The Best Writing Contests of 2023

Writing competitions curated by Reedsy

Showing 562 contests


The Reedsy Prompts Contest

Reedsy

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

Top prize

$250

Additional prizes

$25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $5

Deadline: December 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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International Essay Contest

Institute for Youth in Policy

Countless countries around the world suffer from a plethora of issues – economic hardship, social turmoil, political polarization, pandemic recovery, unreliable leadership, corrupt governance, warfare and conflict, the list goes on. If you were elected the leader of your country, what would you do to address the issues your country faces in order to build a more prosperous society?

Top prize

$250

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 15, 2023


Genres

Essay

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The Scribes Prize

Fairfield Scribes

The Scribes Prize is looking for fiction & creative nonfiction stories of 90-110 words. Prizes include publication, award seals, and cash: $250 for gold, $125 for silver, $60 for bronze & 15 honorable mentions for $20 each. Simultaneous submissions & reprints welcome. Max 3 submissions per author. All entries will receive feedback from 2 editors.

Top prize

$250

Additional prizes

2nd: $125 | 3rd: $60 | Publication | Editor's deedback

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $5

Deadline: September 01, 2023


Genres

Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller

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The Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology

Auroras & Blossoms

Auroras & Blossoms is turning four this year. So, we want to celebrate in style. And what better way to do that than doing it with poetry? Welcome to the Auroras & Blossoms Haiku Anthology!

Top prize

1% royalties per published piece ($)

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: May 31, 2023


Genres

Poetry

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Imagine 2200

Grist

Imagine 2200 is an invitation to writers from all over the globe to imagine a future in which solutions to the climate crisis flourish and help bring about radical improvements to our world.

Top prize

$3,000

Additional prizes

2nd: $2000 | 3rd: $1000 | 9x finalists: $300 | Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: June 13, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Fantasy, Humor, Mystery, Romance

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Blurred Genres Flash Contest

Invisible City

Theme: Levity. The world around us continues to move, spin and bring chaos. Levity helps ground us, keep us sane. What does “levity” mean to you? How has it made an impact in your life? We would love to read how you interpret “levity,” through prose or poetry, or some combination of the two. All genres and themes are welcome.

Top prize

$750

Additional prizes

2nd: $350 | 3rd: $100 | Publication for top 5

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: April 07, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction, Poetry

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The Betty Award

The Betty Award

As one of the few competitions for elementary and middle school students, The Betty Award grants cash prizes for written pieces below 1,000 words. The Betty Award has both a Spring & Fall contest.

Top prize

$300

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: May 13, 2023


Genres

Children's

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Queer Sci-Fi Flash Fiction Contest

Queer Sci-Fi

Every year, QSF holds a flash fiction contest to create an amazing new anthology of queer speculative fiction stories. We ask authors to do the nearly-impossible – to submit a sci fi, fantasy, paranormal or horror LGBTIQA story that has no more than 300 words.

Top prize

$100

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: May 01, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Science Fiction

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Henshaw Short Story Competition

Henshaw Press

Short Story of up to 2000 words on any theme.

Top prize

£200

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $8

Deadline: March 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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The Christy Award

The Christy Award

The Christy Award® was established in 1999 to acknowledge the value and impact of the novel of faith in contemporary culture. Since that time, the Christys have been a focal point for the writers and publishers in our community, symbolizing the best aspirations and accomplishments of writers who write from a perspective of faith and who create stories with matters of belief at their core.

Top prize

Award

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $175

Deadline: March 31, 2023


Genres

Christian, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Young Adult

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Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Lorian Hemingway

Writers of short fiction may now enter the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. The competition has a history of literary excellence, and Lorian Hemingway and her small judging panel are dedicated to enthusiastically supporting the efforts and talent of writers of short fiction whose voices have yet to be heard.

