The Best Writing Contests of 2023
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
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Showing 546 contests
#GWstorieseverywhere
Gotham Writers
Each month we invite you to post a story on Twitter using #GWstorieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere.
Top prize
Gotham Writers Workshop
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contestScreenplay & Short Script Competition
Showcase
The Scriptation Showcase is the screenwriting contest that circulates winners’ scripts to Hollywood directors, showrunners, and producers. 15 scripts get featured for one year in Scriptation, the Emmy® Award winning app used on film and TV productions. The earlier you apply, the lower the entry fee will be.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
1 Year Scriptation Showcase, 1 year industry pro access
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $74
Deadline: July 24, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Script Writing
View contestHG Wells Short Story Competition
BBC Aeronautics Correspondent Reg Turnill and his wife, Margaret
The theme for this year’s competition is SWITCH in its broadest interpretation. There are two categories: authors 21 years of age and under with a prize of £1,000 and authors aged 22 years and above on 12th July 2021 with a prize of £500 (entry £10 or £5 with student id).
Top prize
£1,000
Additional prizes
£500
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: July 11, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestThe Bath Novel Award
The Bath Novel Awards
The Bath Novel Award is a £3,000 international prize for emerging writers of adult fiction. Submit the first 5,000 words plus a one page synopsis of your novel for adults or young adults. Shortlisted entries will receive manuscript feedback and literary agent introductions.
Top prize
£3,000
Additional prizes
literary agent introductions
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $38
Deadline: May 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Novel, Young Adult
View contestWilliam Van Dyke Short Story Prize
Ruminate Magazine
A prize of $1,500 and publication in Ruminate is given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of up to 5,500 words with a $20 entry fee, which includes a digital copy of the prize issue, by February 1.
Top prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Publication in Ruminate
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: February 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestJacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction
Prism
Winter means one thing around these parts: our annual Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction is now open for submissions! The prize is named for Jacob Zilber, who played a central role founding the University of British Columbia’s department of creative writing, (the very first of its kind in Canada) and PRISM international (us!).
Top prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
$600, $400
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $40
Deadline: January 16, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story
View contestThe Betty Award
The Betty Award
As one of the few competitions for elementary and middle school students, The Betty Award grants cash prizes for written pieces below 1,000 words. The Betty Award has both a Spring & Fall contest.
Top prize
$300
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: May 14, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Children's
View contestChristian Writers' Awards
Xulon Press
The Christian Author Awards recognizes preeminent new Christian authors who are independently published. Xulon Press, host and sponsor of the Christian Author Awards, is excited to once again extend the opportunity to Christian authors to have their work recognized and given due credit. The Christian Author Awards exists to honor exceptional books written by Christian authors like you that are published independently by nontraditional publishers.
Top prize
Xulon Press Elite Publishing Package valued at $8,780
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: September 21, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Christian
View contestBRMCWC Foundation Awards
Blue Ridge Mountains Conference
The mission of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is to inspire writers to connect with God, other writers, and industry professionals as they embrace their calling with excellence. The entrant must be registered for the entire conference in order to compete.
Top prize
Award
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $45
Deadline: April 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Christian
View contestDirector's Choice Awards
Blue Ridge Mountains Conference
The Directors’ Choice Awards are given to published writers who are a past or current conferee (past faculty members who are not also past conferees are not eligible).
Top prize
Award
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $45
Deadline: March 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Christian
View contestThe Selah Awards
Blue Ridge Mountains Conference
The Selah Awards are open to all published authors whose books were published between December 16, 2020 and December 15, 2021 with either traditional or nontraditional publishers.
Top prize
Award
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $45
Deadline: January 15, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Christian
View contestGo for Gold
Christian Writers' Association
To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of ACW we are launching the Go for Gold Writing Competition with superlative prizes, including a free residential place at Worth Our Weight in Gold weekend and a year’s free membership of ACW.
