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Find the perfect editor for your next book
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DIRECTORY
Showing 431 contests that match your search.
Flash 500
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Flash Fiction Competition invites writers to submit stories of up to 500 words. It's a quarterly competition with prizes awarded for the top three entries each quarter. Winning entries are published on the website.
Top Prize:
£300
Additional prizes:
£200, £100
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
Marsh Hawk Press
Genres: Poetry
The Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize invites submissions of poetry manuscripts. The prize includes cash awards and publication for the winner. Contest judge for 2025 is Elaine Equi.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Winner gets publication. Robert Creeley Memorial Award ($250), Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award ($250) are also available.
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)
Lauren Brill Media LLC
Genres: Poetry
This contest encourages participants to write about moments when they felt guided by the universe, such as instances of perfect timing or signs that changed their direction. It aims to inspire storytelling and personal reflection.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
2nd: $50 | Winner also gets digital billboard feature or a free copy of 'Unseal Your Superpowers'
📅 Deadline: July 23, 2025 (Expired)
Australian Book Review
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize is an annual competition for short stories. Further details on submission and eligibility are outlined on the main prize page.
Top Prize:
$6000 AUD
Additional prizes:
2nd: $4000 AUD 3rd: $2500 AUD
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: May 05, 2025 (Expired)
Lambda Literary
Genres: Fiction, LGBTQ, and Novel
This prize honors LGBTQ-identified authors who have published multiple novels, built a strong reputation, and show promise for future work. It is dedicated to Jim Duggins and supported by the James Duggins, PhD Fund.
Top Prize:
$5000 (x2)
📅 Deadline: May 16, 2025 (Expired)
South Warwickshire Literary Festival
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 (Expired)
Gotham Writers Workshop
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. The contest is inspired by the story of Hemingway’s six-word story. Entries must be original and unpublished. Judging is based on originality and quality. The winner will be notified by mid-June.
Top Prize:
$0
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: May 30, 2025 (Expired)
Creative Writing Ink
Genres: Short Story
The competition is open for entries, accepting submissions on any theme or genre. All entries are judged anonymously.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
Two runners-up will receive £200 each and a free online course. Winner will also receive a free online course and publication on the website
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
The Bath Novel Awards
Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult
The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for adult and YA manuscripts across various genres, aimed at unagented writers who are unpublished, self-published, or independently published.
Top Prize:
£5,000
Additional prizes:
Shortlisted writers receive feedback on their full manuscripts
💰 Entry fee: $38
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)
Hidden River Press
Genres: Poetry
The Willow Run Poetry Book Award is an annual contest open to poets worldwide. The winner receives a monetary prize of $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Press. Entries should be unpublished collections of poetry, between 75 and 100 pages.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in Hidden River Press
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
Dzanc Books
Genres: Fiction and Novel
The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels. It is open to all writers, including those with agents. Submissions must be unpublished and include a synopsis, author bio, and contact info.
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
Advance and publication by Dzanc Books
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: January 01, 2025 (Expired)
Columbia Journalism School
Genres: Non-fiction
The Mark Lynton History Prize, in the amount of $10,000, is awarded to a book-length work of history on any topic that best combines intellectual distinction with felicity of expression. Books must have been published in the United States between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.
Top Prize:
$10,000
💰 Entry fee: $75
📅 Deadline: December 07, 2023 (Expired)
The Jane Austen Club of Sardinia
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Reeds in the Wind Literary Prize aims to promote the literary legacy of Grazia Deledda. It is open to international participants and accepts submissions in Italian, Sardinian, and English. Stories must explore themes from Deledda's works and have a word count of 5,000 to 7,000 characters. The awards will be presented during a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, 13 September 2025, in the town of Galtellì.
