The Best Writing Contests of 2023

Writing competitions curated by Reedsy

Showing 590 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

View contest

Page One Prize for Novelists

Gutsy Great Novelist

The Gutsy Great Novelist Page One Prize is awarded for an outstanding opening page of an unpublished novel.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

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

2nd $500 | 3rd $250

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: July 14, 2023


Genres

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

View contest

Gemini Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Gemini Magazine

Knock us out in 1,000 words or less! Any subject or style. Except for the word limit, we have no rules and are open to your most creative work, whether literary, noir, historical, sci-fi or any other category. Read previous winners and finalists online to see the wide variety of flash fiction we publish.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Second: $100 | 4x Honorable Mentions: $25 | Online publication for all six finalists

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $7

Deadline: August 31, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction

View contest

Screenplays 2023

Zoetrope

The mission of the American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition is to find and promote new and innovative voices in cinema. The competition considers feature-length film scripts, as well as pilot scripts for television/streaming services. Every script is read closely by a select handful of professional readers, and the American Zoetrope staff and Francis Ford Coppola choose a winner from among the ten finalists.

Top prize

$5,000

Additional prizes

Considered for representation

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: September 05, 2023


Genres

Script Writing

View contest

Kurt Vonnegut Speculative Fiction Prize

North American Review

The Vonnegut Prize is an annual fiction competition intended to recognize the finest speculative fiction, which can include, but is not limited to, work influenced by the postmodern science-fiction of Kurt Vonnegut. We love Vonnegut’s dark humor, but please avoid mere imitation. We are enthusiastic about all work painted with speculative fiction’s broad brush: fairy tale, magical realism, fabulism, the fantastic, horror, Afro-futurism, science fiction hard and soft, and everything in between. The winning entry will appear in the North American Review's annual summer issue, and all finalists will be considered for publication.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $23

Deadline: November 01, 2023


Genres

Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense

View contest

Elegant Literature's Contest For New Writers

Elegant Literature

One of the largest awards open to unpublished writers, and the only one closed to professionals. We are the first magazine to pay pro rates and only accept submissions from new writers, paying new authors over $70,000. One new writer receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors above-professional rates, and publish them in our magazine. June's head judge is Nebula-award finalist Ai Jiang.

Top prize

$3,000

Additional prizes

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

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: July 01, 2023


Genres

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

View contest

Flash Fiction Competition

Write the World

“There was more room to think,” wrote novelist David Gaffney on becoming a flash fiction convert. Stories of the sudden/mini/micro variety pack the best parts of fiction into brimming, half-pint packages. Come celebrate the art of concision this month, dear writers, and write a story in 99 words or less.

Top prize

Best Entry: $100

Additional prizes

Runner up: $50, Best Peer Review: $50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: August 22, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction

View contest

Creative Nonfiction Competition

Write the World

The teenage years are an in-between time, the stage linking our childhood to adulthood. It’s a time of internal transitions, as we find out more about who we are and who we want to be in the world. This month, use the tools of creative nonfiction to write about your own experience of this passage into adulthood.

Top prize

Best Entry: $100

Additional prizes

Runner up: $50 | Best Peer Review: $50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: July 18, 2023


Genres

Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction

View contest

Songwriting Competition

Write the World

Songs can tell stories, evoke emotion, even deliver lessons. Dear writers, what issue is most pressing to your generation? In an original song, channel this urgency into music, to be sung and celebrated—a rallying call for listeners near and far. This month, write your own song of change. We’ll select a winner for best lyrics and best performance.

Top prize

Best Lyrics: $100

Additional prizes

Best Performance: $100, Best Peer Review: $50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 20, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Poetry

View contest

The Canadian Jewish Playwriting Competition

The Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre

This one of a kind competition recognizes the most outstanding unproduced Canadian plays with a Jewish focus. The 2023 competition is co-presented by The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (Manitoba), The Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company (Ontario), and The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts (Quebec).

