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DIRECTORY
Showing 421 contests that match your search.
Chicken House Books
Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult
An annual contest for unpublished and unagented writers of children's fiction, focusing on originality and diverse voices. The competition seeks full-length novels suitable for readers aged 7-18.
Top Prize:
A worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House & royalty advance of £10,000
Additional prizes:
An offer of representation from a top literary agent
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: June 02, 2025 (Expired)
Santa Fe Writers Project
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, and Novella
The SFWP Literary Awards recognize excellence in writing, offering a grand prize and runner-up awards, with a focus on publishing emerging authors.
Top Prize:
$1,500
Additional prizes:
$500 for two runners-up
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024 (Expired)
Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA)
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.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
Publication in newsletter
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: March 15, 2024 (Expired)
Globe Soup
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult
The 7 Day Story Writing Challenge invites participants to write a story based on a secret theme assigned to them, within a specified genre, over a period of 7 days. Participants must write a story of no more than 2,000 words.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Publication on website
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)
Arizona Mystery Writers
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, and Short Story
The Jim Martin Memorial Adult Story Contest invites submissions of mystery, suspense, or thriller stories from adults aged 18 and over. It honors Jim Martin, a long-time member of Arizona Mystery Writers, supported by his family's generous contribution to the organization.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
2nd Place: $100 3rd Place: $75 Winning stories will be published on the AMW website.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: August 01, 2024 (Expired)
The Lascaux Review
Genres: Poetry
The Lascaux Prize in Poetry accepts previously published or unpublished poems. Winning entries receive a cash prize and a medallion, along with publication in The Lascaux Review.
Top Prize:
$1,000
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Expired)
Fabula Press
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Horror, Mystery, and Science Fiction
The Fabula Press Short Story Contest encourages exceptional storytelling across genres, with no specific theme. Participants can submit entries for both free and paid categories. Winning stories may be published in an anthology.
Top Prize:
$500
Additional prizes:
2nd place: $250 3rd place: $100 Stories selected for publication: $75
📅 Deadline: June 11, 2024 (Expired)
Claremont Graduate University
Genres: Poetry
The Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award honors a poet for a single volume of poetry published between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. It is the world's largest monetary prize for poetry, valued at $100,000. The award aims to support poets in their mid-career, allowing them to focus on their craft without financial burdens.
Top Prize:
$100,000
Additional prizes:
The Kate Tufts Discovery Award offers $10,000 for a first book of poetry.
📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024 (Expired)
The R C Sherriff Trust
Genres: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Story
The 20th Elmbridge Literary Competition invites submissions of short stories and poems on the theme of 'The River' to commemorate RC Sherriff. Open internationally, the competition includes age categories with specific word counts.
Top Prize:
£250
Additional prizes:
Cash prizes for adults + book tokens for children's categories
📅 Deadline: February 21, 2025 (Expired)
Munster Literature Centre
Genres: Poetry
The Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition is an annual prize open to original, unpublished poems in English of up to 40 lines. It celebrates poetry and offers substantial prizes while encouraging international participation.
Top Prize:
$2,000
Additional prizes:
2nd Place: €500 3rd Place: €250 10 runners up: €50 Featured reading at the Cork International Poetry Festival with hotel stay, publication in Southword, and featured on the Southword Poetry Podcast.
💰 Entry fee: $7
📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024 (Expired)
Ethos Literacy
Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story
The contest invites participants to write a story of exactly 100 words on topics like envy, eyeglasses, nightmares, or turtles. It is open to all ages, including international writers. Winning stories will be published in an e-zine.
Top Prize:
$200
Additional prizes:
6 cash prizes of $100 each + publication in digital magazine, inclusion in webcast
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)
The Bath Novel Awards
Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult
The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for adult and YA manuscripts across various genres, aimed at unagented writers who are unpublished, self-published, or independently published.
Top Prize:
£5,000
Additional prizes:
Shortlisted writers receive feedback on their full manuscripts
💰 Entry fee: $38
📅 Deadline: May 31, 2025 (Expired)
Elegant Media Publishing Corporation
Genres: Fiction, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Horror, LGBTQ, Science Fiction, Suspense, and Thriller
This contest invites new or unpublished authors to write a story based on the prompt 'Dreaded Destinations, and a gate'. The contest aims to promote new talent in fiction writing.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
1st: Free enrollment in New Novelist Accelerator and publication payment at 10c/word | 2nd – 10th: 10c/word and publication | 11th – 35th: $20 USD and an honorable mention in the magazine.
