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DIRECTORY
Showing 383 contests that match your search.
Georgia Romance Writers
Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Romance
The purpose of the Prepublished Maggie Award for Excellence is to encourage, recognize, and reward the mastery of romance writing by Prepublished authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these writers. The Maggie Award, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention.
Top Prize:
Trophy
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: April 21, 2024 (Expired)
Passager
Genres: Poetry
We publish: two issues of Passager Journal each year; books of poetry, short stories, and memoir; and a biennial book prize for a new poet over 70. Writers must be age 50 or older by September 1, 2024 to submit.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)
Hopper Creative Group LLC
Genres: Science Fiction
The Valorious Awards, sponsored by international best-selling author, Christopher Hopper, is an annual competition seeking to recognize and encourage emerging artists in two categories: best sci-fi novel, best sci-fi voice actor. The awards seek to recognize emerging independent authors and character actors and discover new and exciting talent within the world of science fiction.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150
💰 Entry fee: $35
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)
The Day
Genres: Children's
The Celebration Day Competition gets children to connect with the oldest person they know and interview them about the person who inspired them most growing up. They will retell the story in a creative way to win their work being read out on camera by a star-studded collection of celebrity guests, an iPad, and a £100 Amazon voucher. You must be aged between five and 18 to enter the competition, or be a teacher, and can live anywhere in the world.
Top Prize:
£100 Amazon Voucher
Additional prizes:
Celebrities reading out winning entries, publication on website.
📅 Deadline: June 21, 2022 (Expired)
Twist in the Tale
Genres: Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Fiction
All entrants share a main genre but will be given a twisted subgenre (unusual) from a pool of ten. Entrants will also get either an event/character/object/subject (depending on the contest) that they must include. They can reroll subgenre and subject three times each. For example, if thriller is the main genre, you might get occult detective as your subgenre. Rerolling that might give you cyberpunk, environmental, etc.
Top Prize:
$1,200
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: May 19, 2024 (Expired)
Write of Passage
Genres: Non-fiction
The Shiny Dime is a concept we teach to help people stand out online, and we’ve distilled it into a simple writing challenge. Challenge registrants will participate in a 10 week writing challenge where we request participants to publish once per week. We will choose among the participants who have the most impactful writing and who are the most consistent.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Free access to our 5 week writing bootcamp (a $4000 dollar value)
📅 Deadline: February 18, 2024 (Expired)
The Letter Review
Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult
The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 3 winners
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)
Gotham Writers
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
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 fee: $0
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)
Onyx Publications
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller
Our contest provides a First, Second, and Third prize for both prose and poetry. There are no themes or special requirements so just send us your best work. We recommend you read through previous editions or listen to the works and author interviews on our Story Discovery Podcast to get a sense of the range of creativity we enjoy.
Top Prize:
$500 + publication and author interview on Story Discovery podcast
Additional prizes:
2nd: $150 | 3rd: $75
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: May 05, 2024 (Expired)
Georgia Romance Writers
Genres: Novel and Romance
The purpose of the Published Maggie Award for Excellence is to recognize the achievements of published authors of romantic fiction. The Maggie Award is a symbol of achievement given by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) to bring special attention to these authors. The Maggie, a silver medallion commissioned by GRW, receives national attention. Books will be ranked by librarians, booksellers, and other professionals in the publishing industry.
Top Prize:
Trophy
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)
The R C Sherriff Trust
Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
"Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving." - William Shakespeare For some, it is a lifetime’s pursuit, often slipping through their grasp while others see it fall into their hands by mere chance. However achieved, through talent or luck, Fame can be an ill-fated prize. The 19th Elmbridge Literary Competition, run in partnership by The R C Sherriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council, is looking for short stories and poems on the theme of the double-edged sword that is ‘FAME’.
Top Prize:
£250
Additional prizes:
Published chapbook
💰 Entry fee: $6
📅 Deadline: February 23, 2024 (Expired)
International Welsh Poetry Competition
Genres: Poetry
The first Welsh Poetry Competition was set up by poet & writer Dave Lewis in 2007. Officially launched on St David’s Day at Clwb-Y-Bont, Pontypridd, 2007 the aim is to encourage and foster the wealth of creative writing talent that we know exists in Wales but currently languishes in the doldrums. The aim is to inspire people to capture life in the present day and to give a voice to a new generation of poets and writers. We are not interested in purely academic types of literature but would much rather see pure raw passion burst onto the creative writing scene in Wales.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
2nd: £250 | 3rd: £100 | 17 runners-up: commended entries and future publication in anthology
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Expired)
Shuswap Association of Writers
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story
Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).
Top Prize:
$200 CAD
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $11
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)
Scottish Arts Trust
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, Thriller, and Young Adult
£3,000 first prize for writers worldwide and stories on any topic up to 2,000 words. We welcome stories in all genres: literary, historic, crime, romance, gritty realism, contemporary, humour and more.
Top Prize:
£3,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: £500 | 3rd: £250 | Publication
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)
Genres:
The PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize recognizes 12 emerging writers for their debut short story published in a literary magazine, journal, or cultural website. The 12 winning stories are selected by a committee of three judges who are well-respected experts in the art of the short story. The winning writers each receive a $2,000 cash prize and will be published by Catapult in their annual anthology.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Publication in Catapult
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: November 15, 2021 (Expired)
FanStory.com Inc.
Genres: Poetry
Share a one line poem to enter this poetry contest. Cash prize to the winner. How creative can you get with one line to work with.
