries in 2018 are due by March 15. One piece may be submitted up to 2000 words. Flash fiction, short fiction and mixed-genre welcome. Read more here .

CAD$25 (each entrant will receive a year’s subscription to  TCR .

Author Jane Eaton Hamilton judges the fiction prize.

9. The David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction

What:  An annual contest in memory of the late therapist and writer David Meyerson. Open to any writer who has not published a book of fiction (either a novel or collection of stories).

• Grand Prize: $1000 and publication in the  Southwest Review .

Any writer who has not published a book of fiction (a novel or short story collection) may enter. The deadline for submission is May 1 in 2018. Entrants are free to enter multiple times and each entry must not exceed 8,000 words. Read the guidelines here .

A reader’s fee of US$25 per entry.

Judging duties rotate year to year. In 2016, it was Megan Mayhew Bergman.

10. Glimmertrain Press’s Short Story Award for New Writers

What:  A contest founded by short story journal  Glimmer Train  for emerging writers.

• First place: US$2500, publication in Glimmer Train Stories , and 10 copies.
• Second place: US$500, or, if chosen for publication, $700 and 10 copies.
• Third place: $300, or, if chosen for publication, $700 and 10 copies.

The contest is open to any writer whose fiction has not appeared, nor is scheduled to appear, in any print publication with a circulation over 5000. (Entries must not have appeared in any print publication.) Any length up to 12,000 words is welcome. The first deadline for the contest is 28 February in 2018. The contest runs twice more during the year, with June 30 and October 31 deadlines. Read more here .

An $18 reading fee.

Sisters Linda and Susan, the journal’s co-founders read every story submitted themselves.

11. The Roswell Award

What:  A contest for emerging science fiction writers organized by the Light Bringer Project, a Pasadena, US-based arts education non-profit.

• First prize: US$500
• Second prize: US$250
• Third prize: US$100
• Four to six finalists’ work will be read on stage by celebrity guests at LitFest Pasadena.

Stories must be 1,500 words or less and entrants must be 18 years of age or older. Stories must not have any previous publication and must be submitted by 29 January for the 2018 edition of the contest. Additional guidelines given: ‘Focus​ ​on​ ​telling​ ​an​ ​engaging​ ​story​ ​with​ ​strong​ ​characters ,​ ​imagery,​ ​mood,​ ​tone,​ ​themes,​ ​etc.’ Read more here .

None. Submission is free for up to one submission per author.

This information is not provided on TRA’s website.

12. Arizona State University’s Everything Change Climate Fiction Contest

What:  A climate change -themed contest welcoming ‘speculative fiction stories exploring climate change, narrating a world in flux.’

• Grand Prize: US$1000
• Nine additional finalists will each receive US$50
• All 10 finalists will be published in a free to download and share online anthology.

ASU specifies these guidelines. Your submission should:

• Illustrate or explore the impact of climate change on humanity and/or the Earth, in the present or the near- or moderate-term future
• Reflect current scientific knowledge about climate change, though you have full artistic freedom to exaggerate, embellish, and invent fictional conditions and situations
• Illuminate and invite reflections on a climate-related challenge that individuals, communities, organizations, or societies face today, or might face in the near to moderate-term future.

Read the full guidelines here . Submission is open to all nationalities. The deadline for submission in 2018 is February 28.

The writing contest is free to enter. You can submit an entry via the contest’s online submission portal .

The American science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson .

Need help improving your craft or getting your story off to a good start? Take a short course on Now Novel and get feedback from a writing coach.

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• Tags international writing contests , writing contests

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

15 replies on “12 international writing contests to enter this year”

You forgot one, or perhaps didn’t know about it. The L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, which has no entry fees, and has four quarters in which to enter, every year. It’s also judged by winning writers in the profession. They accept science fiction and fantasy stories up to 17,000 words. It’s been running for many years. Please check it out, and maybe add it to a future list like this one. Other than that omission, I enjoyed this list, particularly some I’d never heard of that have no entry fees, and are in the genres I’m interested in. Thank you for putting together this list. It’s much appreciated.

Hi Amanda, thanks for the suggestion! I wasn’t sure whether to add the L. Ron Hubbard contest due to the Scientology link (and the controversy surrounding that), but we’ll definitely be expanding this list as we go to make it a more extensive reference source. It’s a pleasure and thanks for contributing your suggestion.

I’m not a writer, but I can frankly say that these 12 international writing contests will enrich many people.

Here’s a competition to add to your list! We’re Regulus Press, located smack dab in the center of Seattle, and we’re running our first international short story competition this year. (Woo-hoo!)

The competition is for fiction. 3k words or fewer. US $1500 in prizes, plus publication in our forthcoming Literary Taxidermy anthology. Here’s a short blurb, to give you sense of the competition:

The LITERARY TAXIDERMY SHORT STORY COMPETITION is open to all. To enter, writers must provide an original story of up to 3000 words in any genre. The catch: We provide your opening and closing lines chosen from a classic work of literature. You provide the rest.

Three winning stories will be selected, for a total prize of US $1500. In addition, winners and runners-up will be published by Regulus Press in a forthcoming 2018 Anthology of Literary Taxidermy.

The judges of the 2018 contest include a variety of professional writers, poets, and playwrights, including Catherine Barnett (The Game of Boxes), Kelley Eskridge (Solitaire), Stephen Graham Jones (Mongrels), Holly Kowitt (The Principal’s Underwear Is Missing), Brian Parks (“Americana Absurdum”), Michael Pronko (The Last Train), Becky Selengut (Good Fish), and Nisi Shawl (Everfair).

Entries to the competition open on 5 March 2018 and close on 4 June 2018. Winners will be announced in September 2018. For full details visit the Literary Taxidermy Short Story Competition website: http://literarytaxidermy.com

Please check us out!

Awesome, thank for sharing Mark. We’ll tweet a link to it.

This information is very useful. Thanks for sharing . Writing Contests

Greetings Now Novel! Here’s an international contest by Eyelands Magazine and Strange Days Publications you might like to feature in your list! Prizes include a week’s holiday in a beautiful beach-house on Crete, publication and more!

Welcome to Eyelands 8th International Short Story Contest! We’re looking for short stories, of 2.500 words maximum in any genre on the theme of “Luggage”. The competition has been running for 8 consecutive years with increasing success. Every year, we are delighted to give the opportunity to writers from all over the world to see their work published in English and Greek and also to enjoy a week’s holiday in a beautiful beach house on the island of Crete! The contest is run by Eyelands online literary magazine and Strange Days Publications.

The contest runs from March 20th through June 20th, 2018 Theme of the contest: “Luggage”

First prize: A week’s holiday on the island of Crete (for 2)

First three winners’ stories published in two different anthologies (Greek and English).

All the stories of the Shortlist will be published in a special English edition, released through amazon.com & strangedays books. All shortlisted writers will also get a free copy of the book, certification document and a book from Strange Days Books. An interview with the first prize winner will also be featured in eyelands.gr online literary magazine. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/662cacde6bcf6ed50a7f148c4b03974bf81ebadb57c719ace104618e7bcf97c8.jpg

Judge: Maria Psoma-Petridou Entry fee: 10 € MORE INFO & TO ENTER: https://eyelandscontes.wordpress.com/ CONTACT EMAIL: [email protected]

Hello everyone, I am a South African unpublished writer, I want to share my manuscript with the wolrd. If interested please reply. Thank you

Here’s another one!

F(r)iction Literary Magazine is seeking previously unpublished flash fiction, short fiction, and poetry for our winter contests! The editorial staff enjoys writing that celebrates the weird, takes risks, and is driven by a strong, unique voice. Authors of selected work will receive a cash prize—$1000 for short fiction, $300 for flash fiction and poetry. All entries will be considered for publication in an upcoming issue of F(r)iction. The deadline to submit work is December 15, 2018.

Link to contest info: https://tetheredbyletters.com/submissions/contest/

I hope this is alright to mention another competition for 2020. My name is Peter Greene, I am the Director of the Adventure Writers Competition. We are a non-profit organization, and all entry fees ($35) and donations collected are used to promote the contest, the finalists and the winner.

The Adventure Writers Competition, sponsored by the Clive Cussler Family, the Clive Cussler Collector’s Society, Braveship Books, Venator Media Services and Sven Gillhoolie Publishing is an international competition now in our ninth year.

We have one category: Adventure. Any novels between 50,000 and 200,000 words that are in the realm of action/adventure/thriller/mystery – and chocked-full of adventure – are welcome. New and published books welcome! No time limit on when you completed your book, though you must have sold or given away less than 10,000 books of the title(s) you enter. We do not accept sci-fi, fantasy, horror or young children’s books. We are open for entries January 1 through April 30 of 2020. See our website for info on rules and entering.

Our finalist judge, Dirk Cussler, personally presents our awards at the ceremony. He says: “Get in on the action!” http://www.adventurewriterscompetition.com

2020 Prizes:

$1000 cash: winner (1) $500 cash: runner’s up (2) Finalists (3) are considered by Braveship Books for publishing/promotion. Semi-finalists (10) receive a free editing sample of their entry from Venator Media Services. Free book trailer to top three finalists by Sven Gillhoolie Publishing. Interview of top three finalists (if attending the award ceremony) by Sven Gillhoolie Publishing. Probably get to meet best selling authors Dirk Cussler, Jack Du Brul and Jeff Edwards at the Clive Cussler Collectors Society Convention during our AWC Award Ceremony!

Thank you for sharing this, Peter, all the best for the contest.

Hi, is there any contest for novels not written in English?

Hi Maria, I’m unfamiliar with non-English contests as this is not an area familiar to me, but you may find some in the list of contests open to international applicants here . Good luck!

Thank you for the fantastic list! We wanted to let you know about one more contest open this year:

Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing Contest Limit: 100 words per entry. Submit as many entries as you’d like. Writers: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. Genre: Any genre. Theme: Abundance. Prizes: 1st place: $1,000. 2nd place: $450 writing coaching package. 3rd place: $250 developmental or diversity editing package. Entry Fee: $10. Deadline: November 30, 2021. More Info: http://www.tadpolepress.com/events

It’s a great option for writers who have always wanted to write but never had the time. Hope it’s helpful for your readers!

Cheers, Amber

Hi Amber, thank you and thanks for sharing Tadpole Press’ contest.

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7 writing contests with huge cash prizes

1. Sunday Times Short Story Award Cash Prize: £30,000 (~€34,000) Submit: a story of up to 6000 words Languages: English Eligibility restrictions: open to all nationalities, but the author must have a record of prior publication in creative writing in the United Kingdom or Ireland Open for submissions: usually October through December

2. César Egido Serrano Foundation International Flash Fiction Competition Cash Prize: $20,000 (~€17,000) (plus an all-expenses-paid trip to attend an award ceremony in Madrid) Submit: a story of fewer than 100 words on the theme of “The Word, bridging the gap between different cultures and religions.” Languages: English, Spanish, Hebrew, or Arabic Open for submissions: this prize isn’t offered on a regular schedule; past submissions periods have run from June through November

3. The Montreal International Poetry Prize Cash prize: CA$20,000 (~€13,000) Submit: a single poem of no more than 40 lines long Languages: English Open for submissions: usually January through May every other year (next prize year 2020)

4 & 5. Manchester Metropolitan University Poetry and Short Story Prizes Cash Prize: £10,000 (~€11,000) Submit: three to five poems totalling no more than 120 lines or a story of up to 2,500 words (submissions fee is £18 per entry) Languages: English Open for submissions: usually February through September

6. The Mogford Prize for Food & Drink Writing Cash prize: £10,000 (~€11,000) Submit: a short story in which food and drink feature prominently Language: English Open for submissions: usually November through January

7. The Moth Poetry Prize (formerly the Ballymaloe International Poetry Prize) Cash prize: €10,000 Submit: as many poems as you like as long as they haven’t been previously published (submission fee is €15 per poem) Language: English Open for submissions: usually July through December

40 responses on "7 writing contests with huge cash prizes"

Nice collection.

Thanks for the list! Your email was helpful. The César Egido Serrano Foundation International Flash Fiction Competition has not announced their winners yet, I took part in the contest last year.

i hop particip by short arabic story..thank you

The Sunday Times EFG Bank short story award for 2019 has still not been announced (2 September 2018). Does anyone know why not?

Thanks a lot for the fine information. I want to take part in the forthcoming poetry competition Certainly, it makes me to grow and glow into literary thirst

i hope to participate for 2019 . thanks

Hi I’m interested in receiving news and joining mailing list .Thanks so much . Dianne Bailey

I love it and hope to participate.

Please send notifications in my email regarding the latest prize money writing contests. I am from India.

Please can you tell me when your next poetry contest is for 2019 and how much is entry fee Thank you Lois G. Cannon

Hi Lois, We’re a creative writing school. We don’t run any contests ourselves. This post on where to submit should help you find upcoming poetry contests. Good luck.

Thank you so much. Will try got it poetry competitions this year.

I would love to participate fro the poetry competition in 2019.

Hi, I’m from India. can i participate in this writing contest.

Hi,I’m interested in your compensation but can I get some information on next upcoming competition? Thank you.

Hello! Thank you for sharing this information about the competition. But can you explain where can I get more information?

Id love to pat take this year

Hello! I belong to pakistan .can i take part in this competition?and what would be the procedure ?

Can you tell me when the Museum of Words, Flash Fiction Contest opens for submissions in 2019. I can’t find where the page is on their website to upload it before November 23rd. Are they a legitimate organization?

Hi JR, The Museum of Words Flash Fiction contest is legit but the organisers do seem a bit disorganised. They just announced the winners of the 2017 competition at the beginning of this year (2019). If they indeed stick to the pattern of every other year, they should announce a new contest this year. Our bet would be 23 November, the International Day of Words. We’ll be keeping an eye out.

How do I join any of the competitions listed?

Thanks a lot! I will participate for sure.

Write and send a story for 2020?

I’d like to help my brilliant West African poet friend enter writing and poetry competitions, however, I have only been able to find competitions which accept English. I’m hoping that a reader can help us out here, and reply with names/links etc, of competitions which accept writings in French, which I will forward to my friend. I would really like to help him get his work published, and perhaps even win a competition. He is very talented. Please help if you can! Thank you. (I do not speak French!)

Awesome places to submit manuscripts. Thank you so much!

give me a chance

Hi how can I participate in The Montreal International Poetry competition please. Would you kindly guide me in brief how to join please.

Dear Sirs/Madam,

Greetings of the day; joy, love and peace ve with you all.

As I have a keen interest in submitting like the 40 line poem, I highly appreciate if would kindly informed when the next submission date is open.

Thanks so much.

Hi! For this flash fiction thing sounds super cool! Where do I submit? Is there one this year?

Good for mind explorers amidst pandemics which has already decayed countless minds. muhammadasifnadeem1447 at gmail.com Muhammad Asif Nadeem, Associate Professor , MA English, MA TEFL, ICMAP-p-2, @7 Years of College and university lectures. those who read it please guide me for other resource allocation for this humble slot. lend a helping hand. Thanks.

International writing contests are windows thru which one is able to catch a glimpse of bluer skies.

Sir/Ma’am, It’s an excellent opportunity for a new emerging writers like me to come across such scopes extended by you.But I would like to request you to make me know as to how I can avail this grand opportunity through my mail ID as cited below for further communication.

Thank you for this!!

Unfortunately, a few of these involve a submission fee, which is NOT good practice.

I am unable to find any link of the competition no.2 on their page. kindly help, thanks.

Julius Odeke a Ugandan in East Africa wants to participate, any guidance palease.

I hope to enter the one of theses, once i turn 14. Can’t wait!

this is a very big things

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• 2024 SEP Writing Contests

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Your subtitle goes here, authors publish.

31 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for August 2024.  These are themed calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some call themes are: fairy tales; harbinger; vacations; Little Red Flags – Stories of Cults, Cons, and Control; creature features; tumbleweed; secrets of the snow globe; vampires; and Achilles. Some deadlines are approaching quickly. https://authorspublish.com/storm-publishing-accepting-manuscript-submissions/

A WARM MUG OF COZY

Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our second Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.  Our submission period for Volume 3 will start soon. To be kept in the know, please sign up for our newsletter..  Who can participate: Anyone at least 17 years of age, including emerging authors and never-published writers. Scroll below award to view details. https://warmmugofcozy.com/anthology-submission/

ALMOND PRESS

Welcome to the most comprehensive list of writing competitions available online. Our list includes short story, poetry, and flash fiction competitions, as well as some events for essay writers, screenwriting, and even entire novel manuscripts. Each item on our list includes basic information about max word count, entry fees, submission deadlines, and the first place prize.  Please do your own research before deciding to enter any event. In case of questions about a particular event, please reach out to the event organizer. Scroll down the list for 2024 events. https://dystopianstories.com/writing-competitions-contests/

ASSOCIATION OF WRTERS & WRITING PROGRAMS

• AWP  Awaard Series – The AWP Award Series is an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The prizes are supported by the AWP Award Series Endowments. The competition is open to all authors writing in English regardless of nationality or residence and is available to published and unpublished authors alike. Entries for the 2024 competition may be submitted from January 1–February 28, 2024. We no longer accept submissions by post. https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/awp_award_series_overview
• AWP Prize for Undergrad Lit Mag s – Formerly the National Program Directors’ Prize, the AWP Prize for Undergrad Lit Mags is awarded annually to one outstanding undergraduate-led journal and two runners-up. The prize celebrates the work of undergraduate student writers and editors, including exceptional content, cohesive design, and innovation. https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/awp_prize_for_undergrad_lit_mags
• George Garrett Award – Contemporary literature and AWP have benefited from the efforts of many teachers, writers, editors, and administrators who have done their utmost to help the next generation of writers find their way as artists and as literary professionals. In bestowing the annual George Garrett Award for Outstanding Community Service in Literature, AWP recognizes a few of those individuals who have made notable donations of care, time, labor, and money to support writers and their literary accomplishments. https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/george_garrett_award_overview
• AWP Intro Journals Project – The AWP Intro Journals Project is a literary competition for the discovery and publication of the best new works by students currently enrolled in AWP member programs. Program directors are invited to nominate student work, and winners are selected for publication in participating literary journals. The 2024 journals are Colorado Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Iron Horse Literary Review, Mid-American Review, Puerto del Sol, Quarterly West, Reed Magazine, and Tampa Review. https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/intro_journals_project_overview
• AWP Small Press Publisher Award – AWP’s Small Press Publisher Award is an annual prize for nonprofit presses and literary journals that recognizes the important role such organizations play in publishing creative works and introducing new authors to the reading public. The award acknowledges the hard work, creativity, and innovation of these presses and journals, and honors their contributions to the literary landscape through their publication of consistently excellent work. https://www.awpwriter.org/contests/small_press_publisher_award_overview
• https://www.awpwriter.org/

AUTUMN HOUSE PRESS

2025 Autumn House Rising Writer Prize Is Now Open –  The submission period closes on November 15, 2024 (Eastern Time). We will announce the contest’s finalists and the winner by March 15, 2025.  The winner will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,000 travel/publicity grant to promote their book https://www.autumnhouse.org/submissions/rising-writers-prize

BAEN BOOKS PUBLISHING

What it is: Baen Books has been publishing science fiction and fantasy for decades.  The Writer’s Center says: If you’re looking for a science fiction/fantasy small publisher that does it all—hardcover, paperback, and ebook—Baen is for you. https://www.baen.com/contests

BECOME A WRITER TODAY

Contests:  https://becomeawritertoday.com/writing-contests/ Writing Jobs: Information available on Calendar https://becomeawritertoday.com/writing-jobs/

BOOK PIPELINE

The 2024  Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction:  Literary Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Nonfiction  Deadline SEP 5, 2024 https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

Booksie is a free online writing site that provides the tools for writers to publish their work and connect with readers from across the world. You can post poems, short stories, books, articles and more. Over the past ten years, tens of thousands of writers have posted hundreds of thousands of short stories, novel, poems, articles and more. Tens of millions of readers have gained access to some of the best up-and-coming writing talent and supported writers who have gone on to become best-sellers. Join Booksie and tell your story. 2024 contests. https://www.booksie.com/writing-contests

BOULEVARD MAGAZINE

Boulevard strives to publish only the finest in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. While we frequently publish writers with previous credits, we are very interested in less experienced or unpublished writers with exceptional promise. If you have practiced your craft and your work is the best it can be, send it to Boulevard. Nonfiction contest for Emerging Writers deadline Oct 1, 2024 – scroll to bottom of page. https://boulevard.submittable.com/submit

BRIDGEPORT PRIZE

We are committed to discovering and championing new writers in poetry, short story, flash fiction, novel and memoir. Our alumni read like a Who’s Who of the literary world: Kate Atkinson MBE, Gail Honeyman and Kit de Waal. Judges have included Roger McGough, Monica Ali and Zoe Heller. Our patron is Fay Weldon. Trust us with your words and it really could be your name up here next year. Submission Guidelines: https://thebridportprize.submittable.com/submit Poetry, Short Story, Novel Award, Memoir Award, Flash Fiction Categories List:  https://bridportprize.org.uk/the-competition/

CANADIAN AUTHORS

Do you feel you’ve written the next great Canadian short story, novel, or poem? We have compiled a list of writing contests open to Canadians that include fiction and non-fiction contests, short story contests, and poetry contests. Our listing of writing competitions appear in order of deadline dates and, because there are hundreds upon hundreds of contests, we have separated them by month. Please remember to check out the details for all writing competitions at the websites provided — most sites have additional information, including submission guidelines and rules. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of competitions — we can only include those we are aware of. 2024 Contests listed by month : ALL CONTESTS:  https://canadianauthors.org/national/links/awards-competitions/ AUGUST 2024: https://canadianauthors.org/national/links/awards-competitions/contests-competitions-august-deadlines/

CHANTICLEER INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2022

Fiction Genere Divisions • Fiction Genere • Multiple Non-Fiction Divisions – A large list of contests for 2034-2025 by various genre. https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

Inspired by the mission and role of the town common, an egalitarian gathering place,  The Common  aims to foster the global exchange of diverse ideas and experiences. As such, we welcome and encourage submissions from writers who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, LGBTQIA+-identifying, immigrant, international, and/or otherwise from communities underrepresented in U.S. literary magazines and journals.  We seek stories, essays, poems, and dispatches that embody a strong sense of place: pieces in which the setting is crucial to character, narrative, mood, and language. We receive many submissions about traveling in foreign countries and discourage writers from submitting conventional travelogues in which narrators report on experiences abroad without reflecting on larger themes.  READING PERIODS STORIES, ESSAYS and POETRY: March 1-June1, September 1 – December 1, Subscribers may submit all year-round for free. https://www.thecommononline.org/submit/

COMPETITIONS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

2024 A list of available writing contest for all genre. https://intercompetition.com/writing

CREATIVE WRITING CONTESTS

Name: Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024 Country: UK (open to entries worldwide)  Closing date:  November 15th, 2024 at 4pm (GMT) Results announced by December 15th, 2024  – 1st prize: £1000, a free creative writing course of the winners choice and publication on our website.  Runners-up: £200 each.  Entry fee: £9  Word count: 3000 words maximum.  Open theme/subject/genre https://creativewritingink.co.uk/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2024/

EMBARK JOURNAL

We accept submissions year-round. Those received by September 1, 2024, will be considered for our twenty-first issue, which will be released in October 2024.issions year-round. Those received by March  1, 2024,  will be considered for our twentieth issue, which will be released in April 2024. https://embarkliteraryjournal.com/submissions/

EXPOSITION REVIEW

Mark your calendars – on June 4, our next round of Flash 405 will open for submissions! Our Flash 405 writing contest is a celebration of short-form narratives, accepting work in multiple genres, from prose to poetry to hybrid and experimental forms. This round, we are looking for flash work inspired by the theme “Persona.” The theme was chosen by Expo Associate Editor Madeline Grimm, who will be serving as judge for our June contest. https://expositionreview.com/2024/05/call-for-entries-flash-405-june-2024-persona/

Several contests listed – scroll for details and deadlines https://www.fanstory.com/contestsall.jsp

FLORIDA WRITERS ASSOCIATION

Writing Contests – The Florida Writers Association offers two writing contests annually: Collection and Royal Palm Literary Awards.  Both contests open to submissions on February 1 and close on April 30. You must be an FWA member to enter. Not a member? Join here!. Both cross broad areas of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and both are open to adults and youth who are judged separately. https://www.floridawriters.org/writing-contests

FREE YOUR PEN

2024  Writing Competitions. These competitions are for unpublished or self-published novels and novellas for international writers, plus a few for UK or US residents only. It’s a long list and accurate as far as possible, updated monthly, so bookmark this page. I can’t vouch for all these comps personally, but if you have experience of them, let us know in the comments. https://jesdavidson.wordpress.com/2021/01/30/novel-writing-competitions-list/

FREEDOM WITH WRITING

Check out their Lastest listings page for various types of contests and Calls for Submission.  Magazines, Anthologies, Editors looking for pitches, Remote Jobs, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and more. https://www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom/

For our print magazine, we accept short fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry—regardless of genre, style, or origin. To get an idea of the kind of work we look for and the ethos behind what we do, please check out this page from our editors detailing what we look for in our submissions and this CLMP Member Spotlight article. And please note that we strongly encourage you to check out a past issue of F(r)iction, available in our shop. Submissions are accepted year-round. https://frictionlit.org/about/submit/

FUNDS FOR WRITERS

2024 Writing contests provide steps up for a writer – especially a struggling writer. A portfolio that contains contest wins means more than many clips. Can’t afford the entry fees? Consider entering one contest a quarter or something more amiable to your pocketbook. A few are free. Contests provide prizes, prestige and usually publication with many offering book contracts. Denouncing contests from your writing repertoire is like discounting an entire genre or refusing to eat yellow vegetables. You’re giving up something valuable that may serve you and your career well.  Variety of Genres. https://fundsforwriters.com/contests/

GLOBAL SOUP

The next free Update: The next free 7 Day Story Writing Challenge will begin on 26th Feb. But before that, why not try our… 2024 PRIMAL FEARS HORROR SHORT STORY CHALLENGE   now open.  WE WILL ACCEPT ALL KINDS OF HORROR STORIES FOR THIS CHALLENGE, FROM THE SLIGHTLY CHILLING TO THE OUTRIGHT HORRIFYING.  PRIZE: £1,000 – DEADLINE: 23:59 (UK time) 19th Feb, 2024 Words: 5,000 (max) https://www.globesoup.net/horror-short-story-challenge-2024

https://www.globesoup.net/writing-competitions Free Editing Checklist download.

