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DIRECTORY

Best Writing Contests in 2025

Showing 400 contests that match your search.

Iridescence Award

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Science Fiction

The Iridescence Award is a writing contest for BIPOC authors. It focuses on themes like the supernatural, extraterrestrial, or paranormal, encouraging submissions in short stories and poetry. Winners will have their work published in the Iridescence anthology, and cash awards are available. Entries must be original and unpublished, and they should align with the contest guidelines.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

Publication in the Iridescence anthology | 2nd place: $250 | 3rd place: $100

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Flash Fiction

The New Writers Flash Fiction Competition 2025 invites submissions from writers worldwide. The competition features a total prize fund of £1,600, with the top prize being £1,100. The deadline for entries is 31st January 2025, with £1 from each entry donated to the charity First Story. Full details and rules can be found on the contest's website.

Top Prize:

£1,100

Additional prizes:

2nd: £300 | 3rd: £200

💰 Entry fee: $13

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

Drue Heinz Literature Prize

University of Pittsburgh Press

Genres: Novella and Short Story

The Drue Heinz Literature Prize recognizes and supports writers of short fiction, requiring eligible authors to have published a book-length collection or at least three short stories/novellas in commercial magazines. Manuscripts are judged anonymously by national writers.

Top Prize:

$15,000

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2025

Inception 2024: $500 for Best Opening

Sunspot Literary Journal

Genres: Fiction and Poetry

The Inception contest invites submissions of openings across all genres. Participants can submit prose (up to 250 words), poetry (up to 25 words), or visual art as the first piece in a series. The contest emphasizes the importance of beginnings in creative works.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Publication for the winner; finalists also receive publication.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

The Naomi Shihab Nye Prize

Barbara Nimri Aziz

Genres: Children's and Fiction

Established in 2024, this annual competition invites Arab American and Arab Canadian writers to submit English-language middle-grade manuscripts for young Arab readers. The prize aims to celebrate Arab creativity and storytelling traditions.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd: $500

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: May 20, 2025

Genres: Horror and Fiction

The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award is a biannual contest seeking full-length supernatural or magic realist short stories. The winning stories are published on June 1 and Halloween. The award is open to any story with a supernatural theme, not limited to traditional ghost stories.

Top Prize:

$1,500

Additional prizes:

Publication of the winning story. $300 for each of two Honorable Mentions.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The Letter Review Prize for Short Stories is part of a broader contest that includes categories for essays, nonfiction, poetry, and unpublished books. Winners are typically announced every three months and all submissions are considered for publication.

Top Prize:

$1000 prize pool

Additional prizes:

Publication for winners

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: January 01, 2025 (Expired)

Geminga Contest 2025

Sunspot Lit

Genres: Non-fiction and Poetry

The Geminga Contest 2025 invites submissions of tiny fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, and art. Submissions should honor the power of brevity, with specific word limits for each category. Accepted works will be published in upcoming editions of Sunspot Lit.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Publication for the winner, with publication also offered to runners-up and finalists.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

Chapter One Prize

Gutsy Great Novelist

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Young Adult, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller

The Chapter One Prize is an international writing contest for unpublished novelists. It aims to find the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress written in English. Submissions open on February 3, 2025, and close on March 3, 2025.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250. Honorable mentions may also be awarded.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 03, 2025 (Expired)

The Free Verse Prize

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)

Self-Publishing Literary Awards

Black Caucus of ALA (BCALA)

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Novel, and Poetry

The BCALA Self-Publishing Literary Awards honors the best self-published ebooks by African American authors in the U.S. across fiction and poetry genres. The awards focus on the cultural, historical, and sociopolitical aspects of the Black Diaspora.

Top Prize:

$2,500

Additional prizes:

Formal recognition at the NCAAL conference, BCALA Literary Award Seal.

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)

UNO Press Publishing Lab

University of New Orleans Press

Genres: Novel

The Publishing Laboratory at the University of New Orleans seeks to promote innovative publicity and broad distribution for authors. They accept submissions for unpublished novels and short story collections. A selected author is awarded a $10,000 advance on royalties and a publishing contract.

Top Prize:

$10,000

Additional prizes:

Advance on royalties

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: August 31, 2024 (Expired)

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

Genres: Children's and Essay

An annual contest encouraging students to explore and appreciate Jane Austen's works. Open to high school, college, and graduate students worldwide, the contest offers scholarships for original essays focused on a specific topic related to Austen's literature.

Top Prize:

$1,000 scholarship

Additional prizes:

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2025

The Do-Over Writing Contest

The Next Big Writer

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

In 500 words or less, write a story based on a character that has the opportunity to do-over one event in their life. The story can be any genre as long as it is based on this concept. Entrants must also leave at least three quality reviews on the work of other site members.

Top Prize:

$200

Additional prizes:

$50 for two runner-ups.

💰 Entry fee: $9

📅 Deadline: July 18, 2025

Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize

Kent State University

Genres: Poetry

The Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize is awarded annually for a poet's first full-length book of poetry. The prize includes $2,500 and publication by Kent State University Press. The winner will also participate in a reading at Kent State with the judge.

Top Prize:

$2,500

Additional prizes:

Publication by Kent State University Press

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

The Plough Prize

The Plough Arts Centre

Genres: Poetry

The Plough Prize is an international poetry competition open for poems in English, limited to 40 lines on any subject. The contest emphasizes anonymity in judging, with a focus on quality.

Top Prize:

£1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd place: £500 3rd place: £250 Highly Commended poems may be recognized.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

First 5 Pages Prize

Stockholm Writers Festival

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

The First 5 Pages Prize encourages writers to submit the first five pages of their unpublished work. The contest aims to inspire writers to polish their starting pages, crucial for capturing the attention of agents and editors. It welcomes entries from writers aged 16 and above, focusing on various genres. The prize promotes beautiful writing and offers support to aspiring authors.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd and 3rd Prize winners receive event tickets and meetings with agents

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2025 (Expired)

The Plaza Poetry Prize

The Plaza Prizes Ltd.

