29 Writing Contests in November 2015 - No entry fees

There is an impressive number of writing contests during the month of November, some of which offer substantial prizes.

Canadians can win $25,000 for their literary nonfiction. Two prestigious British prizes are awarding 30,000 pounds apiece, and Australian poets can win a $12,000 travel stipend to visit Ireland.

In addition there are numerous smaller prizes for short stories, poems, creative nonfiction, non-creative nonfiction, essays, as well as prizes for books both published and unpublished.

Good luck!
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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 Genre: Unpublished short fiction (2,000-5,000 words) in English.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, 2015. Read details here.

Jane Lumley Prize for Emerging Writers. Restrictions: The Jane Lumley Prize will only be awarded to writers who have not already published a full length book. However, they may have published a chapbook, and/or found a home for their works in other literary journals. Genre: Poetry. Maximum of eight poems (totaling not more than ten pages). Prize: $300 and winning entries will be featured in the January issue of Hermeneutic Chaos. Deadline: November 1, 2015. Read details here.

William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grants Program for Unpublished Writers.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 (no later than May 2016). In the case of nonfiction, the grant may be used to offset research expenses. Each grant currently includes a $1,500 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, 2015. Read details here.

Vermont Writers' Prize. Restrictions: Open to residents of Vermont. Genres: Short story, poem, play or essay on the theme of Vermont - its people, places, history or values. Entries must be unpublished and fewer than 1,500 words long. Writers may submit only one entry per year. Prize: $1,500 and publication in Vermont Magazine. Deadline: November 1, 2015. Read details here.

Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. Restrictions: Canadian citizens only. Genre: Nonfiction book published between August 1 and September 30, 2015. Prize: C$25,000. Shortlisted authors receive $2,000. Prize: Deadline: November 2, 2015. Read details here.

Creative Loafing Fiction Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Georgia. Genre: Fiction. The story must incorporate “Space” in some way — as a theme, metaphor, or literal interpretation. Prize: 1st Prize $500, 2nd Prize $250, 3rd Prize $100; winners published in Creative Loafing. Deadline: November 2, 2015. Read details here.

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. Eligible books must have been commercially published for the first time in the English language between January 1 and December 31, 2015. Prize: 30,000 pounds, plus 1,000 pounds for shortlisted authors. Deadline: November 2, 2015. Read details here.

Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. Restrictions: Female authors of any nationality. Genre: Novel first published in the UK between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016, but may have been previously published outside the UK. Must be in English. Prize: £30,000 and a limited edition bronze figurine known as a 'Bessie', created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven. Deadline: November 9, 2015. Read details here.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada between September 9, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Self-published books are not eligible. Genre: A 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. Prize: Winner: $25,000; Finalists: $2,500. Deadline: November 11, 2015: For books published between September 9, 2015 and December 31, 2015 Read details here.

A Public Space Emerging Writer Fellowships. Restrictions: Open to writers who have not yet published or been contracted to write a book-length work. Prize: $1,000, 6-month fellowship, and a mentorship from an established author. Deadline: November 15th, 2015. Read details here.

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 15th, 2015. Read details here.

Flo Gault Student Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Full-time undergraduate college students in Kentucky. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: November 15th, 2015. Read details here.

Work Stew Writing Contest. Genre: List: "Ten Pearls of Hard-Earned, Work-Related Wisdom." Prize: $100 for Pearl #1. $60 for Pearl #2. $40 for Pearl #3. Deadline: November 15th, 2015. Read details here.

Arts & Letters Awards. Restrictions: Residents of the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Genre: Original creative work in literature, music, visual art and digital multi-media may be entered. Prize: $1,000.00 CAN. Deadline: November 20, 2015. Read details here.

We Said Go Travel Writing Contest. Genre: Travel essays of 500-800 words on the theme of 'Gratitude: A Place that Inspires You to Feel Thankful'. You may enter up to 5 essays with a photo. Entries must be unpublished and family-friendly. Prize: $500, 2nd Prize $100, 3rd Prize $50. Deadline: November 26, 2015. Read details here.

Princeton University Poetry Contest for High School Students. Restrictions: Student writers in the 11th grade. Prizes: First Prize – $500, Second Prize – $250, Third Prize – $100. Deadline: November 27, 2015. Read details here.

Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Restrictions: Published Australian authors only. Prize: $12,000.00 AUS stipend for an Australian poet to visit Ireland. Deadline: November 27, 2015. Read details here.

Build Your Own Blog New Writer Scholarship. Restrictions: Students aged 16 years and up. Genre: Unpublished short story/poem/blog post/(Any written material you are proud of). Prize: $4,000.00. Deadline: November 29, 2015. Read details here.

Financial Times/Bodley Head Essay Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers 35 years old or under. Genre: Long-form essay. "We are looking for a dynamic, authoritative and lively essay of no more than 3,500 words on a non-fiction topic of your choice." Prize: £1,000, an e-publication with Bodley Head, and a mentoring session with the FT/Bodley Head. Two runners-up will each receive £500 and e-publication. Deadline: November 29, 2015. Read details here.

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest. Genre: Essay. 1,500 - 2,500 words. "Throughout human history, different periods have been captured by a defining theme: the Dark Ages… the Industrial Age… the Nuclear Age… the Information Age… the Space Age, etc. What do you think the theme of the 21st century will be? The age of connections? Rebirth of faith? Clash of civilizations? Age of the internet? Rise of fundamentalism? Interstellar travel? Gender equality? Human trafficking? WW III? Artificial intelligence? Genetics? Cooperation? Competition? Spiritual revolution? Secularism? Values? Ethics? … You may include as many topics as you think are relevant; the possibilities seem endless." Prize: 1st Place - $1,500, 2nd Place - $750, 3rd Place - $300, Two Honorable Mentions - $200 each. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Entry form and rules click HERE.

Best Translated Book Awards for Fiction. Genre: Any work of poetry or fiction published in translation for the first time ever between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Prize: $5,000.00. Two awards of $5,000: one apiece for the author and translator of the winning book in fiction. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

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: Awards totaling 20,000 pounds. Top prize 10,000 pounds. The prize money must be used for foreign travel. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

Brunel University African Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to poets who were born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African. Genre: 10 poems exactly. Prize: 3,000 pounds. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

Encore Award. Restrictions: Open to British or Commonwealth citizens. Genre: Second published novel. Book must have been first published in the UK. Prize: 10,000 pounds. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

Hudson Review Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Prize: First prize is $500. Second and third prizes are $250. Winning stories will be published in The Hudson Review. All entries will be considered for publication. Payment at regular rates. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details  here.

Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers. Restrictions: Open to writers aged 16-18. Genre: Poem (1). Prize: Full scholarship to The Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop, an intensive two-week summer seminar for writers aged 16-18. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

Somerset Maugham Awards. Restrictions: Open to 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: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

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 1, 2014 and October 31, 2015. Prize: $10,000.00. Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.

West Coast Eisteddfod Online Poetry and Short Story Competitions. Genre: Poetry, short story. (No limericks.) Prize: Poetry: $200 in each language category (Welsh and English). Short Story: $200.00 (one English-language entry) Deadline: November 30, 2015. Read details here.