HARLEQUIN ROMANCE

Harlequin is looking or story submissions from debut romance writers in underrepresented communities for a chance to have your debut novel published.

• Love Inspired Suspense  is actively seeking submissions! Check out our editors’ wishlist. If you have a contemporary inspirational romantic suspense of about 55,000 words, we invite you to submit.
• Harlequin Romance is  actively seeking  contemporary romance   submissions of 50,000 words! If you have a story idea or romance novel you think would be a good fit, we’d love to see it.
• Our editors are acquiring stories for a new romance line coming to Harlequin  –  Afterglow Books!  Aimed at a broad readership, including the under-35 romance reader, we’re looking for spicy romances grounded in relatable character journeys. Everyone deserves a love story that’s true to who they are.
• Harlequin is also looking to publsih more  romance stories by authors in underrepresented communities . https://www.writeforharlequin.com/submission-calls/

INDIANA WRITERS

Several opportunities for writers listed for May 2024 https://www.indianawriters.org/blogs/news/opportunities-for-writers-april-2024-2/

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS

2024 A listing of competitions around the world. https://intercompetition.com/writing

KENYON REVIEW

2024 The Short Fiction Contest. The contest is open to all writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Submissions must be 3000 words or fewer. The final judge will be acclaimed author Danielle Evans. The Review will publish the winning short story, and the author will be awarded a scholarship to attend the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Additional info on the Writers Workshops is available here.   We plan to continue running the contest annually from November 1 through November 30.  CHECK THE MAIN MENU FOR VARIOUS CONTESTS. https://kenyonreview.org/submit/

KOTOBEE BLOG

2024 Anyone who has participated in writing events before–such as NaNoWriMo –knows how effective it can be to write against the clock, and that’s where writing contests come in! These contests can be a great way to develop your skills, challenge yourself against other writers, and, above all else, win an award for your work! Select Genre and Month. https://blog.kotobee.com/writing-contests-2024/

MACMILLIAN PUBLISHERS

2024 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Novel Competition –Rules for the 2024 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition,  Only electronic submissions, uploaded through this entry form, will be considered; do not mail or e-mail manuscript submissions to Minotaur Books. To be considered for the 2025 competition, all submissions must be received by 11:59pm EST on December 15th, 2024. Contact:  https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/writing-competitions. https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/submit-manuscript/

Agents Seeking Submissions https://medium.com/curiosity-never-killed-the-writer/9-new-agents-seeking-memoirs-kidlit-romance-sff-nonfiction-and-more-4a6284fb47e6 11 Dark Fiction and Horror Publications Open for Submissions NOW — Paying markets https://curiosityneverkilledthewriter.com/11-dark-fiction-and-horror-publications-open-for-submissions-now-paying-markets-67582048ccd9

NEW PAGES BLOG

NewPages is the Portal of Independents! Founded in the early 1970s as a print publication, NewPages provides online news, information, and guides to literary magazines, independent and university publishers, graduate and undergraduate creative writing programs, independent bookstores, alternative periodicals and newsweeklies, writing conferences and events, and more. A variety of completions listed.  Use the filters to narrow down to search. https://www.newpages.com/submission-opportunities/writing-contests/

NOTHING IN THE RULE BOOK

For this quarter’s free writing contest, we want your best flash fiction on the theme “Back to Life”. This is an opportunity to prove your work, and the winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card and have their story published to the School of Kingdom Writers website.  We’re giving you a little more breathing room this time. The maximum word count for this contest is 1,500 words. Short stories of all types, genres, and styles are welcome, but it should be narrative in nature (a story, not poetry, lyrics, etc.) https://nothingintherulebook.com/media-submit-your-work/media-submit-your-work/

THE NOVEL FACTORY

Many of these novel writing competitions are very prestigious, and highly likely to lead to agent representation and / or publication. We have not included any competitions that do not present a satisfactory level of credibility and authority. https://www.novel-software.com/novel-writing-competitions/

THE NOVELRY

Writing contests are a great way to practice your skills, hone your craft and get your name out there among fellow fiction writers. They’re also fantastic opportunities for those working in creative nonfiction, poetry, scripts and sometimes even hybrid writing or multimedia projects. https://www.thenovelry.com/blog/writing-competitions-2023#strongwriting-competitions-2024strong

NYC MIDNIGHT

• 🔴The Ryming Story Challenge  Deadline SEP 20, 2024 https://www.nycmidnight.com/rhyme
• 🔴250 Word Microfiction Challenge  – kicks off NOV 2824 https://www.nycmidnight.com/250

2024 Free-entry International Writing Contests   The listed competitions are open to individuals, worldwide, or are restricted to a specific region. They may be targeted to individuals from the age of 18 (or 16) and above, or to those who haven’t attained the legal age (from 17 and below). https://owlcation.com/humanities/Free-International-Fiction-and-Non-Fiction-Entry-Contests

Not yet updated to 2024,  Writing competitions give poets and writers a great opportunity to hone their skills. Along with exciting prizes, they offer a wide variety of themes and challenges to help you write in newer, bolder ways.  At PaperTrue, we’ve always believed that writing competitions are more than just about winning. It’s a community experience where you can interact with fellow participants and learn from each other’s work. After all, a supportive network is extremely important to all poets and writers who want to make a career out of writing. https://www.papertrue.com/blog/writing-contests-2024/

PENCRAFT AWARD

PenCraft Book Awards is $500 cash. Two other cash prizes of $200 will also be awarded – one for best fiction and best nonfiction. Plus, each major winner receives a personalized award certificate and a high-resolution digital version of their PenCraft Book Award’s seal for their book or other marketing materials, as well as a web-optimized graphic version of the seal for websites, blogs, and social networking sites. A special national press release will be published about the top three winners. https://www.pencraftaward.com/authors-support/contest-entry-form/

POETS & WRITERS

2024 Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.  Large database, sortable. https://www.pw.org/grants

PUBLISH DRIVE

Free and paid19  writing contests for 2024.  Scroll down and check them out.  Unfortunately they don’t put the deadlines on the blurbs. Winning the competition is going to get your writing published. That is to say, it grants you a meeting with prospective readers, supports you in gathering momentum, and it is up to you how that opportunity is magnified. https://publishdrive.com/free-and-paid-writing-contests.html

PUBLISHERS ARCHIEVE

Find a publisher looking for authors. https://publishersarchive.com/

PUBLISHING… AND OTHER FORMS OF INSANITY

This January there are more than three dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees. Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts: Agents Seeking Clients: https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/p/agents.html Writing Contests https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/p/free-contests.html https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/p/calls-for-submissions.html

PURE IN HEART STORIES

Pure in Heart Stories is a literary and art magazine for families, with a Christian worldview. Here you can find short stories, poetry, photography and art by adults, teens, and children—for readers 6 years old and beyond. Check submission guides for deadlines and publication dates. https://pureinheartstories.com/submissions/?fbclid=IwAR3_junzhFSXTwKnF995OXK9Zmt1g1ih_83lSnMwwrsIS0aza-EYfEiuYKU

REEDSY BEST WRITING CONTESTS

2024 Several contests listed keep scrolling.  Use the search option to find the most recent contests, and deadlines. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/

SAN FRANCISCO WRITERS

The 2024 Writing Contest opens on Feb.19th.   The contest submission window is from February 19 – June 30, 2024. The entry form is here. The entry fee is $35 per entry and includes a copy of the 2024 SFWC Writing Contest Anthology that will feature the winning work. Entries must fit into one of the following categories: https://www.sfwriters.org/2024-writing-contest-overview/

SEJONG CULTURAL SOCIETY

https://sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/index.php

SMART BLOGGER

Listings for  2024. So you want to compete in writing contests for prizes and recognition?  Writing contests are a fun way to evolve your writing skills — and, yes, cash prizes are a nice bonus.  But remember, the emphasis is on fun.  If cash is your primary goal, you should focus your time and energy on landing freelance writing jobs. FREE CONTESTS  https://smartblogger.com/writing-contests/#free-writing-contests CONTESTS WITH FEES  https://smartblogger.com/writing-contests/#writing-contests-with-fees

SOLSTICE A MAGAZINE OF DIVERSE VOICES

Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices, is currently open for general submissions in all categories. Our guidelines are below.  Suspending submissions please check in a few weeks. https://solsticelitmag.submittable.com/submit

2024 How to Submit Creative Writing and Art to Stone Soup.  Stone Soup welcomes submissions from around the world by writers and artists ages 13 and younger. CONTESTS: https://stonesoup.com/contests/ Submissions:: https://stonesoup.com/how-to-submit-writing-and-art-to-stone-soup/

We publish personal essays, short stories, poems, and black-and-white photography in print and online in our monthly magazine.  We’re looking for narrative writing and evocative photography from all over the world. Send us work that maps the human landscape, where the light catches on the faintest joy, where darkness sometimes threatens to overwhelm, and where ✗ never marks the spot because the truth is never so simple. Essays, Fiction, Poetry https://www.thesunmagazine.org/submit/essays-fiction-poetry

TADPOLE PRESS

Amber Byers is an award-winning author and head judge of the Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest. As the founder and CEO of Tadpole Press, Amber delights in celebrating creativity and connecting with a worldwide community of writers. 100 Word Writing Contest  SUBMISSIONS CLOSED. All Contests: https://www.tadpolepress.com/contest

WAXING AND WANING

Submissions open year-round – 1 online / 1 print release per year – Simultaneous submissions accepted (please let us know, however) – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction,  & Short Films submissions $5 – Screenplays/Plays submissions $7 – Graphic Stories submissions $3 – Art submissions FREE- All submissions must be in proper manuscript format https://www.waxingandwaning.org/submit/

WEEKEND NOTES

2024. If you write short stories then you are a writer. Competitions are a great way to move from being a writer to being a published writer. I read once that there are more than 3,000 writing competitions offered across the world every year.  Enter something you’ve already written or pen something new over the Christmas holidays.  The following listings are summaries only and it is imperative that you always check the rules and terms and conditions on the competition website to ensure both you and your story are eligible to enter. For example most competitions exclude previously published or awarded stories and some have regional or age limits. https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/competitions/

WINNING WRITERS

2024. Poetry, Fiction & Essay, and Self Published Book contests  Deadlines vary. https://winningwriters.com/our-contests

WILLIAM FAULKNER LITERARY COMPETITION

William Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897, on Jefferson Street in New Albany, Mississippi. Some of his notable awards were the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature, the 1955 and 1963 Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction and the 1951 and 1955 National Book Awards. Recognizing the significance of being the birthplace of one of the most celebrated writers in American Literature generally and Southern Literature specifically, we are proud to provide the William Faulkner Literary contest for aspiring writers. Deadlines vary: July 2024 https://williamfaulknerliterarycompetition.com/about/ Contest info:  https://williamfaulknerliterarycompetition.com/

WISCONSIN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ARTS & LETTERS

Deadline March 2024 . The Wisconsin People & Ideas Fiction Contest. First-place winners in the Wisconsin People & Ideas Fiction Contest will receive a one-week artist residency at Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts in Mineral Point. Winners will receive $500 (first place), $250 (second place), and $100 (third place) and read their work at the 2023 Wisconsin Book Festival. First- through third-place winning stories will also be published in print and online issues of Wisconsin People & Ideas magazine. First-place winners in the Wisconsin People & Ideas Fiction Contest will receive a one-week artist residency at Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts in Mineral Point. Submissions: https://www.wisconsinacademy.org/magazine/submissions Contests open 1/15/20024 : https://www.wisconsinacademy.org/content/writing-contests

WRITE OR DIE MAGAZINE

Currently open for essays and interviews. Fiction submissions are closed. https://www.chillsubs.com/writeordie/submission-guidelines

WRITE THE WORLD

A list of upcoming competitions.  Scroll to the bottom for the latest and upcoming. https://writetheworld.org/#/competitions

THE WRITER MAGAZINE

Dear Readers: Jazztimes, Birdwatching, The Writer, and Diabetes Self-Management will be on hiatus until 2024 as we continue to transition these titles to streaming on The BeBop Television Network. You may enjoy available issues through digital download and Video On Demand below. https://www.writermag.com/contests/

THE WRITERS COLLEGE

2024 If you are looking to take your writing to the next level, then entering a writing competition often provides that extra impetus to refine your work.  This is by no means a full list of competitions. Some writing competitions require an entry fee. Others don’t. This seems to be the norm these days and there are credible competitions that require an entry fee. Always check that you are comfortable with sending money to the organizers if this is the case.  Click on More details here (link almost the same color as text) Scroll down for current contests https://www.thewriterscollege.com/short-story-writing-competitions

WRITER’S DIGEST

(must join to see all posts) Writers Digest is also running a contest for self-published authors in a variety of genres. Submissions accepted until April 4th All contests:  https://www.writersdigest.com/wd-competitions Annual Competitions:  https://www.writersdigest.com/wd-competitions/annual-competition

WRITERS OF THE FUTURE

ENTER THE WRITER CONTEST – 4th Quarter 2024 Deadline: September 30, 2024 https://writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

WRITERS-EDITORS.COM

2024 A variety of contests and genres https://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/contests.htm

WRITING COMPLETIONS.NET

2024 Several contests, mixed genre, by various sponsors https://writingcompetitions.net/

WRITING CONTESTS.WORDPRESS.COM

2024 Listings updated regularly.  Scroll to CATEGORY in the left menu bar and then use the drop-down to select your category.   There is a really long list of categories. https://writingcontests.wordpress.com/

WRITING COMPETITIONS.net

2024 All the top writing contests.. A large list of writing contests. https://writingcompetitions.net/

WRITING DISTRICT

2024 Various contests listed. Scroll the page. https://thewritingdistrict.com/contests/

WRITING WORKSHOPS

https://writingworkshops.com/

YORICK RADIO PRODUCTIONS

Prose Fiction and Non-Fiction (4000 word limit) Flash fiction (1000 word limit) Poetry (up to 6 Poems of no more than 6 pages) Radio Play Scripts (20 pages) https://yorickradioproductions.com/submissions/

ADVENTURE WRITERS COMPETITION

Get ready to enter the 2025 AWC January 1 through April 30, 2025. https://adventurewriterscompetition.com/

CLEAR WATER PRESS

Student Novel Contest Deadline: 11:59 p.m. CDT, August 15, 2024 Every year, we run a free novel contest for our students. Any One Year Adventure Novel student under 20 who has a valid curriculum license and who finishes a novel that meets the course requirements can submit. We don’t obligate students to enter, but writing contests for teens are great way for young writers to start sharing their writing with others—and stay motivated to finish their novel! We post every novel entry on the student forum for other students to read (unless the student requests to be omitted). https://clearwaterpress.com/oneyearnovel/events/young-writers-novel-contest/

Novel Writing Competitions List FOR 2024. These competitions are for unpublished or self-published novels and novellas for international writers, plus a few for UK or US residents only. It’s a long list and accurate as far as possible, updated monthly, so bookmark this page! I can’t vouch for all these comps personally, but if you have experience of them, let us know in the comments. https://jesdavidson.wordpress.com/2021/01/30/novel-writing-competitions-list/

NCTE – NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

Now accepting submissions for Promising You Writers – Deadline FEB 1, 2024 https://ncte.org/awards/promising-young-writers/

The Best Children’s Writing Contests of 2024-2025– Writing competitions curated by Reedsy https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/children-s/

How to Submit Creative Writing and Art to Stone Soup.  Stone Soup welcomes submissions from around the world by writers and artists ages 13 and younger. All submissions must come to us via Submittable. We do not accept submissions by email or by post. https://stonesoup.com/how-to-submit-writing-and-art-to-stone-soup/

TCK PUBLISHING

Kids have big imaginations, and when it comes to creating stories or poetry, it’s that bold creativity that can even give them an advantage over their adult counterparts. They also tend to be braver when it comes to sharing their work. LIST OF WRITING CONTESTS FOR KIDS https://www.tckpublishing.com/?s=contest

WE ARE TEACHERS

A list of the Best Student Writing Contests for 2024-2025  Help your students take their writing to the next level.  When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are an easy and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience—a real panel of judges—and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of student writing contests below. From poetry to plays, essays to science fiction, there is something for everyone. See if any of them suit your curriculum, and get prepared to see some motivated students. Contests: https://www.weareteachers.com/student-contests-competitions/

18 Children’s publishers accepting submissions. https://writingworkshops.com/blogs/news/no-agent-required-11-literary-fiction-publishers-accepting-direct-submissions

Writing is one of 10 artistic disciplines in YoungArts’ national competition. This discipline encompasses creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story and spoken word. T he 202 5  YoungArts application opens in June 202 4 . https://youngarts.org/discipline/writing/

YOUNG WRITERS

2024 Listings.  Young Writers was established in 1991 in a small warehouse in Eastern England and has blossomed into a worldwide brand! Today, Young Writers is still a modest family-run business, but on a much bigger scale than its humble beginnings.  We pride ourselves on encouraging young writers to read, write and enjoy poetry as well as creative writing. Having work published boosts confidence, nurtures creative talent and showcases creativity. https://www.youngwritersusa.com/contests

The 2024 Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction:  Literary, Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Nonfiction EARLY Deadline: SEP 5, 2024 Various contests. https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

PUBLISHERS ARCHIVE

Check the genre in the left margin. https://publishersarchive.com/scifi-fantasy-contests

QUARKNDAGGER.COM

We’ve put together a list of writing contests or places to publish short works. These channels are ideal for young adults (teens), especially those interested in writing sci-fi and fantasy. Scroll through, put it in your calendar and get writing. If you have any you’d like to add to the list, comment below. https://quarkndagger.com/19-writing-contests-and-publication-outlets-for-young-adults/ 

Fantasy writing contests https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/fantasy/

FLASH FICTION

15 flash fiction is a short fiction story, written with utmost brevity. Not more than 1000 words, and still offers characters, plots, settings, style and themes. With the access of the internet, flash fiction is becoming more popular, as many journals and online magazines are dedicated to the style. Link says 2021 but listings are 2024 https://www.henryharvin.com/blog/top-15-flash-fiction-contest-2021/

CHRISTOPHER FIELDEN

2024 This page lists flash fiction, micro fiction, sudden fiction, twitterage, twitterature, dribble, drabble, minisaga, nanotale, micro-story and very short fiction competitions, prizes and awards. Please read and make sure you fully understand the rules and the terms & conditions of each competition listed before entering. https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/flash-fiction-competitions.php

Flash 405 is Exposition Review’s multi-genre flash competition , awarding prizes and online publication to the winners! The contest runs every other month during our “off” season (January-August), when regular submissions are closed: February 4–March 5   •   April 4–May 5   •   June 4–July 5   •   August 4–September 5 https://expositionreview.com/flash-405/ https://expositionreview.submittable.com/submit

FISH PUBLISHING

Closed https://www.fishpublishing.com/competition/flash-fiction-contest/

2024 PRIMAL FEARS HORROR SHORT STORY CHALLENGE -PRIZE: £1,000 | CLOSES: 19th Feb, 2024

For this short story challenge, all participants will be randomly assigned a horror sub-genre* and will receive a list of 20 primal fears. All participants will receive the same 20 primal fears. As soon as you receive your randomly assigned sub-genre and the list of primal fears, you’ll have until the closing time to write and submit a short story of any length up to 5,000 words. Your story should fit the sub-genre you were assigned and should be underpinned by one of the primal fears from the list. You get to choose the primal fear that will underpin your story. Contests: https://www.globesoup.net/writing-blog/best-flash-fiction-contests

Since 2002, NYC Midnight has hosted hundreds of inspiring competitions for storytellers around the world.  Participants are challenged to create original stories, screenplays, or films using assigned elements under time constraints.  If you enjoy a creative challenge, check out our upcoming competitions. • Short Story Challenge • Screenwriting Challenge • Flash Fiction Challenge • Microfiction Challenge/ • Short Screenplay Challenge http://www.nycmidnight.com

Several contests for listed. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/

STREETLIGHT

STREETLIGHT’S 2023 SUMMER FLASH FICTION CONTEST Up to 500 of your best, previously unpublished words. Any subject.  Multiple submissions are fine — one work per entry. This is a blind contest. Please remove all personal information from the story pages. We encourage simultaneous submissions but if your piece is accepted elsewhere, inform us. Link says 2023 but lists are 2024  Deadline SEP 2, 2024 https://streetlightmag.com/2023-flash-fiction-contest/

The TCK Publishing Contest is an international short story contest established in 2021. Each year’s prizewinner receives a $1,000 honorarium and publication of his or her short story on the TCK Publishing website. https://www.tckpublishing.com/submission-guidelines/

WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest

WE NOW HAVE TWO CONTESTS – WOW ! Women On Writing hosts two quarterly contests: one for fiction writers and one for nonfiction writers. We’ve hosted the flash fiction contest since 2006, and the essay contest since 2017. We look forward to reading your work. https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

AMERICAN SHORT FICTION

We are thrilled to announce that the brilliant Dantiel W. Moniz—author of the acclaimed story collection Milk, Blood, Heat—will judge our 2024 American Short(er) Fiction Prize. The prize recognizes extraordinary short fiction under 1,000 words. The first-place winner will receive a $1,000 prize and publication. Previous winners of the Short(er) Fiction Prize have gone on to be anthologized in places such as The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses. All entries will be considered for publication. https://americanshortfiction.org/submityourwork/the-shorter-fiction-prize/

Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers is “To Believe in the Ubiquity of Animation” by Mary Elizabeth Dubois. Congratulations also to our runner-up, “Saints of Missouri” by Cole Chamberlain and honorable mention “Such Lush, Lyrical Prose” by Zehra Nabi. The 2024 contest will open for submissions on September 1, 2024. https://www.boulevardmagazine.org/short-fiction-contest

CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEWS

Various listed contests for 2024 https://www.chantireviews.com/category/contests/

MY FIRST BOOK

Looking for the very best writing competitions? Want to win cash prizes, agent introductions and even publishing contracts? Then check out the list of 29 incredible contests below. https://myfirstbookdeal.com/2024/02/01/best-writing-competitions-2024/

Several contests for listed, use the search options. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/fiction/

The 2024 Writing Contests  Deadline June 20, 2024.  The contest submission window is from February 19 – June 30, 2024. The entry form is here. The entry fee is $35 per entry and includes a copy of the 2024 SFWC Writing Contest Anthology that will feature the winning work. Entries must fit into one of the following categories: https://www.sfwriters.org/2024-writing-contest-overview/

THE SATURDAY EVENING POST

2025 Great American Fiction Contest – Deadline July 1, 2024  In its two centuries of existence, The Saturday Evening Post has published short fiction by a who’s who of great American authors, including Ray Bradbury, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Louis L’Amour, Sinclair Lewis, Jack London, Joyce Carol Oates, Edgar Allan Poe, Anne Tyler, and Kurt Vonnegut, among so many others. “This contest is a tribute to the Post’s legacy of featuring the most renowned American fiction writers,” says Steven Slon, editorial director and associate publisher for The Saturday Evening Post. “Our goal is to continue the tradition of finding and featuring compelling stories and the authors behind them.” The winning story will be published in the January/February 2023 edition of The Saturday Evening Post, and the author will receive $1,000. Five runners-up will each receive $200 and will also have their stories featured online. https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/fiction-contest/

HISTORICAL FICTION

2024 HISTORICAL FICTION SHORT STORY CHALLENGE – PRIZE: £1,000 DEADLINE : 23:59 (UK time) 16th Sept, 2024 Story Length: any length up to 4,000 words.  For this short story challenge, all participants will be randomly assigned one of 6 periods in history. As soon as you receive your assignment, you’ll have until the closing time to research, write, and submit a short story of no more than 4,000 words, set during this historical period.  All we ask is that your story (or a significant portion of your story) be set in your assigned historical period. How much the actual history of that time influences the plot is up to you.  You can use real historical figures as characters, you can use completely fictional characters, or you can use a combination of both.  Your story can be centred around an actual historical event, have a historical event as the backdrop, or you can simply set your story during your assigned period.  Want to mix genres? That’s fine too! You can write a historical horror story, a historical romance, a historical drama, or any kind of historical fiction story you want! The possibilities are endless. https://www.globesoup.net/historical-fiction-challenge-2024

THE HISTORICAL FICTION COMPANY

ENTER THE HFC 2024 BOOK AWARDS — No erotica.  check deadlines    YES, you can submit an unpublished manuscript to the contest! Guess what else you can do? You can now self-publish with our ALL-INCLUSIVE self-pub package OR use our hybrid publishing package under our imprint to publish your manuscript. At Historium Press, our submissions process is a two-tiered process which gives you feedback to get your project ready for publication—from reviewers who are in the business, as well as our internal editorial staff. If your novel is ready, we’ll give you the go ahead. If it is not ready, the evaluation will detail weaknesses and suggest the next steps to ensure a quality manuscript. We are looking for manuscripts in the following genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical Mystery, Historical Biography, Historical Literary, Historical Time Travel/Time Slip, Historical Fantasy, Historical YA/Teen, Historicals for Children, Altenate Historical, Cozy Historicals, Historical Non-Fiction  Deadline November 29, 2024 https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission

THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION

Honouring the achievements of the founding father of the historical novel, the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the world. The winner receives £25,000 and shortlisted authors each receive £1,500. Since it was founded fourteen years ago by the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, the Prize has awarded over £300,000 to writers and brought over 150 great novels to wider public attention.  Deandline October 31, 2023 https://www.walterscottprize.co.uk/

Listings updated regularly.  Scroll to CATEGORY in the left menu bar and then use the drop-down to select your category.  There is a really long list of categories. https://writingcontests.wordpress.com/category/historical-fiction/

MAGAZINE BC

Please only submit or pitch to a magazine after you have read and met the submission requirements and have judged your piece or idea to be a good fit for the magazine’s usual content. Submitting or pitching to any and all magazines, a.k.a. the shotgun approach, just marks you out as lazy and annoys the editors.  Scroll for daealines. https://magsbc.com/?s=contest

MYSTERY - SUSPENSE

Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our second Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.  Who can participate: Anyone at least 17 years of age, including emerging authors and never-published writers. Information below contest award image. https://warmmugofcozy.com/anthology-submission/

Listed by genre: https://writingcontests.wordpress.com/category/mystery-suspense-romance-thriller/

2024. Select publishers and agents get first look at the top selection for each category, including Katherine Tegen Books, Creative Artists Agency, and Verve Publishing.  Early Deadline SEP 25, 2024. Literary, Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Romance / Women’s Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Nonfiction.    htps://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

2024. Anyone who has participated in writing events before–such as NaNoWriMo–knows how effective it can be to write against the clock, and that’s where writing contests come in! These contests can be a great way to develop your skills, challenge yourself against other writers, and, above all else, win an award for your work. https://blog.kotobee.com/writing-contests-2024/

2025 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Novel Competition – Welcome to the 2023 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Novel Competition.  Please read all of the rules and guidelines before submitting your entry. You can find the complete rules and guidelines at us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/writing-competitions.  To enter, you must complete this form and upload an electronic file of your Manuscript. – Only electronic submissions, uploaded through this entry form, will be considered; do not mail or e-mail manuscript submissions to Minotaur Books.  Deadline: DEC 15, 2024 https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/submit-manuscript/

“The Mysterious Case”. We chose this theme because it’s broad enough to include all genres and fuel your creativity. To respect the theme of the contest, the main character or characters of your entry must have a suspenseful investigation with a mystery in the plot. This event must occur in the story before the end of the fourth chapter and must be mentioned in your book description.Deadline April 2, 2023 https://neovel.io/contest/the-mysterious-case-contest

Mystery – Suspense Contests Listed for 2024 – more may be added. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/suspense/

2024 Autumn House Nonfiction Prize Is Now Open.  The submission period closes April 30, 2024 (Eastern Time). We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by August 1, 2024. The winner will receive book publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book. https://www.autumnhouse.org/submissions/nonfiction/?mc_cid=eb8172a50c&mc_eid=f81dd88185

​Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers – $1,000 and publication in Boulevard awarded to the winning essay by a writer who has not yet published a book of fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction with a nationally distributed press. We open submissions for the 2024 nonfiction contest on June 1, 2024.  Deadline: September 30, 2024 https://www.boulevardmagazine.org/nonfiction-contest

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Check the list for what they are currently accepting and deadlines. https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

2024 Below are tables listing various essay contests and other non-fiction writing competitions, prizes and awards. Some are academic, some offer scholarships and others are just for fun.  Please read and make sure you fully understand the rules and the terms & conditions of each competition listed before entering. https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/essay-contests-and-non-fiction-writing-competitions.php

CNFC – CREATIVE NONFICTION COLLECTIVE

2024 CNFC-HLR nonfiction contest.  Closes February 2024 The Humber Literary Review (HLR) and the Creative Nonfiction Collective Society (CNFC) have joined forces to bring you a Canada-wide creative nonfiction contest. Winners will be announced in the spring of 2024. https://creativenonfictioncollective.ca/cnf-contest/

Inspired by the mission and role of the town common, an egalitarian gathering place, The Common aims to foster the global exchange of diverse ideas and experiences. As such, we welcome and encourage submissions from writers who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, LGBTQIA+-identifying, immigrant, international, and/or otherwise from communities underrepresented in U.S. literary magazines and journals. We seek stories, essays, poems, and dispatches that embody a strong sense of place: pieces in which the setting is crucial to character, narrative, mood, and language. We receive many submissions about traveling in foreign countries and discourage writers from submitting conventional travelogues in which narrators report on experiences abroad without reflecting on larger themes.   STORIES, ESSAYS, POETRY, and TRANSLATIONS: – March 1 – June 1 • September 1 – December 1 • Subscribers may submit year-round for free https://www.thecommononline.org/submit/

Newfound Prose Prize – The Newfound Prose Prize is awarded annually to a chapbook-length work of exceptional fiction or creative nonfiction. The work may be in the form of a long story or essay or a collection of short pieces (60 pages max). Other than the page limit, the only formal requirement is that some aspect of the work must inform or explore how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding.  Submission:  1 5 SEP 2022 thru 15 MAR 2023 https://newfound.org/prose-prize/

REEDY.COM/ NON FICTION CONTESTS

A large list of non-fiction contests for 2024. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/non-fiction/

The 2024 Writing Contest opens on Feb.19th.   The contest submission window is from February 19 – June 30, 2024 . The entry form is here. The entry fee is $35 per entry and includes a copy of the 2024 SFWC Writing Contest Anthology that will feature the winning work. Entries must fit into one of the following categories: https://www.sfwriters.org/2024-writing-contest-overview/

Welcome to the most comprehensive list of creative writing competitions, short story competitions, and various events for writers. Each item on our list includes basic information about max word count, associated fees, submission deadlines, and the maximum prize that can be won. Clicking on an item opens a new page featuring a more detailed description and a link to the organizer’s submission page. Events that are free to enter are highlighted.  Scroll to view contests. https://dystopianstories.com/writing-competitions-contests/

AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW

The 2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize will be open for entries from 1 July 2024 and will close on 7 October 2024 . It will be the twenty-first Porter Prize. Poetry: https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/prizes-programs/peter-porter-poetry-prize The  2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize  is now open for entries and will close at midnight on 7 October 2024 AEST. It is the twenty-first Porter Prize.

For the 2024 contest, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Kazim Ali. The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,500. The submission period opens May 1, 2024, and closes June 30, 2024 (Eastern Time). We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by October 1, 2024. https://www.autumnhouse.org/submissions/poetry/?mc_cid=d67a73259d&mc_eid=f81dd88185

Boulevard strives to publish only the finest in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. While we frequently publish writers with previous credits, we are very interested in less experienced or unpublished writers with exceptional promise. If you have practiced your craft and your work is the best it can be, send it to Boulevard. Poetry Deadline June 1, 2024 https://boulevard.submittable.com/submit

Inspired by the mission and role of the town common, an egalitarian gathering place, The Common aims to foster the global exchange of diverse ideas and experiences. As such, we welcome and encourage submissions from writers who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, disabled, LGBTQIA+-identifying, immigrant, international, and/or otherwise from communities underrepresented in U.S. literary magazines and journals. We seek stories, essays, poems, and dispatches that embody a strong sense of place: pieces in which the setting is crucial to character, narrative, mood, and language. We receive many submissions about traveling in foreign countries and discourage writers from submitting conventional travelogues in which narrators report on experiences abroad without reflecting on larger themes. https://www.thecommononline.org/submit/

CREATIVE WRITING INK POETRY PRIZE

The Creative Writing Ink Poetry Prize 2023 is open to writers across the globe, until May 31st 2023 at 4pm (GMT).  Poems do not need to follow any particular theme or genre, but must be written in English.  Poetry should not exceed 42 lines. https://creativewriting.ie/competitions/

DREAM QUEST ONE – POETRY & WRITING CONTEST

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest – SUMMER 2024 –  Deadline: September 30, 2024 –  All poems must be written or translated into the English language, 30 lines or fewer, and must be neatly hand printed or typed, using single or double line spacing, on any subject, theme, style, shape, or form. All entries must be original works. https://www.dreamquestone.com/rules/enter-now

HAMMOND HOUSE INTERNATIONAL

Our 2023 Writing Competition offers over £2000 in cash prizes, a televised Award Ceremony and the opportunity to be published in our annual anthologies. Sponsored by the University Centre Grimsby, this annual writing competition, now in its seventh year, attracts entries from up to 30 countries around the world.  Submission Deadline: 30th September 2023      RULES       CATEGORIES :    Short Story – Poetry – Scriptwriting – Songwriting 2024 International Literary Prize Opens Feb 24, 2024 – Closes Sep 30, 2024 https://www.hammondhouse.org.uk/2024-literary-prize

2024 The Short Fiction Contest. The contest is open to all writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Submissions must be 3000 words or fewer. The final judge will be acclaimed author Danielle Evans. The Kenyon Review will publish the winning short story, and the author will be awarded a scholarship to attend the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Additional info on the Writers Workshops is available here.    Every Year Jan 1 through Jan 31 Short Fiction Contest: https://kenyonreview.org/contests/short-fiction/ Short NonFiction Contest: https://kenyonreview.org/submit/short-nonfiction-contest/ Short Poetry Contest: https://kenyonreview.org/submit/poetry-contest/

300+ Writing Contests You Need to Enter in 2021 – If there’s one thing we need these days, it’s consistency. Something that proves not everything has changed. Something that gives you a bout of comfort given the current circumstances. So what better way to do that than to know 2021 comes with a host of writing contests for people of all ages from all around the world? Sort by Genre and Month https://blog.kotobee.com/writing-contests-2024/

THE ANZALDUA POETY PRIZE The Gloria E. Anzaldúa Poetry Prize is awarded annually to a poet whose work explores how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding. Special attention is given to poems that exhibit multiple vectors of thinking: artistic, theoretical, and social, which is to say, political.  Deadline 15 SEP 2023 https://newfound.org/poetry-prize/

Since 2002, NYC Midnight has hosted hundreds of inspiring competitions for storytellers around the world.  Participants are challenged to create original stories, screenplays, or films using assigned elements under time constraints.  If you enjoy a creative challenge, check out our upcoming competitions. • Short Story Challenge • Screenwriting Challenge • Flash Fiction Challenge • Microfiction Challenge/ • Short Screenplay Challenge http://www.nycmidnight.com 

POETRY MAMA

20 2024 Free poetry contests to enter..  Looking for online publishers, poetry contests or magazine for submissions is quite a monotonous and tiresome process in itself , let alone the chances of finding relevant info. But not anymore.  Here you’ll find monthly updated contests and submission portals that’ll help you grow as beginners and support your writing career at the same. Every contest is provided with all the information you need to know before submitting to it. Poets from all nationalities can take part in the poetry contests without worrying about submission fee. So, go writers. https://poetrymama.com/poetry-contests/

POETS & WRITERS WRITING CONTESTS, GRANTS & AWARDS

The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.  Sort by Genre, date, etc., using their filter https://www.pw.org/grants?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_Y29xan-5QIVGKSzCh3cQwAmEAMYAiAAEgJXqvD_BwE

Several contests listed. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/poetry/

TCK PUBLISHING SHORT STORY CONTEST

The TCK Publishing Flash Fiction Contest is an international short story contest established in 2021. Each year’s prizewinner receives a $1,000 honorarium and publication of his or her short story on the TCK Publishing website. List of contests:  https://www.tckpublishing.com/2024-poetry-awards-contest/ general submissions: https://www.tckpublishing.com/submission-guidelines/

Welcome to the 22nd annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $10,000 in prizes. Please submit during April 15-October 1, 2024. https://winningwriters.com/our-contests/tom-howard-margaret-reid-poetry-contest

Several contests listed…. scroll to find them. https://www.writermag.com/contests/

WOC THIS WAY FOR POETRY

Submissions for the Summer, 2024 issue open April 15 – June 15, 2024 https://wocthiswayforpoetry.wordpress.com/guidelines/

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE WRITERS

As the name suggests, we are a group of writers from around the world who love – and write – contemporary romance and contemporary romantic fiction of all sorts. Our members write all contemporary sub-genres from spicy to inspirational, young adult to adult, real-world to paranormal, and more. Contemporary Romance written or published in the previous calendar year.  Unpublished and Published Divisions, Categories include:Contemporary Romance (Long, Mid, Short), Romantic Suspense, Women’s , Fiction/Chick Lit, Young Adult/New Adult, Erotica, Contemp. Speculative Romance (Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi)  DEADLINE MARCH 31. 2003 https://contemporaryromance.org/2023-stiletto-contest/

L ove Inspired Suspense  is actively seeking submissions! Check out our editors’ wishlist. If you have a contemporary inspirational romantic suspense of about 55,000 words, we invite you to submit.

Our editors are acquiring stories for a new romance line coming to Harlequin in January 24 –  Afterglow Books!  Aimed at a broad readership, including the under-35 romance reader, we’re looking for spicy romances grounded in relatable character journeys. Everyone deserves a love story that’s true to who they are.

Harlequin is looking to publish more romance stories by authors in underrepresented communities,  We welcome all writers to the Harlequin community and want readers to see themselves reflected in the romantic stories we publish. Use https://www.writeforharlequin.com/submission-calls/

LEAGUE OF ROMANCE WRITERS

The League of Romance Writers would like to announce our upcoming Romance Writing Contest, The 2023 Emily. The contest will open for submissions on September 1, 2023, and close on October 2, 2023.  Finalists will be decided by our First Round judges, and we have an awesome line-up of agent and editor judges, who will decide the winner in each category. The winners will be announced at a fun ceremony in February 2023, at which winners receive Emily Pins and learn if an agent or editor has requested to see more of their manuscript.   Opens September 1, 2024 https://leagueromwriters.com/theemily/contest-information/

NEW JERSEY ROMANCE WRITERS

​The Golden Leaf is awarded annually for excellence in published romantic fiction. All published authors are welcome to enter books published opens June 1, 2024 – August , 2024 You do not have to be a member of NJRW to take part. https://www.njromancewriters.org/golden-leaf-2024.html

ORANGE COUNTY ROMANCE WRITERS

OCRW is very excited that the Book Buyers Best contest is running in 2023. However, we are greatly saddened that the Orange Rose Contest for unpublished authors will be on hiatus for 2023. The Orange Rose has been an exemplary contest providing authors with valuable feedback and contacts for many years. We are hopeful that 2024 will see a resurgence of energy and put the Orange Rose back on target! See below for our 2022 finalists. https://ocromancewriters.org/contests/orange-rose-contest/

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITERS ASSOCIATION

Writing contest with several genre, for both published and non-published authors.  Site is a little hard to read and some items are underlined that are not links, however some bold items are actually hyperlinks.  Online registration is available until: 4/15/2024 https://www.pnwa.org/page/writingcontest

2024 CONTESTS. Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult

https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/romance/

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA

NHRA’s 2024 Romance Novel Blurb Contest Sponsor: New Hampshire Romance Writers of America Chapter How and When to Enter: On or after March 15, 2024, submit an application that includes a PDF of your blurb and a fee of $20 per contest submission (maximum of two; fee is $15 for New Hampshire Romance Writers of America members) Dates: March 15- April 30, 2024 More information:  https://nhrwa.wordpress.com/special-events/2024-blurb-contest/

Other Events:  https://www.rwa.org/Online/Events/Chapter_Events.aspx

SCIENCE FICTION - HORROR

The 2024 Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction: https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

THE LIGHT BRINGER PROJECT

Submissions Closed The Omega Sci-Fi Project invites Los Angeles County high school students to submit their short science fiction stories to The Tomorrow Prize. The Tomorrow Prize encourages young writers to use sci-fi to explore the diverse issues humanity wrestles with, spark creative solutions, and unite the worlds of art and science. https://www.lightbringerproject.org/science-fiction-competitions

The 28th annual Parsec Short Story Contest will open on January 1st and close on March 31st, 2024. The 2024 Contest theme is “AI mythology” We ask that authors try and incorporate both concepts into their speculative work. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. https://parsec-sff.org/short-story-contest/

Here you can find a large list of publishers as well as a list of awards and contests. https://publishersarchive.com/scifi-fantasy-contests

So far 58 science fiction Fantasy contests listed. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/science-fiction/

ENTER THE WRITER CONTEST – 3rd Quarter 2024 – Deadline: June 30, 2024 This Contest will run from April 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024.  Deadline is 11:59 p.m. June 30, 2024 Pacific Standard Time. https://www.writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

SCREENWRITING

La screen play awards.com.

SUBMISSIONS:  This is the only screenplay competition founded by a team of working Hollywood professionals with more than 1,000 produced credits and a century of collective industry experience.  Our roster of Senior Judges includes multiple Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and WGA Award Winners. Feature Screenplay   https://lascreenplayawards.com/feature-screenplay/ TV Script   https://lascreenplayawards.com/tv-script/ Short Screenplay   https://lascreenplayawards.com/short-screenplay/   https://lascreenplayawards.com/

Screen Writing Competition kicks off March 2024 – register now. CLICK on Challenges in top Menu Bar http://www.nycmidnight.com 

PAGE INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITING AWARDS

All Contests:   https://pageawards.com/the-contest/

SELF PUBLISHING

Several contests listed.  Use the sorting options to find deadlines. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/

SELF PUBLISHING:  North Street Book Prize – 10th year. Your self-published or hybrid-published book can win up to $10,000 plus expert marketing services. Mainstream/Literary Fiction – Genre Fiction (e.g. romance, mystery, thriller, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, etc.) – Creative Nonfiction & Memoir (definition) – Poetry – Children’s Picture Book – Middle Grade – Graphic Novel & Memoir – Art Book (definition) https://winningwriters.com/our-contests/north-street-book-prize?utm_campaign=north-globesoup-email-2406&utm_medium=email&utm_source=globesoup

SHORT STORY / ESSAY / ANTHOLOGY

Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our second Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.  Submission deadline for Volume 2 : April 30, 2024. SROLL BELOW 2023 AWARD IMAGE https://warmmugofcozy.com/anthology-submission/

ABR welcomes entries in the 2024 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. The Jolley Prize is worth a total of $12,500 and is for an original work of short fiction of between 2,000 and 5,000 words, written in English. This is the fifteenth time the Jolley Prize has run and it is one of the world’s leading prizes for short fiction.  Prize Money: $12,500 (first prize: $6,000, second prize: $4,000, third prize: $2,500)  Dates:  Opens 16 January and closes 22 April https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/prizes-programs/elizabeth-jolley-story-prize/current-prize

Welcome to the most comprehensive list of creative writing competitions, short story competitions, and various events for writers. Each item on our list includes basic information about max word count, associated fees, submission deadlines, and the maximum prize that can be won. Clicking on an item opens a new page featuring a more detailed description and a link to the organizer’s submission page. Events that are free to enter are highlighted. https://dystopianstories.com/writing-competitions-contests/

Essays, Short Stories, Novelettes, and Novellas Chanticleer International Book Awards is seeking the Best New SHORTS in FICTION We have five categories: One solo entry per genre division is $45 (one Short Story, one Novelette, one Novella, or one Essay)  Collections – three categories – an additional $54 per collection ($99 per collection entry) : https://www.chantireviews.com/category/contests/

Below are tables listing various short story competitions. Some are based in the UK, some are global. Some contests are of high renown (like the BBC Short Story Award or the Bridport Prize), offering huge prizes, and some are lesser known, but offer great opportunities for newer writers to become published authors. I will try and keep this list up to date, but please check the rules and dates on the different competition websites before entering.   PLEASE NOTE:  Most of the competitions listed on this page accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world. The country each competition is run from is listed so you know which global market you are submitting to. https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/book-and-novel-competitions.php

CREATIVE WRITING INK

2024 .  Stories do not need to follow any particular theme or genre, but must be written in English.  Maximum word count is 3000 words.  1st prize: £1000, plus a free creative writing course of the winner’s choice and publication on our site.  2 runners-up: £200 each.  Entry fee: £9.  Final judge: Lucie Brownlee. Various competitions to choose from. https://creativewritingink.co.uk/competitions/ Short Story: https://creativewritingink.co.uk/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2024/

CREATIVE WRITING NZ

The Creative Writing NZ Short Story Prize 2024 is open for entries from January 30th, 2024.  The deadline for receipt of all entries is 11.59pm(NZST) on April 30, 2024.  Entries will only be accepted through Duosuma. https://creativewriting.co.nz/competition/the-creative-writing-nz-short-story-prize-2024/

Gotham always has a writing contest (or two) going. These contests are a great way to stretch your talent and imagination, and we dangle nice prizes to give you extra motivation. Check out our current contests. And it’s worth a look at the winners and finalists in our past contests; the quality of work always amazes us. https://www.writingclasses.com/contests

GOTHAM WRITERS

2024 Writing Contests – Gotham always has a writing contest (or two) going. These contests are a great way to stretch your talent and imagination, and we dangle nice prizes to give you extra motivation. Check out our current contests. And it’s worth a look at the winners and finalists in our past contests; the quality of work always amazes us. https://www.writingclasses.com/contests

CATEGORIES:   Short Story – Poetry – Scriptwriting – Songwriting https://www.hammondhouse.org.uk/writing-competitions

2024 The Short Fiction Contest. The contest is open to all writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Submissions must be 3000 words or fewer. The final judge will be acclaimed author Danielle Evans. The Kenyon Review will publish the winning short story, and the author will be awarded a scholarship to attend the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Additional info on the Writers Workshops is available here.    Every Year Jan 1 through Jan 31 Short Fictipn Contest: https://kenyonreview.org/contests/short-fiction/ Short NonFiction Contest: https://kenyonreview.org/submit/short-nonfiction-contest/ Short Poetry Contest: https://kenyonreview.org/submit/poetry-contest/

KNIGHT WRITING PRESS

We are looking for darker legends of the mermaid. Sirens, womenfolk (fishfolk?) who lure men into the sea. Of the men (or their wives!) who seek revenge for lost loves, lost fortunes, and wrecked ships. We want Tails of Tragedy and Terror, Stories of Sails and Seas an. for how the boy and girl can or should or could interact, even when fictitious and obviously untrue.  DEADLINE AUG, 31,2 024 https://knightwritingpress.com/open-and-upcoming-submissions/

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING, SHARON LEDWITH

The 28th annual Parsec Short Story Contest will open on January 1st and close on March 31st, 2024.  The 2024 Contest theme is “AI mythology”  We ask that authors try and incorporate both concepts into their speculative work. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. https://parsec-sff.org/short-story-contest/

Here you can find a large list of publishers as well as a list of awards and contests. short story contests:  https://publishersarchive.com/short-story-contests https://publishersarchive.com/scifi-fantasy-contests

Several contestsf listed keep scrolling. NEW Enter our short story competition – Submit a short story based on one of 5 weekly prompts. Winners get $50 and will feature on our app! Sign up to get this week’s prompts. https://https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests

The TCK Publishing Flash Fiction Contest is an international short story contest established in 2021. Each year’s prizewinner receives a $1,000 honorarium and publication of his or her short story on the TCK Publishing website. Submission close June 30, 2024 List of contests:  https://www.tckpublishing.com/2024-poetry-awards-contest/ general submissions: https://www.tckpublishing.com/submission-guidelines/

H.G.WELLS SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The annual HG Wells Fiction Short Story Competition offers a £500 Senior and £1,000 Junior prize and free publication of all shortlisted entries in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology.  the closing date is Monday 8th July 2024 and entries will be accepted up to 11pm (BST) on that date. https://hgwellscompetition.com/

Currently on hiaitus. https://www.writermag.com/the-writer-contests/500-word-contest-2023/

The Writing District List of Contests https://thewritingdistrict.com/contests/

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Building u – student opportunities.

For Students by Students.  A large filterable list of things for students, including writing contests.  THERE IS A CLEAR NEED to identify and address factors that most significantly impact the odds of successful outcomes for high school students as they move forward in their present and make plans for their postsecondary future.  INDEPENDENT RESEARCH in both Canada and the US suggests that the biggest factors contributing to successful postsecondary outcomes are: awareness of and good information around relevant options, and self-determined decision-making and planning. https://building-u.com/opportunities/

KET EDUCATION

The 2024 KET Young Writers Contest will launch on January 1 and run through March 31. If your writers would like to get started ahead of time, the contest categories, rules and rubrics are available below. Need some inspiration? https://education.ket.org/young-writers-contest/

Now accepting submissions for the Promising Young Writers – Deadline FEB 15, 2024 https://ncte.org/awards/promising-young-writers/

Where young writers can find print and online literary magazines to read, places to publish their own works, and legitimate contests. Some publish only young writers, some publish all ages for young readers. For specific submission guidelines, visit the publication’s website. Ages can include elementary, teen, or early college. This is an ad-free resource: publications and writing contests listed here have not paid to be included. This guide is maintained by Editor Denise Hill, a teacher who loves to encourage young writers. Contestes listed for 2024, monthly, updated regularly. Scroll down to DEADLINE DATES and choose month. https://www.newpages.com/young-writers-guide/young-writers-guide-to-contests/

NORTH SOUTH FOUNDATION

The primary goal of NorthSouth Foundation contests is to foster the spirit of competition and learning among the youth. Parents and children should focus on the joy of learning and interacting with other writing participants rather than on the possible outcome of the contest. Specifically, the NorthSouth Foundation Essay contest is intended to encourage writing skills, which demand quick thinking, good organization of ideas and cohesive writing style.  In addition to all the general contest rules stated by North South Foundation, the following rules are applicable for Essay Writing Bee (Leadership In Writing) Competition. There are 3 levels of competition in Essay Bee:Essay Writing Level 1 (EW1): Grades 3, 4 and 5 Essay Writing Level 2 (EW2): Grades 6, 7 and 8 Essay Writing Level 3 (EW3): Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 https://northsouth.org/public/LandingPage/Contest

ONE YEAR ADVENTURE NOVEL

Deadline: 11:59 p.m. CDT, August 15, 2024  Every year, we run a free novel contest for our students. Any One Year Adventure Novel student under 20 who has a valid curriculum license and who finishes a novel that meets the course requirements can submit. https://clearwaterpress.com/oneyearnovel/events/young-writers-novel-contest/

The Best Children’s Writing Contests of 2024– Writing competitions curated by Reedsy https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/children-s/

A list of the Best Student Writing Contests for 2024-2025.   Help your students take their writing to the next level.  When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are an easy and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience—a real panel of judges—and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of student writing contests below. From poetry to plays, essays to science fiction, there is something for everyone. See if any of them suit your curriculum, and get prepared to see some motivated students. https://www.weareteachers.com/?s=CONTESTS

Young Writers was established in 1991 in a small warehouse in Eastern England and has blossomed into a worldwide brand! Today, Young Writers is still a modest family-run business, but on a much bigger scale than its humble beginnings.  We pride ourselves on encouraging young writers to read, write and enjoy poetry as well as creative writing. Having work published boosts confidence, nurtures creative talent and showcases creativity.

