38 Writing Contests in November 2026 - No entry fees!

This November there are more than three dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $50,000 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Many of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck!  

[Image: Pickpik]

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Brave New Weird Awards. Genre: Weird horror. "We define New Weird Horror as a Horror subgenre focused on progress, creatively capturing themes and questions that bleed into fiction straight from the modern reader's life and future." (If you understand that definition, feel free to submit.) Prize: $25. Deadline: November 1, 2026. Previously published work only.

Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the British Commonwealth. Genre: Unpublished short fiction (2,000-5,000 words) in English. Short stories translated into English from other languages are also eligible. Prize: Regional winners receive £2,500 (US$3,835) and the overall winner will receive £5,000 (US$7,670). Deadline: November 1, 2026.

William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: Writers must not have published a book, short story, or dramatic work in the mystery field, either in print, electronic, or audio form. Genre: Mystery stories of the Agatha Christie type—i.e., “traditional mysteries.” These works usually feature no excessive gore, gratuitous violence, or explicit sex. Prize: Each grant may be used to offset registration, travel, or other expenses related to attendance at a writers' conference or workshop within a year of the date of the award. In the case of nonfiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses. Each grant currently includes a $2,500 award plus a comprehensive registration for the following year's convention and two nights' lodging at the convention hotel, but does not include travel to the convention or meals. Deadline: November 1, 2026.

Stowe Prize. Restrictions: US authors only. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction or body of work that "makes a tangible impact on a social justice issue critical to contemporary society." Prize: $10,000. Deadline: Nominations are due November 1, 2026.

Prism: Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,500 grand prize, $600 runner-up, $400 2nd runner-up. Deadline: November 1, 2026. 

Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. Restrictions: The Prize is open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. It is for ten poems exactly in order to encourage serious poets. These poems may, however, have already been published. Only poets who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published are eligible. Poets who have self-published poetry books or had chapbooks and pamphlets published are allowed to submit for this prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1500. Deadline: November 1, 2026.

Reedsy Novel Sprint 2026. Genre: Write a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. Prize: 1st prize - $5000 and an intro to an agent; 2nd prize - $2500 and an intro to an agent; 3rd prize - $1000 and an intro to an agent. Deadline: Opens November 1, ends November 30, 2026.

Bennington Young Writers Awards. Restrictions: Open to students in the 9th-12th grades. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction. Prize: First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000; second-place winners receive $500; third-place winners receive $250. Deadline: November 1, 2026.

Dylan Thomas Prize. Restrictions: Authors must be aged 39 or under. Eligible books must have been commercially published for the first time in the English language between January 1 and December 31 of the year in which the deadline falls. Genre: Published books of poetry, fiction (novel, novella, or short story collection), radio scripts, or screenplays. Prize: 30,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds for shortlisted authors. Deadline: November 6, 2026.

RSL Christopher Bland Prize. Restrictions: Writers must be a citizen of, or resident in, the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Books must have been published for the first time in the UK or RoI within the 2023 calendar year. Books must be entered by trade publishers or agents based in the UK or RoI; each publisher, imprint of a publisher, or agent may enter two books only. Genre: Debut novel or non-fiction book first published by a writer aged 50 or over. Prize: £10,000. Deadline: November 6, 2026.

Neltje Blanchan/Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Awards. Restrictions: Wyoming writers. Genres: The Frank Nelson Doubleday Award is given for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script written by a woman writer. The Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award is given annually for the best poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or script which is informed by a relationship with the natural world. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 9, 2026. 

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: Book of literary nonfiction that captures a political subject of relevance to Canadian readers and has the potential to shape or influence thinking on contemporary Canadian political life. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000. Deadline: November 11, 2026. (For books published between Sept 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026)

Debutiful Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Prize: $100. Deadline: Opens on November 13, 2026 and closes when cap is reached.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book, fiction, nonfiction, poetry: adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: November 15, 2026. (For books published Aug. 16 - Oct. 15, 2026.)

PJI Prize and Editor's Prize. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: November 15, 2026.

Natan Notable Books Award. Genre: Recen­t­­ly pub­­lished or soon to be pub­lished nonfic­­tion book on Jew­ish themes. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: November 15, 2026.

Poetic Justice Institute Book Prizes. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to BIPOC Writers. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: November 15, 2026.

Brooklyn Non-Fiction Prize is sponsored by the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival. Genre: Non-fiction essay between 4 to 10 pages, set in Brooklyn about Brooklyn and/or Brooklyn people/characters. (Up to 2500 words). Prize: $500. Deadline: November 15, 2026.

Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to residents of California. Genre: Book of poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Prize: Gold medal. Deadline: November 15, 2026.

Perugia Press Prize. Restrictions: Poets must be women with more than one previously published full-length book. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Book publication and $2,000. Deadline: November 15, 2026. No fee for poets who are Black, Indigenous, and women of color.

The Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World. Genre: Any nonfiction book published for children or young adults, released between January 1 and December 31, 2025, is eligible. If both an author and illustrator are listed on the book cover, the prize will be split between them. Prize: $2500. Deadline: Opens November 16, 2026.

Renee Duke Youth Award Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to poets 19 years old and younger. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 22, 2026.

Write the World: Environmental Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to Young Writers (13-19). Genre: Environmental writing. Prize: $100. Deadline: November 23, 2026.

C Magazine: Indigenous Art Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to Indigenous writers all over the world. Genre: Art writing. Prize: $1,500 CAD; editorial support to prepare their article for publication in a future issue of C Magazine. Deadline: November 23, 2026.

Dark Descent. Genre: Horror microfiction, 250–500 words. Prize: £25. Deadline: November 25, 2026. Note: This is a monthly contest.

