18 Fabulous Writing Conferences and Workshops in February 2026

This February there are more than a dozen writing conferences and workshops. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held in person or use a hybrid format.

These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, how to market your books, discussions - there is something for everyone.

I have included conferences with deadlines that have already passed on this list to give you advance notice. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!

For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences.

Be sure to check out Highlights list of workshops. They offer many throughout the year. 

[Image: St. Augustine, FL: Public Domain Pictures]

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The Stowe Vermont Winter Writing Adventure. February 1 - 6, 2026: Stowe, VT. The Stowe Vermont Winter Writing Adventure is a week-long workshop with Pam Houston and Leigh Newman where writers will work with both faculty members to generate new work while snowshoeing, XC skiing, and exploring the beauty of New England in the wintertime. The workshop is limited to 20 participants to ensure an intimate setting, plus plenty of time to write and explore all the outdoor wonders Stowe has to offer.

Savannah Book Festival. February 5 - 8, 2026: Savannah, Georgia. Our four-day Festival takes place in Savannah’s Historic District against a backdrop of stunning historic buildings, cascading Spanish moss, and blooming Azaleas. Each year, over 9,000 people join us for three ticketed Headliner Address events and for our free Festival Saturday. Festival Saturday presentations take place in museums, churches, and theaters in and around the historic Telfair and Chippewa Squares in the heart of Downtown Savannah. Our lineup of nationally-recognized authors from wide-ranging genres give 30-minute solo presentations on their creative process, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Online San Diego Writing Workshop. February 6 - 7, 2026: Online. "This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” online writing workshop. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the Online “San Diego” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation."

African-American Children's Book Fair. February 7, 2026: Philadelphia, PA. Meet over a dozen African-American children's book writers.

Love Hurts: Writing the Break-up Poem. February 11, 2026: Online. The Sundress Academy for the Arts is excited to present “Love Hurts: Writing the Break-up Poem,” a workshop led by Amie Whittemore on Wednesday, February 11th from 6:00-7:30 PM EST. This event will be held over Zoom. Participants can access the event at tiny.utk.edu/sundress (password: sundress). While poetry has a reputation for expressing adoration, it’s also wonderful for expelling the bad energy broken love leaves behind. In this generative class, we’ll look at examples of breakup poems that demonstrate that breakups are as multifaceted as relationships: the sad breakup poem, the angry breakup poem, the regretful breakup poem. Through these poems, we can come to better understand our roles in these relationships that have ended and begin to find peace. After looking at some example poems, there will be time for writers to generate their own breakup poem(s), with individual lines shared in the chat, as time allows. While there is no fee to participate in this workshop, those who are able and appreciative may make donations directly to Amie Whittemore Venmo: @Amie-Whittemore

San Francisco Writers Conference. February 12 - 15, 2026: San Francisco, CA. Attendees will join with 100+ presenters and fellow writers from across the country and around the world at this year’s event. The SFWC events are consistently rated among the top writer’s conferences anywhere. "Our goal is to help writers become published authors as we help them become better at the craft and business of writing. The SFWC is also one of the friendliest conferences. Presenters this year will include bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses. There will be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites. The San Francisco Writers Conference has one of the largest faculties of any writer’s conference to ensure the best networking with the people who can help you get published." 

The Colrain Crucible. February 15, 2026: Online.  A one-day, high-intensity manuscript-shaping session focused on selection, sequencing, and structural clarity. In this rigorous, generative environment, 4-6 poets with an in-progress manuscript (full-length or chapbook) bring pre-conference exercises into the crucible of close editorial scrutiny and real-time evaluation. Under the pressure of focused attention on these exercises, manuscripts reveal their strengths, weaknesses, and true organizing principles. You will leave with a newly clarified sense of your book’s core, what belongs, what doesn’t, and how your poems work — or fail to work — in sequence.

Nonfiction Picture Books: Exploring Forms and Creative Approaches. February 17 - 19, 2026: Online. Explore the exciting world of nonfiction picture books! This course guides you through formats, styles, and strategies for bringing real-world topics to life for young readers.

Reflection and Refraction in Personal Narratives. February 17 – March 17, 2026: Online. How do our individual experiences reflect the systems within which we exist? In this generative workshop, we will learn the art of imitation, refraction and distortion in memoir and personal essays. Using Foucault’s Las Meninas as a foundation, we will read work from writers like Elizabeth Gilbert, Seo-Young Chu, Hilton Als and Paisley Rekdal, exploring topics from private investigation, to travel, trauma and the love of animals. The methods these writers use for sharing insights about our world will inspire us to write personal narratives from fresh perspectives. Writers of all levels are welcome. Come empty-handed or bring works-in-progress to revise. Limited to 12 participants.

What's Form Got to Do With It?: A Poetry Workshop. February 18 - March 18, 2026: Online. Even those who avoid it must admit: form gives our poems structure, tension, counterpoint and deeper meaning. In this supportive workshop, we will explore five traditional and contemporary forms, focusing on how a poem’s content is enhanced, challenged or complicated by its structure. Each week, we will explore poems by writers like Terrance Hayes, William Carlos Williams and Terisa Siagatonu, paying close attention to form and content. Generative prompts will provide the option to write a new poem in that week’s form or revise a previously-written poem into that form. Writers will leave this workshop with a deeper appreciation for formal potential, and with polished work any publisher would be excited to read. Beginning and experienced writers are welcome. Limited to 12 participants.

Wild Seeds Writers Retreat. February 19 - 22, 2026: Brooklyn, NY. The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers, provides a writing community where established and newly discovered writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. Deadline: January 9, 2026.

Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop. February 20-22, 2026: Monterey, CA. The Andrea Brown Literary Agency runs the Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop every winter with occasional offshoot conference locations. "Since 1997, we have brought in outstanding editors from the top publishing houses, both large and small, and successful authors to make up our experienced and giving faculty. We pride ourselves on an excellent faculty-to-attendee ratio and a weekend with ample opportunities for faculty/attendee interactions, both formal and informal. This workshop has been the source of many successful author/agent relationships and many publishing deals, including one for more than half a million dollars."

Tinker Mountain Winter Recharge. February 20 - 22, 2026: Online. The weekend begins with a social session on Friday evening and continues with workshops Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.  Just the right amount of time to affirm your writing and to reset for the balance of winter and spring. Manuscript workshops, limited to 8 participants, give you an opportunity to receive feedback on your work from peers and your faculty mentor and learn what other writers are working on. Write now workshops, limited to 10 participants, allow you to immerse yourself in the craft of writing and generate new work without the pressure of preparing or reading manuscripts.

SCBWI: NOT YOUR GRANDMA'S NONFICTION! February 21, 2026: Online. Today's nonfiction is bold, engaging, and innovative! Attendees will take an in-depth look at what books are (and aren't) being published. We will explore how books cover the "What?" "So What?" and/or the "Now What?" of a topic. For the sake of time, the exemplars will be picture books, but the principles explored apply to all informational books. Registration closes February 18th.

