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DIRECTORY
Showing 427 contests that match your search.
The Heartland Review
Genres: Poetry and Fiction
The Heartland Review publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. The contest is open to established and emerging writers. Submissions are free, and the next open calls will begin in December 2024. A contributor copy is provided to published authors.
Additional prizes:
Publication in The Heartland Review. 1 contributor copy for published works
📅 Deadline: December 01, 2024
Creative Writing NZ
Genres: Short Story
The Creative Writing NZ Short Story Prize 2024 is an international competition open to entrants worldwide. Entries can be on any subject, theme, or genre, with a maximum of 3000 words. Judged anonymously, the winner will receive $1,000, and two runners-up will each receive $200, along with free online courses and publication on the website.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Two runners-up will receive $200 each and a free online course. Winner will also receive a free online course and publication on the website
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)
Writing Peers
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Horror, Mystery, Romance, and Thriller
The Writing Peers Summer Short Story Prize is designed to celebrate and promote the art of storytelling. Details about the contest, including submission guidelines, themes, and criteria, are crucial for participants.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: June 21, 2024 (Expired)
Passager
Genres: Poetry
The contest seeks poetry submissions from writers aged 50 and older. The winner will receive a cash prize and publication. The submission window is from February 15 to April 15, and all poems must be original and not previously published.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Winner gets publication and a featured interview. All honorable mentions will be published.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: April 15, 2024 (Expired)
Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA)
Genres: Christian, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Travel
The New Deal Writing Competition invites writers to create a short story inspired by a specific painting. The current painting is 'Playtime' by Fred Ross. This is the ninth annual contest, intended to celebrate creativity and connect art and writing.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Publication in newsletter
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)
Write the World
Genres: Poetry
The Poetry & Spoken Word Competition 2024 is organized by Write the World, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting young writers. This contest encourages creativity in poetry and spoken word formats and aims to empower teenagers aged 13-19.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50 Recognition on the Write the World platform and social media.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024
The Bedford Competition
Genres: Poetry and Short Story
The Bedford Competition runs annual international short story and poetry competitions open to anyone over 17 years. Winning entries are published in an anthology. The 2024 competition opens on May 1st and closes on October 31st.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
2nd Prize £300, 3rd Prize £200, Cygnature Prizes £200, Bedford Prizes £100
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024
Lambda Literary
Genres: LGBTQ and Novel
The Randall Kenan Prize for Black LGBTQ Fiction, in memory of the celebrated author Randall Kenan, honors Black LGBTQ writers of fiction. The award will go to a Black LGBTQ writer whose fiction explores themes of Black LGBTQ life, culture, and/or history. To be eligible, the winner of the prize must have published at least one book and show promise in continuing to produce groundbreaking work.
Top Prize:
$3,000
📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)
National Council of Teachers of English
Genres: Children's
Through collaboration and community, shared stories and shared experiences, NCTE supports teachers and their students in classrooms, on college campuses, and in online learning environments. The Promising Young Writers Program stimulates and recognizes the writing talents of eighth-grade students and to emphasize the importance of writing skills among eighth-grade students.
Top Prize:
The NCTE Certificate of Recognition
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)
FanStory.com Inc.
Genres: Poetry
For this contest you are challenged to write a Tanka poem. Tanka is a form of poetry that often follows a specific syllable count. That count is 5-7-5-7-7. So your first line has five syllables, second has seven, third has five and the last two lines each have seven syllables. Cash prize!
Top Prize:
$100
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: June 18, 2024 (Expired)
Reed Magazine
Genres: Essay and Non-fiction
The contest recognizes outstanding works of nonfiction, awarding $1,333 for creative nonfiction entries, such as personal essays. Submissions must be stand-alone essays, not previously published, and limited to 5,000 words.
Top Prize:
$1,333
Additional prizes:
All contest entrants receive a free copy of the latest edition of Reed Magazine.
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2024
Flash 500
Genres: Fiction and Novel
We are looking for an opening chapter up to 3,000 words, plus a one page synopsis outlining the balance of your story of any genre, so long as it's unpublished.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
2nd Place: £200
💰 Entry fee: $13
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024
Write the World
Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction
The Personal Essay Competition invites young writers aged 13-19 to submit personal essays. Participants can showcase their writing skills while receiving feedback from peers and experts.
Top Prize:
Best entry: $100
Additional prizes:
Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50 Winners receive cash prizes and a feature on Write the World's blog and social media.
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024
First Coast Romance Writers
Genres: Fiction and Romance
The National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award celebrates published romance novels and novellas and is judged by romance readers. All entries must have an original copyright date of 2021 and must have been available for purchase in the United States beginning in 2021.
Top Prize:
NERFA Winner web logo and trophy
💰 Entry fee: $40
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
Fanstory
Genres: Poetry
Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem: 2 syllables in the first line, 4 in the second, 2 in the last. Subject can be anything. Winner receives feedback and a cash prize.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Feedback for all submissions.
📅 Deadline: December 11, 2024
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)
Sunspot Literary Journal
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story
The contest invites short stories, novel excerpts, graphic novels, and poems that showcase excellence in craft with reader appeal. It accepts literary or genre works without restrictions on theme.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)
Ottawa Tourism
Genres: Travel
Ottawa Tourism offers an annual $500 CAD prize for outstanding travel writing featuring Canada’s Capital Region. Eligible entries include items in English or in French that have appeared in magazines, newspapers, or online media in 2023 that highlight Ottawa as a travel destination.