Top Prize:
€500
Additional prizes:
All finalists will have their stories published, and any travel expenses for finalists will be reimbursed.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: July 20, 2025 (Expired)
National Poetry Series
Genres: Poetry
The Paz Prize for Poetry awards a $2,000 prize every other year for the publication of an unpublished book of poetry originally written in Spanish by an American resident. The winning manuscript will be translated into English and published in a bilingual edition.
Top Prize:
$2,000
📅 Deadline: June 15, 2026
Christopher Fielden
Genres: Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, and Short Story
The To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Competition is a biennial contest focused on humorous writing. It celebrates imaginative short stories from writers globally. The current competition is open until June 30, 2025, with multiple cash prizes and publication opportunities in an anthology.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize: £200 | 3rd Prize: £100
💰 Entry fee: $16
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
ECPA
Genres: Christian, Fantasy, Novel, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
The Christy Award, established in 1999, celebrates novels that explore themes of faith and their influence on modern culture. Over the years, these awards have become a cornerstone event that brings together writers and publishers within the Christian literary community.
Top Prize:
The Christy Book of the Year Award.
💰 Entry fee: $175
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Expired)
New Writers UK
Genres: Flash Fiction
The New Writers Poetry Competition offers a £1,200 top prize (with £1,800 total) and publication for the top six poems in its next New Writers Anthology. It is open globally to any English-language poet aged 18+. 10% of proceeds will be donated to charity. The head judge is prize-winning poet, Katrina Moinet.
Top Prize:
£1,200
Additional prizes:
2nd: £300 | 3rd: £150 | 4th to 6th: £50 each
💰 Entry fee: $14
📅 Deadline: July 17, 2025 (Expired)
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
Genres: Poetry
The TWFest Poetry Contest encourages emerging writers to submit their original poems. The contest aims to support new literary works and provides a platform for diverse voices in poetry.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
VIP All-Access Pass ($600 value) for the next Festival, public reading at the Festival, publication in French Quarter Journal, photo and bio on website for one year, interview in newsletter and social media. LitPass ($100 value) for top finalists.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2025
Writing Battle
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Spring Microfiction Battle is part of the Writing Battle series, where participants write stories based on prompts. Participants receive feedback from peers and industry judges.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 Feedback by industry professionals. Various merchandise and opportunities for additional exposure in the community.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: May 03, 2024 (Expired)
Academy of American Poets
Genres: Poetry
The First Book Award is a $5,000 prize for a first book of poetry. The winning manuscript is published by Graywolf Press, with additional benefits like a residency in Italy and extensive promotion.
Top Prize:
$5,000
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: September 01, 2025 (Expired)
Aesthetica Magazine
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Creative Writing Award celebrates outstanding new writing talents in poetry and short fiction, offering a platform for authors globally to showcase their work. It emphasizes innovation in content and form across any theme.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual One-year subscription to The London Magazine, Granta, and Mslexia Consultation with Redhammer Management Six-week writing short stories course from Curtis Brown Creative
💰 Entry fee: $18
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2025 (Expired)
Anthology Publishing
Genres: Memoir
The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition invites entries for personal memoirs, encouraging emerging writers to share their stories. The winner will be published in Anthology magazine.
Top Prize:
€500
Additional prizes:
Publication in Anthology magazine
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2025 (Expired)
WOW! Women on Writing
Genres: Essay and Non-fiction
This contest aims to inspire creative nonfiction and provide recognition to contestants. It's open to all styles of essays including personal, lyric, and hybrid essays.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
1st: Essay published on WOW! Women on Writing, item from CreateWriteNow’s Store, interview on the WOW! blog | 7 runners up: $25 Amazon Gift Certificate | 10 honorable mentions: name mentioned on WOW! Women on Writing.