SCBWI San Diego: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Writing Children's Books with Irene Vázquez, Associate Editor. February 21, 2026: Online. As an Editor at Levine Querido - whose publishing house has long been a champion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Children's books - Irene Vázquez will speak on how to maintain authenticity in writing and illustrating books with diverse characters and themes for Children and young adults. In addition, they will give a window into what gains have been made in the publishing industry and where the publishing world is headed in this area, as well as best steps to capture the attention of an Editor or Agent for your book and/or illustrations for Children. The 2026 San Diego Region DEI Grant recipients will be announced.

St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop. February 24 - 27, 2026: St. Augustine, Florida. "The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will:
1) Work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals.
2) Apply advanced story and narrative technique to their novel-in-progress.
3) Hone and improve their writer voice and style.
4) Learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business.
5) Leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel.
Group workshop sessions will be interspersed with agent and author consultations, workshop assignments, as well as consults with workshop leaders."

Amelia Island Book Festival. February 28, 2026: Fernandina Beach, FL. During the Festival, Authors have opportunities to engage with over 1300 Readers in an up-close and personal way to showcase and sell their books. Readers will be able to engage with more than 100 exhibiting authors in a personal way about their work and what inspires them.  There are numerous Author breakout presentations, including several led by New York Times best-selling authors, book signing session, food trucks, and a variety of activities designed to keep both Authors and Readers engaged, educated, and entertained through activities throughout the day.  

SCBWI San Diego: Craft a Compelling First Chapter and Insightful Synopsis. February 28, 2026: Online. Agent Hillary Fazzari will be sharing hands-on editing strategies to polish First Chapters that hook agents, editors and readers, using examples of projects she personally represented and First Page submissions from attendees. You will also get an agents overview of the parameters and importance of a well-written synopsis when submitting novels – which more agent and editor submission guidelines are now requesting.

EVENTS WITH APPLICATION DEADLINES IN FEBRUARY

Ossabaw Writer’s Retreat. March 13 - 18,  2026: Ossabaw Island, GA. Work with one of our critically acclaimed writers in a workshop limited to five qualified participants. Each day, participants will bring manuscripts of their work-in-progress to their assigned workshop group where they will read, discuss and receive feedback about their projects from fellow participants and the assigned group leader. Workshop manuscripts should be limited to 12 pages poetry/16-20 pages fiction or non-fiction. Application deadline: February 15.

Some Trees: A Generative Multi-Genre Writing Workshop with Rob Schlegel. March 26 - May 14, 2026: Online. In this generative writing course you will write prose and poetry that emerges out of field observations, classroom discussion, and close readings of texts that explore ecology and the imagination, plants and consciousness, poetry and justice, gender and ash trees. The workshop is designed to help you become more aware of the choices you make as a writer. Application window: February 1-15.

In This Poem Something Grows: A poetry workshop with Asa Drake. May 5, June 9, 2026: Online. This workshop title is, of course, aspirational. More likely, something grows, and then it fails. Or something thrives for a given set of conditions. In this generative workshop we’ll hone our observation skills while also risking accountability for our role as an observer in the human and natural world. Application deadline: February 15, 2026.

Hedgebrook’s Writer-in-Residence Program supports writers from all over the world for residencies of two to four weeks. The cottage, all meals, and the entire residency experience at Hedgebrook is free to selected writers. Travel is not included and is the responsibility of the writer to arrange and pay for. Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in their own handcrafted cottage. They spend their days in solitude – writing, reading, taking walks in the woods on the property or on nearby Double Bluff beach. In the evenings, “The Gathering” is a social time for residents to connect and share over their freshly prepared meals.  Writers must be women, which is inclusive of transgender women and female-identified individuals. Because gender inequity still occurs in all spaces including literary ones, it is part of our explicit mission to support and promote women’s voices. Applications open February 17 - April 17 for 2027 Residency.

5 New Literary Agents Seeking Nonfiction, Fantasy, Scifi, Thrillers & Suspense, Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction, Romance and more

Here are five new literary agents actively seeking clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients. All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to several agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another. (Some small agencies share. Be alert to a notice that "a no from one is a no from all.")

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.

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Ms. Rose Conway of Confluence Literary Agency

Rose Conway joins Confluence Literary Agency as an expansion of her dedicated work to inform and empower authors in the dynamic industry landscape. 

Her publishing career began with a fortuitous internship at Simon & Schuster U.K. There, she first learned about the role of a "Literary Agent” and directed her career to being the ultimate cheerleader, critic, confidante, and champion for creative writers. In 2021, she diverted to explore hybrid publishing as the editorial manager for a leading professional publisher, ensuring that creative writers could earn a living and have the flexibility to pursue their own projects. Two years later, witnessing authors navigate mounting obstacles in the publishing landscape with increasingly contradictory and inconsistent advice, Rose founded Foreword Literary Consulting, LLC as a trusted resource for strategic guidance. Rose holds a Masters in Publishing from London College of Communication and a double Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication Studies from Villanova University. She lives in Columbia, Maryland with her husband.

What she is seeking: Rose is seeking commercial fiction. Her list focuses on stylistically subversive and thematically layered fiction: work that leads with artistry and allows deeper themes to emerge naturally. She seeks upmarket and smart commercial fiction with inventive structures, emotional depth, and distinctive voices. Think braided narratives, unexpected POVs, and prose that takes creative risks. In building her list, Rose is interested in career-oriented writers and her goal is to help authors lay the foundation for sustainable career growth. 

How to submit: Use her querymanager form HERE. Will open February 1, 2026.

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Jess Taylor of Martin Literary Management

Jess discovered her passion for publishing when she crafted her first book pitch for a high school research project. After falling in love with persuading others to read the stories she adored, she earned her BFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she also completed the publishing certificate program. She spent six years acquiring children's books, YA, nonfiction, and fiction for a Virginia-based publisher before opening an online bookstore dedicated to her first love: young adult literature.

What she is seeking: Young adult, new adult, select romance.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

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Charlie Serabian of Martin Literary Management

As a graduate of SCAD’s film and television department, Charlie spent his earlier years script doctoring and working on commercial, television, and documentary sets. His focus swiftly shifted to the book world in 2017 after starting at Global Lion Intellectual Property Management under the tutelage of literary maverick Peter Miller, where he became an agent after four years. He has also ghost written several books, written/co-written two WGA-approved screenplays, and edited numerous works of fiction and non-fiction.

What he is seeking: Primarily, I'm looking to build my list in genre fiction of all kinds. I have a special place in my heart for sci-fi and fantasy with a strong sense of style, prose, and characterization. I love writing with an appreciation for the macabre, a deathly sense of humor, or gothic sensibilities. I am also open to YA horror, adult horror, adult thrillers and crime fiction. In nonfiction I'd love to see the following:

• Anything that deals with hard hitting truths or the darker aspects of humanity.
• New technology.
• Political intrigue.
• Restaurant-focused works, whether cookbooks, or about the general world of restauranting. I am the son of two restaurateurs, so it's a subject close to me.
• Intriguing studies of lesser known people or situations.
• Having represented Sir Ken Robinson for many years, I am deeply invested in the subject of education. If you are a teacher or educator, I'd love to hear from you.
• I've worked with many wonderful true crime authors over the years, including Matthew Phelps and Aphrodite Jones. I also managed the estate of Vincent Bugliosi, author of Helter Skelter. True crime is always something I will give a chance to.