UNT Rilke Prize. Restrictions: US citizens or residents. Open to authors with at least two prior published books of poetry. Genre: Book of poetry published between November 2025 and October 2026. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

AVBOB Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to any citizen of South Africa. Genre: Poetry. Prize: R10,000. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

SUSPECT Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Flash fiction. See theme. Prize: USD300, 200, and 100. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

The Gulliver Travel Grant. The Gulliver Travel Grant is awarded annually to assist writers of speculative literature in their non-academic research. These funds are used to cover airfare, lodging, and other travel expenses. Travel may be domestic or international. You may apply for travel to take place at any point in the following year. Grant: $1000. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

Servicescape. Genre: Short story or nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

2026 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. Restrictions: Open to writers who have never been the author of any published mystery novel. Genre: Mystery novel. Prize: $10,000 advance against royalties, Deadline: November 30, 2026.

USNI Leadership Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. "The Leadership Essay Contest focuses on the roles of leadership and character in the U.S. Sea Services from the perspective of tomorrow's leaders. Junior officers (LCDR/Major and below) from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are eligible to participate." Prize: $5,000. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 15,000 pounds. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

Haunted Haiku. Genre: Haiku. "This fall, we want your eeriest, most spine-tingling...haiku." Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

Gotham Book Prize. Genre: Book. "The Gotham Book Prize is awarded once a year to the best book (works of fiction and nonfiction are eligible) published that calendar year that either is about New York City or takes place in New York City." Prize: $50,000. Deadline: November 30, 2026.

Apex Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction, 1000 words max. Prize: 8 cents/word or $10, which ever is greater. Deadline: November 30, 2026. Note: Apex Magazine’s Flash Fiction Contest is open from the 7th until the final day of each month. The contest is themed.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: November 30, 2026. This is a monthly contest.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: November 30, 2026. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

22 Notable Writing Conferences and Workshops in November 2026

This November there are more than a dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, how to market your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

I have included conferences with deadlines that have already passed on this list to give you advance notice. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences.

Be sure to check out Boyds Mills list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year.

[Image: Kauai, Wikimedia Commons]

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2026 Kauai Writers Festival. Master Classes: November 2 - 5, 2026. Conference: November 6 -8, 2026 Kalapaki Bay, Lihue, Kauai, HI. Join bestselling authors and agents in an intimate, oceanfront setting, with an emphasis on fiction, memoir, thrillers, and screenwriting. Includes in-depth sessions on craft, publishing, and the writing life, with opportunities for agent/editor feedback. 

Breakout Novel Intensive. November 3 - December 15, 2026: Online. Included are new or revised units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more. 

Medical Writing and Communication Conference. November 4 - 7, 2026: Phoenix, AZ. Workshops in medical writing, designing materials for patients, analysis, clinical reports, and more.

Sanibel Island Writers Conference. November 5 - 7, 2026: Sanibel Island, Florida. Participants at all stages of development — from notebook scribblers to published novelists —are invited to attend a variety of workshops in fiction, poetry, TV writing, songwriting, storytelling, memoir, travel writing, children’s literature, and creative nonfiction; panels on publishing and editing; and readings, keynote addresses, and concerts.

Poetry Palooza! A Workshop for Poetry Lovers. November 5 - 8, 2026: Boyds Mills, PA. Imagine four days of poetry-themed activities with poetry enthusiasts, alongside the dynamic team: Charles Waters, Irene Latham, Rebecca Kai Dotlitch, Georgia Heard, and their guests. Waitlisted.

Seattle WritingWorkshop. November 6 - 7, 2026: Online. This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. 

First Friday Book Talk & Reading with Steve Edwards. November 6, 2026: Online. Steve Edwards is author of Rare Good: Essays on Art, Autism, and Astonishment (forthcoming, fall 2026) and the memoir Breaking Into the Backcountry. His work appears in The Yale Review, The Sun, Orion, The Rumpus, Lit Hub, Longreads, & elsewhere.

Atlanta Writers Conference. November 6 - 7, 2026: Atlanta, Georgia. The goals of this conference are to give you access to eighteen top publishing acquisitions editors and literary agents actively seeking new clients (see their profiles on our Editors and Agents page), help you get your work ready for them, and educate you with a workshop and talks by experienced authors and other industry professionals. The Conference Activities page details each activity you can register for: select them all, only one, or some number in between–it’s entirely up to you, so you can craft the conference experience that will be best for your growth, interests, and budget. Virtual option for critique and pitch meetings with the agents and editors.

North Carolina Writers’ Network Fall Conference. November 6 - 8, 2026: Wrightsville Beach, NC. The WSOC will feature classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing. 

From Proposal to Page Workshop: A nonfiction writing workshop with Jessica J. Lee. November 7 - December 12, 2026: Online. This nonfiction course will center on a wealth of contemporary work inspired by the more-than-human world, laying the groundwork for book-length projects. Through close readings of literary material as well as industry documents like book proposals, weekly exercises and workshopping, we’ll consider the practical aspects of developing nonfiction projects, as well as techniques for writing the environment in our current moment.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being: Writing Beauty and Darkness in Fiction and Memoir: A Generative Writing Workshop with Charlie J. Stephens. November 8 - 15, 2026. We will explore the work of contemporary writers through reading short excerpts, notice what they’re doing and why, and discuss the effect those choices have on us as readers. We will then use writing exercises and prompts to write our own pieces of any genre, but focused mostly on fiction and memoir. Expect to leave with new writing starts, a refreshed toolbox of techniques and practices, and connections with other writers. Whether you are just getting started or have old projects that need inspiration, Unbearable Lightness seeks to offer the time, support and space to dive into this creative practice. This workshop is designed for writers of any experience level, beginners encouraged!

Storytelling for the Armchair Traveler with Kim Culbertson. November 10, 2026: Online.How to build compelling stories from the places we’ve been. Kim has made a habit of working her travels into her novels and flash fiction – see Instructions for a Broken Heart (which won the Northern California Book Award for YA) and The Wonder of Us, which The Horn Book Guide named a “Summer of Change” selection. In this workshop, she’ll provide examples of how to turn places you love and have been to into powerful stories as well as provide prompts for generative exercises for your WIP and original flash fiction and short stories. Bring your writerly passport!

Picture Book Approaches: Concept Books, Biographies and More. November 10 - 12, 2026: Online. Not every picture book needs a traditional arc. Discover the many ways picture books can work, and learn how to choose the structure that best serves your story!

