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Monday, April 27, 2020

45 Writing Contests in May 2020 - No entry fees

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This May there are more than three dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels. Prizes range from $60,000 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. Most of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline is past, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck!

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West Virginia Fiction Competition. Restrictions: Open to West Virginia residents or students. Genre: Short fiction, 5,000 words max. Prize: $500. Deadline: May 1, 2020.

Molly Keane Creative Writing Award. Restrictions: Open to Irish residents. Genre: Unpublished short story, maximum 2,000 words. Prize: 500 pounds. Deadline: May 1, 2020.

Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing. Restrictions: Open to first-generation residents of the United States. “First-generation” can refer either to people born in another country who relocated to the U.S., or to American-born residents whose parents were born elsewhere. Genre: Unpublished Fiction books. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: May 1, 2020.

Questions Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to authors aged 18-30. Genre: Short stories of any genre or nonfiction between 1500 and 2000 words. Prize: First place winners (or prize pool for a tie) is $2000. The work will also be published in a book. Deadline: May 1, 2020.

Erbacce-prize for Poetry (UK) Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Winner will be given a publishing contract with erbacce press who will publish a perfect-bound collection of the winner's book. "We will pay all costs including the legal registering of the book and supplying copies to the major libraries. The book will be sold through our sales/shop pages and the poet will be paid 20% royalties." Deadline: May 1, 2020.

CINTAS Creative Writing Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to any Cuban author (including those of direct Cuban lineage; need not reside in Cuba). Genre: Novel excerpts, short stories, plays, or poems of up to 25 pages. Prize: $20,000 fellowship. Deadline: May 1, 2020.

Remastered Words Short Story CompetitionGenre: Fantasy short story up to 5,000 words on theme of ‘One Last Chance’. Prize: £75, £50, £25. The winning stories will be produced as audio shorts by voiceover artists. Deadline: May 1, 2020. Accepts reprints.

SemiSages of the PagesGenre: Flash fiction on prompt: You receive an odd package and have no idea who sent it to you. Length: 250-500 words. Prize: $25 Amazon gift certificate and publication. Deadline: May 1, 2020.

JKP Writing Prize. Restrictions: Open to trans and non-binary writers. Genre: Nonfiction. Essays should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. "We’re looking for original, own voice stories on the theme of Trans Everyday. What’s it like to be trans today?" Prize: £150 cash prize and publication. Deadline: May 3, 2020.

Mavis Batey Essay PrizeRestrictions: Open to any student, worldwide, registered in a bona-fide university or institute of higher education, or who has recently graduated from such an institution. Genre: Nonfiction. Scholarly essay on gardening history. Prize:  £250, free membership of the Gardens Trust for a year and consideration for publication. Deadline: May 3, 2020.

Nick Darke AwardRestrictions: Open to UK and European scriptwriters. Genre: Full-length play. Prize: £6,000. Deadline: May 3, 2020.

Poets of the Midwest Contest #1Restrictions: Open to poets living in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Royalties. Deadline: May 3, 2020.

Author of TomorrowRestrictionsOpen to children and youth up to age 21. Genre: Adventure writing. Prize11 and Under | 500 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school; 12-15 years | 1,500 - 5,000 words | Prize: £100 plus £150 book tokens for your school; 16-21 years | 1,500 - 5,000 words |  Prize: £1,000. Deadline: May 5, 2020.

Harper-Wood Creative Writing & Travel Award for English Poetry and LiteratureRestrictionsOpen to any student who has graduated from any university in the UK, Ireland, the Commonwealth or the USA. Genre: The Award Holder is expected to engage in a course of study or research, and produce a piece of original fiction, drama or poetry. Prize: £15,000 is provided to cover accommodation and living expenses during the course of the year. Deadline: May 6, 2020.

RTÉ Radio Short Story CompetitionRestrictions: Open to Irish writers and residents of Ireland. Genre: Short story. Prize: Up to 3,000 euros. Deadline: May 8, 2020.

