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Ink of Ages Fiction Prize
World History Encyclopedia
Genres: Fiction
An international contest for historical and mythological short fiction, open to writers worldwide.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $50 voucher | 3rd: $25 voucher | Winner recieves also publication, history books from Oxford University Press, merchandise, and lifetime membership to WHE. Various other prizes available for 2nd and 3rd place.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: August 29, 2025 (Expired)
The Paul Cave Prize for Literature
Tim Saunders Publications
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
Established in 2023, this contest is a platform for writers and poets to get their work published. Categories include various forms of poetry and fiction, excluding erotic work. Winners receive feedback and cash prizes, while all approved submissions will be included in the anthology.
Top Prize:
£200
Additional prizes:
Feedback from the publisher + a complimentary copy of the anthology
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
Swamp Pink Prizes
Swamp Pink
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.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in an upcoming issue of Swamp Pink
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)
The Rooker Prize
Lewes FC
Genres: Fiction
Entrants need only write the first 250 words of their novel/story/memoir, and are judged on how much the judges want to read the rest of the story.
Top Prize:
£250 to a charity of your choice
Additional prizes:
Feedback/coaching session with an experienced editor at Hachette UK, plus a wooden trophy.
💰 Entry fee: $50
📅 Deadline: April 05, 2025 (Expired)
Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction
Lambda Literary
Genres: LGBTQ, Novel, and Fiction
The Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction honors Black LGBTQ writers of fiction, celebrating works that explore themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and history. The prize is awarded to writers who have published at least one book and show promise for future groundbreaking work.
Top Prize:
$3,000
📅 Deadline: May 16, 2025 (Expired)
Folly Short Story Prize 2025
Folly Journal
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Essay, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The Folly Short Story Prize 2025 invites submissions for stories that challenge conventional norms. It aims to recognize innovative writing that resonates with contemporary themes.
Top Prize:
$1000 NZD
Additional prizes:
Two tickets to the Folly After Party.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2025 (Expired)
New Deal Writing Competition
Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA)
Genres: Christian, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Travel
The New Deal Writing Competition invites writers to create a short story inspired by a specific painting. The current painting is 'Playtime' by Fred Ross. This is the ninth annual contest, intended to celebrate creativity and connect art and writing.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Publication in newsletter
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2025 (Expired)
NOWW 27th International Writing Contest
Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The 26th Annual Writing Contest is currently closed. The next contest will open on January 1, 2025. Categories and further details will be announced later.
Top Prize:
$150
Additional prizes:
2nd place: $100 3rd place: $50
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Fiction Potluck
The Writer's Workout
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Science Fiction
Fiction Potluck is a quarterly writing competition open to fiction writers globally, featuring a guest judge who sets a unique challenge each period. The current challenge theme is 'Sci-Fi Western', with submissions of up to 6,000 words due by August 20. The competition is free to enter, and winners receive prizes including a two-year Duotrope service subscription (valued at $100).
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Two years of Duotrope service for the first place winner.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: August 15, 2025 (Expired)
Breakwater Fiction Contest
Breakwater Review
Genres: Fiction
The Breakwater Fiction Contest is an annual contest that seeks fresh and unpublished prose submissions ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 words. It charges a $10 entry fee and offers a prize of $1,000 and publication in the upcoming issue.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in the next forthcoming issue
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: December 01, 2025
The Moth Nature Writing Prize 2025
The Moth Magazine
Genres: Fiction and Poetry
An international writing contest for original, unpublished short stories. Winners are selected anonymously by a judge.
Top Prize:
€3,000
Additional prizes:
2nd prize: a week at Circle of Misse plus open travel stipend | 3rd prize: €1,000
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
The Raven Short Story Contest
Pulp Literature Press
Genres: Fiction
The Raven Short Story Contest invites submissions of previously unpublished short fiction between 250 to 2500 words. The contest is judged by Kelly Robson, a renowned author.
Top Prize:
$300
Additional prizes:
Publication in Pulp Literature
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2025 (Expired)
Ironclad Short Story Competition
Ironclad Creative CIC
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Ironclad Short Story Competition invites both published and unpublished writers to submit original stories responding to the prompt 'SWITCH.' Stories up to 6,000 words are accepted. Winning and shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology.