How to submit: Use his querymanager HERE.

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Bowen Gillings of Savvy Literary

Bowen Gillings is an active member of the American Association of Literary Agents who joined Savvy Literary in 2025. He has nearly a decade of experience as an author and champion of authors. Currently building his list, Bowen seeks to partner with writers possessing a solid grasp of why and how they write coupled with professionalism and a sense of humor. He loves engaging, entertaining books with a strong narrative voice.

Bowen has several published works of fiction including The Chronicles of Rom & Drood, First Family, The Wedding Guest, A Night to Remember, Exceptionals, and Overstuffed Lunchbox: A Bunch of Bite-Sized Bits. He recently co-wrote Year-by-Year: A Chronology of Garden of the Gods Park, a detailed history resource text for the City of Colorado Springs Office of Cultural Services.

What he is seeking: Currently seeking in fiction: Fantasy (High/Low/Epic/Grimdark/Noblebright, et al.), Thrillers & Suspense, Action/Adventure, Historical Fiction, Light Sci-Fi, Military Sci-Fi, and witty, humorous voices writing any of the above.

Currently seeking in non-fiction: narrative non-fiction, Pre-Revolution North America, American Indian voices (modern and historic), ancient history/lost civilizations, fitness/wellness/mental health, outdoors, cookbooks, and travel.

How to submit: Please send your query letter, one-two page synopsis, first three chapters, author bio with website link(s), social media link(s), and marketing plan (all documents must be in PDF format) to bowen@savvyliterary.com or use the submissions form HERE. Bowen is open to submissions the first week of every month.

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Ms. Natalie Sun of HG Literary

Natalie grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia reading as many fantastical adventures she could get her hands on. After graduating from New York University with a major in English and a minor in psychology, she joined HG Literary to assist Carrie Hannigan. 

What she is seeking: Natalie is primarily interested in YA and adult fantasy of all kinds, but will read any genre of fiction. She loves found family, original magic systems, complex dynamics, retellings, and romance. She has a soft spot for anything with horses. Natalie is not looking for religious books, nonfiction, horror, or graphic novels, but will otherwise read whatever is put in her hands, including science fiction, thriller, and middle grade.

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.

2026 New Year's Writing Resolution: Listen

Every year, I make a New Year's Resolution just for writing. I don't bother with personal resolutions, because I never keep them. (Seriously, in what universe was I ever going to give up chocolate?) But, without fail, I always keep my writing resolutions. 

In past years, I have made writing resolutions to Write What I Feared (we must all face our writing demons), and to get more rejections than C. S. Lewis. (He got over 800; I've gotten well over a thousand.) (I'm not proud.) In 2020, I resolved to begin (facing a blank screen is always daunting) and the following year, to finish what I had started. (This is a perennial problem for writers such as myself, who have a wealth of ideas, but short attention spans.) 

I have resolved to read, because it is only through reading and re-reading that we hone our writing skills, and I have resolved to observe the ordinary, because observing what goes on around us is the basis of all subject matter. 

Perhaps most important of all, I have resolved to be true to my own work - that is to say, to not conform to what I think an audience might like (or dislike, as the case may be), but to be loyal to my own message. Most writers may not realize it, but ignoring a prospective audience is actually quite difficult, especially once editors and publishers get hold of your manuscript. 

Where was I? Oh yes... resolutions...

After giving it much thought, I have come to the conclusion, much like Frank Herbert, that as far as writing is concerned, story is everything. I don't just mean the stories in your head. I talking about the stories you hear.

It occurred to me the other day that I could remember every story that anyone had ever told me—even stories from strangers I'd only met once. They had said something to me that resonated., and  I simply never forgot their story. A good number of these stories have served as inspiration for some of my short work, and even a novel.

The question that comes to mind is: How many stories do we miss when we are planning what we are going to say, instead of listening? We tend to remember things that have a strong emotional impact. But what of the other kinds of stories, the more mundane tales of misadventures, the humorous antics of children, travels? 

These are the ones we miss, because when we are focused on adding something similar in our lives, something to continue the conversation, we lose track of what we are being told. 

It is essential for fiction writers to pay attention to the stories people tell. Listen carefully, because while we may believe we are inventing stories, in reality we are telling the stories of all the people we have ever met ... and quite a few that we haven't. Unlike nonfiction (which is sometimes invented out of whole cloth), fiction must, in the deepest sense, be fundamentally true.

100 Calls for Submissions in January 2026 - Paying markets

This January there are more than eight dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.

I post upcoming calls for submissions shortly before the first day of every month. But as I am collecting them, I post them on my page, Calls for Submissions. You can get a jump on next month's calls for submissions by checking that page periodically throughout the month. (I only post paying markets.)

Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.

[Image: Pickpik]

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Acre Books. Genre: Full-length poetry manuscripts. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: Open reading period in January.

The Bombay Literary Magazine. Genre: Fiction, poetry, translated fiction/poetry and graphic fiction. Payment: Indian rupees 5,000 (approx. $61) per contribution. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2026.

Okay Donkey. Genre: One flash fiction OR one poem per author, per submission period. See website for details. Payment: $20. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

Trollbreath Magazine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Payment: 4 cents/word. 1/2 cent/word for reprints. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing is accepting submissions of complete, previously unpublished manuscripts in the speculative fiction genre that have series potential. Speculative fiction encompasses horror, fantasy, and science fiction—and all of the niche categories under those large umbrellas. They are only considering full length novels between 40K and 100K words. See submission requirements HERE. Deadline: Opens January 1, 2026.

The Paris Review. Genres: Fiction, poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: Opens Janurary 1, 2026, and closes when they reach capacity.

Cafe Irreal. Genre: Magical realism. Length: Up to 2,000 words. Payment: 1 cent/word. Deadline: January 1, 2026.

Utopia Science Fiction: Weird Science Fiction. Genre: Utopian science fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. Theme: Weird Science Fiction. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $30 for nonfiction, $30 per poem. Deadline: January 1, 2026.

Butch Bait Anthology. Genre: Art, poetry, fiction, erotica, and photography. See theme. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 1, 2026.

Griffith Review. Poetry. Theme: Post and Found. Payment: $200. Deadline: January 4, 2026.

Stone’s Throw. Genre: "We're looking for dark fiction, crime and noir, length between 1,000 and 2,000 words." Payment: $25. Deadline: January 4, 2026. Open to submissions the first three days of every month.

Mslexia. Genre: Stories, poems and script on themes. Length: Stories up to 2,200 words, poems up to 40 lines, and short scripts up to 1,000 words (including character names and stage instructions).  Payment: £25. Deadline: January 5, 2026. 

All Worlds Wayfarer. Genre: Speculative fiction short stories and flash fiction. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 5, 2026.

