The Best Writing Contests of 2022
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
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Submit a short story based on 1 of 5 weekly prompts. Winners get $250.
Showing 428 contests
Diode Editions Full Length Book Contest
Diode Editions
Open to all poets over the age of 18 who write in English. Length: 55—85 pages (front matter is not included in page count). We will consider translations, and we welcome collaborations.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication and 25 author copies
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: August 15, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestTypehouse Literary Magazine Open Fiction Contest
Typehouse Literary Magazine
We are pleased to announce Typehouse Literary Magazine 's third biennial Open Fiction Contest! All pieces must be between 1000-6000 words, entries must be previously unpublished and all genres are accepted.
Top prize
$175
Additional prizes
$100 for second place and $50 for third place
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: June 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestFlying South
Winston-Salem Writers
Each entry must be original work and previously unpublished. Simultaneous submissions will be accepted, but authors must notify Flying South immediately and withdraw from the contest if their work is accepted elsewhere. Prizes include publication in Flying South 2021, Best in Category, and President's Favorite.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Flying South 2020
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: May 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry
View contestNowhere Magazine Spring 2021 Travel Writing Contest
Nowhere Magazine
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Nowhere Magazine is given twice yearly for a travel-specific short story, long-form creative nonfiction piece, poem or essay that possesses a powerful sense of place, character or time. Unpublished and published pieces that have not previously been chosen as a contest winner are eligible. Submit your 800- to 5,000-word piece with a $20 entry fee by June 30, 2021.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Nowhere magazine
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: June 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestJane Martin Poetry Prize (UK)
Girton College
A UK-only competition for young poets (aged 18-30 years). The winners receive a cash prize of £700 and have an opportunity to give a reading at a celebratory event at Girton College.
Top prize
£700
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: March 05, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestHammond House Short Story Competition
Hammond House
The theme for the 2021 competition - STARDUST - is intended to be inspirational, not restrictive, so please feel free to interpret it in any way you choose. Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for intriguing ideas and addictive prose. Top prize of £1000.
Top prize
£1000
Additional prizes
Publication by Hammond House
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: September 20, 2019 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestHammond House International Poetry Prize
Hammond House
The theme for the 2021 competition - STARDUST - is intended to be inspirational, not restrictive, so please feel free to interpret it in any way you choose. Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for intriguing ideas and fresh voices. Top prize of £100.
Top prize
£100
Additional prizes
Publication by Hammond House
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: September 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestHammond House Screenplay Competition
Hammond House
The theme for the 2021 competition - STARDUST - is intended to be inspirational, not restrictive, so please feel free to interpret it in any way you choose. Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for honesty and emotion. Top prize of £100.
Top prize
£100
Additional prizes
Trailers made for top three places
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: September 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Script Writing
View contestColorado Gold Writing Contest for Unpublished Writers
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
Offers emerging writers a chance to get their work seen by acquiring agents and editors. For unpublished writers of novel-length commercial fiction.
Top prize
$150
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $35
Deadline: June 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Novel
View contestAnnie Balocating Undergraduate Prize for Poetry
Michigan State University
The Annie Balocating Undergraduate Prize for Poetry was established in 2011. It awards $500 for a single poem, and is open to Michigan State University undergraduate students in any major. The call for entries goes out at the end of January, and the final judge is one of the poets appearing at our Spring Poetry Festival.
Top prize
$500
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: March 10, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestStan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize
Kent State University
This prize is offered annually to a poet who has not previously published a full-length collection of poems. The prize awards the winner with $2,500 and publication of their first full-length book of poetry by the Kent State University Press. The winner and the competition's judge will give a reading together on the Kent State campus.
Top prize
$2,500
Additional prizes
Publication by Kent State University Press
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: May 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestJim Martin Memorial Story Contest
Arizona Mystery Writers
Send in your short story in mystery, suspense, or thriller style. Entries may be up to 2500 words (about 10 double-spaced pages). It’s loads of fun and a good exercise of your writing skills.