Top prize
Free residential place at Worth Our Weight in Gold weekend
Additional prizes
A year’s free membership of ACW
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $13
Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Christian
View contestBlack Orchid Novella Award
Wolfe Pack & Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
An important part of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe's opus are novellas. To celebrate this format, the Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine have partnered to sponsor the Black Orchid Novella Award. Want to submit an entry for the this year's contest? It's important that you read the rules and follow the procedures carefully.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: May 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Mystery, Novella
View contestBook Pipeline Unpublished Contest
Book Pipeline
Launched in 2014, Book Pipeline connects writers worldwide with publishers, editors, agents, and the film industry. Through two submission platforms—Unpublished and Adaptation—the company seeks both new and established authors. For over 22 years, Pipeline has bridged the gap between up-and-coming writers and the industry through a unique, long-term, hands-on facilitation process. The result thus far has been $8 million in scripts sold to studios and networks since 1999.
Top prize
$15,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $45
Deadline: May 25, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult
View contestBest First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition
Minotaur Books & Malice Domestic
Welcome to the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in the Southwest Competition! The Competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any Published Mystery Novel (including self-published works and ebooks), as defined by the guidelines below, and is not under contract with a publisher for publication of a mystery novel.
Top prize
$10,000 advance
Additional prizes
Contract with Minotaur Books
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Mystery, Novel
View contestTony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery set in the Southwest
Minotaur Books
Welcome to the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in the Southwest Competition! Please read all of the rules and guidelines before submitting your entry. You can find the complete rules and guidelines on our website.
Top prize
$10,000 advance
Additional prizes
Contract with Minotaur Books
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: January 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Mystery, Novel
View contestMystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition
Mystery Writers of America & Minotaur Books
MWA is the premier organization for mystery and crime writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and folks who just love to read crime fiction. To enter, you must complete an online entry form and upload an electronic file of your Manuscript. The entry form will allow you to upload one electronic file.
Top prize
Advance against future royalties of $10,000 & publishing contract
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: December 17, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Mystery, Novel
View contestFall Travel Writing Prize
Nowhere Magazine
We are looking for novice and veteran writers of any stripe to send us stories that possess a powerful sense of people, place and time. Every submission will be read blind, so anyone can win!
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Nowhere Magazine
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: December 15, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Travel
View contestGlobal Experience Travel Writing Contest
Carleton
Have you been marked by travel? If so, tell us how. Engaging with the genre of creative nonfiction, seize upon memorable incidents from your travel history — study abroad, domestic travels, even your discovery of Northfield. Entertain us. Make us laugh. Move us. Help us travel with you.
Top prize
$200
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: April 15, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Travel
View contestNew Travel Writer of the Year
Bradt Guides
For over twenty years, the Bradt Guides ‘New Travel Writer of the Year’ competition has been seeking out and championing new writing talent. Previous winners and finalists in the competition have gone on to see their work published in newspapers, travel magazines and books.
Top prize
£100 Bradt voucher
Additional prizes
3-night stay for two at Apukka Resort
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: November 28, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Travel
View contestTravel Writing Competition
Globe Soup
The Globe Soup Travel Writing Contest is open to non-fiction writers. Enter original, unpublished non-fiction travel writing in any form, including personal essay, destination piece and opinion piece. Entries must be no longer than 1,000 words.
Top prize
$1,300
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: April 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Travel
View contestRoyal Ascot Competition
Beau Monde Chapter of RWA
The annual Royal Ascot contest provides unpublished writers with exposure to published Regency fiction authors and industry professionals who specialize in publishing Regency Fiction works. The Royal Ascot is devoted exclusively to the Regency. The contest goal is to promote Regency-set fiction (1780-1840) by encouraging the development of authors who set their stories in the extended Regency period.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
$50 for each category winner
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: January 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Romance
View contestThe Carolyn Readers' Choice Awards
North Texas Romance Writers
The Carolyn Readers Choice Award contest is open to all authors of traditional, e-published, and self-published books. Romances featuring characters of all races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities or with disabilities or containing spiritual/religious elements are welcome to enter. Please enter the category that best suits your entry over all.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Digital medallion for runners up
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $35
Deadline: February 18, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Romance
View contestThe Vivian
Romance Writers of America
The VIVIAN® recognizes excellence in romance writing and showcases author talent and creativity. We celebrate the power of the romance genre with its central message of hope—because happily ever afters are for everyone.
