50 Free Writing Contests in March 2018 - No entry fees

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Spring is right around the corner! The birds are singing, the flowers are (almost) blooming, and there are new opportunities for writers.

With 50 to choose from, March is a great month for free writing contests. As always, every form and genre is represented. There are prizes for novel manuscripts, poetry, short stories, essays, works of nonfiction, children's books and more. Some of these contests have age and regional restrictions, so be sure to check submission guidelines before submitting.

Many contests are offered annually, so if you miss your ideal contest this year,  you can always enter next year. For a month-by-month list of free contests see: Writing Contests. (You can also get a jump on next month's contests by checking that page periodically.)

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Madeline P. Plonsker Emerging Writer's Residency Prize. Restrictions: Open to an emerging poet under forty years old—with no major book publication. Genre: Poetry - manuscript in progress. Prize: Stipend of $10,000 with a housing suite and campus meals provided by the College, and three weeks in residence on the Lake Forest College campus during the Spring 2017 term. Possible publication. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

The Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award is sponsored by Broadside Lotus Press. Restrictions: This competition is open to African American poets only. If you have already had a book published by Lotus Press, you are ineligible. However, inclusion in a Lotus Press anthology does not disqualify you. Genres: Poetry collections of approximately 60-90 pages. Prize: $500 in cash and publication  by Broadside Lotus Press within the first three months of 2017 as well as free copies and discounts. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

Honeysuckle Chapbook Contest. Genre: Poetry and short stories. Manuscripts should be no shorter than 20 pages and no longer than 40 pages. This does not include the table of contents, title page, or identity statement. You may submit one chapbook in poetry and in prose. There should be no more than one poem per page. Prize: $500, print publication, author copies, distribution in bookstores across America, and a jar of berry jam. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

Balticon Poetry Contest. Sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. Genre: Speculative poetry. Prize: 1st prize: $100; 2nd prize: $75; 3rd prize: $50. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

Beverly Hopkins Memorial Poetry Contest for High School Students. Restrictions: High school students living within 100 miles of St. Louis. Genre: Poetry. Prize: First prize $200, Second prize $125, Third prize $75. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

The Irish Post's Creative Writing Competition. Restrictions: Open to Irish residents of the UK. Genre: Fiction on an Irish theme. Prizes: €500, publication in the Irish Post, and a trip to the Listowel Writers’ Week in Co. Kerry. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

Lewis Galantiere Award. Restrictions: Open to US citizens or permanent residents. Genre: Translation of book-length literary work from any language, except German, into English. Entries must have been published in the US in the past two years. Prize: $1000. Deadline: March 1, 2018.

The Premises:CLOTHES. Write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story in which one or more pieces of clothing play an important role. Genre: Short story. Length: Between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Prize: Between US$60 and US$220, and publication. Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern US time, March 2, 2018.

Christopher Tower Poetry Competition. Restrictions: Open to UK students between 16-18 years of age. Genre: Poetry, one poem, maximum 48 lines. Theme is "wonder." Prize: £3,000. Deadline: March 2, 2018.

"It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to Grades 6-12. Genre: Short story, and flash fiction, unpublished. Prize: 1st Place $250, 2nd Place $150, 3rd Place $100. Deadline: March 4, 2018.

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. Genre: Short fiction. Restrictions: Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35 as of March 5, 2018; Previously published in an independently edited magazine or anthology; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Prizes: Winner: $5,000; Finalists: $1,000. Deadline: March 5, 2018.

NEA Literature Fellowships are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Prize: $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Deadline: March 7, 2018.

Common Good Books Poetry Contest is sponsored by Common Good Books, proprietor Garrison Keillor. Genre: Poetry. Poems must be set in St Paul, in the winter. Prize: Grand prizes of $1000 each, and four poets will receive $500 for poems of particular merit. Deadline: March 9, 2018. 

Nantucket Directory Poetry Contest.  Genre: poem about Nantucket Island. Prize: $250 and publication in the print and online editions of the Nantucket Directory. Deadline: March 10, 2018.

Nature-Saving Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to High School and College students. Genre: Original list of nature-saving rules. Prize: $1,000 or $500 scholarship. Deadline: March 11, 2018.

BBC National Short Story Award. Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over, who have a history of publication in creative writing. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: £15,000 to the winner, £3,000 for the runner-up and £500 for three further shortlisted writers. Deadline: March 12, 2018.

