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 Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

The Best Writing Contests of 2023

Writing competitions curated by Reedsy

Genre

Manage a competition? Submit it here

Showing 546 contests

Birdy Poetry Prize

Meadowlark Books

Meadowlark Books created The Birdy Poetry Prize to celebrate the voices of this era. The prize is $1,000 cash and publication by Meadowlark Books, including 50 copies of the completed book. All entries will be considered for standard Meadowlark Books publishing contract offers, as well.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication by Meadowlark Books

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: December 01, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

Lambda Literary Award

Lambda Literary

Lambda Literary Awards celebrate the best LGBTQ books published in a given year. Submissions are judged principally on literary merit and content relevant to LGBTQ lives. Lambda Literary Awards are open to all authors regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity except in the case of the special awards that mark specific stages of an individual LGBTQ writer’s career.

Top prize

Award

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: December 01, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, LGBTQ, Novel

The Vivian

Romance Writers of America

The VIVIAN® recognizes excellence in romance writing and showcases author talent and creativity. We celebrate the power of the romance genre with its central message of hope—because happily ever afters are for everyone.

Top prize

Award

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: December 04, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Romance

Fall Travel Writing Prize

Nowhere Magazine

We are looking for novice and veteran writers of any stripe to send us stories that possess a powerful sense of people, place and time. Every submission will be read blind, so anyone can win!

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication in Nowhere Magazine

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: December 15, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Travel

Fall Travel Writing Contest

Nowhere Magazine

We are looking for young, old, novice and veteran writers to send us stories that possess a powerful sense of place. Stories can be fiction, nonfiction, poetry or essay.

Top prize

$1,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: December 15, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Non-fiction, Poetry, Fiction

Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

Mystery Writers of America & Minotaur Books

MWA is the premier organization for mystery and crime writers, professionals allied to the crime-writing field, aspiring crime writers, and folks who just love to read crime fiction. To enter, you must complete an online entry form and upload an electronic file of your Manuscript. The entry form will allow you to upload one electronic file.

Top prize

Advance against future royalties of $10,000 & publishing contract

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: December 17, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Crime, Mystery, Novel

Do Wha(TS) Write

Do Wha(TS) Write

Contest entries should be flash fiction or short stories, with an absolute word limit of 1000 words. There is no required prompt or topic. Write whatever you'd like! We want to see you get creative!

Top prize

$200 (CAD)

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $2

Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story

Vocal Challenges

Creatd

Enter themed storytelling contests to put your creativity to the test and be in with a chance of winning cash prizes and more. To submit, you'll need to sign up for a monthly fee of $9.99, or $4.99/month for 3 months.

Top prize

$1,000 — $5,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Essay, Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Short Story

"Matter" Anthology Poetry Contest

Oprelle

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.

Top prize

$200

Additional prizes

Publication in Matter Anthology

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $10

Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

The Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction

The Lascaux Review

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.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication in The Lascaux Review

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $15

Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Short Story

Flash Fiction Competition

Globe Soup

Globe Soup are looking for the best flash fiction of no more than 800 words. The competition features a secret location in which all participants must set their story. Participants can get extensive feedback on their entry by joining Globe Soup's writing group and free entry to their monthly micro fiction contests and other opportunities to win cash prizes!

Top prize

£1000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $16

Deadline: December 31, 2021 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Hillerman Prize

St. Martin's Press and Western Writers of America

Sponsored by St. Martin's Press and Western Writers of America, the Tony Hillerman Prize is awarded annually for the best first mystery set in the Southwest. The winner receives a contract with St. Martin's Press for publication of the novel and $10,000.

Top prize

$10,000

Additional prizes

Publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 01, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Crime, Fiction

The Exeter Novel Prize

Creative Writing Matters

We accept the first ten thousand words including synopsis of a novel that has not been accepted for publication by a traditional publishing house. We are delighted to welcome Kate Nash of the Kate Nash Literary Agency as our final judge.

Top prize

£500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $23

Deadline: January 01, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Novel

Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery set in the Southwest

Minotaur Books

Welcome to the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in the Southwest Competition! Please read all of the rules and guidelines before submitting your entry. You can find the complete rules and guidelines on our website.