The Poet Journalist: Intro to Docupoetics. November 11, 2026, 6:00-7:30PM EST: Online. Poets are keen observers of the world and are always trying to make sense of what it means to be alive here, now, in this moment. Docupoetics, or documentary poetry, is one way to do that. By letting the latest headlines inspire poems and using journalistic skills––such as interviews, embedded citations, and historical, academic, and archival research––poets bring an urgent voice and a critical eye to the issues of the day. In this workshop, you’ll learn about the history of docupoetics, what poets are drawn to the subgenre and why, and you’ll be guided through a generative writing exercise to pen your own documentary poem.

Monterey Writer Retreat. November 11 - 15, 2026: Pacific Grove, CA. "Join us on the wondrously scenic Monterey Peninsula for a writer retreat like no other. Know that writers of every kind have journeyed for over a century to this same location on the California west coast. They've come in search of inspiration, individuality, purpose and vision, but more importantly, to share an understanding that art has preceded their arrival in the form of a brutally beautiful sea and windswept shore."

Query Letter Intensive: Write Your Query Letter Today! November 12 - 25, 2026: Online. Your story took years to craft, but your query letter only needs a weekend of focus to get done! In this weekend intensive, write and refine a query letter for your story.

Wright Women Writers Conference. November 13 - 14, 2026: University of Central Arkansas. "The mission of the C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference is to recognize, promote, and encourage women writers with special emphasis given to writing inspired by or written in the south. Keynote presentations, panel discussions, craft talks, publishing advice, readings, a book fair, and workshops led by contemporary authors provide a venue for participants to explore opportunities, challenges, and trends specific to women writers. The conference seeks to offer writers a space to gather for inspiration, further education, support, and networking."

Pittsburgh Writing Workshop. November 14, 2026: Pittsburgh, PA and online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Pittsburgh” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation."

Colrain Cold Read. November 15, 2026: Online.  An intimate, 5–6 poet one-day intensive built around an enactment of a real-time submission moment: a press editor reads your manuscript cold, in front of the small group, and thinks aloud—exactly as they would at their office desk. You’ll hear the real editorial questions (title/TOC, opening 5-10 pages, through-line, writing skill, structure, cohesiveness, style, etc), followed by concrete responses for all 5-6 manuscripts in the group as the editor responds to each, one by one. After the editor’s departure, a Colrain faculty member anchors interpretations and expectations so you leave with a realistic understanding of work to be done.

Cleveland Writing Workshop. November 21, 2026: Cleveland, Ohio. This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Odyssey Writing Workshop. November 23, 2026 (18 weeks): Online. Since its inception in 1996, Odyssey has become one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Will be held online. Application deadline April 10.

Conferences with deadlines in November

Eckerd College Writers in Paradise Conference. January 16 -23, 2027: St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, manuscript consultation, Q&As, readings book signings, and receptions. Application deadline: November 1, 2026.

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Residency Writers Conference. January 7 - 17, 2027: Seaside, Oregon. Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference together with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. Join us for 10 full days of craft talks, workshops, panels, classes, readings and more featuring some of the best minds of the literary world. This residency is a rare opportunity to engage in sustained and meaningful conversation with others who share your passion for the art of writing. Application deadline: November 15, 2026. 

124 Calls for Submissions in October 2026 - Paying markets!

This October there are more than ten dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

I post upcoming calls for submissions shortly before the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.

[Image: Public Domain Pictures]

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Sundog. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art. Payment: $50. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026, and closes when they reach capacity.

Griffith Review. Genre: Nonfiction See theme. Payment: AUD$200. Deadline: Opens in October, 2026.

Strange Horizons. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 9¢/word. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026, and closes when they reach capacity. Strange Horizons also publishes nonfiction, art, reviews and poetry.

The Iowa Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry. Payment: $1.50 per line for poetry ($100 minimum) and $0.08 per word for prose ($100 minimum). Deadline: October 1, 2026. No fee for snail mail submissions. $4 fee for online submissions.

Polar Borealis. Restrictions: Open to Canadians only. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 1 cent per word. $10 for one thousand words or less. $20 for two thousand words or less (but reasonably above one thousand). $30 for three thousand words or less (but reasonably above two thousand). Deadline: Opens in October, 2026.

Breath and Shadow Genre: Writing on any topic for poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama; these pieces do not have to be "about" disability. However nonfiction, academic, and similar articles (profiles, interviews, opinion pieces) do have to relate to disability in some way. Payment: $25 for poetry, $40 for fiction, and $40 for nonfiction. In addition to publication and payment, Breath & Shadow will post links to contributors' work on other sites and to their Web site or e-mail address. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Independence Literary Review: Healthcare and Healing Folio. Genre: Nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. See theme. Payment: $50-200. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Sun Thief Journal. Genre: Poetry, short stories, literary translation, and critical essays. Payment: $10 per poem and $0.05/word for prose. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Adventitious. Genre: Speculative, surreal, and literary fiction. Length: Flash Fiction (including Micro): Up to 1,000 words; Fiction: 1,000 – 6,000 words. Novelette: 6,000 – 17,000 words. Payment: $0.08 USD per word. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026, and closes when they reach capacity.

Okay Donkey. Genre: One flash fiction OR one poem per author, per submission period. See website for details. Payment: $25. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

Mudroom. Genre: Poetry, fiction, essays, and essays in translation. Payment: $15. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026.

Rat Bag. Genre: Microfiction. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026.

The Paris Review. Genres: Poetry, prose. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026, and closes when they reach capacity.

Independence Literary Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and art of any theme. Payment: $25 - $200. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

The Last Line. Genre: Fiction that ends with the last line provided. Payment: $20-$40. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it." Payment: $100. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Delirious Doubles. Genre: Science fiction of at least 5,000 words that have pirates as their main characters. Payment: $30. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Speculative flash fiction. Payment: $100. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

The Forge Literary Magazine. Genre: Prose. They prefer stories under 3,000 words. Payment: $100. Deadline: October 1, 2026. Free submissions open on the 1st of each month and close when cap is reached. 

