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Looking for a Writing Contest to Enter?

Hannah Yang headshot

Hannah Yang

Different writing contests

Writing contests can be a useful way to send your work out into the world. With a strong submission and a bit of luck, you can win publication, recognition, and even cash prizes.

This article will give you the inside scoop on the most high-quality writing contests to enter.

Are Writing Contests Worth Entering?

What are some writing contests that are free to enter, how can i increase my chances of winning, where can i find more writing contests.

Entering writing contests can be useful for several reasons:

  • They give you a deadline and often even a prompt to write about , which many writers find motivating
  • The results can help you get a sense of where you are on your writing journey and how you can improve your craft
  • Winning a contest can be a fantastic boost to your journey as a writer

The benefits of writing competitions

On the other hand, it’s important to keep in mind that it takes a lot of luck to win a contest, since there are usually only a few winners chosen from among hundreds of strong contestants.

If your goal is to get your writing published, you’ll likely fare better by submitting to magazines and anthologies than by entering contests.

Download our free eBook on how to publish your writing

If your goal is to make money, you should prioritize freelance writing jobs instead.

With that being said, there are many incredible writing contests out there that can absolutely be worth your while, as long as you enter with realistic expectations.

The best option for your writing goal

Many writing contests cost fees to enter, since they give out cash prizes and hire guest judges that they need to pay for their time.

Charging an entry fee doesn’t necessarily mean the contest is a scam. It does mean, however, that you need to be judicious about which contests to submit your work to.

Free writing contests are more accessible to all writers, and there’s nothing to lose from giving them a shot.

We’ve compiled a list of legitimate, high-quality writing contests that charge no entry fees.

Prose Weekly Challenge

Prose, a social network for readers and writers, offers weekly challenges meant to spark your creativity. This is a fun, low-stakes challenge, with a small cash prize to sweeten the deal.

Prize: Each week’s winner receives $100. Guidelines: Submit a short piece of writing (up to 500 words) related to the weekly prompt. Deadline: Weekly.

Prose Weekly Challenge

Prime Number Magazine 53-Word Story Contest

Press 53’s Prime Number Magazine hosts a monthly micro-fiction contest based on a theme.

All stories must be exactly 53 words long. There’s no cash prize, but this can be a fun and low-stakes contest to participate in if you’ve got some spare time and are looking for a writing prompt.

Prize: Publication, a free book from Press 53. Guidelines: Submit a 53-word story based on a monthly prompt. Open to writers around the world who write in English. Deadline: Monthly on the 15th of each month.

Prime Number Magazine 53-Word Story Contest

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction

The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction is an annual short story contest co-hosted by Comma Press and the University of Central Lancashire.

If you live in the UK and are interested in crime stories, this is a great contest to consider, with a £500 for the winner and publication for the runners-up.

Prize: £500 ($692) for first place, and publication for 10 shortlisted authors. Guidelines: Submit a short story (between 2,000 and 6,000 words). The theme for the 2022 Prize is "Crime Stories." Only residents of the UK age 18 or older are eligible. Deadline: October 29, 2021.

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction

Commonwealth Short Fiction Prize

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is an annual short fiction contest administered by the Commonwealth Foundation.

If you’re a short story writer and a citizen of a Commonwealth country, this contest is a fantastic option, with a generous £5,000 cash prize for the winner.

Prize: £5,000 ($6,922) for the overall winner and £2,500 ($3,461) for regional winners. Guidelines: Entrants must be citizens of a Commonwealth country and age 18 or over. Submit a short story (between 2,000 and 5,000 words). As well as English, stories are accepted in the Bengali, Chinese, French, Greek, Kiswahili, Malay, Portuguese, Samoan, Tamil, and Turkish languages. Translated entries from any language into English are also eligible. Deadline: November 1, 2021.

Commonwealth Short Fiction Prize

ServiceScape Short Story Award

ServiceScape is a platform that matches freelance writers, editors, and graphic designers with clients. They offer a yearly Short Story Award with a $1,000 prize.

Prize: $1,000 for first place and publication on the ServiceScape blog. Guidelines: Accepts original, unpublished work (5,000 words or fewer) in any genre, fiction or non-fiction. Writers must be age 18 or older. Deadline: November 29, 2021.

ServiceScape Short Story Award

The Roswell Award

The Roswell Award is an annual science fiction contest with a $500 prize, co-presented by Sci-Fest L.A. and the Light Bringer Project.

This is a great option if you like using your writing to unite the worlds of science and art.

Prize: $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $100 for third place. Guidelines: Submit a science fiction story. Open to writers around the world age 16 or older. Writers are encouraged to explore scientific, social, technological, environmental, and philosophical themes in their writing and always, at the core, to master the art of great storytelling. Deadline: December 21, 2021.

The Roswell Award

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest

The Writers of the Future Contest is the most enduring and influential contest in the history of science fiction and fantasy.

The contest is held once every three months, with a generous $1,000 prize.

Prize: $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. Guidelines: Submissions must be short stories or novelettes (up to 17,000 words) in the genre of science fiction or fantasy. Open to new and amateur writers around the world. Deadline: Quarterly on December 31, March 31, June 30, and September 30.

Find Out More

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award is an annual contest, co-hosted by the National Space Society and Baen Books, for stories about manned space exploration.

If you’re interested in the role that science fiction plays in advancing real science, this is a great option that pays professional rates.

Prize: Professional paying rates (8 cents per word). The winner’s story will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website. The winner will also receive free entry into 2020 International Space Development Conference and a prize package with various Baen Books and National Space Society merchandise. Guidelines: Submit a short story (up to 8,000 words) that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. The judges want to see moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, and/or adventure. Open to writers around the world who write in English. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was February 1, 2021).

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

The Fountain Essay Contest

Fountain Magazine holds an annual contest for essays related to the personal challenges you’ve faced in your life.

Challenges can span from moving across the country and starting at a new high school or getting out of bed in the morning while undergoing depression. There are generous cash prizes for the winners.

Prize: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $300 for third place, and $150 each for two honorable mentions. Guidelines: Submit a personal essay (between 1,500 and 2,500 words) on the annual theme. All writers worldwide are eligible. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was March 1, 2021).

The Fountain Essay Contest

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Every year, The Alpine Fellowship awards writing, visual arts, and theater prizes related to an annual theme.

This is an extremely competitive fellowship, with global recognition for the winner and a whopping £10,000 first place prize.

Prize: £10,000 ($13,840) for first place, £3,000 ($4,150) for second place, and £2,000 ($2,770) for third place. Guidelines: Submit a piece of writing related to the annual theme (2021’s was "Untamed: On Wilderness and Civilization"). Entries must be unpublished and a maximum of 2,500 words. Poetry, prose, or non-academic essays welcome. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was April 1, 2021).

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

The Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest is a contest for humor poems. This is a really fun contest if you like wordplay and witticisms, and you might even win $2,000.

Prize: $2,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $100 each to 10 honorable mentions. Guidelines: Writers of all ages can submit an original, humorous poem with 250 lines or less. The poem you submit should be in English. Inspired gibberish is also accepted. Deadline: April 1, 2022.

