creative writing competitions october 2023

• Grades 6-12
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The Best Student Writing Contests for 2023-2024

Help your students take their writing to the next level.

When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are a challenging and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience— a real panel of judges —and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of the best student writing contests, and there’s something for everyone. Prepare highly motivated kids in need of an authentic writing mentor, and watch the words flow.

1.  The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

With a wide range of categories—from critical essays to science fiction and fantasy—The Scholastic Awards are a mainstay of student contests. Each category has its own rules and word counts, so be sure to check out the options  before you decide which one is best for your students.

How To Enter

Students in grades 7-12, ages 13 and up, may begin submitting work in September by uploading to an online account at Scholastic and connecting to their local region. There are entry fees, but those can be waived for students in need.

2.  YoungArts National Arts Competition

This ends soon, but if you have students who are ready to submit, it’s worth it. YoungArts offers a national competition in the categories of creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, and spoken word. Student winners may receive awards of up to $10,000 as well as the chance to participate in artistic development with leaders in their fields.

YoungArts accepts submissions in each category through October 13. Students submit their work online and pay a $35 fee (there is a fee waiver option).

3. National Youth Foundation Programs

Each year, awards are given for Student Book Scholars, Amazing Women, and the “I Matter” Poetry & Art competition. This is a great chance for kids to express themselves with joy and strength.

The rules, prizes, and deadlines vary, so check out the website for more info.

4.  American Foreign Service National High School Essay Contest

If you’re looking to help students take a deep dive into international relations, history, and writing, look no further than this essay contest. Winners receive a voyage with the Semester at Sea program and a trip to Washington, DC.

Students fill out a registration form online, and a teacher or sponsor is required. The deadline to enter is the first week of April.

5.  John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

This annual contest invites students to write about a political official’s act of political courage that occurred after Kennedy’s birth in 1917. The winner receives $10,000, and 16 runners-up also receive a variety of cash prizes. ADVERTISEMENT

Students may submit a 700- to 1,000-word essay through January 12. The essay must feature more than five sources and a full bibliography.

6. Bennington Young Writers Awards

Bennington College offers competitions in three categories: poetry (a group of three poems), fiction (a short story or one-act play), and nonfiction (a personal or academic essay). First-place winners receive $500. Grab a poster for your classroom here .

The contest runs from September 1 to November 1. The website links to a student registration form.

7. The Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest

Looking for student writing contests for budding playwrights? This exclusive competition, which is open only to high school juniors, is judged by the theater faculty of Princeton University. Students submit short plays in an effort to win recognition and cash prizes of up to $500. ( Note: Only open to 11th graders. )

Students submit one 10-page play script online or by mail. The deadline is the end of March. Contest details will be published in early 2024.

8. Princeton University Poetry Contest for High School Students

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in 11th grade. Prizes range from $100 to $500.

Students in 11th grade can submit their poetry. Contest details will be published this fall.

9. The New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest

This contest is also a wonderful writing challenge, and the New York Times includes lots of resources and models for students to be able to do their best work. They’ve even made a classroom poster !

Submissions need to be made electronically by November 1.

10.  Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

The deadline for this contest is the end of October. Sponsored by Hollins University, the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest awards prizes for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. Prizes include cash and scholarships. Winners are chosen by students and faculty members in the creative writing program at Hollins.

Students may submit either one or two poems using the online form.

11.  The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers is open to high school sophomores and juniors, and the winner receives a full scholarship to a  Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop .

Submissions for the prize are accepted electronically from November 1 through November 30.

12. Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

High school students can win up to $1,000 and publication by entering an essay on a topic specified by the Jane Austen Society related to a Jane Austen novel.

Details for the 2024 contest will be announced in November. Essay length is from six to eight pages, not including works cited.

13. Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Open to students from 15 to 18 years old who are interested in publication and exposure over monetary awards.

Teachers may choose five students for whom to submit up to four poems each on their behalf. The deadline is November 15.

14. The Black River Chapbook Competition

This is a chance for new and emerging writers to gain publication in their own professionally published chapbook, as well as $500 and free copies of the book.

There is an $18 entry fee, and submissions are made online.

15. YouthPlays New Voices

For students under 18, the YouthPlays one-act competition is designed for young writers to create new works for the stage. Winners receive cash awards and publication.

Scroll all the way down their web page for information on the contest, which accepts non-musical plays between 10 and 40 minutes long, submitted electronically. Entries open each year in January.

16. The Ocean Awareness Contest

The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest, Tell Your Climate Story , encourages students to write their own unique climate story. They are asking for creative expressions of students’ personal experiences, insights, or perceptions about climate change. Students are eligible for a wide range of monetary prizes up to $1,000.

Students from 11 to 18 years old may submit work in the categories of art, creative writing, poetry and spoken word, film, interactive media and multimedia, or music and dance, accompanied by a reflection. The deadline is June 13.

17. EngineerGirl Annual Essay Contest

Each year, EngineerGirl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world, and students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and great for teachers interested in incorporating an interdisciplinary project into their curriculum. The new contest asks for pieces describing the life cycle of an everyday object. Check out these tips for integrating the content into your classroom .

Students submit their work electronically by February 1. Check out the full list of rules and requirements here .

18. NCTE Student Writing Awards

The National Council of Teachers of English offers several student writing awards, including Achievement Awards in Writing (for 10th- and 11th-grade students), Promising Young Writers (for 8th-grade students), and an award to recognize Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines.

Deadlines range from October 28 to February 15. Check out NCTE.org for more details.

19. See Us, Support Us Art Contest

Children of incarcerated parents can submit artwork, poetry, photos, videos, and more. Submissions are free and the website has a great collection of past winners.

Students can submit their entries via social media or email by October 25.

20. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry & Prose

The Adroit Journal, an education-minded nonprofit publication, awards annual prizes for poetry and prose to exceptional high school and college students. Adroit charges an entry fee but also provides a form for financial assistance.

Sign up at the website for updates for the next round of submissions.

21. National PTA Reflections Awards

The National PTA offers a variety of awards, including one for literature, in their annual Reflections Contest. Students of all ages can submit entries on the specified topic to their local PTA Reflections program. From there, winners move to the local area, state, and national levels. National-level awards include an $800 prize and a trip to the National PTA Convention.

This program requires submitting to PTAs who participate in the program. Check your school’s PTA for their deadlines.

22. World Historian Student Essay Competition

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international contest open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, as well as those in home-study programs. The $500 prize is based on an essay that addresses one of this year’s two prompts.

Students can submit entries via email or regular mail before May 1.

23. NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship

The National Society of High School Scholars awards three $2,000 scholarships for both poetry and fiction. They accept poetry, short stories, and graphic novel writing.

Apply online by October 31.

Whether you let your students blog, start a podcast or video channel, or enter student writing contests, giving them an authentic audience for their work is always a powerful classroom choice.

If you like this list of student writing contests and want more articles like it, subscribe to our newsletters to find out when they’re posted!

Plus, check out our favorite anchor charts for teaching writing..

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Summer–Fall 2023 Writing Opportunities

July 13, 2023

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With summer in full swing, many authors are looking ahead and thinking about what they can do with their work. To help, we’ve compiled a list of writing opportunities that are currently open for submission, including contests and small presses, as well as free, funded, and low-cost writing residencies.

For more opportunities throughout the year, be sure to check the Contests section of our website each month. You can also sign up for our newsletter , where you’ll find plenty of opportunities with upcoming deadlines in each issue.

Writing Contests

July 15:  The 2023 Adrift Chapbook Contest

July 16:  Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition

July 22:  Boise City Writer-in-Residence Six-Month Residency

August 1:  Granum Foundation Prize for the Completion of a Literary Manuscript or Translation

August 9: TulipTree Publishing Story (any genre) Contest

September 5: Terrain Annual Writing Contest in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction

September 8: Aesthetica Creative Writing Award

October 15: Copper Nickel book publishing prize for a poetry collection

Independent Publishers That Have Open Submission Periods Now

Feminist Press : Open to literary fiction, activist nonfiction, hybrid memoirs, and athologies until July 31, 2023.

Sarabande Books : Accepting submissions for literary nonfiction, manuscripts from Kentucky-affiliated writers, and proposals for works in translation through July 31, 2023.

Tupelo Press : Open for poetry manuscript (48-90 pages) and chapbook manuscript submissions (28-47 pages) until July 31, 2023.

Split Lip Press : Accepting submissions for novellas and novels until September 1, 2023.

Alice James Books : A prize of $5,000 and publication by Alice James Books is given annually for a poetry collection by a poet residing in the United States. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 100 by October 16. All submissions are considered for publication.

Free, Funded, and Low-Cost Residencies for Writers

Rockvale Writer’s Colony Location: College Grove, TN Deadline: Rolling Period: Flexible up to 4 weeks Financials: Subsidized fee of $425 per week for Farmhouse or Cabin and $475 for Granary, $30 cleaning fee

Ucross Foundation Location: Sheridan, WY Deadline: July 15th for Spring Session and January 15th for Fall Session Period: Sliding period of two to six weeks Financials: Fully funded, meals provided

Stochastic Labs Residency Location: Berkeley, California Deadline: Rolling Period: Flexible Financials: Fully funded, plus $1000 monthly stipend Entry Fee: N/A References/Letters of Recommendation: 2 references

Macdowell Fellowship Location: Peterborough, New Hampshire Deadline: August 1st – Sep 10, 2023 Period: March 1- Aug 31, 2024 Financials: No residency fees and stipends available Entry Fee: $30 fee

Crosstown Arts Residency Program Location: Memphis, TN Deadline: July 15, 2023 Period: Three weeks to three months beginning in February Financials: Fully funded Entry Fee: $10 fee

KHN Residency Location: Nebraska City, NE Deadline: Sep 1, 2023 Period: Sliding periods of two to eight weeks Financials: $175 weekly stipend, free housing Application Fee: $35 fee

Jentel Artist Residency Location: Banner, WY Deadline: September 15th for Winter/Spring, January 15th for Summer/Fall Period: January 15th – May 13th Financials: $400 stipend Entry fee: $30

Lanesboro Arts Residency Location: Lanesboro, MN Deadline: July 28th, 2023 Period: Sliding periods of two to four weeks, residency dates can be flexible Financials: $1,250 weekly stipend Entry Fee: N/A

Art Omi Location: Ghent, NY Deadline: Opens August 15 – October 15, 2023 Period: June and/or July 2024 Financials: Fully funded, several fellowships available with $500 stipends Entry Fee: N/A

Millay Arts Core Residency Location: Austerlitz, NY Deadline: October 1st, 2023; late deadline: October 8th, 2023 Period: Sliding periods of two weeks to one month Financials: $100 non-refundable deposit Entry Fee: $45

18th Street Arts Center’s Visiting Artist Residency Program Location: New York, NY Deadline: Rolling Period: One to three months Financials: Fully funded on a case-by-case basis Entry Fee: N/A

Storyknife Writers Retreat Location: Homer, Alaska Deadline: Application open July 1st, close August 31st Period: Two to four-week residencies from April through October Financials: Fully funded Entry Fee: $40

Fiction Meets Science Residency Location: Delmenhorst, Germany Deadline: Rolling Period: Sliding period of three to nine months Financials: Fully funded with stipend Entry Fee: N/A

The Guanajuato Writing Retreat Location: Guanajuato, Mexico Deadline: Rolling Period: November 5-12, 2023 Financials: $1995 fee

In Cahoots Residency Location: Petaluma, CA Deadline: August 27-October 1, 2023 Period: One to three-week periods from June to December 2024 Financials: $900 fee for one week, $1,500 for two weeks, or $2,200 for three weeks Entry Fee: $25

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas Deadline: Rolling Period: Sliding period of one week to three months Financials: $95 fee per night with a one-time $25 cleaning fee, meals included Entry Fee: $35

The Shirley Holden Helberg Grants for the Mature Women Deadline: August 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023 Financials: $1,000 grant

Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference Location: Nashville, TN Deadline: July 14th, 2023 Period: August 17-20, 2023 Financials: Scholarships vary depending on need Entry Fee: N/A

The Publishing Laboratory at the University of New Orleans Deadline: August 31, 2023 Financials: $10,000 advance Entry Fee: $28

Related Posts

Contests, Grants, and Residencies

Calls for Submissions September 2024

August 12, 2024

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July 10, 2024

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June 11, 2024

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

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

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

Here are the best international writing competitions 2023:

Poetry competitions 2023

1. the bridport poetry prize  .

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

Word count: 42 lines

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

Entry fee: £12

Closing date: 31 May 2023

2. International Poetry Contest

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

Word count: 5 poems

Prize: $1,000

Entry fee: $15

Closing date: 01 May 2023

3. The 9th Singapore Poetry Contest  

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

Prompt: Snail

Word count: 3 poems

Prizes: $300, $200, $100

Entry: Free!

Closing date: 15 May 2023

4. Kunitz Prize for Younger Poets  

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

Word count: 3 pages

5. Patricia Cleary Miller Award for Poetry  

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

Word count: 30 pages

Prize: $2,500

Entry fee: $24

Closing date: 22 May 2023

6. The Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology  

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

Word count: 3–10 haikus

Prize: 1% royalties per haiku (for donors)

Short story contests 2023

7. the bridport short story prize  .

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

Word count: 5,000

Entry fee: £14

8. Writing Battle

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

Word count: 300–500

Prizes: Four prizes of $800 and four prizes of $200

Entry fee: $20

Closing date: 05 May 2023 

9. The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest

The mission for this short story competition is to “deliver exciting new fiction from writers all over the world”. It accepts entries in literary fiction alone, so genre fiction (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, romance) is not eligible.

Word count: 500–2,000

Prizes: $1000 NZD, $500 NZD, $200 NZD

Entry fee: $6 NZD

10. The Folly International Short Story Prize  

The organizers of this short story contest in 2023 seek “content that takes risks, screams with honesty, and celebrates life’s extraordinary moments”. Winning and shortlisted stories will be published in Folly Journal.

Word count: 10,000

Prizes: $2000, $500, $250, two prizes of $125

Entry fee: $18

Closing date: 17 May 2023

11. Robert Day Award for Fiction  

This short story writing competition is part of the New Letters group of contests. Make sure you attach one cover sheet stating the genre and the title of the story.

Word count: 8,000

12. The Writing District Prize 2023  

This short story competition accepts entries on any theme, subject, or genre. The judges will select a longlist of 20 entries, from which 3 will be finalized. Make sure to go through the contest guidelines before you hit submit! 

Word count: 3,000

Prizes: $1,000, two prizes of $100

13. WOW! Flash Fiction Contest  

Open to women writers worldwide, this flash fiction competition awards Amazon gift certificates to 7 runners up and 10 honorable mentions. At a $20 entry fee, you may opt for a critique along the subject, content, and technicalities of your piece.

Word count: 250–750

Prizes: $400, $300, $200, and others

Entry fee: $10

14. Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction  

The Flannery O’Connor Award series has published more than 70 short-story collections. Short stories may have appeared in magazines or online platforms, but may not have been published as a collection.

Word count: 40,000–75,000

Entry fee: $30

15. Autumn House Fiction Contest  

Through this fiction contest, Autumn House awards one writer with publication, a $1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 publicity grant. All fiction sub-genres (short stories, short-shorts, novellas, or novels) or any combination of sub-genres are eligible!

Word count: 37,500–75,000

Book writing contests

16. the bridport prize novel award  .

This novel writing competition allows you to participate even if you haven’t finished writing it yet! Send up to 8,000 words from the first chapter(s) of your novel along with a 300-word synopsis.

Word count: 5,000–8,000

Prizes: £1,500, £750, three prizes of £150

Entry fee: £24

17. 2023 Gaudy Boy Poetry Book Prize

This poetry book contest awards an “unpublished manuscript of original Anglophone poetry by an author of Asian heritage residing anywhere in the world”. The winning manuscript will be published in Spring 2024 by Gaudy Boy.

Word count: 70–120 pages

Prize: $1,500

18. James Laughlin Award  

This incredibly specific poetry competition honors “a second full-length print book of original poetry, in English, by a living poet, forthcoming in the next calendar year.” To be eligible, a book must be under contract with a U.S. publisher.

Word count: 48–100 pages

Prize: $5,000

19. Idaho Prize For Poetry  

This poetry book competition awards one poet with publication and 20 complementary author copies. There are no restrictions on the genre, style, or subject—the organziers are simply looking for the best manuscript!

Entry fee: $28

20. 2023 Fugere Book Prize  

Regal House Publishing has organized this book writing contest to award finely-crafted novellas. Translations, previously published, and collaborative manuscripts are not eligible. Make sure you follow their submission guidelines!

Word count: 17,000–40,000

Entry fee: $25

21. 2023 Adaptation Contest

This interesting book writing contest seeks “published books (fiction and nonfiction), graphic novels/comics, and short stories for film & TV development”. Go through all the criteria for picture books and short stories before you hit submit!

Word count: 5,000 words (plus a 1–3 page-long synopsis)

Entry fee: $45 / $50 / $55

Closing date: 20 May 2023 / 15 August 2023 / 31 August 2023

22. 2023 Unpublished Contest  

Book Pipeline has organized this writing contest in 2023 “exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across eight categories of fiction and nonfiction”. Aside from the cash prizes, the finalists receive circulation to publishers, agents, editors, and film and TV producers.

Word count: 5,000 (plus a 1–3 page-long synopsis)

Prizes: $20,000, $2,500 per category

Entry fee: $45 / $55 / $60

Closing date: 25 May 2023 / 20 August 2023 / 05 September 2023

23. The Bath Novel Award 2023

Along with the cash prize, the winner of this esteemed novel contest receives the Minerva trophy. Send the first 5,000 words with a one-page synopsis. Self-published writers are welcome to participate!

Word count: 50,000

Prize: £3,000

Entry fee: £29

Closing date: 31 May 2023 

24. 2023 Anhinga Prize for Poetry  

This 2023 poetry competition awards one poet with publication by Anhinga Press and 25 author copies. Make sure to add a cover page with your manuscript. Octavio Quintanilla will judge the contest.

Prize: $2,000

25. Autumn House Poetry Contest

The Autumn House staff and select outsiders are the preliminary readers for this poetry competition and the final judge is Toi Derricotte. The winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and a $1,500 publicity grant to promote their book.

Word count: 50–80 pages

26. Max Ritvo Poetry Prize  

Louise Glück is the judge for this exciting poetry book contest! The contest awards publication and a comprehensive marketing campaign to one unpublished poet. Translations are not eligible.

Word count: More than 48 pages

Prize: $10,000

Flash fiction competitions 2023

27. the bridport flash fiction prize  .

The flash fiction competition is part of the Bridport Prize family of writing contests. The winning entry will be published in an anthology. Fiction written for children is not recommended.

Word count: 250

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250, five prizes of £100

Entry fee: £11

28. Pulp Fictional Flash Fiction Contest  

The organizers of this flash fiction competition prefer stories that are “scary and unusual, strange and unnerving”. The cash prizes may increase depending on the number of writers that submit their entries!

Word count: 1,000

Prizes: £250, £100, £50

Entry fee: £6

Mixed writing contests  

29. the 2023 bloom writing contest  .

The European Society of Literature invites poets and writers to send entries on the theme of beauty. The organizers of this writing competition believe that “good literature isn’t confined to a particular category”, so be sure to do your best!

Theme: Beauty

Categories: Short story, essay, and poetry

Word count: 2,500

Prize: €500

Entry fee: €3

30. Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition  

This esteemed writing contest will award almost 500 winners with cash prizes and publication. The competition will be held in nine categories, so be sure to check out their submission guidelines!

Categories: Various

Prizes: $5,000 grand prize and $1,000, $500, $250, $50 per category

Entry fee: $20–$30 (depending on categories) 

Closing date: 05 May 2023

31. The Emerging Writer’s Contest

Ploughshares encourages emerging writers to send their entries, and self-published writers don’t qualify. The winners also receive a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management regarding their writing careers.

Categories: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry

Word count: 6,000 for fiction and nonfiction, 3–5 pages for poetry

Prize: $2,000 per category

32. Yeovil Literary Prize

Yeovil Community Arts Association has organized this set of writing competitions to encourage poets and writers worldwide. The contest is a great opportunity to get your work read by major agents and publishers!

a. Novel Writing Contest

Prizes: £1250, £500, £125

Entry fee: £14.5

b. Short Story Competition

Word count: 2,000

Prizes: £600, £250, £125

Entry fee: £8

c. Poetry Competition

Word count: 40 lines

Entry fee: £5

d. Children’s and Young Adult Novel

Word count: 3,000 words, 500-word synopsis

Entry fee: £12.5

e. Writing Without Restrictions

Word count: —

f. Western Gazette Best Local Writer Award

Prize: £100

33. The Synopsis Skirmish

The organizers of this unique writing contest in 2023 want you to write a synopsis of your novel “with style but without gimmick”. Can you walk the fine line between understanding the form and introducing a fresh take?