Top prize

$10,000 advance

Additional prizes

Contract with Minotaur Books

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 01, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Mystery, Novel

Amazing Women’s Edition Contest

National Youth Foundation

Founded by Black women with a vision for change, the mission of the National Youth Foundation is to promote diversity, inclusion and gender equality through innovative literary programs. To honor the vast accomplishments of women in the United States, the National Youth Foundation is pleased to announce the Amazing Women’s Edition (AWE) competition. This writing contest is open to students in grades K to 8 residing in the United States.

Top prize

$500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 07, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Children's

The Selah Awards

Blue Ridge Mountains Conference

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 requirements

💰 Fee: $45

Deadline: January 15, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Christian

Scholastic Art & Writing Contest

Scholastic

We celebrate creative teens locally and nationally with awards, exhibitions, publications, and scholarships. Entry fees are $7 per individual entry and $25 per portfolio. If the entry fee is a barrier to your participation in the Awards, we will waive the fee when you submit a Fee Waiver Form.

Top prize

Additional prizes

Eligibility for regional & national awards

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $7

Deadline: January 15, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

HOLT Medallion Contest

Virginia Romance Writers

The Virginia Romance Writers Chapter of the Romance Writers of America® is pleased to announce the 27th Annual HOLT Medallion competition for the best romantic fiction. Entries must be a single work of romance fiction, with an original copyright date (not a release date) of January-December 2021 regardless of format (e-book or print).

Top prize

Certificate and a pewter HOLT medallion

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $30

Deadline: January 15, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Romance

Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction

Prism

Winter means one thing around these parts: our annual Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction is now open for submissions! The prize is named for Jacob Zilber, who played a central role founding the University of British Columbia’s department of creative writing, (the very first of its kind in Canada) and PRISM international (us!).

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

$600, $400

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $40

Deadline: January 16, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story

Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards

Edward Stanford

In 1853 Edward Stanford established his map-making business in the heart of London and at the height of the British Empire. Over 160 years later, the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards exist to celebrate this most exciting of genres and encourage more travellers to put down their selfie-sticks and pick up their notebooks.

Top prize

£2500

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 16, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Travel

Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition

Writer's Digest

We’re looking for short fiction stories! Think you can write a winning story in 1,500 words or less? Enter the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition for your chance to win $3,000 in cash, get published in Writer’s Digest magazine, and a paid trip to our ever-popular Writer’s Digest Conference! One 1st Place Winner will receive: $3,000 in cash, their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue, a paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, including a coveted Pitch Slam slot The 2nd Place Winner will receive: $1,500 in cash, their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue The 3rd Place Winner will receive: $500 in cash, their short story title published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue 4th - 10th Place Winners will receive: $100 in cash, their short story titles published in Writer’s Digest magazine’s September/October 2022 issue 11th - 25th Place Winners will receive: A $50 gift certificate for writersdigestshop.com

Top prize

$3,000

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $30

Deadline: January 17, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction

Cricket Magazine Contest

Cricket Magazine

’Tis winter, and the cold wind doth blow. But it can be fun to frolic in the ice and snow. So, bundle up! For our January contest, everybuggy would love to read your best wintry tale. Welcome to an opportunity to get published in Cricket Magazine! Your contest entry must be your very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied. Your entry must be signed by your parent or guardian, stating that it is your own work, that no help was given, and that Cricket has permission to publish it in the magazine and on our website.

Top prize

Publication in Cricket Magazine

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: January 25, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Children's, Short Story

Go for Gold

Christian Writers' Association

To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of ACW we are launching the Go for Gold Writing Competition with superlative prizes, including a free residential place at Worth Our Weight in Gold weekend and a year’s free membership of ACW.

Top prize

Free residential place at Worth Our Weight in Gold weekend

Additional prizes

A year’s free membership of ACW

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $13

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Christian

Inkitt's Writing Contest

Inkitt

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.

