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DIRECTORY

Best Writing Contests in 2025

Showing 382 contests that match your search.

Page 10

National High School Essay Contest

American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)

Genres: Essay

The contest invites high school students to write an essay reflecting on the role of the U.S. Foreign Service during the Vietnam War and its impacts on contemporary U.S. diplomacy.

Top Prize:

$2,500

Additional prizes:

All-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2025

Genres: Flash Fiction

The Flash Fiction Competition challenges participants to submit a story of no more than 100 words. This year's theme requires the inclusion of specific terms related to 'tip'.

Top Prize:

$60

Additional prizes:

2nd prize: £30 3rd prize: £20

💰 Entry fee: $3

📅 Deadline: September 08, 2024 (Expired)

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The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction invites submissions of stories that may be previously published or unpublished.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, 2025

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

Established in 2018, the Women's Prose Prize honors previously unpublished, original prose work including novels, short story collections, memoirs, and essay collections. It is open to all women writers, with a fair evaluation process ensuring anonymity during judging.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025

Southword Editor’s Poetry Award

Munster Literature Centre

Genres: Poetry

Each entrant for their €24 entry fee will receive a complementary postage-free, one-year subscription to Southword. Poems will be read and judged anonymously. Poems must be previously unpublished. The winning poet will have their three poems published in Southword.

Top Prize:

€1000

Additional prizes:

The winning poet will have their three poems published in Southword.

💰 Entry fee: $24

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)

Rhina Espaillat Poetry Award

Plough Publishing

Genres: Poetry

The award honors Dominican-American poet Rhina Espaillat. It is for an original poem of up to 50 lines, showcasing empathy and grace in everyday life.

Top Prize:

$2,000

Additional prizes:

Winning poem published in Plough Quarterly | Two finalists will receive $250

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: March 30, 2025

Iridescence Award

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Science Fiction

The Iridescence Award is a writing contest for BIPOC authors. It focuses on themes like the supernatural, extraterrestrial, or paranormal, encouraging submissions in short stories and poetry. Winners will have their work published in the Iridescence anthology, and cash awards are available. Entries must be original and unpublished, and they should align with the contest guidelines.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Publication in the Iridescence anthology | 2nd place: $250 | 3rd place: $100

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025

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.

Top Prize:

£75

Additional prizes:

£75 for first prize in each category, plus the opportunity to read the winning entry at the festival. £25 for commended entries in each category.

💰 Entry fee: $4

📅 Deadline: March 28, 2025

Environmental Writing Competition

Write the World in partnership with Patagonia

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The Environmental Writing Competition invites young writers to explore themes related to environmental issues through various genres. Participants are encouraged to express their voices on pressing ecological topics.

Top Prize:

$250

Additional prizes:

Publication opportunity and feedback from guest judges.

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024 (Expired)

TWFest Very Short Fiction Contest

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The TWFest Very Short Fiction Contest invites emerging writers to submit original short stories up to 1,000 words. The contest promotes new work and is open to writers who have not published a book of fiction.

Top Prize:

$500

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024 (Expired)

Fish Short Memoir Prize

Fish Publishing

Genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The Fish Short Memoir Prize invites entries of personal memoirs, with the aim of being published in the Fish Anthology 2025. It's open to writers of any nationality and no prior publication is needed.

Top Prize:

€1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd and 3rd: Online writing course + €300 | 3rd: €300

💰 Entry fee: $18

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

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.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Publication in "AZURE: A Journal of Literary Thought"

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: September 24, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Poetry

Established in 1998, this award honors poet Benjamin Saltman and is for previously unpublished original poetry collections. The competition is open to all poets.

Top Prize:

$3,000

Additional prizes:

Book publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Children's, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Young Adult

The I Am Writing Competition offers multiple categories for writers to showcase their talent, with prizes for various genres including crime, historical, and romance. Each category allows entrants to submit the first 3,500 words of their work along with a synopsis where required.

Top Prize:

$250

Additional prizes:

30-minute consultation with genre expert

💰 Entry fee: $13

📅 Deadline: May 28, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in book-length collections. The winning submission will receive a $2,500 advance and publication. The contest is open to all writers, and all submitted works must be previously unpublished collections.

Top Prize:

$2,500

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

Genres: Children's and Essay

An annual contest encouraging students to explore and appreciate Jane Austen's works. Open to high school, college, and graduate students worldwide, the contest offers scholarships for original essays focused on a specific topic related to Austen's literature.

Top Prize:

$1,000 scholarship

Additional prizes:

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2025

James Alan McPherson Prize for the Novel

Association of Writers & Writing Programs

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.

Top Prize:

$5,500

Additional prizes:

Publication by the University of Nebraska Press

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025

"Write On!" Short Story Contest

Ann Arbor District Library

Genres: Children's

The contest is for Grades 3-5 and will be open for submissions from January 6 to February 2, 2025. An awards ceremony will be held on April 19, 2025.