Top prize

$1,000 (CAN)

Additional prizes

Workshop with director and up to 6 actors with public reading

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: September 05, 2023


Genres

Script Writing

View contest

Hastings Book Festival - Short Story

Hastings Book Festival

Entries for the fiction section of the 2023 Hastings Book Festival Writing Competition are now open. Submissions can be on any subject and should be no more than 2500 words long.

Top prize

£250

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: July 14, 2023


Genres

Short Story

View contest

Hastings Book Festival Writing Competition - POETRY

Hastings Book Festival

Entries for the poetry section of the 2023 Hastings Book Festival Writing Competition are now open. Submissions can be on any subject and should be no more than 40 lines long long.

Top prize

£250

Additional prizes

2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: July 14, 2023


Genres

Poetry

View contest

African Diaspora Award

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc.

Submissions are open for Kinsman Quarterly’s African Diaspora Award. Top winners receive prizes up to $500 USD and publication within the Black Diaspora anthology. No entry fee required. Those eligible should submit an original, unpublished work in English that features themes of the African diaspora by July 15, 2023.

Top prize

$500

Additional prizes

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $100 + Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: July 15, 2023


Genres

Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Script Writing, Short Story, Young Adult

View contest

7 Day Story Writing Challenge

Globe Soup

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

Top prize

£500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: July 09, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story

View contest

Ovacome Writing Competition 2023

Ovacome

The theme for the 2023 Ovacome Writing Competition is 'Between'. This theme can be interpreted in many different ways - the possibilities are endless! Your short story does not have to be about health or ovarian cancer.

Top prize

£250

Additional prizes

Runner up: £50 Waterstones book voucher

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: September 15, 2023


Genres

Short Story

View contest

Novella Competition

Weatherglass Books

Write a work of literary fiction of novella length (20k-40k words) and be published by Weatherglass Books. Ali Smith will judge the short list.

Top prize

Advance of £1000 | Published by Autumn 2024

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $19

Deadline: August 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Novella

View contest

Fiction Factory Short Story Competition

Fiction Factory

This competition is held twice-yearly. Entries are welcomed from all over the world from writers aged 16 and above. Stories may be on any theme. Sadly we do not accept YA or children's fiction.

Top prize

£500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $8

Deadline: October 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

View contest

Fiction Factory Flash Fiction

Fiction Factory

This is an international competition, open to writers from all over the world over the age of 16. Stories may be on any theme but we sadly do not accept YA or Children's stories.

Top prize

£300

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $7

Deadline: July 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Crime, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller

View contest

SciFidea Award

SciFidea

Singapore-based SciFidea is inviting writers to submit their sci-fi stories set on or in a Dyson Sphere for a chance to win a grand prize of $20,000! The judges are seasoned veterans within the industry who have devoted many years to the science fiction genre and have been honored with prestigious awards such as the Hugo Award.

Top prize

$20,000 x 10 winners

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: August 31, 2023


Genres

Science Fiction

View contest

Competition 16

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: June 23, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction

View contest

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: June 30, 2023


Genres

Flash Fiction

View contest

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: June 30, 2023


Genres

Poetry

View contest

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: June 30, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

View contest

Caledonia Novel Award

Caledonia Novel Award

Now in our 10th year of competition, we are an Edinburgh-based, international award for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres for adults and YA. This year’s judge is Ariella Feiner, literary agent at United Agents. As well as the top prizes, the writer of the best entry from the UK & Ireland wins a free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre.

Top prize

£1,500

Additional prizes

Highly Commended novel wins £500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $30

Deadline: November 01, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Novel, Young Adult

View contest

The Heartland Review Open Calls

The Heartland Review Press

Submit one piece of fiction or creative nonfiction of topic or category to include flash in a Word document through Submittable (link on website). No pdfs. Include a short cover letter and bio. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but writers must withdraw if published elsewhere. We read the first 50 pieces of fiction and 50 of creative nonfiction submitted each month during the open call.

