The Best Science Fiction Writing Contests of 2023
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
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Showing 57 contests
Beagle North Competition
Beagle North
The theme for Beagle North's short story competition changes quarterly. - Your story must be no longer than 2,500 words (not including the title) - Only one story permitted per person, each quarter - Stories must be in English
Top prize
£20 Amazon Voucher
Additional prizes
£10 Amazon voucher for 2nd and 3rd place
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: June 30, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller
View contestGeminga: $250 for Tiny Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, or Art
Sunspot Lit
Authors and artists eligible. Sunspot Lit’s Geminga contest honors the power of the small. No restrictions on theme or category. $250 cash, publication for the winner, and publication offered to runners-up and finalists. Enter as many times as you like, but only one piece per submission.
Top prize
$250
Additional prizes
Publication in digital and print
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $6
Deadline: June 30, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestThe Dante Rossetti Awards
Chanticleer Book Reviews and Media
The Dante Rossetti Awards Categories are: Contemporary Young Adult; SFF & Paranormal; Dystopian/Edgy/Urban; Mystery/Thriller/Suspense; Historical Young Adult; YA Adventure/Romance. The Chanticleer Prize Package includes: A Prize Ribbon to use in promotion at book signings and book festivals Digital Badges for display on your website or incorporation into book covers Book stickers to identify your print books to bookstore shoppers as they browse.
Top prize
$1,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $99
Deadline: August 30, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestClaymore Award
Killer Nashville
Created in 2009, the Killer Nashville Claymore Award assists new and rebranding English-language fiction authors to get published, including possible agent representation, book advances, editor deals, and movie and television sales. The contest is limited to only the first 50 double-spaced pages of unpublished English-language manuscripts containing elements of thriller, mystery, crime, or suspense NOT currently under contract.
Top prize
Possible contract with Mystery Writers of America
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $40
Deadline: April 01, 2023
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Novel, Science Fiction, Thriller
View contestFlash 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
View contestCaledonia Novel Award
Caledonia Novel Award
Now in our ninth year of competition, we are an Edinburgh-based, international award for unpublished and self-published novelists in all genres for adults and YA. This year's judge is Charlotte Seymour, literary agent at Johnson & Alcock. On top of the £1,500 top prize, the best entry from the UK and Ireland will receive a place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre.
Top prize
£1, 500
Additional prizes
Free place on a writing course at Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: November 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Novel, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, Romance, Suspense
View contestFirst 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
View contest2nd Annual WCWF Writing Contest
Wine Country Writers' Festival
Fire up those pens and get those unpublished stories and poems submitted to WCWF 2nd Annual Writing Contest. Three winners in each category, publication in Anthology, and your own copy. Entries: $15 or two for $25. See the contest rules and enter now. Blind Judging.
Top prize
$150
Additional prizes
Publication in an anthology
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $15
Deadline: July 29, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Non-fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestThe Synopsis Skirmish—a contest for querying authors
Darling Axe Editing
Summarize your novel in 500 words for a chance at a $1000 CAD prize pool! Our judge, Michelle Barker, will be asking herself one question: "Does this synopsis convince me that I'm in the hands of an adept novelist with a unique and engaging story to tell?"
Top prize
$560
Additional prizes
$200 for second place, $100 for third
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $5
Deadline: May 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestScience me a Story
Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK)
This competition was created with the aim of promoting scientific outreach in a fun and engaging way, appropriate for primary school children. The ultimate goal of the contest is to promote scientific spirit and inspire the generations that will build our future. We hope to achieve this through the communication of scientific achievements, findings, methods, and anecdotes in the form of short stories.
Top prize
$267
Additional prizes
£150 and £100 runner ups
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: April 24, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story
View contestCreative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2022
Creative Writing Ink
We're looking for short stories of up to 3000 words. Stories can be any theme, genre, or subject - the world is your oyster! Top prize is £1000, plus a free creative writing course of your choice and publication on our site. Two runners-up will receive £200 each."
Top prize
$1,333
Additional prizes
Free creative writing course, publication online
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: September 30, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestImagine 2200
Grist
The Imagine 2200 contest calls for short stories that envision the next 178 years of equitable climate progress. We seek cultural authenticity, rich characters with intersecting identities, and stories that challenge the status quo (which accepts extraction, oppression, and violence).