Top Prize:

Publication on website

📅 Deadline: February 02, 2025 (Expired)

Bridport Novel Award

Bridport Arts Centre

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The Bridport Novel Award invites submissions of original, unpublished novels. Authors must submit an opening of 5,000 to 8,000 words along with a 300-word synopsis. It's open to writers aged 16 and over from the UK and Ireland, including those living abroad.

Top Prize:

£1500

Additional prizes:

£750 for the runner up and three prizes of £150

💰 Entry fee: $29

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025

National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award

First Coast Romance Writers

Genres: Fiction and Romance

The National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award (NERFA) celebrates published romance novels and novellas, judged by romance readers. It aims to promote excellence in romantic fiction.

Top Prize:

NERFA Winner web logo and trophy

Additional prizes:

Finalists receive a NERFA Finalist web logo and certificate

💰 Entry fee: $40

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025

BRMCWC Foundation Awards

Blue Ridge Mountains Conference

Genres: Christian

The Foundation Awards are designed for unpublished works from attendees of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Participants must be registered for the entire conference and follow specific guidelines for submission.

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2025

North Street Book Prize

Winning Writers

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The North Street Book Prize focuses on self-published or hybrid-published books, offering significant cash prizes and marketing services to enhance visibility. The contest has been running for 11 years and encourages entries across various genres.

Top Prize:

$10,000

Additional prizes:

$1,000 for top winner in each category | $300 for honorable mentions

💰 Entry fee: $85

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2025

Genres: Poetry

Welcome to the 20th annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre. $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style.

Top Prize:

$3,000

Additional prizes:

$200 for 10 honorable mentions

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2025

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

The Reader Views Literary Awards program aims to honor independent authors and their self-published works. The awards are recognized industry-wide as a significant platform for independent authors.

Top Prize:

$1,250

Additional prizes:

Gold: $750 Silver: $350 Bronze: $150 sponsored awards including include marketing packages, interviews, and ads.

💰 Entry fee: $89

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2024 (Expired)

Shiny Dime Writing Challenge

Write of Passage

Genres: Non-fiction

The Shiny Dime Writing Challenge is designed to help writers distill their ideas into concise, impactful writing. Over ten weeks, participants will learn to focus on their topic, create memorable phrases, and share their insights with a community of writers.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Free access to our 5 week writing bootcamp (a $4000 dollar value)

💰 Entry fee: $40

📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)

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

The competition aims to give marginalized voices the opportunity to establish literary legacies. It accepts unpublished creative nonfiction manuscripts and assesses entries based on originality, creativity, and writing quality.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication of the winning manuscript in 2026. Runners up will also be considered for publication.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2025

Chapter One Prize

Gutsy Great Novelist

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

The Chapter One Prize is an international writing contest for unpublished novelists. It aims to find the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress written in English. Submissions open on February 3, 2025, and close on March 3, 2025.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250. Honorable mentions may also be awarded.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 03, 2025

Gulf Coast Writers Association Writing Contest

Gulf Coast Writers Association

Genres: Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA) organizes an annual writing contest to celebrate and recognize talented writers across various genres. Participants can submit original works in Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry. The contest promotes writers' creativity and provides valuable feedback from experienced judges.

Top Prize:

$200

Additional prizes:

Second place: $75 Third place: $50 For each category

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025

Literary and Photographic Contest

Hispanic Culture Review

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

The contest theme is 'Hecho a mano', focusing on the creativity of handmade works. Categories include photography, poetry, and narrative/essay/academic investigation. Selected works will be published, and winners will receive monetary prizes and certificates of recognition.

Top Prize:

Monetary prize + certificate of recognition for winners in each category

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: January 21, 2025 (Expired)

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

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 25, 2024 (Expired)

Nimrod Literary Awards

Nimrold International Journal of Prose and Poetry

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.

Top Prize:

$2,000

Additional prizes:

2nd: $1000 + publication

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025

Solar Flare

Sunspot Literary Journal

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

A solar flare is short-lived but has a huge amount of energy. Sunspot Lit is looking for a noteworthy flare of creative energy through short stories, poems, or graphic novels.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

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

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025

The Book of the Year Awards

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 with 75 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners share cash prizes totaling $6,000, including a Grand Prize of $2,500.

Top Prize:

$2,500

Additional prizes:

Minimum cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 for first, second, and third places in each category respectively

💰 Entry fee: $49

📅 Deadline: August 16, 2025

Genres: Short Story

The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition is dedicated to supporting new voices in short fiction. It has a history of over 43 years and emphasizes original, unpublished stories. Winners are highlighted on the competition's website.

Top Prize:

$1,500

Additional prizes:

Second place: $500 Third place: $500 Honorable mentions also awarded Publication of the winning story on the competition website

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: September 01, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Mystery and Short Story

An annual international competition for unpublished short mystery stories up to 3,500 words. The competition seeks to find the best story that aligns with Margery Allingham's definition of a mystery.

Top Prize:

£500

Additional prizes:

Potential publication on the CWA website + in the Margery Allingham Society journal

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025

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