Daikaijuzine. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, art. Payment: $10.00 for each short story, and $5.00 for each poem and flash fiction piece. Deadline: January 5, 2026.

Affirm Press Restrictions: They only accept Australians. Genre: All literary and genre fiction. For non-fiction, they are interested in most subjects that have a mn authors or authors based in Australia, and only manuscripts that haven’t been previously published. They only accept submissions on the first Monday of each month. Read their submission guidelines here. Deadline: January 5, 2026.

Sunlight Press. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, photography, reviews. Payment: $20 - $50. Deadline: Opens January 5, 2026.

Cosmic Horror Monthly. Genre: Weird and cosmic fiction under 5,000 words. Payment: 3 cents (USD) per word. Deadline: January 7, 2026.

Notch. Genre: Flash fiction. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 7, 2026.

Headland. Restrictions: Open to Māori writers. Genre: Short fiction and nonfiction. Payment: $75. Deadline: January 9, 2026.

Little Ghost Books: Friday the Flirteenth – A Monsterotica Zine. Genre: Monster Erotica. Length: 1,000-2,000 words. Payment: $30. Deadline: January 9, 2026.

Blanket Gravity Magazine. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual art. "We are interested in moments of emotional intensity, and how their effects ring out in the bigger picture of our identities. We are looking for writing and art that explore mental health or emotional life. By "mental health," we mean art that tries to make sense of emotional struggle or uncertainty, as well as our thoughts about who we are, what other people mean to us, and the nature of the world." Payment: $40. Deadline: January 10, 2026. (?)

Book Worms. Genre: Apocalypic horror. Payment: 8 cents a word for fiction (1500 words or less). $25 flat fee for poetry (20 lines or less). Deadline: January 10, 2026.

Cordite. Genre: Poetry. See theme. Payment: Not specified. Payment is available for Australian contributors only. Deadline: January 10, 2026.

34 Orchard. Genre: Fiction, poetry. "We like dark, intense pieces that speak to a deeper truth. We’re not genre-specific; we just like scary, disturbing, unsettling, and sad." Payment: $50. Deadline: January 10, 2026. Opens January 1.

Your Body is a Fever Dream. Restrictions: Open to Trans, NB, agender, intersex, GNC, and generallyany gender identity other than binary cisgender. Genre: Fiction and narrative poetry. See theme. Payment: $0.03/word for stories up to 4,000 words. Deadline: January 10, 2026. Accepts reprints.

Cupid’s Misfire. Genre: "We want the weirdest tales of times when Cupid’s arrow goes astray." Length: Drabble (100 words). Payment: $1. Deadline: January 10, 2026.

Ampersand Review. Restrictions: Open to Canadians. Genre: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews. Payment: Poetry: $50 per poem/page to a maximum of $100. Fiction: $100 per story. Non-fiction: $100 per piece. Reviews: $100 per piece. Deadline: January 11, 2026.

The Fantastic Other. Genre: Fiction, flash fiction, poetry, art on theme. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 12, 2026.

OTHERSIDE. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by self-identified members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Payment: $0.08/word for prose. $50 per poem. $100 for nonfiction and reprints. Deadline: January 14, 2026.

Flame Tree: Black Horror, Then & Next: Short Stories. Genre: Black (American) literary horror. "We seek stories that recognize the legacy of Black horror, its literary milestones, cultural roots, and innovative voices, while pushing the genre into new, daring territory." Payment: 8 cents/6 pence per word. Deadline: January 14, 2026.

The Orange & Bee. Genre: Original works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction that engage in a significant way with the long history of fairy tales. Payment: Poetry: flat rate $US50.00 per poem; Flash fiction/non-fiction: flat rate $US80.00 per story (max 1000 words); Short fiction/non-fiction: $US0.08 per word (max 4000 words). Deadline: January 14, 2026.

Inner Worlds Zine. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or supernatural horror prose with a strong emotional or psychological focus. "We are mainly interested in fiction, but we’re open to speculative memoir or creative non fiction, as long as it has speculative elements.” Payment: £0.02 per word for each piece accepted, with a minimum £20 payment. Deadline: January 14, 2026 for members of marginalised groups only.

Rattle: A Tribute to Invented Forms. Genre: Poetry. "Our Summer 2026 issue will be dedicated to invented forms—poetic structures created by the poets themselves. These might include entirely new formal constraints, creative spins on traditional styles, or intuitive methods developed to suit a single poem. Invented forms offer a chance to blend play and precision, and we’re excited to showcase the wide range of possibilities poets are exploring. The poems may be on any subject and of any length, as long as they demonstrate a form that you’ve invented or substantially modified yourself." Payment: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Last Girls Club. Genre: Feminist horror: short stories and poems - see themes. Payment: Fiction, 1.5 cents/word. Poetry, $10. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Women Artists Datebook. Restrictions: Open to women. Genre: Poems and art. Theme: Peace and Justice. Payment: $200 for art, $70 for poetry. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

River Glass Books: Writes of Nature. Genre: Chapbook manuscripts (20-30 pages). All genres. Payment: $75. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Philadelphia Stories. Restrictions: Open to authors living in, or originally from, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New Jersey. Genre: Fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Electric Spec. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: $20 per piece. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Eye to the Telescope. Genre: Speculative poetry. See theme. Payment: $0.05/word, up to $25. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Two Lines Press: Calico Series – Call for Animal Stories in Translation. Genre: fiction in translation that largely feature one or more animals. Length: 2,000-10,000 words. Payment: $200 for the first page, $25 for each subsequent page. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Dancing Griffin Press: VERY SPECIAL EPISODES – A 90s Stranger Danger PSA Anthology. Genre: Horror. "We’re looking for stories that recapture the magic of some of the most disturbing “very special episodes” of the 90s." Length: 2,000 to 4,000 words. Payment: $25 for selected stories, $40 for our absolute favorite. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles, messages from heaven, angels. Genre: True stories about miracles, angels, messages from heaven, premonitions, amazing coincidences and other unexplainable but good events! Payment: $200. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Horror Tree: Trembling With Fear. Genre: Horror short stories. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Shenandoah. Genre: Fiction and novel excerpts. Payment: $80 per 1000 words of prose up to $400. Deadline: Opens January 15, 2026, and closes when they reach capacity.

In a Flash. Genre: Flash fiction, 500 words max. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Tales from the Crosstimbers. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, splipstream, and horror. Payment:  $10 per story or 1 cent/word rounded to the nearest 100 words, up to a maximum of $50. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Three-Lobed Burning Eye. Genre: Horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Payment: $0.08/word. Deadline: January 16, 2026.

Full House Literary. Genre: Prose, poetry, hybrid, photography and artwork. Payment: £5. Deadline: January 17, 2026.

Pink Hydra Press. Genre: Genre fiction: novellas, novelettes, novels. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 18, 2026.

Seaside Gothic. Genre: Seaside gothic fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or a collection of photographs or illustrations. Payment: £0.01 per word. Deadline: January 18, 2026.

Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter. Genre: Scifi. See theme. Length: 700-1000 words. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 18, 2026.