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

Parsec Short Story Contest

Parsec Ink holds an annual contest for science fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories from non-professional writers, with a small cash prize for the winners.

Prize: $200 for first place, $100 for second place, and $50 for third place. Guidelines: Submit a short story (up to 3,500 words) based on the annual theme. The 2022 theme has not yet been announced. (The 2021 theme was "Still Waters, Deep Thoughts"). Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was April 15, 2021).

Parsec Short Story Contest

Bacopa Literary Review Contest

Bacopa Literary Review is an international journal published by the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. They hold an annual contest that welcomes fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Prize: $300 for first place and $100 for second place in each of four genres: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, and Prose Poetry. Guidelines: Submit a piece of writing in one of the four genres. You can find detailed guidelines for each genre on the website. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was May 31, 2021).

Bacopa Literary Review Contest

Stony Brook Southampton Short Fiction Prize

The Stony Brook Southampton Short Fiction Prize is a short story contest specifically for college students.

If you’re an undergraduate and want to try a writing contest, this is a fantastic option because you have a smaller set of competitors.

Prize: $1,000, a scholarship to the 2021 Southampton Writers’ Conference, and consideration for publication in TSR: The Southampton Review . Guidelines: Only full-time undergraduates in United States and Canadian universities and colleges are eligible. Submissions must be short fiction (7,500 words or less). Deadline: June 1, 2022.

Stony Brook Southampton Short Fiction Prize

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group holds an annual contest for short stories based on a theme.

There’s no cash prize, but all winning stories are published in their anthology, and you can receive royalties from sales.

Prize: Winning stories will be edited and published, and authors will receive royalties from the anthology. Guidelines: Submit a short story (between 5,000 and 6,000 words) related to the annual theme. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was September 1, 2021).

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest

Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Contest

Hektoen International, an online journal dedicated to medical humanities, holds an annual contest for essays related to medicine, with a generous $5,000 cash prize.

Prize: $5,000 for the winner and $2,500 for the runner-up. Guidelines: Submit a short essay (up to 1,500 words) on any topic so long as it has a relation to medicine. The essay can include art, history, literature, education, and more. Writers must be age 18 or older. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was September 15, 2021).

Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Contest

Owl Canyon Press Short Story Hackathon

Owl Canyon Press holds an annual “ hackathon ” for 20-paragraph stories, with a $1,000 prize.

The contest provides the first and last paragraph and the short story writer crafts the rest.

Prize: $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. Publication in a short story anthology for 24 finalists. Guidelines: Writers are invited to create and submit a short story consisting of 20 paragraphs. The contest provides the 1st and 20th paragraphs, and the short story writer crafts the rest. There is no entry fee for submissions received during the first month of the contest. Deadline: TBD 2022 (last year’s deadline was September 30, 2020).

Owl Canyon Press Short Story Hackathon

Transitions Abroad Expatriate and Work Abroad Writing Contest

The Transitions Abroad Writing Contest is an annual contest for essays related to your experience abroad. If you’ve ever lived and worked abroad, this is a great contest with a $500 cash prize.

Prize: $500 for first place, $150 for second place, $100 for third place, and $50 for all finalists. Guidelines: Submit a practical and inspiring essay or mini-guide (between 1,200 and 5,000 words) that provides in-depth descriptions of your experience moving, living, and working abroad (including any form of work such as teaching English, internships, volunteering, short-term jobs, etc.). The contest is open to writers from any location around the globe. Deadline: TBD 2022 (last year’s deadline was October 15, 2020).

Transitions Abroad Expatriate and Work Abroad Writing Contest

Writing Battle Summer Flash Fiction

Writing Battle is a quarterly contest where writers are assigned prompts and have 2 days to write 1000 words. You are guaranteed feedback from you writing peers, plus you can win some money

Prize: $5,000 split between the four winners and publication.

Guidelines: Accepts original, unpublished work that matches the prompts and genre assigned. Writers must be aged 18 or older.

Deadline: August 7, 2022

Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest

The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose a prompt and write a 800-1,600 word essay in English. First prize: $10,000; 3 second prizes: $2,000; 5 third prizes: $1,000; 25 finalists: $100; 50 semi-finalists: $50.

Prize: First prize: $10,000, 3 second prizes: $2,000, 5 third prizes: $1,000, 25 finalists: $100, 50 semi-finalists: $50.

Guidelines: Choose a prompt and write an 800–1,600 word essay in English. All students globally can apply.

Deadline: Annually on November 6

Each of these contests has different requirements. What works for one probably will not work for another.

But what will increase your chance in every contest is good grammar and a solid structure. This is where ProWritingAid can help.

We may not be able to write your story for you, but we can help you submit your best work.

ProWritingAid’s 25 reports provide personalized, in-depth feedback on everything from grammar and spelling to pacing, word choice, passive voice, and more.

prowritingaid's summary report

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There are many resources for writers that compile lists of writing contests. You should check these regularly, as different writing contests have different submission periods.

Some of my favorite resources include:

  • Poets & Writers
  • Winning Writers

With many writers’ sites, you can filter for free contests specifically, and you can also filter by the type of work you want to submit.

I usually check these sites once a season (fall, winter, spring, summer) to compile a list of the contests I want to submit to.

Do you have a favorite writing contest? Let us know in the comments.

FREE WEBINAR: How to Improve Your Chances of Winning the Debut Dagger , Nov 11, 2pm ET / 7pm UK

improve your chances of winning the debut dagger, Nov 11 2pm ET / 7pm UK

Have you been thinking about entering your story for the CWA Debut Dagger this year? The deadline isn’t until the end of February but we want to help you prepare.

We’ve invited Dea Parkin, Secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association, and Leigh Russell, Chair of the Debut Dagger judges, to come and share their insider information. Learn what the judges are looking for and how to give your story the best shot at winning.

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Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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Winning a contest can give you just the break you need in your writing career. First off, it’s a great point to mention in your resume. Many competitions offer book publishing deals to the winners. And there’s almost always a cash prize involved. 

Even if you don’t win, there’s a lot you can learn about how to improve your writing.

And the process of writing and sharing a competition entry is progress in itself.

Best of all? A lot of the top writing contests are completely free to take part in. 

Whether you’re a first-timer looking to earn your chops as a poet or an experienced writer with published books under your belt, there’s a competition out there for you.

Here’s a list of (free!) writing contests you should consider applying to ASAP.

1. Emily Dickinson First Book Award

What is it about.

This award honors the legacy of the iconic American poet Emily Dickinson by recognizing unpublished American writers over 40 years of age who have a completed book of poetry. 

Who is eligible to apply?

The Emily Dickinson First Book Award is open to any American poet of at least 40 years of age who has not previously published a book-length poetry collection.

What are the guidelines?

Eligible applicants need to submit a book-length (between 48 and 80 pages long) manuscript of poems. The poems can be in any style and of any length.

What’s the prize?

The winner of this poetry contest receives a cash award of $10000. In addition, Graywolf Press will publish and promote the winning manuscript. 