Word count: 500

Prizes: $700 CAD, $200 CAD, $100 CAD

Entry fee: $5 CAD

1. Annual Mudfish Poetry Contest  

Mudfish has organized this poetry contest to award deserving poets with publication in the magazine. All entries will be considered for publication. Deborah Landau is the judge for this contest.

Word count: 3 poems of any length

Prize: $1,200

Closing date: 15 June 2023

2. The Poetry London Prize  

The poetry competition provides some free entries for writers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Unfortunately, self-published poets are not eligible for this contest.

Word count: 80 lines

Prizes: £5,000, £2,000, £1,000

Entry fee: £10

Closing date: 30 June 2023 

3. Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors

The organizers of this short story contest seek “stories set between today and the year 2200, in a future that shows the path to a clean, green, just world.” Make sure you go through their guidelines before you participate!

Word count: 3,000–5,000

Prizes: $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, nine prizes of $300

Closing date: 13 June 2023

4. Anthology Short Story Competition

Anthology has organized this short story contest in 2023 “to recognize and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication”. Make sure you go through some issues of the magazine for some context!

Word count: 1,500

Prizes: €1,000, €250, €150

Entry fee: €18

Closing date: 31 August 2023 

5. The Moth Short Story Prize  

This prestigious short story competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 with no restrictions of theme or style. The winning entry will be published in the Irish Times while other finalists will be published online.

Prizes: €3,000, travel stipend for a week at Circle of Misse, €1,000

Entry fee: €15

Closing date: 30 June 2023

6. The Writers College Short Story Competition  

This short story contest is for unpublished writers or writers who have been published fewer than four times in any genre. Only per entry is allowed for each writer, so make sure you send your best work!

Prizes: $1,000 NZ, $500 NZ, $250 NZ

Essay writing contests

7. the international peace essay contest for ukraine war  .

This essay contest has been organized to encourage writers to share their ideas on peacebuilding. Answer one of the three provided questions in your essay and send it across. All the best!

Prize: $100

Closing date: 01 June 2023

8. International Essay Contest for Young People  

This writing competition for teenagers and young writers invites entries in English, French, and Japanese. The contest is “an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world’s youth”.

Theme: Youth Creating a Peaceful Future

Word count: 700

Prizes: $740, $370, gift certificates

9. Free Global Writing Competition  

The winning entry for this essay contest will be published in The Writers College newsletter and blog. Entries are restricted to one entry per writer, so make sure you send nothing short of your best essay!

Theme: The best writing tip I’ve ever received

Word count: 600

Prize: $200

10. 2023 Housatonic Book Awards  

This book writing contest awards three writers with a cash prize in exchange for appearing at Western Connecticut State University, including a $500 travel stipend and hotel residency.

Categories: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry

Word count: Various

Prize: $1,000 per category

11. Green Stories Novel Prize  

The aim of this novel writing contest is to “use fiction as a way to reach a wider audience, and support winning authors to translate their stories into published books”. Your novel should be at least 60,000 words, but you’re required to send only three chapters.

Word count: 4,000–10,000

Prizes: $1200, $600

Closing date: 26 June 2023

12. North Street Book Prize  

The top prize winner in this book contest also gets a one-hour phone conversation with the contest judge, Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!

Categories: Various (eight genres)

Word count: 200,000

Prizes $10,000 (grand prize) and $1,000, $300 (per category)

Entry fee: $75

13. Geri Digiorno Prize  

Raleigh Review has organized this interesting writing competition to recognize the work of multi-disciplinary artists. Send a combination of poetry, visual art, and flash nonfiction and get a chance to be published in the magazine!

Categories: Nonfiction, poetry, visual art

Prize: $300

Entry fee: $5

14. 2023 International Competitions  

The Wells Festival of Literature has arranged four writing competitions in 2023 that accept entries in different genres. All the contests feature an additional prize for local poets and writers.

a. 2023 Open Poetry Competition

Word count: 35 lines

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250, and £100 for a local poet

b. 2023 Short Story Competition

Word count: 1,000–2,000

Prizes: £750, £300, £200, and £100 for a local writer

c. 2023 Book for Children Competition

Word count: first two chapters or first twenty pages

Prizes: £150, £75, £50

d. 2023 Young Poets Competition

Entry fee: £3

1. Submit | Valiant Scribe  

Prizes: £1,000, £500, £250

Closing date: 15 July 2023 

2. Amy Award | Alison Wearing  

Closing date: 09 July 2023 

3. Ledbury Poetry Competition 2023

Closing date: 10 July 2023 

4. Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition  

Closing date: 12 July 2023

5. The Sentence Expansion Extravaganza

Closing date: 15 July 2023

6. Bardsy – Current Short Story Anthology Contest

Closing date: 07 July 2023 

7. Page One Prize

Closing date: 14 July 2023

8. 2023 Start Here | Hastings Book Fest  

Category: Poetry and short fiction

August 2023

1. the coniston prize  .

Radar Poetry has organized this poetry competition to award a group of poems. The contest is open to people who self-identify as women and welcomes poems that are “cohesive in some way, whether connected by subject matter, theme, voice, style, or imagery.”

Word count: 3–5 poems in a single document

Prizes: $1,000, ten prizes of $175

Closing date: 01 August 2023

2. Fischer & Cantor Prizes

The Telluride Institute has simultaneously organized these two poetry contests 2023. The Fischer Prize welcomes entries on all subject matter, while the Cantor Prize is open to poets living in or writing about Colorado.

Prizes: $1,000, five prizes of $250 | $500, two prizes of $250

Entry fee: $10 | $6

Closing date: 30 August 2023

3. 2023 Unpublished Contest  

4. 20th annual gival press short story award 2023.

Gival Press has organized this short story contest 2023 in the hopes of eventually publishing an anthology of contest winners. There is a long list of submission guidelines, so make sure you follow them all!

Word count: 5,000–15,000

Closing date: 08 August 2023

5. Summer Short Story Award for New Writers  

The organizers of this short story writing competition are looking for the best literary fiction. They ask only one thing from today’s new writers: “Dazzle us, take chances, and be bold.” All finalists  receive agency reviews from six agencies!

Word count: 6,000

Prizes: $3,000, $300, $200

Closing date: 27 August 2023

6. Flash Fiction Contest 2023   

Gemini Magazine has organized this flash fiction contest to award six finalists with online publication in its October 2023 issue. Entries on any subject and style are eligible. All entries are read blind.

Prizes: $1,000, $100, four prizes of $25

Entry fee: $7

Closing date: 31 August 2023

7. WOW! Women On Writing Contests: Flash Fiction and Essay Contest

The organizers of this flash fiction competition seek “to provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants.” The top 10 stories are published in the WOW! Women On Writing e-zine. The contest is limited to only 300 entries!

Prizes: $400, $300, $200

8. Oxford Flash Fiction Prize

This flash fiction competition runs in partnership with the Bodleian Libraries’ Gifts and Books exhibition at the University of Oxford. The £50 prize recognizes a new voice and shortlisted entrants are offered publication in an end-of-year anthology.

Theme: Gifts

Prizes: £1000, £200, £100, £50

9. The University of New Orleans Press Publication Prize  

The organizers of this competition seek to “bring innovative publicity and broad distribution to authors”. Short story collections and novellas are eligible for entry. Self-published writers are welcome to enter!

Prize: $10,000 advance on royalties

10. Granum Foundation Fellowship Prize   [Free Contest!]

This book writing competition awards a US-based writer with the opportunity to complete a substantive literary work or to launch one. An additional prize is awarded to a work of translation by a US-based writer.

Categories: Novel, memoir, short story, essay, and poetry

Word count: Variable

Prizes: $5,000, $1,500

13. The Deborah Tall Lyric Essay Book Prize  

Seneca Review Books has organized this contest to “encourage and support innovative work in the essay”. Essay writers are welcome to submit cross-genre and hybrid work, verse forms, text and image, connected pieces, and “beyond category” projects. 

Word count: 48–120 pages

Entry fee: $27

14. 2023 Omnidawn Open Poetry Book Contest  

One of several Omnidawn poetry contests 2023, this competition awards one poet with publication, a cash prize, and 20 printed copies. If your manuscript contains images, make sure they’re completely original!

Word count: 40–90 pages

Prize: $3,000 and 20 printed copies

Entry fee: $35

Closing date: 13 August 2023

15. Grayson Books Poetry Contest  

One of two poetry competitions 2023 organized by Grayson Books, this contest offers publication to a single poet. You may include a brief bio in the submission form and add acknowledgments in the manuscript, but it’s not compulsory.

Word count: 50–90 pages

Prize: $1,000 and 10 printed copies

Entry fee: $26

Closing date: 15 August 2023

16. Fool for Poetry International Chapbook Competition  

Munster Literature Centre has organized this poetry writing competition to award both new and established poets with publication. Aside from the winners, the organizers will list 25 poets as “highly commended”.

Word count: 16–24 pages

Prizes: €1,000, €500, and 25 printed copies for both winners

Entry fee: €25

17. The 2024 Kenneth Patchen Award for the Innovative Novel  

Journal of Experimental Fiction has organized this novel writing competition with Carla M. Wilson as the judge. Make sure your manuscript doesn’t contain any identifying information and add a separate sheet with your contact information.

18. The St. Lawrence Book Award  

Black Lawrence Press has organized this book writing contest with its editorial staff and previous winners as the judges. The competition is open to poets and writers who have not published a full-length manuscript in any genre. 

Categories: Prose and poetry

Word count: 120–280 pages for prose; 45–95 pages for poetry

Prize: $1,000 and ten printed copies

19. The Kindle Storyteller Award [Free Contest]

This book writing contest is open to poets and writers of all genres who have published their work through Kindle Direct Publishing. While there is a judging panel, readers also play a role in selecting the winner.

Categories: Any genre

Word count: At least 25 pages

Prize: £20,000, a book launch merchandising package, and a Kindle Oasis E-reader

20. The Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize [Free Contest!]

This contest is open to books of poems published between 01 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 by a resident of Upstate New York. Unfortunately, self-published works are not eligible.

Word count:   At least 48 pages

21. Off the Grid Press    

This poetry competition 2023 is open to poets aged 60 and above. Along with the cash prize, the winner receives publication, promotion, and distribution for their book in print and audiobook formats.

Word count: At least 50 pages

Other interesting contests in 2023

22. aesthetica creative writing award  .

This writing competition invites poets and writers to submit entries on any theme. The cash prizes come with additional prizes such as magazine subscriptions and course enrolments!

Categories: Poetry and fiction

Word count: 40 lines for poetry and 2,000 words for fiction

Prizes: £2,500 per category and several other exciting prizes

Entry fee: £12 for poetry and £15 for fiction

23. Stories That Need to Be Told Contest

This interesting writing contest 2023 invites you to tell a story—whether you do it in a poem or an essay is up to you! Along with the grand prize, five prizes will be awarded for “stories that excel in the merits of Humor, Passion, Depth, and (any form of) Love”.

Prizes: $1,000, six prizes of $200

Closing date: 09 August 2023

September 2023

1. four-line poem contest.

Part of the Fanstory group of writing contests 2023, this poetry competition is sure to get you excited. Write a poem in four lines with a 1-5-5-9 syllable structure. Think you’re up to the challenge?

Word count: 20 syllables

Entry fee: $12.95

Closing date: 14 September 2023

2. Letterkenny Literary Festival Poetry Competition [Free Contest!]

Open to poets from Ireland, this poetry contest celebrates the birth of Brendan Behan and his connections with Letterkenny. Five shortlisted entrants will be invited to read their entry at the literary festival, where the winners will be announced.

Theme: Against the Odds

Word count: 30 lines

Prizes: €150, €1000

Closing date: 15 September 2023

3. TRIO International Poetry Competition

Trip Uganda has organized this poetry competition with Jon Sait as its administrator, who won the 2004 National Poetry Competition. All entries will be considered for publication in the next edition of Red Poets .

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £100, four prizes of £25

Closing date: 30 September 2023

4. VII International Short Tales Contest [Free Writing Contest!]

The César Egido Serrano Foundation has organized this international short story contest 2023 to promote “harmony between different cultures, religions and ideologies”. Writers can submit entries in Spanish, English, Arabic or Hebrew.

Word count: 100

Prizes: $20,000, three prizes of $2,000 each

5. Manchester Writing Competition

Manchester Metropolitan University invites poets and writers worldwide to participate in their writing competition. The organizers offer 100 reduced-price (£10) to participants with low income.

Categories: Short story and poetry

Word count: 2,500 for short story, 120 lines for poetry

Prize: £10,000 per category

Closing date: 01 September 2023

October 2023

1. 2024 peter porter poetry prize  .

Australian Book Review has organized this poetry contest 2023 to honor the poet Peter Porter. The five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2024 issue of ABR . Entrants will receive digital access to ABR for four months!

Word count: 70 lines

Prizes: $6,000 AUD, four prizes of $1,000 AUD

Entry fee: $30 AUD

Closing date: 09 October 2023

2. Editor’s Choice Award

This interesting contest invites poets and writers to send “hybrid work—your lyric essays, prose poems, short-shorts, collages, micro-memoirs”. The competition begins accepting entries on 01 May 2023, so keep your drafts ready!

Word count: 8,000 

Closing date: 16 October 2023

3. Diode Editiona Full-Length Book Contest  

Diode Editions has organized this poetry writing competition to award an unpublished poet. The winning manuscript will be published within a year and select poems from it will appear in the 17th Anniversary Issue of diode poetry journal .

Word count: 55–95 pages

Prize: $1,500 and 10 author copies

Closing date: 30 October 2023

4. Diode Editions Chapbook Contest  

The organizers of this poetry contest allow collaborations and hybrid work. Diode Editions may select more than one chapbook as the winner, and each winner will receive a cash prize and publication.

Word count: 25–55 pages

Prize: $750 and 10 author copies

5. Anthology Poetry Competition  

Well-known among writing contests 2023, this poetry competition was “established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing”. There is no restriction on theme and style, but you can refer to past issues for a better idea of what they publish.

Closing date: 31 October 2023

6. National Poetry Competition  

One of the most prestigious poetry contests in 2023, The Poetry Society has been organizing this competition since 1978. Jane Draycott, Will Harris, Clare Pollard comprise the panel of judges for this year.

Prize: £5,000

7. The Chilling Pen Award [Free Contest!]

This short story competition seeks to unearth hidden gems in the horror genre. The judging criteria are as follows: Quality, Originality, Fear Factor, and Overall Impact. So go ahead and write something to chill the panel to its bones!

Prizes: $500, $300, $100

Closing date: 01 October 2023

8. Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

Anthology has organized this flash fiction contest to “inspire creativity, great writing and to provide a platform for publication.” The winning entry will be published in a future issue of the magazine.

Prize: €300

Entry fee: €8 / €10

Closing date: 31 May 2023 / 31 October 2023

Mixed Contest 2023

9. the bedford competition  .

The organizers of this writing contest help poets and writers get published and donate all proceeds to charities that support literary and literacy skills. All winning and shortlisted entries will be published by Ostrich Books. 

Word count: 3,000 for short story; 40 lines for poetry

Prizes: £1,500, £300, £200

Entry fee: £9

November 2023

There are few poetry contests this month, but the wealth of short story competitions more than makes up for it. We hope that the two essay contests we managed to find keep the nonfiction writers happy!

Poetry contests 2023

1. edwin markham prize for poetry 2023     .

Reed Magazine welcomes poets to submit entries in a wide variety of forms and styles. You may send up to five poems in a single document with a 50-word bio. Make sure to pay attention to the formatting guidelines when you submit!

Closing date: 01 November 2023

2. James Hearst Poetry Prize  

North American Review has organized this poetry competition to honor its past contributing editor and celebrated poet, James Hearst. While there’s no restriction on form, the organizers suggest that you submit shorter poems. 

Entry fee: $23

3. Cafe Writers Poetry Competition 2023

This international poetry contest offers one free entry to any UK resident who can’t pay the entry fee. One Norfolk resident is awarded the Norfolk Prize and a cash prize of £100. Martin Figura is the sole judge this year.

Prize: £1,000, £300, £200, £100, five prizes of £50

Entry fee: £4

Closing date: 30 November 2023

4. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize

BOA Editions, a not-for-profit publishing house of poetry and poetry in translation, has organized this contest to honor its late founder. The contest is only open to poets who are yet to publish a full-length manuscript.

5. Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition

Suji Kwock Kim is the judge for this international poetry competition 2023. The poem can be on any subject or style. The organizers offer free entries of two poems each for thirty poets currently residing in a developing country.

Prize: €2,000, €500, €250, two prizes of €50

Entry fee: €7

6. John Steinbeck Award for Fiction 2023

Reed Magazine has organized this story writing contest to invite entries for its Issue 157. The organizers are open to all styles, including experimental and literary. Make sure to add a 50-word bio with your entry!

7. The Scribble Annual Short Story Competition 2023  

Park Publications, the publisher of Scribble , has organized this short story contest. The winning entry will be published in the winter 2023 edition of the magazine. Annual subscribers of Scribble receive a free entry.

Prizes: £100, £50, £25

8. Kurt Vonnegut Speculative Fiction Prize

This short story contest is open to entries in all genres of speculative fiction, from fairy tale and horror to afro-futurism and science fiction. The results will be announced in January 2024. The winning entry will be published in North American Review ’s summer issue. 

Prize: $1,333

9. Commonwealth Short Story Prize [Free Writing Contest!] 

Commonwealth Foundation has organized this free short story contest to offer publication to writers residing in Commonwealth countries. The winning story, along with four regional winning stories, will be published in Granta .

Word count: 2,000–5,000

Prizes: £5,000, four prizes of £2,500

10. Curious Curls Fiction Contest  

Curious Curls Publishing has organized this short story competition in an effort to begin publishing shorter fiction. Besides the cash prizes, the winners will receive video promotion and a free book!

Prizes: $250, $125, $100

Entry fee: $2.50

Closing date: 15 November 2023

11. Ironclad Creative Short Story Competition

In its second year, this short story competition welcomes writers to submit entries in any genre. Alongside the winners, ten longlisted writers will be offered publication in the contest anthology. All the best!

Theme: Dusk

Closing date: 16 November 2023

12. WOW! Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest

WOW! welcomes women writers to submit their best work to this open-prompt flash fiction contest 2023. You can opt for a critique of your work at an entry fee of $20. There are only 300 entries, so hurry up and start writing!

13. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024

New Writers has organized this flash fiction contest to award three writers with publication on their website. Entries published online or on social media are not eligible. Stephanie Curly is the head judge.

Word count: 300 

Prizes: £1,000, £300, £200

Entry fee: £8 (early bird entry fee) / £10 

Closing date: 30 November 2023 / 31 January 2024

Essay contests

14. gabriele rico challenge for nonfiction 2023.

This nonfiction writing contest welcomes creative nonfiction such as essays and narratives, but not scholarly papers or book reviews. The piece you send must be a stand-alone work and not part of a larger manuscript.

15. Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest [Free Contest!]

The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all high school and college students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose from three prompts and submit an award-winning essay!

Word count: 800–1,600

Prizes: $10,000, 3 prizes of prizes $2,000, 5 prizes of $1,000, 25 prizes of $100, 50 prizes of $50

Closing date: 06 November 2023

Book writing contests 2023

16. the changes book prize  .

This poetry book competition awards a first or second book of poetry with publication. The winner also receives national distribution, extensive publicity, and a launch event for their book. Eileen Myles is the judge for the contest.

Word count: 48–80 pages

17. Evaristo Prize for African Poetry [Free Contest!]

This poetry contest 2023 is open to African poets who haven’t yet published a full-length poetry book. Self-published poets are welcome to enter! In the case of a translated work, a percentage of the prize will be awarded to the translator.

Word count: 10 poems, no more than 40 lines each

18. Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Contest  

Fiction Collective Two (FC2) has organized this writing contest 2023 for American writers who haven’t published with them before. You may submit a piece previously published in anthologies, but self-published manuscripts are not eligible! 

Mixed writing contests

19. f(r)iction contests 2023  .

The organizers of this contest invite poets and writers to submit work that “actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes.” Make sure you follow their formatting guidelines while submitting your entry!

Categories: Poetry, short story, and flash fiction

Word count: 3 pages for poetry; 1,001–7,500 words for short story; 1,000 words for flash fiction

Prizes: $300 for poetry; $1,000 for short story; $300 for flash fiction

Entry fee: $10 for poetry; $15 for short story; $10 for flash fiction

20. The SmokeLong Grand Micro Competition 2023

This microfiction writing competition welcomes entries in fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid genres. All shortlisted entries will be published in the winter 2023 issue of SmokeLong Quarterly.

Word count: 400

Prizes: $1500, $500, $300, some prizes of $100

Entry fee: $13

Closing date: 10 November 2023

21. McNally Robinson Booksellers Writing Competitions 2023

Prairie Fire has organized these creative writing contests to offer outstanding poets and writers with publication in its summer issue. Note that a poetry entry consists of three poems and your total line count should be less than 150.

Categories: Poetry, short story, and creative nonfiction

Word count: 150 lines for poetry; 5,000 words for short story and nonfiction

Prizes: $750, $350, $150 per category

Entry fee: $34

Closing date: 30 November 2023 

Other interesting writing competitions 2023

22. ink 2 screen one act challenge  .

