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DIRECTORY
Showing 51 contests that match your search.
Alice Lutyens, literary agent at Curtis Brown
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The Caledonia Novel Award aims to support unpublished and self-published novelists across all genres for adults and young adults.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.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Exclusive framed award designed by Edinburgh artist Lucy Roscoe. Highly Commended prize: £500 Special prize: a free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre
💰 Entry fee: $28
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2024 (Expired)
Lambda Literary
Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ, and Novel
Dedicated to the memory of author and journalist Jim Duggins, this prize honors LGBTQ-identified authors who have published multiple novels, built a strong reputation and following, and show promise to continue publishing high quality work for years to come.
Top Prize:
$5000 (x2)
📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)
Minotaur Books & Malice Domestic
Genres: Mystery and Novel
Welcome to the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in the Southwest Competition! The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any Published Mystery Novel (including self-published works and ebooks), as defined by the guidelines below, and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a mystery novel.
Top Prize:
$10,000 advance
Additional prizes:
Contract with Minotaur Books
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2021 (Expired)
Killer Nashville
Genres: Fiction and Novel
Every year, the Killer Nashville Claymore Award assists new and rebranding English-language fiction authors get published, including possible agent representation, book advances, editor deals, and movie and television sales. While we cannot guarantee that winners and finalists of this award will receive publication, dozens of winners & runners-up of the Claymore award have gone on to find great success in their careers and many of them attribute that success to this award.
Top Prize:
Publishing contract
Additional prizes:
Discounted admission to Killer Nashville, introductions to agents/editors
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)
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Novel Fair is an annual competition for unpublished novelists, allowing winners to pitch their novels to publishers and agents.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)
Jacqueline Gay Walley
Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
IML Publications is dedicated to amplifying contemporary writers' voices. The contest requires 50 double-spaced pages and a 1-page synopsis submitted via email. The winner receives $1000 and possible book publication in ebook and paperback formats.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Possible book publication/distribution in ebook and paperback formats
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024 (Expired)
Chicken House Books
Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult
We're looking for original ideas, a fresh voice, a diverse range of entries and stories that children will love! To enter, you must have written a full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged between 7 and 18 years. We suggest a minimum of 30,000 words and ask that manuscripts do not exceed 80,000 words. The IET 150 Award will be awarded to a manuscript that celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
Top Prize:
A worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House & royalty advance of £10,000
Additional prizes:
An offer of representation from a top literary agent
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2024 (Expired)
IndieReader
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Novel
Where talented authors meet publishing professionals with the power to make a difference in the success of their books. Every author who enters a title in the IR Discovery Awards will receive a verdict, written by an IndieReader reviewer and based on their assessment after reading the complete book.
Top Prize:
First look consideration by a top, NYC-based literary agency
Additional prizes:
$500, publicist consultation service, Reedsy credit, custom author website
💰 Entry fee: $150
📅 Deadline: February 14, 2024 (Expired)
Sunspot Literary Journal
Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, and Short Story
The Rigel 2024 writing contest invites submissions in various formats, including prose, poetry, art, and graphic novels, with a focus on creative expression across genres. The contest aims to support diverse voices and original works.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Runners-up and finalists are offered publication
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024 (Expired)
Cleveland Foundation
Genres: Novel, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and cultural diversity. Established in 1935 by Edith Anisfield Wolf, it remains the only American book prize focused on these themes.
Top Prize:
$10,000
Additional prizes:
Winners receive $10,000 and are honored at a ceremony in Cleveland.
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024
Georgia Romance Writers
Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Romance
The Maggie Award for Excellence for Prepublished writers aims to recognize and reward romance writing mastery. Each entry receives two critiques from published authors, and finalists are assessed by industry agents and editors. The highest-scored manuscript in each category wins a Maggie Award medallion.
Additional prizes:
Maggie Award medallion for highest-scored manuscript in each category; all finalists receive certificates. Critiques returned to all entrants.
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: April 26, 2024 (Expired)
The Letter Review
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The contest is aimed at unpublished works including novels, novellas, poetry collections, and nonfiction books. It is judged blind and winners can choose to publish an extract. The prize is awarded every three months with a total prize pool of $4,000 USD.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Optional publication of excerpt + letter of recommendation
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: January 01, 2025
The Independent Author Network
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story
The 11th Annual IAN Book of the Year Awards is an international contest open to all authors, featuring 75 categories across fiction and non-fiction. Winners receive cash prizes and recognition.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Prizes for runners-up include cash awards of $1,000 for first place in each category, $500 for second, and $250 for third. Winners receive various awards, including digital seals and membership upgrades.
💰 Entry fee: $49
📅 Deadline: August 16, 2026
Storytrade
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Storytrade Book Awards celebrate literary excellence in small and independent publishing, featuring over 70 categories for fiction and nonfiction. The awards spotlight outstanding books and provide industry recognition for authors.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
$1,000 for each Book of the Year (Fiction & Nonfiction). Medals, book stickers, and digital seals for Winners and Finalists
💰 Entry fee: $75
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025
Wilkes University
Genres: Fiction and Novel
A prize of $10,000 is given annually for a novel-in-progress by a U.S. writer who has not published a novel. Runners-up will receive $1000. A selection from the winning work is published in Provincetown Arts.
Top Prize:
$10,000
💰 Entry fee: $33
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)
Stockholm Writers Festival
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult
SWF is proud to launch the First 5 Pages Prize to mark our 5th anniversary. Dazzle us with your brilliance. Delight us with your wit. Deceive us with your dastardly plot-twists. There will be one Grand Prize winner chosen from all entries. The winner will receive: $1000 cash, a ticket to SWF22, a pitch meeting with an agent conducted over Zoom, two night’s accommodation at a boutique hotel, and a full developmental edit donated by Reedsy, the industry’s leading platform for writing services.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
A full developmental edit donated by Reedsy & pitch meeting with an agent
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
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