2. PEN/Faulkner Award For Fiction

The PEN/Faulkner Award was founded by the international writers’ organization PEN in honour of renowned American writer William Faulkner. A team of three judges chooses the finalists each year from among the best works of literary fiction. The winner is hailed as ‘first among equals’.

Authors of any age who are permanent residents of the United States can apply. 

Authors must submit a novel, novella, or short story collection for consideration. The book must have been published the previous year by an academic, commercial, or small press, and self-published books are not eligible. The authors should send five copies of the book to the judges for evaluation.

The winner and four finalists get to attend the awards ceremony at Washington DC. The winner gets $15000 and the honorable mentions get $1500 each. All the writers get to read excerpts from their books and the judges share their citations for each.

3. Writers of the Future Contest

The Writers of the Future contest honors the spirit of famed sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard. It’s one of the most influential contests for fantasy and science fiction and a great way to get your work out in front of a large audience.

New writers of sci-fi and fantasy fiction, who have not previously published a novel or more than three short stories, are eligible to apply.

Applicants should share a prose manuscript of up to 17000 words in length. The submission can be either electronic or a hard copy. Prose targeted towards a children’s audience is not eligible.

Every three months, you stand to win prizes of $1000, $750 and $500. At the end of the year, one of the four quarterly first-place writers wins the grand prize. This winner gets the L. Ron Hubbard Golden Pen Award and a $5000 cash prize.

4. Young Lions Fiction Award

Offered by the New York Public Library, the Young Lions Fiction Award celebrates the work of an author 35 years or younger. The award is part of the Young Lions program, which includes people in their 20s and 30s who are committed to supporting and encouraging young artists in New York. 

US citizens who are 35 years of age or younger at the time of the book’s publication the previous year are eligible to apply. 

Applicants should submit either a novel or a collection of short stories published the previous year. Only adult fiction is eligible – no young adult or children’s books should be submitted. All submissions need to come from the books’ publishers and not from the authors themselves.

Every year, the team of judges selects five finalists. The grand prize winner gets money worth $10000. 

5. Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award celebrates the role of science fiction in popularizing and advancing real scientific endeavors. It is offered jointly by Baen Books and the National Space Society in honor of the writer Jim Baen.

Writers from any country may apply, except previous winners of the competition and employees of NSS or Baen Books.

Applicants should submit a short piece of science fiction of up to 8000 words about what the near future of manned space exploration (about 50-60 years from now) might look like. 

The Grand Prize winner’s short story will be published on the Baen Books official website and given an engraved trophy. The winner and the two runners-up will get free entry into the International Space Development Conference, merchandise from Baen Books, and a year’s membership at the National Space Society.

6. Owl Canyon Press Short Story Hackathon

The Owl Canyon Press hosts an annual flash fiction hackathon , designed to support and recognize new writers of short fiction. 

Writers from anywhere around the world can apply to this creative writing contest as long as their entry is in English.

Writers need to submit a short story of 50 paragraphs, with the first and 20th paragraphs provided by the judges in the submission form. There is no maximum word count, but each paragraph should have at least 40 words. 

Twenty-four finalists will have their stories chosen for publication in the annual Owl Canyon Press anthology. The first, second, and third place winners will receive prize money of $3000, $2000, and $1000 respectively. 

7. David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction

The Langum Foundation offers the David J. Langum, Sr. Prize every year to recognize works of American fiction that make American history more accessible to the general reader. 

Fiction writers from anywhere may apply, and either the author or the publisher of the novel may make the submission. The novel should have been published by December of the previous year. 

Writers should submit historical novels that are set primarily in America before 1950. The novel may also take place outside of America, but it needs to include American characters and values. Submissions cannot be self-published or published by a press that the author subsidizes. 

The prize winner receives $1000 in cash, and both the winner and the runner-up receive framed certificates of honor. 

8. Wallace Stegner Prize in Environmental Humanities

Renowned writer Wallace Stegner was passionate about the environment and spent much of his life in the American West. To honor his legacy, the University of Utah Press looks to recognize book-length publications on environmental humanities with the Wallace Stegner Prize . 

All authors are eligible to apply except current and former faculty members and students of the University of Utah, and current and former employees of the University of Utah Press.

Applicants should submit manuscripts of not more than 170,000. Submissions as a whole should not have been previously published. The book should preferably be set in the American West. 

The winner gets a cash award of $5000 and the winning entry is published by the University of Utah Press. 

9. 53-Word Story Contest

Prime Number Magazine hosts a monthly short fiction contest where writers can submit a 53-word story based on the prompt provided.

Writers from anywhere around the world are welcome to apply as long as their story is in English. 

Writers have to submit a story in any genre of not more than 53 words. Story titles are not included in this. 

The winner’s story is published in Prime Number Magazine. He or she also gets a copy of a book by Press 53 as a prize.

10. Cabell First Novelist Award

The Cabell First Novelist Award is given to a previously unpublished novelist for an excellent first novel. It honors the legacy of renowned writer James Branch Cabell and is sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University.

Writers who have not previously published a novel are eligible to apply. They may have previously published other types of books, including short stories or poems. 

Writers should submit first novels of any genre that were published in the previous calendar year. Self-published and young adult novels are not eligible. 

The winning story receives a $5000 cash prize and is invited to a public book reading and signing event at Richmond. It’s an all-expenses-paid event that promotes the winning book to a large audience. 

11. Drue Heinz Literature Prize

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize supports writers of short fiction and brings their work to a global audience. Winners are judged by authors of national repute, and past judges have included luminaries like Robert Penn Warren, Margaret Atwood, and Rick Moody. 

Writers from any country who have published at least one book-length fiction collection or at least three short stories or novellas in literary publications are eligible to apply. 

Writers should submit unpublished manuscripts between 150 and 300 pages long. The manuscripts should feature either a collection of short stories, or a mix of stories and a novella, or two or more novellas. Poetry and children’s literature is not allowed. 

The winner gets a cash prize of $15000 and has the winning book published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. 

12. Nelson Algren Short Story Award

The Nelson Algren Literary Award seeks to recognize great short fiction and is offered by the Chicago Tribune to honor the legacy of famed writer Nelson Algren. The short story contest has been held annually every year since 1981.

Writers aged 18 years and above and legal residents of the United States are eligible to apply.

Writers should submit previously unpublished short stories of no more than 8000 words. 

The winner will receive $3500 and five finalists will get $750 each. 

13. Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans

The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans is a special award for US military writers sponsored by the family of famed antiwar author and Vietnam War veteran Jeff Sharlet. 

Any US military veterans and those on active duty can apply. The submission can be in any genre and touch upon any topic.

Applicants should submit a manuscript of no more than 20 pages in their chosen genre – short fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry. Prose submissions need to be double-spaced and the writing should not have been published anywhere else. 

The winner of the Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award gets a cash prize of $1000 and publication of the manuscript in The Iowa Review. The runner-up gets $750 and three third-place holders get $500 each.

Writing competitions are about a lot more than just winning. They’re about improving your craft, learning from other writers, and trying again and again.

At the end of the day, though, winning competitions can do a lot to boost your resume and your confidence.

So pick the free writing contests that excite you the most, open that new page in your diary (or on your laptop) and start writing. Good luck! 