This unique writing competition challenges screenwriters to write a one-act screenplay during the month of November. You can discuss your progress with other participants and you’ll receive detailed feedback on your entry!

Word count: 60 pages

Entry fee: $45

23. Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest  

This exciting contest welcomes poets and writers to try their hand at creating written beauty in just 100 words. The judges are looking for “creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes.”

Prizes: $2,000, a writing coaching program, an editing package

24. Anthology Travel Writing Competition  

The organizers of this travel writing contest are looking for “an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture”.

Entry fee: €10/€15

December 2023

Poetry competitions 2023 dominate December, but we’ll keep looking for more short story contests and essay writing contests. Our beloved poets and writers have had a great year of writing, and it’s our job to help them further! We have also included many free writing contests in 2023 for budding and seasoned writers. 

1. Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize  

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College has organized this poetry competition 2023. Winners and finalists will be published in the Spring 2024 issue of The Heartland Review , of which 20 finalists will receive a free copy.

Prizes: $500, $140, $100

Closing date: 01 December 2023

2. Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry [Free Contest!]

This poetry writing contest rewards one unpublished poet with a cash prize and publication. While self-published poets are not eligible, editors or anthology contributors are welcome to submit!

Prizes: $1,000

3. Women’s Poetry Competition 2023  

Mslexia has organized this poetry contest to offer the 4 winners and 16 additional finalists with publication. Previously unpublished poets are eligible for the Unpublished Poetry Prize and £250 cash prize!

Prizes: £2,000, £500, two prizes of £250

Closing date: 04 December 2023

4. 21st Gival Press Poetry Award 2023  

Gival Press has organized this poetry contest 2023 to reward one unpublished manuscript. Self-published books are not allowed. There are no restrictions on the theme or style, the organizers want “simply good poetry”.

Word count: At least 45 pages

Closing date: 15 December 2022

5. The Moth Poetry Prize 2023

Among the most reputed poetry competitions worldwide, The Moth Poetry Prize invites poets to submit their unpublished poems. Four shortlisted poems will appear in the Irish Times online and the overall winner will be announced in spring 2024.

Prizes: €6,000, three prizes of €1,000, eight prizes of €250

Closing date: 31 December 2023 

6. The 2023 Society of Classical Poets International Poetry Competition

This 2023 poetry contest requires all entries to be in meter. Rhyme and other traditional techniques are encouraged as well, but not required. You may submit up to three poems in an entry if the total line count is below 108.

Word count: 108 lines

Prize: $2,000, three prizes of €1,000, eight prizes of €250

Closing date: 31 December 2023

7. The Tampa Review Prize for Poetry

One of the best poetry contests out there, this competition accepts previously unpublished manuscripts. Individual poems may have appeared in periodicals, chapbooks, or anthologies. All entries include a one-year subscription to Tampa Review .

Short story contest 2023

8. the w.s. porter prize for short story collections  .

This short story competition in 2023 honors the master of the genre, O. Henry himself. Regal House Publishing will publish the winning short story collection. The organizers seek “a masterfully written short story collection”.

Word count: 100–350 pages

9. Short Short Story Competition 2024

The grand prize winner of this contest gets a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference along with a cash prize. All finalists will be published in the September/October 2024 issue of Writer’s Digest .

Prizes: $3,000, $1,500, $500, $100

Closing date: 15 December 2023

10. The Danahy Fiction Prize  

While the organizers of this short story contest have provided an ideal word count, entries falling slightly outside the range are allowed. Make sure your entry is double-spaced and attach a cover page with your details.

Word count: 500–5,000

11. 2024 MWA First Crime Novel Competition [Free Contest!]

Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America (MWA) has organized this novel writing contest in 2024 to offer a deserving writer with publication. Self-published works are not eligible, but self-published writers are welcome to submit a new manuscript!

Word count: 60,000–65,000

Prize: $10,000 (as an advance against royalties)

12. The Masters Review Chapbook Open

The Masters Review has organized this prose chapbook contest to offer one emerging writer with publication. The organizers “encourage you to be bold, to experiment with style and form.” Think you’re up for the challenge?

Word count: 25–45 pages

Prize: $3,000 and 75 contributor copies

Closing date: 17 December 2023

13. Valorious Awards

This science fiction contest for published writers only features 100 entries. The organizers stress the quality of writing, so make sure your book has been meticulously edited and proofread!

Word count: At least 65,000

Prize: $500, $250, $150

Writing contests 2024

The year 2024 brings us a fresh crop of writing contests for poets and writers. Stay tuned as we keep adding more competitions to our ever-expanding list!

1. Colorado Prize for Poetry  

Colorado State University has organized this poetry competition to offer one poet with publication. The Center for Literary Publishing will publish 500 copies of the winning entry! Translations and self-published manuscripts are not eligible. 

Closing date: 14 January 2024

2. Rattle Chapbook Prize  

This poetry contest honors the form of chapbooks by offering publication to three poets. Each winning copy will reach Rattle ’s 8,000 subscribers. As the organizers say, “This will be a chapbook to launch a career.”

Word count: 15–30 pages

Prizes: Three prizes of $5,000

Closing date: 15 January 2024

3. New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2024

Entry fee: £8 / £10

Closing date: 31 January 2024

4. Terry Tempest Williams Creative Nonfiction Prize  

This essay contest welcomes all kinds of creative essays from lyric essays to literary journalism. Objective essays are also allowed but should have a personal touch. All semi-finalists will be considered for publication!

Word count: 500–10,000

Closing date: 01 April 2024

Read our latest article, to know more about writing competitions 2024 .

If you were hoping for some more short story, poetry, or essay contests, don’t worry! As more contests are announced, we’ll keep adding to this list. So make sure to bookmark this page for the latest writing competitions 2023!

For more resources on writing and editing, feel free to explore our Resource Center. For now, here are a few articles you may be interested in:

• 2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
• 5 Elements of a Short Story & 6 Stages of a Plot  
• How to Create Powerful Conflict in Your Story  
• Theme of a Story | Meaning, Common Themes & Examples
• How to Write Dialogue: 7 Rules, 5 Tips & 65 Examples   

Found this article helpful?

9 comments on “ Writing Contests 2023: Cash Prizes, Free Entries, & More! ”

Thanks for compiling this list, it’s very helpful for poets & writers like myself!

Please add this writing contest to your list: Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest (Biannual) Thank you!

Hi Paul! The contest has been added to the list. Thanks for reaching out!

Hello! You might be interested in featuring the Anthology Short Story and Poetry Competitions 2023 in this list. Thanks!

Hi Dearbhaile, I’ve added the writing contests to our list. Thanks for suggesting them!

The Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest is open to all students globally. Kindly add it to your list!

Thank you for reaching out, Nelly! I’ve added the contest to our list.

Anthology now has a Flash Fiction competition!

Thank you for compiling the list!

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MIXED GENRE

Your subtitle goes here, a warm mug of cozy.

Anthology: Submission Guidelines:   Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our first Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.  Submission  deadline: May 31, 2023.   Who can participate: Anyone at least 17 years of age, including emerging authors and never-published writers.  Language: English only. https://warmmugofcozy.com/anthology-submission/

ALMOND PRESS

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

ASSOCIATION OF WRTERS & WRITING PROGRAMS

Writer’s Calendar The AWP Writer’s Calendar contains a list of upcoming events for writers; deadlines for grants, awards, and calls for submission; and deadlines for AWP contests and programs. Certain calendar listings, such as AWP and WC&C events, are available to all users. Become a member today to begin exploring our listings of grants, awards, and publication opportunities.  Join to get the full information. https://www.awpwriter.org/ Writers Calendar (events):  https://www.awpwriter.org/community_calendar/writers_calendar

BECOME A WRITER TODAY

There are as many different types of writing competitions as there are genres of content, from short story and poetry contests to science fiction, picture book, and chapbook competitions. Submitting your best work to a writing contest can help you build your reputation as an author, network with other industry professionals, and build your resume.  Here are the top 44 writing contests to apply for and answers to your most frequently asked questions about writing competitions.  Now listing the top 44 writing contests for authors. https://becomeawritertoday.com/writing-contests/ writing jobs: https://becomeawritertoday.com/writing-jobs/

BOOK PIPELINE

The 2023 Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction:  Literary Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Nonfiction https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

List of various genre contests https://www.booksie.com/writing-contests

BRIDGEPORT PRIZE

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

CANADIAN AUTHORS

Do you feel you’ve written the next great Canadian short story, novel, or poem? We have compiled a list of writing contests open to Canadians that include fiction and non-fiction contests, short story contests, and poetry contests. Our listing of writing competitions appear in order of deadline dates and, because there are hundreds upon hundreds of contests, we have separated them by month. Please remember to check out the details for all writing competitions at the websites provided — most sites have additional information, including submission guidelines and rules. Contests by month : https://canadianauthors.org/national/links/awards-competitions/

CHANTICLEER INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2022

16 Fiction Genere Divisions • Fiction Genere • Multiple Non-Fiction Divisions – A large list of contests for  2022-2023  by various genre. https://www.chantireviews.com/contests/

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

COMPETIONS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

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

CREATIVE WRITING CONTESTS

Listed by genre:  Use the left menu bar.  Scroll to CATEGORIES and find what you want. Short Story Contest deadline extended to September 30, 2023 https://creativewritingink.co.uk/writing-competitions/

CURIOSITY NEVER KILLED THE WRITER – THE MEDIUM

45 Writing Contests this September there are more than four 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 is past, you can prepare for next year. https://medium.com/curiosity-never-killed-the-writer/46-writing-contests-in-october-2023-no-entry-fees-319205d2156f

EMBARK JOURNAL

The opening of your novel: minimum 2,500 words, maximum 4,000 words. The novel in question must be unpublished at the time of submission—meaning that it cannot be either traditionally published or self-published. If it is scheduled to be published in the future, its publication date must come after the month in which the next  Embark  issue is scheduled to be released. Your novel can be in any genre and may be partially or completely written, but in either case you should have a firm sense of its overarching themes and structure. We are looking for polished, confident work that reflects.  We accept submissions all year. Those received by  September  1, 2023,  will be considered for our nineteenth issue, which will be released in October 2023. clear authorial intention. https://embarkliteraryjournal.com/submissions/?fbclid=IwAR11Yxf8nNJi4h_-DeU-LngVrjU-I6Q6Hhnhv3xteQRxwSrcjGKEf1bNk94

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

FLORIDA WRITERS ASSOCIATION

The 2023 Florida Writers Association Collection, Volume 15 theme is secrets: those untold, unseen, and seldom shared places, events, and mysteries we all carry in the hidden recess of our hearts and minds. This theme is open to a range of possibilities, so it’s with high expectations that we invite our members to submit their best fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.  Deadline: April 30, 2023 https://www.floridawriters.org/writing-contests

★ FREE WRITING CONTESTS

Free writing contests is your source for a listing of 2022 writing contests that you can enter. The largest collection of free creative writing contests – hand-picked for writers of all skill levels. Your online location for an updated list of writing contests from around the world delivered daily. https://free-writing-contests.com/

FREE YOUR PEN

2023 Novel Writing Competitions. These competitions are for unpublished or self-published novels and novellas for international writers, plus a few for UK or US residents only. It’s a long list and accurate as far as possible, updated monthly, so bookmark this page! I can’t vouch for all these comps personally, but if you have experience of them, let us know in the comments.  See the right sidebar for list of current updates by genre. https://jesdavidson.wordpress.com/2021/01/30/novel-writing-competitions-list/

FREEDOM WITH WRITING

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

We’ve put together this handy page to make it easier to navigate the various submission routes we offer, so please read all guidelines below thoroughly before submitting.  For our print magazine, we accept short fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry—regardless of genre, style, or origin. To get an idea of the kind of work we look for and the ethos behind what we do, please check out this page from our editors detailing what we look for in our submissions and this CLMP Member Spotlight article. And please note that we strongly encourage you to check out a past issue of F(r)iction, available in our shop. Submissions are accepted year-round. https://frictionlit.org/about/submit/

FUNDS FOR WRITERS

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

GLOBAL SOUP

Short Story and 7 Day Short Writing Contests: https://www.globesoup.net/writing-competitions

HARLEQUIN ROMANCE

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

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

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS

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

KENYON REVIEW

The Short Fiction Contest. The contest is open to all writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Submissions must be 3000 words or fewer. The final judge will be acclaimed author Danielle Evans. The Kenyon Review will publish the winning short story, and the author will be awarded a scholarship to attend the 2023 Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Additional info on the Writers Workshops is available here.   https://kenyonreview.org/contests/short-fiction/

KINGDOM WRITERS GUILD

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

KOTOBEE BLOG

200+ Writing Contests You Need to Enter in 2023 – Writing could be rewarding in itself, but joining a writing contest could be even more exciting. Whether you need a push to finish your manuscript or want to get better exposure, competing with other writers is a great way to prove your talent and advance in the writing field.  Are you ready to win some awards? Take a look at the writing contests happening in 2023 and start sharpening your skills. Sort by Genre and Month. https://blog.kotobee.com/writing-contests-2023/

MACMILLIAN PUBLISHERS

2024 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Novel Competition  – Welcome to the 2023 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Best First Novel Competition.  Please read all of the rules and guidelines before submitting your entry. You can find the complete rules and guidelines at  us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/writing-competitions.   To enter, you must complete this form and upload an electronic file of your Manuscript. – Only electronic submissions, uploaded through this entry form, will be considered; do not mail or e-mail manuscript submissions to Minotaur Books.   Deadline:December15,2023 https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/submit-manuscript/

The theme of the contest is “Love makes us stronger”. Write the story of characters who must face incredible struggles to be together. Together, they learn that love can be the source of their strength and courage. This romance should begin in late Spring or early Summer. The most important struggle must appear in the story before the end of the 4th chapter and must be mentioned in your synopsis. https://neovel.io/contest/stronger-together-contest?tab=2

NEWSPAGES BLOG

A variety of completions listed.  Use the filters to narrow down tyour search. https://www.newpages.com/submission-opportunities/writing-contests/

NOTHING IN THE RULE BOOK

List of creative writing competitions for 2022 – no new 2023 contests listed yet. https://nothingintherulebook.com/2022/02/21/40-writing-competitions-for-2022/

THE NOVEL FACTORY

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

THE NOVELRY

Several 2023 Writing Competitions with different deadlines  (scroll down) .  Bath Novel Award, the Bridport Prize, The Luch Cavendish Prize, St. Leeds Prize, The Page Turner Awartds, First Pages Prize, CWA Debut Dagger, Future Worlds Prize, The Morley Prize, The Cheshire Novel Prize, Mslexia Writing Competitions, Anthology Prizes, Bristol Short Story Prize, The Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize, Newfound Prose Prize, Clay Reynolds Novella Prize, Kingsley Tufts Powety Award, Cabell First Novilist Award, Drue Heinz Literature Prize, The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction, Minotaur Books Mystery Writers of America, The Bedford Writing Competition, and more. https://www.thenovelry.com/blog/writing-competitions-2023

NYC MIDNIGHT

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

Rhyming Story: : https://www.nycmidnight.com/rhyme Deadline October 20

2023 Free-entry International Writing Contests   The listed competitions are open to individuals, worldwide, or are restricted to a specific region. They may be targeted to individuals from the age of 18 (or 16) and above, or to those who haven’t attained the legal age (from 17 and below). https://owlcation.com/humanities/Free-International-Fiction-and-Non-Fiction-Entry-Contests

Writing competitions give poets and writers a great opportunity to hone their skills. Along with exciting prizes, they offer a wide variety of themes and challenges to help you write in newer, bolder ways.  At PaperTrue, we’ve always believed that writing competitions are more than just about winning. It’s a community experience where you can interact with fellow participants and learn from each other’s work. After all, a supportive network is extremely important to all poets and writers who want to make a career out of writing. https://blog.papertrue.com/writing-contests/

PENCRAFT AWARD

The Grand Cash Prize for the Annual 2023 PenCraft Book Awards is $500 cash. Two other cash prizes of $200 will also be awarded – one for best fiction and best nonfiction. Plus, each major winner receives a personalized award certificate and a high-resolution digital version of their PenCraft Book Award’s seal for their book or other marketing materials, as well as a web-optimized graphic version of the seal for websites, blogs, and social networking sites. A special national press release will be published about the top three winners. https://www.pencraftaward.com/contests/

POETS & WRITERS

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

5 Creative Writing Contests to Look Out For in 2023 Whether you are a published or unpublished writer, creative writing contests are a great way to get your work to a larger audience while also taking home some cash prizes and getting published i https://proofed.com/writing-tips/5-creative-writing-contests-to-look-out-for-in-2023/

PUBLISH DRIVE

Free writing contests for 2023.   Scroll down and check them out.  Unfortunately they don’t put the deadlines on the blurbs. https://publishdrive.com/free-and-paid-writing-contests.html

PUBLISHERS ARCHIEVE

A list of book awards and contests by type and location. https://publishersarchive.com/awards.html

PUBLISHING… AND OTHER FORMS OF INSANITY

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

PURE IN HEART STORIES

Pure in Heart Stories is a literary and art magazine for families, with a Christian worldview. Here you can find short stories, poetry, photography and art by adults, teens, and children—for readers 6 years old and beyond. Our issues appear both online and in print during the months of May and November.  Taking submisdsions until SEP 30, 2023 https://pureinheartstories.com/submissions/?fbclid=IwAR3_junzhFSXTwKnF995OXK9Zmt1g1ih_83lSnMwwrsIS0aza-EYfEiuYKU

REEDSY BEST WRITING CONTESTS

2023 Several contests listed keep scrolling.  Use the search option to find the most recent contests, and deadlines. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/

RESOURCE CENTER PAPER TRUE

Writing competitions are vital for any poets and writers who want to be successful. But it’s important to know which poetry competitions, short story contests, and nonfiction contests are worth the effort. So we took a deep dive into the web, looking for the writing contests in 2022 that are both exciting and dependable.  2023 contests https://blog.papertrue.com/writing-contests/

SMART BLOGGER

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

SOLSTICE A MAGAZINE OF DIVERSE VOICES

Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices, is currently open for general submissions in all categories. Our guidelines are below. https://solsticelitmag.submittable.com/submit/19575/annual-literary-contest

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

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

WAXING AND WANING

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

WEEKEND NOTES

If you write short stories then you are a writer. Competitions are a great way to move from being a writer to being a published writer. I read once that there are more than 3,000 writing competitions offered across the world every year. This is just a small selection of those available with deadlines in January 2023. Enter something you’ve already written or pen something new over the Christmas holidays.  The following listings are summaries only and it is imperative that you always check the rules and terms and conditions on the competition website to ensure both you and your story are eligible to enter. For example most competitions exclude previously published or awarded stories and some have regional or age limits.  Deadline june 2023 https://www.weekendnotes.com/top-14-writing-competitions-june-2023/ https://www.weekendnotes.com/adelaide/competitions/

WINNING WRITERS

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

WISCONSIN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ARTS & LETTERS

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

WRITE OR DIE MAGAZINE

Find a list of current contests. https://writeordiemag.com/submission-list

WRITE THE WORLD

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

WRITER UNBOXED

This contest submissions season covers deadlines from  Thanks to Literistic, Poets & Writers, Submittable Discover, and New Pages for many of these contests.  Much like editors are looking for reasons to reject work, I want to focus on opportunities worth my time. Thus, my list of writing contests below includes reasons to submit to that particular writing contest. May you find a promising opportunity among this list and spend less time searching for where to send your exceptional work.   List through Feb 2023. https://writerunboxed.com/2022/11/21/fiction-writing-contests-worth-your-time-in – winter-2022-2023/

THE WRITER MAGAZINE

As you already know, The Writer encourages all of our readers to practice their craft and put their stories in front of the eyes of as many people as possible. Writing contests have always been a vital part of the writing world, giving writers the chance to have their work reviewed by editors and possibly published. Literary journals, universities and even The Writer regularly host writing competitions, helping authors gain exposure and hone their craft. Choose your inspiration, submit before the deadline, and, as always, keep writing. https://www.writermag.com/contests/

THE WRITERS COLLEGE

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

WRITER’S DIGEST

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

WRITERS OF THE FUTURE

ENTER THE WRITER CONTEST  4th Quarter 2023  Deadline: September 30, 2023 https://www.writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

WRITERS-EDITORS.COM

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

WRITING COMPLETIONS.NET

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

WRITING CONTESTS.WORDPRESS.COM

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

 WRITING COMPETITIONS.net

All the top writing contests.. A large list of writing contests for 2023 https://writingcompetitions.net/

WRITING DISTRICT

Various contests listed. https://thewritingdistrict.com/contests/

WRITING WORKSHOPS

18 children’s publishers accepting submissions https://writingworkshops.com/blogs/news/tagged/accepting-submissions