Top Prize:
£100
Additional prizes:
2nd: £50 | 3rd: £25 | Publication for all shortlisted stories.
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2025
Romance Through The Ages Contest — Un-Published
Hearts Through History Romance Writers
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.
Top Prize:
$50
Additional prizes:
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category receive a social media badge. All winners will be announced in RWA’s digital Romance Writers Report.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award
Killer Nashville
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller
The Silver Falchion Award honors the best books published in 2024 across various genres, including mystery, thriller, suspense, and romance. The competition aims to recognize quality storytelling and is open to all published authors.
Top Prize:
$250
💰 Entry fee: $85
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2025 (Expired)
Novel Fair 2025
Irish Writers Centre
Genres: Fiction and Novel
Novel Fair is an annual competition for unpublished novelists, allowing winners to pitch their novels to publishers and agents. It includes a two-day event with workshops and meetings with industry professionals.
Top Prize:
Present your novel to leading publishers and agents at the Irish Writers Centre
Additional prizes:
Shortlisted applicants receive feedback on their submissions.
💰 Entry fee: $55
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)
The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction
Lascuax Review
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction invites submissions of stories that may be previously published or unpublished. True stories are accepted if written in a narrative style. The contest emphasizes the importance of storytelling.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Winner also receives a bronze medallion and publication in The Lascaux Review
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2026
Stringybark Open Short Story Award 2025
Stringybark Publishing
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The contest is open to stories of 1500 words or fewer with a link to Australia. It aims to showcase short stories and has an award pool exceeding $1420 in cash and books, encouraging submissions from all authors aged 16 and above.
Top Prize:
$500 AUD
Additional prizes:
2nd: $300 | 3rd: $50. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places also get publication + e-book + paperback + choice of any two Stringybark anthologies. 4th place gets publication + e-book.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: February 23, 2025 (Expired)
The $15,000 Writing Challenge
Storyshares
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
The annual Story of the Year contest is back with a new challenge! We’re looking for captivating, diverse stories that are "easy to read and hard to put down" for readers beyond the third grade. There are five categories aimed at young adult readers, and we encourage you to submit as many entries as you like—submission is free and unlimited!
Top Prize:
$15,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in digital and print
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: January 13, 2025 (Expired)
MoonLit Getaway Short Fiction Contest
MoonLit Getaway
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The contest invites entries for short fiction with a maximum word count of 2,500 words. All submissions must be original and unpublished. The contest promotes engagement by publishing winning stories in their anthology and on the website.
Top Prize:
$250 CAD
Additional prizes:
Two runners-up will each receive 50 CAD and publication.
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: October 12, 2025 (Expired)
Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize
Fiction Collective 2
Genres: Fiction
The Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize is designed for writers with at least three books published. It encourages innovative fiction that challenges dominant narratives. Submissions must be in English and can include various forms of long fiction. The contest aims to support diverse voices in literature.
Top Prize:
$15,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press, with an Introduction by the final judge.
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2025
Genres: Children's and Fiction
This contest invites participants aged 8-14 to submit a short story based on autumn themes with prompts including family dinners, campfire stories, and mysteries.
Top Prize:
£20
Additional prizes:
1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners will receive a full feature on the blog and a personalized winner's certificate. Top 20 submissions will receive an Honourable Mention certificate and feedback from editors.
💰 Entry fee: $3
📅 Deadline: October 25, 2025 (Expired)
Arizona Authors Literary Contest
Arizona Authors
Genres: Children's, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Young Adult
The Arizona Authors Literary Contest is open to authors worldwide from January 1, 2025, to June 1, 2025. It accepts unpublished and published works across multiple categories, with a focus on literary merit.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Grand winner: $500 | 3x 1st: $200 | 3x 2nd: $125 | 3x 3rd: $75 | 3x 4th: $50 | 11x "Best of Subcategory" prizes: $25 each | Recognition in the Arizona Literary Magazine and various monetary prizes for winners and runners-up.
💰 Entry fee: $50
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2025 (Expired)
