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DIRECTORY

Best Writing Contests in 2025

Showing 427 contests that match your search.

Page 12

Harold Morton Landon Translation Award

Academy of American Poets

Genres: Poetry

The Harold Morton Landon Translation Award is an annual award recognizing the work of a translator for a poetry collection translated from any language into English, published in the previous calendar year. Established in 1976, the award amount is $1,000.

Top Prize:

$1,000

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2025 (Expired)

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)

Debut Dagger

Crime Writer's Association

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Suspense, and Thriller

The Emerging Author Dagger is an international competition for unpublished crime novelists. It accepts submissions of a crime novel opening (max. 3,000 words) and synopsis (max. 1,500 words). The contest is open to those who have never had a publishing contract for a novel and do not have a literary agent when the competition closes.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Shortlisted entries shown to agents and publishers

💰 Entry fee: $41

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction

Upload 10 chapters of any story (each chapter length at least 1800 words) to enter.

Top Prize:

$700

Additional prizes:

2nd: $400 | 3rd: $200 | 2x notable entries: $20. Winners may receive editorial and publishing support.

📅 Deadline: August 20, 2025

TWFest Poetry Contest

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

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize aims to showcase new short fiction, offering visibility for winners. Collaborating with various institutions, the prize includes cash rewards, writing retreats, and publication opportunities.

Top Prize:

€2,000 + a week’s residency at the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, consultation with Literary Agent Ed Wilson, manuscript assessment with The Literary Consultancy.

Additional prizes:

2nd and 3rd place: €1000. Publication in partner journals for all shortlisted writers.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: April 13, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Non-fiction and Essay

The ChallengeUS Future Leaders Competition engages youth globally to advocate for civic ideas, spotlighting promising leaders through scholarship prizes. Participants envision their future by 2050 and can join the Future Leaders Network.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Publication of submission, biographical article, Certificate of Special Achievement for 1st place winner. | Certificate of Achievement for honorable mentions.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: July 25, 2025

Louise Bogan Award

Trio House Press

Genres: Poetry

The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence includes $1,000, publication, and twenty books. The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence is open to ALL poets, regardless of publication history.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication and twenty copies of the book

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Expired)

Inception 2024: $500 for Best Opening

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

The Inception contest invites submissions of openings across all genres. Participants can submit prose (up to 250 words), poetry (up to 25 words), or visual art as the first piece in a series. The contest emphasizes the importance of beginnings in creative works.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Publication for the winner; finalists also receive publication.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Novel

This competition invites submissions of the first chapter of a novel along with a synopsis. The focus is on originality and engaging storytelling. The winner will receive feedback from a literary agent and a substantial cash prize.

Top Prize:

£500

Additional prizes:

Free appraisal for the winning entry + all shortlisted entrants

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

Black Orchid Novella Award

Wolfe Pack & Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine

Genres: Crime, Mystery, and Novella

The Black Orchid Novella Award celebrates the novella format, encouraging original, unpublished works that conform to the mystery genre's traditional forms, specifically inspired by the Nero Wolfe series. The contest is designed to highlight the novella, requiring submissions that are tight and engaging, devoid of explicit content.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The mission of this contest is to inspire creative nonfiction and provide well-rewarded recognition to contestants. Your story must be true, but the way you tell it is your chance to get creative. We are open to all styles of essay

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: July 31, 2025

$1000 for 1000 Words Contest

The Layla Beban Young Authors

Genres: Children's and Short Story

The contest invites students in grades 6-12 to submit a piece of short fiction exactly 1000 words long. There are no specific themes, but entries should be original and not previously published. The contest aims to encourage young authors to tell significant stories.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Seven $100 cash prizes for runners-up

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Memoir, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

gThe Indie Author Project Annual Contest aims to recognize indie authors and provide them visibility through library support. It encourages submissions from indie-published authors in various genres and offers significant prizes.

Top Prize:

$2,500

Additional prizes:

$500 each to two runner-ups in each genre. Opportunity to promote books at libraries, inclusion in a print spread in Library Journal.

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The contest encourages students to reflect on strength and resilience in overcoming challenges. Since 2001, it has engaged over 15,000 students from more than 20 countries, with 900 participants this year. Winners were selected based on their unique voice and thoughtful analysis.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd place: $750 3rd place: $500

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

The Good Housekeeping Writing Competition

Good Housekeeping and Rachel Mills Literary

Genres: Fiction

Good Housekeeping magazine has partnered with Rachel Mills Literary Agency to launch a competition for aspiring novelists that offers a cash prize.

Top Prize:

£1500

Additional prizes:

The winner will also receive a 1 hour, one-on-one mentoring session with literary agent Nelle Andrew. Their work will be published online by Good Housekeeping.

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2025

Genres: Fiction and Novel

This competition invites unpublished novelists to submit an opening chapter (up to 3,000 words) along with a synopsis (max 750 words). Works must be original and not previously published. The competition is judged by Headline Publishing.

Top Prize:

£500

Additional prizes:

2nd Place: £200

💰 Entry fee: $13

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The 7 Day Story Writing Challenge invites participants to write a story based on a secret theme assigned to them, within a specified genre, over a period of 7 days. Participants must write a story of no more than 2,000 words.

Top Prize:

£500

Additional prizes:

Publication on website

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Emerging Writer's Contest, held by Ploughshares since 1971, recognizes outstanding work by emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Winners are announced in the fall and their works are published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Ploughshares.

