Best Writing Contests in 2025

Genres: Poetry

An annual poetry contest for a single poem, awarded by The Georgia Review, with a prize of $1,500. Submissions are accepted from February 15 to May 15, with winners announced by August 15. The winning poem will be published in the Winter issue of The Georgia Review.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, and Science Fiction

Fiction Potluck is a quarterly writing competition open to fiction writers globally, featuring a guest judge who sets a unique challenge each period. The current challenge theme is 'Sci-Fi Western', with submissions of up to 6,000 words due by August 20. The competition is free to enter, and winners receive prizes including a two-year Duotrope service subscription (valued at $100).

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Rigel 2025 writing contest is a writing contest organized by Sunspot Lit, seeking exceptional submissions in various formats including short stories, poetry, and artwork. The contest aims to highlight quality works across genres.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Solar Flare Contest seeks submissions for a single short story, novel or novella excerpt, artwork, graphic novel, or poem that exhibits a burst of creative energy. All genres accepted, with a maximum word limit of 500 for stories and nonfiction, 12 lines for poetry, and 8 pages for graphic novels.

Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction

The contest honors George Dila, a friend of the magazine and its original fiction editor. It invites submissions of previously unpublished flash fiction under 1,000 words.

Genres: Flash Fiction

The Farnham Flash Fiction International Competition invites writers to submit stories of 500 words or less. The competition has been running since 2018 and includes a special prize for stories featuring Farnham. It offers cash prizes and publication in an anthology.

Genres: Children's, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Young Adult

The I Am Writing Competition offers multiple categories for writers to showcase their talent, with prizes for various genres including crime, historical, and romance. Each category allows entrants to submit the first 3,500 words of their work along with a synopsis where required.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The competition seeks the best unpublished short mystery story of up to 3,500 words, adhering to Margery Allingham's definition of a great mystery. It is open to both published and unpublished authors worldwide.

Genres: Poetry

The Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year Competition invites entries of poems on any subject and in any format, with a maximum length of 60 lines. Judging is anonymous, and an entry fee of £5 per poem is required.

Genres: Poetry

The First Book Award is a $5,000 prize for a first book of poetry. The winning manuscript is published by Graywolf Press, with additional benefits like a residency in Italy and extensive promotion.

Genres: Poetry

The Plaza Poetry Prize (60 lines) is an international competition with the aim of discovering, publishing, and promoting talented new writers. Judged by Pulitzer Prize-winner Natalie Diaz, it offers cash prizes and publication opportunities for shortlisted entries.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Short Story

This contest invites young writers (ages 13-19) to submit their works in the genres of science fiction and fantasy, providing a platform for creativity and expression.

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The Young Sports Journalist competition invites entries from students aged 14-21. Participants must submit a piece between 700-800 words responding to a prompt. Winners receive recognition in Pitch Magazine and a chance for work experience.

Genres: Poetry

The Oxford Poetry Prize is an annual competition for a single poem in English. The guest judge this year is Rebecca Tamás.

Genres: Poetry

Write a 2-4-2 syllable poem: 2 syllables in the first line, 4 in the second, 2 in the last. Subject can be anything. Winner receives feedback and a cash prize.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Script Writing

The Porter Fleming Literary Competition honors the memory of Porter Fleming. It awards $7,000 in cash across four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and One-Act Play. Winners are invited to a literary program and awards ceremony in Spring 2026.

Genres: Fiction and Science Writing

The Science-me a story contest invites submissions of science-themed stories for children. It aims to promote scientific literacy and inspire young minds through creative writing. The contest has been held annually since 2018, receiving hundreds of entries from around the world, evaluated for scientific accuracy and narrative quality.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, and Romance

This contest celebrates diverse voices in literature. The winner will receive a 3 month membership with a published author to help them prepare their book for publishing.

Genres: Christian, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Travel

The New Deal Writing Competition invites writers to create a short story inspired by a specific painting. The current painting is 'Playtime' by Fred Ross. This is the ninth annual contest, intended to celebrate creativity and connect art and writing.

Genres: Poetry

This competition welcomes poets writing in English, Irish, and Ulster-Scots. It encourages participation from around the globe, emphasizing the importance of diverse voices.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Reeds in the Wind Literary Prize aims to promote the literary legacy of Grazia Deledda. It is open to international participants and accepts submissions in Italian, Sardinian, and English. Stories must explore themes from Deledda's works and have a word count of 5,000 to 7,000 characters. The awards will be presented during a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, 13 September 2025, in the town of Galtellì.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Emerging Writer's Contest, held by Ploughshares since 1971, recognizes outstanding work by emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Winners are announced in the fall and their works are published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Ploughshares.

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing seeks to recognize writing that is hybrid and cross-genre in nature, integrating multiple mediums to create dynamic, engaging work. The contest emphasizes unique perspectives and voices, prioritizing hybridization over experimental forms.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Essay, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The Folly Short Story Prize 2025 invites submissions for stories that challenge conventional norms. It aims to recognize innovative writing that resonates with contemporary themes.

Genres: Fiction and Non-fiction

The Tom Grass Prize celebrates the spirit of adventure through short pieces of prose, inviting writers from all backgrounds to reflect on the theme of adventure. The prize honors Tom Grass, a multifaceted writer and traveler.

Genres: Fiction

The SHELLEY Book Awards honor exceptional works in supernatural and paranormal fiction, evaluating based on compelling storytelling, professionalism, and uniqueness. The competition includes multiple categories and offers significant promotional opportunities.

Genres: Fiction and Romance

This contest is aimed at unpublished authors focusing on historical romance narratives. It promotes creativity by allowing submissions that adhere to specific genre standards, such as historical accuracy and romantic plots.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

The Iowa Review Awards is an annual writing contest accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. It has been held every January since 2003, and winners are published in the December issue.

Genres: Poetry

The Trio Award is for emerging poets with less than two books published. It includes a reading fee of $25 and is part of the submissions period from November 1 to March 31 each year. The contest features a judge, Sierra DeMulder for the 2025 award.

Genres: Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Fiction

The Gemini Magazine Short Story Contest invites entries of any subject and length. Unpublished stories are accepted, and multiple entries are allowed. All entries are treated anonymously during the judging process.

Genres: Short Story and Fiction

The Henshaw Press Short Story Competition invites entries from anyone over 16 years old. Stories should be up to 2,000 words on any theme. The competition supports literacy by donating profits to local schools.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story

Welcome to the 31st annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $9,000 in prizes.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest invites unpublished stories that focus on themes relating to Judaism or Jewish culture. Established in 2000, it has featured renowned judges and offers cash prizes for outstanding works.

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Poetry

The Hayden's Ferry Review Fiction & Poetry Contest accepts submissions of poetry and fiction. Winners receive cash prizes and publication. The judges for 2025 are Gwen Kirby for fiction and Hieu Minh Nguyen for poetry.

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction recognizes daring, original, and innovative novels. It is open to all writers, including those with agents. Submissions must be unpublished and include a synopsis, author bio, and contact info.