North & SouthRestrictions: Open to residents of New Zealand. Genre: Short story. Maximum number of words is 300. Prize: $400. Plus: $150 for two runners-up. Deadline: May 11, 2020.

Leeway Foundation: Transformation AwardRestrictions: Women and transgender poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers in the Philadelphia area who have been creating art for social change for five or more years. Writers who have lived for at least two years in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties, who are at least 18 years of age, and who are not full-time students in a degree-granting arts program are eligible. Award: $15,000. Deadline: May 15, 2020.

The Fieldstone Review: Plastic IdentitiesGenre: Creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry. "The theme of this year’s edition is Plastic Identities. Topics might include, but are not limited to, identity cards, toys, environmental impacts, production, waste, and the flexibility or inflexibility of identity." Prize: $100. Deadline: May 15, 2020.

New Roscommon Writing AwardRestrictions: All entrants must have a connection with the county of Roscommon (born in, living in, currently working in, went to school in, etc). Genres: Short stories. Prize: €500.00. Deadline: May 15, 2020.

Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook AwardGenre: Literary fiction. 7,000-12,000 words. Prize: $250, publication, and 25 copies. Deadline: May 15, 2020. Entry is free until March 15.

Unified Caring Association Student Essay ContestRestrictions: Open to US High School Juniors and Seniors. Genre: Essay on topic: "Choose one category: children, animals, reforestation, or elderly. Write a 500 or more word essay addressing the caring actions you would take to make change for the better in your chosen category." Prize: 10 first prizes of $350 scholarship; 10 honorable mention essays will each receive a $100 scholarship. DeadlineMay 15, 2020.

The James Laughlin Award is sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Genre: A second book of poetry forthcoming in the next calendar year. Must be under contract with US publisher.    Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Prize: $5,000, an all-expenses-paid week long residency in Florida, and the Academy will purchase approximately 1,000 copies of the book for distribution to its members. Deadline: May 15, 2020.

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction PrizeGenre: Fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. No self-published works. Prize: $25,000 will be awarded to a novel or short-story collection published between March 11, 2020 and May 19, 2020. Prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to each of the finalists. Deadline: May 20, 2020.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-FictionGenre: Literary non-fiction. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $60,000 will be awarded to a literary nonfiction book published between March 11, 2020 and May 19, 2020. Deadline: May 20, 2020.

Writers' Trust Fiction PrizeGenre: Literary fiction, novel or short story collection. Restrictions: Titles must be published in Canada and written by Canadians. Prize: $50,000 will be awarded to a literary fiction book or short story collection published between March 11, 2020 and May 19, 2020. Deadline: May 20, 2020.

Voice.club. Genre: Flash fiction, 350 words max. Theme: Resilience. Prize: $50 Amazon gift card. Deadline: May 21, 2020. Note: You have to join in order to enter.

On The Premises Mini Contest. "Life isn’t much fun right now, anywhere in the world. The pandemic has touched everybody to some degree. Wrap up how you feel about life today–the good, the bad, the ugly, the inspiring, the awful, the funny, the not funny–and because this is a contest challenge, send it to us in the form of a limerick. The limerick doesn’t have to be funny, but it does have to evoke thoughts and feelings in us like everything else we ask of you." Prize: $40. Deadline: May 23, 2020.

Green Stories Writing CompetitionGenre: 10 minute episodes for mobile phones via Quibi about building a sustainable society. Prize: £750: 1st prize £500, 2nd prize £100, third prize £50 plus £50 for best student submission (18-25 years) and £50 for best < 18 year submission. Deadline: May 23, 2020.

The Canadian Women Artists’ AwardRestrictions: Open to Canadian women living in New York who are between the ages of 21 and 35 before the application deadline. Genre: Fiction, poetry.  Grant: $5,000. Deadline: May 27, 2020.

