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About Reedsy Terms PrivacyThe Best Writing Contests of 2021
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Browse 116 contests that match your search 🔦 reset
Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest
Moment Magazine is now accepting submissions for the 2021 contest. Moment will award up to three prizes to outstanding works of unpublished short fiction with Jewish content, including $1,000 for first place.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Moment Magazine
Genres
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 June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£300
Additional prizes
£200, £100
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
Typehouse Literary Magazine Open Fiction Contest
We are pleased to announce Typehouse Literary Magazine 's third biennial Open Fiction Contest! All pieces must be between 1000-6000 words, entries must be previously unpublished and all genres are accepted.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$175
Additional prizes
$100 for second place and $50 for third place
Genres
Crime, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Drue Heinz Literature Prize
University of Pittsburgh Press
The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction and makes their work available to readers around the world. The award is open to authors who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in commercial magazines or literary journals.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$15,000
Additional prizes
Publication in University of Pittsburgh Press
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Nowhere Magazine Spring 2021 Travel Writing Contest
A prize of $1,000 and publication in Nowhere Magazine is given twice yearly for a travel-specific short story, long-form creative nonfiction piece, poem or essay that possesses a powerful sense of place, character or time. Unpublished and published pieces that have not previously been chosen as a contest winner are eligible. Submit your 800- to 5,000-word piece with a $20 entry fee by June 30, 2021.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Nowhere magazine
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
The Lascaux Prize in Flash Fiction
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.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Writing Magazine Grand Prize
Win up to £1,000 in the Writing Magazine Grand Prize, our open competition for your short stories in any form, on any topic. The only stipulation is that your story should be a maximum 2,000 words. Stories will be judged by the Writing Magazine editorial team and the winner published in Writing Magazine later in the year.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,360
Additional prizes
£250, £100, WM Courses mini-critique, 12-month WM subscription
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
The Don Belton Fiction Reading Period
Indiana Review and Indiana University Press are proud to present the Don Belton Fiction Reading Period. Between May 1 and June 30, we will read fiction manuscripts of up to 80,000 words. The winning manuscript will be published by IU Press and the author will receive $1,000 against future royalties and a standard publication contract with IU Press.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
Publication by IU Press
Additional prizes
$1,000 against future royalties, a standard publication contract with IU Press
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
The Moth Short Story Prize
The Moth Short Story Prize is an international prize, open to anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as their story is original and previously unpublished. The Prize will be judged this year by Ali Smith, the author of many works of fiction, including five collections of short stories and, most recently, the seasonal quartet, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Her work has won many awards.
Deadline June 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
€3,000
Additional prizes
€1,000, writing retreat at Circle of Misse
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $18
The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest
In its nearly two centuries of existence, The Saturday Evening Post has published short fiction by a who's who of great American authors, including Ray Bradbury, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Now you have the opportunity to join our illustrious lineup by entering The Saturday Evening Post 's Annual Great American Fiction Contest. The winning story will be published in the January/February 2022 edition of The Saturday Evening Post, and the author will receive $1,000. Five runners-up will each receive $200 and will also have their stories featured online.
Deadline July 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in The Saturday Evening Post
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Jim Martin Memorial Story Contest
Send in your short story in mystery, suspense, or thriller style. Entries may be up to 2500 words (about 10 double-spaced pages). It’s loads of fun and a good exercise of your writing skills.
Deadline July 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$200
Additional prizes
Genres
Crime, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
She Writes Press and SparkPress Towards Equality in Publishing (STEP)
The publishing industry has been widely criticized for its lack of diversity. At She Writes Press and SparkPress, we are well aware of the need for more and broader representation of writers of color on our lists. In an effort to address this issue head-on we launched the She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing (STEP) contest.
Deadline July 05, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
Publishing package including a 500-book print run
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
HG Wells Short Story Competition
BBC Aeronautics Correspondent Reg Turnill and his wife, Margaret
The theme for this year’s competition is MASK in its broadest interpretation. There are two categories. Authors 21 years of age and under (on 12th July 2021) with a prize of £1,000. (Entry is free). Authors aged 22 years and above on 12th July 2021 with a prize of £500 (entry £10 or £5 with student id).
Deadline July 12, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£1,000
Additional prizes
£500
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
Muriel Craft Bailey Poetry Contest
Here 's how it works: our editorial staff chooses approximately fifty to sixty finalists. The highest scoring finalists (25 or so) are considered Special Merit poems. Special Merit poems go to the judge. The judge determines the top three prize winners. The entire editorial staff then selects the Honorable Mentions from the remaining Special Merits.
Deadline July 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by The Comstock Review
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $5
Rattle Poetry Prize
The annual Rattle Poetry Prize offers $15,000 for a single poem to be published in the winter issue of the magazine. Ten finalists will also receive $500 each and publication, and be eligible for the $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award, to be selected by subscriber and entrant vote.
Deadline July 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$15,000
Additional prizes
Published in the Winter 2020 issue of Rattle
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers
The Francine Ringold Awards for New Writers honor the work of writers at the beginning of their careers. Open only to writers whose work has not appeared or is not scheduled to appear in more than 2 publications in the genre in which they are submitting.
