Menu
CONNECT
Editing
Design
Marketing
Publicity
Ghostwriting
Websites
BLOG
Success Stories
APPS
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing ScholarshipsABOUT
About Reedsy Terms PrivacyThe Best Writing Contests of 2021
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Browse 116 contests that match your search 🔦 reset
Anthology Poetry Award
Entries are now invited for the Anthology Poetry Award. Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, it is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language. Poems submitted must be on the theme of ‘Freedom’ and should not exceed 40 lines.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
Publication in Anthology Magazine, one-year subscription
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Creative Writing Award for Poetry
Since its establishment 15 years ago, this international literary prize has provided a platform for poets and authors across the globe to showcase their work through publication, prize money and exposure. The Creative Award is open to poetry and short fiction submissions on any theme, celebrating innovation in content, form and technique. Poetry entries should be no more than 40 lines.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,400
Additional prizes
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual, Full membership to The Poetry Society, Selection of books from Vintage, One year print subscription to Granta
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $16
Creative Writing Award for Short Fiction
Since its establishment 15 years ago, this international literary prize has provided a platform for poets and authors across the globe to showcase their work through publication, prize money and exposure. The Creative Award is open to poetry and short fiction submissions on any theme, celebrating innovation in content, form and technique. Fiction entries should be no more than 2,000 words.
Deadline August 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,400
Additional prizes
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual, Consultation with Redhammer Management, Selection of books from Vintage, One year print subscription to Granta
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
UNO Press Publishing Lab
We are looking to publish the best novel/short story collection written this year. The selected author will receive a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) advance on royalties and a contract to publish with UNO Press.
Deadline September 01, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$10,000
Additional prizes
Genres
Fiction, Novel, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $28
Impress Prize
The Impress Prize for New Writers is part of the Untold Publishing Group, and the winner of the prize will be published by one of Untold Publishing’s imprints. Entries should comprise of a book proposal and a sample chapter. We accept both fiction and non-fiction across most genres (excluding poetry and children 's fiction, however we will consider Young Adult submissions).
Deadline September 13, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£500
Additional prizes
Possibility of a publishing contract with one of Untold Publishing's imprints
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Young Adult,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $35
The Bath Spa University Writing Award
With the support of Jack and Audrey Ladevèze, the University has established an award for students studying for a Master’s in Creative Writing, Travel and Nature Writing or Writing for Young People. Each year the Award will be made to a student who has demonstrated outstanding talent in writing and for whom this award will make a significant difference in enabling them to further their studies at a Master’s level.
Deadline September 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,360
Additional prizes
Genres
Essay,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Surrey International Writers ' Conference Writing Contest
Surrey International Writers ' Conference
The contest will be judged by Diana Gabaldon and Jack Whyte. Story length: 2,500 — 4000 words.
Deadline September 17, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
Rhyming Poem Poetry Contest
Share a poem with a rhyme scheme to enter this poetry contest. You can write about anything — just make sure your poem rhymes.
Deadline September 22, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$100
Additional prizes
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $9
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
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
Hammond House International Poetry Prize
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 intriguing ideas and fresh voices. Top prize of £100.
Deadline September 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
£100
Additional prizes
Publication by Hammond House
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $12
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
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
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
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
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
TWFest Fiction Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 7,000 words. 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 02, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
Airfare, accommodation, and all-access pass to the next Festival, where you will give a public reading.
Genres
Fiction,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
TWFest One-Act Play Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
Plays should run no more than one hour in length (one act or approx. 60 pages.) This contest is for emerging or previously unpublished playwrights.
Deadline October 02, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,500
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where there will be a professional staged reading of your play.
Genres
Script Writing,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $25
TWFest Poetry Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
Submit a collection of 2-4 original, unpublished poems of any style or theme, written in English, with a combined length of up to 400 lines. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of poetry with an ISBN. Those who have published books in other genres besides poetry remain eligible.
Deadline October 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where you will give a public reading
Genres
Poetry,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $15
TWFest Very Short Fiction Contest
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 1,000 words. This contest is open only to emerging writers who have not yet published a book of short fiction with an ISBN.
Deadline October 16, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$500
Additional prizes
VIP all-access pass to the next festival, where you will give a public reading.
Genres
Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Quill Prose Award 2020
Queer literature is often found in the side stacks, in the back of the bookstore, under “Gay and Lesbian.” These authors are put into a genre that barely fits them, excluded from mainstream funding, and more. Red Hen Press seeks to work against the politics of labeling while honoring and empowering authors who identify as queer through this contest.
Deadline October 30, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Publication by Red Hen Press
Genres
Fiction, Novel,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $10
Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award
Established in 1998, in honor of the poet Benjamin Saltman (1927–1999), this award is for a previously unpublished original collection of poetry. The awarded collection is selected through an annual competition that is open to all poets.
Deadline October 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Book publication by Red Hen Press, a four-week PLAYA residency
Genres
Poetry,
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
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
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
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
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
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
Daisy Pettles' Writing Residency
Women writers who are age 40 or older are invited to submit up to 20 pages of a work in progress to win a chance for a month-long residency in a house where you can focus on your writing. First prize comes with a $1000 cash prize. Fee reductions and hardship wavers can be granted.
Deadline December 12, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$1,000
Additional prizes
Month-long writer's getaway
Genres
Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: $45
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
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
The Reedsy Prompts Contest
Respond to one of Reedsy's weekly writing prompt newsletters with a short story for the chance to win $50 and get featured on the Reedsy Blog!
Deadline December 31, 2021
Learn moreTop prize
$50
Additional prizes
Publication on Reedsy Blog
Genres
Fiction, Short Story,
Entry fee
💰 Entry Fee: FREE
Find the perfect editor for your next book
Over 1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.
