The Best Writing Contests of 2019
Over 300 writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Browse 385 contests that match your search 🔦
2-4-2 Poetry Contest
Share a 2-4-2 poem to enter this poetry contest. A 2-4-2 is a three line poem that has a 2-4-2 syllable count.
Deadline November 30, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $9
TWF Very Short Fiction Contest 2019-2020
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 1,000 words.
Deadline October 15, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in New Orleans Review Web Features
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
TWF Poetry Contest 2019-2020
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
The contest is open to writers who have not yet published a book of poetry with an ISBN number.
Deadline October 15, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Public reading at the next Festival
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
TWF One-Act Play Contest 2019-2020
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
Finalists will receive a panel pass ($100 value) to the Festival.
Deadline October 01, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Publication in Bayou Magazine
Genres
Script Writing,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
TWF Fiction Contest 2019-2020
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
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 01, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Publication in Louisiana Literature
Genres
Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Saints & Sinners Fiction Contest 2019-2020
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
The winner will be selected from this year’s submissions of original, unpublished short stories between 3,000 and 7,000 words with LGBT content on the broad theme of “Saints and Sinners.” This contest would not be possible without a generous grant from The John Burton Harter Foundation.
Deadline October 01, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in anthology from Bold Strokes Books
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
7th Ó Bhéal Five Words International Poetry Competition
At around noon each Tuesday (GMT), from April 2019 to the end of January 2020, 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, until the last week of January and a prize of 500 euro is awarded to one winner.
Deadline January 28, 2020
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $5
Momaya Poetry Competition
Accepting poems on the theme of "Masks" up to 1500 words.
Deadline October 30, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$70
Additional prizes
Published in the Momaya Short Story Review
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $7
Short Story Writing Contest
All fiction genres are eligible. You can enter multiple stories, but you must submit a separate entry for each story.
Deadline September 30, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $19
2019 Insecure Writer's Support Group Anthology Contest
Insecure Writer's Support Group
Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin@insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.
Deadline September 04, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
Royalties from book sales
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
Story In A Bottle
Imagine a bottle rides the waves of the ocean until it finally washes ashore, where someone discovers the bottle, pulls out a cork, and... there is a message inside. What does the message say? Tell us what the message says in 27 words or fewer. The person who creates the most compelling “story in a bottle” wins a free Gotham class of his or her choosing.
Deadline September 02, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$0
Additional prizes
Genres
Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
Not So Normal Narrators 2019
For our inaugural short story competition, Not So Normal Narrators, we are seeking short stories told through underrepresented and unusual teen voices. We’re hoping to see central characters of different ethnic, cultural and class backgrounds, characters who identify as LGBTQ+, characters with disabilities or mental health issues, or just any young character with circumstances or a perspective outside of the mainstream. Prizes and entry fees are in GBP.
Deadline August 31, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$200
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $4
#GWstorieseverywhere
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.
Deadline December 31, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
Gotham Writers Workshop
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
Walt Whitman Award
The Walt Whitman Award is granted to an unpublished poetry collection. The prizes include $5,000, publication by Graywolf Press, and a six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in Umbria, Italy. Submissions are accepted from September 1 through November 1 each year. The judge for the 2019 Walt Whitman Award is Li-Young Lee.
Deadline November 01, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Graywolf Press
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $35
Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Welcome to the 17th annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $5,000 in prizes. Please submit during April 15-September 30, 2019.
Deadline September 30, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Creative Writing Award
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is an international literary prize that celebrates excellence in Poetry and Short Fiction. Winners are presented with opportunities to expand their literary careers: £1,000 cash prize each, a consultation with literary agency Redhammer Management, a Full Membership to The Poetry Society, a subscription to Granta and books courtesy of Bloodaxe Books and Vintage Books. Submissions will reopen in December.
Deadline August 31, 2019
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual
Genres
Fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
2019 Summer Flash Contest
Summer seems like the right time to write short. Show us your very best work in any genre, fiction or nonfiction. The catch? We’ll only accept works that are 1,000 words or less.
Deadline August 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in The Writer Magazine
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
The Alcott Award for Young Adult Fiction
Hidden River announces the inaugural Alcott Award for an unpublished book-length work of Young Adult fiction featuring at least one strong female lead character. This competition is open to international submissions for all writers in English. The winning manuscript will be published by Many Frog Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, and will receive $1000.
Deadline August 01, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Many Frog Press
Genres
Fiction, Young Adult,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $22
Red Hen Press Novella Award
Established in 2018, the Novella Award is for a previously unpublished, original work of fiction between 15,000 and 30,000 words. Awarded manuscript is selected through an annual competition which is open to all writers.