• ELEMENTARY –   https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/elementary
• MIDDLE & HIGH –  https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/middle-high
• ALL AGED: –  https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/all-ages

TEENS AND WRITING YOUNG ADULT

The 2024 Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction:  Literary Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Nonfiction https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

New Memoir Award.   We all have a story to tell about ourselves, the good, the bad and the how did I end up there? Our memoir award celebrates the life story, a fragment in time or rear view mirror look at what was and now is. https://bridportprize.org.uk/memoir-award-coming-soon/

COLLEGE TRANSITIONS

Below, we’ve selected twenty-five writing competitions for high school students and sorted them by three general topics: 1) language, literature and arts, 2) STEM, environment and sustainability, and 3) politics, history and philosophy. It’s never too soon to begin thinking about your future college prospects, and even if you are a freshman, many of these writing competitions for high schoolers will be open to you. https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/writing-competitions-for-high-school-students/

GIRLS WRITE NOW

Contest sources for youth.  Scroll down for 2024 contests. https://girlswritenow.org/resource/writing-contests/

HANGING LOOSE MAGAZINE

(Year Round)  This magazine invites high school students to submit their poetry or short stories for publication as well as payment if selected. This is open to high school students ages 9-12. Visit their page for more information https://www.hangingloosepress.com/submissions/

Where young writers can find print and online literary magazines to read, places to publish their own works, and legitimate contests. Some publish only young writers, some publish all ages for young readers. For specific submission guidelines, visit the publication’s website. Ages can include elementary, teen, or early college. This is an ad-free resource: publications and writing contests listed here have not paid to be included. This guide is maintained by Editor Denise Hill, a teacher who loves to encourage young writers. Sort Deadline by Month: Scroll down and select Month. https://www.newpages.com/writers-resources/young-writers-guide-to-contests

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Not yet updated to 2024.  STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE, FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, FOR TEACHERS 25 Writing Contests and Publication Opportunities for Teens  by Marianna Vertsman, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) Have to scroll down the page to see the Contests. https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/10/26/writing-competitions-young-adults

PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS

• TEEN INK : is one of the most popular and diverse writing spaces to get published in high school. The broad categories for publication reflect the diversity of writing that this lively online magazine celebrates. Some publication categories include: community service, travel and culture, the environment, health, reviews of TV shows and video games, and college essays, among the more traditional poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. https://www.teenink.com/submit
• AGNI : Not yet updated to  2024  is Boston University’s well-respected journal. It appears in both print and online. AGNI submissions are not limited to high school writers, but the journal is known to accept and publish lots of work by new writers. Get published in high school at AGNI and you’ve taken an important step to becoming a writer in the real world! Find them online at: http://www.bu.edu/agni/submit.html
• THE ADROIT JOURNA L: CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS. is run by high school students, college students, and emerging writers. Adroit publishes within “over 21” and “under 21” categories, so your writing will appear alongside great work by writers of any age. Adroit publishes fiction and poetry, and includes art and photography. http://www.theadroitjournal.org/
• EMBER : CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS  only published twice a year, but this beautiful and dreamy journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction appeals to all age groups. Although it doesn’t exclusively publish young writers, submissions from writers and artists ages 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged. Submissions open in February of 2021. For more details, visit them online at: http : //emberjournal.org/
• POLYPHONY LIT :  invites submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction from high school students worldwide. Student editors provide feedback to all submissions, including the ones not accepted for publication. Scroll down for 2024 dedlines. https://www.polyphonylit.org/copy-of-submit

The Best Children’s Writing Contests of 2022 – Writing competitions curated by Reedsy https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/children-s/

The 2024 Writing Contest opens on Feb.19th.   Deadline June 30, 2024 The contest submission window is from February 19 – June 30, 2024. The entry form is here. The entry fee is $35 per entry and includes a copy of the 2024 SFWC Writing Contest Anthology that will feature the winning work. Entries must fit into one of the following categories: https://www.sfwriters.org/2024-writing-contest-overview/

SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS

Are you a visionary? Are you an original thinker? The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has been empowering young talent since 1923. This competition is  open for grades 7th –12th and has a submission period from September – December. http://www.hotdishmagazine.com/submit.html

The 2024 Writing Competition – Deadline: February 29, 2024 (11:59pm CDT) – Essay category – Focusing on introducing students and young adults to Korean culture and history through literature, our essay category utilizes folk tales and contemporary literature to explore Korean culture, past and present. https://sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/index.php

SELECT YOUTH CONTESTS

• HOT DISH MAGAZINE , an online journal serving up a bubbling mixture of poetry and fiction by teens (grades 9–12), wants your voice to be heard! We award cash prizes for fiction, poetry, and the Hot Dish Challenge. Our submission period is October-January. Visit us at http://www.hotdishmagazine.com/submit.html
• GIRLS RIGHT THE WORLD  is a literary journal inviting young, female-identified writers and artists, ages 14–21, to submit work for consideration for the fourth annual issue. We believe girls’ voices transform the world for the better. We accept poetry, prose, and visual art of any style or theme. We ask to be the first to publish your work in North America; after publication, the rights return to you. Please include a note mentioning your age, where you’re from, and a bit about your submission. Send your best work, in English or English translation, to [email protected] between September 1 and December 31. https://www.girlswritenow.org/contests/
• THE LUMIERE REVIEW – CLOSED  is a literary magazine dedicated to shining the light on all voices (particularly young creatives) through poetry, prose, and art. We’ll be running our first annual writing contest for poetry and prose, which will be open for submission from December 1st to January 15th. Updates will be made on our social media accounts (@lumierereview on twitter and instagram). https://lumierereview.com/contest.

TAMPA BAY TIMES

An Annual Writing Contest For T ampa Bay Area High Schools – he Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing Award seeks to nurture and recognize the creativity and talent of young writers in the Tampa Bay area. It was established to encourage aspiring authors to explore the genres of science fiction and fantasy and to experiment with the short story format.  Entries are judged by a panel of experts including professional fantasy and science fiction authors and Tampa Bay Times staff. https://clients.tampabay.com/2024/writing-contest/home/index.html

WOMEN WRITING THER WEST BLOG

– We welcome any content, written by real writers who show an understanding and expertise in a chosen topic. – Submissions must be useful for building stronger writing platforms, practical or technical, that readers can use immediately or tag for future. – Previously published work relating a specific topic from the suggested list, is acceptable. – WWW cannot work with agency writers and cannot accept submissions that include political or religious views. https://womenwritingthewest.wordpress.com/about-2/www-blog-submission-guidelines/

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• A Writers Dream-The Home Office
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WRITING CONTESTS

• 2024 AUG Writing Contests
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• 2023 DEC Contests, Workshops, Webinars
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• A Guide to Assessing Writing Contests

⭐ Posted 09-1-2024

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• Writing Tips

5 International Writing Competitions for Authors [Updated for 2023]

5-minute read

• 29th March 2022

​​Writing competitions are great opportunities for authors to practice and perfect their writing. Winners can receive monetary prizes, publications, meetings with agents, and feedback from literary experts.

If you’re looking for inspiration to get you out of a writing slump, we have five international writing contests for you to enter this year, including competitions for short stories and poetry :

1 & 2. University of Pittsburgh Press

The University of Pittsburgh Press , a publisher out of Pittsburgh, PA, holds four writing contests each year.

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize :

●  Submission Type : An unpublished manuscript of short stories, two or more novellas, or a combination of both; manuscripts should be 150–300 pages

●  Accepting Submissions : May 1, 2023–June 30, 2023

●  Who Can Enter : Any author, regardless of residence, who’s published a book-length collection of fiction with a reputable book publisher or has had at least three short stories or novellas published in nationally distributed magazines or literary journals

●  Submission Fee : Free

●  Prize(s) : $15,000, press publication, and assistance with national book promotion

●  Rules : Submissions must be written in English. Manuscripts under consideration by other publishers are allowed but should be withdrawn if publication is then offered elsewhere

The Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize , which was named in honor of the publisher’s first director:

●  Submission Type : Poetry manuscripts of 40–100 pages

●  Accepting Submissions : March 1, 2022–April 30, 2023

●  Who Can Enter : Any poet who’s not published a full-length book of poetry (i.e., in a volume of 48 or more pages in an edition of 500 or more copies)

●  Submission Fee : $25 per manuscript

●  Prize(s) : $5,000 and publication by the press as part of the Pitt Poetry Series

●  Rules : Submissions must be in English, and manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed but should be withdrawn if publication is then offered elsewhere

Additional submission guidelines and information about previous winners can be found on each prize’s website.

3. Aesthetica Magazine

Aesthetica Magazine , an international art and culture magazine, hosts art, film, and writing contests each year.

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award :

●  Submission Type : Poetry entries of no more than 40 lines, and short fiction entries of no more than 2,000 words

●  Theme : Any subject is welcome, except those that particularly “reflect upon our ever-changing world”

●  Accepting Submissions : Until August 31, 2023

●  Who Can Enter : Any established or emerging author, regardless of age or residence

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●  Submission Fee : £12 for each poetry submission, and £18 for each short fiction submission; unlimited entries per author

●  Prizes : Includes £2,500 for each poetry and short fiction winner, and publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual

●  Rules : Submissions must be in English, and works that have been published or are under consideration elsewhere are accepted

On the website, there are more submission rules and a complete list of prizes.

4. Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize

The international bookstore, Desperate Literature , of Madrid, Spain, hosts an annual short fiction prize.

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize :

●  Submission Type : Original unpublished works of fiction of 2,000 words or less

●  Accepting Submissions : Until April 30, 2023

●  Who Can Enter : Any author, regardless of residence, who’s 18 years of age or older at the time of submission

●  Submission Fee : €20 for the first entry, and €10 for each additional entry; maximum of five entries per author

●  Prizes : The winner receives €1,500 and consultation with a literary agent, among other things, while runners-up each receive €750

●  Rules : Submissions must be written in English. Work already considered elsewhere will be accepted as long as it’s withdrawn at the time of selection

For more submission guidelines and a full list of prizes (including literary residencies and festival invitations!), visit the website. There’s also more information there about sponsored entries, which are free entries for underrepresented authors or those suffering financial hardship.

5. Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest

The American literary journal, Ploughshares , based out of Emerson College in Boston, MA, awards literary prizes to authors and holds a writing contest.

The Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Contest :

●  Submission Type : Unpublished original fiction and nonfiction works of 6,000 words or less, as well as poetry of 3–5 pages

●  Accepting Submissions : March 1, 2023–May 15, 2023

●  Who Can Enter : Any author who doesn’t have a published or self-published book; international authors should email ([email protected]) for further submission guidelines

●  Submission Fee : One submission per author is included for $24, which includes a one-year subscription to the journal and a free submission for current journal subscribers.

●  Prizes : Includes $2,000 for each author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and publication in the Ploughshares Winter 2023–2024 issue

●  Rules : Submissions must be in English, and work already considered elsewhere will be accepted

For more submission guidelines and a full list of prizes, visit the website.

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The Comprehensive List of 2024 Writing Contests

• on Dec 14, 2023
• in International Writing Events
• Last update: June 25th, 2024

Anyone who has participated in writing events before–such as NaNoWriMo –knows how effective it can be to write against the clock, and that’s where writing contests come in! These contests can be a great way to develop your skills, challenge yourself against other writers, and, above all else, win an award for your work!

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, writing contests can be a great way to boost your skills, challenge yourself, and get your work in front of a wider audience. With so many contests to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the top writing contests for 2024. Whether you’re interested in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or children’s writing, there’s sure to be a contest on this list that’s perfect for you. So what are you waiting for? Start writing and get your submissions in!

Mississippi Review Contest

Eligibility & Restrictions

The contest is open to all writers in English except current or former students or employees of The University of Southern Mississippi. Fiction and non-fiction entries should be 1000-8000 words; poetry entries should be three to five poems, totaling ten pages or less.

Mississippi Review Prize

Submit three to five poems totaling up to 10 pages, or a short story or an essay of 1,000 to 8,000 words,

Southeast Review: World’s Best Short-Short Story Contest

Send up to three short-short stories per submission. Each short-short should be no more than 500 words. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.

Southeast Review: Gearhart Poetry Contest

Send up to three poems, no more than 10 pages total. Include no more than one poem per page. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.

Southeast Review: Ned Stuckey-French Nonfiction Contest

Send essays up to 10 pages. Do not include personal identification information within your submissions.

Robert Watson Literary Prize

Entries must be previously unpublished. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 typed, double-spaced pages for fiction. Each story counts as one entry. Poetry entries can include any number of poems up to 10 pages, but they recommend 5 to 7 poems per submission.

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

The submitted poem can be up to 70 lines. The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world. There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome.

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

The submitted short stories can be up to 5000 words. The Prize is open to anyone, from anywhere in the world. There are no theme or genre restrictions: all entries welcome.

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Submitted poems can be of any length, subject, or style. Each contestant can submit up to three poems.

Emma Howell Rising Poet Prize

Poets 35 years old and younger who have not previously published a book-length poetry manuscript are eligible. Poets who have previously published chapbooks are welcome to enter. Manuscripts that have been submitted in previous years may be resubmitted.

Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize

Entry must be short prose by African-American writers in North Carolina. Entries may be fiction or creative non-fiction, but must be unpublished, no more than 3,000 words, and concerned with the lives and experiences of North Carolina African-Americans. Entries may be excerpts from longer works, but must be self-contained.

Immerse Education Essay Competition

The Immerse Education Essay Competition is open to entries from young people aged 12-18 interested in all subjects, from Architecture to Medicine, Creative Writing to Film Studies.

DISQUIET Prize

Anyone above 18 can enter. Only previously unpublished work in English can be submitted. Entries should be the work of a single author. For fiction: ONE short story or novel excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For non-fiction: ONE nonfiction piece or book excerpt, maximum 25 (double-spaced) pages per entry. For poetry: No more than SIX poems per entry, up to 10 pages total.

Fan Story 80 Word Flash Fiction Contest

A drabble is a flash fiction story that uses 80 words. That is the challenge of this contest. Write a story (on any topic) using 80 words. The title does not count towards the word count. The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.

The Winter Anthology Contest

Anyone can enter. Please send as much poetry or prose of which you are the sole author and that were not written earlier than 1999.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Essays can be no more than 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 700 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count. Essays must be the original work of the student. Essays must have a minimum of five sources.

Colorado Prize for Poetry

The competition is open to anyone, except Colorado State University students, alumni, and employees. Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages but no more than 100 pages. They may be composed of any number of poems. The theme and style are both open. Manuscripts may consist of poems that have been published, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished.

William Matthews Poetry Prize

Submit 3 poems in a single file, any style, any subject, any length. Previously published work and translations are not eligible. Simultaneous submissions are accepted.

Desert Writers Award

The application requires a project proposal, a biographical statement, and a writing sample of no more than 10 pages. Please submit all materials in one document.

Rattle Chapbook Prize

Each poet may submit 15–30 pages of poems in English only (no translations). Individual poems may be previously published in any format, but the manuscript as a whole must be unpublished as a collection.

Driftwood Press Poem Contest

Submitters may send up to five poems in a single document for consideration. Each poem must not exceed sixty lines. Prose poetry, experimental poetry, and poetry with a visual element are all welcome. Any submissions should be written primarily in English.

Rose Post Creative Non-Fiction Contest

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Simultaneous submissions are ok, but please notify them immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 3,500 words.

Storytellers of Tomorrow Contest

All high-school-age students are invited to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 9th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.

Driftwood Press Short Story Contest

The entry should be between 1,000-5,000 words. The work must not have been previously published. Submit works written in English only, no translations.

Bethesda Essay Contest

Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Your essay must be your original work. Any essays containing material that is obscene or objectionable will be disqualified. Previously published essays are not eligible for Adult Submissions. Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Frederick) and Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria) are eligible. High School entries must be residents or attend a school in Montgomery County, MD or Washington, D.C.

The Cooper Prize | Norwich Writers

Write a ghost short story (2000 words max) with a strong male character. Word Limit: 2000 words. It can be set in any time – present day, the past, or even a sci-fi ghost story set in the future.

NYC Midnight: The Short Story Challenge

There are four rounds of competition. In each round, writers are placed randomly in groups and are assigned a genre, subject, and character assignment. Writers have to write an original story based on the assignment within a given time limit. The word limit decreases in each round, from 2,500 words in the 1st Round to 1,250 words in the 4th Round

Law Day Contest

This contest is only open to students who live in Oklahoma. Entries are limited to one per student in each contest.

Fan Story My Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a poem that is about your faith or how faith has impacted your life. Any type of poem accepted.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. They are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected.

This Sentence Starts The Story

Anyone can enter. Write a story that starts with this sentence: The house was empty. You have the option to put it in quotes (for dialogue) and to change the punctuation at the end for proper grammar.

Retreat West First Chapter Competition

Submit your first chapter only. International entries are welcome but first chapters must be written in English and can be up to 3,000 words (no minimum word count) and on any theme and subject (except children’s fiction).

Room 204 Writer Development Scheme

Please submit up to three examples of your creative writing. Your submission should total no more than 3,000 words – this is 3,000 words for all three examples, not 3,000 words each.

Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed for the week. A modicum of poetic license is acceptable, as long as the original spelling is intact. Poems should be newly written, during this 7-day period. There is no limit to volume of entries. Entrants should be at least 18 years of age at the date of submission.

Fan Story Take A Photo Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem about a photo you’ve taken.

Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

All entries must be formatted as a single-spaced word document or PDF. Font: Arial, 12pt. This is to standardise entries so that all stories are treated equally. Only entries that are under the 1000-word limit (not including the title) will be accepted.

Magma Poetry Competition

The competition is open to anyone, including non-UK residents, except Magma Poetry Board members and their families. Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online, broadcast, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time.

Pulp Fictional

All stories to be written in English. Stories must be your own work and not have been published, in any way, online or in print, or won any other competitions. Anyone over the age of 18 can enter. You can enter as many times as you want but must pay each time.

Parracombe Prize 2024

To enter this contest, simply submit a short story of no more than 2,023 words. Entries must be in English, your own original work, and must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.

The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

The competition is for anyone aged 16 and over, from anywhere in the world. Poems must be in English, your original work, on any subject, in any style, no longer than 40 lines. Poems should have neither been published elsewhere (including self-published) by 16th April 2024.

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

The entries can’t have been previously published. Maximum number of words is 4,000 in English.

Lancashire Authors’ Association Open Competition

Anyone 16 or above can enter. The story must be exactly 100 words. Entries must be original, unpublished work which is not currently submitted for publication or entered into any other competition or award.

The BookLife Prize

Both unpublished or self-published books in the English language are eligible for the BookLife Prize. Entries must contain 40,000 to 100,000 words.

Clash of the Query Letters

One page—maximum 500 words. Only original, unpublished, unrepresented work may be submitted. Word documents & PDFs are accepted. The winning submissions will be published on the Chopping Blog. All entrants will be notified of winners and shortlist by email.

Arts & Letters Prize

Send only one submission per genre at any one time. In other words, submitting a short story and an essay at the same time is fine, but please wait to hear from them before submitting another story. All submissions must be typed and all prose double-spaced.

Norm Strung Youth Writing Awards

Students may enter one piece of writing between 500 and 1,000 words in length, typed, and double spaced. Each entry must be original work of the entrant, and have an out door theme.

Joe Gouveia Outermost Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Send up to 5 of your best unpublished poems, any style or subject matter, no more than 7 pages in total.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award

All entries must be Canadian-authored titles published in English between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 and available through bookstores and libraries. Only first collections of short fiction are eligible. Co-authored or multi-authored collections are not eligible. Posthumously published works are not eligible.

The Fiction Desk

Submitted stories should be between 1,000 and 10,000 words in length; please do not send anything longer or shorter than this. Most of the stories published are between about 2,000 and 7,000 words.

River of Words Competition

The contest is open to K–12th grade students, ages 5–19. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older. Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). For ASL poetry, please include a brief written summary of the poem’s content.

Cambridge Autumn Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “The Dilemma” .

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Open Poetry Competition

Poems may be on any subject, must be the original work of the entrant, unpublished and not accepted for publication in any medium. They must not have been awarded a prize in any other competition. Poems should be in English and not exceed 40 lines of text, no minimum. Titles, epigraphs, dedications and blank lines are not included in the line count.

The British Haiku Society Poetry competition

Anyone can enter. Submissions must be in English, unpublished and not concurrently entered for any other competition, and remain unpublished until the results are declared. Submissions should not appear in any print or online publication, social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), or forums as the competition is anonymous. There is no limit on the number of submissions per competitor.

The Tampa Review Prize for Poetry

Entrants should submit a collection of poems. Manuscripts must be previously unpublished. Some or all of the poems in the collection may have appeared in periodicals, chapbooks, or anthologies, but these must be identified. Manuscripts must be at least 48 typed pages. The preferred length is between 60 and 100 pages.

Cheshire Prize for Literature

The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished. You must have your parent’s or guardian’s consent to enter the competition if you are under the age of 18.

Fiction Factory Flash Fiction Competition

The max length of the story shouldn’t be more than 1,000 words, sent as a Word document. All types of stories are welcome (excluding Children’s and Young Adult Fiction).

Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest

The story cannot be longer than 100 words. Write on one of these topics: bicycles, eclipse, fire, suitcase.

National High School Poetry Contest

Entrants must be a high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Students from anywhere in the United States may enter. Poems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 40 lines. No entry may have been previously published.

EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Elementary school student stories must be no more than 800 words. Middle school student essays must be no more than 1,000 words. High school student essays must be no more than 1,200 words. You must also include a reference list of 8 resources. Each resource should be listed using the APA citation style.

St. Gallen Symposium Esay Competition

Essay (max. 2,100 words, excl. abstract, bibliography, and footnotes). Individual work expected, no group work allowed. The essay must be written exclusively for this contest. The idea must be the author’s own.

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration.

Winter Flash Fiction Writing Battle

1000 Word limit (not including title page). Name or address cannot be written anywhere. All stories are separated into their respective genres and each compete in a single-elimination tournament specific to its genre.

Border Crossing Contest

For flash fiction genre: Up to 1000 words per flash fiction submission. Microfiction up to 400 words apiece is also accepted. Submit no more than two flashes or micros, up to 1000 words total, in one single document. For poetry genre: Submit 3-5 poems in one document up to 10 pages.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Entries can be on any theme or subject but must be original and written in English. They must also be for adult or young adult readers. Non-fiction and fiction written for children under 13 years are not eligible. Max length is 300 words. Entries must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or won a prize.

Fan Story 20 Syllable Poem Contest

Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables in any format.

NFPW Communications Contest for High School Students

All 2024 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcast, or issued between February 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2023. Entries must have been professionally published/produced or published/produced by a school or professional publication in a recognized medium for the category such as a school, local or national newspaper, a website, a school, local or national television production and the like.

NFPW Communications Contest for Professionals

The NFPW Communications contest is open to anyone regardless of gender, professional status or location. College students do not have to be 18 to enter any of the categories in the Collegiate Division. High school students may enter the professional contest if they are acting in a professional capacity.

The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

The work you submit must be unpublished, and must not have been accepted for future publication or self-published. In addition, anyone who has previously had a full-length novel accepted for publication is not eligible to enter. Entrants must be resident in the UK or Ireland.

Fan Story 3-6-9 Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem should have three stanzas. The subject can be anything.

Hachette Children’s Novel Award

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. A debut author of middle-grade and early teen fiction. Please submit your initial 3000-6000 words and synopsis.

Northern Writers’ Awards for Poetry

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. Working on a full-length collection of poetry.

Northern Debut Awards: Poetry

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. A debut poet: you may have published a pamphlet and had individual poems in magazines and anthologies but you should not yet have published a full collection.

Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award

Living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain there for at least another 12 months. Over the age of 18. A final-year undergraduate; current postgraduate student or alumni who has graduated from an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at Northumbria University within the last ten years.

Young Northern Writers’ Awards

This award is open to young writers aged 11-18 in the North of England. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap. This award is made possible through New Writing North’s partnership with their lead partner Northumbria University.

Matthew Hale Award

This award is for a young person aged 11-18 based in the North of England. Entrants must be 18 years or under on 12 February 2024 when the awards close. Young writers can submit creative work in any form including prose, poetry, scriptwriting, blogging, songwriting and rap.

Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition

Submit a short story (for adults) of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of ‘risk’.

IndieReader Discovery Awards

Only books that have been either self-published or published by an independent publisher and have an ISBN or ASN can enter.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2022, 2023 or 2024 or with a 2022, 2023 or 2024 copyright date.

Adventures in Fiction Spotlight First Novel Award

Current and previous apprentices are not eligible. Novelists commercially published (in English) are not eligible. Self published writers are eligible.

Achievement Awards in Writing

The contest accepts submissions in any genre, as long as they are original, unpublished, and written in English. The submissions must be based on a specific theme developed by the Achievement Awards Advisory Committee. The contest is open to schools in the United States, US territories, Canada, and American Schools Abroad that are US accredited. The submissions are only accepted from teachers; students may not self-nominate

Promising Young Writers Program

Ambroggio prize.