★YORICK RADIO PRODUCTIONS

HALLOWEEN COMPETITION : Entries should be prose fiction, non-fiction, or poetry and should fit the theme of ‘Halloween’. Think ghosts, ghouls, and goblins, witches, werewolves and vampires. You could even go a little out of this world with aliens or cryptids if that’s your thing. Deadline: September 1, 2023 https://yorickradioproductions.com/submissions/

ADVENTURE WRITERS COMPETITION

Are you ready to enter the Adventure Writers Competition?  Good! Now hear this: we exist for one purpose only: to help all writers who enter get some feedback, get a chance to meet some industry people, use the experience as a stepping stone to further your writing career, and to validate that you can write good (joke intended). We just like to help people. All fees collected or donated are used to promote the entrants and the competition. No one here makes anything on this. Many lose money. Insane but true. We don’t even pay expenses.   CLOSED:  Reopening Jan 1, 2024 https://adventurewriterscompetition.com/entry-procedure.html

Pilot Your Own Adventure Writing Contest –  Supported by Flight Outfitters® The contest period for EAA’s 2023 Pilot Your Own Adventure Contest runs from January 13, 2023, to March 13, 2023 .  Each pilot has a story — what’s yours? Tell us the true story of how pursuing the dream of flight enabled you to do something that would have otherwise been out of reach. We want to hear how becoming a pilot and getting involved in grassroots aviation made a memorable experience possible for you. How did you pilot your own adventure? Tell us how flying helped you transform from dreamer to doer. https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/pilot-your-own-adventure

These ADVENTURE WRITING competitions are for unpublished or self-published novels and novellas for international writers, plus a few for UK or US residents only. It’s a long list and accurate as far as possible, updated monthly, so bookmark this page! I can’t vouch for all these comps personally, but if you have experience of them, let us know in the comments.  Don’t let the link date fool yuou these are 2023 listings. https://jesdavidson.wordpress.com/2021/01/30/novel-writing-competitions-list/

ONE YEAR ADVENTURE NOVEL

For students 19 and under. Every year, we run a free novel contest for our students. Any One Year Adventure Novel student under 20 who has a valid curriculum license and who finishes a novel that meets the course requirements can submit.  We don’t obligate students to enter, but writing contests for teens are great way for young writers to start sharing their writing with others—and stay motivated to finish their novel! We post every novel entry on the student forum for other students to read (unless the student requests to be omitted). Deadline AUG 15 2023 https://clearwaterpress.com/oneyearnovel/events/young-writers-novel-contest/

RECREATION.gov

The 2023 contest will  launch on June 1, 2023 .- Ends September 30.2023   Check back for details. For inspiration for your next travel adventure, read stories from past Share Your Story contests. https://www.recreation.gov/https://www.recreation.gov/shareyourstory/contest-rules

WILBUR & NISO SMITH FOUNDATION

The Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize is an international prize that supports and celebrates the best adventure writing today. The Prize is open to writers of any nationality, writing in English. Awards are presented in three categories: https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org/index.php?p=awards/author-of-tomorrow-2019

NCTE – NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

The 2023 contest is now open! Click here to apply today. Purpose: To stimulate and recognize the writing talents of eighth-grade students and to emphasize the importance of writing skills among  eighth-grade students .  Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate eighth-grade students. Nominating schools must be US accredited. https://ncte.org/awards/promising-young-writers/

The Best Children’s Writing Contests of 2023 – Writing competitions curated by Reedsy https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/children-s/

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

TCK PUBLISHING

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

WE ARE TEACHERS

A list of the Best Student Writing Contests for 2022-2023  Help your students take their writing to the next level.  When students write for teachers, it can feel like an assignment. When they write for a real purpose, they are empowered! Student writing contests are an easy and inspiring way to try writing for an authentic audience—a real panel of judges—and the possibility of prize money or other incentives. We’ve gathered a list of student writing contests below. From poetry to plays, essays to science fiction, there is something for everyone. See if any of them suit your curriculum, and get prepared to see some motivated students. https://www.weareteachers.com/student-writing-contests/

Writing is one of 10 artistic disciplines in YoungArts’ national competition. This discipline encompasses creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story and spoken word. The 2024 YoungArts application  opens June 2023 . Elegibility grades 10–12 or 15–18 years of age on December 1 of the year  applying. https://youngarts.org/discipline/writing/

YOUNG WRITERS

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

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

The 2023 Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction:  Literary, Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Nonfiction See deadline list on page.  Various contests. https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

FREE WRITING CONTESTS

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

QUARKNDAGGER.COM

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

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

This contest submissions season covers deadlines from  Winter 2022-2023  Thanks to Literistic, Poets & Writers, Submittable Discover, and New Pages for many of these contests.  Much like editors are looking for reasons to reject work, I want to focus on opportunities worth my time. Thus, my list of writing contests below includes reasons to submit to that particular writing contest. May you find a promising opportunity among this list and spend less time searching for where to send your exceptional work. https://writerunboxed.com/2022/11/21/fiction-writing-contests-worth-your-time-in-winter-2022-2023/

FLASH FICTION

15 flash fiction is a short fiction story, written with utmost brevity. Not more than 1000 words, and still offers characters, plots, settings, style and themes. With the access of the internet, flash fiction is becoming more popular, as many journals and online magazines are dedicated to the style. Link says 2021 but listings are 2023 https://www.henryharvin.com/blog/top-15-flash-fiction-contest-2021/

CHRISTOPHER FIELDEN

This page lists flash fiction, micro fiction, sudden fiction, twitterage, twitterature, dribble, drabble, minisaga, nanotale, micro-story and very short fiction competitions, prizes and awards. Please read and make sure you fully understand the rules and the terms & conditions of each competition listed before entering. PLEASE NOTE: Most of the competitions listed on this page accept entries from writers living anywhere in the world. The country each competition is run from is listed so you know which global market you are submitting to. https://www.christopherfielden.com/short-story-tips-and-writing-advice/flash-fiction-competitions.php

FISH PUBLISHING

Flash Fiction Prize: Judge: Kit De Waal – Word Limit: 300 –  Anthology Published: July ’23 https://www.fishpublishing.com/competition/flash-fiction-contest/

Flash Fiction is defined as a very short story that can be anywhere from just a couple of words to about a thousand in length. The beauty (and difficulty) of writing flash fiction lies in trying to tell a complete story in so few words. Great flash fiction is succinct, emotive, thought-provoking, and impactful. These flash fiction contests are a great way to get your work in front of editors and agents. Winning can also lead to publication, awards, and other recognition. But competitions aren’t just about winning; they’re also a great way to get feedback on your work and improve your writing because short stories allow you to practice all the skills of writing a story in a much more condensed format. https://www.globesoup.net/writing-blog/best-flash-fiction-contests

THE COMPANY

Spring Writing Contest..  It’s a new quarter, which means we have a new writing contest! This time we want your best short stories on the theme “Breakthrough.”   Get the full details and enter the writing contest here.  This contest is free to enter and it’s open to everyone. Deadline to submit is June 1, 2023.  Don’t wait! Submit today. https://writers.company/spring-writing – contest-breakthrough-episode-106/

CHALLENGE DATES https://www.nycmidnight.com/ffc#dates

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

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

STREETLIGHT

STREETLIGHT’S 2023 SUMMER FLASH FICTION CONTEST Up to 500 of your best, previously unpublished words. Any subject. Multiple submissions are fine — one work per entry. This is a blind contest. Please remove all personal information from the story pages. We encourage simultaneous submissions but if your piece is accepted elsewhere, inform us at

TCK PUBLISHING 

The TCK Publishing Contest is an international short story contest established in 2021. Each year’s prizewinner receives a $1,000 honorarium and publication of his or her short story on the TCK Publishing website.  DEADLINE June 30, 2023 https://www.tckpublishing.com/submission-guidelines/

WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest

Seeking short fiction of any genre between 250 – 750 words. The mission of this contest is to inspire creativity, communication, and well-rewarded recognition to contestants.

• Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest FALL: September – November 30th 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – CLOSED WINTER: December – February 28th, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – CLOSED SPRING: March – May 31st, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – CLOSED SUMMER: June – August 31st, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – NOW OPEN
• Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest Q1: August 1 – October 31st, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – CLOSED Q2: November 1 – January 31st, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – CLOSED Q3: February 1 – April 30th, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) – CLOSED Q4: May 1 – July 31st, 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) NOW OPEN

WOW! Women On Writing

AMERICAN SHORT FICTION

We are thrilled to announce that the brilliant Karen Russell—author of the novels Sleep Donation and Swamplandia! and the story collections Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Orange World, and St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves—will judge our 2023 American Short(er) Fiction Prize. The prize recognizes extraordinary short fiction under 1,000 words. The first-place winner will receive a $1,000 prize and publication. Previous winners of the Short(er) Fiction Prize have gone on to be anthologized in places such as The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses. All entries will be considered for publication. Submit your entry online between November 15, 2022 – February 1, 2023 https://americanshortfiction.org/announcing-the-2023-american-shorter-fiction-prize/

BOULEVARD MAGAZINE

Nonfiction Contest for Emerging Writers – $1,000 and publication in Boulevard awarded to the winning essay by a writer who has not yet published a book of fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction with a nationally distributed press.  All entries must be postmarked before January 31, 2023 or submitted online by midnight CT. https://www.boulevardmagazine.org/nonfiction-contest

CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEWS

The Fiction Series Awards ~ The Best Fiction Book Series Book Awards ~ 2023 – The CIBA Search for the Best Book Series –  Deadline October 31, 2023

Chanticleer International Book Awards (The CIBAs) is seeking for the best book series in all of its sixteen fiction divisions: Mysteries, Suspense Thrillers, Espionage/High Stakes, Young Adult, Middle-Grade Readers, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Supernatural and Paranormal, Romance, Historical, Literary & Contemporary, Satire & Allegory, Americana, and Early Readers.  Enter to WIN the CIBA Best Series Grand Prize Trophy! Three Runner-Ups will also be selected and awarded the CIBA Book Series Outstanding Selection Ribbon along with additional prizes for each division’s grand prize winner. Winners will take home blue ribbons, prize packages, digital badges, stickers, & more. More than $30,000 in Additional prizes, services, and awards for Finalists, 1st Place Category Winners and Division Grand Prize CIBA Winners. The entry fee is $199 for Non-Members and $175 for The Roost at Chanticleer members per series entry per category. https://www.chantireviews.com/services/CIBA-Fiction-Series-Book-Awards-Chanticleer-Book-Reviews-p191714111

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

THE SATURDAY EVENING POST

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

★ WRITING ON THE WALL

Pulp Idol 2024 is OPEN for submissions – For sixteen years the Pulp Idol competition has uncovered the best new novelists the city of Liverpool has to offer.  Many new novelists, including  Ashleigh Nugent (LOCKS), Ariel Khan (Raising Sparks), James Rice (Alice and the Fly, Walk), Clare Coombes (Definitions), and Philippa Holloway (The Half Life of Snails), have found their first success through Pulp Idol. This competition is unearthing the best new novelists from Liverpool and across the country. All finalists get their first chapter published in a book of ‘Firsts,’ which is produced in hard copy, a digital manuscript and made available on Amazon Kindle (and free on Kindle Unlimited!). Copies of Pulp Idol – Firsts are sent to agents and publishers. https://writingonthewall.org.uk/projects/pulp-idol-firsts/

HISTORICAL FICTION

The historical fiction company.

ENTER THE HFC 2023 BOOK AWARDS — Deadline November 29,202 3  Finalists Announcements On December 21st – Category Winners Announced On December 31st – Grand Prize Winner Announced On New Year’s Day – Novels may be Pre-published Manuscripts, ARCs, Self-published, Indie Published, or Traditionally Published, E-pub accepted.  All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission.  Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. https://www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards

THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION

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

500 Word Contest – Make every word count and submit your best work in 500 words or less! Enter your best writing in any genre – fiction OR nonfiction – that falls under 500 words for a chance to win the grand prize: $1,000 and publication in our magazine. https://www.writermag.com/the-writer-contests/500-word-contest-2023/

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

MYSTERY - SUSPENSE

Anthology: Submission Guidelines:   Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our first Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.  Submission deadline: May 31, 2023 .   Who can participate: Anyone at least 17 years of age, including emerging authors and never-published writers.  Language: English only. https://warmmugofcozy.com/anthology-submission/

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

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

200+ Writing Contests You Need to Enter in 2023 – Writing could be rewarding in itself, but joining a writing contest could be even more exciting. Whether you need a push to finish your manuscript or want to get better exposure, competing with other writers is a great way to prove your talent and advance in the writing field. Are you ready to win some awards? Take a look at the writing contests happening in 2023 and start sharpening your skills. Sort by Genre and Month https://blog.kotobee.com/writing-contests-2023/

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

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

7 Mystery – Suspense Contests Listed for 2023 – more may be added. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/suspense/

NON-FICTION

Writer’s Calendar The AWP Writer’s Calendar contains a list of upcoming events for writers; deadlines for grants, awards, and calls for submission; and deadlines for AWP contests and programs. Certain calendar listings, such as AWP and WC&C events, are available to all users. Become a member today to begin exploring our listings of grants, awards, and publication opportunities. https://www.awpwriter.org/community_calendar/writers_calendar

AUTUMN HOUSE PRESS

NONFICTION CONTEST: The winner receives publication of a full-length manuscript and $2,500. The submission period opens January 1, 2023, and closes May 31, 2023 (Eastern Time). We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by October 15, 2023. https://www.autumnhouse.org/submissions/open-call/

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

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

HUMOROUS STORIES – Laughter is the best medicine. And we love to publish your funny stories—in all our books. Our first ever book filled with nothing but funny stories was a bestseller, so we’re doing it again, for publication in 2022. We’re looking for those funny stories you tell again and again. The ones that make everyone laugh. August 30 https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

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

CNFC – CREATIVE NONFICTION COLLECTIVE

2023 CNFC-HLR nonfiction contest is now open. The Humber Literary Review (HLR) and the Creative Nonfiction Collective Society (CNFC) have joined forces to bring you a Canada-wide creative nonfiction contest. Winners will be announced during the 2023 CNFC annual conference.  CONTEST CLOSES Monday February 28, 2023 at 11:59pm PST. https://creativenonfictioncollective.ca/cnf-contest/

MISTAKES WRITERS MAKE …

Below is a list of nonfiction, essay, memoir and life writing contests from USA and Canada and mostly open to American and/or Canadian writers — although some are open to writers elsewhere.  For a list of contests from UK and Europe, some of which are open to writers outside Europe, click their link.  We aim to avoid listing competitions whose terms and conditions request copyright in entries submitted — or make other unreasonable demands. Terms and conditions are usually checked, but some copyright-grabbers may occasionally slip through. Please read carefully before participating.  Note that some entry fees may seem expensive, but often offer additional benefits, such as an annual magazine subscription. https://mistakeswritersmake.com/competitions/writing-competitions-north-america/

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

REEDY.COM/ NON FICTION CONTESTS

A large list of non-fiction contests for 2023. https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests/non-fiction/

AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW

The Peter Porter Poetry Prize is one of Australia’s most prestigious prizes for a new poem. The Prize – open to all poets writing in English – is named after the great Australian poet Peter Porter (1929–2010). The Prize was first awarded in 2005 (Stephen Edgar) and was renamed in 2011, following Peter Porter’s death. Past winners include Tracy Ryan, Judith Bishop, and Anthony Lawrence.  The 2024 Peter Porter Poetry Prize is now open for entries until 9 October 2023 with a total prize money of $10,000. https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/prizes-programs/peter-porter-poetry-prize

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

CREATIVE WRITING INK POETRY PRIZE

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

DREAM QUEST ONE – POETRY & WRITING CONTEST

Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest – SUMMER 2023 Deadline: September 30, 2023 All poems must be written or translated into the English language, 30 lines or fewer, and must be neatly hand printed or typed, using single or double line spacing, on any subject, theme, style, shape, or form. All entries must be original works.

All short stories may be on any subject or theme, written or translated into the English language. For example, any fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, diary, screenwriting, stage plays, and journal entries are accepted. Contestants will enter their short stories neatly hand-printed or typed, using single or double line spacing, within a maximum of (5) pages or less. All entries must be original works. https://www.dreamquestone.com/rules/enter-now

⭐HAMMOND HOUSE INTERNATIONAL

Our 2023 Writing Competition offers over £2000 in cash prizes, a televised Award Ceremony and the opportunity to be published in our annual anthologies. Sponsored by the University Centre Grimsby, this annual writing competition, now in its seventh year, attracts entries from up to 30 countries around the world.  Submission Deadline: 30th September 2023      RULES       CATEGORIES :    Short Story – Poetry – Scriptwriting – Songwriting https://www.hammondhouse.org.uk/writing-competition-2023?fbclid=IwAR3SIGFe_m31rA_s831RY7Bq0U-WA0hYCpxnI1J28XMlLWjEXMq89OFvnwA

300+ Writing Contests You Need to Enter in 2021 – If there’s one thing we need these days, it’s consistency. Something that proves not everything has changed. Something that gives you a bout of comfort given the current circumstances. So what better way to do that than to know 2021 comes with a host of writing contests for people of all ages from all around the world? Sort by Genre and Month https://blog.kotobee.com/writing-contests-2023/

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

★NYC MIDNIGHT

Poetry mama.

Free poetry contests to enter in 2023.  Looking for online publishers, poetry contests or magazine for submissions is quite a monotonous and tiresome process in itself , let alone the chances of finding relevant info. But not anymore.  Here you’ll find monthly updated contests and submission portals that’ll help you grow as beginners and support your writing career at the same. Every contest is provided with all the information you need to know before submitting to it. Poets from all nationalities can take part in the poetry contests without worrying about submission fee. So, go writers. https://poetrymama.com/poetry-contests/

POETS & WRITERS WRITING CONTESTS, GRANTS & AWARDS

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

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

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

★WOC THIS WAY FOR POETRY

– an online journal of poetry by women of color – –The publisher seeks refined work by poets who are committed to the written word. –Artwork is also accepted. –To be transparent, the publisher is a Black woman; this is an invitation to  all  WOC to share thoughts, ideas, experiences, feelings, philosophies, questions, answers…in the form of poetry! Submissions are accepted via e-mail only, with your submission pasted in the body of the e-mail. The only attachment that will be opened is your JPEG photo [or artwork]. No fee. No payment. https://wocthiswayforpoetry.wordpress.com/guidelines/?fbclid=IwAR0Lv-2eDpSdHcKAkpUSuPt8Pw-RQ6E3oLD7kAEVEUrjRgWLCkFSQ7svY1M

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE WRITERS

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

Harlequin is always on the lookout for talented writers—from established authors to those just starting their writing careers. We publish a wide range of stories and welcome writers from all backgrounds, cultures and communities to submit to the romance line best suited to their unique voice and story. https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit

LEAGUE OF ROMANCE WRITERS

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

NEW JERSEY ROMANCE WRITERS

​The Golden Leaf is awarded annually for excellence in published romantic fiction. All published authors are welcome to enter books published from  June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.  You do not have to be a member of NJRW to take part. https://www.njromancewriters.org/golden-leaf-2023.html

ORANGE COUNTY ROMANCE WRITERS

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

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITERS ASSOCIATION

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

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

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

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA

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

SCIENCE FICTION - HORROR

The 2023 Book Pipeline: Unpublished contest is exclusively for unpublished manuscripts across six categories of fiction and nonfiction:  Literary Mystery / Thriller, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Nonfiction DEADLINE  August, 2023 https://bookpipeline.com/shop/unpublished-contest

FANTASY FICTION MONTHLY

This website offers a monthly sci-fi/fantasy writing contest. Submissions are published on their website. Details about the contest are not as easily found; however, you can  visit their forum page  for more information.  Click here  to view previous winners. http://fantasy-faction.com/forum/monthly-writing-contest

THE LIGHT BRINGER PROJECT

OMEGA Sci-Fy Awards – Science fiction opens doors for writers of all backgrounds to create unique stories exploring how we relate to one another, to our world, and to our future.  The Omega Sci-Fi Awards seek to empower emerging writers to contribute their unique voices and diverse perspectives to the art of science fiction story writing while tapping into the power of science fiction to examine the greatest challenges and moral dilemmas humanity faces. https://www.lightbringerproject.org/science-fiction-competitions

MITHILA REVIEW

Inviting submissions for a special global Hopepunk issue of science fiction (and fantasy) devoted to positive and powerful character-driven stories that imagine an open and inclusive tech-empowered democratic future for all people, species and countries on Earth.