Deadline July 31, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Red Hen Press
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Writer's Digest Self-Published eBook Awards
Writer’s Digest’s Annual Self-Published Ebook Awards honors the best self-published ebook(s) in eight of the most popular categories with $5,000 in cash, a featured interview in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to the ever-popular Writer’s Digest Annual Conference in New York City.
Deadline August 01, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Interview in Writer's Digest and paid trip to their annual conference
Genres
Fantasy, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $99
The Peseroff Prize Poetry Contest
Submit up to three poems and a $10 entry fee. There are no restrictions on content or form: “it’s all poetry.” Poems should be previously unpublished. The winner and finalists will be published in our FALL issue.
Deadline July 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Break Water Review
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
The Prophecy Creek Award for Speculative Fiction
Hidden River Arts offers the Prophecy Creek Award in Speculative Fiction yearly award with a monetary prize of $1,000, and publication on Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, for an original, unpublished book-length work of speculative fiction.
Deadline July 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fantasy, Fiction, Novel, Science Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $22
Kore Press Institute Poetry Prize
A prize of $1,500, publication and promotion by Kore Press, and 20 author copies will be given for an original, unpublished full-length poetry collection by a woman, transgender or gender non-conforming poet writing in English. Poets can be at any point in their career.
Deadline August 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Publication by Kore Press
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $28
Brick Road Poetry Book Contest
The first place winner receives a publication contract with Brick Road Poetry Press and $1000 prize, publication in both print and ebook formats, and 25 copies of the printed book. We may also offer publication contracts to the top finalists.
Deadline August 01, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Brick Road Poetry Press
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Biopage Mini-Essay Writing Contest
Biopage is hosting a writing contest to remind people the benefits of writing. Write something, write anything. It doesn’t need to be long, actually we limit it to 5,000 characters or roughly 1,000 words.
Deadline July 31, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
SFWP Literary Awards
All fiction and creative nonfiction will be eligible despite genre, form, subject, or length. So we’ll take full- length manuscripts, collections short or long, excerpts, and essays.
Deadline July 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Competitive book contract offer
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $30
Dark Tales Competition
Head for the shadows for this month’s competition, which invites fiction with an edge. It could be spooky or chilling, or just dealing with the darker side of human psychology, but you’ll need to leave us feeling more than a little uncomfortable. The only limit is the 1,500-1,700 word count.
Deadline August 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$200
Additional prizes
Publication in Writing Magazine
Genres
Mystery, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $6
Crime/Thriller Short Story Competition
As popular with competition writers as it is with readers, our annual crime and thriller competition is one of the most hotly contested of the year, so you’ll need to bring your best, but there are no limits on topic or approach, just the 1,500-1,700 word limit.
Deadline July 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$200
Additional prizes
Publication in Writing Magazine
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Mystery, Thriller,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $6
Quarterly Flash Fiction Contest
Can't get enough science fiction, fantasy, and feminism? F-BOM is hosting a quarterly flash fiction contest! Topics will be released every February, May, August, and November, and submissions will be judged by the featured F-BOM author. Entries must be under 100 words. [Submissions reopen November 2019]
Deadline December 31, 2018 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
Publication on F-BOM blog
Additional prizes
3 months of F-BOM e-book membership
Genres
Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
The Writing District Contest
Free to enter monthly short story competition. Prize includes $50 and publication online. Short stories up to 3,000 words are accepted. Open theme.
Deadline December 31, 2018 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$50
Additional prizes
Publication on The Writing District
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Nowhere Magazine Fall 2018 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 December 31, 2018, at nowheremag.com/contests. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Deadline December 31, 2018 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Essay, Non-fiction, Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $2
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, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Louis L'Amour, Sinclair Lewis, Jack London, Joyce Carol Oates, Edgar Allan Poe, Anne Tyler, and Kurt Vonnegut, among so many others. Now you have the opportunity to join our illustrious lineup by entering The Saturday Evening Post 's Annual Great American Fiction Contest.
Deadline July 01, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in The Saturday Evening Post
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
The Brighton Prize
We were founded in 2014 by Rattle Tales, Brighton's interactive short story evening. Our roots mean we love stories that work on the stage as well as they do on the page. If you can create a story that challenges us with new ideas while staying beautifully simple, there 's a good chance we 'll love it. If you can write a story like that, keep reading. We 'd love to have your entry.
Deadline July 01, 2018 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
£100 for the two runners up
Genres
Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $8
Nowhere Magazine Spring 2019 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 July 15, 2019.
Deadline July 15, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Nowhere magazine
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
2019 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award
The Kate Tufts Discovery Award was created in 1994, a year after the inception of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. It is presented to a first book by a poet of genuine promise. The Kate Tufts Discovery Award offers a hefty prize of $10,000 and is given for poetry volumes published in the preceding year.
Deadline July 01, 2019 (Expired)
Learn moreTop prize
$100,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
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