The Best Writing Contests of 2023
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
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.
$4,000
💰 Fee: $27
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story
View contestKiller 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.
$250
💰 Fee: $79
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller
View contestStories 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.
$500
2nd: $200 | 3rd: $100
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Short Story, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction
View contestBooksie
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.
$1,000
$150 to two runners-up
💰 Fee: $7
Deadline: June 15, 2023
Poetry
View contestThe 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Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted.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.
$1,000
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Fiction, Flash Fiction
View contestChristopher 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.
£1,200
2nd Prize: £600 | 3rd Prize: £300 | 3 x Highly Commended: £150 | 14 x Shortlisted: £75
💰 Fee: $16
Deadline: June 30, 2023
Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, Short Story
View contestFanStory.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.
$100
Winning poems will be featured on the FanStory.com welcome page.
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: July 07, 2023
Poetry
View contestFanStory.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?
$100
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: July 08, 2023
Flash Fiction
View contestFanStory.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.
$100
Winning poems will be featured on the FanStory.com welcome page.
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: July 11, 2023
Poetry
View contestPoetry 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.
£400
2nd: £200 | 3rd: £100 | Publication
💰 Fee: $44
Deadline: July 31, 2023
Poetry
View contestAnthology 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.
€1000
2nd: €500 | 3rd: €250
💰 Fee: $18
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Poetry
View contestAnthology 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.
$1,000
2nd: $150 | 3rd: $150
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Fiction, Short Story
View contestTrio House Press
We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.
$1,000
Publication
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: August 31, 2023
Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction
View contestAesthetica
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.
$3,068
Publication + Membership + Course
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: September 08, 2023
Poetry
View contestAesthetica
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.
$3,068
Publication + Consultation
💰 Fee: $22
Deadline: September 08, 2023
Fiction, Short Story
View contestTravelers' 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.
$1,000
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: September 21, 2023
Travel
View contestOne 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.
$2,000
2nd: $1000 | 3rd: $500
💰 Fee: $25
Deadline: September 30, 2023
Poetry
View contestAyn 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.
$10,000
2nd: $2,000 (x3) | 3rd: $1,000 (x5) | 25 finalists: $100 | 50 semifinalists: $50
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: November 06, 2023
Essay, Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestReedsy
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!
$250
Publication on Reedsy Blog
💰 Fee: $5
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Fiction, Short Story
View contestUnleash 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.
$1,000
Publishing contract
💰 Fee: $35
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Short Story
View contestFusilli 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).
Publication on website
Social media promotion
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: December 31, 2023
Flash Fiction
View contest