Top prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
2nd: $2000, 3rd: $1000; finalists will receive $300.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: May 05, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller
View contestThe 2022 First Chapter Book Contest
TheNextBigWriter, LLC
Have a book or a novel idea you've been noodling? Enter your first chapter into the Booksie First Chapter Contest and see how it does. You don't need to have finished the book. You don't even need more than the first chapter. We're looking for a start that will grab our attention, that is original, that is well written, and that makes us want to beg you to see what comes next. And for those we find, we'll provide some awards to inspire you to finish writing the book or, if finished, to help get it published.
Top prize
$500
Additional prizes
Gold contest badge.
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $5
Deadline: May 14, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Novel, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestThe George Floyd Short Story Competition Vol2
Nottingham Writers' Studio
We’ll be taking stories of up to 5,000 words, on the theme of the environment and the ongoing climate crisis. Entrants can write in any genre. There is no fee to take part and we’re offering cash prizes to every successful applicant plus publication in our next anthology. 1st - £250 2nd - £125 3rd - £75 Runner up - £15
Top prize
£250
Additional prizes
Publication in anthology - Earth 2.0
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: February 28, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestSeason 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
View contestBook Pipeline Unpublished Contest
Book Pipeline
Launched in 2014, Book Pipeline connects writers worldwide with publishers, editors, agents, and the film industry. Through two submission platforms—Unpublished and Adaptation—the company seeks both new and established authors. For over 22 years, Pipeline has bridged the gap between up-and-coming writers and the industry through a unique, long-term, hands-on facilitation process. The result thus far has been $8 million in scripts sold to studios and networks since 1999.
Top prize
$15,000
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $45
Deadline: May 25, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult
View contestQueer Sci-Fi Flash Fiction Contest
Queer Sci-Fi
Every year, QSF holds a flash fiction contest to create an amazing new anthology of queer speculative fiction stories. We ask authors to do the nearly-impossible – to submit a sci fi, fantasy, paranormal or horror LGBTIQA story that has no more than 300 words. The theme for 2022 is "Clarity".
Top prize
$75
Additional prizes
Top 3 stories published in an ebook
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: FREE
Deadline: May 01, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Flash Fiction, LGBTQ, Science Fiction
View contestUncharted Magazine Sci-Fi/Fantasy Short Story Award
Uncharted Magazine
We invite writers to submit to the Uncharted Magazine Science Fiction and Fantasy Prize from August 1 to September 30, 2021. We’re excited to offer the winner of this prize $3000 and publication, while the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive publication and $300 and $200, respectively along with publication.
Top prize
$3,000
Additional prizes
Publication in Uncharted Magazine
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $20
Deadline: September 30, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short Story
View contestBristol Short Story Prize
Tangent Books
Welcome to the Bristol Short Story Prize – an annual international writing competition open to all published and unpublished, UK and non-UK based writers. Stories can be on any theme or subject and are welcome in any style including graphic, verse or genre-based (Crime, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Romance, Children’s etc..) .
Top prize
£1,000
Additional prizes
£500, £250, £100
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: May 04, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Young Adult
View contestThe Rubery Prize
Rubery Book Awards
The Rubery Prize is a prestigious international book award seeking the best books by indie writers, self published authors and books published by independent presses, judged by reputable judges. Through our reputation of finding quality and outstanding books we aim to bring recognition to the works that win and heighten an author's profile.
Top prize
£2000
Additional prizes
£200, a write-up
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $60
Deadline: March 31, 2022 (Expired)
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, Romance
View contestIFW Sci-Fi First Pages Contest
Institute for Writers
Can you establish your science fiction world and pull a reader into your story in the first 1,000 words? Submit the first 1,000 words of your unpublished sci-fi manuscript aimed at an adult (or young adult) audience for your chance to win the grand prize.
Top prize
$650
Additional prizes
Critique from an IFW Instructor
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $19
Deadline: August 31, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Science Fiction
View contestInsecure Writer's Support Group Anthology Contest
Insecure Writer's Support Group
The winning stories will be edited and published by Dancing Lemur Press' imprint Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title. This year's genre is sweet romance, and the theme is first love.
Top prize
Publication by Freedom Fox Press
Entry requirements
💰 Fee: $0
Deadline: September 01, 2021 (Expired)
Genres
Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance
View contest
