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About Reedsy Terms PrivacyThe Best Writing Contests of 2021
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Browse 91 contests that match your search 🔦
WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest
WOW! is proud to introduce our newest essay contest! The contest is open globally. 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—from personal essay to lyric essay to hybrid essay, and beyond!
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication, interview, and gift card good for one item from CreateWriteNow's Store
Genres
Non-fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition
Our quarterly short story competition is open for entries all year round. The competition is open to any theme or genre, but your story must be a maximum of 1,500 words (not including the title). You can enter up to three stories in each quarterly competition.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£150
Additional prizes
£75 for 2nd, £30 for 3rd
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
Season Themes
HAVOK is a constant flash fiction contest, with rolling deadlines. Each season is split into monthly competitions with thematically connected prompts in a range of genres.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Publication in an anthology. Potential for larger gift card wins.
Genres
Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Tom Howard/ Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Welcome to the 19th annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre. $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
$200 for 10 honorable mentions
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Fiction Factory Flash Fiction
We welcome previously unpublished stories (max 1,000 words) on any theme. Our judge is looking for freshness, originality and strongly drawn characters.
Deadline November 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£200
Additional prizes
£50, £25
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Crime, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
Fiction Factory Short Story Competition
This is a bi-annual competition. We welcome stories on any theme. The maximum wordcount is 3,000.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£300
Additional prizes
£100, £50
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $8
Inception: $500 for Prose, Poetry, or Art opening
The best openings offer a feeling, atmosphere, action, or image that is gripping, and that hints at more to come. For Sunspot Inception contest, send your best opening. There are no restrictions on theme, category, or the length of the piece or collection from which the beginning comes. Word limit is 250 for prose, 25 words for poetry.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in Sunspot Lit for winner, runners-up & finalists
Genres
Fiction, Poetry, Flash Fiction, Novel, Novella, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
All-Story Short Fiction Competition
The three prizewinners and seven honorable mentions will be considered for representation by a number of literary agencies. Guest Judge: Daniel Mason, finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Deadline October 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
2nd $500; 3rd $250
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $30
Troubadour International Poetry Prize
Poems may be submitted from any country & must be in English, must each be no longer than 45 lines, must show title & poem only, must not show poet’s name, must be the original work of the entrant (no translations) & must not have been previously published; no text alterations accepted after submission; no limit on number of poems or number of subsequent submissions.
Deadline September 27, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£2,000
Additional prizes
2nd £1000, 3rd £500
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
The First Page Challenge
Our judge, Michelle Barker, will be asking herself one question: "How likely am I to turn this page and keep reading?" THE FINER POINTS • One page: double-spaced, 12-point font • Original, unpublished, unrepresented work only • One entry per person
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$700 CAD
Additional prizes
Publication on our blog, 2nd $200, 3rd $100
Genres
Fiction, Novel, Novella, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $4
Black Voices in Children's Literature
Seeking Black Midwestern writers 18 years and older to submit an original fiction or nonfiction children’s story for a picture book. Manuscripts 300–800 words (ages 4–8) or 50–125 words (ages 0–4) in length. Must feature contemporary Black characters and culture.
Deadline September 20, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Meeting with Strive and Free Spirit; 2nd $500; 3rd $250, t-shirt and totebag for all winners
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Young Adult,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
The Ovacome Creative Writing Contest
The theme is ‘connected’ and this can be interpreted however the writer chooses. The finalists will be judged by Call the Midwife stars Jenny Agutter and Stephen McGann. Entries cost £5 and all proceeds from the competition will help Ovacome to support anyone affected by ovarian cancer and raise awareness of the signs and symptoms.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£250
Additional prizes
Runner up receives a £50 Waterstones voucher and the winner gets published on the Ovacome website
Genres
Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
Dillydoun International Fiction Prize
International fiction contest open to all genres, themes, and subjects. 8,000 word max / no minimum. Short story, flash fiction, self-contained excerpts from longer works welcome. Entries must be written in English.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
2nd $1,000, 3rd $500, Honorable Mention $50, Publication in Print Anthology
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Annual Flash Fiction Competition
This quarterly open-themed competition has closing dates of 31st March, 30th June, 30th September and 31st December. The results will be announced about six weeks after each closing date and the three winning entries each quarter will be published on the website.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£300
Additional prizes
£200, £100
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
Flash Fiction Award
In addition to winning cash prizes, entrants have the opportunity to appear in our print and digital anthology collections. Our books are published by the award-winning small press Ad Hoc Fiction, and are available to buy from their own independent bookshop as well as worldwide from Amazon. 300 word limit.
Deadline October 10, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£1000
Additional prizes
£300 for 2nd, £200 for 3rd
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Dream Quest One Writing Contest
The mission of this contest is to inspire, motivate and encourage anyone having the desire or love of poetry and writing, to continue doing so without fear of failure or success! Remember, in whatever you do, "it's okay to dream," for dreams do come true...
Deadline September 22, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
$250 for 2nd place, $100 for 3rd place
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Dream Quest One Poetry
This poetry contest is open to everyone and international. We hope that you are inspired to display the beauty and art of poetry for the entire world to see your "gift of a dream."
