The Best Writing Contests of 2023
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
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Showing 546 contests
Narrative Prize
Narrative Magazine
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 requirements
💰 Fee: $27
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestKiller Nashville Silver Falchion Award
Killer Nashville
The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.
Top prize
$250
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $79
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Genres
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller
View contestStories Through The Ages - Baby Boomer Plus
Stories Through The Ages
Stories Through The Ages - Baby Boomers Plus 2023 is open to people born 1966 or earlier. The deadline for entries is June 15, 2023. There is no prompt for the contest. Authors may write about any topic. The entry fee is $20 ($15 if submitting more than one story). The word count for this contest is 900 - 5000 words. Cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 will be awarded. There will be a minimum of 15 finalists whose story will appear in the book.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
2nd: $200 | 3rd: $100
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Genres
Short Story, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction
View contestBooksie 2023 Poetry Contest
Booksie
Booksie is looking to crown its 2018 Poet Laureate. The poetry can be of any type, length, or content, but it must be your own. The poetry can be serious or whimsical, fact or fiction, but it should strike a chord that makes us sit up and take notice. We're looking for poems that say something and make a reader sit up and think. You may submit as many entries as you like.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
$150 to two runners-up
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $7
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestThe Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction
The Lascaux Review
Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. True stories and prose poetry are welcome as long as they’re written in a narrative style. Winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication online in The Lascaux Review. The winner and all finalists will be published in the annual print journal.
Top prize
$1,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contestTo Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Contest
Christopher Fielden
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 requirements
💰 Fee: $16
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, Short Story
View contestShare A Story In A Poem
FanStory.com Inc
Share a poem that rhymes and also tells a story. We included an example of this type of poem in the contest announcement. To the winner goes a cash prize.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Winning poems will be featured on the FanStory.com welcome page.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: July 07, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestNewbie Flash Fiction
FanStory.com Inc.
The challenge of this writing contest is to share a story that uses exactly 100 words. Write about anything but can you share a complete story with only 100 words?
Top prize
$100
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: July 08, 2023
Genres
Flash Fiction
View contest2-4-2 Poetry Contest
FanStory.com Inc.
Share a 2-4-2. What's that? That's a poem with only three lines that has 8 syllables total! So the first line of your poem will have two syllables. The second line will have four. And the final line will have two again. Cash prize to the winner.
Top prize
$100
Additional prizes
Winning poems will be featured on the FanStory.com welcome page.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: July 11, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestInternational Poetry Book Awards 2023
Poetry Book Awards
The Poetry Book Awards is an annual, international book award given to the best poetry books produced by indie writers, self published authors or books published by small, truly independent presses. We are proud to be a Welsh based international awards programme, open to all indie authors and self published poets globally.
Top prize
£400
Additional prizes
2nd: £200 | 3rd: £100 | Publication
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $44
Deadline: July 31, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestAnthology Poetry Award
Anthology Magazine
Entries are now invited for the Anthology Poetry Award. Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, it is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language. Poems submitted must be on the theme of ‘Freedom’ and should not exceed 40 lines.
Top prize
€1000
Additional prizes
2nd: €500 | 3rd: €250
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $18
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestAnthology Short Story Award
Anthology Magazine
Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, this short story competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
2nd: $150 | 3rd: $150
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestAurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award
Trio House Press
We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Genres
Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction
View contestCreative Writing Award for Poetry
Aesthetica
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is a celebration of innovative new writing from across the globe. Each year, the competition invites submissions of poetry that redefine the parameters of form, concept and technique.
Top prize
$3,068
Additional prizes
Publication + Membership + Course
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: September 08, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestCreative Writing Award for Short Fiction
Aesthetica
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is a celebration of innovative new writing from across the globe. Each year, the competition invites submissions of short fiction that redefine the parameters of form, concept and technique.
Top prize
$3,068
Additional prizes
Publication + Consultation
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $22
Deadline: September 08, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contestSolas Awards
Travelers' Tales
Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result.
Top prize
$1,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: September 21, 2023
Genres
Travel
View contestThe One Page Poetry Contest
One Page Poetry
One Page Poetry is dedicated to the art of expressing a poetic theme on a single page, whether your poem is four lines or forty, whether yours is a love poem, inspirational poem, philosophical poem, or just one that is fun or whimsical. We welcome any and all poetic forms, as long as they fit on a single page.
Top prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
2nd: $1000 | 3rd: $500
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: September 30, 2023
Genres
Poetry
View contestAtlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Ayn Rand Institute
The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose a prompt and write a 800-1,600 word essay.
Top prize
$10,000
Additional prizes
2nd: $2,000 (x3) | 3rd: $1,000 (x5) | 25 finalists: $100 | 50 semifinalists: $50
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 06, 2023
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestThe Reedsy Prompts Contest
Reedsy
Respond to one of Reedsy's weekly writing prompt newsletters with a short story for the chance to win $250 and be featured on the Reedsy Blog!
Top prize
$250
Additional prizes
Publication on Reedsy Blog
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $5
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Genres
Fiction, Short Story
View contest2023 Book Prize
Unleash Press
Writers are invited to submit novels, short story collections and creative nonfiction manuscripts. The Editors' Prize winner receives a publication contract with Unleash Press and $1000 prize, along with 10 printed copies of the final book. We may also offer publication contracts to additional outstanding manuscripts.
Top prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publishing contract
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $35
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Short Story
View contestFusilli Flash Fiction
Fusilli Writing
Free flash fiction competition for stories up to 200 words with a twist. Competition always open, with a winner announced and published online after 100 entries received (story count on website). Feedback and the PDF ‘An introduction the writing good flash fiction’ offered for (£5 or equivalent).
Top prize
Publication on website
Additional prizes
Social media promotion
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Genres
Flash Fiction
View contest