North Carolina Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of North Carolina (including students). Genre: Poetry. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: March 12, 2018. Snail mail entries only.

Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Genre: Adventure writing novel. Separate categories for published and unpublished books. Self-published books accepted. Prize: £15,000. Deadline: March 12, 2018.

Hodson Trust–John Carter Brown Library Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction (includes creative nonfiction). A book-in-process  relating to the literature, history, culture, or art of the Americas before 1830. Award: $20,000. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

Alpine Fellowship. Genre: Pieces of any genre up to 2500 words on the theme of “Childhood.”  Prize: The first place winner receives £3000 and an invitation to enter the symposium in Venice (two runners-up also receive the invitation). Deadline: March 15, 2018. 

Gordon Burn Prize. Restrictions: Open to permanent US or UK residents. Genre: Fiction or nonfiction book first published in the US or UK between July 1 of the preceding year and July 1 of the deadline year. Prize: 5,000 pounds and 3-month writing retreat at Gordon Burn's cottage in Berwickshire. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

Governor General's Literary Awards. Restrictions: Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books) and Translation (from French to English). Prize: $25,000. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Poetry composed in the traditional modes of meter, rhyme and received forms. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

Myong Cha Son Haiku Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Haiku. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

Rhina P. Espaillat Poetry Award. Restrictions: Open to undergraduate poets who are enrolled in a United States college or university. Genre: Original poems written in Spanish and translations of English poems to Spanish. Prize: First prize $1,500, and a runner-up prize $500. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

Lynn DeCaro Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to Connecticut Student Poets in Grades 9-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25. Deadline: March 15, 2018.

The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award seeks to elevate the written arts in Indiana. Restrictions: Any living published writer who was born in Indiana or has lived in Indiana for at least five years will be eligible. Authors who have published works of fiction, prose, poetry and/or non-fiction are eligible; reference works, scholarly monographs and books of photography will not be considered. Self-published authors are considered. Prize: National Author: $10,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Regional Author: $7,500 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Emerging Author: $5,000 cash prize and $2,500 grant for his or her hometown Indiana public library. Deadline: March 16, 2018.

Thresholds International Short Fiction Feature Writing Competition. Genre: Nonfiction feature in one of two categories: Author Profile: exploring the life, writings and influence of a single short story writer. We Recommend: personal recommendations of a collection, anthology, group of short stories or a single short story. Prize: 1st prize of £500, runner-up prize of £100. Deadline: March 18, 2018.

Jane Martin Poetry Prize (UK). Restrictions: Open to  UK residents between 18 and 30 years of age. Genre: Poetry. Prize: £700, second prize, £300. Deadline: March 19, 2018.

Eliza So Finish-Your-Book Fellowship. Restrictions: There are two fellowships, one for immigrant writers, and one for Native Americans with affiliations to Montana. Genre: A novel, collection of stories, or memoir in progress (100 pages minimum) or poetry collection in progress (30 pages minimum). Prize: The fellowship includes room and board at Las Vegas' Writer's Block in the fall or winter of 2018, along with a $500 food stipend and $400 toward airfare. Deadline: March 25, 2018.

Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition for High School Students. Restrictions: Open to students in Grades 7-12. Genre: Haiku. Prizes: $50. Deadline: March 25, 2018.

The Gover Story Prize. Genre: Short Fiction & Creative Nonfiction. Works of short prose must be less than 10,000 words, previously unpublished, or published with a circulation of less than 500. Prize: $250.00. Deadline: March 25, 2018. No reprints or simultaneous submissions.

Digital and Technology Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to college students. Genre: Article or essay or info graphics in at least 1000 words on tech topic. Prize: $500.00 scholarship. Deadline: March 25, 2018.

The Lakefly Writers Conference. Restrictions: Open to residents of Wisconsin. Genres: Short story fiction:  1500 words or less. Any genre. Flash fiction:  500 words or less. Any genre. No theme. Poetry:  All poems, free verse to formal and everything in between—75 lines max. Theme: Wisconsin Choices. The Jean Nelson Essay for Young Adults: For young adult writers (ages 12 through 17). 2500 words or less. Theme: Notable Wisconsin figure (living or dead) who most inspires me. Prize: First place winners will receive a cash prize of $100; second place winners will receive $75; and third place winners will receive $50. Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony. Deadline: March 30, 2018.