Wyldblood Press (UK) Genre: Short speculative fiction. Length: 5000 words max. Payment: £0.01 cent/word. Deadline: Opens October 1, 2026. Open for one day only,

Thinking Ink Press: The Neurodiversiverse – Bridging Worlds. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and art. See theme. Payment: $100 per short story; $50 per flash fiction; $50 per poem. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Tales from the Moonlit Path. Genre: Dark fiction on theme. Payment: $10. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Raconteur Press: The Wyrd, Wyrd, World of Sports. Genre: Short stories. Take me out to the ballgame, take me up through the clouds… Put a cursed jersey upon my back, I don’t care if it turns my soul black! It’s a friendly game or a death match. Magic is part of the dream. You have one, two, three wishes left for the Wyrd Sports team! Length: 5,000 to 8,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 2, 2026.

Mascara Review. Genre: Nonfiction, reviews, poetry, fiction. Payment: Poems $100; Fiction and essays $200; Reviews $200. Only pays Australian writers. Deadline: October 2, 2026.

Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores. Genre: Speculative stories. Payment: 8 cents/word for original work. 2 cents/word for reprints. Deadline: October 2, 2026. Opens October 1.

Flame Tree: Icarus. Genre: Stories based on Icarus. See theme. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: October 4, 2026. 

Flame Tree: Pandora. Genre: Stories based on Pandora. See theme. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: October 4, 2026. 

Gap Riot. Genre: Experimental, visual, innovative, and genre-blurring feminist poetry by primarily Canadian poets. Length: Short short chapbooks (absolute max 20 pages). See theme. Payment: Royalties, after first 20 copies have sold. Deadline: October 4, 2026.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: "We're looking for dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words." Payment: $25. Deadline: October 4, 2026. Open to submissions the first three days of every month.

OTHERSIDE. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by self-identified members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Payment: $0.08/word for prose. $50 per poem. $100 for nonfiction and reprints. Deadline: October 1- 7, 2026. Submission period only for BIPOC, trans, and/or disabled authors.

Black Inc. Restrictions: Open to Australians. Genre: Full-length general, literary and commercial non-fiction – including history, current affairs, memoir and biography. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 7, 2026. This is a monthly call.

University of Queensland Press. Restrictions: Open to Australian citizens or permanent residents. Genre: Non-fiction, literary fiction (including short stories), poetry, children’s and young adult. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 7, 2026. This is a monthly call.

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Weird and cosmic fiction under 2,000 words. Essays. Payment: 3 cents (USD) per word. Deadline: October 7, 2026.

Space & Time. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. See theme. Payment: $10 (0.01 per word), paid for fiction upon acceptance. $5 per poem (up to 35 lines) Deadline: October 7, 2026.

Wild Hyacinth .Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art. See theme. Payment: CAD25. Deadline: October 9, 2026.

Poetry Sango-Ota. Restrictions: Open to African poets. Genre: Poetry. "We are interested in poems with a keen connection to a sense of place, nature, or otherworldly geographies." Payment: N10,000 (ten thousand naira) per poem. Deadline: October 10, 2026.Open from the 1st to the 10th of every month. 

Crimeucopia. Genre: Crime fiction. See theme. Payment: £4 per 1,000 words. Deadline: October 11, 2026.

Qwerty. Genre: Art, Poetry, Prose. Payment: $15. Deadline: October 12, 2026.

Planet Scumm. Genre: Hard sci-fi, soft sci-fi, speculative fiction, weird fiction, slipstream. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: October 13, 2026.

Rebel Satori Press. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQIA+ writers. Genre: Book-length speculative fiction involving LGBTQ+ characters written by LGBTQ+ authors, including but not limited to: sci-fi, interstitial, slipstream, horror, and supernatural fictional manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 14, 2026.

Elegant Lich. Genre: Fantasy. Payment: 3 cents/word.  Deadline: October 14, 2026.

Saros Speculative Fiction: Biopunk. Genre: Biopunk: "Science fiction that examines how corporations and other systems of power seek to control, own, and exploit biology at the molecular level, and the efforts of hackers and rebels to subvert and wrest back some of that power and control, whether for idealistic or selfish reasons." Payment: $25 CAD. Deadline: October 14, 2026.

Solarpunk Magazine. Genre: Solarpunk. See theme. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40/poem, and $75/essay, $100 for reprint cover art, $200 for original unpublished cover art, $50 for reprint interior art, $100 for original unpublished interior art. Deadline: October 14, 2026.

Story Unlikely. Genre: Fiction. Payment: 8 cents a word. Deadline: October 14, 2026. (Note: Website is very hard to read.)

Translunar Travelers Lounge. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $0.03 per word with a minimum of $20. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

In a Flash. Genre: CNF, 500 words max. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Queer Poem Club. Genre: Poems by queer / 2SLGBTQIA+ poets. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

New Orleans Review. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Payment: $300 for prose, $100 for poetry. Deadline: October 15, 2026. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, there are no submission fees for Latinx writers from September 15th to October 15th.

100-Foot Crow. Genre: Speculative fiction drabbles, of exactly 100 words on two themes: TRANSFORMATION and BARS. Payment: $8. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

WordFire Press: Superheroes, Super Problems. Genre: Fiction and poetry on theme: Superheroes. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry. See theme. Payment: 7 cents/word, up to $30. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 1.5 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Shenandoah. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Closes when they reach capacity.