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

2nd & 3rd: $500 each

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: April 01, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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Snowbound Chap Book Award

Tupelo Press

Submit a previously unpublished, chapbook-length poetry manuscript with a table of contents. Manuscripts are judged anonymously and all finalists will be considered for publication. The Snowbound Chapbook Award includes a cash award of $1,000 in addition to publication by Tupelo Press, 25 copies of the winning title, a book launch, and national distribution with energetic publicity and promotion.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication by Tupelo Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: March 30, 2023


Genres

Poetry

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Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize

University of Pittsburgh Press

The award is open to any poet writing in English who has not had a full-length book of poetry published previously. We define “full-length book” as a volume of 48 or more pages published in an edition of 500 or more copies. Books whose publication costs have been borne by their authors are excluded from this definition.

Top prize

$5,000

Additional prizes

Publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: April 30, 2023


Genres

Poetry

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The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize

The Georgia Review

The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize is an award for a single poem, to be published in The Georgia Review. The winner will receive an honorarium of $1,500 and an expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia, to give a public reading with the judge. We are pleased to announce that Hanif Abdurraqib will serve as the final judge for the 2023 Loraine Williams Poetry Prize.

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

Expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $30

Deadline: May 15, 2023


Genres

Poetry

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Emerging Writer's Contest

Ploughshares

In the spirit of the journal 's founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. Authors are considered "emerging" if they haven 't published or self-published a book.

Top prize

3x $2000

Additional prizes

Publication in Ploughshares

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $24

Deadline: May 15, 2023


Genres

Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story

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Flying South Contest

Winston-Salem Writers

Winning submissions in each of the three categories (Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry) will be awarded prizes of $400 for First Place, $200 for Second Place, and $100 for a total of $2,100 in prizes. All finalists will be accepted for publication and will receive one copy of the current issue of Flying South.

Top prize

3x $400

Additional prizes

3x 2nd: $200 | 3x 3rd: $100 | Publication in Flying South 2023

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: May 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

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Hammond House Scriptwriting Competition

Hammond House

Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for honesty and emotion. Top prize of £100.

Top prize

£100

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $12

Deadline: September 30, 2023


Genres

Script Writing

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Hammond House Short Story Competition

Hammond House

Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for intriguing ideas and addictive prose. Top prize of £1000.

Top prize

£1000

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50 | Publication by Hammond House

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $12

Deadline: September 30, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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Hammond House International Poetry Prize

Hammond House

Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for intriguing ideas and fresh voices.

Top prize

£250

Additional prizes

2nd: £50 | 3rd: £25 Publication by Hammond House

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $12

Deadline: September 30, 2023


Genres

Poetry

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Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Competition

Dzanc Books

The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in the short form. The winning submission will be awarded a $2,500 advance and publication by Dzanc Books.

Top prize

$2,500 advance

Additional prizes

Publication by Dzanc Books

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: June 30, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction

Dzanc Books

The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels. A $5,000 advance and publication by Dzanc Books will be awarded to the winner.

Top prize

$5,000 advance

Additional prizes

Publication by Dzanc

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: June 30, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Novel

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AI Theology 2045 Writing Contest

AI Theology

AI Theology 2045 is looking for compelling, imaginative short stories that explore the future intersection of artificial intelligence and faith. Sign-up ends on March 31st but the submission deadline is May 15th.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

2nd: $500 | 3rd: $200

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: March 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story

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Competition 15

Free Flash Fiction

The Bi-monthly Free Flash Fiction Competition promotes the work of flash fiction authors. The winner of the current competition will be invited to be the judge for the next competition. Submit a flash fiction piece between 100 and 300 words, on any theme.

Top prize

£150

Additional prizes

2x Highly Recommended £30.00 | 2x Shortlisted £20

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $4

Deadline: April 23, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction

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The Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction

Letter Review

The Letter Review Prize for Flash Fiction (up to 1000 words) is open to writers from anywhere in the world and has no theme or genre restrictions. Winners are published and every entry is considered for publication. 20 entries are Longlisted.