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
Columbia Journalism School
Genres: Non-fiction
The Mark Lynton History Prize, in the amount of $10,000, is awarded to a book-length work of history on any topic that best combines intellectual distinction with felicity of expression. Books must have been published in the United States between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.
Top Prize:
$10,000
💰 Entry fee: $75
📅 Deadline: December 07, 2023 (Expired)
The Poetry Society
Genres: Poetry
The competition, run by The Poetry Society since 1978, is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for a single unpublished poem. Judged by Stephen Sexton, Romalyn Ante, John McAuliffe. Open to all poets worldwide aged 18+.
Top Prize:
£5,000
Additional prizes:
Runners-up receive £2,000 and £1,000. Commended entries receive £500
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2024 (Expired)
Fiction Collective 2
Genres: Fiction
The contest is open to US writers who have not previously published with FC2. Works can include novels, novellas, or collections of short stories, with no length requirement. Translations and previously published works are not eligible.
Top Prize:
$3,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by FC2
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2025
Ann Arbor District Library
Genres: Children's
The contest is for Grades 3-5 and will be open for submissions from January 6 to February 2, 2025. An awards ceremony will be held on April 19, 2025.
Top Prize:
Publication on website
📅 Deadline: February 02, 2025 (Expired)
Australian Book Review
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize is an annual competition for short stories. Further details on submission and eligibility are outlined on the main prize page.
Top Prize:
$6000 AUD
Additional prizes:
2nd: $4000 AUD 3rd: $2500 AUD
💰 Entry fee: $20
📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)
The Jane Austen Club of Sardinia
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.
Top Prize:
€500
Additional prizes:
All finalists will have their stories published, and any travel expenses for finalists will be reimbursed.
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: July 20, 2025
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
Genres: Poetry
The TWFest Poetry Contest encourages emerging writers to submit their original poems. The contest aims to support new literary works and provides a platform for diverse voices in poetry.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
VIP All-Access Pass ($600 value) for the next Festival, public reading at the Festival, publication in French Quarter Journal, photo and bio on website for one year, interview in newsletter and social media. LitPass ($100 value) for top finalists.
💰 Entry fee: $15
📅 Deadline: October 15, 2025
Writers of the Future
Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Science Fiction
The Writers of the Future Contest, initiated by L. Ron Hubbard in 1983, supports new writers in science fiction and fantasy, judged by leading authors. Winners receive cash prizes and recognition. The contest encourages original works and offers a platform for upcoming writers.
Top Prize:
$5,000
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024 (Expired)
Genres: Poetry
The competition invites poets to submit works based on five given words each week over a 42-week period. It aims to encourage creativity and showcases poets' works in an anthology.
Top Prize:
$750
Additional prizes:
Second place: 500 euros Third place: 250 euros Travel fee and accommodation for winners attending the event. Physical award crafted by Michael Ray, plus opportunities for winners to read at events.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: January 28, 2025 (Expired)
Aesthetica Magazine
Genres: Poetry
The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award celebrates outstanding writers in poetry and short fiction. It aims to support new literary talent and showcases entries that reflect upon the changing world and challenge traditional boundaries of form and technique.
Top Prize:
£2,500
Additional prizes:
Publication in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual, one-year subscription to Granta and Mslexia, and various courses.
💰 Entry fee: $12
📅 Deadline: August 31, 2025
Poetry Society
Genres: Poetry
The Free Verse Prize is a new poetry prize, which supports the Free Verse Poetry Book and Magazine Fair. The judge is poet and former Poetry Book Fair director, Chrissy Williams. Poems can be on any theme, and should have fewer than 40 lines.
Top Prize:
£500
Additional prizes:
Publication in Poetry News and the Poetry Book Fair programme
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: March 07, 2025 (Expired)
Dzanc Books
Genres: Fiction and Short Story
The Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize celebrates imaginative and inventive writing in book-length collections. The winning submission will receive a $2,500 advance and publication. The contest is open to all writers, and all submitted works must be previously unpublished collections.
