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DIRECTORY
Showing 431 contests that match your search.
New England Romance Writers
Genres: Romance and Fiction
The contest recognizes excellence in published romance fiction and is judged by fans, including librarians and booksellers. The grand prize includes coaching from Jeannie Moon, and winners will receive a web badge and printed certificate.
Top Prize:
Two hours of Story & Character Development Coaching by Jeannie Moon; web badge and printed award certificate for winners.
Additional prizes:
Web badge and printed certificate for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category.
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Saturday Evening Post
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Great American Fiction Contest celebrates the legacy of American authors through the submission of original short stories. The winning entry will be published in the January/February edition of the magazine.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
The winning story will be published in The Saturday Evening Post. Five runners-up will each receive $200 and have their stories featured online.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: July 01, 2025 (Expired)
Grist Magazine
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Imagine 2200 contest invites writers to envision equitable climate progress stories, showcasing creative solutions and community resilience. It emphasizes hope and the potential for positive change through fiction.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Second place: $2000 Third place: $1000 Ten $300 awards for finalists. Opportunity for the winner to participate in Oregon State University's Environmental Writing Fellowship and Residency, including a four-week writing residency.
📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024 (Expired)
Brink Literacy Project
Genres: Poetry
The F(r)iction Poetry Contest invites submissions of original poetry. The contest is open to writers globally, focusing on unique and experimental literature. The contest promotes creativity and individuality in submissions.
Top Prize:
$300
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: May 02, 2025 (Expired)
Genres: Script Writing
The Scriptation Showcase offers a competitive platform for screenwriters, featuring their scripts to industry professionals. The competition includes two main categories: Screenplay and Short Script, with professional readers analyzing submissions.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
1 Year Scriptation Showcase, 1 year industry pro access
💰 Entry fee: $64
📅 Deadline: July 20, 2025 (Expired)
Virginia Romance Writers
Genres: Fiction and Romance
The HOLT Medallion Contest honors outstanding romantic fiction, evaluating entries through a panel of romance readers. It has been held annually since 1995, recognizing both published and unpublished authors. The winners receive a pewter medallion and a certificate.
Top Prize:
Winners receive a certificate and a pewter HOLT Medallion
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)
Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction awards $5,500 and publication by Mad Creek Books, an imprint of The Ohio State University Press. It is part of the AWP Award Series open to all authors writing in English. The prize celebrates outstanding book-length works and is judged anonymously.
Top Prize:
$5,500
Additional prizes:
Publication by Mad Creek Books
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Henshaw Press
Genres: Short Story and Fiction
The Henshaw Press Short Story Competition invites entries from anyone over 16 years old. Stories should be up to 2,000 words on any theme. The competition supports literacy by donating profits to local schools.
Top Prize:
£200
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize: £100 | 3rd Prize: £50. | Opportunity to be included in the next Henshaw Anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2025 (Expired)
Moment Magazine and Karma Foundation
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest invites unpublished stories that focus on themes relating to Judaism or Jewish culture. Established in 2000, it has featured renowned judges and offers cash prizes for outstanding works.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Up to three prizes may be awarded.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2025
Coffeehouse Poetry
Genres: Poetry
The Troubadour International Poetry Prize is an annual competition open to poets worldwide, judged by notable figures in the literary community. The 2024 prize includes cash awards for the top three poems, as well as opportunities for commended entries.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Second: £1,000 Third prize: £500 20 commended entries Winners read with judges at the online international prize-night celebration.
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: September 23, 2024 (Expired)
Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation
Genres: Poetry
The Robinson Jeffers Tor House Prize for Poetry is an annual contest honoring the poet Robinson Jeffers. Established as a living memorial, it aims to recognize outstanding poetry submissions. The prize includes an honorarium and honorable mentions.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
$200 for honorable mention
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2025 (Expired)
The Morris Museum of Art
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Script Writing
The Porter Fleming Literary Competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming. It awards $7,000 in cash across four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and One-Act Play. Winners are invited to a literary program and awards ceremony in Spring 2026.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd place: $500 3rd place: $250 Prizes available in each of the four genre categories
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2026
Fiction Collective 2
Genres: Fiction
The Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize is designed for writers with at least three books published. It encourages innovative fiction that challenges dominant narratives. Submissions must be in English and can include various forms of long fiction. The contest aims to support diverse voices in literature.
Top Prize:
$15,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press, with an Introduction by the final judge.
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2025
Ware Poets
Genres: Poetry
The 27th annual Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition is open for submissions until April 30th, 2025. The competition accepts poems on any subject, must be original, and no longer than 50 lines.
Top Prize:
£800
Additional prizes:
2nd: £400 | 3rd: £200 | Sonnet prize: £200 | All winning and commended poets invited to a prize-giving event.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)
Fish Publishing
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
The Fish Flash Fiction Prize invites submissions of compelling stories in 300 words or less, judged by Tania Hershman. The contest has been held annually since 2004.