Mithila Review is a readers-supported international journal of science fiction and fantasy established in 2015. We have published the best of speculative fiction, poetry, non-fiction and conversations with new, emerging, and Hugo-winning authors over the years. You can read all our issues for free here on our website or on your favorite reading device.  DEADLINE: MAY 20 2022 https://mithilareview.com/hopepunk/

The theme of this contest is “Time travel”. We chose this theme because it’s broad enough to include all genres and fuel your creativity.  To respect the theme of the contest, the main character or characters of your entry must go through a change of temporality and must have a significant impact on the plot. This change must occur in the story before the end of the fourth chapter and must be mentioned in your book description. https://neovel.io/contest/time-travelers-contest?tab=2

PETTSBURGH’S PREMIER SOCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ORGANISATION Short Story Contest – 2023 Contest Theme is: Preserve or Purge. We ask that authors try and incorporate both concepts into their speculative work. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing. Deadline May 1, 2023 https://parsec-sff.org/short-story-contest/

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

PRO WRITING AID

If you love writing science fiction and fantasy, submitting your work to a contest can be a fantastic way to progress on your writing journey.  With luck you can get your stories published, achieve literary recognition, and even win cash prizes. We’ve compiled a list of 23 legitimate, high-quality science fiction and fantasy writing contests that you can enter in 2022 and 2023. https://prowritingaid.com/science-fiction-writing-contests

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

ENTER THE WRITER CONTEST – 4th Quarter 2023 Deadline: September 30, 2023 https://www.writersofthefuture.com/enter-writer-contest/

SCREENWRITING

Full spectrum features.

Full Spectrum Features will produce and exhibit three artist-led scripted short films that showcase community resilience and rebuilding. Too often, stories about underrepresented communities only center on their trauma, suffering, and pain. We also want to spotlight stories that showcase joy, healing, and peace as acts of resistance. https://www.fullspectrumfeatures.com/community-storytellers

LA SCREEN PLAY AWARDS.COM

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

NYC Screen Writing

Opens 02-01-2023 https://www.nycmidnight.com/scc

PAGE INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITING AWARDS

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

SELF PUBLISHING

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

SHORT STORY / ESSAY / ANTHOLOGY

2023 tck publishing short story contest.

The TCK Publishing Flash Fiction Contest is an international short story contest established in 2021. Each year’s prizewinner receives a $1,000 honorarium and publication of his or her short story on the TCK Publishing website.  DEADLINE June 30, 2023 List of contests:  https://www.tckpublishing.com/?s=contest general submissions: https://www.tckpublishing.com/submission-guidelines/

Anthology: Submission Guidelines:   Do you like writing short cozy mysteries? If so, we would love to invite you to submit your work for potential inclusion in our first Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.  Submission deadline: May 31, 2023. Who can participate: Anyone at least 17 years of age, including emerging authors and never-published writers.  Language: English only. https://warmmugofcozy.com/anthology-submission/

ABR – AUSTRAILIAN BOOK REVIEW

CALIBRE ESSAY PRIZE: To enter the $7,500 Calibre Essay Prize, first create a free ABR account in the New User section below, or sign in to your existing account using the Existing User section below. If you are signed in, simply fill out the form below.  Multiple entries are welcome but you will need to enter them separately.  If you have any questions, please refer to the Terms and Conditions and Frequently Asked Questions for more information before contacting us for assistance. https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/prizes-programs/elizabeth-jolley-story-prize

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

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

CREATIVE WRITING INK

The Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2023 open to writers across the globe, deadline extended unti l September 30, 2023 at 4pm (GMT).  Stories do not need to follow any particular theme or genre, but must be written in English.  Maximum word count is 3000 words.  1st prize: £1000, plus a free creative writing course of the winner’s choice and publication on our site.  2 runners-up: £200 each.  Entry fee: £9.  Final judge: Lucie Brownlee. https://creativewritingink.co.uk/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2023/

Various competitions to choose from. https://creativewritingink.co.uk/competitions/

★EMBARK JOURNAL

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

Short Story Writing Competitions –  2 available https://www.globesoup.net/writing-competitions

GOTHAM WRITERS

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. 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.

The 2023 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize will be judged by Anthony Doerr (Cloud Cuckoo Land, All the Light We Cannot See). The winning work will be performed by an actor in spring 2023, and published on Electric Literature. The winning writer will receive $1000 and a free 10-week course with Gotham Writers.  Read the 2022 contest winner, “Make Yourself Into a House” by Grace Shuyi Liew. https://v2.writingclasses.com/contests/stella-kupferberg-memorial-short-story-prize-2023

The Short Fiction Contest. The contest is open to all writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Submissions must be 3000 words or fewer. The final judge will be acclaimed author Danielle Evans. The Kenyon Review will publish the winning short story, and the author will be awarded a scholarship to attend the 2023 Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Additional info on the Writers Workshops is available here. Deadline Jan 31, 2023 https://kenyonreview.org/contests/short-fiction/

★KNIGHT WRITING PRESS

Romancing the Rainbow – ANTHOLOGY –  There are tons of boy meets girl stories that we see, all the time, from the moment we can start paying attention. From famous novels and movies to TV shows and commercials. And for the people those stories are applicable to, they are “lessons” or templates for those kinds of interactions, for how the boy and girl can or should or could interact, even when fictitious and obviously untrue.  DEADLINE DEC 1, 2023 https://knightwritingpress.com/open-and-upcoming-submissions/?fbclid=IwAR3IZT0x7omWeqisVwA-M799uKx5y1lRizi9hOMFcsXEQdYVnRnSPUn4xh0

PETTSBURGH’S PREMIER SOCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ORGANISATION Short Story Contest – 2023 Contest Theme is: Preserve or Purge. We ask that authors try and incorporate both concepts into their speculative work. This can be conveyed in the setting, plot, characters, dialogue; the only limit is your imagination. The theme must be integral to the story in some way and not just mentioned in passing.  Deadline May 1, 2023 https://parsec-sff.org/short-story-contest/

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

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

500 Word Contest Make every word count and submit your best work in 500 words or less! Enter your best writing in any genre – fiction OR nonfiction – that falls under 500 words for a chance to win the grand prize: $1,000 and publication in our magazine.  Do you have what it takes? Enter today. SUBMIT YOUR BEST WORK NOW – FINAL DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS MAY 16, 2023 https://www.writermag.com/the-writer-contests/500-word-contest-2023/

WRITER MAGAZINE

Submit your very best essay in 2,000 words or less. Any theme, subject, or genre is fair game, as long as it is nonfiction and falls under 2,000 words. Enter today for a chance to win the grand prize: $1,000 and publication in The Writer magazine.  Do you have what it takes? Enter today  SUBMIT YOUR BEST WORK NOW – FINAL DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS FEBRUARY 28, 2023 https://www.writermag.com/the-writer-contests/essay-contest/

The Writing District Prize 2023 is open for short story entries from August 25, 2023.  The deadline for receipt of all entries is May 31, 2023 at 5pm (EST).  Entries will only be accepted through Duosoma, the submissions manager for Duotrope.  Short stories can be on any subject, theme or genre.  Entry fee: $15. You can submit multiple entries as long as each entry is paid for individually and includes a separate entry form.  Maximum word count is 3,000 words. https://thewritingdistrict.com/the-writing-district-prize-2023/   INFORMATIONAL PAGE https://thewritingdistrict.com/competitions/writing-district-prize-2023/

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Building u – student opportunities.

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

KET EDUCATION

KET Education is excited to announce the 2023 Young Writers Contest is open for submissions! The annual contest seeks to celebrate creativity through four categories of writing – Illustrated Story, Short Story, Poetry, and Graphic Novels. Submissions will be  accepted until Friday, March 31, 2023.  Winners will be announced no later than May 30, 2023.  Looking for inspiration? You can read the last year’s winning stories and poems as well as listen to audio versions from the authors themselves! Plus, don’t miss our new Creative Writing Toolkits that supply classroom-ready lessons and activities to guide you in introducing and exploring our contest categories. https://education.ket.org/young-writers-contest/

Where young writers can find print and online literary magazines to read, places to publish their own works, and legitimate contests. Some publish only young writers, some publish all ages for young readers. For specific submission guidelines, visit the publication’s website. Ages can include elementary, teen, or early college. This is an ad-free resource: publications and writing contests listed here have not paid to be included. This guide is maintained by Editor Denise Hill, a teacher who loves to encourage young writers. Contestes listed for 2023, monthly, updated regularly. https://www.newpages.com/young-writers-guide/young-writers-guide-to-contests/

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE, FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, FOR TEACHERS 25 Writing Contests and Publication Opportunities for Teens by Marianna Vertsman, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) Have to scroll down the page to see the 2021 Contests.  Have to scroll down the page to see contests:   https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/10/26/writing-competitions-young-adults

NORTH SOUTH FOUNDATION

The primary goal of NorthSouth Foundation contests is to foster the spirit of competition and learning among the youth. Parents and children should focus on the joy of learning and interacting with other writing participants rather than on the possible outcome of the contest. Specifically, the NorthSouth Foundation Essay contest is intended to encourage writing skills, which demand quick thinking, good organization of ideas and cohesive writing style.  In addition to all the general contest rules stated by North South Foundation, the following rules are applicable for Essay Writing Bee (Leadership In Writing) Competition.

There are 3 levels of competition in Essay Bee:Essay Writing Level 1 (EW1): Grades 3, 4 and 5 Essay Writing Level 2 (EW2): Grades 6, 7 and 8 Essay Writing Level 3 (EW3): Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 https://northsouth.org/public/USContests/EssayWriting?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7b7CscOk_AIVKk1yCh1LEAW0EAAYBCAAEgL95fD_BwE

For students 19 and under. Every year, we run a free novel contest for our students. Any One Year Adventure Novel student under 20 who has a valid curriculum license and who finishes a novel that meets the course requirements can submit.  We don’t obligate students to enter, but writing contests for teens are great way for young writers to start sharing their writing with others—and stay motivated to finish their novel! We post every novel entry on the student forum for other students to read (unless the student requests to be omitted).   Deadline AUG 15 2023 https://clearwaterpress.com/oneyearnovel/events/young-writers-novel-contest/

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

TEENS AND WRITING YOUNG ADULT

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

GIRLS WRITE NOW

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

HANGING LOOSE MAGAZINE

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

HOLLYWOOD SCHOOLHOUSE

Several different contests and different sites. https://www.hshla.org/

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

STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE, FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, FOR TEACHERS 25 Writing Contests and Publication Opportunities for Teens  by Marianna Vertsman, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) Have to scroll down the page to see the Contests. https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/10/26/writing-competitions-young-adults

PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS

• TEEN INK : is one of the most popular and diverse writing spaces to get published in high school. The broad categories for publication reflect the diversity of writing that this lively online magazine celebrates. Some publication categories include: community service, travel and culture, the environment, health, reviews of TV shows and video games, and college essays, among the more traditional poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Visit online at:  http://www.teenink.com/
• AGNI : is Boston University’s well-respected journal. It appears in both print and online. AGNI submissions are not limited to high school writers, but the journal is known to accept and publish lots of work by new writers. Get published in high school at AGNI and you’ve taken an important step to becoming a writer in the real world! Find them online at:  http://www.bu.edu/agni/submit.html
• THE ADROIT JOURNA L: is run by high school students, college students, and emerging writers. Adroit publishes within “over 21” and “under 21” categories, so your writing will appear alongside great work by writers of any age. Adroit publishes fiction and poetry, and includes art and photography. They will reopen our submission reading period in January 2021. Find them online at:  http://www.theadroitjournal.org/
• EMBER : only published twice a year, but this beautiful and dreamy journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction appeals to all age groups. Although it doesn’t exclusively publish young writers, submissions from writers and artists ages 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged. Submissions open in February of 2021. For more details, visit them online at:  http://emberjournal.org/
• POLYPHONY LIT : invites submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction from high school students worldwide. Student editors provide feedback to all submissions, including the ones not accepted for publication. Submissions are open from July 1 2020 – April 30, 2020. More details can be found at  https://www.polyphonylit.org/.

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

SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS

Are you a visionary? Are you an original thinker? The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has been empowering young talent since 1923. This competition is  open for grades 7th –12th and has a submission period from September – December. Visit their page for more information. SEP – DEC https://www.artandwriting.org/awards/how-to-enter/

SELECT YOUTH CONTESTS

• HOT DISH MAGAZINE , an online journal serving up a bubbling mixture of poetry and fiction by teens (grades 9–12), wants your voice to be heard! We award cash prizes for fiction, poetry, and the Hot Dish Challenge. Our submission period is October-January. Visit us at  www.hotdishmagazine.com .
• GIRLS RIGHT THE WORLD  is a literary journal inviting young, female-identified writers and artists, ages 14–21, to submit work for consideration for the fourth annual issue. We believe girls’ voices transform the world for the better. We accept poetry, prose, and visual art of any style or theme. We ask to be the first to publish your work in North America; after publication, the rights return to you. Please include a note mentioning your age, where you’re from, and a bit about your submission. Send your best work, in English or English translation, to [email protected] between September 1 and December 31.   https://www.girlswritenow.org/contests/
• THE LUMIERE REVIEW  is a literary magazine dedicated to shining the light on all voices (particularly young creatives) through poetry, prose, and art. We’ll be running our first annual writing contest for poetry and prose, which will be open for submission from December 1st to January 15th. Updates will be made on our social media accounts (@lumierereview on twitter and instagram). Details on the contest guidelines can be found at  https://lumierereview.com/contest .
• PRINCIPIAL PERSPECTIVES WRITING CONTEST  is an annual writing contest that centers around a specific theme each year. This year, the theme is family. What stories define “family” for you? We don’t limit “family” to blood relatives; any person, group of people, or community that fulfills that role is an option. We also don’t want to limit you to COVID-19 stories—the purpose here is not to reflect on the pandemic, but rather, family. Anything goes as long as the theme is addressed in a thoughtful manner. The contest is open to middle and high schoolers. View contest details and guidelines at  https://www.principiatutors.com/principia-perspectives-contest .

WOMEN WRITING THER WEST BLOG

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

WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS

Andrea hylen.

The Incubator: An On-line Co-working Space For Women Current Topic Focus for Writing Prompts: Mastering Your Mind: Turning Saboteurs into Allies with Sage Powers Attn: Cultural Creatives: This is not a “program.” it is a space for women who want to create and who have something to express. This may come in the form of writing books and blogs, speaking on Facebook Live, Youtube and Podcasts, creating art, music, photography, dance with leadership in your home, communities, business and the world and the ongoing evolution and re-creation of you. http://www.andreahylen.com/the-incubator/

LONG ISLAND ROMANCE WRITERS

May 13, 2023 – 12 p.m. EDT Mariah Ankenman Presents: Booktok & Beyond Cost: $10 before May 1st, $20 after. Recording included! Booktok has revitalized the book buying business. Join author Mariah Ankenman as she helps you navigate the ever changing world of TikTok and the booktok community. Learn how to connect with readers, create engaging videos, and cross post to Instagram Reels for maximum exposure. Grab your book crown authors. Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her. Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books, visit her website https://mariahankenman.com/ follow her on social media or sign up for her newsletter. https://www.lirw.org/workshops

⭐ ADDED AFTER MAILOUT 🔴 New to Current Listing

Resources-tips, agents & editors.

• Agents: Knowing When To Hold One and When To Fold
• Getting Offers from Multiple Literary Agents

Literary Agents List

• Preditors and Editors
• Publishing, Writing Terms, Acronyms
• Tips for a Successful Editor Appointment
• Want More? Here’s How to Get It
• What NOT to Do When Beginning Your Novel
• Windup for the (Story) Pitch
• Write the Perfect Book Proposal

CALLS FOR SUBMISSION

2024 aug calls for submission.

• 2024 JUL Calls for Submission
• 2024 JUN Calls for Submission
• 2024 MAY Calls for Submission
• 2024 APR Calls for Submission
• 2024 MAR Calls for Submission
• 2024 FEB Calls for Submission
• 2024 JAN Calls for Submission
• 2023 DEC Calls for Submission
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200+ Writing Contests to Join in 2023

• on Nov 15, 2022
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: April 16th, 2023

Writing could be rewarding in itself, but joining a writing contest could be even more exciting. Whether you need a push to finish your manuscript or want to get better exposure, competing with other writers is a great way to prove your talent and advance in the writing field.

Are you ready to win some awards? Take a look at the writing contests happening in 2023 and start sharpening your skills.

The 2022 Exeter Novel Prize

Eligibility & Restrictions

To apply, submit a 10,000 word novel in Englishm with a synopsis of not more than 500 words. Any entries received without a synopsis will be disqualified.The novel can’t have been published by a traditional publishing house. Anyone above 18 can enter. All genres including children’s of Middle Grade (9-12), Young Adult, and New Adult are acceptable.

The 2022 Charles Causley International Poetry Competition

The poem/s may be on any subject; 40 lines of text maximum, no minimum. Entries must never have been traditionally published, self-published, published on any website, or broadcasted in any form.

Mississippi Review Contest

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

Arachne Press Opportunity for Deaf writers

Stories and poems must be: unpublished, written in English and up to 2000 words long unless otherwise specified.

Mississippi Review Prize

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

James Knudsen Prize for Fiction

Submissions must be original, previously unpublished work of fiction, no longer than 7500 words. UNO students and alumni are ineligible. Previous contest winners as well as current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.

Kay Murphy Prize for Poetry

Submissions must be original, previously unpublished poetry. You may submit up to three poems per entry. UNO students and alumni are ineligible to submit. Previous contest winners, along with current or former students of the judge are also ineligible to submit.

Jacobs/Jones African American Literary Prize

The winning entry is considered for publication in the Carolina Quarterly. Black writers who live in North Carolina are eligible. Submit a short story or essay of up to 3,000 words

DISQUIET Prize

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

Fan story 15 Syllable Poem

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

San José State University Steinbeck Fellowships in Creative Writing

To enter the contest, please submit the following: proposal or prospectus for work to be written (one to three pages including basic timeline), resumé, 3 letters of recommendation (sent directly from recommender—the online system will prompt you for their email addresses), and a writing sample of no more than 25 pages.

Gemini Magazine Poetry Contest

Any Subject, Style or Length. Entries Must Be Unpublished. Poems on Personal Blogs Are OK.

Orna Ross Green Stories Novel Prize

Typically novels around 60,000 – 95,000 words. Submit three chapters* (minimum of 4000 words, maximum 10,000 words). Open to all adults (18+) of any nationality, as long as the submission is in English and has not been published elsewhere.

Immerse Education Essay Competition

The Immerse Education Essay Competition is open to entries from young people aged 12-18 interested in all subjects, from Architecture to Medicine, Creative Writing to Film Studies. If participants are successful, they should be aged 13 and above before the start of their programme.

The Henshaw Short Story Competition

Entries must be fictional short stories of up to 2000 words on any theme. All entries must be the original work of the author, must not have been published before the date of submission.

Fan Story Non-Fiction Writing Contest

If a word count is not specified above there is no word count requirement. Recommended length is 5,000 words or less. This contest is open to all members. Past contest winners can join the contest. One entry per person. New entries to the site only. If you already posted a work on FanStory.com that work is not eligible for a contest.

Fan story 100 Word Flash Fiction

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

Amazing Women’s Edition Writing Contest

Each entry must incorporate the theme of Local Heroines. All students must be in grades K to 8 and live in the United States. Both the text and art must be solely created by the students. One book entry per person. Each book must be between 20 and 30 pages. The cover, dedication and back pages do not count towards this number

Bethesda Essay Contest

Residents of Washington, D.C. and the select counties of Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Frederick) and Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William) are eligible. High School entries must be residents or attend a school in Montgomery County, MD or Washington, D.C. Essays must be limited to 500 words or less about a topic of the writer’s choosing. Only one entry per person. Stories must be limited to 4,000 words or less.

The Winter Anthology Contest

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

Tanka Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest

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

The Royal Society of Literature Encore Award

The award is open for any published second novel, which must be a full-length work of fiction. The writer must have been resident in the United Kingdom (UK) or the Republic of Ireland (RoI) for the past three years. Novellas or children’s books are ineligible. Books published with vanity publishers are not eligible.

Law Day Contest

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

Colorado Prize for Poetry

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

Full Bleed Fifth Issue Contest

Essays of up to 7500 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 1000 to 2000 words. These include “Close Looks”, in which writers offer in-depth critiques of individual artworks, and “Studio Visit”, in which the writer visits with and interviews a contemporary artist. We welcome essay proposals by Nov. 15 or earlier. Alternatively, you may submit completed works by Jan. 15.

Ethos Literacy Annual Short Short Story Contest

The story cannot be longer than 100 words. Incorrectly hyphenated words will be counted as two words. Examples: old-man, hot-fire. The title is not included in the word limit.

Rattle Chapbook Prize

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

Driftwood Press Poem Contest

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

Rose Post Creative Non-Fiction Contest

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of North Carolina or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Simultaneous submissions are ok, but please notify them immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. Each entry must be an original and previously unpublished manuscript of no more than 2,000 words.

Desert Writers Award

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

Heron Tree Volume 10

Poems that have previously appeared online (temporarily or permanently, on your own or a third-party site) should not be submitted, nor should work that has already been published electronically or in print. Simultaneous submissions are welcome with timely notification of acceptance elsewhere.

Storytellers of Tomorrow Contest

We’re inviting all high-school-age students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 8th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.

Bath Novella-In-Flash Award

Anyone above 16 can enter. Novella-in-flash entries must not have been previously published in print or online, broadcasted, or won a prize. It must be written in English, between 6,000 and 18,000 words long.