Top Prize:
$2,500
Additional prizes:
Publication
💰 Entry fee: $25
📅 Deadline: September 30, 2025
Texas Review Press
Genres: Poetry
This series highlights first full-length collections by emerging authors from southern U.S. states. Submissions are open annually from December 1 to March 1.
Top Prize:
Copies of the published book and a standard royalty contract
📅 Deadline: March 01, 2025 (Expired)
Bath Flash Fiction Award
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
An international rolling flash fiction competition that runs three rounds annually, offering substantial cash prizes and opportunities for publication in anthologies.
Top Prize:
£1000
Additional prizes:
£300 for 2nd, £100 for 3rd
💰 Entry fee: $10
📅 Deadline: February 02, 2025 (Expired)
Green Stories
Genres: Fiction and Flash Fiction
Green Stories is running a flash fiction competition for stories under 500 words on the theme of ‘epiphanies’. The writing competition invites writers to submit a story about transformation, when a moment of epiphany causes one or more characters to change for the greener. The transformative realisation could relate to any attitude or behaviour with environmental implications (e.g. food, travel, consumption, gardening, cleaning, etc.), or the story could focus on the benefits of any greener alternative (e.g. environment, health, status, spirit, soul). We call it fiction, but you can write about any personal epiphanies too, using storytelling techniques to give it drama and emotion.
Top Prize:
£300
Additional prizes:
£100 for seven runners up
💰 Entry fee: $0
📅 Deadline: August 27, 2025
Hope Prize
Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Short Story
The Hope Prize is an international short story competition focused on original stories of hope, open to writers aged 18 and over, with entries accepted in English. The prize encourages bold self-expression and aims to spotlight charities making impactful changes.
Top Prize:
$10 000 AUD
Additional prizes:
2nd: $2000 AUD | 3rd: $1000 AUD | Shortlisted stories will be published in a Simon & Schuster anthology.
💰 Entry fee: $30
📅 Deadline: October 31, 2025
Sunspot Literary Journal
Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Script Writing, and Short Story
The Goldilocks Zone contest invites submissions for fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, artwork, and graphic novels, seeking works that combine craft with audience appeal. The prize includes cash and publication for winners and runners-up.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Publication for the winner; publication offered to runners-up and finalists.
💰 Entry fee: $5
📅 Deadline: May 01, 2025 (Expired)
Future Scholar Foundation
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story
The competition invites elementary and middle school students to submit short stories (maximum 350 words) based on a monthly theme. Winners receive recognition and prizes, including Amazon gift cards and publication in the Hall of Fame.
Top Prize:
$25
Additional prizes:
1st place: $25 Amazon gift card 2nd place: $15 Amazon gift card 3rd place: $5 Amazon gift card All winners are published in the Hall of Fame.
📅 Deadline: January 28, 2025 (Expired)
MoonLit Getaway
Genres: Flash Fiction and Poetry
The contest invites submissions in visual art, poetry, and flash fiction. It aims to showcase innovative and authentic art while promoting diversity. Winners and runners-up will be featured on the website and in a Fall anthology.
Top Prize:
$100
Additional prizes:
Each category winner will receive $100 (USD). Winning submissions and two runners-up per category will be published in the Fall Anthology.
📅 Deadline: August 01, 2024 (Expired)
Fiction Collective 2
Genres: Fiction
The Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize is designed for writers with at least three books published. It encourages innovative fiction that challenges dominant narratives. Submissions must be in English and can include various forms of long fiction. The contest aims to support diverse voices in literature.
Top Prize:
$15,000
Additional prizes:
Publication by FC2, an imprint of the University of Alabama Press, with an Introduction by the final judge.
📅 Deadline: November 01, 2025
Chanticleer Book Reviews
Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, and Young Adult
The Cygnus Awards recognize the best Science Fiction books across various subgenres. It includes prizes, recognition, and promotional opportunities for winning entries.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
Exclusive Chanticleer Book Review Package and Author Interview (valued at $795)
💰 Entry fee: $99
📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025 (Expired)
Gemini Magazine
Genres: Flash Fiction and Fiction
The Seventeenth Annual Flash Fiction Contest invites entries of up to 1,000 words on any subject or style. All finalists will be published online in the Fall 2025 issue.
Top Prize:
$1,000
Additional prizes:
2nd: $100 | Four Honorable Mentions: $25 each. | All finalists will be published online.
💰 Entry fee: $8
📅 Deadline: September 02, 2025
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