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 has passed, you can prepare for next year.
Good luck!
(Image: Wallpaper Flare)
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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: April 1, 2023.
Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. This contest seeks today's best humor poems, published and unpublished. Please enter one poem only, 250 lines max. Prize: $3,500 in prizes, including a top prize of $2,000, and publication on Winning Writers. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
Tales to Terrify. Genre: Horror based on image provided. Length: 1500 words max. Prize: $50. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
The Kentucky State Poetry Society Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 3-12. Genre: Poetry. Prize: Winners are invited to read their poems at the annual meeting. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
The Marguerite and Lamar Smith Fellowship for Writers. Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians awards fellowships for writers to spend time in McCullers' childhood home in Columbus, Georgia. The fellowships are intended to afford the writers in residence uninterrupted time to dedicate to their work, free from the distractions of daily life and other professional responsibilities. Award: Stipend of $5000 to cover costs of transportation, food and other incidentals. Fellowship recipients will be required to introduce or advance their work through reading or workshop/forum presentations. The Fellow will work with the McCullers Center Director to plan a presentation near the end of the residency. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
EACWP Flash Fiction Contest. Restrictions: The contest is open to any participant living in Europe (including countries culturally linked to Europe such as Russia, Turkey, and Israel). Eleven different European languages will be leading this year’s competition: English, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, French, German, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Hebrew and Czech. Genre: Flash fiction. Length: 100 words. The topic is "Incorrect." Prize: €600 top prize. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
Mike Resnick Memorial Award: Best Unpublished Science Fiction Short Story by a New Author. Restrictions: Open to an author who has not had any work published (including short stories, novelettes, novellas, and novels in paper, digital or audio form) that has been paid a per-word rate of 6 cents a word or more or received a payment for any single work of fiction totaling more than $50. Genre: Science fiction short story, up to 7,499 words. Prize: $250.00 and publication. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
The Great American Think-Off. Genre: Essay on the theme: “Which is more important to protect: the environment or the economy?” Entrants should take a strong stand agreeing or disagreeing with this topic, basing their arguments on personal experience and observations rather than philosophical abstraction. Essay should be no more than 750 words. Prize: One of four $500 cash prizes. Deadline: April 1, 2023.
International Booker Prize. The International Booker 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. The work must be published by a UK or Ireland publishing house. Authors are not permitted to enter their own works. 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: April 3, 2023.
Gwenn A. Nusbaum / WWBA “Poets To Come” Award. Restrictions: Open to poets at the beginning of their careers, ages 25-35 years. Prize: $1500 scholarship. Deadline: April 3, 2023.
FSG Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to emerging writers from an underrepresented community. US resident or citizen. Genre: Debut work of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Submit work samples as part of the application: 8-12 pages for poetry, and 40-50 pages for prose. Work samples can include previously published work and need not be from a single selection of the work. Prize: Stipend of $15,000 and mentorship. Fellowship begins on September 1, 2023. Note: Farrar, Straus & Giroux is part of Macmillan. Deadline: April 3, 2023.
Margaret Gibson Poet Laureate Poetry Award. Genre: Poem on nature in a time of global climate crisis. Prize: 1st – $300; 2nd – $200; 3rd - $100. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Randall Albers Young Writers Award. Restrictions: Open to all Chicago-area students currently enrolled in grades 9–12. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction. Prize: $500 top prize, Deadline: April 3, 2023.
Spectator Contest No. 3294: vegetarian. Genre: You are invited to provide the first 16 lines of an ode to a turnip or another similarly unglamorous vegetable. Email entries to lucy@spectator.co.uk Prize: £30. Deadline: April 5, 2023.
Invisible City Blurred Genre Flash Contest. Genre: Flash fiction, prose poetry or a combination. Length: 750 words max. Prize: $500, $200 and $100. Deadline: April 7, 2023. See theme.
Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prizes. Restrictions: Open to writers of Taiwanese heritage (or writers with other significant connections to Taiwan), or have subject matter otherwise relevant to the Taiwanese or Taiwanese American experience. Submissions will be considered in four categories: Middle School (enrolled in 6th-8th grade as of the deadline), High School (enrolled in high school as of the deadline), College (enrolled in community college or as an undergraduate as of the deadline), Adult (in any stage of life beyond college). Genre: Any literary genre including fiction, poetry, personal essays or other creative non-fiction. Prize: Grand Prize Winner: $500 – one selection per age category. Finalist: $200 – three selections per age category. Honorable Mention: $75 – at judge’s discretion per age category. Deadline: April 8, 2023.
