36 Writing Contests in October 2017 - No entry fees

Jonathan Wolstenholme

There are three dozen free writing contests in October. 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.

NOTE: On the last Thursday of every month, I post upcoming writing contests for the following month. Stay tuned!

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Student Travel Writing Contest. Restrictions: Currently enrolled high school, undergraduate, graduate students, student interns, and volunteers (including Peace Corps). Genre: Essay. Prize: $500. Deadline: October 1, 2017.

Small But Mighty. Restrictions: Children ages 7-11 and 12-15. Genre: Fiction and poetry. Prize: Writing supplies, certificate, and publication on website. Deadline: October 1, 2017.

Pigeon Pages. Genre: Prose. "We seek previously unpublished prose pieces of up to 4,000 words. We will accept submissions from any genre or hybrid-genre, with lyric or experimental prose welcome. We love writing with a strong sense of narrative and invite you to tell us a true story, be in based in the real or fictional world." Prize: Winner, $250; Two runners-up, $50. Deadline: October 1, 2017.

Red Dragonfly New Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK residents from British East Asian, South Asian and South East Asian communities. Genre: 30-minute play. Prize: £1000. Deadline: October 1, 2017.

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 $5,000. Deadline: October 1, 2017.

RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction. Restrictions: The writer must be a resident of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or have been a resident in the UK or ROI for the past three years. Genre: Nonfiction book. Prize: Two awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000 – are offered to support writers to complete their first commissioned works of non-fiction. Deadline: October 2, 2017.

Royal Institute of Philosophy Essay Prize. Topic: Philosophy and Education. Prize: £2,500 top prize. Deadline: October 2, 2017.

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 $1,150 to $1,350 and on-campus housing is provided; fellows residing off-campus receive $1,850. Deadline: October 5, 2017.

RBC Taylor Prize for Literary Nonfiction. Restrictions: Open to published Canadian authors. Genre: Nonfiction book. Prize: CAN$25,000.00. Deadline: October 6, 2017 for books published between August 1 and September 30, 2017.

Man Booker International Prize. The Man Booker International Prize for fiction translated into English is awarded annually by the Booker Prize Foundation to the author of the best (in the opinion of the judges) eligible novel or collection of short stories. Prize: £50,000 divided equally between the author and the translator. There will be a prize of £2,000 each of the shortlisted titles divided equally between the author and the translator. Deadline: October 6, 2017.

Celestial Bodies Poetry Book Contest. Restrictions: Open to poets aged between 18-23 at the time of submitting. Genre: Book-length collection of poems, at least half unpublished. Prize: $100, book publication with royalties and 5 author copies.  Deadline: October 8, 2017.

The NC State Short Story Contests. Restrictions: Open to all North Carolina residents except 1) tenured/tenure-track professors in the University of North Carolina system or 2) writers with a published book, 3) previous winners. Genres: An unpublished SHORT STORY of no more than 20 double-spaced pages; limit 5000 words OR an unpublished SHORT-SHORT FICTION story of no more than 5 double-spaced typed pages; limit 1200 words. Prizes: James Hurst Fiction Prize for the winning story is $500. There will also be some Honorable Mention awards. Prize for short-short is $250. Deadline: October 10, 2017.

FutureScapes Writing Contest. Genre: Short fiction up to 8,000 words, written in accordance with prompt: ‘Blue Sky Cities.’ Prize: $2,000 prize for first place, $1,000 prize for second place, and $500 prize to each of the four runners-up. Deadline: October 13, 2017.

Sweek Microfiction Contest. Genre: Microfiction, 200 words max, incorporating the word ‘light.’ Prize: $50 and publication. Deadline: October 15, 2017.

Wax Poetry and Art Poetry Contest. Genre: Poem. (Enter 1 poem for free. There is a charge for additional poems.)  Prize: 1st place, $70 CAD. 2nd place, $20 CAD. 3rd place, $10 CAD. Deadline: October 15, 2017.

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: October 15, 2017.