Get long-term ROI.

The Best Fiction Writing Contests of 2024

Writing competitions curated by Reedsy

  • Children's
  • Flash Fiction
  • Non-fiction
  • Science Fiction
  • Science Writing
  • Script Writing
  • Short Story
  • Young Adult

Manage a competition? Submit it here

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Showing 157 contests

The reedsy prompts contest.

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 requirements

Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)

Fiction, Short Story

Anthology Flash Fiction Award

Anthology Magazine

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.

Deadline: September 30, 2024

Fiction, Short Story, Flash Fiction

Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition

Ironclad Creative CIC

We are looking for short stories that respond in any way to: 7:12am. You can use that in the text, as a theme, or any way you want. We accept any prose genre and any length of story up to 6k words. We’re looking for writers who have exciting voices and can move us - that can happen in any genre of prose. We’re not accepting plays or poetry for this competition.

2nd: £50 | 3rd & 4th: £25 | 10 short-listed entries: publication

Deadline: April 30, 2024

Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Not Quite Write

The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction challenges writers to create an original piece of flash fiction based on two typical writing prompts plus one ""anti-prompt"". An anti-prompt is a challenge to break a specific “rule” of writing while telling a great story. Participants compete for AU$2,000 in cash prizes, including AU$1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and two bonus ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice. The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction is hosted in Australia and open to all writers of any age and level of ability around the world.

Publication on the Not Quite Write website and podcast

Deadline: April 21, 2024

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult

Write By The Sea Literary Festival 2024

Write By the Sea

Write By The Sea is a dynamic boutique literary festival set in the beautiful fishing village of Kilmore Quay, County Wexford. The independent panel of judges will select the winners of each category and winners will be invited to read their work as part of the Festival.

2nd: €300 | 3rd: €200 | Publication

Deadline: June 21, 2024

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Poetry

Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize

The 2024 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize, the fifteenth edition of the prestigious prize, is open from 1 February to 1 July 2024. 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. The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 cash prize and publication in Wasafiri magazine.

Publication

Deadline: June 30, 2024

Fiction, Poetry, Short Story

Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest

Arizona Mystery Writers

Every year the Arizona Mystery Writers hosts the Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest. Naturally, since we’re the Arizona Mystery Writers, we want a mystery story, but we’re flexible about the boundaries of that category, and we also accept thrillers and suspense stories. It doesn’t matter if your story’s characters are in outer space, riding horses, or living underground. Costumes and settings don’t matter as long as the story is a mystery, thriller, or suspense tale as described.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $75

Deadline: August 01, 2024

Fiction, Mystery, Short Story

Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers

University of Tulsa

The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers. $500 prizes will be awarded in both the fiction and poetry categories, and the winning manuscripts will appear in the spring issue of Nimrod. Winners will have the chance to work with the Nimrod board of editors to refine and edit their manuscripts before publication.

Deadline: July 15, 2024

HG Wells Short Story Competition

HG Wells Competition

There are two different competitions in 2024: one for those 21 and under, and one for those over 21. The competition for those 21 and under is free to enter and has a prize of £1,000 for the winning entry. All shortlisted entries will also be published in a quality, professionally published paperback anthology.

Under 21: £1,000 | Over 21: £500

Deadline: July 08, 2024

Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story

Maggie Award for Prepublished Writers

Georgia Romance Writers

The purpose of the Prepublished Maggie Award for Excellence is to encourage, recognize, and reward the mastery of romance writing by Prepublished authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these writers. The Maggie Award, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention.

Fiction, Novel, Romance

Fabula Press Short Story Contest

Fabula Press

Fabula Press’ annual short story competition has two segments – a free section, and a paid section. At least 3 submissions from the free section will be selected for publication in the Fabula Press Anthology and on the Fabula Press website; for paid submissions, at least twelve entries will be included in the anthology on the website. There is no theme for our contests; also, barring a few exceptions, we are flexible about genre

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $100 | Stories selected for publication: $75

Deadline: June 07, 2024

Creative Nonfiction Prize

Indiana Review

Send us one creative nonfiction piece, up to 5000 words, for a chance at $1000 + publication. This year's contest will be judged by Lars Horn.

Deadline: March 31, 2024

Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction

Self-Publishing Literary Awards

Black Caucus

Through this contest, the BCALA honors the best self-published ebooks by an African American author in the U.S. in both fiction and poetry genres. These awards acknowledge outstanding achievement in the presentation of the cultural, historical and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora. The purpose is to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and scholarly research including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African Americans.

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: February 29, 2024

Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry

Inception 2024: $500 for Best Opening

Sunspot Literary Journal

Beginnings have the power to spark passion or curiosity. They might immediately connect a specific place and time with an emotional tone. The best openings offer a feeling, atmosphere, action, or image that is gripping, and hints at more to come. Meaning, thoughtfulness, emotions, or tone draw audiences into the moment. For Sunspot Lit’s Inception contest, send your best opening. There are no restrictions on theme, category, or the length of the piece or collection from which the excerpt comes.

Fiction, Poetry

Elegant Literature's Award For New Writers

Elegant Literature

One of the largest awards open to unpublished writers, and the only one closed to professionals. We are the first magazine to pay pro rates and only accept submissions from new writers, putting over $100k into the hands of emerging talent around the globe. One new writer receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors professional rates, and publish them in our magazine.

Paid publication, 25 x $20 USD | Free entry to Novelist Accelerator

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult, Flash Fiction, Science Writing

The Pinch Literary Awards & Page Prize

The Pinch Literary Journal

The 2023 Pinch Literary Awards accepts poetry and fiction. The 2023 Page Prize accepts non-fiction.

$2000 for poetry & fiction winners

$1000 for Page Prize winner

Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Non-fiction

Novel Fair 2025

Irish Writers Centre

Now in its 13th year, the Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre. Described by The Irish Times as ‘A Dragons’ Den for writers’, each year the Fair introduces twelve up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents, giving novelists the opportunity to bypass the slush pile, pitch their ideas and place their synopsis and sample chapters directly into the hands of industry professionals.

Present your novel to leading publishers and agents at the Irish Writers Centre

Fiction, Novel

Creative Writing Award for Short Fiction

Aesthetica Magazine

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award celebrates outstanding writers. The Award was launched after the publication of Aesthetica Magazine, as a way to support the next generation of literary talent. The Creative Writing Award is open to Poetry and Short Fiction submissions on any theme, however, we are particularly interested in works that reflect upon our ever changing world.

Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual | A five-day course from Arvon | Consultation with Redhammer Management | Six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative

Deadline: August 31, 2024

Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Competition

Dzanc Books

The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in book-length collections (generally over 40,000 words, but there is no hard minimum). Past winners include Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh (Zan), Nino Cipri (Homesick), Anne Valente (By Light We Knew Our Names), Chaya Bhuvaneswar (White Dancing Elephants), Jen Grow (My Life as a Mermaid), Julie Stewart (Water and Blood), and Ethel Rohan (In the Event of Contact). The winning submission will be awarded a $2,500 advance and publication by Dzanc Books.

Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction

The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels (generally over 40,000 words, but there is no hard minimum). A $5,000 advance and publication by Dzanc Books will be awarded to the winner. Finalists will be compiled in-house and passed along for evaluation to this year’s judges: Alan Michael Parker, Chika Unigwe, and Sarah Yahm, author of The Moveables, which was chosen as the winner of last year’s Prize for Fiction.

Memoir/Fiction Book Contest for IML Publications

We are a boutique publishing company that is dedicated to amplifying the voices of contemporary writers who are nomads and explorers of language, form, and the psyche. High-quality “unpublished” manuscript submissions of memoir, fiction and non-fiction entrusted to us will be read, sorted and pondered by our esteemed author, Jacqueline Gay Walley.

Possible publication

Deadline: October 01, 2024

Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel

ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize

Australian Book Review

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.

2nd: $4000 AUD | 3rd: $2500 AUD

Deadline: April 22, 2024

Minds Shine Bright Writing Competition

Minds Shine Bright

Minds Shine Bright is an arts business based in Melbourne Australia committed to supporting the arts and writers. We run two fiction writing competitions; Minds Shine Bright Confidence, a longitudinal look at the theme confidence in fiction and poetry, and Seasons a competition with a changing external theme. Light and Shadow is currently open.

2nd: $400 AUD | 3rd: $300 AUD | 4th: $200 AUD | Commended entries: $100 AUD

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, Short Story

Annual Contest Submissions

So To Speak

So To Speak is seeking submissions for poetry, fiction, and non-fiction with an intersectional feminist lens! It is no secret that the literary canon and literary journals are largely comprised of heteronormative, patriarchal, cisgender, able-bodied white men. So to Speak seeks work by writers, poets, and artists who want to challenge and change the identity of the “canonical” writer.

Deadline: March 15, 2024

Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, Poetry

F(r)iction Short Story Contest

We seek work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes. If your work takes risks, we want to read it. We like strong narratives that make us feel something and stories we haven’t seen before. We accept work, written in English, from anywhere in the world—regardless of genre, style, or origin—and welcome speculative writing and experimental literature. Strange is good. Strange with a strong character arc is even better. Keep it weird, folks.

7 Day Story Writing Challenge

Register now for our next 7-day story writing challenge. A secret theme, a randomly assigned genre, and just 7 days to write a story of no more than 2,000 words. Our 7-day story writing challenges take place throughout the year. The challenges are free and you can even get feedback on your story. Take part in one challenge or take part in all of them!

Publication on website

Deadline: March 11, 2024

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

Hayden's Ferry Review Poetry & Fiction Contest

Hayden's Ferry Review

HFR will accept contest submissions in poetry and fiction between Feb 1-29, 2024. This year’s poetry judge is Diana Khoi Nguyen, author of Ghost Of and Root Fractures. This year’s fiction judge is Venita Blackburn, author of How to Wrestle a Girl and Dead in Long Beach, California. There will be two prizes of $1,500 each and publication in Hayden’s Ferry Review (online in summer 2024 and in the fall/winter 2024 print issue) for a poem or a group of poems and a work of fiction. A runner-up in each category will receive $250 and publication. All entries are considered for publication.

Runners-up: $250

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry

Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing

The Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing will be administered to the winner of a literary contest designed to champion innovative hybrid and cross-genre work.

Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Writing, Short Story

Writing MAGIC

Sadie Tells Stories

Are you an author who loves magic? Do you have an idea for a super short story that needs to be shared with the world? If you answered yes to both of those questions this contest is for you! The story can be about anything magical. Maybe it’s something that you’ve experienced in real life or it’s something you’ve created. Maybe it’s the start of a great idea. Maybe it’ll be the thing that inspires you to finally publish your book.

Deadline: April 01, 2024

Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Young Adult

Rigel 2024: $500 for Prose, Poetry, Art, or Graphic Novel

Literary or genre works accepted. Winner receives $500 plus publication, while runners-up and finalists are offered publication. No restrictions on theme or category. Closes: February 29. Entry fee: $12.50. Enter as many times as you like through Submittable or Duotrope

$500 + publication

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, Short Story

The Porter Fleming Literary Competition

The Morris Museum of Art

Welcome to the 2024 Porter Fleming Literary Competition, now in its twenty-ninth year of recognizing outstanding writing and writers. The competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming, one of Augusta, Georgia’s leading citizens and foremost philanthropists. The competition is administered, with the support of the Porter Fleming Foundation, by the Morris Museum of Art, the first museum in the country to focus on the art and artists of the American South. Writers, ages 18 and older, who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, D.C are invited to apply.

1st place in each genre category: $1,000

2nd place: $500 & 3rd place: $250 in each of the four genre categories

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing

Military Anthology: Partnerships, the Untold Story

Armed Services Arts Partnership

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

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

Chapter One Prize

Gutsy Great Novelist

The Gutsy Great Novelist Chapter One Prize is awarded for an outstanding first chapter 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. Winners will be announced March 29, 2024.

2nd: $500 |3rd: $250

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

Spring Microfiction Battle

Writing Battle

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

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

Summer Nanofiction Battle

Two days to write a 250 word short story. The peer-powered quarterly writing contest where every story receives oodles of feedback. Write one. Read ten. Win thousands.

Deadline: August 02, 2024

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

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The Creative Writing NZ Short Story Prize 2024

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creative writing competition free

Sapere Books Writing Competition

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Creative Future Writers’ Award 2024

creative writing competition free

Mairtín Crawford Awards for Poetry and Short Story 2024

creative writing competition free

Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2024

creative writing competition free

Historical Novel Society 2024 First Chapters Competition

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The Letter Review Prize

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Goldfinch Novel Award 2024

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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

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Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

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  • G&A: The Contest Blog

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.

Red Hen Press

Women’s prose prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a book of fiction or nonfiction by a writer who identifies as a woman. Laila Halaby will judge. Using...

Black Caucus of the American Library Association

Self-publishing literary awards.

Two prizes of $2,500 each are given annually for a poetry e-book and a fiction e-book self-published during the previous year by an African American writer. The awards honor...

Graywolf Press

Nonfiction prize.

A prize of $22,000 (comprised of a $20,000 advance and a $2,000 research stipend) and publication by Graywolf Press will be given biennially for a nonfiction manuscript-in-...

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

Award series.

Three prizes of $5,500 each and publication by a participating press are given annually for a poetry collection, a short story collection, and a novel. A prize of $2,500 and...

Austin Community College

Balcones prizes.

Two prizes of $1,500 each are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction published during the previous year. English translations of works originally written...

Tupelo Press

Snowbound chapbook award.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Submit a manuscript of 20 to 36 pages with a $25 entry fee by...

Little Tokyo Historical Society

Imagine little tokyo short story contest.

Two prizes of $500 each and publication in Rafu Shimpo and on the Discover Nikkei and Little Tokyo Historical Society websites are given annually for short stories that...

Omnidawn Publishing

First/second poetry book contest.

A prize of $3,000, publication by Omnidawn Publishing, and 20 author copies is given annually for a first or second poetry collection. Desirée Alvarez will judge. Using only...