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.

Top Prize:

$5,000

Additional prizes:

First Place: £4000 / $5000 + publication in the anthology + nomination for The Forward Prize (Top prize of £1000 / $1200). Second Prize: £300 / $360. Third Prize: £100 / $120.

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Flash Fiction and Short Story

A competition celebrating the art of concise storytelling. Participants must write a story in 100 words or less. Eligible for young writers aged 13-19.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Runner-Up and Best Peer Review each receive $50. Recognition and publication opportunities for finalists.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: August 25, 2025

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The International Essay Competition 2023/24 is currently not open for entries as details about the next competition will be available soon. Check back soon!

Additional prizes:

100% Scholarship Award to our Oxford University Summer Programme (worth £5995).

📅 Deadline: February 19, 2024 (Expired)

F(r)iction Poetry Contest

Brink Literacy Project

Genres: Poetry

The F(r)iction Poetry Contest invites submissions of original poetry. The contest is open to writers globally, focusing on unique and experimental literature. The contest promotes creativity and individuality in submissions.

Top Prize:

$300

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: May 02, 2025

Fish Short Memoir Prize

Fish Publishing

Genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, and Short Story

The Fish Short Memoir Prize invites entries of personal memoirs, with the aim of being published in the Fish Anthology 2025. It's open to writers of any nationality and no prior publication is needed.

Top Prize:

€1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd and 3rd: Online writing course + €300 | 3rd: €300

💰 Entry fee: $18

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, and Short Story

The contest encourages participants to submit one fictional story (max 350 words) for a chance to win a prize. The contest requires a minimum of 10 shortlisted submissions to award a prize, which is a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Top Prize:

$25 USD Amazon Gift Card

Additional prizes:

Publication

📅 Deadline: August 01, 2024 (Expired)

Irene Adler Prize

Lucas Ackroyd

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The Irene Adler Prize is a scholarship for women writers, offering $1,000 to support their education in journalism, creative writing, or literature. The prize aims to celebrate and elevate women's voices in writing.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2x honorable mentions: $250 Winner also receives a scholarship for education

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Novella

Established in 2001, this annual prize awards a novella that excels in the format, offering a $1,000 advance, publication, and 10 copies of the book. Recent judges include notable authors like Steven Dunn and Michael Martone. Submissions open January 1 and close March 31 each year.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication and 10 copies of the published book

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Expired)

Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize

Academy of American Poets

Genres: Poetry

Established in 1975, this prize recognizes the most outstanding book of poetry published in the U.S. in the previous calendar year. It includes a $25,000 award, a residency at Glen Hollow, and distribution of the winning book to Academy members.

Top Prize:

$25,000

💰 Entry fee: $75

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2025

Season Themes

HAVOK Publishing

Genres: Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller

Season Themes is a flash fiction contest that invites authors to create stories inspired by monthly themes and prompts. Each theme features a specific character prompt that authors must incorporate into their stories, allowing for creative interpretations across various genres.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

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

📅 Deadline: January 17, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Poetry

The Troubadour International Poetry Prize is an annual competition open to poets worldwide, judged by notable figures in the literary community. The 2024 prize includes cash awards for the top three poems, as well as opportunities for commended entries.

Top Prize:

$2,000

Additional prizes:

Second: £1,000 Third prize: £500 20 commended entries Winners read with judges at the online international prize-night celebration.

💰 Entry fee: $8

📅 Deadline: September 23, 2024 (Expired)

The Adventure Writers Competition

Clive Cussler Collector’s Society

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Thriller, and Mystery

The Adventure Writers Competition (AWC) celebrates adventure writing, accepting action/adventure novels. The 2024 contest finalists have been announced, and submissions for the 2025 competition will be open from January 1 to April 30, 2025. The AWC aims to promote and recognize quality adventure writing through a rigorous judging process.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Two AWC Finalist Awards: $500

💰 Entry fee: $50

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2025 (Expired)

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

Established in 2018, the Women's Prose Prize honors previously unpublished, original prose work including novels, short story collections, memoirs, and essay collections. It is open to all women writers, with a fair evaluation process ensuring anonymity during judging.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication by Red Hen Press

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The contest is open to stories of 1500 words or fewer with a link to Australia. It aims to showcase short stories and has an award pool exceeding $1420 in cash and books, encouraging submissions from all authors aged 16 and above.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $50. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places also get publication + e-book + paperback + choice of any two Stringybark anthologies. 4th place gets publication + e-book.

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: February 25, 2024 (Expired)

BBC National Short Story Award

BBC Radio 4 and Cambridge University

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

The BBC National Short Story Award aims to celebrate and promote the short story form, providing a prestigious platform for both established and emerging writers. The award includes a significant monetary prize and recognition through BBC broadcasts.

Top Prize:

£15,000

Additional prizes:

4x shortlisted stories: £600

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: March 18, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Poetry

Welcome to the 20th annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest. Submit published or unpublished work. $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre. $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style.

Top Prize:

$3,000

Additional prizes:

$200 for 10 honorable mentions

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: October 01, 2025

Genres: Poetry

The 42 Miles Press Poetry Award aims to highlight urgent and original voices in poetry. Open to all poets writing in English, it accepts collections of poetry that showcase contemporary American poetic voices. The contest is judged by David Dodd Lee, and past winners include several notable poets.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication of the winning book and 50 author copies, plus an invitation for a reading at Indiana University South Bend.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024 (Expired)

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.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication in the fall issue of Brink Literary Journal and 4 copies of the journal issue.

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Expired)

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