Best Fiction Writing Contests in 2025

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

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

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

An open-themed contest accepting all genres, including those written by or for children. Stories must be between 1,000 and 3,000 words with strong characters and plots.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Flash Fiction

The competition features an open theme and includes four categories: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, and Poetry. Each category has a defined maximum word count. Winners will be acknowledged at the festival and have the opportunity to read their entries.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Script Writing

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

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

The Rubery Prize is an international award for indie writers and self-published authors. It aims to recognize outstanding works and elevate authors' profiles. Authors can submit self-published books or those from independent presses.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Novel

The Nimrod Literary Awards are hosted by the Nimrod International Journal to honor outstanding writing in fiction and poetry. Each year, the awards feature a first prize of $2,000 and a second prize of $1,000, along with publication opportunities for winners.

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

The Swamp Pink Prizes celebrate excellence in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Each winner receives $2,000 and publication in an upcoming issue of Swamp Pink. The contest is open for submissions throughout January.

Genres: Fiction

The award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre. It includes a submission of the opening chapters and a synopsis. The judges are from WME and include Samuel Burr.

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

The Bridport Flash Fiction Prize invites writers to submit stories of up to 250 words. It aims to celebrate the art of brevity in storytelling. The winning entries receive the opportunity for publication and recognition.

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

The competition invites submissions from writers of all genres and styles, allowing stories up to 8,000 words. The winner will be announced on February 10, 2025, and all stories are judged anonymously. Participants can receive feedback on their stories through optional exchanges before submission.

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

The Subnivean Awards is an international literary competition that seeks outstanding fiction and poetry. The contest aims to highlight innovative works that break conventional molds.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

This contest focuses on historical romance, aiming to promote both published and unpublished authors. It accepts entries that are historical in nature and emphasizes the romance element central to the narrative. The contest has several categories based on historical time periods.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

This contest is aimed at unpublished authors focusing on historical romance narratives. It promotes creativity by allowing submissions that adhere to specific genre standards, such as historical accuracy and romantic plots.

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The contest invites submissions of self-contained novel excerpts up to 6,000 words, focusing on strong voice, characters, and narrative arcs. The grand prize includes $3,000, online publication, and a consultation with a literary agent.

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.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Principal Foundation has launched the second edition of its national short story contest, Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative. Hosted in collaboration with The Center for Fiction and Short Édition, the contest invites adults ages 18 and up to submit imaginative short stories that reflect lived experiences with money now through October 2, 2024.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Novel, Romance, Thriller, and Young Adult

The competition invites unpublished first three chapters of historical novels up to 15,000 words. It aims to promote excellence in storytelling. The overall winner will be announced at the HNS UK 2024 conference.

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

Vocal Challenges invite writers to enter themed storytelling contests for a chance to win cash, prizes, experiences, and more.

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

The Writing MAGIC contest invites authors to write a short story under 500 words about anything magical. Open to all age groups, stories can be fiction or non-fiction. The contest aims to celebrate creativity and share magical experiences.

Genres: Children's, Fiction, and Young Adult

The Bath Children's Novel Award is an international writing prize for unagented emerging writers. It seeks novels for children or teens, chapter books, and picture book texts. The winner receives £5,000, a trophy, and feedback for listees.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

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

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

An annual contest for unpublished and unagented writers of children's fiction, focusing on originality and diverse voices. The competition seeks full-length novels suitable for readers aged 7-18.

Genres: Essay, Fiction, and Non-fiction

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize is awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of 'Fear.' All genres are accepted, and entries must be in English. The competition aims to discover and support emerging writing talent globally.

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

The Inception contest invites submissions of openings across all genres. Participants can submit prose (up to 250 words), poetry (up to 25 words), or visual art as the first piece in a series. The contest emphasizes the importance of beginnings in creative works.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Science Fiction

The Writers of the Future Contest, initiated by L. Ron Hubbard in 1983, supports new writers in science fiction and fantasy, judged by leading authors. Winners receive cash prizes and recognition. The contest encourages original works and offers a platform for upcoming writers.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, and Young Adult

The 2025 Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest aims to discover unpublished manuscripts across ten categories. Winners receive $25,000, industry circulation, and executive development opportunities. It is open to writers aged 18 and older, with specific submission guidelines based on categories.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Plaza Short Story Prize invites entries for short stories up to 5000 words. The prize includes cash rewards and publication in an anthology, aiming to discover and promote new literary talent.

Genres: Children's, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, and Young Adult

This is the second annual short story contest by Dreambridge Publishing, featuring the anthology theme 'In My Element' with elements of alchemy. The chosen writers will work with editors to prepare their stories for publication.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult

The Caledonia Novel Award aims to support unpublished and self-published novelists across all genres for adults and young adults. The 2025 competition encourages diverse submissions, offering significant prizes to help cultivate new talent.

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The AWP Award Series is an annual competition for the publication of excellent new book-length works. The series is open to all authors writing in English, regardless of nationality or residence. The competition includes various genres, and the James Alan McPherson Prize specifically focuses on novels.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The competition is open globally, with a deadline of April 30, 2024. The top prize is £1,000, with additional prizes for second (£300) and third (£200) places. Entry fees are £10 for one entry, £19 for two, and £27 for three, with £1 from each entry donated to the charity First Story. Winning entries will be published online and in an anthology.

Genres: Flash Fiction, Fiction, and Short Story

The WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest aims to inspire creativity and recognition for writers. Open to all genres of flash fiction, it has been running since 2006 and has awarded over $100,000 in cash prizes to participants. The contest allows entries globally, and submissions must be in English.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The Hope Prize is an international short story competition focused on original stories of hope, open to writers aged 18 and over, with entries accepted in English. The prize encourages bold self-expression and aims to spotlight charities making impactful changes.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Anthology Short Story Competition aims to recognize and encourage creative writing by providing a platform for publication. It is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in English, with no restrictions on theme or style. Stories should not exceed 1,500 words.

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

The First 100 Days Contest seeks innovative book ideas from authors committed to promoting good work amidst challenging times. Participants submit a one-page book overview and a sample manuscript of up to 5,000 words. Winning authors receive feedback and an editorial consultation.