Top prize

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: November 15, 2023


Genres

Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult

View contest

Joy Bale Boone Poetry Prize

The Heartland Review Press

Submit 1-3 poems of any form or style for $10 in a Word document through Submittable (link on website). No pdfs. Include a cover letter in the same file. The cover letter should be the first page in the file and contain mailing address, email, and 30-40 word bio. Simultaneous submissions accepted, but poems placed elsewhere will not be included in contest. Finalists (there's usually about 20) who provide a United States Postal Address will receive a free copy of the Spring 2024 issue of The Heartland Review wherein winners and finalists will be published. All entrants, regardless of publication, can receive a discount on the publication cost.

Top prize

$750

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: November 15, 2023


Genres

Poetry

View contest

Raymond Carver Short Story Contest

Carve Magazine

The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest is one of the most renowned fiction contests in the world. Featuring prominent guest judges and offering $3000 across five prizes, the contest delivers exciting new fiction from writers all over the world.

Top prize

$2,000

Additional prizes

2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250 | 2x $125 (Editor's Choice)

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $18

Deadline: May 17, 2023 (Expired)


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

View contest

Drue Heinz Literature Prize

University of Pittsburgh Press

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world. The award is open to authors who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals.

Top prize

$15,000

Additional prizes

Publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: June 30, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Short Story

View contest

Seán O'Faoláin International Short Story Competition

Munster Literature Centre

The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or fewer. The story can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world.

Top prize

€2,000

Additional prizes

Residency at Anam Cara Retreat, Featured reading at the Cork International Short Story Festival, Publication in Southword

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $21

Deadline: July 31, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story

View contest

George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest

Third Wednesday

The editors of Third Wednesday wish to honor the memory of George Dila, friend of Third Wednesday and the editor who originally brought fiction to 3W. To this end, we proudly announce the opening of The George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest. We accept entries of previously unpublished stories of under 1000 words in length (including title).

Top prize

100 x3 Winning Stories

Additional prizes

Publication in Third Wednesday magazine

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $6

Deadline: August 15, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction

View contest

TWFest Very Short Fiction Contest

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 1,000 words. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of short fiction with an ISBN.

Top prize

$500

Additional prizes

VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where you will give a public reading.

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: October 15, 2023


Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story

View contest

TWFest Poetry Contest

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

Submit a collection of 2-4 original, unpublished poems of any style or theme, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry with an ISBN. Those who have published books in other genres besides poetry remain eligible.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

VIP Festival pass ($600 value)

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: October 15, 2023


Genres

Poetry

View contest

TWFest One-Act Play Contest

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

Plays should run no more than one hour in length (one act or approx. 60 pages.) This contest is for emerging or previously unpublished playwrights.

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

Professional Staged Reading at the next Festival

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: October 01, 2023


Genres

Script Writing

View contest

TWFest Fiction Contest

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 7,000 words. This contest is open only to writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Published books include self-published books with ISBN numbers. Those who have published books in other genres besides fiction remain eligible.

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

Airfare, accommodation, and all-access pass to the next Festival, where you will give a public reading.

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: October 01, 2023


Genres

Fiction

View contest

Memo'd Write to Win

Memo'd

The Memo'd ""Write To Win"" contest is for new writers who have something to say, and who like saying it succinctly. A Memo is a shareable and bulleted essay of 300-800 words - think Twitter threads without the noise of Twitter. A Memo can be a: 1) Profile of a famous person 2) Summary of classic or new book 3) Point of view or opinion pieces 4) Revelation (e.g. career insights.) Just make it interesting! If you love writing, but don't want to write a whole book or long article, Memo'd may be for you.

Top prize

$750 For Most Engaging Memo

Additional prizes

$750 For Most Read Memo | $500 Editor's Pick

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: May 31, 2023 (Expired)


Genres

Non-fiction

View contest

Discover the finest writing contests of 2023 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 2023 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 2023

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 2023

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:

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the editors on Reedsy, come meet them.