Top prize

$400

Additional prizes

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: April 30, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction

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The Letter Review Prize for Poetry

Letter Review

The Letter Review Prize for Poetry (up to 70 lines) is open to writers from anywhere in the world and has no style or subject restrictions. Winners are published and every entry is considered for publication. 20 entries are Longlisted.

Top prize

$400

Additional prizes

2nd $250 | 3rd: $150

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: April 30, 2023


Genres

Poetry

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Letter Review Prize for Short Stories

Letter Review

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories (1000-3000 words) is open to writers from anywhere in the world and has no theme or genre restrictions. Winners are published and every entry is considered for publication. 20 entries are Longlisted.

Top prize

$600

Additional prizes

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: April 30, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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Memoir/Fiction Book Contest for IML Publications

IML Publications, LLC

We are looking for high quality, 50-page double submissions + 1 page synopsis of memoir and fiction. Finalists will be asked for complete manuscripts 1 month later and will be judged by author Jacqueline Gay Walley.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Possible published book

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $35

Deadline: June 15, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Memoir

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Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction

Philadelphia Stories

We are seeking previously unpublished works of fiction up to 8,000 words. Multiple submissions are allowed. Open to anyone currently residing in the U.S.

Top prize

$2,500

Additional prizes

2nd: $750 | 3rd: $500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: May 15, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

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WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

WOW! Women On Writing

Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

Top prize

$500

Additional prizes

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $12

Deadline: April 30, 2023


Genres

Non-fiction

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WOW! Women on Writing Spring 2023 Flash Fiction Contest

WOW! Women On Writing

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

Top prize

$400

Additional prizes

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: May 31, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction, Fiction, Short Story

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The UNO Writing Center's Writing Contest

The University of Nebraska, Omaha: Writing Center

The University of Nebraska, Omaha's Writing Center is hosting their 1st annual writing contest, open to Nebraska state residents (or remotely enrolled Nebraska university students.) It has three categories available in flash fiction, flash creative non-fiction, and poetry (up to 750 words.) The theme for the contest is: What it means to be a Maverick, and whatever your creative interpretation of that may be.

Top prize

Certificate | UNO Writing Center merch

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: April 10, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

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3nd Annual WCWF Writing Contest

Wine Country Writers' Festival

Fire up those pens and get those unpublished stories and poems submitted to WCWF 3nd Annual Writing Contest. Three winners in each category (fiction/nonfiction/poetry), publication in Anthology, and your own copy. Entries: $15 or two for $25.

Top prize

$150

Additional prizes

2nd Place: $75 | 3rd Place: $50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: June 30, 2023


Genres

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

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Evening Standard Stories Competition

Evening Standard

We’re searching for fresh new voices who can take the idea of ‘belonging’ in a surprising direction, or tackle it in a way that stops us in our tracks. This competition is not limited to a ‘short story’. Submissions can be a piece of spoken word or performance, perhaps it’s a monologue, a script or a self-contained episode of a narrative podcast. Entries can be submitted as written, audio, or film.

Top prize

Mentorship with top industry contacts

Additional prizes

Publication in Evening Standard media

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: April 12, 2023


Genres

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

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Inspiring Fiction's Contest for Fantasy Writers

Inspiring Fiction

A new short story contest open to all fantasy writers. The winner will be published in the first issue of Mirk Fantasy Magazine, a new genre magazine produced by the team behind Tangled Web Magazine. Three runners up will also be published alongside a selection of stories from our general submissions pile.

Top prize

£100

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $6

Deadline: April 30, 2023


Genres

Fantasy, Fiction, Short Story

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Brouhaha - The short story writing contest

WriteFluence

We are looking for original, unpublished pieces of fiction, with a maximum word count of 3,000 words. The theme for this contest is “Brouhaha,” and we encourage all writers to interpret this theme in their own unique way. All genres are welcome.

Top prize

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $2

Deadline: April 15, 2023


Genres

Short Story

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Discover the finest writing contests of 2022 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 2022 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 2022

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:

On Editing:

Blog posts

Bonus resources

After you submit to a writing competition in 2022

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:

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