Biographers International Organization

Hazel rowley prize.

A prize of $5,000 is given annually for a work-in-progress by a writer who has not published a biography, history, or other book-length work of narrative nonfiction. The winner...

Selected Shorts

Stella kupferberg memorial short story contest.

A prize of $1,000 and tuition for a 10-week writing class through New York City’s Gotham Writers Workshop is given annually for a short story. The winning work is published on...

University of Washington

Mo habib translation prize in persian literature.

A prize of $10,000 and publication by Deep Vellum will be given annually for a work of Persian literature in translation. This year the prize will be awarded for poetry in...

Alabama State Council on the Arts

Literary arts fellowships.

At least two fellowships of $5,000 each are given annually to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who have lived in the state of Alabama for a minimum of...

University of Wisconsin

Wisconsin institute for creative writing fellowships.

An academic year in residence, which includes a stipend of at least $40,000, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison is given annually to up to five writers working on a...

Airlie Press

Airlie prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Airlie Press is given annually for a poetry collection. The editors will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

Mississippi Arts Commission

Literary artist fellowships.

Grants of up to $5,000 each are given in alternating years to Mississippi poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. This year the fellowships will be offered in...

Kansas City Public Library

Maya angelou book award.

A prize of $10,000 is given in alternating years for a poetry collection or a book of fiction by an author whose work “demonstrates a commitment to social justice in America...

Poets & Writers, Inc.

Maureen egen writers exchange award.

Two prizes of $500 each are given annually to a poet and a fiction writer residing in the United States. Each winner also receives a monthlong residency at the Jentel Artist...

Persea Books

Lexi rudnitsky editor’s choice award.

A prize of $2,000 and publication by Persea Books is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet who is a U.S. citizen or resides in the U.S. and who has published at...

TulipTree Publishing

Wild women story contest.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in TulipTree Review is given annually for a single poem, a short story, or an essay “whose main characters embody the wild woman spirit...

Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation

Literary awards.

Two prizes of $10,000 each are given annually for a book of fiction and a book of nonfiction (including creative nonfiction) published in the previous year that “foster peace,...

National Endowment for the Arts

Creative writing fellowships.

Approximately 35 grants of $25,000 each are given annually in alternating years to poets and prose writers to “enable the recipients to set aside time for writing, research,...

Tomaž Šalamun Prize

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Factory Hollow Press is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The winner also receives a monthlong residency in a private apartment at the...

National Poetry Series

Open competition.

Five prizes of $10,000 each and publication by participating trade, university, or small press publishers are given annually for poetry collections by U.S. poets. Using only...

Trio House Press

Louise bogan award.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Trio House Press, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet living in the United States. Oliver de la Paz will...

Fourth Genre

Steinberg memorial essay prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Fourth Genre ...

Guide to christian writing contests in 2017

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/

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59 Writing Contests in July 2023 — No entry fees

Erica Verrillo

Erica Verrillo

Curiosity Never Killed the Writer

T his July there are nearly five dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $100,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month’s contests go to Free Contests . Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative . Restrictions : Applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. Prize : Grant, amount not specified. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

The AutoEthnographer Student Scholarships . Restrictions : Open to creatives anywhere in the world who identify as active students at any age or level. Works must be nominated by an instructor, professor, tutor, or other educator; the author/artist must have been an enrolled student in the 2022–2023 school year. Genre : Works of literary and artistic autoethnography. Prize : $250 and publication. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Virago 50th Furies Short Story Competition . Restrictions : Open to people of underrepresented genders and women who are from Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage, and multiple-ethnic groups; part of the LGBTQIA+ community; neurodiverse; have a disability; self-identify as working-class individuals; or are from a working-class background. Entrants must be aged 18 or over, resident in the United Kingdom and must not have an agent at the time of entering the Competition or have had any book or short story previously published by a publisher or self-published in whole or in part in any format. Genre : Feminist short story inspired by a synonym for ‘virago.’ Prize : £1,500 prize money and the opportunity to be published in the Furies paperback and ebook. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets . Restrictions : Open to poets aged 18–23. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $100 and publication in the Atlanta Review. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Local Word Poetry Prize . Restrictions : Entries are welcome from living poets anywhere in Australia 16 years or older. Genre : Poetry. Prize : $2,000 AUD top prize. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Richard J. Margolis Award . Genre : Journalism. Prize is awarded annually to a promising new journalist or essayist whose work combines warmth, humor, wisdom and concern with social justice. Prize : $5,000 and one month of residency at Blue Mountain Center. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Kate Tufts Discovery Award . Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre : Poetry. Book must be author’s first full-length book of poetry, published between between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Self-published books are accepted. Prize : $10,000. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award . Sponsored by Claremont Graduate University. Restrictions: Poets must be citizens or legal resident aliens of the United States. Genre : Poetry. The work submitted must be a first book of poetry published between between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Manuscripts, CDs, and chapbooks are not accepted. Prize : $100,000. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

BCLF Short Fiction Story Contest (BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize and BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean). Restrictions : All entrants must be of Caribbean heritage/of Caribbean descent or writers who were born/raised and holding nationality in the Caribbean. Genre : Unpublished short fiction (3000 words max). Prize : US$1750 for each contest. Deadline : July 1, 2023.

Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards . Genre : Poetry. “The awards contest is an annual series of awards to encourage poets to explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit.” Prize : $200. Deadline : July 1, 2023. Free entry for poets age 12 and under.

Limnisa Short Story Competition . Genre : Short story under 1,500 words on theme: A room of one’s own. Prize : One-week, all-inclusive writers’ retreat in Limnisa, Greece. Deadline: July 2, 2023.

The Michael O’Pray Prize . Restrictions : Open to all early-career writers based in the UK. Genre : Nonfiction writing on innovation and experimentation in the moving image. Prize : £750 top prize. Deadline : July 2, 2023.

4thWrite Short Story Prize . Restrictions : Open to Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic writers aged 18+ living in the UK or Ireland. Genre : Short story, 6,000 words maximum. Prize : £1,000, a one-day publishing workshop at 4th Estate and publication of their story on the Guardian website. Deadline : July 2, 2023.

Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowships . Restrictions : Open to writers who have lived in the state of Maine for at least one year. Genre : Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction. Prize : $5,000. Deadline : July 6, 2023.

The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers . Restrictions : Open to unpublished Australian residents aged 18 years or older. Genre : Fiction and narrative non-fiction, the first three chapters plus synopsis (max 20,000 words). Prize : $10,000 and a year’s mentorship with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers. The Guardian Australia will publish an extract of the first chapter of the winning work on its website. Deadline : July 7, 2023.

Wingate Literary Prize . Genre : Published book that explores Jewish themes. Book must be published between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023, must be published, distributed or easily available in the UK and Ireland, and must be published in English, whether originally or in translation. Prize : £4,000. Deadline : July 7, 2023.

AAAS/Subaru Book Prize . Genre : Published science book. Categories include: Children’s Science Picture Book (prize to author and illustrator); Middle Grades Science Book (prize to author); Young Adult Science Book (prize to author); Hands-On Science Book (prize to author). Winning authors and illustrators will be recognized at the AAAS Annual Meeting which will be held February 15–17, 2024 in Denver, CO. Prize : $1500. Deadline : July 7, 2023.