Rattle: Tribute to Youth Poet Laureates. Genre: Poetry. "We invite previously uncurated poems from current or former Youth Poet Laureates at any level. The poems may be any length or subject, but together they reflect how this growing cohort is writing and shaping contemporary poetry." Payment: Contributors to the print magazine receive $200 and a complimentary one-year subscription. Poems for "Online" categories receive $100. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Foglifter. Genre: Foglifter is a biannual compendium of queer and trans writing. It’s a space where LGBTQ+ writers celebrate, mourn, rage, and embrace. "Foglifter welcomes daring and thoughtful work by queer and trans writers in all forms, and we are especially interested in cross-genre, intersectional, marginal, and transgressive work. We want the pieces that challenged you as a writer, what you poured yourself into and risked the most to make. But we also want your tenderest, gentlest work, what you hold closest to your heart. Whatever you're working on now that's keeping you alive and writing, Foglifter wants to read it." Payment: $100. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Consequence Magazine: The Culture of War. Genre: Short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and visual art mainly focused on the culture of war. Payment: $20 - $50 for prose and poetry, $150 for art. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy. Length: 1500-7500 words. Payment: $0.005/word up to 7500 words. Minimum of $15. Reprints paid at full rate. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: October 15, 2026

Neon Hemlock. Genre: Speculative fiction chapbooks. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Little District Books: Radiant Dawn – A Queer Hopepunk Anthology. Genre: Hopepunk. Payment: $0.05/word. Length: 2,500-10,000 words. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

3 Sisters. Genre: All genres, including but not limited to fiction, non-fiction, poetry, art, mixed media, essay, video pieces, computational work, audio offerings, objects, and more. "We are especially interested in hybrid works, work that falls in between genres, and pieces that are not easily categorized." Payment: Modest honorarium. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Trembling With Fear. Genre: Horror. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Plott Hound. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry starring animals. Payment: 8 cents/word for original fiction. $20 - $100 for reprints. $50 for poetry. $300 for art. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Indie Novella. Genre: Debut works that align with our mission to amplify underrepresented narratives, with particular focus on: Working-class writers and narratives. Writers from marginalised communities - LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, Black, Asian, and diaspora voices in the UK. Stories addressing mental health. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 16, 2026.

Skylight 47. Genre: Poetry. Payment: 40 euros. Deadline: October 16, 2026.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: October 18, 2026.

Quist. Restrictions: Open to writers and artists between the ages of 14 and 21 and based in Quebec. Genre: Poetry and prose. Payment: $75. Deadline: October 18, 2026.

Flame Tree: Dark Ages: Folk Horror Stories. Genre: Folk Horror Stories. See theme. Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word for original stories, 6 cents/4 pence for reprints. Deadline: October 18, 2026.

OTHERSIDE. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by self-identified members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Payment: $0.08/word for prose. $50 per poem. $100 for nonfiction and reprints. Deadline: October 21, 2026. 

Trans Survivors Zine. Genre: Trans and nonbinary writing and art. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 21, 2026.

Opportunity Window. Genre: Time loop fiction. Length: 2,000 to 6,000 words for original (unpublished) stories. Reprints up to 10,000 words. Payment: Original stories will be paid a flat rate of $200USD. Reprints will be paid a flat rate of $25USD. Deadline: October 22, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Strange Pilgrims. Genre: Nonfiction. “We’re not married to any genre, structure, or subject. We love surreal, speculative, and fabulist stories; unhinged, lyric, and fragmented essays; voice-driven experimental narratives and slow-burn realism; cultural and literary criticism; hyper-intellectual riffs and children’s stories — so long as they move." Payment: $50 for flash prose, $200 for longer works. Deadline: October 22, 2026.

Crooked Spine. Genre: Horror. See theme. Payment: $5 - $20. Deadline: October 23, 2026. 

Kaleidotrope. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry—science fiction, fantasy, and horror, but also compelling work that blurs the lines between these and falls outside of neat genre categories. Payment: For fiction, $0.01/word (1 cent a word) USD. For poetry, a flat rate of $5 USD per accepted piece. For artwork, a flat rat of $60 for cover art. Deadline: October 24, 2026.

Lintusen Press: Five Things. Genre: List of five things. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 25, 2026.

Merrow. Genre: Fantasy, Horror and Speculative Fiction. Theme: Tales of mermaids, merfolk, and the rich mythology of the sea. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 28, 2026.

Neon Hemlock Novella Series. Genre: Speculative fiction novellas. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 30, 2026.

Mythaxis. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 0.01 per word, with a $20 minimum. Deadline: October 30, 2026.

Glass Poetry Press. Genre: Poetry chapbook. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Banshee Press. Genre: Fiction (including flash), nonfiction, and poetry. Payment: "Small fee.". Deadline: October 31, 2026.

​​The Shade Journal. Genre: Poetry. Payment: $20. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Ember. Genre: Creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry aimed at children and teens. Payment: 2 cents per word or $20 per work, whichever is more, for worldwide first publication rights in English. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Deep Cut Magazine. Genre: Literary horror: dark fiction with teeth and an interior life, and scholarship. Payment: 8¢ per word. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Phoenix Poets Series: University of Chicago Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Read full guidelines HERE. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Engen Books. Restrictions: Newfoundland and Labrador writers only. Genre: Love Stories. Length: under 7,500 words. Payment: $0.01 CAD per word. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Swords & Rockets: Tales of Futures Past. Genre: Sword and planet stories. See theme. Payment: £25. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Carnage House. Genre: Splatterpunk. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Short Reads. Genre: Nonfiction essays. 1,250 words maximum. Payment: $100 for original essays and $25 for reprints. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Note: They only accept submissions from active subscribers (it's free to subscribe)

Heartsick. Genre: Short fiction on theme: Love. Payment: $3. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Chicken Soup for the Soul. Genre: True humorous stories. "Share your funny stories about something that happened to you in your life – in your relationship with a partner or spouse, a parent or child, a family member or friend, at work or at home – that made you and the people around you laugh out loud. Did you mean for it to be funny? Did the other person mean to make you laugh? Did a situation just get out of control? Did a misunderstanding turn into a comedy of errors?" Payment: $200. Deadline: October 15, 2026, extended deadline.