Splinter Journal. Genre: Poetry, fiction, memoir, nonfiction (pitches only). Payment: Profiles (pays AUD900), essays pays AUD900), writing about writing (pays AUD500), and criticism (pays AUD700), and completed submissions of poetry (pays AUD250/poem or AUD450/collection of up to four poems, fiction (pays AUD900), and memoir (pays AUD600). Deadline: January 19, 2026.

Astrolabe. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and photography & art. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 21, 2026.

Strange Horizons. Genre: Speculative fiction. Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: January 21, 2026.

The Fairy Tale Magazine. Genre: Fairy-tale inspired stories/poems. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 21, 2026.

OTHERSIDE. Genre: Speculative fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by self-identified members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Payment: $0.08/word for prose. $50 per poem. $100 for nonfiction and reprints. Deadline: January 21, 2026. Extended deadline only for BIPOC, trans, and/or disabled authors.

Raconteur Press: Mad Science! Bits & Pieces. Genre: Stories exploring fringe science and its consequences. Unhinged researchers push the boundaries of our perception of reality. Clone armies! Eccentric experiments! Doomsday devices! Flip the switch! Push the button! It’s Alive! What have we done? 5,000 to 8,000 words. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 23, 2026.

Stygian Lepus Magazine. Genre: Dark speculative fiction. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 25, 2026. This is a monthly call.

Eerie Lullaby. Genre: Horror, gothic, and dark fiction. 1000 words max. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 25, 2026.

Nightmare. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Dark fiction, CNF, poetry. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40 for CNF and poetry. Deadline: January 26, 2026.

Baubles From Bones. Genre: Science fiction and fantasy. Length: All stories must be between 1,000 to 8,000 words. Payment: $.01/word. Deadline: January 29, 2026.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit. Genre: Your submission must include the word "rabbit" three times in your 100-word drabble. Payment: $1. Deadline: January 30, 2026.

After Happy Hour. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, comics. Payment: $2.50 per printed page, with a minimum of $15 and a maximum of $50, on publication ($25 for the cover artist). Deadline: January 31, 2026. Free submissions are capped at 300, so submit early.

Double Dutch. Genre: Poetry, Music, Art. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

FIYAH. Restrictions: Submissions are restricted to people of the African Diaspora. Genre: Speculative fiction, art, and poetry about African Diaspora. Length: Short fiction 2,000 – 7,000 words and novelettes up to 15,000 words. Payment: 8 cents/word per story or novelette. $50 per poem. 10 cents/word for nonfiction. $400 for art. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

The Fiddlehead. Restrictions: Canadians only. Genre: Fiction, including excerpts from novels, creative nonfiction, art, poetry. Payment: $60 CAD per published page. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Inked in Gray: Defying Death. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or horror only. Theme: Defying Death. Payment: $45. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Event Magazine. Genre: Poetry, fiction. Payment: CAD $40/page for poetry and $35/page for prose, up to a maximum of $500. Deadline: January 31, 2026. Closes when cap is reached, so submit early.

The Temz Review. Genre: Prose (fiction and creative non-fiction) up to 10,000 words long. Payment: $20. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Inner Worlds Zine. Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or supernatural horror prose with a strong emotional or psychological focus. "We are mainly interested in fiction, but we’re open to speculative memoir or creative non fiction, as long as it has speculative elements.” Payment: £0.02 per word for each piece accepted, with a minimum £20 payment. Deadline: January 31, 2026 for members of marginalised groups only.

Split Lip Magazine. Genre: Fiction (flash and short stories), memoirs, and poetry. with a pop-culture twist. Payment: $75 for poems, memoirs, flash, fiction, and art, $50 for interviews/reviews, and $25 for mini-reviews web issues. Deadline: January 31, 2026. Closes when they reach capacity, so submit early.

Alocacia is a monthly mini journal of queer at-home nature writing. "We appreciate both traditional work, as well as the weird, erotic, explicit, anti-colonial, and whatever you can come up with. This is a journal about plants, gardening, and indoor horticulture. Please don’t send us work that isn’t about plants, gardening, or indoor horticulture." Payment: $50. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Nashville Review. Genre: Fiction, poetry, art, and nonfiction. Payment: $25 per poem & song selection; $100 per selection for all other categories, including featured artwork. Translators receive $25 per poem & $100 for prose selections. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Phylum. Genre: Fiction, CNF, Poetry, Art. See theme. Payment: $10. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Parsec Ink: 23rd Triangulation Anthology — Bad Romance. Genre: speculative fiction and poetry. See theme. Payment: $0.03/word for original fiction, 25 cents per line for original poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Summer in the City. Genre: Short fiction. Length: 3,000 to 7,500 words. See theme. Payment: 10 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Dragon Soul Press: Thread of the Past. Genre: Time travel stories. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2026. 

Dragon Soul Press: Elite. Genre: Warriors that have mastered their trade. Assassins, mercenaries, guilds, clans, etc. All genres are welcome. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2026. 

Cozy Fantasy Anthology. Genre: Cozy fantasy. Payment: $30. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Fourteen Poems Genre: Poetry. "We want to represent all that's thrilling about the new wave of LGBT+ poets. If you’re a poet, even if you’ve never been published before, we want to read your work. Every issue we publish 14 of the best queer poems we’ve found, and we want to include you! We publish 4 times a year, but take submissions all year round.  To be considered, email up to 5 poems, preferably in a pdf format, with a small paragraph about yourself to hello@14poems.com. Payment: £30 for each poem published. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Space and Time. Genre: Speculative fiction. "We welcome poetry, art and fiction that bend rules, transcend genre and break stereotypes." Submissions accepted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian. See theme. Payment: 1 cent/word for prose, $5 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Southword. Genre: Poetry. Payment: €50 per poem. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Haven Speculative. Restrictions: Open to submissions by authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups. Genre: Speculative fiction and poetry. Payment: 8¢ per word for fiction and $20 for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Dark Peninsula Press: Negative Space 3: The End of All Sanctuary. Genre: Survival horror. Specifically looking for horror stories with a siege (or isolation) sub-theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Inkd Publishing: Detectives, Sleuths, and Nosy Neighbors III. Genre: Murder mysteries, detectives noir, cozy, and humorous Payment: Minimum $10. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Violet Lichen Books: ECO25 – The Year’s Best Speculative Ecofiction. Genre: Speculative Ecofiction published in 2025. Payment: $0.01/word. Deadline: January 31, 2026. Reprints only.