Top prize
$200
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: July 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Short Story
View contestBiopage Storytelling Writing Contest
Biopage
Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Each story (or once chapter of your stories) is limited to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words. You can write about good life experience, or bad, embarrassing, frightening ones. You can win $300, and five runners-up can win $100 each.
Top prize
$300
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: July 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Flash Fiction
View contestShort Story Competition
Globe Soup
We’re looking for the best SHORT STORY of no more than 5,000 words. This Short Story Competition has the theme: ‘Stories with a Sense of Place’.
Top prize
£1500
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $17
Deadline: June 15, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Short Story
View contestNowhere Emerging Travel Writers' Prize
Nowhere Magazine
We are looking for never-been-published travel writers from anywhere in the world to send us stories—fiction, nonfiction, essay or poetry—that possess a powerful sense of place, people and time.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in Nowhere Magazine
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: March 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestIrene Adler Prize
Lucas Aykroyd
The Irene Adler Prize offers a $1,000 US scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution in the U.S. or Canada, based on an essay competition.
Top prize
$1,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: April 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Essay
View contestJuniper Prizes
University of Massachusetts Press
The Juniper Prizes for Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction are awarded annually to original manuscripts: two books of poetry, one work of creative nonfiction, one short story collection, and one novel. The University of Massachusetts Press publishes the winning manuscripts and the authors receive a $1,000 award upon publication. Submissions are accepted between August 1 and September 30.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by University of Massachusetts Press
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: September 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Short Story
View contestTo Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Contest
Christopher Fielden
August 2020 saw the launch of the 2021 To Hull And Back Short Story Competition, a biennial short story contest with a humorous twist that celebrates the most imaginative and amazing short stories from writers all over the world. There's a total prize pot of £3,250.
Top prize
£1,200
Additional prizes
Published in an anthology
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $18
Deadline: July 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, Short Story
View contestSeán O'Faoláin International Short Story Competition
Munster Literature Centre
The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or fewer. The story can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world.
Top prize
€2,000
Additional prizes
Residency at Anam Cara Retreat, Featured reading at the Cork International Short Story Festival, Publication in Southword
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $22
Deadline: July 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story
View contestThe Moth Short Story Prize
The Moth Magazine
The Moth Short Story Prize is an international prize, open to anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as their story is original and previously unpublished. The Prize will be judged this year by Ali Smith, the author of many works of fiction, including five collections of short stories and, most recently, the seasonal quartet, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Her work has won many awards.
Top prize
€3,000
Additional prizes
€1,000, writing retreat at Circle of Misse
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $18
Deadline: June 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestFirst Novel Award
Blue Pencil Agency
The Award is open to unrepresented and unpublished authors for a novel in any adult fiction genre. The winner and runners-up will receive an agent introduction and possibly a manuscript review.
Top prize
£1,000
Additional prizes
Agent introduction, manuscript review
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $27
Deadline: May 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Novel
View contestElizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize
Australian Book Review
The Jolley Prize is open to all short story writers writing in English. We seek original short stories of between 2,000 and 5,000 words.
Top prize
$AU6,000
Additional prizes
$AU4,000, $AU2,500
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: May 03, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestMain Street Rag Poetry Book Contest
Main Street Rag Publishing Company
The Main Street Rag Poetry Book Contest is for full length poetry manuscripts (48-84 pages) and has a February 1, 2020 deadline.
Top prize
$1,200
Additional prizes
Publication, 50 copies of their book
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: January 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestThe Kurt Brown Prizes
Association of Writers & Writing Programs
AWP will offer three scholarships of $500 each to be awarded to three first-place winners in the genres of creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. These scholarships must be used to attend a writers’ conference, center, retreat, festival, or residency at one of the AWP member programs in the Directory of Conferences & Centers. All winners and six finalists will also receive a one-year individual membership.