PSV North American Book Award

The book of poetry submitted must be the work of a single author, at least 64 pages long, and published in 2022 by an established press. It is expected that the book will contain both new and previously published poems. Manuscripts, videos, CDs, chapbooks, and self-published books are not eligible, nor are books that have already won an award

Fan Story Faith Poetry Contest

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

NCH Essay Competition

The Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate year of secondary education (the equivalent of Y12 in England) and who are interested in studying a humanities or social sciences subject at university. Submitted essays should answer one of the specified questions. Pupils can submit up to 1,500 words.

Fan Story 3 Line Poetry Contest

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

Stage It! 10-Minute Plays Competition

Plays are adjudicated by at least two theatre professionals and the critique forms are available to the playwrights after the competition, by request. Comedy or drama plays of all types are accepted. Plays that should be staged or that would be loved by audiences. After all, the title is “STAGE IT!”

The Short Story Challenge 2023

In the 1st Round, the maximum length of the stories is 2,500 words. In the 2nd Round, the maximum length is 2,000 words. In the 3rd Round, the maximum length is 1,500 words. In the 4th Round, the maximum length is 1,250 words

Poetry Society of Virginia 2023 Contest

All entries must be in English, typed, unpublished, origi­nal, and not scheduled for publication before May, 2022. All entries not in compliance with category specifications will be disqualified.

The Nine Dots Prize

All are welcome to submit: the only stipulation is that applicants must be 18 years of age or over. Responses and the resulting book must be in English.

The Crime Essays Writing Contest 2022

All entrants must be aged 18 or over. Stories submitted MUST be your own work and a work of fiction. Stories must not exceed 3000 words, this includes the title. Should your word count exceed 3000 words, it will be disqualified from the competition.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize

Anyone above 16 can enter. Short Story length: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. Poetry length: Up to 42 lines. We are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. All entries should be in English and be accompanied by a short (75 word) biography of the author and postal address. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, broadcasted, or won a prize in another writing competition.

The Bournemouth Writing Prize 2023

Short Story: Up to 3000 words maximum. It can be about any topic and in any style. They are looking for real storytellers who create great characters to tell them something fresh, and surprise or touch them. Poetry: Up to 42 lines.They are looking for poetry that is fresh and unexpected. Again, this can be about anything that you wish. You may have been inspired by the personal impact of recent world events or you may want to offer a story of hope for the future, the choice is yours.

Retreat West First Chapter Competition

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

Cúirt New Writing Prize 2023

Poetry entries must consist of three poems under 50 lines each. Short stories should be no longer than 2,000 words. The story or poems submitted should not have been accepted for publication elsewhere. There is no restriction on theme or style.

Magma Poetry Competition

Poems may be on any subject, and must be in English and your own original work. They must not have been published, self-published, accepted for publication in print or online, broadcasted, or have won or been placed in another competition at any time. Length: 11–50 lines.

Driftwood Press Short Story Contest

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

10th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition

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

Pulp Fictional

Stories must be your own work and not have been published, in any way, online or in print, or won any other competitions. anyone over the age of 18 can enter. Simultaneous submissions are fine as long as you withdraw your entry if it wins, or is placed in, any other competition. You can enter as many times as you want but must pay each time.

Parracombe Prize 2023

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

The Kent and Sussex Poetry Society Open Competition

The competition is for anyone aged 16 and over. Poems must be in English, your original work, on any subject, in any style, no longer than 40 lines. Poems should have neither been published elsewhere (including self-published) by 18th April 2023. Nor should they be entered into any other competition for which the results will be announced prior to 18th April 2023.

Fish Publishing Short Memoir Prize

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

GCWA Writing Contest

Writing Contest is open to GCWA members and the public — adults 18 and over, youth 11 to 17. Original, unpublished submissions only. Fiction / Nonfiction / Children’s Stories —1500 words maximum. Poetry – 40 lines maximum.

Lancashire Authors’ Association Open Competition

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

The Big Moose Prize

The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional unpublished novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Manuscripts should be 90-1,000 pages in length.

The BookLife Prize

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

Clash of the Query Letters

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

Arts & Letters Prize

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

Norm Strung Youth Writing Awards

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

The Plaza Prizes: Memoir: First Chapters

Memoirs can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. A 300-word One-Pager (summary of your Memoir). The opening chapters of your Memoir. (5,000 words, max). Entries will be disqualified if they are over the word limit, or have no One-Pager, and there will be no refund.

2023 River of Words Competition

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

Cambridge Autumn Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. The word limit is 1500 words.The theme for this year’s competition is “A hard day’s work” .

Teignmouth Poetry Festival Open Poetry Competition

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

The British Haiku Society Poetry competition

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

The Tampa Review Prize for Poetry

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

Cheshire Prize for Literature

The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire. Entry must be an original and previously unpublished piece of creative work in one of four categories themed around all aspects of the pandemic including “lockdown”: poetry, short fiction, children’s literature and scriptwriting.

National High School Poetry Contest

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

EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Elementary school student stories must be no more than 650 words. Middle school student essays must be no more than 700 words. High school student essays must be no more than 750 words. You must also include a reference list of 3-10 resources. Each resource should be listed using the APA citation style.

St. Gallen Symposium Esay Competition

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

Arizona Mystery Writers Mary Ann Hutchison Memorial Story Contest for Youths

Writers from 9-17 years of age. Total word count—2500 words or less—placed on upper right-hand corner of page 1 only. Story title must appear on every page—upper left-hand corner.

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

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

Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards

Be current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2023. Be 21 years of age and under. Plan to enroll in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved vocational-technical school Fall 2023.

Ottawa Travel Writing Contest

Each entry must include a PDF or a link to the article along with the name, address, e-mail address and telephone number of the entrant, the name of the publication and the date the item was published. Entries must have appeared in print or online between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Winter Flash Fiction Writing Battle

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

Fan Story Flash Fiction Contest

Anyone can enter. Entry should be exactly 150 words.

Bath Flash Fiction Award

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

Kathleen Mitchell Award

Entrants must be aged 30 years or under at the 7 February 2023 closing date, have been born in Australia or the United Kingdom, or are currently an Australian citizen, and have been living in Australia for the 12 months preceding the 7 February 2023 closing date.

NFPW Communications Contest for High School Students

All 2023 contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcasted, or issued between February 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2022.

NFPW Communications Contest for Professionals

The NFPW National Communications contest is a two-tiered competition offering categories across the communication spectrum. This contest is open to anyone regardless of age, gender, professional status or location.

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

The 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards is open to all indie book authors and publishers including independent publishers (small, medium or otherwise), university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book, a manuscript, or a galley proof written in English and published in 2021, 2022 or 2023 or with a 2021, 2022 or 2023 copyright date.

The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize

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

Writers’ & Artists’ Short Story Competition

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

Adventures in Fiction Spotlight First Novel Award

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

Apprentice Writer

Poetry and prose should be single spaced and in 12pt Times New Roman font. If your poetry or prose is visual (includes drawings or special typography) submit it as a PDF.

Fan Story Love Poem Poetry Contest

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

Achievement Awards in Writing

Sophomores and juniors in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by their school’s English department. Nominations should be based on whether the writer exhibits the power to inform and move an audience through language. Entries are only accepted from teachers; students may not self-nominate. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate students. Nominating schools must be US accredited.

Promising Young Writers Program

Eighth-grade students in the current academic school year are eligible to be nominated by a school committee or department. It is recommended nominees be decided upon by several teachers. Students MAY NOT self-nominate. Nominees must demonstrate evidence of effective writing. Schools in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands, and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate students. Nominating schools must be US accredited.

Ambroggio Prize

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

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

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

Robert Watson Literary Prize

Anyone who is an active Greensboro Review subscriber can enter. Entries must be previously unpublished. No simultaneous submissions. Length restrictions: no more than 7,500 words or 25 pages for fiction; up to 500 words for flash fiction; up to 10 pages for poetry.

Anchorage Annual Statewide Creative Writing Contest

The contest is open to Alaska residents. College students who maintain Alaska residency may enter. All judges, editorial or administrative employees of Anchorage Daily News, faculty or administrative employees of the University of Alaska and board members of the Alaska Center for the Book, and their immediate family are ineligible. Contestants may enter one work of fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), one work of non-fiction (not to exceed 5,000 words), and up to three poems. A contestant may enter all categories in their age group.

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award

Only books published in the United States during 2022 are eligible for the 2023 prize. U.S. Citizens. Books must be published in a standard edition (48 pages or more). Collaborations by up to two translators are eligible.

Fan Story Write A Script Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a script of any size (can be a small script as shown in the example) for any medium on any topic.

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

All students enrolled in grades 9-12 in U.S. public, private and home schools within the United States. Students must submit original work. The essay should be 300-500 words. Entries may be typed or handwritten but must be double-spaced.

Willow Run Poetry Book Award

Submit a poetry manuscript of 75 to 100 pages. Individual poems included in the submission may have been published, as long as all rights have reverted to the poet.

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Both previously published and unpublished works are eligible, provided that potential publication in AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought does not infringe on previously held rights.

The Christopher Tower Poetry Competition

Entrants must be at least 16 years of age, and under 19 years of age, on 24 February 2023. Entrants must be in full or part-time education at a school, college or other educational institution in the United Kingdom. Students enrolled on higher education courses are not eligible to enter the competition.

Fan Story ABC Poetry Contest

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

Fan Story 6 Word Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem with only 6 words.

The Elmbridge Literary Competition

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

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

Poems must not exceed 70 lines in length. There are no style or subject restrictions: all poems welcome. You should include a short biography of less than 200 words in your cover letter and ensure that it is suitable for publication.

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

The letter review prize for flash fiction, margery allingham short mystery competition.

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

Flash 500 Short Stories Competition

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

Fish Publishing Flash Fiction Prize

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

Southword Poetry Prize

Manuscripts must be between 16 and 24 pages in length, in the English language and the sole work of the entrant with no pastiches, translations or versions. The poems can be in verse or prose.

The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition

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

The Annual Lancaster Writing Award

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

Scottish Arts Trust Short Story Competition

The Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition is open to all writers worldwide, published and unpublished, who are over 16 years by 1 September 2022. You do not have to be Scottish to enter the competition. Word limit: 2,000 words (not including the title)

The Isobel Lodge Award

The Isobel Lodge Award for New Scottish Writing is a special award within the competition that is only open to unpublished writers resident in Scotland on 1 January 2022. If you have a work of fiction that has been published online or in print but were not paid for it by a publisher or competition you can qualify for the Isobel Lodge Award. Writers also qualify if they have self-published a work of fiction. Authors of commercially published non-fiction may also submit stories for the Isobel Lodge Award.

Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest

Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they have been accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only. No word limit.

Minds Shine Bright’s Annual Competition

Short stories: 5000 words/Flash Fiction: 1000 words /Poetry: 240 lines/Scripts: 90 pages, Each submission must be original, unpublished fiction written by the submitting author. Each submission must be entered into one of four categories including: poetry, micro/flash fiction, short stories or script writing.

The Debut Dagger Award

You must never have had a publishing contract for any work of fiction over 20,000 words at time of entry. You must not have had any work of fiction over 20,000 words available to the public in the last five years. Manuscript submissions must fall within the prescribed word count limit of 4,500 including synopsis and excluding headings, and cannot exceed it by even a few words.

BCALA Self-Publishing Ebook Contest

This contest is free and open to all self-published authors who meet the requirements. All eBooks submitted to the contest must be: in the poetry or fiction genres, a PDF or an ePUB file, in the English language, an original work that you own the rights to, and written by an African American author born in the U.S.

Red Hen Press Women’s Prose Prize

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

The Plaza Prizes: Poetry

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

Fan Story Haiku Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Only haiku poems.

BSFS Poetry Contest

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

Nature and Place Poetry Competition

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

Blue Mesa Awards

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

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

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

Fowey Festival Short Story Competition

Anyone above 16 can enter. The title for the competition is “Breaking Point”. Length: max 1500 words. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must never have been previously published, commended, long-listed or short-listed in another writing competition.

Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition

Open to adults only (i.e. over 16 years of age at the closing date). Word count: A maximum of 2,200 words, excluding the title.

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Entries should be 750 words or less. Stories can be on any theme. Translated work is not accepted.

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. There are no theme or genre restrictions. Copyright remains the property of the author.

Eludia Award

All women age 40 and above, who do not yet have a book-length publication of fiction, can enter. The author must be unpublished and the entry should be in English.

James Jones First Novel Fellowship

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

Fan Story Cinquain Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Entries must adhere to the contest’s syllable specifications.

Dream One Quest Poetry Contest

All poems must be written or translated into the English language, 30 lines or fewer, and must be neatly hand printed or typed.

Dream One Quest Writing Contest

All short stories may be on any subject or theme, written or translated into the English language. For example, any fiction, non-fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, diary, screenwriting, stage plays, and journal entries are accepted.

Rhyming Poetry Contest

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

Write The World Opinion Writing Competition

TBA (On Mar 6, 2023)

The Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest

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

Southword Fiction Story Prize

Anyone can enter. There is an upper limit of 5000 words for short stories. Only unpublished work.

Driftwood Poetry Collections

Anyone can enter. It should be between 40-100 pages of poetry. Experimental poetry, hybrid work, poetry with a visual element, prose poetry, and any avant-garde poetry are welcomed! Submissions should be primarily in English, but collections with a moderate bilingual component will of course be considered.

Rubery Book Award

There is no publication date restriction. Submitted work can be fiction (all genres), young adult, children’s, biographies, non-fiction, self-help, cookery, poetry, photography etc. There are no limits on the type.

The Fish Poetry Prize 2023

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

National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA)

Your book must be available for sale by the submission deadline. Put all the categories in which you submit on one Submission Form and be sure to place a copy of the submission form and in each book you send in, one for each category. All titles must have an ISBN and be published books.

The Plaza Prizes: Literary: First Chapters

Entries can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. A 300-word One-Pager (story synopsis). The opening chapters of your Literary novel. (5,000 words, max). Entries will be disqualified if they are over the word limit, or have no One-Pager, and there will be no refund.

The Plaza Prizes: Prose Poetry

Prose poems can be in any style or form, but must be in English, and written for adults. Maximum 50 lines. Enter the correct version of your work. If you make a mistake, entry fees will not be refunded. (You will have to enter again.)

KET Education Young Writers Contest

Entrants must be in kindergarten through twelfth grade, and must be a legal resident of Kentucky. Only single-author stories written within the current school year are eligible.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers’ Contest

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

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

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

Zone 3 First Book Award in Poetry

Anyone can enter. Only unpublished work of a full-length collection of poems (48 pages or more) is eligible; those with chapbooks may participate. Manuscript should be 48-80 pages.

The Claymore Award

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

The Mysterious Case Writing Contest

You must have a Neovel account. You must write at least 4 chapters before the end of the contest. This contest is open to all audiences. The main character or characters of your entry have to carry out an investigation in relation to a mysterious event.

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

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

Oklahoma Poem Contest

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

Etel Adnan Poetry Prize

Manuscripts must be between forty-eight and ninety pages. Individual poems may have been published in chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. Work in translation is not accepted.

Write The World Poetry & Spoken Word Competition

TBA (On Apr 3, 2023)

Fan Story Rhyming Poem Contest

Anyone can enter. Write a poem of any type. But there must be a rhyme scheme.

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Residents of the following countries are not eligible to enter: Syria, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Russia, and Belarus (due to US government restrictions). You may submit stories and essays on any theme, up to 6,000 words each.

Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize

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

FAPA President’s Book Awards

Acceptable publishing dates for books submitted for the 2023 President’s Book Awards will be books with a copyright date from 2021 to 2023. There are 37 categories in which you may enter. The same book may be entered in multiple categories.

Adventure Writer’s Competition

For the purposes of this competition, an adventure novel is defined as an original, invented (fictional) prose narrative between 50,000 and 200,000 words dealing with a series of human experiences through a connected sequence of events that are action-adventure in nature.

Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest

Word Limit: 100 words or less per entry. Word limit includes the title and introduction, though these are not required. Entry Limit: You may submit as many entries as you’d like, but each entry must be accompanied by an entry fee. Writers: All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome.

World Historian Student Essay Competition

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

Fan Story New Arrival Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. This is a “New Arrival” contest which is designed to welcome new members to the site.

Writers’ Digest Annual Writing Competition

Rhyming Poem and Non-rhyming Poem: 40 lines maximum. Only count the lines containing text. Do not count blank lines between stanzas & do not count the title or contact information. Memoirs/Personal Essay, Nonfiction Essay or Article and Children’s/Young Adult Fiction: 2,000 words maximum.

Fan Story Loop Poetry Contest

Anyone can enter. Loop Poetry requires that the last word of each line becomes the first word of the next line. The rhyme scheme is abcb.

Write The World Food Writing Competition

TBA (On May 8, 2023)

We the Students Essay Contest

All students who are legal US residents or citizens, older than 14 and younger than 19, may apply. Each submission must adhere to the topics and should fully answer the question and all sub-parts. Each submission must adhere to the word limits for each question (between 500 and 800 words).

Fan Story 80 Word Flash Fiction Contest

The submitted work must be between 78 – 82 words.

The Peter Hinchcliffe Fiction Award

Entrants must be Canadian (citizen or resident). Submissions must be unpublished, nor can they be accepted for publication elsewhere. Submissions are accepted online only. While there is no word limit to short fiction entries, most fall within the range of 2000 – 5000 words.

Fan Story My Faith Poetry Contest

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

CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Jan 1, 2020 will be disqualified. All works that have been published must be published after Jan. 1, 2020. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.

Script Pipeline TV Writing Contest

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

The Bridport Novel Prize

Writers above 16 living in Britain and Ireland and British writers living overseas can enter. Entries must be an exclusive effort and writers must not have previously published a novel, (although self-published and ebooks are accepted). Novel entrants who have had other types of books traditionally published e.g. poetry, memoir, non-fiction, are eligible to submit. Length: between 5,000 to 8,000 words.

The Bridport Short Story Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Short story length: 5000 words max.

The Bridport Poetry Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Poetry length: 42 lines max.

The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize

Writers above 16 writing in English can enter. Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed in any other competition. Flash fiction length: 250 words max.

Chanticleer Cozy and Not-So-Cozy Mystery Book Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words. Each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

The Writing District Prize

Anyone can enter.Your story must be written in English. A maximum of 3,000 words.

Chanticleer Historical Fiction Pre-1750s Writing Contest

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified.

Jane Austen Society Essay Contest

All students in school, university, or graduate school can apply. Essays should be directed to a well-informed general audience, not a strictly academic one, and should be based primarily on the student’s own observations, with adequate support from the Jane Austen work under discussion

Farnham Flash Fiction Competition

Anyone can enter. Story length: 500 words.

Fan Story Take A Photo Poetry Contest

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

Ocean Awareness Contest

All students aged 11 – 18 can apply. All entries must be original work in English and not previously submitted. Students ages 11-14 may enter the Junior Division (Creative Writing: up to 750 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 1 page). Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division (Creative Writing: up to 1,250 words; Poetry & Spoken Word: no more than 2 pages).

Fan Story 20 Syllable Poem Contest

Write a poem that has exactly 20 syllables. Any format.

Narrative Magazine: Narrative Prize

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

Living Springs Publishers Baby Boomer Plus Contest

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

Poetry Chapbook Prize

Each manuscript should consist of a 20-30 page chapbook in a standard 12-point font. Chapbooks may not have been previously published nor be forthcoming, though individual poems may have been published elsewhere (provided rights have reverted to the author).

This Sentence Starts The Story

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

Fan Story 3-6-9 Poem Contest

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

Write The World Letter Writing Competition

TBA (On Jun 5, 2023)

True Story Contest

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

Fan Story Nonet Poetry Contest

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

Winning Writers North Street Book Prize

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

The Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest

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

Christopher Fielden’s Biennial Competition: To Hull And Back

Stories must be no longer than 2,500 words in length. This includes the title. To make this crystal clear, if your entry contains 2,502 words or more, it will be disqualified. There is no minimum word count.

The Writers Of The Future

All amateur writers can enter. Entries must be original works by the entrant, in English. Entries may not have been previously published in professional media. Entries must be works of prose, up to 17,000 words in length. No poetry, or works intended for children.

Fan Story Share A Story In A Poem Contest

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

Fan Story 2-4-2 Poetry Contest

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

Fan story Horror Writing Contest

Anyone can enter. Put your readers on edge or terrorize them.

Write The World Creative Nonfiction Competition

TBA (On Jul 3, 2023)

WOW! Women on Writing Creative non-fiction Essay Contest

All women can enter. Entries should be creative non-fiction in English. Maximum words: 1000. Minimum words: 200.

Polar Expressions National Poetry and Short-Story Contest

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

Chanticleer: The Laramie Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence, please. Published works before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified.

Chanticleer: The Goethe Awards

Ozma book awards for fantasy fiction | sword & sorcery fiction | chanticleer book reviews.

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

Hearten Book Awards for Uplifting Non-Fiction Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified. Books must be 40,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Writing Competition

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

Faith Flash Contest

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

Chanticleer: The Dante Rossetti Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified.