MIDLVLMAG. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, CNF. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Phylum Press. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art. See theme. Payment: $10 CAD. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Otago University Press. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts that reflect the richness of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Baltimore Review. Genre: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, videos (including poetry), and cross-genre work. Payment: $50. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Flash Point Science Fiction. Genre: Speculative fiction stories from 100 to 1,000 words in length. "Send us your science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, and everything in between, so long as it’s short." Payment: 2 cents/word. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Dark Moments Patreon Monthly Challenge. Genre: Dark fiction flash fiction (Word count: 100 to 2000).  Payment: 4 cents/word. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Monthly call.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 8¢ per word for fiction and $20 for poetry. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Nine Arches. Genre: Poetry collections. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Dragon Soul Press: FLAME FORGER. Genre: All dragon-themed stories. All genres accepted. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

MIDLVLMAG. Genre: Poetry, short fiction, CNF. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Orion's Belt. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Length: 1200 words max. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

I Want to Know What Love Is: Stories of Romance Inspired by Power Ballads. Genre: Short stories on theme: Romance Inspired by Power Ballads. Length: 3000-5000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

MetaStellar. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy or horror. 1000 words max. Payment: 8 cents per word. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Reckoning. Genre: Environmental justice flash fiction of 1000 words or less. Payment: .15/word (US) Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Frost Zone. Genre: Dark literary fiction, 1800 - 3800 words. Payment: $15 CAD. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Whytaker Lyon Press: Virginia Sideways Anthology. Genre: Alternate history stories with a Virginia element. Payment: 1/2 cent per word. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Last Syllable. Genre: Fiction and CNF, word count: 5,000-25,000. Poetry and open genre also accepted. Payment: $20. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Adroit Journal. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $50 - $100. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Zine Machine. Genre: Mini zines. Payment: $20. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

in case of emergency press (ICOE). Restrictions: Open to emerging writers. Genre: Poetry, short stories, scripts, and longer fiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Lucky Jefferson: Awake. Restrictions: Open to Black Writers and Artists. Genre: Poetry, prose, essays, art on theme. Payment: $25 - $50. Deadline: October 31, 2026. (?)

Manawaker Studio: 100 Word Project. Genre: Speculative fiction of exactly 100 words. See theme. Payment: $1. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Rebel Satori Press: Arabi Minor. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQIA+ writers. Genre: Full-Length Witchcraft and Occult Nonfiction. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

SpecPoVerse. Genre: Speculative poetry. Payment: $5. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

The Gigas Testament. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to Canadian citizens or residents. Genre: Horror. Payment: $50 CAD. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Brick. Genre: Literary nonfiction. Payment: $65–$720, depending on the length of accepted work, plus two copies of the issue the work appears in and a one-year subscription to the magazine. Deadline: October 31, 2026.  Closes when cap is reached.

Trollbreath Magazine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Payment: 4 cents/word. 1/2 cent/word for reprints. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series. Restrictions: Open to any individual living in the U.S. who identifies as an immigrant and who either (i) was born in another country, (ii) has at least one parent who was born in another country (iii) is a refugee, or (iv) lives in the United States under Asylum or a Protection Program, such as TPS or DACA. Genre: Books of poetry, prose (fiction or nonfiction), and hybrid texts of poetry and prose. Payment: In addition to publication, marketing, and a standard royalties contract from Black Lawrence Press, authors chosen for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series will receive a travel stipend of $500, which can be used for book tours or in any manner chosen by the authors. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Fun in the Dark. Genre: Fiction. See theme. Payment: £20. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Short Story Substack accepts one short story every month. Genre: All genres. Word count 6,000 - 10,000 words. Payment: Base Pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Reprints accepted.

Poetry Substack accepts one poem every month. Genre: Poem. Must have a rhyme scheme or a rhythm scheme. No blank verse or free verse. Payment: Base Pay of $10 for the chosen poem + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: October 31, 2026.. Reprints accepted.

AND A FEW MORE...

The First Line Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry using the line provided. (See theme) Payment: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2026.

Thema. Genre: Fiction, poetry, and art on theme: Sent by Mistake. Payment: $10-$25 for short fiction and artwork, $10 for poetry. Deadline: November 1, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Ninth Letter Web Edition. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. See theme. Payment: $25 per poem and $75 for prose. Deadline: November 1, 2026.

Okay Donkey. Genre: One flash fiction OR one poem per author, per submission period. See website for details. Payment: $25. Deadline: Opens November 1, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

Tome & Space. Genre: Speculative fiction, nonfiction, art, and comics. Payment: 11 cents ($CAD) per word up to a maximum of $400 ($CAD). $70 ($CAD) per page up to a maximum of $400 ($CAD) for comics. $50 ($CAD) per piece. They will consider reprints of pieces posted on personal blogs like Substack, at a rate of $15 ($CAD) for commentaries.$300 ($CAD) per cover art piece. Deadline: Opens November 1, 2026.

Fusion Fragment. Genre: Science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction stories and novelettes ranging anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000 words. Payment: Both previously unpublished work and reprints pay 4 cents (CAD) per word, up to a maximum of $400 (CAD) per story. Deadline: Opens November 1, 2026.

Liars’ League. Genre: Short stories. Length: 800-2,000 words. See theme. Payment: £20, reading of your story by a professional actor, as well as podcast, video and online publication of your work. Deadline: November 1, 2026.

54 Writing Contests in October 2026 - No entry fees!

This October there are more than four dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $60,500 to publication. None charge entry fees.

Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.

If you want to get a jump on next month's contests go to Free Contests. Many of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck!  

[Image: Public Domain Pictures]

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The Lindenwood Review Undergraduate Flash Nonfiction Contest. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate students. Genre: Flash Nonfiction. Prize: Publication. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

Hektoen International Grand Prix Essay Competition. Genre: Original essay that relates medicine to the humanities. Topics might include art, history, literature, education, etc. as they relate to medicine.1,500 words max. See theme. Prize: $5,000 for the winner and $2,500 for the runner-up. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

The Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry, sponsored by the African Poetry Book Fund and in partnership with the literary journal, Prairie Schooner, is the only one of its kind in the world and was established to promote African poetry written in English or in translation and to recognize a significant book published each year by an African poet. A standard edition is 48 pages or more in length. Genre: Open to any book of original poetry, in English, published during 2015 in a standard edition by a full-length collection of poetry. Restrictions: African nationals, African residents, or poet of African parentage with roots from any country, living anywhere in the world. Prize: USD $1,000. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

John Lewis Writing Grants. Restrictions: Open to Black and African American writers who have resided in Georgia for at least one year. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screen/playwriting. Prize: $500. Deadline: October 1, 2026.

