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About Reedsy Terms PrivacyThe Best Writing Contests of 2021
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Browse 91 contests that match your search 🔦
Hammond House Screenplay Competition
The theme for the 2021 competition - STARDUST - is intended to be inspirational, not restrictive, so please feel free to interpret it in any way you choose. Be creative, be unpredictable, be different; the judges are looking for honesty and emotion. Top prize of £100.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£100
Additional prizes
Trailers made for top three places
Genres
Script Writing,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
Juniper Prizes
University of Massachusetts Press
The Juniper Prizes for Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction are awarded annually to original manuscripts: two books of poetry, one work of creative nonfiction, one short story collection, and one novel. The University of Massachusetts Press publishes the winning manuscripts and the authors receive a $1,000 award upon publication. Submissions are accepted between August 1 and September 30.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by University of Massachusetts Press
Genres
Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $30
Edwin Markham Prize for Poetry
The Edwin Markham Prize honors outstanding works of poetry. Our taste is eclectic and celebrates the wonderful diversity of forms, styles, and levels of diction available to the contemporary poet. Writers may submit up to five (5) poems per submission.
Deadline November 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction
The Gabriele Rico Challenge for Nonfiction recognizes outstanding works of nonfiction. We are looking for creative nonfiction, such as personal essays or narratives, not scholarly papers or book reviews. All works should be stand-alone essays, not chapters of a longer work. Please limit prose submissions to 5,000 words.
Deadline November 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,333
Additional prizes
Genres
Non-fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
Annual Novel Opening Competition
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chapter up to 3,000 words, plus a one page synopsis outlining the balance of your story of any genre, so long as it's unpublished.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$610
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $13
John Steinbeck Award for Fiction
Awarding one of the richest purses among literary magazines—$1,000 for the winning story—the John Steinbeck Award for Fiction recognizes exceptional works of fiction. Aesthetically, we are open to most styles and approaches. All works should be stand-alone short stories, not chapters of a longer work. Please limit prose submissions to 5,000 words.
Deadline November 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $20
Flash Fiction Writing Contest
Voice.club has a strong commitment to writers and writing. Our monthly Flash Fiction writing contests are a wonderful opportunity for writers to practice their craft, share their stories and win prizes! Each entry must be 350 words or less, be family-friendly, and include some reference to the month's theme.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$50 Amazon gift-card
Additional prizes
$25 Amazon gift-card
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
"Matter" Anthology Poetry Contest
Oprelle's monthly poetry contest is for all of you out there who carry a scrappy notebook full of poems. Your soul is on that paper, and your words matter. Your poem, based on that month's theme, can be simple and uplifting, or complicated and metaphorical; any style works, if you follow the rules and write 14 or less lines. Oh, and make sure your poetry is 100% original. We will consider both published and unpublished poems.
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$200
Additional prizes
Publication in Matter Anthology
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
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
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
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
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
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
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
Red Hen Press Fiction Award
The Red Hen Fiction Award is for a fresh and original story of fiction with a minimum of 150 pages. The awarded manuscript is selected through an annual submission process which is open to all authors. Award is $1000 and publication of the awarded manuscript by Red Hen Press.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Red Hen Press
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
The Breakwater Fiction Contest
We are seeking submissions for pieces that breathe freshness to the form. We are interested in previously unpublished prose ranging from 1,000 - 4,000 words.
Deadline December 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
#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, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
Gotham Writers Workshop
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $0
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