Anthology Magazine Short Story Competition

Anyone can enter. Stories submitted must be on the theme of ‘Memories’ in English. To enter, submit an original, unpublished short story, written in English on the subject of ‘Memories’ with a maximum of 1,500 words.

Chanticleer: The Chatelaine Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works published before January 1, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.

Minute Poetry Contest

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

Two Line Poem Contest

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

Non-Fiction Investigative and Journalistic Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Works may be published on the web or in print or may be non-published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. International entries are accepted but they must be written in the English language. Entries must be in the English language. Works published before December 30, 2018 will be disqualified. Works must be 10,000 plus words. Works must be 10,000 plus words. You may enter more than one work into a given contest.

Mind and Spirit Non-Fiction Guides and Works | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Free verse poetry contest.

Anyone can enter. No restrictions.

5-7-5 Poetry Contest

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

Four Line Poem Contest

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

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

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published E-pubs accepted. Entries must be in the English language. Entries must be in the English language. Works published before December 31, 2018 will be disqualified. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

Chanticleer: The Gertrude Warner Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs and Word files accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Copyrighted works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. 20,000+ word count .

Chanticleer: The Clue Book Awards

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.

Chanticleer: The Little Peeps Awards

Early Readers and Picture Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified.

Chanticleer: The Journey Awards

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pubs accepted. Word Documents and PDFs are accepted. All published books must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Works published before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Books must be 50,000 plus words.

Global Thriller Writing Contest | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. All published novels must have ISBN/ASIN designation, manuscripts are not required to have this designation at the time of submission. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Manchester Poetry Prize

The Competition is open internationally to anyone aged 16 or over who is not excluded by these Rules. There is no upper age limit for entry. a portfolio comprising a minimum of three and a maximum of five poems. There is no minimum or maximum line limit for each individual poem, but the overall maximum length of the poems combined must not exceed 120 lines.

Manchester Fiction Prize

The Competition is open internationally to anyone aged 16 or over who is not excluded by these Rules. There is no upper age limit for entry. a short story of up to 2,500 words in length. There is no minimum word count.

Miller Williams Poetry Prize

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

Paranormal Writing Competition | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2019 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words. You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

The Grindstone Novel Prize

A 100 word elevator pitch of your novel. The opening 5,000 words of your manuscript (10% margin). A 300-400 word synopsis summarising the key plot points of your novel. Please endeavour to submit your novel in Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 or 2.0 line spaced for ease of reading. If this is not possible, please use another easily readable font.

The Raven Short Story Contest

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

Non-Fiction Guides and How-To Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Books may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Works published before December 30, 2018 will be disqualified. Books must be 50,000 plus words OR at least 75 pages for Photobooks, Graphic Books, Charts, and other types of visual books or cookbooks/instructional books (knitting, etc). You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee. You may enter more than one book into a given contest.

The Larry Brown Short Story Award

The submitted story must be less than 4,000 words. No previously published work will be considered. The writer’s name and contact information should only appear within the cover letter box in Submittable.

Anthology Poetry Competition

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

Flash 500 Novels competition

Anyone can enter. Entries may have appeared online in private (password protected) peer review sites, but should not have been published in any commercial online form including blogs or personal websites or accepted for publication elsewhere. Chapters must not exceed 3,000 words and must be accompanied by a one page synopsis of the balance of the story. Entries must be in English.

CIBA Fiction Series Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels must be published: Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Each book in the series must be at least 60,000 plus words. YA and Middle-Grade Works may be less but at least 40,000 words. The first book in the series must have been published AFTER January 1, 2010. You may enter in more than one category. However, each complete series entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.

20c Wartime Historical Fiction | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. E-pub accepted. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 60,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Satirical & Allegorical Fiction Book Awards | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Novels may be Manuscripts, Self-published, Indie Published or Traditionally Published. Entries must be in the English language. No erotica. No graphic violence. Published works before Dec. 31, 2018 will be disqualified. Novels must be 50,000 plus words.You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be accompanied by the entry fee.You may enter more than one novel into a given contest.

Contemporary & Literary Novel Writing Contest | Chanticleer Book Reviews

Atlas shrugged 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.

The Prime Number Magazine 53-Word Story Contest

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

Shooter Literary Magazine: Shooter Flash Competition

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

While not all the contests mentioned here will be suitable, there are surely a few that you’ll find inspiring. So check the ones that you are most interested in and start preparing to win some awards!

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10 Comments

Now that I am in my senior years, I find that I find that I have more time to return to writing stories of which there are many in my head. I think that with some structure like joining a contest or other writing formats, that it would be motivating for me to commit to writing, fiction initially.

Great to hear that you’re returning to writing! Participating in writing contests can definitely provide structure and motivation to commit. It’s also a great way to receive feedback on your writing and potentially gain recognition for your work.

Best of luck! 🙂

May we please add another writing competition to the list? Here are the details below:

Atlas Shrugged novel Essay Contest

Eligibility and Restrictions: 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. First prize: $10,000; 3 second prizes: $2,000; 5 third prizes: $1,000; 25 finalists: $100; 50 semifinalists: $50. Please visit the website to apply: https://aynrand.org/students/essay-contests/atlas-shrugged/

Genre: Fiction Sub-Genre: Novel Entry Fee: Free Deadline: Nov 6 Prize: 84 cash-prizes up to $10,000

Thank you for sharing this information about the Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest. We appreciate your contribution to the list of writing contests. The contest looks interesting and we will definitely consider adding it to our list.

Thank you again for bringing it to our attention.

Thank you for featuring the Anthology Short Story Competition! We also have a Poetry Competition that would be worth adding to your list. Here are the details: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/poetry-competition/ Thanks!

Thank you for bringing this to our attention! We’ll definitely take a look at the Anthology Poetry Competition and consider adding it to our list.

Thank you for listing the Poetry Competition. We have also launched Flash Fiction and Travel Writing competitions this year: Travel Writing: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/travel-writing-competition/ Flash Fiction: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/flash-fiction-competition/

Would love if you could add them as well! Thank you.

Sure! Thanks for letting us know about your latest writing contests. We’ll make sure to add both in our next article update.

If you’re still updating this post, Bardsy has a contest we would love to have on your list!

Here is the contest information and link.

Contest Name: 2023 Winter Anthology Contest: Compelling First Chapters

Grand Prize: $1000 and anthology publication.

Finalist Prize: All finalists will receive $50 and anthology publication.

Prompt: Enter the first chapter of your in-progress novel or memoir. Your goal is to create a sample that compels readers to click buy. That means we’re looking for first chapters that capture our attention and leave us eager to keep reading.

Prerequisites: An original, unpublished first chapter. 2,500-3,000 words. Entrants must be 18+. Please do not send short stories or your entire manuscript. English only.

Deadline: 01/15/24.

Entry Fee: $20

https://bardsy.com/contest

Hi ALex, thank you for letting us know about your contest. We’ll try to add it in in the next update.

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Writing Competitions Search and Views Navigation

Writing competition views navigation, august 2024.

Frances Browne Multilingual Poetry Competition

Deadline:  21st august 2024.

• Entry Fee: EUR €5 / GBP £4 / USD $5 per poem
• Prizes:  €1,500 in prizes (€250 top prize in each category. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed poems)
• Line Limit: None
• Category: Poetry Competitions
• Competition Website: francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com/poetry-competition

FFF Competition Twenty Three

Deadline:  10 pm (uk time) friday 23rd august 2024.

• Entry Fee: £3.95 per entry (PayPal/Stripe) or £2.55 per entry via BACS (UK bank account)
• Prizes: Winner: £150.00; 2x Highly Commended: £50.00; 3x Shortlisted: £40.00 (all winners will receive publication)
• Word Limit: 300 maximum, 100 minimum (excluding title)
• Category: Flash Fiction Competitions
• Competition Website: freeflashfiction.com/current-competition

21 Futures: Financial Fallout Anthology Competition

Deadline:  31 august 2024.

• Entry Fee: FREE
• Prizes: 1st place: $1,000 + feature interview; 2nd place: $500 + podcast appearance; 3rd place: $250 + social media shoutout; 4th place: $100 + signed book
• Word Limit: 3,000 words (not including title)
• Theme: ‘Financial Fallout’
• Category:  Short Story Competitions
• Competition Website: 21futures.com/submissions/

SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition 2024 – Poetry

Deadline:  31st august 2024.

• Name:  The Canterbury Christ Church University Poetry Prize
• Theme  Risking All
• Entry Fee:  £4 per poem, £10 for three
• Prizes:  First: £200; Second: £100; Third: £50
• Word Limit:  60 lines
• Category:  Poetry competition
• Judge:  Tina Cole
• Competition Website: saveaswriters.co.uk/competitions/risking-all

SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition 2024 – Prose

• Name:  The Canterbury Festival Fiction Prize sponsored by Canterbury Festival
• Entry Fee:  £5 per short story, £12 for three
• Word Limit:  3,500 words
• Category:  Short story competition
• Judge:  Frances Knight

Scottish Wildlife Trust Words of the Wild Writing Competition

• Adult Prizes: A pair of Osprey ED binoculars from Viking Optical, An Environmental Book Subscription from The Mainstreet Trading Company, A £200 NHBS voucher, A year’s membership to the Trust or one of our wildlife adoptions
• Word Limit: 1,000 words
• Categories:  Short Story Competitions, Poetry Competitions, Non Fiction Competitions
• Competition Website: scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/wordsofthewild/words-of-the-wild-competition

Inclusive Voices Short Story Competition

Deadline:  5pm (uk time) on 31 august 2024.

• Entry Fee: Free
• Prizes: The winner of each age category with receive various prizes including a day in the Calibre Studio in Buckinghamshire with the opportunity to record their story/hear their story being recorded for inclusion in the Calibre Collection
• Word Limit: 550 words
• Theme: Entries should feature a character with a print disability; open to residents of the UK
• Categories: Under 11s, 11-17, 18-25, 26 and over
• Competition Website: calibreaudio.org.uk/50th-anniversary/inclusive-voices

Anthology Personal Memoir Competition

Deadline:  midnight (uk time) on 31 august 2024.

• Entry Fee: Very early bird: €10 per article (until 31 January 2024); Early bird: €12 per article (1 February to 30 April 2024); Standard fee: €15 per article (1 May to 31 August 2024)
• Prizes: 1st Place: €500 , plus publication in the Anthology magazine
• Word Limit: 1,500 words
• Category: Travel Writing Competitions
• Competition Website: anthology-magazine.com/awards/memoir-competition

September 2024

Searchlight Awards − Best Novel Opening for Children or Young Adults 2024

Deadline:  23.59 (uk time) 1 september 2024.

• Entry Fee: £16 per entry
• Prizes: 1st prize: £1,000 plus a one-to-one call with the agent judge; 2nd prize: editorial review of 5000 words of your manuscript and a one-hour on-line meeting with celebrated author and creative writing tutor Steve Voake; The top 10 entries will feature in Searchlight’s Agent/Publisher Pitch Book of winning stories
• Word Limit: 1,200 words, not including the title. Pitch: maximum 175 words
• Judge: Rachel Petty of The Blair Partnership
• Category:  Novel Competitions
• Competition Website:   searchlightawards.co.uk

Searchlight Awards − Best Children’s Picture Book Text 2024

• Entry Fee: £12 per entry
• Prizes: 1st prize: £500 plus one-to-one call with the agent judge; 2nd prize: Detailed Editorial Review by Natascha Biebow; the top 10 entries will feature in Searchlight’s Agent/Publisher Pitch Book of winning stories
• Word Limit: Your text and illustration notes together should be no more than 1,000 words; pitch maximum: 125 words
• Judge: Lorna Hemingway of Bell Lomax Moreton

New2theScene Short Story Competition

Deadline:  1 september 2024.

• Entry Fee: £5
• Prizes:  First prize: Interview for the New2theScene podcast; £50 New2theScene vouchers; ‘Spotlight author’ and winner’s blog, with the story featured on the New2theScene website (and possibly an anthology); Notable mentions: £15 New2theScene vouchers; possible publication in anthology
• Word Limit: 4,000 words
• Theme/Genre: Any - let your imagination free!
• Competition Website: new2thescene.co.uk/new2thecomp

Southam Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition 2024

Deadline:  12.00 noon on 8 september 2024.

• Entry Fee:  £3 per story, or up to five stories for £10
• Prizes:  Winner -  £60 , Second - £30, Third - £20
• Word Limit:  100 words
• Category:  Flash fiction competition
• Competition Website: southambookfest.co.uk/100-words-2024

Ink of Ages Fiction Prize

Deadline:  15 september 2024.

• Entry Fee:  FREE
• Prizes:  Various prizes from World History Encyclopedia and Oxford University Press
• Word Limit:  1,500 to 2,000 words (800 to 1,000 for the Youth Prize)
• Genre Guidelines:  Historical Fiction or Mythological Fiction (see site for details)
• Competition Website:   fictionprize.worldhistory.org

Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

Deadline:  midnight (uk time) on 30 september 2024.

• Entry Fee: Early Bird: €10 per entry (until 31 May 2024); Standard fee: €12 per entry (1 June–30 September 2024)
• Prizes: 1st Place: €300 , plus publication in the Anthology magazine
• Word Limit: 250 words
• Competition Website: anthology-magazine.com/awards/flash-fiction-competition

Anthology Nature Writing Competition

• Entry Fee: Very early bird: €10 per article (until 29 February 2024); Early bird: €12 per article (1 March to 31 May 2024); Standard fee: €15 per article (1 June to 30 September 2024)
• Competition Website: anthology-magazine.com/awards/nature-competition

UK Writers College Short Story Competition

Deadline:  30 september 2024.

• Prizes:  Winner: NZ$1,000 , Second: NZ$500, Third: NZ$500; the three winning entries will be published in an anthology
• Word Limit: 2,000 words
• Theme: ‘It didn't have to be this way’
• Competition Website: ukwriterscollege.co.uk/the-uk-writers-college-annual-short-story-competition

New Writers Book Review Competition 2024

Deadline:  midnight (uk time) on monday 30th september 2024.

• Prizes:  1st Place: £50 and publication on the NewWriters.org.uk website
• Word Limit: 1,000 words (excluding title)
• Category: Non-fiction Competitions
• How to Enter: Send your entry as an attached (Word doc or Google doc please) to: [email protected] with the email subject "Book Review Competition"

October 2024

Letter review prize for nonfiction, deadline:  1st october 2024.

• Entry Fee: Free (for one entry, $5 for each additional entry)
• Prizes: Two to four winners share in the $1,000 USD total prize pool
• Word Limit:  5,000 words
• Category:  Nonfiction competition
• Competition Website: letterreview.com/information/

Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

• Entry Fee:  FREE (for one entry, $5 for each additional entry)
• Word Limit: First 5,000 words of your manuscript (see Letter Review site for full details)
• Category:  Novel competition

Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction

• Prizes:  Two to four winners share in the $1,000 USD total prize pool

Letter Review Prize for Poetry

• Word Limit:  Up to 70 lines

Caledonia Novel Award 2025

Deadline:  midnight (uk time) on 15 october 2024.

• Entry Fee:  £28
• Prizes:  1st Place: £1,500 plus an exclusive framed award (designed by Edinburgh artist Lucy Roscoe); Special Prize: a free place on a residential writing course (best novel from the UK and Ireland); Highly Commended: £500
• Word Limit:  First 20 pages + 200-word synopsis
• Judge:  Alice Lutyens, literary agent at Curtis Brown
• Competition Website:   thecaledonianovelaward.com

Marlowe and Christie Novel Prize

Deadline:  15th october 2024.

• Entry Fee:  £19 Early Bird Entry (until 30 September 2024) then £24 for standard entry (until 15th October 2024)
• Prizes:  Winner: £1,100; The ten shortlisted entries will receive written feedback from Patrick Gleeson.
• Word Limit:  Up to 3,000 words from the opening of your novel
• Judge:  Patrick Gleeson, author of Hattie Brings the House Down (Bedford Square Publishers, 2024)
• Competition Website:   marloweandchristie.com

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Deadline:  midday (sydney, australia time) friday 18th october 2024.

• Entry Fees: AU$25 per entry (PayPal) (approximately £13); Personalised feedback is available for an additional fee
• Prizes: Total prize pool: AU$2,000 (everyone on the shortlist wins a cash prize); Winner: AU$1,000; 2nd place: AU$500; 3rd place: AU$200; 4th place: AU$100; 2 x HM: AU$50; 2 x Wildcard prizes: AU$50 (all winners will receive publication on the Not Quite Write website and are read aloud on the podcast)
• Word Limit: 500 words or fewer (excluding title)
• Judges: Ed and Amanda (Hosts of the Not Quite Write Podcast)
• Competition Website:  notquitewritepodcast.com/prize

Anthology Poetry Competition

Deadline:  midnight (uk time) on 31 october 2024.

• Entry Fee: Very Early Bird: €10 – up to 28 February 2024; Early Bird: €15 – 1st March to 30 June 2024; Standard fee: €18 – up to 31 October 2024
• Prizes: 1st Place: €1,000 , plus a one-year subscription to Anthology magazine and publication in the magazine; 2nd Place: €250; 3rd Place: €250
• Word Limit: 40 lines maximum
• Competition Website: anthology-magazine.com/awards/poetry-competition

The Bedford Competition – Short Story and Poetry Awards

Deadline:  31 october 2024.

• Entry Fee: £8.50 (or three for £17). Students: £6 (or three for £12)
• Prizes: 1st: £1500, 2nd: £300, 3rd: £200
• Word Limit: Stories up to 3,000 words; poems up to 40 lines
• Eligibility: Entrants must be aged 17 or older, but from anywhere in the world
• Category:  Short Story Competitions, Poetry Competitions
• Competition Website: bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk

Trio International Poetry Competition 2024

Deadline:  31st october 2024.

• Entry Fee: £5 for the first poem, £8 for two poems, £10 for three poems
• Prizes:  First Prize: £1,000; 2nd: £300; 3rd: £100; plus four commended poems: £25 each
• Word Limit: 40 lines (excluding title)
• Judge: Angela Graham
• Competition Website: triouganda.org/poetry-competition

Solstice Nature Prize For Young Writers

• Prizes: 1st: £100 plus publication in the Solstice Anthology (see notes for other prizes)
• Word Limit: 500 words (stories or blogs) or 40 lines (poems)
• Eligibility: Entrants must be UK residents in one of the following age categories: 7-11* years, 12-14* years, 15-17* years and 18-25 years (*entrants will need permission to enter)
• Judge: Gill Lewis (multi-award-winning and best-selling author)
• Competition Website: writingeastmidlands.co.uk/young-writers-groups/solstice-writing-prize

November 2024

Creative writing ink short story competition 2024, deadline:  4:00 pm on 15 november 2024.

• Entry Fee:  £9
• Prizes:  1st Place: £1,000 plus online publication and an online creative writing course; two runners-up prizes of £200 each
• Word Limit:  3,000 words
• Judge:  Helen Moorhouse
• Competition Website:   creativewritingink.co.uk/creative-writing-ink-short-story-competition-2024

Anthology Travel Writing Competition

Deadline:  midnight (uk time) on 30 november 2024.

• Entry Fee: Very early bird: €10 per article (until 31 March 2024); Early bird: €12 per article (April to 31 July 2024); Standard fee: €15 per article (1 August to 30 November 2024)
• Competition Website: anthology-magazine.com/awards/travel-writing-competition
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• Writing Tips

5 Creative Writing Contests to Look Out For in 2023

4-minute read

• 31st December 2022

Whether you are a published or unpublished writer, creative writing contests are a great way to get your work to a larger audience while also taking home some cash prizes and getting published in top creative writing magazines and websites along the way. 

While there are many options for submitting your creative writing to contests around the globe , this article will look at 5 creative writing contests you can enter your original work into in 2023. 

1. Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2023 

Deadline: August 31, 2023.

Who may enter: Open to anyone.

Contest description:

●  The competition is organized by the international art and culture magazine Aesthetica .

●  The competition accepts works of fiction and poetry.

●  Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words.

●  Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines.

●  You may submit work on any topic or theme.

●  All work should be in English.

Entry fees:

●  Poetry entries are £12.

●  Short fiction entries are £18.

●  The poetry winner receives £2,500.

●  The short fiction winner receives £2,500.

●  Both winners will have their works published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual.

Official website:

Please visit the contest’s official website for more information on entry submission and requirements.

2. 2023 Bristol Short Story Prize 

Deadline: April 26, 2023.

Who may enter: Published and unpublished writers over the age of 16.

●  Your short story should be more than 4,000 words.

●  You may write your short story on any subject or theme and in any style.

●  Your short story must be in English.

●  The work you submit must not have been published, whether online or in print, or broadcast, or have won a prize in any other writing competition.

Entry fee: £9.

●  First prize £1,000.

●  Second prize £500.

●  Third prize £250.

●  Each of the 17 remaining shortlisted writers will receive £100.

●  20 stories will be published in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology, Volume 16.

For more information on the contest’s submission guidelines and requirements, please visit the official website .