Deadline September 22, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$250
Additional prizes
$125 for 2nd place, $50 for 3rd place
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $5
Justice Centre Essay Contest
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms asks Canadian students to answer (in 1000-2500 words) the following question: Should citizens who refuse to get vaccinated have the same rights and freedoms as those who do get vaccinated? This contest is open to all Canadian youth who will be between the age of 15–24 on the date they submit their essay.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
$1000 for 2nd, $500 for 3rd
Genres
Essay, Non-fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
The Tamaqua Award for a Collection of Essays
Hidden River Arts offers an award of $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, for an original collection of essays. Previous publication of individual essays is acceptable, as long as you include the list of the published essays, the journals and magazines where they appeared, and authorize that the publication rights have reverted to you, as author.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Hidden River Arts
Genres
Essay, Non-fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
Novella-in-Flash Award
The goal of the Novella-in-Flash Award is to promote flash fiction for both writers and readers and to bring the genre to a wider audience. There is a 6000 to 18000 word limit and each flash (or chapter) should not be more than about 1000 words.
Deadline January 16, 2022
Learn moreTop prize
£300
Additional prizes
£100 for two runners-up, publication
Genres
Novel, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $22
Fanstory Writing Contests
Subscribe to Fanstory for $9.95 a month and enter as many contests as you like from their list of writing and poetry contests, updated daily. All participants receive feedback from a community of writers, and the winner of each contest receives a cash prize of up to $100.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
Cash prizes of up to $100
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
The Bath Children’s Novel Award
The Bath Children’s Novel Award is an annual international prize for emerging novelists writing for children or teens. Submissions are the first 5,000 words plus one page synopsis. A children’s literary agent will judge the winning manuscript from a shortlist chosen by Junior Judges aged seven to seventeen.
Deadline November 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£3000
Additional prizes
Manuscript feedback from junior judges, literary agent introductions, novel editing course
Genres
Fiction, Novel, Young Adult,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $36
Annual Short Story Contest
English language submissions of original, unpublished works of up to 2,500 words will be accepted until October 31. Submissions are processed by a two-tiered system of readers and judges. Winners will be announced on December 10, 2021.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500 (CAD)
Additional prizes
2nd prize $250, 3rd prize $100.
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
IndieReader Discovery Awards
Where talented authors meet publishing professionals with the power to make a difference in the success of their books. Every author who enters a title in the IR Discovery Awards will receive a verdict, written by an IndieReader reviewer and based on their assessment after reading the complete book.
Deadline February 15, 2022
Learn moreTop prize
First look consideration by a top, NYC-based literary agency
Additional prizes
$500, publicist consultation service, Reedsy credit, custom author website
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $149
TWFest One-Act Play Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
Plays should run no more than one hour in length (one act or approx. 60 pages.) This contest is for emerging or previously unpublished playwrights.
Deadline October 02, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where there will be a professional staged reading of your play.
Genres
Script Writing,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
TWFest Very Short Fiction Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 1,000 words. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of short fiction with an ISBN.
Deadline October 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where you will give a public reading.
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
TWFest Poetry Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
Submit a collection of 2-4 original, unpublished poems of any style or theme, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry with an ISBN. Those who have published books in other genres besides poetry remain eligible.
Deadline October 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where you will give a public reading
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
TWFest Fiction Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 7,000 words. This contest is open only to writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Published books include self-published books with ISBN numbers. Those who have published books in other genres besides fiction remain eligible.
Deadline October 02, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Airfare, accommodation, and all-access pass to the next Festival, where you will give a public reading.
Genres
Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Quill Prose Award 2020
Queer literature is often found in the side stacks, in the back of the bookstore, under “Gay and Lesbian.” These authors are put into a genre that barely fits them, excluded from mainstream funding, and more. Red Hen Press seeks to work against the politics of labeling while honoring and empowering authors who identify as queer through this contest.
Deadline October 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Red Hen Press
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award
Established in 1998, in honor of the poet Benjamin Saltman (1927–1999), this award is for a previously unpublished original collection of poetry. The awarded collection is selected through an annual competition that is open to all poets.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Book publication by Red Hen Press, a four-week PLAYA residency
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Annual Short Story Contest
We are looking for stories (of any genre) ranging between 1,000 and 3,000 words, with strong characters, a well-crafted plot and realistic dialogue (where used). Make us laugh, make us cry, but most of all, make us feel!
Deadline February 28, 2022
Learn moreTop prize
£500
Additional prizes
£200 for 2nd place, £100 for 3rd place
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $8
8th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition
At around noon each Tuesday (GMT), from 13 April 2021 to 225January 2022, five words are posted on the Ó Bhéal Five Words competition page. Entrants have one week to compose and submit poems that include all five words given for the week. The competition runs for 41 weeks, and a prize of 750 euro is awarded to one winner.
Deadline January 25, 2022
Learn moreTop prize
€750
Additional prizes
€500, €250
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $5
Daisy Pettles' Writing Residency
Women writers who are age 40 or older are invited to submit up to 20 pages of a work in progress to win a chance for a month-long residency in a house where you can focus on your writing. First prize comes with a $1000 cash prize. Fee reductions and hardship wavers can be granted.
Deadline December 12, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Month-long writer's getaway
Genres
Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $45
Vocal Challenges
Enter themed storytelling contests to put your creativity to the test and be in with a chance of winning cash prizes and more. To submit, you'll need to sign up for a monthly fee of $9.99, or $4.99/month for 3 months.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000 — $5,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Hammond House International Poetry Prize
The theme for the 2021 competition - STARDUST - is intended to be inspirational, not restrictive, so please feel free to interpret it in any way you choose. Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for intriguing ideas and fresh voices. Top prize of £100.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£100
Additional prizes
Publication by Hammond House
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
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