Heartlines Spec. Restrictions: "Since Heartlines Spec is primarily a Canadian magazine, we're looking to feature writers identifying as being from Canada/Turtle Island. This includes expats, new immigrants, and people who refuse/resist Canadian Identity. Our goal for each issue is to publish at least 50% Canadian content." Genre: Short fiction and poetry focused on long-term relationships: platonic, romantic, or familial. "We want stories and poetry with strong, confident relationships amid all the sci-fi/fantasy. We are especially interested in stories featuring queer platonic relationships, ace/aro love stories, and polycules." Payment: $0.08 CAD per word for short fiction and $80 CAD flat for poetry. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

JMS Books. Genre: LGBTQ stories, 12,000 words minimum. See themes. Payment: Royalties. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Bonfire Books welcomes submissions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children’s books, as well as original translations into English. For Fiction and Non-fiction our minimum word count is 12,000 with no maximum. We are open to literary fiction, historical fiction, short stories, memoir, essays, history, literary or cultural criticism and hybrid genres. Non-fiction with a particularly Australian focus will be looked upon favourably. For Poetry our minimum length is forty pages. Poetry submissions must be sent in pdf to preserve formatting. We appreciate both traditional and modern styles and value music and rhythm. For Children’s Books please include a sample of artwork as well as the complete text. Read their submission guidelines here. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Vine Leaves Press. Genre: Novels and novellas (all genres accepted, but with a literary bent), memoirs/biographies/autobiographies, creative nonfiction, writing/publishing reference books, short story collections, and poetry and vignette collections. They will not accept anything shorter than 60 pages. Payment: 40% net royalty on all eBook and print sales. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Mud Season Review. Genre: Poetry, Fiction, CNF, Art. Payment: $50. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Garland. Genre: Poetry, prose poetry, short prose (<1500 words). See theme. Visual components and hybrid formats are welcome. Payment: $5. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

The London Magazine. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

Brink. Genre: Hybrid, cross-genre fiction, nonfiction poetry. Payment: $25 Poem; $50 Work (less than 1500 words); $50 Art (1-3 Images); $100 Art (4+ Images); $100 Work (more than 1501 words). See theme. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Fiction. Genre: Experimental fiction and translations of works previously unpublished in English. Payment: Not specified. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Dark Moments Monthly Challenge. Genre: Dark fiction. Word count : 100 to 2000 words. Payment: 4 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast Fiction Series. Genre: Short stories in the lesbian historic fiction genre. Payment: 8 cents/word. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Flash Fiction Online. Genre: Stories of all genres that explore resistance in all shapes and sizes, from actions that make a big impact to those tiny acts of rebellion. Reprints only. Payment: $40. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Short Story, Long. Genre: Short stories, 2k-8k words long (3,000-5,500 range preferred). Payment: $100. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Capital Love. Restrictions: Open to all writers from DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and to all those who have a connection to the DMV (lived here, worked here, educated here). Genre: Poems up to 14 lines. Micro stories (fiction or nonfiction) up to 250 words. See theme. Payment: $25. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Litmosphere. Genre: Art, flash (fiction and nonfiction), poetry, and short prose (fiction and literary nonfiction). Payment: $50 per accepted poem, flash fiction and nonfiction; $100 per short fiction and literary nonfiction; $250 for non-exclusive online use of 15-30 images. Deadline: January 31, 2026. Closes when cap is reached.

AND A FEW MORE...

Slush. Genre: Previously unpublished short stories of up to 5000 words in length. This includes micro and flash fiction as well as comics, prose poetry and other forms. Payment: $100 AU. Deadline: February 1, 2026. 

The First Line Journal. Genre: Fiction, nonfiction and poetry using the line provided. (See theme) Payment: $25-50 for fiction, $25 for nonfiction, $10 for poetry. Deadline: February 1, 2026.

Curated by Costiuc. Genre: Mysteries and crime stories. Length: 1,000 to 5,000 words. Payment: $25. Deadline: February 1, 2026. 

June Road Press. Genre: Poetry. "This anthology will be loosely organized as a cross-country road trip: a tour of new voices from different regions of the United States. In keeping with the spirit and orientation of our full-length collections, we’re particularly interested in work that engages in meaningful ways with nature or place—the more specifically place-based or regionally inflected, the better suited to this project." Payment: Royalties. Deadline: February 1, 2026.

Nightmare. Genre: Dark fiction, CNF, poetry. Payment: $0.08/word for fiction, $40 for CNF and poetry. Deadline: February 1, 2026. 

White Stag is looking for full length poetry manuscripts in the scope of their thematic elements, which can include themes of alchemy & the occult, mysticism & spirituality, folklore & mythos, the speculative or supranatural, or intersections of witchcraft & activism. These themes are not limited to any specific belief, culture, race, or region. Read guidelines here. Payment: $50 honorarium, 40% royalties based on total profit of each copy sold. Deadline: February 1, 2026. Note: US authors only.

73 Writing Contests in January 2026 - No entry fees

This January there are more than six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes range from $55,000 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. Many of these contests are offered annually, so even if the deadline has passed, you can prepare for next year.

Good luck! 

[Image: Flickr]

_________________

Defenestration Lengthy Poem Contest. Genre: Lengthy poem (at least 3 pages). Prize: $300. Deadline: January 1, 2026.

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: $1,250 and publication in Vermont Magazine. Deadline: January 1, 2026.

The Blossom Contest. Restrictions: Open to BIPOC writers. Genre: Poetry and prose. Prize: $250. Deadline: January 1, 2026.

On the Premises. Genre: Short story. "For this contest, write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long in which someone or something has returned after a significant absence. Does this return make people happy, unhappy, or somewhere in-between? That’s up to you. Also: Was this return a surprise, or was it expected? That’s also up to you." Prize: Up to $250. Deadline: January 2, 2026.

The Welkin Mini Writing Prize. Genre: Narrative prose (fiction and nonfiction) up to 100 words. Prize: £50 top prize. Deadline: January 2, 2026.

Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) provides direct support to individual Bronx artists who create literary, media, visual, and performing works of art. Prize: 25 BRIO grants of $5,000 each are awarded to Bronx artists. BRIO award winners complete a one-time public service activity. Deadline: January 2, 2026.

San José State University: Center for Steinbeck Studies – The Steinbeck Fellows Program. Fellowships are currently offered in Creative Writing (excluding poetry) and Steinbeck Studies; Fellows may be appointed in many fields, including fiction, drama, creative non-fiction, and biography. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between your work and Steinbeck’s. The emphasis of the program is on helping writers who have had some success but have not published extensively, and whose promising work would be aided by the financial support and sponsorship of the Center and the University’s creative writing program. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: January 4, 2026.

Shepton Snowdrops: In the Garden. Restrictions: Entry fee for poets over 18. No entry fee for poets under 18 years of age. Genre: Poem. See theme. Prize: £50-100. Deadline: January 5, 2026.

Bethesda Magazine Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Short stories. Length: 4000 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January 6, 2026.

MoCo360 Short Story Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Montgomery County, MD and Upper Northwest Washington, DC (20015 and 20016 zip codes). Genre: Short stories between 1,500 and 2,500 words. Prize: Publication in Bethesda Magazine as well as prizes up to $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (grades 9-12). Deadline: January 6, 2025.

Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing. Genre: 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. Book must be published in Canada. Prize: CAN $25,000. Deadline: January 7, 2026. (For books published between Nov 1, 2025 and Dec 31, 2025)

Only Poems Poem of the Month. Genre: Poetry. See theme. Prize: $33. Deadline: January 7, 2026.