Deadline July 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in the Spring issue of Nimrod
Genres
Fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Lazuli Literary Group Writing Contest
Both previously published and unpublished works are eligible, provided that publication on the Lazuli Literary Group website does not infringe on previously held rights. We are not concerned with genre distinctions. Send us the best you have; we want only for it to be thoughtful, intelligent, and beautiful. We will give as many first place prizes as the top submissions warrant.
Deadline July 22, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$200
Additional prizes
Publication in AZURE
Genres
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Biopage Storytelling Writing Contest
Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Each story (or once chapter of your stories) is limited to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words. You can write about good life experience, or bad, embarrassing, frightening ones. You can win $300, and five runners-up can win $100 each.
Deadline July 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$300
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Spring 2021 Story Contest
Narrative Magazine's Winter Contest is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. They're looking for short shorts, short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, all forms of literary nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of both fiction and nonfiction. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest. All contest entries are eligible for the $4,000 Narrative Prize.
Deadline July 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,500
Additional prizes
$1000 for 2nd, $500 for 3rd, $100 for ten finalists
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $27
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 July 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
Lune Spark Young Writers' Short Story Contest
Lune Spark's yearly contest aims to encourage children to engage in creating writing. Submit a story up to 1,500 words long for a chance to get published.
Deadline July 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in paperback, hardback, ebook, and audiobook
Genres
Short Story, Young Adult,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Seán O'Faoláin International Short Story Competition
The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or fewer. The story can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world.
Deadline July 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
€2,000
Additional prizes
Residency at Anam Cara Retreat, Featured reading at the Cork International Short Story Festival, Publication in Southword
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $22
To Hull and Back Humorous Short Story Contest
August 2020 saw the launch of the 2021 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. There's a total prize pot of £3,250.
Deadline July 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£1,200
Additional prizes
Published in an anthology
Genres
Fiction, Humor, Non-fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $18
Grindstone Short Story Prize
The Grindstone Short Story Prize returns this year, seeking out the best short fiction writers from around the world. Writers are asked to submit a piece of short fiction between 1000 and 3000 words, of any genre, aimed at adult readers.
Deadline August 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£500
Additional prizes
£200 runner-up, £50 four shortlisters
Genres
Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $17
Diode Editions Chapbook Contest
Open to all poets over the age of 18 who write in English. Length: 25—50 pages (front matter is not included in page count). We will consider translations, and we welcome collaborations.
Deadline August 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication and 25 author copies
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $18
Diode Editions Full Length Book Contest
Open to all poets over the age of 18 who write in English. Length: 55—85 pages (front matter is not included in page count). We will consider translations, and we welcome collaborations.
Deadline August 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication and 25 author copies
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest
The editors of Third Wednesday wish to honor the memory of George Dila, friend of Third Wednesday and the editor who originally brought fiction to 3W. To this end, we proudly announce the opening of The George Dila Memorial Flash Fiction Contest. We accept entries of previously unpublished stories of under 1000 words in length (including title).
Deadline August 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Publication in Third Wednesday magazine
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $6
5-7-5 Poetry Contest
Share a 5-7-5 poem to enter this poetry contest. A 5-7-5 is a simple poem to write. The first line of your poem will have 5 syllables. Second line has 7. Third line has 5 again. Cash prize!
Deadline August 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $9
The Writer's Games
The Writer's Games is a two-month competition where writers receive an Event (prompt) each Friday and have 72 hours to write a short story that fits the prompt. A group of judges read and give feedback to each entry. The top 5 winners of each Event are published in our Games anthology. There are also prizes for the top 3. One of the prizes is an interview that's posted on the Writer's Workout blog. Registration for the Games starts in June and the Games begin in July.
Deadline August 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
Publication in the Games anthology
Additional prizes
An interview on the Writer's Workout blog
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
Poetry Competition
We’re looking for the best POEM of up to 50 lines. The theme for Globe Soup Poetry Competitions is always: ‘Poetry with a Sense of Place’. We accept all forms and styles of poetry. We can’t wait to see where this competition takes you!
Deadline August 17, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£1000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $11
Future Flash Fiction Contest
Write a flash fiction story that takes place in the future. Maximum length 500 words. The winner takes away a $100 cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline August 20, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Science Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Exeter Story Prize and Trisha Ashley Award
The competition is for stories of up to five thousand words on any theme. We are delighted that Sunday Times Bestselling author, Trisha Ashley is once again offering an award. This year she has asked us for a selection of 'engaging and quirky' stories to choose from.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£500
Additional prizes
Trish Ashley Award £200
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
100 Word Flash Fiction Contest
Write a flash fiction story on any topic that uses exactly 100 words. The winner takes away a $100 cash prize. All writers will receive feedback for their submission.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $9
Fischer Prize
This annual award is open to poets of all ages living in the US. Deadline for submissions is August 31st, 2021.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Attendance at Telluride Literary Arts Festival
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
SFPA Poetry Contest
Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA)
The annual SFPA Speculative (Dwarf/Short/Long) Poetry Contest is open to all poets, including non-members of the SFPA. Awards will be given across 3 categories.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$150
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry, Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $3
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