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DIRECTORY
Showing 428 contests that match your search.
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)
Goldfinch Books
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Goldfinch Novel Award is a prize for emerging authors, inviting submissions of the first 3,000 words of a completed novel plus a 1-page synopsis. It aims to discover new literary talent and is in partnership with the Alton Arts Festival.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Shortlisted authors receive feedback from judges, free place on the Creative Writing Course, Goldfinch membership
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025
Writers of the Future
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Science Fiction
L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience. Prizes of $1000, $750 and $500 are awarded every three months. From the four 1st Place winners each year, one story is selected as the grand prize winner and the author receives an additional $5000 cash prize.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
$750 for 2nd place, $500 for 3rd, £5000 annual grand prize
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)
First Pages Prize
Genres: Fiction and Non-fiction
The First Pages Prize is an annual writing contest dedicated to emerging writers. It encourages submissions of the first five pages (up to 1,250 words) of a longer work in fiction or creative nonfiction. The contest aims to discover and promote new voices in literature.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize: $1500 3rd Prize: $1000 Mentorship and agent consultation. The Sandra Carpenter Prize for a female identifying American writer in creative nonfiction.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: April 24, 2024 (Expired)
World History Association
Genres: Children's and Essay
The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.
Top Prize:
$500
📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)
The Moth Magazine Ltd.
Genres: Poetry
The Caterpillar Poetry Prize is an annual competition for unpublished poems written by adults for children aged 7–11. It has been awarded since 2015 by notable judges like Michael Rosen and includes past winners such as Louise Greig and Coral Rumble.
Top Prize:
€1,000 plus a week at Circle of Misse in France
Additional prizes:
2nd: €500 | 3rd: €250 Some poems may be commended at the judge's discretion.
💰 Entry fee: $16
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Writing Peers
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Horror, Mystery, Romance, and Thriller
The Writing Peers Summer Short Story Prize is designed to celebrate and promote the art of storytelling. Details about the contest, including submission guidelines, themes, and criteria, are crucial for participants.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: June 21, 2024 (Expired)
Tupelo Press
Genres: Poetry
The Snowbound Chapbook Award is an annual contest for poetry manuscripts. The winner receives a cash prize, publication, and a book launch. The contest aims to discover and promote emerging poets.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by Tupelo Press, 25 copies of the winning title, a book launch, and national distribution. Finalists will be considered for publication.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025
Crime Writers' Association
Genres: Mystery and Short Story
Every year since 2014, the CWA and the Margery Allingham Society have jointly held an international competition for a short story of up to 3,500 words. Our mission is to find the best unpublished short mystery, and not only that, but one which fits into Golden Age crime writer Margery Allingham’s definition of what makes a great story. Entries are invited from all writers, published or unpublished, writing in English.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Two weekend passes to CrimeFest
💰 Entry fee: $16
📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)
Frost Farm Poetry
Genres: Poetry
The Trustees of the Robert Frost Farm in Derry, NH, and the Hyla Brook Poets invite submissions for the 2022, 12th Annual The Frost Farm Prize for metrical poetry. The winner receives $1,000 and an invitation, with honorarium, to read in June 2022 as part of The Hyla Brook Reading Series at the Robert Frost Farm.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Fanstory
Genres: Poetry
Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem: 2 syllables in the first line, 4 in the second, 2 in the last. Subject can be anything. Winner receives feedback and a cash prize.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Feedback for all submissions.
📅 Deadline: December 11, 2024
Texas Review Press
Genres: Poetry
The TRP Southern Poetry Breakthrough Series highlights a first full-length collection by emerging authors from each state in the southern U.S. This year's state is South Carolina. Open to any poet born in South Carolina, currently residing in South Carolina, or who has lived in South Carolina for five consecutive years at any point, who has not yet published a full-length collection of poetry. The author may have published chapbooks or books in other genres. Submissions accepted through Submittable only.
Top Prize:
Publication
📅 Deadline: March 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
Folly Journal
Genres: Fiction, Humor, and Short Story
The Folly Short Story Prize encourages entertaining, comedic, and well-crafted stories, aiming to engage readers with original works. The winner receives a cash prize and publication in Folly Journal.
Top Prize:
$1000 NZD
Additional prizes:
Runner-up: $500 NZD Winner published in Issue 2 of Folly
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)
University of New Orleans Press
Genres: Novel
The Publishing Laboratory at the University of New Orleans seeks to promote innovative publicity and broad distribution for authors. They accept submissions for unpublished novels and short story collections. A selected author is awarded a $10,000 advance on royalties and a publishing contract.
Top Prize:
$10,000
Additional prizes:
Advance on royalties
💰 Entry fee: $28
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Expired)
FanStory.com Inc.
Genres: Poetry
Write a love poem. All forms of poetry accepted. Your love poem can be fictional or non-fictional. It can be humorous or serious. The choice is yours. But it must clearly be a love poem.
Top Prize:
$100
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: July 18, 2024 (Expired)
Blake Chasen and Emma Needell
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, and Romance
The Avenue Writing Contest invites participants to create interactive narratives in four categories: Romance, Fantasy, Progression Fantasy + LitRPG, and D&D. Entries are crafted using the Avenue Creator Studio, where participants develop episodes that allow reader choices to influence the story.
Top Prize:
$250
Additional prizes:
2nd: $150 3rd: $100 Winners will also be featured on Avenue’s app, website, and social media. Prizes apply for each category.