U.S. Citizen. Poets are not eligible to apply if they have studied with the judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years. Works translated into Spanish from another language are ineligible.

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Employees and board members of Sarabande Books, Inc. are not eligible. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included. Translations and previously published collections are not eligible. Length: between 150-250 pages.

Anchorage Annual Statewide Creative Writing Contest

The contest is open to Alaska residents. College students who maintain Alaska residency may enter. All judges, editorial or administrative employees of Anchorage Daily News, faculty or administrative employees of the University of Alaska and board members of the Alaska Center for the Book, and their immediate family are ineligible. Work published previously in any copyrighted newspaper, magazine, book or other medium is ineligible. Writing for school publications may be entered. Entries must be original. Contestants may enter one work of fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), one work of non- fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), and up to three poems. A contestant may enter all categories in his or her age group.

Writing Press: Sci-fi & Fantasy Contest

You must be at least 18 years old. There are no location restrictions, but you must comply with your local laws regarding online competitions and prize money. Word Count: 500 – 1,500.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award

U.S. Citizens. Only books published in the United States during 2023 are eligible for the 2024 prize. Books must be published in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Collaborations by up to two translators are eligible.

Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards

Contestants must be current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2024; 21 years of age and under; plan to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school Fall 2024.

3 Minute Drama Competition

The length of any entry into any category should not exceed three minutes in performance, and you are advised to time the entry’s performance before submitting. The maximum word count for a story entry is 500 words.

Short Prose Competition

Original, unpublished fiction or nonfiction up to 2,500 words in the English language. Writers who have had no more than one book published (traditionally or self-published) in any genre or language and who are not currently under contract for a second book. Writers not published in book format are also eligible. Writers must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Fan Story Nonet Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. It has to be a nonet, but it can be on any subject and rhyming is optional.

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition

Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on 23 February 2024. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition. Entries for the Tower Poetry Prize 2023 must be on the designated theme. Entries must be written in English, and be no more than 48 lines in length.

The Elmbridge Literary Competition

Short stories must be in English, previously unpublished and a maximum length of 1000 words (8-13 years) or 1500 words (14+). Poems must be in English, previously unpublished and a maximum length of 30 lines typed, using a standard, legible font, double-spaced on single sides of A4 paper.

Fan story Horror Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. The contest accepts entries in the genre of horror or thriller

Fan Story Share A Story In A Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. In this contest you are challenged to write a poem that tells a story and also rhymes.

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

Maximum number of words is 300. The title is not included in the word limit. The winning stories must be available for the Fish Anthology, and therefore must not have been published previously. Fish holds publishing rights for one year after publication, after which publishing rights revert to the author

Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest

Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they have been accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only.

The Annual Lancaster Writing Award

The word limit for criticism and fiction is 1500 words. The limit for poems is 25 lines. The limit for screenplays is 8 pages. Essays you have written at school are eligible for entry. To enter you must be in year 12 or 13.

Red Hen Press Women’s Prose Prize

25,000 word minimum, 80,000 word maximum. Entries will be accepted via Submittable only. The award is open to all women writers with the following exceptions: Authors who have had a full-length work published by Red Hen Press, or a full-length work currently under consideration by Red Hen Press, employees, interns, or contractors of Red Hen Press, and relatives of employees or members of the executive board of directors.

WOW! Women on Writing Creative non-fiction Essay Contest

All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 750. Minimum words: 250.

Fiction Factory First Chapter + Synopsis Competition

Send a maximum of 5,000 words of your First Chapter only. (If your opening chapter is longer, send the entire chapter but clearly mark the 5,000 word point). In the same document, send a one page synopsis (not included in the word-count).

Blue Mesa Review Writing Contest

This competition is open to original English language works in the genres of Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction. The submission must be an unpublished work. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable.

Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition

The international competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors from all over the world – and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. The story cannot have been previously published anywhere, or shortlisted for this competition.

Flash 500 Short Stories Competition

Stories should range between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used).

Southword Poetry Prize

They welcome submissions of up to four poems . If your work has been selected from an unsolicited submission and published in Southword before, they will ask that you please don’t submit for one year before submitting again.

The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition

The competition is open to all students of school age including not only those in schools and college communities, but also students who are home educated and in any other young people’s community organisations. The maximum word count is 500 words. There is no minimum word count.

The Isobel Lodge Award

The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition is open to all writers worldwide, published and unpublished. You do not have to be Scottish to enter the competition. Word limit: 2,000 words (not including the title)

The Debut Dagger Award

The international competition, open to anyone in the world writing in English, is for the opening of a crime novel (max. 3,000 words) and synopsis (max. 1,500 words). The crime novel – of any subgenre; including but not limited to thriller, noir, cosy mystery, suspense, police procedural; spy story and crossover of any kind – should be suitable for adults or young adults. Entries are eligible from writers who have never had a contract for a full-length novel of any kind and who don’t have an agent when the competition closes at the end of February. Entrants may not have self-published their entry, and must not have self-published any novel over 20,000 words in the five years preceding the deadline.

The Plaza Prizes: Poetry

Poems can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. Maximum 60 lines. Enter the correct version of your work. If you make a mistake, entry fees will not be refunded.

The Exeter Writers Short Story Competition

You can submit as many individual stories as you wish, each as a separate entry. All entries must be accompanied by an entrance fee, which is paid via the PayPal button on the entry form. Simultaneous submissions are not allowed. Stories must have neither been previously published nor won a prize in any other competition.

BSFS Poetry Contest

Entries should address the themes of science fiction/fantasy/horror/science. Limit: 3 poems/person, maximum 60 lines each.

Blue Mesa Awards: Poetry

Submissions must be unpublished. They accept submissions of up to 3 poems

Blue Mesa Awards: Fiction

Blue Mesa Review accepts previously unpublished work in Fiction (up to 6,000 words).

Blue Mesa Awards: Non Fiction

Blue Mesa Review accepts previously unpublished work in Nonfiction of up to 6,000 words.

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Applicants must be aged 18 or above at the time of entry. All entries must be written in English. Submissions must be standalone and cannot be extracts from a larger piece. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry.

Fan Story: Faith Flash Contest

Anyone can enter. Write exactly 300 words. Title does not count in word count. Fiction or non-fiction welcomed.

Fan Story 2-4-2 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem. The subject can be anything.

Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize

This prize is open to all writers over 18 years of age who live in Victoria. Each writer can submit a single biographical story between 1000 and 3000 words in length.

Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize

This prize is open to all poets over 18 years of age who live in Victoria. Each poet can submit up to two poems with a maximum length of 30 lines each.

Ada Cambridge Short Story Prize

This prize is open to writers between 14 and 18 years of age who live, work or study in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Each writer can submit a single story that is no more than 1000 words in length.

True Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Share a true story from your life. Write a story that shares a moment, an object, a feeling, etc. This does not have to be a profound memory, but should allow readers insight into your feelings, observations and/or thoughts. Use at least 100 words. No poetry.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Poetry Contest

Send no more than five poems in a single PDF or Word file. Each poem should appear on its own page.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Essay Contest

In addition to feature-length essays of up to 7000 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 1000 to 2000 words.

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Fiction Contest

Full Bleed typically publishes one to two pieces of short fiction in each issue. Given the dearth of journals that consider long-form fiction, thry will consider submissions up to 7000 words in length, though their tendency has been to select stories under 3000 words.

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

Entrants must have never published a novel, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of America with Green Cards, and may have published any other type of work including non-fiction articles and short stories. A two-page (maximum) outline or synopsis of the entire novel and the first 50 pages of the novel-in-progress are to be submitted. A specific format for the outline or synopsis is not required.

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, philosophical ruminations, experimental pieces, stage plays, fragments, and excerpts are all acceptable. You may submit multiple pieces as long as each is accompanied by a separate entry fee. One poetry submission may include up to 5 unrelated (or related) poems. Page limit for any type of submission: 150 pages.

The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest

Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they be accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only.

Oklahoma Poem Contest

Only Oklahoma residents are eligible to enter. Poems will be judged in 4 categories: K-4th, 5th-8th, 9th-12th, and Adult. The maximum length for poems is 30 lines. Poems can be rhymed or unrhymed. One poem per person.

Minds Shine Bright’s Annual Competition

Each entry must be original, unpublished fiction or poetry written by the submitting author and included the theme of Light and Shadow in some way. No brand references are allowed. The word limit for each entry is 2500 words.

Dream One Quest Poetry Contest

Poetry Contest entries may be written on any subject, theme, style, or form. All poems must be 30 lines or fewer and either neatly handwritten or typed, using single or double-line spacing.

Dream One Quest Writing Contest

Writing Contest entries may be written on a maximum of (5) pages, either neatly handwritten or typed, with single or double line spacing, on any subject or theme.

Rubery Book Award

Your entry must either be self published or published by an independent press. Authors and publishers can enter books.

The Fish Poetry Prize 2024

Anyone can enter. Poem length is restricted to 60 lines. The title is not included in the word limit, and it must be in English. The winning poem must be available for the Fish Anthology and, therefore, must not have been published previously. Fish will hold publishing rights for one year only after publication.

The Plaza Prizes: Prose Poetry

All entries are judged anonymously. Entries will be disqualified if they are over the 50 line limit, and there will be no refund. Entries must be entirely your own work.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers’ Contest

Submissions shall be no more than 2,500 words in length. Contestants shall be no younger than 14 and no older than 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year and shall reside or attend school in Maryland.

Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest

Anyone can enter. Any length, any subject, any style

Nature and Place Poetry Competition

Poems must have a title and must be no more than 40 lines, excluding the title, and be typed in black ink on one side of A4. Poems must be the original work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published or published online or broadcast. Poems are judged anonymously so the poet’s name, address, etc., MUST NOT appear on the poem.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Length limit: 250 lines maximum. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea (due to US government restrictions). The poem you submit should be in English.

The Claymore Award

The contest is limited to only the first 50 double-spaced pages of unpublished English-language manuscripts containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense NOT currently under contract.

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.

Fan Story Non-Fiction Writing Contest

Recommended length is 5,000 words or less. This contest is open to all members. Past contest winners can join the contest. One entry per person. New entries to the site only. If you already posted a work on FanStory.com that work is not eligible for the contest.

Minute Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The Minute Poem is a poem that follows the “8,4,4,4” syllable count structure. It must have 12 lines total and 60 syllables.

Fan story 100 Word Flash Fiction

Anyone can enter. The entry should be exactly 100 words.

Two Line Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write an essence poem. The poem should be of two lines with six syllables per line, each containing an internal rhyme and an ending rhyme.

Ver Poets Open Competition

Anyone 16 and above can enter. Poems should not have been published, or accepted for publication, in print or online. They should not have won prizes in other competitions, be simultaneously entered for other competitions or be translations of other poets’ work. Poems must be your own original work and may be on any theme. Length: no longer than 30 lines.

Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize

Electronic submissions only. Do not include any preambles, or bios within your submitted manuscript. Manuscripts must have a table of contents. Manuscripts must be typed in a no less than 12-point font, paginated, and 48 – 84 pages in length (single spaced).

Free Verse Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. No restrictions.

Tadpole Press: 100-Word Writing Contest

Word Limit: 100 words or less per entry. Writers: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. Genre: Any genre. Theme: Creativity.

The Peseroff Prize Poetry Contest

Poems should be previously unpublished. All entries will be considered for publication. They accept simultaneous submissions, but please notify Breakwater if submission is accepted elsewhere.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

This contest is international and open to people of all ages. Residents of the following countries are not eligible to enter: Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, or Belarus (due to US government restrictions).

World Historian Student Essay Competition

Only students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs can apply. Past winners may not compete in the same category again. The entry should be approximately 1,000 words.

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The entry should be a 5-7-5 poem that follows the structure of a Haiku but without any limitation to the topic.

James Laughlin Award

The award is given to honor a second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. The award is open to any poet who meets one of the eligibility criteria on the date of the application deadline, such as being a U.S. citizen, a resident of the U.S. for the ten-year period prior to the deadline, or having a certain immigration status. The award is open to books under contract with a U.S. publisher and scheduled to be published between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. The books must be at least 48 pages long and written in English.

Four Line Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The subject can be anything.

Fan story 15 Syllable Poem

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with exactly 15 syllables.

Fan Story Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.

Write The World Poetry & Spoken Word Competition

Script pipeline tv writing contest.

Cover page should include the title, but remove any contact information (name, email address, etc.). Logline and genre on the title page as well is preferred. Co-writers are allowed. List each writer’s name when registering your script. Script should be an original pilot. We will not be accepting spec scripts of existing shows.

The Bridport Novel Prize

Entries should not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere, in print or online, by a mainstream or an independent publisher. Non-fiction and fiction for children are not eligible. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and by submitting you are confirming the work is your own. Any evidence to the contrary will result in disqualification. Co-authored work is not eligible.

The Bridport Short Story Prize

5,000 words max. No minimum. Title not included in the word count. You can submit multiple entries to the competition as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.

The Bridport Poetry Prize

42 lines max. No minimum. Title not included in the line count. Dedications not included in the line count. Lines between text stanzas not counted. You can submit multiple entries to the competition as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.

The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize

250 words max. No minimum. Title not included in the word count. You can submit multiple entries to the competition as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

Fiction manuscripts must be complete. Nonfiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript, or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal that includes a synopsis and an annotated table of contents. All submissions must be in English—translations are welcome. Candidates must be first-generation residents of their country. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated, or to residents of a country whose parents were born elsewhere.

Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Competition

Online Entry forms must have the word/line/page count listed where requested. Count refers to all words making up the story (no matter the number of letters in the word). Do not count the title or contact information in the word count.

Fan Story Write A Script Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script) for any medium on any topic.

Fan Story Faith Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The theme of this poetry contest is “faith”.

Ocean Awareness Contest

Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate. They must provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor: a teacher, parent, guardian, mentor, or other supporting adult. Entries submitted previously to the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest will not be considered in the 2024 Contest. The use of AI-generators, like ChatGPT or DALL-E, is considered plagiarism.

Narrative Magazine: Narrative Prize

Submissions are accepted only through the electronic submission system. Submissions through postal services or email aren’t accepted. All manuscripts should be in 12-point type, with at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. Fiction and nonfiction should be double-spaced. Poetry should be single-spaced.

Living Springs Publishers Baby Boomer Plus Contest

Submitted stories must: Be between 900 and 5000 words, written in the English language, wholly the original work of the entrant, written solely by the entrant, and the author must own all rights to the story.

Non Fiction Chapbook Prize

Each manuscript should consist of a single essay in a standard 12-point font. Submitted essays may be novelette-length, up to 17,000 words (55 manuscript pages).

Tanka Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. For this contest you are challenged to write a Tanka poem, which follows a specific syllable count.

Fan Story 3 Line Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. The poem has to have a syllable count of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. It shouldn’t rhyme. But the poem must address a loved one.

CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence.

The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Ebteries must be original and unpublished. Each entry must consist of a single sentence. The entry shouldn’t go beyond 50 or 60 words.

Chanticleer: The Journey Awards

Winning writers north street book prize.

Anyone can enter except those from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). Length limit: 200,000 words maximum in English. You may submit a collection of short stories or essays as a single entry.

Student Book Scholars Contest

Each entry must incorporate the theme of Anti-Bullying. One book entry per team. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. The cover, dedication and back pages do not count towards this number.

The Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize

The Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize is awarded for an outstanding opening page of an unpublished novel. The prize is open internationally to anyone over 18 writing a novel in English in any genre for adult or YA readers.

Fan Story Love Poem Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. But it must clearly be a love poem.

Fan Story ABC Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.

Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest

All work must be original and will be checked for plagiarism. Entries should not have been previously published. You may enter one poem and/or one short story only! Poems must be 48 lines or less.Contest is open to Canada residents only.

Chanticleer: The Goethe Awards

Ozma book awards for fantasy fiction | sword & sorcery fiction | chanticleer book reviews, anthology magazine short story competition.

To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English with a maximum of 1,500 words. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. Each submission will require a separate entry form and is subject to a separate entry fee.

Coniston Prize for Women Poets

All women can enter. Submit 3-5 previously unpublished poems in English. This award recognizes an exceptional group of poems.

Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Writing Competition

Anyone can enter. Theme: Detour. Length: maximum 1,000 words. Stories can be a fictional tale or a tale inspired by a true story.

Fan Story Cinquain Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications. Share a cinquain poem. The format for this type of poem is simple. Each line has a specific number of syllables.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem that has a rhyme scheme. How it rhymes is up to you.

The Masters Review Short Story Award For New Writers

Anyone can enter. Previously unpublished stories only. Simultaneous and multiple submissions allowed. Emerging writers only (Writers with novels published with a circulation of fewer than 5000 copies can also submit.) Length: under 6000 words.

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Maximum length: 1,000 word. Any subject, any style

Chanticleer: The Chatelaine Awards

Chanticleer: the gertrude warner awards, adventures in fiction new voices competition.

The competition is open to aspiring novelists in all genres, regardless of location. (Adventures in Fiction has a broad national and international client base.) Novelists commercially published (in English) are not eligible. Current and previous apprentices are not eligible.

Chanticleer Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mystery Book Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence,.

Chanticleer Historical Fiction Pre-1750s Writing Contest

Chanticleer: the laramie awards, hearten book awards for uplifting non-fiction works | chanticleer book reviews.

Books must be 40,000 plus words.Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence.

Chanticleer: The Dante Rossetti Awards

Chanticleer: the clue book awards, chanticleer: the little peeps awards.

Early Readers and Picture Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence.

Miller Williams Poetry Prize

Anyone can enter. Length: Manuscripts must be between sixty and ninety pages. The manuscript must be previously unpublished. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

To enter, submit an original, unpublished flash fiction piece, written in English with a maximum of 250 words. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. Each submission will require a separate entry form and be subject to a separate entry fee.

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest

Length limit: 250 lines maximum per poem. No restriction on age of author. Authors from all countries eligible except Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). Final judge: Michal ‘MJ’ Jones, assisted by Briana Grogan and Dare Williams.

The Raven Short Story Contest

This contest is for previously unpublished short fiction between 250 and 2500 words in length. Multiple entries are welcomed. Total entries limited to 200.

The Calvino Prize

Submit up to 25 industry standard (double-spaced, 12-point font, pages numbered) pages of a novel. Do not send publication history of the author.

Non-Fiction Investigative and Journalistic Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Works may be published on the web or in print or may be non-published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. International entries are accepted but they must be written in the English language.

Business, Technology, and Enterprise Non-Fiction Guides and How-To Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence, please.

Global Thriller Book Awards for High Stakes Thrillers | Chanticleer International Book Awards

Paranormal writing competition | chanticleer book reviews, i & i book awards for non-fiction guides and how-to | chanticleer international book awards, anthology poetry competition.

Submit an original, unpublished poem, written in English with a maximum of 40 lines. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. There is no age limit. All poems are judged anonymously and therefore the poet’s name must not appear on the poem itself. Name and contact details should be on the entry form only.

CIBA Fiction Series Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

20c wartime historical fiction | chanticleer book reviews, satirical & allegorical fiction book awards | chanticleer book reviews, contemporary & literary novel writing contest | chanticleer book reviews, rising writer prizes.

Submissions should be approximately 50 – 80 pages. The book should be previously unpublished. only accept original manuscripts; AI-generated or AI-supported works are not accepted.

The Prime Number Magazine 53-Word Story Contest

Your story must be 53 words—no more, no less—titles are not included in the word count. Stories not meeting this rule will be disqualified. Send only stories; poetry with line breaks will not be considered. Hyphenated words count as one word. One submission per person. There are no age restrictions.

New Guard Fiction Contest

Anyone above 18 can enter. Up to three poems per entry. Submit up to 5,000 words: anything from flash fiction to the long stories. Please submit previously unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided they’re notified upon publication elsewhere.

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition

Your story/stories can be any theme or genre, but must be a maximum of 1,500 words (not including the title).

Shooter Literary Magazine: Shooter Flash Competition

Stories up to 1,000 words long on any theme/genre are welcomed . Stories must be no longer than 1,000 words excluding title. Stories may be submitted at any time as submissions are open on a rolling basis. Stories can be previously published or unpublished, and writers may submit multiple stories for consideration.

Future Scholar Foundation Writing Competition

Under 350 words, follows monthly prompt. With each new prompt centered around a monthly theme. This competition is for elementary and middle schoolers, though high school submissions are accepted.

There are a variety of writing contests to choose from, so you’ll surely find one that’s a good fit for your skills and interests. Whether you’re a fiction writer, a nonfiction writer, or a poet, there’s a contest right here for you. And if you’re participating in any of them this year, then best of luck to you!

Amazing Writing Retreats to Attend in 2024

The 2024 International Book Fairs Calendar

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The Best Writing Conferences and Workshops to Attend in 2024

Sondra Hardy

I am a self-published author and was wondering if there are any genres for Africa American novels? I wrote one that is a historical romance fiction.

Please Advise & Thank You, Sondra Hardy

Hi Sondra Hardy,

Thank you for reaching out and congratulations on being a self-published author! 🙂

While our list doesn’t have any contests for African-American novels, the Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize is for African-American writers in North Carolina writing short prose: https://www.ncwriters.org/programs/competitions/jacobs-jones-african-american-literary-prize/

You can also check out the following contests: – The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award: https://www.hurstonwright.org/awards/legacy-awards – The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence: https://ernestjgainesaward.org – Phillis Wheatley Book Awards Eligibility

Hope this helps 🙂

Jad Abou Ibrahim

I hope this message finds you in good health.

I am an aspiring (first-time) author who is about to polish up a Children’s Chapter book. The manuscript is at least 13,600 words and without illustrations.

Which competition would you recommend I enlist in so I can submit my manuscript?

Thank you in advance for your precious time.

Best regards, Jad Abou Ibrahim

Hello Jad Abou Ibrahim,

Thank you for reaching out! As a first-time author with a Children’s Chapter book, you have several exciting options for submitting your manuscript to writing contests. Check out the following contest:

The Bath Children’s Novel Award: https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/childrens-novel-award/

Best of luck with your manuscript, and may your writing journey be filled with creativity and success! 📚✨

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18 International Writing Competitions | March 2022

18 International Writing Competitions in March 2022 (No Entry Fees)

It’s a new month and a great time to get your creative juices flowing. As always, writing competitions are just ways in which you can get your work out there. A trial, they say, will convince you. We’ve compiled over fifteen international writing competitions for you to participate in. Some have restrictions placed on them, but check out the ones you are eligible for. These competitions require no entry fees, and they have March deadlines.

Deep wild graduate student essay prize

This international writing competition is open to students currently enrolled in graduate school. They are looking for a best single essay of up to 3,000 words that is backcountry infused and inspired. Deadline: 1 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Hippocrates Young Poets Prize for Poetry and Medicine

This is for poets aged 14 to 18. They are looking for poems of no more than 50 lines, on any subject relating to medicine. Deadline: 1st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

READ ALSO: That Day, I Fell in Love – A Poem by Victor Akhere

The waterman fund essay contest.

This international writing competition seeks personal essays of between 2000 and 3000 words. Prizes : $1,500 and publication in Appalachia Journal. Honourable mention: $500. Deadline : 1 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

On the Premises

Write a short story; in the first sentence, four or more characters arrive at a location and find something unexpected. Prizes : $250 (1 st ), $200 (2 nd ), $100 (3 rd ). Deadline : 4 th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Furious Fiction

Furious fiction runs a monthly flash fiction. On the first Friday of the month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. The submission window is open for 55 hours only. Prize : 500AUD. Deadline: 6 th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

NEA Literature Fellowships

The National Endowment for the Arts fellowship has grants of up to $25,000 for unpublished creative writers that will enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline : 10 th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Nicholas A.Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition for High School Students

This poetry (haiku) competition is open to students in grades 7-12. Prize : $50 Deadline : 15 th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

EastOver Prize for Nonfiction

They are especially interested in book-length nonfiction, collections of literary essays, and more. Prize : $2,000 and publication. Deadline : 15 th March, 2022.  Guidelines for submission here .

Fahwaan Literary Awards Romance Writing Contest

Deadline : March 15 th , 2022. Read their guidelines for submission here .

Vweta Chadwick Poetry Prize

This poetry prize is open to female high school and college students in Nigeria. Submit unpublished poems of no more than 40 lines on the theme of “Invisible Disability”. Prize : $200 Deadline : 30 th March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

The George W Hunt, S. J, Prize for Excellence in Journalism, Arts and Letters

The 2022 edition is open to cultural or historical critic. Submit one or more book excerpt(s), article(s) or essay(s) not exceeding 10,000 words in total. Prize : $20,000. Deadline : 31 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Foley Poetry Contest

They are seeking submissions of one unpublished poem on any topic. The poem should be 45 lines or fewer, and not under consideration elsewhere. Prize : $1,000 Deadline : 31 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here :

Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest

This international writing competition is open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Genres : Science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy, up to 17,000 words. Prizes : Three cash prizes for each genre. 1 st ; $1,000 2 nd ;$750, 3 rd ;$500. In addition, at the end of the year, the winners will have their entries rejudged, and a grand prize winner shall receive an additional $5,000. Deadline : 31 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

A Public Space Emerging Writer Fellowships

This is open to writers who have not yet contracted to publish a book. Prize : $1,000 and six months of editorial support from A Public Space for publication in the magazine. Deadline : 31 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Vilena Aldama Art & Writing Contest

This international writing competition is open to writers under the age of 25. Genre : Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art/hybrid poem. Prize : $250. Deadline : 31 st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Masobe Books

This publishing house is now accepting submissions for unpublished manuscripts.  Deadline : 31 st  March, 2022. Read their guidelines for submission here .

Challenging the Writers

Hosted by Basenji Books, this contest challenges you to write a short story of between 3,500 and 5,000 words, based on any of the three prompts on their page. Prize : N30,000 and a publishing deal. Deadline : 31st March, 2022. Guidelines for submission here .