Sunken Garden Poetry Festival's Fresh Voices Competition. Restrictions: New England high school students. Prize: Reading at the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival on August 5, 2018 and publication.  Deadline: March 30, 2018.

The Golden Baobab Prize for Early Chapter Books. Restrictions: Entry is open to citizens of an African country. A copy of a passport or comparable document will be required of winners and long listed entrants. There are no restrictions on age or race. Genre: Unpublished manuscript for an early chapter book targeting readers aged 9 to 11 years old. Stories must be set in Africa or have a very evident African content. Prize: $5,000 (USD), the opportunity to publish with and receive royalties from Golden Baobab’s African and international publishing partners. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award. Genre: Poetry chapbook (30 pages). Prize: $250. Deadline: March 31, 2018. (After this date, there is a $5 fee to submit)

Natan Book Award. Genre: Nonfiction. The book should address one or more of Natan’s grant areas. Broadly understood, these are: the reinvention of Jewish life and community for the 21st century; changing notions of individual and collective identity for 21st century Jews; and the evolving relationship between Israel and world Jewry. The award is open to non-fiction books that have an existing publishing contract with a recognized commercial publisher. (Academic publishers are also acceptable in certain cases where the book is intended to appeal to mainstream audiences.) Prize: The Award is a two-stage award, offering at most a total of $25,000, to be divided as follows: a cash award to the author of $10,000, to be used during the writing process; and customized support for the marketing and publicity strategy for the book, up to $15,000. This is a pre-publication award and the prize winner will be announced prior to the book's publication date. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Foley Poetry Contest. Genre: One unpublished poem on any topic. The poem should be 30 lines or fewer and not under consideration elsewhere. Prize: $1000. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

The Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction. Genre: Novel published in 2017 (50,000 words minimum). Book has to be set in one of the original eleven states in the Confederacy. (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.) Prize: $2,500.00, and an expense paid trip to New York City. (The winner must come to NY to receive the award, attend a luncheon with the contest judges and a reception in his/her honor.) Deadline: March 31, 2018.

L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest. Restrictions: open only to those who have not professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Genres: Science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy up to 17,000 words. Prizes: Three cash prizes in each quarter: a First Prize of $1,000, a Second Prize of $750, and a Third Prize of $500, in US dollars. In addition, at the end of the year the winners will have their entries rejudged, and a Grand Prize winner shall be determined and receive an additional $5,000. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Jack L. Chalker Young Writers' Contests. Restrictions: Open to writers between 14 and 18 years of age as of May 29 in the contest year who reside in, or attend school in Maryland. Genre: Science fiction or fantasy, 2,500 words max. Prizes: $150, $100 and $75. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Sarah Mook Poetry Prize for Students. Restrictions: Students in grades K-12. Genre: Poetry.  Prize: $100. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation. Genre: Poetry or literary prose. Translation of modern Arabic literature into English. Books must have been published between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018 and be available for purchase in the UK via a distributor or online. The source text must have been published in the original Arabic in or after 1967. Must be submitted by publisher. Prize: £3,000. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Archibald Lamp­man Award. Restrictions: Open to residents of Canada's National Capital region (Ottawa). Genre: Book of any genre published by a recognized publisher. Prize: $1500. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Jacklyn Potter Young Poets Competition. Restrictions: Open to high school students in the Washington, DC region. Genre: Poetry. Prize: A reading with honorarium in the Miller Poetry Series, a summer program occurring in June and July. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Lake Superior State University High School Short Story Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students students residing in the Midwestern United States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) or Ontario, Canada. Genre: Short fiction. The theme is Historical Fiction. Prize: $500 and publication.  Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Save the Earth Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to high school students, grades 11 & 12. Genre: Poem (1). Poems submitted should, in any way possible, evoke humankind’s awareness of the natural world and nature as such. Prize: $200 awarded to seven winners. Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Speculative Literature Foundation Older Writers Grant. Restrictions: Open to writers who are fifty years of age or older at the time of grant application. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $500.   Deadline: March 31, 2018.

Value of Being Fit Scholarship Program. Restrictions: Open to students who are currently enrolled in colleges, universities or high schools. Genre: Essay, info graphics, or article (750-1000 words) on “How can you remain fit forever.” Prize: $750.  Deadline: March 31, 2018.