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DIRECTORY

Best Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 428 contests that match your search.

New Deal Writing Competition

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)

Bacopa Literary Review Annual Writing Contest

Writers Alliance of Gainesville

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Bacopa Literary Review is an annual international print journal seeking engaging and original submissions across multiple genres. The contest includes various categories with specific guidelines to encourage diverse forms of writing.

Top Prize:

$200

Additional prizes:

$100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories

📅 Deadline: May 02, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2024. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual anthology.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Poetry International Prize 2024

Poetry International

Genres: Poetry

The Poetry International Prize is an annual contest to award a cash prize of $1000 and publication for a single poem of any length. Submissions are accepted via Submittable and all entries are considered for publication.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication in Poetry International

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

3-6-9 Poetry Contest

FanStory.com Inc.

Genres: Poetry

This poem has three stanzas. Each stanza has three lines that follows the 3-6-9 syllable count. The first line has 3 syllables, the second line has 6 syllables and the last line 9 syllables. The subject can be anything.

Top Prize:

$100

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: November 15, 2024

Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry

Lynx House Press

Genres: Poetry

The Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry is awarded for an unpublished, full-length volume of poems by a U.S. author, along with foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens abroad. The prize includes $2000 and publication.

Top Prize:

$2,000

Additional prizes:

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: June 16, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Novel

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.

Top Prize:

First look consideration by a top, NYC-based literary agency

Additional prizes:

$500, publicist consultation service, Reedsy credit, custom author website

💰 Entry fee: $150

📅 Deadline: February 14, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Romance, and Short Story

The Booksie 2024 Short Story Contest invites writers to submit original short stories, with a maximum length of 5,000 words. The contest offers a grand prize of $500, along with badges for winners encoded on the blockchain. The contest aims to promote creativity and originality across all genres.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Gold winner badge, optional publication contract worth $100. Runners-up receive $100 cash and a silver winner badge

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Expired)

Morton and McCarthy Prizes

Sarabande Books

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

This contest is open to any short fiction writer of English. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a short novel. Works that have previously appeared in magazines or in anthologies may be included.

Top Prize:

$2,000

Additional prizes:

Publication by Sarabande Books

💰 Entry fee: $29

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)

First Book Award

Academy of American Poets

Genres: Poetry

The First Book Award is a $5,000 first-book publication prize. The winning manuscript, chosen by an acclaimed poet, is published by Graywolf Press. The winner also receives an all-expenses-paid six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center, in the Umbrian region of Italy.

Top Prize:

$5,000

Additional prizes:

Publication by Graywolf Press

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: September 01, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Non-fiction

The Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing was created in 2016 to honor outstanding debut literary works by first-generation immigrants, awarded for fiction and nonfiction in alternating years. The winner receives $10,000 and publication by Restless Books.

Top Prize:

$10,000

Additional prizes:

Publication by Restless Books

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025

Non Fiction Writing Contest

FanStory.com Inc.

Genres: Non-fiction

We are looking for personal essays, memoirs, and works of literary non-fiction on any topic. It doesn't matter if it's spiritual, political, intellectual, emotional, funny, serious, or an essay about your DVD player.

Top Prize:

$100

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: May 08, 2022 (Expired)

2025 Book Prize

Unleash Press

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, and Short Story

The 2025 Book Prize awards a winning manuscript with a $1,000 advance and a standard contract from Unleash Press. Accepts novels, poetry collections, short story collections, and creative nonfiction. The competition is open now until December 1, 2024.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Standard publishing contract for the winner. Finalists will be considered for publication.

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: December 02, 2024

Travel Writing Award

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)

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)

Genres: Fiction

The Sudden Fiction Contest invites previously unpublished stories of 1000 words or fewer, emphasizing innovative short fiction. It is a student-run competition by UC Berkeley. Finalists and honorable mentions will be published in the journal.

Top Prize:

$150

Additional prizes:

2nd place: $100 3rd place: $50 Honorable mentions: $25

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2025

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Exeter Writers runs an annual short story competition. The competition began in 2009 and is very popular, receiving entries from all over the world. The maximum word count is 3,000.

Top Prize:

$900

💰 Entry fee: $9

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2021 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, and Short Story

The Rigel 2024 writing contest invites submissions in various formats, including prose, poetry, art, and graphic novels, with a focus on creative expression across genres. The contest aims to support diverse voices and original works.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Runners-up and finalists are offered publication

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2024 (Expired)

Mark Lynton History Prize

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)

Genres: Poetry

Established in 1998, this award honors poet Benjamin Saltman and is for previously unpublished original poetry collections. The competition is open to all poets.