Japan Center-Canon Essay Competition. The aim of the Japan Center Essay Competition is to promote awareness and understanding of Japan in the United States and to help young Americans broaden their international horizons. Genre: Essay. Contestants should write, in English, one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. (Contestants do not need to have any experience in visiting Japan or studying Japanese. Prize: Best Essay Award in the High School Division: 1st Place: $3,000 and a Canon camera, 2nd Place: $1,500 and a Canon camera, 3rd Place: $750 and a Canon camera; Best Essay Award in the College Division: $3,000 and a Canon camera; Uchida Memorial Award: $1,000 and a Canon camera; Merit Award: $200 (each) for up to five awards. Deadline: January 8, 2026.

Jack Hazard Fellowship. Restrictions: Open to writers who teach full time in an accredited high school in the United States. Genre: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 9, 2026.

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: $5000. Deadline: January 9, 2026. Biennial award. 

Dr. Paul Kalanithi Writing Award. Restrictions: No fee for medical students, residents, fellows. Genre: Short stories, essays or poetry addressing patients and providers facing chronic or life limiting illness. Fiction and non-fiction submissions are welcome. Prize: $300. Deadline: January 10, 2026.

The Bechtel Prize. Genre: Essay describing a creative writing teaching experience, project, or activity that demonstrates innovation in creative writing instruction. "We are looking for essays that describe a project or activity that got students excited about writing and fostered a vibrant and dynamic culture of literacy in the classroom." Prize: $1000 and publication. Deadline: January 11, 2026.

The Golden Triangle Golden Haiku poetry contest. Genre: Haiku on theme “Bridges of Belonging.” Prize: Up to $500. Deadline: January 11, 2026. Note: The contest is open to all ages.

John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Restrictions: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; US students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program; and US citizens attending schools overseas. Genre: Essay on an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1956. Prize: The first-place winner receives $10,000. The second-place winner receives $3,000. Up to five finalists receive $1000 each. Deadline: January 12, 2026.

Olive B. O’Connor Creative Writing Fellowship. Genre: Nonfiction and poetry. Prize: $55,100. Deadline: January 12, 2026.

Discoveries Prize. Restrictions: Open to female novelists of all ages and backgrounds, from across the UK and Ireland. Genre: Novel in progress. Prize: The winner will be offered representation by Curtis Brown Literary Agency and a cash prize of £5,000. Deadline: January 12, 2026.

French-American Foundation Translation Prizes. Genre: Book. Best English translation of French in both fiction and non-fiction. Prize: $10,000. Deadline: January 12, 2026.

Hachette Children’s Novel Awards. Restrictions: Open to debut authors living in the North of England at the time of entering and planning to remain here for at least another 12 months. Genre: Debut children’s and early teen fiction, including but not limited to, romance, comedy, historical fiction, crime, mystery and fantasy. Prize: £3000 and a programme of mentoring opportunities with professionals at Hachette Children’s Group and a children’s publishing agent. Deadline: January 12, 2026.

Bethesda Urban Partnership Essay Contest. Restrictions: Open to residents of Washington, DC and select counties in Maryland and Virginia. Genre: Essays. Length: 500 words maximum. Prize: $500 in adult category (age 18+) and $250 in high school category (ages 14-17). Deadline: January13, 2026.

Bethesda Poetry Contest. Genres: Poetry. Adult and high school student categories. Restrictions: Residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia are eligible. Prizes: First place: $350, published on The Writer's Center's blog and magazine, and a free class and membership to The Writer's Center. Second Place: $250. Third Place: $150. Honorable Mention: $75. Prize for high school students, $75. All winners will be published on the Bethesda Urban Partnership website and honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase. Deadline: January 13, 2026.

Story Unlikely Short Story Contest. Genre: Short story. Length: 4000 words max. Prize: First prize $1500. Deadline: January 14, 2026.

Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Restrictions: Open to women, US citizens only. Genre: Prose fiction. All entries must be submitted by publishers who wish to have the work of their authors that were published in the previous year considered. No self-published works or works from vanity presses will be accepted. Prize: $15,000. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

53-Word Story Contest. Genre: Flash fiction of exactly 53 words based on monthly theme. Prize: Publication and a free book. Deadline: January 15, 2026. This is a monthly contest.

Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award. Genre: Poem, 3-10 pages long, that demonstrates a "truly inventive spirit." Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

New Year on Story Street Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Flash fiction. 100 words max. Prize: $100. Deadline: January 15, 2026. Contest open to first 1000 submissions only.

Lit Fox Award. Genre: Full-length poetry collection. Prize: $1500 and publication. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards Program. Restrictions: Open to current high school seniors at a public high school in the United States graduating Spring of 2025. Genre: Original literary composition in English in one of the following genres of poetry, spoken word, fiction, personal essay/memoir, or book bans prompt. Prize: $10,000 scholarship. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 11 - 12. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. (See website for theme) Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 11-12th Graders. Prize: $30,000 scholarship. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Essay Contest Grades 6 - 10. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Essay, 500 words. (See website for theme) Restrictions: Northeast Ohio 6-10th Graders. Prize: $400. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Stephen A DiBiase Poetry Prize. Genre: Poetry. Prize: $500. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History. Genre: Essay on early American history (up to 1825), not previously published, with preference being given to New England subjects. Prize: $2,500. Deadline: January 15, 2026.

Washington State Book Awards. Restrictions: Open to Washington State writers. Genre: Published book: fiction, nonfiction, poetry for adults or children. Prize: Recognition (?) Deadline: January 16, 2026. (For books published Oct. 16-Dec. 31, 2025.)

Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize. The annual Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize is awarded each spring to honor an outstanding literary translation from German into English published in the USA the previous year. Genre: Published fiction or non-fiction, may include: novels, novellas, short stories, plays, poetry, biographies, essays and correspondence. Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 16, 2026.

The Garden Party Poetry Contest. Genre: Visual / Experimental Poetry. Prize: $50. Deadline: January 16, 2026. 

Havok. Genre: Flash fiction. See themes. Payment: $50 via PayPal for one story selected for an Anthology. No payment for online publication. Deadline: January 16, 2026..

Collaborature. Restrictions: Submissions must be written by more than one author or include a collaboration of two people (i.e., art and poetry). Genre: Poetry, prose, art. Prize: $20. Deadline: January 17, 2026. Note: This is a monthly contest.

Poetry Society of Virginia - Student Contest. Restrictions: Open to students in Virginia, grades 3 - 12. Prize: $10 - $25. Deadline: January 19, 2026.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest. Restrictions: Registered undergraduate full-time Juniors or Seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States. Genre: Essay Topic: What challenges awaken your conscience? Is it the conflicts in American society? An international crisis? Maybe a difficult choice you face or a hard decision you had to make? Engage us. Enlighten us. Explore the ethics of any problem, question, or issue, whether close to home or in the world at large. We are eager to learn from you. Prize: First Prize $10,000, 2nd Prize $5,000, 3rd Prize $3,000, two Honorable Mentions $1,000 each. Deadline: January 20, 2026. 