Top Prize:
€1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: €300 + Online Writing Course | 3rd: €300
💰 Entry fee: $14
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Crime Writers' Association
Genres: Mystery and Short Story
An annual international competition for unpublished short mystery stories up to 3,500 words. The competition seeks to find the best story that aligns with Margery Allingham's definition of a mystery.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Potential publication on the CWA website + in the Margery Allingham Society journal
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Lascuax Review
Genres: Essay and Non-fiction
Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, or discovered. Pieces may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000, a bronze medallion, and publication in The Lascaux Review.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025 (Expired)
The Rialto
Genres: Poetry
The Nature and Place Poetry Competition 2024 is a poetry contest organized by The Rialto in association with RSPB, BirdLife International, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, and The University of Leeds Poetry Centre. It invites poets to submit unpublished poems focused on nature and place. Free entries available for writers on low or supported incomes (up to two poems)
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
2nd prize: £500, 3rd prize: £250
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2025 (Expired)
Jacqueline Gay Walley
Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel
High-quality unpublished manuscripts in memoir, fiction, and non-fiction are sought for this competition. The contest is designed to amplify the voices of contemporary writers.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Possible book publication/distribution in ebook and paperback formats
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2025 (Expired)
Arizona Authors
Genres: Children's, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Young Adult
The Arizona Authors Literary Contest is open to authors worldwide from January 1, 2025, to June 1, 2025. It accepts unpublished and published works across multiple categories, with a focus on literary merit.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Grand winner: $500 | 3x 1st: $200 | 3x 2nd: $125 | 3x 3rd: $75 | 3x 4th: $50 | 11x "Best of Subcategory" prizes: $25 each | Recognition in the Arizona Literary Magazine and various monetary prizes for winners and runners-up.
💰 Entry fee: $50
📅 Deadline: June 01, 2025 (Expired)
American Writers Museum
Genres: Children's, Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The John Estey Student Writing Competition is open to elementary, middle, and high school students. To be considered for this award, please fill out the intent to participate form and submit a 1,000 word or less piece discussing the prompt quote, "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”—Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness. Submissions are accepted via a submission link that is provided to teachers ONLY. Please make sure that you provide a valid teacher contact.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Three winners from each category will be awarded the following prizes: $500 for elementary school; $1000 for middle school; $2000 for high school.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: May 23, 2025 (Expired)
Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The 26th Annual Writing Contest is currently closed. The next contest will open on January 1, 2025. Categories and further details will be announced later.
Top Prize:
$150
Additional prizes:
2nd place: $100 3rd place: $50
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)
Write the World
Genres: Poetry
The Poetry & Spoken Word Competition invites young writers aged 13-19 to submit original poems or spoken word pieces. The competition emphasizes engaging the senses and experimenting with structure. Two winners will be selected: one for best written poem and another for best spoken word performance.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Best Written Poem and Best Spoken Word Performance will each receive $100. Best Peer Review will receive $50.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: April 28, 2025 (Expired)
Alpine Fellowship
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize aims to discover and support new writing talent on an annual basis. The prize includes financial support for the best pieces of writing submitted on an announced theme. The contest is open to all writers aged 18 and above, regardless of nationality.
Top Prize:
£3,000 cash grant
Additional prizes:
2nd: £1,000 travel expense | 3rd: £1,000 travel expense
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2025 (Expired)
Diode Editions
Genres: Poetry
The Diode Editions Chapbook Contest is an annual competition open to English-language poets. Multiple publications may be selected during this contest.
Top Prize:
$750
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: July 15, 2025 (Expired)
Unleash Press
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The Unleash WIP Award supports writers in completing significant literary projects, offering $500, editorial feedback, coaching, and a feature in Unleash Lit.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: July 15, 2025 (Expired)
Swansea University
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Rhys Davies Short Story Competition is a prestigious award for writers born or living in Wales. Established in 1991, it recognizes the best unpublished short stories in English, up to 5,000 words. The competition encourages new talent and is managed by Swansea University's Cultural Institute in association with Parthian Books.
Top Prize:
£1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in short story anthology |
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: February 14, 2025 (Expired)
The Heartland Review Press
Genres: Poetry
The contest honors the legacy of Joy Bale Boone, an influential American poet and activist. All entries must be original works in English, with a submission window from July 1 to October 1, 2025, for publication in Spring 2026. The winners will be announced before Christmas 2025.
Top Prize:
$400 gift card
Additional prizes:
2nd: $240 gift card | 3rd: $100 gift card
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2025 (Expired)
Girton College, University of Cambridge
Genres: Poetry
The Jane Martin Poetry Prize is a national poetry competition established in 2010 in memory of Girton alumna Jane Elizabeth Martin. It aims to support young poets and promote literary excellence, judged by experts in the literary field.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
2nd place: £500 Opportunity to give a reading at Girton College.
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)
Shuswap Association of Writers
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story
The contest is part of the annual Word on the Lake Writers Festival, encouraging submissions in short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Entries must be unpublished and original, with a maximum of 2,000 words for fiction/nonfiction and three one-page poems. Winners are published in the anthology.
Top Prize:
$200 CAD
Additional prizes:
2025 festival registration package + certificate for online writing course
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)
Strive Publishing and Free Spirit Publishing
Genres: Children's and Fiction
This contest aims to elevate authentic, culturally relevant children's stories by Latino authors. It is open to Latino authors residing in the U.S. who are 18 years or older. The contest accepts original children's books focusing on topics like resilience, identity, and diversity for ages 0-8.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $500 | 3rd Place: $300 | Winner also receives a meeting with Naibe Reynoso and an editor from Free Spirit. All winners receive a T-shirt.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: October 13, 2025 (Expired)
Beloit Poetry Journal
Genres: Poetry
The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry is an annual contest with a focus on recognizing outstanding poetry. It is supported by the Adrienne Rich Literary Trust and has specific guidelines for submissions, including entry fees and poem requirements.
Top Prize:
$1,500
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2026
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)
Munster Literature Centre
Genres: Poetry
Each entrant for their €24 entry fee will receive a complementary postage-free, one-year subscription to Southword. Poems will be read and judged anonymously. Poems must be previously unpublished. The winning poet will have their three poems published in Southword.
Top Prize:
€1000
Additional prizes:
The winning poet will have their three poems published in Southword.
💰 Entry fee: $24
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)
Blue Ridge Mountains Conference
Genres: Christian
The Foundation Awards are designed for unpublished works from attendees of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Participants must be registered for the entire conference and follow specific guidelines for submission.
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2025 (Expired)
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