Substack Short Story Competition

This international writing competition runs monthly, and it requires short stories of between 6,000 to 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by PayPal, Zelle or check. Guidelines for submission here. Deadline: Last day of the month. Guidelines for submission here .

The Global Undergraduate Awards 2022

Open to all undergraduate students in almost every academic discipline, provided you belong to undergraduate class of 2021, 2022 or 2023. Submit a piece of coursework that received an A grade or equivalent. Guidelines for submission here .

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Blessing Obiahu

Blessing Obiahu is a literary enthusiast and law student at Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Her work has been featured in the 2021 Nigerian Students’ Poetry Prize anthology, Black but Famous (now Kaassa), Loana Press, Challenging the Writers, the Umuofia Books and Arts Festival Anthology, and forthcoming in the Anarchist Fictions Journal and Akpata Magazine. She is also the founder of D’LitReview, a literary website, and works as a Freelance Content Specialist.

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• Search Results

Writing prizes and opportunities

There are many awards and development schemes available for authors at all stages of their careers. Below is a list of monetary awards, sponsored retreats, mentorships and training opportunities.

If you're looking for help both in development or funding from organisations near you, find information about local support here.

Take a look through the opportunities for new writers:

- Opportunities from Penguin - From other organisations - For published writers - Writing retreats

For new writers

From Penguin

WriteNow is run by Penguin Random House and aims to find, nurture and publish new writers from communities under-represented on the nation's bookshelves. It offers workshops and feedback, and includes the chance to join a year-long programme.

#Merky New Writers' Prize

#Merky Books is a home for underrepresented voices and provides a platform where their stories can be told, heard and uplifted. The winner of the New Writers’ Prize receives a publishing contract. All longlisted writers are invited to our Writers’ Camp, where they participate in writing workshops, panel talks, editorial one-to-ones, and meet the #Merky Books team.

Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize

Penguin Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Books, is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and non-fiction. The aim of the Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize is to find new authors from underrepresented backgrounds who we can bring to the widest possible readership. The winner will receive a publishing contract worth at least £10,000, and representation by the Janklow & Nesbit agency. All shortlisted writers will also receive one-to-one editorial feedback and guidance from an editor or agent.

Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize

The Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize aims to recognise the achievements of young translators at the start of their careers and to encourage and support the next generation of literary translators. It focuses on a different language each prize year and is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34, with no more than one full-length translation published.

Fern Academy Prize

The Fern Academy Prize, in association with Tortoise Media, is designed to find and nurture emerging non-fiction talent and will be awarded to an essay of literary merit with an international and multicultural interest. The prize is open to unagented and unpublished writers from around the world, writing in the English language.

From other organisations

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Awarded for the best piece of writing on an annual theme. The winner of the Writing Prize receives a cash prize, and the runners-up receive travel expense support that must be used to attend their annual symposium which is hosted in a European country. All genres of writing are permitted, including fiction, non-fiction and non-academic essays. Open to unpublished writers only.

Anthology Poetry Competition

Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Poetry Competition is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language.

Anthology Short Story Competition

Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Short Story Competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. 

Aurora Prize For Writing

The Aurora Prize for Writing is a national competition run by Writing East Midlands, in partnership with the Society of Authors. It seeks outstanding new writing in short fiction and poetry.

The Bracken Prize

The Financial Times and McKinsey want to encourage young authors to tackle emerging business themes and ask entrants to submit a business book proposal. The prize aims to encourage a new generation of business writers and has already seen a number of shortlisted and longlisted proposals emerge as published books. 

The Bath Novel Awards

The Bath Novel Award and The Bath Children’s Novel Award spotlight emerging writers, and are open to unpublished and independently published novelists worldwide.

Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award

The First Novel Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre.

Breakthrough Writers' Programme

Curtis Brown Creative, supported by the Curtis Brown and C&W agencies, run a programme of creative writing courses, mentoring opportunities and scholarships for under-represented writers – with all opportunities fully funded for the writers taking part.

Breakthrough scholarships

Curtis Brown Creative, supported by the Curtis Brown and C&W agencies, regularly offer funded places on their courses to talented writers facing barriers to entry.

Breakthrough Mentoring Programme

This mentoring programme is for talented writers who fulfil the eligibility criteria and are seeking targeted, detailed one-to-one feedback on a work-in-progress, plus industry advice. You can apply to be mentored for a project at any writing stage.

Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize

Entries of original short fiction between 1000 and 5000 words can be entered into the Brick Lane Bookshop Short Story Prize. The winner will receive £1,000 and 12 shortlisted writers will be included in an anthology. 

The Bridport Prize

The Bridport Prize has a number of categories: novel, poetry, short story and flash fiction. All the awards are for work which has not previously been published, while the novel award is only open to writers who are not represented by a literary agent.

The Bristol Short Story Prize

This is an annual international writing competition open to all published and unpublished, UK and non-UK-based writers.

The Caledonia Novel Award

An Edinburgh-based, international writing competition for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres for adults and YA.

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize

The prize is open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and over entering a story of between 2,500 and 5,000 words. The regional winners receive £2,500 and the overall winner receives a total of £5,000. The winning stories are published online by  Granta  and in a special print collection by Paper + Ink.

Creators of Justice Literary Awards

The Creators of Justice Literary Awards is an annual, international contest featuring works which highlight the struggle for human rights and social justice across the world. Writers can submit one poem, essay, or short story on an annual theme.

The Creative Future Writers’ Award

The Creative Future Writers’ Award (CFWA) is a national writing development programme which celebrates talented, underrepresented writers who lack opportunities due to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance. Prizes include £20,000 of cash and top writing development prizes supplied by prominent publishers and development agencies.

Criptic x Spread The Word

CRIPtic Arts x Spread the Word collaboratively produce a range of activities including salons, a retreat and research for deaf and disabled writers. Their work together aims to offer a range of activities to support, develop and empower deaf and disabled writers.

Discoveries

The Women’s Prize Trust, NatWest, Curtis Brown Literary Agency and Curtis Brown Creative Writing School have partnered to create Discoveries, a unique initiative searching for the most talented and original new female writing voices in the UK and Ireland. The winner will be offered representation by Curtis Brown Literary Agency and a cash prize of £5,000.

Footnote x Counterpoints Writing Prize

Footnote Press and Counterpoints Arts have partnered to launch the Footnote x Counterpoints Writing Prize for writers from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The £15,000 award, which includes an advance of £5,000 and a publication agreement with Footnote Press, is for narrative non-fiction centred around themes of displacement, identity and/or resistance. Writers can be published or unpublished.

Green Stories Writing Competitions

Green Stories writing competitions are a series of free writing competitions open to all across various formats to solicit stories that showcase what a sustainable society might look like. 

Grindstone Literary International Novel Prize

The 2023 Novel Prize is open to authors from all countries, provided their submissions are in English. To be eligible to enter, authors must be unrepresented .  Entrants are asked to submit the first 5,000 words of their manuscript.

The London Library Emerging Writers Programme

Geared towards supporting writers at the start of their careers, the programme includes writing development masterclasses, literary networking opportunities, peer support and guidance in use of the Library’s resources. With its extensive open-access book collection, dedicated writing spaces and diverse community of established writers, the benefits of Library membership are very valuable. 

The London Writers’ Awards

This is a development programme run by Spread the Word which aims to increase the number of writers from under-represented communities being taken up by agents and publishers. The awards support  30  London-based writers of  colour  and working class, LGBTQ+ and disabled writers  each year, and bursaries are available for writers in need. There is also an Access Fund for disabled writers. Writers on the awards scheme take part in group feedback sessions on their work and also attend one-to-one professional development sessions.

Mairtín Crawford   Awards

The Mairtín Crawford   Awards are aimed at writers working towards their first full collection of poetry, short stories, or a novel. Both published and unpublished writers are invited to submit between 3-5 poems for the poetry award, and a short story of up to 2,500 words for the short story award, with the only stipulation being that they have not yet published a full collection of poetry, short stories, or a novel.

The Malorie Blackman Scholarships for Unheard Voices

City Lit’s Malorie Blackman Scholarships for Unheard Voices provide three annual awards worth up to £1000 each, to fund one year’s study within the Creative Writing department at City Lit. 

The Manchester Writing Competition

The Manchester Writing Competition for poetry and fiction, offers the UK’s biggest literary awards for unpublished work, with each category awarding £10,000.

Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing

The Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing is an annual short story competition open to writers across the globe. The prize awards £10,000 to the best short story that has food and drink at its heart.

Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour

Jointly run by Morley College London and the Rachel Mills Literary Agency, the prize is awarded to unpublished aspiring authors of colour. There are two prizes – one for works of fiction and one for Life Writing and Creative Non-fiction.

The Moth Prizes

The Moth Magazine runs an annual short story prize, nature writing prize and poetry prize open to anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as their writing is original and previously unpublished.

The National Poetry Competition

The National Poetry Competition is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines, open to anyone 18 or over.

New Writers Poetry Competition

Open to poets from around the world, the winner receives £1,000, with a second prize of £300 and a third prize of £200. 

The Nine Dots Prize

The Nine Dots Prize is a prize for creative thinking that tackles contemporary societal issues. Entrants are asked to respond to a question in 3,000 words, with the winner receiving $100,000 to write a short book expanding on their ideas. The aim of the Prize is to promote, encourage and engage innovative thinking to address problems facing the modern world. Its name references the nine dots puzzle – a lateral thinking puzzle which can only be solved by thinking outside the box.

The Oxford Poetry Prize

The winner of the Oxford Poetry Prize receives £1,000, the runner-up £200, and third place £100. The winning poets are also offered publication in Oxford Poetry.

Poetry London Prize

The Poetry London Prize is a major, internationally renowned award for a single outstanding poem. The first prize is £5,000.

Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

Run by Wasifiri , the magazine of international literature, in conjunction with Queen Mary University, this prize supports new writers.

Rhys Davies Short Story Competition

The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition is a distinguished national writing competition for writers born or living in Wales. The first prize is £1,000 and publication in a short story anthology to be published by Parthian Books.

The Royal Society of Literature V. S. Pritchett Short Story Prize

The annual prize of £1,000 goes to the best unpublished short story of the year. The winning entry is also published in  Prospect  magazine and the  RSL Review.

Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards

The New Writers Awards is an annual awards programme supporting individuals committed to developing their writing. The award includes a cash award, a week-long retreat, training and mentoring.

Scottish Book Trust Next Chapter Award

The Next Chapter Award is an annual award supporting an emerging writer over the age of 40. The Award includes a cash reward, 2-week writing retreat, training and mentoring.

The Society of Authors' Awards

The Society of Authors runs annual awards, which are open to writers at all stages of their careers. Among them is The ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award for a short story (applicants need to have had at least one short story accepted for publication); and The McKitterick Prize, which is given annually to an author over the age of 40 for a first novel, published or unpublished.

Seán Ó Faoláin International Short Story Competition

The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or fewer. The first prize is €2,000 and a one-week residency at Anam Cara Retreat.

Searchlight Awards

Searchlight Writing for Children Awards is an international competition for aspiring authors writing for children or young adults. Categories are 'Best Children’s Picture Book Text' and 'Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults'.

The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition

Chicken House are looking for original ideas, a fresh voice, and a diverse range of entries and stories that children will love! They'd particularly like to encourage entry from writers from underrepresented backgrounds. The first prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000, plus an offer of representation from an agent.

The Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize

The Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize is an international prize that supports and celebrates the best adventure writing today. The Prize is open to writers of any nationality, writing in English. Awards are presented in three categories: Best Published Novel, New Voices and Author of Tomorrow.

W&A Working-Class Writers' Prize

Writers & Artists run the W&A Working-Class Writers' Prize – a celebration of stories as a mode of communication, and a reminder of how vital it is that everyone can share their ideas and experiences via the written word. The prize includes a cash prize and mentoring sessions with an acclaimed author.

The Writers Award

Run by The Deborah Rogers Found - set up in memory of a late literary agent - The Writers Award gives £10,000 to an unpublished writer to enable them to complete a first book. It is run biannually.

For published writers

These awards are for published writers only, and in order to be considered books must be nominated by their publisher or agent - authors cannot usually enter themselves (with the exception of the fellowships). However, as a writer looking to get published, it's always worth taking stock of the titles being longlisted and shortlisted for some of the top literary awards to give you a sense of which types of books are receiving critical acclaim. We've included prizes for fiction and non-fiction titles here. 

Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction

The Baillie Gifford Prize rewards excellence in non-fiction writing across current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts.

BBC National Short Story Award

An annual prize, entrants must have a prior record of publishing creative work in the UK. Stories up to 8,000 words are accepted and may be submitted by the author or by their agent. Shortlisted stories are awarded a prize of £600.

The Booker Prize

The leading literary award in the English-speaking world, which has brought recognition, reward and readership to outstanding fiction for over 50 years. Awarded annually to the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK or Ireland. Although you have to be nominated by your publisher, many debut novels have been longlisted and shortlisted in the past.

The Desmond Elliot Prize

The Desmond Elliott Prize encourages publishers from across the UK and Ireland to submit literary fiction debuts for consideration, awarding one winning author £10,000 to shape their developing career.

Forward Prizes for Poetry

The Forward Prizes for Poetry honour excellence in contemporary poetry published in UK and Ireland.

FT & McKinsey Business Book of the Year

This prestigious £30,000 prize goes to the book that is judged to have provided the most compelling and enjoyable insight into modern business issues, with £10,000 awarded to each runner-up.

Nero Book Awards

Celebrating outstanding writing by great authors living in the UK and Ireland, these awards list the best books of the year for their quality of writing and readability. There are four categories: Children’s Fiction, Debut Fiction, Fiction and Non-Fiction. An overall winner, given the Nero Gold Prize for the “Book of the Year”, is also be named.

Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize

Awarded for the best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under, the prize celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms including poetry, novels, short stories, and drama. The winner receives a prize of £30,000.

The Royal Society of Literature Christopher Bland Prize

The RSL Christopher Bland Prize is an annual award of £10,000 to a debut novelist or non-fiction writer first published aged 50 or over.

The Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize

The annual award of £10,000 for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place.

Scottish Book Trust Ignite Fellowship

The Ignite Fellowship supports established writers who are embarking on or working through a significant project. You can apply whether the project is in its very earliest stages or already a work in progress.

Women's Prize for Fiction

The Women's Prize for Fiction is the UK's most prestigious annual book award celebrating and honouring fiction written by women.

Writing retreats

Arvon runs an annual programme of creative writing courses and retreats for schools, groups and individuals. Their courses, tutored by leading authors, are held at three rural centres and include a mix of workshops and individual tutorials, with time and space to write, free from distractions of everyday life. Arvon courses are in a range of genres and they have different styles of courses. Grants are available to help with course fees.

The Garsdale Retreat

The Garsdale Retreat is a creative writing centre in the Yorkshire Dales. It provides inspirational courses tutored by professional writers, enabling participants to develop their individual creativity in a place of peace and tranquillity, away from the distractions and stresses of everyday life.

Gladstone's Library

Gladstone's Library is a residential library and meeting place which is dedicated to dialogue, debate and learning for open-minded individuals and groups, who are looking to explore pressing questions and to pursue study and research. They offer a programme of courses and events that keep them connected with a wide range of writers and thinkers.

Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre

Moniack Mhor is Scotland’s National Writing Centre. Based in the Scottish Highlands, they run courses in a range of genres tutored by some of the finest authors in the UK and beyond. They also sponsor awards, bursaries, and professional residencies to develop works in progress and a programme for young writers.

The River Mill

This former flour mill in South Down, Northern Ireland is now a boutique reading and writing retreat. They offer individual residencies and workshops. 

Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre

Tŷ Newydd is the National Writing Centre of Wales, run by Literature Wales specialising in residential creative writing courses.

Urban Writers Retreat

Providing residential retreats in Devon and one-day courses in London, they offer guidance and space away from everyday life.

We will keep this page updated with new opportunities as and when they become available. If you want to let us know about a new opportunity, please email us: [email protected]

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• Tags: Essay , Novel , Poetry , Short Story , Writing Contests

At PaperTrue, we’ve always believed that writing competitions are more than just about winning. It’s a community experience where you can interact with fellow poets and writers, and learn from each other’s work. So, it’s our job to provide you with an updated and detailed list of writing contests 2023!

But which contests should you participate in? Out of the hundreds of poetry contests, short story competitions, and essay contests held each year, which ones will best reward your hard work? As experts who provide self-publishing services , we want nothing but success for you. What better way to ensure this than to bring you the best writing competitions 2023?

Transform your book, short story, essay, or poem into a masterpiece! Learn more

Here are the best international writing competitions 2023:

Poetry competitions 2023

1. the bridport poetry prize  .

The top three winning poems are automatically entered into the Forward Prize For Poetry competition, with the chance to win a further £1000. The first prize also features in the Bridport anthology.

Word count: 42 lines

Prizes:   £5,000, £1,000, £500, ten prizes of £100

Entry fee: £12

Closing date: 31 May 2023

2. International Poetry Contest

The winning entry for this poetry competition will be published in the Fall 2023 issue of Atlanta Review . Fifty additional entries will be published in the contest issue and will receive an award and a free copy. 

Word count: 5 poems

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $15

Closing date: 01 May 2023

3. The 9th Singapore Poetry Contest  

This poetry contest invites entries on any theme, provided they incorporate the word “snail”. Simultaneous submissions are not allowed, and the poems should be accompanied by a short letter and biographical note.

Prompt: Snail

Word count: 3 poems

Prizes: $300, $200, $100

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 15 May 2023

4. Kunitz Prize for Younger Poets  

This poetry writing contest aims to honor the late Stanley Kunitz’s dedication to mentoring poets. The winning entry will be published in the September/October issue of The American Poetry Review and all entrants will receive a copy.

Word count: 3 pages

5. Patricia Cleary Miller Award for Poetry  

New Letters has organized this poetry writing competition. Send six poems in one entry with a cover sheet stating the genre and title of each poem. All the best!

Word count: 30 pages

Prize: $2,500

Entry fee: $24

Closing date: 22 May 2023

6. The Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology  

This haiku contest is free to enter, but you may opt to donate to them. Donors will be eligible for royalties on every haiku that is published. With a 1% royalty rate for each haiku, you may earn up to 10% in royalties.

Word count: 3–10 haikus

Prize: 1% royalties per haiku (for donors)

Short story contests 2023

7. the bridport short story prize  .

The organizers for this short story writing contest enter the shortlisted UK-based writers into the BBC Short Story Competition. Literary agent A.M. Heath reads the entire shortlist and considers representation.

Word count: 5,000

Entry fee: £14

8. Writing Battle

This exciting short story writing competition assigns you a genre when the contest starts, and you get two days to write your story. All entrants vote for the winners, which means everyone is a judge!

Word count: 300–500

Prizes: Four prizes of $800 and four prizes of $200

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 05 May 2023 

9. The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest

The mission for this short story competition is to “deliver exciting new fiction from writers all over the world”. It accepts entries in literary fiction alone, so genre fiction (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, romance) is not eligible.

Word count: 500–2,000

Prizes: $1000 NZD, $500 NZD, $200 NZD

Entry fee: $6 NZD

10. The Folly International Short Story Prize  

The organizers of this short story contest in 2023 seek “content that takes risks, screams with honesty, and celebrates life’s extraordinary moments”. Winning and shortlisted stories will be published in Folly Journal.

Word count: 10,000

Prizes: $2000, $500, $250, two prizes of $125

Entry fee: $18

Closing date: 17 May 2023

11. Robert Day Award for Fiction  

This short story writing competition is part of the New Letters group of contests. Make sure you attach one cover sheet stating the genre and the title of the story.

Word count: 8,000

12. The Writing District Prize 2023  

This short story competition accepts entries on any theme, subject, or genre. The judges will select a longlist of 20 entries, from which 3 will be finalized. Make sure to go through the contest guidelines before you hit submit! 

Word count: 3,000

Prizes: $1,000, two prizes of $100

13. WOW! Flash Fiction Contest  

Open to women writers worldwide, this flash fiction competition awards Amazon gift certificates to 7 runners up and 10 honorable mentions. At a $20 entry fee, you may opt for a critique along the subject, content, and technicalities of your piece.

Word count: 250–750

Prizes: $400, $300, $200, and others

Entry fee: $10

14. Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction  

The Flannery O’Connor Award series has published more than 70 short-story collections. Short stories may have appeared in magazines or online platforms, but may not have been published as a collection.

Word count: 40,000–75,000

Entry fee: $30

15. Autumn House Fiction Contest  

Through this fiction contest, Autumn House awards one writer with publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 publicity grant. All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible!

Word count: 37,500–75,000

Book writing contests

16. the bridport prize novel award  .

This novel writing competition allows you to participate even if you haven’t finished writing it yet! Send up to 8,000 words from the first chapter(s) of your novel along with a 300-word synopsis.

Word count: 5,000–8,000

Prizes: £1,500, £750, three prizes of £150

Entry fee: £24

17. 2023 Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize

This poetry book contest awards an “unpublished manuscript of original Anglophone poetry by an author of Asian heritage residing anywhere in the world”. The winning manuscript will be published in Spring 2024 by Gaudy Boy.

Word count: 70–120 pages

Prize: $1,500

18. James Laughlin Award  

This incredibly specific poetry competition honors “a second full-length print book of original poetry, in English, by a living poet, forthcoming in the next calendar year.” To be eligible, a book must be under contract with a U.S. publisher.

Word count: 48–100 pages

Prize: $5,000

19. Idaho Prize For Poetry  

This poetry book competition awards one poet with publication and 20 complementary author copies. There are no restrictions on the genre, style, or subject—the organziers are simply looking for the best manuscript!

Entry fee: $28

20. 2023 Fugere Book Prize  

Regal House Publishing has organized this book writing contest to award finely-crafted novellas. Translations, previously published, and collaborative manuscripts are not eligible. Make sure you follow their submission guidelines!

Word count: 17,000–40,000

Entry fee: $25

21. 2023 Adaptation Contest

This interesting book writing contest seeks “published books (fiction and nonfiction), graphic novels/comics, and short stories for film & TV development”. Go through all the criteria for picture books and short stories before you hit submit!

Word count: 5,000 words (plus a 1–3 page-long synopsis)

Entry fee: $45 / $50 / $55

Closing date: 20 May 2023 / 15 August 2023 / 31 August 2023

22. 2023 Unpublished Contest  

Book Pipeline has organized this writing contest in 2023 “exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across eight categories of fiction and nonfiction”. Aside from the cash prizes, the finalists receive circulation to publishers, agents, editors, and film and TV producers.

Word count: 5,000 (plus a 1–3 page-long synopsis)

Prizes: $20,000, $2,500 per category

Entry fee: $45 / $55 / $60

Closing date: 25 May 2023 / 20 August 2023 / 05 September 2023

23. The Bath Novel Award 2023

Along with the cash prize, the winner of this esteemed novel contest receives the Minerva trophy. Send the first 5,000 words with a one-page synopsis. Self-published writers are welcome to participate!

Word count: 50,000

Prize: £3,000

Entry fee: £29

Closing date: 31 May 2023 

24. 2023 Anhinga Prize for Poetry  

This 2023 poetry competition awards one poet with publication by Anhinga Press and 25 author copies. Make sure to add a cover page with your manuscript. Octavio Quintanilla will judge the contest.

Prize: $2,000

25. Autumn House Poetry Contest

The Autumn House staff and select outsiders are the preliminary readers for this poetry competition and the final judge is Toi Derricotte. The winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and a $1,500 publicity grant to promote their book.

Word count: 50–80 pages

26. Max Ritvo Poetry Prize  

Louise Glück is the judge for this exciting poetry book contest! The contest awards publication and a comprehensive marketing campaign to one unpublished poet. Translations are not eligible.

Word count: More than 48 pages

Prize: $10,000

Flash fiction competitions 2023

27. the bridport flash fiction prize  .

The flash fiction competition is part of the Bridport Prize family of writing contests. The winning entry will be published in an anthology. Fiction written for children is not recommended.

Word count: 250

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250, five prizes of £100

Entry fee: £11

28. Pulp Fictional Flash Fiction Contest  

The organizers of this flash fiction competition prefer stories that are “scary and unusual, strange and unnerving”. The cash prizes may increase depending on the number of writers that submit their entries!

Word count: 1,000

Prizes: £250, £100, £50

Entry fee: £6

Mixed writing contests  

29. the 2023 bloom writing contest  .

The European Society of Literature invites poets and writers to send entries on the theme of beauty. The organizers of this writing competition believe that “good literature isn’t confined to a particular category”, so be sure to do your best!

Theme: Beauty

Categories: Short story, essay, and poetry

Word count: 2,500

Prize: €500

Entry fee: €3

30. Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition  

This esteemed writing contest will award almost 500 winners with cash prizes and publication. The competition will be held in nine categories, so be sure to check out their submission guidelines!

Categories: Various

Prizes: $5,000 grand prize and $1,000, $500, $250, $50 per category

Entry fee: $20–$30 (depending on categories) 

Closing date: 05 May 2023

31. The Emerging Writer’s Contest

Ploughshares encourages emerging writers to send their entries, and self-published writers don’t qualify. The winners also receive a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management regarding their writing careers.

Categories: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry

Word count: 6,000 for fiction and nonfiction, 3–5 pages for poetry

Prize: $2,000 per category

32. Yeovil Literary Prize

Yeovil Community Arts Association has organized this set of writing competitions to encourage poets and writers worldwide. The contest is a great opportunity to get your work read by major agents and publishers!

a. Novel Writing Contest

Prizes: £1250, £500, £125

Entry fee: £14.5

b. Short Story Competition

Word count: 2,000

Prizes: £600, £250, £125

Entry fee: £8

c. Poetry Competition

Word count: 40 lines

Entry fee: £5

d. Children’s and Young Adult Novel

Word count: 3,000 words, 500-word synopsis

Entry fee: £12.5

e. Writing Without Restrictions

Word count: —

f. Western Gazette Best Local Writer Award

Prize: £100

33. The Synopsis Skirmish

The organizers of this unique writing contest in 2023 want you to write a synopsis of your novel “with style but without gimmick”. Can you walk the fine line between understanding the form and introducing a fresh take?