Top Prize:

$3,000

Additional prizes:

Book publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024 (Expired)

HG Wells Short Story Competition

HG Wells Competition

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The HG Wells Short Story Competition, founded by Reg Turnill, promotes writing and celebrates HG Wells' literary legacy. It encourages entries based on this year’s theme: 'The Fool.'

Top Prize:

Under 21: £1,000 Over 21: £500

Additional prizes:

All shortlisted entries will be published in an anthology. Shortlisted authors receive a copy of the anthology and a certificate.

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: July 08, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: LGBTQ

The J. Michael Samuel Prize honors emerging LGBTQ writers over the age of 50. This award is made possible by writer and philanthropist Chuck Forester, who created it out of the firmly held belief that “Writers who start late are just as good as other writers, it just took the buggers more time.” The prize will go to an unpublished LGBTQ writer over 50 working in any genre.

Top Prize:

$5,000

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

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

The Carolyn Readers' Choice Awards

North Texas Romance Writers

Genres: Romance

The Carolyn Readers Choice Award contest is open to all authors of traditional, e-published, and self-published books. Romances featuring characters of all races, creeds, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities or with disabilities or containing spiritual/religious elements are welcome to enter. Please enter the category that best suits your entry over all.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Digital medallion for runners up

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: LGBTQ and Non-fiction

Lambda Literary’s Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction, in memory of the beloved activist and author, honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/gender non-conforming nonfiction authors. The award will go to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history.

Top Prize:

$2,500

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Presence Short Story Award

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Novella, and Thriller

The Presence Short Story Award invites unique stories about ghosts or spiritual entities, particularly from BIPOC and underrepresented communities. The contest emphasizes psychological terror over gore.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Runner-up prizes include $250 and $100 cash prizes, as well as $25 Amazon gift cards for the top 6 finalists. Grand prize includes publication in the Presence collection and Kinsman Quarterly journal.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Expired)

2-4-2 Poetry Contest

FanStory.com

Genres: Poetry

Participants must write a 2-4-2 syllable poem consisting of three lines: the first line has 2 syllables, the second line has 4 syllables, and the last line has 2 syllables. The subject can be anything. All entries will receive feedback.

Top Prize:

$100

💰 Entry fee: $1

📅 Deadline: December 11, 2024

Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest

Moment Magazine and Karma Foundation

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest invites unpublished stories that focus on themes relating to Judaism or Jewish culture. Established in 2000, it has featured renowned judges and offers cash prizes for outstanding works.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Up to three prizes may be awarded.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: November 01, 2024 (Expired)

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 and Short Story

Principal Foundation has launched the second edition of its national short story contest, Money Chronicles: A Story Initiative. Hosted in collaboration with The Center for Fiction and Short Édition, the contest invites adults ages 18 and up to submit imaginative short stories that reflect lived experiences with money now through October 2, 2024.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Up to 20 finalists will receive $150.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: October 02, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Flash Fiction

Writer Advice’s Flash Fiction Contest, also referred to as the Scintillating Starts Contest, is designed to provide feedback on pitches, queries, or story openings. The contest opens for submissions on April 2, 2025, and closes on June 2, 2025. It allows writers to submit their initial work to receive insights from professional editors and writers.

Top Prize:

$300 divided between 5-7 winners

Additional prizes:

Winners may receive publication and financial compensation if their work is featured.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

The Natural Disaster Threat Contest received submissions globally, focusing on creativity and research. Winning stories will aid in developing simulation games for future threat preparedness.

Top Prize:

$5,000

Additional prizes:

2nd: $2,500 | 3rd: $1,000 | Publication on CAPTRS website. Runners up and honorable mentions were recognized.

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories (1000-3000 words) is open to writers from anywhere in the world and has no theme or genre restrictions. Winners are published and every entry is considered for publication. 20 entries are Longlisted.

Top Prize:

$1000 prize pool

Additional prizes:

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

The Selah Awards

Blue Ridge Mountains Conference

Genres: Christian

The Selah Awards are open to all published authors whose books were published between December 16, 2020 and December 15, 2021 with either traditional or nontraditional publishers.

Top Prize:

Award

💰 Entry fee: $45

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2023 (Expired)

Genres: Non-fiction and Essay

Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

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