HG Wells Short Story Competitio n. Genre : Short story on theme of “Motion.” Length: 1,500 to 5,000 words. Prize : £1,000 and publication in the annual HG Wells Short Story Competition Anthology. Deadline : July 10, 2023. No fee for writers under the age of 21. Those over 21 can enter for a fee.

Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize . Restrictions : Only undergraduates enrolled full time in United States and Canadian universities and colleges are eligible. “This Prize has traditionally encouraged submissions from students with an Asian background, but we urge all students to enter.” Genre : Fiction of no more than 7,500 words. Prize : $1,000. Deadline : July 14, 2023.

Blessing the Boats . Restrictions : Open to all women poets of color in the U.S., including poets who identify as cis, trans, and non-binary people who are comfortable in a space that centers on women’s experiences, regardless of citizenship and publication history. Genre : Full-length poetry manuscript. Prize : $5,000 honorarium and book publication by BOA Editions, Ltd. Deadline : July 14, 2023.

Working Class Writers Nature Prize . Restrictions : Open to working class writers over 18 and living in the UK. The author must self-identify as working class and not have been published professionally in full-length book form. Genre : Fiction, non-fiction and poetry nature writing. Prize : £300 and a mentoring session. Deadline : July 14, 2023.

Apparition Lit . Genre : Flash fiction. See themes . Prize : $30. Deadline : July 14, 2023.

Iron Horse Prize . Genre : First book of collected prose. Prize : The author of the winning entry will receive $1000, and their collection will be published in the summer of 2024 by Texas Tech University Press. Deadline : July 15, 2023. Free submissions on July 15 only .

Kaidankai podcast . Genre : Stories with a haunted house theme. Length: 1000–3000 words. Prize : $25 — $100. Deadline : July 15, 2023.

Valiant Scribe Poetry Competition . Genre : Poetry. “Valiant Scribe calls for submissions that focus on war and peace, despair and hope. In a world filled with war, poverty, natural disasters, human rights violations, and other ills, we seek poetry that evokes thoughts of hope, telling us there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” See theme. Prize : $500 CAD. Deadline : July 15, 2023.

Helen Schaible International Sonnet Contest . Genre : Poetry. Categories: #1 Traditional Sonnet — Shakespearean or Petrarchan; #2 Modern Sonnet. Prize : $50, 2nd Prize $30, 3rd Prize $20, three Honorable Mentions, three Special Recognitions. Deadline : July 15, 2023.

Boardman Tasker Prize . Restrictions : The prize will be awarded for a work first published or distributed in the United Kingdom between July 17, 2022 and July 15, 2023. Genre : Books with a mountain, not necessarily mountaineering, theme whether fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry, written in the English language. Prize : £3,000.00. Deadline : July 15, 2023.

Arablit Story Prize . Genre : Short story translated from Arabic. Prize : $500. Deadline : July 15, 2023.

Stone Canoe . Restrictions : Open to people who live or have lived in Upstate New York (not New York City). Genres : Drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art. Prize : $500 and publication. Deadline : July 15, 2023 for fiction. (It is difficult to find this information on their website.)

The Burlington Contemporary Art Writing Prize . Restrictions : Entrants must have published no more than six pieces of writing in print or online prior to their submission. Genre : Review of a contemporary art exhibition. Prize : £1,000. Deadline : July 17, 2023.

Donn Goodwin and Joseph Gahagen Poetry Prizes: Milwaukee Irish Fest . Genre : Poetry. Entries should have a culture/literary relation to either Ireland, Irish-America, or to Irish poetry. Prize : $100. Deadline : July 17, 2022.

Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awards . Restrictions : Scottish writers over 18 years of age. Genres : The awards are divided into three different categories.: Fiction and Narrative Non-fiction in English and Scots, Poetry in English and Scots, Children’s and Young Adult Fiction in English and Scots. Prize: £2,000 and personal development opportunities, which can include mentoring from writers and industry professionals. Training in PR, performance and presentation training, and the opportunity to showcase work to publishers and agents. Deadline : July 19, 2023. (Noon)

Undiscovered Voices . Restrictions : Current members of SCBWI who live in the UK or one of the current countries of the EU or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. Genre : Opening of an already completed novel for children, aimed at any age from 5 years through to Young Adult. You may submit up to 4,000 words — choosing a suitable place to stop your extract. Prize : Publication. Deadline : July 20, 2023.

Black Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest . Restrictions : The contest is open to Black authors who at the time of entry are at least 18 years of age and residing anywhere in the United States. Genre : Original children’s books for ages 0–4 (50–125 words) or for ages 4–8 (300–800 words) featuring authentic, realistic Black characters and culture and focusing on one or more of the following topics: character development, self-esteem, identity, diversity, getting along with others, engaging with family and community, or other topics related to positive childhood development. Religious and fantasy themes will not be considered. Prize : First Place: $1000. Second Place: $500 cash prize. Third Place: $250 cash prize. Deadline : July 24, 2023.

Literature Matters . Restrictions : UK residents. Genre : “Awards will be given to individual writers or other literary creators, recognising their past achievements and providing them with financial support to undertake a proposed new piece of writing or literary project. Launched as part of the RSL’s new Literature Matters programme, priority will be given to proposals which (a) will help connect with audiences or topics outside the usual reach of literature, and/or (b) will help generate public discussion about why literature matters.” Award : £20,000. Deadline : July 28, 2023.

The Governor General’s Literary Awards . Restrictions : Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre : Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize : $25,000. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Mustapha Matura Award . Restrictions : The competition is open to any playwright of Caribbean or African descent, resident in the UK. Entrants must be 25 years or under at the time of submission. Genre: Stage play in English. Television, radio plays and film scripts will not be considered. Prize : £3,000 top prize. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

The Prescription Prizes in Creative Writing . Genre : Prose (including scripts), poetry and hybrid writing. “In 2023 the RCPSG is launching its new ‘the prescription’ competition for creative writing around its historic collection of medical items representing Glasgow’s health care history. You can access our online collections here and you should include the name of the item that inspired you and its catalogue number in your competition entry.” Prize : £100 top prize. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Platt Family Scholarship Prize Essay Contest . Restrictions : Open to students who are FULL TIME, undergraduate students in an AMERICAN COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY during the Spring 2023 semester. Genre : Essay on topic: ““2023 is the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Does Abraham Lincoln deserve the title of ‘The Great Emancipator’? Why or why not?” Prize : 1st Prize $1500 | 2nd Prize $750 | 3rd Prize $500. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

SLF Diverse Writers and Diverse Worlds Grants . Restrictions : Open to writers from underrepresented and underprivileged groups, such as writers of color, women, queer writers, disabled writers, working-class writers, etc. — those whose marginalized identities may present additional obstacles in the writing / publishing process. Genres : Book-length works (novels, collections of short stories) of speculative fiction. Prize : $500. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award . Restrictions : Open to young poets age 11–17. Genre : Poetry. Prize : Publication. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Landfall Essay Competition . Restrictions : Open to New Zealand writers. Genre : Essay about New Zealand. Prize : The winner will receive $3000 and a year’s subscription to Landfall. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Polar Expressions Publications Short Story and Poetry Competition . Restrictions : Open to Canadians only. Genre : Short story, poetry. Prize : $500. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Tilted House: 1BR / 3BATH Poetry Chapbook Contest . Genre : Poetry chapbook, 16–35 pages of “experimental, puckish, political, funny, playful, polemical, and/or uncomfortable. In a word: anti-poetry. While there is no theme, per se, we are hungry for work that twists the arm of poetry’s status quo. We like meta poetics, satire, work that is aware of itself and what’s in the air. Maybe you “don’t know what you’re doing” or feel like your work is “unpublishable.” Send it to us! Give us your freaky. Give us your fun.” Prize : $200. Deadline : July 31, 2023. READING FEE: $0–$20, sliding scale.