Top prize

$300

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction

SAWG 29th Writing Contest

San Antonio Writers Guild

Preliminary judging by trained SAWG members, final judging by successful professional writers or university-level writing instructors who specialize in the entries’ genres. Every entrant can obtain his/her preliminary and final score sheets. Genre winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd place) may correspond with their final judges. This is SAWG's 29th contest.

Top prize

1st: $100; 2nd: $50; 3rd: $25 US

Additional prizes

Membership, list on website and FB, winner sticker

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $35

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

First 5 Pages Prize

Stockholm Writers Festival

SWF is proud to launch the First 5 Pages Prize to mark our 5th anniversary. Dazzle us with your brilliance. Delight us with your wit. Deceive us with your dastardly plot-twists. There will be one Grand Prize winner chosen from all entries. The winner will receive: $1000 cash, a ticket to SWF22, a pitch meeting with an agent conducted over Zoom, two night’s accommodation at a boutique hotel, and a full developmental edit donated by Reedsy, the industry’s leading platform for writing services.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

A full developmental edit donated by Reedsy & pitch meeting with an agent

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Season Themes

HAVOK Publishing

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.

Top prize

$100

Additional prizes

Publication in an anthology. Potential for larger gift card wins.

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller

Lumiere Review Writing Contest

Lumiere Review

The Lumiere Review is back with our annual Writing Contest! We accept both poems and prose (fiction, nonfiction) from all writers. That said, we particularly encourage emerging writers, as well as those who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA, disabled, or other marginalized groups to submit to our contest. We will actively promote writers with these backgrounds.

Top prize

$100

Additional prizes

Publication in Lumiere Magazine

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: FREE

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

LGBTQ, Poetry, Short Story

Cave Canem Poetry Prize

Cave Canem

Launched in 1999 with Rita Dove 's selection of Natasha Trethewey 's Domestic Work, this first-book award is dedicated to the discovery of exceptional manuscripts by black poets of African descent. Manuscripts should be 48-75 pages in length.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Publication by University of Pittsburgh Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

#GWstorieseverywhere

Gotham Writers

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.

Top prize

Gotham Writers Workshop

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: January 31, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction

William Van Dyke Short Story Prize

Ruminate Magazine

A prize of $1,500 and publication in Ruminate is given annually for a short story. Using only the online submission system, submit a story of up to 5,500 words with a $20 entry fee, which includes a digital copy of the prize issue, by February 1.

Top prize

$1,500

Additional prizes

Publication in Ruminate

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $20

Deadline: February 01, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Short Story

Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize

Michigan State University

The Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize is a biannual poetry contest, awarding $1,000 and book publication to one established poet, and one new poet annually. Submissions are now open to authors of at least one full-length collection of poetry.

Top prize

$1,000

Additional prizes

Book publication

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: February 01, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

Michael Waters Poetry Prize

University of Southern Indiana

A prize of $3,000 and publication by SIR Press is awarded annually for a collection of poetry written in English. Michael Waters will judge. Submit up at least 40 and no more than 100 pages of poetry to be considered.

Top prize

$5,000

Additional prizes

Publication by SIR Press

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $25

Deadline: February 01, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Poetry

Accenti Writing Contest

Accenti Magazine

The Accenti Writing Contest is inviting submissions for original and unpublished prose under 2,000 words. $1000 and publication is awarded to the winner.

Top prize

$1000 (CDN)

Additional prizes

$100 (CDN) for three runners-up

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $30

Deadline: February 07, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story

Create The Future Climate Writing and Solarpunk Competition

Create the Future

Create The Future is running a free global writing competition to help us imagine a better earth for all. All winning entries will be published in a global anthology alongside experts and changemakers. We’d like you to answer the question “What does a sustainable future look like to you? What happens when we dare to dream?” Submissions are open for short fiction (up to 2,000 words) and poetry (up to 40 lines).

Top prize

£50

Additional prizes

Eco lifestyle bundles and publication in global anthology

Entry requirements

💰 Fee: $0

Deadline: February 13, 2022 (Expired)

Genres

Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, Short Story

Find the perfect editor for your next book

Over 1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Sign in with Google

✕

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the editors on Reedsy, come meet them.