A Voice for Animals Teen Essay ContestRestrictions: Open to students between the ages of 14-18. Genre: Essays on an animal rights topic.  In the 16-18 year olds category, essays must be 800-1,000 words long and be accompanied by a photograph; in the 14-15 year olds category, essays should be between 1,400-1,500 words. One climate change prize (both age categories compete) will be awarded for an essay on how climate change affects a particular animal species. Prize: $500.     Deadline: May 31, 2020.

The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans. This creative writing contest for U.S. military veterans and active duty personnel is hosted by The Iowa Review and made possible by a gift from the family of Jeff Sharlet (1942–69), a Vietnam veteran and antiwar writer and activist. The contest is open to veterans and active duty personnel writing in any genre and about any subject matter. Prizes: First place: $1,000 plus publication in The Iowa Review. Second place: $750. Three runners-up: $500 each. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Cromwell Article PrizeRestrictions: Open to early career scholars. Genre: Articles published in the field of American legal history.  Prize: $2,500. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Thrill Seeker Writing ContestGenre: Novels - thriller, horror, mystery, scary, crime or any other book with a dark, suspenseful or thrilling theme. Prize: Up to $650. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

James Bartleman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing AwardsRestrictions: Open to aboriginal youth, 18 years or younger, residing in Ontario, Canada. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

CNO Naval History Essay ContestGenre: Essay: Naval history.  Prize: First Prize: $5,000. Second Prize:$2,500. Third Prize: $1,500. DeadlineMay 31, 2020.

bpNichol Poetry Chapbook AwardGenre: Published poetry chapbook. Restrictions: Canadian publishers only. Prize: The author receives $4,000 and the publisher receives $500. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

The Wolfe Pack Black Orchid AwardGenre: Mystery novellas in the style of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novellas. Manuscript length: 15K-20K words. Prize: $1,000, plus recognition and publication in a forthcoming issue of AAMM. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction ContestGenre: Unpublished fiction approximately 1,000 - 5,000 words. Story should pertain to music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America. Prize: $100 and publication in Jerry Jazz MusicianDeadline: May 31, 2020.

Creative FuturesRestrictions: Open to under-represented UK writers. Genre: Fiction, poetry on theme of Tomorrow.  Prize: Up to £75. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Bacopa Literary ReviewGenres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry. Prizes: First ($200) and Runner-Up ($160) prizes in each genre. All published will receive $20 and a copy of the print journal. After publication, Bacopa will be promoted online. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Words Without Borders Poems in Translation ContestGenre: Contemporary international poetry translated from other languages into English. Prize: $150 each for winning poets and translators. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Sapiens PlurumGenre: Short stories that personalize the consequences of climate change. "This year’s short-fiction contest challenges authors to ask: How can technology increase empathy and connection? The news today is full of examples of technology creating dissension and amplifying differences. We ask authors to imagine ways that technology can improve how we relate to each other and bring us closer, even across species. We welcome stories that view life from another species’ point of view and/or explore empathy between different forms of life."  Prize: 1ST PRIZE: $1000; 2ND PRIZE: $500; 3RD PRIZE: $300. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Admission Writer. Restrictions: Students. Genre: Essay on a given topic. (See topics) Prize: 1st place - $1000; 2nd place - $600; 3rd place - $400. Deadline: May 31, 2020.

Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers ProgramRestrictions: Debuting authors and writers with fewer than three previously published books who have yet to receive a major literary award are eligible for consideration. Exceptions are sometimes made for authors who have published more titles, but have yet to break out to a larger audience. Submissions must be original publications, penned by one author. Self-published works not allowed. Genres: Published or scheduled to be published fiction and literary nonfiction. Prize: $10,000 in each genre and in-store marketing/merchandising from Barnes & Noble. 2nd Place $5,000 in each genre, 3rd Place $2,500 in each genre. Deadline: May 31, 2020. (No date given. The books are featured monthly.)

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