Furious Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. "On the first Friday of every month, a new set of story prompts will be revealed. You will have 55 hours to submit your best 500-word (or fewer) story." Prize: $500AUD. Deadline: April 9, 2023. Opens on April 7.
Spectator Contest No. 3295: End of. Genre: No. 3295. ‘You are invited to submit a comically appalling final paragraph to the worst of all possible novels. Please email entries of up to 150 words to lucy@spectator.co.uk Prize: £30. Deadline: April 12, 2023.
Scotiabank Giller Prize. Restrictions: Open to books published in Canada in English. Books must be published in Canada in English between March 1, 2023, and April 30, 2023 to be eligible for the 2023 Prize. Must be nominated by publisher. Genre: Fiction. Full-length novel or collection of short stories published in English, either originally, or in translation. Prize: $100,000 to the winner and $10,000 to each of the finalists. Deadline: April 14, 2023.
Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships. Restrictions: Applicants must reside in the U.S. or be U.S. citizens. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years of age as of April 30, 2023. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $27,000. Deadline: April 14, 2023. Please register for the online portal by April 10, 2023 if you intend to apply.
Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Poetry (Kansas Book Award). Restrictions: Author must establish a connection to Kansas by birth, education, employment, residence or other significant claim. Genre: Novel or collection of short stories. The nominee's book must have a publication date of 2020, 2021, or 2022. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media. Genre: Nonfiction. "The Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media recognizes a select group of media professionals, including journalists, writers, and others who create exemplary work that contributes to a deeper understanding of and greater public awareness about mental health issues. To be eligible, work must have been written in English, intended for the layperson, and must have been first published/released after April 1, 2022." Prize: $3000. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Dancing Poetry Festival. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $100 top prize. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
The F. Sean Hodge Prize for Poetry in Medicine. Restrictions: Open to current medical students, residents, or fellows or physicians who have completed post-graduate training. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $250. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Superhero Competition. Genre: Graphic novel that incorporates green solutions. Prize: The winner will receive a £500 prize, and a scene from the winner’s story turned into a 1-page comic strip, made by a professional artist. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words about a date. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Brilliant Flash Fiction. Genre: Flash fiction. Word limit: 400 words, excluding title. Prize: $200 first prize, $100 second prize, $50 third prize. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Wick Poetry Center Undergraduate Poetry Competition. Restrictions: The competition is open to any undergraduate currently enrolled at Kent State University. Genre: Poem, maximum 100 lines long. Prize: One-time $1,500 scholarship to Kent State University. Second and third prize: $1,000 and $500 one-time scholarships. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
If There's Anyone Left. Restrictions: Open to those who identify as a person of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, or of a marginalized gender. Genre: Speculative micro-fiction. Length: Up to 500 words. Prize: $250 US. Second prize: $100. 3rd Prize: $50. Deadline: April 15, 2023.
Ray Ventre Memorial Nonfiction Prize and Elinor Benedict Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry and CNF. Prize: $1,000 top prize. Deadline: April 15, 2023. Free for those who cannot afford the $15 entry fee.
Bacopa Literary Review. Genres: 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: April 16, 2023.
The Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize. Genre: Book-length translations into English of either a) poetry or b) source texts from Zen Buddhism (which must not consist solely of commentaries). Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $6,000. Deadline: April 17, 2023.
American Literary Translators Association Italian Prose in Translation Award. Genre: Translation of a recent work of Italian prose (fiction or literary non-fiction). Both translators and publishers are invited to submit titles. Book must have been published in previous year. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: April 17, 2023.
The Women’s Prize for Playwriting. Restrictions: Open to female or non-binary residents in the UK, Republic of Ireland or in a British Overseas Territory, or have a British Forces Post Office address. Genre: Play. Prize: £12,000 top prize. Deadline: April 17, 2023.
Write the World Competitions. Restrictions: Young writers ages 13-19.5. Genre: Poem: Particles of Life. Prize: Best Entry: $100; Runner up: $50. Deadline: April 18, 2023. (Note: This is a monthly contest)
The Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants (AWAW EAG). Genre: Environmental art projects led by women-identifying artists in the United States and U.S. Territories. Prize: A total of $300,000 in funding—up to $20,000 per project. Deadline: April 18, 2023.
Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Created by the Missouri Humanities Council, the Warrior Arts Alliance, and Southeast Missouri State University Press, this series of anthologies preserves and shares military service perspectives of our soldiers and veterans of all conflicts and of their families. It is not only an outlet for artistic expression but also a document of the unique aspects of wartime in our nation's history. Genres: Poetry, Short Fiction, Essay, Photography, Interview with a Warrior. Prize: $250 and publication. Deadline: April 21, 2023.
Casa Africa: Purorelato. Genre: Micro-stories related to Africa. Length: 1500 characters max. The micro-stories can be submitted in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese. Prize: First award: 750 euros, Second award: 375 euros, Third award: 225 euros. Deadline: April 21, 2023.
Hey Alma's Short Fiction Contest. Genre: Jewish short stories. Length: 3,000 words max. Prize: $250 top prize. Deadline: April 24, 2023.
Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant. Restrictions: Open to US citizens and residents only. Genre: Creative nonfiction. Whiting welcomes submissions for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, the sciences, philosophy, criticism, food or travel writing, and personal essays, among other categories. Writers must be completing a book of creative nonfiction that is currently under contract with a publisher. Prize: $40,000. Deadline: April 25, 2023.
Toronto Book Awards. Genres: All genres accepted. Restrictions: Submission "must evoke the city itself, that is, contain some clear Toronto content (this may be reflected in the themes, settings, subjects, etc.). Authors do not necessarily have to reside in Toronto. Ebooks, textbooks and self-published works are not eligible. Prize: A total of $15,000 CD will be awarded. Each shortlisted author (usually 4-6) receives C$1,000 and the winning author is awarded the remainder. Deadline: April 28, 2023. (For books published between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023)
The Sophie Coe Prize. Genre: Informative article or essay on any aspect of food history relating to any period, place, people or culture Prize: £1,500 top prize. Deadline: April 28, 2023.
Friends of Falun Gong, Poetry Contest. Genre: Poem. Submit one or two poems of no more than 50 lines each. Poems must encompass at least one of the following themes: Advocate for Falun Gong practitioner’s fundamental human rights. Expose the crimes against Falun Gong perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party. Share in the beauty, peacefulness and good nature of Falun Gong. Prizes: $500, $250, $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Under the Madness Teen Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to any teen between the ages of 13-19 years old living on Planet Earth. Genre: Poem. Prize: $250. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Space Crone Prize. Restrictions: The prize is open to UK-based entrants who identify as one or more of: women, intersex, non-binary, agender, genderfluid and trans. Genre: Speculative fiction. The Space Crone Prize invites short fiction that speculates about questions about difference and gender. Prize: £1,000 top prize. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Al Blanchard Short Crime Story Award. Genre: Crime short story. 5,000 words maximum, with a New England setting (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) or by a New England writer. Mystery, thriller, suspense, caper, and horror genres all welcome. Prize: $100. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
The Astra International Picture Book Writing Contest. Genre: Picture book. Prize: $5,000 top prize. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Baen Fantasy Adventure Award. Genre: Adventure fantasy, 8K words max. Prize: Winner will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at industry-standard rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive a handsome engraved award and a prize package containing $500 of free Baen Books. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Author of Tomorrow. Restrictions: Open to children and youth up to age 21. Genre: Adventure writing. Prize: 11 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: April 30, 2023.
Claudia Ann Seaman Awards For Young Writers. Restrictions: High school students. Genre: Stories and poems. Prize: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
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: April 30, 2023.
Poetry Northwest: Possession Sound Poetry Series. Restrictions: Open to poets who have published at least one full-length collection. Genre: Poetry collection. Prize: Publication (royalties). Deadline: April 30, 2023. Free submissions for BIPOC poets only.
Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth. Restrictions: Open to Canadian citizens or residents attending junior high or high school. Genre: Poetry. Prize: C$400 in each of two age categories: Junior (grades 7-9) and Senior (grades 10-12). Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Storyhouse. Genre: Nonfiction animal stories. Stories must be true, not semi-fictional accounts. 1000 - 10,000 words in length. Stories must be suitable for children. Prize: $200. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
E-waste Scholarship. Restrictions: You must be a high school freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior or a current or entering college or graduate school student of any level. Home schooled students are also eligible. There is no age limit. You must also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Genre: 500- to 1,000-word essay about e-waste. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
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: April 30, 2023. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.
The Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction. Genre: A book-length work of imaginative fiction written by a single author published in the U.S. in English or in translation to English. (In the case of a translated work winning the Prize, the cash prize will be equally divided between author and translator) Publication date between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. See themes. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
Rattle's Ekphrastic Challenge. Genre: Poetry responding to visual art. (See site) Prize: $100 and publication. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
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