Crossing the Tees Book Festival . Genre : Short stories, 3000 words max. Prize : Cash prize. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Singapore Unbound . Restrictions : Open to undergraduates. Genre : Critical essays on topics in Singapore literature. Prize : $250. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

The Washburn Chapbook Prize . Restrictions : Open to women or non-binary writers. Genre : Chapbook exactly 10 poems long. Prize : $200 and publication of their micro chapbook online at Harbor Review. Deadline : July 31, 2023. Fees are waived for BIPOC identifying writers only.

Biopage . Genre : “Inspiring, uplifting, and heartwarming stories.” Prizes : Up to $300. Deadline : July 31, 2023. Registration required .

The 1729 Book Prize in Poetry . Genre : Book-length poetry. Prize : $1000 and publication. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Arvon Award . Restrictions : Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre : Full-length work of fiction, poetry or narrative non-fiction work in progress. Prize : Arvon course. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

TLC Free Reads . Restrictions : Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre : Full-length work of fiction or narrative non-fiction work in progress. Prize : In-depth editorial report on their work in progress, Deadline : July 31, 2023.

NorthBound Book Award . Restrictions : Open to writers living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre : Completed full-length work of fiction or narrative non-fiction. Prize : advance against royalties of £5000, publication with Saraband and access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Network. Royalties will be paid on Saraband’s standard terms. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Surging Tide . Genre : Poetry, prose. Prize : The winner of each category will be awarded $100 and each runner-up will also be awarded $25. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Pride Award for Emerging LGBTQIA+ Crime Writers . Genre : An unpublished work of crime fiction, aimed at readers from children’s chapter books through adults. This may be a short story or first chapter(s) of a manuscript in-progress of 2,500 to 5,000 words. Prize : $2,000. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Lune Spark Young Writers’ Short Story Contest . Restrictions : Open to writers 10–13 years old, and 13–16 years old. (Two categories.) Genre : Short story. Prize : $500 for first place; $250, 2nd place; $100, 3rd place. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

#GWstorieseverywhere . Genre : Micro fiction or essay on theme of Mirage. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. Prize : Free Gotham class. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Resource Center for Women and Ministry in the South Essay Contest . Restrictions : Open to women (including trans and nonbinary women) age 18+. Genre : Nonfiction essay, 1200 words max, on repair, release, or renewal. Each of us writes amid torn hearts, fractured communities, and broken systems. When do we repair? What do we release? How do we renew? We invite essays that explore, complicate, and/or write against this theme. Prize : $300. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

What’s Your Story? Restrictions : Open to Victorian residents. (Australia) Genre : Poetry, short stories, CNF. Prize : $500. Deadline : July 31, 2023.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to “revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful.” Genre : Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize : $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline : July 31, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

Like this article? For more articles about the publishing world, useful tips on how to get an agent, agents who are looking for clients, how to market and promote your work, building your online platform, how to get reviews, self-publishing, as well as publishers accepting manuscripts directly from writers (no agent required) visit Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity .

Erica Verrillo

Written by Erica Verrillo

Helping writers get published and bolstering their flagging spirits at http://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/

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Two University of Nairobi students have emerged victorious in a creative writing competition.

Asharami Synergy Kenya and the Sahara Group Foundation in 2023 organised a creative writing competition for university students in Kenya.

This was aimed at fostering greater understanding and participation of youth in climate action, energy transition discourse and sustainability.

Christened the 'Asharami Synergy Creative Writing Competition’, the initiative received 225 submissions from university students who sent in essays, poems and plays on “creating a sustainable path for Africa’s energy transition.”

The winning entries stood out for their creativity, originality, and ability to convey compelling messages capable of facilitating the participation of young Kenyans in Africa’s March towards Energy Access and Sustainability.

“This has been mission accomplished for Sahara Group Foundation and Asharami Synergy Kenya as our focus was to get youths in Kenya involved in the conversation around climate change and energy transition in Africa, especially seeing that they will bear the brunt of decisions made today,” Sahara Group Foundation Ejiro Gray said.

Gray said the entries’ quality indicated that they were on course to prepare Kenya youths for seamless generational sustainability.

Commending Sahara Group and Asharami Synergy Kenya for the initiative, KCA University’s deputy vice-chancellor, of research, innovation and outreach Prof. Vincent Onywera said “Climate change is a matter that calls for an inclusive engagement of all stakeholders leaving no one behind, so this creative writing competition for our youths is important because we must catch them young.”

Asharami Synergy Kenya operations supervisor Lavinah Gonah said Sahara Group was happy with the competition’s success.

Gonah commended all students who participated in the competitions.

“Asharami Synergy Kenya remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure Kenya becomes a leading voice in driving a just energy transition for Africa,” Gonah said.

He said Asharami Synergy Kenya in collaboration with the Sahara Group Foundation and Treedom had since commenced planting of 1,100 trees in Kenya to reduce carbon emissions.

 “Today, winning this award has validated me as a creative writer. I thank Asharami Synergy for allowing me and many other students to truly express ourselves and contribute to the cause of creating sustainable solutions. Winning this award allows me to tap further into my creativity and be more vocal in environmental matters that affect Africa and knowing that as a youth I am at the forefront of fulfilling this mandate,” Nabalayo said.

“I’m happy to have won this competition put together by the Sahara Group and Asharami Synergy Kenya. This is a milestone for me, I am passionate about climate justice and climate change,” Major said.

Major said the competition was a step towards developing a clean Kenya and a clean Africa.

“These are steps that will lead towards clean energy and environmental sustainability,” Major said.

Cheryl said she was happy to emerge as one of the winners.

She said she intends to continue contributing her thoughts on sustainability on many more platforms.

“I am grateful to Asharami Synergy Kenya and the Sahara Group Foundation for this laudable initiative,” she said.

In line with Sahara Group’s dedication to celebrating and rewarding excellence, the top five winners received cash prizes, plaques, and certificates for their excellent performance. The joint winners received $500 each, while the third, fourth and fifth winners received $250, $150, and $100, respectively.

Asharami Synergy Kenya Limited is a frontline downstream company that contributes to economic growth in the nation by promoting access to reliable and clean energy solutions.

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