Word count: 500

Prizes: $700 CAD, $200 CAD, $100 CAD

Entry fee: $5 CAD

1. Annual Mudfish Poetry Contest  

Mudfish has organized this poetry contest to award deserving poets with publication in the magazine. All entries will be considered for publication. Deborah Landau is the judge for this contest.

Word count: 3 poems of any length

Prize: $1,200

Closing date: 15 June 2023

2. The Poetry London Prize  

The poetry competition provides some free entries for writers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Unfortunately, self-published poets are not eligible for this contest.

Word count: 80 lines

Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000

Entry fee: £10

Closing date: 30 June 2023 

3. Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors

The organizers of this short story contest seek “stories set between today and the year 2200, in a future that shows the path to a clean, green, just world.” Make sure you go through their guidelines before you participate!

Word count: 3,000–5,000

Prizes: $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, nine prizes of $300

Closing date: 13 June 2023

4. Anthology Short Story Competition

Anthology has organized this short story contest in 2023 “to recognize and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication”. Make sure you go through some issues of the magazine for some context!

Word count: 1,500

Prizes: €1,000, €250, €150

Entry fee: €18

Closing date: 31 August 2023 

5. The Moth Short Story Prize  

This prestigious short story competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 with no restrictions of theme or style. The winning entry will be published in the Irish Times while other finalists will be published online.

Prizes: €3,000, travel stipend for a week at Circle of Misse, €1,000

Entry fee: €15

Closing date: 30 June 2023

6. The Writers College Short Story Competition  

This short story contest is for unpublished writers or writers who have been published fewer than four times in any genre. Only per entry is allowed for each writer, so make sure you send your best work!

Prizes: $1,000 NZ, $500 NZ, $250 NZ

Essay writing contests

7. the international peace essay contest for ukraine war  .

This essay contest has been organized to encourage writers to share their ideas on peacebuilding. Answer one of the three provided questions in your essay and send it across. All the best!

Prize: $100

Closing date: 01 June 2023

8. International Essay Contest for Young People  

This writing competition for teenagers and young writers invites entries in English, French, and Japanese. The contest is “an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world’s youth”.

Theme: Youth Creating a Peaceful Future

Word count: 700

Prizes: $740, $370, gift certificates

9. Free Global Writing Competition  

The winning entry for this essay contest will be published in The Writers College newsletter and blog. Entries are restricted to one entry per writer, so make sure you send nothing short of your best essay!

Theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received

Word count: 600

Prize: $200

10. 2023 Housatonic Book Awards  

This book writing contest awards three writers with a cash prize in exchange for appearing at Western Connecticut State University, including a $500 travel stipend and hotel residency.

Categories: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Word count: Various

Prize: $1,000 per category

11. Green Stories Novel Prize  

The aim of this novel writing contest is to “use fiction as a way to reach a wider audience, and support winning authors to translate their stories into published books”. Your novel should be at least 60,000 words, but you’re required to send only three chapters.

Word count: 4,000–10,000

Prizes: $1200, $600

Closing date: 26 June 2023

12. North Street Book Prize  

The top prize winner in this book contest also gets a one-hour phone conversation with the contest judge, Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!

Categories: Various (eight genres)

Word count: 200,000

Prizes $10,000 (grand prize) and $1,000, $300 (per category)

Entry fee: $75

13. Geri Digiorno Prize  

Raleigh Review has organized this interesting writing competition to recognize the work of multi-disciplinary artists. Send a combination of poetry, visual art, and flash nonfiction and get a chance to be published in the magazine!

Categories: Nonfiction, poetry, visual art

Prize: $300

Entry fee: $5

14. 2023 International Competitions  

The Wells Festival of Literature has arranged four writing competitions in 2023 that accept entries in different genres. All the contests feature an additional prize for local poets and writers.

a. 2023 Open Poetry Competition

Word count: 35 lines

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250, and £100 for a local poet

b. 2023 Short Story Competition

Word count: 1,000–2,000

Prizes: £750, £300, £200, and £100 for a local writer

c. 2023 Book for Children Competition

Word count: first two chapters or first twenty pages

Prizes: £150, £75, £50

d. 2023 Young Poets Competition

Entry fee: £3

1. Submit | Valiant Scribe  

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250

Closing date: 15 July 2023 

2. Amy Award | Alison Wearing  

Closing date: 09 July 2023 

3. Ledbury Poetry Competition 2023

Closing date: 10 July 2023 

4. Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition  

Closing date: 12 July 2023

5. The Sentence Expansion Extravaganza

Closing date: 15 July 2023

6. Bardsy – Current Short Story Anthology Contest

Closing date: 07 July 2023 

7. Page One Prize

Closing date: 14 July 2023

8. 2023 Start Here | Hastings Book Fest  

Category: Poetry and short fiction

August 2023

1. the coniston prize  .

Radar Poetry has organized this poetry competition to award a group of poems. The contest is open to people who self-identify as women and welcomes poems that are “cohesive in some way, whether connected by subject matter, theme, voice, style, or imagery.”

Word count: 3–5 poems in a single document

Prizes: $1,000, ten prizes of $175

Closing date: 01 August 2023

2. Fischer & Cantor Prizes

The Telluride Institute has simultaneously organized these two poetry contests 2023. The Fischer Prize welcomes entries on all subject matter, while the Cantor Prize is open to poets living in or writing about Colorado.

Prizes: $1,000, five prizes of $250 | $500, two prizes of $250

Entry fee: $10 | $6

Closing date: 30 August 2023

3. 2023 Unpublished Contest  

4. 20th annual gival press short story award 2023.

Gival Press has organized this short story contest 2023 in the hopes of eventually publishing an anthology of contest winners. There is a long list of submission guidelines, so make sure you follow them all!

Word count: 5,000–15,000

Closing date: 08 August 2023

5. Summer Short Story Award for New Writers  

The organizers of this short story writing competition are looking for the best literary fiction. They ask only one thing from today’s new writers: “Dazzle us, take chances, and be bold.” All finalists  receive agency reviews from six agencies!

Word count: 6,000

Prizes: $3,000, $300, $200

Closing date: 27 August 2023

6. Flash Fiction Contest 2023   

Gemini Magazine has organized this flash fiction contest to award six finalists with online publication in its October 2023 issue. Entries on any subject and style are eligible. All entries are read blind.

Prizes: $1,000, $100, four prizes of $25

Entry fee: $7

Closing date: 31 August 2023

7. WOW! Women On Writing Contests: Flash Fiction and Essay Contest

The organizers of this flash fiction competition seek “to provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants.” The top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine. The contest is limited to only 300 entries!

Prizes: $400, $300, $200

8. Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

This flash fiction competition runs in partnership with the Bodleian Libraries’ Gifts and Books exhibition at the University of Oxford. The £50 prize recognizes a new voice and shortlisted entrants are offered publication in an end-of-year anthology.

Theme: Gifts

Prizes: £1000, £200, £100, £50

9. The University of New Orleans Press Publication Prize  

The organizers of this competition seek to “bring innovative publicity and broad distribution to authors”. Short story collections and novellas are eligible for entry. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!

Prize: $10,000 advance on royalties

10. Granum Foundation Fellowship Prize   [Free Contest!]

This book writing competition awards a US-based writer with the opportunity to complete a substantive literary work or to launch one. An additional prize is awarded to a work of translation by a US-based writer.

Categories: Novel, memoir, short story, essay, and poetry

Word count: Variable

Prizes: $5,000, $1,500

13. The Deborah Tall Lyric Essay Book Prize  

Seneca Review Books has organized this contest to “encourage and support innovative work in the essay”. Essay writers are welcome to submit cross-genre and hybrid work, verse forms, text and image, connected pieces, and “beyond category” projects. 

Word count: 48–120 pages

Entry fee: $27

14. 2023 Omnidawn Open Poetry Book Contest  

One of several Omnidawn poetry contests 2023, this competition awards one poet with publication, a cash prize, and 20 printed copies. If your manuscript contains images, make sure they’re completely original!

Word count: 40–90 pages

Prize: $3,000 and 20 printed copies

Entry fee: $35

Closing date: 13 August 2023

15. Grayson Books Poetry Contest  

One of two poetry competitions 2023 organized by Grayson Books, this contest offers publication to a single poet. You may include a brief bio in the submission form and add acknowledgments in the manuscript, but it’s not compulsory.

Word count: 50–90 pages

Prize: $1,000 and 10 printed copies

Entry fee: $26

Closing date: 15 August 2023

16. Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition  

Munster Literature Centre has organized this poetry writing competition to award both new and established poets with publication. Aside from the winners, the organizers will list 25 poets as “highly commended”.

Word count: 16–24 pages

Prizes: €1,000, €500, and 25 printed copies for both winners

Entry fee: €25

17. The 2024 Kenneth Patchen Award for the Innovative Novel  

Journal of Experimental Fiction has organized this novel writing competition with Carla M. Wilson as the judge. Make sure your manuscript doesn’t contain any identifying information and add a separate sheet with your contact information.

18. The St. Lawrence Book Award  

Black Lawrence Press has organized this book writing contest with its editorial staff and previous winners as the judges. The competition is open to poets and writers who have not published a full-length manuscript in any genre. 

Categories: Prose and poetry

Word count: 120–280 pages for prose; 45–95 pages for poetry

Prize: $1,000 and ten printed copies

19. The Kindle Storyteller Award [Free Contest]

This book writing contest is open to poets and writers of all genres who have published their work through Kindle Direct Publishing. While there is a judging panel, readers also play a role in selecting the winner.

Categories: Any genre

Word count: At least 25 pages

Prize: £20,000, a book launch merchandising package, and a Kindle Oasis E-reader

20. The Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize [Free Contest!]

This contest is open to books of poems published between 01 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 by a resident of Upstate New York. Unfortunately, self-published works are not eligible.

Word count:   At least 48 pages

21. Off the Grid Press    

This poetry competition 2023 is open to poets aged 60 and above. Along with the cash prize, the winner receives publication, promotion, and distribution for their book in print and audiobook formats.

Word count: At least 50 pages

Other interesting contests in 2023

22. aesthetica creative writing award  .

This writing competition invites poets and writers to submit entries on any theme. The cash prizes come with additional prizes such as magazine subscriptions and course enrolments!

Categories: Poetry and fiction

Word count: 40 lines for poetry and 2,000 words for fiction

Prizes: £2,500 per category and several other exciting prizes

Entry fee: £12 for poetry and £15 for fiction

23. Stories That Need to Be Told Contest

This interesting writing contest 2023 invites you to tell a story—whether you do it in a poem or an essay is up to you! Along with the grand prize, five prizes will be awarded for “stories that excel in the merits of Humor, Passion, Depth, and (any form of) Love”.

Prizes: $1,000, six prizes of $200

Closing date: 09 August 2023

September 2023

1. four-line poem contest.

Part of the Fanstory group of writing contests 2023, this poetry competition is sure to get you excited. Write a poem in four lines with a 1-5-5-9 syllable structure. Think you’re up to the challenge?

Word count: 20 syllables

Entry fee: $12.95

Closing date: 14 September 2023

2. Letterkenny Literary Festival Poetry Competition [Free Contest!]

Open to poets from Ireland, this poetry contest celebrates the birth of Brendan Behan and his connections with Letterkenny. Five shortlisted entrants will be invited to read their entry at the literary festival, where the winners will be announced.

Theme: Against the Odds

Word count: 30 lines

Prizes: €150, €1000

Closing date: 15 September 2023

3. TRIO International Poetry Competition

Trip Uganda has organized this poetry competition with Jon Sait as its administrator, who won the 2004 National Poetry Competition. All entries will be considered for publication in the next edition of Red Poets .

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £100, four prizes of £25

Closing date: 30 September 2023

4. VII International Short Tales Contest [Free Writing Contest!]

The César Egido Serrano Foundation has organized this international short story contest 2023 to promote “harmony between different cultures, religions and ideologies”. Writers can submit entries in Spanish, English, Arabic or Hebrew.

Word count: 100

Prizes: $20,000, three prizes of $2,000 each

5. Manchester Writing Competition

Manchester Metropolitan University invites poets and writers worldwide to participate in their writing competition. The organizers offer 100 reduced-price (£10) to participants with low income.

Categories: Short story and poetry

Word count: 2,500 for short story, 120 lines for poetry

Prize: £10,000 per category

Closing date: 01 September 2023

October 2023

1. 2024 peter porter poetry prize  .

Australian Book Review has organized this poetry contest 2023 to honor the poet Peter Porter. The five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2024 issue of ABR . Entrants will receive digital access to ABR for four months!

Word count: 70 lines

Prizes: $6,000 AUD, four prizes of $1,000 AUD

Entry fee: $30 AUD

Closing date: 09 October 2023

2. Editor’s Choice Award

This interesting contest invites poets and writers to send “hybrid work—your lyric essays, prose poems, short-shorts, collages, micro-memoirs”. The competition begins accepting entries on 01 May 2023, so keep your drafts ready!

Word count: 8,000 

Closing date: 16 October 2023

3. Diode Editiona Full-Length Book Contest  

Diode Editions has organized this poetry writing competition to award an unpublished poet. The winning manuscript will be published within a year and select poems from it will appear in the 17th Anniversary Issue of diode poetry journal .

Word count: 55–95 pages

Prize: $1,500 and 10 author copies

Closing date: 30 October 2023

4. Diode Editions Chapbook Contest  

The organizers of this poetry contest allow collaborations and hybrid work. Diode Editions may select more than one chapbook as the winner, and each winner will receive a cash prize and publication.

Word count: 25–55 pages

Prize: $750 and 10 author copies

5. Anthology Poetry Competition  

Well-known among writing contests 2023, this poetry competition was “established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing”. There is no restriction on theme and style, but you can refer to past issues for a better idea of what they publish.

Closing date: 31 October 2023

6. National Poetry Competition  

One of the most prestigious poetry contests in 2023, The Poetry Society has been organizing this competition since 1978. Jane Draycott, Will Harris, Clare Pollard comprise the panel of judges for this year.

Prize: £5,000

7. The Chilling Pen Award [Free Contest!]

This short story competition seeks to unearth hidden gems in the horror genre. The judging criteria are as follows: Quality, Originality, Fear Factor, and Overall Impact. So go ahead and write something to chill the panel to its bones!

Prizes: $500, $300, $100

Closing date: 01 October 2023

8. Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

Anthology has organized this flash fiction contest to “inspire creativity, great writing and to provide a platform for publication.” The winning entry will be published in a future issue of the magazine.

Prize: €300

Entry fee: €8 / €10

Closing date: 31 May 2023 / 31 October 2023

Mixed Contest 2023

9. the bedford competition  .

The organizers of this writing contest help poets and writers get published and donate all proceeds to charities that support literary and literacy skills. All winning and shortlisted entries will be published by Ostrich Books. 

Word count: 3,000 for short story; 40 lines for poetry

Prizes: £1,500, £300, £200

Entry fee: £9

November 2023

There are few poetry contests this month, but the wealth of short story competitions more than makes up for it. We hope that the two essay contests we managed to find keep the nonfiction writers happy!

Poetry contests 2023

1. edwin markham prize for poetry 2023     .

Reed Magazine welcomes poets to submit entries in a wide variety of forms and styles. You may send up to five poems in a single document with a 50-word bio. Make sure to pay attention to the formatting guidelines when you submit!

Closing date: 01 November 2023

2. James Hearst Poetry Prize  

North American Review has organized this poetry competition to honor its past contributing editor and celebrated poet, James Hearst. While there’s no restriction on form, the organizers suggest that you submit shorter poems. 

Entry fee: $23

3. Cafe Writers Poetry Competition 2023

This international poetry contest offers one free entry to any UK resident who can’t pay the entry fee. One Norfolk resident is awarded the Norfolk Prize and a cash prize of £100. Martin Figura is the sole judge this year.

Prize: £1,000, £300, £200, £100, five prizes of £50

Entry fee: £4

Closing date: 30 November 2023

4. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize

BOA Editions, a not-for-profit publishing house of poetry and poetry in translation, has organized this contest to honor its late founder. The contest is only open to poets who are yet to publish a full-length manuscript.

5. Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition

Suji Kwock Kim is the judge for this international poetry competition 2023. The poem can be on any subject or style. The organizers offer free entries of two poems each for thirty poets currently residing in a developing country.

Prize: €2,000, €500, €250, two prizes of €50

Entry fee: €7

6. John Steinbeck Award for Fiction 2023

Reed Magazine has organized this story writing contest to invite entries for its Issue 157. The organizers are open to all styles, including experimental and literary. Make sure to add a 50-word bio with your entry!

7. The Scribble Annual Short Story Competition 2023  

Park Publications, the publisher of Scribble , has organized this short story contest. The winning entry will be published in the winter 2023 edition of the magazine. Annual subscribers of Scribble receive a free entry.

Prizes: £100, £50, £25

8. Kurt Vonnegut Speculative Fiction Prize

This short story contest is open to entries in all genres of speculative fiction, from fairy tale and horror to afro-futurism and science fiction. The results will be announced in January 2024. The winning entry will be published in North American Review ’s summer issue. 

Prize: $1,333

9. Commonwealth Short Story Prize [Free Writing Contest!] 

Commonwealth Foundation has organized this free short story contest to offer publication to writers residing in Commonwealth countries. The winning story, along with four regional winning stories, will be published in Granta .

Word count: 2,000–5,000

Prizes: £5,000, four prizes of £2,500

10. Curious Curls Fiction Contest  

Curious Curls Publishing has organized this short story competition in an effort to begin publishing shorter fiction. Besides the cash prizes, the winners will receive video promotion and a free book!

Prizes: $250, $125, $100

Entry fee: $2.50

Closing date: 15 November 2023

11. Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition

In its second year, this short story competition welcomes writers to submit entries in any genre. Alongside the winners, ten longlisted writers will be offered publication in the contest anthology. All the best!

Theme: Dusk

Closing date: 16 November 2023

12. WOW! Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest

WOW! welcomes women writers to submit their best work to this open-prompt flash fiction contest 2023. You can opt for a critique of your work at an entry fee of $20. There are only 300 entries, so hurry up and start writing!

13. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024

New Writers has organized this flash fiction contest to award three writers with publication on their website. Entries published online or on social media are not eligible. Stephanie Curly is the head judge.

Word count: 300 

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200

Entry fee: £8 (early bird entry fee) / £10 

Closing date: 30 November 2023 / 31 January 2024

Essay contests

14. gabriele rico challenge for nonfiction 2023.

This nonfiction writing contest welcomes creative nonfiction such as essays and narratives, but not scholarly papers or book reviews. The piece you send must be a stand-alone work and not part of a larger manuscript.

15. Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest [Free Contest!]

The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all high school and college students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose from three prompts and submit an award-winning essay!

Word count: 800–1,600

Prizes: $10,000, 3 prizes of prizes $2,000, 5 prizes of $1,000, 25 prizes of $100, 50 prizes of $50

Closing date: 06 November 2023

Book writing contests 2023

16. the changes book prize  .

This poetry book competition awards a first or second book of poetry with publication. The winner also receives national distribution, extensive publicity, and a launch event for their book. Eileen Myles is the judge for the contest.

Word count: 48–80 pages

17. Evaristo Prize for African Poetry [Free Contest!]

This poetry contest 2023 is open to African poets who haven’t yet published a full-length poetry book. Self-published poets are welcome to enter! In the case of a translated work, a percentage of the prize will be awarded to the translator.

Word count: 10 poems, no more than 40 lines each

18. Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest  

Fiction Collective Two (FC2) has organized this writing contest 2023 for American writers who haven’t published with them before. You may submit a piece previously published in anthologies, but self-published manuscripts are not eligible! 

Mixed writing contests

19. f(r)iction contests 2023  .

The organizers of this contest invite poets and writers to submit work that “actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes.” Make sure you follow their formatting guidelines while submitting your entry!

Categories: Poetry, short story, and flash fiction

Word count: 3 pages for poetry; 1,001–7,500 words for short story; 1,000 words for flash fiction

Prizes: $300 for poetry; $1,000 for short story; $300 for flash fiction

Entry fee: $10 for poetry; $15 for short story; $10 for flash fiction

20. The SmokeLong Grand Micro Competition 2023

This microfiction writing competition welcomes entries in fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid genres. All shortlisted entries will be published in the winter 2023 issue of SmokeLong Quarterly.

Word count: 400

Prizes: $1500, $500, $300, some prizes of $100

Entry fee: $13

Closing date: 10 November 2023

21. McNally Robinson Booksellers Writing Competitions 2023

Prairie Fire has organized these creative writing contests to offer outstanding poets and writers with publication in its summer issue. Note that a poetry entry consists of three poems and your total line count should be less than 150.

Categories: Poetry, short story, and creative nonfiction

Word count: 150 lines for poetry; 5,000 words for short story and nonfiction

Prizes: $750, $350, $150 per category

Entry fee: $34

Closing date: 30 November 2023 

Other interesting writing competitions 2023

22. ink 2 screen one act challenge  .

This unique writing competition challenges screenwriters to write a one-act screenplay during the month of November. You can discuss your progress with other participants and you’ll receive detailed feedback on your entry!

Word count: 60 pages

Entry fee: $45

23. Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest  

This exciting contest welcomes poets and writers to try their hand at creating written beauty in just 100 words. The judges are looking for “creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes.”

Prizes: $2,000, a writing coaching program, an editing package

24. Anthology Travel Writing Competition  

The organizers of this travel writing contest are looking for “an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture”.

Entry fee: €10/€15

December 2023

Poetry competitions 2023 dominate December, but we’ll keep looking for more short story contests and essay writing contests. Our beloved poets and writers have had a great year of writing, and it’s our job to help them further! We have also included many free writing contests in 2023 for budding and seasoned writers. 

1. Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize  

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College has organized this poetry competition 2023. Winners and finalists will be published in the Spring 2024 issue of The Heartland Review , of which 20 finalists will receive a free copy.

Prizes: $500, $140, $100

Closing date: 01 December 2023

2. Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry [Free Contest!]

This poetry writing contest rewards one unpublished poet with a cash prize and publication. While self-published poets are not eligible, editors or anthology contributors are welcome to submit!

Prizes: $1,000

3. Women’s Poetry Competition 2023  

Mslexia has organized this poetry contest to offer the 4 winners and 16 additional finalists with publication. Previously unpublished poets are eligible for the Unpublished Poetry Prize and £250 cash prize!

Prizes: £2,000, £500, two prizes of £250

Closing date: 04 December 2023

4. 21st Gival Press Poetry Award 2023  

Gival Press has organized this poetry contest 2023 to reward one unpublished manuscript. Self-published books are not allowed. There are no restrictions on the theme or style, the organizers want “simply good poetry”.

Word count: At least 45 pages

Closing date: 15 December 2022

5. The Moth Poetry Prize 2023

Among the most reputed poetry competitions worldwide, The Moth Poetry Prize invites poets to submit their unpublished poems. Four shortlisted poems will appear in the Irish Times online and the overall winner will be announced in spring 2024.

Prizes: €6,000, three prizes of €1,000, eight prizes of €250

Closing date: 31 December 2023 

6. The 2023 Society of Classical Poets International Poetry Competition

This 2023 poetry contest requires all entries to be in meter. Rhyme and other traditional techniques are encouraged as well, but not required. You may submit up to three poems in an entry if the total line count is below 108.

Word count: 108 lines

Prize: $2,000, three prizes of €1,000, eight prizes of €250

Closing date: 31 December 2023

7. The Tampa Review Prize for Poetry

One of the best poetry contests out there, this competition accepts previously unpublished manuscripts. Individual poems may have appeared in periodicals, chapbooks, or anthologies. All entries include a one-year subscription to Tampa Review .

Short story contest 2023

8. the w.s. porter prize for short story collections  .

This short story competition in 2023 honors the master of the genre, O. Henry himself. Regal House Publishing will publish the winning short story collection. The organizers seek “a masterfully written short story collection”.

Word count: 100–350 pages

9. Short Short Story Competition 2024

The grand prize winner of this contest gets a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference along with a cash prize. All finalists will be published in the September/October 2024 issue of Writer’s Digest .

Prizes: $3,000, $1,500, $500, $100

Closing date: 15 December 2023

10. The Danahy Fiction Prize  

While the organizers of this short story contest have provided an ideal word count, entries falling slightly outside the range are allowed. Make sure your entry is double-spaced and attach a cover page with your details.

Word count: 500–5,000

11. 2024 MWA First Crime Novel Competition [Free Contest!]

Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America (MWA) has organized this novel writing contest in 2024 to offer a deserving writer with publication. Self-published works are not eligible, but self-published writers are welcome to submit a new manuscript!

Word count: 60,000–65,000

Prize: $10,000 (as an advance against royalties)

12. The Masters Review Chapbook Open

The Masters Review has organized this prose chapbook contest to offer one emerging writer with publication. The organizers “encourage you to be bold, to experiment with style and form.” Think you’re up for the challenge?

Word count: 25–45 pages

Prize: $3,000 and 75 contributor copies

Closing date: 17 December 2023

13. Valorious Awards

This science fiction contest for published writers only features 100 entries. The organizers stress the quality of writing, so make sure your book has been meticulously edited and proofread!

Word count: At least 65,000

Prize: $500, $250, $150

Writing contests 2024

The year 2024 brings us a fresh crop of writing contests for poets and writers. Stay tuned as we keep adding more competitions to our ever-expanding list!

1. Colorado Prize for Poetry  

Colorado State University has organized this poetry competition to offer one poet with publication. The Center for Literary Publishing will publish 500 copies of the winning entry! Translations and self-published manuscripts are not eligible. 