2027 IHLR Long Story: Nonfiction and Fiction. Genre: Long fiction or CNF. Length: 20 to 40 pages. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 1, 2026. Note: They will accept 25 free submissions on October 1, 2026.

2027 Iron Horse Long Story: NaPoMo Contest. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 1, 2026. Note: They will accept 25 free submissions on October 1, 2026.

Horror Writers Association Diversity Grants. Restrictions: Open to underrepresented, diverse people who have an interest in the horror writing genre, including, but not limited to writers, editors, reviewers, and library workers. Genre: Horror. Prize: $500 grant. Deadline: October 2, 2065.

PEN America’s U.S. Writers Aid Initiative. Restrictions: Applicants must be professional writers based in the United States, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping address a short-term emergency situation. Prize: Grant, amount not specified. Deadline: October 5, 2026.

North Carolina State Fiction Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of North Carolina with no published fiction books. Genre: Short stories. Prize: $500 for fiction (up to 5,000 words) and $250 for shorter fiction (up to 1,200 words). Deadline: October 5, 2026.

American Antiquarian Society Fellowships for Creative Writers is calling for applications for visiting fellowships for historical research by creative and performing artists, writers, film makers, journalists, and other persons whose goals are to produce imaginative, non-formulaic works dealing with pre-twentieth-century American history. Successful applicants are those whose work is for the general public rather than for academic or educational audiences. The Society's goal in sponsoring this program is to multiply and improve the ways in which an understanding of history is communicated to the American people. Prize: A stipend of $2,400. Deadline: October 5, 2026.

The Solstice Prize. Restrictions: Open to 7 - 25 year olds. Genre: Short stories, blog posts, and poems. Nature writing. Prize: Publication and cash prizes for winners in three age groups: 7-11, 12-14, and 15-17. Deadline: October 10, 2026.

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to both published and unpublished writers based in the UK. Genre: Short story. See theme. Prize: £500. Deadline: October 11, 2026.

DC Reid Poets’ Grant. Restrictions: Open to poets of "modest means." Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, living in Canada, who have published at least two books of poetry with a traditional publishing house. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $5000. Deadline: October 13, 2026.

Adina Talve-Goodman Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to fiction writers aged 21+ who have not yet published a book and have never been enrolled in an MFA program. Writer must not have a book under contract with an agent and/or publisher at time of application, and writer cannot have been published by One Story (or have a forthcoming publication with One Story). Genre: Short fiction that "speaks to issues and experiences related to inhabiting bodies of difference." Prize: Free tuition for all of One Story's online classes and programming, a travel stipend of $2,000 and tuition to attend week-long summer writers' conference in Brooklyn, and a full manuscript review/consultation of a story collection or novel in progress with an executive editor. Deadline: October 13, 2026.

Neal Peirce Foundation Journalism Travel Grants. Genre: Journalism. "Grants are intended to support journalists in covering undertold stories about ways to make cities and their metro regions work better for all their people. Grants will cover travel expenses necessary for on-the-ground reporting. Full-time freelancers as well as journalists currently employed by a news organization are eligible to apply. The grants are for journalists to travel to cities within the U.S. to produce one or more stories for publication." Prize: Up to $1500. Deadline: October 13, 2026.

Latino Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest. Restrictions: Open to Latino authors who are at least 18 years of age or older and residing anywhere in the United States. Genre: Children’s stories written by and about Latino people. Must be original children’s books for ages 0–4 (50–125 words) or for ages 4–8 (300–800 words). Prize: $1,000 cash prize. Deadline: October 14, 2026.

Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship. Restrictions: Poet must be born in the United States.  Genre: Poetry. The sample must not exceed either (1) 40 typed pages or (2) one printed volume plus no more than 20 typed pages of your most recent work. There is no minimum page requirement.  Prize: $60,500 for a year of travel and study abroad. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

Voice.club. Genre: Flash fiction, 350 words max. See theme. Prize: $25 Amazon gift card. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Note: You have to join in order to enter. 

Charles Potts Poetry Award. Genre: First book of poetry. Prize: $1000. Deadline: October 15, 2026. (Sponsor confirmed that the date is correct, even though the date on the submissions page shows 2025.)

Prose Poetry Contest. Genre: Prose poem. Length: 150 words max. Prize: First place: £100 plus publication; Second place: £50 plus publication; Third place: £25 plus publication; Honorable mention: £10 plus publication. Deadline: October 15, 2026. Pay-if-you-can format for submissions.

The Fresh Voices Fellowship supports one emerging Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other writer of color who does not have an MFA in creative writing nor an advanced English degree (MA, PhD), and is not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program. Prize: $2000. Deadline: October 15, 2026.

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognizes outstanding works that contribute to our understanding of racism and our appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. Awards are given for fiction, poetry. memoir, autobiography, and nonfiction. Prize: $30,000. Deadline: October 16, 2026.

Zocalo Book Prize. Genre: US-published nonfiction book that best enhances our understanding of community and the forces that strengthen or undermine human connectedness and social cohesion. 
Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 16, 2026.

Mindfood. Restrictions: Open to Australian and New Zealand residents only. Genre: Short story 2000 words in length and previously unpublished. Prize: U$1000 for the Australian winner and one (1) prize money of NZ$1000 for the New Zealand winner. Deadline: October 17, 2026.

Waltham Forest Poetry Competition. Genre: Poem on theme: Weather. Prize: 1st £50, 2nd £30, 3rd £20. Deadline: October 19, 2026. No entry fee for writers aged 18 and under.

Manchester Cathedral Poetry Competition. Genre: Poetry. “We are looking for poems that seek out stories from the archives, revisit forgotten aspects of local history and celebrate unsung social histories in Greater Manchester." Prize: First prize £200, with £50 for second place, and £25 for third place. There will also be 10 highly commended poems with no financial remuneration. Entrants can be of any or no faith. No previous experience of creative writing or poetry required. All are welcome." Deadline: October 21, 2026.