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2025
Fabula Press
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Horror, Mystery, and Science Fiction
The Fabula Press Short Story Contest encourages exceptional storytelling across genres, with no specific theme. Participants can submit entries for both free and paid categories. Winning stories may be published in an anthology.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
2nd place: $250 3rd place: $100 Stories selected for publication: $75
📅 Deadline: June 11, 2024 (Expired)
Poetry Society
Genres: Poetry
The Free Verse Prize is a new poetry prize, which supports the Free Verse Poetry Book and Magazine Fair. The judge is poet and former Poetry Book Fair director, Chrissy Williams. Poems can be on any theme, and should have fewer than 40 lines.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Publication in Poetry News and the Poetry Book Fair programme
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: March 07, 2025 (Expired)
Gyeongsang National University, Department of Language Education
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, and Travel
The contest aims to publish a magazine of short stories across various genres. Stories must fit specific word counts and themes, and will be evaluated by staff judges.
Top Prize:
$250
Additional prizes:
Prize for the winner in each genre.
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2025 (Expired)
Writers Alliance of Gainesville
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The Bacopa Literary Review is an annual international print journal seeking engaging and original submissions across multiple genres. The contest includes various categories with specific guidelines to encourage diverse forms of writing.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
$100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories
💰 Entry fee: $3
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2025 (Expired)
The Plaza Prizes Ltd.
Genres: Poetry
The Plaza Poetry Prize (60 lines) is an international competition with the aim of discovering, publishing, and promoting talented new writers. Judged by Pulitzer Prize-winner Natalie Diaz, it offers cash prizes and publication opportunities for shortlisted entries.
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
First Place: £4000 / $5000 + publication in the anthology + nomination for The Forward Prize (Top prize of £1000 / $1200). Second Prize: £300 / $360. Third Prize: £100 / $120.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Academy of American Poets
Genres: Poetry
The James Laughlin Award recognizes and supports a second full-length print book of original poetry by a living poet, forthcoming in the next calendar year. It includes a $5,000 prize and an all-expenses-paid residency.
Top Prize:
$5,000
📅 Deadline: May 15, 2025 (Expired)
Hastings Book Festival
Genres: Poetry
The Hastings Book Festival Poetry Competition is an annual event inviting submissions from poets worldwide. The contest aims to celebrate new poetry and provides an opportunity for both established and emerging writers.
Top Prize:
£250
Additional prizes:
2nd: £100 | 3rd: £50 | Publication for winning poems. Winners may also be eligible for additional prizes like the Sussex Prize and Founder's Prize.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
Letter Review
Genres: Short Story and Fiction
The Letter Review Prize for Short Fiction is a competition for short fiction (up to 5000 words) with no genre or theme restrictions. It is open to writers worldwide, with 2-4 winners published and sharing in the prize money. Entries are also considered for publication and submission to the Pushcart Prize.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 2 to 4 winners.
Additional prizes:
Publication by The Letter Review. Up to 20 writers shortlisted. Publication and consideration for the Pushcart Prize and anthologies.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2025 (Expired)
Story Studio
Genres: Fiction
The contest invites young writers across Canada to explore the theme 'Community of Stories,' encouraging submissions that reflect connections through family, friendship, and culture.
Top Prize:
Winners will receive prize packages and a published copy of their story in a chapbook.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: April 27, 2025 (Expired)
Hayden's Ferry Review
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Poetry
The Hayden's Ferry Review Fiction & Poetry Contest accepts submissions of poetry and fiction. Winners receive cash prizes and publication. The judges for 2025 are Gwen Kirby for fiction and Hieu Minh Nguyen for poetry.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Winner also receives publication in Hayden's Ferry Review. Runner-up receives $250 and publication.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
University of New Orleans Press
Genres: Novel and Fiction
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: September 01, 2025 (Expired)
Dragon Tomes Publishing
Genres: Fiction, Horror, Short Story, and Humor
Dragon Tomes Publishing is compiling an anthology of ghost and cryptid stories. They seek short stories up to 6,000 words that explore themes of ghosts or cryptids, welcoming various genres.
Top Prize:
$20
Additional prizes:
Free author copy of the finished anthology.
📅 Deadline: July 31, 2025 (Expired)
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