Discover the finest writing contests of 2018 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays and more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. Manage a contest? Submit it here
We found 271 contests that match your search 🔦
The Emrys Press Chapbook Prize honors a book of original poetry in English by a single author; translations are not eligible. The winning poet will receive a $1000 honorarium upon publication plus 20 copies of the book.
Deadline: July 15th, 2018 • Entry fee 💰: $25
Genre: Poetry,
$1,000
Established in 2015, the Red Hen Nonfiction Award seeks to recognize the art of true story-telling through literary craft. The awarded fiction manuscript is selected through an annual submission process which is open to all authors.
Deadline: April 30th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $20
Genre: Non-fiction,
$1,000
Publication by Red Hen Press
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 30th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $25
Genre: Poetry,
$5,000
Publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press
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 30th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $20
Genre: Fiction, Short Story,
$1,000
Publication on the Ghost Story website
A poetry award named for Mark and Elaine Fischer – two Colorado creatives and champions of the arts. Mark was a brilliant lawyer poet who died young, and Elaine his artist widow who went on to become Mayor of Telluride and a San Miguel County Commissioner for four terms (2000-2016). She passed away Memorial Day weekend 2016.
Deadline: May 1st, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $9
Genre: Poetry,
$1,000
This prize is offered annually to a poet who has not previously published a full-length collection of poems. The prize awards the winner with $2,500 and publication of his or her first full-length book of poetry by the Kent State University Press. The winner and the competition's judge will give a reading together on the Kent State campus. The 2017 winner was Fugue Figure by Michael Green, selected by Khaled Mattawa; the 2018 winner will be selected by Ellen Bass.
Deadline: May 1st, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $25
Genre: Poetry,
$2,500
Publication by Kent State University Press
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 15th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $75
Genre: Poetry,
$25,000
Publication and distribution of book
At the confluence of the West and the East, Hourglass Literary Magazine proudly announces its second international writing competition for Best Short Story, Best Poem and Best Essay.
Deadline: May 31st, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $9
Genre: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Short Story,
$1,000
Are you a storyteller? Are you brilliant? Can you prove it in three days? We’re looking for the next great flash fiction masters! Think you can write a winning story in 1,000 words or fewer, given only THREE DAYS? Enter The Great Flash Fiction War for your chance to be published and get paid!
Deadline: July 19th, 2018 • Entry fee 💰: $25
Genre: Fiction,
$1,000
Hosted by Pikes Peak Writers, the Zebulon gives fiction writers at all levels the chance to get their work in front of professional agents and editors. The contest simulates the real process of acquiring an agent, serving as an excellent learning experience.
Deadline: November 1st, 2018 • Entry fee 💰: $20
Genre: Fiction,
Pikes Peak Writers Conference ticket
The Very Short Fiction Award is open to all writers. Any story that has not appeared in a print publication is welcome. Word count range: 300 - 3000.
Deadline: April 30th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $16
Genre: Fiction, Flash Fiction,
$2,000
Publication in Glimmer Train Stories,
Open to all subjects, all themes, and all writers! Most entries run from 3000 to 6000 words, but we invite stories from 3000 to 20,000 words.
Deadline: April 30th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $21
Genre: Fiction, Short Story,
$3,000
Publication in Glimmer Train Stories
Trio House Press gives two awards annually: the Trio Award for First or Second Book for emerging poets, and the Louise Bogan Award for Artistic Merit and Excellence for a book of poems contributing in an innovative and distinct way to American poetry. 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 30th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $25
Genre: Poetry,
$1,000
Publication by Trio House Press
Each spring Pleiades Press publishes a book of poetry selected by the editors of Pleiades Press. The winning writer will receive $3000 ($2000 + $1000 towards book tour expenses) and the winning collection will be published in paperback by Pleiades Press and nationally distributed by Louisiana State University Press. In addition, the winning writer will be invited to read at the University of Central Missouri.
Deadline: May 1st, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $25
Genre: Poetry,
$3,000
Publication by Pleiades Press
Hidden River Arts offers an award of $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, for an original collection of essays. Previous publication of individual essays is acceptable, as long as you include the list of the published essays, the journals and magazines where they appeared, and authorize that the publication rights have reverted to you, as author.
Deadline: September 30th, 2018 • Entry fee 💰: $22
Genre: Essay, Non-fiction,
$1,000
Publication by Hidden River Arts
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. The winning manuscript will be published by Many Frog Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, and will receive $1000.
Deadline: October 15th, 2018 • Entry fee 💰: $22
Genre: Fiction, Novel, Young Adult,
$1,000
Publication by Hidden River Arts
Hidden River Arts offers an award of $1,000 and publication by Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, for an original collection of short stories. Previous publication of individual stories is acceptable, as long as you include the list of the published stories, the journals and magazines where they appeared, and authorize that the rights have reverted to you, as author.
Deadline: July 30th, 2018 • Entry fee 💰: $22
Genre: Fiction, Short Story,
$1,000
Publication by Hidden River Press
Hidden River Arts offers an award 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: May 15th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $22
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Novel, Science Fiction,
$1,000
Publication in Hidden River Press
Del Sol Press seeks to publish exceptional work by both new and recognized writers. Our emphasis is on original, unique, and accessible work with an edge. We are only interested in the very best work, regardless of source or type. The 2018 competition invites submissions of literary and upmarket fiction, general fiction, serious women's fiction, SFF with a literary edge or fiction with a catalytic speculative element, e.g., "Time Traveler's Wife," as well as mystery, crime, or suspense fiction.
Deadline: May 15th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $30
Genre: Fiction, Novel,
$1,500
Publication
Now in its 18th year, the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest is one of the most renowned fiction contests in the world. Featuring prominent guest judges and offering $2500 across five prizes, the contest delivers exciting new fiction from writers all over the world.
Deadline: May 15th, 2018 (Expired) • Entry fee 💰: $17
Genre: Fiction, Short Story,
$1,500
Publication in Carve Magazine
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