Closing date: 14 January 2024

2. Rattle Chapbook Prize  

This poetry contest honors the form of chapbooks by offering publication to three poets. Each winning copy will reach Rattle ’s 8,000 subscribers. As the organizers say, “This will be a chapbook to launch a career.”

Word count: 15–30 pages

Prizes: Three prizes of $5,000

Closing date: 15 January 2024

3. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024

Entry fee: £8 / £10

Closing date: 31 January 2024

4. Terry Tempest Williams Creative Nonfiction Prize  

This essay contest welcomes all kinds of creative essays from lyric essays to literary journalism. Objective essays are also allowed but should have a personal touch. All semi-finalists will be considered for publication!

Word count: 500–10,000

Closing date: 01 April 2024

Read our latest article, to know more about writing competitions 2024 .

If you were hoping for some more short story, poetry, or essay contests, don’t worry! As more contests are announced, we’ll keep adding to this list. So make sure to bookmark this page for the latest writing competitions 2023!

For more resources on writing and editing, feel free to explore our Resource Center. For now, here are a few articles you may be interested in:

• 2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
• 5 Elements of a Short Story & 6 Stages of a Plot  
• How to Create Powerful Conflict in Your Story  
• Theme of a Story | Meaning, Common Themes & Examples
• How to Write Dialogue: 7 Rules, 5 Tips & 65 Examples   

Found this article helpful?

9 comments on “ Writing Contests 2023: Cash Prizes, Free Entries, & More! ”

Thanks for compiling this list, it’s very helpful for poets & writers like myself!

Please add this writing contest to your list: Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest (Biannual) Thank you!

Hi Paul! The contest has been added to the list. Thanks for reaching out!

Hello! You might be interested in featuring the Anthology Short Story and Poetry Competitions 2023 in this list. Thanks!

Hi Dearbhaile, I’ve added the writing contests to our list. Thanks for suggesting them!

The Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest is open to all students globally. Kindly add it to your list!

Thank you for reaching out, Nelly! I’ve added the contest to our list.

Anthology now has a Flash Fiction competition!

Thank you for compiling the list!

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The Moth Nature Writing Prize 2024

2025 Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

34th Annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize

The Galley Beggar Press Short Story Prize 2024/2025

The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2024

2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

Mslexia Women's Short Story Competition 2024

Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest 2024

Your Ultimate Guide to Writing Contests Through 2024

Regardless where you are on your writing journey, you can benefit from entering contests.

The right contest can tell you:

• Where you stand
• How you measure up against the competition
• What you still need to learn

And you could win cash.

That’s why my team researched a wide range of high-quality contests. We’ve included free competitions and also many with modest entry fees.

• Short Story Writing Contests
• Full Manuscript Writing Contests
• Poetry Writing Contests

Great American Fiction Contest

Prize: 1st: $1,000, publication in The Saturday Evening Post

Runners-up (5): $200

Entry Fee: $10

Deadline: TBD 2024 (Annual Contest)

Sponsor: The Saturday Evening Post

From Website: “Unpublished short stories of 1,500 to 5,000 words in any genre touching on the publication’s mission, “Celebrating America—past, present, and future.” No extreme profanity or graphic sex. Work published on a personal website or blog is still eligible.”

SiWC Writing Contest

Prize: 1st: $1,000 plus publication

Honorable Mention: $150

Entry Fee: $15

Deadline: September 15, 2024

Sponsor: Surrey International Writers’ Conference

From Website: “Short stories in any genre must be 2,500-4,000 words. All submissions must contain original material and may not have been previously published, accepted for publication, or have been a winner in another contest prior to the deadline.”

WOW / Women On Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Competition

Prize: 1st: $400, $25 Amazon gift certificate

2nd: $300, $25 Amazon gift certificate

3rd: $200, $25 Amazon gift certificate

Runners-up (7): $25 Amazon gift certificate

Honorable mentions (10): $20 Amazon gift certificate

Entry Fee: $10 (or $20 with feedback)

Deadline: Quarterly (next deadline February 2, 2024)

Sponsor: WOW / Women On Writing

From Website: “Runs four times a year and is open to all styles and genres. Closes each quarter after 300 entries have been received, or at the deadline. WOW also runs a quarterly nonfiction essay competition with cash prizes.”

Bristol Short Story Prize

Prize: 1st: £1,000 (~$1,242)

2nd: £500 (~$621)

3rd: £250 (~$310)

Shortlisted (17): £100 (~$124)

Entry Fee: £9 (~$11)

Deadline: TBD 2024

Sponsor: Bristol Short Story Prize

From Website: “Open to all published and unpublished writers 16 and up. No geographical restriction, but all entries must be in English. Maximum length 4,000 words (not including title). No minimum length. Stories can be on any subject.”

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award

Prize: £2,500 (~$3,105)

Winners also receive further non-monetary prizes including publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual.

Entry Fee: £18 (~$22) (Poetry Category entry fee is ~$15) 

Deadline: August 31, 2024

Sponsor: Aesthetica Magazine

From Website: “Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words. Works published or entered elsewhere are accepted. Any theme accepted. You may enter as many times as you wish, however, each work requires a separate fee and submission form.”

The Lascaux Prize

Prize: $1,000

Finalists receive $100

Deadline: June 20, 2024

Sponsor: The Lascaux Review

“Flash Fiction and Creative Nonfiction categories. 

Flash fiction entries should not exceed 1,000 words. All genres and styles welcome. 

From Website: “Creative nonfiction entry length must not exceed 10,000 words. All topics welcome but should be written in a nonacademic style. May include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered.”

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Prize: First place: £3,000 cash grant (~$3,726)

Second place: £1,000 travel expense (~$1,242)

Third place: £1,000 travel expense (~$1,242)

Entry Fee: Free

Deadline: March 1, 2024

Sponsor: The Alpine Fellowship

From Website: “Entries must fit the annual theme. Maximum of 2,500 words. All genres of writing are permitted, including fiction, non-fiction, and non-academic essays. Open to all nationalities but must be written in English. Stories must not have been published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online. No entries that have won or been placed in another competition at any time.”

ServiceScape Short Story Award

Deadline: November 29, 2024

Sponsor: ServiceScape

From Website: “All entries must be original, unpublished works of short fiction or nonfiction, up to 5,000 words in length. Any genre or theme accepted.”

Bacopa Literary Review Contest

Prize: $200 Award 

$100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories

Sponsor: The Writers Alliance of Gainesville

From Website: “Awards in 6 categories (contestants may submit to only ONE category). Fiction (up to 2,500 words), Creative Nonfiction (up to 2,500 words), Humor (up to 2,000 words), Formal Poetry (1-3 poems), Free Verse Poetry (1-2 poems), Visual Poetry (1 poem).”

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

Prize: $.08 per word and publication

Deadline: February 1, 2024

Sponsor: National Space Society and Baen Books

From Website: “Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. What they want to see: Moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, and adventure.”

Parsec Short Story Contest

Prize: First place: $200 and publication in the Confluence program book. 

Second place: $100 

Third place: $50 

Best Youth Story: $50

Deadline: March 31st, 2024

Sponsor: Parsec, Inc.

From Website: “Each annual contest is based on a theme provided. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, and dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. No minimum word count, no more than 3500 words. The 2024 Contest theme is ‘AI mythology.’” 

The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest

Prize: First place: $2000 

Second place: $500 

Third place: $250 

Two Editor’s Choice: $125

Entry Fee: $18

Deadline: May 15, 2024

Sponsor: Carve Magazine

From Website: “One short story per entry. No limit to entries. Must be previously unpublished (including online) with a 10,000 maximum word count. We accept entries from anywhere in the world, but the story must be English-language. No genre fiction (romance, horror, sci-fi); literary fiction only.”

Blurred Genres Flash Contest

Prize: First Place: $750 

Second Place: $350 

Third Place: $150 

Publication of Top Five

Sponsor: Invisible City (University of San Francisco)

From Website: “Based on a theme (for example last year’s theme was “Levity”) that can be interpreted through prose, poetry, or some combination of the two. All genres and themes are welcome. Contest submissions must be 750 words or less and can be flash fiction/nonfiction, prose poetry, or some unique combination of the three. Submissions must be the original work of the submitter and unpublished (and not slated for future publication).”

Imagine 2200: Write the future

Prize: First Place: $3,000

Second Place: $2,000 

Third Place: $1,000

An additional nine finalists will each receive $300 

All winners and finalists will have their stories published in an immersive collection on Grist’s website

Sponsor: Grist

From Website: “Imagine 2200 is an invitation to writers from all over the globe to imagine a future in which solutions to the climate crisis flourish and help bring about radical improvements to our world. 3,000 to 5,000 word stories envisioning a world where we prioritize our well-being, work to mend our communities, and lead lives that celebrate our humanity.”

The Elegant Literature Award For New Writers

Prize: First place: $3,000 and 10c/word and publication. Free enrollment in the New Novelist Accelerator.

Second – Tenth: 10c/word and publication.

Eleventh – Thirty-fifth: $20 and an honorable mention in the magazine

Entry Fee: Requires Elegant+ Membership ($9.99 a month)

Deadline: Ongoing (monthly)

Sponsor: Elegant Literature Magazine

From Website: “Write a story involving annual theme. New or unpublished authors may enter. Word count is 500-2000. All genres are welcome as long as it involves the theme.”

F(r)iction Contests

Prize: $300.00 and consideration for publication in F(r)iction

Entry Fee: $10 for a single entry, $12 for three entries

Deadline: April 30, 2024

Sponsor: F(r)iction

From Website: “Competitions in several categories, short stories (1,001 – 7,500 words), flash fiction (up to 1,000 words), and Poetry (up to three pages per poem). Entries are accepted regardless of genre, style, or origin. Experimental, nontraditional, and boundary-pushing literature is strongly encouraged. Their guidelines include the phrase ‘Strange is good.’”

Manchester Fiction Prize

Prize: £10,000 (~$12,420)

Entry Fee: £18 (~$22) 

100 reduced-price (£10 or ~$13) entries are available to entrants who might not otherwise be able to take part in the competition.

Sponsor: Manchester Metropolitan University

From Website: “The Manchester Fiction Prize asks for a short story of up to 2,500 words in length. Stories submitted should be new work, not previously published elsewhere. The Prize is open internationally to those aged 16 or over.”  

Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition

Prize: Grand Prize $5000, an interview with them in Writer’s Digest (Nov/Dec 2023 issue) and on WritersDigest.com, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a special trophy presentation at the keynote, a coveted Pitch Slam slot at the Writer’s Digest Conference where the winner will receive one on one attention from editors or agents, and publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com

First Place: $1,000 and publication of their winning piece on WritersDigest.com

Second Place: $500 

Third Place: $250 

Fourth Place: $100 

Fifth Place: $50 

Sixth through Tenth Place: $25 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com.

Entry Fee: $20-30 (varies depending on category)

Deadline: May 6, 2024 

Sponsor: Writer’s Digest

From Website: “Only original works that have not been published (at the time of submission) in print, digital, or online publications will be considered. Self-published work in blogs, on social media, etc. will be considered. For the script category, only unproduced scripts will be considered. Entries in the Nonfiction Essay or Article category may be previously published. All entries must be in English. Memoirs/Personal Essay, Nonfiction Essay or Article, and Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum. Mainstream/Literary Short Story, Genre Short, Story, and Humor: 4,000 words maximum. Inspirational Writing: 2,500 words maximum. Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 40 lines maximum.”

Emerging Writer’s Contest

Prize: Publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres

Entry Fee: Free for subscribers to Ploughshares, $24 for nonsubscribers

Sponsor: Ploughshares (Emerson College)

From Website: “The contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book. Fiction and Nonfiction: Under 6,000 words. Poetry: 3-5 pages.”

Wells Festival of Literature Short Story Competition

Prize: First Place £750 (~$932)

Second Place £300 (~$373)

Third Place: £200 (~$248)

Entry Fee: £6 (~$8)

Sponsor: Wells Festival of Literature

From Website: “Stories may be on any subject and should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words. All entries must be the exclusive and original work of the entrant. At the time of entry, the work submitted must not have been entered into any other Competition and must not have been published in any format or location.”

Anthology Short Story Competition

Prize: First Place: €1,000 (~$1098), the chance to see their work published in a future issue of Anthology, and a one-year subscription to Anthology 

Second Place: €250 (~$275)

Third Place: €150 (~$165)

Entry Fee: Early Bird: €12 (~$13)

Standard fee: €18 (~$20)

Deadline: July 31, 2024

Sponsor: Anthology Publishing

From Website: “Established to recognize and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Short Story Competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.” 

The Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

Prize: £1,000 (~$1,246) and publication in Wasafiri’s print magazine

Entry Fee: £10 (~$12) for a single entry, £16 (~$20) for a double entry

Sponsor: Wasafiri Magazine 

From Website: “Exceptionally international in scope, the prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. No entry may exceed 3,000 words. A single poetry entry can include up to three poems, which together total no more than 3,000 words.”

2024 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Prize: $1000 and a free 10-week course with Gotham Writers

Entry Fee: $25

Sponsor: Gotham Writers and Selected Shorts

From Website: “This long-running series at Symphony Space in New York City celebrates the art of the short story by having stars of stage and screen read aloud the works of established and emerging writers. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast.”

Robert and Adele Schiff Awards

Prize: $1,000 All entries will be considered for publication in The Cincinnati Review

Entry Fee: $20

Sponsor: The Cincinnati Review (University of Cincinnati)

From Website: “Writers may submit up to 8 pages of poetry, 40 pages of a single double-spaced piece of fiction, or 20 pages of a single double-spaced piece of literary nonfiction, per entry. Previously published manuscripts, including works that have appeared online (in any form), will not be considered. There are no restrictions as to form, style, or content; all entries will be considered for publication. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable under the condition that you notify us if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.” 

Salamander 2024 Fiction Prize

Prize: First Place: $1,000 and Publication

 Second Place: $500 and Publication

Deadline: TBD 2024 

Sponsor: Salamander Magazine

From Website: “All entries will be considered for publication and will be judged anonymously. Each story must not exceed 30 double-spaced pages in 12-point font. Previously published works and works accepted for publication elsewhere cannot be considered. Salamander’s definition of publishing includes electronic publication.”

BOA Short Fiction Prize

Prize: $1,000 and publication by BOA Editions, Ltd.

Deadline: May 31, 2024

Sponsor: BOA Editions, Ltd.

From Website: “Entrants must be U.S. citizens, legal residents of the U.S., or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or Legal Permanent Status (LPS). Entrants must be at least 18 years of age. Minimum of 90 pages; maximum of 200 pages. Manuscript text should be at least 12 pt. font, double-spaced. As with all BOA fiction titles, our prize-winning short story collections are more concerned with the artfulness of writing than the twists and turns of plot. It is our belief that short story writing is a valuable and underserved literary form that we are proud to support, nurture, and celebrate.”

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Prize: First Place: $3,000 

Entry Fee: $22

Deadline: May 1, 2024

Sponsor: Winning Writers (Co-sponsored by Duotrope)

From Website: “For this contest, a story is any short work of fiction, and an essay is any short work of nonfiction. All themes accepted. Entries may be published or unpublished. Length limit: 6,000 words maximum. No restriction on the age of the author.”

Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction

Prize: $1,333

Deadline: November 1, 2024

Sponsor: Reed Magazine

From Website: “C reative nonfiction, such as personal essays or narratives, not scholarly papers or book reviews. All works should be stand-alone essays, not chapters of a longer work. Previously published work is not eligible. Up to 5,000 words.”

53-Word Story Contest

Prize: Publication in Prime Number Magazine and a free book from Press 53.

Deadline: Ongoing. 15th of each month

Sponsor: Prime Number Magazine

From Website: “New prompt each month. Judges are looking for stories with a surprising approach to the prompt, something unusual and creative. Stories must be 53 words—no more, no less. Stories with fewer than or more than 53 words will be disqualified. Send only stories; poetry with line breaks will not be considered.”

Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction

Prizes: Three Winners are announced who are published and share in the $1000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Longlisted. All entries considered for publication, and for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other anthologies.

Deadline: Awarded every two months

Sponsor: Letter Review

From Website: “Word Length: 0 – 5000 words. Open to anyone in the world. There are no genre or theme restrictions.”

Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction

Entry Fee: $20.

From Website: “0 – 5000 words. Open to anyone in the world. We welcome all forms of nonfiction including: Memoir, journalism, essay (including personal essay), fictocriticism, creative nonfiction, travel, nature, opinion, and many other permutations.”

University of New Orleans Press Lab Prize

Prize: $10,000 advance on royalties and a contract to publish with the University of New Orleans Press

Entry Fee: $28

Sponsor: University of New Orleans

From Website: “Entries must be unpublished novels or short story collections. The work does not have to be regionally focused. There is no word limit. There is no restriction on subjects covered. The contest is open to all authors from around the world, regardless of publishing history.  Works of fiction (novels and short story collections) only. Submissions must be your entire manuscript.”

The Bath Novel Awards 

Prize: Two £3,000 (~$3738) prizes are awarded annually for the best manuscript as judged by literary agents

All shortlistees win feedback on their full manuscript.

Entry Fee: £29 (~$36)

Deadline: May 31st 2024

Sponsor: The Bath Novel Award (co-sponsored by Cornerstones Literary Consultancy and Professional Writing Academy)

From Website: “Submit the opening 5,000 words plus one-page synopsis of novel manuscripts for adults or young adults. Completed works must be over 50,000 words. Novels can be for adult or young adult readers and any genre. Must be your original work and submitted in English. Novels can be unpublished, self-published, or independently published.”

The Times/Chicken House Competition

Prize:  First Place: worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000 (~$12,459), plus an offer of representation by this year’s agent judge, Davinia Andrew-Lynch of Curtis Brown. 

Second Place: Lime Pictures New Storyteller Award. A publishing contract with a royalty advance of £7,500 (~$9,344) plus an offer of representation by Davinia Andrew-Lynch.

Entry Fee: £20 (~$25)

Deadline: June 1, 2024

Sponsor: The Times and Chicken House 

From Website: “To enter, you must have written a completed full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged somewhere between 7 and 18 years. A minimum of 30,000 words and a maximum of 80,000 words suggested.”

The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction

Prize: $5,000 advance and publication by Dzanc Books

Deadline: September 30, 2024

Sponsor: Dzanc Books

From Website: “The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels (generally over 40,000 words, but there is no hard minimum). The contest is open to new, upcoming, and established writers alike. Agented submissions are also eligible, and we ask that you include all agency contact information with the application. All submitted works must be previously unpublished novel-length manuscripts and should include a brief synopsis, author bio, and contact information.”

Claymore Award

Prize: Discounted admission to Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference, with introductions to agents/editors (And probably publishing contract)

Entry Fee: $45 (Full critique included for $125)

Deadline: April 1, 2024

Sponsor: Killer Nashville

From Website: “The contest is limited to only the first 50 double-spaced pages of unpublished English-language manuscripts containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense NOT currently under contract. These can include Action Adventure, Comedy, Cozy, Historical, Investigator, Juvenile/YA, Literary, Mainstream/Commercial, Mystery, Nonfiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Short Story Collections, Southern Gothic, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, and Western manuscripts, and any of their derivatives. (Self-published manuscripts are considered already published and are not eligible.)”

St. Martin’s Minotaur / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

Prize: Publication and a $10,000 advance

Sponsor: Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America

From Website: “Open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a novel. All Manuscripts submitted must be original works of book length (no less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words), written in the English language, written solely by the entrant, and must not violate any right of any third party or be libelous. Murder or another serious crime is at the heart of the story.”

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing

Prize: $10,000 advance and publication

Sponsor: Restless Books

From Website: “Created in 2015 to honor outstanding debut literary works by first-generation immigrants, awarded for fiction and nonfiction in alternating years. Fiction manuscripts must be complete. Nonfiction submissions must consist of either a complete manuscript or a sample of at least 25,000 words and a detailed proposal that includes a synopsis and an annotated table of contents. All submissions must be in English (translations welcome). Fiction candidates must not have previously published a book of fiction in English. Nonfiction candidates must not have previously published a book of nonfiction in English.”

New American Fiction Prize

Prize: $1,500 and a book contract, as well as 25 author’s copies and promotional support

Deadline: January 15, 2024

Sponsor: New American Press

From Website: “Manuscripts should be at least 100 pages, but there is no maximum length. All forms and styles of full-length fiction manuscripts are welcome, including story collections, novels, novellas, collections of novellas, flash fiction collections, novels in verse, and other hybrid forms.”

Your Next Best Read

Prize: First Place (Fiction & Nonfiction): $100 Cash Price, 6-month Advertising Package, Press Release, Editorial Review, Newsletter Announcement, Promotional Creatives

Second Place Awards (Fiction & Nonfiction): 6-month Advertising Package, Editorial Review, Newsletter Announcement

Third Place (Fiction & Nonfiction): 3-month Advertising Package, Editorial Review, Newsletter Announcement

Deadline: May 5, 2024

Sponsor: Excalibre Publishing

From Website: “ The contest is open to writers of all backgrounds, ages, and nationalities. Both published and unpublished works are welcome. We encourage submissions in various/ALL genres –  fiction, non-fiction, poetry (submit in nonfiction), and short stories. No specific wordcount requiered. Submissions must be in English.”

Letter Review Prize for Manuscripts

Prizes: Three Winners are announced who have a brief extract published, receive a letter of recommendation from our Judges for publishers, and share in the $1000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Longlisted.

Entry Fee: $25.

Deadline: Awarded Every two months

From Website: “Please submit the first 5000 words of your manuscript, whether it be prose or poetry. Open to anyone in the world. The entry must not have been traditionally published. We are seeking all varieties of novels, short story collections, nonfiction, and poetry collections. We will accept manuscripts which are unpublished, self published, and some which are indie published. Review full entry guidelines for further details.”

2nd place in fiction & non-fiction $750 cash prize and trophy

3rd place in fiction & non-fiction $500 cash prize and trophy

Winner of each of the 80+ categories $100 cash prize and gold medal

Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize

Prize: $2,500 plus publication

Entry Fee: $30

Sponsor: Kent State University Press

From Website: “Offered annually to a poet who has not previously published a full-length collection of poems. The winner and the competition’s judge will give a reading together on the Kent State campus. The competition is open to poets writing in English who have not yet published a full-length collection of poems (a volume of 50 or more pages published in an edition of 500 or more copies).”

Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry

Prize: $2,000 plus publication

Sponsor: Lynx House Press

From Website: “Awarded for an unpublished, full-length volume of poems by a U.S. author, which includes foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens living abroad. Manuscripts may include poems that have appeared in journals, magazines, or chapbooks. Poems that have previously appeared in full-length, single-author collections, are not eligible.”

Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

Prize: First Place: €750 ($890) 

Second Place: €500 ($590) 

Third Place: €250 ($295)

Entry Fee: €5 ($6)

Deadline: Every Tuesday at 12pm (Irish time) from April 11, 2023 – January 30, 2024

Sponsor: Ó Bhéal

From Website: “Five words will be posted on this competition page. Entrants will have one week to compose and submit one or more poems which include all five words given for that week. Entry is open to all countries. Poems cannot exceed 50 lines in length (including line breaks), and must include all five words listed for the week.”

Letter Review Prize for Poetry

Prizes: Three Winners are announced who are published and share in the $800 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Longlisted. All entries considered for publication, and for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other anthologies.

Entry Fee: $15.

From Website: “70 lines max per poem Open to anyone in the world. There are no style or subject restrictions.”

• Advice for Researching Writing Competitions

This list includes only a few of the many writing contests you can find online.

Here are some tips for looking into options on your own:

1. Narrow your search with details that are relevant to you, for example, “writing contests in Texas,” “writing contests for women authors,” or “writing contests for veterans.” 

2. Be genre-specific.

3. Include the year in your search to ensure the most up-to-date results. 

4. Carefully read the guidelines and eligibility requirements. 

5. Pay attention to the contest sponsor. Only submit to reputable hosts.  

Worried your writing isn’t quite ready to compete? Take my free writing assessment and see personalized guidance on how to improve your skills. https://jerryjenkins.com/quiz/

Faith-Based Words and Phrases

What You and I Can Learn From Patricia Raybon

A Guest Blog from Stephen King—Yes, that Stephen King

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Read select articles from the award-winning magazine and consult the most comprehensive listing of literary grants and awards, deadlines, and prizewinners available in print.

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Creative Writing Contests & Grants

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Winning a writing contest can bring you recognition and help get your work noticed by agents and editors. Our  Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database  offers a year’s worth of listings from  Poets & Writers Magazine , and connects poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers with the most comprehensive selection of contests that provide publication and/or funding for writers.

We also offer a  Submission Calendar  that includes writing contests arranged by deadline date, as well as Recent Winners, a section from the magazine that features newly announced contest winners. You can stay informed with G&A: The Contest Blog , featuring reports from the world of writing contests, including news of extended deadlines, recent winners of notable awards, new contest announcements, interviews with winners, and more.

We carefully review the practices and policies of each writing competition and awards program before including it in our listings, both in print and online, ensuring that Poets & Writers is the most trusted resource for legitimate grants and awards for writers.

Use our Submissions Tracker to easily keep track of which contests you’ve submitted to, the amount of money you’ve spent on fees, the status of your submissions, and how much time has passed since you submitted your work—all in one place.

The Poets & Writers Guide to Writing Contests is an essential guide to everything you need to know about writing contests, including expert advice from contest series editors, recent winners, and judges.  The Poets & Writers Complete Guide to Being a Writer (Avid Reader Press, 2020) by Kevin Larimer and Mary Gannon offers a chapter dedicated to writing contests.

PEN America offers a list of grants, awards, fellowships, and residencies on its website. The NewPages Big List of Writing Contests lists magazine contests, book contests, chapbook contests, writing contests, and competitions from independent publishers. You can also contact your state or local arts council to learn about grants for writers available in your area.

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