29 Free Writing Contests in August 2017 (No entry fees)

There are more than two dozen free writing contests in August. They cover the full range of topics, styles and genres, from short stories, to essays, to poetry, to full-length works.

In addition to the prestige of winning a contest, some of the monetary prizes this month are substantial.

Be sure to check the submission requirements carefully, as some have age and geographical restrictions.

Many contests are held annually, so if you miss a contest you may be able to catch it next year. For a full month-by-month listing of contests see: Free Contests.

___________________


Winter Tangerine Awards. Restrictions: Submissions will only be accepted from writers who have not yet published a chapbook, novel, or collection of any type. Genres: Poetry, Short Fiction & Creative Nonfiction. Prize: $250 apiece for poetry and prose (fiction and essay compete together), plus trophy, used books, box of cookies, and one-year WTR subscription. Deadline: August 1, 2017. 

The Ballade (Not Ballad) Contest! Genre: Poetry. This contest is for the best poem written in the ballade form. Prize: $100. Deadline: August 1, 2017. 

Milwaukee Irish Fest. Genre: Poetry. Entries should have a culture/literary relation to either Ireland, Irish-America, or to Irish poetry. Prize: $100. Deadline: August 1, 2017.

Boardman Tasker Prize. Restrictions: Books published between 1st August 2016 and 31st July 2017 in the UK. Genre: Books with mountain,not necessarily mountaineering, theme whether fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry, written in the English language. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: August 1, 2017.

Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowships. Restrictions: Delaware poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers who have lived in Delaware for at least one year prior to application and who are not enrolled in a degree-granting program. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: Established Professional Fellowships of $6,000 each and Emerging Artist Fellowships of $3,000 each. Deadline: August 1, 2017.

Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grants. Restrictions: Writers living in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties Delaware who are 18 years of age or older and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. Prize: $2500.  Deadline: August 1, 2017.

The Governor General’s Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written, translated or illustrated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Genre: Best English-language and the best French-language book will be chosen in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children’s Literature (text), Children’s Literature (illustrated books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $1,000 - $25,000. Deadline: Nominations by publishers for books in English must reach the Canada Council no later than August 1, 2017.

Costa Short Story Award. Restrictions: Residents of UK and Ireland. Genre: Short story.  Prize: £3,500.00. Deadline: August 4, 2017.

Sweek Go Explore Contest. Genre: Any. "Adventures make incredible tales – from Jules Verne’s classics to the modern travel stories we see today; they allow you to explore the world through the eyes of someone else. Adventures are exciting – whether they are about travelling, summer love, extreme sports, starting a new job, an unexpected turn of the day or something breathtaking in a fantasy world your protagonist lives in." Story may be written in English, German, Dutch or Portuguese. Prize: GoPro Hero camera (or €150 in cash). Deadline: August 10, 2017.

RBC Taylor Prize. Restrictions: Citizens or residents of Canada. Must be published author. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Prize: $25,000 (CAN). Deadline: August 11, 2017 for books published between May 30 and July 31, 2017.

Essay Service Writer’s Encouragement Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to high school and college students. Genre: Essay. (See themes on site.) Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: August 14, 2017.

Montgomery County Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Montgomery County residents only. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Prize: $250 and publication in Montgomery Magazine. Runners-up will receive $100 and have their work published on montgomerymag.com.  Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Australian Help Writing Contest. Genre: Essay. Topics: What Are The Opportunities For Success Without A College Degree? Developing a Literary Voice through Essay Writing; How Can Students’ Creativity Be Boosted by EdTech? What Reforms Are Urgently Needed By Modern Education? The Importance of Learning Storytelling in College. Prize: 1st place $700, 2nd place $500, 3rd place $250. Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Best New Fairy Tale Competition. Genre: Fairy tale. Prize: $300 gift certificate to Amazon.com.  Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. Restrictions: Emerging African American writers.  Genres: Short story collection or novel published in the current year. Prize: $10,000.  Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Poets living in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C., or West Virginia. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500, publication by Broadkill River Press, ten author copies, and two cases of Dogfish Head craft beer. Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Pockets Fiction Contest. Genre: Children's fiction. Stories should be 750–1,000 words. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English between July 1, 2017 and Sept 30, 2017. Must  be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100.000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: August 15, 2017.

Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing. Genre: Short story on theme: Freedom in Hull. Prize: £200. Deadline: August 19, 2017.

123 Writings. Genre: Essay. (See site for topics.) Prize:1st place, $2500; 2nd place, $2000; 3rd place $1500. Deadline: August 20, 2017.

Seat 14c: Flight to the Future Anthology. Genre: Speculative fiction. "Your flight has been mysteriously transported 20 years into the future. How could this happen? Wait, that’s not important. Take a deep breath. Look around. Without a doubt, the world has changed. What new technologies and innovations have reshaped the way we live?" Payment: $10,000 "package" and a trip to Japan. Deadline: August 25, 2017.

Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize. Restrictions: Open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34. Genre: Short story translation from Korean to English. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: August 28, 2017.

A Very Short Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction (10 words max). Prize: Free Gotham 10-week workshop. Deadline: August 28, 2017.

Eugene Paul Nassar Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Author must be resident of Upstate New York. Genre: Book of poems in English, at least 48 pages long, published between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. Prize: $2,000.  Deadline: August 31, 2017.

Epigram Books Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be Singaporean, Singaporean permanent resident or Singapore-born. Genre: A full-length, original and unpublished novel written in the English language. Prize: $20,000. Deadline: August 31, 2017.

Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, Catholic themes. Prize: $500 top prize. Deadline: August 31, 2017.

Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction. Genre: Essay, maximum 5,000 words. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: August 31, 2017.

Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation or Multi-Lingual Texts. Restrictions: Translators and authors of multi-lingual texts. Genres: Poetry and prose. Prize: $200. Deadline: August 31, 2017.

Enchanting Travels. Restrictions: Students aged 18-32 studying Tourism, English, Journalism, Literature, Geography, Anthropology, [and/or] History. Genre: Travelogues, 1000 words or less (must include three photos). Prize: $1000 USD. Deadline: August 31, 2017.