Top prize
$500 scholarship
Additional prizes
one-year membership
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: May 15, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Short Story
View contestThe Don Belton Fiction Reading Period
Indiana Review
Indiana Review and Indiana University Press are proud to present the Don Belton Fiction Reading Period. Between May 1 and June 30, we will read fiction manuscripts of up to 80,000 words. The winning manuscript will be published by IU Press and the author will receive $1,000 against future royalties and a standard publication contract with IU Press.
Top prize
Publication by IU Press
Additional prizes
$1,000 against future royalties, a standard publication contract with IU Press
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: June 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Novel
View contestIndiana Review Poetry Prize
Indiana Review
Winners of the Indiana Review poetry contest receive a prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review. You may submit up to three poems. All entries are considered for publication. Each $20 fee gets you a year-long subscription of the journal.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Indiana Review
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: March 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestEdwin Markham Prize for Poetry
Reed Magazine
The Edwin Markham Prize honors outstanding works of poetry. Our taste is eclectic and celebrates the wonderful diversity of forms, styles, and levels of diction available to the contemporary poet. Writers may submit up to five (5) poems per submission.
Top prize
$1,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: November 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestThe Loraine Williams Poetry Prize
The Georgia Review
The Loraine Williams Poetry Prize is an award for a single poem, to be published in The Georgia Review. The winner will receive $1,500 and an expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia, to give a public reading with the judge. Submissions must be sent either online or by mail from March 1 through May 1. All submitted poems will be considered for publication in The Georgia Review; any selected will be paid $4 per line.
Top prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Expenses-paid trip to Athens, Georgia
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: May 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestThe Pinch Literary Awards
The Pinch Literary Journal
Pinch is a literary journal run by the MFA students at the University of Memphis. In their annual contest, two winners are selected from each category of fiction and poetry. Only unpublished entries are considered.
Top prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Pinch
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: April 07, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestFiction Prize
Indiana Review
Winners of the Indiana Review short story contest receive a prize of $1,000 and publication in Indiana Review. Stories can be up to 6,000 words. All entries are considered for publication. Each $20 fee gets you a year-long subscription of the journal.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Indiana Review
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: March 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestJohn Steinbeck Award for Fiction
Reed Magazine
Awarding one of the richest purses among literary magazines—$1,000 for the winning story—the John Steinbeck Award for Fiction recognizes exceptional works of fiction. Aesthetically, we are open to most styles and approaches. All works should be stand-alone short stories, not chapters of a longer work. Please limit prose submissions to 5,000 words.
Top prize
$1,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: November 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestFlash Fiction Writing Contest
Voice.club
Voice.club has a strong commitment to writers and writing. Our monthly Flash Fiction writing contests are a wonderful opportunity for writers to practice their craft, share their stories and win prizes! Each entry must be 350 words or less, be family-friendly, and include some reference to the month's theme.
Top prize
$50 Amazon gift-card
Additional prizes
$25 Amazon gift-card
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestKatherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction
University of North Texas Press
The University of North Texas Press announces the 2021 Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction. The winner of this annual award will receive $1000 and publication by UNT Press. Entries must be a collection of any combination of flash fiction, short stories, or novellas, from 27,500 to 50,000 words. In order to ensure that all writers have access to publication, this contest will be open for fee-free submissions on Monday, June 1 from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by UNT Press
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: June 30, 2020 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, Novella, Short Story
View contest"Matter" Anthology Poetry Contest
Oprelle
Oprelle's monthly poetry contest is for all of you out there who carry a scrappy notebook full of poems. Your soul is on that paper, and your words matter. Your poem, based on that month's theme, can be simple and uplifting, or complicated and metaphorical; any style works, if you follow the rules and write 14 or less lines. Oh, and make sure your poetry is 100% original. We will consider both published and unpublished poems.
Top prize
$200
Additional prizes
Publication in Matter Anthology
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Poetry
View contestThe Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction
The Lascaux Review
The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction opens 1 April. Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Pieces may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in both the online and annual print editions of The Lascaux Review.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in the Lascaux Review
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: September 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction
View contest