3. The Masters Review Winter Short Story Award for New Writers

Deadline: January 31, 2023.

Who may enter: All emerging writers.

●  The Masters Review , an American literary magazine and book publisher, is the organizer of this contest.

●  There is no theme.

●  Your short story should not exceed 6,000 words.

●  Your work should be unpublished.

●  Your work should be in English.

Entry fee: $20.

●  First place $3,000.

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●  Second place $300.

●  Third place $200.

●  All winners receive publication and agency review.

For more information regarding submission guidelines and requirements, please visit the Masters Review ’s official website .

4. Scottish Arts Club Short Story Competition 

Deadline: February 28, 2023.

●  This contest is organized by the Scottish Arts Club in Edinburgh, Scotland.

●  Your work must be in English.

●  Your submitted work must be unpublished in any format.

Entry fee: £10 per story.

●  First prize £3,000 (open to writers worldwide).

●  Second prize £500 (open to writers worldwide).

●  Third prize £250 (open to writers worldwide).

●  Isobel Lodge Award £750 (open to unpublished writers living in Scotland).

●  Write Mango Award £300 (open to writers worldwide).

●  Publication is offered to authors of the top 20 stories (or more) in the Club’s next anthology.

Please visit the Scottish Arts Trust’s official website for more information.

5. The Bridport Prize 2023 International Creative Writing Competition 

Deadline: May 31, 2022.

Who may enter: Anyone over the age of 16.

●  This contest is organized by the Bridport Arts Centre in Bridport, England.

●  This contest has five categories: poetry, short story, flash fiction, novel, and memoir.

○  Short story entries must be no more than 5,000 words.

○  Flash fiction entries must be no more than 250 words.

●  Your submitted work must be unpublished in any format, and must not have won or been placed in another writing competition.

Short story: £14 per short story.

Flash fiction: £11 per flash fiction.

●  Short story first place receives £5,000.

●  Short story second place receives £1,000.

●  Short story third place receives £500.

●  Highly commended 10 x £100.

●  Flash fiction first place receives £1,000.

●  Flash fiction second place receives £500.

●  Flash fiction third place receives £250.

For more information on all categories and submission guidelines and requirements, please visit the official website .

Be sure to check out Proofed’s writing blog for information on writing novels , poetry and fiction , and how to overcome writer’s block to make sure your writing is ready for submission.

If you need help with proofreading your creative writing, Proofed will proofread your first 500 words for free !

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• About the Prize
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YOUNG WALTER SCOTT NEWS

News archive.

• February 2024

3rd August, 2023

The ultimate guide to competitions for young writers 2023

Getting words down onto the page isn’t the hard part for many keen young writers, but making the time to polish a story or poem can be hard. That’s especially true if you’re in school and juggling other demands like exams or extracurricular activities. But entering a writing competition is a motivation to do the editing that will turn your inspired draft into a shining example of your craft. Here’s a list of competitions aimed at young writers and poets. We try and keep it as up to date as we can, but always take time to read and follow the guidelines and terms and conditions. And always check the closing date! Once you’ve found one that appeals, why not give it a go?

We are proud to run the Young Walter Scott Prize. It is the UK’s only creative writing prize for budding historical fiction authors. You can enter if you’re between 11 and 19 and live in the UK or Ireland. You could win a £500 travel grant, and a chance to see your own work in print. Entries must be between 800 and 2,000 words, set in a time before you were born. The deadline for this year’s competition is 31 st October 2023. Details of how to enter are here , and you’ll find some of the previous winning entries here .

You can also follow the YWSP on TikTok www.tiktok.com/@walterscottprizes  and YouTube www.youtube.com/c/walterscottprizes

Atom Learning Young Author Award

Open to young writers aged 7 to 11, the theme for 2023 year’s entries – which should be no longer than 500 words, is ‘If I Were In Charge for a Day… You’ll find the information you need here: https://atomlearning.com/young-author-award

Author of Tomorrow

The Author of Tomorrow prize is open to young writers in a range of age categories, from 11 and under, up to 21 years. The competition aims to find the adventure writers of the future and offers a cash award, book tokens, and digital publication in an anthology. Find out more at https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org/awards/author-of-tomorrow-2019

BBC 500 Words

Divided into two age categories – 5 to 7 and 8 to 11 – this popular competition invites entries of 500 words or less, written in prose. There are clear guidelines and resources for schools on the web page – https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/500-words/about-500-words – and the competition opens in September 2023.

CABB Publishing Writing Competitions

CABB Publishing runs two writing competitions, one for writers aged 8 to 12 and the other for writers aged 13 to 16. Visit the website for more information: https://www.caabpublishing.co.uk/submit-competitions

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is the biggest poetry competition for 11-17 year olds in the world. Since it began 25 years ago, the Award has kickstarted the career of some of today’s most exciting new voices. Find out more here: https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/

Green Stories Writing Competitions

This is a series of free writing competitions across various formats inviting stories that showcase what a sustainable society might look like.  Entries must be in English and unpublished. The intention is to create a resource that entertains and informs about green solutions, inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. You’ll find more information here: https://www.greenstories.org.uk/writing-competitions/

Hampshire Young Poets Prize

The age categories for this poetry competition span 4 to 16 years, and it is open to young people who live or study in Hampshire. For more information, this is the website: https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/hantsyoungpoets23

Orwell Youth Prize

The Orwell Foundation’s Orwell Youth Prize is open to you if you’re between 8 and 13 years old. Write a story, essay or even your own game. The themes they’re looking for vary from year to year. Sign up for more information, including details of the next annual theme at  https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/

Royal Geographical Society Essay Competition

Organised in partnership with the Financial Times, entrants are asked to answer a question in a 1000-word essay. This year’s question is What risks are associated with climate change and what should we be doing about them?   You’ll find details – including lots of helpful resources to aid research – on the website: https://www.rgs.org/schools/competitions/school-essay-competition/

Solstice Prize

Organised by Writing East Midlands, this nature-themed writing competition is open to writers aged 7 to 17; you can submit a story or poem and the prizes on offer include a cash award and a book voucher for your school. Head for the website, which has examples of previous winning entries, for details of the next competition at https://writingeastmidlands.co.uk/young-writers-groups/solstice-writing-prize/

The Stephen Spender Prize

A prize for poetry in translation with categories for pupils, teachers and individual young people living in the UK and Ireland, as well as an Open category for adults from all over the world. The rules are simple: translate into English any poem from any language – from French to Farsi, from Spanish to Somali. Check out the details here: https://www.stephen-spender.org/stephen-spender-prize/

War Through Children’s Eyes

Organised by the Azerbaijani Community in the United Kingdom, this award is for art and creative writing and was set up as part of the 30th anniversary commemoration of the Khojaly massacre in Azerbaijan in 1992. If you are a UK resident aged between 7 and 17 (the award is divided into 7-11 and 12-17 age categories), you can enter with artwork or a written piece inspired by the themes of war and peace. Entry is free, although participants are encouraged to make a donation to War Child. For more information about how to enter, and a list of the judges, go to https://www.warthroughchildrenseyes.org.uk/competition_entries

HG Wells Short Story Competition

There is an annual theme for this short story competition – go to the website to find out more – https://hgwellscompetition.com .  The competition is free for entry for writers under 21.

Wenlock Olympian Society Writing Competition

This competition welcomes stories and poems and is open to young writers from around the world. There are awards in three medal categories — gold, silver and bronze — and all medallists receive their own Wenlock Olympian Society medal. Find copies of winning stories on their website, where details of the next competition are published. https://www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/wenlock-olympian-society-arts/creative-short-story/

Yorkshire Festival of Story: Children’s Story Competition

Open to young writers aged 7 to 12 years, entrants are given a theme to inspire their story of up to 500 words. Find out more here: https://www.settlestories.org.uk/whats_on/childrens_story-comp/

Young Poets’ Competition

This competition is organised by the Wells Festival of Literature. First, second and third places all win cash awards, plus a year’s subscription to the Poetry Society. Find out more here: https://www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk/2023/02/2023-young-poets-competition/

Undergrowth Competition

Nature and our relationship to it, growth and regeneration – this is an opportunity for writers aged 16 to 19 – ‘the next generation of nature and wilderness lovers’ – to share their stories in fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Details can be found here: https://www.overgrowth.uk/writing-competition-2023-undergrowth

Write on Art

Write on Art is an annual national writing competition sponsored by Art UK and the  Paul Mellon Centre  to encourage an interest in art history among young people. To enter, you must be aged 15 to 18 and live in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland; choose one artwork from artuk.org that fascinates you. For details and guidelines see https://artuk.org/learn/what-is-write-on-art

Young Writers Awards

Goldsmiths University in London runs a series of writing competitions for 16- to 19-year-olds. Details can be found here: https://www.gold.ac.uk/schools-and-colleges/young-writer-competitions/

BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University

This writing prize, run by the BBC along with Cambridge University, could be for you if you’re aged 14 to 18 and live in the UK. Entries can be up to 1,000 words; the shortlist will be announced on Radio 1 and the winner will be announced live on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. Find out more at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2cslf9QxZKznVCqplBS0SY0/the-2023-bbc-young-writers-award

The Young Muslim Writers’ Awards

The Young Muslim Writers’ Awards are open to entrants aged from 5 to 16 years. Short stories, poems, articles, screenplays and playscripts are welcome – all details can be found here: https://ymwa.org.uk/2023-competition-now-open/

Young Writers Annual Showcase

An opportunity for writers aged from 4 to 18 years – submit an entry of up to 1000 words for a chance to win, and to see your work in print. There’s more information on the webste – including a Story Generator to set you going! https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/all-ages/showcase-23?view=ind

You’ll never know how you’ll fare in a competition unless you enter, so give it a try! Whether you’ve ambitions to become an author or just enjoy working with words, it’s fun to take part.

And why not take a look at the YWSP YouTube channel where past winners talk about their experiences?

You’ll also find inspiration on our TikTok , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and our Inspirations page.

And if you come across other competitions for young writers that should be included in this list, just let us know.

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Exploring the art of prose

CRAFT Flash Prose Prize 2023

2023 craft flash prose prize, $3,600 awarded, september 1 – october 31, 2023, thank you to all the writers who sent their work to our 2023 flash prose prize, guest judged by kathy fish ., we are delighted to publish the winning entries in april 2024. congratulations to all the honorees listed below.

Annabel Li: “Analysis of a Fugue” Heidi Richardson: “Southern Womb” Rebecca Starks: “The Two Denvers”

Editors’ Choice Selections

Val Bramble: “Don’t Laugh” Christina Simon: “Forty-Eight Hours in Miami” MJ Tuttle: “To the Man Watching Porn in the Fort Lauderdale Airport”

Catherine Buck: “How to Become a Lesbian in Your Thirties” Rosanna Durst: “Calculus” Krista Hanson: “Elevator Dance” Marilyn Hope: “Cooper Corentin Dreams in Color” Grace Morse: “Walking the Iowa River with My Grandmother after the Floods” Eric Nolan: “Seven Tips for Creating an Optimized Learning Environment” Pritha RaySircar: “The Last First Time” Chris Williams: “The Hospital My Daddy Died In” Thalia Williamson: “Day and Night”

The Rest of the Longlist

Stephanie Thomas Berry: “Conversation Game” Caroline Bock: “Yellow is disappearing and you are going to Barcelona” Tara Dugan: “Don’t You Cry Over Spoiled Milk” Jeniah Johnson: “Two Women Behind a Wall” Laura Laing: “Smoking Is Cool” Ying Lee: “Swimming” Pritha RaySircar: “Sharbat” Shawn Tenhoff: “Portrait in Negative Space” Alex Thieme: “What’s Left at the End” Nicole Zimmerman: “There Was a Man Who”

Honorable Mentions

Fredrick Agaga: “A Dying Physician” Alex Avgust: “All Mouth” Amber Fenik: “Canaries” Caroline Hagood: “When Will the Unicorn Die” Rochelle Hurt: “On Catherine Opie’s Self-Portrait” Katherine Laborde: “Drunk” Ying Lee: “A History of Malaya” Donna Obeid: “Flashes of You” Eric Pahre: “A Drive in Such an Hour” Eileen Tomarchio: “Music Becomes Determined”

I am so excited and honored to judge this contest! My favorite flash are the ones that are emotionally evocative and boldly, interestingly executed. I love a bit of innovation and experimentation if they serve and enhance the storytelling. Is this a story or essay that feels urgent? Does it need telling right now? Does it assert its urgency from the first sentence? Almost always, I will choose a piece that moves me deeply over a clever one that impresses, but lacks a beating heart at its center. Let your work reflect your true and authentic voice. Make me lean in and hang on your every word. There! I don’t ask for much, do I!

GUIDELINES:

• Submissions are open to all writers, emerging and experienced.
• International submissions are allowed.
• Please submit prose work primarily written in English, but conceptually or stylistically necessary code-switching is warmly welcomed.
• Please submit flash prose ONLY!
• Please adhere to the 1,000 word count maximum per piece (up to two prose pieces per submission).
• We review literary work but are open to a variety of genres and styles.
• Previously unpublished work only—we do NOT review reprints for contests (previously published includes any form of self-publishing, blogs, personal websites, social media, etc.). Reprints will be automatically disqualified.
• We allow simultaneous submissions—writers, please notify us immediately and withdraw your entry if your work is accepted to be published elsewhere.
• The $20 reading fee per entry allows up to two 1,000-word prose pieces—if submitting two works, please send them in a SINGLE document.
• We allow multiple submissions—please submit each piece (or set of two pieces) as a separate submission accompanied by a separate entry fee.
• All entries will be considered for publication in CRAFT .
• Please double-space your submission and use Times New Roman 12.
• Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history and any content warnings, if applicable.
• We do not require anonymous submissions, but Kathy Fish will review the shortlist anonymously.
• Writers from historically marginalized groups may submit here , for free, until we reach 50 free submissions.
• We do not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, disability, family status, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, or for any other reason.
• Additionally, we do not tolerate discrimination in the writing we consider for publication: work we find discriminatory on any of the bases stated here will be declined without complete review.
• AI-generated submissions will be automatically disqualified.
• $1,000 award and a bundle of the Rose Metal Press Field Guides .
• Publication in CRAFT , with an introduction by Kathy Fish as well as an author’s note (short craft essay) to accompany the piece.
• $200 each and publication to three pieces we just can’t let go.

FINE PRINT:

• Friends, family, and associates of the judge are not eligible for consideration for the award.
• Our collaboration with editorial professionals in the judging and awarding of our contests does not imply an endorsement or recognition from their agencies, houses, presses, universities, etc.
• As we only consider unpublished writing for contests, and will publish the winning pieces in April 2024, anything under contract to publish prior to July 2024, should not be entered.

OPTIONAL EDITORIAL FEEDBACK:

OUR PARTNER:

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Best Essay Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 55 contests that match your search.

Solas Awards

Best Travel Writing

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel

Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world. Funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: September 21, 2024

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

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

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Expired)

A Very Short Story Contest

Gotham Writers Workshop

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

Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. Submit it to our contest. Entry is free. Winner of the bet gets a free Gotham class.

Free writing class from Gotham Writers Workshop.

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Share Your Story

FanStory.com Inc.

Genres: Essay and Memoir

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

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: August 13, 2024 (Expired)

Hispanic Culture Review Contest 2022-2023

Hispanic Culture Review

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

As the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once said, "the best that the world has is in the many worlds that the world contains." Therefore, this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.

$100 for photography, poetry, and essay winners

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2023 (Expired)

Literary and Photographic Contest 2023-2024

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

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

Publication in magazine

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2024 (Expired)

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

Genres: Children's and Essay

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.

$1,000 scholarship

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)

Climate Change Writing Competition

Write the World

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

This month, dear writers, ahead of COP27, help us raise the voices of young people in this urgent fight. In a piece of personal narrative, tell the world’s leaders gathering in how climate change impacts you. How has this crisis changed your environment, your community, your sense of the future? Storytelling, after all, plays a critical role in helping us grasp the emergency through which we are all living, igniting empathy in readers and listeners—itself a precursor to action.

Runner-up: $50

📅 Deadline: October 18, 2022 (Expired)

High School Academic Research Competition

Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.

Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program

📅 Deadline: April 17, 2024 (Expired)

Journalism Competition 2024

What are the most important issues taking place close to home? Perhaps a rare bird sighting near your town? Or a band of young people in your province fighting for access to higher education? This month, immerse yourself in a newsworthy event inside the borders of your own country, and invite us there through your written reporting.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: July 22, 2024 (Expired)

Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest

Lazuli Literary Group

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

We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We want art that grows in complexity upon each visitation; we enjoy ornate, cerebral, and voluptuous phrases executed with thematic intent.

Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: September 24, 2024

Personal Essay Competition 2024

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024 (Expired)

Artificial Intelligence Competition

New Beginnings

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Books

The Letter Review

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

The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.

$1000 USD shared by 3 winners

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

NOWW 26th International Writing Contest

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)

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

Open to all writers in four categories: poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and critical writing.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

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

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Optional publication of excerpt + letter of recommendation

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024

The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, Crime, Humor, and Science Writing

2-4 Winners are published. We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Seeking Nonfiction 0-5000 words. Judges’ feedback available. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind. All entries considered for publication + submission to Pushcart.

Publication by The Letter Review

💰 Entry fee: $2

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Great American Think-Off

New York Mills Regional Cultural Center

The Great American Think-Off is an exhibition of civil disagreement between powerful ideas that connect to your life at the gut level. The Cultural Center, located in the rural farm and manufacturing town of New York Mills, sponsors this annual philosophy contest.

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

Stories of Inspiration

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Nonfiction stories of inspiration wanted (between 500 to 2,000 words). Submissions should highlight the struggle and resilience of the human spirit, especially related to cultures of BIPOC or marginalized communities. Stories must be original, unpublished works in English. One successful entry will be awarded each month from April 2024 and will be included within Kinsman Quarterly’s online journal and digital magazine. Successful authors receive $200 USD and publication in our digital magazine. No entry fee required.

Publication in Kinsman Quarterly's online magazine

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

Short Story Award for New Writers

Masters Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, and Non-fiction

This bi-annual contest recognizes emerging writers with submissions of previously unpublished fiction or nonfiction up to 6,000 words. Judged by Colin Barrett, it awards $3,000 for first place, $300 for second, and $200 for third, along with agency reviews for finalists.

Agency review for all finalists

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: August 25, 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 (Expired)

Solar Flare

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story

Sunspot Lit is looking for one work, including a novel or novella excerpt, that provides a flare of creative energy. Literary or genre accepted. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope. Learn more: https://sunspotlit.com/contests

Berggruen Prize Essay Competition

Berggruen Institute

Genres: Essay

The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition, in the amount of $25,000 USD for the English and Chinese language category respectively, is given annually to stimulate new thinking and innovative concepts while embracing cross-cultural perspectives across fields, disciplines, and geographies. Inspired by the pivotal role essays have played in shaping thought and inquiry, we are inviting essays that follow in the tradition of renowned thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Publication in Noema Magazine

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)

The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction

Lascuax Review

Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, or discovered. Pieces may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review.

Narratively 2023 Memoir Prize

Narratively

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

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

$1,000 and publication

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing

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

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.

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Young Sports Journalist 2024

The Young Sports Journalist Competition, 2024, seeks well-argued articles from aspiring journalists aged 14-21. Winning entries will be published online and printed in the Summer Issue of Pitch. Critiqued by our panel of accomplished judges, winners will also receive a £50 cash prize and offered work experience here at PITCH HQ. The competition runs from 7 February 2024 to 5 April 2024. And winners will be announced in May.

Publication in magazine and online

📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)

Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2024

Anthology Magazine

The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for an engaging article that will capture the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. Max 1000 words.

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Goldilocks Zone

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

Sunspot Lit is looking for the perfect combination of craft and appeal in stories, CNF, novel or novella excerpts, artwork, graphic novels, poems, scripts/screenplays. Literary and genre accepted. Enter through Submittable or Duotrope.

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

💰 Entry fee: $12

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest

Ayn Rand Institute

Atlas Shrugged is a mystery story, not about the murder of a man’s body, but about the murder—and rebirth—of man’s spirit. We seek exceptional essays of up to 1600 words that analyze its themes and ideas. High school to graduate students worldwide are invited to participate.

📅 Deadline: June 14, 2024 (Expired)

Tusculum Review Nonfiction Chapbook Prize

The Tusculum Review

A prize of $1,000, publication of the essay in The Tusculum Review’s 20th Anniversary Issue (2024), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded. Editors of The Tusculum Review and contest judge Mary Cappello will determine the winner of the 2024 prize.

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024 (Expired)

African Diaspora Awards 2024

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

Up to $1000 in cash prizes for the African Diaspora Award 2024. African-themed prose and poetry wanted. Top finalists are published in Kinsman Quarterly’s magazine and the anthology, “Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora.”

Publication in anthology, "Black Butterfly: Voices of the African Diaspora" and print and digital magazine

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

Why you should submit to writing contests

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

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

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

Free online courses

On Writing:

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

On Editing:

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

Bonus resources

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

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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