Top Prize:
$100
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: August 24, 2024
Diode Editions
Genres: Novel
Open to all poets over 18 years old writing in English. Collaborations, hybrid works, and simultaneous submissions are welcome. Please notify Diode Editions if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
Top Prize:
$1,500
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Expired)
Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story
CAPTRS is building a catalog of threats, called the “Universe of Threats,” which will be used to prepare decision makers for future threats. We invite you to submit a 2,500 word or less story describing a threat scenario related to natural disasters, including floods, wildfires, hurricanes or another natural disaster of your choosing.
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $2,500 | 3rd: $1,000 | Publication on CAPTRS website
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)
Columbia Journalism School
Genres: Non-fiction
The Mark Lynton History Prize, in the amount of $10,000, is awarded to a book-length work of history on any topic that best combines intellectual distinction with felicity of expression. Books must have been published in the United States between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.
Top Prize:
$10,000
💰 Entry fee: $75
📅 Deadline: December 07, 2023 (Expired)
The Lascaux Review
Genres: Poetry
Poems may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. 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 fee: $15
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Intrepid Times
Genres: Non-fiction, Short Story, and Travel
Write an original, factual, first-person travel story that centers on a crossing of some kind. Your travel story should, as always, grow around the context of a place or experience; we want to see the theme being used in a way that enhances both. Editors will be looking for originality, voice, and a satisfying story arc that captures attention and makes use of imagery to pull the reader along at every step.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Publication in Intrepid Times
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)
Genres: Poetry
At around noon each Tuesday (GMT), from 12 April 2022 to 31 January 2023, 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 42 weeks, and a prize of 750 euro is awarded to one winner.
Top Prize:
€750
Additional prizes:
€500, €250
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: January 30, 2024 (Expired)
Ploughshares
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry
The 2024 Emerging Writer's Contest will run from March 1 at noon EST to May 15 at noon EST. The Emerging Writer's Contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book. Read past winners of the contest here. We award publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres. =
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
Review from Aevitas Creative Management
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)
Christopher Fielden
Genres: Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, and Short Story
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 fee: $16
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025
Gotham Writers Workshop
Genres: Script Writing
The Gotham Scriptwriting Scholarship is open to people of color who have an interest in writing scripts for movies, TV shows, or plays. Any level of experience is fine. All we ask is the desire to write scripts. Three scholarships will be offered.
Top Prize:
2 10-week script-related courses | 3 Intensives | 1 12-hour Mentorship
📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)
Jane Austen Society of North America
Genres: Children's and Essay
JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.
Top Prize:
$1,000 scholarship
Additional prizes:
Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting
📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)
Arizona Mystery Writers
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, and Short Story
Every year the Arizona Mystery Writers hosts the Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest. Naturally, since we’re the Arizona Mystery Writers, we want a mystery story, but we’re flexible about the boundaries of that category, and we also accept thrillers and suspense stories. It doesn’t matter if your story’s characters are in outer space, riding horses, or living underground. Costumes and settings don’t matter as long as the story is a mystery, thriller, or suspense tale as described.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
2nd: $100 | 3rd: $75
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: August 01, 2024
Write the World
Genres: Flash Fiction
“There was more room to think,” wrote novelist David Gaffney on becoming a flash fiction convert, “more space for the original idea to resonate, fewer unnecessary words to wade through.” This month, gather your briefest bits of story, your flashes in a pan, your poetic impulses, and give us a story in 100 words or fewer.
Top Prize:
Best Entry: $100
Additional prizes:
Runner up: $50, Best Peer Review: $50
📅 Deadline: August 26, 2024
North American Review
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, and Suspense
The Vonnegut Prize is an annual fiction competition intended to recognize the finest speculative fiction, which can include, but is not limited to, work influenced by the postmodern science-fiction of Kurt Vonnegut. We love Vonnegut’s dark humor, but please avoid mere imitation. We are enthusiastic about all work painted with speculative fiction’s broad brush: fairy tale, magical realism, fabulism, the fantastic, horror, Afro-futurism, science fiction hard and soft, and everything in between. The winning entry will appear in the North American Review's annual summer issue, and all finalists will be considered for publication.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $23
📅 Deadline: November 02, 2024
Black Lawrence Press
Genres: Fiction, Novel, Poetry, and Short Story
Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Big Moose Prize for an unpublished novel. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication, 10 copies of your book
💰 Entry fee: $27
📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)
Bridport Arts Centre
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
It may be the sprint of creative writing but that doesn’t mean you can rush the creative process. Take us somewhere fast then let your story marinade in the reader's mind. Make every one of your 250 words count. There is no minimum number of words, just like there is no limit to your imagination. They say lightning doesn't strike twice but we want to feel the electricity in your story right from the beginning through to the very end.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
£500 for 2nd, £250 for 3rd
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)
Best Travel Writing
Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel
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. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: September 21, 2024
FanStory.com Inc.
Genres: Poetry
Write a four line poem that has a specific syllable count. The first line has 1 syllable, the second line has 5 syllables, the third line has 5 syllables, and the last line has 9 syllables. The subject can be anything.
Top Prize:
$100
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: May 16, 2024 (Expired)
Globe Soup
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult
Register now for our next 7-day story writing challenge. A secret theme, a randomly assigned genre, and just 7 days to write a story of no more than 2,000 words. Our 7-day story writing challenges take place throughout the year. The challenges are free and you can even get feedback on your story. Take part in one challenge or take part in all of them!
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Publication on website
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)
Crime Writer's Association
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Suspense, and Thriller
The Debut Dagger is a competition for the opening of a crime novel by a writer who isn’t represented by an agent by the time the competition closes, and who has never had a traditional contract for any novel of any length, or who has never self-published any novel of any length in the last 5 years. Writers submit their opening 3,000 words and a 1,500 word synopsis. Entries from shortlisted writers are sent to UK literary agents and publishers. Every year, authors find representation this way.
Top Prize:
$577
💰 Entry fee: $41
📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)
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