NUHA Blogging Competition. Genre: Essay about education. "The competition has been established as an international platform to debate issues of education and to provide an opportunity for authors to be published and to develop their self-confidence." Prizes: Young Writers Prize of up to US$ 250 for those born between 2003 and 2007; Youth Prize of up to US$ 1000 for those born between 1999 and 2002; Adult Prize of up to US$ 2500 for those born before 1999. Deadline: October 15, 2017.

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: $54,000 for a year of travel and study abroad. Deadline: October 15, 2017.

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 15, 2017.

Nanjing Poetry Contest. Genre: Poem. The theme is the human tragedy committed by Japanese troops at Nanjing (Nanking) from 1937 until the end of the World War II known as the "Rape of Nanking." Poems may be submitted in English or Chinese. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: October 15, 2017.

Writing Pittsburgh Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to writers with a meaningful Pittsburgh connection. Genre: Nonfiction book focusing on a subject of regional and national significance. Prize: $10,000; publication of their book by CNF's independent book imprint, In Fact Books (IFB); national distribution; and a marketing and publicity campaign. Deadline: October 23, 2017.

Arrowhead Regional Arts Council Career Development Grants. Restrictions: Writers who are U.S. citizens and have lived in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, or St. Louis counties in northeastern Minnesota for at least six months are eligible. Genre: Poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Prize: $3,000 grant. Deadline: October 27, 2017.

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. $200 cash prize. Publication in Cargoes, Hollins’ award-winning student literary magazine. Ten copies of Cargoes. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is the most prestigious literary award in the US. Restrictions: Authors must be living American citizens. Self-published works not accepted. Genres: Novels, novellas, and collections of short stories. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize. Restrictions: Entrants must be aged 18-25 years and living in the UK. Genre: Fiction and nonfiction. Each year a question or quote exploring Franklin’s relevance in our time is open for interpretation in 1000-1500 words. Prize: First prize of £750, second prize of £500. Winning entries will be posted on the website and also published online by The Telegraph. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

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, 2017.

Lee & Low Books New Visions Award. Restrictions: Open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a middle grade or young adult novel published. Genre: Middle grade or young adult novel. Prize: $1,000 and their standard publication contract, including their basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $500. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

Burt Award for Caribbean Literature. Restrictions: Caribbean authors age 12 through 18. Genres: Published books, previously self-published books, and unpublished manuscripts are eligible for the Award. Prize: First Prize of $10,000 CAD, a Second Prize of $7,000 CAD and a Third Prize of $5,000 CAD.  Deadline: October 31, 2017.

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: October 31, 2017.

Productivity Spot Scholarship. Restrictions: Undergraduate/postgraduate students. Genre: Essay on the topic “How Can Technology help Students be More Productive in 2017?” Word count for essays is 800-1000 words. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

The Juicingbeasts Staying Healthy Scholarship. Restrictions: Entrants must be enrolled in higher education. Genre: Essay between 800-1000 words on the topic "How to stay healthy in 2017." Prize: $500. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction. Restrictions: Open to residents of UK. Genre: Short stories between 2000-6000 words on the theme "Café Stories." Prize: £500 and 10 shortlisted authors will be published in an ebook anthology. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

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, in June 2018. 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, 2017.

McKitterick Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors over age 40 on December 31, 2017. 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, 2017.

Tom-Gallon Trust Award. Restrictions: Open to citizens of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland with at least one short story published or accepted for publication. Genre: Short story, maximum 5,000 words. May be unpublished. Prize: £1,000.00. Deadline: October 31, 2017.

Barry Hannah Prize in Fiction. Genre: Short stories that capture the strange, surreal, absurd, and magical. "We are looking for stories that align themselves with fairy tales, folk tales, and mythology. Stories may approach this theme broadly or narrowly, thematically, formally, or both. Stories may be based on magical realism, literary realism, and anything in between. We are most interested in stories that reconfigure the old into something new." Length: 5,000 words max. Prize: $500 and publication in the Winter issue of Yalobusha Review. All finalists will also be considered for publication. Deadline: October 31, 2017.