The Michael Marks Environmental Poet of the Year will be given to a poet whose previously unpublished series of poems brings most powerfully, to a wide readership, the subject of the environment and the place of the human within it. Prize: £1,000, and a winner’s residential trip to Greece. Deadline: January 21, 2026.

Michael Marks Illustration Award will recognise outstanding illustration of a poetry pamphlet. The judge will consider illustration in any medium and will be looking for a subtle and sustained relationship between image and text, as well as the overall quality of the images. Prize: £1,000. Deadline: January 21, 2026.

Michael Marks Award for Poetry Pamphlets. Restrictions: Only pamphlets published in the United Kingdom are eligible. Genre: Poetry pamphlet. Prize: £5,000 and a winner’s residential trip to Greece. Deadline: January 21, 2026.

Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out Poetry Contest. Stop the Hate® is designed to create an appreciation and understanding among people of differing religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Genre: Poem (See website for theme) Restrictions: Northeast Ohio Middle and High School students. Prize: High School First Place: $2,000 prize + $1,000 school grant. Middle School First Place: $400 prize. Deadline: January 22, 2026.

Zocalo Public Square Poetry Prize. Restrictions: Open to US poets only. Genre: Poetry that evokes a connection to place. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 23, 2026. 

The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize. Restrictions: Open to United States poets 40 or older. Genre: Unpublished first or second poetry collection. Prize: $10,000 and publication. Deadline: January 26, 2026. 

The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Writing is open to nonfiction first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Nonfiction, including entries addressing political, social, cultural, moral and historical subjects. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 26, 2026.

The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. Restrictions: The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction is open to novels and short story collections first published in the UK or Ireland. (See publication deadlines.) Genre: Fiction that explores ideas and issues, political themes, dilemmas and injustices through imagined narratives. Prize: £3,000.00. Deadline: January 26, 2026.

Scottish Book Trust: Monthly Competition. Restrictions: Open to four categories: adult writers, all-age Gaelic writers, young writers 5-11 and young writers 12-18. Prizes for UK writers only. Genre: Short story based on prompts. (See site for prompt) Length: 50 words. Prize: Various items. Deadline: January 27, 2026.

Future Scholar Foundation invites elementary and middle school students to submit short stories (maximum 350 words) based on a monthly theme. Prize: Winners receive recognition and prizes, including Amazon gift cards and publication in the Hall of Fame. Deadline: January 28, 2026. 

The Hillman Prize for Journalism. Genre: Journalism. "Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honored journalists, writers and public figures that pursue investigative journalism and public policy in service of the common good." Prize: $5,000. Deadline: January 30, 2026.

Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. Restrictions: Open to 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 technology addiction. Prize: $1000 scholarship. Deadline: January 30, 2026.

The Tom La Farge Award for Innovative Writing, Teaching and Publishing. Genre: "literary activity that combines serious play, imagination, erudition and innovative practice." The award may be sought for a project or body of work in writing, publishing, education or any combination of the three. Prize: $10,00. Deadline: January 30, 2026.

The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. Genre: Short story of no more than 8,000 words that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. Prize: Publication as the featured story on the Baen Books main website paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submissions. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Hot Flashes. Restrictions: Open to LGBTQ+ writers and straight allies. Genre: Flash Fiction stories and poems. Prize: £100 for each of the categories. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Contest. "The Jerry Jazz Musician reader has interests in music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and theater, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America." Genre: previously unpublished work of short fiction. Prize: $150. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Laureate Prize. Genre: Full-length poetry book. Prize: $500 and publication. Deadline: January 31, 2026. No entry fee for BIPOC writers. 

Dandelion Cottage Short Story Contest for Michigan Students. Restrictions: Open to students attending or being home-schooled in an Upper Peninsula School District. Genre: Short story, 5,000 words max. Prize: Up to $250. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

The Danuta Gleed Literary Award for best first collection of short fiction in the English language was initiated by John Gleed in honour of his late wife to promote and celebrate the genre of short fiction, which she loved. Restrictions: Canadian residents only. Prize: A $10,000 prize will be awarded for the best first collection of published short fiction in the English language. Two finalist will also be awarded $500 each. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Northern California Book Awards. Restrictions: Books written by authors based in northern California and published for the first time the previous calendar year are eligible for nomination. Genre: Published book. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Prairie Heritage Book Award. Genre: Book that illuminates the heritage of North America's mid-continental prairies, whether of the tall-grass, mid-grass, or short-grass regions. Authors' first books receive extra consideration. Books may be in any genre, and topics may include but are not limited to social or natural history; prairie culture of the past or in-the-making; and interactions between society and ecology. Prize: $1,000. Deadline: January 31, 2026. 

A. C. Bose Grant for South Asian Speculative Literature. Restrictions: Open to South Asian or South Asian diaspora writers. Genre: Speculative fiction. Prize: $1000. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

The Pattis Family Foundation Chicago Book Award. Genre: Any published book, whether fiction or nonfiction, that promotes public understanding of Chicago; titles must be available for purchase by the general public in either hardcover or bound paperback form; All subject areas, disciplines, and genres are eligible, including but not limited to: history, biography, the social sciences, art, architecture, poetry, drama, graphic novels, or fiction; Translations, textbooks, anthologies, reprints or new editions of previously published works, pamphlets, condigital publications, travel guides, children’s books, or self-published works are not eligible. Prize: $25,000. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

North Carolina Student Poetry Contest. Restrictions: Open to student poets from 3rd grade to university undergraduates attending schools in North Carolina. Genres: Unpublished poems (submit one poem). Prizes: 1st Place winners will receive a $100 check. 2nd Place winners receive $50. 3rd Place winners receive $25. Deadline: January 31, 2026. 

Cheshire Prize for Literature. Restrictions: The writer must have been born, live or have lived, study or have studied, work or have worked, in Cheshire, UK. Age ranges from 4 to adult. Genre: Short story, piece of poetry, script or children’s literature piece (this can be a script, story or poem, for children ages seven to 14). Prize: Cash prizes. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

The César Egido Serrano Foundation: International Flash Fiction Competition. Genre: Flash fiction. Prize: 20,000 euros is awarded for the best story in any of the languages authorized in the contest: Spanish, English, Arabic or Hebrew. Three prizes of 2,000 euros each will be awarded for the best stories in each of the other remaining languages admitted in the contest, that are not winners of the main prize. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

The Propel Cambridge Poetry Prize. Restrictons: Open to poets writing in English, based anywhere in the world, who have yet to publish their first full-length poetry collection. Genre: Poem. Prize: £750. Deadline: January 31, 2026.

Apex Flash Fiction Contest. Genre: Speculative fiction, 1000 words max. Prize: 8 cents/word or $10, which ever is greater. Deadline: January 31, 2026. Note: Apex Magazine’s Flash Fiction Contest is open from the 7th until the final day of each month. The contest is themed.

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: January 31, 2026. Reprints are ok so long as you still have the rights to distribute.

#GWstorieseverywhere. Genre: Micro fiction or essay on theme. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag. Prize: Free Gotham class. Deadline: January 31, 2026. This is a monthly contest.