Eye Contact Award in Genre Flash Fiction. Genre: Fantasy flash fiction, 1000 words max. See theme. Prize: $250. Deadline: October 24, 2026.

Dark Descent. Genre: Horror microfiction, 250–500 words. Prize: £25. Deadline: October 25, 2026. Note: This is a monthly contest.

Write the World. Restrictions: Open to writers ages 13-19. Genre: Op-ed, personal narrative and creative writing on theme: "Justice." Prize: "Cash prize." Deadline: October 26, 2026. 

Bronx Council on the Arts Community Engagement Grants. Restrictions: Open to residents of Bronx County. Genre: All art forms, including writing. Grant: $1000 - $5000. Deadline: October 30, 2026.

Varnish Prize for Fiction. Genre: Short fiction, up to 5,000 words. Prize: First Place: $350. Second Place: $100. Third Place: $50. Deadline: October 30, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

Raleigh Review Flash Fiction Prize. Restrictions: Open to US residents. Genre: Flash fiction. Prize: $300. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Submission fee of $7 is optional.

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: October 31, 2026.

Shady Grove Literary. Genre: Any style, genre, tone of flash fiction. Length: 300 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Apex Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction, 1000 words max. Prize: 8 cents/word or $10, which ever is greater. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Note: Apex Magazine’s Flash Fiction Contest is open from the first until the final day of each month. The contest is themed.

The Marfield Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts Writing, is given annually by the Arts Club of Washington to nonfiction books about the arts written for a broad audience. Genre: Non-fiction book. Self-published books not accepted. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Storyhouse: Preservation Foundation Essay Contest for Unpublished Writers. Restrictions: The contest is open to writers whose creative writing has never produced revenues of over $250 in any single year. First prize winners of previous contests, while ineligible for prizes in regular contests, can compete in this one. Genre: Travel Nonfiction. Prize: First prize is $200. Runners-up will receive $100. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

New York Historical Society Children's History Book Prize. Genre: Nonfiction history or historical fiction for middle-grade readers that was published in the US in the current calendar year. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Drinking Gourd Chapbook Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to poets of color with US citizenship who have not previously published a book-length volume of poetry. Genre: Poetry chapbook. Prize: $500, publication by Northwestern University Press, fifteen copies of the book, and a featured reading at The Poetry Foundation.. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

The Young Walter Scott Prize. Restrictions: Open to UK authors aged 11-19. Genre: Historical fiction between 800 and 2000 words. Prizes: £500 travel and research grant to further explore historical places in the UK, and an invitation to the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland. Two runners-up in each category receive a £100 book token, and all four winning stories are published in a special YWSP anthology book. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Lex:lead Essay Competition. Restrictions: Candidates must show citizenship in an eligible country and be enrolled in studies with at least one law class in an eligible country at the time of the award. Genre: Essay: How can artificial intelligence (AI) be regulated to reduce poverty and support economic development? Prize: $500 scholarship. Deadline: Registration deadline October 31, 2026.

US Naval Institute Essay Prize. Genre: Essay. Length: 3,000 words max. Great power competition will require the Sea Services to rethink how to address national, strategic, and operational challenges and the way they will have to fight. Essays may address any topic. Prize: First Prize: $6000; Second Prize: $3000; Third Prize: $2000. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest is sponsored by Hollins University. Restrictions: Open to young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Up to $5,000 renewable annual Creative Talent Scholarship in creative writing if winner enrolls at Hollins. Free tuition and housing for the university’s Hollins summer creative writing program. $350 cash prize. Publication in Cargoes, Hollins’ award-winning student literary magazine. Ten copies of Cargoes. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Betty Trask Prize. Restrictions: Author must be a Commonwealth citizen. Genre: First novels, published or unpublished, written by authors under the age of 35 in a "traditional or romantic, but not experimental, style." Prize: Top prize 10,000 pounds. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

The Eric Gregory Awards. Restrictions: Applicants must be under 30 and a British subject by birth and must ordinarily be resident in the United Kingdom or Northern Ireland. Genre: Poetry collection. Previously published work accepted. Prize: £4,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

McKitterick Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors over age 40. Genre: First novel. The work must have been first published in the UK in the year in which the deadline falls (and not first published abroad), or be unpublished. Prize: £4,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Gordon Bowker Volcano Prize. Restrictions: Open to a UK or Irish writer, or a writer currently resident in those countries. Genre: A novel focusing on the experience of travel away from home. Inspired by Malcolm Lowry’s novel, Under the Volcano and in celebration of its author, the prize aims to inspire literary excellence and encourage writers to travel and to write from the resulting experience. Publishers must enter the work. Prize: The winner will receive £2,000 and the runner-up £750. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

The Queen’s Knickers Award. Genre: Children’s illustrated book for ages 0-7. "It will recognise books that strike a quirky, new note and grab the attention of a child, whether this be in the form of curiosity, amusement, horror or excitement." Prize: £5,000, as well as a golden Queen’s Knickers badge. The runner-up will receive £1,000 and a silver badge. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Somerset Maugham Awards. Restrictions: Open to UK writers under the age of 35. Genre: Published work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Prize: 2,500 pounds apiece to four winners. Prize money must be used for travel. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

Mikrokosmos Annual Fiction and Poetry Contest. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Prize: First Place Prize: $250; Second Place Prize: $150; Third Place Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2026.

ADCI Literary Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors with a disability and/or chronic illness. Authors must be a British national OR resident in Great Britain and Northern Ireland for three years prior to the date of submission for the award, and writing in English and submissions must have been published or self-published in the UK. Genre: Novel which includes a disabled or chronically ill character or characters. Prize: Winner will receive £1,000 and two runners-up £500 each. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Biennial prize. 

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme of "Dead ringer." Your story must be no longer than 25 words. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: October 31, 2026. This is a monthly contest.

Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poem inspired by artwork. (See site for image.) Prize: $100. Deadline: October 31, 2026. This is a monthly contest.

Substack runs a monthly short story competition. Their mission is to "revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful." Genre: Short story. Length: 6000- 10,000 words. Prize: $100 plus 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check. Deadline: October 31, 2026. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.