Top prize
Award
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: December 04, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Romance
View contestRudy Contest
Chesapeake Writers' Association
The Rudy Contest is open to submissions of unpublished manuscripts. There must be a romantic element and a Happily Ever After. Entries are comprised of a blurb (back-cover copy) and no more than the first 20 pages of a manuscript.
Top prize
$50
Additional prizes
Certificate and digital badge to finalists.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: May 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Romance
View contestThe Emily Contest
League of Romance Writers
The Emily Contest is a premier contest for unpublished romance writers. Our mission is to professionally support writers and guide them along their path to publication. Maximum word count is 5,600 words including prologue, if applicable.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Silver pin and certificate to 1st place from each category
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $40
Deadline: October 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Romance
View contestNational Excellence in Romance Fiction Award
First Coast Romance Writers
The National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award celebrates published romance novels and novellas and is judged by romance readers. All entries must have an original copyright date of 2021 and must have been available for purchase in the United States beginning in 2021.
Top prize
NERFA Winner web logo and trophy
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $40
Deadline: March 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Romance
View contestHOLT Medallion Contest
Virginia Romance Writers
The Virginia Romance Writers Chapter of the Romance Writers of America® is pleased to announce the 27th Annual HOLT Medallion competition for the best romantic fiction. Entries must be a single work of romance fiction, with an original copyright date (not a release date) of January-December 2021 regardless of format (e-book or print).
Top prize
Certificate and a pewter HOLT medallion
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: January 15, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Romance
View contestBetween Man and God
Arts Lounge NYC
In most West African countries, queer people live in constant fear, abused by both public and private agencies that refuse to acknowledge their rights to live and love freely. This contest and anthology celebrates their tenacity and their refusal to be silenced. Honorarium will be given to the top three best selected entries to acknowledge the excellency of their craft and to encourage visibility through writing. All shortlisted submissions will be published.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
$750 for second place, $500 for third
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: September 15, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Essay, LGBTQ, Non-fiction
View contestRandall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction
Lambda Literary
The Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction, in memory of the celebrated author Randall Kenan, honors Black LGBTQ writers of fiction. The award will go to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work.
Top prize
$3,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: February 15, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
LGBTQ, Novel
View contestPFD Children's Queer Fiction Prize
Peter Fraser + Dunlop
Judged by E. Latimer and agents Silvia Molteni and Lucy Irvine. Accepting middle grade (aimed at readers aged 8-12) and chapter books (aimed at readers aged 6-8) fiction samples across all genres. Applicants are asked to submit a three-chapter sample and synopsis. Works may be finished or in-progress.
Top prize
Publishing contract with PFD
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: March 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Children's, Fiction, LGBTQ
View contestPFD YA Queer Fiction Prize
Peter Fraser + Dunlop
Judged by E. Latimer and agents Silvia Molteni and Lucy Irvine. Accepting YA fiction samples across all genres. Applicants are asked to submit a three-chapter sample and synopsis. Works may be finished or in-progress.
Top prize
Publishing contract with PFD
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: March 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
LGBTQ, Novel, Young Adult
View contestPFD Adult Queer Fiction Prize
Peters Fraser + Dunlop
Judged by Okechukwu Nzelu and agent Cara Lee Simpson. Accepting fiction samples for upmarket and literary fiction across all genres. Applicants are asked to submit a three-chapter sample and synopsis. Works may be finished or in-progress.
Top prize
Publishing contract with PFD
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: March 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, LGBTQ, Novel
View contestQueer Sci-Fi Flash Fiction Contest
Queer Sci-Fi
Every year, QSF holds a flash fiction contest to create an amazing new anthology of queer speculative fiction stories. We ask authors to do the nearly-impossible – to submit a sci fi, fantasy, paranormal or horror LGBTIQA story that has no more than 300 words. The theme for 2022 is "Clarity".
Top prize
$75
Additional prizes
Top 3 stories published in an ebook
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: May 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Science Fiction
View contestLambda Literary Award
Lambda Literary
Lambda Literary Awards celebrate the best LGBTQ books published in a given year. Submissions are judged principally on literary merit and content relevant to LGBTQ lives. Lambda Literary Awards are open to all authors regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity except in the case of the special awards that mark specific stages of an individual LGBTQ writer’s career.
Top prize
Award
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: December 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, LGBTQ, Novel
View contest