Top Prize:
$500 CAD
📅 Deadline: February 02, 2024 (Expired)
The Letter Review
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction
The contest is open quarterly, allowing submissions in categories including Short Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Unpublished Books. Winners receive a cash prize and publication.
Top Prize:
$1000 USD shared by 3 winners
Additional prizes:
Publication in Letter Review and consideration for the Pushcart Prize.
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024 (Expired)
Write the World in partnership with Patagonia
Genres: Essay and Non-fiction
This contest invites teenagers to express their thoughts on the climate crisis and how collective action can address environmental challenges. The competition emphasizes the importance of youth voices in the fight against climate change.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50 Publication of winning pieces on Patagonia's platforms. Opportunities for mentorship and publication for runners-up.
📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)
University of Arkansas Press
Genres: Poetry
Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best new poetry. The series and prize are named for and operated to honor the cofounder and longtime director of the press, Miller Williams.
Top Prize:
$5,000
Additional prizes:
Publication through the University of Arkansas Press
💰 Entry fee: $28
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2024 (Expired)
American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
Genres: Essay
The contest invites high school students to write an essay exploring future challenges for diplomats, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Foreign Service. Essays must be between 1,000 and 1,500 words, addressing specific prompts and demonstrating an understanding of the Foreign Service.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Winner also receives an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., plus an educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea. Runner-up: $1,250 plus full tuition for the National Student Leadership Conference's International Diplomacy program.
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)
Ireland Writing Retreat
Genres: Flash Fiction and Non-fiction
The 9th edition of the WAWA invites entries in flash fiction and creative nonfiction based on the theme of 'danger'. Stories should not exceed 500 words and must not include the word 'danger' in the title or text. Winners will be announced in September 2024.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
Winner can choose either 500 euro or a voucher worth 1,000 euro for any writing retreat in 2024 or 2025. Top ten stories in each category will be published on the Ireland Writing Retreat website
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: July 28, 2024 (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.
Top Prize:
£20 per poem published in The Rialto.
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)
Secant Publishing
Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult
An international contest to find original short stories focused on the human impact of climate change. Emphasis on emotional narratives rather than scientific theories. Open to writers aged 18 and above.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250 | Up to 30 entries will be published in an anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)
Narratively
Genres: Essay, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction
Narratively is currently accepting submissions for their 2023 Memoir Prize. They are looking for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. The guest judge is New York Times bestselling memoirist Stephanie Land.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
$1,000 and publication
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2023 (Expired)
Alice Lutyens, literary agent at Curtis Brown
Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult
The Caledonia Novel Award aims to support unpublished and self-published novelists across all genres for adults and young adults. The 2025 competition encourages diverse submissions, offering significant prizes to help cultivate new talent.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
Exclusive framed award designed by Edinburgh artist Lucy Roscoe. Highly Commended prize: £500 Special prize: a free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre
💰 Entry fee: $28
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2024
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
Fish Publishing
Genres: Poetry
The top ten poems of the annual Fish Poetry Contest will be published in Fish Anthology. First prize winner will receive €1000 and the second prize winner will receive a week in residence at Anam Cara Writers ' Reatreat. 3rd: €300
Top Prize:
€1000
Additional prizes:
2nd: writer's retreat | 3rd: €300
💰 Entry fee: $14
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)
FanStory.com Inc
Genres: Fiction, Science Writing, and Science Fiction
Share a Science Fiction themed story to enter this writing contest with a cash prizes. Let your imagination fly and enjoy sharing your writing.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Winning entries will be features on the FanStory.com welcome page.
💰 Entry fee: $9
📅 Deadline: April 12, 2023 (Expired)
Gemini Magazine
Genres: Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Fiction
The Annual Short Contest is part of Gemini Magazine's yearly contests, which include Flash Fiction and Poetry. Each contest seeks to discover and publish exceptional literary works from writers around the globe.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Second place: $100 $25 plus publication for honorable mentions. Publication in Gemini Magazine
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Expired)
Write the World
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Short Story
This contest invites young writers aged 13-19 to explore the realms of science fiction and fantasy through creative writing. Participants can share their unique stories and ideas, receiving valuable feedback from peers and experts.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50 Publication opportunities and mentorship sessions. Recognition for runners-up and feature in the Write the World blog.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: July 28, 2025
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)
Academy of American Poets
Genres: Poetry
The Ambroggio Prize is a $1,000 publication prize given for a book-length poetry manuscript originally written in Spanish and with an English translation. The winning manuscript is published by Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingüe, publisher of literary works, scholarship, and art books by or about U.S. Hispanics.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by Bilingual Press
📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)
Ayn Rand Institute
Genres: Essay
The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is open to all high school, college, and graduate students worldwide. Participants write essays based on prompts related to Ayn Rand's novel _Atlas Shrugged_. The contest has seasonal entry rounds with unique prompts, and essays must be between 800 and 1,600 words. The winning essays demonstrate a strong grasp of the book's themes.
Top Prize:
$25,000
Additional prizes:
Annual Grand Prize of $25,000 Seasonal prize winners: 1st place: $3000 2nd place: $2000 3rd place: $1000
📅 Deadline: June 14, 2024 (Expired)
Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.