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About Reedsy Terms PrivacyThe Best Writing Contests of 2021
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Browse 122 contests that match your search 🔦
The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction
The Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction opens 1 April. Creative nonfiction may include memoirs, chronicles, personal essays, humorous perspectives, literary journalism—anything the author has witnessed, experienced, learned, or discovered. Pieces may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in both the online and annual print editions of The Lascaux Review.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in the Lascaux Review
Genres
Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction
Stories may be previously published or unpublished, and simultaneous submissions are accepted. Winner receives $1,000 and a bronze medallion. Finalists receive $100. Winner and finalists are published in both the online and annual print editions of The Lascaux Review.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in The Lascaux Review
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry
Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on any subject in any style up to a maximum of 10 pages per entry. (We enjoy long poems!)
Deadline April 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Louise Bogan Award
The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence includes $1,000, publication, and twenty books. The Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence is open to ALL poets, regardless of publication history.
Deadline April 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award
The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awardé is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.
Deadline June 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$250
Additional prizes
Genres
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Dzanc Books Nonfiction Prize
The Dzanc Books Nonfiction Prize honors an innovative and inspiring long-form works of nonfiction.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Publication by Dzanc Books
Genres
Non-fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry
The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry is awarded annually to an African poet who has not yet published a collection of poetry. Along with $1,000, the winner recives book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. Poetry manuscripts should be at least 50 pages long. [Submissions open September 15, 2021]
Deadline December 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Book publication through the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Welcome to the 29th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $5,000 in prizes.
Deadline April 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction
The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative writing in novel form.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Dzanc Books
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Competition
The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in the short form. The winning submission will be awarded a $2,500 advance and publication by Dzanc Books.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,500
Additional prizes
Publication by Dzanc Books
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
The Larry Brown Short Story Award
We’re pleased to announce the sixth annual Larry Brown Short Story Award. The winners will receive the following prizes: 1st $500 USD, 2nd $50 USD, 3rd $50 USD, and 4th and 5th will receive a copy of the book Tiny Love: The Complete Stories by Larry Brown. Each prize winner will be published in the January 2022 issue of Pithead Chapel.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
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
Inkitt's Writing Contest
Inkitt’s Writing Contests regularly give authors the opportunity to share their books with readers around the world and showcase their talents. Their monthly cash prizes give you the chance to win money and exclusive book badges for your writing! Each month one grand prize winner, and two runners up will be selected.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$300
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
42 Miles Press Poetry Award
The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award was created in an effort to bring fresh and original voices to the poetry reading public. Manuscripts submitted should exhibit an awareness of the contemporary voice in American poetry.
Deadline June 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by 42 Miles Press
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Red Hen Press Women's Prose Prize
Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through a biennial competition, held in even-numbered years, that is open to all writers who identify as women.
Deadline February 28, 2022
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Red Hen Press
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize
University of Pittsburgh Press
The University of Pittsburgh Press announces the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize for a first full-length book of poems. Named after the first director of the Press, the prize carries a cash award of $5,000 and publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press in the Pitt Poetry Series under its standard royalty contract. The winner will be announced in the fall; no information about the winner will be released before the fall announcement. The Starrett Prize is our only venue for first-book poetry manuscripts.
Deadline April 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize
Established in 1975, this $25,000 award recognizes the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States in the previous calendar year. The prize includes distribution of the winning book to hundreds of Academy of American Poets members.
Deadline May 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$25,000
Additional prizes
Publication and distribution of book
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $75
James Laughlin Award
Offered since 1954, the James Laughlin Award is given to recognize and support a second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Along with $5,000, the winner receives an all-expenses-paid weeklong residency in Miami Beach, Florida, and distribution of the winning book to approximately one thousand Academy of American Poets members. Submissions are accepted January 1 through May 15 each year.
Deadline May 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Distribution of book to Academy of American Poets members
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
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
Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition
Enter our 89th Annual Writing Competition for your chance to win and have your work be seen by editors and agents! Almost 500 winners will be chosen. The top winning entries of this writing contest will also be on display in the 89th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition Collection. [$20 for a poetry entry, $30 for a manuscript entry]
Deadline May 07, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$5,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $30
Bridport Novel Award
Your novel doesn't have to be finished. We initially need only 5,000 to 8,000 words plus a 300 word synopsis. If you're long listed we'll ask for a total of 15,000 words, including your original word count. Shortlisted? Then we need a total 30,000 words, again including your original entry and long listed word count. It all adds up to an incredible opportunity.
Deadline May 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,050
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $27
Bridport Poetry Prize
You don't have to be Tennyson. Just talented. All we ask is that you please keep poems to 42 lines, max. You can, of course, write less. In addition to the prize money, the top three poems are automatically entered into the Forward Prize For Poetry’s best single poem competition, with the chance to win a further £1000. This exclusive award is not open to the public. You can write about absolutely anything but whatever your rhyme or reason, we want to read your poetry
Deadline May 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$6,825
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $14
Bridport Short Story Prize
Gail Honeyman was shortlisted in our competition and went on to write Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, winning the Costa debut novel award. All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That's not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation. Long story short? You are 5,000 words away from success.
Deadline May 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$6,825
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $16
Bridport Flash Fiction Prize
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.
Deadline May 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,365
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Tom Howard Poetry Contest
$3,000 for a poem in any style or genre.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
$3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
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
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
Trio Award for First or Second Book
The Trio Award for First or Second Book includes $1,000, publication, and twenty books. The Trio Award for First or Second Book is only open to poets with less than two books published.
Deadline April 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award
The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award competition for full-length short stories on a supernatural theme is now open for submissions! Twice each year TGS awards $1,000 and both online and print publication to the winner of our short story competition.
Deadline April 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication on the Ghost Story website
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
Raymond Carver Short Story Contest
The Raymond Carver Short Story Contest is one of the most renowned fiction contests in the world. Featuring prominent guest judges and offering $3000 across five prizes, the contest delivers exciting new fiction from writers all over the world. The contest opens each year April 1 - May 15 and prizewinners are published in our annual fall issue in October.
Deadline May 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Carve Magazine
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $17
The Peseroff Prize
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 Breakwater Review.
Deadline May 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication in spring issue
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Emerging Writer's Contest
In the spirit of the journal 's founding mission, the Ploughshares Emerging Writer's Contest recognizes work by an emerging writer in each of three genres: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. One winner in each genre per year will receive $2,000 and publication in the literary journal. Authors are considered "emerging" if they haven 't published or self-published a book.
Deadline May 15, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$2,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Ploughshares
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $24
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. Beginning in 2021, the Novella Award will be held biennially in even-numbered years. The award will open for submissions on January 31, 2022.
Deadline July 31, 2022
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Red Hen Press
Genres
Fiction, Novel, Novella,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
Season Themes
HAVOK is a constant flash fiction contest, with rolling deadlines. Each season is split into monthly competitions with thematically connected prompts in a range of genres.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$10
Additional prizes
Publication in an anthology. Potential for larger gift card wins.
Genres
Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
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