The Best Suspense Writing Contests of 2023
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
Writing competitions curated by Reedsy
North American Review
The Vonnegut Prize is an annual fiction competition intended to recognize the finest speculative fiction, which can include, but is not limited to, work influenced by the postmodern science-fiction of Kurt Vonnegut. We love Vonnegut’s dark humor, but please avoid mere imitation. We are enthusiastic about all work painted with speculative fiction’s broad brush: fairy tale, magical realism, fabulism, the fantastic, horror, Afro-futurism, science fiction hard and soft, and everything in between. The winning entry will appear in the North American Review's annual summer issue, and all finalists will be considered for publication.
$1,000
Publication
💰 Fee: $23
Deadline: November 01, 2023
Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense
View contestTadpole Press
100 words per entry. Submit as many entries as you’d like. All ages. All genders. All nationalities. All writers welcome. The theme is using humor as healing.
$1,000
2nd: writing coach package 3rd: developmental or diversity editing package.
💰 Fee: $10
Deadline: April 30, 2023 (Expired)
Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, Travel
View contestThe Christy Award
The Christy Award® was established in 1999 to acknowledge the value and impact of the novel of faith in contemporary culture. Since that time, the Christys have been a focal point for the writers and publishers in our community, symbolizing the best aspirations and accomplishments of writers who write from a perspective of faith and who create stories with matters of belief at their core.
Award
💰 Fee: $175
Deadline: March 31, 2023 (Expired)
Christian, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Young Adult
View contestCrime Writer's Association
The Debut Dagger is a competition for the opening of a crime novel by a writer who isn’t represented by an agent by the time the competition closes, and who has never had a traditional contract for any novel of any length, or who has never self-published any novel of any length in the last 5 years. Writers submit their opening 3,000 words and a 1,500 word synopsis. Entries from shortlisted writers are sent to UK literary agents and publishers. Every year, authors find representation this way.
$577
💰 Fee: $41
Deadline: February 28, 2023 (Expired)
Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Novella, Suspense, Thriller
View contestChanticleer 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.
$1,000
💰 Fee: $99
Deadline: August 30, 2022 (Expired)
Fiction, Mystery, Novel, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestCreative 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."
$1,333
Free creative writing course, publication online
💰 Fee: $12
Deadline: September 30, 2022 (Expired)
Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult
View contestRWA Kiss of Death Chapter
The Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense is named for Daphne du Maurier, the author of Rebecca, a suspense novel with romantic and gothic overtones and a precursor to today’s romantic suspense. The writing contest is for unpublished authors of mystery, suspense, and thrillers with or without romantic subplots.
Award
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: March 15, 2022 (Expired)
Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Thriller
View contestRWA Kiss of Death Chapter
The Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense is named for Daphne du Maurier, the author of Rebecca, a suspense novel with romantic and gothic overtones and a precursor to today’s romantic suspense. The writing contest is for published authors of mystery, suspense, and thrillers with or without romantic subplots.
Award
💰 Fee: $30
Deadline: March 15, 2022 (Expired)
Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Thriller
View contest