Best Writing Contests in 2025

Genres: Crime, Humor, Romance, and Short Story

The Edinburgh Short Story Award is open to writers worldwide, welcoming stories of any genre. The award offers substantial cash prizes and the opportunity for publication in The Edinburgh Anthology. It emphasizes inclusivity through bursaries for underrepresented writers.

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: Fantasy, Fiction, and Romance

The Avenue Writing Contest invites participants to create interactive narratives in four categories: Romance, Fantasy, Progression Fantasy + LitRPG, and D&D. Entries are crafted using the Avenue Creator Studio, where participants develop episodes that allow reader choices to influence the story.

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Non-fiction, and Poetry

So to Speak is a feminist literary journal seeking diverse voices, focusing on intersectional feminism. They publish twice a year, accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art, with a particular emphasis on marginalized perspectives.

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.

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

The contest is part of the annual Word on the Lake Writers Festival, encouraging submissions in short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Entries must be unpublished and original, with a maximum of 2,000 words for fiction/nonfiction and three one-page poems. Winners are published in the anthology.

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 It invites submissions of previously unpublished flash fiction under 1,000 words.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: Fiction and Poetry

Established in 1984, this award connects emerging writers with the New York City literary community, facilitating professional advancement through a network of agents, editors, and authors. The winners receive an honorarium, a public reading, and participation in a residency program.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The GWG Literary Prize 2025 invites writers to explore hope and resilience through candid writing. Categories include fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry, all reflecting the theme of hope.

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry

The contest is open to writers over 18 worldwide and includes categories for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Each submission must adhere to specific formatting guidelines and word limits. Winners are selected through blind judging, and results are announced during the festival.

Genres: Poetry

The Nature and Place Poetry Competition 2024 is a poetry contest organized by The Rialto in association with RSPB, BirdLife International, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, and The University of Leeds Poetry Centre. It invites poets to submit unpublished poems focused on nature and place. Free entries available for writers on low or supported incomes (up to two poems)

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: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult

The Writing MAGIC contest invites authors to write a short story under 500 words about anything magical. Open to all age groups, stories can be fiction or non-fiction. The contest aims to celebrate creativity and share magical experiences.

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.

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.

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: Poetry

Every year, the University of Arkansas Press accepts submissions for the Miller Williams Poetry Series and from the books selected awards the $5,000 Miller Williams Poetry Prize in the following summer. For almost a quarter century the press has made this series the cornerstone of its work as a publisher of some of the country’s best new poetry. The series and prize are named for and operated to honor the cofounder and longtime director of the press, Miller Williams.

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.

Genres: Fiction and Novel

The contest invites submissions of self-contained novel excerpts up to 6,000 words, focusing on strong voice, characters, and narrative arcs. The grand prize includes $3,000, online publication, and a consultation with a literary agent.

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Travel

The Fiction Factory Short Story Competition invites entries of up to 3,000 words in any genre except Children's and Young Adult fiction. Winners will be published on the website and in an anthology.

Genres: Fiction, Novel, and Young Adult

The Caledonia Novel Award is an international competition for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres, encouraging writers to submit their original works. The award aims to connect new authors with literary agents.

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: Poetry

The Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry is an annual contest with a focus on recognizing outstanding poetry. It is supported by the Adrienne Rich Literary Trust and has specific guidelines for submissions, including entry fees and poem requirements.

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.

Genres: Poetry

The competition invites submissions of poetry. The theme for 2024 is 'RISKING ALL', commemorating the Everest Climbing expedition centenary.

Genres: Essay

The contest invites high school students to write an essay reflecting on the role of the U.S. Foreign Service during the Vietnam War and its impacts on contemporary U.S. diplomacy.

Genres: Fiction and Short Story

Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. The contest is inspired by the story of Hemingway’s six-word story. Entries must be original and unpublished. Judging is based on originality and quality. The winner will be notified by mid-June.

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 and Short Story

The Pinch Literary Awards recognize excellence in fiction. Submissions are judged blind, with various entry windows throughout the year.

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.

Genres: Non-fiction

The Future Leaders Competition encourages youth to engage with civic ideas and challenges, aiming to recognize and reward future leaders through scholarships and awards. The prompt for Winter 2024 explores the essence of effective political leadership.

Genres: Christian

The Christian Author Awards recognize outstanding new Christian authors who have published independently. The awards honor exceptional books that align with a Christian worldview and promote them through various means, including media announcements and advertising.

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The North Street Book Prize focuses on self-published or hybrid-published books, offering significant cash prizes and marketing services to enhance visibility. The contest has been running for 11 years and encourages entries across various genres.

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.

Genres: Poetry

The Fiction Factory Poetry Competition invites poets to submit original works on any topic, with a maximum length of 40 lines. The competition aims to celebrate creativity and diversity in poetry.