Top Prize:

$2,000

Additional prizes:

Publication in Ploughshares and a conversation with Aevitas Creative Management.

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2025 (Expired)

The Adventure Writers Competition

Clive Cussler Collector’s Society

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Thriller, and Mystery

The Adventure Writers Competition (AWC) celebrates adventure writing, accepting action/adventure novels. The 2024 contest finalists have been announced, and submissions for the 2025 competition will be open from January 1 to April 30, 2025. The AWC aims to promote and recognize quality adventure writing through a rigorous judging process.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Two AWC Finalist Awards: $500

💰 Entry fee: $50

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The International Essay Competition 2023/24 is currently not open for entries as details about the next competition will be available soon. Check back soon!

Additional prizes:

100% Scholarship Award to our Oxford University Summer Programme (worth £5995).

📅 Deadline: February 19, 2024 (Expired)

Writer's Games

The Writer's Workout

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Writer's Games is a free competition aimed at improving writing skills, offering feedback from judges. The 2024 edition has concluded, and it featured multiple events with winners recognized in an anthology. Registration is necessary to participate.

Top Prize:

Publication in anthology, 72 Hours (26+ spaces)

📅 Deadline: July 22, 2025

Genres: LGBTQ and Non-fiction

The Jeanne Córdova Prize honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/gender non-conforming nonfiction authors. It seeks to recognize writers who capture the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and history.

Top Prize:

$2,500

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Fantasy

The Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH Fiction invites submissions of erotic stories up to 1,500 words based on the theme 'Making the unsexy irresistible'. The competition is open to adults worldwide, free to enter, and aims to explore creative interpretations of erotic fiction. Judging is blind, and winners will be announced publicly.

Top Prize:

$500 AUS

Additional prizes:

Total prize pool of AU$1,000 plus a range of "spicy" prizes and a chance at print publication.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: August 24, 2025

Genres: Poetry

The competition, run by The Poetry Society since 1978, is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for a single unpublished poem. Judged by Stephen Sexton, Romalyn Ante, John McAuliffe. Open to all poets worldwide aged 18+.

Top Prize:

£5,000

Additional prizes:

Runners-up receive £2,000 and £1,000. Commended entries receive £500

💰 Entry fee: $8

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024 (Expired)

Maggie Award for Prepublished Writers

Georgia Romance Writers

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Romance

The Maggie Award for Excellence aims to encourage and reward the mastery of romance writing by prepublished authors. Each entry receives two critiques from published authors, and finalists are reviewed by industry agents and editors.

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)

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

The Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award is an annual contest launched by Trio House Press, focused on creative nonfiction manuscripts. The award aims to recognize innovative and distinct works in this genre.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2025 (Expired)

Environmental Writing Competition 2025

Write the World in partnership with Patagonia

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The competition invites young writers aged 13-19 to craft a piece of creative nonfiction on their environment, blending fact with storytelling. The prompt emphasizes reflection on personal and global environmental challenges.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Winner receives $100; Runner-Up and Best Peer Review each receive $50.

📅 Deadline: May 26, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

The competition invites elementary and middle school students to submit short stories (maximum 350 words) based on a monthly theme. Winners receive recognition and prizes, including Amazon gift cards and publication in the Hall of Fame.

Top Prize:

$25

Additional prizes:

1st place: $25 Amazon gift card 2nd place: $15 Amazon gift card 3rd place: $5 Amazon gift card All winners are published in the Hall of Fame.

📅 Deadline: January 28, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Flash Fiction

The Farnham Flash Fiction International Competition invites writers to submit stories of 500 words or less. The competition has been running since 2018 and includes a special prize for stories featuring Farnham. It offers cash prizes and publication in an anthology.

Top Prize:

£100

Additional prizes:

£25 for the runner-up; £25 for the best fiction featuring Farnham.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: February 09, 2025 (Expired)

Bridport Short Story Prize

Bridport Arts Centre

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.

Top Prize:

£5000

Additional prizes:

£1000 for 2nd, £500 for 3rd

💰 Entry fee: $17

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The competition invites submissions from writers of all genres and styles, allowing stories up to 8,000 words. The winner will be announced on February 10, 2025, and all stories are judged anonymously. Participants can receive feedback on their stories through optional exchanges before submission.

Top Prize:

£2,000

Additional prizes:

Publication on website

💰 Entry fee: $8

📅 Deadline: December 16, 2024 (Expired)

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

The competition is open for submissions themed 'The Evolution of Love'. Each entry will be edited, judged based on various writing criteria, and selected works will be published in an anthology.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Poetry

The Fire & Ash Publishers Salon Competition is designed for local poets to showcase their works to industry professionals. Each month, four poets are selected to read their poetry at salon nights. An adjudication panel anonymously selects finalists based on submitted poems, and finalists receive a $50 CAD honorarium and an invitation to perform.

Top Prize:

$50

Additional prizes:

Honorarium for finalists and an invitation to perform their poem.

📅 Deadline: February 07, 2025 (Expired)

The First 100 Days Contest

Disruption Books

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

The First 100 Days Contest seeks innovative book ideas from authors committed to promoting good work amidst challenging times. Participants submit a one-page book overview and a sample manuscript of up to 5,000 words. Winning authors receive feedback and an editorial consultation.

Top Prize:

Editorial consultation and feedback on up to 100 pages.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)

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