📅 Deadline: May 22, 2024 (Expired)
Berggruen Institute
Genres: Essay
The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition aims to foster innovative ideas across cultures by posing significant philosophical questions relevant to contemporary life. It seeks submissions in English and Chinese that reflect novel thinking and compelling arguments.
Top Prize:
$25,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in Noema Magazine. Each language category will have a prize.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)
42 Miles Press
Genres: Poetry
The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award aims to highlight urgent and original voices in poetry. Open to all poets writing in English, it accepts collections of poetry that showcase contemporary American poetic voices. The contest is judged by David Dodd Lee, and past winners include several notable poets.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication of the winning book and 50 author copies, plus an invitation for a reading at Indiana University South Bend.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024 (Expired)
Twist in the Tale
Genres: Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Fiction
The contest encourages creativity by providing a main genre and a twisted subgenre, along with unique prompts. Participants can reroll their subgenre and prompts to inspire their story writing. It promotes community interaction through writing groups and feedback mechanisms.
Top Prize:
$1,200
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: May 19, 2024 (Expired)
Christopher Fielden
Genres: Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, and Short Story
July 2022 saw the launch of the 8th 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.
Top Prize:
£1,200
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize: £600 | 3rd Prize: £300 | 3 x Highly Commended: £150 | 14 x Shortlisted: £75
💰 Entry fee: $16
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025
Georgia Romance Writers
Genres: Novel and Romance
The Maggie Award for Excellence recognizes outstanding works of romantic fiction. Open to both traditional and self-published authors, the contest emphasizes quality storytelling. The award seeks submissions that showcase excellence in the romance genre.
Top Prize:
Trophy
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)
Academy of American Poets
Genres: Poetry
Offered since 1954, the James Laughlin Award is given to recognize and support a second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Along with $5,000, the winner receives an all-expenses-paid weeklong residency in Miami Beach, Florida, and distribution of the winning book to approximately one thousand Academy of American Poets members. Submissions are accepted January 1 through May 15 each year.
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
Distribution of book to Academy of American Poets members
📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024 (Expired)
Lascuax Review
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction invites submissions of flash fiction stories that may be previously published or unpublished, with a maximum length of 1,000 words. The contest aims to celebrate narrative storytelling.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Finalists: $100 Winner also receives a bronze medallion and publication in The Lascaux Review
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025
The Letter Review
Genres: Poetry
The Letter Review Prize for Poetry is awarded every three months, open to poems of up to 70 lines. The competition is blind-judged and all entries are considered for publication and further anthologies.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Total prize pool of $1000 USD for winners. Publication by The Letter Review.
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)
Rubery Book Awards
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, and Romance
The Rubery Prize is a prestigious international book award seeking the best books by indie writers, self published authors and books published by independent presses, judged by reputable judges. Through our reputation of finding quality and outstanding books we aim to bring recognition to the works that win and heighten an author's profile.
Top Prize:
£2000
Additional prizes:
£200, a write-up
💰 Entry fee: $60
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Secant Publishing
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
An international contest to find original short stories focused on the human impact of climate change. Emphasis on emotional narratives rather than scientific theories. Open to writers aged 18 and above.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250 | Up to 30 entries will be published in an anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Hopper Creative Group LLC
Genres: Science Fiction
The Valorious Awards, sponsored by international best-selling author, Christopher Hopper, is an annual competition seeking to recognize and encourage emerging artists in two categories: best sci-fi novel, best sci-fi voice actor. The awards seek to recognize emerging independent authors and character actors and discover new and exciting talent within the world of science fiction.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)
FanStory.com Inc
Genres: Fiction, Science Writing, and Science Fiction
Share a Science Fiction themed story to enter this writing contest with a cash prizes. Let your imagination fly and enjoy sharing your writing.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Winning entries will be features on the FanStory.com welcome page.
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: April 12, 2023 (Expired)
Anthology Magazine
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is open to original and previously unpublished flash fiction on any theme in the English language by writers of any nationality. We are looking for writing that is clever and unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling story. Max 250 words.
Top Prize:
€300
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)
Narrative Magazine
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative. The submission system is open all year.
Top Prize:
$4,000
💰 Entry fee: $27
📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024 (Expired)
Poetry.com
Genres: Poetry
Poetry.com offers monthly contests for poets worldwide to gain motivation, inspiration and exposure, while building passion and enjoyment for the written creative process! How are winners chosen? Our contest boasts a clever twist: poems remain anonymous whilst applicants vote on what they believe should be the winning entry.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Poem of the year: 1000 USD | 2nd place: 300 USD | 3rd place: 200 USD | Runner up personalized Poetry.com mug
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
Genres: Script Writing
The TWFest One-Act Play Contest is aimed at emerging or previously unpublished playwrights, encouraging original work not previously published or performed. It promotes new voices in playwriting while providing opportunities for recognition and publication.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Professional Staged Reading at the next Festival, VIP Festival pass ($600 value), Publication in Bayou Magazine, Photo and bio on their website for ~1 year, Interview in their newsletter. Top finalists receive a LitPass ($100 value) to the Festival.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024 (Expired)
SFWP
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, and Novella
We are seeking fiction and creative nonfiction of every genre. The contest is open to authors who have not been published by a major press. We publish in English, but the contest is open to writers from anywhere in the world. The early-bird entry fee (December 15th-February 15th) will be $25.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Two runner ups will be selected, each receiving $700.
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: July 15, 2022 (Expired)
Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.