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DIRECTORY

Best Fiction Writing Contests in 2025

Showing 214 contests that match your search.

Page 7

Goldilocks Zone

Sunspot Literary Journal

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

The Goldilocks Zone contest invites submissions for fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, artwork, and graphic novels, seeking works that combine craft with audience appeal. The prize includes cash and publication for winners and runners-up.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2025 (Expired)

TWFest Fiction Contest

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival

Genres: Fiction

The TWFest Fiction Contest aims to promote new work from emerging writers. It is open to previously unpublished short stories up to 7,000 words.

Top Prize:

$1,500

Additional prizes:

Domestic airfare & French Quarter accommodations, VIP Festival pass for 2026 festival, public reading, publication in French Quarter Journal, photo & bio on the website for ~1 year, interview feature. Top finalists receive a $100 LitPass for the Festival.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: October 15, 2025

Genres: Short Story and Fiction

The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction is a competition for short fiction (up to 5000 words) with no genre or theme restrictions. It is open to writers worldwide, with 2-4 winners published and sharing in the prize money. Entries are also considered for publication and submission to the Pushcart Prize.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication by The Letter Review. Up to 20 writers shortlisted. Publication and consideration for the Pushcart Prize and anthologies.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2025

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Shuswap Association of Writers

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

The contest is part of the annual Word on the Lake Writers Festival, encouraging submissions in short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Entries must be unpublished and original, with a maximum of 2,000 words for fiction/nonfiction and three one-page poems. Winners are published in the anthology.

Top Prize:

$200 CAD

Additional prizes:

2025 festival registration package + certificate for online writing course

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

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